Chapter One - Awakening
It had sat, waiting, for centuries - maybe millenia. Encased, benign and dormant, in plexiglass, looking for all intents and purposes like a beautiful, harmless thing. The only reason it was in the museum was because it had been unearthed from under an oak tree at Tara, embedded in a large rock, which had markings on it no one could decipher.
Hardly anyone remembered it was still around. The museum, after all, had many more exhibits, each and every one of greater interest - the phlegm pot used by Frond, a Softnose laser from the B'wa Kell uprising, the famous Wall of Moving Pictures which depicted the time before the Mud People had driven them underground. Who would cast a second glance at something which seemed to be nothing more than a pretty decoration, a mere accessory?
But still it waited, and bided its time. Not long, now.
* * *
Police Plaza, Haven City, The Lower Elements
Julius Root was polishing his commander's acorns, and would not rest till they gleamed. After all, if he didn't deserve to look good, who did?
He cast his mind back on the relative peacefulness of the past three years. Aside from the occasional stray troll, shuttle accident, and nuclear leakage, there had been little of real significance to bother LEPrecon. Except for that one little affair with Mulch Diggums and the Fowl boy...which Root rather appreciated, on hindsight. It had given him something to do, after all. And the satisfaction of having Mulch back in jail once more was immense. Root was perversely tempted to let him out just so he could catch him again. Sort of like fishing.
Yes, life was good. His acorns shone so brightly he could see his reflection in them.
It was at that moment that Captain Holly Short decided to fling open his door in a rage.
* * *
Holly's mother had been beautiful and exotic, qualities which first attracted Holly's father to her. He hadn't bargained, however, for the fiery temper that accompanied them. Neither had he realised their daughter would grow up to be like her mother in every way, except for her height.
Holly prided herself on her levelheadedness. But when something seriously got on her nerves, she was probably the only Recon officer who could match Commander Root in temper. Hadn't she once whacked Artemis Fowl between the eyes, and knocked the boy into a snowdrift - in front of Butler?
Happy memories.
She shut her eyes and shook her head. She didn't want to think about Butler just then. Or Artemis. No, the current object of her wrath was another fairy - her partner, to be exact. Sorry as she had been to see Grub reassigned to LEPretrieval, she couldn't help feeling relieved; gone were the days of listening to endless whining about hangnails, stubbed toes, and exaggerated versions of his encounter with Butler.
It had seemed like an innocent enough task, at first. All Holly had to do was take the new Recon officer under her wing - well, figuratively - make sure the new recruit toed the line, and didn't get shot, blown up, seen by Mud Men, assaulted by goblins, killed, or damaged in any other way. She had had no problems with this arrangement, until she found out who the newest member of LEPrecon was.
Two weeks had gone by since then - two weeks of frustration, aggravation, and mounting annoyance that would have reduced Holly to tearing her hair out, had she more of it. She was most definitely at the end of her rope. Root would have to do something about it, or she'd eat her Neutrino.
She paused mid-stride, and flung open his door in a rage.
Commander Julius Root was seated at his desk, meticulously polishing his acorns, and looking pleased with himself. Not for long he wouldn't, thought Holly. He looked up as she walked in and stood in front of him, arms crossed, unsmiling. "Yes, Captain Short?"
Holly tried to stay calm. "Commander, I need to discuss a change of partner with you."
"Partner? Who's your partner?"
"Who's my partner!" choked Holly. "Why, only Corporal Lili Frond, the bimbo face of the LEP!"
Root didn't bat an eyelid. "Oh, Frond."
"Oh, Frond," mimicked Holly sarcastically. "That airhead! Do you know how hopeless she is? She can't fly a shuttle straight. She carries a hairbrush in her holster. She wouldn't recognise a criminal if he painted "ARREST ME" in red on his forehead and tap-danced in front of her!"
"Holly - "
"She reports late. She giggles. She flirts with everyone!"
"Holly - "
"And she insists on applying moisturiser every hour on the hour!"
"Captain Short!"
Holly paused for breath, slightly flushed. "Yes, Commander?"
Root's face was mildly purple, and his fingers drummed out an irritated tattoo on the table. "So what would you have me do?"
"Get her off my back. Assign her to another partner. Tell her to go it alone. Even better, sack her from Recon. Whatever! Why did I have to get her in the first place?"
"That's obvious. You're both girls," Root explained, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Holly flared up. "That's absolutely irrelevant, Commander!"
Ignoring her, Root reached across his table and picked up a file containing paperwork that had just come in. To Do: check security at Disneyland Paris, file report on last week's refugee goblin. Memo from Traffic: Accident outside Spud's Spud Emporium - any eyewitnesses? Memo from front desk: Theft in museum - aid required. Memo from...
"Commander?" Holly snapped impatiently. "What about my request?"
A slight smirk played around Root's lips. "Corporal Frond is not entirely incompetent, Holly. She's a better shot than you are."
Holly took a deep breath and crossed her arms again. "I'll give you that, Commander, but that's the only thing she can do!"
Root put down the file and looked up at Holly. "I'm sorry, Captain, but..."
Just at that moment, there was a timid knock on the door, and a sprite stuck his head in.
"Excuse me, Commander Root, but there's something just cropped up. Urgent meeting. Executive Booth."
Holly turned curiously. Access to the Executive Booth was limited to commanders and Council members. "Are captains to be at the meeting?" she asked anyway.
The sprite shook his head, and hovered in the doorway, waiting.
Root got on his feet quickly, pinning his newly polished acorns back on his uniform. "I'll be right there."
Holly shot him a look. "My request, Commander - "
Root made a dismissive gesture. "We'll talk about it later." He walked out the door, leaving Holly standing in his office, bemused and irritated. The sprite who had brought the message turned to leave after Root.
"Wait," said Holly suddenly. The sprite paused in midair, and glanced questioningly at Holly. "Do you know what the meeting's about?"
The sprite shook his head again.
"Who sent you?"
Cocking his head on one side, the sprite thought for a while before speaking.
"The Chairman. Chairman Cahartez. And - "
Holly, who'd begun to give up hope of extracting information from the messenger, looked up.
"Dr Figes. Head of the Historical Research Department."
* * *
Author's Note: Thanks for reading! (hint: I like reviews.) Surprising as it may sound, I do know where this story is going. And hopefully, future chapters will be longer.
Next Chapter: Holly eavesdrops liberally, Foaly frets, Artemis plays chess, and a certain rock becomes very important.
Disclaimer: The plot and words are mine. Everything else belongs to Eoin Colfer. Feedback? Email deianira@graffiti.net or leave a note at my LJ: livejournal.com/users/eternalkismet