Zeep. Zeep. Zeep-zeep.

The little round Picboat came forward through the air in jumps and hops, as if its driver couldn't really control it.

“TOLD him he should have gone for a better accelerator input programme” murmured Carmeramalita. “But would he listen? No! Oh dear me, no! Trust Trinth for that!”

But Dot wasn't really looking at the Picboat - she couldn't take her eyes off its driver.

And there was no doubt, Nascarbalone Trinth did catch your eye. His beak, curving out from his face, was a shiny copper colour. Above it, two little black eyes glittered, looking straight at the occupants of the Tracboat (Lucia was gently trembling now, from bow to stern, as the formidable figure came in closer, with more silly hops and jumps.) His big, bulging chest was covered in white, black and gold feathers, which fluttered softly in the net-breeze which could even be felt inside the Tzone Entry Plateau.

Above the glittering eyes was a peaked cap, jammed on very straight - with that badge in the shape of a castle on it. And around his middle was a broad black belt, with at least five little pouches of different shapes and sizes on it - and a very large one down one side, with a curved red handle sticking out of it.

“Extraordinaire!” muttered Fromage, twirling his mousey whiskers round and round till it looked like they'd ping! off completely. “'E reminds me of ze policeman, ze king of ze gendarmes we call him, near Notre Dame Cathedral in my beautiful Paris. Pouff! Scare-ree!”

Wiz gave the little whine he always does when he's a bit worried and doesn't know what to do. Behind her, Dot heard Walpurgis heave a huge sigh.

With a final zeep-ZEEP, Nascarbalone Trinth's Picboat came to a halt just in front of Lucia's bow, just where it rose up in the end of the huge cradle in which she'd landed with such a crash.

There was a pause as he looked round at them. Ve-ry slow-ly. It reminded Dot of her head teacher Mrs Rudman, when she was about to tell everyone off in Assembly. Everyone called her Laser-Eyes on those occasions - and Nascarbalone Trinth's eyes are nearly as lasery as Mrs R's.

Only, not quite, of course. You could hardly expect that!

Then he spoke.

“So!” he said. His voice was deep and rumbly - rather like Samson the Server's, only without any warmth in it. It was sort of... grindy. “Were none of you aware of Tzone Standard 46CJ Blue?”

There was a pause, then Katzilow nudged Walpurgis in the ribs. “Go on then, leader!” he hissed. “Earn your Netcredits!”

Walpurgis turned round and was clearly about to give Katzilow an angry reply - but then he caught Carmeramalita's eye, and didn't.

“Er... well... ummm... ” he mumbled. “Got it somewhere... meant to give it a look... been terribly busy... ”

Nascarbalone shook his head very slowly - which looked kind of weird as his peaked cap stayed in the middle, as his beaky face went from side to side. Normally, that's just the sort of thing that makes our Dot giggle... but on this occasion, for some reason she didn't quite feel like it...

“I told you to get on with that” said Eldenbeam irritably. “Now look at the pickle we're in!”

“HAD you read Tzone Standard 46CJ Blue” Nascarbalone went on in his grindy voice “YOU would have been aware of a) major changes in this Tzone Entry Plateau, instituted by yours truly as a HUGE improvement in our facilities here b) the CORRECT way to approach the said Tzone Entry Plateau c) the PENALTIES for those who FAIL TO FOLLOW the correct entry and approach rules!”

Dot had never heard anybody actually say a) b) c) like that before. It was the sort of thing you usually saw written down in what looked like very BOR-ING letters from the council, the kind her Mum Suzie had to whisk away before her Dad saw them and “went off on one”, as they say.

But somehow it fitted the character of Nascarbalone Trinth.

“Sorry” muttered Walpurgis.V “SORRY” ground out Nascarbalone “SORRY is not enough. Rules are rules! They have to be followed! And those who don't follow them - ”

He paused and shook his head again, with his shiny peaked hat staying in the middle once again.

Dot still didn't feel like giggling.

“THOSE who DO NOT follow them, CANNOT enter my Tzone!”

Oh NO!!!

“UNLESS” and his glittering black eyes swept over them all again “UNLESS - they pass the Total Tzone Trial!”