The members of the Rising World Company kept busy. Testing the new airship thoroughly took weeks and gave them excuses to zip east and west like a magical cloud, ferrying passengers. They also had a changeover of workers in progress, getting a few new lackeys -- er, students -- to train with them while the Kobold duo prepared to head back east to Ralator's area. And when they weren't busy with all of that, they had machine tools to make, and ongoing work on Vonn's new airplane to finish. They needed to train people up to build more, do more.

Vonn was reading mail one day including a letter from Riz. "She's right," he said. "We need an actual business manager."

Tazo grinned. "So are you inviting her here, or...?"

"I didn't say it had to be her specifically!" But his ears blushed.

"Sure, sure. I'm thinking we need a specialist Mage, too."

While they bantered, a courier arrived. This one was no random boat captain bringing messages as the chance arose. Instead, the Human stood out for his fine traveling clothes and the locked bag he carried. "You're the Engineer known as Vonn Firetail? And the Mage, Tazo, working with Ralator?"

"That's us," said Vonn, standing up straighter.

The messenger unlocked his pack and handed them a cream-colored envelope with a wax seal bearing a crown and three spears. "His Majesty the King requests your presence."

Tazo stood there open-jawed. Vonn bristled, saying, "Is there a problem, sir?"

"From what I understand, he's curious about your work and speaks highly of it."

Vonn read the letter, and gulped. "As his majesty commands."

"Is there a longer reply?" asked the messenger.

"Um. Yes, I'm sure. I'll write something detailed. It's going to take a little while."

"That's fine. I have business in Silvermire as well, and at this new academy of Ralator's. I'll pick up your reply on the way back."

Tazo's tail hid, curling around one leg. "If we might be so bold, one of us can give you a quick ride over there. Through the sky."

The man was formal and serious, but he smiled. "I was hoping you'd offer."

While he left to get ready, Vonn flopped down in a chair and trembled.

"What does it say?" Tazo asked, looking at the royal letter.

Vonn handed it over. "We're not in trouble. He's probably going to commission a sky fleet or something. But he wants to see what we have, and soon. Also, see the bottom."

The letter looked congratulatory, and the wording was hard to puzzle out but seemed to be a politely worded summons. Toward the capital, far to the south! Specifically "using your own mode of transport"! And while he was waiting, his advisers wanted a more detailed description of skyships and antigravity. Below that, though, was a different message. The King's court had received a cryptic message from the eastern kingdoms, specifically from an Elven princess with a prophecy and a riddle. The prophecy part was left vague, something about a time of change, but the nature of the riddle was plain for anyone in Vonn's circle of friends. It was just a few lines written in the alien language called English.

"So the fourth one's finally made contact," she said. "What's her secret message say?"

Vonn said, "It's actually Latin, not even English. She assumed that I or the others would recognize some famous stock phrases in it. Fortune favors the bold. Seize the day. Necessity is the mother of invention."

"Why use some other language entirely?" asked Tazo, furrowing her brow.

"If anybody else asks," he said, "she's testing that I really am from Earth and didn't just intercept the message and piece together a translation from other English that the spies have probably copied down by now. But really... I think this high-ranking lady might have ambition even greater than mine."

"Should we go see her too, then? It's so far away!"

"Someday, yes. But for now I can just send a letter on the King's credit. We're summoned by our own overlord, first."

Vonn stood and leaned down with his hands on a workshop counter, steadying himself. Then he looked up at Tazo and smiled. "Well, sister? Have I led you into enough strangeness yet, or shall we go and find some more?"

Tazo ruffled his ears. "It's a chance to stop by Liiros again, anyway. We really are going to need to pick up some extra people, if we're going to run a business empire and still have time for travel."

"All right! We have work to do." Vonn clapped and reached for a stack of paper. "Tell Polestar while I write a note to Selen and get started on a royal reply. We might all need to get in on this trip. Good thing we'll have an airship big enough, eh? Might even take two, and really impress any foxes we meet along the way. Although really, we should make some adjustments if we're traveling that far."

Tazo could already tell she was going to need to restrain his tinkering. Oh, well. The Rising World Company would be big and powerful enough to keep them all busy, for a long time to come.

The End