Life, so precious a gift yet we are so quick to dismiss what we have been given. For, sittin within the human heart is the ability to start a change to sustain the entire world. Unfurl its might and yes, despite the odds, not even the Gods could fight against such a force. For the course of time itself can be changed with the concentrated aim of one human soul.

Jack, barely awake can hear the faint chirp of birds in the distance. His insistence to open his eyes gives him quite the surprise when he spies he is in his own bed. His head quickly feeling as a brick of lead he lies back down instead and feels the lump from the rudders massive bump on his person. Desertion of a worthy task never known to Jack he soon realised he had almost given his last to cast the St. James asunder. Wondering what happened he spies Dio enter his room to attend to his wounds and assumes he can fill him in.

Jack: "What in the world happened?"

Dio: "You were slackened by the rudder then went under the waves." "I saved your life but you hung on but the edge of a knife." "Though rife with danger I wagered you would live being a derive of your fathers' line."

Jack: "Well,..I'm fine!"

Jack immediately got up and felt as if his head was stuffed with rocks. He cocked to one side and abided back down into bed.

Jack: "Perhaps I sped too soon I may have to attune to my wounds."

Dio: "You will soon enough be up."

Jack: "So what happened?"

Dio: "I imagined you might have some memory loss." "But your thoughts were sound." "The rudder's surround prevented the men from sealing the holes and doled out the ship's fate." "In about ten minutes' wait they were abandoning ship and all of its equip." "It easily tipped to the side and was bid goodbye by the swells." "You deserve a well-deserved pat on the back after saving over fifty men from being sacked."

Jack: "As long as my enact will go unseen by the Queen that's fine by me."

____________________________________________


A few weeks have now past and Jack has cast himself to the task at hand which meant finding the crew. He knew Capt. Horn was fond of the bottle so without further dawdle he walked into every pub within London's hub and was immediately shoved out on his ass when Horn's name was cast out in conversation. Their elation was immediately smited because apparently, Horn conspired to drink them dry. With their supply running short they all retorted. "He'll be supported by a noose if he steps foot under my roof!"

Jack deduced that his attack on Lyn's request might have tested his palate but flared his alcoholic habits to booze so then he did choose to look for Mr. Robbins instead.

Quickly treading North West to test his gut instinct but he knew Rob would have to sink a lot of manufacture aide to make Lyn's request so he set his sights on Smethwick. Understand this was a shot in the dark but finding our patriarch of machines means he wouldn't be far from the chimney steam coming from this being England's main manufacturing scene.

He strolled into a local Smethwick bar and there lying on the floor was an old friend that had been shown his up end transcended into a drunken stupor. It was Capt. Horn looking quite forlorn. So Jack grabbed a decorative bugle horn off the wall and played it into his ear to clear the beer from his misshapen sphere. His head still permanently scarred across its hemisphere from him attaining flight through Leo's windowpane.

Jack: (((TOOOOOOOT!)))

Horn: "Aye!" "Matey!" "Cough Hak, Hak, Hak!" "Oh!" "Mr. Jack!" "Tis good to see ye laddy."

Then the Capt immediately dug into his breast pocket to wrest out his flask of rotten decay. The stink made Jack's heart sink he couldn't imagine that he still kept it at the wait after all these days its state must have gone bad well over a year ago.

Jack: "I can't believe you still perceive that concoction as an option to drink from its stink."

Horn: "Aye, me boy." "She destroys the hurt in my head." "She only gets stronger with age fermenting in her cage." But soon I will be out and will need to make route to a whale to avail its gut for my cut to make more before my store is depleted."

Jack: "Well, you are in luck we will leave ASAP back to sea because of events unforeseen." "I take it from your current state, and all the locals hate, you got the spirits Lyn related?"

Horn: "Ayee" "Shes a fine brew over one-hundred caskets accrued." "So fine a brandy wine tis divine taste im sure it will be gone with haste." "Rob let me store it on the shop floor of a man with whom I understand he has made a side business foray."

Jack: "Speaking of Rob, where is he shoved in this business you speak of?"

Horn: "Haridge road just a smidge from the bridge."

Jack: "Great, make quick design to get your wine to the ship." "Pier number two a hidden vessel named the Lark though you may have to learn how she starts." "The Queen has foreseen to preen us with a new invent to augment our trade." "The ship has aide of a motor to make its way through the sea." "You will be one of the first so be well rehearsed with the crew before we anchor aweigh."

Horn: "Motor you say?" "Eh?" "I assume they will be expecting my stay?"

Jack: "Tell them you are represent of Sir, Jack Jenasee I'm sure they will help thee."

Horn: "Ha ha ha ha ha!" "SIR?" "Ha ha ha ha!" "SIR?" "I had heard rumor of but continued to shove it as a jest lest I see SIR! Jack Jenasee standing before me." "Well, la de da.!" "Jack me boy do I bow now or wait to prostrate?" "Ha ha ha!" "HA HA HA!" "HA HA HA!"

Jack puts a closed fist into his waist and waits for Horn's lambaste to be satiate. After he is finally able to breathe without gaff nor breathless heave he concedes to find his feet and states in repeat.

Horn: "SIR Jack!" "SIR!" "What are we waiting for SIR!" "I will get right on your request when addressed by a Queen's knight or you might have me in your gunsights." "Ha Ha Ha Ha!"

Jack: "If you are quite done having levity at my expense I'd appreciate your brevity on our mission." "The Conditions implied for use of the Lark was to start trade but to stay swayed in their secret charade."

Horn: "Why, tis' treason to question or reason a knight of the Queen." "Ha ha ha!" "Ayee, sure me lad I have no problem playing the Queen's game even if her aim isn't the same." "I've more than enough gold to hold so consider me sold."

Jack: "Great!" "Then make haste we shant wait I want to set forth to within a week after I can meet with Mr. Robbins."

Minutes later Jack on his way to Harridge road following Capt. Horn's directions as told. He is immediately stopped cold after getting an earful of one of the loudest noises he has ever heard. (("BAM!.BAM!.BAM!.BAM!.BAM!.BAM!.BAM!.")) His hands immediately preferred a place next to his face covering his ears to break a racket soo deafening it left him wondering if he would hear again. Just then every bird hiding in every nook and cranny simultaneously took flight away from this blighted clatter that Jack was sure shattered their eardrums too. He saw a flume of smoke flew out of quite a stout warehouse. Though had his doubts but devout to find Rob he decided to hop onto some crates and crawl straight into the window of a building marked Hiriam Maxum.

Perhaps something close to a knock would have been less fraught with danger but Jack wagered anything making a noise poised to deafen everyone under the sun that sounded like an old familiar gun would probably have Rob involved in some manner. Quickly scanning down a darkened hall he tip-toes flattened against an adjacent wall as to not draw attention to his presence. A fluorescent glow showed itself behind a stout metal door that he shored open with his shoulder. The embolder of his own fate Jack's hunch quickly satiated his wait cause Mr. Robbins immediately came into view. He seemed to be reviewing an immense machine. Its gleam seemed blinding to the eyes. Polished brass and castings massing into what seemed to be a giant weapon beyond any recollection.

Mr. Robbins direction turned towards Jack and he immediately attacked with the firmest handshake ever placed on his person.

Mr. Robbins: "Mr. Jack!!" "You are back Im so happy to see ye!" "Wait till you see what Hiram and me cooked up!"

Interrupting their meet was an older man replete with the whitest, curliest, hair he dared ever seen. He stepped in between him and Rob intent to make a formal greeting.

Hiram: "It's a pleasure to be meeting you Sir Jack Jenasee." "Please forgive the brackish hue in the air we weren't expecting visitors." "Especially ones of your nobility." "I am Hiram Maxim at your service."

With a purposeful hand, he shook Jack's and verbally attacked his aide Percy for not formally announcing Jack's unexpected invade.

Hiram: "Percy you lout!" "Why didn't you announce we have a visitor?"

Percy, just sitting there in the corner with mouth agape trying to satiate in his mind of how he came to find a new face in their grace without seeing his face at the front door.

Jack quickly before more questions could be asked of his entrance stated

Jack: "What is this you have created?"

With much elate Mr. Robbins quickly stated

Mr. Robbins: "Wait no more Jack this is going to give so much flack to any that stand in the way of the Amazon Brigade." "We both made my fleur design faster." "We mastered 600 rounds per minute!" "The trick was to spin it on a geared drive contrived by Hiram himself." "Moreover we made it much bigger." "With just a trigger pull it will show any enemy who is the boss at much of their own cost."

Jack: "I am at a loss for words." "I assure you Lyn will be impressed."That reminds me what about her request?"

Coming abreast of Jack Mr. Robbins steered him into a back room. A massive device loomed under a drape and once Mr. Robbins pulled it away there gleaming was quite a massive display. Arrayed all in steel a huge spiral wheel came into sight attached to what seemed by all rights to be a generator.

Mr. Robbins: "We made her oversized too thanks to Hiram's crew. He actually took me to school teaching me about electricity." "You see over there all the extra crates?" "Hiram created electric lights for all the Amazon homes."

He showed Jack a glass bulb from the crate and took it over to a battery. After he hooked it up a warm luminous glow was bestowed for him to behold. He immediately extolled Hiram's praise and was so amazed that he did this for the Amazons. But, Rob then passed on disturbing information.

Mr. Robbins: "As compensation, I had to sign over my own designs before Hiram would align to help."

Jack: "Gasp!"

Me. Robbins: "Well, he was tasked with creating a weapon with soo much might armies wouldn't want to fight back." "But if he genuinely has a crack at contributing to peace I felt I should at least try."

Jack knew without deny that Mr. Robbins deserved credit for his invention. But, his lack of contention was very appropriate for Rob selflessly always wanting to get the job done.

Mr. Robbins: "Did you manage to get us some transportation home?"

Jack: "What!" "Ive never known you to call the Amazon home?"

Mr. Robbins: "Well I felt all alone when I went back to York the local cork was full of unfamiliar faces." "I couldn't even trace down my brother." "I shudder to think what he might have sinked himself into in order to wind up missing." "But from listening to neighbors they said he labored at the mill and one day his house went still and he never came home." "So, being all alone my plans to start my own shop with him were put to a stop." "So, in order to prop up my spirits I decided to concentrate on the Amazon state." "Besides, for Lyn's berate of the Colonel earning us ambassadorial status keeps us from the Queen's malice." "She would love to get back at us and throw us in jail." "So I at least owe Lyn to avail us of that fate."

Jack: "Great!" "You shan't have to wait much longer." "Bring all this freight to pier number two." "The crew of a ship called the Lark is starting to prepare for our journey." Make hurry so we won't be delayed." "I already bade Capt. Horn to bring his brew." "The Lark's crew should help you get this monstrosity aboard hopefully it won't make us overweight."

Me. Robbins: "Aye, this freight will indeed need some extra care." "I'll ensnare Hiram's men to help me get it there."

Jack: "Fair enough." "I have one more stop back in London."

Done with his current task at hand Jack quickly lands himself in a carriage back to the city center. To see a slender man named Sam Cundey.

Once he hopped out of the carriage he wasn't disparaged immediately seeing Sam sitting on the shop's front steps. As he lept, the dragon's eye popped out from Jack's shirt. Sam immediately asserted that his father's journals were a help.

Sam: "Well, I see you found that jewel that fueled so much controversy in my Uncle's diaries"

Jack: "I'm glad you inquired about the journals." "Sam..." "While the Queen had me running around in circles when I returned home they were stolen." "I owe you an apology." "I am sorry."

Sam: "Don't worry about it." "They were just sitting collecting dust." "Besides, I must have read them at least a hundred times." "I am well versed in all my Uncle's lines."

Jack: "We'll I may be inclined to pick your brain in the future." "I want to know who were the ones in the Counsel of Eight."

Sam: "Uncle Henry related no particulars on your father's extracurricular activities."

Jack: "Well, my father's proclivity towards secrecy seems to have followed him to the grave."

Sam: "By the way, we have your new suit ready."

Just as Sam headed inside to get Jack's new clothes an official messenger showed to bestow a message.

Messenger: "Sir, Jack, Jenasee!"

Jack: "Yes, that's me."

Messenger: "Would you please come with me?" "You see Parliament is in session and your presence has been requested immediately."

Jack: "I see." "Are you privy to what this is about?"

Messenger: "Only that The Speaker of the House the Honorable William Gladstone has requested your show."

Jack not knowing what this is about jumps into the messengers' ride. Internally divided about his official duties he does realize he needs to view these unexpected shows as part and parcel of his Ambassadorial role. Sam then shows at the carriage window and doles him some of the finest threads his eyes have ever set. Though beset by an unexpected twist of fate he is elated when he sees the fine clothes Sam has created. Now waited long enough he bids the messenger in a huff.

Jack: "Enough with the wait I have a date in Parliament."
© Peter Gunn