[Galaxy Of Fear] - 04(2)
Zak slid his decoder disk into the computer slot and waited. The computer analyzed the disk and began to process the information. Zak smiled. “Just a few seconds…”
The computer screen briefly blinked off, then back on. The words reappeared. ACCESS DENIED. SECURITY CLEARANCE REQUIRED.
“Hey!” Zak exclaimed. “Why didn’t it work?”
“Because I disarmed it,” said a voice that Zak and Tash knew well.
It was the stern voice of Uncle Hoole.
CHAPTER 2
The two Arrandas turned to face their uncle. Zak looked up into Hoole’s dark eyes and his long, grim face. Hoole looked human-only a telltale shade of gray in his skin and his extra-long, delicate hands reminded Zak that his uncle was a member of the Shi’ido species. Of course, Hoole could look like anyone or anything he pleased. Zak had seen his uncle transform into creatures as large as a Wookiee and as small as a white rock mouse. Like all members of the Shi’ido species, Hoole was a shape-shifter.
And like other Shi’ido, Hoole usually looked either serious or seriously irritated. Now Zak expected that irritation to explode into anger.
To his surprise, Hoole merely removed the datadisk from the computer and said, “I guessed that your curiosity would lead you to the computer files as soon as I had given you some free time. And I have learned over the past month how resourceful you two can be.” Zak thought he spotted the hint of a twinkle in Hoole’s stern eye. “But my personnel history is not your affair. And I believe that the less you know about recent events, the better off you are.”
“But-” Zak began to protest.
“Please do not argue,” the Shi’ido stated in a voice that allowed no debate. “There is no time. We will be leaving shortly.”
With a swirl of his dark blue robe, Hoole turned and strode from the computer library, with Zak and Tash following. “But we just got here,” Zak said. “Where are you taking us now?”
“On vacation,” their uncle responded. “Deevee will go with you. I have business where you cannot follow.”
Zak and Tash could hardly believe their ears. “A vacation!” Zak exclaimed. “How can we think about relaxing now? We don’t even know what Project Starscream is all about-“
“Zak. Tash.” Hoole stopped. His Shi’ido features suddenly softened with concern. He looked back and forth between his niece and nephew.
“You both must understand that this is not a game. I made a grave mistake when this all began. I should have removed you to safety the moment events turned threatening. My inexperience as a guardian has exposed you to terrible danger, danger that even I do not yet fully understand. The being who created Project Starscream is evil and unpredictable. And I am sure that he and I will meet again.”
Tash and Zak looked at one another. On their last adventure, they had come face-to-face with the scientist behind Project Starscream. He was a Shi’ido, just like Hoole. “Uncle Hoole,” Tash asked, “who was that scientist?”
Hoole frowned. “His name,” the Shi’ido said, “is Borborygmus Gog. He is extremely powerful and extremely dangerous. Now let’s get going.”
“But how do you know him?” Zak asked. “What are you going to do?”
Hoole’s face was as still as a durasteel mask. “There are serious questions to be answered. I must continue my research. Now we must hurry.” He started down the hall again as he continued to speak. “I am going to bring you somewhere safe, where you will blend in with a crowd of humans and other species your own age. I do not want you to tell anyone where you are going, and once you are there, I do not want you to tell anyone your business.”
“Where are we going?” Zak asked as he hurried after his uncle.
Hoole did not bother to turn as he replied, “To Hologram Fun World.”
Hours later, on board their ship, the Shroud, Zak and the droid DV-9 stood at one of the ship’s viewports and watched the transparent dome of Hologram Fun World grow larger as they approached. Fun World was not located on a planet-it had been built inside a transparent dome, suspended in the vacuum of space. Zak estimated that Fun World was about forty kilometers long, the size of a small city. As the Shroud drew closer, he made out buildings, mountains-even what looked like an ocean!
“Have you been here before, Deevee?” Zak asked.
Making use of all his humanlike qualities, the silver droid managed to look depressed. “Certainly not,” he droned. “As you are well aware, I was a high-level research droid before Master Hoole adopted you and Tash. Visiting an amusement park was not part of my programming.” The droid aimed his photoreceptors at the approaching space dome. “Still, Hologram Fun World is a technological wonder. They say the holographic images look, sound, feel, and even smell like the real objects they imitate.”