Postcards From the Beyond - Chapter 8

The brig was dark and smelly. Bars of pure energy blocked the door and gave out the only light. Gileon sat dejectedly in a corner on a hard bench and nibbled his tail.
“Who is this Jaon Rattenbury? And what does he want me for?” Sebastian wondered aloud as he examined the cell for any way of escape.
“He's the greatest Space Pirate of the Seven Galaxies. Orff Burill, Ultimate High Chief of the Intergalactic Space Police has been after him for years, but Rattenbury always outwits him,” Gileon mumbled nervously.
“He can't be that clever if he lets his ship get impounded and can't even find a postcard!” Sebastian said.
“But Rattenbury has special powers. Something called The Glamour. I guess you'd say it was like mind control, he can project his will onto others to get them to do whatever he wants. I bet the crew of this whole ship are in his thrall.”
“Ahh! So that's why you were so willing to give up your postcards to him back on Earth!” Sebastian said with realisation.
“Yes, but you resisted The Glamour, you've caught his interest, that's why he's brought you along.” Gileon actually began to whimper and Seb's mind couldn't help thinking of the stories of alien abduction he'd read. Would this Rattenbury creature dissect him to find out how he resisted this Glamour thing? Sebastian shuddered and tried to put his mind to more immediate matters, like how to get out of here.
Sebastian paced the small cell listening to the sounds of activity overhead as the ship got under way. There was no guard on the door, but escape was impossible. Seb wondered what Maddy was doing now. Had she told Mum and Dad? They would never believe her. His wondering was abruptly halted when he saw movement out the corner of his eye.
Then there she was, bathed in the blue tinged light of the bars, his sister, Madeleine. She grinned at him. Seb rushed up to her.
“What on Earth are you doing here?” he whispered, his heart thumping with both joy and fear.
“We're not on Earth for a start! And it's not fair that you get to go into space and I don't!” She made a sulky face which was rather spoiled by the grin that kept making the corners of her mouth twitch. “So I jumped into the portal-thingy right after you, I've been hiding ever since.” She let the grin loose now; she was clearly very pleased with herself.
“Oh dear! You silly young creature!” Gileon had joined them now, curious about who Sebastian was talking to. “You could have ended up anywhere... or nowhere!” he shuddered at the thought. “And now there are three of us where we don't belong!”
“You were very brave,” Seb told his sister, he felt rather proud of her, “but we have to get out of here! We have to stop this Jaon Rattenbury and get home before we're missed! Can you get us out of this cell?”
Maddy nodded confidently.
“I watched them lock you in. There's a keypad, and a code, I think I can remember it.” She disappeared around the edge of the cell and they could here her straining to reach the keypad. There was a series of tones and then the bars diffused with a crackle of energy. Sebastian stepped through into the corridor.
“Thanks,” he whispered, “what now?” he turned to Gileon who was peering out of the cell. He didn't seem to dare step out, maybe he thought if he stayed put, he wouldn't get into any more trouble at least. Sebastian reached out and pulled Gileon into the corridor.
“We need your help,” Seb whispered urgently. Gileon gave a resigned sigh.
“Um, er, the portal, we need to get to the Portal Room,” he said at last.
“Where is it?” Seb began, but then a great shadow fell across them. It was Clump. How such a huge creature had crept up on them so silently they didn't even have time to think about before all three of them were clamped securely in the creatures tight grip.

“What's this,” Captain Rattenbury asked, looking up from the holographic plans and diagrams flickering before him as Clump entered with the prisoners. They had been brought to the captain’s state room. There was a large table containing many documents, and the tall slender alien called Taka, was there too.
Maddy ran forward upon seeing Jaon and hugged the surprised captain round the middle. She was delighted to see him again. Jaon awkwardly tried to extract himself from her grasp.
“Stow-away Capt'n! Found her helping the others escape,” Clump reported. Jaon's expression momentarily became impressed. He was amazed that this small human creature had acted with such bravery. Maddy grinned up at him, completely unafraid.
“I don't have time to deal with this! Give them the run of the ship,” Jaon said after much thought. Taka made a clucking noise as if he disapproved, but the captain just shot him an irritated look with one eye.
“There's no way off the ship so don't even try, and you'd better stay out of mischief,” Jaon warned them. Maddy gave a yelp of delight and squeezed Jaon even harder making his eyes pop. “Clump, keep an eye on them, and have the Portal Room guarded round the clock. Now you'd better take them to the galley and get them fed.”
Finally he added, “Welcome aboard the Dusky Moon.” With that he turned back to his maps and plans and Clump herded them out of the room.
“Those plans were of the DMM complex,” Gileon whispered to Sebastian as Clump lead them below decks once more, “they're planning a raid to get that postcard back.”
“We have to stop them!” Seb whispered back.