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Post by elizar on Mar 1, 2009 4:50:02 GMT -5
Jonathan led the group towards the Library of Congress. He walked up the stair and looked towards the street when he got to the top. He wondered how it had looked like in the past. The building was magnificent. He had seen the CV equvalent and knew that it was much more different as that one was built as a serve-all. Airport, dock and car-lot all in one. It looked like there was no need for any of the creativity Rihanna and Cyrus had. Jonathan simply opened the doors. That wasn't a good sign. Any reason for a door to be opened to a public place meant that either it had been raided before, or it had been a shelter. The great hall was grand. But it was also littered with overturned tables. They were of the heavy kind. There was even a stone slab. He kicked aside a shell casing as he walked. There were no remains in the grand hall. Everything was dusty as if it had been abandoned long time ago. Jonathan figured the fight had been waged during the first days after the bomb drop. (( www.ugpulse.com/images/articles/daily/20050904_100_library_of_congress.jpg If you find any better, do let me know.))
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Post by Evangeline on Mar 1, 2009 16:13:40 GMT -5
Rihanna noted the damage, running her hand over a wall pockmarked with bullet holes. "It looks like someone made a last stand in the lobby, but usually you'd see some remains."
Cyrus peered further down. "Looks like the rooms further back were blocked off."
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Post by elizar on Mar 1, 2009 16:29:48 GMT -5
"Because it wasn't a last stance." Jonathan replied. "There were survivors who disposed of the bodies."
"We'll proceed to the main reading room. Let's see what's there before going to check the other reading rooms for signs of if there were any survivors holed up in there after the bomb dropped."
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Post by Evangeline on Mar 1, 2009 16:54:35 GMT -5
"Depends who won." Rihanna answered. They advanced carefully towards the main reading room. "Doors appear to be sealed shut."
Arataki proceeded along the border with Maryland, keeping a careful eye out for intruders. The radiation had discouraged wildcatters up to this point, though there were always a few nutters who would risk all for a valuable prize. She and her crew took notice of any apparent weaknesses or breaches in the security cordon and reported them to ground stations. She also checked on the civilians and made sure that they were operating within safe parameters.
Now, as for that Gideon...
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Post by elizar on Mar 1, 2009 17:12:24 GMT -5
Gideon stretched as he enjoyed the scrubdown. And he would get it later today after picking up his crew, given if nothing went wrong. It had been a while that he got himself spoiled so, so he was taking advantage of it when he could.
"I would imagine the marines won." Jonathan said. "There's an entrance to the stacks in the main reading room. "The emergency exit and staff entrance were sealed up good. I would guess that the habitation would be in room 139 or 239, or in the exhibition halls. Depends on how many people were here."
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Post by Evangeline on Mar 1, 2009 19:09:27 GMT -5
"Also the congressmen's reading room, don't forget that." Rihanna indicated another door. "If the defenders left at some point, they might have taken a few of the most valuable books and documents with them. The Gutenberg bible they had is already accounted for, it went out to Australia on a warship. U.S. Embassy there has it now." She padded carefully through the cavernous reading room to the stacks entrance. "Locked up good here too."
"No wonder you guys line up for the job." A forklift snickered as he rinsed off the helo. "Can't argue with the fringe benefits, can ya?"
Ariana returned after ferrying the coroner and her team to a zone that hadn't yet been cleared of remains. She waited her turn while Gideon was being seen to, and smiled to him.
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Post by elizar on Mar 1, 2009 19:27:26 GMT -5
"Do the stacks have a freshness seal?" Jonathan asked, in reference of the doors being closed shortly after bombing, but no wildcatters had gone through yet. "This building was clearly occupied during the aftermath." He went inside the Congressional Members Room. "Bingo!" He called as he saw four decomposed bodies. "I got the habitation. Radiation death most likely."
Gideon chuckled to answer the forklift. "First time in a real hot zone. If this is going to be like this every time, I think I'll stay in the hot."
He looked at Ariana as she approached. He moved quickly once scrubbing was done to make room for Ariana, and it was time to sweep him with the Geiger counters.
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Post by Evangeline on Mar 1, 2009 19:57:40 GMT -5
"Doesn't look like it's ever been fooled with. Just too hot." Rihanna checked the door, which was almost vault-like.
"Bitter-enders." Cyrus commented upon seeing the bodies. "One officer, the others civilians." He dropped a flag/beacon by them for the body crew. "But not our business, I'm happy to say."
"OK bud, you're clear." The human wielding the Geiger counter nodded.
Ariana sighed with relief as her gear was stripped off. Wearing and working with it was taxing, hence the frequent breaks. "I'm gonna be a wreck at the end of the day." She looked over to Gideon. "And how was your morning?"
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Post by elizar on Mar 1, 2009 20:09:25 GMT -5
"That's great Rihanna!" Jonathan called. "Once we've checked the other reading rooms, we'll go to the stacks. I'm going to check the rare book reading room on the third floor." He said and went up the stairs. There was no real danger of them collapsing. This building was built good.
"The LZ was dusty, so I had to kill my engines and wait for the others to be clear before taking off." Gideon said. "And this is also our RZ, so I hope they do know to get clear before when I land. But how was it with you?"
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Post by Evangeline on Mar 1, 2009 20:23:04 GMT -5
"Definitely need tools for the stack doors." Rihanna followed Jonathan and Cyrus upstairs. She gave Cyrus a whack on the shoulder, "Sorry, no interesting "playthings" this trip. You're gonna have to wait to add to your "acting company."
Cyrus snorted with amusement. "You know, they could have some original Marquis de Sade books here. Or the Forberg etchings. You know, a classical smut stash."
"They wouldn't have such things in the open areas." Rihanna tsk'd as they came to the reading room entrance, which was closed and locked. "Don't think that'll open easy."
"We followed several beacons that the troops laid down and found several clusters of bodies in the Smithsonian and the JFK Museum." Ariana answered. "Stayed around just long enough to do a rough count and take notes. The tag-and-bag crew will get them later. You know you've been here a long time when human skeletons start to freak you out like vehicular remains do."
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Post by elizar on Mar 1, 2009 20:36:21 GMT -5
Jonathan came down to Cyrus and Rihanna. "I had another set of remains in the rare book reading room." He said. "Adult holding a toddler. Civilians. I dropped a flag there."
"I've been doing this for long enough that neither freaks me out." Gideon said. "Kinda sad, regarding it as just another piece in the background. There were many of them in NYC."
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Post by Evangeline on Mar 1, 2009 23:04:58 GMT -5
Rihanna grimaced. "It's the kids that can still get to me." She inspected the door locks and then went into her toolkit. "Hope the lock tumblers haven't rusted shut."
"I haven't been here that long, just a couple of years." Ariana admitted. "Let's say I was out to get some adventure before settling down." She was wetted down and then soap was applied. The Agusta flexed this way and that so that the wash crew could get into every nook and cranny. "And it's definitely been an experience."
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Post by elizar on Mar 2, 2009 1:29:31 GMT -5
"I hope that as well." Jonathan said. "Because we would catch hell if Cyrus would be allowed to blow up doors in the LoC."
"It is clear that you haven't settled down yet." Gideon said. "Most of the 'short time' hunters don't go into hot or where they could see bodies. How come you're an exception?"
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Post by Evangeline on Mar 2, 2009 17:11:18 GMT -5
Rihanna brought out some tools. "Here's hoping."
Ariana recognized that inquiry for what it was - a very polite way to call B.S. "Well... I wasn't getting on that well with my family. It was a bunch of stuff I just wanted to leave behind."
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Post by elizar on Mar 2, 2009 17:17:21 GMT -5
Jonathan crossed his fingers and let Rihanna see that. Then he stood up straight and looked towards the mid-desk in the main reading room. Following this kind of manner was usually 'look at what I just found'.
"You're not the only one there." Gideon said, hoping she would not withdraw herself inwards from her own statement. "Arataki has been outright polite towards me so far."
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