Helium3 Box Set

  Chapter 5

  ‘One of the other sleds?’ Mervyn suggested. ‘I got nothing here.’

  ‘No, they are all round the far side of the nebula. There was definitely something there.’

  ‘The silly girl’s seeing space sprites,’ Loren muttered from the pilot’s seat.

  ‘We are going to investigate,’ Aurora said as their sled veered off to the right.

  ‘Cage said we should stay in touch,’ Tarun reminded everyone, but it was too late.

  ‘We’d better go with them,’ Loren said, chasing after the first sled, ‘someone’s gotta keep them out of trouble.’ The two sleds sped off through the dust.

  ‘Anyone see anything?’ Aurora asked.

  ‘No,’ Mervyn searched the screens for anything unusual. ‘Wait, yes I see something, it’s like a ball. It’s stopped....now it’s off again.’

  ‘What do you think it is?’ Loren asked.

  ‘It looks like some sort of probe,’ Mervyn said, giving new co-ordinates to Loren. The two sleds continued their pursuit of the mysterious ball. Around them the dust became thicker. Once again the probe stopped as if waiting for the sleds to catch up.

  ‘I don’t like this,’ Tarun said. ‘Cage said not to go into the star fingers. We should go back.’

  ‘I still have contact with the rest of the group,’ Mervyn said.

  ‘Ok, Tarun, if we lose contact we turn back, but I still want to find out what this thing is,’ Aurora said.

  ‘But who’s controlling it?’ Tarun asked.

  ‘He does have a point,’ Loren muttered.

  ‘This is weird,’ Aurora said.

  ‘Uh oh. I’ve lost contact,’ Mervyn announced, ‘One moment the other sleds were there, the next there was nothing.’

  ‘Our signal’s been jammed,’ Tarun exclaimed, ‘what’s happening?’

  ‘It’s a trap. Let’s get out of here,’ Mervyn shouted.

  Suddenly the sleds broke through into clear space and starlight flooded their vision once more. A small spherical probe sat motionless in front of them. On either side floated a full-blown fighter craft powering up their photon cannons.

  ‘Split!’ Mervyn instructed.

  ‘We’re cornered, and there’s two more behind us,’ Aurora said.

  ‘Heave to, Academy sleds, or we finish you off,’ a voice commanded over their biolinks. They had little choice but to obey.

  ‘There’s some mistake,’ Aurora said. ‘We are students at the Ethrigan Space Academy, we are on a survey mission.’

  ‘I know. Prepare to be taken in tow,’ replied the voice from the fighters.

  ‘How do they know who we are?’ Loren hissed.

  The fighters towed the sleds deeper into the star fingers and Loren took advantage of the gloom to drop an emergency probe. She explained it would stay dormant just collecting information until they were clear, and then alert Cage to their predicament. Mervyn licked his lips; his heart pounded out his fear – this was wrong, very wrong. Somehow, knowing Cage would soon be on their trail was not a great comfort. A large spacecraft loomed on the displays, the fighters made straight for it. The sleds were guided into a hangar and the occupants instructed to emerge.

  Armed guards flanked the sleds. Mervyn noticed, with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, that their captors were human. His fears proved accurate as a giant, wild haired figure strode their way. ‘Oh no,’ Loren hissed under her breath.

  ‘Who is in charge around here?’ Aurora demanded in her most imperious voice as she stepped from her sled If Mervyn had been closer he would have kicked her; she was about to get them all into deep trouble.

  ‘I am,’ the giant Ethrigan said looking down at them. Mervyn tried to make himself as small as possible.

  ‘And who are you?’ Aurora asked.

  ‘This,’ announced one of the humans, ‘is his Greatness, the Naga of Pershwin.’

  ‘Well you’ve made a terrible mistake Mr Naga--’

  ‘Your Greatness,’ the Naga whispered. ‘You shall address me as, ‘Your Greatness’.’ Mervyn had to strain to hear the Naga’s voice. Then he leaped out of his skin as the Naga bellowed, ‘Or I will shoot you!’

  ‘Well Your Greatness,’ Aurora said, ignoring the Naga’s outburst, ‘we are students in the Space Academy and...,’ but the Naga waved her to silence. He turned to one of the humans, ‘Guthrik, these two,’ he pointed to Aurora and Tarun, ‘have value. Throw the others out the airlock.’

  ‘No!’ Aurora shrieked.

  ‘Shut up, brat, or I’ll chuck you out too.’

  ‘I’m the Patriarch’s niece,’ she shouted stamping her foot.’

  ‘No. You’re a piece of merchandise, and I’ll sell you, trade you, or dispose of you as I wish. You belong to me now.’ Mervyn watched the colour drained out of Aurora’s chima as the full realisation of their predicament hit her.

  ‘My name is Mervyn Bright,’ Mervyn volunteered desperately, ‘you were searching for me, I have value.’ He could feel Loren glaring at him accusingly. The human, Guthrik, grimaced as if Mervyn had said the wrong thing.

  The Naga grinned maliciously, ‘You had value. Now Starlight has fallen you have none. Throw him out the airlock.’

  ‘Perhaps, Your Greatness,’ he human, Guthrik cut in, ‘you should work them to death in your helium3 mines instead.’

  The Naga rounded on him, ‘Are you questioning my judgement, Guthrik?’

  ‘No, Your Greatness, but a quick death seems too good for the likes of these. Besides, I’ll have to send someone in to clean up the mess, and we’re shorthanded as we are.’

  The Naga glared at the human who stared back unblinkingly. Eventually he relented, ‘Very well, set them to work in the mines. And take care of these two,’ the Naga said pointing to Aurora and Tarun, ‘they’re worth a great deal of ransom money,’ He stalked away muttering to himself.

  ‘Take them to the brig,’ Guthrik instructed his men. ‘Oh, and you might as well keep this,’ he threw something at Loren, something small and round -- the emergency probe they had dropped from the sled. Mervyn’s heart sank -- the probe had been their only hope of rescue.