Out of this World

by Susannah McFarlane

  ‘This message suggests she is doing it with a code,’ said EJ.

  ‘Exactly,’ replied A1. ‘And that’s where you come in, EJ12, or should I say, where you take off.’

  ‘Take off, A1?’ repeated EJ.

  ‘Yes, EJ,’ said A1. ‘Take off. To outer space.’

  ‘You are going to send me into outer space?’ asked EJ, her eyes staring widely at A1.’Don’t astronauts train for months? Aren’t they all adults?’

  ‘Well, in the olden days, maybe,’ said A1.

  EJ wondered if that was when A1 was a girl.

  ‘That was when I was a girl,’ continued A1, ‘but we have come a long way since then. And you have more skills than you think. You have already completed your zero-gravity training as part of your skydiving certificate so that will present no problem for you. I really think you will love it, EJ. I know I did.’

  A1 had been in space? EJ didn’t know why she was surprised as A1 seemed to have done everything.

  ‘It is easier than you think,’ continued A1. ‘A number of companies are developing space travel for tourism and SHINE has been sending agents into space for quite a few years now. Our spaceport facilities are second to none in the world. And that is where we need to go now.’

  ‘We have a spaceport?’ asked EJ.

  ‘Yes, we do,’ explained A1. ‘It is at a top-secret location in the middle of the desert where we can launch without being detected. The SHINE bullet train will take us there now.’

  And with that, A1 pressed a small button on the side of the bench and two large silver doors at the back of the Operations Room opened to reveal another part of the Mission Tube, an underground train platform with a sleek, silver bullet train. EJ had travelled on the train before, to SHINE training camp, and she had even driven it herself on one mission but today, she could see another agent was driving.

  ‘Let’s continue our briefing on board, EJ,’ said A1, walking towards the platform.

  As the train pulled out of the platform, A1 and EJ sat down on either side of a table.

  ‘Right EJ,’ A1 began, ‘let’s take a look at your mission charms.’

  SHINE mission charms were actually CHARMs, Clever Hidden Accessories with Release Mechanism. SHINE had developed a large range of spy gadgets but cleverly reduced them all to the size of a silver charm that could be worn on a special SHINE-issue charm bracelet. As the agent needed the gadget, they simply removed the charm from their bracelet and twisted it. The twist would activate the charm and restore it to its normal size and function. There seemed to be no limit to what charms SHINE invented: there were secret listening devices disguised as chocolate bars, dolphin-training whistles, glow-rope and voice-changing charms. As A1 pulled out a metal box from a drawer under the table, EJ was excited to see what new charms she would have this time. A1 opened the box to reveal four silver charms: a crescent Moon, a rocket, a heart with a star inside it and an ice-cream cone. EJ was curious about this last one. Why would she need an ice-cream cone in space?

  ‘I know I say this every time,’ said A1, ‘but the SHINE inventors really have outdone themselves this time. Let’s look at the ice-cream charm, it’s not what you might think it is.’

  ‘It doesn’t give me ice-cream?’ asked EJ, a little disappointed.

  ‘It does but it gives you a lot more as well,’ replied A1. ‘This is your space food charm. Eating in space is a little tricky. With no gravity, your food can tend to float away from you. Let me show you how the SHINE space food dispenser works.’

  A1 twisted the charm and was soon holding a plastic ice-cream in a cone about the size of a fork.

  ‘Now EJ, first swivel the dial on the ice-cream top to your selected meal,’ said A1. ‘You then press this small button on the side and flip back the ice-cream top. Your meal will appear at the top of the cone and you simply tip it into your mouth. You will soon get the hang of it and I think you will like the meals we have selected for you.’

  A1 passed the cone to Emma who quickly scanned the meal dial: macaroni cheese, chocolate, ice-cream.

  ‘So do I, A1,’ said EJ smiling as she twisted the bottom of the cone to restore the dispenser to its charm size. She then secured it to her bracelet.

  ‘Now, let’s move on to the rocket charm. This is very important, EJ. It is a rocket remote. Simply activate it and your shuttle will fly on automatic pilot directly to pick you up at your location.’

  ‘Right,’ said EJ. ‘But won’t I stay in the rocket?’

  ‘That’s certainly the plan, but, if you remember one of our mottoes, “We plan for the unplanned”,’ replied A1. ‘This Moon charm will also help if you have to leave your rocket.’

  ‘What does it do?’ asked EJ.

  ‘It is your Moon travel bag,’ said A1. ‘Inside are jet-packs suitable for use on the Moon.’

  ‘A1,’ called the driver. ‘Five minutes until arrival at the spaceport.’

  ‘Excellent, thank you,’ replied A1. ‘EJ, you can familiarise yourself with the heart charm later. It is time for you to get your space gear on.’

  EJ could hardly wait. Space was all of a sudden a whole lot more interesting.

  A1 and EJ stepped out of the train onto a platform and then a conveyor belt that carried them down a long brightly lit tunnel, opening out into what looked like a smaller version of the SHINE Operations Room. A woman turned from a row of computer monitors and smiled at them.

  ‘Good morning, A1, and welcome to SHINE Ground Control, EJ12. I am Agent TO10,’ she said. ‘We are in the final stages of preparation for your launch. If you would like to open that door on your left, you will find a changing room with spacesuit. Would you please change into it now.’

  ‘Certainly, Agent TO,’ replied EJ and she headed to the change rooms. On a bench in the change room was a white suit, a bit like a wetsuit but made of a softer material rather than rubber, white boots and a white helmet. There were a number of badge-like patches on the suit. The largest one on the front bore the SHINE logo. Smaller ones on the sleeves had different designs, one of a rocket and the others a mix of various colours, and EJ wondered what they were for. EJ pulled on the suit and boots and, as she picked up her helmet, she caught a glimpse of herself in a mirror. She was an astronaut! She was going into space! EJ was excited but also a little nervous. She was going a really long way from home this time—out of this world. Would she be okay?

  To stop herself feeling nervous, EJ thought about which BEST she would select for this mission. SHINE knew that agents worked better when they had the support of others and had created the Brains, Expertise, Support and Tips network, known as BESTies to help agents on missions. Each agent had a list of trusted friends or family members who had been screened by SHINE and authorised for mission assist. An agent could upload one BESTie for each mission and that person would be on standby to help her.

  It’s funny though, thought EJ, A1 hasn’t even mentioned the BEST system yet. I wonder why. Perhaps it can’t work in space. I wouldn’t like that. EJ suddenly felt a little less excited and a little more nervous.

  But EJ needn’t have worried. SHINE never let their agents work alone and as EJ walked out of the changing rooms it was no longer just A1 and Agent TO waiting for her. EJ smiled an enormous smile when she saw that two more people had entered the Control Room—her mum and, unbelievably, Isi.

  ‘What are you guys doing here?’ cried EJ.

  EJ’s mum winked at her but then went into the changing rooms. EJ was surprised to see her but at least she was a retired SHINE agent but Isi? Isi was definitely a BESTie but since when were BESTies actually allowed into SHINE?

  ‘EJ,’ said A1, ‘meet our new agent-in-training, Agent IJ12.’

  Isi? Part of SHINE? How cool was that?

  EJ beamed. ‘Welcome to SHINE, IJ12! Gosh that sounds funny!’

  ‘Thanks EJ, but it will be a while before I can go on missions,’ said IJ12.

  ‘IJ12 will start her basic training and be part of our science and inven
tion division,’ A1 explained. ‘Agent IQ400 was very impressed with her science competition entry.’

  ‘The school science competition was a SHINE competition?’ asked EJ.

  ‘Exactly,’ said A1. ‘Just like the maths competition that you won, EJ.’

  ‘And was that what you were going to tell me before school, Is?’ asked EJ.

  IJ12 nodded, beaming.

  ‘As mobile phones don’t work in space,’ continued A1, ‘IJ12 will be with us at SHINE control to be your BESTie should you need assistance.’

  ‘Exactly who I would have picked,’ said EJ. ‘But why is Mum here, A1?’

  ‘Your launch into space is an air-launch, EJ. We take your spaceship, Shining Star 1, up on a larger plane, the mothership and, when we reach 17,000 metres, the mothership releases the spaceship. Then Shining Star 1’ s rockets will engage and you will surge into space. And who better to fly the mother ship that will launch you in space than your mother?’ said A1 with a smile. ‘And SJ45 was one of our best pilots.’

  ‘Really?’ said EJ staring at her mum, who was coming back out of the change room wearing a pilot uniform. The things you don’t know about your own mother, EJ thought. But who better to fly the mothership than your mother? And Mum drops me off at most places, so why not outer space?

  ‘Exactly, EJ,’ said A1. ‘SJ45, you were going to bring one more thing EJ will need on this mission,’ prompted A1 turning to Emma’s mum. ‘Did you bring it? Or should I say, did you bring her?’

  EJ turned around. She? Was there another mission buddy?

  Yap, yap.

  That was a bark, EJ thought. None of her spy buddies barked.

  Yap Yap.

  EJ’s mum reached down and opened a crate that EJ hadn’t noticed before.

  ‘Pip!’ EJ cried as her husky puppy dashed out of the crate and rushed towards her. EJ knelt down and gave her dog a big hug. She was rewarded with an equally big but sloppy lick on her face. EJ laughed. ‘I’m pleased to see her but why is she here, A1?’

  ‘Pip, or should we say Agent PJ2, has been doing well in her training,’ said A1. ‘I think it is time she went on her first mission. Pip also has a food charm on her collar.’ EJ noticed a silver dog bowl charm hanging from her collar. ‘You activate it the same way as your charms. And now we are ready. SJ45, EJ12 and PJ2, please prepare for launch.’

  EJ felt a bit nervous but her mum put out her hand and together, with Pip on a lead, they walked out to the runway.

  SJ45 was strapped into the mothership and, above her, in Shining Star 1, was EJ12, helmet on and lying on her back in her seat at the flight deck. Pip was next to her in a specially designed dog seat. The flight deck of the spaceship looked similar to that of a plane. There were dials, buttons and screens everywhere. Through her earpiece inside her helmet, EJ could hear both A1 and IJ12 at SHINE Control and SJ45 in the cockpit of the mothership.

  ‘Seatbelt on, darling? I mean, EJ12?’ said SJ45.

  ‘Mum!’ cried EJ, embarrassed. ‘Of course it is. I mean affirmative, SJ45.’ EJ was starting to think having your mum on a mission was not so good after all.

  ‘EJ12,’ said another voice through EJ’s earpiece. ‘This is A1 at SHINE Control. We have visual of you via the flight deck camera and we are ready for takeoff. SJ45, you are cleared to commence taxiing.’

  EJ felt the plane begin to move slowly, just like a normal plane would as it was taxiing out onto the runway. It rumbled along for about five minutes and then EJ heard her mum speak again.

  ‘SHINE Control, this is SJ45. I am in take-off position.’

  ‘This is SHINE Control. That’s affirmative, SJ45.’ You are clear for take-off.’

  ‘Roger that.’

  And then EJ heard the roar of the engines but it sounded much stronger and fiercer than that of an ordinary plane. Now the plane began to move forward again, but this time it moved quickly, thundering down the runway. Just as EJ felt it couldn’t go any faster or the noise get any louder, the plane lifted up into the air. EJ heard the plane’s wheels retract back into the hold as it continued up into the sky. The plane kept climbing up into and then through the clouds, higher and higher.

  ‘EJ,’ said SJ45, ‘we are at 10,000 metres and will be climbing to 17,000 metres before we initiate shuttle launch.’

  ‘Roger that,’ replied EJ, and as she looked out the window, she saw they were now high above the clouds and going higher still.

  ‘EJ12, this is SHINE Control. At 17,000 metres and on our count, SJ45 will release Shining Star 1 and you can engage your rockets. Are you ready?’

  EJ looked out the window at the bright blue sky and then down at Pip who was happily looking back at her. They were ready.

  ‘Roger that, SHINE Control. We are good to go.’

  ‘Okay. Standby, EJ12.’

  Just minutes later, EJ heard her mum again.

  ‘SHINE Control, this is SJ45. We have reached 50,000 feet. We are ready for release.’

  ‘Copy that, SJ45. This is SHINE Control. On our count, please. 10, 9, 8, 7...’

  EJ held on to the side of her chair.

  ‘6, 5, 4, 3, 2...’

  EJ held on just a little bit harder.

  ‘1, zero and release!’

  ‘SHINE Control, this is SJ45 returning to spaceport and then home—I have a meeting to get to. Good luck, EJ! Don’t forget to eat!’

  ‘I won’t, SJ45,’ replied EJ. Why does she say things like that?

  EJ heard a noise and for a moment there was complete silence as Shining Star 1 dropped slightly and glided and then she pressed the rockets button.

  ‘SHINE control, this is Shining Star. I have engaged the rockets.’

  ‘That’s affirmative, Shining Star, you are go. Enjoy the ride!’

  The rockets fired and there was the loudest howl EJ had ever heard. Immediately she was pinned back into her seat and EJ felt every one of her senses go on high alert as a rush of excitement shot through her body. She watched the readout on her dashboard as the numbers spun over and over: 16,000 metres, 18,000, 20,000 ... The spaceship shot straight up and EJ watched out the window as the sky turned from blue to mauve and then to deep purple. It was like the wildest, fastest rollercoaster except it only went up. And it kept going up, and up, faster than the speed of sound. The noise was almost deafening and the sensation, the rush, completely overwhelmed EJ.

  And then it all stopped. There was nothing. Everything seemed still and completely quiet. EJ looked outside and saw that now the sky was black. And now there was a different feeling, a feeling almost of nothingness, of weightlessness.

  ‘EJ12, this is SHINE Control. You are now in orbit.’

  EJ released her belt and Pip’s. As she did, the two of them began to float. EJ12 and Pip were out of this world!

  EJ switched off the rockets and there was complete silence. With no gravity holding them down, EJ and Pip were floating around the cabin. It was like swimming under the water except there wasn’t any water!

  EJ looked out the window and she could see Earth—Earth! It looked just like it did in pictures taken from space but yet completely different. Seeing it from space herself it almost looked unreal: a blue and green ball hanging in a sea of black. She could also see a thin blue line ringing the planet. That was the atmosphere and now, looking down on it, EJ could see just how fragile it was. It didn’t look as if it would take much for it to be damaged. EJ was fascinated and leant forward to get a better look and, as she did, she tipped over and did a somersault—in mid-air!

  ‘Hey, Pip!’ she cried with a laugh. ‘Can you do this?’

  This time, EJ did a double flip. Her puppy continued to float, her tail wagging.

  ‘EJ12, this is IJ12 at SHINE Control. Are you enjoying yourself?’

  ‘Gee whizz, lemonfizz! Am I? This is awesome!’ cried EJ. ‘IJ, you would love it!’

  ‘We can see you, Em, I mean, EJ,’ said IJ12. ‘Do another flip for me!’

  ‘Very good, EJ.’ EJ recognised A1’s voi
ce. ‘You are now orbiting Earth. I am pleased you have adapted so well to the zero-gravity environment but, if you don’t mind, we have some work for you.’

  ‘Yes, of course, A1,’ replied EJ.

  ‘Please return to your seat.’

  EJ grabbed onto a handle on the wall and pulled herself over to the deck filled with dials, screens, switches and buttons. She grabbed on to the back of the chair in front of the dashboard and pulled herself down and strapped in.

  ‘In position,’ said EJ.

  ‘Excellent,’ said A1. ‘Activate satellite tracker. Select OS1.’

  EJ scanned across the dials and quickly found the radar tracker. She looked at the keyboard below it and keyed in ‘OS1’. There was a beep and then a voice.

  ‘Radar activated. Searching for OS1.’

  EJ looked at the screen. A yellow locator light was flashing but there were flecks of white light buzzing around it.

  ‘I think I see it, A1,’ said EJ, ‘but there seems to be a lot of interference showing on the radar, there are small white lights everywhere.’

  ‘That is the space junk, EJ,’ replied A1. ‘You will need to activate the ship’s force shield and then steer to OS1 using the on-board navigation system.’

  ‘Roger that, SHINE Control,’ said EJ as she pressed the buttons and turned the dials on the flight deck to commence her flight to OS1. She turned the ship to manual and took hold of the joystick. As she did, a blue image of her spaceship came up on the radar screen on the flight deck. She could see she was close to the satellite but there was still quite a lot of space junk buzzing around it. EJ was grateful for the force shield. Without it Shining Star would surely be hit by a piece of debris. Instead, EJ could fly the ship through the cloudy maze of debris and towards the satellite. As she drew nearer she could see that it was huge, like a long cylinder with two paddle-like wings rotating around the centre cylinder. Lights flashed all around and on its side EJ could clearly see the words: SHINE OS1.