Ch.13a. All Unquiet on the Western Front (Alex, Lawrence, William)

[Mr. Handy]

"We're not German spies!" protests William. "We're Americans!"

[Silver Priest]

"American journalists, to be clear." Alex adds. "Several people can attest that on our way here we helped moved a wreck that was blocking the road." He's not sure why he says this, except perhaps to show that they were assisting the Allied cause.

[Bullfrog]

"This is the first time I've even left the country! None of us are spies, I swear on my life." Lawrence insists, knowing that the consequences of being accused as a spy would be dire, possibly even lethal, to him and his friends.

[Philulhu]

The stern-faced Sergeant Major studied them for a moment, then asked, ”Who’s the President of America?”

Scout’s honour - no cheating! Google wasn’t available in WWI!

If you don’t know, say so…

[Silver Priest]

OOC:   Luckily I'm is a big history buff. And considering his EDU, I'll say Alex is as well.

"Woodrow Wilson," Alex says, relieved . "Thomas Marshall is his vice president. They were first elected in 1912, defeating President Taft, Former President Roosevelt, and socialist Eugene Debs. They were reelected last year defeating former supreme court justice Charles Evan Hughes in a close election."

[Mr. Handy]

William nods, knowing that Alex has the right answer.

So am I, but you knew more details than I did. I just hope the year is actually 1917, or you may have said a bit too much.

[Philulhu]

”Is that right?” asked the nurse, looking to the Sergeant Major.

He studied Alex carefully, then shrugged his shoulders. ”To be honest, I don’t have the faintest clue. It sounds plausible, though. Doesn’t it?”

[Bullfrog]

"Sounds right to me, but to be frank, I never really was one for politics."
Lawrence, being a fairly young man in 1930, was still a child back when the Great War was still raging and thus had little memory of who was in office back then. Now that he thought of it, his younger self must have still been around in Arkham, completely unaware of what he would end up entangled in.

[Mr. Handy]

"Yes, it's right," says William.

[Silver Priest]

Alex is aghast at their ignorance, but tells himself that not everyone had received an Ivy League education.

[Philulhu]

Sergeant Major is a British/Colonial Army rank. He’s not American…

”If it means anything, they sound like the Yanks I’ve met before,” said the Sergeant Major. ”Now I’m sorry, Miss, but I’ve got to go. Burial detail - can’t keep my lads waiting.”

The nurse looked unconvinced but she couldn’t think of a counter argument so she just let out an exasperated ‘hmmph!’, finished dressing their wounds and left.

The rest of the beds in the room were occupied by soldiers with a range of injuries. Most lay still but two were talking in low tones. When the nurse left, the nearest one looked over. Bandages covered his eyes and it was clear from the way he held his head that he was blind. ”Welcome to the Ritz,” he said, with dry humour. “Have you brought anything with you?”

[Bullfrog]

"We came in with some shrapnel, but they didn't let us keep it; I've had a hell of a day, but I'm sure that's just normal out here in the battlefield." Lawrence makes a quip of his own, sounding rather weary from his recent experiences; he'd seen three men die today, one by his own hands, which was about three more than he would have preferred. Well, maybe two, actually; that bastard Brophy finally got what was coming to him, even though that poor paramedic went down with him. Tragedy like that was starting to seem commonplace.

[Mr. Handy]

"I've got some cigarettes, if you want one," says William, taking out his pack. "Fresh out of matches, though." He does have his lighter, but he's not about to take it out, as it hasn't been invented yet in this time. "Don't suppose there's a newspaper around here anywhere?" He's had enough experience traveling in time that he knows the best way to find out exactly when they are.

[Philulhu]

”Real fags?” exclaimed one of the other soldiers. “I ain’t seen real fags since 1916!” He pulled a newspaper from a rucksack by his bed and hopped across the room, dropping down on William’s bed. They could see that he had lost his left leg from the knee downwards, which was wrapped in a heavy bandage.

”I was saving that for, well, you know…” he said, ”But I’m happy to swap. It’s a couple of weeks old - it can take a while for them to get to out to the trenches.” He helped himself to one of William’s cigarettes and dropped the newspaper on the bed.

Picking it up, William could see it was rather worn copy of the Daily Express, dated 25 May 1918… …

[Mr. Handy]

"Thank you," says William, who realizes he will probably have to save the newspaper for the same purpose once they're done with it. That made this early June 1918, which meant it was still twelve years before their own time and five months before the war would end. He peruses the newspaper, sharing it with Lawrence and Alex so that they can catch up on almost current events and notice the date.

[Silver Priest]

Alex pales a little at the use of the term, but recalls that the Brits use it differently.

OOC:   I checked, and it was being used as a slur at this time, but only in America.

Reading the paper's date, he nods. At least they were close to the end of the war, though they were still far from their proper time. He really needs to get the others alone so they can plan their next moves; he has no intention of staying around here any longer than they have to.

[Philulhu]

It wasn’t meant as a pejorative term It’s a commonly used term in the UK for our cousins across the pond.

[Bullfrog]

"Do any of you gentlemen know where my friends and I could have a smoke in private? I'm sure the nurses complain if you do it inside." Lawrence asks, skimming over the newspaper to get a hint at when he is in time; the portal had dumped him and his companions out a whole twelve years too early, which was not quite as bad as forty-three years, but still too far off for comfort.

Could they be trapped here?

[Silver Priest]

Ah I'm aware, no worries and I took no offense. But I think Alex might be a bit nervous about it given his background and the era. Offered me a chance for some rp if nothing else.

Alex nods at Lawrence's suggestion. "Yes, it has been a very long day."

[Philulhu]

”You could probably sneak out. Around the back of the corpse shed is pretty sheltered - not many want to hang out there, for obvious reasons!” laughed the one-legged soldier. “Don’t let the nurses catch you though, they’ll say you’re better and you’ll be off up the trenches again, so keep your head down!” He winked cheerfully, and pulled at the dressing that swathed the stump of his missing leg.