Clarence trudges back from the bunker towards the assault boat moored on the west bank. Over his shoulder is a coil of field telephone wire salvaged from the Soviet bridge checkpoint. Unfortunately, the last tennants took all of the handsets with them. After dropping off the wire, he heads back to help in the removal and transfer of the less tattered sandbags.

"Thanks," he says after his return. "If you ever want to talk about that bad situation, I'm there for you."

He walks away, unsure if he made a friend or not, heading for the mortar.  Dawid was at least civil to him, and he might know where Mariusz or Stanislaw were.

"Dawid? You about?"

Bayer looks from Griet back to Adam, "I understand. At this point I trust them, and so does Milk. If we suspect otherwise we will handle it." Nodding to his second statement after his coughing fit, he says "We will take care of the dead men after we have finished our work here. I'll sent somebody down to find you."

Turning to Griet, he quietly reassures her, "If it becomes a problem, the partisans... we will handle it." Bayer figured she was armed, and protecting Adam and herself in the safety of his room. Opening the door to leave he looks back at Griet, "We could use your abilities up top. Whenever you are ready."

Leaving the room he shuts the door and makes his way topside to see how things were coming.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:54, Fri 01 Feb 2008.

When Jason found him at the mortar, Dawid was in the process of removing one of the Kostyor GP-25/BG-15 grenade launchers from an AK-74 and mounting it on his Tantal. As the Tantal was a product-improved AK-74 design, this was quite easy to accomplish.

Now all he had to do was scrounge up some of the right 40mm grenades for it, but this would be rather difficult to accomplish at the moment. He would have to make do with 6 fragmentation rounds and 1 flare.

As Jason came up, Dawid put down the rifle, then cleaned his hands on a rag.

"Good morning, or as we say, dobry dzen."

"That is a nice rifle you have, the Kalashnikova Avtomat. We shall have to get your the Polish version, the Tantal! It is far superior, an improved design. If you wish, I can show you the basics of maintenance."

Jason asked about Mariusz and Stanislaw.

"Of your friends, the boy is asleep. I have seen Stanisaw around, I do not know where he is at the moment."

He lit a cigarette, offering the pack.

"Again, my condolences for the brave Bear. Of course, the bear is typically Russian while the Eagle is of course Polish, but this doesn't make the bear any less fierce in battle."

At some point, he hoped to get his NVGs back and recharge the batteries. Not to mention discover the fate of the killer of his friends.


Wz.88 Tantal/BG-15, Stechkin
2 RGD-5
This message was last edited by the player at 13:45, Fri 01 Feb 2008.

Mariusz stirred in his sleep, he dragged himself out of the warm fuzziness of unconciousness and looked around balefully. He looked around and saw the door to the bow. Pulling himself outside, the waves of sleepiness slowly receeding he called out to the people talking, "Bear, we haven't buried Bear yet have we? I don't want to miss that."

He felt peculiar, drowsy yet peaceful, his headache was gone and he could see clearly, the Americans had powerful drugs. Powerful indeed.

Chopper eats his bowl of gruel quietly, then heads to the stern. Slinging his rifle, he unloads the M240 and drapes the long belt of rounds around his neck. He grabs the machinegun by the carrying handle and the second box of ammo and heads to the barge.

When Hicks arrives, he tells the crewmen, "I'll watch the pumps if y'all want to go grab some chow". He fires up a smoke and sets up the GPMG to cover the nearest bank in a position with the best cover. After that, he unslings his rifle and takes a seat to watch the pumping activity.

"By all means, show me." Jason stated to Dawid. "I just picked this off one of our attackers. Rifles kill, and they don't care for which side."

"I've some down time and want to earn my keep. I would like to dig Bear a suitable grave as well, but only with someones permission. I'm so used to following Stanislaw, but now, I have no idea who's in command, so I'm turning to you."

"My fire detail is the barge. Perhaps I could help with its repair?"

The sun has risen higher over the eastern horizon (it's now about 0800hrs.), but it doesn't seem any warmer than it did when it was dark. Those standing still are prone to period bouts of shivering. Everyone has a runny nose.

The pumping of the damaged barge compartment is complete. The damage is now clearly visible to anyone who cares to look. Snow prepares the acetylene torch while Tadeuz rummages through the barge's cargo compartment looking for a suitable piece of scrap to use as the "patch".

Clarence continues shuttling sandbags to the beached assault boat.

Griet and Adam are in the Captain's cabin.

Mariusz, displaying his teenaged metabolism, has awoken several hours ahead of schedule. He's a bit groggy, but otherwise feeling much better.

Max, Blue, Maddock, Parks, Uller, Bear, and Chopper's two dead companions are resting peacefully under tarps on the Krolowa's poop.

From the bridge, Walter calls out in Polish,

"There's a man on a bicycle coming down the road from the east!"

OOC: Everyone else is free to act as they choose.

*1 bonus XP to the first person who can tell me what this is from. Hint: it probably helps if you have kids...

Actions?

Chopper stands by ready to lend a hand as needed, or help Tadaeuz carry the patch if it looks like it will be of a size to require two men to carry.


Upon hearing the warning, Chopper drops what he's doing and moves to the M240, taking up a firing position to cover the road.

"I agree."

"Now, while we have some AKMs, the AK-74 is newer and chambered for a smaller round. I think there is also more ammunition for this weapon type. Nevertheless, they are otherwise identical and you can learn just as easily on one as the other."

He took Jason's rifle and began disassembling it in preparation for cleaning, explaining as he went, wherever necessary.



Dawid looked touched.

"It speaks well that you wish to look after your friend's body."

"Also, I am truly grateful that you thought to ask permission about disturbing the soil of our mother Poland!"

"Most of the time, foreigners either ignore my people's wishes and do what they want and take what they want."

"Usually at the point of a gun."

"As for permission, I am perhaps the lowest ranking person on this boat, as I am a deserter. Griet is the highest-ranking Pole, but she is also a deserter because she has chosen to serve the no-doubt short-lived "independent" government of the "Free City of Krakow".  This is Old Adam's ship, but he is not well, and Griet would argue that this vessel falls under Krakow's jurisdiction as they paid for this trip."

"Major Solleblum is the highest-ranking NATO officer, but Captain Bayer is the de facto military commander. "Snowy" has taken command of the ship while Adam is indisposed."

"Very well, I grant my permission, slight as my authority may be."

"Considering this was a brave partisan who died to free his people, and I will personally shoot any mother fucker who objects to his burial."

"Certainly, Bear deserves a burial with honour and respect. A 21-gun salute would not be inappropriate!"



Dawid cleaned and assembled the AK. He handed it to Jason.



"Shit! There's someone coming from the east, on a bike. Mister Jason, give me a hand turning the mortar, and then get to your action station!"

Dawid swung the mortar around to cover the road to the east.


82mm Vasilek (5 HE)
Wz.88 Tantal/Stechkin
This message was last edited by the player at 09:22, Sat 02 Feb 2008.

Grasping the mortar, Jason heaves the weapon about with Dawid, allowing his weapon to fall to the deck.  Once turned, he picks up the rifle and trains the weapon on the newcomer.

"I'll cover you, get into position!"  One man on a bike would not be considered a threat under normal circumstances, but in the hell that was WWIII, a kid with a lolipop could be a potential terrorist.  Pulling back the bolt, Jason chambers a round, his breath coming in short gasps in the moist cold air.

Switek had stood down from the biting cold of the morning muster and tended to his gear before grabbing a quick snack from the galley where he exchanged pleasantries with Piotowski, the deserter.  His mind was elsewhere.  Today was going to be a busy day and there was much to accomplish.  First among his concerns was Tokarski's condition, then a proper burial for Bear.  From the looks of it, there were several other souls in need of the ushering into the afterlife, too.

Bodies are really stacking up.

The monk swaggered over to where Mariusz had sacked out to find the young partisan stirring from whatever the medic had drugged him with.  He squatted next to the boy's bedroll.

"Back among the living, are you?" chided Switek as he presented a bowl of grub to the youngster.  "Good.  Eat.  We need your strong back today.  We must tend to Bear.  Then we will talk of the near future and our new friends."

Switek lit a cigarette and inhaled deeply.

One of so many vices.

He crinkled his brow and looked to the ceiling in quiet reflection for a moment before continuing.

"These NATO troopers have me concerned, Mariusz. As such I cannot yet ask you to participate in their affairs.  I must consult with the one called Pitchfork and discern the real CIA mission.  I cannot fathom that his controllers would have allowed him to pull us down from our camp in the hills for a shipment of bicycles.  Bear cannot have died for that, or ... God have mercy on their souls.  This morning I will also speak with the captain of this vessel and discover if he and his crew support our vision of a Free Poland or if he is just another merchant plying his trade."

The monk stood and straightened his webbing.  He reached into Tokarski's pack and retrieved the spare drum of ammunition for his machinegun.  He changes out the drum and cycles the action on the RPKM.

"Now, I must go find Jason.  I have not spoken with him since we came aboard.  I think I heard him out on the bow with that mortarman, Piotrowski.  A good Pole, that one."

Switek moved down the ladder and out into crisp air on deck. He arrived at the bow mortar emplacement just as the call is sounded to warn of the approaching bicyclist.

"What is it?"



[Switek]
On the foredeck
RPKM + drum 7.62mmS (75/75)
Looking alert.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:00, Sat 02 Feb 2008.

Dawid smiled, feeling a little embarrassed.

"Well, I shouldn't over-react and kill a guy just for riding up on a bicycle. Thanks for helping me move the mortar, all the same."

He made sure the weapon wasn't pointed directly at the approaching man.

"While Russian Special Operations forces will sometimes don disguises, it's unlikely any are around here... and this seems a little brazen, even for them. If it were them, they would send someone like this to distract us, then hit us in the flank!"
This message was last edited by the player at 10:19, Sat 02 Feb 2008.

Before he left, Mariusz took te Brother's hand, "Whatever you decide, I will be at your right hand until I fall."
Swiek left to find out what the commotion was about. Carefully, Mariusz collected up his fighting gear, checked his rifle and moved out to the mortar where he hoped to find Dawid, Switek and Kasparov, he smiled, the trio sounded like a law firm.

Bayer is on the deck when the call is given of the approaching man. Making his way over to the mortar he stands behind Dawid, prepping the the weapon for possible action. "What is it? Just a man on a bicycle ja?" Bayer's fluency in Polish was very minimal at best and little was understood from the warning from the bridge.

Bayer then runs back to his gear gabbing his webbing, then returns back. "Any change? Is he still coming towards us?" he asks to those next to the mortar. When Switek joins them, he looks at him, "Mr. Switek, I cannot speak Polish. I may need you to translate ja?"

Slinging his rifle he says aloud, "Dawid, lets keep the work party on repairs, everyone else can maintain a watch. If you see anything suspicious call for a stand-to."

He looks for Minh, "Quyen! Fast action needed on the inflatable!" he calls.
OOC - I'm assuming it is easily put to use being recently used for salvage and repairing?
This message was last edited by the player at 05:33, Sun 03 Feb 2008.

"Yes, just a man. Looks unarmed. Well, uh, he could know kung-fu!"

He looked over at Jason, "right? Right?!"



"Okay, you heard the man. Let's get back to work."

He stood up, slipping the sling to his rifle over his shoulder. He also made to gather his vest, helmet and chest ammo harness.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:51, Sun 03 Feb 2008.

John sleeps .He will be out for a Min of 4 hours.






John
Sleeping
G3/1911

"Stanislaw!" Jason wrapped his arms around his brother in arms. "My condolances on the loss of brother Bear. If it is possible, as I was talking with Dawid here, I want to assist in digging his grave. He was truly a warrior of your homeland and should be returned to its soil."

Spying Mariusz, he smiled again. "Little one, it has been too long. Hows your head? Battleing any rhinos down below?"

Quyen is at the ZU-23-2 when Walter yells of the sighting. She throws on her gear on picks up her rifle, all of which she had taken off while fortifying the gun.

She hoped it was just a passing civilian, not a trick, or spy, or an invitation to party at Tarnobrzeg.

As she watches and waits she hears Bayer calling. Running back along the barge she jumps onto the front deck of the tug. "Ok. We're heading to shore are we... going to see this guy?" - she asked.

Quyen will then get into the inflatable and start the engine.

Dawid climbed down into the boat.

"Would you mind another passenger? I would like to assist Clarence in his salvage task."

"Jason! If you wish to dig a grave, grab a shovel and pick and get in! Bear is not the only person we need to dig for, more's the sorrow."

[OOC: Rae, he will help Clarence shag sandbags unless Snowy has a task for him.]
This message was last edited by the player at 05:51, Mon 04 Feb 2008.

The civilian continues to approach the eastern end of the bridge for the next couple of minutes. Then, either having seen what he came to see, or spooked by the unexpected presence of a stranded tug in the shadow of the bridge, he turns the bicycle around and pedals quickly back in the direction from which he came.

Minh had just gotten the Zodiac's outboard started when Walter calls down that the cyclist has turned tail.

This is followed sharply by a short burst of automatic rifle fire from the tug's quarterdeck (the elevated, sandbagged platform where the aft Dushka is mounted). The fully alerted security team look around for the threat that illicited this response but see nothing that could register as such.

OOC: Clarence is on the western shore collecting sandbags by himself. Everyone else is on board or very close to the tug/barge.

Mariusz heard the burst of gunfire and ducked behind the mortar. take cover first before assessing the situation was what had always been drumed into him. He chambered a round in his rifle and put his helmet on tightly.

"What's going on?" he yelled as he looked around.

Chopper yells, "Action stations!" to the guys getting ready to weld, then picks up the M240 and heads back to the boat proper, trying to get to his post behind the Mk 19.


Chopper
M240 (200) M14 (180) M1911A1 (21)
Enroute to stern of tug

This message was last edited by the player at 00:10, Mon 04 Feb 2008.

John wakes with the sound of gunfire. from the pain in his eyes he knows its not been four hours.

"what the fuck cant you retartds get along for four fucking hours...."


John will get out of the bag . Grab the trusty G3 and look for the first cover and concealed place.



John
Moving to cover
G3/1911

Switek shared brief condolences with Kasparov at the bow of the tug and made plans for Bear's interment. When the approaching cyclist was announced, he warned Tokarski to keep his head down then followed Bayer to the tie-up point for the Zodiac.  He had already crawled down onto the raft when the lookout reported that the cyclist had turned tail.

The monk raised an eyebrow and looked toward the German officer to inquire whether they would pursue and question the target.

"So, Hauptmann, how would - "

The exchange was interrupted by the unmistakable roar of a Daishka heavy machinegun.  Startled, Switek dropped to a crouch to steady his position in the assault raft and began to assess the source of the threat.



[Switek]
Boarding the assault raft
RPKM + drum 7.62mmS (75/75)
Ducking for cover ...