189 replies to this topic

[TheBrickster]

Chapter 9: The Suspects


Scotty, Mike, and the others weld quickly as the water continues to poor into the Sea Ghost.  Water has reached the Engineering Room and is beginning to wet the generators.  Lights are flickering as the water rises higher...

Just as Scotty completes the welding, a loud sound echoes through the ship.  "The bulk head doors are a  closing", Manny yells with excitement.  "Let's move us quickly"! he adds.  The men grab their tools and climb out of the hatch in the top of the room.  The stabilizer pumps activate as water begins to pump out of the ship.

In all of the excitement, the crew notices that the storm has lessened considerably and the ship is on calmer waters.  Rain trickles gently in the horizon.

The men return to the Steering Room to find a relieved Captain and others.  The frantic attempt to close the bulkhead doors was successful.  Scotty states, "We were able to stop the leak and with the pumps on, the water should be emptied in an hour or so.  But what took you so long Captain?  We almost didn't make it".

The Skipper looks down at the book that he found in the Utility Access Room to discover a book entitled, "Secrets to Cryptology".  Within the book is a piece of paper with the following numbers written on it:

4-9-23-8-21
22-6-4-21-12-17-10
5-8-17-17-12-8
26-12-23-11
23-11-8
21-24-5-5-8-21
16-4-22-14
1-23
26-4-22
22-23-18-15-8-17
9-21-18-16
23-11-8
6-11-8-22-23

"Maybe is the combination to the lock", Manny states.  The Crew analyze the numbers closely.

[Sinner]

I believe it says "After scaring Bennie with the rubber mask it was stolen from the chest", but I could be wrong as the "it" comes out as "xt" by my calculations. The secret is to roll each letter back three.

[Hinckley]

Sinner, on Oct 2 2007, 09:46 AM, said:

I believe it says "After scaring Bennie with the rubber mask it was stolen from the chest", but I could be wrong as the "it" comes out as "xt" by my calculations. The secret is to roll each letter back three.

Maybe xt means something...

[El Bucanero]

That last wave most have whacked (mmmhh....) me unconscious...

Well.. Have I missed anything?

Hey what's up with those numbers? Are we playing Bingo?

Edited by Mr Tiber, 02 October 2007 - 07:16 PM.

[Sir Dillon]

Does anyone have a telephone? Perhaps the numbers line up with the letters on the phone buttons... how all that works is a little beyond me, though. *wacko*

[Hinckley]

Sir Dillon, on Oct 2 2007, 03:07 PM, said:

Does anyone have a telephone? Perhaps the numbers line up with the letters on the phone buttons... how all that works is a little beyond me, though. *wacko*

I don't think Scotty's decription of the numbers is coincidental. I think he's already solved it, we just need to know what xt means...

[Scouty]

If Scotty is right, then your illegal first mate stole my boat...

I...I have to..t..overhere...if you'll ex..ex...excuse me.


:'-(

xt? What would that mean?

[El Bucanero]

Sir Dillon, on Oct 2 2007, 10:07 PM, said:

Does anyone have a telephone? Perhaps the numbers line up with the letters on the phone buttons... how all that works is a little beyond me, though. *wacko*

I have on, they water has killed it though...
Here, take it, I can't use it anymore... :'-(

[Hinckley]

Mr Tiber, on Oct 2 2007, 03:35 PM, said:

I have on, they water has killed it though...
Here, take it, I can't use it anymore... :'-(

The phone will work again after it dries out. I know because I dropped mine in a glass of whiskey once. :-$

[Scouty]

It wont work, this is salt water, you phone is doomed my friend. But how long have you had that phone? Why didn't you use it?

Since we know the monster is a fake, (as I always thought), I'm going outside, since the storm calmed down.

[El Bucanero]

hinckley39, on Oct 2 2007, 10:39 PM, said:

The phone will work again after it dries out. I know because I dropped mine in a glass of whiskey once. :-$

Oh, great! *sweet*

ImperialScouts, on Oct 2 2007, 10:52 PM, said:

It wont work, this is salt water, you phone is doomed my friend. But how long have you had that phone? Why didn't you use it?

Since we know the monster is a fake, (as I always thought), I'm going outside, since the storm calmed down.

Oh, crap!  :-(

Don't you think alcohol would damage the phone more then salt?

ImperialScouts, on Oct 2 2007, 10:52 PM, said:

But how long have you had that phone? Why didn't you use it?

Errr.... Well, I... err....

ImperialScouts, on Oct 2 2007, 10:52 PM, said:

Since we know the monster is a fake, (as I always thought), I'm going outside, since the storm calmed down.

How do you certainly know it is?

[Scouty]

Salt dries everything up and fries the circut board, as electricity passes through salt water alot more than plain water. I don't know the effects of whiskey though.


Well, it is a small rain outside, and I don't remember seeing hurricanes on the radar before heading out.

[Hinckley]

ImperialScouts, on Oct 2 2007, 04:04 PM, said:

Salt dries everything up and fries the circut board, as electricity passes through salt water alot more than plain water. I don't know the effects of whiskey though.
Well, it is a small rain outside, and I don't remember seeing hurricanes on the radar before heading out.

But he didn't fall in the ocean, the phone is wet from the rain... :-/

[Scouty]

He was knocked by wave, so I figured it got salt water on it.

[Sir Dillon]

ImperialScouts, on Oct 2 2007, 08:52 PM, said:

But how long have you had that phone? Why didn't you use it?

I highly doubt that you can get service out here.

Quote

I don't think Scotty's decription of the numbers is coincidental. I think he's already solved it, we just need to know what xt means...

I believe you are right... does this mean there is no monster? Who was not in the room when you took that picture?

[Hinckley]

Sir Dillon, on Oct 2 2007, 05:47 PM, said:

Who was not in the room when you took that picture?

I don't remember. I know there were only a couple of us. Columbo was definitely there. Columbo, tell us who else was with us...

I'm sure Stan had just run off and Scotty wasn't there either...Manny and Bennie had just run off as well.

[Sinner]

ImperialScouts, on Oct 3 2007, 05:18 AM, said:

If Scotty is right, then your illegal first mate stole my boat...

Well, I could be wrong. I did check twice, but I would appreciate it if someone could do it themselves just to confirm that I didn't make some silly mistake... :-$

[Hinckley]

Sinner, on Oct 2 2007, 08:40 PM, said:

Well, I could be wrong. I did check twice, but I would appreciate it if someone could do it themselves just to confirm that I didn't make some silly mistake... :-$

I got the same answer...

[TheBrickster]

First, let me take a look at that book.  That's not a 1-23.  The one is a 12.  It reads, 12-23.  The writing is a bit hard to decipher ;-) .

To answer the Captains's question, I have to think about this.  My memory is a little FOGGY, but as I recall:

Most of us were in the galley, Otto in the kitchen.  Mike Handy went to his cabin.  Scotty was in Engineering, and Jack Tupp had run off wildy to the bathroom.  Bennie was out in the fog, and Stan had gone looking for him.  That's about all I remember.

[Sinner]

hinckley39, on Oct 3 2007, 10:48 AM, said:

I got the same answer...

Thanks Capt'n.  *sweet*

TheBrickster, on Oct 3 2007, 10:48 AM, said:

First, let me take a look at that book.  That's not a 1-23.  The one is a 12.  It reads, 12-23.  The writing is a bit hard to decipher ;-) .

That's OK. I have drunk a bit too much today myself... 8-|

[Scouty]

Should we do a search throughout the ship to find anybody hiding and/or missing?

[Sinner]

ImperialScouts, on Oct 3 2007, 11:40 AM, said:

Should we do a search throughout the ship to find anybody hiding and/or missing?

I agree. We really need to know who is here, whether they want to talk or not...

[TheBrickster]

Before we do Skipper and Scotty, you might want to take a look off starboard.  I spy the Minnow out in the horizon, but it seems to be drifting...

[Sinner]

TheBrickster, on Oct 3 2007, 11:46 AM, said:

Before we do Skipper and Scotty, you might want to take a look off starboard.  I spy the Minnow out in the horizon, but it seems to be drifting...

How far off starboard? Perhaps we should launch the small boat and rescue it.

[TheBrickster]

Sinner, on Oct 2 2007, 07:52 PM, said:

How far off starboard? Perhaps we should launch the small boat and rescue it.

Not too far, but it is drifting.  Perhaps one of the life rafts?