Earthling Ambassador (Space Brigade 1)

"Oh, yeah, I got one for my last birthday," said Shimlara. "Everyone in my class has got one. Most kids have got their own mini spaceships."

"And you're allowed to fly this helicopter?" Tyler was barely able to contain his envy.

"Of course!" Shimlara paused, then said honestly, "I'm not very good at it, though."

This was proving to be true.

They'd all crammed into the helicopter, with Shimlara behind the controls. Now they were flying to the Rainbow Palace to personally deliver the invitation to the princess. Sean would rappel down from the roof into the princess's bedroom and leave it sitting on her bedside table. Simple--as long as they made it to the palace without crashing.

The helicopter kept swooping down dangerously close to the tops of buildings.With a cheerful "Oops-a-daisy!" Shimlara would pull on the controls and next thing they'd all be pinned to their seats as the helicopter shot straight up into the starry night sky.

"I think I'm going to be sick," moaned Katie.

"Are you going to be able to land the helicopter on the roof without knocking the palace down?" asked Greta.

"Who knows?!" Shimlara swung the controls violently to the left and Nicola's head knocked against the window.

"I see the palace!" said Tyler. He had a pair of binoculars pressed against the helicopter window. "Gosh. Is it made of . . . jewelry?"

"Precious stones," explained Nicola.

The palace looked even more beautiful at night.The rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and diamonds glittered mysteriously in the turquoise moonlight shining from Globagaskar's two moons.

"Okay," said Shimlara. "Time to go into Camouflage Mode. Can you pull that lever there, Sean?"

Sean pulled the lever and all of a sudden the noisy sounds of the helicopter blades vanished and the lights went off, plunging them into darkness and silence.

"None of the guards should be able to see or hear the helicopter now," whispered Shimlara. "Assuming we can trust the instruction book, of course. Some of the other features of the helicopter haven't actually worked that well."

"Oh great," muttered Greta.

"Ah, Shim, I think now might be a good time to land," said Sean. "That looks like a helicopter landing pad to me."

They were hovering over the very top of the castle and Nicola could see a large flat area with a circle marked on it.

"Okey-dokey," said Shimlara.

She did something with the pedals at her feet and the helicopter began to nosedive toward the helipad.

"Straighten up! Straighten up!" shouted Tyler.

"I don't want to die!" cried Greta. "I've got to finish my term as class captain!"

"Greta, you're really starting to bug me." Shimlara did something else to the controls that caused the helicopter to veer crazily to the left as they hurtled down toward land.

"OUCH! OUCH! OUCH!" everybody said in unison as their heads banged against the side of the helicopter while it bounced along the helipad.

Finally it stopped bouncing and was still.

For a few seconds no one spoke as they all rubbed their heads.

Then Katie said, "Well done, Shimlara."

"Thank you," beamed Shimlara.

"Okay, let's get this show on the road." Sean opened the door of the helicopter and jumped

lightly to the ground.