Play@YSDC

This can't be right. There haven't been any sleeping cars on British trains since the war began. They're a waste of space, really. Trains these days are so packed with troops that even families have a hard time getting onboard. Yet here is this sleeping car looking as flash as anything one might expect to see on the Orient Express. The wood panelling is beautiful, with light touches and detailing here and there. The pale green blinds are each down. The electric lamps in their delicate lamp shades gives the cramped aisle a cozy glow. The aisle is cramped enough passengers moving along it in opposite directions must flatten themselves against the windows that line the right or the doors and interior walls that line the left in order to pass. The compartment doors are marked with 10 compartment numbers. This place is so nice and even the brown-patterned carpet so nice that few would have stepped onto such a luxury train compartment before. The fold up seat at the other end of the aisle, where the conductor would sit, has a simple peaked hat sitting on top of the clipboard.

It's cold in here, though. Don't luxury trains have some sort of centralised heating these days?

Ilona steps into the car and smiles. "Oh! It looks like they swapped out the usual train car! It's still cold in here though. Should we look for someone and ask what the hold up is? "

"Yeah, let's get going. I think we should move towards the head of the train, we are bound to find someone sooner or later", Jonathan replies.

This can't be right. There haven't been any sleeping cars on British trains since the war began. They're a waste of space, really. Trains these days are so packed with troops that even families have a hard time getting onboard. Yet here is this sleeping car looking as flash as anything one might expect to see on the Orient Express. The wood panelling is beautiful, with light touches and detailing here and there. The pale green blinds are each down. The electric lamps in their delicate lamp shades gives the cramped aisle a cozy glow. The aisle is cramped enough passengers moving along it in opposite directions must flatten themselves against the windows that line the right or the doors and interior walls that line the left in order to pass. The compartment doors are marked with 10 compartment numbers. This place is so nice and even the brown-patterned carpet so nice that few would have stepped onto such a luxury train compartment before. The fold up seat at the other end of the aisle, where the conductor would sit, has a simple peaked hat sitting on top of the clipboard.

It's cold in here, though. Don't luxury trains have some sort of centralised heating these days?

Go backward to Unknown.
Go forward to Day Car.
Leave for the Platform.

As something smashes against the side of the car Charlie dashes in and slams the door behind him. The bolt cutters clang to the floor as he scrambles in search of a locking mechanism or possible barricade.

The train door can be bolted from the inside but the bolt looks puny in comparison. It's not hard to shoot it in place and listen past your heavy breathing to the sound of movement outside, the sliding of meaty hands against the wall of the carriage as though it sought entrance by touch alone. There might be a possible barricade in one of the compartments or perhaps he could just step inside the nearest one and hide. There's a slightly diagonal door to his side that likely leads into a WC. Other doors would take him into the compartments or another carriage. There doesn't appear to be any more serious barricades within reach or sight.

Charlie slides the bolt in and backs away from the door. Gasping shaky breaths, he listens to the sound of the beast outside as the adrenaline slowly leaves his system.

It continues to feel around the outside of the train. He can hear the snuffling of its breath outside. It seems to be listening as well, straining those ears to hear him perhaps. The train carriage is cosily lit, at least. It would be much worse to stand here in the dark.

Charlie calms his breathing and attempts to move quietly to the next car.

OOC:   Spend a point of Stealth [dice]0[/dice]

As he steps toward the door, he stumbles a little on his trembling feet and rattles the knob with his shaking hands. Finally managing to slide the door back to the connecting compartment, he hears the thing snuffle and slam its hands once, twice, against the door. So hard he fears the metal might dent. Charlie's alone. There's no sign of anyone else. Are people sleeping in the compartments? Where's the conductor? He steps through and into the Day Car, heart hammering in his chest.

Stability Roll,[dice]0[/dice]. Lose 1 point if it's a failure.

Kate steps aboard the car and takes a look around.

This can't be right. There haven't been any sleeping cars on British trains since the war began. They're a waste of space, really. Trains these days are so packed with troops that even families have a hard time getting onboard. Yet here is this sleeping car looking as flash as anything one might expect to see on the Orient Express. The wood panelling is beautiful, with light touches and detailing here and there. The pale green blinds are each down. The electric lamps in their delicate lamp shades gives the cramped aisle a cozy glow. The aisle is cramped enough passengers moving along it in opposite directions must flatten themselves against the windows that line the right or the doors and interior walls that line the left in order to pass. The compartment doors are marked with 10 compartment numbers. This place is so nice and even the brown-patterned carpet so nice that few would have stepped onto such a luxury train compartment before. The fold up seat at the other end of the aisle, where the conductor would sit, has a simple peaked hat sitting on top of the clipboard.

It's cold in here, though. Don't luxury trains have some sort of centralised heating these days?

You could enter any of the compartments or you could:
Go forward to Day Car.
Leave for the Platform.

Not wishing to get separated, Kate leans out of the door to the platform and beckons to Artemis to join her before proceeding.

OOC,Can I tell from which direction the scream came?

Artemis saw the waiving hand and moved quickly along the side of the car taking care with his steps and not using his walking stick. He stepped up into the car's boot and looked at Ms. Kate.

"Thick fog out there, didn't see you climb in, and I didn't see the Countess anywhere about."

"We have to hope she works up her courage and climbs down after us," says Kate. "First we need to find whoever was screaming. Let's check the other compartments before proceeding to the next car. Odd that this train has a sleeping car. There haven't been any since before the war."

"Oh really, they are still pretty common on most of the longer routes in the States," Artemis responded to Miss Kate and then started to look about to get a sense of which direction they should be heading. "I can lead if you point which direction I should be heading in, Miss Kate."

"Well, that's because the States aren't at war," says Kate with a grin. "Here, it's a luxury we can't afford. I've also noticed there's no heating, and there ought to be. It's as if this were an old train. Well, let's get moving. I suggest we check each of the compartments in turn, knocking on the door. If there's no answer, we try to open it and see if anyone's inside. If all of the compartments are either empty or locked, then we can proceed to the Day Car."

"Here I thought the reason was that England wasn't as large as the States," Artemis laughed. "That approach makes a lot of sense to me. Obviously, there is a threat to individuals as there was that scream. I suggest that knock, open with the my can readily available, unless you happened to find a pistol in that nightmare of a place."

"Oh, we used to use them, all right," says Kate. "It's quite a long way up to Scotland, even if our country isn't anywhere near as large as yours. I don't have a pistol, sorry. Mr. Durant had one, but he disappeared. Well, let's get knocking." She leads the way to the nearest compartment door and knocks on it when Artemis is ready.

Artemis took a position that allowed him to swing his walking stick at anything that might try to burst from the door in response to Miss Kate's knock. He nodded, she knocked, and then they waited for any response.