Getting outta the mud [Chekov/Open]

[Laya Eteric]

While the Fall in the Soviet Union wasn't particularly cold, at least compared to Winter, it could be (and almost always was) dreadfully wet due to the drenching rains, and therefore the steppe became extremely muddy. Roads were nearly impassable, as they were never paved. As such, one typically tries to stay inside and dry from the weather when off duty. Pus and bars were always the most popular, as expected, and in many villages you would often have only a single one, and you could bet that every soldier would slip inside given half a chance.

Laya Eteric slopped through the thick mud of the so-called road. Often she would sink up to her knees an would take considerable force to get her leg to the next step. Of course, in a way, this had helped the USSR; German tanks and vehicles, originally designed with paved roads in mind, had such narrow tracks that they'd sink into even slightly soft ground; in contrast to the T-34 which could easily stay up. And when even T-34 found mud hard to stay above...

Squelch...schlop...squelch...schlop... Laya made her way to the building; it wasn't anything special, but it was more than enough to serve its purpose; for a soldier is used to much worse conditions. Eventually, Laya made it, ending her long walk. She leaned against the wall and panted slightly, somewhat winded from the difficult walk; she and the other troops were stationed half a kilometer from the village. Sighing, trying to wipe the mud off her boots without much luck, she wondered if there were any others coming, and decided to take a look before heading inside...

[Aleksandr Chekov]

Now that was a reason he hated not being on ships like he had been trained too, mud and trouble walking through it was starting to become an everyday trouble and the rain he was used to just being able to walk inside the ship. Though he was proud of having ended up becoming a part of the battle despite him and his soldiers were only ship personnel but a lot of people recognized the unusual black uniform.

He was glad that he wore knee high boots making more of his uniform stay cleaner, he had a kind of feeling that his uniform should always be clean and presentable when there was the time and need for it, which had meant before he left camp where his men where stationed his uniform had but the mud had spread to the edge of his knee-long naval coat.

On his way to a local pub he noticed a person who stopped and were looking around, a girl by the looks of it and a tanker at that. He walked a little faster and walked up to her, "Excuse me you're a tanker right?" He asked with some kind of fascination in his voice, being rather direct and straight to the point.

[Laya Eteric]

Laya, having caught her breath, was just about to walk into the pub when someone called after her from afar. "Excuse me you're a tanker right?" the soldier called from down the road. Turning to look, she saw it was a...Naval soldier of all things. What's a soldier like him doing in the middle of the Steppe? she thought. Well, that didn't really matter now, did it? After all, most of the fighting was on land anyway...

"Yes, I am part of a tank crew," Laya said to him, smiling a bit. "A recent transfer actually, I just got outta training. I have fought in the T34 a few times, but so far we've only encountered infantry..." She shrugged. She wasn't particularly sure how she felt about going into battle against another tank; German designs still were either with guns that were short or narrow, and armour poorly sloped, but surely they'd have something bigger out soon, or possibly already...

Laya chose not to think about that. After all, the battlefield wasn't near here that day. "Well, come on then, let's head in and talk, it's much too wet out here," she grinned before opening the door and walking in.

The place was small, crowded, and had a hole in one corner of the ceiling. There was no place left to sit except the floor (A good way to get kicked.), and the fire warmed the room only slightly. But as a soldier, she'd seen much worse. Laya sniffed; the food was nothing special, pretty boring actually, but her stomach was growling like wolf nonetheless. After finding a place where they had some sort of space, she looked back at the Navy soldier. "So, what brings a sailor like you all the way here...?"

[Aleksandr Chekov]

He looked at her with an interested look as she told what she had experienced so far, he seemed impressed "Well I'm sure you're doing a great job, I wouldn't have minded having been a tank officer, of cause my training capabilities are a bit different" he said with a light shrug knowing that he wasn't trained as an infantry officer which could be felt, but he had been successful more then once.

As she said they should go inside he gave a nod "yes... It sounds like a brilliant idea, I am certain both of us are used to be on more steady grounds too...." he said considering that she was most likely used to be in a tank and he was used to be in the rubble of Leningrad and in rare occasions a ship.

He followed her and knocked some of the mud from his boots off outside before entering the inn. Now came the usual reaction from people, the curious looks. He followed the young tanker over to a place where they found a spot where they had some space. Then she asked the good question, what brought him here. He gave a light shrug before replying "Orders, obviously. Navy high command gave us order to join up and assist the red army, which is odd considering we are from Leningrad. But I guess it has something to do with us being known for taking locations blindly... Despite the lack of training" he said a bit proudly "Honestly we almost just arrived so I guess I'll see what my next orders are since they have to come from the navy high command..."

He looked at her for a few moments considering what to ask her, she was a part of the red army so it was obvious why she were here. Then he noticed the neck tabs telling her rank he was surprised "Now I could ask you why you were here but seems obvious... But I wouldn't mind knowing a bit about you or your job... I mean It's rarely I meet anyone who I haven't served with for a while... If you don't mind of cause" he spoke with a polite voice trying to get back into human conversation.

[Laya Eteric]

Laya smirked a bit. "A lot of countries say we all lack training," she said. "Making up in sheer numbers...yeah, orders, of course. I guess they decided you were more needed here." She looked around the room, thinking to herself for a few minutes. "Well, we're also waiting for orders...right now, we're just resting up a bit and checking our machinery. Perhaps we'll push forward soon, hopefully we won't get pushed back." She glanced out the hole in the roof. "Perhaps the winter will hurt the Germans even more that the current weather...we can only hope, right?"

He looked over Laya for a few moments, thinking, seeming surprised about...something. Eventually, though, he spoke, asking if she could talk about the job she does, "if you don't mind of course." Laya shrugged. "Alright then," she started. "I used to be just regular infantry, but then about a month and a half ago, I was transferred to the 28th Motor-Rifle Regiment, with the help of a friend. Of course, that means I had to learn more difficult tasks like daily maintenance, but I still prefer it to going on foot."

Laya rubbed the back of her neck a bit. "Though...I've not yet faced other tanks, just infantry and buildings so far...I do hope my aim is good enough when I do encounter one. I do wish the turret were larger and we had a 5th crewman as gunner, that's the one thing Germans have over us." Laya's stomach let out another low rumble, and she looked over to the line. "For the moment, our tanks seem in good condition. I should go back after I get something to eat, but that might take a while," she laughed. "Anyway, ya' know, make sure it's in top condition whenever you can, even if you already have...might find something I missed last time."

[Aleksandr Chekov]

He shrugged and pulled on his shoulders "Honestly the world might mean alot of things... But think about it this way, who is doing the majority of the fighting? Us men and women of the soviet union, who hasn't fled like cowards, us in the soviet union, England only holds their own island preferring to do little fighting, France surrendered and are kissing Hitler all in the meanwhile we give him a fight for his life... No country should stand and claim we don't have the proper training when they hide from any sign of danger" he said annoyed knowing enough about foreign relations to know that she was probably true, but he would never claim his soldiers to be less then any other nation knowing how many soldiers he had lost holding back waves of German soldiers.

He shrugged a bit taking a deep breath nodding a bit understanding the trouble with maintenance of machinery "Well I'm sure you're doing a great job, I imagine it is easier then maintaining ship engines..." he said with a polite smile not being entirely sure how to read her.

He continued to seem fascinated about all she told about tanks although she was only talking about making sure the tank was in good condition and manpower which they didn't have. "I'm sure you're doing a great job as a tanker even though you only faced infantry, and when you finally face a tank I'm certain you have a great chance of winning, at least compared to an anti-tank rifle" he said the last part a bit jokingly.

"And about food I'd imagine you'd need to find your bowl and try and locate whoever made the food, I imagine this is a bit harder then the officer mess" he said look around at the people who generally seemed to be below officer rank, and despite this being the soviet union where they were equal he knew that officers often stayed with their own kind and by their own mess preferring their own advantages, he even had advantages himself being a part of komsomol.

[Laya Eteric]

Laya nodded, listening to what he was saying, but she didn't think herself an officer. Mladshii Serzhant was still an enlisted rank...whilst this man was an officer, Mladshii Leitenant, and likely went here by choice, instead of wherever he and the other officers were stationed. Then again, it was a small town...no, they probably took one of the other buildings, or at least set up something. Laya adjusted the rifle she had slung on her back; it wasn't loaded of course, but she wasn't stupid; leaving it at the tanks would have meant she'd have nothing to fight with if something arose, however likely or unlikely it was.

"Well, looks like a space in the table has cleared up," she said after waiting a bit. After finding some sort of plate, Laya walked up to the table, and after a few more moments she had her meal. As there were no empty chairs left, she rejoined the Naval Officer. She shrugged after tasting a bit. "Bleh, it's hot water pretty much...not even that hot...not the time to care, though," she said, finishing her meal at a fair pace. It filled her somewhat which is what mattered.

Laya looked back to the officer. She'd been here for a good while, and didn't really see her own crew here. "Well, I might need to head back, I've got nothing else to do." She smiled. "Unless, of course, you have something else on your mind..." She rubbed her forehead, looking around the place once again. "And by the way, what's your name? I see you're a Leitenant there...I'm Laya Eteric, Mladshii Serzhant ."

[Aleksandr Chekov]

He nodded as she moved over to where they got their food and he was surprised at how much difference there was between their food and what he got after all she was a junior commander, which some countries called NCO's, of cause she was obviously not a part of komsomol or youth pioneers which would explain why she were stuck here with the enlisted men.

As she said she might need to get back he shrugged silently, if that was he didn't have anything more he pulled on his shoulders while figuring out how to keep the conversation alive. Then he was asked his name, something he wasn't used to "Ah Uhm sorry... Mladshii Leitenant Aleksandr Chekov, Nice to meet you Tavarish Laya." he gave her a short nod.

He looked around for a bit still considering how to keep talking to his new-found friend. He went closer to her and leant a bit in to whisper to her "Now I know it ain't much, but I got some extra vodka rations I need to rid off, now I know that all of us get some as a part of our ration... But I got more then plenty" He smiled politely at her doing what he could to keep the conversation going or at least a little while yet. He straightened his back "Of cause Tavarish Laya, It's a friendly offer... I'm sure you can go back later" he had a friendly voice.

[Laya Eteric]

The Officer, Chekov, it was, nodded to Laya after telling his name. "Ah, thanks, it was good to meet you today," she smiled. After a few moments, though, Chekov leaned closer to her and whispered to her, saying that he had some extra vodka that he could share. "Maybe," she said, thinking to herself. She didn't normally get drunk, but then, the nearest battles were at least a day away, she thought, so as long as she didn't get too drunk...well maybe there would be no harm done.

"Alright then," she said after a few moments of thought. "I guess I'll take your offer, as long as we don't over-do it, we should be fine then." Grinning to him, she started heading for the door, but then she stopped. She then turned around to ask him, "Where is it, though? I wouldn't want to be taken advantage of..." She subconsciously felt the stock of her rifle with one hand, reminding herself that it was still there.

"I don't mean to accuse you, however," She told Chekov. "You probably are the person you seemed to be, and I hope you are, but I gotta make sure, you know? Can't be stupid, we've only just met after all..." She shrugged. "Just gonna get drunk, talk some more, ad head back to my tank. But I'm just rambling on and on...shall we go then?"

[Aleksandr Chekov]

He nodded to her as she accepted the offer, he gave her a slight smile, he was glad to be able to have the company of her a little longer and although some would consider it odd he was also glad she wasn't just the usual conscript running around. As she asked where it was because she didn't want to be taken advantage off he nodded understandingly "Don't worry, I'm not the kind to take advantage of people, especially not those that I'm trying to make friends with. I'm wearing this for a reason" he motioned to the Komsomol badge pin attached to his jacket. "We'll have to go to the officers quarters." he said calmly.

He smiled slightly at what she said, he assumed that she most likely wasn't used to talk to that many outside her own regiment "Don't worry Tavarish Laya, I am who I seem to be don't worry, and I understand your concern. Yes sounds like an idea just get drunk and that's it" he nodded before heading to the door expecting her to follow him back to the building the officers had been given for use.

As they reached the building he asked her to wait outside the officers quarters where he quickly knocked some of the mud off his boots outside like he had done by the inn. After a few moments where he had messed through his stuff he came out with a bottle of vodka in his hand. "So, Tavarish Laya, got an idea to where we can drink this?" he asked not having to many ideas being used to just hang around other officers, but her lack of rank prohibited them from using the officers quarters.

[Laya Eteric]

Laya smiled as Chekov assured her that he was an honest man. "Alright then, let's go." Chekov walked out and then led the way for her. Eventually the reached the building that served as Officer's Quarters (So he *was* in the other place by choice...) and, after the two had wiped the mud off themselves as best they could, he led her inside. Chekov led her through the building, until they had reached the room where stayed. It took him a minute or so of going through all his items, but eventually he found the bottle.

Chekov then asked where they should drink. At Laya's rank, she couldn't very well do so here, so they would have to leave. "I don't know, really," she said. "Maybe out back, I guess? I don't really care so long as we won't get in trouble for it," she smiled. Laya wasn't sure of the time, but by her guess, it was 1430, maybe 1500, so she figured that they should have plenty of time.

Laya walked back out the door with Chekov, walking once again through the mud, eventually finding a spot at a tree a few metres behind one of the buildings. She looked around as she waited for Chekov to offer the bottle. "Thank you," she smiled when he handed the bottle over. She took a small swig, coughing a bit. "Oof, that's strong...yeah, I don't drink too often...I'll be fine, though." She then took another drink, handing the bottle back to Chekov...

[Aleksandr Chekov]

As she figured out a place where they could drink it he followed her, they would certainly seem like an odd pair to those looking, a naval officer and red army junior commander. "Well don't worry we wont get in trouble, we are given vodka rations for a reason, just not everybody who saves them up for a long time" he said somewhat amused knowing that it was easier for him to do the trick then her.

As she found a place and sat down he handed her the bottle, and watched her as she drank from it, and as he was handed the bottle he simply nodded looking hesitantly at the bottle "I'm sure it's strong" he said while looking at the bottle maybe a bit to long of what some considered before finally persuading himself to take a swig, and like any person who weren't used to drinking he made a weird face.

For a few moments he looked like he really regretted it "Indeed, it gives hair on the chest" he said with a slight cough, hoping that she wasn't going to chuckle at him obvious not being used to drinking. "So where are you from? If I may ask, and how come you decided to become a tank... personnel" he asked curiously not being sure what her job was before taking another swig trying not to make as much a face as earlier before handing back the bottle.

[Laya Eteric]

Laya smirked a bit; like herself, Chekov wasn't used to drinking very often, and the two would make it obvious when they did. He also hesitated a bit more than she had, but Laya didn't think that it mattered. "Where are you from?" he asked. Laya thought to herself for only a moment, then spoke. "East of here, near Chelyabinsk...a bit north of it I think. Not much to do there, but I joined up in July of 1941 as soon as I heard of the war..." She shrugged. "Probably would have been conscripted anyway, so I might as well."

At the same time, Chekov had also asked as to how she had gotten into service as a tank crewman. "Well, originally, I was as just a regular infantryman, for a short time...then, not too long after, I had run into an old friend, Konstantin, who I had known years ago He was by then a Leitenant, who commanded KV-1 tanks since just after the Winter War. We talked for a while that night, and only a week later, I was being trained to use the new T-34 mediums."

Laya and Chekov took turns drinking from the bottle, and now there was not much left. Laya was feeling a bit woozy, her vision starting to blur, so she was glad that there was not much left. She blushed as she let out a soft belch. "Sorry about that," she laughed nervously. After a few moments of thought, and handing the bottle back to Chekov, Laya returned the question. "So, uh, how did you come to be the Naval officer you are now? When did you join, and where're you from?" She smiled, thinking it wouldn't be too much to ask if he had asked the same things.

[Aleksandr Chekov]

He looked at her as she spoke nodding while listening and when he once in a while was handed the bottle he took another swig, and rarely drinking he was reaching the step of almost-drunk before she did although he still felt like he was thinking as clear as before. He was very interested in hearing about somebody else past and he felt like it was actually a nice change to hear how it worked for the land units.

"Sounds very interesting, and honestly I think a tanker is a better job then the... uhm..." he rubbed his temples a bit slowed by the alcohol "Infantrymen of the red army, of cause nothing beats the naval infantry" he said proudly. As she gave a soft belch he smiled amused at her.

Then she asked the question, how he came to be the naval officer he was today "Well, I haven't been it for that long... I did my time in the youth pioneers and later komsomol... My father.." he shook his head a bit trying to clear his head "My father was a part of he October revolution a part of the party, so he put in a good word and I was let into the S M Kirov Naval Academy a bit before time... Almost a year before time, and they gladly took me in because of my loyalty to the party and knowledge in teaching through komsomol. And as I had been let in before time I was also put in command before time, you see the war started rather suddenly, and the lack of officers with the newly formed naval infantry units gave me a commission... Of cause I was always a part of the top students so made it a bit easier." he stretched as he took another break from talking.

He decided not to drink the last of the vodka placing the bottle on the ground "Uhm... And I'm from Leningrad... Only battles I seen is defending bridges and ports... Of cause German hates seeing us... I overheard some of them calling us 'the black death'" he said very amused with a smile "And I must admit it's still interesting to see the doubt in the faces of the red army officers when they see us... And the surprise they have when we are done fighting" he had seen on multiple occasions that they had held longer then the red army soldiers, although that wasn't always the case.

He reached into his satchel and took out some bread splitting it in two handing one part of it to Laya "I heard bread helps..." he said somewhat half heartedly not being entire sure on the truth of the story. "Now I don't know if it would be too much a request but think it would be possible for me to see a tank up close? Closest I ever seen a... Friendly tank isn't as close as I hoped... Always been fascinated by technology, a reason I tried to become a technical officer... And tanks are an impressive work of war." he said hoping that she said yes to his request. Although he was most likely sounding a bit weird.

[Laya Eteric]

Laya nodded and listened. Chekov certainly had an interesting history alright, more so than her own. A father in the October Revolution? Laya didn't have that boast. And a whole training academy...Laya's training had been a rushed few weeks, in the desperate need for troops. And of course, the Naval Infantry he was a part of were quite infamous among the German armies...something to be proud of, and Laya hoped he lived up to their reputation. Laya grinned to herself, as the T-34 and KV-1 tanks were massive shocks to the Germans as well.

Chekov offered Laya a piece of bread. "Thank you!" she grinned, quickly downing it. "That was nice...hmm?" Chekov then told her that he wanted to see her tanks. "Always been fascinated by technology, a reason I tried to become a technical officer... And tanks are an impressive work of war," he told her. Laya smiled. She was also impressed by the T-34 medium; it *was* a truly well-designed tank, it didn't strike terror into the Germans for nothing. Not only that, it was much easier to mass-produce that any of the German designs...

Laya grinned. "Of course you can, Chekov." she said. "I doubt that'll be a problem...after all, you do outrank me, so it would almost be an order! But anyway, uh, it's...it's just a kilometer or so northeast, I can lead you there...it's all hidden in trees..." Laya stood with a groan, leaning against the tree for support. She wasn't quite drunk, but she was far from sober. The long walk will help fix that... she thought to herself, and spnt a few moments trying to keep her balance. She stuck out a hand to help Chekov stand up, he had drank almost as much as she had. She nodded once h was up. "Alright then, I guess we're ready...I'll lead the way, then, shouldn't take too long..." Stumbling through the mud, it was gonna be a slow trip, but she was sure they'd be there within the hour...