Al makes a call to Becky…

Chapter 4 – section 4 (roughly!)

“Hello?”
“Hi, is this, er, Becky? You’re a spaceship, right?”
“That’s correct.”
“I have a collect call from someone called Al from Percy 5 – will you accept?”
“Does he know the password?”
“The…uh…password?”
“Yes. Otherwise I won’t know it’s him.”
“I see. I’ll have to ask him. Please hold.”
“I need to know the password.”
“I know – please hold, er, Sir.”
Beat.
“Hello, Becky?”
“Hello.”
“Yeah, um, his reply is, and I quote ‘you have go to be fucking joking’”
Pause.
“That is not the password.”
“I realised that, Sir.”
“I need to know the password. “
“One second…”
Beat.
“Right, he says he has no idea what the password is – “
“ – I need to know know – “
“Listen listen – I get that. You need to know the password. That’s coming through loud and clear. I spoke to him and from what I can tell he knows who you are. How about I just put him through?”
“What makes you think he knows me?”
“He said you were an awkward bastard. I’m putting you through now…”
“Becky…is that you?”
“Alvin. Hello. “
“What the hell was all that about the password – “
“ – do you know the password – “
“ – no I don’t know the password. In all the time I have known you we have never once mentioned in any way, shape or form a password. Now I know I took a lot of drugs in my youth – “
“ – last week actually – “
“ BUT I’m very certain on this password issue. “
“Without the password I can’t help you.”
Beat.
“I’m so gonna kick your ass when I see you. Are you really telling me you aren’t going to speak to me unless I give you a password?”
“Correct.”
“Even though I suspect there’s a very good chance the only person who knows this password is you?”
“…Yes.”
“Right. Put me through to the Nipper then. And Becky?”
“Yes?”
“You best hope we don’t make this out alive.”
“If we’re talking about threats Mr Alvin then don’t expect to get on my ship without the password. Are we clear?”
“You son of a – “
“ – transferring you to the Nipper now…”