S6: “Damn Starkers”
Jeff/Dr. Cope was absent
[Professor
Moore’s letters]
25 Sept: “My Dearest Judith, Oh how I miss you. I
hope you and the kids are doing well. I hope my package from the Panama Canal
arrived. I know it’s just a collection of silly items for the kids but the
colorful clothing reminded me of your vibrancy. You will have to model them for
me upon my return. As for the expedition, we’ve ironed out a few kinks during
our sail but should be in order come our 12 October arrival in Australia. We
will layover a few days re-supplying which will give me time to shop for a few
more items for you. Meanwhile, the team members are staying focused on their
classes learning about Arctic survival. And I’ve been plotting out our
expedition schedule with James Starkweather. I’m excited about the potential discoveries
that lay ahead. All my Love, William”
William sealed the letter and put it in the outgoing mail
bag to be dropped off in Melbourne. “No need to worry her.” He then began
composing a more serious ledger to document the real dangers threatening the
cruise and coming exploration:
25 Sept: Thank goodness I can trust this trio of
exploration teammates to manage the sabotage fallout and take inventory of our
food. Their discovery not enough freezer space in the galley means we’ll soon
be eating the pemmican meant for arctic survival. Their actions allow me to focus
on Starkweather who scoffs at the perils we face; insignificant blips in his
eye, “Take care of it.” Capt Vredenburg trying to talk him into turning around
to re-supply back in Panama. But James fanatical in his desire to beat-out Ms.
Lexington and her expedition. “Turn around?! We’ve already lost too much time.
History is to be made and I’ll be damn to let her steal the headlines. I’ve
commissioned you Captain. Do your duty and get us there…yesterday!”
Were it not for the thoughts
of those lost ’31 expedition men, my friends, I’d join in the ship crews’
murmurs, “He’s crazy! Bloody Starkers.”
Meanwhile, I’ve authorized
the trio to investigate as necessary. Wilbur was concerned evidence is fleeting
and wanted to check a potential suspect with known gambling debts (a candidate
for bribery and blackmail). He swung by young Avery Giles’ room under the guise
of purchasing his black-market alcohol, but really to see if he had acid burns
on his fingertips or shoes. One suspect down, leaving Dr. Orendorf the task of
keeping an eye out for anyone seeking medical treatment of acid burns. So far,
nothing.
26 Sept: Wilbur wanted to take a different approach:
ask 1st Officer Turlough “who had key access to the Reefer hold?”
The expected Captain and officers (1st thru 4th), along
with Quartermaster Darren Horst, the chief steward and his help which included cook
Niles Abraham and the mess-boys (Adam Henning and Philip Coates). And the
laundry boys (David Lyle and August Wylie). Wilbur tried to thin the list by
asking “which are 1st timers sailing” which included the QM and both
mess-boys. But Turlough drew the line, “Why just 1st timers? Anyone
could be bribed. And why exclude ALL of your expedition staff?! No, you’ll NOT
be interrogating MY crew. They’re pissed enough at Stark and his ‘curse.’ Don’t
stir the pot anymore.”
The trio thought about
what skill it would take to sabotage. “Give anyone a bottle of sulfuric acid
and they can pour it. But only someone with the mechanical skills would know
WHERE to cause the most damage.” Before long, they considered demolition
experience and a host of other skills. And potential targets, “The planes and
their fuel, the sled dogs, the ship engines.” Even I could hear the paranoia in
their voices and had to shut them down, “Just keep a lookout and ears open. Let
the team settle back into the regular schedule of classes.”
28 Sept: If I didn’t trust Dr. Orendorf, I’d question how he knew the next target. As he suspected…we were drawn from our breakfast table by the yelp and growls coming from below deck. “What’s up with those dogs?”
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A sickening and horrendous visage of them gone mad, frothing and
fangs glistening with fresh blood as they tore into each other. Rabies? Some laying
in their cages howling in pain as they contorted with arched backs spasming
with muscle cramps. Poor Fiskarson having to take Turlough’s gun and put his
own dogs down. Which allowed Oskar access for a preliminary examination, “Food
poisoning. But I need to autopsy to confirm.” Fortune that some of the dogs
were able to be saved.
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After the hold was
cleared, Fiskarson and Wilbur stuck around to investigate. He soon arrived at
the doctor’s lab to do his own chemical analysis. “As I suspected, strychnine.”
I found this white powder sprinkled on top of a couple of bricks of pemmican
that the dogs were fed.” Oskar soon reported to me, “The dog’s actions were classic
signs of strychnine. The muscle cramps. But what is most concerning: there was
enough dosage used to kill humans. Remember, we are about out of freezer meat
and soon to start eating the pemmican ourselves. This has escalated beyond
sabotage!”
Oskar came up with the plan:
go hold to hold inspecting then securing with a lead-seal tag. Deny the saboteur/killer
access. And considering the pemmican poisoning, I decided to make a ship-wide
announcement repeating Oskar’s words, “This has escalated beyond sabotage! Whoever
poisoned the dogs, threatened the entire crew by poisoning the pemmican we were
about to eat. Each of you must keep a watchful eye.” I then let Turlough speak,
“Most disturbing! This is not London or New York. Surrender now for leniency.
Otherwise, Capt Vredenburg WILL act with extreme actions if and when the
saboteur is caught.” Only now did the crew learn the reefer damage was
sabotage. Which only inflamed their opinion of James, “Cursed he is. And now
us. What else is he keeping secret? Damn Starkers.”
As Oskar orchestrated teams
to inspect and secure the holds, Wilbur adjusted the list by considering the
most threatening areas first, “Start with the planes and their petrol. Sounds
like the makings of a bomb right there.” Damn it, I hate it when those guys are
right. Wilbur spotting (extreme) a small package stuffed between the barrels of
petrol. “Holy Shit! Is that a fuse?! I seem to remember our New York dock
manifest check included a missing box of dynamite fuse cord.” Luckily, as he
looked closer with his flashlight, he realized the fuse end wasn’t attached to
any barrel. “Looks like he stored it for future use.”
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That’s when he informed
me. And I decided to get Turlough involved. Soon, he had teams (an officer plus
sailors) scouring the ship, going cabin to cabin. Hours later returning with a
cuffed steward Adam Henning and a suitcase from his cabin. Bottles of
strychnine and sulfuric acid. His protests, “I’m innocent. Someone planted that
and is framing me!” But it didn’t take long for 1st Officer Turlough
to get a confession.
[Adam
Henning’s confession]
“Murderer?! They were
only dogs. I only laced a few bricks with the rat-poison. Just the bricks I fed
them before rushing back to my duties. The crew wasn’t in danger by the poison
nor bomb. I didn’t plan to light the fuse till we were anchored in the
Melbourne harbor. The men could have jumped over the side to safety. I was to
be paid once we reached Australia and the fire-bomb successful.”
Hours later, a sobering Adam
continued, “I know my rights. I want a lawyer. That Dr. Oren, Dr. Cope, and
Sampson got me drunk and coerced an illegal confession. Good cop, bad cop. Yeah, I got a letter
from a red-headed guy I later met. Offered $5,000. Gave me the acid and poison.
Hell, I woulda done it for free. Calling me a killer? What about your precious James?!
HE’S the killer. My brother Doug during the Alps climb. Fell and died on the
first day and Mr. Starkweather didn’t even take time to check if he was alive.
Or time to properly bury. Just left him there as he was in a rush to the top. That
trio has been pulling Mr. Stark’s ass out of the fire. Why? Can’t you see he is
blinded by his own glory-craze. Risking all of your lives.”
[Professor
Moore’s confession]
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12 Oct: “To Whom It May Concern: I called ahead to
my own contacts in Melbourne and arranged for ‘the police’ to take our saboteur
away. Upon docking in Port Phillip, I authorized liberty to Fiskarson and his dog
team with directions where to meet up with ‘the police’. God help Henning because
the Norwegians will have no mercy! ‘Just dogs. Indeed.’ ”
[Professor
Moore’s letters]
12 Oct: The trio has already enlisted competent
teams to handle the various sabotaged items. Laroche is coordinating repair of
the radios while Wilbur and the Film crew are changing out the photo chemicals.
Oskar and Sykes took the oxygen bottles ashore to be refilled. Dr. Cope and Quartermaster
Horst are inventorying the food re-supply. If all goes per schedule, we should
be sailing on the 17th. Despite the whining of Mr. Starkweather
concerned Acacia is getting too far ahead.
Oskar brought up a good point. Whoever the redhead, he seems bend on denying ANYONE from reaching Antarctica. Does that mean Ms. Lexington’s expedition is also being targeted? The SS Tallahassee docked at another port but that doesn’t mean we can’t call their harbormaster. Find out if they are onloading more supplies than previously coordinated. Find out if there are any rumors of them too dealing with a saboteur.
Next episode: https://rigglebmm.blogspot.com/2020/10/s7-cowboys-and-enguns.html
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