Adam Brodie and the monster from the dark planet

Chapter Thirty Seven

Chapter Thirty Seven

They all materialised in the Nexus. The batteries on the tickling robots were starting to run down and Merl was able to stand, though still chuckling.

"He he he! Where's my...ha ha ha ha.. wand ..he he he?"

"Must have left it back there," said Adam.

"Ha ha ha ha ha! Can't use magic without it. He he he he!"

Merl was shaking with laughter.

"Tough," said Adam.

"What happened?" cried Clifford Watt. "Where am I?"

"You're in the Nexus," said Captain Trinity. "I'm taking you lot to my office where we'll get this sorted out."

He turned to Adam.

"George told me you were all shanghaied. Now get to your lessons. Except you."

He pointed to the Bug.

"My super senses detect you have broken ribs." He turned to Adam. "Oh by the way, my super hearing also picked up your calling me crackers."

Adam felt his face go red. Trinity turned once more, this time to two androids who appeared with a stretcher. They put the stretcher on the floor and helped the Bug onto it. The androids picked him up and scurried away with him. Trinity herded Clifford Watt and his friends before him.

The children had their lessons for that day, mathematics with Einstein, chemistry with Dr Armstrong, music with Blondell and near the end of the day Malcolm and Adam had to go and write the rest of their lines.

They entered the room and found Clifford Watt, Whitesnake and Caliban all busy writing lines. Clifford Watt's video face plate had been repaired.

"I thought they'd throw you out," said Adam. "Where's Merl?"

"Sit down and write your lines," said Miss Zzzz.

They did so and one hour later Adam threw down his pen.

"Finished," he said triumphant. "One thousand lines done. How about you?"

"One more line," said Malcolm. "There, done."

He put down his pen. Adam turned to Clifford Watt and his friends.

"You idiots are just about started. Adios."

Adam and Malcolm left the room laughing. Miss Zzzz glared at them as they left with her single eye. At dinner Adam and Malcolm joined their friends.

"That was a great scrap," said Adam. "And we won, if Jake were here this moment would be perfect."

"Clifford Watt and his mob are writing lines," said Malcolm. "And we finished ours."

"Where's Merl?" said Brigitte.

"No idea but I know somebody who would know."

After dinner Brigitte and Adam went to visit the Bug in Matron's infirmary. As they approached the bed with a screen drawn around it the Bug spoke.

"I know it's you and Brigitte, Adam. Wait while I put on my helmet as I need to hide my secret identity."

Adam and Brigitte looked at each other. Adam realised he was hearing the Bug's voice without the helmet distorting it and it sounded strange as if he had a high pitched voice, and was trying to deepen it. Adam knew it was an attempt to disguise the voice.

They pulled back the screen. The Bug lay with sheets pulled up to his neck and his helmet was firmly on his head. Tiny electric motors adjusted the position and focus of the twin lenses on the helmet.

"How are you?" said Adam.

"I got three broken ribs. Don't make me laugh, its agony."

"We could tickle you."

The Bug laughed and groaned with pain. "Don't make me laugh. Have you seen Clifford Watt?"

"Yeah he and his mates are writing lines. I'm surprised at Caliban. I didn't know a dog could write."

"He's only half dog," said Brigitte.

"I interfaced with the main computer again through my helmet," said the Bug.

"Naughty, naughty," said Adam wagging a finger,

"Merl has been thrown out of the Nexus as he took the whole blame. He said it was his idea and he forced the others to follow him."

"Why would he take the rap?" said Adam.

"He was afraid," said the Bug. "Clifford Watt's father, the Dominator, is very powerful, a cosmic champion gone rogue. He could reach out to Merl's home world and do damage to him and his family. I think Captain Trinity knew it was bogus but he had no proof Merl's statement was a lie, so Merl gets thrown out and Clifford Watt and company get lines."

The Bug pointed to a small cupboard next to him. On it lay Merl's wand.

"I took it and hid it before I tangled with Whitesnake. Merl can't do magic without it. Look what's beside it."

Beside the wand was a small thin aerosol can.

"That can holds a super strain of dry rot spores. I want you to spray the wand with it."

Adam knew that as he came from a world where magic was unknown the wand would be useless to him, and also for Brigitte as she could not use magic. He took up the wand and the can and pressed the top. A fine mist from the can struck the wand.

"Don't breathe it in," said the Bug. "It's nasty stuff. Okay that's enough. Now we wait."

They waited for a minute or so and then the wand crumbled to dust.

"That is fast," said Adam.

"Told you," said the Bug.

Matron appeared. "You aren't upsetting my patient are you?"

"No," said Adam. "We're just being rotters."

The children laughed and the Bug groaned again.

"Matron get them out. They keep making me laugh and its torture."

"Come on you two," said Matron. "Leave my patient alone. Out."

They left the infirmary. Adam went out of the building and, before it was bed time, he sparred with Malcolm who showed him the correct way to fight with a quarter staff.

"Good," said Malcolm. "I'll make a Merry Man out of you yet?"

"You really think so?" said Adam.

Malcolm nodded, and then struck him across the knee with the end of the quarter staff.

"Your guard was down."

The next morning they assembled for breakfast. Adam limped to the table sat down and massaged his wrist.

"My hand hurts from writing all those lines. I wonder how Clifford's getting on?"

"What happened to your leg?" said Brigitte.

"Me and Malcolm were sparring and he got a crafty strike in."

The Bug appeared and sat down.

"Hello?" said Adam. "I thought you had three broken ribs?"

"All fixed," said the Bug. "Matron can cure a rainy day. No pain. I even got my breastplate fixed. You remember it got bent out of shape by my crash with Whitesnake? I really enjoyed that fight, especially as we won."

Everyone at the table was of the same opinion.