"Thrust stabilisers locked in."
"Fuel levels stabilised."
"Shields at maximum."
The majority of the Gilbert & Sullivan society had watched in amazement and horror as Central Hall had risen vertically into the air, great jets of steam shooting out below them and blast drying the now drained lake- accidentally cooking a few ducks who had been in the wrong place at the wrong time.
They had gone on rising, higher and higher. Some people had turned away from the windows in terror. Ruth kept staring out, even though she was afraid, as the building- or was it a building?- continued its ascent until it was high above the clouds. The earth was getting smaller and smaller below. First of all buildings and cars looked like toys, then she was unable to individual buildings, then the whole countryside began to look like a satellite photo.
Ruth stared at York Minster as it grew smaller and smaller, then at the city of York as that too grew so small as to be unidentifiable. Then she looked up, and caught her breath. The stars were rushing towards them, faster and faster, tiny points of light that were so far away that even as they rose towards them they became no larger. It was beautiful. She looked back down. The Earth was now so far below that she could see the curvature of the globe. From flat, it became a curve, then the curve grew into a ball. Ruth looked down. It was so stunningly beautiful that she almost forgot her fear. Almost.
"Sufficient altitude reached."
"Course set, and autopilot on."
"We did it," Will said, releasing the last lever and turning to Zoe. "Just. I didn't think the suspension had gone quite as badly as that."
"Landing's going to be interesting," she said.
"Hopefully we'll be able to do some repairs before we have to land," he replied.
"Excuse me," said a quiet voice that nonetheless hinted that there might be danger in ignoring it, "but would it be troubling you too much to explain what the hell's going on?"
Will and Zoe turned to see that David had picked up the weapon Zoe had been brandishing earlier and was now aiming it at them.
"Oh, yes. Sorry," Will said. "And you can put that thing down. It's not worked for months- even if you know how to use it."
"Then why were you telling her not hurt us?" Emma demanded.
"I didn't want her to get angry. Have you seen her when she's angry, armed or not?"
"I don't think we know anything about either of you. I get the impression that everything you've told us is a lie," Ernest said. "What is going on?"
"First of all, what about breathing?" Tom asked anxiously. "How much oxygen have we got?"
"You don't need to panic," Will said. "We breathe oxygen too. There is a recycling system, and a backup system, plus emergency supplies. And there is food, and water- more recycling systems, obviously- and hygiene systems, and everything necessary. We're not idiots, you know."
"What are you- who are you?" Ernest asked.
Will and Zoe looked at each other. "My name," Will said, "is Rawerkj Rdircahpaerrds. This is my sister, Jegsdda Rdircahpaerrds."
"And cousin. And aunt," Zoe said.
"How can you be his sister and his cousin and his aunt?" David asked.
"It's all a bit complicated," Will- none of them could remember, let alone pronounce his real name. And as for spelling... "Families among us aren't the same as they are with you."
"Who do you mean by "among us?" Tom asked."We are not from your planet," Will said.
"I think we'd kind of guessed that," Ernest replied.
"We are from a planet in the solar system of the star Dkafka. My father is the ruler of that planet. I am, as you would say, a prince."
"What is the planet called?" Adam asked."Bognor."
"Bognor!"
"Is there something wrong with that?" Zoe said.
"No, no...nothing," Adam said. "Er...does it have a meaning?"
"Beautiful planet," Zoe said."I...see," Ernest said.
"Our home is in Bognor Regis, capital city of the Bognorian kingdom- you're laughing!"
"I'm sorry," Emma said. "Only...there is a town on earth called Bognor Regis and...it's not known as a very nice place. It's nothing personal, I assure you."
"I hope not," Zoe said. "You wouldn't like it if we put you in the airlock and opened the doors..."The others took a step back, then David spoke.
"I think you're forgetting something. There are only two of you, and lots of us. You said that thing doesn't work, so I think we have the advantage here."
"On the other hand, we are the only two people who know how this ship works," Will said calmly.There was silence for a couple of minutes. The spaceship- it was clear now that this is what Central Hall was- continued its ascent. The Earth got smaller and smaller. Ruth looked at it. What was going to happen? Would they ever return?
The story continues...
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