Earth Victoriana: On Track

[Exaccus]

Ulysses remained quiet for the moment, sort of unsure how they'd managed to get across the majority of a continent and to deli before simply brushing it off as "magic" as relating to his experiences in Australia only a short while ago. taking a moment to enjoy the humorous exchange between the captain and the red lady before interjecting "I might be able to help you there, Sir, Madam." as he helps bob to lay down before getting up.

 

"these bombs...what sets them off?" he enquires curiously, figuring that he might as well indulge the arcane urging he feels whilst it serves the purpose of getting bob the attention he needs as soon as possible. taking the time to idly brush the dust from his shoulders and shirt-front.

[Supercape]

GM

 

"Well thats just the thing sir" said Singh, turning his attention to Ulysses with a politeness diminished. 

 

It was all in the accent, it seemed. 

 

"We don't rightly know. That's why they got me up here to supervise. Bomb Disposal Expert, Royal Sappers, 1st Class" he said proudly, before deflating. "But whoever is making these is a genius! I have know idea what sets them off. Perhaps they are different every time - a sound, a tick of a clock, even the smell of a flower for all I know. Our little track bomber seems to know every trick in the book, and if I may be so bold as to speculate, changes his modus operandi every time. To my vexation, Sir, I cannot stop him. And we lose track, time, and men each time. To be honest, if this continues, the whole line may be called off" he shook his head sadly. 

[Exaccus]

"I see...some trial and error is required...."  Ulysses mutters to himself and after turning the problem over in his head settled on a somewhat simplistic solution to the complex problem, He was unwilling to let bob die just to keep his identity a secret and if the explosion that brought him here was any indication he could withstand the blasts with little more than a unpleasent stinging sensation to complain about.

 

turning to address the lady in red he smiles merrily "well, I was trying to be a touch more subtle about it...but then again..Subtly is not what steamers are known for." he chortles before taking off at top speed down the direction of the unfinished tracks, trailing dust in his wake as he raced through the rugged terrain, eyes darting left and right as he went, looking for any untriggered explosives as he went.

 

His stepping on one without noticing would be something he'd laugh about later, as its thunderous detonation knocked him off balance but hopping into triggering distance of a second, it seemed these were slightly more powerful...or less diluted by wibbly wobbly magicstuff as they knocked him momentarily senseless and make his shoulders ache viciously and singe his already dirty shirt taking a slightly more cautious approach as he ran along and keeping a slightly closer look out as he went.

 

managing to find a bomb before detonating it he takes a moment to catch is breath and wipe his brow before stamping the ground to denote a safe distance and heading back towards the captain. "managed to spot one before I could set it off; third time lucky I guess. if you'd be so kind as to prepare a wagon I'd be happy to rickshaw you over on the way to taking bob t' hospital."

[Thevshi]

"No, no, not my servant, just a gentleman that, like me, happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time."  Dee replied quickly as Singh called Bob her manservant, which was met with understandable indignation by the restaurant owner.  Her mind meanwhile, was racing, considering the information Singh had provided regarding the nearest hospitals, and the dangers that were likely lying in wait towards the closest.  She added in the information regarding the problems with this mystery bomber when the other man who had been transported here questioned Singh about them.

 

But before she could comment on the man's suggestion of trial and error in looking for any of the bombs, he was off, moving as fast as a car at top speed, if not a bit faster.  This had the young Englishwoman's eyes narrow a moment in thought as she considered the fact that two out of the three that had been transported here (or at least it seemed like it was only two of the three) were Powers.  While it could merely be coincidence, she had a nagging feeling that it was not.

 

While Ulysses was away, Dee turned to the task of getting a stretcher put together for Bob, directing some of the workers, in Hindi, in helping her with the task.  She removed her mask, the heat making it rather uncomfortable, and given what she now suspected, she rather doubted she had to worry about her identity here.

 

She glanced off in the direction Ulysses had gone when there was the sound of distant explosions, somewhat worried about the older man, but knew there was little she could do for the moment.  While they waited for his return, she looked over to Singh.  "So Captain, I know this may seem like an odd question, but what year is it?"

[Supercape]

GM

 

Captain Singh raised his dark eyebrows at the question "Why Ma'am, what a peculiar question, leastways for an educated lady like yourself. Perhaps the midday Indian sun has affected your feminine constitution?" he asked politely, waving an ineffectual handkerchief over her face to effect a minute breeze. It was hot - at least in that regard he was not mistaken. 

 

"It is the year 2014, ma'am. Another glorious year of the British Empire, and King Charles, God bless him!" he said, saluting by reflex. 

 

As Ulysses came roaring back, Singh had a chance to twirl his moustache again and display his wonder at the man-train. 

 

"By the many arms of  Vishnu! I have never seen a man so fast! Its like you have a steam engine in those legs of yours, sir! Why, I know this world is full of marvels, but mainly for the likes of those in London, or Delhi. Bless my soul if I haven't seen a miracle!"

 

As he heard about the booms and the bomb, he thought for a moment. "Why then sir, you have done a service to King and Country, bless you! I'll make my way to that bomb and see what I can deduce from plucking it! Dangerous job, but for the Empire!" he said proudly. 

 

"Now, you still need to get your man to a hospital - which way will it be?"

[Thevshi]

Dee's jaw clinched slightly at Singh's comment about her "feminine constitution," keeping her from making a quick retort.  With Bob badly injured and needing medical help, the last thing she needed to do was anger someone that was willing to help them right now and knew where they needed to go.  Instead she focused on his answer to her question, the year and other information confirming they had not somehow slipped back in time, but to somewhere else entirely, even if this place seemed rather anachronistic. 

 

The Englishwoman then turned her attention to Ulysses when he returned, noting the steam that the man seemed to be creating in his wake, much like a steam engine.  He certainly seemed to be better off than Bob was, despite having apparently been caught in two full on explosions, but he was still slightly injured, a sure sign that they were dealing with some powerful explosives. 

 

When Singh brought up the issue of which way she wanted to go to get Bob to the hospital, Dee pointed in the direction Ulysses had gone.  "The shortest trip."  She stated.  "At least some of the hazards should be clear now, and I would like to get a look at this unexploded bomb along the way as well."

[Supercape]

GM

 

"The shortest, distance wise...." he said pointing in a south westerly direction. "Towards Khamha. A small town, small hospital. Make sure the sheets are clean, though" he said. 

 

"The bomb is on the way...we have the rail track sort of plotted out, against all the odds from sabotage. They can blow up the rail track, but they can change the scenery" he explained. And he was right - the scenery, rolling green hills and background mountains looked very impressive. 

 

Some of the Labourers had erected a servicible stretcher, from cotton and wooden rail track. It looked pretty sturdy, and would more than do in a pinch. 

 

"This is what I call luxury!" said Bob, wincing in pain and pale of face, movement causing a slow leakage of blood. "If only I knew you had to get a penetrating abdominal injury to be carried around, I would do it every day!" he quipped, his sardonic humour keeping his morale up - although deep down he looked scared. 

[Thevshi]

Dee had to admit that Singh was correct about the view, although between the heat and the worry about Bob's injury, she was somewhat distracted from appreciating it fully.  Once again she was wishing one of her other teammates was where with her.  Young Britannia could have gotten Bob to the hospital they were now traveling toward, or even a more distant better one, in the blink of an eye. 

 

As they went, the Englishwoman kept an eye out for the explosive Ulysses had found.  The readings Rost had from the incidents in Dover had indicated that a bridge was being formed between this dimension and her own.  Dee wanted to see if the bombs provided some answer to the how and why the bridge that had clearly brought her and other two over was formed.

 

When the group reached the spot, Dee motioned for the workers to take Bob over to some shade well away from the bomb.  She then glanced at Singh and Ulysses.  "Alright, let's have a look at this shall we?"

 

Approaching the bomb carefully, Dee studied if from a short distance before moving closer to get a better look.  The young woman had been expecting some sort of complicated electronic device, but instead, like so much else she had encountered thus far, found something that looked like a throwback to the late Nineteenth Century.  The device was finely made, to be sure, but made of copper tubes, brass gears and springs, complete with simple sticks of dynamite, as opposed to Semtex, C-4 or some other plastic explosive.

 

After a few moments of studying the device, Dee pulled out a multitool from a belt pouch.  "Well Captain, whomever made this was quite the craftsmen, that is true, even if he is working with dated materials.  But, I am pretty certain I can sort it."

 

She set to work, several minutes dragging by as she carefully cut or removed select wires and springs.  Eventually, Dee carefully removed the sticks of dynamite, handing them carefully to Singh to move elsewhere, then she removed the blasting caps that had been inserted in the dynamite as well.  When she was done, she wiped some sweat from her forehead and face, holding the detonation device up to Singh.  "Well, here you are, you can study it to your heart's content now so you might be able to get an idea how to deal with these things."

[Supercape]

GM

 

As Dee beavered away on the bomb, the heat began to hang more heavily in the air. It was a humid heat too, a heat that seemed to stick to the skin and linher, even as sweat determined to wash it away. Wiping brows was met with water in copious supplied from the labourers and SIngh, although there was only so much water. 

 

"We need it for the trek back ma'am...plenty to go around, we always put plenty on the cart, what with working in this heat, but we can't hand too much out, got to save some for the journey back, what with carrying a wounded man, you see. Pardoning your female persuasion, ma'am" he said, bowing politely and wiping his own brow. 

 

One defused bomb later...

 

"Well bless my garters!" said SIngh, not quite believing Dee's work and prodding it cautiously with his baton. "If that isn't the queerest thing I have seen in all my years. A lady of the realm, a female lady of the womanly sort, undoing a bomb like that! the Royal Sappers will never hear the end of it, if I'm not Captain Singh of the Royal Sappers! Next thing you know, they will be having womenfolk in the army, her her!" he chortled, although he was clearly pleased with Dee's work. 

[Supercape]

GM

 

A few hours later, in Khama town

 

The small indian town was two hours trek away, and it was thirsty, hot work travelling through the roaring Indian sun at midday. There was water, and tasty Indian cuisine loaded up in the work cart the labourers and Singh used, but still, carrying a stretcher was hard work. It was with much relief the men, and Dee, arrived at Khama, to be greeted by concerned locals, cool water, and shade. 

 

WIth the locals helping, and utilising one of the towns steam powered horseless chariots, Bob was carted off to the Khama Infirmary. It was not, by Freedom City standards, clean or clinical, but it was hardly a worm infested hole either. 

 

"Abdominal wound, shrapnel in the stomach" pronounced Doctor Chandra, a tall and officious man who was chief physician of the hospital. Grey hair, grey beard, thick spectacles and a twitch in his left eye which seemed to get worse when talking to people. When it came to operating, his hands, and eye, were as steady as rock, his mind lost in the total focus of his art. 

 

"We will have that out in a jiffy!" he said, patting Bob. His accent seemed to wander between provincial Indian and Etonian English in every sentence. 

 

Captain Singh presided over the transfer, and stayed with Dee and Ulysses. 

 

"Well, hopefully he will be out of surgery in a few hours, with a spiffing scar and a story to tell!" he told the pair. "Truth is, we have had worse, far worse, injuries trying to build the damn track, and getting blown up with it. Its hell doing it, but damn it, that track must be built!" he said, slamming fist into palm as a mark of his patriotism to the empire. 

[Thevshi]

The trek to the nearest town had not been too long, but it had been very hot and tiring. Dee was reminded of the time she had spent in Africa not long ago, but at least then she had had clothes that were more suited for the weather. The costume Young Britannia had helped come up with was too tight and covered to be very comfortable in such weather. Dee had unzipped the front some, about as far down as she dared without it becoming completely unmodest, but that had only slightly helped.

The young Englishwoman was relieved when the Indian doctor came and took charge of Bob, appearing to have a good handle on the situation. That allowed Dee to focus on other issues, like how she was going to get them all back to where the belonged. But the answer to that seemed somehow connected to this railroad and the attempts to sabotage the work.

Fanning herself slightly as she focused back on Singh as he talked again about the troubles with getting the rail completed, considering the issues they were having. His reaction to her disarming that bomb had once again confirmed how different this world was (she had not mentioned that where she was from, women were allowed in the army).

"So tell me Captain, what does this line you are working on connect? And who might not want to see it completed?"

[Supercape]

GM

"The great Indian continental line? Why, ma'm I thought the whole empire knew of it! A high speed rail line across the great colony of India, the fastest in the world, and the pride of our country...that is, if we can build the damn thing! The track is double width, to allow for wide carriage. And designed for high speeds, with engines developed by the royal society for metaphysical engineering!" Every word oozed pride, and not without reason. India, in this dimension, had votes in the British parliament and was reaping some of its finest dividends.

"As for who would blow it up? Well, the obvious target is the Thugee cult...Indian nationalists, half cult fanatics, half mafia crime gang, half genuine political movement. Yes, I know that makes one and a half, but the Thuggee deserve it. Their garb is fear, and they wear it well. Aside from their knives and garrottes, all sorts of mystic mambo jumbo surrounds them..."

"We could certainly ask around town. But I warn you, this is dangerous ground, with places not becoming a lady of your constitution, ma'am!" He finished, quite unaware of Synapses great power.

[Thevshi]

"Thugee, of course."  Dee muttered quietly as Captain Singh explained about the rail line they were trying to build and his theory on who could be behind the sabotage attempts.  Then he added another of his patronizing comments about her "delicate nature," and this time Dee felt her irritation getting the better of her.

 

"Well Captain, I am sure most of your Empire has heard of this wonderful line, but we most assuredly have not.  As I mentioned when we first appeared, before that explosion, we had all be in Dover, but there is more to it than just that."  The young Englishwoman began.  "I was helping to investigate what had seemed to be an explosion in the channel tunnel, and we picked up some very unusual readings, ones that suggested the explosion, and another that followed it, were somehow forming a bridge, passing from here, your world, to Dover, over in our world," she indicated Ulysses and herself.  "Then there was a third explosion, that brought us and the other gentleman over into your world."

 

"I know it may seem hard to believe Captain, but we are from another dimension, similar, but with a number of differences.  For one, there is no longer British Empire where we are from, and India gained its independence in 1947.  The American Colonies gained independence almost two hundred and forty years ago."

 

"If I am to have any hope of figuring out a way to get myself and these other two gentlemen home to where we belong, I am going to have to follow up on the one lead I have in that regard, the attempted sabotage of your great continental line.  So it appears as if we have some common interest.  And as an aside, while a majority of the women here might be shrinking violets or delicate china dolls, though I rather doubt that, were I am from we are, to continue with a theme, more independent, so while I suspect you somehow mean well, I personally find your comments about my delicate  constitution or fragile nature insulting."

 

"So, if we understand each other better now, we should get on with what we need to do.  Although, it might be better I were to get a change of clothes, as I rather suspect that parading around like this," Dee indicated her costume, "would sorely stand out.  I suspect it might be wishful thinking to hope there might be jeans or the like here?"

[Supercape]

GM

 

"Goodness! What talk!" said Singh, straightening up. "Alternative dimensions? whoever heard of such a thing!" he said, eyes wide, and moustache bristling. "Why, it goes against all laws of nature, ma'am! Its the kind of poppycock Professor Wells is always blathering on about to the Royal Institute of Metaphysical Engineering! American Independence? Why on earth would they want such a thing? Only those damn Texan's wanted out, with their shooting and gambling, and good riddance to them!" he blurted, aghast at the mere thought that a colony would want to depart from the glorious British Empire. 

 

"It must be the heat, ma'am! Or maybe malaria? you need to sit down, and have a tonic!" he said, kindly, pulling a chair up for her and snapping his fingers at an aide, who whisked up a gin and tonic from a hip flask. 

 

"Quite understandable ma'am, after all, the shock of the explosion and everything. A shock to your ichors, I dare say. Quite a thing, for such a beautiful and elegant young lady as yourself, if you pardon my impertinence, ma'am.." he said, doffing his helmet and politely bowing. 

 

"And please forgive any insult or grievance, ma'am. It would not do to unsettle your hydraulic equilibrium further!"

[Thevshi]

Dee's patience had been wearing thin ever since they had first arrived here, and now she was done with Captain Singh's narrow view of the world. "You might find it unbelievable, but it is true." She stated with a steely voice as she batted away the offered tonic. "I am perfectly fine, if a bit overheated, but none of that is effecting anything I am saying."

Reaching down to the belt of her costume, Dee pulled out her smartphone, holding it up for Singh to see. "Ever seen a device like this? It is called a smartphone. Where I am from, there are relay towers scattered all over the globe that allow anyone with one of these to call pretty much anywhere on the planet. But that is not all they can do, this also happens to include a camera." She stated, indicating the small camera lens on the back of the phone as she pulled up the camera app and held the smartphone up to take Singh's picture. She then turned it around and pulled up the picture she had just taken. "Ever seen, or even heard of anything that can do that?"

[Exaccus]

Ulysses  up until this point had remained in quiet contemplation and reflection, the voice that resounded in his mind was troubling enough, though to hear the captain bellow "It must be built" had made him feel there might be more to it than he'd first assumed.

 

he was shocked out of his stupor when Synapse produced her Smart phone, jumping a little himself as his mind, with its limited understanding of such things, reeled from the possibility of space time spaghetti knots occurring; though after a few moments of banter and the universe not ending he relaxes a little.

 

"So what does this cult gain from the railway not being completed...or is it a spiritual cult thing?"  he asks, trying to diffuse the mounting tension a little "might be one hand doesn't know what the other is doing so they can claim plausible deniability and render some channels of inquiry useless; If they're sects are separate enough."

Edited October 9, 2014 by Exaccus

[Supercape]

GM

 

"A smart phone, you say? Why, if I dare profess a contrary opinion, it does not appear smart. Where is the whistle? Where is the steam vent? Why, it does not even tick! What does it run on? Electricity! haha!" he said, chortling at the apparent ludicrous nature of the proposal. 

 

As Ulysses spoke up he gave a little bow to Synapse and redirected his attention to the man, puffing his chest up. 

 

"Well, I dare say it's some insane primitive notion of India for Indian's, sir. All part of the empire now, but some luddites don't want progress. 'What have the English Ever Done For Us'? They ask, well, apart from education, sanitation, roads, and railways. And cricket, of course! How we ever survived without cricket is beyond me. A game surely invented by Vishnu himself, if you ask me!" he said proudly, giving a brief discourse on how India had crushed the world in the sport. 

 

"As for why they want the rail road destroyed, I imagine its just some fanciful will to destroy, Sir. On the other hand, the cult is full of the most queer idea's. Worship Kali, goddess of destruction and death, they say. Perhaps it is some ghastly religion thing" he said, stroking his mustache in contemplation. 

[Thevshi]

Dee clenched one hand into a fist, considering for a brief moment to make Singh's neural pathway to freeze up so she could tell him off without his interrupting her.  But once again, she forced herself to remain calm and refrain from trying to completely alienate someone that was actually helping them, at least to some degree.  She remained silent while the older gentleman asked his questions about the Thugee cult and Singh provided an answer.

 

"Well, whatever their reasoning is, if they are indeed the ones behind the attacks, talking about it won't uncover the fact."  She then interjected.  "But again, before we start trying to investigate, it is likely best that we find something else for me to change into, otherwise I will rather stand out."  The Englishwoman indicated her costume.

[Supercape]

GM

 

"Ah yes, your attire. Most interesting, I dare say. Perhaps it is the latest thing from Paris? Very queer indeed" he said. "But I am sure we can whip up something more conventional as befits a woman of the Empire" he smiled, pleased with himself. 

 

One whipping up later...

 

"Here you are madam, the finest Sari a lady could wish for!" he smiled. 

 

Putting on a Sari was of course no mean feat for the uninitiated. But help was available if needed. Between Singh and the hospital, a lady of the realm was easily furbished with a colourful garment. 

 

"As for the Thugee...there are dangerous parts of this town, where they are rumored to be. Opium dens, houses of ill repute. If not them, the hills are where the real rogues are. I am open to suggestion as to how to catch the rotters. Without bowling them out, I fear the line will never be finished..." he looked dejectedly. 

[Thevshi]

Given all she had seen thus far since their arrival in this dimension, Dee had not been too hopeful regarding what sort of clothes Captain Singh might be able to obtain for her to wear.  Even with her expectations not set very high, she still had frowned slightly at the brightly colored sari the captain had produced. 

 

For a brief moment she had considered just demanding some extra clothes like those worn by the workmen on the line.  But, she had held that comment back, knowing that would just likely be almost as out of place as her costume. 
 

So Dee had ended up taking the sari, and going off with one of the nurses to get help putting the garment on.  "Bloody likely to end up tripping in this."  She muttered to herself once she was dressed.  But, Dee had to admit that it was a bit cooler in the heat and humidity than her costume had been.  And it would likely help her blend in a bit better, although, it did not do all that much more to hide her figure than her costume had.

 

Once back with the others, she listened to Captain Singh describe locals where they might be able to find Thugee.  "Well, probably best to start in town, then make our way into the outskirts if need be."  She replied. 

[Exaccus]

Up until now, Ulysses had held the captain in an amused if distant regard, but the dejected look on the chipper man’s face now has drawn him from his detachment, The fact he might yet help unravel the mystery making him ally to the strange urging in his mind might have had something to do with it.

 

"Cheer up, Captain; the tide, I feel she is a turnin.'" giving the captain a big grin “I dare say between the three of us, we've got enough brains, muscles and good looks that these foo-gee thugs have met there match, I dare say if we move swiftly now we might catch them with their trousers down.†Pouring on the working class charm like syrup. As he pounds his clenched left Fist into his open right palm “and tidy them away quick and quiet like.â€

 

And then I go see a doctor about these rather insistent "senile moments".

[Supercape]

GM

 

A short while later...

 

"Dangerous, this. Make no mistake!" said Captain Singh, walking steadily in front of Dee and tapping his trusty revolver. 

 

"But don't worry overmuch, ma'am! I will protect you!"

 

The dusty, hot part of town where the Thuggee were rumoured to hide out was a street full of spices, beggars, noise and colour. Food was being sold on the street, and children danced around the odd three people. Captain Singh actually applied his boot to the rear end of a particularly insistent begger who kept tugging at Dee. 

 

"Leave her alone, guttersnipe! She is a Lady!" he yelled at him in Hindi as the beggar slithered off. 

 

The Thugee house - or at least, rumoured abode, was an old building of wood and stone, crumbling a little, but still sound. Strange exotic smells came from the inside, along with deep rhythmic music. 

 

A youth, bare chested and sandalled, head shaved, tattoos present, leaned by the door, scowling at those that approached who looked like they had empty pockets. Not that many tried their luck. The beggars seemed to avoid that place. 

[Thevshi]

Dee had to resist yet another urge to roll her eyes as Captain Singh proclaimed how he would protect her if they encountered trouble.  But soon her attention was on the sights, sounds and smells of the crowded streets they made their way into.  The scene was rather similar to places she had seen back in her own dimension, and not entirely surprising to the Englishwoman.

 

She had started slightly when Singh delivered a kick to one insistent beggar, and was about to comment on his action when she spotted the man outside the building they had been approaching.  While Dee was no expert on history or the Hindu religion, she was blessed with a near perfect memory, and had looked at a number of books on the subjects over the years.  So even though she was in a different dimension, she still recognized the tattoos on the man associated with Kali and the Thuggee cult.

 

Stepping up next to Captain Singh, she wrapped one arm around his, moving herself in closer as she turned slightly and brought her mouth up near his ear.  "That man over by the door has tattoos associated with Kali and the Thuggee.  I suspect we may be able to find some answers in there."

[Supercape]

GM

 

"Hmmm....what? By Vishnu, I believe you are correct, Madam!" said Singh, peering at the man, and then grasping his gun. 

 

"Why, I am no expert of course. Engineering is my field, good hard science. But it is splendid that there is still a place for the less rigorous subjects, what ho?" he said, cheerily at Synapse. 

 

"Do not fear Madam. This house is no doubt dangerous. But I shall see to it that the young man there gets a jolly good hiding, and tells us everything he has to know about the Thugee and this den of ill repute. Why, what sordid activities I have heard of! the mind quite boggles. You may have to shield your eyes Madam! I would not have it on my honor that you should be exposed to the depravities of hedonistic sex and drugs that the common classes expose themselves too!" he said, suspiciously excited. 

 

And with that, he drew his Gun and proceeded to march forthwith to the youth...

[Thevshi]

You would likely be quite scandalized by some of the things I have seen and done.  Dee could not think to herself at Singh's comments about the house and the possible activities inside.  But the Englishwoman had more immediate problems, like Singh preparing to just march right up to force answers out of the lookout.

 

"Hold on a moment captain."  She said, quickening her step to catch back up with him and grab a hold of the wrist for the arm holding his pistol.  She pulled him off into a section of the crowd and out of the open where the lookout could more easily spot him.  "First off, he is likely just a lookout, and may not know all that much.  Second, just barging up is certain to give warning to those inside, who can just use the time you are dealing with the lookout to escape."