The Sun Thief

By Caren Cantrell

The year is 2450. After graduating from the Galactic Preservation Academy, 12-yr-old Earthing Manny Adams is thrust into the role of Chief Cosmic Controller for the Moon when his commander dies in a suspicious moonquake. Jupiterian Cira Blondt is the Chief Cosmic Controller for the Sun, a role she’s wanted since she grew her baby body vents. The two share a unique telepathic bond.
Together, they engage in a battle of wits and courage when Reginald Daschell III, their nemesis from the Academy, concocts a plan to destroy their reputations and proclaim himself a hero to win the respect of his powerful father. Dasch captures the Sun’s Control Center and stops sunlight from reaching the Moon. Without solar power to run the Moon’s equipment, it’s losing the ability to rotate, weakening its gravitational pull on the Earth.
Manny and Cira have just 48 hours to stop Dasch before the Moon crashes into the Earth, exploding it into a gigantic mass of space debris.
A futuristic middle-grade sci-fantasy, where 12-yr-olds do the work of adults. It is a story of revenge and redemption; dealing with the pressures of adult expectations on young people's lives. The Sun Thief promotes diversity and inclusivity on top of addressing family relationships and loss. The book emphasizes the use of critical thinking, good communication, and observation skills.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Caren Cantrell
• Release date: Mar 15, 2022
• ISBN: 9781950943197

Caren Cantrell

Caren Cantrell is an author who writes both children's books and non-fiction works on topics that are important to her. She is the owner of 102nd Place, LLC where she specializes in helping entrepreneurs and small business owners distinguish themselves in their marketplace by utilizing the "Ultimate Business Card" - their published book.In her writing life, Caren is currently focusing on the children's market. She has published several picture books. The Sun Thief is her debut middle-grade science-fantasy novel. She has also started an educational line of photo picture books under the pen name Matthew Taylor. These Planet Discovery Books for Kids are targeted at those 6 to 9 years old.Caren lives in Cave Creek, Arizona where she enjoys playing golf with her husband, hiking the desert mountains, and basking in the sun.

Book preview

MANNY - IN OR OUT?

Sun streams through a slit in the curtains, glinting off the Milky Way Galaxy mobile hanging from Manny’s ceiling. Down the hall, he hears a toilet flush. The aroma of fresh-brewed coffee wafts up from the kitchen. It’s just another ordinary day. Except it isn’t. Today is the day that will make him or break him. Today he will know if he is truly worthy to bear the Adams name. What if he’s failed, and the answer is no? Manny paces back and forth, wearing a pattern into the carpet. He stops at the mirror on his dresser and stares. Same green eyes, same brown curly hair, same long, straight nose—the only thing missing is the look of confidence he’d had the day before.

Manny rechecks the Holotext for what seems like the millionth time. Still nothing. C’mon, c’mon, where are you?

In his head, he knows he’s worked hard, enduring grueling physical tests of strength and stamina, climbing over and under obstacles, pulling himself up ropes, carrying packs weighing more than he did until his arms and legs were a pulsing mass of pain. Then there were the mental ones: quantum physics, engineering, bio-science, and his personal favorite, the sociology of intergalactic species. Who knew there were over 127 intelligent life forms? He’d crammed his brain so full of facts and figures; they even invaded his dreams. Logically, he knows he’ll be accepted. If only his flip-flopping stomach could be convinced as easily. It doesn’t help that his grandfather, whose footsteps he wants to follow down this path, is less than enthusiastic about his choice.

A strident beep interrupts his pacing, and he flinches.

AUGUST 6, 2450

INCOMING MESSAGE

GALACTIC PRESERVATION ACADEMY

appears, floating like a specter before his eyes. His fingers instinctively reach for the cap covering his ears to pull it in place. Crazy. This isn’t a video message. Still, it seems essential that he looks his best to receive the words that will define him.

He takes a deep breath and punches in the code to open his future; his fingers trembling so badly he has to stab twice at the Display Message icon. One more deep breath, then he reads, Herman Alexander Adams III, Congratulations, you’ve been accepted. A whoop so loud and forceful it can be heard all the way to Andromeda bursts from deep inside him.

As soon as his breathing slows to a semblance of normalcy, Manny calls his Gramps. Retired Colonel Herman Adams helped to establish the Academy. He is a legend—a genuine hero who’d destroyed a five hundred and sixty-mile-wide asteroid hurtling right toward Earth. It had been Gramps dream to have his son, Herman II, follow in his footsteps, but the training squad he was in got caught in a surprise meteor shower. Herman II bounced around so violently; he crushed his hip. He had to give up being a Cosmic Controller and settle for a desk job back at the Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS). Ironic that the very thing that made Manny’s grandfather a hero sidelined his father. Manny was born three months later.

Call Gramps. Immediately, the vid-com materializes. After several beeps, his grandfather’s grizzled face comes into view. Every wrinkle has its own story to tell. Manny loves them all.

What’s so important you can’t let an old man get a nap? he growls.

Gramps—I made it, I made it into the Academy! I’m going to be a Cosmic Controller and save the Galaxy from destructive forces. I’m going to get a chance to be a hero, just like you!

Hmph, he says, lighting his pipe and settling into his chair. Well, congratulations, I guess. Are you sure this is what you want? Being a Cosmic Controller is an enormous responsibility, not to mention it can make a boy old before his time.

Manny stares wide-eyed at the video screen, his idiot grin beaming from one ear to the other. Of course, it’s what I want! You know I’ve been working my whole life for this.

Yeah, but you’re still just a kid, Herman. I know you think you worked hard before, but the Academy ain’t no place for sissies. You may be plenty smart, but book smarts only get you so far. Gramps tamps his pipe and relights. A small puff of smoke escapes, and Manny swears he can smell the cherry bark flavor of the tobacco Gramps uses. You must be able to think on your feet in all kinds of situations. It can be dangerous work. And I’ve told you before to forget about all that hero crap. It’s not all it’s cracked up to be.

Here it was again. Gramps’ not-so-subtle way of letting Manny know he didn’t think he could, or should, cut it. Manny hated it when he called him Herman, as if he wasn’t good enough to carry the family nickname. All Manny wanted was to give his grandfather the legacy his dad hadn’t been able to fulfill. He felt the excitement leaving his body like a spent balloon.

Herman, Gramps continues, his bushy gray eyebrows draw together as if to underscore his words, you know I wasn’t even supposed to be on duty that day. I was just in the wrong place at the right time. It was a close call, and it could have gone all kinds of bad. COPOUS decided enough was enough; the movements of the galaxy shouldn’t be left to nature. I didn’t agree with them then, and I don’t agree with them now, but that’s the way it is.

But you helped to start the school, Manny says, trying to keep his face from showing the disappointment he feels. This is one thing on which he and his Gramps never agreed. In Manny’s way of thinking, it makes perfect sense that intelligent life is far better equipped to keep space safe than the random designs of nature.

Yes, I did because I wanted to make sure there were safeguards in place, and things didn’t go too far. Gramps reaches up and flecks a piece of tobacco from his lip. Now it appears I’m going to live to regret it all over again. You’d think it would be enough that I almost lost one son. But I can tell by that glint in your eye, nothing I say is going to stop you from going. Just be careful out there, he says as his face fades from view.

CIRA - A HARD GOODBY

There was never any doubt in Cira Blondt’s mind that the Galactic Preservation Academy would accept her. She’d never failed at anything she’d really put her mind to, so it was no surprise when the Holotext arrived telling her she’d gotten in. For as long as she could remember, it had been her goal to become the first Jupiterian to be the Cosmic Controller on the Sun. Goals were a thing with Cira. She’d been writing them down and reviewing them weekly since she was a little kid. Now they were finally paying off. Getting into the Academy was the first step toward getting to the Sun.

If she has any regrets at all, it’s leaving her baby sister behind. Cira’s parents died two years earlier from a virus a tour group visiting from Pluto inadvertently brought with them. Now she and Bungie live with their Aunt Alana. Bungie’s real name is Asmyth, but even as a baby, she couldn’t sit still, always jumping from one place to another, from one thing to another, giving her the nickname.

As if on cue, Bungie bounds through the doorway of Cira’s room. Except for the age and height difference, they could be twins, both with thick dark hair, set off dramatically against the light blue tint of their translucent skin and elfin ears, making them appear younger than they are.

Did you get it? Did you get it? she asks, hopping up and down.

Yes, Bungie. The message just arrived. I’m going to the Academy, Cira says.

Yay! I knew you would; I knew you would! Bungie’s smile is as wide as the solar system.

Cira beams back at her, remembering what it was like when her parents were alive. Not having a care in the world; free to let her vents go crazy too, if she wanted. But that was then, and this was now. Now she needed to be responsible. Now she needed the Academy, not just to satisfy her goal, but to ease the financial burden the two of them had placed on Aunt Alana. At least for the next year, her clothes and food would be free.

I have to go tell Auntie! And I have a surprise for you, Bungie yells, bounding out of sight.

In minutes she’s back, Aunt Alana in tow.

Congratulations, Cira. I’m so proud of you! Aunt Alana hugs Cira tight. I always knew you would make it. I’ve never seen anyone so committed to getting what she wants. Your mom and dad would have been so proud.

Cira squirms in the unexpected embrace. Jupiterians are not ones for displays of affection, at least not after attaining a certain age. When Aunt Alana steps back, there are tears welling in her eyes, which had been brown but were now a somber shade of blue.

Cira wonders what her own eyes are revealing. She’s been practicing staying detached and trying not to give anything away, but when your eye color changes with your emotions, it’s tough to hide. Competition will be stiff at the Academy. Self-control will be a considerable determinant of who stays and who goes. She floats toward the mirror to check, but before she can get there, Bungie’s tugging on her arm.

Look, Cira, look! Look what I got for you! Isn’t he cute? He’s a guguana. His name’s Venti, says Bungie, holding a small cage in her hands.

Cira squats down, so they’re at eye level and peers into the cage. Venti has little brown spikes along his back and six sticky tentacles that allow him to glom onto things so as not to blow away in Jupiter’s gale-force winds. His five little black eyes peer up at her with a please take good care of me gaze. 

Oh, he’s adorable! I love him. But Bungie, we’re not allowed to have pets at the Academy.

Aunt Alana gives Bungie a conspiratorial wink.

I know that, Cira, Bungie says with an exaggerated eye roll. It’s okay. I’ll keep him until you graduate. Auntie called the Administrator. We both knew you’d make it, didn’t we, Auntie? Anyway, he said you could have a small pet if you got a command. And I know you will—get a command, that is. So, you’ll never be alone! Bungie bounces on her toes, clapping her hands.

Cira’s heart swells. So much for practicing self-control. She’s in danger of crying, and certain her eyes are no longer their normal brown but a pale gray. Well, you better take good care of him, she says.

THE ACADEMY

The next two weeks are a whirlwind of activity as Manny gets ready to start his new adventure—fittings for his uniforms, buying supplies, and saying goodbye to friends he wouldn’t see again for at least a year. Finally, it was time.