Martin, for all that he looks like death warmed over by the end of the day, is everywhere. Within a few minutes of Martin's disappearance from the cellar, a physician and an orderly with food, water, blankets, and medical supplies arrive in return. And when he returns to the cellar, he brings Folly and introduces her to Gerard, and suggests she play the mandolin for him for a while.
Vere, although haggard and drawn by now, nods and greets Folly politely. When she begins to play he pauses in what he's doing and watches her for a bit. When she pauses between pieces he says, "Perhaps we might play together at some time, after the current difficulties have been put behind us?"
Folly smiles back at Vere. She opens her mouth to reply, but before she can get any words out, she starts coughing -- so instead she just mouths, "I'd like that."
Martin seeks out each of you and mentions a family meeting, planned for this evening. To Solange and Vere, he adds, "after we get your father out."
Vere nods, without replying verbally.
Folly nods, too, but the look she gives Martin suggests that she's not sure she can stay awake that long.
"You can sleep through the lecture portion of the proceedings if you need to," he says, without elaboration.
Solange replies, "Of course. Where, since the castle's unsound?"
[Paige]
"The Prince's ballroom, unless they've turned it into a hotpital or hostel as
I suggested, might be available. Martin?"
"A pavilion of our own, I suppose. If need be, we'll find one," says Martin.
"We need to stay here for now, I think. We have family business to discuss," he continues. (Obviously he does not want to elaborate in the hearing of the castle staff.)
"You want me to find one, it's found," Solange says, striding over to a still-standing outbuilding. She starts pulling out bundled cloth and poles. Not only is the cloth green, but there's a visible pattern of white unicorns on it, and the ropes are golden-colored. "There, that should be obvious enough as the Royal Pavilion. I'll have them set it up in the tilting yard, that's a good flat space nobody's using yet."
"Vialle's got things well in hand. If you'd like I can set things up." Paige offers. "I feel like a third wheel around here anyway..."
"We all do," says Martin. "But it would be helpful if you took charge of the pavilion; that we I'll know it's done. Where's the tilting yard again? I'll help you carry it."
"That'd be great," Solange says. "Unless I miss my guess, there's some rugs bundled in with the panels, so we won't have to sit on the ground, but if you can organize some chairs besides, that'd be even better."
Lucas twirls his finger in the air.
Later, another doctor appears and the word is that Martin brought him up from the city. Martin also seeks out Paige with a satchel containing fresh clothes and some other personal items from the Retreat, and word of the inhabitants.
"Thanks, dear." A soft kiss on the cheek and she's back to work. Paige's bedside manner is amazing. She speaks with the stewards and laughs with the pages, never seeming out of her element. When Folly's not too close she can be heard singing, but it's nothing of the quality that Folly offers. It's a song of a woman who loves her man well enough to go to war at his side and her being taken from him by a bullet. It's sad, but keeps people's minds on other problems than their own. When Folly's around Paige will be more than willing to sing with her, but will let the noticably better artist lead the way.
Vere looks the doctor over carefully, and questions him (politely) about his techniques. He strives to make it look as though he's merely interested in medical theory, but by now he's tired enough that it's clear to everyone that he's vetting him.
Vialle has taken charge of the hospital. She coordinates with Solange for the physical plant aspect and whips her allotment of the servants into shape as a corps of orderlies and nurses. Lucas decides that she may have working eyes in the back of her head even if the ones in front have failed her.
[Lucas]
Damn she's good.
Solange also helps out, if she can, on the "supplies" aspect. Since Martin mentioned, and Jerod demonstrated, that Pattern tricks now work as they did in Shadow, Solange devotes a certain amount of energy to "discovering" cartons full of useful items like rubber gloves, alcohol wipes, and whatever else Vialle says she might need.
If this is pointed out to Paige, she'll discover many things, especially in triaging new patients, if possible. (Like grazing blows to visceral areas that bled alot, but aren't half as serious as they first seemed, etc.)
Paige finds that some injuries are better off than she expected. She finds that some are worse than she expected. Overall she finds out that they are about what she expected.
Sling our Pattern dick around are we? ;) Lucas will nab a pair of the rubber gloves. Never know when those might be handy.
Cambina coordinates things. If anyone asks "who's looking after X?", the answer quickly becomes "ask Cambina". She remembers to tell Ossian about the family meeting even without being advised that no one had introduced him to Martin. (She also decides for some reason to do it herself rather than telling Martin to do it.)
It's to Cambina that Martin hands the reports of the fire marshals and the district wardens.
Paige will be interested in these and very possibly bump into Solange...
If Solange notices this, and has a minute or two to spare (over a sandwich perhaps), she will check to see what damage befell her Aunt Felicity's house.
The reports are mostly about destroyed buildings and dead (identified and not). There is nothing specific about Felicity's home, and her district seems to have fared well. Since she lives in a wealthy district and in a well-constructed home, this is no surprise to Solange.
"I'm not sure we really had time for an introduction. I'm Paige, Bley's daughter." She extends a hand to Solange. "I'd like to see how things fared over all. What I saw earlier, the warehouses, the aquaducts, well..." Paige looks saddened. "I've a good number of friends in the city."
Solange shakes hands with Paige. "I'm Solange, Gerard's daughter, but if we've ever met before you'd probably have heard me introduced as 'Lady Felicity's sister's ward,' or something like that, about four or five years back. Dad had me fostered kind of quietly." She looks at Paige with concern. "Martin told me a little about how bad it was, in the city. I wish there was more that I could do."
"You and I both. I've catted around the City and even made a few appearances here with Lord Rein, back in my stint as his apprentice, but Dad wasn't big on everyone knowing I was about himself." Paige lays her other hand on top of Solange's in a comforting gesture, her eyes meeting Solange's. A soft smile, reassuring says, _We'll make it._
Solange smiles back, but blinks her eyes a couple of times as well, as if blinking back tears. Anyone with Water above Human would probably get the idea that sympathy is only going to make it harder for Solange right now, as she is using Brisk Practicality to cover up Bone-Deep Worry.
Paige catches that and backs off at bit.
"I'm going to handle the pavilion for this evening. Suggestions? I figured I'd grab some chairs from the salon in the east wing(or any surviving) and have a few tables set with some of the food we haven't cold storage for, since there's bodies there," but Solange hears her lips saying "there's no room..."
"And after today, we'll all need a good meal."
"I couldn't agree more," Solange says. "You know where to find chairs better than I do, I think -- but if you're going into the castle, check with an engineer about safe routes. We don't need anyone else trapped. If it comes to that, I think we can all sit on the rug."
Grabbing a young boy by the shoulder as he runs by with supplies for Vialle, she asks Solange, "Have you met Liam?" Paige tossles the 10 year old's hair, "This is Liam, my newly promoted valet. Liam, this is Lady Solange."
"Mi' Lady." Liam says with a slight bow, catching some of the dressing slipping from his arms at the last moment.
"Pleased to meet you, Liam," Solange replies. "Congratulations on your promotion."
Liam blushes, "Thank you, mi' Lady."
"Run along, Liam. I'm sure Lady Vialle will be need your help. You've done a wonderful job today. I'm very proud of you." Paige sends him on his way with a kiss on the top of the head.
"Well, we've all jobs to do, I suppose I'm somehow the hostess tonight, so I should get to work." Paige starts off for the tilting field, and turns back to Solange.
"If you need to talk later..." and then she's off with the pavilion and grabbing a few hands to help her raise it...
The effort to free Gerard comes late in the day. The engineers have cleared off as much rubble as possible with help from Vere and, for a while, Martin. There are a couple of large pieces that will require the block and tackle to move.
Who besides Solange, Vere, and Martin is in the cellar for this part of the proceedings?
Solange looks around her to see who's there.
Folly has headed back to the surface to get out of the way of the engineers.
[Lucas]
I'm there only if Vialle goes down. The last thing Lucas wants to do is
go underground right now.
If Solange, or Martin, or really anyone asks her to be there, Paige will be, but other wise she's staying out of the way and leaving such things to those better suited to them...
Martin wants her there, in case they need an extra strong arm.
Fine with her...
Without additional information, it is unlikely that Jerod would be available for this, barring the situation in the city improving dramatically or something summoning him back to the castle for some reason at around this time.
Oh, no, Jerod, you don't get off that easily. ;)
A messenger arrives at the harbor for you to tell you that the engineers are almost ready, and Lord Martin says you'll know what that means, sir.
Jerod will finish up what he is doing there and leave it in the hands of the local Sheriff and the town leaders (those that have survived to this point) to continue with rescue and cleanup efforts, as well as dealing with the food situation...
And where the hell is the damn fleet?
After that, he collects his horse and makes his way back up to the castle as quickly as possible.
In the cellar we have the following complement: Solange, Vere, Jerod, Paige, and Martin, plus engineers and doctors. (Lucas and Folly are absent, and since Ossian's player is out of pocket until Sunday, he isn't here either.)
The minor rubble and such having been cleared away, it is obvious that the impediments to freeing Gerard are as follows:
1. He has two pieces of large rubble on him, one resting on the other. These blocks are too heavy for the engineers to lift even with the black and tackle. Superhumanly strong people might be able to lift one or both, but if they are not lifted straight up, there is a risk of additional damage to Gerard.
2. The heavy rubble has been acting as a partial tourniquet, and Gerard may well bleed a bunch more when the weight is lifted.
3. The doctors (both of whom passed Vere's vetting) agree that Gerard's pelvis and legs are damaged severely, and he'll need a lot of care and therapy to get back to full strength. If he were anyone other than a Prince of Amber, they would have already advised that you amputate both legs above the knee. Gerard agrees with their diagnosis.
Even with Folly's music to keep his spirits up and tender care from Solange and Vere, Gerard is weakening. Something must be done now. The engineers have practical suggestions for how to implement any plans the royal family comes up with, but they're not entirely sure how to proceed. (Paige thinks they are scared that if they fail, Gerard will die.)
What do you tell the engineers to do? And what do you do?
[Vere]
Is it possible to attach a bolt heavy enough to support the blocks into the
roof of this chamber directly above Gerard? If so, a possibility might be
to use block and tackle to lift the two blocks, one at a time. First the
top one, lifted by our two strongest people, and then pushed to one side by
the other Royals and lowered off to one side of Gerard. The weight of the
bottom block should continue acting as a tourniquet during this
procedure. Then, we can lift the second block quickly, and the doctors can
immediately dive under it to treat Gerard before it has also been moved to
the side and lowered. Yes, we're asking them to trust us not to drop it on
them and squash them, but their patient's survival depends on immediate action.
Thoughts? Any obvious holes here? Any better ideas?
Jerod agrees with the idea of assembling the blocks overhead but slightly to one side, and not directly over Gerard. That way when the blocks are lifted, the tackle will move the block off and out of the way of Gerard by virtue of the offset angle. The royals involved will need to do most of the direct "up" lifting assisted by the block and tackle assembly.
He recommends four royals - two on each end and one left to watch and monitor and if necessary to dive in to help at the last minute as the four lifting won't be able to see well and must be guided. Engineers will focus entirely on getting the blocks off and supported...we need only lift the second block enough that it can be moved to one side and then put down...as Vere indicates, once the final block is gone, the doctors are to go to work. Everyone lifting is to have suitable clothing, back braces and gloves...
"Those were my thoughts, almost exactly," Solange says. "The only difference was that I assumed we wouldn't be able to use block and tackle on the two rubble blocks, so I'd envisioned us standing on either side to lift the first block directly. But if the engineers think we can use the lifting gear, I'll take whatever advantage we can get."
Even low-Water characters will notice that Solange has just acquired an expression most often seen on cartoon characters with light bulbs drawn over their heads, now. She reaches into her pocket and pulls out another plastic tube, this one with a silver label and a bright green cap.
"Would it be an advantage if we could attach handles to the blocks? Cabinet pulls would be best, but leather straps might do. In thirty seconds I can tell you if this stuff is going to work." She grabs a metal piece of debris and a loose chunk of ceiling, and glues them together, getting a bit of the epoxy on her fingers as well.
Do her fingers stick together in that annoying Krazy Glue way? Do the bits of debris stay glued?
Solange's fingers are sticking together, but she's not sure she'd say stuck together. The debris sticks together too.
The engineers, however, opine that glue, no matter how good, won't hold handles to rock. They'd have to drill into the rock to do that, and there's not enough time for that. [Don't anyone waste time trying to conjure a Black and Decker cordless rock drill either.]
Paige agrees with the idea of lifting the blocks via the pulleys, perhaps if they could set up some sort of counterbalance, although I can't see it working in this instance, just brainstorming here...
So far the idea of 2 on the ropes and 2 lifting by hand to keep it going up straight with Folly or someone calling to keep them straight, although an engineer should be able to call that. If there's a 5th that can lift/pull, that's what they should be doing...
Jerod wants Folly around though, even if only in the background...once Gerard is free he is at the most risk and every possible effort must be made to provide stability for him. In that respect, he makes sure that a guard is sent to advise Folly that she will be needed and is to remain in the area but out of the immediate work zone...so she can watch and be ready.
Folly brews herself a good strong cup of throat-soothing tea and heads back to the cellar. She sits in a corner, out of the way of the workers but with a good view of the proceedings, and begins playing and singing quietly, pausing every now and then to sip her tea.
The two pieces of rubble that are lying on Gerard were formerly part of the cellar ceiling, by the way. The wine cellar had a thick marble ceiling and this is part of what collapsed on Gerard. There is no more ceiling -- just the bare rock of Kolvir.
The engineers also advise that the rock that held the ceiling in place is no longer good; they've tried to drill into it to place the hooks for the block and tackle as you've described and the end of the hook just won't bite. The rock crumbles around it. [Your card draw sucked.]
However, the engineers do have this fancy platform constructed which they offer you instead. They think you can rig it as you've described to lift one of the blocks.
Vere is going to inspect this platform carefully, asking the engineers to explain it to him in detail. He is searching for any flaws in it. He will also carefully check out all equipment being used in this procedure (and he's suggesting using ship's line; landsmen's rope is not to be trusted in such an important undertaking).
Ship's line is what is commonly used here; it's what the engineers have to hand.
If the explanation or the inspection is likely to take too much time (in Jerod's opinion), Jerod will override Vere and order the engineers to assemble the unit. To any resistance to that idea from Vere, Jerod will merely respond..."We have plenty of time for inspections...your father does not."
Vere turns and looks at Jerod without words for a moment; it is the flat steady look a serpent might give a mouse. His glance shifts, first to Gerard and then to Solange, and then back to Jerod. He relaxes. "You are correct, Cousin," he says. "I am overwrought."
Jerod returns the look without flinching, then relaxes himself. "I watched my own father die, though from a slightly greater distance than we are faced with now. I understand what's going on in here." and he points to his chest. "You wanna take a swing at me later, well...we can discuss it."
Vere nods briefly without speaking. As he turns to watch the engineers he says, in little more than a whisper, "I think too much; it is my flaw."
Vere then carefully watches as the engineers assemble the platform.
How are you guys planning to go about using the block and tackle rig? Who is positioned where? Gerard reminds you all that he is no lightweight and someone reasonably strong will be needed if he is to be pulled out from under the debris at any point in the proceedings. Don't worry about scuffing his boots.
(Obligatory Rice gag: It cost about $400 to build, including the keg, and the engineers all have code names from the X-Men. And when the professionals from the city come, they'll cost $2000 to put the pieces back down and will bend a bolt in the process!)
[Jerod]
Position the rig at points over Gerard so that once the first block is
lifted as high as possible, four royals (the strongest) can get at the
second block without interference from the rig itself or the hanging
block (or stepping on Gerard). The fifth Royal will be responsible for
pulling out Gerard.
As we're discussing these plans Vere will volunteer, "I must confess that I do not know how my strength will compare with those of other Royals. I have only two points of comparison: the mortal folk of the land of my birth and Father. I was considerably stronger than the former, but I could never be compared to Father. Indeed, I do not believe that he was even able to perceive any difference between me and the men of my native land, we were all so far beneath him in strength and endurance."
"None of us can compare to Dad in that respect," Solange tells him. "And we don't have time to settle it with a round of arm-wrestling. I've seen you lifting rubble today with the rest of us, and we all seem in about the same league." (GMs, please tell me if this statement grossly contradicts Solange's estimate of Vere's abilities, based on what she saw -- you have the numbers, I don't.)
Vere isn't nearly as strong as Solange.
As Jerod is describing this plan, Cambina comes down to the cellar.
"I came down to help you with Gerard." (She makes the sixth Royal, leaving Folly for singing duty.)
Solange turns to Cambina. "The only one whose physical strength I haven't been able to judge today is yours, cousin," she observes mildly. "The question is whether yours is enough disparate from ours that you'd unbalance a side if you joined in on the ropes, and if that's the case, whether you've enough muscle power to pull Dad out from under a lifted block quickly enough. If you don't trust your ability to do that, and, Vere, if you're uncertain about it, I'll do the pulling," Solange says firmly.
"I am certain that I can pull Father out of the way quickly and without undue difficulty," Vere says. "Perhaps that is the place where I would be the most useful? A question, however. Would it be better to move him immediately, or to give the physicians a few moments to put an end to the rapid bleeding we are certain will occur when the block is lifted? I am certain that the physicians and I all trust that you can hold the block long enough for them to do that, if necessary."
High waters think the doctors are unsure of this plan but are not going to object.
"Solange has the way of it. I might not have his endurance, lifting, but I believe I'm roughly Martin's equal. I'll balance a side from him." Paige smiles at Martin. "We know each other well enough to be able to work well together at this."
Martin grins. "Yeah, Paige and I can balance out pretty nicely."
From her spot in the corner, Folly smirks at the mental image Martin's statement conjures....
Jerod's pretty clearly the strongman of the group, you all think. Martin, Paige, and Solange are roughly equal, but Jerod could probably outlift the three of you combined. Cambina thinks she's a weak sister, and she is compared to Jerod, but she's still stronger than Vere.
"Then let's get on with it." Jerod says.
OK, so you get the four of you lined up, two and two, making sure Paige and Martin are on opposite sides, as she suggested, to do the pulling up of slab A.
Slab A is the heavier of the two, and it takes all of the strength of the lot of you to manage to raise the slab enough to get it out of the way. Jerod finds himself straining and thinks even Gerard himself might have a rough time.
Folly plays to strengthen you all, and each of you feels it.
Vere is now very pleased that the rope is of ship's quality and with the inspection he did of the platform. If it had failed ... no one wants to think about that. Fortunately, there was a probability that the rope wouldn't fray or break, so it didn't. Cambina looks a little pale from effort.
There is no longer any thought of holding the second slab up and treating Gerard. There is a serious concern about the weight of the second slab after the first proved to be so much heavier than any of you expected.
The four strongest of you get into place to lift the second slab. This time, since you know what to expect and the slab is quite a bit smaller, the task is much easier. Since there is a possibility none of you will lose your grip, none of you do.
Folly plays more of the same, then when it is apparent that the group has succeeded in holding up the slab, turns her musical attention to Gerard.
Vere drags his father out of the way of the slab and the doctors begin to tourniquet his legs. The damage is horrendous. Solange can't see anything because of the angle at which she's holding the slab, and suspects this placement was deliberate to keep her from losing concentration.
It takes you a couple of minutes to put the slab down gently. Paige and Martin are key to this -- she reads his intentions at a subtle level that's absolutely amazing. By the time you do this, the doctors have managed to tourniquet the wounds. Gerard's pelvis is broken in several places and his leg bones are shattered. The doctors are already working on splinting him. Gerard has mercifully passed out from the pain.
There is no moving Gerard out of the cellar at this time. The doctors shoo out the engineers, and want the royals to leave too. Gerard needs all the air he can get and you lot are breathing it. When he is ready to be moved into groundside quarters, they'll send for you.
The doctors have had Gerard on IV fluids for a while now, though the IV was removed during the moving process. The new IV has anesthetic in it too, to keep him unconscious until they get his legs splinted and in casts.
The four rope-pullers have a touch of rope-burn on their hands, but otherwise no one is further injured.
Unless I hear otherwise, I assume you all vacate the cellar for the family meeting. Stragglers are politely and sympathetically reminded that there is urgent family business to be taken care of.
Last modified: 18 Jul 2001