The man gulps - he certainly has heard news from the Russian-Polish front in the late days of 1939...he surely knows that the Russians are no gentle lovers. The man harrumphes and stammers
Uh...yes we found se ankh...it's behind the statue in a crate...and I don't know what it does, only know the legends. I was working here for Geheimauftrag Operation Ewigkeit. It is somesing about collecting relics of a certain kind. I got my orders directly from Alfred Rosenberg and se Amt Rosenberg. The machine over sere...it's a Mjollnir Kriegsanzug - se latest development of German engineers.
In English Ivan suggests Major see if you or Liam can find the Ankh. What else do you want or need to know at this time?
To the German prisoners Ivan adds Thank you for your help. You have just increased your odds of not dying by a large percent.I'm a police man not a soldier and I'd like this to be legal...Geneva and all that.
Gather info
Phil scowls and shakes his head as Ivan calls him English again. Going to have to teach him the difference again. And his brow furrows when Ivan suggests that the captives will live.. Don't see us trucking POWs back across the desert.... best for all concerned to give them a mercy lead injection.
But he vocalizes none of this, instead still working on Operation Mjollnir Salvage and Scupper.
The Major walks to the back of the statue and searches through the half-burned remains. After a minute he shouts
He said the truth, the ankh is here!
The German POW exhales audibly and says
Please don't shoot us - just let us go, ok?
The Majos has meanhwile returned and whispers
Shoot them or not? We won't be able take them back with us...we could drag them along until we reach the village though.
Liam fingers his crucifix a little, then he aproaches the major.
"Lissen...Major...can...can Ah see th' Ankh? Ah've read 'bout it in the convent...Ah'd like tha see and feel a piece o' 'history like tha'"
Ivan mutters in English..."I'm a police man. I don't mind getting my hands dirty, but this would be murder. Of course don't let me stop YOU, but I think the professor would be a valuable prisoner. He might be turned into an intelligence asset
Opinion not asked for Phil can only continue on his work... though in a flash of inspiration he moves between the dead Nazis and collects their belts.
Absently the major hands the charred ankh over to Liam and replies to Ivan
Ok, you're right. We will drag them to the village, leave the landser there and try to find another camel for the Professor.
That being the final statement in his talk with Ivan the Major turns to his soldiers
Good job everyone - mission accomplished without casualties. We should quickly return to the village now and then head back to the base to extract as much information as possible out of the things we uncovered.
He lights another cigarette and puffs with a grin on his face.
"Permission to light this place up like a bonfire as we leave Major?"
The Major arches an eyebrow Mr. Hargreaves, this is an ancient burial site with an unbelievable archaeological value. It dates back several thousand years and might hold tons of secrets most precious for scholars from all over the world. Permission granted. he grins and hands you his burning cigarette.
Oh no...that would be dangerous.Ivan snaps the neck of the tied up enlisted man like it was a stick...He's a soldier and should have died with his friends. I hate cowards.He points to the terrified officerYou are valuable...and will live to see another day.
Gregori shakes his head. "Great, Gregori wis not having anything for birthday least he get good firework show."
Lighting up a cigarette of his own he shoulders his rifle and while phillip sets to turning the place into rubble Gregori sets to making off with as many socks boots, valuables, and spare ammunition.
Phil grins eagerly at the Major's words and works on dragging everything left in the main room over near to the Mjollnir - including the field-stripped bodies.
After the gear has been piled in the centre and everyone is content that it has been sufficiently looted, Phil casually starts walking away pulling a No 76 from his messenger bag. A quick glance around to make sure no friendlies are in the blast zone and Phil tosses the grenade at the pile hard breaking it open and letting the mixture of phosphorus and petrol get to work.
Phil stands for a few moments, taking a couple of drags on his ciggie watching as the pile lights up before stretching out and turning to walk after the others.
You have reached the last corridors as there is a big BOOM behind you. Even the German prisoner is not even a bit reluctant to come along and so you quickly escape while the whole ancient temple complex begins to crumble behind you.
Accompanied by a bis cloud of dust, smoke and small debris you jump through the opening, while behind you the jungle seems to cave in! After the dust has settled there is a large depression now behind you where the temple once stood.
Great fun Mr. Hargreaves - but never do that again.
The Major grins, contentment all over his face.
With a roguish tip of his slouch hat and a serious expression upon his face Phil replies "'Course Major, never again"
Is it even possible to blow something up? Again?Ivan muses. If only somebody had remembered to photograph the place. It would not be lost to history...
Much jollier than the still tacky bloodstain on his shirt would seem to indicate "You'd be surprised Ivan, somethings can blow up three or four times... all depends on how good your shotfirer is. Sometimes a little bang at the starts all you need for the ducklings to come running for a looksee... just in time for the second bigger helping."
Making his way over to Gregori, Phil gives him a clap on the back "Well that was a bit o' fun wasn't it" grinning widely.
Wouldn't the duck fly away at the bang? Ducks are afraid of bangs like Chickens.
We're not here for ornithology, Mr. Li. the Major looks up to the now starry sky and lights the last of his cigarettes Gregori, you know the way back to the desert?
As the rest of the squad focuses on the present, Liam is deeply focused on the past, staring at the Ankh in his hand.
Amazin'...Ah'm 'oldin a piece of 'istory 'ere.
Oskar had been standing, smoking and staring with interest at the collapsed remains of the temple, waiting for some kind of order from the Major. Dropping his cigarette and stubbing it out with his boot he raises an arm and points in the general direction they had come from.
"Is simple to get back to desert, was almost straight line from desert to temple. Just follow way we came in back out."
The Major shrugs
Orientation is not one of my greatest talents, lead the way, Oskar.
And Oskar was right, after moving through the jungle for a couple of hours you reach the desert again. At first the vegetation just got smaller and smaller until it was only grass and then even the grass vanished and now there's only sand ahead of you.
As discussed and agreed on with the villagers, the camels already wait for you, bound to one of the last palms.
Phil pauses for a few long seconds wondering if he really wishes to present his buttocks for more camel riding pain, but eventually sense wins out and he surrenders to the punishment.
While swaying painfully side to side in the saddle, Phil gets out the Nazi belts and starts carefully picking small holes in the leather along it's length.
Gregori rides painfully in the saddle with his bounty of his sack of high quality Deutschland socks, cigarettes, boots, bits of uniform, and cash.
Oskar mostly rides with the unit but disappears off ahead every now and then to scout out their route, making sure they avoid any large settlements until they are back across the border. He chuckles slightly at the obvious discomfort of his comrades, perfectly at home and comfortable atop his own camel.
The way back does not take much longer than the ride to the temple and so you pretty soon reach the outskirts of the small hamlet next to the oasis. While you are still some hundred meters away, the Major speaks about some strange kind of sausage called "Pinkel" from his home area...the thing is stuffed with oat, ham, grits, onions, lard and other things...and he promises that it is fantastic...
Two thin wads of smoke rise from the village.
Oskar still acting as the point man for the unit holds up a hand for them to stop and then holds it to his lips for the Major to stop reminiscing about sausage. Turning his camel and heading back down the line Oskar speaks in low tones, pointing out twin columns of smoke coming from the village.
"That smoke is not looking like cooking fires, is looking like burning buildings. Oskar thinks maybe Italians know we were helped."
Liam is shocked from his contemplation of the Anhk and looks up.
"Damnit...dinnae say th' wankers atacked th' village?"
Ah wish Ah cou'd use th' Ankh on 'em, buh Ah dinnae keen if'n it 'as any power.
Phil counters the Major's sausage story with a tale of a down-under speciality served in Adelaide the pie floater. Meat pie upside down covered in split pea soup and a splodge of dead horse on top. However he too is silenced by Oskar's notice.
Stowing the belt he had been working on, Phil unlimbers and checks his rifle, waiting for orders.
The Major's expression hardens as he hears what Oskar has noticed.
Gentlemen..time for a tough decision: We could just skirt the village and head back to the base, forsakening the villagers...or we could investigate, but as a consequence risk the success of our whole mission...ideas?
Surprised that the Major has even given the option Phil responds forcefully "Keep on walking if you like Major, but I'm for returning the favor offered to us." obvious where his preferences lie.
"Aye, Ah'm wiv Phil."
Gregori, Ivan, Oskar?
"I am thinking we are in debt to the villagers. We are no better than Italians if we don't repay debt."
Oskar is already unwrapping his precious scope and using it to get a better look at the hamlet, trying to spot any sign of enemy troops and get an idea of the damage.
"Gregori not be thinking that titties and beer be there major. But he good soldier. He go where you tell him. Kill everyone. Then maybe go home to titties and vodka."
The major nods and dismounts
Oskar, we need some reconnaissance. Gentlemen, I propose we attack from two sides - north and south. One of us has to stay with the prisoner though.
"I can keep the prof company if you like?... sides, wouldn't want too much exploding in there with all the friendlies."
Or I could watch him. I'm not such a good shot, anyway
Keeping in mind that our prisoner and Ivan have already formed such a close relationship, we shouldn't split our new couple...ok, we wait here until we hear of Oskar how the lay of the land looks like.
The Major pulls out his pistol, looses the safety and crouches behind a low dune.
Phil nods to the Major and slips out of his saddle to the ground, the everpresent grin wiped clean off his face. Rifle is unslung and checked, and he makes sure he has clear access to his messenger bag of greetings... just in case.
Oskar nods acknowledgement to the Major, vaults off his camel and disappears off toward the village, rifle in hand and running bent nearly double.
Gregori spits some words in German that are obviously not nice but otherwise gives Ivan a broad smile as he follows the rest. Obviously not the best shot of the bunch, he tries to stay up front. The better to start messing people up with his well used and bloody rifle butt sooner.
The Major glares at Gregori and hisses
Stop that, we need you focused.
Oskar moves like a shadow and soon has scouted the whole village. Upon his return, he is able to produce a pretty good and detailed map, describing the positions of about two dozen Italian soldiers, a truck and a semovente 75. The villagers must have been imprisoned in one of the houses and you guess the Italians wait for more trucks to drive them away. There hasn't been a real battle, only two of the houses have large holes where the tank shells hit them, after that the villagers must have surrendered imediately. Oskar has not seen any bodies.
The Major pats Oskar on the shoulder and says
Good job, we have to decide what to do - AND we have to order Phillip some kind of anti tank weapon...
Knowledge (Military):
Knowledge (Tactics):
Gregori seems upset by the news."Is many fascist. Gregori be thinking we wait until fascist be sleeping or sandstorm come. Is not liking standing in front of fascist tank. Well unless Gregori be in tank. Then fascist can run from him."