Free Will's Galactic Adventure by Edwin Pearson

knocked off his feet by Spiv in a sack hurtling out through the door and off down the corridor like some sort of supercharged caterpillar.
    With no more ninjaring to be done Mavis relaxed. “Ah, Will. I don’t think you’ve met. This is Cream Tea,” she pointed to the short, fat one, “and his tall, thin friend is Teacake.”
    â€œWhat? That’s not my name,” said Teacake groggily, rubbing his head and sitting up. “My name’s…”
    â€œIt doesn’t matter what our names really are!” snapped Cream Tea. “They don’t know and we’re not going to tell them. What’s more, they’re not going to ask!”
    As he said this he swivelled round on the floor and in the same movement something silver appeared in his hand pointing straight at Will.
    â€œWow! A conjuring trick!” exclaimed Will. “You’ve certainly got the costume for it!”
    â€œVery amusing. But not so amusing when you realise what this is. Would anyone like to tell him?”
    â€œLaser pencil,” said Mavis, “deadly at close range… well, at any range really.”
    Will didn’t like the sound of that at all, especially after seeing what happened to the wall of the tunnel when the Mech fired its laser earlier.
    â€œCorrect. And it looks as if I have another hostage. Now, I would like to find out exactly how many more little surprises are lurking on this ship. You!” He was looking at Will. “Is there anyone else out there?”
    â€œWell…” said Will, looking past Cream Tea’s left ear, “there’s that one behind you.”
    â€œDear, oh dear. Please don’t expect me to fall for that old trick!”
    â€œSuit yourself.”
    There was a clatter from behind Cream Tea. He spun around and there, looking down at him from behind a panel that had slid open up near the ceiling, was one of the Mechs. Cream Tea fired his laser pencil but the Mech was too fast for him and dodged out of the way. The laser beam splattered some metal from the tunnel wall behind where the Mech had been standing, then the panel snapped shut. Another burst of light, this time from Drych, hit the laser pencil and Cream Tea dropped it with a shriek, blowing on his fingers.
    â€œThis is getting to be a bit repetitive,” said Drych. “Will, I assume that you were thinking of returning these two to their ship?”
    â€œThat was the idea,” replied Will. “Once the Mechs had made a few changes. Since they’re back,” he pointed up to where the open panel had been, “I suppose they must have finished.”
    â€œYes, I agree that appears to be the case.” With his eyes on Cream Tea and Teacake, Drych said, “I suggest that you two lead the way back to your ship. I think you should go right away.” To emphasise the point he shot a couple of bolts of white fire, which hit the deck just behind their feet, making them skip quite sharply through the control deck doorway and into the corridor beyond.
    The procession proceeded back through the ship, Cream tea and Teacake in the lead followed by Drych – who occasionally encouraged progress with a blast of fire – Mavis and Will. Towards the rear of the ship they came to the hatch where the tube to the black ship was connected. Close to, Will could see that it was a flexible tube with ridges round it, a bit like the hose on the vacuum cleaner at home. It was translucent and through it Will could make out the hazy pinpoints of the stars. As they passed along it, it bounced and flexed.
    â€œDon’t have any clever ideas about this tube throwing us off balance,” warned Drych. “You’ll find that I am not easily put off balance and I’m accurate enough to singe you both without running any risk of burning a hole through to the outside.”
    At the far end was the hatch into the black ship. It led directly into the control room. This