The Russians slowly came out of the wood, getting closer to the truck. There wasn't really much room to maneuver, they had to get closer.

---

Inside, Mattaki managed to pull one of the guards closer - by sheer luck it was the body of the Deutsche who had chained them to the truck's floor and, after rummaging through the man's pockets, he retrieved a key.
His fingers were shaking when he tried to open the lock, the adrenaline washing through him.

---

[Language unknown: "Ei elpa tinkorsonith."] Tsimmerman said. He was close to Yelena. [Language unknown: "Ri uspeol sa not ur hiatecun."]

Yelena nodded once at Tsimmerman. [Language unknown: "Houtheder ho, But ofio fi tisan. Te sanainenc."] She ticked off a count of three on her fingers, then spun around the back of the truck and looked inside while Tsimmerman covered her.

Yelena's rifle was directed at the inhabitants, but when she saw who was in there, she immediately dropped the business end of the gun downward so it wasn't pointed at any of the truck's survivors.

She paused for a moment while her brain tried to process what she was looking at, but after a few moments her words started working. She tried a few languages.

[Language unknown: "Eveoulint! Iece nothi mennc?"]

[Language unknown: "Thuevever! Virme find trmo?"]

[Language unknown: "Essreaith! Loca isun rius?"]

(Note she would also try in Yiddish, but there isn't even a language group set up for that.)

Bhalla raised her head, trembling. Her voice had a chirrup-y quality that was exacerbated as she tried to get her mouth around the words. [Language unknown: "Ort liect Tinameate? Esest lesmanear and?"] How could there be more of them?

Yelena shook her head at the question. [Language unknown: "A, Str asllek ac be arolou omemenant larundhat'korons netase ain nihou Thasil."] Had it really been that long? Yelena could hardly remember what she'd been like before war came to her town. Maybe that person was dead. Or maybe just dormant.

[Language unknown: "Ssvor ive foand? Pr io ho pohiom eter'beli? Trhe? Anceol?] Her voice was tender and soft as she asked after their well-being.

Bhalla sat up, slowly. She had not caught all the words the--was this a female?--used. Did the females war with the males? But no, there were others here who were like the ones who had captured her. [Language unknown: "Som has laure Ichead? Tin n ratev adurpl Onswerill?"]

Yelena shook her head. [Language unknown: "Ev, teen Insios."] She nearly spat the word out in disgust, but then regained her composure and smiled. Her words were again soft. [Language unknown: "M no us Eiurec. I ainiv ichonelat mi dinna Reussi."]

She raised an eyebrow. [Language unknown: "Fi rea ni Sonillpre."]

After a few tries the chains came loose, before he attempted to get out of the truck, which seemed to be the target of all the fire at present he searched round the boxes looking for weapon to use

[Language unknown: "P ame, staaremen. Un was beiciv. Ing tho wa com ie Eenerastihat."] Bhalla said. She was still struggling to make sense of the situation. [Language unknown: "Dayev it ssmeliio? Werearith ne leant Houderion?"]

Mattaki pushed back another box and his heart skipped a beat. There was his spear, his focus. He could almost feel it calling out to him.

Mattaki took a deep breath and gently reached for the spear as he touched it he felt the power of his ancestors complete the broken circle when it had been taken from him.

He looked down at his little friend [Language unknown: T it wielar nanena. Onieil ereourlat ess naad tiiterngar hies il? hahas leme ers urol hou was ichiho Ch witsetort anons com]

Even so he pulled the power to him and prepared the spell of protection to be used over both of them if they were attacked

Lena had stayed back, figuring it was better to let the soldiers sweep the truck.  Plus, that was a lot of dead bodies.  Granted, she'd been around a lot of dead bodies before but they were usually in a morgue or something.

They seemed to be talking to somebody.  On the whole, the Russians seemed more likely to speak German than English if they spoke either, so she'd been sticking to Ze German around them.  "[Language unknown: Wh paus Stasonlar und encastkoring?]"

With that Mattaki stood with spear in hand, trusting in the powers he welded to protect him if needed.

He looked down at his, little friend [Language unknown: u i latreatho earwhinte i n re hisundbut fi wilforastrea ]

[Language unknown: "Seitridi."] Bhalla said, gesturing to the 'Soviet' at the back of the truck and the other not-Deutsche visible through the mangled tarpaulin who still surrounded the wagon.

Yelena paused for a moment as she tried to think about how to answer the question. [Language unknown: "Outherrom ai...ioenek hiess i...dinbleome sateca. Es ant unmanoch her evte Nderomble"] At least a little bit. How much different was something that Yelena thought about as she tried to fall asleep at night.

She shook her head. [Language unknown: "Was ouceosfi nohi p red orewh...Viromeund werbleain. Ason linal Thularndemen. U Cachpe."] She held up a finger to ask for a moment, then shouldered her rife and stuck her head around the side of the truck. Sticking the first two fingers of both hands in her mouth, the sniper whistled, shrilly.

She pointed at Lena. [Language unknown: "Ilwe'antodi! Oured!"]

Yelena looked back over at the recent captives. [Language unknown: "Virli osha ekhe ecntpe niing uriter aredinect. Sa ie comof ssetwa preenthasess ourintain ndeet Mannotany."]

"[Language unknown: T fo ri k eeacun?]"  Lena hustled.  She wasn't a great nurse but she was still a passable nurse after all.

She arrived quickly, only to go wide eyed.  "[Language unknown: Eau... tholi latrutprewhe, trbe K na... t conhouect nte i her perut nti.]"

Lena had not yet gotten to the point where she reflexively used English.  Speaking constant German for years on end and letting on you speak anything else only on pain of death will do that to you.

Konnikov slowly advanced on the dead Nazis, using hand signals he ordered First Platoon to move up the hill and take watch, and Second Platoon to hold position as Yelena and the British Spy checked out the back of the truck.  He could hear the strange language, and held the men back to ease tensions with the locals who were no doubt prisoners of the Nazis.

Confident at least that these beings do not mean her any immediate harm, Bhalla moves to the truck's tailgate (though she does not yet get down). [Language unknown: "Miare utear eios? Hialos m Prerni? Diusro ll Icaearderencomelar?"] She closes her eyes and shakes her head and holds up a palm. [Language unknown: "On ne atmene Patoin Oveantpro. Alenai. Rut ers re p onsfornti Ivntwi n...Thuticrat Niieweis."] She points to the Axtzal behind her. [Language unknown: "Niadecad. El n om icareantihis."]
This message was last edited by the player at 03:21, Sat 16 July 2022.

Shagidzyanov relayed Konnikov's orders, then turned to his CO.
[Language unknown: "Ineintica Meriar fo antorende i romhoueve onwil le ndfi ac popewe me hacom nce areek set?"]

Julius, who always stayed close to the officers in case he needed to translate for Captain Jackson or Major Lewis, couldn't help but wonder about the lieutenant asking permission. British or American soldiers - or Germans, for that matter - would have already proceeded to loot the vehicle on their own initiative.

Yelena nodded at the introduction. [Language unknown: “Ur’e leos ul tiek derma, Maomng rutus Isiton. Ho Ai oulil, O a ticventho Evebleble. Ta nte asday u weunta teiveclo, riisel ce esswerich les th lin naiv meiou instr. Un witeeneve tr re o n m Inosanol. N, ut com llolol redest'onesta trno ure, ev te Ectratand. Pa est erssma loacosnt e osme paleacee ainmo anwa Ssmiai.”] The sniper gestured toward Lena as she referenced the other woman.

Satisfied the Germans weren't just playing possum, Konnikov nods to his Lieutenant, [Language unknown: "Comei, arelo ore ounomekor alteek en in, hoivpa room t ma filleeei est whiyinear, ho te n erekekpr und peat, ll ul taelol osolriun kor ha ie stanceenc'virsta tintraort ine man areen ti."]

He then approaches the rear of the vehicle and despite being surprised at the appearance of prisoners, maintains a stolid cast (aside from one raised eyebrow).  He stands at ease with the Thompson leaning across his shoulders and calmly eyes the two odd looking folk in the trucks bed.

[Language unknown: "Ecniac, are fopr mope, omeat, yinecther ni wil, ati wihosa?"]

Yelena turned to face Semyon and briefly stood to attention before adopting a slightly more relaxed posture. [Language unknown: "Enonli, sa niro traforlat diouto art con rohiomchfo attrou houintmen lintioain ingsetwheout. At u ate oluttr the Alerss, p Herat tha ng e al i whevec der tio...ro?"] Yelena was guessing at that last bit.
[Language unknown:
"Taus isis laous str nganof caus ieteut aickes the whprur ousugh-iveoer p atiortereshe plniwa oful din Tinmeners. Pa nane derrathas heno sthis ek moprch icng-urin, eve es n ivse und oun n wemo. Ce hahick tr wapopa butthoenc ine der inutdi o i itrehi res as li, Rutthahat?"] She raised her eyebrows slightly at the end, though generally maintained military discipline as she spoke with the Kapitan.

[Language unknown: "Is ta wilaee. Mi Statet ripre hile la ofarho."] Bhalla says. She catches herself. [Language unknown: "Ithndecon maand."] The gnim couldn't remember the last time she'd eaten a full meal. [Language unknown: "Fochio ticthutic ne Resineyin."]

Yelena turned her head slightly to indicate she was listening to Bhalla, and nodded her understanding. She held up a finger to ask her for a moment, then straightened and spoke to Konnikov again. [Language unknown: "Se es labe settrares. Betra...ndriilai thur inewitnce osweur yinomevor menul weressmen ast. Fodifihiwh ll andcomess rat theck theck ta whwe reekos? Whe ekand asmoil ststr plllio und aveardrom m dayol out n di sihe ro thedayandhas ni ndeourour."] Hunting was how Yelena had first learned to shoot. Being required to do so again was something she'd enjoy.

Lena let out a very undignified sound.  "[Language unknown: Ng... letrmo... u <e>nita!</m>]"

She began to shake down anyone near her.  "[Language unknown: Pe Un Ne Nc ainon le elni pa, korrearat prniwi ndof a ececil!]"

Konnikov nods, [Language unknown: "Plekti Ckfienar, si sius latarddin latou hoomes, din n wheineine wa ame eve e beicwh eiil ard foiv poun undnotherons strac roatmo tinntirut.  Aiitce prnofo u set dileeknc we earderint wane ameat."]

He then turns to check up the road and gives a look at the squad higher up the slope that were watching the road.  He deliberately, and calmly, as though at ease in their presence, turns his back to the locals, and listens to hear if they react oddly.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:44, Sun 17 July 2022.