~mid-day~
We arrived safely in Port Victoria, Labuan off the coast of Borneo
yesterday. I had intended to keep a record of the day’s events,
as is my usual custom. However, between being indisposed and our
League’s usual propensity for trouble, things got rapidly out of hand.
Events have slowed to a somewhat more manageable pace for the
moment. Instead of my usual moment-by-moment summary of events, I
will make note of some of the people we have met since our arrival.
Governor Admiral Sir Miles Naismith is the governor of this small
outpost and the man most responsible for the League’s summons to Port
Victoria. He gave Lieutenant Pellew permission to search for a
‘hidden island’ that pirates were ostensibly using as a base from which
to strike ships in the area– an assignment from which the Lieutenant
was to return from in late January. I have not seen much of the
Admiral though he made a favourable impression on Ruth by including
Miss Wilhelmina in the briefing regarding her missing father.
Lady Katherine Naismith is the wife of the Governor and our
hostess. She has been most accommodating to the needs of our
rather unusual group– including exhibiting a willingness to join us in
our attempt to rescue Mr and Mrs Frazer when they were abducted by the
Dragon Lady last night. Her weapon of choice is a slightly
heavier pistol than Mrs Frazer usually carries.
Lord Henry Bickersteth is Flag-Lieutenant Wooster’s godfather and holds
two or three posts in the colonial government. I have not yet
made his acquaintance personally, but he, Sir Spencer and Wooster were
on hand last night to help Inspector MacGreggor save a Mr Spilett from
being shanghaied.
Mr Gideon Spilett was shipwrecked not far from the area that Lieutenant
Pellew was investigating before the disappearance of his ship and
crew. Mr Spilett was interviewed by Lieutenant Pellew in
Australia but declined to accompany the Lieutenant back to Port
Victoria. Now he has turned up on his own. Inspector
MacGreggor left this morning with the intention of interviewing him.
Major-General Godfrey Cuthbert is another member of the colonial
government and Sir Spencer’s Uncle. He met us at the ship when we
docked. He is the Commissioner of Lands, Public Works, and Water.
Flag Lieutenant Rigby was also in the party that met us upon our
arrival.
At the quay, we encountered a street preacher who has gotten a little
to near to God. He greeted us with the exhortation: “The sword of
Judah shall cleave the rock!”
Lieutenant Governor Hugh Lowe is a well-known naturalist who has
written the definitive English work on plants native to Borneo.
Mrs Frazer knew who he was and may be able to complete some of her own
naturalist work while we are on this assignment.
Captain Craddock is head of the police force and is the source of the
invitation for Inspector MacGreggor and Mr Frazer’s visit to the
area. They are to consult with his force on new ways to police
the area. Mr Frazer, in particular, is to teach the locals his
filing system. I am not certain what Inspector MacGreggor’s plans
are. His reaction to Lady Cowperthwaite’s plan last night was
quite irrational. Next time I will side with her more quickly and
just get things over with. If only I had thought of taking the
gentleman to Sir Cosmo’s boat we might have sidestepped the
unpleasantness. It all worked out for the best, as Helen and Sir
Cosmo diagnosed Mr O’Brien as suffering from a bout of chronic malaria
and in need of medical treatment.
Mr O’Brien is an old sailor and a former member of the crew of Captain
Tiberius. Last night Mr O’Flaherty found him in a pub telling
stories about “Atlas O’Flaherty” first mate to Captain Tiberius.
He mistook our Seamus for his “Atlas” at the hospital this morning and
seems convinced that our Lady Cowperthwaite is the Dragon Lady– of
course his eyesight does not appear to be the best. The local
police also mistook Mr O’Flaherty for the Imposter Atlas, a Mr Quaid
O’Flaherty, who is possibly Mr O’Flaherty’s uncle (without having poor
eyesight as an excuse). Captain Tiberius is also likely a
long-lost relation of Mr Frazer, given that Mr and Mrs Frazer, as well
as Sgt. Frazer were kidnapped last night when the Dragon Lady’s
henchmen mistook our Mr Frazer for Captain Tiberius. Mr O’Brien
is currently in hospital and should remain there for at least a week to
complete the course of his medication.
Lopsong is a servant in Lady Katherine’s house. He bears an
uncanny resemblance to Lady Cowperthwaite. He has also been our
‘native guide’ on several shopping expeditions thus far.
Mohindar/MacGyver is a young man vouched for by George and Mr
Salmalin. He was watching over Miss Wilhelmina’s mother in
Australia. When Mrs Voach (formerly Miss Brody) was abducted
and/or convinced to leave he joined Miss Wilhelmina to give her the
most recent information and to join in as one of her guards.
MacGyver (as he prefers to be called) rescued Mr and Mrs Frazer from
the Dragon Lady. His distraction also blew up the fireworks
factory that the Dragon Lady was using as a base of operations.
The Dragon Lady operates a crime syndicate in the port and is involved
in smuggling, drugs, and prostitution. She is known to be an
enemy of Wu Chong and Captain Tiberius. She has two henchmen
known and Bong and Zing. It was these men who kidnapped Mr and
Mrs Frazer. Lady Cowperthwaite has been mistaken for her (from a
distance by someone with bad eyesight). According to Mrs Frazer
they share height, complexion, and hair colour but otherwise look
nothing alike. I’m afraid this has given milady the idea to
impersonate the Dragon Lady.
Donald Frazer (deceased) is the father of Sgt Robert Frazer (also
deceased) and is the guardian spirit of Captain Tiberius Frazer.
Mrs Cuthbert was able to bring him to us. We spoke briefly to him
before he was forced to return to Captain Tiberius. Our attempt
to have Sgt Frazer follow him did not succeed.
Things as they stand so far...
Sir Cosmo, Mrs Frazer, and Wilhelmina were briefed
by the Admiral on Lieutenant Pellew’s plans. Mrs Frazer and
Wilhelmina spent most of yesterday pouring over the notes, maps and
charts Pellew left behind. Some of the maps were folded into odd
configurations. I used the Awaken Tsukomogami spell on one of the
folded maps. It was able to answer my questions, but we did not
learn anything more than Mrs Frazer and Miss Wilhelmina had already
figured out from the notes. It was the first time I have had a
chance to use that spell– perhaps with time I will be come more adept
at asking questions the object can answer.
In addition to the above spell, Mrs Cuthbert had a dream of Pellew
steering his ship blindfolded before disappearing from her Sight.
Acting on MacGyver’s information, Mrs Cuthbert and I attempted to
locate Mrs Voach. We were able to confirm that she was either
travelling either with or in the custody of Sir Phillip and Major
Powell. The Locate spell we cast put her at 130 degrees East and
14 degrees North approximately 2000 miles from our current position,
the same location that we have for Lieutenant Pellew. Mrs
Cuthbert also got the sense that Major Powell was reining in the worst
of Sir Phillip’s inappropriate advanced toward Mrs Voach, but who knows
how long that will hold.
Mr and Mrs Frazer were rescued from the Dragon Lady by MacGyver.
The thugs that abducted them also managed to capture Sgt Frazer.
Mrs Cuthbert and I were able to free him. Great-Aunt Hethelyn
suggested that gifts such as spirit guides can run in families.
This led Mrs Cuthbert and I to the above-mentioned attempt to summon
said spirit and allowed us to make the acquaintance of Donald Frazer.
Lady Cowperthwaite, Mr O’Flaherty, Mrs MacGreggor, Mrs Frazer and I
visited Mr O’Brien in hospital this morning. He is still quite
unwell, though most of the drunkenness had passed off. He didn’t
remember our encounter of the night before. The last thing he
remembered clearly was receiving payment from a Captain Sau to deliver
a letter to Mr Brendan “Lefty” Malloy who is a prisoner at the penal
colony five miles out of town. He celebrated all weekend and was
in quite a state by the time we tried to talk to him last night.
Inspector MacGreggor interviewed Mr Spilett and returned not long ago
asking that Mrs Cuthbert, Mrs Frazer and I return with him to the jail
to investigate several cases of amnesia that are afflicting the men
captured last night in the excitement at the fireworks factory.
I have made an appointment to take tea with the Reverend and Mrs
Umbridge. Mr Weasley gave me a letter of introduction to the
Reverend who is the closest thing the LHW’s office has to an official
presence in the area. The Reverend Umbridge is also Mr Weasley’s
brother-in-law. I hope to make it back from the jail in time to
change for tea and be on time to my appointment. I do not know
what, if any help, the Umbridges will be but it is better to introduce
myself now and find out what I can, rather than come to them in the
heat of battle and hope they can be of some use.
Proceed to A very
disturbing vision
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