"We managed to build those slingshots."
"Yes, but you had Scrap's help."
"We have another robot," said Caldavir. "You met Worthy at my place, didn't you? And as for the parts and equipment—"
"Your workshop!" exclaimed Birch.
Caldavir smiled at him. "Moira's workshop, actually. She's the one who makes ancient weapons."
"It's not going to work," said Harriet. "This place is easy to defend. At your house, they'll swamp us."
"That's not what I'm suggesting," said Caldavir. "A couple of us can head over there with the ship, pick up the materials and tools, and bring them back here. Shouldn't take more than an hour."
Harriet frowned. "And if they attack again in the meantime?"
"Try and get that big robot of yours charged up," advised Caldavir. "If not, it won't make any difference whether I'm here or not."
Harriet nodded and took out her commset to call Alice. "Alice, where are you?"
"Trying to knock out a few more of their vans. Ben got a couple, but we're running out of blocks to drop on them."
"I need you to head back."
"On my way."
Harriet was tempted to explain the plan, but she remembered the bugging earlier and decided not to elaborate. However, just in case Darting's people were listening, she decided to give them something to think about. "We heard from headquarters. They're sending a couple of ships to help."
"Great. Just when we were winning on our own."
Harriet smiled at Alice's disappointment. "Just get yourself back here. We need to coordinate the attack on their base." She hung up, and saw the others looking at her with a mix of hope and confusion.
"What was that about reinforcements?" asked Timms.
"Sorry, I made that up." Harriet gestured with the commset. "They bugged us earlier, and I thought it might send them packing."
"Then we'll just have to make do on our own," said the captain.
There was a distant growl, which gradually rose to a thunder which shook the building. They all felt the thump as Alice's ship landed on the roof, and moments later she and Ben bustled into the office. Harriet told her about the ruse with the reinforcements, and she wasn't surprised when Alice seemed happy to hear it. "Don't worry," said Alice. "We'll knock these people off, no trouble."
Harriet told her about fetching tools and equipment, and as she listened, Alice inspected one of the slingshots. "Cool," she said. "I wish I'd been here."
Caldavir had been speaking into his commset, and he came over to join them. "That was Moira. I told her what we need, and she's putting some of the stuff together now."
Alice gestured towards the stairwell. "After you."
Caldavir shook his head. "Harriet can send the address. I'm staying here in case there's another attack."
"Suit yourself." As she left, Alice glanced over her shoulder at Harriet. "Be safe, sis. We'll be back as soon as we can."
Chapter 22
Arnie flew across the city in darkness, but the scene below was lit with countless streetlights. The city sparkled with life, and as Alice gazed down on the inhabitants she found it hard to believe Darting's people were waging war it the middle of it, without anyone caring or intervening.
The ship landed in the road directly outside Caldavir's place. The house was large, set back from the road and surrounded by immaculate gardens. Green spotlights illuminated the trees, and it was one of the most beautiful things Alice had ever seen. Her thoughts were interrupted by a rude honking, and she turned to see a groundcar pulled up next to Arnie, lights on high beam. "You can't land that thing here!" shouted the driver. "This is a public street, not the spaceport!"
"Sorry, ma'am," said Alice. "This is an emergency."
The woman swore at her and drove off, the top of her car barely clearing Arnie's left wing.
"Don't mind us," muttered Alice. "We're just risking our lives to save your lousy city."
"It's not that lousy, is it?" asked Ben.
"Compared to some, yeah it is." Alice saw more headlights approaching, and decided to get on with things before someone ran into her ship. Mind you, she thought, it would make for a wild insurance claim. She ran up to the front door and pressed the bell. Moments later, the door opened and a tall robot looked down its nose at her. "Yes?"
"We're here to see Moira."
"Is that so." The robot eyed Alice's uniform with disfavour, then turned a disapproving gaze on Ben. "Do you have an appointment?"
"Yes. Her husband sent me." Alice glanced at him. "You're Worthy, right?"
"Indeed, that is my name."
"Right, then." Alice indicated her ship, which sat in the road nearby, illuminated by a groundcar's lights. "You might as well make yourself comfortable. You're coming too."
"Me? What for?"
"They want you to build weapons. Go on, off you go. I can find Moira myself."
The robot stood back to let her past, and Alice motioned Ben inside. Instead of heading to the ship, Worthy followed them inside, looking for all the world like he expected them to steal the silverware. "Where is she?" demanded Alice.
"In her study."
The robot pushed past, and they followed him to the rear of the house, where Moira Caldavir was sitting at a wooden desk in a spacious, well-lit room. The far wall seemed to be fashioned from a single pane of glass, and it looked out on a garden which was even bigger than the one out front. There were fairy lights everywhere, twinkling in the darkness, and in the back corner, under a tree, Alice could just make out a large workshop with a gable roof. Then she turned her attention to the woman in the room. "Are you Moira?"
"Yes, that's me. Martin said you were coming." Moira got up. She was wearing a jumper, a pair of slacks and sneakers. The jumper had seen better days, and the sneakers had a small hole in one toe. There was a stack of printed files on the desk, and Moira
