IC - Chapter Six - A Shock in the Lightest Night

[Raiko]

Chapter Six – A Shock in the Lightest Night

Starkweather-Moore Expedition Base Camp – Ross Ice Shelf, Antarctica
Sunday 19th November, 1933

By the end of the day on November the nineteenth the Starkweather-Moore Expedition’s base camp is finally operational. Although work is still to be done to complete the construction the laboratories, the darkroom, the weather shack and the aircraft hangars, enough of the base is construction is complete for the expedition to finally look towards their objective.

Conditions are cramped; indeed each of the two completed wooden huts has barely enough room inside for everybody to stand together, which makes Moore’s daily briefings extremely uncomfortable affairs.

Many of the expedition are currently housed in their tents, with low ice walls to shelter them from the harsh Antarctic winds.

The expedition guides and sled teams have spent much of the last two days surveying safe paths around the Base Camp and marking them with flags, over time these flags have been placed further and further away from the camp itself, so safe paths are now marked up to about two miles from the Expedition’s base. Three of the sleds are now prepared for tomorrow’s departure for the fuel cache, fully loaded with emergency supplies and drums of fuel.

While the exploration team surveyed the region, and the camp team worked on the facilities the technical team operated Professor Pabodie’s wondrous drilling machine for the first time on the ice, taking several core samples around the base camp to test the machine’s operation.

The aviation team, busy around the clock surveying and transporting since the expedition hit the ice, are now grounded as the weather turns throughout the region. Thin clouds of dry blown snow have made flying impossible. The Antarctic sun’s low amber rays appear and disappear between the clouds, casting the stark whiteness of the barrier ice by turns into vivid relief, long shadows, and impenetrable grey murk.

The wind has also picked up now, and the team have been forced to anchor down the two functioning Boeings: Weddell and Enderby, and the little Fairchild Scott as firmly as they can behind their makeshift ice walls. Eventually they will have proper hangars to protect them from the elements, but for now the pilots and engineers must make regular checks to ensure that the aircraft have not been damaged by the wind or snow.

Of the scientists, only the meteorologists and Sam Winslow, the glaciologist, have much to do for now. The rest organize their instruments, accustom themselves to the deadly cold, and rest, waiting for the weather to clear.

Members of the expedition settle down for the ‘night’ in bunks or tents ready for the departure of the overland expedition in the morning. The midnight sun shines dimly from the south through the fine clouds of ice, driven by howling gale force winds.

[Raiko]

Starkweather Moore Expedition Base Camp

SME Base Camp
Image ©Chaosium.

base camp scan768.png (345.67 KiB) Viewed 1857 times

OOC: I'm intending to produce my own base camp map, but here's the one from the book.

[Raiko]

Starkweather-Moore Expedition Base Camp – Ross Ice Shelf, Antarctica
03:00am – Monday 20th November, 1933

As midnight passes the winds die down and an eerie silence descends on the camp. The low clouds still hang over the camp, but the air is now completely still. The sun shines dazzlingly bright underneath the clouds, casting long shadows across the base camp.

The silence is shattered at three in the morning by the thin clangour of an alarm bell...

[Dave Syrinx]

Being awakened from his sleep by the stirring of other members of the team who hear the alarm bell, John staggeringly gets to his feet and tries to figure out what´s happening. "What´s up, Nils?"

[Raiko]

Inside the Meeting Hut – Starkweather Moore Expedition Base Camp
03:01am – Monday 20th November, 1933

James' POW x 3 check (1d100=12)
Yey!

James wakes up instantly inside his room in the meeting hut. The alarm is very loud here, as the radio room is inside the same hut, but even so Professor Albemarle continues to snore loudly in his own bunk.

Inside the other room in the meeting hut, Louis Laroche wakes up Jack before dashing into the radio room to investigate.

Inside the Medical Hut – Starkweather Moore Expedition Base Camp
03:01am – Monday 20th November, 1933

In the other hut, housing the sickbay, the doctors Graves and Greene both wake up, but Kitt in still sound asleep in her own room.


Inside the Tents – Starkweather Moore Expedition Base Camp
03:01am – Monday 20th November, 1933

Being awakened from his sleep by the stirring of other members of the team who hears the alarm bell, John staggeringly gets to his feet and tries to figure out what´s happening. "What´s up, Nils?"

The big Scandinavian guide stares back silently at John; already half way out of the tent , he appears rather surprised that John wasn’t instantly ready for action.

He turns back without uttering a word, following his younger brother outside. With his back turned, as he exits the tent Nils finally answers John’s question with a typically blunt, “Radio alarm!”

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

Elsewhere in the camp Callum, Isugtag and Olof are shaken awake by their tent-mate Samuel Winslow.

McRaven hears the alarm from inside the tent that he shares with the other male pilots and the engineer “Colt” Huston. As he sits up, he sees that Ralph Dewitt has also heard the alarm – he’s climbing out of his sleeping bag and pulling on his coat.

Everyone in the expedition knows the reason for the bell; it was explained to them all on the voyage south: the bell is the radio’s mayday alarm. Someone, somewhere, is calling for help, but who and where?

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

When you get outside – Starkweather Moore Expedition Base Camp
03:01am – Monday 20th November, 1933

Outside in the cold, James Starkweather emerges from his tent almost at once and jogs across the ice to the meeting hut without closing up his coat. The frozen ground chirps and squeaks beneath his boots in the sudden silence as the alarm bell goes mute.

[Raiko]

Inside the Meeting Hut Radio Room – Starkweather Moore Expedition Base Camp
03:02am – Monday 20th November, 1933

Inside the hut a handful of explorers crouch around the radioman, Louis Laroche, as he flips switches and tunes the radio dials. A powerful signal rings across the hisses of static for a moment – <<DIT-DAHH, DITDAHH, DIT-DAHH>> – before Laroche tunes away and a voice can be heard.

<<Help! If you can hear me, land a party at once! The camp is under attack! This is Tony Hopewell calling Tallahassee. Mac, can you hear me? They’re>>

The voice stops suddenly, punctuated by two sharp reports like gunshots. A moment later the carrier fades, leaving only static.

Laroche and Starkweather stare at each other and at the radio, shock written on their faces. No one quite knows quite what to do.

A minute later a faint hollow rumble, like thunder, rolls across the camp from the north.

Starkweather’s astonishment fades swiftly. He runs, grabbing a pair of binoculars from a peg by the door, and hurriedly exits the hut.

[amarriner]

Isugtag, though sound asleep initially, rises quickly when he is awoken. He looks at Callum and Olof and gives them a silent nod before heading hurriedly out of the tent. Seeing Starkweather enter the meeting tent he follows. After the radio and the loud sounds, he follows Starkweather again outside in the hopes of getting more information.

[Ghost_1971]

Callum shakes the sleep from his head, and follows Isutag to the Radio shed to find out what's going on.

[Steerpike]

McRaven gets his cold weather gear on and heads out to the radio shack, mind racing wondering whats going on...as he gets close to the shack, he spots Starkweather holding fieldglasses, racing out of the tent...he decides to fall in with the expedition leader to learn whats going on...and more importantly how he can help.

[Henrik]

Olof is disoriented at first but prepares as quickly as he can and then heads out in the cold. What has happened? He heads together with his tent mates to the radio hut.

OOC: And I who entertained the thought of butchering the rival expedition in their sleep. Looks like someone beat us to it...

[Raiko]

Starkweather-Moore Expedition Base Camp
03:05am – Monday 20th November, 1933

After leaving the hut Starkweather heads for high ground. He climbs a nearby ridge and spends a minute or two scanning the ice to the north, but the haze hides everything – there in nothing to be seen.

“Damn it!”

Without another word Starkweather turns and jogs back towards the meeting hut, ignoring all enquires.

By now the rest of the camp is awake. Men emerge from their tents in disarray, curious and uneasy. Professor Moore arrives; he sets Lopez and Cole to preparing food and water, while Pulaski and Sørensen ready the dogs for two of the sleds. Moore then follows Starkweather back into the meeting hut.

Everyone seems to know that something is wrong, and that something needs to be done. But no-one knows just what has happened, or why.


Inside the Meeting Hut – Starkweather-Moore Expedition Base Camp.
03:06am – Monday 20th November, 1933

Laroche remains at his post while Starkweather is outside, he tries in vain to establish contact again with Hopewell, who he explains is the Lexington Expedition’s radioman.

Eventually as Starkweather returns Laroche gives up, “I shall try to contact the Tallahassee, perhaps they know more than we do.”

[Decrepit]

Jack, who has some slight radio expertise, stays with Laroche for now in case he can help, even though he knows the problem isn't technical but something much worse. What could have happened?

[Ghost_1971]

"Professor Moore. I think we should get a team together, and head over to the last known position of that camp." says Callum.

"I've no idea what's happened over there, but there may be casualties, and in these conditions they wont last long."

[Steerpike]

McRaven arrives in the radio tent to hear Callum pitch his idea.
"Any idea how far they are? I'm only asking, because any trip we make will have to be overland...no ones going to be able to get a plane up in this weather"

[Dave Syrinx]

"Wh have to bring some arms, they were attacked by something...Yetis?! ...or what." John heads off to retrieve his shotgun as there seems to be a need for a slug thrower. "Get the sledges ready boys! We´ve some hunting to do..." If we get a bearing on where they are camping at... He thinks as he enters the tent he shares with the brothers.

[Henrik]

"Isn't there danger in leaving in the middle of the night?" Olof asks. "Isn't there a possibility of getting lost? We would not want to lose more expedition members! Shouldn't we wait for tomorrow instead?"

[Raiko]

Radio Room, The Meeting Hut – Starkweather-Moore Base Camp, Ross Ice Shelf
03:07am – Monday 20th November, 1933

“I shall try to contact the Tallahassee, perhaps they know more than we do.”

A few moments later Laroche has MacAuley, the SS Tallahassee’s radioman, on the line. The resulting conversation between the two men reveals that the Lexington Expedition’s fuel cache and mess hall appear to be ablaze, along with several tents. No one can see much from aboard the ship – the haze shifts and obscures the shore – but men on watch report hearing gunshots, and everyone can see a pall of smoke over the scene. No one answers the radio.

The Tallahassee is helpless. Despite clear water at the foot of the barrier it in far too dangerous to come alongside the ice, even to put a party ashore, and there is nowhere for a small boat to land.

Starkweather returns to the hall just in time to hear the end of the conversation. He takes the microphone from Louis and leans over the radio. “Tallahassee, this is Starkweather I’m preparing an overland party. It’s only fourteen miles, so we ought to be there shortly. I’m taking food, fuel, and medical supplies, but we cannot afford to bring a radio.”

“So I’ll fire off two white flares when we arrive. Do you understand? Tell your captain not to worry; we’ll do everything we can.”

"Isn't there danger in leaving in the middle of the night?" Olof asks. "Isn't there a possibility of getting lost? We would not want to lose more expedition members! Shouldn't we wait for tomorrow instead?"

He hands the microphone back to Laroche, then turns to address everyone in the room, “No, Callum is quite right we must do something - time is of the essence! Moore is already organising the sleds – I want some volunteers, anyone with military experience and everyone who has first aid training!”

“Get yourselves ready for a little trek, we leave in fifteen minutes,” he stops and grins, “We’ve a young lady to rescue!”

The smile fades as quickly as it had appeared, replaced with a look of steely determination – the look of a soldier preparing for battle.

“Everyone who comes must be armed, we haven’t got a clue what has happened, but from the Tallahassee’s report it does not look good. As you know Lexington’s Base Camp is located some fourteen miles north of our position – we should be able to make good time now that that damned wind has dropped.”

Outside the huts – Starkweather-Moore Expedition Base Camp – Ross Ice Shelf
03:08am – Monday 20th November, 1933

Outside, with quiet competence, Moore has already begun readying the equipment for the journey. Two sleds, prepared for the cache-deploying journey, are rapidly being restocked with emergency and medical supplies as the dog men harness two teams.

[Ghost_1971]

"You can count me in Boss!" says Callum in reply to Starkweathers request for volunteers.

"As you know, I dont have the military experience, but I can use a rifle. Then again, my skills lay elsewhere, and if I can't get you there and back safely, I'm in the wrong job. I'm going to get my gear together. See you outside."

[Henrik]

Olof thinks for a few seconds and then answers. "I'll go as well, if you'll have me. I have some experience with a rifle, if you have an extra you can lend me." The engineer does dress in his winter gear and he also brings some cans of food and water. Not so much for himself but for any survivors of the Lexington camp, they might be hungry. If there is a rifle to be spared he takes that as well.

[Dave Syrinx]

"I guess the rye whiskey will come in handy?" Rhyes says as he returns from the tent with a shotgun slung over his shoulder. From the pack on his back comes a clanking of bottles. "Need to secure them precious draughts..." He takes a moment to fuzz with the pack then looks at Callum. "Time to get serious, nay?"