Play@YSDC

Posted: **Wed Sep 19, 2012 6:33 pm**

Inside Station 10

1982-09-20 15:30

Janet passes by Johnny who walks through the front door. In the lounge, the rest of the staff is hovering over Ward. All but Walther who still is outside. The power goes off and then sputters on again. The generator next to the lounge wall hums back on.
"Good thing the sun only turns. We won´t stumble in darkness." Xavier comments, glaring at Harrison. "You pay us for twenty four hours shifts?" Dwayne asks, hopefully.

From the power failure, the cassette player shut off and the hum from the generator is the only background noise.

OOC: Starting this up a bit early. Feel free to join in.

Posted: **Thu Sep 20, 2012 2:52 am**

Robert Bailey hangs back, concerned about Arthur Ward. I better just let the medical professionals handle this, he thinks. I hope nobody asks me to take a look at the generator. I'm allergic to work.

Posted: **Thu Sep 20, 2012 4:54 am**

Janet looks around at everyone and then approaches Ward. "So what exactly happened here?" she asked, her gentle and worried expression taking the stern sting from her words.

Posted: **Thu Sep 20, 2012 5:49 am**

"Four stitches," Evans says absently, standing up from the sofa Ward is laid out upon. He cradles the bag of saline solution in his arms. "Lucky he didn't pass out before, half-dressed as he is. He could have frozen to death out there."

Posted: **Thu Sep 20, 2012 6:39 am**

"Hmmm...Maybe he has a case of cabin fever," George adds. There is a hint of disinterest in his voice like he has something else on his mind or somewhere else he needs to be...

Posted: **Thu Sep 20, 2012 7:45 am**

"Cabin fever?" asks Janet. "But we've only just gotten here. Doesn't cabin fever normally come from being cramped up with too many people? They've had a bit of space here before we came."

Posted: **Thu Sep 20, 2012 10:22 am**

" 'Four stitches,' that isn't too bad, is it Doc. ? "

Arthur Ward glances at Bailey, over Evans' shoulder, to try and judge if he ought to be worried by his injury.

Janet looks around at everyone and then approaches Ward. "So what exactly happened here?" she asked, her gentle and worried expression taking the stern sting from her words.

" No milk--I mean, I ran out of milk when preparing our Korma. I nipped out to the supply container, where I slipped, and did this. " Ward touches his damaged skull. He adds: " Somebody was arsing about on top of the supply container; I saw footprints too--so it wasn't my imagination. "

Posted: **Thu Sep 20, 2012 7:20 pm**

Johnny walks into the common area and sees most people crowded round Arthur. "He's alright, just knocked his head on the fridge door, maybe knocked some sense into him hey Arthur? Says someone was on the roof but I didn't see anyone. No sign of Walther either, did he come back?"

Posted: **Fri Sep 21, 2012 4:00 am**

"Next time put your coat on before you go out, mate," says Robert, his expression lighthearted. "I hate to sound like your mum, but you really will catch your death if you go out dressed like that."

Posted: **Fri Sep 21, 2012 7:30 am**

"Well, it looks like our good chef here is in capable hands and on the mend. I'll maybe carry on with my work, " George says casually from behind the group. He tries to establish eye contact with Eric but the young researcher's attention is directed towards Arthur. Finally George gives up on the indirect method...

"Uh...Eric. Are you busy at the moment? I was wondering if you could assist me in the lab."

Posted: **Fri Sep 21, 2012 9:46 am**

"Next time put your coat on before you go out, mate," says Robert, his expression lighthearted. "I hate to sound like your mum, but you really will catch your death if you go out dressed like that."

He replies mock-sarcastically, with a hint of relief:

' Now I remember why I don't like Australians. Cheers, mate ! '

Johnny walks into the common area and sees most people crowded round Arthur. "He's alright, just knocked his head on the fridge door, maybe knocked some sense into him hey Arthur? Says someone was on the roof but I didn't see anyone. No sign of Walther either, did he come back?"

' Too right, Wrighty. I ain't seen Walther, he wasn't inside the supply container . . . I think.'

Pickman37 wrote:"Well, it looks like our good chef here is in capable hands and on the mend. I'll maybe carry on with my work, " George says casually . . .

' Thanks, George.'

Posted: **Fri Sep 21, 2012 4:09 pm**

"Don´t you remember The Shining?", Harrison asks Janet crazy-eyed and mimics a hand with a huge knife hacking her way. He stretches and adds, "I should head out and see what Walther is doing before he breaks one of my machines. Probably best to look over the spare generator. The old one seems to give up the ghost." He snickers at Bailey "I will put my cap on, don´t worry." He walks towards the air lock.

Seeing that there´s no need for a gurney, Xavier claps his hands together and says, "He seems alright. Maybe we all need a little something to celebrate the upcoming new work year? New spirits and new opportunities. Those contractors will surely need our assistance, whatever they are doing. We should even see if we can salvage something else from Station 31. I don´t think we looked through everything properly over there. Now with the full crew here, we´ll be able to keep up the work on-base and manage to fly over there." Before Harrison reaches the air-lock, Xavier stops him with. "Dawyne, be sure to check that flame thrower we got the last run!" Harrison rolls his eyes and replies, "Certainly, sir."

Xavier reaches the pantry and starts checking cupboards for glasses. In the process he knocks down a stack of TDK-tapes. They end up in a pile on top of the pond of spilled milk.

Posted: **Fri Sep 21, 2012 4:20 pm**

Eric looks up at George. "Sure. What have you got?"

Posted: **Fri Sep 21, 2012 6:03 pm**

Tabs wrote:" 'Four stitches,' that isn't too bad, is it Doc. ? "

"No, you should be fine," Evans says, handing the saline to the chef. "Just lay down for a while and get some of this in you. I'm going to get my kit. We need to see if you've got a concussion, although I doubt anything could have gotten through the skull of yours. Keep still, I'll be right back."

There's something more important that needs to be addressed first, however; the doctor follows the administrator to the pantry. "Xavier," he says in a hushed tone, "We may need to take some time to have a meeting with the crew. Obviously safety regulations need to be emphasized. Honestly, going out without proper gear? Someone playing on top of a storage container? It's like these people think they're on holiday."

Posted: **Fri Sep 21, 2012 8:53 pm**

Looking at the station surgeon, Xavier´s eyes go slate grey. "Giving orders now, dr Evans?" He looks Evans in the eyes and adds. "You were there at Outpost 31. You saw what we saw. Me and Rob were there - we saw the mayhem. These guys didn´t. They can´t begin to fathom what it was like. All that destruction..." He stops himself in the rant and opens another cupboard, finds the cups and takes one down. Gripping it to tight so that it cracks.
Clearly the chief is in some distress, he lets the cup fall and shatter to pieces and sees the cups on the table. Carl and Eric had set the table earlier. He ignores the shards on the floor and pulls a chair out and reaches for a new cup. He cradles it, as if an egg, gently. "Maybe...", he starts, "...you can set them straight? I think I need to go to my quarters. Had too few hours of sleep lately. We keep this between us, OK?"

Who are you
Who who who who
Who are you
Who who who who

The Who -67

Posted: **Sat Sep 22, 2012 2:48 am**

Robert smiles, also relieved - that Harrison didn't want him to go out and check on the generator. "Celebration sounds good to me!" he says. "I'm always up for a party." He heads to the fridge to see if there's a Foster's in there.

Posted: **Sat Sep 22, 2012 4:57 am**

Eric looks up at George. "Sure. What have you got?"

"I have a sample back in the lab....a chunk of ice and frozen within it is a new variant of bacteria that I have never seen before. It is absolutely fascinating!" George can barely contain his enthusiasm. "I was wondering if you would like to assist me in conducting further analysis upon this sample?"

Posted: **Sat Sep 22, 2012 6:13 am**

Eric grins. "Of course, let's go!"

Posted: **Sat Sep 22, 2012 9:59 am**

At the sound of celebratory drinks, Johnny follows Xavier towards the kitchen but then leaps forward as Xavier knocks the tapes into the milk. "Hey, we can't lose these! These are Arthur's. Plus we need all the entertainment we can get in this dump." His voice dwindles to a silent grumble at the last so he doesn't upset the boss. He carefully picks the cassettes out of the milk.

Posted: **Sat Sep 22, 2012 10:55 am**

MadJaymilton wrote:"No, you should be fine," Evans says, handing the saline to the chef. "Just lay down for a while and get some of this in you. I'm going to get my kit. We need to see if you've got a concussion, although I doubt anything could have gotten through the skull of yours. Keep still, I'll be right back."

' Thanks.'

Arthur swivels and rests his legs on the sofa. ' Ahhhh ! '

Posted: **Sat Sep 22, 2012 8:16 pm**

Taken aback, Evans pales a bit at Xavier's mention of the other base. "No, no, sir, I..." He shakes his head as though trying to clear something unpleasant from it. "I don't know what you're talking about," he says softly, to keep Johnny from hearing anything. "There was a fire, that's all. Just a fire, and they panicked, and..." The doctor trails off, as though even he can't find the energy to believe in such a lie. After a moment he continues on with new conviction. "Besides, what happened over there has nothing to do with us. Look, you're right. You go on and get some sleep. I'll have a talk with the crew and set things to rights, if you like."

Posted: **Sat Sep 22, 2012 11:33 pm**

Eric grins. "Of course, let's go!"

George is relieved. He was worried that Eric may have been too tired after the helicopter ride.

"Excellent. I will let you observe the sample before we thaw it and run some tests. The bacteria is red and, under the microscope, looks like it formed crimson veins through the ice before the cold caused it to become dormant. It is amazing. I'm sure you will be impressed."

George is several steps ahead of Eric at this point on the way to the lab and clearly excited...

Posted: **Mon Sep 24, 2012 2:18 am**

Janet just sighs as she gazes around the remnants of the group and takes a seat. She'll start talking when they start making sense.

At least its warm in here.

Posted: **Mon Sep 24, 2012 9:17 am**

Arthur Ward opens his mouth to joke with Janet,--hell, she's the only female for a thousand miles, and he hasn't stepped foot in civilisation for several months,--but she's a bit too intimidating. And now he cannot think of anything to say. He shuts his mouth, conscious of imitating a goldfish.

' Bailey, you reckon Doc. Evans will allow me to drink beer ? '

Posted: **Mon Sep 24, 2012 9:23 pm**

Johnny takes a dish cloth and wipes up the milk which is starting to smell. He theorises that will at least keep him from having to do any washing up. He waits for Robert to get his beer from the fridge, grins conspiratorially, and then helps himself to two cans which he takes back to the common room. "Hey Arthur, get your neck round this." He opens a can and passes it to Arthur. "Best thing after a knock. Knew an air doctor from Australia who swore by it. Happens to be Fosters too so it's win win." He grins at Janet and opens his own can, watching her all the time while he takes a long swig.

Posted: **Tue Sep 25, 2012 1:07 am**

"Thought Australians hated Fosters," she said with a smirk before fetching one for herself. "I hear tell they call it that damned Aussie foreign beer because the only people who like to drink it are overseas!" She takes a swig. "Don't know about the Aussie perspective, but I like it."

Posted: **Tue Sep 25, 2012 3:29 am**

"Oh, I used to think the same way as most Aussies," says Robert, popping open his can, "but that was before I'd actually tried it. One day I was visiting a mate in America and he offered me a Foster's, thinking I must like it because I'm Australian. Well, I didn't want to hurt his feelings, and I never turn down a free beer, so I drank it and I liked the taste too. Cheers!" He raises his beer and takes a pull.

Posted: **Tue Sep 25, 2012 5:06 am**

She chuckles. "I always wondered if Aussies were the same way about Vegemite. Is it just something that they trick people into eating? You know, like the Scots with Haggis. The Scots don't actually eat haggis, do they?"

Posted: **Tue Sep 25, 2012 5:16 am**

"I don't understand how anyone can eat haggis," says Robert with a laugh. "Arthur, do you have any haggis in cold storage? It might be a good idea. We'll never starve as long as we've got some haggis on hand, as you'll always find something else you'd rather eat - your own foot, for instance."

Posted: **Tue Sep 25, 2012 10:03 am**

aine wrote:"Hey Arthur, get your neck round this."

' Nice one ! '

He listens to the conversation about Fosters and Vegemite and Haggis.

' No, no Haggis. I'm sure I could improvise. The pluck : whatever off-cuts I can find in the freezer, the sheep's stomach bag : hmmmm ? If I cook a haggis, Robert Bailey, you gotta eat it ! '

' Where's Walther ? And what was he doing on the supply container's roof ? '

Posted: **Tue Sep 25, 2012 2:01 pm**

Johnny shrugs and slumps into an easy chair, "Dunno, all tastes like piss but at least it makes me happy. For a while. The scotch do more than just haggis though eh Arthur?" Johnny smirks to himself knowingly.

' Where's Walther ? And what was he doing on the supply container's roof ? '

"We should ask you that mate. He went out to look for you just as we were starting dinner, thought you'd like to serve up your own curry special. Then I came out to look for you and you were prancing about on the supply roof going on about hearing noises up there. You'd knocked your head, blood everywhere and not wearing your outer gear, didn't seem to feel the cold. Concussion I reckon. Still you got yourself back here so I had a look around the supply shed. No Walther. No one up top; I closed it up and came here. Maybe he's with your hubbie in the garage." He looks at Janet.

Posted: **Wed Sep 26, 2012 5:21 am**

"You're not actually supposed to cook it," says Robert. "You're just supposed to have it around to inspire you to think of anything else that would make better eating."

Posted: **Wed Sep 26, 2012 10:12 am**

aine wrote: The scotch do more than just haggis though eh Arthur?" Johnny smirks to himself knowingly.

' I'd love a drop of whisky, Grants--ten year, ale cask. . . .'

[Where's Walther ?] "We should ask you that mate.

Ward shrugs helplessly.

' I know nothing. Seriously, the last thing I do remember is spilling the milk.'

"You're not actually supposed to cook it," says Robert.

' It would be a laugh, though. When's your birthday, Bailey ? Imagine, everyone '--Arthur holds out a hand, fingers splayed, to aid his mental construction--' the lights off, "Happy Birthday" starts-up from the party gathering, and I triumphantly march into the room, carrying a platter with a haggis: a steaming pile of offal, stuffed into a condom--"Ribbed, for her pleasure !"--and a solitary candle stuck on top of the disgusting mess.' He swigs from his beer can, and looks round the common room. ' Maybe that was a tad overwrought.'

Posted: **Wed Sep 26, 2012 6:33 pm**

"Yes, just a bit, perhaps," says Robert. "Now, if you could wrangle up some scotch, that would be something. And I would like to try that curry special."

Posted: **Thu Sep 27, 2012 2:41 am**

Janet chuckles at the image and starts humming Happy Birthday.

Posted: **Thu Sep 27, 2012 9:03 am**

' I--I feel a bit peculiar. I'll go and lie down. . . .'

Posted: **Thu Sep 27, 2012 6:36 pm**

"Why? It's only Fosters." Johnny grins at his own joke and then looks concerned. "You're probably a bit concussed, you'd hit your head damn hard by the look of it. But someone ought to keep an eye on you, don't want you blacking out when no one is looking."

Posted: **Thu Sep 27, 2012 6:52 pm**

Having donned his arctic gear properly, Harrison exits the station just as Xavier enters the air lock, letting a gush of cold air enter the lounge and kitchen area. Xavier mutters at the mechanic when passing the now closed front door. He walks up the stairs and soon finds himself in his bed on the second floor, door closed.

Outside, the clanking from Harrison´s descent can be heard to the lounge. From the small windows by the sofas, where Arthur lays down. he sees Harrison walk past towards the three semi domes.

Eric and George enter the lab across from Arthur who is discussing whiskey and innards meals with half the team who stand scattered over the kitchen - lounge area. The glass doors slide shut after them.

Evans, Johnny, Janet and Robert chat while Johnny saves the tapes. Evans takes a deep breath now as Xavier has left the floor to him. Finally he has the means to lay out what shall be done and how to do it. Priority number one should be...

Inside the lab George opens the freezer and extracts the core ice sample and places under a fume hood. He also gets a heating fan and places it close to the sample. A microscope is mounted by the desk where the fume hood is located. A sketch pad sprawled with notes and numbers lies flipped open on one of the long counters. Eric waits for George to let him in on what he has found out.

Again, the generator dies. The humming stops and the lights flicker out. The sun will be up around the clock, so that won´t be a problem. Seeing something in the white outdoors will be a challenge. The wind outside rips the side of the main building.

Robert´s radio, in the office beneath the stairs, squeaks as the battery kicks in.

Outside-
A dark figure moves across the snow towards the helicopter, south of the station. Anyone watching out the small windows in the lounge will see this.

OOC: Recap, someone has been at the Air tower north of the station, on the roof of the storage and now by the helicopter. Walther and Harrison are outside. Xavier is on the second floor - in his private room.
Eric and George are in the laboratory.
Arthur is on the sofa in the lounge.
Janet, Johnny, Robert and Evans are in the kitchen/lounge.
The power is out. It´s close to 16:00. It will not be dark.
We´re awaiting another player to take the part of Xavier.

Posted: **Fri Sep 28, 2012 12:39 am**

Inside the lab George opens the freezer and extracts the core ice sample and places under a fume hood. He also gets a heating fan and places it close to the sample. A microscope is mounted by the desk where the fume hood is located. A sketch pad sprawled with notes and numbers lies flipped open on one of the long counters. Eric waits for George to let him in on what he has found out.

"Oh. I almost got carried away there..." George takes the ice sample from the heating fan and places it under the microscope for Eric to take a look. "It is amazing how it influenced the appearance of the ice before it froze. I made several sketches of the sample at this stage with numerous notations."

As Eric studies the sample, George continues. "I would like to thaw it a bit, hopefully saving a small piece that we can keep frozen in case our experiments encounter any unforeseen variables. We are dealing with a potentially new and never before seen strain and should take the utmost precautions." His voice becomes more assertive with this last sentence as if to stress the importance of this find to the young researcher even though George has no reason to doubt Eric's expertise based on past performance.

"As for the remainder of the sample, I would like to grow the bacteria in a number of petri dishes prepared with nutrient agar. Hopefully, if all goes well, we can introduce a number of variables to each culture and study the results. Once you are satisfied with your viewing of the sample, please return it to the heating fan and we will proceed. I will need you to extract a piece of the sample once the ice is soft enough to allow it for re-freezing. I'll prepare the sterilization of the petri dishes and concoct the agar solution."

George gathers the necessary chemicals for the solution and a Bunsen burner.

Posted: **Fri Sep 28, 2012 2:12 am**

After getting his bag, Evans takes a few moments to make sure that gash is the worst that Arthur has to worry about. "Follow the light," he instructs, shining a penlight into the cook's eyes. After a few moments he nods curtly. "As I thought: a mild concussion. And this is out of the question," he says, taking away the Foster's. "Not with your blood loss. I've paracetamol for your pain, if you need it, and I absolutely agree that you need to lay down and rest for at least a few hours."

Posted: **Fri Sep 28, 2012 4:31 am**

"I'll gladly take that off your hands," says Robert, reaching for the Foster's that Dr. Evans had confiscated. "Good thing Harrison's already out there. He can get the generator working again."

Posted: **Fri Sep 28, 2012 10:39 am**

MadJaymilton wrote:Evans "And this is out of the question," he says, taking away the Foster's."

' Johnny gave it to me. Johnny, you bad man !

' Look, it's my job to feed you all, and because of this accident I'll be out of the kitchen for a few hours : it feels like I've let you down. Once I'm back on my feet I'll prepare a meal fit for kings !

' And Janet, I am sorry for my words just now--I wasn't myself--' Arthur stops speaking abruptly, realising that Janet probably doesn't care about mention of the ribbed condom or, for that matter, his apology. He retreats into his shell, and stares out of the window, feeling foolish.

Posted: **Fri Sep 28, 2012 5:18 pm**

As it looks like the fun's over, Johnny finishes his beer and stands up. He looks at his watch and seeing it is 1600hrs decides to do a bit of work before finishing for the evening. "Think I'll just go check on the bird before turning in tonight. Just in case Xavier throws in a expedition without warning. Wouldn't put it past him. Plus the weather's not too bad yet. Plus it's a bit dull here with no power." He notes his duffel bag is still on the floor but ignores it. He goes out to the coats and puts on his outer gear, checking that the whisky is still hidden inside before entering the air lock.

Posted: **Sat Sep 29, 2012 7:05 am**

Janet sighs as the power goes out. "Will that affect the heating?" She doesn't seem to pay much attention to the apology, simply shrugging in acknowledgment that she's heard it. As she glances around the room in irritation at the failed power, she notices the figure strolling through the snow. "Huh. Who do you think that is?" she asks with casual curiosity.

Posted: **Sat Sep 29, 2012 5:25 pm**

Robert peers out the window. "Harrison, maybe?" he says. "Or it could be Walther. He's still out there too. But why would either of them be going to the chopper?"

Posted: **Sat Sep 29, 2012 6:02 pm**

At the window Janet and Robert watch the figure by the chopper. Clad in black it moves behind the vehicle escaping from view. Johnny notices the tension from the two. As he turns to see what it´s all about he sees the guide lights of the runway behind the station light up. Back at the window, Janet sees Harrison walk back from the workshop.
Robert´s radio under the stairs makes a double beep, indicating a coded message has arrived.
Evans is really getting spooked by this sudden action around the station. What is protocol for this? Should really people leave the main building?

OOC: The emergency locker up in the corridor on the second floor holds the following:
Defibrillators, roll of band aids, head lamps (2), flash lights (4), energy bars (20), flare gun, glow sticks (10), blankets (4), two first aid kits, fire extinguisher and one Remington 870.

Weapons available at Station 10 (should you feel the urge to know)

Spoiler:

Posted: **Sun Sep 30, 2012 4:55 am**

"'Scuse me, I'd better go get that," says Robert. He ducks into the radio room to decode the message.

Posted: **Sun Sep 30, 2012 6:36 pm**

That leaves Janet, Arthur and Evans at the lounge. Robert enters the airlock in is gone from view.

OOC: A new thread for those leaving the main house, called outside is open. Aine, Johnny is continuing in that thread. O u t s i d e

Posted: **Sun Sep 30, 2012 9:01 pm**

Evans crosses to the window, mouth set in line. Harrison and Johnny at least had legitimate reasons to be outside, but... "What is Walther doing out there?" he muses out loud. "He hasn't been in since you crew arrived." He's quiet for a moment, then glances at Janet. "He wouldn't be upset with any of you, do you suppose? Maybe had a tiff with one of you before your leave and he still feels sore?"

Posted: **Sun Sep 30, 2012 9:55 pm**

Robert encrypts a reply and transmits it back.

Posted: **Sun Sep 30, 2012 10:03 pm**

The radio returns a message after thirty seconds.

Posted: **Sun Sep 30, 2012 10:39 pm**

Robert sends another reply.

Posted: **Mon Oct 01, 2012 9:33 am**

MadJaymilton wrote:[Evans ] . . . quiet for a moment, then glances at Janet. "[Walther] wouldn't be upset with any of you, do you suppose? Maybe had a tiff with one of you before your leave and he still feels sore?"

Arthur is dozing on the sofa. He opens one eye, wondering at the Doctor's meaning ; he thinks : she's not knocking-off Naumann, surely ?

' Not me : we are good friends.'

Posted: **Mon Oct 01, 2012 9:57 pm**

Posted: **Tue Oct 02, 2012 5:54 am**

OOC: If you are interested in what is going on outside, feel free to walk out, So, no reading in the other thread, please.

Posted: **Wed Oct 03, 2012 2:47 am**

Janet heads over to put on an extra layer before trundling outdoors. She's not anxious enough to fear some sort of threat so her curiosity isn't going to get her frozen to the bone.

Posted: **Thu Oct 04, 2012 8:58 am**

"Evans, I feel much better !

"As for Walther, he ought to come back inside or he'll catch hypothermia. Robert is on the radio, I could ask him to relay a message ?"

Posted: **Thu Oct 04, 2012 8:01 pm**

Evans lets out an unhappy sigh--honestly, getting these people together was like herding cats--and turns to Arthur. "We'll go together," he says. "You may feel better, but I want to keep an eye on you." He kneels down by the couch to help the chef up.

Posted: **Fri Oct 05, 2012 9:41 am**

Arthur grasps the Doctor's hand and pulls himself to his feet, being careful not to sway or otherwise look doddery.

"Thanks, again. Let's go talk to Bailey, he should be in the radio room."

Posted: **Sat Oct 06, 2012 3:36 pm**

Evans and Arthur get to the air lock as Janet leaves with the door slamming shut behind her. Robert´s door is closed but you can hear him working the radio.

Robert gets another transmission when he hears the front door slam shut again.

Spoiler:

All men inside the station hear something that sounds like thunder close in on Station 10.

Posted: **Sat Oct 06, 2012 7:18 pm**

He knocks at the door of the radio room.

"You in there, Bailey?"

All men inside the station hear something that sounds like thunder close in on Station 10.

"What was that noise, Evans?"

Posted: **Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:17 pm**

In the lab...
George completes the sterilization of six petri dishes and adds the nutrient agar to each of them, allowing the solution to cool. Years of experience allows him to complete the tasks in no time at all.

"Eric, I am ready to add the bacteria to each of our agar plates. Of course, we'll have to allow the colonies to grow over the next few days, recording our observa...."

All men inside the station hear something that sounds like thunder close in on Station 10.

The loud noise halted George in mid-sentence. He made his way to the window of the lab door and peered out into the lounge area, noting that no one was present there.

"Hmmm....what was that? Another storm perhaps. I see our companions are also out and about. We'd best go and investigate."

George removes his nylon gloves and lab smock. As he prepares to go out into the lounge area, his mind considers another alternative for the sound...

Hopefully this is not some sort of prank...we have valuable work to do. Leave it up to the children to already be bored after being here only a few short hours...

Posted: **Sat Oct 06, 2012 11:00 pm**

Eric cocks his head after the thunder rolls. "Yes, we probably should." After making sure he's properly dressed, he'll accompany George outside.

Posted: **Sun Oct 07, 2012 3:59 am**

"Yeah, I'm here!" calls Robert. "Talking to McMurdo. They said to bring everyone inside and for all of us to stay indoors. There's a storm's coming." He dashes off a quick response.

Posted: **Sun Oct 07, 2012 7:08 am**

"Right, then," Evans says. "Can you call them all in?" he asks Bailey. "Xavier wanted me to have a word with everyone anyhow. I was going to wait until we were all gathered for dinner, but we may as well get it done." He sighs and adds, "Would have been nice if Harrison could have had a chance to fix the generator before the storm hits, but I don't suppose we've time for that now."

Posted: **Sun Oct 07, 2012 7:31 am**

As George enters the lounge, he hears Bailey's voice from behind the closed door of the radio room. He cannot make out what is being said but believes he has heard the word 'storm.' He glances over to his right at the sound of the voice but in the dim light of the lounge, can only make out a shadow of someone...

Looks like Arthur....getting the news. Damn, what is with these stations! State of the art...and all we get is this terrible lighting...

As George fumes, he remembers an old movie he saw as a child with similar effects....The Crawling Hand. Something about the illumination of the room coupled with that dull grey light from outside took him to that place. He shook it off and sensing Eric's enthusiasm, raised his arm to stop the young man...

"No need to head outside. I believe we have a storm brewing."

George walks over to the window in the lounge to look outside...

Posted: **Sun Oct 07, 2012 10:48 am**

"Right, then," Evans says. "Can you call them all in?" he asks Bailey.

"We were concerned about Walther,--he's been gone so long--but if everyone is returning to base, I'd better start cooking."

Posted: **Sun Oct 07, 2012 8:53 pm**

Eric shrugs. "All right then."

Posted: **Sun Oct 07, 2012 8:54 pm**

"Just as soon as I'm off with McMurdo," says Robert, adding a little more to his message.

Posted: **Mon Oct 08, 2012 9:39 am**

Arthur bustles away into the kitchen, happy to do the job he loves, determined to make up--for what he imagines--to be his earlier transgression. He reaches for the music tapes, and Rory Gallagher Irish Tour '74 isn't in it's correct position; odd, he only arranged them the other day? Running his finger along the tapes' back he finds the one he wants and pulls it out, the tape drips a milky liquid and the track listing--written in felt tip pen--is smudged. Jesus Christ. Who's been messing with my stuff? Arthur slots the tape into his ghetto blaster, and presses play. He thinks about Naumann and Janet, he really hopes his lurid imagination is right about those two. Nice one Naumann, nice one son, nice one Naumann, give her another one! He fast forwards the tape to the last track, cranks up the volume, and sings tunelessly:

I don't want it all
Just a little bit
An incy wincy bit
A teensy weensy piece of your lurve

He chuckles nastily.

Arthur takes a wok, adds cooking oil and heats until it scorches, then, sprinkles in his treasured Scezhuan pepper corns and chili--this baby is gonna be spicy!--he next finds some . . .

Posted: **Tue Oct 09, 2012 8:02 pm**

"Right," Evans tells Robert. "Keep us informed then, eh?" The doctor trails after Arthur, following him to the kitchen, but stops on the threshold.

"I'm going to take my kit back to the medlab," he says to the chef. "I'll be right back, though. You let me know if you feel any dizziness." Evans turns to head up stairs, frowning slightly at the raucous "music" that comes almost immediately from the kitchen.

Posted: **Wed Oct 10, 2012 9:30 am**

Price looks out the window, but already expecting a storm, leans back in towards the lounge before even getting a good look...

"Looks like we should be getting everyone back in." As he walks away, he turns and fires out in frustration..."Maybe some effort should be put in. This is a research station. Throw your snowballs at home...!"

George returns to the lab. He is embarrassed but he has no idea what he meant by his last comment...

Posted: **Wed Oct 10, 2012 10:20 am**

MadJaymilton wrote:"I'm going to take my kit back to the medlab," he says to the chef. "I'll be right back, though. You let me know if you feel any dizziness."

Arthur nods in reply, too engrossed in the cooking and music to answer.

Posted: **Fri Oct 12, 2012 2:40 am**

Medical bag in hand, Evans climbs the stairs; although the generator is off, the ambient light and his familiarity with the base is enough to guide him to the med lab without too much trouble. He puts the kit away in the little cubby by the door--everything in its proper place--then pauses for a moment. The doctor knows he should go right back down (it's far too soon for Arthur to be back on his feet with a concussion) but he can hear the chef's music coming up through the floor and he's in no rush to fight his way through that din.

Posted: **Sat Oct 13, 2012 12:07 pm**

BACK IN THE LAB...

Price shuts the door behind himself, forgetting that Eric would be most likely following. He quickly moves over to the samples, making sure his young assistant had finished the job before being distracted by the excitement of the thunder...

He quickly forgets his previous outbursts in the lounge in light of what his assistant may have done or forgotten to do...

Damn! Did he introduce the cultures to the controlled dishes...??

Price holds his breath for a second instinctively when he glances over to the sample under the heat fan, not that he could do anything at this time...

Posted: **Sat Oct 13, 2012 6:25 pm**

In the radio shack-

Robert receives yet another message when Evans hollers from the air lock.

<Encrypted>
7lMeB6do4akpyAQZ5Ix+2VLKybJNm979SBK4zFsIF/Rjgtu/8e09oHT3yLzjMzBp7vnqZza/xAxbqqsK
h7b6HOTOakHweXD6oRzZE+rFl1Sju2Ofr3MsNUD+fabg2Tadhi2PgRyOc8VZRmxaO+vMccG+Rn7G84uT
PqK33/WbZQ2iauLH33vB/HyailZfL8Y+Jc7pTWH0ik8XGOfXLQPCf+s8h2gl1S896BdyGIOOCTk=

</Encrypted>

Now, the sound of thunder warps to the unmkistakable sound of an incoming freight plane, the distrotion of his radio speaker is also a sure tell.
The PA microhone hangs from the wall next to the door. Several codes are next to the dial.

Station meeting - 001
Fire - 555
Lights out - 069
Dinner - 000
Wake up call - 222

Outside the side window of his little radio den, the new drill tower is totally obscured by a gust of snow.
Having read the mesasge, George pushes the chair back and contemplates if he should go out and inform the others...or just call them in and let Evans hadle it.

In the kitchen -
All in on the cooking, Arthur gets in his zone and orchestrates his meal in unison with the music. He only vaguely notices Price and Jones walking back and forth. God bless the batteries in the blaster. The gas to the stove also work without power, so the outage doesn´t bother him.

On the second floor-
Xavier hears the rumbling of the approaching air craft. Turning in his bed, he remembers his time as a pilot in the air force. Then his stomach cramps and he folds like a pen knife. Outside he can hear foot steps in the corridor.

Evans drops his satchel with meds. He looks down the corridor at the emergency locker. Everybody has some space up here....Next to the locker lies Walther´s private room , with the door open. The medical clinic doubles as Evans private space. His partner, Janet, shares room with her husband, obvously. The question is if she wouldn´t be better off sharing room with a more educated man... The long hours they had worked side by side sure felt like companionship and somethung more.
Suddenly, aware of reality, one of the glass cabinets shake from the passing C-170 on the runway. Vials of medicine clatter and then come to rest.

In the lab-
Watching the samples drip away in the fume cupboard George is about to curse out again. Then he is cut off by the careening lights of a transport plane swooshing past the window behind the lab windows. The tail lights grow smaller and are eaten by the white of the storm outside. The thunderous noise ebbs away as the C-170 moves away from Station 10 and closer to the air traffic tower.

In the lounge, Eric hears how someone is moving around inside the generator room. Footsteps comes to a stop just above him, upstairs. Geroge is finally shutting up and a plane has touched down. The chef is dancing in the pantry. The radio man has locked himself in the communications room.
One guy is AWOL. The lovely Janet has left the building and the fly boy is probably stroking the helicopter´s rudder.
Man, could he use a drink right about now.

Welcome to Station 10, last godammed day of winter...

Posted: **Sat Oct 13, 2012 11:59 pm**

Robert gets off of the radio and activates the PA system, as it will be the fastest way to reach everyone - it would take quite a while to get dressed for the cold before going outside, not to mention that it would be inconvenient. "All station personnel, McMurdo has informed us that there is a storm on its way," he says. "They want everyone to come inside at once and to remain inside for the duration." Then he exits the radio room and looks to see who is around.

Posted: **Sun Oct 14, 2012 1:30 pm**

Arthur hauls on the string of the window blind, to let in more light, and blesses the 24hr. day of the Antarctic Summer.

Posted: **Tue Oct 16, 2012 12:47 am**

Evans ends his wool-gathering with a shake of his head, putting those thoughts away for later. But they do deserve some consideration, he tells himself as he heads back down the stairs, humming some bars of Vivaldi's Spring. Just have to take your time, Carl. It wouldn't do to rush things when you're all stuck in this tin can.

At the bottom of the stairs Evans stops, seeing Bailey . "I don't suppose McMurdo had any idea how long the storm might last?" he asks the radioman.

Posted: **Tue Oct 16, 2012 2:19 am**

"They didn't say," says Robert. "They did mention that they'd like the body of Childs, which they were expecting to receive. They were a bit put out that they never got it. They'll be sending someone to retrieve it as soon as the storm passes, so you should make it ready for transport. In the meantime, we're all to hunker down indoors and wait it out. We'll need to do a headcount as people enter and make sure nobody gets left outside. Do you know if we have a spare generator? Might be easier to hook it up if we do than to fix this one." He scratches his head. "You examined Childs, right, Doc? How did he die, anyway?"

Posted: **Tue Oct 16, 2012 6:09 am**

A frown crosses the doctor's face. "What does that mean, 'they never got it?' They must have. You helped me with the body bags, Robert--there were two, and I certainly didn't have them loaded down with snow. Obviously there's some problem on their end."

Posted: **Wed Oct 17, 2012 5:20 am**

"That's just it," says Robert. "There were two body bags, but I bet you didn't open them up. Neither one of them was Childs. They got some other body instead, and they're a mite pissed about it."

Posted: **Thu Oct 18, 2012 1:49 am**

IN THE LAB...

George notes the arrival of the transport plane but he is more in a panic to salvage any remaining samples of the bacteria strain. He quickly obtains some rubber bulbed lab droppers...

..and tries to extract some from the puddles by the heat lamp or table....or even from the floor. Anyone witnessing his actions would assume the man's life depended on it...

Posted: **Thu Oct 18, 2012 6:05 am**

"They're pissed?" Evans asks, red creeping into his face. "I'm the one who looks like a right buffoon! I did the autopsies on Childs and MacReady, I tagged the corpses, I bagged them, tagged the body bags, and attached all the proper paperwork. I double- and triple-checked that every I was dotted and every T was crossed. And then someone decided to play a little prank--" The doctor cuts himself off, with obvious effort, with closed eyes and deep breaths. Steady, man. Steady.

After a moment his eyes open again. "So if Childs wasn't in the bag, who was?" he asks Robert. Some of the anger has bled off, and confusion has crept into its place. "They were the only corpses we recovered and God knows I don't keep any on hand in the supply cabinet."

Posted: **Fri Oct 19, 2012 2:53 am**

Robert sighs. I know what McMurdo said, he thinks, but I have to trust someone, and the Doc is all right. "That's the crazy part," he says with his voice lowered. "McMurdo claims that the body they received instead of Childs was that of Walther Naumann. You know, the bloke who's roaming around outside right now. Maybe that was him heading for the chopper. If he's not really who we thought he is, that could be bad. If he messes with it...Look, we better be real careful about repeating this to anyone else. McMurdo said it might not be a good idea to tell anyone else. They also said to make sure that only people we know enter the station."

Posted: **Fri Oct 19, 2012 5:15 am**

"Walter?" Evans' face goes pale and he sputters for a moment before placing a hand on the stair railing. "We... I have to tell Xavier. Will you... watch the airlock?" He takes a step up the staircase, pauses, and asks, "Are you armed?"

Posted: **Sat Oct 20, 2012 5:28 am**

"Not hardly," says Robert. "I've never even used a gun before, but I'd feel much better if I had one. Something like a shotgun would be best for me. Plenty of stopping power, and even I might hit the broad side of a barn with one. In the meantime, I'll watch the airlock."

Posted: **Sat Oct 20, 2012 8:55 pm**

Arthur pokes his head out of the kitchen, accompanied by a delicious waft of something tasty.

"Nearly done. When is everyone due back?" He looks from Bailey to Evans. "Did someone just mention a 'shotgun'?"

Posted: **Sun Oct 21, 2012 6:45 am**

Evans' eyes slide from Bailey to Arthur and back again. "No," he says, clearly lying. "I'll be... I'll be right back." He heads up the stairs, stops outside of Xavier's room--then pauses. After a moment's thought he keeps going, to the clinic, and heads inside. From a storage locker he takes out a lab coat; he puts it on and buttons it before moving to where he keeps his instruments. From the tray he picks up a scalpel--the very one he used on Childs' autopsy, come to think of it--and after a brief examination he slips it oh-so-carefully into the front pocket of the lab coat.

Surely McMurdo was just having a laugh--or more likely it was Robert, wanting to have some fun at the stuffy old doctor's expense; that was certainly it. This was just someone's idea of a joke, but Evans certainly didn't find it very amusing. Still... joke or not... better not to take any chances. Being out on the ice for too long could make people go crazy--just look at Station 31. If someone were to snap and make him a target, Evans wanted to be prepared.

Feeling safer and with his fear already starting to bleed away, Evans creeps back down the hall to let Xavier know about the rather unfunny goings-on. He gives three sharp raps on the door and waits to be addressed.

Posted: **Mon Oct 22, 2012 3:21 am**

"I broadcast the message to tell everyone to get inside," says Robert. "Just waiting for them to come back now - if they have enough sense to come in, that is."

Posted: **Mon Oct 22, 2012 1:37 pm**

"Okay. The food will be ready in ten minutes, for those who wanna eat now . . . but it'll keep, so dinner can be served whenever."

Posted: **Tue Oct 23, 2012 2:23 am**

"Thanks," says Robert. "I'll let them know when they return."

Posted: **Sat Oct 27, 2012 6:44 pm**

When Robert gets halfway through the air lock, Janet and Harrison come through the entry door followed by Naumann. The trio starts to pull off their Antarctic gear and Walther says, "What´s the hurry Robbie? I was working up a sweat over behind the garage when I heard your sweet voice..."

The second floor-
Evans listens as he waits for Xavier to open the door. He hears a knock as the station chief rolls down on to the floor. Xavier grunts and scrapes at the door. He fumbles with the doorknob. The door swings inside. Xavier looks ash grey and half asleep. "What is it?" He sounds anything but interested in an answer. Before Evans can explain, Xavier cramps and folds his chest against his thighs. "Arghh!" . He manages to support himself against the door frame.

The laboratory-
Scooping up the droplets of water in the created vacuum of the tube, George curses inside. If this batch is botched he does know where to get another one. He has marked the sample location on the map, so that won´t be a problem. No need to tell anyone that, though.

Eric stands in the doorway of the lab and watches the desperate professor collect the melted sample. Very much like Eric´s father when he had spilled some Whiskey. The singing chef catches his attention and Eric wonders how come all these odd balls come to gather in this remote location... From his position he sees a group of three walking over the runway lights towards the main building. They have red parkas and move hurriedly. What had Bailey said? Weapons? Not letting anyone in? Who are those guys?
He hears a thud in the ceiling from Xavier´s room.

In the kitchen, Arthur starts to add the number of plates he has to set. From his vantage point he counts three arrivals from the C-130. George, Eric, Rob, Evans, Janet - gorgeous Janet, Dwayne, Johnny, not Xavier - he won´t be down for grub, not in a million years. He knows a bad case of stomach pain when he see one. And this one he´s not responsible for!
That brings the count to twelve. No problem seating all between the two tables. He needs something to add to the meal. What goes with this? Something fast and easy...

Then, the generator start to hum again, and the proper lighting is back on.

Happy days!

Posted: **Sat Oct 27, 2012 8:54 pm**

"McMurdo called and let us know that we've got a storm incoming," says Robert to Walther, trying unsuccessfully to size him up. "Their instructions were for everyone to get inside and stay inside for the duration. Arthur said dinner will be ready in ten minutes. What were you doing out there, anyway?"

Posted: **Sun Oct 28, 2012 6:15 am**

Evans leans in close to Xavier, a conspiratorial air about him, but before he gets a word out the chief is doubled over. "Xavier? What is it?"

Posted: **Sun Oct 28, 2012 7:46 am**

Eric goes over to Bailey and says in a low voice, "I thought we were the only ones coming in today." He nods towards where he saw the three in red parkas coming towards the building. "There's three people out there."

Posted: **Sun Oct 28, 2012 11:50 am**

"Clearing the pathways, as usual. No one else does it. Right?" He gives Robert a wink. As far as Bailey can tell, there´s nothing off with either of the three entering the station. The four in the airlock are joined by Eric. At that a call comes in over the radio: "Station 10, come in Station 10, this is Johnny over."

On the second floor-
Xavier breathes shallowly and fast. "I...I...." He looks at his chest and places his palm flat on. He falls on his back and gasps for air. When that fails, despair is written all over his face as his eyes try to focus on Evans. "Gaa!"

Airlock-
As the flood lights outside have brought the station to full daylight mode, shadows dance outside as the three crew members from the C-130 round the corner of the main building. The five staff members about the airlock hear the rustle from upstairs.

In the lab, George methodically stores his salvaged sample in a freeze container and locks it up for later analysis. Dinner is ready...

Posted: **Sun Oct 28, 2012 11:36 pm**

"Hang on, I have to take that," says Robert, slipping back into the radio room. He answers the call. "Robert Bailey at Station 10 here. I read you, Johnny. What's up? Over."

Posted: **Tue Oct 30, 2012 3:46 am**

"Good God, Xavier," Evans says. He takes one of the Chief's hands in his, fingers on the wrist, feeling for the pulse--is there arrhythmia? The clammy sweat was apparent, he didn't have to check for that. The doctor wracks his brain to figure out a diagnosis.

Posted: **Tue Oct 30, 2012 11:22 am**

Arthur opens a pack of part-baked rolls--brown and white, places them on a tray, and shoves it in the oven at a low temperature.

Posted: **Wed Oct 31, 2012 8:38 am**

IN THE LAB...

George locks up the container and composes himself. He glances about and is sure no one saw him in his excited state. He takes a deep breath and quickly returns the area back to its natural state, shutting off the heat lamp and putting away whatever implements were left out. Once finished, he exits the lab into the lounge area.

Upon entering the lounge, George catches the aroma of dinner...

Smells delicious. Arthur does it again... The cook was one of the few who George respected. A pity he did not apply himself to a more worthy vocation but in this one, he did admittingly excel. As he enters the dining area, George can see activity occurring down the corridor to the airlock...

Posted: **Wed Oct 31, 2012 9:04 pm**

From the radio, on speaker comes the reply: "Thank God." The usually cocky pilot sounds worried and stressed. "Look Robert, there's an unknown man wandering around out here with a sniper rifle. Janet saw him but I wasn't sure at first. But he's broken into the helicopter and stolen the rifle from its locker. Is everyone else back at the station?"

Inadvertently Arthur starts to second guess the number of rolls he just put in the oven...

Johnny has been outside for three minutes.

On the second floor-
Judging by the state of Xavier, he most certainly has a cardiac arrest. There´s no sign of a heart failure or fluctuating heart rhythm. He did show all signs of acute myocardial infarction before he went down. At the spot assessment gives Evans the fatal conclusion that his boss is utterly dead. Clinically dead, that is. At this, Evans reflects coldly, Xavier will still be conscious for another fifteen seconds before the brain starts to shut down. Then there´s the resuscitation recommendation limit of three minutes. Calculating the odds of getting his boss back to life Evans by default prepares for cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
There´s five meters to the emergency locker. About the same distance to the defibrillator in the clinic ward.

Down in the airlock Walther pass Janet and Harrison and nods at George when walking over to the kitchen. "Any new finds, G?"

Posted: **Thu Nov 01, 2012 4:25 am**

"Bloody hell!" says Robert. "Janet, Harrison, and Walther just came back inside, but I can't see how they could have slipped a rifle past us without someone noticing. Eric also spotted three people in red parkas outside. I'm not sure how they got here. McMurdo is planning to send a team, but they couldn't have gotten here already. I'm not sure if anyone else didn't come back yet besides you. Can you get back inside safely?"

Posted: **Thu Nov 01, 2012 8:14 am**

Down in the airlock Walther passes Janet and Harrison and nods at George when walking over to the kitchen. "Any new finds, G?"

"Nothing yet but we may have to make another trip..." George attempts to make eye contact with Walther, hoping to convey his meaning but feels he has failed. He does not trust the man but knows he has his uses....

Posted: **Fri Nov 02, 2012 10:44 pm**

Over the radio-
"Robert, it wasn't any of our lot. It's someone else, and I don't know how the hell they got here. Over the ice from somewhere? I'm worried about the helicopter- sabotage would be a disaster."

Posted: **Sat Nov 03, 2012 5:23 am**

"I need a hand up here!" Evans shouted as he turned for the emergency locker. There was a defibrillator there--he liked the clinic model better but didn't want to be out of Xavier's sight. He dashes down the hallway and tears the locker open, looking for the machine.

Posted: **Sun Nov 04, 2012 12:51 pm**

Arthur is wandering round the dining room, refilling the cutlery container, placing a jug of water on the table.

"I need a hand up here!"

"Huh? Coming!"

Arthur runs upstairs. Shit, those rolls are going to burn.

Posted: **Wed Nov 07, 2012 3:12 am**

"I was worried about the chopper too," replies Robert. "We saw someone heading for it earlier, and they might have messed with it already. I don't know what we can do about it other than inspect it carefully before trying to lift off in it, but if there's a sniper out there..."

Posted: **Wed Nov 07, 2012 8:54 am**

Evans pulls the defibrillator from the supply closet and cradles it close as he makes his way back to where Xavier is lying. "Get his shirt open," he tells Arthur, hoping the man isn't the type to freeze in a crisis. He drops to his knees and flicks the defibrillator on. Precious seconds pass as it charges.

Posted: **Wed Nov 07, 2012 4:18 pm**

Arthur rips open Xavier's shirt as instructed, a button pops off and bounces upon the floor. He thinks: I pity the poor unfortunate lass that did this last!

"Evans, what's going on, has the man had a heart attack?"

Posted: **Thu Nov 08, 2012 8:25 am**

"Acute infarction, yes," Evans says, smearing conductive gel on the shock pads. "If we can't revive him we'll be sending another bag to McMurdo. Get clear!" There's a 'splsh' sound as the doctor presses the pads to Xavier's chest, and he triggers the voltage.

Posted: **Thu Nov 08, 2012 11:32 am**

"'Acute infa--'?"

Arthur stands clear. "Is he gonna make it?"

Posted: **Thu Nov 22, 2012 8:57 am**

"Nothing yet but we may have to make another trip..." George attempts to make eye contact with Walther, hoping to convey his meaning but feels he has failed. He does not trust the man but knows he has his uses....

The man passes George without any sort of acknowledgement.

Ass..! George thinks to himself. He needed the man but did not care much for his character or the way he operated. He chose to carry on, searching for supper even though the station seemed to be in a state of anxious upheaval. He could smell something good....but could he detect something burning....

Posted: **Sat Nov 24, 2012 6:44 pm**

Upstairs-
In the corridor upstairs Arthur backs away from the emergency treatment. Putting the paddles on Xavier, Evans presses the embedded buttons. The body of the station manager heaves and slumps down.
Seemingly ineffective, the pedals whine as they recharge.

Evans studies the dead chief and waits for some reaction. Effects can be delayed, he knows.
What then happens, is beyond reason.
Before his eyes, Evans sees a wriggling motion under the skin of Xavier´s chest.
Not unlike skin worms, he manages to think before the chest rips open in three locations!
Small gaping holes of red and white, blood and ribs.

Arthur and Evans, SAN checks, please. (0/1d3 For seeing the poor Xavier die. The hardened doctor for seeing what he never seen before. Fascinating.)

Airlock, Robert, Harrison, Janet,
Harrison finds Janet´s hand in his, will she let him. Otherwise he will lean towards the airlock door while asking her. "Are we fine?" Robert looks out one of the front windows and sees the three visitors walk up the metal stairs.
The door is still unlocked.
Three red parkas, the first one is a woman. USAF insignia on the hood.

In the kitchen, Walther sees smoke coming from the oven as the rolls are acquiring a coal-like coating. Smoke escapes from a vent on top of the stove. He reaches for the lid and pulls it open.
"One more go, G?"
He looks for a towel or something to grab the rolls with. "You forget something at the site?"
Eric looks left and right at the commotion in the station.
"We have had no warning of any visitors..." Robert replies to Eric after responding to Johnny over the coms.

Posted: **Sat Nov 24, 2012 8:35 pm**

"All right, be careful," says Robert. He takes a look at his watch to note the time before signing off and exiting the radio room.

Posted: **Tue Nov 27, 2012 10:05 am**

[ooc: [dice]0[/dice] (Arthur's sanity is 75%)]

He leaps backwards, away from Evans and Xavier, and falls against the door jamb of Harrison's room. "No, no, NO!" An image of barbecued ribs flits through his mind, Arthur gags: he feels like he's about to be sick.

Posted: **Sun Dec 02, 2012 3:50 pm**

The time is 16:59.

From the airlock, Robert, Janet and Harrison see the three newcomers reach the landing outside. One of the men turns around and looks out from the landing at the white snowing vista. The woman reaches for the handle on the door.

In the kitchen, Walther gets the oven tray out, using an apron to shield off the heat when he grips it, of the oven and places it on the stove. The rolls are charred and give off some smoke. George and Eric get past the logistics manager and starts getting out the rest of the things needed for the meal. That´s the least they can do while Arthur is upstairs.

Having trouble keeping the breakfast down, Arthur watches the wriggling feelers erupt from Xavier´s chest and lunge out at Evans´ face. [We hold here to let MadJaymilton reply to the previous post...]

Posted: **Sun Dec 09, 2012 6:15 pm**

On the second floor -
Evans keeps his posture at some strange green tentacles lunge at him. Vines of some sort?
Pedals in hand, he flicks the power on again and fire them off. But not before yelling "Clear!!"

Nothing happens, though... And the tentacles fly at his throat.
Mesmerized at the non-functioning device, he manages to think.

"I...I... didn´t wait long enough between charges...."

The tentacles rip his throat and entangle him. (-1
Instinctively he drops the pedals and grabs at the tentacles trying to pry them off.

At this, Arthur is getting queasier by the second.

[Another SAN check please! 1d3/1d6
Getting a loss of five or more will have
some effect on the chef. Less will let
him act freely.]

All the while, Arthur watches, aghast.

In the kitchen / Air lock
All on deck can hear the yell from upstairs. "Clear!!!" Followed by a gagging sound. Evidently doctor Evans is performing some life saving procedure upstairs. The momentary pause of everything at this is interrupted by a gun shot from outside and the subsequent rip of a round hitting the wall of Station 10 "Thump!".

Hearing the yell, Dwayne lets go of Janet´s hand and rushes up the stairs.
"What the fuck?" Walther swears and mutters. "The shotgun! I´ll get it... Where´s Johnny at?" He leaves the rolls and the setting of the table, passing both George and Eric as he mentions the shotgun.

Janet, Robert, Eric, George: actions please.

Posted: **Sun Dec 09, 2012 6:37 pm**

[BTW, is anyone locking the front door? Or do you let it remain unlocked?]

Posted: **Mon Dec 10, 2012 12:45 am**

"Johnny's still out there," says Robert. "Right before I got off the radio, he said he was going to make a run for the outpost. We can't lock the door yet, or he'll be trapped outside." He positions himself close to the airlock so that he can seal it once Johnny enters.

Posted: **Mon Dec 10, 2012 9:06 am**

[ooc: [dice]0[/dice] (Arthur's sanity is 75%)]

The tentacles rip at Evan's throat; Arthur be-fouls his front with his own vomit; his mind keeps flashing with obscure thoughts at this horrific time, like: thank God I'm wearing my apron, and: is the defibrillator charged and ready to "fire" a shock at the "thing."

Posted: **Tue Dec 11, 2012 9:48 pm**

Second floor -
Evans gets propped up against the face of the open door. His limp arms have dropped the defibrillator pads. To work them properly, one should charge the power for three seconds, then fire. Except for the defibrillator on the floor, there is one in the clinic ward too. Five meters away in a glass cabinet.
Harrison comes running up the stairs. Arthur sees him come bouncing into the wall with the last few steps left before reaching the second floor. "What´s happening?"

OOC (Tabs):

Spoiler:

Posted: **Wed Dec 12, 2012 10:03 am**

[Sanity loss [dice]0[/dice]]

Arthur splutters, choking on his own vomit; orange bubbles form at the sides of his mouth. "Gnrrr, Ev--, Evans is down." Arthur scrambles away on all fours down the hall, towards the clinic.

Posted: **Wed Dec 12, 2012 11:17 am**

Janet reciprocates by grasping his hand and turns to regard the three coming up to the door.

Posted: **Sun Dec 16, 2012 2:57 pm**

The front door is pulled open by a gloved hand and two figures in red parkas stumble to get inside. Johnny is nowhere to be seen. Also, there´s quite a bit of snowfall outside. . Two shots are thundering like rapid thunder Patches on the front of the parkas identify the two as Nichols and Sondra. There´s no bullets hitting the station this time...

Nichols and Sondra get inside and pulls the door closed behind them. "What´s happening here?" Sondra stares at the two in the air lock. Both she and Nichols have taken a stance as to ward off any attacks.

Janet and Robert are in the air lock. Naumann arrives from the kitchen, not giving the two new arrivals a glance, only pushes on up the stairs after Harrison.

In the kitchen, Eric and George hear Harrison scream from upstairs. "Holy motherfucker! What the shit is that?! Running steps are heard above them in the kitchen. They two hear the shooting outside.

In the air lock the scream is carried even louder. That and the sound of someone throwing up. Followed by a lashing of a whip. Ripping at a door or a wall panel.
Everything is not calm and quiet at Station 10.

Upstairs-
Harrison sees Xavier and Evans in the bizarre embrace. Not knowing what to expect, he blanks the image out and runs towards the open emergency locker at the other end of the corridor. He just barely notices Arthur covered in vomit fiddling with a cabinet door in the clinic.
As Dwayne runs past the entangled two. Is that grape vines? One of the vines around Xavier´s throat rips loose and flays out after Dwayne´s feet. A turn of bad luck catches the slow leg of Dwayne Harrison and he falls flat on his face when the foot is caught in the vine. More vines flutter and sprawl from the chest cavity of what once was the station manager. As Dwayne stares in disbelief on the moving vine constricting his heavy work clothes he sees Evans´ chest shatter in a spray of blood as more feelers eject at his prone position. "NOOOOO!" In his mind Dwayne is back in the helicopter reading Withering Heights. He never got out of the ride.

Arthur gets the second defibrillator out of the cabinet and rounds the corner of the corridor when Dwayne is caught. Now, two entities of vines growing out of chest cavities wriggle and writhe in Xavier´s doorway.

Running steps coming up the stairs. "Abandon station! Sound the alarm, Bailey!", Naumann screams as he stops at the end of the stairs. Looking between the mess in the corridor and the messy chef. He gestures to Arthur to follow him back down the stairs.

Posted: **Sun Dec 16, 2012 7:32 pm**

"I was hoping you two could tell me," says Robert to the new arrivals. "Where's Johnny? Did you see who was shooting out there?"

Posted: **Sun Dec 16, 2012 7:39 pm**

OOC:

Spoiler:

Posted: **Sun Dec 16, 2012 9:41 pm**

"Dammit, how does he expect us to be able to evacuate when there's a sniper out there?!" says Robert, sighing. "Wait here, I'll go sound the alarm." He heads back into the station and towards his radio room.

Posted: **Sun Dec 16, 2012 10:03 pm**

Arthur charges the defibrillator pads. "This is insane, INSANE!" He doesn't know what to do, will the pads be effective against the vines?

"Abandon station! Sound the alarm, Bailey!", Naumann screams as he stops at the end of the stairs. Looking between the mess in the corridor and the messy chef. He gestures to Arthur to follow him back down the stairs.

Arthur drops the pads. "Fuck that! I ain't playing soldier." He sprints, hops, leaps towards Naumann.

Posted: **Sun Dec 16, 2012 10:25 pm**

Outside, only the wind whistles.
Through the windows, a few feet of visibility, not more.

"Fredricks is out there!" gasps Sondra. "We were just going down to wait out the storm... He might be wounded. Help him!"

Naumann and Arthur come down the stairs. "Lock and barricade this door!" Naumann says when ushering Arthur down the stairs.

Posted: **Mon Dec 17, 2012 3:53 am**

"What is even going on?" asked Janet, utterly at a loss.

Posted: **Mon Dec 17, 2012 6:01 am**

"We can't!" protests Robert as he runs past. "Johnny and one of their people would be trapped out there with a sniper!"

Posted: **Mon Dec 17, 2012 3:44 pm**

Arthur crashes into the wall at the bottom of the stairs, he is dizzy from shock, covered in vomit, pupils are dilated, in short: he's a mess. "Up there, st--st--" stutters Arthur, he's addressing Janet and Robert"--horrible, horrible. Do what Naumann says."

[ooc: I'm guessing Naumann means the internal door for the stairwell, not the external door?]

Posted: **Mon Dec 17, 2012 6:31 pm**

Walther surly says, "Barat, Evans and...Dwayne... are gone." He latches the door leading to the stairs and adds "What happened at Outpost 31 is happening here. I know it. This is why they burned the station down. Arthur, set the kitchen on fire! We need to roast some bad bastards. Rob, you´re the only one left of the three who flew there and brought the bodies. What do you think? Did they find something in the ice that attacked them? What I saw up there was no joke. It was like something from a horror movie." Something crashes down the stairs and bangs against the door. It sounds as a fish sprawling and flapping out of water. Then a loud bang sounds as something huge is launched at the door.

"What are you having in there?"
Nichols backs away from the door and fumbles to open the front door. The sniper suddenly feels like the lesser evil.

Robert Bailey:

Spoiler:

Posted: **Tue Dec 18, 2012 3:40 am**

"Yeah. they did torch the research station," says Robert, "but it wasn't clear why. I'd thought they all got paranoid and killed each other at the time, but they could have been attacked. Something's up there, that's for sure. There's a trapdoor in the lab. If we could get out through that, the sniper out there wouldn't see us."

Posted: **Tue Dec 18, 2012 3:45 am**

"How do we get into the lab?" asked Janet, so frightened now that she's struggling to picture the lay out of this place. None of this made any sense. What thing...? She wanted to demand answers to her questions but instinctively knew they didn't have the time to give her a better picture.

Posted: **Tue Dec 18, 2012 10:16 am**

Arthur, set the kitchen on fire! We need to roast some bad bastards.

"Yeah! Let's burn 'em." A disorientated Arthur, stumbling and knocking against the walls, moves to the kitchen.

Posted: **Tue Dec 18, 2012 6:08 pm**

"I think Fredricks saw someone approaching the station and went to check him out." Nichols replies to Robert. "Is that Johnny who is shooting out there?"

(The lab is in the top right corner. Airlock in the lower left.)

Eric and George watch as Arthur stumbles into the kitchen all wild eyed.
From behind the shut door upstairs comes a scream from Dwayne. "HEEELP! Get me out of here!" Followed by running steps leading east.

OOC: Recap

Xavier, Evans and Bailey went to Outpost 31 and retrieved the dead bodies of Childs and MacReady. (Two weeks ago)
Outpost 31 had been torched and abandoned.
The bodies were autopsied and kept at Station 10 before getting sent to McMurdo base. (When the four on vacation arrived)
Arthur went missing for an hour. (Six hours ago)
Naumann went out to look for Arthur.
Johnny went out to look for Arthur and Naumann.
Johnny and Arthur got back inside.
Arthur claimed he slipped and hit his head.
Johnny found evidence of someone had been around the container...
Xavier felt ill.
He went upstairs and left the lead to Evans.
George Price claimed he had found something worthwhile mentioning in an ice sample.
They got a radio message from McMurdo. Robert took it and sent several messages back an forth.
During the last hours, activity have been seen by the helicopter and the runway.
Johnny sent a message from the helicopter. Someone had stolen the sniper rifle from the chopper.
Evans went up to check on Xavier.
Xavier had a seizure and Evans tried to revive him.
Arthur went upstairs to help out.
Something goes terribly wrong.
Harrison and Naumann go upstairs.
Only Arthur and Naumann come down again...

The power has been failing due to generator trouble.
A surprise landing by a C-130 happened ten minutes ago.
Two of the C-130 crew have entered the station.
One of the C-130 crew is still outside.
As is Johnny.
And one unknown individual.

The weapons stored on station 10 is on the second floor.
(Except two flame throwers in the mechanic shop.)
The door leading upstairs is locked. And under attack by one of the three
persons left on the other side. Apparently they have been suffering some
kind of epileptic seizure or something. They seem not to be the same as
before.

All this is prefaced by a an expedition by Hawken mercenaries and a medical institute
doing something dodgy close by, near a Norwegian station.

Notes: The second floor is reachable via skylights in the roof. They might be reached
by scaling the scaffolding on the outside of Station 10 or via the ice drill tower.

Other buildings are
The AIr traffic control tower where a spare generator is placed.
Garage semi dome - with a tractor/plow and a snow cat.
Mechanical shop semi dome - with own heating and a green house.
Storage semi dome - whatever you need to repair something on Station 10. (Naumann knows where things are located.)
Container food storage - no power source. Shares power from the main building.

C-130 could fit e everyone inside. No problem. Needs refueling.
Helicopter. Might be tampered with. Takes seven in all.

Layout with personal markers:

Posted: **Wed Dec 19, 2012 6:21 am**

"No, Johnny warned me about the sniper," says Robert. "He's in danger out there too. I'd better go give the evac order." He hurries to the radio room.

Posted: **Wed Dec 19, 2012 11:06 pm**

"Which one went mad? Quickly, that way we know which one to protect against," says Janet. "And whatever we plan on doing, we should do it quickly. Maybe there's some weapons or scalpels in the lab."

Posted: **Thu Dec 20, 2012 12:06 pm**

[ooc: I needed that recap, and I like the layout diagram.]

In the kitchen Arthur pulls the lid off of his Szechuan hotpot he'd prepared earlier, he chokes in disgust at the dry mass inside the giant casserole dish. "Bloody Hell!" He sets the timer on the oven to ten minutes, leaves the oven door open, and turns on the gas rings on the hob. He exits the kitchen, shuts the door, and bellows:

"THE STATION IS GONNA BLOW IN TEN!"

Posted: **Thu Dec 20, 2012 4:08 pm**

That one!

Posted: **Sat Dec 22, 2012 10:15 pm**

"What? What are you doing? Where will we go?" Janet curses. "All right, underground passage...." She heads for the laboratory.

Posted: **Mon Dec 08, 2014 6:56 pm**

Ten minutes and counting -

The door to the second floor budges a bit and it sounds as if a dozen trouts are thrashing at the door. From above the whaling of Dwayne continues. Eric and George follow the tail of Arthur bottle necking the air lock hallway. A scuffle starts as everyone wants to go in different directions. Arthur is heading out the main door. Janet tries to squeeze through to the lab area.

Spoiler:

Posted: **Mon Dec 08, 2014 10:32 pm**

Posted: **Mon Dec 08, 2014 10:55 pm**

Spoiler:

Posted: **Mon Dec 08, 2014 11:10 pm**

Robert quickly transmits the evac order, not wanting to waste a second.

Posted: **Tue Dec 09, 2014 7:19 pm**

"Evacuate station! I repeat evacuate station! This is Robert Bailey, abandon station!", comes from the radio. The protocol for hazard situations is to get to the surrounding buildings and await rescue. A beacon message automatically sent to McMurdo base.

Posted: **Tue Dec 09, 2014 8:43 pm**

With the message sent, Robert runs back out of the radio room to rejoin the others and head for the trapdoor in the lab.

Posted: **Fri Dec 12, 2014 7:19 pm**

Arriving back at the airlock space, Robert finds the others scattering in all directions. Only Walther seems a bit unfocused, He´s staring after Janet as she moves towards the lab area. Arthur pushes the main door open. Sondra and Nichols decide to oblige to the evacuation message and trail after Arthur. George and Eric head for the lab as well.

From the stairs behind the locked door to the upstairs you hear Dwayne call, "Open the door for god´s sake. I need to get out as well!"

Posted: **Sat Dec 13, 2014 5:46 am**

"Not that way, there's a bloody sniper outside!" calls Robert. "There's a trapdoor in the lab! That way, everyone!" He hurries to the door at the stairs to let Dwayne out.

Posted: **Fri Dec 26, 2014 6:56 pm**

Walther follows after Janet, “Janet wait up, are we after the lab to save the specimens or for this supposed trap door, God knows why there would be a sniper in the middle of the Antarctic.” Walther is a little confused at the moment due to the rush of activity and even though he knows where most things after in the supply room, the base specially the labs are more of a mystery, plus Janet seems to know where she is going compared to Arthur, the overgrown slug.

Robert opens the door to the second floor when Sondra, Arthur and Nichols pour out the main door. Only Nichols stays in the doorway, hesitating.

From the opened, dented second floor door, Dwayne falls out, all blooded and hair in disarray, wild eyed and frantically sprawling with his arms. "They´re gone, man!" He sees the open main door and the USAF officer. "Help us! KILL IT!!!"

Janet takes the few steps to the lab and starts to lit the trap door in the center of the floor. Snow blows in through the opening as she lifts the door. At Dwayne´s screaming, she comments. "Now, what´s it about? Germs?" She dons a protective mask from one of the counters and hands out two remaining for the others to put on. The issue is the one used for hazardous protection on the lab. Eric quickly accepts one of them.

Posted: **Sat Dec 27, 2014 2:50 am**

"Not the front door, it's too dangerous!" calls Robert after the people fleeing that way. "Follow me, there's another way out!" He rushes to the lab.

Play@YSDC

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