h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I will tell a talking cat about time travel. I will tell one of the most powerfull sorceresses in the world, especially since she already seemed to have figured it out. I will not tell someone who, at this point, seems to be nothing but a mildly insane seaman who happens to own a chain saw.

Honestly, I'd say that Red Dog would have figgured out that there is something going on involving time travel. Martens, on the other hand, knows nothing of when or how chainsaws were invented, and so -- barring the fact that I have yet to discover just what his purpose on the ship is -- probably doesn't know.

Gary, I have a debate conference coming up. I'm leaving early Friday and not returning until probably late evening monday. So Lorenzen is playing sick on Deck. This serves two purposes: 1) It explains my absence 2) He gets to test his theory that Head is up to something.

Jade suggested I just have him go to sleep, but I think that pretending that he was poisoned by Head would be infinitely more in character.

Sounds good to me. You'll get to see who your friends are by who helps, I guess. Or, I suppose not who your friends are, but who you have managed to convince of your non-evilness.

Or, conversely, I can suspect that anyone who helps wants an excuse to search my person.

Yes, I think that is just the way Lorenzen would think. You sure know how to get into character.

Thank you. And now, I really am going!

I suppose I'm going to have to actually read backlog, but is there anything of dire importance that I need to know right now?

Probably the only thing that will affect you is that the doors and windows to the Captain's cabin are locked.

Thanks. Again, sorry about my delay in returning. Backlog has always scared me. Right now I'm on deck, still lying down, but looking around. Do I still have my gun on my person? Are any of the others holding weapons? Is Sarah actually holding the Soul Stone where I can see it? I noticed in the last page of backlog that Sarah, Uli, Amelia, Cptn. Briggs, and Volkert, at least, were there, and that Martens (as possesed by Affy) was tied up, gaged, etc. Anyone else on board? Who is "Albert" who Sarah mentions?

I'll probably go back and read *all* the backlog on the deck later, but I'm still trying to overcome my phobia...

Albert is Richardson's first name. To find where everyone else is, check the "who is where" thread (which you should post to if you change locations).

As for your weapons, I'll have to check back through the backlog to see.

Glad to have you back.

Okay, you are still carrying your pistol, but your machine gun is in your chest in the forecastle.

And Sarah IS actually holding the soul stone in her hand - she hasn't posted that she put it back on after she used it to cast a spell.

Alright, here's Lorenzen's problem, as I see it. He now knows where the Soul Stone is. He even has seen it used, so he has some idea of how to use it. But she's holding it, and he cannot deprive her of it without being seen: Uli is apparently quite powerful even without a Soul Stone, and Lizzie seems to be magical, as well. Not telling whether Sarah can cast anything without the artifact, or how powerful that would be. But basically, if he took it from her by force, even holding the pistol out in front of me to threaten people, there's enough power around that he'd be taken care of pretty swiftly.

More waiting, then, I suppose.

No more waiting. While Sarah is leaning over me, propping my head up, I use [Slight of Hand] to remove the stone from her bodice.

You naughty boy - reaching into her bodice! But you were successful, anyway. You now have the soulstone.

She will likely notice it is gone before too long, though. And Yclept can sense it, so he will know you have it (but he is tied and gagged, so that shouldn't be a problem). Uli will also sense where the soulstone is, once she gets near enough again.

Great... it seems to me my work is just about done here, though.

Okay, here's the way I understand the situation, and catch me if I am wrong:

My goals are a) retrieve the Soul Stone and take it to my own time, b) learn how to use it, c) kill all the witnesses, especially Dr. Rangle.

At this point I a) have the Soul Stone b) I've seen it used, so I know something about how to use it.

Also, I have my [Escape] power, which will probably allow me to come back to the ship one last time to finish anything I didn't get done the first time.

Is there any reason I cannot/should not return to my own time, leave the Stone and the Brain there for safe keeping, and then come back here to kill off the witnesses?

I think that would be okay, if the guys running the time machine let you come back. They don't know what your purpose was, so they won't know why you should want to go back again. Also, are you SURE you can use the soulstone for your purpose?

What happens if I grab Sarah and then use [Escape]. Does she come back to the future with me?

I think that's the way the temporal travel works. After all, you brought a bunch of stuff with you when you came to the MC, so I figure anything that you are holding goes with you.

*Runs for his life from exploding Soul Stone*