The dark night is easily pierced by your IR goggles and image intensifiers although you try to limit their use to save the batteries. While the house isn't the most perfect of defensive positions, the preparations made during daylight allow you to feel slightly secure even with the close proximity of neigbouring buildings and limited sight lines.
The clouds continue to gather until around 11pm it begins to lightly rain. The dripping of water is comforting to those tucked away in their blankets, an annoyance to those stuck out on watch.
Winters hand held radio is handed to the rover while up in the attic, Sergios tac radio is available for communication. Whoever is in the vehicle has access to it's systems.
[Private to Leutenant Camilla Ashton: Around midnight you think you hear something moving about under the floor. It's hard to be sure though with the sound of the rain.]
[Private to Plt Sgt Tanya Redgrave: Around midnight you think you see something moving about through a window in a neighbouring building. It's hard to be sure though with the mist from the rain and it's brief appearance.]
[Private to WO1 William Brown: Out in the vehicle conditions are misserable. To avoid the rain, you'd need to close the hatch but that would effectively cut you off from the outside world and make you totally ineffective as a guard. And so it is that midnight rolls around and sees you with cold water soaking down through your clothes and wishing intensely for the warm blankets and soft bed you should be rolling into in about an hour.
But that may not happen as you glimpse movement in the shadows across the street. It could be an animal, or it could be one of Don and Michelles attackers - it's too hard to tell at the moment...]
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:26, Mon 03 July 2006.

((*adjustments due to Major arrival and previous setting twists between.*))
Between the Major’s arrival, the people shifting in and out of the food-prep area, and the primary silence concerning most of what happened outside, Cam was finding herself a little lost.  Even if there had been a big discussion about what transpired out there, she probably would have only understood a bit of it.

She gathered enough to figure out the basics just from passing mentions. Mole People?..  Confusion settling into her features, some vacuous expression where she blinked slowly then shook her head.  The twist and turns of the day, hadn’t numbed her completely though, as Ashton offered a seemingly timid smile to Smith,  or rather his back as he lumbered off.

The smile slipping slowly neutral, Cam watched the doorway he’d departed through for a long while, with a haunted distance in her eyes. The smile returned again though, as  she went back to cleaning up the cooking mess.  She’d heard Bernhard’s words, and picked out the points of relevance to her, comparing notes with the one that Brown had briefed them on.. She would really have to clear things with the Major if she was going to keep taking initiative in assigning roles to people.  There was a wince inward, as the whole situation  was her fault.

Though she wouldn’t have felt as bad, save for the conflicting reaction here and there. With a slight flutter of a breath, she realized and connected that Marcus had departed prior to the Major’s address, and so  with a polite.. “Be excusing me..” Lieutenant Ashton went to track him down before he got too settled..   It probably didn’t matter, he’d just be waking up a bit later than had been implied, that notion stopped her short.  One pale hand drifted to the back of her neck rubbing lightly, the thumb of her other hand tucked into the ever-present (these days) rifle strap at her shoulder.

Maybe it was best just to leave it be.. Awkwardly the Danish Officer turned and went about familiarizing herself with the areas she’d be patrolling when the lights went out. Get a feeling for the sounds and what littered the areas.


///////////////////////////////////////// On Watch, 2300+?/////////////////////////////////////

Time had been unkind, and there was a lot on her mind.  Cam stalked the quiet beneath the thrumming of rain, it was an infernal sound when someone was tired and had no stimuli save one foot before the other and peering through shadows and glom. At least the night vision was helpful in that regard, even if the droning of trickling water and rhythmic patter of droplets threatened her state of mind.

That’s probably why, she didn’t notice at first..  Or was she even sure..  Ashton’s head tilted slightly as she paced through the building’s ground floor toward the Kitchen.  Lifting the radio, Cam clicked down the button.. “I checking, Sound..  Under floor? Maybe moving” As those words were spoken the old wood floor groaned beneath her feet and she paused.

Listening.

Then, rifle ready and low.. She thumbed the safety- click* , and continued moving to investigate that possible entrance.. Her left hand slid through the sling rolling up snug into the strap for stability as she reclaimed her grip on the weapon itself.

Brown had settled in his guard position. Every now and then he had to shift his position to make sure his muscles didn’t get numb. After a while the rain started disconforting at first, but it was not long before his uniform slowly turned wet, transferring the outside evening cold straight onto his skin. It was not long before he really longed for the warmt of the house.

Suddenly he raised his head. He was sure he saw something move out there in the shadows on the other side of the road. He trained his eyes on where he thought he had seen something, or was it just the rainy weather playing tricks on him...

Better safe than sorry, he pushed the button on the radio:
“Brown here, I got some movement out here at the other side of the road. Better stay allert”'

After that he reached out to make sure his AK was still close at hand while at the same time he made sure to settle just a little bit more within the protecting cover of the vehicle.

[Private to Nuked: Brown will use his IR goggles to scan if he was correct about his observation.]

After she cleans herself and some of her gear up, Tanya tries to get some down time in before she has to go up to her post for watch.  At least she was up in the attic and didn't have to be exposed to any elements if it got bad.

2300 came around quick and Tanya made her way up to the attic to take her watch for the first part of the evening.  She checks the SAW out and make sure that everything is in good working order and then settles in for her shift.

It was an hour or so into the watch when she saw the movement in an adjacent building to where they were, that's when the she heard Brown and Cam call in over the radio about movement and hearing noises.  "I got movement in the buildings near us too.  Unknown number," Tanya says as she switches the safety from 'off' to 'on' on the SAW.

[Private to Nuked: Thanks for pointing out the radios.  I saw it but, didn't understand it the first time I looked at it.]

Water drips from everywhere gathering in growing puddles.
[Private to Leutenant Camilla Ashton: Earlier in the evening Cam had discovered a manhole in the floor of the pantry, an obvious entry point which had been "secured" by the relatively simple act of piling a large load of firewood on top of it ready for use in cooking breakfast and keeping the hot water, hot.
Other than that, nobody had found any other possible entry points from beneath the floor...]
[Private to WO1 William Brown: Pulling the goggles down over his eyes, Brown flicked the switch activating the electronic circuits contained inside. Wiping the drops of water from the optics, he peers into the shadows he's thought he'd seen movement. A greenish glow covers everything, the goggles dispelling shadows as if it were daylight.
There! A flash of movement through a gap in a dilapidated wooden fence. Human? Most likely and trying to remain undetected too.]
Winters M249 SAW lays in easy reach of Tanya up in the Attic, her own light automatic rifle (RPK) also ready for immediate use. Earlier in the evening Marcus had placed his HK-69 grenade launcher and it's supply of ILLUM and HE grenades at the watch position just in case  of trouble.
[Private to Plt Sgt Tanya Redgrave: Don't forget you've got IR goggles.]

"I'm switchin' over to IR to see if I can get a better look!"  Tanya turns on her IR goggles and begins to scan for signs of movement.

While settling into the vehicle Brown pulls the IR goggles over his eyes and activates the circuits. Slowly he starts scanning the other side of the road. The place where he thought he had seen some movement.

YES, gotcha there it was again... definately human.

"Brown here, movement confirmed at the other side of the road. At lease one person on the move"

He didn't know what to think of it. It most likely were the mole people scurying around in the shadows out there. This probably was their teritory, so they would be watching them... intruders, to know their every move.

Maybe hoping to get an opertunity when someone got seperated again.
But would they attack their fortified position. He doubted they would. He didn't believe they were that desperate. But there was one motto he had lived by the last couple of months and it had kept him alive 'till now.

Better be safe than sorry. So he made sure to put the safety off on the coaxial, scanning the surrounding area again.

[Private to Nuked: What is Browns position like, except wet, cold and dark. What are the closest hiding places, places someone can crawl to without being noticed or is there a great deal of clear sight? And just in case it is needed, does the searchlight on the BTR work just on batery power or does it need the motor running?]
This message was last edited by the player at 11:11, Sat 08 July 2006.

"We wait?...", Ashton offered in response. She trusted in each of the other's experience to handle themselves, "Maybe this a de- distract?.." Naturally she butchered the language, and maybe Tanya could see something up there that could change the situation.  As it was there were a lot of cranky people with guns in the house.

Checking the piled on stack of wood, and other such weighty matters, Camilla blinked slowly peering about the room. Un-looping her hand, she pulled the radio up again, speaking lightly. “Ladder still block.. I think okay..” She made a slow sweep of the ground floor pausing to glance into the fire-place searchingly.. Then turned to continue on the assigned rounds as outlined by the Major.

[Private to Nuked: Sounds a little horror-movie-ish, but yeah I'm guessing so. (incase their planting something boomish underneath or something insane.) (definately opening interrior doors to check it'd be kinda silly to make a sweep and think it's okay cause no one's ion the hallway so-to-speak) ((now did the roving guard have to walk outside? curious cause there were so many people saying so many things it somewhat meshed together)).]
This message was last edited by the player at 08:36, Mon 10 July 2006.

Cam calmly resumes her slow patrol of the lower floor, peering out through windows into the pouring rain with the IR goggles Sergio had so kindly donated to the roving guard for the night. Water running down glass coated in at least a years buildup of dust and grim makes it difficult to see anything. [Private to Leutenant Camilla Ashton: So she probably cracks it open and peers through. Same for doors I would think.]
Up in the attic Tanya uses her own IR to attempt to confirm her own suspicions of a potential threat in the neaby building. [Private to Plt Sgt Tanya Redgrave: Sure enough she immediately spots a figure climbing through an attic window out onto the wet and slippery roof. There appears to be a thin cable running between the two buildings, probably electrical or telephone before the war - surely they don't intend to cross on that!?]
Brown spins the turret of the BTR-80 to point the guns where he'd seen the movement. One finger on the trigger and another on the spotlight switch he was ready for immediate response if a real threat became apparent...
[Private to WO1 William Brown: This might be helpful http://www.army-technology.com...ts/btr80/btr803.html
The gunner actually sits inside the vehicle alongside the driver and therefore normally looks out through the "windshield". Weapon aiming is done using a version of a closed circuit TV system although I could be wrong. Spent about an hour plus trying to find decent, accurate info and the best I could come up with was in Russian!]

Cam’s trip through the troubled dwelling would take into account the traps that had been set, as she didn't think setting them off would be a brilliant idea.  Her gaze strayed toward faint stirrings from the direction of the sleeping arrangements.. expression thoughtful beneath the bug-eyed apparatus that allowed her to see in the virtual gloom.

Examining the wood pile, her make-shift entry deterrent, didn’t reveal any changes to it so far.

hmm

There came to be two problems.. On the one hand, was a strong urge to leave well enough alone, and on the other hand was the need to know if there was some sort of  device being planted under their feet.

A fire, for example, would be bad.. Or an explosive device?..  A hand slid to her brow parting the honey colored locks  with a slow gesture, which bobbled over the night vision that she was  mindful not to disturb too badly..

Situation wouldn’t allow for a mirror to be of any use.. And they didn’t have any fiber-optic cable type devices  that she could even consider monkey-ing about with. “Maybe I give look..” She offered up, reclaiming the radio..

"There you are you sunuvabitch!," she says to herself as she ques the radio, "Contact!  Someone just climbed out of an attic window from the building across from me.  Going hot!"  Tanya gets a lead on the figure and when she thinks she's got a good sight picture, she fires a single burst (10 round) from the SAW.

Tanya: STR:6, Small Arms (Rifle):6, SAW Burst:3, [1] 10 round burst

[Private to Nuked: I screwed up!  I forgot to paste the results from her burst before I cut and pasted anything else.  Tanya only rolled one [1] six in her attack on the rooftop figure.]
This message was last edited by the player at 14:35, Wed 12 July 2006.

It had only been seconds before Tanya had announced she was going hot, when the eery silence was distubed by the all to familiar noise of gunfire.

A curse was the first thing out of his mouth.
Readying himself for what was to come, Brown settled and waited, poised to drow down to his seat and light this street up with some real firepower...

The burst of gunfire rips through the dark night, muzzle flash reflecting off falling drops of rain.
[Private to Plt Sgt Tanya Redgrave: Strangely enough none of the bullets appear to impact the target.]

Question to Gm before next action: [Private to Nuked: Does she see anymore targets?]
Reply: Not at this time.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:16, Sat 15 July 2006.

The Danish officer stopped dead in her tracks at the initial run up to the salvo that shattered the still beyond the thrum-drum of the rain.  Camilla bit back her initial surprise and fell back from her previously intended action, leaving the heavy weight on the trapdoor.

Instead it was apparent that she’d have to relate, or in some part make available, the details of what was transpiring to those that would be waking up.  Be it by simply delivering the radio or otherwise.  She back-peddled from the kitchen with that in mind.

Tanya continues to scan the area, sweeping the SAW as she does so.  "I'm clear right now.  I know something's out there!"
[Private to Plt Sgt Tanya Redgrave: And you can still see that same person hanging on the same wire totally unscathed just a dozen or so metres away...]
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:55, Mon 17 July 2006.

The first moments after the sound of falling rain had been disturbed by the unmistaken noise of gunfire Brown had been focussing on any movement in his line of vision. For now it seemed no obvious reaction could be expected from the gunfire.

"Something is out there, I've spotted movement on this side as well... still not sure they have hostile intent though."

"GOT HIM!  COMING ACROSS A CABLE BETWEEN THE HOUSES," she yells out before she swings the muzzle of the SAW towards the target making his way across.   "Dodge this Mother Fu....," is all she remembers as she squeezes the trigger and the sound of the 5.56 NATO rounds being fired towards the hanging target.

Tanya: STR:5, Small Arms (Rifle):6, SAW Burst:3, [2] 10 round bursts

1,4,2,2,5,5,5,3,4,5,3,3,4,5,3,6,4,1,5,2
[Private to Nuked: UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!  Only [1] hit again!]
This message was last edited by the player at 02:14, Sun 23 July 2006.

"This isn't possible," thinking to herself as the smoke clears from the end of the SAW's barrel.  "That mook should be down, down hard!  What is wrong with me?" keeps running through her mind trying to once again refocus on the figure skirting across the wire.
[Private to Plt Sgt Tanya Redgrave: Luck, pure and simple. I suggest firing five single shots instead of trying to hit with bursts - could be the recoil throwing off your aim...]
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:58, Sun 30 July 2006.