The Darkest of Rivers...

[The Abiliegh]

OOC: I"ll smooth out the remaining indescrepancies with my next post. Mostly, how Miles and Abiliegh were speaking in one moment and how she was ariving after that, lol.

We'll be departing "today" once the final upgrades on the ship are completed by the Baron. (to keep with the 36 hour allotment previously mentioned). Lets try to avoid naming days and stick to numbers, so this doesn't keep happening, heh heh. We're on the morning of day 3, and we'll arrive some time on day 6

Would this be easier if we used the Chapter method I attempted to use in the Extended Steam Salon? I could easily edit that in!

[The Abiliegh]

She caught up to Miles and Tommy, who'd already started in on breakfast. Having paused to thank Willoughby, she hadn't had a chance yet to answer his question about Clark and the guns.

She got herself a plate and sat by the men. "So, the guns... the only difficulty I can see with having Clark man them would be the triggers not being operable by his pincers...."

She was interrupted by the Baron's arrival. "Already taken care of, m'dear." He smiled, flashing his unusual titanium teeth as he sat down to a plate of sardines. "The remaining upgrades to your airship, MasterCheif, will be completed within the next 8 hours, setting you up for a nice early-evening departure. I've also taken a few liberties, and you should find that your cargo should no longer need to be so meticulously balanced. I'd still keep an eye on it, of course, but I've given you some new stabilizers to help counteract any discrepancies and movements in weight. Top o'the line, I promise you, and fresh out of R&D. I've also added a few creature-comforts to your bunk-space, though I'll admit, that's mostly for the benefit of the lady." He winked at Abiliegh.

"Now, the fella you'll be picking up in Pointe Noir is Raphael J. Bass, and he's been on the payroll on and off for a while now. Solid fella, so far as I can tell, never havin' met him. He'll prove useful in digging up more concrete details, wot with his contacts and experience in the area." He paused, taking a moment to eat. "I wish I had more to send you children off with, but it's very mystery which makes me certain you'll be the best for the job. The right way of things finds the lot of ya."

"Don't be silly, Baron, you've already done plenty. And I need to thank you for the guns, though how you sussed out my middle name, I'll never know." She smiled. "And I thank you in advance for whatever you've done to the bunks."

[Sgt.Major Thistlewaite]

The Baron made a slight bow to Mrs. Cross, "A gift I should have given you some time ago, dear lady. You've done a splendid job of taking care of my favourite grand-nephew, and having your own set custom made specifically for you can only aid you in continuing to watch out for him." Holding up his mess tankard, he says, "Willoughby, if you please..." Willoughby is already at his elbow, and refills the flagon with gin. "Thomas Elihue," he continues, "that cuts both ways, you know...I'm quite fond of your young lady, too,...if I were a hundred years younger, I might try to woo her away from you!" He flashes his titanium grin. "Vigilance is the watchword. Dark Continent is still a dangerous place...hope your time off hasn't made you soft." "You needn't worry about that, Sir, " Tommy replies, "She's my number one priority...after all we've been through together, I'm not about to lose her now!" He squeezes Abiliegh's hand under the table.

[Miles (a sailor)Martin]

" Baron thanks for the upgrades, I'll need to check the final power draws on the power pack,after your boys finish the installation but before the close up . I would hate to blow a main power coupling over the mid-Atlantic deeps is all. if i read the spec sheet correctly all of the additions we discussed when you gave me the sheets will not draw what that old Gatling did."replies miles then turning to the pair.
  " How are the shoulders now ? they loosen up yet? told you a good hot soak would help " turns back to the baron " "good pair of youngsters , going to make excellent pilots by the time we get back"
   turns back" you two are the second and third best fledgling pilots i have ever seen, if you keep up as you have started. you should be able to get an Unlimited rating in no more than two years. six months if the birds were available in succession.  Mrs. Cross i think you will be an excellent combat pilot,your situational awareness is top rate, Mr Gunn yours is very close and your reflexes are a touch faster, both your gunnery skills are fair and improving,   a thought struck me as i was on my way in,  with Clark on belly/top guns, when we pick up Rafe and get all caught up , the crew stations will be you two on shift as pilot ,copilot/nav,me and Rafe as the other shift,in combat  I'm thinking you two fly ,and Rafe and I gunner and do D.C. as necessary to start.  then  in a week ,or so, we rearrange combat positions after we find out who has best instincts for how to combat fly the Arieion, and who's best on guns .  does that sound OK to you?                                                 
OOc it is now 8 hours to launch ? right? some one else take us to then. Miles will be catching a nap until the Baron's crew sends for him, he will go down do the final checks and  finish zipping  the Arieion's skin up.               
                                         later
                                            Miles

[MWBailey]

Rafe wiggled teh Khukri in its scabbard, loosening it slightly just in case. He also drew the stubbiest-nosed of his three Weblies, but held off of cocking it in order to listen to the night sounds of Pointe Noir around him.  There it was again, the sound of footsteps from the way he had come after leaving the hotel's dining room. He had become suspicious when he hear them in the main hall way and again in every corridor of the hotel along which he had walked -- and the way they always stopped when he did, just shy of the corner that would have revealed the walker's identity, had he or she bentured beyond it.

They - the tail and Rafe -- were notw in the midst of the now-shuttered shopping district close by the hotel. Rafe had ducked down an alley just a moment before, and hurried ahhead. The ruse had apparently worked; the feet behind him were moving rapidly now, almost running from the sound of them, and nearly to the stack of crate behind which The former captain of the Simba  waited. Two strides of the following steps, three, NOW! and he flung himself out and upon his pursuer, ramming the fellow up against the whitewashed mud-and-brick wall of the alley, hearing the breath whoosh out of the fellow's lungs, and pressing the sawn-off barrel of the Webley against the ruffian's temple.

"Who are ya? Who's yer boss!?" Rafe demanded. The man tried to pul something from his breast pocket. Rafe grabbed his wrist in a pincer grip and nerve-pinched the hand numb so that the object- an expensive-looking semiautomatic pistol that resembled a Luger - clattered to the ground.

"You've got exactly ten seconds to tell me what you're after, pally."  Rafe rasped at teh man who was gone white as a sheet. Rafe realized suddenly that the 'thug' he had in his grips was none other than at Jack Amateur from the hotel dining roo.

"I am...My name , it is Maladoit. Philippe Maladoit, of the Airjammer SS Jolie Blon. I beg you, monsieur, do not kill me! I am only to observe for likely possible business opportunities!"

A Frenchman? No, more likely a Belgian, and a pirate, most likely. Business opportunities my left shoe, Rafe thought...

[The Abiliegh]

Breakfast continued cheerily, with the talks of piloting and adventure. The Baron excused himself, always busy with something, and Miles followed suit shortly after, in pursuit of one last nap on the ground before final flight prep.

Abiliegh sent Clark off to aid Willoughby with anything needed tending before they left and gave him instructions to wait at the Arieion once he was finished.

That left her and Tommy, and eight hours to pass as they pleased.
-----

It was 30 minutes prior to their scheduled departure when Tommy and Mrs. Cross arrived at the Arieion's docking bay. Employees of the Iron Furnace bustled about the airship, endlessly busy in the way only mechanics could seem to muster. They could see Miles on board, checking all his various intruments, no doubt. She'd found herself warming to the old MasterCheif over the course of her lessons. She smiled and watched the ballet of movement. Keeping out of the way while the last of everything was handled, Abiliegh and Tommy watched, hand in hand, her head upon his shoulder.

It wasn't long before they were joined by Thistlewaite, who, naturally, appeared just as the last of the preparations were complete. He shoed them all onto the ship to join Miles.

"It's that time, children." He spoke slowly, which did not happen very often. He embraced Mrs. Cross, who returned the gesture with a kiss to his gristled cheek, and then he shook the hands of the two men firmly. "There's complete files of my mines in your bunks, as well as what sparce information I've got on Mr. Bass. I fear most of the information will prove unhelpful, but who knows what nuggets you'll find. It will make passable reading material for your flight, at least."

Tommy grimaced a little at the thought of reading the entirety of one of his uncle's "files", but he didn't object.

"Then it's time we're off, yeah? Ain't nothin' to be gained draggin' our heels around." She looked to each of the men, nodding in certainty.

The Baron departed the ship, Tommy and Abiliegh moved over towards where Clark sat patiently, and Miles took the helm. Lift-off was uneventful, and everyone waved as the Arieion lifted gently off and out of it's dock.

They were on their way to Africa. They were on their way to to the truly unknown.

[The Abiliegh]

He nearly lept from the chair when he finally found it. That he was able to restrain himself was beneficial, for while he was able to stand in the small cave, there wasn't a terrible amount of clearance overhead.

He shook his head clear and focused once more at the paper in his hands. The Belgians were talkative. The meaning was clear.

[Sgt.Major Thistlewaite]

The mountains beneath them soon give way to rolling hills, and on a south-easterly course, it is not long before the barrier islands of the coast are behind them, and ahead stretches the great Atlantic. Alone on the weather-deck, Tommy fetches one of his gun cases, and opening it, he extracts an express rifle, a single shot in Springfield 30-06. He has had the foresight to have brought plenty of extra ammunition for everything in the cases this time, remembering the last time they had embarked with only the ammo included in the cases, and how almost everything he had had been depleted almost utterly before they made it back to the Furnace. His Uncle made I.F.A.& A. weapons in dedicated calibres, specialty arms like his "elephant" gun, which chambered only Iron Furnace ammunition, but he also made guns which fired more standard and readily available cartridges. The "Safari Express" is one such. The big former detective hasn't fired a gun since the Martian adventures- in fact, he missed out on all the shooting once that campaign was truly underway- and some target practice is surely warranted. Opening another largish box, also from I.F.A. & A., he removes a pressurized tank of helium, and a box of bright orange balloons, about 6" in diameter when inflated. Suspended on fine wires beneath each balloon is a clockwork with four wings, brass and wood, which somewhat resembles a dragonfly. T.E. inflates a balloon, winds the clockwork bug, and releases it over the side. The clockwork wings activate, and, both buoyed up by and towing the balloon, it ambles off to starboard. As it becomes more distant, Tommy chambers a round, lines up the fixed sights, and fires. Some hundred yards distant by now, the balloon explodes, and the little clockwork augers into the ocean, still buzzing. "Mmm...yep," he says to himself, "Need the practice..I was aimin' fer the clockwork bug." He fills another balloon, winds the 'bug,' and releases it.

[MWBailey]

After a liberal dosage of both physicality and money to remove the clog in the flow of information, the Belgian had sung a nice little song and dance.

It seemed that both the Belgian colonial government and the other Powers were paying privateers to target the people they considered to be 'Undesirable'; That was to say, anybody the particular power, be they local or otherwise, did not want around. Thus, the Belgians paid to have interlopers removed, whilst the Interlopers paid to have the anti-interlopers removed. Never mind the fact that the 'removers,' bounty killers in all but name, also preyed on everyone else. Thus, there was no particular group in th ehinterland who was really in any real dominant position of authoritative power, and if merchants wanted to operate in said hinterland, they went heavily armed, and prepared to fight it out if necessary. Apparently the merchants themselves were beginning to form factions and convoys, much like the caravans of old.

It seemed that after the military beefing-up  of the "Martian Scare" period, several companies of former military, both mechanized and simple infantry or commando, had gone rogue and turned pirate or roamed around serving as a particularly vicious breed of bounty hunters.

"Same old Congo, times a hundred," Bass growled under his breath as he made his way back to the hotel.

[Miles (a sailor)Martin]

Tommy comes back in from the aft observers station after an hours shooting practice,to find Miles and The Abiliegh both up forward in the bridge , The Abiliegh  conning the ship while Miles is doing some calculations at the Nav station,miles doesn't notice when Tommy drops thru to hatch,and looks about,then goes over to The Abiliegh  and asks"what's up ?" she replys I was bringing him up a cuppa coffe and he asked he to take the helm about five minutes ago,he been cranking that curta machine and scribbling out figures for the last ten minutes,and muttering under his breath for the last five." Tommy says" you still Ok with fling her ?"  He sees Miles start putting things away
 "I think he's finished his calculations". Miles turns with a jolt,Didn't see you come in My boy, how did target practice go? Your good lady was good enough to take the helm will I got a position fix and ran time and distance figures for the trip so far,In 24 hours we've made 3200 miles running South by Southeast In abut 4 hours we should catch the trades and really start making time. unless a out of season hurricane blows up we will arrive on time or  up to four hours early,you two did very well holding course and speed through the night during your shift. M'lady i relive you "as he takes his place at the copilot's station. "we should raise Barbados in about an hour off to port,I'm using it as a way point to double check my navigation, after the wierdness on the way to Iron Forge ,I am going a bit more cautious till i have all the quirks of the modifications that were done figured out. I wasn't figuring on gaining a 20 percent boost in cruse speed, but that what my DR plot is showing"

[Sgt.Major Thistlewaite]

"I needed th' practice, Chief. After that extended session with the big rifle bustin' Martian tin cans almost ruined my shoulder, I'd developed a tendency to flinch," Tommy replies. "The 30-06 has enough kick to notice, thet's fer sure, and gave me a chance to work that out of my system. The Baron's "Aerial Skeet Bugs" are great for target practice, ya can't really predict which way they're going to go, you guys should try 'em." He puts his arm around the waist of Mrs. Cross, and holds her for a moment. "You smell like gunpowder, Tommy," she says, wrinkling her nose a little, but she is smiling, and adds, "I like it." He grins back at her. "A cup of coffee sounds pretty good to me, too. Glad t' know we're makin' good time, Chief....the Baron knows how to wring th' best performance out of a zep, if anyone does."

[Miles (a sailor)Martin]

"I 'd like to see what he could do with my prints for an Arieon 4, given what he did in three days on a spruce framed aluminum skinned rebuild. well maybe if this works out I will show 'em to him" replys miles.
  the two go off to get Tommy a cuppa' and miles continues flying. and so passes the rest of the run to the turn point. at that time Miles asks tommy for some assistance in rigging the booster engine up on the observation deck. after an hours work it is done. they go back up to the bridge and he sets up the additional insrament cluster and activates the throttle controls.
 " from here until we reach the Congo we will be running under power so no more diving and climbing for forward motion,we can run the rest of the way with a more Civilized attitude.Mrs Cross , Tommy wake me in Four hours and i will take the mid-night to eight watch.  Tommy if you can contact the baron on the wireless ,let him Know our position and projected arrival time.Good night all" Miles leaves the bridge area and goes off to his bunk

[The Abiliegh]

OOC: I'm trying to get a post out, gentlemen, but the words just aren't sounding right. If someone wants to get us to Africa, I'm down, otherwise, I'll keep trying (and should be able to get something tonight, after a bloody NAP)

[Miles (a sailor)Martin]

  The bell rings in Miles cabin(more of a cupboard really),he wakes with a start, then opens the door swings his legs out, turns and closes the bunk steps back in closing the door then dresses,going by the galley, he grabs a thermos canteen and fills it with the coffee that Clarke had just brewed
  "thank you my good manall quiet as far as you can tell? Clark gives a thumbs up signal, miles say"your mistress and her other half will be along in a minute ,give 'em a nightcap ,then continue t6o watch aft.ring me if you see something One for left aft two for right aft three for dead astern OK' Clarke gives another thumbs up signal'
    Miles continues up to the Bridge " Any thing change since  i went below?'He asks 
 " No all quiet to now is the response" all right then give me five minutes to get star sights and figure our position and I'll take it till eight" ,
   he grabs a small box from the bottom drawer and opens a hatch and climbs out of sight . Tommy gets up and looks up the shaft after him, a few seconds later he sees miles open a hatch at the top and crawl through it the the cover is replaced,three minutes pass then they hear Miles climbing back down shaft ,he goes over to the desk pulls the Bowditch off the shelf and looks up three pages ,puts the marks on the working map the does a couple of quick calculations with the Curta machine
  turnning back to them and says"550 miles we've covered in four hours .Tommy that Uncle of yours has some Real Technowizards on his staff. I really want to have him build the next Areion now."he shakes his head" I have the Conn Mrs. Cross " then turning to Tommy "I have the Deck Mr Gunn"
  "enjoy your sleep you two,We will be off the coast of Africa by 10 and if the winds hold in Pointe Nor by supper time a day early.  I hope that Rafe has made it in early as well. before you all go to bed can you try to raise the baron on the wire less and give him our new ETA? thanks and good night'
   the two say g'night in turn and exit the bridge. a few minutes pass and Tommy sticks his head back in
  " got through Miles Best reception yet" "Good" says miles. "thank you and sweet dreams".        Tommy disappears through the hatch and Miles activates his old Babbage driven iron Mike auto pilot and starts a steady patrol of the watch windows, stopping every ten minutes for a sip of coffee.and every  hour and a half, he disengages the autopilot, makes a  slight course correction then drives the ship by hand for twenty minutes ,then starts the cycle over,thus the night passes uneventfully until dawn. at that point he sees a ship on the surface
   Caution being the better part of living a long life he starts the Areion into a  gentle climb to 10 thousand feet and starts up the heating system in the cabins and passageways,leveling off ,he reengages the Iron Mike and get out the Loyd's recognition guide to look up the vessel. 
    not finding it under warships he starts looking at Merchant cruisers and there it is "TNS  Red River" a mixed war merchant of the Texas republic naval service.
  "I wonder what she's doing all the way over hereon a southbound course? I hope it isn't important to us later.Ah what the heck "  he shifts course to pass ten miles ahead of the ship then writes a message on a paper, seals it in a bottle then ties it to a streamer with a smoke float attached and drops the assembly out a side window on the  after port gunnery station.then resumes course.
    the Red River recovers the message, and a few moment later Miles and the R.R. are chatting by flashing lightUpdating each other on weather conditons encountered and  other such epemera final transmissions to and from are "fair winds and following seas" and,"clear skies" .
 an hour later the bell rings on the voice tube from the galley. opening it Miles ask "yes?"


OOC OK we are at the African coast who is going to run us on down? my projected course is to run south staying one hundred miles out until we raise Malbo or Luba on the larger island in the Gulf of Benin. that will bein two hours give current story parameters as I  have written to this point then we turn south and run at two thirds speed til we get to Pointe Noir and pick up Rafe. that way the locals will not get any first hand  reports of how fast we are. sound good to you all?

[The Abiliegh]

Having rested well, curled up next to Tommy on the small bunk, she woke alert and ready to take on the day ahead of them. She brewed coffee, letting Tommy catch a few more minutes of shut-eye while she did so. She didn't want to wake him needlessly, as she knew she could relieve Miles if he needed it.

She took a cup for her and one for Miles, she headed towards the bridge.

"Fresh joe, MasterCheif." She set the cup next to his thermos. She sat at the nav instruments and looked everything over, then out to the coast of Africa.

They discussed his plan to turn south at either Malbo or Luba, and to head down the coast more more slowly and further out than needed, to mask their newly upgraded capabilities, or so she assumed.

"I can fly 'er in, if ya wanna put your feet up for a jif. But I have to ask, at a hundred miles out from the coast, will anyone be able to see us? Seems that we might be served a bit by provocation, our situation being what it is. We've got little to nothin' in regards to information on what the duece is goin' on in those mines, but I suspect that whomever is muckin' things up in there knows we're comin'. You just don't do enough damage to be brought to the Baron's attention without having some kind of impressive information network to keep a step ahead... " She paused, taking a sip of coffee and getting herself back on track. "What I'm sayin' is, maybe we should tip our hand a bit? Your bird here may not stand out much, but you, me an' Tommy, we're gonna be sore thumbs, ya' know? So lets grandstand, waive our tail feathers a bit, and make a show of 'rushing in.' Let them think we're more concerned about stopping them than we are with stealth, and give them a good healthy dose of underestimation. We can make this ol' girl look like she's running at top capacity and still keep her far from it... I'm sure of it. We'll get better results if they think we're grotty, don'cha think? Hell, we do a good enough job o'that, they'll probably take us right to 'em, just for the chance to sharpen their claws, s'far as I figure..."

OOC: Sorry that took so long, fellas!

[Sgt.Major Thistlewaite]

Tommy arrives on the bridge, coffee in hand, just in time to hear the last of the discussion. Rubbing a knuckle in one eye, he takes a big sip from his cup, and leaning against the chart table, yawns, then says, "Normally, my style is to go in like gang-busters, but in this case, I think a low key approach might be better...we don't have any idea what we're up against, and getting taken may not be the ideal way ta meet 'em. That, and the customs officials in these backwaters can be brutal. With th' "powers-that-be," we may be able t' play on our celebrity a bit...remember, Miles, me and th' missus here are kinda famous, after the Martian thing. They even made comic books about us. Whether we'll be known over here in Africa is anybody's guess, though. Mebbe we kinda hide our hand...say we're here for a safari, just wealthy Americans on holiday, find this Rafe fella an' make a show of hiring him as our guide. So, we don't try t' sneak in, but we also don't try t' come on too strong, and approach the situation at th' mines kinda sideways. Gives us a cover story, anyway."

[The Abiliegh]

She smiled over her cup at Tommy, the look altogether too amused and mysterious to make any man comfortable. I could 'ave made a damn fine theif outta him. Woulda been fun t'have him around with Max and Billy and Larry... She pushed THOSE thoughts from her mind quickly, lest her more recent memories of all those men come back.

"That certainly plays more to my... ahem... strengths. I'm far more useful dazzling a crowd than trying to muck about in machinery." She paused, glancing down at her overly utilitarian khakis, her lips pursing into a slight frown. "But if that's the plan, I've got to gussy up a bit. As wonderful as I may look for sneaking about mining operations, it's not going to sell 'famous American.' I certainly hope your uncle packed me something less useful!" She thought to the fold-down vanity that the Baron had fitted for her and Tommy's bunk, and suspected that he'd probably had the tailor prepare something for this eventuallity...

"What are your thoughts on it, Miles?"

[MWBailey]

(OOC: I'l try to get something posted here today or tomorrow, folks. Sorry for the relative silence.

What in the heck have I been doing? Well... I finally, after several years of trying, managed to find contact info on, contact, get a reply from, and have couple of actual conversations with a very dear old friend whose contact info I lost in a now-long-past computer malfunction incident ( I mailed the letter about a couple of months ago, and it finally, inadvertently, found its way to its recipient - long, tortuous story there ). Here's hoping I've not bungled future opportunities in that area, or here on Brass Goggles!

In any case, I should be able to forge ahead, now, with a degree of something resembling confidence).

[The Abiliegh]

OOC: Congrats on finding you're friend! That's a damn fine reason to be otherwise occupied

[Sgt.Major Thistlewaite]

Tommy feels a bit ridiculous. Having found that the Baron's foresight had indeed included the possibility that they might need to dress to the nines, he is now attired in the height of African fashion...or rather, the standard for the most common stereotype of "Great White Hunter." The khakis he had on before were, of course, impeccably tailored, and he is still wearing the same shirt, but now sports tall leather riding boots, jodhpurs, a multi-pocketed safari jacket, an ascot, and it's topped off with a broad-brimmed fedora, with one side turned up and buttoned and a leopard print hatband. "Good grief!" the big detective thinks, trying to view all of himself in the small cupboard mirror, "I look like an extra in a Hollywood Tarzan movie." He's never worn an ascot in his life, and if he thought the collar of his khaki shirt was restrictive, this is worse. Grimacing, he completes the outfit with the strapped brown leather Sam Browne style belt. "At least I'm heeled," he says to himself as he slips his old reliable .45 Colt automatic into the holster. Even if he does feel somewhat silly, the effect produced is exactly what people would expect to see if they were looking for a "Rich American on Safari."

[The Abiliegh]

She looks at Tommy and smiles as his fidgeting. "You look splendid, my darling." She took the ascot in her hand and tugged at it a bit, loosening the know around his neck without ruining the line it cut in the outfit. "That should be better."

She dressed, then, into a smart-looking pant-suit of a khaki fabric that seemed both incredibly sturdy and yet some how managed to billow and flow about her in the most comfortable of ways. The vest hugged her figure comfortably, showing off her curves while still allowing for movement and for the garment to breath. The cropped jacket was light-weight and airy as well, and the accents matched perfectly with the hip-holster that she added to the ensemble next. There was a fedora for her as well, and bless the Baron, it had a swatch of veil to be wrapped around it. She touched up her make-up and her curls before donning it all, and then she too was the picture-perfect tourist.

She then went to the gun-case, and lifted the lid with reverence. She'd never know as much about fire-arms as Tommy, and certainly never as much as the Baron, but she knew that that small array of guns now visible were all of the finest quality possible, and would all be perfectly suited to her. She took up a revolver to study, finding, with delight, that it was a nine-chambered deal, and that it had a sister. Without even looking at the rest, she loaded and holstered the two, and took what she could fit on her belt of the .357 ammunition.

She returned to the bridge, ready for their show. They were not far from the Gulf of Benin, and once they'd turned south, she relieved Miles, cutting down their speed and finishing the trip at a comfortable meander.

[Sgt.Major Thistlewaite]

Tommy notices something else in the portmanteau, a leather bound book. Picking it up, he opens the cover, and finds a sheet of onionskin paper tucked between the cover and the flyleaf. It is folded in half, and in Edwardian script is written: To Thos. E. Gunn. Tommy unfolds the sheet, and in the same Edwardian script is a note from his Uncle, to wit;

My Dearest Thomas,
Anticipating that not even I could foresee every possible eventuality, Here is a cheque-book and ledger, drawn from a dedicated Swiss account. Do try to keep some sort of account of expenses, would you, and if you find that you are forced to destroy or abandon equipment, please make a note of it, so that the Adjusters can be notified. Good luck and Godspeed, lad!

Yrs.
T.E.T.

"Umphh!" exclaims Tommy. "I guess we are rich Americans!" The pages of the book are divided lengthwise, the upper half comprising the ledger, and the lower a beautiful, ornately embellished cheque, which, notably, nowhere upon it mentions either the Baron or I.F.A. & A.
"Crafty as ever, the old rogue."

[Miles (a sailor)Martin]

OOC sorry for being incommunicado for till now.ISP troubles all fixed now.

Miles looks over the note that Mrs Cross had clipped to the door of his cabin,thought for a few moments, then remembered the box that the Baron had said would be in the port stowage,after dressing in his customary overhauls and deck shoes,he goes back and takes a look, then heads past the galley, stopping for a cuppa and a doughnut "thank you Clarke".
  continuing forward to the bridge hatch,he set the coffee down and finishes the doughnut before opening the hatch,and entering the bridge.catching sight for the first time of the others this morn, he Says with a double take
  " The Hollywood styled Great White Huntress and her Faithfull Hubby with their older chafuer and native guide, Found the box the Baron sent up for me,looked it over after i  saw your notes. i think we have a plan to start off with,looks like ,now to see how far it will get us,'eh".
   checking the position and doing a few calculations ,miles says "well done ,arrivall in a hour or so at this point. seen much sea traffic?, I only saw three last night,and one of those was a Texas Naval Ship".

[The Abiliegh]

She brightened at the chequebook, not being able to help herself. Being a woman, the idea of riches was nearly always a happy one.

Miles walked up looking appropriately dapper, and she checked a couple of the dials to hide a smile before she answered his question. "It's been quiet, but I suspect we're out a good deal further from the coast than most, at the moment. I'm gonna have to swing her in towards Point Noire here shortly, and like you said, we should be lookin for a place to drop anchor within the hour."

She let the boys handled the final steering, and she moved to the telegraph. She reached I.F.A. & A. quickly, let them know their final ETA, asked after the most appropriate of hotels for their cover story, and was pleased to discover that Mr. Bass could be reached there as well. Her next message was simple, and she hoped that it would convey the plan.

Mr. Rafael Bass.
Pointe Noir eta 13:00. Please meet us in the lobby bar. Wish to discuss our safari. Also, please reserve best room for Mr. Gunn and myself.
A. Cross

It was not long before they were hovering a safe distance over the developing coastal city. She saw a partially finished bridge spanning a gorge to the south, and the vast mouth of the Congo river just to the north. It was picturesque in the way all beaches were, but even in the afternoon sun, this city's very skyline whispered of danger lurking.

"Mastercheif, please takes us down. Tommy and I will make our rendevouz with Bass while you get the Areion tucked away how you want 'er. We're going t'need Clark with us for the time bein', to make the proper show. We cannot very well carry our own trunks about! Meet us at Chez Cuivre once you're finished." She practiced putting that rich and entitled aire into her voice. The attempt wasn't perfect, but it got the point across.

Soon, Tommy and Abiliegh found themselves seated at a lavish booth in the hotel bar, enjoying a coctail, with Clark watching over dutifully as they waited for Rafe to arrive.

[Miles (a sailor)Martin]

  Miles gave her a sharp"Right you are M'Lady" and proceeded to do the calculations to adjust for the loss of near a ton of load near instantly, after a couple of moments cranking the Curta Calculator
  ,he shifted stations to the Co pilots chair and opened the panel to expose a patch box panel,trading three pairs of wires while showing the two of them where they came from and are going too, he says" Now that set of switches are active,"pointing" the ones that say Ballast Adjust and Superheat" pulling out a small box and giving it to The Abiliegh he says "Stick this to Clarke and turn it on,it will help me compensate for him moving back and forth aboard as you all are getting ready to disembark. pointing "turn this on when you stick it it to him, it has a small magnet on it,i would have done it earlier but the  gizmo only came with two power packs ,and they  only last two hours. y'al go get ready now ,I'll conn us on in".
           / four hundred words ommited detailing final aproach and landing/
Miles watches them leave between finishing the shutdown on systems,and prep for a quick launch. Then he opens the panel at the pilot's station and activates the anti theft system. removing the keys and turning the Lifters off, "  there you are darling ,noone but us will be flying you out of here, they will have to carry you off, and I didn't see anything here that had more than ten tons of extra lift cap." he goes down to his cabin pulls out his packed seabag ,locks thestowage and goes down to the boarding ramp.
     asking a local in a mix of excretiable french,german and english he gets directions to thehotel that the Abiliegh had told him of.catching a ride in a cab,he carries the bag in and reqest to have it taken up to a room, passing the bellboy a dollar coin he says "two more if you can get the white suit coat and slacks pressed in two hours, son" he asks "Bar?" and is pointed in the correct direction. walking to the door he glances around,noticing Tommy and  Abiliegh seated at a table, he heads to the bar and orders a G&T with extra bitters,upon receving it he turns and surveys the room again,checking to see if either Tommy or Abiliegh  give him the signal to come over.