Act VIII 'All aboard the skylark'

[Papa Gateau]

OOC:   I'm assuming we were aiming to push the barrels/crates onto the thugs Initiative[6]: [dice]0[/dice]

[Tabs]

Klevendon inspects the machine, looking for an on/off switch. Can he guess what the machine is?

[carnage_lee]

OOC:   Nellie initiative 5 [dice]0[/dice] Horatio initiative 7 [dice]1[/dice] Yes, push them onto the thugs and follow up pistols at the ready ....

[Priest]

OOC:   Initiative order. Wellington - 4 Roxborough - 3 Nellie - 3 Thugs - 2 Obviously you have suprise the first round as you push the barrels onto the card players, so I will give them some damage.

With a roar the three of you together send the heavy barrels crahing onto the unaware card players. For a few moments there is pandemonium as the card players scream with pain and suprise. To add insult to injury one of the barrels had been half filled with cheap molasses and the sticky black contents spill over the players as well.

Cover now gone, the shocked card players, well two of them that are still aware, are confronted by three gun waving persons...

OOC:   Wellington is up first, you have an advantage sir.

*****************

Meanwhile Klevendon carefully squeezes his way into the wharehouse. The machine he is confronted by looks like some kind of regulating device connected to the mains electricity, it looks as though it either reduces or boosts the power. There are several swithches above a large needle that is indicating the contents of the machine, it flickers somewhere between 'E' and 'F'.
One of the switches has a small indicator bulb that is currently showing green, besides this is another with a red bulb that seems flat. The strange machine makes a strange humming sound, a sound that is abruptly overshadowed by a horrendous crashing sound from somewhere further up the docks...

[carnage_lee]

Horatio Wellington

Pistol levelled at the closest thug Wellington cocks the hammer back, the flat metallic clicks as the cylinder turns sound cuts across the protestations of the men as they flounder about, mouths agape. "Hands in the air..." Wellington says coldly, eyes flat and menacing.

[Priest]

The suddeness and manner of your arrival combined with the sight of a rather large pistol, cocked and ready, as well as being flanked by two other pistol armed companions, one of whom is rather large, Has a demoralising effect on the two conscious thugs. At the icy command they immediately throw their hands skyward, You can see that one's coat sleeve has slipped down sligtly revealing a device for holding cards.
"Ddddont shoot Mister we gives up"
His companion nods vigorously in agreement, but scowls as he sees what has been revealed on his associates wrist, "Cheater" he growls.

[carnage_lee]

Horatio Wellington

"A wise choice..." Wellington says with a wry smile, Lord Roxborough will you do the honours and relieve these gentlemen of any weapons that they might happen to have about their person?" he asks, covering the two men with his pistol.

"Miss Bly, would you find out where Mr Klevendon has got to, whilst we secure our prisoners?"

[carnage_lee]

Nellie Bly

"Yes, of course... "

Leaving the two men to secure the men that were guarding the gang-plank Nellie moves back along the dock-side, trying to see where Klevendon has gone.

[Papa Gateau]

Right gentleman, let's be sensible about this shall we? This pistol in my hand and I go back a long ways - I dropped a charging rhino with it at 5 paces, I'm sure you can appreciate what it might do to you from this range.

If you have any weapons about your persons, slowly take them out by your thumb and forefinger and throw them over toward the river. When you have done so, kneel down and keep your arms pointing to the sky.

Any of you so much as twitch and I shall have your heads mounted and displayed in my withdrawing room.
he glares at the card cheat and as for you, I hold cheats in the lowest of regard, I may just shoot you to rid the world of you.

He slowly walks behind the men so that they can longer see his face and grins and winks at Nellie and Wellington

[Tabs]

Klevendon flicks the switch with the green light.

[Priest]

Klevendon flicks the switch with the green light.

And slowly the green light fades and is replaced by a brightening of the red one. However the humming sound continues.

*******************

The two villains whitefaced their eyes rolling fearfully in reply to Roxborough's threat, produce and throw one long bladed knife, of the sort much favoured by seamen and fishermen, and a leather cased 'sap', which hits the ground with an audible thump, towards the dockside. Kneeling with shaking hands reaching skyward once more,
"That's it mister"
Something in the timbre of the voice leads you to believe that you are hearing the truth

*******************

Nellie, still carrying the pistol, makes her way back to where they had parted company with Klevendon. For a moment she glances around wondering where he had gone, then he gaze notes the slightly open door of the wharehouse...

[Tabs]

"Hmmmm," thinks Klevendon. He wanders over to the socket to pull the plug.

[carnage_lee]

Nellie Bly

Nellie looks around, seeing no sign of Klevendon on the dock she heads towards the warehouse with the open doorway. She stops before entering.. "Mr. Klevendon.... Arthur... are you in here?" she calls out.

[Priest]

"Hmmmm," thinks Klevendon. He wanders over to the socket to pull the plug.

Even with the plug pulled from the socket the machine continues its low hum, which tells you the the device has some purpose independent of mains electricity. The closest thing you can place it to is one of the new fangled batteries that are starting to appear. However if this machine is indeed some form of battery storage device, it is on a scale far beyond anthing you've imagined.
As you stand disconnected plug in hand deep in thought you hear a familiar voice from without,

Previously Nellie said:   "Mr. Klevendon.... Arthur... are you in here?"

[Tabs]

"Over here, my dear," calls Klevendon, looking puzzled, the cable and plug hanging limply from his hand.

[carnage_lee]

Horatio Wellington

Hearing the sincere note in the thugs voice Wellington frowns and fixes the man that spoke with his most intimidating and disdainful stare.. "I do hope for your sake that you have not held anything back.. my friend here doesn't like people that are not truthful .. now hold still.. he looks on as Roxburgh finishes off restraining the men.

"Right... tell us who is on the ship..."

[carnage_lee]

Nellie Bly

Hearing Klevendon speak out Nellie moves into the ware house, "The coast in clear... Wellington and Roxborough have those men in hand.. ohh..." Nellie tails off seeing the machinery that Klevendon has been interfering with "... what's that..." she asks.

[Papa Gateau]

Roxborough expertly ties the thugs' hands behind their backs and then moves onto their unconscious fellows - patting them down and removing any weapons before binding their hands too.

[Priest]

Previously Wellington said:   "Right... tell us who is on the ship..."

"Nah I don' think we will" says one of the now securely tied thugs in a show of mistimed courage.

The other eyes the rather large Roxborough who is bent searching the unconsious figures for weapons, "Now lets not be 'asty" he takes a nervous gulp, "There just the boss dahn belows"
He ignores the dagger like stares of his compatriot,"In the 'old wiv the machine"

[Papa Gateau]

Seems like you are the brains of this motley crew Roxborough smiles at the man who spoke and just who would the boss be? he continues to work on the unconscious men, ripping strips of cloth from their shirts and stuffing them into their mouths as gags.