Bayer steps over the gangway. He's left his rifle and helmet behind to present a less aggressive appearance. On the other side he says, "The river is dangerous for all... many pirates and bandits. We can exchange info on our past travels for the benefit of each of all." Bayer says. Looking over the sad sight, he doesn't expect the trade potential to be high, but nods for Griet and Dawid to try anyways.

Indicating downriver he says, "Jan, I want to know what it ist like down there? Population centers, hazards, armed organized bodies... locations, sizes, means of transportation. Whatever they can tell us."

Waving back upriver, Bayer continues, "We can tell them all the great things that await them that way."

Glancing over his shoulder he gives those still on the weapons a nod - everything's ok.

From his lofty perch atop the Krolowa's bridge, Clarence carefully studies the mass of people strewn about the barge's deck. One man in particular catches his eye.

"Sam, see that Asian-looking guy in far right corner over there? Somethin' about him don't seem quite right. What do you think?"

With Dawid gone, Minh stands and leans against the mortar. Digging into her pocket she whips out one of Hick's packs of smokes. Flicking her hair away from her eyes she lights it and then pockets the pack away for safekeeping. Her eyes then move across the faces on the other boat, stopping for a moment at each one.

Raising an eyebrow, but then nodding in agrement Jan slips into the galley and picks up the package and then runs back to the gangplank. Leaving behind his AK he walks down the plank onto the barge and stands next to Konrad.
"Ja, Konrad, I speak it well if not like a native. Also, as a sign of goodwill, from myself and Mariusz we have a gift for the little ones. A treat I am sure they have not had for some time."

Carefully opening the bag and pulling out its contents he offers them to the one-armed man. "For the children, it is chocolate."
This message was last edited by the player at 22:00, Sat 06 Sept 2008.

The barge's master snorts derisively, “Does it look like we have anything to trade? Er, I’m sorry. It’s just… things have been hard. We are desperately short of food, weapons, and medicines. I don’t suppose you have any to spare yourselves? Or a skilled mechanic? All we can offer, I'm afraid, is news.”



A cautious smile crosses the one-armed man’s lips. “They will like this very much. Thank you. My name is Jerzy Rasiak. I suppose you could say that I am the leader this group. We are bound for Sandomierz. We’ve heard that it’s a free city now and that there’s plenty of work there. Up north, things are not so good. You are not Polish, are you? What is this vessel of yours?”
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:21, Sat 06 Sept 2008.

Griet looked at the Barge Master's half sardonic and half desperate look, she smiled sadly again, "I'd guessed as much, but I had to ask for my superior. We have passed through Sandiomierz and it is not a nice place. The leader is an untrustworthy thug in my opinion, which, it is true, puts him several rungs up the ladder from many. Skilled people are handled well but we saw many slaves when we were there and they are low enough on goods to stiff us in a trade. Between them and us are possibly several marauder bands and a bridge held by the Polish Government. It sustained a heavy attack recently and may be hostile to river traffic, they may exact a toll also, but we're not sure of that. I would approach them with extreme caution."

Griet looked at the chocolate that Jan had given over for the children. It was a lovely gesture but she doubted that the people on the barge would use it as a treat for the kids. If they handed it out now in front of the crew, it would show that these really were good people, a rarity these days. She looked at the barge master in the eye, "Food, weapons and medicine eh? That'll be you and the rest of the world then. As I said, I can't promise anything, but I'll see what I can do."

She went close to Dawid and spoke softly in English, "I'll get Adam to give them some of the humanitarian rations, there are around forty of them and they'll get to Sandiomierz in three days. We have a month's rations for a hundred people, that's 3,000 days' worth, this will take up 120 days of that, with careful rationing, we should easily spare it. I'll ask the medics if they'll look over the people here too. As for weapons, I'd like to give them some of the loot we've gathered but that'll need to be a group decision. What do you think?"

Mariusz saw Jan offering the chocolate and nodded his approval, he listened to the conversations and watched as Griet spoke softly to Dawid, he couldn't hear what was said between the two but an idea struck him.

He got onto the intercom again, "Captain Rataj? Could we spare any rations? And could we ask if they have a Priest? He could say the words over Brother Switek and that would mean we wouldn't have to find one when we do find a churchyard to bury him in."

Dawid nodded to Konrad and put down his rifle. Making sure the Stechkin was loaded and safety off, he followed the rest across the gangway and onto the boat.

The wash of smell from the people in front of them was almost overwhelming. He looked back and forth from the tired pinched and hungry faces.



At Griet's question he shook his head and answered. "I wonder what the going rate for conscript labour is in Sandomierz these days? These men look like wolves to me. Hungry wolves."

He repeated his rhetorical question to Konrad, trying to see if there was something not right or out of place on the stinking vessel.


9mm Stechkin (21/20)
On the boat, looking for threats or other elements of note.

At Griet's mention of slavery in Sandomierz, the master seems to deflate.

"Slaves, you say? Erm, that is not good, not good at all..."

At the news of the government-held bridge upriver- and Griet's implication that the Krolowa is not affiliated with said government- the master responds,

"The bridge at Pulawy is also held by government soldiers. Many government soldiers. They held us over night and only let us go at dawn. We were sure they would 'arrest' some of our people and cart them off to the collective farms but they didn't. In fact..." He glances quickly over his shoulder, "...there may be one on board who can tell you more about that."



"Yes, yes. Anything will help. Thank you."

While Griet quietly confers with Dawid, the master converses quietly with the one-armed man.

There is a long pause before Adam's gruff voice returns through the telephone line.

"Yes, of course. We have people- many people- to feed still in Warsaw, but I can not ignore these people's needs. I'll send Walter to do an inventory and ask after your priest. God knows it's been too long since I last did confession."

Hearing the leader's words and (apparently) seeing nothing amiss, Dawid modified his earlier statement to Konrad and Griet.

"Well, maybe not wolves. Not good that we must fight our way past yet another fucking blockade. Which presumably are different from the river pirates that attacked Adam earlier. God Damn it!"


9mm Stechkin (21/20)
On the boat, still looking for threats or other elements of note.

Not fully understanding the speech, Bayer notices the look over the shoulder and pinpoints the man. "What is he saying about that man?" he asks Jan. Once informed, he says almost as an order and not a request, "I want to speak with him. Have him come here."

Bayer pays most of his attention to the information and nearly none to the trade negotiation. When (if) the Asiatic man comes forward, he'll ask Jan to press him for information on the bridge (and the nature of who he is and how he knows).

His hand resting easily on the M-240's stock, Jason continues to scan around, concentrating on the areas straight ahead and along the unengaged starboard side.  He figures enough people are paying attention to the motorized barge.  Hearing Mariusz asking about a priest, he comments, "I doubt these people have a priest with them, but I could be wrong."

Tucker relaxes slightly when he sees Konrad signal everything is all right for the time being.  He still keeps scanning the people for any possible hostile intentions towards the boarding crew or the tug.

Gesturing over at the odd man standing by himself,
"Well, if that man would be willing to tell us what he knows of the bridge and such we would appreciate it. Also, if there would happen to be a priest on board, we have a couple of dead and would like to have the words said over them."

The master apparently understands enough of Konrad's instructions to reply without the need for a translation,

"I think it would be better if we took you to him.

With that, he and the one-armed man turn and lead the boarding party aft through the floating tent village to meet the swarthy stranger...
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:29, Mon 08 Sept 2008.

Dawid wondered if this was one of the Asian peoples that were under the Soviet yoke in the far east. In that case a deserter of some kind? Still, could be some kind of NATO deserter like Minh.

He wondered if the man spoke English, Polish, Russian?

As the boarding party approaches through the crowd of unwashed refugees to his position adjacent to the tiny pilot house, the stranger with vaguely Asiatic features drops his feigned slouch and rises to stand at quasi-attention in preparation to greet them.  At 5'10", he seems tall for an Asian, but from up close he is also evidently of somewhat mixed ancestry.  A battered wool banket draped over his shoulders covers a motley collection of East Bloc webbing and pouches.  His fatigues are the winter variant issued to the VDV - the Soviet airborne corps.  He wears Russian issue jump boots.  The stranger assesses the boarding party, first studying the Hauptmann and, in turn, the others before speaking. He wags his finger at Bayer.

"You not Americans," he asserts in broken and heavily accented but nonetheless clear English  As he speaks, excitedly yet hushed and deliberate in tone, his breath becomes visble in the cool dawn air.

"I Ondar," he pats his chest then gestures toward the Krolowa. "You take me to Americans.  I have news for Americans.  You tell them trouble ahead.  You tell them RESET in danger.  You tell them I help."

He gestures again toward the tug and shrugs as if to punctuate his demand with a 'Well, what are you waiting for?'  He bends over and picks up a Russian issue rucksack with a Soviet R-143 radio mounted and slings it over his shoulder.

"No time.  We go now!"

Bayer waves a hand as if he is not interested, "Jan, we are not familiar with RESET... but we will take him to Americans." After a moments thought he adds, "And he's not to touch that radio of his, if he wants to avoid trouble."

Looking over at Griet and Dawid he says, "Any trade? I have what I came for... I think. Unless you have trade, lets return."

Bayer then nods his thanks to Jan and leads Ondar to the gangway. Giving a firm nod to both the other captain and leader he says, "Remember what we told you. Trust very few. Good luck."

He'll then lead Jan and Ondar back to the Krolowa.

Dawid shook his head.

"There is little they could spare to trade with, I think. We could spare them some food, and they have given us a little information, so that's fair."

He raised an eyebrow at the leader to see if this was true enough.

Following Konrad and the others, Dawid also debated speaking to Ondar in Russian, then decided that may or may not be productive. Whatever his purpose, it would be apparent soon enough. If needed he might be able translate for the purpose of the discussion.

Minh watched as the Hauptmann lead a uniformed man across the gangway, flanked by Jan. A prisoner? she wondered... Soviet anyways. Her smoke dwindling to the butt, she plucked it from her lips and skillfully catapulted it from between her fingers into the river.

Reaching down, she picks up her rifle. Making no effort to hide her unfriendly expression, she eyes the stranger suspiciously. "Whats happening Hauptmann?" she calls over. "Prisoner or... um... guest."

The stranger moves adeptly across the gangplank with his arms outstretched to display an exagerated absence of hostile intent.  Meanwhile, he scans his surroundings as if to make note of his environment and any possible escape route - should one become necessary.  He steps onto the Krolowa and takes special notice of the Asian woman inquiring as to his captivity status.

He nods in her direction and winks casually as he takes a guess as to her ethnicity.

"Ni hao."

As the boarding party turns to reboard the tug with their strange guest in tow, the one armed-man issues an impassioned reminder.

"Please, don't forget the food- anything that you can spare. And, if you have someone on board who could look at our engine?"

The swarthy stranger- Ondar he calls himself- is brought aboard the Krolowa, closely watched. He makes for an odd guest. His uniform and equipment scream Soviet issue and his poor English and thick accent strongly suggest that he's not just another NATO straggler. Considering the nature of the Krolowa's most dogged and deadly opposition over the course of the past week, he is as a fox being welcomed into the proverbial henhouse.

Ondar is escorted to the Krolowa's bridge and the security team's ranking American- WO2 Clarence Milk- is summomed*.

The bridge is quiet in anticipation of the the swarthy stranger's hinted-at report of impending doom. The motorized barge remains anchored alongside, awaiting whatever help and succor the Krolowa's crew cares to provide.

Actions?

*This is going to be important, so anyone and everyone may attend. Those stationed on the port and starboad DShKs may listen in through the bridge's open doors. Others, I suppose, can listen in over the intercom.

Sam will stay posted on the roof with secuirty .he will listin to the members on the bridge.



Sam
secuirty
M25

Having overheard some of the conversation, and then the impassioned plea from the one armed man for a mechanic, Anneka's stoney heart softened slightly from it's recent war-hardened state.
"Sanjay! Bring a tool kit!" she called to the Indian engineer below.
"See what you can do for them."
A little sweat and technical knowledge might open the floodgates as far as further downtream intelligence. If nothing else the goodwill they generated might go some way to offset the probably deserved reputation for violence they'd left in their wake.
"Minh, can you come take over up here?" A question more than an order, but one that only really had one answer.
"I'll go over with Sanjay to see what I can do."
Leaving the port DShK (which if push came to shove she'd probably not have been able to operate effectively anyway), she gathered some basic medical supplies and her Uzi....