Just One

“I wouldn't say a million, I am more interested in the science of it then the business though I plan on taking a few business classes. Truthfully I have only one question that I really want to know.”

“Where is your father, I wish I knew dear. I really do. We may not have agreed on everything but he was my most trusted friends. Where he is now I have no clue. I keep expecting him to show up one day with some new project and him to say he just lost track of time or something.”

“That sounds like him.” Liz smiled. “You two meet at school?”

“Yes. We both started our first year together though your father was way beyond the rest of us.”

“So you knew my mother as well?”

“Yes, we both had a thing for your mother back when we both met her, beautiful woman with such a caring heart. I was a bit of a charmer in those days but she saw right through me and fell in love with your father. When your grandfather found out that Edward had fallen in love with some commoner he was outraged. Your father gave up his inheritance and title without a second thought.”

“Do you know what happened to her?” Liz asked feeling the weight of the question.

“I suppose you have been spared the truth.” He frowned and set his cup down and took his glasses off cleaning them. “Your mom worked hard to hide who she was. I didn't know till much later myself. It has to do with you in a small way. They couldn't have children themselves so they adopted you. She might have been happy to just live out her life with you and your father but when the commonwealths council of lords in their infinite wisdom started to debate idea of chemical sterilization of all witch born your mother felt she couldn't just sit back and do nothing.”

“That's horrible.”

“Agreed. Your mother felt the same way. She along with other outspoken witches and supporters began to protest publicly, it got to the point that a member of the high council, Victoria Lancaster of Avalon, meet publicly with them. No one truthfully knows what happened that day but Lady Victoria died as well as others on both sides. The public was quick to blame the witches and thus began the purge, slayers where deputized as Inquisitors to work on behalf of the commonwealth. Witches where hunted and imprisoned or worst for no crime other then being born. Most fled across the border into the empire while others went into hiding. Your mother left to protect you and your father. He never told me how she died but it destroyed him when he received the news. If not for you he might have fallen into despair. Your mother and you where his world.” Liz felt like she had just been punched in the gut. A small part of her always wished that her mother was still alive somewhere out there.

“Then why did he ever build an army for the Commonwealth after what they did.”

“He wasn't interested in winning a war for them, he only wanted to protect the people of the commonwealth who suffered the most from the war. His machines where only meant to defend the commonwealth. He buried a cipher so deep in the golems that no one could find it but his Golems couldn't cross the Greystone mountains. He justified it as a safe guard to assure the Empire couldn't use the golems against us but I think truthfully he got his **** against the lords. They had the greatest army ever created but they could never truly win the war and the empire couldn't produce and train the chimera as fast as we could build or repair the golems. He **** a stalemate and brought both sides to table to sign the peace accords.”

“Sounds like him. Thank you for telling me.” Liz **** a smile.

“Of course.” He nodded and gave a smile. “But back to the present. I am sure Diana gave you the crystal already with all of the company information on it. You will find everything in there but I suppose I still owe you a basic rundown for now. Sales have dropped off from the military after the war but we have a contract with the commonwealth which gives us a monopoly in that area. We have shifted most of our other factories to the west towards working class golems which have gone a long way toward restoration efforts in areas directly effected by the war. One of your fathers last projects. The guardian class golems havn't caught on as well as we might have liked but we have began making progress. As far as other companies that have poped up after the war go some have been increased sells in construction and personal security but we still lead the market. All in all profits are up.”

“I had fate that my father left the company in the hands of someone he could trust.” Liz smiled.

“Your trust is greatly appreciated as well princess.”

“How is the Mercer Foundation?” Liz replied. The Mercer foundation provided those injured during the war with prosthetic limbs and such. Of course most of those who needed them couldn't afford them which was the whole reason Mister Mercer had taken the deal with Liz's father. A portion of sales from the company went toward the foundation.

“Good, we have been able to do wonders for those injured during the war. Sadly though it is still years after the war but we still have no shortage of applicants seeking help.” He shook his head. “Well enough talk for now. If you are anything like your old man I have taken the liberity and arranged a tour for you of our manufacturing complex with the head engineer.”

“Thank you. I would love that.” Liz smiled.

“I thought you might. As well as this.” He reached into his pocket and sat down a key onto the table. “Its to your fathers office in manufacturing. It is exactly the way he left it.” Liz and Mister Mercer finished their tea and he lead them out of the office. The plant was a short walk away from the main office building. Liz was hit with noise of the place, the smell of oil and metal, the flickering of torches wielding. Funnily she felt slightly at home among it all. The smell and sound of the machinery around her made her feel like she was seeing parts of her dads world.

“As you can see, we run a pretty tight operation with an average of one hundred units produced per month. No where near as many as we churned out during the war but its more then enough to keep us in the green. A tenth of our profits go towards research and development allowing us to stay flexible and innovative.” Mister Smith, the head mechanic, said loudly over the noise with a smile. Liz noticed several people stopping to look at her. She wondered how many knew her father from the old days.

“Are acquisition.” Mister Mercer added.

“Yes, ever now and then someone at Ravencraft comes up with something so good we buy their ideas or hire them instead of them going to our competitors which allows us a significant edge on the competition.” Mister Mercer replied. “This area is the body shop where we make the plating for our security units. Luckily they are intimidating enough that only a small handful have ever had to actually protect someone but we haven't had a single one failed to do so.”

“I noticed that you use these models in your own security.” Liz said as she glanced back at the two following them.

“We used to use the old models but they kept frightening the workers.” Mister Smith teased. Suddenly someone let out a scream loud enough to be heard over the sound of the machinery.

“What happened?” Mister Smith yelled running over.

“His arm is caught in the press.” A man said. Liz saw the guys arm inside a metal pressing machine which was used to shape the metal for the exterior plating. Someone had managed to get a pipe into the press to jam it up but she didn't think it would hold for long. The machine still had a good grip on his arm.

“The shut off is not working.” Another said hitting a button repeatedly.