Part 1 - In Zwei Städten

[SunlessNick]

It's April 1926. The worst of Berlin's postwar misfortunes are behind it, though deprivation and hyperinflation loom large in the scarred memories of the populace. And the increasing battles between gangs representing both left and right remind everyone that life is still precarious. Most people embrace the moment for fear of not getting another.

At least the street trouble rarely comes into Cafe Braun, either by day when it caters to the artistic set, or by night when it boasts drugs, dancing, and illicit sex.

But today? Today there's some trouble.

Alex is behind the bar, along with black-haired barmaid named Elsie Levy, while Max and Karl are both enjoying their respective lunchtime meals. There are other customers there too, most of them artists, some working as they drink.

A couple enter, heading for a table at the back. The man is friend of Max, Louis Blanchard, a Frenchman who works as a stunt performer - he waves a quick salute, then gestures apologetically at his companion in explanation of why he doesn't come over.
Alex recognises the woman as Friede Lanz - another artist, though she works for theatres and film studios, helping put sets together. She and Louis have been in together a few times now.

Not long after their arrival, it's Karl's turn to recognise a new arrival: Helmut Koch, a theoretical physicist he's worked with from time to time at the Prussian Academy of Sciences. However, Helmut doesn't acknowledge Karl at all - indeed he doesn't even appear to see him. Instead he makes straight for Louis and Friede, anger radiating off of his every movement.

Yet it's Louis who makes the aggressive overture, leaping to his feet, yelling "Vous Salaud! You try to take my girl from me?" The men are obviously seconds from coming to blows.

[Philulhu]

Alex puts down the glass he is polishing on the bar with a sharp crack!. ’Herren!” he says firmly. “We’ll have no trouble in here, danke! Whatever disagreement you have you can’t settle it by fighting in here, not in Cafe Braun!’

As he speaks he pushes past Elsie and lifts the counter at the end of the bar. Crossing the floor to the table where the two men stand, he points an admonishing finger at them. “You can calm down and sit and have a drink, or I can throw you out and you can fight in the street like dogs. Your choice!”

[HoneyDog]

Karl stands up, concerned. Not wanting to see his colleague roughed up or worse, he too also tries to defuse the situation.

“Herr Koch” he calls out. “It’s Karl Giger. Please, come and join me.”

[Mr. Handy]

Max von Kleist strolls over to the commotion in an easygoing matter and tries to lighten the situation. "Usually I'm the one who gets accused of stealing someone's girl," he says. "Easy there, Louis, it's not worth it. Friede won't be unfaithful to you."

[SunlessNick]

Both men seem startled to be accosted. They make no further move toward one another, though they're still staring daggers. For her part, Friede ventures a quiet "Your friend is right Louis. I would never betray you like that."

Helmut Koch responds, "But you would betray me?" Still, Karl seems to have gotten through to him and he backs up slowly.

As the distance between them grows, Louis shakes his head. "I'm sorry Alex. Next time I'll do this outside."

Alex,Whatever this is about, you have the oddest sense that you've broken this fight up before somehow, and yet while Louis and Friede are regulars, you can't consciously place where you may have met this Herr Koch.

Karl,You have a strange feeling that this isn't the first time you've seen this happen, as if you're only just remembering having dreamed it before it happened.

Max,As Louis calms down, you're struck, appropriately enough with a moment of deja vu. Somehow this altercation seems familiar to you, like you remember it from a script or something.

After the momentary drama, the other customers are mostly returning to what they were doing. Helmut goes to sit with Karl, while Louis offers drinks to Max and Alex by way of apology.

Karl,Helmut shakes his head as he sits down. "Thankyou for intervening. I'm not sure what came over me."

[Philulhu]

Alex looked at the two men. It seemed that they weren’t about to start anything now. He nodded towards their respective friends. ’If you promise you aren’t going to cause any problems, you can stay. Otherwise, I suggest you go home now. We have a deal, ja?” He waited until both men agreed they would behave before returning to his station behind the bar.

Picking up the glass and starting again to dry it with a cloth, he said to Elsie, ”Sorry I pushed past you. I had to nip that in the bud before it got out of hand.” He continued polishing and then said, ”That fellow over there, Elsie. Have you seen him before? I had the oddest feeling that I’ve met him but I can’t place him.”

[HoneyDog]

“No need to apologise” says Karl absently, wondering at the strange feeling he just had. “A glass of Moselle is in order I think.”

He signals the bar.

[Mr. Handy]

"Danke," says Max with a smile. "I never turn down a free drink. You know, this whole situation reminds of something from a film, but I can't recall which one."

[SunlessNick]

Both men acquiesce to Alex's suggestion and retreat to the company of their friends.

”That fellow over there, Elsie. Have you seen him before? I had the oddest feeling that I’ve met him but I can’t place him.”

"You thought that too?" she asks. "I've been trying to think of where I've seen him before, but I don't know."

[SunlessNick]

“No need to apologise” says Karl absently, wondering at the strange feeling he just had. “A glass of Moselle is in order I think.”

"And only fair that i pay for it," Helmut says. "You seem to have stopped me making a fool of myself."

[SunlessNick]

"Danke," says Max with a smile. "I never turn down a free drink. You know, this whole situation reminds of something from a film, but I can't recall which one."

"Doesn't everything remind you of a film?" Louis asks, a little of his usual manner returning. He seems to have almost forgotten Her Koch, though Friede keeps casting nervous glances between the two of them, as if worried their tempers will flare up again.

[HoneyDog]

“If you like, you can tell me the story” Karl asks gently.

[Mr. Handy]

"True enough," says Max. "All the world's a movie set, and all the men and women on it merely actors..."

[Philulhu]

Alex reached up and lifted two wine glasses from the shelf above the bar. He filled them with Moselle and carried them over to the table. He put the glasses on the table and said, ”Everything ok now?”

[SunlessNick]

“If you like, you can tell me the story” Karl asks gently.

"It's... the strangest thing, even more embarassing that I've just made myself look. I'm not even sure I know the girl at all. I think I might have confused her with someone else."

OOC,Karl's Psychology: 10% Rolled: 55

It's hard for Karl to be sure whether Helmut is being honest or spinning a story - but it's clear the other man recognised him too, so the facts are at odds with it.

[SunlessNick]

"True enough," says Max. "All the world's a movie set, and all the men and women on it merely actors..."

"And set designers," Friede adds. She mouths a silent thankyou at Max at a moment where Louis won't see it.

[SunlessNick]

Alex reached up and lifted two wine glasses from the shelf above the bar. He filled them with Moselle and carried them over to the table. He put the glasses on the table and said, ”Everything ok now?”

"For my part, yes," Herr Koch answers. True to his word, he pays for his and Karl's drinks.

[SunlessNick]

The rest of the lunch hour passes more smoothly. Helmut can't be drawn any further on his part in the incident, and Louis acts like it didn't happen at all. It is only after the afternoon's work, when night falls that the drama's next stage unfolds.

After retiring to bed, each of Alex, Karl, and Max find themselves on a street - Elsie the barmaid is there too, decked out in a red party gown.

The buildings to either side are granite, faced with deco stylings - doors and windows alike are picked out with pillars and Moorish arches, from which echo sounds of party and cabaret - the buildings are tall, the angles sharp, casting cold shadows over the street. From the corners of their eyes, everyone can see flickers of movement that resolve themselves into people if focussed on - but they only become truly clear to see at the point where they enter one of the doorways - they resemble the denizens of Berlin's night life, but this is not Berlin.

The sky above is shot with streaks of white, with no sun, moon or stars.

Karl,Astronomy: 70 Rolled: 05 Karl finds himself able to focus on the sky to the extent that the streaks resolve into stars, the familiar ones of Berlin's night sky.

[Mr. Handy]

"A lady should not go unescorted in the evening," says Max to Elsie. "Especially not one so attractive. Please allow me to accompany you."

[Philulhu]

Alex looked at Elsie then their other two companions. “What is happening?’ he asked. “How did we get here?! I remember going to bed so why are we now here?”