When the captain was stunned by the explosion, and Grimsby and Marian were interrogating him, he mentioned the name Leopold Schoen. And he identified himself as Colonel Schoen to Marian when she'd infiltrated the Vril crew.

But several of the reports he'd written were signed Colonel Theron Schoen.


There were a dozen or so Vril uniforms found on the ship. Uniforms were far more popular at the time, used by everything from schools to telegram delivery men. And though the Vril had no sovereign country that anyone knew of, they seemed to be organized along semi-military lines, and so wore uniforms to signify that.

You do remember seeing additional uniforms scattered around the hangar after the explosion; apparently, not all of them had been loaded onto the ship yet.

"What if we women put on Vril uniforms?" Mercy suggested.

"I don't mean pretend to be Vril men, but Vril women? We'd need to alter them a bit."

"Marian, Maybelle... Are you up for that? Do you think we learned enough at the Vril tent to pass ourselves off as Vril women?"

In reply to Mercy Kincaid (msg # 135):

Maybelle thought about it, and decided that she was indeed up for it. It was just another role that required acting, that was all. "Yes, I am."

In reply to Maybelle Diggory (msg # 136):

     "That is an excellent idea, Ladies.  Hmmm." Dash gets a thoughtful look for a moment, "From what you've all told us about the Vril Women, they consider themselves in positions of authority over the Men, and the men, at the least, go along with that, even if only as a pretense.  Therefore, if you choose to adopt a Vril Uniform, it should not be a common uniform.  Might I suggest you raid the Colonel's closet and see if he has something like an Officer's style of Jacket.  If he has enough for all of you, plus Bellgrove, excellent.  Otherwise what the Colonel has--had--might be used as a template to modify some other jackets we scrounge up on this ship, for you.  Simply tacking them, to appear custom-fitted, should do for the short term, I'd think."

     "Yes, a fancy, military-style jacket, some kind of matching skirt--say, do you think there would be time to make something like the gauchos worn in Argentina, for all of you?  Those seem appropriately military, for women's wear, to me.  Or do you think it would be possible to discretely wear short pants under your skirts--in case we need to do any running, jumping and climbing--should we need to escape."

     "Then black leather boots and gloves to finish the look...hmmm...I think we can skip any head wear--or, a dark ribbon tying the hair back in a severe-looking manner, maybe?"

     "What do you think, Miss Diggory?  Being more familiar with costuming than the rest of us, do you think this would be effective?" Dash asked, then gave an impish grin, "I merely contemplated what manner of garb, if worn by a woman to one of my Great Aunt's soirees, would set her head to spinning upon her shoulders.  I think that this might cause her head to fly right off."

Grimsby remarked, "If we do find means to dress the ladies as Vril women in officers' roles, then we men must be careful to pay them appropriate deference -- except, perhaps,'Colonel Schoen,' and even he would probably treat them as no less than equals, if not superiors."

"This is a good idea, but...

"Have some of you not made contact with some of these female Vril? Were they wearing uniforms? Should we not base whatever we do on the first-hand experiences we have had? Otherwise, we may create something that seems right to us, but would look outlandish to anyone in the know."

In reply to Bellgrove G. B. Wander (msg # 139):

     "There is that possibility, yes." Dash agrees with Bellgrove, "The Vril Women at Bourbony were out among the public, and their appearance was quite in standing with the fashion of the place and events.  But that Spanish lady scientist we encountered in a much less public venue in Graustark--we assumed she was just an agent in the Vril employ, but she could just as likely have been a Vril Woman--and she was dressed in trousers and lab coat--in an almost man-like manner, in fact.  Although, last I heard, there was a fashion trend going on among the Hidalgas of the Caballero class in both Spain and Mexico to wear pantsuits of a rather mannish appearance."

     Dash pauses at the looks he's getting,

     "What?  Does it seem so odd that I would know something about clothes?" Dash asks, "I do socialize in the better circles of the Bostonian elite, I would remind you--gentlemen of my upbringing are supposed to keep abreast of current gentlemen's fashion.  Plus, Hawkesbury Trading Company deals in clothing--we bring Paris Fashions to New York, and American fashions back to Europe, plus we are one of only a handful of companies introducing the new trousers of Levi-Straus and Company, of San Francisco, outside of the United States.  So I have a working knowledge of clothing and fashion, you know."

Grimsby remarked sardonically, "That is the first I ever heard that there was such a thing as American fashion which attracted favor in Europe, but we are fortunate at all events that you know something of these matters. I have spent much more time on the North West Fromtier than among the ladies of the viceregal establishment in Simla, to say nothing of London."

In reply to Denholm Hawkesbury (msg # 137):

Maybelle had to laugh at that, and replied, "One thing that I've learned from acting is that you must play the role well, or people will instantly see through the disguise. I think this can work, if we play our parts well."

"Well, yes, we made contact with the Vril ladies," Mercy replies to Bellgrove, "and we even had a lesson from them. They weren't really wearing a uniform, just more practical clothes for the lessons they were teaching."

"Now I'm starting to wonder if we were really fooling them. You don't suppose they could read minds, do you?"

"If we are dressed in crew uniforms, those on station in Lakshadweep won't really know if this is something new, some special occasion or just a new quirk of the Vril women."

"Anyway, that's how I read the situation. Not that I'm saying I'm all that good at that, but we can't keep trying to second-guess ourselves all the time."

Oh dear. Back at it again am I? Marian smiles nervously at the suggestion of going undercover for the third time. I'm game for anything the rest of you are. At least I won't be alone this time! We should of course make sure our tattoos are in place and hope they don't ask too many questions. I'll wear just about anything anyone wants, so just consider me your doll for the time being. I am grateful for Miss Diggory. I can lie decently when I have the chance to prepare but you no doubt, will be taking more of the heat off me I'm sure!

In reply to Marian Holroy (msg # 144):

"You're perfectly welcome, Miss Holroy." Maybelle laughed.

"Oh, yes!" Mercy agreed with Maybelle. "That's what the Sherlock fellow always does. Most of the time it's an extreme... like trying to pretend to be a Royal. If you don't know how to act like one, then they'll see right through you."

"In this case... we don't quite know how to act. We've never actually seen a Vril woman interact with the Vril men."

"I'm guessing we should act rather superior to them, just not too condescending. After all, we're supposed to have this vril power that the men are incapable of mastering."

"So... be commanding, don't let them talk back to you, and never let them question your orders. Does that about sum it up?"

Bellgrove is somewhat taken aback by Dash's sartorial expertise, so he stands there at the helm focusing on piloting and NOT grinning and winking and shouting, 'YAAAS Queen!', because that would be totally anachronistic. And, perhaps, sexist? Demeaning? Empowering? Or something... He is not really certain. That has long been a problem of his, the uncertainty.

His intent had really only to point out that putting the women in uniforms created out of the male uniforms they have found might only make it look weirder to actual Vril if there were any present in Lakshadweep given that as far as they knew there were no female-specific uniforms amongst them, and even if there were whatever the party created might be quite wrong.

Nobody else seems to think that might be a matter to concern themselves with and the ladies seem game, so he just focuses on piloting. That is a certain thing, piloting. It makes him feel better, which is odd, because seconds having passed he really is rather uncertain why he was upset in the first place.

There it is again. Uncertainty, he thinks with a certain resignation. Bellgrove tries to recall what that Austrian chap his father had encouraged him to exchange letters with had said about the state of mind he often found himself beset with in these profound moments of Uncertainty, but, of course, nothing comes to mind and he wonders whether or not he remembered to pack them when he left New York.

Lost in his own thoughts he stands at the helm his lavender eyes scanning the horizon.

     "I don't know." Dash admitted, "Miss Marian, when you played your ruse in the prison cell against that male Vril operative, how did you comport yourself, in order to make him believe you were a Vril Woman operative?  Is what Mercy is saying sound about right?"

Marian nods the affirmative at Dash's question. Yes. Each time I simply acted like I was in charge. I wasn't unpleasant mind you, just confident. I also blamed any ignorance I had on general underlings who had failed to do their part and I also was under stressful circumstances where I could demand answers in a hurry, so the stress of the situation actually helped me. No one had time to second guess my words an I knew just enough correct information to be viable. My worry is a prolonged conversation under calm circumstances would be a great deal harder to pull off. My personal two cents are to be calmly and confidently in charge and try to deflect if you can't answer something. It's worked for me so far. Hopefully I'm not pushing my luck...

In reply to Marian Holroy (msg # 149):

Maybelle listened to Miss Holroy's account. Her description of how she acted would surely be handy in the near future.

Grimsby commented, "Your method worked well last time, Miss Holroy. I trust it will again. Some of the rest of us may need to be ready to provide distractions so no local Vril has too much time to talk to you at too much length on awkward topics." 

"Lakshadweep isn't a very big place, especially scattered across several islands," Mercy pointed out. "Or are they all concentrated on one island?"

"If they've got some sort of submarine, that might be helpful in spreading them out to other islands."

"Well, in any case, I doubt if there will be more than half a dozen Vril agents on such a remote location... maybe not even that many. If any more were needed, then this ship would have provided them."

"You know, I find it odd that this ship didn't have any of those wings, yet the other Vril ship did. Is it possible that they have an engineer on board that builds them? Or at least services them?"

"Or, maybe, there's a limited supply, and they were just assigned to a specific ship. I'm only mentioning this because it goes to the function of this ship and its crew. I mean, clearly, it doesn't require more than four or five men to crew this ship. So, what were all the others doing on it?"

"Given the nature of the Vril men as we've seen it, this ship was probably carrying some sort of assault team. Doesn't that make sense?"

"So, I'm just saying... we should maybe expect that demand to be put on us. Remember, the order was to acquire a submarine. Maybe the local Vril will expect us to help them get it."

Grimsby smiled grimly and replied, "If the local Vril are hoping for the arrival of an assault
team, we may fulfill that hope, but not in the way they expect."

In reply to Grimsby Baskerville (msg # 153):

     "Actually, Grimsby, I think Mercy may have the right of it." Dash says, frowning, "As I recall, you said that the papers you decoded started with instructions for the Colonel to take command, then to go to Iceland to get some esoteric material--where the Colonel reported engaging in combat and suffering casualties.  That could imply he went to Iceland with troops at his back."

     "Then his next order was to go to one of the Baltic States--Lithuania, wasn't it?  There he was to remove a Vril manager from his position.  Again, I imply from that that the Colonel would have gone to perform such a mission with troops loyal to himself."

     "Next the Colonel was ordered to go to Scotland, to Lord Kentigern's mine site, and there capture both Professor Cavor as well as all the available supply of the ore being mined.  To do that the Colonel would need men--not just soldiers to take control of the mine, but a large number of laborers to move that ore quickly aboard the airship.  Again, an indication that the Colonel should have at least a platoon of men aboard."

     "Everything after that was the Colonel answering calls for assistance, where he just happened to be in the area to respond to.  Marseille, Graustark, Lugaash, Bourbony--while they all may be along a lazy trail to Lakshdweep, the coded papers the Colonel left us state that he was diverted to each to aid with some other Vril operation."

     "And the icing on the cake for Mercy's point is that, of all the things we've found aboard this airship, a bank draft or a chest full of money with which to buy a submarine has not been found.  Either the Vril already at Lakshadweep have those funds, or, as Mercy suspects, this airship is bringing troops to aid in stealing one."

     "Maybe there are already Vril submariners waiting at Lakshadweep, or maybe some of those once aboard this airship had submarine training.  The Colonels orders were to bring Cavor to Lakshadweep, let him assess the possibility of converting a submarine into an interplanetary craft by the use of Cavorite, and then the Colonel was to aid in 'acquiring' a submarine..."

     "Damn it--oh, your pardon, Ladies--but I think I just talked myself out of wanting to go to Lakshadweep.  If neither Cavor nor the expected Vril troops with the Colonel ever show up, then the Vril are thwarted--at least in the short term.  They still have the Cavorite, and they can still acquire a submarine, just at a later time."

     "So, really, the only reason I can think of to continue on to Lakshadweep would simply be to warn the local Rani of the threat of one of her submarines being stolen, and to warn the local British authorities--they are on friendly terms with the Rani--of the same thing."

     "I know we're almost to Lakshadweep, already, but really...why?  We'd run the risk of the Professor falling back into Vril hands, should we choose to interact with the Vril at Lakshadweep.  Can we really take that risk?  Should we?"

     "As much as I'm enjoying all this running around and intriguing, the facts of the matter are that we were only empowered by Lord Kentigern to recover Professor Cavor, and the ore if possible.  That we have uncovered a possibly world-threatening plot by this Vril organization...frankly it concerns me that we are content to have just us--a handful of civilians--pursuing it.  This sounds like something that Government Agents, or the Military should be pursuing."

     Dash grins and rubs the back of his head, "Like I said, it's not that I'm not just as anxious to see the resolution of all this, personally, as the rest of you are--I'm just saying that I think it's starting to get...bigger...than just us.  What happens if the Vril get Cavor, again?  What happens if we fail to stop the Vril?"

     "Grimsby, you're the closest thing among us to any kind of official representative of a government--and I know you've been making reports, whenever we've contacted any of your Governments offices.  But if we were to be taken out of the game by the Vril, do you really think that the British Government, based solely upon what you've reported so far, would be prepared to increase their focus upon the Vril?  Honestly?"

In reply to Denholm Hawkesbury (msg # 154):

Grimsby replied, "I have no doubt that the Vril colonel started out his expedition with supporting soldiers, or at the very least thugs, but over the course of these encounters we have dealt with a number of them already. I do not know how much of his troubles he has reported to his comrades in Lakshadweep, but even if he minimized his losses I think they would now know that the force he was bringing would be less than originally planned.
While I certainly intend to report in to the British in Lakshadweep,I favor carrying on there as we have planned."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:42, Sat 06 July 2019.

After his previous snark Bellgrove had focused on the Helm listening but not contributing until Grimbsby makes his point when he finally speaks, "From my perspective Grimsby has the right of it.

"At this point we are the point of anti-Vril activity if only by accident. If we do not at least look in on Lakshadweep and determine the status of their activities and whatnot there then we are effectively taking our eyes off the, erm, 'wheel'.

In reply to Bellgrove G. B. Wander (msg # 156):

     "Oh, I'm not saying I'm not game to take on the Vril, here at Lakshadweep!  Do not misunderstand me, please." Dash says, "I'm just pointing out that, simply by not showing up at Lakshadweep with Professor Cavor, we will have thwarted the Vril's plot there.  Not stopped it completely, no, but put a temporary halt to it."

     "Getting Cavor to safety would delay them longer--they seem to respect his opinion in matters of applying his new-found material, his Wonderflonium, towards practical engineering issues.  But I am sure that, with or without Cavor's input, the Vril would proceed with their plans.  Eventually."

     "Therefore, what I am actually suggesting is that we might serve the greater end result, not by endangering Cavor just to expose the Vril operation in Lakshadweep, but--now that we have rescued the Professor--that we go after the Cavorite ore.  With both the Professor and the ore recovered from Vril hands, we will have completely spoiled their plans."

     Dash gives a little shrug of his shoulders, "Well, spoil their plans until they get their hands on more of the Professors very rare ore, that is."

     "Now, thanks to Grimsby's hard work at translating the late Colonel's papers, we know that the ore was sent ahead to a place where Cavor was to eventually catch up to it--that place being called 'Vanuatu'.  To my ear, that sounds like a Polynesian or Melanesian word--so I thought it might be an island in the South Pacific.  While not the best navigator, I do know how to read a map..." Dash gestured towards the small navigation table at the back of the control cabin, "I couldn't find any island with the exact name of 'Vanuatu', but I did find something close--an island in the New Hebrides chain, north-east of Australia, in a small island group called the Banks Islands.  The island is called 'Vanua Lava'."

     Again Dash gives the little shrug of his shoulders, "I don't speak Polynesian, so I don't know if 'Vanuatu' could be a location on the island of 'Vanua Lava', or if it's someplace else entirely.  My only exposure to anything Polynesian has been on visits to the islands of Hawaii.  For that matter, this 'Vanuatu' Vril base could even be somewhere in the Hawaiian Islands, for all I know."

     "That's the only downside to avoiding going to Lakshadweep--we know we need to go to this 'Vanuatu' to recover the ore, but we don't know exactly where 'Vanuatu' is.  But there is no guarantee we can get that information from the Vril at Lakshadweep, either.  Really, that's all we would want to accomplish at Lakshadweep, now--get the location of 'Vanuatu'.  Well, and expose the Vril that are Lakshadweep, of course.  I suppose."

"I think you have the right of it as far as 'Vanautu' goes. Our British cousins call the islands New Hebrides," replies Bellgrove with a significant look at Grimsby.