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scientists. His voice was cold. “Beetle, this sloppiness is intolerable. Have these people—”
    “No, Father, wait.” He was interrupted by a smiling Gilgamesh, “The thump to my head has cleared it, I think. I believe your theory is… incorrect.”
    Klaus looked surprised. “What?”
    Gil nodded. “Yes, what you want is possible, but your theoretical structure is flawed. There’s no way this machine could ever work.”
    Klaus’ face darkened and he drew himself up. When he spoke his voice was glacial, and his words were measured. “Think carefully, boy. You’re saying that I am wrong?”
    Gil paused, took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. He clutched the fishbowl to his chest protectively, but his voice was firm. “Yes.”
    Klaus slowly relaxed and looked at him carefully before he swung his arm onto Gil’s shoulder and patted it twice. He smiled. “You are quite correct, my son.”
    As one Merlot, Glassvitch and Agatha burst out with a loud “WHAT?”
    Gil frowned in annoyance. “Another test, Father? I am beginning to find them tiresome.”
    Klaus twitched an eyebrow. “Ah, it is much like raising children then. But I persevere for the moment.” He turned to the three shocked researchers. “Thank you, doctors. You will receive new assignments tomorrow.”
    At this Agatha could no longer contain herself. “This was all for nothing? But they worked so hard!”
    Glassvitch began to nod furiously in assent. “For three months we have toiled on this monstrosity!”
    Merlot, who had seemed the most stunned, began to show signs of a growing annoyance. “We were simply… window dressing.” His voice gained energy. “I see. I understand.”
    Glassvitch looked at him in surprise. “What? Silas, you’re the one who’s always going on about how little time we have for our own work.”
    “Oh, yes—but now I understand why the great Dr. Beetle couldn’t be bothered to work on this oh-so-important assignment.” His voice began to break with emotion. “Unlike we mere mortals, he had real work to do.”
    Dr. Beetle frowned and stepped up to the distraught scientist. “Merlot! I don’t like your attitude—”
    “Then how do you like this?” With viper-like speed, Merlot spun, and his hand cracked across Beetle’s face, spinning the older man halfway around and sending his spectacles flying through the air.
    The Jägermonster’s machine pistol lazily swung towards Merlot. “Ho!” He grunted, “I tink I bettah—”
    A hand dropped onto his arm and Klaus shook his head. “Hold. Gil? You are about to receive an important lesson in employee relations.”
    Meanwhile Beetle and Merlot had squared off, the aging scientist vibrating with rage. “How dare you! I’ll—”
    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