An audio book written and narrated by Terran and produced by 2legs, with additional music by Roymondo. To hear this episode, click on this link to the h2g2 Aviators website".

'I can run for myself you know,' said Kevin uncomfortably.

'What?'

Boach was still thinking on his feet. He looked at the boy in his arms, and decided to put him down.

'Okay. But keep up!'

Kevin looked at the man he had thought, up until now, was his substitute teacher as he ran. Boach had what he thought was a mobile phone in his hand, or some sort of communications device.

Kevin shook his head. As the device started working Kevin heard his half of the conversation:

'...This bloody thing... Right, hello? Is anyone there?... What? Yes... Hello? Thank you! Right... There's no time for that! I had to break communications silence... We're running away... What? Yes, I've got the kid... What? Don't tell me that! They were going to take the kid... Who? Who, do you think? No, it wasn't those creatures, it must be someone connected to them... Stop talking, this is important. You've got to come and get us!... What? Yes now! They've got Talia!... Yes, you'll have to get her too!... I don't care about the calibration of that blasted thing! If we don't move now we're done for... Okay, I'm running with the kid now... Meet us there...'

Boach put the device in his pocket. He looked at Kevin.

'Okay, we've got a bit of a sprint ahead of us. We need to get to a field over the way there... Are you okay?'

Kevin managed a sort of nod, whilst sprinting.

'Good, then hopefully we can sort out this mess...'

Kevin still really didn't understand, but he knew that they'd put a lot into saving him and, after all was said and done, he was still his teacher...

No sooner had they arrived at the field, there a strange, magnetic ringing noise, combined with roaring of engines. At first Kevin couldn't see anything, but almost like a submarine coming out of water (except in reverse) a large tube with jet-like engines on the side descended. It looked like it had been patched together numerous times. Kevin noticed it appeared to cast no shadow.

'Kevin, this is the CMV Firestorm. The only ship like it in the universe!' said Boach proudly.

From its hull, a door opened and, bizarrely, a hinged wooden ladder was thrown down.

'Sorry Boach,' said a stranger from the craft. 'Still not got the metal gangways working yet.'

The man had an almost comforting country accent;

'Beiphlat's been busy with setting the co-ordinates.'

'No time for that Aelric!' said Boach as he climbed the ladder.

'We need to get Talia, and then get out of here!'

'Aye, aye, Corporal.' said Aelric.

'And this is the boy?' He smiled warmly.

Kevin nodded.

'Later, Aelric, much later.'

Aelric nodded and pulled the ladder up in to the ship.

As Kevin stood up in the ship, he got a distinct feeling like that you would get in a submarine, where there were red lights and warning signs flashing all over the place. The corridors looked like they might have been well fitted, but a lot of the equipment was clearly rigged from a variety of different sources. There was a mish-mash of different time periods, with rope and rigging from old style sailing ships, and what looked like very futuristic metallic surfaces.

The three of them hurried along to – what appeared to Kevin – to be the bridge of the ship. Although, like the rest of the ship, it looked like it had been put back together with bits of rope and sticky tape. The room clearly had an air of power about it. At the moment, another man was in the main chair, who gave way for Boach.

'Hi, Boach.'

'Erthgi.' Nodded Boach.

'Have you picked up Talia yet?'

'Just. Amanda is setting the co-ordinates now. It'll have to be a bit of a smash and grab. Can't let anyone see us.'

Kevin could see a few people around the room, but was astonished to see a very large woman who looked like she was shoehorned in to a custom built chair. She was wearing a somewhat snug waistcoat, and had her hair tied back. She swivelled around, showing the full enormity of her bulk.

'Look, we shouldn't be doing it this way!' complained Amanda to Boach.

'You need to be more careful. Beiphlat seems to think this could set us off course. He doesn't know if it'll affect the calibration.'

'No time, Amanda. Just do it!' said Boach, moving in to what would be the Captain's chair.

Amanda sighed and swivelled around. Boach caught Kevin's look of surprise, grinned and quietly said:

'You think she's big now? You should have seen her before.' and winked.

'I heard that!' shouted Amanda over from her desk.

Boach ignored it.

Outside, the ship went back into the magnetic field – like a submarine diving in reverse...

The 'new' DI Erwerk looked out through the window of the police car, waiting for something to turn up. In the back of his car was Talia, still unconscious. Suddenly, he felt the car begin to make a strange metallic noise. The car engine appeared to cut out, and the car began to break apart. DI Erwerk looked at the beat policeman driving the car next to him, who was in horror, as he saw a space ship appear over the slowly stopping police car. DI Erwerk went to reach for the back of the car, but it was caught up in some sort of bubble, and his arm couldn't get through.

'No! You won't escape!'

DI Erwerk started focusing all his energies into putting his arms through the barrier...

'What are you doing!' said Beiphlat, an old, slightly odd greeny/pale looking man, as he rushed in to the room.

'The repairs aren't complete on the temporal bubble, and it's setting off the time co-ordinates!'

'They can use her knowledge. Take her over if they keep hold of her for much longer. She'd be too powerful if they take her. We have to do this!' said Aelric.

'No! But don't you see', continued Beiphlat...

'The temporal bubble can effect our guidance systems... We could be thrown off course completely. We could be lost forever!'

'It's a risk we have to take. Sorry.' said Boach.

He flicked a switch to Beiphlat's horror, that started to bring Talia on board...

DI Erwerk was completely disturbing the policeman next too him. He appeared to be radiating a spectrum of different colours from his body as he slowly penetrated the bubble. Talia was still unconscious, but was rousing slowly. Suddenly, the bubble shimmered, and DI Erwerk saw his arm turn to dust in front of him, but the rest of him was caught in the temporal field, and still radiating colours.

The policeman looked on in horror as DI Erwerk disappeared – followed by the woman – from the back of the car.

Above them the ship was waging war on itself.

'No!! It's happened!' said Beiphlat.

The magnetic field outside dragged the ship rocking all around, entering the magnetic field at an odd angle, shaking and destroying a house to the side as it moved about. Talia appeared in a container to the side of the room. But everyone else was horrified at the vision on the main viewscreen, at the man trying to put his still remaining arm through the hull of the ship.

'Shut it off!” said Boach, as the time–space manipulator started working of its own accord.

'It's too late!' said Beiphlat.

The ship disappeared from the present. There were incessant thunderstorms, covering its departure.

The ship, when it reappeared, crashed into a forest... Minus its unexpected passenger, the facsimile of Detective Inspector Erwerk...

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