[Galaxy Of Fear] - 08(3)

And then almost choked on it.

A giant insect, taller than Zak, came scuttling up the ramp. Its claws reached out to grab him.





CHAPTER 2


“Look out!” he yelled, stumbling back inside the ship and running into Hoole and Tash. “There’s a giant bug out there! Close the door!”

It was too late. The creature had reached the doorway. It rubbed its two forelegs together, then jabbed one of the sharp, bladelike arms forward. Zak shrank back. “Uncle Hoole, help!”

Instead, Hoole reached out his own hand and touched the tip of the giant insect’s leg.

“Welcome to S’krrr,” the insect said in a soft, careful voice. “I am called Vroon.”

Hoole bowed his head slightly. “I am Hoole. This is my niece, Tash. And this one,” he added with a disapproving frown, “is called Zak.”

“Welcome,” the insect repeated.

The insect-Zak soon learned that they were called S’krrr, just like their planet was shorter than Hoole and a little taller than Zak and Tash. The S’krrr walked-scuttled-on two legs, but its movements were very quick. Instead of hands, Vroon’s arms ended in two bladelike tips that seemed to bend, so that he could pick up objects. His entire body was covered by a hard shell. Zak tried hard to think of the word for it. He was sure he had heard it during a biology lesson. Exoskeleton. That was it. A skeleton on the outside of the body. The S’krrr’s entire body was hard and green except his belly, which was a soft, pale yellow.

Vroon’s head was shaped like a triangle. Two enormous black eyes stared out from it. Vroon’s mouth opened sideways, instead of up and down like a human’s. Because of that, Zak couldn’t tell if the S’krrr was amused or angry. His insectlike face was impossible to read.

Tash laughed. “Zak, I guess that’ll teach you to miss a lesson.”

“Right,” was all he could say. “Sorry.”

“No offense was taken,” said the S’krrr in his soft voice. Something fluttered on his back, and for the first time, Zak noticed that the S’krrr had wings. They were small, pale, and transparent. It was obvious they would not allow Vroon to fly. But when he fluttered them together, the wings made a sound that was even softer than his voice. Zak heard a gentle skrrr fill the air for just a moment.

Then Vroon said, “However, you will have to move your ship.”

Hoole raised an eyebrow. “We received permission from the planetary landing control-“

“The planetary landing control,” Vroon said, his wings fluttering again, “controls planetary landing. It has no authority over the Sikadian Gardens. I do. I am the caretaker here, and I’m afraid that your ship is too close. The garden is a most delicate habitat, and the ship’s noise and machinery might upset that balance. Please move it.”

Hoole agreed. Zak could tell that his uncle didn’t want to anger the garden’s caretaker. Hoole entered the cockpit and tried to activate the Shroud’s repulsor lift engines.

Nothing happened.

Zak felt his stomach drop out.

“Strange,” they heard Hoole mutter from the controls. Again they heard him throw the switch to activate the ship’s engines, and again, nothing happened.

Hoole stepped out of the cockpit. “These engines were working at top performance only a few moments ago. I can’t imagine what the problem might be. “

Zak swallowed. Now he had to say something. “Urn… I think I know what the problem might be.”

“Yes, Zak?” Hoole asked.

“I think it might be me,” he admitted. “I was-I was doing some work on the engines while we were in flight.”

“I see.” That was all Hoole said, but the Shi’ido had a habit of making a few words mean a lot. Zak almost wished he would shout, or at least get frustrated. Hoole’s calm but disappointed face made Zak feel worse than any scolding.

Quickly, Zak told about the flying sparks and the loud popping sound. Hoole’s look of concern deepened with every word. “Anyway,” Zak said, “the engines were working fine afterward, so I figured nothing was wrong. I thought I could just fix it when we landed, and I wouldn’t have to bother you with the problem.”

Hoole shook his head. “That was a mistake. The ship’s computer probably compensated for the problem during flight. But once we shut the ship down, the computers shut off.”

Zak led the others to the engine room and showed Hoole what he had done. After a moment’s study, Hoole shook his head. “I’m afraid this will take some time to correct.”

Vroon’s wings fluttered apprehensively. “Are you saying you cannot move your ship? That is unacceptable.”