Leave of Absence

[Subtleknifewielder]

"What are you trying to tell me, doctor?"

Anthony glared at the physician. If not for the fact that he was an adult, the expression might have been considered a pout. But of course he would never be so childish. He had never dared be childish.

"I'm telling you that stress is catching up to you again. You need to take some time off. Go on a vacation or something."

The key word, 'vacation,' immediately aroused his suspicions. He should have known. What other reason would the royal physician have to attend to him after a mere matter of a few seonds of dizziness? It could easily be explained by the fact that he'd probably had a little too much alcohol the night before. "Hannah put you up to this, didn't she? I wouldn't exactly call my time in France a business trip," he stated wryly.

The physician was unperturbed. "That is irrelevant. You do need to take some time off more than once a year. You can't do your best on your job when you have no real down time."

Anthony rolled his eyes, but the following glare contained little, if any, heat. "Fine," he declared, throwing his hands up. "I surrender to your impeccable logic.

----

Despite several recommendations from the physician, Hannah, Melissa, as well as others he'd had more than a passing acquantance with since beginning his life in the palace, he only had one place he really wanted to go.

He packed minimally--only a few changes of clothing, a few toiletries, and his wallet, which contained visa, passport, and more than enough money to get by while he was gone. And of all things...a French dictionary. The last time he'd visited he'd stayed long enough to learn the basics, though he hadn't openly displayed his knowledge. He'd always had a gift for tongues, so given a few days of immersion in the culture that spoke it, along with a little help now and then from the dictionary, and few would be able to tell him from a native speaker.

And the rumors of an new pandemic of some sort didn't really concern him. There were no reports of anything in the major cities--so far, in fact, he hadn't heard anything about any sort of outbreak anywhere in France. Even if there was, well...he'd be in a place where perhaps, he could save a few lives for a change, instead of take them.

The flight to Bordeux left in an hour.

[Sarah Tintagyl]

"Monsieur Harlem..." The flight attendant said as the plane had finally landed in the international airport in Bordeaux. "Monsieur Harlem?" She rocked him back and forth a moment to wake him. "We've landed." She said as he opened his eyes. "Welcome to France."

Bordeaux had not changed much since the rise of the Empire when Anthony had arrived, the current plague was too far north, while the massive changes of infrastructure were being down outside of where Aquitaine had existed. There were still even at the present time, lingering effects from the Hohenzollern Regime in the north. Of course the signs of the new regime, Therese's Imperial Power could be see everywhere throughout the city. Indeed France was a changing nation, the chaos that gripped the Mamare-led Republic and the power struggle during the Burgundian Era could not be seen. Men and women walked the streets late into the night as speakers across the city played sweet music, classical and jazz to go along with the promenaders. Anthony would be greeted by a spectacular light show, white, blue, and other colored lights running the buildings, chatter from the cafe tables spread out to the streets and the cool breeze of the spring day blew gently onto the Grand Duke's face.

On the main avenue, it lead to a large garden which had been built at the center of the city. The Empress Garden had been built in honor of Therese Zelle, the Empress of France who had been born in Versailles and amidst the cool and relaxing sounds of the fountain a small statue of the Empress stood in the center of the park. Which had drawn Anthony towards. There she stood in stone, a hopeful face looking towards the sky as blue and red water poured down from her feet. Here one could feel at peace, peace in a world of war and chaos. A peace that Therese had created for her people from her strength alone, a peace forged in the fires of imperialism and war. But a peace nonetheless. The statue smiled and the night quietly continued on.

[Subtleknifewielder]

It was a sign of how much his time in the office of Grand Duke had changed him. He only jumped slightly when he felt the hand on his shoulder. Blinking himself awake, he sent a grateful smile at the attendant. "Merci," he said.

He'd kicked back and slept for most of the flight. So maybe he had [i]one[/i] thing to be grateful to Hannah for, he mused as he stood and stretched out the kinks; that he hadn't immediately woke up upon landing was a sign of just how badly he'd needed it.

Reaching up to take his luggage, he caught the attendant before she moved on to the next person. Not yet fluent, but still knowing enough of the language, he again thanked her, and handed her giving her moderately-sized sum, explaining it was a tip, before moving on with the rest of the passengers.

He still had to suppress a yawn as he walked out of the terminal, out of the airport and into the city. Like just about any modern city, it was truly a magnificent sight at night, and he stopped for a moment, just admiring the view before moving on. [i]'I have to admit, if only to myself, it's good to be back.'[/i] Not much had changed, but there were certain subtle differences that would only be evident to someone who had been away for a while before returning. Someone such as him, and signs of the early republicanism being replaced by the imperial regime. He thought that word without the barest hint of rancor, as in his own way, he'd been an absolute dictator. He could hardly condemn anyone for doing something similar to himself. If there was one thing he'd always prided himself on, it was that he never allowed himself to become a hypocrite.

As the sun set, it prompted the barest hint of a breeze as he set out along the main avenue. There was at least one thing he knew he had not seen--because it had been added only after his last visit, and it wasn't too far to walk.

The temperature began dropping, but not to unbearable levels. Another thing about these cities is they rarely got too cold, especially if they remained just as active at night like this one was showing evidence of doing. He smiled at passerby, nodding occasionally when someone greeted him. A friendly people, these French, despite the claims of many who would say the were evil incarnate simply for the ambitions of their Empress.

Speaking of which...the statue in the center of the Garden (which had quite obviously been named for Therese) drew his attention, and unbidden, his feet drew him toward this. The expression on his face as he looked up, studying the statue, would have been all but indecipherable to any onlookers. In fact, he frew a number of stares from other pedestrians in the park, but he paid them little mind as he trailed one hand across the surface of the pool.

"Well, Therese, you managed to unite your nation, as you said you wished," he murmured to himself, barely louder than the cascading fountain as it dropped backiinto the pool. "If anyone could do it, I thought it would be you. And you proved me right. Though you certainly made no lack of enemies in the process." He wasn't sure how long he spent there, but before long, he yawned again. Time to find a hotel or inn for the night, before he moved on. There was plenty of France to see, and Bordeux, though still magnificent, was only one city.

----

With as much sleep as he'd gotten on the plane, he was up, refreshed, and ready to go before dawn. Before leaving the airport, he'd grabbed a travel brochure, detailing the sights to see around the city and the nation, and more importantly--how to get around to see those sights. Among the best ways of getting around that he'd seen, by far, would be by train. If he tried to rent a car, he'd have to be focused more on the road, and a bus would be crowded, likely. However, trains would be perfect for sitting there and just enjoying the view, without worrying about bumping elbows with another passenger every five seconds. That would hardly make a relaxing time of it.

It was just as well he had woken up when he had. The train on which he had intended to leave was an early one, and as it was, he barely made it in time to get a ticket and board before it pulled out, to the east. He was heading east, intent on seeing a bit of southern France before heading north, toward the capital.

[Sarah Tintagyl]

Southern France, especially the area around Marseilles and the Rivera, was breathtaking, pearl white beaches leading down to the sea was enough to captivate one's senses for a long time. From there, the Grand Duke could tour the southern city, getting a glimpse at the French Imperial Navy in port, the barrels of their guns and missile displacements looking far out into the Mediterranean, perhaps a sign of France's and Therese's continual desire of expansion and the talk of the town of the recent rumor that sometime in the next week France would completely annex Valencia, adding yet another victory to the Zellic Empire. While Marseilles and the Rivera were no doubt beautiful, there were yet more wonderful sights to be seen as he would leave the south.

The train routes took Anthony further east, towards Lyon and even Geneva, the cities nestled in the Alps or at least close too provided a spectacular vista compared to the undying horizon on the beaches. Here German, Italian, and French mixed as skiers and snowboarders flew down slopes and cups of warm hot chocolate and coffee filled the streets of the towns. While if the mountains were not impressive enough, then surely the magnificence of Lake Geneva itself, its calm and sincerity, nestled in among the hills could put the Grand Duke in an ease, just as the Garden of the Empress had done in Bordeaux.

However after Geneva and boarding the trains west towards the capital, Paris opened up like no other. Here was a mixture of everything that made the Empire as amazing as Therese desired to make it. Imperial Guards marched through the city dressed in shining regalia. The sweet scent of coffee, flowers, pastries and all other smells to tickle one's fancy were in the air. Cafes, salons, theatres, all temples of the arts ran the paved and cobblestone streets of the city. One could easily get lost among the sites for a very long time.

[Subtleknifewielder]

Perhaps Hannah had been right. A change of scenery was just what he needed. While home had its attractions, (not the least of which that it [i]was[/i] home), and it had its own beautiful vistas, the views here were still exquisite, and different. From the brilliantly-hued beaches and the display of French might and ambition in and around Marseille, to the near pristine, alpine environments of Lyon and Geneva, it was all different; it was all new.

He managed to summon up the enthusiasm to try the skii slopes a couple times before moving on from there. He could see now why some found it so exhilerating, why these places attracted tourists from all over the world, as evidenced by the multiple ethnicities he saw represented there. And the hot drinks available afterward certainly went a long way tward adding to the attractions. With these things, and the calm, inspiring view of Lake Geneva, he found himself relaxing, little knots of tension he hadn't even been aware of loosening and releasing themselves. Sleep was more restful, despite there being little change in his sleep schedule, and he found himself feeeling more alive than he could recall being in many years.

But he couldn't spend all his time here. He was there to see as much of the country as he could, and regretfuly, he moved on, on to the capital, Paris. The gleaming jewel of the French Empire.

If he'd thought he'd seen the best already, he found such assumptions would be mistaken. The city was alive and bustling, thriving as its citizens went about their day-to-day business, respectful of the Imperial Guardsmen and Women that went about their rounds, making their presence felt.

Shops, cafes, cultural venues of every sort imaginable were everywhere, further evidence of the thriving nature of Paris. The city was alive, in a way few others were. The only comparable cities he could think of were Brisbane...and Bordeux, though it was evident the inhabitants had done their best to make this place outshine even the old Acquitainian capital.

With so much to see and do, a visitor could easily lose themselves in it all for days on end. And as much as Anthony had resisted coming...so too he now resisted the idea of having to move on until he'd explored every crack, every nook and cranny this city had to offer. But it was time for the most important highlight of his visit, and he boarded the train for what he intended to be his last stop--Versailles.

Through it all, he'd been listening to the people around him, reading the book he'd brought, and like a sponge, his mind absorbed the information he obtained and retained it. He had a very important visit to make, and when it happened, he would be prepared.

[Sarah Tintagyl]

The train station that lead to Versailles actually stopped a few miles away from the palace, but for the important guests who were allowed to enter the home of the Empress, carriages were provided from the station that took guests in a Napoleonic Fashion over the French countryside to the iron gates that led to the seat of Imperial Power. As the carriage bounced down the roads, the Imperial Guards at the gates slowly opened allowing Anthony's Carriage inside and after he had arrived, it would have appeared that the Imperial Government already knew of his arrival within the country as two Guards walked up, one to take the carriage and the other who held out his hands to Anthony and smiled. "Monsieur Harlem, welcome to Versailles. It took so long for you to arrive, we at the palace were worried that you might not have ever showed up. What pleasure do we have in meeting the Grand Duke here? Though." His eyes saddened for a moment. "If you are here to see Her Majesty, the present may not be the best time. If you would walk with me, I can explain."

Leaving the carriage, the Guard and Anthony walked side by side to the entrance corridors to the palace as the Guard took a deep breath of the fresh air that the gardens provided. "Things have been difficult of late for Her Highness, there has been a lot of stress over the final annexation of the Valencian territories, there have been threats from both sides of Europe, the Scots and the rest of PEPTO have been pushing hard on us and now with the rise of ECO, France pretty much stands alone within Europe. The only Imperial power on the continent left, it has everyone a bit stressed, especially Her Majesty. If that wasn't enough then the recent plague outbreak in the northern regions of France has made all the talk in Versailles happen on a grim note, but don't worry, there haven't been any reported outbreaks south of Rouen, so please don't feel like you're in danger at all."

By this time they had walked across the courtyard with its blossoming gardens and bubbling fountains into the marble halls of Versailles. The halls were bright with sunlight, but besides natural light, the chandeliers were dimmed as the Guard led him past other aristocrats, generals, and Imperial soldiers on their way towards the upper rooms of the palace. "One word of caution before you see Her Majesty, one because she hasn't been alerted of your arrival Your Grace. Lady Therese has recently lost her right eye in a snake accident, so she wears an eye patch, I tell you this because I know that you and Queen Hannah had been here during the Aquitaine Regime, so it might come off as a surprise. Just telling you in advance, also, she's been quite grim of late so if you can do what you can to cheer her up, it would be appreciated by all the members of the Imperial Court." The Guard smiled and gestured to a large wooden door opposite of the hall.

The door would open easily for Anthony to reveal a large office, two chairs sat by a dying fire, the walls covered with paintings of past Kings and Queens of Europe, there was a globe on a desk near the right side of the room, with battle maps of Valencia, Galicia, as well as future plans for Monaco and Spain written up as well, while at the back of the room underneath a bright window, sat the Empress over her desk with a pen in her hand going over report. Her blonde hair hung low, barely hiding the eye-patch over her right eye. She wore a blue business suit jacket and skirt, but at the sound of his feet on the wooden floor, her head lifted up, at first a snarl at the person who had disturbed her and then a much more relaxing look.

"Anthony? Anthony Harlem?" Therese said curiously and pushed the reports forward. "What...what brings you to France? And without any alerting me of your presence here?" She smiled and brushed her hair over her right eye, the patch. "Its a pleasure to see you again." Standing up and walking around the desk over to him. "How...how are things in Australia?"

[Subtleknifewielder]

Once again Anthony woke, but this time it was a more gradual thing, as the train began slowing. By the time it had come to a complete stop, he was already prepared to step off.

He wasn't the only one prepared though, it seemed. The moment he set foot on the platform, he spotted the carriage--and he was being beckoned. There was no one else who it could be for. Chuckling to himself, he supposed he should have known they would already be aware of his presence. He hadn't made any effort to hide himself, and they logically assumed this was where he was coming. This was another interesting way to travel, he mused, kind of old-fashioned, but somehow...pleasantly relaxing, even if it was a bit of a rougher ride than the train. Nostalgic, perhaps, was the word, a piece of a bygone era that Therese was apparently reviving.

And considering the preparationthey'd already demonstrated, he wasn't the least bit surprised when the guards admitted him inside the gate without a fuss.

Upon arrival, one guard immediately took the carriege away, to wherever they were kept when not in use, while Anthony was immediately aproached by another. He took the offered hand, shaking it firmly as he was addressed (in English, for the time being). "I was taking my time to enjoy some of the sites I didn't get to see last time I was here." He fell into step next to the man as he was escorted toward the entrance, waiting for whatever the bad news might be. He had an inkling, but he couldn't know for certian what it might be.

He nodded as the guard explaine. "Naturally. Anyone in her position would be having a difficult time," he agreed, saying nothing of the plague for the time being, even after the guard brought it up. Despite the serious subjects the guard was discussing, the environment was soothing, no doubt deliberately planned that way by the architects.

Though he drew a few looks. An obvious stranger, a foreigner, and equally obviously not here on any form of political business, some were probably wondering who he was and what he was doing here. Let them wonder. He was more interested in what the guard had to tell him. He'd certainly missed quite a bit while he was away--he blinked at the mention of the incident with a snake. At least now he was prepared, and he nodded once again.

[i]"...also, she's been quite grim of late so if you can do what you can to cheer her up, it would be appreciated by all the members of the Imperial Court."[/i]

"Mmm...I'll see what I can do," the Grand Duke replied, digesting the information he'd been given. His gaze took in the surroundingd of the comfortable office, but his attention was fixed on the woman behind the desk. He made an effort [i]not[/i] to walk quietly, so as not to startle her.

The snarl that first appeared almost amused him--reminding him of himself or Hannah when they were interrupted in the middle of something important. He allowed himself a small grin as it registered in her mind just who had come to call. "So many questions. Which should I answer first? Anthony Harlem? Yes, that's me. Things are quieting down back home--with the war over, there's a lot less hassle involved, for the time being. Still enough to keep anyone busy, of course, but that's life. As for what I'm doing here..." he leaned against the wall, "well, I'm officially on a 'leave of absense. The Queen and her physician conspired to force me into taking a vacation. I vcould think of no place I'd rather go than here."

He paused, studying the patch over her eye curiously, and continued on in a completely differet vein. "I'll bet that has an interesting story behind it," he commented, tapping his own right eye to show what he was referring to.

[Sarah Tintagyl]

"No other place then here?" Therese drew her hand to the broach on her throat in a bit of surprise. "Your visit to Aquitaine must have been an impressive one, what? One year ago or so I believe it was." She shook her head. "There's been a lot of changes since then, almost too many to wrap one's head around." Gesturing over to one of the leather chairs, she beckoned him to sit before walking out towards the hall and telling one of the guards at the door to alert a maid to bring two cups of tea for her and her guest. "I still can't believe you're sitting here in front of me." The Empress said with a light chuckle. "You don't alert people of your presence do you, just show up whenever you deem important. Quite odd Monsieur Harlem, quite odd indeed."

Walking to the chair opposite of him, Therese sat down and threw a log onto the dying fire. "So you came here to relax did you? I'm afraid that if you did that, coming to Versailles to try and spend time with me is probably the last thing you want to do to relax. I haven't been able to relax in months. Not with all the geopolitical garbage going on now. Two wars, over and won, a plague in the north of France, and the Empire isolated among the various political networks in the region." Therese's eye stared into the strengthening fire. "It is an interesting time to be French, with all these changes occurring almost constantly. If you came to live amidst chaos Monsieur Harlem, you certainly came to the right place. There's never any telling what lays ahead."

The door behind them opened as a young maid brought two cups of hot tea in and laid them next to the Empress and the Grand Duke. "Will that be all Your Majesty?"

"Yes, thank you Annette, you are dismissed." The Maid bowed and turned as Therese brought the cup to her mouth. "As to this." She said brushing her hair out of the way of her eye. Showing him directly the eye patch that covered her lost eye. A large white cross drawn across the center. "A very interesting story that I won't bore you with all the details. But a snake's venom can change a person in many different ways and it can shoot surprisingly far. However the doctors managed to preserve the skin around the eye, just not the eye itself." She shrugged. "I guess it adds a bit of fierceness, not that it matters to enemies anymore, they just hide behind their buttons. But it burned the eye right out of its socket, so something to tell my children in later years."

"Anyways. Interesting that you found yourself here Monsieur Harlem. Will you be wanting to ask me a room in the palace?" Therese chuckled. "Or is this just a brief visit?"

[Subtleknifewielder]

"Aye, no other place than here. Indeed there have been changes, but I prefer to think of them as largely to the good, increasing the attraction your nation and its culture holds. At least to the common man and woman, if not to most of those ridiculous children that call themselves leaders these days." Anthony snorted, not having to fake his disdain, nor his bit of amusement at the expense of a number of those who could be called his peers. As for the idea that he often showed up unannounced, when and where he saw fit...well, he chuckled. She was more right than she knew. "I get comments like that a lot," he stated, not at all offended as he took the offered seat. "Normaly I'd probably be scowling, but...the trip through France's southern regions has left me in a suprisingly good mood."

[i]"There's never any telling what lays ahead."[/i]

"Don't I know it," Anthony said, a wry grin now displayed on his face. As the maid entered and Therese addressed her, he mumbled something almost under his breath, but just loud enough for her to hear the words 'interesting times.' More loudly, he resumed the dialogue. "Ah well, the trip through southern France was relaxing enough. I suppose it was inevitible that the serenity could not last. Wherever I go, trouble seems to follow. It's almost as if," he joked, trying to lighten the mood, "someone up there is toying with me, to see how much amusement they can wring out of me before my time is up."

He reached down to pick up his cup, taking a sip of the tea. as she continued, decrying the bulk of the story about her eye as boring. He was fairly certain there was more, but he doubted it was a critical piece of information, so really, there was no need to pry. Everyone had their secrets.

"Will I be staying long? I rarely make firm plans for these things. The plans make me," he joked again. "All I knew is I inended to take a tour of France. And stop by to talk with you again. But now that I'm here, yes, I think I'll be staying for a little while; my vacation doesn't have a set time limit."

The man took another sip of his tea, then set it down once more. Turning his head to look at the fire, crackling merrily once more now that Therese had added a bit to it, he looked like he was lost in thought for a few moments. Out of the blue, he added quietly, "And don't worry. I'm sure your troubles will sort themselves out. They always seem to do that for me, one way or another. " Shaking his head, the Grand Duke managed to bring a smile back. "Who knows, maybe I can help you with some of it. Maybe that's why trouble seems to be everywhere I go--not because it's following me, but because I'm being sent where I need to be."

Edited June 12, 2010 by Subtleknifewielder

[Sarah Tintagyl]

"Yes of course." She sipped her tea. "Though I guess our equals throughout the world would say I go looking for trouble as well Monsieur Harlem. Iberia, to be sure, but this plague, no, that is something I would never wish to come in contact with. However the Germans have declared that a cure of types has been made for the infected people and while I am overjoyed about it, there is something a bit more frightening then that." Finishing her cup, Therese placed it gently on the saucer with a light ting. "There have been a series of murders in the north, all medical personnel, all with connections to the Imperial military. The numbers are too large to be one killer and even still, to infiltrate the military camps where the plague is being treated, it would take someone already on the inside, whether someone sick, or a military man themselves. I'm still waiting on the investigation reports to come back, but I think after that is solved, I'll be in a much better mood. So I apologize if I'm not as pleasant to talk to at the moment Anthony." She smiled and blushed.

"The first time you come here, I'm bitter because of the Burgundians, now because of Iberia and the plague. I will try to let go of all that while you're around at least. I do enjoy having guests and so I don't want to send you away thinking I'm some kind of witch holed up in my castle never coming out except to conquer land."

"But if you'll be staying, I will have a maid prepare a room for you. Though I'm afraid I won't be able to spend a great deal of time with you while you're here. Business and all, I hope you understand, but I will do what I can."

[Subtleknifewielder]

He leaned forward in his chair, suddenly focused, making quite evident that he was listening to every word.

"You are rebuilding an Empire. Naturally there are going to be those who oppose it. But who goes looking to spread a plague but a madman or woman? But trust the Germans to find a cure for the supposedly incurable--especially so quickly," he said with a wry smile. "You are fortunate indeed to have such allies at your side."

"And murders you say? With all this, I'd say you're entitled to a little bitterness. I know I would not be handling it half so well were I in your place. So believe me when I say I wouldn't dream of calling you a witch, even if this was all I saw of you. In fact," if they'd been a little closer, he might have reached out a hand to place on her shoulder. Instead, he simply smiled reassuringly. "Perhaps what you needed was someone just to talk to. As a leader, you don't have many who are your equal. It's not always the same talking to an advisor, even one you trust."

"Though as I said, I might be able to help with some of those problems," he added, almost as an afterthought...

[Sarah Tintagyl]

"There isn't much you might be able to help with Anthony, unless you would like to stick around as just that, an advisor." She looked over at him with hard eyes. "I have to head up to Calais tomorrow, to take a look at the quarantine camps and get the reports on these murders. I've learned that reports delivered from the front to the capital are never that reliable and its much better to see what is happening yourself. Though since we will be traveling into the belly of the beast, I believe the saying goes, I can understand if you would rather stay at the palace."

"As to anything else, we have problems throughout the north and there has to be some semblance of stability once the cure is discovered so it can be properly administered." Therese leaned back and sighed. "I received a missive from the Scottish a few days ago, there are connections in Scotland that trace the spread of the disease to an Iberian terrorist cell, so the recent Imperial escapades on the Peninsula could be the attack on both France, Scotland, and their supporters. If the murders are linked at all to the terrorist cell, there's no telling how large or in depth this operation may be. But we're leaving tomorrow, whether you want to come or not is up to you." The Empress stood and straightened herself and yawned. "Its getting late and I have to wake up early in the morning. The maids will show you to your room Monsieur Harlem, if you would like to join me in Calais, meet me in the outer gardens tomorrow. Until then, have a relaxing evening."

Therese bowed and walked out of the room and up towards her personal quarters.

[Subtleknifewielder]

"I came here to see France, but more importantly, to spend time with someone I consider a friend," he said, pointing a single finger at her in case she was unsure who he meant. "A friend sticks around through good and bad both, so I would be a poor friend (and advisor, to see the problems firsthand) if I did not accompany you."

"Also," he admitted with an apologetic expression, "considering that the disease had spread so far, it's probably only a matter of time before it spreads beyond Europe. I would be lax in my duties if I did not obtain information about it for Australia in preparation for that possibility. So...you can count on me being there in the morning."

After his wishing her a good night, she left. As she walked out of the room, he stared after her, even after the door closed behind her. "You might be surprised how I can help, Therese," he murmured, before standing. If he was going with her early tomorrow, he should probably get to bed soon too.

----

The next morning, he was up bright and early, waiting in the gardens as he had been told. He wasn't wearing anything fancy, but rather plain clothes; this was not a formal occasion, or a sightseeing trip to look at tourist attractions.

[Sarah Tintagyl]

Therese was already in the gardens when Anthony arrived, she stood in military fatigues equivalent to her rank, black boots, green pants and a green uniform, her hair was in a ponytail, making her eye patch the most noticeable thing on her Empress' face. In truth she liked this outfit a great deal, it made her feel more fierce. As the Australian Grand Duke approached, she smiled and bowed slightly. "I'm glad that you're able to join me Anthony, we have quite the interesting day ahead of us I think. The motorcade will take us from here to Calais, its not a long drive an hour or two depending on how fast Pierre drives and we'll be able to see just how bad things have gotten." She placed on her cap, straightened it and got into the limousine, Anthony on the other side of her as they took off out of Versailles and headed north towards the infected zones around Calais and Amiens.

Amiens appeared to be as good a stop as any and several murders had taken place outside the city as well. The plague in its form had not rendered the cities obsolete and unable to function, it was just the creation of the massive quarantine camps on the outskirts that put everyone in the North of France at odds with one another. People lived in a state of fear in those cities and if this was the work of terrorists cells, then they had most definitely succeeded in bringing Therese's imperial ambitions to a dramatic halt. Nearing the military installation sector of the camp, the Empress' motorcade was received and Therese stepped out, Anthony at her side along with a few other aides as they walked towards the command post of the camp, Colonel Bruno Voisin in charge.

The guards at the door parted and opened the door as Therese's boots clicked on the wooden floors of the command post and walked in to Voisin's office as he jumped out of his chair and sprang to a salute. "I wasn't expecting you here Your Highness, this is a pleasurable surprise." He smiled, tucking his hat underneath his arm. "And your guest?"

"The Grand Duke of Australia, Colonel, he has taken a strong interest to what is going on in the region, considering that this epidemic has made world news and all and we are still waiting for the Germans to present a cure for the disease. A missive was sent that there have been a high rate of suspicious murders in the camps in Amiens and at Calais. Care to tell me about this."

"I've had both the Imperial Guard, the Imperial Army, and the local police force look into this. All medical staff, no one of the general military or civilian population. I'm not sure what the killers' aims are unless to prevent our staff from working at full production, many of the doctors are quite scared because I feel like it is someone on the inside. We've conducted investigations on almost everyone in the camp, military and civilian, but nothings come up. I'm totally in the dark Your Highness."

"And the doctors deaths? Anything related at all?"

"Most of them are part of the research and development sector, though a few are operators and general practitioners, over all, eight dead."

"Eight...that's too many for this to be a fluke and all medical personnel. I think the Scots were right, this has to be something larger."

"Highness?" Voisin asked.

"There are rumors that the plague break out might be part of a larger terror cell from Iberia, the Scots have reported past troubles with an organization from the peninsula, so we can't be sure. But it would make sense to target France and Scotland given our recent pushes onto the peninsula."

Voisin shrugged. "I don't know what to tell you Your Highness, nothing that strange has come out of the woodwork, but of course I will keep an eye out for anything suspicious."

"Please do." She stood, Anthony with her and the rest of the Imperial Entourage. "Also Colonel, if you don't mind, I will be staying here tonight, I'm going to take the rest of the day to tour your facilities as well as do a pull of your files for the night and I would much rather conduct my investigation here then have to take everything to Versailles."

"Of course Your Highness, I will prepare a room for you in th-"

"Here of course."

"Here?" Voisin tilted his head curiously. "My post?"

"Of course, I wouldn't have it any other way."

He smiled, but the entire ordeal, it was obvious, the Colonel was very uncomfortable. As Therese left the room, he snapped into a salute and immediately ran towards his quarters to prepare them for her stay.

The rest of the day went fast, but there wasn't many 'interesting' things, as to what Therese had been talking about with Voisin prior. She and Anthony toured the medical facilities, showers, research offices and other areas. She was even allowed to walk through some of the treatment areas and look at the victims. She yearned to talk with them, to hold their hands and tell them that everything was going to be okay. But it just couldn't be done. As the day dragged on and dinner approached, Therese and Anthony retired back to Voisin's office as the sun dipped below the horizon. There around a small table, the Empress and the Grand Duke took their dinners.

Therese sat back against her chair relaxed, her uniform was unbuttoned, her hair was down, shielding her eye patch and her sleeves were up as she devoured a mismatched meal of Salisbury Steak and read over the files she had pulled from Voisin's cabinets.

"Not one thing Anthony." She shook her head. "Not one damn thing in everything that could even show possible signs to an Iberian Terror Cell. Barely any of the people here on the roster are even tied to the peninsula itself and the few that are have been cleared. Research personnel, six dead, then one nurse, and one specialist in pathology. In this form the plague is deadly, but you think it could be weaponized further? You think that's what they could be doing? It might be too far fetched to begin with, maybe the Scots are just one a goose-chase, or they want us out of Iberia themselves. This could be anything." Therese closed the folder and looked over at Anthony. "And yet you remain as calm and collected as ever. I can understand what that Hannah woman sees in you, advisors need to be as studious, no wonder Australia is as prosperous as told. She's a lucky woman to have you Monsieur Harlem."

[Subtleknifewielder]

"Well, you're up earlier even than me. It's not often I find someone capable of that," he commented, with perfect seriousness, giving her and her uniform a once over. It did seem somehow more fitting a form of dress for an Empress that had already made great strides to establishing her empire. Though despite the fierceness, in his estimation at least, it was just as flattering to her figure as any other attire he had seen her in. Though he squashed that line of thought quickly; now was not the time for such things. He smiled, returning the bow.

"Think nothing of it," Anthony replied to her expressed gratitude. He had already explained his reasons the night before. It was not necessary to repeat them as they turned and entered the limosine.

There was little to do other than watch the countryside go by on the way--the early morning, plus the seriousness of the situation, was not conducive to conversation, light or otherwise, and as they stepped out at their destination, already taking in details of the area, he was absorbed in thought. Thus he simply nodded absently to the Colonel when introduced, though hge paid careful attention to every word of explanation the man gave.

As they departed his office, Anthony broke his period of silence to comment briefly, "I think you put him a little off-balance by insisting on staying here." His tone was not the one of incredulity one would expect of a shocked aristocrat, but rather the warm approval of an honest friend.

If the Grand Duke felt even the barest hint of depression at the state of the poor souls who had contracted the disease, he could not imagine how the Empress must feel seeing her own people, the ones she worked so tirelessly for, in such a wretched, pitiable state. As they walked through one of the last treatment areas, he could read on her face just how much she longed to give the slightest degree of comfort and hope. He placed a hand on her shoulder in a wordless gesture of support.

The memories of the plague victims had diminished his appetite, but he forced himelf to eat as much as he could, and mull over Therese's spoken thoughts. As she closed the file, he reached for it, intending to read it over himself to see if he could spot anything she and the others had missed. Probably a faint hope, but one never knew. "Perhaps the murders are to cover up something else, give us something to distract from what is actually going on. The murderers could be looking for something in the research. As for further weaponizing of the plague...just about anything is possible when you have the will and the capability. If this is the case, and they seek to do obtain it, it would certainly mean that they are after the research, and undoubtedly any samples of the disease itself. Were any samples of it, or copies of the research, stolen, as far as we can tell? In any case, if the data does not support the idea of Iberian terrorists, perhaps another theory should be entertained. How confident are you that you managed to track down everyone involved in the rebellion just before the establishment of your Empire? Or for that matter, it could be someone who dislikes the idea of an Empire and desires a return to Republicanism."

Anthony fell silent, letting her finish her thoughts as he opened the file. "Believe me, Therese," he stated with the faintest hint of pink on his cheek, "on the outside I may appear calm and collected, but the thought of such a plague spreading any further honestly terrifies me." He allowed himself a smile. True or not, the compliment was appreciated. "And likewise, France is fortunate to have you at the head. While you have strength and competence, which are important, few realize the equal weight of compassion for the people a ruler must have to truly be great. Never let anyone tell you otherwise, nor try to convince you to leave that part of you behind."

He returned his attention to the file, to look for any possible connection other than the fact that they were all medical staff; were they all part of the same research team? Were they born in the same area? Had they ever been affiliated with any known political groups? Anything and everything that could remotely prove a connection, he searched for...

[Sarah Tintagyl]

Therese sighed and leaned back on her chair. "In all truth, when you first came here Anthony, when I was still Prime Minister of Aquitaine, I had no idea that France would have turned out like this. Empress..." She scoffed, "...not in a million years did I ever think of something like that. But the pressures of Burgundy, Mamare's Old Regime, and France's own bloated bureaucracy was just too much. By the time the civil war started, I must have been in a rage or something." The Empress held her head, as if she was getting a headache. "You ever hear the saying, if it can't be done right, then do it yourself, well yeah, if anything could describe my rise to the throne, it would be that. When the Republic was first created, everyone seemed to be rallying behind Adelaide, she was the heroine of France, not me. But after she died." Therese's head looked down. "There was no one that the people trusted, besides myself, Adelaide was gone, and it was either the government or be ruled by the pretenders again. By the time that the national armies seized their cities, people were already talking about the rise of a new power, an Imperial Power and to be honest Anthony. I wanted it too." She looked at him, her eye almost glowing with power. "I wanted to reconcile the sins that France had committed in its past to its people and I wanted to burn the sinners against France. So I guess I can understand why there would be dissent, whether the fear from Iberia or the hatred of the pretenders." She smiled, half joyous, half snarling. "They will be destroyed, I can promise you that."

Her features softened suddenly however. "But I appreciate you being here with me Anthony. I apologize for my outburst, things have just been stressful lately as you can tell. Honestly, if you weren't already a head of state of another country, I would steal you for myself." She chuckled and took the file back from his hands, sweeping her eyes over it once more. "Ah this is worthless though, we've been over these papers at least a hundred times all evening." The Empress yawned, stretching and stood up from the table. "But I'm very tired, so until the morning Monsieur Harlem, Bon Soir." Threw off her uniform on the chair and walked towards Voisin's Quarters where she would be staying, her pale white skin of her shoulders, arms and neck, reflecting off the florescent light in the room. Then looking back at Anthony and smiling, she shut the door.

Laying on the mattress, Therese constantly moved back and forth, trying to get comfortable, but no matter what she tried, laying to the left, then the right, nothing seemed to work. Finally she sat up in the bed, cracking her knuckles, shaking her head and leaning over to grab her officer's jacket and pants from the chair next to the bed and put them on. Holstering her pistol she stood up from the bed and put on her boots before gently walking through the command post, picking up the files, she and Anthony had been looking over, and walked out into the camp. It was two-thirty in the morning, there were a few guards near the quarantine camp, near the gates and in the towers with search lights skimming the walls. "Like a damn prison, when I get my hands on the people that did this..." Therese said as she placed the file between her arm and torso and began walking deeper into the military camp.

Her mind wandered aimlessly, much like her feet until she neared the research compound. While French technology was not the absolute greatest in the world, so say they were anything less than advanced would be a horrible underestimation. As soon as the plague had been spotted in Calais, Therese had ordered the Ministry of Health to conduct as many investigations into the plague as possible to find a cure, the fact that the Germans had more capital and wealth to work with, along with a greater team of scientists and pathologists, especially given the fact they weren't being murdered, put the French at an unfair disadvantage. "Maybe..." She walked up towards the door, where one guard was standing, and when he noticed her, even in the dark Therese's features were easy to spot, eye patches had that ability, he straightened up and held a salute.

"A bit late for a stroll don't you think Your Highness?"

The Empress smiled. "I haven't gotten to sleep yet actually, I've been looking over reports and medical files for the past six or seven hours. I just figured that I'd return them, in case that one of the doctors or specialists needed them for later. I'll be heading back to Versailles tomorrow, so I don't want them to end up with my travel things. Just out of curiosity, Corporal..." She looked at his name, squinting her eye in the dark. "...Berthier. I'm sure you've seen the suspicious things going on here. With the murders and all, is there anything that sticks out to you?"

"Me Your Highness? I'm afraid not, but I haven't really been looking. But all the doctors are kind of up in arms lately, none of them feel safe and they all want to do their research back in the cities. But your Imperial Orders have forbade that."

Therese sighed. "Maybe something I should look into for the future then. But may I?" She gestured to the building.

"Oh, of course Highness, just don't be startled if you hear things, I think Doctors Doscet and Arnoux are already inside, though they should be retiring soon." He stepped away from the door and Therese let herself into the research compound.

It was a large building, the front entrance leading into almost a small lobby and recreational area, beyond that were the file libraries, and further still was the experimentation room, where the plague pathogens were studied from the samples taken from infected persons. Therese pushed her way through the lobby and into the library and began running her eyes over the illuminated folders on the shelves, when she could hear the sounds of commotion coming from deeper in the compound...

"...I said back away you !@#$%^&! I should have known that you were behind this entire thing, you killed Rachel and Louis!"

She crept closer.

"You snoop too much Doscet, if you would have minded your own business then we wouldn't be having this chat, now. Give me the vial!"

"No! God only knows what you plan to do with it!"

"Then I'll have to take it from yo-"

Therese couldn't let Arnoux finishe the sentence, another doctor's life was in danger, she burst through the door with her pistol drawn and pointed it at Arnoux's head. The terrorist turned around, he was a blonde man with short hair and a muscular build, Doscet was smaller with a thin mustache on his tan skin. "Drop the gun Arnoux, you're under arrest in the name of the Imperial Government."

Arnoux turned and shook his head. "Oh this is a treat. The Empress of France herself handing out arrests, this country is more pathetic than I thought. But that will all change, even if I don't make it out of here now, we will have enough information to weaponize the plague. Western Europe will die like it did during the Black Death, millions will lay across the streets of Edinburgh, Paris, Dublin, Valencia, and Lisbon, those traitors will learn the coast for letting the French and Scots into Iberia without so much as a passing glance."

"So this cell is real." She cursed.

"Too real Madame and you are too late, there is nothing you or your pathetic country can do and unless you leave Valencia forever and Scotland leave Portugal, and even then, it might be too late. Now. Doscet, the vial please and Therese, drop your pistol." But Doscet only glared back at him. "I SAID GIVE ME THE VIAL!" Arnoux aimed his pistol and fired, Doscet tried to jump clean out of the way, but the bullet struck him in the leg before Therese open fired on the doctor, he turned around and fired two bullets in the Empress' direction as well, but she was ready for them and jumped for cover after she had fired. Then leaning back over the counter she was behind, Therese fired four shots into Arnoux's chest as the terrorist clenched his heart and fell back against the ground. Therese stood up and ran over to Doscet grabbing his hands.

"Are you okay Doctor?"

"Yes...yes...Your Highness, I think I'll be okay.

"The vial?"

"The plague in an injected form that we harvested from the diseased, if Arnoux is telling the truth, then whatever organization he was talking about may already have multiple vials and ways to reproduce it, if they have the money."

"Damn."

Seconds later, the guards, ten of them showed up, busting through the door, huddling around Doscet and the Empress. But she brushed them off and made them help the wounded doctor and take Arnoux out to be buried. She walked out with them and sat on the ground next to the compound, her face buried in her hands. Contemplating the severity of what had just occurred and what perhaps was still going to occur.

[Subtleknifewielder]

Had he heard the saying? It had been one of his mantras for a long time, at least until he had built up a network of people he could trust. Even now, too often he found himself performing tasks he would entrust to few others. He knew Hannah felt the same way often; he had no doubt that was the primary reason she had sought power, that having believed no one else was both willing and capable of leading, she had seized the day and done it herself.

Anthony also suspected, though, that like all great leaders, she too had never had an inkling, before the fall of the first Hanseatic Commonwealth, where her journey would lead her. No one could know the future, and it always had a way of surprising you. Of changing you into something you would not recognize. You just had to hope that whatever the change wrought, it would be for the better. Or at least not for the worse.

All this passed through his mind, but the only thing he said in response to the near tirade was, "You did what you felt you had to. Just as you will continue to do so." He just hoped that her ambitions never turned too far beyond Europe. He would hate to be caught between someone like her, and Hannah. The gleam in her eye, and what she had accomplished already, suggested she just might prove a match for the Queen.

But while the outburst had turned his thoughts to contemplation of the future, the apology brought him back to the present, and if he was the least bit honest with himself (he found himself doing a lot of that lately), it was flattering to be thought of so highly. He didn't even protest when she took the file back. As expected, he hadn't found anything either. He gave the remaining files in the stack a brief glance, but he'd already gone just about everything there. With his memory, there wasn't much point in looking something like that over more than once. "I wuld be a poor friend and human being if I did not try to help," he murmured softly, quietly, almost to himself, glancing back up as she yawned. He was about to say something further, more out loud, about how neither of them would be any good to anyone if they weren't well-rested, but she had the same idea.

"Good evening," was what came out instead, that and a tired smile. The man found himself staring as she withdrew, blinking out of it only once the door was closed, and he felt his cheeks redden. He must have looked like a fool. Yawning, he knew the best course of action would be to sleep himself. He was not far away; in fact, he had asked only for the aide's quarters, which was still in the same structure, off in a different direction from the office itself so that the aide was nearby in case the Colonel ever needed anything quickly.

he suppressed a yawn as he fell onto the mattress he couldn't help noting absently the euquivalent in his own nation would have been a cot), and before he knew it, he was out like a light.

----

Of course, that didn't mean the slightest thing wouldn't wake the man. His eyes winked open as he heard Therese shuffle out, making every conscious effort to be quiet about it, and heading who knew where. He almost turned over and went back to sleep. What time was it, anyway? Late at night, was all his internal alarm clock told him. Late at night...that was when the murders had all taken place, and his eyes flashed open. It probably wouldn't happen, he told himself. In fact, it was unlikely that out of all the nights, another murder would happen tonight. But in his old line of work one never depended on odds, even supposedly favorable ones. Sighing, he shifted, sitting up and reaching for his boots. He probably better follow to make sure nothing happened to her.

But by the time he got outside, she was out of sight. He glanced back inside, noting that the files were no longer on the table. She probably intended to take them back. He hadn't gone more than ten steps when he heard the shots. Distant, but there was no mistaking that sound for anything else, and he took off in a run that would surprise anyone who judged his fitnes from physical age.

it was, of course, all over by the time he got there. Several soldiers swarmed the area, probably looking for any sort of clues. He saw a body being put into a bag over in one direction, and in another a wounded man was being carried off in a stretcher.

And off to the side, sat Therese, head in hands, almost oblivious to the goings-on. Quietly, Anthony holted one of the soldiers passing him by. "What happened?" he asked quietly, in the man's native tongue. Automatically, the answer came that he knew nothing--he'd heard the shots like the others and arrived on the scene to find the Empress standing over a wounded doctor, with another of the medical personel not far away, dead. Thanking the man, Anthony sidled over softly to where Therese sat, taking a seat next to her and placing a hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently. "What happened? Another murder?"

[Sarah Tintagyl]

Therese looked up as Anthony grasped her shoulder, she brushed a few strands of hair away from her face and sighed. "Yes, or at least it was going to be another murder. That dead doctor there, he was one of them, one of the terrorists. The Cell is real, the Scottish were right and the threat is that unless both Scotland and the Empire withdraw from the Peninsula, the entire plague will be brought down against the people of Western Europe." She clenched her fists. "I can't let this happen, the Germans are coming out with a cure, but even then, the virulence of the plague if weaponized, could be great enough that it would still be too late. We have to stop this before it gets worse, right now the plague is contained, but there's no telling how much worse it could get."

Closing her eyes, she leaned over onto Anthony's shoulder and nestled warmly in his arms, but her body trembled. "I'm just scarred Anthony, I don't really know what else to do. Where to go, all I can do is wait, and I'm worried that its exactly what they want me to do. Wait..." She looked at him, her blue eye wide and sparkling. "If something would happen to France, if I had to flee, would Australia protect me, even if I am the bloodthirsty Empress of France? I could find a new breath of life elsewhere? If everything came crashing down?"

Therese looked away. "When we fought the civil war, a woman came and saw me, she told me that I could only conquer my fears and my enemies with power and rage and she injected me with some kind of drug. It was amazing, the power, the strength, I...there are other things." Her had drifted to her eye patch..."Other people looking out for me. I guess I just wasn't prepared for something like this. It feels like the entire world is against me and I just can't win." The Empress shook her head and started to walk away.

[Subtleknifewielder]

So, now, instead of simply supsecting there was a terrorist plot involved, they knew. And it was u nlikely to be any an attempt as misguiding them--the terrorists would not have had any reasonto suspect that Therese, or anyone else, for that matter, would be coming along. even if they had, they lost the element of surprise if they revealed their existence even for the point of misdirection.

"That won't be allowed to happen, Therese,," Anthony assured her. "For once in our time, you have nearly the entirety of Europe working toward a common goal, that of eradicating the plague...and those behind its spread. It will be stopped."

As she leaned into him, he wrapped his arms around her slender frame, seeking to calm her fears. though she had a right to be. Any sane, rational leader in her position should be. "And even if the worst should happen..." he looked her in the eye, displaying his sincerity openly. "Australia has hosted more than its share of exiled leaders in the past...some more controversial even than you." Controversial figures from Vaule, the Contantine brothers from the Byzantine Empire, even the ever-changing individual who had been known as Valerie Klein at the time of her death. "You would be made welcome."

At that point, she stepped back, and turned away, and he let her go, though his attention was stil focused on her, as she was still speaking. As she started to walk away, Anthony moved to stand in front of her, once more placing his hand on her shoulder. "And you have more friends than you think. While your enemies are more vocal...your friends would be more loyal, should the need for them arise. Again," he repeated, "you have more friends than you think. Now..." he released her shoulder, instead clasping one of her hands in both of his and smiling reassuringly. "As your friend, and [i]de facto[/i] advosor, I am recommending you catch some sleep. At least one of us needs to be fully refreshed ad aware to deal with what may follow."

----

Once Therese had left, Anthony swiftly took charge. First, Theresse had ordered Arnoux buried. And he would be,. But first, Anthony commandeered a scientist to gather what useful information on he could from the man's body--DNA, Facial features, fingerprints. It would all be compared with theinformation contained in the man's file, and if no dicrepancies were found, anthony would closely scrutinize the file itself, in search of any possible lead, any possible connection the dead Doctor had that could be exploited.

Second, he visited Doscet in the infirmary to here the story firsthand. While Therese had told him what she could, Doscet, being a scientist and a doctor (as wel as actu ally there for the whole thing), would probably rember the even in greater detail, perhaps noting some critical piece o f information Therese had missed.

Lastly...the fact that they knew Arnoux was a terrorist was kept under wraps. For all anyone else knew, he was just another victim of the senseless string of murders. As long as the terrorists thought they were safe, they would have no reason to panic and either lash out, or flee with whatever information they had obtained. But it was a good idea to let them think that the vial Arnoux had been after had disappeared. He considered it highly unlikely they had all the information they needed. Otherwise, why would they take even the slight additional risk of being discovered, if it were unnecessary? Thus, if they thought the vial was missing for everyone, they would presume their man had gotten it, but hidden it away before being killed. And a trap could be set to possibly catch one alive when they came looking for it...

Needless to say, Anthony had been too busy the entire night to catch any sleep. Morning saw him back in the Colonel's office, studying the file of the newly diceased Doctor. When he found he could no longer force his eyes to remain open long enough to take in what he was reading, he knew he'd had enough. He needed to get some sleep.

OOC: Would have been up sooner, but I accidentally clicked back and lost everything I had written. This is what I could remember of it.

[Sarah Tintagyl]

Therese stretched as she opened her eyes and pushed herself out of bed. The sun was shining brightly through the window, she rubbed her eye and leaned over to put her eye patch around her head. As she did, her face caught the mirror next to the and she paused, the skin around the eye didn't look bad, but everything within was still red from the poison of the snake attack. Fingering it lightly, there wasn't much pain, but she couldn't help but feel a bit empty. Therese always thought she was such an incredibly beautiful girl, at least her mother and father had always said that, two bright blue eyes with a fair skinned face. Now, she still felt beautiful, but it was a different beauty, a fierce beauty, a frightening beauty. Maybe she had just changed too much. She rubbed her bare arm nervously as she pushed herself out of the bed and threw on a pair of pants, a white tank-top over her head and walked out into the officer's cabin, her hair hanging low over her shoulders.

She couldn't help but chuckle seeing Anthony laying face down on the table gently snoring. Smiling, she made herself a cup of coffee on the stove and then sat down next to him and gently shook him. "Hey, you, you want to wake up and give me some company?"

When he opened his eyes, Therese was smiling down at him gently, her hands around a cup of coffee and another one that she had placed on the table next to him. "Thanks for yesterday, I really appreciate it. You figure anything out last night, since its seems you didn't sleep a wink."

[Subtleknifewielder]

Anthony started awake, uncosciously reaching for a weapon--which a moment later he remembered wasn't there. Oh yes, he was in France. Looking up from his resting position, he was greeted by There and her smile. "Mmm...now that's a pleasant sight to wake up to," he said sincerely as he stared for a moment, then began blinking himself awake.

He'd meant to go to bed, but evidently that wasn't meant to happen, he thought wryly as he sat up straight, and rubbing at his neck as he gratefully took the cup of coffee. His neck was probably going to make him pay later, for sleeping at the table. "Thanks. Not sure how much company I'll be until I get this in me," he said, taking a big gulp from the cup without bothering to savor the aroma first.

"You're welcome. And yes, you're right. I was working pretty much through the night. I have a habit of doing that on occasion." More than on occasion, but there was no need to mention that. He wasn't sure how to rspind to the thanks, so, glancing down at the file, he took another gulp of coffee and flipped it open. "It seems your dead terrorist might not be from the Peninsula. His file says he's actually from Burgundy. So whoever they are, the terrorists might not be about purely [i]Iberian[/i] liberation. And another thing--the assumption that they already have what they need doesn't make sense. If they already had what they needed to further weaponize the plague, why would they even take the slightest risk of being uncovered before their plan was enacted? I think he was trying to scare you, possibly into making a rash decision that could have made things worse. Obviously, he underestimated you," he added, a twinkle in his eye now that the coffee had started to take effect.

"It's too early yet to tell, but I grabbed a scientist to get as much information about the man as possible before he was buried--retinal scan, DNA, fingerprints, other facial features. We're going to run a cross-check for any matches to known criminals--in France or otherwise."

"We're also going to be keeping the fact that we know the dead man is a terrorist under wraps. Don't want to panic his friends into lashing out before we're ready, or disappearing before we can catch them. In fact...since he was after that vial, we can even know where and when they are likely to strike. We can set up an ambush and capture, alive, whoever is next. A live prisoner could go a long way to rooting out this terrorist cell."

Almost as iff on cue, an aide burst into the office, coming to a dead stop when he saw the Empress. "Your Imperial Higness," he said, bowing low to Therese. "Monsieur Harlem." He held another folder in his hand, which he placed on the table. "The information you requested last night," he explained, before bowing again to Therese and departing as swiftly as protocol permitted. Anthony hardly glanced through it before handing it off to Therese.

"The information on Arnoux I had your scientist gather. I don't know how useful it might be, but I have a feeling you probably know better who to talk to to get those cross-checks done."