calculations, there should be just over two hours before the Mega-Eruption begins. Once we have entered orbit, we will pass the time with a quiz on my article before lunch.”
Again, several students groaned.
“Establishing low orbit one hunderd and thirty kilometres above the surface of planet Zirion Beta,” announced the shuttle’s computer.
John looked out the viewing window, realizing he’d been lucky to get a seat on the left side of the craft. The planet’s surface filled the window like a huge model of the alien world. He would be one of the few to have a completely clear view. The windows across the aisle showed only space.
A second later, John wasn’t quite so certain of his luck. Students from the other side of the aisle crammed over for a better view. “Hey! Back off, Werril,” he grunted, as one of the Klopian’s horns jabbed him in the side of the head.
“Sorry, John,” murmured Werril, pulling his head away a little.
John returned his gaze to the viewing window. Below, the planet spun slowly. It was a brown, craggy, threatening place, with no suggestion that life might exist on its surface. Great cracks ran across a rough landscape; vast volcanoes belched smoke that quickly whipped away on high winds. Molten lava was already running down the slopes of many peaks, forming lakes of fire.
“Return to your seats!” shouted Graal. “There will be plenty of time—”
She never finished the sentence. An enormous crash sent the shuttle spinning. Screams and shouts filled the air. Squealing, Doctor Graal tumbled around the craft, along with the students who had released their safety harnesses.
“ Whaaaa !” shrieked the teacher, as another thud set the shuttle whirling in the opposite direction.
“Warning: Asteroid strike. Warning: Asteroid strike,” the computer droned loudly, its alarm blaring.
Eyes wide, John glanced out the window. Outside, space whirled crazily. One second the planet’s surface filled the screen, the next, stars. From the corner of his eye, John caught sight of a football-sized rock spinning towards the craft. Fresh screams filled the shuttle as the asteroid hit with a dull thud, followed by the shriek of breaking metal.
“Autopilot error. Orbit failing. Emergency stabilizers online,” warned the computer. “Abandon shuttle. Abandon shuttle.”
As the jets suddenly stopped roaring, the craft stopped spinning. A hatch hissed opened at the rear. Shooting a quick look out the window while he unfastened his harness, John saw more rocks tumbling towards them. His face paled. Another rock might hit the craft at any moment, and if one of the viewing windows was smashed, everyone inside would be sucked out into space instantly.
“Let me through! Let me through !”
John’s head whirled at the sound of the croaking shriek. Doctor Graal was fighting her way along the central aisle, tentacles curling around crying students and thrusting them out of her path. “The escape pod!” she screamed. “We must get to the escape pod! Everyone form a queue behind Mordant.”
Shoving two students out of her path, the teacher squeezed her bulk through the hatch. “I’m trained for these situations,” she babbled. “I’ll just enter the launch code. Everyone line up behind Mordant.”
John frowned. Surely Doctor Graal shouldn’t be boarding the escape pod ahead of her students. The panicking teacher was hardly setting a good example.
Mordant forced himself down the aisle through a mad scuffle. “You heard her!” he screeched. “I’m first. Everyone behind me.”
John could see the Gargon inside the pod, jabbing wildly with her tentacle at a control panel. Instantly, the hatch hissed closed. With a metallic crunch, the pod detached from the shuttle and blasted away to safety.
“Escape pod away,” droned the computer. “Autopilot error. Orbit failing. Collision with planet Zirion Beta in two minutes.”
“She left us!” screamed Queelin Temerate. “Doctor
Again, several students groaned.
“Establishing low orbit one hunderd and thirty kilometres above the surface of planet Zirion Beta,” announced the shuttle’s computer.
John looked out the viewing window, realizing he’d been lucky to get a seat on the left side of the craft. The planet’s surface filled the window like a huge model of the alien world. He would be one of the few to have a completely clear view. The windows across the aisle showed only space.
A second later, John wasn’t quite so certain of his luck. Students from the other side of the aisle crammed over for a better view. “Hey! Back off, Werril,” he grunted, as one of the Klopian’s horns jabbed him in the side of the head.
“Sorry, John,” murmured Werril, pulling his head away a little.
John returned his gaze to the viewing window. Below, the planet spun slowly. It was a brown, craggy, threatening place, with no suggestion that life might exist on its surface. Great cracks ran across a rough landscape; vast volcanoes belched smoke that quickly whipped away on high winds. Molten lava was already running down the slopes of many peaks, forming lakes of fire.
“Return to your seats!” shouted Graal. “There will be plenty of time—”
She never finished the sentence. An enormous crash sent the shuttle spinning. Screams and shouts filled the air. Squealing, Doctor Graal tumbled around the craft, along with the students who had released their safety harnesses.
“ Whaaaa !” shrieked the teacher, as another thud set the shuttle whirling in the opposite direction.
“Warning: Asteroid strike. Warning: Asteroid strike,” the computer droned loudly, its alarm blaring.
Eyes wide, John glanced out the window. Outside, space whirled crazily. One second the planet’s surface filled the screen, the next, stars. From the corner of his eye, John caught sight of a football-sized rock spinning towards the craft. Fresh screams filled the shuttle as the asteroid hit with a dull thud, followed by the shriek of breaking metal.
“Autopilot error. Orbit failing. Emergency stabilizers online,” warned the computer. “Abandon shuttle. Abandon shuttle.”
As the jets suddenly stopped roaring, the craft stopped spinning. A hatch hissed opened at the rear. Shooting a quick look out the window while he unfastened his harness, John saw more rocks tumbling towards them. His face paled. Another rock might hit the craft at any moment, and if one of the viewing windows was smashed, everyone inside would be sucked out into space instantly.
“Let me through! Let me through !”
John’s head whirled at the sound of the croaking shriek. Doctor Graal was fighting her way along the central aisle, tentacles curling around crying students and thrusting them out of her path. “The escape pod!” she screamed. “We must get to the escape pod! Everyone form a queue behind Mordant.”
Shoving two students out of her path, the teacher squeezed her bulk through the hatch. “I’m trained for these situations,” she babbled. “I’ll just enter the launch code. Everyone line up behind Mordant.”
John frowned. Surely Doctor Graal shouldn’t be boarding the escape pod ahead of her students. The panicking teacher was hardly setting a good example.
Mordant forced himself down the aisle through a mad scuffle. “You heard her!” he screeched. “I’m first. Everyone behind me.”
John could see the Gargon inside the pod, jabbing wildly with her tentacle at a control panel. Instantly, the hatch hissed closed. With a metallic crunch, the pod detached from the shuttle and blasted away to safety.
“Escape pod away,” droned the computer. “Autopilot error. Orbit failing. Collision with planet Zirion Beta in two minutes.”
“She left us!” screamed Queelin Temerate. “Doctor
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