You have all spent varying amounts of time in this field hospital in Kelmis. It is basically a repurposed cathedral with thousands lying in undersized cots. It's worst at night when there are screams of pain and fear from the nightmares of other patients, mixed with sobbing and whimpering. None of you have witnessed anything out of the ordinary but you have heard rumours of ghosts in the night and patients going missing.
Those of you who were conscious and cognisant enough when they were brought in will remember Sergeant Cools and his MPs relieving you of your weapons. He was unbending in this and listened to no complains or arguments about it. One of his underlings will have told you that some of the patents can be somewhat derailed and can't have access to any sort of weaponry. You are assured that your weapons will be well taken care of and will be given back to you when you leave.
In your time in the hospital so far you have gotten to know each other as your bunks are near eachother (in an L shape to be precise). You have also got to know Private Steers who is a badly injured infantry man. He drifts in and out of consciousness and lucidity. When he comes too he doesn't always remember who's around him or where he is, which isn't surprising considering he has a bandage over his eyes. He's also lost a lot of his left arm and injured his left leg. He repeatedly asks people their names and gives inconsistent accounts of how he was injured, not all of which make sense. He is regularly visited by Father De Clercq who prays over the more seriously injured patents in what you are told is Latin. The middle-aged priest is always in a hurry and never stops to talk to you.
Your most common point of contact with the staff is Sister Jones a nun originally from America. She is young, not unattractive, a friendly face. She will eagerly help you with anything you need and will sit and talk with you for as long as you want. If there is anything in her power to help you with, or get for you, she will do it in a heartbeat. She sees the soldiers as saviours sent by God to liberate those under Nazi oppression, and should be treated as such.
You will also be aware of Dr Dubios the lead surgeon, either by reputation as the best doctor in the house, or from time under his knife. Also there is Mother Fischer an elderly Nun who takes care of all of the paperwork.
Christel lifts her head, trying to get a better look about this morning. She was both elated and a little nervous to be housed among all these American soldiers. She spoke English well-enough to be considered mostly fluent, though larger or more obscure words sometimes troubled her and she slipped back into her native German. To her, this was an adventure, though she did miss her parents terribly. Both had been killed in the shelling that brought her here to Kelmis.
After a few minutes a nun notices that you are awake. She comes and checks your temperature and heart rate. Smiling and nodding she says to you
"Ich danke Ihnen, verehrte Mutter." Christel replies.
Smiling a forced smile, Andrew nods and answers in German
As always when he awakes from the darkness of sleep, he is covered in sweat although he dnever remembers the dreams that leave him that shaken. What he doe remember is the flames and his panic, him desperatly trying to leave that coffin of metal and glass despite the fiery death outside. Still shaking, he sits up and pulls his arms around the knees, trying to calm himself.
The nun smiles again and shuffles off. She returns about 20 minutes later with some food and bread, as well as a glass of water. While Christel is eating she inspects Sergeant Hazzard's eye. Carefully she unwraps the bandages and nods
"Emm.." she composes herself "Ze 'ealing is good. Is clean. But never see with zis eye. Never again"
She purches her lips as if to say sorry
"I bring ze soup"
"Hi there Sis...another beautiful day in Kelmis, huh?" Snuffy slowly gets out of his cot and stretches acting as if he were in a good amount of pain as he does so.
"Where did you learn German like that fly-boy? You sound like a native...nothing wrong with that of course."
As the gentle hand of the nurse-nun again covers the brawny man's bandaged eye, he smiles and says in thick Appalachian accent ,"Thank ya, Ma'am. Glad it was my bad eye anyhow, hahahaha." Despite the sergeant's good nature and optimism it has been obvious from you observations he is not a man to be taken lightly.
Cocking his head to the side as he swings upright in his rack, he addresses the young private,"Even though we are in this place remember to give that NCO the proper respects, Smith." Smirk creases Hazzard's face as he offers the young fella a Lucky Strike. "Military bearing and all that.", he finishes offering a light from a rather beat up lighter.
Snuffy snaps off a salute to Sergeant Hazzard. "You got it Sarge. Even fly-boy sarges deserve respect." Snuffy tucks the cigarette behind his ear for later.
Snuffy walks over to the badly injured Private Steers. "Hi Bud...you're looking better today. Need anything?"
The soup returns with a different Nun. This time it is Sister Jones a familiar face to you all, she is accompanied by a young boy of between 15 and 17 years, by the looks of him. The kid looks healthy and defiant as he passes out the food, almost as if he wishes to be elsewhere. Like he feel his time is wasted here.
Sister Jones also brings some tablets for the airman.
"Here you go, this will help calm your nerves Andrew"
Andrew remembers his manners, and instead of scoffing at the thought of this bowl of soup easing his mind, he smiles a Sister Jones.
Thank you, Sister.
Andrew then turns around a bit, facing the Private and the Sergeant.
No worries, it is cramped enough in here, don't let ranks take up any more space. We fight in the same army, Private, but you are right, it was my mother who tought me German.
Snuffy snaps off a salute to Sergeant Hazzard. "You got it Sarge. Even fly-boy sarges deserve respect." Snuffy tucks the cigarette behind his ear for later.
Snuffy walks over to the badly injured Private Steers. "Hi Bud...you're looking better today. Need anything?"
You can't tell if Steers was awake or asleep when you approached but he responds in a panicked fashion.
"Who's there, who is that? They blew off my arm, I didn't even get a chance to... Who's there?!
"Hi bud, it's me, your pal Snuffy. You want me to light a cig for you?" Snuffy looks sadly down at his comrade. If that mortar shell had been a bit closer that could have been me. Definitely going to stay in this hospital as long as possible.
"Snuffy... Snuffy... No no fire... What's your name? What's my name?"
Christel watches the men curiously, like a cat staring at something it does not comprehend. She says nothing, but merely listens and watches.
Hank draws in a drag off his cig and say,"So have ya hear about 'em. What them natzis have been doin' te people?" Glancing around with his one good eye he continues in a hushed voice,"Weird, unnatural things, boys, weird and unnatural....Seen it myself, at least I'm pretty sure I did. Weird,wierd sh!*....." Looking at the young private and his missing limbs, he adds, 'Ain't no wonder they done spun his mind the way they did. Real shame."
Sister Jones approaches Hank's cot
"Now Sergeant, what have I told you. A lot of these patients are very fragile, they don't need you filling their heads with fearful stories. Please keep it for the bars back home"
There is no threat in the holly woman's voice, only concern. The teenager follows her with a look of frustration.
"Snuffy... Snuffy... No no fire... What's your name? What's my name?"
"You're name is Steers, my name is Snuffy. You and I are both soldiers in the US Army and we both got hurt fighting the Krauts. We're in a hospital. You're getting better and will be going home soon. Give a yell buddy if you need anything, I'm going to go grab some grub."
Snuffy gives Steers one more sad look and then wanders over to where Sister Jones is talking to Sarge Hazzard. "I believe you sarge, I saw some stuff before I joined up in '41 that would make your hair stand on end. Let's just say that I have no doubt that ghosts are real."
"Hehehe, Sister. Yeah, ye have.",he says with a wink. Looking to Snuffy he beckons him over and whispers,"They've been doin' weird experiments. I'd swear to it if I could just get some proof. Thought I had once. Got confiscated real quick. Boys I was with ended dyin' in the same explosion that took ma eye. But, I'll prove it. Just wait and see." Looking back toward the ever moving nun he says in clear voice,"Now Snuff', we cain't be talking things like that 'round here.Might scar' some them less stable types."
Thinking for a moment, Andrew pockets the pills (even if he has to spit them out when the Sister won't notice) - he figures that he needs to overcome his angst without medication if he wants to get back in the cockpit.
"Dumme Amerikaner, Christel says to no one in particular. "Nazis sind die wirklichen Schrecken. Geister gibt es nicht."
"What's the deal with the Kraut dame over there? I thought the frogs were only ones with them resistance fighters or whatever ya call 'ems."
"Actually German is the most dominant language in this region of this area of Belgun. You see before world war 1 the entire region belonged to Germany. The young lady is a civilian. Here to recover. She has suffered a terible loss the holy woman glosses over the face that Christel is not from this region, nor from Belgum at all
Wer weiss, Ich bin mir manchmal auch nicht sicher, ob ich nur Feuer gesehen habe...und über dem Rhein...selbst mein Kommandant hat schon Geisterflieger gesehen...
I would guess not every German agrees with the Nazis either, some might have formed a resistance, even if not as large or as organized as the French. I have heard talk about growing disenchantment with Hitlers war among German officers, and then there might be Jews who have gone underground instead of fleeing the country.
On being addressed, the girl turns to face Hauser. "Mein Großvater war Jude. Mein Vater hat nicht praktizieren, aber meine Mutter tat. Und sind Sie richtig. Nicht alle Deutschen unterstützt Hitler und seinen Krieg. Einige von uns wollen in Frieden leben."
"Huh, well can't be blamin' 'em on that count."
"You sprechen English; I vill sprechen English." The girl says with a smile. Her accent is thick, but she seems sincere.
Digging around in a small bag hanging from his rack, Hank finally locates what he is looking for. Pulling a chocolate bar out with a smile, he says through cigarette clinching lips "Been savin' this for somethin' special. I'd say keepin' some folks spirits up is mighty fine time ta call special." Dividing the bar amongst them he reserves a bit for the private suffering more than any of them. "We'll keep his for till he can think for more than two seconds."
After a bit of banter and getting to know you time, Henry produces a harmonic from his pocket and begins to play a song he learned from a man with an accordion in '43,though he admits the songs of Virginia aremoreto liking this "Polka" stuff mighty fun to play.
Thanks for the chocolate, sarge. Much appreciated. Snuffy munches happily on his piece of the treat.
Hey Christel, what's your story? What are doing in here with us poor slobs?
Christel hastily devours her piece of chocolate, a rare treat these days.
"My mother and father were killed in the shelling of Aachen. I was found in the ruins of my family home and brought here to recover."
"Now Snuff', we can't be talking things like that 'round here.Might scar' some them less stable types."
"Thank you Sergeant" Sister Jones turns to Christel "And thank you Christel, the German language can disturb people sometimes too"
Snuffy suddenly becomes alert
Total = 19(3raises)
Total = 11
Andrew haas calmed himself down considerably, enough to once more become mindful of his surroundings.
Total=5
Snuffy looks on with interest as the spectacle plays out before him. He casually makes his way towards the upset GI arriving there about the same as the MP. This could be interesting.
"The man is dieing. You understand me dieing you old hag!" There is a look that completely lacks understanding on the woman's face. It also lacks any amount of fear. Before she can respond the MP armed with a carbine steps up.
"Stand back private. I'll take care of your issue, let Mother Fischer go"
He's not pointing his weapon at anyone, but he does have a good hold on it.
That is terrible, Miss Drexler...my deepest condolences. While we are both here...if you need someone to translate for you, you can always a...what the hell is going on back there...please, excuse me for a moment.
Andrew gets up and follows Private Smith.
To the MP Hey Mac, let me talk to him, ain't no good you looking like you want to shoot the man.
To the upset private, Buddy, let the nun go. Let's you and me go someplace more quiet and talk about this. Maybe I can help?
Hank watches the proceedings with some interest. Seeing that SGT Hauser will be able to drop the block on the private. If not, he thinks, then I'll settle this the same we do at home. Looking at his giant gnarly hands and smiles.
To the MP Hey Mac, let me talk to him, ain't no good you looking like you want to shoot the man.
Persuasion: 1d6 ⇒ 6
Ace: 1d6 ⇒ 3Wild: 1d6 ⇒ 3
To the upset private, Buddy, let the nun go. Let's you and me go someplace more quiet and talk about this. Maybe I can help?
The MP doesn't say anything but nods for you to go ahead. The moment you have the private's attention the senior nun brushes past, the same drawn tired look on her face.
"You see" the private gestures to Mother Fisher's back "the woman's heartless! My buddy's dieing in his bed and she passes him right by like he's nothin!"
To the upset soldier, Maybe Sister Jones can help. At least she speaks good ol' American.
Snuffy strolls back over to where Sister Jones has been intently watching the conflict. Hey Sister, can you go look at that guys buddy? He says Mother Superior has been ignoring him. I'm sure she hasn't but maybe that'll calm that guy down. I need my rest and recuperation, Snuffy says with a smile guessing that Sister Jones realizes that Snuffy could/should have already returned to his unit.
"I can absolutely help him Mr Smith" Sister Jones is very eager to help "Please try not to be too harsh on Mother Fisher. She's very old, speaks no English and has been through a lot recently. I can help you with whatever you need"
The soldier leads her off towards his friend, explaining how his friend is in pain and needs something for it.