Wormhole Pirates on Orbis by P. J. Haarsma

Author:P. J. Haarsma [Haarsma, PJ]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-7636-5237-1
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Published: 2009-11-20T16:00:00+00:00

“What about the attacks on the Borean moon? Thirty thousand people died in one cycle. Survivors said they couldn’t tell where their attackers were coming from. They just kept appearing!” Max shouted at me. We were both standing next to the chow synth.

“That could have been anyone!” I cried.

“They were Space Jumpers.”

“You sound like a Citizen. Why do you assume that?”

“I’m not assuming anything. Everyone knows it.”

“Who’s everyone? Everyone who watches those pobs?”

“Not everything is a lie.”

This was exhausting. I let out a deep breath. At least Max and I were talking. “Max, you don’t find it odd that the moon is now in the hands of the Zinovians? Zinovians and Space Jumpers? They don’t make good business partners,” I said. “Besides, Space Jumpers aren’t like that. They help people.”

“Then why don’t you just become a Space Jumper?”

Max stormed out of the room. I couldn’t understand why Max would say such things, especially when she knew the mystery surrounding my father. It was hard for me not to be mad at her, but I shrugged it off and went to see how Ketheria was doing. I found her sitting in the garden with Nugget. It didn’t take my sister long to see that I was troubled by something.

“If it’s true who our father is,” she said, “have you ever thought of what that means for you?”

“How could I know? No one tells us anything around here.”

“You are a softwire, JT. Softwires are usually Space Jumpers, almost always. Citizens despise Space Jumpers. They are not even allowed to live on the Rings of Orbis. If you follow in our father’s profession, where do you think you’ll live? I don’t know the answer to that, but I’m sure it will be far away from us.”

I had never looked at it that way before. I had never thought that far ahead. I didn’t want to be a Space Jumper. I wanted to stay with my friends. “Is that why she’s so upset?”

“I don’t know. You have to ask her.”

“Or you could tell me. I know that thing on your head doesn’t stop you from looking into people’s thoughts. Why won’t you just tell me?”

“It’s more fun this way,” she said, and smiled.

“Maybe for you.”

“Especially for me, but you’re still going to have to talk to her.”

Ketheria was right. Max has to know I don’t want to be a Space Jumper. Doesn’t she? Of course, I couldn’t say a word to her on the way to the Illuminate, but I did come up with a plan.

I saw the first advertisement for the Chancellor’s Challenge outside the Illuminate that cycle. An enormous floating vid-screen flashed images of trackers and their bait high in the sky above our school. The players looked mean, dressed in ceremonial outfits. They scowled down upon us.

“I would love to see that tournament,” I told Theodore.

“We’re not allowed,” he reminded me. “But I’m sure we could scope it if we got some chits.”

“Or we can catch glimpses on the pobs.”

“It’s not the same thing,” he complained.

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