Empire

By ~PrennCooder

Here's part two. Alek has some things to sort out…

For the next two months, Alek was working under the strong hand of the boffin-in-charge of mechanics. Alek had shared with them his knowledge of walkers and the Goliath. Most of which, they already knew. Alek had also gotten into the habit of sitting in on the boffin meetings and hearing of their dangerous rescue missions in the name of peace. Bovril sat on his shoulder. Every so often, a new suffragette would occupy a new room in the hall of dormitories. Alek became enthralled in the tales of peril, tragedy, and great gain in respect of honor and justice from the countries.

Deryn's working schedule consisted of main daylight hours, mostly in the afternoon. Alek's working schedule began at early evening and ended near midnight. Alek saw his friend Deryn at meals and such, but other than that, he had begun to make other friends and so did she.

If they happened to cross paths in the hall or at their rooms, they would bow to each other and she would say, "How are you today, your Princeliness?" Though he was no longer a prince.

He would reply, "G'day, Middy." Though she was no longer a midshipman. It was like a game to them.

"Middy Sharp." Bovril said.

Nobody abroad questioned Deryn's gender—that she was entirely a female. She still wore boy clothes, though, but she had allowed her hair to grow past her shoulders. It was a dusty blond and it was straight—not very flattering, but it was hers.

Deryn spent most of the day working with those trying to configure the zeppelins. Her vast knowledge of the zeppelins she used to work with proved quite helpful in the run of things. If Deryn wasn't manually working on the zeppelins, she was aboveground running errands for the Society and purchasing tools and parts for the zeppelins. There were only two Huxleys down below and they were very old. Other members of the zeppelin crew had led Deryn to believe those Huxleys could no longer fly.

Every day, it seemed, Deryn would remind the lady boffin that she wanted to fly.

"We're going to reopen the exit."

"When?"

"Soon."

Deryn and Barlow had the same exchange of words too often.

One evening when Deryn was just getting off work, Lilit marched down the staircase and placed a newspaper into Deryn's dirty hands. "What's this for? Can't you see I'm sort of busy—"

"I can see that, but this'll be worth it. Read it." That was typical of Lilit not to let Deryn even finish her outspurt.

Deryn's eyes widened.

"The headline…"

"I can see that. Is Austria barking mad?" Deryn's voice was angry and irritated at the same time.

Alek came running over to the girls with a copy of the very same newspaper. He was very much out of breath. He'd probably hopped quite a few rooms to get here. He was huffing so hard he couldn't speak. Bovril curled around Alek's shoulder.

Deryn pressed the front page of the New York World to Alek's forehead. "Empress Janika Farahilde Viveka Rescues Collapsing Austria."

"Empress." Bovril said.

"She's claiming to be the daughter of the late Emperor Franz-Joseph's dead child." Lilit said, mocking the story. "I've spent the last month in America while the Ambassador Agha discusses the news with his acquaintances."

"That's a load of clart! Who would believe she's the daughter of a child the world never knew about?" Deryn established the obvious fact that she was lying.

"I didn't even know the Emperor had passed." Alek said quietly.

"He chose her as his heir, since you weren't around." Lilit pointed at Alek, who felt singled out and responsible.

Deryn read the article further.

"And this isn't even the worst part." Lilit announced. Alek's frightened eyes grew wider and his lip was quivering. "Her Highness wishes to come here to seek protection from our agents."

"The worst." Bovril said.

"Protection? From what? Like she's got any barking problems to worry on—"

"Disbelievers are threatening to kill her. The reporters are hovering over her. And as a peaceful society, we must comply if a cry for help is ousted." Lilit explained. "You've got two days to prepare before Her Highness knocks on our doorstep."

"Two days?" Deryn gasped.

Bovril chuckled at the distraught trio. Alek walked away in a hustle.

"He seems mad enough." Lilit noticed.

Deryn looked confused.

"What? Can't you tell he wishes he'd taken the job after all? I don't even know him as well as you do, but I'm sure he feels regret and remorse. You two need to have a chat." Lilit walked away.

That left Deryn. She knew the way to Alek's door. It was the one right next to hers. She slowly knocked. She turned the knob and the door happened to be open. She stepped inside and closed the door softly.

Alek was lying on his stomach on the bed and staring up at the ceiling.

"You mad?" She asked. "Lilit said so but you know I'm not going to believe it until I hear those words come from you. The daft Empress is lying and I don't believe her clart for one moment. How about you?" Deryn was trying to coax him into talking but he said naught. "Do you regret something?"

"Yes." He said flatly.

"Choosing me over…Providence?"

"No." He said in the same dead tone. He sat up. "I need you, Deryn."

"I need you too." She took a few footsteps closer.

"No matter what choice I make, it always goes back to the same feeling in my throat and the same aching in my stomach. Every time I make a decision it turns out half-right and half-wrong."

Bovril awoke from the nap he had been taking on the bed. "Right and wrong." Bovril said.

Deryn shrugged. "To me, you seem pretty barking happy here."

"I am. Or, at the very least, I thought I was. But isn't it possible I'd have been a squick happier as Emperor?"

"Blisters, Alek, I thought you stopped fretting about that months ago! And now you're pouting around just because some cheeky common lass found herself in the Empress seat?"

Alek was silent.

"Don't be daft. Just be careful. When that sod comes here, I'll—"

"Don't do anything, Deryn. Let me handle it."

Deryn turned right around and marched out, leaving Alek to the raw imagination of his mind. As he slowly fell into a sleep, visions and memories scampered through his head and they all mixed together in a nightmare.

The nightmare was about to become frighteningly real.

"Good afternoon."

Alek could hear the faded voices of people passing by his room. The walls were thin and completely rotten in some spots. There was a great commotion outside which was Alek's awakening. Afternoon? He'd slept right through the morning. The sleepy lad rubbed his eyes and put on a change of clothes—one of the many outfits he'd bought in London when he had free time.

Bovril climbed up on the boy's shoulder, with perky eyes ready to witness adventure. Alek shuffled slowly through the hall. The resident people shuffled about in a hurried and curt manner. All their words were hushed. If one spoke out of turn, then they were looked down upon by the rest.

Alek's vision was hazy and all seemed to be confusion, though it was only him. He happened to wander past a large room where he heard the sounds of a feast. Chomping mouths scarfing down food rudely and ungratefully. Without thinking, Alek opened the door. It opened with a clank-creak, louder than he'd expected.

Alek was frightened. Before him was one long table where sat all the head boffins, including Dr. Barlow. Lilit was sitting next to her ambassador Agha. Both of them were equally surprised to see Alek there. At the head of the table sat a beautiful young lady in a pink dress and a fluffy expensive hat. Her makeup flattered her little face perfectly. Her hair was the color of honey. Her lips were the color of perfect roses. Her eyes were brown, the deep sort. They were cunning, patient, and unforgiving.

She must be the Empress, Alek thought.

Alek didn't know what to do. He felt his fingers and cheeks going numb and he was about to explode. Everybody had stopped the feast to take notice of him.

"Well don't just stand there, lad." The Empress spoke. Her words pierced the silence. "Who are you and what are you?"

Alek forced himself to bow in the way he had been taught. "I'm Prin—Aleksander. Aleksander. Or, Alek, as I prefer."

"Who are you?" Bovril repeated.

The Empress shrieked at the sight of the creature and right about jumped out of her chair. Alek gasped. The boffins glared at him. Alek tried to move but his entire body was frozen. Barlow seemed the most irritated. If the Empress changed her opinion of the Society, it was all Alek's fault. Alek's face was sweating.

Somebody swooped in through the door and pulled Alek out.

"Whew!" He turned around to the face of Count Volger, angry.

"Well you ought to be daft enough to sleep in all day, but I'd never thought you for the sort who interrupts very important meetings." Volger shook his head. Disapproval. "Shame on you, lad!"

Alek glowered. "It was an accident, Count."

"Empress Janika Farahilde Viveka of Austria-Hungary has no idea you exist. And for the sake of Austria, the Zoological Society of London, and your life, it'll be best if you keep it that way." Volger walked away, hands behind his back and hat upon his head.

Alek needed to tell Deryn.

Generally, at this hour she was climbing the ropes of the communal relays and fixing the ever-appearing problems. The communal relays were thousands of electrical wires fastened to the ceilings of each room. There were holes in the very tops of the walls for them to sift through. Countless electrical communicational messages were relayed every day. The topics were mostly of secret matters. Deryn was good at fixing them, so they assigned her the job. She'd learned to enjoy it. Alek knew that Deryn's station was at the base. The base was on the third floor from the earth. Alek had to tread up several staircases, but his calves had gotten used to it by now.

There Deryn was. The girl was somehow able to separate the bad wires from the good. To Alek, it was all one big electrical jungle—deadly if he touched the wrong combination of wires.

Deryn excused herself from the working crew the moment she saw her red-haired friend standing near. "Good afternoon, your Princeliness." She said quietly.

"Middy, I've some bad news to tell you. The Empress—"

"She's here, I know, and that bun-rag Eddie Malone is her reason for wanting to go into hiding. What a prissy little sod. Who's afraid of a little good publicity?"

"We need to sneak into the feast. I have to know how she fooled the royal embassy."

"What? You daft boy! We'll never get in there without a proper invitation! The boffins fixed her a barking feast to bribe her to keep this place a secret! It's hardly on honest terms that she's here!"

"We'll have to go and you know it. Admit it, Deryn, I'm right. Why's that so hard to do."

Deryn growled. She let Alek take her by the hand and tow her to the room. They had to be quiet. They each pressed an ear against the door, but could not hear a word.

"The moment you walk in there, those sods will try to cram all sorts of barking nonsense into your attic and you can't let yourself believe a word." Deryn instructed.

Alek nodded.

Deryn took a chance and opened the door in a bold fashion. Alek became frightened again. Deryn's eyes caught on the face of Lilit, and they exchanged a subtle nod. With composure and elegance, Lilit stood to her feet and got the attention of the whole barking room just by snapping her little fingers. "Gentlemen and gentlewomen, might I present to you: former Midshipman Sharp and Mr. Alek? Both have served bravely on the Leviathan and are respected heroes up yonder. The whole of London would recognize their names like that." Lilit snapped her fingers once more.

The room clapped out of respect, all except little miss Empress Janika. "Take seats." The Empress waved to the seats on either side of her. Two of the head boffins were sitting there and they stood up. One for Alek and one for Deryn. The young woman's eyes closed in on the lad and lass. "Heroes? I'll be the judge of that."

The Empress studied Deryn first. With a light scoff, Janika had already concocted her opinion of the tall thin girl wearing lad's clothes.

Alek's humble way of seating himself caught Janika's eye. While the rest of the room was feasting, including hungry Deryn, Alek waited to be asked to eat. This pleased the Empress. Even more appealing was the proud way he ate. He was not going to overindulge himself like his companion the Scottish girl.

"You're quite posh for a common refugee." The Empress said to Alek. Alek wanted to argue the fact that he was not just a common lad. He still hadn't gotten used to the unwavering thought that he was, now, officially and completely ordinary. He nodded to Janika out of pure relevance for the sake of keeping peace at the table.

"Common." Bovril said.

"What is that?" The Empress asked.

"It's a loris." Alek picked up Bovril and put him near the young woman's face. She tried to back away as much as she could. "Wanna hold him?"

"Put it…away…while you're eating, lad." Janika was trying to keep her cool.

Bovril crawled into Alek's pocket and took a nap. Alek resumed eating.

Lilit's idea of making conversation was telling very dry jokes. Everyone pretended to laugh because they wanted to show off their excellent display of manners to the Empress.

After everybody had finished pigging out, they all stood up. Dr. Barlow and Empress Janika shook hands. "Thank you for your hospitality." Janika said. Though she tried to sound humble, her sentence always ended with a proud tone.

"How is Austria-Hungary?" Alek asked the Empress after most of the boffins had left. Deryn decided to browse the desert buffet so that she could eat more and listen in on the very important ruler-talk.

Lilt stayed in the room as well.

"Young man, my country is doing very well. Not that it's any of your concern, being just a common Darwinist boy."

She's prejudiced, Alek realized. "I'm not Darwinist or Clanker. I'm neither, or both. I don't know exactly."

Janika "Tsk-ed" many times. "It's not right for one of the servants in this Society to not know what he's doing. As a commoner, you were born to work all your life. That's where you belong."

Alek was mad, so was Deryn. Lilit distracted Deryn with more food so she would keep quiet. Alek, however, could not hold his tongue. As the Empress was gliding to the door, he spoke boldly, "I'm not just a common boy!"

She turned around with a strange smirk. "Yes, I can tell. Your accent is showing through. And your use of the English language is impressive, but that's hardly grounds for being more than an average worker." She stepped closer to him. "However, I admire your straightforwardness. Maybe we can be," She took his hand, "Friends?"

Out of pure fear, Alek nodded slightly.

Deryn, still sitting at the table, loudly jabbed her fork into her slice of lemon tart. Lilit cackled. Janika and Alek were distracted by this.

"Good afternoon." Janika bid to Alek as she left the room.

The moment the Empress closed the door, Deryn shot up. "I've had it with that barking sod pushing us all around!"

Alek slumped down in a chair. He really needed advice right about now. He needed someone who'd had life experience with women. Volger? Maybe. Volger was Alek's only chance of figuring out what's right and wrong in this world. With Lilit's laughing and Deryn swearing every fourth word, Alek realized he was deep into a very big mess. He convinced himself that he was the only one who could fix it.

He had to prove himself. Off to his bedroom he went. He lay there flat on his back for an hour trying to figure out what to do. The room had never smelt so strongly of rotten wood. In all that time, he'd come up with nothing save all the theories on how this could get a whole lot worse.

Alek knocked at Volger's door. The man was combing his hair. "Alek?"

Alek stepped inside. "Volger, I'm afraid I need a bit of advice."

"It's about time you came. If this is about Dr. Barlow, then you can forget it."

"No, not about her." Alek sat down in the chair. "It's about Janika. Empress Janika. She's a total—as Deryn would put it—a load of clart."

Volger rolled his eyes.

Seeing that Volger didn't believe him, Alek stood up. "She was making a pass at me, I swear!"

"She's probably trying to make as many allies as she can while she's here. I wouldn't suspect you're very special to her." Volger turned around, done with the combing. "Unless, she's got some hidden agenda."

Alek nodded. "I'll find out what it is, you can be sure of it."

"Seems to me that you've been making a few agendas of your own." Volger raised an eyebrow.

Alek felt his face grow hot. In silence, he exited.

Alek's room was cold and bitter. Somehow, he'd have to challenge the Empress, and win. If he lost, he'd be taken for an utter fool. He couldn't risk all that. And the publicity, he hadn't even thought of the lot of that at all. International reporters would be swarming. That was to be expected. And a visit by the notoriously irritating Eddie Malone was almost a give-in.

Alek hurried about his way. There was much to do.