Before Riff Raff could react further, he was silenced by Magenta…a very confused Magenta. "Riff Raff, nothing happened. I'm fine."
Riff Raff was flooded with indescribable relief, tears running down his face. "Thank the gods you're all right." Then, after a moment, confusion overtook him as well. "I don't understand."
Frank smiled, having made what appeared to be a remarkable recovery from the trauma of staring death in the face. "It's quite simple. As it happens, we did remember you kept a laser in your quarters." At his words, he was joined by Rocky and Columbia, who had been waiting just outside the open door. In Rocky's hand was a laser, seemingly identical to the one in Riff Raff's possession. However, the similarities ended with outward appearances. Rocky's laser was very real, and very lethal.
Frank continued, his chatty tone making it sound as if he were having a pleasant conversation with an old friend. "We switched the lasers while you and Magenta were having breakfast. After all, we didn't want murder added to your already lengthy list of crimes. Besides, you should know how much we actors love to play with props."
Riff Raff and Magenta stared at him, completely stunned. Frank's smile widened as he saw their reaction. "You look surprised. Please allow me to explain further. Earlier this morning, I spoke with Adrianna. It was actually she who told me about the coup." Frank saw no reason to mention the Earthlings' involvement. Better to keep them out of it. "Your 'ally', General Luna, was actually acting on her orders. He has provided her with a list of all participants, and they are all to be arrested tomorrow. You two, however, are special. Due to your exalted positions, you get to be taken into custody a day early. I really should commend you, Riff Raff, on your decision to put holding cells in the basement. At the time, I must admit I didn't see the point. However, they will indeed prove immensely useful." He spoke his next words with a delicious sense of irony. "To sum up…I'm your new commander. You are now my prisoners."
Frank walked over to join Columbia and Rocky. "By the way, the three of us hope you enjoyed the performance. We planned this because we know how much you fancy these little dramas. How did it feel to be the object of willful manipulation? Did you learn anything valuable from the experience, now that the shoe was on, as they say, the other foot?"
Frank, dropping his facade of mock amusement, then turned to face Magenta. "Magenta, despite everything, I need to thank you for attempting to save my life. Even if your main motive was to keep Riff Raff from getting into even more serious trouble, I still appreciate it."
Magenta smiled faintly. "To be honest, that may have been my main motive, but not my only one."
Frank nodded, a pensive smile on his face. After a moment of silence, he said, "Rocky, would you and Columbia please take Riff Raff and Magenta down to the holding cells? I must contact Adrianna and let her know everything has gone according to plan."
By the time Rocky and Columbia returned from the basement, Frank had concluded his conversation with Adrianna. "How did it go?"
Rocky grinned. "Magenta didn't say a word. However, Riff Raff spoke enough for both of them. He isn't quite ready to concede defeat. Given his inflated sense of his own importance, I suppose that isn't particularly surprising."
Frank sat down on Riff Raff's bed and put his head in his hands. "Words cannot describe how happy I am that task is completed." He looked up again and smiled. "It did go smashingly well, though. That may have been the finest performance I've ever given."
His companions laughed. Columbia then asked, "How's Adrianna?"
Frank replied, "She's fine. Everything is set for the arrests tomorrow, and she should be in route to Earth as we speak. She was already in her ship, waiting to hear from us so she could take off." He sighed. "I can't wait to see her. Our lives pull us in different directions much of the time, but this has been the longest we've ever been apart."
Rocky smiled at him. "Exactly what are the odds the two of you will actually manage to make it to the dinner table tomorrow night?"
Laughing, Frank responded, "That dinner is her party. For better or for worse, we'll be there." He stood up. "In light of her pending arrival tomorrow, as well as that of our dinner guests, I suppose we have some additional planning to do. At least this time it will be for considerably more pleasant purposes."