〃Eighteen point；〃 he said； 〃quote Madison on Edge of Cliff。〃
〃What？〃 said Flick。
〃Go home；〃 said Madison。 〃We need rest。 Tomorrow is going to be an awful day。〃
At that very second； but more than twenty…two light…years away； the object of Madison's concern； Jettero Heller； was not shivering in any dark cave。 He was riding down Fifth Avenue； New York City； Earth； deafened by the roar of the ticker…tape parade that was celebrating the investiture of new top officials for New York； but which was being led by Babe after her assumption of the title Capa di Tutti Capi and whom people were now starting to call 〃Queen Babe。〃 Heller； resplendent in U。 S。 Army full dress； on the seat beside her； was smiling into the newsreel and TV cameras； totally oblivious of the storm that threatened his whole future on Voltar and his good name and the future existence of Earth as well。 The Countess Krak； on the other side； wasn't smiling。 She had a premonition that was giving her nightmares。
Chapter 5
Madison； as ordered…what else could he do？ … was before the entrance of Teenie's palace at the crack of dawn。 His fingernails were not in very good shape： he had been chewing them all night。
A guard captain came out； saw Madison and promptly went back in。 When he came out a second time； he was buckling an electric saber around his silver tunic and he was followed by two sergeants with electric battle…axes。 They took positions beside the airbus door； waiting for Queen Teenie to emerge。
Madison was in no mental state for any kind of a wait。 The morning had already started badly enough。 Flick； at the townhouse； when he got into the car； was seen to have an eye that was rapidly turning black。 His footwoman had gotten in； disdainfully aloof； and then during flight had elaborately ignored Flick。
From various veiled remarks； Madison had gathered that Flick had been incautiously raving about Hightee Heller and both his bedroom girl and his footwoman had cleaned up on him。
Women！ thought Madison。 They were always trouble。
And here came more trouble： Teenie； in a suit that was a shimmering jet black； came out the door； drawing on a pair of long； red gloves。 She was wearing her crown pulled forward on her forehead and her ponytail was swishing out behind like the tail of an angry cat。
She didn't ment on the car。 She simply got in and took the best seat。
The guard captain got in and then both sergeants。
〃Where in hell do you think you're going？〃 Teenie said to the guard captain。
〃We're not going to trust you with that man；〃 the guard captain said； pointing at Madison。
〃You got good sense；〃 said Teenie。 〃He's a PR and they don't deliver； never。〃
At that moment the major…domo； very portly； came running down the stairs； clutching rolls of scrolls and trying at the same time to get into his ceremonial robe。 He sprang into the airbus。
It did not leave much room for Madison and he had to sit on a ledge across from Teenie。
〃Where are we going？〃 said Madison。
The major…domo ignored him and； leaning forward； passed a slip of paper to Flick。 The driver looked at it； glanced back to see if the doors were closed and then took off。
Thinking that they were going into Government City or some such place； Madison was very alarmed when； having emerged from the gate and gone through the nausea that always resulted from the violent time shift； Flick headed the airbus west of south。
As they built altitude； the desert wind devils dwindling in size； Madison tried to lean forward and see the map on Flick's screen。 It looked blank！
The alarm on Madison's face must have been very pronounced。 Teenie scowled at him and said； 〃Take it easy； buster。 You've got a long ride。 Three hours at the very least。〃
Madison reached for a music panel and turned it on； hoping that it would soothe the savage womanly breast。 Then maybe she would tell him what this was all about。
Teenie reached over right after him and turned it off。 〃I don't want anything spoiling my concentration。 I got a whole military campaign to plan。〃
〃Military？〃 he gagged。
〃Of course！ You have gone palsy…walsy with Gris and I just gave up on you。 Stronger measures are indicated； buster。 And don't try to pry out of me the battle plan。 For all I know； you're just acting as a spy for Hisst。 Militarying and spying go hand in hand。〃
She had been talking to him in English and Madison continued in the same language。 〃I'm no spy； Teenie。 I'm on your side。〃
〃That remains to be seen；〃 said Teenie。 They rode for a while and then Teenie seemed to have pleted her plans； for she popped a piece of bubble gum in her mouth as though to celebrate and a small smile began to play around her oversized and now busy lips。
〃I should know where we're going；〃 said Madison。 〃After all； I've got a right to know where I may have to walk back from。〃
〃You wouldn't ever walk back from the place we're bound；〃 said Teenie。 〃Not unless you brought a pair of Jesus shoes。 It's an island； two thousand miles southwest； surrounded by the sea。〃
〃Are you running away or something？〃 said Madison。
〃Boy； did you ever get up into a fog。 Too early for you； I guess。 I own the place！〃
〃You own an island？〃
〃Sure； mac。 It's the place Queen Hora died。〃
〃Was she exiled？〃 said Madison。
〃Oh； hell no； Madison。 She just got tired of smuggling her officers into Palace City and； as she was getting old； she simply moved to her island。 It's part of the Treaty of Flisten。〃
〃Teenie； you're losing me。〃
〃Well； you ought to be like me and do your homework。 I been sweating it out with the major…domo here and I got it all straight。 I bet you thought I was a fake queen。〃
〃Oh； no；〃 lied Madison。 〃The thought never crossed my mind！〃
〃Oh； yes； you did。 I can tell。 So let me put you straight； buster。 I'm the real article。 No fakery about it； pletely different from your profession。 You see； Queen Hora was what they call a Hostage Queen。 You got to know a lot about treaties and things。 And I'm getting to be pretty expert now。
〃About thirty thousand years ago； Voltar conquered the planet Flisten。 The only reason the planet surrendered finally was Voltar promising that the Royal Family of Flisten would be preserved。 This was all right with Voltar because it gave them an axe to hold over Flisten's head and the Royal Family was moved to Palace City as hostages。 It's a pretty mon Voltar maneuver： there's four or five such hostage families in Palace City。
〃Anyway； the Flisten Royal line finally dwindled out because Queen Hora； in spite of all her time in bed； never had any children。 And when she died on Relax Island… … 〃
〃So that's the name of the place we're going to；〃 said Madison。
〃Don't interrupt；〃 said Teenie。 〃I'm trying to plete your education。 So when Queen Hora died on Relax Island about fifty years ago； it put the Exterior Division on the spot。 You see； the maintenance of the Flisten Royal Palace…my palace…and the Flisten island… my island…was paid for out of Flisten taxes。 The treaty was executed by the Exterior Division even though the planet is now under the Interior Division。 The Flisten Royal Family stayed under the Exterior Division… … 〃
〃You're getting me all mixed up。〃
〃You don't need any help。 Get the wax out of your ears and listen。 So when Queen Hora died； it put the Exterior Division on the spot； like I been trying to tell you if you'd just stop fidgeting。 Old Endow and the other officials count on the Flisten taxes for graft。 And they been trying to justify to the Flisten taxpayers how e they still paid the Royal tax。 And when I showed up； Endow put me in the slot。 The old treaty is still valid； the Exterior Division still get their rake…off and everybody is happy as clams。 Of course； I can't never go there； because that's part of the treaty； but I'm the real Queen of Flisten； sure enough。 It's even awfully legal： about ten years ago His Majesty； Cling the Lofty； issued an order to Endow to head off a Flisten tax revolt by appointing a Hostage Queen of Flisten。 But old Endow couldn't find anyone that wasn't from the Confederacy and who could be trusted to keep their mouths shut about the graft。 So when Too…Too showed up and Endow was ecstatic over him； the old （bleepard） suddenly remembered the order and with one stroke of the pen； between strokes on