Free Astro-Knights Island by Tracey West Page A

relief, leaning back in his chair.
    Alice frowned. “This is a problem. We can’t get past those sharks, especially with our shields so low.”
    Simon looked thoughtful. “There’s got to be some way to get past them. Some kind of strategy.”
    Alice read the map on the screen again. “The map says a black hole can destroy them. So if there was a way to get them to the black hole . . .”
    â€œIt’s risky, but it just might work,” Simon said.
    â€œYou can do it,” Alice told him. “You’re pretty good at steering this thing.”
    Simon grinned. “I’m the only one in the stables who can ride that stallion Blackheart without getting thrown. Compared to that, this is pretty easy.”
    â€œThen let’s do it!” Alice cheered.
    Simon steered the rocket back to the Ice Planet. This time, he approached the mechanical sharks slowly.
    â€œHello there, giant space sharks with the sharp teeth,” he said sweetly. “Try and catch us!”
    He slowly steered toward the black hole, and the mechanical sharks began to follow.

    â€œIt’s working!” Alice cried. “Hurry, before they hit us! Our shields can’t take it!”
    WARNING. APPROACHING BLACK HOLE.
    â€œSlow down!” Alice yelled. “We’ll get sucked in.”
    â€œMake up your mind!” Simon yelled back at her. “Should I slow down or hurry up?”
    Alice’s face was as red as her hair. “I don’t know!”
    Steadying himself, Simon slowly steered closer and closer to the edge of the swirling vacuum with the sharks right on their tail. Too close, and they’d be pulled in just like the sharks.
    Alice bit her lip. “We’re so close.”
    â€œAlmost there . . .” Simon said calmly. He steered right to the edge . . . and at the last second, made a sharp left turn. The ship escaped the black hole—but all three sharks got sucked in!
    â€œYou did it!” Alice cheered.
    Simon let out a deep breath. “Thank goodness.”
    He steered the rocket back to the Ice Planet’s coordinates and landed the craft on an icy ridge in the middle of a frozen sea.
    â€œIt looks pretty cold out there,” he remarked, gazing out the window.
    â€œI think I see something up on top of that mountain, just across the water,” Alice said, gazing out the window. “We can get across by jumping on those chunks of ice.”
    Simon nodded. “I hope we find
something
here. It wasn’t easy getting rid of those sharks.”
    Alice turned to Merlin. “You stay here and watch the rocket for us, okay?” The owl replied by blinking its glowing eyes.
    Simon and Alice stepped out onto the frozen planet. Alice carefully eyed the ice chunks floating in the water. They each seemed to be floating in one place, not drifting, which was good.
    â€œIt’s just like the pond in winter,” Alice said. “This shouldn’t be hard. Come on!”
    She jumped to the first ice chunk and was able to keep her balance, so she made another quick leap to the second ice chunk. Simon jumped on next to her.
    Alice grinned. “So far, so good,” she said. At that moment something jumped out of the water and sailed over her head!
    â€œWhat was that?” Simon cried.
    â€œIt looked like some kind of fish—a robot fish,” Alice said in disbelief. “We’ll have to watch out for them. They jump high, though, so if we’re standing still when they jump over us, we should be fine.”
    It was a good strategy. Alice and Simon hopped to the next ice chunk and patiently waited to make sure there was no fish lurking under the water. Now they were just one chunk away from the shore. They waited again, and this time, another robot fish sailed over their heads. Then they made a final jump and landed on the icy shore.
    â€œMade it!” Alice cheered. “Now we just have to