We have been quite busy

Excerpts from the diary of Mr Ravvi Salmalin

4 May, 1875 (continued)

As we fell back toward our ships, we lost sight of Nemo and his men falling toward another part of the island. However, we also saw a fleet of Chinese junks flying green flags. If I counted correctly, there are 21 ships.

And they appeared to be sailing straight toward where our ships are anchored.

As we grew close enough to call warnings to Sir Spencer, the Inspector, and the others, we lost sight of the ships over the horizon. We had time, therefore, to prepare for battle. Captain Sparrow indicated that the approaching ships were sailing under the flag of the Dragon Lady. Lieutenants Pellew and Wooster were dispatched to warn the sailors and marines guarding the captured pirates. We prepared for battle.

Captain Sparrow caught hold of his ship's crow's nest on the way down to make further observations of the approaching fleet. The magic properties of the seed pods we had all swallowed dissapated before he was finished. The remainder of his trip to his deck was quite rapid.

The semaphore flags were waving on all the ships for some minutes, along with shouting and launches going from one ship to another. It was decided that if there was to be battle, we did not wish to be caught too close to shore. Sir Spencer and Sir Cosmo had constructed a number of floating explosives, and proposed that we set several afloat and attempt to lure the pirates ships into them. The best armed ships, Skylark and Foxglove, would linger behind the rest of our fleet to be in position to turn on the pirate vessels that survived the mines.

Captain Sparrow signalled that he would set up an ambush. Then, he started all of his crew members running back and forth on the deck. A maneuver that the sailors on Selene said is called "Sally ship." It is normally used when a ship runs aground on a sand bar in order to rock the ship loose. Captain Sparrow capsized Yao Ying. Which seemed a very strange thing to do. Yet, Mrs Frazer, who is serving as Sparrow's first mate, seemed to agree to the plan.

The ship went over... and there was a decided shimmering of magic, and the ship completely vanished. It was completely gone.

Mr. O'Flaherty then yelled at his crew, and soon all the Oompahs on the K.O. were running back and forth in unison on the deck. The K.O. capsized. Again, I saw the shimmer of magic, and then the ship was gone.

Mrs Cuthbert signaled from Foxglove that the two missing ships were unharmed, and laying in wait "elsewhere."

We prepared for battle. Lady Cowperthwaite was determined to participate in the battle, as always. I was drafted to help Sir Cosmo set up yet another rocket device. Victoria and Mr Wonka were preparing a mystic aid to our diversion tactic.

During the preparations, both Victoria and Mrs Cuthbert both sensed sorcerous trouble. Li Tsin, who was imprisoned on the Skylark, was attempting a spell. There was barely time to send word to the ship, before the power stopped and disappated. Later, Mrs Cuthbert and Mr O'Flaherty both reported that Mr Quaid O'Flaherty, who was locked in another cell aboard the same ship, had interferred and knocked Li Tsin unconscious.

Lt. Wooster and Slice arrived before the pirates, and was placed into formation. Lt. Pellew was on his way in the Arabis, and hoped to come upon the pirates from behind.

The pirate fleet came into sight. Someone on the lead ship stood in the prow with semaphore flags, and signaled a single word: "Surrender."

Sir Spencer's ship replied: "We accept your surrender."

I don't believe the Dragon Lady appreciated the joke. A ranging rocket was fired toward us. We picked up our pace, but not much. Sir Cosmo was hoping they would underestimate how quickly we could move. Two of the pirate ships pulled into the lead and fired their first shots--clearly ranging shots. Sir Spencer fired a single shot from his long rifle--knocking the semaphor flag from the hand of the signalman on the lead pirate ship. He clearly did this primarily to anger the pirate commander hoping she would do something foolish. He also demonstrated that he had weapons with superior range to theirs.

The pirates moved into the first mine field. The explosions began, and three ships were damaged. The other ships tried to turn, to maneuver around the area. We continued on our path.

A few more pirate ships were damaged before they were past the first mine field. We picked up speed. The slower pirate vessels were falling behind. The faster ones appeared to be catching Foxglove and Skylark. Sir Spencer and his rifleman sent some volleys into the pirate vessels.

The pirates started firing their cannon in earnest. Skylark and Foxglove each turned out, fired a broadside, then turned back in the same direction as the rest of us, and increased steam. The would be able to do that several times without the pirates catching them.

We were well past the Colossus and nearly to the enclosed harbor when Mr. Wonka tossed several chunks of candy that he had been carving roughly into the shapes of ships in our group. He had also been pouring mystical energy into them. Once they were overboard, he pulled a small pipe or flute from his pocket and began playing a tune.

It didn't appear to be a lot of magical energy, except that Mr Wonka had been enfusing very tiny amounts into each candy each minute for over an hour. The sunlight on the water brightened considerably. There were blinding flashes. When next Foxglove and Skylark turned out and fired, the sea between our ship and the large ships seemed to have been populated with another fleet. Each illusionary image bore a striking resemblance to one of the ships in our group, and they were veering eastward, into the enclosed harbor.

Sir Cosmo was in the firing chair of his etheric pulse cannon, and turned the weapon toward the harbour.

Several of the pirate ships followed the illusionary ships. As they crossed the entrance of the harbour, Sir Cosmo fired the cannon.

The explosions were tremendous. Sir Cosmo's autenite mines completely destroyed two of the pirate boats, and damaged two others.

That's when Yao Ying and K.O. rose up out of the water, right behind the stragglers in the pirate fleet. They opened fire. Arabis arrived around the same time.

Skylark and Foxglove turned and fired, and this time did not turn back. We turned and prepared to fire. Slice was much, much faster than Selene, and was in position more quickly. Wooster, Pellew, and Wilhelmina had scavenged at several more cannon from our earlier enemies. Wooster made extremely good use of them. We were firing cannon, rockets, and the etheric pulse weapon. Lady Cowperthwaite and several of the marines were firing the long-range rifles.

As cannon salvos were traded, our ships began to take damage.

A large rocket was fired from the Dragon Lady's ship. I could feel magic in it, but could not descern what it was. It exploded in the middle of the melee, not striking any of the ships. Victoria and Mr Wonka said that the head of the rocket must have contained one or more potions, because when it exploded, the small amount of magic I had sensed, like a far off candle flame, because as bright as one of the autenite bombs. And it dropped into the water, where for a moment in made the very sea boil.

A whirlpool formed. And grew larger, and larger. It grew so quickly, it nearly enveloped Slice, but they managed to escape it. One of the more badly damaged pirate ships was not as lucky.

The maelstrom was impossibly huge, and began to move all of our ships off their courses.

We had taken several hits, and there were holes in the deck as well as the sides of the ship. Sir Cosmo had gone below decks to see to the engines, so he didn't see what happened to Slice.

A single rocket was fired from the Dragon Lady's ship toward the Slice. I could sense another flicker of magic in the rocket. The rocket was sucked into the Slice's intake. It exploded.

I was reaching out with the mantra I call Namaste's Paradox, trying to establish a link to George so that I could either give him my strength, or leap over to assist.

The ship exploded. Completely destroyed in an instant.

I couldn't sense George at all. Nor Wilhelmina, Wooster, Caine, or Mrs Wooster. It appeared that no piece of the boat larger than a man's forearm remained. Flaming debris was falling into the water.

Lady Cowperthwaite yelled something very unladylike and shook her sword at the Dragon Lady. She turned to me and said, "I need to get over to that boat. Now." She intended to kill the Dragon Lady as retribution for killing Wilhelmina.

It was a great distance, but nothing like the distance I had covered when leaping to the ship upon which I had met Captain Sparrow. I wouldn't have George to help, but I knew Lady Cowperthwaite would not take no for an answer. I wonder if she realizes that she is much more frightening when she is angry by herself than when the goddess possesses her?

I had her stand in the prow of Selene, and I ran to the stern, gathering power with the Mantra of Vital Energies as I went. Once at the stern, I began the Mantra of Imperishable Letters, and ran toward the prow. I caught Lady Cowperthwaite and leapt. We almost didn't make it. It took more energy than I had, so I was not up to strength when we arrived. Fortunately, Lady Cowperthwaite was ready. And the sword, if I may say so, was even more ready.

She sliced through the first three men that ran toward us as I was trying to replenish my power. More of the pirates ran toward us, many armed with fine swords and clearly very well trained in their use. The Sword of Sovereignty cut through sword and swordsman with equal ease. Her offensive moves were excellent, her defenses not nearly so. All of my attention was taken up keeping her from being severely wounded by any of the attackers who avoided the sword.

The ship was full of many very skilled swordsmen. So many that we began to become bogged down among them. But Lady Cowperthwaite was determined to reach the wheel, where the Dragon Lady was still trying to direct her troops.

I missed what happened on the other ships after this. Foxglove, K.O., and Yao Ying were all so severely damaged that their respective captains ordered the ships abandoned. Sir Spencer, the MacGreggors, marines, and riflemen of Foxglove stormed onto one of the pirate ships and overwhelmed the crew. Mr O'Flaherty and his Oompah crew did the same thing to yet another pirate vessel.

Captain Sparrow sent his crew off onto the ship that Sir Spencer was busy invading, while he remained behind to ram his burning ship into the Dragon Lady's.  Which pushed the ship into the edge of the maelstrom.

As we were pulled in, we tilted precariously sideways. We could see down the whirlpool, was extended an impossible distance. I could not see a bottom at all.

Sir Cosmo had returned to deck to learn that his good lady and I had left the ship. He had turned Foxglove toward the Dragon Lady's ship and was trying to get close enough to lead a boarding party to follow us.

Lady Cowperthwaite and I reached the wheeldeck at about the same time that Captain Sparrow did. While I kept the Dragon Lady's guards busy, Lady Cowperthwaite went after the Dragon Lady. Captain Sparrow took the wheel.

We have been quite busy

A potion was splashed into Lady Cowperthwaite, which temporarily blinded her, but she and the Dragon Lady wrestled for control of some device, I think it was another rocket and potion combination.

Captain Sparrow had turned the ship into the maelstrom. We tilted even further and began to go down.

I was distracted at this point when I saw Mrs Wooster and George fighting several of the remaining pirates on the same ship. And in the middle of the melee was Wilhelmina's diving suit. Since all four arms were actively swiging weapons, it meant that almost certainly Wilhelmina was inside it. I had no time to figure out how they were still alive, because Lady Cowperthwaite and the Dragon Lady went over the side.

I leapt for the rail and caught milady's hand. Unfortunately, I didn't have hold of any part of the ship. Before I had time to begin the Mantra of the Leaf in the Wind because suddenly my plummet was halted. Captain Sparrow had caught my ankle. He was clinging to the rail and yelling something about pulling Lady Cowperthwaite up.

Unfortunately, the Dragon Lady was had gotten hold of Lady Cowperthwaite's sari. She dangled below milady, clinging to the cloth. I'm sure that Octavia would say we looked amusing.

Lady Cowperthwaite looked up and myself and Captain Sparrow, then down at the Dragon Lady. Without hesitation, she sliced the unwound portion of her sari with the sword. The Dragon Lady fell, here screams drown out by the roaring of the water.

I pulled her up. Captain Sparrow was being slightly less successful pulling me up.

As soon as I got her within reach, Lady Cowperthwaite swung her sword. It bit into the wood of the railing, but instead of slicing through it, it stuck, solid. She was pulling herself up, when the portion of the rail Captain Sparrow was clinging to, broke loose.

He plunged past us. I tried to catch him, but missed.

I saw him plunging away, but it wasn't an empty vortext any longer.

Three old-style sailing ships were comping up out of the maelstrom. The were sailing perpendicularly along the inner wall of the vortex as if it were simply calm ocean surface. The lead ship was encrusted in an impossible number of barnacles. One of the other ships had black sails. Captain Sparrow was tangled in the rigging of the third.

I was pulled up onto the ship. Lady Cowperthwaite had one of my hands, George had the other.

Mrs Wooster and Wilhelmina was still fighting in the middle of the ship. Selene was pulled up against the other side of the ship. Sir Cosmo was manning some sort of winching device. The marines and sailors had their hands full keeping the pirates from boarded Selene. Sir Cosmo yelled at us to abandon ship. George leapt back to Wilhelmina's side. Lady Cowperthwaite and I ran toward Sir Cosmo.

We got aboard our own ship. We turned around just in time to see Wilhelmina fired a grapple hook and line from he diving suit, and then the diving suit winched its way up off the ship, Mrs Wooster and George clinging to the sides.

Cosmo released his grapple and ordered the others cut.

We pulled away. Cosmo and Wilhelmina ran below to stoke more power from the engines, since we were definitely down inside the vortex.

Pirates ships plunged downward past us.

The three sailing ships sailed upwards and out of the vortex. The vortex was closing. As the roar subsided. I became aware, among all the strange vibrations of magic around us, a very simple but strong note within the cacophony, which felt distrinctly like Mr Wonka. Mr Wonka had been trying to counter the vortext for some time. Victoria, Major Powell, and Professor Oddbody had been chanting to supply him power. He had finally succeeded in closing in.

There were still several pirate ships to deal with. But the new arrivals turned their guns on them.

The barnacle encrusted ship had the aura of a host of ghosts. The name is the Flying Dutchman, and I am given to understand it is a legendary ship charged by a goddess of the sea with the transport of the souls of sailors to their proper rest in the afterlife. The commander of the Dutchman, Captain Turner, is apparently a direct ancestor of our own Lt Turner. He is also, I am told, Will Sparrow's godfather. The crew appear to be ghosts made flesh, though that isn't quite right. Their auras are quite strange. Mrs Cuthbert says most of them are caught in the twilight moment between life and death.

The ship with the black sails is the equally legendary Black Pearl. It's commander is the Immortal Captain Jack Sparrow, ancestor of Captain Will Sparrow. It has no crew, other than the captain. He yells out orders, and ropes, sails, and other pieces of the ship move on their own volition to obey.

The third ship does not possess a strange aura. It is the Jiu Shi, Captain Will Sparrow's long-missing ship. The crew seems to be entirely mortal. They have been under the command of the firstmate, Mr Sam Axe. Another of the crew is the long-lost twin brother of our Lt Turner, who goes by the name Frederick.

Lt Wooster and Mr Caine were also still alive, though not quite unharmed. George tried to explain what happened, though because we have all been so busy I hadn't gotten all of the details until later, when Octavia told me what had happened with her and the others in the nursery.

One of the cannon strikes to the Selene caused the roof of the nursery to cave in. Violet and Daru were both rendered unconscious, and trapped beneath a heavy beam. By the time Victoria had arrived, there was rather a lot of blood coming from Daru. Caroline was trying to bandage it, but with the beam in the way was rather hampered. Octavia was digging the smaller debris out of the way trying to extricate the two nurses another way.

Galen lifted the beam. Victoria says that the goddess possessed him. Octavia insists that it was not the voice of Kali (which she has heard from Lady Cowperthwaite more than once), but was some other god altogether. Lady Cowperthwaite and I had left Selene while Victoria was below decks. During our entire fight, Kali never manifested in milady. Perhaps it is because she was assisting Galen. Whatever power came to their aid, it stayed just long enough for Victoria and the children to get Violet and Daru out and onto the deck, where Victoria and Major Powell applied first aid and healing spells.

Mr Voach had rescued almost everyone from the Slice in that tiny moment of time between when the explosion began and the ship was destroyed. His horse-drawn wagon arrived on the deck as Victoria, Major Powell, and the children were bringing Violet and Daru topside. As everyone was released from the wagon, Emily realized that neither Wooster nor Caine was among them. Mr Voach said he couldn't take them. Emily was, understandably, distraught.

Then they heard a familiar sound--Wooster's clockwork pistols. Wooster and Caine were still alive. They were floating in the middle of the battle on one of Wooster's steamer trunks. Wooster was firing at pirates on the same ship which Sir Spencer and the MacGreggors had invaded. Caine was retreiving more guns and ammunition from the other trunk. Their timely assistance allowed the pirates to be subdued quickly enough for Sir Spencer and a couple of volunteers to return to his sinking ship and steer it toward shore, where he ran it aground before it sank completely.

Once the last of the pirates were subdued, we had all the wounded to attend to and repairs to make. We have been very busy. Unfortunately, Sir Phillip is missing. One of the larger holes in the hull of Foxglove is in the brig area. There is no sign of his body in the wreckage of the brig. Perhaps we will find his corpse amongst the flotsam.

The Dragon Lady's body has not turned up, but then she fell into the votex. Inspector MacGreggor has been checking the captives looking for Lefty Molloy--who escaped from the prison camp on Labuan some weeks ago. MacGreggor says he saw Molloy on deck with the Dragon Lady. There was a man who might have been Molloy on the wheeldeck when we arrived. I believe Lady Cowperthwaite cut him down. Even if he survived, he may have gone down with the ship.

Mr O'Flaherty has claimed a new ship. In its brig he found the American reporter, Mr Gideon Spillet. Mr Spillet insists that the current date is sometime in late June (he admits he has become somewhat disoriented during his imprisonment about the Dragon Lady's fleet). He also insists that the British Navy has already been defeated by Wu Chong in a battle in the Bay of Bengal. Admiral Naismith was killed by Wu Chong on June 3. Wu Chang has a magickal sword which he claims in the Sword of Sovereignty and seems to be well on his way to becoming an emporer whose lands stretch across the breadth of India. The Dragon Lady came to the island to try to find the true Sword of Sovereignty in order to stop Wu Chang.

Major Powell looked into Spillett's mind and says Spillett is telling the truth as he knows it.

Lady Cowperthwaite confirmed that the Dragon Lady made a similar claim while they were fighting.

Captain Sparrow laughed. Not because he is glad the Royal Navy is gone from these waters. He laughed because he said it is only the 4th of May, and we have plenty of time to save the Admiral. When Spillett and Powell both began to explain the time shifting powers of this island, Captain Sparrow waved them away.

He claims to have a special relationship with time, or at least time as it happens on this island. "'Time waits for no man', they say but that isn't the full proverb. The complete text, you will find, is 'Time waits for no man except Captain Will Sparrow!'" He then went on to explain why it was in his best interest to prevent anyone from taking total control of the lands and seas in this part of the world.

Mrs Cuthbert's visions and the prophetic images in Mr O'Flaherty's mirror apparently verify both Mr Spillett's story and Captain Sparrow's claim.  In just over four weeks, Admiral Naismith will be killed by Wu Chang. But, if we combine our resources with Captain Sparrow, we can arrive at the battle in time to save the Admiral and change the outcome.

Sir Cosmo and Sir Spencer want to get the remaining ships repaired well enough that we can sail to the east side of the island and finally contact Icarus, Sir Ephraim's ship. It is possible that the captain of the ship will not accept the orders that Admiral Naismith sent along with us, feeling more loyalty to Sir Ephraim. But if we are to sail into a great battle, we could use their help.

I wonder if four weeks will be enough time to repair all our ships?

Curator's note: The dates recorded by the various witnesses to the strange events of this chronicle do not agree. This discrepancy occurred to other parties spending time on the so-called Island of Souls (cf. "The Wreck of the Cumberland " by Matthew Flinders). It has been theorized that the passage of time in the vicinity of the island varies from that in the rest of the world.

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