Briggs - Black Knight

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The Inventory: Iron Fist

The Inventory: Gravity

TO MUM

THE WORLDS BEST KEPT SECRET !

Since arriving at Waterloo station, Stephan Ebert had marvelled at London as it passed by his carriage window. Everything looked so magnificent, so brash so new. 1897 was turning into an exciting year and, as the British Empire slowly headed towards a whole new century, there was a tangible air of excitement and optimism. It was a far cry from his home in Prussia.

He withdrew the letter from his breast pocket, unfolded the expensive vellum sheet and reread it for the hundredth time. It intrigued him. Even the bold logo at the top of the letterhead hinted at secrets to be told:

THE COMPANY OF MERCHANT ADVENTURERS

The name was known only in certain quarters. Under Queen Victorias reign Chartered Companies had wielded great power, even governing British colonies abroad, whereas the Merchant Adventurers were an odd exception, having kept a low profile.

Stephans horse-drawn carriage clip-clopped through the spiders web of streets, and he was thankful that his driver knew their destination or he feared hed be lost in the metropolis. However, when they arrived at the townhouse, he began to wonder if his driver had made a mistake. There was no logo or emblem indicating this was the home of such a worthy institution. Just a dark blue door.

Stephan scratched his hawk-like nose and wondered if hed arrived at the wrong address. Nervously, he approached the heavy door and raised his hand to rap for attention. There was no need; the door opened before he could touch it, and his clenched hand almost followed through to punch the butler waiting for him on the other side.

Herr Ebert, said the butler without flinching from the near-miss. He gestured inside. If you would be so good.

Stephan stepped across the threshold and into an elegant hallway. A marble staircase coiled upwards before him, decorated with gold-plated gas lamps that burned despite the light flowing through the tall street-facing windows. The walls were decorated with oil paintings depicting far-off lands, magnificent clippers, and even the surface of the moon.

Stephan didnt have time to study them as the butler strode towards a far set of double doors, over which a coat of arms stood proud.

This way, sir.

The doors opened up into a lavish library, with bookshelves stretching twice the height of a man, requiring mahogany stepladders to reach the uppermost shelves. In the centre of the library stood an elderly gentleman, with a scraggly long grey beard. He leaned on a cane as he examined an exquisite timepiece on the mantle.

Thats a fine clock, sir.

The man whirled around and his eyes lit up when he saw Stephan.

Stephan! cried the man as if they were old friends. Thank you for coming.

Puzzled, Stephan accepted the mans tight embrace.

Sir William? It was the name at the bottom of his summons, the only contact he had in the Company.

Yes, yes. Then he patted the timepiece. But this is no clock. Its a rather rare and curious antique from Greece. The man looked Stephan up and down, taking in every detail from the handsome raised cheekbones to the neat point his widows peak formed on his forehead. Despite his age there was a young twinkle in his eyes. Of course, you dont remember me, do you? I was a friend of your fathers. Oh, I remember you though. I met you dozens of times when I was in Knigsberg, although you were much younger. About yea high, he said, using his cane to point at Stephans waist. Now you are the picture of your father. Stephan accepted the compliment with a gentle inclination of his head. I believe you have become something of an expert on solar astronomy?

Merely amateur work, sir, but I and a few others are making startling discoveries about sunspots and how they create a phenomenon known as electromagnetism.

As discovered by Oersted over seventy years ago.

Stephan was impressed. There was clearly more to Sir William than met the eye.

The old man tapped his cane on the floor. I may be old, Herr Ebert, but I have an inquisitive mind. Tell me, do you recall Alexander Graham Bells invention, some sixteen years ago? He called it a metal detector. It utilized electromagnetism to find concealed metal objects. The Company Sir William arced his cane through the air to indicate the building around them has a very specific agenda. One we are keen to pursue.

Stephan allowed Sir William to guide him to a metal pyramid, some four feet tall, that had been positioned on the floor. Imagine being able to use such a device to search for metals, but over a large area. A county, or perhaps an entire country.

To find what, precisely?

Sir William grinned mischievously. Buried treasure.

Stephan was confused by the way Sir William weaved through topics. Your letter was scant on detail, sir.

Thats because I dont have the words to adequately describe what you are about to see. He rapped the pyramid with his cane. It gave a hollow clang. This Company received its charter from Henry IV, would you believe, back in 1407. But it was far older than that. We started off overseeing trade, but our interests expanded. As did our resources. Yet our mandate stayed the same: look for new opportunities, new ways to keep the Empires coffers full and keep Britain great.

Pardon me, sir, but Prussia is not part of your Empire. Nor do we have ambitions to be so.

Sir William laughed. Of course not. But Prussia has you. And you are the leader in your field of expertise.

Stephan was not used to hearing such praise and his cheeks glowed with embarrassment. I am only an astronomer. And as such have no idea why I am here.

Sir William gave him a curious look from under his bushy eyebrows. All scientific disciplines are connected. We require experts from all areas. You are here because of this.

He tapped the pyramid again, this time two precise knocks that signalled the opening of a door at the end of the room. Two men entered: a suited gentleman, who led a spaniel on a lead, and younger man wearing thick rubber dungarees who looked as if hed be more at home on the footplate of a steam engine. He carried a metal flask with a nozzle at one end and Stephan noted he moved with slow, deliberate movements, as if the contents of the flask would explode at the slightest jolt.

Allow me to introduce Mr One and Mr Two. Both men nodded their heads in greeting.

Stephan raised an eyebrow. Peculiar names.

Secrecy is imperative at the Company. If you please, Mr One.

Mr One opened a hatch on the side of the pyramid and coaxed the dog inside.

Come on, Pippin. Theres a good boy.

The spaniels tail wagged as he obligingly lay inside, his chin resting on his front feet, his big brown eyes locked on his master. Mr One scratched the dogs head and gently closed the hatch.

Sir William noticed Stephans uncomfortable look. Dont worry, the animal has done this many times before. Mr Two, please demonstrate.

Mr Two pointed the flask at the pyramid and squeezed the nozzle. Nothing happened. He tried again. Still nothing. With a sigh, he began prodding the nozzle.

Sorry, sirs, he said in a thick Cockney accent. Mechanisms gone an jammed up. Ill have it goin in a jiffy.

Sir William treated Stephan to an embarrassed smile. New technology. Theres always something that goes wrong.