Dust Devils - A Girls Und Panzer Story

Chapter 55

Sunday August 4th, 2013

At Sea

Irritated and annoyed. Not even the blue shimmering seas could assuage Valarie's displeasure at being back on the ship and traveling so soon. She had expected the whole weekend back home to spend some time with her parents that she dearly missed but it was frustratingly cut short. She was at her apartment, lounging on a chair on her balcony looking out toward the ocean. The moment her and Madison set foot on the ship, it immediately departed and moved as fast as a vessel of such immense size could manage. They were already in the open ocean, with land no where in sight, moving post haste toward the Panama Canal to enter the Atlantic. Behind her was the sound of a sliding door being open, as Emma walked up to her.

"Upset?"

Valarie didn't turn to look at her. "I am."

"The whole team is," Emma informed. "The message to return to the ship was so sudden. It interrupted a lot of things for people. Restaurant outings, dates, spending time with family."

"I feel that last part."

"What a way to get to know this administration. Hopefully it's just a poor first impression. Hey, got any idea why we left so suddenly?"

"Something about Kaiser Wilhelm."

"Huh?"

"Yeah, I don't get it either. Madison hasn't fully explained. She likes to tease me."

There was then a knock at the door.

"The teasing stops, I guess." Valarie said.

She opened the door and it was who she guessed. Madison.

"Hey. Why are we leaving for Germany in such a big damn hurry?" Valarie inquired.

Madison welcomed herself in Valarie's apartment and sat in the sofa, reclined and let out a sigh. "Viola Wilhelm."

Valarie and Emma exchanged glances.

"Who...who's she?" Emma asked. "Some artist? An sculptor? Oh! Maybe even an actor?"

"She's the great-great-great grandniece of Kaiser Wilhelm the Second, last German Emperor during the seminal tragedy that is the First World War."

The girls stared at her for several solid seconds in silence.

"...What?" Valarie finally uttered.

"A German princess?" Emma remarked with a surprised gasp. "I didn't know Germany still has a Royal Family like in the U.K."

"Not officially," Madison said. "Not since the adoption of the Wiemar Constitution in 1919 that stripped the titles and privileges of the German nobility. Better than what happened to the Tsar and his family when Russia decide they didn't wanted nobles anymore."

Again, Emma and Valarie stared at her for a few seconds.

"Ah," Madison uttered. "I learned all when looking into Viola. Anyway, though Germany doesn't officially have any nobles, they are still people today who have family tied to it and Viola is indeed one of them."

"So, what I'm getting at is that Viola wants to attend Catalina, which is why the ship is moving like hell to get her. Can't she just...come here herself?" Valarie asked.

"Oh man, would that be so perfect. We're just on her shortlist unfortunately."

"So you gotta compete for her, then?"

"Yeah..." Madison sighed the heaviest of sighs. "It'll be an effort and half, but if we can get her to attend, it'll all be worth it." She then stood up, eyes fixed forward. "It has just occurred to me that Viola would very much appreciate being spoken to in German. Possibly doesn't know English at all. I don't know a word of German."