IC - Chapter Six - A Shock in the Lightest Night

[Steerpike]

McRaven wanders over to one of the survivors...pocketing his pistol as there doesn't seem to be any danger at the moment.

"Say buddy, what the hell happened here"

His gaze wanders over to the aircraft and he briefly wonders if there is any fuel in the planes...enough to get back to the camp in style?

[amarriner]

Isugtag heads into the camp to see if he can help with any cleanup or anything else. He's got an ear open to conversation about what's happened to these people, but doesn't initiate a conversation.

[Decrepit]

Seeing no immediate danger, Jack, like the carrion eater his profession demands he be, takes out his camera [if it was somehow packed] and begins to try to assess from the people going to and fro what happened. He's sure he's not going to hear the full story from Starkweather or Lexington.

[Raiko]

Seeing no immediate danger, Jack, like the carrion eater his profession demands he be, takes out his camera [if it was somehow packed] and begins to try to assess from the people going to and fro what happened. He's sure he's not going to hear the full story from Starkweather or Lexington.

McRaven wanders over to one of the survivors...pocketing his pistol as there doesn't seem to be any danger at the moment.

"Say buddy, what the hell happened here"

His gaze wanders over to the aircraft and he briefly wonders if there is any fuel in the planes...enough to get back to the camp in style?

McRaven – with Jack lurking close by, camera-in-hand – finds himself speaking to a young man who enthusiastically greets him, “Hi I’m Chris Hooper, I guess you guys want to know what happened.”

Another man walks towards the group, approaching from the direction of a fallen tent that he had been re-erecting.” He doesn’t speak, but he nods towards Jack in a friendly manner.

Other members of the Lexington Expedition drift away, back towards their work, one or two casting suspicious, even hostile, glances towards the newcomers.

Across the camp, Starkweather and his escort enter the hut.

[Raiko]

Isugtag heads into the camp to see if he can help with any cleanup or anything else. He's got an ear open to conversation about what's happened to these people, but doesn't initiate a conversation.

Isugtag spots a man dragging a large burnt crate across the snow, towards the edge of the camp, where a pile of debris and damaged equipment is being made. A series of deep furrows through the ice and snow bear mute testament to the man’s industry.

He accepts Isutag’s assistance with just a nod, but pauses for breath when the two have finished hauling the scorched crate over the pile of debris. He offers the Inuit guide a handshake, his breath forms thick clouds as he pants in the cold air “Jenner, thanks for that.”

[Steerpike]

"Hello Chris, I'm Bill McRaven...the fella with the camera is Jack...So what in hell happened hear chris...looks like you've been in a war here"
McRavens gaze falls back on the aircraft
"Any of those kites still flyable?"

[Ghost_1971]

Callum takes a good look around the camp, and then approaches Dr. Greene.

"Come on Doc. Let's go and see if there are any casualties. I'll give you a hand."

[Henrik]

Olof tries to understand what has happened. Some sort of fire perhaps? But where did it start? And how? He decides to turn to Bill, Jack and Chris. He greets Chris. "How do you do. I'm Olof. It seems that we are not the only ones who had had some bad luck during our expedition."

[amarriner]

He offers the Inuit guide a handshake, his breath forms thick clouds as he pants in the cold air “Jenner, thanks for that.”

Isugtag accepts the handshake with a small smile and nods at Jenner. You are welcome. I am Isugtag. Seems to be quite a commotion here today, hmm? Isugtag then nods at the crate and asks, More beat up and burnt equipment?

[Raiko]

As the rescue party mingle with the rival expedition and help with the repairs a loud commotion breaks out inside the hut, Starkweather’s booming English accent can be clearly heard, as can the equally loud shouts of an American lady, presumably Miss Acacia Lexington. It hasn’t been more than two minutes since the Englishman entered the hut and already the act of gallant rescuer seems to have been abandoned as the two resume their bitter feud. The feisty New York business woman certainly seems to be giving as good as she gets.

“Imbecile woman! I should never have allowed you to...”

“...how anyone tolerates your incredible arrogance! You...”

“...had about all that I can take of your posturing!”

“Don’t talk to me about posturing, you pompous...”

The shouting continues for a full minute, heard by all in the camp. At first everybody stops what they doing and turn towards the hut, but most quickly return to their work with a shake of the head or a wry grin. Eventually the argument dies down, at least enough to not be heard from outside, but it’s clear that it’s only a matter of time before the shouting begins again.

He offers the Inuit guide a handshake, his breath forms thick clouds as he pants in the cold air “Jenner, thanks for that.”

Isugtag accepts the handshake with a small smile and nods at Jenner. You are welcome. I am Isugtag. Seems to be quite a commotion here today, hmm? Isugtag then nods at the crate and asks, More beat up and burnt equipment?

Jenner’s reaction is quite unexpected, his eyes narrow and for a second he stares at Isugtag as though he might be responsible in some way for the damage.

Turning back towards the tents Jenner growls, “No time for idle chat, if you want to talk help me with another one.”

Callum takes a good look around the camp, and then approaches Dr. Greene.

"Come on Doc. Let's go and see if there are any casualties. I'll give you a hand."

“Thanks Callum.” Greene points to the two men working to repair the generator. “That guy looks like he’s been wounded. Seems like a good place to start.”

"Hello Chris, I'm Bill McRaven...the fella with the camera is Jack...So what in hell happened hear chris...looks like you've been in a war here"
McRavens gaze falls back on the aircraft
"Any of those kites still flyable?"

“I don’t think so, not until they’ve been checked over anyway. They were both a bit too close to the generator fuel when it went up.”

“They’re not totally wrecked though. We used the radios to contact the Tallahassee. Those two maniacs trashed the base radio. I’m not sure how much fuel we’ve lost either.”

Pulaski is nearby, he overhears this and head off towards the aircraft himself, “That is what we need, a radio.”

The smoke is clearing a little now and McRaven can see that the little autogyro looks to be the worst damaged. The Northrup looks ok from here.

Olof tries to understand what has happened. Some sort of fire perhaps? But where did it start? And how? He decides to turn to Bill, Jack and Chris. He greets Chris. "How do you do. I'm Olof. It seems that we are not the only ones who had had some bad luck during our expedition."

“Tell me about it. We’ve been having nothing but trouble since we set off.”

The young man grins, “still should be plain sailing now that the culprits have been caught.”

John surveys the camp site.

John also notices the damage to the autogyro. Two Lexington expedition members stand staring morosely at the aircraft as Pulaski strides purposefully towards them. Elsewhere in the camp John notices another couple of fuel dumps, both appear to have been unaffected by the explosion. A man emerges from one of the tents and dashes towards the hut carrying a medical bag.

The man who nodded to Jack approaches him now, “Boy are we glad you guys are here, that’s what we need – a steady hand at the helm.”

He glances towards the hut, where the shouting match has resumed again, “The girl’s in over her head, no planning at all. Once all the accidents started she didn’t have a clue.”

[Henrik]

"Culprits? Have your expedition had saboteurs as well?" Olof is surprised and terrified at the same time. If the Lexington expedition had had saboteurs as well, what did that mean? Olof had nutured the suspicion that the saboteurs were sent my the Lexington woman or perhaps overzealous supporters of the Lexington expedition, but this...
"Have you heard anything about the German expedition? Perhaps they have run into similar troubles?" Olof does not mention a thought that strikes his mind, perhaps the Germans are responsible? Or someone else, someone determined that the expeditions should not reach Antarctica. Olof can not decide which theory is worse.

OOC: There was a German expedition, wasn't there?

[amarriner]

Jenner’s reaction is quite unexpected, his eyes narrow and for a second he stares at Isugtag as though he might be responsible in some way for the damage.

Turning back towards the tents Jenner growls, “No time for idle chat, if you want to talk help me with another one.”

Isugtag blinks at Jenner, a bit surprised at his response, but doesn't get angry or hostile. He merely shrugs and says, Lead me to the next one. Manual labor is good for the soul. He wonders why the odd reaction, but he figures the guy's apt to spill more as they keep working.

[Dave Syrinx]

John moves over to the fuel dump to comfirm it´s safe. No leakage or such. He salutes the man running for the tents. "Casulties?"

[Steerpike]

Feeling like something of a spare wheel, McRaven also heads off to the larger aircraft...realising that it may indeed have a spare radio, it may also be flight worthy and possibly worth saving.

[Decrepit]

The man who nodded to Jack approaches him now, “Boy are we glad you guys are here, that’s what we need – a steady hand at the helm.”

He glances towards the hut, where the shouting match has resumed again, “The girl’s in over her head, no planning at all. Once all the accidents started she didn’t have a clue.”

Jack keeps to himself the thought that if Starkweather is considered a steady hand, God help them all. It wouldn't help any to shake this man up any further.

"Tell me about the accidents. We've been having problems, too, and not all of them were accidents."

[Raiko]

Note: Olof, Jack, Hooper and the other NPC are all stood close by, so the conversations kind of merge:

"Culprits? Have your expedition had saboteurs as well?"

"Tell me about the accidents. We've been having problems, too, and not all of them were accidents."

Hooper looks genuinely surprised to learn that the rival expedition has also experienced “problems” on the way. “Damn! You don’t say? Hell, we’ve had no end of problems, food spoiled, weird storms, a suicide – the ship’s crew think we’re jinxed!”

He gestures enthusiastically as he speaks, “And then this latest thing, with Bradbury and Dinsdale shooting the place all to hell, shouting ‘They’re here! They’re here! Burn them out!’ Crazy I’m telling you.”

The other Lexington man interjects, “Yeah, this is too much, we’ve lost too much stuff now – food, fuel, radios, we can’t go on!”

“She just didn’t plan for anything to go wrong, it’s a disaster!”

Chris Hooper disagrees, “Hey Kyle, don’t be so downbeat! We can still manage, and I’m sure Mr Starkweather won’t mind lending a hand.”

"Have you heard anything about the German expedition? Perhaps they have run into similar troubles?"

Hooper shakes his head, “No, we don’t know nothin’ about the German expedition; it’s very mysterious. The rumour is that Chancellor Hitler himself authorised it, but what would he want down here?”

[Raiko]

Isugtag blinks at Jenner, a bit surprised at his response, but doesn't get angry or hostile. He merely shrugs and says, Lead me to the next one. Manual labor is good for the soul. He wonders why the odd reaction, but he figures the guy's apt to spill more as they keep working.

Jenner glowers resentfully for a minute or two, but Isugtag’s willingness to lend a hand with the heavy work eventually wins him over – as the second round of shouting begins inside the cabin the big man chuckles, “You’ve gotta give that Starkweather credit, he’s got some balls turning up here after all the trouble he’s caused!”

[Raiko]

John moves over to the fuel dump to comfirm it´s safe. No leakage or such. He salutes the man running for the tents. "Casulties?"

Strangely the man ignores John’s call, he continues running towards the hut without looking back, he's rather overweight through and is struggling to move fast over the ice.

[Raiko]

Feeling like something of a spare wheel, McRaven also heads off to the larger aircraft...realising that it may indeed have a spare radio, it may also be flight worthy and possibly worth saving.

McRaven quickly catches up with Pulaski and the two approach the Lexington aircraft together. The two men by the Northrop watch them approach with suspicion. One of them takes an step closer to the plane, as though guarding it from the newcomers.

[Raiko]

"Come on Doc. Let's go and see if there are any casualties. I'll give you a hand."[/quote]
“Thanks Callum.” Greene points to the two men working to repair the generator. “That guy looks like he’s been wounded. Seems like a good place to start.”[/quote]The two men are working so intently on the damaged generator that they don’t notice Callum and Greene approaching.