Nicola fished a pen out of her backpack and handed it over. She tightened her knees around her saddle because Quicksilver was quivering suspiciously, as if he was laughing.

‘Thanks.’ The lead Thug laboriously signed his name and handed the pen to the Thug behind him.

‘And to be honest,’ he said to Nicola confidentially, ‘the guy has turned out to be a bit of a wimp. I mean, did you see him freaking out just because you threw a few little buttons at him? What was that all about?’

‘I don’t know,’ said Nicola. She was watching the petition get longer and longer as each of the Thugs unrolled a little more parchment and signed their names (they all had very large handwriting), and she could feel an enormous grin tugging at the corners of her mouth.

‘Also, the wife and I used to like to disco dance,’ said the Thug thoughtfully. ‘I’d forgotten about that until you played the music. It’s about time we got rid of that stupid Quiet-Please decree.’

‘And I’m sick of being a hairity,’ said another Thug. ‘Strands of my hair are always getting stuck in the bath drain. I wouldn’t mind a crew cut.’

The last Thug signed the petition and handed the pen back to Nicola.

‘Let’s see how long it is now.’ The Thug leader rubbed his meaty hands together.

Nicola took the petition and flew Quicksilver to the end of the rainbow. She crouched down and placed the end of the petition in the splash of colourful light on the snowy ground.

It was exactly the right length.

‘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.