Oh, hi there! You must be the new guy.

Oh, hi there! You must be the new guy.

That's right. I'm Winston Smith. I'm looking for car No. 7.

It's this one. Bart must have forgotten to hang up the sign again...

I'm Peter, by the way. They asked me to bring you up to speed.

Am I your replacement, then?

No, I'm from the next car. First class!

I'll go back after I've helped you find your feet.

All right. What do I have to do?

Well, first of all — take over from Bart, the previous conductor. He's in the conductor's compartment, right after the restroom.

Thanks, Peter. I'll go talk to him.

Yeah, sure.

Well, are you getting the hang of it?

Doesn't seem too complicated so far. Why are we slowing down?

We have a stop scheduled at a way station, with a passenger boarding.

Let's go check his papers.

Open the compartment door and ask for papers.

You found an error on the ticket?

Maybe the ticket cashier made a typo?

Maybe. Or maybe it's a warning bell...

Here's the thing. We get paid pretty well if we uncover their dirty little secrets.

The more you find, the better. Let's take a look.

Peep through the keyhole to see if our passenger is doing anything illegal.

I forgot to tell you. Everything that happens in the car is the conductor's responsibility.

So if things in a passenger’s luggage are found in a different order than they were before the search, guess whose authority that will reflect on?

Mine?

Bingo! So make sure you remember the order in which you take things out during a search.

And you mustn't get caught doing this, either.

Got it.

Okay, one way or another we've already learned enough to compile character evidence.

Let's go to the console, I'll show you how to do it.

I'll stand guard while you look for anything unusual in his bag.

Have you ever used controls like these before?

No.

It's perfectly simple. Press the "Submit character evidence" button to send everything you've dug up on this creep to the Ministry.

The main thing is to fill in all the passenger data correctly. Can you handle that?

I think so.

Then go ahead, and I'll go put the trolley away before anyone starts raising a racket...

Who was that?

Major Sargas, the trainmaster. Better not mess with him.

Is he in active service?

Pish, he's just a rear echelon coward!

I've only heard that term from military people.

Guilty as charged. I got discharged after an injury.

Sorry to hear that.

You shouldn't be! I'm living the life here!

Civilian life, every day there are new stations, cities, women! The war is far away!

Enough chit-chat already, let's not test the bosses' patience...

I agree. Where should I put this trolley?

I'll do it myself, you'd better go set up the second compartment. Another passenger will be boarding soon.

There'll be a stop soon, we'll need to take on more passengers, but that's not what I wanted to talk about...

What did you want to talk about, then?

There's a rumor going around... Is it true that all new conductors are injected with a drug that allows them to stay awake?

Yes, I got the injection at a recent medical examination.

Sorry for butting in, but it's not just the conductors who get these injections now.

All important officials get them. I got mine recently as well.

I see... I wish I could get one...

The drug is experimental, but it'll probably be your turn soon.

Yeah, but you know how it is. By the time it gets to me...

What's the rush?

I've been having nightmares.

I've tried everything. And this sounds like an ideal and, most importantly, legal, solution.

Anyway, I'm talking too much again. Go check the papers of these new passengers.

Yeah?

Remind me, what am I supposed to do?

Talk to the previous conductor of this car. His compartment is right after the restroom.

I think he's reading a book.

A book? Well, that's legal for now.

But you should still record such actions in his dossier, so you can put together character evidence.

He might be looking for a spy code on marked pages. How are we to know, right?

Okay. What's next?

Next? Hmm... I don't like this passenger. Let's step aside, I have an idea.

What are you up to?

Here's the plan: we wait until our passenger goes to the restroom and search his luggage.

Search? Isn't that illegal?

It sure is. But, you know why laws are written?

Why?

So that they think we're not watching, and we know that we can't get caught doing this.

Keep them in blissful ignorance?

Bingo! I see they found the right person for the job, buddy!

Let's go!

It's ready.

Great, the new passenger will be coming any moment now...

Wow! That's more like it!

What are you talking about?

Seriously? Open your eyes! Damn, I never thought women like that travelled in third class!

I'm tempted to switch places with you! Haha!

You mean the passenger?

Passenger? How can you call that work of art a passenger?

Are you not interested in women at ALL?

Oh, are you with someone already? You are, aren't you?

No, my wife and kid passed away.

Shit, I had no idea... Sorry.

Anyway, a job's a job. I think you should check her papers.

Yeah, you're right.

Peter, I wanted to ask, is it our responsibility to provide food for the passengers?

Tricky question.

Why?

Technically, yes. There's a separate dining car. We even have a cook.

So what's the catch?

Herr Major has forbidden us from letting passengers go in there.

Why?

Try asking him, if you have the chance.

I see.

But listen, I have to hand you the key to that car, anyway. What you do with it is none of my business.

Something on your mind?

Huh? Oh... Listen, is it just me, or did the trainmaster say that the train was heading into a combat zone?

I must've missed that. Why?

It's just that I've looked at the itinerary, and we shouldn't be going anywhere NEAR the front line.

Maybe he was speaking metaphorically?

I don't know, I don't like it... Hey, could you do me a favor?

Sure.

Remember I told you about the nightmares?

I do.

There's a vendor at the station, could you buy something from him for me?

Why can't you do it?

It's not exactly legal, and I've already got into trouble a couple of times. They won't let another one slide.

What do you mean, "not exactly legal"?

Well, technically it's drugs. But they're banning everything these days. And I can't sleep without it.

I'd doze off somehow to the clickety-clack of the wheels, but I heard we're going to have to stay here for at least three days.

And the silence... That's the worst thing. I don't want to wake half the train with my screams.

I'll think about it.

I got what you asked for.

Thanks, Winston! I shall not forget this!

Now I have a chance of surviving this stop...

I got what you asked for.

Thanks, Winston! I shall not forget this!

Now I have a chance of surviving this stop...

Sorry, Peter, I'm not going to buy illegal substances.

Okay, I understand.

Peter, do you play cards?

Do I play cards? Are you kidding?

Our captain lost his last shirt playing against me!

What are we playing for?

Just bear in mind that I will be ruthless.

It's not my idea. A passenger asked me to find him some players.

Say no more, I'm in!

Peter, what do you know about Berzins and Colt?

Let me guess: one of them suggested that you cause trouble for the other one?

They both did.

Don't fall for it. They are untouchable.

They promised to pay well.

Well, you can try to get one of them arrested, but it won't be easy with first-class passengers.

Why?

They're under government protection.

You'll have to submit three reports instead of just one.

You'll be run off your feet gathering evidence.

And the arrested person will be back in a heartbeat. It's like a game for them.

Understood, thanks.

Peter, I need your advice.

Sure, partner, go ahead.

I have three young fare-dodgers causing trouble, any idea what to do with them?

Ah, so that's where they are?

Those are my passengers.

The spoiled kids of politicians and the rich.

They can't show off among their own people here, so they went to the third-class car.

Let me think...

Well, you don't have a lot of legal levers.

You could try to negotiate with the law-enforcement officers.

That might work, if you're in good standing with them.

The second option is to file a report.

There's a problem with that, though.

What kind of problem?

First-class passengers have government protection.

The system will reject the first two reports.

Is that so?

Yep, you'll have to gather enough evidence to report each one of them three times.

But since they're now carousing in YOUR area, no one will see you searching their compartments.

You remember what I taught you, don't you, partner?

I do.

Thanks, Peter.

I'll be off, then.

Yeah, sure.