Free Frozen Enemies by Zac Harrison Page B

exhibit.
    By the time the sun began to set, John had stopped even looking up when someone pointed out yet another wonder the Shuttletube was passing by. The whole class had long since discovered that there was no point in asking Ms Vartexia to stop; she was obstinately refusing to take them anywhere that might be even slightly dangerous.
    “Where next?” John sighed.
    “Eh? Pardon?” Kaal leaned in towards him, his ear stuffed with spacecloud wadding. “What was that?’
    “I said, where next ?” John yelled, thinking that talking to Kaal had suddenly become very much like talking to his grandfather.
    The Derrilian shrugged. “Gave up caring at the moss place,” he answered.
    “I’m hungry,” said John.
    “What?”
    “I’M HUNGRY ! ”
    Further down the Shuttletube, Ms Vartexia broke off a conversation she had been having with Werril, and looked over at them. “There’s no need to shout, John Riley,” she said primly. “As it happens,” she continued, “we are now on our way to Optical Orbit, the restaurant where we will be eating tonight. I am told it is quite a treat.”
    “Thank goodness,” said Emmie. “Food, then bed, and then only one more day of this nightmare to get through.”
    John grunted in agreement. Sitting back, he watched as the scenery turned to ice and snow and the sun went down over Archivus Major.
    “This is more like it,” he whistled ten minutes later. The Shuttletube had stopped at the front gates of a crystal sphere the size of a palace. It twinkled with the reflected light of Archivus Major’s twin moons.
    “Optical Orbit,” announced the Shuttletube’s automatic voice.
    Ms Vartexia led the way up a wide staircase to the perfectly circular door. “It’s one of the most famous restaurants in the universe,” she said.
    Inside, John gazed around in wonder.
    “Sheesh,” hissed Emmie beside him. “My dad’s taken me to some fancy restaurants but I’ve never seen anything like this .”
    At the far end of the entrance hall, a fire of pure blue flame roared in a magnificent fireplace. On either side, sweeping staircases climbed to a gallery that circled the great room. A mind-twisting light show moved across the spherical walls, while glowing orbs rose and fell to the beat. It’s like being in a giant lava lamp , John thought.

Chapter 9
    “This place is incredible,” he said out loud, nudging Kaal.
    “Eh? What?” his friend replied. “You think the plates are inedible ?”
    John was so busy staring around, he didn’t notice the silver trolley rolling across the floor until it stopped right in front of the group.
    “Good evening, honoured guests” the box-on-wheels said in a high-pitched voice. “You must be the party from Hyperspace High.”
    “Yes, that’s right,” Ms Vartexia nodded. “I believe we have a table booked, but I’m afraid we are missing two of our group.”
    “That is quite all right,” the trolley replied. “You are the only visiting party on the planet at the moment and we have arranged everything for your supreme enjoyment. Please, follow me.”
    Turning away, the trolley-waiter trundled across the floor to a large, round table surrounded by MorphSeats and set for eighteen. In the centre was another crystal ball that looked like a smaller version of the restaurant itself. Blobs of coloured light moved through it.
    Small name cards told each student where to sit. Silently, another trolley rolled forward. A hatch opened in its side and long metal arms emerged, removing two of the place settings.
    “They’ve really thought about this,” John whispered to Emmie, as he looked around the table. In front of him was a place setting that included a knife, fork, and spoon. Emmie’s had the metal prong that Sillarans used for eating. Kaal’s had the Derrilian tarb, which looked like a cross between a large spoon and a fork.
    “Thank you for noticing,” purred the waiter. Its own metal arm emerged and the machine clicked its fingers.