Andrei looks a bit sour at the mention of bicycles.

"If one is small," he suggests.

"You got one with stabilizers?", Daniel asked. It wasn't clear if he was joking or not.

He then turned to Dick.

"You said you were a reporter? What if we all posed as a news crew doing a coverage of the latest political unrest in Germany at the moment. If we also claim to be from a pro-fachist news team that may also help us get close to our target."

Jock gave a big grin. "It's been a wee while, but give me a half hour, it'll all come back.

Glad to hear about the Doctor, he should be worth his salt rations."

"We could all be members of a circus troupe," Andrei suggests.  His absolute straight face leaves one with the impression that he's either totally serious, or having them on.

"I don't think all of us posing as a newsreel crew is viable, or possible. Especially on short notice. It's highly likely to get us consigned to a large number of long boring speeches and tours round youth camps." Georgia said as they ran past Bethnal Green station with the locomotive ahead making a shrill whistle. Some people on the platform were reading their daily newspapers.

"That said... Dick and Daniel can certainly do that, see if any of the local goose stepping brigade know anything."

She watched briefly as they continued their run through the East End.

"Transport. If you can bring a motorbike along do. I'm planning to hire a car when we get there, but we'll need to split up to cover more ground. My cover was going to be as an off-season American tourist visiting the old country - I can actually trace my roots back to Silesia; Gramps on my mother's side came through Castle Garden [OOC: The predecessor to Ellis Island] from there in 1866."

She looked at the map again.

"Good news, we don't need a visa to go to Germany. Bad news is, we do for Poland... so our better departure option, if we're compromised, would be Czecho-Slovakia."

In reply to Daniel Blakeman (msg # 38):

Dixon gives Andrei a silent laugh before turning to Daniel.

"That journo dodge could work, though I don't know why any paper would send six of us. Hmmm..." He casts his eyes to the ceiling as he ruminates.

"Perhaps if we had a photographer (he points to Andrei) and a woman's reporter (indicating Charlotte) and a general assistant (Daniel), maybe a man to tote the baggage, which would be you Jock... and Georgia could be my blushing American bride on our working honeymoon --no strings attached,old gel, of course. Heh-heh.

"Shouldn't be anything to do with politics, though. We'd never shake off the Geheime Staatspolizei --the secret police, commonly called the Gestapo. Breslau's a big trade and industrial city, went pretty heavy for Herr Hitler in the elections. The Mirror's been pretty strong for Mosley and his British Union of Fascists for the past few years. The new owners are changing all that, thank goodness, but the news probably hasn't spread very far in Deutschland yet.

"Aha! We can be a Daily Mirror team sent to get the real story of how the Nazis turned a hotbed of Red sympathizers into loyal Sons of the Vaterland, including their wives. I can type up some sort of letter of introduction to the local Gauleiter or his press assistant. Should hold up for a few days.

"If we're a bunch of reporters from the same paper, there's nothing odd in our being together, or in going off separately on our own leads."
This message was last edited by the player at 00:45, Tue 09 Apr 2019.

"I could act as a photographer," Andrei agrees.  "We would need to procure the right equipment, of course. My supplies do not include a camera."

"There is a camera shop in Romford", Georgia said, as she considered the idea, "You know this could work. Thing is we'll need to find a way to do our own thing to find this place and do the necessary."

She looked at Dick and smiled.

"I'd happily be your pretend wife for all of this. But you're sleeping on the floor."

In reply to Georgia Taylor (msg # 44):

Dixon looks a bit non-plussed.

"Oh, well... Surely, my dear... The sofa at least?"

"So I'm just the skivvy? Och well, I can do that right enough."

Dainel turned to Jock, grinning. "Hey, there's a lot to be said for being a skivvy. I've done a lot of low paid labour jobs in my time and you get to meet all kindsa people."

"Used kit would be better. D'you know of an uncle in Romford? A shylock?"

"I know a couple of them, yes."

Out of the window, the sun was setting and the various street lights of London, both electric and gas, were being lit. On the left side of the train, the industrial areas of Stratford were coming into sight, along with the huge railway works for the LNER, home to hundreds of depots.

"I'm going to suggest that we get some dinner in Romford and you lot find a hotel to stay the night. The market is also open tomorrow, so we can get some other equipment and victuals for our trip. You can't really get Jacob's cream crackers in Germany."

In reply to Daniel Blakeman (msg # 47):

Jock grinned. "I know all about skivvying - I was in the army."

Andrei pulls a knife out from someplace around his ankle and starts to balance the tip of it on his finger.

"Do we need credential to pass as a press team?" he asks.  "Official identification and such?"

In reply to Andrei the Amazing (msg # 51):

"Seeing as it's Germany, they might bother about it, if we were to try to access any high officials or official events. That's why we're just doing informal, on-the-fly, man-in-the-street sort of things.

"Everyone has a passport, right? British is best."

Andrei flips the knife around and puts it away.

"I have my Romanian passport," he says.  "The Circus Gleich originated in and toured in Germany.  I may be recognized there.  It may be best for me to be disguised in some fashion."

He thinks for a moment.

"Or should our story be that this is my attempt at a career after the circus?"

"I have a passport", Taylor said, "British. Became a subject two years ago. But it's in Taylor, not Dixon. We can explain that one away as me having not changed it yet. I can travel on your passport, but that's really not my style."

The train started to slow down for the approach to Stratford.

"I think Romanians might need a visa for Germany. In any event, trying to access high level officials might be a good idea... any ray gun stuff is likely to go well up the chain. Isn't the fat so-and-so Goering the Prime Minister of Prussia?"

She adjusted her sleeve slightly.

"Tell you what, three of us ought to go up town to the German Embassy tomorrow and get the credentials sorted out. Get your paper to backstop them."

The train rolled into the platform, where a variety of people were waiting to board. Two of them moved towards their compartment.

PM:

Two industrial workers, their faces marked with dirt and smelling heavily of coal, climbed into the carriage before Andrei could stop them.

This terminated any discussion on the operation until they got out at Chadwell Heath for Becontree, the penultimate stop on their ride.

As Georgia shut the door, she looked over to the south. A very large array of street lights and glow from windows was visible in the twilight.

She moved over and pointed at it.

"See that? That's the Becontree Estate, the biggest public housing estate in the world. Nearly 26,000 modern houses, all with indoor toilets and private gardens. Getting people out of the slums of the East End. Some ideas that could be copied back in the U.S.A. if I'm being honest."

She looked at her watch.

"Next stop is Romford. Anyone for pie and mash?"

"I've got a passport", Daniel added.

When the workers boarded daniel struck up a conversation with them, steering away from the real reason for the trip and concocting a story about visiting an aging aunt.

When they got out and Georgia mentioned food Daniel smiled "You read my mind, Mrs T. I'm kinda hungry right now."

Andrei glowers at the workers the entire rest of the trip.  He'd not been expecting anyone to bother them during the stop.  At the mention of food, he nods.

"A bit of tucker never goes amiss, m'dear," Dixon says, gathering his belongings..

"Pie and mash is always a good idea."

"I will need clothes that are more drab," Andrei notes as they are leaving the train.  His impeccably tailored suit would look out of place as a news photographer.

He looks speculatively at Dixon's clothing.  "Perhaps you could offer advice on what to purchase?"