Your small group were attached in different roles to the US 256th Brigade, part of the US 5th Infantray Division. About a week ago, the brigade was attacked and overun by Warsaw Pact forces believed to still be deep in the Ukraine. The past few days have been spent hiding from the multitude of Pact patrols and searching for escape.
You lost the few other members of your plattoon on the second day when they ran into a T-80 accompanied by infantry. You only escaped because you were out as sentry when the attack came in from the other side of your unit. The tank made short work of the units last remaining M113, and all anti-armour munitions had been expended in the overun of 2 days before.
Striking out by yourself and feeling horrible at the thought of abandoning your now captured or killed unit, you wandered about for a couple of days, dodgeing the ever present patrols. Just yesterday you linked up with three other survivors from the 5th ID, a German, and American and a Norweigen.
Unfortunately for you, the larger group was easily discovered a few hours ago by a Polish patrol of 10 infantry and an unarmed UAZ-469 and captured. After your hands were tied, you were securely tied to each other in a "chain" and attached to the back of the vehicle, the patrol set out north west. Your equipment has been divided out amongst the Poles and the little remaining either dumped or, if of value, carried in the UAZ.

The UAZ comes to a stop as the accompanying infantry change direction and move away from you directly north. You cannot see why they have done so. In the UAZ are the driver and a guard in the back. Both are armed with PM-63 SMG's but are very relaxed.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:26, Wed 03 Mar 2004.

If we're tied in a chain, where am I (ie who is in front, who behind)?

And how have the guards treated us to this point - have they come off all authoritarian and obnoxious, or just businesslike, or slack and idle or what?
If we mutter a bit to one another, do we think they'll have a major fit?

Watch, listen, and try to get closer to the German prisoner if possible. If not, try the next prisoner to me in line, in German. Failing that being pracical, talk to the nearest prisoner, hoping that most Europeans are linguistically capable and German is a common language in the West. Do so very quietly, under my breath, so as not to be heard.

Sprechen Sie Ein Deutsch?
Do you speak any German?

(I omit this question if talking to the German...)

If the reply seems to indicate understanding....

Jemand oder etwas hat ihre Aufmerksamkeit. Dies könnte eine gute Gelegenheit sein.
Someone or something has their attention. This might be a good opportunity.

Look meaningfully at the guards relaxed pose and the departing infantry.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:35, Thu 19 Feb 2004.

Kett is last in line, next to the American. So far they have accted almost as if they don't care about you - as if it doesn't matter to them if you live or die. Their manner is quitely confident and relaxed but they never put their weapons down and there is always at least one face you.
they are not too worried about converstaion but are aware of your words. If it looks like you could be organising an escape, they respond firmly.

[Private to Gary Irwin Herbert Kett: They will be a PC hopefully in the next 24hrs or so. Got an application who want to be US but don't know any details as yet.]

At some point, if I can, bend down to tie my boot laces. See if I can scoop up (surreptitious like) a throwable rock - fastball size or a bit smaller. Failing that, maybe a handful of gravel.

I'm not going to do anything now, but I might as well get ready.

OOC: Pity my Body Combat Damage is 1.

The other three prisoners all sit down on the ground, grateful for the rest break, no matter what the reason. It's been a very hard week with little sleep, the stress of imminent capture now replaced with the uncertainty of imprisonment in this crazy world.
[Private to Gary Irwin Herbert Kett: Take your pick to what you grab. You are on the edge of a wheat field.]

Michael sat quietly, listening to all the things going on around him.  From time to time, he could pick out snatches of a word here and there from the Poles,  but he tried to avoid paying too close attention in case any of them were watching him.  Knowing a bit of the language was sometimes a plus if it was unknown that you knew.

He reached down, picked up some of the dirt and let it fall back through his fingers. Then, to noone in particular he spoke. His voice had a neutral accent that didn't seem to fit his American uniform. "My grandparents always said this was good land for farming and growing things.... Sure doesn't look it now,  does it?"

corrected uniform nationality
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:58, Sun 22 Feb 2004.

Quietly:

It may not be the best farmland anymore, but no place is what it once was. I expect when I get home, Kingston will be a bit different to what I remember.

OOC: I picked up a small fastball sized rock

Sit down beside the speaker... if I can. Take a load off at any rate. It's been a tough week. What uniform is the last speaker wearing? Mine is a bit unusual - I'm wearing US fatigues, but if you look real closely at the shoulder flashes, one of the 'subdued' ones is a small green-on-other-green Canadian flag. There are no rank patches anywhere in sight.

Again quietly:

This is nice enough country, but I don't figure on enjoying the local hospitality <glances meaningfully but briefly at the guards> for any longer than necessary, if you take my meaning.

Otherwise, just listen, look around apparently unattentively but meanwhile try to catalog routes to various nearby bits of cover like the wheat field, any fencing, large rocks, etc.

Michael barely turned his head as he spoke just as quietly. "I definitely know what you mean.  I'd like to figure out a way out myself.  I was hoping maybe they'd think less of me because of this medical emblem and give me an opening, but they haven't yet."

He smiled as he turned to look in the other person's direction. "Maybe it's because they know what the other patch is."

He nodded and moved his shoulder to indicate the Ranger tab on his sleeve.  He extended his hand. "Michael Gallin"

The other two you are tied with don't seem to be in much of a mood to participate in any escape attempts. Both apear to have sunk into a state of depression, and who could blame them. Everybodies heard of the slave labour camps the Russians/Poles/Germans/Czechs/etc (varies depending on the storytellers nationality) have set up. Vertual death camps created once the oil had dried up for the purpose of keeping at least some industry operating.

You have learnt over the past few days with these two that they are not combat soldiers - the German is a cook and the Norweigen is a clerk, both attached to the 5th Infanrty Division by chance more than anything.

Looking towards the direction the Polish infantry escort has gone, you see a line of soldiers in Polish uniforms walking towards them (and you). At the moment they are about 550 metres away and appear lightly armed (no rocket launchers or machineguns). So far neither group appears overtly hostile - probably just another patrol on a sweep to find more Nato stragglers.....

For some reason, I just have the feeling this might get interesting.

Gary Kett, formerly of the Canadian Forces. My rank tabs would say Master Warrant Officer if I still had them. I served in the Infantry. I guess I still do, though there isn't what you'd call a recognizable Canadian contingent anywhere around here anymore.

I figure we'd better watch what happens and look for a chance to beat feet. These two others look like they've decided to pack it in. Seen that look a lot in the last five years, but I still wouldn't mind getting home. I've got a wife, you see. At least I really hope I still do. So getting stuck over here and getting put in some meat grinder of a work camp just doesn't fit my travel plans...

I'd offer my hand, but I think we're tied.

I'm scoping some short term movement paths. I think we might try to stick together. I'm not much of a scrapper and even less with my hands tied behind my back. Give me my C7 and that's a different story. But given the current situation, if there is a distraction, I think we should just beat feet. But it means getting loose from the other two if we're chained in line.

Start working at my ropes.... maybe try to stand in front of Michael so he can work at my ropes and I at his... without drawing attention... if we think this is feasible.

Michael nodded as Gary finished speaking. "yeah, I think if we can't get loose ourselves and get out of here, we'll end up like those other two."

he moved slightly to put himself in a better position to subtly work on each of their ropes.

(OOC: Sorry, hit send before I finished)

He spoke softly as he worked at the ropes. "I definitely don't like this.  If that isn't a patrol, and just a bunch of soldiers out for a stroll, they may join this patrol and we'll have twice the FUBAR..."