The storm had come out of nowhere. Huge waves crashed over the side of the Leaky Battery. The ship rocked back and forth, and the crew clung on for dear life.
“Reef that sail and batten down the hatches,” cried Captain Clockheart. The hand of the clock in his chest whirled around. “This storm will drag us over given half the chance. Then we’ll all be in the drink, for sure.”
“Och aye,” replied Gadge. “Tin-pot Paddy, Loose-screw, you’re with me.”
The mechanical pirates climbed up the rigging expertly but the ship suddenly tilted to the side and Loose-screw lost his footing. Before the pirate could fall, Gadge grabbed him using the hook attachment on his adjustable arm.
He hauled Loose-screw back as the ship righted itself.
“Quickly now,” cried Captain Clockheart. “If any of you metal marauders fall in that ocean, you’ll sink faster than a bucketful of cannonballs! Now, let’s get this ship in order.”
“Click, you heard him,” shouted First Mate Mainspring. “Tick, tie everything down. Tock, secure the ship.”
“Captain, the chances of surviving this storm…” Quartermaster Lexi’s words were cut off by a wave hitting the deck. When the water drained away, it left a flapping fish caught in the word-wheel on Lexi’s head. “Help me! Get it out! I don’t like it…”
Captain Clockheart flicked the fish back into the ocean with the tip of his cutlass as another enormous wave came down on top of them. Gadge climbed down the rigging and dropped on to the deck. “The sails are reefed, Captain.”
“Click, everything is secure,” said First Mate Mainspring.
“Then it’s time we got down below and sat this one out,” said Captain Clockheart.
The Steampunk Pirates hurriedly followed their captain below deck.
“Oh dear, oh dear,” said Quartermaster Lexi, holding his hand to his mouth.
“There’s no need to worry, Lexi,” said Pendle the cabin boy.1 “The Leaky Battery has survived worse than this.”
“I know that,” said Lexi, “but all this rocking is making me feel rather queasy.”
“I didn’t know you lot could even get sick,” said Pendle.
“It’s the oil and the water getting mixed up together,” replied Lexi. “Oh dear.” He ran to a corner and sent a stomachful of oily water into a bucket.
“Better out than in, laddie.” Gadge chuckled and patted Lexi on the back.
“Is everyone accounted for?” asked Captain Clockheart.
“I think so,” replied Pendle, “although I haven’t seen Twitter in a while.”
Hearing his name, the mechanical bird fluttered down from the rafters and landed on Pendle’s shoulder. “Safe and sound!” he squawked. “Safe and sound!”
The storm raged against the ship for several hours, but as the sun was setting in the blood-red sky, the wind calmed down and the rain eased off. Captain Clockheart opened the hatch and led the others up on deck. He gazed at the torn sails and broken crossbeams. The ship’s wheel was hanging on by a thread.
“Oh dear, oh dear,” said Lexi, looking at the mess.
“The old Battery has taken quite a battering,” said Captain Clockheart.
“Click, we must repair her. Tick, if we hit another storm in this state, tock, she’ll be the Sunken Battery,” said First Mate Mainspring.
“We’ll need to find new wood to repair her properly,” said Pendle.
“Och, then it’s a safe port to drop anchor that we’ll want,” said Gadge.
“Aye. Now, where are we?” Captain Clockheart shielded his eyes and surveyed the horizon.
“Maybe that albatross will lead us to land,” said Pendle, peering through a telescope.
Lexi’s word-wheel turned and a card clicked into place. “Albatross,” he said. “A large seabird. If shot down, it is believed to bring bad luck to sailors.”
“Click, it’s coming this way,” said First Mate Mainspring. “Tick, I’ve never seen a bird catch the sunlight like that. Tock, it’s almost as though…”
“It’s made of metal,” said Pendle.
“Metal?” Captain Clockheart snatched the telescope off Pendle. “Why, I believe you’re right, lad.”
“Shoot it down!” squawked Twitter.
“It’s in range.” Gadge selected his rifle attachment.
“Lower your weapon, Mr Gadge. Let’s find out what this shiny seabird wants,” said Captain Clockheart.
1. Pendle the cabin boy was the only human crewmember of the Leaky Battery. She was unlike most cabin boys for two reasons: a) She had a flair for engineering. b) She was a girl.