Agatha H. and the Airship City

Merlot interrupted him. “Shut up! Shut up! My attitude? How dare you treat us like this? Just because you have the gift you think we’re simpletons? I have faithfully served you for twenty years and you waste my time with this garbage? I thought you had finally given us something worthwhile! I am not a student! I am not a construct! I haven’t got The Spark, but I am not a fool and I do not have to take this from an arrogant has-been like you! Does the Baron know that his trusted old mentor has defied his strictest orders with his latest experiments? Experiments conducted in the middle of a civilian town?”

With a snarl he strode over to an unobtrusive wall panel, jerked it open and threw the switch inside. “Perhaps he would like to see the important work that has been keeping the Beloved Tyrant of Beetleburg so busy!”

Dr. Beetle screamed, “Merlot! Silas! For the love of God! NO!”

However, this came too late, as the back wall of the lab folded back into itself, revealing a hidden laboratory. Dominating the center of the hidden room was a massive glass and metal sphere, festooned with gauges and pipes. Within its depths swirled a thick roiling fluid. Within the fluid, shapes could only vaguely be seen, but when one slowly drifted close to the glass, what could be seen was extremely disturbing. After one look, the Jagermonster and the clanks independently swung their weapons towards the panicked Dr. Beetle. Dr. Glassvitch pulled Agatha back. The expression on Klaus’ face would have frozen nitrogen.

A triumphant Merlot gestured at the sphere. “Slaver wasps, Herr Baron! I wish to report that two weeks ago we found a fully functional, unhatched Hive Engine, which Dr. Beetle insisted upon bringing into the heart of this University!” He turned with a vinegary smirk towards Dr. Beetle. “Now—Master—show me how fast that superior mind of yours works! I want to see you talk your way out of this!”

CHAPTER 2

“When a monster flattens your home, it doesn’t matter who built it.”

—Peasant saying

The room froze for a timeless moment. Finally Klaus slowly shook his head, his great hands balled into tight fists. His eyes gleamed with controlled fury. “One rule, Beetle. I made one rule when I left you in charge of this city. ‘Report all unusual discoveries. Devices of the Other are to be turned over to me immediately.’ You agreed.”

The smaller man shook with rage. “A pledge made under duress is worthless, Wulfenbach! You threatened my city, my university— I’d have agreed to anything! You were in control then.”

Klaus raised an eyebrow in inquiry. “And now?”

Suddenly from above came a CRACK—that shook the building. A white line appeared near the ceiling and spread, revealing itself to be the open sky, as with a thunderous groan, the roof was lifted open upon monstrous hinges by the towering figure of Mr. Tock. His eyes glowed and steam poured from his moustache as a vast hand reached in and aimed an array of fingertip nozzles at the Baron and his son. A voice like a pipe-organ boomed, “DO NOT MOVE.”

Beetle drew himself up and a triumphant grin crossed his features. “Now I am in control!” He followed this statement with a burst of laughter that showed that the owner had done a fair share of gloating in his time, and had the basics down pat. “What do you think of that?”

The Baron and his son stared up at the colossus for a moment, then eyed each other, as if each were embarrassed at the thought of speaking first. Finally the Baron cleared his throat and said, “Yes, Gil, what do you think of that?”

Gilgamesh looked furiously at his sire. “Are you joking? This is another test?”

Klaus shook his head. “No, no—He’s quite serious. But I am interested in your analysis.”

At this Dr. Beetle burst out with a startled “Hey!” which the two politely ignored.

Gil rolled his eyes and shifted the fishbowl to his other hand. The fish grinned. Gil sighed. “Oh very well. If we directly attack him, the clank kills us. But if he kills us, our clanks will finish him. An apparent standoff.”

The Tyrant cackled. “Correct! Now—”

Gil wheeled on him in annoyance. “Oh shut up before you embarrass yourself any further!” Beetle sputtered in shock as Gil continued. “Being a short man,” he gestured significantly at the looming clank, “he places too much importance on size.”

“I’M NOT THAT SHORT,” Beetle screamed and futilely attempted to kick Gil in the ankle.

Gil ignored him and continued. “Thus the use of the one, slow, unwieldy, but impressively large clank, instead of surprising us with a squad of the faster but smaller units that are no doubt surrounding the building.”

“And excuse me, but I do still have the drop on you.” This contribution was also ignored.

“He has thus ‘Put all his eggs in one basket,’ confident that he could contain our group.”

“As I have!” the Tyrant screamed.

Gil looked pityingly at the smaller man. “A viable strategy perhaps. If we had come alone.”

An explosion rocked the building and all heads whipped upward in time to see half of Mr. Tock’s face explode in a cloud of smoke and metal shards. The giant automaton wobbled slightly, then, like a great brass tree, slowly fell over sideways out of sight, though the sound of his hitting the ground left nothing to the imagination, and the entire building shuddered from the impact. A few seconds later, a rain of metal shards pattered to the floor. In the sky overhead floated a fleet of military airships, all sporting the Wulfenbach crest on their sides.

“Tock!” cried Beetle in an agonized voice.

Klaus outlined the size of the forces overhead: “The Third Airborne, the Seventh Groundnaut Mechanical, and the Jagermonsters. Can we end this now?”

“Guards!” Beetle yelled. The Baron’s party rolled their eyes.

The Jagermonster sneered. “Now he calls for de guards?”

Gilgamesh shrugged. “Yes, well… make it quick.”

The main doors to the labs crashed open as a squad of Beetleburg’s feared Watch marched into the room in perfect step. Each unit raised its left gun arm in perfect unison and they all chanted “Stand!” in four part harmony. They were instantly mowed down by the hail of armor-piercing bullets from the machine cannons of the two Wulfenbach clanks.

As the last bits of metal rained down, the Jagermonster gave the order to cease fire. “Dem,” he remarked, “dat vas easy.”

Klaus looked disgusted. “They were the best self-contained fighting machines on the planet—When they were new!”

Beetle looked stunned. “My… my Watch!”

“Time marches on, Beetle; you remained behind. Well, by now the city should be secure—”

Beetle snapped back into the present. “This is an invasion? Blast it, Klaus, this is my city!”

The Baron looked contemptuous. “Wrong. It became my city ten years ago. I merely let you administer it.”

“But… but…” Beetle gestured, “But why?”

Klaus’ eyes narrowed. “Withholding a Hive Engine isn’t enough?”

“But that would mean…” Beetle stared at Klaus. “Before Merlot… You already knew!”

Klaus idly looked out the window. Screams and explosions could be heard faintly through the glass. “A field team has a sudden ‘communications breakdown’ followed by several ‘accidents.’ The river is cordoned off for a night, the laboratory schedules are suddenly rearranged. If you analyze the last week’s chemical requisitions, as well as the dramatic increase of the price of honey in this sector…”He slammed his fist down on the window sill. “Of course I knew!” For the first time an expression of regret crossed his features. “I had hoped I was wrong, old friend, but…” He sighed, “Ah, well.”

Suddenly Agatha appeared at the Baron’s elbow. “Please, Herr Baron, don’t kill him! We need him!”

Klaus closed his eyes. “Where do they get these ideas?” he muttered. “Beetle, the loyalty of the rest of your people does you credit. They can rest assured that I have no intention of killing you. Indeed, I have use for