Read Online The Softwire: Betrayal on Orbis 2 by PJ Haarsma - Free Book Online

dampness wrapped around me like a thick, wet blanket that was impossible to get out from under. A silky sort of light rained down upon us and gathered in puddles of blue and silver on the floor. After every ninth or tenth step, the stone foundation would tremble beneath our feet.
    “That one was quicker,” Theodore mumbled.
    “Quit counting, malf,” Switzer said.
    I glanced up and began to make out large cracks where the support columns met the arched, ribbed ceiling. It looked like they were new cracks, too, where the yellow slime had not yet grown.
    “We will wait here,” Drapling said, raising his hand.
    Everyone filed around Theylor.
    “Will we live here now?” Max asked.
    “This has yet to be determined,” the Keeper replied.
    “I don’t like it here,” Grace said.
    “Quiet,” Drapling ordered.
    A form shifted in the shadows just beyond Drapling. Then a small bowl-shaped craft emerged from the darkness. At first I thought I was seeing things. The device hovered less than a meter above the ground, floating under its cargo — a glass cylinder with dark metallic trim, filled with a murky yellow fluid. There was someone floating in the liquid.
    “Yuck,” Max said, staring wide-eyed as the alien drifted toward us.
    The creature’s head poked above the foul liquid, and its long arms reached out the sides of the container straight through the glass that then sealed tight around his arms. The creature’s skin was colorless and wrinkled. Not wrinkled from being old, but wrinkled from being in the water too long. There was a marking on his right temple — some sort of circular symbol, much darker than his ghastly skin. At times, the alien appeared to struggle to keep his head above the liquid, sinking into the container up to his bloodshot eyes. On the top of his bald head, the skin was gathered together and tethered to a cable that connected to the top of the glass enclosure. The whole contraption, alien included, was just taller than Drapling.
    I was speechless. Theodore was speechless. Even Switzer was speechless.
    “Again, yuck!” was all Max could say.
    Drapling said, “Children, this is Odran, the Samiran Caretaker. If all goes as planned, he will act as your temporary Guarantor.”
    “How temporary is temporary?” Max said.
    “That will be up to you, Johnny Turnbull,” Theylor replied.
    “Me? Why me?”
    Odran hovered closer, and we all took a step back. “I told the Council this is unnecessary. I can handle the Samiran myself,” he gurgled in a deep voice.
    “Your efforts have been fruitless,” Drapling said, and Odran spat against the wall of his tank. Drapling seemed to quiver. I could tell he did not like Odran.
    Theylor started to say, “The children —”
    “Children? How precious,” Odran interrupted. His sarcasm was obvious.
    “Mind your tone, Centillian!” Drapling barked at him. “You will do this!”
    Odran’s contraption slid silently back and forth as he examined each one of us.
    “Does my appearance frighten you?” he asked us. “Good. I require constant moisture, and this support glider is the most suitable means for me to continue my very important work with the Samirans.”
    “Enough with this,” Drapling said. “Can we get on with the test?”
    “What test?” I asked.
    “There is no way this will work. I know the beast like no other,” Odran said.
    “What test? I deserve an answer,” I demanded a little too strongly.
    Odran’s support glider moved toward me, quicker than I imagined it could. “You deserve nothing. You are worthless. You will remain quiet and do as you are told,” he snarled. “All of you.”
    “Why?” Switzer questioned him. He moved next to me and folded his arms. He was actually backing me up. I looked him in the eye, but he just stared at Odran. All the children moved and stood behind us. I guess they hated being called worthless just as much as I did.
    “This is unnecessary,” Theylor said. “The arrangement for your work