"LC Arnaldus- dispatch for you, sir."
Adrian looked up at the courier standing at the door of his room within the Cloudrest governor's palace.
He took the man's letter and eagerly tore it open. He read the letter with anticipation. When he read the last line, he could not help but smile.
His request for leave had been approved. He was getting two months off. Enough time to head back home if he could hire an airship to take him to Skyrim.
The courier returned. "Oh, almost forgot, you got another letter, sir."
Adrian laughed as he took the letter. "I'm popular today."
He read this new letter.
Lieutenant Arnaldus,
Your presence is requested at the 20th Annual Officer's Ball and Conference in Dracka. This event, hosted by the United Commonwealth Services Guild, is an exclusive event for the finest officers from all branches of the Commonwealth Armed Forces. Your achievements on the battlefield have not gone unnoticed and this is why you are holding this invitation.
The event will be held on the 14th of Sun's Height, at 6 PM, located at Sentinel Hall, 344/D Founder's Boulevard. Enclosed are two tickets. We ask that you bring a plus one to this event.
We shall see you there.
Regards,
Frida Yuvon
Chairwoman, United Commonwealth Services Guild.
Adrian sighed as he read the last few lines.
I've been on the frontlines for the past two months. Haven't had much time to meet women.
Damn the officer's circle and their obsession with the status quo. It was Commonwealth tradition amongst the high class to never go to events alone. Nowadays, it was to the point where people would not be admitted if they showed up without a date.
So, he had a week to find a date and head to Dracka.
Great, where am I going to-
Wait.
Go ask Mira. She likes you enough. Probably
No.
Yes.
She's your adjunct. She's respectful because it's her job. All she does is give you your letters and fetch tea on occasion.
You're not getting married. It can be professional. I'm sure you're not the only one with this dilemma.
"Shit. Fine," Adrian mumbled to the voices fighting in his head.
If this was the worst of his problems at the moment- he did not have much to complain about.
Adrian looked in the mirror that hung in his quarters. Mirrors were a hard to come by thing out in the field and Adrian felt like an idiot carrying one around in his kit. His room appeared to be a servant's quarters before he set up in it. Still beat sleeping outside in a tent any day.
He looked like a completely different man in the mirror. Much different than when he arrived two months ago. The stubble on his chin and jaw was progressing to an unkempt beard. His clean hair cut was grown out, more than he usually kept it. He had his first bath in two weeks only last night.
Adrian sighed and smoothed out his hair, trying to make himself look presentable. When he was mostly satisfied, he grabbed his cap and headed out the door.
With Cloudrest secured, the only task left was to wait for the path to Alinor to be secured. The rest of the Commonwealth's forces would be sitting around, waiting for their orders to move out. It was estimated that it would take between two and three months to reach Alinor. From there- the final assault will begin and every rifle and blade would be needed to take the city.
For now- many were taking their well-earned leave.
At the end of the week, when Adrian was due to leave the next day, he took one last walk around the governor's palace, taking in the sights a final time before he left.
Adrian walked down the bright, airy halls, sidestepping the rubble left behind during the battle. Bloodstains still discolored the walls and floors in some places, but many troopers still milled around the halls. Some were doing administrative work, while most were enjoying the victory by sharing looted bottles of wine or collecting souvenirs.
He rounded a corner and almost ran into Mira, who stopped short and almost dropped the books hooked under her shoulder.
She stopped short, then smiled and saluted.
"Good morning, sir."
"Good morning, first sergeant. What do you have there?" he asked, referring to the books she was carrying.
She looked down at them. "Oh, this? Just some things I found in the library. They looked somewhat interesting."
"Nice to see you're being studious. Did your leave request get approved?"
Mira's eyes brightened. "Yes, sir. I leave for Dracka tomorrow afternoon."
"And you'll be there all leave?"
"Yes, sir. I'll probably just spend the whole time lying in bed all day and reading magazines."
He chuckled. "Hm, well, maybe after all the action we've seen, that'll be for the best."
"And what will you be doing, sir?"
Adrian hesitated, deciding whether he should ask her to the ball. As friends. Or professionals. Or whatever.
"Well, I'm going back to Skyrim. Going to see my parents for the first time in… nearly a decade, I think."
"I'm sure they'll be very happy to see you again," she said.
He nodded. "Yeah. I hope."
Ah, damn it. Just do it.
"Oh, there's one other thing I'm doing next week."
"Well, sir, what's new in your exciting life?" she said with a grin.
"There's this… ball and dinner being held in Dracka for officers. It's an exclusive event, apparently. Invitation only."
"Well, that sounds fun. I've never been to a really fancy event like that."
"Actually- I don't know if you know about the officer's traditions, but I, well, need to bring a… uh, plus one. A partner. You know?"
"You mean a date?" she asked, a sly expression forming on her face.
"I- uh- yeah," Adrian said.
He felt an uncomfortable hotness creeping up his back.
"So, I need a date and I was wondering if…"
"I'd be honored, sir," she said.
Adrian let out a breath that he had probably been holding since he first started talking to her.
"Really? Well, I'm glad to hear that, first sergeant," he said, rebuilding his composure.
"Why don't we take the same airship back to Dracka and discuss the details then?" she asked.
Adrian nodded. "Yes, I think we can do that."
The next morning, Adrian woke bright and early and packed his rucksack. He travelled light wherever he went, with this being no exception. He packed his dress uniform, two pairs of civilian trousers and shirts, civilian shoes and socks, his toiletries, and his pistol. He kept Dragonbane on his hip since it did not fit in his pack. Plus, it made him standout.
Mira was outside already. She had packed her duffel bag and backpack and was sitting on some crates. Together, they waited for the airship Chrysalis to arrive and take them back to the Commonwealth. Dozens of other troopers sat around as well, obviously eager to head back home after months of fighting.
Adrian looked at their tired, worn faces and saw that these men and women truly deserved time off- how little it may be.
"Hey, that looks like our ride," Mira said, turning his attention to the massive airship sailing over the palace's dome.
The ship came to a stop over the palace green, suspending itself over the large area cleared for it.
As the boarding ramp dropped, Adrian and Mira smiled at each other before gathering their bags and boarding.
"Sir? Sir. Wake up."
Adrian felt Mira gently nudge his shoulder with her elbow. He bolted upright, his tired mind trying to piece together his surroundings and context. Adrian looked around to see he was still aboard the Chrysalis. He had been slumped back in his seat in the ship's passenger cabin, his cap on his lap and his coat spread over his body like a blanket. The cabin itself was lit by only a few dim lights and the night sky stretched on forever outside the windows.
"What's going on?" he asked groggily.
Mira motioned out of the window to his right.
"We're here."
Adrian looked out and saw a sea of golden lights below.
Dracka.
The lights reflected throughout the dim cabin of the airship, making the steel ceiling appear to be covered by tiny stars.
"Wow," she said. "I've never seen anything like that," she said, referring to the sweeping aerial view.
Adrian nodded silently. The view was quite spectacular indeed.
"Captain said we'll be docking shortly," Mira said.
"Huh, I didn't hear that," he said, rubbing his head.
"Yeah, you were asleep," she laughed. "You slept almost the entire day we were in the air."
"Oh, man," Adrian said.
"Hey, I think that's the docking spire," she said, pointing at a large shape the airship was nearing.
As the ship neared, the features of the large docking spire became clear. It was a huge, obelisk-like structure that towered as tall as the White-Gold Tower and dominated the Dracka skyline. It was topped by a large, domed observation platform that the airships docked with.
This massive structure was one of the four across Dracka and could be seen for miles and miles away.
As they neared, Adrian could see the spotlights that scanned back and forth, lighting up the sky even further. The wide beams cut across the bulk of the docking spire and the grey hull of the Chrysalis.
The airship came within a razor's edge of colliding with the spire, where the spire crews used ropes to secure the Chrysalis to the docking spire and began disembarking procedures.
Mira and Adrian walked off into the spire, with Adrian carrying her bags. They boarded one of the elevators and made it down to street level. Adrian's watch said it was around 9 PM, but the night was just beginning.
Mira and Adrian jogged across the street, dodging the impatient motorcar drivers and horses hustling down the road.
"So where we off to first, sir?" she asked as they safely reached the other side of the street.
"Well, I'm going to stop at this hotel for the night. I usually do whenever I arrive back in Dracka."
"I'll come with you," she said.
Adrian was shocked. "But… you live in the city," he said.
Mira shrugged. "Yeah, maybe an hour walk from here. I'm not about to put out 8 dollars for a taxi fare, either."
She faced him as they dodged a group of pedestrians.
"Besides, we can coordinate tomorrow and what not. I'm sure my parents wouldn't mind not seeing me for just one more day. They know I'm safe. Besides, they would probably be proud to know I spent a night out with a dashing officer and not sitting in my room."
Adrian could feel himself turning red at her last comment and hoped she could not see it in the low light.
"Well, if that's what you want, let's do it," Adrian told her as he adjusted his grip on her duffel bag.
A few blocks later, Adrian led Mira to the Belic Hotel, a modest but comfortable hotel that Adrian always stayed in whenever he came to Dracka for leave. Since he was never around long enough in the city to buy a house, the hotel was the closest thing he had to a residence in the Commonwealth.
The staff knew him well and always ensured his room, room 208 on the second floor, at the end of the half to the left of the elevator, was vacant. The staff treated him well and the rooms were well furnished for the price. Although Adrian made out well on an officer's salary, he locked away most of his money or converted it to Septims and sent home. He was saving up to buy a home in Dracka when the war was over. Maybe settle down. Although his parents told him not to, Adrian still sent home money since their days of adventuring and doing their now legendary odd-jobs were over.
"LC Arnaldus!" the woman who sat behind the front desk said when she heard the front door pushed open.
Adrian smiled and waved as he held open the door for Mira.
"Evening, Mrs. Delac," he said, tipping his cap at her with a free hand.
"And who is this?" Mrs. Delac asked when Mira walked in.
"Hello there," Mira said politely.
"Aw, Adrian- is this your girlfriend?" she asked with a chuckle.
"What? Oh- no, no! This is first sergeant Mira Durstead. She's my adjunct."
Both women seemed amused with Adrian's fumbling. Mira laughed softly for a moment.
"I'm in town for a couple of days, then I'm planning to head back to Skyrim. I have an officer's ball tomorrow evening to attend and Mir- uh, first sergeant Durstead is my partner," Adrian explained.
Mrs. Delac nodded. "Well, I'm sure you'll want your usual room. And I do believe we have a vacancy right next door for first sergeant Durstead."
Adrian checked them both in for two nights and paid 15 dollars for rooms for the both of them.
"I can't thank you enough for always having a space for me," Adrian said as he took their room keys.
"It's no problem, Adrian. We all know you and we especially appreciate the work you're doing in Summerset," Mrs. Delac said.
She faced Mira. "Now, I'm not sure if I will see you two when you leave for your ball, so I'll wish you both a safe and happy time now. And first sergeant- Mr. Arnaldus is a very good man, so you are in good hands."
Adrian felt hot embarrassment crawling up his neck once again. He unconsciously itched at his collar and nodded awkwardly.
"Thank… you, Mrs. Delac," Adrian said, his voice near a whisper. He nudged Mira's arm.
"Why don't we go?" he said to her.
Mira was obviously trying to contain her laughter, but she agreed.
Up an iron caged elevator to the second floor, the pair came out into a cool and slightly dim hallway. Their steps down the hall reverberated across the walls. Everyone who was in the hotel had probably retired for the night.
At the end of the hall, he opened her door first and placed her bags on the floor.
"Well then, I guess I'll see you in the morning," he said as he went to head to his room. He felt exhausted, even after sleeping on the airship.
"Bye, sir. I'll see you then. Goodnight," she said as she went to her room. She seemed just as tired and did not wish to stay up any longer.
Adrian pushed his way into his room and dumped his bag on the floor in front of his queen sized bed. He pushed the curtains closed, blocking out the glimmering lights of Dracka outside. Thin sheets of light managed to stream though gaps in the curtains, painting the far wall with gold light.
He tossed his coat and shirt on the armchair next to the bed and crawled on top of the sheets and dropped his head on the pillow, all while still in his undershirt and uniform trousers.
Adrian looked at the strips of light on the ceiling, while listening to the low rumble of motors and people outside.
In a moment, he fell asleep.
A knock at his door.
Adrian was laying on his stomach, his cheek pressed against the pillow and his arms splaying around his head.
He shot his eyes open and saw that the light of the new day had replaced the artificial light that speckled his room the previous night.
With a groan, he sat up and got out of bed. He went to his door and found Mira there. She was changed into a casual red blouse and grey pants.
"Morning, sir," she said.
Adrian laughed and shook his head. "What is with it with you waking up before me all the time?"
"Guess I'm just a morning person," she said before motioning to the dress uniform pants, shirt, and coat folded over her arm.
"I'm going to get these laundered, so you should give me your clothes too. Then maybe I'll get my hair done and we can meet for lunch when I get back. Sound good?"
Adrian laughed. "Well, I think you should be the commander. You got this all down very precisely."
Mira smiled at him. "I learned from the best."
"That does sound good, though. Let's try to meet in the lobby at 12:30. Sound good?"
Mira saluted. "Sounds good."
After she left, Adrian took a shower. The first real one he had in a while. In must have stayed in there for a good half an hour. A real bath or shower was hard to come by out in the field. The philosophy of the army was that water was meant for drinking first and cooking, everything else last. You would not die without a bath. Although you may feel like it.
He stepped out and dried off, running his hands through his hair, longer now than it had been in his entire life. Looking at himself in the mirror, he poked at the pink and red scar that ran across his lean, but strong chest. It was one of the almost dozen that crisscrossed his torso and back, memories of conflicts with bandits and insane cultists.
Adrian slipped on his trousers and then pulled at his unkempt beard, which was something foreign to him and transformed him into a man he did not recognize. He grabbed his shaving kit from his pack, the only luxury item he toted around. It was a gift Kallum and Oswald bought for him after he graduated from officer's school.
He ran the small block of shaving soap under hot water and lathered it up with his shaving brush. Adrian lathered himself up and went to work pulling his straight razor across his face, until every visage of his beard was gone.
Later, after he had finished shaving and washing up, he got dressed and took his now relatively well kempt self a barber down the street, who tidied up his hair into his usual style- although this time, Adrian decided to keep it somewhat longer than he always did. Still, it was short, simple, and manageable.
All that was left for him to do was wait for Mira. Her hair was cleaned and now flowed in layers around her face. When she arrived, she almost walked past him, even as he tried to look her in the eye from his seat.
"Hey," he said as she walked past.
She stopped and looked at him. She froze and looked him up and down.
"Wow. You clean up nice, sir," she said.
Adrian smiled softly. "Thank you."
As they walked to get lunch at a cheap restaurant a block away, Adrian turned to her.
"You know, you can just call me 'Adrian.' We're not on duty or anything."
"You're okay with that?" she asked. Always wanted to follow his words to the letter.
"One hundred percent," he assured her.
Mira's hazel eyes glimmered in the midday sun as she smiled warmly at him.
"Okay, Adrian."
"You all ready?" Mira said to him from the door to his room.
Adrian was looking in the mirror, adjusting every facet of his dress uniform.
He hated wearing this thing. It always felt starchy and rigid. It made too much noise when he moved his arms or twisted his body. But it looked nice. He always felt rather dashing in it.
Royal blue and gold, just like his field uniform. The coat was much less practical than the single breasted long coat he wore out in the field. Double breasted, lined by golden trim and closed by brass buttons. A white belt rounded around his waist and on it, he clipped Dragonbane. Golden lieutenant colonel clovers dotted both parts of his collar, with red and blue rank bars over his heart. And of course, he rounded it out with the same peaked cap he wore in battle.
Mira also wore her dress uniform, which was substantially less ornate than Adrian's. A simple white blouse with a royal blue and gold coat over that, and a black neck tab under her collar, completed by a blue, knee length skirt and black pantyhose. She did not have to wear a hat, so she did her hair in a loose bun with a crisscrossing braid looped around her head.
Adrian shrugged, which took some effort in his near-rigid uniform.
"As ready as I'll ever be," he said.
"Don't worry, Adrian. You look good," she offered.
"You look better," he countered.
Smooth.
She smiled at that. "Thank you."
"Well, our ride is going to be here. Let's go," Adrian said.
She nodded. "Lets."
The lobby told Adrian he had a call earlier, which turned out to be a trooper that would be driving Adrian and Mira to the ball. How they managed to track him down, he would never find out.
They exited the hotel, with the sun low in the sky to find a trooper, also in dress uniform, standing by the open doors of a four seater motorcar, marked by military emblems. He saluted both of them and closed the doors behind them, with Adrian letting Mira enter the car first. Of course.
Adrian stared out the window of the car as the streets and alleys of Dracka flashed by. They came to a stop at an intersection, stopped by a police officer operating a traffic signal in the middle of the intersection. He took a moment to look at some propaganda posters plastered on the side of a nearby building.
One showed a strong and proud Commonwealth trooper plunging his bayoneted rifle into the chest of an ugly, twisted caricature of an Altmer in full armor.
"THE ELF IS A DISEASE- WE ARE THE CURE," read the caption.
The one next to it showed a trooper standing steadily in a textbook rifle firing stance. His shouldered rifle was about to fire at some unseen target.
"KEEP HIM FIGHTING- BUY WAR BONDS TODAY!"
The last one showed what Adrian assumed was a Thalmor mage, magical energies visible on his hands as he stared in horror at a tank about to roll over him.
"THEY HAVE NOTHING ON US! JOIN THE TANK CORPS!"
Mira also seemed to be looking at the propaganda.
"You got to admit, tanks are pretty cool. If I could, I'd join up with tank school," she said.
"What? And leave me?"
She laughed and punched his arm playfully. "That's why I said if I could."
The trooper pulled the car into the rotunda in front of Sentinel Hall. The building was an old style mansion, once owned by a noble family with a strong military tradition. It was recently donated to the United Commonwealth Services Guild and converted into a meeting hall.
Adrian thanked the trooper and helped Mira out of the car. They both walked up the marble steps to the doorman, where he presented both their tickets.
"Ah, LC Arnaldus and… Mrs. Arnaldus?"
"Oh, no, no. She's just my plus one," he said quickly.
"Oh, I apologize," he said to Mira and Adrian. "I was about to say though- husband and wife in the army! That would be something."
"Yeah…" Adrian muttered.
The doorman opened the elegant wooden doors for them.
"Enjoy, sir and ma'am," he told them as they entered.
Mira hooked her arm around his. Adrian hesitated, but did the same.
"You want me escort you in?" Adrian asked incredulously.
"Well, yeah. Let's pretend we're nobles for once and not common troopers," she said as she adjusted her grip.
"Sounds good."
They made their way past the grand entry hall and found themselves in a large dining hall with marble walls and floors and a high, vaulted ceiling. Many other couples were there, with at least one officer in each. They all sat at several long tables covered with clean, white table cloths.
Adrian and Mira took the seats marked for them ("plus one" for Mira). Food and drink was piled high all around them and seeing that everyone else had begun to eat, they helped themselves.
Adrian bit into a piece of beef and then felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Oswald there, also in his dress uniform.
He stood up and shook his friend's hand. "Why are you following me everywhere now?"
Oswald laughed. "Well, I was under the impression only good officers got invited, yet here you are."
"Boys."
A red haired woman in strapless burgundy dress grinned at the two grown men arguing.
"Oh! This Emeline. My wife," Oswald said, putting an arm around her shoulder.
Emeline smiled sweetly at Adrian and daintily shook his hand.
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Arnaldus."
She turned to Mira.
"And you must be…?"
"Oh, Mira Durstead. Adrian's adjunct."
Emeline nodded slowly. "Ah… nice to meet you."
"Adrian- you know that the chief of staff of the army is here, right?"
"General Hiller?"
Oswald nodded vigorously. "Oh yes."
"Wow. We must be really special."
Oswald raised his wine glass. "I'll drink to that."
He motioned for Adrian to follow.
"Come on. Sit with me. Hiller said he would be giving a speech soon.
"Yeah, sure. One sec."
He turned to Mira.
"I'm need to go and talk to some people for a while. You don't have to follow me everywhere- just… eat, drink, relax. Whatever."
Mira chewed on some mashed potatoes and poured herself a glass of wine.
"Way ahead of you."
Adrian followed Oswald to where he was sitting with several other officers. Adrian saw Emeline peel off and sit with some other elegant and refined looking women.
He took a seat next to Oswald and found himself sitting with several of Oswald's fellow tankers, along with several airmen in their steel grey uniforms and naval officers in ocean blue dress uniforms.
They nodded to him as he sat down. Adrian saw he was the only infantry officer in the group.
General Veres Hiller stood at the front of the dining hall and immediately gained everyone's attention. He was a tall, broad chested man, even at 60. He stood out even more with a scar running down his left cheek, a souvenir from hunting cultists down thirty years ago.
"Hello, distinguished men and women of the Commonwealth Armed Forces. I would like to welcome you all to our officer's ball and dinner and congratulate each and every one of you for your service to and sacrifice for the Commonwealth. Most of you have been deployed to the Isles, to take the fight to the Altmer filth and bring the fury of all of humanity down upon their wretched empire."
He paused for effect. Adrian was hooked on the man's every word.
"They, along with all of Tamriel, have seen the might of science and technology against the corrupting forces of magic. Soon, the world will see Alinor, the rotten core of the Aldmeri Dominion, burn and be purified by our cleansing flames. But, we would not have gotten this far without the combined might and cooperation of our military. On land, the army fights with fury and unrelenting force, never faltering to any opponent. On the high seas, the steel and iron of our navy effortlessly destroys anyone foolish enough to test their strength. And even in the skies, the immense power of our air fleet transports our troopers safely and quickly to wherever they are needed and rains death upon our enemies, without risking the lives of Commonwealth troopers. Truly- this night is for all of you. So please, eat, drink, be merry. Think of the difference you are making in the world every day."
Hiller stepped back. "Thank you all."
The room exploded in applause and cheers. When they subsided, a string band started playing. People began to talk, eat, and drink. Adrian talked politics and listened in on the gossip and rumors that was trending in the officer's circle. What was most interesting was the prospects of naval reform, talks of replacing the Commonwealth's aging paddle steamer fleets with newer, screw propelled ships, composed with entirely steel hulls and packed with long range rifled guns. Some in the navy even asserted that the hulls for such ships were being laid as they spoke in the shipyards at the city of Soltana, in the state of Vindalia.
A high ranking air corps officer also said that there were some competitors to Commander-General Zigus that felt he was doing a poor job leading the Commonwealth in Summerset. There was apparently a conspiracy to dispose to of him within the invasion force's high command. But everyone agreed such claims were farfetched.
Mira came up to Adrian and put both hands on his shoulders. She smiled.
"A lot of people are dancing. I was wondering if you wanted to dance," she said.
"Oh, uh, thanks but… I really don't think I'll be any good and-"
"Oh, thank gods. I hate dancing."
Fort Ryker
Abulmuth Island, off the Commonwealth's west coast
7:00 PM
Captain Dragan Fedor looked at the recruits standing at attention before him.
The sound of the waves lapping on the white sand of the beach permeated the night air, which was lit by a few spotlights on the fort's walls.
"I'll put this simply. None of you exist at the moment. You are all supposedly stuck doing menial clerical tasks down in Summerset. Your parents don't know you're here. Your former commanding officers don't know you're here. Your friends and fellow comrades don't know you're here."
In the distance, a night bird called. Its eerie wail sent a shiver even up Captain Fedor's spine.
"This is because what you are about to learn and what you will be doing requires secrecy and precision. The military has secretly granted us a large amount of money off the books, along with access to weapons and technology the rest of the grunts will not see for months. I am here to mold each and every one of you into faceless warriors that strike from the shadows and be the last thing they will ever see."
Fedor drew his combat knife. A simple, thin bladed knife that was designed for maximum lethality and discretion in mind. He turned the blade over in his hand, so the light of Masser and Secunda reflected off it.
"You are the first of the Commonwealth Commandos."
City of Firsthold
Auridon Island, off the east coast of the Summerset Isles
12:00 PM, the next day
The warm sea air blew against the weathered cheeks of captain Jacob Young. He loved the sea and the smell of the salt. It was beautiful and powerful.
And now, he stood on the bow of the most powerful ship to sail the seas. A ship that could probably destroy every navy in Tamriel singlehandedly.
The Steamship Nemesis was a behemoth of steel and iron, a ship that was more of a floating fortress than a sailing vessel. It was powered by four boilers and two steam engines that propelled screw props. The massive vessel measured nearly four hundred feet from bow to stern. It was armed with twelve long ranged guns designed to obliterate coastal defenses. Young had no doubt that when in conflict with the Dominion's navy, all he needed to do was ram their feeble wooden vessels with the colossal bow of his vessel. No need to waste ammunition.
Nemesis was larger than anything the Commonwealth had ever built. It had a central tower for the bridge, with the other decks sloped around it, giving it a sleek and imposing look. Young could not think of any single thing the elves possessed that could possibly come close to countering his ship.
The Nemesis was a warning as much as it was a fighting vessel. A warning to all of Tamriel that the Commonwealth was taking charge.
Today, he would lead the rest of the fleet stationed in the captured city of Firsthold out to the city of Skywatch, where it was believed the remaining naval power of the Dominion was hiding out. Their orders were simple.
Destroy them all.
Young turned and walked to the bridge, hands behind his back. The Nemesis belched out steam as it prepared to set sail.
He doubted that his comrades would be able to keep up.
Outside the town of Wright
State of Holderness
Eastern Rynn Commonwealth
Holderness was one of the second largest, and in inventor Ephraim Job's eyes, the most beautiful state.
It was a place of soft, rolling hills, and expansive farm fields. But most of all, it was flat. Perfect for testing his newest invention.
No one said it would work. No one believed such a thing could exist, let alone exist well.
But Job saw his "aeroplane" swoop down from the sky, fast at first but slowed to a controlled stop in the cleared landing field. Job thanked the Divines that the wind was not its usual, billowing self.
He checked his pocket watch. The plane stayed aloft for three whole minutes.
He jogged over to the craft, which was nothing more than some canvas pulled over a skeletal steel frame. But Job hoped to make improvements to it very, very soon.
His test pilot, Amelia Roso, jumped out of the cockpit and threw off her helmet and scarf.
"It worked! It worked!" she shouted, black hair trailing behind.
She ran to him and threw her arms around him. Job laughed and hugged her back. Years of planning and trials and errors… it had finally come to this.
"That was fantastic! You kept it up there for three minutes! Oh, Amelia! This will change the world!" he said happily.
They both took a moment to catch their breath. The thrill of success was so sweet.
"Yeah, I guess it will change. Change a lot."
Job nodded and patted her on the shoulder.
"Divines know much of that has been happening."
A/N: And yet again- another super long chapter. Longer than I expected!
The idea behind the new ship of the Commonwealth Navy was suggested to me by Strong-Willed Warrior. If you have any ideas on where this story should go or things you'd like to see, please don't be afraid to PM them to me or leave them in a review! I'd love your help brainstorming.
Until next time.