Turtledove
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Samuel Stanley
Fictional Character
The Two Georges
POD: c. 1763
Type of Appearance: Direct
Nationality: North American Union
Race: Negro
Date of Birth: c. 1942
Occupation: Soldier, Police Officer
Spouse: Phyllis Stanley
Professional Affiliation: Royal American Mounted Police

Samuel Stanley was a captain in the Royal American Mounted Police and adjutant to Colonel Thomas Bushell in the RAM's Upper California section. He was a tall, muscular, medium-dark Negro with short cropped salt and pepper hair in his early 50s.

He first met Bushell about 25 years earlier when he was a staff sergeant in the Royal North American Army and was assigned to Bushell's platoon.

On 15 June 1995, Stanley accompanied Colonel Bushell to the New Liverpool mansion of the Governor of Upper California, John Burnett, to review the security measures taken to protect The Two Georges prior to its private display that night. He was present when the painting was stolen by the Sons of Liberty and helped Bushell interview everyone present who were witnesses.

The Investigation in New Liverpool[]

The next day, at headquarters, the two discussed the case and planned out their investigation. While Bushell was to reviewed the records on suspected Sons of Liberty, Stanley was to obtain search warrants from Judge Huygens, who was more cooperative with the RAMs than most. Bushell also decided, after some arm twisting by Stanley, to have Major Gordon Rhodes coordinate the investigation at headquarters. He had Stanley deliver the notebooks containing the notes from their interviewing the witnesses to Rhodes for analysis.

Stanley did so and was surprised how quickly Rhodes came up with a method of determining who saw what when. This consisted of drawing a large matrix on butcher paper and cross-referencing witness statements as to who was where on the night of the theft. This greatly simplified confirming these statements and revealing any inconsistencies. Unfortunately, no inconsistencies showed up indicating none of the witnesses were likely to be directly involved in the theft.

Stanley had little sleep due to the lateness when he had finished interviewing witnesses. Therefore, when he obtained the warrants from Judge Huygens, he put them in a manila and left it with Rhodes to pass on to Bushell while he went home. He also left the oral message that they were a present to be used carefully which Rhodes passed on. The reason was that the judge had left the lines for dates, names and addresses blank.

When Stanley learned of Colonel Bushell's taking to the field to further the investigation into the theft, he asked permission to accompany him. Bushell was reluctant to agree since he had hoped Stanley would assist Lieutenant General Sir Horace Bragg at HQ, who had not been personally involved in an investigation since being promoted to the head of the RAM. Stanley indirectly indicated that he and Sir Horace got along imperfectly well and so Bushell agreed to have Stanley accompany him.

The Investigation in the Queen Charlotte Islands[]

Stanley arrived early the next morning at the airship port and boarded the Empire Builder. He met up with Bushell in the lounge to watch the takeoff and then joined Lieutenant-Colonel Felix Crooke in the dinning room for breakfast.

The voyage was uneventful until they arrived at Wellesley. There, when they disembarked, they were accosted by a pack of reporters. Getting away, the three managed to get to the train station and catch a train to Prince George. There they changed trains to go to Prince Rupert and then by ferry to Skidegate.

On arrival Stanley accompanied Bushell to interview Rob Pratson, the postmaster, regarding the mailing of Nagant rifles to New Liverpool. They discovered there were four men living in Buckley Bay and mailing long, narrow packages all over the NAU. They then approached Cmdr. Nathan Hairston of the Royal North American Navy Security Detachment for assistance. Hairston provided two squads of Royal Marines and transportation to Buckley Bay.

Early the next morning, the three RAM and the Marines set out. They were dropped off by HMS Grampus about five miles north of the town and then hiked unobserved to the abandoned logging town. When they approached an abandoned grocer's shop, they were challenged and Crooke broke cover to demand their surrender. When he was gunned down, Stanley returned fire.

Stanley then worked his way into another abandoned building and into the alleyway behind it. As he worked to outflank the Sons in the grocer's, he encountered Bushell who told him Crooke was dead. One of the Sons then entered the alleyway in an attempt to escape. The two pointed their rifles at him and ordered him to surrender. The man raised his own rifle but was shot by both before he could fire. Stanley tried to provide first aid while Bushell stood guard but the chest wound was too great and the man died.

Stanley observed as Bushell questioned the sole surviving terrorist, Elgin Goldsmith, but the man refused to answer Bushell's questions; instead he demanded to speak to a solicitor. Stanley and Bushell then searched the grocer's and found two dozen Nagants, several crates of ammunition and a small metal chest filled with Russian gold roubles. Not finding any documents, the two then went to the Sons' rubbish heap in another building. There they retrieved as many paper documents and letters as they could find. Later, examining these, they found something extraordinary: an envelope mailed from The Six Nations.

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