CHAPTER 5: IC - At Sea > Panama to Australia

[aine]

Job,Sorry, got a bit confused with the conversation. Martin isn't actually with the others: he has just left his 'developing tent' because of the strange smell. Does he recognise it or its source? chemistry (26%) [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3663132/]1d100=10[/url]

[Job]

Martin wrinkles his nose and frowns. As long as the plates are not yet exposed, he opens the tent flaps, puts down his apparatus and carefully sniffs each bottle of chemicals in turn to see if any are unusual.

OOC,Does Martin recognise the smell? chemistry (26%) [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3663132/]1d100=10[/url]

Martin's photography chemicals smelled unusual, there was no doubt in his mind. He had smelled these chemicals thousands of times over the years. However, even though the mixture smelled abnormal, there was also a hint of something familiar in whatever was different. Was it ammonia? He certainly had smelled a lot of ammonia lately. No, not ammonia. Chlorine! Someone had added chlorine to his developing chemicals.

And he not only smelled something unusual; he also saw something. As he finished pouring a bottle of fixing agent into a tray, he noticed that the last drops that trickled from the bottle were a slurry of small undissolved crystals. That shouldn't be! This was a fresh bottle of a liquid solution that should contain no undissolved powders. The only reasons that these bottles would have crystals at the bottom would be if they were sitting on a shelf for many years or if they had been left open and some of the water had evaporated. But these bottles were brand new, purchased just before departing New York City.

Martin's curiosity was now piqued. He carefully examined all of the bottles. There were smudges and drops of dried chemicals on the outside of many of the bottles, all of which were new and should have been in pristine condition. There were small nicks and areas of dampness on some of the seals under the caps, indicating that they had previously been opened. And not only had the bottles been opened, but every last bottle of developer and fixer was contaminated.

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Job. (the tortured one)

[aine]

Martin curses vehemently in French and is about to swipe all the bottles over the side into the sea when he pauses. There had been a few recent papers on the uses of halogens in photographic processing; there was no harm in at continuing with the development of a plate as an experiment. Martin picks one plate at random, ducks back into the tent and continues the processing. He plans to take the other plates to the Captain for secure storage; someone is obviously bent on sabotaging his work.

[Job]

Katie wipes the grease from her hands, grinning from ear to ear at Camille in spite of her exhaustion. "Well done!" she says. "We make a good team. Let's go up on deck and get some fresh air - and maybe a good stiff drink."

The cigarette bobbed between [Camille's] lips as she suited action to her thoughts and spun on a heel, in the direction of the galley...

Once they finish the priest go to find Prof. Moore

As the team climbs the ladder and exits Tweendeck Hold number four into the warm, humid air, they spy Professor Moore on the main deck with a dozen crewmen. They also see a number of crewmen tossing the last few contaminated crates of food overboard. The setting sun adds a riot of color to the surrealistic scene.


When Moore notices Father Rucker's return from below, accompanied by Katie, Camille, and Martin, he exclaims, "Excellent! If you're all finished, then our crew here is ready to scrub the hold." The group of sailors do not appear nearly as enthusiastic as the Professor, but they do move quickly down the hatch with buckets of water and brushes and mops and sponges.

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Job. (the tortured one)

[Job]

Job,Sorry, got a bit confused with the conversation. Martin isn't actually with the others: he has just left his 'developing tent' because of the strange smell. Does he recognise it or its source? chemistry (26%) [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3663132/]1d100=10[/url]

Jobs Response,There have been a few instances in this thread--and others--where our flow of time has been out of synch, and I generally take a relaxed attitude about it, otherwise I'd go bonkers trying to ensure that everything neatly flows in linear fashion. In the future, I'll be splitting off side-threads more frequently where I notice there might be a timing problem. In this case, I actually think that you are OK with Martin's participation in the conversation as well as his chemistry investigations. [list][*]I assume that Martin was still in the refrigerated compartment taking pictures when the conversation started amongst your group, and [*]I assume that when Martin was done taking pictures (5 minutes or so after the conversation), then he left with the team and met Dr. Moore on the main deck and thereafter went to Tweendeck hold #3 to develop his pictures (and finding the contaminated bottles of developing chemicals).[/list] This seems like a reasonable sequence of events events to me, and I would say that Martin could therefore have both 1) participated in the group's conversation and 2) later developed his pictures, so I wouldn't get too worried that your posts seem out of sequence. Job.

[Job]

Martin curses vehemently in French and is about to swipe all the bottles over the side into the sea when he pauses. There had been a few recent papers on the uses of halogens in photographic processing; there was no harm in at continuing with the development of a plate as an experiment. Martin picks one plate at random, ducks back into the tent and continues the processing. He plans to take the other plates to the Captain for secure storage; someone is obviously bent on sabotaging his work.

Unfortunately, despite taking great care with his actions, Martin found that the resulting negative was completely black. The contaminated chemicals would be useless to him.

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Job. (the tortured one)

[Mr. Handy]

Once the sailors go below, Katie fills Professor Moore in on their findings and speculations. "Our saboteur must have knowledge of both chemistry and electrical systems," she says.

[royya]

Father Rucker raise his hand to Katie to stop
Wait. People can hear us.
He turns to Prof. Moore
We have a problem, we must talk in private.

[aine]

Martin peers at the finished picture and nods resignedly. But rather than throwing everything overboard, he packs his equipment up into its box and signals two sailors to carry it for him. He personally takes the undeveloped slides and then the three of them head off to the main deck to find Professor Moore again.

[Mr. Handy]

OOC,I waited until the sailors went down into the hold before speaking. I thought there was nobody else up there around [b]Professor Moore[/b] except us.

[Job]

'Yes yes' 'well im the Chemist around here' 'could you please cut a segment of that pipe for me' 'ill take it to the lab and do some analysis on it ''iim quite sure to know what was used here'

"Of course," says Katie. She cuts off a section of the corroded pipe and hands it to him.

George confirmed his suspicions very quickly with a few simple tests in his lab. He had spotted blue crystals on the pitted edges of the pipe which he verified as copper nitrate. Copper nitrate crystals are produced when nitric acid is brought into contact with copper. It also produces a brown poisonous gas, nitrogen dioxide, but he assumed that gas was quickly forced aside by the spray of ammonia that burst forth from the damaged pipe.

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Job (the tortured one)

[Job]

Once the sailors go below, Katie fills Professor Moore in on their findings and speculations. "Our saboteur must have knowledge of both chemistry and electrical systems," she says.

We have a problem, we must talk in private.

Professor Moore, Katie, and Father Rucker talk in hushed voices away from the hatchway and any ears that might be able to overhear their discussion. After the team members tell him of the damage to both the pipe and electrical wiring, a look of concern crosses his face.

"Excellent work! Unfortunately, I fear that you are correct, this can be nothing other than a brazen act of sabotage. We had replaced the refrigeration equipment and all piping just a few months prior to departure, and I examined and tested the equipment myself prior to signing off on the work, so there would be no reason that the pipe would have deteriorated in such a short amount of time. I suppose that it's possible that the short-circuited electrical wiring could have been a side effect of the dense ammonia vapors in the area, but even so, it's clear that someone is acting against us."

Martin peers at the finished picture and nods resignedly. But rather than throwing everything overboard, he packs his equipment up into its box and signals two sailors to carry it for him. He personally takes the undeveloped slides and then the three of them head off to the main deck to find Professor Moore again.

Moore sees Martin approaching and quietly asks to see his photos of the damaged area. "Alright Martin, I'm glad that you're here. Let's see what you've photographed; perhaps your evidence will give us some clues... What's wrong, Martin? I can tell from the look on your face that all is not well."

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Job. (the tortured one)

[Mr. Handy]

"The next order of business is to find a way to unmask whoever did this," says Katie. "If we can identify the saboteur, we can prevent any future mayhem. There can't be that many people aboard who have the requisite knowledge and skills. We find out where everyone was and see who doesn't have a verifiable alibi, and that will narrow down the list of suspects." She stops when Martin comes near and waits to see what he has to say.

[royya]

Professor. I found out unrest among the crew. I hear gossips about the captain and the misfortune and bad luck that follows him everywhere. I suspect that someone do not want this expedition to reach the south pole due to the reason that they believe that the fate of such a journey will result with death.
Father Rucker say with concern
Two members of the crew confessed before me about this problem but my findings show that more follow this fear.

[aine]

Martin stops once he gets to the small group and dismisses the sailors carrying his case. He looks out to sea for a moment while he calms himself down. "There are no pictures of the sabotaged equipment because my own equipment has also been sabotaged. All my chemicals..'poof'." Martin flings his hand up in the air in typical Gaelic fashion. "All gone, all contaminated with chlorine. I attempt to develop one plate but there is nothing, just black." He gestures to his large equipment case. "Everything is packed up including the contaminated bottles. You could try for finger prints if you know how, maybe." He shrugs and then shows the package in his other hand, "These are the undeveloped plates. Please could you lock them up securely Professor: I will have them developed at a lab as soon as we dock."

[taokan]

Camille levered herself up at Martin's approach, moving to where she could rejoin the conversation now that there was something new to be had from it. She frowned as she heard the news, frowned and shook her head and paced, cigarette leaving a thin contrail of blue smoke that hung, heavy, in her wake. "That speaks of money," she said, a rumbling growl that rolled low from her belly. She switched the cigarette from one side of her mouth to the other, teeth flashing. "Fair reeks of it. Dissent amongst the crew may well be a part of it, but that can't be all of it. Not- no. An undertaking like this takes skill and a certain, ah, directness of intent. And you say the crew may be responsible, monsieur le curé?" She spoke to Father Rucker without moving her eyes from the crewman working elsewhere on deck. "The very men we are entrusting our lives to? Well, then. I think I'll be locking my door of an evening."

[royya]

I have a lead.
Father Rucker replies as he moves with unease as he looks back to the crew that works not far from them.
I've given my word as a priest to not reveal the man yet but I intend to speak with some of the crew members to see who is putting this journey in danger. Do not confuse, the man who spoke to me is not a suspect yet but I do know that he shares the concern about the captain's leadership.

Job,Once this talk is over Rucker will check with Adam about this sabotage.

[Job]

"The next order of business is to find a way to unmask whoever did this," says Katie. "If we can identify the saboteur, we can prevent any future mayhem. There can't be that many people aboard who have the requisite knowledge and skills. We find out where everyone was and see who doesn't have a verifiable alibi, and that will narrow down the list of suspects."

Moore turns to Katie but is staring beyond her, rubbing his forehead. The gears in his mind are obviously grinding away at the problem and after a moment he responds, "Yes, you're right. We'll need to tighten our watch and begin questioning the crew to trap this scoundrel. I'll need each of you to divide and conquer, to begin asking questions, but be careful. We have to assume that there is more than one saboteur unless you've seen evidence to the contrary."

"Professor. I found out unrest among the crew. I hear gossips about the captain and the misfortune and bad luck that follows him everywhere. I suspect that someone do not want this expedition to reach the south pole due to the reason that they believe that the fate of such a journey will result with death."
Father Rucker say with concern
"Two members of the crew confessed before me about this problem but my findings show that more follow this fear."

A look of sadness crosses Professor Moore's face and he says, "Rumors always follow our Commander, I'm afraid, since he has always led very dangerous expeditions into unknown territory. Father, please go back to these individuals and, as Katie has suggested, ask where they were during the past day. If anyone appears to be suspicious to any of you in any way, then let's put them in the brig. Let's err on the side of caution."

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Job. (the tortured one)

[Mr. Handy]

"All right," says Katie. "We should start by making a list of everybody aboard the ship, both expedition members and crew, and then divide it up amongst us. We might also want to search the ship thoroughly from stem to stern, just to make sure we don't have any stowaways."

[aine]

Martin nods in agreement. "A good plan." He looks out to sea, "Providing we don't scare the rogue to more hazardous action."