Jack Strong and the Red Giant

Chapter Nine: Space Rescue

Jack couldn't find Padget anywhere.

He searched the large banks of floating wardrobes and drawers, and under the piles of equipment ballooning up from the floor. He even ran out into the corridor and howled his name, running in and out of several other rooms. But there was no sign of him. He had completely disappeared. Where was he?

Then Jack remembered the last thing he saw before Padget vanished: the orange spectacles and the strange metal device that had appeared over his mouth and nose. Could it have been some kind of breathing apparatus? Something that would allow him to breathe in space?

Seeing if he could copy Padget, Jack closed his eyes and thought of a space helmet. A strange device instantly fastened itself around Jack's nose and mouth, a pair of yellow glasses appearing over his eyes. Then there was a flash of blue light, accompanied by a rush of electricity and a tingling of his skin. His eyesight blurred for a moment, then re-focused.

At first everything seemed normal. He was still in the room and his vision didn't seem any different. Then he looked at Grunt. Immediately a series of electronic displays popped-up, giving him all kinds of information about him such as his temperature, height, weight, his species (something called a Ba'doberan) and his distance from Jack. He could even zoom in on him and focus on one of the pigments of his skin or else one of the hairs sprouting from his ears. If he zoomed in even further he could peer inside his body and see his hearts and lungs beating and pumping away, his stomachs churning, as well as his orange blood vessels as they raced around his body like racing cars on a huge scalextric.

Aside from the electronic readout, Jack barely noticed anything different about the new equipment. His spacesuit was still the same and it looked nothing like what NASA astronauts would wear; the glasses felt completely weightless and his breathing was normal too.

How could Padget have gone out in space in this?

Jack was just about to think about going into outer space when he stopped himself. What am I thinking? He thought. I can't go out there. It's going to be BIG and SCARY and TERRIFYING – and I'll be all alone. I don't know what to do. I'm new at this. I can't rescue Padget – Vyleria or Ros can do it – they will know what to do – they've been into space before – besides, it was Padget's fault anyway – yes - he panicked – of course he did - he's stupid – he's, he's...

He had to do something.

Vyleria and Ros weren't there and Grunt could barely look after himself, never mind anyone else. There was no one else but him.

"Grunt," he said nervously, hoping that he would somehow understand him. "I've got to go away now, but I will be back – don't worry. Wait here."

Grunt looked back at Jack with blank, expressionless eyes. He didn't know if he understood him or not, but he couldn't wait any longer. His heart hammering and his throat dry, he took a deep breath, put an image of space in his head and vanished.

The first things he noticed were the stars. There were millions upon millions of them - up, above, below and behind. It was like being in a huge arena, with him at the centre of it all. Then there was the huge gas giant, parked in the middle of it all like a big blue bus. It was mesmerising. He gazed at it for what felt like hours.

Then he looked down. He was stood on a gleaming sheet of silver.

He felt his body pull, rise a little, and then...

Nothing.

His boots were keeping him pinned to the spaceship. It was like they were magnetic somehow, though they didn't feel in the slightest bit heavy.