The Bruhaha in Bombay

NN: The battle with the Brazilian Sky Pirates won, our heroes continued to Bombay, an exotic and popular destination for zeppelins traveling this part of the world. Crews from every nation on the globe arrived in the city daily with cargo, passengers, and information of every sort. Indeed, it was said that Bombay was to zeppelin intrigue what Istanbul was to political intrigue. With this in mind Captain Daedalus intended to try and gain an edge on Wotansraven for the upcoming legs of the race. Any suspicious activity by the Kaiser’s zeppelin fleet would be easily found out by the crew of the Pegasus. But information was not the only thing found in Bombay, it was also full of danger and excitement!


Lefty: Ha ha! I win again!!! I love jacks!

JD: Boy Lefty, you’re on a roll!! (kinda sarcastic)

Lefty: Johnny, I want to talk to you about something serious.

JD: What lefty?

L: I wanna learn how to write…just like you. Except, you know, with my left hand.

JD: Wow Lefty, I..I don’t know. The doctors say you have a pretty bad case of left-handedness.

L: I know, but pops said if I try reaaallyyy hard.

JD: Well, I guess we can try. Let’s go see if professor merriweather can make you a pen. One for left handed people!! He’s tinkering with the canning device he installed in the hangar bay.

L: Oh boy!!

(door and walking door)

JD: I don’t see the professor, but theres Mr. Winters. Maybe he knows where the he went.

W: Yes…yes..We will be there by 12, 12 o clock. No no I don’t have the

(interrupting)

JD: Who’s on the radio mr winters?

W: Radio? Im not on the radio (clank) Immm counting, yes counting rivets. 7, 7 rivets!

JD: Ummmm ok. Have you seen Prof. Merriweather?

W: Yes, I think he went to the bridge. Now let me get back to my, umm, counting...

JD: Thanks Mr. Winters. Cmon Lefty.

L: Okie dokie.

(Walking, door on the bridge)

D: Give me the situation report Jeffries.

J: Well the damn pirates nearly put a few rounds in our reactor! That coulda been a right messy day. As it was they took out our port aft engine and our forward air compressor. We’ve managed to repair the compressor, and ill be able fix the engine when we get to Bombay.

JD: Can an atomic zeppelin explode?

BM: Well, conceivably, bullets wont cause a meltdown. But significant reactor damage can lead to one. Usually zeppelins get shot down or otherwise incapacitated before a reactor would be affected. But, there have been historical examples of reactor failure and catastrophic e--

D: That’s enough Barnaby. Basically, boys, it would take a bomb planted in the reactor area to cause that. And that isn’t about to happen.

JD: Well what if somebody…

(Radiogram machine starts beeping)

CT: It’s a radiogram Daedalus! Here.

FB: Well, whats it say?

D: Daedalus, meet me in Bombay at the Rajah’s Turban, you know the place –stop- have urgent information concerning your son’s demise –stop- please be discreet, my presence in Bombay is a secret –stop- come alone –stop- signed, the Black Falcon

CT: The Black Falcon!!? Well tits and firecrackers theres a surprise.

JD: Black Falcon? Who’s that???

D: The Black Falcon is a notorious, cold-hearted, mercenary pilot. He’ll take any job, if the pay is right.

Lefty: He sounds mysterious!

D: He is mysterious Lefty. He flies a black Fokker Albatross with silver trim. He appears out of nowhere, and leaves without warning. He’s a man without a name. Known only as the Black Falcon.

FB: All I know he wears some sort of mask to conceal his identity. Seems a bit queer to me. Don’t put much stock in masks myself.

JD: So are we gonna meet him Captain?

L: Johnny, the message said for only Captain Daedalus to go.

CT: Which you cant possibly be thinking about doing Daedalus. At least not without someone to watch your back. Bombay is bad enough as it is, without some costumed lunatic asking for secret meetings at known locations of ill repute.

FB: Ill repute? What kind of ill repute? Bad beer or loose women?

D: Continuing on. Agreed Coyne. Ill take you. and the boys.

JD: To a bar?

L: Oh boy!

D: Zeppelineers start young boys. My first bar was in Bombay too, and I don’t why yours shouldn’t be.

FB: And what, you just expect me to just stay here? While Coyne gets to go off and sample the local flavor??

D: First, there will be no sampling of “the local flavor.” Secondly, I have another mission for you. You, Merriweather and Alexy are gonna go and buy another plane to replace Cathcart’s.

BM: Oh how, how exciting! Glad to be of assistance.

FB: yes, cuz shopping is always fun.

D: Everyone clear on whats going on? We all need to be back by 1800 hours.

FB: Capn, Coyne and I need to have a word with you alone before we split up.

D: Alright. Lefty, Johnny, were leaving in 5 minutes, go wait for me in hanger bay. Don’t talk to anyone, and don’t tell anyone where we are going. The rest of you give coyne, flex and I a minute.

J/JD/BM: Aye aye captain.

(lots of steps and door closes, moment of silence)

D: Ok gents, everyone is gone. What’s goin on?

FB: Bettington, that son of a bitch, is trying to rig the race.

D: Really Flex? That’s it? Of course he’s trying to rig the race. That’s what he does, that’s how he makes money. We just have to make sure he doesn’t do it.

CT: Well to be more specific, in that bar in Kyoto, there were two Firm members talking about the race, they said that Bettington has inside men on both crews.

D: I wouldn’t be surprised. How else do you think he keeps track of the racers?

FB: But, but aren’t you concerned?

D: Flex, when you’ve flown around the world as many times as I have, nothing surprises you anymore. Besides I had a feeling it was Cathcart. In case you didn’t notice, we didn’t go back to look for him when he got shot down.

CT: well nonetheless, I think we should keep an eye out for anything suspicious.

FB: You’re one to talk about suspicious activity Coyne.

CT: Youre just jealous you don’t get to come to the Rajah’s Turban.

D: That’s enough. The meeting with the Black Falcon is of the utmost importance and we don’t have much time. Lets get going. Flex, I wanna see a new biplane in the hanger bay by the time I get back. Coyne, lets go get the boys.

(steps receeding)

JD: Lefty wait here, I need to run and get my slingshot.

L: Ok.

(running off, lefty humming, more steps)

L: Why hello Mr winters.

W: Oh, oh well hello there young master dangerfist. Where are you going?

L: Were goin to the Rajah’s Turban!! Wanna come?

W: No, no i….i must a make a telephone call.

L: Ok, have fun.

W: no, you, you have fun!

(steps receding… running)

JD: Im back.

D: Lefty, Johnny are you ready?

JD: sure are Captain!

D: Alright, lets go to Bombay!

L: Oh boy!

(skip to Rajah’s T, city sounds)

D: This is the place. Keep a good lookout Coyne, boys. The Rajah’s Turban isn’t exactly a playground.

CT: Righto skip.

Bartend: Capt daedalus. Heres a key. You have someone expecting you upstairs.

D: Ill be back bit, you three stay here.

CT: What do you lads want to drink?

L: One rich chocolate ovaltine for me!

JD: Ill take a beer Mr Tarkington.

CT: Bartender! Well have two ovaltines, ice cold, and one pint of stout.

JD: I didn’t know you drank ovaltine mr Tarkington!

CT: its not for me Johnny.

JD: Oh

Mysterious femme: are you the famous coyne Tarkington? Dealer in rare artifacts and priceless treasures?

CT: Could be, who’s asking?

MF: I am. I have a…certain proposition. That I would like to discuss with you.

CT: Concerning?

MF: The Shiva’s Head.

CT: Im listening.

MF: perhaps we can go somewhere more discreet.

CT: Lads, ill be right back.

JD: But mr Tarkington!

CT: Can it Johnny, this is important! An opportunity like this doesn’t just come every day.

JD: But….

CT: ill be back in five minutes. Keep an eye on lefty.

JD: ok…

Guilder voice: Meanwhile, upstairs…..

BF: Glad you to see you came alone monsieur Daedalus. Please, sit down.

D: Ok, falcon. I held up my end. Now lets hear yours.

(sits)

BF: You don’t beat around the bush monsieur, I like that. What do you know about your son’s death?

D: reactor meltdown over the French alps, five years ago, killed him and the whole crew. Hector, my son, was on a French zeppelin, the Hyperion. They were racing baron von schmeck at the time. Somewhere over Mont Blanc it simply blew to bits. It cause quite a fallout, France nearly went to war with the Germans suspecting foul play. As it turned out, it was determined to be only a reactor failure and things cooled off.

BF: That’s official version yes. I assume you are also aware that the race was registered with the Firm?

D: Naturally.

BF: Good, zat’s a good start. But I have learned much more. Simply put, your son’s death was not an accident. It was the result of sabotage. Sabotage committed by an agent of the Firm. An inside man in the zeppelin.

D: Why would the Firm intentionally blow up the zeppelin? According to their rules that would cause a forfeit on the race and all bets rendered null and void. The Firm wouldn’t make any money.

BF: ah yes, but you are assuming ze Firm is what it claims to be. Lately, I have become, how do you say, intimately acquainted, with ze workings of ze Firm.

D: Well, how do I know you aren’t an agent of the firm? How do I know I can trust you? More importantly, how do I know you aren’t my son’s murderer?

BF: All valid questions my dear daedalus. I cannot reveal all, but I can tell you this, I am not your son’s murderer, and the sabotage of the Hyperion was not simply murder anyways. It was a plot to achieve a much more sinister objective.

D: What sinister objective?

BF: I will tell you; when the time is right.

D: Wait.

BF: We will meet again capitan daedalus. au revoir

(Running, jumping sound, screeching tires and car peels out)

Guilder voice: Meanwhile down in the bar

Lefty: this is ovaltine sure hit the spot Johnny!

JD: yea, but I was hoping for a beer.

Lefty: you’re only 11 johnny.

JD: yea but im almost 12.

WM: And maybe if you cooperate you get to see that 12th ya little rippa.

JD: Wally McBruce!!

L: Oh no hes got a gun!

(gun cocking)
WM: you got that right. Don’t try anything chaps. Lefty, you’ll be coming me. Nice and quite like, we wouldn’t want my 38 to go off by accident now would we?

L: Ow my arm

JD: you wont get away with this!!

WM: And who’s gonna stop me? Youre not even 12, daedalus is upstairs, and coyne seems to have become otherwise engaged. Strange coincidence ey? Lets go Lefty. Oh and Johnny. Give this note to captain daedalus and give coyne me regards.

(steps, crowd gets louder)

JD: Leeefftyy!!! nooo

CT: Johnny! What happened! Wheres lefty?

JD: McBruce took him! They just left!

D: McBruce took who?

CT: Lefty. Quick, we might be able catch him in the street!

(running out street, screetching tires,)

L: Johnny! Help!!

JD: Lefty!!!

WM: Improvise

(driving off die out, street sounds)

JD: I never got to teach him how to write.

D: Its ok Johnny, well get your brother back. Did Mcbruce tell you anything?

JD: he said to give you this. And he said to give you his regards mr Tarkington.

CT: That slimy, good for nothing, bloody aussie.

JD: What does the note say captain?

D: It’s a set of instructions. We’ll talk about them later. Let’s get back to the zeppelin.

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