Chapter 26

The trio sealed the engine, transmission and electrical and gave the boat a quick dip with all the seacocks, hatches and portholes open. Just a quick slosh and twirl in Lake Baikal to get rid of the lingering seagull smell and then a quick run to the Sahara to dry things out.

The steel wheeled fifth wheel custom built trailer was a handy place to keep the boat when Constance froze over. Since she was a student, Vee could use the boat storage at the school docks. Or maybe not.

While the boat was in transit The Wanzor took Vee to the University Business Office.

"Sail boat?"

"Yes, Ma'am. Dockage or storage on the hard," said Vee.

"Big sailboat?"

"19 meters."

"BIG boat," the woman behind the desk looked through the headings on her pad. "You need to see Prof. Eisenger. Sports."

Professor Eisenger was in. Both North American females knocked and waited.

"Kommen Sie." He looked, "Who is the student?" They were obviously Americans.

Both of them tootled their fingers.

"Twins?"

Vee blushed ... The Wanzor grinned, "Great great great great grandmother and the latest edition."

"ID?" They presented and he looked them up.

"Wendy von Wanzor Austin?" he looked up as he asked. Wendy tootled.

"Then you must be Wendolyn Wanzor Austin?" That was a statement ... but a question too.

"The Fifth," Wendolyn allowed. "Mom calls me Vee."

He handed the ID's back.

"How can I help?"

"I have a boat and I need a place to put it. It's pretty big." She was almost apologetic. "19 meters."

He looked a little shocked.

"We, Wendy and I want to live aboard while we go to school ... inside storage would be good ... it has a trailer cradle."

"Where is this boat?"

"Umh ... it's not here ... yet. Probably tonight."

"How?"

"Do you know anything about the Island nation called the Princessapality?"

"No. Give me a moment." He started fingering his pad, found what he was looking for and started to read. Naturally, his eyes narrowed and then got big. He looked at Vee. "Heir Apparent?"

She nodded.

"Princess?"

Another nod.

"General Admiral?" he asked The Wanzor.

"My granddaughter."

"May I see your ID again," he was asking The Wanzor but they both surrendered their document.

"Wendolyn Wanzor Austin V ... born 2049. Capitol City of the Princessapality. You are 15? Why are you here?"

"Next May ... the 8th. They tell me I'm smart."

"Wendy von Wanzor Austin ... born 1942. Lansing Michigan."

"That's me," Wendy said.

"One hundred and twenty-two years old?"

"One hundred and twenty-three May 15th," The Wanzor grinned. "You have no idea how much I appreciate you calling us twins."

"Yeah, Grannie," said Vee. "Him calling us twins makes me feel old."

There was another knock.

"Kommen sie." He was busy looking up the history of the Island and wasn't looking when the third person stepped in the office.

"Junior! Where's the boat?" asked Vee.

"In the Obere Güll, just north of the University docks," replied Junior.

Professor Eisenger looked up. "Triplets!"

Wendy and Junior smiled ... Vee looked sullen.

"Ladies, the last time the lake froze from shore to shore was 2001. Climate change has ensured that probably won't happen again. We have more problems with flooding than ice."

"But I want to live aboard," Vee said. "All that cold water..."

"The water is warmer than the air," Professor Eisenger said.

"But the sewage..."

"You can live aboard at any of the Marinas," said the Professor. "But NOT at the University Docks."

"FUCK!!"

"Vee!!" That was from both grandmothers.

"Do you realize how much fucking money I've spent just to stay out of student housing?" Vee asked.

"What's wrong with student housing?" asked the Professor.

"I'm the youngest student on campus ... people tell me I'm pretty. How long do you think I'd keep my innocence in the dorms?" Vee was whining. "Mother was right ... I'm too young for college! I should just go home! Grannie..." She started sobbing. "Help me, please."

Suddenly, Professor Paul Eisenger was under the denunciatory gaze of two old ladies. It didn't matter that all three females together didn't look 45 ... but it felt like they were 200 years old and this was all his fault.

"Eek!" he exclaimed. "Don't go away." He ran out the door. Soon he came back with a distinguished looking fellow. The Professor performed slightly formal introductions: