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Socialist Victory At Sea

Page history last edited by Michael 6 years, 11 months ago

to the Index or back to Socialist Victory

 



report covers:   26 March, 2140 to 22 April, 2140

 

Your Life At Sea

     The team had been aboard the Victoria Socialista for two weeks so far. The cockpit will seat about 8 persons at the table at the same time; there are sofas that convert to sleeping bunks on the port and starboard sides. A couple of people could sling hammocks in the cockpit, as well, if the Morrow team wants to keep together on the boat.

     The sleeping cabin, all the way aft, has two bunks -- one for Captain Lopez, one for Scotty. It has a very low overhead.

     Laundry was last done at Veracruz, about a week ago. You'd been taking cold salt-water showers. Most of the crew expect a weekly chance to clean their clothes. They wash their hands before each meal; that's the main allowance of fresh water for hygiene.

     The cook, Pablo, serves coffee, toast, butter and jelly for breakfast; meat (usually mutton) on rice, cassava pudding, fruit bar, papelón con limón (a sweet lime drink) and rum for lunch; sausages (lamb, horse or venison), vegetables, potatoes and batido (thick fruit juice) for dinner; and a cereal bar, toast, butter and jelly for dinner. There are some slight variations, all based on the day of the week (pasta on Mondays, for example, black beans on Tuesdays and black bean stew on Wednesdays, fish on Fridays, etc.). Meat averages out to 0.7 kg per person per day; the fifteen people aboard the vessel had consumed about 200 kilograms of food since leaving Mobile.

     The cassava pudding is pretty much a tapioca pudding:  it's  made from cassava flour, sweetened condensed milk, coconut, butter, spices like ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg, and maybe raisins. It is baked to a soft brownie-like consistency and usually served warm, perhaps with some honey drizzled on top.

     The five deckhands and the cook are essentially illiterate, though they can sign their names.

     Several of the deckhands own musical instruments (at least two guitars).

     Two of the deckhands were suffering mildly from malaria, and at least two showed symptoms of syphilis.

 

26 March, 2140

 

weather report: fog in the morning, followed by mostly clear skies, wind speed 3 kph from S, lowest temperature 46° F, highest temperature 81° F. 76% humidity.

 

     Team R54 was at Parris Island MCB, chatting with the United States Marines, and had lunch. There was no pork and no eggs, but they did have canned beef and other preserved cow meat! Hot showers were offered (almost insisted on) and gladly taken.

     A set of shortwave frequencies, and pre-arranged dates and times, were agreed upon for radio contact.

     Scotty did some negotiating, and when the team was eventually ferried back to their boat in the evening, some new supplies were stowed:

 

  • 10 cases (40 cans per case) beef stew

  • 10 cases (40 cans per case) spaghetti and (beef) meatballs

  • 10 cases (40 cans per case) beef meat and beans (a sort of mild chile, really)

  • 10 cases (40 cans per case) chicken and noodles (with some garden vegetables)

  • 10 cases (40 cans per case) corned beef hash

  • 2 steel drums of 200 liters each fresh water, 221 kg mass each

  • 100 chocolate bars

  • 40 rolls of military toilet paper

  • 100 boxes of caramel candy

  • 10 cartons (10 packs per carton) of unfiltered cigarettes, "Pyramid" brand. "I'd climb a pyramid for one of these."

 

     ... in total, 1171 kg of additional cargo. Transporting and stowing cargo took two hours; the team decided to hoist anchor at dawn (when they'd have an idea of what the weather would be like off-shore).

 

27 March, 2140

 

weather report: clear skies, winds from the S, lowest temperature 55° F, highest temperature 81° F.

 

     The Victoria Socialista hoisted her anchor and set sail for Puerto Rico. During the passage, winds (and currents) were contrary -- almost dead ahead, from the south through east. More motoring at 9 knots was done than perhaps a nautical romantics would like; but the Venezuelan crew weren't romantics.

 

Each character will gets a check in Sail, unless your Sail skill was already 40% or more.

Jesse gets a check in Signals, unless his Signals skills was already 60% or more.

Plus, resolve all outstanding checks (Bargain, for example)

 

     The ship sailed through the Bermuda Triangle without incident! There was light rain -- a few millimeters only, in the mornings -- on March 28, 30, and 31st. Otherwise (and even on rainy days) the sun shone brightly, night-time low temperatures were around 64° F, day-time highs around 88° F.

 

1 April, 2140

 

weather report: clear skies, winds from the S or E, lowest temperature 64° F, highest temperature 87° F. This is typical of the weather in Puerto Rico for the rest of April.

 

     Jesse began receiving intelligible AM radio transmissions from Puerto Rico on this day -- especially clear was WKAQ. This day was Good Friday; it was suddenly clear the ship would probably arrive at San Juan on Easter Sunday. Most, maybe all, of the AMAL crew weren't very pious, but if asked they claimed to be Catholics.

     A few very weak April Fools jokes were made by the Morrow Project team, to the bewilderment of their AMAL shipmates.

 

3 April, 2140

 

weather report: as before

 

     At dawn, the 50 star American flag was being flown by the Victoria Socialista; the tops of Puerto Rican mountains were visible. Most other days, there would have been fishing boats out at sea -- but not on Easter Sunday.

     An AM frequency used by some sort of coast guard or harbor patrol had already been identified by Jesse the day before; he called up and advised them that the schooner was approaching the harbor. The response was only a bit surprised -- vessels from "other nations" only came by once or twice a year -- but a harbor patrol launch escorted the schooner into the bay.

     The rise in sea level had left Old San Juan a much more definite island, several kilometers from the mainland; the Miramar district was also an island now. There was no sign of damage from the Atomic War; radiation levels were about the same as the better parts of North America the team had visited.

     A half-dozen radio antennas were seen on the castle, along with military guards in tan coveralls and black berets. The castle, the launch, and various other flagpoles had Puerto Rican flags; no American flags where in evidence.

     The castle's esplanade, a wide open area between the castle and the town, had a lot of palm trees, shabby sheds and concrete "quonset huts". JJ mentioned that the concrete huts looked a lot like the Project's "emergency inflatable shelters" as seen in the San Luis Valley. Here, they were mostly empty, with cracks and holes visible.

 

the dotted black line is the 20th Century shore

 

     Inland, the team could see electric trolley and train lines, electric street lights, a few trucks and automobiles, and other signs of early 20th Century technology. About half of the moored fishing boats were sailing vessels, the others small motorboats. Some small coastal cargo vessels were visible, none more than 20 meters long (the Victoria Socialista was 24 meters long). Along the shoreline at Miramar was by far the largest vessel, a navy-gray warship with no funnel; it was connected to an electrical substation by power lines.

     Parades, bunting, floral decorations, and other festival items were seen in the towns. Processions carrying banners and portable shrines had been moving around the streets before noon.

     The harbor patrol / pilot boat waved the Victoria Socialista over to a dock on the southern edge of old San Juan (in the Marina district); a couple of unarmed port officials helped tie the vessel up at about noon. They asked a few pro-forma questions ("Do you have any pirates or food products aboard?") and told the crew they'd be paying a peso a day for dock fees. The Easter services at the cathedral of San Juan Bautista were underway, no doubt any good Christians would want to attend. "Bienvenidos a Puerto Rico, y feliz Pascua de Resurrección."

     Captain Lopez only let a few of the crew members ashore for the morning. Scotty and Gootz also stayed with the ship, monitoring the radios and scanning the city for items of interest. JJ, Doc and Jesse Cooper cleaned themselves up, put on their best clothes (and hidden weapons), and wandered up a few blocks to the cathedral. The winding, cobblestone streets and pastel-painted stone buildings seemed unchanged from the days of the Spanish empire. In front of the cathedral, nearly a thousand people were milling about -- all unarmed! -- with only a few policemen on duty. More people were in the cathedral, which seemed to have several different rituals going on at once. Note that none of the members of Team R54 were Catholics.

     Many times during the day, the team heard the phrase, "¡Cristo ha resucitado! ¡En verdad ha resucitado!" followed by people kissing each other on the cheek three times.

     Local men were mostly wearing black or white trousers, with embroidered white shirts and straw hats.

     After Mass, the team wandered the streets of Old San Juan; many groups -- parishes, unions, government offices, families -- had set up tables in courtyards or along the sidewalks, with free food and drink. Locals were also smoking cigarettes and cigars.

     In one of the old courtyards, the team spoke with a group of old men -- mostly with the English-speaking Dr. Arturo Seban. He told them of how the Morrow Project came to Puerto Rico in the months after Hurricane Hugo and the Atomic War, and helped the island rebuild. His clinic had a Morrow Project Med Kit and M1 CBR Kit, and the University had at least one Bio-Comp. Hospitals and clinics all over the island had Med Kits and CBR Kits (though not every one, and certainly not every doctor). The displays for all of these machines had been replaced decades ago with grain-of-wheat bulb arrays, or IBM Selectric typewriters, the size of a 1960s television set. He recommended that team contact La Fundación Morrow, if they wanted information about the Project. The Fundación headquarters was located in Morrow Castle.

     Jesse wound up in the bed of Serena Munoz, the 20-year-old daughter of a legislator from Ponce. Doc and JJ took rooms in an ancient hotel in Old San Juan -- the building was a former convent. Despite its ante-apocalyptic origin, the presence of (some) electric lights, indoor plumbing, hot baths and clean sheets pleased the two Project members greatly. Prices were high -- many people were in San Juan for Easter.

The team spent 4 pesos for hotel rooms overnight.

 

4 April, 2140

 

weather report: as before

 

     Several more members of the ship's crew were allowed ashore for liberty this day -- some were in trouble with the police already. The Morrow team members did a lot of shopping in Miramar, and sold some old watches for cash.

 

prices paid for wrist or pocket watches, San Juan PR

nice working watch, no visible damage

2 pesos

working watch, not very accurate, kinda ugly

1 peso

non-functional watch, can probably be repaired

30 centavos

non-functional watch, probably unrepairable, good for parts

10 centavos

... and of course, you can trade about 1/2 ounce of gold, or 10 ounces of silver, for one peso

 

Shopping items:  laundry of existing wardrobe, new lightweight shoes, nice lounging clothes,

nice dinner/party clothes, haircuts, hats, etc. -- nothing with any tactical uses.

1 peso per person. Presumably 5 pesos total.

    

     Near the small shipyard at Miramar was the remnants of a World War Two tanker, entirely landlocked and surrounded by small buildings. This was the Fort McHenry, which brought the Morrow Project to Puerto Rico in 1990.

 

SS Fort McHenry while still afloat, circa 2020 AD

 

     Also present in the harbor was the small steel-hulled warship they'd seen the day before; it had no funnel, but seemed to be in good condition otherwise. It was attached by heavy power cables to a transformer yard on the shore; three small cannons were mounted in the open. It was flying the Puerto Rican flag, and bore the name El Marlin. The crew were not about to provide tours.

 

Puertorriqueño Barco de la Armada "El Marlin"; the structure just ahead of the mainmast is an armored conning tower

 

     JJ, Doc and Jesse eventually wandered up to the castle, which bore the official name "Castillo del Morrow" ... it was guarded by the men in tan coveralls and black berets, carrying 20th Century weapons. The crumbling concrete huts on the esplanade were indeed Morrow Project inflatable concrete shelters; most of them now held only spiderwebs and debris.

     The castle was a combination of museum and military post, with some modern cannons mounted on the walls. Besides a few displays about the castle's pre-Atomic War history, most of the museum exhibits were about the Morrow Project.

 

The Morrow Project

-- according to Puerto Rican official history

     In March of 1990, the SS Fort McHenry arrived at San Juan, and put its considerable resources to work assisting the population. There were 45 people aboard the ship, plus some more in cryosleep berths. The Project was a secret branch of the United States government, prepared in case of atomic war.

     The ship's cargo included many fusion reactors, most of them small enough to power trucks or armored cars. Amazing medical devices, and thousands of tons of emergency supplies and equipment, saved hundreds of thousands of lives on the island.

     The last member of the Fort McHenry's crew died of old age in 2022; however, 13 members of the crew are preserved in cryosleep berths in Morrow Castle. The ship was eventually beached in 2025, and stripped of most of its equipment; the hull remains as a warehouse on the Miramar waterfront. One of the reactors powers El Marlin -- or the city of Miramar, when the ship isn't hunting pirates.

     By 2140, any educated citizen had heard about the Morrow Project -- but it was about as well-known as the Marshall Plan to ordinary citizens of 2015, or the Commission for the Relief of Belgium during WW1. "They were helping, I'm pretty sure."

     La Fundación Morrow was founded by the government to take over the scientific and reconstruction efforts begun by the crew of the Fort McHenry. They control the distribution and usage of remaining Morrow equipment, and access to the archives made by the Project. Most of the reactors are still in operation, providing about one-fifth of the island's electrical supply in 2140.

 

     There were photographs of refugee camps; Overland Trains carrying supplies; bridges and dams being built or rebuilt; Project personnel tending to the sick and homeless; and memorials to all of the Project members from the Fort McHenry. Artifacts included a couple of mannequins wearing full Project gear, including the blue "wrench" patch of Engineering division teams.

 

     There was a Mk I fusion reactor on display; "This item became inoperable after an accident in 2092." There was an archive, not open to the public; it included diaries and journals, plus thousands of books useful after the War -- the hard copy version of the Morrow Project library.

     As the three Project members finished browsing the museum, they became aware of two Shock Force troops watching them quietly. The troopers politely asked them to come to Colonel Armando Sebastian's office.

     The Colonels' office was inside a centuries-old section of the castle; it held flags, photographs, weapons and other items clearly inherited from over a century ago, plus a few items added by the current commander of the Shock Force. The Colonel, a wrinkled middle-aged man with a large mustache and tobacco-colored skin, offered the three Project members each a seat, a cigar and a glass of rum; he spoke excellent English (i.e., Ancient). A long chat with the Colonel made it clear that Puerto Rico's government was well aware that the Morrow Project had not been a part of the United States government. A century ago, this might have been a scandal; but by now, the Colonel was more interested in the story of what the Project was doing on the Mainland.

     He knew nearly as much about the pre-War plans and structure of the Project as any of the Project members present; and was certainly aware that the supposed hundreds or thousands of boltholes across the United States had never been activated. After some more question-and-answer, he revealed that the Morrow Foundation, in cooperation with the scientists at the Polytechnic University, had been listening to weekly radio signals that might be Project activation codes. Several months ago, "out most skilled radio experts" had constructed a direction finder to track the VLF signals; they were apparently originating on the mainland.

     The Shock Force had been originally organized by the crew of the Fort McHenry as security and, hmm, a mini-MARS team. Up until about 2022, the Shock Force would have probably been more loyal to the Fort McHenry's crew than to the Puerto Rican government; they still had the greatest respect for the actual Morrow Project, but their loyalty was now entirely with the legitimate government of the island.

     After a bit more discussion, the team asked Colonel Sebastian if he had any Morrow Project ID cards he could part with. In fact, the Colonel had two dozen of them locked in a safe in his office. There was a rating 9 card (from the ship's captain), and several rating 11 to 13 cards -- most were rating 19. He said that handing over any cards would take some consultations, but presumably wouldn't be too much of a problem. Scientists at the Polytechnic University had, in fact, duplicated some of the cards well enough to "fool" a Morrow Project vehicle's "ignition switch", which was the main use for the cards for many years. Their dummy cards usually didn't work on the Bio-Comp and some computers, so there was presumably some flaw in their copy.

     The Colonel already knew the names of the crew and passengers on the Victoria Socialista; he said that the Morrow Foundation would be in touch with the team the next day.

     Discussions of conditions on the Virgin Islands, Hispaniola, and around the Caribbean brought the team members a lot of political-strategic information (enough to make the wiki pages on Puerto Rico and AMAL available to the players).

     Jesse, Doc and JJ went back to the schooner and filled in their friends with the latest information. Then, they checked out of their hotel rooms, and rented a whole upstairs floor of a building in Old San Juan. After Easter, prices and rents had dropped, and more places were available.

 

Furnished suite, four bedrooms (one with two beds), bath, toilet, dining room, living room, kitchen;

electric lights, running water and indoor plumbing (though somewhat antiquated even in 1989).

Rent, 4 pesos per week. Total for two weeks, 8 pesos.

 

     The Morrow team moved their goods to their new home, and settled in.

 

5 April, 2140

 

weather report: as before

 

     Jesse, Doc and JJ visited the Polytechnic University; there were long technical chats about VLF direction finding, signal content, transmission dates, etc. The local scientists don't know when the signals were first transmitted; a lot of the first ones they heard weren't recorded; and the direction finder is relatively new. But, by now the University has a nice 10 degree arc to the northwest, which contains the transmitter.

 

the magenta triangle contains the transmitter

 

     Gootz visited the "other" Morrow Project museum, in Miramar -- the vehicles and other large items were stored in a couple of warehouses. None of the vehicles in the museum were in working order; all of their useful components had been removed.

     In the afternoon, the team had another chat with Colonel Sebastian; he told them that some senior members of the Morrow Foundation wanted to speak with them, along with the Governor. A meeting was arranged for the next day.

     Scotty visited the Fort Buchanan officers' club and golf course on this day, as a guest of some VIPs.

 

some golf items available in San Juan

 

golf shoes, basic

50 centavos

golf balls, singly

2 centavos

golf balls, per dozen

20 centavos

golf clubs (palo de golf), each

20 to 30 centavos

golf clubs, typical set of 12

2.5 pesos

leather golf club bag

1 peso

 

Scotty's Story, Part 1

     Some well-to-do sorts presented themselves mid-day; Sr. Vigil Velasco, and Sr. Reuben Gonzales. They represented various families and companies that felt the need to express their gratitude for the Morrow Project's good deeds. They asked if Scotty would appreciate meeting some influential persons at the Fort Buchanan officers' club that afternoon. There was a 9 hole golf course at the fort, plus a driving range -- kind of ratty, but probably not too different from its pre-1989 nature. Srs. Velasco and Gonzales, and the relatively young men who met Scotty at the officers' club, weren't revealing too much of their motives -- more likely, sounding him out on his political stance. Only one of the hosts, a capitan Clorindo Zamudio Badillo, was an officer in the Puerto Rican military (and everyone's official host at the o-club). Scotty's best guess at their motives: conservatives, businessmen eager to see Puerto Rico (and themselves) richer. Only one or two of them were golfers, and none of them seemed interested in golf that day.

 

6 April, 2140

 

weather report: as before. New moon on this day.

 

     The team had lunch at La Forteleza with Governor Jaime Garcia, senior members of the Morrow Foundation, and some professors from the Universidad de Puerto Rico. Among the topics discussed (in Spanish), over cigars and rum:

 

  • was the Project capable of dealing with the Españolan pirates?

    • Scotty presented a plan to attack Santo Domingo, the stronghold of the main pirate group. The Shock Forces and other Puerto Rican naval and military units would make a feint landing at dawn on the Santo Domingan coast, to draw the pirates' attention. The Morrow Project team would land before dawn, proceed to the Ozama River, and float down to Castillo Ozama -- the headquarters of the Capitan-General -- in a rubber raft. Climbing the tall stone walls, silenced weapons, night-vision gear, iguana bombs ... this commando fantasy didn't even get translated by his fellow team members before they vetoed it.

  • after a bit of "looking you over", the Governor and the Director of the Morrow Foundation agreed to loan the team two Project security rating 11 cards.

    • Francisco A. Randall, first mate of the Fort McHenry, born 1947. Died in 2010 of natural causes.

    • Dr. David L. Minaya, senior medical officer on the Fort McHenry, born 1940. Died in 1995 during an epidemic.

  • the Project team described current conditions on the mainland; nothing seemed to surprise the Puerto Ricans (they had a very low opinion of conditions in the old U.S. of A.)

  • the Morrow Foundation had developed a method to separate boron isotopes, using the purple coneflower plant. There were many hectares of greenhouses dedicated to this scheme; the remaining fusion reactors could be operated indefinitely.

  • if the Project could provide transport, the University (specifically the School of Tropical Medicine) was willing to send a small team of doctors and biologists to AMAL, to determine what strange diseases were affecting humans and livestock.

  • at the government's request, El Mundo and other press outlets had held off on announcing the team's presence. The media forbearance was about to end; the team should prepare to meet with journalists, academics, and fans the next day.

 

     In the afternoon, Jesse met with engineers and scientists from the Polytechnic University, who showed him their records of VLF transmissions, and their large direction-finding system.

 

7 April, 2140

 

weather report: as before

 

     Several hours of meetings with journalists, academics, and the merely curious; Scotty wasn't present (he was off to a golf course). Anyone with less than 40% Other Language:  Spanish skill would probably feel ill-at-ease with the rapid-moving conversations and the local dialect. The team was a bit bemused by the Puerto Rican's attitude toward the Morrow Project -- well-educated people already knew about cryosleep, fusion reactors, and (especially the academics) that the Project wasn't a U.S. government program. The idea that Project teams were still around, presumably having been frozen in bunkers, had been the subject of various academic papers over the decades. More of the questions were about the team's view of Puerto Rico:  "As a person from the 20th Century, what do you think of conditions in Puerto Rico?"

     Other questions:

 

    • "¿Estás en contacto con ningún otro divisiones del Proyecto Morrow?"

      • "Are you in contact with any other divisions of the Morrow Project?"

    •  "Sabemos que la reconstrucción de la civilización es su objetivo principal - ¿cómo es que viene junto?"

      • "We know that rebuilding civilization is your major goal -- how is that coming along?"

    • "¿Es cierto que el continente está totalmente superada por maniáticos moto, llevar grandes cuchillos y armas primitivas?"

      • "Is it true that the mainland is entirely over-run by motorcycle maniacs, carrying large knives and primitive guns?"

    • "¿Si el gobierno de incluir el Frente Socialista en más puestos ministeriales?"

      • "Should the government include the Socialist Front in more ministerial posts?"

    • "¿Es el plan del Gadstock-Chávez lo mejor para promover los intereses del hombre común?"

      • "Is the Gadstock-Chávez plan the best for advancing the interests of the common man?"

    • "¿El Proyecto Morrow erradicar los piratas Españolan?"

      • "Will the Morrow Project eradicate the Españolan pirates?"

         

     In the evening, Scotty met with some more VIPs, at a country club about an hour east of San Juan -- he was driven there in an immaculate 1964 Bentley. He telephoned the rest of the team to say he'd be back in a day or so.

 

Scotty's Story, Part 2

     Scotty had been asked to meet again, "in a more comfortable setting," the "very important businessmen" who "felt there was information being left out of the government briefings". Thus today he was whisked off to the Berwind Country Club for an overnight stay. The Berwind was 40 kilometers east of Old San Juan, near the small municipio of Rio Grande; he was driven in a 1964 Bentley.  Most of that route was along a barely-paved road; locals watched the big black limousine pass through without any obvious expressions on their faces. The club was on an island, a couple of kilometers from the (current) shore -- a long rock causeway connected the little island to Puerto Rico proper.

     The 18-hole, par 72 golf course at Berwind was laid out in 1930; the club also offered tennis, yachting and a freshwater swimming pool. The actual VIPs at this club weren't the healthy, fit young men Scotty met on the 5th, but more leathery, gray-haired (or bald) middle-aged types, with big cigars and drinks in their hands. The athletic club, and the team's suite on Old San Juan, had telephones; but he was way out of range for a PRC-68 walkie-talkie.

      The club had "all the amenities" (including a pro shop), but still had a vague post-apocalyptic air to it. The light bulbs were kind of small and non-standardized; there were niches where televisions, refrigerators, etc. once sat; some of the former big plate glass windows were now divided into smaller panes; the grass mowers were all hand-powered; some of the rich club members arrived in horse-drawn carriages, or on horseback, rather than in automobiles; the Bentley was definitely the grandest car you'd ever seen in Puerto Rico ... and there were guards in slacks, white polo shirts, dark sunglasses, and carrying Uzis at the main gate (on the mainland end of the causeway) and along the beach.

 

Scotty's Story, Part 3

    The important gentlemen Scotty met at the Berwind Country Club looked sort of like these guys:

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/12/d4/45/12d44541046dc71a40124ba77d38d55c.jpg

 

http://blogs.r.ftdata.co.uk/the-world/files/2012/04/Julio-Lobo1.jpg

 

      Don Roberto Bascon, possibly the richest man in Puerto Rico, was the normally-quiet old man at the head of the table. A half-dozen men in their forties and fifties did most of the talking; a couple of them had professional, military or academic titles (Doctor, Major, Professor). I see Scotty's Spanish language listed at 25% ... that's about the level of their English language skill.

      (Young men, and a few good-looking young women, carried drinks and cigars, and in general saw to your needs.)

 

Some of the young women.

 

     Keep in mind all of the following may be purely deception ...

     Their pitch was, in short, that Communism was a major threat to civilization -- "Look what they did to the world in the 20th Century!" The current Puerto Rican government, the Labor Progressives, were pretty much socialists already, and were on the verge of making an alliance with the Socialist Front party. 
      AMAL and Mexico were openly communist regimes, and sold arms to the pirates on Hispaniola and Cuba. The Labor Progressive government sought to make alliances with AMAL and Mexico, rather than destroying the pirates and thereby allowing Puerto Rico to dominate trade in the Gulf and Caribbean. The Morrow Project (as in, the "real" one) could obviously help the growth of Puerto Rican military power, with more of their powerful electric motors, lasers, etc.  The nation had a good number of reactors, but almost none of the high-power electric motors that would really push a naval vessel along.
      The captain-general of the pirates, in Santo Domingo, had a castle full of treasure and armaments. If that were captured, Puerto Rico would be enriched and her young men would be inspired to greater deeds of naval valor.

     In Scotty's opinion, an assault on Santo Domingo would have to wait for another time, preferably one that has explosives (other than black powder) available.

 

But Gootz has destroyed entire towns using black powder! -- Michael

 

     The Morrow Project, just after the Atomic War, was praised and respected for seeking out and destroying criminals, drug lords, and Communists.

     Scotty agreed vehemently with the gentlemen regarding the threat of Communism. However, he told them that as R54 is currently just five people, he had to make deals with existing mainland groups that he might not normally have done otherwise. This included the AMAL trade mission/colony at Mobile where he arranged for the lease of the current vessel. He tried not to address the ship by its current name.

      He suggested that the key to addressing everyone's concerns regarding Communism, piracy, and the restraint of trade would be the building of additional naval vessels. He even offered to go in on building one, but expected that the resources he could offer were be nothing in comparison to Puerto Rico -- plus, he was not going to give away any current electric motors or fusion plants.

     He proposed a future goal of building or acquiring a cargo vessel that could go around the Horn or cross the Atlantic to Africa, which the R54 crew might join.

     Scotty was warned to be careful of AMAL; the scientists being sent with the team might include a government agent. The Important Men were attempting to have one of their own agents included in the group; the agent or you could use the phrase, "Pork joins mankind together;" the reply would be, "But fish can be eaten during Lent."
      This sort of conversation went on for a couple of hours, and then broke for dinner. After a very nice dinner, the Important Men sat with Scotty on a patio under the stars, smoking cigars and drinking rum, while a trio of guitarists played local tunes in the background. After-dinner conversation were mostly about "Life before the War", "What do you think of Puerto Rico", and other neutral topics -- including, of course, golf.

     Scotty provided an only slightly embellished summary of his background before the Atomic War. He eagerly agreed to play golf the next day!

     Scotty was invited to join three of the younger men for a round of golf the next morning. Half a dozen beautiful young women joined the group during dinner, taking their leave once the men moved out to the patio.

     Scotty was effusive in his gratitude to his hosts and in his compliments regarding San Juan. He inquired about possible future immigration.

     Scotty was led to a nice bedroom about 11 p.m.; after about 15 minutes a breathtakingly beautiful raven-haried young woman, Elsie, knocked on the french doors leading outside. She was wearing a silky dress with nothing underneath, and carrying a bottle and two glasses ... she invited him to take a walk towards the (heated) freshwater pool. "Could I interest you in looking at the moonrise?"
      Scotty's conversational choices were:

 

  1. "Sorry, I'm tired, and have an early tee time tomorrow."

  2. "I'm definitely interested in looking."

 

     He chose option #2, and as he joined her for a moonlit swim and romantic activities, his last comment was, "If only I had a camera!"

 

8 April, 2140

 

weather report: as before

 

     Scotty played some golf, swam in fresh-water pools, and met with more shadowy VIPs at the country club.

 

Scotty's Story, Part 4

    Out at the country club, Scotty had breakfast with Elsie, and then joined three Puerto Rican men (and four caddies) for a golf game, which lasted until about noon.


the game of golf, as played in Puerto Rico

 

  • Major DevlinGolf 15%; his caddy had Golf Caddy 50%.

  • Sr. VelasquezGolf 20%; his caddy had Golf Caddy 40%.

  • Sr. FergusonGolf 20%; your caddy had Golf Caddy 30%.

  • Dr. OrtizGolf 20%; his caddy had Golf Caddy 20%.

 

      Roll one skill check for each golfer. If multiple golfers succeed in their Golf skill, rank the golfers in order of the highest successful die roll to lowest; any successful golfer beats all unsuccessful golfers. Unsuccessful golfers are then ranked in order of highest die roll to lowest. If there is a tie, the player with the better caddy wins (and the caddy gets a check on his skill); if there's still a tie, the golfer with the higher POW wins; if there is still a tie, tied characters roll their Golf skill again.

     A golfer who rolls a 01 on the Golf skill test can then roll a 1d1000 to see if a hole in one has occurred during the match, by rolling an 000 result.

     Final results:  Sr. Velasquez won, at or under par. Major Devlin was a bit over par, followed by Dr. Ortiz, and (sadly) Scotty Ferguson in last place.


     After the golf match, the foursome had lunch. After a nap, Scotty and some of the ladies had a swim (in swimsuits, this time). 

     A beachfront saunter with Elsie, some time spent looking at maps of the Caribbean with Important Men, a rum-tasting session, supper, and an evening meeting with don Roberto rounded out the day. At this meeting, Scotty emphasized the need for better weaponry, including smokeless powder and portable explosives such as gun cotton, nitrocellulose, or (even better) gelignite.

 

     The University introduced Doc and Jesse to the four scientists who'd volunteered to visit AMAL:

 
  • Dr. Liborio Caldera Tendent, male, age 41, medical doctor and communicable disease specialist (STM)

  • Dr. Leon Hernádez Sizmalo, male, age 30, biologist (STM)

  • Dr. Landerico Montero Werzel; male, age 33, medical doctor and surgeon

  • Dr. Nayla Vera Ricardo; female, age 38, gynecologist

 

     All were unmarried and aware of the risks involved. The Morrow Foundation would provide gear and funds for their share of the costs (food, for example). Some medicines, and some pigs and chickens, would also be provided.

 

9 April, 2140

 

     A Saturday.

 

 

Scotty's Story, Part 5

    After breakfast, Scotty had a final meeting with don Roberto and the other old men. Roberto said, "You seem to appreciate the trinkets in the gun cabinet; this one in particular. I want you to have it, and carry it into battle against the Communists."

 

Scotty gets to choose a rifle or pistol

(Kevin and I have identified what it might be already).

 

     With that, the Bentley was waiting to take Scotty back  to San Juan.

 

10 to 16 April, 2140

 

     The 10th was a Sunday.

     The team continued to learn about Puerto Rico -- especially the foods! The weather continued with clear skies and hot in the mid-day. Scotty began arranging for commercial cargo to carry to AMAL.

     The records collected by the Fort McHenry regarding the extent of the Atomic War were reviewed by the team. Strikes in the Caribbean and Central America included:

 

     Prime Base had transmitted some information about strikes on the American mainland to the Fort McHenry, as well.

     Jesse had long chats with local radio engineers; they told him that official, academic and amateur operators had listened to shortwave broadcasts from around the world for a few decades. There wasn't an official "record and analyse" scheme until a few years ago (which is why they picked up the Project's wake-up signals); and audio recording is limited to phonograph records. But, they have some general info:

 

  • the United States of America (in Africa)

  • the Republic de la Plata (Argentina, that is)

  • a very few mid-Atlantic English stations -- only in the last two or three years

  • three or four African language broadcasts

  • some Arabic broadcasts, from northern Africa or the Middle East

  • some ... Greek? broadcasts, from the Middle East

  • some Oriental languages (could be anything from Hindi to Mandarin, as far as Puerto Ricans can tell)

  • nothing Slavic, and nothing they could say for certain came from Europe

  • nothing Australian, but they might have just not picked that up ....

  • and of course various Morse or other coding systems, usually not translatable

     

 

receive and take checks in:

Sail (unless your skill is 40% or more)

Golf (Scotty only, as far as I know)

Other Language -- Spanish

Art:  Music/Singing (if your character cared to participate)

History

Signals (everyone -- a lot of discussions of VLF radio took place)

Electronics (Jesse only, as far as I know -- he's in longer discussions with the local radio engineers)

plus, of course, take any remaining checks from before the team's arrival, or anything received "at the table" during this session.

 

17 April, 2140

 

weather report: as before

 

     On Sunday the team and their new passengers re-arranged the cargo hold and cockpit of their schooner, in anticipation of the trip to AMAL.

 

inventory changes

     Kevin's got the actual, detailed list; this is just meant to be the highlights version. He'll let you know what stuff will go into your character's own sweaty hands inventory.

 

  • various gun parts, magazines, reloading components, ammunition, etc.

  • half a dozen L1A1 semi-auto rifles, plus a BM-59 select-fire rifle and a S&W Model 645 semi-auto pistol

     

  • three electrical repair kits

  • 3 short-wave transmitters (tube type)

  • 4 shortwave receivers

  • some sound equipment

  • 20 cases of good rum

  • 100 motor vehicle tires of various sizes

  • lots of engine gasket material

  • ship's fuel, water, food, and other supplies topped off

  • new work, casual and formal (PR style) clothing for all team members, along with toiletry items

  • a couple of guitars

  • attractive, talented feminine company for each night in Puerto Rico

  • a couple of Morrow Project ID cards, plus some copies

  • 1500 coins, 2 peso value, about an ounce each

  • a bunch of small gold ingots

     

     

 

     A Puerto Rican two-peso gold coin:

 

 

18 April, 2140

 

weather report: as before

 

     The Victoria Socialista, with all her crew and passengers aboard, departed from San Juan after breakfast this Monday. The trip to Caracas was expected to take four or five days.

 

Expenditures in Puerto Rico:  17 pesos that the referee knows of so far. A few nice dinners, overnight trips, etc. will bring the total to 20 pesos.

 

21 April, 2140

 

weather report: as before; this night was a full moon

 

     On a clear, dark night two large pirate motorboats approached the schooner. One had an extra-loud engine, and turned on various lights and sirens; its crew of only 2 was (it turned out) protected behind some armor plate. The other, with mufflers on the exhausts, and no lights showing, came up on the far side of the schooner. While Gootz and Doc shot up the noisy motorboat, JJ had a thought and checked the opposite bearing with his night-vision scope -- indeed, there was the stealth boat, about 200 meters away!

     The distraction boat was armored around its cockpit and motor; it managed to escape once the team opened up with their weapons. The stealth boat, however, was no match for heavy automatic weapons; it caught fire, exploded and sank.

 

Ammunition expended: five rounds of "cheap, 22nd Century ball" .50 cal; 3 rounds of 20mm API, 2 rounds of 20mm HEI.

 

22 April, 2140

 

weather report: as before

 

     (within sight of the Venezuelan coast)

 

on to Pork Smuggling

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