๐Ÿ“š in service of the queen Part 16 of 26
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In Service Of The Queen Ch 16

In Service Of The Queen Ch 16

by waxphilosophic
19 min read
4.79 (1900 views)
adultfiction

In Service of the Queen

by Davina Lee

An alternative future of women and their adventures

*

Author's Note

The previous chapter was a mixed bag of good news and bad. The good news is, Friend Cosette is back in Empyrea City and apparently organizing the resistance. The bad news is, Tiara's still deported and the queen is beating the drums of war.

With the help of Empyrea's librarian and an undisclosed source of scientific knowledge, La Rรฉsistance has uncovered the plans for a beam weapon that appears to mount on a dirigible. Cosette and Vivienne have asked Adelaide to get close to Group Captain Thorne (the woman who always hits on Adelaide at the cafรฉ) in hopes of finding out more.

Needless to say, Friend Adelaide is less than excited about this idea, and at the end of the chapter, she turned and walked out.

This chapter picks up a couple days later.

* * *

Chapter 16: Resistance is a Duty

Empyrea City Rail Hub, Downtown Empyrea City

Adelaide stood on the local service side of the station with her shoulders slumped. She peered down the track. A trolley car rumbled along, getting closer, but was still several dozen meters away. Adelaide shifted her lunch pail from her right hand to her left.

From the other direction, the horn of a train blew: two long, one short, and another long. A sleek locomotive approached at a speed nearly twice that of the lumbering trolley. Adelaide turned around to face the long distance service side of the platform, watching it coming in. The sound of the train's squealing brakes filled the air, echoing around the station.

As Adelaide turned back to the trolley service side, a pair of Safety Services officers were walking over. Adelaide dashed her hand in her pocket to find her ID, but the women walked past Adelaide before stopping.

"This trolley's out of service," said one of the officers, speaking up to be heard over the noise of the approaching train. "You'll have to wait for the next one."

"Step back," said the other woman in the pair, scanning the gathered crowd of passengers. "Make some room, friends."

"Next trolley will be here in twenty minutes," said the first safety officer. "Just a minor delay."

People began to move back.

Adelaide muttered under her breath, but her words were lost to the sustained squeal of the locomotive's brakes. When the train came to a complete stop, Adelaide turned her attention to it again.

"Step back, friends," said the safety officer. "Make some room."

Adelaide watched as the first doors opened on the coach cars behind the locomotive. A woman in the uniform of Empyrea's Self-Defense ground forces stepped out. She placed a wooden stool on the ground next to the coach car exit. Behind her emerged a woman in medical scrubs. She was holding an IV bottle in her hand. And behind her came another woman in Self-Defense Forces combat uniform. She was bearing one end of a litter.

As the woman holding the other end of litter was stepping off the stool and onto the ground, Adelaide settled her eyes on the woman lying on the litter. Her one eye not covered by the bandage around her head was closed. Her arm was wrapped in a sling and held to her chest. Her other arm lay straight at her side with the sleeve rolled up. There was a tube running from that arm to the IV bag being held by the first woman off the train.

"Step back, friends," said the safety officer.

Adelaide stumbled backward, but did not avert her eyes. She watched the woman on the litter being taken across the platform and loaded onto the waiting trolley. When the woman disappeared from view, Adelaide turned back to the train coach. Another woman on a similar litter was being unloaded. Her uniform was torn and bloodstained. She blinked her eyes a few times and then closed them. Adelaide watched her being taken onto the trolley.

A third woman emerged the coach. She was being borne out on a litter as well. As Adelaide looked down the line on the long-distance rail side, similar scenes were taking place at each of the coach car doors. All of them were being carried to the waiting trolley.

Adelaide's lip began to quiver. She bit down and turned on her heel. Adelaide faced toward the street and began walking.

Exiting the station, she passed by several news bulletins. On each one was a headline of: Sisterly Love in Innsbruck and a photograph of smiling children with their mothers.

Adelaide quickened her pace.

* * *

Friend Beatrice's Girls' Cave, fifteen minutes later

Adelaide stood slouched with her head laid on Beatrice's shoulder. Adelaide shook as she sobbed.

"I didn't know where else to come," said Adelaide, sniffling.

After a moment, she picked her head up, wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand, and said it again, this time facing Beatrice, in full view of her gaze.

"Friend Adelaide," said Beatrice, holding out her hand. "You're always welcome here."

"Sorry I'm such a mess," said Adelaide, wiping under her nose.

Beatrice held up a finger, wandered off, and came back with a box of tissues.

"Thank you," said Adelaide, pulling one from the box to wipe her nose.

Adelaide wadded the tissue in her left hand. With her right, she held her hand flat. Holding the back of her fingers toward Beatrice, Adelaide touched her chin and pulled her hand away in an arc.

Beatrice stepped in and wrapped Adelaide in an embrace. She didn't let go for some time. When she did, Beatrice simply took Adelaide's hand and led her to the closest of the two sofas. "Have a seat, friend."

As Adelaide plopped down, Beatrice rubbed Adelaide's shoulder briefly before turning to walk toward the countertop that served as her kitchen. Beatrice poured a glass of water from the pitcher and brought it back to Adelaide. Adelaide drank half of it in one go.

After taking a deep breath, Adelaide turned to Beatrice. "It was horrible," said Adelaide. "At the train station. It was horrible."

Beatrice sat beside Adelaide and reached out to rest her hand on Adelaide's arm.

"They were bringing out wounded from the Self-Defense Forces. They were being transferred from the train to the trolley. Probably to take them to the hospital, I don't know. I don't know where they came from, either."

Beatrice waited while Adelaide took another sip of water.

"The first one caught me by surprise. A woman, I think she was a nurse, came down the steps of the coach with an IV bag. Then came the litter bearer, and finally the wounded woman being carried out. I think she was asleep or drugged. Her eyes were closed. I didn't really think about it at the time.

"She was bandaged and her arm was in a sling. But there wasn't any blood. It wasn't until the next woman came out that I saw blood. Her uniform was in tatters and there were blood stains on her bandages. I don't know what happened to her."

Beatrice gave Adelaide's arm a gentle squeeze.

"I was still kind of taking it in at that point," continued Adelaide, "trying to assess what was going on. And then I looked up. All down the line of coaches, it was the same thing. Women were being carried out on litters and loaded into the trolley. I don't know how many the trolley holds, but I assume they filled it. I'm sure they filled it. Safety Services had commandeered the whole car. Told us to wait for the next one. That's when I decided to walk.

"And you know what the worst part was? As I'm walking out of the station, all I see all around me are these news bulletins. They're taped to sign posts, support columns. Everywhere, they're everywhere. And every single one of them says, Sisterly Love in Innsbruck.

"I don't know if the women being transferred from the train were coming from Innsbruck, but if they were, it certainly didn't look like there was any kind of sisterly love going on there to me."

Adelaide hitched a sob. Beatrice opened her arms and pulled Adelaide to her chest.

"Rest, friend," said Beatrice. "You're safe here. Rest and I'll watch over you."

* * *

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Seven hours later

Adelaide opened her eyes partway and closed them again. She took a deep breath and pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders. Adelaide opened her eyes again to gaze upon Beatrice standing at her countertop kitchen.

As Adelaide rolled over, she heard, "Hey sleepyhead."

"Viv?" said Adelaide, craning her neck.

On the other sofa, Vivienne stood up and stepped over to where Adelaide was crashed out horizontally.

From across the room, Beatrice turned around and stuck her finger up in the air. It was covered in dripping yellow custard, and Beatrice licked it clean before picking up the plate of cream puffs from the counter. "Friend Adelaide," said Beatrice, "you're awake."

Adelaide rolled onto her side, propping herself on one elbow for a moment. With a groan, she pushed herself up to sitting and pulled the blanket over her shoulders like a shawl.

Vivienne came over to sit down beside her.

"Friend Vivienne brought cream puffs," said Beatrice, walking toward the sofa and setting the plate on the coffee table.

Adelaide frowned. "You can't fix everything with cream puffs, you know."

"Not a cure for the ache in your heart," Beatrice paused to look at Adelaide and shrugged, "but it's something."

"Thank you friends," said Adelaide, plucking a cream puff from the plate. "Having you around helps. Cream puffs or not."

"Friend Adelaide had a traumatic encounter this morning at the train station," said Beatrice, sitting beside Vivienne on the sofa.

"Are you alright?" asked Vivienne, turning to Adelaide. "Are you hurt?"

Adelaide shook her head. "I'm okay. They were transferring wounded soldiers from the train to the trolley. I wasn't prepared for it emotionally, that's all."

"Oh Addie, come here," said Vivienne, reaching out with her arms open.

Adelaide leaned in, resting her head on Vivienne's shoulder. "There were so many," Adelaide sniffled.

"Oh, honey," said Vivienne.

"I thought the worst feeling in the world was having Tiara taken from me. I was wrong."

With the flat of her hand, Vivienne rubbed Adelaide's back.

"And the worst part... The worst part..." Adelaide sat up straight, pulling away from Vivienne's embrace. "The worst part was those stupid news bulletins taped up everywhere. All those pictures of the smiling kids and their mothers. Sisterly love and all that."

Adelaide paused and sniffled. She held her lip in her teeth for a moment before continuing.

"All around me are these stupid papers taped up. And I can't think about anything but those women I saw being carried off the train."

"Addie," whispered Vivienne, pulling Adelaide in again. "I'm so sorry."

"The blood, the bandages. I close my eyes and it's still there. I can't get the images out of my mind."

"I don't think we're supposed to, Addie." Vivienne rubbed her hand over Adelaide's back again. "I think that's what makes us human. When we see pain, we're not supposed to forget."

"I wish I'd been somewhere else this morning."

Vivienne said nothing. She wrapped her arms around Adelaide and pulled Adelaide's head to her shoulder. Beatrice leaned in to offer her hand across Adelaide's back.

"No," mumbled Adelaide. "I take that back. My wish. I take it back. I wish those women. Those soldiers. I wish they were somewhere else this morning. I wish they were home with somebody who loves them instead of being carried out on litters and loaded onto the trolley."

"Addie," whispered Vivienne.

"I'm not old enough to remember the war," said Adelaide. "I only know of it from stories my grandmother would sometimes let slip. The stories about people who were lost. So many people lost. Such despair in her voice when she recalled the names."

Adelaide paused, sucking a breath and letting it out slowly.

"And then I saw those women being unloaded from the train. Suddenly I understood the sadness in grandmother's voice. I understood it firsthand.

"What if one of those soldiers being carried from the train had looked up at me? How could I look back without averting my eyes?

"What if it were Cordelia's face? What if my own sister had been sent to friend knows where, only to come back broken and bloody, on a litter, being carried from a train? What would I say to her? While she's risking her life and I'm sitting here safe and sound. What would I say?"

Adelaide held her head in her hands for a moment. On either side of her, Beatrice and Vivienne each offered a hand of comfort.

"Tell me what I need to do," said Adelaide. "Ask Cosette for me. What does La Rรฉsistance need me to do to make this stop?"

"Addie."

"Whatever it is, Viv, I'm in."

* * *

Empyrea City Cafรฉ, the next afternoon

Adelaide stood outside the cafรฉ and took a deep breath. She let it out slowly and reached for the door handle. Adelaide yanked the door open and strode in.

"Are you joining us for lunch or dinner today, friend?" asked the hostess as Adelaide was unwrapping her scarf.

"Neither," said Adelaide, turning her gaze toward the bar. "At least not yet. Just a drink. Maybe dinner later. We'll see how it goes."

"Of course, friend," said the hostess, stepping aside.

Adelaide walked toward the bar with her head high. Seated near the end were Group Captain Thorne in her Air Defense Force uniform, and a leggy blonde poured into a slinky red dress with a high slit up the side.

"Hi," said Adelaide, pulling out a stool to sit.

"Missing our girl, are we?" said Thorne. "I wondered how long it would take for you to weigh your options."

"That's not why I'm here."

Group Captain Thorne raised a finger in the air and the bartender came by with a fresh stein. She set it in front of Adelaide.

"Shall I send Gisela to powder her nose, or is this something you'd like to discuss in front of both of us?" Thorne laid her hand on the blonde's thigh as she imparted these words.

"I'm bored," said Adelaide.

"Well, well. It's good I didn't send Gisela away after all." Thorne slid her fingers under the slit in the blonde's dress and pushed higher. "Finally, things are starting to get interesting."

Gisela turned her gaze to Adelaide and looked her up and down. She uncrossed her legs and let her knees fall open.

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"What is it with you?" asked Adelaide.

"You're the one who came over," said Thorne. "You tell me."

Adelaide shook her head. "You just expect women to fall at your feet?"

No sooner had the words left Adelaide's mouth, than Gisela slid off the seat of her bar stool. She stood, smirking at Adelaide for a moment, then dropped to a squat in front of where Group Captain Thorne still sat. Gisela raised her eyes to Thorne and spread her thighs as much as her skin-tight dress would allow. She reached for Thorne's hand and touched her lips to it.

"This is ridiculous," said Adelaide, turning around, her eyes fixed on the cafรฉ entrance. She put one foot in front of the other.

"Wait," said Thorne. "Gisela. Get up."

Adelaide stopped.

"You haven't touched your beer," said Thorne.

"I'm not sure I still have an appetite anymore."

While Adelaide related this, Gisela had gotten up and taken a seat on the stool to her right, leaving the one between herself and Thorne unoccupied.

Group Captain Thorne moved her gaze to the empty bar stool. "Let's talk," she said.

Adelaide moved her eyes from Thorne, to Gisela, and then finally to the empty seat. "About what?"

"Whatever's on your mind," said Thorne.

"I'm bored," said Adelaide.

"You mentioned that. Missing your girl? I can help. Gisela can help me help you. There's no need for you to--"

"You don't get it, do you?" said Adelaide. "You think I came over here because I've got an itch that needs scratching and my girl's not here to do it for me? That's not it. That's not it at all."

Thorne raised her hand and motioned to the beer stein sitting, untouched, in front of the empty stool. "Then why don't you tell me what it's about."

"No sexy stuff." Adelaide sat down.

Group Captain Thorne and Gisela exchanged a glance as Adelaide picked up her beer stein. Thorne shrugged.

"My life's not exactly panning out like I thought," said Adelaide, after setting her stein on the bar.

"I see," said Thorne.

"I finished my accounting program. Got my certificate four weeks ago. I'm ready for an apprenticeship, but there's no openings. All this military mobilization business has taken over and seriously screwed up my career plans."

Adelaide took another long sip at her beer before continuing.

"You know what I'm doing these days?" asked Adelaide.

Thorne shrugged.

"I'm scrubbing floors."

"Like down on your knees, scrubbing?" asked Thorne, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh for friend's sake! What is it with you? Get that Parisian maid uniform out of your head and picture a drab gray jumpsuit. And I use a machine. An electric floor scrubbing machine." Adelaide took another long swig of her beer. "It's a very efficient operation. And it's boring as hell."

"Are you looking for a shoulder to cry on?" asked Thorne. "Or did you come over here because you'd like me to do something about it?"

"You're pretty high up in the military," said Adelaide, focusing her gaze on the four stripes gracing the shoulder of Thorne's uniform.

Thorne chuckled. "You could say that."

"And you've got the hots for me," said Adelaide. "I don't understand it, but it's not something you've ever tried to hide."

Thorne sat quietly, reaching for the handle of her beer stein.

"Find me a job," said Adelaide. "If you want to get my attention and in my good graces, find me a job."

Thorne said nothing, instead, picking up her beer stein for a sip. She set it down and turned her gaze to Adelaide.

"With all the military build up, there must be some expansion in the--"

"You're not part of the Self-Defense Force," interrupted Thorne.

"Yes, but--"

"Basic training alone is six weeks."

"There's...? There's nothing?" Adelaide's face fell.

"What did you expect? It's a career, not a hobby."

Group Captain Thorne studied Adelaide's face for a moment before picking up her stein again. After a long sip, Thorne said, "You know where the city administration building is?"

Adelaide nodded.

"Meet me there. Monday morning. Oh-eight-hundred sharp," said Thorne. "Maybe I can help you with a civilian contractor job. But no promises."

Adelaide looked up. "Thank you," she said.

Thorne returned Adelaide's gaze with a smirk. "Gisela has learned to address me as ma'am when she shows her appreciation."

Adelaide swallowed hard. "Thank you... ma'am."

* * *

Adelaide and Vivienne's apartment, one hour later

Adelaide sat alone at the kitchen table. In front of her was a single, blank sheet of paper. Next to her right hand lay a pen. She stared at the paper.

Adelaide extended her index finger to bump up against one end of the pen. She gave it a shove and watched it spin on the table top. Finally she picked the pen up in her hand. She twirled it, flipping the pen over as she moved her gaze again to the blank paper.

Adelaide let out a sigh. She gripped the pen in her hand and hovered over the paper at the top. She began to write.

Dear Tiara,

I miss you so much. I don't know if you're getting my letters, since you haven't written back. I've been sending them to the emergency contact you listed on your application to the youth hostel.

You'll never guess where I got that tidbit of information. Remember that cringy military officer at the cafรฉ? For whatever reason, she had your emergency contact address. She gave it to me one day, out of the blue.

I'm sure someday when we're together again, we'll look back on that and laugh. But until then, I'm missing you terribly. Most days I feel like I'm holding my breath, waiting for all this to be over, and for you to be back in Empyrea City.

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