Commander's Rounds

Entry 6: Fit for a King

Yuubari tapped her chin. "What you're suggesting is theoretically possible, master, but what you're asking for probably wouldn't exactly resemble a Wisdom Cube- furthermore, we'd have to spend some time figuring out how to actually make use of such a thing."

The commander was insistent. "I'm going to leave that part up to you- as long as you're doing research on this sort of thing, I want to at least know what you're working on. Anyways, if you think those can be made, I'd like you to prepare at least two and keep them locked away, only to be removed on my orders."

Yuubari shrugged. "Fair enough. You are the master, and it's better that you're taking interest in my cube research than not. Besides, you have posed an interesting challenge. May I ask why you're asking for this, though?"

The commander nodded. "This may not be a satisfying answer, but as our mission continues, we may be confronted by outcomes that I find very concerning. This is just preparation for that. As the commander, I have to provide for the future."

Yuubari shrugged. "Akashi will think you've gone nuts."

"Well, she's not one to talk, considering. Besides, I know that what I'm planning is kind of a longshot, and if it works when we need it to it'll still be a miracle. But it's also something that I can't leave alone without even trying to prepare against."

Yuubari got up, and gave him a bow. "I will do as you ask, master. Even though I may not precisely say I look forward to seeing whatever contingency you are asking us to create, I will at least do by best to repay your trust in our science." She then left him.

Glad to have finished with that business and having removed one of his worries from his mind, he took an envelope out from his desk. He had worked on the contents for a couple of days with Belfast, but even after having it written out, he couldn't really bring himself to drop it in the mail. After all, after everything that had happened, the least he could do was give it to King George V in person.

He didn't know why Belfast was so stringent on what was just a dinner invitation, but he guessed that was just the way it was.

So, it was off to the Royal Quarters.

Glasgow was on gate duty today, and he tipped his hat to her before going in. He was of the opinion that the royal maids were largely underappreciated by basically everyone, including, probably, himself, though he could do without them calling him master so much. He made a beeline for what he believed was King George V's room, and just knocked, rocking on his heels. And the door opened, and he was greeted by Howe.

She was a study in contrasts when she was in her home mode. All of the sisters were magnificently dressed, but Howe had added a white apron and well-used oven mitts to her own ensemble. As soon as she opened the door, he could tell she had been baking as many kinds of cookies as there were ships in her class. "Ah, commander! Did you know I was baking?"

He shook his head. "No, but I have a feeling that's the sort of thing I should just assume in the general. Is King George in? I have something I wanted to give her in person."

"Ah... She's not in here at the moment, but I don't think she'd mind if you waited for her in here."

He was let in, and there were trays and trays of various cookies at varying stages of being out of the oven. "Planning to spread these around the dorms?"

"Mmm! You can take one too, commander. Monarch will probably be by here to get one later, herself. She's kinda dour, but even she can't really turn these down."

He picked up a white chocolate macadamia, one of very many. Of King George's three sisters, Howe was the closest to the cute little sister that the eldest of the four wanted. Prince of Wales was a proper and dignified lady in front of him, but an incurable lech to those she deemed to have sufficient jiggly bits. He was certain that Duke of York was some sort of vampire, seeing as she had all of the appropriate theatrics. Howe, on the other hand, believed in diplomacy through cookies, and, oddly enough, it worked much of the time. "Well, it's good you're trying to make her feel welcome, even if it may take a while."