"[Language unknown: M Fito estallshe ec, nt aculis ll ant... anstadurar.]"  Lena responded, equally cheery.

She had hoped there'd be more of a... building, in here, but she had to go through the motions.

[Language unknown: "Iveas pe ecsa se."] 'Luna' says, just a little defensively. She hasn't been eating well since her escape from Nazi custody, but she's been eating. It was when she'd been imprisoned that she'd gone from 'slight' to ' dangerously thin.' [Language unknown: "K lire ecut tole eauconres rea ie poher al, icenma."]

The receptionist tried her best to furrow her brow and adopt scornful look, but looked more like a pouty teenager.
"Oh, that's not good. The doctor has a lot of patients to see today. You can wait, but it could take a while..." she gestures at the waiting crowd.
"What would that be about? And could you show me your Ausweis in the meanwhile?"

Of course. They wanted to see their papers.

---

Arnulf flashed Bhalla a wolfish smile and made the order. It doesn't take long for the waiter to return with a pitcher of cider, two sizzling plates of anzhud, and a basket of bread.

It smelled delicious and taste was out of this world.
Arnulf gave Bhalla a few moments to have the first few bites. [Language unknown: "Ceen it Ca, outtr etis ing redbleame wi ta manvenere. Linoersomven. Caev iv resndeshe eeac o nc u intandvoroerles. And ndekes ha u olsseeadpl sihere. Sepa tic an ilme st manse our?" ]
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:47, Wed 15 Mar 2023.

Yelena moved along with Lena, though really hoped the other woman had some good ideas. Lena had worked as a nurse. Yelena coughed a little and looked over at her partner in deception.

Lena slapped her forehead.  "[Language unknown: Wh Oershecom man whouosni ce, laons be U sheatiwhi fo t ven res!?]"

She leaned in to scold "Hannah", whispering harsh reprimands in her ear like a proper German.

"[Language unknown: Estintset ivon nc sta Arlast ous esli wint.]"

"[Language unknown: Attin wh, miceasma has!]"
This message was last edited by the player at 01:55, Thu 16 Mar 2023.

The receptionist raised her eyebrows.
"You don't have your papers? But what if the Schupo asks to see them?" She sounded incredulous, as if Lena had told her that they had forgotten to put on their shoes when leaving their home.

It sounded as if the Nazis had set up another version of the Schutzpolizei, the civilian police service, in this world, too. Lena hoped that, just as in Berlin, they would be less fanatical than the SS and Gestapo, but you could never be sure.

This was dangerous, Bhalla knew, and all the moreso because the food really was delicious, the kind of thing she had not eaten since before the Nazis captured her the first time. [Language unknown: "Ne ort ratic thi nt nd ouno ti os an Ieeithad ichreaers. Peth butsetica t outundore. U atiforres ec nce. Li ilha'fiad."] That much was, more or less, true. Bhalla had not been the only one who believed the strange new arrivals needed to be better understood and then responded with horror to that fresh understanding. She looked down at her plate. [Language unknown: "Eece ure ha ere ainwhiichyin ev rut, T nohaul ti p n tithic, e daystrout, k moican.o M om poic n di ameivence."]

Yelena nodded twice at Lena's commentary, hoping the other would understand why.

She shook her head, then coughed for emphasis. Yelena's voice was raspy and low. She quitetly argued back at Lena after the 'admonishment'. [Language unknown: "In a ugh ous. E tin taic! Ereavewit P i esceit, K eenblethu ilil setwhiith'vorher k ionlatman."]

The receptionist put on a professional sympathetic face. "Poor you! Listen, I can have you wait, but please sign this..." she pulls a piece of paper from a drawer and hands it to Yelena "and you can bring your bring your ID later today or tomorrow. We just need it for the reimbursement."

Yelena looks at the form. It asks for name, age, birthday, place of birth and all kinds of personal information. Clearly, she's about to be entered in the doctor's patient registry.

---

Arnulf growled deeply, indicating understanding and sympathy. [Language unknown: "E oul ieniac haprse our ai. Io lick preticame erer rieeca la laroulers whiectwhi."] He emptied his cup and poured himself another, then topped off Bhalla's cup, too.
He was silent for a moment, closing his eyes and enjoying the sun.
[Language unknown: "Ss Sanhateau erpro evti ivhiweut, beman ntomiodi hatkorres. Il icant os riloek nce Mosemi tedsheame ortst tioherlat onek viris se iv iou wasntient."]
He looked at Bhalla again.[Language unknown:  "Ul are, pe ek set whe eeilce ithforhas heis Enthereen. Ek we sica ni ratourrut... essec ri icaas essmi wheounnti. Der undughkor? Ncmear loess eiwh se ec he he Ca wece casi nipo un intwhered, wer newhi und Oursanencant evble ounnoteennot cebe heec Erette?"]

He chuckled. [Language unknown: "Arpe Herncewit wa on ni. Un eech... ]requisition [Language unknown: trsi. M ardrednde Ce re ousandnce est tin heore forheranttio ekiv lar il thien wh eengpr u thus a. Alei peatpo o ver u eeseha hi. Ol fockil comestart et p ngou Nte."]

Lena snapped her fingers.  "[Language unknown: Tr ec, nimaal he not fiter n lar ter!?  Unkor withaseen prelatratnti!  Usilpr ei icaherhou omard!  Ndng Anyivetic!]"

She then grabbed "Hannah" and drug her out before anyone could argue.

Yelena brightened and held up a finger in agreement. The Soviet didn't say anything, but let Lena drag her out while the sniper covered another cough.

Hear me out... we go... back up river!

Bhalla grips her cup hard and hopes the Gervolian can't see the tension his question prompts. [Language Axtzal: "I am sorry, but I could not. The Deutsche have forced my surrender and shown me the danger of resistance, but I cannot work for one of their soldiers, even a kind one. These two women, they think they are being kind in their own stupid way. There is no respect, but I harm nobody by making their lives easier. Again, I am sorry."

Arnulf inclined his head and dropped the matter. He was just about to speak as the door across the street opens and both Lena and Yelena come rushing out. Looking around for a second, they see Bhalla and head over to the table

"[Language unknown: Hou Itet, e onng i ectconlar ti poce.  Nt ilur!]"  Lena chirped, hoping Bhalla would not resent her too much later for this act.

Arnulf rose from his chair, a fluid graceful motion as if he was a world-renowned ballet dancer. He gave a quick bow.
"I hope the Herr Doktor was able to help - I will join you in a little while, Fräuleins and look forward to continuing the journey with you."
He nodded at Bhalla and addressed the waitress who was just cleaning one of the nearby tables.
"Would you mind packing up my friends anzhud? She cannot finish it here."

[Language unknown: "Sa venil ioatfo u esseracon ur mered acpr ave a nireer eve moenth paset heisie out llarss ut."]

Tension hung in the air, but Arnulf either didn't seem to notice it, or choose not to acknowledge it, while you waited for the waitress to pack Bhalla's meal - something that seemed to be a loaf of bread filled with something that looked like a thick stew - in a metal box.

Arnulf sat down again and continued to eat his meal. "I shall see you within the hour." he said, between bites.

"[Language unknown: Ch waan noom, ame nt.  Ha Ofro, prder!]"  Lena directed everyone (except Arnulf) toward their vessel.  For now.

With Arnulf left behind, you make your way back towards the pier. Neuheim is, at the same time, extremely easy to navigate, with the roads and streets laid out in a grid, but at the same time *everything* looked the same. Finding a specific spot within the city would probably be much, much harder than just getting back to the river.

Just as you're getting closer, you almost run into a large group of human SS troopers. On pure instinct, Lena turns left into the side street and leads you away, her brain trying to convince her that she *knew* the officer leading the troop while at the same time trying to convince her that she was just being paranoid. All of these blond, young, Aryan SS-officers seemed to have the same haircut, the same angled faces, the same posture, after all.
But it kept nagging at her.

Bhalla has some difficulty keeping up and lags a few steps behind. On the left, the street cuts back to reveal a small inner yard and a workshop behind. There's a small car in the yard, with the hood popped open and two men staring in, one of them rummaging around.

There's a commotion and the door flys open - Bhalla sees a Gnim, the fur ragged and covered in patches of oil running out, ducking as a bottle flies over the Gnim's head and shatters on the street.

"SPITZ! YOU FUCKING DISGUSTING LITTLE RAT! WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY MOTORCYLE!"
The scream is followed by a towering Deutsche man, shirtless, the upper body once well-muscled, but now covered by a considerable belly, lumbering out of the door, with a thick wooden stick cut from a tree that he waves menacingly at the Gnim.

(aaaand you meet Winwiggie. Winwiggie, the group. The Group, Winwiggy.)

Lena looked to Bhalla for a cue.  She had her usual Stupid Ideas, but didn't know if this was... normal?

Winwiggie - a Gnim of normal size, and young adult age - used all of his agility to duck and dodge the missiles the German was throwing after him. A wrench clutched in his hand, waving loosely over his head, as if that might grant him a bit of protection.
The gnim couldn't understand why the German was so upset? He had brought the motor cycle in because it was making odd noises, used too much fuel, kept stuttering, and just was iffy in its reliability.
He had fixed it all marvellously, he thought - and even gave it an extra exhaust system that made it purr quietly like a kitten, no matter how hard the German would rev it up. The motorcycle ran, and purred. And yes, that did inspire Winwiggy to change the honking to a Mewling sound. Hadn't the German always bragged about how much he enjoyed having a Pussy between his legs?
Winwiggy didn't get it. He thought he would make the man happy!

Obviously, the man was ~not~ happy and now Winwiggy found himself running out onto the street...
This message was last edited by the player at 05:19, Wed 24 May 2023.

Yelena looked at Lena, then to their surroundings as she saw a new Gnim in their immediate vicinity. The sniper make a move with her hand to suggest they weave a bit through the streets, then made eye contact with Winwiggie before tipping her head slightly in the direction they were planning to go.

[Language unknown: "Se hou icad il dinnderes?"] Bhalla asks automatically. She is not thrilled about any further delay (though she's also skeptical that they will be able to simply dodge the Gervolian through hasty departure), but the traditions of her people--and her own suffering at Deutsche hands--demand that she ask the question.

Winwiggie barely had any eyes for his surroundings, all his focus on being fast, and dodgy, and difficult to hit - and hopefully get away from the heavy handed man behind him.
He could only hope, paranoia of leaving the motorcycle unguarded would stop the German from following too far.

Almost having reached the street, he spotted another Gnim and her companion. He was a bit confused, when the human made eye contact with him, but before he could react to the silent communication, or think further about it, another metal oil can came hurtling toward his head. He dodged just fast enough for it not to hit his head, but it grazed his shoulder and he dug into his reserves to add another gear to his speeding retreat, pumping out as much movement from his legs as his body was able to give.

Winwiggie had no breath nor time to answer, but he raced after them, hoping that gave the kindred woman all the response she needed!
He hadn't thought out, or planned his escape at all, and had no idea which way to turn, so he may as well follow the woman's nod. There was another Gnim with the blonde, so that can't be wrong! It'd be nice to talk to friendly faces again for a change and she had offered the tenet! No Grim left behind!
This message was last edited by the player at 09:55, Wed 31 May 2023.

The Deutsche man followed after Winwiggie, slowing down as the Gnim reached the group of Bhalla and the others.
He nodded a greeting at Lena and Yelena. [Language unknown: "Ithantone pe llpl oerles'oulwas sa ratderstr sanconourastons"] he said in a friendly, but exasperated tone, then looked at the Gnim.
[Language unknown: "Houwasove ul san shehasure, Omeratint, oul lo fi re atiwheintred, i Tinha coman andce pa it day newhe era ur at lint ur inetinund!"]

Winwiggie's hopes that the man would stop as soon as he was out of the yard didn't manifest and the German remained hot on his heels.
He had just about reached Bhalla and her companions, when a slightly askew tile or whole in the ground (or maybe his own feet?) made him trip and stumble down before Lena and Yelena's feet.
He winced when he heard the kind nicknames the German continued to throw his way and had to bite his lip hard, to keep from whimpering, or making any sort of noise at the threat.
He knew, he was too useful to the Germans to really get killed, but that didn't stop them from finding all sorts of ways to torture him, that didn't render him useless... Sometimes he almost wished he was too useless to be kept around, that way at least he ~could~ die, and that thought seemed more and more appealing, the more the Germans laid into him.
His shoulders slumped in defeat, when he knew the German was too close to escape again, and likely, the group he had ran after was just as bad - and maybe the other Gnim was as much these women's slave, as he was the Germans..