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Born in Wales of a German mother and a career army officer, Victoria Elizabeth Cross spent her adolescence bounding about the far-reaching corners of the Empire.

Victoria's father, Royal Field Artillery Officer, Captain Arthur Cross was instrumental in the formation of the Royal Flying Corps (officially changed to the Royal Air Force or RAF in 1918) ultimately rising to the rank of Air Commodore.

Chapter 1 - Fists of Steel Chapter 2 - The Spanish Civil War Chapter 3 - Operation Wounded Condor Chapter 4 - Guernica Chapter 5 - Do you dream of lions? Chapter 6 - No Parasan'! Chapter 7 - Slashing to the Sea Chapter 8 - Operation Tarik

As a child, Victoria marveled at her father's fantastic stories of blood and honor. Arthur's influence upon his tomboy daughter was so great that the determined girl remarkably obtains a flying license at the age of 15. The spirited teenager dreamed of a life in the RAF, but alas this was an impossibility due to her "unfortunate gender."

But the dark clouds of world depression and social unrest shroud the inter-war years in a blanket of turbulence. Fearing the rise of world communism could endanger the British way of life and economy, allocations for a new defense are implemented. So, at the age of 21, the Air Commodore's daughter is recruited for Britain's foreign intelligence service Military Intelligence, Section 6 or simply MI6. Founded in 1909, the role of MI6 is similar to that of the CIA in the United States.

The upstart recruit is put through a year of rigorous training, including intense political and language courses. Upon graduation, "Agent" Cross is assigned to Project Valkyry, an ultra security operation created not to target the threat of global communization, but the fledging and ominous Nazi regime in Germany.

Through Valkyry, Victoria Elizabeth Cross recedes into the shadows as her alter ego, Elsa Palm, yellow journalist and Nazi Party member takes center stage.

In time, "Fraulein Palm", correspondent for the British Fascist newspaper, The Workers' Struggle makes several trips to the continent. Pen and camera in hand, Elsa's dedication to the National Socialist Workers' Party is evident in her passionate articles and she quickly becomes a darling of Nazi Society.

One particular figure quite taken by the engaging but brash fraulein is Reich Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels. During an interview with Goebbels, Elsa inquired why the German populace had been asked to switch from butter to margarine. The wiry Goebbels smartly replied, "We can do without butter, but despite all our love of peace, not without arms. One cannot shoot with butter, but with guns." Interestingly enough, Goebbels envisions , The Workers' Struggle as an essential tool in sharing Hitler's dreams of a new Socialist Europe with the hard-pressed English Labor movement.

To the surprise and amusement of MI6, Elsa eventually arranges a large portion of the funding for "The Workers' Struggle" to eventually come from the German Reichstag itself.

But gathering information on a potential enemy can get quite tedious and "Victoria" still yearns to fly and wear the heralded wings of the RAF.

Using her father's influence and friendship with Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding, Victoria, along with a handful of female MI6 agents and former First Sea Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill (MP), lobby to form the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF). This was granted in 1936, with the original six agents commissioned as Section Officers. Though not officially recognized until 1938, the WAAFs do become a heavily engaged and long reaching arm of both the RAF and MI6.

S/O Cross finally gets her wings and a new assignment, one that will place her into the cockpit of a Supermarine Spitfire, teach her the art of thievery, and deal her a hand in the deadly game of Civil War.

Read the full treatment of Victoria Cross by Billy Tucci
View artwork from Victoria Cross