“ME?” squeaked Dot.

It was her worst nightmare come true – she HATED classroom tests where your teacher goes round and you have to answer questions in front of everybody. Even if she knew the answer it always seemed to go straight out of her head, leaving her going “Um… err… is it… no, it’s… ummm… ” while Mrs Redman waited for an answer.

Her teacher was ever so patient, but even she couldn’t wait for ever!

And Nascarbalone Trinth, Zonemaster of Tzone 66, was anything but patient!

“But I… how can I… I mean, I don’t know anything about Tzones!” she said, feeling really panicky. “How can I possibly answer any questions about them?” “Yes, come on Trinth!” said Walpurgis anxiously. “This just isn’t fair!”

“No, it’s not!” agreed Carmeramalita, still smarting from the Zonemaster’s refusal to summon a friend from InterFriendNet. “She’s never been near a Tzone in her life!”

Nascarbalone shrugged. “You are still within your ‘Second Chance’ period following your MISERABLE failure in the test so far” he ground out in his horrid voice. “And I am prepared to overlook TricTrucTracker Carmeramalita’s highly unfortunate attempt to undermine MY system!” He smiled round at all of them – a nasty, unfriendly smile. “So - take it or leave it!”

Wiz let out another one of his scary long, low growls.

“And tell that… that mutt of yours to behave himself. Miss Dorothy!” said Nascarbalone angrily. “Or I’ll ban him, whatever happens!”

“I’ll get you” muttered Wiz, lying down with a big sigh. “I’ll get you, you… you… ”

Dot leant down and tickled Wiz behind one of his ears, in his “Re-lax” spot, to calm him down. She knew it wouldn’t make much difference, but it gave her a moment to think.

Only a moment, though.

“HERE is the question” said Nascarbalone Trinth in a gloating sort of way, clutching the sides of his little round Picboat as it gave another one of its jerks.

“Absurd!” murmured Fromage, twirling his whiskers. “What a sill-ee person we ‘ave ‘ere!” Luckily the Zonemaster didn’t hear his squeaky little mouse-voice.

“The question is” Trinth went on, tapping on his little computer keyboard. “As follows!”

With a Zee-EEP!! a little silver envelope came out of the side of his laptop.

Very slowly, Nascarbalone Trinth slid one of his claws down the side of the envelope. It made a “nyeek” kind of sound, rather like when one of your teacher’s felt-tip pens is drying out, and the white board’s all covered with sums already. Or with spellings. Or geography.

EVEN more slowly, the Zonemaster drew out a black card edged with gold. Then he looked straight down at Dot, still standing in Lucia the Tracboat on the big cradle in the Tzone Entry Plateau (actually, locked into it so she couldn’t go anywhere. TRUST Nascarbalone Trinth for that!)

“The question is - ” he said – and out of the corner of her eye, Dot saw a whole crowd of would-be visitors waiting for entry into the Tzone, standing or sitting or leaning in their Pic and Trac-boats, all watching her – which didn’t make her feel abit better, I can tell you – “the QUESTION is: What data progression, excepting bytebreak constructs, allows Corner4 access to Tzone memory byproduct co-ordination, in Multiple Alert Back-Options?”

“Oh, for goodness SAKE!” shouted Walpurgis. “That’s RIDICULOUS! NO-ONE can know that!”

The grim Zonemaster ignored him. “I will repeat the question” he said. “Then you have exactly ONE MINUTE to answer!”

Dot gulped. You might as well, she thought. I haven’t got A CLUE what you’re talking about! We’ve had it! We’ll never get in to the Tzone and find Mr Mouse now! Help! I need help!

Then came a warm and familiar voice in her ear.