Track 9: Born to Be Wild

[jp1885]

OOC:   Ah nuts, got the girls mixed up! Post above duly amended.

[SunlessNick]

OOC:   Ah nuts, got the girls mixed up! Post above duly amended.

OOC:   Neither of them would be pleased to hear that!

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Spoiler:

You may assume that the novel is a highly fictionalized account of certain experiments performed by an ancestor of the current doctor.

Spoiler:

Now we climb down the side of the volcano. DEX rolls Liz 12, Zara 13, Tony 14[dice]0[/dice]

With some experience in volcano climbing under their belts, all three investigators make it down to the cultivated field safely.

There is nobody in sight, although there are many footprints everywhere in the soft ground, some barefoot, some showing signs of boots. There are a few very crude wooden tools left lying on the ground; pretty much just pointed sticks used for digging.

Spoiler:

WIS rolls. Liz 10, Zara 11 + 1 Perception = 12, Tony 11[dice]1[/dice]

There does not seem to be anything else interesting in the area.

[jp1885]

Squatting down on his haunches, Tony inspects the ground, tools and footprints. Are there signs of a struggle, are the tools broken or bloodstained, which direction do the prints seem to head?

[SunlessNick]

"When they talked about the 'law,' they always said 'Are we not men,'" Zara muses. "There have to be houses around somewhere. That doctor would want them to live like people."

[Mr. Handy]

"The boots are a good sign of someone trying to be human," says Liz. "Or perhaps strangers came to the island. Either way, we should follow the tracks made with boots."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Squatting down on his haunches, Tony inspects the ground, tools and footprints. Are there signs of a struggle, are the tools broken or bloodstained, which direction do the prints seem to head?

Spoiler:

[dice]0[/dice]

The tools seem to have been just dropped on the ground. They are not broken and bear no stains other than ordinary soil. The tracks are a little confused, covering each other in places, but there is no proof one way or the other as to whether there was a fight here.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"The boots are a good sign of someone trying to be human," says Liz. "Or perhaps strangers came to the island. Either way, we should follow the tracks made with boots."

Spoiler:

[dice]0[/dice]

Both sets of footprints, bare and shod, appear to head toward the south, beyond the place where they are mixed up together. Looking in that direction, one can see that they follow a rough trail located at the foot of the volcano, and soon disappear as the tilled soil yields to rock and heavy foliage.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"When they talked about the 'law,' they always said 'Are we not men,'" Zara muses. "There have to be houses around somewhere. That doctor would want them to live like people."

Spoiler:

[dice]0[/dice]

Noticing something shining in the tropical sunlight, Zara picks up a brass ammunition casing.

[SunlessNick]

"This doesn't look good," Zara says, showing the casing to the others. "He wouldn't have given them weapons. Someone else is here. Those guys who left with them, maybe?"

[jp1885]

"They certainly seemed a rough lot. I guess our only action is to press on, what?" Tony suggests.

[Mr. Handy]

"Indeed," says Liz. "Perhaps they fancy themselves hunters. Lota did say there was trouble."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Following the trail around the volcano, which is something of a rough climb up and down, the path frequently overgrown and requiring use of the machetes, the investigators eventually spot, at some distance below, a small cove. This would not be of any particular notice, were it not for the presence of a motorized boat; or rather small yacht, which could easily accommodate half a dozen passengers or more. Numerous coconut palms growing on the edge of the cove hang over the vessel, swaying in a light tropical breeze. (These trees explain why the boat was not spotted from the airship; and, most likely, why whoever is on the boat did not notice the nearly silent zeppelin approach and land.)

On the foredeck, a man holding a rifle sits in a folding aluminum chair. He is shirtless and barefoot, wearing only a pair of faded blue jeans. It is obvious, even from here, that he hasn't shaved for some days. He holds a rifle loosely in one hand. In the other is a beer bottle, from which he sips now and then. There are a few other such bottles scattered about the deck. He glances around between sips, sometimes mumbling or humming or whistling, without much musical skill.

[SunlessNick]

"Maybe we should have worn pants after all," Zara admits partway through the clambering.

Does the guy on the boat look hairy like the wolf-men, or just a grody but regular guy?

[jp1885]

"And hide away those delightful legs of yours?" chides Tony, a man, alas, of his time. "I wonder if the occupants of the boat chanced upon this island or came looking? We won't know until we ask I suppose. Let us go down and have a word with the fellow, hm?"

[Mr. Handy]

"To us Brits, pants mean knickers," says Liz, "and I am wearing those. What you call pants, we call trousers. All right, let's go talk to the chap, but we'll have to be careful. He doesn't have that rifle for nothing."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

The investigators decide to confront the fellow directly. Up close, it's obvious that he's just an ordinary human being, albeit not the best specimen thereof. He jumps up out of the chair, dropping the beer bottle and grabbing the rifle with both hands, aiming it in the general direction of the intruders.

"Hold it right there! Hands up!" Turning his head just slightly, he shouts "Hey, boss! We got visitors!"

Emerging from below decks is a tall, handsome, dark-haired man, deeply tanned, in a blazing white three-piece suit. Accompanying him are two muscular men carrying pistols.

"There is no need to be alarmed, Bruno," he says. "Surely our guests intend no mischief. Come aboard, please. If you will just entrust those deadly looking blades, and any other dangerous objects you may be carrying, with my bodyguards. We don't want you to hurt yourselves, after all.

"I am Ramon Delgado. Welcome aboard La Reina del Pacifico. I would be very interested to hear how you came to this island, so far from civilization. It is not a place one would expect tourists."

[jp1885]

Tony grins a friendly greeting as he hands over his machete. He leans somewhat on his stick, as if it is merely an aid to his walking.

“Oh we’re not tourists, we’re being picked up in a day or two,” he says. “I’m a private detective and these young ladies are my assistants. I’m afraid I dragged them out here in search of a missing person, whom my client is most anxious to locate. I don’t suppose you’ve seen a rather portly scientist around here perchance?”

While he’s babbling, he tries to recall if he knows the name Ramon Delgado.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"Portly scientist? What an amusing idea," replies Delgado. "I fancy myself something of an amateur chiropterologist, but I don't think I am the person you seek. I flatter myself," he adds with a chuckle, "that I do not fit the description of 'portly'.

"Come below decks, and let's talk about it."

Spoiler:

INT = 7[dice]0[/dice] As far as you can recall, you have never heard of this man before.

[SunlessNick]

Zara searches her memory for the name as well. Meanwhile she says, "If it's not a place for tourists, what brings you here?"