*Wellington Army Base, ten miles outside of Wellington City, Colony of New York, March 20th 2019*
Captain William Mitchell had thought that this would just be another normal day like any other. He'd gotten up in the morning, had breakfast, had his morning tea, and read the morning newspaper like most other days. The news were the same as always. The border skirmishes between the Viceroyalty of India and Persia were still going on, though the Persians still managed to walk the fine line that allowed this squabble to go on without it being worth the effort of bringing the full might of the Empire down on them.
He had scoffed. These incursions had been going on since at least his grandfather's time in the Royal Army. His grandfather had fought in them. His father had too. He himself had as well. And if things went the way they usually did, his son - should he ever find a woman to bear him a son - would likely do the same.
The trip from his small but comfortable home on the base grounds - officer's privilege - to the main facility of the base itself had been like it always was, though today was special in a way that made him antsy.
This was the chance of a lifetime. His Majesty was coming. To their base! Today!
He knew it had something to do with the secret work that was going on the in top secret parts of the base that even he didn't know about. He didn't know about it, though, because he hadn't cared to ask too many questions. His was neither to make reply, nor to reason why, but just to make sure that whatever it is they were doing downthere, wasn't putting the rest of the base at risk.
He knew only enough to ensure his ability to do that job: Some kind of high-brow physics experiments that were apparently interesting enough that the ruler of roughly a third of the planet had seen fit to spend part of His tour of the American colonies by paying a visit.
The brass had been going completely insane for weeks, putting the cleaning staff through hell, and the men only slightly better - Limbo perhaps. Everyone's dress uniforms had been taken to the cleaners at least three times to make sure that they were ready for the royal visit.
When he arrived and had signed in, William smiled up at the
flag blowing briskly in the biting spring wind, atop the flag pole. The sight of the flag always filled him with pride and a sense of privilege that he couldn't quite put his finger on.
He quickly realized, however, as soon as he entered the base, that something had gone terribly wrong. People were running around like stuck pigs looking just as confused and only slightly less terrified.
He frowned, and quickly went over to the head scientist to demand an explanation:
"Might I ask what, pray tell, you people think you're on about?", he demanded somewhat angrily. "We have the visit of a lifetime in only a few hours, and you lot are looking and acting ostriches with no sand to stick their heads in!"
"There's been a....complication, Captain", the scientist - an Indian fresh off the plane from Bombay - said before continuing: "There....there is somthing you need to see. You wouldn't believe me if I told you", he insisted, and gestured for William to lead the way.
William raised an eyebrow, but decided to indulge the egghead and follow down the corridors of the top secret area.
"I'll end up knowing more than I really want to, won't I?", he asked rhetorically and with a sigh.
"More than you know" came the immediate response, in a way that shook William more than a little, but he soon saw the reason the scientist was so freaked out:
In one of the offices sat a child, a girl of around 13-14 years, who was talking with Dr. Prakesh, the base's resident psychologist. William stared at the scientist who'd escorted him, and the look on his face apparently said it all, as the only reply he got was a nod, at first, but then an elaboration:
"She appeared right after we'd finished the latest high-energy experiment", he began. "A short tale to make, she claims to not be from around here, and she says a lot of very odd things."
William looked back at the child, and then noticed something that made his blood boil.
"Why does she have bruises and cuts?!", he demanded angrily, pointing at the girl, fixing the scientist's eyes with his gaze. "I know of enhanced interrogation techniques, but it takes a real scum to even CONSIDER using those on a CHILD, not to mention actually DOING it", he nearly shouted in rage as he couldn't believe what he was seeing.
"Calm yourself, Captain!", the scientist replied, equally animated, and seemingly just as upset. He had the look of an innocent man on his face, which stunned William. He considered himself a decent judge of character, and could always tell when people were lying. This scientist wasn't lying.
"I quite frankly find your implicit accusation offensive!", he declared. "I have not laid one hand on that child, and I have not allowed anyone else to do so either, and if you think otherwise, then you really are the big dumb loaf the news on the grapevine claims!", he finished. The certaintly and confidence with which he delivered this rebuttal made William reconsider his certainty.
"Well, that begs the question: If not here, where did she get those injuries from?"
"I don't know", came the reply. "She claims to be from a different world as well...listen", came the reply as he pushed a button that turned on the secret microphone that was designed to record everything said in the room without those in the room being any the wiser.