Part CXXIV: Line of Bombs

Date: Kapton 30th, 114 A.U.

Oldin walked softly through the tunnels, looking around as he tried to figure out where they had all gone. For over 10 days his agents had been looking for the tunnels, looking for any signs of the elven terrorists that were and escaped into the tunnels. Still, however, they could not find them.  And Oldin was getting worried.

Oldin paused and looked at his watch. It was 11 o'clock. In two hours, Iraina was planning on giving some important speech that he claimed would speed his new policy concerning the elves. Ever since he’d gotten the communicator from Astrid, he had been itching to use it. Oldin didn't know what Iraina planned to command Xavier team to do. But he knew that Iraina planned on explaining all of that in his speech. And so, Oldin hoped that he would be able to give his investigation done in time, so that should be able to listen to the speech.

Oldin paused as he heard static coming in on his walkie-talkie. Picking it up, he held up his year as he heard the voice coming in.

"Oldin?" It was one of his agents.  “Oldin, this is Agent 54 coming in. Do you read me?"

"This is Oldin," Oldin spoke into the walkie-talkie.  “What have you found?"

"I have found suspicious items near the third tunnel," Agent 54 replies.   “Some scraps of clothing and bullet. It seems like there's more here, though."

“Like what?”

“The wall of the tunnel here—it’s unnatural,” Agent 54 said.  “When you point the flash light in certain way, it’s clear that it isn’t part of the rest of the tunnel wall.”

“Stop there,” Oldin said, mind racing.  “Stay there—don’t move.  I’ll be with you in a moment.  I’m signaling in for backup now.”



“This tunnel wall is definitely different,” Oldin said, pacing as the three agents hastily began pulling out their kits.  Oldin thought for a moment.

“Stop,” he finally said.  The agents paused.  “We don’t have time to inspect it.”

“But-” Agent 54 began.

“The elven terrorists have evaded us for too long, and you know how all the information we’ve gotten recently points to an accelerated launch date of whatever their plan is!” Oldin said.  “We’re running out of time.  How thick is it?”

Agent 54 pulled out one of the instruments and placed it against the wall, tapping the wall with a metal rod to produce a note.  He looked down at the machine.  “About six inches thick,” he said.  “It’s likely a door of some sort.”

“I’ve gotten that far already,” Oldin said.  “It’s a door, and we don’t have time to figure out how they get into this place, so we’re doing this the old-fashioned way.”

“You mean-”

“We blow it up.”



The explosion rattled the premises as Oldin lay flat against the wall.  As the debris settled, Oldin moved forward, pointing his gun at the hole in the wall of the tunnel as the other three agents helped to encircle it.  Inside was dark and empty.  Oldin flicked on his flashlight and slowly moved in, scanning the premises for any enemies.  There was none.

Inside was a room containing a large computer, a table with papers strewn around it, many filing cabinets, and weapons strewn around in various places.  One of the agents instantly fired his gun, snuffing out a security camera.  The two other agents moved over to the computer.  Oldin made for the table, quickly flipping through papers.

“This place was used recently,” one of the agents said as he put his gloves on, opening a filing cabinet.  “There’s a cup of coffee on top of this cabinet that’s still slightly warm.  Dusting for fingerprints should give us a whole slew of suspects.”

“The calendar on the wall has a countdown to today,” another of the agents by the computer quickly said.  “It’s called ‘Launch Date.’”

“Then we’re already nearly too late,” Oldin snapped as he flipped through the papers.  He paused and then slowly pulled out a large sheet of graph paper.  On it was depicted a full map of the tunnel systems, along with red ‘x’s positioned in the tunnels.  Oldin’s eyes moved over to the map key, and he suddenly froze.

Oldin cursed and looked up.  “They’ve planted explosions all throughout the tunnels,” he said.  “It’s all on this map here.  The golden circles around the ‘x’s mean that they’ve already planted them.  All the ‘x’s except one are circled, meaning that most, if not already all, of their bombs are prepared for action.”

“What good will come of planting explosives?” one of the agents asked, running over.

“Look at this!” Oldin snapped, waving his hand over the paper.  “Look at their positions—their paths.  The explosives, if powerful enough, will make one huge entry from the outside into Araelia!”

“You don’t mean-”

“And today’s the launch date!” Oldin yelled.  “Look here—we’re right in the path of these explosives!  They abandoned this place because this whole thing is blowing up here.  And I’d wager my position that there’s a whole crap-load of elves out there just waiting to come in.”

“We have to warn the Resistance immediately.”

“My cell phone has no bars!” another agent yelled, cursing.  “My walkie-talkie seems broken as well!”

“They’re two steps ahead of us!” Oldin roared.  “Take the map—find the explosives and disarm them—and fast!  We have no idea when they’re going to get off, but we have to stop them from doing this!”

“And you-”

“I’m going to warn Iraina!” Oldin yelled.  “The whole ceremony today has to be called off!  We need to get our men on the defenses and alert the dwarves!  Today is the Launch Date—and the elves have set up a pathway into our city!” 

Part CXXIII: Final Preparations

Date: Kapton 24th, 114 A.U.

“The hurdle to space is at long last completed,” the Watcher said.  “The Mothership has been fully prepared.  Once the Golden Weapons are ours, I will be able to fuel the Mothership and the others to break out of Arquenia’s orbit as it goes spinning on course to the sun.  We now await the Seven Golden Weapons to arrive in place.”

“Very well,” Emperor Jaigran replied.  “Events should be moving swiftly then.  Are we ready to take our course, then?”

“I already have our quickest ship prepared,” the Watcher replied.  “It will take us directly on course to Quelia, land of the auggers, where we will establish our position and wait for the Xavier Team.  The Mothership will follow us.”

“Very well then.  Let us go.”

Kapton 27th, 114 A.U.

“Well. It looks like we’re on our own now.”  Monty, Number 994, Zarien, and Augger looked at the Mothership which was passing over them, its white body blotting out the rays of the sun. 

“Indeed,” Monty said.  “The rest of our team will do well against Jaigran.  But it’s time for us to accomplish our part of the plan.”

“Have the full plans and guidelines been given?” Zarien asked.

“Our base has given me all the intel they have been able to decipher and send,” Number 994 replied.  “For now, I have a general gist of where the central computer is and a general idea of the steps which will need to be taken to get there.  For now, we need to get into the ship.”

“And how do you suggest we do that?” Monty asked.  “If we go into any of the loading docks, we’ll be doomed.”

“That’s why we won’t be going into one of the loading docks,” Number 994 replied, pointing up at the plumes of fire that descended from the underbelly of the ship.  “I’ve been given full instructions.  We will go through one of the chinks in their armor there up through the holes that jet out the fire.  If you look closely, not all of them are going at once.  That’s where we’ll be making our entrance.”

“That will actually lead us into the ship?” Zarien asked skeptically.  “Why would they be designed to let people inside the ship control them?”

“Because of the fire orcs,” Number 994 pointed out.  “It takes a lot less work for a fire orc to make fire than it takes other machinery.  It’s more fuel efficient this way.  They create openings so that the fire orcs control the flames.  And it’s through those openings that we’re getting in."



Number 994 gritted his teeth as their vehicle moved up quickly, dancing away from the long plumes of fire that moved all around him as he guided the vehicle toward one of the empty holes.  Although the fire was continually changing, he had full control of the ship with his electricity abilities and was slowly getting closer and closer to the open one, just big enough to allow the small ship to move through the gigantic blow-torch.  Just a little closer…  a little closer…

Suddenly, the ship passed through, moving up into the oil-covered hole as the ship moved, on of the wings cracking as it slid against the wall.  They were in the middle of a large plain that spanned the underbelly of the Mothership.  Rows upon rows of holes covered with oil covered the face of it as red-skinned orcs stood beside, pouring out their flames into the holes which, when passing by the oil and fuel, enlarged the flame to create streaking plumes underneath it, causing the Mothership to rise.

And then the wing of the ship finally broke off.  Giving a yell, Number 994 flung open a door, leaping out with the rest of his group as the fire-orcs turned to see what exactly had come up through the holes to visit them.  Number 994 moved first.

Leaping forward, Number 994 gave a yell as lightning sparked at his fingertips.  Light flashed and a nearby orc fell over, struck, as Augger raised his corsha blade above his head.  Monty ducked for cover as a ball of flame splashed against the already-damaged ship, fire-orcs moving quickly to try to surround them even as his comrades fought them off.

“There’s too many of them!” Zarien cried.  “We’re trapped!”

“We don’t have to fight all of them,” Monty muttered, quickly scanning the premises.  Fifty yards away, a ladder led up to the surface.  “Look!” Monty yelled, pointing.  “Get up there and leave the rest of them behind!  We can’t fight them off.”

“Then let’s move,” Number 994 said, shooting down a Number 1542 with a bolt of lightning.  Reynyagn moved toward the ladder, turning to the side to avoid a line of fire before moving more quickly toward the ladder.  Although somewhat-resistant to heat, Augger didn't know how hot the flames of the orcs were.  And he didn't want to find out.

“Stop!” one of the fire orcs roared.  Number 994 looked ahead as he noticed the fire orc moving to intercept them.  Battle training began to break in as Number 994’s mind became absorbed with statistics.  A Number 502—a high ranking fire orc and likely one of the commanders of this group of fire orcs that fueled the Mothership.  With such a high rating, Number 994 knew the truth—he would have no chance to beat this orc in a duel alone.  But even with the rest of the Xavier Team…

Number 502 moved forward, calling up flames as suddenly fires leapt up from the crevices around them, forming arches of fire around the Xavier Team as they ran past the holes which led down to the world beneath.  And just as Number 994 opened his mouth to give a warning, the fires moved, breaking the arches as they came down upon them to rain their heat upon them.  Throwing himself to the ground, Number 994 watched as fire arced around Zarien, Zarien covering his face as he stumbled back.  Too late, Number 994 saw Zarien trip backwards.  And, covering his face, Zarien fell backwards toward the cavity behind him, even as Number 502 lowered his hand to point at the crevice.  And a spark raced around its edge.  The flame was coming next.