Lab Rats in Space by Bruno Bouchet Read Free Book Online Page B

captain.
    â€˜I know. Take them as quickly as possible to my room and stay there with them. I’ll report back to the Research Station.’
    Captain Redlock hoped they would believe him when he said they had found nothing. Xanax’s message had gone out to all the cargo ships which had docked at the station that day. With any luck they would not send a ship out to check every one.
    The minute Redlock returned to his command post on the control deck, he knew his worst fears were about to come true. Hovering in the middle of the bridge was a holographic projection of a head. The shiny head looked like it had been polished for hours. Redlock could just see the collar of a white rubber lab coat.
    His crew stared at the head, too scared to move. They didn’t have 3-D holographic projection on their ship, just a flat screen. They had no idea how this head had suddenly appeared.
    â€˜Captain Redlock,’ the head smiled at him, ‘how good of you to help us.’
    â€˜Professor Xanax, I presume,’ the captain said. ‘What an honour.’
    â€˜I do apologise for troubling you. This is quite embarrassing.’ The professor smiled like his lips were being pulled apart by a machine. It wasn’t pretty. One of the crew shut his eyes—the smile was the scariest bit yet.
    â€˜It seems the life forms which escaped from our lab found their way into a container on your ship. Could you come back so we can clean them up?’
    Xanax spoke like some germs had escaped from a test tube.
    â€˜Can’t help you professor,’ Captain Redlock was even more determined to help the kids now. ‘We’ve already checked the containers. There are no life forms in them.’
    â€˜They’re not visible to the human eye,’ Xanax tried to smile again.
    Redlock knew he was lying.
    â€˜We really can’t afford any delays. I can assure you the containers have no living creatures in them. I’d hate for you to waste your time with us.’
    The captain was telling the truth. The containers were empty… now.
    Xanax’s smile snapped shut.
    â€˜Very well. Until later captain.’
    The holograph disappeared.
    Redlock knew this would not be the end of the matter.
    â€˜OK. Let’s get away as quickly as possible. Maximum power please!’
    He had to think of a way to get the kids off his ship, and fast.

Chapter 10
Leaking Tummies
    R udi thought the Lab Rats looked hungry, but he didn’t want the kitchen knowing there were five hungry mouths and a strange furry brick in the captain’s quarters. So he had one huge plate of food sent up from the ship’s kitchen.
    â€˜The captain’s very hungry,’ he said, ‘so pile the plate up high; bacon, mashed potatoes, some sausages, the lot… and he’ll want a massive bowl of chocolate ice-cream… and he’s in the mood for lemonade… a really big bottle.’
    The children stared at the huge plate. They hadn’t seen real food before. They sniffed. It did smell good.
    â€˜Eat up then!’ said Rudi.
    â€˜What? This?’ Dee asked.
    â€˜It’s weird!’ said KT.
    Rudi ate some to show them it was OK. They told him what they ate in the lab.
    â€˜Disgusting!’ said Rudi.
    â€˜Wow!’ Zed was the first to put some food in his mouth. ‘It’s like a smell but inside your mouth. You’ve got to try it!’
    They all dived in and were soon enjoying the first real meal any of them could remember.
    â€˜The brown stuff’s cold!’ said Jay. He took a massive bite and froze his teeth.
    â€˜The bubbles go up your nose!’ Emm tried the lemonade. ‘You had better leave it alone, Jay.’
    â€˜Food’s fun!’ declared KT.
    It didn’t take long before they were all full.
    â€˜My stomach hurts now!’ said Zed.
    Rudi explained that they were full and it would soon go down as they digested the food.
    They’d been finished a