Repercussions
Sandra Tennyson was a bit of a mess when the family picked their son up from the jail. They had mortgaged the house to come up with their portion of the bail money, and Ben was almost wishing he was back in his cell. He didn't feel like he was on bail when he had a monitoring bracelet on his leg. Ben was thoroughly miserable–the worst he'd felt since Ester dumped him, really. He wanted to see his kids, and he wanted to see Attea. It was clear that neither of those things was going to happen, so he focused on what was right in front of him.
"What's been going on, dad," asked Ben? "They raided our house," sighed Carl. "They took all of Attea's things... The clothes you bought her, even the stuff from the baby-shower." Sandra wailed, "it's like they're taking her away from us!" She had been crying since the cops drove away into the night. "Grand-dad's probably got some idea how to fix this," said Ben. "I'll go see him..." "Ben," sighed Carl. "I talked to Grampa Max. He's... He's not going to get involved. Says it's for our own good..." Ben's face froze, and Carl could tell he was angry. "Ok," said Ben. "On our own, then. Who do we have on our side?" Carl laughed. "You, me, your mother...," he sighed. "Maybe Dr. Rush. They hit her place too." "Take me to Dr. Rush," said Ben.
Betty Rush was in the middle of having a new door fitted to the entry of her clinic. Since nobody was around, the cops had knocked the door in–and called her after the fact. Seeing the Tennysons drive up, she forgot all about the door, her clinic, and her practice. She had been worried about them. Just now, she was even more worried about Attea.
Dr. Rush met the car as it was pulling into a parking spot. Before the Tennysons could get out, Betty was at the other passenger door, insisting, "we need to talk. I know somewhere that's probably safe." Ben unlocked the door, and, when Betty Rush was buckled in, they took off, leaving the doctor's partner to deal with the mess.
"They took Attea's file," said Dr. Rush. "Everything I had on her. All her tests, all her personal information. It's forming the basis of her case." At Ben's frown, she explained, "they plan to claim she's only fifteen, Ben. Biologically, it's true. Attea may be sixteen according to the clock, but physically she's not. Without some kind of Incursean birth certificate, there's no way we can prove anything different." Carl asked, "Ben? Could we get something like that?" "Probably," said Ben. "Attea's from the Royal Family. They would have kept records." Only problem was that they had to have access to the Incursean computers for that.
"Did they take Attea's jacket," asked Ben? "That ugly purple jacket," sniffed Sandra? "I-I think so." Ben muttered curses. Attea kept her comlink there. Without it, he was locked out of the Incursean mainframe. Betty was more worried about Attea. She was blocked from going in to see her. There were two cops outside her door. "And I had to convince her not to keep a weapon," sighed Ben. Part of him was glad he had. There'd be two dead cops now. The other part of him was ashamed because she was alone and vulnerable.
Betty said, "they're escalating the whole thing, Ben. You should be prepared for them to say you attacked her. They're trying to use my findings to bolster their case." Ben's face went red hot. Now he understood why his lawyer wanted him to plead guilty. But he'd never get to see his kids or wife again. Vanos Myrdral would kill them.
Taking his phone out of his pocket, Ben called Rook. This was really his last hope. "Yeah, Rook, it's me," said Ben. "I need your help." On the other end of the line, Rook Blonko found himself at a loss for words for a change. "Magister Tennyson was just here, Ben," sighed Rook. "We have been asked to suspend you indefinitely. The Bellwood city government has indicated that they will seek sanctions from the United Nations if we do not." "Thanks, Rook," sighed Ben. "Ben, if there is anything I can do," said Rook. Ben swiftly answered, "you'll have to look in on Attea, Rook. I can't." "I will go and see her as soon as I can," replied the Rehvonnagander. Ben hung up. Heather Blake had them cornered.
Betty Rush thought a minute. "Their whole case hinges on Attea being too young to make decisions," she opined. Frowning, Ben nodded. "There's at least one person who could claim otherwise," said Betty. To Carl, she said, "take me to your father's shop." Ben knew what she was thinking. "He hates both of us," muttered Ben. Betty replied, "nothing beats a failure but a man who never tries."
Carl drove the family down to Plumber HQ. While they drove, Ben told her what he knew of Milleous. Some of it she'd already heard from Attea. Some of it was new, and some of it was so shocking, it left her staring. It was little wonder their little frog-girl was such a wreck. Still, forewarned was fore-armed. As they pulled up to Max's Plumbing, Betty was as armed as she could be. Without a word, she got out of the car and headed inside.
The young man behind the counter looked like your typical highschooler, helping out in mom and dad's shop. He could have been one of Betty's kids. Betty knew he was one of Ben's colleagues just by looking at him. Walking straight up to him–ignoring the couple who was already there–Betty said, "I need to go downstairs. I want to talk to the bullfrog about his daughter..." When the young couple tried to argue, she told them to talk to the hand. Her eyes never left the young Plumber's eyes. "Go get Tennyson if you have to," said Betty, "but I'm not leaving until I see Milleous."
All the men in the headquarters knew about Ben Tennyson's girl problem. The young man picked up the phone and called. Minutes later, Ben's grandfather came walking out the back door behind the counter. Gruffly, Max growled, "you wanted to see me?" "No," retorted Betty. "I came t'see the bullfrog. If I have to go through you, so be it." Anger was plain on Max's face. He hadn't wanted this woman involved, and he'd been rather irritated when Sandra took Princess Attea to see her. This opinionated woman was sticking her nose into business that she didn't have any understanding of, and now it had his grandson sitting in a cell.
Rather than have that rather nasty conversation in front of his 'customers', Max beckoned for the woman to come into the back room. Shutting the door on the shocked and confused couple in the shop, Max opened the elevator and gestured for his unwanted guest to get in. As the elevator began its descent, he turned to the good doctor and said, "I asked you to keep your nose out of this, but you didn't listen..."
Betty well remembered the surprise visit to her practice, and she was just as angry about that visit as he was. He'd called her a meddler and a fool, and those were the high-points of a rather ugly conversation. "Save it," muttered Betty. "I'm not interested. You sound like every other man in authority–hiding behind rules to dodge your responsibility. You've dodged leveling with the rest of us about the aliens among us, Magister, and now Ben and Attea get to pay for all the lies you've told. Max flinched at those hard words and the suggestion that he was hanging his grandson out to dry. At the same time, he knew she was right, even if she didn't understand the reasons. It felt wrong compromising his principles for politics. At the same time, knowing what Betty Rush was going to try, he wanted to prepare her for what she was going to face.
"Look," said he. "I know what you're trying to do, but it's not going to work..." Betty glared at him. "He's a glorified mobster, Mrs. Rush," said Max Tennyson. "Eye-for-an-eye and all that. Attea's his kid, but he'd drop her in a heartbeat to have a chance to be out of that cell and back on the throne." Which Betty already suspected. A man who would use his ten-year-old child as an assassin was a despicable piece of trash who didn't belong in society. She had to try, though. If there was an ounce of decency there that she could exploit...
The elevator stopped, and Max Tennyson led the way as they stepped out into the cold, frosty depths of the Plumbers' base. The Magister led the way around the circular prison level to Milleous's prison. The place was like no prison Betty was familiar with. It was eerily sterile. There was no sound. There were no smells. Just the ever-present chill. "We keep them quarantined," said Max. "Some of them have parasites and diseases that are harmful to humans." Betty nodded. She imagined they would. Milleous was awake and reading at a terminal when they reached his cell. Max keyed the control-pad at the entry, changing the forcefield from opaque to transparent, revealing Attea's father in all his ugly glory. Just as Ben had said, male Incurseans were nothing to look at.
"New Plumber, Tennyson," rumbled the old bullfrog as he gathered himself to his feet. He was corpulent, and Betty imagined that heart-disease was in the process of killing him even as they spoke. They'd gotten to Attea just in time. A glance at the table showed the very same medications that Attea would soon be on. "A visitor," muttered Max. Turning to Betty, he said, "we're already breaking a hundred rules, Mrs. Rush. Make it quick. You've got ten minutes."
Max stepped away from the cell and walked down the cell-bay a fair bit. Betty felt a thrill of fear at being alone with this creature–with just a blue light as her only defense. Imperiously, the creature demanded, "who're you?" "I'm your daughter's physician, Your Majesty," replied Betty. The old frog's face wavered a moment. "She's alright, isn't she," he asked? It was the barest hint of concern, suggesting there was a bit of fatherly love in him after all. "She's healthy, Your Majesty," replied Betty, "but she's in trouble..." Suspiciously, he asked, "what kind of trouble?" "Legally," sighed Betty, "Attea is a minor here on Earth. Due to her pregnancy, she was forced to seek medical..." "What," howled Milleous?! "Somebody been screwin' my kid?! I'll cut his pieces off!"
Betty interrupted him in mid rant, announcing, "Attea married Magister Tennyson's grandson, Your Majesty. Six months ago. I'm guessing you didn't get her message." The bullfrog's face darkened. "Didn't read it," he muttered. "Still pissed that she had me locked up in this place." His fist pounded into the wall, startling Betty. He was stronger than he looked, and he looked quite strong. His eyes narrowed on her, "that skinny little shit's been romancing my kid? I thought he turned her down..." Betty knew she was wasting precious time, but she thought he was due an explanation. "After your brother marooned them on a distant planet, Attea persuaded him to change his mind," she answered. "Anyways, the government here is saying she's too young to make that decision..." The bullfrog frowned at her, wondering what her angle was.
"Currently Attea is being held in a facility for runaway children," sighed Betty. "Mr. Tennyson is being held on suspicion of abduction." Which cracked the old bullfrog up. Pounding the wall with a fist, he howled laughter at her. Between chortles of unholy mirth, he stammered out, "so what's that got t'do with me?" "You have the power to straighten this out," said Betty. "Write me a letter that I can take to the state. Give Ben and Attea your blessing to get married." "Never," snarled Milleous! "I'll never allow some half-ape pups on my throne! Never! If that little bitch can't keep her legs closed, it ain't my problem!" Which was exactly what she'd been afraid he'd say.
"Look," sighed Betty, "I know what they did was wrong, but it's water under the bridge now. You have three beautiful grandchildren. Maybe I could arrange for you to see them..." The frog got right up on the forcefield, and his red eyes burned into hers. She was terrified, and she knew he could sense it. Reaching out, he slammed his fist into the forcefield, causing electricity to arc through him and making her jump back. He looked little the worse for wear, and Betty found herself close to pissing her pants.
Nodding respectfully, Milleous said, "you got guts, doll. I'll give you that. You care about that little bitch, huh?" "I do," sighed Betty. "Bitch put me in here," snarled the bullfrog. "I raised her, and I didn't kill her ungrateful bitch of a mammy, when she tried to do me too. This is the thanks I get..." He threw up his hands, indicating his cramped little cell. Betty was tempted to remind him of the things he'd done to Attea, including that little trip to stasis-jail. Realizing that the reminder of his transgressions against his kid would be counter-productive, Betty held fire.
"Tell you what, doll-face," said Milleous, "you get that grey-haired ape t'let me out, I'll sign this letter you're wantin'." Which was exactly what Betty expected and precisely what Max Tennyson had said would happen. "No, deal," announced Betty. "I can have some people look into your sentence, but I don't think the charges'll get dropped." "Then take a message outta here... Got this Sotoraggian chick that works f'er me. Name's EightEight. Let her know where I am." That was the bitch who'd tried to blow Attea up. Coldly, Betty told him, "no. Deal." "Hope the Magister's kid likes jail," laughed Milleous as he turned away from the cell-door. It was clear the conversation was done.
Max came back and walked her to the elevator. His eyes said, 'I told you so' without his lips once moving. "I had to try," sighed Betty. As they rode the elevator, Betty found herself looking at the man who was studiously avoiding looking at her. An older man, he had been Magister Tennyson for longer than Ben had been alive. Betty knew that he had to know all the ins and outs of the business of enforcing the law against extra-terrestrials. "Can't you do anything," asked Betty Rush?
Max's eyes found the floor, and he said, "my hands are tied, Dr. Rush. I've been called on the carpet half a hundred times for things Ben has done over the years. Right now, my job is to coax the governments of Earth together to at least consider ratifying some kind of international government–something the Plumbers Union can negotiate with. If that doesn't happen, then we'll always be second-class citizens in the galaxy without any say in what goes on in our own solar system and without the means to defend ourselves."
She could tell this was eating him up, and she saw that he really did love his grandson. "My sons never wanted anything to do with all of this," said Max. "They didn't want to be reminded that their mother was an alien, and they didn't want to follow dad around the galaxy. They grew up right here, and that's where they wanted to stay. Ben was the only one of my family who wanted to follow in my footsteps."
And follow he had. Right down to marrying a mad woman from outer space, who rarely thought of all the consequences of the things that she did and who was capable of scorching the world if that suited her fancy. Max had wanted Ben to pursue Julie Yamamoto–to try and win her back–but Ben had been too hurt to even consider it, and a normal life had passed him by. As the elevator reached the surface, Betty told him, "I'm sorry for what I said..." "Don't be," muttered Max. "On some level, I deserve it. Just because I have to do it, doesn't make it any less true."
Betty went her way, leaving the Magister alone in his little kingdom feeling all the impotence of a powerful man presented with something he had no power over. It made Betty feel no better for having rubbed his face in it, than when she'd arrived. She was just as far from saving Ben and Attea as she was when she'd come, and they were now out of options.
As she closed the door to Carl's car, Betty broke the bad news. "Just like you guessed, Ben," sighed Betty. "He wouldn't budge." Ben nodded. "They have a love-hate relationship, Doc," sighed Ben. "Milleous would kill anybody for hurting her, but he's not going to lift a finger to help her either. She... She committed the ultimate betrayal when she turned him over to us." "So what do we do now," asked Carl?
"There's one last thing we can do," said Ben. Every face there turned to face his. "We need an adult to legally give Attea and I permission to be married," said Ben. "After that, the state's got no case..." Frowning, Betty nodded. That was true. She didn't see how they were going to magically conjure a parent for Attea, and she said so. "Unless you're planning to go spring her mother from stasis jail," said Carl. Sandra shivered. Attea had told her all about her so-called mother. Sandra didn't want that bitch anywhere near her daughter-in-law.
"I've got somebody else in mind," said Ben. "Mom? Dad? Remember when I invited Zack Saturday over? You got to meet his parents..." Carl shouted, "Ben! That's brilliant!" He could already see what his son was thinking. "I don't think we can make them Attea's guardians retroactively," interrupted Betty. "Yeah," said Ben. "We can. Doc and Drew have spent their lives hiding prehistoric animals from people and making the rest of the world think they were either extinct or fictitious. They used to troll websites and erase data or insert information..." "So you're thinking we can insert a file saying Attea was adopted," said Betty. Nodding, Ben said, "I know we can." Drawing his comlink from his pocket, he said, "I better get hold of them before Grampa decides to disable my phone." They didn't want this on Verizon for the NSA to grab.