CHAPTER 5: IC - At Sea > Panama to Australia

[aine]

Despite his raging headache from the gas, Martin is entranced by the alluring scene. A trail of glinting food boxes pepper the ship's wake, the defrosting pile steams in the bright sunlight. He dashes off to get his camera and then sets it up. He aims for a 'wide' and then gets in close for some abstracts. He rather wishes it had happened at the end of the day when there'd be more shadows, as it is it's a bit flat.

[Job]

8:10 p.m. (ship time) – Monday 25th September, 1933
U.S.S. Gabrielle's Main Deck

Rucker will take a look at the captain on his way out, he will come back later to have a word with him. Now, he must speak to the other side of this voyage equation - Professor Moore.
Let's see if the professor retired from the main deck.
He says to himself and goes out

James Starkweather was lying on his side within the bottom bunk, facing away from you, towards the grey metal wall. His back and shoulders were moving in the gentle, rhythmic pace of one who is sleeping.

You walk from the medical cabin through the empty Ship's Mess to the exit hatch and out onto the Main Deck where you hear the echoing shouts of crewmen to your right. As you round the corner of the superstructure, you see a line of shirtless sweating seaman just beginning to form, snaking from the Tweendeck's hatchway to the far side of the deck. A number of crew are climing down through the hatch. Professor Moore is directing the flow.

On the opposite side of the line of men, you spy a small huddle of individuals who appear to be helping an ailing crew member.

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Job. (the tortured one)

[royya]

Professor! How can I help?
Rucker calls out to Moore

[Job]

"Yes, it's stopped," says Katie. "I'm not sure how much food we lost. It looks like a lot from here, but it also looks like they've saved a lot. If you'll be okay on your own for a little, I'll go find out."

Katie walks back to the Main Deck and sees that the pace of the passing food seems to be slowing and that a number of crewman are now being allowed to rest when, a short time ago, Professor Moore was forcing everyone to continue through their exhaustion. The Professor does, however, continue to exhort the teams of crewmen to frenetically work the hand pump for two-minute intervals, forcing large gulps of fresh air down into the hold. And as Katie passes the hatchway down to the Tweendeck, she notices that there is no longer a visible mist of ammonia pouring forth. The ammonia smell on deck remains very powerful, however, and continues to trigger coughing spells.

She sees the ship's cameraman near the railing, capturing sternward images.

Despite his raging headache from the gas, Martin is entranced by the alluring scene. A trail of glinting food boxes pepper the ship's wake, the defrosting pile steams in the bright sunlight. He dashes off to get his camera and then sets it up. He aims for a 'wide' and then gets in close for some abstracts. He rather wishes it had happened at the end of the day when there'd be more shadows, as it is it's a bit flat.

As Martin works his craft, he begins to feel a deep uneasiness and he knows that this feeling is not a physical reaction to the ammonia gas. It is his realization that the trail of food in the water appears equally as large as the stacks of food on deck.

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Job. (the tortured one)

[Job]

8:30 p.m. (ship time) – Monday 25th September, 1933
U.S.S. Gabrielle's Main Deck

Professor! How can I help?
Rucker calls out to Moore

Moore stands and straightens his back with a groan and grimace, then scans down through rows of tidy, tiny script and checkmarks on his clipboard. He stabs his finger at a line of text on the paper and says, "Ah, Father Rucker, I do need your help. I need to find out why the refrigeration pump failed. I'd appreciate it if you could round up a few members of the Expedition Team--perhaps George Barrow for his chemistry knowledge and Katie Wright for her mechanical insight--and head below to examine the area and equipment. Please come back to me with a report by sundown and we'll go from there.

"Oh, and one other thing," he mentions as you begin to walk away, 'You might want to also enlist the help of Martin, our photographer, to record pictures of any broken equipment that we can send off the manufacturer. Thank you, Father."

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Job. (the tortured one)

[Mr. Handy]

Katie reports back to Peter Sykes. "It looks like they're throwing away about half of the food they're pulling out of the hold," she says.

[royya]

Sure professor.
Rucker replies and add
Afterwards I would like to have a word with you about the captain.

Father Paul Rucker assembles Katie, George and Martin.
Good morning to you all and thank you for your help. I have gathered you so you can help in bringing a report about the accident of the refrigeration pump . As you know, I'm a scientist beside being a priest and using my scientific skills I will write down a report on the incidence. George, I need your skills in chemistry to help me understand what happened from scientific point of view. Katie, your mechanical skills are needed to find the malfunction. Martin, documentation with pictures of the broken equipment is needed so we can send the manufacturer later.
Any Question before we we get down to business ?

[aine]

Martin has been jotting a few notes about the chains of sick sailors and wasted food for his journal. He meets up with Father Paul Rucker, Katie and George. "As soon as it's properly clear below I'll take some pictures. Mademoiselle, maybe you'll be kind enough to show me the relevant sections of the machine?" He bows and smiles to Katie. "Sir, why are they throwing so much food overboard? It can't all be ruined. Will we have enough to complete the expedition?"

[Job]

Katie reports back to Peter Sykes. "It looks like they're throwing away about half of the food they're pulling out of the hold," she says.

Sykes grimaces and replies, "Oh. That is not good. Our supplies..." He is overcome with a wracking cough as Father Rucker pokes his head into the medical room and requests that she join him on an urgent task.

Father Paul Rucker assembles Katie, George and Martin.

Professor Moore joins your group as you begin.

Good morning to you all and thank you for your help. I have gathered you so you can help in bringing a report about the accident of the refrigeration pump . My As you know, I'm a scientist beside being a priest and using my scientific skills I will write down a report on the incidence. George, I need your skills in chemistry to help me understand what happened from scientific point of view. Katie, your mechanical skills are needed to find the malfunction. Martin, documentation with pictures of the broken equipment is needed so we can send the manufacturer later.
Any Question before we we get down to business ?

Martin has been jotting a few notes about the chains of sick sailors and wasted food for his journal. He meets up with Father Paul Rucker, Katie and George. "As soon as it's properly clear below I'll take some pictures. Mademoiselle, maybe you'll be kind enough to show me the relevant sections of the machine?" He bows and smiles to Katie. "Sir, why are they throwing so much food overboard? It can't all be ruined. Will we have enough to complete the expedition?"

"I can answer one of your questions, Martin," says the Professor. "Unfortunately, the food was severely contaminated by the ammonia gas. I examined every item that was thrown overboard. Hundreds of items, I'm afraid, and every parcel thrown overboard was a blow to my financial ledger, but have no fear, we'll replenish our food stocks when we reach Australia. We may lose a bit of time in doing so, but we have no choice.

"Our crew has now completed their shifting of food from that hold, and I have withheld them from scrubbing the area of residue and from making repairs to the refrigeration equipment so that you can assess the damage. Please head below immediately and make quick work of things before our food on deck completely thaws. "

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Job. (the tortured one)

[Job]

The team of explorers make their way down the ladder into Tweendeck Hold number four and across the hold to the refrigerated compartment. The smell of ammonia is strong, but the mist has dissipated and it's intensity is greatly diminished. Your eyes no longer tear up as you enter the hold. The area is littered with pieces of broken crates, various spills of foods and liquids, and all surfaces shine with a layer of toxic dampness.

The refrigerated hold is eerily empty and you're confronted with the skeletal frames of bare shelving and swinging, clinking chains and hooks that no longer hang slabs of meat.

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Job. (the tortured one)

[royya]

I guess we should examine the control panel and the tubes from the ammonia tanks.
Rucker tells his companions
The malfunction could be mechanical or electrical. If there is a control panel that controls the flow of the gas and the pump or a leak from a broken or bended tube. Let's start from the tanks all the way to the refrigerator.

[Anatomist]

George starts examining the hold looking for anything out of the common, corrosion from the outside or inside of tubes and hoses being one of the main thing he looks after.

Chemistry 65 Spot Hidden 51% rolling:55, 43

[Mr. Handy]

Katie carefully examines the mechanical and electircal parts in the hold, pointing them out to the others so that Martin can photograph them before she attempts any repairs. She tries to assess the damage and figure out how it was caused. The machinery is easy enough to understand for someone with her techinical skills, though the electrical apparatus is beyond her.

[aine]

martin carefully sets up his tripod, glad of its metal feet in the noxious puddles. Due to the low light, each exposure is long but Martin takes some good pictures and has a careful look at everything. Although he prides himself on his chemical knowledge, it is of no avail here.

Rolls,Photography (75) Spot hidden (50) Chemistry (26) [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3651539/]1d100=20, 1d100=7, 1d100=77[/url]

[Job]

I guess we should examine the control panel and the tubes from the ammonia tanks.
Rucker tells his companions
The malfunction could be mechanical or electrical. If there is a control panel that controls the flow of the gas and the pump or a leak from a broken or bended tube. Let's start from the tanks all the way to the refrigerator.

George starts examining the hold looking for anything out of the common, corrosion from the outside or inside of tubes and hoses being one of the main thing he looks after.

Katie carefully examines the mechanical and electircal parts in the hold, pointing them out to the others so that Martin can photograph them before she attempts any repairs. She tries to assess the damage and figure out how it was caused. The machinery is easy enough to understand for someone with her techinical skills, though the electrical apparatus is beyond her.

Martin carefully sets up his tripod, glad of its metal feet in the noxious puddles. Due to the low light, each exposure is long but Martin takes some good pictures and has a careful look at everything. Although he prides himself on his chemical knowledge, it is of no avail here.

The small group moves cautiously through the freezer hold towards the small equipment room in the back and they notice that the larger hold itself is now comfortably warm because of the air being forced from the main deck. Their electric torches chase away encroaching shadows. The ammonia fumes strengthen considerably as they approach the equipment room's hatch and each investigator begins suffering, coughing and blinking away tears.

A large pool of liquid covers the floor of the claustrophobic back room, fed by drops from the ceiling, the walls, and from nests of pipes. George Barrow and Father Rucker immediately warn everyone of the need to avoid unnecessary contact with the watery ammonia, even as they step into puddles to enter. Katie repeatedly flips a switch on the wall, but the overhead caged light remains stubbornly dark.

Their torchlight focuses first on the hulking main refrigeration unit which seems apparently undamaged, then the beams of light fan out. After a long minute of coughs, sniffles, and wiping of eyes, George and Father Rucker converge on a copper feeder pipe behind the main unit, spotting that it is severely pitted, corroded completely through in some areas. Their exclamations draw the attention of Katie and Martin and each takes turns squeezing into the cramped area to examine the pipe. George and Katie and Father Rucker all agree that the pipe must have been exposed to a strong acid, perhaps sulphuric or hydrochloric.

Martin urges the team aside and gets to work, rapidly and adeptly photographing the room with bright white flashes.

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Job. (the tortured one)

[Mr. Handy]

"I can repair this," says Katie confidently. "I'll just need some replacement pipe. Copper can't be dissolved by some acids, including either sulfuric or hydrochloric, but I think the other one can burn through it. I can't recall which one it is, though. One thing I'm sure of: this was no accident. Someone on this ship sabotaged us deliberately."

[aine]

"Someone with the technical knowledge and some working knowledge of boats to find this pipe all the way down here." Martin says grimly. "Okay shut your eyes; here's another flash." Pompf!

[Job]

"I can repair this," says Katie confidently. "I'll just need some replacement pipe. Copper can't be dissolved by some acids, including either sulfuric or hydrochloric, but I think the other one can burn through it. I can't recall which one it is, though. One thing I'm sure of: this was no accident. Someone on this ship sabotaged us deliberately."

After searching through the hold for a few more minutes, the investigators found nothing further and were forced to exit sooner than they would've liked due to the concentrated fumes.

Katie found sections of copper pipe and the necessary repair tools in the Bosun's Store--a full 20 minutes later, quite a while after Professor Moore had already instructed crews to begin scrubbing the refrigerated compartment.

Meanwhile, Martin made his way to his portable photography area in Tweendeck Hold #3, a small section covered by a tent of black canvas that contained all of his needed developing agents and apparatus. Professor Moore had even arranged for the installation of a power line for his red lamp. As he was going through his routine measuring and mixing of chemicals, however, Martin detected an abnormal smell. Something was wrong.

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Job. (the tortured one)

[Mr. Handy]

Once she retrieves the pipe sections and tools, Katie returns with them to the reefer hold to begin her repairs.

[royya]

Hmmm...I see. It seems that someone sabotaged the machinery
Father Rucker is troubled. He would have to write it down in a report
He face the three that gathered around him and say
Someone from the crew do not want the expedition to arrive the South Pole. There are rumors about evilness that shrouds and follows the captain. Any one of you heard about it or heard the crew whisper about that topic?
Rucker asks Katie, George and Martin

His first suspect is Adam, the steward. The man himself was hit by the ammonia, could be when he went down to damage it ?!
Father Rucker thinks about the idea but do not share his thought yet. He will speak to the professor about it before setting up accusation.