Domekidz

By P J Ferst

At the centre of this dark but exciting and often humorous tale are Rex, Bram and Bo, three kids confined in a Dome, who have never met any other Humans - yet. Their minds are moulded by a Monster Robot and any Negative Thoughts are severely punished. They spend most of their time training in preparation for 3,000 AD, the date when they must be 'maturised,' (artificially catapulted into adulthood), to be rulers of a polluted Planet Earth. But all kids like to have fun, take risks and rebel.
Use the Domekidz' own maps to track their movements. Get to know them better and choose your favourite character/s. Share their goosebumps as they get more daring and their lives get scarier. Meet the strange characters who they teleport in to help them explore exciting but forbidden terrain. Make friends with their friends and their strange pets. Ride, fly and swim with them. Gang up with them against Snakebot and Supervillain Killerman. Lend them your courage to break free from their captivity and choose their own destiny.
Before the 3,000 AD deadline dawns, can right defeat might? Find out if the Domekidz get the destiny they desire.

• Language: English
• Publisher: P J Ferst
• Release date: Aug 23, 2016
• ISBN: 9781370729005

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

Meet the Ultros, Meet M.U.M!

Bram was jogging along the Ultrohome Corridor, trying not to spill the three Dynodrinks he’d just got from the Healthy Snack Stop. Wholesome Hawthorn for himself, Champion Cherry for Rex and Beneficial Bilberry for Bo.

Phew! Bram put the drinks down carefully on the Study Pod table and popped his head round the door of Rex’s Hypnopod. No Rex - just his duvet and pyjamas tossed on the rug and some crumpled tissues under his Tycobed.

Rex was standing in his Kleenpod in front of the mirror, wearing the regulation Tycosuit. Green today, with white stripes on the trousers and a green top over a white t-shirt. He strapped his shiny black Agenda Watch round his wrist. Then he placed his Tycocap on top of his sandy hair and put on his trainers.

Strong shoulders and square jaw, Rex thought. Just like a boy from the Diamond Age. I’m clever too like them. OK, I might not be absolutely perfect. My Hypnopod’s a bit messy and I burp after meals. Fart too, sometimes. But didn’t the ancient Greeks burp and fart if they liked the food? Or was it the Romans? I can’t remember. Too much information from stupid Monster M.U.M.

Zap! A sharp pain darted through Rex’s Tycocap.

Ouch! he cried. It was the punishment for Negative Thoughts.

Now Rex saw a different image pop up in the mirror behind his own. It was Bram, making a silly face. I see you’ve got a Purple Spot.

Humph! Rex glowered into the mirror at Bram’s shiny black hair in its pudding basin style. It always reminded Rex of that pop group from the Bygone Age. What were their names? Oh yes - The Beatles.

I’ve brought you a Dynodrink, said Bram.

Rex turned round and mumbled a thanks. Then he downed the Champion Cherry in two massive gulps.

What will the Tycotests be about today? asked Bram.

Weren’t you listening yesterday? Revision, recent history. Inventions and discoveries of the Diamond Age and Bygone Age. Didn’t you do the homework?

Not really.

Then, you’ll be in trouble, Dreamboy, Rex chortled. Looks like I’ll be top again.

The moment Rex spoke, the boys’ Agenda Watches started to buzz and flash the Tycocap Image.

Tycocracy Time, already! gasped Rex. I’m out of here, or the Whacker will be after me.

And I’d better check if Bo’s ready, said Bram. And he ran to Bo’s Hypnopod, while Rex jogged off along the Achievement Corridor, trainers squeaking on the tuflon flooring.

But Bo was still in her Tycobed, her long blonde hair spread out on the pillow.

Get up Bo, Bram cried frantically. It’s Tycocracy Time.

Bo moved swiftly from bed to dressing table and brushed her hair until it gleamed. Then she showered and changed. Soon Bram and Bo too were on their way.

Rex had slowed down now that he knew he was well ahead, his mind on yesterday’s homework. So he forgot all about the Aerobic Area of the Achievement Corridor. This area was fitted with an Aerobicometer, designed to measure speed and promote fitness. Now the Aerobicometer detected Rex’s slow pace and switched to resistance mode.

Crivvens, muttered Rex. This is what Rex often said when he got a surprise. And this time it wasn’t a nice surprise. Rex was forced to run on the spot until the mechanism registered the right speed.

Mad mechanism, Rex muttered to himself. Then he went, Aargh! as a second Purple Spot struck his Tycocap. Now marks would be deducted from his Tycocracy score. If he was very unlucky he would even get the ‘Whacker treatment.’

The Whacker was the Ultros’ name for the Green Punishment Tentacle M.U.M. used for bad Ultro behaviour. The Whacker always struck with lightning speed. Its horrid whistling sound told you it was coming. It was this sound that Rex heard now.

A long green flipper burst through the corridor wall and knocked Rex to the ground. Somehow he managed to clamber to his feet and stagger into the Waiting Pod. He groaned as he lowered his bruised bottom onto the hard wooden bench.

The Waiting Pod was round, windowless and air-conditioned like all the rooms and pods in the Ultrozone. Three grim portraits stared down from the wall opposite the bench. They showed the Robots who controlled the Ultros’ lives: M.U.M. and her two assistants in the Ultrozone - AUNTIE and ROBOTA.

AUNTIE was M.U.M.’s mean Maintenance Robot. ROBOTA, who rode on AUNTIE’s shoulder, was even meaner. She was M.U.M.’s Security Robot, complete with flight function, periscopic vision and multiple attachments. Above the Robots’ portraits hung a sign which read, SILENCE IS GOLDEN.

Rex fixed his eyes on the massive metal studded doors opposite him. The doors to M.U.M.’s Chamber, due to open any moment. Rex saw these doors every Tycocracy Day but the sight of them always made his nerves jangle.

M.U.M.’s Chamber was the centre of her power. The place where she ruled over the Ultrozone and the three Ultro children, Rex, Bram and Bo.

We’re in luck, Bo panted. She and Bram were just jogging through the Aerobic Area. We’re so late, the Aerobicometer’s in sleep mode.

Sighing with relief, the two Ultros threw themselves down on the bench beside Rex.

Budge up. Bo gave Rex a playful shove. Rex winced because his bottom was still smarting from the blow of the Whacker.

Rex smirked. Did your hair make you late again, Rapunzel?

Huh, said Bo. At least I brush my hair, unlike some people.

Brush? You’re obsessed.

Bo didn’t reply. Why shouldn’t I copy Rapunzel? she thought. There aren’t any other girls for me to copy.

Harsh metallic music began to blare from inside M.U.M.s Chamber and the massive studded doors clanged as they swung open. The signal for the children to enter and take their places on their Tycothrones.

Rex heaved himself up and stumbled through the doors, followed by Bo and then Bram. Nervously they perched side by side on their gold-lacquered Tycothrones, their arm rests mounted with bronze lions’ heads. Tycopads were attached for the children to tap in their Tycotest answers.

About four metres from the Ultros’ Tycothrones was a glittering gold chainmail curtain, screening M.U.M. from view. That curtain was now slowly curling upwards, ready to reveal the Monster Robot which controlled the Ultros’ lives.

The Ultros couldn’t remember how many times they’d been to Tycocracy, but M.U.M. always had the same effect on them. Sheer terror!

The chainmail curtain was rising now and M.U.M.’s eight rubbery Tentacles came into view. The Tentacles were M.U.M.’s massive sausage-like legs. Clamps attached them to her central hub. The Tentacles sprawled out sideways Each was a different colour and about two metres long.

The Blue Tentacle was flashing now. The children knew this Tentacle was connected with Tycocracy, because of the blue flash on their Agenda Watches, when the Tycocap Image was displayed. And of course, they knew only too well the function of the Green Tentacle. But there were six other Tentacles. Going clockwise, they were red, orange, brown, yellow, black and purple. Rex believed that one of them controlled the air-conditioning and lighting in the Ultrozone but he wasn’t sure which one. Mostly, the children were too afraid to even think about the Tentacles in case they were punished for thinking Negative Thoughts.

The chainmail curtain was coiling up further now. The children’s hands clutched their armrests more tightly, as M.U.M.’s huge round metal hub came into view, It was topped by her square helmeted head and shuttered oblong eyes. M.U.M. was about to switch into action mode.

Whoosh! M.U.M.’s metal eyelids shot up, revealing piercing emerald eyes. The eyes swivelled, then focused on the children trembling on their Tycothrones. At the same time, a white scoreboard rose from behind M.U.M.’s hub and slotted into position behind her helmet.

The Ultros leaned forwards on their Tycothrones, clammy hands gripping the bronze lions’ heads.

A question had just leapt into Bram’s mind. What exactly is M.U.M? She controls us at the flick of a switch. She can’t be Human because we Ultros are Humans and she’s not like us. Oops! - a Negative Thought. Hope I don’t get a Purple Spot. But a sharp pain darted through Bram’s Tycocap.

Ouch! Bram’s yell was drowned by a deafening boom from M.U.M.’s loudspeaker mouth.

Good Morning, Ultros. Tycocracy has begun.

Tycocracy always began with the Glory Anthem. The tune was the one the Diamond Agers used to sing, ‘Land of Hope and Glory,’ but M.U.M.’s anthem had different words. The Ultros liked the tune but they were bored of singing it almost every day.

"Zone of Hope and Glory, M.U.M. will help you be, brilliant and famous, best of all the three.

Better still and better till you win at last. M.U.M. will make you mighty, keep you on your toes.

TRILLENNIUM TYCOONS, be feisty. Strike down all your foes."

The Revision Tycotest, M.U.M. bellowed.

The children waited for the questions with fumbling fingers.

Question One: What are the two past periods of history and the present period of history?

Bram tapped in Diamond Age and Bygone Age, then Duollennium.

Question Two: What do the initials M.U.M. stand for?

Rex grinned. Easy Peasy. The initials spelled, ‘Multificient Utopian Mechanism,’ though he didn’t understand what these words meant.

Question Three: What are you training to be?

Bo knew the answer was Trillennium Tycoons, but she couldn’t tap the answer in fast enough.

Question Four: What is the name of the country you will rule one day?

Now Bo was quick to punch in Kangaria.

There was a short break, before M.U.M.’s voice blasted out again.

Ultros. The History Tycotest. Multiple Choice Format.

Part One: The four most important Diamond Age inventions or discoveries.

The Ultros crouched over their Tycopads, as the possible answers popped up.

•Gunpowder

•Barley Sugar

•The Jet Engine

•Penicillin

•The Freezer

•The Car

•The Atom Bomb

•The Flush Toilet

Bo giggled as she read the last answer.

SILENCE! M.U.M. roared.

Part Two: Tick the four most important inventions/ discoveries from the Bygone Age.

•Velcro

•Computers

•Snakebots

•Solar Panels

•Astroturf

•Drones

•Lego

•Lasers

Rex was the first to finish. He sneaked a look at Bram and Bo’s answers and smiled. He was pretty sure he would be top again.

The end of the Tycotest, blared M.U.M.

The Tycocracy homework task flashed onto the Tycopads and the children frantically copied it into their notepads. They waited anxiously for the Tycotest results. At last they showed up on the scoreboard: Rex 55%, Bo 45%, Bram 45%.

The children stared in disbelief. The worst results they’d ever had. M.U.M.’s green eyes narrowed into slits as her loudspeaker mouth thundered:

ULTROS, THESE SCORES ARE UNACCEPTABLY LOW. THEREFORE YOU MUST IMPROVE, OR ELSE…

Or else what? Bo and Bram exchanged furtive glances. Rex slid his hands inside the jaws of the bronze lion’s head in search of barley sugar sweets. The reward for coming top. But the jaws were empty.

The children could do nothing but stay on their Tycothrones, waiting for the tinny tune which always signalled the end of Tycocracy, ‘For he’s a jolly good fellow.’ But no tune came. Just an ominous silence before M.U.M.’s eyelids snapped shut over the piercing green eyes. Then the chainmail curtain slowly descended and M.U.M. switched into sleep mode.

The Ultros’ Agenda Watches all began to buzz at the same time. The flashing Bookshelf Image showed it was Creativity Time and the three children started to unwind.

Race you, Bo challenged the boys. The last one’s a Diamond Ager.

On the Ultros’ bookshelf in the Creativity Pod were two reference books. A battered Bygone Dictionary and a falling-to-pieces Encyclopedia. There was only one precious reading book, entitled:Tales for Children: Ancient and Modern. The stories in the modern section were about weird Humans and even weirder beasts. Bo preferred the ancient section with its traditional fairytales. Rex found those stories boring, especially the story of Rapunzel, where a prince climbs up a tower to rescue a girl. Who would be mad enough to climb up a girl’s hair anyway? Rex thought.

CHAPTER 2

Bram takes a trip!

The Ultros raced each other along the Achievement Corridor, burst into the Creativity Pod and flung themselves on the saggy green bean bags they called Green Jellybags.

Bram, you were last, Bo cried, so you’re a Diamond Ager.

That’s OK. They were hard working Humans who enjoyed having jolly good fun.

Bo laughed. Jolly? Explosives and Atom Bombs?

But that’s how the Diamond Agers won World War Two, Rex objected.

The Bygone Agers had some good points too, argued Bram. Like The Beatles.

Are you nuts? Rex scoffed. The next era will be the best of all. The Trillennium. You’ll see.

But right now we’re in the Duollennium, Bram pointed out, and we have no clue when the Trillennium begins …

Stop quarrelling, you two, said Bo. It’s so Bygone. She went over to the bookshelf and took down Tales for Children.

Bram followed her and put on his posh voice. I’m going to be a Diamond Age boy now, he teased. No Bygone smartphones or tweeting for me. Just the Encyclopedia.

Bo giggled. Bramsie, there’s no smartphoning or tweeting here.

Rex was fidgeting on his Jellybag. He often felt envious of Bygone Kids. Not only their computer games, but their freedom. Staying in bed late, cheeking grown-ups and eating fast food.

Bo was flicking through the ancient section of Tales for Children. Her world of princes and princesses, so different from life in the Ultrozone. The story she chose was The Sleeping Beauty.

What a lovely forest, Bo murmured wistfully. "Wish we had a forest." Then the book was wrenched out of her hands.

Rex, she protested, I was reading that.

Give it back to her, yelled Bram. "

But Rex was studying the picture on Page 82 of The Sleeping Beauty. It was a picture of a banqueting table. I’m sure there’s bacon on that table, he was thinking. I wonder what it tastes like?

Then Rex flipped back the pages and read aloud: ‘Sleeping Beauty felt a soft touch on her face like the kiss of a gentle breeze.’ He sniggered. "Have you ever heard such rubbish? Let’s have something from the Modern Section - Damon the Dragon Slayer."

Please, not that one, begged Bo. Unless you read it to yourself. Bo looked at Bram for support but he seemed lost in a daydream.

Bram was thinking about Damon, the hero of that story. Damon had killed the friendly dragon Desmond. Bram liked Desmond, because he was kind to the hordes of harmless insects which were trying to build a home for themselves. Insects with innocent-looking bulgy eyes and Human-like smiles. Bram had never seen real insects. There weren’t any in the Ultrozone and he had learnt that they were nasty and harmful. In this story, insects were definitely the villains, but Damon was pictured as strong and courageous.

Rex read aloud again: Desmond, you thought you had won, with your evil gnarled claws and stinking breath. But do not bother to defend those worthless six-legged insects. I, Damon, will stamp on them. They have no right to live here any more, or their children and grandchildren. I am the master. My power is supreme and you, Desmond, will be kept in the deepest darkest dungeon, without food and water, until your fiery eyes burn up and your scaly skin shrivels…

That’s enough, Bram objected. But as Rex relaxed his hold on the book, Bo jumped up and snatched it from him.

Pass it to me, Bram shouted, feeling daring for once.

Rex launched himself on Bram and started to pummel wildly with his fists until the boys ended up in a struggling heap on the floor.

AUNTIE’s coming! warned Bo, recognising the screeching of the Robot’s runners on the tuflon flooring.

The three Ultros sat down quickly on their Jellybags, their heads bowed and their eyes shut. They knew what would happen next.

AUNTIE, the mean Maintenance Robot, whizzed into the Creativity Pod on her bobsleigh base, her amber eyes flashing. She braked abruptly and offloaded ROBOTA, her flight-enabled accomplice. ROBOTA zoomed up to the pod ceiling in an arc.

Wheee! she whined as she divebombed the children on their Jellybags.

ROBOTA always focused her marbly eyes on anything which stuck out. Noses, chins or knees. Her periscopic vision meant she was quick to spot such targets.

This time there were no targets, because Bo had curled herself up and the two boys had pulled the Jellybags over themselves.

ROBOTA spun round and reattached herself to AUNTIE, who screeched off on her bobsleigh runners.

The boys scrambled to their feet.

Don’t worry, Bo joked, You’re still alive.

Very smart, Miss Smarty Pants, Rex muttered.

Yes, I am, aren’t I? Bo nestled into her Jellybag with the Book of Tales.

Rex stomped off to get the box of Diamond Age toy soldiers. Bram chose a Diamond Age Tycodisc from the Models for Behaviour section of the Creativity Cabinet. Bygone Age Tycodiscs were kept in the Dangerous Models of Behaviour section. One of Bram’s favourites was the