Rendezvous in Hamburg

"Rendezvous in Hamburg" is the seventh level and fourth mission in the award-winning video game The Operative: No One Lives Forever. The mission follows operative Cate Archer to a nightclub in Hamburg, where she meets her new partner Tom Goodman. It consists of two scenes and is followed by the training level Visit to Santa's Workshop.

Mission Briefing
''Proceed to Hamburg, West Germany and rendezvous with Tom Goodman, an operative from UNITY's American branch. Goodman may have information concerning Doctor Schenker's whereabouts.''

''The rendezvous will take place at "Das Einsame Valkyrie", a popular beatnik nightclub in Hamburg. You will recognize Agent Goodman by his rugged good looks and the unlit cigarette he is holding in his left hand. Offer him a light. He will answer with "Sorry, but I don't smoke".''

''Once you have made contact, you will be under Agent Goodman's command. Follow his orders implicitly.''

Scene 1

 * Das Einsame Valkyrie
 * Hamburg, West Germany.

Cate Archer arrives at the nightclub, which now refuses entry due to there being too many people inside. She later sneaks in with the help of one of the waiting women in the queue. Once inside, a man in a black overcoat spots her and reports to Inge Wagner, the proprietor and self-proclaimed opera singer of the nightclub, who tells him to subdue and capture Archer.

Meanwhile, Archer pokes around the club before meeting Agent Goodman, her new partner. He shows himself to be an opinionated, loud-mouthed American, and is surprised that the agent he was to meet is a woman. After ordering their drinks, Goodman becomes annoyed that he has to look after Archer, which causes her to speak out on women acting independently. He then instructs Archer to lure the man in the overcoat into the ladies' room to find out what he is after. On her way out, Archer is struck on the neck by something she believes to have been a dart, unaware that Inge is watching. The overcoat agent follows her to the bathrooms, where she overpowers him.

Scene 2
Just before Archer can interrogate the agent, she is interrupted by a large group of thugs who invade the club and start shooting the place up. Upon dealing with the attackers, she encounters Goodman by the stage who tells her that he will meet her in one hour at an address he hands her. Unfortunately, her escort is killed by a sniper on a rooftop. Realizing that she will have to find her own way out, Archer escapes the club via a small barge in the canal. Inge Wagner looks down from a balcony, declaring that she will finish Archer off next time.

Memorable Quotes
(Man arguing with a bouncer)

Man: "Can I please just go in and find her?" (his girlfriend)

Bouncer: "I said no and I meant it. Now go away or I will call the police."

Man: "Schweinehund!" (German = "bastard")

Bouncer: "Scheisskopf!" (German = "shithead")

(Inge Wagner and Overcoat Agent)

Wagner: "What is so important you need to interrupt me in the middle of a performance? These people treasure my concerts... Now they will lament!"

Agent: "Das tut mir leid, Fraulein Wagner." (German = I'm sorry Miss Wagner)

Wagner: "Of course, if they are sad, they will buy more drinks to drown their sorrows. Which is good for business, but it troubles me to know that someone is unhappy because I was unable to give enough of myself. A gift like mine comes with terrible responsibility."

Agent: "Ja! And you have so much of yourself to give."

Wagner: "Even such pathetic, horrible creatures as these smelly Beatniks deserve some sympathy, ja? Now then, perhaps you would care to remind me why I am standing instead of singing?"

(random people in the club)

Woman 1: "I love your outfit."

Man 1: "I do too. Can I talk you out of it? Ha ha ha!"

Woman 2: "These cramps are killin' me!"

Man 2: "This club is super groovy. Don't you think so?"

Beatnik Girl: "Perhaps it's just me, but I thought the music was terrible."

Beatnik Guy: "How can you say that? It's unconventional, certainly, but that's what makes it so... compelling."

Beatnik Girl: "It's not compelling. It's just bad."

Beatnik Guy: "Well, what do you know about music, anyway?"

Beatnik Girl: "Maybe it's just too sophisticated for my tastes. Personally, I like music that has a melody."

Beatnik Guy: "How passe. Anyone can sing a melody, but it takes a true artist to defy a melody, specially with such passion and... courage."

(Beatnik Girl walks off)

Beatnik Guy: "Where are you going?"

Beatnik Girl: (angrily) "Somewhere else."

Beatnik Guy: "Oh."

(Archer meets Tom Goodman)

Archer: "Would you care for a light?"

Tom: "Thanks, but I don't smoke"

Archer: "You're holding a cigarette..."

Tom: "Am I? Well what do you know, I guess old habits die hard. Say, can I borrow a dime? I want to call my Mom and tell her I just met the girl of my dreams"

Archer: "I gave my last dime to a worthwhile charity"

Tom: "Ouch!" (Archer walk over to another table. Goodman follows her) "I wasn't expecting a woman."

Archer: "You weren't briefed?"

Tom: "They just said: Meet Agent Archer at 8:00pm."

Archer: "Well, I'm Agent Archer."

Tom: "So I gathered."

Archer: "Didn't the code phrase tip you off?"

Tom: "I thought it was a little... unusual, but I figured, hey, it's Europe. "Things are different over here..."

[...]

(Tom complains that he didn't realize he was going to have to babysit)

Archer: "I may be a woman, but that doesn't mean I can't take of myself."

Tom: "Oh, I get it. You're one of those women's libbers. Dress up in men's clothing, ride motorcycles, smoke cigars, that kind of thing?"

Archer: "Just because I can take care of myself doesn't mean I'm not a woman. They're not mutually exclusive you know."

Tom: "But isn't the point of women's liberation to allow young ladies, like yourself, to become men?"

Archer: "The point is to allow young ladies to become whatever they please."

"What's in all those kegs, anyway?"

"Beer. We supply H.A.R.M.'s entire staff with the finest Deutsch brews."

"Really? That must be a lot of beer."

"Indeed. Our studies show that criminals drink three times as much alcohol as law abiding citizens."

"So beer turns people into criminals?"

"A correlation doesn't imply causality. Just because criminals drink a lot of beer doesn't mean that beer causes crime. It's possible that people with criminal tendencies enjoy beer because it helps to soothe their conscience. Or perhaps criminal behavior is caused in part by a genetic predisposition that also, coincidentally, makes criminals like the taste of beer more than the average person. Who knows?"

"You're very knowledgeable about these things."

"Criminal sociology is a hobby of mine. I think it's important to understand not just the individual, psychological roots of one's behavior, but also the social circumstances that foster that behavior. Whether we like it or not, we are shaped by our environment."

"Surely you're not suggesting that individuals aren't accountable for their actions."

"Oh, no, of course not. Just because we are products of the societies we're born into doesn't absolve us of personal responsibility. Our religions and laws teach us what is right and what is wrong. Frequently, the right choice is the more difficult path to take. It requires sacrifice, self-discipline, patience ... virtues that many of us find somewhat lacking in our natures."

"But what if you're born into a hedonistic culture?"

"Look across history. The reason hedonism is discouraged by most religions and governments is that it weakens a civilization. It breeds sloth, petulance, degeneracy, and selfishness. A divided nation is a fragile nation, waiting to be conquered. Unity is strength. Humans instinctively fashion order out of chaos. It is a natural, probably genetic impulse. Therefore, even an individual born into troubled times has the capacity, and even the duty, to behave in a manner that promotes unity, however difficult it may be."

"Then what about us?"

"I can only speak for myself. I am a product of a broken household, which introduced a general lack of self confidence in me at a very early age. These feelings of inadequacy blossomed into anger as I matured that the rigors of adolescence, with the teasing and abuse and awkwardness we must all endure, only exacerbated. But even though I've identified the source of my problems, I'm still too childish and petty to become a responsible, mature citizen."

"Well, admitting you have a problem is the first step, I suppose."

"I like to think so."


 * H.A.R.M. Thugs

Cultural References

 * The name of the nightclub "Das Einsame Valkyrie" is grammatically incorrect as the German word for Valkyrie is Walküre and is a feminine noun. The correct name would read: "Die Einsame Walküre".
 * Inge Wagner uses the word "Beatniks" to describe some of the patrons in her club. This a word that was commonly used in the 1950s and 60s to refer to young people who were part a subculture associated with the "beat" generation.
 * The song that Inge Wagner constantly "sings" is a loose adaptation of Richard Wagner's famous "Ride of the Valkyries", a piece that features in his "Ring Cycle" - a set of four epic music dramas that are loosely based on stories from Norse mythology. The name of the nightclub is also a reference to this opera
 * When ordering drinks, Cate asks for a "Scotch and Soda", while Goodman asks for an "Old Grand-Dad", which is a bourbon whiskey from Kentucky. Although only mentioned a few times, it can be assumed that scotch and soda is Archer's signature drink (along the lines of James Bond's Vodka Martini).

Trivia

 * This mission marks the first appearances of Tom Goodman and Inge Wagner.
 * A date is not given but considering the fact that the previous mission was probably set in the afternoon of September 18th, this one most likely takes place in the evening of that same day.
 * If the player gets too close to the second bouncer, he will run into the queue and start shooting (This will not happen if the Spy Glasses are worn). It is not clear whether this was intentional as in the bouncer identifying them, or if it is a developer oversight with regards to the bouncer thinking they are armed, or causing offense, even though they start the mission without any weapons.
 * Even though the bouncers claim that "the club is full" there are hardly any people inside it. An intelligence item claims that the club's "fire hazard limit" is 2 persons per 20 square feet, but this widely believed to be an excuse for the game's old and limited game engine.
 * After Misfortune in Morocco, this marks the second time that Archer can ask a young woman to distract a guard for her. Unlike the last time, the player has to do this to proceed.
 * If the conversation between Inge and the overcoat agent is skipped, it can still be overheard when standing near the wall in the closet room.
 * The player can interact with a certain woman on the second floor, who has her boyfriend waiting outside. They can tell her about this, and be left an intelligence item in return.
 * The overcoat agent does a fairly bad job tailing Archer. He whistles and moves his body in a rather telling way, and, when the player starts walking, he will follow them only to stop as soon as they turn around.
 * Inge Wagner assumes the role of a third villain. Along with Volkov and Armstrong, Cate now has three main adversaries.
 * The H.A.R.M sniper's killing of the contact in the alley marks the first assassination by someone other than Dmitrij Volkov.
 * The conversation between two thugs discussing "Criminal Sociology" near the end of the mission is one of the most highly praised moments in the game. The dialogue is especially noteworthy for its wit and comically deep message. The whole conversation can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2PxxbJydBU