Queen Elizabeth

Captain Staughler felt as if he had just finished his six hours of driving and was beginning to fall asleep when the young soldier driving his fast car nudged him awake, "Captain, we've arrived at the supply depot." The Captain stretched out and then called out to the other men in the fast car, "Alright everyone out, get some food, use the latrine and I want you to limber up, get a good sweat in. After this, we'll be headed to the front, so I want all of you ready for battle at any time."

He climbed out of the fast car and walked over to the commanding officer's tent where he would a grizzled old night sitting at a desk filling out forms. "Sir Clyde, I never expected to find you riding a desk this close to a battlefront."

The old knight laughed and stuck out a wooden leg giving it a tap, "Are you kidding? Being this close to the front with this, to me is like Lord Léon Jean Reno reaching down from the heavens and giving me a new life."

Captain Staughler nodded reaching out his hand to give the other man's hand a hearty handshake, "It's good to see you again, Randall."

"Alright, take a seat I have intel you need to hear and then I'm going to be sending you and your boys into the thick of it." He pulled out a map and pointed to a blue line, "This is their line, it runs parallel to our anti-tank line. They dug in once they saw what we were working on. This bunch is much smarter than we planned on. We managed to pick off a few of them here and there, but they have done the same to us. So far the airships haven't been able to do much here. They dug in quickly and have been building an escape route along their path. They have their own airships as well as the tanks, these things are annoying, they avoid our airships and only skip around the battlefield taking potshots at us from above. Most of our deaths have come from these attacks. Thankfully their tanks only have a single heavy cannon which is murder against our fast cars. Whatever you do, never set up for a beehive strike when you see their tanks on the field. A stopped fast car is a dead fast car."

He pointed to a spot on the map just behind the blue line and said, "This is where you'll bring the fast car, from this point you'll be on foot in our trenches. You'll be taking command of the eastern flank. Stratton, Briggs, Jones, along with Cooper, Osbourne, and Snyder. Redman is up on the hill with his unit but you won't meet up unless he gets overrun. Right now he is responsible for most of our gains. They can't even find him and his men who have been picking off their tanks and soldiers with the tarantula hawk."

"Thanks, Randall, my boys are gonna eat your chow up and then we'll head over. How long will it take us from here?"

"Unless one of their airships floats over you, you'll be there in six hours from here." Sir Clyde smiled.

*****

A young butler knocked on Emily's office door, "Your Majesty, Queen Elizabeth from Langland wishes to meet with you."

Emily looked at Gertrude who made a face like 'this is the first I am hearing of this too'. Emily sighed softly, "Show her in, Roland." Both Emily and Gertrude put one hand on their Tesla Wasp and faced the door.

The young butler opened the door and said, "Right this way, Her Majesty, Empress Emily will see you." He bowed respectfully and held his hand out indicating for her to enter.

An attractive woman in her mid-thirties stepped into the room wearing business casual attire. On her lapel was a gold pin from the sock and buskin. on her left breast was the crest of Langland. She smiled and softly spoke, "Empress, I must say, I am very impressed with what I have seen in Connaissance. The city itself is a wonder of modern technology and sophistication. What struck me the most was how clean and organized your Empire is from the first step I made over your borders. It was like stepping out of the past into the future."

Emily smiled and then indicated a comfortable chair in front of her desk, "Please, have a seat. Would you care for a drink?"

Elizabeth smiled and said, "Please, I'll have a Sherry Cobbler, if you know how to make it."

Gertrude nodded and said, "I do, and for you, Your Majesty?"

Emily smiled at Gertrude and said, "I'll have the same, half the sugar though."

Gertrude nodded and then left the room.

Emily waited until the door was closed, "I assume you aren't here on a pleasure tour."

Elizabeth pulled out a letter and handed it to Emily. It was sealed in wax with the seal from the sock and buskin. As Emily slit open the letter and started to read. Elizabeth set a small jewelry box on the desk and opened it letting it face Emily. "Congratulations, the council has met and agreed that you shall have the leading role. Every member of the troupe will be receiving a letter individually indicating that the platinum pin has been granted and that it's bearer's commands will be followed."

Gertrude returned to the room carrying a tray with two drinks, she handed one to Elizabeth and the other to Emily. Elizabeth seemed to not want to speak in front of Gertrude until Emily spoke, "Gertrude, show her your pin."

Gertrude moved closer to Elizabeth and lifted her skirt higher and higher until the top of her stocking was visible exposing her own golden pin.

Elizabeth smiled as she slid her finger up Gertrude's stocking until her fingers took hold of the pin, "Mm, I see." Elizabeth let go of the pin and continued, "This power has not been granted since the days of Lord Léon Jean Reno, there may be some members who refuse to acknowledge you, if that happens, the troupe will deal with them, simply report the slight to any club."

Elizabeth looked over at Gertrude and said, "It's a shame you have no chain, dear. You have the body for it."

Gertrude chuckled and replied in a sultry tone of voice, "I prefer watching over being watched."

Elizabeth giggled and replied, "Mm, I am the same way. A pity."

Emily removed her gold pin with chain and set in on the desk and then put the new platinum pin on her lapel. "Do I need to use any code words to identify myself?"

Elizabeth's eyes opened wide when she saw that Emily had a chain on her pin and then replied softly, "No, everyone will have received their letter by the end of this week. The troupe moves quickly."

Emily noticed her eyes on the gold pin, "I prefer to be watched." She smiled and then said, "Are there limitations to the use of the troupe?"

Elizabeth nodded and said, "You may not demand that a member sacrifice their life, liberty, or anonymity. However, a member can choose to sacrifice themselves for a cause they deem worthy so a request can be made, it just won't be completed unless someone is willing."

Emily nodded, "As you know, I am now being attacked by the Kreussians, will this cause any conflicts of interest?"

Elizabeth smiled and shook her head, "The new Tzar has no knowledge of the troupe although there are many within his trusted circle who are members."

Emily nodded and then asked, "Why did you give away so much of your power to your people?"

Elizabeth smiled and then leaned forward, "Did I really?" She said softly, "I created a representative government but in truth, I still control all the newspapers and pull the strings on who gets a seat and who doesn't through manipulating popular opinion. This way, I am free to roam about doing what I want with whom I want to do it, and if things go wrong in the government, it never had anything to do with me. If someone I select to in the government does something I dislike, I simply move popular opinion away from him and hire the other candidate I selected. Either way, I win in the end."

Emily blinked, "That's so evil, and it works?"

Elizabeth giggled and nodded, "I think though, in your case, having as much power as you do is a blessing. Until you finish your upgrades and conquer as much territory as you can use, you wouldn't want to do something similar. I was handed a working culture and system that just needed the illusion of free choice to become perfect."

Emily nodded, "Mm, I have a lot of work to do still."

Teslaimia walked in and noticed Elizabeth, "Oh! We have guests!" She held out her hand, "I am Empress Teslaimia Cassandane."

Elizabeth stood up and took her hand, "I am Queen Elizabeth the first of Langland, I am honored to meet you." Teslaimia made her way over to her favorite couch curling up comfortably as she always did.

Teslaimia looked over at Emily and then her jaw opened, "When did you get that?!" She pointed at the pin.

Elizabeth looked over Teslaimia carefully and saw her gold pin before smiling as Emily spoke out, "Mia, be good." She chuckled and continued, "I'm sorry, will you be in the city long?"

Elizabeth smiled and shook her head, "Officially I am still in Langland. I came this time only for the business of the troupe which could not be avoided."

Teslaimia smiled and then casually commented, "That's too bad. We have a lot of beautiful sights to be seen here in the city."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow at her and giggled, "So I see."

*****

Sir Killington walked into his boss's office and set down the transfer request, "General, I'd like a transfer to the field."

"You are in the field. You have the hardest field job under my command." Roger looked up from his stack of reports. "Don't tell me you have fallen in love with her too?"

Sir Killington blushed bright red, "General! It's not that, I just..."

Roger nodded, "I understand, you see that there is a war going on and you are stuck babysitting a beautiful woman who doesn't even appreciate what you are doing to keep her safe." He sighed and then rubbed the bridge of his nose, "I am going to be straight with you, Her Majesty requested that I put my best man on this assignment."

Sir Killington stood taller and then, "I can't be your best man, I am just.."

Roger shook his head, "Charles, you are the best I have. I would be using you as a company commander right now if I didn't need you on this tough assignment. Even Jon Alexander couldn't keep his cool in this assignment."

Sir Killington made a face and said, "With all due respect, having Sir Jon Alexander around beautiful women all day is like putting a fat guy in charge of guarding the kitchen."

Roger laughed loudly, "Quite right!" He cleared his throat and regained his composure. "We both know what a nightmare assignment she is, but I have to ask this of you. Tough it out."

Sir Killington nodded and then with a defeated look, "Sorry to have wasted your time, General."

Roger looked over at the clock and then rubbed the bridge of his nose again, "Charles, let's go have a drink. Talk to me, I want to know what happened that has you running from this assignment. Off the record."

The two men took the Rhinocerous to the residential area and made the short walk to Knight's Landing. Charles spoke as they walked, "Have you ever been to a grey club?"

Roger nodded, "Not here in the city, but back in Cambria in my youth." He thought for a while, "What does that have to do with guarding the Empresses?"

Charles blushed and then spoke softly, "Her Majesty Teslaimia wanted me to bring her to one here in the city. I didn't go in, the first time. I just waited across the street until she finished up in there. Afraid I might have to go back, I went there on my own one night. They said I have to be acknowledged by a member to get access, so I thought I would never get a chance. But then one of the maids from the Palace saw me leaving and asked if I wanted to come with her to the club."

Roger nodded and then asked, "What then?"

Charles shook his head, "I almost think I shouldn't be telling you this, I got in the club, and it was different from what I thought it would be... In fact, yeah. I can't tell you about it. If you get the chance, you'll have to go there sometime if you are interested." He sighed, "The thing that shook me though I found there. The reason I feel like I can't do this assignment anymore is what you already said. I am in love with Her Majesty, Teslaimia. In fact, I don't think any man that gets close enough to talk to her won't fall in love with her."

Roger nodded his head with concern, "You understand that nothing can ever happen between you two, right?"

He nodded, "No, I understand that better than you might imagine. I think that's why Jon finally had to back out of the assignment. That woman... She's capable of charming the dead. Don't laugh, I am serious. She does it without conscious thought. Between her natural beauty and her personality, it's like you are looking at a flame in the dark."

Roger thought a moment and said, "Then who besides you can I trust with this?"

Charles sighed and nodded, "No, you're right."

They walked into the pub and Roger said to the bartender, "A pitcher of Ale and two glasses, Mike." Before they took seats at his normal table.

Roger looked at Charles and said, "You should do what Jon did, find yourself a good woman, and settle your heart."

Charles nodded and then spoke softly, "You ever been in love, Roger?"

Roger pointed to his face and smirked, "Ladies don't show a lot of interest in a guy with the face of a brigand."

Charles shook his head and said, "That's not what I asked, but nice dodge. So I am guessing then that you really have?" The barmaid set down a picture of Ale and two glasses but didn't disturb them.

Roger leaned close and said in an almost whisper, "Ok, yes I fell in love when I was younger, I didn't have the guts to say anything to her and watched her marry my best friend at the time instead."

Charles nodded and said, "I had never fallen in love before. I didn't even understand what guys were talking about. Most women to me just seemed lacking in some way."

Roger nodded and asked, "What was different about Her Majesty?"

Charles closed his eyes as he thought back, "She asked me to tell her about what was bothering me."

Roger took a drink from his ale waiting for Charles to get to the part that made him fall in love, "Wait, that was it?"

Charles nodded and said, "She looked at me and noticed that I was acting differently and asked me to tell her about it." He took a drink from his own glass, "She kept asking me questions until I was balling my eyes out. Then she gave me a hug and talked to me about it. The next morning I felt like a new man, like the weight I had been carrying around was gone."

He sighed and then said, "That's the night I went to that club with the maid from the Palace. Now I can't get her out of my mind at all."

Roger nodded looking serious, "You're saying that the maid from the Palace went with you to a grey club?"

Charles nodded, "Yeah, she was really nice, we talked late into the night. She was pretty fun actually."

Roger stared at him and asked, "Is she pretty?"

Charles thought about it and said, "Oh, she's more than pretty. She's gorgeous, why?"

Roger stared at him, "A gorgeous woman, went on a date with you, and is clearly interested in you and you what? Thought about your untouchable boss instead?"

Charles stood up almost knocking over his glass, "I need to go to the palace."

Roger nodded and said, "Good luck."