Brushing her black hair back, Sarah looked over the mangled space shuttle. There was no way this would get her back to the future and to the Enterprise. Until Kirk was done with his mission and could come get her, she was stuck.
She looked at the glass ball in her hand. A circlet of gold, encrusted with red and white diamonds, ran around it. The ball was full of black smoke, calling her here. Arctic winds were blowing at her face. It turned to summer heat. Where the North Pole had been was a hole. A massive green-skinned being was living in Elfsburg, like a weed to manure. It had hundreds of giant roots that had broken in through windows, curled around Christmas trees, and split parked sleds in half. The center of the being was a misshapen green blob. There were eight holes running around the top. When the light glinted on them you could see eight blank, orange eyes. Not a spec of snow was to be seen.
Sarah blinked. "...Wow."
"I didn't expect that reaction."
She turned. Scott Calvin had appeared. He's more commonly known as Santa Claus.
"How in the worlds did it get in?" she asked. Elfsburg was usually protected by a dome of ice.
"It was a bit smaller at first." He sounded like he was still amazed by the events. "We found a hole in the dome, and under it was this tiny orange flower."
"Weren't you suspicious?"
"Yeah, but we never thought it would be a monster! One day it grew, and didn't stop."
"You've gotten the elves out, right?"
"They're staying in the deepest part of the Workshop."
"But that's a Koufax Seed!" spluttered Sarah. "Its roots will tunnel there any minute!"
Immediately Scott took out a red-and-white striped phone, and lifted it to his mouth.
"Judy, tell Bernard to get the elves out of the Workshop and into the Safe Place. The beast is breaking in!"
"Everyone out! Stay together! Quickly now!"
The Head Elf's orders kept everyone from panicking. The elves had known aliens existed, just never thought they'd come here.
The last of the group ran out of the hall. Bernard doubled back to make sure no one was left. Chairs were overturned, and toys lay half-made across conveyer belts. He worried how far work would be held back-
A clatter came from a nearby cupboard. He cautiously opened it. A young elf was inside, wearing thick earmuffs, and playing chess against herself. He plucked the earmuffs from her head, and moved a rook two places to the right.
"Checkmate." he said. "Now kindly run for your life with the others."
Obediently, Cindy got down and ran out of the hall. Bernard made to follow, but overbalanced and fell. The room was shaking...
The Safe Place had the same artistic wood as the rest of Elfsburg, but beyond that layer were strong walls of steel. It was as big as two football stadiums, so, needless to say, the elves were a little crowded. There was a large shelf, full of cans of food. Medical kits were hanging from the walls, and there were two doors that led to bathrooms. None of the fires were lit, but it was as hot as a day in August because of the Seed.
Elves stopped pouring in.
"Where's Bernard?" asked Sarah.
Scott went to the last elf that had entered. "Cindy, where's Bernard?"
Cindy looked at him, then turned around, as if expecting the Head Elf to be there.
"I'll find him." said Sarah. "No, no one should come with me. They'll be enough risk without you."
Before Scott could say another word, she was off down the corridor.
"Hello?" Sarah stopped running. "Can you hear me?"
The corridor had split into three hallways. Which one? Maybe she should check for footprints-
A root, thick as a truck, came crashing out of the middle hall. That made the choice simple. She ran past it. The room was ravaged by the plant, and more of it was breaking in.
"Over here!" Bernard had a root wrapped around his leg. She stepped toward him, and another one crashed against her head, sending her flying into a pile of blocks. It took her a second to concentrate on anything but the pain. How did the roots capture their prey? Come on, Sarah, you learned this at the Academy! Yes, they saw by vibrations! Moving one of the many snow cars from it's parking space, she dropped a block on its pedal. The roots shot for it the moment it started to move, except for the one that was dragging Bernard. She couldn't wrestle it off, so what could she do?
'Sometimes the simpler plans are the better ones.' she remembered Kirk saying. She took out her pocketknife, and shoved it into the root. It's group loosened, and the Head Elf clambered free.
"Thank you." he said.
"My pleas-" The root curled around her stomach, and lifted her into the air. She couldn't suck in to breath. Another root waved the snow car at her.
'Since when did the Seeds have a concept of humor?' she thought. A dark green blur whizzed past her ear, and a shower of silver sparks attacked the root. Sarah was dropped to the floor.
"You took your time!" she called.
"Nice to see you too." said Danny, Captain of the E.L.F.S.(the elf version of S.W.A.T.) The rest of his team was distracting the other roots, each of them propelled by a jet-pack without fire. "Both of you, get out of here! We'll cover your back."
Bernard and Sarah ran. The Time Lady heard many hallways collapsing as the roots followed. By the time they made it to the Safe Place half of Elfsburg had caved in.