Episode Six - Mad Mary and her Mechanical Minions

Captain James T Cook and the HMSS Endeavour - VSF 1770

“Space the new frontier.  These are the voyages of the Her Majesty’s Star Ship Endeavour.  Its five year mission: to explore strange new worlds; to seek out new life and new civilisations; to boldly go where no Englishman has gone before.”- Captain James T Cook

Captain’s Log: 15 June 1895 – Europa - moon of Jupiter!

After leaving Mars Cook received new orders from the Admiralty by aethergram "The daughter of Lord Backstabber has been reported missing. You are to look for her on the moons of Jupiter. We believe she is on Europa setting up some sort of weird suffragette community against her fathers wishes. Nonetheless, her father has lost contact with her and is yelling at the PM to find her. So act promptly."

"What do you think Captain" said my trusty man Cheerful Rodgers.

"Well, the Lord Backstabber is famous for being a complete idiot and I certainly would get as far as away as possible if I was related to him. Nonetheless, we have our orders. Ship Commander Robert Molyneux, please set course for Europa, moon of Jupiter."

Just as they reach Europa a further signal was received from the Admiralty. "We have received information that the Prussians will be looking for her as well. Apparently she has made some mad mechanical minions using some Martian Technology that the Prussians want for soldiers. You must find her first and secure any valuable mechanical items. We know it is unlikely that a woman can invent anything but she is British so you never know. Watch out for the Prussians!"

After searching Europa for a while the Endeavour found the settlement, unfortunately there was also a Prussian ship landing at the same time. It was Kapitan Jacob T Koch of the KISS Bemühen.

The landing ship of the Endeavour has landed closer to the settlement but the Prussians are already on their way.

The opening situation. Mad Mary's settlement to the bottom left, Prussians from the bottom right and our British hero's at the top left. Across the board, infestations of mushroom forests and giant carnivorous lady beetles. 

The Prussian column

The Endeavour's landing team. 

Lady Mary's Settlement. Well organised with power supplied by wind generators. Her Factories and staff have been busy and she has already produced a number of her mechanical servants. Some she has armed to keep the beetles away but her main project is her butlers. 

The Prussian column comes under attack from some beetles from the nearby Mushroom forests.

The Endeavour's crew moves out but the beetles also come out to attack them.

Prussians lose some men but kill the beetles

Cook's men also blast the beetles and lose some men

The Prussian column comes under further attack! Beetles to the left, beetles to the right.

Cook sends the Marines into the mushroom forest to clean out the beetles while he and the crew march forward through the gap destroying beetles as they go. When the marines get through they will be able to protect his flank from the Prussians.

Lady Mary moves her mechanical soldiers towards the gun fire she hears in the distance.

The Prussian column is under heavy attack but destroys all but one beetle for the loss of two men.

The British marines have cleared the mushroom forest for the loss of two men while the crew have forced through the gap for the loss of two men. A further marine squad comes up in support.

An over view of the battlefield. Cook is closer but Koch is not far away and has more men.

Cook meets Mary while holding off the beetles. No beetles dare attack Mary and her mechanical soldiers.

Koch and his Prussians suffer a further attack and lose two more men, slowing their advance.

Eventually the Prussians make it through and Mary addresses both companies.

Mary made it quite clear that she had no interest in helping either of them. "You and your commanders are all fools. There is no money in mechanical soldiers! I am going to give every housewife her own mechanical butler, mechanical maid and gardener. Women will finally be free of tedious house work!"

But said Koch "we will pay you plenty for your mechanical soldiers, and then the husbands can stay home and help with the house work."

Cook looked concerned and said "Well the husbands can stay home, I am not sure about house work!" His men nodded in agreement, as did some of the Prussian soldiers.

Mary just sighed and said "Go away. Tell my father that he is an idiot. A revolution is coming!"

Just before Cook and Koch wandered back to their respective space ships with their crews they held a short discussion. "We could try and take them by force but those mechanical men looked nasty! And of course it is rude to attack a woman." "I think we should just say we found her and she was safe but there was nothing else here, the mechanical men are clumsy and only do women's work." "Good idea!".

Both Captains made similar reports, and as Victoria and Wilhelm both agreed, Mary was left alone.

Cook on the Endeavour woke to the usual shouts from Cheerful Rodgers, "Orders from the Admiralty. A base has been over run by alien monsters and we have to go and save them!"

"Oh great" thought Cook, "another adventure".