The adventures of Prinz Eugen and the young engineer Volume 1.

Chapter 31

He did not know how long he was standing there in the snow. All he knew was that he was shivering and freezing cold when he started to think again and regained control over his body.

He walked back over to the mess hall and got back his uniform, coat and scarf. Putting them on and heating up his freezing body he walked out again and left the base through the entrance closest to the shrubb in which he had stored his duffle bag. Receiving his things he made his way around the block and met up with Prinz Eugen. The two looked at each other and the young engineer gave his toolbag to the cruiser. Too tired and messed up to talk he just stayed there and waited for whatever she was going to say. "That's what you could get?" She asked and he nodded in agreement. "Okay. I will go by sea and will bring the things to Wilhelmshaven. I made you an order to allow you to travel to Ironblood for vacation. That should get you over the border." With that she gave him a couple of papers with said orders. Nodding again he took them and placed them in his inner coat pocket. "You did well. I can see that this is not the kind of stress you are used to but at least in your execution you did very well. I will go now. We will see each other in our home base soon. You got a favor in my book for that." She stated before turning towards one of the civilian docks. He watched her walk to the edge of the dock and jump on the water with her rigging shoes on. Shortly after he could no longer see her on the water. He himself got going and went to the closest Train Station.

After just 20 minutes he sat in a heated train wagon destined for St. Petersburg. He slept most of the trip. Changing trains in St. Petersburg main station he was on his way to the border. Only about 20 hours away from reaching Memel. Again the young engineer mostly had dreamless sleep. He awoke when the train stopped in Riga. But it did not start to move again after 10 minutes. Wondering why that was and somewhat paranoid, he looked out of the window of his cart to see if there was something going on. Outside of the train there stood soldiers clad in their brown winter coats. And around them were officers clad in the uniforms of the Commissariat for Internal Affairs. Seeing the NKVD he knew they were searching for those who were trying to flee the country. Seeing multiple of these officers entering their carts, he knew they would get him. Waiting here they would find and arrest them. Trying to run away would also get him caught due to all the soldiers outside. All he could do was wait to get caught. Deciding against fleeing he was going to behave civilised and respectful. There was little else he could do.

When the officers entered the cart and demanded travel papers and identification cards, the young engineer gout both out and handed them to the officer when it was his turn. The officer checked his papers and Ironblood Passport. Looking at the young engineer, he could see the suspicion of the officer in his eyes. Giving him a courteous smile he tried to avert this suspicion. But instead the officer waved over one of his colleagues. Both looked at the young engineer, his papers and back at him. "Is there a Problem?" He asked them in their language. Both looked at him again. The older of the two finally addressed him. "There seems to be an issue with your travel papers. Would you be so kind to follow us to the ticket station outside" Knowing he could do nothing else, he nodded in agreement and got his duffle bag from the shelf above his seat. He walked out of the train escorted by the two NKVD officers. While being surrounded by the soldiers and watched by the train passagers through the windows, the young engineer asked as polite and nonchalant as he could in his excitement: "Well, where do we go now?" He did not receive an answer but rather a pistol barrel pointed at his face. Slowly dropping his arms to his side he tried to keep his composure. "Please, there is no need for violence and bad behavior. I am neither armed nor do I have the intention to make this more unpleasant for us as it is already." He tried to relax the situation. Instead he was grabbed and his duffle bag taken from him. "Hey hey, calm down. I have no intention to resist. Could you please be a bit respectful?" He tried once more. This time one of the officers stopped the soldiers. "Stop the rough tour comrades. He won't struggle. He knows he is out of potions and has no intentions of making this difficult. Just take his baggage and potential equipment and weapons from him." He ordered. The men stopped their violent search and disarmament of him. The young engineer was thankful for the officers orders. Following this more or less proposed deal the young engineer opened his coat and emptied his coat pockets. All he had on his persons were a couple of keys, some loose change, his wallet, pocketwatch and papers. Turning the inside of his pockets outside he showed them that he had nothing else. "Do you have any weapons in your things?" The officer asked. The young engineer explained: "All what could be considered a weapon is in my duffle bag. There is the ceremonial Dagger to the formal uniform and my working knife in my canteen." Looking for the things both were retrieved by the soldiers. The officer nodded and proceeded to speak to the young engineer: "Will we need to handcuff you or will you follow the guards on your own accord?" The young engineer nodded and raised his hands up to the height of his shoulders. "Okay, looks like there is no point in cuffing you." Said the lead officer. The young engineer was then escorted off of the train platform.