Jammers:Turn 45, Chapter 5 Summary

The Ongoing adventures of my Spelljammer PBEM game.

Comments, questions always welcome:)

I sent this last week, but it had the wrong turn number. Here it is with
the correct number:)

----------- = Meanwhile, elsewhere...
*********** = Later...

IC:
<On Iceberg>

"Rrr, our group already small, so we don't split to scout levels," Grigree
replies. "From sound of it, we need to attck, from two directions if
possible. Maybe scouts start for surprise from one direction, then we come
in from the other." He pauses for a second in thought. "Grr, it'll be a
slaughter."

Holland frowns, "You didn't see Milken, the witch or the mindbender?"
Holland pauses and says, "We could go in there and neutralize them, they are
not the primary targets but it might be good to take them out of the
equation."

Billy shakes his head. "Sorry, Holland. None of the key players were
present."

Holland says, "Billy, from the maps there is a side passage leading to a
small alcove on that level. If you could open a portal to there, we could
move through it and not be detected by the waiting pirates. They are
watching the two entrances, not the side passage."

Billy scratches his chin. "Hmmm... I can't pop blind."

Holland replies, "You didn't check the alcove?"

"Hif Milken his not hin the main group, hisn't hit likely that he his behind
them, hin the halcove?" Deigatt asks. "Hit would be a cowardly position, but
he his no minotaur."

Holland frowns and is quiet for a second before replying, "I don't think so.
He wouldn't trap himself like that, he will be somewhere that he has at
least one escape route. I imagine that he is on a lower level."

"Rrr, or playing 'invisible scout' too," Grigree adds. "We not the only ones
smart enough for that trick."

"Druasnon did say that there may be hother tunnels hand hidden passages that
he did not know the location hof," Deigatt says. "His map only tells hus
what he remembers. I think hit would be a better idea for me to cast my web
from the front while Billy transports three hothers to the back. The frontal
hattack will distract the pirates long enough for those going through the
door to recover from their malaise, hand a rear hattack will create more
confusion for hour foes, provided Milken his not back there to hinterfere."

Holland taps his chin for a few seconds and then says to Deigatt, "Take Ives
with you. Give the scouts a little head start and then the two of you go.
Once you leave you and I will count to 100, as so 'one-one hundred, two-one
hundred'. Once you reach 100, move into sight of the pirates and cast your
web. Billy will open his portal at the same time."

"And just to be sure: where will I be poping us to?" asks Billy.

Holland says, "Open it as far down the side passage, towards the alcove,
that you possibly can. Face the door towards where the pirates will be."

"One hof the scouts should go down the tunnel before Ives hand I," Deigatt
says. "Kain, I think. He can warn hus hif there his hany movement from the
pirates. We could profit further by some diversion hat the mouth hof the
cave below, some small hactivity to draw their hattention hand keep them
guessing around the count of 50 or so. We would be foolish to hexpect them
just to stand there waiting to be hattacked." Deigatt continues, "Talus
should go with Billy to the rear hof the cavern, hand he should haviod
combat so that he remains hinvisible. Nilaroo hand Hallagan should go has
well, leaving Holland, Grigree, Raken, hand Dhebun to come haround by the
cavern entrance."

Holland shakes his head, "Deigatt, you are confusing me and making things
too complicated. Simplicity is the key, we always try to make things too
complex. The pirates have been waiting this long, they will wait a little
longer. No need to alert them to our presence early and spoil the benefit of
surprise."

Holland summarizes, "Kain and Talus will move out first to get into position
to watch the pirates and the exits. Deigatt and Ives will move out second
and take up a close position out of the line of sight of the pirates. At
100, Deigatt will move into the line of sight and cast his Web. At the same
time Billy will open a portal as far as he is able down the passageway
towards the alcove and the rest of us will move through," Holland pauses and
then says flatly, "That is the plan."

--------------------
<Back on the ship>

Freneth continues keeping watch, though it is obvious by the way his eyes
continue to return to Iceberg that he is having trouble keeping his mind on
his watch.

Italapate wanders over to the speaker tube. "Good job, Vais... good. Hold
'er steady... steady." He leans against the railing next to the tube and
watches Iceberg.

Down below...

Ferric's face changes from a look of surprise to one of scared realization
"Take it easy there." He says licking his lips nervously and slowly putting
his hands up into the air. Suddenly Ferric twists his upraised arms slightly
and daggers pop into each hand. In a simultaneous overhand throw he sends
one at each of the armed figures before him and begins moving to throw off
the pistol shot. The lone warrior shouts, "MIL-!" but his shout is lost in
the sound of the pistol shot echoing through the ship.

Ferric's dagger throws both go wide, sinking into the wall behind them as
Jax and Milken surge forward. Milken's shot is better aimed, and srikes
Ferric's arm. Jax stabs with his shortsword, but Ferric dodges the blow.

Ferric jerks to the side as the bullet grazes his arms sending a trickle of
blood flowing down his shirtsleeve. Gritting his teeth Ferric smiles,
"Right, I'll take the cost of this shirt from your hide you pig-eyed pirate
scum."

Jax snarls, "Let's see how golden your blood really is. You want a duel? I
challenge you to the death. No quarter given, no mercy. If one goes down, he
gets to bleed out on the floor."

Above decks, hearing "MIL-!" and the gun shot, Italapate looks up from his
lines and shouts "Spirits! We've been flanked!"

Leera dashes to the speaker tube, and shouts down to Vais "Vais, we've been
boarded! Baricade the door to the helmroom! Let no one in!!!!"

Vais replies at once, "Understood!"

Seguld is at the mid-ship ballista reloading the large weapon, He calls out,
"Boarders!" Seguld draws his rifle and hits the deck aiming towards the
hatch.

Druasnon looks startled, but he grabs a belaying pin and looks about
quickly.

********************
<On Iceberg>

Talus's voice emerges from the air, "Alright then, Kain where are you?" Once
the two invisible scouts have found each other, they head back the way they
came.

"Here, beside you," is Kain's quiet reply as he reaches out and blindly
tries to find Talus again. "Okay, let's.. ahhh.. get going," Kain adds once
he locates Talus, "and I'll take the count up. When I get to one hundred
I'll squeeze your shoulder twice quickly." Kain follows alongside Talus,
trying to stay as quiet as possible.

Once in the main cavern (and seeing that the pirates are still where they
were left), Talus and Kain stop just past the tunnel, and move along the
cavern wall slightly.

After they leave, Holland says, "Ready Deigatt? Go, one-one hundred, two-one
hundred, three.." Holland's voice lowers as he continues to count.

Deigatt nods at Ives, then heads back into the cave, counting silently under
his breath.

Moving with Deigatt, Ives carefully places his steps and fingering his
pistol holds it ready to fire.

Holland says, "Allagan, Dhebun, once we go through the portal and move to
the pirates, keep an eye on our rear, just in case there is someone back in
the far alcove, we don't want them sneaking up on us."

Allagan continues to watch the two entrances until it is time to go. Allagan
holds his spear upward as he enters the portal.

Raken waits patiently with the others, watching every direction he can. As
the party gets ready for the attack, Raken quietly mutters "Celestian, Bless
these men so they might fight in your honor", granting Celestian's blessing
upon everyone he can.

At 95-count Holland says, "Get ready Billy." At 100-count Holland says,
"Okay Billy, now!"

--------------------
<Back on the ship>

Freneth's head jerks toward the sound of the commotion below, his hand
instinctively grabbing a javelin from his quiver.

Leera looks down, shrugs, and shimmers slightly as her appearance changes to
that of a scruffy human male, black-haired and bronze-skinned, dressed in
worn, dirty breeches and shirt.

Druasnon says to Leera, "Nice work! and heads to the aft ballista.

Jax shoves his sword at Ferric, but the grey-skinned swashbuckler manages to
dodge the attack, as well as Milken's more skillful thrust.

Ferric, eyes alight and a fearsome smile on his face, draws his two rapiers.
He forced back as he dodges their blows so that his back is no to the
helmroom door.

Italapate looks about quickly then he rushes to head below. He meets Seguld
at the stern hatch.

Seguld whispers, "IGotYerBack." and quickly moves to the opposite side of
the hatch and looks over the edge with his arquebus ready.

Italapate and Seguld can see the backs of two men, one of whom is obviously
Jax, fighting with someone in the passageway below. They can't see Ferric.

Date/Time: 1:27 am 11th day of the 7th Month, 5049 OC

Paul Westermeyer,  westermeyer.3@???.edu
Phd Candidate, History, Ohio State University
Instructor, Humanities, Columbus State Community College