6th Grade Alien - There's An Alien In My Backpack Part 8

[PLESKIT].

The Last Laugh While Eargon Fooz was carrying us back toward the emba.s.sy I was trying desperately to think of whom I should contact once I got Beebo inside.

I was surprised to find McNally waiting for us at the base of the hook that holds up the emba.s.sy. He looked angry, but I was so relieved to see him I didn't care.

"Where have you been?" he demanded. "Ralph told me you went barreling out of here on Eargon Fooz.

You can't do that, Pleskit! Do you realize-"

I held out the backpack and opened the top.

McNally looked inside. Instantly his expression changed. "What's wrong with him?" he whispered.

"I don't know. We have to get him to the medical room, put him on the Heal-a-tron. The thing is,I don't know how to use it that well. We may have to get someone else to help us."

McNally took the backpack from my hands. "Come on, let's get moving," he said, cradling it gently in his arms. He shook his head. "Man, Pleskit, if we can't keep this under wraps-and right now, I'd say the odds are low-it looks like your father can say goodbye to the biggest stack of money in the galaxy."

"Should we have done something different?" I asked miserably.

McNally didn't say anything, just sort of growled as he shook his head. "What are we gonna do? We can't just let the kid die."

Once we were inside the emba.s.sy we faced the next question-namely, who else to ask for help. The Fatherly One was locked in conference with the Inspection Team. Of course, we could have interrupted by sounding an emergency, but we were still faintly hoping we could handle this in secret-not just for our sake but for Beebo's. The Heal-a-tron is fairly easy to use. Unfortunately, it was only set up for the biology of the beingswho were actually in the emba.s.sy, and I didn't know how to recalibrate it for another species.

"Beezle Whompis is probably our best bet," said McNally. "He's the most apt to be willing to wink at something a little out of line."

But the Fatherly One's secretary had been called into the private conference and was not available.

"Maybe we should callWakkam Akkim," I said. "She can advise us."

To my relief, thewakkam was in her room and hurried to join us as soon as we had contacted her. She took one look at Beebo and, without even asking where he had come from, said, "Who is best at calibrating the Heal-a-tron?"

"The Fatherly One," I replied.

"Then we shall have to call him immediately. I will fetch him myself. I may be able to do it without alerting the Inspection Team to the fact that we have a ... situation."

She hurried from the room.

While we were waiting forWakkam Akkim to return with the Fatherly One, I got a call from the guard shack that Tim and Rafaella had arrived. I told the guard to let them in, and in only a few minutes they joined us in the med room.

We stood around the healing table looking at Beebo's pale form. Rarely have I felt so helpless. His body twitched occasionally but otherwise did not move. He barely seemed to be breathing.

Rafaella stood close to Tim, her shoulder almost touching his. She didn't speak, but occasionally reached out as if she wanted to touch Beebo.

I felt the coldness ofpizumpta creeping over me. What would the Fatherly One say about the trouble I had brought into our home?

What would he say if I cost him the biggest fortune in the galaxy?

And what would it truly mean to the people of Earth if the Fatherly One was removed from his position?

I actually considered hiding behind the door whenWakkam Akkim returned with the Fatherly One.

I don't know what I expected him to do. He didn't scream and yell or anything. He just looked sick.

"What has been going on here?" he asked.

Tim came to stand beside me. I appreciated that. I knew he was stepping forward to take his share of the blame.

"Tim and I have been sheltering this being," I said miserably. "He is from a non-Federation planet. I know he does not belong here, but we did not want to turn him in to the Federation because he really hasn't done anything wrong." "Do you realize what this could cost us?" asked the Fatherly One."Especially now with the Inspection Team here?"

His voice was low and cold, as if he could barely get the words out of his mouth.

Tim and I both nodded miserably.

The Fatherly One looked down at Beebo's tiny body lying on the healing table. He closed his eyes for a moment and shook his head. "All right," he said softly. "I'll deal with you twolater. Our first concern must be for the child. Let's see if we can get this thing to work."

He went to the control panel and began to manipulate the dials, b.u.t.tons, levers, and touchpads. Before long the Heal-a-tron was humming and buzzing. The Fatherly One continued making adjustments, but after a little while he began to mutter to himself. Helook puzzled, then distressed, and finally angry.

"The Heal-a-tron says there is nothing wrong with this boy!"

"Nothing that a good laugh couldn't cure!" cried Beebo, sitting up on the table and smiling.

We looked at him in astonishment. His skin had returned to its normal bright orange. His eyes were wide and sparkling. He seemed the picture of health.

"Was this all a joke?" I asked in horror.

Beebo's face got very serious. "Not quite," he said. "Actually, it was more like a test."

With that, he pushed a b.u.t.ton on his waistband.

"What did you just do?" asked the Fatherly One.

"I have summoned my mentor," said Beebo."Yeeble is a member of the Inspection Team visiting your emba.s.sy and will be here in just a minute."

A sick silence fell over the room.

I couldn't bring myself to look at the Fatherly One. I couldn't stand to think about what we had done to him.

CHAPTER 18.

[PLESKIT].

Final Exam When Sookutan Krimble appeared in the doorway of the medical room, I felt sad and weary. Tim and I had tried so hard to do the right thing, tried hard to do it in a way that would not harm anyone, and we had failed. No, worse than failed. We had been betrayed by the very being we were trying to help. It was all I could do to keep from lunging at Beebo and doing something ... unpleasant.

The Fatherly One would not look at me. I could not tell if it was because he was too angry with me or because he was trying so hard to contain his own emotions.

FrekKrimble stepped into the healing room and gestured for the door to close.

"Well, Meenom,"yeeble said. "It appears you and your childling are not quite as rigidly upstanding as you like to appear."

Now the Fatherly One did look at me, but I could not read his expression. Then he turned back to Sookutan Krimble and said simply, "We did what we thought was right."

I don't think I have ever been more pleased or proud to be his childling.

Sookutan Krimble smiled. "I was wondering how you would respond to our little test. You are softer than you like to pretend."

The Fatherly One pulled himself up and straightened his shoulders. "So this was all arranged as a trap, is that it? All right, we may as well go tell the others of my failure. I am sure rival Traders all across the galaxy will be celebrating when this news is released."

"You misunderstand me," saidFrek Krimble, smiling gently. "You did not fail.Quite the opposite. As far as I am concerned, you did exactly the right thing."

"I still do not understand," said the Fatherly One.

Sookutan Krimble putyeeble's hands on the Fatherly One's shoulders. "Not all of us believe that the ferocity of the Federation when it comes to dealing with nonmember planets is wise or just. Some of us are working to make the peace that sweeps the stars even sweeter and more widespread. You can think of me as part of the in-house resistance. We are, of necessity, working in secret right now. But there are more of us than you might expect, and we are good friends to have. Before I made my report, I wanted to know what kind of being you are, Meenom-what kind of Trader was in line to control such a fantastic resource as the GrandUrpelli. That was why I asked my kribbl-pam"-hereyeeble gestured to Beebo-"to help me conduct a test."

"What's akzibbl-pam?" I asked. "Beebo and I are part of the same family unit," said Sookutan Krimble.

"So your planet isnot non-Federation!" I said to Beebo accusingly.

"I made that part up," he said, grinning broadly. "But most of the rest of what I said was true. I really do have to make field trips, and study humor, and things like that."

"How can you twobe related?" asked Tim, looking back and forth from Beebo to Sookutan Krimble.

"You don't even look like you're part of the same species."

This made Beebo laugh uproariously.

"Our biology is at the complicated end of the life scale," said Sookutan Krimble, smiling. "On Frimbat it takes several different life-forms to make a family unit. Beebo and I come from different yet closely related species."Yeeble rolledyeeble's eyes slightly and added, "Obviously, Beebo's species is far sillier than mine. Yet for this reason we value them greatly. They bring considerable joy to our planet."

"Silly is good!" said Beebo, standing on the table and spreading his arms as if he could embrace the entire world. "Laughter is a virtue! And cuteness is a very useful tool for surviving in the world!"

I figured this must be true, since it was probably the only thing that kept me from killing him for what he had put us through.

Sookutan Krimble sighed. "It would actually have been a better test if mykribbl-pam were not so infernally cute. But you have to work with what you have available."

Yeebleturned to the Fatherly One. "Deep currents are flowing through the politics of the Trading Federation, and things are more complicated than you may have realized, Meenom. Some day I may come to you for help in our struggle to make things better. For now you havemy help and my guarantee that you will pa.s.s this inspection with flying colors. You also have my admiration for your compa.s.sion and wisdom. May the blessings of peace and wealth flow to you, your family, and the planet that is under yourprotection. "

CHAPTER 19.

[TIM] Tokens from the Stars I can't say I was entirely sorry to see Beebo go. He left separately from Sookutan Krimble, of course, since it would have ruined everything if the rest of the Inspection Team had found out about him. I don't think Meenom really felt at ease until Beebo was off the planet altogether.

He left behind the body suit he had been wearing when I first met him. I still have it in my closet. It's a little spooky, since it looks so real.

"What am I going to do with it?" he said, when he asked if I wanted it. "It's not like I can use it to fit in anywhere else."

"I suppose it was never really broken," I said, trying not to sound bitter about the way he had deceived us.

"Actually, it was and still is," said Beebo. "I truly was terrified when that happened, even though I knew my mentor would be arriving soon. Our plan had always been to see if Pleskit and Meenom would offer shelter to an illegal alien. But we didn't know if they would or not, and I was supposed to have my body suit for protection if I needed it."

Late that night Mom and I drove the little guyto a spot ten or fifteen miles outsideSyracuse where he had stashed his s.p.a.ce scooter in an abandoned barn. To keep from being noticed, we put him in an old baby suit of mine that Mom had saved and strapped him into a car seat we borrowed from our downstairs neighbors.

As we drew close to the spot where he had stowed the scooter, Beebo said, "I left a small packet of my favorite tricks and puzzles on your dresser for you, Tim. Sort of a thank-you present for helping me. I even made a translation of the instructions. I think you will have fun with them."

"He'll probably blow himself up," said Mom.

"Oh, I don't think so," said Beebo. "Fewer than half of them are potentially lethal."

"Beebo!" cried Mom, putting on the brakes.

Beebo burst out laughing."Got you, Mrs. Tompkins!"

"I'd rate that as a one," growled Mom."At best." But I could see a smile tugging atboth corners of her mouth. So I guess it really does pay to be cute.

When we got back to the apartment we found that Beebo had left behind more than his body suit and the packet of tricks. (Which looked totally cool, and which I am planning to have a lot of fun with, I can tell you. I'm already trying to figure out some way to give Jordan the "Fizzy Fart Bomb.") He had also left his diary.

"I guess kids are forgetful all over the galaxy," said Mom when I showed it to her. She sounded half amused, half disgusted.

I took the little book from her hands. "Too bad we can't read it," I said. When she didn't answer I glanced up at her. She looked disturbed.

"What's the matter, Mom?"

"Oh, just a thought I had. My father used to say that when people leave something behind, it's because they want an excuse to come back."

"Now, there's a scary idea!"

Mom nodded. "I quite agree. Come on, let's-"

She was interrupted by the doorbell.

"You don't supposeit's Beebo, do you?" I asked nervously.

She took a deep breath. "We'd better go see."

It wasn't. In fact, there was no one there at all. But on the floor, where someone had slid it under the door, was a postcard.

It was a picture of an alien landscape, beautiful but bizarre.