OOC: Thanks for the tip about the tattoo image!

Bellgrove rubs his chin as he listens to everyone else's contributions. When Matthew mentions Freud he looks at the man once more with interest, but does says nothing about the Austrian doctor. Instead he takes a breath and , "I see. Right. Well, I suppose we do not dare to leave him unchained?"

In reply to Bellgrove G. B. Wander (msg # 73):

Grimsby promptly answers "Having seen --and felt--this fellow in action, I certainly do not want him loose again. However, if the rest of the party feel otherwise, I am willing to discuss the point."

Connor, who had up until this point had been keeping very quiet, mulling over a cup of hot tea he'd made a little earlier, spoke up, "Do you think I might have any effect making him talk, gents? The other one that I had the great misfortune to have to bite practically jumped out of his skin when I did, screamed 'vampire' at the top of his lungs and all that."

The felinoids ears lay back and a low hiss came from him at the sight of the tattoo, making it all too clear that Connor had absolutely no love for the Vril society, "That's the mark all right...fanatical buggers..."

"Quite so, Conner. I had forgotten that fact. Both of us interviewing the fellow might be just the thing."

Dash shrugs -- then winces at the mild pain from his back.

"Well, if you two wish to start the questions with this ... gentleman ..." Dash gives a none-too-gentle prod with his foot to the thugs ribs, "Who is not fooling anyone by pretending to still be unconscious! Wakey-wakey, mein Herr."

Grimsby nodded at Connor's suggestion, though as Dash was speaking to the prisoner he did not comment audibly.

Dash's kick to the prisoner didn't evoke any response. Even a more forceful kick to his jewels produced no response.

A quick check detected a pulse, but it was low and thready. He appeared to be unconscious. His eyes, however, were dilated, generally the sign of some sort of drug.

"It's no use, this man is drugged," Connor said, his strong sense of smell picking up on the drug running through the human's veins, the felinoid crouching down for a moment to get a better whiff before he rose to his full measure once more, "Some sort of opiate mixed with an alkaloid-based compound...wicked stuff at any rate, until it wears off all you'll get out of this one is a wheeze and maybe a fart, but he's out like a sodden firebox."

"Hmph."

Bellgrove shrugs, "Well, let us make him as indisposed as we possibly can so when this wears off he shall be at our mercy...

"Though, it seems to me that one would not simply knock one's self out. If we forced him to vomit perhaps that might help? Otherwise, something tells me he is a dead man."

"I'm an engineer, not a doctor," Connor replied with a shrug, "But if he has been poisoned, I'd say it's too late to try and get it out of his system. However, if he has not, the real question should be why would the Veil let him live if he knows something? Perhaps he is more useful or dangerous being with us alive. I'd say the risk would outweigh the benefits of any information, indeed he might know nothing of use and we are just chasing our tails, if you'll forgive the natural analogy."

Grimsby responded, "You may well be correct, Mr. Holmes, but given our very limited knowledge of the Vril, I am willing to risk letting him live until he recovers enough to be questioned, assuming he ever does. If he is still comatose when we reach Graustark, we might seek discreet medical aid for reviving him."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:12, Fri 08 Aug 2014.

The ship crosses the Tyrrhenian Sea without any incident, reaching the Appenine gap just as dawn creeps in from the east. The prisoner still hasn't woken up, but he hasn't gotten any worse, either.

It's about another hour before the next course correction has to be made.

"Well, this lout's done himself in, I believe." Dash comments, as the sun rises over central Italy, "We might as well get rid of him, for I do not think he will be answering any questions any time soon, if ever."

Dash turns to Remi, "Cap'n Remi, will we be needing to re-coal, anytime soon? If I remember the maps of Italy correctly, the town of Perugia is at the western end of the pass we must fly through -- just ahead of us -- while the city of Assissi is at the eastern end. Perhaps we could land long enough to drop this garbage off at a hospital, or a Doctor, or something? A Franciscan Monastery, even?"

"Which reminds me, we should probably copy down the information on all of his documents -- that list of chemicals and supplies, especially, and the instructions for where they were to be sent."

Dash looks around at his companions, "Other than just shoving him overboard, I think this will be our best, quickest, option. Any other suggestions?"

Grimsby responds cautiously, "I grant you that the fellow probably needs a hospital, but I should like to give him until we reach Graustark to wake up --I should really like to have a chance to question him if he does wake.  If not, I think he will do as well in Graustark as he would in Italy -- at least the capital, Edelweiss, has modern medical facilities, I understand."

Bellgrove knows little of medicine or poisons or anything like that. He nods at Dash's words, but says little. Ultimately, he feels a bit out of place with things. After all, a few hours ago he was wandering through a warehouse yard in the process of investigating a story. Now he is on an aeroship going to a country he knows little about in pursuit of an organization he knows even less about.

Grimbsy seems to know what he is about, so that combined with Dash's certainty also makes him feel as if he need not have ideas if he does not have them. He smiles as Conner's 'natural analogy' and otherwise takes some time to get to know the ship. It has been a while since he has been on one and he realizes how much he has missed it. Had his life taken another course he might have spent the past several months on such a vessel and it is a bit surprising to him how easy it is to readapt.

"Grimsby, old man, I agree with everything you just said." Dash nodded his head as he spoke, "But, I still have two point to object to."

"First, and most important to me, is that this thug will require constant attention; should his condition either worsen or improve. I, myself, refuse to provide any kind of care or assistance to this poor excuse for a Man. In reversed situations, I am quite positive he would not hesitate to simply kill us. My only condecention to being a better Man than him is that I am willing to drop him somewhere where  he could be cared for. Beyond that, I will do nothing for him."

"Second, if we bring him to Graustark, and seek medical aide for him there, I believe we will be exposing ourselves to our enemies. This doped-up dolt is working for people located in Graustark. He is most likely known around Graustark.  If we wheel him into a hospital in Graustark, I feel confident in saying that the word of such an event will quickly spread, and his confederates will thus quickly converge upon us."

"Maybe, as back in Marseille, I am over-thinking this, maybe I am being paranoid. But, in truth, can you say that I am absolutely wrong in these suspicions?"

Grimsby responded, "I grant you we must watch this fellow at all times --having been subjected to his unkind attentions, I certainly don't desire more of them.  But there are several of us --myself among them --who have no skills for sailing this ship, so we might as well be watching him  --it would be more useful than waiting about for landing.
As for "wheeling him into a hospital" --I quite agree that would be most unwise.
That is hardly what I meant by 'discreet medical aid'. I should hope that the British envoy in Graustark  --or perhaps the government of the princess --could provide us with someone competent and trustworthy who could be brought quietly aboard to look him over. If he can be revived and questioned, well and good. If not, well." He shrugged. "I suppose he can be given private burial."

"Hmmm. Hand him over to the British Consul." Dash says, pondering the idea, "That's not a bad idea. But, I don't know about approaching the Princess' government. All these balkan countries are like political powderkegs, don't'cha know. We have no idea just how far these Vril people might have infiltrated the Graustark government. I mean, there's a reason they've taken Cavor to Graustark, yes?"

Grimsby replied, "I agree the British consul is preferable. From what I have heard, the princess herself is a decent sort, but there is no knowing how far the Vril may have infiltrated her government."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:26, Sat 16 Aug 2014.

"I shouldn't think the British government would relish taking charge of an unconscious man who likely isn't one of their nationals," Stella says, returning from her cabin where she bundled up and making for the coffee boiler, "Especially since he's been kidnapped from another nation's soil.

"We should just leave him in a field somewhere that he'll be found. I'm not sure Italy isn't the best choice, since there'll be nothing then to possibly connect him to us.

Stella obviously isn't troubled with scruples over a man who attacked them without provocation.

Grimsby replied, "The British government, if I may say so, has in the past had reason to respect my opinion in intelligence matters. I believe the British consul would assist us in handling this man if need be, and I would prefer not to simply leave him in a field.  After all, we know the Vril are active in Graustark, and presumably the chiefs of the Vril, wherever they may be, know this fellow was sent to attack us in Marseilles.  If he turns up in Graustark, word of it is likely to reach the Vril, and they will know we most likely brought him there."

Remi tended to let his actions speak louder than his words, but there were times when words were necessary.

"No, we do not need to take on coal in Italy," Remi replied to Dash's question. "The modifications Mercy made to the engine has considerably extend our range. We've also had a fair wind."

"I have been thinking about this Vril agents and what we found back in Scotland. As you just said, Dash, the Balkans are a powderkeg. I'm not sure I see a benefit to assassinating Lord Kentigern, other than to gain total control of the mine, but assassinating the Princess of Graustark could be the spark that sets off the powderkeg."

"Also on that list was the ruler of Bourbony. That's a peculiar path for the Black Ship to follow. It makes me think that Graustark isn't really their destination, but is just a convenient stopover. Graustark is a refueling stop, but it was selected because of something else on their agenda."

"So who is to say that Bourbony is their last stop?"

Bellgrove had been quiet letting the hands that have obviously been working together for a while talk things through. When there was a pause he cleared his throat, "It seems to me that you are all quite correct that leaving this fellow with the Consul is the best move for now. He is dead weight and doubtless the Consul could get some 'technical' help from 'somewhere' to deal with him and possibly learn something that we are not.

"The 'powder keg' that we find ourselves in the midst of is also an awfully good reason not to have to lug him about. Captain Remi brings up some rather valid points and in order to continue this investigation we are going to need flexibility."

Connor had been keeping to himself for the most part since he'd had a look at the prisoner, mulling over a cup of hot tea as he looked over the charts with the ship's navigator, a friendly chap despite his somewhat fierce countenance. The felinoid was comparing his own amateur computations to the pro's just for something to do, surprised to see his estimate of the airship's position was only slightly off.

"Guess being an amateur yachtsman helps sometimes," Connor mused quietly to himself as he sat down off to one side, sipping on his tea and looking out the windows once more, occasionally checking his watch and the little compass that was tucked into the lid along with a few more gadgets..

In reply to Bellgrove G. B. Wander (msg # 95):

Geimbsy replied seriously, "You have a very good point Mr. Wander. The death of the princess could set off quite a scramble for the succession-- the neighboring nations like Axphain and Ganlook would almost certainly jump in, and then the great powers with Balkan interests like Russia and Austria-Hungary might follow. There is also this Borbony business --no knowing what that might lead to.  All in all, if we can entrust this fellow to the consul, we can be ready to follow the trail wherever it may lead."