As Lady's broadcast continued, Percy and Toby showed it to Thomas who just stood speechless and silent. As Thomas's eyes were just glued to the broadcast. Percy spoke solemnly to him.

Percy: Thomas, I'm sorry. But we're gonna have to fight her now. I know she's your betrothed but...

Thomas: Percy, it may be hard to tell, but her voice patterns appear slightly off. Though it's tricky to tell with the static, but, if I can get this speech and footage cleaned up, I might be able to find out if she really is the real deal.

As Thomas then began to walk to his dorm to use his equipment there, Percy and Toby both sighed in relief, thankful that their friend didn't get cross or worse. As the Brighton Star flew across the stratosphere towards Iran, another S.H.R. ally squadron that was stationed there was having two of their mechs come back into the ship. As the hatches then open, out came Timothy and Johnson. As the mechanics worked on the mechs, the captain of the vessel came to see Timothy and Johnson.

Captain: Alright you two, I just received word that the Brighton Star is on it's way here for more supplies from the base. It will arrive in the next couple of hours.

Timothy: Right. I understand. We'll do our best to keep this area secure.

As the captain nodded, turned heel and walked away, Johnson looked at Timothy as he spoke quietly to him.

Johnson: Timothy. Are you okay with them not knowing that you're a prince?

Timothy: Until things are situated and more counts return to the side of mine and Thomas's, I kinda have no choice, but to stay quiet about it. Besides, if I tell them too soon the empire might find the communication server where they're chatting to the leading members and discover my whereabouts.

As Johnson nodded, acknowledging Timothy's reason, he knew that not revealing his and Thomas's true identities as princes was the right call to make. Meanwhile away from the sea, 400 miles away from the nearest town, an imperial Castle-Station stood, looking over the desert. As nothing stirred outside, the noble of the Castle was in his chair busy reading a book about Sodor's history when the door opened, and his younger cousin entered.

????: Hey, Cuz. Are you finished reading that book?

???: No Junior, I am not. Why even bother asking?

Junior: Because the Princess wishes to speak with us.

As the noble then sighed and placed his book back on the table next to him, he grabbed his royal blue coat with red cuffs and golden accents as he and Junior then walked to the main command room where Lady appeared on the screen. As the two nobles then bowed respectfully, the princess spoke to them.

Lady: A good day to you conductors.

???: A good one to you as well M'lady. How may I be of assistance?

Lady: Since there are allies of the S.H.R. in your area I want you to destroy them and anyone else that may oppose us with your mech.

As the noble heard this his eyes widened with shock as he then gave his reply.

???: But, your highness, don't you want peace with the Sudrians?

Lady: Once. I did, but now, I find it to be a fool's wish for death. So, I will show them the true might of my fiance's empire and eradicate every last Sudrian. Do you have any doubts against my choice?

???: No.

Lady: Good. I guess that I should leave you to it then.

Then as the screen ended the noble sighed in great dismay, as Junior read his emotions like a book, knowing how he felt.

Junior: You honestly don't want to kill the Sudrians?

???: No. I don't. But not just that but, there's also something... Off about her highness. Like there's something not right.

Junior: Yeah, now that you mention it, she seems more... dark than how she was before this war began.

???: Indeed. However, I don't have any solid evidence yet, so I'm unable to bring this up to her father. (sighs sadly) Anyway, please keep an eye on my castle while I'm gone Junior.

Junior: Aye-Aye cousin!

Meanwhile, at the base of the S.H.R. allies, everyone was minding their own business when the hostile alarm sounded. As Timothy and his squad then fired their guns at the enemy mech, the noble from the castle-station hesitantly activated his mech's special ability as he then said two words that only he would hear.

???: I'm sorry.

Then as some orbs around the mech began to spin around the mech, the sand began to swirl and everyone froze in pain as a sound ached their heads.

Timothy: Argh! What is this?! A tornado?!

Johnson: Billinton! Look at the levels on the accelerometer!

And so Timothy did and was shocked by what he saw.

Timothy: Gravity?!

Johnson: Yes. From what I can tell, those spheres are spinning around it so fast that they're creating a massive force that is...

Timothy: Making gravity waves. So I guess we better keep our distance and ensure that it doesn't get any closer to the town.

And so as Timothy and the others began to draw the mech away from the town the noble inside felt guilt and despair for he didn't actually wish to fight the S.H.R. but, knew that if he didn't he would have severe consequences. As Timothy and the others then were about to go unconscious due to the gravity waves, a bullet from above hit the mech, and was suddenly followed by a voice through the comm.

?: Thanks for bringing him within our line of sight brother.

Timothy: (gasps) Thomas?!

Thomas: Long time no see Timothy. The gravity waves appear to be strongest horizontally while the vertical ones are just to dampen their effect. (scans the enemy mech with opticalar implant.) Drift correction, 0.2 degrees per second. Target locked...

Gordon: And fire!

And so then the second shot fired and took down the mech. As the Brighton Star then began to move away from the line of sight, Thomas spoke with his brother.

Thomas: (over comm) Sorry brother. The enemy mech is now out of our line of sight. That would be all the help I can give.

Timothy: No Brother. Thank you. You gave us all the help that we need.

Then as Timothy's mech then stepped onto the imperial mech and pointed it's gun at it, the noble sighed in relief and smiled as he looked at the victor. Meanwhile, Thomas was in his dorm, busy cleaning up the audio within Lady's broadcast, when he heard something from it that made his eyes widen.

Lady: (broadcast) As the upcoming Empress of the Winsdor Empire, both me and my betrothed, Daniel Windor the 10th will show everyone our power together and what happens if we're opposed. We will show them our might!

Thomas: So that settles it. The stress patterns, the wish to conquer and the fact that she said her fiance was my evil cousin, all of that is not HER words. The princess within the broadcast is NOT Lady, but an imposter. (exhales and closes laptop.) I need to save her then.

Then as Thomas walked into the halls, he couldn't help but think about where Lady truly was and if she was even alive. As Thomas thought more about this, all he knew was that the real princess that he loved was somewhere not in the broadcast, possibly being held against her own will. As he thought about this even more, Thomas's wishes to find and save Lady only grew even more for he loved her more than anything. Lady was indeed the prince's precious jewel, and he needed to get her back.

To be continued...