Headscratchers / Vampirates

• Why 2512? The series establishes that its setting is nearly 500 years into the future from when it was written, and aside from the floods (which could have easily been established as alt-timeline Earth or something else), it feels like nothing else has radically changed. Modern technology is sporadically mentioned, from neon lights and electronic dance floors to a mention of motorboats and the occasional cannon, it really seems like the future setting adds nothing but more questions about what has and hasn't changed in the future, which is to say "not much"

• Why does the Vampirate Captain let Sidorio go at the end of Book 1? Obviously we need a sequel and an antagonist, but it makes absolutely no sense. Doubly so when you consider the Implied Rape that Sidorio committed on Sally, one of the Vampirate Captain's best friends, making it questionable why he would even allow Sidorio to remain on the ship (or better yet: alive) at all.

• What's up with Lola's powers? The Vampirates up to the point of her introduction share traits with typical Vampires, from Sidorio's charisma being reminiscent of Vampiric hypnotism, turning to dust, creating mist as a substitution for turning into mist, etc. Yet Lola seems to have magic that borders on New Powers as the Plot Demands, ranging from creating a storm by spinning her spoon in a teacup, telekinesis which she uses to murder Commodore Kuo, drugging as she does to Jez and Johnny via her troops, and so on. This even includes her surviving TWO different assassination attempts with absolutely no explanation as to why she survived them aside from quips.