'WHOOOHOOOO!' Topaz went crazy at the other end of the rainbow.
'HOORAY!' shouted the crowd and once again, dizzy babies were tossed in the air and couples kissed.
As the people of Shobble continued to hoot and holler and whistle and cheer, Nicola and Topaz flew their ShobGobbles back towards Enrico.
He was sitting cross-legged in the snow, playing with his hair and looking moody. His wife and children sat stunned and silent in their sleigh.
'Enrico, I hereby present you with a petition as long as a rainbow calling for your resignation,' said Topaz, and handed over the pink parchment.
'I could just ignore the silly old Constitution,' said Enrico.
'Young man, ignoring the Constitution carries a penalty of twenty years' exile on the planet of Arth.' It was Horatio Banks, emerging from the crowd and looking extremely schoolteacherish.
'Mr Banks!' Enrico's eyes darted about and he ducked his head like a naughty schoolboy.
'I'm very disappointed in you, Enrico,' said Horatio. 'You had such potential!'
Enrico stuck his lower lip out. 'Nobody could make me go to Arth!'
'We could, sir,' said the lead Thug, appearing next to Horatio and crossing his arms across his barrel chest.
Enrico sighed theatrically. 'This is very hurtful!'
'You'll get over it,' said Nicola.
'Do you or do you not resign?' said Topaz.
'Oh, whatever, YES!' said Enrico. 'You and your stupid friends win! Satisfied?'
'Very,' said Nicola and Topaz together.
42
It was a party like no other. The people of Shobble had been waiting years for this moment and they were determined to celebrate.
Dusty guitars, saxophones, trumpets, cellos, flutes and violins that had been hidden in attics since the introduction of the Quiet-Please decree reappeared. People sang at the top of their voices while flinging themselves about a makeshift dance floor.
Hundreds of hairities handed around a pair of scissors and gave themselves the 'Katie Hobbs haircut'.
Long tables with white tablecloths were set up in the snow and laid with exquisite and not-so-exquisite food. There were chocolate cakes, chocolate mousse, chocolate biscuits and chocolate pastries. There were also strange bubbling broths, odd-looking stews and evil-smelling pies.
Nicola and the Space Brigade were treated like royalty. People brought them food and drinks, and offered to rub their feet.
'You saved our planet!' they said. 'How can we ever repay you?'
'Oh, we don't need anything,' said Nicola, and then she caught sight of Silent Fred watching the band playing. His face looked desperately sad and she remembered Joy telling them about his band, The Fleas.
'Can anyone help give Silent Fred his voice back?' she asked.
The call went out through the crowd and minutes later Barbie Banks came running, the siren around her forehead wailing. She pulled out a large bottle labelled TONGUE BURN TONIC.
'You'll need the whole bottle,' she said. Silent Fred drank it, while Joy looked on anxiously. He smacked his lips and handed the bottle back to Barbie.
Everyone waited to see if it would work.
Silent Fred opened his mouth. No sound came out.
He tried again.