Free Pirate Ambush by Max Chase

 
    Chapter 1
     
    ‘There’s no hiding from me!’ Peri flew his fighter pod tight around the curved hull of a star cruiser. His search beam flicked across the battered surface of the ship, looking for the next beacon.
    Peri glanced at the countdown monitor. Only twenty minutes left. This was his final Star Fighter test – an obstacle course through the Milky Way. He had to collect the last three beacons and make it back to base before the clock timed out. If he succeeded, he would become the youngest ever Star Fighter.
    If he failed, he wouldn’t get another chance.
    Peri flew over a large gash in the star cruiser’s hull. He didn’t need the searchlight to see the flashing beacon in a tangle of twisted metal. He plunged his fighter pod towards it. The beacon was barely bigger than a grenade. He activated the transporter beam. There was a flash of light. ‘Beacon on board!’ the ship’s computer announced.
    ‘Eighteen down!’ Peri whooped as he blasted away from the cruiser. ‘Two to go!’
    ‘Collision alert!’ his ship screeched as warning lights flashed. Peri’s heart pounded like a pulsar.
    Diesel’s fighter pod buzzed past.
    ‘Diesel!’ Peri yelled into the radio. He yanked the nav-stick hard, sending his tiny one-man fighter spiralling out of control.
    ‘Having problems, wastoid? I’ve nearly finished.’
    Wrestling with the stabilising thrusters, Peri checked the scores on the monitor. He groaned. Diesel had already collected nineteen of his twenty beacons.
    ‘Last one to finish is a bugonaut!’ Diesel radioed.
    Diesel’s fighter careered off to pick up his final beacon.
    Peri found the next beacon on his radar. It was on the dark side of the moon. Two attack drones blasted towards him. He knew it was part of the test, but he still felt a tingle down his spine.
    Peri swerved as missiles soared past, then changed direction back towards his ship.
    ‘Heat-seekers!’ Peri gasped, fumbling for the right button. If he’d been on the Phoenix , his bionic connection with the ship would have instantly located the deflecto-flares.
     

     
    But the missiles were gaining on him. He didn’t have time to find the flares.
    Peri roared towards the attack drones, firing his lasers. He knew the drones had invincible armour-plating, but he had an idea that might just get him out of this mess. If he fired his lasers at their armour and made it glow plasma-hot, maybe the heat-seeking missiles would have a new target!
    Peri shut off his engines and coasted towards the beacon.
    The heat-seeking missiles raced for the hottest thing around – the attack drones!
    KA-BLAAAM! The explosion lit up Peri’s cockpit. The drones were space dust!
    Peri punched the air, then steered his fighter smoothly towards the beacon. He activated the laser net. A web of laser beams curled around the flashing beacon and pulled it on board.
    He checked the radar. The last beacon was near the finish line and there were just under five minutes to cross it!
    He blasted around the moon and straight into the path of . . .
    ‘Asteroids!’ he yelled as he swung his way through the giant tumbling rocks. Diesel’s fighter pod was right in the middle of the asteroid storm.
    ‘I hate prrrip’chiq asteroids!’ Diesel snapped.
    ‘You can’t shoot yourself out of this one,’ Peri shouted. ‘You’ll create too much debris.’
    ‘Just watch me, dumboid!’ Diesel yelled.
    ‘Don’t say I didn’t warn you,’ Peri said, weaving through the maze of space-rocks.
    He twisted and dodged until he glimpsed the narrow green laser beam of the finish line. His circuits buzzed with excitement. He was going to finish first! Peri hit his booster rockets and darted forward.
    ‘Peri, you must collect the last beacon before you cross the finish line.’ General Pegg’s voice crackled over the radio.
    Aaaaaargh! How could Peri have forgotten the last beacon?
    If he failed this test, someone else would take his place on the Phoenix . He couldn’t let