Bones exits the wheel house through the door out onto the roof just behind it to take in the scene. He starts to speak about the place to those within earshot or interest.
"This is Machete Landing, a small outpost hacked out of the jungles edge. And it was originally a missionary settlement a good 20 - 30 years ago. No amount of praying or faith seemed to help those people.
"I don't even know how long ago they've been gone. This has been Machete Landing for as long as I've been traveling these rivers now.
"Barranca and Satipo SHOULD be around they won this place in a poke game 9 months ago. It's said that the previous owner tried to get it back, but hasn't been seen or heard from in quite some time. I don't see that old geezer who lives in shack neither. Makes everyone call him 'dockmaster'. He normally sits leaning up against the wall of his shack over there (points to #4) on his front porch just glaring at folk with a shotgun in his lap."
Richard
[spoiler]Structure number four is a ramshackle one-room arrangement. Walls made of piled river stone, and shored up with wooden poles to keep the side wall from caving out. The roof was of dried river weed thatch, old planks, and jungle leaves. A front porch made of planks laid in the riverbank mud lay empty except for a spilled bottle of tequila.
Inside were a few chairs, a table, a hammock, and an ammunition box are the only furnishings within. There are a three empty tequila bottles aligned in a row along the back wall.
[/spoiler]
"Pingo, why don't you see if the old coot is in his steamboat, would ya? Thanks--" He gives a nod to Pingo.
Eisen
[spoiler]You approach what appears to be a supply house of some kind, Structure #3. It is built around four poles driven into the ground, with boards and branches nailed across them as wall planks. The roof was thatched. There were 12 crates inside, some stacked upon one another, but in no seeming order. It was a very sloppy job to say the least. 2 Large steel drums lay in one corner, and a large empty bin.[/spoiler]
"I think that Old Docker, as we would call the bastard, had a deal with the brothers-- We know that he watched the storehouse for them, and we guessed they gave him as much tequila as he could drink. He watched the place if they had to go down river for some reason.
"Pingo, the Kid, and I have come down here for some rotgut from time to time. Sometimes we buys other supplies. Canned foods, medical supplies from WWI by the look of them, and other bullshit."
Sgt. Kestrel
[spoiler]On guard and looking about, you don't notice anything untoward. Everything is actually quite peaceful. The sun is out for the first time in days, sure it's unbelievably humid, and you got sweat dripping down every place you can. Behind you Bones rambles on about the place. Not VERY loud, but loud enough that you can just barely hear him.[/spoiler]
"What are you waiting for Pingo. Get a move on. You know the reason you don't get a say is because you have no tongue!" Bones gave a huge smile at that.
