The Slime Volcano Read Online Free PDF Page A

atmosphere. Kip could see MoNa, but he couldn’t talk to her. His SpaceCuff was still too gummed up with slime.
    Kip switched on the transporter’s communication beacon. In Space Scout terms, the tech-nology was primitive. But it would alert MoNa that there was a friendly spacecraft nearby. She could throw out a static line for Kip and Finbar to hold onto and spacewalk safely aboard.
    But before Kip and Finbar began their short spacewalk, they wanted to say goodbye to the aliens.
    Zorg dropped to the floor. He grabbed Kip around his knees and squeezed.
    This hug is growing on me , Kip grinned to himself, and gave the aliens knee-hugs in return.
    â€˜It was nice to meet you, Zert and Zorg,’ he said.
    Finbar had a goodbye gift for the aliens. ‘I thought you’d like to clean up before heading home,’ he said, handing Zorg a SpaceShower from his backpack. ‘I found it in my toiletry bag.’
    SpaceShowers were tiny sponges flecked with dirt-absorbing crystals. They were useful on especially grubby missions.
    Zorg smiled gratefully. He held the SpaceShower to his fur. At once, the sponge sucked up all the slime and grime.
    Underneath, Zorg’s fur was soft, fluffy and baby-pink!
    â€˜They must have hated getting so dirty,’ Finbar said to Kip, fluffing his own fur.
    As Kip and Finbar left the transporter, the aliens pumped air under their armpits to make raspberry sounds. Kip guessed that was their way of waving goodbye!
    Kip and Finbar bounded through space between the two starships. Kip loved being in zero gravity anytime, but after the high gravity of Grimor it was especially good.
    When Kip and Finbar reached MoNa’s landing bay, they tore off their helmets and breathed the clean air deeply.
    Relieved, Finbar ran a paw through his fur. Kip could tell he couldn’t wait to tidy up.
    â€˜No time for grooming,’ came MoNa’s voice from up near the ceiling.
    â€˜I know, I know,’ Kip grumbled. ‘Time to file my mission report.’
    Kip and Finbar strode out of the landing bay and headed for MoNa’s bridge. Settling on his captain’s chair, Kip engaged his holographic consol. A screen was projected in front of him.
    CAPTAIN’S LOG
Grimor

    Terrain: A crusty, dirty planet covered with dangerous active slime volcanoes. High gravity makes it hard to get around.
    Population: No permanent residents. Although we did encounter friendly aliens from Zorn, a nearby moon.
    Animals: Slime Crawlers – gross and unfriendly local critters that grow massive in slimy environments.
    Recommendation: I’m no neat freak but even I couldn’t handle the dirt on Grimor. This place is definitely not Earth 2. Humans are not Suckerbots, after all. We don’t want to spend all day cleaning.
    KIP KIRBY, SPACE SCOUT #50
    Phew , Kip thought. The mission was complete.
    He hadn’t discovered Earth 2. But at least he’d earn one Planetary Point for exploring Grimor.
    Time to relax , he grinned. First I’ll play a bit of my new virtual hoverboard game, then…
    â€˜I’ve just downloaded a message from your parents to my Galactagram chip,’ said MoNa, interrupting Kip’s daydream.
    Uh-oh! Kip thought. That doesn’t sound good.
    Galactagrams were audio files, only used for urgent or extra important transmissions. MoNa’s dashboard had a special chip for listening to them.
    Guiltily, Kip remembered the time he’d wasted playing around with Jett’s Pro-Planet Star Mic. He’d left his chores unfinished. His parents must be seriously unimpressed if they’d sent him a Galactagram!
    Sighing, Kip took the chip from its storage slot in MoNa’s dash. It was smaller than a pin-head. Kip rested the chip inside his ear.
    His mum’s voice filled his eardrum.
    â€˜I know you’re busy,’ she said calmly.
    She’s too mad even to yell , Kip thought grimly.
    â€˜And WorldCorp have just told us what an excellent