Szpirglas
- Matt is sitting in the crow's nest, once again serving his watch for the Aurora.
- Before his watch Mr. Grantham let him look over the charts for their flight, and he'd determined that they would be close to the island (which isn't even on the map) sometime around breakfast the next day.
- He asked Mr. Grantham if they ever went over the area where the island is supposed to be; apparently they actively try to avoid that area, known as the Sisyphus Triangle, because the winds are unpredictable and there are rumors of garbled distress calls, screwy instruments, and malfunctioning compasses.
- Matt had written a note and left it in Kate's napkin at dinner, informing her of the news—Baz saw him do it, and gave him a knowing look.
- As he is wondering whether Kate is still awake, picturing her in her stateroom with her camera, Matt notices a little shift in the sky; like shadow on shadow.
- The shadowy something lands on the Aurora, and Matt's imagination is now going full tilt. He's picturing a winged monster and going through his options: Call the bridge? Run for his life? But then he realizes it's just an albatross.
- Feeling sheepish, Matt is glad he didn't report a darn bird to the cabin. However, the thing has settled down for a nap on the delicate skin of the aircraft and won't budge, so Matt asks permission to open the hatch and shoo him off.
- When he successfully scares the bird into the night, another airship is revealed heading right toward them.
- The airship is small and painted black; she isn't using any running lights, nor does she have any markings to identify her.
- After Matt notifies the control car, the Aurora goes into a climb, and the other airship follows. It's definitely planning on intercepting them.
- The first officer commands a distress call, but they are too far out for anyone to receive one; when they try to hail the ship on the radio, there's no response.
- Despite some aeronautical acrobatics, six men clothed in black are able to descend from ropes to attach mooring cleats to the Aurora. There are more men coming, and nothing they can do about it.
- The captain orders Matt to lock the hatch and leave his post as he sounds the alarm. The men who are boarding them are armed with guns, while the crew of the Aurora has nothing.
- The pirates round up the crew along the keel catwalk, where they meet with the captain and his first officers who are blocking the door to the passenger's quarters. The captain is holding the only gun on board (other than the ones the pirates have, duh), which is usually kept in a glass case. Yikes.
- When the leader comes forward, Matt recognizes Vikram Szpirglas, a legendary pirate known for his many terrible deeds.
- Szpirglas reveals that they plan to pillage the Aurora, and that they mean no harm to anyone as long as everyone cooperates.
- The captain recognizes a losing situation immediately, and makes the deal that they can take whatever they want, as long as he can assemble the passengers in the lounges without any harm coming to them.
- Szpirglas agrees, on the condition that no one attempts to hide any valuables or send any distress signals (or worse, try to launch a daring counterattack).
- So Matt and the other stewards are forced to accompany the pirates through the passenger's quarters, waking up the guests and telling them they have to gather in the lounge without any of their possessions. Unsurprisingly, the only person who resists is Miss Simpkins, who resents the intrusion.
- Szpirglas is good-naturedly having a drink at the bar in the lounge when another pirate shoves Mr. Featherstone, the chief wireless officer, into the room. He's just been caught trying to send an SOS.
- This obviously vexes Szpirglas, and his mood goes from jolly thespian to angry pirate captain instantly—he gives a speech about how he can't have people breaking the rules… and then shoots Mr. Featherstone pointblank in the head. Ouch.
- Szpirglass storms out angrily, bringing his pirate crew with him.
- Matt asks if he can follow them off the ship to make sure that they aren't harming his beloved Aurora on their way, but when the officer won't allow it he follows them anyway.
- Matt sneaks his way to the aft crow's nest without being seen, and watches as the pirates cast off the lines connecting the ships. While there, he also observes that they are both headed into a nasty-looking storm front.
- A gust of wind shoves the Aurora downwards, and catches the other ship as well. Matt watches in horror as the wind forces them to collide, and the propellers of the pirate ship tear the Aurora's port side from stern to amidships.
- Then he hears the mango-scented gush of leaking hydrium.