World War II - Kitten Issue #2

Major Joanna Van Der Berg
Code Name: Kitten

Kitten started to brush off the dirt that she had picked up after rolling around on the ground, but the amount of dust still floating in the air made that a futile effort. She winced as she touched the wound on her head and the burns along her back. However, she wasn't about to complain about these injuries when all of the men on her squad were suffering from wounds they received from following her orders.

"Send someone to make contact with the other squads. The rest of you, round up any prisoners and get the base secured," Joanna ordered her group. "I'm going to make a sweep to see if there's anything of strategic value still around...."

She looked back at the landslide that covered the entrance to the cavern in the mountain. "...But I think that if there was anything, it's probably all buried underground right now."

As she was about to walk way, she suddenly turned around and acknowledged their efforts "Good job, men. I'm glad that all of you were to help me." Joanna raised her arm and saluted them.

Major Joanna Van Der Berg
Code Name: Kitten

Forbes' boots crunched on spent shells and rubble around the site of the mine. He kicked at the hand of a fallen nazi, where it lay near his weapon. The man was dead, but he waved several of his soldiers forward to clear the place nonetheless. Turning to where Major Van Der Berg sat, he walked over. "Good job. I saw your initial report. Aliens, like the one captured down the hill. Looking to reproduce and spread. We're up against it, and I understand your pain at the loss of your men. Most of those who lived will be sitting out quite a chunk of the war, but for us, it goes on. Reports from the others - those that have returned at any rate, suggest we're up against things that a science fiction writer would be hard pressed to come up with! This though... this is a win. We have weapons, armour, munitions, captives, and most of all, information. We are setting up a salvage team and for the base in Loch Ness. The boffins are working around the clock on a mini submarine to send teams down there. From what we know Silver Sentinel - one of the new recruits - was able to make a real mess down there. Without this base, and knowing we're coming for them, the Nazis will have two choices - surrender or die."

He ran a hand through his hair, sighing. "More lives." He stood, looking at the rockfall. With a sigh he added "yes, we won this one. But the war goes on..."

OOC I'll send a PM when Kitten is up next in the shared adventure with Anyman, hopefully within the week. Please keep us updated as to when you will resume. Cheers, Paul

OOC I figured with only 2 pages into this issue we might as well continue in here...

Major Joanna Van Der Berg
Code Name: Kitten

PART 2

A comfortable night in an Edinburgh Hotel allowed Joanna to ease her aches and pains. Not all the pains were erased by a nights rest though - only the physical. Loss of her men struck deep. What price victory?

General Forbes joined Joanna for breakfast with a nod and a brief smile. "Time to get back to the war." he announced quietly. Jo looked about the restaurant, saw other diners going about their business, some eating, some reading newspapers. None were smiling or laughing.

As the food arrived Forbes smiled weakly "Eat up. Need your strength. We're scattered. The Nazis hold all the cards. They are coming. They're moving in on the B.E.F. and chasing our boys to the sea." He lowered his voice even further. Stirring his tea he glanced about. "One last push and the Nazis will be on our doorstep. They have so many ways to smash our soldiers... what do we have?" He laughed, a weak sounding noise. "We have a small team of super people who will perform miracles, do things we can't even dream of... and it won't be enough. We're fighting the greatest force of evil ever assembled that will swamp us, save for half a dozen individuals with buckets! Everything else we have... technology? HA! Dawson and his boys rack their brains every day just trying to figure out how it all works, never mind make more of it, or use it properly!"

He sipped on his tea, sighed and leaned in. "We're doomed. We're just delaying it with little victories like the one you pulled off last night."

An officer came in, garbed in civilian clothing, and placed a folder on the table. With a shrug Forbes flicked through the notes inside, then continued eating. When Jo looked over, he finished a mouthful and shrugged again. "Unexplained disappearances. One in Scotland. Man named Reginald Parker, historian. And Eveline Jameson, disappeared from York two nights ago. I don't even know why they give me this stuff! There's so much more to...hmmm. History teacher. Tobamory Hamilton-Smith, Frederick Soames, Michael Gilkes, Jonathan Henderson... what's this? Professor of Archaeology, History teacher, Museum Curator, Antiques Dealer... Odd. Anyway... we have a defence to prepare and... the top brass want you lot as... as rear guard for our chaps." His head bowed. "Orders. I argued till I was blue in the face, they threatened a court martial..."

'This is important. The mortal thinks lives of thousands of meat sacks are more important. If your enemies gather the seven artifacts of power... swords...they will form a ring of power that can call on the magic of this land and use it against the mortals. You must choose. The lives of the few... and a few dusty old artifacts? Or the lives of many... and a chance to be obliterated in the vain hope a few of them last a few minutes longer before being cut down...' chimed the inner voice...

OOC Choice time - head south, and play a major role in the evacuation of the B.E.F. or investigate the disappearance of a few dusty old academics...

Major Joanna Van Der Berg
Code Name: Kitten

Joanna cringed and closed her eyes as that disturbing voice once again intruded inside her mind. Trying to listen to what it had to say, she rattled her teacup against the saucer as she attempted to set it down without spilling its contents.

When she opened her eyes again, she saw the general looking at her with some concern. He would not have heard the voice even though it seemed to Joanna that she could have been seated at the same breakfast table that they were.

"General Forbes, I'll be the first to agree with you that my talents would be better put to use somewhere other than serving as the rear guard," she said. "So why don't you let me look into those disappearances that you had just mentioned? That's a rather specific group of academics to be just a coincidence. It might not even be related to the war, but I think that it might be prudent to look into that to make sure that there is no foul play involved," she proposed.

"If nothing comes of it, I'll be back to help the B.E.F. in any way that I can," Joanna offered. "But if those boys are anything like the ones that were with me on the mountain, I'm sure that they'll manage just as well without me."

Major Joanna Van Der Berg
Code Name: Kitten

Forbes spluttered "Now just a moment Major. This is... " he said, waving the folder "A trifle matter compared to the main job at hand! I wouldn't have even known about it unless our Intelligence people had tipped us off that Hitler and his nutcases are looking for supposedly legendary artifacts and that they think... hmmm." He opened the folder again, putting on his glasses. "Another half a dozen names in here. Academics, nobodies for the most part. Nearest to here is in Newcastle, a man named Gerard Hall. Wrote several books on the Grail legend, amongst others. I hope our Intel boys have done their homework, because if there's anyone they missed from this list and the Nazis get there first. Okay. I'll send MPs to the addresses in here, you go see Hall in person and see if he can't help figure out if the Nazis are chasing ghosts or there's substance to this. Dawson is the science expert, and he'd discount all of this. I'm more inclined to keep an open mind and, well, knowing what you lot can do, I wouldn't rule out anything, no matter how outlandish!"

He turned, waving a man over. "Your keys sergeant. We'll have to walk to the train station. The Major has more pressing need of the car!"

=========

A high speed run to Newcastle following the map directions on her knee and whipping the staff car around slower moving traffic meant Kitten would be there in hours...

Joanna still had to be careful though. The snow made going treacherous in places, though salt had been spread to make the main roads passable. Her superhuman reaction speed made things much easier though, and Forbes had known that. Assigning a driver to her would have had the pair of them trying to dig the car from a drift or hedge after having spun off the road! Pausing to let the engine cool for five minutes, she looked at the map again, then got out to clear the snow from a roadsign. Frowning, she jumped back in the car, spun it about and shot off down a side road, slithering through the snow. Ahead, the countryside opened up, leaving villages behind. A mile or two in the distance, silhouetted against the skyline, a grand stately home was her destination.

=========

Tyre tracks in the snow leading up the long driveway to the mansion turning area suggested Mr Hall had been in or out of the place this morning already.

Up close it was impressive. A large stately home presented in a winter wonderland setting. The tyre tracks in the snow led to the side of the building where a couple of black cars were parked up, steam rising from their bonnets suggesting they'd been used in the last hour or so. Joannas brief was simple - to ask Hall what, if anything, connected the missing historians to one another and if there was any evidence to suggest the nazis would gain by their kidnapping and possible torture for information. This could, after all, be a wild goose chase! Maybe they were all at a conference, or had gone for their holidays. In wartime. At the same time. She chuckled at the likelihood then stiffened when she heard a gunshot ring out from somewhere in the building!

Major Joanna Van Der Berg
Code Name: Kitten

The gunshots could either be one of two things -- the men who arrived in the cars parked here had just shot Mr. Hall or else it was Mr. Hall shooting back at them to defend himself from possible abduction like the others. Following the trail of footprints left behind in the snow, Joanna cautiously ran toward the house trying to avoid a nasty slip and fall that might injure her and render her helpless when the possible killers returned. The men in the cars were probably no longer standing outside but it would take her to the same place by which they would have entered the stately home of Mr. Hall.

OOC: Kitten will run in the direction of the footprints (can she determine how many there are by the number of footprints that they left behind?) and try to get access to the building. She will be silent and not call out for Mr. Hall unless it turns out that he's the one doing the shooting in which case she'll let him know that she's here to avoid getting shot while trying to protect him. It's more important for her to find Mr. Hall so she will try to bypass any thugs lurking around until she finds him and then attempt to defend him.
If it turns out that she was too late and Mr. Hall is already dead, she will return outside, shrink to tiny size, and try to hide in one of the vehicles to see where these men are going. They may be headed back to where they have the other academics held captive.

Major Joanna Van Der Berg
Code Name: Kitten

Moving with speed and stealth Kitten crept up to the side of the house, turning to look at the footsteps from the cars. At least two from each car. A closer look revealed a third getting out of one. So, probably five then. Moving around, she tried a couple of the side doors. One round the back of the house, some kind of servants entrance from the Victorian era no doubt, was open, the glass smashed and used by those who'd arrived in the cars no doubt, as footsteps led to it. She was about to step up to the door but heard voices in the kitchen.

OOC translated from German:

"...tight schedule. Hans stated we must be at the third address by mid-day! Any word from Karl?"

"No. He should have no problem securing a student though. He got the best assignment - she's a pretty one, judging by the photographs!"

The pair laughed, and Kitten ducked down as one walked to the door, looked out through the head height broken window and flicked a cigarette out. Joanna saw it spiral above her head to land feet away, then heard the man walk back into the kitchen.

Glancing about, she saw the upper floor had a number of windows. She'd have to break them, quietly, to avoid detection, or she could try a ground floor window - they were plentiful enough, though curtains obscured the rooms contents. Either that or burst in on these men. She'd have to be fast though she did have an ace up her sleeve. Fast and small.

"Strange." said one of the Germans. "That an Englishman would so readily betray his countrymen. He didn't want money, or any of the trinkets they offered him, simply to be there when the cave was uncovered. Bizarre, don't you think? These academics and their books! Ha! They live their life buried in dusty books, only to miss the world at large passing them by! The traitor will wake up one day and find the world has changed so much that everything they knew is pointless! Heil Hitler!"

The men laughed...

Major Joanna Van Der Berg
Code Name: Kitten

Something about the phrase "...will wake up one day and find the world has changed so much that everything they knew is pointless" hurt Joanna more than she had expected. The Princess probably would have delighted in it as it mirrored her own plans, at least as far as Joanna had been able to determine. Perhaps it was the other voice that shared her thoughts and may have been sobbing as to what may come.

Which one wass the traitor? she thought as she tried to remember the list that General Forbes read over at the breakfast table. It couldn't be Mr. Hall. They wouldn't have had to break into his home if he was a willing accomplice to their schemes. That meant that he was still possibly in danger and she had to get in there and try to rescue him.

Can't break any more glass. I need to be quiet so that they don't know that I'm here, she thought as she surveyed all of the windows which were closed to keep out the winter's chill and keep in the heat. However, if one of them had been keeping lookout, they probably had already seen her pull her car up on the driveway and may be waiting to surprise her. Fortunately, she had some surprises of her own -- such as the ability to shrink to tiny size which she immediately activated before charging through the shattered servant's door.

OOC: Same tactics as before. Kitten is not trying to engage the men until she can determine the whereabouts and condition of Mr. Hall. If she is able to protect him, she will do so. If they already have him captive or if engaging them would likely result in Mr. Hall getting hurt, she will instead remain small and try to secretly catch a ride back to wherever they intend to take him.

Major Joanna Van Der Berg
Code Name: Kitten
Htk 43/43 Htc: 49/49 E10 S30 D12 V12 DC6 WC3 D2d6Htc/1d6-6 (+15) or D2d6Htk/1d6htc (+15)

Shrunk, Kitten was about to make her way through the door when she noticed a side door, possibly something that had been the servants quarters. Locked, like the others, but this one had a cat flap. How apt! She snuck in and padded through the room, now a storage place for brik a brak and general junk.

Into the corridor of the mansion she glanced to her right, where the two men in the kitchen continued to chat and made her way deeper into the house. She almost passed one slightly ajar door until she heard muffled groans. Opening the door slightly she saw a man in suit, trenchcoat and hat leant against the wall, smoking. His gun on the fireplace was to hand, and the room had half a dozen or so bound occupants. Staff of the grand old house. The men had been beaten, the women had tear streaked faces.

Then Kitten whirled. Footsteps - several of them, coming this way! The corridor went on to run alongside stairs that led upstairs, and there were three more doors down the left hand side of the corridor. The far one, near the front of the house, had opened, and an old man, probably in his 60s, was tossed into the corridor and hauled up roughly by two more men in suits and trenchcoats. The old man was brave - or foolish - as he spat in one of the Nazis face! The backhand sent him crashing to the floor again, and a kick to his stomach coiled him up. The other man opened the front door and called out "NO WITNESSES!" in German, no doubt to the man keeping watch in the room Kitten was nearby - she was small and still, and so the shouting man didn't see her in the shadows.

They were going to take Mr Hall and kill all his servants! Kitten had a choice - stop them from killing them and tip the enemy off, possibly foiling her chances of finding the others - or follow the Nazi and Mr Hall to the car, leaving the servants to their own fate!

Major Joanna Van Der Berg
Code Name: Kitten

Even though she may end up losing Mr. Hall when the kidnappers took him away, Joanna knew that she couldn't abandon the servants to a cruel execution by the Nazis. She didn't hesitate upon hearing the order to leave no witnesses. Moving with incredible speed, the shrunken spy burst through the narrow opening between the door into the room where she noticed the captives being held. It didn't matter if she made any noise at this point -- slamming into the door while swinging it open might distract the gunman enough to turn the gun in her direction instead of pointing it at the captives. Hopefully, the gunman was still enjoying his cigarette and give her enough time to get in there to stop his slaughter.

OOC: Kitten will attempt to quickly take down the gunman (or gunmen) present in the room. If this draws attention of the others in the house, she will attempt to close and lock the door and seal the servants in for their own safety until she can free one of the servants who can use the intruder's gun to defend themselves if they should get in. If she is able to neutralize the threat, she will attempt to free one of the servants who can then free the others while she's busy trying to catch up with the group departing with Mr. Hall before they can leave the grounds. Otherwise, she may have to get involved in a dangerous car chase on snow-slicked roads (assuming that they haven't stolen or disabled her vehicle).

Major Joanna Van Der Berg
Code Name: Kitten
Htk 43/43 Htc: 49/49 E10 S30 D12 V12 DC6 WC3 D2d6Htc/1d6-6 (+15) or D2d6Htk/1d6htc (+15)

Laughing, the men in the kitchen started to pour fuel from a jerry can about the kitchen, no doubt looking to burn the place down and distract from what would be a horrific crime! As Kitten dived through the gap in between door and frame she saw the man finish his cigarette first as the servants realised what was about to happen! the front door slammed shut - they'd taken Mr Hall, but Kitten knew she couldn't just leave the innocent staff members to a grisly fate!

The Nazi reached for his gun on the fireplace... and saw instead a doll like figure stood next to it, hands on hips! "Vas ist...?" he spluttered. CRACK! Leaping from the fireplace Kitten delivered a terrific punch that, despite her size, rattled the mans chin and sent him crashing to the floor! Dazed, and feeling like he'd been run over by a truck, he scrambled about, reaching for the gun, but was lifted from the floor by an uppercut as Kitten sped to stand next to his face! he thudded from a wall and slid down. The servants hadn't managed to realise quite what had happened - she'd moved so fast, and was so small! All of them looked on in shock and astonishment as the man who'd been about to murder them gathered in a dishevelled heap!

=========

At the kitchen door, one of the Nazis looked back in, then tossed a cigarette onto the floor...

"Hurry up Johann!" he yelled, then laughed, turning away and heading for the car to wait for their comrade.

Kitten came into the kitchen as flames started to gather on the floor and the worktops. They'd done a thorough job of dousing the place! Glancing through the open kitchen door she saw the Nazis look at the car Kitten had arrived in, and pull their own guns, walking over to investigate! She could put the fire out, free the servants or tackle the Nazis, but time was of the essence! Mr Hall was by now in one of the cars and pulling away, soon to be whisked who knows where!

Major Joanna Van Der Berg
Code Name: Kitten

"The fire's spreading too quickly!" Joanna said to herself as she watched the flames race down the trails of fuel and then spread to the other more flammable objects throughout the room. Even though she had prevented their immediate execution, the staff of Mr. Hall's stately home were still in mortal danger and could not be left behind. Let's just hope that they decide to wait for Johann before they leave, she thought. If they didn't, all was not lost. They would still have a prisoner that they could interrogate to see where they may have taken Mr. Hall and the others.

Returning to her normal size, Joanna rushed back into the room where the servants remained bound and the gunman lay collapsed where she left him. She quickly shut the door to prevent the flames from getting into the room for as long as possible. "We need to get you out of here!" Joanna said, trying to convey a sense of urgency but not frighten them to where they might panic. "As I free you, please help me get the other loose if you're able to do so!"

Moving quickly, Joanna started with the people who looked like the most able to assist her free the rest of the servants.

OOC: Joanna is going to free the servants as quickly as possible and hopefully get some help doing so. Once they're free, she's going to try to lead them to safety out of one of the windows. If there's no time, she's going to carry them and hurl them out of the window and free them afterwards. She's even going to rescue Johann, not just because it's the right thing to do, but he may be the only link that she has to finding Mr. Hall and the others.

Major Joanna Van Der Berg
Code Name: Kitten

With superhuman speed and strength Kitten made sure the hostages were freed, then helped out of the window. Some were quite elderly, and the whole ordeal had been something of a shock to the system! As black smoke filled the house and the flames caught hold of drapes and carpets, Kitten dragged the Nazi out into the snow. The cold wet stuff woke him up, and he groaned, twisting in Kittens grip to spit blood and teeth from his mouth.

Opening his eyes, he looked up at Kitten. "A woman?" he said in his native German, a language Kitten understood perfectly. "And a lovely one at that!" he laughed. "We will not be stopped!" he said, even as the house burnt in the background.

The servants were distraught, some even organising a chain with buckets and water, but it looked like the fire had taken hold. Joanna glanced about. The tyre marks leading away from the place suggested both cars were in a hurry, and the snow had started to come down again! She wouldn't have too long before they were covered!

She could take the nazi with her, force him to talk somehow or... It was then she noticed the bonnet on her car slightly raised! With a groan she guessed what the Nazis would have done - snatched the distributor cap or the leads and tossed them somewhere, stranding her or anyone else who tried to use the vehicle. They were thorough if nothing else! That said... Kitten had no idea of her top speed. There could yet be a chance to catch them!

One of the servants, a matronly woman in her fifties, came over. "Thank you love, for saving us! Oh! But ... but they shot Mr Hall!" She realised what had happened, and swooned, fainting into the snow!

The Nazi laughed, pausing to spit more blood from his mouth...

And the snow started coming down...

OOC If you have questions, or a means to get answers out of the Nazi, fire away He's a dark haired man, small moustache, well built but looked very battered from the beating he took. It would take not much more than a stiff breeze to KO him again.

Major Joanna Van Der Berg
Code Name: Kitten

Noticing that the woman was about to topple over, Joanna would have attempted to catch her if her arms weren't occupied with restraining her prisoner. Instead, she watched helplessly as the woman collapsed in the snow and had to be attended to by the other servants.

"I don't see any other vehicles, Johann," she informed him using a voice that was equally sweet and cutting at the same time. "Your 'friends' left you behind. If you ask me, they were also pretty quick in setting the house ablaze while you were still in it and before you had a chance to get your job done."

"I guess that you must not be that important," Joanna goaded him, trying to provoke him into responding. "Maybe I should leave you behind too and let Mr. Hall's people deal with you however they'd like..."

"Excuse me," she called out to catch the attention of one of the servants. "Does Mr. Hall have any other vehicles on the grounds? Those thugs seem to have disabled mine, but I still may be able to catch them if there's another one available."

OOC: Joanna will wait a moment to see if Johann has any useful information to provide. She will likely knock him out again before setting off on the chase. If there's a loaner vehicle that can accomodate both of them, she'll bring Johann along. If it can only handle one person, she'll leave him behind in the custody of the servants entrusting them to keep him safe until she or some other official returned to retrieve him. If there's no vehicle available, she'll test the limits of her super-speed and give chase on foot to see if there's any possibility of catching up to them.

Major Joanna Van Der Berg
Code Name: Kitten

The Nazi gave a bloody grin. "I do not know who you are or where you came from... but this land will soon be ours woman! Then I will seek you out, and you will beg me to take pity on you!" he laughed, spitting a stream of crimson into the snow. "As for me? All I will say is this..."

"HEIL HITLER!" he started laughing hysterically, uncontrollably, then started foaming red at the mouth! Too late, Kitten realised he'd bitten down on something - a false tooth maybe? Whatever it was, the man was soon choking, his laughter becoming strangled gurgles as he choked on his own blood! In moments the acid capsule had burned its way through the mans lungs and he managed to splutter..."They told me... it was... a way to escape! They...lied? No... superhuman...powuuuurrrggggh?"

The servants looks away as the man curled backwards, crying out then dying as green mist trailed from his nose and mouth, his skin a ghastly white and blood flecked lips made him look like a clown of sorts...

One of the servants came forward. "The master has a garage with several motor cars in sir, all vintage types mind and not really meant for pursuit. His oldest son, William, has a fondness for tuning and racing motorcycles though... but in this weather?"

He shrugged, looking about as the snow came down...

=========

Minutes later the motorcycle had kicked into life and roared its way round the front of the house with Kitten on board...

She wore a too-large flying jacket, goggles, scarf and hat, and the worried looks of the servants contrasted with their thoughts. Who was this mysterious woman that had saved them, and was taking on armed men single handed? Why did she not wait for the police? Would she be able to save Mr Hall?

She roared off, back wheel slithering about in the snow as Joanna battled with the tuned, flighty, machine and the very elements themselves!

OOC Are you wanting to catch, or follow the nazis in their cars?

Major Joanna Van Der Berg
Code Name: Kitten

"I can see why Master William is so fond of these motorcycles," Kitten said to herself excitedly as she crouched down tightly against the bike to lessen her profile against the cold wind rushing towards her and to try to absorb what she could from the heat that the engine was producing. It was quite a thrill and the recklessness in the face of danger caused by the weather conditions only heightened the experience.

Her eyes were closely following the faint tracks left behind by the vehicles that she was chasing. The falling snow would soon obscure them so it was important for her to narrow the gap before she lost their trail if the vehicles suddenly turned off in another direction.

OOC: Kitten is mainly trying to follow them rather than trying to catch them because that would give her a better chance of finding where the others may be hidden. However, if there's any way that she could get past them and then set up a point where she could jump down from an overpass, bridge, or tree limb on top of their vehicles while in her tiny size, that would make it less likely for them to notice her trying to follow them by motorcycle.

Major Joanna Van Der Berg
Code Name: Kitten

The cars continued at a more sedate pace given the inclement weather and Kitten had no trouble keeping up despite the zero grip from the near slick tyres. Her superhuman strength and incredible reactions allowed her to correct the bikes course better than even the best street racer, and she found herself slowing to let the cars pull some distance on her so as not to attract attention.

When the cars came onto the main roads, there was more in the way of traffic, so when they joined the steady flow tip toeing it's way through the morning grind she kept a watch from several cars back. Finally, with traffic rolling to a halt she skirted around the outside, passed the two cars and risking a glance inside to see the injured Mr Hall laying back in a seat, cloth bandage pressed to his shoulder and flanked by armed men.

Up ahead she saw the road ran under a bridge so it was simplicity itself to park up and wait. Besides that, she noted the bike spluttering as the carbs iced, and realised that she'd have ground to a halt following on the bike anyway. A number of motorists shook their heads at the slipping, slithering motorcyclist scything through traffic.

=========

Finally the cars started to move again and Kitten chose her moment...

Shrunken, she leapt onto the running boards of the lead car and tucked in behind the wheel arch, thankful that her shrinking aura extended to whatever she was wearing and holding at the time.

OOC Didn't want to autopilot all the way in case you wanted to make a move. Going all the way with the cars to see where they lead?

Major Joanna Van Der Berg
Code Name: Kitten

If Mr. Hall's son thinks that riding motorcycles was thrilling, he wouldn't believe what it's like to ride on the riding outside of an automobile on its running boards, Joanna thought. Her tiny hands were tightly gripped on to whatever hold she could find to avoid being accidentally thrown off each time the vehicle hit a bump or hole in the road. I hope that they're not taking the scenic route back, she thought as she struggled against the cold weather.

OOC: Kitten is going to stay on the vehicle until it gets where it's going. She's not going to take any actions while the vehicle is in motion unless it looks like they are going to kill Mr. Hall before they get there.

Major Joanna Van Der Berg
Code Name: Kitten
Htk 43/43 Htc: 49/49 E10 S30 D12 V12 DC6 WC3 D2d6Htc/1d6-6 (+15) or D2d6Htk/1d6htc (+15)

After what seems like hours the car arrives at it's presumed destination. Even garbed in the thick flying jacket and huddled up on the running board the icy temperatures and falling snow really take it out of Joanna and she's barely awake when the car pulls up. The Nazi spies drag Mr Hall out, blood spattering to the virgin snow, and Kitten looks up to where a path runs up a gradual hill. On top, a farmhouse and what look to be snow covered ruins, presumably of an old church. A glance around reveals they are in the middle of nowhere - white snow bound fields, woods in the distance, dry stone walls and barely passable roads as the snow gently falls. Very soon the cars will find the road impassable, and so it's with some haste the Nazis drag Mr Hall up the path and start to climb the steady path towards the farm house. Resisting the urge to place her hands on the warm cars' bonnet Kitten thinks fast.

Mr Hall, forced at gunpoint and with the threat of death hovering over his servants wouldn't have had much choice in helping the Nazis, especially with a gunshot wound. Four Nazis surrounded him, guns at the ready and the cars engines left running. They didn't expect to take long.

Just then, in the distance as the Nazis approached the Farmhouse, an old man came out the front door brandishing a shotgun. "Hall? That you? What the devil is going on?" he growled. "Who are these men? What's happened? I know what you've come for, and you won't get it!"

Major Joanna Van Der Berg
Code Name: Kitten

Joanna didn't believe that she would be able to take on four armed Nazis. It was very likely that at least one of them might shoot Mr. Hall, even if the old farmer with the shotgun could provide assistance and wing one or two of them.

I better try to cause a distraction, she thought, hoping that this could offset the fatigue from the difficult ride. With the vehicles still running, she could try to slip in unseen, take the vehicle out of gear, and then release the parking brake such that it might start to slowly drift away and draw at least one of the thugs away until she had a chance to get up there and try to rescue Mr. Hall and most likely the old farmer too.

Major Joanna Van Der Berg
Code Name: Kitten
Htk 43/43 Htc: 49/49 E10 S30 D12 V12 DC6 WC3 D2d6Htc/1d6-6 (+15) or D2d6Htk/1d6htc (+15)

The Nazis turned as one of the cars started rolling away! Shouting at one another, Mr Hall grabbed the opportunity to stumble from their grasp and run forwards, but injured as he was, he didn't get far in the snow!

"Hall!" shouted the man at the farmhouse with the shotgun levelled at his shoulder. Neither the shotgun nor the pistol were at a range considered to be accurate as yet. At close quarters, whomever got an accurate shot off first would find they struck a decisive blow, though the farmer being outnumbered surely had the odds stacked against him!

He didn't know about his 'ace in the hole' though!

On the blind side of the car, Kitten leapt clear and rolled in the snow, diminutive form unseen in the inches high drifts as the Nazis sprinted, slipping and slithering all the way, after their motor vehicle!

The two remaining Nazis ran up to Hall, one dragging him up and the other pressing the pistol to the side of Halls' head. "The sword!" he snarled in accented English. "Give us the sword, or your friend dies!"

The man with the shotgun seemed to turn pale, then glanced at his old friend. Despite the shake of Halls head and muttered "No! Don't! Don't give these Nazi bastards what they..." CRACK!

He slumped forward as a pistol whipped him across the face! The other pulled his head back and shoved the barrel into Halls' mouth!

"We know you have it! Hall will die having served his purpose! You, sir, would do well to..."

CRASH!

He glanced as the car smashed through a dry stone wall, then promptly burst into flames!

Major Joanna Van Der Berg
Code Name: Kitten

As soon as the Nazis ran by giving chase to stop their drifting automobile, Joanna charged up the hillside path in the trail of footprints that were left behind in the blood-splattered snow. She flinched momentarily as the car exploded into flames somewhere behind her. Oops. That wasn't part of the plan, she thought. I'm lucky that I didn't try something while they were driving. That car must have been an accident waiting to happen.

Not aware that she was there, Joanna could only hope that the old farmer with the shotgun wouldn't open fire on her if she was able to neutralize the Nazis surrounding Mr. Hall. She was about to find out.

OOC: Joanna is going to try to stop the one with the gun in Mr. Hall's mouth depending on whatever option is available. She'll probably need to interpose herself either between the trigger or the hammer to prevent the gun from firing. As soon as she can get the gun free of Hall's mouth, she'll disarm or otherwise try to fight either of the thugs.

Major Joanna Van Der Berg
Code Name: Kitten
Htk 43/43 Htc: 49/49 E10 S30 D12 V12 DC6 WC3 D2d6Htc/1d6-6 (+15) or D2d6Htk/1d6htc (+15)

As the Nazi with the gun in Mr Halls mouth turned back to the man with the shotgun, he looked to see what appeared to be a doll on his hand! "Gott in..." he started. Quick as a flash Joanna wrenched the gun away from the poor mans mouth and it went off into the air, deafening the three of them. Kitten fell into the snow whilst Hall fell forwards, and the Nazi fell back. The other Nazi by his side started searching about, then started firing randomly in the snow!

Seizing his chance, the old man at the farmhouse started down the hill, half running, half sliding, and slithered to a halt. "You Nazi scum!" he shouted. "Hall! Get down!" One Nazi dived to the side, the other pulled his gun up... and... click! He'd emptied it firing at Kitten, who'd moved quickly about in the snow!

"Wait! WAIT!" he cried.

BOOOM!

The farmer wasn't in much of a mood to wait!

The Nazi flew backwards,trailing blood and smashed into the snow whilst his comrade grabbed for his pistol, rolled onto his belly and took aim!

Kitten stood in snow shallow enough for her diminutive form to see over the top of and saw the other two Nazis sprinting up the hill, firing wildly with pistols! The old man was about to be outnumbered, very quickly!

OOC Initiative 8 Kitten, 4 Nazis. She'd within swinging range of the nearest Nazi IF she grows to normal size, otherwise she'll have to move a frame before striking. The other two are out of range of Kittens strikes unless she moves to meet them. The Old farmer is only 5m away from the Nazi now - in short... whoever shoots can't really miss! 2 frames to you, then the Nazis go...

Major Joanna Van Der Berg
Code Name: Kitten

"Watch the two coming up the hill!" Kitten shouted in warning to the farmer. "I'll stop this one!"
Growing back to her normal size, she pounced on the nearest Nazi who had dropped prone to the ground in firing position.

OOC: Martial-arts attack on the Nazi. If the old farmer is still pointing his gun in their direction, she'll shrink and move away if it looks like she might end up getting shot. If the farmer decides to fire on the ones coming up the hill, she will use her next frame for another martial arts attack on the one she just attacked if needed.

Her next move would be to drag Mr Hall to safety in the farmhouse and then come back out and help the farmer deal with the remaining two Nazis approaching quickly.

Major Joanna Van Der Berg
Code Name: Kitten
Htk 43/43 Htc: 49/49 E10 S30 D12 V12 DC6 WC3 D2d6Htc/1d6-6 (+15) or D2d6Htk/1d6htc (+15)

Growing to her full height Kitten surprised both the Nazis and the Farmer! Delivering a powerful blow to the Nazi agents jaw and sending him spinning through the air, she turned and scooped the injured old man up. Bullets zinged around her as the startled Nazis took frantic aim. The Farmer levelled his shotgun and let fly with the other barrel but his shot was wide of the mark. It had some effect though as the Nazis hit the snow and rolled, seeking cover rather than dealing with a shotgun at close range!

Kitten sprinted past the astonished Farmer and sped, slipping and slithering, up the hill towards the farmhouse. The farmer saw she was helping his old friend, cursed, glanced at the Nazis reloading their spent pistols and ran after her, huffing and puffing all the way.

Slamming the door and barring it behind him the farmer, red faced and wheezing, grabbed shells with shaking hands and fumbled at the shotgun. "thought to get away from all this..." he huffed. "Don't know who you are girl..." he saw then the state of his friend and softened somewhat. "Damn. Those bloody swords were always going to be trouble!" he muttered. With the Shotgun reloaded he moved to the window. "How did you do that, girl?" he asked over his shoulder as he peered out into the snow. Kitten was making Hall comfortable in a chair by the fire. Suddenly the window shattered after a shot rang out and the farmer sagged back, clutching his shoulder near his neck. "Arck!" he cried. "That's... torn it! Listen, girl, don't let those bastards get... the sword..." He straightened, and glanced at the weapon hung over the fireplace. It was a long hand and a half sword with slightly tarnished blade but Kitten felt nothing unusual or special about it was evident.

"COME OUT! VE HEF YOU SURROUNDED! VE ONLY VISH FOR TO BE HANDED ZE SWORD! DON'T MAKE ZIS HARD ON YOURSELVES!" bellowed a Nazi from outside...