Chapter 19: Aftermath of a Kidnap

"It was last Wednesday night. I had gone back to the instruction hall as I needed to change some projections for the next day. I was on my way back to my quarters, when I was grabbed, and my head was covered with that bag you found on me."

"How many were there?"

"Just the two. I struggled, and nearly got away. They demanded me to tell them how they could get hold of the space drive. I told them that it was impossible. That the drives were tamper-proof. That they would self-destruct unless they were handled correctly. They asked me if I knew how they worked. I said 'yes' figuring that they were less likely to do away with me if I did."

"What did they do next?"

"They asked me how the drives worked. I was caught out, so I said, 'it uses thionapthalic fields to interact with the space time continuum. I was quite proud of myself in making up such a nonsense explanation. It certainly stopped them in their tracks."

"What happened then?"

"They argued about what their course of action should be. Whether they should kill me on the spot, or take me with them. Eventually they decided to take me away to be questioned further as they didn't understand what I had told them. I had done it because I thought that it would give someone more time to rescue me."

"That part seemed to have worked."

"They each grabbed an arm to guide my steps. When I tried to walk more slowly, they just dragged me along. It was so uncomfortable that I just had to walk with them. When we reached the main road, they bundled me into the back of a small van. After a short drive, I was taken out of the van, and put into the back of a small aircraft. I was warned that if I made too much of a nuisance of myself, I would be knocked unconscious. I kept quiet after that."

"You poor girl."

"Hey, less of the girl, if you please. I'd like to know how you would behave in like circumstances."

"I'd probably not do as well as you did. What happened then?"

"The flight lasted for ages. When we landed, I asked to go to the bathroom. I thought that might give me a chance to escape, but they said 'no'. Then came a long drive in the back of another van. This time, I really wanted to go. When we got to that dreadful prison all there was, was a bucket thing with a plastic seat. It was not very comfortable, particularly so with my head covered. I couldn't see what I was doing."

"All I can say is, I'm glad we got you back safe, and sound. I think we may have to beef up our security around here."

"What I must do, is to stay in well lit, and well populated areas. How about a trip to New York to visit Kerl's Space Club."

"You're right about locations, but as for New York, I think you may have something. I'll give the Embassy a ring in the morning. As for now I think that it might be a good idea if I put you up for a while. Will you come, and stay with me for the time being?"

"I'd be pleased to do that, Bill. Thank you."

We stopped off at her quarters to pick up her belongings, before going to my house. My batman was most impressed, until we installed her in the second bedroom. He did go all out, however, when he prepared breakfast the following morning.

As promised, I rang Kerl's Embassy when I got to the office.

"Galactic Embassy. How can I help you?"

"My name is Bill Axon."

"Ah, yes, Admiral, the Ambassador has told me much about you. What can I do for you?"

"Your Ambassador was telling me that he was going to include a club as part of the Embassy. I was wondering how it was going."

"Very well, thank you, Admiral. Although we get all too few of your people. They all seem to be too busy to visit our bright lights. We do get a lot of want-to-be explorers, however. Kerl is thinking of adding a planetarium, and lecture hall. There's a lot of interest, particularly now that you've started up your colony on Secundus."

"I had thought about coming to New York for a spot of leave."

"We would look forward to that, Admiral. Would you want us to put you up for your stay?"

"Can you do that?"

"Of course, Admiral, would you be arriving in a shuttle? We do have secure parking on the roof. All you need to do is to call us on your phone when you arrive. That is, if we haven't spotted you first. When do you think you might come?

"I'm not entirely sure yet. I'll let you know."

"I understand, Admiral. We look forward to your arrival. Goodbye for now, then."

"Goodbye."

I put the phone down, and called for Kate.

"Ah, Kate, what's on the agenda for today?"

"Not a lot, Sir. Nothing at all for you to do. You know we keep you around just to look decorative, and maybe make a decision that nobody else wants to make."

"Such as?"

"Well ... you do a great job in thinking up names for our craft, Sir," Kate said, as she dodged the eraser that I threw at her.

"I think it's probably time that I took some leave," I told her.

"Yes, Sir. I noticed the other day that you hadn't taken any. Your trip to Mymass was put down as a duty assignment."

"Then I think that I should look into my leave situation. How much do I have left?"

"You have more than four weeks available. How long do you need?"

"Two or three weeks should be sufficient.

"What will your address be during your leave?"

"I'm not sure yet, but it'll probably be the Federation Embassy."

"Right, Sir. Please let me know if it is somewhere else."

Having checked with Roas that he could handle the next course of colonists for a couple of weeks, Looess, and I took a shuttle to new York. When we landed on the roof of the Federation Embassy, I noticed what I had missed seeing when Kerl had given us the tour before. A section of the roof formed the floor of a lift, rather like the lifts on the decks of aircraft carriers. One floor down there was ample parking space.

We were met by Kerl's butler, who escorted us through the private entrance to Kerl's flat on the next two floors down of the Embassy. He escorted us to a bedroom.

"If you would care to leave your cases here, I will take you to the Ambassador."

He led us to a small living room where Kerl was studying a document. Kerl put it down, and rose from his chair to greet us.

"Hullo, Bill. Looess, my dear, I hope that you have recovered from your ordeal. I'm afraid that I was slow off the mark, giving Bill the opportunity to rescue you without the fuss that my intervention would cause."

"Yes, thank you, Kerl. He was quite the hero, wasn't he? Less than half an hour after he returned to Earth, and I was rescued. We thought that we would take a few days off as his reward. I fancied seeing something of your set up here, and perhaps partaking of some of the delights of this city."

"You'll like the cultural opportunities that you'll find here. I don't think that I've been on a world that has so many museums for its short history than Earth. There are almost as many here as there are on Karse."