War on Whimsy (Space Brigade 3)

"Now you're talking," said Sean.

Henry took off his beret and crushed it between his hands. "I will defeat them single-handedly!"

"See now, that's just silly," said Greta.

"But I have right on my side!" cried Henry. He punched both fists over his head and then lost his balance completely and fell straight back into the river.

He came up spluttering water and clambered back on the raft. He wiped his face with his beret and looked sheepish.

"I'm just not sure where to start," he admitted. "Where do you think I should start? Could you help? Have any of you ever won a war before?"

The Space Brigade all shook their heads and Henry looked dejected.

"You've got to play to their weaknesses, while using your strengths," said Nicola, remembering something her dad had said while watching a football game on the television.

Henry brightened.

"Right! Yes, of course! So our strengths are music, art, literature, and theater. Their strengths are that they're organized and methodical and quite violent, with lots of weapons and bombs, and their weaknesses are--their weaknesses are--mmmmm. They don't seem to have any weaknesses."

BRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!

A sound like a tremendously loud alarm clock shattered

the peaceful morning.

Henry clapped his hands over his ears. "What is that awful sound?"

"It's coming from the prison camp," said Shimlara.

There was a hollow sound like someone lifting up a megaphone and a harsh, authoritarian voice rang out. "Wake up, prisoners! All prisoners are ordered to report for work duty. There will be no breakfast this morning due to the bad conduct of Prisoner Georgio Gorgioskio!"

"Oh no," said Shimlara. "Typical! Dad is in trouble! Come on! We've got to get them out of there."

CHAPTER 26

Nicola's heart thumped as they pulled the raft up onto the riverbank about a half a mile away from the prison camp. They had agreed that if they were approached by anyone they would stick with their story of being Earthling journalists reporting on the war. However, first they wanted to do a thorough inspection of the camp.

They hid their raft under a pile of rose petals. The air was thick with the sweet smell of roses, but there were other, less fragrant scents as well.

"I think it's boiled potatoes," said Sean, sniffing the air. "And gunpowder. Maybe sweaty socks?"

"How dare they ruin the famous scent of Griddlemill!" said Henry. "Quick! Let us hurry!"

Henry seemed to be changing. His eyes were more focused and less dreamy, his manner more decisive. Nicola thought perhaps he was acting more like a president, until he suddenly pounced on a perfectly ordinary rose petal lying on the ground.

"Why, just look at the enchanting shape of this petal!" he cried.

"Enchanting," agreed Sean, pulling on his sleeve. "But we've sort of got things to do."

"Oh, yes, yes, of course." Henry carefully put the petal in his pocket.

The rose bushes provided the perfect cover as they carefully made their way back along the river shore as close as they dared to the prison camp. Two Volcomanian soldiers were guarding the gates to the camp, standing very still and straight, like the guards at Buckingham Palace.

Nicola silently pointed away from the river toward the back of the camp. The rest of the Space Brigade nodded in agreement.

They crept around the barbed wire fence, trying not to make a sound. It was difficult, because they had to weave their way through overgrown rose bushes. The fragrance was beautiful, but the thorns were sharp against their skin.

Once they were far enough away from the guards, Nicola stopped and everyone tried to see through the fence without cutting themselves on the barbed wire.