Free The Wishing Stone by Christopher Pike Page A

said softly, stunned. “They must have followed us here from Tallas Four.”
    â€œThey could trace us through hyperspace?” Watch asked.
    Fur shook his head. “No. But they didn’t haveto. They figured we were coming here because we were trying to erase records related to Amacron Thirty-seven.”
    â€œDo we have to surrender?” Adam asked.
    Fur was grim. “The Kasters do not take prisoners in a situation like this.”
    â€œThen we must try to jump into hyperspace again,” Watch said.
    â€œNo,” Adam said. “We have to get the girls first.”
    â€œIf we land, we will be completely helpless,” Fur said. “They will destroy us at their leisure. I agree with Watch. We must try to escape.” Fur started to push the button that would launch them into hyperspace. But Adam stopped him by putting a hand on his arm.
    â€œThe girls have knocked out the Amacron Thirty-seven force field when you said that was impossible,” Adam said. “They are out in the desert, fighting for their lives, for freedom. How can we just abandon them when they have fought so hard and we are so close to them?”
    Watch spoke up. “Adam has a point. Even I would feel guilty leaving them at this point.”
    Fur studied his instruments. “They are not alone in the desert. A force of robots is nowfollowing them.” He looked at them. “If we land we will have enemies on all sides.”
    Adam didn’t hesitate. “Land. We either save them or we all die together.”
    Watch patted Fur on the back and tried to reassure the trader. “We’re all from Spooksville. We have an excellent track record in hopeless situations.”
    Fur sighed. “I don’t.”

11
    H ironee saw the Fruitfly first. They were trudging around a massive sand dune when the ship appeared in the sky above them, burning with the flames of reentry, heading straight for them like a meteor shot from a cannon.
    â€œLook!” Hironee shouted.
    Sally and Cindy almost fell over when they saw the ship.
    â€œIs it a Raster vessel?” Sally asked, fully expecting the answer to be yes.
    Hironee squinted. “No, I don’t think so. It looks more like a trader ship.”
    Sally looked at Cindy. “It could be Adam and Watch.”
    Cindy nodded anxiously. “Hope so.”
    But then abruptly all hope faded because the fleet of Raster warships—chasing the trader vessel—became visible at the same time Teeh and his robots rounded the sand dune behind the girls. The Raster warships had torpedo tubes on both sides that glowed a wicked red. Teeh had a small fleet of powerful ground vehicles that resembled open-air tanks. Both Raster groups seemed to be ready to take aim, yet perhaps Teeh, seeing the ships overhead, warned his robots off. The slimy boss probably didn’t want to get blasted with the humans. Overhead the ships suddenly veered off. Yet they didn’t fly away, but rather, began to swoop in at a low altitude.
    In the meantime the trader ship landed.
    Adam and Watch and a ghost character with a bald head and a cigar jumped out. The girls ran to the boys and embraced them.
    â€œAre we glad to see you!” Cindy exclaimed, giving Adam a big hug.
    â€œWe’re happy to see you, too!” Adam said, hugging her back.
    â€œI was the one who disabled the Kaster force field,” Sally said quickly.
    â€œI was the one who blew up part of the Kaster house,” Fur said, watching both the approaching land army and the hovering warships. “But it looks like we both managed to anger the wrong people.”
    â€œAnd who may I ask are you?” Sally asked suspiciously.
    Fur bowed. “I am Fur and I am here to rescue you.” He glanced at Watch. “This must be the unusual one.”
    â€œI knew you would spot her immediately,” Watch said.
    â€œI will have you know that it was I who said you were on your way here to