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18:12, 28th March 2024 (GMT+0)

Adventure #2: Gibraltar to Mars.

Posted by GM SteamRollerFor group 0
GM SteamRoller
GM, 164 posts
Gearhead
Machinesmith
Thu 19 Mar 2020
at 19:59
  • msg #1

Adventure #2: Gibraltar to Mars

At Grimsby's urging, Petras takes the ship up to a higher altitude than originally planned, heads southeast away from the town to take the ship out over the Mediterranean Sea before turning eastward to approach Gibraltar from the sea and a lower altitude.

Although there isn't a specific aerodrome in Gibraltar (at least none that you can spot as you approach), there is an area that seems to be designated as a landing field, recognizable by the windsock it's flying.

As there is no known disagreement between the United Kingdom and Lithuania (that anyone knows; Hertzian waves are not so commonplace yet that communication is that quick between countries), one of the soldiers on duty spots the approaching airship and quickly summons a signal corpsman. He starts signaling the ship with nautical flags, which Petras reads as "welcome to Gibraltar... land here."
Catherine Harston
player, 172 posts
Proper Young Lady
Fri 20 Mar 2020
at 00:25
  • msg #2

Adventure #2: Gibraltar to Mars

Catherine remains on deck, basking in the unfamiliar experience of flying, although her veil is rather awkward in the wind. "I've never seen Gibraltar before... and definitely not from the air!"
Grimsby H. Baskerville
player, 366 posts
A Colonial agent knowing
Mars past and present
Fri 20 Mar 2020
at 01:14
  • msg #3

Adventure #2: Gibraltar to Mars

In reply to Catherine Harston (msg # 2):

Grimsby replies, "It is a splendid view --and a very valuable part of our empire, being a very secure stronghold. We are fortunate that a Lithuanian ship is welcome here --Britain sees Lithuania as a useful counterweight to our old rival Russia."
Felicity Van Horn
player, 92 posts
The American
Sun 22 Mar 2020
at 13:47
  • msg #4

Adventure #2: Gibraltar to Mars

Felicity spent the time in travel working to find ways to make herself useful. She doesn't know much about sailing- and even less about flying- but she's sturdy and knows how to work a rope. When there's little to do, she sits near the back of the ship. When they're at an altitude where birds fly, its with rifle in hand. Mostly, she sites birds- lining them up for a shot, but never moving her finger near the trigger. Sometimes, though, she does let off a shot. A crack that leaves the bird tumbling through the air as often as not.

But as they close in on Gibraltar, her rifle is securely packed away. "I can't wait to get back on the ground," she adds in, cigarette freshly rolled.
Grimsby H. Baskerville
player, 367 posts
A Colonial agent knowing
Mars past and present
Mon 23 Mar 2020
at 02:19
  • msg #5

Adventure #2: Gibraltar to Mars

In reply to Felicity Van Horn (msg # 4):

Grimsby says "I am glad you are not firing as we fly into Gibraltar. Your intentions may be hostile only to birds, but the garrison might not understand."
Catherine Harston
player, 173 posts
Proper Young Lady
Sun 29 Mar 2020
at 06:16
  • msg #6

Adventure #2: Gibraltar to Mars

"I hope the don't expect us to speak Lithuanian" Catherine added with good humor. "It will be nice to do a bit of exploring on the ground."
Joseph Rudyard Hunnisett
player, 193 posts
Navy Commander (Ret)
Wandering Explorer
Mon 30 Mar 2020
at 00:55
  • msg #7

Adventure #2: Gibraltar to Mars

In reply to Catherine Harston (msg # 6):

OOC: making a few assumptions, here....

     Since hearing Petras' claim to have built the flying ship by himself, Joseph had suspected that it was both built to be operated with a minimum of crew, as well as following a number of non-nautical operational methods.

     In some ways, this unfamiliarity--as Joseph moves about the ship, assisting Petras and the others in various preparations for flight--brings back memories of his Midshipman's Cruise.  An almost idyllic six months aboard a Customs Sloop, patrolling the coast of the Gulf of Mexico--before he transferred to the heat, humidity and coal-stink of the more prestigious Ironclad fleet.

     So, as the ship approaches Gibraltar, Joseph decides that he is impressed.

     Standing beside the young Lithuanian at the ship's wheel, Joseph turns to him and says,

     "Captain Valois, I have some experience aboard modern Ironclads, and I must say that this vessel you've built is very impressive.  My compliments, Sir."

     "But I just have to ask--if it would reveal no great secret, of course--I see no mast or smokestack anywhere on your vessel, Captain, so, if I may ask, just what is your source of motive power, if not wind or steam?"
Petras Valois
NPC, 10 posts
Lithuanian Inventor
17-yr old Prodigy
Mon 30 Mar 2020
at 15:08
  • msg #8

Adventure #2: Gibraltar to Mars

"Well, it's not really a secret, since others are using the same thing," Petras replies, "but I suppose it isn't commonly known. And I doubt most people would even recognize it if they saw it."

"I utilize radium. Whether my system is the same as others, though, that I couldn't say. It provides the power, but lift and some of the propulsion is done by way of gravitium. You might know it as Cavorite. It's a substance... an alloy, I believe, that occludes gravity when properly aligned."

"After hearing tales of Professor Cavor and of flying cows in the farms of my country, I was able to deduce the presence of gravitium in the soil. Fortunately, I had notes on Cavor's experiments, so I was able to avoid the mistakes made at his facility, though I do admit there were a few instances fraught with peril! But, no one was injured, no one killed."

"And here is my ship. I did have some help with the actual construction from a few friends and relatives. My cousin Mykolas is a carpenter... only an apprentice, of course, but he knew a lot about ships."

Joseph Rudyard Hunnisett
player, 194 posts
Navy Commander (Ret)
Wandering Explorer
Tue 31 Mar 2020
at 00:50
  • msg #9

Adventure #2: Gibraltar to Mars

In reply to Petras Valois (msg # 8):

    "Raydee-um, huh?  Nope, can't say as I've ever heard of the stuff, Cap'n." Joseph says, after a moments thought, "I have a vague recollection of reading something--sometime back--in English newspapers of someone named Cavor.  And, as I now recall, the stories did have something to do with flight....I just don't remember any mention about gravity...."

     Joseph shrugs, smiling, "Then again, at the time, I was more interested in reading the horse racing results--they were running for the Goodwood Cup at the Glorious Goodwood, as I recall...."

     Joseph gives himself a mental shake, getting back on track,

     "So, anyways, Petras, just what is this radium stuff?  Some kind of highfalutin coal?" Joseph asks, then corrects himself, "No, wait, that can't be it--if you were burning radium you'd still need a stack....wouldn't you?"
Petras Valois
NPC, 11 posts
Lithuanian Inventor
17-yr old Prodigy
Thu 2 Apr 2020
at 04:13
  • msg #10

Adventure #2: Gibraltar to Mars

"Radium is a substance that emits energy," Petras replies. "It is found in pitchblende, along with uranium."

"The energy emitted by the radium can be harnessed to a more productive state, which is what I have done. The etheric propeller does not require much energy, but I have batteries on board as a back-up."

Felicity Van Horn
player, 93 posts
The American
Thu 2 Apr 2020
at 13:38
  • msg #11

Adventure #2: Gibraltar to Mars

"Well, er... Ain't that just fine," Felicity says, having found herself caught up in the conversation between her fellow American and the Slavic engineer-turned-captain. "So, it stays up cause of rocks. Got it," she gives a wink.
Petras Valois
NPC, 12 posts
Lithuanian Inventor
17-yr old Prodigy
Thu 2 Apr 2020
at 13:50
  • msg #12

Adventure #2: Gibraltar to Mars

"Not exactly, Miss Van Horn," Petras replies.

"It stays up because of a substance that I extracted from rocks. The gravitium was dissolved in a solution and then painted on to slats of wood. When those slats are vertical, they don't do anything. When they are horizontal, the occlude gravity, meaning anything above them becomes weightless. By carefully balancing how many slats are vertical and how many are horizontal, I can control how much buoyancy the ship has, how quickly it rises, and, some slight adjustment on the third axis, how fast it can move forward."

"In an atmosphere, that has an upper limit of about 25,000 miles per hour, which is the rotational speed of the Earth. The farther way from the gravity of the planet, however, the less effective the slats become. That is why the ship needs an ether propeller to travel between planets."

"I suppose, in time, I could have developed one myself, but with so much else going on, I found it more expedient to purchase one from the Armstrong Company."

Grimsby H. Baskerville
player, 368 posts
A Colonial agent knowing
Mars past and present
Fri 3 Apr 2020
at 02:57
  • msg #13

Adventure #2: Gibraltar to Mars

In reply to Petras Valois (msg # 12):

"Quite an ingenious invention" Grimsby commented, "though since it is relying on wooden parts I suppose it is rather vulnerable."
GM SteamRoller
GM, 166 posts
Gearhead
Machinesmith
Sun 5 Apr 2020
at 18:35
  • msg #14

Adventure #2: Gibraltar to Mars

Being able to fly like a crow, the ship doesn't have to follow the roads and hills and forests. Thus, in short order, the ship makes it to Gibraltar.

Petras brings it in slow, at about 200 feet... not an attack height nor high enough to be a bomb threat. Almost oddly, the ship is able to actually fly sideways!

So it approaches toward a clear area and close enough to request permission to land by calling down. It takes about 20 minutes before a reply is given and grants landing.
Grimsby H. Baskerville
player, 369 posts
A Colonial agent knowing
Mars past and present
Mon 6 Apr 2020
at 02:14
  • msg #15

Adventure #2: Gibraltar to Mars

As Gibraltar is British territory, Grimsby comes to the rail to meet any local official who might come to question the party.
Joseph Rudyard Hunnisett
player, 195 posts
Navy Commander (Ret)
Wandering Explorer
Mon 6 Apr 2020
at 02:23
  • msg #16

Adventure #2: Gibraltar to Mars

In reply to Grimsby H. Baskerville (msg # 15):

     Joseph observes Petras during the landing and, especially, during the 'Done With Engines' process.  He assists with it all, as best he can.
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