Chapter 5 - Cart Found (of Planes and Pilots and Pushup-Bras)
(return to Chapter Index)
At Map Square (08, 10), a lost cart is finally found. . .
2010-02-01 10:56:25: Rookie Martin fetches up on the beach, and can pull the cart no further. Looking around surreptitiously, he parks it behind a palm-tree. Then, wearily, he turns and tries to retrace his steps.
2010-02-01 11:08:12 Inside the makeshift cart, a penguin wakes up, hungry. He sits up, looks around, and chrrps hopefully.
2010-02-01 11:08:35 The penguin chrrps again, more insistently, and flaps his flippers. The movement disturbs a sleeping accordion, tucked into another corner of the cart. It wheezes softly in reply.
2010-02-01 11:09:13 The penguin and accordion converse quietly in chrrps and wheezes, until they are both interrupted by a fluttering of paper wings, and a different kind of chrrp.
2010-02-01 11:10:24 A paper canary climbs out of a recess in the accordion, and joins the debate. Matters become a little heated, as canary and penguin chrrp and chrrp accusingly at one another.
2010-02-01 11:10:56 At length the accordion intervenes, calming things down. The meeting continues more sedately, until a decision is reached.
2010-02-01 11:11:39 The penguin hops out of the cart and into the soft sand. With a curt nod to the canary, and a flipper-salute to the accordion, he waddles off in search of help.
2010-02-01 11:12:30 The canary flutters into the air, and with an encouraging chrrp to the accordion, it too departs: same mission, different direction.
2010-02-01 18:18:40 Alone in the cart, the accordion hums quietly, keeping its spirits up. Help might yet be far away, but it has hymns of hope, and the Morecambe & Wise Theme Tune.
2010-02-01 20:34:41: Hippy God of Snowy Peaks Raimar saunters through, on his yet-another-Island-wide-walkabout. . . and spots an accordian, asleep, and what looks to be penguin feet print headed off into the distance.
2010-02-01 20:37:21: Hippy God of Snowy Peaks Raimar frowns, shaking his head. He's seen weirder things, but not by much. . . he settles down on his heels to watch.
The Next Day
2010-02-02 21:26:30: Metallic g_rock follows a faint trace of wheel-ruts through the mud in the shallows, and. . . “Cordy? CORDY!”
2010-02-02 21:29:47: Metallic g_rock runs to the still-humming squeezebox, and gives him(her? It?) a quick pat “It's okay, help's here now. Callia's been worried sick looking for you!” he tugs on the cart's handles
2010-02-02 21:32:33: Metallic g_rock tugtugtugs, grunting and panting, but can't seem to get the cart loose of the mud and vines wrapped around the bottom “Wait here, I'll get help!”
. . .
2010-02-02 21:53:06: Metallic g_rock trudges back in and waits, patpatting Cordy gently
2010-02-02 21:53:22: Spandex jogs in. “good goin' g! you found them!” She huuugs g-rock.
2010-02-02 21:55:23: Metallic g_rock nods “I just can't get the cart unstuck. Gimme a hand.” he levers his cane underneath the cart and lifts, straining
2010-02-02 21:56:12: Spandex applauds.
2010-02-02 21:58:12: Metallic g_rock lets go and bows with a flourish to Dex “Great, now that's done, help me with this.” he goes back to lifting
2010-02-02 22:00:47: Spandex watches g strain and groan and sweat and go red for awhile. Then she goes over to the cart and pulls.
2010-02-02 22:02:43: Metallic g_rock grins as the cart starts to give, lifting out of the mud
2010-02-02 22:05:06: Spandex drives her new leather motorcycle stuntman boots into the mud and really really pullllls. Of course. . .
2010-02-02 22:06:08: Spandex slips. And falls in the watery mud. On her butt. She's not amused. “help me up g, please?”
2010-02-02 22:07:24: Metallic g_rock gives one final grunt, and the cart tears free of the vines, and SPLORCHes out of the muddy sand. “Ha! Got it. Let's get it back home.”
2010-02-02 22:08:49: Spandex sighs and starts to SPLORCH her ass out of the muddy water. She chucks a mudball at the back of g's head.
2010-02-02 22:08:54: Metallic g_rock ohs. “Oh. Here.” he offers her a hand up. He doesn't notice, however, as his jacket reflects the sunlight straight up into the air, as a contestant plane flies, improbably, directly overhead
2010-02-02 22:09:36: Metallic g_rock managed to duck the mudball, just.
2010-02-02 22:10:56: Spandex squints as a similar jacket flash laser-beams her eyes. “jesus g, shouldn't you save your Bling for the club or whatnot?”
2010-02-02 22:12:23 <Network> Generic Pilot is flying along, minding his own business, dropping newbs out the door with almost religious zeal, when he is suddenly blinded
2010-02-02 22:14:48: Spandex clamps her hands to her mouth and stares at g. a small ooofuck escapes.
2010-02-02 22:16:31: Metallic g_rock looks apologetic, hauling Dex to her feet “Sorry, I forget sometimes.”
2010-02-02 22:18:07: Metallic g_rock looks confused “What's with you? You look like you've seen some sort of calamitous event precipitating!”
2010-02-02 22:18:35 <Network> Generic Pilot reaches for his radio, totally disoriented. He accidentally shoves the stick forward, pitching the nose of the plane almost straight down. Radio contact is lost.
2010-02-02 22:19:12: Spandex shakes her head. She's not due to precipitate for another 9 days.
2010-02-02 22:21:33: Spandex swears she hears cordy playing Another One Bites The Dust.
2010-02-02 22:22:34: Metallic g_rock shakes his head “Well, then, what is it? C'mon, out with it.” he pauses as he hears whining prop engines way too close
2010-02-02 22:33:44: Metallic g_rock sheilds his eyes and watches the plane fall to the southwest
2010-02-02 22:33:44: <Network>Generic Pilot screams as the sand and water rushes up to meet him
2010-02-02 22:36:21: Metallic g_rock grimaces as he sees a streak of silver, and hears a monumental splash-THUD to the southwest “Lets go check it out!”
2010-02-02 22:37:17: Spandex stands up, “what the fuck? there's supposed to be an improbable bubble. how's he fallen through? this is so fucking fucked.”
2010-02-02 22:38:36: Metallic g_rock shrugs “It's a lot heavier than a copntestant. It doesn't seem to have exploded, or anything.” he heads out in the direction of the plane
2010-02-02 22:38:41: Spandex grabs her pack - containing one large medkit, a jug of G+Ts and a dozen pushupbras, and runs after g.
At Map Square (07,08)
2010-02-02 22:42:42: Spandex crashes through leaves and sand and. . .“o hell. we left the cart.”
2010-02-02 22:44:30: Metallic g_rock splashes in, sighs, and turns around “Be right back.”
2010-02-02 22:47:23: Metallic g_rock grumbles, drag-rolling the cart back with him “There we are.”
2010-02-02 22:47:41: Spandex looks around: bushes and small trees have been razed, as if by Ochris and her mech-clippers. A wide divot in the sand starts in front of her and ends down the beach at a small plane.
2010-02-02 22:49:50: Spandex follows the divot at a sprint. Halfway to her destination, she sees a figure emerge from the front and fall onto the sand. He doesn't move. She picks up the pace.
2010-02-02 22:50:15: Metallic g_rock glances at Dex, and takes off running toward the plane, leaving the cart in a nice sunny spot
2010-02-02 22:51:59: Metallic g_rock skids to a halt next to the prone form, wearing a flight suit, goggles, and a leather flight helmet
2010-02-02 22:52:47: Metallic g_rock would point out that the body is wearing those things, not G.
2010-02-02 22:53:20: Spandex thinks wow, he's hot. And then she thinks, medkit and cpr.
2010-02-02 22:54:03 <Network> Generic Pilot stirs and groans, then slumps back to the ground, fully unconscious
2010-02-02 22:54:37: Spandex would point out that the hot was directed at the body, not G's body, even though many would say the same of him. But that's not important now, first aid is.
2010-02-02 22:55:28: Metallic g_rock checks the pilot's pulse “Well, he's alive. Probably have one helluva lump on his noggin when he wakes up though.” he looks thoughtful
2010-02-02 22:55:36: Spandex looks up hopefully, want me to give him mouth-to-mouth or the hindlick maneuver?“
2010-02-02 22:57:35: Metallic g_rock jumps to his feet suddenly, grabbing Dex's collar. . .erm. . .brastraps “Shit! Do you have any idea what She'll do to me if they find out I crashed a very expensive plane?”
2010-02-02 23:01:09: Spandex nods slowly. “I can imagine. Let's check the plane for rooks though.”
2010-02-02 23:01:15: Metallic g_rock releases Dex and picks up his cane “We're gonna have t-t-t-ttoooo do something about this. . .” he quickly checks the plane. “Empty. Must have been his last drop.”
2010-02-02 23:03:05: Spandex fucks under her breath. G's about to have one of his spells. And she's just a bit tweaked and stressed enough herself to do something stupid.
2010-02-02 23:03:22: Metallic g_rock starts back toward the pilot, eyes cold. He starts to raise his cane menacingly “Nobody has to know. . .”
2010-02-02 23:04:49: Spandex NFL-tackles G to the ground. She lands astride his chest and has her arms around his throat. “chill out G!” Ironic, that.
2010-02-02 23:08:57: Metallic g_rock 's eyes flash green, and Dex's underwires start to constrict like a boa. He muscles her off the top of him, again raising his cane
2010-02-02 23:11:20: Spandex bends forward, coughing and in incredible pain. She almost blacks out, but tries a slide-kick just to throw G off-balance.
2010-02-02 23:12:25: Metallic g_rock 's cane swings in a large arc, thrumming in the air as it hammers straight toward the pilot TWITCH the cane sinks into the sand an inch to the side of the target cranium
2010-02-02 23:14:30: Spandex 's straps release as G's focus is elsewhere. She inhales into bruised ribs and gets her arm around G's throat, from behind this time. “g. let's. stop. we. idea.”
2010-02-02 23:15:06: Metallic g_rock collapses to his knees with the kick, panting heavily. Dex's underwires go back to normal levels of perkiness
2010-02-02 23:16:05: Metallic g_rock nods to Dex, wide eyed and panting, without a word
2010-02-02 23:18:01: Spandex releases her arm, and sinks to the ground behind G. Her ribs hurt like fuck. passed? better?” she asks quietly.
2010-02-02 23:23:39: Metallic g_rock nods slowly, carefully not looking around at Dex
2010-02-02 23:26:50: Spandex suddenly doesn't quite trust him. He's never used his joker-abilities on her before, but reason is reason: “no one but you and I knows what brought this plane down, g. right?”
2010-02-02 23:29:23: Spandex gets up and moves around to the front of g. His eyes are still not quite calmed. Whether from his whatever or this totally fucked situation, she's not sure.
2010-02-02 23:30:15: Metallic g_rock nods again, mouth too dry to speak
2010-02-02 23:33:01: Metallic g_rock quickly looks away, not meeting Sx's eyes. His glance flickers to her ribcage, already starting to bruise.
2010-02-02 23:33:28: Spandex puts her hand on his knee, “right, okay then. there's no problem. we just need to brush our footprints in the sand away and skedaddle.”
2010-02-02 23:35:41: Metallic g_rock points to the only witness, the pilot, then lets his hand fall to his side
2010-02-02 23:40:06: Metallic g_rock stands, suddenly, and heads for the jungle. There's a bunch of rustling from the trees, and he returns with a stack of papers
2010-02-02 23:40:20: Spandex rests her head in her hands for a moment, “he saw, right? he's a witness. he also saw you almost kill him. he also works for them.” She's building a case for something unpleasant.
2010-02-02 23:41:06: Metallic g_rock pulls a pen from his jacket pocket, and starts writing on the newly acquired II Release Forms
2010-02-02 23:43:24: Spandex is overcome with the rage of her abduction, her lack of control, the constant cameras, the monsters for entertainment, the lack of decent music. She walks over to the pilot.
2010-02-02 23:44:05: Metallic g_rock swallows, and opens his mouth. He creaks out “He. . .um. . .we fill these out, he's just another contestant. Can you get his clothes off?”
2010-02-02 23:44:39: Metallic g_rock stands to intervene, as she did for him a moment ago “Spandex!”
2010-02-02 23:45:15: Spandex places on boot on either side of the pilot's prone body and she leans forward, leering at him. “this is for me and my mates.” she slugs him square in the face.
2010-02-02 23:47:08 <Network> Generic Pilot starts to come to. He groans, and opens his eyes blearily “Huh? Wha? Where am I? Who am-” WHAMMO!!! out go the lights
2010-02-02 23:48:46: Metallic g_rock grabs Dex's elbow, gently “He doesn't remember. We're safe. Just like every other contestant. . .”
2010-02-02 23:48:46: Spandex turns and faces G with a huge grin. Either the island's making her as crazy as the rest of them, or she always was.
2010-02-02 23:50:23: Spandex winces at g telling her she's safe. As safe as two almost-assaults on her in the last week? “okay, g. let's strip him and roll him elsewhere.”
2010-02-02 23:52:48: Metallic g_rock notes the cringe and looks away, nodding. He starts on the flight suit, pulling it off along with the boots
2010-02-02 23:55:07: Spandex unsnaps the leather helmet and goggles. She smiles lasciviously at it, and puts them on her head. She pokes g and poses in a whaddya think expression.
2010-02-02 23:56:45: Metallic g_rock looks up and grins despite himself, giving a thumbsup. He tears off the Pilot's undershirt and socks, tossing them aside. He balks at the last bit of clothing, though.
2010-02-02 23:59:43: Spandex leans against the plane and watches.
2010-02-03 00:01:50: Metallic g_rock shakes his head, tucks the release forms into the pilot's. . .hot pink leopard-print speedo? (shudder) and props him up atop Callia's cart
2010-02-03 00:02:45: Metallic g_rock moves Cordy out of the way first, of course
2010-02-03 00:04:30: Spandex shakes her head, “you gotta lose the speedo. we arrive naked. And where we gonna hide his clothes?”
2010-02-03 00:07:10: Spandex hopes g's suffering. Cuz her ribs are hurtin'.
2010-02-03 00:09:08: Metallic g_rock groans “Let's wait til we get him to the NewHome gate. Don't want to dirty Callia's cart.”
2010-02-03 00:13:12: Metallic g_rock tilts the cart and starts drag-rolling it to the southeast
2010-02-06 08:11:44: Hippy God of Snowy Peaks Raimar emerges from nearby bushes; yes, he saw, but he also kept silent. Ruefully, he shakes his head; he would have liked those goggles. . . as it is, he eyes the wreckage of the plane, considering.
2010-02-06 08:12:44: Hippy God of Snowy Peaks Raimar carefully breaks off some limbs from some nearby trees, and uses them to cover the plane. Stepping back, he admires his handiwork. Excellent, now almost no-one would know it was there!
2010-02-06 08:13:24: Hippy God of Snowy Peaks Raimar deftly brushes his own feetprints, erasing them from the sand. Now, it looks like he was never there! He marks the location in his head, to come back to, later.
(return to Chapter Index)