Being first class travellers meant that almost their every whim was catered for on board the plane. However, it didn't mean that they were exempt from the traditional wait in the baggage hall while their cases were unloaded.
The group had found the right carousel, or at least the one that had the sign above it giving their flight number, on which their bags would be appearing very shortly. Lots of other people stood around it as well, and because it was more polite to watch the carousel going around and around than it was to stare at one's fellow travellers, that's what they did.
There were only two pieces of baggage going around at that time. The first was a small purple carryall with a matching shoulder strap and a glitter motif of a bird in a cage. Not very far behind it on the conveyor belt was a very menacing looking hard black suitcase.
"Is it just me," asked Spud, "or is that black case hungry looking?"
Chas and Nics looked at him like he was nuts. But this was normal for them and Spud, so he didn’t notice.
The two bags went around the carousel again. This time the suitcase looked like it was definitely gaining on the carryall.
"That purple bag looks terrified as well," observed Spud, twisting one of his dreadlocks absently.
Chas turned to Nics.
"Is there a technical term for the insanity that comes from believing everything has feelings?" he asked.
"Don't think so," she said. "But it is a religion."
The two bags disappeared through the thin sheets of rubber which marked the border between the baggage reclaim and the baggage loading area. This time it was only the black suitcase that came out again, looking very smug indeed, with a loop of purple strap hanging out of its lid.
Spud shuddered just as the crowd pushed forward. The bags from their flight had finally arrived.
Spud grabbed his case as quickly as it came out, then helped Chas and Nics with theirs. Chas had wandered off for a minute and located a trolley.
"You alright in there?" he whispered to the mouse in his pocket. His answer was a very quiet, sleepy squeak.
They piled the cases onto the trolley, and the ducks hopped on board like they had before. They were waved through passport control, and security, and customs, without even a glance.
Spud stopped pushing the trolley the instant they were out into the arrivals hall, causing the couple behind him to swerve abruptly and give him a nasty look.
"Now what?" he asked, scanning the rows of people waiting, holding cards with names on them.
Sam barked at him, and pushed his way through the crowd, between one man in a grey suit carrying a clipboard with "Ms Newson" displayed on it prominently, and a woman with an umbrella, and a sign saying "Elvis".
"Bing-bong. Would Mr Gandhi; recently arrived from London, please pick up the white courtesy telephone."
Sam led them all out the door of the arrivals hall and stopped right next to one of those children's rides, the type that you put a coin and a preschooler in, and it bounces up and down very gently while playing a cheerful electronic tune. This one was a rocket ship.
Nics said: "Well, I suppose we'd better find a taxi or something. Anyone know where we're going?"
Sam barked and scratched at the rocket ship.
"You have got to be kidding me," she told him as the ducks hopped off the trolley and settled themselves on the stubby wings of the ship. "There's no way we're all going to fit in that!"
Spud chimed in: "Actually, I've heard of something like that, at the Agency. Let's give it a try."
Chas was grinning widely and mischievously. "Yeah, let's..."
"Be reasonable," said Nics. "we're never going to fit1"
"We'll never know unless we try," said Spud, climbing in, Sam jumping in on his lap.
Nics didn't know how they managed it, but they got all three of them, their bags, the dog and the four ducks squashed into the rocket ship.
"Ow," said Nics, twisting to look behind her. "There's something sticking into my back."
One of the ducks quacked apologetically and shuffled sideways a bit.
"Ok, we're in," she said, looking slightly less than enamoured with the whole procedure. "Now what?"
Chas was laughing his head off silently at the situation. "Stick some money in and see what happens," he suggested.
“I don’t have any American money,” said Spud “And I’ve only got twenty pence”.
“Well,” said Chas, “give it a try. You’re the only person who can reach the coin slot.”
Spud reached out and shoved a coin in the meter attached to the side of the ship. A cheerful electronic tune started playing and the rocket ship started moving gently up and down.
"Right," said Nics, standing up abruptly, nearly sending a duck flying. "This is not going to get us anywhere, I'm getting ou..."
With a sudden jerk, the rocket ship was free and flying, and Nics fell back into her seat. The ducks quacked encouragement and they were off, flying along the road towards, well, somewhere.
"That tune is going to drive me mental," muttered Nics sourly. The two lads were enjoying the ride too much to comment. Even Sam was doing the typical doggie thing of sticking his head over the side to smell the air going past them.
They stopped in Central Park to let the ducks off. All four of them calmly waddled down to the lake, turned to give one final look to the mammals still left on the rocket ship, then swam off.
A different duck wandered up to the ship, and looked up expectantly at Chas.
"Quack bloody quack," Chas told it.
"Sorry man, don't speak mallard," the duck replied, and waddled off again.
Chas was left open mouthed as Nics said:
"Where to now then Sam?"
Sam barked shortly and the rocket ship lifted off again. It got halfway down the path towards the road when the music abruptly cut out and the ship floated slowly down to the ground again.
"Pants," said Spud. "Anyone got any coins?"
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