IC: Chapter Four - At Sea

[OrionUK]

"I am not 100% sure that the saboteur is trying to get us to dock into port as we were due to call into port anyway, as far as I am aware, all we have to do is radio ahead to ensure we have the replacements we require?. I don't know the mind behind these attacks so I am really struggling to understand the mentality of this or these persons, Jack, to enable me to come up with an idea of how to set a trap?"

Looking around the room James continues "If we are to set a trap it needs to be one that won't cause a massive amount of damage, like using any planes as bait, as if that goes wrong we will have even bigger problems than we do now!"

James turns to Isugtag "I am not sure how much you have had to do with tracking cowards like this in the past and I know you are more comfortable on land but do you have any idea's that might help in this situation?"

[Charles Graves]

Professor Graves has stood alongside Moore listening keenly to the debate; he clears his throat and says, "Well, it seems to me that the saboteur knew exactly how to hit the expedition, first targeting the supplies then the dogs."

"Assuming that the dogs were the intended target, I'd imagine that replacing sled dogs will be rather difficult in Australia - particularly if we don't wish to be delayed there for long. Fortunately we still have three full teams, but if all thirty-six dogs had been poisoned the expedition could have been ruined!"

"Even more disturbingly, the poisoning of the dogs could have been pure chance, as I said before - this means that this 'saboteur' could in fact be a potential murderer. Again, many members of the expedition are irreplaceable - a single poisoning could have brought the whole expedition to an end."

"I concur that we should bait a trap, but the bait should be something that the saboteur cannot afford to ignore, they clearly know how best to damage the expedition and so the trap must take that knowledge into account. Perhaps offering the planes as bait would not be such a bad idea."

Seeing several no doubt horrified faces the professor adds, "So long as we are very, very careful of course."

[Raiko]

SS Gabrielle - The Officer's Mess.
12:55pm - Thursday 28th September, 1933

Alongside Graves, Moore shakes his head, "Look I can see that the idea of baiting a trap is very popular, and I agree that being pro-active is perhaps for the best, but I must insist that whatever method is chosen, you do not forget that it is essential that we also check the holds for other acts of sabotage."

"We simply have to learn what other damage has been done to our equipment before we arrive in port in ten days time, time will not permit us to turn back once we sailing south again."

"We can make the holds more secure, but we still need to be able to check things ourselves. And the trap cannot be obvious, or the saboteur will doubtless just avoid it. And I must stress the need for secrecy, we cannot afford to trust anyone outside of this room, apart from Captain Vredenburg and Mister Starkweather."

[Decrepit]

"Professor," Jack says, "I'm not sure anyone disagrees with you about checking the holds--I don't. I think it'd be damn foolish not to. But I also agree that a trap sounds like a good idea, though I have my doubts that we can make something alluring enough. We should try, though."

Looking at James, Jack continues, "I think Graves said what I was thinking better than I did. I agree that we don't know the saboteur's motive, but he does seem to know how to slow us down. The point about the dogs is a good one. Even if the saboteur has some scruples about taking human life, though, should we press on, I doubt those scruples would hold up."

[Henrik]

"I volunteer to check the hold. I like the idea of a trap, but I'm out of ideas of what would constitute a good trap. Anyone else interested in joining me?" Olof gives Jack a glance hoping that the journalist should join him in the boring task. After all they have stuff to discuss.

[Ghost_1971]

"I for one will continue the discreet checks in the holds, as suggested by you Professor. I have no problems with that, at all. But as to how to lure our saboteur into a trap, we need a very attractive bait, something vital to our survival. And I cant think of anything more vital on this ship than the Fresh Water. It's an obvious target really when you think about it. We are ten days out from our next docking point, and ten days without water would be pretty uncomfortable for all."

[Decrepit]

"Water's also the riskiest," Jack replies. "I think ten days without fresh water would be a bit more than just pretty uncomfortable." He swallows hard; just thinking about going without water that long makes him thirsty.

"Water's a logical target, all right, but I'm just not sure I'd be willing to risk it. The planes'd be hard to repair, let alone replace, but their loss'd be more expedition threatening than life threatening."

[Laraqua]

"I was under the impression one could only survive three to four days without water," says Kitt. "Perhaps use it as a lure later in the journey? If the others ones don't work out?"

[Henrik]

"The question is: will this saboteur walk over corpses to attain his goals? Will he risk his own life or be able to kill for it? I'm not so sure of it, but then we can not hardly know until it has already happen."

OOC: As a point of information and explanation for those that don't catch the meaning: "To walk over corpses" is a direct translation of a Swedish idiom which means to be especially ruthless and uncaring when trying to reach one's goals. The literal meaning would actually be a person who is willing to commit murder to reach his or her goals, but in Swedish it is usually not understood in its literal sense.

[Raiko]

SS Gabrielle - The Officer's Mess.
12:58pm - Thursday 28th September, 1933

"Come off it guys, I'm all for catching this bastard before someone gets seriously hurt." Mister Turlow looks Callum square in the eyes, "but there is no way anyone will be using this ship's fresh water supply as bait. That's unacceptably dangerous for everyone on board. Even if the trap works it's too reckless, we could all end up in jail for that."

"My suggestion would be to padlock all of the holds except for the number four and five holds. Hopefully that shouldn't appear to be too suspicious, as regular access is required to the reefer store and dog kennels anyway."

"That gives the saboteur a choice of going after the food or dogs again, or switching to the aircraft or base building materials. The two holds are right next to each other, so completely staking them out above and below deck should be easy for four or five men."

Turlow looks to see if anyone objects and asks, "What about a stowaway? Somebody mentioned it before; ordinarily I'd think that it's unlikely, but there are enough provisions aboard that stealing from them probably wouldn't be noticed. And we know that the saboteur has tampered with the food at least once, twice if the dogs were deliberately attacked."

"Some of you need to check likely stowaway hideouts."

[Henrik]

"If I was a stowaway, I'd try to hide somewhere I had easy access to food and water. I would not want to be seen when moving about, especially not if moving during daytime. I'd begin a search by checking such places" Olof suggests.

[Mister Juan]

Part of Isugtag was rather glad that everyone around him seem to go along with his train of thoughts. What he didn't like was that the whole situation was already turning them against each other. Paranoia was already a serious thing when out and about in society. But out on the ice, cut off from everything, it would make things even worst. He closed his eyes, turning around in his hand the little pack of matches. This was bad. If they didn't catch the saboteur before they reached the pole, things could quickly degenerate. There would already be enough danger around them... worrying about a traitor amongst their midst would only make their endeavor that much more unlikely to succeed.

As other expedition members started to chip in around him, the big Inuit started to play with the little box of matches, his mind wandering far off. For a moment, he was back over the cold and white plains of the South Pole, the Miskatonic Range looming menacingly in the distance. He would surely be the first of his people to set foot on the frozen continent. He would have to work alone. The spirits of his ancestors would not be able to accompany him this far.

Isugtag nodded at Olof's comment.

“Let us finish the search first. We will make sure nothing else has been damaged, search for any hiding spots, and then lock the holds. We must be discreet in our hunt. If we are to stalk the remaining holds, we must be like shadows. This saboteur will not show himself if he knows we are expecting him.”

[OrionUK]

"I agree with Isugtag that we need to finish checking the holds but this time lock each one after checking & post a watch on each?" James poses the comment more as a question to see if there are enought people willing to stand watch.

"I do not think Callum's water suggestion is actually a bad one, we would just need to move sufficient supplies to live off into a separate lockable hold and leave the rest in plain sight with, of course, several of us hiding around keeping watch for the sabotuer then, hopefully, if the bait works we will lure the culprit in but stop them disposing of too much of the rest of the water?"

"I would sooner risk water being leaked from a tank, as long as we have sufficient to live off, than risk having any more dogs, equipment or even people attempted to be damaged or even killed. I suppose it might take some time getting replacement dogs or equipment, as Proffesor Graves mentioned, even with a wired message, so I would prefer to set bait that we could very quickly replace in Australia".

[Henrik]

"I agree with James. If we use our fresh water as bait in our trap, we need to see that we don't destroy all fresh water we got!" Olof says.

[Raiko]

SS Gabrielle - The Officer's Mess.
01:00pm - Thursday 28th September, 1933

The first officer shakes his head ruefully, "I'm sorry, but it doesn't work that way, we can't just 'leave some water tanks out on deck.' I understand you're not sailors, so I'll explain:"

"Our fresh water supply isn't stored in the holds, we have two fresh water tanks, and one emergency fresh water tank built into the ship's hull; they are part of the Gabrielle's ballast - although obviously they would never be discharged except in an extreme emergency."

"The tanks are filled in port through valves in the for'cstle and the quarterdeck, these valve are closed while we're at sea."

"I really do not see any way that the fresh water supply can be safely offered as a target for the saboteur - indeed I'd much rather we actively deter any effort to contaminate the tanks."

"Now I must make myself clear to you all, me 'n Captain Vredenburg are responsible for the safety of everyone on board. As such I want to catch the saboteur by any means that doesn't place the lives of those onboard in unnecessary danger, but I will not support any action that risks contamination of the ship's fresh water supply."

"Anyone who I learn has taken any action along those lines, will be detained to their quarters until we reach port, and then immediately handed over to the local police."

[Decrepit]

Jack wasn't too bothered by the fact that the water-baiting idea was being shot down. It struck him as too risky by half, and, looking about him, only a few of these fellows seemed like they'd be even remotely useful in setting and watching a trap. Hell, he wasn't sure he'd be any good either, but at least he had some sense of his own limitations. He was no Sherlock Holmes or Hercule Poirot; he was just a nearly washed-up hack of a writer.

"Look, fellows, I think Mr. Turlow here is right. Let's conduct searches while there's still light and time, and let's leave the four and five holds unlocked at night. I'm willing to help search and keep watch, though I think we'd all need to get some rest at some point between now and next morning."

[Charles Graves]

"I agree that we should search the ship for other signs of sabotage", agrees Graves.

"The Criminal has already used both acid and poison during the voyage and I suspect they have other diabolical tools stashed somewhere on board to continue their work. Perhaps we may stumble upon this stash."

[Mister Juan]

Isugtag pushed himself off the wall he had been resting his back against.

"We have much to do. Let us get to work."

[Henrik]

When they eventually leave Olof follows Jack hoping for a private chat.

[OrionUK]

James, having no idea how they are suppose to bait a trap and now understanding where their water is coming from, is more concerned that the water doesn't actually get tampered with by the culprets own desires and goes over to Mr Turlow as everyone starts to filter out of the room

"If the water is, as you say in 2 main tanks, I think that a watch should be placed over the water anyway in case the Saboteur has that idea themself? and I rested enough last night whilst the dogs were being poisoned to need much sleep tonight so I am willing to help watch wherever is needed. What would you prefer I do?"