"Yes, we can use the spotlight to send a Morse code* signal." He issues a curt order in Polish and Walter exits the bridge, presumably to relay a message to the unidentified vessel.

Adam rings the Krolowa down to a more cautious 5kph before uncorking the speaking tube and advising Grzyech and the "Black Gang" of the situation topside.

As always, Krakow's ensign flies from the mast, but it is unclear whether anyone this far north will recognize it or understand its significance. Even if they do, their response can't be predicted.

*Or Polish equivalent
This message was last edited by the player at 01:41, Wed 03 Sept 2008.

At Bayer's shout to stand to, Jason returns to the bunker and once again mans the M-240.  He keeps the machinegun facing directly forward, but is ready to shift aim toward the oncoming barge at a moment's notice.

"Stoner, stay in bed!" Anneka ordered when the "stand to" command was issued.
With his head wound, it was likely he'd be on the floor unconscious again before he made it two steps from his blankets. Far better for all if he stayed where he was.
"I'll take your position this time."
How she wasn't quite sure. The heavy DShK was probably more than her tiny body could handle, but hopefully the mere threat would be enough to deter most from attacking the heavily armed vessel.

After the boat with the wounded arived and they were able to stand down Jan made sure the weapon he was assigned to was cleared and ready to go for the next emergency. Once that was done he stood his share of the watches and went to bed.

Once he woke up the next morning he searched through his gear and pulled out a bag and went in search of Anneka.

"When our squad was attacked I managed to save this off of our medic. Perhaps it will be of some help with the wounded. If not this time then the next, no? It is the kit our medic carried and a supply of antibiotics."

At that point he holds out a medic's bag.

Quyen is lounging in the galley eating a slow breakfast when the stand-to order is given. Fetching her rifle from the corner of the room, she slings it over her good arm and hurries to the bow.

At the mortar she scoops up her webbing and eases it on over the wound. Kneeling next to the Dawid she looks ahead identify the potential danger. "Mortar or grenades?" she asks Dawid.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:55, Thu 04 Sept 2008.

In reply to Jan Cerny (msg #87):

"Thanks. Put it in the wardroom with the rest of the medical supplies."
Not that they amounted to much really. A dozen or so units of various drugs, a collection of bandages and dressings and her own field surgical kit. Still it was enough to save lives.

Sam will turn in the weapons and ammo and then move to his post on the ships bridge top.

The unidentified vessel continues to approach the Krolowa, albeit at a speed that belies its extreme reluctance. It has issued no response to Walter's signal- perhaps they have no means of returning the blinkered greeting or perhaps no on aboard knew what the flashing light meant. The low vessel is a motorized barge, nearly as long as the Krolowa’s but not quite as broad in the beam, and with its own source of motive power. The two vessels continue to close at a leisurely pace. Considering the events of the past week, most of the Krolowa's security team displays an astonishing insouciance, seemingly unconcerned by the closing mystery vessel. Old Adam's warnings of pirates actively operating in the vicinity have apparently fallen on deaf ears.

As the vessel closes to within 100m or so, various details of its complement can be made out. Crowded together on the low, flat deck is about two score ragged looking men, women, and children, along with piles of personal effects- clothing, tools, and other essentials. Makeshift tents and lean-tos are scattered here and there on the open deck, with handcarts, wheelbarrows, prams and other modes for transporting the heaped baggage parked in between. The sound of hens clucking can just be made out over the racket of the barge’s overworked engines. There must be a chicken coup in there somewhere.

The motorized barge draws nearer. Its passengers are clustered closely together in what little open space exists on deck. All are dressed in dingy and threadbare civilian clothing. The multiple layers of cold weather clothing can’t hide the thin, gaunt frames of the bodies buried underneath. Each person has only a couple of square feet in which to sleep. One passenger in particular stands out from the others. A man with the comparatively swarthy complexion, broad face, and narrow eyes of a central Asian sits by himself on the port quarter, just right of the barge's small, boxy bridge. It’s subtle, but it appears as though the others squatting nearby are quite literally giving him a slightly wider berth. He looks fitter and better fed than any of the others and his posture is almost artificially poor. It’s as if he’s more uncomfortable slouching in the manner of his neighbors than he would be were he standing at attention on a parade ground.

Actions?
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:00, Fri 05 Sept 2008.

Manning his action post Jan makes sure his weapon is ready to go with no feed problems and everything in good shape. Once he is sure of the equipment he pulls out his binoculars and starts studying the approching barge. Looking over the tents and lean-to's for any sign they are concealing anything dangerous. Once that is done he will switch to the asiatic man by himself and try and take his measure.

Sam will continue to man his post and assigned sector.

Tucker will man his MG and keep eyes open on the barge as it gets closer to the tug.

Quyen rises a little, exposing herself more behind the mortar position's cover. Raising her uninjured hand, she gives a friendly (but casual) wave to those visible on the approaching boat.

"Boats usually meet on the river? I mean, do they stop or just pass each other?" Bayer asks quietly to Adam. "I don't think they are a offensive party. They may have useful information for us. Can you try to see if they will speak with us? I'd like to speak with their captain or leader."

Griet looked at the miserable mass of humanity on the barge and frowned. So many compromises had been made recently, she'd been living a lie, breaking her word and dancing with the devil, she looked at the Kaptain and Adam and said, "We need to hail them and see if we can help them. At the least we need to warn them that Sandiomierz is taking slaves."

They'd ignored too much in the name of their mission. It was time to try to take a stand for what humanity she had left.

Mariusz looked at the ship that looked to be passing them, his hands close enough to the trigger of the AGS to fire it if need be, but not overtly covering the people on it, the last thing they looked like they needed was more threats from well-armed thugs.

"Yes, it is fairly routine for boats meeting on the river to stop and exchange information and perhaps trade a little. I am troubled, though, that they did not respond to our signal. It probably means nothing but it could suggest trouble. They look harmless enough, though...

We'll have to pass each other very close by or risk running aground in the shallows nearer the banks. They are almost close enough to hail. Shall I?"



"Yes, yes, of course." Adam adds, a tinge of guilt in his voice.

Adam bellows instructions to Walter who proceeds to hail the approaching motor barge from the starboard companionway. The mystery vessel's nearly pulled alongside the Krolowa's own barge.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:23, Fri 05 Sept 2008.

After the fight, Dawid said to Mariusz that he made a good shot, and whatever he felt was okay. It could be guilt, exhilaration, something in-between, or even nothing. "Everyone has a way of dealing with what they must," he explained.

He also volunteered to help move and lay the bodies to rest in the church, should they ever make it that far!

Before going to sleep the previous night he made a point of disassembling, checking and cleaning all weapons in the bow area that had been fired or not. He went over the Mk.19 and AGS-17 with extra care, then the RPK-74 SAWs, the Vasilek, and even the PKMs. He left the Dushkas to someone else's care.

When the new boat was spotted, he loaded HEDP into the Vasilek and got into position. Beside him was his loaded Tantal, with a 40mm HE grenade ready to go.

"Minh, all those women and children, civilians... I pray nothing goes wrong."


Vasilek, 82mm HEDP 5/5
Tantal/BG-15 40mm HE 1/1
Aiming Vasilek

Using an old fashioned speeking trumpet, Walter hails the mystery barge, requesting that she hove to for the customary exchange of news. The barge crew, apparently awed by the numerous, large weapons festooning the Krolowa’s upper works, decides to comply instead of attempting to make a run for it and cuts power to her rather noisy engines, dropping anchor as the Korlowa slides up alongside and does the same. The two vessels are only about 10m apart, nose to stern, the barge just off of the Korlowa’s starboard side. The Krolowa's telescopling gangway should be able to close the gap if need be. The smell of cooking fires and unwashed bodies begins to mingle with the routine aromas of the broad, brown river.

As the barge's huddled passengers look on with unconcealed apprehension, the barge’s master, a middle-aged man in a knit cap, black dungarees, and a faded, grease-stained red sweater emerges from her disproportionately tiny pilot house, set well aft, and winds his way through the maze of refugee hovels to the barge’s side. He is joined by another man from among the passengers. The second man is slightly taller, with a thin face and white hair. His right sleeve is half empty, tied into a knot just below the elbow and his right eye is a milky white, framed by lines of thick pink scar tissue. Despite his disfigurements and the white hair, he doesn't look more than a few days past forty. The master has an AK slung over his right shoulder and the one-armed man has a holstered pistol on his left hip. They stand side by side at the edge of the barge's deck, looking up at the Krolowa's starboard companionway. The master speaks (in Polish of course), his first words conspicuously incongruent,

“Good morning. What can we, er, do for you?”

Actions?
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:30, Sat 06 Sept 2008.

Bayer leaves his G36 in the corner of the bridge. Checking the status of his P7 he slips it back into his webbing. Also leaving his helmet behind, he steps outside and gives a wave to the skipper. "Griet, Jan... come on. Lets go talk."

Leading the way he he calls over to the mortar position, "Dawid, on me too."

At the side of the vessel he says to his group, "I want information on where they've been. Jan you do speak some Polish ja? Griet, Dawid, see if they have anything to trade for what we have to offer. Food is a concern of mine. Try the skipper for trade and Jan and I will work the 1st mate for info."

Looking back at the skipper he replies in English, "We wish to trade information and perhaps for more." Bayer glances at Griet if the man doesn't seem to understand. "May we board your vessel... just the four of us. We do not want trouble, just talk and trade."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:50, Sat 06 Sept 2008.

"He wants to know how he can help us," Griet said in English for the benefit of anyone who couldn't keep up with the Polish, "I suggest we find out what they are running from, advise them of the potential danger from whence we have come and see if there's anything to do to help them, we have food and supplies for a month for a hundred people and although we need that to complete our mission, surely we can share some for pity's sake. Do you want me to translate for you?"
This message was last edited by the player at 17:53, Sat 06 Sept 2008.

Tucker simply keeps watch on the oncoming ship from the railing.  His M-16 hangs from it's sling at his side as he watches and even strains to hear what he can't comprehend in Polish.

Mariusz shook his head as the man spoke and smiled wryly, "How can they help us, Mother of God, they think we're bandits shaking them down."

Griet duly translates Bayer's proposal for the benefit of the men aboard the barge. They look at each other for a moment, then back at the tug looming over them. The panoply of weapons and uniforms aboard the tug don't suggest any particular national military affiliation- usually indicative of marauders- but the flag at the masthead is a nice touch- not something bandits usually bother with. And, the presence of women among the tug's crew suggests that they are probably not interested in rape. With a shrug that seems to say "What choice do we really have?", the master answers,

"Er, you may come aboard. Just the four though, alright? We don't want any trouble either."

Tadeuz and Luboslaw extend the gangway across the gap to the deck of the barge where the master helps secure it. The civilians nearby edge away, exchanging worried glances. A few of the more fit looking men converge slowly on the meeting point, interposing themselves between the strangers from the tug and their own families. Their bearing is merely protective and not overtly aggressive.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:20, Sat 06 Sept 2008.

Griet waited for the gangway to extend and then walked across. She went up to the Captain and said, "Good Day, I am, Griet Niewiadomska, Ex-Polish Navy, I was a Chief Petty Officer, now I serve on my father, Adam Rataj's, boat. As I said before, we would like to exchange information on the stretches of river we have both travelled and the commander of our Marines would like to trade with you." she smiled crookedly, "Principally we would like food and ammunition for our mortar, so I'm not holding out for much. I would also like to ask you if there is any help we can extend to you, I can't guarantee we can help, but as my mother used to say, "not asking gets you nothing"."

She looked over at Dawid and said, "I'd like to offer our information up first, do you have any objections?"

Mariusz looked at the near-stick thiness of the children and thought of the luxuries he'd been eating recently and tears filled his eyes, before Jan crossed the gangplank he buzzed the intercom for him, he gave the message, "Jan, remember the "treat" you gave into my safekeeping, why don't you take it over for the children?"