[Galaxy Of Fear] - 09(10)

Tash looked at her own wrist. A small screen display showed how much air she had left in her tank. She had enough oxygen for another twenty minutes. After that, she would suffocate inside her spacesuit.

“Uncle Hoole,” she asked, “can’t you… do something?”

She wanted to say “Can’t you shape-shift?” but she knew Hoole liked to keep his powers to himself if possible.

Hoole shook his head and said simply, “No air.”

It took Tash a moment to realize what he meant. As far as she knew, her uncle could change into any living creature-even a creature like a Wookiee that was big and strong enough to lift the block of stone. But Wookiees had to breathe, and there was no air outside their spacesuits.

Besides, Tash guessed, he might not be able to shape-shift while he’s inside the suit.

She glanced from face to face, hoping someone would have a suggestion. When her eyes fell on Fandomar, she realized that the Ithorian had said almost nothing. She was standing off to one side. She looked as if she were ready to stay in the tunnel forever.

“I’ve got an idea,” Hodge said. “But it might be dangerous.”

“Don’t worry,” Zak snorted. “We’re getting used to danger.”

Hodge’s plan was simple. The shaft the miners had dug into the tunnel went straight up to the surface of the asteroid. All they had to do was stand beneath it, deactivate their gravity boots, and float right up to the surface.

“Only problem is,” the chief miner ended, “the shaft’s too narrow for anyone but the kids.”

“No problem,” Zak said. “I’m on my way.”

Tash hesitated for a moment. She thought she ought to volunteer ahead of her younger brother. But the thought of being alone on the asteroid’s surface scared her. She decided to let Zak take the lead.

Hodge, however, disagreed. “Sorry, son, but I think your shoulders are a little too wide.” The miner held his hands up to Zak’s shoulders. “Yep, you’re wider than our laser drill.” Hodge kept his hands the same distance apart and measured Tash’s shoulders. “But you can make it.”

Tash was shocked. Since when was Zak bigger than she was? She stared at her younger brother. She was still taller than he was. But Zak had started to fill out. Tash shook her head. She really was out of touch. She hadn’t even noticed her own little brother growing up.

She took a deep breath. “Okay.” Hoole stepped between her and Hodge. “Tash-” he started to say; then he stopped. The gray-faced Shi’ido looked around as though he were trying to find another solution. When he couldn’t find one, he looked back at Tash. An expression of concern flickered across his face; then he said, “Be careful.”

Hodge led Tash to a spot a few meters away from the statue. Looking up, she saw the mineshaft disappear into the darkness. “Remember,” she heard Hodge say, “be sure to reactivate your boots the moment you clear the tunnel.”

She nodded. Then she reached down and pressed a button on the heel of each shoe.

Immediately, Tash felt herself become weightless. Her feet were still touching the rocky floor, but she didn’t feel connected to it anymore.

Taking a deep breath, she jumped upward and began to slowly rise toward the ceiling. Or was the ceiling dropping down to meet her? She couldn’t tell.

She touched the tunnel with her gloved hands and guided herself straight into the mineshaft. Her space helmet and shoulders just barely fit into the hole.

It got dark very, very quickly.

“Good job, Tash!” she heard Zak cheer.

“Well done,” Hoole’s voice added.

She thought she heard someone else speak, but the voice was cut off by static. The thick rock interfered with their short-range comlinks.

She was alone in the dark.

With no sound and no light and the strange feeling that she was hardly even moving, Tash felt really alone.

It must have only been a few minutes, but it felt as if she’d been floating for hours.

Just when she started to panic, her head suddenly cleared the tunnel. She had reached the surface! Starlight glittered on the dusty asteroid. A shower of asteroids rushed by overhead. After the darkness of the tunnel, all the movement made her dizzy and she forgot what she was supposed to do next. She was floating ten meters above the surface before she remembered to reactivate her boots.

The tractor beams kicked in. She felt as if something had grabbed hold of her ankles. She settled gently onto the surface.

Bounding across the zero-gravity terrain, she made a quick trip back to the mining colony. She was so eager to find help, she didn’t notice that three additional Starflies had suddenly appeared inside the docking bay. As she entered the air-filled halls of the colony, she pulled off her helmet and shouted, “Help! Somebody help us!”