Friday, June 28th, 1889 6:00 PM

"Good evening, Sir and Madam," the liveried concierge says with a slight bow as Robert and Louis step into the Explorer Club's atrium. "Commander Wilder is waiting for you in the Red Room at your convenience."

In the week since their return to Syrtis Major, the couple has rested and enjoyed a return to their normal life. They met with Captain Hamish Alexander three times to discuss the smuggling case. The couple's work has done much damage to the smuggling ring, and it is unlikely that they will try such a thing again, in the government's estimation.

Still, the Captain asked Robert and Louis to retain their reserve statuses for at least a few months. He recognized that, due to Louis' pregnancy, they would be unable to continue their field work, but their insight would be valuable. The Captain also told them that he would not contact them for at least two weeks, so they could rest.

Earlier in the day, a messenger arrived at their flat with news that Hawkwing had just docked, and that Commander Meghan Wilder would meet them at the Explorer's Club at six o'clock for dinner.

Robert handed Louis up the stairs and through the doors.  He continued to handle her like delicate china given her condition although the solicitude was undoubtedly frustrating.  He'd settled back into a changed routine, working with the authorities to pursue the tendrils of the smuggling ring as well as re-arranging their apartment in anticipation of their change in status.

"Thank you," Robert bowed in return offering Louis his arm.  He followed the concierge through the opulent but restrained grandeur of the club.  When they arrived at their table he bowed again to Meghan.  "A pleasure to see you again Captain, I trust that your cruise went well."

Megan braces to attention. "Good evening, Commander, Louis."

"Oh, come here," Louis sighs and steps forward to envelop her cousin in a hug. The small dining area is empty except for the three of them, and the waiter appears to help them get seated. After the drinks and food orders are taken care of, Meghan turns to Robert.

"The last week has been quieter than usual," she begins. "The commerce traffic on the canals is unchanged, but there has been less saber-rattling from the rebels. We saw only one Martian aerial ship, and it stayed well away." She grins. "Perhaps you made an impression, Sir."

Robert came to attention as well out of habit even though he was in civilian clothing.  He smiled as Louis enveloped Meghan in a hug although he didn't the same out of respect for Meghan's dignity with a fellow officer at least.  He seated Louis and after a moment of hesitation smiled and offered a seat to Meghan as well.  "We're all part of the family after all it seems."

He listened intently to Meghan asking a few detailed technical questions about the patrol and shipboard activities.  "Well, the German author of the conspiracy was sent packing in disgrace and we took one of their rather important war chiefs as well.  I would imagine they are a bit cowed at least for a few weeks.  If we can buy time for diplomacy or at least reinforcements and preparations for war them I will count it well done."

Meghan nods. "We are indeed part of the family, Sir." Of course, she and Louis looked the part, although the sight of Meghan in a military uniform was a little jarring, especially considering that she was one of maybe three active duty female naval officers who weren't medical people.

"Reinforcements, and especially requests for more from Earth, will be problematic for the next nine months," she continues. "Mars and Earth are drawing further apart, and the ships will have to skirt around the Sun to make it here. The journey each way will take up to eight months at the farthest point."

Louis shakes her head. "I can hardly imagine such a thing."

Meghan laughs. "Most people cannot. The point is, we have to hope that whatever is in space will meet our needs, because a request sent to Earth will not be met until over a year hence."

The waiter arrives with their drinks and hors d'oeuvres, and retreats to the kitchen. "I've only been here once before," Meghan says. "Surprisingly, they give no attention to the fact that I am a woman. It's refreshing."

"I hear that women in America are petitioning the government for the right to vote," Louis says. "I really haven't thought about it much, to be honest."

Robert sipped wine as they ordered food and then talked.  The quiet hum of conversation as well as the smell of food made for a relaxing and satisfying ambience.  He nodded slowly as Meghan explained the situation with Earth.  "It's like the situation with India during the Age of Sail before the telegraph, the Suez canal and of course airships.  It took many months of travel, dangerous travel sometimes to get too and fro from the distant stations.  Commanders on the scene had to show initiative and pluck in dealing the hand they were dealt.  It was good though because often a commander could make their own fortune in war on an independent cruise."  He sighed, thinking of some of his naval heroes.  "It's a bit like what we have here now along with hostile natives and not so friendly foreign powers."

He raised a toast in response to Meghan's remark.  "To the women of England and America, may they take their rightful places as they deserve."

"I will vote for that," Louis says as she lifts her glass.

The three talk for a bit, and then the first course arrives; an excellent salad. The iron-rich soil of Mars produces simply amazing vegetables, and the chef has taken full advantage of it. They are halfway through the main course when a commotion arises at the entrance to their dining room.

"Madam, you cannot go in," the concierge protests.

As the diners turn to look, a young woman strides up to Robert's table. She is perhaps three inches shorter than Louis, and she is, in a word, breathtaking. Her dark complexion, black hair, and dark eyes mark her Spanish heritage, and her hourglass figure and flawless features lend to her smashing good looks.

She wears ladies boots, a long skirt with a split that shows a scandalous length of mocha-colored leg, a corset that displays an eye-popping amount of cleavage, a scarf knotted around her neck, and a broad-brimmed hat.

"Are you Meghan Wilder?" She looks between Louis and Meghan. "I need your help; my cousin has been kidnapped and she is in grave danger!"

OOG: See her pic on Dropbox.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:34, Mon 27 July 2020.

Robert chuckles at the allusion to the franchise for women.  The rest of the dinner starts to go fine until they are interrupted.  When the dark haired and passionate woman barges into the room and approaches their table he rises to acknowledge her.  Robert looks back and forth for a moment between her and Meghan and then makes a bit of a bow.  "You have me at a loss miss.  I am Robert Darlington and my wife Louis."

OOG: Certainly spectacular!

OOC: Fixed the surname!
This message was last edited by the player at 14:38, Thu 30 July 2020.

Meghan stands as well. "I am Meghan Wilder."

The young woman nods to Robert and then turns to Meghan. "I'm sorry to interrupt your meal. I am Lucinda Sanchez, and Yenay Zhou, my cousin, has been kidnapped. I don't know who else to turn to, but since you're a Wilder, I thought you could help me."

"I'm sorry, Commander Wilder," the concierge says as he follows Lucinda. "She was most insistent."

"It's fine. If you please, may we have another chair? She will be joining us." Meghan sits down as another chair and place setting are brought. When Lucinda sits, Meghan looks to her. "Now, tell me who you are again, and why you are asking for my help."

OOG: Pausing for Robert's reactions...

Robert remains standing and listens to what the woman has to say.  He nods to the concierge as well indicating that he agreed with seating the woman.  With a glance at Louis he sits as well to listen to what this woman had to say.

"Ah, si, i suppose that would help," Lucinda replies with a nod. "What do you know of your natural parents?"

Meghan looks at her sharply. "Not that much."

"Está claro. You are a Wilder in more than name, Meghan." She looked at Louis. "You have Wilder blood in you, too."

"What does that mean," Louis asks.

"Mira, I mean, look, you both are more fit than the average woman, and you have some extraordinary talents or abilities, as do I. This is not a coincidence. There is a reason that we, and some women of a few other families, have these abilities in varying degrees. This reason is why I've come here, and why my cousin is in trouble. We are here on Mars to seek the source of these talents, and to keep the Darlingtons from getting to them first!"

Robert watched and listened carefully as Lucinda told her story.  He frowned as the explanation continued.  "Wilder?"  He looked at Louis.  "I thought your family was Wetzel.  How exactly are you and Meghan related?" 

He looked at all three women.  Certainly they were all magnificent in appearance and spirit.  "So Miss," he addressed Lucinda.  "So there are families or bloodlines where women are far out of the ordinary?  And both my wife and commander Wilder are so gifted?"  Robert shook his head. "What do you think is the source of this and why would it be on Mars?"  He smiled wryly.  "Are you aware that my surname is Darlington?"

Lucinda looks startled as she turns her attention to Robert, and she focuses on his face for a moment. "You are probably distantly related, but yours no es the people I'm speaking about."

"My mother's name was Wilder," Louis explains, "and she was Meghan's aunt."

"And, my father and mother were third cousins," Meghan supplies.

"Exactamente," Lucinda nods. "The story starts at the end of 1503. A comet passed by Venus, the Moon, Earth and Mars, we think, after breaking up close to the Sun. Pieces, or Shards, as we call them, came down on Earth, and we believe, on Mars, Venus, and the Moon."

"Over the years since, twenty of these Shards have been found, that we know of, on Earth. The odd part is that the finders were only young women. After finding the Shards, they and their female children developed extraordinary abilities, including telekenesis and high abilities in mathematics. There are many abilities, esos son solo ejemplos."

"These women's descendants have formed into ocho familias. All but two families are committed to keep the existence of the Shards secret, and to help their young women to manage the abilities bestowed by the Shards. The leading families in this effort are the Wilders and the Takadas."

"The other two families, the Darlingtons and the Forbes', are dedicado a gaining control of more Shards. We don't know what they intend to do with them, but, given their past actions, it won't be good."

"We know that two Shards have been discovered on Mars, and one on Venus. My cousin and I came here when we heard that a group from the Darlingtons was viajando aquí. Yenay and I were shopping for supplies, when two men and a woman took her. I recognized the woman as one of the agents for the Darlingtons, and I had also been told that Meghan was here. So, I have come para su ayuda."

Robert frowned as he thought about his family distant and close and couldn't think of any that might be involved in skullduggery.  A bit of embezzling might be natural but not outright villany.  Nor was he aware of any that might be here on Mars.  Of course as Lucinda continued he had other things to consider...

He nodded as Louis explained the relationship which definitely fit their nearly similar appearances.  Robert narrowed his eyes as Lucinda spoke further.  The story she spun seemed like something out of that Frenchman Jules Verne who wrote of aliens from the nearest stars sweeping in to attack the planets of the Solar system.  "Comets... yes..." He looked at Louis and Meghan. "Do you... know anything of this in your family?  These... powers and... shards?"

Of course Robert was a very practical man.  No matter what comet-borne crystals might be about there was definitely a threat to his wife and her cousin as well as a woman in immediate danger.  "So you know that Meghan is here.  Do you think that these agents know of her and perhaps Louis as well?  Both are Wilders it seems by blood."  He frowned further.  "And your cousin... Yenay... do you know where she might have been taken and what we might face in trying to help her?  We can certainly get the authorities involved regardless of the other... impressive aspects of the situation."  It was apparent that Robert was not convinced by the story of the shards but did believe that there was a threat of further violence.

"No," Meghan and Louis reply in unison. "Our mothers always said that we were just smart and strong for girls," Louis continues.

"I remember that, now," Meghan says.

"Mister Darlington, I understand your skepticism. Since there are two Wilders here, I can show you this." Lucinda sits up straight, and looks directly at Robert. For a moment, nothing happens, and then his entire place setting rises off the table like an airship, holding their relative positions as they drift upward. When Robert's plate reaches his eye level, it stops and sits perfectly still, in concert with his glass, fork, knife, and spoon. Then, the items settle to the table again, and come to rest with nary a rattle.

"So, you see, Senor, we have powers and abilities that others want. I do not think that Meghan and Louis are known to them, and I do not know how many people we face. I do know, Senor, that my cousin is in grave danger." Lucinda's face seems to glow, and Robert feels his body start to react to her pure magnetism.

Robert did chuckled and leaned over to kiss Louis on the cheek.  "And beautiful of course..." There was no denying that Louis was extraordinarily capable and intelligent; he'd wondered at his luck but perhaps there was something to this bloodline thing.  He turned more serious as Lucinda continued.  When the silver and service started to rise from the surface of the table he gasped slightly and gripped the arm of his chair.  Robert glanced over at Louis and Meghan and then let his attention dart between the floating objects and Lucinda.

When everything settled Robert let out a sigh and took a deep breath.  Robert could feel the powerful charisma radiating from Lucinda and shook his head.  "There is no denying what you say Lucinda." He shifted as his pants grew a bit tight.  "Such power... exactly how these shards gave it to you... it is real and would be very desired by all sorts of people."  Robert looked again at Louis and Meghan.  "I am never one to leave a lady in trouble if I can help especially with powers like this in play.  Do you expect there to be some on the other side with powers that we will have to face?"

Lucinda relaxes, and her attractive powers wane to a more normal level. "I suspect that there are two people involved. One is Erica Darlington. She and I have crossed paths before, and she can match my abilities. Ludmilla Volkov of the Russian Okhrana is even more dangerous, and she is the person who took my cousin. They are bitter enemies, and Ludmilla is without scruples of any kind."

Robert thought through the options.  "I don't suppose going to the authorities is an option..." he shook his head as he answered his own question.  "There may be a few here in the Club that can help us.  It's a pretty eclectic bunch after all.  And of course we'll need your help against the... powers."

"The fewer people we can involve, the better," Lucinda says. "If this gets out, it would be bad for all of us."

"I am obligated to command my ship," Mehgan puts in, "but if this becomes a matter of this colony's security, then I can lend aid in an official capacity."

"What of keeping this secret?" Lucinda looks at Meghan in alarm.

"Do you not find it strange that the three men who were slated for my command ahead of me were all reassigned, and I fell into the open position?" Meghan smiles. "I think we have a benefactor, and I suspect that they will find us soon."

Robert snorts softly.  "We'd all be either thrown in Bedlam or carted away to be prodded and tested like animals in a zoo." He shrugged.  "We'll keep this amongst ourselves for now although if things get violent we may need limited help from at least some of the authorities."  He glanced at Meghan, shook his head and then slowly nodded. "Aye, it does seem as if you were somewhat fated to take command.  I'm limited  in what resources if any I can ask of the Navy but captain Wilder may have more success in that arena or... the benefactor who is obviously highly placed."

"I don't think we have a lot of time if we are to save her cousin," Louis points out. "Bessie and Em are still in town, so perhaps we can approach them?"

"I have funds enough to hire help," Lucinda adds, "but I am worried about waiting too long."

Robert paused for a moment as the waiters brought their food.  He smiled and saw that wine was poured for everyone.  When they had privacy again he finished chewing and nodded. "We should start this very afternoon.  Bessie and Em are trustworthy and we can probably rely on some of the contacts we made in the constabulary to help us if need be in looking at immigration records and such.  Can you describe what happened, how your cousin was taken?  We'll start from there."

"We were shopping in the British Quarter, at a boutique along the Imperial Way, when Yenay was overpowered and put in a hansom cab. They drove off westbound, toward the Old Barracks."

"I know the place," Louis says. "It's two doors down from the haberdasher's you like."

That business is a half-mile north of the Explorer's Club. It's evening, and there is about two hours' of daylight left.

Robert took another bite and chewed slowly as Lucinda spoke. "Who exactly overpowered her?  Did they use... powers... to do so?  Also, did you see anything of the hansom?  Lastly were there any witnesses, especially from the businesses around there?" He nodded to Louis; "Yes... I might stop by the haberdashery and chat with them about the abduction."

"Yenay is a small woman, and her powers are more benign," Lucinda explains. "I saw two men put her into a regular hansom, just like all the others for hire. They were discreet, so I'm not sure if anyone else took notice."

"Time is of the essence, then," Meghan says.

"I can send a message to Em and Bessie while we finish here," Louis suggests.

Robert looked about and waved a waiter forward.  "There are runners that are trustworthy here.  Write a quick note and we can get something to Bess and Em right away."  He took a last bite of steak and washed it down with a long swig of wine and then stood.  Robert moved over to help Louis with her chair.  "Let's go then.  We can hire a fast cab ourselves."

"I'm so sorry about your dinner," Lucinda says as she rises.

"Oh, hush," Meghan says as she steps over and envelops the other woman in a hug. "We will help you as much as we can. Now, go with the Commander."

The three of them step outside and are soon ensconced in one of the city's cabs. "Do we need to go by our flat, first?" Louis asks. She pats her pocket containing the small 36 she carries routinely.

OOG: You can decide if Robert is carrying a weapon.

Robert sends a note to Em and Bess via a messenger from the club and then joins the women outside.  When Louis mentions home and pats her pocket he nods.  He has a blackjack and a smal pistol similar to what Louis carries as well.  "I think so.  We're not fully prepared for the kind of trouble we may get into."

The cab deposits them at Robert's flat, and they are soon inside. "Very nice, Senora," Lucinda says as she looks around.

"Thank you. Are you proficient with firearms?" Louis asks.

Their guest shakes her head. "No, I am not. I use my ability." She draws a hatpin from her hair, and looks at it. The pin flashes from her hand like a bolt, and buries half its length in the wall across the room. "I'm sorry about your wallpaper."

Louis glances wide-eyed at Robert, and then she grins. "I hope you have a good supply of hatpins."

OOG: Robert and Louis have had ample opportunity to purchase any weapons they might want, and they were even offered a pair of the new Winchester rifles and revolvers they recovered in their last adventure. Before, they were using Webley revolvers and Mauser rifles.

Robert raised his eyebrows at the results of the hat pin trick.  "Rather impressive, a useful ability Miss."   He pauses for a second or two and then chuckles.  "I have a dozen or so in my dresser I think.  This will be far more useful in keeping things quiet than our guns."  He frowned.  "Can we expect such things from our foes Lucinda?"

OOG: I think the Winchesters would be the best choice but not sure if Webleys are still the ideal heavy pistol.  They both will have a pair of smaller pistols for sure and a blade or two.

Louis picks up her brand new Winchester Model 1886, chambered in .45-70, along with a Webley Mk 1 revolver that she carries in a belt holster. She also has her pocket pistol and a small knife.

Lucinda nods as they arm up. "This is all that I can do," she explains. "Most people have only one ability, although we are all generally healthy."

"And smarter," Louis puts in with a grin.

"Eso también," Luisa's grin matches hers.

Robert picked up a matching rifles as well and his trusty Webley.  He brought along a double handful of ammunition, the small pistol and a knife carried under his coat.  As he readied himself he listened to Lucinda.  "That ability alone is terribly deadly especially if one doesn't expect it.  What was your cousin's ability?"

He matched the grin of the two women as they joked.  "And don't forget more beautiful and spirited."

The pair has 80 rifle rounds and 100 pistol rounds between them. Louis stores hers in a small backpack that also contains food, a shelter half, a coil of light rope, and a canteen. She steps into their bedroom and changes into her adventuring clothes, as she calls them. When she emerges, she picks up her pack.

"My cousin can heal people," Lucinda replies.

"Where do we start?" Louis asks once they are packed and ready.

Robert changes into more practical clothing and brings a satchel to carry light gear as well.  His eyes widen a bit at Lucinda's words.  "A very useful talent that..."  While they were readying themselves Robert also offered Lucinda food and water or stronger drink.

"Let's start where the abduction occured.  We may find witnesses that might lead us further."

Louis looks at Lucinda. "While that is a fetching outfit, I don't think it will do for active work."

Lucinda looks down. "Of course. While you who sleuth about, I will buy more appropriate clothing."

It takes a few more minutes to hail a cab, and then they arrive at the place where Yenay was taken. Lucinda steps into a ladies clothing store, leaving Robert and Louis on the street in front of the haberdasher's establishment.

"They know me in the shop.  Let's see if anyone there saw anything."  Robert will head into the shop and approach the head clerk to ask about anything they might have seen.

Robert hears a second-hand account of a young Oriental woman being pulled into a hansom cab by a pair of burly, but fashionably dressed white men. They left headed westbound.

Robert thanks the clerk and his helpers and promises to be back.  He heads out and informs Louis and Lucinda.  "This matches with what you saw Lucinda.  Let's hail down a couple of cabbies and see if they noticed anything as well.  A strange hansom cab in their territory would be noticed.  We'll pay them a fair for their information.  Next we can try the local urchins.  They'd notice things that would surprise you."

Heading out to the street Robert proceeded to hail a cab and have a chat.

After fifteen minutes of talking, Robert finds a cabbie with some information. "Me mate dropped off a woman and two men over in the Harbor District, and then he hightailed it out of there. Said the men told him to shut up and go home, and he did."

Robert thanked the man and tipped him handsomely. "Did he say where he picked the two men up originally?"  He will get a description of the cabbie and cab/horse so that they can do a bit of digging at the other end if possible.

"Can you take us to the Harbor district to where your friend made his drop off?" He motioned to Louis and Lucinda.  "Let's follow the trail while we can."

OOC: And luck with local urchins or such?"

"I will take you to the main intersection, and it's another three blocks, but I'm not going a foot further," the cabbie says.

Everyone else they speak with doesn't offer any new information.

Robert shrugged.  "Take us as far as you will then Cabbie."

"This place is dangerous at night," the cabbie says as he opens the door to let them down. "I see that you're prepared, but be careful, all the same." With that, he remounts and turns to hansom east toward the more hospitable side of town.

The Harbor District is as Robert remembers, but he has not been this far west. These buildings are not as close to the canal, but are instead served by a small railway system that carries goods to and from a series of docks to the north.

The sun has sunk below the horizon, and there is about thirty minutes of daylight remaining.

Brent helps the two women from the cab and pays the driver handsomely.  "Thank you for your help," he says as he tips his hat.  Turning back to the two women he looks around. "This is a rough place and we'll likely be tested by ruffians that don't see only beauty and don't know of the steel beneath the silk.  Let's stay wary and look into what we can find."

"I understand," Lucinda says.

Louis simply nods and unlimbers her rifle. Clearly, she intends to present the look of a woman not to be taken lightly.

The trio heads west down the sidewalk, following the westbound street toward the Thieves Way, the main road that passes west of the Harbor District, though there are now several blocks of buildings beyond.

They arrive at the cross street where the cabbie said he dropped of the three. The gathering dusk is met by the yellow gaslights, although they are few and widely spaced in this part of town. The smells of coal dust, manure, and the ever-present Martian dust compete for top billing, and a light wind rustles down from the north, bringing with it a flurry of discarded papers and other light trash.

Brent smiles approvingly at Louis' martial display.  He looks around and sighs. "If there is no one around that might know anything here let's find a tavern and see if anyone saw anything."

Robert notes that they are five or six blocks from The Thieves Way, and that the streets are laid out in a grid oriented to the northeast. The cross street they are coming up on has rails laid in the center, leading northeast, and that pattern repeats for every other street, so that each building is served by a rail line.

As they approach the pool of light from the lamp mounted at the building's corner, Lucinda hisses and steps close to the wall. Two blocks over, about two hundred feet away, a pair of men step into the light at their corner and look around.

Brent moves along with the two women with his eyes wary for the inevitable danger.  When Lucinda hisses a warning he instinctively steps back and out of the light to stand against the wall as well.

The two men linger for a moment, and then they step back out of sight.

When the men step back Robert whispers to the two women.  "They look almost like guards.  Let's move around a block and come up from behind them.  We'll be spotted immediately if we proceed along this way."

To their left lies another row of the nearly identical warehouses in this section of the District, which front a trio of towering Martian buildings to their southwest. To their right lie several rows of warehouse buildings, separated by wide alleys.

"Let's head down the alleys.  They should be deserted."

Louis points to the right. "Down this street, and then left to the alley." She shifts her rifle to her left shoulder and holds it at the ready. "Go, and be careful."

Robert draws his pistol as he expects some danger as they enter the alley.

The trio moves northeast down the broad street between buildings Robert knows to be fifty feet wide by a hundred feet long. Their soles tap lightly on the cobblestones, and they step lightly across the iron rails set in the center of the street.

The alley here, as they all do in this part of the District, run northwest and southeast. Robert steps around the corner to the northwest, and, in that instant, he perceives a dark shape, and the flash of something metallic. He jerks back, and the flat WHAP! of a bullet passes a bare inch in front of his face, while the booming report of a heavy revolver sounds from two warehouses over to the northwest.

"Bloody hell!" Robert cursed as the bullet came within inches of making Louis a widow and his unborn child without a father.  "Pistol," he calls out, "the second warehouse off to the northwest."  He looks about for a way to flank whoever fired.

The building they are next to has several freight doors and two person-sized doors, Robert notes.

Robert makes sure everyone else is ok and then goes to try the two man doors.

The second door he tries is unlocked.

Robert waves the others forward and eases the door open to look around.

The door leads into an unoccupied office containing two closed secretaries and an open window and counter. The inner office door is closed. It's too dark to see anything further.

Robert listens for a moment and moves quickly across the building to where he can flank the likely source of gunfire.

It's very dark in the building.

(Roll 2d6 for Robert to not run into or fall over anything.)

OOC:


18:47, Today: Robert rolled 3 using 2d6.  Bump in the Night.

Robert's experience aboard darkened ships at sea serves him well. He makes his way over to a small office on the other side of the warehouse, where there is a window into the street than parallels the one they entered the building from.

Behind him, he hears Louis mutter something unladylike as she encounters something solid.

Robert glanced back at Louis to make sure she was ok before he headed over to the window.  He glanced out cautiously to see exactly where the door opened and if any of the ambushers were nearby.

Robert sees two men ahead and to his right, peering around the corner of the building across the street. One of them holds a pistol that gleams in the gaslights.

OOC: Are the two within easy pistol shot?

Robert estimates that they are about twenty yards away.

Robert turns and waves Louis up. "Quiet," he whispered.  "We have the drop on them.  I want to see if we can get them to surrender without a shootout.  Cover me from the window and I'll go out with gun drawn through the door.  We may have to shoot anyway so don't hesitate."

Louis nods and lifts her rifle. "I'm ready."

Robert checked his pistol to make sure it was fully loaded and ready.  Then he prepared himself and burst from the door with pistol drawn.  "Surrender!  We have you covered!"  He will fire if there is anything other than an immediate surrender.

Robert opens the door, prepares to step out, and then some instinct screams a warning in his mind. Now, he is aware of two more men, standing to his left at the other corner of the building across the street.

Robert curses and ducks back.

He hears no reaction from outside, but the pair of men he'd first seen duck back into cover.

"What happened?" Louis asked.

"There were four of them, two trailing.  I would have been wiped out."

OOC: So the two to the rear ducked.  What did the two in front do?

OOG: As Robert faces the center of the building across the street, two of the men are at the corner to his right, and two are at the corner to his left. He saw the two on the right duck back. He didn't see what the pair to the left did.

"Damn it all, let's relocate.  Let's head to the left and find an exit and work past or around them.  There are four working us so this is quite organized." He'll shut the door and head to the left through the building toward what would probably be the front-ish.

The trio makes it across the building with only a few bumped heads, knees, and shins to how for it in the darkened interior. Robert spots another door on the left end wall, dimly lit by the light of a gas lamp shining through a window from the outside.

Robert walks carefully over to the door.  "Check through the window carefully," he whispers to Louis as he cracks open the door.

"Nothing," Louis reports a moment later. Robert sees no sign of anyone, either.

Robert looked about. "Let's dash across to the next building.  I'll go first and you can cover me."

"Wait," Louis says in a low voice, laying her hand on Robert's arm. "I think there's someone outside." She points to the building's southwest corner, the one closest to them, as they are on the south side of the building.

Robert hears nothing, though.

Robert stops at Louis' touch.  He carefully looks outside where Louis pointed. "We're boxed in.  We need to get out of their lines of sight."

"There is no place to hide if we venture out," Louis says quietly.

"At least we have cover in the buildings. Let's work our way into a firing position on the ones to the Southwest. If we can narrow the odds then we can turn into the hunters." Robert will move south in the building so he can engage the opponents outside.

Robert and Louis move to the southeast corner of the building, where they find a door facing east.

Robert checks his revolver and slowly opens the door.

The weapon is fully loaded, and Robert sees no one - and no shouts or shots come his way. He does hear the scuff of a boot sole on the pavement around the corner to his right, though.

Robert will make a motion to his right and move to the corner. He will be prepared to shoot.

Louis steps out behind him, and a quick glance back reveals that Lucinda has stepped out of a similar door at the north side of the building. The young woman moves to the northeast corner, mirroring Robert's actions at the southeast corner.

At the corner, Robert catches a hoarse male whisper, but he can't make out the words. The speaker is somewhere around the corner to the west.

OOG: The buildings and streets here are oriented to the northeast, with Robert and company at the southeast-facing wall.

Robert glances back at Louis and then quietly steps around the corner ready to deal with their foes.

Robert immediately sees two men walking toward him side by side thirty feet away. They are both carrying pistols held at their waists.

Robert will fire at the outside of the two and then dodge forward along the wall to clear a shot from Louis. (Ideally he will not be silhouetted)

OOG: Roll 1d6 for each shot - 6 is a miss, and he can fire up to three shots. Roll 2d6 damage for each hit.

Robert fired immediately as soon as the targets were available.

OOC:
20:56, Today: Robert rolled 5 using 2d6.  Damage.

20:56, Today: Robert rolled 4 using 2d6.  Damage.

20:56, Today: Robert rolled 6 using 2d6.  Damage.

20:55, Today: Robert rolled 9 using 3d6 with rolls of 3,4,2.  To hit.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:01, Sun 05 Nov 2023.

Both men drop their pistols and sag to the ground, bested by Robert's superb gun handling. Louis also fires a shot, sending a woman at the southwest corner ducking for cover.

"I missed her", Louis says. She glances behind her to the southeast building face. "We might need to help Lucinda."

"Cover me while I move forward." Robert will dash forward to the southwest corner of the building to deal with the woman possibly sheltering there.

Robert hears the click of heeled boots on the pavement, receding away to the northeast as he approaches the corner.

Robert will wave Louis up and look around the corner.

He sees a woman step around the opposite corner. There is no one else in sight. Louis arrives behind him.

"One woman just ahead," Robert whispered. "Cover me again." With that Robert moved forward carefully to the next corner making sure to leave Louis with a clear shot.

Robert passes a door and three windows on his way northeast down the wall. Halfway there, the woman he'd seen earlier stuck her head out, and Louis, who was trailing her husband, nearly hit her. The woman jerked her head back with a most unladylike curse.

Robert will continue toward the Northeast corner. As he approaches he will take a handful of coins and toss them beyond the corner as a distraction as he ducks around the corner ready for action.

As Robert tosses the coins, he hears running footsteps, then several shots, and a feminine scream. No one is there, but he can hear running footsteps around the corner to his left (that being the the southeast-facing side of the next building in the row). Two closed doors face each other across the alley, one leading to the building they were in, and the other to the next building.

"Lucilla," Louis said softly. "That sounded like her." She turned to check behind them, her rifle ready.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:30, Tue 14 Nov 2023.

Seeing that Louis was covering the rear and him as well, Robert nodded and move forward toward the source of the scream.

Robert and Louis both heard the door to their right - the building where they all had been before - rattle as someone tried to open it. "I can't work the lock," they heard Lucilla say. "I've been shot."

Letting Louis cover him, Robert put his shoulder to the door to open it. "Stand back, I'll try to break the door down."

Robert is able to force the door open and step inside. He sees Lucilla standing three feet away, clutching her left upper arm with her right hand.

Robert waves Louis into the building as he stands guard at the door. He reloads his pistol while keeping watch. "How badly injured are you? What happened? We killed a couple and at least a few headed north."

Louis steps over to Lucilla. "A bullet opened a shallow gash across the inside of her right arm," she reports. "Three inches inward, and she'd have been shot through the lung."

"Ow," Lucilla breathes. "I hit one of the men, but the other one shot me in return."

Louis takes a kerchief out of her pocket and binds the wound. "She will need to see a doctor soon," she tells Robert. "For now, we much continue."

Robert finished reloading and glanced at the two women. He nodded to Louis and looked back outside. "Fleeing footsteps headed up the southeast face of the next building. Let's head up to that corner for now and see what we can see. We may need to proceed inside the cover of the building." Robert will dash the alleyway to the next building and go to the corner.

Louis steps out enough to cover to the northwest, while Robert moves to the southeast corner.  He hears nothing there.

Robert will wave Louis to advance across the alley and then look around the corner.

Robert spots two men and a woman, and pulls back as the men fire at him.

Robert turns to the two women. "Two men and a woman ahead of us. Keep them occupied. I'm going to duck into the building and see if I can outflank them." Robert will go back to the door and try to enter into the north building with the object of flanking the foes.

The two women nod in assent. "Be careful, my love," Louis replies.

Louis goes to the southwest corner of the building, while Lucilla goes to the southeast corner, where Robert had been fired upon.

Robert makes his way through the building, which is another warehouse laid out identically to the one he'd just left. He was halfway through when he heard a thump and a muttered curse somewhere ahead of him.

Robert smiled at Louis and headed carefully through the darkened building. He froze at the sound ahead of him and listened for a moment. He stilled his breathing as he tried to localize what had to be their foes.

"Mind yer feet, oaf!" The hissed whisper carries to Robert in the darkened warehouse. He estimates that the speaker is twenty feet ahead and to his left (11 o'clock). He also remembers that he has four unfired cartridges in his revolver.

Robert figures that the two men at least must be moving through the building. In an effort to get around behind them on their flank he moves to his right and forward a bit until he finds a good position for an ambuscade.

OOC: I reloaded on message 112.

Soft footfalls come from the gloom, and then Robert sees a shadowy figure ten feet in front of him. There is a large object about waist high - a bench, a table, or a crate, Robert can't really tell, to his right would stand between him and the figure if he were to move behind it.




So you did - 6 rounds, then.

Robert will fire twice at the target and then quickly relocate to the area of cover.

The Webley's booming reports shatter the silence, and Robert barely avoids being shot in return. His target vanishes in the gloom, and Robert sees another shadowy figure as the man's shot gives away his position.

Robert will fire twice at the new target.

Roll 3d6 for his shots, please...

A hoarse scream announces that at least one of Robert's shots connected, but his ears are now ringing from the heavy pistol's reports in the building. The shadow vanishes from sight.

Robert will remain silent for a few moments and then toss a few more coins to his right to attempt to draw a reaction.

He sees and hears nothing more.

Robert will advance slowly toward the direction of the scream

After a brief search, he finds two men crumpled on the floor. One of them is taking slow, deep breaths as he bleeds to death on the dirty floor. The other man is still, and Robert can smell the blood from both of them.

Robert will do what he can to stem the bleeding.

The man stops breathing when Robert bends down to examine him.

"Are you okay?" He hears Louis' soft murmur from behind him.

Robert manages not to shoot Louis as she approaches from behind. He pulled away from the dead man after doing a search for papers or other identification or clues. "I am fine. These two are dead. I think there is only the woman left." He said softly. "Let me check the other man for any clues and I think we can move up through the building."

Robert finds nothing of interest on the men save for a key.

Robert will hand the key to Louis. "Hopefully this will lead us to the hostage. Let's continue quietly through the building to see if we can find the remaining woman." He will check that he is loaded and then head quietly through the building until he finds a door leading outside.

Robert and Louis make their way through the gloomy warehouse, finding no one else inside. The door on this end stands open.

Robert whispers for Louis to watch the interior of the warehouse while he goes to the door and carefully looks about outside. He is careful not to silhouette himself.

Robert spies a woman standing across the street to the northwest next to another warehouse at that building's northeast corner. He jerks his head back just in time as a bullet slams into the door frame.

"Damn," Louis swears. "This is getting old."

Robert curses under his breath as he was showered with splinters from the near miss. "I agree. We need to end this. Break a couple sets of windows to confuse your location and be ready to snipe from there. I will rig up a quick decoy with my jacket and hat. If we can draw her out and you can shoot her. The key is to not let her know from which window you are shooting."

"Right." Louis moves toward the northwest wall, which faces the street between the two buildings.

Once Louis is in place Robert will attempt to draw fire with a bit of a scarecrow made from his hat and jacket.

There is no response to Robert's action.

With a glance at Louis, Brint will dash across to the other building.

Robert arrives at the next building's southeast facing wall without incident. He turns to see Louis at the other building's center doorway, and Lucilla peeping around the corner to the south, and to Louis' left.

Robert waves Louis and Lucila up. "I'm going to go down the other end of the building and try to get around the south end of the next building. Then I might be able to work around behind the ambush. Louis go through this building and set up to cover the northeast corner of the next building. Lucilla you go to the Northeast corner of this building and make noise and commotion."

Two tense minutes pass while Robert crosses the street and moves up to the southwest building corner. He sees no one, but, as he starts to look around the corner, he hears two gunshots from the next building (to the northwest), the sound of shattering glass, and a pair of answering shots, along with a most unladylike curse from Louis.

Robert curses softly to himself but is reassured to hear Louis curse as well. He enters the building and works himself up toward where the shot would have originated. Hopefully he has outflanked their opponent.

Robert races across the street, noting that at least two people are firing from the windows at Louis and Lucilla. The two women are returning fire, thus keeping the enemy shooters from engaging Robert. He reaches the door, where he hears two women calling to each other over the gunfire.

"We have to get her out of here!"

(From further away:) "We should let her go and run!"

(Closer voice:) "No, I refuse to let them win!"

"I'm not asking, I'm telling. Now, take her and throw her outside."

The conversation fades...

Robert will advance toward the sound of the voices with his pistol drawn. He will try to use the distraction of the gunfire to approach

"Damn!" The male voice to Robert's right front accompanies the sound of breaking glass and a pistol shot from across the street. "The bitch nearly got me!"

"We must leave," another man says. "They are killing us one by one."

Robert will attempt to move into a firing position behind the two men. When he has a clear shot he will take it at both of them.

The warehouse is both dark and cluttered, so Robert has to pick his way through.

"Come on," one man calls to the other as another shot rings out from Louis' presumed location. Robert hears hurried footfalls moving away from him to the northeast inside the building.

"Leave her," the first woman says from further away.

Upon hearing the voice of the woman Robert will move quietly in that direction

Robert hears a muffled cry of pain and a heavy thump from the far northeast end of the warehouse.

Fearing the worst, Robert will move more quickly toward the Northeast end of the warehouse.

Robert arrives to see the northeast side door open, and a crumpled figure huddled on the floor next to the doorway.

Robert will look around for any hidden foes and then hurried to the crumpled figure. He will gently turn her over if needed to identify her.

The young woman, Robert sees as he turns her over, is breathing, but she has a bruise over her left eye where she was struck with either a fist or an objects. He hears a door open and close behind him.

"Robert?" Louis calls softly from somewhere behind him.

Robert sighs with relief as he realizes the woman is okay. He turned back and whispered softly. "Be careful but I think they left. I found Lucinda's friend unconscious here."
This message was last edited by the player at 21:48, Thu 21 Mar.

Lucina and Louis walk up to Robert.

"Yenay!" Lucinda kneels next to the unconscious woman. "She's breathing, so I think she will be fine."

"We should take her to a doctor," Louis says. She begins to reload her pistol, dropping the spent cases on the floor.

Robert takes the opportunity to reload as well. "I can carry her and we can head back to the South and find a reputable area where we can hail a cab."

Robert lifts the woman into his arms, and retraces his steps to where they left the cab. At this hour, there are no cabs, so the trio walks to the Parthoon Canal Bridge, where they find a cab stand. "Where to, folks," the cabbie asks.

Robert lifts the woman into the cab and calls out. "Take us to the nearest reputable hospital. This woman is gravely injured. I will pay a bonus for speed!"

The group piles into the hansom, and the driver starts the horse with alacrity. The horse's shod hooves and the cab's wheels clatter on the roadway as the vehicle bounces along on it's springs.

A moment later, Yenay stirs and opens her eyes.

"Yenay!" Lucinda exclaims. "Are you hurt?"

"My head hurts. Who are these people?" Her underlying accent is definitely Chinese, although her British-accented English is excellent.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:20, Sun 24 Mar.

Robert introduces himself and his wife. "I am Robert Darlington and this is my wife Louis. We were helping your friend Lucinda recover you from your abductors."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:19, Sun 31 Mar.

OOG: Robert's family name is Darlington ;-)

IG: "Darlington?" Yenay starts and sits upright. "Lucinda!"

"Yenay, it's all right," Lucinda makes a braking gesture with her hands. "Louis is a Wilder, and Robert here is only a distant cousin to our Darlingtons."

The slim woman looks between the three of them for a moment, and then she nods. "All right. I am sorry, Robert and Louis. I am not at my best." She looks at Lucinda more closely. "Here, you are hurt." She lays her hands on Lucinda's arms for a moment, and then sits back. "Your wound will heal before morning." She looks at Robert. "Where are we going?"

Robert watched with interest. "Yes, apparently on one of the good Darlington's. As to where we go that really depends." He looked at Yenay. "Did your captors reveal anything of their plans while you were in their hands?"

"Oh, we know what they want," Yenay says, "and we must stop them." Lucinda nods in agreement, along with Louis. "They want the Shards, and we can't afford to let them take them off Mars."

"They know that the two of you are here and have allies. I still doubt if they know about Louis and Meghan. Things were dark last night and all they saw was a silhouette of the two of us." Robert ponders the situation. "Is there any way to detect or track down these shards?" That would be the easiest way to foil their plot is if we can beat them to the prize."

"We," Yenay indicates herself and Lucy (Lucinda), "can sense a Shard's presence from a fair distance."

"It's similar to a mental itch," Lucy puts in. "That is, according to the accounts we've heard from the women on Earth."

"What does it feel like," Louis asks.

Lucy giggles, while Yenay lowers her eyes and blushes. "It makes one, um, well..." She breaks off and bites her lip.

"Oh, dear," Louis exclaims with a laugh. "That could be embarrassing, indeed."

Robert suddenly senses a heightened arousal emanating from all three women, especially from Louis.

Robert listens intently as Lucinda explains things. He coughs delicately at the mention of the sensation. When things seem to change he glances at his wife and raises his eyebrow. "Now?"

The three women share a glance and giggle, their hands over their mouths. "We are sorry," Lucy says after a moment. "We really shouldn't do that to a man, and especially not if he is married."

Louis shakes her head. "We don't mean any harm in it. I did have to be careful when Robert was courting me," she shares a smile with her husband as she recalls how they met. "I wanted him to like me, not my power of seduction."

Robert shakes his head but chuckles with a wry smile on his face. "Louis had no need of magic or powers other than those innately hers to sweep me off my feet. I do recall a certain crash landing being part of the courtship process."

"Really?" Lucy looks at Louis with wide eyes.

"I read about a crash here on Mars early this year," Yenay says. "Was that it?"

Louis nods. "Indeed it was. Robert built a shelter of sorts, which helped us survive."

The ladies look to Robert. "Tell us, please."

Robert smiled fondly at Louis as he recalled the incident. "We were traveling together on a liner when the engines were sabotaged by German agents. I believe they were attempting an act of terrorism as well as disrupting supplies to our colony here." He frowned and considered his words. "I was able to construct a bit of a shelter in one of the staterooms to alleviate damage from the crash. Louis and I took shelter and managed to survive the crash relatively intact. It was during the crash that I came to admire Louis' courage and intelligence. When we set out for civilization on foot Louis was the most capable all of us at survival in the outdoors. The rest of us managed to do our part especially fighting off German agents and their native mercenaries." Robert took Louis by the hand. "By the end of that adventure I could do nothing else but ask for her hand in marriage."

Robert feels a renewed surge from the women as he speaks, but it fades as the women apparently damp their abilities.

"I wouldn't say it was love at first glance," Louis says. "But he is a resourceful man, which is attractive in it's own right."

Yenay takes a breath. "If I might steer the subject back to safer ground, what should we do next?" She closes her eyes for a moment. "If I can rest, I might be able to heal myself, but I am too weak to accomplish much at the moment."

"Maybe the doctor can do something for you," Lucy says, taking her hand.

Robert notes that Yenay seems to have recovered some strength.

Robert chuckled and then turned more serious. "We can either pursue the agents of the foe further or go after the shards ourselves. I think we should do both but focus on the latter."

As Robert speaks, the cab pulls up next to a Martian-built building. A sign next to the door proclaims this to be the offices of Doctor F. M. von Steuben.

Robert gets out and looks around before helping Yenay out of the carriage. If needed he carries her to the offices, if not he helps her walk to the door. Robert will open the door after knocking and look about. "We have a badly injured woman that need to be seen immediately please." I

A dark-skinned, matronly woman of indeterminate heritage steps out of the back room, peering at the group over round glasses perched precariously on her nose. "I am Doctor von Steuben. What happened to this lady?" Her accent is hard to place, but it's still British English.

Robert bowed gallantly to the woman. "A pleasure to meet you Doctor." He seemed unaffected by her sex given she was a medical professional. It seemed his association with Louis had eliminated some of the worse male chauvinism. "The woman was attacked in the streets. I think she can give you the best estimate of her wounds."

The doctor takes Yenay to the exam room, and reappears a few minutes later. "She has some bruising and minor cuts, but she will be fine in a few days." She smiles tightly. "She wasn't forthcoming about how they happened. Were any of you responsible?"

Robert looked offended and shook his head. "No, if anything we prevented further problems by rescuing her. Lucy here is a cousin of my wife and a friend of your patient who turned to us for assistance."

Robert notes that Lucy is standing close enough to Louis to conceal her own injury.

The doctor is completely unruffled by Robert's unspoken reaction. "That matches what she told me. I have given her some medicine to ease her discomfort. Are any of you injured?"

Lucy shakes her head. "Yenay is the only one of us to required aid."

"Very well, then." The doctor turns on her heel and returns to her dispensary.

"That went well," Louis remarks dryly.

Robert nods slightly in response to Louis. "At least we foiled the kidnapping." He looked at Lucy and asked. "So can you both heal yourselves with these powers?"

"Yenay can," Lucy replies. "It takes a lot out of her, though. She will likely need a day to fully recover."

Robert looked thoughtful. "I think we should regroup in our apartments after Yenay is released. I think a bit more background on what to expect and how we can practically proceed to chase down these two shards and foil or preempt the competition is in order."

"I think we should contact Em and Bessie as soon as we arrive home," Louis suggests.

Robert nodded in agreement with the suggestion from Louis. "I can send the cab the takes us home to carry a message to them."

Yenay appears from the dispensary a few minutes later.

"Okay, let's go," Lucy says.

"I don't have my luggage,' Yenay reminds her.

"It might be dangerous for either of you to go back for your belongings," Louis remarks.

Robert considers the problem. "If you write a note to your landlord I can have someone pick up your belongings and bring them to the club. From there we can have a discrete delivery made to break anyone trying to track down where your belongings are taken."

"We go back to the club, then," Yenay asks.

Robert shook his head. "No, come directly home with us. We will have your luggage picked up, brought to the club, put in a different delivery vehicle and then sent to our apartment. That way no one watching your apartment can follow your luggage to our apartment."

The ladies agree to the plan, and so the foursome departs the doctor's office and, after a brief wait for a cab, arrives at home. The flat is as they'd left it, much to Louis' relief. "I thought that they might have come here first."

Robert makes a quick check of the flat and nods. He throws the bolt and chain on the door and draws all the curtains. "Apparently they've not yet made the connection but we can't count on that. I think we should move on to other quarters tomorrow morning to throw off any pursuit."

Louis picks up their telephone and speaks with the club's staff. After she ends the call, she turns to the others. "I have asked that they deliver your luggage here, and I arranged to have rooms for us ready in the morning."

Lucy and Yenay retire to the guest room to wash for dinner. Louis points to hers and Robert's bedroom. "Shall we?"