Red Jackie

Out Wasteward there’s a legend that everybody knows,
And every time a train rolls by that legend surely grows,
A rovin’ red-eyed bandit is the subject of those tales,
And they call her Red Jackie, the true queen of the rails!

So sleep through the night, work through the day,
And pray ya never find yerself in Red Jackie’s way!

Some say that Red Jackie has a demon for a pa,
And while her trains are rollin’, she’s a’runnin’ from the law,
There ain’t no way a’ knowin’ just where she is gonna be,
Make a bargain at the crossroads, though, it’s Jackie’s eyes you’ll see!

So run, children, run! Fly, children, fly!
Or you might just find yourself in Red Jackie’s eyes!

Red Jackie moves like lightnin’, with a purpose and with haste,
And she moves with the toughest crew that ever plagued the Waste,
They’re the hardest and most fearless troop ya’d ever hope to cross,
They’d have to be to handle ol’ Red Jackie as a boss!

No prayers that ya prayed, no songs that ya sang,
Will ever really save ya from Red Jackie’s gang!

When yer rollin’ down the rails and yer ridin’ down the ‘lines,
And yer watchin’ as ya fly beyond forgotten towns and mines,
Although the Waste forgot ‘bout them, no matter what ya do,
Just remember that Red Jackie ain’t forgotten you!

So sing if ya must, pray yer prayers in vain,
Remember if she wants it, yer on Red Jackie’s train!

Yet still, ‘bout Red Jackie, some don’t know how to feel,
Some claim that she’s an angel and gave out the gift a’ steel,
Maybe when it’s said and done, no one really knows,
But I ain’t never seen an angel with eyes as red as those!

But demon or angel, she still as tough as nails,
So here’s to Red Jackie, the Queen of the Rails!

Yes, here’s to Red Jackie, the Queen of the Rails!

Obviously, thanks to OrcishLibrarian for creating the character in such pieces as Love and Theft, Red Eyes, and most recently, Stare Down the Basilisk. Hopefully, OL doesn't mind me writing this piece entirely unsolicited, but it seemed like Jackie was the stuff of which folk songs should be written, so I did. As I have stated before, I have little to no musical talent, so this song is more or less to the tune of "Rambling, Gambling Willie", by Bob Dylan, which seems appropriate on several levels.

I would also like to thank, as always, everyone who helped work on Jakkard. It's really become a fun plane to work with creatively.

Also, thanks readers!