A Becky Adventure - Escape in to Danger!

Rebecca Salerno is missing. After the excitement on the drive to the airport every thing had gone smoothly except that one of the girls Rebecca Salerno, had not arrived at Heathrow, phone calls were unanswered and rather than miss the plane they had sent a telegram to her giving details of the hotel they would stay at in Calcutta and after that in Changoon. All they could hope was that she was Ok and would catch up later. (She is being repainted as we speak, but there might be other more sinister reasons for her none arrival)

They had a short stop over in Calcutta and hired a couple of cars to drive to the coast to catch the first of two sea planes, this was none stop to Changoon, a commercial flight and they weren’t expecting any problems, after all – who knew they were there.

The previous chapter is Here and that contains all the links to the rest of the story, 6 chapters all told, it will become a novel before I'm done. ;)

Text relates to the photo above it, I know everyone else is out of step with me, it just makes everyone else wrong:) :).

The Ferry dock to transport passengers to the Seaplane, it’s a rough and ready place, no Starbucks, Costco or MacDonalds either.

The girls have to drive down the road, straight to the dock, check through customs, board ferry boats then motor out to the seaplane and take off.

Simple.

The seaplane uses this rather dilapidated dock for its commercial flights, after all they are on a very tight budget and the passengers going to Changoong are not usually the fussy kind.

Looks like quite a crowd to get on the plane. I hope they can all make it, sometimes the flight is overbooked.

Over by passport control the Police woman in the red beret and the sinister looking chap by her side don’t look like the rest of the passengers, maybe officials, could be trouble.
I noticed that all the passengers are on the other side of the road from them, obviously they don’t want to be too close to these two.

Obviously there is an oriental contingent flying east but there’s nothing unusual in that.

Is there?

You can see some of the other passengers, could that be Professor Augustus Dingle with his trademark umbrella and pigskin briefcase and by his side Miss Sally Brun his assistant. Rumour has it that she had changed her name from Brunn to Brown and now to a less controversial Brun, neither German nor British!!

A better photo reveals that it is actually them, last heard of in the Soviet city of Archangel, but that’s another and very long story. One you wont hear from Dingle and Brun.

Put the damn map away hisses Arne Poulsen, do you want every one to know why we are here!!!! Josef Rasmussen just shrugs his shoulders and gives a sideways glance to Virginia Lacy as if to say the man’s mad and completely paranoid, but he pays the wages so what else can we do with such a buffoon.

She gives him a secret smile in return, but her eyes remain cold, frosty and vaguely frightening.

A better shot of the woman in the red beret, behind her is someone who looks like Col Nicolai Grigoriev from the KGB in his hallmark maroon coat and fur hat. In India – the man sure stands out, but by her side is Meinhard Wencke, a far more dangerous person than the volatile Colonel.

The Customs compound is surrounded by high concrete walls and the Customs Chief is deciding if coiled barb wire along the top would be out of place. He likes to sleep safe in his bed at night, well who doesn’t.

No one is quite sure what this building is, - well those who know will not tell, either they work there and know what’s good for them or they are unnaturally quiet, and very still and don’t talk much, or at all.

Turn 1 – The girls arrive driving down the road and the 2 activation dice are doubles, after 6 doubles the really bad guys will appear.

Turn 2 – The 2 cars park up and the girls get out, another double thrown. This is not looking so good for them.

Sorry – This has nothing to do with the story but I was just so pleased with how the dry brush work turned out on this shed that I had to show the photo. :)

Turn 3 – The girls make their way towards the custom, office (on the left) but are immediately accosted by Meinhard Wencke, a German national with strong contacts in the military intelligence community. He usually plays a lone game, sometimes connected to others but is not a very savoury character. He has paid out some bribe money and been ‘given’ Corporal Sarah Brown from the local military police (MP) to help him appear to be in an official capacity.

I need to see your papers he demands harshly, Cpl Brown MP looks a bit taken aback, her orders are to accompany Wencke and help where she can but is not aware he has any official capacity. Becky seeing the MP is unsure what is going on, “Are you the customs” she asks.

Turn 4 – “No I am” says Primo Agosti who appears from out of the Customs Office to see what all the noise is about.

You may be thinking “what is an Italian in a Spanish Civil War uniform doing in India running a Customs post, this must be a mistake", but as usual you would be wrong.

Primo came here from Italy a few years ago he was able to buy cheap Spanish uniforms to kit out his men and just wants a quiet life, well of course with a little wine, women and song but he is Italian after all and needs some of the good things in life. He’s in charge here, this is his station and he is not happy with anyone else interfering in his domain.

Turn 5 – Becky tells Primo that she is here to catch the plane and he asks for her papers. With a winning smile and a toss of her long blonde hair she hands them over, he almost simpers with delight, well that’s one customs officer on her side, surprisingly Becky has a high Charisma level and easily charmed Primo.

He starts to examine the papers.

Becky looks at Wencke who seems to be having second thoughts about all this. (He failed to activate)

Turn 6 – Wencke still inactive and just watches Primo examine the papers.

Turn 7 – These are all in order you may board the flight.

“You must examine her luggage” shouts Wencke, he finally activated. Primo looks at Cpl Brown the MP and decides that he had better go through the full procedure as there is obviously some official backing for this rude man.

Turn 8 – The girls baggage – 2 cases and 3 bags needs to be searched, this is going to take some time. (5 turns actually) Primo’s men start to search.

Turn 9 – The baggage search continues and Thorvald the ferry boat’s Captain goes to fetch Gasper the porter. He’s seen it all before and knows what happens next.

Turn 10 – What are these, - our guns is the reply and here are the papers and permits for them. Primo examines them and approves.

Turn 11 – What are these, - our underwear is the reply. Primo examines them and approves.

Turn 12 – This baggage is approved Primo announces loudly.

Thank goodness for that mutter the rest of the passengers and everyone starts to move towards the boats. Dice roll to see how long to load everyone and all the baggage, humm too long. Becky doesn’t know it but I do and trouble is on its way.

Herr Wencke decides he must act decisively but Cpl Brown argues with him and surprisingly so does Col Nicolai, but the guns we must stop them taking the guns, says Wencke. Primo starts shouting at him that he has inspected all the paper work and he is satisfied everything is in order. The row continues for a few periods, before Primo goes back into his office slamming the door.

A few turns later some of the passengers are loaded onto 2 ferries (sorry about the state of them, they’re on the ‘to do’ list) they start to set off for the seaplane. Beckie’s luggage is almost loaded onto the other.

When ….

Turn 18 – A black car appears, coming down the road, coming fast.

My mistake two black cars.

Turn 19 – Last case going on to the boat. Wencke is shouting and pushing Becky around, he can see the car coming and knows what it means. Good news for him but bad for the girls, if he can hold things up for a couple of minutes the tide will turn in his favour.

The first boats are leaving the dock.

Turn 20 - The cars getting closer but there’s only Becky and Roxanne to get on the ferry, it’s going to be tight.

Lights shinning and flying down to the dock the black cars are getting still closer. Are you getting excited, humm, didn’t think so.

The other boat’s are well on their way. Just the final one to cast off.

All aboard. Henke is shouting for them to wait. - Fat chance.

The boat has cast off and starts to make its way to the seaplane just as the black cars screech to a halt and some very mean looking men in uniform jump out.

Where the hell have you been shouts Wenke. They’re getting away, shoot them.

The Customs men all come out of their office to see what the hell is going on and there is another almighty row going on between Wencke and Primo.

There’s something of a Mexican standoff.

The guys in grey uniforms start to make their way to the dock but it is too late. Primo is having a fit and there is no way these men are going to get him to back down and recall the boat or plane.

Wenke watches impotently as the boats motor out to the seaplane.

Final shot of the boats on the water, Becky and the girls just made it, I couldn’t believe how tight it all turned out, but they are away off to South East Asia and who knows what lies ahead of them.

Certainly not me, I have a rough idea of them landing in a very shady town full of drunks, gangsters, con men and other ner do wells, where they have to try and find a guide to take them up country – then the journey via a jungle river to the Monastery where the jade Buddha was stolen, meeting wild animals, wild natives, rapids and river crossings on the way.

The journey from the Monastery to some cave complex, I have the mouth of the cave but nothing else, on the way I envisage a rope bridge, pygmies in front and other bad guys behind. The final scene in the cave complex like something out of the opening scene in the 1st Indiana Jones Movie, traps, guards, maybe even snakes.

Well that was the Directors idea, the Producer’s couldn’t raise the finance, the Set Designer is drunk, the Writer is on strike for a better pay deal (well getting paid would be good) The Musical Director has joined Primo’s Customs men for the wine women and song in the reverse order and the actors …. well the actors!

Of course they could just go to the pub and forget it all because I have nothing presentable for the rest of the story. We’re just going to have to wing it a little.

Final, final shot of a dispirited Wenke and his associate the Colonel.

These were a couple of shots that I quite liked but didn’t make it into the story, well I said the Script Writer didn’t get paid so what more can you ask for.

Hopefully to be continued ……..

I've not done this before because it seems so pretentious on my part, but it's so long since I had any new guy's sign up to follow my blog that I figure I must be doing something wrong. Mind you I notice that they are remaining incognito with no identifying pictures, and who can blame them for that.
So rather than welcome you to my blog, I will just say hello to Bacon Fat! and Peter L, I just hope you like long winded games reports, usually with some slightly out of focus photos. ;)

Yet again I'm away for a couple of weeks, this retirement has it's advantages, no money but lots of time, I'm hoping the mobile internet works in Wales although no more game posts until I get home again.
No cheering at the back, I can hear you. :)

Well if you're still here - thanks for reading and your thoughts and comments enliven the proceedings immensely, if not for me than for everyone else. :)
Cheers