Time......... (Part 11)

Peter dragged Kevin along, and they worked on repairing the machine together. Peter soon found that, if Kevin was good at getting into trouble, he was even better at repairing mechanical devices.
"This machine shouldn't have blown up," Kevin remarked as he investigated it. "It must of malfunctioned somehow."
"Yeah, maybe because of all the stress it went through. I'm surprised it didn't blow me and Frank up, too."
"And considering all that stress, all of the materials we have here would have blown up first thing! Earth must be an amazing place to produce all these things!"
"Yes, I suppose so. How are we going to build duplicates of this machine if there aren't any materials that stand up as well?"
"Maybe we could smuggle some things from Earth in this machine," Kevin suggested.
"I hope it won't be too much stress on the machine, going back and forth with extras on it."
"Then maybe we could build the machines on Earth, and fly them back here. And then, if I could go with you, I'd be able to see Earth!"
"Oh, no!" Peter mocked horror.
"What?"
"You'd be in trouble every two minutes!"
"Stop talking like my uncle - or Lt. Fromere - or Lady Elwes - or the leader - or, oh bother! Like everyone else in this fort!" Kevin said, agitated.
Peter hid his grin in his sleeve. "Be careful with that screwdriver; you nearly poked me in the eye," he said simply.

Peter discussed the issue of materials with the leader that night.
"We have the plans all worked out, but we definitely lack the correct materials. We've tested the major ones on this planet, and nothing seems to hold up to anything higher than 1000 degrees Fahrenheit."
"How did you figure that out?"
"Labs," Kevin grinned. "We asked the lab-guys to test them for us, and they did."
"Scientists, not lab-guys, Kevin, please!"
"Yes, sir," Kevin said meekly.
"We had an idea though," and Peter told the leader the plan he and Kevin had discussed earlier.
"Where will you land on Earth, though? You may be miles away from where you can access materials!"
"That's true, but it's worth the risk, sir."
It took a lot of convincing, but in the end, they resolved on sending Peter and Kevin in the machine. It was determined that if Peter and Frank really were the ones prophesied about, they would survive in order to deliver the galaxy. It was risky, but it seemed the only way.
Frank would stay behind to see if he could help with the computer trouble; guessing passwords could become very useful.

Kevin followed Peter into the machine, and clenched his hands as Peter pulled the lever downward.
A click, a whizz, and a bump, then the engine began to smoke.
"I think we're here," Peter said. He opened the door and stepped out.
"This is Earth?" Kevin asked, gazing with admiration at the tall buildings surrounding them.
"Ah!" Peter almost screamed. We've got get out of here!"
Cars were stopping and beeping their horns; other simply whizzed by; a policeman began yelling to them; the tall skyscrapers - this was New York City. And the middle of it at that. And in the middle of a noisy, busy road, too.
Kevin, though he had never encountered anything that looked like a car, knew enough to start helping Peter drag the machine onto the side-walk. With the help of a couple of policemen, they succeeded within a minute's time.
"Now, then, what are you doing here? Int he middle of the road? With an odd looking, um - whatever it is?" one of the policemen demanded sternly.
"We were - trying to cross the street, sir," Peter said.
"And what is your name?"
"Peter Sperring, sir."
"And yours?" He pointed to Kevin.
"Kevin Hethe, sir."
"Now, none of that nonsense! You won't get out of this fix by telling me you're a movie star."
"I'm not a moving star! Besides, I thought they were called shooting stars, not moving stars!" Kevin protested.
"I'm not playing games with you!"
"Neither am I. What are you doing, though?"
"I'm bringing you two along with me to the station. You both look young, so no doubt you have parents or guardians, and we'll have to contact them." With that, he put a firm hand on both of their arms and lead them off the busy side-walk. The accompanying policemen towed away the machine.
"Peter," Kevin said, "it's really loud here. And are we going to have be questioned again?"
"Yes, you will," the policeman answered for him.
"Bother! I'm always getting into these fixes. Only this time, it's not my fault!"
"Well I didn't know where it would land," Peter replied.
"Does it fly, then?" the policeman interrupted.
"Sort of. I mean, it used to, but it's kind of broken."
"And may I ask you if you have a license to fly machines around?"
"Yes, you can," Kevin said promptly.
The policeman looked furiously at him, but didn't respond. They arrived at the police station, and were searched for identification objects.
"What is this, a wrench?"
"Wrench? No, that's a turn-screw," Kevin said.
"Turn-screw? What on earth is a turn-screw?"
"He means a wrench," Peter intervened.
"What does this card mean?"
"That? Oh, that's from my uncle."
"Major Abraham Hethe? And here's an address. We'll have to contact him."

Peter and Kevin were left in custody until their "guardians could be contacted." Kevin looked at Peter with excitement and despair.
"How long will they keep us here?"
"I don't know. I never was arrested before."
"Arrested? Is that what we are?"
"Yes."
"Then those people are the guard?"
"No, not guard; police."
"You mean like 'police wash my boots'?"
"Um, I guess so," Peter grinned. "I'm glad of one thing."
"What?"
"You're here. I know it won't be dull by any stretch."
"Is that supposed to be a compliment?"
"Yes, I think so. I'll also be glad that my parents will here about me. They must be worried sick!"
"What will happen to me, though? They're going to try to contact my uncle, but they can't do that; can they?"
"I doubt they can," Peter pondered Kevin's words. What would the police do to Kevin?

Ring, ring!
"Hello?" Mrs. Sperring picked up the phone. "Peter? You found him? Where is he?" Her voice betrayed her excitement and delight. Mr. Sperring put down his book and looked up expectantly.
"Yes, we'll be down to pick him up tonight!" She put down the phone, and looked at her husband. "Oh, I'm so glad! They've found Peter!"
"Where was he?"
"In the middle of a street down in N.Y. City," she replied. "He was there with an odd mechanical device and another boy they've identified as the movie star, Kevin Hethe."
"Kevin Hethe? How in the world did Peter hook up with him?"
"I haven't a clue. There was no word of his friend Frank though," She puckered her face in anxiety. "I hope he and Peter haven't quarreled, and gone and down something dreadful!"
"Nevermind, we'll soon learn. I'll see if I can reserve a place on a flight to NYC tonight."
Mrs. Sperring nodded her agreement, and began packing at once.

Copyright - 9/17/2008 - Curious Cognitive Content (CCC)
Please do not reproduce without permission from the author(ess).