Logbook of Danny Texas

Updated Sunday 15 May, 2011 12:18 PM

Logbook of Danny Texas, XO Kaliningrad
(Six Years, 5 months, 3 days before the Alores)

By G. Bone

We have managed to find our lost mechanical man. We had to go undercover in this rustic island that is claimed under the Gaijin Neutral Zone by the Elves. Why the Elves leave this island alone is beyond me. They are backwards – wearing the garb that only Ram County in the day wear – puffy sleeve, square designs on the hem, and bare breasted women. The only fact being that they are extremely skilled with their crossbows. We were only looking for our lost mechanical man. There he was, buried underneath some dirt and a child no more the age of my nephew up in Juneau Cove

He had actually been buried in the honors of their own ways. He had a shield, blade, and armor that one would not expect him to bear. In fact, one could say that he was Sir Haggard already – coat of arms that showed an open hand against a field of blood red. Whatever made him tick went out. Perky – the latest engineer we picked up at Base 150 – helped boot him up. Such things are beyond my nature; I only truck in the latest things to help this ship go beyond the marked boundaries of the State. Of course this investigation in the Gaijin Neutral Zone is verboten but accepted, so that the Elves don’t do a tricky bit. We already ran into one noted commander named Omak who did the same thing on our side.

I took a look in his head. It’s all bit of wires, metal, and flashing lights. I can make neither heads nor tails of it.

Yet Perky could understand; that’s the reason why we picked her up near Masterson Peak. It’s the New Fleet they tell me. We will be on the cusp of something great. I just sail with my Captain, Methodist Fang. We sail on to the horizon. We sail on to the Wilderness.

When Haggard was rebooted, he said that he had experienced a new way of life. We checked our clocks and hourglasses. It’s the same thing. He pointed out that deep within the Island – it is massive, large, and unexplored in the core – a normal shape for a geographical feature but a mystery inside – that time goes double watch. The folk around that space were the Guardians and inside were the Keepers. Both agree that burying the most honored to face the outside was the highest reward they can give. Then we found him. We were sitting in the Officer’s Mess when he told us this.

When pressed for more detail about his life inside, he noted that he had raised a young child to adulthood. That was it. He refused all inquiry on the exact details. Captain Fang accepted this and said that he could have a week’s leave once we get in Fleet territory. The equally strange thing was that he kept his blade and shield. I haven’t been in his room but Georgic says that it’s very nice. I am mixed on actually attaching the word noble to our mechanical man.

On the other front, I scored again with our lovely astronomer by the name of Fifteen Pine. She is a lovely thing – hailing from Gettysburg West. She’s fine – curves in the right size and such. Oh I could tell you things – but Omak has found us with his ship and now we must flee -

Logbook of Danny Texas, XO Kaliningrad
(Six Years, 4 months, 3 days before the Alores)

Doctor Lake has come across a message in a bottle from her beloved husband, John. It is a hard day for the supposed relationship that she has with Captain Fang; it’s apparent by all their faces. She showed it to Rang as something of a heritage. I would be paying attention but there is something to do with Fifteen Pine. Although I would be all over her, she has decided, in her infinite wisdom, to transfer to a second ship of the line, the Belarusian Minsk, as so named by the previous ship I served on. The Belarusian Minsk isn’t the Kaliningrad; it’s more of a scout ship than a Fleet. I have tried to persuade her not to, but then she pulls this “I’m leading you on” thing. It seems that I love the pacifier head shrink more than her – in essence – I am cheating her on. I tell her that I am over her but she will have none of it. I later crashed at Guinea’s.

Logbook of Danny Texas, XO Kaliningrad
(Eight Years and a month before the Alores)

My father came on by. He is the Security Chief of Gettysburg West. They have changed over to a port now. They have plans for ironclad ships although this will never come about. I am too fond of the man of wars. Before Methodist I believe Wesley Luther commanded this ship and served a tour of ten – a freak thing compared to the usual nine. He is proud of me. He is still stuck on what I did on the Everest. Why didn’t I take the offer of the Occident he states, when Admiral Locke offered? I tell him that the Kaliningrad has a grand history – but he won’t listen.

I introduced him to Haggard. My father was astonished that he had signed up on the Fleet. Supposedly Haggard had a lifetime in the Wehrmacht – the antique before the Fourth Elfish War.

I have never seen Haggard look taken aback. Georgic was shocked by it. My father is a persona that is unto himself – which was the reason why I joined the Fleet instead of the Wehrmacht. Wehrmacht is a dirty word; I shall not utter it again. We have the Fleet and that is all.

Of course there is the presence of the Elves. We sailed into the Gaijin Neutral Zone for some reason. There is a big thing over them. The presence of what the State used to be hangs over us as any ghost would. I remember pictures of what my ancestors did in their time. There was the Battle of 1018 Red Creek. There was the Red Knob Campaign. I don’t want to hear these names. They repeat over and over with my father. It is only by Haggard that my family’s honor against the Elves fades away. Why do I that in this time of the Fleet? Bury it away.

To avoid everything else, I went down to Guinea’s. She had just recently added an extra wall for space. She is our Quartermaster – officially – and bartender. Guinea helped ease it by telling me a story of some escapade she had with some Elf ensign by the name of Omak. I’ve had experience with them. It was great – running into them and doing the Pennsylvania Run – with the ship filled with Elfish goods. That was the Yellowknife, smuggling away, Intelligence work and such.

I walk in the bow of the ship. The ship itself has magnificent ribs that came from Ram Country. They had risen up so many years ago. This is the Kaliningrad – serving under Wesley Luther – the one that drove off the Breckinridge that jabbed near Gettysburg West. It came dangerously close. They did so many barrages on the Elves. I am of the Fleet. This is the New State – of the Fleet – and I am proud of it. I am in the bowels of the ship that makes it sound. I met up with Second Mate Red Johnson – a long hand with the guns. I talk to Second Mate Red Johnson about our mission to the Wilderness; after all it is the frontier.

We are going to someplace that will be better. It is the land in between. It is someplace that the people won’t know. I looked at the chart in the bridge. We have a raven boy that runs about – son of the CMO – some relation. They say that the Long Roan perished with their Exec being shot by an Elf agent. I’m essentially hiding here in the bowls of the ship called the rib cage. We have a Helm by the name of Georgic – another son of the Bundeswehr. It was one step away from being the Fleet. We slowly merged into the Fleet. It was a moment of evolution, from the books that I read at the Academy, and the recent scrolls.

The ship is one year off from being twenty. My father is a living shade. I march on to this day – and leave the past behind. I am here.

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