Family Politics was a virtual representation of one of Evie Frye's genetic memories, relived by a Helix Initiate in 2015 through the Helix Navigator.
Description[]
Evie drove for Duleep Singh and several politicians in exchange for information on the whereabouts of the plans to the Buckingham Palace vault.
Dialogue[]
- Duleep: Delighted to see you again, Miss Frye.
- Evie: Your Highness, the plans detailing the renovations to Buckingham Palace have gone astray.
- Duleep: I suppose you will have to make do with the copies.
- Evie: There are copies? Where?
- Duleep: Not so fast. First, I have a matter of some urgency. Carrying out my plan would require stealth and speed, qualities I know you possess.
- Evie: Time is of the essence, Your Highness.
- Duleep: Then make this quick, my dear. The most influential men in Parliament remain beyond my reach. But these very men have sent for carriages to prepare for the ball tonight. Acquire an official carriage, and we shall drive the politicians to their destinations. Along the way, I will meet with them. And, afterward, I shall tell you where to find the plans.
- Evie: You're a shrewd negotiator.
- Duleep: One must be, when one is so often underestimated.
Evie made her way to a depot holding royal carriages.
- Evie: "Don't allow personal feelings to compromise the mission". What a mistake.
- Guard 1: Sounds like they'll be having quite a party tonight.
- Guard 2: Don't get too excited. It just means the toffs will be puking in the bushes at 3 am, and we'll be the ones cleaning it up.
- Guard 1: God save the Queen...
- Guard 3: Do you think we'll get a glimpse of anyone important?
- Guard 4: If we're lucky, we'll keep well away from it and have a nice, boring night.
- Guard 5: Thank God my shift ends early tonight.
- Guard 6: You sound like you want a nap more than you want your job!
- Guard 5: When you're my age, you'll feel the same.
- Guard 6: We're the same age!
Evie steals a royal carriage from the depot
Evie stole a royal carriage and drove back to Duleep.
- Duleep: Shall we lobby our cause, Miss Frye?
- Evie: Climb up, Your Highness.
Duleep entered the carriage.
- Evie: Where are we headed?
- Duleep: Belgrave Square.
Evie drove to Belgrave Square and picked up the first politician.
- Politician 1: I must pick up my son to be on time for the ball tonight!
Why the blazes is everything so slow?
My carriage is late!
Victoria station, please, and on the double! My son is anticipating my arrival. - Duleep: Welcome, sir.
- Politician 1: Your Highness. What a surprise.
- Duleep: Ha, is life not about embracing the unexpected? I shall take but a few moments of your time. A matter of utmost importance must be discussed. When the Commonwealth seized the Punjab from my people—
- Politician 1: It was not a seizure, but a rightful transaction.
- Duleep: Britain promised to protect me. By robbing me of my kingdom, Parliament acted in violation of the treaty signed with my family. Here, read it.
- Politician 1: I—I was not aware.
- Duleep: Read. That is all I ask. You are one of the few in a position to help.
- Politician 1: I will do what I can.
- Duleep: Thank you, sir.
Evie dropped off the politician at Victoria station.
- Duleep: I trust you and your son will enjoy the ball this evening.
- Politican 1: He is newly returned from Delhi. I will share what we have discussed. It is most disconcerting.
- Duleep: That proved quite valuable.
- Evie: Where to now?
- Duleep: St James' Park. I notice Mr. Green did not accompany you.
- Evie: He has other things to attend to.
- Duleep: Ah. A pity. You two seemed to get along nicely.
- Evie: Well, that was a problem, you see. "One must not allow personal feelings to compromise one's mission".
- Duleep: That sounds like a quotation.
- Evie: It is. From my father.
- Duleep: Ethan Frye.
- Evie: You knew him?
- Duleep: No, unfortunately. But Mr. Green spoke of him. He sounded like an extraordinary man.
- Evie: He was, Your Highness.
- Duleep: And your mother as well. Cecily Frye. She and your father were partners, inseparable. The only duo that came close to challenging Mr. Starrick. And very much in love, at least, from the small amount I have been told.
- Evie: Cecily. I wish I could have met her.
- Duleep: From what Mr. Green gathered, you share much in common. Your intelligence, for one.
- Evie: Father never spoke of her. What would Mr. Green know? He was only a boy when he trained with my father.
- Duleep: Children can be quite perceptive, Miss Frye.
Evie in St. James' Park, picking up another politician with the royal carriage in poor conditions
Evie drove to St. James' Park and picked up another politician.
- Politician 2: To Parliament, please, on the double!
- Evie: Yes, sir.
- Duleep: Good day, sir.
- Politician 2: Why, what are you doing here, Your Highness?
- Duleep: I know how busy your days have been of late. A few moments of your time is all I require.
- Politician 2: This is all rather unorthodox, but continue.
- Duleep: Britain was to protect me according to the treaty my family signed. Instead, she took my land. And now, I hear Britain intends to strengthen her ties to India. Perhaps it is time to return the Punjab to her people.
- Politician 2: The Queen has supplied you with an annual income for God knows how long, and now you bite the hand that feeds you?
- Duleep: It is not a matter of money. I cannot stand idle and watch my homeland subjected to the yoke of an outsider's rule. My people are treated as slaves. I will die poor a thousand times over if only to see them free.
- Politician 2: Your passion moves me, Your Highness. What would you have me do?
- Duleep: Take this copy of the wrongful treaty and defend my claim to the throne. Help disengage the Punjab from British rule.
- Politician 2: I shall speak up, but I am only one voice. I cannot promise anything but a show of support.
- Duleep: That is more than enough. Thank you, sir.
- Politician 2: My pleasure, Your Highness.
Evie dropped off the politician at the Palace of Westminster.
- Politician 2: Good day, sir.
- Duleep: May God bless you. Only one more remains. To the Gladstone residence.
- Evie: Do you miss India?
- Duleep: I remember... that my mother smelled of cinnamon. And when she cradled me in her arms in the summer heat, I would hold so still that she fell asleep. When I lost my kingdom, it hurt, but truly, when they took my mother away... I saw her again two years before she died. The summer long since faded. I miss her, I miss India. I love India because I love my mother.
- Evie: Will you ever return?
- Duleep: I have petitioned the government several times, but they withhold their permission. Do not be fooled by appearances, Miss Frye. I am in many ways a prisoner.
- Evie: Perhaps we may work together more closely for your cause in the future.
- Duleep: I would like that very much, Miss Frye.
Evie drove to the residence of William Gladstone and picked him up.
- Gladstone: What else can go wrong?
This day is a disaster!
Where in the blazes is my carriage?
To the Sinopean Club, straight away. - Duleep: Good day, Mr. Gladstone.
- Gladstone: Mr. Singh?
- Duleep: You are a hard man to pin down.
- Gladstone: I know what this is about. Your parlor tricks have worn off. Her Majesty has tired of you, so now you come begging for scraps.
- Duleep: You wound me deeply, sir. My people deserve freedom. I am here to fight for them.
- Gladstone: Why did you lose the Punjab? I shall tell you, "Your Highness". You were outgunned, outmaneuvered and simply outclassed. Yes, the Sikhs deserve freedom. I hope with British help and progress, they shall achieve it.
- Duleep: Then why do they cry out for their king?
- Gladstone: Britain has a duty to bring about peace. It is an enormous responsibility, and I value your guidance and advice, along with that of Parliament. But it's our burden to rule India, and certainly not the duty of a forgotten leader who has not seen his country for twenty years. I apologize for being so frank, but one must not tell lies to a king.
- Duleep: Your honesty is most enlightening.
- Gladstone: When I become Prime Minister, I intend to push for peace, but it will be a long and slow process. And I am afraid I can almost guarantee you will never see India again.
- Duleep: If my people are free, then my imprisonment shall be no burden.
- Gladstone: Perhaps your idealism is real. Although, after observing the tigers wandering the grounds of your lush, expensive state, forgive me for doubting it.
Evie dropped off Gladstone at the Sinopean Club.
- Gladstone: Much luck, Your Highness, with your lobbying. I hope my advice has done some good.
- Duleep: Far more than your policies, thus far. But I hold out hope that you will make progress. My people are counting on it.
Evie hears from Duleep what happened with her father after her mother's passing
Duleep and Evie stepped off the carriage.
- Duleep: Thank you, Miss Frye, for forwarding my cause.
- Evie: Oh, you are welcome. I hope some good comes of it, despite Mr. Gladstone's vitriol.
- Duleep: Those of us with the largest hearts protect them the most. Your father, for instance. From what I understand, he was extraordinarily sad, broken even, after your mother's passing. That kind of pain can blind us, can cause us to say outlandish things to protect the ones we love. It's time you returned this carriage and recovered those plans. They are located in Buckingham Palace. The Queen keeps them among her personal papers in the White Drawing Room. I wish you a good evening, Miss Evie Frye.
- Evie: And to you, Your Highness.
Evie took the carriage's reins again and returned it to the depot.
- Evie: Those coppers won't believe their eyes.
Evie escapes the courtyard.
Outcome[]
Evie learned from Duleep Singh that plans of the vault could be found in the White Drawing Room of Buckingham Palace. On hearing of her parents' partnership as Assassins, she also reconsidered her abidance to her father's teachings.
Behind the scenes[]
William Gladstone's statements may not be in accordance with his real life political convictions. He and the Liberal Party were long-term anti-imperialists, though this memory has him say it is a British burden and responsibility to rule India and bring about peace through British notions of progress.
Gallery[]
Evie visits Duleep Singh
Duleep accepts to help Evie, but on one condition
Duleep thanks Evie for her help
Duleep speak about Evie's parents' partnership as Assassins
Evie reflects on what she has heard
Evie wishes a good evening to Duleep
Evie returns the stolen carriage to the depot