Theo Baker - Do Robots Get Space Sick?

2018 Rourke Educational Media

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Edited by: Keli Sipperley

Cover layout by: Tara Raymo

Interior layout by: Kathy Walsh

Cover and Interior Illustrations by: Alex Lopez

Series Concept by: Colton Sipperley

Library of Congress PCN Data

Do Robots Get Space Sick? / Theo Baker

(Galaxy Games)

ISBN 978-1-68342-338-6 (hard cover)(alk. paper)

ISBN 978-1-68342-434-5 (soft cover)

ISBN 978-1-73160-295-4 (e-Book)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017931184

Dear readers,

In a time of universal prosperity, technology, and good will, Earth is still the home base for a thriving human civilization, which has spread across 50 or so planets. In addition to these colonies, the people of Earth are on friendly terms with hundreds of alien civilizations. Some of these aliens are humanoid, some are animal-like, and a few are truly unique! Almost all the civilizations Earth is in contact with are friendly, and military aggression is extremely rarebut that has not always been the case. For many generations, conflicts and misunderstandings led to a galaxy in continual war. But this all began to change in U-year 13,154,333,701, when a visionary alien named Eno Therru called all the alien civilizations together for the first Galaxy Games!

With a mix of space science facts and science-fiction fun, the Galaxy Games series stars 12-year-old twins Gemma and Jones, Team Earths very own out-of-this-world athletes! The twins travel from planet to planet with their teammates to compete in the biannual Galaxy Games.

This series is nonsequential, so you can enjoy them in any order. And when the reading fun is done, theres lots of bonus stuff to dive into, including jokes, fun facts, scientist bios, websites to visit, and more. These books are a real blast!

Happy reading,

Rourke Educational Media

Dont eat that! Gemma shouted to her twin brother, Jones.

Jones sighed dramatically and set down the blueberry muffin in his hand. Do you want it? he asked his sister.

Sure! Thanks!

While her eyes were focused on the giant muffin on its way to her mouth, Jones quietly pulled a stick of celery from his pocket and started to raise itWHACK!

Gemma karate-chopped the celery, and it tumbled to the floor. Jones held his head in his hands. Im so hungry. My stomach is eating itself!

Uhmmuu okay? Gemma mumbled with a mouth full of blueberry muffin.

Can I at least have something to drink? Some orange juice, maybe?

Gemma swallowed her bite. Id stick to water if I were you.

Jones grabbed his glass and took a sip. It tastes like nothing. Can you at least tell me what the muffin tastes like? Describe it for me?

Give me a break, Gemma said. Its only been a day since youve eaten. Not even.

But I feel like Im dying.

Relax. Human bodies can survive weeks without food.

Not mine. Im a growing boy.

Finished with her muffin, Gemma got up to toss away the wrapper. While she wasnt looking, Jones pressed his thumb to the seven crumbs left on the table. As Jones was sucking the crumbs off his thumb, the rest of Team Earth entered the break room, all carrying trays piled with heaping plates of breakfast.

Jocelyn had an omelet the size of a small horse. Nathan had a stack of flapjacks piled nearly to the ceiling. Yvette had opted for Arcturian sweet cake. Felix had made himself a bowl of yogurt and fresh Trillian berries. Jones couldnt look anymoreeveryone had gotten exactly what they wanted for breakfast.

Are you sure I cant just have a little taste of something? Jones asked his sister one last time.

Its up to you, she said. Do you want to throw up or not?

Nobody wants to barf, Jones said. But doesnt the Super Duper High Dive make everyone barf?

Yup, Gemma said.

Then shouldnt I enjoy myself now? Jones said.

Ill make this simple for you, Gemma said. Would you rather throw up just a little and maybe win a gold medal, or lose and throw up a lot... with the entire galaxy watching?

With waffles on his brain and nothing in his stomach, Jones got into his dive suit and met with Coach Yanos for some last-minute strategy planning.

The Super Duper High Dive was always a fan favorite at the Galaxy Games. The event was somewhat like the high dive on Earth. In the Earth version, athletes dove from thirty-three feet above the water. While airborne for about a second, world class divers could complete about four somersaults before hitting the water.

But the Galaxy Games took things to a whole new dimension. Instead of climbing up and diving down, athletes were launched into the air with a giant slingshot. The slingshot launched them over four hundred feet high. Thanks to the low lunar gravity, athletes stayed in the air for a little over twenty seconds, and they were supposed to complete as many twists and flips and somersaults as possible before landing in a giant tub of Vedon jelly. Athletes were judged on skill and grace, and were expected to dive headfirst into the jelly with as little splash as possible.

The Super Duper High Dive event, while fun for everyone, was mainly a battle against motion sickness.

Ill start with the forty-flip tuck and combo twisty, Jones said. Just to test the competition.

Right, Coach Yanos said. Followed with?

The flying reverse seventy-two twist pike.

And then?

And then, if Im ahead, Ill play it safe with a backwards thirty-flip with an inverse axial land.

And if youre behind? asked Coach Yanos.

Then Ill go big and try for the freestyle spiral one hundred.

Coach Yanos gripped Joness shoulders. How you feeling, champ? Any hunger pangs?

I feel good, Coach, Jones said.

Great. Now dont worry, the coach said. With the moons gravity, you wont ever be going faster than about forty miles per hour. If you get confused, just breathe, find your landing spot, and get back into the dive cycle. Win or lose, well feast tonight.

Cant wait, Coach, Jones said, his belly rumbling.

Coach Yanos opened the door to the training room. Jones could hear the roar of the crowd in the Galaxy Dome. He threw his towel over his shoulder and readied himself for a wild ride.

With Coach Yanos behind him, Jones walked along the long, winding underground tunnel that led to the Galaxy Dome. Thats where the event was held. It was a giant dome on the lunar surface over a mile high, and it could seat more than a hundred thousand spectators. Jones could hear their excited murmurs.

In front and behind, other athletes from alien worlds were coming out of doors to join Jones in the long walk. All of them looked hungry.