"I believe I would like to operate the Steam Carriage, if you please," Lilja said. "You shall serve as my navigator, Bob!" "Ehm, ehm, I'm not thinkin' thet be wise, yer ladyship. Teh carriage needs be op'rated by teh skilled hand!" Fat Bob replied. "And who is your new Governor, Bob?" Lilja enquired. The clank emitted a sound that could only be a sigh of exasperation. "O' course, yer me Gov'nor, yer ladyship, but..." "No 'buts' Bob. Let us depart!" Lilja stated, brooking no disagreement and obviously relishing her new found authority. Soon the steam carriage was rolling down a road on the outskirts of New Babbage under the cautious guidance of Lilja Darkstar followed by the Guardian thundering along in its wake. "This'd be plenty o' speed!" the nervous clank shouted over the rattle of the carriage. "We needs mustna shake 'er to pieces on this bumptious road!" "I quite like directing this mechanism, Bob. Just let me know when to slow for a turn if you would." Lilja found she like the speed when she was directing the carriage more than when she had been a passenger. "Ehm, ehm, it not be fer some time, yer ladyship! Teh Servo-clank manufactory be on teh ovver side o' New Babbage!" Molly's art notes: Set up and rendered with Poser 12.0.500 using the Superfly Cycles 2 rendering engine with smoke added in postwork with Photoshop. The mesh is La Femme with the new Lilja texture by Tempesta3D. The hair is Matuk by Afrodite-Ohki. The costume is Dark Aurora by RPublishing and Ravenhair. The setting is the village road by Andrey Pestrakov ( www.daz3d.com/village-road ). The clanks are the Guardian by Jonnte and Fat Bob by Simon 3D. The steam carriage is by Adh3d. It's easiest to follow the story (if you like) at DeviantArt. It begins here: https://www.deviantart.com/mollyfootman/art/Lilja-Darkstar-ponders-875997592 I loves me some Steampunk!