Chapter 82: A New Thing Part 3
"Figures. He didn't want you too nervous to talk. Vice-Admiral Peysk."
"Calliope Shillingsworth."
"Not Captain?" The Vice-Admiral raised an eyebrow.
"Not any longer. There is work I need to do which can't be managed aboard a ship. I hope someday to command a ship again."
"Tell me about this work that took you away from the sea." He leaned back, fingers playing with a button on his jacket.
"Almost two years ago, His Highness the Crown Prince asked me to build him an airship. He told me to learn something about command first. So I spent a year and a half as First Mate on the Kestrel, and the last voyage as Captain."
"His Highness asked you?" The eyebrow went up higher this time.
"At the same time, he gave me this." Cal handed him the scroll detailing her role as Royal Engineer. The Vice-Admiral read the scroll looking more and more shocked.
"That's just like Himself to create an entirely new branch of the Navy, and fail to inform anyone of his actions." He picked up the letter and handed the scroll back to Cal. Coming around the desk he peered at the pin on her blouse. "I see. Understated but very clear." He headed for the door. "Well come along. Don't want to keep the Admiralty waiting."
Cal jogged to catch up to him, then had to walk fast to stay beside him. The Vice-Admiral opened a door and ushered Cal through before closing the door behind him. She'd never seen so much gold braid in one place, but all the men stood immediately.
"They don't stand that quickly for me. Maybe I should try wearing a dress." The Crown Prince stepped over to her and took her hand. "I've been waiting for you to show up. You wouldn't believe the mess we're dealing with." He guided her to a seat.
"Would you care to explain just who she is and what she has to do with the present situation?" One of the men spoke gruffly.
"Certainly." The Crown Prince brought Cal to a chair at the table. "Please sit, gentlemen." The six men lowered themselves into their seats as the prince dropped into his seat and sighed happily. "Meet Lady Calliope Shillingsworth, who prefers to be called Cal." He winked at her. "Cal is a very talented artist, and more to the point has an innate understanding of engines and machinery. That landing tower which caused you so much grief until I passed on a suggestion? The solution was Cal's - tossed out within seconds of hearing the problem. She even proposed an alternative, but it would have had the builders pulling out their hair. She also asked all the pertinent questions about how an airship would work, just from seeing one for the first time. Questions mind you, that not one of your Navy engineers asked. Given her ability, I appointed her as my first Royal Engineer but asked her to get some experience with command. She's going to need it."
"What do you mean 'I'm going to need it? I thought you wanted me to build you an airship?" Cal burst out.
"We have engineers," the Prince said, "and they are very good at building ships to float on the ocean. We have the best fleet in the world because of those engineers. But someone is going to have to convince them to think differently to build an airship." The prince pointed at her.
"Since his Royal Highness casually created a new branch of the navy, dedicated solely to engineering new machines." Vice-Admiral Peysk grinned at Cal. "There is no existing command structure - outside of yourself, that is. Naturally, as a commander of a branch of our Royal Navy, you will be expected to report to this group."
"I hadn't thought of that." The prince rubbed his chin. "But it's a good idea. Complete secrecy will be impossible with a project this big, but if we can keep as much of the detail in this room as possible, it would help."
Cal closed her mouth with a snap.
"Admiral Shillingsworth. Has a nice ring to it." The Vice-Admiral grinned at her.
"You are not making me an Admiral." Cal put her hands flat on the table to stop them shaking. "Royal Engineer is rarified enough."
"What is the command structure for engineers now?" One of the Admirals asked.
"Not sure there is one. They are under whichever branch enlisted them, and their rank comes from that branch. If we're to combine them into their own branch, we'll need to create an entirely new chain of command." The Vice-Admiral looked up at the ceiling. "What we don't want is her getting bogged down in the paperwork instead of building our airship. I suggest we have an administrative office to manage the paperwork and give our Royal Engineer a working rank. Chief Engineer sounds too much like Chief Petty Officer, so maybe something like Commander of the Royal Engineers? Her duties won't be far off what a Commander does now, and we can adjust as we go along."
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