"Impeccable timing, as usual," I said, climbing into the cockpit of the helicopter.
"Think nothing of it, old bean" replied my brother, who was piloting us away from the jungle post-haste. My brother, Dr Piddlington Smithers, was the richest man in the universe. As such, he could always be relied on to supply some kind of snazzy getaway vehicle or gadget for my various escapades.

"So, what kind of jolly jaunt have you been on this time?" he asked, eyeing my bulky satchel with curiosity.

"A spot of treasure-hunting," I replied. "With just a tad of beast-slaying, courtesy of your fine machine here."

"Ah, so that's what that sound was!" he proclaimed. "I had thought a pigeon might have got stuck in the blades."

"Nay," I said, "'twas the beast which had been hunting me for three days since, desperate to reclaim my stolen goods."

I heaved my satchel up onto my lap and unclasped the opening, revealing the glittering jewel within.

"By jove..." he muttered. "That has to be the largest jewel I've ever seen. Why, it's even larger than my jewels, and it takes a lot to beat my goods."

For those of you who do not know, being the richest man in the universe, Dr Piddlington Smithers has a rather large collection of giant gemstones.

"Indeed," I said, "But what strikes you as odd about this particular gem?" I heaved it into the air and pointed eagerly at its various facets.

He studied it intensely, glancing back to check the helicopter's course now and again.

"Could it be...?"

"Yes," I nodded excitedly.
"This crystal is carved into the exact shape of a rock!"

He stared at it, dumbfounded. The resemblance was indeed striking. Why, were it to have an opaque grey colour instead of its beautiful aquamarine hues, it could easily have been mistaken for a faceted rock.

"But who in the world..." he trailed off. I got his meaning.

"Indeed. I believe this stone was carved for a specific purpose by the ancient Kalahimazariharons. I believe it is used in some kind of summoning or religious ritual, but it's impossible to say without further study. In any case, the fact that it has been carved so perfectly into the likeness of a rock means it's definitely worthy of examining."

"Indeed," he said, nodding thoughtfully.

Just then, there was a crash, as something heavy and solid shot through the screen of the helicopter, shattering the protective layer and shooting through towards the gemstone.

It was lightning fast, but I dimly registered that it appeared to be some kind of clawed or hooked metal appendage, just as it grabbed the gem in its talons and shot back out as fast as it had arrived.

"No!" I exclaimed, watching the hook trail off towards seemingly nowhere in the sky.

The patch of clouds where the hook was headed rippled, like a heat blur, and then a large, bright red war blimp materialised seemingly out of nowhere.

"An invisibility field!" growled Piddlington. "That can only be the work of-"

"INDEED, IT IS I!" a booming voice projected across the sky. I recognised that voice. I had heard it before, a long time ago, and I never forget a voice. But where had I heard it...?

I quickly pulled out my handy binoculars - which no gentleman of Londonshire should ever be without - and trained them towards the floating contraption.

A platform extended out of the underside of the blimp, and there stood the beautiful Contessa Constantine, clutching a netted bag containing the crystal rock in one hand, and grasping a loudspeaker in the other. She raised the device to her lips.

"The crystal rock is mine!" she said, her amplified voice leaping through the vast gap between them.

"Finally, I have the last piece of the puzzle! Using this gemstone, I shall wield the power to destroy everything that dares oppose me, including you, Fartington!"

With that, the platform retracted into the cockpit, taking her and the crystal rock with it. The blimp turned around and floated into the distance.

"After her!" I exclaimed. "We have to find out what she's up to!"

"I'm on it," Piddlington said, pushing various unmarked buttons and thrusting the control stick forward. We shot forward, far faster than any normal helicopter should have been able to fly, but Dr Piddlington was the richest man in the universe, so that was no surprise to me. Nothing in his arsenal was normal.

We were travelling much faster than the blimp, and it was clear we were going to catch up, but right before my eyes it flickered and wobbled like an old television screen, before vanishing as fast as it arrived.

"Curses!" Piddlington proclaimed. "We'll never be able to pursue them now. This helicopter is built for speed, not tracking."

I reached into my bag and pulled out Winston the intelligent pigeon, my trusty companion. "Winston, you must use your keen senses to track that blimp, and come back to me in Londonshire when it lands. We must catch the Contessa!"

I threw Winston out of the hole in the windscreen, and he shot off towards the forest below.

"I say, Fartington, it doesn't look like he's pursuing them," Dr Piddlington said anxiously.

"Have no fear," I replied. "Winston is an intelligent pigeon. He needs to not attract attention, so he is sticking to the forest in order to remain unseen."

"Ah," my brother said. "He is a wise bird indeed. Now, we must head back to Londonshire as fast as we can, and prepare for pursuit! Contessa Constantine must be stopped!"