Skylar Mars and the Stolen Egg Read online

  Doctor Wellengrad laughed hard enough that he doubled over in his chair. Everyone stopped and stared at him.

  He coughed a couple of times to stop the laughter. “I’m sorry. The idea of using a seer to find out anything about Solar Drakes is ludicrous, but you couldn’t have known what you were dealing with at the time. Solar Drakes confuse seers. We aren’t sure exactly what it is about them, but the couple of times we’ve had highly skilled seers stop by for research, it’s like they couldn’t even see a drake when they’re in the same room with one.”

  Professor Aduncus rubbed his chin. “That’s most interesting. I don’t suppose there’s any chance you’d share your research with me? I promise you I can keep it to myself. Since it appears Filzbalm is going to be attending school with young Mr. Mars, it might be in all of our interests to know as much as we can about him.”

  “And that brings us to one of the reasons we’re all in this room,” Doctor Wellengrad said as he walked over to one of the simple wooden chairs and settled there. “The Mother of All Drakes has asked that we renegotiate the treaty that prevents the people who bond with Solar Drakes from leaving the Armstrong system. She is ready to allow Filzbalm and Skylar to return to Stars’ End Academy, and after that, lead the life they choose to lead, but there will be conditions.”

  Phil and Professor Aduncus frowned at the same time.

  “What kind of conditions?” Phil asked first.

  Doctor Wellengrad huffed. “Are you all right with my acting as her emissary in this, and is our Galactic Council accepting of your acting on their behalf?”

  Professor Aduncus produced a small holographic projector. “We were in contact with the Council on our way here.” He tapped the projector and the form of a tall human female appeared.

  Skylar’s breath caught. It was the current president of the Council. He recognized Carolyn Cranby from history class. She’d been serving as president for twenty years, and had made a lot of reforms to the council during that time. Although she had a lot of enemies, she was still in charge.

  “Hello,” the hologram began in a crisp, clear voice. “In terms of the Armstrong Treaty, something I was very surprised to learn about, I am prepared to allow Philaneo Clawson to act as an emissary of the Central Galactic Council, to renegotiate a minor clause in the treaty. It is my understanding that we are not renegotiating the entire treaty, just one clause. Should we require more than that, I may need to contact the entire council.” The hologram cut off.

  Doctor Wellengrad nodded. “I don’t think we need to totally renegotiate the entire treaty.”

  “Very well.” Phil settled across the narrow table from Doctor Wellengrad.

  Skylar plopped into a chair next to Del, with Solaria and Melody nearby. It was a shame that he and Filzbalm were causing so much trouble, but if it would help him keep the life he was growing used to and keep Filzbalm, he was all for it. He just hoped things wouldn’t take forever. It had been a long day, and after the good meal he’d eaten with the researchers, he was ready for a bit of sleep.

  BY THE time Phil, Professor Aduncus, and Doctor Wellengrad had worked out the details of the amended clause, everyone was ready to fall asleep. It was all Skylar could do to stay awake as Phil piloted his ship through the Armstrong system, heading for the restricted stargate.

  “Now that we have the galactic law part of this settled,” Professor Aduncus said, drawing Skylar’s bleary gaze from the stars.

  Del yawned. “Oh, come on Grandfather, can’t this wait? It’s been a tumultuous day.”

  Professor Aduncus removed his dampening bracelet, which was a little different from Skylar’s—it could be taken off with one hand. He sighed and rubbed his temples. “Yes, Del, it has been a long day, and as soon as I convey your sentence you can get some rest. Trust me, you’re going to need all the relaxation you can get.”

  “I don’t think he’s as angry as he’s acting,” Filzbalm said softly. “His thoughts are too organized for anger.”

  “And if he catches you reading his mind he’s going to get really upset,” Skylar replied.

  “Look, this was all my idea,” Solaria said, stepping between him and them. “Skylar and Del were just going along with me to get the Solar Drake, Filzbalm, home. Melody got scooped up in the whole mess when we stole the ship.”

  “I know all this,” Professor Aduncus said. “And the fact that you’re stepping up and being honest will go down in the school records, Miss Unica. We are still trying to figure out who’s going to pay for the Stars’ End Beta.”

  “Hey.” Skylar straightened, his sleepiness suddenly forgotten. “We didn’t blow up the ship. That Boarisk captain did.”

  Professor Aduncus nodded slowly. “But the ship wouldn’t have been in danger if the three of you hadn’t stolen it in the first place and taken it to Armstrong’s Ring.”

  Skylar didn’t see a way he could argue that point. He slumped and stayed quiet.

  “But at this point, a bill has been sent to the Boarisk Confederation. We don’t expect them to pay it, since they are a non-psi race and have never contributed to the funding of Stars’ End Academy.” He spread his hands in a hopeless gesture. “Regardless, we will try, and will file a grievance when they refuse to pay. The odds are our insurance will cover the cost of replacing the ship. But we will have to make an example of the four of you after this escapade.”

  “Wait, Melody shouldn’t be part of this. She was just on the ship when we took it,” Skylar and Solaria objected at the same time. If it had been any other corp-brat but Melody, Skylar would’ve kept his mouth shut, but she’d proven to be willing to help out. Maybe he’d been judging the corp-brats too harshly. He didn’t think she deserved trouble for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

  “But remember, this is for an example,” Professor Aduncus continued. “We can’t have the whole school thinking they can just steal a ship and get away with it. The fact is, Ms. Porsche has a dermal communicator, as do you all. She could’ve reported your activities the second she discovered what you were doing. She did not. Therefore, she is guilty by association.”

  Skylar looked over his shoulder to where Melody slumped in her chair. She’d been strangely quiet since leaving Armstrong’s Ring. In all the excitement, he hadn’t stopped to think that she could’ve turned them all in at any time. If it had been Pathal or most of the others, they would’ve done it in a heartbeat, just to cause trouble.

  “So, all of your parents have been notified of your little jaunt across space. We have chosen, due to the terms of the Treaty of Armstrong to not go into details about your adventure. For the next three months, until third quarter break, you are all confined to the station. No field trips, no shopping trips. The only reason you’ll be allowed off station is for family emergencies, and then only if your parents come and pick you up.”

  Skylar suppressed a sigh. He didn’t have any family, not anymore. But three months on the station wasn’t going to be horrible. He could get through it.

  “In addition, you are all going to be assigned farm detail after classes every day. You’ll go to the farm and garden area and do whatever tasks Mrs. Clementine, our farm curator, and her staff see fit. If your grades fall, there will be additional study-related penalties.” He turned his steely gaze to Skylar. “And Mr. Mars, you will also do one hour of practice with me every day after you finish your farm detail. We’re going to have to get your powers under control. Even if young Filzbalm can act as your dampening bracelet, I won’t have you losing control again. It sounds like you had a very close call with the Boarisk.” Then he looked at Solaria. “And there will be no extracurricular activities such as Z-GBall until your sentence is over. None of you is to even set foot in the center of the station. Do I make myself clear?”

  “Yes, Professor Aduncus,” they all said in unison. Even Filzbalm added his mental consent.

  Professor Aduncus nodded solemnly, then walked up to the flight deck, leaving them alone.

  Skyla
r sank into one of the clothes-covered chairs. He was a little surprised Phil hadn’t taken the time to clean up the ship before coming to rescue them, particularly since he had Professor Aduncus along.

  Del sighed and settled in the chair next to him. “That could’ve gone worse.”

  “Yeah, it could’ve.” Solaria sat on the floor, in one of the clean spots in the rear cabin. “We could’ve all been expelled.”

  “That would’ve been my luck,” Melody said from her seat. “I’m not sure what my mom would’ve done then.”

  “But we weren’t expelled,” Skylar said. The fatigue he’d been feeling came roaring back, and he yawned. “We’re going to stay in school, and three months isn’t too long to work out at the farm. The place kinda reminds me of Hummassa. If we work at it, we can make it fun.” He wasn’t sure where he would’ve gone if they’d thrown him out, but it didn’t matter. He was going to stay in school. He was getting to keep Filzbalm. Everything was going to be great.

  Outside the window, the lights from the stargate flared. Skylar didn’t have a great view, but it didn’t really matter. There would be other chances to go through stargates. He was going to visit every world he could. He and Filzbalm were going to explore the universe and report back to The Mother of All Drakes about their adventures.

  Glancing at Del and Solaria, he hoped they’d want to come along too. They all had their whole lives ahead of them, and he wanted to make sure hiswas a grand adventure.

  Skylar’s adventures continue in,

  “Skylar Mars and the Crystal Claw”.

  Buy it now on Amazon.

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  Drew Seren Bio

  Drew Seren was raised on a diet of science fiction, both in print and on the screen. He spent many nights watching Star Trek and Space 1999 with his father. Comic books were a main staple of his reading, and then when he was in high school he started reading Dragon Riders of Pern and quickly began devouring any science fiction he could, luckily his father had an extensive library at the time. He started writing soon after that, letting writing help him make it through class. During college and his corporate life, Drew spent a lot of time writing to help him endure the mundane things that gnawed at him. Through his twenties and thirties, comic books and science fiction helped him survive. To this day, he’s still reading as much or more than he’s writing. He’s also an avid gamer, playing first Dungeons and Dragons, and currently lots of World of Warcraft. He’s recently turned his attention to writing full time and exploring the vast galaxy through new and interesting eyes.

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