Scene 1: Boarding the Graf Zeppelin

[Sir Wolf]

You are gathered at the Friedrichshafen airport. It is now about four o'clock in the after noon a few hours before departure at 6 p.m. on the 28 of April 1937. It is a warm spring and the weather seems very promising for a flight. There are about 20 other passengers here along with their escorts saying good bye. Outside you can see the massive airship being prepared for takeoff:


You are being server afternoon tea while you are waiting to be allowed to board.

[Dax]

A sad good-bye scene developes around a young woman.
Her parents seems to send their offspring away.
While the oldest daughter tries to hold back her tears,
her younger brother and sister are crying their eyes out.

Finally the parents have to leave and start crying on their own
after they cover some distance between them and their children.

The young woman takes care of the snotting noses and
the cookies calm the youngs further down.
The eye-widening wonder of the monumental air-ship dries the last tears for now.

Miriam Sarah Goldstein sips absent minded tea while her siblings are playing 'Zeppelin'.

[Caladan Blackmoon]

A man and a woman are sitting cross-legged on the ground. He seems to be in his early twenties while she appears to be a few years older.

They certainly stand out of the rest of the people gathered not only because they are not standing or sitting on the chairs provided but also because of their clothing and baggage. Most of the passengers have ample baggage with them and are wearing fine clothing (long trousers on the men, skirts of varying length on the women), but those two both sport short trousers and buttoned shirts with short sleeves. Their bodies look lean as well, excess fat seems to be wholly missing.

Neither of them seems to speak German since they are talking to each other in a foreign language, possibly Spanish or Portuguese.

They are eyeing the other passengers with what appears to be good-natured curiosity.

[Sir Wolf]

There is a commotion  by one of the entrances. A man and awoman enter surrounded by reporters and porters carrying luggage. The man and woman seem to look somewhat familiar,and after a while it dawns on you that they are the famous actor/actress couple from France... Mr Jacques Mallory and his wife Marie handle the reporters and photographers with grace;posing for the cameras and responding to the reporters' questions, while they walk over to reserved area, where they settle down and then after a while the reporters seem to be satisfied, and disperse to interview and take pictures of some other people and the huge Zeppelin.

[Tibbs]

Patrick Hampton

The older man looks up from his paper to see the commotion going on. He shakes his head and smiles, thinking Some people will just never get a break... This man had no family to drop him off or say goodbye to, and his colleagues were all busy enough with their practices, so he was by himself. He didn't mind, and it was obvious. He was a happy-go-lucky, but calm, careful and meticulous person.

Dr. Hampton is 5'9, 51 years old, a full white beard and white hair, with a nice pair of metal rimmed spectacles and he smokes out of a small pipe. He wears a nice gray suit, white shirt, tie, black shoes and has a dark leather medicine bag next to him. n the ground at his feet is a brown leather travel suitcase. Just enough room for a few outfits and his travel kit.

He put his paper away and takes out a series of papers to look at on the zeppelin. This procedure that he was going to do was going to be world-changing! He could barely think about anything else. And the tissue samples from Brazil... What a find! A new bacterium perhaps? Maybe a new fungal infection... Dr. Hampton was so lost in his thoughts, he completely forgot about his ticket. Oh no!, he thought, Where is my ticket?? Stupid me, getting so worked up about what might be happening rather than what IS happening. Oh Patrick, where is your mind you buffoon? Patrick shuffles through his papers, and his medicine bag before checking the inside pocket of his suit coat to find his ticket nestled in snugly. He smiles reassured.

[fudgebob]

A tall, young, and wiry man, but with premature stooped shoulders, can be seen chatting animatedly with some of the ground crew near the zeppelin. He is wearing a simple dark grey suit under a great tan coat. Some of his words (in german) are overheard by the passengers, like: "A work of art!", "Amazing!", "A marvel of science!". Always holding a white hankerchief against his mouth, Mr. Tukket looks up, trying to take it all in, the size and majesty of the Graf Zeppelin!

[Dax]

It is a very dramatic scene:

The ground crew fights against the cross wind,
but the Zeppelin Graf David is tossed around.
The cross wind tears down as the commotion arises.
The children glance over to the crowd of people.

Of course Rebecca and David start begging her elder sister to go closer.
Miriam can't stand against the plea of the 12 year old girl and a 10 year old boy.

Rebecca recognizes the actors at once:
"They are making films together. And they were invited to Hollywot.
Of course they prefer to film at the DEFA-Filmstudios in Babelsberg.
The american filmindustry will ever be second class to DEFA."

Rebecca states this with the national pride Miriam lost.
Miriam mutters more to herself: "Why are they heading there - leaving Germany ?"

But Rebecca knows the answer:
"Vacation. Or they are telling the americans that they will never film in Hollywot."

The reportes disperse and start talking with other passengers,
Miriam leads her little family instantly away from interrogations.

"Now the huge Graf Miriam ..."
"You mean fat !"

"The beautiful Graf Miriam picks up some naughty animals to transport them from Germany back to the wilderness."
Imitating propeller sound Miriam finds the strength to carry her siblings away.

[Sir Wolf]

The permission to board comes eventually, and there is a large crowd of escorters accompanying the 20 passengers. The crew directs the passengers to board. The entrance is narrow and a pretty woman with a smile greets you as you enter. She directs you to the left through the lounge/dining area towards the back of the Zeppelin to your cabins.


The lounge


The corridor to the cabins

Miriam and her entourage gets cabin one with bunks one to three. The cabin is surprisingly spacious. Two bunk-beds are set against the side walls, and opposite to the door is a cupboard. In the middle of the room a table with four seats is placed. The windows are nice and offer a good view of the crowd outside.

Patrick Hampton finds himself in the last cabin on the left, numbered nine.
The two climbers have cabin six (beds 17 and 18).
Mr Tucket has also a private cabin. Marked as number 10.

The cabins 9 and 10 are quite small with a small window close to the floor, which lets in some light at least. The bed is utilitarian, and there is a small night stand. Beneath the bed there is a drawer for clothes. Cabin six is mid-sized with two beds situated above each other, a dressing table/desk and and a small cupboard for clothes.


Cabin 6

OOC here is the lay-out:

[Dax]

Miriam Sarah Goldstein

After the investigation of their cabin Miriam's siblings want to see into every room of the Zeppelin.
And the three are walking around.

With the promise to ask the pilots for a visit of the steering room
Miriam gets her brother and her sister to stay in their cabine with her - for now.

[fudgebob]

As Mr. Tukket boards, he gives a quick hello to the "stewardess" but his head is swiveling to and fro, examining anything and everything with his eyes. In the private cabin, he neatly puts his clothes into the drawers. From his suit case, he pulls out a small bag, his "traveller's toolbox" and puts it on the night stand.

A quick check of the bed then he is off to the lounge, to witness the great airship's take-off!

[Tibbs]

Patrick Hampton

Hampton smiles as it's time to board, pulling out his passport. He shows his ticket and passport as he boards the zeppelin. Hampton makes his way to cabin 9, and sets his things down. He immediately takes out a small journal and begins to write an entry logging the conference earlier in the day, and his trip and thoughts about the zeppelin so far.

He will then unpack his things, leave, lock his cabin door and head to the lounge to get something to drink while he watches the lift-off.

[Caladan Blackmoon]

Brandon and his lady friend enter their cabin to dump their baggage.

“Aaah, a nice featherbed will bring me sweet dreams and allow me to relax,”, he says, letting himself fall upon one of the mattresses, “before we'll have to strain ourselves on that mountain.”.

At that she laughs and proceeds to set up her sleeping mat on the floor.

“I'm going to check out this air ship now, you with me?” she starts to ask but then notices that Brandon's taking a nap. She smiles and leaves the room, taking care not to disturb him.

[Sir Wolf]

The view from Miriam's cabin shows the people milling around the aircraft. Some personnel are bringing in food, others bring hoses which they connect to different places, then again crowded by reporters the Mallory couple climb aboard the vessel, giving one last comment and pose for the hungry reporters.

Brandon's lady friend finds that there is a door at the end of the cabin corridor, which reads "Zugang Verboten", and seems to be locked. The other end of the corridor contains the lounge which is starting to fill up with people, beyond the lounge, is the kitchen. "Ja? Can I help you Freulein?", one of the stewardesses asks. As she enters the kitchen area. In the Kitchen is a single cook in addition to the steward. There is one technician closing the main entrance hatch near the kitchen. "Bitte, will you please find a seat, miss?", he asks and explains that the takeoff can be a bit bumpy.

Mr Tucket is the first one to return to the lounge, on his way he bumps into the actor couple, Mr and Mrs Mallory, who are trying to pen their cabin door, number 15,16. The lock seems to be jammed, but as Mr Tucket comes close the locks seems to sense his presence and gives way, With a flair Mr Mallory opens the door and lifts in their luggage, while Mr Tucket passes by. The seat in the lounge is very nice and Mr Tucket has a good view of both the outside and the lounge.

When Patrick Hampton comes to the lounge all two-person tables by the windows are occupied. There is only one place left, opposite to Mr Tucket, from the cabin across the hall to Patrick. There is quite a buzz boing on with the other passengers, they are all looking out to see the takeoff.

Once all preparations are done, and everybody finds their seat there is a lurch as the zeppelin is released from its mooring and it takes off for the southern skies, From the windows you can see how the people on the ground are waving you off and shrink to become ants. Soon the airfield can barely be seen as the airship takes a south-westerly course and heads over the lake.

[Dax]

Miriam Sarah Goldstein

Miriam watches the landscape.
She doesn't know if she will ever see it again.

[fudgebob]

Mr. Tukket feels a little sea (air) sick from the ascent yet exhilarated with this new experience.