Gregori continues to grumble to himself as they go through the village but doesn't make any threatening moves or glares. He knew full well from experience that the guns you saw were not the only guns that could kill you.
Yah, unless o' coure 'is cousin sounds like ah fool, ah weil, tha' late tha' worry about it.
As long as nobody makes any threats, there will be no response from Liam.
He will simply affect a bored and half sleepy expression, trying to hide his weary scrutiny of the area.
Phil furrows his brow as though deep in concentration and stays quiet.
Salaam Ivan says,using the only word he knows. He continues Does anyone speak English?Sprechen sie Deutsch?Parl Francais?Italiano?Ivan is careful to keep his keffiya wrapped over his lower face.
The Major looks a bit suurprised over to Ivan and mumbles
Didn't we agree to leave the talking to Oskar?
The villagers hesitate a moment, than a young man with large glasses leaves one of the small houses and says
Chi siete e cosa vuoi?
Just a...how to say...hunch... Ivan mutters.
Mumbling under his breath "Bloody hell, there goes the softly softly approach"
As no one replies to the question, the man looks nervously to the other villagers and tries a different language
Wer ihr sein, was ihr wollen?
His broken German is hardly understandable.
Who you be, what you want?
After spending a few seconds making sure his words are all lined up right in his head Oskar steps past the Major and dips into a small bow to the man with glasses before spitting out a stream of his heavily accented Arabic.
السلام عليكم، اسمي أوسكار. عبرنا للتو من الأراضي المحتلة البريطانية وحصل
على قريتك وكانوا يأملون أن تسود على حسن ضيافتكم والملء لدينا امدادات المياه.
The man smiles and answers in nearly accent-free English,
Phew, that is really good news my friends. I'm Malik, the village patriarch...you may stay as our guests as long as you want and we will share everything with you we have.
He claps in his hands and the other men smile too and help you with your camels. Only moments later, the whole village has assembled and questions over questions in Arabaic rain down on you.
The Major, who seems not to be very fond of children, and struggles a bit as three of them surround him, asks
Oskar, what did you tell them?
Dropping off his camel with a thud and stretching out some sorely abused buttocks, Phil is relieved. "Thanks for the welcome Malik."
Gregori finally cracks. "Gregori is thinking perhaps stupid finnish man convince village we are good for throwing stones at. Village gather for making entertainment of killing us yes?"
Liam chuckles a little over the major’s discomfort.
"Might'n be tha' they be thinking ye are a Genie major?"
Here he throws a conspiratorial glance towards the guides.
"Beats being a devil man aye?"
Oskar had been expecting to have to haggle and cajole the water out of the villagers and is pretty obviously surprised by the sudden outburst of fluent english.
"Oskar just told them that we are from across border and that we needed water. Did not expect so much excitement, must really dislike fascists."
Oskar tries his hardest to keep up with the deluge of questions from the villagers, shouting out answers in rough Arabic as fast as he can formulate them but is quickly overwhelmed and switches back to english to talk to Malik.
"So why so friendly Malik? Italians will destroy town if they find you even talk to us."
Malik helps Oskar to dismount and explains
I have studied in Oxford for two years, but when the Italians attacked my home country I returned to help my people. This village here, Wadi Al-Rishar, is not of interest for them, but still they came here and demanded from my father, the former patriarch, that he gave them all the goats. My father refrained from that offer and was....now UI'm the patriarch and you can bloody bleieve me, I will not stop supporting my enemy's enemy.
Meanwhile the Major grimaces and says to Liam
Oh yeah, I guess you Irish are used to being attacked by hordes of children, huh? I recall that Jonathan Swift has written a nice pamphlet about how Irish kids could be exportet to England as food...ha!
The Algerian guides have meanwhile brought your camels to the pond and Malik invites you to his home.
Liam grins and points at Malik while whispering "El oxford".
At the major’s comment, Liam grimaces inwardly but refuses to rise to the bait. instead he gives the Major a completely serious look, and says in a deadpan voice.
"Only tha uins we didnae eat ourselves major, only tha uins we didnae eat ourselves."
Ivan is only a little sad they didn't have to take any children hostage. He will follow the other's lead for now.
Phillip follows Malik to his home.
Malik lives in the largest house of the village, which is by no means large. It consists of only of one room which serves as kitchen, living room, and bed room at once.
It smells of mint as you enter and a veiled woman is occupied with brewing a can of tea for you.
Malik gestures for you to get seated on some heavy carpets on the floor and seats himself opposite of you.
Please, tell me how we can help you and if you have traveller's news to share.
The Major, who has just taken some kind of honey-pastry from a large plate, signals you to answer for him.
Ivan offers There is talk of certain nazi relics hunters in the area. I'd like to kill them. Could you offer any advice?
blunt and to the point is his style.
Malik pauses, takes the tea can and fills everyones' glasses
Are you speaking about the old temple in the outskirts of the Nile delta to the east?
Phil takes a cup of tea and gives it a speculative sniff before shrugging his shoulders and taking some sips. The baklava however is greeted with more gusto, causing some of the stickier pastry flakes to be caught in his mustache.
Gregori eats and drinks eagerly appreciating the rare hospitality in hostile lands. He endeavours not to make too much of an ass of himself. A herculean effort.
Malik pauses, takes the tea can and fills everyones' glasses
Are you speaking about the old temple in the outskirts of the Nile delta to the east?
Ivan glances to the Major, anxious not to give any information away. He replies to Malik I don't know. Describe what you have seen, especially the number of men and weapons and perhaps it can help us.
Malik takes a sip from his tea and says
The last time I went to Cairo, I took a detour and passed the excavation site. It was mostly shielded from prying eyes, but still I observed about ten guards and twenty workers at the site. It's only three days from here.
He takes a hearty bite from one of the pastries and signals you to eat also.
As no one else appears to be replying takes the lead and thanks the village leader for his intelligence.
"Is good intelligence, if we arrive at night there will be only guards. Ten is no problem. Thank you very much Malik, your knowledge is most helpful. If we leave later today we can maybe get to the site before they uncover whatever they are digging for? Wait until it is found and then snatch it from their hands before they can take it back to Fuhrer."
The guards are German or Italian? Any machine gun nests or towers?What about lights?
Malik thinks about the questions for a moment , he is aware of the fact that any misleading information could cause severe harm and so he is slow to answer
No, no machine gun nests, but they may have some floodlights, because I think, they even work during the night. The guards are Germans, I haven't heard anything about Italians at the site and yes, if you leave now, you could reach it before they complete their excavations. The last things I heard about their work sounded like they were still at the beginning, however, that's mostly guessing I have to admit.
Von Gilding nods several times, looks like the Major likes the new information.
Ivan thinks Did anyone bring a machine gun? 10 nazis could put up a big fight...perhaps Oskar could snipe out the floodlights and we could attack from all sides? In rapid german, so Malik can't understand he adds Is this contact to be trusted? Perhaps he is working 2 sides?
Brushing the accumulated pastry flakes from his moustache, Phillip mulls a question. "Malik, you notice anything coming in and out the compound while you were there? - like trucks or the like?"
"B+&!$$$s! What? Nau, Ah was jes' thinkin' outloud."
Liam, are we supposed to recover the relic? Or destroy the relic and site when we are done?
Malik, a bit surprised by Liam's outbreak, harrumphes and replies
There were no trucks...I mean not coming in or out, but they had two standing near the site. Mr. Ivan, my spies are reliable, since they are simple people, not entangled in the web of spygames, they just report what they see.
You are a bit surprised that Malik also understands German well enough, on the other hand maybe it is expectable by a scholarly fellow to know his enemy's tongue...
Here the Major pipes in
IF there is a relic, we surely want to retrieve it. Gentlemen, all questions answered? If yes, I'd suggest you all take a last pastry and we depart?
Phillip doesn't move for a couple of moments before the weight of the Major's statement sinks in. Then with lightning speed his hand shoots forward and grabs as much baklava as he can fit in a sweaty palm - beady eyes darting to ward off any who might challenge him for his prize...
Dex check:
Ivan saysI'm only certified for pistol shooting. I have no rifle experience. That said I'm an average shot. Still if others take up the long shots, I can hit things at about 40' pretty well. Ready to go
Gregori crams his mouth full aware that he might not be eating something sweet again for a long time. He appears at least a little grateful and prepares to head out once more.
Having refrained from having any treats so far, Liam still snatches one and eats it, more of the sake of being a respectful guest than for any real love of sweet things.
Relics...tha brothers back in tha cloister woulda loved this uin.
"Oscar is ah crack shot, an ah can shoot rifles ah fair bit meself, even if'n ah do like tha knife better."
Malik bids you all farewell and as he leads you out of his home, you're surprised to see that the villagers have prepared a lot of provisions for you in front of the hut. For each of you they have packed a bag with the following:
A curved dagger
About a kilo of dates
Half a dozen pastries
A set of Bedoiune clothes
A colourful blanket
While you mount your camels everyone assembles around you and somehow you feel that these people have really high hopes that you can help them. A thing the major also notices and it seems to make him uncomfortable.
...mhhmm, everyone ready? we should leave quickly...
"Wouldye lookit that? it's almost like they think us ah band o' ragtag misfit adventurers out tha right tha wrongs in tha world eh major?"
Liam smirks behind the cloth covering his face.
Its good tha see 'im squirm, shows 'e is 'uman enough.
Phil adds "Well, dunno bout that - but pretty sure I can offer at least a fireworks show if they're watching as we make the dig..." before remounting and opening his buttocks to more saddleborn punishment.
Mr. McGregor, exactly hat is what I fear...we are no adventurers, we are soldiers in a war, soldiers die from time to time...Hollywood heroes don't - let's see their faith in us as a good omen.
After everyone has mounted his camel again, the Major takes the lead and rides out of the village. On this evening, a rather chill one, you camp next to a large bluff that is poking out of the desert's surface. About an hour after setting up camp, the Major explains the further plan
with a map in hand.
OK, we're here now. he points at a location on the map and our liaison point is here, next to the Delta. We should reach it the day after tomorrow. There we will leave the camels and enter the jungle. he stuffs the map away and walks with his field glassed to the other side of the bluff.
Oskar calls out their thanks for the provisions in Arabic, making sure the villagers know they are greatful for the provisions before following the Major off into the desert.
When they eventually make camp next to the bluff Oskar spends most of the first hour sat on the top, carefully scanning the surroundings for any sign of the enemy before coming back down to set up his place to sleep for the night. When the Major explains more of the plan Oskar nods in satisfaction.
"Jungle is good, much easier to sneak around and find good vantage point and one man good with a rifle can kill many people. Will make taking artifact much easier, also escaping with artifact after."
"Never been to jungle. Gregori is thinking is not place for make drink and love."
"Not unless you like making kissy face with a monkey Gregori"
Ivan mutters to himself. After all, jungles are a far far cry from the Russian Chinese border.Does anyone know if the relic site is high ground? or is it low ground? In other words can we shoot down on them? Or will they be shooting down on us? By the way is it a full or new moon?
It takes about the time the Major assumed until you reach the outskirts of the Nile Delta. On the last leg of your journey to this place, the Major also answers Ivan's questions.
I don't know, but as far as my guessing goes, I'd bet Mr. McGregor's mother that the temple tomb is underneath the ground.
The other question you can answer yourself, it will be a nearly full moon if you reach the place as soon as you have planned.
Right in front of you, the desert firstly changes to a savannah, but at the horizon you can make out a green wall of palms and trees under a clear blue sky. The Major gets out his compass and checks the map again, then he shrugs and explains
Well, we are alone. I think we shouldn't lose any more time. The Algeriants will take the camels south to Bahir al Sheik, a small village. We will continue on foot, kay?
The Major dismounts and begins to organise his pack, then he looks up to you and says
Come on, HOP HOP HOP!
"Ye win that uin major, where d'ye want 'er? Ah'll 'ave 'er in yer bed when we return tha' camp."
Liam scans the horizon for a moment before shuddering.
"Ugh...wet an' sticky, man was no made fer jungles..."
As he checks his pack, Lima runs a finger along the edge of the dagger that was gifted to him. As a bead of blood forms on the edge he grins.
"Sharp...as long as Ah can a've a sharp knife an' some sharp cheese Ah'll be 'appy."
Phil rolls his eyes somewhat at the Major's theatrical order, and if he catches Gregori's eyes he mimics a kangaroo's hopping gait for a moment. Thankfully dropping from the camel he is not unhappy to see it leave and return to his own feet.
"I didn't think you oirish had any mother's Liam - don't they grow you all in a potato patch?" grinning as he jests.
"Cabbage patch acctually, bu donae tell tha' major tha, lookit 'is little eyes gleam at tha thought o' me mother."
"Oh yeah, I can see the twinkle" bristly beaming grin as he makes his kit ready for the walk. He makes sure that the messenger bag at his side has a good supply of fireworks... just in case.