A couple of men sat on a dock with fishing rods in hand and lines in the water. They mutter towards each other, patiently waiting for a catch. A steel bucket sat between them with a couple of fish inside. Off in the distance of the ocean, a shadow began to emerge. The men look up to the skies. Piercing through the thick clouds across the sea, a gargantuan bronze-toned steel airship was emerging. Their eyes widen at the sight of the mechanical marvel.

  The zeppelin was massive in size. A long, cylindrical airship with tapered ends and multi-plane sharklike fins facing towards the front. Four sets of double-barreled cannons stuck to the underside of the hull. Atop it was two more cannons on the front and back ends, protecting the small cabin on top. Two sets of spotlights flickered on from the underside of the hull. Under the nose up front was a rectangular windshield. Several round windows lined the lower sides. Unlike the zeppelins London had, this one did not have a gondola attached underneath. Its design differed in that it bore a militaristic design rather than a commercial one. Painted on the sides of the hull were the American flag in broad view. The faded sunlight hidden behind clouds gleamed off of the bronze sheen of the zeppelin. The two fishermen quickly pack up their gear and leave the dock.

  Citizens all across the city looked in awe at the surprise appearance of the foreign airship as its enormous shadow was casting over the streets. Queen Victoria glances out of the window in her office once the zeppelin was in her sights. She smiles and returns to her paperwork.

  All hands were on deck at the London Airfield. Both of the city’s commercial zeppelins were away so the airstrip itself was empty. With the restriction placed on London’s borders, air travel was prohibited so the commercial zeppelins were stuck in the cities they traveled to. Airfield crew scrambled to prepare for the foreign vessel’s arrival. Three men in black suits stood near a gold-embroidered steam carriage. They watch the zeppelin begin its descent to the airstrip. A hatch on the bottom would open up. Emerging from inside was a steel gondola. This served as the landing platform for the airship.

  Instead of making a complete landing, the door on the gondola opens up and a steel ladder extends down to the surface of the airstrip. A single man steps out and climbs down the ladder. The stocky man wears a black trench coat with a dark green decorated military uniform, black boots and a black peaked cap bearing the American flag. He has a black eyepatch over his scarred right eye. He has a curled black mustache and beard. The three men in suits all bow to the visitor as he approaches.

  “Welcome. You must be the ‘special guest’ Her Majesty told us about.” One of the men spoke.

  The tall and imposing military general nods. He adjusts his cap and clears his throat. Attached to his hip was the hilt of a silver cutlass stashed in its brown leather scabbard.

  “At ease, gentlemen. You would be correct. Name’s General Russell Enright. Now if you would be so kind as to take me to Her Majesty.” The general speaks in a gruff voice.

  The three men nod. They lead him into the steam carriage. As the carriage takes off towards the gate of the airfield, the zeppelin slowly rises back into the skies after the ladder shifts back up into the gondola.

  “Welcome, General Enright.” Queen Victoria speaks.

  Russell kneels before the queen, takes her hand and kisses the glistening diamond ring on her finger.

  “It is an honor to be in your presence, Your Majesty.” He states.

  Russell stands up to face Victoria. The two lock eyes. She nods and smiles at him.

  “Such a gentleman. Come. Let us talk, general.”

  The two walk over to a set of red velvet chairs. On the side table between them is a silver plate with two silver cups and a silver tea kettle.

  “Care for some tea?” Victoria asks.

  “It would be my pleasure.” Russell replies.

  Victoria pours them each a cup of tea. They raise a toast and simultaneously take a sip. Victoria crosses a leg over the other to get comfortable.

  “I will say… I was not expecting you to show up here yourself. Rather I was expecting an envoy of sorts. Someone under your command. Or a member from a different branch of your government.” Victoria says.

  “Well, we are not currently at war. Not since eight years ago when the conflict with Mexico ended. The commander-in-chief personally sent me since he must remain at headquarters. He felt I was most certified for this task at hand. Not only to command these forces we brought… but also to personally meet with you. My diplomacy skills are top-notch if I do say so myself.” Russell responds.

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  “These forces you speak of… Just who are they exactly? We are not fighting a war here.”

  “A special task force if you will. That beautiful airship you saw was the USS Armitage. Our pride and joy. The sole warship of the United States military. Didn’t want to use our commercial vessels so we just deployed the warship instead.”

  “I see. I see. Now… Explain how your forces will come into play here.”

  Russell takes another sip of tea. He clears his throat.

  “My troops will be deployed all throughout your city. In squads. Due to the lack of manpower, you possess with your police enforcing lockdowns on the quarantined zones and the military watching the borders of London… You are quite stretched thin. With my troops in the city, they’ll be monitoring the boroughs. Keeping eyes all over for any suspicious activity. Once they’re out and about… No criminals or terrorists will be safe from the watchful gaze of the United States military.”

  Victoria ponders. She quietly sips her tea, keeping her gaze on the general.

  “Understood. Exactly what I expected of you and your forces. I will not tolerate these acts against my people. Whoever is behind this infestation will be apprehended. They’ll be lucky if they still live by the time we’re done with them…”

  Russell smirks as he sips his tea. He peers out the window to see the USS Armitage off in the distance over the city skyline.

  Corbeld and Magrath share a laugh in their current discussion over tales from their past. Corbeld remarks how he tricked a government spy from Russia to trust him only for his hotel room to be raided by bobbies the day before his attempted assassination on Queen Victoria. Magrath talks of his two separate occasions in which he outsmarted street thugs desperate for money by beating them down alone. They lightly tap their glasses of wine together and sip.

  A set of footsteps were rushing towards the room. The door swung open. A brown-haired scruffy man sweating profusely stood there panting. Magrath recognized him.

  “Oh? What is it, Scott?” Magrath asks.

  “There… outside… airship… must… come and see.”

  Corbeld and Magrath both raised an eyebrow. They set their glasses down.

  “With me. My apartment building… I have roof access.” Scott says.

  He motions for them to follow him. The two men stand up.

  Scott leads them outside the underground chamber up to the streets. He brings them to the six-story building just down the road. The men climb the stairs up to the top floor. Scott takes out a keyring and unlocks the door. Once they step outside, Corbeld and Magrath freeze in place. Scott points up to the zeppelin in the sky.

  Now lowered to a borough, the zeppelin’s gondola descends from inside the hull and its door opens up with a steel ladder dropping down several feet to street level. One-by-one, six individuals wearing dark green padded uniforms with lever-action rifles slung over their shoulders slide down the ladder. Magrath scratches his head. Corbeld is shaking his head.

  “Dear God… When did they get here??” He asks.

  Scott looks over to him.

  “Down in the chamber all this time? That zeppelin showed up roughly an hour ago. First time I’ve seen that happen though…” Scott replies.

  “That’s no commercial airship. That’s a military vessel. Those are soldiers. Shit… I need to go. Find out what’s happening.”

  Corbeld rushes down the stairs leaving Magrath and Scott alone on the rooftop watching the zeppelin slowly rise into the skies.

  “You seeing it too, love?” Peter speaks.

  “I sure am, dear.” Marianne responds.

  The two glance over at the zeppelin in the skies casting a blanket of shadow over the city. They shut the doors to the steam carriage and walk to the building. They pass by others muttering of the zeppelin on their way to the elevator. Peter leans on the railing as the elevator ascends.

  “I suppose we can ask the chairwoman about it once we report our findings. Surely, she must know something about this. We’re not at war so why is an American warship here?” Peter ponders.

  Peter and Marianne leave the elevator to head towards Weston’s office. Peter knocks on the door. A muffled voice tells them to enter. The two step inside. Miss Weston munches on a blueberry muffin. She adjusts her glasses. Peter takes out his notebook and sets it on the desk. Marianne slaps the folder down.

  “Our findings, ma’am.” Marianne says.

  Weston scarfs down the remainder of the muffin then proceeds to gleam the reports. She’s quiet. Her head nods. She scratches her chin. Taps her fingers on the desk. Peter and Marianne stand there in the awkward silence. Weston takes a sip of water.

  “Mm. I see.” She mumbles.

  “Please take note of the last portion of our notes regarding the sightings or encounters of strangers near the sites where the infestations broke out. Potentially culprits? Or perhaps coincidentally just random passersby. Considering the times these outbreaks occurred… It’s quite strange.” Peter remarks.

  “No no, this is good evidence you two. Excellent work. This paints a broader picture of how these attacks on the population are happening. Um. I’m not sure if you two noticed on your way here but… Seems Her Majesty has called in a favor regarding this entire ordeal.”

  Both Peter and Marianne’s eyes widen. They believe she is referring to the zeppelin currently over London.

  “You mean… The American warship??” Marianne asks.

  “That’s the one. Frankly, I had no clue this was even happening. Now Her Majesty is probably going to contact me to inform me of the situation. I’ll have to send a copy of your reports to her. So, I hereby cease this investigation. You two may return to your doctoral duties. Leave the vermin infestation to us. I’d love to chatter but I’m awaiting word from Her Majesty. You two are dismissed.”

  Peter and Marianne nod. They walk out of the office feeling nervous.