A jostling crowd surrounded Nicola and Topaz.
'Are you sure Enrico has a phobia about the colour yellow? Because I heard it was the colour red.'
'My son signed the petition but he forgot to put his middle name. Should he sign it again?'
'Is Katie Hobbs really here?'
'Are you really Topaz Silverbell? Can I touch you?'
'Are you really an Earthling? Can I touch you?'
'Is it true that the tall girl comes from Globagaskar?'
'Where are the toilets?'
'Have you seen my daughter?'
'Have you seen my son?'
'Where am I meant to go after I've signed the petition?'
'Is morning tea provided?'
'Is it true Enrico is on his way?'
Topaz and Nicola did their best to answer everyone's questions but it was impossible.
'This is out of control,' said Topaz, helplessly.
Nicola felt like they were in the middle of some sort of crazy funfair. Children had converted their shoes into ice skates and were playing on the frozen sea shouting 'Whoopeee!' as they skated dangerously off the crests of the waves. Some teenagers had started a game of Head Crunch in the snow. Adults were standing around in groups, deep in conversation. Mothers swapped recipes. Fathers compared sleigh models. Babies cried. ShobGobbles chirruped.
Greta was screeching at people like a demented teacher. 'No! I said line up here, not there! No, we do not offer any other colour options! I don't care if pink is your favourite colour - it's got to be yellow!'
It was pandemonium.
Joshua pushed his way through the crowd to where Nicola and Topaz were standing. He pointed across the Honey Sea to the bobbing black flags that marked Enrico's progress. 'They're making good time. We've got to get organised!'
Horatio was nearby, sitting on a foldout chair next to his wife. He pulled on Nicola's sleeve and she bent down to listen to him. 'You two girls have got to take control,' he said. 'Now.'
Nicola stood up feeling helpless. But how? She thought of her school principal, Mr Nix, nervously adjusting his tie on school assembly days, when teachers, parents and students would all be milling about, cheerfully ignoring him as he pleaded into the microphone, 'Could I have a bit of quiet, ladies and gents?' For the first time in her life Nicola actually felt sorry for him.
She said to Joshua, 'Topaz and I will need microphones.'
Joshua looked at her blankly.
'So people can hear us.'
'Oh, you mean macrophones,' said Joshua. 'Right. No problem.'
'We really need some sort of a stage,' said Topaz.
Sean, who was standing near Joshua, said, 'Maybe you could fly up on your ShobGobbles over people's heads.'
Minutes later, Topaz and Nicola were hovering over the crowd on their ShobGobbles.
Topaz spoke into her macrophone. 'Can I have your attention please?'
No one took the slightest notice.