"Okay," Teral said, bursting through the door to security, "What in Gaia's
name is going on here." Two security guards, a red and a silver, watched over
thirty bedraggled squirrels. 

Teral sighed impatiently. "We're not going to restart recruitment until we
get this supply problem worked out, so give them a few acorns or something
for their time and tell them to come back in a month."

"We're not wild squirrels," one of them said, "We're from the Rabbit's Tail."

"Loren's operation?" Teral asked, twitching nervously, "Why are you back so
soon?"

"They knew we were coming," one of the other said, "It was a trap."

"We were in group C," another continued, "We managed to get in defensive
position before they attacked, but we still had to sneak away, leaving behind
all our equipment."

"They tracked you?" Teral asked, "Damn it, I told Loren he shouldn't split 
up. One of the groups was bound to be seen."

"You don't understand," the squirrel chittered, "The bunnies found ALL the
groups. They ambushed us -- I think we were the only group that got away."

"We know B, C, and E were completely wiped out," another added, "We heard
from somebody in group A, that they'd managed to get away at first, but we
called back a few hours later and there was no answer, so the bunnies must
have found them."

Teral stood there, rigid, tail frozen in mid-flick.

Rabbit's Tail was a failure. 
Group A had been destroyed. 
That meant Loren was most likely dead. 
That meant...

He glanced at the guards, and noticed that both of them were gone. He whirled
around to check on the labbies that followed him everywhere, but they were
gone as well.

"Stay here," he said to the squirrels, and ran for Kralk's lab.

TBC! (I hope those tanks are finished... };)

-------------------------------------------
Teral Acorn     Warren leader, UCirc Warren
                President, SAADB