From the cover with Gunny nearby:

"Guns, we have one target in the boat. His weapon is slung. Can't see where the other targets went. Range 100 meters with a 10 mph cross wind from left to right."


"I say we hold fire until we see hostile act; what do you say?"

John
prone behind cover
scanning targets with bino's
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:57, Sun 01 July 2007.

Snowy follows the crowd into the wheelhouse, and although he has his hands on his weapon his finger is on the triggerguard. He watches Zewlakow's antics but is unable to understand the rapid colloquial Polish. He raises his eyebrows as Zewlakow fouls the bridgedeck though, and leans over and picks up the cigaerette butt. As he flicks it out the pilothouse window, he looks at Zewlakow and says "Ignorant bugger."

He then transfers his gaze over to the Polish woman who saluted the flag and says "I trust you're better behaved than tha?"

(OOC: All in English I'm afraid, Snowy hasn't the greatest facility with languages.)

Griet's eyes dropped to White's weapon and lingered on the finger he had alongside the trigger guard.  Her submachinegun was still slung across her lower back.  They flicked back to his face as he spoke, and remained there for several long seconds, her face blank and unreadable.

His accent was strange, and taxed her limited English.  Parts of it sounded like the school teacher she'd learned it from, an ex-British woman who'd abandoned Queen and Country to embrace the idealogical beauty of Communist rule.  But other parts of his accent were very different indeed.  She waited to speak, both to give her time to decipher what he meant and to allow Zewlakow to get out of earshot.

"I am sailor," Griet said slowly, her English heavily Polish-accented but with odd traces of Britain in it.  "Zewlakow soldier in WSW.  He hear much so tongue watch," she advised.  Or was she threatening?  With no obvious change in facial expression it was hard to say.

"You English yes?"

While Snow and the new addition get acquainted, Clarence sidles up beside Uller and asks for a breakdown of the exchange between Adam and the ORMO officer. Even with his limited profficiency in the Polish language, it was clear to Clarence that the conversation had been tense and fairly one sided.

When he detects a break in Snow's conversation with the new girl, Clarence steps forward and offers his hand,

"Clarence Milk, U.S. army- Milo mi*. So, you're our new babysitter?" he adds in a friendly tone.

(OOC: *It's nice to meet you.)
This message was last edited by the player at 17:26, Sun 01 July 2007.

Parks keeps his eye at his scope and speaks in low tones as if to himself.
"Roger range and wind. No joy so far. We will watch and wait. I got boat boy. See if you can find the other two."
Parks slowly scans the boat for anything he see's is vulnerable. Uncovered engine parts, fuel tank, anything a 7.62 can play hell with. Taking note of anything that looks promising, he slowly scans back to the target. Parks takes his eye off the scope starts to slowly works the natural concealment around him to their favor. Once this task is done as best as his quick hide allows he leans slightly to his side and pulls out his handheld and slowly slides it over to lightly bump Yazzie's arm.
"See if you can raise Snow or Milk and see what's going on." Parks says quietly.


Parks
In the underbrush 100 meters from the whaler.
SVD(10)
Getting "comfortable" while watching his target.

"Milk this is John sitrep over"

"we are in position to affect the boat and its rifleman"

Hearing his radio crackle to life, Clarence momentarily excuses himself from the conversation to take the call,

""Scuse me, folks."

Clarence fumbles over his shoulder  for a moment before grasping hold of the radio's handset. Bringing it to his ear, he squeezes the transmit button,

"John, this is Milk. The boarding party is not hostile- repeat, not hostile. Two subjects are leaving in the boat; one is staying behind. Keep an eye on the boat until it departs. Over."

Clarence now has one ear on the discussion in the wheelhouse and one on the radio.

"It is pleased to meet you," Griet replied and shook Milk's hand.  Her hand was confident in his, and the roughness of it spoke of a woman who'd not spent much time being pampered.  It was almost a farm girl's hand, only without the pig shit.

"I Name Griet," she continued after letting go of his hand.  "Milk?"  She seemed puzzled then spoke her first genuinely correct English sentence so far.  "The cow is of the bovine ilk; one end is moo, the other is milk.  Yes?"  It was obvious she'd learned the phrase by rote and had no inkling of its true meaning.

"Guns, targets are friendlies- Will try and find other two. I think we should track until they leave."
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:58, Wed 04 July 2007.

"Nah, not even close. I'm an Aw-Stray-Lien, so we're on the other side of the planet from the Poms. So, you're our baby-sitter? Sounds like you are set up to keep us doing that charming bloke's wishes. Sorry if that doesn't fill me with joy."

Gunny and Yazzie pick up the second target as he slogs back across the mud spit towards the small boat. When he arrives, he pauses for a moment to yell at the tillerman before pushing the boat off and hopping awkardly in, almost tumbling backwards over the prow. Gunny and Yazz track them through their scopes as the two targets head back into the channel and turn back upstream the way they came. The two interlopers never knew that they'd been in someone else's crosshairs during most of their unannounced visit.

One of the refugee militiamen arrives in the muddy clearing, breathing hard, having run down the track from the abbey. He stands there looking around, trying to assess the situation. He has not seen the sniper team hidden in the trees bordering the bank to his right.

Meanwhile, on the Krolowa's bridge, Anneka enters after having watched the boat leave. She hangs back in a corner, wiping rainwater off of her face and  resting the borrowed RPK-74 butt-first on the deck. Quietly, she listens in, trying to make sense of what is going on.

Uller is the first to speak,

"Remember Miss Newiadomski, you may be here to watch us, but I'll be watching you."

Adam cuts him off before he can continue, "I apologise for my crewman's poor welcome. This is- how shall I say- an unexpected turn of events. I am not sure that we will be ready to leave tomorrow..." his last statement trails off expectantly, inviting the newcomer to either confirm or refute Zewlakow's threats.

Actions? Dialogue?
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:19, Wed 04 July 2007.

Beset on all sides.  Griet knew she was in a tense situation, made the worse by Zewlakow's tactless dealings with the Captain.  He really was an ass, bot that she'd ever give voice or even body language to indicate such.  He didn't understand that, for all it was just a tug to him, to the Captain it was his ship.  His responsibility, his fiefdom.  There would have been a better outcome if he'd treated the Captain as a respected man, and not someone just to be bullied.

"Is not joy or not joy," she said.  "Is to be done and by morning.  That is will of people."  It was always safe to say things were the will of the people; that was a basic precept of Communism and she'd been raised as one, albeit a second-class one.

"Morning come, Krolowa still here, bad news you, me, everyone.  We go."

Switching to Polish, she addressed Old Adam.  "Captain, we will be underway by first light.  Zewlakow does not make idle threats," she stated firmly.  She turned to Uller, gave him a cool look, then switched her attention back to Old Adam.  "I will work alongside your crew to make us ready.  What needs to be done, Captain?"
This message was last edited by the player at 23:32, Wed 04 July 2007.

Anneka continued to look on quietly, waiting to speak with the captain in private for a few moments. The heavy (to her) stock of the RPK rested against her foot, oversized magazine extending out before her shapely leg. Her hands casually gripped the thick metal barrel just below the foresight.
The new woman worried her somewhat. As a representative of what could probably be termed one of the few remaining "enemy" units in any shape to cause trouble, Griet would require careful watching.

"New target getting into boat, Guns- same distance and wind call..... They are now leaving."


"Awaiting your orders..."


John
prone behind cover
spotting scope to eye
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:46, Thu 05 July 2007.

Parks follows the boat until it's out of sight again then rolls to his side slightly to face Yazzie. "Not bad Corporal. See you've done this or seen it done before. I have to warn ya' though. Every spotter I've had in this smelly ass of a country hasn't made it. If you want to help me break that streak, welcome aboard. If not I'll understand." Parks rolls back slighly and resumes his position. We'll wait here a bit and watch to see if the boat or anyone else returns. I am in no hurry to get back to baggin'. Go ahead and call Milk and tell him one of the locals is outside." Parks gets back into position and relaxes. Resting his cheek on the butt of the weapon like most would rest their head on their arm. After a brief period of silence Parks lulls his head to the side slighly to face Yazzie. " Keep and eye out for some burlap or other course cloth. I will help ya make your first gilly. I am hoping we get some shore duty somewhere along the line. That boats gonna get awful small for my liking after a day or two."



Parks
Underbrush/makeshift hide
SVD(10)
Watching the area for a while.

Adam responds in Polish. It's obvious that he is unhappy with Griet's response, but his tone makes it apparent that he does not hold her personally responsible for this latest, unfortunate development.

"Much, I'm afraid. Part of my security party has gone to Nowy Huta to bring back metal plates for armoring  parts of the ship. They should be back before nightfall, I am sure. However, I'm afraid that we will not have time to do much with whatever they bring back if they are successful."

Adam switches to English and addresses Snowy directly,

"If the others' mission is successful, what will we be able to accomplish by morning?"

OOC: Snowy noticed some portable flood lights outside amongst the other tools underneath the tarp.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:52, Thu 05 July 2007.

Snowy's eyes unfocus. "Blue cuts and I weld; two hours for the pedestal mount for the vasilek, no armour and gun not mounted. Weapon mounted on pedestal; two hours for four men. Barbette mount for barbette; Blue cuts and I weld, four men help move plates and hold them in position. Four hours. This still means no gun shield but the weapon will be protected from the fragments of near misses."

He scratches his jaw, and starts counting off on his fingers. "DShKM mount; if it's a wheeled carriage mount it'll be one hour to mount for one man, they're reversable for AA mounting. I didn't see if it was the wheeled carriage or if it was, if it had the gunshield. Gun-tub for DShKM; four hours for two men, maybe three hours for four. Sandbagging; we need a two man crew for building frames and another two men for cutting and shaping. For all four; maybe four hours to do the tub and another eight to do the barge. Adding sandbags and wiring them in; depending on the availability of wire and full sandbags a guy should be able to do four metres in an hour, easy."

He then looks at everyone and says "This doesn't factor in unloading and loading steel, cooking, getting steam up on the tug, stowing final gear and so on. To armour the pilotshouse; I haven't even planned the job yet."

Clarence chimes in from his corner of the bridge, "We can start with the sandbags right now. The Captain's crew already has heaps filled and the Marines have filled heaps more. Just tell me what you want me to do and point me in the right direction, Snow-man. I get the feeling, the sooner we're on our way, the better."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:39, Fri 06 July 2007.

"Right." Answers Snowy. "It's kinda pointless us working on the metalwork with no material, but there's enough wood here for us to make a lattice framework to wire sandbags to. Let's go, we'll need everyone to form up into two man teams. How about Milky and I start constructing them and the marines mount them. Everyone else apart from the security element can get to wiring sandbags, a bitch of a job." Snoy smiles as only those who've avoided a crummy job can.

"We'll make little sandbag box-barbettes for weapons and replace them with steel as the voyage goes on. I reckon we can have most of the frameworking done by the time the lads get back and be ready to sail. First off, we should man pack on everything in case we have to do a sudden sailing, we can work from the barge. We're using the barge power anyway so it's no big deal."

"On a final note; throw nothing away. Sawdust can be used to make primitive space heaters. Offcuts can make fragmentation jackets and swarf can make welding rods. We reuse everything."
This message was last edited by the player at 07:36, Fri 06 July 2007.

"Tadeuz, Walter, and Luboslaw can help you as well. Grzyech shouldn't be needing them until it is time to fire the engines." Adam offers. "I will assist you myself. Uller, prepare the bridge for departure tomorrow morning."

Uller responds with his usual lack of enthusiasm, "Of course, Captain."
This message was last edited by the player at 16:16, Sat 07 July 2007.

OOC: OK, it now remains for someone to inform Gunny and John of the developing situation and the plan.

Also, there is a befuddled militiaman standing in the clearing on the riverbank.

Let me know what your intentions for the immediate and near future are somehow, IC. Feel free to converse and RP with one another as well. Hopefully, the salvage team can resolve their predicatment soon. Once the teams are reunited, I'll whip up an A-Team style montage, and the boat will be ready for departure.

She'd listened to the Australian speak at length.  Griet didn't understand all of it, but she recognized the tones of a craftsman comfortable with his tools and his work.  He'd do what needed to be done, and do it well she felt.

"Porucznik Zewlakow will be pleased," she told Old Adam in Polish.  "Once supplies are loaded, most refitting can be done underway.  I am going below to inspect the engines.  Captain," she added at the end.

With only a nod to the others, Griet turned and began to make her way belowdecks to the engineering spaces.  She kept the submachinegun across her back, out of the way.  She began to walk about, poking in here and there and generally getting an idea for the state of the machinery.

Griet makes her way through the cramped innards of the Krolowa. Along the way, she runs into a teenaged boy who steps aside for her whilst eyeing her suspiciously. She proceeds a short distance to the engine room proper. A coal and grease blackened man turns to meet her, a large wrench held menacingly in his large, calloused hand.

"Who the hell are you and what the hell are you doing in my engine room?"

Clarence gets back on the radio as he exits the landward side bridge door to brief Gunny and Yazzie on the new plan. Instead of the familiar faces, he sees one of the militiamen standing in the clearing. From the companionway, he gives the man an "everything is OK" wave with one hand while he transmits with the other.

"Sniper team, this is Milk. Come on out. Our ETD has changed. Will brief off air. Over."
This message was last edited by the player at 04:34, Sun 08 July 2007.

The tug team reassembles, and after a quick conference, work gets underway properly sandbagging the Krolowa.

At around four in the afternoon, the salvage team arrives with two 6x6, 1/2" metal plates in the bed of the Ural, which looks even more battered than when it left. Another conference is held and Snowy outlines his plan for completing the up-armoring of the tug by the next morning. Work gets underway immediately, with only a brief break for a catered dinner of smoked ham and potatoes. Floodlights are set up and the project continues through the night. The steady, white light is punctuated by flashes of blue sparks as Snow and Blue fashion a crude but effective metal barbette for the Vasilek and a gunshield for the aft Dushka, while the rest of the team completes sandbagging the bridge, the sniper's nest, and the MG postions. Adam's deckhands assist in loading the Vasilek with the forward crane, lowering the big automortar into its barbette. Before dawn Grzyech and Luboslaw fire the boiler, working up a head of steam.

When the sun rises, you are exhausted, but the Queen is loaded and ready to go.