lrh.villainyvictorious-第37部分

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〃Eighteen　point；〃　he　said；　〃quote　Madison　on　Edge　of　Cliff。〃
〃What？〃　said　Flick。
〃Go　home；〃　said　Madison。　〃We　need　rest。　Tomorrow　is　going　to　be　an　awful　day。〃

At　that　very　second；　but　more　than　twenty…two　light…years　away；　the　object　of　Madison's　concern；　Jettero　Heller；　was　not　shivering　in　any　dark　cave。　He　was　riding　down　Fifth　Avenue；　New　York　City；　Earth；　deafened　by　the　roar　of　the　ticker…tape　parade　that　was　celebrating　the　investiture　of　new　top　officials　for　New　York；　but　which　was　being　led　by　Babe　after　her　assumption　of　the　title　Capa　di　Tutti　Capi　and　whom　people　were　now　starting　to　call　〃Queen　Babe。〃　Heller；　resplendent　in　U。　S。　Army　full　dress；　on　the　seat　beside　her；　was　smiling　into　the　newsreel　and　TV　cameras；　totally　oblivious　of　the　storm　that　threatened　his　whole　future　on　Voltar　and　his　good　name　and　the　future　existence　of　Earth　as　well。　The　Countess　Krak；　on　the　other　side；　wasn't　smiling。　She　had　a　premonition　that　was　giving　her　nightmares。

Chapter　5

Madison；　as　ordered…what　else　could　he　do？　…　was　before　the　entrance　of　Teenie's　palace　at　the　crack　of　dawn。　His　fingernails　were　not　in　very　good　shape：　he　had　been　chewing　them　all　night。
A　guard　captain　came　out；　saw　Madison　and　promptly　went　back　in。　When　he　came　out　a　second　time；　he　was　buckling　an　electric　saber　around　his　silver　tunic　and　he　was　followed　by　two　sergeants　with　electric　battle…axes。　They　took　positions　beside　the　airbus　door；　waiting　for　Queen　Teenie　to　emerge。
Madison　was　in　no　mental　state　for　any　kind　of　a　wait。　The　morning　had　already　started　badly　enough。　Flick；　at　the　townhouse；　when　he　got　into　the　car；　was　seen　to　have　an　eye　that　was　rapidly　turning　black。　His　footwoman　had　gotten　in；　disdainfully　aloof；　and　then　during　flight　had　elaborately　ignored　Flick。
From　various　veiled　remarks；　Madison　had　gathered　that　Flick　had　been　incautiously　raving　about　Hightee　Heller　and　both　his　bedroom　girl　and　his　footwoman　had　cleaned　up　on　him。
Women！　thought　Madison。　They　were　always　trouble。
And　here　came　more　trouble：　Teenie；　in　a　suit　that　was　a　shimmering　jet　black；　came　out　the　door；　drawing　on　a　pair　of　long；　red　gloves。　She　was　wearing　her　crown　pulled　forward　on　her　forehead　and　her　ponytail　was　swishing　out　behind　like　the　tail　of　an　angry　cat。
She　didn't　ment　on　the　car。　She　simply　got　in　and　took　the　best　seat。
The　guard　captain　got　in　and　then　both　sergeants。
〃Where　in　hell　do　you　think　you're　going？〃　Teenie　said　to　the　guard　captain。
〃We're　not　going　to　trust　you　with　that　man；〃　the　guard　captain　said；　pointing　at　Madison。
〃You　got　good　sense；〃　said　Teenie。　〃He's　a　PR　and　they　don't　deliver；　never。〃
At　that　moment　the　major…domo；　very　portly；　came　running　down　the　stairs；　clutching　rolls　of　scrolls　and　trying　at　the　same　time　to　get　into　his　ceremonial　robe。　He　sprang　into　the　airbus。
It　did　not　leave　much　room　for　Madison　and　he　had　to　sit　on　a　ledge　across　from　Teenie。
〃Where　are　we　going？〃　said　Madison。
The　major…domo　ignored　him　and；　leaning　forward；　passed　a　slip　of　paper　to　Flick。　The　driver　looked　at　it；　glanced　back　to　see　if　the　doors　were　closed　and　then　took　off。
Thinking　that　they　were　going　into　Government　City　or　some　such　place；　Madison　was　very　alarmed　when；　having　emerged　from　the　gate　and　gone　through　the　nausea　that　always　resulted　from　the　violent　time　shift；　Flick　headed　the　airbus　west　of　south。
As　they　built　altitude；　the　desert　wind　devils　dwindling　in　size；　Madison　tried　to　lean　forward　and　see　the　map　on　Flick's　screen。　It　looked　blank！
The　alarm　on　Madison's　face　must　have　been　very　pronounced。　Teenie　scowled　at　him　and　said；　〃Take　it　easy；　buster。　You've　got　a　long　ride。　Three　hours　at　the　very　least。〃
Madison　reached　for　a　music　panel　and　turned　it　on；　hoping　that　it　would　soothe　the　savage　womanly　breast。　Then　maybe　she　would　tell　him　what　this　was　all　about。
Teenie　reached　over　right　after　him　and　turned　it　off。　〃I　don't　want　anything　spoiling　my　concentration。　I　got　a　whole　military　campaign　to　plan。〃
〃Military？〃　he　gagged。
〃Of　course！　You　have　gone　palsy…walsy　with　Gris　and　I　just　gave　up　on　you。　Stronger　measures　are　indicated；　buster。　And　don't　try　to　pry　out　of　me　the　battle　plan。　For　all　I　know；　you're　just　acting　as　a　spy　for　Hisst。　Militarying　and　spying　go　hand　in　hand。〃
She　had　been　talking　to　him　in　English　and　Madison　continued　in　the　same　language。　〃I'm　no　spy；　Teenie。　I'm　on　your　side。〃
〃That　remains　to　be　seen；〃　said　Teenie。　They　rode　for　a　while　and　then　Teenie　seemed　to　have　pleted　her　plans；　for　she　popped　a　piece　of　bubble　gum　in　her　mouth　as　though　to　celebrate　and　a　small　smile　began　to　play　around　her　oversized　and　now　busy　lips。
〃I　should　know　where　we're　going；〃　said　Madison。　〃After　all；　I've　got　a　right　to　know　where　I　may　have　to　walk　back　from。〃
〃You　wouldn't　ever　walk　back　from　the　place　we're　bound；〃　said　Teenie。　〃Not　unless　you　brought　a　pair　of　Jesus　shoes。　It's　an　island；　two　thousand　miles　southwest；　surrounded　by　the　sea。〃
〃Are　you　running　away　or　something？〃　said　Madison。
〃Boy；　did　you　ever　get　up　into　a　fog。　Too　early　for　you；　I　guess。　I　own　the　place！〃
〃You　own　an　island？〃
〃Sure；　mac。　It's　the　place　Queen　Hora　died。〃
〃Was　she　exiled？〃　said　Madison。
〃Oh；　hell　no；　Madison。　She　just　got　tired　of　smuggling　her　officers　into　Palace　City　and；　as　she　was　getting　old；　she　simply　moved　to　her　island。　It's　part　of　the　Treaty　of　Flisten。〃
〃Teenie；　you're　losing　me。〃
〃Well；　you　ought　to　be　like　me　and　do　your　homework。　I　been　sweating　it　out　with　the　major…domo　here　and　I　got　it　all　straight。　I　bet　you　thought　I　was　a　fake　queen。〃
〃Oh；　no；〃　lied　Madison。　〃The　thought　never　crossed　my　mind！〃
〃Oh；　yes；　you　did。　I　can　tell。　So　let　me　put　you　straight；　buster。　I'm　the　real　article。　No　fakery　about　it；　pletely　different　from　your　profession。　You　see；　Queen　Hora　was　what　they　call　a　Hostage　Queen。　You　got　to　know　a　lot　about　treaties　and　things。　And　I'm　getting　to　be　pretty　expert　now。
〃About　thirty　thousand　years　ago；　Voltar　conquered　the　planet　Flisten。　The　only　reason　the　planet　surrendered　finally　was　Voltar　promising　that　the　Royal　Family　of　Flisten　would　be　preserved。　This　was　all　right　with　Voltar　because　it　gave　them　an　axe　to　hold　over　Flisten's　head　and　the　Royal　Family　was　moved　to　Palace　City　as　hostages。　It's　a　pretty　mon　Voltar　maneuver：　there's　four　or　five　such　hostage　families　in　Palace　City。
〃Anyway；　the　Flisten　Royal　line　finally　dwindled　out　because　Queen　Hora；　in　spite　of　all　her　time　in　bed；　never　had　any　children。　And　when　she　died　on　Relax　Island…　…　〃
〃So　that's　the　name　of　the　place　we're　going　to；〃　said　Madison。
〃Don't　interrupt；〃　said　Teenie。　〃I'm　trying　to　plete　your　education。　So　when　Queen　Hora　died　on　Relax　Island　about　fifty　years　ago；　it　put　the　Exterior　Division　on　the　spot。　You　see；　the　maintenance　of　the　Flisten　Royal　Palace…my　palace…and　the　Flisten　island…　my　island…was　paid　for　out　of　Flisten　taxes。　The　treaty　was　executed　by　the　Exterior　Division　even　though　the　planet　is　now　under　the　Interior　Division。　The　Flisten　Royal　Family　stayed　under　the　Exterior　Division…　…　〃
〃You're　getting　me　all　mixed　up。〃
〃You　don't　need　any　help。　Get　the　wax　out　of　your　ears　and　listen。　So　when　Queen　Hora　died；　it　put　the　Exterior　Division　on　the　spot；　like　I　been　trying　to　tell　you　if　you'd　just　stop　fidgeting。　Old　Endow　and　the　other　officials　count　on　the　Flisten　taxes　for　graft。　And　they　been　trying　to　justify　to　the　Flisten　taxpayers　how　e　they　still　paid　the　Royal　tax。　And　when　I　showed　up；　Endow　put　me　in　the　slot。　The　old　treaty　is　still　valid；　the　Exterior　Division　still　get　their　rake…off　and　everybody　is　happy　as　clams。　Of　course；　I　can't　never　go　there；　because　that's　part　of　the　treaty；　but　I'm　the　real　Queen　of　Flisten；　sure　enough。　It's　even　awfully　legal：　about　ten　years　ago　His　Majesty；　Cling　the　Lofty；　issued　an　order　to　Endow　to　head　off　a　Flisten　tax　revolt　by　appointing　a　Hostage　Queen　of　Flisten。　But　old　Endow　couldn't　find　anyone　that　wasn't　from　the　Confederacy　and　who　could　be　trusted　to　keep　their　mouths　shut　about　the　graft。　So　when　Too…Too　showed　up　and　Endow　was　ecstatic　over　him；　the　old　（bleepard）　suddenly　remembered　the　order　and　with　one　stroke　of　the　pen；　between　strokes　on　Too…Too；　he　executed　the　blank　patent　Cling　had　signed。　So　there。　I'm　no　fake。　I'm　a　real　queen！〃
〃Well；　I'm　very　happy　to　hear　it；〃　said　Madison。　〃But　when　I　get　finished　with　my　work　here；　you　can　go　back　to　Earth。〃
〃Hah！〃　said　Teenie。　〃I　don't　think　you've　heard　a　single　thing　I　said　about　hostage　queens。　If　Voltar　takes　it　into　its　head　to　invade　Earth；　the　Apparatus　will　knock　off　any　royalty　around　there　or　anybody　calling　themselves　queens　or　kings　and　Endow　will　appoint　me　the　Hostage　Queen　of　Earth。　I　won't　ever　be　able　to　go　back　there　but　Endow　will　get　his　whack　at　the　taxes…　…　〃
〃Teenie；　this　is　madness！〃
〃There　you　go；〃　said　Teenie；　suddenly　speaking　in　a　Park　Avenue　accent；　〃I　try　to　educate　you　in　Palace　City　politics　and　you　insult　me。　And　you're　just　a　moner；　not　Royalty　like　me。〃　She　blew　and　exploded　a　bubble　for　emphatic　emphasis。
They　had　reached　the　coast　and　were　now　departing；　at　six　hundred　miles　an　hour；　across　what　seemed　a　green　and　endless　sea。　No　wonder　the　map　Flick　was　using　looked　so　blank。　It　was　mainly　water。
Madison　nudged　the　footwoman　in　the　front　seat…　he　couldn't　reach　the　driver。　〃Tell　him；〃　he　whispered；　〃to　turn　on　something　that　describes　Relax　Island。〃
〃I'm　not　talking　to　him；〃　the　footwoman　whispered　back。　〃He　says　he's　reformed　and　if　he　doesn't　re…reform；　I'm　going　to　black　his　other　eye。〃
〃You've　already　done　him　damage　enough；〃　whispered　Madison。
〃No；　that　was　his　bedroom　girl。　I　haven't　begun　on　him　yet。〃
Madison　had　the　distinct　sensation　he　was　living　in　a　madhouse。　Teenie　with　her　jabber　about　being　Queen　of　Earth　had　thoroughly　upset　him。　And　now　here　was　another　woman　acting　up。　Oh；　but　his　mother　had　been　right！
He　had　the　sensation　that　his　best…laid　plans　were　going　up　in　smoke。　He　thought　sadly　about　poor　Heller…Wister　as　they　flew　across　what　seemed　an　endless　sea；　going　further　and　further；　as　he　thought；　from　any　sensible　PR　approach。　What　the　blazes　did　Teenie　mean　by　〃military〃？

Chapter　6

Flick；　nervously　navigating　and　driving　at