Leaving the heavy RPD where it was, Anneka headed to take over the negotiations from Adam. Not certain that the pleasure boat was as harmless as it appeared, she took a short detour by the radio room to pick up her Uzi and a couple of spare mags. With SMG slung, she spotted the grenade launcher recovered from the ZOMO back before they'd even laid eyes on the tug.
"Hmm, could prove useful," she muttered to herself before picking it and the two tear gas grenades up.

"Max, you know how to use this?" she called back to the Australian at the rear facing gun.
"Just in case..." Tear gas would be far better than trying to dodge a hail of heavy calibre machinegun bullets if it all turned to crap.

Launcher delivered into what she hoped were capable hands, Anneka headed to rescue Adam.
"Konrad," she whispered as she drew near, "Is there anyone watching the starboard?" From what she could see, just about everyone and their weapon were facing the pleasure boat.

"I've got it Adam," she declared in almost perfect Polish. "No need for you to dirty your hands here."
She risked insulting Damian but didn't want to undermine Adams authority by appearing to simply dismiss him.

Finally able to devote her attention to the trader, she continued in Polish. "We can offer gold, prewar spirits, medicine, or perhaps food. Maybe you might be interested in medical aid for your man there?" She pointed at the sickly looking man with the sawn off shotgun apparently keeping the "ladies" company.
"And for your women we have a small selection of clothing they may wish to trade for...."

OOC: I'm assuming the case of spirits we picked up at the lock is prewar.
Also assuming the weapons locker/radio room is either unlocked or she's able to gain access quickly

Armed with Uzi (loaded) + 3 mags
Negotiating in Polish

Minh stands up and slings her rifle over her shoulder. She walks casually over to the edge of the boat in front of the mortar and pulls out her cigarette that Dawid gave her earlier in the morning. Pulling down her Adidas hood she lights it with a cocked head. Minh's eyes half close as she draws heavily on the smoke... all the while she looks at the pimp captain. Flicking the match overboard with practiced precision it ricochets off the pleasure boat into the water. Her expression is one of disinterest. The pimp, his boat, his profits all fail to impress her. Stuffing one hand into her pants pocket she discreetly rolls her eyes at sight in front of her.

Bayer nods to Soleblume as she passes him. He looks up to the sniper's perch and gestures with his head for Parks to keep watch elsewhere. He mouths "OK?" to him.

Konrad Bayer
P7 Handgun
Main deck behind Adam and Anneka

Tucker waved off the offer of a smoke and dug into his BDU pocket and took out one of his cigars since it seems the smoking lamp has been lit on deck.  He turnes to Dawid, "Keep that shit low for now unless we need it for Intel Dawid.  If you wanna offer it, that's fine by me but, let's not show them too much!  Where'd you wind up servin outta Miss Quyen?"

"Ah, nows here's a fellow businessperson! We'll take it. All of it!" Damian signals the mohawked youth at the con and the tour boat sidles smoothly alongside the Krolowa.

The transfer is made. Damian takes the 2oz. of gold teeth- he doesn't look at all shocked when he opens the pouch which contains them- Dawid's good Vodka, a bottle of antibiotics, and a few tins of food from the locks. He turns down the offer of medical help explaining that his companion has once again overindulged in consuming some of their liquour stocks. Damian seems very pleased with his haul- probably chalking it up entirely to own powers of salesmanship- and happily goes about delivering on his end of the bargain.

"The first thing you'll want to know is that the bridge at Szczucin is in bad shape." He looks up at the Krolowa's bridge towering above him, "I don't think you're going to be able to squeeze under it- I'd sell you some explosives if I had any. But, I don't. Aside from that... We heard some gunfire at Ulcie Solne. Not too heavy, but it weren't no hunting party, if you know what I mean. There's really nothing else between here and Tarnobrzeg except for sandbars and burned-out ruins. Now, since you're offer was so generous, I'll throw in a little free advice. Stay the fuck away from Tarnobrzeg. The boys up there are rough and they don't pay. Lost two of my best girls up there; I was lucky just to get out with my boat! There's some crazy shit going on in Tarnobrzeg. And I know crazy shit!" He laughs at his own remembered exploits. "Sandomierz is better. They've got a serious ORMO there and things are run pretty civilized. Oh, we saw a helicopter up near Nowy Korczyn. A heli! Can you believe that shit? Seriously. Couldn't tell you what kind, but it Vic swears it was Russian. Well, we won't keep you any longer. Word is there are a lot of good business opportunities in Krakow. I'd like to try and get there before nightfall; suss things out. But, if some of your crew would like to partake..." He says, sweeping his fur-clad arm over the passenger compartment. "I could wait a few minutes. We have a private suite..."

Actions?

OOC: The spirits from the lock were post-war, Krakow-label Vodka.

If there's anything else you'd like to say or do to Damian and/or his "crew", now's the time to speak up. Otherwise, they'll go on their merry way.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:48, Wed 24 Oct 2007.

"You're taking notes Sergeant Thompson?"
It wasn't one of her best trades, but the information they'd gained should be useful - provided they could trust it.
"Would you mind working with the good sergeant to mark up a map?" she asked Damian. Might as well get as much from him as they could. After all, they'd paid for it hansomely.

Having delegated the details of the trade to Bluey, Anneka turned her attention to the occupants of the boat. Using the transfer of goods as an excuse, she crossed over and tried for a quiet word with one of the ladies.
From the little Damian had revealed of himself and his operation, Anneka was almost certain the women weren't there of their own free will. Anyone trading in boys and girls surely weren't above a little slavery...

Uzi, loaded plus 3 mags
attempting to speak privately with one of the "ladies"
This message was last edited by the player at 05:59, Thu 25 Oct 2007.

"What about other river traffic?" Bayer asks aloud. "And what is crazy shit about Tarnobrzeg?"

"For a bottle of my good vodka, I should be at least getting some oral pleasure!" Dawid quipped.

"That's some great deal-making there." He looked sideways at Minh and rolled his eyes in mock exasperation.


Dawid Piotrowski
Holstered 9mm Stechkin (21/20), Nearby 5.45mm Tantal (30/30)
Waiting on the Queen so that it's not too crowded on the other boat.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:43, Thu 25 Oct 2007.

As Anneka jumped across to the little boat Blue shot Yazzie a look then jumped across into the boat.  He reached into the pocket on his leg and pulled out his battered notebook and pencils and began to take notes as per orders.  "So the bridge is down at Szczucin, what's it made of, steel or concrete or a mix?  Is is a suspension bridge?  Any sign of marauders when you went past?  What about strong points or defences?"

Blue
Steyr Aug/M203
On board the pleasure craft.

Quyen continues to smoke her cigarette, nearly down to the nub now, but she won't waste any of it. Her eyes half close each time as she draws in, but she never stops watching Damian or his 'hardy' crew. She lets out a slight laugh at Dawid. It isn't her place to say it, but lets it out more as a joke than anything - "Screw em. Keep the vodka and put those clowns ashore."

Minh Quyen
Slung AK-74
Along side the railing near the bow
Mildly antagonizing and mouthing off a bit
This message was last edited by the player at 21:10, Thu 25 Oct 2007.

Anneka attempts to chat with the girls, but they're reluctant to speak with her. Mohawk-boy and Pudgy are nearby and both glare suspiciously at the army medic. It's pretty clear that the girls aren't going to say much while under the watchful eyes of the pleasure boat's crew.

Damian, meanwhile, responds to Konrad and Blue's questions, with Adam acting as translator for both parties.

"You know, crazy shit! Like burning people alive in public. Cutting people's skin off before they're dead. Raping people to death in the town square. Crazy shit! They're a real bunch of animals up there. Soldiers from all parts. Russians, Czechs, Germans, Poles, Americans- it's like the old U.N. except all fucked up like! We couldn't get out of there fast enough.

"We've passed a few other boats on the river 'tween here and Sandomierz. Travelling merchants like ourselves, a few refugees in houseboats; no gunboats like yours, though, he-he. As for the bridge, it's a steel number. A tressle bridge, I think it's called. It's falling apart and there are big sand bars sticking out from the banks on both sides. We didn't see anybody up there, though. Good luck getting this beast through!"

Having completed the transaction, Damian makes a last pitch on behalf of his girls and, there being no takers, bids his farewells. "It's your loss..." Mohawk-boy applies the throttle and the Floating Emporium of Pleasures pulls ahead of the Krolowa, loops around, and heads upstream at speed.

The Krolowa continues along on her course, moving at a modest but steady pace downriver. At her current speed, she should arrive in the vicinity of Ulcie Solne in just under an hour.

So far, you know that Ulcie Solne is not inhabited but it is said to harbor supplies of gasoline- a rumor to which Adam does not give any credence- and Damian reported hearing gunfire emintating from the direction of the town.

Actions?
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:19, Fri 26 Oct 2007.

John will finish work on the M4 then Fall asleep>


"hey let me finish the work on you weapon so i can catch some sleep..."






John
sleeping
top deck

OOC: Sorry, RL is beating me to death.

BIC: Tucker watches the exchange of words as Dawid translates what he can to Minh and himself.  Tuck snickers when Dawid mentions getting some 'oral pleasure' for his vodka but quickly snaps out of it when he remembers Minh is standing near them both. Robert snickers some more at her commnets and asks, "Like their boat better Minh?"

Maddock relaxes by increments with the boat pulling away and past, safing the Sterling and returning it to his gear pile. A little rack time is definitely called-for, with energy levels depleted and nerves frayed.

Stretching with a cavernous yawn, he makes his way back to the stern and his kit, to rack out and catch a few hours rest.

After the sideshow had left Bayer looks to Adam, "How long until we pass the by the first town?"

Afterwards he'll go find Bluey, "Blue. You are an engineer, a combat pionier ja? I know you haven't seen it yet, but can you make a guess whether we have enough explosives and equipment to clear that bridge ahead? Any thoughts on it?"
This message was last edited by the player at 15:42, Fri 26 Oct 2007.

Before the other boat pulled away, Dawid asked, "so, where can we find you in the future? I really think we have some future... business that I would love to attend to." He leered at the women.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:33, Sat 27 Oct 2007.

"Well Boss, I think we do, if not there are otherways to bring down a span but then we got the problem of how deep the river is.  Until I see the bridge I can't be exactly sure.  Now if you'll excuse me Boss I'll go check what we have in the way of Boom!"  Blue gives a grin before moving off to check the explosives supplies.

Tucker looks at Dawid with a smile on his face as he takes another puff off of his cigar.  "Sounds like Tarnobrzeg is the spot to be to get your fantasies taken care of Dawid!  Crazy time there huh?  What the fuck is going on in that place?  Sounds like some kind of medievil and Mad Max kind of shit goin' on in there.  Hope Adam don't kow anyone in there that needs help!"

SLEEEEEPPPPPPZZZZZZZZZZZZ.......







John
sleeping on top deck

During the next bit of down-time, Dawid disassembled the Stechkin machine-pistol and cleaned it.

He also zeroed the Tantal, and helped Anneka do the same (OOC: I believe she has the other, either her or Griet) as well as taught her how to maintain the rifle.

"If you are used to the old Avtomat Kalashnikova series of rifles, this is an improved version. It is just as rugged, of course. For one, the combined safety and selective-fire lever on the right side are now two separate controls. Plus, the select-fire lever is no longer the Safe-Auto-Single progression that is sometimes confusing in battle (because if you are in a crisis and you jam the lever all the way down you put it into single shot mode), but a simple Single-Autofire switch on the left side above the trigger with the safety lever still is on the right side of the upper receiver."

He also reloaded the ammunition used in the last fight, placing loose rounds into the non-disintegrating linked belt.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:50, Sat 27 Oct 2007.

The talk of the bridge caught Minh's attention. After waiting until the boat pulled away and things got back to normal she followed Hauptmann Bayer in his search for Bluey.

When their discussion was over she approached him, "Captain, hearing the talk of blowing the bridge or whatever... I can lend a hand. I was a MP, but spent half the war in my division's engineer brigade as a replacement. I know a bit, enough to help Sergeant Thompson if you guys want it." She was thankful for being given passage out of the village and wanted to repay this as much as possible.

After speaking with Konrad, Minh finds her corner where she stashed her gear and gets some sleep. It had been a long night in the village.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:38, Sat 27 Oct 2007.

"Yeah, I know you can't tell without seeing it, I just thought I'd ask though."

After Blue had left Minh approached him, after waiting to speak to him...



"Ok. Good to know. I'll keep it in mind. Do you have any thing in your gear you think you'll be able to use, like demolitions? If so, let Sergeant Thompson know alright? He's sorting it out."

Bayer then proceeds to the rear deck will he makes a pillow out of his kevlar and lays down in the sun.

Konrad Bayer
Rear deck
Resting
This message was last edited by the player at 18:15, Sat 27 Oct 2007.

The Krolowa steams along through the meanders of the Vistula at a cautious 5 knots. The security crew catches up on routine gear maintainance and rest. You think about the villagers of Niepolomice and wonder what will become of them.

The tug passes to the north of the outlet of the Raba river. The channel here is clogged with debris from the confluence of the two rivers. Before the war, this stretch of the Vistula was regularly dredged to keep it navigable. Four years of neglect and it has returned to an almost primordial state. Adam and Uller expertly manouver the agile tug- made much less so by the big, ungainly barge- between sandbars, mudshoals, and large, partialy submerged snags.

As you approach Ulcie Solna, you can make out the sound of distant gunfire. The firefight Damian mentioned is apparently still underway. The firing- mostly Soviet small arms, by the sound of it- is sporadic but it doesn't stop for more than a minute at a time. Rounding a bend in the river, ahead and to your right you see the remains of a town. Various decrepit storage buildings dot the shoreline, all in various stages of disprepair. This used to be an embarkation point where fuel refined further inland was loaded onto barges for transport to destinations up and down stream. One such partially sunken fuel barge clings precariously to a low concrete pier which juts out a dozen meters and into the river. This docking facility, as well as most of the town, was blasted by repeated conventional airstrikes earlier in the war. The town has been abandoned for some time. Scavengers of all stripes, drawn to the town by rumors of partially full and more or less intact underground fuel tanks, have stripped everything of use from the area. Nothing but empty shells of buildings- some burned out, others nearing total collapse- remain. You can't see the source of the shooting, but the sound is growing louder as you draw closer to the skeleton buildings. It is most assuredly coming from the town just on the other side of the docking facilities.

Without so much as a shouted warning, the tug lurches to an abrupt halt. The innertia carries you forward and you nearly lose your footing. The engine sounds rise to a low scream for few moments before shouted orders from the bridge- and common sense in the boiler room- result in a shutdown. The Krolowa is stuck fast on a submered mudbank about 300 meters northwest of the fuel embarkation station.

ACtions?

At the sudden arrest in movement, Maddock jerks awake, having been little-disturbed by small arms fire in the distance. A series of economical movements gets his vest back on, helmet loosely strapped, and then into his webbing.

He listens for orders or an explanation of what has snagged the tug, with an eye toward the small boats in case they are needed.


Aft Deck
L86A1 LSW
Waiting and watching

Bayer had only begun to fall asleep when the boat made its sudden stop. He lay there for a second listening. He didn't have much nautical experience, but it didn't take much to realize they had become grounded somehow. As he continued to listen the sounds of the distant gunfire caused a sour face. He didn't think grounding the boat would be too big of a deal, unless somebody showed up.

Bayer stands and puts his gear on, Maddock near him having already done so. Kevlar on, but helmet strapped to his webbing he gives the Royal Marine a look of annoyance (at the situation). He then proceeds up to the bridge where he expects Adam will be.

"Besides the obvious, anything I should know? Like how long it will take or do you need any help?" he asks.