Smoking Car

[Laraqua]

Piano Bar Car, France, 20:15

The New York Twelve - You're Driving Me Crazy, 1930

This sophisticate carriage contains a long bar staffed by a bartender at one end and it opens its doors at 10AM to allow entrance to the Dining Car if need be although it doesn't serve alcohol until midday at which point the bar remains open and staffed until midnight wherein guests can mingle, listen to music, dance, and drink either on stools at the bar or on long couches upholstered in brown that face each other over the central aisle with a polished mahogany coffee table between them and a set of lamps on tables between each couch to provide additional lighting on top of the dim overhead lighting if need be. The couches are quite comfortable and the room is always nicely warm. Oftentimes this carriage is filled with the heady scent of cigarette smoke and ashtrays are plentiful on each table. While the bar stands on one side of the car (closest to the door to the Lounge Car), a piano sits at the other end alongside a gap about as wide as it is long which is used as an impromptu dance floor on occasion by those enjoying the bar. The pianist isn't here yet but doubtless will arrive soon.

[DrPeterson]

Wolfgang enters the Smoking Car accompanied by Elena and moves over to the bar, giving the bar tender and the other man a friendly nod. When he hears the whispered German, he smiles and greets the man politely.

German,[color=#0000BF]A very good evening to you. I hope I am not interrupting anything, but it is always nice to hear strangers speak German.[/color]

He then looks to the bartender and orders a Dry Martini in broken French, turning to Elena to take her order.

[Laraqua]

German,"No, you're not interrupting. Good evening, my name is Herr Johannes Sprech. Unfortunately I'll soon need to cut this conversation short so I can attend the Second Service. If you haven't yet eaten, I'd be happy to have the company."

German,"Can I serve you anything, sir? Madam?"

[Mr. Handy]

"Cognac, please," says Elena to the bartender.

[DrPeterson]

German,[color=#0000BF]We already ate, but I can recommend the steak, it is quite excellent. But perhaps after dinner, we might share a drink?[/color]

Looking at the waiter, he says:

German,[color=#0000BF]"A cognac for the lady and a dry Martini for myself, if you please."[/color]

Looking around the room, he smiles at Elena.

Russian,[color=#0000BF]It would appear we are a little early. I don't suppose you play the piano, Elena?[/color]

[Laraqua]

German,"Thank you for the recommendation. Of course we shall have a drink later on."

The gentleman leaves the compartment in the direction of the Dining Car.

The bartender expertly serves the two drinks.

[Mr. Handy]

"Thank you," says Elena to the bartender. She picks up a drink and takes a sip before turning to Wolfgang, smiling back.

Russian,[color=darkred]"I'm afraid I don't,"[/color] says [b]Elena[/b]. [color=darkred]"Pianos aren't exactly affordable. I don't speak German either. Who was that fellow, and what was that about?"[/color]

[Laraqua]

The Smoking Car is filling up with individuals from the Dining Car. About half of their dining companions are now in this car. The two families are in discussion as to how long the children may remain awake while Magdelena waits furtively to one side, eagerly watching the conversation yet remaining separate from it as an unescorted child. The mediteranean couple approach the bar. Even those who don't speak Italian can tell that he's ordered bourbon while she has ordered gin, judging by the bottles brought down by the bartender. The honeymooning couple naturally order champagne. Most of the others in the dining car seem content to keep to themselves.

Farooqi Al-Rassam heads to the bar and orders a coke. He looks curiously at the two Russians and gives them a nod. "Good evening. Any idea where the promised pianist has gotten to?"

[Mr. Handy]

"Good evening," Elena says with a shrug. "I've no idea where the piano player is." She extends her hand. "Elena Orloff. Pleased to meet you."

[Laraqua]

"Farooqi Al-Rassam," says the gentleman, accepting her hand. "Hmm, it is unlike the Orient Express to have tardy entertainment. It seems that a number of things haven't gone to plan." He smiles grimly. "Although I'm sure they will soon be at the top of their form once more."

[DrPeterson]

Russian,[color=#0000BF]His name is [b]Johannes Sprech[/b], he asked if we had already dined and invited us to do so if we hadn't.[/color]

Wolfgang smiles at Farooqi and extends his hand, not sure what that comment was about and introduces himself in his broken English.

English roll,[dice]0[/dice]

Wolfgang Ritter, pleasure for meeting.

[Mr. Handy]

Elena nods in thanks to Wolfgang. "Yes, the train was late arriving at the platform too," she says to Farooqi. "It did depart on time, however. Probably just nerves because of the current situation. What other things have gone wrong tonight?"

[Laraqua]

Farooqi Al-Rassam smiles. "Pleased to meet you Herr Ritter. Or is it comrade? Your accent sounds unmistakably German to my ear and yet you were speaking a slavic tongue a moment ago." The smile doesn't much touch his eyes as he regards Ritter. "And as for your question as to problems, well, the Orient Express arrived shortly before its departure time and that is quite uncommon. It is said to be due to some issue with whoever owns the Private Car at the rear of the train but I can hardly imagine what such a setback might involve. It is quite uncommon for the First and Second Dining Service to mingle classes even if it would ensure quite a quiet and cozy dinner for the first class. That can't have pleased some people. Considering the tensions in Europe there may also be trouble at the borders though we haven't reached that point yet. I simply hope that the rather rocky beginning doesn't progress into more awkward complications later on." His gaze falls on Ritter as he mentions 'tensions in Europe' and though his expression remains neutral he does give the distinct impression that he might be hoping to read Ritter's reaction to it.

[DrPeterson]

Wolfgang Ritter flashed his teeth at Farooqi al-Rassam for a moment, holding the middle between a grin and a scowl.

"Wolfgang, pleasing you. We fought for not have to saying mister or Herr. All men are equal."

He takes a drink from his Dry Martini and takes a deep breath, not hiding his lack of enthusiasm at the prospect, nor his mounting disdain.

"No doubting, zese are many great problems, trains not arriving before time and missing pianists, not mentioning zat ze continent vill be in anozer war. No counting ze lives zat vill be lost, but at least ve got ze steak on time, no?"

[Laraqua]

Farooqi Al-Rassam quirks an eyebrow. "I'm rather not sure what you mean but then I never participated in the last Great War. What did it have to do with references to herr? Is there a different honorific I should be using? I'm dreadfully sorry but I thought that herr was still in vogue in Germany." It's hard to be sure whether he's genuinely confused or simply trying to goad Ritter in a politely irritating manner. Perhaps a little bit of both?

[DrPeterson]

Wolfgang Ritter is unsure whether he likes this man or whether he wants to slowly strangle the life out of him. For now, he tries to maintain a modicum of civility and answers in his strained, heavily-accented English.

"Ze Great War...Wars are not great, I not can understand why calling it so. And I not knowing vat in Germany is ...uhm.."

He seems to hesitate a moment, looking for the word.

"En vogue, you saying? I have not been zere for many ze years. I vas fighting ze fascists in Spanish War."

Though he strains to maintain a polite tone, the word "fascists" is almost spat out.

"Ve fighting zere for the freedom and equali..equalne..equality of men."

He turns his gaze to Elena and gives her a genuine smile and says with a kinder voice:

"and vomen."

[Laraqua]

Farooqi Al-Rassam's smile touches his eyes at least. "I have to say that I'm not partial to communism myself, especially in light of Russia's friendship with the Nazis, but at least you fought against fascism. A mode of government designed to put power and focus on the military is never practicable nor beneficial to its citizens. While I have heard too many cruelties of Stalinist communism to condone it, I have read Karl Marx and understand the positivism of some of his theories. I know a few socialists, not communists, mind you, and it is difficult to argue against a dissemination of financial resources from the rich to the needy. If anything I believe the Great Depression really helped open my eyes to that. The situation in which the poorest citizens of the world live is quite deplorable. However, I believe you misunderstand my concern with the Orient Express' behaviour."

"It isn't that the issues themselves are worrying. I have been on many trains who have had more problematic delays. Oh no, it is more that certain of these issues are simply not done when it comes to the Orient Express. Quite out of character. Which means there must have been some pressured placed from on high."

"Or perhaps I am merely overthinking it and the Orient Express' policy has changed."

[Mr. Handy]

"Well spoken," says Elena, smiling back at Wolfgang before turning back to regard Farooqi. "Perhaps it all does have to do with the mysterious passenger who rented the private car, then. Whoever it is must be extravagantly wealthy, and no doubt influential. I wonder who this person could be."

[DrPeterson]

Wolfgang's eyes narrow as he tries to make out the details of what Farooqi is saying. He curses his lack of fluency in English, but tries to hide it from the company, instead taking Elena's statement as a cue to move on.

"No doubting, ve vill find out who ze mystery guest is before too long time has passing. Zis is a small train."

He shakes his head as he looks at the empty piano and smiles, and despite himself he returns to the previous conversation.

"Zis next var vill be against fascismus again. But ze bet is higher. And ze antagonist is better prepared. Hitler's team has doing training in Spain. Zey are fresh and learning from ze var zere. Ze rest of Europe is not. It vill be...bloody."

OOC:,I'm going to make an extra English roll for Wolfgang, although he is more familiar with academic English, the finer nuances of Farooqi's monologue might get lost. [dice]0[/dice]

[Mr. Handy]

Elena has gotten a good read on Farooqi from her observations of him. "Yes, it will be bloody indeed," she says. "Worse than the last war, perhaps. But the fascists will lose in the end, I'm sure of it. They are well trained, equipped, and prepared, but there are not as many of them, nor can they manufacture war materiel as quickly as their enemies. If they do not win quickly, they will be stuck in another long slog. That will be their undoing, as it was for the Central Powers last time."