CHAPTER 30
Releasing the prisoners was a wonderful experience.
They were being held in a narrow concrete building. Each tiny, dark, damp cell held so many prisoners they had to sit in rows with their knees held tightly to their chests. Some of them were scaly-skinned Volcomanians who must have been protesting against the war. Others were pale, beautiful Whimsians, who must have done something to annoy the invading army.
When Nicola unlocked each gate, the prisoners stared up at her without saying a word, their eyes dull and dirty, their thin faces full of sad resignation, assuming she was just another guard. When she said, "You're free!" they were transformed. First there was shock and disbelief, followed by relief and delight. Some of them whooped with joy. Others cried with happiness and wanted to hug Nicola.
"Hurry! Hurry!" she told them. "We need your help!" As Nicola unlocked each cell, the rest of the Space Brigade led the prisoners away to help with tying up the guards.
Shimlara had been craning over Nicola's shoulder, looking for her family. Finally she found them in the very last cell. With their long Globagaskarian legs, they looked especially uncomfortable in the cramped conditions. Squid had his thumb in his mouth and his head resting against his mother's shoulder. Mully had her eyes closed as she leaned against the back wall of the cell. Georgio, who had obviously been released from solitary confinement, was sitting next to his wife and son with his forehead resting on his kneecaps.
It was Squid who caught sight of Shimlara first. He took his thumb out of his mouth and grinned widely at his big sister.
"Shimlara," he said clearly.
"Yes, darling," said Mully tiredly, without opening her eyes. "We'll see Shimlara soon, I promise."
"You can see me right now," said Shimlara.
Mully's eyes flew open. Georgio's head jerked up like a jack-in-the-box.
"Shimlara!" cried Mully.
Nicola unlocked the gate and the prisoners all got to their feet with difficulty and walked out into the corridor.
"I told you we'd be out of here soon!" said Georgio triumphantly. He clapped one of the other prisoners who had been sharing their cell on the shoulder. "That's my daughter I was telling you about!"
"I must admit I was rather beginning to think she was a figment of your imagination," smiled the prisoner, a short, fuzzy-haired lady with pink apple cheeks. She didn't look like she was from Volcomania or the Planet of Whimsy. She wasn't an Earthling, but for some reason she seemed slightly familiar to Nicola.
Shimlara, Mully, and Georgio rushed together for a family hug.
"I kept thinking of how frightened you must have been when you got home and found the house deserted and that half-written note from your father," said Mully, her face buried in Shimlara's curly hair.
"I was fine," Shimlara reassured her. "I got right on the phone with the Space Brigade."
"Blanket?" asked Squid hopefully.
"Oh yes, I forgot!" Shimlara pulled the dirty blue square from her pocket. Squid grabbed i
t and hugged it rapturously.
"Well, as much as I enjoyed the company, I'm very happy to be out of that cell," said the familiar gray-haired lady, stretching her arms over her head.
"Me too," said another tall, thin, gray-haired woman. Nicola noted with interest that her skin was deep green: the exact same color as a well-watered front lawn.
"We've been lucky enough to meet some quite distinguished people during our stay here," said Georgio to Nicola, as if he'd been at a cocktail party, not a prison camp. "May I present the United Aunts!"
Nicola realized that the other prisoners who had shared the Gorgioskio cell were all gray-haired, gracious, intelligent-looking women. Judging by their varying shapes, sizes, and skin colors, they were all from different planets. This was confirmed when each stepped forward, bowed her head, and said the name of the planet she was representing.
Nicola didn't recognize most of the planet names. (For example, the woman with green skin said she was representing the Planet of Clock.) However, there were a few that she did recognize. An extremely tall woman with a noticeably large nose said she represented the Planet of Globagaskar.
A beautiful woman carrying a flute, with long gray hair that nearly touched the ground, said she represented the Planet of Whimsy. A gray-haired, scaly-skinned woman said, "I'm somewhat ashamed to say I represent the Planet of Volcomania."
Next was the short, fuzzy-haired lady. She smiled at Nicola. "I think you may know my planet. I represent Shobble."
Of course! A Shobbling!
"My planet is a different place thanks to the Space Brigade," said the aunt. All the other aunts looked impressed and Nicola blushed.