(Cut back to the stage as the Angelettes come back in front of the curtains. They now wear what could be described as Medieval showgirl costumes - gauzy green tunics trimmed with beads, short jagged-cut skirts, high boots, tights, white flowing shirts under the tunics, and green hats with long feathers.)

Audrey: Lord George announced a Talent Contest to take place at his new home, Lone Star Manor. Every musician and performer in all the land was called to take part. The winner would play the Court Ball, the biggest bash of the entire year!

Lillian: I can't wait for the Court Ball! Women and men of the court choose their suitors during the Ball!

Winnie: (Grins) And they get to dress up in the fanciest outfits they can drag out of their closets.

Audrey: But for right now (turns towards the curtain) we're participating in the Talent Contest. (Audrey ducks as a beer bottle comes sailing over her head and onto the stage, where it crashes)

Winnie: Whoa! That must be one heck of a party!

Lillian: Come on, guys! We don't want to miss all the fun!

(The trio duck into the curtain as it opens to reveal the Lone Star Manor set. It's a large building made of wood and stone, with wooden support beams like a Swiss chalet. People in plain outfits scurry around, bringing food and wine to an assortment of obviously drunk and rather rowdy noblemen and women, including Micky, Jessie, and Nyles.)

Jessie: (Grins) This is some fun, huh guys? :D (She waves her dagger around) Bring me more ale!

Nyles: Bring me more, too! :D ;)

(Two women in simple dresses bring them ale. Jessie grabs her and guzzles it.)

Jessie: More! I feel good! I wanna sing!

Nyles: I wanna hear you sing!

Jessie: He wants to hear me sing! (She runs on the "stage" and starts singing "Different Drum"...badly. The peasants all throw their hands over their ears, but Nyles just grins.)

*We see Micky stuff cotton in his ears.*

Jessie: (As about mid-way through the second verse, the Angellettes come on stage and take over the song) Hey, I'm not done yet! Hey! (They finally get her offstage and continue the number...sounding much better.)

(Jessie pouts, but she finally goes over to Nyles and sits in his lap instead.)

*Nyles whispers in her ear, making her giggle.*

*Micky removes the cotton from his ears.*

(The Angellettes invite a few men onto the stage to dance with them...and end up walking offstage with them when the song ends.)

Nyles: *stands, still holding Jessie by his side* And now the Jovial Giants will play us an instrumental! Enjoy!

Jessie: Yeah! (She and Nyles stumble off-stage as the Jolly Green Giants come on. They do launch us into an instrumental number as we cut to Micky, Lauren, Peter, and Valerie sitting at a table in the front.)

Peter: This is very interesting. I believe those are some of our guards.

Lauren: Yes, it does appear to be them.

Valerie: I guess they wanted to do something different.

Peter: I don't see Lord Michael or his band of thieves yet.

Valerie: (Mutters) I hope they don't come here...

Peter: (Turns to Lauren) Do you really think they would come here?

Lauren: I believe they will.

Peter: What will you do when you catch them?

Lauren: Oh, we'll do...something.

Valerie: Surely nothing harmful. I still don't believe Lord Michael and his ward were guilty. We never found Lorrena and Andrew's bodies.

Peter: (Takes his wife's hand) Valeria, you saw the evidence. You saw the blood.

Valerie: Still...

Peter: We'll figure out a suitable punishment for Lord Michael.

Valerie: Peter, I don't understand how you could believe your own best friend would kill your other advisors!

Peter: He's no friend, Valeria.

Valerie: Peter (she leans against him) have a heart, please!

Peter: Valeria, it's for the best.

Valerie: How could it be for the best? Look at these people, Peter! (She sweeps her arms around to the peasants who bring food to the nobles) They need their strong leader!

Peter: Lord George is their leader now. (He turns to Micky) Have you made your announcement of the new taxes yet?

Micky: *looks up from playing with his Cat's Cradle* What taxes?

Peter: You mentioned raising the taxes to add to your treasury.

Micky: I did? Oh, that's nice.

Peter: (Frowns; leans over Lauren and whispers so only she can hear) Um, Laur, he's REALLY looking a little bright-eyed...

Lauren: *nods* Yeah, he is.

Peter: (Takes the Cat's Cradle away) Master, you said you would be increasing the taxes on all goods and collecting money from the people for the Treasury.

Micky: *frowns, reaching across Peter for his Cat's Cradle* Gimme!

Peter: (Hands the Cat's Cradle to Lauren) No, Master. (Whispers to Micky) Micky, how much did you have? I thought that stuff was watered down!

Micky: *grins* Yummy water.

Peter: (Looks at Lauren) Didn't Em say this stuff was 80 percent water? He looks sloshed!

Lauren: *shrugs* It was supposed to be!

Valerie: (Puts her hand on her stomach) Oh, dear. Junior is letting me know he's here. Um, Lord George, why don't we go off-stage and get you some strong tea for that little, um, headache you seem to have? (Leans over and mutters to Lauren) And sober him up quick for the rescue scene.

Peter: Yeah. (Whispers to Lauren) You can tell the audience where Micky's keeping the Queen's Guards.

Lauren: Right.

(Valerie leads Micky offstage as Peter turns to Lauren.)

Peter: (Louder) Oh, dear. It seems Lord George has a terrible headache. I hope my wife can get him to the alchemist.

Lauren: I just hope he'll be feeling better shortly.

Peter: Maybe he will after the next act.

Nyles: *as the Jolly Green Giants leave the stage* Thanks fellas! Next up, a swinging girl group performing the "Calico Girlfriend Samba!"

(The "girl group" comes out on stage. It's Mike and the Martians in plain peasant dresses, wigs - Mike wears his red wig from "Wild West Monkees" - and makeup. Another "girl," this one in a brown wig, sneaks to the other end of the room, where Daphne and Emma sit together.)

Emma: We have to find the other guards! I know they must be here somewhere! We've searched the whole castle for them!

Daphne: *nods* Yeah, I... *pauses, seeing someone sneaking towards them; eyes widen* I don't believe it...

Emma: What is it, Daphne?

(The "girl" passes by Daphne and leans over, whispering loud enough for her and the audience to hear but not Emma.)

"Girl": (Rather masculine English accent) Meet me near the stage, luv. We have to talk.

Emma: (As Daphne stands) What was that all about, dear?

Daphne: An old friend from school I haven't seen in years!

Emma: Rather odd-looking lass. (Shrugs) Well, you can talk with her, but not for long. (Nods at Valerie and Lauren) I'm going to guard the Queen. I trust Lady Lauren even less after what happened the other day.

Daphne: *nods* Thank you.

Emma: You're welcome. I'm glad you'll be able to talk to someone outside the Court.

(Emma goes over to Lauren and Valerie and sits next to Valerie. Daphne goes over to the stage...and is grabbed to stage left near the stage by the girl in the brown wig.)

Davy: (Over the music) Luv!

Daphne: David! I knew that was you under there!

Davy: Yeah. Michael thought this was the only way we'd get into the Contest undetected. (Frowns) The guys' number isn't going to last for very long. I saw the Queen take Lord George to get him some headache powder. When he returns, we have to find out where they're keeping the money from the Contest and the other Queen's Guards.

Daphne: Yes. I'm willing to bet Her Majesty's guards can be far...

Davy: Look! There's Lord George and Queen Valeria now! (Grins as Valerie brings a slightly worse-for-the-wear Micky back on stage) He looks a little over the hill, don't he?

Daphne: *looks and almost frowns, then grins* He sure does.

Davy: (Whispers so only Daph can hear) What in the heck did he drink? This weren't supposed to be the real stuff!

Daphne: *whispers* I don't know! He was fine earlier!

Valerie: (Brings Micky back over to their seats) He's much better now.

(Davy and Daphne discreetly take two seats behind them.)

Micky: Uh, yeah...

Emma: (Hisses) Queen Valeria, maybe it's time we found out what happened to the other Guards. We've searched half of Belgravia for them and have found nothing!

Valerie: I agree. We need to find those poor girls. They're some of my best fighters!

Peter: I'm sure they're all right. (Looks at Micky and Lauren) Aren't they?

Micky: They're fine!

Valerie: They're NOT all right. I think you put some kind of spell on them!

Peter: Lord George wouldn't have! (Looks at Micky) Would you?

Micky: Naahhh.

Valerie: They have to be somewhere! They're not anywhere else in the kingdom!

Mike: (As he finishes "Calico Girlfriend Samba"; the highest, most feminine voice he can manage) Uh, we have one more number for all of you folks before we hit the tracks. (Turns to Micky) And we thought our own Lord George might give us a hand! (He turns to the stage...and nods in the direction of Davy and Daphne, who sneak behind the stage as Micky stumbles onto it.)

Micky: *looks back at the steps* I think the steps are crooked.

John: (He doesn't even bother trying to sound like a woman; his voice is just too deep) Would you like to sing on this next song, Your Lordship?

Chris: (Very high voice) Yeah, we've heard you're a good singer!

Micky: *wide grin* Of course, I'm good!

Mike: (Rolls his eyes, then) And what does our esteemed leader (wrinkles his nose at this) want to sing?

Micky: "Let’s Dance On!"

Mike: Uh, sure. We can do that. (The guys strike up the song while Micky takes the microphone.)

Chris: Hey, why don't we have more people up here? How about the Captain of the Guards?

*Nyles points at himself. Me?*

Danny: Yeah, you!

John: And how about the lady, too?

Jessie: Oooh, me too!

(They all go on stage as the number continues. Some of the more-drunk nobles get up and dance...occasionally knocking peasants out of the way.)

(Mike growls when he sees the nobles push the peasants aside and eat the fancy food, but John puts a hand on his shoulder and shakes his head. Watch that temper, Your Lordship.)

Peter: (He's dancing) This is a great number, isn't it Milady?

Lauren: It's wonderful!

Peter: I wish everyone could hear it!

Lauren: How do you mean, Sire?

Valerie: (Grumbles; she can't dance) I wish I knew where my girls were.

Emma: I wouldn't mind knowing that myself.

Peter: Where ARE the girls?

*Micky waves to Lauren between verses, then leaves the stage altogether to dance with her.*

(Peter gently pulls Valerie out of her chair and mostly dances around her. She just moves a bit.)

*Micky tries to spin Lauren, but he only turns her around once before she lightly slugs him in the arm. Don't do that!*

(Davy and Daphne get up and dance, making their way on stage. EEmma just walks on stage, rolling her eyes and wondering how Nyles snuck real liquor in the theater.)

Mike: (As the song ends) Um, we're gonna take the reins over for the next group, so don't anybody go nowhere. (A group of real young women walk on stage and take their instruments as Mike and the guys run over to Davy and Daphne on one side of the stage)

Mike: Dave, have you guys found them yet?

Davy: *shakes his head* Not yet.

Mike: They have to be somewhere! We've looked everywhere else in the kingdom!

Chris: Hey, why don't we ask them? (Points at Micky, who is now dancing to the girls' instrumental number)

Davy: Do you really think just asking them will work?

John: Never hurts to try.

Mike: They have to go look for them SOMETIME!

*Micky is now spinning around...and around...and around, until he finally falls in a heap, giggling. Lauren helps him up and leads him out back.*

John: Hey, look! (Points at Lauren and Micky as they go out back and Peter and Valerie return to their seats)

Mike: THAT'S certainly convenient.

Davy: *mutters* And a bit of improvisation on Lauren's be'alf.

(The group follows Lauren...including Emma, who follows THEM. Even the stage follows them, as part of the set rolls out to reveal a bedroom with a huge canopy bed with a white spread. Everything is in black and white, though the spread has a bit of something red on it...)

*As Lauren and Micky enter the room, a familiar ball is seen on a pedestal.*

Mike: That must be it! (Frowns) How are we gonna get to it?

John: (Grins) Leave it to me, oh Fearless Leader.

John: (As he and the Martians go over to Micky) Hey, man, you were really good out there! Mind showing us some of your moves? (Flutters his eyelashes for emphasis, which looks ridiculous on a man his size)

Micky: *grins* Sure! *starts spinning himself around again, though not as quickly this time*

Mike: (Grabs Lauren and starts spinning HER as Chris and Danny grab the ball and Davy and Daphne block the exit) Why don't we do a few moves too, darlin'?

Kimberly's Voice: (As Danny and Chris reach for the ball) Let us out!

Lauren: *whispers* Just don't SPIN me, please! :P

Mike: Ok! (He swings her around and throws her in the air as well as he can instead)

Maxine's Voice: We're still stuck in here!

Jenny’s Voice: And it smells!

Danny: (Looks up) There ARE people in there!

John: (As Micky keeps spinning - Davy takes over and John joins them) Whoa. How are we going to get them out?

Mike: I think I know. (He puts a shaky Lauren down and hands John his mandolin) Use this, man.

Danny: (He takes his own guitar as Chris holds the ball) Well, ok... (As they play an instrumental "You Just May Be The One," there's a huge puff of purple smoke around the ball. We hear the patter of feet, and the Abbies appear as Emma makes her way into the room.)

John: Wow! Music IS magic!

Mike: Nice work.

Maxine: (Looks at herself) We're all right again! We're out!

Kimberly: Thanks (grins and winks at Danny, who blushes) ladies.

John: Oh, it was nothing.

Peter: (Peers in the back room) Hey everyone, come on out! We're going to announce the winners of the contest! (Beams when he sees the girls) Ladies! Where did you come from?

Kimberly: Oh, we were just havin' a ball.

Chris: (Puts his arm around Jenny, who just blushes) Why don't we get to know one another?

John: (Takes Maxine's hand) Yeah. You look like a nice girl. We could be friends.

Kimberly: (Takes Danny's hand) Or more than friends.

Marcus: Oh, this is all so sweeeeeeettt!

Mike: (Takes Micky's arm; he's STILL spinning) Man, are you all right?

Micky: *closes his eyes; sways* Um, no...

Mike: (In his female voice) Why don't we just get you off the lil' ol stage here, so our King can announce the winners?

Emma: (Grins at Lauren) Are YOU all right, Your Ladyship?

Lauren: I'm fine.

Peter: (As the whole group makes their way onto the stage) And the winner is, the ladies of the First National Band! They'll be playing at our Court Ball next month! Let's hear it for them!

(All the Abbies and Martians embrace, Tilly makes her way through the crowd and embraces Marcus, Daphne embraces Davy, Nyles kisses Jessie, Mike just smiles...and we see Micky lean over and make noises to the point that he's a little on the ill side as the curtain closes and we cut backstage.)