Shawn's last post is at the end of King Shawn Arises in the archives. He long ago saved the throne of Ruritania for his near duplicate King Shawn (avoiding the masquerade usually pursued toward this end), was installed as Count of Zenda, and began preparing for the major political events of the upcoming twentieth century. He has fortified the borders of this little Germanic state against the expansionist interests of Bismarck and Kaiser Wilhelm, trained what may be the first modern special forces units, and made a deal with the future manufacturers of his own semi-automatic pistol for the production of similar pistols, while buying the best military supplies and support mostly from England. He has also taken steps to support the Russian monarchs Nikolaj and Alexandra and to bolster the Russian economy against the Bolshevik revolution. He is currently at a ball at the Ruritanian palace in Strelsau, where he is in conversation with the Duke of Kent, second son of the English monarch. In continuing that conversation, he wrote:
Well,"Indeed! But, you are entertaining Her Majesty the Czarina at present, and it would be too much to impose upon you at the present time, I think--although I would love to see what you have done, when the time is better for you.""It's oddly complicated.
You see, my family tells a story whereby five generations ago my very removed grandparents, Mother's side, immigrated from Ruritania to Britain due to some land title they had been granted near Gloucestershire.
My Father's side were lesser nobility from Italy, specifically from the Milan area.
As you know, that's about the same time that nobles began to have to sell off bits of property, titles, etc to keep the lifestyle they were accustomed to, and both sides of my family immigrated to America to seek the fortunes and prosperity that is always promised by that place. It was several generations before my parents were born, met and married - but I have always been facinated by Europe and my family heritage.
As soon as I was comfortable enough to do so, I sold my business and moved to Europe to live the life of a mercenary and perhaps idle gentleman. Thus I was surprised when on a cassual hunting trip to Ruritania I found a man related to my mother -and that man happened to be the King of Ruritania.
I had no idea really, but I am pleased to have tracked down at least one part of my family.
By the way, your party would be welcome at Zenda to observe a demonstration of both the Beretta and my military preparations if that would please you."
--M. J. Young
"I am," I admit freely, "However, the Czarina will be leaving shortly, and I must admit I had the ulterior motive of seeing the ties between Britain and Russia strengthened."
"So I cannot claim total innocence in my invitation," I add, shrugging lightly.
"Perhaps when you have the time we can entertain you. It would please me very much to show you the progress we have made with the timely aid given us by your great nation. If we were to strengthen alliances with Britain, Russia, America and France then I think Ruritania would be the luckiest, most secure nation in the world - so I must beg you to forgive my exuberance in looking toward the well being of my nations and our allies."
OOC: - yes, 'nations' is not a typo - nor is the order of precedence I have used in listing allied nations. National pride and decorum might suggest that it is prudent to list Britain foremost when speaking with the Duke of Kent.
"Indeed? In that case, would it be too much for us to arrive tomorrow morning, and stay a few days? I have five in my entourage, including myself. My personal attendant would need a cot in my own room. The others are my cook who prepares my meals on the train, a sargeant who sees to my safety and security, and an administrative assistant who tends to hotel arrangements, correspondence, and such; they could share a room, if necessary. We will be leaving here before noon, but could come to Zenda directly, see the Czarina off, and then take our time learning about this wonderfully placed ally against the expansionist interests of Germany. That is, of course, if it does not place an undue burden on you."
--M. J. Young
I see no problem, infact I woudl be quite honored to have you," I reply, "But if you will excuse me I shoudl probably tell my wife so that proper preparations can be made."
I find Annika and let her know what is going on, I also ask if there is any assistance I can lend with the preparations, since it is horribly short notice and she is occupied already.
"Good gracious, Shawn! Of course, we'll do everything to entertain his highness, but this is--I know, it just fell into place. I will have to send word; no, I think I will have to hurry back to let the staff know to prepare. Can you see to her majesty's care if I leave early? She is so enjoying herself, and I do not want to drag her away early."
--M. J. Young
I smile and take Annika's hand
"My dear, I can tell you are enjoying your time with the Czarina and the children as well, so no this will not fall to you."
"I'll leave immediately and get to work on the preparations. If you let me know one or two things you expect, that will be fine. But you do tend to forget that I was entertaining at Zenda before you came to brighten it."
"While I think this will be excellent for Ruritania, Russia and Britain, that is my grand scheme. If you and the Czarina could travel back with the Duke tomorrow and help me a little on your return that will suffice."
Depending on how this conversation progresses, I'll head back straight away and put things in order. Since Annika has come she replaced all of the furniture I got rid of and made a bunch of guest rooms again, so I should have no trouble providing single rooms for each of the attendants, and putting an extra cot in the Duke's guest room.
Meals will have to be prepared of course, but I've come to trust my staff. I'll take a hand in the cooking (been ages since I did that) if necessary, but these are solid folk.
I'll have to take aside my men and let them know we'll be running some demonstrations, but again, my men are solid and well trained.
Thus it is that I'll only be mildly frazzled and concerned about the outcome of this visit.
I presume you will make some hasty good-byes to Shawn and Flavia, as well as letting the Duke of Kent know that you are leaving to make preparations and hope to see him in the morning.
Flavia says she will have no trouble accommodating your wife and the czarina for the night, and will have them back to Zenda in time for the czarina and her girls to make the connection for home. Shawn teases you about stealing his guest, but insists that it is teasing, since he was expecting the Duke to leave for Germany tomorrow anyway, and having him head for Zenda instead is all the better. Wilhelm will certainly understand delays in railroad transportation, and you will be much better at conveying "our concerns" about Germany to the Duke before he is there.
The Duke is looking forward to his stay, and makes the usual protestations that you should not go to any bother on his account, which of course you will ignore.
You reach home around midnight, and find your steward waiting. You inform him that Annika and Alexandra will be staying overnight in Strelsau, and that the Duke of Kent will be visiting in the morning for a few days, and will need a room with a spare bed for himself plus private rooms for the two in his entourage. He of course complains of the outrageously short notice, but says of course they will do their best, and he will make sure the cook gets the word of the extra guests in the morning; the rest can be handled during the day.
--M. J. Young
I'll get some rest, then I'll get up early and meet with my officers.
I'll need to plan an honor guard to escort everyone to the castle as well.
I'll discuss the menu with the cook, and see if any of my staff is out or unable to perform their duties. If so I will step in and lend a hand, but again - my staff is professional, they know what to expect and more importantly how to get the job done.
The pastry chef was going to take the day off, but the steward says he's sure the man will not forego the opportunity to prepare pastries for the Duke of Kent, so you might here him grumbling about missing whatever he had planned, but everyone will be on board for this.
Your honor guard is organized quickly and easily, and is ready to ride to the station complete with carriage for the guests. The only question is whether you will be in the carriage with your wife and the Duke and the Princess (the eldest daughter of the Czar is coming back to your place for the summer, you of course recall), or whether you will ride your horse with the men.
The chief cook suggests that when you get back from the station and have the guests settled, you can help with the cakes for Tea. You won't really have time to help with lunch, since you'll be meeting the Duke and the Czarina at the station, then seeing the Czarina off (her bags are packed and ready to go), and by the time you return it will be very nearly lunch time. The English expect a light meal around four and a late supper, and given that this is the Duke of Kent the cook is inclined to accommodate those expectations, although he will serve Ruritanian fare rather than attempt English cuisine. You would have time to help with Tea while they are settling into their rooms after lunch, and then spend time with the guests between Tea and Supper. At least, that's the suggestion from your staff.
--M. J. Young
It's an excellent suggestion, and I will gladly help with tea.
I think in regards to the horse, I will ride with my men to the station, and then allow my mount to rest walking behind the carriage for the return to Zenda. That way I can spend a bit of time with the men, and yet engage the Duke during the trip back. Also, this means my dear wife is not set with the task of making small talk for the entire trip.
At the send off I will make certain to impress upon the Czarina how much we enjoyed her stay. We do hope to make it out there again soon. I'm certain I enjoyed the visit, and I always hate to see such things end.
"Of course," the Czarina says, "we will see you one way or another in a couple of months, when Olga returns home. I hope you will consider visiting us again at that time."
"So," says the Duke as you board the carriage, "these are some of those soldiers you've been training? They certainly look sharp. How well do they fight?"
Anikka looks a bit worn from the efforts, but is still smiling and pleased to see you.
You may continue the conversation in the carriage, move forward through the afternoon as far as Tea, or stop anywhere between, as you like.
--M. J. Young
"I have every intention of visiting you at that time," I reply, "As long as I don't over tax my wife for the summer."
Once in the carriage I am intrigued by the Duke's question. Indeed, how does one gauge the skill of untested troops. I must go with what my Gurkha instructor and I have observed over this time - short of espionage and sabotage of my neighbors, I see no way to test them fully, and I'm not about to go that route.
"Well, they are my men, and I had a hand in their training, so I am biased understand. However, I would say that they are at least as good as the best troops out there, far better than the average, and trained in skills that other armies have yet to see a need for."
I turn to Annika and say, "Good to see you dear, I missed you ever so much this morning. Waking up isn't quite the same you know."
Then I turn back to the Duke and continue, "I intend to have some skills demonstrations for you of course. And I'm quite certain the Nepalese Sergeant will have a good tack on how good they are."
"Of course we'll go," Annika says. "You're our friends, and we can't see you often enough. Besides, I wouldn't send your daughter home on the train alone. We will bring her back ourselves, before the snows."
"The snows come early in Russia," the czarina answers. "It is one of the curses of the place."
To your comments on your men, the Duke replies, "Well, let us pray that they are as good as they ever need to be, and that they are never needed to be so good as they are. That, though, may be a prayer ignored in our time."
It is a short ride back to the castle at Zenda, and soon you are introducing the Duke to those of your staff who will be accommodating him and his small entourage. You are informed that lunch will be served in fifteen minutes, which should be enough time for the guests to be shown to their rooms, freshen up from the trip, and be escorted to the dining room.
Annika excuses herself to change; she had not planned to spend the night in Strelsau, so she is wearing her evening dress. Flavia loaned her a nightgown, and of course Alexandra had a suitcase with clothes for the children.
Olga already has her room, and runs off to clean up before lunch.
--M. J. Young
Well, there is lunch, and I believe I was helping with afternoon tea.
After that we have a demonstration of the Beretta, which I will do personally, and a small demonstration of the troops.
I'll want to have some of my officers, and the Nepalese sergeant at dinner. I always have men at my table, so this should not be an issue.
I'll have to keep the Duke entertained, so my wife can catch up on some much needed rest. Hoever, I also want to have some time for playing with Olga.
I will suggest a trip to the broder fortifications, but it is quite a long journey even with our rail lines - so I'll leave it up to the Duke to decide if it is worth his time.
The Duke says that it makes more sense to take a day or two to see what you've done now than to plan to come back another time, and he would love to see it.
The gun particularly impresses him. He comments that it is reminiscent of Mr. Gatling's weapon for its speed, but in a much more convenient size, and asks how you managed to design such a thing.
He questions your men about their training, and seems impressed with their answers, particularly in the unusual techniques they have studied.
Annika gets some rest in the afternoon, and is up for dinner. She and Olga are playing a game in which each time they answer each other they must do so in a different language--neither the one in which they were addressed nor the last one they themselves spoke. Olga's skills linguistically are rather impressive, and Annika more than once laughs that she has trouble keeping up with the girl.
--M. J. Young
Concerning the handgun, I tell him that it was a weapon designed by a brilliant gun designer. I myself did not design it, nor did I ever meet the designer. I have only made it so that the heirs of that designer (in a round about way) could receive the benefits of the design. Much like the Longbowmen of the 100 years war, whose weapons were designed centuries before, but only showed their brilliance at Agincourt, Crecy, Poitiers and so on.
I schedule a trip for the border forts, and attach a small force of men as an honor guard. There are troops already in place, so it will be best to start with the turret and pillbox emplacements and show him through the connecting tunnels and such.
I want to show him enough to be impressed, but not so much that he is not left with a sense of awe. I think that 4 miles or so of the fortifications, with a description of how far they stretch should do the trick.
I too am impressed with Olga's skill, and I mention that I think more poor brain would be left behind both of them in this game.
Your staff rushes to make preparations for a morning departure to view the fortifications, and has everything in place in plenty of time. The weather is good, and your men on location are looking sharp, having received word by telegraph to expect you. They serve an adequate lunch, and again the Duke questions them about training, preparations, procedures, and more.
If I recall correctly, some of your artillery comes from England; he will recognize that with approval, and watch your men drill on it.
You are all tired by the time you return to Zenda, but your staff has prepared a good supper which you share before retiring--unless there's something else to do today?
--M. J. Young
Actually, near all our artillery was from Great Britain. I acquire the rights to some french 75's and the rest meet royal army specs. In fact, I was in negotiations to build a factory here at one point - and IIRC I was successful.
Nope, I want to rest and spend some time with my wife. I carry on the habit of chatting with her about things before we turn in. I'm sure we both fall asleep easily, as busy as I've made us.
I do silently promise to slow things down a bit.
The next morning when you get to breakfast, you are informed that his highness the Duke has already eaten and is out on the parade grounds.
Whenever you reach him, he is examining your training facilities and program. Many of the concepts impress him as innovative, such as requiring the new recruits to live in the woods for a month before giving them tents, training them in small group tactics, and requiring all of them to have some knowledge of cavalry and artillery unit skills in addition to their infantry training.
He asks about whether those pistols are in production yet and whether Britain might be able to order some.
--M. J. Young
OOC: MJ, do you know if there is any way to get a compressed and zipped copy of my threads from the old Outpost. I would like to keep them. They'd make an excellent book, but also it is far easier if I can just grab the information of my drive instead of hunt for it on the forum.
IC: This is what I have, on May 1900 Beretta presented me with an excellent prototype. At the time this somehow got overlooked. I was informed that the weapon would be expensive to produce. Somehow this got overlooked - is it possible for me to make a response retroactively? In any case, the weapon should already be in production at this point so the answer is yes and yes, but I also mention that if Britain is willing to make some concessions to Beretta, they may be able to get their own factory. I would be more than willing to speak to Beretta on their behalf.
If I am able to respond to the Beretta rep retroactively then I change our deal to favor them as to defray cost.
Yes, the manufacture will be expensive, however the profits will be exciting. As a boon to help defray the start up costs I offer them 5 years relief from my share of the profit and Ten years relief from the tax on the factory. I do however, request that they provide me with one Beretta inscribed with the words 'Annika, Flame of Zenda' on the grip, plus 5 extra magazines for that weapon.
And if that settles both engagements, I suppose I see the Duke of Kent off and thank the rep.
After that it's back to the routine.
I have asked Aaron about having a copy of the entire Multiverser forum database (and other valuable forum materials) if the site ever shuts down, and he has indicated that he could do that in that event; however, I don't know that it is feasible to get just a few threads, and I know that our hosts are very busy with other demands on their time. My best suggestion would be to copy the text of each page into a word processing document, or what might be faster to do but less useful to have, save each page as a web page on your hard drive. Sorry I don't have a better idea.
I have no problem with any of that about the Beretta. I had assumed the factories were at least being constructed if not yet operational; my recollection was that they were building the Russian factory first, then the Ruritanian one, as you were concerned to provide jobs for Russia as soon as possible. I think, though, that it will take a year for the first factory to be in production, and another six months beyond that for the second, and it's only been about half a year (my best guess, but based primarily on your visit to Nikolaj and Alexandra being late last year and Alexandra being here now in response to your invitation to host Olga for the then-coming summer, with the deal with Beretta happening after your return from Russia). Your gun is still a year away.
It also helps that you're intending to purchase the remarkable pistols despite their cost. Whether Beretta would consider opening yet a third factory in England is going to depend on sales of the pistols from the Russian and Ruritanian factories, particularly as your agreement prevents them from selling to Germany, a major purchaser of armaments in the present climate. They have been relatively quiet about the new design until they have them in production, as they want to retain their edge in this. It is not certain how long it will be before competitors attempt to reverse engineer their designs and create similar weapons.
The Duke is not the person who makes purchase decisions for weapons, but would like to know as soon as they become available, so he can show them to those in the War Ministry.
And that should bring us back to the routine. You have a few months of summer with Olga visiting, and then an early autumn trip to Russia. What else is on the calendar?
--M. J. Young
to the best of my knowledge there should be nothing else except maintaining the routine.
Give my your travel plans for the visit to Russia. Annika is eager to see Alexandra again, and Shawn and Flavia have sent a gift for the Russian royal family, something wrapped in a box just less than a food cubed which you are assured is safe and won't spoil. Olga has been having a great time and is not entirely eager to go home for the Russian winter, but she also does miss her sisters and her parents.
--M. J. Young
Well,
We will have a security detail, the same as last time. Probably 12 of the spec ops soldiers working in details of four, although it did just occur to me that I should probably start working on building a secret service.
I won't be taking anything special, perhaps a faberge egg for the Romanovs (if Ruritanian Jewelers or the German Toy maker are familiar with their construction)
There aren't nay special sites I want to see this trip, just spend time with our friends and maybe help Nicolay a bit if he requires it.
You pose the wish to your toymaker, and he whistles.
"Faberge takes a year to design and craft one of his imperial eggs," he says. "I could do something like that, but in three months? And to compete with a master like Faberge?" He shakes his head. "Well, it would be quite a talking point, would it not, to have designed an egg like Faberge's that will be in the collection of the Czar? If you wish it, I can do it. I have seen one once, and read much about them, and I think I can manage it. It will be expensive, mind, but it can be done."
Your call on that.
--M. J. Young
I'll tell him to go ahead with it. I may not be able to present the egg on this trip, but I'll have it. And I'd like to add my mark to the fifty-six imperial eggs. Plus, it will give my toymaker the chance to show his ability tot he world, which can't hurt him.
A few days before your departure, you receive a message that the egg is ready.
To your eyes, it is a beautiful work of jeweled art. It would be difficult to say how it compares to the Faberge eggs (have you ever seen any of them? I am aware that there are a few in museums in this country, but very few), but it is beautiful, with that Babushka doll trick of opening in layers to reveal what is within. The first layer presents a miniature of the town of Zenda; the interior is a view of the ancient castle itself.
--M. J. Young
(I've seen 5 of the 40 odd that have been found that were on loan to the Smithsonian. I've seen perhaps two dozen more on the internet since then.)
The construction sounds absolutely fabulous, and I'll be happy to be able to give it to the Romanovs as a symbol of our friendship.
You are preparing for departure, packing passports and papers and whatever else is needed.
On September 5 (is it 1900 or 1901, or have I really lost track of time?), your train departs from Zenda, you riding in the custom rail car provided for the lord of the castle at Zenda, along with Annika and of course Olga. Your men are in the adjacent car; most of your luggage is in a separate luggage car, but they have retained their weapons. What do you have with you in your car, besides clothes?
--M. J. Young
I have brought my pistol and spare magazines with amunition. I don't really trust baggage with something as serious as the egg, so that as well. The rest of my weapons really make no sense for the trip, so they are at home (odd that I've finally started thinking of Zenda as home).
I have my martial arts and my pistol. My family and OLga are as well protected as I can make them without seemign over paranoid. We do after all have a large security team with us.
I'm hoping for an uneventful ride, but my luck has been solid lately,a nd it may just be time for the winds of change.
Within a few hours the conductor comes through to alert you to the upcoming of the crossing into Austria-Hungary. Passports will have to be shown, although he is certain that for yourselves the customs officers will be willing to accommodate you either aboard the train or on the platform, as you prefer.
Your men will of course have to present their passports on the platform, but may do so in shifts.
--M. J. Young
That's fine. I'll present passports with my men on the platform, but will want the women and children to stay on board the train with security while they present theirs.
I think I'll have my men go in two shifts, 6 on the platform and six on the train, and then the switch will take place only after the first six have returned etc.
The customs check goes smoothly, and soon all are back aboard. Dinner is served as the train resumes its journey (there are of course other passengers on the train itself who needed to be processed through customs, and the platform recalls to you your first night here, on the platform in Zenda as you entered the country and attempted to evade customs). Night is falling, and is hurried somewhat by the fact that you are driving into it.
Soon all are asleep.
Sometime after midnight you are awakened again by the conductor.
"Sorry to disturb you, your lordship," he says, "but due to some track problems in Moravia we've been diverted through Germany. It means an extra border crossing, and we expect to reach the German border in about," he checks his pocket watch, "twenty minutes. It won't take any longer to reach Russia, which we should hit late tomorrow afternoon, but we'll be traveling a bit farther north.
"We did not want to disturb your rest, but thought you ought to be made aware of the unscheduled stop before we arrived."
--M. J. Young
I can't see that this will cause any problems. We show our passports if required and sleep/guard - perform any necessary duties as normal.
While I'm glad to know for the sake of knowing, everything should be business as usual, and unless somethign happens to throw a wrench in the works, I'll not worry.
I presume you will be using the same arrangement as before, inviting the officer in charge to check Annika's and Olga's passports in the car (perhaps not awakening Olga?) but showing yours on the platform, along with your men in two shifts.
You get raised eyebrows both from your passport and from Olga's, but other than confirming your names there is nothing said.
--M. J. Young
Yes, same arrangements
If nothing is said I'll quietly board the train and prepare to depart.
You sleep well enough on the ride, and the sun is shining when you awaken. Brunch is offered, and your wife and Olga accept omelets.
You are alerted to the crossing of a time zone barrier at some point, such that everything is an hour later; thus it is four o'clock before you know it, and the train is slowing as it approaches the German/Russian border.
No one comes to check passports or to ask you to disembark for at least twenty minutes.
--M. J. Young
Well,
I find that odd. I'm going to be more alert on this one, keeping 8 of my security detail on the train with the family and only four at a time with me on the platform.
I'm sure we'll get out of Germany just fine, but if we don't, well then we'll deal with it.
Hey, out of curiosity,
Has anyone seen my old player Jeremo? I had been running him through my world "Grapes of Wrath" and he sort of dropped off the face of the earth for a while, but I see he was being run by M.J. at one point.
Oh, game post is above by the way. I posted this in the wrong spot.
It does not appear that I can split or move a post from a thread, but that's not terribly important. I have been wondering and worrying a bit about Jeremiah, as he was playing for a while and then suddenly vanished. I prefer to have players alert me if they are leaving permanently or simply taking a temporary hiatus, but that rarely happens (kudos to Nikolaj for explaining his departure). I keep expecting him to reappear.
After about half an hour the conductor comes to your car, knocking quietly on the door.
"Sorry to bother you, your lordship, but there seems to be some problem with crossing the border, and we're not certain what it is. The Germans seem to be waiting for someone to arrive, and they say that we can't continue until they get clearance from their superiors, but they're not saying what it's about."
--M. J. Young