Chapter Nine
Alabaster Trollington III stood wearing a hard hat and holding a clipboard. Right beside him Sapphire did the same. Nearby, Ruby checked the bags of ingredients lying on a pallet while Topaz, Amethyst, and Onyx looked over the warehouse floor for any debris that could contaminate the cauldron.
An enormous cast-iron pot had been made, and was seated over a hydrogen fueled furnace whose temperature could be controlled precisely.
Everything else had been moved out, except for several tables and chairs, along with everything else needed for what would be the largest spell beads ever made. Three cameras at different places recorded the entire event.
"Is everything and everyone clear, Topaz?" asked Alabaster, looking up from his notes.
"Yep!" giggled the blond, "The emergency crew got here a few minutes ago and are waiting outside."
"Sapphire, man the computer, if you please," he said.
"Right," agreed his girlfriend. Sitting down she pulled down her reading glasses and proceeded to type commands. Looking over the results, she looked up. "Ready. The furnace is steady and the water is at the correct temperature and volume."
"Thank you," he nodded, then turned to Ruby. "All set. Time for you to take charge." "Like she has any problem doing that," muttered Onyx, and Topaz giggled. They went over and took chairs by the snack table.
Ruby, however, didn't hear, concentrating on the job at hand.
"Okay, I want this bag in first," she said, pointing at the one on top.
Rock lifted the bag so Coal, who was driving the claw, could grab it. It was lifted above the pot and held over it. Jasper, standing on a scaffold by the pot slit the bag and made sure all the contents went in.
Flint sat nearby, guitar in hand. "How about some music to make spell beads by?" He started strumming the instrument, making a quiet tune.
Onyx and Topaz started swaying to it.
"That's decent," Onyx, said closing her eyes.
"Yeah," agreed Topaz with a grin.
Amethyst came over by them and did the same. "I like it too."
Coal dropped the burlap sack away from the cauldron, and swung the claw around.
"That one next," Ruby directed, tapping the bag in question.
"You got it, Ruby Roo!" said Rock, stooping to grab it.
The operation proceeded as planned, with all the ingredients added in the correct order. After an hour's wait for everything to mix, the bottles of amber were taken to the scaffold and poured in. Then Ruby made several passes with her hands and muttered an incantation.
It took several minutes, but finally a dark red spell bead the size of a basketball lifted slowly from the pot. Coal took the claw and deftly grabbed it, moving it over to a container made especially for it.
About a minute later a second bead appeared and was added to the box.
"That's it, shut down the furnace," called Ruby, and Sapphire did so from the computer.
As the redhead joined the others, Alabaster addressed her. "After it cools, I'll have the pot cleaned and put in storage, in case it's needed again."
"Thanks," said Ruby, "But I really hope it won't be."
"Better to be safe than sorry," he answered, "We might not have as much warning next time."
The BFFL and their boyfriends ate a catered lunch as the beads cooled before closing their container and getting it on the truck for delivery to the airport.
Topaz stooped beside them and looked closely, Ruby beside her.
"Wow, those are the biggest spell beads I've ever seen," giggled the blond.
"Yeah, me too. And with any luck will be the last ones this big ever made," answered the redhead. She held a hand near a bead, but it was still too hot to touch. A regular sized bead would be cooled very shortly after being taken from the pot.
"You did good," said Topaz, looking at her friend.
Ruby started to preen and say "Of course!" but stopped. "We all did," she finally said.
Overhearing, Onyx smiled to herself. Ruby was growing up.
bffl bffl bffl
Two days later the new Ancients were ready to leave for the spaceport. A private jet had been arranged and was waiting for them. Their parents, boyfriends, and Jade were there to see them off.
Alabaster and Sapphire were the last to part.
"S-Sapphire, I... uh, that is, I have a very important question to ask you..." said Al, adjusting his glasses.
Sapphire's eyes and smile grew wider. "What is it?"
"Uh... uh... oh, did you remember your favorite sweater?" he finally said, sweating bullets.
The brilliant troll-girl's smile vanished.
"Oh, no," said Alabaster, drawing himself up, "That's not it."
She raised an eyebrow and cocked her head.
"I- I- I'll ask when you get back," he said, turning red.
A moment later she gave a gentle smile. She was as nervous as he was. "Okay, I can wait."
They hugged, and then kissed, heedless of anyone watching. Then they separated.
"Good luck!" said Al, "And come home safe!"
"We will!" was the reply, and Sapphire hurried through the gate.
bffl bffl bffl
Except for the steward, they were alone on the plane.
Taking seats, the steward informed them the spell beads had been loaded, along with their luggage, and the flight would take about three hours.
On the flight they watched the TNN special on the coming comet, which was giving advice on the best ways to stay safe if the Ancient's plan failed.
There wasn't really anywhere to go, so staying put and making sure there was enough food and water were priorities. The evacuation of Trollhiti would begin in another week, as was the island where San Trollpez lay. Inhabitants of Ogre Island and the Ogre Mainland were also being warned.
"We've got the fate of the world riding on our shoulders," said Amethyst, "But I say we're ready to take that burden."
"I hope so," said Onyx, "A lot of people, troll or other, will die if we fail."
"The plan is sound. The execution is going to be a bit tricky, but all the numbers say it's do-able," said Sapphire.
"I have confidence it the plan, and us," said Ruby.
"Yeah, me too!" added Topaz.
"You do understand what we're about to do, right?" asked Amethyst.
"Sure! Fly to the comet and use the giant beads to get rid of it!" was the answer.
"By George, I think she's got it!" said Onyx.
Topaz looked at her friends and grinned.
bffl bffl bffl
Approaching the airport they got their first look at the huge inland lake that was gouged out of the living earth by an asteroid eighty million years earlier. On its western shore sat the spaceport.
Rockets were launched toward the east, over the lake, and it was used to catch the spent stages. A few small towns sat along the shore as well.
Catching a chartered bus they arrived at the spaceport in time to see a shuttle launch. It looked like a airplane, but was powered by rockets at the back. It sat at one end of a runway.
The rockets powered up and the hover mechanism was activated, allowing the wheels to be retracted. The vehicle moved smoothly down the runway and nosed up, disappearing into the sky over the lake.
"That's what we're going up in, Topaz," said Sapphire, pointing.
"Oh, okay..." said the blond, a little unsurely.
They were led into the building at the runway's start and taken to a comfortable room with several couches and a few drink and snack machines against one wall. A TV was set on one wall, and the remote on an end table.
"Your guide will be here shortly," said the troll woman who had met them.
Getting what they wanted, they sat down to wait. Ruby turned on the TV, and they started watching a daytime drama series they all liked, "Trolls of our Lives".
It was some ten minutes later when the door opened.
"So we meet again, at last!" said a familiar voice.
The TV was turned off and the BFFL turned to see the speaker. They were in for a shock.