Play@YSDC

Upon returning to their home bases in the Venice area, each of the adventurers finds a ticket for a flight from LAX to San Francisco International Airport, leaving in a few days. There is no indication from where they might have come, but enclosed with each is a typewritten note that simply reads SATISFACTORY OUTCOME WILL CONTACT.

By way of contrast, the very next day other anonymous messages arrive in the mail. These are handwritten, in peculiar, spidery letters, inscribed in green ink on pink paper, scented with jasmine. These say Do not interfere.

The day before the flights are scheduled to leave, the Los Angeles Times carries a report of what witnesses (a few fishermen at sea) called "a big blimp" flying over one of the small, uninhabited islands off the coast. The alleged vessel is said to have released a pale yellow fog, which rapidly sank to the ground, then soon dissipated.

"I think the second message is from the Doctor," says Liz. "That means that whatever's going on in San Francisco, he's most likely behind it."

"Quite so m'dear; which, if what we know about the chap is true, means we are duty bound to interfere. I wonder who sent the first note and sprang for these tickets? Let's hope it's not our friends fom behind the iron curtain."

"Quite," says Liz. "I'm all in favour of interfering. Of course, we don't yet know what it is we're interfering with, but the mystery only makes it all the more irresistible."

Zara spends the days before departure alternately drinking and painting scenes of places she's been to, enhanced by her new memory.

The morning that the flight is scheduled to leave, the transmitter disguised as a pack of Winstons (most popular brand in the USA this year, despite -- or maybe because of -- its ungrammatical slogan) crackles with static, followed by the unmistakable voice of Natasha Bolowski, albeit badly broken up, and strained with obvious emotion.

-- attacked -- dead -- poison -- kidnappers -- help --


Meanwhile, Zara's enhanced memory, which allows her to recall the exact location of the secret Soviet installation, combined with details from the newspaper article, allow her to draw as sketch of the point where the alleged airship was spotted, revealing that, if the accounts are true, the mysterious vehicle discharged its contents at that very spot, then headed in a northwest-by-north direction (not to be confused with the famous Alfred Hitchcock film North by Northwest, a direction which does not exist.)

"Looks like the Russians were no match for the Doctor's forces," says Liz. "My guess is they're heading for San Francisco in their airship." She consults a map to see if it confirms her hypothesis.

"I thought the cloud was the Russians covering their tracks before scarpering, but clearly I was wrong. Note the word 'kidnappers' - let us hope Natasha has been taken along for the ride."

Tony smiles apologetically.

"I'd hate to think someone has defeated her before I get the chance to. Now, I believe we have a plane to catch, what?"

"Being rescued by you would drive her crazy," Zara says.

Mr. Handy wrote:
"Looks like the Russians were no match for the Doctor's forces," says Liz. "My guess is they're heading for San Francisco in their airship." She consults a map to see if it confirms her hypothesis.

It is evident that this is the most likely destination, assuming the airship maintains the same course.

Welcome aboard Pacific Southwest Airlines, nonstop flight from Los Angeles to San Francisco, and best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy 1968! The temperature in the City by the Bay is a chilly fifty degrees, with fog and light rain, so bundle up! We'll be taking off in just a few minutes, so fasten those seat belts and please observe the No Smoking signs. Thank you, and welcome again to the airline with the smiling planes!

After a routine takeoff, the No Smoking lights go off, allowing several of the passengers to light up, and seat belts come off. Although the flight will only last a few hours, the flight attendants, all pretty young women in the airline's signature hot pink and orange uniforms, pass out peanuts, tiny plastic cups of soft drinks (or harder drinks for the adults), and copies of Look and Life. With all that's been going on, it's easy to forget that it's already mid-December, nearing the holiday season.

The flight is an uneventful one, except when a girl about eight or nine years old points out the window.

"A flying saucer!"

Her parents shush her, her father remarking "I told you not to let Suzie watch those Twilight Zone reruns. Gremlins on the wing! Enough to make anybody see things."

Tony sets down his plastic cup of Ambassador scotch at the mention of flying saucers. Not wishing to alarm any passengers, he leaves his seat as if to stretch his legs.

Trying to catch the eye of his friends, he makes his way to a window near the child and looks out, as if enjoying the view.

Zara does the same.

Lew will settle in for the flight. Hopefully they booked him a window seat as he enjoys passing the time watching out the window. He's not too worried about either the Russians or the Chinese or anyone else that might be interested in their arrival in San Francisco, preferring to wait and see what new adventures this group of young hipsters has gotten him into.

At the exclamation of the child, he glances over at his companions and noticing that they are checking things out, he will go back to gazing out the window.

Liz looks out the window too, eager to see a flying saucer.

What is clearly visible to all who look outside is not really a flying saucer, although it is easy to understand why the little girl thought so. Instead, it's a spinning ring of some kind of metal, silver in color, hovering near one of the wings of the plane. After a few seconds, it draws near one of the engines. A grinding sound can be heard, despite the noise of the airplane itself and the body of the plane deadening all sounds from outside. Sparks fly out from the ring where it spins against the engine. Soon a thick trial of black smoke emerges from the engine, causing the plane to tilt to one side.

This is your Captain speaking. We're, uh, experiencing some turbulence, so please fasten your seat belts and remain calm.

The spinning ring draws away from the wing, only to appear once again on the other side of the plane, approaching another of the aircraft's four turboprop engines. (It's a Lockheed L-188 Electra, by the way.) Some of the passengers react nervously, and the flight attendants pass out more drinks, ignoring the "one per customer" rule.

“Maybe it’s gremlins after all,” Tony whispers to Liz. “Any chance you could transmit some kind of disruption signal to that thing using the transmitter?”

Whether the lovely Liz can or cannot do this, Tony will attempt to inform the captain of the damage done to the engines.

"Great minds think alike," says Liz, already going through the scientific equipment in her purse to find something suitable. "We can't use an electromagnetic pulse, as it would stop the engine too, but I may be able to jam the signal. It appears that you know who doesn't want us to reach San Francisco."

OOC,Intelligence roll (14 + 1[Scientific Knowledge] to create an improvised jamming device: [dice]0[/dice]

jp1885 wrote: “Maybe it’s gremlins after all,” Tony whispers to Liz. “Any chance you could transmit some kind of disruption signal to that thing using the transmitter?”

Whether the lovely Liz can or cannot do this, Tony will attempt to inform the captain of the damage done to the engines.

Despite all his charm, Tony is unable to convince the nearest flight attendant -- her name tag reveals that she's called Debbie -- to allow to enter the cockpit.

"I'm sorry, sir, you'll have to remain seated. Would you care for another cocktail?"

Mr. Handy wrote:
"Great minds think alike," says Liz, already going through the scientific equipment in her purse to find something suitable. "We can't use an electromagnetic pulse, as it would stop the engine too, but I may be able to jam the signal. It appears that you know who doesn't want us to reach San Francisco."

OOC,Intelligence roll (14 + 1[Scientific Knowledge] to create an improvised jamming device: [dice]234809:0[/dice]

The spinning disc sheers off, to be lost in the clouds.

Crippled but still partially airworthy, and not terribly far from its destination, the plane makes an emergency landing at San Jose. That's a distance of about fifty miles by road, so something more than an hour by car, about the same by the local commuter train (cheaper than renting a car, but you have to depend on its schedule), or somewhat longer by bus, which is the cheapest way. All these forms of transportation are available near the San Jose airport. The investigators may choose to travel together -- there's a VW van available for rent -- or separately.