"Not now, Jim. I am too tired to listen."
"But not too tired to listen to this. Right now we need a complete change.
What do you say to a picnic in a leafy dell in Sharwood Forest? With
champagne."
"A lovely idea, but the shopping. . ."
"Has been already done. I have a complete picnic, basket and all, in the
stasis freezer. Everything from caviar to Roc's eggs. We have but to sling
it into the hoverfloat, along with plenty of bubbly drink, and let joy
begin."
And so it did. While Angelina slipped into something picnicky, I slipped the
picnic hamper into the hoverfloat-humming happily as I did so for we had
been working too hard of late. We must escape the daily grind. A change of
scenery. In the nearby forest, which was one of the few green spots on the
painfully boring planet of Usti nad Labam. The landscape was all dark
satanic techno-factories run by computer nerds. It was a pleasure to rob
them. Using the most advanced hacking techniques I had slipped some software
into the operating system of a prominent broker. With this I could slow
their input of information by varying lengths of time. With this advance
knowledge I could buy before a price rise-then sell at the higher price.
Neat.
A favor to them really, because when the scam was eventually discovered, I
truly believe that the resultant news stories and jolly police chases would
give them something to think about for a change. Instead of the incessant
RAM, ROM, PROM. In our own way Angelina and I were benefactors, bringing joy
into otherwise boring lives. The price was a small one for them.
Infinitesimal. Angelina joined me and we were up, up and away.
The engine roared forcefully, the air rushed by swiftly, and we held hands
compassionately as our transport of delight soared skyward.
"Wonderful," Angelina breathed.
"Merda, " I growled as a police warning bleeped and blinked on the console.
There it was-a police cruiser swooping towards us. I stamped hard on the
power.
"Please don't," Angelina said, placing a gentle hand on my arm. "Let us not
spoil the day with a sizzling chase. Could we just stop, smile at the
police? Not you, me. All you have to do is pay the fine. I will charm the
police, you pay their fine, and we will then go on."
It made sense. There was no point in spoiling our day out before it really
started. I sighed dramatically and, with great reluctance, eased off.
Our speed dropped.
