Sky Pirates

The five Time Sleuths were extra hyped up today. They were excited that this was their last detention. Term break was on the horizon. Not that detention was boring and arduous. They have seen and done so much they still couldn't believe their experiences.

When they entered the classroom, where the walls were lined with maps of various historical periods, and the shelves were crammed with books and artifacts from bygone eras, there was a greater sense of urgency in the air.

Ms. Marlowe stood before her desk, a yellowing newspaper clipping in her hand. Her face was grim and serious. Not like her usual self.

The headline of the news clipping screamed of “Sky Pirates Terrorize the Skies,” accompanied by an illustration of an airship swooping down on a helpless town. The date was clearly printed: 1818. This was impossible, and it was precisely why she seemed troubled.

Her students gathered around, taking the news clipping and sharing amongst themselves. Their faces looked more confused and perplexed.

"This morning, I found that news clipping in my journal," Ms. Marlowe lowered into her chair. "It hadn't been there before hand." She tapped her chin deep in thought, "The whole history of this world could be about to change around us."

"Duckies! I don't understand! Air ships did not exist in the early eighteen hundreds. The first reported case was in 1852. Henri Giffard designed the first successful airship," Emma pointed, handing back the news clipping. "Surely it is some prank. Even this design looks far in advance of 1818. I'd know all this, but I don't."

"The ripples in time just haven't reached us yet," Ms. Marlowe pointed out. "But at that very moment, all around this planet, history will be changing. In society. In our minds. In our history books." Her face looked ashen as the implications sunk in, "The world is about to end as we knew it." She adjusted the hands on the unusual clock, "But as you said this could be hoax. We need to be sure."

Ms. Marlowe fiddled with the machine setting an approximate time, while her students watched on perplex by the notion that time could be rewritten as they knew it.

The air was crisp and cool as Ms. Marlowe and her students stepped through the shimmering portal, feeling the familiar lurch of time and space. Moments later, they found themselves standing on the deck of a magnificent airship. The sky stretched endlessly ahead of them; a brilliant expanse of blue dotted with fluffy clouds that sailed alongside them like ghostly companions.

The Silver Zephyr glided gracefully through the skies, its majestic balloon a symbol of the golden age of air travel and commerce.

The envelope of the balloon was crafted from shimmering silver fabric, interwoven with brass threads that catch the sunlight, creating an iridescent effect. The surface was smooth and carefully stitched, with the merchant company’s W insignia embossed along the sides.

The balloon was elongated and teardrop-shaped, providing stability and aerodynamic efficiency. A gondola sat under the balloon with elegantly curved struts of polished brass, which also serve as walkways for crew members during maintenance.

The gondola was a polished wooden structure with brass trimmings. It featured large, arched windows at the bow of the ship that allowed for a panoramic view ahead.

The airship was propelled by twin steam engines mounted on either side of the gondola. These engines powered the large, brass propellers, while smaller lateral thrusters assist with maneuvering.

The gondola contained a richly appointed lounge with velvet upholstery, a dining area, and private cabins for long journeys. The cargo hold was spacious, designed to efficiently store a variety of goods and commodities.

The bridge was spacious and well-organized, with a polished wooden floor that gleamed in the sun light. A series of brass and wooden levers, dials, and gauges dominate the central console. Each instrument was meticulously labeled, with intricate engravings indicating altitude, speed, and heading. The control panel is a testament to the craftsmanship of its builders, combining practicality with elegance.

To one side of the bridge, a large table was covered in detailed maps and charts alongside brass compasses and navigational tools. The navigator often stood there, calculating the best routes and making adjustments as needed.

Comfortable leather chairs were arranged at the various stations, each manned by a crew member responsible for specific tasks. The captain's chair is centrally located, slightly elevated to give a commanding view of the entire bridge and the skies beyond.

The first mate stood before what looked like a ship's wheel while the captain was behind him keeping an eye on every aspect of the operation.

"Oh dear! This is not good!" Ms. Marlowe looked at her students with grave seriousness. “The introduction of airships at this point in time is catastrophic. These air ships could prematurely advance the second industrial revolution. Wars could be fought in the skies long before humanity is ready. It's crucial we stop this disruption to time before it becomes permanent."

Lily, ever the artist, sketched rapidly in her notebook, capturing the awe-inspiring view of the airship and the endless skies. "It’s beautiful, but it feels wrong, like looking at a surrealist painting that doesn't quite work."

"Bro! This is awesome!" Sam, meanwhile, was already assessing the ship’s strategic potential. “They could control the skies in these beasts.”

Looking ahead, the group spotted crew members bustling about, their movements precise and efficient. Dressed in uniforms of blue and gold, they seemed oblivious to the anachronistic nature of their vessel.

Captain Reginald Barrett, a tall, imposing figure with a broad chest and a neatly trimmed beard, scanned the horizon with intense focus. Clad in a navy coat with brass buttons and a tricorne hat, he exuded authority and experience. As Ms. Marlowe approached him with her students, his gaze shifted to them, a flicker of suspicion crossing his face.

“Excuse me, Captain,” Ms. Marlowe called, her voice cutting through the wind. “Can you tell us where we are heading?”

First Mate Henry Collins, a wiry man with quick movements and a perpetually curious expression, was working the wheel of the ship. His hair was a wild tangle of red curls, and he wore a vest over a simple white shirt. Unlike the captain, Collins seemed intrigued by the newcomers, his eyes alight with interest as he studied them.

"Bound for London, ma'am," the captain replied gruffly. "But I’m afraid it's dangerous skies ahead. The pirates have been bold of late."

Standing apart from them was, Navigator Evelyn Sharpe, at the navigation table, a woman with sharp eyes and an aura of calm competence. Her hair was pulled back into a neat bun, and she wore a coat with intricate embroidery along the cuffs. She regarded the group with a mixture of caution and curiosity, as if weighing their intentions.

"You lot aren't on the passenger manifest," the first mate stated suspiciously. "How did you get aboard?"

"Oh! We came aboard last minute," Ms. Marlowe hesitated, realizing they must appear to be stowaways. "You must have missed us in your head count."

The young man expression hardened. "I have a good memory for faces. You are not one of them."

The captain turned to face her, "I can't have stowaways on my ship. Collins! Have them removed from the bridge and secured in a vacant cabin until we can verify their claims."

The young man blew into a brass tube by the wheel, and minutes later spoke into the tube, burly crew members arrived shortly after.

The crew surrounded the class. Firm but not unkind, they were led out of the bridge. They passed through a richly appointed lounge with velvet upholstery, a dining area, and to the private cabins.

The cabin was sparsely furnished, with a single wooden table and a few chairs scattered about. A bed positioned against a wall. Oil lamps hang from hooks, offering light that would struggle to illuminate the cabin's corners. There was one port window that looked out into the wide blue yonder.

The wooden door closed behind them. Ms. Marlowe sighed as they settled in. "It seems we've hit a bit of a snag," she said, trying to keep the mood light. "But we'll get out of this and figure out what's happening. We always do."

As the ship sailed on through the skies, the group huddled together, their minds racing with plans and possibilities. They knew they had to find a way to escape, discover the truth behind the airships, and set history back on its rightful course.

Emma moved over to the port hole, "It looks like night is falling. Oh ducks! I can see the first stars of the night twinkling just outside."

There was a sudden jolted. The room lurched throwing Ms. Marlowe and her students off balance, sending them sprawling to the floor.

A speaker mounted on the wall crackled to life, the captain’s voice coming through in a tense, urgent tone. "Attention, all hands! We're under attack by pirates. Prepare battle stations to repel boarders!"

The airship rocked again, this time with a louder crash that reverberated through the walls. The muffled sound of cannon fire and the shrill whine of grappling hooks being launched filled the air.

Ms. Marlowe and her students exchanged glances. "We need to get out of here," she said, her voice steady despite the chaos.

Sam was already at the door, fiddling with the lock. "If I can just..."

The door creaked open suddenly as the first mate burst in, his face a mask of panic. "All hands-on deck! The pirates are boarding!"

Ms. Marlowe and her students followed behind the airman. The ship swayed and shuddered with every hit from the attacking vessel. They rushed through narrow hallways, their footsteps echoing against the metal and wood.

As they emerged onto the bridge, the sight before them was both awe-inspiring and terrifying. The merchant airship, a sturdy but elegant vessel with sleek lines and ornate detailing, was locked in a fierce struggle with a pirate airship.

The Raven's Claw looked a fearsome pirate vessel, its balloon and gondola designed for speed, stealth, and intimidation. The balloon was constructed from dark, matte fabric that absorbed light, allowing it to blend into the night sky. Iron netting reinforces the balloon, with spikes and chains adding to its menacing appearance.

The gondola was low-hanging, armored hull with reinforced steel plating. It had narrow, slitted windows to protect against enemy fire, and a raised prow for ramming. There were gaps in the surface were canons protruded. Smoke circling from their muzzles.

The sky was filled with smoke and the acrid smell of gunpowder. Cannonballs streaked across the sky, crashing into the merchant airship’s hull and sending splinters flying.

"Prepare to defend the cargo!" Captain Barrett roared, his voice barely audible over the cacophony. "Everyone must engage with the enemy." he withdrew his sword from the sheathe ready to do battle old school style.

The merchant shipped returned fire jostling the hull of the vessel. A couple of the pirates that had been scaling across the grappling rope had fallen to their deaths.

The pirates, despite their rough appearance, were well-organized and relentless. Cannon fire was returned, putting another hole in the side of the merchant air ship, while pirates monkeyed across the rope attached to the grappling hooks. They smashed the windows of the bridge gaining access to the ship.

As the pirates stormed the merchant ship, chaos erupted on deck. The clash of steel and shouts of aggression filled the air, but one brutal moment stood out in its cruelty.

The pirate captain, a menacing figure clad in dark leather and a fearsome tricorn hat, seized the merchant captain by the collar and dragged him to the edge of the ship. With a sneer, the pirate captain flung him through one of the open windows, sending the merchant captain plummeting toward the vast, unforgiving expanse below.

Ms. Marlowe and her students watched in horror, their faces pale with shock as the merchant captain’s screams faded into the distance, swallowed by the roar of the wind and the distant crash of his body against the ground.

The remaining crew of the merchant vessel, along with Ms. Marlowe and her students, were subdued and bound, their weapons and belongings taken as they were made to traverse the rope between the two ships. The air pulling at them. It took all of their might to hang onto the rope and not fall into the wide blue yonder. No many made the trip successfully.

Everyone was amazed at how agile the pirates were. They carried cargo from the merchant ship on their shoulders or mounted on their heads across the rope back to their ship. They were jeering and skylarking all the time not even scared that they would fall.

The bridge of the pirate airship was a place of chaos and bravado, reflecting the ship's adventurous and often lawless nature. It is a mix of practicality and flamboyance, with a few unexpected touches.

The space was slightly smaller and more cluttered than that of a merchant ship, with mismatched furniture and a patchwork of repairs visible throughout. A jumble of levers, pulleys, and ropes crisscrosses the central console. Unlike the merchant ship's orderly setup, the pirate ship's controls were a complex lash up. A chaotic pile of maps, many marked with hand-drawn routes and notes, covered the navigation table. Compass tools and a few hastily scribbled plans were scattered about.

The air was filled with the scent of tobacco smoke and rum, and the hum of conversation and laughter is punctuated by the occasional shouted order.

Personal items such as trinkets, lucky charms, and trophies from past raids adorn the walls, giving the space a distinctively eclectic feel. An old, tattered pirate flag hung proudly by a window, a symbol of the crew's defiance against civility.

Ms. Marlowe and her students, alongside the remaining crew of Collins and Sharpe, were restrained and marched through the gondola heading for a metal cage wedge into the space that once occupied a cabin. The cell was equipped with crude iron bars and a heavy, reinforced door.

"We're all done for. We might as well have gone over with the others," Collins, adjusting his glasses nervously, spoke up. "We'll be giving up our civility before these brutes are done with us."

Ms. Marlowe, sensing an opportunity to gather information, approached the bars. "Who are these pirates, and why is their ship so… advanced?"

"Crude is not considered advanced," Evelyn sighed, rubbing her temples. "They cannibalize what they can from their raids to keep their ships in the air."

"Yeah ducks! I get that," Emma spoke up. "But who came up with these ships?"

"That would be Ade Washington." Collins added. "He is the father of the air."

"Ade Washington!" Ms. Marlowe looked shocked. "It can’t be…he wouldn’t have the skills."

"Ms.!" Jake turned to her, "Who is this clown?"

"Ade is a former student of mine," Ms. Marlowe took a deep breath, her mind racing. "He always wanted to run before he could walk." She shook her head with regret, "This is all my fault. I left someone so impressionable, and no one was there to rein him in."

"Isn't it time you told us something about you?" Jake pointed out, "You know a lot about all of us after all."

"I am from the future," Ms. Marlowe gathered her students up away from the others, "You must have suspected since I have technology far advanced of your time."

"I thought you were an alien from another civilisation," put in Ben.

Ms. Marlowe smiled, shrewdly, "No. I was born here on planet Earth...Well actually on moon base. I wasn't a history teacher back than...or should I be saying not yet. I was a scientist in the field of time technology."

Jake finally understood so much more about her, "So why did you leave?"

"I was being coerced into using my invention for duplicity. I couldn't do it so I escaped into the past where I couldn't be found so easily." She sighed, "I just left a lot of business incomplete such as this wayward student." She nodded, "Now, we know who did this. We must work out how to stop it."

Emma, her eyes wide with concern, asked, "Couldn't we just stop him from ever coming to this time?"

"That would mean going into the future," Ms. Marlowe, her face set stern for once. "I must never do that. I would soon be found out." She touched her chin once more. "But we could go back to when he first arrived in this time period. We just need to work out when and where."

“Oh, and get out of this shit hole,” Jake put in.

"And away from these pirates,’ added Ben. “So far up in the air we could wink at the man in the moon."

Emma looked to the crew members, "So what's your story? How did you end up in a cell with us?"

Collins recounted his journey with a tone of nostalgia. "I spent most of my life on the high seas, sailing wooden ships and braving storms. It was a rugged life, but one I loved. About two years ago, everything changed when airships started becoming a reality. I was skeptical at first, but I jumped at the chance for a new adventure especially when it paid more. There are six of us at home. The airships seemed like the future, so I joined one of the early crews."

The navigator, a determined woman with a sharp gaze, added her story. "I was working as a cartographer on the high seas, mapping uncharted waters. When the airship technology emerged, it was a natural progression for me. I adapted my skills to navigate these new aerial paths. I fought hard to be accepted into this field—it wasn't common for women to be on airships, but I proved my worth through my expertise."

The first mate nodded. "The transition from sea to sky was jarring. We thought airships would revolutionize travel and trade, but they brought their own set of challenges. The technology is still in its infancy, and we're dealing with all sorts of new issues."

Their stories revealed a significant shift from the traditional sea-faring life to the cutting-edge technology of airships. It highlighted the adventurous spirit that led them to embrace a world of floating fortresses and sky pirates, setting the stage for the tension and danger that had now ensnared them.

"I might have a way to get out of here," Sam piped up, removing a small piece of wire from within his shirt sleeve. "I have been examining this lock. Piece of cake! Locks were so much easier back in the day."

Sam worked on the lock, his fingers deftly maneuvering the metal. The clinking sound of the lock tumblers seemed loud in the quiet of the brig. Tension hung in the air as the group held their breath, listening for any sign of discovery.

After several tense moments, the lock clicked open, and Sam grinned. "Bro! Got it!"

Ms. Marlowe and the students quickly emerged from their cells; their footsteps soft but purposeful. The first mate and navigator looked on in amazement.

"Well come along. We'll need you two to get us to the ground," Ms. Marlowe ushered them out under her stern "Spit spot and all that."

As they navigated the maze-like corridors, they heard rowdy behaviour coming from the dining room. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the spoils of victory unaware of their presence. They just had to slip by unnoticed. The skirted around them, staying low to the ground, using unused furniture to shield them from sight.

When the finally got to the door of the flight deck, Ms. Marlowe peeked through a small window. There were only a couple of the crew on duty. The world beyond in darkness. The twinkling of stars peering through the windows.

"We can take them!" Jake muttered. "I have an egg on my head that needs a right of reply."

With a collective breath, they prepared to push open the door. The sudden intrusion caused confusion among the pirates on duty.

Ms. Marlowe quickly took charge, directing her students to take control of the bridge. The boys took on the two pirates while first mate and navigator took their positions. Ms. Marlowe grabbed what looked like a ship's wheel and began to drop the vessel to the ground.

Emma and Lily used what they could to block the door to the bridge basically keeping the pirates out.

Ms. Marlowe gripped the wheel with a mixture of determination and trepidation, her eyes scanning the chaotic controls of the pirate ship’s bridge.

With a few frantic adjustments, Collins had helped her to aim the vessel toward the earth below, maneuvering the ship with a haphazard precision that sent it veering and swaying through the sky.

There came the hammering of irate pirates from the blocked door as they began using an axe to break into the bridge.

The ship’s hull groaned under the strain as she fought to stabilize it. The first mate and navigator helping with the controls while giving worried glances at the door.

The students rushed to one of grim-covered, skinny windows, grabbing what they could to breach the glass. Suddenly the noise from the pirates was drowned out by the rushing wind and turbulence threatened to suck out the students.

Ms. Marlowe gave one final, forceful turn of the wheel, and the vessel began its final, uncontrolled descent, "Remember to tuck and roll! Now go!"

With a collective leap of faith, the students, the crew and Ms. Marlowe scrambled out of the broken window and dropped to the ground. They jumped up and began running away from the air ship. There came an explosion behind them that flattened the group. The roar of the explosions almost deafened them while the intense heat singed their backs.

This was only the beginning of their adventure. They still had to stop history from being disrupted by Ms. Marlowe's wayward student.

*Come back next week for the final part of this new adventure.

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