Chapter 5: Alarums

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Mak
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Re: Chapter IV: Storm

Post by Mak »

Rosisha wrote:"Sir," He nods politely, "We're unsure. The captain will make an announcement soon, but we're trying to figure out what is wrong. In the mean time, there is a landmass nearby. We're trying to access the situation, so if you could let the other passengers know that as soon as we know, we'll let you know, that would be great. As for food, it will be delivered soon I'm sure!"
"Well, I can tell you what's wrong, we're heading the wro..." Artie stops as realization dawns. "Land nearby? America? Or... something else?"

Artie waits for Lars' response and then returns to the A deck. He searches out Will and tells him what Lars had said.

He then checks in on Lily to see how she is. "Good morning! Did you sleep alright? Y'know, this whole situation is rapidly turning into the top candidate for the strangest gig of my life."
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Re: Chapter IV: Storm

Post by crazycrypt »

"Sounds good sir, give me 10 mins and I'll be ready to go," Tommy says as he follows Captain Pelton out the door and heads straight to the quarters to get his whites, since it is on the way, and then go straight to the wash room. He will get cleaned up and dressed as fast as he can and then will go and find the Captain and hope he has enough time to get something to eat.
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rredmond
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Re: Chapter IV: Storm

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Mak wrote:...
Artie waits for Lars' response and then returns to the A deck. He searches out Will and tells him what Lars had said.
"Wait, should we be close enough to any land?" Will asks half to himself. "You'd think they'd keep the two passengers who've figured out, and done anything, as opposed to this crew, closer to their vest." Will says a bit agitated, I do not like not knowing what's going on! Will tags along with Artie for now, at a discreet distance (not popping in on Lily in any way shape or form. :D ) Will keeps Artie in sight while he thinks about what's going on, not trusting anyone, he scans passengers' faces and registers anything that isn't a normal level of fear or anxiety. Might as well sort out not only any more 'bad guys' but also any liabilities amongst crew and passengers in the near future, he thinks pragmatically and without emotion.
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Re: Chapter V

Post by Rosisha »

Simon sends Artie on his way with a smile, "Please just go calm down everyone. I'm sure we'll figure out what is going on, and there is no need for panic." After he leaves he finishes his meal and places the dishes back in the kitchen. He goes looking for Green, needing orders, and feeling to worried to think about his shift almost being over, or how tired he is. A growing sense of unease spreads through his stomach, and he begins to tap his fingers against his hands. He wants to know more, he wants to be on the ground, he wants to prowl forward.

He stops going and slips into the electrical room and retrieves his gun. He recognizes this feeling, it is the same he had before battle in Ireland, the uncertainty caused by the fog of war. He didn't know what was wrong, but he was alert now.
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Re: Chapter IV: Storm

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Mak wrote:Artie waits for Lars' response and then returns to the A deck. He searches out Will and tells him what Lars had said.
Artie found Will in the A deck aft passageway, apparently looking for him.
Mak wrote:He then checks in on Lily to see how she is. "Good morning! Did you sleep alright? Y'know, this whole situation is rapidly turning into the top candidate for the strangest gig of my life."
"Oh, Artie," she replied, trying to smile. "This isn't anything like I expected."

...

At seven o'clock sharp, Captain Pelton and Leftenant Mansel entered the passenger corridor; everyone present fell suddenly silent. "Ladies and gentlemen! I know you all have questions. Please, follow me into the lounge. Mister Bishop and Mister Greaves have worked all night to clean it up."

Captain Pelton and Tommy Mansel worked their way down the crowded passageway, and Bishop opened the door for them. The passengers followed in a veritable flood.

Artie and Will saw that the center table, the one Artie had broken with the Totem, had been removed. The bloodstains had been removed, though there were still slightly darker patches in the cream-colored carpet where Neville and Brandon had been.

But it was the view out the windows that brought about a stunned silence among the passengers. Artie was perhaps a bit more stunned than the others, because he recognized the scene... it was the land of his dream, grassy valleys and stony mountains, trees huddled around the foothills, and a river running through it.

Dr. Burton was the first to speak: "What country is that?"

"Honestly, Doctor, we don't know," replied Captain Pelton, standing in the bow of the ship. "Let me start by explaining why we are still westbound, despite my orders of last night. The lightning storm damaged our compass, you see, and so when I ordered the helmsman to proceed eastward, he had no way of knowing he was actually going west. I take full responsibility. I should have ordered Leftenant Scott, our navigator, to check the course. We didn't know until we saw the sun rise that we were going the wrong way."

"So where are we?" asked Reginald Monday, frowning.

"As I said, we don't know. With the sunrise, we saw the land ahead of us. As far as we can figure out, it shouldn't be there. Leftenant Scott and I have been in conference for the last half hour, trying to figure out where we might have gone, but without full engine power we can't have gone far enough to have reached any known land overnight."

"Captain, surely you've radioed for help?" asked Jean-Paul Stauffacher.

"We've tried," replied the Captain, "but Mister Markwell has yet to contact anyone. He has torn the radio down twice now, looking for some fault, but he can't find anything wrong with it."

Several people tried to talk at once then, and for a few moments chaos reigned. Then the Captain raised his voice. "Quiet, all of you! Let's not behave like children! Everyone, please sit down."

The passengers began taking seats, a few at a time, and the talking largely subsided. The Captain continued. "Now, obviously, we can't cruise forever. We need to discover where we are, and come up with some plan to return to England, or to some civilized country. We have fuel for about two weeks of cruising, and enough water for perhaps a month if we curtail showers; but given that we can see a river down there, I don't think the latter extreme will be necessary, as we can take on more as needed. As for food, we have about three weeks worth on board, though after the first week there will be virtually no meat. We have to use it while it's still good, you know. So we must make a plan, as I've said, and before we can plan we need more information. If anyone present has any idea where we might be, let him speak now."

No one spoke. Will looked around, and saw the perplexity and fear on all the faces present.
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rredmond
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Re: Chapter IV: Storm

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Solomoriah wrote:...No one spoke. Will looked around, and saw the perplexity and fear on all the faces present.
Crap, Will thinks. He moves to get a better view. "Have there been any cities, or larger towns spotted?" He'll ask. And as a followup, "how are we for landing if need be, before our fuel runs out, if we need to get our bearings?" The last question he'll ask, "how are we for weapons if we have to make excursions without knowing where we are?" He'll try to keep his voice steady on the last question... likely unsuccessfully. He'll keep looking out the view though, trying to desperately see something, anything...
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Mak
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Re: Chapter V

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Now's the point where you should pipe up and say you saw this land in a dream and that the voices that were speaking to you from the totem belonged to folks with the heads of a lion and a bull, says Artie to himself. Not bloody likely. No one'd believe me, and it's not smart to incur the suspicion of bunch of already skittish folk. Fastest way to get me a one-way ticket off the aft overlook.

After Will asks about cities and towns, Artie starts scanning the land below for any signs of civilization: roads, bridges, monumental architecture -- anything.
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Re: Chapter V

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rredmond wrote:Crap, Will thinks. He moves to get a better view. "Have there been any cities, or larger towns spotted?" He'll ask.
"No signs of civilization at all, I'm afraid," replied the Captain. "I did see what I took to be a trio of men, but they were too far away to see clearly; we've been descending since then, but we've been unable to spy them again."
rredmond wrote:And as a followup, "how are we for landing if need be, before our fuel runs out, if we need to get our bearings?"
"Well, sir, we can land at need. It's not difficult, it just takes a little time."
rredmond wrote:The last question he'll ask, "how are we for weapons if we have to make excursions without knowing where we are?" He'll try to keep his voice steady on the last question... likely unsuccessfully. He'll keep looking out the view though, trying to desperately see something, anything...
"Unless someone else is hiding weapons aboard, we are limited to Leftenant Mansel, here, and Leftenant Brigg's handguns, as well as the two Lugers we took from Neville and Brandon. They didn't seem to have any spare ammunition, though, so we are quite short that way."
Mak wrote:After Will asks about cities and towns, Artie starts scanning the land below for any signs of civilization: roads, bridges, monumental architecture -- anything.
Artie looked carefully for a long time, but did not see anything below save for wilderness. Lily called to him. "Artie, come sit down," she said, "you need to eat something." Lily was sitting with Miss Emily and the Baron at the small table nearest the piano.

Reginald Monday waved to Will from his customary seat at the Captain's table. "Will, come join us," he said. "We need to have a council of war."

Captain Pelton looked at Mansel and waved toward the seat at his right.
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rredmond
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Re: Chapter V

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Solomoriah wrote:Reginald Monday waved to Will from his customary seat at the Captain's table. "Will, come join us," he said. "We need to have a council of war."

Captain Pelton looked at Mansel and waved toward the seat at his right.
Will nods at Artie (who's going a different way), waves back at Monday and heads to the captain's table and takes his seat. "One last question Captain, if you'll indulge an amateur at taking the helm," Will dregs some bits of knowledge from his days sailing on Long Island in his youth, "isn't there a way to figure out where you are by the stars? I know it's been stormy, and the night is gone, but I was wondering if anyone was able to get a look at the stars last night?"
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Re: Chapter V

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"By the time we knew we were off course, Mister Thornton, I'm afraid it was too late for Leftenant Scott to get a fix. He'll try tonight, of course."

Will noticed that it was getting a bit warm in the lounge. Evidently, so did the Captain. "I say, Mister Greaves, it's a bit warm in here, isn't it? Open the side windows, if you would." Greaves complied, opening the angled windows to port and starboard, and letting in the sea air.

"Sir," said Greaves, "I'm no expert on the subject, but it seems the air outside is quite a bit warmer than I'd expect in the north Atlantic. Perhaps we've gone somewhat south, and the land ahead is the Azores."

"I doubt it," replied the Captain. "Mister Mansel, you did keep the compass securely pointed eastward after the storm, correct? And we did discover the compass to be entirely reversed. We surely couldn't have been blown that far off course."
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