". . . there was no gleam, no shadow, for the heavens, too, were one still, pale cloud; no sound or motion in anything but the dark river that flowed and moaned like an unresting sorrow."

-George Elliot, The Mill on the Floss
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:44, Thu 15 Nov 2007.

Wednesday, October 4th, 2000
1800hrs.
Vistula river, approx. 1/2km upriver from Nowy Korczyn, Poland
50 F
Overcast; light rain

You’ve barely seen the sun all day, but its passing does not go unnoticed. The already gloomy day darkens quickly as the sun, still hidden by clouds and rain, sinks behind you. The temperature seems to drop along with the sun. It’s colder than it’s been in days and those of you with old wounds feel the added ache born of penetrating humidity and cold.

The preceding six hours have passed uneventfully. Only thirty kilometers have been traversed in that time- a concession of speed to safety- but the party has successfully negotiated a stretch of river bereft of human habitation but punctuated by no less than six tributary mouths, each spewing forth a tongue of sand, silt, and debris. Each danger zone required a slow, methodical approach as the plucky, old tug nosed its burden of a barge around and past the sometimes subtle- but no less dangerous- natural obstacles. Anything but subtle was the sandbar thrown out by the merging of the Dunajec River. It was at least a meter high in places, stretching over half-way into the path of the Vistula and heaped with dead wood, the random flotsam of  decaying civilization, and- you’re fairly certain- at least one bloated, naked corpse. The tug never made more than 5kmph during the afternoon, but regardless of the seeming lack of progress, you’ve navigated a treacherous length of the river successfully and without further injury (physical or mechanical) or delay.

About half a kilometer ahead and to your left (North), you can just make out the angular shapes of a collection of buildings known as Nowy Korczyn, barely visible in the faltering light of dusk. The village stands dark and silent, but strangely intact.

The sound of the anchor chain rattling against the hull as it plunges into the dark water seems unusually loud in the still of the evening.

Actions?
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:47, Thu 15 Nov 2007.

Bayer asks Adam to hold their position before getting closer to the town. "Can we stop here? Before we get close to that village?" he asks, pointing towards the rooftops on the darkening skyline.

OOC - I assume Adam always stops traveling at night anyways?

Its 1800 hours, so he goes to quietly call for the last light stand too. As he intended, he asks for a consensus from the team. Visiting each member at their post, he ask "Do you think we should check out Nowy Korczyn?"

The points he makes known...
1. A helicopter was spotter flying near there.
2. Its a chance for either trade or scrounging or gathering more regional info.
3. Every stop is dangerous and can jeopardize their attempt to reach Warsaw.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:42, Thu 15 Nov 2007.

Despite his brief midafternoon nap, Old Adam is looking rather haggard.

"Yes, of course. Tadeuz is seeing to it presently."

OOC: Yes, it's SOP to stop and lay anchor before last light. It's just too difficult to spot and avoid the various obstacles that plague the river in the dark and travelling with the spotlight on is bound to attract unwanted attention.

Minh quickly prepares for the stand too when the call is quietly given. With night approaching it'll only get colder so she removes her Adidas track hoodie and puts on her black wool sweater. Throwing her webbing on over this she quickly makes her way to the rear upper deck... the new SAW position.

When Captain Bayer passes by and asks her for her vote, she replies - "I say do it. A quick look if anything. We are here for the night anyways, so it'd be good to check it out for security purposes as well."

Once the anchor falls john wakes up with a start and swings his strait razor in a wide arch over his head in a sleep filled defensive move. Once he wakes he wipes his eyes and starts to pack up his gear and add layers of his now dry uniform items. He repacks his pack and breaks down his G3 again, wipes it down and punch's the bore. He will do the same with his 1911 and the reload both weapons. He will go and take a piss off the side of the boat and comb out his growing hair and re-braid it. Once he has done his routine he will move to the galley and eat a mid-size meal. Once finished he will move back up to the top deck and resume his sleep position and go back into dream land........



John
routine
G3

Snowy is methodically cleaning his weapon, he'd be embarressed of Yaz asked for a quick check and it was dirty. Anyway, it's the little rituals that keep your head bolted on, he thinks to himself.

He notices he's starting to smell particularly 'ea de riverwater'. He's got hours before the next sentry-go so he decides the time - the odour - is ripe for a quick shower in the Krolowa's unlimited steam powered hotwater shower. As he's scrubbing down, handgun close enough that he can arm himself in case of boarders, he tries to remember when he last had a shower with all the hat water he wanted. Regardless, he still can't bring himself to have anything other than a navy shower and is out pretty quickly.

Dressing in his black tactical clothing, he rinses his stinking bunny-cams out and bundles them up. Strapping on the webbing gear is like stepping into old shoes, not really comfortable but familiar. His harness, unlike military harnesses, is far more encompassing (it's also a rapelling harness) but it chafes like a bastard and he looks at it more like an ongoing atonement for his sins. 'Who was that Greek guy that had to roll a rock to the top of the hill in Hades?' he thinks to himself. 'Sysiphus. Sounds like a disease. I've got a bad case of Webbing-Sisyphus'. He smiles, he should tell the Doc and see her reaction.

Coming out, he nods to Yazzie as he's eating and drapes his cams out to dry. Ambling back he says "How'd you go with your swim Yaz? Yaz, have you had any action on the lower stretches of the Vistula? You know, way below Warsaw and closer to the coast? I heard the Marines were in hard down there. Cos', I'm wondering what we do after this cruise. I'm thinkin', maybe we should be looking for a blue water boat and heading along the coast. From what I last heard, the Marine Corps has a big unit up there somewhere."

After chatting with Yazzie, he stows his carbine - because he's running so low on ammo - and hefts his tactical Remington 870P. Yes, the carbine is a nasty lil' killer but there's something reassuring about carrying a street-howitzer like the twelve gauge. The big black gun with it's short barrel, side saddle ammo carrier and reflex sight swings on his patrol swing as he looks for Tuck as he goes about his sentry patrol. He walks alongside Tuck for a bit; "So, got any ideas what to do after our little cruise? I was thinkin' of going on beyond warsaw on another leg down if we can score a vessel like this. I can con a helm; I gotta watchkeeper's ticket."

He looks up and sees Minh, and says as the two amble past "G'day miss. I'm Snowy, former Australian Customs Service and now occupying the very lowest rung of the ADF." Snowy is obviously not really a soldier, and as he's no wearing tactical SWAT gear it's obvious what he did in the customs service. "I haven't had a chance to say G'day yet, but there yer are." He adds with a grin.

(OOC: Anyone else, join in for the chat, I'm not excluding you.)

Snowy
Taking a turn about the vessel with Tucker.
Remington 870P and Glock .40

Tucker is on the top deck enjoying one of his cigars as he takes in the sights (and smells) of the river.  Robert turns and nods to Snowy as he gets closer and starts to talk.  "What's happening Snowy?  Hey listen, I stripped off some spare rounds from my mags for you.  It's not much but, I can spare them for now," Tucker says reaching into his pockets and hands Snowy a couple handfuls of loose 5.56N rounds (33 total).

Tuck will walk along with Snowy on the deck for a bit.  "I don't know what the fuck I'm gunna do after this is all over Snowy.  Not sure if I like the river much but, it's a helluva lot faster than walking!  If it works out, I might stay on with Adam, never really considered too much passed Warsaw.  Lately, kinda just keep going day by day and see what it brings.  Right now, it's a good gig and I got a chance to learn some shit on working the boat.  I guess, I can stay on as security.  Stick with what you know, right?  If we can get our hands on a boat like this, I'd be more inclined to work it with people I know."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. This is the first I've settled down in a while. It seems we were on the go for years on end; ruck-up and move-out and so on, but on the boat it's this wierd moving flat out while sitting still feeling."

He thanks Tuck for the ammo and stores it in one of his pouches, "I owe you now! Where am I gonna get a beer out here!?"

[Private to GM: I won't forget to change my ammo! :)]

Tucker smiles, "Some scotch would do nicely with my cigar.  I guess a beer wouldn't be bad either.  Don't worry about the looseies Snow, you can buy me a beer in Warsaw!"

Dawid was relaxing by the bow gun, watching the riverbanks. "I have no real opinion one way or another. I need to get to Warsaw safely, but if there are people we can help, then I wish to do so."

After Konrad was done and he was dismissed, he cleaned his rifle and pistol and the heavy weapons (including the Vasilek and Plamya), then said his evening prayers.

After the stand too ends at 1900, Bayer approaches Soleblume. “I’ve asked the men about heading into Nowy Korcyzn, and nobody seems against it. Are you up for taking three of them, Dawid, Quyen and Tucker in to check things out? Just four of you ja. Stealth in small numbers right.  Besides… Yazzie, Maddock, and Snowy are out since they’ll probably have a long night tommorow… I’ll fill you in on that later. And it’ll keep our sentry roster intact without any shifting. Can do?”
This message was last edited by the player at 13:04, Fri 16 Nov 2007.

"Quyen. Former MP and sapper." she introduces herself. "I'm real happy to get on board with you guys. Its taking me the opposite direction I wanna go, but at least I'm moving."

Maddock takes the opportunity to break out all of his kit. He unpacks, sorts, examines and repacks, separating out anything that needs patching or other attention. He carefully removes each round from his magazines, and then reloads them after ensuring that they are all clean and in good shape. A little work with a needle and thread sees to the tears and holes in his fatigues.

Following Snowy's example, he helps himself to a shower. He uses the hot water and time to wash the worst of his clothes. Long days and nights in mud and standing water have done a number on them, but Maddock is a Royal Marine of the old school, and knows his way around a stain or a torn trouser leg.

Feeling clean and refreshed, insignia and badges restored, Maddock reemerges onto deck, and settles himself in for breakfast and a sit-down.

before John sleeps he anwsers Snows question...


"we have a MEF up o the coast 2 divisions an aircraft wing and a support group.."

"i was pulled out along with a bunch of guys from 5th Recon battalion and we were sent out on a SOCOM mission..."

"hope the rifle works better now but i have to catch some sleep...have a good one"

"i for one think we need to find a place to winter down,,, and the MEF could have moved"

"swim was easy just a float along thanks for the pickup"

John
going to sleep
G3
This message was last edited by the player at 00:01, Sat 17 Nov 2007.

Under the watchful eye of Snow on the port Dushka, Maddock ferries the recon party- consisting of Anneka, Tuck, Dawid, and Quyen- to shore in Zodiac 1.

The recon team sets off from the riverbank to cross the half-kilometer to the settlement.

No lights been seen anywhere in the village. Whether this indicates that the village is abandoned, or under a deliberate blackout due to your approach, is not yet clear.

Recon Team

Crossing the fallow field between bank and settlement in the dark is difficult, to say the least. There is very little ambient light with the moon hiding behind the low overcast. Even with the aid of night-vision goggles, you stumble over the uneven ground, slogging through- and sometimes slipping into- mud, clumps of weeds, and puddles of standing water. By the time you arrive within 50 meters of the first village outbuildings, you're soaked through and liberally spattered with mud.

You near your navigation point- a large, solitary tree on the southwestern outskirts of the village, its branches bare. Hanging from one of the lower, sturdier branches is a large, frayed piece of fabric (a sheet or tablecloth or towel perhaps). From the way it hangs with its lower edge squared parallel to the ground, it looks to have been placed there deliberately. It appears to be light in color, but it's impossible to tell exactly what color it is since everything is tinged green by the NVGs and those without can barely make out only a light grey blob on a pitch black background.

There is still no sign of life from the village. The nearest building has been gutted by fire; those stretching off to the north appear largely intact.

Back on board the Queen, all is quiet. Only the melancholy murmer of the flowing water trumps the stillness of the young night.

Actions?

I'm not starting a separate group for the recon team. I don't want anyone on the boat getting too bored, so, everyone can read what's going on. Please remember, though, that those on the tug cannot see everything that is going on in the recce team's LOS. Remember to use your radios to keep one another informed.

[Private to John Yazzie: Hey compadre, I know that grammar's not really your thing but please try to tidy up your posts just a bit. It's the teacher in me- what can I say. Thanks much. Respect.

Oh, and yes: The more successful gunsmithing work Yazz does, the better he'll get at it.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:56, Sat 17 Nov 2007.

With the recce team away, Bayer gives up his NVGs to the sentry to hand off with each shift. He'll collect them again in the morning. Bayer also leaves his radio with the sentry to maintain a radio watch, waiting for any reports from Soleblume.   He leaves instructions to be woken if anything serious happens... but other than that he goes and bunks down until his he needs to go on shift himself.

Bayer
Sleeping

Looking slightly shocked that Konrad had asked her, a medic, to lead the team, Anneka could only nod in reply. At least she had Dawid and Tucker along, two who'd proven their worth already, and Minh seemed to know one end of a weapon to the other.

Soon after she was ready to depart, her Uzi reclaimed from the makeshift armoury in the radio room and everything else stripped down to the bare basics. She'd eyed the MP-5 for a few moments, it's much lighter weight more than compensated for her unfamiliarity and it's slightly short effective range, but there was only the one lone magazine available for it. They'd have to scrounge some more as soon as they could.

"Right then," she said as "her" team assembled, ready for the short boatride to shore. "We all set?"

She was glad to see Dawid had chosen to leave the heavy PKM behind and restrict himself to the rifle. She was even happier to see the RPG slung over his shoulder - it was just a recon, but...[Private to Dawid Waldus Piotrowski: Hope you don't mind being told what weapons to carry like that]

"Oh, one last thing." She held out her hand with three personal medikits, each containing a bandage, painkiller and anitbiotics and weighly a tiny 200 grams. "If you don't have one on you already, take one. As I'm sure each of you already know, you're responsible for your own immediate medical aid if you can manage it while the rest of us deal with any threats. If you're treating somebody else, use their kit first."

Fairly standard stuff even the greenest of recruits were supposed to learn, but Anneka had learnt that many basic things were forgotten over the years that needed the occasional reminder.

"Who's got a flashlight?" she inquired in a low voice. "That looks like it's supposed to mean something. Could be writing on it."
It was dangerous to show a light, but she didn't intend to shine the flashlight on the cloth while it was still hanging. Sneaking forward, Anneka picked her way through the darkness to the cloth. Reaching up she gave it a tug, gently at first then harder until it came free.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:46, Sat 17 Nov 2007.

His own first aid kit being used up on his head wound, Dawid took another from Anneka as a replacement.

He slung the 1-shot RPG-76 over his shoulder, then made sure his Tantal was cocked and safed. He checked his flashlight and NVGs, making sure they worked. Lastly, he donned the achingly heavy flack vest and put the lifchki ammo carrier over top of that, with 6 spare magazines and 2 grenades and the first aid kit inside it.

Of course he only had the one set of fatigues and no helmet any more, so he wore his beret and put a sweater on underneath his fatigue jacket, and he was ready to go.



The NVGs made everything look a glowing monochrome green. Through them, he lay in the wet grass and watched the lifeless buildings. Sweat due to the exertion and heavy flak vest dripped down his ribs.


Dawid Piotrowski
Tanatal (30 rds +6 magazines) Stechkin (21 rds) 2 Grenades
Watching the front w/NVGs

EDIT: Added clothing and weapons tag
[Private to Anneka Soleblume; Cap'n Rae: Not a problem at all re: the ATR, I would guess a patrol leader has every right to make sure the right weapons are carried. He did take a 1st aid kit, but I editied the post slightly to make this clearer.]
This message was last edited by the player at 12:30, Sun 18 Nov 2007.

If nobody offered, Quyen would pass up her black police style flashlight. It had an incredibly strong light to it, but she had managed to fix a self-made red lens covering over the end of it for tactical use such as this.

"Maybe you should go underneath a rain poncho to keep any light from being seen." she quietly suggested. OOC - she means squat down and lay the poncho completely over your upper body and the item being viewed, like a tent.

She was dressed as she was earlier on the boat, a black wool sweater, US issue combat pants and webbing. She wore no body armour or helmet, only a camouflage  bush hat (the helmet had been lost and her kevlar traded away months ago). Her webbing was weighed down with various grenades and gear. Like the rest of them, she was soaked and muddy, her hands were a bit numb and starting ache.

As much as she was interested in seeing what the item was, Minh forced herself to take up a security position, keeping watch towards their rear... seeing how Dawid had taken up watching to their front (the village). With no NVGs she listened for any sounds that might indicate a human presence. Her weapon was at the ready.

Minh Quyen
Ak-74 (28 rounds) - 5 Magazines
Recce patrol's location
NO NVGs.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:31, Sat 17 Nov 2007.

Adam thinks for a moment before responding to Konrad's inquiry regarding detatching the barge in order to facilitate the transfer of the ZU from the stern of the Krolowa.

"Yes, it should be no problem. We'll have to wait until first light, though- it simply can't be done at night without lighting up the entire river- and the boys [Walter, Tadeuz, and Luboslaw] may need some help, if you can spare a man or two. But, they have done such things many times before; it shouldn't take more than an hour."

Uller, standing nearby, begins to light up a cigarette, briefly illuminating the darkened bridge.

OOC: This is a flashback conversation that took place before Konrad went to bed.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:16, Sun 18 Nov 2007.

Tucker nods with approval about going ashore again and that Anneka was in charge this time, no second guessing each other!  He goes below and gets his MOLLE kit and wepaons ready for another shore party and returns to the upper deck to do a final weapons & equipment check.  Tucker waves off the medkit from Anneka, tapping one of his pockets indicating where his are to everyone else.

Robert covers a sector as the boat makes for the shoreline.  Once it has arrived, he gets out of the craft as easily as he can and covers while the rest are out and then given the move out signal by Anneka.  He falls into a spot and follows the leader.

As they approach the tree with the cloth or sheet on it, Tucker stops and lets Minh hand over her more powerful flashlight than his own Army issue anglehead light.  Tucker positions himself in a prone position away from where they're working and finds a field of fire to cover while they investigate.

Tucker
M-16A2 [27/30]/M-203 [HE]
Covering sector while the tree is checked out

[Private to GM: I just wanted to let you know that I'm going through a divorce on my end and I'm having a little trouble staying focused.]

Recon Team

Positioned around the tree in a ragged wagon-wheel formation, Dawid, Minh, and Tucker keep watch on the perimeter, while Anneka examines the cloth.

With some effort, she tugs it down off the tree and kneels down over it. Flicking on her torch, she attempts to shield its light (sans red filter) from the village with her body and her free hand. Despite this, some light escapes, glowing uncomfortably bright in the inky darkness.

The sheet is yellow- a bit faded in places, but it's definitely yellow. There are no visible markings or writing of any kind on it. It's just a plain, bright-yellow sheet that someone deliberately fastened to the tree, in plain site, visible from the river side of the village.

There are still no signs of life from the village. Lying on the damp ground, you are now more aware than ever of just how cold it is. Cold and dark. And quiet.

Tug

Anyone looking in the direction that the recon team headed off in can see a brief glimmer, low to the ground, flickering for a few moments before winking out again. It's difficult to estimate how far off the glimmer was or what produced it.

Otherwise, no one aboard the Queen sees or hears anything else out of the ordinary.

Actions?

As soon as the recon team posts their intentions, I'll put up another GM post. I don't want to rush ya'll but I don't want those on the tug to have to sit out too much longer either.

The yellow colour of the sheet worried Anneka somewhat. There was only one reason to her mind that it would have been chosen by whoever had done it.
"I think it's a chemical contamination marker," she said uncertainly.
"If we proceed I think we should mask up." She patted the gas mask at her hip.
"Comments?"
A decision like this wasn't one she wished to take alone. If it was a warning of contamination, was it worth the risk of exposure?
This message was last edited by the player at 01:56, Mon 19 Nov 2007.

SLEEP





John
SLEEP
G3

Quyen shook her head. She should have though of something like that. Being in the engineers she was used to putting up such markers. "Yeah, yellow... chemical weapons. We should go."

Minh realized that even if the town was contaminated it could have been months since it was actually dangerous. Just as possible was that it was just a scare tactic by people hiding out there to keep people away. But since there was no real need to proceed further, why bother?

"Just in case."

Zzzzzzzzzz....

Bayer
Sleeping

He tried to remember if a yellow flag was the sign for chemical contamination, or perhaps a quarantine marker for disease.[Private to GM: Any chance he would recognize the significance of the signal? For straight ATT rolls, I usually use double INT as the asset.]

"All kinds of chemical agents disperse from the air in hours, if not minutes. Sunlight and air break these poisons down quickly, and none are persistent for a period longer than weeks."

He scratched his nose and shivered in the damp chill. "In fact, it's hard to see why anyone would use chemicals here recently. We fought the NATO invaders around here years ago, not recently."

"Still... someone might be crazy enough to do so. There are armoured vehicles not too far away from here, and who knows if they have chemical stocks? Or it may be a warning of disease. I guess masks are sensible, but I'm not sure how useful they will be, either way."

Dawid Piotrowski
Tantal (30rds. +6 mags.) Stechkin (21 rds.) 2 Grenades
Watching the town
This message was last edited by the player at 17:04, Mon 19 Nov 2007.

When Tucker hears that there's a possibility of the cloth being a chemical marker, he will offer to Anneka in a low voice where only her and or the rest of the group can hear.  "With all due respect Major, if you're thinking it's chemical weapons, I recommend we get the hell out of the area ASAP!"

Tucker

She considered the options for a moment before making her decision.
"We mask up and move forward carefully. As Dawid said, any chemical residue should have disapated after a few days, weeks at most. If we can see how long ago any attack was, we'll know a lot more about local forces than we do now."
Her worst fear was that the helicopter recently seen flying about this area had been in the process of delivering such an attack. On the other hand, what better place to base an airborne force than within a village with sucha bad reputation?
"We'll move in a little closer and then skirt the village. At this time we will not enter."

As the tug team go about their business in blissful ignorance, the newly masked-up recon team cautiously approaches the burned out building closest to the tree.

Its completely gutted. Among the rubble that's collapsed into the still standing brick shell of the structure lie the unmistakeable shapes of several human skulls, grinning earily green in your night vision goggles.

To the south of this structure, you notice what at first glance appears to be a lonely picketed enclosure, about twenty feet on a side, and set apart from the village proper. Moving closer, you see that the pickets are actually primitive grave markers atop oblong earthen mounds. Into each is crudely scratched a name and a date. Not all of the dates are identical, but each falls within a period beginning in mid May and stretching into late June of this year. There are approximately 20 markers in this impromptu, mass funeral plot.

Doubling back towards the first intact structure, you notice writing on the wall near a door. Moving closer to investigate, you can't make out a faint message, painted in black on the white plaster about a meter above and beside the mudsill.

family jop
gone to szczucin
22-06-00
[sic]

The house accross the street, directly opposite, sports instead a large black X next to the front door, clearly visible through your NVGs. So does the house next to it. And the one two houses down from that.

Actions?
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:58, Mon 19 Nov 2007.

First the unburied dead, bone beginning to show through weathered and rotted flesh, then the burials and door markings confirmed that something terrible had occured here. Stripping the claustrophobic mask from her face, Anneka shook her hair free.
"Whatever it was, it's been and gone. I'm guessing some sort of disease with the survivors running off to safer parts."
Six weeks seemed like a long time though from first to last death. Perhaps they'd thought they could contain it, treat it....survive it.
"Good news is though that we're likely to find all sort of salvagable materials laying about. Doubt anyones been back to take anything in the past couple of months."
If the team were careful, wearing gloves and scrubbing down everything they took with disinfectant, the risk after so long should be minimal.
"We should definately stay clear of the black marked houses and keep well away from any bodies. Most biologicals shouldn't have survived this long but no point taking any risks."
A village this size should yield up much of value. Plate steel which they were desperately short of, materials for her explosive production, even perhaps some ammunition, or at least primers and gunpowder.
"Lets head back to the tug and I'll recommend coming back in daylight with protective gear."

"Best decision I've heard all day," Tucker thinks to himself about Anneka's decision to come back in the daylight to scrounge around the diseased village.

"A look around in the daytime would make a lot more sense Major!"
This message was last edited by the player at 20:38, Tue 20 Nov 2007.

His breath echoed loudly in the rubber mask. Dawid's voice was muffled, but it was still possible to tell he seemed shaken. "Disease is outside my expertise, except for enforcing quarantine. I have never seen anything like this before."

He held his rifle in his shaking left hand and crossed himself with the right. "Mother Mary and the Seven Holy Helpers protect us!" He invoked the patron Saints of protection from epidiemics, bubonic plague and the Black Death as a ward against disease. Sweat dripped down his ribs.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:23, Tue 20 Nov 2007.

Quyen doesn't say anything. She would have preferred to have avoided the village, but did as she was told. Pulling out her gas mask she fitted it onto her head and stuffed her bush hat away into her pocket. Her laboured breathing through the respirator sounded deafening loud in the still night.

While the doctor and the others were busy taking notice of the important dates on the grave markers, Quyen couldn't help herself but focus entirely on the names. Did that family make it to Szczucin? How many?

Quyen was normally relatively comfortable with death, mostly due to her Buddhist upbringing... Tịnh Độ Tông and all that "stuff" she learned when at her temple years ago. The cycle of life was completely natural after all. But for some reason, imagining villagers, maybe whole families, all slowly dying, from something they could not see or fight back at, made her feel ill. Weird... After all these years of seeing death, this time was totally different. It was the worse, yet there were no bodies to actually see.

When the other's de-masked, Quyen did so last. After placing her mask back into it's carrier pouch, she found herself rubbing her hands together, as if trying to clean them in the light rain.

When the doctor suggested returning, once again she kept her mouth shut. Quyen thought the doctor was right the village having salvageable items, but she hoped she'd have no part in it.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:26, Tue 20 Nov 2007.

Recon Team

The recon team departs the ghost village and heads back across the fields of mud to the Queen. The return trip is even more unpleasant. This time, for the first couple of hundred meters or so, no one has the benefit of NVGs. Instead, you sweat through the dank, rubber-scented hoods of your gas masks, fogged lenses combining with the darkness to render you all but blind.

As the village grows smaller behind you, you tear off your masks to the sweet relief of the cold night air. The next two hundred meters are better and soon the Wisla Krolowa looms up ahead like a green sea monster dozing on the river's surface.

You arrive at the riverbank cold, muddy, and utterly exhausted, both from the tough, near-blind slog through the mire and the lingering memories of what you have seen in the plague-swept village.

Tug Team

You cannot help but notice the recon team's return. They look like B-movie swamp creatures as they clamber clumsily aboard. But more alarming than their appearance, is the tale they bring of the ghost village and the fate that befell it...

Actions?

Thanks to the recon team for their prompt posting. I fast forwarded things quite a bit to get everyone involved again. You'd best decide what to do in the morning. Do you return to the village fro some scrounging or proceed without further delay? The tug's crew can handle repositioning the ZU to the barge so there's no need to worry about that. Just budget about an hour of daylight for the job.

Everyone, please pipe in IC; make your thoughts known & get involved.

[Private to Minh Quyen: Nice RP/writing in your last post!]
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:58, Wed 21 Nov 2007.

Tucker is finally happy to get the gas mask off and back into its pouch.  He gets some relief from the cool night air on his face and head from being in the mask, even though for a short time.  He never get used to that claustrophobic feeling of being in that mask no matter how short a time it is.  Now, with the feeling of being dirty and contaminated on his mind, Tuck just wants to get back to the tug and into some clean clothes and get himself and his stuff cleaned up as well.

Tucker helps everyone back on board and waits to see what Anneka wants to do about debriefing with Konrad and any recommended decontamination procedures she may have.  "Ah shit!  Dawid, after we get squared away with this stuff, I'm gunna need to set up some training for those of us who need it on the Dashka's.  You up for it?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:23, Wed 21 Nov 2007.

As the team approached the boat, Anneka issued her decontamination orders.
"Try to stay away for the other crew if you can. Each of us needs to shower thoroughly and clean all equipment, preferably with disinfectant. Ideally we'd steam it all."
Now there was a thought. The tug was "armed" with a steam defence system running off the engines. Could steam also be syphoned off through a hose for decontamination?
"I know we're all tired, but this needs to be done before anything else, unless you're interested in spending what's left of the night alone on the barge..."
The risk was minimal as she'd indicated earlier, but why take chances?
"Come see me first thing in the morning for a complete check up too, and every morning for the next week."

Bayer's wristwatch alarm goes off before Snowy arrives to wake him for his shift. Gearing up he begins standing watch - interrupted by brief walks around the deck, scanning into the night with his night vision. Dawid was on patrol tonight, so does his sentry duty alone.

Once his shift is finished, he hands the radio and night vision over to Milk to use. Bayer then attempts to go back to sleep. However, his eyes are shut for only a moment before he hears voices and footsteps on the deck. The patrol has returned.

Slipping his boots on her decides to meet them for a quick debrief. He arrives as Soleblume is issuing her post-op instructions and announcing their self imposed quarantine. Confused by their strange actions (and not aware of the events which occured in the village) he says pointing at them, "If it were something serious I'm sure you would have radioed us a SITREP. However, I am worried none the less. Radiation? Why the isolation and clean up?" he asks over an invisible buffer zone.

After the situation is explained to him he continues, "Well, see to yourselves as you are doing... and whenever you are ready lets have a debrief ja?"

Leaving them in the hands of the doctor he heads to the galley to brew up something hot for the patrol and for the night sentries. If Soleblume isn't ready by then to give a debrief he will go back to sleep until such time.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:41, Wed 21 Nov 2007.

After proper decontamination, he listened to Tuck's request.

"Of course, friend Tucker. I would be happy to assist in this operation. I can work up a training schedule, if you prefer. Training won't be too hard, most of the soldiers here seem likely to be familiar with machineguns already, at least a bit."

Isolated by the port bow railing, he knelt down in the darkness. Taking his rosary beads in hand he began to pray for the souls of the villagers, like he did for the people of Nowy Huta, lips moving silently.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:30, Wed 21 Nov 2007.

After waiting her turn, Quyen followed her instructions... she washed, and cleaned her clothes and gear. She was very thorough but wasn't worried, the Doctor was only taking precautions after all. And after he was told what happened, even Hauptmann Bayer didn't seem concerned. Just precautions she thought, and besides, she felt a hell of a lot cleaner.

Finished, she loitered out around the port bow where Dawid and the rest of the patrol had been isolated. She was quiet not to disturb him, and she was lost in her own thoughts as well. The village was a bad experience. She needed to shake these thoughts or it would wear her down. Back to wearing her green Adidas tracksuit top, she pulled the hood completely up over her head and face... closing the world off from view.

[Private to Cap'n Rae: Thanks!]

Scrubbed clean in an almost blistering hot shower and all her gear decontaminated to the best of their abilities, Anneka sought out Konrad and briefed him in the situation in the village.
A few minutes later and she summed it up for him.
"As I said, it's probably a disease that killed them, with the survivors fleeing for "safer" parts. The risk to any salvage efforts would be very minimal especially if proper precautions are taken. A village like this could yield an amazing amount of materials with only a little effort."
Sheet steel, wooden and metal beams, mechanical parts, electrical cable, and who knew what else was just waiting for somebody to cart away. As long as they took care to stay clear of bodies and leave any foodstuffs alone, wasn't it worthwhile?
"Anything that's brought back we can decontaminate with steam from the boiler. Shouldn't be too hard to run a hose out for the job."
Anneka stifled a yawn.
"Anyway, we can discuss this further in the morning."

Adam, awake on the bridge as Anneka confers with Konrad, interjects,

"Hmmm. I do not like it. I think we should move on as soon as it is light. If the bridge at Szczucin is down as that pervert said, we will need time to make a way through. Further delays here will only cause more delays downriver. And these things you describe... they trouble me greatly."

Uller grumbles from where he feigns sleep on the cot nearby,

"Yellow is history warning for plague. If you go back, we do not wait. And you are doctor..." he adds in a gruff whisper meant to be heard.

Adam cuts him off impatiently,

"Will you shut up, Uller?! And stop being such an asshole."
This message was last edited by the player at 01:33, Thu 22 Nov 2007.

"We need the steel and we need telephone cable," Anneka shot back.
"The risk is probably less than smelling your unbrushed teeth!"
Tired and agravated, she could not prevent the insult slipping past her lips.

Bayer waits for the commotion to die down before he responds to Soleblume's debrief and suggestion to return to the village...

"I am always open to ideas and advice. Sure we could use it. However, I'd like to hear more of how you think we can do it. The village is several hundred meters from here... how can we move heavy steel and cable line? Without spending many hours here?"

Bayer continues, trying to work out a compromise... "We need an hour or so after sunrise to transfer the flak gun to the barge. Would you be satisfied for a quick run into town to grab... more easily carried supplies we might find?"

"We are not very far from Sandomierz. Surely we can trade there for the more heavy stuff. We've also got two small abandoned villages along the way as well. Perhaps we can find more accessible steel and line there too?"

"Hanging around here for a prolonged period might not be a good idea. Those men with the tanks and BMPs saw us sail downriver... and that wasn't very far from here. Perhaps a quick grab might be the safest thing right now."

Still kneeling on the deck under the tarpaulin awning, Dawid finished his prayers and made the sign of the cross.

As he cleaned his rifle his thoughts drifted. Trying to put this into perspective, taking salvage from the village would be little different than scrounging in the deserted ruins of other towns and cities of Germany and Poland, as he'd done on many other occasions. True, there had been rumours that the west had used biological warfare (and that of course it had backfired on them) but those were only rumours. Although, he had many comrades who swore it was true.

Although he was showered and relatively dry, he finally drifted off to an exhausted and troubled sleep, wrapped in his blanket and poncho, surrounded by the living and the dead.

Clarence wakes as the recon team shuffles aboard and proceeds vigorously to clean their bodies and kit. They look preoccupied, and beyond tired, so Clarence keeps his distance, but he's a bit surprised when Minh and Dawid return to their berth just aft of him without so much as a word.

Well, maybe they thought I was still sleepin'...

Clarence finds that he can't fall back asleep. His mind starts wandering back home, to the Windy City, to Shareesa and the two girls...

He quickly busies himself, checking and rechecking his radio. He's so familiar with its buttons and knobs that, even in the dark, it's a snap. He could probably field strip and clean his AK in the dark as well, but he'll save that for after he zeroes it (finally!) in the morning. Maybe then Dawid and Minh will be ready to talk about their mission.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:13, Thu 22 Nov 2007.

Griet too wakes as the recon team comes back aboard. She dozes for a while until voices carrying down from the bridge suggest that a conference is underway. It seems that, lately, the security command team has taken to making decisions without consulting her. In fact, it's starting to seem as though she's being deliberately frozen out the process. It seems that everyone has forgotten that the barge carries a significant investment of Krakow captital for which the people of Krakow deserve a return.

Griet is no fool and she's been aware for some time that Adam's plans extend beyond a straightforward trade expedition to Sandomierz. The black man's impassioned speech the evening before indicated that at least some of the crew had their own alterior motives for accompanying the voyage. And Dawid, her fellow countryman, had already confided to her his desire to return home to the Warsaw area.

It is well past time that all of them are reminded of their first duty.

She climbs the short but slick ladder up to the bridge and enters to find Anneka, Konrad, and Adam discussing an early morning return to the village.

"What is going on here?" Griet demands in a calm but forceful tone.

Adam explains, quickly briefing her on the recon team's findings.

"How does this help mission? We are day or two away from Sanomierz. The cargo- the cargo of Krakow- has had great danger many time now. No more risk. We go in morning."

Uller grumbles again from his cot, "Finally, some fucking sense."

OOC: This is not an attempt on my part to dictate the group's decisions; I'm just in the mood for some RP and Griet's been a bit neglected lately.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:11, Fri 23 Nov 2007.

Quyen eventually falls asleep with her hood still pulled over her head and face. She missed her sentry watch while ashore, so will sleep the rest of the night until the morning stand to.

Minh Quyen
Sleeping

Bayer speaks slow and calmly to Griet, "Thank you for your input Chief. I was just saying the Anneka how everyone's voice is taken into consideration for planning and decision making."

He leans against the bridge room's wall and continues, "Now, I am well aware of the mission, I don't need to be reminded. However, I'd like to make it clear of something more important, and that is the survival of these men and women. Without them, you and Krakow have no cargo. The Major's idea had that in mind."

"However, as I was just saying before you joined us, I think we should not stay." He tries to make this a subtle point - that he wants to go but not because she said so.

OOC - Anneka did you want to respond to Bayers compromise? It's making a very quick run into the village to scrounge up more easily carried items - not steel and cable. The ZU-23 will need an hour in the morning to transfer forward anyways.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:24, Fri 23 Nov 2007.

Thursday, October 5th, 2000
0630hrs.
Vistula river, approx. 1/2km upriver from Nowy Korczyn, Poland
40 F
Scattered Clouds

Morning dawns clear and bitingly cold. Your constant companions- the clouds- seem to have dispersed for the time being, releasing whatever warmth they had trapped on the surface of your little tortured corner of the planet.

You are roused by the call to stand to. You've been able to get several uninterupted hours of sleep and, despite the aches and pains lingering in your body, your mind feels fresh and sharp.

While the command crew begin briefing the rest of the team on the situation in the village*, Grsyech and Luboslaw fire up the boiler and the Polish boat crew begin the process of transferring the ZU to the barge. The first order of business is to detatch the barge from the Queen. Freed from her burden, she feels quicker, more agile, and more responsive. She nimbly pulls up alongside the battered, tray-like barge and the two halves are made fast. The aft crane is erected and the anti-aircraft gun is swung over a section of the barge's extant decking. It's lowered gently into position and secured in place. It should have much better fields of fire now but it looks rather exposed sitting all alone on the otherwise flat, bare deck of the barge. There is no cover to speak of, unless one should abandon the gun to jump down from the deck into one of the barges several large, uncovered hull compartments. The gun now in place, the crew backs the Queen into her previous position and refastens the barge forward. It all takes just over an hour.

Actions?

OOC: *I've left the matter of a return to the village up in the air. I strongly suggest that this matter be put to a vote.

Tucker will take his gear and clean it as needed, shower and get cleaned up, and then try to get some sleep.  When he awakens, he will try to get some hot water to boil his BDU's and whatever else he can to clean his stuff up.

"If it comes to a vote, I don't feel comfortable going back there!  Not after finding what we did!"

After the stand-to Bayer watches the boat's crew in action, transferring the anti-aircraft gun forward. "Next stop, lets fill some sandbags." he says aloud as the work comes to a finish. "Plating will be good too as Soleblume mentioned."

During breakfast, he speaks to the group (assuming all but the sentry is present) offhandedly, "I don't think it is a good idea to take the boat to the downed bridge without checking it first. Its a dead end there, and sailing right up to it with no room to maneuver and all, doesn't seem goot. I've been thinking about sending someone forward who knows about bridges, and blowing them up, Maddock and Thompson for example... before we all get there. Even if they take an inflatable ahead of us and we don't actually stop."

"Or perhaps we can stop short and also send a party to the town itself to look to trade or salvage?"

OOC - That allows everyone to be involved in something as we've been discussing for gameplay. One groups mission is to recce the bridge and assess it for demo, and the rest head to the town to do salvage like Anneka suggest for Nowy Korczyn.

He looks to Adam, "Can you maybe give an expected time we are expected to arrive at Szczucin bridge? Its about twenty-five kilometers ja?"

He also looks around the galley at everyone eating, expecting some ideas and opinions.

OOC - Dawid and Tucker, if you are ready now would be a good time to mention the machinegun training. No problem though if you aren't.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:26, Sun 25 Nov 2007.

His day began with washing his face in warm water and shaving with a dull safety razor. As dawn broke, he said his daily prayers, asking God for forgiveness and the Holy Madonna of Częstochowa for her blessing.

At breakfast, he talked with Clarence a little, filling him in on what they found. "It was like the days of the Black Death. Everyone was dead or fled. Most unusual."

Bayer laid out his proposal at breakfast. Dawid sipped tea. "I will go back to the village. Even if I found it... very unpleasant. But I will do whatever is required." He then lit a cigarette.

He looked over at Tuck. "We, ah, Tuck and I, discussed additional training for the automatic fire weapons."

"I can comfortably handle 4 students at a time. I can take more, but it will be less effective. We'll need 4 hours per day, once a day, for instruction."

"Any volunteers, please speak up now, or see me later after the meal. We can work out when people are not on duty."

"You know, Captain, it might be better for me to train people on firing the mortar and other big guns. I think most of the soldiers already have a solid grounding in machine-guns and machine-cannons. He sipped more tea and took another drag from his cigarette, tapping ashes into his chipped saucer.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:13, Sat 24 Nov 2007.

As the discussions about going back to the village circulated around the galley he says after Dawid casts his vote, "Ok Dawid, understood. How do the rest of you stand on this?"



"Hmmm, perhaps so... but I'll leave it up to the NCOs to sort out any changes if desired. It was Sergeant Tucker's idea and I'll be happy with whatever you all decide."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:46, Sat 24 Nov 2007.

Minh takes a seat at the table in the galley as the group begins breakfast. Much of the discussion seems to be about the village they visited that night. She doesn't contribute to the conversations though.

When Hauptmann Bayer asks for a vote she adds hers, "There are plenty other towns along the river. I do not wish to return to the one of last night. I will do as ordered, but I hope it will not come to that."

"I can handle a heavy machinegun a little. I won't volunteer if others need it, but am willing to train more otherwise."

"Damn! No wonder you didn't feel like talkin' lastnight.""

As Konrad asks for feedback regarding a possible morning return to the village, Clarence opines,

"Why take the chance, sir? Sure we could bring back some useful salvage- assumin' anything's left after all these years of war- but we could also bring back whatever killed 'em. It aint likely, but it also aint a risk I think we should take right now."

[Private to Konrad Bayer: Seeing an opportunity to take Konrad aside, out of earshot of the others, Clarence adds, "I may have a contact near the bridge, sir: a group of partisans in the woods near Szczucin. If I can contact them- and I have the call-signs, freqs, and ciphers- they may be able to recon and secure the bridge for us. We wouldn't have to risk any of our people in a small boat."]
This message was last edited by the player at 18:25, Sat 24 Nov 2007.

Adam removes one of his many maps from his pocket and, after setting aside some of the dirty breakfast dishes, unfolds it on the breakfast table.

"You are correct. It is just under 25km. At a cautious speed, we should be there in about 4 hours."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:06, Sat 24 Nov 2007.

"...salvage that we can find in the next town while we deal with the bridge." Minh quietly trails after Clarence.

She stares at a piece of bread for nearly two minutes before she decides to eat it.

Noticing the map Adam has unfolded onto the table she adds, "Szczucin is a bigger town than Nowy Kor..c..z..whatever. More chance at finding something."

Looking past a few heads to the Doctor sitting at the table she continues - "Major I'm not saying your idea to salvage is bad. Just we can do it in the next town or something."

To all seated at the table

" I will lead a recon down the river. I could take the Aussie engineer and the customs guy. We would go on foot and it would give you guys about two days to unass yourself here. You could move down stream a few miles and anchor. Then fill sand bags for the forward position. It would take us a day to get there and get back and we could meet you and give you the lowdown. If you like this plan or one more guy wants to come you can meet me outside. I will be out there eating my meal and doing push up's. Going back to the city is a death wish! I will  tell you what, next time you see chem or bio signs radio it in for guidance from here. You dont have the right to put us all in danger here with your selfish acts. Remember that we are a team here and must act as one that means we talk when needed. Like i said i will be out side...."


With that john walks out not giving anyone time to anwser. He will go out to the aft of the tug strip down to his trousers and start to do push ups and star jumpers.....


John
Doing morning PT for the first time in two years
G3

Snowy's not seated at the bench, he's sitting on the floor and leaning up against the bulkhead with his shotgun cradled in his lap. He hasn't had much to add although he says 'Ready to go right now' when Yazzie proposes making a recon downriver.

"For my input, I reckon that there's a lot of dead villes in Poland, we may as well look at somewhere else. I'd get the spooks scavenging through a plague-town. I know it's almost undoubtedly, certainly and assuraedly clean. Almost, that is. I didn't live this long by sticking my appendages in where I didn't need to stick them. What's your call boss?" He says to Bayer.

Bayer doesn't attempt to say anything to Yazzie, he just sits quietly as the Marine makes his exit. He shakes his head in agreement with Snowy as the Australian adds his bit afterwards. Pushing his dish away Bayer says, "Lets not get at each others throats for one thing, ja?."

Looking mostly at Anneka he says, "Look, it seems quite a few of us are for moving on. Lets do the salvage which was suggested downriver. As Snowy and Minh just said there are more villages and towns along the way. This isn't the only stop ve have, but its one that has a couple reasons for avoiding."

Nodding to Adam, "I think we should get moving on to Szczucin, Kaptain. We may have some delay there as it is." Holding up a finger he adds, "We can do our salvage there."

Nodding to Clarence he says "Take care of it Milk, and let me know as soon as possible please."

Speaking to the rest of the group he says, "Alright, in four hours we shall be nearing the downed bridge. We'll have some work to do there for everyone, and we have no idea how long it will take. Until then I suggest you use your time productively, which may include sleeping, prepping demolitions, weapons familiarization, maintenance and so on." Bayer hoped by everyone getting busy, that they would move on from the potentially heated debate of going to the village. Different viewpoints were good, but he sometimes worried about the team's cohesion... perhaps he worried too much.

Konrad then excuses himself and gets up to proceed to the bridge.

Snowy gets up off the deck with a grunt and follows Bayer up to the Bridge. He gives him a grin and says "Well, it's all happening boss. We're going to have to secure a zone somewhere and check out the bridge anyway, I'd get your away team worked out now. Frankly, it'd be good if we could have you along for the eyes-on-the-ground. If you don't mind me giving my opinion", it looks like Bayer's getting it anyway, "I'd leave your XO on the boat with your support fires, ask Yaz if he wants to set up a close overwatch to dominate the bridge and send in an 'engy party' to scope the structure. I'm not sure where you'd leave the automatic weapon, I guess you ground pounders know all about that. Then, we work out an RZ to fall back on if it all goes south and we're sweet to go."

Quyen gets up and goes about getting busy as they've been told. She makes her way to the munitions locker and begins to sort out the the engineer demolitions kit and the explosives, including her own single kilo of C4. She doesn't add her dynamite though.

She also reviews going over the procedure for rigging. If the job was big and required it, she might be asked to help Thompson and Maddock. After a few dry runs, shes satisfied she could do it quickly and without error.

Once done she takes a break by going back topside and hanging out around the mortar.

Rae, in the last chapter I added...
-Antibiotics X7 Pills
-Sedatives X3 Pills
-Pain Reliever X1 Unopened Bottle
...to the ships medical stores. Could you add it to the "Hold" thread. I know it isn't much but still.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:19, Sun 25 Nov 2007.

The meeting breaks up as members of the security team depart in ones and twos for their stations on board. A course of action* for the next few hours has been decided but no one seems truly satisfied. Konrad can't help but feel the burden of command weighing heavy on his shoulders.

The sun shines pale and white, hanging low in the eastern sky. The glare off of the river makes the water shimmer and dance; it also makes it difficult to see obstacles ahead. It is bitterly cold. At least your belly is full of warm breakfast.

The Krolowa's engines grumble to life and a plume of smoke rises high above you in the still morning air. She's soon making her customary five knots, pushing her barge- now topped by a rather naked ZU-23-2- like a giant monstrosity of a pram.

The ghost town of Nowy Korczyn passes off the port side. It is empty, still, and- even in the daylight- ominous.

About 4km from your evening anchorage, The Krolowa approaches another tributary estuary emerging into the Vistula from its left (north) bank. One again, years of undredged effluent have spilled into the main channel, forcing the Queen to hug the right (south) bank- edging to within 50 meters of the rush covered shore.

Actions?

I need to know precisely where each of your PCs are located on the Queen and what they are doing at approx 0800 hours game time.

*OOC: From what I could piece together, the Queen is going to depart immediately. At some point, further downstream, a small recon team in a zodiac will be sent out ahead to scout the bridge.

Snowy mans the DShKM and watches the bank through his binoculars, scanning for movement or suspicious shapes. Of course, after all these years of war, there's probably hundreds of wrecked fighting positions, vehicles and buildings.
Still, he watches the bank slide past and also keeps the odd look out in the water.

John finishes his morning work out with no one coming to talk to him. I smile and think s amout an old rhyme he one hear. Hey diddle diddle go right up the middle. With no recon being planned or aproved he will collect his gear and move up to the look out position and releave the gunny from watch. "Hey Guns its my turn go and get some rest why dont you. You cant be an Ironman your whole life. " With that John will lie in the prone and set his weapon beside him and start scanning the 360 Deg. view from the lookout with Gunnys binos. He will radio in checks to the bridge every 10 miniutes or on contact.


John
Scanning area
G3

At the Bridge Bayer nods in agreement, "Ja I was thinking something like that. Milk just let loose an option I didn't know about though. I'm not sure if he wants it kept quiet or not so I'd better not say yet. In any case it might mean not having to send a recce... I'll be able to confirm that in under 30 minutes I hope. Although if we do go... it will be pretty much like what you said. And Snowy, of course I don't mind. Danke."

As he turns he remembers something. "So, although the mission is not confirmed, it might be a good idea to prep for it anyways. Best use of time and all ja? One inflatable, you, Yazzie, Maddock and Thompson. Mission confirmation in 30 minutes."

At 0800 Bayer gears up and slings his rifle. Its his turn at sentry, having just relieved Anneka. "Milk might have something that could affect the recon. It's on hold until he confirms... which should be soon hopefully. I think he wants it kept quiet. I'll let you and the rest know in a half hour or so."

Before she leaves, he says, "Look, I know we've been at opposing ends of a lot of decisions... but I still always want your ideas and opinions." He then leaves it at that, hoping she understands what he is trying to say.

He positions himself first in front of the bridge, near the PKM. Pulling his field glasses out of its pouch he begins scanning. In fifteen minutes he'll move up to the rooftop and repeat. If Milk doesn't give him an update by then he'll call for him.

Konrad Bayer
G36/Hk-69
PKM Position
Taking his turn at sentry



OOC - The recon is on hold until Clarence gets back to him. But tentatively yes.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:35, Mon 26 Nov 2007.

Snowy nods and locks down the DShKM. He whistles to Bluey. "Mate, take over my gun will you, I've gotta get the rubber duck ready!"

Hustling aft, he makes the lifting lines fast to the duck and swings the port crane aft to lift the zodiac from where it's lying across the rear superstructure. He runs a control line back to the crane so he can stop it swinging around and fouling the tug. Then he goes into the accomodation and grabs his carbine, leaving the shotgun behind. As he rummages through his equipment, he notices all the spare 5.56mm ammo underneath his shotgun shells. "D'oh! I just borrowd some off Tuck! Bloody hell." Arranging his webbing to carry the ammunition pouches for the carbine, he stows the extra ammo in his bumpack and grabs the spare rounds that Tuck gave him. Zipping down to where Tuck is, he grins and says "I just found another six clips worth in my bag! Here's your rounds back mate." He hands back the ammo and goes back to the stern.
After that, he ensures the outboard is filled up and ready to go, and that there is a spare spark plug, tool kit and shear-pin in the kit for the zodiac. That done, he heads back up to his gun to take over from Bluey.

Loitering around the mortar, Quyen sits on the railing of the tug, braced by both hands, her back to the water. She casually watches the opposite bank. Her rifle and webbing lie neatly on the deck next to the mortar. Its not her battle station, but has become her local hangout.

OOC - I know Bayer said to be busy but she is just taking a break - after sorting out the demolitions and dry run practicing.

"Dawid. You think its safe to eat the fish in this river?" she calls over.

At 0800 she notices the sentry change between the Doctor and Hauptmann Bayer. Up above them Yazzie observes, next to Parks.

Calling over again, "That Yazzie is a bit of lone wolf eh? A keeps-to-himself kinda guy. Then again, Parks is pretty much the same. I don't think we've spoke."

Quyen
Sitting on the railing next to the mortar
Taking a break

Dawid chuckled and nodded confidently. "Without a doubt. I've been eating fish caught from it for weeks now!"

"It's probably the cleanest it's been in centuries, or at least after the last German War. The city of Nowy Huta upstream from here, or "New Foundry" in English, was the biggest manufacturing centre in all Europe, with many steel mills, factories and chemical plants. Much, ah, waste(?), er, pollution, yes, that's the right word, all dumped in the river. It made the water very dirty. Even poisons like chemical agents break down quickly in water."

"Now, farms are something I know about. Ah, manure is used to, um, what's the word? fertilise the fields. With no machines to help anymore, all that can do so use also draft animals to aid in farm work, which produce more manure. This... ah wait... there is, ah, bacteria in the manure that rain washes into the river. There might be a small danger of bacterial, ah, contamination should we pass any farms. But we haven't passed any, so far. Except Uscie Solne, where we picked you up. Even then, this is a fast-moving large river. So, a minimal risk."

"If you pardon me? I have to talk to someone. Will return shortly."

He quickly made his way to where Yazzie was working out. "You said you wanted volunteers for a shore reconnaissance patrol. I would be willing to come. You might need someone that can speak the language, yes? If Bayer agrees."
This message was last edited by the player at 05:24, Tue 27 Nov 2007.

Clarence runs up to the bridge for a quick, private word with Bayer, before returning to the forward gun tub.

[Private to Konrad Bayer: "It's a done-deal Hauptman. My contact was right on the money. I got a confirmation on the bridge recon- these people are using all the right codes so it looks legit. They've got a ways to go 'til they get there so we'll have to drop anchor a few klicks up-river while they catch up and do the deed. Please keep this on the down-low 'til we get a little closer. I can't be sure about the Krakow lady- or the trigger-happy Polish kid- we got on board right now. I'd hate to return a favor by getting these people shot up."]

Settling down against the lumpy cushions of the sandbagged barbette wall, he says in a playful tone,

"Minh, right? You may want to get off the gunwhale there. We hit something and you're flying ass over teakettle into the drink."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:52, Tue 27 Nov 2007.

Looking at david he will respond.


 "Do you have any skill in recon? You seem to me to be an arty guy that will not help me in a recon. I speak enough pole to keep my ass safe. I think that your skills would be better suited here running the weapons on the tug and keeping our base secure."


John
bridge scanning 360 DEG.
G3

Dawid lit another harsh cigarette, offered the pack to John (lighting it, if accepted). "From what I've seen, I'm comparable to everyone except perhaps you and Gunny when it comes to moving about unheard or unseen. Certainly their equal when it comes to a fight or noticing things."

"Without a doubt I can be of considerable use here." He smiled, acknowledging the truth of this. "However, I'm also willing to be of help to you in this endeavor. Not to say others wouldn't be willing as well, but they're not coming forward right now."
This message was last edited by the player at 01:32, Tue 27 Nov 2007.

John will pull the pole close and talk to him in private....

After finishing his talk, Dawid nodded to Yazzie in understanding. He climbed down the ladder and then made his way down the stairs to the main deck. After reaching the mortar, he nodded to Clarence and Minh.

"My friends, I think today we will begin lessons on how to fire a mortar and other weapons like the 23mm autocannon and the machineguns. It is dangerous to start while we are underway, but we may begin after we lay anchor for the night, yes? Plus, anyone else who sees us may be motivated to attend as well."

At 0800 he was at the mortar, scanning the passing banks with his binoculars. His rifle lay unloaded but nearby under the awning.

"The Nidia," Anneka declared to nobody in particular as the river mouth came into view.
"We crossed that last night."
It was more a stream than a true river - the tug wouldn't have a hope of navigating it, even the small boats they carried would need to be careful lest they hit a snag hidden within it's narrow width.

She'd had some trouble falling to sleep after the stress of their reconnisance. Villages populated by the dead, while not uncommon in Europe lately, stillmanaged to unsettle even the toughest, most jaded of people. At least those who hadn't yet sold their soul for just one more hot meal.
From her perch before the bridge she kept watch as the dual barrelled cannon she'd fought hard to have brought with them was transferred onto the barge. If she'd been thinking straight back when it's had first been brought aboard, she'd have had it placed up front to begin with.
Still, what was done was done.

Milks confessed allegiance to the CIA both concerned and comforted her. The CIA had a well deserved reputation for poking their noses into other peoples business and creating trouble. On the other hand, they still managed to provide certain....resources that often proved quite beneficial to those with access to them.
Milk was probably using his communications skills to contact a local "asset" who'd probably have knowledge of what lay ahead. But, whatever was going on, they'd know soon enough.

"It's fine. I tend to loose sight of some of the security issues from time to time. Must be because I focus so much on trying to see to the needs of the unit."
Her last command had been a combination of unit commander and scrounger. Almost every peice of equipment, every consumable needed to be "requisitioned" from the support eschelons without the delays formal requests and paperwork imposed. A quick dash under cover of darkness to acquire that crate of badly needed medical supplies, or a case of beer offered to the right guard - it all helped grease the wheels of bureaucracy.

"I do have a couple of ideas," she said as Konrad settled in for his watch.
"I think we can reorganise ourselves to take advantage of skills a little better. For example, did you realise that Griet can operate that gun nearly as well as Dawid?" she pointed at the ZSU sitting out at the bow of the barge.
"I'd suggest teaming her up with," she consulted her notes, "say Maddock and shifting them out there. Both of them are trained observers with waterborne experience. They should be able to watch for snags much more effectively than anyone up on top of the bridge."
"Once there's a bit of protection, we could shift one of these lighter machineguns up there too, for general use."

She had a few more suggestions to make regarding a reshuffle, but they could wait until she'd caught up with Max and Bluey.

Still at the PKM, Bayer lowers his binos to listen and reply, "I don't really have any issues to where anyone is stationed. If you've noticed an ability in the crew like that its fine with me."

Hushing his voice just a little he adds, "Of course thats going to mean asking Griet to base herself further from the bridge... I'm not sure she is going to go for that easily. She doesn't trust us, and placing her further from the Adam, the bridge and HQ, might... I don't know... ahh cause her to think we are trying to isolate her more. She's getting paranoid."

Nodding back to the AGS, "If Maddock goes forward, who mans the grenade launcher?"



Before he leaves he says, "Well done. I'll inform Adam after my watch that we'd like to stop a few kilometers from the bridge. Can you give me an update then?"

Bayer
PKM Position
Sentry Duty
This message was last edited by the player at 17:21, Tue 27 Nov 2007.

The Krolowa slows noticeably as it skirts the sandbank jutting from the left (north) bank.

Max is the first to see it: A fireball corkscrewing away from the south bank before leveling off and racing straight at the Queen. Max hardly has time to shout a warning of “Rocket!” and squeeze off a quick burst of hopeful return fire from his big Dushka before the missile strikes the bridge in a spray of flame and supersonic debris above his head. It is the last thing that Max ever sees and it all takes less than four seconds from start to finish.

OOC Note: Max’s Dushka is knocked askew on its mount by the blast, but appears intact. Max’s crumpled body lies smoking behind the sandbagged railing at its base.

Konrad and Anneka, on the forward companionway just below the bridge, are almost knocked down by the sheer, sudden violence of the thunderclap of the detonating missile. The abrupt change in pressure from the nearby blast causes their ears to pop uncomfortably but neither officer is otherwise hurt by the explosion.

Above the bridge, the marine sniper team is similarly jostled by the detonating missile immediately below them but, almost miraculously, no shrapnel penetrates the roof on which they lie.

Snow, on the other side of the bridge, hears and feels the jolt of the missile strike but is shielded from its more harmful effects by the superstructure and is uninjured, if a bit taken aback.

Almost simultaneous with the launch of the missile, a tongue of green tracers licks out from a cluster of thick underbrush on the right bank, fifty meters ahead of the Krolowa. The first burst is low, ricocheting off of the tug’s metal hull and kicking up a spray of water alongside her. Minh instinctively tumbles behind the thick steel gunwhale, unwittingly shielding herself from further incoming fire.  The second burst is closer to the mark, showering the Vasilek crew with earth and bits of burlap as the 7.62mm R rounds tear into the sandbagged barbette.

Meanwhile, from a line just aft of the passing tug, a single shot (indistinct in the general din of the initial fusilade) rings out. The sniper’s bullet strikes Blue just under his left eye, tears through his mid-brain and exits the back of his skull, killing him instantly. His helmet, knocked free by the impact of the exiting bullet, lands, spinning like a top, on the deck nearby. His luck has just run out.

Maddock, startled into action by the opening barrage, swings the AGS-17 towards the suddenly hostile shore, searching desperately for a target.

The enemy sniper coolly switches targets…

Griet comes to on the floor of the bridge, ears ringing, and assailed by the bitter aromatic cocktail of burning paint and flesh.  Blinking away specks of blood that temporarily cloud her vision, she sees a leg, separated from its owner, lying not far away. Acrid smoke hangs in the air. The bridge as a whole is not burning but various flammables- the papers on the map table, the leather seat of the now empty captain’s chair- are, and vigorously so. She slowly regain command of her body. Instinctively, she pats herself down, checking for wounds. Her hands are pricked by tiny bits of shrapnel protruding from her arms. As she reaches down, she finds her legs (both of them are still there) similarly pincushion-like. But, thankfully, there are no serious wounds; she can still move everything. Nothing seems too perforated. She can still fight…

The Wisla Krolowa, out of control for at least the time being, somewhat miraculously continues on her course. Unfortunately, in about three hundred meters or so, this will lead her directly into the north bank.

Incoming fire buzzes and cracks all around you. War is truly a game of inches...

[Private to Konrad Bayer: Griet's fate was originally going to be Konrad's, word for word. Luckily for him, you have him on the forward companionway. Konrad would have been bloodied but OK and he would have lost a turn due to his unconscious state. Talk about luck!]

Actions?
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:28, Wed 28 Nov 2007.

"Holy fuck rocket imbound!!!" The rocket strikes the side of the tug and blinds John with the flash and smoke. Rounds go off in in his head as he seeks to regian control. When the rounds start to impact on the side of the ship john stays in the prone behind the sandbags and takes aim at the source of the machinegun fire and takes an aimed shots to destroy the gunner. "Gunny take the targets on the left and I will take the ones on the right stay in the prone and aim." John will take aimed shots at the machinegun until it is silenced. "How are you doing over thier gunny I have a machinegun here.."



John
Giving commands and taking aimed shots at the MG
G3

It was hard to miss the incoming rocket as it streaked in slow motion towards her. Time almost stood still as the realisation struck that some of them, her probably included, were about to die.
Muscles, sinews and bones felt encased in treacle as she fought to react. The rocket slammed into the bridge barely metres away as time snapped back into rapid action, seemingly in an effort to catch up on it's rightful place.
She felt her mouth open, screams ripping forth from her lungs, unheard covered as they were by the deafening roar of the explosion and shower of shrapnel immediately after.

At least the RPD was still in one piece...

Seated on the deck and shielded from the shoreline by sandbags, her hands grasped the ancient machinegun. A thumb snapped the safety off as she brought the weapon to her shoulder, eyes scanning.

The burst of green tracer was a dead giveaway and right in the middle of her weapons arc. Still deafened by the blast, debris choking the air, she squeezed the trigger letting out a long burst. She had no faith she could deal with the gunner, but she could suppress them and give others a chance to survive.


RPD 100 rounds
Firing bursts of suppressive fire at the MG location
[Private to GM: Up to as many bursts as she can comfortably compensate for recoil (probably just one, maybe two)
Also, please note for future reference that tracer does not usually ignite until about 100 metres from the barrel (about 1/10th of a second)]
This message was last edited by the player at 11:30, Wed 28 Nov 2007.

Bayer rises from a crouched position the blast forced him into. From where he heard Max call out, and the following blast, he knew he was dead. It isn't right, he thought... he really did like the Australian fellow. Luck apparently was on his side though, for in about two minutes he was going to make his way up towards where the missile impacted. Christ...

Surveying the river banks ahead, he begins to tally enemy positions. He doesn't bother to call for stand to, if anybody wasn't at their post after that, he'd shoot them himself (not really but you know what he means).

Slipping in a 40mm HE round, he fires at the enemy rocket position. I assume there is a obvious weapon signature from firing it so its locatable.

"Dawid! Dawid! Mortar! Hast schnell!" he yells right before Anneka's burst of machinegun fire cuts him off.

Bayer
G36/HK-69
Near PKM Position
Firing 40mm HE
This message was last edited by the player at 00:48, Wed 28 Nov 2007.

Snowy lands on his backside and bangs his helmet against the superstructure. There's smoke everywhere, and he can hear the crackle of flames. He scrambles back up to his gun, almost climbing up the mount and grabbing the weapon. Unclamping the friction lock, he racks a round into the breech and scans his sector.
Without looking back he shouts "Nothing on my side!"

Snowy
Port DShKM
Scanning for targets
M4 Carbine and Glock.

Warned by Max's cry, Dawid hit the deck beside the mortar sprawling. There was a thunderclap, and were his ears not already "used" to loud sound (that is, partially damaged) it would leave them ringing. The familliar sputter-slap of machinegun fire echoed off the water and banks, except this was in-bound fire.

Staying low behind the sandbags while getting his bearings, he visually checked the mortar, then looked over the barrier to Minh and Clarence. Good, no damage, and his comrades seemed uninjured.



"Clarence, Minh! Grab the trail and re-orient in that direction!" He indicated a general Starboard bearing with a sweep of his arm.

The sandbags provided a measure of all-round protection and the mortar itself had a gunshield, but the gun-carriage only had a limited degree of traverse. To engage targets to the sides it needed to be swung around on its improvised mount, not the quickest operation but better than nothing under the circumstances.

Keeping low and wishing he had a helmet, he struggled into his heavy flak vest as the mortar was re-oriented. Sitting down, he squinted through the sight, aiming at the dissipating puff of smoke where the RPG had originated. As a warning to his comrades he yelled, "FIRING!" Then stomped the firing pedal, launching an 82mm WP round. The mortar recoiled smoothly backwards with the shot, and it arced over and out.


Dawid Piotrowski
82mm Vasilek (4/5 82mm WP)
Hitting the deck, recovering, helping aim the mortar, firing 1 aimed round 82mm WP at the RPG's suspected position.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:41, Wed 28 Nov 2007.

Minh gives a friendly laugh... he was right, but when is there ever time to totally take it easy and enjoy the cruise? As she is about to climb down she hears Max yelling something. "Wha..." she barely gets out as the bridge area explodes in a quick flash and lots of smoke.



Looking up at the smoldering bridge, wide-eyed she says "Oh shit!" Sitting with her back against the gunwale she throws on her webbing.



Hesitating for only a quick second as bullets smack overhead and into the tug, she rushes over and helps move the mortar into a new firing position. Crouching low behind the small amount of cover the mortar offered she looked for the enemy.

Minh Quyen
AK-74
Mortar
Trying To Locate Targets

Clarence sinks low against the sanbagged wall, blinking bits of kicked-up dirt from his eyes. Keeping below the level of the metal gunwhale, he scuttles around the revetment and, with Minh, shoves the mortar trail to port, swinging the barrel of the gun to starboard. His instinct is to find the source of the machinegun fire and line up the big gun in that direction but he follows instructions, realizing that any delay caused by debate could prove fatal.

As the recoil kicks the barrel back, bouncing the mount up and down, Clarence shouts,

"We need to take out that MG! It's got us zeroed!"

Clarence Milk
AK-74M
Assisting Vasilek Gunner

Gunny spins around on his belly, grimmacing at the pain of his bum knee banging on the hard- and suddenly much warmer- bridge roof. He scans the left bank, as instructed by the quick-thinking Yazzie. Seeing no tell-tale muzzle flashes, puffs of smoke, or any other indications of incmoming fire from the north, he shouts out,

"No targets port side!!"

Once again, he rotates, crab-like to face the right bank. Propping his SVD on a sandbagged emrasure he searches for a target.

<Orange>Gunny
SVD
Adjusting & covering the unengaged port side
This message was last edited by the player at 01:50, Fri 30 Nov 2007.

[NPCed]

Tucker was walking aft along the starboard deck towards the AGS-17 position to check in with Maddock when it happened. He heard the FWOOSH! of the missile launch but his mind was still trying to process the sound when Max's warning cry prompted him to drop to the deck. The impact of the missile with the bridge just above and behind him seemed to lift him milimeters above the cold, hard deck. The faint ringing in his ears was joined by a cacophany of gunfire, pinging off the gunwhale behind him. He fumbled with his M203 a minute, trying to make sense of everything going on around him and quickly come to the best tactical decision. He cracked open the breech, removed the HE round from the chamber and replaced it with a WP grenade- terrifying, deadly fragments AND instant smoke. Perfect.

He yelled, "Targets?!?" at the top of his lungs, trying to get Blue or Max's attention. It was then that he came to the harsh realization that neither of the big Dushka HMGs, with their distinctive throaty roar, were firing.

Shit!

He rolled onto his back to look up at the starboard Dushka position. The gun was wreathed in white smoke and askew and the good-natured Aussie was nowhere in sight.

Maybe he's taking cover...

Tuck rolled back onto his belly and kicked himself forward a couple of meters. He craned his neck to see the aft Dushka position. The weapon appeared unmanned and the barrel was pointing skyward.

Fuck! This is NOT good!

He tried to pick out the rapid THROOPing of the 30mm Plamya AGL...

Tucker
M16A2/M203 (WP loaded)
Trying to figure out what the hell is going on [hesitating]
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:01, Thu 29 Nov 2007.

"Snowy! We need help on starboard! Two men ist down!" Bayer yells as he assesses hit grenade attack. "Griet! Where are you!"

Jerking his head around, Snowy's guts somersault as he looks out into the smoke. 'Oh no. Oh no.' is all he can think. Unlike him, he doesn't engage the friction lock on the DShKM and lets it slump. Ducking low, he scurries along the wall of sandbags until he finds what's left of Max. Pausing for a bit to , he looks over to where Bluey's gun is facing out into the distance with no sign of Bluey behind the gunshields. A furtive hope that Bluey's sheltering behind the sandbags flicker, but in his heart he knows that Bluey was the man who taught him to fire back harder than what they give you. He just hopes he's not too badly hurt.
Scrambling around the smoking wreck of the companionway he comes across Bluey's body, the whole rear of his head missing and splattered all over the back of the wheel house. A kind of wierd numbness spreads through him, followed by a constriction in his guts. He's holding his breath but can't seem to breathe in.
"Oh no, not you mate."
Snowy reaches up to grab the handles of the DShKM and brings his head up in line with the breech and sights along the barrel. He vaguely realises that Bluey was probably standing just like this when he was killed, but hardly cares. Training takes over and lets him go numb. He swings the DShKM around and follows the tracers from the tug to the shore. Grimly, he squeezes the trigger bar and steadies himself as the huge gun roars a burst off into the area that the RPD is lighting up.

Snowy
Starboard DShKM
Firing bursts of suppressive fire at the MG location
M4 Carbine and Glock.

Yazzie peers through the dissipating white smoke still leaking steadily out of the bridge and quickly locates the muzzle flash of the chattering enemy MG. He sets his scope on the enemy weapon, following its barrel back to the gunner. Steadying the crosshairs on the enemy soldier- Russian cammies and charcoal smeared face- Yazzie firmly squeezes the trigger. The puff of dust that erupts from the man’s side indicates a hit. It’s followed in short order by three more puffs- two from the torso; one from the leg- as one of Yazzie’s companions also finds the target.

[OOC: Yazzie scores a hit! Anneka scores 3/5 hits!]

Konrad, unaccustomed to firing his under-barrel grenade launcher from such a high and moving vantage point, lowers his body behind the sandbagged railing and watches as the grenade explodes a dozen meters short of his intended target.

[OOC: Konrad misses short!]

Just a couple of  feet away from Konrad, Anneka rocks back as a 5.45mm b round punches into her left arm, entering just below her shoulder.

[OOC: Anneka hit and knocked down! No combat actions this round.

After guiding their missile into the tug’s bridge, the missile team pauses for a moment to admire their handiwork. It is a fatal mistake. The reaction of the tug’s crew is surprisingly swift and violent. A 40mm grenade lands short, sending up a geyser of white water in front of them, and reminding them to move away from the tell-tale smoke signature of their missile launch. As they stand up to displace to a new position, an 82mm white phosphorous round detonates almost at their feet, obliterating both men in a searing shower of incandescent white sparks.

On board the Queen, the trio on the automortar watch the white bloom blossom and thrust skyward from Dawid’s aimpoint.

[OOC: Dawid and the mortar crew score a hit!]

Tuck continues to edge aft on his belly looking up to see Maddock clutching at his throat, bright red arterial spray arcing skyward from his neck. After a few seconds of frantic flailing, the thick Royal Marine falls heavily to the deck, mortally wounded.

Actions?
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:15, Fri 30 Nov 2007.

"Yeah! Fuck yeah!" Quyen yells from behind the mortar as Dawid's shot wipes out the missile team. Reaching over she picks up another WP round and loads it. "Ready!" she yells loudly, in case another shot is wanted.

"Should I get to my station aft? Or do you need me here?" she asks Dawid and Milk.

Minh Quyen
AK-74
Reloading Mortar
This message was last edited by the player at 01:01, Fri 30 Nov 2007.

Griet rolls to her side, then pushes herself with shaky arms to her knees. Uller is lying two meters to her right, on the starboard side of the bridge. His right leg is missing from about six inches above where his knee used to be. His face is deathly pale and his eyes are rolled back up into their sockets. The erratic heaving of his chest suggests that he is still clinging to life.

Old Adam is on Griet's left side, by the port door. He must have been blown there by the missile blast. The right side of his face is bloody, his thick, snow-white beard singed dark on that side. Crawling closer Griet notices that Adam's right eye is completely pulverized and his right side- like her own- is peppered with shrapnel.

In a state of near panic and desperation, Griet screams, "Medic! Medic!"

Adam moans and lolls his head towards her, fixing her with his slightly unfocused remaining eye.

"The Queen... See to her..."

Adam's exhortation shames her to her senses.

Yes, of course- the boat. The crew. The cargo.

She rises on shaky feet and peers out of one of the forward windows, surprisingly still intact. The tug's prow is pointing towards the north shore, poised patiently two hundred meters ahead. Griet grips the wheel- still warm-and turns it two points to the right to keep the vessel steaming downstream, into and along the presumably deeper, central channel.

Griet
Wz. 88 somewhere on the bridge floor
Trying to regain control of the Queen
This message was last edited by the player at 02:15, Fri 30 Nov 2007.

After his shot and hit, John scans his sector of fire for more targets from the safty of the sandbagged position. He will not raise his head above to be in the line of fire but will still be able to scan...

"Guns, all hell is breaking lose! Keep scanning your side for delayed ambush!"

John
Scanning for targets
G3
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:05, Fri 30 Nov 2007.

[NPCed]

Tuck watches, stupefied, as Maddock keels over, still spurting blood- weaker now- from his perforated neck.

I've got to do something!

Tuck pops up on his knees and takes a quick shot at the shore directly opposite, sending the WP round hurling towards the reeds along the bank, before dropping back to his belly on the cold, hard deck. He notices movement at the aft Dushka and looks up to see the last remaining Australian take charge of the weapon.

Tuck
M16A2(30/30) & M203 (0/1)
Firing WP at shore
Ducking back into cover; praying Snowy doesn't cop it next
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:04, Fri 30 Nov 2007.

Her burst barely away, Anneka felt burning pain spread from her upper arm and across her chest.
Before she'd even registered the success of her reflexive fire, the world tipped on it's side and night fell over her...

From just a few feet away, Konrad could see blood spray from her arm before both machinegun and woman collapsed unmoving to the deck.

As Bayer slides open his 40mm, ejecting the spent casing, he catches sight of Anneka getting hit just a couple feet away. "Scheise!" he yells as he watches her collapse. Without reloading, he crouches down behind cover and makes his way over towards Snowy by the starboard DSHK.

"Snowy! Doctor is hit. Can you help her? I'll take over the gun!" he yells (even though he is right next to the Australian).

In his subsequent action Bayer will fire five bursts at the enemy rifleman.

Bayer
DSHK (G36 Slung)
Starboard MG Position
Firing 5 bursts at the rifeleman

Snowy nods and crouches behind the gunshield. "Bluey's dead. So is Max. Where's the Doc?" His voice is hollow and flat, all trace of his usual cheerfulness is dead.
After the directions, he'll work his way to where the Doc is lying. He checks her trouser cargo pocket for her medkit, if it's not there he'll use his own.

Snowy
M4 Carbine
First Aid> Anneka

"Damn! Nice shot man!"

Clarence exhalts as the WP round detonates right on target.

"What's our new target DP?"

In response to Minh's very valid question, Clarence responds,

"Yeah, we probably got too many cooks here. What's your call, kid?"

Clarence Milk
AK-74M (30/30)
Standing by for gun commander's orders

"Still got nothin' over here." Gunny shouts from the left side of the bridge roof.

Gunny Parks
SVD
Scanning north bank for threats/targets

The massive white flower exploded on target, burning fragments streaking across the sky, trailing white tendrils. Dawid grunted in satisfaction. Clarence's question penetrated his consciousness. "Yes, go, to your station? Go!"

Unaware of a sniper threat to aft, he kept scanning off the Starboard bow for targets, prepared to engage the next target that popped up.


Dawid Piotrowski
82mm Vasilek (5/5 WP)
Aimed and prepared for opportunity fire.

"Right." Quyen says. There doesn't seem to be much firing anymore but she stays low anyways as she begins to move to her station. She takes the Port side route to keep from exposing herself to anymore potential fire.

The damaged bridge, still smoldering a little, catches her attention. When she hears some yelling coming from above, Quyen decides to make an unscheduled stop above before heading to the RPK position... just a minute or two won't hurt. She and the mortar team hadn't heard much from there since they got hit hard by the missile.

"Captain? Anyone?" she yells as she makes her way up. Nobody is on the Port DSHK, but two or three seconds later she finds Snowy working on the unconscious doctor. "Oh no. Where's Hauptmann Bayer? You guys need help?" she says.

Quyen
AK-74
PKM Position
Offering help before she continues to her station
This message was last edited by the player at 11:40, Sat 01 Dec 2007.

Thick white smoke hangs between the Wisla Krolowa and the south bank as the tug draws almost even with the enemy machine gun position.

Through his scope, Yazzie sees the young assistant gunner dutifully shove his dead number one off of the PKM and tuck the MG's wooden stock into the crook of his neck. Before the young man can fire, Yazzie pulls the trigger and the young man's head rocks back before slumping down, face first, into the ground. Two shots, two kills.

[OOC: Yazzie scores a hit! Head shot = instant kill.]

On the companionway, Snow removes Anneka's personal medkit and tears it open. He presses gauze against the entry wound and begins strapping it in place. His hands are soon slick with Anneka's blood and he fumbles a bit, finally getting the gauze firmly in place before noticing a jagged exit wound peaking out from the bandage on the back side of her upper arm.

[OOC: Due to an unfavorable Trauma roll, Snow will need to use another personal medkit to completely staunch Anneka's bleeding.]

A few meters to their right, Konrad hammers away with the Dushka, sending streams of rounds into the spreading white smoke along the bank. He'll be lucky if he hits anything, but the noise, flash, and vibration of the big gun feel satisfying, and hopefully those on the receiving end will think twice about taking further aggresive action against the tug.

Surprisingly, a few incoming rounds continue to pancake against the tug's superstructure or richochet away with a sharp metalic twang. From the innacuracy of the enemy fire, it's likely those doing the shooting are likewise firing blind from behind the thick white smoke screen.

All the while, the Queen begins to creep out of the immediate kill zone, slowly leaving her ambushers to contemplate her broad wake.

Actions?
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:36, Sat 01 Dec 2007.

Walter and Tadeuz enter the bridge through the port-side door and stop short at the scene of carnage and destruction that greets them.

"Mother of God!" Walter exclaims while Tadeuz offers a more blasphemous counterpoint of "Fucking hell!"

Griet is struggling to remain standing. She feels faint and everything around her- the bridge, the river, the sound of gunfire, the wheel in her hands- seems strangely distant, muffled, and insubstantial.

I must have lost more blood than I thought...

"Walter, see to the captain. Tadeuz, put out these fires."

Tadeuz scrunches up his face, as if the process of thought caused him physical pain, and replies,

"You aint giving me no orders. I'm chief deck hand; I'm in charge now!"

Shit, he's drunk.

Mustering hidden reserves of strength which, even to herself, were secret, Griet bellows,

"You want your captain to know that he lost his ship because his chief deck hand was drunk on the job?!? Now shut up and see to those fires! Do it!"

The effort makes her even more light-headed. Tadeuz balls up his massive fists and glowers at the petite chief petty officer, taking a heavy step towards her.

Walter, crouching over his fallen captain, realizes the gravity of the situation and grabs hold of Tadeuz' pant leg. "Come on Tadeuz. Get the extinguisher. We need to get these fires out."

Tadeuz lowers his fists, unclenches his hands, and stumbles over Adam to retrieve the old-fashioned, pump-action water-filled fire extinguisher from its place at the back of the bridge.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:45, Sat 01 Dec 2007.

With the mortar loaded and ready to fire, Clarence takes a moment to slap his helmet on and pick up his rifle. He flicks the long selector switch to full auto and peeks over the barbette, looking for a target.

Clarence Milk
AK-74M (30/30)
Looking for targets; ready to assist Dawid

[NPCed]

Hearing the Dushka open up from above and slightly behind him heartens Tuck. He flicks his M-16's selector 3-round burst and pops up to his knees, pulling the trigger repeatedly and sweeping the shoreline with a full magazine before getting to his feet and springing for the ladder up to the aft Dushka position. The sooner the big guns speak up, the quicker they'll all be out of this mess, he thinks.

At least that's the idea.

Tuck
M16A2 (0/30) M203 (0/1)
Moving quickly to take over aft Dushka
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:47, Sat 01 Dec 2007.

With the thrill of two shots and two kills john smiles as he search's the shore for any movement or muzzle flash's looking for his next kill..He will make sure at all times he is under cover and insure he does not expose himself. He will sweep the shore going from the front of the ship to the rear in a methodical search.


"Guns keep your sector of fire...I have two targets down on this side and i'm searching for more going from stem to stern. I dont want to get jumped from the rear. Thanks guns keep it up."


John
Searching for targets
G3 "72 rounds"
This message was last edited by the player at 01:50, Sun 02 Dec 2007.

"Shit" snarls Snowy. "Keep still, bugger ya." He looks at the gaping wound on her back and gives her a worried glance. "It's big. Try and lie still."

He looks up and yells out "Somebody give me some bloody help here!"

Quyen rushes over and kneels next to to Snowy and Anneka. She tries to help in any way with the medical aid. "Shit, besides the obvious, I don't know exactly what to do here."

Minh Quyen
AK-74 (Slung)
PKM Position
Helping Snowy with Soleblume's wounds

The firing was no longer effective, due to the smoke, the counter-fire they gave and that the boat was exiting the battle area. On top of that, upon hearing Quyen and Tucker's arrival, Bayer decides to leave the machinegun and make sense of the situation on the tug.

"Tucker, I'm heading to the bridge and below, you've got Quyen and Snowy up here with you, along with the Marines above, Soleblume is hit." he informs him.

Bayer enters the bridge first... "Adam! Griet, hold on. Get us downriver a little more, and I'll get you some help very soon." He pauses for a minute to check if Uller was still alive... he wished Soleblume was here and able to set up an aid station and help these people.

Bayer then heads below to the main deck, he notices Maddock's body and a look of dismay crosses his face. The Englander was very easy to like having around. Coming into view of the mortar he calls over "Milk! Are you good with wounded? Soleblume is down and I've got a bridge full of injured."

Bayer
In the bridge and then on the main deck near the mortar
G36/HK-69
Beginning unit post-battle consolidation

This message was last edited by the player at 08:51, Sun 02 Dec 2007.

The tug continues on its course away from the ambush zone. A loud metallic clang and a 4-meter-tall geyser of white water alongside the starboard hull just abaft the main stack makes it loud and clear that you're not out of the woods quite yet.

From the aft Dushka position, Tuck scans the bank through the dissipating white cloud but can't pick out any targets. Regardless, he sends a few score 12.7mm slugs into the smoke to keep the enemy's heads down.

With Konrad on overwatch, Minh lends Snowy a hand and the pair manage to stop's Anneka's bleeding. The Israeli medic is lapsing in and out of consciousness now and, when lucid, is expressing severe pain and discomfort in her torn shoulder.

On the bridge, Griet struggles to maintain consciousness and control of the Queen. The few small fires that dotted the bridge have been extinguished and Tadeuz now kneels on the bloody bridge floor trying help Walter tend to the wounded Adam. Neither man seeems to know what to do. Adam is peppered with small wounds and the gruesome sight of his pulverized right eye is too much for either to handle. They nervously dab at one wound and then another with their oily pocket rags.

The Queen is now 50 meters past the last known enemy postion (the neutralized machine gun nest) and moving off at a break-neck speed of 10 kmph.

Actions?

Dawid's knee started shaking as the adrenaline wore off. He still scanned the southern bank, looking for targets. Wiping sweat from his face, he looked back to see if the fire on the bridge was under control.

"Holy Mary that was close, Clarence... I am rethinking the wisdom of this trip. There is strength in numbers and it's nice to sleep under cover, but this is like carrying a 4-story sign with "PLEASE SHOOT AT ME" written on it! I think I may take my leave some time in the future and continue on foot. Should I live that long."

He gave a ragged sigh as his heart pounded, pulse not slowing down yet. "Shit. I think I wet myself."

Shit!

"I'll do what I can sir." Milk turns to the Polish cannoneer and asks rhetorically, "You OK here?"

I hope the kid aint serious about leaving. He's an ace on this gun...

Assuming Dawid's assent, Clarence springs up the port-side ladder to shield himself from any incoming fire and rushes around the companionway to find Snow and Minh already working on the wounded medic.

"Sir, who you got on the aft guns? We aint nearly making enough noise back there. One of us [indicating Snow, Minh, Konrad, and himself] should get back there and start laying down supressive fire."

[Private to Konrad Bayer; Minh Quyen; Trevor 'Snowy' White: Volunteers?]
This message was last edited by the player at 02:24, Tue 04 Dec 2007.

" Gunny take the front 180 I will take the rear 180. Getting out spotting scope now searching for targets. We are not done hunting yet keep your eyes open and cover these guys down below they are all fucking hrt down there"

"Hey we have you covered up here milk, Get a triage set up and start saving lives...I dont have any targets up here yet, But dont worry I will silance them."


John will spin on his belly and take up a position facing the rear he will search for targets with the spotting scope to engage with the G3.He will engage any targets of opportunity. He will also call out any targets for the others .


"milk will call out if i see any targets"


John
Searching for targets
G3 (74 rounds)

"White, Yazzie," Anneka gasped between screams and moans.
"Medical." One last word before she slipped back into blissful oblivion...

Assuming Milk could do better with helping Snow, Minh rises and heads to the other DSHK, in the rear. "I got it. I'm not doing very good here anyways." she says. Quyen crouches behind the large machinegun and peers over the top, exposing her head the least amount possible. She grips the weapon with hands sticky with some of Soleblume's blood on them.

Picking a spot out of the smoke obscured riverbank she fires off two bursts. After that she'll hold off until someone can identify a target.

Quyen
DSHK
Aft DSHK
Firing 2 bursts - observing

Dawid nodded in assent. "Yes. My friend, I hope everyone is safe back there!" His expression looking at the ruined bridge suggested he wasn't holding out a lot of hope for that. Once Clarence left, he picked up his binos and scanned the shoreline.

"We're just floating target practice for anyone out here. Too many weapons, too many crazy people itching to use them," he grumbled.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:48, Tue 04 Dec 2007.

Once Bayer has established the situation on the boat he returns to his normal station in the bridge. As he passes Milk he confirms with him the team's layout, "Ok, you've got Snowy, keep handling the wounded ja? I'll help you out with those inside the bridge. Tucker and Quyen will man the machineguns to support the snipers."

Finding, Adam he waves aside the two Polish crew members and attempts to give Adam some medical attention (using his own PMK). "Its not good Kaptain... Mr. Maddock, Blue, and Fosters are all dead. Soleblume ist outside injured. We're not out of it yet." Quyen's double burst confirms his last statement.

Looking up from his work in progress he motions for Adam to have his men return to their posts below deck. Before going back to doing his best with Adam's wounds, he also says over his shoulder, "Griet, hang in." .

After Adam, Bayer will attempt to give Griet some medical attention. "Keep her steady Chief." he says as he tries to bandage the worse of her wounds.

OOC - Is a PMK used up on one person for one attempt at first aid?

Bayer
G36/HK69 (Slung)
Bridge
Giving First-Aid to Adam and Griet

Snowy drags Anneka under the lee of the sandbags to ensure she doesn't pick up any frags, and then shouts out "Boss, do you want me to take over the wheel?"

"Ja, that's good Snowy." Bayer calls back as he helps Griet.

The Krolowa is now several hundred meters downstream from the ambush sight, out of effective small arms range. From behind the stack, Minh and Tuck watch as the the smoke continues to dissipate- a few stubborn tendrils are all that remain- revealing a green shoreline bereft of any signs of human life. The remaining enemy seem to have also taken advantage of the smoke, either pulling back or going to ground, weary of the Queen's heavy machine guns. Yazzie, looking aft through his scope, sees nothing either.

Snowy enters the bridge to find it resembling a slaughterhouse more than the control center of a tugboat. Diluted blood is smeared about the floor, along with pieces of broken glass and little bits of burnt paper. The smell that accompanies the sight is no less disconcerting. Stepping over Adam, he takes the wheel from Griet who, steadied by Konrad, leans against the port bulkhead for a moment before slumping slowly down to the floor, exhausted and faint from loss of blood.

Actions?

[Private to Minh Quyen: Tuck was on the aft Dushka prior to your last post. We'll just say that Minh relieved him and he headed down to the Plamya AGL on the fantail. That way, we don't have to change anything.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:17, Thu 06 Dec 2007.

Clarence stays by the supine Anneka, tugging a sandbag free from the wall around the companionway railing and sliding it gently under her head.

"Hang in there major. You're gonna be OK."

He stands, scanning the river up ahead.

It aint over yet. Not by a longshot...

The ambush was clearly well prepared and executed with deadly precision. The hit team had been waiting for the Queen- not just any passing vessel- but the Queen. The ambush had ultimately failed, but not for want of trying. And three more members of the team were dead. He couldn't help but feel a measure of responsibililty for their deaths. They didn't even realize why they'd been killed or know anything about the secret they died protecting. It burned in his gut.

Oh God, if you're still around, please don't let all this be for nothin'.

He couldn't cry anymore. It had been years since he'd last shed tears. He wished he could right then. But the tears wouldn't come. He was convinced he would feel better- feel human- if they would. But they didn't. Just then, he'd doubted they ever would again.

Damnit. Damn it all.

"I'll be right back major. Don't die on me now, ya hear!"

Under his breath he added, "I've got to go make a call."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:35, Thu 06 Dec 2007.

Anneka lay unmoving. Pain and shock had completely overloaded her ability to withstand it and pushed her completely into unconsciousness. The tug could have been sinking, water flooding over her battered body and still she would not so much as twitched.
At least the bleeding had been staunched. The dressings weren't cosmetically all that well done, but at least they were fullfilling their intended function...

Snowy took the wheel, staring emotionless as Griet slumped to the deck. He turned his view outside and corrected slightly for the current. He felt utterly hollow. He knew if he turned his head to the right he'd be able to see the legs of his best friend's corpse sprawled on the companionway. He stared resolutely ahead, scanning the river.

He leaned forward and said into the communicator with the engineroom. "Engines? This is Snowy. There are wounded up here and we're in a hotspot. We'll need to speed up if you can, and have the homar piec ready. I'm at the wheel so I'll need you to speak English if you have urgent instructions for me. Understood?"

Konrad, disappointed with his lack of skill, gives up trying to help Griet, he's wasted too many bandages as it is. Someone else sure could do better. He helps support her as she collapses.

Remembering his conversation with Anneka regarding the team's abilities, he goes for one last option. Leaving the bridge he climbs up onto the rooftop where the snipers are perched.

"Yazzie, I could use a hand below. Someone who knows how to properly treat wounded. We're not getting very far below and their injuries may get worse. I can keep watch and help spot for Gunny Parks. OK?"

[Private to John Yazzie: Bayer has a pretty good Observation skill.]

Bayer then takes up the rear 180 and will keep watch with his binos.

Quyen peers over the top of the heavy machinegun as she watches the shoreline pass by. "Nothing over here." she says quietly, but just loud enough for Tucker on the other DSHK to hear.

The fury of action was replaced by an eerie almost-calm broken only by the throb of the engines. Things behind him seemed to have gotten sorted out somewhat with people moving around with purpose and direction. Whatever happened when they were hit, it wasn't enough to knock out all semblance of command, which he thought was a good thing.

Dawid was left alone with his thoughts as he sat at the gun. He hunched lower behind the improvised gunshield, imagining his head filling the sights of some shore-based sniper. Like the one that nailed his friend, Joost. Sighing, he took a sip of water from his canteen, and continued searching the shoreline.


Tony

John swings into action on hearing the commands from konrad.....


"Konrad fuck the observation, Gunny has it your new job is to be the trauma officer you will make sure that no one goes into shock and if they are in shock then you comfort them so they get out of it. This means blankets and pillows for the wounded and you talking to them, giving support...Tell "Mihn to man the rear .50 and make sure no one fucks us in the ass. If all else fails spay and pray.Also yell down to david to keep manning his position."


"Snow,man the helm and get us the fuck out of here stay there until i releave you at that post. Thanks for being the man you saved us."


"Tucker come over here to me and we will start to work on the wounded as a team."

"Milk come over here and help me and tucker with the wounded we need your SF training."

"Tabeuz,Walter and Luboslaw once we stabliize someone. You three will pick them up and move them to the HMG deck. Konrad will also help and he will tell you were to lay them down. Once you are done come back up here and we will have another member for you to carry."

"Gunny stay up on top and support the rear and front positions with sniper fire."
 

" You will do as I say if you want the crew and us to live if any more die we are fucked and that means we all die. So for once listen to me and work as a team and we will get through this."

John will start to work on the first member of the crew.

"We will work on Griet first she will be able to be saved. Hey! She only has superfical wounds. Deck hands get over here and take her down stairs, she does not need trauma care for now."

"Lets work on this gunshot wound on Ann its the most pressing wound. we can save her!"

After they work on the gunshot wound they will move to Adam and work as a three man team. Once done with him they will move to Uller and work on him. Once all the wounded have been stabilized and cleared from the bridge. John will move down to the gun deck and start to do long term care with Milk and Tucker.


John
Giving commands
G3
This message was last edited by the player at 00:55, Fri 07 Dec 2007.

"Ok, you do what needs to be done, but you have to do it vithout Milk or myself for the moment. You should also make sure from Snowy or Adam whether you can use all three of the crewmen, they may be needed to manage the tug."

With that he quickly moves below deck. He confronts Milk as quick as he can. [Private to Clarence Milk: He makes an effort to show he isn't angry but is direct enough that he wants a positive response. "Clarence, we need to talk right now. I need to know everything about whats going on here. First you tell me you've got allies operating around us, and then you leave your post to what is obviously more contact with them. I want to know what kind of support or options are available to us. I know your Kommando stuff means its secret, but the situation means you need to tell me what is going on. We can't have you running off in secret in front of the men... they and I need to be able to trust you."]

Bayer
Below Deck
Confronting Milk
This message was last edited by the player at 00:49, Fri 07 Dec 2007.

"No konrad you will work with the rest of us. This is life or death here not some game. Dont push me right now. Your the fuck that would not let us run a recon. I would have found these cocksuckers and killed them. We would all be safe right now if you would have listined. Now is not the time for us to fight . Its time for us to work. Now do your part and help. You and Milk are needed here not off on some secret shit. Do you understand? You walk away and so will I and this whole crew dies. It was me who shot our way out of that shit mess. Its time you listen. And the crew will do as its told or thier Capt. and first mate will die."

John will go back to working on the gunshot wound.



John
Talking with Konrad
G3 (72 rounds)

This message was deleted by the player at 03:57, Fri 07 Dec 2007.

OOC - Occurs prior to going below (previous post)

"Everyone is working here whether if they are doing exactly what you want them to or not. Milk is gone below and I am going next, you can manage without him until his return shortly. Besides if you are our savior as you say, you should be able to handle everything on your own anyways. And spare me the predictions on what could have been. Dissension is neither productive or acceptable."

With that he quickly moves below deck. He confronts Milk as quick as he can.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:30, Fri 07 Dec 2007.

"Fuck you Konrad, Go run off. I will run the show. Men and woman do as your told while he runs off.What a great leader we have. But konrad we will play later you little bitch. Mark my words. Your arogant incompetent and it will come back to haunt you . I will save the day but then we will talk."



John
Working on gunshot wound
G3 (72 rounds)
This message was last edited by the player at 03:19, Fri 07 Dec 2007.

Konrad finds Milk in the radio room, in the process of unhooking his radio's antenna from the tug's old antenna connection.

Surprised, Clarence starts, reaching for his SOCOM before recognizing the German and easing off.

[Private to Konrad Bayer:
"I thought I'd earned your trust, Hauptman."

He pauses, head down, in an attempt to get his emotions in check, before resuming,

"Look, Bayer, you know about as much as I do. The CIA has a man in the woods not too far from the bridge. I've never met the guy. All I was given was a code name and a freq. Apparently, this guy's got three others with him, including an American. I thought they could be used to check out the bridge. If we'd sent out a zodiac to do it, they would have been torn up by that ambush back there. I was just calling this asset; telling them we'd been hit; telling them to watch out for trouble. I didn't want anyone else to know before and I can't reach them without a boost from the tug's old com wiring. The Polish kid's OK, but the girl? Just showin' up as we were about to leave? The Krakow ORMO is crawling with hand-picked Russian agents. I was just being careful. I pretty much aired all my dirty laundry back after we shot the locks. I aint got many secrets left to keep."]

[Private to Konrad Bayer: Sorry about Yazzie. Holy crap! What was all that about? Please don't let him discourage you from playing. I will be having a word with him presently.]
This message was last edited by the player at 03:07, Fri 07 Dec 2007.

"I didn't mean it like that Milk. I showed you my trust by letting you inform outsiders information about us, and taking over a security issue for us. What you just said is all I wanted to know."

The short conversation is over and Bayer leads them back up on deck.

Quyen stops halfway to the aft DSHK as the tempers rise on the upper deck. Making a u-turn she makes her way back over and catches sight of Bayer heading below. Looking at Yazzie she says in a mix of confusion and displeasure - "What the hell are you doing? This isn't the 'Nam, there are actually rules here. We start getting at each others throats with disregard for order and we're no more different than the marauders on the shore. And as it seems, you'd be the only one ok with that. You need to cool it, handle bandages... and thats it."

She pauses a moment, expecting a sharp response before heading back to the aft DSHK.

"Yea woman your right, order....He put me in charge because he is incompatent. So I give orders and he does not like them. Your right no order here. This is what I will do new join. I will do as I was paid for, hired gun. I will go back to my position . I wont create order here, I wont treat the wounded and I will go back to being a hired gun. I dont know what the fuck you are talking about Vietnam for I'm in my late 20's was not alive when that was going on? I think you watched too many movies as a kid. Only one court martial for being a Maurder in nam from my teachings. And me being a maurder? I wear a uniform and you dont. So who is the maurader? Your right I will mind my work and no others."

With that John stands.And speaks.


"I'm not in charge here so I will go back to my job. Any orders I gave here are not lawful as I'm not in charge. I'm a United States Marine just wanting to go home. Dont mind me I will be top side coving my sector of fire."

"Snow I assume you are now master of the boat due to The Capt. and First mate are about to bleed out. I was hired onto this tug. I will go top side and await your orders Sir!"

John moves back up to the snipers perch and sets into the rear 180 deg position sunk down so he is not exposed to fire.

John
sniper perch
G3

Snow looks around at Yaz, he looks like he's aged a year in a matter of minutes. He says to Yaz "No mate, I'm just the helmsman. I know you feel the loss Yaz, being our sergeant you take us all to your heart, but we gotta be on the same side here. If the Boss made a bad call we can talk it out later, but we've got blood on the decks and we're not out of it yet. Honestly, if you leave the wounded I'm going to have to drop anchor so I can help out, and I want to get us into a wide section of the river if I can before we tie up. Bluey wouldn't want us to leave people dying on the decks."

[OO: Editted by the GM since Anneka has been stablilized already and is outside the bridge on the forward companionway.]

On orders from Snow, John will start working on the Captain. He will open a med kit and dump the iodine to the eye area and remove any large fragments left in the wound area. He will then cravat the eye and adds a pressure dressing. Once done there he will move to Uller. He will take off Ullers belt and tie a turaquet to the upper portion of his leg with the belt. He will then dump the iodine on the leg and treat the wound area removing any large fragments. He will then dump the quick clot on the stump and Bandage with the large dressing (X2) from the other kits. He will then take the Codeine pills in each kit and give all Three treated with 3 pills and start to treat for shock.

"If you want you can help move them to the gun deck were I can treat them long term anyone want to help?"

If someone (It takes 4 to carry) helps John. He will move down to the gun deck and start long term care.

OOC (Long term care)This will be done and explained in detail after Rae's post.

John
Conducting Basic mass casualty drill
G3 (72 rounds)
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:26, Sat 08 Dec 2007.

Barely three minutes after Konrad left the bridge to find him, Milk appears in the bridge doorway and sets to work, watching Yazzie, following the Marine's lead, and trying not to duplicate any of his work (if it appears to have been sucessful). As he tries to make himself useful and apply his trauma aid training, he addresses those present in the calmest, most in-control voice he can muster,

"I'm trying to get us all some more help. We may have some friends nearby- local folk. They've got trouble of their own, though, so it sounds like we'll be on our own for the next little bit. Everybody just try and stay cool and work together, we'll get through this."

Clarence Milk
AK-74M
Performing Trauma aid as needed
This message was last edited by the player at 07:30, Sat 08 Dec 2007.

Konrad hurries about the tug collecting the various first aid kits Adam had equipped the Krolowa with. "I've got these here as well." he says as he drops them off inside the bridge where most of the casualty work is being done.

"Snowy, we need to find out where we are on this river. The bridge is coming up and we don't want to sail right up to it. It'll also be good to know how long we have until we get to our stopping point."

Once the first aid is done, he and Tucker will help Milk and Yazzie move the wounded down below.

Motioning to the only person he is unsure of he asks, "Is Uller going to make it?"
This message was last edited by the player at 08:11, Sat 08 Dec 2007.

With Snowy at the helm, Dawid on point, Tucker as tail-gunner, and Gunny Parks on overwatch, the Wisla Krolowa continues downstream at close to 10kmph. In the hour that followed the last of the gunfire, the tug has closed to within 15 kilometers of the next known obstacle in her path- the bridge at Scuzcin [sic].

Clarence, Konrad, Minh, and the sullen Yazzie have transported the wounded- stabilized after much effort- to the aft gun deck, and under Anneka's supervision, made the area as comfortable and efficient a long-term treatment area as possible. Griet is resting comfortably under several layers of blankets, her multiple shrapnel wounds patched and the pain dulled by a hefty dose of codeine tablets. Adam drifts in and out of consciousness, periodically asking after the crew, the boat, and heartbreakingly, his long-serving first mate.

The dead, including the oftentimes petulant, sour-faced Pole, lie under a tarp between the aft gun deck and the seemingly cursed aft Plamya position. Tadeuz maintains a vigil over the covered corpses, sitting on a pile of bloodstained sandbags weeping, a half-empty bottle of clear liquid at his side.

A silent Walter shuffles about the bridge, cleaning blood and debris off of the deck with a mop and bucket. The faint but viscerally recognizable scent of iron still permeates the room, despite the added ventilation of several blown-out windows. At least it's not raining...

And then you hear it. It's always hard to figure out where it's coming from, the sound of helicopter rotor blads cutting through the air. After a few seconds of neck-craning and eye squinting, you spot the source. It's about 1000 meters south of you, moving from east to west roughly parallel to the river at about 500m altitude. It's too far away to engage it effectively with the Dushkas, and by the time the ZU on the barge can be crewed, the heli will be well aft and out of range.

Actions?
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:01, Sun 09 Dec 2007.

John will move down to the storage area to get the rocket.


John
Gun deck/Bellow deck
G3
This message was last edited by the player at 01:15, Sun 09 Dec 2007.

When the dead were laid out, Dawid took out his rosary and said a short prayer for these men who'd come so far from home to die on Polish soil (so to speak). The Britishers had been true friends of the Polish people for generations, and he felt a debt to them. Even if the Australians apparently weren't really British they were close enough as far as he was concerned.

"Pater noster qui es in coelis, sanctificetur nomen tuum..."

Once finished, he nodded to Tadeusz and returned to the Vasilek. He shrugged into his infernally heavy flak vest, thinking, this might be awkward if the boat sinks. Oh well, if God wills it we shall see if swimming will be necessary!

As soon as he heard the helo, Dawid reloaded the Vasilek with 82mm HEDP. Unfortunately, if the helo made an attack run from any angle except the front, they'd be screwed. Waiting for either an order to fire or a hostile action he looked at the bird thought his glasses, trying to see if it was a transport or attack helicopter of western or eastern make. He wiped sweat from his eyes, then continued looking.


Dawid Piotrowski
82mm Vasilek (5/5 HEDP)
Aimed and ready to fire

Edit: added beginning paragraphs.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:55, Sun 09 Dec 2007.

Bayer leaves the bridge and watches the helo through his binos from the upper deck. "Don't fire!" he calls holding up a hand, keeping his eyes on the chopper. "Tuck, if that helicopter comes in close to look at us I want you to get Walter out here and have him wave at it. Everyone else stay low and only fire if an attack is eminent."

OOC - Is it Russian like a Hip or Hind or something?

"Russians don't fly up and down the river sinking every Polish boat they come across. Unless it has to do with Milk, we'll probably be ok if we play it easy."
This message was last edited by the player at 06:15, Sun 09 Dec 2007.

Konrad and Dawid calmly study the passing helo through their field glasses.

[Private to Dawid Waldus Piotrowski; Konrad Bayer: The bird is a camouflaged Mi-17 "Hip" transport sporting the distinctive Soviet red star. It's got wing struts with either rocket pods or droptanks (or both), it's hard to tell which. I was waiting for someone to take a look with binos before posting these details. Well done.]

Still looking through his glasses, Dawid yelled, "Soviet markings... probably a Mil Mi-17! We got the older Mil Mi-8s. Can't tell if it's an attack or transport version!"

"Agreed. Soviet Hip." Bayer responds loudly.

Quyen, having taken up Bluey's station on the rear DSHK (until being told otherwise) crouches low behind the heavy machinegun. If the helicopter comes in close she will do as instructed, stay low and out of sight, but ready to fire if it becomes a threat to the tug.

Minh Quyen
DSKH (AK74 Slung)
Aft DSHK
Observing
This message was last edited by the player at 12:02, Mon 10 Dec 2007.

Clearly not understanding the reference to the NATO call-sign, Dawid replied, "What do you mean? It's not a "hip" or "leg" or "foot" or anything like that! It's a Mi-17 helicopter made by Mil!"
This message was last edited by the player at 12:32, Mon 10 Dec 2007.

Bayer gives his first laugh in days, it was a nice change... despite the potential danger lurking in the sky. Calling back, "NATO nickname. They give Soviet helicopters random names, starting with 'h'. That one's called a Hip to us."

He lowers the binos and cleans the lens with the cloth of his uniform shirt. He adds at a much lower volume to those around him, "Its carrying external pods, can't tell if its fuel or rockets or both."
This message was last edited by the player at 13:32, Mon 10 Dec 2007.

John moves to the arms room and finds the rocket. ("Shit I cant read russian. I dont know how to work this fucking thing.") After John's shocker and talk to himself he will grab the rocket and move back to the top of the stairs. He does not want to go out on deck and give away the rocket. He will wait until he can hear it and it makes a hostile act. That's when he will move outside to give the rocket to the Pole Sergeant.



John
Top of stairs/To outside hatch
G3/Rocket
This message was last edited by the player at 16:10, Mon 10 Dec 2007.

"Why can't these NATO types just call something what it is? Always with the nicknames!" he muttered to himself in Polish.

Paying little heed to the tug, the Hip continues along on its course parallel to the Queen's and soon disapppears from sight.

The tug presses on towards the damaged bridge, making steady progress. Approximately 15 minutes after the first sighting, the Hip reappears, now reversing its prior course, flying east along the Vistula, still roughly 1000m south of the Queen. It's likely that anyone on board the helicopter, paying any attention at all, can see the Queen's white wake contrasted against the brown of the river. Nevertheless, it continues to pay you no mind.

You are now approximately 20 km west of the damaged bridge at Scuzsin [sic]. At your current speed (Snowy?), you will arrive there in approximately two hours.

Actions?

[Private to Anneka Soleblume: Griets wounds are serious. They are located along her right arm and leg. The bleeding has been stopped but she will require some shrapnel removal and a few stitches. Adam has similar wounds in addition to his destroyed eye and burns to the face and right hand.]

Anneka had checked on the first aid treatment shortly after recovering consciousness herself. While she trusted the ability of the others to deal with initial treatment, statements they'd given about skills earlier in the day showed ongoing care was something they were far from qualified for.
Besides, they were needed far more to provide security for the damaged vessel.

Satisfied Griet and Adam were stable (there was nothing she could do for Uller, Maddock, Fosters and Thompson), she arranged for Ullers to be cleared and Griet moved into far more comfortable surrounds. Adam also was soon resting in his own bunk. "They're far better off there than exposed to the elements," she said to any who asked why.

The helicopter barely registered on her mind as she carried out her tasks. Caring for the wounded was a hard enough task at the best of time, let alone seriously wounded as she was and relying on painkillers to dull the edge. Even if she cared, there was little she could have done. It was difficult enough just walking as it was.[Private to GM: Surgery can wait a day or so I suppose? If not, then she'll grab either Minh or White to assist.]

Finally her medical duties were complete, at least for the moment, and she sought out Konrad.
"I think we need to halt and reorganise. Recover what we can from the dead, bury the bodies and conduct repairs."
She just hoped they'd have time before the next threat was upon them...

Snowy scans the riverbanks through the shattered windows. He puts the lock on the wheel and follows the banks with his binoculars. He calls out to Konrad on the forward gun position, loud enough to be heard by everyone on the boat, "hey boss! Are we pulling up or going onto the bridge? We'd better get an idea of what we're sailing into before we get much further dowstream."

Bayer calls back, "No, hold off a few klicks from the bridge." He had asked Adam to so but forgot Snowy was now at the helm.

Bayer enters the bridge and calls down to the engine room for one of the Polish crewmen to come up and man the helm. "Snowy, once he gets up here come on down to the mortar ja?" Bayer then proceeds to collect the team to have a quick meeting at Dawid's station.

"Das bridge is coming up. Milk, establish comms again, get an update to the situation and tell them... if they are going to help, it will be in under two hours. Let me know if that is impossible as soon as you can."

"We will stop a short distance from the objective and deploy a group by boat. They will meet the partisans and confirm that the bridge is secure, and then establish a bridge demolition guard. Shore party is myself and..."

Looking at Quyen, "Quyen. Demolitions. Your first task is to assess the bridge for clearance. Find out how much explosives, equipment and manpower is needed to fit this boat through."

Looking at Dawid, "Dawid, you are going to setup your machinegun as part of the land based bridge demolition guard. Also, act as interpreter if needed. There is a CIA man, but your language ability may be necessary regardless."

Looking at Yazzie, "Yazzie, sharpshooter of course. Deploy independently from the shore party. These partisans are CIA and Milk's contacts, but I want you to stay out of sight and cover us... just in case. After we've made contact, act as bridge demolition guard and cover the operation."

Indicating to the remainder he addresses them as a group. "Snowy, Milk, and Tucker. Man the weapons and protect the tug. Maintain comms with us and the partisans." He points up to the sniper's perch, "Parks is there for sniper fire of course. One of the crewmen can man a machinegun as well if you really need it."

Nodding to Soleblume he finishes off, "Major, you're obviously out of action for a while. You want to reorganize us in terms of battle stations and the like? What else do you think we should do now?"

He leans back against the gunwale and listens to her and everyone else's responses.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:14, Tue 11 Dec 2007.

"I'll need to go over my notes," she replied to Konrads question.
"The recent casulaties have thrown my suggested changes a bit of a curve ball."
And then some! She'd intended Griet and Maddock to move out to the ZSU but with one dead and the other in serious condition, that wasn't about to happen any time soon.
Even the heavy machinegun situation had changed drastically with the loss of Fosters and Thompson. It was beginning to look as if they'd have to give up on permanently crewing the mortar for the time being, just to provide a decent all round coverage.
"We desperately need to find some more materials to cover the bridge," she pointed her good hand towards the splintered and burnt wreckage above them. "Probably best not to gather there too in the future, it's likely to be the first target of any attackers."
In hindsight it was obvious. Take out the bridge and you have the fight as good as won. Without a working bridge, the tug would be forced to halt and be little more than a floating deathtrap.

"We always meant to armour the bridge, but we've moved too fast to get serious armour in the locations that need it. The Vasilek should be finished by now but we haven't had a chance or had the materials we need. Really, we need about ten more people."

"Ok, fill the stations with what we have to work with." Bayer acknowledges Anneka's statement regarding the team. "Ja. Perhaps using the mortar for emergencies only and having Dawid and Milk put elsewhere for the time being... as you said."

"Perhaps when we clear the bridge we can use some of it for materials. Other than that there is only two other options in the near future, the towns of Szczucin and Sandomierz. Sandomierz is further downstream but its actually on the river and we know we can trade there as well."

"Some good news... Milk's CIA contact will no doubt be able to provide us with some more concrete intelligence concerning downriver."

Minh nods when instructed to meet at the bow. Slinging her rifle she makes her way over and sits next to the mortar and Dawid. She removes her bush hat listens as the plan is discussed.



"Understood." Jabbing her thumb over her shoulder - "Demo is checked and ready to go."

"Taking some of the span we clear may be useful if even if it can't be used for armor protection. Trade as scrap or something."
This message was last edited by the player at 05:05, Tue 11 Dec 2007.

The helicopter thumped by. As it passed, he checked to see if the pods on the stub wings were rocket pods or fuel tanks. At least from the helos he'd seen, tanks were painted while rocket pods were not. However, it was passing fairly high up and a long ways off. He wondered what it was doing, who it was ferrying.

"Hey, can we radio anyone aboard that thing?"

[OOC: the SINGCARS might be able to. It can send and receive in the analog VHF bands used by aircraft.]



He nodded in understanding. "Yes, sir."
This message was last edited by the player at 12:41, Tue 11 Dec 2007.

John will remove him self from the group and tend to his gear. He will do a detailed inpection of his diassembled weapon and clean it. He will do this for his pistol and rifle. He will then clean his gear and repack his pack and load bearing vest. Once this has been done he will clean himself and eat a large meal. He will pack food (3 days) and new medicine(2 personal med kits) in his pack. Once done will will walk around and ask all crew members if they need any work on thier personal weapons. If anyone responds he will do the work quickley and with out any talking. He wil then move to the Snipers perch and have a 10 miniute personal conversation with the Gunny. Once he has talked to gunny he will move down to Konrad and talk to him.


"German would you like to have that private conversation now?"


John
Tasks/Talking to Konrad
G3/1911
This message was last edited by the player at 01:56, Wed 12 Dec 2007.

"Yes. I can talk."

Having heard of the "disagreement" between the Corporal and Hauptman while she was unconscious, Anneka positioned herself nearby to listen in. As the ranking officer aboard the tug, even if not technically in command, it was her role to know everything that was going on.
She had a feeling it wouldn't turn out well....
This message was last edited by the player at 23:38, Tue 11 Dec 2007.

"We need to walk over here herr Hauptman out of ear shot of the others. I dont like my private thought's to be heard."


John will walk over to the rear of the tug and talk in low tones to the Hauptman.



John
Talking to Hauptmann
G3/1911
This message was last edited by the player at 00:55, Wed 12 Dec 2007.

Bayer listens to Yazzie and gives a brief response.

Once their conversation is done he gathers whoever is not busy and goes below to remove the dead soldier's weapons and ammo and places it in the ships armory (they will do the rest of the gear later as per GM's post). He takes five HE 40mm grenades and refills his grenadiers vest. Giving one last look at the dead's faces he nods to whoever is helping him to cover them back up.

Bayer then makes his way to the damaged bridge. "Snowy, what do you think? Lets try to get close to das bridge but out of line of sight? I don't want the tug stationery too long for us if ve have to hike it a long ways."

He'll wait here for Milk to report back an update to the situation with his contacts near the bridge.

OOC - GM, please remove 5 X 40mm HE from the weapons locker.

Overhearing Konrad and Snowy, Anneka spoke up with an idea. "You, Minh and Dawid could move to the bridge using the motorcycle. Yazzie would be better off on foot."
It shouldn't take long to swing the bike over onto the bank with the cargo hoist and once on dry land, it would be able to transport them and their equipment at speed. Once on site, it would also give them a rapid method of self extraction should they run into trouble.
Meanwhile, Yazzie would be free to move stealthily into a hide.

Snowy looks up from where he's covering up the bodies. He's holding a wallet in his hands and is looking for something. He takes something out of the wallet and replaces it on the body, Bluey's, and puts it in his pocket. He rubs the side of his nose tiredly and looks at Konrad. "Well Boss, we can sneak up but our smokestack's the giveaway, we're puffing big white smoke signals to everyone. Unfortunately, this place is as flat as cat's piss on lino, there's not much to hide behind."

"Hmmm, well if we can't rely on concealment perhaps a little distance may be necessary."

Upon hearing the motorcycle idea from Anneka he thinks for a moment in silence. "Certainly makes up for the boat being kept a fair distance from the bridge and any danger. As well as allowing for a rapid extraction. The only downside I care about is that it may take Yazzie a bit to catch up."
This message was last edited by the player at 06:20, Wed 12 Dec 2007.

Quyen leaves the meeting and sorts out her gear. She empties everything but her nylon rope from her lightweight rucksack... just in case climbing out around the damaged bridge gets dangerous. She makes sure her carabiners are still attached to her webbing and had not gotten lost or anything.

Next she makes her way below to the weapons hold. She fills the rucksack with 10 kg of plastic explosive and a suitable amount of wiring and blasting equipment... which she had previously prepared. She won't know how much is needed until she can actually inspect the bridge. Any more than what she's bringing and it will probably be quite an undertaking and require much more time and assistance. If that happens the demo kit and the rest of the C4 can be ferried up she figures. Its a weight issue anyways.

After changing her socks she goes out in search of Dawid. "Need any help with anything?"

Quyen
AK-74
Weapons Hold
Preping Gear

Anneka grinned wryly.
"I'm sure he won't be concerned. Seems he prefers being left to do his own thing anyway."
Every time they'd put a party ashore, the Corporal had seperated himself from the main group and headed out on his own. Why should this time be any different?

"Well," adds Snowy, "that's not a little dirt bike. We'll have to take the tug to shore and use the crane to put it ashore. Do you want that?"

"Got to be better than walking half a dozen miles."
Of course it was a small problem getting the machine on and off, but it certainly wasn't insurmountable. Besides, why else did they bring it along other than to use it at times exactly like this?
"What do you think about fabricating some sort of ramp when we've got some time. A couple of steel I-beams five or six metres long should do the trick. Space them so the wheels run inside the channels, weld a couple of braces to keep them the right distance apart...."
Plenty of steel for the taking up ahead too. All they had to do was select a few peices and drag them from the bridge wreckage.
"It could be stored near the hoist and swung into place in just a couple of minutes."

"Well, lets give it a try. If it looks like its going to take too long and with too much hassle ve'll scrap the idea." Bayer tried to understand Snowy's opinion but wasn't too sure he fully understood the task needed to deploy the bike.

When Soleblume mentioned the modification he adds, "Sounds good. However we've got so many other plans to improve the boat. Sandbagging more, protection, bridge repairs, and so on. I have a hard time thinking of when we will have the time or the resources. I guess we'll just have to see how the bridge works out... and how much trade we can do in the next town."
This message was last edited by the player at 14:36, Wed 12 Dec 2007.

"I'm looking for a helmet. Perhaps a vest as well, mine is so heavy! Have you found all that you require?"

Down in the hold along with Minh, Dawid looked around for a new helmet, his old steel pot having been shot off his head back at the locks, days ago. This was the incident where he earned the puckered red scar along his temple from a fragment of the bullet or the helmet. It itched as it slowly healed under the bandage that Anneka checked daily.

He picked up Maddock's helmet. "I liked the Britisher. I don't think he would mind me borrowing this from him." Removing the cover, he looked for a lighter replacement for his brutally heavy nylon-titanium vest as well.

Once he had the helmet (OOC: and possibly a vest) he grabbed the PKM and stripped it down. After cleaning and reassembling it, he then made sure the 2 spare belts of ammunition inside their ammo cans were ready to go. He then did the same with his Stechkin. Debating with himself a little, he decided to leave the Tantal behind.

After hearing Anneka's plan for a ramp he scratched his head in thought. "Will not the bike and sidecar will fit on that assault boat that we acquired? We just, you know, winch it over side? With cargo crane?"
This message was last edited by the player at 16:04, Wed 12 Dec 2007.

"I'm set." she replies. "When we get back maybe I'll see if any of their other gear might be good for me to swipe."



"Probably not. His kevlar is probably in decent shape, maybe a bit bloody though. Guess he got hit in the neck or something. I liked that guy too."

Quyen then gives a hand cleaning the machinegun, but leaves most of the work to him... as Dawid was much more familiar with it.

She then drops off her small, but now heavy rucksack next to the inflatables for when the time comes to load up. Here she will wait, watching the shore pass by.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:25, Wed 12 Dec 2007.

"Yes, of course, but first the boat needs to be unloaded, then the bike." All of which took time.
"And I don't think it'd be too easy unloading it again onto the shore without the hoist."
Wrestling several hundred kilograms of metal and rubber wasn't Anneka's idea of a good time. Once ashore though it would certainly prove worthwhile effort.
"Making the ramp shouldn't take much time as long as we've got the materials," she addressed Konrads concerns.
She continued, her finger sketching out the shape of a ladder on the woodwork as she spoke.
"Two beams running parrallel and a couple of "rungs" across it to keep it all in shape. I'm thinking.... maybe an hours work with a welder and two men?"
Provided they could scrounge up a couple of straight beams long enough to reach the bank.
[Private to Dawid Waldus Piotrowski: Definately something to keep an eye out for while at the bridge I think.]

When Minh came over to watch him disassemble the PKM, he demonstrated the internal mechanism to her, how to adjust and clean it. This design was remarkably simple and robust. Not everything Russian-made was, but most were and this wasn't an exception. Making sure she saw where everything went, he promised to show her properly when they got back.



"It's not as hard as you think, if you use leverage. One man could unload it with difficulty. You ground the boat, lift the front tire onto the bank first, push the bike forward, lift the rear wheel and sidecar out while someone pulls."

Dawid went over to where the bike sat to demonstrate. He grabbed the front forks and lifted up the front of the bike, using his legs for power. The sidecar added a lot of dead weight, but the other point of contact from the third wheel also made it easier to lever up the front of the bike where the engine was. He then carefully lowered it back to the deck with a grunt.

He wiped his hands on his smock. "Two people doing this would have no trouble. Probably wouldn't hurt to make a ramp, but still, we do not need anything too complicated. You know, difficult."



"Two planks would work just as well, yes?" Dawid lit another cigarette. "Seems like we got a lot to keep us occupied as it is."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:34, Thu 13 Dec 2007.