by Dan Kelly
“You’re going to have at least a fifteen minute wait for a table. Would you please forgive my forwardness and let me buy you some refreshment in the lounge so I can ask you some questions about the Camp while you’re waiting?”
She hesitates to reply for a moment, thinking that it might not be a good idea to get involved with a complete stranger, but then decides that having a conversation with this handsome man would be the highlight of her otherwise boring day and says, “You lead the way.”
The lady is a talker and the prefect has a difficult time getting a word in edgewise. The lady tells him her name is Allison and she’s from the planet Earth. She moved to Rorus three years ago when she was offered the job at Camp Splash and loves it here. She then begins telling him much more than he wants to know about the activities at Camp Splash and the prefect is afraid her table will be ready before he can ask a single question.
When Allison pauses to take a breath, the prefect jumps in with, “Does the Camp accommodate groups of children or does it just deal with kids from individual households?”
“Oh, Camp Splash has groups of kids staying there all the time. Those kids you heard me talking about are a perfect example.”
“Do you service a defined group of planets or can your guests come from anywhere? From what you’re telling me, Camp Splash is big, but there must be a limit to how many guests can be accommodated at one time.”
“That’s true, but the Camp welcomes guest from all over the universe. Those kids flew in from the planet Proton. Whether they live there or it was just a spaceport where they could catch a connecting flight to Rorus I don’t know. Reservations must be made at least three months in advance and the maximum length per visit is two weeks.”
The prefect was about to ask her how she knew those kids flew in from Proton when they were interrupted by the hostess coming over to tell Allison her table was ready. “Well, thank you, Allison, for your input about Camp Splash. It sounds like an ideal place for my kids.”
“You’re very welcome. They’ll enjoy every minute they spend there.”
As Allison walks away, the prefect is thinking about how he’s going to word his report to make himself look as good as possible.
He needn’t have bothered. When he returns to Erebus and hands his report to the Emperor, all he gets for his efforts is a grunt and a dismissal with a wave of the Emperor’s hand.
The Emperor quickly becomes lost in thought about the kids on Rorus possibly being the same bunch that was on Croag and the further possibility of Proton being their home planet. He shouts into his intercom, “Tragor, get in here. I have a special assignment for you.” Within seconds, his assistant is standing before him ready to receive instructions. “I’ve been thinking about the kids seen on Rorus and Croag. They are intriguing me deeply. There’s a possible link between the kids at Camp Splash and Proton. I want to pursue that possibility. It takes a lot of money to send a group of kids to places like Camp Splash and Camp Chameleon. Who on Proton would have that much money? This is what I want you to find out. Using all of the public information at your disposal, I want you to prepare a list of all individuals and organizations on Proton that likely have the wherewithal to pay for these types of trips. When the list is completed, bring it to me for my review. I will select the entities I believe warrant investigation and determine the conduct of those investigations. Any questions? No? Then get out of here.” The Emperor is definitely not going to win any “Mr. Congeniality” contests.
When he receives the list a few days later, he is very disappointed. It is way too long to be investigated in a practical and time efficient manner. Looking at some of the names, he also realizes that many on the list highly value their privacy. It would be difficult to locate parties who had the information he was looking for and probably require expensive bribes to those who would be susceptible to swapping information for money. Other things to consider are the risks associated with such an endeavor. The risk of being blackmailed by anyone I was dealing with and the risk of being discovered and exposed to intense scrutiny by the authorities and the media immediately come to mind. Money and his inter-galactic reputation are very precious to the Emperor and he guards them jealously.
Further contemplation produces nothing else but mounting frustration, so he decides to back off until additional information presents itself. He takes one last glance at the pages of names and is about to toss them in the trash when Queen Quasar’s name catches his eye. His glance becomes an intense stare and he begins humming and talking to himself.
“I wonder if she knows about these kids. She certainly has the means to send them anywhere in the universe. These kids appear to be different from other kids and, from what has been observed at Camp Chameleon and Camp Splash, it’s not too big a leap to speculate that these kids possess special talents that could be used in her security and/or defense programs. She certainly would be motivated to help these kids develop their talents, build their minds and bodies and guide them into mature, responsible, loyal- to-the-crown adults.” The more he thinks about her, the more he becomes convinced that she belongs at the top of the list.
“If what I’m thinking is true, she’d want to envelop them in secrecy for their own protection as well as for the protection of Proton. The best chance I have of verifying my suspicion is to plant someone inside Castle Capella to probe for information, but I’ve been trying to figure a way to do this for years and have failed miserably. I’ve got to come up with a way to infiltrate Castle Capella’s security with one of my field agents.”
Although the Emperor is on the right track, all he has so far are suspicions. The Queen, on the other hand, knows that the Emperor is aware of the Pack’s existence and that he is trying to find out more about them and where they can be found. With her security force and intelligence staff on full alert, the Emperor is going to be bucking up against some very formidable obstacles. The Emperor, however, is a very persistent cuss. He is stubborn to a fault and doesn’t give up easily. Heightened conflict between these two adversaries in the near future seems to be definitely in the cards and direct confrontation more and more inevitable.
Chapter 22
Back at Stellar things are going on as usual. The Pack is hard at work studying, developing their special powers, becoming more adept at using their powers and keeping their bodies fit. Of course, the Pack wouldn’t be the Pack if there weren’t a few pranks played while all of this hard work was being done. Artie Asteroid plays a whopper.
Ever since Belinda and Molly played that prank on him in the kayak, he’s been looking for a way to get even and he’s found it. With Casey Cloudburst’s help, he’s going to scare the daylights out of them. One of the Queen’s royal yachts is in dry dock for routine maintenance and all that remains to be done is some good old fashioned swabbing. When that’s been done, the yacht will be returned to the seaport at the base of the mountain atop of which Castle Capella is located.
The dry dock is equipped with the best of everything and the facility couldn’t be more secure or convenient as it’s located just outside of Castle Capella’s southern wall. The yacht has been air lifted by a powerful helicopter to the dry dock and will be returned to the seaport in the same manner.
Under the cover of darkness around midnight, Artie uses his amazing strength to carry the yacht over to the lake in the Castle’s northern field, the one where they helped catch those creeps trying to pollute the water. This lake is fed by water flowing down from other parts of the mountain range through an underground river. The lake empties out over a gigantic waterfall into a river that flows into the ocean at the base of the mountain. The waterfall is beautiful, but also very scary.
Now Artie has to carry out the weakest part of his plan and he’s a little nervous about it. He has to carry the girls to the yacht separately. Carrying them separately avoids the distinct possibility of them being jostled into each other and waking up, but he’s fearful that something external, something beyond his control,
a bug or a sound, might wake the first person he carries over while he’s going back for the other one. Artie knows that Belinda and Molly are very sound sleepers and he’s banking on this to allow him to carry them out of their bedrooms, through the field to the yacht and place them in the bunks below deck without them waking up. Artie needn’t have worried. They didn’t stir once.
Artie quietly tip toes over to where Casey is hiding in the tall grass alongside a bait shop and whispers, “Show time.” In addition to his power over water, Casey is a genius when it comes to computers. He’s rigged a small computer into the electronic circuitry that feeds signals to the yacht’s rudder and engines, enabling him to remotely take control over the yacht’s direction and speed. No matter what the person at the helm does, it will have no effect. Since the yacht’s engines are virtually soundless, Casey is able to move it out into the middle of the lake without waking either of the girls.
When the yacht is out of sight, Casey and Artie can still see it on the computer screen because Casey has hidden tiny cameras above and below deck and they will be able to see everything. Casey has also hidden tiny microphones on the yacht, so they can also listen to what the girls are saying. In addition to all this, Artie has also disconnected the yacht’s communications systems, so the girls will be out of touch with any source of assistance. All they have to do now is wait for the hysterics to begin.
Having fallen asleep while waiting, they are awakened by ear piercing screams coming out of the computer monitor’s speakers. The girls are really flipping out. Artie and Casey are imagining what it must be like to wake up and find yourself on a boat in the middle of a lake when you fell asleep in your bed in the dorm the night before. They are enjoying every minute of the girls’ predicament. But the fun has just begun
Slowly, Casey turns the yacht toward the side of the lake that empties out over the falls and gradually moves it forward at a speed of about five knots. Belinda and Molly have stopped screaming and are now trying to control the boat from the helm, but to no avail.
They try using the ship to shore radio, but it’s not working. They begin frantically looking around the shoreline for anyone that could help them, but at this hour the beaches are deserted and it’s too far to shore to swim.
Casey gradually increases the speed to 10 knots, then to 15 knots and then all the way up to 30 knots. As the yacht gets closer to the falls, the girls are really getting scared. Suddenly the yacht veers away from the falls and heads in to shore, slowing to a crawl as it approaches the dock. Then Artie and Casey come out of their hiding place doubled over with laughter.
From the minute they woke up, even though they were at first frightened, they knew they were the butt of a prank. But as the boat headed for the falls at a faster and faster speed, they became less certain, more confused and very scared. They are no longer confused and their fear has been replaced by fury. When Artie and Casey see the looks on their faces, they hightail out of there lickety-split.
After the girls leave the lake, Artie sneaks back and carries the yacht back up the mountain to dry dock and returns the boat’s circuitry back to normal. It is early enough in the day for there to be no traffic on the road up the mountain, so he isn’t detected. Later in the morning though, when the workmen show up for work, they know something has happened. It hasn’t rained for days yet the boat is as wet as if it had just returned from a cruise.
It takes a whole week before the girls cool down and can laugh about what Artie and Casey pulled. Of course, when they hear about it, the rest of the Pack thinks it’s hilarious.
Chapter 23
Queen Quasar is sitting in her office thinking about the Pack, finding it hard to believe that they have been at Stellar for almost a year. Since its founding, the school has continuously made wonderful progress in creating and implementing programs for all of the very special students attending classes there, but what they’ve managed to accomplish with the Pack is amazing. The Queen knows that the school’s success is largely due to the leadership provided by Headmaster Herby and, although she’s thanked him time and time again for his contributions, thank yous just don’t do the job of fully expressing her appreciation for all that he has done. They fall far short of the mark.
Suddenly, these thoughts are interrupted by a brainstorm that drenches her in delight. Speaking out loud to herself she says, “Because of the secrecy that must surround the school, public recognition is out of the question, but there is something very special that I can do to show my appreciation and it can be done in private. Well, almost in private.” The more she thinks about it, the more she falls in love with the idea. Exultantly she shouts, “Why didn’t I think of this before?”
The yell has her assistant running into the office and asking, “Is there anything wrong?”
The Queen looks up at her and laughs. “No, nothing’s wrong. In fact, nothing could be more right. Sit down. I have some things I want you to do for me” she says gleefully.
The assistant is puzzled over the Queen’s behavior, but also pleased that the Queen is smiling again. The Queen has been deeply worried about the latest hanky-panky of Emperor Eclipse and hasn’t been doing much smiling lately.
The Queen instructs her to send the following invitation to the entire faculty and student body at Stellar as well as to her key advisors, Director Drummel, Security Chief Shandul and Commander Caitlin.
Queen Quasar cordially invites you to celebrate with her a very special
occasion in the Grand Ballroom at Castle Capella on the 30th of this month.
Festivities will commence at 7:00 p.m. and conclude at 11:00 p.m.
The cause for celebration is a surprise and I fervently hope you will be able
to attend and share in the joy of the event.
Attire: Formal
Please RSVP by the 15th of this month.
The assistant asks, “What’s the surprise, Your Highness?”
The Queen replies with a smile, “You’ll have to wait like everyone else. Now, get a move on. I want you to get all those invitations mailed out by tomorrow evening. Will that give you enough time?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Ok then, get to it. I have some other things for you to do to help me prepare for the celebration when you’re through with the invitations.” With that, the assistant leaves and Queen Quasar begins preparing a list of the things she wants her assistant to attend to regarding the transportation and the banquet for the celebration.
There are a few things the Queen has to do herself to avoid tipping her hand as to what the surprise is going to be. This is something that hasn’t been done in twenty years and she wants everything to be perfect.
The Queen has her assistant make a reservation for a supersonic monorail to be available to transport the students and faculty of Stellar to and from Castle Capella, order the food for the menu she’s prepared and arrange for any outside catering that will be needed for the banquet. Director Drummel, Security Chief Shandul and Commander Caitlin live with their families in housing provided by Queen Quasar and located only a couple of miles from the Castle’s western gate, so they will arrange for their own transportation as will those former students that have graduated and taken positions in the Queen’s service at places all over the globe.
At dusk on the day of the celebration, the Queen is standing on the balcony overlooking the Grand Ballroom going over in her mind the preparations for the evening’s events. Things couldn’t have gone more smoothly. The food, the catering, the musicians, the transportation, everything and everybody essential for the successful culmination of the night’s festivities is in place. In about half an hour, the guests will begin to arrive and in an hour things will be in full swing. She’s especially delighted because everyone who received an invitation is coming. The Queen hasn’t been this excited in a long time and is having difficulty maintaining her regal demeanor.
Her exuberance would have been completely smothered by a blanket of worry had she known
about what transpired at the catering firm on the day it was hired for the celebration. Every owner, every employee of every business hired to perform a service for the Queen is thoroughly vetted for security reasons. If someone’s name and picture is not on the approved list, they do not gain access to Castle Capella.
It so happens that one of the employees of the catering company, Randy, is a twin and he asks his twin brother, Andy, to stand in for him on the evening of the Queen’s celebration because a club he belongs to is having its annual shindig on the same evening which he doesn’t want to