Doorways to Everywhere (Tourist Trap Book 2)

Chapter 80

They emerged back on the surface of the planet to see a celebration already in full swing. Shazmar and Zannah were dancing among the smoldering wreckage of an enemy fighter ship along with hundreds of Miloshes. Elsewhere Wayne the Robot was entertaining a crowd with some apparently hilarious jokes.

Zeke spotted Sarah standing by Bobby and Cindy near the back of the crowd. She turned and saw them and ran over to hug Maurice. She turned and hugged Zeke as well. Max cleared his throat and she shook his hand. "Isn't this incredible?" she asked.

"Yeah," Zeke said. "It's pretty cool."

"And we owe it all to Trey," she said. "He saved the day yet again. Isn't he wonderful?"

"What?" Zeke asked. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"He was amazing. The way he piloted his fighter was simply unbelievable. He took out half the enemy fleet single-handedly before he flew up and destroyed the second laser."

"I think we had a little something to do with saving the day, too," Zeke said.

"Well, yeah, we all did our small part," Sarah said. "But we never would have won without having a super hero like Trey on our side."

"You know your boyfriend here just did something heroic, too," Zeke said.

"Uh, I'm not her boyfriend," Maurice said.

"You're not?" Zeke asked. "Why not? Is it because of me?" He turned to Sarah. "Did you realize I'm the one you love after all?"

"Of course not," Sarah said. "Don't be so conceited. Maurice proposed to me before he went up on the ship with the weather machine. We're engaged!"

"Yeah," Maurice said sheepishly. "I'm not her boyfriend because I'm her fiancée."

"We're not the only ones who recently got engaged," Sarah said. "Trey asked Sadie to marry him as soon as he landed and she said yes. Lucky girl."

"Yeah, that's some luck she's got," Zeke said.

Bobby and Cindy walked over and gave everyone hugs. "We heard the good news!"

"Yeah, Trey and Sadie are getting married. So are Maurice and Sarah," Zeke said with a glazed look in his eyes. "There's great news everywhere."

"That is great news," Bobby said. "But I was talking about Zyvax the Intergalactic Destroyer of Worlds. Is he really gone for good?"

"I think so," Zeke said. "At the very least, getting transported to the center of a massive star ought to slow him down for a while."

"I heard Milosh was amazing in there," Cindy said.

"He was," Zeke said.

"What would we do without heroes like Trey and Maurice and Milosh?" Cindy asked.

"Is anybody going to acknowledge that Max and I risked our necks just a little bit up there?"

"Oh yeah," Cindy said. "Good job, guys."

That sounded kind of half-hearted to Zeke, but he decided to begrudgingly accept it anyway. "Thanks. So what are you guys going to do next?"

"We're thinking about taking our honeymoon here on Ingleblott for a bit," Bobby said. "Maybe we'll use one of those doors and check out a couple other universes as well. How about you?"

"Uh, I really don't know. I've been away from home for so long, I'd kind of like to maybe just go relax on my couch and watch some TV for a while. Also maybe drown my sorrows in a pint of ice cream."

"Don't forget the booze," Max said. "Nothing beats boozing it up as far as drowning one's sorrows go. Speaking of which, you want to get the hell out of here? I noticed you seem a little down in the dumps. Let's go hit a bar back in Quartzwater City and get shitfaced."

"Yeah, I think that might be what the doctor ordered right about now," Zeke said.

They went looking for a door to take them out of there, when Zeke heard a familiar voice call out from behind him.

"Earthling!"

He turned around to see Nulfar and Captain Moogreet standing next to each other.

"Oh, hey. It's the Hooblerians. Have you come to rub it in my face what a pathetic loser I am? Because I really need that right now."

"No, Earthling," Nulfar said. "We still find you incredibly hopelessly primitive. But you did a really impressive job up there. Our race has been under the constant threat of destruction for countless eons. Yet you were instrumental in bringing an end to the one known as Zyvax the Intergalactic Destroyer of Worlds. There may be hope for your species yet. Just as you have returned hope unto ours."

"Congratulations," Captain Moogreet said. "I hereby bestow upon you the title of honorary Hooblerian. If you ever make it to our lovely planet, you shall be treated quite nicely. They will be sure to put you up in a hotel with a mini fridge and a swimming pool."

"Well, that sounds luxurious," Zeke said. "Thanks, I guess. At least you guys have the decency to notice that it wasn't just Trey who saved the day."

"The one known as Trey shall go down in Hooblerian legend. If he ever honors Hoobler with a visit, he shall be put up in a glistening ivory palace with only the finest of silk sheets on his bed. He will also have usage of a heated swimming lagoon. Songs shall be sung about him for the rest of time. Giant statues of him shall be built. Plays about him and his deeds will be performed in theaters across the galaxy. Stars and planets will be named after him."

"Okay, okay, I get it," Zeke said. "I'll catch you guys on Hoobler if I ever make it out there."

"Neither of us are returning to Hoobler," Captain Moogreet said. "I shall remain on the Starswan, so that I might chronicle the ongoing legend of Trey."

"And I shall return to Quartzwater City. Archduke Wilhelm and I have that flower shop to open, after all."

"We're on our way there now," Max said. "You want to come with us?"

"I believe I shall stay here for the moment," Nulfar said. "I heard the one know as Dr. Octavius is about to present an award to Trey and he's set to make a lengthy speech about Trey's greatness. I don't want to miss that."

"Oh, for crying out loud," Zeke said. "Let's get the hell out of here now."

"You sure you don't want to stick around for the speech?" Max asked.

Zeke shot him a glare.

"I'm just kidding. Speeches bore the hell out of me. Let's go get drunk."

Zeke looked over his shoulder and saw Sadie a little ways away holding Bumble-Boo in one arm while she looked up at Trey with a huge smile on her face. Trey hoisted a giant glass of some sort of alcoholic beverage high over his head in victory.  Zeke looked the other way and saw Sarah with her arm around Maurice's shoulder. "Yeah. Let's go," he said with a sigh.