He crashed into the platform like a giant sticky sponge. Seconds later, Finbar touched down beside him. ‘Are you hurt?’ Kip shook his head, fighting to free himself from the giant ball of mousse. He finally managed to wipe it all off his helmet, so at least he could see. He checked himself for damage, but everything seemed OK. The mission, on the other hand, was anything but OK. Without his SpaceCuff, Kip was in serious trouble. SpaceCuffs were vital — they automatically recorded all kinds of information about the planet you were on. On top of the malfunctioning SpaceCuff, Kip didn’t know if Vapod’s aliens were friendly or hostile. And now his CondorCraft was wrecked, Kip didn’t even have his own transport! ‘Kip! Look over the there,’ Finbar whispered into his helmet intercom. It was the pair of Vapod aliens they’d seen earlier! They were coming towards Kip and Finbar, and they did not look happy. I wouldn’t be happy either if a stranger crash-landed on my doorstep, Kip thought.
