A Familiar Song

[Mikhael Nadyezhda Kirsanov]

This is the new thread, stand up and admit.

[Tanya Schandez]

I sigh and see some of the men make rude remarks. I stand up get my bag and go to the the vocal soilder. "Jealous huh? Jealousy leads on to envy which leads to hate, which leads to this!!!" I yell as i slam my bad into mhis face. (many comsmetics and hard stuff in thier, it will hurt). "Wanna try another on of those remarks?" I ask getting ready to fight for my man.

[Peter G. Nielsen]

When Aleksandra Khordokovsky leaves the hospital to go drinking, she has picked up a new shadow. Peter follows her, close enough to keep an eye but far enough so she shouldn't notice.

Vector had been rather upset at his failure to escort the girl all the way back to Moscow. The company didn't even know what had happened but Peter had been able to put a few things together.

She'd been perfectly fine with they had left the rebels, and she'd been found beaten and raped later. Either someone had taken her from the soldiers or... well, Peter had made up his mind what he thought had happened already.

The private soldier follows Aleksandra, reflecting on his new duty: safeguarding the girl. It was not the kind of thing he wanted to do but... but he felt a kind of weird guilt about what had happened to her. If he'd stayed with them... then the soldiers would've beaten and probably killed him too... but...

Peter's hand shakes but he does not reach for a cigarette... not yet anyway. The point was, he wouldn't let anything else happen to the girl. Not when he could stop it.

[Erich Von Hendrich]

Erich was sound asleep dreaming peacefully as the van pulled to a stop.

"Whoa! We there?"

"Yep. This guy owes me so he shouldn't deny it."

"Alright, Max if you say he will."

The walk into a big abandoned airfield in some countryside area in Latvia. The airfield looked run down and in need of repair. All the old hangars were literally falling apart. The planes however looked well kept and maintained.

Erich and Max walked in into an RV out by one of the hangars. Max knocked on the door.

"John! Open up it's me Max!

The man that emerged was incredibly Greasy. His hair wild and looked under-groomed. He looked as if he hadn't been to sleep in a month. But his demeanor was upbeat.

"Hey there Max! What's Up? What is it you need?"

"Maybe I just came here to say hi."

"Right. So where to?"

"Alright you got me. I need you to take my friend here to Dublin. And the more discrete and quick the better."

"Alright I do it for free for old time's sake. I swear though I'm going to start a fee eventually."

"You always say that."

"I know anyway I'm not going to leave till more morning So let's get situated here who is he and what's his story."

They talked for a long time explaining all the things that have happened to Erich. After hearing it John begins to sympathize.

"Well I can see why you became Communist Erich. I however I have no such Political Afflictions. I don't believe much in anything on faith either. But I respect your ideals."

"Thank you. But as you heard not very many people do."

"Well that will be their mistake."

"Well John, Max I'll be going to sleep now wake me later when it's time to leave. Let you guys catch up."

"Sure thing Erich"

[tounela]

I walk through the crowds of protesters. I feel out of place, but it is good to see such a turn out. I glance over and see some anarchists. I do my best to avoid them since for some odd reason anarchists bother me.

I am wearing my favorite suit today. It is gray silk. I don't think it is really silk, but a silk like material. Anyway, I feel pretty good.

I think about my dear Toivo and wonder what he is up to.

[Lan Zheng-Lafleur]

Today I meet Russian officials to discuss the Chechen issue. It is a well known fact that the Russian government is very corrupt, though I would never say such a thing publicly. The main reason they have not conceded on the Chechen issue is oil interests there. It has little to do with maintaining the national unity of Russia, though it could have to do with some pride issues.

I find that I am becoming more critical of some governments. The most frustrating thing is that because of my job I must keep my thoughts to myself. I have to be diplomatic about things.

And so, I attend the meetings, reminding them one again of the human rights violations reported from Chechnya.

[Hearst]

I go with the team that goes to Austin's work. But when we arrive, we soon learn that he is not there. We instead decide to take one of his coworkers hostage. It would be more conveinent, as long as we're here.

We threaten the journalists, brandishing guns and ordering everyone to the ground. We grab a journalist and leave with her, firing a few shots at no one, just to scare the others.

We leave without incident, taking the woman back to our van. We contact the other team.

[Salome Weil]

Since the anarchist convention will be starting sometime this evening, I can not stay long at the rally. I approach the young anarchists, none of whom I recognise.

"Hello, it is nice to see so many young anarchists here. I a Salome Weil of Lyon, France. I brought two American anarchists with me as well."

[Nea Jokinen]

Nea nodded her head and smiled. She didn't know what to say. she couldn't help it but sometimes she was just plain shy, and she wanted to talk to these people but she couldn't she held back. The state of her mind often did this and she immediately worried what everyone there thought of her. Inside she grimaced but outside she smiled. She looked at Salome for an indication of what to do.

[Heikki Toivonen]

Heikki's train arrives in St. Petersburg at 10:15 pm. He is tired from the trip and takes a hotel on a street off of Nyevski Prospekt. The hotel has many narrow, white halls. It reminds him of a decayed mental hospital. The room is also white, with chips in the walls. The bed is small, but adequate. The shower squeeks and varies between extreme hot and cold like some strange torture device.

He showers and goes to bed. Russian officials will meet in the Imperial City later this week. Until then he has a lot of free time to plan and explore the city.

[Mikhael Nadyezhda Kirsanov]

I smile when she smacks Yevgeny, to which he immediately backs off. An awkward silence fills the room, until he finally speaks up.

"Sorry Tanya..." Yevgeny says, rubbing the side of his face. I'm tempted to say 'you better be!' but I think I've already done a good job of declaring myself the beta male.

-Meanwhile-

"No sir, I understand the implications... Sir... But I... Y-yes sir..." The CO hangs up the phone, and throws a full bottle of vodka against the wall. The bottle is plastic and does more damage to the wall than it does to the bottle. The door bursts open, and the CO stands at attention.

"Yes major."
"You are on thin fucking ice."
"I understand, sir."
"Sir at the beginning and ending of your sentences, lieutenant." The man barks back.
"Sir, yes sir." The CO responds, truly fearing for his job and life at this point.
"Not only did you allow sensitive materials to be leaked, but the IRA prisoner is now unaccounted for. Do you have anything to say in defense?" The major says, standing tall over the lieutenant.

After a long scolding, the man is able to keep his job, just barely. So long as something happens to the socialist leaders.

"Do I make myself clear?"
"Sir yes sir."
"Good." The man leaves.

[Sakari Lehtinen]

"Hey, let's head to a restaurant or something." Sakari tells the others.

"I'm hungry and in the mood for some Irish food." The rally is going to go on for at least another day, so there's no rush. Big rallies like this are usually weekend affairs.

[Valodya Bassarov]

"Sure we can get something to eat." Bassarov replies. The two walk off to find a restaurant.

[Sakari Lehtinen]

"Hey how about this one? This one looks Irish." Sakari says, as though it were a revelation.

We head into the restaurant, sit down and look through the menus.

[Valodya Bassarov]

"I think I'll just get some soup. I am not all that hungry." Bassarov says. He looks at Sakari, who seems strangely enthusiastic about life. Bassarov wonders what the secret is.