Great-grandson of a British India Army sergeant and a New Delhi "untouchable," Babala Prince Albert is a leathery little gamin who can read the oceans and the skies like a book. He's just not too good at synopses.

In 1990, Babala discovered Jack Waller sleeping off a drunk on the floor of the "Dubai Brothel, Saloon, and Seaman's Sanctuary" in the Persian Gulf and saved him from several irate Berbers seeking payment of overdue bar-tabs.

Despite being terrified of heights, Babala attached himself to Jack (at the time, a flight engineer for Flying Tiger) like a Bombay barnacle. Jack fancied the idea of having a "batman" in the waning days of the 20th Century and so made few objections.

An apparent idiot, Babala often dispenses the highest order of wisdom in an otherwise insane corner of the world. Not that anyone listens.

Babala listens to everything from Django Reinhardt to Hendrix to Pearl Jam, and cries when he hears "Bridge Over Troubled Water." "It is so bee-you-tee-full, so bee-you-tee-full!".

He has the unfortunate but endearing habit of playing "air guitar" at the drop of a musical hat in such a manner that he forgets where he is (which leads to some nasty falls).