Name Day (Night Witches)

Picture by RocketteFox

GM
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## Recurring NPCs

Cpt. Olga Barsukova

Jr. Lt. Anastasia Sheremeteva

Sr. Lt. Svetlana Sheremeteva

Sgt. Ludmilla Ivanova

Jr. Lt. Alexi Popov

Sr. Sgt. Boris Smirnov

"Name Day" is the ninth episode of the first season of Night Witches: Toils and Trouble.

## Summary

### Correcting the record

After debriefing, Captain Barsukova comes with an early copy of the Pravda: those bastards — in Irina's words — praise the 218th for the heroic mission of the 588th. The politruk has the 218th assembled to see her award the Medal of Combat Merit to Tatania and Irina for their devotion, and mention the role of the 588th as a whole in saving the lives of the men of the 218th.

Captain Barsukova adds to her counterpart's anger, getting him to provide the champagne in which the medals are dunked. Alexi leads the cheers and the claps in the ranks of the 218th at the tail end of this odd moment, which puts the actions of the 588th on record.

### Breakfast

During breakfast, Nik seeks Irina, who sits by herself, reading a letter with her maimed hands.

Lena sits away from other people to have her first breakfast since she came back. She notices women whispering about her, getting away from her. Irina and Tatania take Lena's side. Lena retreats to her safe place, starts talking about her Little Clipper, how piloting is really just about listening to the plane. Irina gets it.

Tatania shares her plan for Anastasia’s name-day party with Nik: nothing too extreme — Nik points out everything is extreme with Anastasia —, but it will mean a lot to their young , naive comrade.

Tatania enlists the whole section, Nik will retrieve vodka from Mel.

Irina and Anastasia tell Lena how they recovered her Clipper and met Veronika, who looks like a movie star with a scar: Lena listens with rapture to the tale as enlivened by Anastasia.

Ivanova comes and mockingly offers Irina a rematch. The sore loser angers Nik, but hears Irina admit she put up a good fight.

With Irina defending her from the ambient hostility, Lena hurries her breakfast to leave. Irina and Lena happen to suffer from the most harm, for different reasons.

Nik gets the opportunity to congratulate Irina, thus returning Irina's earlier compliment. Irina points out that Nik bested her by walking on both wings. This reach-out allows them both to heal harm.

### Fixing Little Clipper

Lena wants to help fix her Clipper before her rendezvous with Mel at the church — this, supposing Mel did get the note she had clipped onto her plane. Mel and her five mechanics can clearly use the help, and maybe this is the only reason why Mel welcomes Lena. Lena dives in the heart of it, intuitively, not as it's supposed to be done.

When she needs more canvas, she goes knock on Alexi's barracks, with grease all over. He comes out; the red mark on his cheek tells that he was punched in the scuffle she's just heard. Lena is sorry; Alexi shrugs it off: *Everybody is really mad about that ceremony*. Lena offers to clean something in exchange for the canvas. They chat a little, Lena about healing the punch with cold and about the grease, Alexi about the jerks who speak ill of his wife. In the time it takes Alexi to return with a heavy bolt of canvas — and advice to leave quickly — Lena hears Alexi's bunk mates dis her marriage. Alexi won't take Lena's cleaning offer. Instead, they hug and he talks about the letter her brother sent him. She accepts his offer of having dinner together some time. They say bye, she runs back. The effort causes lots more sweating but it's worth it: there is canvas for other planes besides Clipper.

Nik, on her way to talk to Mel, like every day, goes to Lena. While they work — Nik holding things for Lena —, Lena gives so many explanations that Nik wonders how much Coca Cola she got. The conversation moves from fixing the plane to Lena's thinking is not "cured". Nik insists there is nothing wrong with Lena: she serves Mother Russia to the best of her abilities and that's all that matters. Lena is drenched in sweat. Mel walks past, brings them vodka. The two drink to Mother Russia and to sisterhood: it's good that Lena is back.

Lena doesn't trust Nik with a message for Mel, sees the note was taken, hopes for the best. She tries to speak about Alexi, and they have more vodka. Lena getting drunk doesn't help with the repairs: the plane is idiosyncratic and odd, a little sassy, even.

### Getting ready for the party

Tatania grabs Irina: she can get good vodka for the party, about which she’s kinda told Anastasia. The party will take place in the mess hall.

Tatania goes to Boris to make a cake; she hints at his criminal links to the Black Market to get hard-to-find ingredients such as sugar. Boris and her go so far back she won’t get him in trouble; besides, the plans he shares about living with Yú after the war warm her cold heart and she invites them both. Tatania is not good at baking, she ends up with a *sad cake*.

Irina goes to Svetlana's office. Unbeknownst to her, she's spotted by Captain Barsukova. Irina makes herself comfortable. She gets a bottle of good vodka, in exchange for a favor later. Irina makes Svetlana so uncomfortable about the last time she was here, Svetlana can only stress, markedly, that *You have a vivid imagination*. Irina's favor will be to forget she said that. They part amicably; Svetlana enters the politruk's office.

Tatania hides the bottle Irina gives her from Anastasia.

Time for the mission is approaching. Tatania shares her latest vision of a wolf holding a goose in its mouse, circling and maintaining eye contact with her. Maybe the wolf is a reference to Nik's last name? To Irina it doesn't sound like a good sign.

### Mel’s Confession

It is also time for Lena to go out for fresh air — at the church. Svetlana meets her on the way: she has letters for her, from her family and from Veronika Kurdina. Lena immediately reads the letter from the pilot she has not met. Kurdina builds on her own short marriage to urge Lena to not take the people she loves for granted. Lena folds back the letter very carefully and tucks it into her breast pocket before entering the church.

Lena runs toward Mel; they hug; Lena thought about Mel every day; she tells about the electricity they used on her, the smell — things familiar to Mel too. Mel doesn't think Lena is okay yet; she's glad Lena is back. They hold hands. Mel starts saying what's on her mind: Lena did nothing wrong, she stepped forward to save her — Lena would do it again in a heartbeat —; she got married just to avoid lobotomy. Then comes the hard truth: while Lena was becoming almost superhuman to her, Mel found love with someone else:

> *I didn't know it because I had you so strongly in my heart; I fell in love with someone else; I feel like the worst person in the world; it's not because you got married ... I'm so sorry, after everything you've been through. I know you’ll hate me ... Never forgive me.*
>
>

Lena stands up slowly and leaves the church. She cries a little while on her way back.

### Briefing

Lena is still in rough shape when mission briefing starts. She assures Tatania she can fly.

Irina will pilot Clipper, with Lena as navigator; Tatania Lucky 13, with Anastasia; Ivanova Death's kiss, with Nik.

Tatania can tell Lena is in a bad head space but sharpens up when it comes to the mission.

Mel is not on the airfield, it's her wing woman attaching bombs with her mechanics.

Lena talked to Irina about the changes she's made to the freshly lacquered Clipper. Irina too sees that Lena is not fine.

Lena leads them to their objective: a fuel dump and rail yard. One of Clipper's flaps snaps away: it will be hard for Irina to land.

Tatania fails her attack: Lucky 13 is over the target, isolated and exposed. Clipper comes to the rescue and slips in between the search lights and the gunfire to finish the job; Irina and Lena are laughing. Lucky 13 can't avoid the explosion; Anastasia starts screaming, then whimpering.

Irina lands Clipper perfectly; there are people waiting for their return with the sad cake and vodka. Lena is not sure she should go to the party.

### Name Day

Tatania lands; jumps to check in on Anastasia; she hears the singing for Anastasia's name day; Anastasia is curled up, whimpering, her blood covered in face. Tatania shouts for a medic; she requests bad vodka to clean the wound caused by a jagged piece of metal sticking in the side of her face. Tatania steps aside as the medic comes; she just says nice things: you’re gonna be fine.

Anastasia thanks her for the name day party.

## Notes

1. ↑ Pills pilots are given to stay awake. *NftE*: the quote TrooperSJP read at the beginning of the episode made it clear that they would still sleep on flights.
2. ↑ Leading Sarah to comment in chat: OLGA IS RIGHT OUTSIDE omgomgomgomg.
3. ↑ Wolf is *volk* in Russian.
4. ↑ Or, as Anna wrote in chat after a brief appearance on screen, *carpe the diem*.
5. ↑ *NftE*: thanks to both of you for this powerful scene.