Read Online Aliens in the Sky by Christopher Pike - Free Book Online

always gotten out. Why should this time be any different?”
    â€œBecause this time we’re trapped in a cage billions of miles from Earth?”
    Watch yawned and leaned back on his bed. “Now you’re depressing me.”
    There was nothing else to say, for the time being.
    They both lay down and rested. They may have even dozed.
    Time went by. They weren’t sure how much.
    Without warning they heard a soft knock at the door.
    â€œHey. Are you in there?”

11
    A s Sally predicted, there were four guards waiting for them when they docked. Sally had Ek invite them in so she and Cindy could stun them. They stored the guards belowdecks with the others. To Sally and Cindy’s immense relief, no other guards rushed to the scene. Perhaps Ek was partially right—his people were not experts when it came to security. Sally, Cindy, and Ek had time to work.
    Unfortunately, Ek was making little progress with his plan. They had been in space dock an hour and he still hadn’t been able to locate Adam andWatch. He was searching through some kind of computer map that was projected on a three-dimensional computer screen located to the left of the saucer control panel. He said it was supposed to register all living creatures on the station.
    â€œI do not understand why they do not show up.”
    â€œIt’s the way I told you,” Sally said as she paced behind Ek. “There must be restricted areas aboard this station. You have to forget about trying to find them. Just broadcast on your telepathic network what has happened. Maybe one of the thousands of fatheads—I mean, maybe one of your many network partners—will have an idea where they are.”
    â€œI don’t know if that’s a good idea,” Cindy said. “The moment Ek makes such a broadcast, more guards will show up.”
    Sally was agitated. “I know that. I’m not stupid. But they’re going to come here anyway. At least we will have got our message out. Once they arrest us, there’ll be no chance. We’ll probably be put to immediate death.”
    â€œOur culture does not have the death penalty.”
    â€œYou don’t know what your culture does behindclosed doors,” Sally snapped. Then she paused, thinking. “How can we protect ourselves inside this ship? When they do come for us?”
    â€œWe can lock the door. But they will burn through it quickly, if they want to.”
    â€œCan you fire the ship’s weapons while we’re in space dock?” Sally asked.
    â€œThat would not be a good idea. Many could be hurt.”
    Sally rolled her eyes. “Like I’m worried about a few casualties. Listen, Ek, I am not a violent person by nature but you guys started this, and I intend to finish it. When your authorities show up, we need something to fight them with until we can get Adam and Watch back. Better yet, we need something to force them to give us back our friends. Even if we just use it as a bluff.”
    â€œWhat is a bluff?”
    â€œIt’s what you do when you want to win at poker,” Sally said. She pointed to the floor beneath them. “This ship accelerated to near light speed in two hours. It must have a powerful engine or warp drive. What’s its source of energy?”
    â€œOur space drive is powered by the decay of an element called Zelithium 110. It cannot be found on your periodic table of elements because it does not exist naturally, except in the corona of extremely hot blue stars. As the element decays in a chamber of Hyperzoid Quartz, it radiates subatomic particles we call Bostonians. They are very powerful but unstable, unless carefully controlled.”
    Sally glanced at Cindy. “I got less than half that,” Cindy said.
    â€œYou say the Bostonians are unstable?” Sally said. “I like things that way. Instability brings out my finer points. Tell me, Ek, can this stuff be used to make a bomb?”
    Ek looked