Chapter 43

Charles edged back a little ... as far as the wall would let him. Stuttering, he said, "Vee, what did you do?"

"Took her to the hospital."

"Before that."

"Tossed the cop in the corner, he touched me."

"No ... before that."

"Told Miss Barker to keep her hands off my shit."

"After that. but before the cop," he nodded in the direction of the blue pile. He was still asleep.

"Oh ... when I cut off Miss Nosy Barker's hand?"

"Yeah ... then."

"I popped back to Fourteenth Century Sagami Provence, Japan and commissioned a tachi from Gorō Nyūdō Masamune, paid for it in gold from California I mined before Sutter built his mill, worked with my grandmother I don't know how many generations removed in 3500 BCE Egypt for 16 months while the sword was being made, flashed back to Japan, picked up the sword, dropped back here, cut off her hand, went back to Japan with the proved sword, showed the sword and hand to Masamune who engraved the proof marks, found a buyer and sold it to a samurai ... who was very glad to get it ... popped back here, picked up Miss Barker who was just beginning to bleed, took her to the hospital and came back. The doctor said he had no trouble reattaching the hand and Miss Nosy Barker would be back to work in two weeks." She paused and grinned, "Don't you just love modern medicine."

The look he gave her was priceless. Vee showed the note to someone else in the office.

"Miss Barker handles that," said the secretary.

"She stepped out for two weeks," said Vee, as she put her PPL back in her inside pocket.

"She would ... lessee, the note says show you around campus ... escort and keys ... every building." She looked around, saw Charles and said, "Chuck."

There was no response. Chucky was looking at Vee with horror and just a trifle of dawning respect.

"CHUCK!" she hollered.

Chas gave a start and said, "What?"

"Take Miss Austin around and show her what she wants to see." She tossed Charley a set of labeled keys.

"Yes ma'am."

They stepped out of the office, walked out to the truck and he held open her door. She seated herself decorously. Charles walked around to his side, got in, closed the door and said, "You really are her."

"Yeppers ... let's go."

"Where?"

"Engineering first."

Engineering was more practical than esoteric ... the department had tools ... great big tools. Lathes with three foot throws and thirty foot beds, two thousand ton drop presses, tiny jewelers lathes and giant mills ... engine boring, crank grinders, rod hones ... Vee was in heaven.

The professor was in.

"We're getting ready to compete in the FSAE College Racing Program race ... what were you interested ... Oh ... Hi, Chuck ... are you two together?"

"Yes, Dr. Lambert. I've been assigned the task of escorting Princess Austin around..."

"Princess? As in the Princessapality? That Princess?"

Vee reluctantly agreed.

"Is this just a social call?" Dr. Lambert asked.

"I'm interviewing for a school. The DHS tells me I have to go to school until I'm 18, I graduated high school ... actually ... I was removed from school for the safety and wellbeing of the rest of the students ... I wrecked the grading curve ... they tested me out ... but I'm stuck with three more years ... since I have an IQ past the moon ... Commissioner Zalewski told me to enroll in college somewhere. I did but mom got me suspended."

Dr. Lambert held up a hand. Vee stopped.

"How did she do that?"

"Do what? Get me suspended? Told them I was there without permission and without adult supervision. Konstanz suspended me pending an investigation."

"Konstanz? Bodensee? Germany?"

"Yup. Junior class ... but they don't call it that. Third year classes. Labs ... because I already knew theory."

"Have a seat, I'll be right back."

"Chuck ... thanks for bringing me here ... those machines tripped my trigger."

Charles was still in a daze.

Dr. Lambert came back with a handful of papers, "Follow me."

It was a huge room ... an auditorium. Evidently it was being remodeled because there was one desk and one chair. Lambert put the papers and a box of pencils on the desk, "Sit ... do what the papers say ... Charles. I'll be at the back ... bring me each page as she finishes."

Vee said, "Here, take these three with you."

"You need to do them."

"I did. Charles?"

"Yes? Would you care to go to a concert when I finish?"

"Sure. Where?"

"New Jersey."

"Tonight?"

"Sorta." Vee was writing like mad while she was talking. She kept handing pages to Charles. "Scoot, Chuck."