Galaxy Patrol by Jean Ure Page B

corgis. But the Queen would
never
scratch her bottom. It was clear, at last, what I had to do.
    â€˜Right.’ I nodded at Rosie. ‘Open your bubble pack and scatter the contents. I’m going down to root out the bug. Be ready to zap it the minute it appears. OK?’
    â€˜So you think there really is a bug?’ said Rosie. ‘You really th – ’
    â€˜Just do what I tell you,’ I snapped, ‘and don’t argue!’
    Rosie blinked. ‘Yes,
sir
,’ she said.
    I waited till the corgis were safely occupied, fighting over the contents of Rosie’s bubble pack, then zoomed down till I was on a level with the Queen’s neck. She’d stopped scratching her bottom and was on her way to the door. I had to root out that bug before it was too late!
    I hovered, trying to keep myself steady while I carefully picked through the Queen’s hair, in search of a hole. Yes, there it was! Just as the captain had shown us. I was about to take aim when the Queen put up a hand and irritably slapped at the back of her neck. She was almost at the door. Frantically, I stuck the needle gun directly into the hole and fired.

    There was a bloodcurdling shriek. But it didn’t come from the Queen, it came from the bug. A slippery, slimy, glistening thing like a giant centipede, which shot out of the Queen’s neck and fell hissing and spitting to the floor.
    â€˜Get it!’ I shrieked at Rosie.
    But Rosie was having trouble with her jet pack. Instead of floating just above the ground, out of reach of the corgis, she was down on the carpet … with the bug, writhing and slithering, making straight for her. I whizzed myself round, resetting my needle gun as I did so, but before I could get in a shot, one of the corgis had darted forward and snatched the thing between its teeth. Rosie rocketed back into the air, and I heard a satisfying
crunch
as the bug was bitten in two and swallowed. Phew! I felt the sweat dripping off me. That had been a bit too close for comfort.
    I looked round for the Queen, to check she was all right. She had reached the door and was standing there, regally, waiting for the corgis.
    â€˜One has the strangest feeling,’ she told them, ‘that One has not been quite Oneself of late. But all of a sudden…’ She smiled majestically. ‘One feels quite restored. One is once againOneself!’
    â€˜Looks like we did it,’ I said.
    â€˜Yeah, yeah, yeah, but now can we just get out?’ begged Rosie. ‘I’ve had enough of this!’
    For once, I was in complete agreement. I pressed the button on my com badge and called through to the ship.
    â€˜Mission completed. Two to beam up!’

Chapter Ten
    â€˜Well done, Ensigns!’ The captain was there to greet us as we beamed back aboard the ship. ‘I knew we could rely on you!’
    He held out a hand. With cheeks the colour of beetroot, I solemnly put mine into it. I could hardly believe it … Jake McGraw, shaking hands with the captain of the
Galactic Empire
!

    â€˜You have performed a great service, both to your country and to the universe.’
    He turned to Rosie; but instead of taking his hand, Rosie very slightly shook her head and backed away.
Now
what was she up to?
    â€˜I didn’t do anything,’ she said.
    â€˜You were there,’ said the captain.
    â€˜But I didn’t
do
anything. It was all down to Jake. If it hadn’t been for him, we’d never have got the job done. I just, like, totally
freaked
. He was the one got the bug out. He’s the real hero.’
    Wow! It was the nicest thing she’d ever said. Unfortunately, it made my cheeks practically burst into flames.
    â€˜Now I’ve embarrassed him,’ said Rosie. ‘But it happens to be true!’
    â€˜Well, that is honestly spoken,’ said the captain. ‘That is praiseworthy in itself.’
    â€˜Yeah. Thanks,’ I muttered.
    â€˜Don’t