Tuesday, May 30, 1967, 0700 Central European Time, Frankfurt Central Station, Frankfurt, Hesse, Federal Republic of Germany

It had the largest signal box in Europe. It needed it. From the vast trainsheds of the Hauptbahnhof, trains from across Europe arrived and had to be 'turned around' before being sent back out again. With the full electrification of the area in 1956, no longer was the station filled with the sight and smell of steam engine smoke.

The taxi carrying the five members of CS-14 heading for Bonn arrived at the drop off point and it was a case of moving quickly for their train, due to depart in ten minutes time. The commuters had yet to arrive in bulk, but a small group of businessmen were working their way towards Trans Europe Express 35 'Rhein-Main', destination Amsterdam via Bonn, due to arrive in the main city of the Netherlands at 1219, just in time for lunch.

It did have a restaurant car and four other carriages (although two were only going as far as Emmerich) behind an electric locomotive, all resplendent in the cream and dark red of the prestige international venture between the railway operators of Western Europe. The fare wasn't cheap - 66 Deutsche Marks each once the supplements and seat reservations were included for this and the first-class F-train they were getting back in the evening. But for this money, they'd be whisked along to their destination at 150 kilometres an hour with access to a telephone compartment and typewriter for another small fee. They could even send a telegram from the train.


As they approached the barrier, Josie had the printed tickets in her pocket, all for a compartment in coach 8, which in the rather strange numbering system of European international rail was actually the first coach from the locomotive and the furthest from the platform entrance. It was next to the restaurant car though.

Standing there, checking tickets for this exclusive business train stood a pair of DB staff, while to their side, two train crew were working to uncouple the shunting locomotive that brought the carriages inside.

Groups of men, occasionally joined by their secretaries, were going through and then clambering up into the train.

Best to join them pretty quickly, because this train would not be hanging around.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 12:21, Sun 27 Jan 2019.

Josie and Lieba stepped up to the two members of the staff and Josie handed them the tickets.

The staff checked them, made sure they weren't fake, and ushered them over to the eighth car or the train, and they stepped inside.

Lieba did prefer first class. It was, of course, a contradiction with her typical Bohemian attitude and aesthetic but she made more than enough money to afford the best things and had become used to them. Not to mention that when she did actually play at a major venue she tended to get paid extremely well since it was rare and she had made enough of a name for herself. Not that she always looked like she belonged, however her current dress almost made her seem like she might have the money to afford these tickets.

All of her luggage was given to people save her two violins. Those never left her side. Once they were seated Lieba gave a letter to one of the stewards to be sent ahead of them. One noting that she had plans to accept the open offer to play, though she would definitely prefer to have her conditions met (especially her choice of pianist) but they weren't deal breakers necessarily. She made certain that the letter didn't sound like she was needing this but doing something for those who'd asked her and that her conditions were mostly firm but negotiable. She didn't want anyone thinking this was too easy, that wouldn't do. It had the tone that she would like to do this for diplomatic reasons but she knew those were tenuous.

Once that was done and she settled into her seat with a nice snifter of Calvados across from Josie. "So, Josie, now that it's just us girls, as they say, what do you really bring to the table here?" In the locked room, Lieba still seemed to be just as friendly as she had, that never wavered. She was almost the opposite of Lawrence in most ways, though the definitely had overlapping skillsets.

Josie glanced at her lap, looked up, and said, "Gosh, I don't know at the moment. A telegram was sent to my family, informing them that I was needed for this mission, as I had just finished law school."

Lieba couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Yes, but you know what this type of work is, right? Danger, violence. Can you use a gun or knife or defend yourself. It may be necessary. And who is your family? I know that Sarah knows the language and all the players, so social. Lawrence is pretty easy to read, stone cold. Wetwork I'm sure, likely torture. I'm very much opposed to torture, it seems a way to get what you want to hear not what is. But there has to be more than legal knowledge." She didn't want to have to babysit.

Josie answered "Well, my father did teach me to use a gun, but I don't use it till absolutely necessary." "And as for my family, my mother 's half Jewish, from Lithuania. My family's middle class, and my father fought in the war when I was little."
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 03:45, Sun 27 Jan 2019.

Lieba opened one of the violin cases and took out the instrument laying it to the side like a baby. Under it she handed several pieces to Josie. It was a dismantled 9mm. "Can you assemble that? And I'm from Lithuania originally. We were in the Kovno ghetto. My father and I escaped...my mother..." She took a deep breath,it was clear she lost her mother then. And with her age she was probably just a little girl when it a happened. She sounded French but wasn't. She was also very clearly Jewish even if it hadn't been picked up on before.

Josie took it from Lieba. "Oh, I'm sorry. That's why my mother escaped. So she  wouldn't get sent to a concentration camp."

It was clear she didn't understand the differences or what really happened. Stories mean nothing. Even Lieba had been spared much of the truth by virtue of her youth.

Still she looked expectantly at Josie to actually assemble the gun or say she wasn't able.

In reply to Lieba Moszkowicz (msg # 9):

Josie looked at the gun in her hands. She had never assembled one herself, but she had seen her father do it, and she put it together like she was an expert at it.

"Here you go." She handed the gun back to Lieba.

"Not bad. But what if you need to use it. Can you shoot someone? We all need to know where everyone stands. I know Sarah can't and that's fine. I mean she may aim a bit and pull a trigger in the heat but not really shoot someone. So, if things go bad, I believe the term may be pear shaped, where will you be?" she could be more circumspect but where they were going ther weren't really options.

In reply to Lieba Moszkowicz (msg # 11):

"I can shoot someone if I need to." Josie replied.

"I missed all that, fortunately. People are only just starting to talk about the Holocaust now. Since they hanged Eichmann."

There was a sharp pair of toots and the train pulled out of the station.

"Best not to unless we have to. Like Mr. McKinley said, they hang cop killers over there."

She got to her feet and pulled open the door of the glass framed compartment. She'd pulled the curtains when they'd boarded to give them some privacy, but it would be best not to wave a weapon around too openly here.

"I'm going to get some breakfast. Do you want to join me?"

"Sure. I'd love to." Josie said, standing up. She glanced at Lieba. "Are you coming?"

Lieba nodded, "a lot of places tend to do that with all killers. People who kill political officials tend to not be treated nearly as well." It was the reality that she lived with when she went on a job.

"I rarely turn down a meal." Lieba stood and followed. A mimosa sounded good, she hoped they had something similar or, at the least, a Bellini.

Josie, Sarah, and Lieba went to the dining room, where they chose a table and sat down.

The waiter came up to them. "Good morning, ladies. What would you like?"
This message was last edited by the player at 01:27, Wed 30 Jan 2019.

At the far end of the dining car sat Lawrence North, seemingly absorbed in Die Welt, a German daily.

North lowers his newspaper only long enough to sip from a white teacup, the morning sun reflecting off his spectacles.

If he sees the women, he makes no indication of it.

"I'd like an omelet." The waiter turned to the other girls. "What about you?"

"I'll have a coffee, some rolls and some salami", Sarah said and then sat back in her chair.

The carriage was very elegant. Not quite as opulent as some of the carriages of the Compagnie International des Wagons-Lits, but with individual lampshades on each table (arranged with a table for two on one side of the aisle and four on the other), curtains and striped moquette seats with lowable armrests, this was definitely not a shoddy affair.

Four businessmen were sitting around a table, looking over some architectural drawings and discussing their planned project in German.

Sarah looked out of the window briefly as they headed out of Frankfurt-am-Main at almost 150 kilometres per hour and then once the others had ordered, turned to more weighty matter.

"They don't have the death penalty here in Germany any more. Well, this Germany. They've suspended it in Britain as well and quite a few countries in this continent have basically stopped judicial killings. On the free side of the Iron Curtain at any rate..."

She decided to change the subject.

"Any thoughts on the mission?"

****
Die Welt carried news of the growing crisis in the Middle East. There had been an exchange of shots across the Gaza Strip border between the United Arab Republic i.e. Egypt and Israel. Egypt was continuing its blockade of Israel's southern sea access in the Gulf of Aqaba and the two of them were showing no signs of compromise at the UN. Neither were the US and Soviet ambassadors.

Elsewhere, the leaders of the six EEC member states had met for a (slightly late) meeting to mark ten years of their new trading bloc.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:57, Wed 06 Feb 2019.

In reply to Sarah Novak (msg # 19):

"I hope we can finish safely in one piece. Other then that, I'm fine." Josie remarked, absentmindly playing with the salt shaker on the table.

"Indeed. And come out with more people than we went in with. That will be the key bit."

She looked out of the window.

"Have you been across before? The Iron Curtain?"

"No, I've never been. Lived in London my whole life."

As his breakfast arrives, North folds his newspaper and puts it to one side of the table.

He takes up a knife and spreads Leberwurst on toast with clipped precision. He eats like he does everything else, with exactitude, devoid of emotion.

"It's quite different from London. You don't have the huge number of advertisements for things that you do there or here. The propaganda can be a bit, well, unsubtle... I get to see quite a lot of it here. I often get asked to listen to Czech radio for our monitoring service here. That said, it's not exactly drab and colourless; people dress in bright colours, the trees are nice... mind you, Ostrava is, well... pretty smoggy at times."

****

Lawrence's food wasn't devoid of taste by a long chalk. It had been toasted pretty precisely. There was a lot worse railway food out there.

In reply to Sarah Novak (msg # 24):

Josie nodded."It sounds interesting. Perhaps when this mission is over, I can take a trip there, and get to see it better."

She took a drink of water from the glass in front of her, and the waiter brought their food.

"Oh, thank you." she answered.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:38, Tue 05 Mar 2019.

Sarah laughed.

"Assuming that they let you back in... or out for that matter. Anyway, we need to work out our escape plans. Best to do that in the compartment once we've eaten..."

Josie nodded, and took a bite of her omelet. Delicious, she thought.

Their meal concluded and paid for, the travellers returned to their compartment for a further discussion.

At about 0820, ten minutes out from their penultimate stop of Koblenz, a woman in DB uniform arrived. She was holding an envelope, which she passed to Josie.

[Language unknown: Diuslapr ter enith.] she said.

In reply to Control (msg # 28):

Josie gave a small nod and took the envelope. She wondered where exactly she had to go, but tucked the envelope in her pocket.

"What's in the telegram?" Sarah asked, "It's probably something important if they've wired you on the train itself".

Josie glanced at Sarah. "I'm supposed to collect some important medication for Mr McKinley. "
This message was last edited by the player at 13:27, Tue 19 Mar 2019.

There is a rustle of the curtain and Lawrence North is there. He gives a quick glance down the corridor.

"I'm going to collect a few travel essentials before heading to the embassy in the afternoon. Does anyone want me to pick up anything particular for them?"

"Those will be the sedatives for the Keenans. Want them deep asleep if we have to smuggle them across the border, in case they start poking around in the back of the van. It's only a tarp cover and the guard sometimes poke a stick through it."

Sarah paused for a second and then nodded at Lawrence's comment.

"Yes, I need to get some camera film. Agfa 35mm. Colour if you can get it. We're here for a visit, we are going to take some photos of the tourist spots. Although I don't recall if Ostrava actually has any".

They entered the city of Koblenz, an ancient city going back to the Romans, as Sarah got up from her seat.

"I need to powder my nose. Back in a few minutes."

In reply to Sarah Novak (msg # 33):

Josie nodded, and made a mental note of that in her head.

Lawrence nods. "Done. See you back at hotel this the evening."

His attempt at politeness and consideration seems awkward, more than a bit forced.

North glances up and down the corridor before moving back in the direction of the dining car. His determination not to be seen with the others would be insulting... in any other circumstance. In this case, it was a matter of operational security, though it's doubtful that North would behave differently were it not.

A short while later, they arrived at their destination in Bonn, the capital of West Germany.

Sarah asked for directions to the Czechoslovak Embassy at the information desk and was directed to the bus stops outside the Central Station. From there the group, minus Lawrence, took a bus across the Rhine to the suburb of Beuel. Getting off at the recommended stop, it was a short walk down the leafy side street of Im Rheingarten to the Czechoslovak Embassy.

The Embassy, in a street mostly made up of small apartment blocks and a bungalow, definitely stood out. A four storey concrete building with an underground car park, it was surrounded by a spiked metal fence, accessible by a gate with a security buzzer and intercom. A security guard standing just inside was dressed in a suit and smoking a cigarette.

Next to the gate was a sign bearing the Czechoslovak coat of arms and saying:

[Language unknown: Ecwapr ai io Prowittinortsta Stwaliek Areencencill
Ilbeceha Icawhetin nd i.veninting.e. Esac ing hat heranyhatantkor].

They were about twenty minutes too early; but time to plan what they would say once inside.

[OOC: Perception checks please.]

Josie swallowed, and walked up to the security guard, explaining that they had come to see the Embassy.

In reply to Josie Graceston (msg # 37):

The security guard looked at the young lady and smiled at her, speaking in strongly accented English.

"What's your business here? I need to know so I can direct you to right place. I'm guess you're tourist? You look like tourist."

In reply to Security Guard (msg # 38):

Josie hesitated. Did she say yes or no? Oh, bother.

The security guard looked quizzical.

"[Language unknown: Fidito?]" he asked again.

In reply to Security Guard (msg # 40):

Josie nodded. "Yes, we are tourists."

The guard thought for a few seconds.

"You're a bit early, but no sense standing around like idiot."

He opened the gate, holding it open to let the party through.

"Come in through. I will take you to Visa Section."

Josie gestured to the other girls, with "Okay, thank you."

The man led them through the small car park and the doors, then down a corridor to a room marked 'Visa Section' in Czech and German.

It was rather akin to a hospital waiting room, with a currently empty counter up the front, an array of plastic chairs and various posters on the wall, extolling the virtues of communist Czechoslovakia while also attacking US foreign policy, especially in Vietnam.

On tables betwen the seats were piled various books and leaflets about the country in English and German.

"You need to wait here", the man said and left them alone,

In reply to Control (msg # 44):

Josie waited with the other girls in the room, glancing around. She walked over to the table, and picked up one of the books in English, wondering what it was about, and flipped through the pages.

She hoped it didn't take long to get their visas.

The book was a guide to life in Bohemia, showing colour photographs of rural living in the Czech countryside, with various scenes depicting planting, harvests and tractors. Plenty of tractors. It was published in Prague and the text subtly but clear praised the communist regime.

A few minutes later, a middle aged woman in thick glasses came up to the counter, then reached under the desk to pull out various forms.

She called out to the others.

[Language unknown: Ecla ndich sa wilurehas ecwinc, ni ast isfowa?]

The form was four pages long. The first was in German and had the standard sort of questions, including where you would be staying, but the rest was in Czech...

In reply to Control (msg # 46):

Josie stared at the form. The German part she could read, but the Czech..."I can't speak a single word of this language" She sighed.

Sarah came over and took a look at the form.

"I can help there. A lot of it is just identical questions to the German picture. They need multiple copies, you know... for their records."

Government bureaucracy it seemed was the same whatever country you were in.

She indicated the various fields.

"Surname, forenames, place of birth etc... where you are staying in Czechoslovakia... have you visited previously..."

She looked around for a fountain pen and passed one over.

"What are you planning to do in relation to this concert?" she whispered.

In reply to Sarah Novak (msg # 48):

Josie gave Sarah a thank-you smile and took the fountain pen. Then she filled out the form with the proper answers, and replied, "I'm not sure yet."

Sarah leaned in closer.

"I suggest you act as a roadie of some form. Someone's going to ask and we need someone to do the heavy lifting. Can't have our violinist carrying her own suitcases around, can we?"

In reply to Sarah Novak (msg # 50):

Josie smiled. "Good idea."

With the rest of the forms completed, Sarah handed them over and then disappeared into an interview room with Lieba to discuss the planned concert.

A member of embassy staff came over to Josie.

[Language unknown: "Ing It toove oneen anncilos to rutratred? Iosipl ou us but Hatthiore whiersare ent be n not.]

In reply to Sarah Novak (msg # 52):

Josie looked puzzled, and asked "Could you say that in English?"

Sarah turned to the man and spoke to him.

[Language unknown: Romkorher, pa earwaswhi chwent witastder Thieveoer. Ee setpl preartpro Habela?]

The man shook his head and Novak turned back to Josie, realising that she was going to need to do this a lot on the coming mission.

"He's offering us something to drink. Also, some snacks. Local ones."

She glanced over towards the door, where someone was wheeling a trolley in.

"Rude to refuse them."
This message was last edited by the player at 20:13, Tue 09 July 2019.

In reply to Sarah Novak (msg # 54):

Josie smiled at Sarah and said "Thank you." Then she glanced at the trolley  and remarked,"You're right. We can't."

Ooc: It's Josie, not Jessica.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:22, Sat 06 July 2019.

In reply to Sarah Novak (msg # 52):

Lieba looked up as Sarah walked into the room.  She was thus far unsure about how she felt about this woman, or most of the ad hoc team she found herself a part of.  While it wasn't unheard of for operations to take this kind of slap-dash approach when needs required, but most operators preferred to at have a modicum of time together before trying to pull off something as complex and complicated as they were undertaking.  It was a good thing that Lieba had a bit of an adventure bug in her mixed in with her complicated Bohemian style and taste for finer things of life.  She expected that this was going to be a blast, of course, that was provided that they didn't all die horribly at the tyrannical hands of Brezhnev's bully boys.

"I sent a letter ahead from the train while we were in transit, letting them know that I was interested in playing after all, as per their request.  Hopefully, it has arrived and generated the expected response and interest."  She looked around the room they were in, trying to spot where the inevitable listening devices may have been placed. "I would be open to any event suggestions you might have,  if nothing else but to pass the time while we wait."

OOC:just hopping in cold;  i'll be running Ms. Moszkowicz moving forward...unsure of the actual plan laid out so far, so fishing a little here in the first post.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:04, Fri 19 July 2019.

The trolley had an array of sweet and savoury snacks, including open sandwiches with various meats and cheeses left over, potato pancakes and pastries.

The man took one of the second.

[Language unknown: Ma dermo ee and e omefi na. T tesa wasshecom we un Int Houectyinill Houecttraing hisallame ave in seine stck ma.]

He then took a bite.

In reply to Control (msg # 57):

Josie looked over the snack trolley, and selected a pastry, biting into it and finding it quite nice.

Lieba smiled warmly at the man's suggestion, then reached out to pluck a small open sandwich from the cart.

[Language unknown: "Ndom atckis tin i ticwilthu hifo, ro ncenc etcon inou Whany Hiofcaol!"] Taking a delicate bite of the snack,  she continued. [Language unknown: "Ng any aresel e allin iou asnte was un ateier?"]
This message was last edited by the player at 05:05, Wed 24 July 2019.

"[Language unknown: Ng for waal enfi ro asckur noma waivasof rilini. I whove terthahat e uldita choues un romhouine li wima. He un ortou oveinteraect is staoerson p ro derentlat?]" the man asked, "[Language unknown: Mo M pa man wheichive artwilstrnte, Mo he iner ousanylat ssna.]"

He took an open sandwich himself.

Lieba continued to smile politely at the man as he spoke. [Language unknown: "Sheinthas resouness pa sellin, i t housannde.  Ome tedoerenc ai rover difisahi nccali allst Mi of ni meca ughwilyinugh wassdies onswe manonsencred st ion!"] She tried to let some of her passion for music flow into her tone.  It might only be a cover story right now, but she did love music.  Hopefully he would feel her inspiration and be more helpful to her.

(Social Engineering Check: Rolled a 6)

[Language unknown: Ad not alprlitaon! Et pro tr her anycomwhi mo und is latasture mennteintwhi loasndhi siol!]

Straight away in this case meant thirty-five minutes. However, the three of them were all issued with two week visas for the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, valid from the following day.

Sitting there waiting for the man to return, Leiba smiled amiably and made meaningless small talk with the other women in the room.  Nothing of note, just a babble that kept her mouth working while her mind went to other things.  Plans and contingency plans rolled through her mind, halting abruptly as the man reentered the small interview area with their visas.  Two weeks should be more than enough time.

[Language unknown: Hatkorble seess oser mi elles!  O ailowh ivfime etrom teulos n fiho m herromecteau urecno k nahear-nangei poas u eess intounast n n ndeha illsomons iouhatsomver?"]

Listening to the man's suggestions, Leiba would remain polite and engaging until everything was finished being arranged.  Then she would suggest they depart to rest before their travels.

In reply to Control (msg # 62):

Josie took her visa, and sighed quietly in relief. Thank goodness that was done. She thanked the man who gave them their visas, and then said "Perhaps we should get going." to the other girls.

Sarah nodded.

"[Language unknown: Leder, manichher u antse. T ainri e haet el ntiichter wiadll any caic aniler...]"

She looked around for the exit and after making sure she had all her stuff, she took one more sweet pastry then indicated for the others to walk out of the building.

The man nodded.

[Language unknown: Onour wa nte m hasard-thohou nce Eauardhat, olho pest paul thu a in roplca e maest orterethoorepro. Red N anetce n onsantven lo Bleredioueennti? Proat ove nce t nailil.]