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No Trespassing!

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NO TRESPASSING : HAUNTED BY TRANSLATION! (1).

Gilbert and Susan had a bad feeling. The feeling that they might be in real trouble now.


Gilbert and Susan knew each other for almost fifteen years. They had a common passion : traveling, preferably to countries which were reputed as difficult to access. All their holidays and all their money were spent to this hobby.


Gilbert, 37, a somewhat tall and stocky man, was an engineer who had made it to a staff position in a telecom company. Susan, 43, slim, average figure, with blond wavy hair just above her shoulders, was a self-employed human resources consultant.


As it suited to people of the status of Gilbert and Susan, they had a considerable digital social network, wherein their passion for traveling was legendary. Gilbert and Susan were some kind of pioneers. Once they had visited, or ‘tried out’ a country, others from their network soon followed their footsteps.


But this time, things seemed to have gone wrong. Gilbert and Susan were in a military police compound. They were in a large room with only small, barred windows. There was a bench and a desk. In front of the desk sat a chubby sergeant, with a thick black walrus moustache. Gilbert found him resembling Sergeant Garcia from the Zorro series. But this was not California or a Latin American country. This was the other side of the world, this was Transkaukasia, some forgotten former republic of the late Soviet Union. They were alone with the sergeant, who wore a rather sloppy uniform, in a since long demoded 1930’s army style. But nevertheless he wore more clothing than Gilbert and Susan, who stood bare naked next to each other, hands in the neck, their clothes littered on the floor. Above the desk where ‘sergeant Garcia’ was meanwhile inspecting their properties and papers, the stern eyes on the official portrait of Dr. Ali Skrjabin, Founding Father and President for Life and Beyond of the Republic of Transkaukasia, scanned their bodies in a way that Gilbert and Susan felt intimidating.


Just about two hours earlier, Gilbert and Susan had been driving along the coast. They had decided to stop for a pick nick along the road, where they had a beautiful view over the local bay. The road was running along the mountain rim, which sloped down to sea level by a cliff. On the other side of the bay lay a port and a city. Gilbert had taken some pictures of the landscape. It was a tremendous view on the bay. Along the bay lay the capital Skrjabinpolis and the port. On the other side lay a hilly landscape. Behind it rose the magnificent Transkaukasian Mountains, with their snow white peaks, up to almost five kilometers above the sea. The visibility was fairly good that day, so they could see, some thirty kilometers from where they stood, the peaks of the famous twin mountains! Their slopes were badly visible, graying out in the haze, making it look like as if their snow covered tops hovered above the landscape. Nevertheless, they still looked majestic! These twin mountains, Mount Ulyanov and Mount Djugashvili, were the real targets of their voyage. After enjoying this beauty, they returned to their car and drove towards the capital. Suddenly, they heard a strange roar above their head. Confused at first, they discovered that a heavy assault helicopter was hovering over their car. Suddenly, the helicopter, Gilbert identified as an old Soviet model, descended in front of them and landed. Ten heavily armed soldiers jumped out and signed Gilbert to stop. They were forced to leave the car and they were taken to the helicopter, which took off immediately with them.

Once in the helicopter, they were cuffed and blindfolded. It was a short flight, which took only a few minutes, no further than the city, Gilbert and Susan estimated. After the landing, Gilbert and Susan were brought to the building they were in now. They had to face the wall and were searched. Gilbert tried to find out what was going on, but despite the fact that he did not understand the language, it was clear to him that he was ordered to shut his mouth.

Then, ‘Sergeant Garcia’ had entered. He spoke English. It seemed a relief for Gilbert and Susan, as they thought they could now explain that there was a mistake, but they got a “silence” as the only answer. Then the sergeant ordered them to stand apart. His orders were brief and short.

“You two! Strip! Everything! All clothes on the floor!”

It was clear to Gilbert and Susan that they better should obey. They took off their clothes. Once naked, they were ordered to stand with their hands in the neck.

“We wait for your goods to be brought!” And so they waited. And they still were waiting.

It was not the first time Gilbert and Susan were picked by local police forces during a travel in a ‘difficult’ country. In fact, it had happened them in about one in three of their voyages. It was not even the first time they were subjected to a strip search either. They were ‘used to it’, heaving learned that resistance would be futile. When it was all over, these searches had been a source of erotic excitement. They used it afterwards to turn each other on, by fantasizing what (naked) perils could have happened to them in case,..

But this time it seemed more serious. It took quite long. Both feared they had been framed by someone. That without their knowledge, drugs or other forbidden substances had been hidden in their luggage. But the inspection of their luggage did not reveal anything suspect. Now, ‘Sergeant Garcia’ was going through the pictures they had taken with their camera. And all the sudden, he said : “Aha!”

He turned to them and said!

“This is a picture of a warship of the Transkaukasian Navy! It is forbidden to take pictures of warships of the Transkaukasian Navy. That is spying!”

There were a few pictures with some warships, apparently frigates, which lay moored in their port in bay. The picture had been taken from the cliff a few hours ago. But it needed a high magnification of the pics to distinguish them.

“I had no idea there were warships there. I took the picture of the bay, and the mountains because it was a beautiful landscape!”

“You have been arrested because you were in a prohibited area. It is forbidden there to get off the way and walk on the cliffs! You did! And you took pictures of our warships.”

“How could we know we were not allowed to walk there?”

“There is a sign: ‘do not leave the main road. Do not photograph!’ Haven’t you seen it?”

Now Susan remembered something. There had been a sign indeed. She had quickly tried to translate it by means of her smartphone, but something had gone wrong, as she had concluded from the translation that (for some reason she did not understand why) it was allowed to leave the road and to take pictures. She figured, it was the local way to draw attention to a beautiful panorama, as it was. Definitely a struggle with the incredibly difficult local language, with its old Cyrillic characters and its sixteen inflexions. She understood now that it was her mistaken translation that had brought them into trouble.

“It is my fault, Sir, I translated the sign wrongly.”

“So, you have noticed it, but neglected it? That aggravates your case!”

“No, Sir! I told you! I…”

“Silence!”

Susan understood she better kept her mouth. ‘Anything you say shall be used against you’ seemed to be the rule here.

An officer walked in. ‘Captain Monasterio is there’, Gilbert thought. But he realized Zorro would never come to their rescue. Both men talked for a while in their native language. Then, ‘Captain Monasterio’, who turned to be a real army captain, spoke to Gilbert and Susan.

“As I hear from Sergeant, you have taken pictures of our warships, from a place it was forbidden to enter. He said you have admitted that you have neglected a sign forbidding the entrance of the area you trespassed, and forbidding to take picture, which you nevertheless did! These are serious offences! Particularly in wartime!”

“Wartime!?” Gilbert and Susan said in simultaneously.

“Yes! Wartime! We have martial law since our independence! Consequently this country is officially at war since 1992! You should know. When you enter a foreign country, you must always inform yourself about its laws and statuses! Ignorance is no excuse! As you came here into a country at war to photograph warships, you are considered as spies!”

“But, spies, for whom?”

“I hope you will voluntarily tell us! If not, we consider you as free-lance spies who sell their information to the highest bidder!”

“But this is ridiculous! We are just travelers!”

“Silence! You will appear in court! If you tell us names of contacts and of those for whom you work, the court could consider mitigating circumstances. Then, you get away with life sentence in a labor camp! If not…!”

“We want to speak to our embassy!” Gilbert said.

“Request denied! This country is at war! In war, martial law prevails over international regulations.”

“But with whom is it at war!? Not without our country!?” Gilbert asked desperately!

“With whom!? It does not matter! There is martial law, so there is war!”

“We want a lawyer!”

“No need for that! Martial law provides its own transparent guarantees for a fair trial! Now we will proceed!”

“Proceed?”

“Silence!” ‘Captain Monasterio’ walked to the door and gave an order in his language. A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door. A soldier came in with papers. Another thick moustache. He stayed in the room, waiting for orders, and meanwhile unashamed scrutinizing Susan’s naked body. Gilbert saw the two stripes on his sleeves. Must be ‘Corporal Reyes’, no doubt!

Then ‘Captain Monasterio’ turned to them both.

“This is your declaration of guilt! Sign it please!”

“But we are not guilty! We do not sign it!”

“Silence! And by the way, never mind! It becomes proof for the accusation, as soon as I have signed it, regardless of what you do with it! That is our transparent way to avoid clumsy judicial procedures! You see! You don’t need a defence attorney!”

“But…!”

“Silence! I sign it. I guess you would not understand anyway what you would subscribe, as you obviously cannot decipher a simple warning sign in our language.”

‘Captain Monasterio’ signed it and read it.

“According to article blahblahblah of the Martial Law declared on September 1st of the year 1992, blahblahblah, we, captain – myself, you know – acting as mandated by the Supreme Command of the Armed forces, blahblahblah, have accused of the crime of spying, on proof of content in the confiscated camera and trespassing into military area, on – date of today – the hereafter mentioned people – I will fill in your names here – who have confessed their crimes – silence please, Sir – in the presence of myself! All right! That’s it for procedural transparency! Bring them to their cells!”

(to be continued)
 
NO TRESPASSING : HAUNTED BY TRANSLATION! (1).

Gilbert and Susan had a bad feeling. The feeling that they might be in real trouble now.


Gilbert and Susan knew each other for almost fifteen years. They had a common passion : traveling, preferably to countries which were reputed as difficult to access. All their holidays and all their money were spent to this hobby.


Gilbert, 37, a somewhat tall and stocky man, was an engineer who had made it to a staff position in a telecom company. Susan, 43, slim, average figure, with blond wavy hair just above her shoulders, was a self-employed human resources consultant.


As it suited to people of the status of Gilbert and Susan, they had a considerable digital social network, wherein their passion for traveling was legendary. Gilbert and Susan were some kind of pioneers. Once they had visited, or ‘tried out’ a country, others from their network soon followed their footsteps.


But this time, things seemed to have gone wrong. Gilbert and Susan were in a military police compound. They were in a large room with only small, barred windows. There was a bench and a desk. In front of the desk sat a chubby sergeant, with a thick black walrus moustache. Gilbert found him resembling Sergeant Garcia from the Zorro series. But this was not California or a Latin American country. This was the other side of the world, this was Transkaukasia, some forgotten former republic of the late Soviet Union. They were alone with the sergeant, who wore a rather sloppy uniform, in a since long demoded 1930’s army style. But nevertheless he wore more clothing than Gilbert and Susan, who stood bare naked next to each other, hands in the neck, their clothes littered on the floor. Above the desk where ‘sergeant Garcia’ was meanwhile inspecting their properties and papers, the stern eyes on the official portrait of Dr. Ali Skrjabin, Founding Father and President for Life and Beyond of the Republic of Transkaukasia, scanned their bodies in a way that Gilbert and Susan felt intimidating.


Just about two hours earlier, Gilbert and Susan had been driving along the coast. They had decided to stop for a pick nick along the road, where they had a beautiful view over the local bay. The road was running along the mountain rim, which sloped down to sea level by a cliff. On the other side of the bay lay a port and a city. Gilbert had taken some pictures of the landscape. It was a tremendous view on the bay. Along the bay lay the capital Skrjabinpolis and the port. On the other side lay a hilly landscape. Behind it rose the magnificent Transkaukasian Mountains, with their snow white peaks, up to almost five kilometers above the sea. The visibility was fairly good that day, so they could see, some thirty kilometers from where they stood, the peaks of the famous twin mountains! Their slopes were badly visible, graying out in the haze, making it look like as if their snow covered tops hovered above the landscape. Nevertheless, they still looked majestic! These twin mountains, Mount Ulyanov and Mount Djugashvili, were the real targets of their voyage. After enjoying this beauty, they returned to their car and drove towards the capital. Suddenly, they heard a strange roar above their head. Confused at first, they discovered that a heavy assault helicopter was hovering over their car. Suddenly, the helicopter, Gilbert identified as an old Soviet model, descended in front of them and landed. Ten heavily armed soldiers jumped out and signed Gilbert to stop. They were forced to leave the car and they were taken to the helicopter, which took off immediately with them.

Once in the helicopter, they were cuffed and blindfolded. It was a short flight, which took only a few minutes, no further than the city, Gilbert and Susan estimated. After the landing, Gilbert and Susan were brought to the building they were in now. They had to face the wall and were searched. Gilbert tried to find out what was going on, but despite the fact that he did not understand the language, it was clear to him that he was ordered to shut his mouth.

Then, ‘Sergeant Garcia’ had entered. He spoke English. It seemed a relief for Gilbert and Susan, as they thought they could now explain that there was a mistake, but they got a “silence” as the only answer. Then the sergeant ordered them to stand apart. His orders were brief and short.

“You two! Strip! Everything! All clothes on the floor!”

It was clear to Gilbert and Susan that they better should obey. They took off their clothes. Once naked, they were ordered to stand with their hands in the neck.

“We wait for your goods to be brought!” And so they waited. And they still were waiting.

It was not the first time Gilbert and Susan were picked by local police forces during a travel in a ‘difficult’ country. In fact, it had happened them in about one in three of their voyages. It was not even the first time they were subjected to a strip search either. They were ‘used to it’, heaving learned that resistance would be futile. When it was all over, these searches had been a source of erotic excitement. They used it afterwards to turn each other on, by fantasizing what (naked) perils could have happened to them in case,..

But this time it seemed more serious. It took quite long. Both feared they had been framed by someone. That without their knowledge, drugs or other forbidden substances had been hidden in their luggage. But the inspection of their luggage did not reveal anything suspect. Now, ‘Sergeant Garcia’ was going through the pictures they had taken with their camera. And all the sudden, he said : “Aha!”

He turned to them and said!

“This is a picture of a warship of the Transkaukasian Navy! It is forbidden to take pictures of warships of the Transkaukasian Navy. That is spying!”

There were a few pictures with some warships, apparently frigates, which lay moored in their port in bay. The picture had been taken from the cliff a few hours ago. But it needed a high magnification of the pics to distinguish them.

“I had no idea there were warships there. I took the picture of the bay, and the mountains because it was a beautiful landscape!”

“You have been arrested because you were in a prohibited area. It is forbidden there to get off the way and walk on the cliffs! You did! And you took pictures of our warships.”

“How could we know we were not allowed to walk there?”

“There is a sign: ‘do not leave the main road. Do not photograph!’ Haven’t you seen it?”

Now Susan remembered something. There had been a sign indeed. She had quickly tried to translate it by means of her smartphone, but something had gone wrong, as she had concluded from the translation that (for some reason she did not understand why) it was allowed to leave the road and to take pictures. She figured, it was the local way to draw attention to a beautiful panorama, as it was. Definitely a struggle with the incredibly difficult local language, with its old Cyrillic characters and its sixteen inflexions. She understood now that it was her mistaken translation that had brought them into trouble.

“It is my fault, Sir, I translated the sign wrongly.”

“So, you have noticed it, but neglected it? That aggravates your case!”

“No, Sir! I told you! I…”

“Silence!”

Susan understood she better kept her mouth. ‘Anything you say shall be used against you’ seemed to be the rule here.

An officer walked in. ‘Captain Monasterio is there’, Gilbert thought. But he realized Zorro would never come to their rescue. Both men talked for a while in their native language. Then, ‘Captain Monasterio’, who turned to be a real army captain, spoke to Gilbert and Susan.

“As I hear from Sergeant, you have taken pictures of our warships, from a place it was forbidden to enter. He said you have admitted that you have neglected a sign forbidding the entrance of the area you trespassed, and forbidding to take picture, which you nevertheless did! These are serious offences! Particularly in wartime!”

“Wartime!?” Gilbert and Susan said in simultaneously.

“Yes! Wartime! We have martial law since our independence! Consequently this country is officially at war since 1992! You should know. When you enter a foreign country, you must always inform yourself about its laws and statuses! Ignorance is no excuse! As you came here into a country at war to photograph warships, you are considered as spies!”

“But, spies, for whom?”

“I hope you will voluntarily tell us! If not, we consider you as free-lance spies who sell their information to the highest bidder!”

“But this is ridiculous! We are just travelers!”

“Silence! You will appear in court! If you tell us names of contacts and of those for whom you work, the court could consider mitigating circumstances. Then, you get away with life sentence in a labor camp! If not…!”

“We want to speak to our embassy!” Gilbert said.

“Request denied! This country is at war! In war, martial law prevails over international regulations.”

“But with whom is it at war!? Not without our country!?” Gilbert asked desperately!

“With whom!? It does not matter! There is martial law, so there is war!”

“We want a lawyer!”

“No need for that! Martial law provides its own transparent guarantees for a fair trial! Now we will proceed!”

“Proceed?”

“Silence!” ‘Captain Monasterio’ walked to the door and gave an order in his language. A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door. A soldier came in with papers. Another thick moustache. He stayed in the room, waiting for orders, and meanwhile unashamed scrutinizing Susan’s naked body. Gilbert saw the two stripes on his sleeves. Must be ‘Corporal Reyes’, no doubt!

Then ‘Captain Monasterio’ turned to them both.

“This is your declaration of guilt! Sign it please!”

“But we are not guilty! We do not sign it!”

“Silence! And by the way, never mind! It becomes proof for the accusation, as soon as I have signed it, regardless of what you do with it! That is our transparent way to avoid clumsy judicial procedures! You see! You don’t need a defence attorney!”

“But…!”

“Silence! I sign it. I guess you would not understand anyway what you would subscribe, as you obviously cannot decipher a simple warning sign in our language.”

‘Captain Monasterio’ signed it and read it.

“According to article blahblahblah of the Martial Law declared on September 1st of the year 1992, blahblahblah, we, captain – myself, you know – acting as mandated by the Supreme Command of the Armed forces, blahblahblah, have accused of the crime of spying, on proof of content in the confiscated camera and trespassing into military area, on – date of today – the hereafter mentioned people – I will fill in your names here – who have confessed their crimes – silence please, Sir – in the presence of myself! All right! That’s it for procedural transparency! Bring them to their cells!”

(to be continued)
A 'Spy' story ... one of my favourite genres ... bring on the interrogation!
 
A 'Spy' story ... one of my favourite genres ... bring on the interrogation!

A dispatch in the name of His Excellency Dr. Ali Skrjabin, Founding Father and President for Life and Beyond of the Republic of Transkaukasia : "The Republic of Transkaukasia is, within the limits of martial law in vigor, faithful to the principle of rule of law. Dr. Skrjabin, formerly a brilliant brain surgeon, who gave up his medical passion to devote his life to the well-being of his beloved Republic of Transkaukasia, states that his country respects human rights in all circumstances! Dr. Skrjabin is absolutely abhorrent of cruel interrogation methods, particularly those kinds of methods once used by Union Army troops against Dixie spies and rebels!';)

I'am sorry Fossy, but they will get a fair trial and treatment, within the limits of martial law, of course!:D
 
His Excellency Dr. Ali Skrjabin, Founding Father and President for Life and Beyond of the Republic of Transkaukasia ,,, formerly a brilliant brain surgeon, who gave up his medical passion to devote his life to the well-being of his beloved Republic ...
Hmmm is he one of those people who after accessing high executive positions,
sometimes feel the irresistible itch to every once in a while go back to 'hands-on' practice of their old profession,
just for old time's sakes...
 
“Silence! And by the way, never mind! It becomes proof for the accusation, as soon as I have signed it, regardless of what you do with it! That is our transparent way to avoid clumsy judicial procedures! You see! You don’t need a defence attorney!”
Well, that certainly seems fair. :confused:
 
No Trespassing – Haunted by Translation (2).

Two days later, Gilbert and Susan appeared in court. As witness for the prosecution, ‘Captain Monasterio’, besides waving with the ‘confession’, validated by his signature of interrogator only, came up with the final proofs of Gilbert and Susan’s guilt. Analysis of their smartphone showed that, immediately after taking the pictures from the forbidden spot, Susan had sent a few of them, showing warships, home. ‘Captain Monasterio’ had also recovered the translation of the text on the sign, Susan had referred to after their arrest. The captain stated to court that, according to him, the text left no doubt about its clarity, and that there was no room for misinterpretation.

Translation was the issue on the trial. There was a translator, or a person who pretended to be, who gave Gilbert and Susan broken, inconsistent and often contradictory information, and translating, or whatever it was intended, their replies to court. Sometimes, Gilbert and Susan, judging from the reaction of court, had the impression, the translator just had said the opposite of what they had intended, or did he just tell the judges what they wanted to hear? It was a very confusing trial.

Gilbert and Susan tried to interpret the translator’s words the best they could, but they ignored one more problem : when they meant ‘yes’, they nodded their head, when they meant ‘no’, they shook it. Unfortunately, in Transkaukasia, the body language simply was the reverse. So, unaware, they confirmed all the court’s accusations and denied all issues that could be in favour of them.

As they had not cooperated (since there was nothing to reveal from their side), no mitigating circumstances were considered by the judges.

Even the verdict was confusing. The only thing they understood was a death sentence for spying and lack of cooperation. They were sentenced to something the translation described as ‘hanging by a beam’. Gilbert and Susan feared they would be brought to the gallows and hung by the neck. They were anyway both in shock to hear that they were sentenced to death. The next day, appeal confirmed the sentence. Swift justice is fair justice, they say in Transkaukasia. They were notified that they could file a request to be executed together.

Finally, Gilbert and Susan were NOT executed together. Gilbert was executed five days after the conviction. Separately from Susan. The reason was that they were not officially married. In Transkaukasia, only married couples are allowed to be executed together. Gilbert was one of fifteen men executed that day. The other fourteen were condemned for crime, pacifism, treason or sabotage, all under the codes of martial law. Gilbert soon discovered the translation error in the death sentence. They were to be crucified : that was the meaning of ‘hanging at a wooden beam’. Dr. Ali Skrjabin, Founding Father and President for Life and Beyond of the Republic of Transkaukasia, had preferred this kind of sentence, because a) it was (supposed to be) a deterrent, b) because it left the condemned time to reflect on his/her crimes against the state of Transkaukasia, and c) because Dr. Ali Skrjabin was formerly a brilliant brain surgeon, and he deemed that crucifixion did not cause death by damaging or depriving the brain of oxygen, which he hated, for the love of his former medical passion.

The execution took place in a remote part of the naval base, Gilbert and Susan had accidently photographed. It was located close to the beach, and surrounded at three sides by a dike. The open part was visible from an public motorway. The condemned saw cars pass by, as if nothing was going. Watching how life went on, contemplating that others stood and went where they liked it, while their own life was brutally but slowly fading away!

There were three execution squads deployed. The condemned were brought in groups of three. They were stripped, tied to the patibulum and then nailed to it. Then they were hoisted by a crane mounted on a truck, and the patibulum was put on the stipes. Finally, their ankles were nailed to stipes. Meanwhile, the next three had to watch the execution, awaiting their own ordeal. Gilbert would survive about forty-eight hours.

Susan was executed eleven days after the verdict, same place, also in the nude, as one of five women, the others sentenced for crime or treason. She had tried to escape her sentence by pretending she could be pregnant. As tests proved negative, she was additionally sentenced to twenty lashes with the whip for lying against justice. Unaware of Gilbert’s fate she actually suffered on the same cross as him.

Weather was clear that day. In the distance, Mount Ulyanov and Mount Djugashvili, the ultimate targets of their voyage, showed in all their imposing majesty. But for Susan, they were forever out of reach!

Suffering all day long, under the sun, in the dry climate of the season, between four women whose language she did not even understand. From the distance, they were looked at by passersby, who had stopped along the motorway.

The humiliation ended when evening fell, the sun’s last rays falling on the snowy tops of Mount Ulyanov and Mount Djugashvili, turning them into an intense bright red.

But despite all agony and humiliation, both Gilbert and Susan had kept some of their globetrotter spirit. They had explored, ‘collected’ as they said themselves, lots of barely accessible countries. During their journeys they hence had collected lots of travel experiences too, which they had brought home, and, the months after, they had shared them with their friends and followers, and told them again and again, to anyone who wanted to hear them.

So, despite all agony and humiliation, Gilbert and Susan in some way, although separately, ‘enjoyed’ their new travel experience. Definitely the most extraordinary one of all.

The only sad thing was, that it was the ultimate travel experience, and that they would not be able to share them with their friends and followers, back home.

“Splendid landscape of the bay and the mountains. ‘Vaut le voyage’, as they say in French. Tomorrow, we travel to the Twin Mountains!” It was Gilbert and Susan’s last message before their arrest, to their followers. Nothing was heard of them since. Because the government of Transkaukasia did not communicate about executions of spies, and especially of foreign spies, for security reasons, it was thought, Gilbert and Susan got missing during an accident on the Twin Mountains. As a tribute, their social followers made up their mind to go themselves to Transkaukasia and visit the last place they heard of their friends. And they would make pictures of the bay, of course. The crosses in Transkaukasia will not stay empty for long.

The end.
 
No Trespassing – Haunted by Translation (2).

Two days later, Gilbert and Susan appeared in court. As witness for the prosecution, ‘Captain Monasterio’, besides waving with the ‘confession’, validated by his signature of interrogator only, came up with the final proofs of Gilbert and Susan’s guilt. Analysis of their smartphone showed that, immediately after taking the pictures from the forbidden spot, Susan had sent a few of them, showing warships, home. ‘Captain Monasterio’ had also recovered the translation of the text on the sign, Susan had referred to after their arrest. The captain stated to court that, according to him, the text left no doubt about its clarity, and that there was no room for misinterpretation.

Translation was the issue on the trial. There was a translator, or a person who pretended to be, who gave Gilbert and Susan broken, inconsistent and often contradictory information, and translating, or whatever it was intended, their replies to court. Sometimes, Gilbert and Susan, judging from the reaction of court, had the impression, the translator just had said the opposite of what they had intended, or did he just tell the judges what they wanted to hear? It was a very confusing trial.

Gilbert and Susan tried to interpret the translator’s words the best they could, but they ignored one more problem : when they meant ‘yes’, they nodded their head, when they meant ‘no’, they shook it. Unfortunately, in Transkaukasia, the body language simply was the reverse. So, unaware, they confirmed all the court’s accusations and denied all issues that could be in favour of them.

As they had not cooperated (since there was nothing to reveal from their side), no mitigating circumstances were considered by the judges.

Even the verdict was confusing. The only thing they understood was a death sentence for spying and lack of cooperation. They were sentenced to something the translation described as ‘hanging by a beam’. Gilbert and Susan feared they would be brought to the gallows and hung by the neck. They were anyway both in shock to hear that they were sentenced to death. The next day, appeal confirmed the sentence. Swift justice is fair justice, they say in Transkaukasia. They were notified that they could file a request to be executed together.

Finally, Gilbert and Susan were NOT executed together. Gilbert was executed five days after the conviction. Separately from Susan. The reason was that they were not officially married. In Transkaukasia, only married couples are allowed to be executed together. Gilbert was one of fifteen men executed that day. The other fourteen were condemned for crime, pacifism, treason or sabotage, all under the codes of martial law. Gilbert soon discovered the translation error in the death sentence. They were to be crucified : that was the meaning of ‘hanging at a wooden beam’. Dr. Ali Skrjabin, Founding Father and President for Life and Beyond of the Republic of Transkaukasia, had preferred this kind of sentence, because a) it was (supposed to be) a deterrent, b) because it left the condemned time to reflect on his/her crimes against the state of Transkaukasia, and c) because Dr. Ali Skrjabin was formerly a brilliant brain surgeon, and he deemed that crucifixion did not cause death by damaging or depriving the brain of oxygen, which he hated, for the love of his former medical passion.

The execution took place in a remote part of the naval base, Gilbert and Susan had accidently photographed. It was located close to the beach, and surrounded at three sides by a dike. The open part was visible from an public motorway. The condemned saw cars pass by, as if nothing was going. Watching how life went on, contemplating that others stood and went where they liked it, while their own life was brutally but slowly fading away!

There were three execution squads deployed. The condemned were brought in groups of three. They were stripped, tied to the patibulum and then nailed to it. Then they were hoisted by a crane mounted on a truck, and the patibulum was put on the stipes. Finally, their ankles were nailed to stipes. Meanwhile, the next three had to watch the execution, awaiting their own ordeal. Gilbert would survive about forty-eight hours.

Susan was executed eleven days after the verdict, same place, also in the nude, as one of five women, the others sentenced for crime or treason. She had tried to escape her sentence by pretending she could be pregnant. As tests proved negative, she was additionally sentenced to twenty lashes with the whip for lying against justice. Unaware of Gilbert’s fate she actually suffered on the same cross as him.

Weather was clear that day. In the distance, Mount Ulyanov and Mount Djugashvili, the ultimate targets of their voyage, showed in all their imposing majesty. But for Susan, they were forever out of reach!

Suffering all day long, under the sun, in the dry climate of the season, between four women whose language she did not even understand. From the distance, they were looked at by passersby, who had stopped along the motorway.

The humiliation ended when evening fell, the sun’s last rays falling on the snowy tops of Mount Ulyanov and Mount Djugashvili, turning them into an intense bright red.

But despite all agony and humiliation, both Gilbert and Susan had kept some of their globetrotter spirit. They had explored, ‘collected’ as they said themselves, lots of barely accessible countries. During their journeys they hence had collected lots of travel experiences too, which they had brought home, and, the months after, they had shared them with their friends and followers, and told them again and again, to anyone who wanted to hear them.

So, despite all agony and humiliation, Gilbert and Susan in some way, although separately, ‘enjoyed’ their new travel experience. Definitely the most extraordinary one of all.

The only sad thing was, that it was the ultimate travel experience, and that they would not be able to share them with their friends and followers, back home.

“Splendid landscape of the bay and the mountains. ‘Vaut le voyage’, as they say in French. Tomorrow, we travel to the Twin Mountains!” It was Gilbert and Susan’s last message before their arrest, to their followers. Nothing was heard of them since. Because the government of Transkaukasia did not communicate about executions of spies, and especially of foreign spies, for security reasons, it was thought, Gilbert and Susan got missing during an accident on the Twin Mountains. As a tribute, their social followers made up their mind to go themselves to Transkaukasia and visit the last place they heard of their friends. And they would make pictures of the bay, of course. The crosses in Transkaukasia will not stay empty for long.

The end.
And the moral of the story ... 'Always learn the local customs and signs of language when travelling!'
 
Gilbert and Susan tried to interpret the translator’s words the best they could, but they ignored one more problem : when they meant ‘yes’, they nodded their head, when they meant ‘no’, they shook it. Unfortunately, in Transkaukasia, the body language simply was the reverse. So, unaware, they confirmed all the court’s accusations and denied all issues that could be in favour of them.

Transkaukasia is a very strange country. Who would have ever imagined that body language would be different in that place? :doh:

Great story, Lox! :popcorn:
 
And the moral of the story ... 'Always learn the local customs and signs of language when travelling!'
Right on the nail!
Transkaukasia is a very strange country. Who would have ever imagined that body language would be different in that place? :doh:
A source of confusion when traveling in East European countries, where, opposite as we do, nodding (yes) and shaking (no) actually have a reversed meaning!:confused:

Story inspired from viewing travel pics from acquaintancens, who had photographed a beautiful coastal bay scene, just to discovered afterwards that there was a naval base with warships on it, and that it was actually forbidden to take photographs from such installations.:facepalm:

And from my own travel experience once, to translate a text from the local language in a quicky (reading it as a permission to trespass a road),, while it actually meant the opposite, as I discovered on returning, when I took more time for the translation.:doh:

But non of these violations have ended with a crucifixion.;)
 
Dr. Skrjabin, formerly a brilliant brain surgeon, who gave up his medical passion to devote his life to the well-being of his beloved Republic of Transkaukasia, states that his country respects human rights in all circumstances!
Interesting. Bashir in Syria was a friendly neighbourhood optometrist in London at one point.

Sorry I missed this one, Lox. I will catch up.
 
A little story, fitting the 'No trespassing' theme, inspired by a pic by @crumera


Cabbage wars.

Gaul, the 1st century AD

In the village, Brennos was known as a rather timid, quiet young man. Too quiet according to some. Brennos worked hard on his father’s farm, but he missed some.. fighting spirit in his character. While most young men of his age preferred an aggressive lifestyle, and a dominant behaviour, always in for a good fight in the tavern, Brennos rather evaded conflict and tried to solve disputes with words. In a village where masculine attitudes was still appreciated, a relic from times when there was always an imminent armed conflict with the neighbouring tribes, about a woman, about hunting grounds or about arable land, or about.. well, about any reason that suited, as live and let live was no option. Fighting was simply in the tribesmen’s character. Despite the Roman occupation, which had created peace among the tribes, old habits had not died at all. So, a quiet young man like Brennos was frowned upon, many doubted about his masculinity, but he was left alone, since, after all, someone had to grow the crops needed to feed the village.

Brennos still lived on his father’s farm, as a bachelor. Not that such was his choice. Like any young man, he fancied the girls, and he dreamed of once having his own farm, with the girl he had a crush on : Blanda, a daughter of Segomaros and Boudia.

Blanda was still single, rather unexceptional at the age of 20. Her problem was that her parents, to whom she was merely a legal possession, were very picky about finding a future husband. Although Brennos, with his future heritage of his father’s farm as the oldest son was not a too bad party, from the economic viewpoint, Boudia wanted for her daughter a slave trader, or a warrior, for the loot. She wanted on other words, a husband who would guarantee a big income, so her daughter did not ought to work, and could spend in a big way. Despite the good income generated by a farm, Boudia disliked the thought that her daughter should have to make her hands dirty by working on the land. Segomaros agreed with her, first of all, because he used since long to agree with his wife about such matters, secondly, because he preferred a son in law he could take to the tavern for drinking, playing dice and have a good fight to close the evening, instead of one who preferred discussing the cropping of wheat and cabbage.

Although Brennos knew, Blanda would be hard to get, he could not put her out of his mind. The difficulties made him sad, so he went to his fathers land and tried to forget his broken heart by growing even more wheat and cabbage.

But then, something was boiling. Political disputes had stirred up a rebellion against the Romans. The men of the villages took their swords and stood up against Rome. All men in Gaul? No, not all men in Gaul! Brennos, for instance, he stayed home. He wondered why such disputes could not be solved by gentlemanly negotiations, instead of by violence. So he stayed home, on father’s lands, since the wheat and the cabbage where about to be harvested. His father was too old to fight, but men like Segomaros had left. There were no more dice games, drinking or fights in the tavern. Brennos thought his moment had come, he could approach Blanda is calmer conditions, without her being accompanied by boasting, imposing young men. Problem was, Blanda and Boudia and other village girls refused to speak with him, since, as he had not joined the rebellion, they considered him a coward.

Some two weeks later, as he was harvesting wheat and cabbage, Brennos suddenly noticed Romans. They ignored him, but marched straight to the villa where Segomaros lived.

Brennos ignored them too! Weeding the weeds between the cabbage took his attention. Just after noon, when he returned to the farm, he noticed his father with a lot of people on the courtyard, talking agitated.

“Brennos! The Romans just have crucified Boudia and Blanda! And Camula and her sister Uindilla too! And Dunnonia!”

“Blanda! But why!??” Brennos asked, terrified.

“These women had concealed weapons and food for the rebels and passed information to them! It seems that one of our men, we think Dunnonia’s husband, has been captured and revealed things under torture. They must have staked out their estates for some time!”

Brennos suddenly felt his stomach turn. Had there been not a stranger, yet a Gaul apparently, who had addressed him, while he was on the wheat field, some two weeks ago? The man had asked the way, then asked some questions about the cabbage and the wheat, and then, unnoticed, shifting the subject to questioning about the village and its inhabitants. Brennos recalls he had mentioned about those who had joined the rebellion and about the do’s and whereabouts of some of the women. He now realizes that man could have been a Roman spy!

“What are we going to do about it!? We must help them!?” he asked.

“Did you say ‘we’, Brennos!? You are not supposed to be here in the first place! You should have followed the other men of the village! If you are a man, at least!?” One of the people replied.

Brennon rather quickly felt, that his presence was not appreciated, and he left, in sad thoughts.

He got his stuff and left the courtyard. He did not go to his cabbage field, however. He wanted to see the crucified women. He neared the place. They had been crucified along the paved road, the Romans had constructed, on a tract of high grass between the road and the bushes. The crosses stood perpendicular to the road, in two rows, with the condemned facing each other. In one row, he recognized Blanda, hanging to a cross next to her mother Boudia. Opposite hung the redhair Dunnonia, separating the sisters Camula and Uindilla. All five women were stark naked, and their bodies showed traces of whipping.

The view filled Brennos with horror. Seeing his beloved Blanda suffering on a cross, constantly moving her body in the vain search for comfort and breath. Like her mother and the three others. Nevertheless, it looked like that Boudia held up the courage by talking to them. Brennos noticed that she created some sense of both common pride and acceptance, that they were suffering for a good cause! Brennos mingled among the onlookers, taking care to avoid being seen by the condemned. The onlookers were annoyed, for the severity of the punishment, inflicted by the Romans on the women, and they also praised them for their courage on the cross and their commitment to the cause of the rebellion. The people also wondered why two more poles stood up, unoccupied. Were there more crucifixions to expect?

Brennos stared fascinated to the scene! He stood as close as possible, to remain unnoticed. He too admired the woman’s courage – particularly of that wicked Boudia. Everybody agreed that she was of much valor in this situation. But Brennos also felt excitement. The view of these naked women, writhing up and down, and particularly ‘his’ Blanda looked very erotic. He wondered what they experienced at that moment? He wished he could ask, he even wished he could be there, joining them… No! that was an impossible thought! Already the simple walking up to them, would be replied by Boudia’s sharp tongue, the way she disdained him!

Brennos had already realized something! He felt that this was his moment! The opportunity to show the village that he was no coward. And to repair the possible damage he had inflicted by informing an enemy spy. He would save the women from their terrible ordeal! This was the way to win Blanda for him, as, no doubt, she would definitely choose for him, out of gratitude! He had taken with him a fork, and the biggest pincer he could find in his father’s barn. The pincer was of course for pulling out the nails. The fork was his weapon to fight the guards. There were only two of them, legionaries. Perhaps these guards were skilled, using their gladius, but he would have the advantage of a much longer fork. And he was used to handle a fork, so he thought he had a chance against a gladius. Secondly as part of his plan, he had a bag with two freshly harvested cabbages in it. These were crucial for his attack plan, to create diversion among the guards. Because, although Brennos was not a man of conflicts, he knew well that battles could be won by creating confusion among the enemy, and by splitting their forces. Surprise would do the rest. Particularly, quick thinking had learned him, the splitting of their forces was essential in a situation where he was outnumbered one to two, as he was,. And saving Blanda was certainly worth the sacrifice of two cabbages! Even his father would understand that!

Brennos went back, got his fork and the bag he had hidden, and approached the crosses from behind the bushes. Unseen by the guards, he took position. From the bag, he took one of the cabbages, and threw it with full force into the direction of the crosses. It flew through the air with a ballistic trajectory and finally fell on the ground with a ‘thud’, rolling rustling through the high grass, until it came to a stop behind Blanda’s and Boudia’s cross.

The noise had alerted the crucified and the guards. One of the guards ordered the other one to take a look, while he kept watching. As the second guard stepped through the high grass to look after the unidentified flying object that had landed, Brennos quickly shifted position and threw the second cabbage, which landed at the other side of the rows of crosses, behind the first guard, while he watching his comrade looking after the first cabbage. Surprised, the first guard started searching for the strange object that had just fallen near him.

Brennos found his tactical plan working perfectly! The enemy force had been split in two and had been distracted by his decoy! It would not be two against one, but two times one against one. Perhaps, he could count on the onlookers to reinforce him, once the battle would have started! After all, they were on the same side as him, right?

Time to play the last tactical element : surprise! Brennos had crawled somewhat forward under the cover of the bushes and then, he gathered all his courage and adrenaline!

With a howling battle cry, fork forward, Brennos charged! The two Roman guards turned surprised into his direction. They looked at each other, wondering what was going on. The first guard reached to his gladius, but Brennos was determined to let himself stop by no one and charged on forward, seeing the chance to knock out the guard with his fork before he could bring his gladius into position. It was just a question of a few yards.

Unfortunately, in his rush of adrenaline, he did not notice his second cabbage in the high grass. Brennos had assumed it was near the place where it had landed, but after hitting the ground, it had rolled further than he had noticed, and now it was lying straight in his path. He tripped over it, fell on the ground and lost his fork. Before Brennos could stand up, the first guard had pounced on him and was holding him down firmly. The legionnaire was much taller and stronger than Brennos, and even in a one against one situation, the latter had no chance.

The onlookers had not reacted. They had ran away, once Brennos had charged, afraid to be involved. Laying on the ground, through the high grass, Brennos saw the second guard standing before him, with a satisfied smile, holding a cabbage in each hand.

“Are these balls yours, Sir!?” he asked Brennos, full of irony. And then to his comrade : “Shall we slit his throat!?”

“No!”, the other one said, “I have a better idea! Let’s tie him down and get the executioners! We did not put these extra poles there for nothing!”

“That’s a better idea indeed!”

So, Brennos was summary condemned to crucifixion and summary crucified, for armed rebellion and interfering with a judicial crucifixion.

Once the execution team was on the spot, he was stripped naked, nailed to a patibulum, and finally rose on the stipes and nailed to it with his feet. Crucified practically in front of Boudia! The execution had drawn again spectators, from the villages. The Roman optio who conducted the execution had warned the villagers that there was still one pole left to feed, so he warned them not to carry out such stupidities anymore. He told them that they were lucky that none of the guards had been hurt or killed, or he would have crucified one more villager as a reprisal, on the remaining cross!

So, he had scared the villagers more than enough, to make them despise Brennos’ action, which they deemed as ‘stupid’ and ‘idiot’ behaviour! So, his attempt to liberate the women was not received with approval or praise. Brennos was mocked when he was stripped, and when he cried out of pain during his nailing! Even his father despised him, for not having continued harvesting, and for wasting two cabbages for what he called some act of severe dumbness.

As he had recovered from his nailing, sweating, fighting pain on his cross, he now faced his female fellow sufferers. He was now sharing the fate of his beloved Blanda, which he had never seen naked from that close, yet knowing he would never come closer to her. He could not keep his eyes from her, but while lurking, his line of sight crossed that of Boudia, as a stern silent warning not to stare at her daughter’s naked body.

Neither was his action received with any gratitude, despite his failure. He had been welcomed with phrases such as ‘noodle!’, ‘owl!’ and (most hurting) ‘cabbage head!’, by his female companions in suffering. Any attempt to talk to them was received with ignorance. Blanda and the women next to him turned away their heads when he tried to start a conversation. And from Boudia, he only got demeaning and insulting words and orders to shut his mouth. Boudia took any opportunity to humiliate him, for the stupidity of his action, for the way he got himself caught, and for his alleged cowardice, not having joined the rebellion. She took every opportunity to taunt his bodily aspects and his masculinity. The guards and onlookers heard it and they taunted him too.

Poor Brennos, having to spend the last agonizing hours of his life in such conditions! The ingratitude!

That will teach him not to trespass two things : a) the course of a legal crucifixion and b) interrupt and intrude a cozy all-women’s get-together.

The end.
 
Poor old Brennos. Can't win sometimes. :D
Nicely written, Lox! :clapping:
That will teach him not to trespass two things : a) the course of a legal crucifixion and b) interrupt and intrude a cozy all-women’s get-together.
It is almost certain that getting crucified alongside a girl is not the best time to start a courtship. ;)
 
Poor old Brennos. Can't win sometimes. :D
Nicely written, Lox! :clapping:

It is almost certain that getting crucified alongside a girl is not the best time to start a courtship. ;)
Well at least she can't get away from him :)
 
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