Trinity Universe: The Lost Treasure of Sir Henry Morgan

[Asbjørn]

"Isn't that just alittle dangerous? Especially with Tom and his obsession with baseball".  ::confused David has a genuin look of concern.

- "No, it's perfectly safe.", Min says, "Mr Quick says you could fire a cannon at it without breaking it, and it can take the pressure as far down as one thousand feet. It will be covered now, though. When she's moving it's usually shielded by the hull."

On the way down Minerva points out the sick bay to Roughneck, in case he wants to get checked up on now or later. What strikes everybody about the vessel, apart from the relative luxury compared to other subs, is the sheer size of the thing. Most modern subs are between 150 and 300 feet long, but the schematics of the Nausicaa (which are placed at regular intervals in the hallway) indicate that the ship is at least three times the size of any other submarine anyone has heard of, and the hallways are wide enough for two big men to meet without squeezing past each other.

After taking the stairs down past the crew galley, where Minerva stops by to talk to a giant black man wearing a cook's apron (and to scrounge up some sandwiches for those who want that), the group arrives in a typical british gentleman's club.

The furniture of the room is mostly oak and leather. There are several sitting groups consisting of deep, inviting armchairs and couches, all arranged in a loose semi-circle around a slightly elevated stage with a grand piano near the stairs. On the other side of the stairs there is a bar (closed and locked for the moment), and at the far end of the room, where the curving of the floor and walls suggest the prow of the ship is, a big dinner table is set up. On the walls are pictures from every imaginable part of the British Empire, many of them featuring the Captain himself in various exotic places.

Minerva walks out into the room and does a little pirouette in the open space between the sitting groups and says "We even had a dance here last christmas, with the Royal Family and a lot of famous people." After a short pause she glances at Roughneck, adding "I told granddad he should invite you too, but I think he couldn't find you or something..."

[Asbjørn]

[A short while later]

Two young sailors start setting the table for twelve persons. Having done so one of them opens the bar and inquires if anyone would like something to drink, at the same time informing everyone that we're now out of US waters...

Some time after the group first arrives in the lounge, the low, steady hum of the engines seems to change pitch, and the more perceptive (or imaginative) can feel the Nausicaa speeding up as she reaches the open sea. Not long after that the hard voice of Mr Chang can be heard from the stairs, discussing some technical detail with another man before they enter the room and meet the others.

Arriving together with Mr Chang are the chief engineer; a bald, black man called Mr Quick, the navigator; a tall, skinny man who in an unmistakable australian accent introduces himself as Wallace, the second officer; a stocky english gentleman with a perfect moustache named Hastings, and the ship's doctor; a slightly overweight, smiling eastern man named Dr Shanmugaratnam. "Everybody calls me Smiley", he says with a thick indian accent.

At the same time the food arrives from the galley via a small elevator behind the bar, and soon the smells of good cooking are spreading in the room.

[ProfPotts]

The Captain re-appears, dressed for dinner, & asks everyone to be seated. After he establishes that introductions have been made, he awaits the first course, then turns to the assembled group,

"Perhaps one o' our guests would like t' say grace?"

[Archer21]

Roughneck, sitting next to David, pokes him hard in the ribs with a callused finger, causing him to jerk in his chair. Grinning at him, he clears his throat. "I believe young Davey here would like to volunteer, Cap'n."

[Ayre el KaBeer]

"I would be honoured, Captain". (OOC: Damn haven't said grace in ages, can hardly remember how it goes. ::wink pitty "Rubadub dub thanks for the grub", won't cut it) "Ahem... ::closedeyes Thank you lord for this bounty...

(OOC:Bare with me, I'll edit/add to this when I figure out what to say)

[ProfPotts]

The grace having been said, the Captain gestures to everyone to commence the meal. Starting off the converstaion he enquires,

"I've a general idea o' what each o' our guests specialises in, but I'd like t' hear th' role's we'll all be playing in this little adventure. Is there even a plan for how we deal with this wreck when, & if, we find her?"

[Asbjørn]

Mrs Morgan looks around at the gathered men (and Minerva), giving each a smile before she answers the Captain's question. "Well," she says "There were several important things to consider when we planned this expedition. First of all, we needed the technology and skills to reach and recover the Challenge. This wonderful vessel and your own crew combined with a few new diving suits and an extremely advanced air mixture will cover the hardware part without problems. The skills are also for the most part provided by your crew, captain. But as you no doubt are well aware, nobody has been walking on the ocean floor at the depths we're aiming for before."

"All the equipment has been extensively tested in various pressure chambers, but this is the first time it's being used 'in the field', so to speak. To minimize the potential problems, resourceful men like yourselves are an important asset."

"Mr Hawkshaw", she says, turning her eyes toward Roughneck, "has years of maritime experience, is healthier than anyone I've ever met or heard of, and has in several episodes proved his resourcefulness and worth to the British Empire. Not to mention the fact that we'll be facing resistance of various kinds in this expedition, and I think we've all had a demonstration of how useful Mr Hawkshaw can be on those occasions... ::smile"

"Mr Harrington", she says, gesturing to the man next to Roughneck, "has no special experience with the sea to my knowledge, but is in general an educated man who I'm sure will prove a valuable addition to my own knowledge about the findings we make. Of course, Tom and David's history together made him an easy choice as well..."

"Which brings me to... Thomas King, olympic swimming champion and expert diver. Tom is the only one I know of who has been anywhere near the depths we're going to, and he is familiar with all the equipment we'll be using." - She glances in the Captain's direction - "Apart from the Nausicaa, of course. He'll give every one of you a brief course in the handling of the equipment. He's also got a little gift not many people know about. For some reason he doesn't need to breathe, which is a useful trait for a diver."

Tom gives a little shrug and mutters "Sure takes all the fun out of competing, though..." ::confused

Ignoring Tom's comment, Mrs Morgan continues around the table. "Mr Quill might not like being described as a 'one trick pony' and I'm sure he's a capable young man in more than one way, but it is first and foremost because of his technical genius he's part of this expedition. No offence to you, Mr Quick" - she nods to the Chief Engineer of the ship - "but we don't want to drag you away from your duties on board every time there's a problem with a diving suit... ::smile "

Having completed the circle Mrs Morgan again faces the Captain. "As for myself... I've never been a sailor, and I don't know much about engineering, but I do know more than a little about the ship we're looking for. Knowledge I feel is put to better use here than on the phone from Miami..."

"Your part in all of this should be fairly obvious, Captain. Without this magnificent vessel an expedition would be far more costly, maybe even impossible to complete, and your renown as a capable captain and commander of men makes me confident that this expedition is in the best hands."

[Asbjørn]

After a pause in which she does nothing but enjoy the food on the table, Mrs Morgan takes a drink and continues.

"When we reach the right part of the Cayman Trench, we test the diving equipment closer to sea-level than the actual wreck. This is where Tom will give you the instructions you need. I think at least you gentlemen, and whoever you wish to send from your crew, Captain, should be familiar with the operation of the suits and underwater sleighs before we go down to the wreck."

"When you all feel confident and prepared for it, we dive deeper and start looking for the Challenge. We know her position when she sank, but she may have drifted a little before she settled on the ocean floor. When we find her, it's a question of how deep she lies and how salvageable she is. As far as possible we use the Nausicaa and her mini-sub and deep sea crane to salvage what we can, but we might have to go out and do a little manual work. In that case we'll need a little extra time to get you all accustomed to the pressure outside..."

[Archer21]

Roughneck, who until now had been heartily enjoying his food, starts to choke on his roll at the mention of walking around on the ocean floor. Grabbing his glass of water, he takes a long swallow. His tanned face slightly paler than normal, he mutters something about food going down the wrong pipe.

[The History Follower]

Dash had maneuvered himself so he was sited beside Minerva and was enjoying the food and the conversation. While Roughneck chokes he turns to Ms. Morgan and asks, “Now this all sounds like standard, if a bit extreme, underwater archeology work but is it really going to be so easy with who ever is trying to stop us?”

[Ayre el KaBeer]

“Now this all sounds like standard, if a bit extreme, underwater archeology work but is it really going to be so easy with who ever is trying to stop us?”

David snorts at that and is completely embarassed for it ::blush "I'm sorry, it's just that none of this strikes me as being 'standard'. Is it at all possible that the oposition will also have a submersible?" he says looking to the captain and Ms. Morgan.

[Asbjørn]

"Well..." , Mrs Morgan replies, "I have to agree with you, David. There isn't much standard about this expedition. Which in a way is a good thing! You see, there is absolutely no chance our competition will have a submersible like this one. Personally, I don't think there is a vessel like this one on the planet... Am I right, Captain?"

"Of course, there are other ways of retrieving the wreck. If the glider the burglar was equipped with is representative of the technology our adversaries have access to, they might have some of those experimental automated robots or something. Honestly, I don't know. It might be their plan is to take whatever they're after when we've found it. Too bad we won't be so easy to rob..."

[Archer21]

"Of course, there are other ways of retrieving the wreck. If the glider the burglar was equipped with is representative of the technology our adversaries have access to, they might have some of those experimental automated robots or something."

With a confused look on his face, Roughneck asks, "Beggin' your pardon, Ms. Morgan, but what exactly is an automated robot?" The word 'robot' comes out awkwardly, as if he'd never heard the term before.

[Asbjørn]

With a brief glance at the more technically gifted around the table, Mrs Morgan blushes a little and says "Well... The way I understand it a robot is a machine that is designed to operate on its own. Not under direct control of a human operator, but guided only by general instructions. I think I first read about Sir Calvin Hammersmith having designed a few models that he intended to be used for dangerous work environments. Since then the more high flying 'new science' enthusiasts have been talking about replacing everyone from soldiers to butlers with these robots." ::rolleyes

At this point Mr Quick's deep voice points out "There have been a few test dives with fully automated submarines as well as diving automatons. Particularly the German navy has done a lot of work in that field. They've been very secretive about it, though, so how reliable and operational such machines are is hard to tell."

[The History Follower]

Dash has his mouth full when Roughneck asks his question. He gets his chance to add his knowledge on robots, “There have been gear operated constructs that you could call robots through out history and mythology. Da Vinchi made plans for such things. But in this modern age of electronics many engineers and scientists have made robots that can perform a number of tasks as long as they have been made to respond correctly.” He stops and thinks for a second, “That glider the thief had I think was based on designs that Hammersmith had suggested. Plus, I remember reading that Hammersmith’s butler had moved all his stuff, including the house itself, to the Caribbean. Now, I believe in coincidence, but not when an old pirate ship, a high tech submarine, and black clad thieves are involved.”

OOC: The term robot comes from a book written sometime in the ‘20’s I think about a factory owner that replaces all his workers with automatons.

[ProfPotts]

... Personally, I don't think there is a vessel like this one on the planet... Am I right, Captain?"

Park grins ::biggrin ,

"That you are, m'dear, that you are. She's one o' a kind is our Nausicaa."

After listening to the talk of 'robots'...

The Captain sighs,

"Well, automatons or no, we need to make sure that we have a chance at recovering this treasure before we worry too much about th' other fella'. Maybe after dinner all o' us who'll be diving should go take a look at th' new technological marvels we have at our disposal?"

[Asbjørn]

"My thoughts exactly, Captain.", Mrs Morgan replies. "And then you can start practicing a bit after breakfast tomorrow, maybe. How long will it take us to get there, by the way?"

On the other side of the table, Hastings absentmindedly runs his fingers over his moustache before he turns to Roughneck. "I say", he muses "Hawkshaw, was it? You're that chap who was knighted for outstanding bravery last year, were you not? You served under Commodore Carstairs, didn't you? Jolly good man. We were at the academy together, you see. He's told me a lot about you, actually. Tell me, is it true that you once killed a tiger with your bare hands? And that you carried two grown men for five days through the Sahara without food and water?"

[Archer21]

"I say", he muses "Hawkshaw, was it? You're that chap who was knighted for outstanding bravery last year, were you not? You served under Commodore Carstairs, didn't you? Jolly good man. We were at the academy together, you see. He's told me a lot about you, actually. Tell me, is it true that you once killed a tiger with your bare hands? And that you carried two grown men for five days through the Sahara without food and water?"

Roughneck gives a toothy smile. "Call me Roughneck, mate, it's what I'm used to. The Commodore was always good by me, he's a good man. Didn't know he was tellin' stories about me though..." Shaking his head ruefully, he continues, "It was a lion, not a tiger. And if the bugger hadn't kept trying to bite my head off, it could have ended more peacefully. As for the Sahara, well...that story's spot on. Couple of Legionnaires got separated from their troop and got good and lost. I found 'em stumbling about, and decided to take them with me to Cairo. That's all." He shrugs.

[ProfPotts]

The Captain gives a snort of distain,

"Legionnaires, eh? Anyone who'd willingly work for th' French should be left t' their just deserts, if y'ask me...", he trails off as he notices a frown from Min, then grins, with a mischievous gleam in his eyes ::biggrin , "... Oh don't mind me - th' babblings o' an old man - carry on, please, Roughneck - tell us more tales o' your heroic daring do..."

He winks at his granddaughter ::wink , then focuses his full attention on Roughneck - looking very expectant... ::sly

[archer]

"Legionnaires, eh? Anyone who'd willingly work for th' French should be left t' their just deserts, if y'ask me..."

Raising an eyebrow, Roughneck says with bite in his voice, "Soldiers are soldiers. As long as they aren't on the other side of the battle, I'll not leave one to die."

"Oh don't mind me - th' babblings o' an old man - carry on, please, Roughneck - tell us more tales o' your heroic daring do..."

Harrumphing, Roughneck looks back down at his plate, a red flush creeping up his neck. "I just wanted to set the record straight, not crow about things I've done. A man does what he has to at the time. That's all I've ever done. I'm no hero, and I never wanted to be counted as one."

[ProfPotts]

"... I'm no hero, and I never wanted to be counted as one."

The Captain grins ::biggrin ,

"Sure y'are lad - or, at least let's hope y'are - if we're t'be facing th' undead & all..." ::sly ::wink

Talking to the table as a whole he adds,

"I'd count each man o' m'crew a 'hero', & expect all t'act in a manner that'd live up t'that description."

[The History Follower]

Dash raises his glass, “Hear hear, to heroes big, small, and middle sized.” He chuckles.

[Ayre el KaBeer]

Lifting his glass of water ::withbeer (OOC: must be bud ::tongue ) not being one for drinking *it dulls the mind alittle too much when you need it most* "To heroes!" looking quite happy both with the comapany and the meal "My compliments to the chef Captain ::smile ".

[ProfPotts]

Park joins the toast ::withbeer .

"My compliments to the chef Captain  ".

"I'm sure he'll be pleased t'hear that."

[archer]

Glad that the hero conversation is over, Roughneck joins in on complimenting the chef. "Right tasty food, Cap'n. I'll have to take a trip to the galley later on; making friends down there is always one of my first errands aboard a new vessel! ::biggrin"

[ProfPotts]

"Right tasty food, Cap'n. I'll have to take a trip to the galley later on; making friends down there is always one of my first errands aboard a new vessel! "

Park grins ::biggrin ,

"Ah - we'll make a sailor o' ye yet, m'lad!" ::wink

[archer]

Roughneck grins back and slaps the table in good humor. "You can try Cap'n, but I'll always be a Marine at heart!" Looking down at his empty plate, he looks back up at Park, an anticipatory smile on his face. "So, how soon till we make our destination?"

[ProfPotts]

Park turns to his navigator,

"Mr Wallace - what's our estimated time o' arrival?"

[Asbjørn]

"Lessee...", the australian officer replies, "We left Miami at about 9 pm and unless we run into any surprises on the way, we should be there around 3 pm tomorrow. Depends a bit on how accurate the position you gave us is, mrs Morgan."

Taking his time with the food he adds "The Cayman Trench can be hell to maneuver in, especially with a big girl like the Nausicaa, so we might need a few extra hours once we're there, but we should be ready to step out for a walk tomorrow afternoon."

With a wide grin he turns to the guests

"Or should I say you should be ready to step out..." ::sly

[ProfPotts]

"Or should I say you should be ready to step out..."

The Captain gives his Navigator a sly look,

"I take it then, Mr Wallace, that you're not volunteering your services t' th' dive?.." ::sly

Turning to his First Officer, Park orders,

"Mr Chang - assemble a squad o' our best divers, if you'd be so kind. Our guests here will be doing most o' th' work, but it won't hurt t' have a few professionals along as well."

Turning back to his guests he adds,

"Oh - I meant professional seamen, naturally." ::wink

[Asbjørn]

"I take it then, Mr Wallace, that you're not volunteering your services t' th' dive?.." ::sly

"You're damn right I'm not, Cap'n!" Wallace exclaims. "I may be dumb, but I'm not stupid! Thanks all the same, but I prefer having these steel walls between me and the deep blue sea..."

"Mr Chang - assemble a squad o' our best divers, if you'd be so kind. Our guests here will be doing most o' th' work, but it won't hurt t' have a few professionals along as well."

Chang smiles his slightly evil looking smile at Wallace ::devil , before he turns his attention to the Captain. "Aye, Cap'n. I'll have them ready for the test dives tomorrow."

[ProfPotts]

"Excellent. That's settled then."

Park seems satisfied. Then, as if a thought has just struck him, he calls over one of the crewmen who was serving the meal, & quietly inquires,

"Is our other guest awake yet? I thought she was going t' join us for dinner? Run along & see how she's doing, there's a good chap."

Turning back to the assembled group at the table he says,

"I regret I can't offer you port & cigars - since we tend t' prefer breathing t' smoking when we're submerged. But we've plenty of port..." ::sly

With a quick glance towards Min he adds,

"For those o' us who're adults that is." ::wink

[archer]

Roughneck perks up. "Port, you say? Well, I've an empty glass here that could use a little something. ::wink" He motions to one of the servers to fill his glass.

[Heritage]

oops

[Asbjørn]

Park seems satisfied. Then, as if a thought has just struck him, he calls over one of the crewmen who was serving the meal, & quietly inquires,

"Is our other guest awake yet? I thought she was going t' join us for dinner? Run along & see how she's doing, there's a good chap."

"Aye, Cap'n!"

The sailor finishes his serving round, and hurries out of the room and up the stairs, as Mrs Morgan and Tom glances questioningly at the captain and the other officers.

Turning back to the assembled group at the table he says,

"I regret I can't offer you port & cigars - since we tend t' prefer breathing t' smoking when we're submerged. But we've plenty of port..." ::sly

With a quick glance towards Min he adds,

"For those o' us who're adults that is." ::wink

For a moment Min looks like she's about to pout, but then she brightens up a bit and says "It doesn't matter. Wallace says it tastes like sweetened sheepspiss, anyway..." ::tongue

Wallace looks a bit sheepish himself at being so shamefully accused... ::blush With a slightly annoyed look at Min he replies "Er... I'll just have a beer, Cap'n."

A few minutes later, the sailor returns and hurries over to the captain. In a quiet voice he says something about someone falling asleep in the library, but that she's on her way now. "She just had to freshen up a bit, Sir."

[Heritage]

Bethany Benson silently chastised herself as she made her way to dinner; a fine chronicler she was, falling asleep on the job! She shook the last of the cobwebs from her head as she entered the lounge.

I'm terribly sorry, Captain, but due to the rather dismal novel I was reading, I seem to have nodded off. Might it be possible to get a cup of strong coffee? I think I need it.

She turns to address the other passengers and crew.

Well, a fine team assembled, indeed! I'm Bethany Benson, Aeon Society member and writer for the New York Times. I certainly hope that this expedition proves to be exciting, or I'm afraid I might just sleep through the whole thing!

Bethany's a rather attractive brunette, dressed in khaki slacks and a simple white blouse, with dark eyes that seem to find wonder and amusement wherever she travels.

OOC - Hello, all!

[ProfPotts]

For a moment Min looks like she's about to pout, but then she brightens up a bit and says "It doesn't matter. Wallace says it tastes like sweetened sheepspiss, anyway..." 

Wallace looks a bit sheepish himself at being so shamefully accused...  With a slightly annoyed look at Min he replies "Er... I'll just have a beer, Cap'n."

Park puts on a serious face, turns to Wallace, & asks,

"Have y' been drinking sheepspiss again? I've told y' about that before..."

The serious face can't last, & the Captain soon beams a wide grin ::biggrin .

Turning to the group as a whole, he adds with a chuckle,

"Y' know what they say - think Australian, drink Australian." ::wink ::laugh

"I'm terribly sorry, Captain, but due to the rather dismal novel I was reading, I seem to have nodded off. Might it be possible to get a cup of strong coffee? I think I need it."

Park rises from his seat as the lady approaches the table, & indicates where a place has been laid for her (hopefully one of the crew is on hand to help her with her chair). Still smiling at his Aussie officer's expense, the old man replies,

"That should be possible - I know how you Americans need y' coffee. Maybe a few introductions are in order?"

Sitting again once Beth has done so, the Captain goes through the introductions for the benefit of Miss Benson.

"Well, a fine team assembled, indeed! I'm Bethany Benson, Aeon Society member and writer for the New York Times. I certainly hope that this expedition proves to be exciting, or I'm afraid I might just sleep through the whole thing!"

"With ol' 'Roughneck' here on-board I can assure you there'll be excitement aplenty, Miss Benson", Park winks at his grandaughter ::wink , "isn't that what they say, Min?"

[archer]

When Bethany walks into the room, Roughneck's grin expands. Yet another pretty woman aboard. *A regular feast for the eyes on this boat...*

"Y' know what they say - think Australian, drink Australian."

Already chuckling from Min's comment, Roughneck roars with laughter at the Captain's joke. ::laugh "Well put, Cap'n...well put!"

With ol' 'Roughneck' here on-board I can assure you there'll be excitement aplenty, Miss Benson"

A fiery glint in his eye, Roughneck gives Miss Benson a wink and a smile. "Oh, plenty of excitement around me."

[The History Follower]

“Hi Ms. Benson, I’m “Dash” Quill I’m also with the Aeon Society. Nice to know Max didn’t send me off without some back up.” He reaches over to shake her hand. “This little junt will probably be mostly delicate underwater work unless we get attacked again.

OOC: Heritage how many inspiration points did you have to spend to get on bored? Tee hee tee hee. Can we just jump ahead to testing the underwater gear or at least finish up dinner? I’m pretty much a reactionary rpger.

[Heritage]

Sitting again once Beth has done so, the Captain goes through the introductions for the benefit of Miss Benson.

A pleasure to meet you all. I'm thrilled to be travelling among such luminous company.

"With ol' 'Roughneck' here on-board I can assure you there'll be excitement aplenty, Miss Benson", Park winks at his grandaughter  , "isn't that what they say, Min?"

Bethany laughs politely until she takes a good long second look at Roughneck. She barely notices the cup of coffee offered by an attentive crewmember.

Oh, I'm sorry! Thank you, kind sir.

A fiery glint in his eye, Roughneck gives Miss Benson a wink and a smile. "Oh, plenty of excitement around me."

Bethany's usual composed demeanor is clearly taking a battering - she smiles a bit too casually and attempts to hide her flushed cheeks behind her coffee cup.

I'm...sure there is, Sir Robert.

“Hi Ms. Benson, I’m “Dash” Quill I’m also with the Aeon Society. Nice to know Max didn’t send me off without some back up.” He reaches over to shake her hand. “This little junt will probably be mostly delicate underwater work unless we get attacked again.

Somewhat relieved to have someone else to focus on, Bethany shakes Dash's hand warmly.

Always good to meet another member, Dash. Max has spoken highly of you.

As she raises her cup, she turns to Captain Park.

Captain, I'm hoping you wouldn't find it too unseemly for me to take the dive as well; I practically grew up at sea, though admittedly I'm no sailor. Our family's in the shipping business, and Father loved to show me the world. I think I've sailed on every ocean, but I've never been beneath one, and I'd love to be able to write about such a wonderful experience.