Free Warlord's Revenge by Zac Harrison

the ship. John glanced back, seeing six deep grooves gouged into the spaceship’s hull. “You see the scars?” Ogun continued. “One for each planet I have conquered. My empire grows, and, with the knowledge that Kerallin provides me, it will grow more quickly still.”
    He looked around. “And all because I remembered your humiliating inspections of Hyperspace High. For years I have been watching, waiting for a class that fails to activate the cloaking device. Tracking the pyramid back to Kerallin was easy. Conquering a planet of stuffy old fools will be easier still.”
    “I knew it. It is my fault,” groaned Emmie behind John.
    “ Our fault, Emmie,” said Kaal. “I told you: none of us managed to translate the cloaking device instruction.”
    John looked over his shoulder. A number of students were exchanging guilty looks. “That settles it once and for all,” he said. “We brought Ogun here. It’s up to us to get rid of him.”
    “John, you fool, look at Ogun,” said Mordant, his long tentacles weaving in fear. “He’s a heavily armed galactic warlord. We’re students . We’ve got no weapons and—”
    “Be quiet,” hissed Lishtig, “Look, something’s happening.”
    The class turned back to the scholars outside. Socrat had stepped forward. His voice was faint. Students crowded around the door to hear him speak.
    “There is nothing for you here, Ogun,” the old alien wheezed. “Kerallin is a quiet planet, far from the centre of the universe. We only hope to share our knowledge. What good are a few old academics to you?”
    “Do you think me stupid?” sneered the warlord, thick smoke pouring from his nostrils.
    “I meant only to say—”
    “I know what you meant to say,” Ogun roared. “Trickery and lies. You know as well as I that there is treasure on Kerallin far beyond jewels.”
    “I assure you we have nothing—”
    Once again, Ogun cut him off. “You have your library,” he bellowed contemptuously. “A library where all the information of the universe is stored. With such a library in my hands, I will know every planet’s defence systems: everything I need to conquer whichever planet I chose. None will be able to withstand me. Anyone else who wishes to use my library will have to pay. I shall be powerful and rich beyond dreams.” He looked Socrat up and down. “And your age means little. You may be old, but Kerallin is home to the brightest minds in the universe. There will be no more ‘peaceful study’. From now on, the scholars of Kerallin will design weapons for me. Weapons more powerful than any in the universe.”
    Fear and confusion turned to shock on the faces of the scholars. “Never!” shouted Socrat, his voice stronger now. “I will never lift a finger to help you.”
    “THEN YOU WILL SUFFER !” Ogun bellowed into his face. “All of you will suffer until I have what I want.”
    Aristil’s lined face twisted into fury. “You were my greatest failure, Ogun,” she snarled, “but the day I expelled you was the happiest day I ever spent as headmistress of Hyperspace High. You are no better than a beast.”
    The warlord grabbed three of her arms, his talon digging into flesh until she yelped. “You will regret those words.” He smiled down at her – a sight that chilled John’s blood even more than the roaring and bellowing. With a flick of his wrist, he flung her against the side of a hoverbus. “Get in!” he commanded. “ You will open the Library of Kerallin for me. It will be you who gives Ogun the keys to the universe’s knowledge.”
    Aristil staggered upright, clutching her bruised side. “No, you can’t—”
    Ogun barked an order. Instantly, the soldier droids raised their weapons, pointing laser rifles into the crowd of scholars. “Get into the hoverbus,” the warlord said. “Or your friends will pay the price.”
    Tears streamed down Aristil’s face as she climbed into the hoverbus. “Help us,” she wept. “Oh, please help