The Nightingale (Night Witches)

GM
--

## Recurring NPCs

Cpt. Olga Barsukova

Jr. Lt. Anastasia Sheremeteva

Sr. Lt. Svetlana Sheremeteva

Sgt. Ludmilla Ivanova

Sgt. Sophia Yú

Sr. Sgt. Boris Smirnov

"The Nightingale" is the twelfth episode of the first season of Night Witches: Toils and Trouble.

## Summary

### Buchholz: last station duty

May 25, 1945. The 518th is stationed in Buchholz, north of Berlin. The German capital is constantly on fire but the 518th gets better supplies, some from the Americans. *To Berlin!* is the rallying cry, but the enemy have nothing to lose now; they are suicidally brave and missions are more dangerous than ever.

Lena has sent her young protegée, Maria, to her parents' farm. Lena's mom is happy to have her.

Anosova reflects on her behavior with Müller, the spy. She could have done more than spit on him; he had taken so much from her though, she wouldn't let him take that last bit.

Irina has been avoiding Anastasia; she doesn't want the girl's naïve crush to cause trouble. Meanwhile, she's kept corresponding with Andrei. Since the 218 has been stationed close by again, they have seen each other in secret.

Nik has never told Lena about her relationship with Mel; this secret is the only thing she holds back from her friend.

The current base of the 518th belonged to the German Luftwaffe. The area around it is flattened. Its airstrip is nice; the real barracks include a dining hall. It would be a perfect home, except for the smell of death and the swastikas that are still visible after being painted over.

The NKVD repurposed the library, they threw the books out the windows to make room for their own documents.

Rumor has it that the 518th will be disbanded after the end of the war. It feels so surreal to the airwomen that Anosova doesn't believe it; Irina doesn't think this will end for her: she's stubborn; it makes Lena mad: she doesn't want to stop flying. Speaking of which, Irina doesn't try to keep the now violent Lena out of trouble; they may even have a Fight Club among them, including Anastasia.

Tatania is now a captain. She is away, on training to be deputy commander and chief of staff, leaving Anastasia as the only Junior Lieutenant of the section.

### Shame and honors

On Anosova's name day, everybody is having dinner after the night's mission. Ivanova is sour and on edge, always watching for the Nightingale. Nik is exasperated to see so much suspicion around her, not just from Ivanova. Lena is just shoveling food in her mouth; she even jokes about the traitor, prompting Ivanova to insult her: *You're small, embarrassing, shameful*. Lena answers with a punch that cause Ivanova's head to bleed when her head hits a bench.

That's when the regimental commander and the politruk enter the mess.

Nik fails to convince them that Ivanova tripped. Major Bershanskaya, disappointed by the behavior she has witnessed, sends Lena away with captain Barsukova for a talk and orders Ivanova to the doctor's before proceeding to the ceremony that brought her here.

The commander recounts how Sergeant Anosova's career was shattered by suspicion and how she has been found blameless. She gives Anosova her Junior Lieutenant's shoulder boards back and puts her in charge of the section. She also presents Anosova with the Order of Battle Merit and the Order of Glory. Anosova, who feared she was going to be called a spy, starts crying at the mention that these citations have been sent to her parents.

The major, as usual, pours champagne on the medals.

It is then Nik and Irina's turn to be called front and center. They, too, are relieved when they are handed empty champagne glasses. Nikita is awarded the Order of Battle Merit, while Irina,, who should be a lieutenant by now, is presented with the Order of the Red Start for her part in the liberation of Warsaw. Irina looks super confident.

There is one more thing.

Sgt. Yú, beaming and smiling, brings a beautiful fruit tart for Anosova's name day.

The people who were nasty to Anosova feel uncomfortable at this point. Anosova, however, takes the high ground to the end and shares the cake with everybody: it is an honor for her to be here.

The Greek heard a rumor about an upcoming prank by the 218th; this leads to a discussion of a food trap for them, one that won't make them so sick they won't be fit for duty.

### Tea Talk

The politruk sends her deputy away. She has Lena, who sweats profusely by now, take a seat in the former library and drink a cup of chai tea. Captain Barsukova wants Lena to relax and take a deep breath. Based on her own pre-civil war experience, she wants Lena to leaver her anger behind:

> *Rage doesn't get you anywhere; it consumes you, you die and then they will have won*.
>
>

Instead she must become cooler than them, perhaps a little cold, a cold that will keep her sustained until she can right wrongs. Then the politruk adds:

> *Don't be so angry*, *I don't want you to suffer, you have potential. If you could channel your anger, you could become someone everyone could look up to*.
>
>

Now that Lena has corrected her mistakes, the captain would like Lena to prove she's worth her interest, for after the war.

Lena agrees to become a member of the Party; she even lies about her love for Mother Russia, in the hope it will help her keep flying when this is over.

The politruk has more advice for Lena: if she channels her anger to confidence, if she is bold and strong, if she smiles and listens, she'll have the power to make her own destiny, and to punish any enemy of the state.

Lena reiterates her love for Mother Russia, a love that is even deeper than her love for her husband. She will find The Nightingale and then she'll get to keep flying after the war.

### Traps

Anosova interrupts a conversation between Ivanova and Irina. They switch their talk from setting a trap for the pranksters of the 218th to staking the trucks and finding a way to prove the identity of the Nightingale. They call Nik. She raises suspicion when she affirms Mel is not a spy and seems defensive about it. Nik is wary of fingering an innocent and sees little point in sitting around and watching trucks.

Maybe Sergeant Yú is the spy? The room with all the packages is her place, after all. Ivanova walks out, frustrated. Nik resumes her work on the vodka-with-fuel trap for the boys of the 218th.

Irina and Anosova agree Nik is acting weird. Anosova remembers there was no sign her wingwoman was a traitor. Irina will hide in the mail room to find out.

### Svetlana's gratitude

Lena enters Svetlana's office. She shares her worries about The Nightingale and the letters. Lena blushes when she realizes Svetlana is the one reading all the mail coming in and going out.

Svetlana, on her part, thanks Lena for protecting her sister Anastasia, who was in love with her. Lena is not happy: she wants to beat the crap out of Anastasia now that she knows this. Svetlana keeps talking: Lena can help by being careful.

Svetlana fixes Lena's shoulder board for the second time, with a sisterly look. Lena nods.

Then Lena goes somewhere break shit for a while.

### Nik's dilemma

Mel and Nik have a talk while ostensibly fixing a plane together. Mel would like Nik to tell Lena *about us*. Nik thinks *Now is not the time*; Lena is different now, she could break her face. Nik doesn't want to hurt her more, after what she went through, she doesn't want to break her more.

### Spying and Suspicions

Anosova and Irina hide in the mailroom. There are supplies here, too. They are brought by trucks.

Sgt. Yú and her husband, Sr. Sgt. Boris Smirnov are both here, smooching. Boris brings supplies he gets on the black market to the 588th as a pretext to see his wife. Yú, happy and beaming, sees Irina and Anosova, who share their suspicions. Yú is certain that no one messes with her supplies.

Boris just gave her Swiss chocolate: he is a good man. Anosova fails to convince Sgt. Yú to investigate Boris's behavior: she just trusts her husband and asks the two to leave.

Lena has a great time bashing stuff then returns to watch the trucks.

When Irina and Anosova are alone, the latter apologizes for spilling the beans to Yú. Anosova and Irina agree it's weird Smirnov is lucky all the time. But whom could they tell? Tatania isn't here. And what about Svetlana? She gets a lot of things too: chocolate, cheese and vodka. Someone must be bribing someone. They need to talk to Captain Barsukova, but she scares them, and *what if she's in it too?*

Anosova and Irina both resolve to follow Boris, after the next mission at the latest.

### Murder

Meanwhile, Lena heads toward a bank of trucks.

Nik, in the barracks with Anosova, still feels trapped: she doesn't the wrong people hurt by careless finger pointing. Nik explains what the others are up to.

Lena hears something toward the trucks. She sees something wrong with one's flap and climbs on that truck.

Irina and Anosova hear something while heading toward the same bank of trucks.

Back to Lena. Boxes were tipped over on that truck, as in a struggle. Ivanova lays on the bed, bleeding, face up. Lena lets out a loud sigh in surprise.

Anosova hears a sound in a truck, there is also movement there. She and Irina take out their gun, Anosova opens the flap: Lena is there, standing above Ivanova, who's been shot.

Lena explains: *I've found her like this.*

Anosova makes her put her hands up; Irina takes her pistol: it isn't warm. The two stand down, but don't give Lena her pistol back. Anosova takes a mark for seeing her comrade die from the wound in her chest.

Ivanova is holding a Senior Sergeant's shoulder board in a hand. Mel is the first Senior Sergeant they think of: Anosova goes check her uniform was Irina takes Ivanova to the hospital. Mel is busy prepping the planes for the mission of the night; she has both her shoulder boards on. No other Senior Sergeants seem to miss a shoulder board.

Lena returns to the barracks and explains the situation to Nik, who urges her to report it right now. Nik immediately goes check on Mel, and Anosova sees her on her way back from the hangar.

Lena enters the politruk's office: *I believe The Nightingale is a Senior Sergeant*, she just says. Anosova enters with the shoulder board. Lena explains how Ivanova was killed by The Nightingale; Anosova drops the shoulder board, Lena picks it up and hands it to the Captain. She leaves, and they're all called to assembly. No one is missing a shoulder board.

The major and the Captain want to talk to Section 2A. Anosova and Irina recount the incident with Senior Sergeant Smirnov, earlier, and how he unsuccessfully tried to bribe them with chocolate. The politruk thanks them, and inquires about the truck: Lena remembers it was #85.

### Mission

The mission must go on. They will bomb the HQ and fuel depot of the 3rd Panzer Army. The Greek replaces Ivanova. She won't be allowed to spread rumors just now. Anosova makes her line up for the mission:

* The Greek pilots *Death's Kiss*, with Anosova as navigator.
* Anastasia pilots Lucky 13, with Nik as navigator.
* Irina pilots *Clipper*, with Lena as navigator.
* Anosova is lead navigator, Irina is lead pilot, Nik and Lena are the wingwomen.

Night falls. The sky is orange with fire. The politruk has phone calls to make.

If Smirnov is the Nightingale, Yú may be involved too, and the mission may be compromised. Section 2A check their planes, find no duds among their bombs. The Greek doesn't miss the opportunity to report the rumor that Yú and Smirnov *are doing it in the supplies room all the time*.

Anosova's own conviction that Yú knew about Smirnov reminds her of her own situation. Pondering that she can't blame anybody, can't allow herself to be mad, has to give the benefit of the doubt to Yú takes a toll on her. Still, Anosova is not distracted, as enemy fire starts every which way. Maybe she was prepared, maybe she is being paranoid; at any rate she takes her section a different way, thus bypassing enemy fire and lining up a perfect run.

Irina finds it weird, but still makes a perfect job of bombing the target. They fly back and arrive safe and sound at the base, where things are hectic.

### Good news, bad news

The politruk and the Major are present for their debriefing.

All take turns to recount their exceptional mission.

The politruk has news: Senior Sergeant Smirnov was missing a shoulder board. Yú was taken into custody too. Whether or not she was working with The Nightingale, she was a black marketer, which is a crime in its own right. There are more news to come, good and bad.

The Major delivers the good news in the form of medals:

* Nik and Anosova are awarded the Order of Suvorov.

* Irina is made a Hero of the Soviet Union, the highest distinction.
* Lena is awarded a Medal For Valor.

There is no champagne on this occasion, just a plate of food in memory of Ivanova.

The politruk delivers the bad news: the Nightingale gave a lot of information about troop movements, which resulted in losses for both the 588th and the 218th. Lena just freezes, and can't move, when Captain Barsukova asks to talk to her in private. Anosova toucher her shoulder: *It's okay*.

All hear that, among the losses she mentioned, Alexi was shot down this last night: *I'm afraid he perished*.

Nik reaches out to Lena.

Irina wants to be on the mission to recover his body.

Lena squeezes Nik's hand. She sheds one tear, keeps staring; there is no color in her face.

The politruk promises that *We will find his body*; she will make sure that Irina is on that mission.

It's now just the five of them in the room, with Anastasia.

Anastasia cries quietly.

## Notes

1. ↑ a.k.a. Französisch Buchholz.
2. ↑ Pumpkinberry got to choose the mission, because Anosova was replacing Tatania.
3. ↑ 1 harm, to be precise. In exchange for it, she doesn't have to roll for Navigation.
4. ↑ Irina chooses marks as the negative consequence of her success; these marks materialize later in the episode.
5. ↑ All chose Medal as their advance.
6. ↑ *NftE*: TrooperSJP ended the scene with a long pause.