McCoy zeroes in on a target, moving quickly from right to left across his field of vision. Only the crouching man's head and shoulders can be seen bobbing rythmically above the fold in the earth that's been providing both cover and concealment for the ambushers. McCoy's second shot plucks the man's field blouse from between his shoulders and drops him abruptly out of sight- an almost certain kill.

Tucker rises up to his knees and fires a three round burst at another of the enemy retreating headlong towards the stream bed off to the left. The first two rounds race downrange, causing his target to lurch, apparently wounded. The third round, however, never leaves the chamber. The enemy fighter dips out of sight for a moment before rising again and continuing towards the shelter of the stream, sans his weapon. With a jammed rifle, Tucker isn't able to do much about it.

Minh resumes her flanking manouver, passing the prone and unconscious Stoner. Glancing down, she can see that the the left side of his head is a bloody mess.  Returning her full attention to the dangerous task at hand, she raises her rifle to engage the enemy but sees no targets. There is no longer any incoming fire. Her left arm below the elbow begins to throb as she continues to crouch-walk in a right hook towards the low, grassy berm behind which the enemy force had sprung their ambush.

When she arrives, she peeks cautiously over her side of the berm and immediately notices several corpses laying against the opposite side, one of them conspicuously headless. The last of the living disappears into the slightly taller vegetation lining the stream bed. From this position, Minh can cover the others should they wish to advance towards the captured enemy position. Warm blood trickles down the back of her arm, dripping onto the soggy grass of the low berm from the point of her cocked elbow.

Aboard the Krolowa, Anneka quickly gathers her medkit and a stretcher and meets Griet at the waiting Zodiac. With Dawid, Konrad, and Cerny providing overwatch, the two women shove off and begin paddling to shore. It's hard going. The current pulls them along and they have to perform radical evasive manouvers to keep from getting pulled into the wreck off the tug's port bow. Paddles flaying and spray flying, they dodge the blackened and rusty hulk and continue on towards the shore. Both of the ladies' recently wounded arms begin to ache with the exertion but they make landfall before exhaustion sets in. They've landed about 200m downriver of where the other Zodiac is beached. After taking a couple of minutes to catch their breath and regain their strength, they secure the rubber boat and begin the hike towards the clearing team's position, keeping low with weapons at the ready.

They arrive at Stoner first. He's pretty well laid out but Anneka quickly finds a pulse. The wound on the left side of his head is ugly. A bullet appears to have struck just below the crown of his head. A flap of scalp hangs down to his ear, and an about one inch square section of skull is exposed. The bullet does not appear to have penetrated, though, and Stoner's skull does not appear to have been fractured. The wound probably looks a lot worse than it actually is but it will have to be properly cleaned before she can be sure. Anneka begins to apply a field dressing while Griet provides local cover with her Tantal.

Actions?
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:54, Sun 31 Aug 2008.

"Thank the Virgin for that," Griet breathed as she covered the medic with her rifle, "it hit him in the head, I was worried they had hit something vital. He seems to be able to do fine without his head..."

The young Pole's question breaks into Jason's thoughts.  "Eh?" he replies with a shake, "Oh, Mariusz...  I'm OK.  I guess those dogs back in Solec had me more rattled than I thought.  I have always been uneasy around dogs.  Especially big ones."

Mariusz loked at the American who was also his friend, "I've always liked dogs, but I couldn't eat a whole one, well, a terrier maybe, but not those big ones. Have you run into a pack like that before?"

Chuckling at Mariusz's joke about eating dogs (or was it?), Jason answers with a shudder.  "No, not a pack that big, nor a pack of such large dogs.  I just... I just froze, Mariusz.  That's never happened before."

"Aucun problème mon amie."
Locking down the DshK he had readied he follows Konrad back around to the port side and makes himself comfortable at the gun there. He starts watching the bank looking for any targets that may pop up.

"Tucker, get with Stoner and start the life saving steps until help arrives. When help gets here, set up security for them so they can work."


"Minh, how are you doing? Can you cover me so I can move up and set security?"

"We'll need to sweep the ambush site when help gets here so be ready to cover!"


Sam
setting up medvac/defense
M25
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:00, Sun 31 Aug 2008.

Dave's open eyes stare at nothing, but images pass through his mind. His first kiss at dusk on the San Diego beach, later life guarding the same stretch of beach, the woman who faked drowning to give him a special reward. Flashes of boot camp, then flashes of treating minor injuries Marines incured on field exercises, running & swimming miles and miles a day getting ready for BUD/S, his first night HALO...freefalling towards the light, then a voice in his head says Don't go toward the light, stay away from the light

Relieved that teh injury wasn't as bad as it could have been, Anneka did what she could in the field and jabbed the other medic with antibiotics and painkillers. Stitches would have to wait until he was back in the relative safety of the tug
He'd wake with a killer headache, but at least he'd wake....
"Anything to get out of work!" she admonished, securing the bandage in place.
"You two go join McCoy and complete the sweep of this side of the river," she said to Griet and the newly arrived Tucker.
"Sergeant Tucker, send the Hauptman a sitrep and let him know he'll need to select two replacements for the other side of the river. Also have Minh come back here for treatment."
Half wishing she could join them in clearing the dead and dealing with the dying, she cocked the Uzi and prepared to watch over Stoner. Her place was here though, not exacting petty revenge, not this time...
"Grab what you can and we'll load up, retrieve the inflatable and head back."

Griet nodded and moved forward to where McCoy was on guard, she said, "Tucker and I are here to help you with your sweep, Mr. McCoy, Mihn is to go to the Major for treatment. She wants us to make sure the area's safe, loot the bodies and return to her."

"Hm, I see why you'd be worried," Mariusz replied, "it's fatigue not you, think about it, since we joined this crew we've been in several firefights, each one leaves us weaker and often with friends dead. Everytime it's quiet we know that soon we'll face fighting again, and never knowing if this is the fight that'll kill us. That puts a strain on people, I mean half of us act half crazy when we're not in combat, the other half maybe more than half. We need a rest, time to rebuild our nerves. Until we get that, we just have to cope with the results. Try finding a happy time in your mind and going back to it, or do something that occupies your mind. I cook and clean, you could flirt with Mihn," he paused for a moment, "displacement activities my parents would have called them, they were teachers so they talked about psychology a lot. If you let it worry you it'll happen again, try to let go. Easier said than done, my friend, I know."

"Major it looks like a good plan; Me, Tucker and Griet will go loot while you do medical. When we get back, you and the girls plus Stoner take the power boat which is closer and me and Tucker will paddle back. You guys take the gear so we don't lose it if there's a boat problem. What do you say?"

Sam
M-25 (14/20)
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:17, Sun 31 Aug 2008.

In reply to Mariusz Tokarski (msg #69):

Jason ponders a moment, then answers, "It's definitely easier said than done, młodszy brat.  My happiest times have been when I was flying.  That would just serve as a reminder that here I am, stuck on the ground with no immediate prospect of getting back into the air."  He heaves a massive sigh, then continues, "As for flirting with Minh, what chance would I have with her once she found out I froze?  And you can count on that happening.  Small towns, small boats, same difference.  News travels fast."  Frustration making his voice harsh, he adds, "Besides, it's not as though I ever get much of a chance to see her, what with being up here all the time."  One of Jason's infrequent smiles comes to his lips as he says, "I like you, Mariusz, but not that way."

Mariusz chuckled heartily, "I don't see the news spreading, or even mattering as long as you are wiling to discuss it, it happens. I mean nobody shouts at me for missing all the time with the big guns, well they'd better not, I'd poison their grub. As for me not being your type, that's good, since I got a gun I haven't been any man's type, at least only for as long as it took me to squeeze the trigger."

Mariusz paused for a moment, years of harsh experience competing with the youthfulness of his face, "Given your name and your guilt, you'd make a good Pole, Jason. If we get the chance, I'll take you to Zwolen, you can go to confession, add a couple of lies and some impure thoughts to the list and then get laid, the inn there has a nice selection of whores, they'd like a pretty boy like you too, Bear had to pay double. I'd suggest a nice, wholesome farm girl, there's plenty of them too, but that's more complicated. Mihn'll be fine, after all, she bottled the booby trap job that cost us the fuel and nobody blames her do they?"

Lying in the grass, Quyen dips her head down a bit as she yells over, "I'm good... covering." Observing the area in front of her over the top of the rifle sights, she covers the group. Ow ow ow...

After McCoy and Tucker move up and secure the former hostile position, Quyen gets up and slings her rifle over her unwounded arm. Walking back over to Soleblume she sits down cross-legged near her as she bandages Stoner. Lying the AK over her legs she slowly rolls up the sleeve on her BDU shirt.

"Somebody shot me in the arm." Quyen says simply, with little emotion.

"And there I was thinking you'd just scratched yourself!" Anneka replied lightheartedly.
"You keep watch while I take a look will you? This shouldn't take long."
Sad that her skills were once again needed, she set to cleaning the wound and bandaging it for the ride back to the tung. As with Stoner, actual stitched would have to wait, but a quick jab of antibiotics didn't.
Soft fingers, slightly callused from recent unacustomed weapons use, guided the needle into her flesh, delivering the possibly life saving antibodies directly into Minh's bloodstream.
"There, all done," she said pressing a cotton ball against the puncture wound.
"Although you might want to think seriously about wearing some body armour. A few of us might miss you if you got hit somewhere vital."

Tucker curses out loud as the bolt locks and he feels the M-16 jam up.  Turning the weapon slightly to its side, he drops the partially used magazine into his left hand and into his MOLLE webbing and then works the bolt to clear the jam.  Once the malfunction is cleared, he taps the mag on his helmet before inserting it back into the rifle and cycling a round back into the chamber.

Hearing McCoy call to him to get by Stoner and see what can be done until the one of the other med qualified people gets there.  He tries to assess Stoner's wounds the best he can until Anneka gets there to begin her work.

Grabbing the radio as Anneka suggested, Tucker begins to move away and join up with McCoy.  He looks to Minh, "You OK?  Anneka wants to check yer wounds out," as he looks at her wounded arm.  Tucker sets down the radio and sends a SITREP to Bayer.  "Tug, Ground Team.  SITREP to follow Over.  <waits for reply> "Be advised, we've got Zero-Two Whiskey India Alpha's.  One walking, one stretcher.  Trying to secure area and check for survivors.  Suggest Zero-Two replacements for other side of river.  What's yer pleasure?  Over!"   Tucker waits for a reply from the tug before he goes off with Minh and McCoy to loot and scoot.

Tucker
M-16A2 [24/30]/M-203 [HE]
Contacting the Tug with SITREP

OOC: Apologies for late post.  Couldn't get on site this morning.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:21, Tue 02 Sept 2008.

"Its nothing, I think. Its very painful though." she answers before heading back.



"Slows me down. Too heavy. I don't like it." she replies.

"No worries doctor. I've done what I've suppose to do in my life... followed the rules. So fortunately for me, I get to return again when this life ends."

When Anneka is done, she says, "Do I head back to the tug, or continue with other sweep? I can do either, include help carry Stoner back for aid."

"Just stay here with me for the moment while they complete clearing this bank. Once they're finished you can give them a hand with the salvage."
Anneka wasn't too convinced Minh was ok, but as long as they were shorthanded, she'd have to accept her offer of help.
"With a little luck, Stoner might recover consciousness before we head back. I'm really not looking forward to trying to load a stretcher into a small boat."

Bayer toggles his radio, "Sunray roger. Extract both wounded to tug with Starlight as soon as they are able to move. Prepping follow-on manpower now and will be waiting for transport. Out."

Walking between the two PK machine guns, Bayer yells out so all may hear, "Ok! Listen here. Shore party is down two men... wounded. Mariusz... Milk, prepare to go ashore once the first small boat returns. Back up the remainder of the shore party and sweep that other side."

Pointing down to Dawid, he says, "Dawid, you have the uncleared side to cover, use the AGS."

"Kasparov. Watch ahead for now."

"Jan, cover the cleared side will you."

Disappearing inside the bridge he says to Adam, "I need one of your men to act as lookout. He needs to watch the rear and just report any signs of movement. Can do?"

Once everything is settled, he will wait on the main deck to help receive the wounded aboard.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:03, Tue 02 Sept 2008.

In reply to Mariusz Tokarski (msg #72):

"No, I don't suppose they do.  It was just one of those th--"  Jason is interupted by Konrad's shouted instructions.  As Mariusz turns to leave, Jason reaches out, places his hand on the younger man's shoulder, and gives it a squeeze.  "Thank you, młodszy brat, that helps some."

Facing front again, Jason holds the M-240 and swivels his head, keeping watch on both sides of the river, but concentrating on the area ahead.  He is still quiet and introspective.  The talk with Mariusz had helped a little, but it had not touched on the other, main, issue that was troubling him.

Shifting so he can cover the cleared side and starting to scan he answeres Konrad,
"Consider it covered my friend, put your faith in God and the Legion - neither will fail."

Mariusz said to Jason, "We'll talk more later, my brother."

He picked up his G3 and scampered over the tug to joining Milk at the barge.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:02, Tue 02 Sept 2008.

As Griet provides cover, Sam and Tucker move across the berm and begin to sweep the enemy position. Four bodies lie in plain sight, not far from the berm, one quite headless, all peppered with liberal amounts of shrapnel. A fifth lies several meters past the berm, a single bullet wound between his shoulders. The bodies are all clad in Polish army fatigues- several different camoflage patterns- with no unit or rank insignia and several of the men sport unruly beards. Their gear is generally not very well kept- all signs indicate that these men were marauders and not an organized government pursuit force. Only two weapons are recovered- an AKM and a Polish Tantal. The rest are bad shape and are left where they lay. Several magazines- both 7.62mm S and 5.24mm b- are recovered from the corpses' webbing.

After finishing the sweep, McCoy and Tucker return with the spoils of war and the group sets off for the boats. McCoy and Tucker take the unpowered Zodiac and paddle back to the Krolowa, pulling hard against the current. By the time they arrive, their arms are burning as the lactic acid accumulated during the long haul back attacks their muscle fibers. The women load Stoner, who's beginning to stir, and the captured gear, into the powered skiff, and return to the Krolowa, beating the men home by several minutes.

A second clearing team is dispatched to the eastern shore. They sweep the area and find nothing of note, except for two moldering corpses in unrecognizable military garb and one rusted L1A1 SLR rifle. It is unlear how they met their end. Meanwhile, Anneka stitches up the wounded Stoner and Minh. After completing their sweep the group returns to the Krolowa and the security team prepares for a long, cold, and tense night. Watches are doubled and the available NVGs are apportioned out. Nothing of note is observed during the night. The surviving marauders apparently were shaken enough not to return to the scene of their defeat.

Dawn breaks and the team assembles at their posts for morning stand-to. Everyone has had a chance to sleep but no one feels entirely rested. The tug's engine room crew begins to work up a head of steam in the tug's boilers and the security team rotates through the galley, picking up a take-out breakfast. An hour after dawn, the Krolowa resumes her journey, leaving her ravaged sister behind.

At around 0700hrs., approximately 10km from the next major town- and river bridge- along the Vistula, Pulawy, lookouts (anyone on the tug's superstructure who happens to be looking forward) spy a motorized river barge travelling upriver towards the tug.

The barge slows at the sight of the Krolowa but it has no room to turn around. The decks are crammed with people, only a couple of whom appear armed.

Actions?
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:23, Wed 03 Sept 2008.

After hearing of the approaching boat, Bayer announces loudly "Stand to." Taking up position in the bridge he retrieves his binos and studies the vessel. "Adam." he says quietly. "You should slow. Do you have any means of signing friendly intentions between opposing boats like this?"