You work all night, fixing up Quin’s spaceship until it shines and glides. She doesn’t even thank you before speeding off toward Fara the next morning. You take another look at Jacko and sigh. You’ll never make it to the competition now.
Another hologram appears in front of you. This time it’s your godmother, Lyra. She lives two planets away but often pops up to check on you.
She peers through the hologram. “Is that you, Drella? Did you hear the king’s announcement, dear? Of course you did. Well, I heard you helped Quin, and that’s wonderful, though I can’t imagine what she’s thinking. That girl can’t even take off without ruining the transmission. Anyway, dear, I have a present for you. Just a little magic trick I picked up.”
“Magic trick?” you ask, skeptical.
“Magic, you know, like abracadabra!” she says. She closes her eyes to think. “Okay. Arba!” she chants. “Dacar! Ba!”
Lyra opens her eyes. “Ta-da!” she sings.
“Nothing happened,” you tell her, trying not to giggle.
“Turn around, dear.”
You turn to see that Jacko is gone. A fabulous new spaceship is in its place. “Wow!” you whisper. It’s a Carriage5000, the fastest ship ever invented! You run your hand across the spaceship’s sleek side.
“Good luck at the competition,” Lyra says. “But beware. The spell will wear off at midnight and Jacko will be back. Oh, and here’s the spare key. Don’t lose it!” She tosses a sparkling glass key through the hologram and disappears.
You climb into the Carriage5000 and zoom off. You’ve never flown outside Quog’s orbit. You’re busy enjoying all the bells and whistles of the new ship when you realize you might be lost. Up ahead, you see the lights of another spaceship. You could stop and ask the pilot for directions, or keep going on your own.