Jeff decided to select the German soldier - he had always been fascinated by the rapid advance of technology in the early part of the twentieth century. 1914 was just the start of World War One, and Germany was a huge power with a mighty military force. It wasn't until later that the tide of battle turned against them. Clicking on the option, he held his breath a moment. Nothing seemed to happen.
"Mach dich bereit, du fauler Narr!" A gruff voice shouted in his ear and someone knocked him sideways out of his chair and sent him sprawling on the floor. Jeff was confused and angry as he scrambled up. Who was calling him a 'lazy fool'? Then the anger changed to bewilderment as he found himself in a dim wooden barracks with rows of cots and a dozen men in uniform, all of whom were grinning at him. The man who had struck him was scowling, though. Vizefeldwebel Stinz, Sergeant Major of the unit and not someone to argue with. The man snorted in disgust. "We are ready to go, Flieger Weidmann. If you care to join us?" The other men laughed as Jeff stiffened and nodded, then grabbed his gun, helmet, and backpack from the bed. "Yes sir!"
It took a moment for Jeff to realize that he had understood the German shouted at him, and that now he was speaking and hearing the language as if it were English. And that he knew who the man was. His unit leader? Rudolf Weidmann's unit leader in 1914. He was Rudolf, his own ancestor, a German soldier. The program had actually worked! It was hard to tell much about himself, but from his rank of base private, it was likely he was a new recruit. Most of the other men were in their 20s or 30s, though one soldier could be late teens. Hans Grueber, a farm boy from outside of Berlin. Jeff knew him, or at least, Rudolf did. For now, Jeff fell in behind the others as they filed outside. It was very odd - acting like Rudolf came naturally, and he had to consciously fight natural instinct to do otherwise.
They fell into formation and were soon marching with a large group of foot soldiers out of a fixed military base. Jeff looked around in wonder. The sights and sounds, and smells. No one here apparently knew about deodorant, and there was a stink of animal excrement mixed in with oil and mud. The air was cool, not quite winter but enough to make him grateful for his wool uniform. He got shouted at again for not looking forward and had to sneak peeks when the Sergeant Major was elsewhere. Hans, who was marching beside him, hissed "You'll get into trouble again! What is wrong with you today?"
Instead of answering, Jeff decided to let Rudolf control him completely, and found that it was easy just to become his ancestor. Memories began to slip in, growing up in Berlin with horses and carts and no electricity. military training, school, the excitement of seeing his first car, and then his first airplane. Joining the army at 17, just two months ago. His friend, Hans, and Greta, his girlfriend back home. And then he was Rudolf, his future self totally forgotten as his unit marched towards Belgium and war.