The little scouting party - comprising of Yelena, her sergeant, and the rest of tretiy otryad, as well as Lena, Julius, and from the British OSI squad Staff Sergeant Halloway and Corporal Morgan - made their way up the gravel road back into the mountains. The incline went steeper soon and Julius had some trouble keeping up with the professional soldiers, who all very quickly fell into a marching rhythm.

The clouds finally opened up, and the sun was shining down on them
A sun, Julius corrected himself.

After about 20 minutes, they made a first brief stop to orient themselves and retreated into the trees lining the road. The Russians looked up the road with little enthusiasm.
"You alright, son?" Staff Sergeant Halloway asked Julius.


Gusarov looked pointed up ahead the road - a rather long, straight stretch, a wall of rocks on their left, a cliff edge to their right.
"No cover at all. We should double-time it."
He looked at the British, then Lena. "They'll get us killed if they don't keep up."
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:31, Fri 06 May 2022.

Julius used the break to catch his breath.

"This whole event has been more active than I'm used to, Sergeant. If I could, I'd rather be home in a comfy chair with a good book and a nice cup of tea." He replied to Halloway.

"Ah, I know what you mean. But don't worry you'll get used to it. I studied English literature when the war started. Not exactly a very outdoors curriculum either." Morgan said and offered his water canteen.

Yelena gave Gusarov a flat look for a moment, though nodded at the end. She knew who the best person was to keep an eye out. [Language unknown: "Ettrho arcon ck al whev red redamenti oulhoular. Thwer Ntuleemi tio ure fona eelat butnc, of ul ectes thaiv. Chplbe i ilutll men, he kor ec ameichson momo u ble lo nomonifi."]

Yelena offered her field glasses to Lena. [Language unknown: "Pl witr nteoutwhi ounouroul hattratic. M, er...ssnati. Ive st any."] She pointed at the binoculars to emphasize.

Yelena generally gathered the English-speakers. [Language unknown: "Thurednte. Fo diic n Bleortred us ine red. Uninul er ad e ti, sshi Ca hoher. Mael ri whilo cackil iciv ingpr Li evat." Hat nturad m rea lar thu acecivce manareort. "Es ar ouesng. P P siess is terandlar la, I misani ck ioulinder somntivor ronite ingichati. P eau th on. Ssal to cate, iv a ent vir hasareica. Artra io earughant a ilie. Notereard u ee, k ear enpa werthasta. Nd?"] She looked around for questions.

((OOC: Is Julius wearing a helmet?))
This message was last edited by the player at 16:46, Fri 06 May 2022.

((Julius is outfitted as a British infantryman, with a helmet.))

Julius takes Rupert's canteen. "Thanks."

Taking a small swig, then then hands it back. "When things are calm, I'd love to discuss literature with you, Colonel."

"[Language unknown: Ven ll na ival pl, Po icca amepredin Ndeilltic.]" Julius replies to Yelena.

((I have a shotgun too, but not very good with it, and no need to use it. Yet!))

Yelena brightened a bit at that news. [Language unknown: "Il, pacarout! Heiser ek fota we pr ev ountincon a as wh ntesomsan'omeset ant."]

The sniper's face turned curious. [Language unknown: "Prnce in wh om naer ourforart, ul? Any ck?"]

"As far as I can see, but it's like the rest of the world goes grey. And it's not always reliable, what I see, or how strong. It is also tiring, so I can't do it constantly."

Yelena nodded at the explanation. [Language unknown: "Sipl hamapo eveee ieni k seiv re pa..." ]she changed languages to try to get her point across. [Language unknown: "Tasssa lostri ev atisomencestith. Ic metha icman thu atios thihasver eeener osou?"]
This message was last edited by the player at 03:49, Sat 07 May 2022.

Julius shrugs. "[Language unknown: Wa na lapl ch. Ic ticntiund anyencblehou Wh hisac omethuess cast'fodi os, herersenc hi ate themannteill ha wa ch.]" He then switches back to English. "I can try."

Yelena nodded. [Language unknown: "Ateeauhas Kor reth alltraday alla ardai ta les com ndedinent, larartven teect hi vor foenri ou?"]

Julius nodded. "I can try."

"[Language unknown: O hasto anplbe manearthipre dibut Ectoerthi i nois ent, thung I ee ng comstrivesti Alelon, e tola the cheve entticoun som ouout ma os.  Olss Be shesonthu O venncetra larit.]"  Lena confirmed.

Yelena paused, then shook her head. [Language unknown: "Romkorart il rutpl anwit pl ulom. Stabutone ho ti ss tola thoresove isliri ti lialpo Illavesom. Il Us an ard dihepe Sitire sica tedsonlar Estardher, u M notdinwil us Entcomoun lar o. Pl noas ing hasanynte pace tha ngou en adcon Ev manughons era ort hatconere nteereugh, al ectwerhou entta. Nd en addi utte rea Chprca, ulsom beon Wetepa iewi Nienul, liard A un n teur ha bleoussta eemena un Alerpr."]

Noting that Lena didn't take the field glasses, Yelena used them to look around before handing them to the American spy. [Language unknown: "Ilpa si kor be ac ho k arwil ar arac asck oreoutame k vorpreart. K te enc ee attha nano eauastave eitra li neomsi thu ouwe prut."]

((18:42, Today: Yelena Malkin rolled 3,6 using d6+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 1,4.  Notice (with binoculars).))
This message was last edited by the player at 02:46, Mon 09 May 2022.

There was nothing to be seen. The road kept rising and then stopped, seemingly midair. That meant that this seemed to be the highest point. Anything, anybody, would be able to get to that point without being seen from the other side.
They would be easily able to get there, unseen. But the same held true for anybody coming from the other side.
It would be bad luck if a German tank platoon was rolling over the horizon just as they got there. Then again... they didn't necessarily seem to have an abundance of good fortune recently.

Yelena put the binoculars away and closed her eyes, just listening. There was no sound to be heard. Some birds cawing somewhere. Some bugs flew past her ear. Nature's sounds. But no sound of heavy machinery. That, at least, was some comfort. But still, there could be an ambush lying in wait.

Morgan chimed in: "We could try to climb up the mountain. Find a goat path or something. Would be the roundabout way, but we wouldn't be caught out in the open."

Yelena looked through the binoculars again, searching. There was something that could be a small path or at least some route higher up into the mountains. But if anybody slipped, it could be a disaster, too.

Yelena frowned. None of this made her particularly happy, though the lack of mechanized sound provided a little comfort. She nodded at Morgan. [Language unknown: "Ie omeoerhat hi iediti witainher i stsace. Art the ith o essi tiwi er usthnt?"]

She looked over to her Sergeant. [Language unknown: "Ourerereaess n tostouisas n ver Accaliomnc usan di u atwhi Erwhek pe ove e rut m ck oerthithu na ek ame an om artallwas. Asekna er wh ureatihas ilnt n espo we antne ast lewit m mimifi. Es lllo ou wheareonssan ceevpa na noev ares i dayng anilre."]
This message was last edited by the player at 16:21, Tue 10 May 2022.

Lena thought of something.  "[Language unknown: T homeai rutredast la her but a dile ck m ilof astimi innce m butverred tareanom li Niithi urone?  Ha us m orekorortlar e...]"

Lena shuddered at the memory of having to learn Morse code in a ridiculously short amount of time.  But it couldn't be helped, they had insisted.  They had actually been correct.

Yelena nodded. [Language unknown: "N as thiromess, loil. Rehila thiwhevor stou stisoment. Lar ilil a ecletr thote."] She smiled at the last bit, apparently thinking it was something of a good joke.[Language unknown: "Weder virhi it Inlone be trach tedtraout mebe traio mo o Linlinven."]

Gusarov nodded.
"Permission granted, comrade Malkin."

"[Language unknown: Diat'ioolniee mi ul weiviehe ul sioun O p, noec Laisinwe virichest m eloson ssad ter avewitted stsipr.]"

lol we're lucky, I Googled it and standardized International Morse Code had been in place for a long time long before any of our characters would have been alive to learn it.