Reminiscing on Times Past

I had journeyed from Europe to America in the 1950s on a cruise-ship commonly used by Kindred for intercontinental travel. The ship, and later line, were infamous for sub-par record keeping and unexplained [investigated] deaths at sea. Kine used it to escape to new lands, assume new identities [Nazis, potentially compromised members of the Irish Republican Army , etc.], human trafficking, smuggling, etc. Due to the largely illegal enterprises and activities the ship was utilized for, Kindred related disappearances were easily explained or ignored so long as no mundane witnesses were left as loose-ends.
 
A trip I had anticipated to be banal, became tense and troublesome very quickly. While the Ship had a reputation for the high number of deaths and disappearances, the increasing volume and consistency had both Kindred and Kine on edge - with one very obvious exception.
 
Adelaide was, and is, a slender brunette with an energy about her that if just off enough to incline people towards caution. The groups of kine she sat with would lose members after a few days, and she did not seem to notice or care that this fact was very much picked up on.
 
One night, I happened to over-hear a more obviously degenerate group planning a ship-wide patrol, among other situationally astute stratagems. As it was a likely night for one of the Adelaide related disappearances, I made sure to check the more likely locations in order to ensure the Masquerade was maintained. The was a fortuitous decision, as I happened upon Adelaide throwing a male overboard, completely covered in blood. I will admit I was very short with her - as the group of kine was not far behind. I was able to get her well away from the area, changed, and cleaned before forcing her into a common area with me to create an alibi. Before the end of the evening, she told me I was best experienced in small doses and stabbed me.
 
Later, she apologized for the stabbing, explained her particular affliction - she is a Malkavian, a literal Lunatic - and her occupation (she is a curator). For me assistance, she gave me a slightly obscure occult text with interesting medical notations.
 
It was the beginning of an interesting, and often frustrating, amiable acquaintance.