Corridor

[Laraqua]

Stuttgart, 07:10

High above you is a white marble ceiling with small bright lights inserted. The walls were made of rich teak and mahogany wood with green and brown doors for each compartment. There were also complicated patterns painted finely on the doors, each having a golden flower on the front. The corridor was quite narrow with only the space for one person moving at a time. The conductor stands with a German passport officer and the Train Manager in the slightly broader triangular space between the diagonal toilet door, the corridor opening, and the doorway to the closed compartment between train cars. The passport officer goes over the passports meticulously and compares it to the Train Manager's list.

[Laraqua]

Stuttgart, 07:25

High above you is a white marble ceiling with small bright lights inserted. The walls were made of rich teak and mahogany wood with green and brown doors for each compartment. There were also complicated patterns painted finely on the doors, each having a golden flower on the front. The corridor was quite narrow with only the space for one person moving at a time.

The German passport officer leaves the train and the Train Manager heads back out into the Lounge Car as Cecil enters the corridor and starts striding down it. The train blows its whistle and then slowly moves out from the station. Cecil has made it most of the way down the corridor and is at the door to the Lounge Car when a little girl comes rushing down the hallway, pausing behind him to turn toward the window, weeping fitfully as she draws a well-used handkerchief from her pocket. She's weeping so hard she can hardly breathe. The conductor gives Cecil an apologetic look when he turns to regard the crying child and moves to intervene.

[Seon]

Jonathan enters the cabin from the direction of the Lounge Car, supported by the train manager. Looking at the crying girl, Jonathan taps his chin thoughtfully before shrugging off the train manager and walking towards the child.

"What is wrong, little girl?" He asks. "Is the Butzemann after you?"

Keeper,Butzemann is the German word for the Bogeyman

[Laraqua]

She looks up at him, seemingly confused, and puts a finger to her lips in deep consideration.

German,"Blutzemann....? No, I'm sorry. I'm just so glad to be going home soon."

She turns her head to one side as though to shield her tears from him with a curtain of loose hair.

German,"I didn't mean to bother you. You can go past now, sir."

She moves past him into the triangular space between the door to the communications compartment, the exterior door, the WC door and the corridor.

[Seon]

Jonathan watches her leave for a few seconds and bites his lower lip. That girl is not one of the old puppeteers so whose was she?

Jonathan nods to the train manager to signal that he would be alright and moves to check out the girl.

"I... Don't suppose you speak English?" Jonathan says. After a sharp glance towards the train personnel and Cecil, Jonathan quickly begin to whisper something to the girl.

Whispered German,It's a sign of an ugly world when a little girl need to lie to hide her sorrow

[Laraqua]

She gives him a mournful look, but seems to take him for the Englishman he pretends to be because she says,

German,"I'm a Jew, sir, and I have no parents nor French citizenship and so I must return home. I don't speak any English but I do speak French."

[Seon]

German,That... Oh those French assholes

Jonathan looks up and into the distance.

Keeper,Ambrose's Thoughts: ... I can't just leave this girl... maybe if I can get my hands on that dead American cowboy's passport and tickets... I can forge her one.

German,I... What's your name? My name is Jonathan.

[Laraqua]

To make matters worse, he can even make out a French accent on her German which suggests she'd been there awhile.

She tries a cheerful smile, but it just doesn't sit right on her.

German,"Magdalena Bartenstein. Please don't feel too poorly for me, sir. I'm getting off at the last stop in Germany. When my parents died I received their life insurance. It wasn't much but it got me aboard this train which was something I always really wanted to do. I even managed to get some really nice dresses in Paris before I had to leave and I got to stay in a very nice hotel. It really is lovely feeling so rich. I mean, I was never a pauper but, well, middle class.... (she pauses, seeming embarrassed) It has been a very nice trip."

[Seon]

Muttered German,You are too young to be faking a smile...

. He pauses...

German,I'll... try and see what I can do. Would you like to stay in my compartment for at least a short while?

Keeper,Ambrose thinks that stealing a Jewish girl from the train in Nazi Germany will be a challenge: a bragging rights reward that also motivated him to steal the emerald necklace many years ago. Besides maybe she will reward him with her family jewels or something. Whether or not he actually feels for the Jewish girl and made up the above excuse in his mind to convince himself or if he actually thinks this is a good idea (it's not) I have not decided yet.

[Laraqua]

The Train Manager seems equally sorrowful for the girl (as in a sort of ambivalent pity one might feel when one isn't too sure of one's own motives but is pretty sure that it is a very sad tale, at the very least).

German,"If either of you need anything, please do not hesitate to let me know."

Then he turns and heads back into the Lounge Car.

A fellow re-enters the Jeanette Sleeping Car and pauses when he sees Ambrose speaking to Magdelena, a clear scowl crossing his features. Rather than say anything, however, he bids the conductor unlock his compartment door.

German,"Thank you, sir, I should like some company."

She follows him with the sort of trusting naivete one would expect from a child who has led a good life until now.

[Seon]

Jonathan looks up to the fellow and smiles sweetly.

"Guten Tag," he says. He leads the girl towards Yennifer

[aine]

Cecil frowns and then calls over to the little girl before she is led away.

French,[color=#0000BF]Are you alright Miss? Do you know this gentleman? Are you sure you should be walking off with him? If you like, I can fetch your parents for you.[/color]

[Laraqua]

French,"I'm sorry, sir, but my parents are dead. This man is a friend of the family. I almost didn't recognise him."

She gives Parker a grateful look and continues on with him.

[aine]

Cecil nods to the little girl and, after giving the gentleman a rather hard stare, he then continues on his way to the lounge car.

[Laraqua]

Wolfgang enters the corridor from Yennifer and enters his compartment.

[Laraqua]

Germany, 07:40

High above you is a white marble ceiling with small bright lights inserted. The walls were made of rich teak and mahogany wood with green and brown doors for each compartment. There were also complicated patterns painted finely on the doors, each having a golden flower on the front. The corridor was quite narrow with only the space for one person moving at a time. The conductor sits at his seat.

[Mr. Handy]

Elena makes her way through the Jeanette Sleeping Car to the Lounge Car.

[Laraqua]

The door to the lounge car is unlocked.

[aine]

Lord Cecil Linscott passes through carrying two glasses of apple juice.

[Laraqua]

Germany, 07:55

High above you is a white marble ceiling with small bright lights inserted. The walls were made of rich teak and mahogany wood with green and brown doors for each compartment. There were also complicated patterns painted finely on the doors, each having a golden flower on the front. The corridor was quite narrow with only the space for one person moving at a time. The conductor rises to lock your compartment door behind you before returning to his seat.

Nico heads down the corridor and enters the Lounge Car.