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The meeting proceeded with much fanfare and an air of celebration — it is, after all, not very often that anyone receives an invitation to join an interplanetary federation — but Allen felt he should seek out Tommy afterwards.
He brought his aide, Trisight, along and found Tommy sitting on a nearby park bench.
“Thank you for helping us, young one, but I can’t help but notice you still seem to be unhappy.”
“I don’t know,” Tommy said. “I’m not sure you should trust Ellie.”
This surprised Allen. “It was not very long ago that you were saying I am the one who can’t be trusted.”
“I know, and I guess I kind of like you now that you admitted you’re an alien and all. It’s just that Ellie has a way of promising things that sound great but don’t come true.”
“What do you mean?”
“Oh, she’ll say everyone should vote for her and everything will get better, and what do you know, they don’t get better.”
“I see,” Allen said, exchanging a glance with his silent aide.
“So when she says she’s real happy to join your federation, I’m not sure she’s telling the truth,” said Tommy.
“Why wouldn’t she be happy?”
“I don’t know. I think she likes to be the boss.”
“Our federation doesn’t have bosses,” Allen said. “We leave each planet alone to follow its own path.”
“She’ll probably want to boss you around anyway. It’s what she does.”
“That can’t happen,” said Trisight, breaking his silence.
“Doesn’t mean she won’t try.”
Allen thought about this news. “We will proceed with caution,” he said.
“What does that mean?” Tommy asked.
“We will be careful about giving Ellie an opportunity to try to boss us around,” Allen said.
“Good idea,” Tommy said. “Just don’t let her know I warned you. She can get crabby with people who get in her way.”
Just then Ellie appeared with Count Duckula at her side.
“My!” she said. “Am I interrupting anything?”
“Of course not,” Allen said. “How can we help you?”
“I want to know more about how your federation works,” said the smiling duck leader. “If we wanted or needed something to be done, how would we go about getting it done?”
“I gotta go,” said Tommy, and he scooted away.
Ellie looked at Count Duckula. “Be a dear and follow him.”
“Why?” Allen and Count Duckula said together.
“To — make sure he gets home safely, of course.”
Trisight stepped forward to stand at Duckula’s side. “I will join the count so that you two can have a chat.”
This did not appear to please Ellie, but she agreed, and the two sidekicks followed after Tommy.
“Now, Allen,” Ellie said with a big smile. “About my question …?”
Continued next Saturday
