[Taocow PBEM] Book 3 - Chapter III

[Aaron Clausen]

> > > [Alex]
> > > "There are two distress transponders on this boat. His race is something
> > > called Kittani and he is from Atlantis." Alex states. "We need to get away
> > > from this boat or somehow disable the beacons."
> > >
> > > "Yes, I have some rope," Alex adds as an afterthought. "I really don't want
> > > to lose my climbing line so don't cut is."
> > > [/Alex]

> > [Louissa]
> > Louissa grabs the rope and ties the Kittani up.  "Splugorth filth." she says
> > with extraordinary venom.  "You're in league with the brain things that killed
> > my Talas."
> >
> > She then looks to Koba.  "I'm no electronics expert.  Can you at least
> > identify where those transponders are?"
> > [/Louissa]

> [Alex]
> When Louissa asks, he doesn't happen to think of where they are?
> [/Alex]

[GM]
The Kittanni doesn't actually seem to know.
[/GM]

> [Koba]
> "I can take a look at those transponders. I'm pretty sure I got at least
> one of them already. Make sure he isn't carying one on him." He says
> pointing to the ape. "More importantly, someone needs to take a look
> in that other sub.  It looks as if it is capable of remaining underwater
> better than this splurgie transport. We should see if we're able to
> make it our new transport. Alex, you interested in taking a look?"
> [/Koba]

> [Ted]
> "I can do it, Koba," the lizard man volunteers.
> [/Ted]

> [Owen]
> "I'll go too," responds Owen.
> [/Owen]

[Carlos]
Carlos also wants to go.
[/Carlos]

> [Koba]
> Koba will turn his attention to pulling apart panels and electronic
> components looking to see if the ship has transponders and more
> importantly an autopilot he can rig to take the ship away in a different
> direction from the sub.
> [/Koba]

OOC: Okay, so far I've got Ted, Owen and Carlos (who I am apparently
playing right now) stating they're going into the sub.  Louissa, at
least, is remaining behind, and Koba is going to try to find the
remaining transponder.  That leaves Alex and Lyle, and they can state
at the first opportunity whether they're following the others.

[GM]
Koba determines that the transponder, wherever exactly it is, is not
connected to the rest of the boat's circuitry, and must be on an
independent power supply.  The transponder most likely will be on or
in the hull, and would probably mean a swim to remove, if it was
accessible at all.

As to jury-rigging the auto-pilot, Koba has a great deal of
difficulty.  Perhaps it's the unfamiliar circuitry.  He can choose
either to try again or follow his companions.

Meanwhile, Carlos leads the way down to the sub hatch.  It takes a
minute or so of fiddling but finally he manages to trigger the manual
lock.  There's a hiss and everyone's ears pop as the pressure
equalizes.  Moist cold, but much fresher air floods up into the boat.

Beneath the hatch is a very small chamber, almost ovoid in shape,
about four feet high and eight feet in diameter.  There is a
continuous bench, a number of diving suits and masks, though no diving
tanks.  There are four computer consoles at even spacings, screens
sunken into the wall of the chamber.  On the floor of the chamber is
another hatch.

Quite suddenly a number of fluorescent tubes light up and the lower
hatch slides open.  Below is revealed the bridge, a cramped space,
about nine feet long, eight feed wide and six and a half feet high.
Despite all of that it is crammed with instrumentation and a
surprising six seats, five for bridge crew and the captain's chair.
The crew of the sub must literally work nose to nose.

At the end of the bridge is another hatch leading aft, and a hatch in
the floor that obviously leads to a lower deck.  The walls and ceiling
that aren't covered with instrumentation have tubes and conduit
running along them.

As could be vaguely determined on approach, there seems to be active
systems.  Red and blue lights intermittently blink, while a couple of
yellow ones at one station remain steady.  There is one monitor on
that has six sets of three lines.  The screen reads in Dragonese and
American "Hibernation Monitor".  Four of the sets of lines show
activity described as respiration, heart rate and brain activity.  Two
others are flat.

Other than the slight hum from the monitor, the bridge is completely quiet...

But maybe not for long.  Through one of the windows those on the sub
can clearly see lights approaching.  It's much clearer to Louissa
above.

"Koba," she says, "whatever you're doing, do it fast."
[/GM]

-- 
Aaron Clausen
mightymartianca at gmail.com