Free Operation Tenley by Jennifer Gooch Hummer

threat. They were , however, alarmingly unappealing.
    Pennie stepped back as four of these creatures straightened themselves out in front of her, which made no difference to their appearance. They were filthy. One sipLip had filled the rips in his grimy robes with newspaper. All of them had tool belts around their waists, but only the largest of the sipLips had any tools in it. And their propellers! Rusted and bent and missing blades.
    “Howdy-do, Fairly One. You rang?” the largest sipLip asked with a sloppy smile. His teeth, the ones that remained, were the same color as his robes.
    Pennie’s trembling voice was so far inside her throat she had trouble getting the words out. “My friend did, yes.”
    He studied Pennie. “You have the face of a guilty Fair One. Tell us what crime you committed. And please, spare no detail.”
    “I just need a ride.”
    “I see.” He turned back to chuckle with the other sipLips. “Transportation, then.” He returned to Pennie. “Lucky for you we’ve had a cancellation today. I am Gavron.” He extended his hand.
    “Fair One penn 1 . Pennie,” she said, shaking it quickly and then stepping back. Gavron’s hand was caked in dirt and his nails were long and gray.
    “I was told there’d be gifts?”
    Pennie froze. “Gifts?”
    “It’s always nice to thank those who volunteer their time.” He gestured back toward the smaller sipLips who had wandered off to kick at the garbage. “For the boys. Don’t you think?”
    Pennie pointed to the top of the pile.
    Gavron spotted the container and released a few dribbles of spit, which slid down his chin. “Aim a little higher, boys,” he said before whipping his dirty red hair out of his eyes and leaning into Pennie. “Couldn’t smell their way into a garlic factory. Now. Where are we transporting you, exactly?”
    “Down there,” she whispered.
    “Down where ?” he whispered back.
    “Earth.”
    Gavron threw his head back and laughed. “The great Fair Ones. Coddled with every kind of technological tool and yet they can’t find a way down to Earth on their own. Ironic, no?” He leaned into Pennie again. “It’s a nasty place. Why would you want to go there?”
    She looked away.
    “Why, Fair One?”
    “I’m sorry, I don’t think I should say.”
    “Then I don’t think I should stay.” Gavron snapped his fingers to get his boys’ attention.
    “Wait!” Pennie pleaded. “A Right to Delete. I have forty-eight hours.”
    “Ah. An RTD. Getting those horrid little clients to give up their elemental power. Rarely successful.” He straightened up and flashed a smile. “However. It would be but a pleasure, Fairly-est One. First, though, we eat. Right, boys? Climb!”
    One of the sipLips rushed the pile of garbage, sliding back every few steps before gaining a little more ground. Once he reached the top, he snatched the container, surfed down the pile, and handed it to Gavron.
    “Rocky Road froyo. How appropriate.” Gavron produced a stroon from his robes and smiled at Pennie. “Cuz it’s sure gonna be that .” He glanced back to the other sipLips, who melted into fits of laughter, then lifted his stroon and dug in. “A few more minutes and we wouldn’t have agreed to take you anywhere,” he said with rocky road dribbling down his chin. “We don’t like froyo milkshakes, do we, boys?”
    The sipLips hovered behind him with smaller stroons, ready to pounce. “It’s go time, boys.” The sipLips rushed forward and devoured the Rocky Road. Finished within seconds, their chins were still dripping when Gavron threw the empty container over his head and onto the pile of garbage. He used his robes like a napkin, licked his stroon clean, and slipped it back into his pocket. The other sipLips did the same.
    “Now then.” He cleared his throat. “I’m sure you’ll understand that travelling to the big E holds many risks. Risks that could—but won’t, I assure you—end in an explosion.” Gavron slugged a fist