Disclaimer: I own nothing (Although the Bio-Mechanical Bugs are a figment of my own imagination.)
Warning: This takes place after all the books (Yes, even The Last Guardian).
The metal exoskeleton wasn't much to look at. Six spindly metal legs, dull green eyes, whisker-thin antennae, in fact, it looked rather like the shed skin of a cicada. Foaly pressed a nearby button, and the Bug's eyes lit up.
"That's great, Foaly," Captain Holly Short said, "What exactly does this thing do, again?"
"Patience, captain," Foaly whispered, holding up his hand and watching the Bug intently.
The Bug shook itself diligently, looked at Foaly, and pulled curved, toothpick-like, metal rods from its back. From these rods sprang paper-thin, translucent green wings.
Foaly grinned and began to explain the Bug's function, "These Bugs are designed to be like little, living surveillance cameras. I'm going to dispatch one batch here in Haven, and the other batch in Atlantis. I've put a poison in their fangs that'll activate on contact and immobilize any criminal until the LEP shows up. I hope they'll be put to good use."
Trouble entered the room and peered at the Bug, which also looked him over with interest. "Foaly," he asked a little worriedly, "Is it supposed to do that?"
Foaly laughed. "Yes," he chuckled, "He's checking his database to see whether you're wanted or not."
The Bug finished its scan and nodded, signaling that Trouble was indeed who he said he was. Foaly scooped the thing up with his finger and grinned. "They're ready for action, sir," he said proudly.
"Great," Trouble said briskly, "I just got a call that there's commotion on Howler's Peak. Captain, you're coming with. Foaly, you get those Bugs dispatched." With that, Trouble marched out of the room with Holly close behind.
"Don't you worry, my little Bug," Foaly murmured, to the Bug perched on his finger, "You'll live a full surveillance camera life. No danger for you."
Once the commotion on Howler's Peak was settled, Holly and Trouble were making the journey back to base. They marched on in silence until one of Foaly's Bugs flitted past. Trouble watched the Bug until it skirted around a corner. "I don't trust those things," Trouble said.
"Good thing you're telling that to me and not Foaly," Holly snickered, "He'd say, 'These things are perfectly safe, sir. There's no harm is scattering these machines all over fairy civilization, sir.'"
Trouble smiled. "Exactly," he said.
They walked into the LEP lobby, only to find Trouble's brother, Grub, slumped over the desk. Trouble wasn't worried, however and gently shoved his brother off his chair. "C'mon, lazy, you're supposed to be working," Trouble snapped.
Grub flopped onto the floor and remained there, unmoving. Holly stepped over and flipped Grub onto his back. A thin, cloudy film had formed over Grub's eyes and he was deathly pale. The only apparent cause for this was four tiny puncture wounds on his hand.
The two elves stared at the motionless body for a minute, and then called the medical warlocks. The medics stooped over Grub and examined him. "This is unlike anything we've ever seen," the chief medic stated, "We need to take him into the lab for further inspection."
After the warlocks carried Grub away, Trouble watched the door for a minute, as if waiting for his brother to spring back through it, saying it was all a joke. That never happened, however.
Finally turning from the door, Trouble called for Foaly, "Foaly, get over here and explain what we just saw!"
Foaly galloped over and hastily spoke, "Well, you just saw your brother get carried out the door. What more is there to say?"
"Now it not the time for jokes!" Trouble exploded, "What happened to him?! What do the security cameras say?"
"Oh," Foaly muttered. "Well," he said louder, "Follow me commander, and you too, Holly. This could be a big problem."
What do you think happened? Well, let's see. Trouble said he didn't trust the Bugs, and then his brother wound up in the hospital. A twist of fate, perhaps?