Free Will's Galactic Adventure by Edwin Pearson Page A

wasn’t like
Brenda
at all; it looked much more like Will expected a spaceship to look. There were banks of control panels and screens all around the walls. In front of the largest screen were two huge padded seats with seatbelts and footrests. On the arms were rows of buttons and knobs. However, on closer inspection, Will could see that the Mechs had been busy. Many of the knobs and switches had been welded solid. Some of the consoles had gaps where racks of equipment had been removed completely. On one large panel to the right, a message in red letters was flashing:
    Warning.
    Weapons Malfunction.
    All Weapon Systems Offline.
    â€œWhat have you done?” squealed Cream Tea.
    Will answered. “I think you’ll find that your ship’s life support systems will be OK. You’ll be able to travel in normal space too, though I don’t know how quick you’ll find it. The weapons won’t work and you won’t be able to jump into hyperspace. Oh, and I expect that there is some sort of time delay so that you won’t be able to do anything at all with your ship’s controls until we are safely back on
Brenda
.”
    â€œThat seems quite fair and reasonable, under the circumstances,” added Drych. “Wouldn’t you agree?”
    Cream Tea was spluttering with indignation. Teacake muttered, “Probably very fair sir. Very fair indeed. Thank you very much, sir.”
    This made Cream Tea, who was already red with rage, turn purple.
    â€œWell, in that case I think that it’s probably about time that we left,” concluded Drych, “before your friend explodes.”
    Drych, Mavis and Will turned back into the tube and the hatch closed behind them. Drych said that they were quite safe now but as they bounced back through the tube Will couldn’t help being a bit worried that Cream Tea and Teacake might try and fly away and snap it or something. He didn’t relax until they were back on board
Brenda
with the hatch closed firmly behind them.
    Back on the control deck the big screen was showing the backwards view down the side of
Brenda
that he had first seen with the Mechs in the maintenance tunnel. However, since he last saw it, the picture had changed a bit. For one thing the tube was no longer attached to them and it was snaking its way back to the black ship as Cream Tea and Teacake reeled it in. For another, the two ships were no longer wedged together. Those Mechs had been busy.
    â€œQuite a result then, all ‘fings considered.”
    â€œSpiv! Where were you during all the excitement?”
    â€œAh, well, see, I’m not really very good at excitement. More your diplomatic approach from me, see.”
    â€œYou didn’t sound very diplomatic from inside that sack!” said Mavis.
    â€œWell, see, that’s where you’re wrong. All part of the diplomatic process, that was. Gaining their confidence, see. Lulling them into a false sense of security. Didn’t get where I am today without being able to diplomatise.”
    â€œHad me fooled,” said the ninja.
    â€œWell I don’t care wot you fink ‘cos while you were doin’ all that fizzical stuff, I got me pictures back! The ones wot they sneakily took of me, the ones wot they’ve ‘ad ‘idden on their ship and wot I’ve been chasin’ ‘em for, for all this time. Wiv a bit of ‘elp from you lot too, ‘o course.”
    â€œWell done!” congratulated Will. “But how did you manage that? I mean, er…”
    â€œHe means,” said Mavis, “that you managed this while trussed up in a sack. Remarkable!”
    â€œNow jus’ you wait a min…”
    â€œThere are a few loose ends of this story that we need to tie up,” interrupted Drych. “One or two things even I’m not clear about, though I think I can hazard a guess. Once that’s sorted out, it will be time to do something about taking Will back to