Asteroid Crisis: Star Challengers Book 3 Read Online Free Page A

his crutches and swung himself out.
    Tony’s father said, “Give it your best, Antonio.”
    “Believe me, I will, Dad,” Tony said, shutting the car door.
    Dyl kept up with JJ and Tony as they hurried up the sidewalk to the front door of the tan brick building. King and Song-Ye were already waiting there, excited.
    Song-Ye poked Dyl’s shoulder with a slender finger. “You ready for this, Junior?”
    He gave a mock salute, then spoke into a pretend voice recorder in his hand. “Donovan Dylan Wren, Kylarn Hunter, at your service. I’ll pull my share of the weight, but don’t expect me to do the work all by myself. That would be a problem.”
    “Nobody asked you to do it alone,” Tony said. “We’ll try to leave a few squidbutts for you to mop up.”
    Commander Zota appeared and stood listening to the banter, though his expression remained grave. The scar on his face and the haunted look in his eyes hinted at what he had been through in his future. “I appreciate your enthusiasm, but do not ever think this is merely a fun adventure. You’ve seen first-hand how the Kylarn destroyed Moonbase Magellan. And even though no one was killed, thanks to you, the Kylarn had deadly intent. They also meant to destroy the International Space Station Complex.
    “They would have murdered everyone aboard and used the ISSC as a staging point for their invasion of Earth. Again thanks to you, they were driven off. The space station is still in human hands, but the danger—both now and in the future—is very real.”
    “We understand that, sir,” King said. “We know that Mira and Mentor Toowun, and maybe a whole bunch of humans, are working against us.”
    “I still don’t understand how they can take sides against Earth.” Dyl shook his head. “How can they betray the human race and form an alliance with those … squidbutts?”
    Zota’s brow furrowed. “I’m not convinced that Toowun is working directly for the Kylarn. If I understand correctly, he wants to make sure that Earth surrenders quickly in order to minimize casualties in the war. To that end, he has chosen to make things easier for the Kylarn. Personally, I disagree with his approach.”
    JJ had never been able to believe it herself. “If they are right, there might be fewer lives lost during the initial takeover, but then humans will immediately become slaves of the Kylarn. Who’s to say the aliens won’t keep hurting and killing people for centuries?”
    “That is exactly what they will do. I have no doubt about that.” Commander Zota drew a deep shuddering breath. “Come into my office with me, and I’ll tell you a story that I have never told you, nor anyone.”
    Commander Zota led the cadets down the hallway to the lobby, where Newton played in his transparent habitat. Song-Ye opened the lid, scooped the hamster out, and petted him. Instead of turning toward the briefing room and the simulated Mission Control that classes visited, Zota took them down another short hallway into a small administrative office that contained a desk, a few chairs, and a computer. Astronomical photos decorated the walls. A plastic model of the space shuttle Challenger sat on the corner of his desk, as well as a small rock encased in Lucite—a meteorite found in the African desert. The locked steel door on the back wall looked like a small coat closet. If it was a coat closet, Zota didn’t seem to use it, since his jacket and a spare flight-director jumpsuit hung on hooks on the wall.
    “You cadets already know that I come from the future, where the worst possible things have already happened.” When he turned to look at them, he carried a weight of memories around him. “That’s why I’m so determined to make sure it doesn’t happen again—to your future, to your children and grandchildren. We have to plan now.”
    “We’re on your side, sir, don’t worry. The things we’ve already seen …” King shook his head.
    Zota took a seat behind the desk. He was