Stinker's Return Read online

  “Right!” His head snapped up, and with a final sweep of the pink beam he took out all the lights in the lobby ceiling. The three raced for the broken window and leaped into the cool night air.

  After a moment’s shouting chaos, people began pouring out the door after them, photographers shooting pictures, and guards shooting high, warning shots. The three had just reached the sidewalk when a beam of bright pink light shot from the sky and melted a deep trench between them and their pursuers. Everyone looked up.

  A sleek silver ship spiraled down and landed in the street beside the man and two children. A door opened in the side, and a stout black-and-white skunk stared jauntily out.

  “Stinker!” Karen and Jonathan ran over and would have hugged him if he hadn’t warned them not to spoil the effect.

  The only sound in the stunned silence was the clicking of cameras.

  The actor raised his voice. “Still think this is a publicity stunt? Face it, it’s the real thing. For generations we’ve dreamed of space adventure, but it’s a dream no longer! We’ve already had a bit part in one space drama, and if we get our act together we can break into the big time!” Saluting the crowd, Conway joined the others and climbed into the ship.

  “But wait!” a reporter called. “We’ve got questions. Lots of questions.”

  Karen looked back and shouted out, “Ask Mr. Blimpton. He likes questions. But don’t let him cover anything up this time!” She turned to the skunk. “You have anything to add, Stinker?”

  “Sure,” Stinker broadcast into every mind there. “This is a pretty good planet you’ve got here. Sorry I can’t stay and chat, but do let’s keep in touch. It’s been real.”

  With a final wave from the black-and-white tail, the door closed. In seconds, the silver ship swooped upward. Cameras clicked like crazed crickets.

  Vince shook tears from his eyes. He turned to meet the stunned stare of the man from NASA. “I’d like to see them top that in Hollywood.”

  12

  Over the Rainbow

  “Might as well give them a real show,” Stinker said from his seat at the instrument console. He pressed a control and the outside of the ship began glowing like a torch.

  He sent the brilliant ship sailing low over Washington. It swooped around the Capitol dome, then glided along the Mall. A couple of loops around the Washington Monument, then it banked over the Lincoln Memorial and shot off toward the White House to fly slowly by the windows of the third floor. In a final flourish, it spiraled upward, looped into a somersault, then shot off like a backward meteor.

  “So much for low profile.” Karen laughed, wondering how they’d managed to do all that without feeling dizzy.

  “Well,” Stinker said, pointing his nose upward, “if you’ve got a high profile, might as well be up front about it.”

  “They sure can’t cover up this visit,” Jonathan said happily.

  “Oh, but Stinker!” Karen said suddenly, “the Ruby Slippers! They took them back. What’ll you do now? You’re running out of time.”

  “No problem. I don’t need them anymore. I’ve got something better.”

  “What?”

  Stinker pointed a paw to where Trevor Conway sat studying the cabin in silent awe. “If the High Gyrn of Twak has seen The Wizard of Oz, he’s surely seen Star Raiders. What could be more special for a movie buff than meeting Alex Greystone in person?”

  “Wow, Mr. Conway,” Jonathan said, “you’re going off to that Twak planet?”

  The actor gave them a slow, deep smile. “Hard to believe, isn’t it? I’m actually going to visit the big cheese of a real interstellar empire.”

  With a worried frown, Karen turned to Stinker. “You’re not going to let that wacky guy keep Mr. Conway, are you?”

  “I doubt he’ll want to. I didn’t notice any real creatures in his collection. No, I figure we’ll lay on the celebrity visit, maybe give him the ‘authentic Star Raiders pistol’ Conway’s packing on his hip, then deliver Conway back to Hollywood.”

  The actor chuckled. “Once the press finishes with that, the studio will probably let me play Alex Greystone until I’m too old to move.”

  “And we’ll go see every movie,” Karen promised.

  “So what about you two?” Stinker asked Karen and Jonathan. “I suppose we’d better get you back home so you can get on with your lives.”

  “Well . . .” Jonathan began, “things there ought to be better now that we’re not world-class liars anymore. But, hey, our parents aren’t expecting us for a few days yet.”

  “And I bet you could send them a message saying we’ll be just a little longer,” Karen added.

  “Maybe,” Stinker said, leaning back in his seat and clasping his paws behind his head. “So you’d like to come along and take a look at what things are like out there?” He waved a paw toward the star-filled view screen.

  Their broad smiles were the only answer he needed.

  “All right!” Eagerly, Stinker flopped himself forward and flashed little paws over the controls. “Let’s boldly go where no humans and darn few skunks have gone before!”

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