Hannes smiled and thanked the guards before ensuring his bags were as he intended and that there were 164 Deutsche Marks available for the Currency exchange (roughly $US38.50).

"Okay, no..."

Is he getting my lie wrong on purpose?  They know -already-, they know I'm a spy and I'm lying, a lying spy who lies and I'm about to get shot and then hanged and then shot again.

"... no, my fiancé moved to London twelve years ago.  His brother still lives here," Gin tries to explain, clinging to the last desperate hope that getting the lie (the very plausible lie, she thought) straightened out would somehow work everything out, like waving a magic wand.

In reply to Hannes (msg # 72):

The Customs officer came along and after a brief glance in Hannes bag, cleared him to continue, stamping his customs declaration form.

A young woman came third and finally, carrying a large satchel. She took 160 Marks off Hannes and after rummaging around in her bag, she pulled out three notes that totalled 160 Czechoslovak koruna. She handed these to him and left him, Hannes knowing that he had of course been ripped off, as the rate was nowhere near the real exchange rate.

And now he had to spend it. Fortunately, as the officials came off the train, the CIWL conductor was walking along.

[Language unknown: Li is ai ounme u theectvor yineaushe. Oun plest onomom, menticvir wasse m thaoneant ol acropetedi nc... bleherine om sa mi lela? Atiderive naivev n teiltiet. Ca Tr la ons ti onsie ad.]

In reply to Gin Shaw (msg # 73):

OOC: Another luck roll, please.

Hannes grinned widely, knowing damn well he's been ripped off but not caring overmuch because he's also exchanged more than he's likely to need.  He's surprised and delighted that they've not even taken the last four Deutschmarks.

[Language unknown: "He reseis ch &#ersinté Ers&#wheseberodi venardent unelen pr und dihoro icadayiou acnc, enver elek hou staeraeraort k ecck nt naacpr?"]

In reply to Hannes (msg # 76):

[Language unknown: "Ec a el, lo Moas m rickut inanilie o Ntiiouenc usonev alhaio ent ngwiprit. Stngte Intentent ameevehou. Peat urol a om eenruttra bleanytho."]

The conductor smiled.

[Language unknown: Ilwawi whevorame ing ei oneallbleest nd ter enturevorday hisnt. Maloek ain pesa si, U anwhndul u nepopeev n wi beelte but oundi. Teng Arestrain metimous hou oneousithnceoer verpo wit pr latpl romndeart.]

Down the corridor, Hannes could hear some loud yelling in what sounded like German...

OOC: Listen check, please.

Hannes listens as carefully as he can.
21:57, Today: Hannes rolled 5 using 1d6.  Listening check (Very Strong Powers of Perception).

It sounded very much a passenger in the neighbouring carriage had been caught with some contraband - namely pornographic material - and had delivered some insults to the Czechoslovak customs officer in response to its detection. Not a good idea in any country, but especially here...

Hannes moves to a position from which he can see a little of what's going on but mostly he just listens and pretends to do the crossword in De Volkskrant.

11:41, Today: Gin Shaw rolled 10 using 1d10 ((10)).

Hannes frowns as he remembers what the guy who sold him the beer had said.  There was nobody in the next compartment so what, he wonders is going on.  It could be an attempt to intimidate him but he doesn't have any pornographic material.  This still sounds very much like a fake argument though.

In reply to Gin Shaw (msg # 81):

"I do not believe you for a second. I think that you are a foreign agent trying your luck in this country," the guard said. He led her to a door and knocked on it three times.

[Language unknown: "Ol os ul iobefoil ngeeei olmeiv ofive!"] he barked out.

"Now, you have two options. We make a lot of phone calls... or you get on the next train out of the country. Or there is a third option..."
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:44, Wed 04 May 2022.

Thursday, June 1, 0400 Central European Time, Ostrava, Czechslovakia

It took a rather substantial bribe, but Gin was allowed to carry on with her journey. They reboarded the train and continued to Prague without further incident. Then it was a case of buying another ticket on the overnight train to Ostrava.

R48 Chopin may have been named after a famous composer, but it was rarely music to anyone's ears to have to get off a train at 4am in the morning. Especially in an unfamiliar city in an unfamiliar country... at a station that was clearly undergoing major building works.

The very early glimmers of dawn were starting to emerge as they got out, with a ČSD porter ready to assist them with their luggage. He was skinny, barely out of school and had a cigarette tucked behind his ear.

[Language unknown: "Naet T re peno olmi ureei ameredest, entnotforons?"]

, said Hannes.    If he couldn't make himself understood, he tried Russian and even a halting attempt at English.

The young man responded in the very little German that he seemingly knew. He offered a hand in the direction of Hannes' baggage as the train started to pull out of the station, the clicketey-clack of the jointed rails clearly audible.

[Language unknown: "Riplce? O nien ain aiatal?"]

OOC: Who else from this group is still here?

Hannes thinks about that and says,

In reply to Control (msg # 86):

Ooc: Me, apparently.

In reply to Josie Graceston (msg # 88):

OOC: Excellent.

In reply to Hannes (msg # 87):

"Wait right here, comrade," the employee said and walked away. Within a minute, he was black with a four-wheeled luggage trolley. Hannes could see the paint was peeling off the handle and there were traces of rust on the frame.

"How was your trip?" he asked them.

"Dobro", says Hannes, loading his gear onto the trolley and offering the usual tip. 

He trundles the trolley outside and makes his way to the nearest hotel, whether that is by taxi or simply by taking it next door.

In reply to Hannes (msg # 91):

OOC: Do people want to skip until the morning?

[OOC Sure why not?]

In reply to Hannes (msg # 93):

OOC: I've moved you over to the Ostrava thread

Josie and Lieba passed the border guards with very little fuss. So the question was, What did they do now?
This message was last edited by the player at 21:01, Sat 16 July 2022.

In reply to Josie Graceston (msg # 95):

The rest of their journey passed without real incident.

OOC: Please move over to the Ostrava Palava thread.