Investigation#2 - Callum and James

[Raiko]

This is a private thread currently intended for the players of Callum and James only.
If you are playing a character other than one of those three then please do not make any posts here.
I'm not too concerned about everybody else avoiding reading posts from here, but if you do then please remember that information contained in this thread is not general knowledge.

This thread will run simultaneously with the main IC thread. If you wish to join this investigation, or to chat to any of the characters involved in it, then please make a post in the main IC thread.

[Raiko]

[OOC: Ok, I've started this thread just for your three characters so that you can follow your own set of posts more easily.

As this thread runs simultaneously with the main IC thread, please keep an eye on that as any events not limited to your investigation will be posted there, and that is where any other characters can interact with you. If anyone else joins your investigation they can start posting in here as well.]

Here are the last two IC posts from the main thread, that relate to this investigation:

James being a little suprised by Professor Moore's reaction nods & turns to Callum "I think we should organise a room where we can start questioning the crew straight away"

Once Professor Moore is out of earshot he continues "This voyage has certainly been plagued by more mis-haps than I find acceptable & I do not intend to see anyone else's life put into unnecessary danger, we are going to have to take a firm hand over the questioning, starting with Henning, if he is fit to be questioned, and any other crew that were close by when the incident happened. We will need to make sure secure quarters for any suspects are arranged and all security staff co-operated with to get to the bottom of this.

"I dont think that questioning the crew is what Moore had in mind James. Something a bit more subtle is needed here. Perhaps we should start with going through the Crews personal belongings, on the quiet of course, to see what we can find. We'll have to be very careful though, sailores can get a bit touchy about things like that..."

Who's plan are you going with?

If you want a 'private area' then your own cabins (14 & 18) are as good as you are likely to find aboard, but take a look at the deckplans, maybe you can find a better location. Perhaps you could recruit people from the same cabin(s).

It you want to snoop around the crew's quarters then I need to know where you plan to start, all cabin allocations are with the deckplans. Remember that the deck and engine crews, as well as the officers operate in three watches so there are always a few sailors in their cabins at any one time. The stewards on the other hand work during the day, and rest at night.

[OrionUK]

Thanks Gary.

I will post in the main thread my reply to Callum but do a more detailed post here.

In reply to which plan are we going with I think we should start off by checking all the supplies (water, equipment etc) out to see if they all look ok for now then start by very subtly checking out each area of the ship, in a thourough systamatic way, and if we come across anyone asking what we are doing or starts questioning us then we should take them to one side, question them about how long they have been part of this particular crew, where they have come from, what they know about expeditions etc and then explain that we know there is a sabotour onboard and we intend to find them to try to put the sabotour off making any more attempts to delay the voyage?

I dont know what Callum thinks to that but if happy to start with the search then we should start from top deck aft to forward and work down in that order if thats ok?

[Raiko]

I'd rather you replied here than in the main thread, as I'm trying to separate those two conversations/investigations from the main story.

[Ghost_1971]

"Checking the supplies sounds like a good place to start James. I'd be happy to go along with that for now. Hopefully we can catch someone in that act"

[OrionUK]

OK Gary I will just post in here whilst relevant 8)

"Right lets get started then Callum, I will go an ontain a note pad and pen to make any notes on the supplies & to note anything that anyone says that might be of use and meet you at the main hold. As you say hopefully we will find the culprit in the act if, we are careful, and they try anything else"

[Raiko]

There's about an hour or two left before lights out. Unless you work through the night you won't get a whole hold checked out without carrying on in the morning.

As the holds are unlit I'll assume that Callum borrows a couple of flashlights from the crew while James is getting his notepad.

Remember that there are five cargo holds on the Gabrielle, each split into a Lower and a Tween deck section. The lower holds are only accessible through the Tween deck holds.

Shall we say that you start with #5 Tween Deck Hold and work your way forwards, as with your later plans for searching the rest of the ship?

[OrionUK]

Hi Gary,

Yes that is fine with me - I dont think they would want to work through the night, probably work quite late but will finish say around midnight? and would like to start again straight after breakfast.

[Ghost_1971]

Yep. Sounds ok to me. Lets get going.

[Raiko]

Sorry, I've been too busy to post in my games for a day or two.

I'll post an update for you two at lunchtime.

[Raiko]

SS Gabrielle - Main Deck, Above the #5 Hold

Carrying their borrowed flashlights Callum and James walk back along the darkened deck to the hatch down to the number 5 tween deck hold.

The hatch is closed, as expected, so James opens it and shines his flashlight down into the utter darkness of the hold. He doesn't spot anything, but hears the sound of a large rat or something scurrying away into the shadows, disturbed by the sudden appearance of the torch-beam; the tiny sound is quickly lost though as the expedition's dogs smell the visitors.

This hold contains the cages for the expedition's 36 Alaskan Malamute dogs. They constantly howl throughout the hot daylight hours, but are mostly quiet during the night; now though they sense the arrival of the two familiar humans as soon as James opens the hatch. Most of the dogs bark with excitement, expecting a surprise meal, while several of the more aggressive hounds growl ominously at the disturbance.

[OOC: Ready to go down? It's very dark.]

[Ghost_1971]

"Come on James! Lets go. You're not scared are you? Ha Ha" Callum heads down the steps into the darkness. "Good dogs calm down now." he says gently, trying to calm the excitable animals. "It's not dinner time yet.."

[OrionUK]

"Of course not, I love dogs, we own several hunting hounds at home so I have grown up with them, the grumpy ones will settle if we leave them alone"

James heads down swinging the torch to the area where the 'Large Rat or something' went scurrying as he wouldn't be suprised if they found someone skulking around in here and would actually be quite excited at the prospect of catching the saboteur so early on.

[Raiko]

The dogs soon settle back down, disappointed not to be getting fed. They all appear to be healthy, and this hold doesn't contain everything else apart from the rack of dog cages and a couple of emptied packages of pemmican rations used to feed the dogs.

James shines his flashlight around the hold, but is unable to locate the rat.

It only takes thirty minutes to check all the dogs and cages over, so there should still be time to start looking at the #5 lower hold tonight. An opening in the floor in one corner of the tween deck hold leads to the caged ladder down to the lower hold.

[OOC: Want to carry on down there tonight?]

[Ghost_1971]

Callum heads over to the ladder. He peers over the edge of the hole, using his flashlight to check out the area, and the climbs down.

[OrionUK]

James takes one further look around where he thought the Rat (or whatever) might have headed and if he still spots nothing he also heads over to the ladder to follow Callum down and will start making notes & looking around the lower hold area.

[Raiko]

SS Gabrielle - #5 Tween Deck Hold (Dog Cages)

The harsh beam of Callum's flashlight illuminates the caged metal ladder down to the #5 Lower Hold. Nothing looks out the ordinary from up here, so he starts to make his way down.

James continues to search in vain for the rat that he heard earlier, eventually he gives up and follows Callum. Perhaps it was just his imagination.

The #5 Lower Hold contains most of the timber and other building materials that will be used to construct the expedition's base camp in Antarctica. There are approximately five tonnes of materials in all, secured to a dozen or so cargo pallets.

[OOC: A cursory check of the pallets will take thirty minutes to an hour, so you'll be finished with the #5 hold tonight and ready to check the #4 hold tomorrow

A more detailed check of all the materials will probably take at the whole of the morning.

If either of you are unsure whether to carry out a detailed examination of five tonnes of building materials then you may as well discuss it briefly IC, as they're chatting in the other investigation thread so I'm not ready to move onto the next day yet]

[OrionUK]

James is happy to make sure nothing has been tampered with & all looks in order & call it a night, if nothings looks out of place.

[Ghost_1971]

"That's a good idea James" says Callum "We can carry on where we left off in the morning, after a nights rest."

[Raiko]

James and Callum spend the rest of the evening searching through the contents of the #5 lower hold, they don't find any sign of sabotage.

[OOC: It'll probably take you about two more hours in the morning to complete your search of the #5 holds, then you can move forward to the #4 holds.

I'm just waiting for a couple more posts in the other investigation thread and then I'll advance the time to the morning]