CHAPTER 4
DRELLA IN SPACE
“My ship is broken down again!” your stepsister Quin complains. “Fix it!”
Sighing, you step out the door of your spacehut to take a look. You know just how to fix it, and soon the engine purrs to life. You wonder how she manages to break her spaceship all the time. She has one of the best ships on the planet of Quog. Your other stepsister, Jilli, had one too, until she crashed it playing bumper ships with her friends. Bumper ships! You shake your head in disgust. Even though the girls are so careless, your stepmother keeps buying them new ships. Jilli’s will be delivered any day now.
After you fix Quin’s ship, you look at the sky, watching spaceships whiz and whirl. You long to join them, but you have too much work to do at your job as spaceship mechanic. Maybe later you can buzz around in your old black-and-orange spaceship, which you’ve fondly named Jacko Lantern. You are one of the best—and youngest—pilots on the planet. Your dream is to become a royal pilot on the planet of Fara. But you don’t know how you’ll ever achieve your dream.
Quin steps out the door of her spacehut. “Have you fixed it yet?” she demands.
“Yes,” you tell her. “You really need to learn not to grind the gears—”
“Whatever,” she interrupts, pushing past you and climbing into the ship. She grinds the gears as she starts the engine. You sigh.
Just then a hologram appears. “Attention, all in the Kingdom of Zyralla!” the king booms. “The prince has need of a new pilot. A competition to select one will be held tomorrow on Fara.”
Tomorrow! Your mind races. This is a chance to achieve your dream! But first you have a lot of work to do on Jacko to get it ready.
Quin hops out of her spaceship. “Did you hear that? I’m going to audition!” You glare at her. She doesn’t want to be a royal pilot. She just wants to cozy up to the prince. You head toward Jacko.
“Wait! You have to help get my ship ready!”
If you don’t help her, your stepmother might take away your flying privileges. But you don’t have time to help Quin and fix Jacko.