Learning to Dance

giggling as they snuck into bushes.
“Nice moves,” Up said, his eyes fixed on the garden.
“I tried to teach you once, remember?” she said, feeling
inexplicably frustrated with him. Why was he acting like
she’d done something wrong?
Then she saw their target, Mr. Brown, walking along
next to a blue, winged ambassador from the planet of
Zambuki. Up’s tracking device must have alerted him that
they’d be coming this way. He held out a small ear bud. She
put it in, and suddenly her ear was filled with a whispered
conversation too far away to hear.
“You have the diamond?”
“Yes, it’s here, as arranged. But-”
“No buts, you agreed-”
“Shut up and listen for a second. I think the Rangers are
here.”
Taz and Up looked at each other.
“The Starship Rangers?”
“That couple from Earth, the doctor and his wife?
They’ve never been to the ball before. I tried to get a read
on the woman while we were dancing but her retinal scan
came up blank.”
So that was why he’d cut in - of course he would have a
lens scanner, too. Luckily Tripp had thought to wipe their
official records before sending them here.
“I don’t think they’re a real couple, I think they’re
Rangers undercover -”
They continued to argue, but Taz stopped listening. Mr.
Brown and his associate were looking at them now, high
above on the balcony, and a flicker of anxiety trembled on
Up’s face. The traitor suspected, but he didn’t have proof.
They had to convince him that they really were Dr. and
Mrs. von Tuppington – somehow.
“Kiss me,” she said.