Somethin' to do with the airflow regulators, C'mmander.  Imagine the air supply could be short if we stay in.  If the fey are to be believed, it's probably that gremlin, but I can't rightly say.

[Knowledge (Engineering) 2]

All I know is three things gotta happen.  The ship needs to move, we need to catch that critter, and Alveris needs to take off that damn helmet!

He looks a bit embarassed.

If you'll pardon my High Fey, Sir.

In reply to Uthor son of Magnusson (msg # 42):

Conrad nods in agreement as the pair walks swiftly toward the bridge.

"As you say.  We'll take stock of the situation and plot a new course once we reach the helm.  I want to see what's happening to the Reach myself.  Next, we'll set up the PAG cannon and your bronze golem in a room and place it under observation.  Hopefully, combined, these things will be interesting enough to draw this gremlin from our ship."

He wipes his brow absently.

"Does it seem odd to you that the Captain has returned to his quarters during this hectic period?  I don't mind retaining command for as long as is needed for him to come to terms with the death of his friend, but..."

Conrad frowns.

"I don't think you wanted to surrender that object to him.  You hesitated, you forgot.  If there's something I should know about it, I would appreciate being let in on its secret before we reach the bridge."
This message was last edited by the player at 14:00, Mon 30 Sept 2013.

In reply to Conrad son of Leif (msg # 43):

James tears off after Alveris...

In Fey:

Why do the two people we hate have to be the ones in charge of the other end of that accursed mirror.  This is not going to be fun.
In Goblin:

Francis stay out of sight or Cash Cow will rip out your eyes and shove them down Fey Fucks (pointing at Alveris) pants.  I want you to hide and peek in to see if you can recognize anyone in that mirror.

Francis pants his acquiesence in trying to keep up with the two long legged fey and suddenly merges like predator into the background (Stealth 20)

Nice trick. James says genuinely impressed.

In Fey:

Alvie how do we play this.  What if this conspiracy goes all the way to father/Puck or even Titania and Oberron?  Do we let them know there are traitors and potentially gremlins on the ship?

In reply to James (msg # 44):

Bridge

The bridge is largely empty save for the acting helmsman and the navigator.  Both stand and salute Conrad and Uthor when they enter.

"Sir," the helmsman starts, "Chief Engineer Sven reports that Engineering has been evacuated.  He further reports that airflow to that cabin should be re-established shortly.  It looks as if someone removed all the bevels from the vents."

He points out into the dark ocean where the Red Spring's searchlight illuminates the aft end of the Dark Reach.

She's giving off some good radiation now, looks as if her reactor went a little while ago.  We're not in immediate danger, but if we stay for much longer, it's unlikely any of us will be leaving much of a genetic legacy, if you know what I mean, sir."  The helmsman makes a rude gesture at his crotch.

Code Room

The Fey and Francis reach the heavy door to the code room before their escort, and the Gnome on guard there (now armed with a repeater and axe) makes them wait.

The feint ringing you heard through the bulkhead becomes louder when the hatch swings open.  You again see the swirling image with the small green circle.

Alveris rights the Red Mantle upon his head and slides the circle to the "answer" symbol.

The swirling steadies into an image of nondescript waiting room.  General Blackwood stands off to one side, with Puck taking front and center.  He holds in his hand a very tall, thin, twisty champagne flute.  At his elbow, a Changeling servitor stands by with a flagon.

Alveris! Puck exclaims joyfully.  You're alive!

In reply to GM (msg # 45):

"Understood," Conrad says, nodding at the helmsman and navigator in turn.  "Move us out of range of the radiation, and decrease our depth.  In the event we have to surface, I want it to take as little time as possible to do so."

He activates the PA system.

"Attention, all hands.  Check your immediate surroundings for missing nuts, bolts, and other assorted materials.  Check the bulkheads, check the seals -- anything that could be taken apart.  Make any needed repairs immediately.  This is not a drill.  Repeat this check every 15 minutes, even if none have been in the room but you since the last sweep.  I repeat, this is not a drill."

Conrad shuts off the PA and turns to Uthor.

"Let's see if we can set that trap before anything else happens."

In reply to Conrad son of Leif (msg # 46):

Bridge

"Sir, I should add," the navigator says, "with all due respect, we're also losing ground on our quarry."

In reply to GM (msg # 47):

"We're in no shape to..." Conrad begins, then stops himself.

"We can do both, aye?  Get us moving toward it again, fast as we can go while moving to slightly shallower water."

In reply to Conrad son of Leif (msg # 48):

The navigator spreads out a map on a small table, moving his mug of Grog to do so.

The helmsman looks over his shoulder and they begin muttering to one another and pointing.

(Navigation: 5)

"Aye, sir." They say in unison.

The navigator continues, "here, sir.  This path will get us back on track and we can go shallower.  We just cross this here trench and up this ridge."
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:56, Mon 30 Sept 2013.

In reply to Conrad son of Leif (msg # 48):

In Fey:

Puck, it sounds like you know something of what we have gone through recently; or is it just general euphoria at seeing your dear friend alive and wearing a fetching new cape?

Father, I don't suppose you can tell me anything about snakes can you, and why they might be present on a submarine?

Nothing specific about it, C'mmander.  But I get a bad feeling, and you know how my bad feelings can be.  I wouldn't put Jeeves out for the gremlin.  Don't know what it might do inside him, could cause trouble...

Uthor trails off as he and Conrad enter the bridge.

In reply to Uthor son of Magnusson (msg # 51):

Conrad glances at the charts, shrugging mentally at the information they show in deference to the knowledge of the navigator.

"That course works for me.  Full speed ahead, and let me know the moment anything else pops up.  See to it that our torpedo tubes are reloaded, by the by; we discharged our ordinance against the Reach, and I want it ready in case of further trouble."

He turns to Uthor.

"You want to save 'Jeeves', that's fine.  Go get him, and bring him up here.  You can keep an eye on him and on the bridge's instruments while the rest of the crew keeps an eye out.  Hopefully we'll get some notice on an area to check soon."

Conrad pauses, frowning once more.

"I'm staying here for the time being; the Captain would be here, and thus I should be here in his stead.  Before you go, tell me what you know about Sven.  He didn't seem concerned enough about what's going on to me."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:58, Mon 30 Sept 2013.

Far as I know, Officer Sven does good work.  Never known him to grumble too much.  A bit fussy, though.  I have a plan to catch this gremlin thing, too.  Gonna swing by Engineering real quick.

Uthor heads first to Engineering, where, if it's not evacuated, he grabs a bunch of gears, widgets, and any other supplies he can find.  Then, he goes back to his quarters to check Jeeves over.

[Notice 7]

Once that's done, he sits down at his desk and begins constructing an elaborate doodad of whirring gears and clicking spindles.  It serves no practical purpose but has lots of moving parts to keep a gremlin occupied for a long time.

[Repair 6]

In reply to Uthor son of Magnusson (msg # 53):

(Smugly) It's going to take more than a submarine full of snakes and gnomish intrigue to get keep me down you bastard.


On the whole, the experience has been most pleasant. As you can see, I've enhanced my wardrobe significantly, and we've even kept Rhaveen alive, despite what I am sure are your best efforts to the contrary.

Enough with the pretense of happenstance. To what do we owe the displeasure of your call?

In reply to Alveris Alderis (msg # 54):

Displeasure? Puck cocks his head to one side and clutches his heart.  Alveris you wound me!  I call out of duty to the Court and loyalty to you.  I merely seek to check in on the status of your mission and pass on what little information I have that may be of service to you.

Puck looks at General Blackwood over his shoulder and raises his glass.  The General does not return the gesture.

Please tell me, so that I may lay Lord Oberon's fears to rest, how goes your travels beneath the cold sea?  Have you found those pesky humans yet?

Puck takes a long sip of his drink, draining the glass.  He motions for the Changeling to refill it.

Snakes you say?  Are you being metaphorical or literal?  I only just learned of 'snakes' on the Red Spring myself.

If Uthor's machinations are successful, he will return to rendezvous with Conrad.

In reply to Uthor son of Magnusson (msg # 56):

The navigator nods and hops to, issuing rapid commands top the helmsman and rest of the crew via intercom.

In reply to GM (msg # 55):

The gnomes have become distracted by their own bullshit and intrigue. We located a missing sub of theirs, which was apparently dispatched first for this mission. Which, as a fucking sidebar, doesn't leave me brimming with confidence. Alveris Alderis is fuck NO ONE's B Team, and the fact that someone saw fit to sabotage an entire sub of gnomish military units, including a technologically advanced special ops team (Alveris points to Magneto helm) suggests some foul fucking play that reaks of the bullshit I so rapidly associate with you. And yes, the snakes were real. Very, very real.

Right now, someone is systematically disassembling portions of the sub, and I'm loathe to say, it's potentially gremlin based in origin.

So to answer your question? It's going really fucking poorly, but hey, and I mean this seriously, I kept Rhaveen alive, and he's actually begun proving himself to be both an adept healer and tactical negotatitor. He may not be the General's son you anticipated, but he's somewhat more useful than I originally believed. That's not to say I wouldn't sacrifice him at a moment's notice to save my own skin, but let's be honest, there's NO ONE I wouldn't sacrifice at a moment's notice to save my own skin. I'm a compassionate guy.

In reply to Alveris Alderis (msg # 58):

Wiping a fake tear from his eye

Oh Alveris, stop it your making me blush. (factually true as if you look closely enough he legitimately blushing slightly)

I will wait until the next person is almost done talking and cut them off with the non-sequiter question

What is the alabaster sea?

In reply to James (msg # 59):

Conrad stands on the bridge, emulating what he believes the Captain's role to be as best he can and watching the ocean spread out before him.

After a few minutes of this, he activates the intercom and sets it to broadcast to the Reactor Room only.

"This is the helm.  What's the status of things down there?"

Uthor returns to the bridge with Jeeves in tow, arms outstretched in the "Porter" stance.

C'mmander, he says as he removes and stows the cartridge from Jeeves' back, rummaging around in his pack for something else, I may have something to solve our gremlin problem.  Do we have a big glass jar or something like that?

He holds up the widget.

In reply to Uthor son of Magnusson (msg # 61):

"I'm sure we can find one for you."

A few orders and a little scurrying later, a large glass decanter is placed in Uthor's hands.

"What do you have in mind?"

This, waving the widget, goes in there, pointing to the bottle.  When we see the gremlin jump into it, shut the bottle up tighter than a... well that sayin' wouldn't be appropriate to say to the Acting Cap'n.  Then we get rid of it.  Shoot it out the torpedo tube or somethin'.

In reply to Uthor son of Magnusson (msg # 63):

Conrad looks at the gizmo whirring away in the bottle, then at Uthor, then shrugs.

"Blasted gremlins, always overcomplicating everything.  Interesting thought; worth a shot."

A tight stopper is fetched and placed near the bottle, and Conrad nods.

"Well, let's set the bait."

I'll take this to Engineering, unless you've heard of trouble anywhere else.

In reply to Uthor son of Magnusson (msg # 65):

Conrad shakes his head.

"Nothing so far.  Make sure the crew continue to make the periodic checks I ordered a few minutes ago, though.  We don't want this thing to fall apart on us."