Falling Star, Stubborn People, Conflict and thus the lines are drawn

How stubborn can the Clockwinder be?  I found out last night when I waited him out.  Thank goodness for the training I received at the temple!  But the waiting was worth it as he gave up a translation of about half the song that the spirit of Pocket chanted the other evening.  It mostly confirmed what I thought it would be; a lament for Miss Macbain.  The reason why I did not get it all was that Miss Macbain happened by and the Clockwinder hurried out to stop her.  For some reason she really did not want to enter the Gangplank, saying that “he” would know about it and she would get in trouble for it.  But after much pleading on the Clockwinder’s part she did enter.

This was the first time I have seen her in a while and I was taken aback at the disheveled appearance of a usually well coiffed lady of Babbage.  Quite frankly, she was a mess to behold.  She also spoke in disjointed phrases and upon topics which did not make much sense.  Then..it happened.  She spoke in the plural tense: We and Us were used in the babbling.  Only one other time has this happened in such a manner and I am sure Miss Hienrichs recalls the reason for that!

Shortly after that, she attempted to flee the bar but the Clockwinder and myself prevented that.  Miss Netizen had arrived and assisted and between the three of us she was kept within the walls of the Gangplank.

However, a voice started into singing and a hand began rapping upon the door.  This threw Miss Macbain into a frenzy.  The door swung open to reveal Mr. Loosestrife who immediately demanded the release of Miss Macbain into his care.  After words were exchanged, as well as threats, in different languages the Clockwinder gave her up.  Why one may ask?  Because Mr. Loosestrife claims to know what happened to Pocket and Maggie and that he also boasted of his knowledge of their condition.  That checkmated the Clockwinder and he choose to release Miss Macbain rather than incur any harm to them.

The checkmate…the end of the game usually.  Unless something valuable is sacrificed to stop the move.  To those citizens who play the game of chess, you understand what occurred.  How many times have you fended it off by giving up the knight, or the bishop, or the Queen?  That is where the Clockwinder is now.

Soon after Mr. Loosestrife left with Miss Macbain in tow, calling out how we would be banned from the Gangplank and how his lap dog Mr. Underby would “cleanse” the bar and its surroundings a most curious thing happened.  Miss Macbain pulled up short, went to the window where she could see the Clockwinder still inside and sang a few stanzas of some song to him.  After this occurred, Mr Loosestrife dragged her away down the street.  But the Clockwinder appeared changed; struck by the content of the brief tune.  He swung about and instructed Miss Netizen to clean the Gangplank top to bottom and to prepare two bowls of porridge in which butter had to be added.  He further ordered that these two conditions had to be maintained at all costs.

So…what to make of all this? 

I fear possession within Miss Macbain.  I know its smell and she reeked of it.  But I can not thrust whatever demon out that is inside her.  I do not have the training.  Mr. Somerset could, he did it with Miss Hienrichs.  Could he do it again?  The conditions are rather different I fear.

The Clockwinder seems on a mission but what it is I do not know.

Mr. Loosestrife is the new puppet master of Babbage. No doubt there.  Is Mr. Underby his willing lackey?  Does Mrs. Underby know her husband now jumps to another’s call?

Can Sky cook?

And what of the new bartender Miss Ianone?  Is she safe in her submarine?