In Service Of The Queen Ch 22

In Service of the Queen

by Davina Lee

An alternative future of women and their adventures

*

Author's Note

We closed the last chapter with Adelaide walking alongside Group Captain Thorne, her arm in the crook of Thorne's elbow, and her head resting against Thorne's shoulder. What in friend's name is going on in Empyrea City?

Thorne says she and Adelaide ultimately want the same thing: the removal of the woman in power who seems bent on destroying the dream of Empyrea with her lust for power and casual disregard for Empyrea's citizens.

Will this be the dawn of a new cooperation? La Résistance working together with Thorne and the other military officers' Realignment movement? Can they pull it off? And if they do, what will be the cost?

This chapter picks up a few days later.

* * *

Chapter 22: Dear Tiara

Vivienne and Adelaide's apartment, four-thirty A.M.

Adelaide sat at the kitchen table, bundled in the bulk of her bathrobe and holding her head up with her left hand tangled up in her messy heap of hair. In front of her was a single sheet of paper, blank except for one line.

Dear Tiara,

Adelaide dropped the pen from her hand, letting it land on the table top with a clunk, and moved her right hand up next to her left, holding her head up just above mostly blank piece of paper. She let out a groan.

"How do I explain it?" mumbled Adelaide to no one.

Adding a heavy sigh as a coda to her groan, Adelaide picked up the pen again and straightened up in her chair.

"Dear Tiara," she said, as she once again put pen to paper.

I wanted you to hear this from me. I don't know if you're getting my letters or not. Camina says you haven't written back to her either. I'm going to give this situation the benefit of the doubt and say that the postal system is probably just as messed up as everything else in Empyrea these days.

I don't know if news is getting out and how much you know about what's going on. Besides the obvious elephant in the room that is Empyrea's military advance on neighboring cities, things here are actually starting to feel normal.

I've got a job. I'm finally using my accounting certification. Sort of. I work for the queen. I'm part of the office pool and I have to take a tender dirigible up to Elysium. To do accounting work. Can you believe that?

I'm also working for Group Captain Thorne on the side. Yeah, I know, how could I? The cringy woman who's always hitting on me. That's what I wanted to tell you. I wanted you to hear it from me instead of the rumor mill, if the rumors or anything else are indeed getting to you back home.

It's an office job. Mostly planning and strategy. Kind of outside my normal accounting duties, which is why I'm working with her. But, there's nothing else going on. I want you to know that. She's actually quite respectful of my boundaries. I don't want you to worry.

When you come back. And I hope that will be soon. When you're back, I don't want there to be any misunderstandings. I want to wake up next to you and hear Friend Cosette and Vivienne giggling outside the door as they deliver us breakfast in bed. That's what I miss the most. You beside me.

I miss you. I love you.

Adelaide

* * *

"Addie?"

"Viv?" Adelaide raised her head from where it lay cradled in her arms folded across the table.

"Are you working today?"

"Huh?" Adelaide jerked her head upright. She looked down on the letter under her arms. "What time is it?"

"It's eight-thirty," said Vivienne. "It's Saturday. But I know sometimes..." Vivienne let her thought trail off as she rested a hand on the fluffy collar of Adelaide's bathrobe. "I can make you some breakfast if you need to hit the shower."

Adelaide leaned her head back to rest against Vivienne's arm. "Thanks, Viv," she said. "But I don't have to go into work."

"That's good," said Vivienne, sliding her hand across Adelaide's shoulder as she turned and took her first step toward the kitchen counter. "Because it's raining buckets. I'd hate to think of you walking in this."

Adelaide watched Vivienne crossing over to the counter to reach and open a cabinet above. When Vivienne pulled out the container of coffee, Adelaide smiled and turned her gaze back to the letter lying on the table.

"Want some?" asked Vivienne.

"Yes, please."

Vivienne opened a drawer to pull out a spoon. "You writing to Tiara?"

"Huh?" Adelaide looked up. "Oh, yeah. How'd you know?"

"Well, your mother and your sister live close enough to go visit, so I just figured..." Vivienne scooped coffee grounds into the metal basket at the top of the percolator.

"I don't even know if she's getting my letters." Adelaide pushed back her chair and stood up. She took a step toward the counter.

"Sorry, babe," said Vivienne, as she plugged the percolator's cord into the wall and flipped the paddle switch at its base. "If there's anything I can do to help, I will. But..." Vivienne turned around to face Adelaide.

When Adelaide looked up with her lip quivering, Vivienne held her arms wide and stepped forward.

"I miss her so much," muttered Adelaide, with her face buried in Vivienne's shoulder.

Vivienne rubbed her hand across Adelaide's back. "I know you do."

Adelaide straightened up and wiped under her eyes with the back of her hand. "Sorry," she said. "My problems are pretty insignificant compared to everything else going on, huh?"

Vivienne wrapped her arms around Adelaide and gave her a squeeze. "Doesn't make it any easier though, does it?"

Adelaide shook her head.

"I'm testing out some new desserts at the café." Vivienne reached out to squeeze Adelaide's hand. "I know you can't fix a broken heart with pastries, but..."

"For you, Viv, I'm willing to give it a try."

Vivienne smiled, gave Adelaide one more squeeze, and dropped her hand. "Stop by for lunch?"

Adelaide nodded.

* * *

Empyrea City Café, just after noon

Adelaide joined the queue at the hostess station and craned her neck to look around the dining room. All of the available tables were full. Coming out of the swinging door from the kitchen, Adelaide spied Vivienne and waved. But having been snagged by a server as soon as she appeared, Vivienne never had a chance to see Adelaide's greeting.

"Hey, sweetie," said a voice from behind Adelaide. "You here by yourself?"

Adelaide spun around. "Gisela?"

"We've got an extra stool at the bar," said Gisela, as she draped her hand over Adelaide's arm. "Join us?"

Adelaide took another look around the dining room. Vivienne had turned around and had a hand against the kitchen door, pushing it inward.

Adelaide shrugged. "Sure," she said.

* * *

"Your girlfriend makes a good nussecken," said Thorne, as she lifted the triangular bar from the plate to bring one of the chocolate covered corners to her mouth.

"She's my roommate," said Adelaide, still standing beside the empty stool Gisela gestured to. "My girlfriend got thrown out of Empyrea and sent back home, remember?"

"That's right," said Thorne. "So I guess that means you're free this afternoon. And maybe tonight? And the next morning?"

"I thought we were past this," muttered Adelaide.

"Personas," whispered Thorne. "Never know who might be eavesdropping."

"Oh, that." Adelaide paused as she let a mischievous smirk take up residence on her face. "Then maybe we're still having our lover's tiff. Should I haul off and smack you again, like I did at the airfield?"

Thorne said nothing, and instead turned the triangular nut bar in her hand to expose one of the two remaining, uneaten chocolate covered corners. She bit down.

As Thorne chewed, Gisela slipped closer to Adelaide and pressed into her from behind. "Or maybe," whispered Gisela as she nuzzled Adelaide's neck. "Maybe you've had an epiphany that your secret lover's girlfriend is open-minded enough to try new things."

Adelaide locked eyes with Thorne and widened her smirk to a smile. "You're enjoying this," she hissed between her teeth.

"Immensely." Again, Thorne turned the pastry in her hand, angling the last uneaten corner toward her mouth. "And you're playing your part brilliantly."

"I hate you."

"Now, now, friend," whispered Gisela, as she snaked her arm around Adelaide's waist. "Open-minded, remember?"

"Open-minded," muttered Adelaide. "Fine. Let's do open-minded."

As Group Captain Thorne was bringing the last unbitten corner of nussecken to her lips, Adelaide dashed out with her right hand. Gripping Thorne's wrist in her fingers, Adelaide pulled Thorne's hand and the nussecken over. Adelaide grinned as she leaned in to chomp down on the last remaining chocolate.

Thorne tossed her head back to let out a laugh, before maneuvering the pastry back to her own mouth to work at one of the already bitten corners. From across the dining room, Vivienne happened to lift her eyes from her work just long enough to settle over the bar, where Adelaide still held Thorne's wrist in her hand.

Adelaide met Vivienne's gaze for only a second before turning away. "Scheiße," muttered Adelaide, casting her eyes to the bar top.

Gisela turned briefly to take in the scene playing out between Vivienne and Adelaide. She pressed closer to Adelaide, adding her other arm around Adelaide's waist to encircle her completely. "Maybe we should go somewhere private," suggested Gisela, resting her cheek atop Adelaide's shoulder.

Adelaide shook loose. "I need to explain to Viv--"

"You'll do no such thing," snapped Thorne.

Adelaide went rigid. "But she--"

"She'll tell everyone you're stepping out on your girlfriend? Fine. Let her feed the rumor mill."

"This sucks," said Adelaide, slumping forward.

"Come on, friend," said Gisela, loosening her grip around Adelaide's waist and resting her hands on Adelaide's hips. "We've got lots to talk about."

"I think I'm done talking for today." Adelaide shook herself free of Gisela's hands one more time and turned to march toward the door.

From the back of the café, Vivienne raised her eyes long enough to watch Adelaide go.

* * *

Outside, down the sidewalk from the café

"Chilly out, isn't it," said Thorne, as she caught up to match Adelaide's determined pace.

Adelaide turned her face away and kept walking.

"I could keep you warm," chided Gisela.

"Stay away from me."

"Stop being such a child," snapped Gisela.

"Ladies," said Thorne, "the lover's tiff has about played out, don't you think?"

Adelaide stopped in her tracks. "I don't know. I think I might be ready to haul off and smack you again. One more time for old time's sake. What do you say?"

In the middle of the sidewalk, Thorne stood facing Adelaide. "If it would make you feel better," said Thorne.

"It might," said Adelaide.

"I'm sorry," said Gisela. "I lay it on a bit think sometimes. We're all on the same side here. Let's focus on that."

Adelaide acknowledged Gisela by blowing out the breath she held, but otherwise saying nothing.

Thorne paused to glance around the open plaza where the trio stood. Turning back to Adelaide, she said, "Why don't we start again? Friend Adelaide, this is Friend Gisela. She's an aerospace engineer from Salzburg. Been working with the Empyrea Self-Defense Force as a design consultant for--"

"Salzburg?" said Adelaide, raising her eyes.

"That's right," said Gisela.

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry, Friend Adelaide?"

Adelaide nodded. "I've seen the news bulletins. I know about the Empyrean troops. The incursion. I'm sorry. I know you must have family there. You must be worried for them."

"I do," said Gisela. "And I am. But that's why I'm working with Ilsa and the others. To make it stop. To take away the weapons that aid the queen's advances. Or at least make them less effective so she'll be forced to think twice about her next conquest."

"I'm sorry," repeated Adelaide.

"Friend Adelaide," said Gisella, "this is not your doing."

"Your family is in danger. Your homeland is under occupation." Adelaide looked at the ground as she shook her head. Finally, she raised her eyes to Gisela once more. "And all I can think to do is complain about how people will think I'm being unfaithful to my girlfriend."

"Let's see if we can find a place to sit that's in the sun," said Thorne. "We have a lot to talk about."

* * *

Five minutes later, in a public green space

"An aerospace engineer," said Adelaide, turning to Gisela, sitting beside her to the right.

Gisela nodded.

"And I thought getting my accounting accounting certification was rough. I can only imagine."

Gisela grinned as she crossed her legs, reached to tuck an errant strand of hair behind her ear, and finished up by resting her hand on Adelaide's thigh. "It was a lot of math," she said.

Adelaide nodded, looking briefly where Gisela's hand lay and then settling in to lean her back against the bench they shared.

"And physics."

Again, Adelaide nodded. "Thankfully, there's none of that in accounting."

"It's the physics part that doesn't add up," said Gisela.

Adelaide cocked her head.

"For the dirigibles," continued Gisela.

"Oh."

"They're tender dirigibles. The ones getting the modifications."

"I've been in a tender dirigible," said Adelaide. "Lots of times for work. My sister flies them. I bumped into her once when I was being shuttled up to Elysium with the office pool girls."

"Not very big, are they?" said Gisela.

"Well, no. The one we were on had a ballast problem. That's what Cordelia, my sister, said. The other office pool girls and me, we had to switch seats to even things out before we could take off. It got pretty tight by the time everyone was situated."

"See, that's the thing," said Gisela. "These modifications. They're pretty significant. Like they're designed to be carrying something heavy."

"We're assuming the beam weapon is fairly large," added Thorne.

"It would have to be," said Gisela.

"And the batteries needed to power it..." continued Thorne.

"But the tender dirigibles..." added Adelaide.

"They're not designed for that kind of weight," finished Thorne.

"Can't they just move things around, like we did to help the ballast problem that time?" asked Adelaide. "I mean, if you took out the seats and all the other non-essential parts...? Minimal crew? Turned it into a flying beam weapon?"

"It's the physics that doesn't work out," said Gisela.

"But, if..." Adelaide scrunched up her face and turned her eyes toward the sky.

"Do you swim, friend?"

Adelaide moved her gaze back to Gisela and nodded.

"You're not a very big girl," said Gisela. "Do you have trouble staying afloat?"

"If I keep moving, I'm fine."

"Now imagine you're trying to swim while carrying a sack of potatoes."

"Don't potatoes float?" asked Adelaide.

"Rocks, then," said Gisela.

"Well, in that case, I suppose I'm doomed to sink."

"Same thing with the tender dirigible. Simple physics. It doesn't have the kind of buoyancy needed to carry the extra weight of the beam weapon. It would never get off the ground. So why the modifications for extra rigidity? It doesn't make sense."

Adelaide chewed her lip for a moment before she spoke again. "What about a battering ram?" she suggested. "Like the old sailing ships. Make it extra tough in the right places so the tender dirigible can withstand being used as weapon itself?"

"But why?" put in Thorne.

"To smite your enemies?" Adelaide shrugged. "I don't know. The queen seems pretty bent on world domination. A flying battering ram definitely fits with her personality, wouldn't you say?"

"It does," said Thorne. "There's just one problem."

"Figures," mumbled Adelaide, letting her shoulders slump.

Gisela moved her hand to cover Adelaide's and gave her a quick squeeze.

"None of Empyrea's neighbors have an advanced airship program," said Thorne. "At least none that we know of. And if they did, wouldn't they have deployed their fleet to counter Empyrea's incursion over land?"

"So...?" said Adelaide. "With no airships of their own... Empyrea's dirigible pilots would be flying around unopposed."

"With nothing for a battering ram to batter," said Thorne.

Adelaide leaned forward and held her head in her hands. "I'm out of ideas," she said.

"Yeah, me too," said Thorne. "Maybe if two or three tenders were flying in tandem." She turned to Gisela. "Would that even work?"

"Sharing the load between them?" Gisela shrugged. "Flying in that configuration would be awfully tricky. So many forces pulling unpredictably in various directions. I suppose it could be done."

"But they'd be moving so slowly, they'd be easy targets from the ground," said Thorne. "And the extra batteries. I'd assume they'd be lithium like the ones we use now.

"That's not exactly the most stable element," said Gisela. "And in that quantity..."

Beside Gisela, Adelaide shivered.

"I know," said Gisela. "Scary. It would be like a flying bomb. One battery overheats and--"

Adelaide shivered again.

Thorne leaned in. "You okay?" she asked.

"Sorry," said Adelaide.

"Those clouds blocking our sunshine aren't doing much to help, are they?" put in Gisela.

"It's not that," said Adelaide. "I haven't eaten anything since breakfast. I mean, except for that bite of nussecken I stole out of your hand." She turned to glance at Thorne.

"And a skinny girl who would sink while swimming with rocks..." said Gisela.

"Doesn't have much in the way of reserves," finished Thorne.

Adelaide nodded and turned her gaze to her feet.

Group Captain Thorne stood up and stuck out her elbow. "Come on," she said.

Adelaide glanced up. "Where are we going?"

"Getting you something to eat."

"I don't want to go back to the café. I don't think I could face Vivienne after what she must think of me."

"The café's not the only place to chow down around here," said Thorne.

"Where else...?"

"My apartment," Thorne said, as she pushed her hand out toward Adelaide. On the other side, Gisela rose from the bench and offered her hand as well.

"What? For pretzels and beer?" asked Adelaide. "I don't know if I'm ready for--"

"She's actually a pretty good cook," offered Gisela.

"You like reibekuchen?" asked Thorne.

"Mm-hmm," said Adelaide. "I'll eat anything with potatoes."

"Then come on, friend. We'll have you fattened up in no time."

"Train," said Adelaide.

"Trolleys aren't running," said Gisela. "I'm afraid we're walking.

"No," said Adelaide. Pausing on the sidewalk, she stood shaking her head. "What if they mounted it on a train. The beam weapon. What if the plans for dirigible modifications are a ruse?"

"Putting it on rails makes it too easy to find," said Thorne. "You can't exactly hide a train."

"You can't hide a dirigible either."

"Dirigibles can go anywhere. They don't need tracks. Pop up over a hill and surprise! Beam weapon."

"Trains are electric. They don't need batteries."

"She's right," said Gisela. "Empyrea's rail lines all use an overhead pantograph system to deliver power."

"And with enough electricity to push a train..." Thorne nodded as she mused.

Turning to Adelaide, Gisela smiled. "You might be on to something."

Adelaide started to grin, but lost it as her knee buckled and she stumbled briefly. "Low blood sugar," she said. "I get pretty shaky sometimes."

"You okay to walk?" asked Thorne.

Adelaide nodded.

Thorne slipped her arm under Adelaide's "Lean on me if you need to."

"Or me," said Gisela, weaving her fingers in with Adelaide's on the other side.

"Let's get some food in you," said Thorne. "Then we can hash out the details of this beam weapon on a train car idea. You think there'd be any paper trail in the queen's accounting ledgers to support this idea?"