The End of All Songs

Note: This entry is higly summarized as the notes for the session were inadvertently lost and the session is being reconstructed from memory.

The heroes made ready to "welcome" the vile Tereshkova and laid ambush for him.

Tereshkova had rigged the caverns with explosives, turning the stalactites into lethal weapons, but fortunately did not manage to actually inflict any harm on either the party or the Selenites that had universally rebelled against Tereshkova's tyranny.

Tereshkova fled deeper into the system of caves, hotly pursued by the heroes, then crossed the rope bridge tghe team had spotted when first decending the gorge.

On the other side they found a "gate" that opened into some sort of alternative universe, albeit one whose caverns were very much circumcscribed compared to the Luna the team had landed upon so many days before.

Inside that space they found the body of Forsyth's brother, along with a letter of farewell. He had succombed to hunger and thirst some weeks before it seemed.

Re-entering the original cavern system the heroes confronted Tereshkova and his terrible Freeze Ray, and after much struggle were victorious, killing the mad Russian despot.

Returning to their craft Grant was able to effect repairs and the team were able to return to Earth.

Episode 63: A Strange Alliance

After a rest, Professor Wilhelm used his teleporter to transport the team to the portal.

Peering out into the next cavern they noted it had four obviously manufactured roads, each leading to an exit, all of them dark. Some discussion ensued, but ultimately the team made for and entered the leftmost exit, to what looked like a staircase, though not one made for human use.

As the team crept cautiously down the stairs, the entire flight trembled, then collapsed as water surged into the tunnel to form a fast-flowing waterfall, sweeping the heroes into the next cavern. Once they were back on their feet, the team noticed that the water was warm, and tasted almost soapy. Grant, having thought to bring waterproof matches, relit Wilhelms marvellous lantern.

The adventurers set off downstream. Perhaps a few minutes into the hike, Hartwell spotted a light off to his right. Altering course that way, the team encountered a bank where they could climb out of the water and wring out their clothes before setting out anew in the direction of that light, which proved to be a passageway with a staircase leading upward.

As they began to climb, Grant froze in stunned amazement. Following his gaze, the others saw a natural breastwork, and crouching behind it four hideous, six-legged alien creatures, each about five foot long, maybe three foot high, massing about the weight of a young, healthy human. They sported a milky-white exoskeleton, two saucer-sized eyes and a vertical mouth.

Each had a breech-loading Remington rifle in its claws.

Though not able to understand a word of the vile clicking these things made, the gestures to drop all weaponry were clear and unambiguous. Grant huffed "Well, they've got their rifles trained on us, they're behind cover and they have the height advantage. I'm all for going along peaceably. How about you?"

With no other options, the others agreed and were soon under armed escort, and being led through more of the damnable lunar caverns.

Emerging into a series of caves with more of the strange "Selenites", the team were amazed when tghey were led to what looked like a terrestrial office with a desk of all things, behind which sat a man with unkempt hair and a beard in which one might hide a badger. This proved to be non other than the missing Russian explorer, Vladimir Tereshkova!

The man had clearly gone native, shoveling handful after handful of fungus into his mouth as he crowed over his new captives. As he raved and ranted it seemed he had discovered diamonds on Luna, and had brought rifles from Earth in order to recruit a guard force with which to intimidate the worker drones and force them to mine for him. He casually told the adventurers that he would take their aethership and leave them on the Moon to their fate, before having them confined in another cavern.

Here the team met with a third kind of Selenite, some form of leader caste named K'chuck, with whom they were able, after much back and forth, to find common cause. They would drive out the guards and capture Tereshkova, thereby freeing what were obviously the slave labourers to return to peaceful farming.

First order of business was to overcome the guards still overseeing the diamond mine. The team sneaked into the large cavern, formerly a fungus farm but now the site of furious mining activity. Although the cavern was full of Selenites, most were Drones. The guard force had been depleted when Tereshkova, eager to begin his plan, had set off to locate Grant's ship with a large contingent of his loyal guards.

Having retrieved their weapons, the team carefully made their way to positions of vantage, then began a fierce and hotly contested battle with the guards. It was a hard fought battle, but the Earthmen were not in the mood for nonsense and soon had all the Tereshkova-loyal Selenites pushing up green and grey fungus.

K'chuck announced that Tereshkova had been spotted making his way back to the Selenite community with his guards.

Captain Forsyth: A Letter

A Web of Intrigue

The ongoing letter that Henry writes to his brother Clarance, which is now addressed to his wife.

Dear Abigail,

Again, I’ve scribbled a few notes as we have gone along, again I hope these somehow find you.

We’d stopped for luncheon and a rest. Now we were faced with a bat filled cavern of substantial proportions and an exit somewhat up a wall that would require a climb.

I may lay a modest claim to be able to move with some tact. Tiger hunting in India was a very fine balance, one had to move with care or become the prey. Hartwell, excellent hunter that he is, possesses the same instincts I believe.

But our scientists have no experience in this type of skill and no reason why they should have. Our last encounter with a cavern such as this, was perhaps somewhat comic in those two entered it and struggling with their footing.

We also know that the bats, if woken, will attack en masse. Individually they are no threat, but a whole cauldron of them is a different matter. They will swarm all over you and their little bites can become death by a thousand cuts.

Weighting up the risks, we decided that the miraculous device Wilhelm has created that can take us from one place to another was our best option.

So, we found ourselves across the cavern in the exit. Except it was a loose rock or scree slope. While I bounded up with my usual cat like prowess, being in the field does somewhat hone these skills, the others fared less well.

Grant barely kept his feet; Hartwell lost his as did Wilhelm.

Grant was able to grab Hartwell by the ankle as he slid past and in turn Hartwell grabbed Wilhelm.

The bats were now disturbed and a whirling deadly black mass filled the chamber together with a continuous high-pitched screeching.

We were able to recover the position, while the bats seemed too excited, to find us as prey.

The next chamber was breathtaking.

Huge and full of stalactites and stalagmites. Except clear pathways had been created through the latter. Small steps too.

We had clearly encountered the work of sentient beings. The size of the steps was clearly far small to have been created by humans.

The Pathways led to 4 exits, all in darkness.

We took the first on our left, the idea that we might explore them in order.

We descended a staircase, to narrow for our feet, but given how little we weighed, it was not really a concern.

We had Wilhem’s lantern for light, it glanced about, showed water on the walls, but I missed a trick in not looking at the floor.

So it was that I didn’t spot the fragile rock and pent-up pressure behind it that was about to release as we descended.

The staircase erupted under our feet with a torrent of water was released.

We were caught totally off guard; the sudden gush of water swept us of our feet. I managed to hold on and not get swept away, but the light and everyone else was.

I got my head out of the water and yelled; had they all been lost? I tried to climb out of the torrent, but it was too much.

I thought I heard Hartwell reply that they were fine. So, I let go my grip and cascaded down to where the others were.

It was black, but by voice and touch we were able to find each other.

I cleared my sidearm on instinct.

Wilhelm still had the lantern. By chance Grant had waterproof matches. We were again able to light our way.

We had no choice but to follow the flow, thigh deep to start with.

We’d now entered another large cavern, impossible to explore by the light of our lantern alone and hampered by the water we were wading through.

However, Hartwell with his keen eyes spotted a dim light off to the right.

We waded over, eventually coming out of water.

We emptied our boots, wrung out what we could and did our best to make dry what was needed. Firearms were all checked and cleaned. On the positive side it will have washed all the acid off.

The rest would have to dry as we went.

Our major problem was our foodstuffs were ruined.

The water had been unusually warm and had a strange taste in the mouth. Grant opined that it was like spa water.

A staircase led up the opening that glowed, we didn’t really have another opinion so ascended.

We reached an entrance to another cavern. Again, stalactites and mites. Again, a path and been cut thought the later. Not directly but clearly avoiding the larger obstacles.

Wearily we trudged down the path, not having spotted anything of consequence.

What a mistake we made! What a surprise we had! Grant looked upward to see what looked like giant termites or spiders holding the rifles I’d been so concerned about pointing at us!

They indicated for us to lower to drop our weapons. Clearly very sentient beings, able to use weapons and tools.

They had the advantage of cover and height.

Besides we weren’t there to start a war. We complied.

Moments later more of these armed creatures, about 5 feet long and 3 feet high, but clearly able to wield rifles, appeared fore and aft. They walked on 4 legs and wielded rifles in the other 2, limbs or arms.

I was seething, how had we walked into a perfect trap and not seen a thing?

Shortly afterwards, we were bound, which didn’t bode well. It was clear that they didn’t understand a word we were saying and indeed didn’t like us talking. They communicated by a series of clicking sounds, which made Dutch sound reasonable.

We were led off to the exit and then passed through various caverns, where we saw these ‘insects’ cultivating mushrooms.

There appeared to be some kind of hierarchy. The farmers, or labourers at the bottom. I think they are called ‘drones’ in the insect world.

Next are the guards and we saw plenty that were not armed, maybe ‘workers’?

Finally, there was a quite rare group that appeared to study us. I’m guessing these are the ones with any form of intellect.

Then we met the mad Russian doctor! He’s been alone down here a number of years, which may account for much of his eccentric behaviour, but I suspect he was a megalomaniac long before.

He greeted Grant, who he’d clearly met before. He’d been waiting many years for someone to turn-up.

In his madness he explained that the place was full of mineral wealth, ‘diamonds’ he declared repeatedly and drew out a large pouch of them, scattering them across them across his desk to make his point.

He planned to find and take Grant’s flyer, leaving with his treasure trove.

Quite how or why he thought Grant’s flyer would be in any condition to get him out of here, when his own had crashed so badly, I don’t know. What if he comes across Clarences’ flyer?

He explained that he’d needed a little ‘muscle’ down here to extract the diamonds, which is why he had bought the rifles. Somehow, he’d got his own little insect militia to impose his will.

He was almost gleeful in explaining that he’d had to eliminate the rest of his crew, who were loyal to the Tsar.

He also took delight in telling us that our fate would be to be left behind and that he wouldn’t be returning.

Then we were escorted to a cell under guard and keep there. A short while later our bonds were changed for manacles. This led me to question what kind of expedition, where space is limited, would have included manacles in their inventory?

We were attended on by one of the creatures which we supposed to be of the intellect. We were much surprised when he made a passing and halting attempt at English! It was brief, I endeavoured to engage him, but he was uninclined to converse more.

We had some chance at conversation between us and Grant said that the largest of those diamonds would be perfect to replace the one lost when we crashed at the heart of the ether engine. We also appraised that most of the diamonds were flawed and unlikely to bring the kind of fortune that madman was expecting.

While we had lost our weapons and much of our equipment, Wilhelm still had some of his inventions about him. We could in reality, if we effected things quickly and perhaps with a little difficultly, get out of this hole and be elsewhere.

But where and to what effect. We’d still need to remove the shackles anyway. Then we’d be hunted by these creatures.

There had been something in the conversation with the intelligent mind, who had talked about ‘nest’, to think he or they (who knows) might be persuaded to help.

The intellect returned periodically. Over a few short conversations, it became apparent that our mad Russian doctor, had initially gained influence by showing ‘the nest’ better ways and places to cultivate the fungus that they live off. I would then surmise that he’d staged something of a coup.

Meanwhile I’m afraid that we learnt that the other side of the canyon was considered dangerous and was sealed off as a consequence.

We needed to escape our bonds. We been in captivity for I would guess over a day, what was the mad Russian doing? What danger might Clarance be facing? Hartwell had listened carefully to their language and felt, while he could not translate, he understood the gist of what was being discussed. He felt it was the search for our flyer.

My backpack had been taken from me and so I no longer had my tool kit.

Wilhelm however keeps things closer on his person, he has the most ridiculous things hanging from his belt and elsewhere. I should add a rather fanciful hat, that is full of gadgets that he has invented.

In this instance it served us well, as it so often does. He had some tools that he could make into a lockpick at Hartwell’s instruction. Hartwell was a little coy on how he knew this, but it mattered not.

Some manacles were undone, but he broke the makeshift key in the lock on my arm before all were freed.

Wilhelm set to work again and produced another usable tool.

In short order our chains were no more than theatre props, except the one still around my wrist, but that wasn’t going to stop me wielding it like some medieval flail.

Again, the intellect returned. Finally, we got an understanding. The ‘nest’ was being effectively being held ransom by the evil doctor.

If we helped them, then the nest would help us.

There were a daunting 30 odd rifles arrayed against us.

But if we could pick them off in small parties, perhaps we’d have a chance. I reminded myself that I’ve faced worse odds.

The intellect engaged the 3 guards in conversation. Enough that we raced from our positions and attacked with surprise.

I was on the right, took a guard alone, swung with all my might and modesty prevents me describing how much mush there was.

The others swung equally as violently but to little effect. Indeed, Grant merely threw his chains in the air. He is clearly no combatant.

It became a little messy and the worse point was one of the guards managed to get a shot off. Although it did no physical damage, the risk was the noise was going to be heard. Something I’d hoped to avoid.

But now I’d got a Remington at my disposal from the guard I’d made a bit of a mess of, so was able assist the others and between us we put down the other 2 guards.

Wilhelm and Hartwell were able to claim rifles too.

We had a limited time to check ammunition and get into position before the relieving force arrived. 5 charged into the chamber. It should have been a duck shoot at the chamber entrance, but they moved much faster than we realised.

A brief fire fight ensued, but we emerged victorious.

A sixth guard emerged from the rear of the cavern, as the fight ended and was dead before it had chance to take in the scene.

With more rifles at our disposal, we were able to ensure our own were fully loaded, arm Grant, then hand to the remainder to the intellect.

He now hurried us out of a rear exit to another cave. An opening led off to what we were told was the ‘mine’. After some brief confusion, it became apparent that ‘drones’ were being forced to work in the mine under guard. It appeared our task was to free the drones, which of course meant killing the guards watching over them.

We were able to spy a little of the layout and the danger was the guards would use the drones for cover. That would put innocents in danger in a firefight. Tactically, there was nothing to be done. Wilhelm did suggest we appear behind them, but I felt we had the element of surprise and that move would be better kept in case we needed to extract ourselves.

So, it was that we charged in, picked our targets and fired. We stayed pretty much together and scored a deal of early success. Far from being able to use the drones as shields, the guards were left exposed when the panicked drones fled somewhere to the rear of the mine. I think we killed 8 of the blighters, but one ran off.

Not entirely without cost we had some minor wounds ourselves.

Now another threat appeared the panicked drones were stampeding back in our direction, hell bound on getting out of the mine. This wouldn’t been a problem if we hadn’t all been standing together in the narrow exit.

In an instant Wilhelm had us in the previous cave and we were easily able to move aside and let the force of the stampede pass us by. We gathered what had caused this reaction, more guards were coming from the back of the cavern, many more.

We set to defend the exit at its narrow point. In hindsight we were too close and should have given ourselves, maybe a fighting retreat. But Wilhelm wanted to try and shoot them in the exit tunnel, along with Grant, so were close to the exit. In truth it was as good a plan as any and I believe he did account for at least one, before they got to our cave.

They burst forth faster than we could stop them and within moments, we were facing superior numbers at short range and were spread across the cave. Wilhelm was hurt but healed himself, with a mask that he has invented that restores health almost immediately. Grant was grievously wounded and Hartwell was defying the slowly accumulating cuts that were appearing about him.

I confess I believe I was indebted to my uniform on a couple of occasions or I would have been in the same state. I will need to replace a button or two on return, it’s those sorts of moments when I miss poor Jones.

Wilhelm suddenly appeared supporting Grant alongside Hartwell and I. Then I’m afraid the world went rather dark. I remember the flash of a rifle before me and thinking, that’s a good shot, straight at me!

I came too on the floor back in the mine. Wilhelm was tending to me with his healing device. He’d moved us from the cave back into the mine and was now trying to revive us. What a wonderful resourceful fellow he is! I believe I owe him the finest of dinners and perhaps a bottle of the ’76 vintage.

Grant was down and out, Hartwell pale, heavily wounded and I doubt could have stood. Our situation had been perilous beyond measure, Wilhelm had without doubt saved us. As his healing device revived us breath by breath, those repulsive guards re-entered the mine, clearly searching for us.

Wilhelm had just enough time to restore both Hartwell and I to fighting condition and Grant near to, before we were spotted. We’d remained prone so harder to see.

The spotter was shot before it could fire and scattered across the mine as they were, the guards were easier to pick off. I do believe there was some anger and retribution in our fire!

We are now all fit and healthy, although I confess, I do feel significantly weaker after the wound I took. The intelligence tells us that the doctor has 3 rifles left guarding him.

It’s clearly time for a conversation on different terms.

Henry.

Interlude: The Caverns Under Luna

Captain Forsyth: A Letter

Moon stuck….

The ongoing letter that Henry writes to his brother Clarance, which is now addressed to his wife.

Dear Abigail,

I’ve scribbled a few notes as we have gone along, I hope these find you.

The chamber we found ourselves in was vast. Stalactites handing down to a rock-strewn floor.

There were 2 exits one which appeared to go up and the other down. Knowing that the rope bridge we had seen was well below us and that whoever had the survived the crash of Clarance’s ship had gone down, so that was the only logically way to go.

We felt a little heavier down here, but still incredibly light, maybe half of our true weight on earth.

We headed down and into another cavern blanketed with the glow fungus. I spotted those strange insect-like rats moving about, but they avoid us. Again, there was choice between going up or down through a fissure. We continued down.

The cavern we came too was dark, but thankfully Wilhelm has a lantern which he lit. A bright reflection came back from one part of cave. We entered and found the source of this reflection. It is a glass like mineral vein, we could spot of red further within it. Sadly, in the limited light I could not make out what it was, humble quartz or huge diamond or something in between.

My curiosity was peaked. Why had Clarence bought a geologist with him? What did he know and how?

Yet again exits up or down and again we descended.

Another cavern, with only one way out.

We have speculated on the formation of these vast chambers. They are mainly circular in shape. I have determined that they are not the result of water erosion, like say much of the Blue John cave system in the county of Derbyshire, or the better-known sections of Chedder gorge.

Rather we speculate and I confess with really little knowledge, that these may have been created by gas bubbles eons ago, perhaps when the moon was forming and cooling.

The next chamber was level, more illuminating fungus and moon rats running amok. Such was density and smell of the latter that we suspected a nest. While they avoid us, we suspected that should we stumble upon a nest, they would defend it. We therefore proceeded cautiously and in single file to reduce the possibility of such an encounter.

I should explain that the glowing fungus grows to about shin height, is like a blanket, so it hides the scurrying creatures from us. We hear them more than see them. It’s also quite hard work wading through this fungus stuff, a bit like wading through a corn field.

An exit led us to another chamber, which had clearly experienced a major rock fall. It was difficult to navigate and pick our way over and around, but we did so without incident, to an exit on the other side and proceeded to the next chamber.

Again, a carpet of glowing fungus, little else of interest but again an exit on the other side, this time higher up that was going to require a climb.

As we set out across the cavern floor, the fungus again making it hard going, I instinctively felt something was wrong underfoot. So apparently did Wilhelm who also stopped dead in his tracks.

Toe poking ahead gave us to understand there a sharp fall off. In short, a pit that we could have fallen into. The fungus had grown out of there to the same height as the rest, so the danger was hidden. It was the slightest of misalignment in these flowers that got my attention.

Wilhelm too. Thankfully we were alert enough to avoid this peril.

For the first time we had to climb to get out. I volunteered to go first with rope. I’m the best climber, not by much and no expert by any means, but it gives the others a much better chance of ascent if I can deploy a rope.

Another passage leading another chamber. More fallen rock to navigate. These chambers are huge. While I suspect we haven’t gone many miles, it has all been on difficult terrain. We have to maintain our concentration.

I should ask Grant, he has a watch and some kind of compass.

We’d done as much as we could. We were getting tired and it was time to rest, eat and sleep.

I’ve speculated a little on this crazy mass of chambers. They are connected by these kind tunnels that seem to replicate the main chambers, or by fissures that have opened up.

The latter are obvious. Rock falls caused by time and gravity, little as it is, who knows how long it’s had to do its work.

The best I can up with is that maybe some of these gas bubbles had weak spots that they expanded through.

We slept without a watch, there didn’t seem any need and we were all very tired. This type of terrain and concentration takes a lot out one, as I can testify.

The next ‘day’, who knows what night and day are anymore, we entered a large cavern.

With the option of exits requiring a climb or down, we opted for our usual approach. Except when looked down into the dark, with Wilhelms lantern, something was reflecting on the floor that glistened.

Hartwell, as sharp as ever, noted something moving on the ceiling.

When Wilhelm played his light up there, it was clear this was chamber full of bats.

We’d already encountered these; we knew they would attack if woken and it was a long way to the only exit we could see across the cavern. That was down and again the way we wanted to go. But we felt trying cross this chamber was very high risk.

We backtracked to the climb which was the other way out of the huge chamber we were in.

Again, I made the climb with rope and secured a way up for the rest of the party.

We passed through the tunnel and to our surprise it came out looking above a lake filled chamber! The illumination was a bit dim, with only fungi on the side in a limited amount, but good enough to our well-adjusted eyes.

There was an exit on the other side, water slowing appearing to disappear through a cave. But how deep and where did it lead and would we have any control if we went that way?

Hartwell stepped forward to test the waters. Modesty requires me to omit a small detail.

He climbed easily down, not really needing the rope provided.

He waded out to the point of needing to swim, felt a current, then made his way back.

He’d refilled our canteens, the moment he tasted the water.

He was shaking with cold and we had to haul him up with the rope. It took a while for him get warm and we used the opportunity to rest. We determined that that it was not practical to essay the water, aside the unknown position we would find ourselves, the water would probably ruin our equipment and weapons.

After that we were faced with two options. We either tried to essay the bat infested cave, or went a very long back, I thought in the order of nearly a day, to the nearest alternative branch that we hadn’t explored.

We rested again, climbed down and returned to the bat cave. Grant had a bit of a rush of blood to the head and took the lead. He let go of the rope part way down careered down and his momentum carried across the slick bat guano, which is what we seen glistening.

The idiot was hollering like crazy. Americans don’t seem to have much self-control, which is of course, instinctive to us British. (Or at least this one doesn’t.)

Wilheim climbed down and slid into a similar position, although he kept his feet.

It was clear that we could not traverse this cavern. We needed to get people out of there in case the bats woke up and attacked, which Grant seemed to be doing his best to invoke. Eventually we did this, but Grant in particular wanted to return to the lake to clean up.

We did so, filling water bottles in advance.

Then Grant realised had lost his water bottle in his slide down into the bat dung.

It was a very minor point that would have made no impact if we had been on campaign for example, but down here water was at a premium. I suspect there was also consensus that none of us really wanted to share a canteen with Grant.

We returned to the bat cave, spotted the errant bottle, in a pile of bat poo and were able to retrieve it without incident. Grant felt it unusable, given that it was heavily coated in a very unpleasant substance.

We returned yet again the lake cavern, once again I made the climb. Grant got to clean his canteen and once again we drank and refilled before he did.

Wilhelm pulled me aside; he is concerned that Grant is slowing us down. Certainly, he’d become rather vocal and annoying. It was clear that was maybe a little of friction between the two inventors.

I feel we are all a little stressed. Earlier, the first time we rested I confess I had moment when I could have been overwhelmed by it all, fearing the worst for Clarence, but simply humming the national anthem, reminded me what is to be British!

I assured my dear friend Wilhelm that I would a keen watch for any skullduggery, but Grant is our only hope of getting out of here. I feel he is being difficult, or perhaps stressed, or just the worse of American. I also allow he’s not used to these kinds of circumstances. Unlike us three average British citizens, who regularly face the unknown with our natural stoicism.

We climbed back down and returned to the bat cave, but with a very different idea. The great professor Wilhelm simply transported us across. Grant was mightily impressed, but still went on a bit.

In the next chamber the more obvious passage out led us to another lake. A waterfall cascaded from one side. We speculated that this could have been the overflow from the previous lake chamber. The outflow from this was clearly underwater, so we declared it a dead end.

For some time now, Wilhelm has been scratching marks on all the tunnel entries and exits. So, we should have no trouble retracting our steps. Then again, I have my writing bureau, so have been able to take notes so sorts, Grant seems to have been plotting the path and if all else fails, as you know my dear Abby Abi I can rely on my excellent memory.

Forestalled at the lake, not a comment I believe I’ve ever made before, we returned to the previous chamber and exited by the less promising looking fissure.

We found another cavern with a mineral vein in it. I wonder if that is why the Russians have returned repeatedly. Is there some value in this? The rats around us are now almost incidental.

Only one exit, which bought us again to a cavern with the edible fungus growing in it.

We ignored a fissure and carried on in what we though the right direction, but who can tell. We’ve been turned around so many times, heaven knows how far we have really descended.

This passage overlooked another cavern with a giant field of fungus. It’s hard to explain the scale of this strange system.

Exhaustion was again entering our veins. We stopped in the next passage and again believing there was nothing else and no danger down here fell asleep. How foolish of me to neglect my basic military instincts.

I was awoken by the sound of a single pistol shot. Indeed, it rang and echoed in the tunnel, almost deafening us all completely. I just caught the sight of one these giant caterpillar monstrosities with its head half blown away flailing at the edge of the tunnel before falling away to the cavern below. Hartwell’s pistol had smoke still tailing from the barrel. Some instinct had caused him to wake. He’d drawn and fired in one fluid motion all the more remarkable from lying in his sleep.

We know from previous encounters that these beasts are not the easiest to kill, it was on the sleeping Grant and would have surely done for him and it not been for Hartwell’s gallant intervention. So, this was the most remarkable shot in the circumstances.

In response we now posted watches and determined to sleep a little later by way of compensation. Wilhelm on first watch spotted any number of caterpillars in amongst the fungi in the cavern below us, which we’d need to traverse next.

I took middle watch. While I could see a couple of the beasts, I couldn’t see the others that Wilhelm tried to point out. Their appearance from afar is one of camouflage, they blend rather well with the fungus.

Although I tried to point out the creatures, when I handed over watch to Hartwell, he confessed he couldn’t see one.

However, we got to rest and then another cold breakfast. I think I may have to indulge in some devilled kidneys when I get back to the club.

We had some discussion about how to deal with the caterpillar infested cavern.

We could shoot most, if not all of the threat from our vantage point. We could wade across as usual and deal with threat as it arose. But the option we choose was to teleport across.

The next cavern had the grey edible mushrooms we’d encountered before. It’s I may say at best, an acquired taste, which may take some time, but gave us an opportunity to eat and replenish food stocks.

Worryingly we are starting to see evidence of corrosion on our boots and if you pardon the observation on gaters too. We know this glowing fungus has acidic properties and it’s clearly taking its toll. We pressed on to the next cavern.

As we waded through yet another chamber of glowing fungus, a giant centipede erupted out of the large glow mushrooms in front of us. We gather that the natural prey of these things is the rats, but they’ve certainly been interested in the newly presented human alternative.

We drew and fired, but not fast or effective enough before the thing had grabbed Grant in its giant mandibles and was squeeing the life out of him. At which point Hartwell put a huge hole in the thing and it was done for.

Thankfully were able to bring Grant round, once again Hartwell had saved him by means of some excellent shooting, but it was a close-run thing.

We reached the next passage and paused for break. We took what we regard to be lunch, but our next cavern is another bat filled one.

We have to find a way out of this indeterminable labyrinth soon. Blundering around these caverns, is just reducing our capacity. I believe it would take at least two days just to return to the original cavern and maybe more going uphill, before we even consider all the hazards we’ve managed to overcome.

I rather feel like we are trapped in that French writer’s novel, ‘Voyage au centre de la Terre’, published what 25 to 30 years ago? Now I’m starting to question if it was fiction, or did he know something? What was his name, Verde, or Verne, something like that.

I hope for better news, but given our distance I doubt it will be soon. Hope remains.

Henry.

Captain Forsyth: A Letter

Fly me to the moon….

The ongoing letter that Henry writes to his brother Clarence, which may be about to become irrelevant!

Dear Abigail,

I regret that we are now out of heliograph contact. I hope you’ll forgive these scribbled notes as I go. We found the Glow! It’s a giant fissure in the moon’s surface that does indeed emit a glow.

We descended down this giant canyon for something in the order of 30 miles, before our ship got into difficulties. The atmosphere had increased, so the eather drive began to struggle.

In short order, Grant was fighting with his ship. We hit the wall, almost landed on a ridge, but tumbled onto a lower one where we came to rest. The pressurisation was all wrong and the hull popped a few rivets, which were easy to repair.

Incoming air was breathable, cold and damp. That was all good news. It meant we didn’t have to expend air supplies and there possibly a source of water.

Looking about there was nothing but that glow below us. This fissure clearly went a long way further down, we didn’t have any sense of the bottom. The hydrogen balloon that should have easily elevated us out here, had failed on deployment.

But again, it was repairable. We concluded repairs with a degree of confidence that we could fly out.

However, the essential diamond at the heart of the engine was shattered. How could we possibly get a replacement?

But what of this fissure? Things had got a bit mashed up with the crash. But this was just so curious and I can’t resist that kind of challenge. Besides I was still looking for Clarence.

We’d got rope and climbing gear, so started to descend, following strict climbing protocol to ensure none of plunged to our deaths.

I’d have loved to abseil down, but Wilhelm and Hartwell are less versed in mountaineering. That may have proven better in the long run. As it made us more cautious.

Slime was our first problem – and encouragement. It made grip a tab more difficult, but told us there had to water somewhere.

Day after day, we climbed down. We found edible mushrooms and thereafter the source of ‘the glow’.

It was another fungus of a different hue, that gave off a translucent effect. We’d found the source of the glow! It wasn’t strong but just the sheer volume of it was enough to create good illumination, all be it in a strange cast of light.

Wilhelm was nearly lost, when his rope crossed one these not quite mushroom type glow things and it secreted a very powerful acid. It burnt through the rope in very short order.

Wilhelm managed to grab an out crop of rock and save himself.

Another day climbing down. Now we found to answer to the question ‘is there life on Luna’, suddenly we had a cloud of batlike creatures around us. Nasty devils, with sharp teeth all over you. We were on a narrow ledge so evasion wasn’t possible.

I heard shots ring out and a couple of splats, but there were far too many for that. I grabbed a couple of them and slammed together, but to little avail.

There were too many, taking them in ones or twos wasn’t enough.

I’d been bitten to ribbons. Wilhelm had the answer as he so often does. His ‘gubber gun’ accounted for a fair many and a second shot effectively did for the rest.

Wilhelm has also rebuilt his healing device, I believe at great personal cost, which now cured me.

We continued the endless climb.

We were now aware of the need to avoid or clear the glowing fungus. An observation was made that the bat like creatures we’d swatted aside were being absorbed by the fungus at a very fast rate.

Further down we encountered some odd creatures that for all the world I would have called rats, except they looked more like insects. Size of rats, but an insect type of structure.

We continued down, it was harder going than you can imagine, there was little hope but no other option.

Eventually we came upon the wreck of the lost Russian flyer, clearly wrecked. Curiously the ship had been stripped of any machinal or electrical parts. Significantly there were abandoned rifle crates with the Remington company logo clearly on them.

We concluded from the cyclic writing that this was the lost ship of Vladimir Tereshkova of Russia. Why he should transport arms into the unknown is a matter of speculation.

However, it strikes me, with my military training, that you would only do this if you had the troops to arm them with. He has made many journeys here before.

Have the Russians discovered something of import and tried to set up a defence?

Or is there something far more to moon than we suspected?

One thing was clear, in order to gut this ship effectively, the survivors - or someone else, must have had access to food and water. We had hope!

No sooner had we settled than we were attacked! A strange giant caterpillar creature with mandibles and a gaping maul. As it advanced on us Hartwell put a bullet through it, creating a big hole and catapulting it over the side of the ledge.

I should explain that were climbing from ledge to ledge, finding place to rest, when our exertions were enough. But now it was noticeable that our path down and the ledges had been cleared of any harmful fungus.

Down further, another ledge, another stop to sleep and another giant caterpillar type creature. It attacked Wilhelm, whereon he whisks out his rapier and lances the head of the thing! He’s a scientist for heavens sake. I carry a sword as part of my uniform, but I’ve barely drawn in anger.

Down again, then there is another damaged flyer across the cavern. Playing my telescope across it I made out it’s insignia ‘The Moth’!

I’d found a trace of Clarence, my brother’s craft. Ropes led down from the craft, so there was hope.

The chasm was too wide for any thoughts of crossing.

We continued our aching descent, was no end to this chasm?

We were attacked again by another of these huge caterpillar creatures that are extremely fast and can climb the vertical surfaces with ease. I took a nasty bite, but Wilhelm has recreated his marvellous healing device and I was back to right in no time.

Following the ropes descending from the Moth, I did spy a corpse on an opposite ledge. It was too badly degraded to identify. But ropes continued down, so hope remains.

Finally, we hit a ledge that had a cave leading off it. Looking down the chasm there is a rope bridge linking to the other side of the chasm and still no sign of the bottom. Clearly there are people living here, but who and quite what they may be, we are yet to discover. The Russians and their rifles pose a big question.

Much as it would have been nice to reach the bridge it was still a long way down and off to the side, which would have involved the traversing along the chasm wall.

The cave seems like the better option. The fungus is present and provides illumination. A short way in it opens into a circular chamber. Stalactites and stalagmites abound.

We go on.

An emergency telegraph message via heliograph, to Mrs. Abigail Forsyth.

Dearest Abigail,

On return from my latest sojourn, I was confronted with the dreadful news regarding Clarence.

I can imagine that only something of the greatest import would have enticed him on such an endeavour.

Rest assured that I will be travelling to moon and beyond, if necessary, in search of him. The means I have to determine, but this I will do upon my honour.

Clarence was ever a resourceful fellow, so I will not countenance his demise. Time and distance are against me, but one has to live in hope.

I know the estate is good order and your keen mind will keep it so, you should not want.

Yours dutifully,

Henry

Later:

Dear Abigail,

I have tracked down an inventor here on Mars that has built a new design of ether ship, capable of landing on the moon. We have provisioned it with that we think necessary, no doubt will have forgotten something, but haste is of essence.

We leave for the moon shortly. The inventor is a Doctor Grant, of Colorado, USA. In my brief time there, I did hear of him, a good reputation for improving farming, but his moon craft was clearly too much for an uneducated rural populace and he relocated here, to our great good fortune.

Wilhelm are Hartwell are accompanying me. To my chagrin it belated occurs to me that I had not asked them. You might say that we are rather like those characters out of that French author’s book, Dumas. The Mouseteers, although I’m not I have the translation correct. Anyway, as they say “oil for one and once in a hall”.

I will make good on my promise. We will also follow the same path as Clarence and send regular updates on our progress via heliograph.

Yours dutifully,

Henry Forsyth

Last message:

Arrived at moon, no signs of Moth on surface heading to the dark side and the glow. Following the path of the Moth.

Episode 61: Bad News in Syrtis Major

[p Upon returning to Syrtis Major Forsyth was met by a Colonial Office official who let slip that his brother had apparently taken it upon himself to join an expedition to Luna¹ and that contact with the expedition had been lost and the ship was feared lost with all hands!

Forsyth was understandably taken aback by this news, that had been reported in The Syrtis Major Times-Courant by none other than Phoebe Carter-Lloyd.

Hartwell and Wilhelm rallied around their stricken friend and vowed to do all in their power to assemble a resue mission. No-one spoke of what all must have felt; that this could be a mission to recover the remains of the expedition members.

A major problem with exploring the Moon is that it has no atmosphere. An aethership uses lighter-than-air gas in an inflatable dirigible envelope to land gently and to take off, as approach with an operating aether propeller would be suicidal due to the extremely high speeds produced.

For reasons not understood, liftwood does not function on Luna either.

So why go there?

For many years, scientists have been perplexed and fascinated by an odd display, called "The Glow" that can be seen illuminating the edge of the Moon under certain circumstances, and speculation as to its nature has fueled interest by foolhardy explorers using questionable "cutting edge" technologies to visit Earth's satellite. As of yet, none have returned to tell of their adventures.

Other than that, the Moon seems nothing more or less than a lifeless ball of rock, and since other, more accommodating worlds² are available for exploration, tourism and resource and mineral exploitation, Luna has been seen as an object best seen through a telescope or gazed at from a punt on the Cam with one's sweetheart.

It seemed that Forsyth's brother had joined his fate to one of those crackpot inventors of a ship, the Moth, with "cutting edge technology".

The team were at something of a loss, for the Moon was around 100 day's journey from Mars, and when they got there they had no way of making a landing.

But then they learned of Dr Cyrus Grant, formerly of Arizona, lately somewhat down on his luck after word of his new Aether Propeller had gotten around the farmer and rancher community he had served so well with his contraptions, and having decided that he did not need that sort of grief from ingrates, and in possession of a fully functional aethership equipped with the Grant Propeller, now resident in Syrtis Major - albeit in a rather rundown district.

Grant's aether propeller was, it was claimed, capable of close approach and landing on Luna, although why anyone would want to visit that benighted place Grant couldn't say. The Grant Propeller's chief attraction was that it was capable of interplanetary flight at a distinctly higher speed than an Edison model.

When the team visited Grant he was receptive, but informed them regretfully that his ship was grounded for want of a diamond core, a vital component of the Grant Propeller.

Wilhelm got some details and was surprised to find out that gem-quality was not required,though the size of crystal required was not inconsiderable. He assured Grant that he would be able to source such a stone³ and all that was left was to provision the expedition.

Grant's machine proved every bit as capable as its inventor had claimed, and though the journey was by turns tedious and a source of d___able frustration and worry for Forsyth, eventually the Grant Flyer approached the Moon and Grant began to demonstrate the aerobatic ⁴ qualities of his aether propeller were not exaggerations or bravado.

Searching the surface with a powerful searchlight showed no evidence of a crash, but it was not long before the heroes saw The Glow, and hey steered the ship toward it, where they discovered a massive chasm in the crust of the Moon.

Hypothesizing that this would have been where Clarence's attention would have been drawn, the team directed Grant to descend into the chasm.

The team were amazed to discover that there was light of a sort coming from the walls each side of them. Some creature or plant, perhaps, was emitting a low level greenish glow that was getting brighter as they dropped into the depths of the chasm.

It seemed they had solved the mystery of The Glow.

Suddenly Grant announced they were descending rather more quickly than he could account for - or control! He suspected that there was air in the chasm, which was disrupting the working of his aether propeller, and quickly deployed the gas buoyancy envelope, but it was too late and the ship crashed onto a large ledge on the starboard side cliff wall.

After picking themselves up, the adventurers made an assay of their ship's condition, which was not good.

The gasbag had been ruptured, which would require a repair if they were ever to lift off again since the presence of an atmosphere - confirmed now - meant the aether propeller would not work. There were some small rents in the hull, which would be easy to fix if a short trip - say back to Earth - were contemplated. Worse of all, the diamond crystal had shattered and would have to be replaced.

The most immediate problem was food and water, and after a discussion it was decided that climbing down seemed the only logical choice. No-one was coming to rescue them, after all, and Clarence might very well be alive somewhere down there.

Gathering as much food and water as they could carry, and some basic climbing gear that they had brought along, the team began to descend the dizzying drop, so deep they could not make out the bottom despite the presence of ample light now their eyes had adjusted.

The climb down was a fearful, days-long affair.

During the descent the team discovered two kinds of mushrooms that were edible, if unpleasant-tasting, and one that contained acidic juice when Hartwell's safety rope was eaten through.

They were harassed by various strange fauna including giant caterpillar-like animals and swarms of bat-like creatures. It was during one such attack that they discovered that the "Lunar Bats" could be repelled by the acid fungus, though the risk to their own human skin was considerable.

After a few days the team came across the wreck of an aethership, but it was not that of Clarence Forsyth. It had been stripped of everything, including the interior furnishings, which was suggestive.

Further down, the team were able to see with the aid of binoculars the wreck of the Moth on a ledge on the other side of the chasm. No movement was visible, and it was impossible to cross the vast distance separating the team from the wreck, so they continued downward.

On perhaps the 12th day, having descended around 10 miles into the Lunar interior, the team came to the entrance to a cave. In the distance ahead of hem hey could see a primitive rope bridge connecting their side of the canyon to the other, but each end appeared to lead to caves in the sheer walls rather than a ledge.

Forsyth reasoned that if he were to reach the wreck of the Moth he would need to cross that bridge, and that to do that he would need to find the cave it was anchored to.

So the team entered the cave in front of them.

1. The Moon↑
2. the reader may interpret much hyperbole here, and opine that the term "more accommodating" is doing some heavy lifting↑
3. if from nowhere else, there might be a suitable gem in his collection from Bordobaar, currently languishing in a vault in Lloyd's of Syrtis Major↑
4. selenobatic?↑