Star Blaze by Keith Mansfield Read Free Book Online Page B

shuttle.”
    â€œAnd a very unusual burn it is, Master Johnny,” said Alf. “It is not down to exposure to heat.” Johnny and Clara looked at each other and then back to the android, who continued, “This is the result of extreme cold.”
    Johnny couldn’t help it—he shuddered as he wondered about the freezing mask that covered half his brother’s face. It didn’t bear thinking about. “What was Pluto like?” he asked, keen to change the subject.
    â€œWe completed the outpost,” said Alf.
    â€œAnd I got to go outside and stand on the surface,” said Clara, now grinning. “It’s a double planet. Charon—its moon—is huge and really close.”
    â€œIt helped that we could put a skeleton staff in place,” Alf continued, ignoring the interruption.
    â€œThere are people there?” Johnny asked. “What are you talking about? Who?”
    â€œNot people, Master Johnny. Tolimi.”
    â€œ
Cheybora
went back to search for survivors after Alpha Centauri—you know, Toliman—went supernova,” said Clara. “There’s only a handful—they’re really cute and tiny—but we couldn’t bring them back here.”
    â€œAnd they were very determined to help,” Alf continued. “If only we had some Corniculae. Then the warnings could be instantaneous. Those extra few hours could make all the difference.”
    At least that was something Johnny could come clean about. He’d completely forgotten he hadn’t told the android about his stash of eggs waiting to be hatched—Alf was sure to know what to do with them. Once out of their cocoons, the creatures behaved like salmon, finding their way to the place of their birth in order to lay new eggs. Only these Worms had the special ability that they could burrow through the fabric of space itself. “About that,” said Johnny, grinning despite the pain in his cheek. “I’ve got some … eggs anyway. They’re at Halader House.”
    â€œWhat? How? When? … Master Johnny!” Alf looked so flabbergasted Johnny wouldn’t have been surprised to see thebowler hat lift off the android’s head and start spinning of its own accord. Clara just giggled.
    â€œBram gave them me with the Worm he’d hatched on Melania,” Johnny went on. “I tried contacting him last night, but the new Chancellor wouldn’t let me speak to him.”
    â€œLet’s go to Melania,” said Clara. “We’ve got to tell him about the supernova and we can take a Worm to Pluto on the way.”
    Johnny smiled. One ship wouldn’t be enough to protect the solar system from Nymac—they needed reinforcements and Melania was the best place to find them. Part of him wanted to stay and search for Nicky, but his brother had already found him once and promised to do so again. Besides, it would be wrong to put his family ahead of saving Earth and the solar system. “We’ll go tomorrow,” he said.
    He didn’t know why he’d not been able to speak with Bram, but he was certain of one thing. Neither Mrs. Devonshire nor Mr. Wilkins was going to be pleased when he failed to turn up to school in the morning.

3
The Absent Emperor
    When, very early on Monday morning, Johnny arrived at Halader House to collect the Cornicula eggs, he ran straight into Mr. Wilkins.
    â€œOi! Where’ve you been, sonny?” asked the cook, blocking the entire corridor outside the computer room, so there was no way past.
    He didn’t have time for this. They were scheduled to take off in under three hours. Clara had been keen to update her diary with everything that had happened, so remained on the
Spirit of London
while Alf had come with him to Castle Dudbury. Johnny had left the android sitting in the
Jubilee
in the station carpark and promised to be no more than five minutes. “Out,” he replied as he tried to