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Post by Mikhael Nadyezhda Kirsanov on Mar 4, 2005 20:36:09 GMT -5
I am surprised to see the socialists leave, and that we aren't given the green light until after they do.
The lights flicker off in the cars, then tear gas begins to billow, pouring out of the windows. The radio sounds.
"Green light."
As fast as I jump out of my hole and flip the safety off of my ak100, there were already soldiers ahead of me, rushing into the train. I flip down my gas mask with built in night vision goggles, and rush onto the train, and just barely make it in front of everyone. The sounds of soldiers screaming in Russian and English begin to drown out the pitter patter of footsteps.
"GET DOWN, ON THE GROUND NOW! DROP YOUR WEAPONS!"
I see someone in a black mask, holding a silenced handgun and aiming at one of the IRA members. I raise my assault rifle instinctually, and yell the same commands that the others were.
"ON THE GROUND, NOW, DROP YOUR WEAPON!"
The reports from all of the rear cars, 'clear', begin to echo over all of our radios.
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Post by Valodya Bassarov on Mar 4, 2005 20:36:24 GMT -5
"I agree Sakari. What a shame that all of human history until this point has only been a series of hard learned lesson. I am hoping that soon we will come to the end point where this experiment in human existance can be completed and we finally are able to understand the things that history has been trying to teach us for so long." Bassarov replies.
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Post by alex on Mar 4, 2005 20:36:44 GMT -5
Alexander dragged behind Ian. This is between you two. Please release me.
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Post by Sakari Lehtinen on Mar 4, 2005 20:42:33 GMT -5
"That's what we're here for." Sakari replies, smiling.
I don't tell him that I periodically have crises of faith, that I sometimes worry about whether or not people will ever understand the lessons of history. I continue to smile, and nod optimistically, donning the same face I do when I raise high in poker, and have little more than a pair of 5s.
"I have never been to Moscow before, how about we make the best of this and see the city?" Sakari tells the other socialists.
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Post by Valodya Bassarov on Mar 4, 2005 20:44:59 GMT -5
"Sounds like an idea to me. We could grab something to eat and just go for a walk. I need to stretch my legs after that long train ride." Bassarov replies.
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Post by espiranza on Mar 4, 2005 20:50:11 GMT -5
I sometimes wonder why the government is so cruel to its own people. We are the citizens. Why should they listen to the business people of some far off place over the many tired voices of their own people? It makes no sense to me. They live here. This is their place and culture. They have more in common with us than with them.
Or soldiers? Why do soldiers obey and take away, beat us, rape us, and treat us as non people. We were not made to work. I will happily work. I am not lazy. But work like this? For nothing? For long hours? Just to have enough to barely survive.
What hope is there in a world like this?
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Post by Sakari Lehtinen on Mar 4, 2005 20:52:15 GMT -5
"It's good to know that while the CP (communist party) is the largest party in Russia, that they are much more open minded about Trots." Sakari says somewhat vacantly. "The restaurants should be cheap here"
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Post by Valodya Bassarov on Mar 4, 2005 20:53:30 GMT -5
"Is something wrong, Sakari? You seem a little distracted." Bassarov asks suddenly.
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Post by espiranza on Mar 4, 2005 20:55:25 GMT -5
I watch my brothers and sisters sleep. It is hard for me to sleep. I worry about everything. In the morning, I will wake at 5am or earlier and go to the plantation to pick fruit.
They watch us very carefully and make sure we are picking our quota of fruit. They think we are lazy and that if we are not constantly being watched, we would not meet the quota. We are not allowed to talk and we are not allowed to take time off when we are sick. We are expected to work everyday but Sunday.
Sunday I go to church.
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Post by Sakari Lehtinen on Mar 4, 2005 20:56:23 GMT -5
Sakari turns his head to Bassarov, then back in front of him.
"Oh, no nothing. It's just... Being surrounded by Stalinists and capitalists leaves me a little disheartened sometimes." I reply in regards to the Communist Party.
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Post by Valodya Bassarov on Mar 4, 2005 20:58:53 GMT -5
"Tell me about it. I have lived here all my life. It is no wonder that at times I become so deeply depressed. I think I care too much. Depression is the contrast of hope against the blackness of the society you exist within. It is a numbing immobilization that I know too well. But, tomorrow we have our meeting, so we should be hopeful."
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Post by Sakari Lehtinen on Mar 4, 2005 21:13:51 GMT -5
Sakari smiles, knowing that he's not alone in this assertion.
"We've survived this long, and we're not done yet." I say in a determined tone of voice. "How about that restaurant? Do you know Moscow at all, Valodya?"
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Post by Aleksandra Odinsova on Mar 4, 2005 21:15:00 GMT -5
(To Alex) I go to my suitcase to pull out my makeup but see that it is full of men's clothes instead.
"Oh, that is sooo stupid. I grabbed the wrong suitcase off the train. I bet it is the British guy's stuff."
I call him on my cell.
"Hey, this is Aleksandra, I accidentally grabbed your suitcase. You must have mine. Could you check, please?"
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Post by lulu on Mar 4, 2005 21:16:37 GMT -5
Alice got up the best she could and stood there for a moment. She walked off the train and walked with a cloth on her head to the hospitial where she passed out. They ended up hospitializing her, fearing that she had two concussions.
LuLu sat down and waited for Tovio (sp?) to come. She was anxious to meet him and hopefully get to know more about the Green Party that she joined. She figured that her mother was safe as they had let the people go. She watched out the window as she saw a dove fly by. She smiled and turned as she heard a little girl playing with her toys. LuLu watched and smiled.
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Post by Valodya Bassarov on Mar 4, 2005 21:17:26 GMT -5
"I am familiar enough with the city. I think we could just go to a cafe or something. You would be surprised at some of the prices here. It is highly inflated compared to the rest of Russia. There is a small cafe by the monument cemetary."Bassarov replies.
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