Notes From The Author:

Good evening! This is my first story and I truly hope that the few of you who are a part of this small little community, will enjoy this short story. Just like many of you, I am an avid reader of Kenneth Oppel's, Matt Cruse trilogy. They are truly fascinating pieces of literature and I adore them very much. I've read several interesting stories on this fandom and they have inspired me to give myself a chance to create my own work.

With that being said, I truly do hope you enjoy this story and review it with your most honest opinions and thoughts.

Before reading, I should express that this story takes place three months after the events of Starclimber. Matt Cruse and Kate de Vries, after surviving their third climatic adventure, are finally engaged and now must under go the pressure of seeking out the blessings of Ms. de Vries' influential parents.

Unfortunately, an unexpected world crisis has the potential of changing their fortunes for the worst. All of Europe, with their grand armies, tanks, and massive airship fleets, is at the brink of war. A war, so massive and cataclysmic, it would destroy so many lives, as well as, change so many others. How exactly will Matt and Kate undergo such change in a world falling apart?

*This fan fiction story takes inspiration from characters and settings created by Kenneth Oppel. I do not own anything.

...

"Honestly," she sighed, "I don't know what kind of life we'll have together, with me always flying off in one direction and you in the other. "

I smiled. "It's a good thing the world's round," I said.

(The last two sentences from Kenneth Oppel's Starclimber; Page 390)

...

I always smile when I reflect back to that moment. That warm, humid day in Cairo, three months ago, after crash landing back to Earth on the Starclimber.

On that very day, after going through so many trials and much confusion, I finally managed to get Kate, my Kate, to agree to marry me. After going through so many 'close-calls' and enduring much stigma from the people around us, we were able to confirm our love for each other.

I think back to our many moments together. From our first encounter on-board the Aurora, to our first kiss in that hydrium pit, to our curious pondering during the search for Theodore Grunel's airship and on our interstellar adventure aboard the Starclimber.

Not to mention our countless brushes with death, I truly feel as if I want to spend the rest of my life with her! To be with her during both blissful and trying times. To support her and to care for her to the best of my abilities. Of course, there is the problem of getting approval from her parents...Her very rich and also very demanding parents...Regardless, even with us pursuing our very ambitious goals and passions, I still wish to be a part of her life no matter what the cause, no matter how far the distance...

..." It's a good thing the world's round, " I silently said to myself.

I sat peaceful under the warm and welcoming summer sky of Paris, forever lost to my thoughts of Kate. I was like this until I heard a certain figure call out to me in his French mother tongue.

..." Hey, Canadien! ," he said to me. "Did you hear what I said just now?,"

Looked over to my fellow classmate from the Airship Academy, André Delacroix. I was so transfixed on my love and dilemma with Kate, I wasn't paying any attention to him or his question.

" Sorry, André. Could you repeat your question? "

" Ah, imbécile! I said to you, my dearest Matt, which do you prefer on a woman? Her hips? Her eyes? Or...perhaps... ."

" André, I told you once before, I have my sights on Kate. That is all." I said with a soft chuckle. Usually, it's a stereotype for the French to be this 'romantic' when discussing what they love about women but, then again stereotypes do exist for a reason...

"Ah! I'm not trying to diminish your precious love for the scientific 'femme fatale' , Matt! I was just curious, that's all... ."

Andre and I were enjoying the end of our Wednesday lecture at the Airship Academy by passing time at a local Parisian Cafe. We were sitting at one of the outdoor tables that were own by the Cafe. It was a quiet yet busy evening in Paris. The local citizenry continued on with their daily lives: sharing laughs and jokes with friends, merchants selling their goods and produce to the occasional shopper, families linked arm-in-arm, the bustling traffic of certain cars and trucks in the nearest Parisian street. However, the most pleasurable sound that completed this intoxicating scenery, were the airships that traveled at low altitude all over Paris.

The low and buzzing sounds of their engines were like a symphony for my ears. Oh, how I dream of one day piloting my own airship. Maybe then, Kate's parents would look more upon me with a favorable opinion? They should, after all the many adventures Kate and I had over the years...

" Pour moi ," André continued, " I will forever love l'cul of a woman. So round and perfect...You English call this part of a woman, 'the butt', no? " He questioned.

I gave a short laugh, " Sure, André. That's it, " I responded.

I met André shortly after the whole Starclimber episode, three months ago. He was a native of the city of Paris. A common womanizer of the city's nightlife but, what Frenchman wasn't? We both shared the same classes at the Academy and we forged this sort of 'acquaintance '. He wasn't my ideal concept of a friend, like Baz or Tobias. Regardless, his French charisma kept me entertain for the time being. That,and we both were good study partners for each other.

" I wonder. Do you think Mademoiselle Kate has a nice 'cul ', Matt? " He pondered.

I felt the heat and blood run to my cheeks. I won't deny. I have studied Kate's 'cul ' before but I could never admit to doing such a thing. Let alone, tell one of my classmates that my fiancée, has a nice rear. It's just unheard of to do such a thing. I also felt kind of insulted, having him discuss Kate in such a way but, I held back my tongue. Perhaps, it's French custom to discuss a woman's 'cul'. This, I am not sure.

Before, I had a chance to respond to André's ridiculous question. A black motor car, sporting the French tri-color flag along its doors, pulled up along the curve facing the Cafe. Two smartly dressed French soldiers, wearing their Blue tunics and red trousers, stepped out of the car and open the back door for, whom I presumed, was a French military officer.

As the officer slowly stepped out of the back of his motor car, I was able to get a good view of him as he faced us and the other patrons of the cafe. This officer was a small 'bulldog-ish' looking man. Sporting many medals from military campaigns in time's past. He was old but he had a very strong and youthful stature. In his wrinkled left hand, he carried a rolled up document. His face was determined and steadfast.

I shall never forget the look on his face.

The officer walked calmly towards the front of the cafe, capturing the attention of nearly everyone in the vicinity. He positioned himself perfectly in front of all of us. Afterwards, he unrolled the document he was carrying and he began to read it.

" Citoyens de la France! ," He shouted. " La situation en Europe a atteint un moment critique!"

Embarrassingly, I wasn't able to follow along with the officer's statement for my French was still pretty bad. I looked over to the other patrons of the Cafe, to see how they reacted to...whatever the officer was saying.

Their looks would forever be burned into my memory.

Some patrons looked on with horror. Some looked stunned, others looked with vacant expressions on their faces.

I slowly turned to André. His expression was filled with determination and bravery. I felt like a foreigner in every sense of the word.

However, my understanding of French didn't completely failed me. I was able to make out some of the words out of the officer's statement. Something about a '...dangerous moment...' and to ' be prepared for a great challenge' or something like that...

"...La mobilisation générale a été déclarée... " The officer finished. He then stood at attention and begun to sing the French national anthem, La Marseillaise.

"Allons enfants de la patrie, Le jour de gloire est arrivé!..."

At this moment, the whole Cafe soon joined in unison with the officer, signing the national anthem of their country. They all stood as one with the officer, sharing the patriotism of the French motherland. It was a surreal experience. Even, André stood along and sang with the group. I was taken aback by his sudden display of love for his country, not that I suspected otherwise...

To avoid disapproving looks, I, too, stood along with everyone else but me, with my poor understanding of the French language, simply mumbled under my breath the lyrics of this foreign anthem.

As the whole Cafe erupted in unison singing the anthem, I noticed this frail old gentleman still remaining in his seat. He was not singing along with the others. He was like me a few minutes ago, lost in his own thoughts. I wonder what he was thinking about.

As the crowd soon finished singing, I noticed one of the patrons began to aggressively confront the old man sitting down. Considering the situation at hand, it was obvious that the patron was offended by the old man's reluctance to the sing the national anthem. The confrontation soon began to escalate as the patron began to physically grapple on the coat the old man was wearing.

The elderly man had a look of fear and confusion on his face as this young looking patron began to berate him. What happened next would forever stay with me for a very long time...

The patron soon unleashed a harden left punch to the old man's face. The elderly gentleman soon came crashing down on the pavement below. The other patrons, shockingly, joined in on the beating, surrounding the old man with a torrent of punches, kicks and insults. Those who didn't join in on this vicious beating just looked on with bewilderment.

I couldn't believe my eyes. What exactly just happened? This is something you would never experience in your lifetime. Let alone, to bare witness such cruelty in a sophisticated European capital.

I soon gather my bearings and began to march towards the crowd surrounding the old man.

I couldn't just let these people do this to him.

As I began to march towards the crowd, I felt André's hand grab hold of my shoulder.

" Allez, Matt! We need to go. Right now..."

I looked at him with stunned eyes, I couldn't believe him. I couldn't just leave this old man like this. At the hands of these brutes...

" What!? No!" I protested. "We can't just..."

" You don't understand my countrymen, Matt...Allez!"

André soon got behind me and began to push me away from the scene. We soon left the cafe and made our way down a small adjacent street.

I quickly gave one last look to the scene behind us, the French officer and his soldiers had moved in to disperse the crowd. I pray that they were able to save that old man.

I shall never forget the look of horror on his face, nor the innocent nature of his character right as he received the first punch.

I look back towards André as he and I began a fast pace away from the cafe, I had a look of anger and confusion written upon my face.

"André! What the hell is going on!? What exactly did that officer say? Why did those people began to beat on that old man!? " I questioned.

"... Une guerre, Matt..." He said breathlessly. " A war is upon us, my friend..."

...

This was the first chapter. If you made it his far, I thank you very much for taking the time out of your day to read this story. Please review and offer any critiques or constructive criticism. I welcome them with open arms. I hope you'll have a good evening.