years.”
Lost for words, John looked up at his friend, nodded, and then returned his gaze to the scene within the stasis cube. A thick line of heavily armoured Goran were frozen in the act of charging a weaker line of Subo: thousands of fighters’ screaming battle cries that had been silenced for ever. Even explosions had been caught by the stasis beams. Like great flowers of yellow and orange, they dotted the landscape, throwing giant sprays of earth into the air.
“We’re getting left behind,” said Kaal, pointing to the rest of the class. The other students were now some distance away. “Better catch up or they’ll lose us.”
“What do you think, John?” asked Emmie excitedly, as John and Kaal joined the group. “It’s spooky, isn’t it? And sad, too.”
“Yeah,” John agreed quickly. “But it really makes you think. If every Hyperspace History lesson were like this, I’d be getting top marks.”
“Talking of marks,” Emmie babbled, “where’s a good place to use the Comet Creative? I want to get the best view.” She held up the device. To John, it looked like a large digital camera.
“OK, Emmie,” said Kaal. “Let’s get it over with and then maybe you’ll calm down.”
John’s forehead tensed in worry. Something Emmie had said was niggling at the back of his mind.
Emmie, however, was dancing from one foot to the other in eagerness. “Hey, with the extra marks Graximus Greyfore is going to give me, maybe this term I won’t be bottom of the class,” she said, grinning.
Marks , thought John. Something about the marks doesn’t add up .
Emmie was still gibbering. “I think I should get a picture of you standing in front of it first, Kaal. You can send it to your dad.”
“Great idea,” said Kaal enthusiastically. “He’s really interested to see what a human being looks like, too, so John should be in it. Let’s find somewhere with a really impressive background. Lots of action, that’s what we need.”
As Emmie and Kaal hurried along the path, John followed more slowly, lost in thought. Unable to put his finger on what was bothering him, he decided he was being ridiculous and picked up his pace.
“Perfect,” said Kaal, pointing to a particular scene in the stasis cube. A lone Goran raising a tattered, mud-streaked flag reared up defiantly as a wave of Subo fell upon it. “John, come and stand over here.”
John took position next to his friend, smiling as Kaal put an arm around his shoulders.
“Ready!” the Derrilian shouted.
“Wonder how many extra marks I’m going to get for this,” said Emmie, pointing the Comet Creative and looking through the viewfinder. “Looks good, guys. Smile.”
Of course, that’s what’s wrong. Realization hit John at the same time as Emmie hit the activate button.. Graximus Greyfore had promised Emmie extra marks, but told her to keep the Comet Creative a secret. Greyfore wasn’t a teacher, so how was Emmie going to get extra marks if no one was to know about it?
“Wait!” John shouted. Further up the path, students turned to look, surprised at the urgency in his voice.
Too late.
John raised his arm across his eyes, as the Comet Creative gave off a blinding flash that lit the sky.
“What the—” Still clutching the Comet Creative, Emmie staggered, covering her face with her free hand to protect her own eyes. As the flash faded, she screamed. Two Omega-bots were bearing down on her at top speed. “It’s OK!” she yelled desperately. “Graximus Greyfore gave it to me. The curator. Graximus Greyfore told me to use it!”
The Omega-bots ignored her. Metal claws gripped her by the arms.
“Hey, leave her alone!” John shouted, trying to shove the nearest Omega-bot away from Emmie. “Didn’t you hear her? Greyfore said it was OK.” Deep down, however, he knew that something was seriously amiss. If the Comet Creative was such a great new invention, why didn’t Greyfore want to test it himself? Why give it to a
Lost for words, John looked up at his friend, nodded, and then returned his gaze to the scene within the stasis cube. A thick line of heavily armoured Goran were frozen in the act of charging a weaker line of Subo: thousands of fighters’ screaming battle cries that had been silenced for ever. Even explosions had been caught by the stasis beams. Like great flowers of yellow and orange, they dotted the landscape, throwing giant sprays of earth into the air.
“We’re getting left behind,” said Kaal, pointing to the rest of the class. The other students were now some distance away. “Better catch up or they’ll lose us.”
“What do you think, John?” asked Emmie excitedly, as John and Kaal joined the group. “It’s spooky, isn’t it? And sad, too.”
“Yeah,” John agreed quickly. “But it really makes you think. If every Hyperspace History lesson were like this, I’d be getting top marks.”
“Talking of marks,” Emmie babbled, “where’s a good place to use the Comet Creative? I want to get the best view.” She held up the device. To John, it looked like a large digital camera.
“OK, Emmie,” said Kaal. “Let’s get it over with and then maybe you’ll calm down.”
John’s forehead tensed in worry. Something Emmie had said was niggling at the back of his mind.
Emmie, however, was dancing from one foot to the other in eagerness. “Hey, with the extra marks Graximus Greyfore is going to give me, maybe this term I won’t be bottom of the class,” she said, grinning.
Marks , thought John. Something about the marks doesn’t add up .
Emmie was still gibbering. “I think I should get a picture of you standing in front of it first, Kaal. You can send it to your dad.”
“Great idea,” said Kaal enthusiastically. “He’s really interested to see what a human being looks like, too, so John should be in it. Let’s find somewhere with a really impressive background. Lots of action, that’s what we need.”
As Emmie and Kaal hurried along the path, John followed more slowly, lost in thought. Unable to put his finger on what was bothering him, he decided he was being ridiculous and picked up his pace.
“Perfect,” said Kaal, pointing to a particular scene in the stasis cube. A lone Goran raising a tattered, mud-streaked flag reared up defiantly as a wave of Subo fell upon it. “John, come and stand over here.”
John took position next to his friend, smiling as Kaal put an arm around his shoulders.
“Ready!” the Derrilian shouted.
“Wonder how many extra marks I’m going to get for this,” said Emmie, pointing the Comet Creative and looking through the viewfinder. “Looks good, guys. Smile.”
Of course, that’s what’s wrong. Realization hit John at the same time as Emmie hit the activate button.. Graximus Greyfore had promised Emmie extra marks, but told her to keep the Comet Creative a secret. Greyfore wasn’t a teacher, so how was Emmie going to get extra marks if no one was to know about it?
“Wait!” John shouted. Further up the path, students turned to look, surprised at the urgency in his voice.
Too late.
John raised his arm across his eyes, as the Comet Creative gave off a blinding flash that lit the sky.
“What the—” Still clutching the Comet Creative, Emmie staggered, covering her face with her free hand to protect her own eyes. As the flash faded, she screamed. Two Omega-bots were bearing down on her at top speed. “It’s OK!” she yelled desperately. “Graximus Greyfore gave it to me. The curator. Graximus Greyfore told me to use it!”
The Omega-bots ignored her. Metal claws gripped her by the arms.
“Hey, leave her alone!” John shouted, trying to shove the nearest Omega-bot away from Emmie. “Didn’t you hear her? Greyfore said it was OK.” Deep down, however, he knew that something was seriously amiss. If the Comet Creative was such a great new invention, why didn’t Greyfore want to test it himself? Why give it to a
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