The Howling Winds

[Nathaniel Davis]

The Snarling Wolf was always kept as clean as mutantly possible. And there were no murmurs among the crew, because one never knew when her captain could turn up, having heard everything. But for now he was perfectly visible standing on the main deck, watching some repairs being made, including some sprucing up of the figurehead, a well-sculpted version of the ships namesake. He was dressed very simply and those who didn't know him or the ship might assume he was just another deckhand and a particularly idle one at that.

[John Hino]

There was a small explosion below deck and a cloud of steam poured out of one of the damaged sections of the hull currently being fixed.

[Nathaniel Davis]

The Ghost frowned, looking at the smoke. "Jack! What are you doing to my ship?!"

[John Hino]

"Trying to hasten the repairs!" a voice responded.

[Nathaniel Davis]

"By creating the need for new ones?"

[John Hino]

A goggled, green reptilian head poked partially out of a hole. "The only damage was to my prototype, not the ship!" he said defensively, quickly ducking back in.

[Nathaniel Davis]

The Ghost walked over to the hole and squatted down next to it. "And what prototype would this be?"

[John Hino]

Inside was a broad-shouldered reptilian humanoid wrapped in a pair of wings, giving the impression of a cloak. He motioned to a broken down spider-like robot about the size of a cat. "An automaton laborer for work in tight quarters."

[Nathaniel Davis]

"I keep telling you I wish you would clear these things with me," he said with a face-palming sigh. "And for another thing, why are you not out and about like the others? We're in Fort Xavier and we may not be anywhere this big for a while once we set out."

[John Hino]

"Because I thought I was this close to having the bugs worked out," he answered, gesturing with his oddly skinny fingers for emphasis.

[Nathaniel Davis]

"Well, figure it out later. They're going to be patching up this hole soon and I don't need you filling the hold with smoke."

[John Hino]

"Okay, okay. I'm going, I'm going," he acquiesced.

"You could use a break too you know."

[Nathaniel Davis]

"I'll be taking it as soon as my wife decides she's ready to go," he said rolling his eyes. "She apparently has to make herself presentable or some other nonsense."

[John Hino]

"Even among pirates..." he chuckled as he picked up the broken machine.

[Nathaniel Davis]

"Beats living her here," he said with a chuckle. "No go on. And try not to get into trouble this time."

[John Hino]

"What? Me?" Jack asked with an innocent look. Well, as innocent as a sharp-toothed lizard could look. He then took his invention deeper into the ship.

Before long he was on deck. He spread his wings, revealing a thin body clad in a mechanical armored vest and a pair of balloon-legged pants, and flew off into town.