No Way Back In Time

Cairns airport.

Humboldt, Celia and the lower ranks of Team Crustacean enter the terminal.

Ageless and Terence are there to greet them.

Ageless heads straight for the plum box.

Kobo! cries Ageless. Do you still love me?

As much as always, says Kobo. Why are you asking?

Never mind, says Ageless darkly.

He skitters back to Terence.

You were lying!

What on? asks Terence.

What ABOUT! shouts Ageless.

How should I know? asks Terence. Where's my parrot?

Here I am, says Celia. We've beaten the cyclone.

So have we, says Terence.

You arrived earlier than we did, says Celia. So that goes without saying.

Then why say it? asks Terence.

Celia sighs. Should she explain the nature of temporal progression? No, maybe later.

Where are the others? asks Humboldt.

Went on ahead, says Ageless. As I should have done.

It's good you waited, captain, says Blue Claw. We can talk bikes.

That's not why I waited, says Ageless.

I get a free one, says Blue Claw. You said so.

Yes, yes, says Ageless. You shall have Baby Pierre's bike, unless it's too small. It might be. Then the domestiques can have it, but that leaves you wheel-less.

Blue Claw hadn't factored in that he might end up wheel-less.

So why did you wait? asks Kobo.

Doesn't matter, mutters Ageless.

To ask you to marry him, says Terence.

Ageless chokes on some spittle.

Pch-spaak!

That is obviously not the reason, says Kobo. I would not marry Ageless.

No! says Ageless. But you would....

He bites his tongue. He will not mention the Rangerbot.

It's about team cohesion.

We'll get the next flight to Adelaide, says Humboldt. I'll see about tickets. Stay here Terence. I'll leave you in charge.

He heads off.

Yay! Terence is in charge of Team Crustacean. Even Ageless.

Your team is useless, says Terence. It's got girls in it.

Is there a women's race? asks Pinky.

There should be, says Kobo.

There is, says Blue Claw. They run it first and it's shorter.

Will we get back in time? asks Kobo.

NO WAY! snaps Ageless.