IC - Chapter Six - A Shock in the Lightest Night

[Ghost_1971]

Greene is just starting to look at Hopewell’s injured arm when everyone’s attention is diverted by John and the overweight man.

Callum observes the altercation between John and the alleged "Bandit" for a few moments, then turns to the others, by the generator. "Don't worry about John guys. He gets a bit excitable sometimes..."

"Maybe it's a touch of cabin fever or something?!" he says, trying to laugh the incident off

[Raiko]

"Maybe it's a touch of cabin fever or something?!" he says, trying to laugh the incident off

“Yeah, guess you’re right – cabin fever, that’s exactly what the doc said about Bradbury and Dinsdale.”

Rhyes keeps his hands off of the shotgun. Still palms up, he offers the doc a hand to get up.

The doctor looks very angry, but nonetheless accepts John’s offer to help him to his feet.

As he gets unsteadily back to his fete the front door of the main hut bursts open and Starkweather emerges with his revolver drawn, closely followed by Miss Acacia Lexington herself.

Quickly assessing the situation and drawing her own conclusions, the leader of the rival expedition wastes no time and immediately rounds on Starkweather:

“Don’t you think I’ve had enough trouble today already?!! Without your buffoons shooting up the camp as well?!!”

Starkweather’s face burns red as he stutters, “N-Now you just look here young lady!!!”

“How DARE you – you pretentious...”

It’s obvious that without immediate intervention, all that has been achieved is to bring the quarrel of the two bitter rivals out into the open. They don’t even seem to care about the gunshot anymore.

[Henrik]

"FOR THE LOVE OF GOD! CALM DOWN! Enough has happened here for us to be at each other's throats. There has been attempts to sabotage both our expeditions. Personally I believed that supporters of the Lexington expedition behind all the troubles that befell us. We need to stop this bickering and begin working together. You two!" Olof points at Starkweather and Alicia. "You have to end this feud! If we are going to survive we need to begin working together! Who knows perhaps there are more saboteurs lying in wait? Are we supposed to do the job for them?"


OOC: If needed:

Persuade/Fast Talk (1d100=90)

A clear failure.

[Steerpike]

McRaven simply raises his gun and fires again
"ONCE MORE FOR THE CHEAP SEATS!" He shouts out at the two expedition leaders "Olofs right...these people are wired up tighter than a snare drum and think we were to blame...this rescue was within a gnats hair of turning into a shooting war. While you two were in the tent arguing like an old married couple this camp was turning into chaos. You're the leaders, so take charge GODDAMN it and lets get these people the hell outta here!"

Persuade 15% (1d100=9)
ooc: Guess we don't need the bonus for the gun

[Raiko]

“Ok! Ok! Just put the gun away please!” Miss Lexington begins walking across towards McRaven, leaving a fuming James Starkweather behind her, “I’ve finished talking to this pompous fool anyway.”

“But let me make one thing clear – we will not be abandoning this camp. The maniacs who did this have been restrained until Doctor Anthony has properly diagnosed them. We will make a full assessment of the damage, and then offload any spares that we require from the Tallahassee.”

She reaches McRaven and Pulaski, and looks the pilot square in the eyes, “I’m sorry that you had a wasted journey gentlemen, but if you choose to follow “Captain” James Starkweather then it will not be your last!”

Behind her Starkweather shakes his head angrily, “This is ridiculous...”

[Henrik]

"I for one is not interested in your and Mr. Starkweather's personal affairs, Ms. Lexington. I came with this expedition to get an opportunity to do some real science. Since there still can be lives at stake is it possible to speak with these saboteurs? I fear that they might be connected with the saboteur we found on our expedition."

[Raiko]

Lexington nods, "Ok, but not all of you, and only if the doctor agrees."

[Dave Syrinx]

John clears his throat and takes a few steps away from the doctor. "If things are settled here, in-camp, I´d like permission to watch the perimeter of the camp for new threats. Maybe we were not the only ones who picked up on your distress call. Bad things tend to be stackable..." John moves past the fuel depot to get a clear overview of the camp to assess where to post as look out. You never know with them Fritzes...

[amarriner]

Isugtag grunts lowly at Lexington's decree, and figures he might get something out of Jenner rather than try to go with the others to question the saboteurs. He figures others in the group are better suited to questioning anyway. Isugtag heads back over to where Jenner is in the hopes of softening him up a little. Ready to resume moving these boxes?

[Henrik]

"Jack? Do you want to follow me to interrogate the prisoners? You have a way with words that I lack" Olof asks.

[Decrepit]

"Of course," Jack says. "I think you overrate me, but I, for one, would like to hear what they have to say. Sometimes, the best thing about being a reporter is that you get to satisfy your personal curiosity and get paid for it." He grins tightly.

[Raiko]

Gregor Pulaski speaks to Acacia, “I would like to use your aircraft radio to contact our camp.”

Lexington nods her assent, “Ok.” She turns to the two aggressive explorers who were guarding the aircraft earlier, “Let them use the radio, but keep an eye on the plane.”

She looks back at Pulaski, “Sorry, but I can’t be too careful, I still don’t know if I trust you.”

Pulaski nods and asks McRaven, “Are you coming Bill?”

Meanwhile Starkweather, incensed by Acacia’s latest attack on the integrity of his team, storms ahead.

“Bloody woman! Gregor get me Moore on the wireless!”

Pulaski chuckles to McRaven and turns to follow the leader back to the Northrop.

********************************************

Doctor Anthony, having finished picking up his medical kit says to Olof and Jack, “Ok guys, follow me.”

[Dave Syrinx]

Meanwhile, John scouts the outer premisses of the camp, beyond the fuel dump.

[Henrik]

Whenever Jack is ready Olof follows Doctor Anthony.

[Dave Syrinx]

John takes position and stakes out the visible range. He pulls the parka over his head and chews on some snow to avoid giving his position away to anyone lurking.

[Decrepit]

Jack accompanies Olof and the doctor. Damn it, man, I'm a journalist, not a psychoanalyst, he thinks, but he is genuinely curious.

[Raiko]

Inside the Hut:
PCs: Olof and Jack
Lex NPCs: Doctor Anthony, Williams
SME NPCs: n/a

The man who approached Jack earlier says “I wouldn’t mind joining you too.” He looks a little angry and possibly plans to confront the saboteurs, but no one stops him. As he follows the doctor he pats Olof on the back, “Names Williams by the way. I’m meant to be a pilot – if we can get our planes into the air again after today!”
Doctor Anthony leads the trio into the Lexington Camp’s main hut, once they’re inside he head for a back room, “We’ve got one man – Priestly – guarding them. They’re both suffering from snow craze I’d say – brought on by the shear desolation of this place.”

“Bradbury is sedated and unconscious, but Dinsdale is awake and seems to be coming back to his senses.”

He opens the door into the second room. There is a central table and two double bunks. A man – Priestly no doubt sits in a wooden chair in the far corner he holds a revolver in his right hand, his left is clutching a blood soaked bandage against his cheek.

A second man – Dinsdale- sits at the table, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders and a steaming mug of coffee in front of him. Bradbury lays unconscious on one of the bunks.

[Raiko]

By the Northrop:
PCs: McRaven
Lex NPCs: The two angry guys.
SME NPCs: Starkweather, Pulaski

Starkweather paces impatiently while Pulaski retunes the radio and attempts to contact the SME Base Camp. “Base, this is Pulaski do you read me? Over.”

“Base, this is Pulaski do you read me? Over.”

While they wait for a response Starkweather turns to McRaven, “That Bloody fool woman! The Antarctic is no place for a woman I tell you. You’ll have to watch out for that Kitt girl, Bill – I never should have brought her.”

“I told Moore he was making a mistake. Look what can happen. Bloody woman!”

The two Lexington men look even more angry with Starkweather, they glare at the Englishman, but hold their ground without a word.

[Raiko]

By the Generator:
PCs: Callum
Lex NPCs: Hopewell, Sachs
SME NPCs: Richard Greene

Now that the shouting has stopped Greene returns to the task of examining Hopewell’s injured arm, while Sachs sticks his head back into the generator. Hopewell shakes his head, “That trigger happy guy of yours is right you know – this camp is unless without the generators, and those two manics wrecked them – we’ll never repair them out here. Acacia lied, she doesn’t have spares on the ship.”

“No generators, no radios, maybe no planes. This whole thing is over now!”

“I thought it couldn’t get any worse after Bicks died!”

[Raiko]

Beyond the Southern Fuel Dump:
PCs: John
Lex NPCs: n/a
SME NPCs: n/a

John settles into position, he hasn’t spotted anything suspicious yet.