Ice and Clockwork Epilogue Part I

Back in England!

I have been posting three serial tales from our Role Playing group The Airships Messdeck.

All take place after our airship, the experimental HMAS Velvet Brush,  has been taken out of service for a major refit.

Most of the crew were assigned other duties but Lt. Cmdr. Maxwell MacDonald-Smythe (known as Max to his shipmates) Chief Engineer and acting commander, along with other members of the bridge crew and two of the airship's marines, were sent to Scapa Flow to test a new piece of equipment. Their adventures are detailed in the first two serial tales Frozen Sky and Lost at Sea. The third serial tale Ice and Clockwork tells the story of what happened to Acting Lt John Watkins and the two marines who had been left behind in Scapa Flow when Max sailed off on the old steam trawler Argo.

<<<<Spoiler alert>>>>

At the end of Ice and Clockwork Watkins receives the glad tidings that Max and his shipmates have been found and are being returned to England!

<<<<End Spoiler Alert>>>>

Here follows the first of three parts that continue the story.

In this Epilogue to those tales we catch up with Max as he is called to the EAD Headquarters at the London airdock after his return to England.

Enjoy Part I.

Keep your sightglass full, your firebox trimmed, and your water iced.
KJ

Ice and Clockwork Epilogue

A serial story from The Airship's Messdeck.

Part I
  by Kevin Jepson

Headquarters Building EAD Dockyard London

Max pays the Steam Cab driver his fare and, brushing cinders from his now slightly too large uniform, walks up the steps of the EAD's Main office at its London dockyard.

Would have liked to get over to see the ship first but the message from the dockyard commander was emphatic. Wonder what the hurry is now after all this time.

He walks up the steps and gives his credentials to the Marine at the door. An orderly comes quickly to collect him and takes him to the office of the Dockyard Commander. Max is pleasantly surprised to note the name on the door is Admiral Sir James Wilcox. Admiral Wilcox had been in charge of the Portsmouth dockyard when they left for their adventures on the way to Moscow almost two years ago. He is now the head of the EAD itself.

The orderly tells Max to wait outside the office as the Admiral is busy at the moment. A Marine sentry beside the door watches him with a studied blank stare. After checking to make sure his uniform is adjusted properly, Max starts to look at the pictures arrayed around the waiting room.

He stops in front of one old and faded lithograph of a badly damaged airship, barely aloft, creeping into the airdock in St Johns Newfoundland. "I'll be damned if that ain't the old Pelican and all."

Max reaches down to rub his bad leg, memories rushing back, memories of struggling to keep the badly damaged engine running, his leg a mass of bloody bandages and searing pain, every second expecting the crash of icy water to come pouring in as they hit the sea...*

"Sir?"

Max jumps.

"Sorry Sir, the Admiral will see you now." The Marine sentry is looking at him strangely.

"Eh, thank you corporal, fine ship the old Pelican."

"Aye Sir, if you say so Sir."

Steady on Max, maybe the Pelican is a good sign now... maybe. Let's see what's what shall we?

Standing straight he marches into the Admiral's office.

Max comes to attention in front of the desk and salutes. He half expects to see Fleet Admiral Chicheley lounging in a chair as well, but there is no one there but Admiral Wilcox. That gentleman, with a broad smile on his face, rises and returns Max's salute then reaches across his desk to give Max a hearty hand shake.

"Welcome home Commander!"

"Thank you Sir."

"Please stand easy and have a seat."

"Sir." Max takes a seat before the desk, acutely aware of how his uniform jacket sags as he does so.

When did you become such a clothes horse you old fool...

As if reading his mind Admiral Wilcox, still smiling, says "You look well after your adventures."

"Thank you Sir, bit light on the ballast at the moment though Sir."

"Ha, not surprising! Some good English roast beef will soon have you filling out again I'm sure. I have read your report, it would make a good book frankly, perhaps we should have it serialized in the Strand Magazine eh? Although I suspect the Intelligence mavins might have something to say about that."

"Aye Sir."

"Your crew performed well Commander, my compliments on keeping them going. Also your request that Mr Angus be reimbursed for the loss of his ship while in Her Majesty's service has been submitted I expect that will occur."

"Thank you Sir"

"As you have no doubt heard, the Velvet Brush has completed her re-fit and will soon return to service."

Max sits up very straight at this.

The Admiral smiles "Anxious to get back into harness eh?"

"Aye Sir, I've had enough of the briny and all that's for sure Sir."

"Indeed. Well you will be happy to know that you will be assigned to her as her commander, if you want that post that is?"

"Ah... er... Aye Sir! Thank you Sir. And the rest of the crew Sir?"

"They are being informed that their services will be required when the Velvet Brush is re-commissioned." Admiral Wilcox sighs. "It seems that Intelligence has uses for you and your fellow crew members although what uses those may be they have not deigned to inform me."

The Admiral pulls a thick folder of paper from the pile of similar folders on his desk and hands it to Max.

"Your orders Commander. You will take command as soon as the EAD releases her back to the Admiralty. Until that time you are to collect the crew and review the changes that have been made during her refit. She will return to active duty, on detached service for Naval Intelligence. You will report to Admiral Chicheley directly."

Of course...

"Aye aye Sir."

The Admiral steeples his fingers and watches Max for a moment.

"Is there something else Sir?"

"There is indeed Commander, it concerns Lady Formingham."

Mary...

Max sits back in his chair. "Lady Formingham Sir?"

"Yes, you were ordered to not have any contact with Sir Gordon or Lady Formingham yes?"

"Aye Sir"

"Those orders are still in force Commander."

Blast and damn!

Admiral Wilcox reaches into his pocket, pulls out a small envelope and carefully places it on his desk in front of Max.

Max can see a doodle of a pelican clearly, "Ah... I don't understand Sir."

"Be careful Commander."

Max takes the envelope and slips it into the folder with his orders.

"Well... I wish you success with your new command."

"Thank you Sir"

"Carry on Commander."

Standing up Max comes to attention and salutes the Admiral before turning and marching out of the office.

Bloody hell, back a week and it's like nothing has changed!

Part II will follow after an Interlude


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* After a scandal involving the wife of the then head of the EAD, Admiral Sir Gordon Formingham, Max had been assigned as engineer on the old patrol airship HMAS Pelican. During a skirmish with five pirate airships off the coast of Newfoundland Max was badly wounded in the leg. Despite that he managed to nurse the engine along to keep the Pelican going until she was safely back in St Johns.
He still walks with a cane as a result of that wound.