The Arctic Incident

Mulch did a little dance, looking very pleased with himself. “Now, Julius, you can say it. I was right again! You owe me, Julius, you owe me.”


The commander rubbed the bridge of his nose. If he made it through this alive, he was never leaving the station again.





Koboi Laboratories


Koboi Labs were surrounded by a ring of B’wa Kell goblins. Armed to the teeth, tongues hanging out for blood. Cudgeon was hustled past roughly, prodded by a dozen barrels. The DNA cannons hung inoperative in their towers, for the moment. The second Cudgeon felt the B’wa Kell had outlived their usefulness, then the guns would be reactivated.

The commander was taken to the inner sanctum, and forced to his knees before Opal and the B’wa Kell generals. Once the soldiers had been dismissed, Cudgeon was back on his feet and in command.

“Everything proceeds according to plan,” he announced, crossing to stroke Opal’s cheek. “In an hour, Haven will be ours.”

General Scalene was not convinced. “It would be ours a lot faster if we had some Koboi blasters.”

Cudgeon sighed patiently. “We’ve been through this, General. The disruption signal knocks out all neutrino weapons. If you get blasters, so will the LEP.”

Scalene shuffled into a corner, licking his eyeballs.

Of course that was not the only reason for denying the goblins neutrino weapons. Cudgeon had no intention of arming a group he intended to betray. As soon as the B’wa Kell had disposed of the Council, Opal would return power to the LEP.

“How are things proceeding?”

Opal swiveled in her Hoverboy, legs curled beneath her.

“Deliciously. The main doors fell moments after you left to . . . negotiate.”

Cudgeon grinned. “Good thing I left. I might have been injured.”

“Captain Kelp has pulled his remaining forces into the weapons’ room, ringing the Operations Booth. The Council are in there, too.”

“Perfect,” said Cudgeon.

Another B’wa Kell general, Sputa, banged the conference table.

“No, Cudgeon. Far from perfect. Our brothers are wasting away in Howler’s Peak.”

“Patience, General Sputa,” said Cudgeon soothingly, actually laying a hand on the goblin’s shoulder. “As soon as Police Plaza falls, we can open the cells in Howler’s Peak without resistance.”

Internally Cudgeon fumed. These idiot creatures. How he detested them. Clothed in robes fashioned from their own cast-off skin. Repulsive. Cudgeon longed to reactivate the DNA cannons and stop their jabbering for a few sweet hours.

He caught Opal’s eye. She knew what he was thinking.

Her tiny teeth showed in anticipation. What a delightfully vicious creature. Which was, of course, why she had to be disposed of. Opal Koboi could never be happy as second in command.

He winked at her.

“Soon,” he mouthed silently. “Soon.”





CHAPTER 13





INTO THE BREACH


Below Koboi Laboratories


An LEP shuttle is shaped like a teardrop, bottom heavy with thrusters, and with a nose that could cut through steel. Of course, our heroes weren’t in an LEP shuttle, they were in the ambassador’s luxury cruiser. Comfort was definitely favored over speed. It had a nose like a gnome’s behind. Bulky and expensive looking, with a grille you could use to barbecue buffalo.

“So, you’re saying this fissure is going to open up for a couple of minutes, and I have to fly through. And that’s the entire plan?” said Holly.

“It’s the best we’ve got,” said Root glumly.

“Well, at least we’ll be in padded seats when we get squashed. This thing handles like a three-legged rhinoceros.”

“How was I to know?” grumbled Root. “This was supposed to be a routine run. This shuttle has an excellent stereo.”

Butler raised his hand. “Listen. What’s that sound?”

They listened. The noise came from below them, like a giant clearing its throat.

Holly consulted the keel cams.

“Flare,” she announced. “Big sucker. It’ll be roasting our tail feathers any minute.”

The rock face before them cracked and groaned in constant expansion and contraction. Fissures heaved like grinning mouths lined with black teeth.

“That’s it. Let’s go,” urged Mulch. “That fissure is going to seal up faster than a stink worm’s—”

“Not enough room yet,” snapped Holly. “This is a shuttle, not one fat dwarf riding stolen wings.”

Mulch was too scared to be insulted.

“Just move it. It’ll widen as we go.”

Generally Holly would have waited for Root to give the green light. But this was her area. No one was going to argue with Captain Holly Short at the controls of a shuttle.

The chasm shuddered open another few feet.

Holly gritted her teeth. “Hold on to your ears,” she said, ramming the thrusters to maximum.