IC - Chapter Six - A Shock in the Lightest Night

[Raiko]

Hauling Damaged Gear:
PCs: Isugtag
Lex NPCs: Jenner
SME NPCs: n/a

Jenner finally talks as he and Isugtag carry damaged equipment to the ‘dump.’

“Starkweather got her in trouble you know. She really hates him.”

[Raiko]

Back at the Starkweather Moore Base Camp:
PCs: Graves, James
Lex NPCs: n/a
SME NPCs: Laroche on the Radio, Moore and Nils Sorensen are nearby

Laroche jumps with shock as the radio crackles into life, he and Moore plus a few others have waited for hours for news from the rescue party. Receiving only a terse message from the Lexington camp that they do not require the assistance of James Starkweather in any form!

«hiss»

«Base, this is Pulaski do you read me? Over»

«hiss»

«Base, this is Pulaski do you read me? Over»

[Dave Syrinx]

Behind the fuel dump-

John gazes out over the white haze. Taking a moment, he unscrews a bottle of Rye and downs a cap. Just one for enhanced concentration..., he thinks to himself. He screws the cap on and resumes the arduous task of scouting the perimeter.

[Ghost_1971]

By the Generator

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

"Who was Bicks?" enquires Callum

"And if you don't mind me asking, how did he die?"

[Raiko]

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

Hopewell looks reluctant to say more, clearly wishing he’d kept his mouth shut. Then with a sigh he tells his story, “Bicks was a sailor, one of the Tallahassee’s crew. Me an’ him were pretty good friends, so we were out on deck one evening, sharin’ from a brandy flask.”

“It was cold, just before we got into the real heavy ice, just the odd ‘berg here an’ there.”

“Anyway we was talkin’ about nothin’ in particular when Bicks suddenly turns; he looks at me then back at the ocean – his eyes just getting’ wider an’ wider.”

“Then he turns them eyes back at me an’ I swear they were goin’ to pop straight out of his head! Then he just starts screamin’, just screamin’ – not sayin’ a word. I grabbed at him to calm him down, but he just pushed me off, an’ then he jumps right over the side.”

“It was the damnedest thing I ever saw, an’ he screamed all the way down into the sea, lookin’ back up at me.”

Hopewell shudders, “But I didn’t do anythin’ to him, he just started screamin’”

Looking very uncomfortable and embarrassed, Hopewell turns away and stops talking for a moment.

“And then this morning, while I’m on early watch, Bradbury and Dinsdale go crazy! They just come runnin’ out from behind the supplies pile shoutin’ an’ hollerin’ “They’re here!” an’ “Burn ‘em out!” I tell you, we can’t usually get Bradbury out of his bed, but there he was runnin’ round in the night with a rifle.”

“I thought there must be a real danger, so I’m lookin’ round to see want it is – exceptin’ maybe crazy old Starkweather’s come raidin’ the camp, when Dinsdale torches one of the tents. Jesus!”

“We all tried to stop them, but Bradbury threatens us with his gun.”

Hopewell shakes his head in disbelief, holding the bandage that Greene has just finished reapplying to his arm.

“It was like he didn’t even know it was me! He was just wild. Doc Anthony says he’s gone snow-crazy. Well I can sure believe that! He shot me in the damn arm!” Hopewell shakes his head again.

“I tell you there’s too much madness goin’ on. This expedition’s cursed!”

[Ghost_1971]

By the Generator

Callum's blood runs cold as he listens to Hopewell's tale.

"Bicks obviously saw something when he was on deck with you. Did you have a look where he was looking too?"

[Raiko]

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

"No! There was nothing there, it was just me an' Binks I'm tellin' ya!"

[Ghost_1971]

By the Generator

"And the other two, Bradbury and Dinsdale was it? Did they give any clue of what they meant by 'They're here!' "

"And did you see anything, or hear anything weird then?" enquires Callum.

[amarriner]

Hauling Damaged Gear:
PCs: Isugtag
Lex NPCs: Jenner
SME NPCs: n/a

Jenner finally talks as he and Isugtag carry damaged equipment to the ‘dump.’

“Starkweather got her in trouble you know. She really hates him.”

At this last, Isugtag perks up and looks at Jenner. Got her in trouble? How so?

[Henrik]

Olof nods in greeting. "I'm sorry to trouble you. As you have already guessed we are from the Starkweather-Moore expedition. We heard about your troubles and we suspect that they are related in some way, or fear it is a better word. Could we speak with Dinsdale?"

[Raiko]

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

Olof nods in greeting. "I'm sorry to trouble you. As you have already guessed we are from the Starkweather-Moore expedition. We heard about your troubles and we suspect that they are related in some way, or fear it is a better word. Could we speak with Dinsdale?"

The man wrapped in the blanket speaks, “I’m Dinsdale, Ronald Dinsdale,” he reaches out to shake Olof’s hand, and he looks very embarrassed and his hand shakes slightly.

“I’m really sorry you guys ended up trekking across here – I don’t understand what happened. I never meant for anyone to get hurt.” He glances towards Priestly, looking even more embarrassed.

“I woke up really early this morning, absolutely convinced that huge spiders had invaded the camp. I really hate spiders,” he admits with an uneasy smile, “Absolutely hate them. That’s one reason why I came on this expedition because there aren’t supposed to be any spiders in Antarctica”

“My first thought was to burn out the critters, it seemed perfectly reasonable to me at the time – even though it seems crazy now. I just grabbed my gear and set to it.”

“I figured that the guys trying to stop me must be in league with the evil bugs and had to be stopped as well, I kept burning while Bradbury covered me with his rifle.”

“And the thing is... I can’t imagine what I was thinking. But I saw them. I mean I really thought I saw them; huge things, climbing over everything. Bradbury must have seen them too... mustn’t he..?”

Dinsdale’s voice trails off in confusion, he looks towards Olof, Jack and Williams as if for reassurance.

[Raiko]

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

“Base, this is Pulaski do you read me? Over”[/color]

There is a few seconds where the only sounds are white noise from the radio set, and quiet raging by Starkweather. Then Louis Laroche’s surprised (and relieved) Quebec accent breaks through the static:

«Pulaski, it is good to finally hear your voice. We were worried – you took longer than we expected»

Pulaski grins, “Yes, we had a little accident – John fell–”

Starkweather snatches the handset from Gregor’s hand, “Get me Moore, at once!!”

[Raiko]

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

"And the other two, Bradbury and Dinsdale was it? Did they give any clue of what they meant by 'They're here!' "

"And did you see anything, or hear anything weird then?" enquires Callum.

“What, more weird than my friend shooting at me? While another friend torches the camp?”

“No nothing, nothing at all.”

[Raiko]

Hauling Damaged Gear:
PCs: Isugtag
Lex NPCs: Jenner
SME NPCs: n/a

At this last, Isugtag perks up and looks at Jenner. Got her in trouble? How so?

Jenner leans closer to Isugtag and speaks quietly, “Yeah, you know? In the family way.”

“Starkweather took her on Safari in Africa, and they had a thing. But he ended up nearly getting her killed, he didn’t rescue her like the papers said – it was more the other way around.”

“Anyway, she had to keep a low profile for a few months after the safari, and daddy made sure that there were no more safari adventures for Miss Lexington.”

“In the meantime, your Captain Starkweather made sure he was the hero of events.”

[amarriner]

Hauling Damaged Gear:
PCs: Isugtag
Lex NPCs: Jenner
SME NPCs: n/a

Jenner leans closer to Isugtag and speaks quietly, “Yeah, you know? In the family way.”

“Starkweather took her on Safari in Africa, and they had a thing. But he ended up nearly getting her killed, he didn’t rescue her like the papers said – it was more the other way around.”

“Anyway, she had to keep a low profile for a few months after the safari, and daddy made sure that there were no more safari adventures for Miss Lexington.”

“In the meantime, your Captain Starkweather made sure he was the hero of events.”

Isugtag thinks on this for a moment before responding. No wonder there's bad blood between Starkweather and Lexington. Well, don't blame her feeling that way, I suppose. What happened to the child?

[Raiko]

Hauling Damaged Gear:
PCs: Isugtag
Lex NPCs: Jenner
SME NPCs: n/a

Isugtag thinks on this for a moment before responding. No wonder there's bad blood between Starkweather and Lexington. Well, don't blame her feeling that way, I suppose. What happened to the child?

Jenner looks unsure, "Oh, I don't know. I guess some relative must look after it."

[Ghost_1971]

By the Generator

Callum considers Hopewells' response for a second, then replies, "Oh well, our guys may be able to get some more information out of them. We have some very capable people with us. Once they're finished with what they're doing, I'll see if I can get one of engineers to give you a hand with that generator." offers Callum

[amarriner]

Hauling Damaged Gear:
PCs: Isugtag
Lex NPCs: Jenner
SME NPCs: n/a

Jenner looks unsure, "Oh, I don't know. I guess some relative must look after it."

Normally Isugtag wouldn't keep talking--it's not his style--but he figures it's a good way to pass the time while working with Jenner and helping to get the Lexington camp back to some semblance of normalcy. He briefly wonders how the rest of his expedition are doing, but figures he'll be called upon when needed.

Hmm. What was the purpose of this safari? Just for fun or were they looking for something? Isugtag figures Starkweather must've had something up his sleeve. In the short time he's known the other man, Isugtag feels he has a bead on the other's sensibilities. And I'm guessing Starkweather didn't do anything to quell the idea that he was the hero?

If nothing else, perhaps I can convince this man I'm on his side, thinks Isugtag.

[Henrik]

"Spiders? You'll have to excuse me but that seems strange to hear? I'm no doctor but you must have been hallucinating. Have you eaten something peculiar? Perhaps something that both you and Bradbury ate but no one else?"

OOC,[i]OOC: Is Bradbury alive? Or is he dead? Need a reminder.[/i]

[Raiko]

Henrik,[b][color=#FF0000]OOC:[/color][/b] Bradbury is unconscious on the bed (sedated by Dr Anthony)