The Farthership descended through the air. It was impossibly vast, as if the sky itself were falling slowly upon them. The oil-black spaceship glinted in the afternoon sun, its slick surface dotted with hundreds of blinking green lights.
“Baa…?” bleated Sheriff Explosion.
“They don’t see us,” said Frog. “The Inbetween’s magic is working its magic!” He glanced over at the bragons, who were frozen with fear. Princess Rainbow, Man-Lor and Nigel, too, were rooted to the spot.
“It’s really, really big,” said Princess Rainbow. She took the shrunken King and Queen out of her dress pocket and lifted them up. “It must look even bigger for you.”
“Hail, Kroak,” squeaked the tiny brain-slaves.
“Bragons, start your boasting!” Frog commanded. “Boast the most!”
“I… I am the Duke… I am the g-greatest of the greatest of the great…” began Nigel, leading the way, and though his boasts seemed more hollow than ever, he started to fill with hot air. The other bragons joined in and were soon as swollen as their terror would allow.
Frog turned to Princess Rainbow. “Princess, you and Man-Lor stay in the blue house, where it’s safe,” he said. “I need you to look after Kryl and make sure no one stinks her brain up any more, OK?”
“But I want to do defeating!” she protested.
“Yep, well, you’re five years old, so you don’t get to fight in battles,” replied Frog.
“You’re one years old!” she snapped. “You’re a baby!”
“Look, just stay in the house!” ordered Frog. “I mean it!”
“Man-Lor is happy to stay,” confessed Man-Lor. “I am Man-Lor.”
Frog leaped on to Nigel’s back. Then he heard a “Baa?” and looked down to see Sheriff Explosion peering up at him.
“Sorry, Sheriff, you’ll have to sit this one out, too,” he said. “Hold on to the fort, I’ll be back before you know it.”
“Baa,” bleated the sheep meekly.
Frog looked up into the sky. He checked his sunder-gun, patted the hilt of his sword and took a long, deep breath.
“This is it!” he cried. “Up, up and off we go!”
The air was filled with the sound of beating wings. Dust flew into the air as the bragons launched themselves towards the Farthership. Frog drew Basil Rathbone and held it aloft.
“Bragons! Tomorrow we dine on polished sandwiches and roseberry wine!” he roared. “But today we don’t eat until we defeat!”