Karnage was unhappy. First of all his plundering protégé, instead of hanging worshipfully on his every world, had gone off on her own, generally leaving a trail of chaos wherever she went.  The iron vulture was full of pirates desperately scrubbing and polishing, gearboxes that hadn't seen the touch of new oil since they'd been made getting a full going over.  It was all very disturbing.

            But, Karnage had to prepare for the party-- it was important to dress properly, and he found his best uniform, the one with the gold lace and diamond studded collar to go with his magnificent self.  There was just one problem. 

            "Where is my mirror?"  He asked. Nobody replied, but it was true. His best mirror…was gone!  Stealing from others was okay. To steal from him, Don Karnage, was a mortal sin.  He strode out into the hall.

            "Maddog!"

            "Oh…" Maddog whined.  Karnage cuffed him.

            "Do not whine until after I beat you." Karnage snarled. "Where is my mirror?"

            "Ah, er…Molly has it."

            "And who got it for her?" 

            "I did."   Karnage whipped his hat off and belabored Maddog around the head with it for several minutes.

            "Now You may whine, my brainless minion!"

            "oooowwwwww…."  Karnage stalked down the corridor.

            "I will have to instruct my protégé, that she steals from others, not from me, Don Karnage!"  Getting to her cabin door, he threw it open.  A cloud of steam, scented differently from the earlier one flooded into the corridor, along with a feminine scream.

            "I'm taking a shower, close the door!  NOW!"

            "But-"  A wet towel smacked right into his face.

            "DOOR! NOW!"  Karnage whipped the sodden towel off just as Molly's whip snaked out and wrapping around the knob, pulled the door closed.

            "She wears the whip in the bathroom?"

            "I don't know… Will tried to peek and she didn't use a whip on him." Maddog whined.

            "Oh, what did she use?"

            "A piano." 

            "Hmph.  Well I will-"

            "On zide you egregious pirate!"  A turkey, arms full of cloth, stormed past Karnage and into the room.

            "Who was that?"

            "Her tailor…"

            "Her Tailor, HER tailor!?  I am the only one needing a tailor on the Iron Vulture!"  Karnage stormed.  "Dumptruck!"

            "Kaptain?"

            "Go Kidnap me a tailor!"

            "But Capn', there's no time!"

            "Find me a tailor or find yourself an undertaker." Karnage growled. Maddog wilted.

            After some time, and a good amount of physical pain on Maddog's part, Karnage was standing before his mirror, observing his martial self.

            "I am looking almost as good as I should!" he said happily.

            "Plundering protégé!"  He called, "It is time for you to be seen basking in the light of my munificence!"  The door opened, and Karnage's mouth dropped.

***

            "The pirates ball!" Kit said, snapping his fingers. 

            "The what?"  Becky asked.

            "The pirates have a yearly wingding, where they get together, make plans, get drunk, that sort of thing." Kit said.

            "And you…"

            "Karnage would never take me-- said I was too young."  Kit shrugged, "It used to really annoy me."

            "So why don't the police come get all of them?"

            "That's easy, Beckers." Baloo said, "I bet they have it on Dragon island, don't they Kit."

            "Uh-huh."  Baloo shook his head.

            "Nasty place-- everything's for sale there and they don't have any extradition treaties with anyone."

            "and you think he would take my daughter to this…this…"

            "Gathering of pirates?"  Baloo said.  Becky glared at him. 

            "I think he might, Miss Cunningham."  Kit said seriously.  "Everyone knows how many times we've made fools of him-- to have a family member..ah, on his arm, well…"  He trailed off.  Becky was beginning to look like she had during the Kitten affair.

            "You think that…that… my daughter…"  She paused, "We're going to go rescue her. How do we get to Dragon Island?"

            "Getting' there ain't the problem, bosslady." Baloo replied, "getting off with our skins intact is the problem-- the cops are in the back pocket of the pirates."

            "You trust me!"  Becky said.  Baloo paled at that statement.  "Baloo, do you have the clothes from the costume ball?  Oh, of course you do, you never throw anything away-- let's go get them!"

            "Get them? For what Bosslady?"

`           "Well, if it's a pirate's ball, we'll have to show up as pirates, won't we?"

            Baloo groaned at the image. Another stupid Rebecca plan coming up.   Kit saved him however.

            "Ms. Cunningham-- you have to be a pirate of note, or be invited…we don't make it on either count."

            "How does Don Karnage do it than!?"

            "The huge flying fortress he owns?"  Kit said.

            "OK…" Becky said angrily, "Than how would you do it?"

            "Well…. Every party has caterers…and nobody pays any attention to what they look like."

            "And they'll just let us in?"  Kit grinned.

            "Sure.  Pirates are lousy tippers and they leave a mess-- we'll just have to bribe a few and then we're in."  Baloo groaned.  That wasn't the "save" he'd had in mind.

            "OK people." Baloo said, "We'd better fly now than… we don't want to risk meeting up with Karney on the way."

            ***

            Dragon Island was a small island, set between several nations, none of whom had ever been able to decide who owned it-- and none of whom had enough power to force the issue.  So, like Cape Suzzette, the island was free to make its own destiny…but unlike Cape Suzzette, it made its living from a far less honest source of income. 

            From all over the world pirates, criminals and shady traders made it their home.  The harbor was the final resting place of all those who's ambition overrode their common sense, while the palatial estates on the hills surrounding it proved what rewards awaited those who were as good as they thought.  Don Karnage didn't have an estate here-- his attack on Cape Suzzette had convinced the ruling oligarchs that he was far too much of a loose cannon to have that close at hand.  However many bribes were paid, however hard it was to get to Dragon Island, there was always the danger he would pull something that might end up in a full scale war with Usland, and by the ironclad laws of self interest, nobody wanted that.

            However, they were more than happy to accept his money, like they were all other pirates. In fact, on the day that Dragon Island was conquered or changed ownership, many pirates would find their last secure port and trading facility eliminated… but until than, the gold always flowed in the bars, and knives glinted in the alley ways behind them.

            In one estate, a tall, broad white tiger with dark hair and powerful muscles sat by the window.  A well worked sword and pistol rested on his belt, and he watched as the Iron Vulture slowly cruised into the harbor.  A slight smile touched his face, and his green eyes fixed on the newly cleaned airship.   He clicked on a radio.

            "Well, our friends are here.  It appears that this meeting is going to be one to remember…"


 
 

            My dear, I hypnotized her. You are responsible for making her inner child ah, ah…Axe muderer!