Don't leave me!

Dmitri watched as Amelia worked, he noticed that unlike in the past, she took her time and looked at the drawings they had made. In the past, she just put the parts together by intuition and a sense of how she thought they should go together. When she ran into trouble following the plans, she asked him questions and learned the why of why they were doing it this way instead of a different way. She looked over at him and asked, "Why can't we use Helium like last time?"

Dmitri laughed and said, "I accidentally collected the Helium when I tried to gather Methane gas from underground. I have no idea how to collect more of it. That may have been a unique one time find."

Amelia nodded and then asked, "Is there anything that would work better than Hydrogen?"

Dmitri laughed, "If you could find a material hard enough to hold a vacuum in place, but that's just not possible. I could show you the math for it, but it's too advanced for the current you."

Amelia nodded and then wiped her forehead with her sleeve, "I think it's finally done, we just need to fill the lift bags."

Dmitri looked over the plans and nodded, "Ok, you go inside, get cleaned up and start dinner. I'll make the final safety check and get the bags filled." He walked over to the table and sat down looking tired.

Amelia looked very happy as she skipped off to the main house. Dmitri clutched his chest as he gasped for air, "No, no, no, not now... I just need one more... Day..."

He collapsed on the ground lifeless.

Amelia took a long shower and then when she was finished bounced into the kitchen preparing Dmitri's favorite meal. She was humming a song she had heard in her travels. As she started to put a plate together for Dmitri she noticed he wasn't back again. She sighed shaking her head, "Teacher, you promised you wouldn't lose track of time again." She put her apron down and then stomped out to the barn in a huff.

"Teacher?" She walked around the airship not seeing him so she walked to the back where the table and plans were and she still didn't see him, "Teacher?" She walked around the table and then found on him lying on the ground, "TEACHER!" She dropped down to her knees and gave his cheeks a light slap, "Teacher no, no, please wake up!" She felt for his pulse and looked around the table finding a blade polished blade which she heled under his nose looking for his breath, not seeing any she cried out, "Teacher! Don't leave me alone! Please!" Her tears wouldn't stop as she held him tightly.

*****

Emily walked into the Future of War Company office and walked back to the special projects area where she found Winston and his team excitedly watching a machine run. Emily walked up next to James and asked, "What are we looking at?"

"The single greatest invention any of us have ever seen. Thomas and the Professor have been looking into the boundary layer in order to create a new type of motor. So far we have tried it with liquid, air, and steam and it's worked with anything we throw at it. The only drawback we found so far is that the Harbenite's melting point is so low that our parts kept melting. Thomas suggesting a cooling system that we are trying right now. The machine has been running at eighty thousand revolutions per minute now for half a day with no signs of the parts warping. The output is at an astonishing ninety-eight percent." James beamed.

Emily nodded, "Then we might be able to generate more power on the airships?"

He nodded, "Not just that, but any place we need to create power. For instance the entire city. We could put these new motors to work generating electricity by using water pressure from the new dam."

Emily's eyes opened wide, "Using the Harbenite, they must be very light?"

He nodded again, "The motor we are testing right now is about the weight of a single man. It has the power of three hundred horses."

Emily smiled, "Well, I am happy to see this coming to life. I need to remind you guys though when you lock everyone down in the building like this, it affects all the businesses around the area. Hudsucker's people have been locked down as well building the next two airships so the local businesses like restaurants and coffee shops are being forced to close."

James blushed and said, "You know how we get when something new is calling to us, we can lose track of time."

Emily shook her head and said, "Take your breaks, and make sure you guys are going to lunch." She turned and walked out of the office. As she left the building her guards were waiting at the Fast Attack Carriage as she climbed aboard she said, "We're going back to the palace."

*****

Teslaimia was pacing around in her office when Grace stepped back inside and grinned, "She is trying on outfits. She has an amazing body, everything we sell looks so good on her."

Teslaimia glared at Grace, "I know that." She took a deep breath and let it out, "Why is she still here, though?"

Grace chuckled, "She is waiting for you."

Teslaimia rolled her eyes and slumped back down into her chair, "But I don't want to see her, she's just going to flirt with me again."

Grace giggled and said, "At least you don't have to worry about having to compete with her over Emily?"

Teslaimia pointed at Grace and said angrily, "And what do I do when Emily starts getting jealous?"

Grace shook her head and smiled, "I think Katarina just sees you as a friend, Your Majesty, you are one of the first people she met and you like all the same things she does. It's only natural that she would want to be around you as a friend."

Teslaimia sighed, "Fine, I'll go out there. If she takes things too far, I am going to dock your pay."

Grace pouted and said, "That's not fair, you know I don't have control over her in any way."

"Fine, I won't dock your pay. I am going to let know what I think though." Teslaimia said as she shrugged her shoulders. She walked out of the office and back into the showroom as Katarina came out of the changing room wearing an outfit that made her look insanely sexy.

She saw Teslaimia and gave her a pose that made the outfit just that much more alluring, "Mia, what do you zink, I look good?"

Teslaimia sighed and then said, "You look more than good."

Katarina giggled and did a little dance before bouncing back into the dressing room. A few minutes later shame came and said to the salesgirl, "I veel take all of zese, fräulein."

Teslaimia looked a little surprised, "So many?"

Katarina nodded and said, "I am in love vis ze clozing here!"

Teslaimia smiled and said, "Thank you, I am glad you like them. I design most of these myself, I have an employee who contributes the rest. The last one you wore was designed by her."

Katarina's eyes opened wide, "You design zese cloze?" Teslaimia smiled at her and nodded. Katarina came up and took her hands and said, "You are amazing!" She stared into Teslaimia's eyes clearly starstruck.

*****

Duke Morely sat on his chair as he listened to one of his men, "We found traces of a fire and a corpse with the head cut off, but there was nothing there we could use to identify the body."

Another one of the men said, "The tracks in the area had been wiped by seasoned hunters or assassins. The Young Lord said he would be hunting in that area and refused his personal guards."

Beaux looked lost as he said emotionlessly, "Lucas doesn't like the way the guards drive away all the prey when he hunts."

The first man who spoke said in a soft voice, "If the body is Young Lords, then he was clearly assassinated by professionals."

Duke Morely looked up at them and asked, "Where is General Lee?"

"The General said, 'It's a shame Young Lord Morely is gone.' and then he went back to doing his work. He's still in his office." Another one of the men explained.

Duke Morely spoke in the emotionless monotone, "I want General Lee in here at once." One of the men nodded and then quickly rushed out of the room.

A few minutes later General Lee walked into the room looking annoyed, "You asked to see me, My Duke?"

Duke Morely looked at him with hollow eyes, "Was it you?"

The General looked at him confused, "Was what me?"

Duke Morely held up a letter and asked again, "Was it you, that had my brother murdered?" One of the Duke's men took the letter from his hand and walked over to the General and held it out for him to read.

The General took the paper and read it out loud, "Duke Morely, I think you should know that your General, Jesse Lee, has been offering money for our people to assassinate Young Lord Morely. I hope that my letter reaches you in time to stop it from happening. I know that it's unusual for someone you consider your enemy to be writing such a letter, but I want no part in your family's internal strife. Sincerely, Count Harmon."

The General's face went pale, then green, and then red, "My Duke, I can explain, I was just trying to..."

"I know you really have been attempting this, Sir Lee, because our own men have already admitted to it. They said you ordered it. a few weeks ago after our proposal to Her Majesty failed." Duke Morely stood up and stared into his eyes, "I received this letter yesterday. Last night my brother never returned home. This morning I had my men search and they found the remains of a burned corpse."

He slowly walked toward the General and asked, "I need a dagger." One of the men behind him pulled out and placed his own in the Duke's hand.

General Lee took a step back his hand falling to the hilt of his sword, "Beaux, listen to me now, I did approach the Harmons about this but it's not what they are saying, I was trying to probe them to see if they were behind your father's murder."

Duke Morely continued to step closer and closer to the General who finally pulled his sword and shouted out, "You little fairy, you think you can take me down with a blade?"

Duke Morely stopped and shook his head. He said softly, "Do it." He threw the dagger into the floor blade first and then turned and walked toward his room as several soldiers pulled out Tesla Wasps and started to fire at the general. 'BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!' Echoed throughout the large mansion.

Duke Morely's eyes no longer had any joy as he stepped into his room and collapsed on the bed.

*****

Emily sat down at the table in Dan's tea shop. She looked at him and asked, "I need you to keep this tea shop open, what will it take to get you to change your mind?"

He blinked, "Your Majesty?"

Emily sighed and said, "Do you need money, a title? Do you need me to speak to your wife? Mia loves your shop here, even though we rarely get the opportunity to come as often as we would like, I think she really adores coming here."

Dan chuckled and asked, "Isn't just a tea shop? I can sell it to you if you'd like. How hard could it be to keep it open for you?"

Emily looked out the window and spoke softly, "When I first came to Connaissance I found a quaint little tea shop in the old residential area, what is now an industrial area. I used to go there and sit on the patio and talk to the shop's owner and watch these buildings being made. It was one of the first places that Teslaimia and I sat and talked for the first time."

Dan nodded and then asked, "But what does that have to do with me?"

Emily looked at him and smiled, "Because I was sad when it closed down. The shop's owner was one of the victims of the Ripper. Because of that, we felt like a part of our history had been stolen from us. Mia found your shop on her own and brought me here hoping to replace that. Do you see it? She chose your shop not just because of what you sell here, but because she enjoys talking to you. Just as I enjoyed talking to Mable, the woman from the old tea shop I would visit."

Dan nodded and then said, "I was working at Duke and Duke, my salary there per year was more than double what I have made in total here at the tea shop before expenses. It's not that I want out of the shop, it's just that I can't afford to keep it open. My wife hates that we no longer have that money."

"What was your job there?" Emily asked as she gazed out the window.

Dan chuckled, "I was an Overlooker for the textile plant."

Emily nodded and then asked, "Do you think you'll get your job back? Won't that position have been long filled?"

Dan shrugged and replied, "They have asked for me to come back. I think they either expanded or just needed me back."

Emily nodded, "I will buy your shop then. Can you recommend someone to fill your shoes here?"

"I can, actually, there's a young couple that wanted to buy the place, but they couldn't afford the down payment I needed. If you'd like I can introduce you to them tomorrow?" Dan asked trying not to impose.

Emily nodded, "Don't inform them about my identity. Just let them know that I am an investor looking to give a loan to the right business opportunity and I have selected this shop."