Free STAR FIGHTERS BUMPER SPECIAL EDITION: Stealth Force by Max Chase Page A

said. ‘It orbits our sun at a mean average distance of 121 million kilometres. The atmosphere is composed of 17 different gases . . .’
    Peri tuned Anurack out as he concentrated on easing off the boosters and adjusting the Nav-wheel to line the Phoenix up with the docking bay below. His special bionic connection with the ship made the tricky move feel simple and instinctive, as though he was manoeuvring his own body into position. Peri’s parents were the IF’s highest-ranking astronautical engineers, and when they upgraded the legendary spaceship they created a telepathic bond between it and their son. Peri was part bionic and part human, and the Phoenix couldn’t function without him. A few moments later, it came to rest neatly between the gates of the docking bay.
    Peri breathed a sigh of relief. ‘Welcome home, Anurack.’
    Peri and Selene led Anurack off the Bridge and down a mauve-lit corridor. Peri sent a telepathic order to the Phoenix and watched the wall open noiselessly. A ramp extended itself down to the floor of the docking bay, where a group of four-headed Koringers were waiting.
    ‘It’s been a pleasant voyage,’ Anurack said. ‘I’ve enjoyed talking to you.’
    Peri raised his voice to cover Selene’s giggle. ‘We enjoyed it too.’
    ‘I’ll let General Pegg know what a good job you did,’ Anurack said. ‘I only wish you could come and visit for a little while – I know everything there is to know about Koring, so I could give you a guided tour of the whole planet. You’d find it really interesting.’
    ‘I’m sure we would, but we don’t have the time,’ Peri said.
    He noticed a small timer had appeared in the bottom corner of the Mission Update screen on the control panel. It said, 120 hours, 0 minutes, 0 seconds and 0 tenths of a second . As he watched, it began to count down, the tenths flickering away at lightning speed, the seconds ticking away steadily after them.
    ‘Well, goodbye, then,’ Anurack said.
    Peri and Selene waved as Anurack walked down the ramp and the Koringers came forward to greet him.
    ‘Welcome home, Anurack. Did you come back via the Horsehead Nebula?’
    ‘No,’ said Anurack, shaking all four of his heads. ‘We used the intergalactic highway as far as Rigel, where we turned right on to the hyperspace bypass.’
    ‘You should have gone via the Arcturan Wormhole,’ another Koringer said, his heads frowning. There were so many heads now, Peri lost track of who was who. ‘That’s a quicker way. And there are more interesting things to see . . .’
    Peri sent another telepathic order and the Phoenix ’s wall closed, blocking the Koringers from view.
    Selene punched the air. ‘I’m glad that’s over!’
    Diesel emerged from his quarters. ‘ S’fâh! Thank the Spirit of the Universe – Anurack’s finally gone!’ Diesel kicked his legs in the air for joy. He was half-human, half-Martian, and tended to speak in Martian when he was excited.
    There was a faint tap on the Phoenix ’s wall and it opened silently. Anurack was standing in the entryway.
    Diesel, who had his back to the wall, carried on his high-kicking dance, chanting, ‘He’s gone, gone, gone !’
    Two of Anurack’s heads coughed. Diesel turned around and stopped laughing. His strip of hair turned pink with embarrassment.
    There was an awkward silence.
    ‘Erm, Diesel was just . . .’ Peri faltered for a moment, before his bionic circuits buzzed with an idea. ‘Performing a traditional Martian farewell!’
    ‘I’m acquainted with the customs of Mars,’ one of Anurack’s heads said, while the other three frowned. ‘And I’m not aware of any such dance.’
    ‘We do it all the time,’ Diesel said. ‘But only when the visitor has left . . . that’s why you wouldn’t have seen it.’
    Three of Anurack’s faces smiled. The fourth said, ‘Ah, that explains it. An interesting fact to add to my collection! Well, I just forgot my hoverbag.’ He beckoned, and the hoverbag rose up