with compliments. Despite everything they were all having a good time and were in high spirits. Then they decided to accept their pleasant dinner companion’s invitation to visit his cabin. He had moved from his old cabin into a separate luxury suite. He had furnished his table with the finest sweets and cakes and wonderful smelling coffee in honour of his beautiful young female guests. The boss turned out to be a most interesting person. He had two daughters and a wife who he adored.
“Then why are you on holiday all on your own?” -Sophia asked in surprise.
“Oh, I’m here on business.” he replied.
And Sophia nodded her head in understanding. But the boss had evidently not said everything that he had wanted to because having escorted the sisters to their cabin he quietly let drop:
“Beware of my bodyguard.”
And he proceeded to tell them a number of other stories about him. The sisters popped into their cabin for a short while, grabbed their glasses and then set off for a walk in order to review and discuss what had happened to them. However, unexpectedly they were intercepted by their great friend the bodyguard.
“I know that you’ve just been round to my boss's, you should remember that he is married."
“And are you a bachelor?” Sophia asked.
“I am always at the service of such great beauties as you two. I have a very pleasant errand for you,” he said pausing for dramatic effect.
The sisters carried on their way, without waiting to find out what this errand was.
But then the bodyguard took them both by the arm and said: “Don’t be in such a rush! On behalf of the most respected male passengers on board I would like to invite you…”
But he didn’t manage to finish his sentence before Sophia interrupted:
“We have already just been to visit one of the most remarkable representatives of the menfolk on this ship.”
And Natalie wanted to add her own tuppence worth but at that moment the general himself came to meet them.
“We would be most grateful if you would lighten up our dull male company, all we seem to talk about is business and more business, even when we are on holiday.”
The sisters were somewhat taken aback but having signalled to each other with a couple of subtle squeezes of the hand, they gracefully accepted the invitation.
The general offered Natalie his arm and the bodyguard offered his to Sophia. The hall they entered was quite small and cosy and abutted onto the conservatory. With the exception of their companions the sisters did not recognise any of the faces here. A table was furnished with food at the side of the hall and the rest of the space was given over to various amusements and the dance floor. The crowd stood in circles around the dance floor and several people sat at the bar, which faced the table with the food. Everyone behaved in a free and informal manner helping themselves to whatever they fancied from the buffet. And contrary to their companions’ words, there were young and middle-aged women to spare. Music was playing but no-one was dancing. The general led the sisters to the buffet but they politely turned down the food, then they went to join the largest and most distinguished looking group. Everybody addressed the general with the utmost respect and the unknown young ladies who accompanied him were likewise showered with attention and civilities. The sisters nodded their heads and smiled to left and right as if they had always been habitués of these sorts of parties, but inwardly they were constantly on their guard... What were they to expect? However, everything went off fairly uneventfully. The sisters had already danced with the general, members of the ship’s crew and various artists and actors who they had never seen before and they had also tried a number of different cocktails. They were simply passing the time in a carefree and merry fashion.
“Shall we go and powder our noses?” Natalie suggested to her sister.
“Yes let's go.”
And with that they both disappeared with the aid of the glasses. Once invisible, the sisters made straight for the general’s circle. There was nothing suspicious and no-one made any mention of the sisters. But then the bodyguard sidled up to the general and Natalie and Sophia immediately followed on his heels. The main thing was not to miss the slightest word or sign between the two of them. And on this occasion they hit the bull's eye! It was a very good thing that they had come to this party.
Sophia was the first to hear their plan when the bodyguard quietly went up to the general and whispered:
“Shall I turn the apparatus on?”
The answer was spat out quickly and quietly:
“Be sure that you don’t hit any of the others. Make sure that the dose is not too strong so that it won’t do them too much damage.”
The bodyguard hesitated a bit and looked around this way and that. Natalie was so close to him that she was worried that maybe he had sensed something. Finally he forced his words out so quietly that it seemed that only his lips were moving.
“But we need to stretch things out until the airborne assault troops arrive and then…"
At that moment the general stopped him short:
“Not a word more, gets to it and make sure that the others aren’t seriously poisoned. But before that be sure to cause a diversion with your assistants and make sure that everything is measured.”
And with that he looked severely at the bodyguard. A second later and the underling had melted into the crowd and disappeared. Natalie and Sophia ran out to the conservatory as fast as they could.
“What are we going to do?” said Natalie planting her glasses on her head, “we really need to talk, move your glasses up onto your head as well. There you go, now you and I have changed beyond recognition. We will circle around close to the general’s circle.”
“I think it will be better if we split up, I will stand by the entrance to the hall in order to find out who will be operating the ray gun and where it’s located.” Sophia said decisively and with that she headed off back towards the hall.
In order not to arouse suspicion Natalie waited a few moments and to her great good fortune the boss arrived.
Natalie immediately went up to him and said:
“My dear table companion, will you allow me to accompany you.”
The boss looked at the young woman next to him with surprise.
“It’s me Natalie, I’ve just had my hair done differently and am in a different outfit to usual."
“My goodness, you women are chameleons - able to transform yourselves at will. Of course, I'd be happy to accompany you," said he offering Natalie his arm, “Let’s go, I am completely at your service.”
“Well, I only have one request - please don’t call me by my name and please don’t be surprised at anything that might happen.”
“Ah! A little conspiracy?” said the boss getting into the spirit of the game.
“Yes, it’s just a silly game,” said Natalie with a laugh.
Natalie and her new companion walked arm in arm right under the general's nose without him registering a thing. After a little while the boss’s bodyguard appeared. Natalie made her excuses and disappeared into the crowd. At that moment an unseen hand grabbed her by the arm. It was Sophia of course, who quietly whispered to her:
“He's already been up to two of the ship's crew, raised his hand as if to greet them and then headed off towards the general. Both sisters were literally standing right next to the general’s ear.
“Everything's ready but where is our sweet little sisters?” said the bodyguard rushing about here and there. “Where are they?” he repeated and then let loose a quiet oath.
“What a hot head you are. I only saw them a few minutes ago. Let’s go and get something a little stronger inside us,” said the general gently taking his underling by the arm and leading him to the bar.
At that moment the boss, seeing his head of security in a conspiratorial conversation with the general began to get very worried but decided to go up to
them and pretend to make light of it:
“Are you poaching my staff?”
But his joke was answered in the most serious tone:
"Not at all, we were both just looking for those two attractive young sisters, but we seem to have lost them for the time being. If you help us find them we will make it worth your while."
The boss waved his hand nonchalantly:
"I was looking for them myself," and quickly made an exit. “I must warn them, that character is up to no good," he thought to himself.
Sophia felt that it would be good to at least partially let someone in on what she and Natalie had found out so that they could quickly take the necessary measures. Sophia left Natalie to keep an eye on the general and his sidekick while she ran off to find the boss. She caught up with him in the conservatory. Sophia literally grabbed him by the hand.
The boss was very glad to see Sophia:
“I have just been speaking with a very influential gentleman and it seemed very strange to me that he was taking such an interest in you and your sister, not to mention the attentions my security expert has been lavishing on you."
"I will now let you in on a secret. Natalie and I happened to overhear your bodyguard tell the general that an airborne helicopter attack is expected – that's the first thing. The second thing we heard was that they are planning to take Natalie and me “out” with some sort of special apparatus. But the general has at least shown a little bit of compassion and insisted that we
The Stolen Star Page 39