Woman, Schnapps and The Waffen-SS!?

[∬: Gero A. Fritz]

Swigging back on the schnapps, Gero’s throat moistened to the taste, his rugged fingers coiling around the cold tainted glass bottle of fruit brandy, a delight and loved drink amongst German soldiers and working men alike. He’d smuggled the drink into the barracks through his sleeping bag, after making a quick trade of a few cigarettes with a friendly local, now he laid sombre and quiet upon the top bunk of his small few foot personal quarters, browsing the numerous posing photos of ladies strewn across his upper bunk, his body twisting sideways to accommodate more space for the young pearly woman in the photographs.

Grumbling beneath his breath, Gero’s head flung back to take another prospering swig of his beloved schnapps and began to poke at the photos laying beside him, in hope that somehow the woman would flinch or giggle in the pictures. A weak smile brewed across his lips temporarily as his imagination ventured off slightly, before that distinguished faint sigh left his lips, as the bubble world he momentarily escaped too popped.

Footsteps ran back and forth down the corridor and Gero carelessly continued to drink his smuggled schnapps quietly upon his upper bunk, averting his eyes to the door every time someone conspicuous or slowly moving passed, he was never too sure who was actually passing his room, as everyone’s fine polished boots sounded the same - surprisingly, he’d seen quiet a lot of SS troops as of late, Gero began to feel like the German Army were a dying breed; talk of converting a few German Army Companies into SS Division’s had been gossiped about lately, something about a particular Panzer Division, “Das Reich!” growing through the ranks, demanding more units.

Alluringly, the thought of putting in a transfer had crossed his mind a few times, he knew SS soldiers were treated respectably and had roles of honourable positions; Argh! Whilst the German Army had him digging trenches and running errands of minor importance, which was probably in one way or another connected to the Waffen-SS, the Wechmart were a lousy organisation anyhow. As Gero began to drift off into rambling thoughts and debates within his head, he soon snapped back to reality as voices echoed outside down the corridor and for once the young Hauptgefreiter spiked an acknowledgement of concealing his illegal contraband. Gulping down the last remises of fruit brandy, he gagged for a breath shortly afterwards, stuffing the glass bottle beneath the sheets below his weight, before pushing some photographs over the conspicuous lump beneath his bed - further trying to conceal it.

He wasn’t exactly sure who it was, but the aroused voice/s had him startled and Gero wasn’t taking any chances in being caught by the SS, particularly as they were prowling around his barracks as of late. A quick tuck and brush down his creased German Army uniform finished off his brush-up, as he quickly made haste in looking busy with old homely letters and photographs of young modelling woman, who ironically looked like they were from America.

[⊕ Edzard Crimm]

It would have been an entirely peaceful day had it not been for so many of Edzard's comrades scurrying about. He hadn't a clue as to what was going on. He feared he had missed a formation. None the less he knew it was better to look busy doing nothing than to just stand about aimlessly. So he set off down the narrow hallway in hopes of overhearing some information as to what was going on.

As he traveled down the corridor trying his best to look like he knew just what the hell was going on he happened upon a room that had the largest population of still soldiers, one. Figuring that he was now not the only one in the dark about the commotion he stepped in and peered around quickly then set his gaze upon the soldier in front of him. "By chance have you got a clue as to what is going on around here?" He felt ashamed to ask a lesser ranking soldier but he didn't have many choices that didn't lead to a nice long lecture, and possible discipline, last time that happened he ended up on a late night detail outside in the rain. Edzard didn't have problem with fending off the weather, but his boots didn't look so sharp the following morning, which again lead to another lecture. It was a very redundant cycle that he wanted nothing to do with.

[∬: Gero A. Fritz]

OOC: Your character is SS right? You’re on the ‘Das Reich’ list.

A figure protruded in through the adjacent door near him and Gero’s body jumped slightly, as if the anxiety had built up to someone suddenly peering in through the door sooner or later would happen, but every time someone passed his bunk, they didn’t bother looking in, which added to the suspension of someone doing it sooner rather than later… Now a male stood there… His eyes narrow and his uniform chinked and churned to the standard protocol procedures of the almighty SS, but thankfully he didn’t wear a monocle and neither did he wear a flat-top officer’s cap, followed by the Iron-Cross hanging at the neck. No, thankfully, he wasn’t one of the alluring lizards (Officers).

Sitting up with a small pride from his elbows, the Obergefreiter (Corporal) gave a brief smirk and slowly eyed up the male standing there, as if sizing him up and working him out whilst he listened to the intimidating male speak. “Geht weiter? Uh…” muttered Gero, as if thinking about it for a moment, seeming a little confused to why an SS-Unterscharführer (SS-Sergeant) would be asking him!? Shrugging a little in compliance to the SS-Unterscharführer’s question, he blew a small puff of hot air from between his lips and then shook his head, if to further say ‘I don’t have a clue, why on hell are you asking me?’.

Stiffly going quiet for a moment, Gero quietly and somewhat submissively watched the man standing within the doorway, wondering what it must’ve felt like to wear such a prideful tunic, an SS tunic. Biting his lower lip, he slowly leant forwards upon his top-bunk and opened his mouth to just about say “Ich habe gehört --” when suddenly the schnapps bottle slipped out from under the itchy blanket he was laying upon, a tremendous clang bouncing around the room as the glass bottle bounced from off the ground a few times, before rolling off towards the SS-Male’s foot, the illegal contraband of fruit brandy thumping against his boot. Somehow, amazingly, the bottle didn’t break or crack, which was worse in Gero’s eyes as now the label was still in tact and laying at the man’s foot.

Going awfully quiet, the Obergefreiter froze in sheer guilt and the male slowly raised his gaze to look at the man silently, as if any reasonable explanations were hard to find. Great, he’d be facing a penalty of demotion or hard labour for that! Illegal contraband, heck, he even had more bottles of it on the way - not a good sign if they moved checked his bunk out within the next forty-eight hours.



Translations:[/b]

Geht weiter? Uh...
~ Going on? Uh…

Ich habe gehört --
~ I’ve heard--

[⊕ Edzard Crimm]

OOC: SS is correct

The Obergefreiter that was before him seemed very confused. He had every right to be, after all Edzard was asking non-SS personel as to what his own unit was up to. Edzard seemed to stay in trouble though, the only reason he was an Unterscharführer was simply due to his handiness with explosives. He needed a way to not have this disgrace spread amoungst the troops and possibly landing upon the ear of his superiors. Then the solution presented itself, with almost no help from a single sole, and came to rest at Edzard's feet.

Contraband, and he thought he was in for it. This one was going to be hurting for quite some time from the manual labor that would ensue. "Well you are one lucky bastard." He said it with a nice grin smeared across his face. "Any other day I would have actually said something to you and maybe tried to make a little profit, but you have caught me at an akward moment. I want to know what's up and I'm sure you want this to go unnoticed, right?" He asked it in a most rhetorical way but figured he would let the man answer just in case he was a glutton for punishment.

Edzard hated the idea of not being in the know, even though all he really still cared about was finding new ways of making things explode, he also loved information. With information comes power, also the ability to sell words for large sums of money. Explosives aren't cheap, never have been. He needed to a way to remain under the radar and not knowing this little tid bit floating about wasn't it.

[∬: Gero A. Fritz]

Biting his lower lip, Gero sat up straight upon his top bunk and brushed the photographs aside carelessly as he began to raise his hands up against his chest, almost like he was sucking in breath to speak, his hands already talking for him, before he could even utter a word of what to say!? Then, the man called him something that had Gero’s eyes gleam and his head tilt, the SS Male continued to talk in a way that leveraged Gero’s tongue to talk more openly than he would’ve prior? Mr Fritz wasn’t a grass and nor’ did he snitch on anyone, so thankfully, the SS Brute didn’t request such information, no names made meant good business and the Obergefreiter grinned somewhat. Gossip was gossip, right…?

Clasping his hands onto the cold steel bar, Obergefreiter Fritz pulled himself from off the top bunk and slid down beside it, his feet thumping against the floor softly and his undone German Army tunic hung loosely, making him look a little rough for a Obergefreiter, none the less, he wasn’t on duty and nor was he on parade; all rights to be at ease as he wished were his, so smelling of fruit brandy, a German favourite, whilst admiring models and lounging about scruffily was all A-Okay to him.

Slowly, Gero brushed past the SS-Unterscharführer and pushed the door closed behind him with a clunk, before leaning down to grab the schnapps bottle by the man’s foot and hastily walk back towards his bunk, shoving the bottle inside a manmade hole within the bunk’s framework, before casually facing the SS-Man with a puffed out look. Wiping the long hair from his face, he was hoping the man didn’t start asking for more information than he first asked for, seeing as Gero made it clear he was perhaps an illegal trader within the premises, hidden nooks and crannies within his bunk making it a little obvious the bottle of fruit-brandy wasn’t just a one-off.

Raising his hand towards a nearby wooden chair in the room, Gero smirked and uttered out “Setzen Sie sich dann Unterscharführer, ich errate hin, dass dies keine schnelle Sitzung sein wird”, Gero himself tugged at his loose hung tunic and walked towards the window-sill, leaning against it awkwardly to mutter out “Was wollen Sie zu wissen? Warum der SS um kopflose Hühner oder läuft…” but Gero stopped, glancing towards the man with a brief smirk, wondering if he’d finish his sentence for him, knowing he’d raise the bargain if the SS-Unterscharführer began to ask more questions than he was anticipating. After-all, Gero was all eyes and ears.

Translations:[/b]

Setzen Sie sich dann Unterscharführer, ich errate hin, dass dies keine schnelle Sitzung sein wird
~ Take a seat then Sergeant, i'm guessing this isn't going to be a quick session

Was wollen Sie zu wissen? Warum der SS um kopflose Hühner oder läuft...
~ What do you want to know? Why the SS are running around headless chickens or...

[⊕ Edzard Crimm]

This one was in no hurry nor did he seem in slightest bit uneasy. He must have been in situations like this in the past. Then he knew his way around a bargaining table. "You should have been an analyst." He laid the sarcasm on thick as it rolled out of his mouth. "That is what I want to know, among other things, but let's focus on the task at hand shall we?"

He knew there would be a lot of talking and he took the seat offered to him. Not only was there a piece of contraband involved but there was also a nice hiding spot for it. That bunk could not have been issued with such a luxury, and there was probably more due to the sight of the man, the way he carried himself that is.

From what Edzard could tell, he was really going to like this fellow, too bad he wasn't in the same unit. "How do you intend on getting this information without arousing suspicion? Pretty sure you don't want any attention as do I." He didn't really care how he got the information at all. He just wanted to know a little piece of what this man was capable of.

[∬: Gero A. Fritz]

As the SS-Unterscharführer Slurped out a thick slice of sarcasm, on being an analyst? Gero’s lips coiled into a devious smile and his body shuffled upright against the slanted window ledge behind his buttocks. “Vielleicht bin ich schon” muttered the Obergefreiter, who casually gave a weak false smile, showing he had wit and wasn’t afraid to speak it; as the SS-Unterscharführer took the seat and avoided the notion of continuing Gero’s sentence, in perhaps more information he would like - the Obergefreiter nodded slowly, glancing out of the window quietly as he listened to a nearby Unteroffizier (Army Sergeant, Not SS) shout at a subordinate in the court-yard, luckily, it wasn’t him.

Twisting his back against the pine ledge windowsill, he casually and relaxingly gave his attention back to the SS-Man who pondered on how he’d be able to ‘squeeze’ such information without drawing attention. Gero smiled, this time, it wasn’t fake, as he couldn’t help but feel slightly powerful within his own way. “Ach, habe ich meinen Unterscharführer. Schnüre, Faden, Baumwolle oder Seil - sie sind alle gleich, zu ziehen” the Obergefreiter said firmly, not giving much away, but insinuated by the different types of ‘material’, from weak, to hard and even decorative, that he could pull them. Manipulate perhaps? As he was referring to the different brands of people, cut from different cloths, backgrounds.

Resting his hands against the top of his thighs, he made another shuffle within his spot and watched the SS-Man quietly. Gero would never do such a favour for someone, who merely found him clumsily dropping a piece of illegal contraband - fruit brandy. No, he done this favour for something else. There was more behind Gero than he let on and the SS-Man seemed to be made of the same material he was; hardened to the bone, yet wielded a tongue like a snake. If the man before him was similar to the Officer outside, who still continued to drill into a young boy, he was certainly sure he would rather have the whip cracked than put himself out too to much trouble gaining intelligence. Pulling strings. So Gero had more planned with the SS-Man before him than he foretold, as he deviously grinned and began to stand.

“Ich hätte Ihnen einen Rauch oder Getränk angeboten, aber hat Sie SS Männer um den Ort kürzlich haben erwürgt mein Zubehör…”, Gero grinned to himself and continued as he slowly began to take a step along the flooring, glancing to the man sitting there. “Wenn es sonst nichts gibt, den Sie wünschen, zu suchen, dann ich zu erraten, dass wir beendet sind. Ich kann Ihre Informationen bis heute Abend haben, werde ich erlauben, dass Sie arrangieren, wenn und wo - ich die Pläne keines lieben SS-Unterscharführer stören möchte” and on that note, Gero placed his hands together and leant against his bunk’s framework, staring at the SS-Man silently, wondering if the temptation of being able to receive information by tonight would allure him to ask more? The temptation of gaining intel so quick, perhaps there’s a question unanswered he’d like to ask…


Translations:[/b]

Vielleicht bin ich schon
~ Maybe I Already Am.

Ach, habe ich meinen Unterscharführer. Schnüre, Faden, Baumwolle oder Seil - sie sind alle gleich, zu ziehen
~ Oh, I have my ways Sergeant. Strings, thread, cotton or rope - they're all the same to pull.

Ich hätte Ihnen einen Rauch oder Getränk angeboten, aber hat Sie SS Männer um den Ort kürzlich haben erwürgt mein Zubehör...
~ I would have offered you a smoke or drink, but having you SS men around the place lately has choked my supplies...

Wenn es sonst nichts gibt, den Sie wünschen, zu suchen, dann ich zu erraten, dass wir beendet sind. Ich kann Ihre Informationen bis heute Abend haben, werde ich erlauben, dass Sie arrangieren, wenn und wo - ich die Pläne keines lieben SS-Unterscharführer stören möchte.
~ If there is nothing else you wish to seek, then I guess we are finished. I can have your information by tonight, i'll allow you to arrange when and where - i wouldn't like to disturb a dear SS-Unterscharführer's plans.

[⊕ Edzard Crimm]

The way this man went about his "business" nonchalantly somewhat struck a chord with Edzard. He didn't feel nervous or anything but almost insulted. Had he been a able to care about this war or the uniform he wore any, he probably would have. He had some wit about him as well, Edzard appreciated a well placed sense of humor.

"A smoke would be nice now wouldn't it?" He didn't expect an answer at all, just agreeing with him. Edzard reached in his pocket to grab his pack of smokes to offer the man one. After a quick shuffle of his hand he realized they weren't in that pocket. As Edzard commenced to search the rest of his pockets he heard something that did not sit well with him, and it didn't sit well with him at all. The man said "tonight" what kind of small tid bit could possibly take that long to get ahold of.

"He he he." he chuckled in a way to present that fact that he hoped, for the man's sake, he was joking. "You almost sounded convincing when you said tonight, adding on the whole meeting place bit, nice touch." After a quick once over of the man's expression he realized that it was no joke.

"Just what the hell could take so long as you would need until tonight for! You expect me to walk out of this room without it! As sure as the sun rose this morning I'm not waiting here until tonight to have it, risking still getting the ass chewing and still not being able to hold my threat against you." He was almost enraged. "You see this is how it works, I don't have the information and I walk out of here, you somehow hint to someone that I look very idle, I get reamed. But you see I can't then hold this over your head because then I look like I was helping you cover by not reporting it immediately, therefore I'm in more hot water and you sit back and laugh."

This one had some brass ones for sure. Just didn't seem to have the intelligence to go along with them. Maybe had Edzard been able t o trust him it would be different but hey had just met. It has been a long time since someone tried to pull the wool over Edzard's eyes. It had been an ever longer time since someone had gotten away with it.

[∬: Gero A. Fritz]

Gero’s eyes narrowed and his body tensed as the male assumed he was joking, the man’s misfit in persona disturbing the Obergefreiter’s confidence as his body shuffled against the bunk’s post, not quite knowing where to put himself or look. Soon enough the SS-Unterscharführer began to vent hot air and Gero’s eyes gleamed sternly, gritting his teeth a little to subside the embellishing of turmoil and anger being spewed forth’ towards him. The SS-Man had a point and Gero wasn’t trying to pull the wool over his eyes, more so, stupidly thinking the man wanted the full works? Perhaps the SS-Man didn’t realise what he was made off, what information he could seek, but if the SS-Unterscharführer only requested the simple and basics, he’d give it to him…

Again, Gero kicked himself mentally at thinking the SS male wanted such deeper information, not only could he have jeopardised himself, but his reputation. Holding his hands out a little with a concerned look, the Obergefreiter gave an ushering movement, worried that other’s may overhear the shouting and snub a nose into their business. “Stimmen Sie, ich appologise für Denken Sie waren hier auf höheren Beachtungen, zu kann ich Ihnen die einfachen Grundlagen erzählen, wovon Sie kennen müssen. Nur Stille hinunter” uttered out Gero quietly and calmly himself, taking a step forwards slightly to inhale deeply, a moistening taking to his lips in a pre-preparation to speak again.

Shaking his head a little, he huffed out a slight laugh and looked at the man with a lower seed of respect. Seeming half interested in wanting to know him anymore; it was a pity Gero lost some respect for the man, even if he were black-mailing him in the first place. “So weit wie ich habe, ein SS-Obersturmbannführer wurde vergiftet vor ein paar Tagen, damit heute, wir haben Sie lästige SS Männer, die herum in Doppel und der Gestapo laufen, Verhörend Wehrmacht officals gehört. Das ist alles, das ich weiß” muttered out Gero in one or two long winded breaths, his hands flagging out a little as he fell back to lean against the bed-post again, making a long sigh purposely as he crossed his arms, staring at the SS-Man in a look that vented someone who had a short temper…

Glancing to the window slightly, he wondered how the man outside getting a thrashing was fairing? Half interestingly, he looked towards the SS-Man again and licked his lips, not even bothering to ask anymore questions. He had no more answers without a deeper inquiry.


Translations:[/b]

Stimmen Sie, ich Entschuldigen Sie sich für Denken Sie waren hier auf höheren Beachtungen, zu kann ich Ihnen die einfachen Grundlagen erzählen, wovon Sie kennen müssen. Nur Stille hinunter.
~ Okay, i apologise for thinking you were here on higher regards, i can tell you the simple basics of what you need to know. Just calm down.

So weit wie ich habe, ein SS-Obersturmbannführer wurde vergiftet vor ein paar Tagen, damit heute, wir haben Sie lästige SS Männer, die herum in Doppel und der Gestapo laufen, Verhörend Wehrmacht officals gehört. Das ist alles, das ich weiß
~ As far as i've heard, a SS-Obersturmbannführer (SS-Lieutenant Colonel) was poisoned a couple of days ago, so today, we have you pesky SS men running around in doubles and the Gestapo Interrogating Army officals. That's all i know.

[⊕ Edzard Crimm]

This man had a loose tongue and apparently felt he could say whatever he wanted however he wanted to. Edzard didn't care too much, he just didn't want to find his tail in a sling. The man standing before him almost seemed to have some hidden potential, if need be Edzard could find that out for sure later, but for now he just wanted to get this confrontation over with.

He was quick to try and quiet Edzard, it was a good call. Edzard had lost his composure and possibly jeopardized them both. He needed the quick jolt back to reality. Apparently the knowledge he was looking for had already been owned by the sly mind in front of him. He was very calm about sharing said information as well, he had to have known that Edzard could just as easily put him into a bad spot similar to what Edzard had previously described.

But Edzard had no intentions of anything of the sort. Never burn a bridge as soon as you use it, could come in handy again. Not to mention the fact that had this meeting taken place under different circumstances Edzard would have given him that smoke and they might have become pretty good friends by chance, not to say that couldn't still happen, just needed to stop hosing the deck of with testosterone first.

"I'm sorry if I mislead you, leading in part to my outburst that could have destroyed this delicate situation. I am a man of my word, and for what it's worth I wouldn't have said a thing in the first place, just happened to be an opportunity. Heck, had I been earlier, I would have possibly asked for a swig myself." Edzard said and meant it with all sincerity hoping to not upset the man. "By the way my name is Edzard and I'm going out for a smoke now, care to join me, I'll let you have one of mine since we SS are putting a damper on things." He spat it in a mocking way but meant no harm in it. He still didn't really give to much of a care about this whole war anyway, just wanted a way to continue his research on explosives.

"If anyone asks, let's just agree on the fact that I was interrogating you." He said it with a small smile, always have to cover your back, and anyone else's that may be involved so it doesn't come back on you.

[∬: Gero A. Fritz]

OOC: Not my best post.

Standing quietly and reframing from speaking anymore, Gero began to anticipate some sort of aggressive or nail-biting outburst to conclude his lack of respect and quick gist of information provided. The SS-Man, if he were alike the many others, would’ve been proud men cut from the cloth and most likely wouldn’t have wanted any less than the best; in this case, the best information provided and curtsey of manners, regardless if he was an NCO or otherwise, but what concluded and followed amazed the Obergefreiter - an apology!

Trying desperately to conceal his half witted smile, Gero nodded briskly and turned his head slightly as he felt his lips break wind on forming a smile. No, he couldn’t let the man see him grinning or smiling, he had to compose some sort of stature and hardness still, right? Coughing vaguely and turning his head back to face the man, he simply nodded in a stiff and simple compliance of “that’s okay”. Soon enough, the subject was swiftly moving on and Gero found himself looking at someone called Edzard, the SS-Man brandishing a name now, instead of a face and uniform. Knowing names became one step closer to properly acquainting and bonding friendships, unhesitant and light on his feet, Gero replied swiftly and his hand out with an eager step forwards to confidently say; “Gero, Der Gero meines Namens. Ich sollte mich um das Fräulein, das da hinten führt, geschieht rechts nicht kümmern? Sowieso Klänge, wie ein Rauch irgendeine gebrochenen Schnüre gemacht ergänzen würde”.

Being a little cocky from taking up the offer on a smoke, he subtly paused a brief smile and reassured the man he hadn’t upset or aggravated him. The excuse Edzard made about him interrogating him if they were stopped, caused Gero to slip a slight dry laugh and shake his head; Gero found it a little ironic, but none the less, simple and clever to cover their bee-hinds. Taking a step towards the general direction of the doorway, he glanced towards the SS-Man and began to do up the buttons on his Wehrmacht uniform, before tugging it a little to suit his physic and body nice and snugly. A rarity really; considering most men were handed scruffy uniforms to wear. “Und wenn ein Wehrmacht Offizier uns aufhalten wird! Ich werde sagen, dass ich Sie verhörte!” spat out Gero jokingly, who smiled broadly to move towards the door, combing a hand through his long uncut hair roughly, knowing at some point, one of his superiors will order him to get it cut! Ahh…



Translations:[/b]

Der Gero meines Namens. Ich sollte mich um das Fräulein, das da hinten führt, geschieht rechts nicht kümmern? Sowieso Klänge, wie ein Rauch irgendeine gebrochenen Schnüre gemacht ergänzen würde.
~ Gero, My name's Gero. I shouldn't worry about the miss leading back there, happens right? Anyway, sounds like a smoke would amend any broken strings made.

Und wenn ein Wehrmacht Offizier uns aufhalten wird! Ich werde sagen, dass ich Sie verhörte!
~ And if an Wehrmacht Officer shall stop us! I will say i was interrogating you!

[⊕ Edzard Crimm]

Edzard was slightly relieved at the fact that any small ripples in the water that was their budding friendship could be repaired with a small gesture. He was happy to now have a name to go on instead of a title. Gero, seemed to fit him quite nicely actually.

Edzard watched as Gero straightened himself up, then he turned towards the door and stepped into the next slot he could as it just seemed like a conveyor belt of troops moving down the hall. The end of the hallway wasn't very far, all of thirty or forty feet but it seemed like it took forever to get there. None the less, they blended and that was the idea of it all. As Edzard reached the door, it hadn't shut in probably twenty minutes due to the high rate of men using it at such high a frequency, he paused to look over his shoulder to make sure that Gero was making his way through the gaggle alright.

Edzard didn't want to be anywhere near all this mess if he could help it, hell, he didn't even know the SS Obersturmbannführer in question anyway, much less care too much about finding the culprit. As Edzard exited the building he set off to the slightly more vacant side of the courtyard in the direction of a unit divisional statue. Seemed like a well enough place to congregate and yet go uninterrupted.

[PuNk! ™]

Thread Closed: Due to Inactivity & Request[/b]

The following CP has been issued;

• Edzard Crimm: 13CP
  
• Gero A. Fritz: 15CP
  

~Danny[/color]