Chapter 4: Storm

[Solomoriah]

"Six?" said the Captain.

"That'd be the crow's nest," said Lt. Briggs.

"I know that," said the Captain, sounding just a bit exasperated. He stepped over to the telephone and picked up the receiver, and tapping the switchhook, he dialed 3.

...

Simon Lars barely heard the telephone ringing over the noise of the running engine. Green took the call, stepping out into the passageway again.

Shortly he returned. "That was the Captain. It seems Neville tried to call the crow's nest, and Captain Pelton wants you to find out why. I asked why he didn't send someone else up, and he replied that he couldn't spare an officer and the stewards didn't know their way around up here. I'll finish up pulling the cylinders while you're looking into that."

...

"Sir, was that wise?" asked Briggs. "We only have two engineers now. I could go up and look."

"I can't spare helmsmen either, Briggs, and without Neville, you're a helmsman now. And what are you doing still up here? Get down to the bridge, man, and tell Chapman to bring the ship around, as we're going home. It's not safe to proceed as we are."

A bolt of lightning, with a thunderclap following close on its heels, punctuated Captain Pelton's orders. First Mate Briggs said, "Yes, sir," turned sharply and left the lounge.

[Rosisha]

Lars nods, "Sir, permission to go down and get my coat? Seems the storm is starting to get going and if I'm going up top, I wouldn't mind a bit of protection?"

Assuming he gains permission he is going to fly downstairs and get his pistol, and then his coat, putting his pistol somewhere easy to grab, he will then proceed up slowly and carefully, without a light. He wants to be quiet and sneak up on whomever is there without them knowing he is coming.

Once he gets towards the top, he will pull out his pistol and advance very carefully. Always checking any corner and moving with determination, but caution.

IF he spots someone, he will evaluate the situation.

IF there is no one he will climb to the top, and then very carefully check over the sides to make sure no one is trying to climb up or down the structure on the outside.

IF no one at all, he will call the bridge and find out what to do next.

Ros

[Solomoriah]

GM Note: Evidently I need to re-describe the envelope. Sorry there isn't a map.

Directly above the gondola is a tentlike space where the fuel and water tanks are arrayed. This space has fabric walls, being within the envelope. A narrow aisle leads forward and back between the tanks. The aft passage runs the entire way back to the engine room.

The passage forward runs a short way, then turns into a metal staircase within a fabric tunnel; this leads to the very front of the ship, where a 9' diameter window permits a view forward. This is the crow's nest. Behind the window, the space consists of a platform with a narrow bench seat on the port side, then the staircase down, then a narrow standing space where the telephone is installed. The window consists of a circular center pane with 18 segmented panes around it; the entire window is curved outward. From the outside, it resembles a cyclopean iris. Two of the side panes (port and starboard) are divided, with ventilation ports that can be opened. Unless the ventilation windows are open, the crow's nest is not exposed to weather.

Lars learned all this during his initial training and tours of Morgana, but he hasn't been in the envelope since this cruise started.

[Mak]

Artie moves closer to Pelton in order to be able to speak without alarming others, especially Lily.

"Thinking that there's another saboteur aboard? Listen, I've got the gun that Neville was waving at us. I told Briggs I would turn it over to you. Maybe the person you're dispatching to the crow's nest should be armed. Or maybe you'd like to send someone else with him. It's probably best not to take chances. Are all the crew accounted for by now?"

[Rosisha]

OOC: Ack sorry. I confused your ship with one from "Ships of Air" by Martha Wells. Okay let me repost here...

Lars nods, "Yes, sir, I will get right on that." So saying he leaves the engine room and picks up a wrench. He dashes down the passage way connected to the engine room until he gets to the metal staircase, then he slowly and quietly goes up till he can just peek over the edge.

IF he sees no one, he will proceed forward to the crows nest. He will continue to advance cautiously until he is certain that there is no one waiting to shoot him.

IF he sees no one at all he will go in and see what he can see, then call the engine room to report in.

[Solomoriah]

Artie moves closer to Pelton in order to be able to speak without alarming others, especially Lily.

"Thinking that there's another saboteur aboard? Listen, I've got the gun that Neville was waving at us. I told Briggs I would turn it over to you. Maybe the person you're dispatching to the crow's nest should be armed. Or maybe you'd like to send someone else with him. It's probably best not to take chances. Are all the crew accounted for by now?"

"I appreciate your concern," replied the Captain, "but I'm sure Mister Lars will be fine. At this point, I consider it highly unlikely that any more mutineers are running around loose on the ship. Likely whoever Neville was calling had already chickened out, as you Americans say."

Lars nods, "Yes, sir, I will get right on that." So saying he leaves the engine room and picks up a wrench. He dashes down the passage way connected to the engine room until he gets to the metal staircase, then he slowly and quietly goes up till he can just peek over the edge.

The top of the staircase came up into the middle of the crow's nest, with the wire mesh "floor" wrapping from just beyond the steps back to the left and right. This arrangement made Lars feel rather exposed, so he slowed down and tried his best to look up into the small room; shortly, he determined that there was, in fact, no one there.

Entering the small room, Lars ignored the stunning view of the approaching storm, looking to the left and right first. To the left, he saw nothing; the bench was empty. To the right, on the other hand, he saw something that made his blood run cold.

A large bundle of dynamite.

Wires ran from the dynamite up to the telephone, which hung there open; Lars was no expert on telephone equipment (and it seemed every wire within the device was striped red on white like a peppermint, which only added to the confusion), but it appeared that the dynamite was attached in place of the ringer.

A cold sweat erupted on Lar's brow as he considered how to proceed...

[Mak]

Artie gives Pelton the gun (if he's interested in taking it) and goes to see how Lily is doing. He gestures toward the stone head being ministered to by Catherine Burton and jokes to Lily, "I guess I got over my fear of the totem, huh?" Generally he tries to make her feel better.

[Solomoriah]

Artie gives Pelton the gun (if he's interested in taking it) and goes to see how Lily is doing. He gestures toward the stone head being ministered to by Catherine Burton and jokes to Lily, "I guess I got over my fear of the totem, huh?" Generally he tries to make her feel better.

"Thank you, Mister Evans," said the Captain. Lightning flashed, again... the storm seemed to be closing in all around Morgana. Turning to the telephone once again, the Captain dialed, and his voice boomed out of the A deck speakers. "This is the Captain speaking. Owing to the late hour and the poor weather conditions, I'm ordering that all passengers return to their quarters, and remain there until morning. You may, of course, make use of the facilities, but otherwise, please remain in your rooms and try to get some sleep. In particular, please consider the lounge off limits. We are turning about to return to Portsmouth, in the interest of safety. That is all, good night."

Hanging up the telephone, Pelton turned to the passengers in the lounge. "I'll want to talk to all of you in the morning. Until then, try to rest."

[Mak]

"Hey, Cap'n, maybe the stewards could serve up a stiff nightcap before we retire. I think we all could use it." A couple of fingers of Scotch'll make me feel a bit calmer, he reflects. If Pelton's averse to the idea, Artie will approach one of the stewards privately about "borrowing" a bottle for the evening...

Artie offers to accompany Lily back to her room. "I'm right across the hall, so just shout if you're worried about anything," he tells her. Not that I can do much good against lightning storms and unidentified saboteurs.

[Solomoriah]

"Hey, Cap'n, maybe the stewards could serve up a stiff nightcap before we retire. I think we all could use it." A couple of fingers of Scotch'll make me feel a bit calmer, he reflects. If Pelton's averse to the idea, Artie will approach one of the stewards privately about "borrowing" a bottle for the evening...

At first, Artie thought that the Captain was angry at him... but then he smiled. "Just the thing. Mister Bishop, a bottle of Scotch, if you will. Anyone who wishes a nightcap delivered to his or her room need only let tell a steward. On the company."

Artie offers to accompany Lily back to her room. "I'm right across the hall, so just shout if you're worried about anything," he tells her. Not that I can do much good against lightning storms and unidentified saboteurs.

Lily nodded, and preceded Artie (as walking side-by-side in the passageway was, though possible, rather closer than an unmarried woman should be to a man) to her room. Catherine followed shortly, kissing her father goodnight quickly before entering the room she and Lily shared. Dr. Burton likewise entered his room, and the Captain passed by, on his way to the stairs. For just a moment, Lily and Artie were alone in the passageway.

"Well, goodnight, Artie," she said. "You know, you were really brave tonight." She kissed him, quickly, on the cheek; when he looked again, she was blushing just a bit. "And you play pretty well, too," she said as she turned to enter her room. Over her shoulder, Artie saw Catherine flash a knowing smile at both of them, but she looked away before Lily saw.