Bellgrove was not surprised to find the Baedeker's in the hands of his fellow American, "I see that I am not the only one aboard who has very little knowledge about our destination. Beyond what studied during my Plebe days, I'm afraid I know terribly little about Africa.

"Learn anything interesting therein?," he asks indicating the book.

Despite the Scramble for Africa, as the land grab is being called, which has only been in full swing for about 30 years, there are still parts in the heart of Africa that have never seen a white man and/or European. That's the main reason it's called the Dark Continent, not the skin color of its natives. It's like a light hasn't been turned on yet.

Of course, much like the Balkans, boundaries in Africa change monthly as control of a particular region switches from one nationality to another or there is another native uprising.

African tribes have been conquering and killing each other for centuries, long before the Europeans arrived. The difference is that the Europeans have given them guns so they can do it much more efficiently now. Europeans want the vast resources of the continent that the natives aren't using and aren't even aware of, and they are willing to trade weapons for the rights to those resources. As a back up plan, though, they'll just 'enlighten' the natives by conquering them and taking what they want.

In reply to Bellgrove G. B. Wander (msg # 5):

Grimsby remarkd, "I'm afraid Africa is outside my sphere as well. I know something of the European rivalries there, but very little of the native states."

In reply to Grimsby Baskerville (msg # 7):

"Well, according to Baedeker's, here," Dash taps the book he's holding, "the locals in Eritrea appear to be accepting British assistance, at the moment, so I believe we should have few problems there."

"After that..." Dash shrugs, "We must hold to luck and Divine Providence that we can arrive at Bourbony either ahead of the Black Zeppelin, or that we arrive in time to stop whatever they hope to accomplish there."

"As you say. Well, the race continues!"

Grimsby chimed in "And may the better men--and women-- win!"
After a moment he added, "And er. felines." ." with a glance at Connor.

During the course of all this Marian will try to get to know her companions without being too much of a bother. She is keenly interested in meeting the mechanical bartender and if anyone has any anecdotes or stories she will listen with genuine interest. Connor may notice that she tends to look at him a lot with a smile of delight but she tries to hide it and act nonchalant. Clearly she doesn't have much experience with cat people and she is delighted.

Should anyone converse with her you will discover she is up front and honest though very kind and friendly. She mentions her late husband James often, referring to various stories of their past and though she clearly misses him she thinks of him with fondness rather than sorrow. She also has many questions about traveling in general though she tries to limit herself so as not to be annoying.

Connor said nothing as he bustled about the galley to complete his meal, setting his potato soup and fresh bread down on a table and setting himself a place there before quickly tidying up the mess and washing the dishes in the kitchen before settling down to eat, pouring a hot mug of tea to go along with his meal before tucking in.

The tiger felinoid quirked an eyebrow when he noticed the new human woman, Marian he believed her name was, keep peeking over in his direction with a sort of muted glee like a small child who had gotten the run of a toy shop with unlimited pocket money, then quickly trying to hide it and act like nothing was up. Connor just shrugged it off as one of the more pleasant sorts of reactions he'd gotten to his....non-humanness...of late and quietly continued his small luncheon, although he kept his ears perked up to listen to the conversation going on around him

In reply to Marian Holroy (msg # 11):

Observing Marian's interest in traveling, Grimsby remarks, "I don't know how much you have been told of European ladies traveling in Mohammedan countries, but if we are stopping in Eritrea I hope you will not take it amiss if I recommend caution. I recall I was just leaving Shepheard's Hotel in Cairo, where I had been stopping off on my way east of Suez, and having tea  with a lady of my acquaintance, when a visiting emir from the interior of the Sudan --with whom we were engaged in rather delicate negotiations --  was passing by and took a fancy to the lady. He asked me to offer her a place in his harem, which she naturally declined. Fortunately he spoke no English and she spoke no Arabic, so they had to conduct their conversation through me as interpreter, and I managed to see that neither party became excessively offended."

Mercy, of course, is glad to have another female to chat with, though Marian quickly realizes that Mercy knows little of the finer things in life. She was a tomboy in her youth, and by the time she'd become of marriable age, she was far more competent at machines and engines and inventions than most of the men. It was one of the few areas where her gender wasn't quite as limiting as it normally was.

While other engineers and inventors had a tendency to dismiss her out of hand, once she started discussing techincal things, they didn't even notice her gender.

Manners she knew, except when she was treated as a 'clueless woman', but the social graces were mostly a foreign language to her.

"While this adventure wasn't on my calendar of events," she commented to Grimsby and Marian with a wry smile, "events swept me up and here I am."

"It all started innocuously enough at the Gas Lamp Club." she began, and then launched into a story of an engineering discussion on her new flying machine, assassins, electric guns, Nikola Tesla, Mark Twain, Lord Kentigern, Madame Irenke and Hugo's eyes glowing blue.

Cruising at around 2,000 feet, The Falcon had just passed over Crete when Captain Remi calls out.

"All hands on deck! Man overboard!"

It quickly becomes apparent what he means, as he points over the side. Down below, on the water, is a person floating on a piece of debris.

Everyone can hear the sound of the engines change as the ship starts losing altitude.

In reply to GM StarMaster (msg # 15):

Having served aboard the ocean-going trade ships owned by his family for the past year, Dash responds immediately to the call of "man overboard".

However, upon reaching the deck and looking over the side to see the man floating below, a frown crosses Dash's face.

"Is that man even alive?" he asks, "I mean, we seem to be quite far up -- could a man survive a fall from this height? Even if into water? Somebody get a glass focussed on that man!"

"Bloody hell," Connor growled under his breath as he rose at the cry of 'Man Overboard', a trifle perturbed at the interruption but saying nothing more as he peered out a window to look for the missing person, using his keen eyesight to search the sea below, a hand shading his vision from eyebrow level to keep any glare from the sunlight bouncing off the water from ruining his gaze.

"It's possible, Mister Hawkesbury, to survive a fall from a great height into water. As I recall, it is a regular feature of some American circuses for performers to dive into a small pool of water from a great height, say several hundred feet. That aside, I'm not saying it wouldn't hurt to do so, for due to the physical properties of water hitting it at great speed is akin to slamming into a brick wall that gives at the last moment mid-impact," he replied to Dash, his tone serious and perhaps a touch grim, but nonetheless there was a slight timbre of hope to it too, for at heart Connor was a glass-half-full sort of chap.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:09, Fri 01 May 2015.

Bellgrove also responds when hearing the alert. Nodding in agreement with Dash he says, "Quite so, I do not think that poor fellow is overboard from the Falcon."

He looks about for line and equipment to rescue the the man once they have descended sufficiently.

Marian listens to Grimsby's story with a laugh of shock and delight. A harem, really!? she gasps. I've heard of such things but never knew they were so open with their invitations! Well, I suppose it would be a flattering offer at least though I can't imagine ever standing such a situation. The jealousy and back biting must be monstrous the blonde woman surmises. Not very romantic either if you ask me. If James had ever tried to add another woman I would have never stopped slapping him. By now it is common knowledge that James is her late husband of who she mentions often and with fondness.

As Mercy launches into her story Marian listens with rapt interest. She is an excellent listener and any stories or anecdotes shared are eagerly attended. Mercy is a woman who impresses Marian. She admires her skills and intelligence and happily counts her as an asset to society, a woman who could further their gender into advancement one day. I wish I was more technically minded, it seems exceedingly useful. And extra well dones especially for thriving in such a man's world she beams proudly.

At mention of the man overboard she rushes to the side and peers down, her green eyes squinting in an effort to see. She watches events unfold with curiosity and a bit of horror, hoping the fellow is alright.

Remi had already pulled out his spyglass and was scanning the sea below. He relays what he sees: single man, wearing a backpack, floating on an upside-down chest, with a dog! Man and dog both seem to be alive still.

There is a lot of other debris floating on the water. It's Remi's guess that the debris is the remains of a ship that sunk.

"Someone will have to go into the water to get him," Remi says. "Tie a rope around him so we can haul him aboard. Probably the same for the dog. We can make a sling for the dog."

"I don't know what's in that backpack that's so valuable, but if he wasn't on that chest, it probably would have taken him to the bottom. Better bring it up with him."

Bellgrove takes off his jacket, "Right. I am willing to go down. I'll bring up the man, his dog, and everything else."

Having said this he realizes what he has just committed himself to doing and feels somehow refreshed. As if propelling himself into an emergency was somehow conducive to other things. </I>What other things?</i>, he had no idea. No he was not thinking about what he was doing, but he was certainly doing whatever it was that he probably ought to be thinking about.

In reply to Marian Holroy (msg # 19):

Grimsby starts to say "You're quite right about harems..." But at the cry of "Man Overboard" he stops and crosses swiftly to the ship's side and peers at the man below.

When Dash says the man is not from The Falcon, Grimsby agrees.

"Certainly not one of ours. The question is--is he one of theirs --off the Black Zeppelin--or more likely a victim of theirs--I'm not a great believer in simple chance encounters in these waters."

As Bellgrove and Dash prepare to the rescue, he adds, "Be careful when you reach the man--he may not be as helpless as he appears -- and that dog might take you for an enemy before he understands otherwise."
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:19, Sun 03 May 2015.

In reply to Grimsby Baskerville (msg # 22):

Dash, good sailor that he is, is tying a rope around Bellgrove, preparatory to lowering him over the side, looks over at Grimsby.

"Thanks for the concern, old man, but it's dear old Bellgrove, here, who's going for a dip!" Dash says with a smile, then calls back to Remi, "I say, Remi! How low can we go? I need to know how much rope!"

Dash then turns to Connor, "Connor, my man, grab another rope and tie a slip harness at one end.  For the dog."

Dash looks again at Bellgrove, "You put the harness over the dog, first, then give it a yank so Connor can pull up the mutt. Then you grab the man, and we'll all pull you back up. Got it?"

"Technically we could land the ship in the water," Remi replies to Dash, "but I haven't tested its water-tightness yet, and it would take a bit more energy to lift off again."

"We can pull the windvanes up. That'll let us get within 20 feet if we have to, but I'd rather not get below 30. There's not a lot of chop out here, but an errant gust of wind or a sudden downdraft could put us in the drink."

He directs his crew of one--Matthew--to raise the windvanes... those sail-like fins that extend below the bottom of the ship. Used for helping keep the ship vertically stable, they can also be turned to catch the wind. Or, they can be raised to facilitate landing.

"Right," Connor murred as he got busy doing as Dash had asked him and rigging up a sling on the end of a long coil of rope, working quickly but methodically to tie the various knots, the felinoid adding a firm, "Ready here, lads," when he was finished, ready to throw the harness overboard after Bellgrove and start hauling away when the dog was secured into it.

Although it doesn't take long to drop low enough for the rescue, it probably seems like forever to the man in the water.

Bellgrove is lowered over the side and into the water, and has to swim over to the man and dog. Both are still alive but weak. A moment later, Connor lowers the sling down. Whether the dog understands he's being rescued or he's just too tired to do anything about it, he lets Bellgrove put the sling around him without protest. When he gives the signal, Connor begins hauling up the dog.

There isn't any mechanical winch on the ship, but some small capstans have been installed on the deck for this sort of operation. As Connor pulls the dog up, Matthew belays the rope around the capstan--loosens when Connor pulls, tightens when he stops. Soon the dog is aboard, and Mercy has a towel wrapped around him, drying him off and keeping him calm.

"Thank... you..." the man mutters to Bellgrove when the dog is hauled up.

As Bellgrove ties the rope around the man, he manages to croak out a few more words.

"Can... you... save... the trunk? All... my notes... are... in it. It's... waterproof..."

Bellgrove is as relieved not to have to fight the dog as he is that both he and his master are still alive. As they begin to pull the fellow up he tells him, "I will do the best I can to get your trunk. All shall be well."

He then turns to to trunk and makes certain that it is sealed and will not come open once the line is attached to it. Assuming that it is he indicates to the crew that it is the next thing to pull up once the line comes back down.

Grimsby stands by to assist as needed at the capstan or elsewhere.

Oh you poor thing! she gasps as she helps Mercy with the dog. Oh, and of course the owner is most unfortunate as well she adds with a blush. She couldn't help it though, dogs were far more pitiable than strange men, though she was glad that both were alive.