“Entry - allowed!”

Nascarbalone Trinth's grudging words, squeezed out of him like the very last bit of toothpaste in a tube, echoed round the Tzone Entry Plateau.

From the assembled Server Servants and Beamchasers, and all the other net-people waiting their turn to get into the Tzone, came a burst of applause. The squirrelly Server Servants were even doing a funny dance, patting each others hands, now one, now the other, and twirling round to quiver their bushy black tails at each other.

The bird-helicopter Beamchasers did little hopping take-offs, their rotors going “Duggaduggadugga” in a chirpy sort of way.

Nascarbalone Trinth meanwhile, had zoomed off along the cradles, to go and get all nosey and official with someone else down the far end of the Plateau.

GRANK-KIDDA-CLANK!

The big steel net of the cradle that Lucia the Tracboat, with all her passengers was sitting in fell away. Lucia gave herself a little shake, like a dog does after a big stroking.

“NOW we can get going!” said Walpurgis with a huge grin. “Hoorah!”

There was a click from the shiny egg-shaped cabin in front of them, and a little flap opened in its smooth curved side.

BZZZ-BZZZ. BZZZ-BZZZ.

“What's that?” asked Wiz nervously. (He hates bees and wasps - always tries to catch them, with his doggy jaws going snap-snap. Never caught a single one in his life, of course!)

“Oh, it's a Buzby” said Walpurgis. “He checks us all out to make sure we're virus-free. Watch!”

The Buzby looked just like a bee, but a bit bigger - and his body was flat, like a square matchbox. His wings were just a blur on either side of him (or maybe her!) He had a kindly face with two big eyes and a little wispy beard. Six delicate black legs below his quivering electric blue and black body ended in what looked very like tiny welly boots.

Dot looked more closely. They were tiny welly boots!!

“Oh hallo Buzby!” said Carmeramalita. “How are you? Still got those cold feet, I see! Never mind - those buzboots should help!”

Bzz!

“My turn first, I suppose!” she went on. “Away you go!”

She stood up and spread her arms out wide. The little creature flew towards her and then stopped by one of her outstretched paws. His buzzing note changed to a kind of zeet-zeet-zeet sound. Then, very slowly and steadily, he started to fly all around the TricTrucTracker - as if he were drawing an outline of Carmeramalita in the air. A glowing green track followed him as he flew, rather like the trail a sparkler leaves in the air when you wave it about on bonfire night.

“What EES 'e doing?” said Fromage, stroking the sore place on his nose where he'd accidentally pulled his whiskers out.

“Oh, it's a virometric” said Eldenbeam. “A special Tzone virus check. It's an invention of Trinth's actually - and not a bad one, either. You can sometimes pick up Tzone viruses you don't know about when you're net-voyaging - even on your clothes.” He nodded his head in a serious way.

“You're next Dot - Buzbies always work in alphabetical order.”

The line round Carmeramalita changed to a brilliant white.

“All clear!” said Eldenbeam. “Your turn, Dot!”

The little creature flew over to Dot, and positioned himself just as he had done with Carmeramalita.

Zeet-zeet-zeet. What did she have to do now? Oh yes! She lifted up her arms.

Zeet zeet!

Then the Buzby was off, flying steadily all round her – she could just see the bright green trail of light out of the corner of her eye. She felt a funny tingling sensation behind, a little bit like when you get pins and needles – only not so bad. But it didn’t last. As soon as the Buzby had finished, it stopped too.

The glittering track turned to brilliant white. All clear again!

And on the Buzby went, all alphabetically – Eldenbeam, Fromage, Hombellyton, Katzilow, Walpurgis.

All clear too.

And then… Wizard.

Dot looked anxiously down at her friend. “Wiz… ” she said “It’s all right. It doesn’t hurt… won’t take a minute… ”

Grrrrr went Wizzie. Very doggy. Pretty scary.

“Wiz, stand up!” said Dot. “Then Buzby can get round you quickly!”

“Do I have to?” Wiz said, gazing up his best friend with sad brown eyes. “I just can’t STAND bees! You know I can’t!”

“Yes, you do have to!” said Dot, quite sharply. She wanted to get on! “Otherwise we won’t be able to go into Tzone 66 and find Mr Mouse!”

“Allez, allez” said Fromage in a kindly voice. “Courage, mon brave!” *

“STUPID mouse” muttered Wiz in a bad–tempered way. “Why’d he have to go and get lost, anyway!”

“Pleeeease Wizzy” said Dot worriedly. “Be nice boy!”

Bzz bzz bzz went Buzby - his words for “Do hurry up!”

Very slowly, Wiz got to his feet. The Buzby flew down towards him.

Grrrrrrrrr... Grrrrrrrrr… GRRRRRRRRR!!

SNAP!

Oh NO!

For the first time in his LIFE, Wiz had caught a bee!

But why, oh WHY did it have to be this one!!