Chapter 5: Alarums

[Solomoriah]

Lars nods, and takes the scope and begins to scan the coastline. He will slowly pan back and forth doing his best to examine the coastline and see what is out there for him to see. Perhaps he can spot something that will allow them to plot a course.

Lars quickly discovered that it was still too dark to really see the land ahead. As he lowered the telescope, he heard the Captain's voice.

"Mister Lars, I understood that Chief Engineer Green gave you a break. I think you should take it elsewhere. The bridge is getting a bit crowded."

If the day has dawned, he heads out to freshen up in the W.C. and then comes back to go in search of Dr. Burton. He has some questions to ask the professor.

Artie awoke again, this time seeing weak sunlight at his window. He pulled on his robe and went back to use the water closet. The sunlight streaming in the aft doorway's porthole was very cheerful, making Artie feel like whistling.

He was just concluding his business in the water closet when he realized... if they were returning to England, the sun would be in front of the ship!

[Mak]

With a nervous feeling rising in his stomach, Artie hustles back to his room and dresses hastily. Criminy, when will things just go normally around here? he wonders as he ties his shoes. Not bothering to put on jacket and tie, he slips out the stateroom door and heads for the stairwell aft. He briefly considers waking Will, whom he considers an ally, but then tells himself that there's no reason to panic. Last night's confrontation with Lars was perhaps a little overly dramatic. There's got to be a reasonable explanation for this, he tells himself. Maybe a Royal Navy vessel nearby, or something.

Descending to B deck, Artie moves purposefully toward the bridge. If any crew stop him, he says, "I need to see the captain. It's important."

At the entrance to the bridge, Artie pauses and peers inside. If there's no sign of trouble -- guns being waved around, for example -- he knocks politely and clears his throat to get someone's attention.

"Pardon me, cap, but last night you said we'd be heading back to England. I couldn't help but notice, though, that we're actually travelling west this morning. Sorry to be a pain, but what's up?"

[Rosisha]

Lars nods, "Yes sir. Just had a feeling was all." he shakes his head and goes out to rustle up some food from the kitchen!

[Solomoriah]

Lars nods, "Yes sir. Just had a feeling was all." he shakes his head and goes out to rustle up some food from the kitchen!

Lars found the kitchen staff hard at work already, and collected a plate of bacon, eggs, fried tomatoes and mushrooms, and a slice of toast; with a cup of tea in the other hand, he stepped out into the passageway, only to narrowly avoid a collision with a passenger.

A passenger? thought Lars. He shouldn't be down here!

[Solomoriah]

GM Note: Oops. Simon would recognize the passenger as Will Thornton's accomplice from earlier. Wasn't thinking.

[Mak]

Lars found the kitchen staff hard at work already, and collected a plate of bacon, eggs, fried tomatoes and mushrooms, and a slice of toast; with a cup of tea in the other hand, he stepped out into the passageway, only to narrowly avoid a collision with a passenger.

A passenger? thought Lars. He shouldn't be down here!

Artie stops abruptly, recognizing the engineer from the night before. "Lars, what's going on? Why is the Morgana heading west? God, that breakfast looks good."

[Solomoriah]

Will was awakened by a loud knocking at the door. Before he could rouse fully, Dr. Burton had pulled on a robe and gone to the door.

"Oh, Doctor Burton," came the voice of Miss Emily, "something very strange is going on here!"

"What, dear lady?" he replied.

"I woke up early, couldn't sleep well after last night, you know, and went to the back to use the facilities. I saw the sun rise."

"You saw the sun rise?"

"Yes, that's right," she said. "So despite what the Captain said, we are still westbound! I went forward to the lounge to look out the windows there, but it was locked. I heard someone inside, so I knocked and that steward Greaves came to the door. He wouldn't let me in, said it was the Captain's orders, and when I asked him why we were going west he said I'd have to wait for the Captain's announcement. Doctor Burton, what do you think is going on here?"

"I don't know," he said, shaking his head. "I have no idea."

[rredmond]

Great, and I gave up the damn gun, Will thinks to himself. Time to go find Artie. Will gets up and quickly gets dressed, trying not to look as stressed as he feels. "I'm sorry doctor, I didn't ask after the Mondabe artifacts, are they okay after yesterday? Did Michael have anything interesting information to add?" He'll ask while getting changed, partly to make small talk, and partly to find out more about the totem and knife... After dressing he'll hit the WC and look for Artie, being hyper aware of everything and everyone around him. This floating death trap better not be finally hijacked, he'll think jokingly to himself, but it only makes him feel more nervous.

[Rosisha]

"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!"

[Solomoriah]

"I'm sorry doctor, I didn't ask after the Mondabe artifacts, are they okay after yesterday? Did Michael have anything interesting information to add?" He'll ask while getting changed, partly to make small talk, and partly to find out more about the totem and knife...

"They're right here," said Dr. Burton, sounding bemused. "As for Mister Lloyd, we really haven't had time to speak, you know."

After dressing he'll hit the WC and look for Artie, being hyper aware of everything and everyone around him.

Several people were standing around the passageway, making it quite crowded; they all seemed to be talking at once, and there was a faint note of hysteria in some of the voices. The Italian newlyweds seemed particularly overcome. The second steward, Mr. Greaves, was standing guard at the lounge door, politely but firmly denying access to any who attempted to pass him.

In the aft passageway, Will found several more people standing around, having much the same discussion. He passed them by, getting himself prepared for what might be a very stressful day.

...

"Mister Briggs, Mister Mansel, attend," said Captain Pelton. "I've just been called by Mister Bishop, who tells me that the passengers all appear to be awake now and are beginning to get a bit panicky. It's just past six thirty now. I'm going to go up and lead the passengers into the lounge, and hopefully this sight," he said, waving toward the view out the window, "will quiet them all long enough so that I can explain our situation. Such as it is, at any rate. Now, Mister Mansel, I understand you handle yourself well in a fight, and you have a certain presence about you. I'd like you to go now and clean up and change into your whites, and accompany me upstairs. I've told Mister Bishop to expect us at seven sharp, and have the kitchen ready to serve the passengers then. Mister Briggs, I'm turning the ship over to you. Begin taking us down. I was just looking through the telescope, and I believe I saw some people down there, savages I think, but we're still too high and too far away to see them plainly. If they are just savages, we are at least safe in the air, but we can't cruise around up here forever."

"I understand, sir," said Briggs. "I'll see to it."

"Very good," said the Captain. "Come along, Mister Mansel, perhaps if you get around quickly you can get a bite to eat before we go up."