by Ahmet Zappa
“Did you hear that noise?” Gemma said in a much louder voice. “That rumbling sound? Something must be wrong with the transporter! Remember when it ran out of power just the other—”
“Relax, Gemma,” Tessa said irritably. “It’s only my stomach. You do know breakfast is postponed because of this assembly, don’t you? It’s really not fair. Some of us need to eat on a regular schedule.”
Clover understood the part about keeping a schedule. She liked to have a predictable timetable, too. But how could Tessa be concerned about food at a time like that? “Tessa—” she began to scold.
But then Piper slid into place beside her and put a reassuring hand on her arm. How did Piper do that? Always appearing seemingly out of thin air? “Relax, Clover,” she said in a soothing voice. “Tessa isn’t really worried about breakfast. It’s just transtarence—‘transference,’ as Wishlings would say.”
“Transtarence?” Clover repeated. Sometimes Piper had an intuitive sense of others’ thoughts and feelings, but sometimes she was way off starbase. Which would it be now?
“Yes. Tessa is transferring, or redirecting, her concern about Lady Stella,” Piper finished in a whisper. “To food!”
Ahead, the Cosmic Transporter was emptying, and Clover realized they had reached the auditorium. She linked arms with Astra and Piper and, with Gemma, Tessa, and Libby close behind, followed the crowd.
Just outside the auditorium doors, the rest of the Star Darlings waited.
“Over here!” Leona waved her arms dramatically, her golden curls bouncing. Cassie stood next to her, looking pale. She seemed to be holding on to Sage’s arm for support. The roommates had disagreed about Lady Stella, Sage supporting the headmistress, Cassie opposing her. Sage had a strong personality. But shy, quiet Cassie had stood her ground, convincing the Star Darlings that Lady Stella was the enemy.
Now, looking at Cassie’s conflicted expression, Clover thought she could be having second thoughts. Scarlet, a short distance away from the others, looked defiantly at anyone who so much as glanced in her direction.
Meanwhile, Adora and Vega, their blue heads of hair almost blending into one, were huddled over one of Vega’s puzzle holo-books. “Hey! Aren’t there any science questions?” Adora complained. More transtarence, Clover decided.
“Come on!” Sage said impatiently. “Let’s go inside.”
The Star Darlings stepped into the auditorium. At the very same starmin, a student named Vivica—just about the meanest girl in school, Clover thought—elbowed her way past, her own group of friends trailing behind her.
Vivica stopped abruptly and the girl behind her tripped, crashing into Clover.
“Star apologies!” the girl told Vivica, ignoring Clover. “I should have been paying more attention.”
Vivica sniffed. “Be more careful next time, Brenna.” Then she turned to Clover. “As for you, I suggest you try harder to keep up with the crowd. Those SDs,” she muttered to her friends. “They really are Superbly Dense!”
Clover ignored her. The Cycle of Life was too short to let Vivica get on her nerves. Unfortunately, she wound up sitting directly behind her in the auditorium.
“I’m really wondering about this big announcement,” Vivica was saying to Brenna.
“If it is the Triple S award,” Brenna said, “you’ll be a star-in.”
“Me? Getting the Triple S?” said Vivica with loud false modesty. “Why would they ever give it to little old me? Yes, I was the champion light-skater at the Luminous Lake competition. And I earn all Is in my classes. Illumination, Illumination, Illumination. That’s all my star report says! And of course, there’s the band I put together. We’re totally stellar. Still…the award?”
The lights brightened, signaling the students to be quiet. Then Lady Cordial shuffled onto center stage. She gazed around nervously, gripping a microphone in one hand. She tucked a loose strand of purple hair behind her ear, and the mic hit her head. A loud screech sounded, reaching the last rows.
Clover, an old hand at performing in front of an audience, squirmed uncomfortably. Lady Cordial was so awkward and shy. Clover’s heart went out to her. Clearly, she wished she was light-years away, not standing onstage about to deliver a major announcement.
“Ahem.” Lady Cordial cleared her throat. “S-s-s-s-star greetings, s-s-s-s-s-students,” she stuttered.
“Do you know she s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-stutters?” Vivica said in a stage whisper to Brenna.
Clover groaned to herself. Why did Lady Cordial always choose words that started with the letter s?
“I will get right to the point,” Lady Cordial continued.
Clover nodded encouragingly at the stage. Not one S-word in that sentence! That was a start.
Lady Cordial dropped the mic and the thud echoed throughout the room.
“S-s-s-s-s-s-star apologies!” she cried.
Clover glared around the room, daring anyone to laugh.
“I asked you here today,” Lady Cordial said, plowing ahead, a bright purple blush flooding her cheeks, “to relay important news.”
Clover sat forward expectantly. This definitely had to do with Lady Stella. Did Lady Cordial know what had happened to her?
“Lady S-s-s-s-s-stella has been unexpectedly called away due to a family emergency.”
Okay, Clover thought. Lady Stella is really gone. And the family emergency must be an excuse. But Lady Cordial looked like she had more to say.
“As director of admissions, I am next in line,” she went on. “S-s-s-s-s-so I will be temporarily in charge.”
The room erupted with cries of surprise. Only the Star Darlings remained silent, exchanging looks and worried glances.
Lady Cordial called for quiet. She waved her arms frantically, but the noise didn’t subside. Finally, Professor Dolores Raye whistled for everyone’s attention, and the students settled down.
Lady Cordial nodded, as if she’d called on the teacher to step in. “I hope everyone will be patient with me. This is a huge s-s-s-s-s-step, with a definite learning curve. It may take s-s-s-s-some time for everything to run s-s-s-s-s-smoothly.”
Three S-words, Clover thought. Not quite a record. But she knew Lady Cordial’s speech would end with a great big embarrassing double-S phrase. She waited a beat, then nodded as Lady Cordial finished with “S-s-s-s-star s-s-s-s-salutations.”
Shana Muldoon Zappa is a jewelry designer and writer who was born and raised in Los Angeles. She has an endless imagination and a passion to inspire positivity through her many artistic endeavors. She and her husband, Ahmet Zappa, collaborated on Star Darlings especially for their magical little girl and biggest inspiration, Halo Violetta Zappa.
Ahmet Zappa is the New York Times best-selling author of Because I’m Your Dad and The Monstrous Memoirs of a Mighty McFearless. He writes and produces films and television shows and loves pancakes, unicorns, and making funny faces for Halo and Shana.