<meta name="LineWrap" content="true"><TITLE>SR_Bk1 0145</TITLE><A HREF="SR_Bk1-0146.txt">Next (Page 146)</A><BR><P><P>"For us--but what about the cars?"<P><P>"Hmm--think I should destroy that much fence? Or just use one of the cars to do it?"<P><P>"Well, I guess we can use one of the cars--or find an exit somewhere."<P><P>"Okay," Ferrajalt said as he climbed through the hole.<P><P>Treyess followed as Ferrajalt stood surveying the wonderful vista of vehicles.<P><P>"What do they say on the side?" Treyess asked.<P><P>"I don't know--I think it's just the Derolbam Police Force regular emblem. But let's find out!"<P><P>Ferrajalt strode up to the nearest behemoth vehicle.<P><P>"Yup," he said. "Just like a regular police car, only..."<P><P>"...bigger," Treyess said with a grin.<P><P>"Yeah. Well, c'mon," Ferrajalt said, grabbing onto the ladder on the side of the vehicle. "We might as well see if this trip was worth it.<P><P>"Coming," Treyess said, as Ferrajalt climbed the ladder.<P><P>At the top, the Prince stepped onto a platform which circled the vehicle two-thirds of the way up. He walked forward a little, and found a door leading into the cockpit area. He tried it, and found it unlocked.<P><P>"Come on Treyess! It's open!"<P><P>"Coming, coming! Keep your shirt on!" she said in a friendly manner, smiling.<P><P>Stepping down into the cockpit, Ferrajalt was hit with that "new car" smell. And indeed--everything about the vehicle seemed to be brand new. Treyess appeared at the doorway.<P><P>"This is convenient," she said, jumping in.<P><P>"Okay--now to find the controls," Ferrajalt said, looking around, when his eyes hit what was unmistakably the driver's seat. It was a huge, comfy looking seat surrounded with all sorts of controls.<P><P>He looked over at Treyess.<P><P>"Be my guest!" she said, motioning toward the seat.<P><P>Ferrajalt walked over with a smile on his face and sat down. He scanned over the controls and sighed.<P><P>"Now if I could only find the keys..."<P><P>"Ahem," said Treyess, as she pointed above Ferrajalt's head, where a set of keys was dangling on a hook.<P><P>Ferrajalt looked up and grabbed the keys.<P><P>"Thanks," he said with an embarrassed smile. "Now--I guess this is the main ignition. Um... I guess the big key is the one. Here goes!"<P><P>Treyess started to say "Wait!" but she stopped herself. Why would the thing be rigged to blow up? Just let the kid have his fun.<P><P>Ferrajalt turned the key, and suddenly an array of fluorescent lights flickered and powered up, and the sound of multiple fans and motors came as well.<P><P>Ferrajalt stopped and held his hands over the controls.<P><P>"Okay--I guess that was main electrical."<P><P>"You sure you know how to drive this thing?" Treyess asked, raising an eyebrow.<P><P>The Prince turned toward her.<P><P>"Let me tell you--my parents made me drive a thing a heck of a lot bigger than this, and I managed. It was different, but I'm sure a lot of the same control mechanisms apply. And I like this thing much better."<P><P>He turned back to the controls. Treyess spied a door in the back of the cockpit.<P><P>"I'm going to take a look back there, okay?"<P><P>"Yeah, fine. Good. We gotta see what this thing has going for it."<P><P>Treyess opened the door and marveled at the scene before her. Lit with fluorescent lights, she gazed in wonder at the bay--a space which took up the top half of the vehicle.<P><P>Ahead of her, a short walkway led to a central shaft. Looking up, she saw the underside of a diminutive biplane, covered with the same black-and-white markings as the police car itself. It was just above where the shaft ended. She walked forward and looked down the space surrounding the shaft, and she saw a tiny submarine at the very bottom, decked out in similar markings. Halfway down the shaft, she saw a landing which led to a number of doors.<P><P>Continuing on past the shaft, Treyess saw a rear viewport with a large gun mounted above it. There were two more guns facing front, she saw, and one on either side. Huh.<BR><A HREF="SR_Bk1-0146.txt">Next (Page 146)</A>