Chapter 3: Mutiny!

[crazycrypt]

"I say, Mister Mansel, hold up a bit. Let's not forget who's in charge," said Briggs, noting Mansel taking the lead. "We don't know where the saboteurs are, now do we? I'll go up the stairs first, and you follow; stop on the A deck landing and keep watch while the engineers follow me up. If nothing untoward happens, follow them up, and we'll regroup in the tank room. Then, if you want to lead on to the engine room, I'll bring up the rear."

Not being one that likes wasting time, but knows his place, Tommy reluctantly says, "Yes sir," and does as instructed. He will follow Briggs up to "A Deck" and stand watch while the others pass.


----------------------------------------------

If Tommy doesn't suspect anything after the engineers pass he will head up the stairs. If he suspects anything then he will yell up to Briggs to alert him and then check it out.

[Rosisha]

Lars nods and says "I need some gear." He heads over to get some stuff he can use to fix the engine. He is going to skip his gun for now, and save it as a surprise for later in case things go against his best interest. He comments "If it is a saboteur, they wouldn't permanently disable us, and if they aren't an engineer it would be something simple..." He pauses and grabs any spare belts or other easy to remove parts which can be replaced easily. "Chances are it is a belt or something even simpler." He dashes back out into the hall to follow the others to the engines covered in the equipment he needs.

[Mak]

"Artie, do something!" Lily said quietly, regaining her feet. Artie looked around the room, but the only weapon he saw was the gun in Brandon's hand.
....
Then both Will and Artie spied the golden knife, lying at the corner of the table, in easy reach over Michael Lloyd's crouching form...

Artie doesn't like knives. He grabs the totem and hurls it at the murderous steward. As soon at it leaves his fingers he darts forward in a crouch to grapple a (hopefully) stunned Brandon.

[Solomoriah]

Brandon found himself stymied, blocked from getting a shot at Dr. Ringstrom by the crowd on his right and the table in front of him. Growling, he grabbed the edge of the center table with his left hand and made to fling it away, but in so doing he turned away briefly.

Artie saw his chance, and grabbed the heavy Totem, heaving it at Brandon. It was heavier than he had expected, though, and went wide of the mark, crashing into the center table and causing it to collapse. Surprised, Brandon started to turn, but even as he did Will stepped behind Artie and grabbed the knife, then slipped behind Brandon and stabbed him.

The gun went off, but neither Artie nor Will were hit. The women, and even some of the men, were screaming now. Brandon finished his turn toward Art and Will, and tried to speak, but then he slipped slowly to the floor unconscious.

...

As Lt. Briggs was about to start up the staircase, a gunshot rang out. "Damn, that was forward and above, among the passengers. Change of plans, Mister Mansel. You get up there, see what happened. Protect the passengers. I'll get these men to the engine room by myself, and if all is well there, I'll come looking for you."

[rredmond]

Will steadies himself on a table, trying hard not to throw up or pass out. "What the hell?!" Once he regains any composure whatsoever, he starts to scan the room, not (just) for 'confidence' purposes, but for survival's sake. Is there anyone doing anything other than being frozen in shock? No George C. Parker am I, he thinks grimly to himself.

OOC: I guess I am the Thief of the party.

[crazycrypt]

As Lt. Briggs was about to start up the staircase, a gunshot rang out. "Damn, that was forward and above, among the passengers. Change of plans, Mister Mansel. You get up there, see what happened. Protect the passengers. I'll get these men to the engine room by myself, and if all is well there, I'll come looking for you."

"Yes sir," Tommy says and takes off up there stairs as fast as possible. Once upstairs he will do a quick survey and, if nothing there, will make his way toward the gunshot as quickly, yet as quietly as possible, and will try and stay totally aware of his surroundings. When he gets to the main lounge he will, as quickly as possible, assess the situation. (Of course Tommy has his gun pulled and ready to fire at anything necessary the whole time as he pulled it out before leaving the Bridge.)

[Solomoriah]

Will steadies himself on a table, trying hard not to throw up or pass out. "What the hell?!" Once he regains any composure whatsoever, he starts to scan the room, not (just) for 'confidence' purposes, but for survival's sake. Is there anyone doing anything other than being frozen in shock? No George C. Parker am I, he thinks grimly to himself.

"Artie?" said Lily, sounding strange. Artie turned, and saw Lily sinking into a chair. Blood flowed freely down her left arm, as she looked at it dumbly, then at Art. The stray bullet had struck her upper arm, apparently, and she seemed too shocked to know what to do.

As Will tried to steady himself, he saw a man in a white crew uniform come through the lounge door. "What happened here?" asked Lt. Neville, looking at the prone form of Mr. Brandon, gun still clasped in his hand, and then at the bloody knife in Will's white-knuckle grip. Neville looked around. "I'd better let the Captain know," he said, turning toward the telephone mounted on the wall beside the lounge door.

As Neville turned, for the briefest moment Will saw a look of disgust, perhaps contempt, upon his face.

...

Lt. Mansel raced up the staircase. Stopping at the landing, he looked to his right, down the passageway between the toilets, toward the door to the aft overlook... and saw something (a face, perhaps?) framed very briefly in the porthole of that door.

[Mak]

"Artie?" said Lily, sounding strange. Artie turned, and saw Lily sinking into a chair. Blood flowed freely down her left arm, as she looked at it dumbly, then at Art. The stray bullet had struck her upper arm, apparently, and she seemed too shocked to know what to do.

"Good Lord," gasps Artie. He springs to her side. Tugging his handkerchief from his pocket -- he always keeps a clean one on hand to wipe his forehead when the jazz gets serious -- he presses it against Lily's wound to staunch the flow of blood. "Don't worry, Lily," he says, "we'll get you fixed up something quick. Hang in there." Then, raising his voice to address the assembled passengers: "Is there a doctor on board?"

[rredmond]

"Good Lord," gasps Artie. He springs to her side. Tugging his handkerchief from his pocket -- he always keeps a clean one on hand to wipe his forehead when the jazz gets serious -- he presses it against Lily's wound to staunch the flow of blood. "Don't worry, Lily," he says, "we'll get you fixed up something quick. Hang in there." Then, raising his voice to address the assembled passengers: "Is there a doctor on board?"

"Oh here Artie," Will says, regaining his voice and leaning over Lily, "I may be of some help..." Will again steadies himself as he sees what he can do (OOC: Will has to have some experience with bleeding wounds of the gun shot variety - figure that's where the Survival skill comes in.)

As he leans over he whispers barely moving his lips, "keep an eye on Neville, the bloke at the phone, I fear this isn't over" he attempts to catch Artie's eye and really puts on the trust me look, uncertain how he'll pull it off as he really means it at this point. Then he does his best to do what he can for Lily, glancing over at Neville when he can, not being a trusting sort himself.

[crazycrypt]

Lt. Mansel raced up the staircase. Stopping at the landing, he looked to his right, down the passageway between the toilets, toward the door to the aft overlook... and saw something (a face, perhaps?) framed very briefly in the porthole of that door.

Tommy will go back to the steps briefly enough to tell Briggs, "hurry and get the Captain and others up here, I think I have found our missing crewmen and I can't go both directions. Looks like some are out on the overlook, might be looking to jump."