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17:29, 28th March 2024 (GMT+0)

One Alpha Two Eight - Jennifer & Debbie.

Posted by GMFor group 0
GM
GM, 1 post
Sun 6 Jun 2021
at 11:27
  • msg #1

One Alpha Two Eight - Jennifer

Sunday 6 August, 1422 British Summer Time, on board British Rail Western Region Service 1A28 from Oxford to London Paddington


It wasn't exactly the Orient Express, but if Jennifer Greene had really wanted to, she could have laid down across the three seats in the second-class compartment she was currently in. Although it might have received a disapproving look from the labourer who was sitting across her, reading the Sunday Mirror whose front page was talking about a butler who had been jailed for fraud. The back page of the paper covered a scandal in the world of cricket.

The ten-carriage train had just pulled out of Reading and would now run non-stop to London Paddington, hauled by a powerful diesel locomotive. It was a distinct sight better than the three-carriage commuter train she could have gone, but this service didn't exactly spring to a buffet car. Not that British Rail's cheese sandwiches were something you'd particular seek out unless you were desperate.

In the compartment behind her, two children were engaged in a noisy argument about a doll with a woman, probably their mother, intervening.

Once they arrived at Paddington, Jen would transfer to the London Underground for a quick ride round the Circle Line to Victoria, where she would pick up some traveller's cheques from the one place that was open on a Sunday before checking in at the Lincoln Arms Hotel, a simple bed & breakfast that seemingly offered the best value from her London hotel guide.

The day was warm and the open windows at the top provided some useful ventilation as the train rattled along, accelerating to around ninety miles an hour.

"Tickets from Reading!" came a cry down the corridor. Fortunately, Jennifer had already had her small cardboard ticket clipped earlier. Her backpack was stowed in the rope luggage rack above her, taking a rest itself on the first stage of a very long journey indeed.
Jennifer Greene
player, 5 posts
Sun 6 Jun 2021
at 18:29
  • msg #2

One Alpha Two Eight - Jennifer

The First Day of Jen's Liberation as she thought of it (complete with capital letters) had started boldly enough, with Jennifer escaping yet another confrontation with her Dorm Mistress via the simple expedient of dropping her backpack out the window and into the tulips before climbing out after it. She wasn't going to change her mind about this trip even if she hadn't already sold almost all her school things to other less prepared students with a larger allowance.

Jennifer Greene was always prepared. Always, whether it came to a prom date gone fresh or living semi-independently in student accommodation on the other side of the world.

Maybe that was the problem? She spent so much thought on keeping her life quiet and focused, she never allowed herself the license to live it, not before she'd heard another student talking about their summer break east of the Iron Curtain. She'd made her enquiries and paid for the arrangements, and as the train lumbered heavily out of the station at Oxford she had felt a huge weight shift from her chest.

Riding in the second-class compartment with bell bottom jeans and a white t-shirt she'd already drawn more than a few disapproving looks from the labourer across from her. Her bared arms alone! Salt of the earth that one, and she took a private amusement in ignoring him as she half-sprawled across one and a half chairs up against the window, enjoying the chill of the glass against her cheek as she held her glasses between two fingers of her right hand.

Ticket check meant getting up though so she did; putting on her glasses and then slipping the ticket back out of her backpack's outside pocket along with her notepad and a pencil. She would offer her ticket when the conductor came by, but in the meantime...

Day One, she began the page, then started describing in brief terms her exodus from the confines of College life.
Deborah (Debbie) Levin
player, 2 posts
Thu 10 Jun 2021
at 08:51
  • msg #3

One Alpha Two Eight - Jennifer

Another young woman entered the carriage, carrying a large backpack on her back. She had dark hair, loosely tied together, and was dressed in a knee-length mod dress patterned with concentric circles and semi-circles in matted colors. She leaned slightly forward in order to better support the weight of her backpack and was holding the sides of the seats for support as she makes her way forward in the moving train.

Reaching her destination, she took off the backpack and hefted it up, struggling to fit it into the rack overhead the seats. Stretching to reach up, she pushed the bag over the rope and managed to squash it in just enough so it reluctantly contorts to the limits of the provided space.

With the calls from tickets sounding from the opposite side from which she'd entered, she manages to pull her own ticket from her bag just and with it in her hand, she basically collapsed into the nearest available seat, spreading her hair out, and letting out a sigh of relief.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:54, Thu 10 June 2021.
GM
GM, 3 posts
Thu 10 Jun 2021
at 09:01
  • msg #4

One Alpha Two Eight - Jennifer

Considering the labourer was reading a newspaper known for its gratituous displays of female flesh that Jennifer's friends often complained about, the looks were arguably a bit hypocritical.

At that point, Debbie entered and sat two seats away from him, next to the corridor.

The rather young Travelling Ticket Inspector in his silver lined British Rail uniform then walked past the compartment, saw a new arrival and entered to clip her ticket.

He took a glance at Debbie's ticket and looked a bit confused.

"You do know this ticket is from Slough, right, miss?" he said cheerily. "Because unless you're David Nixon [OOC: a well-known TV magician at the time], which you clearly aren't, I'm wondering how you got on this train."
Jennifer Greene
player, 7 posts
Thu 10 Jun 2021
at 10:57
  • msg #5

One Alpha Two Eight - Jennifer

Perhaps that was it then - but though her arms were considerably less than the man might be eyeing in his newspaper, Jennifer was arguably also a lot closer to him than the hapless Page 3 Girl, wherever she might be now.

Regardless, a dark-eyed, dark-haired young woman came in and squeezed her backpack into place up in the overhead rack close by Jen's and the ex-student looked up at it speculatively. Seemed as though she wasn't the only one who'd decided it was time for a change in scenery!

And that was when the Train Sheriff arrived, and she waved her ticket at him. It had already been clipped, and since she'd barely shifted her butt since she had planted it in this compartment she was fairly sure she was on the right train.

"Slough?" she echoed in surprise. "Where are you heading to?"

She hadn't realised they'd passed Slough already, the trip was really flying past!

"I'm Jen by the way," she waved to the other woman and then leaned back to let her resolve her little issue.
Deborah (Debbie) Levin
player, 4 posts
Thu 10 Jun 2021
at 11:27
  • msg #6

One Alpha Two Eight - Jennifer

"Yes. I am painfully aware" the dark haired girl answered. She had an obvious accent in her voice that was a bit hard to place, especially by only a few uttered words. Perhaps French? "I, um.. went on the wrong platform and the train was leaving and I thought I was going to miss the train, so I hopped in without looking" she admitted, with an apologetic smile. Not quite sure if this was a problem and whether she'd have to use her limited resources to by an extra ticket, but not asking the question directly.

A few more spoken words verified that her accent is most definitely not French, although it had some fleeting similarities, like her 'r's or the way she pronounced "the".

She looked towards the girl two seats away who just introduced herself as 'Jen'. "Paddingtion. I checked twice this time. Deborah".

She shifted her attention back to the Ticket Inspector. (Or was it Conductor? Which one's English and which one's British? If any?) waiting for the verdict.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:02, Sun 13 June 2021.
BR Travelling Ticket Inspector
Sat 12 Jun 2021
at 16:58
  • msg #7

One Alpha Two Eight - Jennifer

"I'm guessing you're not from round these parts then?" the Ticket Inspector said. "Got your sides of the road mixed up?"

He looked at Debbie and smiled.

"Well, it happens. I'll have to write you an excess fare, but I'll just do it one way from Reading to Slough."

He reached into his pocket for a pad and started to write on a duplicate pad of the sort she had seen regularly used in the IDF.

"That will be ten shill... sorry, fifty pence, please."

OOC: The terms are somewhat different in British; a conductor can sell tickets and will supervise in other duties, but a ticket inspector is mainly about revenue protection.

Also, I have retconned the amount as it appears to be excessive for period prices.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:40, Sun 13 June 2021.
Jennifer Greene
player, 14 posts
Sat 12 Jun 2021
at 18:34
  • msg #8

One Alpha Two Eight - Jennifer

"Thanks Charlie," Jen said with a dazzling smile and a glance at the nametag on his railway shirt.

He could have been an absolute dick about that, charging the girl for both ways of excess travel.

"I'll pay for it," she decided, reaching into her things and pulling out her tea money. "She's had a bad enough day already." She counted out the coins then rocked back in her seat with one foot up on the seat-cushion beside her other knee.

She nodded up towards the back in the overhead rack. "Going overseas Deborah, or off to see London for a bit?"
Deborah (Debbie) Levin
player, 6 posts
Sun 13 Jun 2021
at 06:08
  • msg #9

One Alpha Two Eight - Jennifer

Debbie was use to having a few extra coins or bills tucked away somewhere, even with her current attire that while comfortable to ride the train held a distinct lack of pockets or even a belt to tuck something temporarily in. Still, before she managed to produce some money which she hoped would be enough without having to dig too deep into her things for the rest, the stranger paid for her excess fee, leaving her silent, either in surprise or simply by the inability to decide what should be the proper response.

"You really didn't have to do that" she eventually told the other girl as the Ticket Inspector went on his way. "I'll pay you back"

She followed Jen's nod to her own backpack and nodded. "Em, yes. Going for a trip. Already did London but usually I get lost in the Underground itself rather than on the way there, so no extra fees"
Jennifer Greene
player, 17 posts
Sun 13 Jun 2021
at 22:02
  • msg #10

One Alpha Two Eight - Jennifer and Debbie

"It's fate then," Jennifer laughed, her soft Australian twang apparent to anyone more used to English voices. Though the last time she'd spoken to her family on an international call, they'd said she was starting to sound English. Was that fair? She still just sounded like herself to her ears.

"I'm going on a trip too, that's why I'm heading for London now. You can't pay me back, but I will let you treat me to a cup of tea and some chips," she grinned. That would probably be around 50p - most times she'd gone out for a few drinks after class she hadn't spent that much.

"Where are you headed then? I'm headed East on an adventure," she smiled. "Off to see everything between Dover and Kathmandu."
Deborah (Debbie) Levin
player, 8 posts
Mon 14 Jun 2021
at 07:59
  • msg #11

One Alpha Two Eight - Jennifer and Debbie

Debbie's eyes narrowed a bit in surprise and she shot Jen a curious, almost wary, look before she glanced upwards as if to check whether a map or something is sticking out of her backpack giving away her own final destination.

Satisfied that this was not the case, she relaxed a bit back into her chair. "As fate would have it" she told Jen, reusing the word that she used, "I'm also headed to Nepal. Going through Turkey, Iran, India...". She swiped away some dark hair from in front of her face and  watched Jen curious for her reaction. What are the chances?
Jennifer Greene
player, 24 posts
Aussie, 22
Mon 14 Jun 2021
at 08:30
  • msg #12

One Alpha Two Eight - Jennifer and Debbie

Jen doesn't seem to find this as suspicious as Debbie does. Her own backpack is a pale brown (almost khaki) with three patches sewn down the left hand side - one Southern Cross, one Union Jack with a golden crown across it and one red and white shield showing some kind of heraldry - lion heads, ravens and a sword in laurel wreath. But she does look excited.

"Oh I know, right? I don't know why I didn't go before now, but I heard through a friend about how they spent six months doing it and it was the best thing they'd ever done. And suddenly study and exams just didn't seem as interesting any more." She shrugged. "I'm going by Kombi Van, an Overland Adventures thing. It should be fab, you know? I've never been to any of those places - Yugoslavia, Brussels, Turkey..." The girl actually wiggled with excitement.

"I can't wait. And I won't have to, my group is leaving on Monday."
Deborah (Debbie) Levin
player, 9 posts
Mon 14 Jun 2021
at 09:58
  • msg #13

One Alpha Two Eight - Jennifer and Debbie

Debbie nods in agreement. "Me, I worked my ass out" (getting the idiom wrong) "for the last year, so I did the responsible thing and wasted it all on one big trip before I'm expected to settle down..."

She smiled a little, sharing Jen's excitement, and counted the three item list on her fingers: "Kombi van. Overland Adventures. Depart Monday from Victoria station. Yep, me too. Ha, seems like we'll have enough chances for me to buy you tea, yes? So, hm, how about this: if we do end up traveling together, I'll buy you one cup in each new country"
Jennifer Greene
player, 25 posts
Aussie, 22
Mon 14 Jun 2021
at 10:12
  • msg #14

One Alpha Two Eight - Jennifer and Debbie

Jennifer pointed with both forefingers at Deborah's remark. "Oooh yeah, those good vibes exactly," she grinned. "That's me too, except I started my course before I realised what I needed. So hopefully I can go back to it once we get a truly out of sight experience. And yeah! If we end up traveling together I'll find you a local treat in each country if you can find me tea, and we can share it in the van."

The local labourer was utterly ignored. Jennifer had better people to talk to as the train rattled on down the track.

"Looks like you're doing the same thing I did, packed your life into one bag? Anything you're especially proud of bringing?"
Deborah (Debbie) Levin
player, 10 posts
Mon 14 Jun 2021
at 13:32
  • msg #15

One Alpha Two Eight - Jennifer and Debbie

"A treat in every port. I like that" Debbie laughed softly. "I suspect I may have received the better end of the bargain".

She looked up at the backpack then back at Jen. "Oh, no.. half my life I left at home. Half of that I left at Slough. So... I guess that's one quarter of my life up there?" she thought out loud. "I learned... to try and not be sentimental about these things. Bring only what you need, but not always what you think you need is what you really need". She paused, taking some air as it seems like her tongue needed a short rest after that last sentence. "So. I allowed for two books, some snacks - you can trade them like you'd trade cigarettes in jail - and one Kofiko."
".. and you?" she added with some curiosity.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:34, Mon 14 June 2021.
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