Sundown, April 10th 1879. Blackthorn Creek

The Coach finally rolls to a stop. The weather is clearing...it's only sprinkling now. But they'd lost time due to a damaged wheel, which everyone had been needed to help fix.

Ward collected everyone, and pointed down the slope of the gully towards the swollen creek. "He's here, in this area, according to my information. We'll need to fan out to form an effective search...we've lost a lot of time thanks to that blasted wheel, and we have precious little daylight left. It is possible we may have to make camp out here tonight."

He counts up the people with him. "One of us should stay with the coach...the rest will pair up into three teams. We'll need to work quickly...the Comanches who did this may still be watching this area."

"So...who goes with whom?"

Augustus glances around at the others as he ties a scarf over his bowler hat, in an attempt to further protect his earpiece from the dampness.  He considers the gathered "companions"; weighing his options as to who might be the safest to travel with.  But really, its a quick decision for the scientist.  There's really only one amongst them who he has come to know well enough to really trust and understand.  Fitting really as he has rebuilt this entity numerous times.  Stepping forward, weapon in hand, "I believe I should like to pair off with Alouette.  Should keep us both safe from...."  At this he casts a narrow-eyed look to Shaw and takes a firmer grip on his sonic gun, "Any miscreants which may be about."

Alouette looks up at the sky and around a bit, then points onward down towards the creek. "Seek - yonder!" It declares, and starts off in a direction to search, giving a powerful, confident impression of having absoloutely no idea where it's going and twice the enthusiasm of a St.Bernard.

Well, a lot of that stranger crap was making some sense. it sounded insane, but it was something closer to an comprehensive explaination of what exactly could happen.. Yet before she could ask more of the machine, they wheel on the carriage had broken just she she was finally able to rest under a good blanket and become a bit more dry. The rain had ceased it's heavy fall and left only sprinkling droplets to peper the murky ground.

Ward, whom seemed to have been in better condition ealier, seemed to have been shot. It caused a faint lift of her brow, perhaps he challenged someone good with a gun to a duel. Green eyes shift over as Allouette charges out and Augustus plans to stay near the queer machine.

" It's leavin ya in da dust. Go aft'r it, den." She murmured without interest, even though she would have seen to it herself, at least to keep it safe as she doubted the sickly fellow could.  It was brushed out of her mind since she had to move to find Zhang. She pulled on her coolie to keep the water off her head.

" John. We'll cover more ground seperated so.. " She glanced to Gus, for a moment, and then to the valley hill. " I got Doctor Ward. Y'all holler up, if ya spot a head in da murk. " She moved forward and gave the Doctor an eying in her passing.

"Sounds good." he said. He looked at Gus and shrugged. "I guess that leaves you an' me." John said to Gus. He turned and scanned the horizon, somewhere out there was his master, mentor, and hell, the closest thing to a father he could recall, not that was saying much. He was about to head out when he paused "How shall we contact eachother ifn' we find him? An' should we take shovels or somethin' seein' as you said he was buried, or do we have any?"

Gus shrugs. "Yup. Suppose so." He doesn't seem quite as boisterous as he was earlier.

As the pairs split off, Ward opens the luggage trunk of the coach and pulls out a pair of shovels. "I did not bring more than this, as I did not expect to have more pairs of hands." he says apologetically as he hands one over to John.

"Now, when we find him, shouting out should suffice to get the attention of the others. If it is not, that is why we are in pairs. One of the pair can run to find the others."

With that, he moves off in a different direction, with Gangatsu following.

[[OOC: OK, teams. To find this guy, you're going to need to make Notice rolls a -3 (-1 for the twilight, -2 for it being a small target) or Tracking at -1. If you've got any ideas on how to compensate for some of the penalties (such as Alouette's magic sensor or John's idea of trying to feel out his mentor), go ahead and run the ideas past me--if successful, you can reduce the penalty by 2.]]

John accepts the shovel and takes a moment to breath and center himself. His chi isn't as focused as he'd like but after a moment he opens his eyes and heads off at a brisk jog "This way." he says to Gus without preamble his eyes scanning the ground for any sign that his master might be about.


 John Smith rolled 13,4 using d4-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of (4+4+4+2)14,5. Notice. ]

"You sure about that?" Gus grunts, but he follows along nonetheless.

John can feel the old man's energy. It's faint, and ebbing fast, but it's still there. John spots a a small, round object on the shore near the rising creek...a silver-haired head.

"Damn." Gus mutters. "That was fast. HEY! OVER HERE! WE FOUND HIM!"

He turns and looks at John. "So who is this guy, anyhow?"

Spied the silver hair and rushed forward as best he could on the soggy ground. "He saved my life, took me in when I was a shell of a man, taught me a lot of things." he said as he moved. "He may not lookit but he can scrap betterin' you or I combined." he said with a smile, he may not have a lot of pride in himself but pride in his master was something else. "Granted he's not the one to go pickin' fights." He'd leave it at that for the time being as he found himself focusing on the task at hand. No sooner than he'd arrive would be do his best to determine which direction Xhang was facing and begin digging, careful not to plunge the spade into him. "Need to get him air and quick."

Gus nods. "Yeah. I see." he says, a determined look on his face. "Folks like that are worth looking out for."

The old man is unconscious, which is good for him because they buried him facing the creek, probably so he could watch it rise towards him during the storm. He's breathing shallowly...not much room to draw a breath in the pit he's stuck in.

Gus bends down and starts clearing loose mud away from the man, uncovering shoulders and giving John room to dig around him.

"I think he's been poisoned." He says, feeling the old man's pulse. "Pulse is irregular, and he's a bit feverish. He's hung on this long, though, so the Doc should be able to help him."

Alouette hasn't got very far when it hears Gus' call and goes loping that way (not all that fast, since the clank's not great at rough wet terrain). If it gets there uninterrupted it'll take the opposite side of the man to John and start digging like a tireless mechanical dog.

She didn't mind being behind Ward, it gave her a moment to eye him over, but that would have to wait. She heard Gus calling and her head whiped over tothe sound, almost making the coolie slip off her head. " Have mercy.." She started, breaking into a run down the way and she could see the glittering metal can sprinting along and digging like a dog, Gus looming over the silvery head sticking out of the mud and checking his vitals. She got to a clear spot and dug with ehr hands if she needed, the wet earth was moved away in clumps.

Gangatsu rolled 2,1 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,1. hear gus +2. Total is 4

Augustus did his best to keep up with the tireless machine, "Alouette!  Slow down!"  But to little avail.  The scientist skids and slips on the damp ground in his attempts to follow along.  Just as he's about to catch up tot he machine, Mr. Shaw calls out.  At which point, the automaton is off again and so is the poor scientist.  By the time he catches up to the others, he is quite winded.  This is all a bit much for an educated man.  He looks over all the digging and wonders just what to do (digging himself doesn't occur to him at all).  But, a sudden inspiration does strike him.  He slings his sonic rifle over a shoulder and draws up his strange trumpet.  Fiddling with the keys for a moment, he aims the bell towards the buried man and begins playing a complex collection of tones.  Calling it music would be too kind....

OOC - Mad Science 5 to Boost Vigor.

With the combined efforts of everyone gathered around the old man, the digging moves quickly. Even Augustus's odd tune seems to help, as the man breathes easier and a bit of color returns to his face (though he doesn't wake). However, the sun is fully down and only the moon is providing any light to the group by the time the soil is cleared away enough to pull him free. Gus and John lay him out on the ground while ward bends over him to examine the man.

"Hmm...He's been shot. Looks like an arrow. I believe the arrowhead is still in the wound. I can pull it out, but not here. We need to get him back to the ranch house."

There's a sound in the distance...sounds like a coyote howling. Except not quite. There's a few more rising up, too...and these sound more human. There not coyote howls...they're war whoops.

"Damn!" Gus says. "Comanches! We need to get back to the coach, now! Anyone with a gun oughta get it ready!"

Augustus' tonal interlude tapers off a bit at the warning.  He swallows hard and slowly lowers his trumpet, "C-c-comanches?  Of course.  That would have to be what would happen next...."  He re-slings his instrument and draws back up again his sonic gun.  The key is wound and an eerie triple note sound fills the air.  Settling the stock to his shoulder, he tries to put some steel in his spine and voice, "I shall cover our retreat as best I can.  But please....hurry..."
This message was last edited by the player at 04:29, Wed 24 Nov 2010.

Digging the man out wasn't the easiest, but all the help made it swift. The doctor settles up the analysis and damn, it's going to be some time for her to actually worry about the old man. The howl of men in the distance didn't made her feel any better, but it did bring a silent anger to her gut Why would they be coming back now? It didn't make sense.

" John, gimme a hand movin 'im." She spoke lowly and moved to grab his Zhang's knees, she stayed squat down until they could lift and move the man to the coach.

It would become clear that John wasn't the strongest of men though he gripped Xhang by the arms and did his best to haul him along. He looked to the others to see what they were doing, after all, the more help the better.

Yeah, Gangatsu wasn't a push over when it came to strength. As long as John could hold on, they could make it over their in a quick enough manner. Zhang was only a hundred and thirty or some odd pounds.

" Ya gunna pass out, John?" Openly picking on the man when he glanced to the others that were covering the retreat.  " Just up, o'er dale d'en we'll get outta here." She murmured. " Allouette, lend yer help in carrying, woul'ja.." She spoke a bit more grimly with a mild sniff, this cold weather was going to be hell on her tomarrow, but at least she could see the carriage now. There was hope ta get out of this quickly.

Alouette obediently nudges in and carries the Chinaman wherever directed. Static murmurs within it as though stirred by the howls around rather than the movement.

Some Mood Music

The motley crew manages to get back to the coach, especially since Gus also lends a hand.

"Hey! Abraham!" he shouts up to the negro butler. "We got trouble!"

"Trouble?" the man yelps, alarmed. "What sort of trouble?"

"Whole mess o' Comanche ridin' down on us!" Gus yanks the door of the coach open. He points to Augustus and John. "So we're gonna need gunners. Someone take shotgun next to the driver, and someone else can hang out o' the door as we ride to pop off shots as the incomin'. I'll take the roof. There might be room for one other up there, but I don't think any one else has a gun."

"I have my derringer." Ward says, pulling the weapon. It looks ludicrously tiny, though Alouette can feel that odd, bound urge from within it to cause harm.

"Er...you hang on to that, Boss. Save it to spare Sue from the Comanches if we get caught." Gus looks back at the others. "Well? What are you waitin' for? Git movin!"

[[OOC: Here's the stats for the coach.

Large coach
Acc/TS: 4/8+d6; Toughness: 10 (2); Crew: 1+7. Your driver is Abraham, who has d6+2 Driving (from the Ace edge) but no wild die.

Anyone sitting Shotgun can gain Light or Medium cover depending on where they're being fired at from). Anyone on the roof gets Medium cover for being Prone. Anyone popping of shots by hanging out the door gains Heavy cover, but must succeed on an Agility check as a free action each round to be able to line up a shot.

Shooting penalties are: -2 (Unstable Platform), -1 (Dim light)]]

John, with help, hauls his master into the carriage and does his best to make him comfortable. "I'll take the door." he said as he stuffs his hands into his pockets making sure he has his river stones. He didn't like showing off that particular ability but it wasn't like the Comanches were going to give him much choice to get up close in a fight and John couldn't shoot worth shit. He looked at Gangatsu and nodded to her before taking his position, she was the only one he thought would properly protect Xhang should he fall, Ward might nurse him back to health but the Doctor had no obligation beyond his gentlemans honor. He still wasn't clear on Xhang and Su's relationship but from what he could ken she was just as interested in keeping him alive as he was. Not going to lose you now that I've found you old man.

Augustus turns his attention around to Shaw from where he had been watching the perimeter.  The scientist's eyes seem stranger, larger pupils that flash an eerie red as he turns.  "Mr. Shaw," he begins indignantly, holding out his humming sonic weapon for review, "I can assure you that my invention is more effective than any mere /gun/.  To prove said effectiveness, I shall take the /shotgun/ seat."  With that, he heads over to climb up next to Abraham, again the flash of red eyes, "To be honest, I am quite tired of being trapped inside coaches under attack." Settling into his seat, he prepares his inventions for the coming engagement, "These savages shall rue the day!" His voice drops quieter a moment, "Of course its very likely we'll all be shot with arrows and scalped, but at least I will have tried...  Oh very nice...very helpful cmmentary indeed....  Keep your naysaying to yourself."