Free Crash Landing by Zac Harrison Page A

at—”
    “No, it isn’t!” shouted John. “The answer is Asia. There’s no such place as Europolia. You mean Europe, which is only the sixth-largest continent on Earth.”
    A gasp ran around the lecture hall. Several students snickered. From the corner of his eye, John saw Mordant laugh and lean back in his seat with a sneer on his face. Hovering in the air next to his master, G-Vez emitted humourless laughter.
    “YOU!” screamed Doctor Graal, glaring at John with pure venom. “What is your name?”
    “John Riley,” replied John, as calmly as he could manage. “And the correct answer is Asia.”
    “How dare you question me ! How dare you tell a teacher she is wrong!”
    “I’m sorry, Doctor Graal, but Asia is the largest continent on Earth and there’s no such place as Europolia.”
    “You’ll be expelled for this.”
    “Why not ask the ship’s computer?” suggested John politely. “I have heard that its databanks are infallible.”
    “Computer,” roared the doctor in triumph. “Tell this appalling creature the name of the largest continent on planet Earth.”
    Zepp’s voice filled the lecture hall. John had to bite his lip to stop himself grinning as the computer announced, “The largest continent on planet Earth is Asia.”
    A thin stream of grey drool ran from Graal’s mouth as she gazed at John. Hatred burned in her red eyes. Her massive body trembled with rage.
    “The sixth-largest continent on planet Earth is named Europe,” continued Zepp. “There is no continent called Europolia.”
    Seconds ticked by in stunned silence. No one in the room dared to breathe. Doctor Graaal stared at John until he felt that her eyes would burn through the back of his head. Nevertheless, he refused to drop his own gaze and looked back at her calmly.
    Abruptly, her great octopus-like bulk shifted. Turning away, the doctor roared, “ThinScreens out! Read the first three chapters of Helius Ka-trill’s ‘Continental Development in Various Planet Types’. I want an essay from every student by the beginning of the next lesson.”
    As Emmie bent to pick up her ThinScreen, she gave John the most dazzling smile he had ever seen, whispering, “Thank you.”
    John could feel his cheeks flushing. Just then, Kaal’s huge elbow smashed into his ribs in what the Derrilian probably thought was a gentle nudge. Kaal winked as John turned his head.
    Even so, John felt his gloominess return. Something told him he had just made a big mistake – and an enemy.

Chapter 9
    With his chin in his hands, John stared at words scrolling across a large screen in the ship’s library. “Zepp,” he groaned, “can’t you just download all this stuff straight into my brain? I won’t mind. Honestly.”
    “I could do that,” said Zepp, causing John to sit up in his chair, hope flashing in his eyes. “If you had an elegantly designed electronic brain,” the computer continued, “and not a messy chunk of jelly.”
    John rolled his eyes and slumped back, muttering, “Thanks. Now I feel so much better.”
    Sighing, he stared around the library. It was a beautiful room, lined with paintings and ancient books in glass cabinets, probably far too precious ever to be taken out and read. Soft lighting picked out empty desks. As usual, John was the only person in the room. Students could access all the information they needed from anywhere on the ship and most preferred to work in their own dormitories. John had only started working in the library at Zepp’s suggestion. It was quiet and peaceful, with no distractions such as Kaal asking him for a game of Zero-G war.
    By now, John was starting to hate the place. When he wasn’t in classes or eating, he had been spending every waking hour here for the past seven days. Even while the rest of the school was enjoying the weekend, he had been hunched in front of a screen from breakfast until lights-out.
    “You’ve learnt a lot in a week,” Zepp said more seriously. “In some subjects,