“Royaltee? Zee Royal Family of England! Mais non!* This cannot be!”

Dot was just as amazed as Fromage about this new twist in the tail in their hunt for Mr Mouse – but she wasn’t prepared for the little cyber-mouse’s reaction.

“We ‘ave fought ze Kings and Queens to make our own republic! With free citizens who do not bow ze knee to… to royal nonsenses! Vive la revolution! Vive la France libre! ** Da da da dee DA da da DA dee da – da dee da da da DEE da da!”

That was Fromage singing the ‘Marseillaise’ by the way - the French national anthem.

Yes I know it’s not the actual music, but just… just try humming it! Go on!

“What…” said Walpurgis, clearly as amazed as everyone else by what Fromage was saying. (And singing.)

And how he was looking. He was red in his little mousey face, his whiskers were sticking straight out from the side of his nose like the spines on a porcupine, and his eyes were blazing.

He’d also woken up all the other TricTrucTrackers. They didn’t seem to mind though - they were clearly interested (and amused) by Fromage’s revolutionary speech. As Lucia the Tracboat sailed on, high in the gold and blue net-sky of Tzone 66, they got out of their seats, one by one, and gathered round.

“It’s only a bit of the information” said Walpurgis, trying to calm Fromage down. “Just that little crown on the Tracmapper globe. Always comes up first, if it’s there. There’ll be loads more!”

Fromage folded his arms and looked down fiercely at the TricTrucTrackers’ leader.

“I will ‘ave NOTHING to do with zese… zese Royals!” he spluttered. “Especially not after Harry split up with the lovely Chelsy! And what about ze Princess Anne? WHAT a hairdo! And the Prince Philip – why does he say these funny things all ze time? And zen zere is Prince Charles! Well, at least he cares for ze environment! But he… but he… ”

He stopped when he realized EVERYONE was looking at him.

“For someone who says he hates the Royal family of England” said Eldenbeam in a kind of silky voice “You do seem to know a great deal about them!”

Now it was Fromage’s turn to blush. “Well, I… ” he stumbled. “You see… ”

BLIP!

On one of the computer consoles in front of the seats, a message had come up. Dot peered at it. Surprise!

“Fromage!” she said. “It’s for you!” She peered again. “Oh you lucky thing! You’ve won a complete coffee mug set with pictures of ALL the Royal family! Well done!”

At this point – having been found out as a big fan of the Royals, despite all his anti-royalty talk - Fromage did the only sensible thing he could. With a muffled exclamation, he ran away and hid (not far – just under the shoulder of Dot’s T-shirt, as usual.)

Plink! PLINKPLINKPLINKPLINK!

Royalty or no, now the data they’d absorbed from Mr Mouse was pouring into the Tracmapper from the MiniTracs. Rows and rows and rows and rows of numbers flashed up on the globe above the blobby “keyboard” the MiniTracs had sunk into, some lines flashing bright red as they went.

“Sector 001/6645/974!” said Katzilow excitedly.

“Not far from your house Dot!” said Carmeramalita, giving her a little hug.

“Spaceplan V-byte!” shouted Hombellyton. “Excellent! We’re getting closer!”

“Oh and look!” said Eldenbeam, pointing. “We have a recycle link!”

“That was what Zapotek said to Dad, wasn’t it Dot?” asked Wiz, his tail wagging so fast it was almost a blur. “Mr M was going to be recycled?”

“Yes, it was!” said Dot. “Does this mean we can find Mr Mouse now?” she asked Walpurgis.

“Wo, steady” he replied, smiling at her excitement. “First of all, to use this data he has to be plugged in AND into a computer which is connected to the Internet. Then - ”

He stopped as Lucia, still flying steadily through the net-sky, suddenly gave a huge shudder. Then, three of the little mobile-like screens along her side stopped whirring. And went black.

“That doesn’t look good!” said Eldenbeam quietly.

And it wasn’t! As they watched, one of the screens that had stopped started to melt in front of their eyes – little blobs of plastic falling from it onto the Tracboat’s deck. Lucia shuddered again – and as if in response, all the little propellers, the propters along her left side suddenly speeded up, with a nasty whirring, whining noise.

But instead of moving off to her right, the propters weren’t taking her anywhere.

“Great megaterabytes! ” gasped Walpurgis. “Lucia – what’s happening?”

Lucia quivered again, and lifted her bow up, so they all had to cling on to stop falling backward.

But she’d done it for a reason. What was that dark speck, far off in the net-sky above them?

But that wasn’t all. Oh no. Suddenly, out of nowhere came a rasping, grindy voice.

“Tracboat Lucia! Tracboat LUCIA! Halt-and-stop! HALT-AND-STOP!”

Nascarbalone Trinth had found them again!

* But no!
** Long live the revolution! Long live free France!