Hunting Dragons

Day 76: Now that I have finally finished the album and delivered it to Murphy, he’s promised to take me home, but it’s taking longer than I was hoping it would. So I’ve been using the time to do some thinking. Something good did come out of this whole affair, after all. I found out something absolutely amazing!

Dragons are real, even if they aren’t in our dimension, and they need to be protected. So I have decided to form a “Save the Dragons” foundation. You can find out more at “Savedragons.com…” as soon as I get it fully set it up! We will keep these wonderful creatures flying—especially the ones with the brown coats.

This has been a long and incredible journey. At the moment, all I want to do is hold my girls close, and tomorrow I will finally be able to. I’ve almost made it home, a little wiser than I was, with a knowledge of places and people I never dreamed existed.

I have a feeling my adventures with Murphy’s crew aren’t completely over. After all, pirates have a nasty habit of turning up when you least expect them. And there’s a sneaking suspicion in the back of my mind that there may be other dimensional journeys in my future. I hope not anytime soon…

—

I’ve managed to sneak a bit of pencil stub from the ship’s doctor, and a few scraps of paper from the cook. I’m recording my thoughts with them so I can reveal Black Jack Murphy’s infamy when I finally return to civilization.

There’s a universal truth about pirates. They hunt treasure, and they don’t care who they have to rob to get it.

There’s a universal truth about dragons. They hoard treasure, and they really don’t like for people to try and take it.

I was kidnapped by the infamous air pirate Black Jack Murphy and his crew of the airship The Lady Jean. They wanted me to chronicle their dragon hunts. Little did Murphy know where my sympathies lie! So, this journal — and the resulting CD, coming soon from Mage Records “Pirates vs. Dragons” — tell the true stories of Pirates vs. Dragons. The CD combines rousing sea shanties about pirates being pirates with songs about the majesty of dragons, and the journal details the privations I suffered. There’s a little something for both sides here–and I bet you find a new favorite or two.

Day 75: It took a few days to get the loot sorted out, and everything squared away on whatever world we were currently. Gus and Jenny seemed to be jockeying for Murphy’s right hand “man.” I didn’t want to take sides, but I’d know Gus a bit longer. Plus, he was the one who had kidnapped me, and I wanted to keep on his good side to get home like Murphy had promised.

So…when he sought me out in my berth, I pretended to be happy to see him. I set aside the book, which I had been reading through for lack of anything else to do.

“What can I do for you, Gus?”

“I’ve always treated you right, haven’t I? Had yer back when Murphy was in one of his moods?”

“Yes…”

“So, would you talk to Andrew? He’s muscling in on me turf…as it were. I’ve been Murphy’s second for almost half a decade now. Sure, I’d like me own ship—but that ain’t likely anytime soon. I’ve got a plan, but I have to play nice with Murphy until I can get my hands on one o’ those Fancies o’ his.”

I blinked. “You know about those?”

“Hell, boyo, the whole crew knows about th’ one. I’ve me suspicions on how he got t’other. Daltry’s device was no secret either, and no one seems to have found it in his things.” He waved the issue aside. “That’s beside the point anyhow. I’ve got to keep me job!”

I could sympathize. “I’ll talk to he—him.”

“Thank ye, Marc. I appreciate it. And if ye ever need anything I kin help with…”

I was touched. It was the offer of a pirate, but an honorable one.

We shook hands, and Gus left. I decided to finish packing. Surely we would be heading back to Earth soon.

—

I’ve managed to sneak a bit of pencil stub from the ship’s doctor, and a few scraps of paper from the cook. I’m recording my thoughts with them so I can reveal Black Jack Murphy’s infamy when I finally return to civilization.

There’s a universal truth about pirates. They hunt treasure, and they don’t care who they have to rob to get it.

There’s a universal truth about dragons. They hoard treasure, and they really don’t like for people to try and take it.

I was kidnapped by the infamous air pirate Black Jack Murphy and his crew of the airship The Lady Jean. They wanted me to chronicle their dragon hunts. Little did Murphy know where my sympathies lie! So, this journal — and the resulting CD, coming soon from Mage Records “Pirates vs. Dragons” — tell the true stories of Pirates vs. Dragons. The CD combines rousing sea shanties about pirates being pirates with songs about the majesty of dragons, and the journal details the privations I suffered. There’s a little something for both sides here–and I bet you find a new favorite or two.

Day 70: We spent the night hovering outside the cave, waiting in case the dragon tried to slip out in the darkness. At dawn, a great rush of warm air sighed out of the opening. I surreptitiously wiped a tear from my eye, because I was sure what that must mean. I bent my head for a moment of silence. The dragon deserved no less.

There was no further sign of life. As soon as the sun fully rose the ship moved forward, and, with a skill I had to admire, the helmsman managed to bring the Lady Jean to a safe landing on the ledge outside the dragon’s cave.

The entire crew burst into cheers, and Jenny hugged me in excitement—before catching herself and backing off hurriedly so no one would notice.

“Let’s see what we’ve got, men!” Murphy crowed—a bit prematurely, I thought…who knew what we would find inside?

The pirates poured off the ship wielding their cutlasses in one hand and pistols in the other.

“Remember, boys—there’s nothing more dangerous than a wounded animal. Don’t be lett’n yer guard down. There’s no tellin’ what else might be lyin’ in wait.”

The crew roared its approval, and we stepped into the cavern. I stayed in the back, not sure what to expect.

I didn’t have to worry. I don’t know if the dragon was alive or dead when we entered the cave. It just lay there, alone, in the center of the floor. And the crew stood in a half-circle around it, emptying every last round into its head. It was certainly dead after that.

The crew cheered. Cheered—like it was a good thing to kill a dragon. Luckily, no one could see that my own eyes were filled with tears.

The pirates scattered immediately, beginning their search for treasure. Shouts rang out all over the cavern as they shared their findings. “Chest here!” “There’s a pile o’ gold in this corner!” “A ruby the size o’ me hand!”

I stopped a minute beside the noble beast. It was covered with patches of blood, but the golden scales still glimmered faintly in the sunlight filtering into the cavern. I placed a hand on the shimmering hide and whispered a goodbye.

Murphy came up behind me and clapped me on the shoulder. “She fought a good fight, didn’t she?” He reached down and ripped a loose, bloodstained scale from the mighty beast. “Here—make yer wife a bauble from that!” He strode off before he could see the horror on my face.

As soon as he turned away, I dropped it on the floor, wiping the blood off my hand as quickly as possible. The very idea!

“Get yer arse over here, Bard,” Murphy growled from the far side of the cavern, and I hastened to obey. It was always best to do what Murphy said—as soon as possible.

When I turned to join Murphy, what I saw took my breath away. I had been so focused on the dragon that I hadn’t registered the items in the cavern. All the dreams of dragon hoards I had formed from movies and books paled beside the reality of it. Piles of gold reached from floor to ceiling all around the perimeter of the cavern. In the center was a mound of gold and gemstones with a depression in the middle. I think it was the dragon’s bed—he hadn’t made it as far as that before he collapsed in the cave on his return.

There were chests pushed against the gold, some open, some closed. Those that were open spilled bolts of silk and great chains set with gems as big as my thumb. Gilded volumes were scattered throughout, and I picked up a book of fairy tales that Kenzie would love! Especially since they were not of our world, so totally brand-new stories.

“Keep that as the first part of your portion, Bard,” Murphy growled, grinning at me. “Not a bad piece of work, was it?”

I thought of the glorious dragon lying in a heap in the center of the cavern and sighed. “It was…interesting.”

Murphy clapped me on the shoulder and began issuing orders to the crew. They began carting chests back toward the Lady Jean.

“The mother load, aye, Marc? Ready to go home, Bard?”

I had never heard anything so sweet.

—

I’ve managed to sneak a bit of pencil stub from the ship’s doctor, and a few scraps of paper from the cook. I’m recording my thoughts with them so I can reveal Black Jack Murphy’s infamy when I finally return to civilization.

There’s a universal truth about pirates. They hunt treasure, and they don’t care who they have to rob to get it.

There’s a universal truth about dragons. They hoard treasure, and they really don’t like for people to try and take it.

I was kidnapped by the infamous air pirate Black Jack Murphy and his crew of the airship The Lady Jean. They wanted me to chronicle their dragon hunts. Little did Murphy know where my sympathies lie! So, this journal — and the resulting CD, coming soon from Mage Records “Pirates vs. Dragons” — tell the true stories of Pirates vs. Dragons. The CD combines rousing sea shanties about pirates being pirates with songs about the majesty of dragons, and the journal details the privations I suffered. There’s a little something for both sides here–and I bet you find a new favorite or two.

Day 69: Everyone was fairly hung over this morning, but that didn’t stop us shipping out at the crack of dawn. Gus was back, like he’d never been gone. I tried to talk to him, but the dragon was making everyone crazy, and no one had time for anything but work.

The hunt was absolutely terrifying. I never want to go through something like that again! We started off in the direction that Murphy had spied the dragon before, and it was soon quite obvious we were on the right track. Great swathes of trees lay splintered and burned beneath us.

“More Steam!” Murphy roared, affixing one of the Jupiter’s Fancy stones to the hollow in the wheel I had noticed before. We kept moving forward, so I guess it was more for luck this time. And it was sitting there in plain sight, so I guess the existence of the devices isn’t really a secret. At least we didn’t change worlds.

The crew hustled to follow his orders, and the ship leapt forward. As we followed the trail of destruction, I thought about this world. Now that I knew we were not on Earth, I wondered about it even more. There was a Steampunk sensibility about it, with all the airships and clockworks. I wonder if it has something to do with that time I saw Murphy at DragonCon. He seemed very taken with Steampunk.

The trail became even more obvious the further we went. Some of the trees were still smoldering, and I think that I saw a hut on fire. The dragon was burning villages. Lots of people have died, according to rumors in the taverns. I wasn’t feeling as dragon friendly at the moment.

“There she blows!” cried the lookout. The metaphor was a bit mixed, but we could see the dragon in the distance. My god, it was huge!

I’d never seen one as large. The sun glittering off its wings was breathtaking. Light splintered into prisms like a million rainbows.

The gold dragon roared defiantly when he saw the Lady Jean, and dove toward us. His wingspread was wider than our hull length.

It just reared back and let out a gout of flame. Even at our distance, I could hear screams. There was a village beneath it—and now, it was a garden of fire.

“Set the harpoons!” Murphy growled.

Andrew was already in position across the deck, working the winches to aim the harpoons. There were four of the things, sharp and deadly, which could be fired in rapid order. Each was attached to a large spool of steel cable. Each one would normally have been manned by two pirates, but we no longer had that big a crew. While Andrew worked to get aim on the perfect “kill” spot—the belly of the creature—our biggest man struggled to point the other harpoons at the beast, until all four were set. The harpoons would be plenty strong enough for any of the dragons we’d fought so far…hopefully they were enough for this one.

Murphy continued shouting commands from his position behind the wheel, pointing here and there to bring the harpoons to bear.

“Fire!” Murphy bellowed, and Andrew gave a sharp nod to his man. Four arrows of death flew toward that golden behemoth, trailing cables that seemed as thin as gossamer strands as they unwound from the spools.

I saw at least three hit, the Lady Jean bucking against the strain of it. The dragon let out a scream of its own—a high-pitched keen of pain and fury as it fought to free itself of the barbed weapons. The harpoons were designed with extending barbs that deployed when they hit. When the point dug deep, the barbs ripped and tore at the scales around them. The lovely golden scales bloomed with red flowers, and shreds fell like confetti.

The dragon took off, soaring straight upward. The Lady Jean followed, like an owner pulled along by a runaway dog.

“Muskets!” Murphy barked, and a barrage of musket balls sped upwards. The men at the harpoons were working hard to reel in the dragon. Because of that, I could see every contact that the musket balls made. Its sides were more red than gold now.

The Lady Jean rose after the creature, and a second round of musket fire went off. The cables were singing in the wind, taut between the two combatants. Andrew hit a control on her pedestal, and the barbs on that harpoon retracted. The point subsequently tore loose, leaving a gaping wound in the dragon’s side that sent a rain of blood pattering down around us. The dragon roared in agony, and my soul cried in sympathy. The deadly arrow snapped back toward the ship.

For a moment, I held my breath, sure that it was going to rip a hole in the envelope, but it just slammed into the side of the ship, quivering. I let out the breath in a rush—just in time for a second harpoon to let go and skewer one of the crew.

The rest of the crew sent another volley of musket fire directly into the gaping wounds. The dragon’s roars took on a high-pitched keen of pain.

The final line snapped with a crack like a whip. The dragon banked and flew off toward a distant mountain.

“After that beast!” Murphy’s eyes were blazing like diamonds. The crew scrambled to comply.

“And get that body off the ship,” he ordered, jerking his head at the corpse on the deck. The pirates dumped it over the side like so much dirty laundry. The matter-of-factness of it made my blood run cold.

It wasn’t hard to trail the dragon. The wounds in its sides were definitely taking their toll. A fine mist of blood rode the breeze. As we neared the mountain we could see a cave behind a substantial ledge. The dragon was making straight for it.

A lair! A real life dragon’s lair!

What treasures would be inside? We’d found a few small hoards in our hunts, but nothing big. This cave looked like it might rival the hoards of legend.

The giant wings were beating slower as the dragon struggled to reach the cave. It stumbled as it hit the ledge, and then it was inside. Would we have to follow?

—

I’ve managed to sneak a bit of pencil stub from the ship’s doctor, and a few scraps of paper from the cook. I’m recording my thoughts with them so I can reveal Black Jack Murphy’s infamy when I finally return to civilization.

There’s a universal truth about pirates. They hunt treasure, and they don’t care who they have to rob to get it.

There’s a universal truth about dragons. They hoard treasure, and they really don’t like for people to try and take it.

I was kidnapped by the infamous air pirate Black Jack Murphy and his crew of the airship The Lady Jean. They wanted me to chronicle their dragon hunts. Little did Murphy know where my sympathies lie! So, this journal — and the resulting CD, coming soon from Mage Records “Pirates vs. Dragons” — tell the true stories of Pirates vs. Dragons. The CD combines rousing sea shanties about pirates being pirates with songs about the majesty of dragons, and the journal details the privations I suffered. There’s a little something for both sides here–and I bet you find a new favorite or two.

Day 68: I can't believe I've been captured by pirates for more than two months. It feels even longer. I wonder if time is passing the same way at home. There's a possibility that it isn't. Maybe Gwen doesn't even know that I've left…or at least thinks I’m running errands or something. That would be awesome!

I've been searching for Gus for days now. Every time I walk into a pub or shop it seems like I’ve always “just missed him.” I'm beginning to get a little paranoid about that.

I've finished the last song for the album and turned copies over to Murphy. There's no reason for him to keep me here any longer, but he's made no mention of taking me home, either. I’m not sure what he is waiting for…though he did “promise” me a dragon hunt. Maybe this is the reason he hasn’t said anything about me going home.

Daltry's death was just taken in stride, like murder was an everyday thing among these people. Maybe it is…I know nothing of this world.

And everyone seems perfectly okay with Murphy claiming the Lady Jean. He does have the deed, after all. He made sure to steal that too. We've moved all our things onto the ship, and he's talking about setting sail tomorrow. It is a fine ship, but I worry about where we might go next. Will Murphy live up to his end of the deal, or will he do the pirate thing and take me even further away from home?

Murphy sighted a gold dragon in the distance last night. That's the biggest breed, and Murphy's never faced one in battle. I have a feeling we will be changing that soon.

Everyone got roaring drunk last night after the dragon was seen—which was strange…but “pirates.” The drinking led to some interesting party games…Jenny slipped away before “The Ballad of Jenny Malloy” became a true story. I’ll admit that I drank a bit more than I should have, but the thought of facing that golden behemoth scared the hell out of me, and the mead dulled the terror…at least for a while.

—

I’ve managed to sneak a bit of pencil stub from the ship’s doctor, and a few scraps of paper from the cook. I’m recording my thoughts with them so I can reveal Black Jack Murphy’s infamy when I finally return to civilization.

There’s a universal truth about pirates. They hunt treasure, and they don’t care who they have to rob to get it.

There’s a universal truth about dragons. They hoard treasure, and they really don’t like for people to try and take it.

I was kidnapped by the infamous air pirate Black Jack Murphy and his crew of the airship The Lady Jean. They wanted me to chronicle their dragon hunts. Little did Murphy know where my sympathies lie! So, this journal — and the resulting CD, coming soon from Mage Records “Pirates vs. Dragons” — tell the true stories of Pirates vs. Dragons. The CD combines rousing sea shanties about pirates being pirates with songs about the majesty of dragons, and the journal details the privations I suffered. There’s a little something for both sides here–and I bet you find a new favorite or two.

Day 65: I can’t face Murphy. I’ve been avoiding him since I witnessed the murder in Daltry's office. I just know my eyes would give me away. I have never been good at bluffing. If Murphy was willing to kill to possess the Lady Jean…what would he do to someone who saw the murder?

What am I going to do? I have to get home. From what I discovered yesterday, I am no longer surprised not to recognize anything, but I am even more at a loss as to how to get home. If we aren't even in the same dimension as my friends and family, how will I ever get back to them? I don't have a pair of ruby slippers, I haven’t seen any blue box around, and there is certainly no Star-Gate that can get me back to the dimension where I belong.

There's only one way that I can see. I have to steal one of those Portal devices from Murphy. This is a terrible idea; I just know it. I've never been good at thievery. Of course, all I know about thievery, I learned in “A Prudent Thief”—you remember that song, don't you? It didn't end well for him.

I wonder if there is some way to enlist some help. If I can find Gus, I might be able to persuade him to help me. I know he is tired of being under Murphy's thumb, and he's a really good pirate. I bet he would be able to get a Jupiter’s Fancy for me. But would he give it to me once he got it?

Maybe Jenny would be a better bet…but she's so enamored of the idea of being on Murphy's crew would she be willing to jump ship? Of course, she could have the ship after I got home…so that might be good incentive.

Oh wait. A ship. We don't have one of those either.

Do we have to steal the Lady Jean from Murphy too?

—

I’ve managed to sneak a bit of pencil stub from the ship’s doctor, and a few scraps of paper from the cook. I’m recording my thoughts with them so I can reveal Black Jack Murphy’s infamy when I finally return to civilization.

There’s a universal truth about pirates. They hunt treasure, and they don’t care who they have to rob to get it.

There’s a universal truth about dragons. They hoard treasure, and they really don’t like for people to try and take it.

I was kidnapped by the infamous air pirate Black Jack Murphy and his crew of the airship The Lady Jean. They wanted me to chronicle their dragon hunts. Little did Murphy know where my sympathies lie! So, this journal — and the resulting CD, coming soon from Mage Records “Pirates vs. Dragons” — tell the true stories of Pirates vs. Dragons. The CD combines rousing sea shanties about pirates being pirates with songs about the majesty of dragons, and the journal details the privations I suffered. There’s a little something for both sides here–and I bet you find a new favorite or two.

Day 63: Murphy is champing at the bit. The Lady Jean is finished except for the final touches to the décor. Murphy wants that ship so badly I can taste it.

Murphy has taken to sitting in his cabin with a bottle of rum and a bad mood. I surprised him yesterday when I took him the latest song pages. He hid something in his drawer when he came in, but I caught a glimpse of something glowing green. Murphy has one of the devices too! Whatever the devices are…

Someone must know what the glowing orbs are. Maybe Gus? Of course, Gus is still absent for the most part. He was supposed to be recruiting new sailors, but that was weeks ago. Several sailors have come to Murphy claiming to be Gus’s recruits, so I am pretty sure he’s here in town too. He must have caught a ride on another ship. I think I’ve seen him in the distance around the yard—I am almost positive of it—but never close enough to speak to.

Andrew and I have taken to following Murphy wherever he goes—it’s not like we have a lot else to do to pass the time. Today, he went back to Daltry’s office. Trying one more time to talk the shipwright out of the ship, I suppose.

I stood with my ear to the door as Andrew kept lookout again. I suppose it is unfair of me to make Jenny be the lookout all the time, but people expect to see her around the shipyard. I still stick out like a sore thumb.

Outside the door, I heard a heated argument. I wished I had a glass to hold against the door. Their voices were just beyond the limit of understanding. Heart pounding in my chest, I eased the door open a crack, putting my eye against that instead.

Daltry bellowed at Murphy that he'd only barter the Lady Jean in exchange for…his Jupiter’s Fancy! A Jupiter’s Fancy? What on earth is that?

“I’ve got one of me own,” Daltry murmured, “but ye can never have too many precious things, can you? That’s me price, Murphy. Give me your Jupiter’s Fancy, and you can have the Lady Jean free and clear. It’s a hell of a good bargain.”

“Do you think me daft, Patrick Daltry? I’ll give up me Jupiter’s Fancy when pigs fly! How could I open a portal back t’ me own world if I gave it to ye?”

I almost gasped aloud, clapping my hand in front of my mouth to hold it back. So that is the secret! That’s why the maps don’t make any sense, and there are dragons soaring the skies. We are on another world!

Murphy stepped forward, chest to chest with Daltry. “Ye had yer chance, Paddy—but ye had t’ git greedy.” He pulled his dirk and stabbed the man in the belly. Then, Murphy began rifling through the things on the desk—he held up a sheet of parchment in triumph and shoved it in his coat.

He jerked open all the drawers of the desk until he crowed in victory and picked up a glowing green orb, tucking that into his coat as well—was that this Fancy thing? It reminded me of what I had seen in Murphy’s cabin.

“Thanks, matey,” he growled. “I knew we could come to an arrangement.”

He started toward the door, and I ducked away, my heart slamming against my ribs. As soon as I rounded the corner of the office, I took to my heels, running as fast as I could.

—

Save the Dragons

I’ve managed to sneak a bit of pencil stub from the ship’s doctor, and a few scraps of paper from the cook. I’m recording my thoughts with them so I can reveal Black Jack Murphy’s infamy when I finally return to civilization.

There’s a universal truth about pirates. They hunt treasure, and they don’t care who they have to rob to get it.

There’s a universal truth about dragons. They hoard treasure, and they really don’t like for people to try and take it.

I was kidnapped by the infamous air pirate Black Jack Murphy and his crew of the airship The Lady Jean. They wanted me to chronicle their dragon hunts. Little did Murphy know where my sympathies lie! So, this journal — and the resulting CD, coming soon from Mage Records “Pirates vs. Dragons” — tell the true stories of Pirates vs. Dragons. The CD combines rousing sea shanties about pirates being pirates with songs about the majesty of dragons, and the journal details the privations I suffered. There’s a little something for both sides here–and I bet you find a new favorite or two.

Day 59: Andrew and I continue to try and figure out what it is that Murphy is hiding. What device is so important that Murphy is willing to sacrifice the Lady Jean for it? I’ve been poking around his cabin when he is out, with Andrew on lookout, but we’ve found nothing out of the ordinary. So, we decided to try pulling the other end of the string.

Andrew—I’ve called her that so often now that it feels like the correct name—and I went to the shop of the shipwright building the Lady Jean. He is a jovial man by the name of Daltry. He is considered by most of the sailors here as the best shipwright for a thousand miles. He always incorporates innovation and artistry into his ships, things that no one has ever seen before. Some people whisper that there is magic involved, but that is crazy, of course. Though, with some of the things I’ve seen on this trip, I am not so sure of that any more…

Anyway, he took us on a tour of the Lady Jean. It’s a beautiful little ship. A crew of ten is optimal, but she is responsive enough to be handled by two or three men. The wheel has a curious indention on it, about the size of my fist. We haven’t a clue what might rest there.

Daltry clammed up when I asked him what it was that Murphy refused to give him, fiddling with something in his pocket. I told him, “I might be able to talk Murphy out of whatever you want, if I know what it is,” and he gave me the stink eye.

“If you don’t know, I ain’t telling you,” he replied in a huff, changing from jovial to surly in a second. “I’ve got work to do.” He jerked his hand out of his pocket.

Turning, he stepped into his office, slamming the door behind him.

As the door shut, I caught a glimpse of something held in his hand. It was about the size of my fist, green, and glowing.

—

Buy Pirates vs. Dragons!

I’ve managed to sneak a bit of pencil stub from the ship’s doctor, and a few scraps of paper from the cook. I’m recording my thoughts with them so I can reveal Black Jack Murphy’s infamy when I finally return to civilization.

There’s a universal truth about pirates. They hunt treasure, and they don’t care who they have to rob to get it.

There’s a universal truth about dragons. They hoard treasure, and they really don’t like for people to try and take it.

I was kidnapped by the infamous air pirate Black Jack Murphy and his crew of the airship The Lady Jean. They wanted me to chronicle their dragon hunts. Little did Murphy know where my sympathies lie! So, this journal — and the resulting CD, coming soon from Mage Records “Pirates vs. Dragons” — tell the true stories of Pirates vs. Dragons. The CD combines rousing sea shanties about pirates being pirates with songs about the majesty of dragons, and the journal details the privations I suffered. There’s a little something for both sides here–and I bet you find a new favorite or two.

“What do you want?” barked Murphy.

“Sorry for the interruption, Captain,” I answered nervously. “This is Andrew—”

Murphy sat back in his chair, like it was a throne, and looked at her with his head tilted to one side. “So, yer this ‘Andrew’ I’ve been hearing so much about.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Yer the talk o’ the shipyard, lad. They say yer the best gunner a cap’n ever had at their side—though a mite shy of the water.”

Jenny cocked her head, arms crossed, and sniffed. “Sounds like ye heard right. What’s it to ya?”

“I suppose ye want a job.”

“Mebbe.”

“Fair enough. Can ye sign yer name?”

“’Course.”

“Sign here, gunner.”

As she signed her name, I swear I saw that smirk creep across Murphy’s face again. Little did I know that Andrew was a renowned gunner specializing in harpoons.

“Welcome aboard,” said Murphy. “Now git yer arse out of here.”

And that was it. Didn’t have to persuade him or anything. It was a little weird.

She’s moved her stuff into the crew quarters and everything. I wonder if she brought the egg, or if she hid it somewhere else. I wouldn’t risk it being anywhere near Murphy if it were mine.

Once she was settled, we went back out to recruit more help.

As we walked down the plank, we could hear Murphy’s voice from two ships away. He was arguing with the man building the Lady Jean. The ship is almost completed, but Murphy wanted it yesterday.

But he’s not going to get it cheap.

We were curious, and walked that way to get a better listen to what was being said. I didn’t hear the entire argument, but I did hear Murphy shout, “You can’t be serious!”

And then the shipwright got quieter, but I did hear, “That’s my price. You’ve got a…” and then his voice got too soft to hear for a moment. He finished with, “You want the Lady Jean, I get the device.”

I don’t know what this device is, but it must be something incredibly special if Murphy won’t part with it even for the Lady Jean. He really wants that ship.

—

I’ve managed to sneak a bit of pencil stub from the ship’s doctor, and a few scraps of paper from the cook. I’m recording my thoughts with them so I can reveal Black Jack Murphy’s infamy when I finally return to civilization.

There’s a universal truth about pirates. They hunt treasure, and they don’t care who they have to rob to get it.

There’s a universal truth about dragons. They hoard treasure, and they really don’t like for people to try and take it.

I was kidnapped by the infamous air pirate Black Jack Murphy and his crew of the airship The Lady Jean. They wanted me to chronicle their dragon hunts. Little did Murphy know where my sympathies lie! So, this journal — and the resulting CD, coming soon from Mage Records “Pirates vs. Dragons” — tell the true stories of Pirates vs. Dragons. The CD combines rousing sea shanties about pirates being pirates with songs about the majesty of dragons, and the journal details the privations I suffered. There’s a little something for both sides here–and I bet you find a new favorite or two.

Buy Pirates vs. Dragons!

—

Jenny—or, I better get used to saying “Andrew”—has never been a part of an airship’s crew, though she’s been at sea since she was thirteen. Hers is a fascinating story. I hope my song does it justice.

She’s been showing me around the shipyard during the day. We’ve gone places I normally wouldn’t be allowed to go alone. The ironworks—Lord, that’s a noisy place. Banging metal, clattering of steel along the track-like tables. The shipwrights are constantly hammering on the hulls of the ironclads and airships.

She’s also taken me inside the taverns where “real” pirates can be found—not like the places where I have been playing, where the patrons are mostly sailors who are a little shifty, and not total cutthroats. You won’t find a regular sailor in one of these dens of skullduggery. You will find sea shanties, roaring laughter, voices raised in quarrels and brutal fistfights. Noisy and alive!

Thanks to “Andrew,” things are a little more bearable.

Last week, she showed me her biggest secret—and I thought she couldn’t surprise me any further. She has a dragon egg in her sea chest! I don’t know where she got it, but it is beautiful. It is a mottled scarlet, about a foot long, with sprinkles of gold scattered all over the shell. I can understand why she is keeping it secret. If the rest of her crew found out about it, she would lose it for sure. These treasures are more precious than gold to pirates.

Jenny/Andrew is a fascinating person. I wish Gwen could meet her. I know that they would get along famously. She’s becoming my best friend here in this strange pirate world I am part of now.

She’s obsessed by the thought of joining Murphy’s crew. I’ve got to admit that the thought of having another ally on the ship is tempting. But I know what Murphy’s reaction would be if she were found out.

She shares my views about dragons being the noble side of this war with the pirates. She’s been begging me to introduce her to Murphy…and she’s wearing me down. Tomorrow, I may break down entirely.

—

I’ve managed to sneak a bit of pencil stub from the ship’s doctor, and a few scraps of paper from the cook. I’m recording my thoughts with them so I can reveal Black Jack Murphy’s infamy when I finally return to civilization.

There’s a universal truth about pirates. They hunt treasure, and they don’t care who they have to rob to get it.

There’s a universal truth about dragons. They hoard treasure, and they really don’t like for people to try and take it.

I was kidnapped by the infamous air pirate Black Jack Murphy and his crew of the airship The Lady Jean. They wanted me to chronicle their dragon hunts. Little did Murphy know where my sympathies lie! So, this journal — and the resulting CD, coming soon from Mage Records “Pirates vs. Dragons” — tell the true stories of Pirates vs. Dragons. The CD combines rousing sea shanties about pirates being pirates with songs about the majesty of dragons, and the journal details the privations I suffered. There’s a little something for both sides here–and I bet you find a new favorite or two.