The Alien Brainwash (2 page)

They were used to Kip leaving suddenly on missions, so they wouldn't mind.

Kip wanted to get into space as soon as possible. No matter how many missions he went on, space travel was
always
exciting!

CHAPTER
2

Just outside the insect display was a lift.

The ride to the roof took 0.1 seconds. Kip watched a MicroAd for his favourite snack on the lift's 3D TV.

Kip usually started missions by getting himself to the Intergalactic Hoverport. His starship MoNa was docked there. But this time, he had a ride.

When the lift doors opened, a squat, shiny green WorldCorp robot was waiting for Kip on the roof. It had red flashing eyes with buttons arranged in a smile. Beside the robot, Kip saw what looked like a giant two-metre-high spring.

‘Greetings, Kip Kirby!' the robot chirped. It circled Kip's feet, herding him toward the spring. ‘This will be FUN!'

Kip raised one eyebrow. The robot was obviously set to XTreme Positive mode. How annoying!

A section in the top of the robot's head flipped open. It took out a brand-new green spacesuit, helmet and spaceboots from inside, and then handed them to Kip.

WorldCorp Handlerbot: XTreme Positive mode

Kip didn't have his own space gear with him. He wasn't expecting to leave on a mission today!

As he suited up, Kip had a closer look at the giant spring. There were straps inside for each of Kip's wrists and ankles.

‘Climb in and buckle up!' bleeped the robot.

Kip climbed into the spring and stretched out his arms and legs. The straps closed around his ankles and wrists. In a second, Kip was strapped inside the spring in a star-jump position.

‘This is WorldCorp's all-new Space-Bounder,' the robot explained, its lights flashing excitedly. ‘It's the latest innovation in environmentally friendly travel, and the fastest way to get to the Hoverport. Specially designed for urgent missions!'

Kip spotted a metal plaque screwed inside the spring.

WorldCorp SpaceBounder

1. SpaceBounder will be activated by
your WorldCorp Handlerbot.

2. SpaceBounder will launch over the
edge of the Inner Eight Zoo building.

3. SpaceBounder will hit Impact Zone
on the ground below.

4. SpaceBounder will spring upwards
into space.

Kip's eyes narrowed. His Space Scout training had taught him to question everything. Especially jumping off tall buildings!

The Impact Zone was a target painted on the ground. What if Kip missed and landed somewhere else? Someone could be seriously hurt. It sounded more dangerous than the mission itself!

It was a very long way down from the top of the building. Kip decided to ask the easiest question first. ‘Er, how exactly will the SpaceBounder know when I've arrived at the Hoverport?'

‘Relax!' chirped the robot. ‘This Space-Bounder is designed so that someone your weight will spring up to the exact height of the Hoverport. The straps will automatically release when you arrive.'

The robot probably knows what it's doing,
Kip told himself.
Doesn't it?

‘In testing, this prototype worked over 99 per cent of the time!' chirped the robot. ‘Come on, hurry up!'

‘Prototype?' Kip repeated. ‘You mean, this thing isn't even –'

AAAHHHHH!

The SpaceBounder automatically launched Kip over the edge. Suddenly, he was plunging through mid-air!

The world rushed past Kip in a blur. His stomach flopped wildly and sweat poured down his forehead.

Kip caught a glimpse of people inside the zoo rushing to the windows. It wasn't every day that a Space Scout plummeted to the ground in a gigantic spring.

Kip had a highly trained eye for navigation. As he sped toward the ground, he saw at once that the SpaceBounder was off course.

I've gotta do something or else I'll miss the
Impact Zone!
he told himself.

There was no time for complicated calculations. Kip had to trust his gut. Heart hammering, he leant hard to the left. The SpaceBounder tipped sideways and rolled completely over eight times in a row.

Yes!
It was just enough to line up perfectly with the Impact Zone.

SPROOOOINNGG!

The SpaceBounder hit the ground just inside the Impact Zone.
Lucky!

Kip's bones rattled inside him as the SpaceBounder bounced upwards.

Next stop, the Hoverport
, Kip thought, as the SpaceBounder hurtled past the Titanium Tower and into the sky.

Then on to Botanicus-1 to rescue Zara!

CHAPTER
3

Kip whistled toward space inside the giant spring. The Hoverport loomed up above of him. It looked like a giant car park floating in the air. But instead of old-fashioned cars, starships of all shapes and sizes were docked there.

Kip's starship, MoNa, was docked in her usual spot. MoNa was a black multi- level starship with curved thrusters and a pointed nose cone.

The SpaceBounder is meant to automatically
release me at the Hoverport,
Kip remembered. But he still had to call MoNa and ask her to open her landing bay door to let him in.

My hands are strapped in
, Kip thought.
So I can't reach my SpaceCuff to call!

Kip hurtled closer and closer to MoNa. The harness began to release him. He was slipping out the bottom of the spring. At any moment, he could be free-falling through space – or worse, go
SPLAT
against the side of his starship!

Just as he was about to slip out, Kip grabbed the bottom coil of the spring and clung on fiercely. ‘MoNa!' he screamed, dangling in thin air.

As if MoNa had heard him, the landing bay door suddenly slid open. Kip felt the SpaceBounder being sucked toward his starship.

With MoNa's landing bay door just below him, Kip let go of the SpaceBounder and pin-dropped through it. He landed on the floor of the landing bay with a thud.

She must've used her MagnaSweep to pull in
the spring!
Kip thought, relieved.

The MagnaSweep was MoNa's high-powered magnet. It scanned the sky for dangerous metal debris. Or, in this case, for Space Scouts trapped inside giant springs!

MoNa 4000: MagnaSweep

‘Thanks,' Kip said shakily.

‘I really haven't got time for rescues,' came MoNa's cranky, computerised voice. ‘I'm preparing to fly into deep space.'

Kip decided to change the subject. Sometimes MoNa got carried away thinking she was more important than him.

‘Where's Finbar?' he asked.

Part-human and part-arctic wolf, Finbar was an Animaul, created in case of alien invasion. But Finbar had failed Animaul training for being too gentle. He'd been made Kip's second-in-command instead.

‘Try his sleep chamber,' MoNa said.

Puzzled, Kip left the landing bay.

I know Finbar likes daytime naps
, Kip thought, barely noticing the dull rumble as MoNa left the Hoverport.
He IS part-
wolf, and they're a kind of dog. But we're about
to leave on a rescue mission!

The door to Finbar's sleep chamber slid open and Kip poked his head inside.

Finbar was strapped into his wall-mounted vertical space bed. A dial on the pillow adjusted height and softness.

WorldCorp Vertical Space Bed