Warlord's Revenge (2 page)

John, Emmie, and Kaal bundled into the holo-classroom with seconds to spare. Around an open hill side, a forest of pink and orange trees stretched far into the distance. Winged lizard-like creatures chattered in a light yellow sky with two suns. At the front of the class, the teacher was taking a seat on an old tree stump.

The three students found themselves smaller stumps. In the blue grass at John’s feet was a QuickFan, a small propeller on a simple harness. Controlled with a hand-held joystick the size of a pencil, the QuickFan was used to fly in zero-gravity. John eyed it curiously, wondering what sort of lesson Professor Raydon, the Space Survival teacher, had in store.

A native of planet Arborill, Raydon looked half-man, half-tree. Tall and slim with knotted, bark-like skin, the professor had long hair that was autumn gold. He wore a simple tunic and trousers, while tools hung from a leather belt around his waist. Black eyes under heavy brows looked over the class, checking that none of the students was missing. At his feet, a fire crackled merrily.

“Good morning,” said Raydon when he had finished his class count. His voice sounded like a tree creaking. He pointed down at the flames at his feet. “Fire,” he anounced. “It can be your best friend, or it can kill you. Last week, we covered lighting fires in inhospitable conditions, but can anyone tell me how best to put one out?”

Before anyone else could speak, a boy with two long, black tentacles sprouting from his ribcage snapped one in the air. “Deprive the fire of its oxygen source!” he blurted out quickly.

A small metal ball floating by his shoulder whispered, “Oh,
very
good, sir,” in its robotic voice. Mordant Talliver’s Serve-U-Droid, G-Vez, stretched out a thin silver arm and brushed a crease from its master’s red and silver jumpsuit.

John frowned. He himself had known the answer, but Mordant liked to remind everyone how clever he was. The black-haired half-Gargon always tried to answer any questions before anyone else could get a word in.

“Yes, Mordant Talliver is correct,” creaked Professor Raydon. He put his head to one side, staring at Mordant. “A little rude not waiting to be called on, but correct all the same. Can anyone think of another way to put out fire? Emmie Tarz, how about you?”

“Ummm...” said Emmie. “That is... ahhh...”

John glanced round at her. Emmie was biting her bottom lip, a sure sign that she was flustered and nervous.
Come on, Emmie
, he thought, silently urging her to answer.
It’s really obvious
. He knew Emmie hated the fact that she was close to the bottom in almost every class, and he also knew she worked hard to improve her marks. In fact, she had been up late last night, cramming her Cosmic Languages coursework.

Mordant Talliver broke the silence. “Ha,” he sniggered quietly. “Emmie Tarz, the universe’s biggest idiot, strikes again.” In a louder voice, he continued, “Sir, the answer is—”

“Water!” John blurted, interrupting him. “On Earth we put out fires with water.”

“That’s right. Thank you, John; though I wasn’t asking you
or
Mordant.” With long, twig-like fingers, Raydon picked up a water bottle at his feet and tipped it onto the little fire. It steamed and fizzled out. “The water displaces oxygen and turns to steam,” he said. “Which moves heat away from the fire. It’s a very effective way of putting out most fires, used across the universe.
If
you are in normal gravity.” He paused for a moment. “But we’re in space, and in an emergency the gravity might fail. What happens then?”

The class was silent.

“Nothing to say, Talliver or Riley? Stumped you, have I, eh? Well, let’s try it, shall we?” Raydon stood up. “Please strap on your QuickFans. Zepp, give me zero-gravity and cancel the holo program.”

“Certainly, Professor Raydon,” Zepp replied, as John pulled the QuickFan harness over his shoulders and buckled it at his chest.

The hill and forest vanished. The class now stood in a large domed room, covered with what looked like small white studs. These were the hologram projectors that could create any environment imaginable . Feeling a lightness in his stomach as the gravity was turned off, John flicked the switch on his QuickFan, thanking his stars that Kaal had taught him how to use one – for once, he wasn’t going to embarrass himself by thrashing around like a drowning cat in zero-gravity. Buzzing blades whirred as the machine on his back came to life. John’s feet left the ground as the small propeller shot him towards the ceiling. He cut the power after a second and floated to a stop a few metres above the floor. Around him the rest of the class did the same, seventeen students from seventeen different worlds hanging in a circle in mid-air.

In the centre, Professor Raydon pulled a small white sphere from a leather pouch at his hip. Clicking a small device, he set fire to it and let go as the flames caught.

John stared. A ball of fire, about the size of a football, spun in the air, its surface boiling gold, red, and white. It looked beautiful.
Like a tiny sun
, he thought.

“Who would like to try and extinguish the flame?”

Once again, Mordant’s tentacle shot up. Raydon ignored it. Angling his own QuickFan so that he drifted away from the fireball, he said, “John, as you know so much about water, why don’t you come here and try.”

“Umm... OK, sir.” Carefully, John flew to the centre of the circle, stopping when he could feel the heat of the flames on his face.

“Here’s your water,” said the professor, tossing him a bottle.

John caught it, twisted off the lid, and squeezed it towards the fire. Water spurted out, forming a quivering bubble in zero-gravity. John watched as it wobbled towards the fireball, expecting it to put the fire out as soon as it touched the flame. Instead, the two balls – fire and water – met with a slight hiss and the fireball simply moved away, still burning brightly.

“Try again,” Professor Raydon said.

This time, John squeezed the bottle harder, sending a gush of smaller bubbles towards the fireball. The result was exactly the same, though this time the ball moved away more quickly.

“Hey, don’t send it in this direction, John,” said Lishtig ar Steero. He hastily adjusted his QuickFan to move himself from the fireball’s path, snatching his trailing ponytail of purple hair out of the way just in time.

“Sorry, Lishtig,” John grinned. He chased the ball of flame through floating bubbles of water, lining up for a third shot.

“Allow me to put it out for you,” the teacher said, flying over and taking the bottle from his hand.

To John’s amazement, instead of squirting it at the fire, Raydon tucked the water bottle into his pocket. Empty-handed, he twisted in the air until he was facing the fireball. “OUT!” he barked loudly.

The flames flickered and vanished.

“H-how on Earth, did you do that?” John stammered. Around him, the rest of the class looked on in stunned silence.

Professor Raydon spun slowly in the air, smiling at the class. “Without gravity, fire behaves very differently,” he explained. “Although it is still possible to extinguish the flame with water, if you have the right equipment, for smaller fires it is much easier to use sound. Can anyone tell me why?” he looked around. “Yes, Kaal?”

Kaal lowered his hand. Sounding a little shy, he said, “I’m just guessing, but is it like blowing out the flame with a puff of air? Do the sonic waves scatter burning gases?”

“Exactly right, Kaal. I couldn’t have put it better myself.” Professor Raydon beamed. “In zero-gravity, a flame can be disrupted with sound waves, exactly as if you were blowing it out. This means that anyone who can shout loudly enough can put out a fire.” Smiling, he continued. “So, let’s see who can shout loudly enough.”

Using his QuickFan expertly, Professor Raydon flew from one student to the next, lighting seventeen balls of flame and giving each of the students a few words of advice. “Yell, very quickly,” he told John as he set a white ball ablaze. “You need a sudden burst of sound to disrupt the gas.”

“OUT!” John bellowed a few moments later. In front of him, the fire sputtered, but soon became a steady ball of flame again, now drifting slowly across the room. The sound waves had only pushed it away. He glanced around. Not one of his classmates had managed to extinguish their fireball on the first go. Now, they were all using their QuickFans to follow them around the huge dome. Fireballs were floating in every direction, and the classroom echoed with all sorts of loud sounds – from booming shouts to high-pitched shrieks.

“Be
careful
!” shouted Raydon. “If your fire is drifting too close to someone, make sure you warn them to get out of the way.”

“Go OUT!” John shouted again, then “Rats,” as the fireball just drifted a little further away again. Holding his QuickFan behind him, he gave the propeller a short burst of power and gave chase.

“Hurrah,
I did it
. Do I get a prize?” announced Gobi-san-Art in his deep, rumbling voice. John glanced round. The big craggy boy, who looked like he’d been carved from a great block of stone, was punching the air in triumph. His fireball had gone out.

“Well done, Gobi!” called Professor Raydon.

Turning back to his own fireball, John’s eyes widened. It had drifted on and was now floating dangerously close to Mordant Talliver. “Hey, Mordant, watch out!” he shouted.

Too late.

Oh great
, thought John, wincing as the flames brushed past the half-Gargon’s elbow.
He’s totally going to make a massive scene
.

Mordant’s high-pitched squeal of pain instantly put out his own ball of flame.

“
Owwwww
!” he shrieked. “I’m burned. John
burned
me.”

“Hey, I’m really sorry, I didn’t mean to—”

“Yes, you did. G-Vez, you saw. He did it on purpose, didn’t he?”

“The Earthling undoubtedly sent his fireball in your direction with every intention of harming you, young master Talliver,” said G-Vez.

“That’s not true,” said John. “It was an accident. I was just looking the other way.”

“I bet you were,” spat Mordant, clutching his elbow. “Looking around to make sure Professor Raydon didn’t see you burning me.”

The professor swooped up between them. “What’s going on here?” he demanded.

“John
burned
me, sir.” Mordant showed the teacher his elbow. He turned his head away as Raydon pushed up his sleeve. “Will I be permanently scarred?” he asked in a faint voice.

“Oh, I don’t think so, Mister Talliver,” Professor Raydon replied cheerfully. “These uniforms are flame-retardant. Look, the fire only singed the surface of the fabric. It hasn’t even touched your skin. You’re perfectly all right. And, if it makes you feel any better, you managed to put your fire out.” Looking around, he dropped Mordant’s elbow and shouted, “It’s OK, everyone! Nothing to see here, get back to work.”

As the shouting started again, Raydon frowned at John. “John, be a little more careful, please,” he said before whirring away.

“But, sir, he did it on
purpose
!” Mordant shouted after him.

Once again, Raydon ignored him.

“It
was
an accident Mordant, and I
am
sorry,” John said calmly. It had been plain on John’s first day at Hyperspace High that he and Mordant Talliver were never going to be friends. Since then, John had saved the half-Gargon’s life but, if anything, this seemed to have made the black-haired boy dislike him even more. Nevertheless, John didn’t want to cause any more bad feelings between them.

“Yeah,
right
. Just don’t think I’m going to forget this.”

“The young master certainly does have an excellent memory,” G-Vez agreed in its most self-important voice.

“Shut up, G-Vez. I’m not taking to you,” snapped John.

“Don’t tell my droid to shut up.” One of Mordant’s tentacles prodded John in the chest.

John slapped it away, his face reddening. “I’m trying to apologize, you stupid—”

A glow of light filled the room, as the headmaster zipped through the wall and flashed into his humanoid form. A door opened, and two Examiners floated into the room. Every student fell silent. Every student except Kaal, who was still intent on putting out his fire.

“AAAAAAARGH!” he screamed at his fireball.

As Kaal’s screech put out the flames , the Derrilian looked around in triumph. Spotting the headmaster, his face fell. “Oh, sorry, sir. I didn’t see you there,” Kaal mumbled.

“That’s quite all right, Kaal,” Lorem replied. “
Excellent
screaming, by the way. I shall certainly call on you if I need to extinguish a fire in zero-gravity.”

While he was speaking, Examiners passed rapidly from student to student. Using force fields, the featureless white robots created spheres of green light around each of the remaining fireballs. Starved of oxygen, the flames died.

The headmaster turned to Raydon. “Professor, I’m sorry to disturb your class, but if you would be so kind...”

“Of course, headmaster,” Raydon said, nodding. “Zepp,” he said, “Restore gravity, please.”

Zepp obeyed the teacher’s request in an instant. Around the holo-classroom, students tumbled out of the air. John fell on his feet. Others weren’t so lucky. A few students stood up, rubbing freshly bruised backsides.

“Ouch, Zepp. I nearly broke an ankle,” Lishtig complained, wobbling to his feet.

“You should grow some wings,” grinned Kaal, landing lightly and folding his own leathery wings across his back.

The headmaster raised a hand. “I have important news,” he announced. His smile had faded. He looked, and sounded, extremely serious.

The students fell silent, eyes fixed on the headmaster. “Hyperspace High,” the headmaster continued, “founded ten thousand years ago by the scholars of Kerallin...”

The students glanced at each other. This wasn’t news. Everyone knew the scholars of Kerallin had created the finest school in history as a gift to the universe.

But Lorem hadn’t finished. “That much you all know,” he continued. “What fewer people realize is that every 100 years, the scholars inspect one class of Hyperspace High students. Very few are chosen to study here, and standards at the school must remain high. The scholars want to make sure that every student is making good progress and to judge whether they deserve their places. Hyperspace High only teaches the very best, and it is not unknown for the scholars of Kerallin to ask students to leave if they are not reaching their full potential.” Lorem paused for a moment, and then finished matter-of-factly. “This year, they will be testing you.”

The news created an instant buzz. Around John, students began to chatter in excitement. The scholars of Kerallin were near-mythical figures who spent their lives wrapped in secret study on their hidden world. Very few beings in the universe had ever laid eyes upon them. Every so often the fruit of their research was presented by a messenger – new technology the scholars had invented, the histories of planets lost long ago, or works of mathematics so complex that that only a few minds in the universe could grasp their importance. Otherwise, the scholars stayed silent and apart from the rest of the universe.

“Wow,” said Queelin Temerate, her yellow eyes glowing and stubby feelers twitching with excitement. “You mean the
actual
scholars are
actually
coming
here
?”

“And they’re going to test us?” said Raytanna. “Oh goody, I just love tests.”

A cold dread had gripped John’s stomach. Although he tried his best, the only subjects he was any good at were maths and flying. As he had discovered when he first came to Hyperspace High, very few of the subjects taught at the school were anything like those he had been learning on Earth. John spent a lot of his time trying to catch up with the other students. A test on Galactic Geography or Hyperspace History was his worst nightmare. He gulped. What if the scholars wanted to test him on Cosmic Languages? Speaking alien languages was mind-bogglingly difficult for John, who had never even met an alien until seven weeks ago, let alone tried to communicate with one in their own language. He often thanked his lucky stars for the ship’s computer, which translated every word that was spoken around him into English before it even reached his ears.

I’m going to fail.

He glanced at Emmie. Her golden skin had turned pale. She looked back at him, biting her lip. John knew exactly what she was thinking. Between the two of them, they juggled bottom place in most classes between them. One week it would be him, the next Emmie. There was every chance that both of them would fail a test.

Unlike Emmie, though, John had an extra worry. An accident had brought him to the school. Lorem had asked him to stay but he hadn’t been specially chosen to study at Hyperspace High like everyone else. At least Emmie knew that the scholars must have had some reason for picking her.
Probably her talent at flying
, reflected John.
I don’t want to be thrown out
, he told himself.
I’ll have to go back to boring Earth school and never fly a spaceship again
.
Maybe if I study really hard before the test begins...

An Examiner interrupted his thoughts. Its flat, electronic voice droned, “Rule 109: Unauthorized speaking in class is prohibited. Future transgressions punishable by detention.”

“I’m sure there will be no need for detentions,” said the headmaster, as the class fell silent once more. “If I may continue... no, Queelin, the scholars will not be coming here. Many of them are too old to make the journey, so you will be travelling to Kerallin for the inspection. You will be representing the whole school, so I expect nothing less than your very best behaviour. Remember to apply
everything
you have learned at Hyperspace High.”

He stopped again, looking from face to face. “There is one last thing,” he said slowly. “I must warn you that the scholars are highly secretive. Once the test is finished, you must never speak of it to anyone. Do I make myself clear?”

A few students nodded.

“I will, of course, know if anyone is indiscreet,” Lorem said, stony-faced.

“Yes, sir,” the entire class chorused.

Before he knew what he was doing, John’s hand was up. “Excuse me, sir, but when does the test start? Will we have time to revise?”

“The tests begin
now
,” Lorem answered. “The scholars are expecting you, and they wish to know what you have
learned
, not how well you revise.”

John groaned inwardly.

“If you are all quite ready, then, let’s get you on your way to Kerallin. Please follow me.” Thanking Professor Raydon, Lorem turned and led the class from the holo-classroom.

In the corridor outside, the feverish chatter started again. “Wow, my mum and dad would never
believe
I’ve been to Kerallin,” chuckled Lishtig. “It’s, like, the brainiest place in the universe.”

“Not if Emmie and John are there,” sneered Mordant. “As soon as they land, it’ll be the
thickest
place in the universe.” Seeing John and Emmie’s miserable faces, he added slyly, “What’s the matter with you two? Afraid you’re going to be thrown out? About time, if you ask me.”

They both ignored him, too wrapped up in their own worries to argue.

“Get lost, Mordant,” Kaal growled from behind them.

“I was just saying—”

“And I was just saying
get lost
.”

“Yeah? What are you going to do about it?”

“Maybe I’ll call an Examiner over,” snapped Kaal. “I’m sure they’ll be very interested to know your idea of ‘very best behaviour’ involves insulting other students before we’ve even taken off.”

Muttering under his breath, Mordant walked faster until he was out of earshot.

“Don’t let Mordant bother you; he’s an idiot,” said Kaal gently.

“He’s right, though,” Emmie said glumly. “I’m never going to pass any tests.”

“Me, neither,” said John. “I’m going to let the school down and prove that Lorem never should have asked me to stay.”

Clapping an enormous hand on each of his friends’ shoulders, Kaal laughed. “Cheer up,” he said. “The scholars of Kerallin would be mad to throw either of you out. Between you, you’ve saved everyone’s lives on an exploding volcano planet, stopped an intergalactic war, and won the Robot Warrior competition.”

“Yeah, but none of that involved
tests
,”John groaned.

“I might as well save myself a trip to Kerallin and start packing now,” Emmie added glumly.

“Rubbish, you’ll both be fine,” said Kaal cheerfully. “Hey, you know where we’re headed, don’t you?”

John and Emmie stared at him. Neither of them had been paying any attention to where Lorem was leading the class.

“Where?” asked John.

“Exit port kappa,” Kaal said, grinning.

It took a moment to work it out. Emmie got there first. “The pyramid!” she gasped, looking through a viewing window at the glowing ship that had docked with Hyperspace High earlier that morning. “We’re going to Kerallin on that amazing spaceship.” Her navy-eyes brightened immediately.

“I thought that might cheer you up,” said Kaal.

A few minutes later, the headmaster brought the class to a halt outside the dock. “Here our paths must part,” he told the students. “To ensure that none of you are coached or helped with the tests, the scholars forbid any teachers to accompany you. Mordant Talliver, your Serve-U-Droid will also not be permitted.”

Talliver gasped, “But... but I
need
G-Vez. Without it, I’ll have to do everything myself.”

“That’s the idea, Mordant.”

“Serve-U-Droids are programmed to follow their owners everywhere,” G-Vez cut in. “I would be failing in my duty if I allowed the young master to go without me.”

“Think of it as a holiday,” Lorem replied.

The little droid spun around, lights flashing. “Ah,” it said, “if you put it that way, I have been meaning to change my batteries and tidy up my hard drive.”

“G-VEZ!” Mordant sounded outraged.

For the first time since the headmaster had appeared in the classroom, John found himself smiling.

“I am terribly sorry, young Master Talliver,” the little machine said, “But rules are rules.” It floated away to bob around the headmaster’s shoulders.

Lorem nodded towards the pyramid. “Your assessment begins now. Starting with tests of Space Flight and your problem-solving abilities.”

“You mean we’ve got to fly the pyramid on our own?” Emmie blurted out.

“Precisely. And pilot it to the Kerallin.”

The last traces of Emmie’s nerves vanished. “I didn’t realize there would be a flight test,” she said happily. “Space flight I can do.”

“Well, now is your chance to show the scholars of Kerallin, ” Lorem replied. Addressing the whole class, he continued, “Once you are all on board, we will release the docking clamps. The ship will be moved away from Hyperspace High using our force fields. After that, you are on your own. Whatever happens, I’m trusting all of you will make me proud. Good luck, everyone.”

As the class filed through exit port kappa, a finger tapped John on the shoulder. He stopped and looked up into the headmaster’s twinkling purple eyes.

“John Riley,” Lorem said, “you look less than happy about this adventure. I thought you enjoyed a challenge. What is troubling you?”

John tried to force a smile onto his face. He failed and looked down at his feet. “It’s just that everyone else belongs here, sir,” he said miserably. “They were
chosen
. I’m just an accident.”

“Are you sorry that you were invited to stay on at Hyperspace High?”

“No, no. It’s not that,” John babbled. “It’s just I’m afraid the scholars will tell me to leave. That’s what’s bothering me. This is the best school
ever
.”

“I’m glad you think so,” Lorem said. “Accidents often have unexpected consequences. In fact, many people believe the existence of the universe itself is a vast cosmic accident. There is no need to worry about your presence here. I am very happy to have you at Hyperspace High, and I know I am not the only one. You belong at this school as much as anyone else.”

“Thank you, sir. But... well... I’m not the best student.” John lifted up his eyes and looked into the headmaster’s face. “Will there be lots of difficult tests?”

An enigmatic smile crossed Lorem’s face. “What is life other than a series of tests, John?” the headmaster said. “Tests we must face with courage.”