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Agreed! I love playing with Tracy and her interesting characters, but I very much understand needing to avoid the anxiety triggers. I'm happy to try something new or to continue in SW with new characters/settings. Thanks again for running these games, Dave!
I'd like to think that Simon spends the rest of the trip trying to get Vada to go out with him and failing spectacularly.
Simon's self-satisfied grin slips a little as stares down at the fairy at his feet. Poking gently at the body with his rapier, he frowns in confusion and looks up, glancing from Pembleton to Eileen: "What...? What the bloody hell is going on?! Is that the ring from that ruddy museum? What?!"
Simon is entirely crestfallen when the automaton crumples into scrap: "Dammit old man - will you stop stealing my kills!" He takes a deep breath, preparing to charge forward to take on Pimsoil, but is brought up short by Eileen's sudden appearance and violent attack. He wavers then, feeling a bit like he's lost his purpose, when he hears the challenge from the fairy. Suddenly perking up, Simon whirls about to see... A fairy? Where did that come from? Grinning again, Simon shouts: "Don't mind if I do!"
Used to people falling or running after a couple of attacks, Simon, frustrated, roars: "JUST DIE ALREADY, YOU TIT"
Simon grins maniacally, shouting his actions: "PARRY! THRUST! FEINT! GUN!!"
Simon's eyes gleam and his mouth widens into an enormous grin: "Haha! Finally! Come along, tin man - let's see what you can do!"
As the doors open, Simon charges straight in ...!
While someone checks to see if the door is unlocked, Simon will draw pistol and rapier - double check that the pistol is properly loaded - and then lower his shoulder: "Right, I'll lead the charge, then."
"That's a good lad! We'll just head up to speak with Captain Vadasseri - keep a careful eye on him and send someone to fetch us, yes?" ****** Beaming at the captain, Simon stammers: "Well, we've.. er that is, Miss Eileen here, mostly. That is, we all contrib..." *ahem* I'll start again - it seems the pirate captain, that rather large brute, was a ... a savant, I suppose. At any rate, she hated Parkes, and was willing to bring the ship down to show him up. But, as it turns out, she changed her mind." Simons brow furrows: "Now, Pimsoil, there's the real culprit. Man pretends to be a fool but he's really part of some Nighttime Council and they actually did plant a bomb. Probably. At any rate, I've got your man out looking for him, so we'll know soon enough."
"Alright, let's head upstairs and inform Vada - perhaps we'll get lucky and run into Pimsoil on the way." Jabbing a large finger into the crewman's chest "You, boy - send someone to check the engine room again. Pimsoil might have made his way down there. Well? Don't just stand there - go!"
Glancing over his shoulder at what Eileen has found: "Of all the... that little weasel! The last I saw of Pimsoil was near the passenger cabins, but that was just before the battle - he could be anywhere by now..." Frowning at the crewman (and Lottie's casual remark), Simon pulls some large bills from his pocket: "Here you go, boy. For, uh, the door. Now, I don't suppose you know where to find Master Pimsoil, do you? Perhaps you and your companions would be willing to help us out? For some small compensation, perhaps..." Simon places a 20 in the lad's hand, riffles some more money deliberately, before putting it back in his pocket.
Gazing about the room with narrowed eyes, Simon murmurs politely to Lottie: "Yes, be a dear, would you?" Settling on the chest at the foot of the bed, cracking his knuckles and looking for something heavy, Simon looks slightly relieved as Eileen slips into the room: "Ah, hello child. I was just about to... Do you really think that's best? Oh, you seem to know what... I'll just stand over here then, shall I?" Moving to stand awkwardly in the doorway, Simon will interject 'helpful' comments into Lottie's conversation about how Pimsoil is a 'friend' and they're trying 'to bloody well save everyone's bloody lives!'
Jiggling the handle, annoyed, Simon begins throwing his weight against the door as he speaks: "Mrs Wandsworth, perhaps you *mmph* "could see about finding *rrggmm* "someone with a key?" *HAHH*
"Nevermind - that will just take too long. Let's see what the man is hiding, yes?"
Simon will pound heavily on Pimsoil's door, then immediately try to open it.
Simon will peel off a member of the staff at random: "Oy! Where do we find Pimsoil? Where's his cabin?"
Simon cuffs Parkes in the ear: "I'll tell you something my brother's forever telling me - lose some of your damned (apologies, ladies) pride before it gets you killed! Haven't you been listening to Sir Pembleton? Just because the bomb wasn't there before doesn't mean it isn't there now." Turning to the older savant: "I suppose we might have a bit of time...? Setting a bomb off over the Mediterranean where there's nobody to see it won't be as dramatic as an explosion at the docks in Istanbul"
Putting a brick-like hand, none-too-gently, on Parkes's shoulder, Simon asks: "Well, how about it? What would be the most humiliating defeat for you?"
Pointing a warning finger at the prisoner, Simon turns to listen to Eileen: "Frankly, any information is more than the conjectures I have. We've been through enough that I think we all trust one another - so, let's hear it."
Simon's scowl lessens as the old soldier comes into view: "It's good to see you Sir Pembleton; I trust Mistress Eileen is faring better then we left her? And no, no news of any particular import. It seems Parkes here had a rivalry with that woman, Sparks was it? I gather she was the more brilliant, but he the better connected." "Oh, and a small point that I haven't yet had a chance to relay - Sir Pimsoil has hanging suspiciously about in the engine room when I was down there earlier - he was talking to some boy who ran off before I could interrogate him. It's a bit hard to believe that twit would be involved, but I'm running out of ideas. Parkes here says he was pressured by the Secretary of State to invite Eustace aboard." "At any rate, I was on my way to speak with those pirates."
"Pah! What does the Secretary of State have to do with Eustace!? " Looking down at Lottie, Simon shakes his head: "I never thought I'd say this, but I wish my brother were here - he's the one with a head for politics. This all seems ridiculous to me - if you want to hurt someone, then you stab them. You don't hide a bomb on that will kill hundreds of people and then send a note saying 'haha! now you'll regret that one time when you laughed at me.'" "Let's go find those pirates and see if they have anything interesting to say."
"Eustace?! He's an idiot! Tottering fool has some bloody connections though, I'll give him that." Simon smiles wryly: "Some might say that description fits yourself..." Sighing and scrubbing a hand over his eyes, Simon growls: "I don't have time to do all the work myself - THINK! He has connections; you have connections - who is connected and wants you dead?! I'm not saying Pimsoil is involved (though he was acting suspiciously), but someone is!"
Bending to retrieve Parkes's dropped pistol, Simon will inspect it absent-mindedly as he both berates the savant and plies him with questions. "We were a mite too busy shooting at each other to ask many questions. We'll speak with some of her followers shortly; however, it doesn't make much sense to plant a bomb and then attempt to capture the ship. That means that either the bomb is a hoax, or you have more than one enemy attempting sabotage - I strongly suspect that latter. What can you tell us, for example, about Sir Pimsoil?"
Simon rolls his eyes expansively: "For heaven's sake, man. That woman - turning to Lottie, "what was her name again? Sparks? Glass?..." Returning his glare to Parkes: "She's been neutralized - no thanks to you. Now, perhaps you ought to lower that weapon and tell us what you know? Who is she and why does she hate you so much? And what do you know about this note about the bomb?"
"YOU BLOODY FOOL! SHE'S NOT HERE .... you know what - DAMN YOUR HIDE!" Simon will politely hand his rapier to Lottie for safe-keeping, and then slam his shoulder into the door:
"Good plan, Sir Ian. Come along, Mrs. Wandsworth, let's see if we can find Parkes first - I suspect we'll need Vadasseri's permission to speak to the captain, and I don't think she's too happy with us at the moment."
Glaring at the pirate, Simon bursts out: "You just watched her change - of course, it's the same bloody woman!" He takes a woozy half-step backwards before recovering.
Sighing before levering himself to his feet: "I like you, Vadasseri, but we've been entrusted with the security of this ship. Lock up your captain if you wish, but our destination must be Constantinople."
Scrambling to his feet in time to see Pembleton's incredible shot, Simon gapes in momentary awe, fighting down his envy. Spotting Eileen scours these thoughts from his mind, however, and he rushes to her side. Producing a clean cotton handkerchief, he presses it to her wound, murmuring: "Alright, child - you'll be fine. Not to worry. I don't know what you were thinking, charging in like that - you are very brave..." and, taking a shuddering breath as the adrenaline of battle starts to ebb, Simon pulls out his flask, takes a swig, and hands it to Eileen: "or just stupid. Either way - well done."
Simon remains at the top of the stairs, casually firing off another two rounds at the Grey Woman before holstering one pistol and drawing his rapier.
"Pick up your weapons, miscreants, or I'll drub you all when I'm finished with this troll."
Simon sneers at this woman's vulgarity, extends both arms, and fires.
Simon casually reloads both pistols before moving to block the head of the stairs to await Eileen's signal.
Staggering up to Eileen, Simon gasps out: "Sounds like that coward of a captain has given up before the fight even got interesting. Let's see if we can draw their attention this way."
Simon shakes his head, rubs a hand over his chest where the bullet penetrated his protective clothing ("Damn, now I'll have to buy a new suit"), and staggers in the direction of the large woman with the maul.
Holstering one pistol in favour of his rapier , Simon grins: "Begging your pardon, madame, but there appear to only be six of you..."
A quick glance over his shoulder to see if Pembleton is watching, before grinning and squeezing off a series of shots.
Weapons loaded and ready, Simon moves to where he can get the best (and closest) view of the ornithopters, and will being to fire when they are in range.
Simon flickers through a mess of emotions that he quickly clamps down. Generously, but with internal glee: "Nonsense, my good man! Your days as a sniper are legendary - I'm sure you'll put me to shame." Nevertheless, Simon is awed and humbled when the old soldier offers his pistol. But, at the mention of Vada, his skepticism returns: "Really?! I thought she seemed a decent sort. Perhaps a bit hotheaded, but..." Shrugging self-consciously, Simon checks both pistols are loaded and functioning smoothly.
Simon grins fiendishly and bounces on the tips of his boots in anticipation: "I look forward to seeing your shooting in the flesh, as it were."
"Hmm? Oh, ah yes, I see. Thank you, Miss Eileen."
Finding the old man there, Simon draws his pistol and frowns: "What are you thinking? Pirates? Saboteurs?" Simon's pistol doesn't have the range of the rail gun, but he'll start shooting when they're at max range (48, which is medium range for Bessie).
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