Space Cadets Read Online Free PDF Page B

sadly. “If that ship’s the Enemy, your decision could cost lives.”
    “I can live with that. Thank you for being reasonable. I’d make a terrible captain anyway.”
    Enemy is what some people called the aliens who’d visited earth two hundred years ago.
    But the small ship on the monitor didn’t exactly inspire fear or awe. If that was the Enemy, we’d kick the crap out of them, for sure.
    The captain said to his crew, “Where are we with hacking their systems?”
    No one said a word. The silence was finally interrupted by static from the loudspeakers.
    An Ensign said, “I might be wrong, but it appears they’ve hacked their way through our system.”
    An odd, guttural voice issued over the speakers. It was English, but the voice was far too soft and monotone, with no inflection or emotion.
    “Greetings alien ship,” the voice said.
    The captain asked his Ensign, “Can you open a channel to respond?”
    The alien voice said, “That won’t be necessary. The channel works both ways.”
    “What are you doing out here?”
    “We are fleeing our home planet. This is a colony ship on its way to a new world.”
    “What happened on your home planet?”
    “Civil unrest and warfare.”
    “I would like to board your craft. Can that be arranged?”
    “I’m sorry, but no.”
    The captain seemed to be out of ideas.
    Rick Pringle said aloud, “I will board your craft. Will you try and stop me?”
    There was a prolonged silence but the aliens finally answered, “We do not wish you any harm. We are a peaceful race, just trying to start fresh. Please do not board our vessel.”
    “I’m coming over,” Rick said. "I'm in a mechanical suit, so don't be alarmed. I'm actually a human being from a planet called Earth. Open an airlock for me."
    The static ceased as the link was severed. The alien ship turned on its axis and its boosters ignited. It vanished from view.
    The captain yelled, “I want a heading and a speed on that ship.”
    A navigations officer started to say, “Their headed towards…” but the captain said over him, “Just plug the numbers in and give chase.”
    The Conquistador began to turn around.

Gotcha
     
    I don’t know what kind of crappy propulsion system the unidentified aliens were using but it was nothing that had a chance of getting away from us. We caught up with it, matched its speed, and then the captain deployed the magnetic grappler. As soon as it took hold, he yanked it into the hold where the escape ships are kept.
    It was on its side when we came through the door, into the cavernous hangar.
    Rick said, “We need to act quickly. If they fire off weapons in here, we’re fucked.”
    Peggy was already hard at work with a cutting torch, trying to give us access through the hull, while Rick paced.
    Watching it as an outsider, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for the poor unfortunate aliens inside. They’d done nothing to us. But they gave us reason to be suspicious and that was enough. For all we knew, the Enemy could be inside that dingy tub, although it was rather unlikely given that it hadn’t attacked us and it didn’t look like it could survive a single direct hit from even small arms fire. But we had to be sure.
    Peggy stood back and then kicked the side of the ship. A three foot circle of solid metal fell inwards, clanging on the floor.
    She vanished inside, barely getting her huge robotic frame through the opening. Rick grabbed me by the shoulder and said, “You’re coming too kid.”
    I thought that was bullshit. I wasn’t the only cadet in a skin anymore. So why me? Then again, I have to admit I felt pretty special getting chosen to help out my idol.
    He vanished inside the hole and I followed him.
    He cracked some primitive glow sticks, dropping them at his feet as he went. I activated some lights on my shoulders after I saw him activate his.
    The ship was small on the inside. The layout was like this: The center of the ship was a full four feet from the outer hull,