Finally! School never seems to fly by, but on days where you humiliate yourself it can last forever. I can’t wait to get back home and play with Lightyear for a while. But first Dad wants me to meet him down in his laboratory to help him carry some boxes back to our LIV space, so I head for the elevator.

He hasn’t allowed me back into the lab since that whole disaster with the robot. Which is totally unfair. Sure, we almost died from the cold, lack of oxygen, and giant robot hand lasers. But we also saved the whole, entire universe! Which would be really impressive… if anybody actually believed we did it.

I reach the elevator and push the down button. It’s always crowded in this part of the space station, so sometimes you have to wait for three or four full cars to pass you by before getting on. I sure hope that’s not the case this time. You know that whole chilling-out-with-Lightyear thing I mentioned? Forget it—suddenly that “special” I had for lunch has me thinking more about the bathroom right now. The elevator stops and the doors open. Turns out there’s good news and bad news. The good news is there’s only one person riding it. The bad news is…

I can think of fifty thousand things I’d rather do than get on that elevator. But that “special” in my gut makes the decision for me. “Uh… yeah,” I say, quickly stepping over a couple tentacles and into a sort-of-dry spot in the back corner.

“Where to?” my copassenger asks.

“Level L three,” I answer.

“L three? That’s where all the laboratories are. Are you sure you’re supposed to be down there?”

“My dad is head of the robotics department. I’m meeting him after school.” Just push the button, already, will ya? What’s the deal with this guy?

“Robotics?” he says. “I knew you looked familiar. You’re Professor Klosmo’s son, aren’t you?”

“Yeah,” I tell him. “I’m Kelvin.” My stomach is starting to make some very alarming sounds. PUSH THE BUTTON!

“Ah, yes. Kelvin Klosmo—boy genius. Or should I say former boy genius?”

Oh, c’mon! Even this guy knows? I’m about to jump back off the elevator when a dripping tentacle reaches over to the control panel and presses L3. No sooner do the doors close than…

Holy egg rot, that had to be my worst one ever! This is so embarrassing. And I’m still stuck in here for six more levels. Hey, wait a minute! What if this ends up being the one big thing that makes me famous—the thing that everybody remembers forever? The Flatulent Fool. The Gassy Goof. No, no, no, no, no! This would be Rand-El times a thousand! I’ve got to nip this in the bud. I know—I could tell him I’m sick, which is sort of true anyway, and beg him not to tell anybody. Yeah, that might work. No grown-up would make fun of a sick kid, would they? I’m just about to apologize when…

The doors slide open and I claw my way out into the sweet, lifesaving recycled air of the corridor. I really dodged a bullet there, but only for a minute if I don’t find a bathroom. Fast.