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: "Anitli ter p iones hoiou wies thoainany horeek. Tin Conwasardlat is ulna isal ho ndta, ti ugh wh nce. Ntikoriou tr whethuund wiome, m mi arnc evnaus ckone m poith n anydinthiest."]

Yelena offered her field glasses to Lena. [Language unknown: "Ch pl etlepl ckainc entoulfor. E, er...anliro. Aveil i ion."] She pointed at the binoculars to emphasize.

Yelena generally gathered the English-speakers. [Language unknown: "Ektiac. O ouro n Nceifi na we wivor. Bleitheve n er en ho, er Un ma. Lerea o to plitsi toill his On der." Iou esthatest k ngset tiit fipo inivofil ilerev. "Lopa o michio. La M cehas k thicto osla, E beatnt ie avewhieve whisaners estineeau viressard. U isfor m eian. It ers dice, ss u astni intre amewasnde. Ishe we staortons i ing. Eenbutman ee ateol, m erant thear beilie. Prme?"] 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: Ameut n man thi k, U meen eveoreame Ntssen.]" 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: "O, mangpoof! Aduter oer caoer as p el litout us icsa t ripaneonar dimo."]

The sniper's face turned curious. [Language unknown: "Ers the ou e haent lllias, ame? Wer fi?"]

"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: "Terch witntithu wh un a icach ettr p..." ]she changed languages to try to get her point across. [Language unknown: "Roceut werhissta ch stante'ionartons. I po ent tedta eeni tellit earearrea ulday?"]
This message was last edited by the player at 03:49, Sat 07 May 2022.

Julius shrugs. "[Language unknown: Nc k tiet ove. Art hisessere oveousterine Ng on ecssll manill'eventi he, wiiote se icsom entvenhisund in o i.]" He then switches back to English. "I can try."

Yelena nodded. [Language unknown: "Evsand An diset prowasich witas olho a ca cait cepaen, leelad meom thu erhis sailec not?"]

Julius nodded. "I can try."

"[Language unknown: Ul urho eenstidin artsomtharom laat Alltheour no ers tha, ati Is thee en houmenhouwer Olchle, at ati res ica uracis aiit ckto o p.  Ec E butareers Ha stwaek ourer.]"  Lena confirmed.

Yelena paused, then shook her head. [Language unknown: "Entallone n ch ble romca lo. Ssleal i ck ma ceou thuthoted ekteos ha ovealleve Trntec. Niel U i esec ousstreve Poerse ous satrho Inghastha, u M sononeour ithil Venainers ilck ou. Rofi se olce prheme tio mi our ta ant M ainourint roti nc ivusan etrest, k rewael haat. E u no hou fiic Onshouset, ast io Bethse thich Erulie, st It ivli a iv ta sitore ilatth i Wholho."]

Noting that Lena didn't take the field glasses, Yelena used them to look around before handing them to the American spy. [Language unknown: "Ver ove ent str onna ainwa m aito si ersei comun letaen wi adplch. Nd ic ng pl kor man inisic haek e nileec seen po ecac."]

((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: "Ti usriad n reisus estundmen re ndesetart. Derur os tha il iepa tr stipe ivenceany?"]

She looked over to her Sergeant. [Language unknown: "Etnoalet as eitoelarll k rick Ounovesonartter ndeos ec u ter Stwepa u str hi inean m rea eveantred pl p oer na foted moalri. Lineraent p a korureous ica o es moith on wiio thita o sonereiou. Caet ouear ng undthoerscon werkorhas iv of con e son alloernti."]
This message was last edited by the player at 16:21, Tue 10 May 2022.

Lena thought of something.  "[Language unknown: Nd rometo prrind ure ieen all m ven al t sstic estortwas anrom in atirutsan korntishewhe po Terandsan yin?  Seio ers p hancelun o...]"

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: "P hi safiwa, assa. Ovehouwit illounwhe icri lapeti. Si iente ie ilutur mais."] She smiled at the last bit, apparently thinking it was something of a good joke.[Language unknown: "Pe ch u Rewaes us nce whiichous he is nd si Notectort."]

Gusarov nodded.
"Permission granted, comrade Malkin."

"[Language unknown: Willsiaibein k ha heilioun iv ivno No p, ti Laweekhe hiekna ev shewerame oun whini llroen stiundany.]"

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.