1.5: The incident
The most exciting thing that had happened in Batch Productopia, before Sammoth and Mag blew up Magical Production Supply, was the time a gremlin wandered in from the Lower Production Floor, and somehow made it all the way to the Master Assembly Line. Groawn’s great uncle used to tell stories about it, and how the Master Assembly Line had shut down for nearly twelve minutes, which caused production back-logs lasting months, and caused Batch Productopia to only earn a silver star during its annual visit from Regional Management, a tarnishment that was often referred to as “the Dark Year.”
Fortunately, for the three children, there were no workers near the site when the meteor landed, and the walls of Magical Production Supply were thick enough to contain the explosion. This shielded raw-material managers from the blast. Although, several gnomes complained of hearing trouble following the blast, the heaviest consequence was that two projects had to be remade due to damage. This was no small matter, as creating rework was a serious crime in Batch Productopia
Mag was thrown back several feet, and Groawn had to use his magical talents to restore order, which cleared enough rubble for the children to stand up and stopped Mag and Sammoth’s wounds from worsening. As with many manager in 9-Theta, Groawn studied the magical art of management, and knew a few spells to restore order, compute statistics, and perform complicated incremental analysis.
Both Mag and Groawn were crouched by the newly developed crater, which was deep, yet small in radius, as though a telephone poll would fill the hole perfectly. Smoke rose out of the hole, and debris from the ceilings and walls fell in.
They stared at the smoldering hole, and then looked up at the night sky, through the corresponding holes in the ceiling of Magical Production Supply, and (beyond that) greater Batch Productopia. They had never seen the sky before this, as access to the outside world was forbidden for junior associate-citizens. The hole in the ceiling was far away, and could barely be seen, but it was there. No hole in Batch Productopia had ever occurred
“What could have possibly fallen through such an impenetrable structure?” they though to themselves.
But this question was quickly answered, when a mechanical mouse as large as a house-lamp, and made of some kind of golden alloy, hovered out of the hole. It rose slowly, as though it were floating, and it came level to Mag’s face. The boy and the robot stared at one another. Mag and Groawn were frozen in fear by the explainable and impossible creature in front of them. Whatever this thing was, it had crashed through the ceiling with such force that it hit like a bomb, yet it appeared undamaged. Worse, whatever this mouse was, it was not from Batch Productopia. It was from outside.
Sammoth, who had not seen the mechanical rodent, pushed away the debris that had fallen on him, and came out to find his manager and his best friend crouched around a hole.
“Hey, I’m alright! What the heck was that?” He shouted to his companions, “aww man! I don’t see my lunchbox!”
Groawn and Mag glanced over at Sammoth. They were both still speechless. When they glanced back, the robot mouse was gone.