Underground. The last place on this Earth that is not tainted by the humans, called Mud Men by the Fairy People. The Fairies, wishing to remain hidden from human sight, moved beneath the surface centuries ago. They have lived in safety and peace for many generations, untouched by the human world.

But no more.

Two years ago, a young human named Artemis Fowl discovered the People in a somewhat, shall we say, shady deal. Once deciphering the Fairy Book, their bible, the Fowl boy devised a plan to seperate the fairies from their gold. It was a long ordeal, involving kidnapping, politics, a time stop, lots of thinking, and lots of gold. Unfortunately, it was fairy gold that was lost. Artemis Fowl the Second had won the first round.

Last year, there was an uprising of the Bwa'Kell goblin Triad. These scaly critters were using outlawed softnose lasers for weapons. Lasers that happen to be powered by human AA batteries. There was also additional evidence sufficient to prove that the mind behind this was patently not goblin. The obvious person to blame was Artemis Fowl. Commander Julius Root and Captain Holly Short traveled to the surface to interrogate the Mud Boy.

Sadly, it was not Artemis Fowl but one of the People that was the mastermind. Two of the People, in fact. The brilliant pixie Opal Koboi and the demented elf Briar Cudgeon. Their plan called for the goblins to take Haven City. Koboi had the power to completely neutralize the LEP armaments, so it would be easy to have the goblins overrun the city with their battery-powered guns. The only one anyone thought able to take out the LEP guns was the centaur, Foaly. Locking Foaly into his Ops booth, Cudgeon would then charge onto the scene and rescue Haven from the goblin gang. Making him a hero and, probably, Commander of the LEP. Foaly would be arrested, and Koboi Labs would get every cent of his budget, since they were the only other qualified technology provider. With Cudgeon as head of the police and Koboi controlling all the guns, it would be only a matter of time before they took over Haven altogether. A perfect plan.

Too perfect.

The plan went off without a hitch. But soon the Council realized just what they had let themselves in for. Through deceit, through bribery, through veiled threats and clear ones, the elf and the pixie soon ruled Haven as King and Queen. The common people didn't have a clue at first, for the government didn't change that much right away. However, when the changes started, everyone knew instantly.

First the taxes rose. Then the pair started turning out new laws. These laws restricted nearly every move the fairies made. But any who even whispered of insurrection was quickly imprisoned and never seen again. The reign of terror had begun.

Upon returning from their topside mission, Commander Root and Captain Short found the takeover well underway. Horrified, they tried to stop it, but they were rewarded with near imprisonment. The two elves barely escaped with their lives and freedom. Once they were away, the two began a rebellion. The resistance was small at first, but grew in step with Opal and Briar's tyranny. The group engaged in commando-style warfare, token strikes against the regime until they thought they were ready for a coup. A coup d'essai, six months after the takeover.

It failed miserably.

Many secrets were lost, many lives were cost in that awful attempt at an upset. The battle failed to succeed in its purpose, but it did accomplish one thing that no one foresaw. It finished splitting the already present and wide rift between Opal Koboi and Briar Cudgeon and the two seperated. Haven was divided down the middle, with one half going to Koboi and the other to Cudgeon. The two had been picking at each other for the duration of their rule, with multiple assasination attempts on either side. Now, with their power split in two, the leaders of the rebellion thought that another attempt at a coup might be more successful.

The coup was set to take place in one week. But now, that attempt could be in jeopardy due to the unbridled incompetence of this officer...