CHAPTER 5: IC - At Sea > Panama to Australia

[Job]

12:20 a.m. (ship time) – Tuesday 26th September, 1933
Tweendeck Number 2

Camille lowered her head with a jerk, pausing long enough to raise a hand in salute to the bird, elbow stiff, before turning away to make her way through the crates, searching the gaps between each one.

In the lower hold, three layers of 55-gallon drums stand ominously on end, stacked one layer atop another; each level of drums are separated by one-inch by six-inch dunnage boards. It is here, in the lower hold, that the smell of gasoline is strongest. The Fairchild monoplane sits perched on the top layer of gasoline drums with its wings folded back, held down by heavy cables, hooks, chains, and ropes.

Carefully searching about the hold with her electric torch, Camille spots a small bundle of cloth that is thrust between two fuel drums below the top layer of boards. Even when she lies prone on the boarding and reaches down as far as she is able, she cannot grasp it.

Exasperated, Camille climbs back up the ladder from lower hold number two to the tweendeck hold and continues on up to the main deck, thinking all the while about how she might retrieve that bundle. Then she remembers the Bosun's store, a separate compartment that could be accessed through tweendeck hold number one, and recalls that this particular area contains tools, ropes, shovels, buckets, brooms and a number of other items that might help. As she climbs nearer the upper hatch, she begins hearing the sounds of furious activity on the main deck, people running and shouting. "...and that captain's orders are to return to your cabins!"

Link to Ship's floorplan

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Job. (the tortured one)

[Job]

12:20 a.m. (ship time) – Tuesday 26th September, 1933
Katie and Camille's Cabin

Katie stews in her cabin, itching to know what's going on, but she stays put as instructed. She passes the time by talking to Camille when she returns to the cabin and filling her in on what she's discovered, and by studying the books she's brought along to prepare herself for the expedition.

Katie hears a soft rap on her cabin door. Professor Moore leans his head in and smiles, saying, "Hello Miss Wright. I apologize for my delay in arriving, but I was detained by the Captain. Seaman Green said that you an urgent need to see me?"


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Job. (the tortured one)

[Job]

12:20 a.m. (ship time) – Tuesday 26th September, 1933
Main Deck near Tweenhold Number 5

Øyvind went up the ladder and addressed the first of the ship crew he saw.
'The dogs MUST exercise or they will start attacking each other, I need permission to walk them as usual' 'run and tell that to the Captain'

The seaman turns as Øyvind climbs up onto the deck and stares for a moment, then says, "I'm afraid that's not possible. We're under lockdown conditions and I'm ordered to make sure that all non-essential personnel return to their cabins. Once you're in your cabin, I'll bring your message to the Captain."

The seaman slowly unclips the pistol at his hip.

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Job. (the tortured one)

[Mr. Handy]

."Yes, I'm glad you've come," says Katie, grinning back. "While searching Tweendeck Hold One, I noticed a crystalline substance on one of the generators. I took a sample of it and brought it to Dr. Barrow. He analyzed it, and it turned out to be more sulfuric acid. We were just on our way to look for you when they locked us down."

[Job]

"Yes, I'm glad you've come," says Katie, grinning back. "While searching Tweendeck Hold One, I noticed a crystalline substance on one of the generators. I took a sample of it and brought it to Dr. Barrow. He analyzed it, and it turned out to be more sulfuric acid. We were just on our way to look for you when they locked us down."

Professor Moore looks down at the floor momentarily, runs his hand through his hair, then looks back at Katie. "Sulphuric acid. If what you're saying is true--and I have no doubt that you and Doctor Barrow are correct--then this confirms our suspicions. We have more to worry about than spoiled foodstuffs." Moore began pacing back and forth, saying, "Everyone is confined to quarters and we have two suspects in the brig, so theoretically no further sabotage will occur. We need to check those generators. We need to continue our search. We need to make sure that the two stewards are indeed our criminals."

He then stops pacing. "Miss Wright, I will return to the Captain and convince him to release you and Doctor Barrow from confinement."

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Job. (the tortured one)

[Anatomist]

Øyvind went up the ladder and addressed the first of the ship crew he saw.
'The dogs MUST exercise or they will start attacking each other, I need permission to walk them as usual' 'run and tell that to the Captain'

The seaman turns as Øyvind climbs up onto the deck and stares for a moment, then says, "I'm afraid that's not possible. We're under lockdown conditions and I'm ordered to make sure that all non-essential personnel return to their cabins. Once you're in your cabin, I'll bring your message to the Captain."

The seaman slowly unclips the pistol at his hip.

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Job. (the tortured one)

.'I hope you understand that the dogs might kill leach other and then we will have NO dogs when we get to the Ice, do you really want to wait whit this? I suggest you inform the Captain of this matter now.'

[Mr. Handy]

."Thank you, Professor Moore," says Katie. "I'll be ready to resume the search once you do. How is Commander Starkweather doing?"

[aine]

.Bored with listening to the others snoring, Martin pokes his head out of the cabin. If the coast is clear, he heads first to the water closet, then to the galley. He walks quietly and alertly but tries not to look furtive; after all, he is only using the WC and getting a bite to eat after all these hours. Once by the galley he hopes to catch Moore outside his cabin (11). "Sir. I'm concerned that the areoplane may have been tampered with but I was unable to check before the confinement. Could you ask the captain to check?"

*,I'm uncertain if Camille is there too. If she is,he'll look meaningfully at her as he gives his news, seeing as she is the pilot. Before edit: Bored with listening to the others snoring, Martin pokes his head out of the cabin. He sees Professor Moore just leaving the ladies' cabin and so nips over to meet him. He nods to the women inside *, wishing he had combed his hair. [color=#0000BF]"Mesdames. Sir. I'm concerned that the areoplane may have been tampered with but I was unable to check before the confinement. Could you ask the captain to check?[/color]

[Mr. Handy]

OOC,We're in Cabin 5, off of the Officer's Mess. The men's cabins are all the way at the other end of the deck, by the Crew's Mess. I don't think we can see or hear each other unless you can make it across the deck without being stopped.

[Ewoklord]

.Douglas sits in has cabin as he's been ordered, absentmindedly smoking cigarette after cigarette. His stomach grumbles, and he realizes that he hasn't eaten in hours. Tired and hungry, Douglas leaves his room in search of some sort of food.

[Job]

12:25 a.m. (ship time) – Tuesday 26th September, 1933
Katie and Camille's Cabin

"Thank you, Professor Moore," says Katie. "I'll be ready to resume the search once you do. How is Commander Starkweather doing?"

Professor Moore smiles, then looks to his right towards the cabin door and nods.

James Starkweather enters, smiling, and greets Katie, "Hello Miss Wright." He reaches up to touch a white bandage wrapping his head and comments, "I'm feeling not unwell, thank you for your concern."

Starkweather's smile quickly turns down into a grimace. "I, like you, was unfairly confined by Captain Vredenburgh while his blokes searched this vessel. They may have captured the saboteur, however it is equally likely that their heavyhanded approach has alerted the saboteur and driven him into hiding. In any case, Miss Wright," Starkweather says with stern seriousness, "we have much work to do."
*

Moore interrupts, "Pardon me while I go find the captain," and exits.

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Job. (the tortured one)
* = Once again providing solid evidence of my mad 3D graphics skillz

[Mr. Handy]

."Good to see you up and about so quickly, Commander Starkweather," says Katie, smiling back. "I'm ready. I should check the rest of the generators as well as the aircraft to see if they've been sabotaged. At least we can still buy replacements for everything we've lost in Australia. We'll also need to find evidence to determine conclusively one way or another whether the saboteur is in custody or still at large, and to identify him in the latter case. Fingerprints would be very useful. There may be some on the generator with the sulfuric acid on it."

[Job]

12:25 a.m. (ship time) – Tuesday 26th September, 1933
Main Deck near Tweenhold Number 5

'I hope you understand that the dogs might kill leach other and then we will have NO dogs when we get to the Ice, do you really want to wait whit this? I suggest you inform the Captain of this matter now.'

The seaman curls his fingers around the pistol, but does not remove it from the holster. "Please return to your cabin, sir," he repeats. "The dogs must wait."

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Job. (the tortured one)

[Job]

12:25 a.m. (ship time) – Tuesday 26th September, 1933
Ship's Mess

Bored with listening to the others snoring, Martin pokes his head out of the cabin. If the coast is clear, he heads first to the water closet, then to the galley. He walks quietly and alertly but tries not to look furtive; after all, he is only using the WC and getting a bite to eat after all these hours. Once by the galley he hopes to catch Moore outside his cabin. "Sir. I'm concerned that the areoplane may have been tampered with but I was unable to check before the confinement. Could you ask the captain to check?"

After Professor Moore exits Katie's cabin and walks down the corridor past the Officer's mess, he then turns right, towards the stairway leading to the upper decks, and sees Martin waving at the far end of the hallway, apparently trying to get the professor's attention. Martin is also apparently attempting to talk his way past a guard, and not very successfully from what Moore can see.

Moore walks the length of the corridor to meet Martin, listening and responding, "Certainly, Martin, I'm on my way to see the captain now. Since he has apparently arrested two members of the ship's crew, I'm hopeful that he believes that he's captured the perpetrator and will now grant our team some time to examine our equipment. I'll return shortly."

Spoiler:

Ship's floorplan with cabin assignments
To make this work out, I've ad-libbed a few things.

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Job. (the tortured one)

[Job]

Douglas sits in has cabin as he's been ordered, absentmindedly smoking cigarette after cigarette. His stomach grumbles, and he realizes that he hasn't eaten in hours. Tired and hungry, Douglas leaves his room in search of some sort of food.

The Ship's Mess has its usual assortment of between-meal beverages and snacks available: hot tea and coffee, water, crackers, bread, butter and jam, and slabs of the everpresent pemmican.

Douglas also notices seaman guards posted at each hatchway. And he spots Professor Moore talking with Martin Leblanc and one of the guards.

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Job. (the tortured one)

[Anatomist]

'I hope you understand that the dogs might kill leach other and then we will have NO dogs when we get to the Ice, do you really want to wait whit this? I suggest you inform the Captain of this matter now.'

The seaman curls his fingers around the pistol, but does not remove it from the holster. "Please return to your cabin, sir," he repeats. "The dogs must wait."

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Job. (the tortured one)

.Øyvind returns to his cabin, swearing in Norwegian all the way.

[Job]

"Good to see you up and about so quickly, Commander Starkweather," says Katie, smiling back. "I'm ready. I should check the rest of the generators as well as the aircraft to see if they've been sabotaged. At least we can still buy replacements for everything we've lost in Australia. We'll also need to find evidence to determine conclusively one way or another whether the saboteur is in custody or still at large, and to identify him in the latter case. Fingerprints would be very useful. There may be some on the generator with the sulfuric acid on it."

Katie notices that James Starkweather's movements appear slower than normal, that his voice is not as strong, and that he has dark circles under his eyes. He says, "Yes, hopefully our good Professor will be successful in negotiating with that fool Captain so that you may continue your searches. The Captain is not very pleased with me at the moment, I'm afraid."

Starkweather urges Katie to check the generators, as she suggested, and also to go to the brig and speak directly with the two captives. Provided that the *expletive deleted* Captain permits her to do so, that is.

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Job. (the tortured one)

[Job]

12:25 a.m. (ship time) – Tuesday 26th September, 1933
Ship's Mess

Øyvind returns to his cabin, swearing in Norwegian all the way.

As Øyvind is led through the main hatch into the superstructure, he sees Professor Moore talking to Martin Leblanc. Both men seem a bit agitated and both men are being carefully watched by a scruffy seaman who is stationed at the entrance to the Crew's Mess.

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Job. (the tortured one)

[aine]

Moore walks the length of the corridor to meet Martin, listening and responding, "Certainly, Martin, I'm on my way to see the captain now. Since he has apparently arrested two members of the ship's crew, I'm hopeful that he believes that he's captured the perpetrator and will now grant our team some time to examine our equipment. I'll return shortly."

"Thank you Sir. I wish we could go check ourselves though, It'd be quicker." He eyes a scruffy seaman watching them suspiciously and shakes his head in frustration. "Could you let the two pilots know too; only they would be able to tell if something is wrong with the equipment. The key to the storage has gone missing too." He adds darkly. His stomach rumbles and he grimaces, "Do you think they would let us at least eat together, this waiting is getting on my nerves, no good for the morale."

[Mr. Handy]

."We need to keep in mind that the captain is primarily concerned with the safety of his ship and crew," says Katie. "Our expedition is of secondary importance to him. He doesn't seem to realize that it is the expedition that is being targeted, not his ship. I'm sure Professor Moore will point that out. The sooner we reach the ice, the sooner we'll be out of his hair - so that should at least motivate him to make good speed on the rest of our journey. We'll need to check the generators for fingerprints, especially the one where I found the acid, before I get to work on them. Maybe Dr. Barrow could help there, unless we have someone more qualified aboard. Then I'll talk to the prisoners. We should get their fingerprints too, so we can compare them." Something Starkweather said sinks in. "Why is the captain upset with you?"