When Winters' message is transmitted, Dettinger stands quickly, and turns an icey stare on the approaching former SEAL. He looks unimpressed, but remains crouched atop the BRDM.

When Dettinger scuffs the track, Andy winces and jumps out of the BDRM.

Passing the Lt Col, the CW2 crouches and expertly examines the tracks
This message was last edited by the player at 16:22, Tue 28 Dec 2004.

Looking around confused slightly she pieces it together as she sees people climbing out of the vehicles and approaching and notices the captain already received the transmission.  He's a captain?  Ohwell, Back to my previous orders then and she starts trailing the tracks.

Kett turns off the engine on the scout car to preserve fuel.  He then climbs out and takes up a sentry position near the cab so he can hear the radio.

"Its still funny hearing german over the radio.  Seems counterintuitive...Captain Kraut.  Hell of a nickname to get saddled with.", he says walking towards Dettinger.  He unrolls the linen around the Elcan sight of his C7 and checks that the optics are undamaged.  He then checks the load to ensure that it is ready to go in case there is trouble.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:37, Tue 28 Dec 2004.

Dettinger grunts deep in his throat. "My English, not so good, but I know this 'Kraut'. Last I see, I am still being Oberstleutnant, not Captain. What you call, Leftenant Colonel, yes?"

He settles on the edge of the BRDM's top deck, rifle propped upright, watching the surroundings. Under his camo paint, he is blushing furiously at his mistake with the tracks, even though he knows there is still more than enough that is pristine for tracking purposes.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:31, Tue 28 Dec 2004.

Moving back to near the BRDM Kett suspends his C7 from it's sling in the ready position, barrel towards the ground, held tight against his combat web, hand in safe-trigger position.

"I speak German as well.  We haven't had much of a chance to talk Dettinger.", he says to the german officer. "I'm Kett. Gary Kett, Warrant Officer, P-Dubs, Princess of Wales Own Regiment, Canada.", he leans out far over his rifle to extend his hand to the german officer.

[Private to Nuked: Whats really funny is that I grew up just outside Kingston Ontario and my 2nd apartment was just around the corner from the Princess of Wales Own Regiment barracks, I had friends in the reserves there.  The more I read about Kett the more I think I must know the player LOL, he has information that only someone who lived in Kingston, Ontario, Canada might have.]
This message was last edited by the player at 20:35, Tue 28 Dec 2004.

And the medic is still behind the wheel, ready to run any enemies over. Or jump out to administer first aid. And getting bored fast. She twiddles her thumbs on the steering mechanism then decides to stick her head out to see what is going on.

Dettinger takes Kett's hand and shakes it firmly, twice, before letting go. "Gefallen, um Sie, Kett zu treffen. My name is Dettinger, Oberstleutnant. I am Falschirmjager." [Pleased to meet you, Kett.]

OK folks, any indication of the age of these tracks or their speed? Fuel or oil leaks? Beware of ambush, HE does nasty things to infantry.

OOC: Whilst this is going on I'll "turn-out" and using any bino's handy survey our back-trail.

Andy climbs from his assigned position behind the BRDM guns and inspects the remaining tracks at a closer range. He's just about worked out a few things when Winters saunters up, trips on a rock and nearly obliterates the few marks Dettinger missed the first time round! (got to love those Catastrophic failures! :))
Camilla quickly finds Dave "concealed" at the edge of the road.
This would also be a very very bad time to be attacked. Neither vehicle has anybody manning the guns, The BRDM has only the driver still in it and the BTR's driver is practicing their sniper bait skills....
Fortunately, the world doesn't open up on you and only the usual sounds of a Polish summer day can be heard.[Private to WO2 Andrew (Andy) Corrigan: The only extra info that you gain before Winters ice skating practice is that the vehicle was not heavily loaded. It could either have a full load of passengers without any cargo, be partially loaded with equipment and supplies or a combination of both. Whichever way it is, they are either undermanned or possibly close to a base or some sort.]

Andy grits his teeth and smiling tightly, says, "Whatever it was, 'tweren't 'eavily loaded."

OOC: I assume by now be vehicles are close to each other and we can all talk w/out radios?

He heads back to the CF of vehicles and militiary personal, and repeats himself, adding, "With it's light load, it might be operating close to base, and it likely undermanned.  If friendly, we could use local intel.  If not, we can always use supplies.  I suggest we leave the vehicles here underguard, and send a coupld of us sneaky types ahead to do a quick recon.  If, as you Yanks, say, the fecal matter impacts the rotary oscillator, then we dig in and you lot back here ride to the rescue."
He pauses, and then continues.
"Next time we find tracks, per'aps the experts should take a look first.  sah"

Cam slides in next to him under cover, and continues to keep a lookout.  She signals questioningly, go back, now? though she doesn't put much emphasis in it.  She is just as content to be out of the vehicles for a change and stretching her legs.

"Now officers meet in APC, please." Dettinger hops down off the BRDM, and walks towards the BTR, repeating himself to anyone who couldn't hear him before, and then over the radio, as well.

"Crew vehicles, yes? Gunners and...err...pilots? Drivers? Not all should be exposed.' As he reaches the BTR, he will clamber up onto the top deck, en route to the troop compartment, and speak to Tanya on the way past her hatch. "Halten Sie ein Auge heraus, Tanya.  Wir sortieren unsere folgende Bewegung und erhalten unterwegs kurz." [Keep an eye out, Tanya. We will sort out our next move, and get underway shortly.]

Taking a quick look around before he drops through the troop hatch, Dettinger will wave towards the bush approximately where Ashton disappeared, motioning her to return, and then he enters the BTR.

Andy makes sure all avenues of approach are covered by at least one set of eyes, and suggests the drivers take a minute or two to get out and stretch.  "Since the hofficers are deciding the next move, we might as well water the foliage if needed"

Grunting Aaron dusted himself off and glared at the krauts form as he walked away. "Blasted war, now I have to obey a damn nazi." Ok, true, Aaron did not have any reason to obey the german, but if he didn't he would prolly be shot by the nazi wanna be.

Climbing form the back of the BTR-80, Brown looked around before shaking his head and following the German and the other "we're to good to enlist" types. It may be a meeting of the minds, but only enlisted men knew what they were doing, it might pay off for him to tag along, that way the bloody german didn't march them off a cliff.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:27, Fri 31 Dec 2004.

Dettinger will grab a seat in the BTR's troop compartment, settle his rifle, and wait for the other officers to arrive. When it becomes apparent that Cam will not be in attendance, he will turn to the others.

"First, is issue of command. I am new, yes? I am Oberstleutnant, also. I am not wanting to cause the tension, but must be a single speaker of authority." Dettinger pauses at this point, looking each participant in the eyes for a moment. "I can't command if you don't support. But am not asking, understand, yes? We settle this here, now, and then it is done, yes? Yes. Smythe, you are senior officer. Brown, senior noncom, like Hauptfeldwebel? Will you...ahh...the word is, acknowledge?...my rank?" Again, he looks between the officers and the warrant officer. If they don't contradict him, he will nod and continue.

"I think Corrigan, Ashton and Gallin follow tracks, with radio, see if LAV still near. We wait in reserve, yes? If they not find it today, we pick-up and decide to follow as group or keep on to Krakow. Questions? Ideas?"
This message was last edited by the player at 18:14, Mon 03 Jan 2005.

" 'ey lad. I will NOT support you, thats for sure"

Don, who hasn't said a lot about anything, except for some grumblings about the German, suddenly raises his voice.

"You're talking as if this was some kind of military expedition we are on, but we only want to get home as fast and as unhurt as possible. I object to anything resulting in unnecessary blodshed. Mr Nelson was left behind, and even if he also was somewhat a warmonger, you seem to be even worse! You have hardly gotten into the group before you now try to come here being the big officer-kinda-laddie."

Don's laidback style hardens a lot in the discussion.

"I say we can choose a leader that has military knowledge to command if we should be attacked. I can handle everything else though, if you want me to. I myself would prefer a lassie as leader, they have a much gentler touch with everything. Everything..."

With the last words he gives a smile to the girls, and back is his boyish (bad) humour. He can not be mistaken though, about not wanting the sauerkraut to be the leader for the group.

Nodding his head towards Donnachaidh, William shrugged. "I agree with Don, you have been with us for the least amount of time. I will not support your taking command. The men, and woman do not know you. " It was the true after all. "You come and assume command without so much as a second thought. So no, I will not support your command. If it is forced I will take anyone who will follow and head for home on our own."

Dettinger seems at least mildly taken aback. When Don is speaking, he doesn't react aside from raising one eyebrow derisively. However, during Brown's response, he pays more attention, nodding at points.

"Herr Brown...you raise good points, I think. I am being new to this group, and the situation, it is not so...regular? I respect your opinion. The voice of the ranks, yes?"

Dettinger turns to Donnachaidh at this point, and could scarcely look less impressed. If he reacted to the aforementioned's bluster, it doesn't show in the slightest. "You...were consulted as a...courtesy, for rank you hold, somehow. Your opinion carries no muscle. Your conduct...is what we would call, jugendlich und wie das einer Katze in der Hitze...you...think with your dick. This is not Politik, this is survival. Pretty words won't see us home. I have nothing more for you." He looks like he could spit at this point.

"Major Smythe, Herr Brown, this is a good discussion for us to be having. I will not press issue for myself. There will be a leader, to make the combat decisions - this is not open for discussion. Who is chosen, yes, discuss. I am not having an ego in this. There must be leadership for survival. I...invite?...your debating of this.

At this point, he settles back on the troop compartment's bench, and watches Smythe and Brown.

Shakign his head William sighed. The Kraut was just another no load-shit for brains officer. "If we don't want a leader there will not be one. We have had leadership by experiance from the start mate, no single person was completly in charge, I myself like it that way." Leanign against the side of the Troop carrier he grunted "If you must have leadership, then I would suggest Smythe or myself. The men know us, and they respect us. Not you."
This message was lightly edited by the player at 21:55, Mon 03 Jan 2005.

"You perhaps did not understand me. I am opposed, yes? This is not ideal, but I am pragmatist, is the word. Choose another, is my meaning."

Don can't really hold back a little smear when William bursts into flames on the little torch Don tossed into the fire. Don was aiming on getting Dettinger irritated, and he seemed to achieve that. Funnier yet was that little Willie ignited on all cylinders as well. In any case, things moved in Don's direction. On the other hand, also in the direction that Dettinger wanted. He was just looking for a firm hand to hold on to when the thunder of shells will start sounding sooner or later.

Obviously nothing of this was mentioned to any of the gamepieces of 'Don's game of chess'. He had almost forgot the fun in this kind of politics.

"You can just stuff the rank-part of your discussion. If you are such a marvellous officer, being an Oberst-lieutenant or what the heck you call yourself, where are your troops? You should have at least a couple of hundred bratwursters walking beside you. Lost them in the woods, have you? Hehe"

Don is even going below being Jugend-ish, to push some more pressurepoints on the German.

"You are here just because we are so damn nice and helpful to all human beings. We can probably use your knowledges of sneaking and crawling in dirt though. You have obviously been hiding in the woods for quite some time, afraid of the bad russkies, right?"

Don sits back, waiting to see if he has been able to get the German up and going or if he need more black-powder to blow up.

"NO Kraut breath, you misunderstand me. You said there will be a leader under no uncertain terms. What I'm saying is that unless we decide that, there will not be a leader." Bloody germans, the only good one was one shining your boots. Ok so if they had to split off William knew Don and Winters would be with him, no clue who else though. "You want my honest idea of you Dettinger? Your a worthless-no-load-shit-for-brains-can't-*?%&-commanding-officer, who lost all his men due to the fact that you don't know what your doing and now you want to get us killed."
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:47, Tue 04 Jan 2005.

At this point, there is no doubt: Dettinger is shocked and appalled.

"Herr Brown, I know not what to say. You speak anger, like I had the doing of something terrible to you. I come here as man, to make discussion, yes with determination - you respond with fire. You know not my record, the happenings before here, anything, but judge. Of the Politiker, I expect. Of you, I not. I know men of Warrant rank, though Deutschland not use it - I would expect more of one."

He pauses, clearly considering something unpleasant. He does not appear perturbed by the words being thrown about, so much as the attitudes behind them.

"I say this, then. This," Dettinger gestures towards his rank flash, wrapping his fingers around it, "...is symbol of who was. I earned it, blood and sweat, but you not believe. Okay. Now, I want to go home. I want to see family. That more important than this, I am thinking." At this, Dettinger pulls the flash loose, tearing the last threads. He then tucks the flash into his pocket, gathers up his rifle, and begins to walk away. Then he turns.

"I think you make mistake. Command, mine or other, may save us. I think you make mistake guesses, about me and what I offer, and why. That is your commerce, yes? You have strong feelings. I do not. Consider me a rifleman; I can prove that more easy. Ranks won't get us home. Ich möchte mein Haus noch einmal sehen - nichts sonst Angelegenheiten." With that statement, he again turns, and walks confidently away, looking to sit quietly away from the gathering.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:25, Tue 04 Jan 2005.