The tramline stopped, and a girl briskly jumped off the car. The wind picked up slightly to the east, and she gripped her suitcase and parasol tightly to keep either from flying a way. When the wind finally died down, she took a moment to straighten out her bangs, and confidently walked forward towards the gates of the large prison.

A few of the men were exercising in the yard, playing ball games or lifting weights, or simply standing around. But when they caught sight of this mysterious girl, they all stopped at once and pressed hard against the metal fence separating the yard from the rest of the world. Some of the younger men jeered, whispered or shouted to the girl, but the older – and more respectful ones – simply stared and took in the sight. It had been years or more since any of the men had seen a girl, let alone one this beautiful.

Her long blonde hair flew delicately in the wind, held at the back by a single red velvet band. Her simple dress concealed a frame that was young, beautiful and strong. She turned for just a moment and let her pale blue eyes gaze upon the men staring at her. Some of the men had been soldiers once, in a different life. Those experienced men saw that her eyes weren't just looking at the men, but were assessing them, like they would assess a potential hostile target. Her gaze was deep and un-moving, and it was enough that a few of the men backed down and moved away.

Once they had turned away, she resumed her slow but measured walk to the gates of the jail. Those older and more experienced men noted she walked just like a soldier would walk. Her head was held high, and her gaze was locked forward. Who is this strange girl? Some of them asked themselves.

The girl arrived at the small booth that separated the jail from the rest of the outside world. On either side of the look-out towers beside the gate, bored guards walked across the catwalk on their assigned patrols. Their rifles were hung casually at their sides, and their uniforms didn't look like anything the girl would call organized or polished.

With no one visible at the small booth, the girl tapped the back of her hand against the glass. Suddenly, the young guard manning the booth jumped awake from a deep sleep and called out in a startled voice, "What?! What is it?!"

The girl nodded her head and replied, "Hello. I was assigned to meet a client here this afternoon, may I come in?"

Confused, the guard rubbed his head, "Client? This is a jail, not a hotel. We don't have clients here, we only have prisoners"

The girl opened her suitcase and produced a note. Holding up to the glass of the booth she replied, "You're mistaken sir. My employer is CH Postal Company and they have been contracted by this prison to have an Auto-Memories Doll compose a letter for a client at this location"

The Guard took a moment to read the note. It carried a genuine seal on the bottom, but he was still confused, "You're an Auto-Memory Doll?! But you can't be more than sixteen years old?"

"Yes. This will be my second year of employment with CH Postal Company. I can provide several references if you require them" she said.

"Uhh, no, that's alright. I'll believe you. Just give me a moment, I'll have to confirm this with my superiors" the guard said, lifting his radio receiver with one hand and holding a single finger up with the other.

As he called in, the girl looked up at the catwalk again. The two guards walking their patrol had stopped and were now both looking at her. The girl wondered what they were saying at that moment. They were about fifty feet away, and her hearing wasn't good enough to pick up a conversation from that distance. She did notice that both men had taken the time to straighten out their uniforms a little. Part of her wanted to smile in amusement, but she simply kept her gaze on the large gate of the prison.

After a few moments, the guard at the booth hung the radio receiver up and opened the small door. He motioned for the girl to follow him and said seriously, "Okay, let's go. Try to stay close to me, this is not a place a doll like you wants to get lost in."

The guard opened a side door next to the massive gate, and the pair walked inside the prison. It was an older place, having been built long before the girl was even born. The walls were bare brick, which might once have been red but had faded with the years to a rust-like colour. The air had a slight dampness to it , and the place had strong smell of unwashed bodies, rust and what the girl could swear was blood. The prison was surprisingly quiet with only a few of the inmates shouting or speaking.

"How many people are here?" the girl asked.

"I'm not really sure. A few hundred a least. Most of them were soldiers who came home from the war. We pick them after they start fights with each other or the police. We also have the usual sort you might expect. Robbers, cheaters, gamblers, that sort of thing. We keep them separated from the soldiers though. Once, a gambler tried to take a soldier's shoes over a game of dice. A few hours later, the soldier's squadron broke into the gambler's cell and hung the man from his bars" The guard replied.

"Do these things happen very often?" The girl asked again.

"Not as often as you might think. The Warden replaced the old Superintendent about a year ago. The Warden was a soldier as well, he commanded a penal battalion. So he worked out an arrangement with some of the soldiers. If they agreed to keep themselves in line, we would try to make their lives here as comfortable as possible. The soldiers would be allowed certain privileges. Like employing an Auto-Memories Doll for instance" said the Guard.

The Guard pointed at a solid metal door, "You'll be meeting with a soldier today. His name is Felix. You'll be undisturbed for the duration of your visit. Please let me know if you need anything."

The Girl nodded, and stepped through the door as the Guard opened it. Seated at the metal table was another young man. On first glance, he didn't look much like a soldier. Felix was unshaven, and had let his brown hair grow long and wild past his neck. He was seated with his feet on the table and had looked completely bored until he saw the girl enter the room.

"Wow" he said in shock, "I know they call you a doll but I had no idea that you were this beautiful"

The Girl politely bowed, "I have been told many times that my appearance is pleasing to my clients. I thank you for that compliment Mr. Felix"

Felix smirked, "Mister? Do I look at all like an officer to you, Doll? And don't you have a name, or should I just call you 'Doll'?"

"Forgive me, I was told you were a soldier. What is your name and rank?" the girl asked.

Felix decided to make a show, if only for Olaf and his kind. He stood up straight and at attention, "Schlager, Felix, Sargent. 5th Platoon, Second Assault Battalion".

The girl – much to Felix's surprise – also stood at attention and saluted him, "Evergarden, Violet, 1st Platoon, Special Services Brigade, reporting Sargent!"

"That almost looked real" Felix said, in shock, "You were in the war?"

Violet relaxed, placing her hands behind her back. She hadn't been formally ordered to sit yet, "Yes. I participated in several battles on the Eastern Front, under the command of Major Gilbert Bougainvillea."

Felix was at a loss for words. He heard of Major Bougainvillea. His unit had supported the SSB in several battles before being transfered to the Western Front.

Taking a moment to compose himself, he asked "I met Major Bougainvillea once. He shook my hand, and thanked my unit for our support at the Battle of the Twin Lakes. I don't remember you though"

"You would not" Violet said, shaking her head, "I had not joined the SSB by that time. But I am no longer a soldier, and the war has been over for many years"

She curtsied and said next, "If it is your wish, I will travel anywhere to meet you. Auto Memories Doll Violet Evergarden. How may I serve you today?