Earthling Ambassador (Space Brigade 1)

"Remember to stick to the plan!" ordered Nicola.

"Actually, I do have some suggestions about changing the plan," began Greta.

"Too late," said Nicola firmly.

The plan was that Tyler, Katie, and Greta would be the lookouts.They were to station themselves at different parts of the palace roof and keep an eye out for the guards. If they thought a guard was becoming suspicious, they would make a "meow" sound.

There had been a lot of arguments over this because Greta thought it would be preferable for the warning signal to be an owl's hoot. Sean suggested laughing like a hyena, but Nicola thought he was probably just throwing out that idea because he enjoyed arguing. In the end, the cat's meow had won.

In the meantime, Shimlara and Nicola would be responsible for operating the rope system that would lower Sean into the princess's bedroom so he could drop the invitation next to her bed, where it would be the first thing she saw when she woke up.

Hopefully she would assume it had been delivered by one of her ladies-in-waiting.

"Now we just need to find the princess's bedroom," said Shimlara. She pulled out the map she'd downloaded from the palace website and studied it carefully.

"Huh?" she said confusedly, turning it the other way around.

"Let me see," said Sean. "Everyone knows girls can't read maps."

He took the map from her."Huh?" He twisted it around and brought it up close to his face and frowned."Ummm. Okay. So right now we're ... ummmm, mmmm, let's see ..."

"Oh, for goodness sake." Greta snatched the map from him and examined it. She immediately looked up and pointed to a triangular vent on the far side of the roof next to a ruby-encrusted turret. "That vent over there is the top of the princess's bedroom."

"Good work!" said Nicola generously.

"Yes, well, that's why I should have been the Earthling Ambassador in the first place." Greta flounced off to her lookout point.

Sean, Shimlara, and Nicola went over to the vent and looked down at it apprehensively. Nicola put a finger to her lips, reminding them that the princess was asleep just beneath them.

Shimlara pulled Georgio's toolbox from her backpack and they each selected a screwdriver.Working quietly and efficiently, they unscrewed the corners of the vent's covering and lifted it off.

They gave one another quick thumbs-ups and got down on their stomachs so they could peer into the opening.

At first Nicola couldn't see anything, but when her eyes adjusted to the darkness she could just make out the princess's four-poster bed and her head on a mound of pillows.

Gosh. She wore her diamond tiara even when she was sleeping.

There was a sudden loud rumbling noise and Nicola jumped back in fright.

"She snores just like Dad!" mouthed Shimlara, trying to suppress an attack of the giggles.

Sean was all businesslike. He strapped himself into his harness and tied the end of the rope firmly around a nearby emerald turret. He pushed his night-vision goggles over his eyes and whispered, "Ready."

Nicola silently handed him the invitation. Sean took it and held it between his teeth. Great, thought Nicola. Now it will be all soggy and tooth-marked!

Using both elbows for support, Sean lowered himself into the vent, while Nicola and Shimlara let out the safety rope.When he was far down enough, he flipped himself onto his stomach with his arms and legs spread out, so he was hanging above the princess's bed.

"Slowly!" whispered Nicola to Shimlara as they lowered him down. She didn't want Sean crashing onto the princess's floor.

Bit by bit they released the rope while Sean twirled in slow circles and the princess continued her rumbling snore.

Finally Sean was close enough to take the invitation from his mouth and place it on the bedside table.

"He's done it!" whispered Shimlara excitedly.

They began to haul on the rope to lift him back up, and Sean's elbow knocked against the side of the princess's chest of drawers.

The princess woke with a start. She sat straight up in bed. "Who are you?" She rubbed her eyes. "And just WHAT are you doing in my bedroom?"