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Authors: Zac Harrison
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warlords and space pirates at the edge of every galaxy,” Bareon whispered, his huge black eyes blinking. “Maybe one of them sent the droids.”
“But why? Why attack a retirement planet for old geniuses?”
“Kerallin is more than that—” Raytanna began.
“Does it matter where they come from or what they want?” hissed Emmie. “Let’s just stop them.”
John nodded. Emmie was right. He peered around the door again. On clanking metal legs, the droids were now walking up and down the line of scholars. The droids looked fearsome. A thought popped into John’s head: if anyone knew how to beat these robots, it would be Kaal. His room-mate was a genius with technology. “Kaal,” he whispered, “any idea how we can beat these things?”
“I don’t know this model,” the Derrilian answered quietly. “But they have two legs, so we should be able to knock them off balance. Get them on the ground and they’ll be easier to fight.” He paused for a second, deep in thought as he gazed at the droids. “Their armour is designed to withstand weapon fire, not close combat. There will be weak points at the joints. The simple way to take them down is to grab any wires you see and rip them out. But do it quick.”
“What about the laser rifles?”
“Long range,” Kaal said with a shrug. “Awkward in hand-to-hand combat but still deadly. Don’t let them get off a shot.”
“Right,” said John. “We’ll go in three, two—”
“I AM OGUN. THIS PLANET NOW BELONGS TO ME.”
Every head snapped round. Through the transparent walls, John saw a being at the top of the spaceship’s ramp. The creature that called itself Ogun was two metres tall and covered in the same red, spiked armour as the droids. But instead of a smooth metal face, Ogun had a head that made him look like a hideous cross between a boar and a dragon. Tusks curled from either side of his mouth. Blood-red, overlapping scales covered his face. Smoke curled from a blunt, aggressive snout. On either side of his forehead were twisted horns, tipped with wicked-looking blades. Between them a golden crest ran down the centre of his scaled head. In one taloned hand, he held a hooked sword of black metal. The other was held in a victorious fist above his head.
“OBEY AND I WILL ALLOW YOU TO LIVE,” Ogun roared. “DEFY ME AND YOU WILL SUFFER IN WAYS YOU CANNOT IMAGINE.”
“John, even you must see we can’t stay and fight now,” Mordant hissed in a terrified whisper. “Let’s... let’s get out of here while we still can.”
Weak-kneed, John lifted a hand to silence Mordant. He couldn’t take his eyes off Ogun.
“Kerallin,” he said in a voice only slightly less than a roar, “soon, I will be the greatest warlord the universe has ever known.” Metal boots slammed against the craft’s ramp, as Ogun descended, glittering green eyes fixed on the huddle of scholars as he crossed the grass. “The famous scholars...” he began and then stopped, gazing at Aristil, “...and you !” he finished. Throwing his head back, Ogun bellowed laughter at the sky.
Aristil stood calm while Ogun’s insane laughter went on and on. Finally, it ended abruptly. Gazing at the old scholar, Ogun said, “It is only fitting that Kerallin’s treasures should be delivered into my hands by you, headmistress .”
Her own eyes cold, Aristil looked back at him unflinching. “I thought I recognized you,” she said quietly. “It has been, what, three hundred years?”
“Three hundred and twelve, since you threw me out of Hyperspace High,” Ogun replied. He gave her a vicious grin. “As you can see, though, my rise to greatness was not stopped by a stupid old being with no vision to see glory in the making.”
“ Glory in the making ?” snapped Aristil. “Is that what you call it? I remember a boy whose barbaric tastes for causing pain ruined everything he could have achieved.”
“Yet see what I have achieved.” Ogun used his sword to point back towards
“But why? Why attack a retirement planet for old geniuses?”
“Kerallin is more than that—” Raytanna began.
“Does it matter where they come from or what they want?” hissed Emmie. “Let’s just stop them.”
John nodded. Emmie was right. He peered around the door again. On clanking metal legs, the droids were now walking up and down the line of scholars. The droids looked fearsome. A thought popped into John’s head: if anyone knew how to beat these robots, it would be Kaal. His room-mate was a genius with technology. “Kaal,” he whispered, “any idea how we can beat these things?”
“I don’t know this model,” the Derrilian answered quietly. “But they have two legs, so we should be able to knock them off balance. Get them on the ground and they’ll be easier to fight.” He paused for a second, deep in thought as he gazed at the droids. “Their armour is designed to withstand weapon fire, not close combat. There will be weak points at the joints. The simple way to take them down is to grab any wires you see and rip them out. But do it quick.”
“What about the laser rifles?”
“Long range,” Kaal said with a shrug. “Awkward in hand-to-hand combat but still deadly. Don’t let them get off a shot.”
“Right,” said John. “We’ll go in three, two—”
“I AM OGUN. THIS PLANET NOW BELONGS TO ME.”
Every head snapped round. Through the transparent walls, John saw a being at the top of the spaceship’s ramp. The creature that called itself Ogun was two metres tall and covered in the same red, spiked armour as the droids. But instead of a smooth metal face, Ogun had a head that made him look like a hideous cross between a boar and a dragon. Tusks curled from either side of his mouth. Blood-red, overlapping scales covered his face. Smoke curled from a blunt, aggressive snout. On either side of his forehead were twisted horns, tipped with wicked-looking blades. Between them a golden crest ran down the centre of his scaled head. In one taloned hand, he held a hooked sword of black metal. The other was held in a victorious fist above his head.
“OBEY AND I WILL ALLOW YOU TO LIVE,” Ogun roared. “DEFY ME AND YOU WILL SUFFER IN WAYS YOU CANNOT IMAGINE.”
“John, even you must see we can’t stay and fight now,” Mordant hissed in a terrified whisper. “Let’s... let’s get out of here while we still can.”
Weak-kneed, John lifted a hand to silence Mordant. He couldn’t take his eyes off Ogun.
“Kerallin,” he said in a voice only slightly less than a roar, “soon, I will be the greatest warlord the universe has ever known.” Metal boots slammed against the craft’s ramp, as Ogun descended, glittering green eyes fixed on the huddle of scholars as he crossed the grass. “The famous scholars...” he began and then stopped, gazing at Aristil, “...and you !” he finished. Throwing his head back, Ogun bellowed laughter at the sky.
Aristil stood calm while Ogun’s insane laughter went on and on. Finally, it ended abruptly. Gazing at the old scholar, Ogun said, “It is only fitting that Kerallin’s treasures should be delivered into my hands by you, headmistress .”
Her own eyes cold, Aristil looked back at him unflinching. “I thought I recognized you,” she said quietly. “It has been, what, three hundred years?”
“Three hundred and twelve, since you threw me out of Hyperspace High,” Ogun replied. He gave her a vicious grin. “As you can see, though, my rise to greatness was not stopped by a stupid old being with no vision to see glory in the making.”
“ Glory in the making ?” snapped Aristil. “Is that what you call it? I remember a boy whose barbaric tastes for causing pain ruined everything he could have achieved.”
“Yet see what I have achieved.” Ogun used his sword to point back towards
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