A BADGE shuttle descended through clouds and spheres toward a landing zone near Reykjavik, Iceland. Chase, in the copilot’s seat, watched the skies with horror and awe. Hundreds of silver spheres hovered as if suspended in a thick liquid.
“This is a surreal sight,” Chase whispered while leaning to see the ocean of orbs surrounding them.
The pilot, a retired military navigator, said, “I’ve flown missions in fifteen conflicts and then
commercial piloting for ten years before retirement, and I've never seen anything like this before. They don’t show up on any radar or scanner, so I gotta use my eyes to make sure we don’t bump into one.”
She put on a warm smile. “Thank you for your service.”
“It was nothing. When BADGE called for help from retired pilots for their non-combat missions, I was more than ready to get off my butt and do something productive again.”
“When the BADGE agents and robots can return to normal service, you will get to relax again.”
“Oh, don’t worry about me. This is a thrill. These shuttles are amazing to pilot.” A beeping signal caught his attention, and he flipped a switch. “BADGE shuttle seven here.”
“Landing platform one is clear.”
“Taking her down.” He activated the autopilot, and the shuttle met the ground.
Chase bid him farewell and left the shuttle to meet with the others. EB, Justin, and several officials from the United Nations met them.
A bold-looking woman with a thick German accent stuck out her hand. “Good to see you. I’m Gretchen Geist. Glad to meet you, Agent Chase. Are you the official BADGE negotiator?”
Chase said, “No, I have other duties to fulfill. The official negotiator will arrive in a few minutes.”
The American representative said, “I hope we can figure this out soon. Everyone is on edge.”
Gretchen Geist said, “We have little time. Everyone is scared, and they are ready to launch.”
EB pipped in, “That’s nuts. I mean, nuclear bombs can’t blow those spheres up. Legion tech is like totally solid. It took us years to crack their defenses back on Vexillia, and that was with some serious magic and power you guys aint got in those warheads. This one time...” He cleared his throat as Justin gave him a well-practiced withering glare. “Anyway, I’ll let you guys talk it out. Just take my word for it, if anyone starts shooting nuclear warheads at those things, it won’t end well for you. Be smart.”
Justin said, “Excuse us, Ambassadors, we have work to attend to.”
“Yes, good luck,” Gretchen said.
Justin led EB and Chase away from the group of Ambassadors waiting for the official BADGE negotiator to arrive.
Chase asked, “Do you think they’ll actually do it? Try to blow up the spheres with nuclear bombs.”
Justin said, “People are scared. The whole planet was nearly destroyed by Ren Tech. Those spheres represent the villain that brought us to the brink. Millions of voices are screaming for the military to get involved somehow.”
“Won’t work.” EB snorted. “That crap is impervious to anything in the common human military.”
Chase said, “Our negotiator will make that clear. Right now, I need to get to my father.”
EB asked, “Why are we here again? I mean, we’ve already checked Iceland twice for signs of Drocha.”
Justin said, “This is a cover story. You are going to zap Chase to Santa’s place in the north.”
“Why not just ask me to zap you from the station? Why bring her down here? I mean, I love seeing you, and we certainly could spend more time together. Hey, why not find a hot spring to visit? Oh, there is this amazing place up near....”
Chase said, “No one, even on the station, can know what Nova is actually doing. We are part of that scheme. So, we meet here so you can send me the rest of the way. No hot springs, and no side trips. Now, get to it.”
“Fine,” EB muttered and then created a glowing blue egg. “Toss this at a wall or rock or something solid, and a portal to Santa’s place will open.”
“Thanks.” She took the egg.
“Good luck finding Santa. We haven’t had contact with him since before the Ren Wear incident.” Justin said.
Chase said, “I can always find my father. You just find Drocha before these idiots irradiate themselves out of fear.” She threw the egg at the ground, which created a small blue doorway in the surface. She jumped up and slid through, the portal closing the moment she was gone.
***
The face of a reporter appeared on a cracked monitor in a dark room. Around the monitor was a vast network of cables and tech. The woman stood outside the United Nations building in New York as she reported.
“Two nations with nuclear arsenals have declared that they are ready to launch. Ten other nations have activated all their weapon systems in an effort to satiate the concerns of their populations about the spheres. Negotiations have begun in a secure location to move forward with a clearer joint mission. While the United Nations has clarified that they will support any efforts to destroy these spheres, BADGE maintains that such retaliations against the spheres will likely prove useless and could further put the world in danger at a precarious time.”
A deep laugh chortled out of Drocha as he watched this broadcast. “They defeated my plan, but they are still just vermin infesting this world. Foolish, scared little mice running around under my feet. Soon, I will have everything I need to finish this damned world and achieve my purpose.”
Turning in his chair to another computer screen, he analyzed the readings with an increasingly furious sneer. “Why can’t I see you?” He growled. “Damnit, how can Nova hide from me so well? Perhaps I need to flush him out.” He looked at another monitor. “Their power isn’t ready... some, though, are near enough to pose a problem. This should get that crotchety Nova’s attention. Soon.” His eyes flickered with the blinking dots on a map of the world, dots representing every sphere he has.
***
Pressing her hand against the ornate door, it knew her and let her in. With her memory restored, she found the aromas, the sights, and the sounds of this place like a warm blanket.
“Father!” she called out down the long hallway that led to the actual workshop. His magical ear would hear her from anywhere in this place.
Yet, he did not respond.
Chase walked further in, passing the wood cared walls covered in elegant artwork of Christmas and winter. Once she entered the actual workshop, the small elves scurried about working at their machines.
Santa did not manufacture billions of toys each year for children, not anymore. His mission each season remains the same as it has been since he began. He uses his magic to spread family love, generosity, and community around the world. His gift to the world each season is the feeling of Christmas. Even Chase found that corny, but it was often very much needed during the harder winter months, especially in these difficult times that have come over the past few years.
Chase saw the elves working on special boxes, each filled with first aid kits, canned food, and other necessary items for emergency needs.
“Dad’s at it again. Bet he’s out delivering these to relief centers.” She approached one of the elves, which were just magically created beings to operate this place. They were hardly more than the robots BADGE used, just made of magic and not technology. However, they could answer simple questions.
She tapped one on the shoulder. “Where is Santa?”
The elf gave her a funny look. “Santa is away.” And then walked on.
“Ah, straight to the point.” She rolled her eyes.
At that moment, the domed ceiling of this place split and opened, revealing the crisp, bright blue Arctic sky. Santa’s sleigh and reindeer lowered slowly through the opening. Once he had landed in the middle of the factory floor, he waved his daughter over with that glorious smile of his on his chubby face.
“Chase! I thought I heard you calling me.”
She rushed over and jumped up into the sleigh to give him a big hug. “Where have you been?”
He said, “Further than I have gone in seven centuries.”
“What?”
Santa said, “I visited Vexillian space again.”
“But, Vexillia is gone. The planet was destroyed... or so you told me.”
“I told no lies. The planet and all the surrounding moons were destroyed, and they remain that way. But I found out more about what Drocha has been up to... what he has done.”
“What?”
Santa snapped the reins again, and the sleigh lifted. “I was on my way to BADGE when I heard you call to me. I have to see Nova now.”
“What’s wrong?” Chase strapped herself into the sleigh.
“Drocha... I know who he is. Or, to put it more clearly, I know what he is.” With that, they sped away.
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