The Emerald Queen

[maddox]

Halifax, customs office.   (relevant time periode)

A burly Gran Colombian contractor ports in a teak chest, banded with sturdy steel bands, with several large and heavy padlocks keeping it hermeticaly shut.

Good afternoon messieurs, it's most uncommon to have an armed gentleman like you here. But your papers are in order, so we won't object to your presence.
But the chest you're delivering is of interest to us too. The papers list the content as "Medical Supplies", but that doesn't warrant your presence. So we need to have a look inside.

"No habla Inglas"
Damn, that happens now. Does somebody speak Gran Colombian, or whatever this language seems to be? A Portugese dialect maybe.
(a voice from another office, the accent does say its not Portugese, and Gran Colombians do speak Spanish, I'll come in a minute, form 262A, section 17Bis paragraph C is almost ready)

A few minutes later (and for everybodies convenience, translated)

Sir, we need to look in that chest, you have to admit the situation is strange. You're guarding a very heavy, sturdy chest, what ,according to the papers, is filled with medical supplies. What reason is there for medical supplies to include a Gran Colombian guard of your quality?

I have to admit, I don't know, but it isn't my job to know, I only know the contents of this chest have to be guarded.
I agree monsieur?

José will do ,adjudant.

I agree on your job, but we'll have to inspect the cargo. After all, it's meant to be on a French diplomatical vessel.
I garantuee you the contents won't be damaged. Only inspected. After all, what hurt can a crate of medical supplies do?

I agree , and I'll send for the keys. But beware, it will cause a lot of problems if the contents are disturbed.


Opening the chest ? Gold glitters everywere.  A strange device, a gilded electrical tesla motor clearly recognizable between the equaly gilded mechanical linkages that seem able to drive a smooth formed, but removable rod, in a 3D oscilating movement.   
In between the straw fillings, several sized and strangely shaped attachement are found.

José, can you explain this?

No adjudant, I cannot. I have no idea what this device is. But if I can offer any advice, if this is medical, we should ask a doctor.
(in English)
Ok, send for a doctor, I want to know what this is. if it's not medical, it won't go the Le Reine Emerauld.
(aide runs off)

José, can you lift out the device and set it on the table. Then we can clean out the straw, and present this cleanly to the doctor.

I can, but again, if it gets broken it is your problem.

The 50 lbs device is put on the table together with the attachments. Straw is picked from between the linkages and adjustment screws.  After half an hour, what contains a few cups of coffee and small talk, the doctor shows up.

Bonjour Docteur, I requested your presence to identify this device.  (showing the device)
According to the papers ,it's medical supplies. But if you ask me, it doesn't look like medicine, nor chirugical material, not apothecaries.

(grinning from ear to ear ;D :D) You're right, monsieur. It's medical, and from the Siegmund school of tought. It's a treatment for ladies who suffer frequent hysterical attacs. I myself have a far less elaborate, less expensive and handpowered version. It's very efficient. If it's labeled medical supplies, I would say, it is. And I almost envy the doctor who's going to apply that. He must be very rich to order such a piece of craftmenship.

It's ordered by the ministry of commerce, to go to the sickbay of a diplomatical yacht. So I doubt the doctor pays for this. That does correspond to what you tell us.

That explains it all. The government pays for it. It will do a good job, I can imagine the wifes of Diplomats suffering  the strain of the demanding task their men fullfill. That can induce bouts of hysteria readely enough.
But I'm surprised at use of cold metal and the level of smoothness of the attachments. My patients react better on varnished wood with a more knobbly texture.

Thank you docteur, for your professional explanation. I hope we didn't impose on your time.

No problem monsieur, I'll just send the bill to the the commisionair.

[maddox]

(Timejump modus on)

Early 1915. Marissa is enjoying the equatorial heat, reading a good book,and contemplating life on the 7 seas, in memory of her loving husband.

Unfortunatly, the gentle murmuring of the engines the waves and wind is shredded by the shrieks of 2 7 year young children running after a beleagered maid.

Shaking her head, Marissa realises that the nursery, even redecorated, isn't ideal for 2 up and coming members of the powerfull Mars family. In a few years, the twins will need their privacy and gender specific education.



Mid 1916. Constanta , Romania.

The Emerald Queen is refueling on the cheap sweet Ploêsti oil available there. But the social life is more than dull, almost deadly boring.  Only tidbit that amuses Marissa are the endeavors of the young princess Flowranis. 
Just lost in toughts
"That princess has acces to technology that wasn't even thinkable when I was her age ,and she's allowed to partake in that. It was almost a miracle that I was allowed to read a book. But, mom made it possible, good teachers in religion and magic, and money to boot. And then Agrival, who encouraged me to learn, gave me the means to raise power and learn more, I miss him. "

Shaking her head.
No, life isn't that bad atm, he children will have the opportunity to learn, to do, to live life totaly as she never could.
The tenth birthday of the Terrible Twins is approaching fast, and a suitable present is needed.
Lets travel to Nice....

Traveling trough the Bosporus.
Late night, the lights of Constantinople on port, the many feeble illiminating devices on the Ottoman fishingboats dimly around the slowley advancing Queen.

Braaaap, chraaaaak, HISSSS
Steam venting.
The ship yawning to port.

Bridge. A scantly clad Marissa storming in.
CAPTAIN, what is happening...

Milady, the port engines seized and the noise you hear is steam venting to avoid more problems. A very important safety feature.

Ah, and why did the port engines seize?"

Sorry Milady, I can't tell you right away, but if you can accept an educated guess, we ran over a heavy fishing net. Our engines ain't that powerfull at low speed and can't rip free of such things. The older style tripple expantion engines wouldn't have any problems with that.

Captain, whatever it takes, we won't suffer from that anymore, I want a full briefing at breakfast. AND SHUT THAT STEAM WISTLE UP.

more to follow

[maddox]

That morning, lady Mars is having a breakfast , together with the twins, Lilith and Samael. Captain Vasquez brings the report and recommendations.

Milady, we know now for sure that the port propeller was jammed by a steel cable that was attached to a buoy. The combination of  the strong tide and the low waterstand made it possible for our outer prop to grab and reel the cable in. The buoy itself was jammed between the 2 port propellers.  We have removed the remains of the buoy and the cable, but the outer prop and shaft are beyond our capacity to be repaired, and the inner  propeller is damaged , we can't risk to give her more than 20%. It's a dry dock job.

Any preferences captain?

Yes milady. First I have to point out that we can get anywere in a reasonable time. The starboard props are in fine shape.
I don't recommend  the Ottoman ports, I fear the crusaders could get active anytime, also, there is civil unrest in the Ottoman empire.
That gives the same problem for Greece.
So, I suggest that we set JB on the problem.

I agree captain, so, let us travel on to Nice, at a leisury pace of course. And contact the Dutch architect Victor, if he could join us in Nice, Our emerald Queen needs some redecoration.

[maddox]

Mid 1917 , The French floating Drydock,  130 nm west-northwest of the Darien Canal Caribean entrance. The Emeral Queen recieving her new outer port shaft and propellor, as well replacing the hastely repaired inner port propellor. In the mean time, a venerable army of skilled workers are scraping and painting the hull with the newest anti fouling paints.

In the mean time, the Mars Family and a few selected retainers reside in a convenient place provided by local friends.