Ramirez sat at a wood table in the northeastern quadrant of the larger of the two buildings in Meme Village. It had housed four of the five families that resided in the village until he had requisitioned it and the smaller building as barracks for the Valuan expeditionary force - the native Meme Villagers were now sleeping in makeshift tents of worn sailcloth in the clearing in front of the two buildings. The quadrant he himself inhabited had been formerly occupied by Mayor Marlow and his wife.

Not that it's much of an improvement over the other three, ran through his mind as he glanced at his surroundings in mild distaste. There was a large cast iron stove in the center of building, and a lit oil lamp hung from a wooden rafter over the table. Neither growing up in the Great Silver Shrine nor his later life in Valua had prepared him for such... rustic surroundings.

Ramirez shoved the small stack of books and papers that had been seized in the village aside and stood from his chair, one hand automatically holding his sword hilt so the scabbard wouldn't catch on anything. All the information was hopelessly out of date, backing the Mayor's claims that Meme Village had been isolated from the outside world for a decade. The most he'd learned was that the large lake was named Lake Luminoso and the surrounding mountains were the Eagle Mountains, from which the streams that fed the lake originated. Useful in its own way, but hardly the sort of thing Lord Galcian was looking for.

Two soldiers saluted as he pushed open the front door of the building and stalked down the worn path. Green armored soldiers were bustling everywhere, moving metal crates of moonstones, ammunition and weaponry into Valuan-style metal storage buildings that were still being constructed alongside the two original wood buildings. On the lakeshore more soldiers were setting up emplacements for cannons to defend Meme Village from invasion, while on the other side of the fence the Meme Villagers were helping to build a proper port in the field where the Cruiser had first landed. More Valuan ships had arrived through the vortex the past couple of days, bringing machinery and construction materials to help build the Empire's outpost in this world.

Seeing all the progress only served to make Ramirez more discontent. All these resources, which could have been put towards more battleships for the Armada, needed some sort of return to make them worthwhile. He needed more than Meme Village could offer, but he could hardly go sailing blindly into the outside world without knowing what might be waiting. Lord Galcian's instructions constrained him from doing too much to alert the natives to Valua's presence. He had even been forced to make the ships bringing in the supplies fly in and out of the vortex during the local night time when nobody on the opposite shore would be able to see them. Which is why I shall have to take a page from Belleza's book after all, he thought, expression grim.

He approached the dock where one of the Cruiser's lifeboats awaited, along with that same ship's captain - most of the crew of the Patrol Ship had perished when the underwater ship had attacked, its own captain among them. The Cruiser Captain saluted as he walked up.

"Captain, you are in charge of this outpost while I'm away. Continue its construction and make sure the villagers remain in line." His eyes momentarily went hooded. "You know what to do if they resist in any way."

The Cruiser Captain saluted again and replied, "Yes sir!" Ramirez swept past him without another word and stepped into the lifeboat. Two heavy bags of gold hanging from his belt jingled as he did. From what the Meme Villagers said gold was valuable here as well, and there was no reason for him to go exploring as a pauper.

Within moments he was cruising along just above the surface of the lake, seated at the rear of the boat with one hand on the tiller with the wind blowing his hair back. For a moment he smiled, remembering when he had first descended from the Great Silver Shrine to Arcadia in a Silvite ship and feeling his very first breeze. It disappeared when he remembered awakening on the Aquila and meeting Admiral Mendosa for the first time...

Suppressing the memories ruthlessly, Ramirez steered the boat through an opening in a fence similar to the one blocking off Meme Village's shore. Off to the left of the fenced off section was a dock much larger than the village's with a small building and a crane for moving cargo. He brought the boat off towards a large set of stairs leading up from the water and slowly settled it down into the water. Simple enough, he thought as he stepped out onto the bottom stair, then turned to look at the lifeboat appraisingly, hand resing on his sword's hilt.

After a moment he closed his eyes. In an instant, his eyes opened and his sword was swept outward in a broad arc. On the lifeboat the engine at the rear of the small vessel fell free from where he'd sliced it and began sinking, while another piece of hull at the bottom of the boat fell free. The lifeboat quickly began sinking to the bottom of Lake Luminoso. Ramirez slowly sheathed his sword as he watched it. No reason to let Valuan technology fall into the hands of someone who would happen upon it. Besides, with my boat scuttled behind me I'll have incentive to explore this land thoroughly.

He cocked an ear as he heard a strange... flapping sound? Ramirez frowned turned towards the sharp hill rising in front of the stairs with a wooden fence running along its side. He had just finished the turn when a voice yelled, "Whoa, look out!"

CLANG!

Ramirez winced at the loud metallic sound. What was that? He began running towards the bottom of the hill.

--

Vanilla climbed out of the cockpit of his Trotmobile, dazed. He tumbled as he tried to climb back down to the ground, then slowly rose from the ground holding a hand to his head. Ugh... what was that? There was another Trotmobile falling down the hill, and...

"Oh, it's still in one piece! Thank goodness."

"Hey, kid! Are you alright?"

Vanilla slowly straightened to see two young men standing in front of him, a short pudgy one with glasses and mechanic's clothes looking at him in concern and a tall lanky one with goggles, a white tanktop and mechanic's pants staring at the strange looking Trotmobile that had slammed into his. He brought his hand back down and raised his head to look at the short one. "Yeah, I'm okay..." he managed.

"Hey, look... we're sorry about that," the short one replied, making a placating gesture.

The tall one turned away from the other Trotmobile and walked over a beat later. "Hey kid, sorry about that..." The short one turned to look at the lanky one as he continued, "We've been trying to create a flying Trotmobile. Name's Otto, I'm the pilot. The mechanic's my li'l brother Willie."

"I'm Vanilla, nice to meet you," he replied, placing a hand to his chest and bowing forward briefly. He was a teenager with blonde hair and blue eyes, and was wearing an outfit consisting of a white button-down shirt with the top button undone and sleeves rolled up with a blue leather vest over it, a pair of goggles hanging around his neck, brown leather gloves, a pair of blue jeans and a well-worn pair of leather shoes.

"The pleasure's ours," Otto replied, nodding back.

Vanilla heard an odd repetitive clanking sound, and saw the brothers turn to look behind him. He turned in time to see another young man run a last few steps then stop. "What happened here?" the newcomer asked, looking at the three of them and the two Trotmobiles.

Vanilla rubbed the back of his neck, eyeing him in some confusion. He was dressed strangely, in a black and red coat emroidered with gold threads, black pants with an exaggerated flare at the hips, black boots that rose up to the middle of his thighs and had steel soles, and a sword hanging at his hip. That's sure a fancy outfit, ran through his mind.

"We just an accident," Willie replied. The two brothers were also taking in the stranger's outfit and sword. Willie maintained a polite expression, but Otto was frankly staring from behind his goggles.

"Wow, that's one wild getup!" Otto exclaimed. The newcomer blinked at the comment, then looked at their clothes and then back down at his own. His face remained neutral throughout, and Willie gave his brother a hard nudge.

"I came from across the lake," he eventually said, straightening a bit self-consciously. "We don't have much contact with the outside world... What are these things, anyway?" He was looking up at the two vehicles.

"They're called Trotmobiles," Vanilla answered. "I'm Vanilla, by the way. Nice to meet you."

"I'm Ramirez," the newcomer replied, nodding slightly. Otto and Willie made their own introductions, but before long Otto's expression went distant. He sighed and started flapping his arms, not seeming to realize he was even doing it.

"If only Trotmobiles flew through the sky like birds... Don't you think that'd be great?" Willie turned to look at the two of them to see how they'd answer.

Ramirez raised his eyebrows in surprise, but Vanilla considered the question for a moment before nodding and saying, "Yeah, I'd love to fly some day."

Otto lowered his arms and grinned. "Aha! See? This kid knows where it's at!"

Willie didn't look quite as enthused as his brother. "...As you can see, the experiments could be going better. Maybe flying Trotmobiles really are just a fantasy..."

The mechanic sighed and brought a hand up to hold the bridge of his nose just below his glasses. "I wish Dr. Nutmeg would help. He's the father of Trotmobiles, y'know." He looked back up at Vanilla and Ramirez. "You're looking for him, right? Most people 'round here are..."

Willie turned towards a building sitting on top of the hill, off to the side of the area where the two brothers were making their flying Trotmobile experiments. "He's in that nutty-lookin' building over there. But, around this time--"

Otto suddenly started flapping his arms again, having dazed out again, and interrupted his little brother unknowingly. "Willie, let's try raising the speed of the wing flap."

Willie, Vanilla and Ramirez turned to look at Otto, who seemed oblivious as he stopped flapping his arms and nodded to the latter two. "You just wait, guys... One day, we'll be soarin' through the skies..." he said dreamily. "In our masterpiece; the Flap Flyer!"

Without further ado, Otto clambered back into the Flap Flyer and started walking it back up the hill. Willie shook his head and said, "See you around!" before running after his brother on foot.

Vanilla watched them go, then turned to see Ramirez watching him levelly. "So are you here to see Dr. Nutmeg, too?" he asked. "I can give you a ride if you want."

Ramirez considered the question for a moment before nodding. "Yes, thank you. I was hoping to reach the nearest city..."

"That's not a problem," Vanilla assured him. "A friend reccomended that I see Dr. Nutmeg about something, but I'm heading back to Nefroburg afterward. You could just wait outside if you want."

Ramirez nodded agreement and the two of them climbed into the cockpit of Vanilla's red and orange two-seater Trotmobile, which was named the Earl Grey II. Vanilla started walking it up the hill, moving off to the side of the rutted path that marked where the Flap Flyer had made previous attempts. As they climbed up, Otto ran by them again, the Flap Flyer's wings churning at the air but ultimately unable to keep it aloft. Willie watched Otto from atop the hill and Vanilla stopped the Earl Grey II near him for a moment.

"...Hmph, it still needs to be lighter. But, the engine's already as small as we can make it," Willie commented, then waved as Vanilla started up a winding path to the small platueau Dr. Nutmeg's house rested on.

Vanilla parked the Trotmobile at the end of the path leading up to the front door and the two of them climbed down. "I'll be back," Vanilla said, and headed inside.

Ramirez watched him go, then looked at a well-kept garden of various colored flowers next to the path. Next to the front door was an oil lamp, and next to the lamp was a window that had a large shutter propper open with two sticks to let in sunlight and fresh air. Attached to the house was a larger building with an open doorway wide enough for the Trotmobile to walk through. To either side of the doorway were some strangely crafted metal structures. He looked them over, but was unable to deduce their purpose and shrugged. Well, this Dr. Nutmeg is supposed to be a scientist. De Loco has his eccentricities as well.

He turned to look back down where Otto brought the Flap Flyer down the hill on yet another attempt at flight, and a chilly smile came to Ramirez's face. They're unable to fly, hm? How... interesting.

--

Vyse stood at the wheel of the Little Jack, Aika standing to his right with one fist resting on her hip and Cap'n Drachma standing to his left, looking as grouchy as ever. Vyse was smiling as the Valuan ship sailed away, having just checked the entry passport they had received from the Nasr merchant they'd escorted to the South Dannel Strait. Heh... And beat the Black Pirate Baltor along the way.

"Looks like we made it through," Aika said. "We just passed a Valuan Security Checkpoint. That's quite an accomplishment, don't you think?"

"Yeah..." Vyse replied, smiling. "I thought getting into Valua would be a lot tougher. Now all we have to do is sneak into--"

A bright light suddenly shone through the window of the Little Jack's bridge, and Vyse quickly brought a hand up to shield his eyes. Beside him, Aika did the same. "Huh? What's that?!" she asked.

Drachma's glower got more pronounced as he looked at the small fleet of Valuan ships surrounding a point of light. "I don't know what that's all about. That wasn't there the last time I passed through Mid Ocean."

Vyse looked at the light curiously, frowning slightly. "It sure looks important, whatever it is."

Drachma brought his metal fist down with a growl, and Vyse winced and crouched away from him. "Bah! Don't be wondering about whatever that is, boy! We've got the Grand Fortress just ahead... it's the only entrance into the city of Valua. Valua is surrounded by impassable mountains... so that is the only way in or out."

"Wow... I can't believe they actually built something that big..." Vyse said.

The Little Jack sailed on towards Valua... though Vyse couldn't help throwing another curious look backward at the Valuan warships gathered around the light.