Tightly Wound

[Chordling]

"While Ms. Stroud and I have been unable to understand the purpose of the small models as well, we believe these models can be activated by some sort of key," Mr. White added at the end of Mr. Harper's statement. "But we have been unable to locate or produce such an object," he lied, somewhat. It was true that they were unable to find the key, and whether they had produced a set of keys was still unknown. "The notes provided in the chamber were no aide to either. We are not as versed in mechanics as you are."


"Well of course not, boy," Clint chuckled. "That's why you're the senator, and I'm the engineer." He propped his monocle up with the tip of his finger in the middle of his phrase. Mr. White nearly snarled at the Blackcastle Engineer, but refrained himself and gripped the top of his cane. Though he had shaved and looked half a decade younger than before, he was no 'boy'.


"What do you suggest us to do within the following days while you and your men continue to examine the library?" Mr. White wisely asked. It seemed that the library would not only be off bounds for the public, but for Anna and Robert as well, at least while the Blackcastle Engineers were there. But surely there could be something for the two of them to accomplish while they investigated.


"Well, we both had suggested earlier, we've found it impossible to activate the model automatons," Mr. Harper slowly spoke. "But since you and Ms. Stroud seemed to have figured out another piece of the puzzle that we failed to observe, perhaps you can spend your time searching for the proper keys." It wasn't a very solid action, but it was a start. Finding the keys with no hint as to where they could be was nearly impossible.


"Sir, Ms. Stroud and I have looked everywhere for any clues to where the keys might be kept. We've come to believe that the keys were never made," Mr. White responded. By this time, the grip on his cane had loosened to a normal, relaxed stature.


"Why, dear boy, what makes you say that?" the Chief nearly laughed. Robert looked at the elderly man, confused and curious at the same time. Had two measly senators really observed more than three of the greatest Engineers in the country?


"If you have forgotten, Synge was executed before his work could be completed," Robert started. "Out of all the people in Aneora, wouldn't you know what his later works resembled?" He hoped he had made his point, because in honesty, he didn't want to waste his breath explaining machines to mechanics.

 

[Erica]

Accustomed to being overlooked, Anna readily took a backseat role in the conversation. To her surprise, Mr. White mentioned the keys, but not their plan to craft the keys. She sat with a straight spine, her hands clasped in her lap as he bantered with the Chief Engineer. What Clint Harper apparently did not know (or did not respect) was that Mr. White was well-accomplished in both logic and argument. (Of course, so was she, but that was beside the point.)


To her astonishment, Chief Engineer Harper mentioned nothing about keys. Had the Blackcastle Engineers really missed that aspect, or were they withholding information? They were accomplished engineers; surely they had seen the page she and Mr. White had found. If so, why would they not mention it? Were they uncertain of the keys, or uncertain of the Senators?


And this is why she did not like the Monarchy. The Blackcastle Engineers' first loyalty was supposedly to the King, but that dedication provided them an excuse to be secretive. That expected secrecy gave them immense power; power intended for the monarchy's purposes might easily be twisted toward another end. In this case, the Engineers' lives hung in the balance, just as Anna and Robert's did. Or perhaps they wanted to claim more of the glory if the automatons proved useful.


In any case, she did not like the turn of the conversation. "Why, Mr. White, I am certain Master Harper knows more than we do. We should rely on his expertise." She turned to the greying Chief Engineer. "Your suggestion of seeking out the keys is on point, but difficult for us to do without one of the prototypes. I would not want us to intrude upon your investigation. Perhaps we could take one of the minature prototypes to a secure location here, so that we might examine them more closely and compare against standard key designs?" As she spoke, she pressed a hand against Mr. White's wrist, hidden from view beneath the table, hoping to convince him to go along with the proposal..

 

[Chordling]

Mr. Harper held a serious look towards the two senators, an expression that could easily hold the assumption that the senators were up to something. The monocle above his cheek was pushed up again as he continued to stare, then his expression shifted to a friendlier position, and he finally spoke, "My men and I will happily discuss your idea, Ms. Stroud. Please excuse us," and without another word the three men exited the private area.


Mr. White remained very still in his position until the three engineers left the room. The moment the door closed behind the last man, Mr. White moved his hand away from below the table and rested it over his cane. "I don't like them," he simply said, and glared at the door. His mind wondered what in the world they would be discussing over Ms. Stroud's idea. It was brilliant, at least in his opinion. There shouldn't have been any reason to discuss it so privately without them. "Especially the short one, he concerns me, they all concern me." Impatiently, he tapped his fingers upon the jade orb at the top of his cane, eager to know their conclusion.

 

[Erica]

Anna did not resist when Mr. White pulled his hand away. Instead, she focused on smiling beatifically at the Engineers as they departed the room. "Of course," she agreed understandingly. But when they were gone and Mr. White voiced his opinion, her expression darkened slightly.


"I agree. Until we better understand their motivations, may I suggest it is better for them to believe the usually founded rumors: that we are constantly at odds?" She looked toward the door where the Engineers had just departed, speaking quickly and quietly. "I would prefer they underestimate us. It does no one any harm, and it might do everyone much good in the long run." She did not specifically mention the King, although he was on her mind.


"We are in charge of this investigation, but I purposely phrased my proposal as a request to confirm a suspicion." She did not elaborate on the suspicion. Rather she explained her suggested course of action before the Engineers returned. "I suggest you take the position that they are here at our request and under our authority. Better yet, argue with me about it." She turned to look at him. "Not only should it come naturally," she said with a minute grin, "but it will give us an advantage. I do not know about you, but until we are certain of them, I prefer to keep them off-balance."


She paused only briefly before adding, "I have more to share when they have left." While she wanted to tell him about Andrei's progress, she did not want to put him in the position of having to lie.


The door opened, at which point Anna changed her tone and demeanor drastically. She spoke in full voice, annoyance running beneath her tone. "We need to rely on their expertise. They can best assess the danger."

 

[Chordling]

"By leaving the room, I believe that assumption has been removed from the table, Ms. Stroud," Robert spoke, but he listened to her next remark, and his lips stretched into a small smile. An acting game of sorts, perfect. Robert figured, if he was capable of convincing people into whatever he wanted them to believe in, this task wouldn't be too hard for them to accomplish. And besides, who wouldn't want to cause a little mischief now and then? Throwing the Blackcastle Engineers off in such a manner might have been unnatural, especially for a monarchist, but Robert wasn't too fond of these people. Not in the slightest.


"You're more clever than I thought," he said lowly, the smile still remained on his face. "I like how you're thinking, and I couldn't agree more." Her last comment had intrigued him, and he wished to know more. Would it be about the set of keys? He sure hoped it would be. The moment the question crossed his mind, the Engineers began to enter the room again, which was there cue to begin to argue. Instantly, his posture became fixed, and he held an air that seemed to consume the whole room.


"We're you awake during the last part of our conversation, Ms. Stroud? Or had the contents of which we spoke of put you under a sleeping spell?" he naturally threatened, and glared at her. "We had uncovered more information in a single afternoon than they had in three days. Is that really your poor definition of 'expertise'? It's quite pathetic."





The three men looked at the two senators in shock, maybe even in horror. Did they even dare to go a step further into the room and expose themselves to the possibility of being exploded purely from their verbal conversation? Or simply stand there and face the flying insults from Mr. White's mouth? Either simulation was not pleasant in the slightest.

 

[Erica]

An argument with Robert White was as familiar as a well-worn shoe. Anna slipped into the rhythm with ease. Ignoring the Engineers hesitating in the doorway, she replied with clear passion that rivaled his. Any belief that the rumors about these two Senators were unfounded was dispelled in that moment.


"You are so quick to assume yourself superior to everyone you meet. Why did we engage experts at all if you could have deciphered the mysteries of Synge's work without aid? Did it even occur to your brilliant mind," she said with sarcasm, "that they are applying the scientific method, ensuring they have all facts before drawing and sharing any conclusions as such?"


She huffed and shook her head. "No. It makes far more sense that we should have uncovered answers that eluded the King's best. And you are the monarchist!"


She gestured toward the men in the doorway, but her eyes remained on his. Even he would likely have difficulty discerning the falsehood in her statements, for she blended them well with some of her true feelings about his shortcomings. "Now will you allow them to share their conclusion, or would you rather immediately order them about without any care for their humanity or worth, as you do with every other person you encounter?"

 

[Chordling]

"If I had known these three 'experts' would have served us better, I wouldn't be having this discussion with you," Mr. White spat back. "But from what I've seen so far, they have yet to give us useful information. Whatever scientific method they're using, it isn't working." He did not dare to break the strong gaze they held between each other.


"This isn't about monarchists and anarchists, Ms. Stroud," he replied to her next statement, and followed it with a long eye roll.


What followed next slightly shocked Mr. White. He thought her statements were becoming far too personal, but he easily pushed the unexpected feeling away in time for him to respond. Slowly, he turned his head to the three men, his gaze particularly stuck on Mr. Harper, and the tone in his voice suddenly shifted.


"Please excuse us, we are only doing what we do best," he emphasized. "And as I am sure, you have done what you do best regarding the chamber within the library. Now tell us, what has your conclusion come to?"

 

[Erica]

Clint Harper regarded the two senators with uplifted eyebrows and a dour turn of his lips, but inwardly, he felt a spark of satisfaction at the discord between these two. The two men following behind him finally entered the room, glancing back and forth in an attempt to figure out whether to interrupt or not. When Mr. White addressed them, it was the Chief Engineer who responded. “We concluded that the risk would be minimal, so long as only the automaton resembling today’s models is brought here, and that it be kept under guard. One of us - or another Engineer - will need to be present at all times to ensure access is appropriately regulated.”


He looked to Ms. Stroud with a patronizing smile, apparently seeing her as a reasonable (and perhaps gullible) ally. “I appreciate your wisdom, Ms. Stroud. We did see the designs for the key, but we also saw half-completed designs for a dozen other thoughts that may or may not be of value.” Locking eyes with Mr. White, he adjusted his monocle again. “We have no intention of wasting your time - or the King’s - with theories and conjecture. Nor do we wish to lend credence or buoyancy to any cockamamie ideas. Given Queen Valentina’s edicts on his works, we are treating Synge’s ideas much like an infection: quarantining anything of which we remain uncertain.”


Inwardly, Anna felt her frustration boil at this statement. So they were “protecting” her and Mr. White? All information should be shared with them, or they could not complete their duty to the country - or the King. But she could not state that and maintain the ruse of the false argument she and Mr. White had established. So outwardly, she nodded, albeit belatedly. She hoped the delay would reinforce the image of her being slow to understand, rather than making her reaction suspicious. “Of course!” She looked at Mr. White, catching his eye briefly before she shook her head. “We need to trust in their expertise. Which, I will point out, is the opposite of ‘anarchy’.” Looking back at the Chief Engineer, she began to stand, although she continued to address Mr. White. “I am certain they will share with us all information - with the appropriate caveats and disclaimers - when their analysis is complete. Won’t you, Mister...”


Her thought was interrupted as a loud ripping sound filled the room. She glanced down to see the hem of her dress trapped against the floorboards by the tip of Mr. White’s cane. In the course of their bickering, she must have missed him placing it down forcibly - and he was not aware enough to sense her moving. The strain had pulled at her skirt, tugging it downwards before ripping the hem off the dress. Momentarily speechless, she flushed bright red as she looked at Mr. White.

 

[Chordling]

Risk, minimal? To whom, them? If this is what Clint Harper had meant, it gave Mr. White more reason for them to not trust them. He wanted to point out to them that they had come upon their request, and that they were full grown adults, not children. There would be no reason for them to be under their provision while they conducted their research. Robert had to contain his rage towards the stubby, elderly man behind a hollow expression, and for a brief moment his eyes shifted to look at Anna as he wondered what was on her mind.


The way Mr. Harper constantly adjusted his monocle reminded Robert of Mr. Millberry's constantly twitching facial hair. This gave Mr. White more negative connotations towards the Chief Engineer. He turned his head towards Ms. Stroud as she began to defend her opinion, and to maintain their little game. As she stood up, he felt something underneath his cane give a tugging motion. Curious as to what it could have been, he looked down, and nearly shouted from what he had seen. Before his eyes could lay on anything else, he turned his head back up too look at Ms. Stroud, her face now red with embarrassment. Nothing needed to be said. It was clear this was not part of their acting.


Clint Harper and the two engineers stood near the front of the room, appalled. "We shall discuss this matter at a different time," Mr. Harper finally spoke to break the silence. "My men and I will be leaving now, good day to you." He gave a small bow to Mr. White before leading his men out of the room. Unfortunately this turn of events had only made the situation more awkward for the male senator. Gently, he lifted the end of his cane from the ground, and placed it somewhere safe. Somewhere far, far, far away from Ms. Stroud. He didn't dare to move his glance anywhere else in the room, in fear he might see something he shouldn't.


Robert felt like it would be the appropriate moment to say something, but his rather interesting set of social skills prevented him from doing so. His lips parted, but quickly came together again. Perhaps there wasn't anything to say, at least without making matters worse.

 

[Erica]

Anna looked down at her damaged dress, then back up at Mr. White. He had ... She had... Oh, God.


Although nothing but a section of her underskirt was showing, it still seemed a tremendous scandal, especially in a room with four men - three of them strangers, and one the man she had combatted in the Senate for years. She gathered up the fabric of her skirt as best she could, holding it up to her waist to cover the white fabric displayed beneath. This did nothing for the hem, which still dangled gracelessly on the floor.


Chief Engineer Harper and his fellow Engineers made a hasty departure, leaving her with Mr. White, who (thank God) remained speechless for once. He would not even look at her, which was both polite and infuriating. Swallowing hard (and sure that some of that unpleasant lump in her throat was her pride), she took a slow breath and, with cheeks still flushed with embarrassment, summed up the situation well.


“Well, bullocks.”


Clearly they would make no more progress today, and she had no intention of walking around with her underskirt showing. “Mr. White, I must beg your assistance.” She paused a moment, thinking matters through and completely oblivious to the reaction her words might inspire. The rip was too bad to mend temporarily: she would have to return home to repair her skirt.

 

[Chordling]

It was at that moment, when Ms. Stroud had made her last statement, his face turned the same color as hers. He had wished his face had not been so clean shaven to hide the color, but alas this was not the case.


"Ms. Stroud," he managed to say as he tried to remain calm. "I do not believe this would be the appropriate time to ask for my assistance. In fact, I believe it would be the appropriate time for me to leave." He casually broke out his pocket watch and looked down at it as if there was some other important event he had to attend. "Yes, there is other, important business I must get to before the afternoon arrives, please excuse me."





The color still held in his cheeks as he slowly stood from his seat to fetch his cane. He paused briefly, taking in a slow breath to calm his nerves while he was still turned away from Anna. "While it is flattering to hear you beg for my assistance, I am now begging you not to beg of me. Just this once." He let out another soft heave. "Please."

 

[Erica]

She had paused to collect her thoughts and determine the next best course of action. (The first priority obviously being the repair of her dress.) Since she would never - never - have asked for his assistance in that endeavor, it had not occurred to her how he might interpret her statement.


It was simultaneously amusing and mortifying to watch him squirm and then… Wait. He was flattered? What did he think she was asking him to do? She blinked at him, her skirt slipping as her grip loosened momentarily. She adjusted her grip again quickly just as he pleaded with her.


Anna shook her head, barely suppressing a fit of nervous laughter. “Please. Do not flatter yourself so, Mr. White. I meant nothing like that,” she said quickly. “Please inform Mr. Millberry that I will be unable to attend the hearings today.” The thought of having him explain what happened was even more mortifying than the present situation, so she offered, “You can truthfully say a matter of urgency arose at our meeting with the Blackcastle Engineers.


“Then I suggest you send a message to Chief Engineer Harper, instructing him to bring the prototype here tomorrow. I can share with you now that Andrei has completed his work. I will bring the keys tomorrow, although I suggest we make a point of shopping for and testing out rudimentary keys in sight of whomever is sent to guard the miniature automaton. At least, that seems best if your trust in the Engineers mimics mine.” She headed slowly for the door, carefully holding the fabric of her skirt in place. “Hopefully we can use this... incident to our advantage.” She pressed her lips together, thinking of the task of getting out into the hall without being seen. “... and then never speak of it again. Good day.” Feeling more comfortable with her chances out in the hall, she nodded again before opening the door with the intent of leaving the building by the most discreet method possible.

 

[Chordling]

A strange, nervous feeling sprang inside him when he was given the duty to inform Ms. Stroud's absence at the hearing. The tension in the room amplified, and both senators seemed frightened at the idea. Mr. White wasn't positive that the Chairman had recovered from the after party events. To tell him directly that a serious event had prevented Anna to attend, he would surely want to know exactly what happened; something Mr. White wasn't exactly in the mood to explain. As much as he would want to be discreet and brief, he had a feeling there wouldn't be a way around it, and he sure hoped Anna knew that.


Mr. White tried to fit 'the incident' and 'advantage' together in his mind, but for some rather odd reason they just didn't seem to go together all to well. Like 'Robert' and 'Anna'. Those two never seemed to go together well in his mind either. Patiently, he waited for Anna to make her departure, but when he still felt her presence, he thought he might give her a word of advice as well.


"Take the hallway to your left, then find the third door on the right. It will bring you to the back of the building near the docking station," he spoke, his back still turned away. "If you find yourself stuck, find the fifth door on the left after the left turn," he quickly added, remembering that the area was occupied by other senators at times. He remained still, waiting for her to either leave or respond.

 

[Erica]

Anna hesitated only briefly, planning out a route in her head, when Mr. White spoke again. She glanced at him curiously. Her first impulse was to tell him that she knew the Senate building as well - if not better - than he did, but she recognized that a curt and churlish response would not improve her situation. (No matter how good it might make her feel.) He was, in his own way, actually attempting to help. So she nodded in thanks again before exiting the room.


The plan would have been sound on an ordinary day. Instead, she turned the corner to bump into Edward Percival Leek. The intern had apparently been carrying a stack of papers, which went flying everywhere as he fell to the floor. Anna stumbled and lost her grip on her skirt momentarily. She snatched up the fabric as if her life depended upon it (for her reputation surely did), muttering another curse under her breath. “Mr. Leek!” The whispered exclamation resembled an accusation.


“Ms. Stroud!” Edward said, attempting to gather the papers as quickly as he could while kneeling on the ground. He glanced from the papers, back to her, to her hand on her skirt. Then his eyes went wide just before he tactfully averted his gaze back toward the papers. “I did not see you there.”


Anna felt her blush rising again and decided the safest course of action would be to leave as quickly as possible. The noise of their collision was sure to attract attention. “Obviously not,” she snapped, hating how bad-tempered her voice sounded. With effort, she calmed her breath and her tone. “I apologize that I cannot assist you at the moment. I must be going.” What a horrid excuse! However, once delivered, she took full advantage of it and hurried down the hall toward the docking station, the ripped hem of her skirt trailing behind her.

 

[Chordling]

"Ah, there you are," Mr. Millberry said when Robert entered the senate meeting room. He had just departed the private room he previously occupied with Ms. Stroud, and during his walk down the hall, he had tried to think of a method to deliver Anna's news.


"Ms. Stroud will be joining us as well, shall she? You were just with her a moment ago, were you not?" Eagerly, the Chairman waited for the senators response as he peered at him through his circular lenses.


"Yes that reminds me," Robert prepared. "Ms. Stroud had left after our small meeting in urgency. There was something important she needed to tend to back at home. I am afraid she will not be joining us." He stood before the Chairman with an empty expression, and hoped his made up excuse would satisfy. Surprisingly the Chairman did not reply, which gave Robert the opportunity to leave for his seat.


Just as he was about to sit down, Mr. Millberry caught up with him, and tapped him on the shoulder from behind. He had a grave expression on as he confronted Robert. Mr. White wasn't sure if this expression should be taken with concern or fear. He had still yet to receive his punishment from last evening's catastrophe. Something Mr. White was not eager to endure.


"I hope that Ms. Stroud is all right. It is very odd of her to leave so suddenly, don't you agree?" Mr. Millberry spoke, with a subtle hint in his voice. It was clear to Robert that the Chairman was trying to draw the truth out of him, and as much as he would have liked to oblige, he feared it would damage his image more than it had all ready been. Mr. White tried to elude the truth, but the Chairman was not to be fooled. The game of cat and mouse continued between the two men, Robert being in the unnatural position of the mouse, until it was time for the meeting to commence.


As the conference continued, Robert constantly found himself distracted. His eyes always wandered to the empty seat across from him, his mind always expecting his opponent to be right there before him. The distraction had overcome Mr. White so much that he nearly missed Mr. Millberry's question about the traffic concerns in Silchester. He turned to face the Chairman, and waited for him to repeat the question.


"Well, what do you think?" The question was followed by a discouraging glare, and Robert's whit did not seem up to par. As the time ticked away, the pattern repeated itself. Mr. White would be caught staring at the voided spot again, and asked the familiar question. He did his best to bring his attention back to the situation, but the current conditions would not allow him to.


Once the meeting had ended, Mr. Millberry came up to Robert, this time in a gentler manner, and confessed his concern. Robert left the senate building without exchanging any words between himself and the Chairman.


Chapter V

Mr. White could be found in the same room in the West Wing of the senate building the next day, glancing upon the prototype the Blackcastle Engineers had promised. He had successfully been able to direct them out of their way, so they would be able to conduct their research in peace. It seemed that his choice of outfit reflected a somber feeling. He was dressed in a similar vest to the one he wore the day before, but this had been dark navy instead of brown, over a simple, white, long sleeve button down. It would appear that he had forgotten his cane, but if you looked around the room long enough, you would find it patiently waiting in the corner like a disciplined child. In silence Mr. White waited for Ms. Stroud's arrival, hoping she would bear the set of keys her mechanic promised to produce.

 

[Erica]

Being socially adept has its downsides, as Anna learned on the way home. Since no one - least of all Andrei - expected her to leave the Senate so soon, her personal airship did not await her. She hired a public airship, paying extra for the driver’s discretion, but not before she ran into Mrs. Fitzsimmons and her delightful children. Ordinarily, she would have happily conversed with the woman and apologized for the abrupt ending of their airship ride the week before. Yet they caught her in the middle of the street, a highly unfortunate location to be holding her dress together.


After dodging questions about her dress (“a silly accident”), making poor excuses, and twice needing to physically keep the children from touching her damaged dress in their curiosity, Anna had left Mrs. Fitzsimmons silently seething at the poor treatment she received from the Senator so famous for her social graces. Anna silently vowed to send the woman a gift in apology. Perhaps a waterclock or an orchid. But surely not a pistol, for the woman was likely to use it on Anna at this point.


Still, eventually, she successfully arrived at her house with less than ten people she knew noticing her - and fewer than that noting the state of her dress. (She hoped.) When she later relayed the story to Andrei, her mechanic had laughed so hard he had to catch his breath. Standing in a new outfit in the face of his laughter, Anna finally saw a glimmer of the humor in the situation. She chuckled along with him, but made him swear not to relay the story to anyone else.


The next day, Anna chose a dress in a newer style usually reserved for younger women: the striped burgundy and gold skirt was gathered in the front so that it barely covered her knees. The remainder of the dress trailed behind her, but did not touch the floor. The matching burgundy corset with gold trim made up for the skirt in modesty, avoiding a deep neckline while accentuating and supporting her figure. Foregoing the common practice of wearing striped hose to draw attention to her exposed shins, she donned dark hose and tall black riding riding boots. All so that she might avoid another wardrobe malfunction with Mr. White’s cane. On her way to the Senate building, she stopped by a tinker’s shop and purchased a wide variety of keys, hoping to save Mr. White and herself another outing. Meanwhile, Andrei’s keys rested securely in her purse.


A Blackcastle Engineer waited in the hall outside the room they had chosen for their research. To her great relief, it was not one of the gentlemen who had been present the day before. “Good day,” she offered in greeting to him, allowing him to see the bundle of ordinary keys in her hand before she reached for the doorknob. Apparently, he knew her by sight, for he did not question her entrance into the room.


As expected, Mr. White waited with the prototype. A brief, unexpected flicker of embarrassment washed over her when she saw him, followed quickly by the impulse to laugh when she saw his cane banished to the corner of the room. As a result, her mouth twitched into a rapid series of expressions before settling on a dignified line implying self-amusement. “Good day,” she said stiffly before looking at the prototype. “Shall we get started?” The question was for the ears of the Engineer outside. She still wished the Engineers to believe that they did not have a key - at least for now.


The door closed a moment later, at which point she looked directly at Mr. White, her features softening into something resembling concern. “I hope Mr. Millberry did not question you too closely?” While she had said they would not speak of the incident again, she could not help harboring some concern about her reputation.

 

[Chordling]

"Close indeed," Robert subtly responded barely moving from his position. He had not even noticed the strange outfit choice Ms. Stroud chose for that day. Well, strange for her at least. "Though, you do not need to fear," he began to add more, "for though I did not reveal the truth to him, I was somehow held responsible for you absence." His statement was not to blame Ms. Stroud for yesterday's event, but merely to assure her that her reputation did not falter. After he finished his first phrase, he turned his head to look at Ms. Stroud, and nearly jumped. Her choice of clothing was less conservative than he had expected, something he assumed people like Melva Synder or even his own mother would wear. "Today, however, any trouble like that will be completely avoidable," he said as he turned his attention back to the prototype.


From the inside chest pocket of his vest, he pulled out a familiar binding, then gently placed it upon the table before them. It had been the corresponding book from the library, which after a bit of persuasion and force he was able to obtain. Based on the Engineers work from the past three days, he highly doubted it would be something they would miss. Calmly he flipped to the page which described the key that would activate the automaton, and hoped Ms. Stroud carried the very object in her purse. Otherwise there really wouldn't be any reason for them to be in the same room again.


"How is your mechanic, Ms. Stroud?" he evasively asked, though it was meant to bring upon the subject of the prototype's key. He continued to study the pages of the book and the machine itself as he waited for a reply.

 

[Erica]

Anna breathed a silent sigh of relief when Mr. White said she had nothing to fear. Her gratitude dissipated slightly, however, when Mr. White groused about being held responsible for her departure. Before she could say anything in response, he turned to look at her and physically reacted. While accustomed to a variety of reactions to her manner of dress, his still surprised her. She raised an eyebrow, ready to defend herself and rebuke him if needed, but for once he had little to say on the matter. Instead, he focused on the task at hand.


An audible intake of air greeted the sight of the book from the Library. Admittedly, she had not believed it possible to secure the book. Finding his skills of persuasion impressive, she stepped to the table and smiled at his question. She set down the ordinary keys in her hand - far away from the prototype - before reaching into her purse. “As I claimed, Mr. White, he is one of the best in Aneora. As you discovered yourself during the ride the other day,” she said as she fetched a set of keys from her purse. Fashioned in iron and brass with an elegance that bordered on artistic, they ranged in size from diminutive to comically large in comparison with the prototype. All rested on a brass ring, and when they moved they made a deep jangling sound.


Turning to look at him, she grinned mischievously. “Shall we consult the document before we start attempting to find a fit?” She looked at the diagram, lightly touching the delicate paper. Beneath the key, a series of lines led to a circular diagram with hand-written notes. Anna had missed it before. “Can you read that?” She leaned forward slowly, squinting as she thought she saw the words, “walk”, “dance”, and ... something else... but did not trust her eyes.

 

[Chordling]

"Precisely what I am doing right now," he answered, though indirectly. His mind had become incredibly focused, reading between the book and the machine. His eyes shifted away briefly to look upon the newly crafted keys. Robert had to admit, if Andrei were to be in the room with them, he would personally compliment the mechanic. Every key, just like the other, only of a different scale.


Robert subtly tilted his head as he watched Anna closely examine the page before them. Something was oddly familiar about it, but it wasn't because he had seen it before. He stared blankly at the wall to think, and slowly moved his hand towards his pocket. Suddenly the tips of his fingers came in contact with his pocket watch, and an idea struck him.


"No," he spoke as he pulled his pocket watch from its hiding place. Gently he pressed his thumb on the latch to release the cover of the watch, and the continuous ticking noise from the second hand filled the large, empty space within the room. Robert glanced down at the face of his watch, then back to the book that Ms. Stroud was trying to decipher. Without warning, he placed the clock beside the small, circular diagram provided in Synge's notes, then slowly aligned the two figures together, the watch sitting directly above the page.


"Get a piece of paper," Mr. White suddenly demanded. Rapidly his idea was beginning to unfold. It would be useless for them to stand there all day trying to uncover the meaning of Synge's hand writing. It would be much easier for them to experiment and take their own notes. "In fact, get a whole stack."

 

[Erica]

When Mr. White reached for his pocket watch, Anna found herself smiling. Of course. The diagram reminded her of the face of a clock, with notes at each position, although there were less than twelve notes. The scribbles were difficult to decipher, but she remained confident there were five words scribbled on the paper.


His expertly delivered metaphor elicited a broad smile from Anna. It was nearly enough to make her overlook his tendency to order her about. Nearly, but not quite enough.


"Please," she corrected even as she sought out the paper and an inkwell from the side table. As she returned to the table with them in hand, she met his gaze as she clarified in an patient tone, "I am honestly astounded by your ability to achieve so much while exercising such poor manners." The prospect of witnessing the automaton's secrets excited her, softening words and thoughts she might have otherwise kept to herself. "Still, I shudder to think what you would accomplish if you should suddenly begin to win over people's hearts as well as their minds." Meet mood remained buoyant, so much so that the words carried a kind, nearly playful tone.


Then she motioned to the keys and the the miniature robot with a small flourish. "Would you care to do the honors, Mr. White?"

 

[Chordling]

Quickly, Robert's hands reached for the inkwell and pen the moment Ms. Stroud had set them on the table. He began to copy a similar diagram from Synge's notes as she talked to him, then placed the twelve lines around the circular shape accordingly. Though his drawing was near from perfect, it would be obvious to say that his penmanship was far more legible.


After Ms. Stroud's question, he turned his head to look upon the set of keys, then grabbed one that he believed was the appropriate size. To his alarm, the key was just a size to small. When he had placed the key through the whole, it freely wiggled around, and never latched properly. Mr. White traded among the set of keys, placing the misshapen one back onto the table, and grabbing the one just a size bigger. The next key was suitable, which had been confirmed by a soft clicking noise, and was set at a twelve o'clock position.


With pen in hand, Mr. White prepared himself for the automaton to move, but the figure remained motionless. He waited just for a few more seconds, and the automaton was still unresponsive. Many wild thoughts began to swarm around in Mr. White's mind. Hand Andrei failed to create a proper key? Had the automaton been previously damaged in any manner? Was Mr. Synge's accomplishments not as great as they believed? He stood there, as still as the automaton before him, letting the thoughts over run his consciousness, so much so that he nearly missed what happened next.


Another clicking noise was emitted from the automaton, and the position of what one might assume to be the arm had changed. Mr. White's attention strongly remained on the machine, anticipating for any other motions. Then another click was heard, and the arm moved again. The more time that had been given, the more continuous the automaton's movements had been. A small smile began to grow on Robert's lips when he realized what the automaton's actions were. A waltz. This automaton took the role of the male dancer, and it made Robert wonder, had Synge made its dance partner? With sharp movements, Robert jotted down the machine's actions in the twelve o'clock position.

 

[Erica]

Mr. White exhibited no reaction to her comments about his etiquette, which really should not have surprised her. He was singularly focused on the task at hand. She watched him quietly as he attempted one key, and then another. Realizing she was holding her breath, she waited expectantly with him as the moments ticked by, punctuated by Mr. White’s pocket watch.


Perhaps it had been foolish to believe the prototype automaton would work after all these years. How long had it stood collecting dust in that hidden chamber? Had it ever worked at all?


Then it started to move, however imperceptibly. She covered her mouth as she gasped quietly, then smiled brightly as old and stiff joints worked themselves out and the machine began to move. “It’s more elegant than I thought,” she confessed, although admittedly it moved stiffly due to its metal nature. Once the machine had repeated its pattern twice, she reached for the machine. It took a moment to get a good grip on the key with the automaton’s motion, but she turned it nearly a quarter turn to what would look like the two o’clock position.


Now that its joints had been unlocked, it moved more freely. Anna set it down carefully on the table and it marched forward at a slow but steady pace with only minor balance issues. It was an impressive feat of mechanics. It made slow but steady progress to the edge of the table before Anna picked it up and turned the key again. She could feel tension in the device in her hand and saw the bottom half of the little man moving. When she set it on the table, the little man’s arms went to its sides and the top half of the robot began to spin, gaining momentum quickly. She grinned at Mr. White, amazed at the craftsmanship. The dancing, spinning, and marching alone were each difficult, but having one machine that could successfully switch between them required incredible complexity.


After he had taken his notes, she grabbed the machine carefully - getting a small nick on her finger in the process - and turned the key to the 6 o’clock position.


Perhaps her celebration of Synge’s genius had been premature. Although the robot’s torso locked into place with an audible click and its arms fell to its sides, it did not move further. Anna waited with a small frown and shrugged at Mr. White. “Perhaps that setting is broken?”


After waiting another agonizing minute, fearful that she had broken the machine, she picked it up carefully and turned the key again. Once she set it back down, the miniature metal man bent at the knees and rolled into a ball, tucking its head down and wrapping its arms around its knees. Anna gasped audibly at this, both surprised and relieved that it was still functioning. It did not move, nor would it roll very successfully, but it demonstrated a great deal of flexibility in the design.


Finally, Anna turned it into the last position - at 10 o’clock if the back of the prototype was a clock. The machine curled out of its ball position and stood up straight, bringing its hands out. Its hands moved in repetitive circles. Anna tilted her head as she studied it. “What is that? Is it... juggling?” She could not help the chuckle at the idea of an automaton entertaining others.

 

[Chordling]

With every turn of the key, Robert jotted down each task the machine was able to perform. Even he couldn't help but smile widely as they continued to watch the automaton perform for them. His father would have been proud at Robert, finally marveling at the amazing wonders of mechanics. The sudden thought of his father pushed the smile off his face, and then looked back down to the piece of paper in his hands to finalize the notes. It made him wonder, what was supposed to happen at the six o'clock position? Carefully, he reached for the automaton during it's juggling act, and switched it back a setting. Almost instantly, the machines arm fell to it's side, and the automaton remained motionless. Curiously the male senator glanced upon the machine, but no conclusions had been made.


"Rather odd," he said allowed, and simply left the position in his notes blank. Then, he took the piece of paper and neatly folded it in the fourths, and tucked it in his left breast pocket. After the notes were secured in his jacket, he picked up the automaton, and gently removed the key from the back before placing the two objects back onto the wooden table. It was truly a marvelous moment to see the machine work, but he wondered, would the Engineers think in the same manner they had? The Engineer's negative assumptions about Synge's work would surely sway them during their report. Though Anna and Robert were both skilled at persuading into what they wanted them to believe, Robert felt like it would be a much harder task with the Blackcastle Engineers.


He turned his head to look at Anna as he continued to think before speaking. "Ms. Stroud, we should be very afraid," he began. "Should we present this information to the engineers, they will want to see the exact presentation we had seen just moments ago. I hope you realize that will involve revealing Andrei's key, and I don't see a way lying around the fact that it is his key. Not only will we further our lives into danger, but his as well. It would be a shame for an innocent man to pay the price at our expenses." He paused briefly, hoping his words were setting in, then began to walk around the room some. "What we have seen is in no manner dangerous to our country, but I have a feeling the engineers will want to make it look that way. We must be very careful, and I wish that we remain quiet about this until we know for sure that we can trust these men." As the final words of his phrase slid from his tongue, he cringed inside. Trust them? It was unlikely, but Robert still wasn't sure.


As he walked about, he picked up his cane from the back of the room and held it closely to him. "I always wish that you will agree with me. It is really a simple decision, and I would think you are smart enough to chose the correct decision that does not place us in any further danger, along with your loyal mechanic." Robert had a strong feeling Ms. Stroud would agree, but he wanted to make sure. This point was crucial for them. Every step they took after this would have to be gingerly, as if walking upon egg shells. The option to turn around and run was gone, in fact, it had never been present. Whether their reputations as politicians survived would seem minuscule to the idea of their own lives.

 

[Erica]

Anna agreed with Mr. White’s instincts: both in double-checking the uneventful setting of the automaton and about the Engineers.When he commented about it being odd, she nodded in agreement, her eyes fixed to the small, still machine. “Perhaps that setting is broken? It is remarkable that it works at all after all this time.”





Then he turned to look at her, and she listened attentively. For once, his words echoed her thoughts. When he walked away, she was about to say as much. Apparently, he did not trust in the possibility of agreement between them. While an understandable sentiment, she bristled slightly at his condescending way of attempting to convince her to his way of thinking. With eyebrows lifted, she looked at him and shook her head. “First, now that we are alone, I must thank you for exercising restraint in regards to informing the Engineers about Andrei’s involvement.” She had not expected him to be so protective of Andrei. “I do not trust them either. And, for once, we are in full agreement. However, eventually this information will come to light. Perhaps it is better that we do not attempt to prevent their discovery of it, but rather dictate the method by which they do so and thus guide the nature of their conclusions.”


She thought for a moment, mulling over the options. Finally, she smiled. "First, we must determine what direction their investigation is taking. If only they were reporting back to us sooner…" She shook her head and her hand to dismiss the thought. Then she pointed at the book. "We show them the diagram. Their reaction may educate us on how much they are withholding from us; for, like you, I suspect they are not trustworthy.


"It will require a few days for them to make their own keys. During that time, we can lay the groundwork that this mechanical skill, while impressive, is not nearly as radical - or dangerous - as in Queen Valentina's time. We can also ready arguments to present to the King." It was not a perfect plan, but it provided hope. After all, who could stand against them if they united?

 

[Chordling]

Robert spun around to face Anna again, and addressed her first statement. "I know you think I may be stoic and a bit capricious towards others, but never in my life would I want someone to feel as if their own life were in danger because of me. Intimidated? Yes. In danger? Never." His words were genuine, and mainly because he feared of how it would affect his reputation as a politician, but really, why should he be responsible for anyone else's life but his own?


Anna's further statement began to concern him. Their small acting game the day before seemed innocent enough, but to further the game felt too risky for Robert. His mouth was about to open as she stood there and thought, but she was able to speak quicker. Patiently he listened to the rest of what she had to say, and he started to feel a bit better about her idea. Convincing the engineers alone might be easy, but their evidence didn't seem strong enough. While they distrusted the engineers, it could easily be assumed that the engineers did not trust them. Synge's notes would only bring them so far, especially with the horrid hand writing. If they truly wanted them to understand Synge's notes, they would also need to look over Robert's notes, which might not be as authentic. And if they told them how they acquired the key, would the engineers assume that Andrei also reproduced an automaton of a similar fashion?


Perhaps Robert was over thinking the situation. After all, she had said so herself, they were in full agreement. Something that never happened. Would their similar opinions throw the engineers off too? Would these mechanics become suspicious of them, assume a conspiracy was forming behind the curtains? Maybe the idea of them coming to agreement had been throwing Robert off. He tried to shake the thoughts away, but they only continued to drag on. They spun around in their own complexity, and only when Anna began to speak again did they dissipate.


Slowly he walked back to the table, and placed his finger tips upon the open pages of the book. His pocket watch still sat over the old diagram, and continued to tick, filling the silence that Robert left. Tenderly his hand lifted from the parchment and reached to close the face of the clock, causing the soft ticking to seize. The circular time device was slid off of the pages, and back into Mr. White's pocket. It was impossible for Robert to wipe away the concern from his face, but he spoke with confidence. "Excellent," he continued, "Creating these arguments should not be difficult." He turned to look at her again, thinking maybe the concern would wash away from his expression, but it had only deepened.


Robert continued to meet with Anna in the next several days. Their discussions had been civil, and more agreements had been made between them. It was an odd feeling for Robert. Not the fact that someone had agreed with him, that had happened countless times before, but it was the fact that it was Anna who had been agreeing. That was something..... strange and new. He even remembered that morning as he headed to the senate building actually laughing with the woman. This change was unexpected for Robert, and he wasn't sure if he should feel enlightened or afraid.


News that the King had requested to see Robert and Anna reached the senate building, and things seemed busier than ever. Many of the other senators remained clear of their path while they conducted their research, but once it had been confirmed that Robert and Anna were to speak with the King, the two senators suddenly became the center of attention. This new found popularity was especially strong for Robert. One assumed that such a strong monarchist would boast his opportunity, but Mr. White did not. The other senators didn't seem to realize how grave the situation could be. Though he had practiced their arguments with Anna numerous times, he was still unsure if they would stand.


"Mr. White," the Chairman had called. "I am glad to have found you. You will be leaving with Ms. Stroud to meet the King momentarily." The tone in his voice was not as bright in its natural state. "I wish you and Ms. Stroud the best of luck on your journey." Gracefully the Chairman bowed to Mr. White, though making sure his clothing wouldn't stretch too far. Robert merely chuckled to himself, trying not to worry his superior.


"I am simply traveling North, not out of the country," Robert lightly stated, then continued to walk through the senate building until he reached the East Wing, where he would be meeting Ms. Stroud. An airship, unrelated to either senator, would be waiting for them outside, prepared to take them to their new destination. The automaton had been safely transported onto the ship, and Mr. White carried the book from the library and his personal notes in one of the inner pockets of his royal purple jacket.