Entry #9
We rolled into Victoria late this afternoon. The navy base clearly took it's hit. Moot I guess considering the fate of Comox, ie. the airforce base protecting it. We didn't scout it out, but the devastation was evident as we rolled in along the remains of the Trans-Canada Highway. Off toward the base and downtown area all we could see were the shattered, skeletal remains of stone buildings and rusty old iron girders. We stuck mostly to the light to moderate damage area as we made our way out to the University of Victoria campus. Concrete structures in this area have faired a little better, but fire damage is evident everywhere. Some houses still stand out in the light damage area where the university is, but most of these look in pretty rough shape at best. Percy says they probably aren't all that safe, structurally, to venture into.
Zombies are pretty thick across the terrain; especially in the heavy damage area, but even out here in the light damage zone you think you've finally spotted a clear swath of ground only for one or two of them to lurch out from around some bushes or some old brick wall. It was the same all the way down from Nanaimo. Every town we rolled through along the way was overrun with the things.
We did see a light bit of smoke raising out of an area with some rusty old aluminum buildings, somewhere around Ladysmith I think it was, but I'd say we're pretty much in no-man's down here.
Anyway, the campus was no different; a nice sprinkling of zombies across the entire scene. The buildings themselves we cracked and weather beaten, but most are still standing. The campus itself sits just inside the predicted "light damage area".
But we pulled up in front of the Medical Sciences Building, where Houdin and Percy got out. They were able to get into the Sci-base via the access door in the sub-basement. They ran into a few zombies along the way, but it's just like in those Romero movies ... shot to the head puts'em down. So, from there they brought the fusion generator online, powered up the facility, and then opened the vehicle port-doors. And as the other's settled in, I took Percy back to the Med-Sci Building where we had left one of the Scouts. A number of zombies had since gathered in the general vicinity, but it was a breeze to blow through them in the vehicle, and then for Percy to jump out and into the other Scout.
However a couple of them did manage to get into the port-doors as we pulled in. But it was a small matter for Percy to grab his sniper rifle and take down the bigger of the two before they got anywhere close to us ... them having to lumber on down about 50 meters of underground ramp. And then the two of us wrestled the smaller of the zombies down and tie it up. It put up more of a fight than I would have expected, so I knocked it's teeth out with the butt of my Stoner then gagged it.
So, Alison now has her sample!
Painkillers really helped make it through the day! My ankle is aching pretty bad. Percy's too.
As for the others, Houdin is donating some blood to put back into Mark, and Alison still has Mark and Deena under observation but things are looking good for both of them.
We are going to take about a week to heal up (Doctor's orders), and get this place sorted and settled. It's big. Personal quarters for 12, kitchen and mess hall, showers, exercise room, rec room, in addition to several labs and a hydroponics area!
Then, it seems like everyone and their mother are going to have "chores" for us recon guys ... scout the campus, scout the base, the hospitals, communication towers, etc, etc.
Maps of Interest
Southern Vancouver Island
Victoria
Victoria: Damage Zones
Univeristy of Victoria Campus
UofVic: Ariel photo
