series 02 01 Conspiracy of Silence

by Andy Frankham-Allen

  Nathanial took a moment to collect himself and then looked up again. “If I understand where this is taking us, the expedition will profit from a good geologist. I know an outstanding one and will require his assistance. He is currently stationed on Mercury. Doctor Arnaud Fontaine.”

  “A French geologist?” Dumba exclaimed. “Why not invite the commandant of Le Garde Rouge along as well? It is preposterous!”

  Annabelle had to agree. She thought Arnaud an odd fellow but pleasant enough, but even she understood the political difficulties in including a French scientist on a secret Anglo-Austrian scientific expedition.

  “Stone?” Kelvin said, inviting him to respond.

  “Monsieur Fontaine, the former French ambassador, is an expatriate living here in London. He has no ties to the Commune, nor does his son. For us scientists, this is about knowledge, not politics. In any case, it does not sound as if he will be in a position to make clandestine reports back to Paris even if he wanted to.”

  “And after the expedition is completed?” Dumba demanded but Kelvin himself shook his head.

  “After the main expedition is completed, the results will inevitably become public. I am prepared to undertake this condition, provided you understand that Captain Folkard will bear responsibility for the secrecy of the mission.” Nathanial nodded his assent and Kelvin turned to Folkard himself.

  “Captain Folkard, Rear Admiral Cavor informs me we can count on your participation as well, but I would not presume to continue without your confirmation of that.”

  “A serving officer goes where he is sent, but this is not a disagreeable duty by any means. Admiral Cavor suggested that I have some unique skill to add. I cannot see that I do, beyond providing a serving officer’s experience, and that is hardly unique. I have also a…liability with respect to aether travel. Perhaps―”

  “Yes, Captain, we know that you also are touched by the Heart. That is your unique contribution. You consider it a liability, and in some respects it is. But where you will be going, and for what you will be seeking, the occasional guidance of the Heart may prove essential.”

  4.

  WHEN GEORGE BEDFORD entered the drawing room at Mrs Collingwood’s boarding house he found Annabelle in earnest conversation with Fairfax Cartwright. A thick manuscript lay on the table before them.

  “As your friend, Fairfax, I must urge you to reconsider,” Annabelle said. “I speak not only with your own interests in mind, but also those of your country. You are a promising diplomat of a sort any country would benefit from counting in its service. You are guided by courage and a sense of duty and honour which will always serve you well. The publication of this book will certainly end your career.”

  “But it will not be in my name,” Cartwright protested.

  “After all we have experienced and learned, can you seriously question that the men you lampoon here will not be able to discover the identity of the author? Can you?”

  Cartwright looked up at Bedford standing in the doorway. “Ah, Commander Bedford. As you see, Miss Somerset is asking me to throw aside my life’s labour out of fear for its consequences. Surely you would not do so.”

  “No, sir, I would not. But I would question whether my life’s work was best encompassed by devoting my energies and talents to the pursuit of my nation’s interests or the production of satirical novels.”

  Annabelle beamed at him and applauded. “Oh, well said! That is what I mean, Fairfax. I would never counsel you to compromise your ideals for personal gain. I simply wish to see you use your God-given talents where they will produce the greatest effect. I ask only that you will consider what publication of this book will gain, and balance that against what its publication will cost, and then make your decision accordingly.”

  Cartwright looked at the manuscript on the table before him and then nodded. “I promise I will do so,” he said, but Bedford could tell Annabelle’s argumentative arrow had found its target and Cartwright would relent.

  Bedford was not sure whether he cared one way or another—it was the fellow’s life, after all, and what he did with it was his concern. But Annabelle clearly felt strongly on the matter and Bedford had come to trust her instincts as much as his own, perhaps more on some matters.

  Cartwright rose and gathered up the manuscript. “I will leave you two alone. I’m sure you have much to talk about.”

  Bedford took his still-warm chair after he left.

  “How is your arm?” Annabelle asked.

  “Aches like the blazes,” Bedford answered honestly, “but that’s to be expected. The doctor said the break is not serious. The pain’s as much from the bruising as the fracture. How is your leg? Are you growing accustomed to it?”

  She stretched it out and lowered it again. “Yes. Walking remains awkward but it is a very great relief to be able to sit and not worry about the peg sticking out for people to trip over. I will always treasure that peg from Kak’hamish, but I do not miss wearing it when I sit.”

  “Sovereign has nearly finished her refit and Viscount Theobald, her new master, has arrived from the West Indies. We will be fit for service soon.”

  “Will they let you serve with your arm in a cast?” she asked, concern clouding her face.

  “Oh, yes. It won’t be on for long and the ship’s surgeon can remove the cast when the time comes. I am unsure how long we will be gone. You also will be gone on your expedition for some time.”

  Annabelle looked at him and nodded and he felt his ears and cheeks grow warm. This aimless small talk was not what he had intended at all. When he came here he thought he knew exactly what he would say, but now he felt as if he spoke in a foreign tongue, struggling for words which would not give the wrong meaning or sound absurd, comical.

  “I mean to say, I feel we have grown closer these last months, not merely because of time spent in company with each other. These shared experiences have also revealed our characters to one another, in a manner of speaking. I would not like to see that…that understanding, if you will, diminish during an absence. Not that it would, of course, but perhaps without some formal understanding between us there could be—”

  “George,” Annabelle broke in, “will you marry me?”

  Epilogue

  St. Petersburg, Russia, February 19, 1890

  “HOW IS YOUR stomach, sir,” Khachaturian asked from the doorway. “Can I bring you a glass of tea?”

  “My stomach is as good and as bad as ever. It would rest easier if your master would come. Yes, I’ll have some tea with a little honey.”

  The Armenian servant brought the tea and Willie (as he was known to his now-dead or captured minions in London) sipped it slowly, careful not to take too much too fast lest he irritate his damaged stomach.

  The effort to implicate Stone in treason by leaving Salt’s doctored journal in the crashed aether cutter had ultimately come to nothing. His whisper campaign to ruin his reputation had borne some fruit, although keeping the fool alive long enough to appreciate the depth of his fall had proved more difficult than he had imagined—and ultimately unsuccessful. Drowned in the Thames, and then hailed as a hero! Dead and vindicated: the worst outcome imaginable.

  His efforts to shatter the Anglo-Austrian alliance had been no more successful, but there remained one more card to play there.

  At length the door opened and Count Dorokov entered, snow still heavy on the shoulders of his fur coat and matching cap.

  “I came at once. I am amazed to see you alive—amazed and of course delighted as well. Your note was cryptic but enticing. You have information concerning a secret British mission?”

  “A joint mission between the British and Austrians, but of course that means British principally. The British seek to harness a remarkable new source of energy and use it to open the outer Solar System to exploitation. Russia is faced with a difficult choice: let them monopolize this source of energy or attempt to beat them to the prize.”

  Dorokov’s face remained impassive as he to
ok off his hat and coat and handed them to his servant, who took them in one arm and replaced them in Dorokov’s hand with a steaming glass of tea. When the door closed behind him, Dorokov sat at the table and looked at Willie’s face carefully.

  “Your scientific expertise is much respected, as are your efforts on our behalf, but this strains credibility. Surely you see that. Given the failure of your recent efforts in London you must understand that there is a certain reluctance…well, to support further endeavours. I, of course, completely support your projects, but others oppose them and say they are dangerous. If you had some evidence…?”

  Willie reached into his coat pocket and withdrew a folded yellow form, its face covered with rows of typed text, and laid it on the table between them.

  “My evidence is as incredible as my claim: a telegraph message from beyond the grave. But there is factual information in the cable which can be independently verified to prove the identity of the author. This cable spells out the entire British plan of action.”

  “And the identity of the mysterious informer?” Dorokov asked.

  Willie looked up from the document, and said, with a twisted smile, “Vladimir Tereshkov.”

  The End.

  Next:

  Ceres by Steam by Paul Ebbs

  Acknowledgements

  This book never would have been without a number of folks, prominent among them the other authors of the first series of Space: 1889 & Beyond books: KG McAbee, Mark Michalowski, L Joseph Shosty, and JT Wilson. Had those been sow’s ears in stead of the silk purses they were, there would never have been a second series of books. Thanks also to the folks at Untreed Reads who made all of this happen, foremost among them Jay Hartman and KD Sullivan.

  A writer should write no matter what, even if no one cheers him on, even when he thinks no one ever will. A writer needs to be tough enough to write all by himself, alone. That said, it’s a hell of a lot easier when there are people who do read what he’s writing, and once in a while do cheer. So for making that part of my life easier, my heartfelt thanks go out to Craig Cutbirth and Bev Herzog, Jake and Beth Strangeway, Tessa Chadwick, The Hawk, Arturo Lorioli (get well, my friend), Nancy Blake, and especially my pal Bart Palamaro for, among many other things, figuring out why gravitar had to be polarized.

  A big thanks to my co-author, Andy. Collaborations are supposed to be hard. This wasn’t. The writing part was as demanding as ever, but the collaboration part never was. And of course if it weren’t for Andy’s tireless dedication to the project, there would not be a Space: 1889 & Beyond series two, or even series one.

  Last, but by no means least, thanks to all the loyal fans of Space: 1889, both those who have been with the world from the beginning and those who have discovered it along the way and taken it as their own.

  Frank Chadwick—7th June 2012

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  As ever thanks go to the usual suspects, but in this case particular thanks must go to; Carolyn Biddick, the clerk at All-Saints’ Church, Putney, for her invaluable help in researching the history of the church. To the authors of series two; Paul Ebbs, Steven Savile, David Parish-Whittaker, Joshua Rainbird, Mark Michalowski, Sharon Bidwell and Jonathan Cooper—all stars! To Jay Hartman and KD Sullivan and their never-ending support and trust. To Tom Sanford and Christian Mansell, for their support and excitement in all things pertaining to writing and Space: 1889 & Beyond (watch out for these names—you will see them again!). And, of course, to Elizabeth Medeiros, my constant muse.

  A huge thank you must go to my co-author, Frank. This was the novel which was always planned for Frank, but of course things change, and he made his prose debut in the previous series (twice!). Nonetheless, that Frank and I were going to join forces to pen this second-series opener was never in doubt. Much to thank him for (not least of all for creating Space: 1889), but in this instance it’s for his support in the last couple of years, and always being willing to let me bend, and sometimes break, the rules established in the original RPG. And, it has to be said, actually co-authoring a book with a New York Times best-seller is a pretty awesome thing.

  Andy Frankham-Allen—8th June 2012

  HISTORICAL CHARACTERS

  Several historical figures appear in this book in scenes as characters. The following sketches provide a look at their actual lives and accomplishments.

  Robert Todd Lincoln

  Robert Todd Lincoln was the only one of Abraham Lincoln’s three sons to survive to adulthood, but he established a reputation as a gifted lawyer with a head for politics. Lincoln served as Secretary of War from 1881 through 1885 under President Garfield. He was appointed Minister to the Court of St. James in 1889 by President Harrison and served in that capacity until 1893, after which he returned to his private law practice.

  Fairfax Leighton Cartwright

  Historically, Fairfax Cartwright published his three-volume satirical novel, Olga Zanelli, in 1890 but, upon urgent advice of his friends, quickly bought back and destroyed almost every one of the 1500 printed copies. He held a variety of diplomatic posts of increasing responsibility, enjoying success in all of them. In 1898 he married the charming and vivacious daughter of an Italian senator and when he was appointed ambassador to Austria-Hungary in 1908, he and his wife turned the British embassy into the most fashionable in Vienna, hosting many gala balls. It was said that on one occasion, when Mrs Cartwright was dancing with the Austrian foreign minister and the Russian ambassador attempted to cut in, a feud developed between the two men which nearly had international repercussions. Nevertheless, Cartwright probably came closer than any man alive to preventing World War I, having secretly negotiated a separation of Austria-Hungary from its German alliance in return for an international loan to underwrite the modernization of their armed forces. Unfortunately the loan negotiations collapsed and the rest is history.

  Konstantin Dumba

  As Franz Deym, the Austro-Hungarian ambassador to the United Kingdom, historically was not assassinated in 1889, Konstantin Dumba was not recalled from his posting in St Petersburg. He went on to a series of diplomatic assignments, culminating in his appointment as Austro-Hungarian ambassador to the United States of America in 1913, becoming the last man to hold that post. In late 1915 Dumba was charged with espionage, having been implicated in a plot to sabotage US armaments production. Although the US was not yet at war, its sympathies were clear and the output of its industry supported only the Triple Entente powers. Dumba was expelled and he was not replaced. There is no evidence that, in his earlier posting to the United Kingdom, he even met Fairfax Cartwright, let alone was involved in a romantic rivalry with him. Nor is there evidence he was not.

  Lord Kelvin (Doctor William Thomson)

  Thomson was a successful engineer and inventor as well as a respected professor and lecturer. He is best known for his work in thermodynamics, his recognition that heat was a reflection of movement, and therefore there was a bottom limit to temperature (“absolute zero”) where all motion, even at the most basic atomic level, stopped. He was also a pioneer in the unification of all of physics under the common principle of energy and in developing the Vortex Theory that an atom was simply a vortex in the aether. Although the Vortex Theory is all but forgotten today, work on it resulted in mathematical Knot Theory which remains an important tool and field of study.

  Ludwig Eduard Boltzmann

  Boltzmann was a visionary Austrian physicist best-known for his Kinetic Theory which provided a statistically-based description of thermodynamics. The theory relied upon the existence of atoms and molecules as the building blocks of matter, at a time when their existence was widely rejected by the physics community (but as widely accepted in chemistry). He was given to alternating bouts of intense activity followed by depression, almost certainly a product of bipolar disorder. He frequently became discouraged by the opposition to his theories in the scientific community, and committed suicide by hanging in 1906. Most of his theories were vindicated by the work of Einstein, Perrin, and oth
ers, with the main breakthrough (the confirmation of the values of Avagadro’s number and Boltzmann’s constant) coming only two years after his death.

  *

  HISTORICAL FIGURES MENTIONED

  Several other historical figures are mentioned in the story, and have greater or lesser importance to its unfolding, but do not actually appear in scenes in this book (although some do in other Space: 1889 stories). They are:

  Major General Sir Redvers Buller, VC (British military officer)

  Pierre Paul Cambon (French diplomat)

  Joseph “Pushful Joe” Chamberlain (British Colonial Secretary)

  Franz Deym (Franz de Paula Severin Wenzel Maria Philipp Benitius Graf Deym von Střítež) (Austro-Hungarian diplomat)

  Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury (British Prime Minister)

  William Ewart Gladstone (British Liberal Party leader)

  Lord Chancellor the Baron (later Earl) of Halsbury (British jurist)

  Freiherr Ladislaus Hengelmüller von Hengervár (Austro-Hungarian diplomat)

  President Abraham Lincoln

  King Milan of Serbia

  Albert Edward of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII)

  Sir William Henry White (British engineer)