Fit the Twenty-Fourth
In which the charming Alyeskan prince has an uncomfortable conversation, a disturbing bit of foreshadowing occurs, and the wildlife looks to its own conservation.
The day dawned fresh and bright, and such members of Team TransAmerica as were inclined began their morning with a turn about the deck of the Altes Zuverlässiges Helga. Mrs. Anderson and Prince Lvov found themselves admiring the view, notched fin notwithstanding, when Mrs. Atwood noticed several lights moving under the water. Much to everyone’s amazement, Mrs. Anderson and the prince were each hit with four enchanted bolts, much to the detriment of their persons and wardrobes. Fortunately, no lasting damage was done, but it was decided that perhaps the safety of belowdecks trumped the pleasure of the open air.
Finding themselves with little privacy and less to do, Our Heroes continued their seemingly-endless games of cards, Chinese language lessons, and prying conversations with fellow passengers. Prince Lvov was grilled mercilessly by Mrs. Atwood, Mrs. Anderson, and Dr. Hu (Mr. Lawton being subject to a self-inflicted mal de terre, and Mr. Karl and Miss Kingston were still recovering from their Penguin Ordeal).
Mercifully, the interrogation was interrupted by a very orderly and thorough lifeboat drill, which Lord Longsworth-Brunfondle declined to attend. Alas, it was only a brief respite for the Alyeskan. It was eventually revealed that he had been abroad for some time, and had become quite a fan of the Ellipse. Indeed, he had been doing extensive research on the the various team members, and was following their exploits closely in the newspapers, particularly the one for which his very good friend, Miss Penelope Fletcher-Finch, reported. Furthermore, he had been trying to catch up with Team TransAmerica in order to offer his assistance. It was also revealed that he had been abroad for very personal reasons, having been at the center of a juicy scandal at Her Majesty’s court in Sitka, which annoyed his mother sufficiently for her to send him abroad with the directive not to return until he had “learnt to behave properly.” Accordingly, the Alyeskans had been touring the world for the last two and a half years, and Evgeny had not seen his beloved wife since at least one daughter ago.
Nevertheless, both the prince and his long-suffering valet were deemed to have sufficient useful skills for Our Heroes to consider accepting the roundabout offer of help. Perhaps Mrs. Anderson summed up the group’s opinion best, when she said, “I don’t trust the prince any further than I can throw him, but I’d like to help Evgeny get home.”
Quote of the Game: “Stay on land, mate.”—Frederick the Mage-Engineer, answering Dr. Hu’s question as to how best to avoid the shark.
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