The Incredible Space Raiders from Space! Page 2

“The Fantastic Flying Squirrel is the greatest ship in the fleet,” she whispered.

  Jonah frowned. “I don’t think it can hear you—”

  “The Squirrel may not look . . . the prettiest,” she said slowly, dusting her hands off on her uniform. “But it’s the fastest ship in the solar system, and more important, it’s very hard to spot. Considering we’re sneaking into enemy territory, you’re going to appreciate that. It might just save your life. Now say sorry.”

  “Sorry,” Jonah said.

  She rolled her eyes. “To the ship, obviously.”

  “Oh,” Jonah murmured. “Sorry . . . Fantastic Flying Squirrel.”

  She smiled. “Better. Now, did you notice the side hallway we walked by?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Don’t go down there, unless you want to be eaten by the Shrieker.”

  She continued walking, and Jonah hurried after her again. They were heading to the far side of Sector Three now, past the room Jonah had woken up in.

  As they walked, Willona explained that the sectors were organized by when the recruits were brought to the ship. The Squirrel started at Earth and then stopped at each inhabited planet on the way out of the solar system to grab the new recruits. The Space Raiders from Sector One—which was led by the commander—came entirely from Earth, while Sector Two came from the large colonies on the moon and Mars. Sector Three—Jonah’s sector—came from Saturn and Jupiter’s moons, and Sector Four came from Pluto and from the moons of Uranus and Neptune. Of course, everyone spoke English anyway—Jonah remembered learning that fifty years ago the Commission for Human Expansion had decided that one official language would be better for human expansion, since people from all over the world would live together in colonies. As a result all humans learned English now, along with their native language.

  “But I’m from Earth,” Jonah said. “Shouldn’t I be in Sector One?”

  She smiled. “You should. But you didn’t come on with the rest of them. The ship had to go all the way back to Earth for you. Two extra weeks to get one recruit! That’s how we knew you were so important. And then the crew brought you to our sector in a bag. We don’t know why, but obviously you’re meant to be here with us.”

  “The crew brought me in a bag?” Jonah asked incredulously.

  Willona nodded and kept walking. “They bring all the recruits in bags. Regular people don’t know about the ISR, Jonah. They would panic. This entire program is top secret. No one can see the crew take kids off the street. Those are the rules.”

  She snapped her fingers. “That reminds me,” she said, fishing a piece of paper out of her pocket. “The rules!” She handed it to Jonah. “Try to memorize these.”

  Jonah frowned and took the paper. It read:

  1. NEVER make contact with Captain White Shark or the crew. Doing so will result in exile, if the crew doesn’t kill you first anyway. Which they will.

  2. NEVER talk about where you came from before joining the ISR.

  3. NEVER question the commander or a lieutenant.

  4. NEVER cry or show signs of weakness outside of your quarters.

  5. NEVER swear or insult other Space Raiders.

  6. NEVER steal food or water.

  7. NEVER abandon your post, unless you really have to go to the bathroom.

  8. NEVER, EVER try to communicate with the Shrieker. It will eat you.

  Jonah frowned. “Why would the crew kill us if we’re on an official mission?”

  Willona shrugged, considering his question. “Because they’re evil. When Earth’s first ship went missing, it was full of scientists and soldiers. The best in the solar system. After that, no one would volunteer to go—except Captain White Shark. For some reason, the EETs wouldn’t kill him or his crew. I think it’s because they only like to destroy things that are good, like us. And because he can survive the trip, Captain White Shark is the only one who can take us. That’s why we’re stuck with an evil crew that loves to kill Space Raiders.”

  She narrowed her eyes.

  “But when the war is over, we’ll come back and take our vengeance. Let’s continue.”

  Willona led him to the end of Sector Three, which Jonah knew because the hall ended at big double doors with black-and-yellow stripes and a handwritten sign saying sector four. Willona stopped at the last gray door on the right and pulled it open.

  “These are my quarters. Before you start training, I have to give you something.”

  Jonah followed her into the bedroom. It looked the same as his, except there was a pile of various items in the corner. There was also a photograph sitting on the bed. It was fairly crumpled, but Jonah saw two smiling people holding a little girl with brown hair.

  “Who’s that?” Jonah asked.

  Willona turned around and made a noise like a squeal. She hurried over to the bed and snatched up the photo.

  “Nothing,” she said quickly. “Left that out. Shouldn’t even have it, actually.” She tucked the photo under her blanket. “Nothing, though. Never mind that. Classified.”

  She gave Jonah an awkward smile and headed back to the corner, where she grabbed a pen and a dusty notepad. After a quick check to make sure the pen worked, she handed both to Jonah.

  “Your journal.”

  Jonah looked at the notepad, confused. “I don’t need a diary.”

  She nodded. “Yes you do. Commander’s orders. Everyone writes in a journal.”

  “Why?”

  Willona forced another smile. “It helps with the Space Sadness.”

  “Space Sadness?” Jonah asked, frowning.

  “Being on the ship out here . . . sometimes recruits get down. Not me. Not much. Well, sometimes. Writing helps. I know you’re used to a tablet, but it’s kind of nice to write. Like we’re explorers on an old sea ship on Earth.”

  Jonah didn’t want the journal, but he took it anyway and tucked it into his pocket. “Thank you.”

  She gave him a real smile this time. “It’s going to get better. Trust me. You’re going to love it here.” She patted his arm. “Why don’t you take a break? Lie down for a bit. When you get up, you can get your uniform and start training. Jemma will have it finished by now. We need to get you out of that . . . thing.”

  Jonah looked down. He was still wearing his school uniform: crisp blue pants and a matching jacket with black-and-white trim on the arms and legs. Every student at Pinewood Boys’ Academy wore the same outfit. It was a very strict and very expensive private school. Jonah didn’t really like it there, but his parents insisted it was good for his future. They always liked to talk about his future.

  “What’s wrong with this one?”

  She made a face. “You almost look like an adult.”

  “I think that was the point,” Jonah said.

  “Well, it won’t do. You need to dress like a Space Raider.” She looked up and away, as if staring at a distant sunrise. “It’s not an easy life. But if we don’t stand up to the Entirely Evil Things from the Dark Zone, who will?”

  Jonah followed her gaze, confused. “About the Entirely Evil Things—”

  “I’ll take you back now,” Willona said, heading for the door. She stopped and glanced back. “Can you not tell anyone about the photo?”

  “Yeah, sure,” Jonah said.

  She smiled. “I’m starting to like you, Jonah. Sure, you look like you’re going to faint whenever I mention EETs. And you ask too many questions. And you’re not very good with names. But there’s something about you. I think you are special. I have no idea what that means, exactly, but it’s always good to be special.”

  “I don’t feel very special,” Jonah muttered.

  “We’re all special in the ISR!” Willona said, starting down the hallway. “Billions of kids out there, and we were chosen to save the universe. Why? Who knows! Well, I’m pretty awesome, as you can obviously see, but it’s not always so easy to tell. . . .”

  Jonah took one last look at the bed, thinking about the photo, and then started a
fter her. As far as he knew, he wasn’t awesome at all. If anything, he was kind of a wimp. So why had the Squirrel gone all the way back to Earth to get him?

  And more important, was it ever going to take him home?

  CHAPTER THREE

  * * *

  * * *

  Dear Mom and Dad,

  There’s a good chance I’m going to be eaten by the Shrieker or EETs. I was supposed to use this notepad as a diary, but it made more sense to write you a letter. Hopefully it will get to you one day.

  I don’t think it will make much sense if I explain where I am, so I won’t bother. I also hear some people shouting outside, and I’m starting to think something is about to burst into my bedroom soon and eat me. So before that happens, I just wanted to say I love you. I think I was an all right kid, though I probably could have been better. I kept leaving my clothes on the floor. I don’t know why. My closet was right there. I was doing my homework when I was abducted, so I guess that’s something.

  Also, can you please tell Mara I’m sorry I called her the ugliest thing in the universe? While I haven’t seen the Shrieker, I’m guessing it’s probably uglier. Plus, calling her ugly wasn’t very nice in the first place. Maybe tell her I love her too. Not her boyfriend, though. He calls me Jonie when you’re not around.

  Anyway, I should probably see if I can lock my door or something. I’m hoping I can give you this letter myself. If not, good-bye.

  Sincerely,

  Jonah

  Jonah read his letter over a few times and then tucked the journal safely under his blanket, satisfied. His parents always said you should speak formally in letters, and he’d tried his best. Even the penmanship was fairly good, considering he hadn’t written anything with a pen since he was seven, and even then they just did it in history class to see how people used to write. You could barely even tell his hands were trembling when he wrote it.

  He looked around the small bedroom and noticed something on the wall beside the door. He got up and hurried over. It was writing. It was hard to read on the dark-metal walls, but when he got really close he could make out five different names written there.

  Robert the Great was here. Go, ISR!

  Imran the Intelligent stayed in this room

  Adam the Titan lived here. I’m coming for you, EETs

  Danielle the Dynamo was here. Best Space Raider Ever

  Home of Shoen the Slick. On the way to help the first recruits!

  Jonah decided to add his name to the list. There wasn’t much else to do.

  He was just turning away to grab his pen when he noticed more writing in the corner, away from the others. It was faded and even harder to read. Peering really close, Jonah managed to make it out:

  I want to go home.

  Niraj

  Jonah frowned. That one didn’t quite match the others.

  There was a knock. Jonah hesitated and then decided the Shrieker probably wouldn’t knock first. He slowly answered the door.

  It was Willona.

  “Get some sleep?” she asked brightly.

  Jonah shook his head. “Not really. Just stared out the window for a while.”

  He didn’t want to admit he was already using the journal.

  “Beautiful, isn’t it?”

  Jonah turned back to the window. The endless blackness of space was rolling by, spotted with little twinkling stars. “Kind of scary, actually,” he said.

  “Yeah, I’m glad I don’t have one,” she agreed. She glanced at him. “Sorry. Now we have things to do. First up, you need a uniform.” Willona pulled a little silver-wrapped bar out of her pocket. “Here. I brought you a food bar. You must be hungry.”

  “Yeah, actually,” Jonah said, accepting the bar gratefully. “Thanks.”

  “There’s a rumor going around about us,” Willona said, leading Jonah down Squirrel Street. “I said you had nice eyes, and now everyone thinks we’re dating.” She looked back and laughed. “Like I have time for a boyfriend. I have a career to worry about.”

  Jonah just frowned and followed her. She really was a strange girl. They headed down the hallway toward Sector Two, and once again there were Space Raiders marching around. A small group was gathered outside one doorway, talking in hushed voices.

  “What was all the shouting about?” Jonah asked.

  “One of the guards heard shrieking down the Haunted Passage. Whenever that happens, we all clear the hallway in case the Shrieker attacks. Can’t be too careful.”

  “Oh,” Jonah murmured. He was sorry he’d asked.

  He peeled off the silver wrapper as they walked and took a bite. He almost spit it out. It was dry and crumbly and tasted like kidney beans.

  Willona smiled. “We also call them bean bars. But it’s all we have, so you better get used to them.”

  She stopped in front of a door and knocked. “Jemma?”

  A girl pulled the door open and grinned. Her straw-colored hair perched like a bird’s nest on her head, bright blue eyes, and freckles dotted her nose and cheeks. Jonah also noticed a few blistered burn marks on her hands, though it was hard to get a good look at them because her hands were always moving.

  “Nice to meet you, Jonah,” she said, giving him a quick hug that took Jonah completely by surprise. He glanced at Willona.

  “She’s a hugger,” Willona said simply.

  Jemma shrugged. “Too much saluting on this ship. Come in. It’s ready.”

  She quickly fetched his uniform from a pile on the floor. He saw another pile of badges that she was sewing with an old kit like one his grandma used to have in her attic.

  “Not quite as nice as that one,” she said ruefully, looking at Jonah’s school uniform. “But rules are rules.”

  Willona and Jemma stepped out to let him change, and he reluctantly took off his blue uniform and slid into the coarse brown fabric. The uniform was a one-piece jumper that zipped up the front, with two deep pockets and a black belt to keep it snug at the waist. It hung a bit loosely from his arms, but he could tell that Jemma had tried to stitch it to fit his skinny body. The pant legs had been hemmed, as had the sleeves. He ran his fingers over the ISR badge on the chest, which was an inverted black triangle with the red letters in the middle.

  “You can come in,” he said.

  Willona and Jemma hurried back inside.

  “Not bad, not bad,” Jemma mused, looking him up and down. “A little baggy.”

  “He’ll grow into it,” Willona said.

  Jemma smiled and scooped up the blue uniform. Her teeth were a bit yellow and crooked, but it was somehow comforting when she smiled. It seemed like she meant it.

  “He looks like a Space Raider,” Jemma said. She looked down at Jonah’s socked feet. “Keep your shoes, Jonah. I’ll turn the rest of the uniform into a blanket.”

  Jonah slid on his polished black shoes. “Can I at least have the blanket?”

  Jemma laughed. “Sure. Good luck with your training.”

  She bundled up his old uniform, and Jonah noticed that her sleeves had rolled back just a little. The burn marks continued all the way up her arms. He returned her smile and followed Willona down the hallway.

  They soon stopped in front of another door, and Willona knocked again.

  “What are we doing now?” Jonah asked.

  “You are starting training with Alex,” Willona said, leaving Jonah at the door and continuing down Squirrel Street. “We have another lesson in an hour. And try to memorize those rules. There will be a test!” She paused. “I mean there could be. It’s a pop quiz . . . so who knows? Maybe there won’t be. But study. I would definitely study.”

  • • •

  Jonah stood by the doorway as the small, shrewd-looking boy known as Alex the Adventurer laid a hand-drawn map out on the floor. There were six metal pipes leaning against the wall in his bedroom, which looked exactly like Jonah’s, minus the window.

  Finally, when the map was laid out and held down by four pipes, Alex glanced up. He looked li
ke a very clever mouse. His sandy hair was wispy and a bit long, hanging down beside his big round ears. His eyes were blue and moved around a lot, as if he wanted to see everything all the time. In short, he looked like the perfect adventurer.

  “Jonah, right?” His voice was squeaky. Jonah wasn’t surprised.

  Jonah nodded. “Yeah.”

  “Sit down.”

  Jonah sat down cross-legged in front of the map. Its lines were a bit wobbly, and apparently drawn with an old black pen.

  “This is the Fantastic Flying Squirrel,” Alex said, using a metal pipe as a pointer. “As you can see, there are many different parts. Some I’ve seen, but some of this information has been passed down from the second and first most important adventurers.”

  Jonah looked up. “You’re the third most important?”

  Alex swelled with pride. “Recently promoted from fourth.”

  “Congratulations,” Jonah said.

  “Thank you,” Alex replied curtly, though he seemed pleased that Jonah had said something. His ears even turned red. “As I was saying, there are many different parts of the Squirrel. I’m sure Willona told you about the sectors. But more important are these two.” He pointed at a long section at the top of the ship and a rectangular section near the back. “You are not to go in these two areas. Ever. Period. Never. If you go there, you won’t come back. Trust me.”

  “What are they?” Jonah asked quietly.

  “The top section is the bridge and the quarters. That’s where Captain White Shark and his crew live. Nasty bunch. If you run into them, you’re a goner.”

  Jonah nodded. “And the back?”

  “The Unknown Zone. Home of the Shrieker,” Alex said quietly, glancing at the door. “If you hear shrieking, run and hide. It comes fast. And it takes Space Raiders, too.”

  “Willona said you’ve already lost seven.”

  Alex solemnly put his hand on his patch. “May they raid in peace.”

  “What does that mean?” Jonah whispered.

  “I don’t know,” Alex said. “But it seems like a nice thing to say.”

  Jonah pointed at the rest of the sections on the ship. “What are all these areas?”