The Darkest Hour

The Darkest Hour was a virtual representation of one of Lydia Frye's genetic memories, relived by a Helix Initiate through a glitch in the Helix Navigator.

Description

The Initiate approached a rift in the Helix simulation, beckoned by a voice.

Dialogue

Lydia arrived in a room, investigating the house.

• Spy 1: What's the position of the second wave?
• Spy 2: One hour away. At most.

Lydia sabotaged the generator, causing the spies to approach and investigate.

• Spy 2: Don't worry. It's just the generator acting up. I'll see to it.

Lydia assassinated the spies and investigated the radio. However, soldiers lead by Winston Churchill arrived.

• Soldier 1: Stop right there!
• Lydia: That's not very polite.
• Churchill: Even in these trying times, we must never forget the laws of common courtesy. Arms down. We appear to have been following the same trail, Miss Frye.
• Lydia: I got here first.
• Churchill: Indeed, you are to be commended. I fear, however, that we have not wholly rooted out the evil in this vicinity.
• Lydia: There's another radio.

Lydia being recruited to find the second radio

• Churchill: Accompany me. If you would be so kind. That second device must be found, or new waves of zeppelins will soon blanket the heavens.
• Lydia: Short on soldiers, are we?
• Churchill: If you could put your considerable talents to good use at Tower Bridge, you would have the thanks of a brave, but beleaguered nation.
• Lydia: I would settle for the right to vote.

Lydia agreed to help Churchill.

• Churchill: We have word of further spies near Tower Bridge. If you can locate them, I have no doubt they'll have information on that second radio. Wherever these people are, trouble is sure to follow. Someone of your talents should have little difficulty in identifying them.

Lydia set out to find information about the radio.

• Civilian 1: There'll be nothing left of London at this rate.
• Civilian 2: Why isn't somebody stopping them?
• Civilian 1: This is just the start. Mark my words, the Germans will come marching down the Strand next.
• Civilian 2: The world's gone mad! This isn't supposed to happen here!
• Civilian 1: Come on, we'd best get off the streets.

Lydia arrived at Tower Bridge.

• Civilian 3: Well, this is just dandy. There could be bombs falling from the sky and they go and close the bloody bridge.
• Civilian 4: Why won't they let us through? It's just a few cars.
• Civilian 5: How did the accident happen? Someone told me they saw an explosion.
• Soldier 2: The bridge is closed by order of the Captain. Car accident.
• Soldier 3: You ask me, there's something fishy about this accident. Captain's acting strangely too.
• Soldier 4: Why don't we just move the vehicles out of the way? This new captain's got some funny ideas.
• Lydia: Names, dates... Ah, here's a mention of a radio. But where is it?

Lydia then investigated the docks.

• Soldier 5: I spotted some new dock workers. We ought to keep an eye on them.
• Soldier 6: Don't like the look of those new chaps. They'll hire anyone these days.
• Soldier 7: You'd think they'd let the old-hands like us take care of that cargo. It could blow up in their faces.
• Soldier 8: I tried talking to those new workers. Rude bunch of buggers if you ask me.
• Soldier 9: The new workers are moving the ammunition boxes, but all their paperwork is in order.

Lydia approaching the boat

Lydia then headed to a boat moored near Tower Bridge.

• Spy 3: Our radios will have the zepps here any minute now. Chaos like you've never seen before.
• Spy 4: Just get the boat ready. Your "employer" will be coming down soon enough.
• Civilian 6: Untie me right now! That's my boat!
• Spy 4: Keep quiet, you lot, or you'll end up in the river.
• Civilian 6: You have no right to do this!
  Let us go!
• Spy 5: You even know who we working for? They're a shady lot, but you can't argue with the pay.
• Lydia: I'm getting closer. The radio is close to the river, but I need more than this. Clever. The radio is in the bridge itself. North Tower. I should drop by and say hello.

Lydia traveled to the North Tower, avoiding searchlight beams and snipers, and eventually found the spies manning the second radio.

• Spy 6: I know what we've been told, but this still don't sit right with me. London burning by our own hand...
• Spy 7: You've got to look at the bigger picture. Even now our influence is growing every day. Business has never been better.
• Spy 6: All I see is the smoke coming from our streets. What will there be left to rule over? A kingdom of ashes?
• Spy 7: Have faith in the plan. Sometimes fields must burn before the soil become fertile.

Lydia reporting to Churchill

After killing the spies, she contacted Churchill.

• Lydia: It is done, sir.
• Churchill: Let us postpone celebrations. One of the bloody blimps has broken through. Not to worry. I have a contingency plan.

Lydia observed a boat with a mounted anti-aircraft gun approach her position, which she boarded.

• Crew 1: The gun is yours. Mr. Churchill assures me you have operated one before.
• Lydia: Mr. Churchill is wrong. But I have pointed at things before.
• Crew 2: We won't damage the zeppelin from here, but we can shoot down their escorts!
• Crew 1: They'll be falling from the skies in no time! Get ready to move!
• Crew 2: Let's clear the skies of plane and let our boys take the zeppelins!

After shooting two waves of escort planes boarders arrived.

• Crew 2: Enemies on the way. Get ready for them!
• Crew 1: Look out! We're being boarded! Fight them off! In position and gun at the ready!

Lydia killed the boarders and destroyed more planes, leading to the destruction of the zeppelins. She met with Churchill as the flaming dirigible fell from the sky.

• Churchill: A heartwarming sight, Miss Frye.
• Lydia: Your remarkably armed boat deserves a share of recognition.
• Churchill: One of my experimental projects when I was Lord of the Admiralty. I haven't always been a man of shadows.

Lydia and Churchill discussing the spy group

• Lydia: And I suppose this victory will thrust you back into the limelight.
• Churchill: We may have struck a blow against the enemy, but London is still riddled with German agents. Currently, there's a new group, unlike anything I've seen before. Theirs is a fanatical, almost religious, fervor.
• Lydia: And you believe that I'm the woman to flush them out.
• Churchill: Indeed. I dare not approach Mister Asquith without firmer evidence, but I believe they pose an immediate threat. If you can see to this, I give you my word that once I've battled my way back into parliament, I shall see if something can't be done about your request. As you're aware, a vote can be far more lethal than a bullet or a blade.

Outcome

Lydia Frye agreed to aid Winston Churchill in his efforts against a new group of spies, gathering information and eliminating the plane escorts of the Templar-affiliated German zeppelin. In return, Churchill promised to consider Lydia's request regarding women's right to vote.

Behind the scenes

London was bombed in World War I but Zeppelin raids were not escorted by planes. German airships relied rather on the height, which was not reachable by British fighters, and the veil of night. No German planes had a flying range to get above London and back until Gotha bombers in 1917.

References

An image gallery is available for The Darkest Hour