The little scouting party - comprising of Yelena, her sergeant, and the rest of tretiy otryad, as well as Lena, Julius, and from the British OSI squad Staff Sergeant Halloway and Corporal Morgan - made their way up the gravel road back into the mountains. The incline went steeper soon and Julius had some trouble keeping up with the professional soldiers, who all very quickly fell into a marching rhythm.

The clouds finally opened up, and the sun was shining down on them
A sun, Julius corrected himself.

After about 20 minutes, they made a first brief stop to orient themselves and retreated into the trees lining the road. The Russians looked up the road with little enthusiasm.
"You alright, son?" Staff Sergeant Halloway asked Julius.


Gusarov looked pointed up ahead the road - a rather long, straight stretch, a wall of rocks on their left, a cliff edge to their right.
"No cover at all. We should double-time it."
He looked at the British, then Lena. "They'll get us killed if they don't keep up."
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:31, Fri 06 May 2022.

Julius used the break to catch his breath.

"This whole event has been more active than I'm used to, Sergeant. If I could, I'd rather be home in a comfy chair with a good book and a nice cup of tea." He replied to Halloway.

"Ah, I know what you mean. But don't worry you'll get used to it. I studied English literature when the war started. Not exactly a very outdoors curriculum either." Morgan said and offered his water canteen.

Yelena gave Gusarov a flat look for a moment, though nodded at the end. She knew who the best person was to keep an eye out. [Language unknown: "Eenessthi omca of ulpo our stiiv ntewashis teiona. Ortpl Wiwiasol ateec der korom ek ers, ec fi ndenc ore. Anyundted a lesreswit ofat, n onnc and toicus paei m esles o thetraeartra."]

Yelena offered her field glasses to Lena. [Language unknown: "O nte manstiine wilvirson terhisort. Fi, di...llasfo. Evun m hou."] She pointed at the binoculars to emphasize.

Yelena generally gathered the English-speakers. [Language unknown: "Alngpe. M pre wa Ernari on the omepr. Sheromati ng sethi ll was, prect Lo la. Earsa ro linas thuratset der ndsi A na." Pable mireet et ica alec wilio evhameil sonartman. "Sa k ntmoou. Ca Es arter u ntntiv ati, I paictr in trster lamiiv stngte siekis. U niin ac pead. Oming astse thahi, peri ev ssit ngith acilse. Semi k taolin at se. Araiou fo ers, i te tiugh theproear. Nti?"] She looked around for questions.

((OOC: Is Julius wearing a helmet?))
This message was last edited by the player at 16:46, Fri 06 May 2022.

((Julius is outfitted as a British infantryman, with a helmet.))

Julius takes Rupert's canteen. "Thanks."

Taking a small swig, then then hands it back. "When things are calm, I'd love to discuss literature with you, Colonel."

"[Language unknown: Latho ce ai ure fo, Mi preel olfofo Tersheder.]" Julius replies to Yelena.

((I have a shotgun too, but not very good with it, and no need to use it. Yet!))

Yelena brightened a bit at that news. [Language unknown: "Te, untrceur! Hatmenare ngme est a ou ol derectpro li res a weieicomas ic."]

The sniper's face turned curious. [Language unknown: "Of nt lo iv pono tediveund, pame? Fo an?"]

"As far as I can see, but it's like the rest of the world goes grey. And it's not always reliable, what I see, or how strong. It is also tiring, so I can't do it constantly."

Yelena nodded at the explanation. [Language unknown: "Hawhe hollie il ect p ad lin i..." ]she changed languages to try to get her point across. [Language unknown: "Cestto houonsand u beheosnaro. K reugh ch rat hios voronsver thuourhat fofo?"]
This message was last edited by the player at 03:49, Sat 07 May 2022.

Julius shrugs. "[Language unknown: Th om uneve ckfi. Ec sheureers evoswhsi P andof earersica yinlarearsom p, ovewasort adwa wit entthibleich re ou ev.]" He then switches back to English. "I can try."

Yelena nodded. [Language unknown: "Ndaril Olen un steilo ore anac nt nahi ugh ousencall, wassei reoer esere ers elnont na?"]

Julius nodded. "I can try."

"[Language unknown: M nd eenoveoul essmen'theher itnc Oerameard us ndeei som, il I son et arewilvenble Iciear, th miul reng le onsmenhas nce thu la he.  Evine A ameeveati T reatralat hiine.]"  Lena confirmed.

Yelena paused, then shook her head. [Language unknown: "Undwasand u mesi st ithho be. Ersatehou li we hong ch pealto ereratiou thuma eenreated Lepoes. Es A m art direec Plitai hount teneus Henele, fi K wiatha ee Henees le nd. Si reos peand ouresshis ekmo echas anven ho mente T usuner be hene sswell sombleica, k eaulation out. T n onete any tha Oushisthi, an aiwhe Hiurin eau Fiusil, set Ho we ca tr u pomeei herwerlar le Arloet."]

Noting that Lena didn't take the field glasses, Yelena used them to look around before handing them to the American spy. [Language unknown: "Ugh ivwhi ou she on roore po el ven vir insi utntom ta prilur. Lo onome tothu ev me lin lindayhis chame ng wifowe anes el tesa."]

((18:42, Today: Yelena Malkin rolled 3,6 using d6+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 1,4.  Notice (with binoculars).))
This message was last edited by the player at 02:46, Mon 09 May 2022.

There was nothing to be seen. The road kept rising and then stopped, seemingly midair. That meant that this seemed to be the highest point. Anything, anybody, would be able to get to that point without being seen from the other side.
They would be easily able to get there, unseen. But the same held true for anybody coming from the other side.
It would be bad luck if a German tank platoon was rolling over the horizon just as they got there. Then again... they didn't necessarily seem to have an abundance of good fortune recently.

Yelena put the binoculars away and closed her eyes, just listening. There was no sound to be heard. Some birds cawing somewhere. Some bugs flew past her ear. Nature's sounds. But no sound of heavy machinery. That, at least, was some comfort. But still, there could be an ambush lying in wait.

Morgan chimed in: "We could try to climb up the mountain. Find a goat path or something. Would be the roundabout way, but we wouldn't be caught out in the open."

Yelena looked through the binoculars again, searching. There was something that could be a small path or at least some route higher up into the mountains. But if anybody slipped, it could be a disaster, too.

Yelena frowned. None of this made her particularly happy, though the lack of mechanized sound provided a little comfort. She nodded at Morgan. [Language unknown: "Ni astntitha n ntehashas llelha i mandining. Poee strbe ul pa dinti thu ut traortres?"]

She looked over to her Sergeant. [Language unknown: "Prer'stom ec encoul-artconers ai il Ineaveoreithvir itbe ivet k latfi Alleauyin o ndted p acro o meant holome resa n not stkor asout tienwi. Ouheos n si ntlawa latec te ine sawhi tha si ssted on nesste. Man thent all whitiotioich utrepo be whec virin o ure arntfi."]
This message was last edited by the player at 16:21, Tue 10 May 2022.

Lena thought of something.  "[Language unknown: Ck olnewh eauterent le whete comwh st ev n os lin ssprha utwa i hoalme wilore'virand os Trplna di?  Pesti ich fo unplmatr t...]"

Lena shuddered at the memory of having to learn Morse code in a ridiculously short amount of time.  But it couldn't be helped, they had insisted.  They had actually been correct.

Yelena nodded. [Language unknown: "Si st thistiwhi, weel. Ineeaunot prerac unee atieraset. Lepa rom a tioouness wheil."] She smiled at the last bit, apparently thinking it was something of a good joke.[Language unknown: "Ng lleau ic Niicai ussa ri larnottha een sti lo fo Isliil."]

Gusarov nodded.
"Permission granted, comrade Malkin."

"[Language unknown: Bleint-tichasereion si il lamolowa io ard P i, ol Larwilingthu ouleauwhi e rutoulout com ard evlond anomol.]"

lol we're lucky, I Googled it and standardized International Morse Code had been in place for a long time long before any of our characters would have been alive to learn it.