Mission: Babysitter

By Hailey Huntington

It’s not easy being an intergalactic babysitter. While their parents might be working out an intergalactic peace treaty, the kids don’t have the same amity.

I grip Xuj’s shoulder with one hand and Tyler’s shoulder with the other, keeping them from clawing each other’s eyes out. If that were to happen, Xuj would win in a second. His Vurban fighting capabilities were displayed earlier during our introductions. Let’s just say that they went as smoothly as expected.

While the Cabter twins demonstrated their fire abilities by lighting up a potted tree, Tyler started streaming Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata,” which promptly sent Hyvar, the Kjlap boy, into a crying fit. I convinced the twins to switch over to their water powers and then consoled Hyvar by making Tyler switch over to jazz—everyone knows different music genres can manipulate a Kjlap’s mood. Then Niiivi, the Aaaaaqa girl, tugged to get my attention—telepathically, of course. Xuj was breaking into the snack cupboard and stealing the box of attata. When Xuj realized it was Niiivi who tattled on him, he threw a tantrum that would make any Vurban warrior proud and me stressed. It was an eventful seven minutes.

I can feel Xuj’s talons once more through the puncture-proof vest under my shirt. Yeah, I know it’s weird to wear battle gear to a babysitting gig, but hey, a pro’s gotta be prepared for anything. My vest is the only thing that’s saved me in the past from kids who didn’t realize quite how sharp their respective talons, fangs, and the like were.

“Xuj, give Tyler a turn with the VR goggles.” I glare at the moody Vurban.

He bares his fangs at me. “No fair. You just like Tyler more because he’s human like you.”

“You’ve had them for an hour. Now share.”

Xuj hugs the goggles tighter to his chest.

I decide to break out the big guns. “Xuj, you will share, or you won’t get any attata at snack time.”

Nothing works better than threatening to take away a favorite treat. Xuj thrusts the VR goggles toward Tyler as if they’re suddenly burning his hands. With a sigh, I let the boys go. Another intergalactic war prevented.

I look out the window stretching across the room. Stars dot the void of space. Several ships zoom about. For a moment, I wish I was out in the silence of the stars instead of waiting for another child to start screaming in anger or yelling that they’re bored.

Something catches my gaze. I glance over to the docking port closest to us. A figure lurks by a ship. An unmarked ship.

An uneasy feeling settles in my stomach. Something doesn’t feel right about an unmarked ship. Not during peace talks.

I turn around just as the room doors open with a smooth whoosh. Someone in black stands in the doorway, pointing a blaster straight at my chest. “Nobody move!” His face is obscured by his helmet.

“You’re coming with us. We can do this the easy way, or…” The man’s subtle nod toward his humming blaster indicates what the hard way involves.

I narrow my eyes. Someone is trying to stop the treaty, and they’re going after my kids to make it happen.

Well, they’re not going to get away with it. Not on my watch.

Raising my hands in surrender, I look at the kids and nod toward the door. “Let’s go.”

The man ushers us into the hallway, waving his blaster around. He’s likely to accidentally shoot himself with his tomfoolery. The hallway guards lie unconscious and bound on the ground. Four other men in black jumpsuits surround us.

We’re only one hallway down from the docking station with the unmarked ship. We need to act now.

Closing my eyes, I focus and mentally tug at the “thread” in the back of my head that lets me communicate with Niiivi.

Remember how everyone showed off their special abilities earlier? We need to use them all—now. Tell the others to show what they can do on my signal. Oh, and tell Tyler to play a pop song.

I open my eyes just as Niiivi closes hers, telepathically telling the others. I wait another minute. Then…

“Now!”

You’d think we’d rehearsed this with how quickly and seamlessly everything goes as opposed to the chaotic introductions and demonstrations the kids did this morning.

Xuj lunges at the man closest to him, claws and fangs bared. Tyler blasts “Viva la Vida” from the tech band around his wrist, sending Hyvar into a battle frenzy against one man—never accidentally play pop music around a Kjlap, no matter how ancient it is. The Cabter twins take down another two—one crumples from an electric shock and the other man turns to stone. Those were not the powers the twins showed off earlier, nor were they listed in their briefing packets.

I take down the final man with a good left hook to the head. I don’t even feel his helmet through my armor gloves.

I crack my knuckles and look at the men splayed on the floor. Never underestimate how quickly kids can wreak total havoc.

“Yeah! We showed them!” Tyler pumps the air, dancing around with the others.

I tug my mental thread once more. Have you alerted security?

Niiivi nods. Good. Someone else can come clean up this mess, because a glance at my tech band shows that it is just about snack time. And hungry kids are not fun kids.

I round everyone up. “All right, calm down. Now, who wants a snack?”

A chorus of cheers erupts as the kids sprint back to our room, the excitement of taking down potential kidnappers overshadowed by the thought of attata.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hailey Huntington loves adventures, and she’s always ready for another one—whether it’s discovering Narnia, traveling across Middle Earth, hiking a mountain in Iceland, or simply going on a walk with her family. Aside from adventures, Hailey also loves board games, music, ice cream, laughter, witty characters, fantasy, emojis, and Jesus—though not in that order.

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