IC: Chapter One - September At Last

[Ghost_1971]

It seems there's history between Starkweather and this Lexington woman. I suppose we'll find out more at breakfast.

Oh well back to bed for me......

[Steerpike]

"Look, the real problem is whiteout, we all know that. We're either looking at cancelling the landing, or the path finder illuminates the site..maybe flares or a can of bright orange or yellow paint" says Mcraven, shrugging slightly as he and the other pilots mull over the coming expedition.

Getting up from his seat he heads over to the table to pour himself another coffee. As he does this, ne notices the newspaper, just brought in by one of the boeing techs...

LEXINGTON SETS SIGHTS SOUTH

"Oh crap...guys we may be leaving early"

[Raiko]

The Amherst Hotel, New York
04:15am - Monday 4th September, 1933

Jack in put straight through to his editor as soon as he calls the Daily News, despite only intending to speak to a junior reporter.

“Great Jack I’m glad you called, I’ve just arrived back at the office and calling you was one of the first items on my list.”

“I take it you’ve heard about the Acacia Lexington Expedition or you wouldn’t be up at this ungodly hour? Yeah, you’ve heard? And how did Starkweather handle it? Jesus! Really? Great, there’s a story there then! I’ll get Danny to dig through the morgues here for you.”

“You dig into the story more at your end then; you say the Starkweather departure’s coming forward? so Knight’s going to beat Lexington after all? Great work, the Times don’t know about that yet! Ok I’ll speak again later.”

[Raiko]

Knight Races Lexington to Pole
Monday 4th September 1933

Departure Date Moved As Ice Maidens Battle It Out

New York - The Daily News can today exclusively reveal that the Starkweather-Moore Expedition will depart almost a week ahead of schedule.

In a attempt to help daring Antarctic pilot Kitt Knight in her bid to become the first lady to stand at the icy southern pole, famous world explorer Captain James Starkweather has moved the departure date of his own expedition forward to the 9th of this month. One day ahead of Acacia Lexington's Expedition.

It seems that the race is on and the claws are out, as the two brave beauties go head-to-head all the way to the bottom of the world. This newspaper will be uniquely positioned to bring you more exclusive news as this story develops, thanks to our correspondent Jack Wilson, the only New York journalist who dares put his life on the line to bring this dramatic story to the people of New York as it happens.
Race to the South Pole – see pages 2, 3 and 4

[Raiko]

Trenton, New Jersey
Monday 4th September 1933

It doesn't take long for McRaven to be proved correct, Moore calls before the pilots and engineers have finished their breakfast: the flight testing of the aircraft is too end immediately.

"I'm sorry, I know you'd prefer more time, but the planes need to be made ready for transportation now, if we are to depart to the new schedule."

Moore also explains that Kitt must leave Trenton and return to New York on the first available train, "Mr Starkweather wishes to increase her press exposure."

It is a very angry Miss Knight who leaves the hotel heading for the railroad station, while the rest of the aviation team return to the airfield to oversee the dismantling of the aircraft, ready for transport by train to New York, and storage aboard the Gabrielle.

"That idiot man didn't even want me in the expedition, and now he wants to parade me in front of the world press!"

The 247s will have their wings stored in huge crates, the engines will also be stored separately. The Fairchild merely has its wings folded back along its fuselage. Preparation takes the whole day, the aviation team will send one more night in their Trenton hotel before returning to New York on the morning of the 5th.

The Rose Room - Amherst Hotel, New York
08:30am - Monday 4th September, 1933

The Rose Room is buzzing with discussion of the new expedition, which has made the front page of all the newspapers, as well as the race to depart ahead of the Lexington Expedition.

Nils is furious, he confronts Moore angrily, "You cannot compromise safety on the whim of some petty lover's tiff!"

Moore turns aside the guide's angry remarks and merely replies, "We shall just have to work hard and ensure that everything is in order. There is little to be gained by wasting time shouting here, we must return to the ship and continue the job. As you say there is little time, and safety must not be compromised."

Nils looks about to say something else, but instead storms out of the room, his face twisted in rage. The Rose Room doors are almost knocked off their hinges as the powerful Norwegian leaves.

Gunnar turns to Callum and Isugtag, "Perhaps I could help you guys with the list today? I don't think my brother will be pleasant to work with."

"I expect he'll finish the kennels today though."

During breakfast a member of the Amherst staff passes an envelope to Jack, "This has arrived from your newspaper sir."

Opening the envelope Jack finds that it contains a newspaper cutting from 1920.

Daring Rescue of Heiress
Wednesday 20th October, 1920
Nairobi (INS) -- The dark continent where the wonders of nature can turn on man and prove deadly has shown once again that wherever European man goes, so goes chivalry. Wireless reports out of the Belgian colonies in Africa tell of the daring rescue of our own socialite scamp Acacia Lexington by that gallant Englishman, Captain James Starkweather.

Lovely Lexington has been touring the regions of darkest Africa dominated by the mighty Lake Tanganyika. Savages fight daily with alligators longer than a Deusenberg to ensure the passage of commerce in this wild region. Against the advice of her elders, Lady Lexington insisted upon seeing the fabled giraffe mating grounds of Eyasi. Under the expert leadership of Captain Starkweather the band braved the wilderness and arrived at the plains of tall swaying grasses the giraffes find so compelling for their very survival.

The wild beasts, gentled by our own lovely Lady Lexington, came within a few feet of the party without making threatening gestures. Lady Lexington's presence was so compelling that when she came upon a baby giraffe in the grasses, she immediately tamed it and was able to even embrace it briefly before it returned to its herd, earning her the nickname among the savages as 'The Woman Whom the Giraffes Love.'

On the return trip to Nairobi, sudden rains caught the party crossing a branch of the mighty Nakuru River. The party was nearly lost as savages panicked under the onslaught of the rain and river. Brave Captain Starkweather rallied the natives and had them chop trees and fashion rafts to carry the supplies to safety. A personal trip by Captain Starkweather to a nearby village procured enough canoes to carry the party across the river. The crossing was treacherous but under the skilled hand of Captain Starkweather the entire party made it to port in time for Lady Lexington's return trip to America.

We'll all be thanking Captain Starkweather for the safe return of one of the brightest lights of our social season. Hurrah for him and hurrah for chivalry!

[Raiko]

The Amherst Hotel, New York
09:15am - Monday 4th September, 1933

Starkweather was nowhere to be seen at breakfast, but he comes looking for Jack shortly afterwards.

“Ah Jack, just the man!”

“No need for you to go to the docks today, I’ve got rather more important work for you here.”

“I’ve asked Moore to get Miss Knight back at once, and I’d like you to escort her once she returns. You’ve already interviewed her once, so you know how she ticks – typical female.”

“I plan to make sure that we keep our Kitt in the limelight, so we don’t get overshadowed by that Lexington thing. So I’d appreciate your help making sure that our intrepid lady pilot understands how to handle herself in front of New York’s finest.”

“She’s spent rather a long time living out in the wilderness you see, so she’s obviously going to need a little help.”

[Decrepit]

Jack can tell that Starkweather's misread Kitt horribly. Keeping her in line and making her presentable are, in Jack's estimation, both less necessary than Starkweather thinks and more difficult than the captain could imagine.

Jack realizes he isn't exactly forward in his thinking about women. He's spent enough time with strong-willed women, though, to know that one can't exactly hope to control them. If he could've done that, he probably wouldn't have been divorced twice.

Still, this assignment beats sorting cans of apricots.

***

The matter with Starkweather and Lexington was interesting. Clearly, there had been some kind of ... what? Working relationship? Something must've soured.

Jack decides to gamble a little, even though knowing that Starkweather is volatile and particularly, obviously sensitive about the Lexington issue.

"I'd be happy to take on this assignment, Captain. I must ask, though, for an official reaction from you to the Lexington expedition. My paper will want me to talk with Miss Lexington as well, and I'd like to hear your side of the story.

"And--" Jack continues, lowering his voice, "--I don't think it would be in your best interest or mine to leave your early-morning reaction as the 'official' one."

[Charles Graves]

Graves is spending much of his time at the moment checking the medical supplies. This is one area where everything must be perfect when they hit the ice.

[Raiko]

The Amherst Hotel, New York
09:15am - Monday 4th September, 1933

Starkweather stares coldly at Jack for a second before replying, his voice is low and dangerous, “Mr Wilson, anything that has occurred between myself and Miss Lexington is neither you or your editor’s business. And you would do well to remind Mr Patterson, that while you are a member of this expedition, you will be expected to remain loyal to the expedition – his isn’t the only show in town.”

The former captain lightens up slightly, “If you want an official line, the Antarctic continent is more than big enough for both expeditions, I don’t expect we will cross paths anyway. It you want more, speak to Moore”

“Miss Knight’s train is due to arrive at Pennsylvania Station at 11am, I trust you will be there.”

With that James Starkweather storms away down the corridor.


Pier 74, New York
Monday 4th September, 1933

As they inspect the radio equipment Olof and Louis discover that the power amplifier tubes for the four trail radios are all missing. Further investigation reveals that they must be ordered separately, but this hasn’t been done.

Having checked the photographic equipment from list#7 Sean goes in search of the large box containing film developing equipment listed of list#3, but cannot find it anywhere. After an exhaustive search of the warehouse with Clark, they eventually locate it piled up with other a dozen identically sized boxes – all the other boxes are labelled “chocolate.”

Callum, Isutag and Gunnar search long and hard, but cannot locate the twenty heavy timbers destined to be the main beams of the base shelters. Nils and the other two spend the day finishing the kennels for the dogs, the strenuous labour does not seem to have lessened Nils’ anger any though.

Meanwhile James travels to Giordano’s construction supplies in new jersey to sign paperwork for the explosives, he also purchases replacements for the missing time blasting fuse coils. All of the explosive gear will be delivered to the ship tomorrow.

Professor Graves spends much of the day checking and double checking both his own and the expedition medical kits, both seem to be fully equipped. He also stores the collection of medical texts that he brought from England in his small cabin.

Pennsylvania Station, New York
10:59am - Monday 4th September, 1933

The train from Trenton rolls into Pennsylvania station precisely on time.


Pennsylvania Station, New York

[Decrepit]

"Patterson, this is Jack," the reporter says from his end of the 'phone. A pause. "Yeah, it went poorly. Yeah, he's outrageously senstitive on the Lexington issue. Lectured me on 'loyalty to the expedition' and all that rot.

"Keep digging on this angle, and let me know if you find out more. I need to run up to the train station soon to pick up Miss Knight." A pause. "Yes, Starkweather's very anxious to make her the centerpiece of this expedition, and I don't think our readers will mind." I won't mind too much, either, Jack thinks to himself.

"After I pick her up, I'll do some more research at the library on Starkweather and Lexington and that prior expedition. Maybe ask Moore, too." Another pause.

"Listen, I can't ask him again. I've got to be careful here. If I push the captain too far, he'll go Stark-raving-mad-weather and boot me off. All right. I'll stop by this afternoon."

Jack hangs up, checks the time, then heads off to the train station. He knew Kitt didn't want to be front-and-center, but it wasn't like Starkweather was giving either of them a choice, and the readers were in love with the "lady angle." Sales spiked every time Kitt came up, and everyone likes a good rivalry. Less selfishly, Jack wanted to prepare Kitt for, maybe even protect her a little from, the media onslaught and also warn her about Starkweather's explosion.

[Ghost_1971]

"We need to get some replacement Timbers. I'll go and make a few telephone calls and see what we can get." Callum heads off to find a phone.

[Henrik]

Olof had thought that going through the manifest would have been easily done. He had never expected that so many things would be missing or broken.

"And all this time, it seems that Starkweather is more occupied with some sort of lover's quarrel! And I thought this would be some sort of scientific expedition!"

[OrionUK]

Once James has sorted out the dynamite and additional supplies delivery details he heads back to the ship, seeing Olof with the manifest he asks if there is anything else he can do to help, wanting the ship to be ready on time he realises this is a time for hard work for once!

[Henrik]

Olof looks up from the manifest, seeing James standing there. He looks questioningly at the Englishman for a second, before he connects what James just asked him. "Oh, pardon me. I was so engrossed in this manifest that I did not notice you coming. Of course there is a lot I need help with. I've checked out the drill, but there is other things on this list. This things needs to be checked." Olof points at the manifest list to show what needs to be examined further.

[Raiko]

Pennsylvania Station, New York
11:01am – Monday 4th September 1933

Kitt is still angry when she steps off the train, expecting to be met by Starkweather she is ready for a fight. Her mood is brightened somewhat when she finds Jack rather then the English explorer waiting on the platform. They had conducted a pleasant interview in the Amherst’s restaurant prior to her departure for Trenton, perhaps Starkweather planned to handle all the interviews through Jack rather than parading her in front of hordes of journalists.


Inside Pennsylvania Station

Pier 74, New York
11:30am – Monday 4th September 1933

After finishing checking through the medical equipment Graves decides to head for New York’s huge public library on Fifth Avenue, as well as being the ideal place to acquire a few medical texts to study before departure, One can never be too prepared after all, he should also have chance to investigate into the latest events.

Before leaving the docks the professor speaks to Moore hoping to persuade him that researching the medical texts will require at least a full day or two at the library, but his efforts are rebuffed.

“I’m sorry Professor, but there really isn’t time to spare, we depart in less than five days and there is still much to be done.”

“Go to the library, and carry out your research, but I expect you to be back here first thing tomorrow morning.”

Grumbling under his breath Graves heads off to the library.

New York Public Library, New York
Afternoon - Monday 4th September 1933

Graves First locates all of the medical texts that he requires, fortunately he accomplices this in record time so he still has much of the day to look into other things.

The professor first takes a look through the press records searching for information about the relationship between Starkweather and Acacia Lexington, but his searches fail to uncover anything better than details of the African Safari, each newpaper carried it’s own minor variation of the story printed in the Daily News. There is obviously more to this than meets the eye, but Graves cannot find any mention of it.

Frustrated Graves wracks his head for something else to research, remembering hearing about Danforth, the disturbed survivor of the fateful 1930 Expedition, the professor spends the rest of the day researching that angle, but again he fails to uncover concrete evidence. The reports that he finds all state that Danforth was admitted to either a rest home or an asylum, but frustratingly nothing that Graves reads mentions which one!

Eventually the library closes for the night, and the frustrated academic is forced to abandon his research. He checks out a few of the medical texts to study at the hotel, making a mental note to return them before departure.


One of the reading rooms at the New York Public Library


Amherst Hotel, New York
03:00pm – Monday 4th September 1933

It turns out that Starkweather does indeed prefer to parade Kitt in front of every available journalist in New York, her objections to being used in this way fall on deaf ears and Starkweather’s comment of, “Now, now my dear there’s no need for nerves, you just need to look pretty while I address the press chaps - it’ll be over in a jiffy,” do nothing to calm her mood.

After three hours of Starkweather press conferences, and individual interviews between Kitt and the reporters of various newspapers they eventually stop for a break. Jack who, as instructed, has remained with Kitt throughout the day asks Starkweather if they could be allowed a longer break to get some fresh air, he hopes to slip off with Kitt to the library. But the expedition leader will have none of it, “Absolutely not, there are eight more appointments today, and another press conference at six.”

“The chap from the Times is due here in fifteen minutes, that’s the English Times not the New York one. You can take Miss Knight for a walk in the morning, there’s no news conference scheduled until 1pm.”

Jack doesn’t even have time to head over to the Daily News offices until after 8pm. When he arrives he learns that Danny hasn’t really managed to discover what the problem is between Starkweather and Lexington, but it does look like it started in Africa. It is not a notorious feud, but correspondents have noted a frigid formality between Miss Lexington and Captain Starkweather in the few formal functions that they have both attended in the intervening thirteen years.

[Raiko]

Amherst Hotel, New York
09:40am – Tuesday 5th September 1933

Breakfast passes without incident for once, and most of the investigators are walking into the hotel lobby, preparing to start the tasks of a new day.

The desk clerk points out Professor Graves to a man in the hotel lobby. The man approaches hesitantly, a square of paper in one hand. Graves is accompanied by James and Sean, several other investigators are also nearby.

He is a thin dark-haired man in his thirties, clean but with the threadbare air common in these Depression days, "Excuse me, sir," he says, "Are you one of the scientists who are going to Antarctica? A fellow on the street gave me two bits to give this to one of you," the man hands an envelope to Graves, apologizes for the intrusion, and leaves.

Inside is a letter, scrawled in ink, There is no signature and no date.

Dear Man of Science,

Soon You will go down far away to the cold and the white ice and the old old things that wait and move and work and plan. Do not! Blessed Mary hears me beg You to stay! Do not wake the Sleeping One there. Do not pass the prison walls of black and white cold ice and time. The cage must not open! Let the dead and the dying hold closed the doors.

I have listened to His dreams. I have seen Its form within His mind, for He has seen It and He knows It must be free and He will stop You if You go.

Turn back or we all die.
A friend.

[Henrik]

Olof is standing in the lobby having eaten a large breakfast, expecting another day of looking through various stuff that has been wrongly catalogued or just not is there, when Professor Graves gets his unexpected letter. Feeling curious, but not wanting to be rude Olof stays for a while, perhaps the Professor will tell what is in his letter. Perhaps it concerns the expedition?

[OrionUK]

James, seeing the look on Professor Graves face upon reading his note, addresss Charles "Are you alright old chap? you look a little perturbed"

James has woken in an inquisative mood today and feels checking manifests might not hold his attention for long whilst in this mood. He hopes this note might have some link to Lawrence or the previous expedition??

[Raiko]

McRaven’s train journey back to New York is enjoyable, but uneventful. He and his companions have become quick friends while away in Trenton, though the sudden and unexpected curtailment of the flying program, and the early recall of Kitt, have both dampened the mood of the others.

The bookish Douglas Halperin is an extremely good pilot, like McRaven he has rarely been seen without a flight manual for either the Boeings or the Fairchild in hand, except when he’s actually flying. And if anything he is even more safety conscious than McRaven. He has formed an excellent working relationship with the mechanic Patrick Miles.

Miles is something of a workaholic, prepared to put in as much time and effort as necessary to get any job done, no matter what, he also does everything very much by-the-book. His attitude to work goes very well with the studious pilots McRaven and Halperin, they both know that they have a mechanic who will work tirelessly to sort out any problems that they have with the aircraft.

The other mechanic “Colt” Huston is much more laid back than Miles, but none the less is a competent engineer. He also shows more imagination than his counterpart, if something ever needed fixing fast, and not by the book, McRaven thinks that Colt would be the man to get it done.

Between the two contrasting mechanics, and backed up by McRaven’s own mechanical skills they seem an outstanding team, and neither of them appears likely to become a homicidal maniac in the near future either, which is a good thing.

McRaven is a little more concerned about the other pilot Ralph DeWitt, who is ever bit as brash and overconfident as he appears. A veteran of the Great War, and a seasoned flyer of many light aircraft since as a barnstormer, air racer and crop-duster, DeWitt seems to reckless for this work.

Throughout the flight testing DeWitt was happy to take risks that none of the other pilots would dream of. DeWitt is an excellent aviator, and ensured the others that he’d never take risks with passengers aboard, but to McRaven the man appears to be a loose cannon.

Even so, he has a charisma and roguish charm that makes him impossible to dislike.

The train is five minutes late today, so the three pilots and their two mechanics step onto the platform of the huge Pennsylvania Station at 11:05am. They know that the planes won't start to arrive until tomorrow, so hopefully they will have the day to themselves.

[Charles Graves]

The blood draining from his face, Graves scans the lobby for Starkweather or Moore and after seeing no sign of either looks around his fellow expedition members.

"Come with me." His voice is flat and deadly serious.

He leads those who want to follow into a quiet corner of the lobby and reads the letter to the group, then looks up at the others.

"I guess I will be the first to say what I'm sure most of us have been thinking for some time now," he looks at each of his companions in turn guaging their reactions before he continues. "Gentlemen, there is something rotten in Denmark or should I say Antarctica. After the Lawrance incident I tried to convince myself that the ravings of a deranged maniac should not distract me from the 'bigger picture' but I'm sure you would all agree that only a fool would ignore the catalogue of warnings we've received and problems that have beset us before we have even left the U.S."

"I have the upmost respect for the Expedition's destinquished leaders, but since my trip to Arkham I have seriously doubted that they have been telling us everything we need to know to successfully survive this perilous undertaking." Once again he pauses momentarily realising the gravity of what he has just said.

"As this letter says, I am indeed a man of science and as such I rely on gathering as much information as possible before coming to any conclusions and as I have now exhaustively checked the items on my list I fully intend to gather that information. I hope you will all support me in this as I feel that all our lives are in great danger. I would also ask that one of you accompany me in my investigations not only because I would appriciate some assistance in my research, but also because I believe that there may be people determined to see our expedition fail and would fear for my life investigating alone!"

The Professor raises a weak smile, "Any volunteers?"