Dr. Charlotte DuPont was running on very little sleep. That in and of itself of course was not new, unusual or even cause for concern. Indeed likely it would not even be noticed until she began dozing off mid-task as the woman seemed to hold some secret reserve of energy that kept her going tirelessly for what seemed like insanely long stretches of time. However, this time around her lack of sleep was less about progress and being poised on the edge of scientific breakthrough and more about bureaucratic nonsense and lies that she really didn't have time for.<br/><br/><em>"Time's almost up Charlotte!" Her father hissed looking far more agitated than usual.<br/><br/>"I am aware of the deadline, father."  <br/><br/>"Are you, girl?! You seem to have forgotten that we are under the thumb of the Authority here. Childish whims have no place in science. These contraptions you build are useless!" Her father was beet red and she thought she detected the scent of spirits on his breath as he insisted on lecturing her as though she was five. His decline had become more apparent in recent months but this... this was just plain sloppy. "They are coming in three days to see what we have, Charlotte. Three. Its time to stop whatever foolishness you have been tinkering with and produce something!"<br/><br/>"I have produced plenty!" Her voice dared to inch higher in volume, a mere slip what with all the she had been doing and eating and sleeping so little to see to the prep work before the final step was taken on her latest project, and she was quickly reminded of her place when a slap sounded against the backdrop of hissing and whistling machinery. Her head was thrust to the side and her view of the floor blurred as tears filled her gaze. Somewhere a pump decompressed and Charlotte took a breath as the sharp sting settled in, not lifting her head until her vision was once again back to normal. Her face would be sore for a bit but it wouldn't bruise... it never did. <br/><br/>"It is not enough. These toys you love, the books and journals you covet, the side project to dally in, all the gadgets and gizmos... even that girl you keep to do God knows what with up here," Charles' tone spoke of disgust but the sickening gleam in his eyes, the very same eyes Charlotte saw in the mirror each day, spoke of something else entirely that she cared not to think about, "If they come and there is nothing to show them then we are finished and everything you treasure will be taken from you. Do you hear? All of it. Gone. And you will have nothing to fall back on but whatever wiles your mother might have passed down to you... which is clearly not much seeing as how you haven't a single suitor." </em><br/><br/>It was always the same. Dr. Charles DuPont, renown scientist and the reason all hope was not lost for the English as they battled against the heavy tide of the Germans. His accomplishments were numerous, his genius unparallelled! He was the a beacon of hope for the English! Charlotte should be proud to even be allowed to study at her father's side, to be privy to even mere scraps of knowledge that he tossed aside. She should count herself lucky that her father provided for her and made sure that she was not relegated to role so many other women had be forced into just to put food in their mouths in the absence of the brave men who marched off to defend English soil...<br/><br/>Except he was a liar. The great Dr. DuPont was an imposter, a cheater, and a fool. And Charlotte was more than fed up.<br/><br/>She once had been oh so proud of her father and his innovation and intellect. The then Lady Charlotte had wanted nothing more than to celebrate the great man that her father was and when he had taken her into his lab that very first time as a little girl and showed her the future as he saw it she had been awed and amazed. And so very proud.<br/><br/>However, truth has a way of sifting to the surface no matter how far one attempts bury it. Imagine then how easy it became to see the truth when her father stopped attempting even that much.<br/><br/>It was past time for things to change.<br/><br/>Charlotte looked up absently as the brass knocker sounded at the door to her haven, eyes the color of the greenest grass enlarged even farther than their already doe-ish proportions behind the extended lens of her magnifying goggles. Ives, the clockwork butler who was more friend than machine, wasted no time heading over to answer it and Charlotte stood up from her now uncomfortable hunch over the delicate inner workings of the utility gun she'd designed to be carried by soldiers. This model had been rather heavily modified, though it still retained the standard proportions, and by the time her assistant made her way around to place a soft kiss upon her cheek, Charlotte had slid the last piece into place to be secured. "Morning, darling."<br/><br/>The feel of Prudence's soft lips and the scent of innocence flirted with her senses as it always did and while other days the good Doctor might have spared time for a hidden glance or two at the lovely young woman, today her mind was too consumed with deadlines to allow for distraction. Her gaze returned to her work and she was vaguely aware of Ives returning to his previous cleaning and Prudence checking in on their guest as she tightened the last bolt in her re-purposed hardware. By her calculation the girl would be waking anytime now and they would need to observe her closely for a few hours to be sure the surgery was not rejected. Pending success, Charlotte would be able to begin the battery of tests to ensure functionality as well but she would wait until they'd gotten to that point lest her brain surge off to ponder possibility far too soon. The time for daydreaming had passed unfortunately. Action and results were what was needed now and that required her focus.<br/><br/>Setting aside her tools the Doctor pushed her goggles up onto her head. As she'd forgotten to retract the lenses to avoid damage they looked like thick, metallic horns perched upon her head but as there was already a smudge of something on her chin it was clear that her appearance was the least of her worries as she approached Prudence. Eyes wide she regarded the young woman with surprise as she spoke of a late night visitor but the reason for it was more due to the fact that they had gone to see Prudence than that they had come at all.<br/><br/>"Eugenics? Well, yes... I suppose it could be." Charlotte nodded, her hair flopping forward in a way that reminded her she was not at all fit for presentation. Of course in her opinion that was only to be expected when one holed away in their lair all day and night. "I was not expecting someone for another week yet if not later." That was a lie. But said just so in her crisp and clear accent, and accent that marked her as a well bred high born lady or worth who would never ever utter an untruth, well... it was hard to be sure. Secrets had a way of getting out, the truth sifting to the surface, she knew. She had hoped to get a few more days considering she'd managed to come up with a few small improvements to the standard weaponry of soldiers that was both cheap and efficient while boosting fie power but apparently being a good daughter and giving the 'great' Dr. DuPont her work to take claim for was not enough to keep her secrets for even one more day.<br/><br/>Bollocks.<br/><br/>Moving away from her assistant, Charlotte's gaze landed upon her lovely subject, a smile that was something more than just maternal in nature appearing as she looked over what she could see of her form. Of course she knew every detail of that rather pleasant form by heart but that was only because the procedure had required it. Or at least that was all she would allow herself to believe. The girl, Justine, was another beauty just like her Prudence and she felt it a shame that society as it stood had driven her to this but that she so courageously volunteered herself to...<br/><br/>Charlotte's thoughts snapped off and she remembered herself. Now was not the time nor the place really and besides, the subject was stirring.<br/><br/>"Prudence, dear, it seems our guest might be coming to. Prepare the table there, darling..." She gestured to the examination table and began moving again herself, only as she passed through her lab she began to pick up things, a gadget here, a prototype there, a vial here, a weapon there but it wouldn't be clear just where they were all going if her assistant was actually taking notice. "Prudence... I am going to open the chamber. When I do, I need you to unstrap her and we will move her."  The Doctor returned to the where her subject attempted to rose from her induced slumber but paused a moment, confusion flitting across her features as she lifted a hand to her chest which felt a little odd.<br/><br/>"Ives, be a dear an activate the external detection, and close the inner door as well please. I'd rather not be taken by surprise in the middle of this initial examination..."<br/>