Prologue

[kabukiman]

The Amherst Hotel, 9. AM

You all arrived to make an interview to see if you may be accepted in the expedition (you don't know each other at this point). It will be Starkweather himself that will speak with you.
A clerk in the lobby simply points you to a queue that starts outside the hotel and goes up the stairs. You are all the last ones to arrive, so you may speak if you want to know each other (you have plenty of time, or I can skip to the interview).

[Snapper]

MacDuff trudged in looking slightly grumpy. He was in battered tweeds and a serviceable Royal Navy tie, and had an equally battered fedora in one hand. The man himself was solid and perhaps slightly pudgy, weather-beaten, with greying ginger hair, a short beard and a long-ago broken nose. He paused to light a cigarette, offering his pack of Lucky Strikes to anyone interested.

"Ah hate interviews. They already have mah resume, they can make up their minds from that." He spoke with a distinctly Scottish accent. "Hire me or be damned."

[Mr. Handy]

Katie Wright enters, wearing her flight jacket and trousers. She has a feeling she'll have a better chance by looking the part rather than trying to pretty herself. She has red hair and is tall and a little on the slim side, and a large part of her weight is muscle. "Hi, I'm Katie Wright," she says. "I'm an aviatrix."

[Snapper]

"'Aviatrix'? I have no heard the term before but I ken the idea. As long as you can take off and land without killing me, I'm happy. I knew a few Naval pilots during the War, mad bastards to a man, pardon my French. Not too many of them survived. But I think I'd rather fly with you than those that did, and I don't even know you."

"I'm MacDuff, cartographer, by the way. Pleased to meet you and here's hoping we don't die in a horrible plane crash together." Despite the fatalism and gruff language, the Scotsman held out a hand politely.

[Mr. Handy]

Katie shakes his hand with a grip almost as strong as his. "Pleased to meet you," she says. "You won't have to worry on that score. I haven't crashed a plane yet. Granted, I'm young, but I'm an excellent pilot, even if I do say so myself."

[Snapper]

"As a general rule, I have no time for people who claim to be more than they are. But I do feel self confidence is an asset for a pilot. You have to trust your own judgement and skills, because often enough you're all there is between life and death."

[aine]

"That's lovely, hold it there....." There is an instantaneous bright flash, "And..... we're done. Thank you!" A man, slim, handsome and with a cheeky smile, stands up from behind a large photgraphic camera that you hadn't noticed until now. He winks at Katie and then moves in to shake hands with Katie and MacDuff.

"Martin LeBlanc, potential expedition photographer (if I can sabotage that impertinent upstart who got here earlier)." He looks up the stairs to where another photographer is busy snapping his collegues with a small camera.

"He's got a 35mm, damn him." He looks sheepishly at his own box camera. "Due to an unfortunate incident last week I'm reduced to this old 'Brilliant'. Only it's not particularly."

He grins, "I've got a new one arriving next week; if I can get on this show."

[Mr. Handy]

"Katie Wright, pilot," says Katie, shaking Martin's hand, her grip much stronger than his.

[Snapper]

MacDuff frowned, blinking his eyes several times. "Do not make a habit of taking photographs of me without warning me first. I do not enjoy being blinded."

"I'm MacDuff, like the play." Making a visible effort to reign in his temper, MacDuff shook the offered hand.

[aine]

“MacDuff, Ms Wright. A pleasure to meet you. Have you been to the Antarctic before? I’ve had some polar training in the Artic Circle but I hear it’s a different kettle of fish in the Southern Hemisphere.” Martin looks at the other people in the queue.
“ Not many here who look like they’d be up to it. You two look like you’ve had some experience however.”

[Mr. Handy]

"I'm likewise pleased," says Katie. "I've never been to Antarctica before - few have - but I hope to remedy that. I have flown up to Canada and Alaska, over the Canadian Rockies, so I do have some experience in cold weather, but yes, I've also heard the south is different."

[Snapper]

"Aye, much of my map making has been about the North Atlantic and the last few years in Canada. Cold is cold."

"I understand there are no bears of any colour in the Antarctic, that is a good start. On the other hand, if we get into trouble, we'll have to be ready to solve the problem ourselves. Because no one else will be about to rescue us."

MacDuff smoked his cigarette in silence after that, contemplating.

[kabukiman]

9h45
You are already inside the building, near the stairs. The interviews seem to be quick.

[Mr. Handy]

"Yes, no bears there," says Katie. "The only animal life I know of there are penguins, and they're not particularly dangerous. Still, there could be undiscovered animals there. I plan to bring a shotgun, just in case."

[Snapper]

MacDuff smoked for a bit, brooding. "Aye, you have the right of it. Most of that vast waste has never been seen by man. Maybe there are white bears there? Fearsome creatures. Or there could be undiscovered tribesmen, such as live in the Arctic."

"I met some of the crew of the Endurance, back in my Navy days. Shackleton was an amazing captain, god rest him. Kept them alive with good leadership, force of will, and of course the fact the crew selected were excellent. But it proves the point, if it goes wrong, you are on your own in the Antarctic wastes."

"Poor Captain Sir Ernest Shackleton, the candle that burns bright, burns quick."

[Mr. Handy]

"And Scott," says Katie. "He never made it back."

[Snapper]

"Scott of the Antarctic? Aye, a most terrible example of what happens when disaster strikes on that white continent."

[aine]

“I’m sure we’ll have a team of Amundsens- nothing to worry about there. And I plan to do my shooting with a camera.” Quips Martin.
@I say, this queue is moving fast; I wonder what the interview process involves.”

[kabukiman]

You are already upstairs and can see the door (near three hours have passed).
On the other hand, there is a lot of people behind you...

[Mr. Handy]

"There sure is a lot of competition," says Katie. "I had no idea so many people want to go to Antarctica."