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: "Preentrat erev m ei thoce iouis seinou etilbe. Ous Reus'ceun ted ofal ofard omter naev, e pr roet thind. Ektrhe na leasil eioul, i wer is witear der di aiwa o etaditet."]

Yelena offered her field glasses to Lena. [Language unknown: "K ceant redndever ilisom setrutles. Ac, ic...tedundare. No p riil."] She pointed at the binoculars to emphasize.

Yelena generally gathered the English-speakers. [Language unknown: "Nilear. Es loie es Ssatul th wemi tioen. Unolfo k na io ere, oul La cali. Rom me ce dinioustr ncon sashe Ic nehi." Som ivulof ur wi ha ssmo stioreyinted plniis. "Ilhis te ainterday. U K ted ee anttedter ersto, P romouther ourec ntedayher usthus terithhas eseknd. Pe at po ear. Ilbe on ofck, ma e witer usti onsorevir. Ast it lesndende st wa. Aresanven ur unel, ev osus wit inesetame. Ec?"] 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: Io ni eelo eve wi, Ev men encrutame Stunll.]" 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: "P, intoveratwhi! Ckwaet cknti prere e os e mancpl a nceun u noulsi'acch se."]

The sniper's face turned curious. [Language unknown: "Ainot our etsta ad wer ureyinthi, di? Stll dernt?"]

"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: "Na tohaie com un ic si al ul..." ]she changed languages to try to get her point across. [Language unknown: "Ilndar lithis o whriouones. Is terpl dimo stwi hat illhasere cewawa wi?"]
This message was last edited by the player at 03:49, Sat 07 May 2022.

Julius shrugs. "[Language unknown: O pa lin ame. Butce ilstun ardprolatfor K eihe pratwi esspreousble o, poloon om ave sere'hiis n ac un.]" He then switches back to English. "I can try."

Yelena nodded. [Language unknown: "Erheas La ca thiatiing omst nc il tolo wa ioteof, linicaith ent hand iou sepena theni?"]

Julius nodded. "I can try."

"[Language unknown: Ch ekad ndfipo elhenast aiers Ngalsi ac sti ieur, menal O lewa t relihaon Ichwerthi, to toch and ckec ulthho ich atiil n ch.  Ast T mentno Os latlatess ecur.]"  Lena confirmed.

Yelena paused, then shook her head. [Language unknown: "Thiiouave n te com la yin. Intlatrut ac ti usch miri chulil eknias san santiothe Omprng. Thi N ul res urndet Sanstrshe ca tininehou Loress, os Os resestour nti Hisyinort verha m. Pre fi ll ashami thi sslo ca k tedte N witntiwhe ol to dinounman asonit, he cheise andck. O p antie at onut Inelatman, seck kor Tangad ica Iesihi, fofo Ng ckev ur sita k ourtioshe heroveers i Essthiest."]

Noting that Lena didn't take the field glasses, Yelena used them to look around before handing them to the American spy. [Language unknown: "Ous ncol eeio ill na utev ch erna di evni di plitiv ti precomave. I ha tic u is rat nendwi trme pe intivewil ndss ess waet."]

((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: "Ng tedpreoun wi iouhatsta etnamo ai redeauugh. Ngll manee oulel o pa tin unhe nccass?"]

She looked over to her Sergeant. [Language unknown: "Tinconsetear si isenanfoiv st iou Eepechhime entho sti n bene Remiut n con er eita os oul ouinha rat t siro res miis calowi. Outkorate ni o evulho has i leat ncil iothi ri heeve u bletineen. Ine ch te trer'asil ekwela p ei wipa o ticro lehame."]
This message was last edited by the player at 16:21, Tue 10 May 2022.

Lena thought of something.  "[Language unknown: Ut ectstrwhi stlaai ol heoul ntai u lapo ne nt weree yinoneiou minc lo nteterand uredayproith p Tentio toch?  Of po th forundrutons ha...]"

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 lat unplev, loet. Haeenc ilasnc vor esusna. Was een o atilining ripr."] She smiled at the last bit, apparently thinking it was something of a good joke.[Language unknown: "Tio pre o Stiatioer pl cerea acwiad but re o et Estoulman."]

Gusarov nodded.
"Permission granted, comrade Malkin."

"[Language unknown: Riurinncnero i ess ourbleoutlar enwe acoun Pl fo, ted Icaartvenant iefowe t prilla rea icha entourvir sailom.]"

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.