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Post by Tim_Fox1002 on Feb 19, 2022 13:16:08 GMT
"I was just thinking that myself, Hobbs." said Desmo. "If we can get them working on the plane, we'd be able to make a run for it before morning. If they keep giving us the run around, we need to follow your plan and make a prompt exit from dinner. Let's go back in and I'll talk to them."
Desmo decides the best way to get things going is to get them to know him to build trust, and sets about regaling them with one or two of his adventures in India without revealing that he is not a "real" captain.
"Now that I've shared a yarn or two fellows," continues Desmo. "I'll get to the point. We are tracking down men from India and Mongolia who have been threatening British interests in India and now they are heading to America and lives of innocent Americans in the US are at stake. Time is something of the essence, and as America's good allies and friends we need your help tonight. Get us a plane with guns that is ready to cross the Atlantic with provisions and a bit of petty cash. It does not need to be a large plane. I'd like you all to get this plane ready tonight, and we'll get our mission properly verified by morning before we depart. Times are tough in times of war, and keeping empires together, and sometimes this needs swift action by true patriots such as yourselves. Can I count on you men?"
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Post by Adminenkainen on Feb 20, 2022 21:40:05 GMT
Flight Commander Pelly-Fry was in that mess hall and clapped the loudest at Captain Desmo's stories. He was also the first to stand after Desmo asked if he could count on those men.
"You can count on me," Commander Pelly-Fry said. "I've never been so impressed by a yank. If you need your plane tonight, I'll make sure you have it."
Pelly-Fry was as true to his word ...as he could be under the circumstances. He couldn't actually give up a fighter plane. "Sorry, old chap. War going on, you know." But Desmo was loaned a Sikorsky S-42 flying boat, easily capable of making the transatlantic trip. By 12:20 am, the Sikorsky was fueled, had provisions aboard, and permission to fly.
Lastly, Pelly-Fry handed a Colt service revolver and a 10-pound note to Captain Desmo. "You won't need pounds unless you're way off course, but you can always exchange it for dollars at an American bank when you arrive. Good luck, Captain Desmo."
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Post by Tim_Fox1002 on Feb 21, 2022 1:58:24 GMT
"I can't tell you how grateful I am, Commander," said Desmo giving him a firm handshake. "The Sikorsky S-42 will do just fine. A non-fighter plane might just be the thing to make the German Uboats ignore us." By the time the plane was all done, Desmo felt very tired, and thought he'd better get at least a few hours shut eye before the long flight. "Hey, Hobbs," said Desmo when they were alone for another smoke break. "You did good here, pal. You really had my back with the letter and getting me to think a little more about how to get the plane. How about we get some shut eye and leave at 8 a.m.?"
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Post by Adminenkainen on Feb 22, 2022 5:48:24 GMT
"I'm not sure I can sleep, but it's a good plan if you can. I was worried about how you'd stay awake, crossing the entire ocean," Hobbs said.
((It's late; I'll get you to the U.S. tomorrow!))
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Post by Adminenkainen on Feb 24, 2022 5:51:50 GMT
((I see tomorrow became two days later...))
THE NEXT DAY
The flight over the Mediterranean was particularly nerve-wracking, as close as they had to fly to Italy. Though Italy claimed to be neutral, the whole world was suspicious of where their sympathies lay.
Two Breda's, Italian fighter planes, did fall in behind him at one point, but it was an "escort" that didn't last long before they turned back.
Later that morning, they touched down at an airport outside of Lisbon, Portugal, for a last fueling before the Transatlantic trip.
Captain Desmo and Hobbs talked about a lot of things on the long trip -- literature, politics, American slang. Hobbs confessed he thought Americans sounded ridiculous, "but ridiculous in an endearing way," he quickly added.
A world at war vanished behind them, leaving an ocean that looked calm and serene from horizon to horizon. "It really makes you think..." Hobbs said.
They were going to arrive on the East Coast around 9 o'clock that night. Captain Desmo spent time radioing ahead and got them permission to land at the Appleton Municipal Airport-LaGuardia Field. Appleton - The Big Apple! And home to Captain Desmo's geographically closest relative - his brother.
As they were coming in for a landing, a light flashed on the dashboard that Captain Desmo did not want to see. The landing gear was stuck!
((In addition to what actions you'll take to solve this, you can introduce more RP with Hobbs on the trip, and give some thought as to Desmo's brother's name and what he should do for a living...))
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Post by Tim_Fox1002 on Feb 25, 2022 23:41:09 GMT
((It's been a great non-adventure adventure, so far. Although, this is the first time there's been any danger. I'll try and add a reply soon. I've had to think this one over a bit, and finally I have a couple ideas about Desmo's background and what they talked about maybe more specifically. I'll do a proper write up later, but I was thinking that Hop Harrigan could be Desmo's younger brother, and both of them might be orphans who were raised at a convent in Queens, NYC. Desmo later befriended an uncle type figure who offers him advice from time to time and is like family to him. I was thinking of Whispering Jack Smith who was most famous in the 20s and 30s as a pianist and radio personality centered in New York City. At around the 40s, Jack Smith's career would be on a gentle decline as he played old style songs, but still has a radio show as an announcer and piano performer. He's married, but without children and is trying to manage a drinking problem. Wealthy for a time, the 30s took a hit, and he lives much more modestly now, but does alright. I read his biography, so I can easily fill in the blanks.))
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Post by Adminenkainen on Feb 26, 2022 5:19:05 GMT
((Not what I was expecting, but how can I say no to such creativity!))
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Post by Tim_Fox1002 on Feb 27, 2022 12:59:46 GMT
Desmo breathed a sigh of relief when the Italian planes left them. They both were quiet for some time until they started approaching Lisbon in Portugal.
"It was a lucky break getting this passenger plane," he said turning back to Hobbes.
After a brief pause, Hobbes asked Desmo 'the question.'
Desmo was irritated. "About the goggles?" said Desmo rolling his eyes. "You know Hobbes, I was asked the very same question by my old assistant. It's a long story, but I guess we have a long time so I have no choice but to tell you... Sorry its the airplane radio. I've got to answer Lisbon and make arrangements for landing..."
After landing in Lisbon and much to Hobbes' surprise, Desmo exchanged some of his money from Commander Pelly-Fry to honestly pay for gas.
"Say, Hobbes," said Desmo. "While this thing is refueling, why don't you make yourself useful and see if you could get us a few paying passengers to NYC. We could use a little cash when we arrive there."
((Whether that works out or not, they continue on their way to NYC.))
"Hobbes," said Desmo. "I'll need you up in the cockpit most of the time on this trip to make sure I don't doze off."
((This will also ensure a bit of privacy if they happen to have a passenger or two...))
"Sorry what? Great Scott! You got abandoned at the altar by your high school sweetheart in London!?" said Desmo shaking his head. "Left you for your best friend - the best man?! No wonder you enlisted overseas! What a crying shame. Must have broken your parent's hearts since you are an only child. Well you're still young, and to quote the old adage - there's many fish in the sea. And, I'll make a hero out of you son. Girl's swoon for that hero story stuff... they did for my old assistant Gabby."
"Family stateside?" said Desmo. "Well, there's just me and my brother. We were both orphans in The Convent of Sister Agatha in a part of New York called Queens. He came in when I was old enough to leave. But the short time we lived together, we got on really well. He's a nice swell guy. He's not my blood brother, but I looked after him like one, and we got some help to legally become brothers. His nickname is Hop Harrigan. He's young, but he also flies. The sister who looked after, a Sister Maria is still there... so I might look her up. Then there's a guy I met at a bar many years ago who plays really old style piano and does radio too. He used to be famous. They called him Whispering Jack Smith. He was a World War I vet who has to sing quite softly because of a mustard gas attack in WWI. But he used all of the most advanced microphones for stage and radio work, so the fans loved him. I think he still does a piano show on radio and makes the odd record. He's a lot like my older uncle, so I'm sure we'll be spending time with him and my brother."
"A Protestant?" said Desmo. "I don't care so much about that. A good way to judge a person's character is not their religion but what is in their heart and their actions. And by the way, you will see a lot of colored people in New York. Yes, you probably met some in Jerusalem, but again... Well, look Hobbes, I don't believe in being unkind to people. My uncle Jack taught me - and he worked with many Negroids, that they could be some of the best friends."
((I don't approve of any racial slurs, but I'm trying to use language perhaps used at the time. I'm also trying to make Desmo a little ahead of the times as well on this issue.))
"Broadway?" said Desmo. "I like old show tunes, but you know I never got to see one of those shows. Maybe we can go sometime... I preferred reading Edgar Rice Burroughs - Mars or Tarzan. Read the books, the comics, and saw Tarzan movies. That's why I wanted to become a hero."
"Yeah, you're right," said Desmo. "New York is a great place for baseball. We've got the Mets and the Brooklyn Dodgers..." ((He went on to rattle off some of his favorite players for a while...))
"Oh, so you're not a sports fan, huh?" said Desmo. "Well, you haven't seen sports until you've watched baseball live in Yankee stadium. Cricket is much less exciting. Believe me, I've suffered through a few of those games in India. Baseball - now that's a real game! And you can watch it all in an evening! None of this 2 or 3 day mixed with tea time and double tea time nonsense!"
"Don't worry about the accent, Hobbes." said Desmo. "Yanks love the Brits. After all and .... thank goodness, we're on the same side of the war."
"Don't feel comfortable with your gun?" said Desmo. "Doesn't surprise me given what you told me about having two left feet during basic training. Glad you got a good education at London College in hospitality..." "It was a butler school?!" said Desmo. "Good heavens, Hobbes! I didn't know the Brits still had any." "So let me get this straight. Your ex talked you out of working as one after you graduated?" said Desmo laughing. "That little troll maybe did one good thing for you!"
"Well," continued Desmo. "You're butler training will definitely come in handy. As for the gun, remember it's easy to kill a man, and much harder to talk your way out of things. I prefer trying to talk - because that is what a good man will try to do. The gun is only for an emergency. If you can't get yourself to fire on someone, shoot your gun in the air. You'd be surprised how much that scares the berries out of someone."
"An amateur dinosaur expert?" said Desmo surprised. "Well, I never! Say, Hobbes, there is an excellent museum in New York for that called the Museum of Natural History..."
At that point they are approaching the Big Apple, and the reality of the whole trip comes to the forefront of Desmo's mind.
"Look, I know you're looking forward to the Big Apple, pal. Who wouldn't? I mean look at it?" said Desmo. "I'll get you to the famous sites. But for Pete's Sake, Hobbes! Don't forget, we have an important mission here to save innocent Americans... Holy smokes! The landing gear is stuck Hobbes!"
Desmo tried to pull up at the last minute and enter a figure 8 pattern, and try the release switch again for the landing gear. If that failed, he locked the controls in a figure 8 pattern and told Hobbes to radio the command tower about the problem.
If the landing gear didn't release, Desmo dashed to the passenger area and opened a hatch to try and manually release the landing gear and get back in 10 minutes to make important corrections to their flight pattern...
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Post by Tim_Fox1002 on Feb 27, 2022 14:38:16 GMT
((My misspelling of "Hobbs" as "Hobbes" was unintentional. In fact, I think I saw two different ways to spell Gabby in the Captain Desmo comics! Of course these continuity errors in the Golden Age added a certain charm though...))
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Post by Adminenkainen on Feb 27, 2022 15:25:58 GMT
((Excellent work! I like a campaign that's more like co-authoring fanfiction than simply trading posts of intentions and reactions. I'll put more work into my response later today!))
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Post by Adminenkainen on Feb 28, 2022 5:44:22 GMT
Hobbs had not been able to convince a single person to come with them, which was mainly why Captain Desmo spent so long talking with him on the rest of the trip, to keep Hobbs from apologizing.
LATER
Captain Desmo did manage to pull up at the last minute and enter a figure 8 pattern. While that bought him time, he struggled anew with the landing gear. The plane was about 90% through the figure 8 when the lever finally unstuck. It didn't give him much time to bring it in for a landing, but he was confident he could pull it off.
And he did!
The Appleton Municipal Airport looked different - but of course it would, after so long away. Thinking this plane was a time machine taking him back to the old Appleton he knew was just a fanciful thought that flitted through his mind between topics with Hobbes.
Now...where to? Sister Maria? Whispering Jack? The odds of finding Hop in the city seemed slim; he could be flying anywhere in the nation. Or was it too late in the day? Should they find lodging for the night and start tracking people down in the morning?
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Post by Tim_Fox1002 on Mar 1, 2022 1:28:09 GMT
Well, two feet on the ground, and an assistant, but no leads. Captain Desmo was in a bit of quandary about where to begin. Stepping off the plane onto the tarmac with his duffel bag, he lit his pipe deep in thought. Then he remembered he wasn't alone. "Hobbs," he said. "Don't forget to get everything else. We don't need the parachutes - just your stuff and don't bother with the left over military rations. I'm tired of crackers and sardines.... Oh, and don't forget your service revolver." Waiting for Hobbs, he reached in his pocket. Still a bit of money, but he didn't want to use it... yet. "Hobbs!" he barked. "You got any money? We need to give these 'mericans a parking fee to hold the plane." He tried to negotiate with the grounds crew for a hanger to rent to keep the plane for the future - just in case. If the cost was too exorbitant, they would be forced to abandon it and donate it to the war effort. He also asked if anyone had seen his brother Hop Harrigan. If they had, Desmo asked them to let him know he was in town. "I'm worried we don't have any leads on the assassins, Hobbs." said Desmo. "But if the assassins have done their homework, they may already be plotting to kidnap people I know. I'm not so worried about my brother, and Sister Maria has a lot of protection in a convent, but I think I better check in on Whispering Jack. Here you exchange the rest of this, (hands him the left over money from Commander Pelly-Fry except for some pocket change) we'll need it for taxis and food." Desmo headed over to a pay phone. On the way he found himself softly whistling an old ditty that Jack played him when he was younger called There Ain't no 'Maybe' in my Baby's Eyes ((Sorry couldn't resist torturing you! LOL)) He lifted the receiver, and a put a nickel in and waited for the dial tone. He then used the rotary wheel with a phone number he knew all too well to see how Whispering Jack was. At this time of night, Jack probably was already at the bottle after doing his radio show, but his wife Marie might answer. The story goes, Jack never quite got over an affair he had for several years with silent film star Peggy O'Neil. But, Marie was good to him. Maybe too good. But Jack was dependable when sober. In fact, he was disarmingly polite, gentle, and had a certain charismatic presence when he entered a room that would draw everyone's attention with his quiet but rich baritone voice. Desmo remembered he was a little too good at singing hymns at church too. He could sing all the hymns in German too. Come to think of it, Jack was also fluent in German on account of spending some years of his childhood in Berlin because of his late father's work. Yup good ol' Jack!
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Post by Adminenkainen on Mar 2, 2022 4:46:42 GMT
"Righto!" Hobbs said as he stashed his service revolver in a duffel bag.
"I do have a bit of money on me," he said soon after, "but not a shilling of it is in American money, you know. I can convert it in the morning at a bank, but for tonight I'm as poor as a newborn baby..."
Captain Desmo didn't know if the camaraderie that existed between aviators was still a thing here, but it was -- the boys on the field agreed to put the Sikorsky in a hangar and let Captain Desmo run up a tab. None of them knew Hop, which seemed odd, but, well, even Hop couldn't know everyone.
After some discussion, Hobbs and Captain Desmo agreed it was best to split up for the night. Hobbs could stay here in the plane overnight (the laid-back staff at the airport did not seem to mind), so they wouldn't have to pay for two tonight. Captain Desmo fielded the payphone expense and had to hope Jack and Maria hadn't moved. Instead, as the phone rang and rang unanswered, Captain Desmo's greater fear was that Bilguun Ahkim might have already reached them!
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Post by Adminenkainen on Mar 3, 2022 13:23:46 GMT
Captain Desmo raced to Jack and Marie's old home to make sure they were okay. The house seemed unchanged and still occupied, meaning they likely had not moved. Were they dead inside? Bilguun crouching over their bodies?
No...they had simply been out late and came home while Captain Desmo was still contemplating whether to break in or not.
"There's only one man I know who'd be standing outside my door, at night, wearing googles..." Jack said, and then he came in and gave Captain Desmo a hug.
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Post by Tim_Fox1002 on Mar 3, 2022 14:32:25 GMT
No answer! That took Desmo quickly out of his reverie about old times. There was no time to lose! He had to get to downtown Appleton at once! With at least a little American money on hand, Desmo hailed a Taxi from the airport to the Upper City Side of Museum Park near The Dinosaur Museum of Natural History to the Brownstone Apartment of Jack and Marie.
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