(Thought MELTING THE ICE was the job the Contact Specialist not a grenade?)

In reply to James (Jimmy) Gerrold MacGuire (msg # 96):

Darryl looked over at Captain Kim, as from his expression he seemed to want to say something. When he didn't Darryl looked back to Jimmy.

"I guess we can see what we can do with regards to thinking up an excuse if you're not taking the local. It may help to deflect blame, maybe not.

"As for omelettes... a good friend of mine said that once. But sometimes you can get to thinking you need to go breaking eggs just on principle. You know?"

Jimmy frowns and nods.

"Let me meet this woman, and talk to her, before I make the decision.  I will talk in generalities, and it may turn into an invitation on the spot."

His face clouds a moment, then he shakes his head.

"It is about the people, right?  Speaking of... I have a relative who was suspended as well, as might others on my team.  Is there any chance of checking up on their situation before we leave?"

In reply to James (Jimmy) Gerrold MacGuire (msg # 99):

"The guide, Leaf Water Wind, is down in Tukwila. We assumed you would be driving so the plan would be to pick her up. It will take about an hour to run your down there, and hour to come back.

"No-can-do for the moment on your family member, sory. The database at Prime is all messed up, especially team locations and personnel rosters. It's a little more intensive than a DOS defrag, if you used computers."

PD Note: This time I'm deliberately using Purple text, ha!
This message was last edited by the player at 02:44, Fri 12 Jan 2018.

"Good, I will check on progress when we return.  Anyone want to come with me?"

A nod.

"I was just hoping she was awake, alive, you know?  I'll give you her name, call them for me, please?"

Nuuuuu!  Purple is MY color!

In reply to Darryl 'Sabio' Weaver (msg # 100):

It was 0800 when the newly-formed team got down to business.

Darryl and Jimmy got ready to head down to the Project main base at Tukwila to meet with the prospective guide. The trip would be 5 hours (both ways), probably 6 hours total including the meeting.

Captain Kim and Bobby Lee went with the engineering V150 to the fishing village of New Da Nang to help oversee the conversion of the fishing boat to fusion-electric power. The trip to New Da Nang would be 2 hours, each way.

The rest of the team could either go with Kim and Bobby to New Da Nang, stay at the Project outpost in Maryville to gather supplies for the expedition or go with Jimmy and Daryl to Tukwila to see if the bigger base had a better selection of supplies and equipment.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:11, Thu 18 Jan 2018.

In reply to James (Jimmy) Gerrold MacGuire (msg # 101):

"You got it, I will certainly follow up on your relative with my contacts at Prime. Any information you have like date of birth, area of expertise, height and weight, and so on would help. The way the database is screwed up you never know what might generate a hit."

PD Note: Fine, have it your way!

"Thanks Darryl.  I'll write it all down.  She's just a kid, really."

He writes down his niece's information for him, as he knows her fairly well as her guardian.

"This is assuming she wasn't woken and grew up.. you know?"

"So, let's get this meet and greet over, also.. got any good reading to prep me for the mission, hate to waste the time on that trip, assuming it's safe to do so."


OOC:  Haha!  Purple People Meeting color achievement.

Elliott elects to stay at the main base, refamiliarizing himself with the hazmat equipment and evaluating the tech he has available for the special investigation they are about to launch on.

Over the next few hours, Jimmy is shuttled down to the main Project base at Tukwila.

What supplies that are to be had at the outpost in Maryville are marshalled for including on the expedition.

At New Da Nang the conversion ran into some technical snags. There were issues with how the fusion-electric motor could fit into the available space, and various means were tried to get it to fit into the space allotted.

Down in Tukwila, Jimmy was introduced to Leaf Water Wind. She was a young woman in her 20's, part-Amerind and part Caucasian. She grew up in the Puget Sound, on one of the San Juan islands.

In reply to Project Director (msg # 106):

She was dressed in practical homespun clothing with an oilskin jacket, suitable for crewing a boat on the open water. Her hair was dark and tied back. Like Raven (another Fisher and Project member) she had some small facial tattooing. Hers was of a moon and stars by the corner of her right eye. She shook Jimmy's hand firmly.

"Hi! I'm Leaf!

"I found the tomb of the War Whale a little while back, while on a spiritual pilgrimage down the coast.

"I don't mind you visiting there, making sure it's safe. But you can't mess around with anything, and you must show respect for the site. It's sacred to my people. Well, some of my people."

Capt'n Kim ponders. (This might not be a pleasant trip)

Jimmy grins and shakes her hand firmly in return.  He is his best amiable self.


"I'm Jimmy!  Great to meet you, ma'm."

"War Whale, huh?  That is a fair description, I recon."

"So it wouldn't bother you if we had to make a few adjustments for the safety of everyone, right?  Not a problem to make sure the old whale isn't pregnant and about to give birth, so to speak?"

He is watching her closely, though hopefully it isn't readily apparent, he is in "Contact Man" mode and ready to be charming and persuasive.  He likes to think he always is so with attractive young women, but he tries not to delude himself.

In reply to James (Jimmy) Gerrold MacGuire (msg # 109):

She chuckled and sipped her hot chocolate.

"I've seen the War Whale with my own eyes. Trust me, it's quite dead. But you never know, sometimes things from the war can be very unsafe. The idea, as I understand it, is to have a look, see if it's safe or not for my people to visit and worship during the full moon.

"I am not sure what "adjustments" you mean, if it would be appropriate. You can look, but not touch."

Jimmy hmms, and gets some of that hot chocolate for himself.  Grand idea that.

"That is the idea, make sure things are safe."

He looks up then back down and smiles to her.

"The belly of that beast may still contain the ability to destroy all we know here.  We may need to see if she is close to giving birth to destruction for all, ma'm."

"Tell me, what makes a weapon something sacred to worship?  Just because it hasn't killed anyone for a long time doesn't mean it won't."

He tilts his head, watching her.

"And not touching might be even worse.  Do you think you could advise while keeping in mind the good of all?"

He keeps his tone, and demeanor friendly.

(Want me to roll on say.. negotiate?)

In reply to James (Jimmy) Gerrold MacGuire (msg # 111):

"Right now, we don't know if it's dangerous or not. We're not dumb and we know that things like radiation can still be harmful, even after all this time. But for now I think all we are comfortable with is letting you take a look."

Jimmy was mindful that although she seemed to speak for all her people she was actually speaking on behalf of one faction, although an influential one.

"There is nothing evil about weapons, they are tools we use every day. The harpoon, the fish knife. The War was a terrible time, and terrible weapons were made and used. We don't want to worship the War Whale but to understand it, respect it. If there's some danger, well, that's what your there to find out, right?"

"Indeed it is, miss Leaf, and I am only acting in the interests of the people."

He nods.

"I wanted to meet with you, regardless, and try to understand your point of view."

"I am also trying to feel out how much you might know, if this is what I suspect it is... it might still carry it's payload of death, the death that already visited this world once.  If so, we might want to.. neuter.. that whale."


He shrugs.

"But we won't know a thing until we look, right?"  "

"Let me ask, what you saw.. was it intact?"

In reply to James (Jimmy) Gerrold MacGuire (msg # 113):

She nodded, her face assuming a kind of glow as she recalled

"Yes, I did see it. Through a hole in the ground. Down below me, you know? It was in a cave. So, like, it was really dark in there."


PD Note: This meeting is not in Maryville, but down in Tukwila. That said if you wish, your PC may certainly be present for this meeting.

He slowly nods.

"I see.  Harbored, so to speak.  Is it ok for us to descend with it to ensure it is safe?"

"Have you ever encountered old explosives?  The sort that can explode at the slightest vibration?"

In reply to James (Jimmy) Gerrold MacGuire (msg # 115):

Leaf shook her head. "We stay away from the cities and other places before the War where  you might find such things. Some fishermen make gunpowder bombs for their harpoons to kill the whales but I think that's wrong and sacreligious. No Fisher would do that.

"And yes, I think you could walk around in the cave, check it out. For the ceremony next month we may go inside the cave, maybe through the chimney (roof hole) I found so sure, we need to know if it's safe."
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:35, Sun 28 Jan 2018.

"OK then.  My team will check it out."

In reply to Project Director (msg # 106):

Having once worked with NGO in Vietnam, Lina was curious to see how things had developed over in New Da Nang.  She hitched a ride down with Kim and Bobby Lee to assist with the boat and get a look at things outside of the base.

She assisted the engineering team with the with the refit of Kim's boat as best she could while she mingled with the locals to get a feel of how things are going.

And Capt'n Kim paces...

She nodded.

"That's fine. When do we leave? It looks like we might have heavy weather coming in. But I think whatever boat you have is going to be a lot better than my canoe!"

Jimmy laughs.

"I see you have decided to come along?  First I need to look into getting an autonav while I am here at Tukwila.  We will be using a bit larger boat than yours, converted to a Morrow Project Vehicle."

"Glad to have you along, I need to learn from people who grew up in the now, rather than us dusty old relics.  What will you need to pack?"

"Tell me more about yourself, and where you are from, while we do our errands?"


Jimmy will radio the Team, telling them to pack for +1 native guide.