Moonbase Crisis: Star Challengers Book 1 Read Online Free PDF Page A

That’s what I prefer.”
    “You take flying lessons, are superior at math and problem-solving, are quite daring, and have excellent reflexes. Is there anything you’d like to add about your family?”
    “Our dad was a firefighter. His brother is my flying instructor. And I’m always ready to fly.”
    ***

Three
    “Today, you will go to the Moon.”
    Commander Zota addressed them from the front of the room, looking as formal and serious as if he were briefing the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the White House. A close-up of the cratered lunar surface appeared behind him.
    Dyl gave a nervous half-laugh. “So we’ll be back for lunch then?”
    Simultaneously, JJ said, “I’m in!”
    Song-Ye merely said, “Pfft. You don’t have to treat us like little kids. We know the difference between pretend and reality.”
    King politely raised his hand and waited for Commander Zota to nod at him. “Sir? When I was here with my scout troop, we had eighteen guys to run all the stations, split up between Mission Control and the space simulation. Don’t we need more than just four of us?”
    JJ leaned toward him and whispered, “Website says they can fly a mission with only five to a side.” She was disappointed to hear that they were going to run the Moon simulation, which she and Dyl had done with their class a few days ago. She had hoped for one of the other simulated adventures—Space Station, Comet, or Mars. Well, at least she would get more hands-on experience this time. Maybe she’d get to do more than one job.
    Zota pressed his hands palm to palm at waist level in a position that seemed to enhance his concentration. “Due to the special nature of this particular mission, I have made some … adjustments to the protocols. You four will be assigned to the moonbase. I will handle operations in Mission Control, once you are on your way.”
    JJ nodded slowly. Good. This would definitely be different.
    “This particular scenario will take place farther in the future,” Zota continued. “Therefore, both the moonbase and Mission Control are more complex than in any mission you’ve done previously. More high-tech, if you will.”
    “Oh, I will,” Dyl said, rubbing his hands gleefully together. “You’d better believe I will!” He whipped out a pencil and note cards, and started taking notes.
    Under his breath, King started humming Frank Sinatra’s “Fly Me to the Moon.”
    “What are the job assignments?” JJ asked. She was already familiar with the communications station, but she hoped for something more challenging. She brightened hopefully. “Need a pilot?”
    “I’d rather be taking my ballet lesson right now,” Song-Ye said.
    “Oh, that may come later,” Commander Zota replied cryptically, and JJ wasn’t sure what he meant. He paced around in front of them, very serious now. “Let me explain what we’re doing here, and why it’s important. Space programs in the United States and around the world have had incredible triumphs that it would take me all day to list, but they have also faced tragedies. In 1967, a terrible fire occurred on the Apollo 1 launchpad, killing all three astronauts aboard.”
    JJ felt as if someone had whacked her in the stomach with a sledgehammer. A fire. She had heard of the Apollo 1 disaster years ago, but hadn’t thought about it since before their father’s death. A fire! Her hands clenched into fists, and she forgot how to breathe. She saw Dyl swallow hard and turn pale. He flashed a glance at JJ to see how she was reacting, then looked back down at his index cards and kept taking notes.
    JJ told herself to snap out of it. Jet pilots, firefighters, astronauts—all of them knew what they were risking to do their jobs. And that was exactly the type of job she planned to have, so she might as well start accepting the risks right now. She would just have to do her best not to think about fires. She forced herself to relax and start breathing normally, hoping no one but Dyl had