@Katydid: I wrote a piece, and I don't know if you saw it, but it was a reply to a comment on the third page.

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Sorry I've taken so long with this!

~Jazz~

I've had to sell a couple of my trinkets for food, but other than that, I am well supplied as I board Cap'n Crow's ship, the Maelstrom by the looks of it. She's a fine vessel, a two-masted schooner, looking spiffy with gaily colored flags hanging from the rigging. Several iron machines are worked into the side of the hull; one of them I recognize as an oddly sharp-looking docking clamp, but the rest are unfamiliar. The figurehead is a fierce raven riding a silver-painted swirl of wind and cloud, its beak open and its feathers a glossy jet black to match the hull. Everything looks in good repair, which makes me wonder who Crow's previous crewmen were and why they left.

Crow herself flags me down as I reach the top of the gangplank, lugging my canvas bag of cogs and springs and things. "Ahoy there, Jazz! Welcome aboard! Your quarters are belowdecks. C'mon, why don't I give you a little tour?" We descend a set of steep, ladderlike stairs near the bow of the ship. Crow shows me around: I see the forecastle, the communal sleeping area where a couple fellow sailors are already claiming hammocks; doors to the quarters of the captain, first mate, and second mate, all of which are closed; the galley, from which is already issuing the scent of oranges; the hold, which is dark and damp and suspiciously smelly; and, finally, my main workplace: the second deck. Here are stored the ship's cannons (why does she need quite so many cannons?), the steam boiler, and the gearboxes for the propellers and other machinery, whose purpose I can't fathom, at least at first glance. It will be my job to keep these machines in working order, and to perform repairs and upgrades when necessary.

Crow leaves me to explore my new domain. I don't pay much attention to the docking clamps or engine, since those are fairly standard, though I must say most piers wouldn't allow docking clamps quite that pointy or with that powerful a grip. If Crow – I suppose I should call her Cap'n now, seeing as I've signed on to her ship – isn't using them to keep Maelstrom attached to the dock (she's not), then what are they for? And what's with these two huge metal boxlike things, encrusted with gears, that look like glorified shipping containers? What's inside them? Looking closer, I discover some sort of propulsion mechanism attached to a system of pulleys. I can see the levers that would allow me to operate it. As near as I can guess, it's meant to shoot something out of the side of the ship but still keep it attached, and controllable in some fashion. Yes, whatever this contraption propels has to be controllable. Why else would there be a steering yoke right in the middle of the deck, connected to the two giant boxes on opposite sides of the ship? It's all very confusing. I shall have to ask Crow- I mean the Cap'n- about it sometime.

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In case you hadn't guessed, the mechanisms Jazz is so curious about are what make the ship fly. The "something" they shoot out are two huge side sails, which act like wings when placed at the right angle with enough wind. We shall see when the ship actually flies whether Jazz is any good at steering or not!

Calla~

"Ahhhh…" one of my fellow sailors, Errin, takes a deep
breath of sea air. "Can yer smell that, mate? That fresh salt of the sea, that fabulous-" With more than enough swagger in my opinion, he swings his fist in front oh him, then stops and glances sheepishly at me. "Ah, er… Sorry… Mate, I forgot…" he says, obviously talking about my robot-ness.

"Don't worry about it," I say bitterly. Not being downright mean- let alone being kind– to my fellow crew members is going to take a lot of work.

I have no idea what I'm out here for, but whatever it is, this is going to be a long voyage.

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What's gonna happen, people??

Nyan says kkuu. Koo Koo? Yes, yes you are, Nyan.

Now it says chuu!!!!! Japanese cat noises!!

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