“What was that?” Adam gasped.
Fur sounded worried. “The asteroid. They fired on it.”
“But why shoot at a rock?” Watch asked.
“Probably because they sensed someone was using it for the very purpose we just used it for,” Fur said. “To get through the force field. If we hadn’t taken off when we did we would be dead now.” He paused. “I told you this was a risky mission.”
“Risk is our middle name,” Adam said proudly.
“I don’t have a middle name,” Watch said. “I can’t even remember my last name.”
“They will be alert now,” Fur said. “Our only hope is that they assume we perished in the explosion.”
“How come they can’t penetrate their own cloaking device?” Watch asked.
“They could if they knew where to look,” Fur said. “But they are probably not expecting anyone to try to land on Tallas Four.”
“Why not?” Adam asked. “Because of the food?”
“Because no one would be that stupid,” Fur said grimly.
The orange moon continued to grow outside the view screen. Soon it dominated the sky, and Fur’s hands were glued to the controls. He passed over what looked like a highly advanced city but shook his head when Watch asked if the computers could be located there.
“We will never find the computers themselves,” Fur said. “They could be anywhere. We just need one terminal to tap into.”
“Then why don’t you just land anywhere?” Watch asked.
Obviously the tension was getting to Fur.
“Why don’t you just sit quietly and let me do the flying, OK?” he snapped.
“I was just trying to make conversation,” Watch muttered.
Fur dropped down low a few minutes later. For a moment it seemed they would crash, he was going in so swiftly. But at the last second he pulled up, and Adam felt his stomach go down to the floor. The orange terrain was now a blur. There were canyons and there were tall buildings. Moving so fast it was hard to tell one from the other. But just as quickly Fur brought them to a halt in a place so dark they could literally see nothing.
“Where are we?” Adam gasped.
“In somebody’s garage,” Fur said. “I spotted it on my instruments. They left it open and hopefully they’re not home right now.”
“You mean, we just landed in somebody’s house?” Watch asked.
“Why not?” Fur asked. “All the houses here will have terminals.” He stood up from his chair. “Let’s hurry, we won’t have long before we’re spotted.”
Of course the home Fur had chosen was not empty. Two irritated crocodile creatures rushed at them the moment they stepped inside the Kaster home. Watch had to draw his laser pistol and stun them. Yet the Kaster creatures continued to flap their tails even in their unconscious state. Fur stepped over them nonchalantly.
“You can say what you want about them,” Fur said, “but they are neat housekeepers.”
The home was gorgeous, in fact, the towering rooms filled with frequent waterfalls, dark pools. It seemed the Kasters liked to spend a lot of time in water, like crocodiles back on Earth.
Fur found a computer terminal and sat down. He turned the machine on and slipped what looked like a high-tech floppy disk in a side panel. The computer screen and the keyboard were much larger and more complex than human components. Fur explained as he worked.
“The software I have inserted into their system was written by a form of bacteria on Demavon One Hundred Twenty-three. Those bacteria are really smart—everyone goes to them for their computer games. This program will trace back to the Kasters’ main computers. The program is great at getting into supposedly impenetrable files.”
“We could use that kind of bacteria on Earth,” Watch said. “Our computer games are getting boring.”
“They tried to visit your world once,” Fur said. “But they just ended up giving a New York cab driver a chest cold. He went to the doctor and got a shot of penicillin and that wiped out the whole Demavon One Hundred Twenty-three expedition.” Fur stopped and laughed. “I bet the cab driver didn’t realize what kind of money he gave up with that one shot. The bugs could have taught him how to program his yellow cab to make hyper-jumps.”
“It is upon such small and insignificant incidents that the destinies of worlds turn,” Watch observed.
Fur let out a sound of joy. “I’m in their records! Quick, how do you spell Sally and Cindy’s full names?”
“Sally is officially Sara Wilcox,” Adam said. “That’s Sara without an h. Cindy is Cynthia Makey. Do you need help with any of those spellings?”
“No,” Fur said, still excited. “I’m calling up their records now. And in a few seconds I should be able to erase them from the system by putting in another Demavon One Hundred Twenty-three program designed for just such a purpose. Then we can be out of here and on our way to Amacron Thirty-seven with a clean slate for your friends.”
“Both Adam and I have a little debt as well,” Watch said.
Fur nodded. “I suspected as much. How do you spell your last name, Watch?”
“I don’t think even the Kasters know that,” Adam muttered.
Five minutes later Fur was not so confident. He had put in another program and gotten trapped in a complex web of information. It was only after minutes of fighting with the computer that realization struck and Fur leapt to his feet.
“They must be on to us!” he exclaimed. “They are just feeding me this garbage to make me think I’m getting closer to getting rid of the records. But it’s hopeless, we have to get out of here.” He turned in the direction they had entered. Adam grabbed his arm, stopping him.
“But we have come so far,” Adam pleaded. “We can’t quit now.”
Fur brushed off his hand. “Don’t you see, Adam, they are tracking us this very moment, back to this terminal. If we don’t get off this moon in the next few seconds we will all end up on a slave planet.” Fur suddenly stopped. There was a banging outside. “What was that?”
“Sounds like a gang of Raster police pounding on the front door,” Watch said.
Fur stuck out his hand. “Give me your laser pistol.”
“What will you trade me in return?” Watch asked.
“Our lives,” Adam said. “Just give it to him. What are you going to do, Fur?”
Fur grabbed the weapon from Watch and began to fiddle with the controls. “This can be set to overload. When it does, it makes a respectable blast.” He stalked toward the door to the bedroom. “When you hear the explosion, run for the ship. Don’t look left or right, just keep running.” Fur opened the door. “It’s time to show the Kaster cops what your human trick-or-treat means.”
Adam and Watch looked at each other.
“How do we get in situations like this?” Adam asked.
“We keep poor company,” Watch replied.
“Sally?”
“Sally is dangerous,” Watch said. “She’s worse than the Kasters.”
“But she does make our lives more exciting.”
“That’s true,” Watch agreed.
There was a massive explosion. It was so powerful, so deafening, that Adam and Watch were sure Fur had perished trying to stop the Kasters. But they remembered his last instruction, to run for his ship no matter what, and that’s what they did. But they had to run through smoke and fire to get there. The two Kaster homeowners were just reviving but were still unable to chase them. They were more than a little relieved to find Fur already at the controls of Fruitfly when they got safely aboard.
“What happened?” Adam gasped.
Fur grinned. “I answered the door and politely asked them what they wanted. They didn’t even reply. They immediately opened fire.” He added, “I didn’t tell you that I had removed the force field generator and carried it into the house in my pocket. Their laser beams bounced back on them and caused their whole load of weapons to explode.”
“You carried the force field on your own body so
that you would be safe,” Watch said.
“Hey,” Fur said. “I’m the only one here who can fly this ship. That makes me the most valuable person. Anyway, I have hooked the generator back up to the ship.” Fur nodded at the mess out the forward viewing screen. “We’re going to need it like we never needed it before. Especially in the next two minutes.”
“If we fly into orbit they’ll just blow us out of the sky,” Adam said as Fur started the ship’s engines. Fur’s hands flew over the controls.
“We’re not going to stay around long enough for them to take aim,” Fur said.
“You’re going to hyperjump as soon as we’re in space,” Watch said, excited at the prospect.
“Exactly,” Fur said. “Hold on.”
“But you said such a jump is uncontrollable!” Adam shouted as he was pressed back into his seat by the force of the acceleration. They roared out of what was left of the Kaster garage. The haunting orange sky loomed above them. But very quickly it began to darken, as they plowed beyond the atmosphere and into space.
“Better an uncontrollable jump than certain death!” Fur yelled back. He glanced above as they broke completely free of the atmosphere. Mixed in with the stars were three Kaster warships rushing toward them. “Prepare to jump!”
“But we still need to get to Amacron Thirty-seven!” Adam yelled. “We have to rescue the girls!”
“We rescue ourselves first!” Fur yelled.
And with that they jumped into hyperspace.
With no idea where they would end up.
9
Sally stood in Teeh’s office and wondered what she was going to tell the Raster boss. So intent had she been on just getting to the heart of the compound’s power that she hadn’t planned how she was going to get out of the office. Teeh, still slobbering and still wearing his cheap sunglasses, sat down across from her. There was no other chair and he didn’t offer to get her one. The crocodile boss put his scaly feet up on his dirty desk and looked at her as if she had better have a good reason for requesting a private audience.
“Well?” he said. “Where are your friends?”
Sally swallowed. “They’re not here.”
“I know they’re not here. Do I look stupid or what? Where are they?”
“They’re on their way here,” she said.
“What are you talking about?”
“Has the Collector you sent to fetch us returned?”
“I ask the questions here!” Teeh paused. “No. It hasn’t.”
“Adam and Watch destroyed it.”
Teeh sat up straight. “How do you know this?”
Sally felt herself getting in the mood to tell some really great lies.
It was a special feeling of power.
“I know them. They’re very powerful. At this moment they have allied themselves with other powerful beings and are on their way here to rescue Cindy and me.”
Teeh snorted. “You’re dreaming. No one tries to rescue anyone from Amacron Thirty-seven. It’s a dust bowl—hardly anyone can even find this place.”
“Then where is your Collector?” Sally asked.
Teeh scratched his scaly head. “I don’t know. I suppose it is possible your friends got the upper hand with him. What is it they ordered anyway?”
“Watch ordered a laser pistol and a personal force field generator.” Sally added, “He also got himself a telescope.”
Teeh frowned. “We have to stop offering those personal force field generators. We lose more Collectors that way.” He paused and studied her. “Why are you telling me all this?”
“I told you, I want to get ahead. And I don’t mind betraying my friends to do it. I tell you seriously, they are on their way here this very minute. If you don’t take care, you’ll be removed as boss of this planet.”
“Who are the powerful beings they have made friends with?”
Sally darkened her expression. “The Tree-boards.”
“I haven’t heard of them. What sector are they from?”
“They don’t even come from this galaxy. They’re from a black hole at the edge of the universe. They’re an ancient race. They were highly evolved when your race and mine were bacteria swimming in primeval mud. They have powers we can’t even dream of.”
“Then what would they want with your friends?”
Sally spoke in a whisper. “They have allied themselves with Adam and Watch because they have a common goal. You see, the Treeboards have an ancient and undying hatred for ugly lizards like—for reptilian superraces like yours. Adam and Watch have stolen your Collector’s transporter. They have an easy way to get here now, and the evil Treeboards want to come along for the ride, to destroy you. To destroy all Kasters, wherever they may be.” Sally paused for effect. “The shield you have erected around Amacron Thirty-seven will not stop them. It won’t even come close.”
Teeh appeared unsure of himself. “This story sounds outlandish. Can you prove that these Tree-boards even exist?”
“Yes. I spent time with them on a lost moon circling a dead quasar ten billion light-years from here. They taught me many of their secrets, and I can show you some of those secrets now. I can teach you how to strengthen the force field that surrounds this planet so that even the Treeboards—even Watch or Adam—cannot get through with their fleet of super-tachyon spaceships.”
Teeh raised an eyebrow. “What are those?”
“Highly developed vessels that you’ll never see in a Collector’s Christmas catalog. Listen to me, Teeh, please, I am the only one who can save you. If you’ll just give me a few minutes with your computer, I can prove it to you.”
Teeh considered. “What do you want in return for this help?”
“You must erase my Wishing Stone debt.”
“What about the debt of your friend, Cindy?”
Sally waved her hand. “She is of no concern to me. She can rot here for the rest of eternity, for all I care.”
Teeh grinned. She had hit the right nerve. He was now convinced.
“Spoken like a true Raster,” he said. “Are you sure you don’t have reptilian blood in your veins, Sally?”
“My grandmother always used to say my grandfather was a snake. I never met him, but I heard the stories. He was your kind of man, Teeh. And I am your girl. Where’s your computer?”
Teeh stood and moved toward an elaborate control panel. “You understand that while you work on my computer I must supervise you?”
Sally followed him to the computer. It looked like a bunch of lights and buttons to her. She wished Watch was with her now.
“Naturally,” she said. “It is my hope I can teach you a few things.” She added, “I mean that with all due respect, of course.”
“Of course,” Teeh said, in a good mood, for him. “You are familiar with my operating system? The famous Raster double matrix algorithm TEC dot software?”
Sally waved her hand as she sat down in front of the massive computer. “I learned about that when I was in first grade. It is an extremely primitive system when compared to what the Treeboards use.” Sally touched the keyboard and then paused. “I need an electric stick.”
“What?”
“One of those sticks your primitive robots carry. I need one.”
“What for?”
“I am going to link it into your computer system so that this whole planet will be transformed into one cosmic-size electric stick capable of repelling the super-tachyon fleet that races toward this planet at this very instant.” Sally had to pause to catch her breath. “Do you have one in your desk?”
Teeh turned back to his desk. “I believe so. But frankly this kind of technology confuses me. I have never seen anything like it.”
“Neither have I,” Sally whispered.
“What?”
“Nothing. Everything will become clear quickly. The power of your protective shield will change beyond your wildest dreams. With this technology, you will be the single most powerful Kaster in this section of the galaxy.??
?
Teeh found an electric stick in one of his drawers. “I have not had the advantage of your obviously extensive education. How long will it take me to comprehend the Treeboard technology?”
“A sly lizard like—I mean, a brilliant Kaster—like you will know more than I do before we leave this room.” She stuck out her hand and took the electric stick. “Now I just need to know one other thing.”
Teeh stood nearby. “What?”
“Where does this computer plug in?”
“What do you mean?”
“Its power source. Where does it draw its power from?”
Teeh nodded to a black box at the side of the control panel. “From there. Do you need more power? I can have extra cables run in.”
“Maybe. Open the power box. Let me study it.”
Teeh did so. It looked much like a fuse box back home.
Sally turned on the electric stick and got up. “Stand aside, Teeh.”
He did as she requested but a flicker of doubt crossed his face.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“Changing the polarity of the situation.” Sally rammed the tip of the electric stick into the black box. The thing literally exploded in sparks. She knew immediately the damage was enough to knock out the force field and all the robots. She turned the stick on Teeh and smiled wickedly up at his blustering expression. “I am changing everything,” she said.
He was enraged. “You will pay for this!”
“Wrong! We’re through paying!”
And with that Sally stuck the electric stick up his fat snout.
Teeh turned a deeper green than normal and fainted.
Sally stepped on his cheap sunglasses as she fled the room.
10
They came out of hyperspace in the center of the galaxy. There were so many stars that it was almost impossible to find any black space. Fur quickly handed them each a pair of black sunglasses. Watch stared out the viewing screen, enthralled.
“I’ll never see anything like this in my telescope,” he said.
“If we don’t get out of here quick we won’t be seeing period,” Fur said.