The Enemy's Lair

by Max Chase

  To Brandon and Ethan

  Special thanks to Brandon Rodshaw

  It is the year 5012 and the Milky Way galaxy is under attack ...

  After the Universal War ... a war that almost brought about the destruction of every known universe ... the planets in the Milky Way banded together to create the Intergalactic Force – an elite fighting team sworn to protect and defend the galaxy.

  Only the brightest and most promising students are accepted into the Intergalactic Force Academy, and only the very best cadets reach the highest of their ranks and become ...

  To be a Star Fighter is to dedicate your life to one mission: Peace in Space. They are given the coolest weapons, the fastest spaceships – and the most dangerous missions. Everyone at the Intergalactic Force Academy wants to be a Star Fighter someday.

  Do YOU have what it takes?

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Can Peri and the crew keep the Meigwors and the Xions off their trail?

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 1

  ‘That treacherous double-crossing snake in the grass!’ Diesel slammed his fist into the wall as he and Peri walked along the corridor that led to the Bridge of the Phoenix.

  ‘I don’t think they have grass on Meigwor,’ Peri said.

  ‘What do they have?’ asked Diesel.

  Peri shrugged. ‘Trees, mostly. It’s a jungle planet.’

  ‘Snake in the trees, then. Let’s push Otto into the air-lock and out into space and let the space-sharks chew on his big, long, rubbery neck!’

  The strip of hair on Diesel’s head was bristling like a Betelgeusian Pinfish’s spines, and glowing bright orange, as it always did when the half-Martian was really angry.

  They had just survived a dangerous mission on the planet Xion, supposedly to rescue a kidnapped Meigwor prince. The Meigwor had sent Otto, a bounty hunter, to lead the mission, but he had lied to Diesel and Peri. They had raided the Xion palace and captured someone, but it wasn’t a Meigwor prince.

  They hadn’t rescued anyone – they had in fact kidnapped a Xion prince!

  ‘Let’s give him what he deserves –’ Diesel said.

  Peri held up his hand. ‘If we throw Otto to the space-sharks, the Meigwor will take it out on Selene.’ Their friend was being held on Otto’s home planet. ‘It’s time we stopped letting Otto boss us around. We need to rescue Selene and then return Prince Onix to Xion.’

  ‘Otto won’t back down without a fight.’

  ‘Then we’ll give him a fight!’ Peri said. ‘There are two of us – we should be able to disarm Otto and take back our ship.’

  They were nearly at the Bridge now. Peri touched a button on the belt of his Expedition Wear. Diesel did the same. The surfaces of their suits became hard and shiny, like armour. Steel gauntlets emerged from the sleeves and covered their hands. Plexiglas helmets rose from the necks of the suits, encasing their heads in identical transparent, armoured bubbles.

  ‘We might need more protection,’ Peri said.

  He touched the wall and a section slid smoothly back to reveal a chamber filled with vaporisers, blasters, phasers and jellifiers in countless different shapes and sizes.

  ‘Look,’ Peri said. ‘Otto’s been here.’ He pointed to a silver flask on a shelf. It was the flask in which Otto kept his favourite drink, Meigwor Mudcreeper’s Blood. Peri grimaced. ‘Dunno how he can drink that stuff.’

  Diesel picked up a little black weapon, with a wide, square muzzle. ‘I’ve seen these in the training manual,’ Diesel said. ‘It’s a duster.’

  Diesel took aim at Otto’s flask. He pressed the trigger. The flask dissolved into a small heap of fine grey dust.

  ‘Wow,’ Peri said. ‘Better not use that unless it’s life or death.’ He picked up a handful of green pellets, about the size of acorns. ‘I recognise these – Paralysides, aren’t they?’

  Diesel nodded. ‘Chuck one at someone and it’ll leave them totally immobilised for up to an hour.’

  ‘That’s more like it,’ Peri said. ‘We could use these on Otto, if we have to.’

  They filled their pockets with the pellets. They both took a duster, too, just for show.

  ‘Come on,’ Peri said. ‘It’s sorting-Otto-out-time!’

  When they reached the door to the Bridge, Peri heard shouting. He caught Diesel’s arm. ‘It sounds like more than one voice.’

  ‘Maybe Otto’s listening to the Sonicwave System,’ Diesel said. ‘Perhaps that’s what Meigwor music sounds like.’

  The doors to the Bridge slid open. Peri saw three huge Xion guards attacking Otto. They were dressed in black battle gear that made them look like giant insects. Each carried an electric mace in his clawed hands. They swiped viciously at Otto, who was dodging desperately, his crimson neck swaying from side to side. He fired a constant stream of laser blasts at the intruders. Every time a Xion guard was hit he staggered back and screamed, before returning to the attack. Otto was holding them off, but he wouldn’t be able to keep it up for much longer.

  Peri and Diesel looked at each other.

  ‘How did they find us?’ Diesel asked.

  Peri shrugged. ‘We’ve got their prince. We should have expected they’d track us to the ends of the universe.’

  ‘What do we do?’ Diesel asked.

  Peri’s instinct was to fight the invaders. On the other hand, Otto did deserve a little punishment for kidnapping their prince.

  ‘Leave them to it,’ Peri said. ‘How did they get on board, anyway?’

  As if in answer, a patch of air ahead of them began fizzing. The air crackled and started to swirl, then turned black and solidified into another Xion guard, swinging an electric mace.

  Peri felt as if his guts had turned to iced water. There was no one at the controls. Otto was too busy trying to fight off the intruders. With nobody at the helm, the ship could hit an asteroid or a planet, or drift too close to a star and be sucked in by its gravity.

  Another three Xion guards teleported aboard and dived into Otto’s scrum.

  ‘We have to go in,’ Peri said.

  Diesel cracked his knuckles and curled his hands into fists.

  Another four Xion guards teleported aboard, and this time they turned towards Peri and Diesel.

  Chapter 2

  Peri grabbed a handful of the Paralyside pellets and threw them at the feet of the nearest Xion guards. The pellets exploded with sharp cracks. Tiny flames sprang up where they landed. Coils of grey smoke swirled around the targets.

  ‘Switch on your Atmos-Filter!’ Peri shouted to Diesel. He touched the side of his Expedition Wear helmet. Nose-plugs were immediately inserted into his nostrils.

  The two guards nearest Peri slumped to the floor. Peri lunged for the control panel, which slid the extra distance to meet him, as if reading his thoughts. Peri was half-bionic and programmed to work with the Phoenix. His fingers danced across the console as he set the ship to automatic pilot, bound for Meigwor.

  Diesel hurled more Paralysides at the guards. They collapsed like Procyonian Nightbirds at dawn.

  A pellet landed near Otto, who wasn’t wearing Expedition Wear. ‘Hey!’ he shouted. ‘Don’t chuck them at me, you –’

  He swayed and crashed to the floor in a heap with all the Xion guards. Diesel stepped between the intruders’ limp claws and high-fived Peri.

  ‘That sorted them out!’

  ‘Yup!’ Peri said. He nudged the motionless guards with the toe of his Expedition Wear boot. ‘I know you can hear me. This is what happens when
you come barging on to someone else’s ship without being invited. Now, about your prince. There was a bit of a misunderstanding, and –’

  ‘No misunderstanding,’ growled one of the Xions. ‘You take our prince, you die.’

  ‘They shouldn’t be able to talk, should they?’ Peri whispered to Diesel.

  Diesel was examining the spent casing of one of the Paralyside pellets. ‘They’re only Level One Paralysides,’ he said. ‘Low strength. The effect only lasts a few seconds.’

  ‘Oh, that’s great,’ Peri muttered.

  The guard who had spoken was already hauling himself to his feet. ‘Prepare for the ultimate punishment. For Xion!’

  All the other guards were slowly getting up. ‘For Xion!’ they echoed.

  Peri reached in his pocket for more Paralyside pellets.

  He had only one left.

  Diesel drew the duster from his belt.

  ‘Isn’t that a bit harsh?’ Peri asked Diesel.

  The Xion guard who’d been the first to recover swung his electric mace at Peri’s head. Peri ducked. He heard the crackle and felt the heat as it passed just over his scalp.

  Peri backed away and aimed his duster at the guard. ‘Look, I don’t want to shoot, but –’

  The guard came towards him, jabbing with the mace.

  Peri couldn’t bring himself to press the trigger. The Xion were only trying to rescue their kidnapped prince. Peri took the duster by the end and swung it at the guard.

  The guard threw his arm up to protect his face. The duster smashed into his wrist, where he wore a band with a bright orange button. The Xion’s eyes widened. He grew blurry at the edges, fizzled, then winked out of existence.

  Peri realised he must have hit the guard’s teleportation device.

  ‘Diesel!’ he shouted. ‘Hit their teleport buttons! On the wrist!’

  All the remaining guards were on their feet now. They still looked groggy, but they meant business. Some advanced on Peri and Diesel while others pounced on Otto’s lifeless body.

  Diesel struck at the nearest guard’s wrist. The guard fizzled and then vanished.

  Another guard thrust his mace at Peri, who dodged out of the way. The crackling mace flashed past his helmet. While the guard was still off balance, Peri knocked his wristband with the butt of the duster. The guard disappeared.

  That was three less to deal with. But it was still Peri and Diesel against eight Xion guards. Peri wished Otto would snap out of it and help them. Their only chance was to hit the guards before they’d fully recovered.

  Peri’s arms tingled and his legs throbbed. He felt his muscles expanding inside his suit. His bionic abilities were kicking in. Moving at super-speed, he slid under the flailing mace of one guard and hit the teleportation device. Then he did the same to another, and another, in quick succession. Diesel, meanwhile, had managed to teleport one. There were now only four guards left.

  ‘Nice work, Diesel!’ Peri shouted. ‘Let’s just mop these last ones up.’

  He ducked under the sweep of another guard’s mace and teleported him too. But at the same moment, the biggest and fiercest-looking Xion guard gave Otto one swift kick and then leapt up. He jabbed his electric mace at Peri, piercing his Expedition Wear.

  Peri’s stomach felt as if it had been scorched with a flame-thrower. He shouted a wordless cry. The duster fell from his nerveless hand. He dropped to his knees.

  ‘Peri!’ Diesel called and levelled his duster at the Xion who had injured his friend.

  Peri saw the towering guard ram his electric mace into Diesel’s duster and thrust forward, catching him on the arm. Diesel collapsed.

  ‘So fall all enemies of the mighty Xion!’ boomed the guard.

  The electric mace had done something serious to Peri. He could feel it – not just the pain but a surge through his veins and wires in equal measure. The electric shock’s messed up my circuitry, he thought. There was a downside to being half-bionic and half-boy. Not only could you feel pain, but you could get short-circuited too.

  ‘Where is Prince Onix?’ shouted the biggest, fiercest guard. He wore a purple star on his chest, which indicated he was the general.

  Peri could hardly turn his head but he slowly scanned the Bridge. Diesel was huddled on the floor next to him, but Otto was nowhere to be seen.

  Typical Otto! He was only out for himself. Peri and Diesel had saved him from the guards and in return he’d left them in the lurch. Peri wished Otto had been the one to get hit with an electric mace.

  ‘You dare to defy me, General Dachkor, Xion warrior.’ He picked up Peri’s duster. ‘What is this? A duster? These are good. Oh, yes, you can do a lot with a duster.’ He pointed it at Peri. ‘If I press the trigger now, your head will crumble to dust. Tell me where the prince is and you shall live.’

  But the anger in the general’s face, the way his finger twitched on the trigger, told a different story. As soon as the general knew where the prince was, he’d kill them. Peri was sure of it.

  Another guard picked up the other fallen duster and pointed it at Diesel.

  Peri saw that the strip of hair on top of Diesel’s head had turned a dull grey and was lying flat.

  Peri managed to mutter to Otto: ‘Donut tell.’ His mouth wasn’t working properly. His tongue felt thick and clumsy.

  ‘I’ve got a good idea,’ said the general. He pushed the duster closer to Peri’s face. ‘I will get rid of you, and then your friend can tell us.’

  Peri opened his mouth. If he could just explain that the kidnapping wasn’t their idea, it was Otto’s . . . But the words wouldn’t come. And the general would never have believed him anyway.

  Peri closed his eyes and prepared to turn to dust.

  Chapter 3

  ‘Hold it right there!’ said a loud, booming voice.

  Peri opened his eyes again.

  He had never imagined being pleased to see Otto. The Meigwor bounty hunter stood in the doorway, one long crimson arm coiled round Prince Onix.

  ‘Release those Earthlings at once!’ Otto shouted.

  Diesel scoffed. ‘Excuse me, I’m half-Martian!’

  The Xion general aimed his duster gun at Otto. ‘I don’t think so. Let go of the prince or be pulverised!’

  Otto pushed the prince in front of him. ‘Yeah, that’s a good idea. Press the trigger and pulverise your prince!’

  General Dachkor lowered his gun uncertainly, looking round at his fellow guards for help. They looked as confused as he did.

  ‘Slide your weapons over the floor towards me!’ Otto yelled.

  There was a long, tense pause.

  Otto tightened his grip around the prince.

  ‘Do as he says!’ the prince screamed.

  The general shoved the duster over the floor towards Otto. The other weapons quickly followed, clattering at Otto’s feet.

  Peri stood up and moved away from the general. He still didn’t feel quite connected to his limbs – there was a delay between his brain telling his legs to move and them actually doing it.

  ‘Thanks, Otto,’ Diesel said through gritted teeth.

  ‘Whatever!’ Otto mumbled. He picked up a duster and trained it on General Dachkor’s face. ‘Now who’s going to be pulverised?!’

  ‘Mo! Datta be sloopid fling to do!’ Peri’s mouth still wasn’t working.

  ‘What did you say?!’ Otto asked, puzzled.

  Peri growled in frustration. He had to stop Otto – if Otto killed the guards, he would start an all-out intergalactic war.

  If words weren’t working, maybe actions would.

  Peri launched himself across the room. He crashed into Otto. The duster flew from Otto’s hand. Diesel swiftly scooped it up.

  ‘You stupid inferior life form!’ Otto shouted. His eyes bulged with fury. He let go of the prince and shoved Peri into the control panel.

  The control panel cracked Peri in the back and he felt a power surge inside him, as if something had been switched on. ‘Ow! What did you do that for, y
ou – Hey! I can speak properly!’

  Diesel darted to the nearest guard and slapped his teleportation device. He fizzled and disappeared. The others backed away. Diesel pointed the duster gun at them. They froze.

  Peri pressed the teleportation buttons of two of the remaining guards. They, too, disappeared. The Bridge was starting to feel empty.

  Only General Dachkor remained. He lunged forward and grabbed the prince, holding him tightly with one arm. ‘Victory to Xion!’ he shouted as he pressed the orange button on his wrist.

  Otto’s long arm snaked out and snatched the general’s teleportation band right off his wrist. But it was too late. The general began to fizzle at the edges. Otto grabbed Prince Onix’s ankles.

  General Dachkor winked out of existence. So did the top half of the prince’s body.

  But his legs were still on the Bridge, gripped by Otto.

  ‘Ch’açh!’ said Diesel. ‘The prince has been torn in two!’

  ‘No he hasn’t,’ Peri said, stepping towards Otto and the pair of legs that were kicking and wriggling. He could see a thin ring of bright white light where the prince’s upper body would begin – if it was still there.

  Peri grabbed on to the prince’s legs. ‘Diesel,’ he said. ‘Help me pull the prince back!’

  ‘Why?’ asked the half-Martian. ‘Shouldn’t we just let the Xion take him? They won’t attack us then!’

  ‘But we can’t save Selene without him!’ Peri said.

  ‘Good point,’ Diesel said, reaching forward to help tug at the prince’s flailing legs.

  ‘Almost got him!’ Otto cried as, with an ear-rattling whoosh, the prince came sliding through the ring of white light, back on to the Bridge.

  ‘Are you OK?’ Peri asked him. ‘Do your legs work?’

  The prince stumbled around, his legs somehow both stiff and wobbly. ‘Yes. But that won’t save you!’ His eyes flashed bright amber. ‘You’ve kidnapped a prince of the blood royal, you’ve tied me up, you’ve torn me in two –’