After completing his maintenance tasks and napping for a while, Dawid got up and checked his gear, putting on his chest harness. You never knew when trouble would happen in the "new Poland".

His leg felt like it was on fire, although Stoner had sewn him up in a rough-but-effective manner and he had taken some of the antibiotics

"Will anyone help me unload and set up the mortar? At least, hitch it to the back of the Honker. I cannot do it myself because of my injury."
This message was last edited by the player at 10:16, Mon 02 Mar 2009.

Quyen busied herself with her tasks. When it came time for her group to work on the Mk-19, she offered to strip the weapon and handle most of the heavier parts - it was just a little assistance for Tucker, who's arm needed to be doing the least amount as possible.

After she was done she worked on her own weapon... and ensured she topped off her magazines with loose cartridges she had in her rucksack.

In between her maintenance jobs and sentry, she rested by the fire.

Mariusz checked the roster and saw he was on general duties for the moment and said to Dawid, "I'll do it, you tell me what to do and I'll get it done."

Griet gathered the foraging team together and said, "OK, we'll get the fuel transfer and readying the vehicles done first. That way if we need to run quickly everything is ready for that. Once we've done that we'll start by searching house to house for usable fuel. If we can't find enough there, we'll head to the nearest treeline. We'll take it in turns, one on watch while we forage and two foraging. Get your guns and any kit you need and let's get going."

As they sorted the vehicles out, Griet made sure they grabbed a couple of axes and a saw from the pioneer tools on the vehicles.

When Tucker's wound is tended to by Anneka or Stoner, he will make his way over to where Minh and Sam are working on stripping the MK-19 for cleaning and manintenance.  He sees that Minh is trying to make it easier for him to help and he nods to her, "Thanks for the help Minh.  I feel like a jerk with my arm all messed up and I can't do all that much.  Fuckers tagged me pretty good back there!"

When the time permits, Tucker will also tend to his personal weapons and gear to make sure his mags, ammo, weapons, & gear are in sevicable condition.

"No problem" Dave quickly checks the wound. "UhOh. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you going to die. Barring death by misadventure, I give you another 30 to 40 years."

"Thanks, Dave, you are the pro; I'm just a part time fix it guy. Hey, take these biotics and use them well. The others need them to fight off anything in this area."
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:43, Tue 03 Mar 2009.

In reply to Mariusz Tokarski (msg #520):

"Ah, you are too kind. I will be glad to direct the setup."

"For now, let's just get it off the back of the STAR.... in one piece?"

"Thanks! Give me a few minutes before we start." He sighed, favouring his throbbing sore leg. He had tears in his eyes from the pain, but struggled to avoid showing them. To delay starting for a few moments, he put on a pot of tea.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:57, Tue 03 Mar 2009.

October 13
1200hrs.
30F
Heavy clouds; snow flurries
Approx. 30km south of Gora Kalwaria

Snow continues to fall gently, covering the village in a clean, white shroud.

Anneka and Stoner prepare an at least partially sterile operating area and call in their first patient, a clearly feverish Jason Kasparov. Without anesthesia, the minor surgery is an agonizing ordeal for the rotary pilot. The entry area has swollen and an infection appears to have set in. Furthermore, the bullet is imbedded deeply and may be lodged his the thigh bone. After an excruciating hour- during which Jason passes out and reawakens several times- Anneka and Stoner give up. The bullet is not going to come out. The best they can do is to try to treat the infection and keep Jason as comfortable as possible.

After boiling their instruments, the surgical team set to work on Tucker. For a few minutes, it's touch and go, but the team finally removes the bullet from Tucker's upper arm. He must be drinking his Milk because the bullet pancaked against his humerus, failing to damage the bone at all. There is some muscle damage but, with some more rest and a continuing course of antibiotics, he should make a full recovery.

The party's other, less serious wounds are retreated. None of them appear to have become infected, but antibiotics are admistered nevertheless.

In the meantime, the AGS-17 and the Mk-19 are dismounted, brought inside, dismantled, and thoroughly cleaned. Fuel is siphoned out of the tanker-trailer and the vehicle's tanks are topped off.  While she works Minh looks up to see several wolf-like dogs (if not actual wolves) cautiously moving around the perimeter of the building. They keep their distance but they are obviously curious about the party's campsite.

While helping to dismount and clean the heavy weapons, Dawid finds Milk's pack crumpled in the sidecar of the motorcycle, but it's been emptied of its contents. Apparently, someone else found it first.

Shortly after breakfast, Griet, Adam, and Walter bundle up in whatever winter gear they have and set out into the village proper to gather firewood. There's not much that hasn't been burned alreay. Wooden furniture has mostly been completely consumed by the fires that razed nearly all of the village's buildings. There is some partially burned wood to be pulled from windowsills, floors, stairwells and the like and the wood-gathering party, after nearly four hours of work, has gathered enough to keep a small fire burning throughout the day and well into the night. On the far (east) side of the village, just a couple of kilometers from the west bank of the Vistula, Old Adam spots fresh tracks in the snow leading from the open fields on the east side of the village to one of the partially collapsed homes at the edge of the abandoned settlement. From a distance, it appears that three or four boot-clad individuals- the men the party had chased off the day before, perhaps- have reoccupied a private little corner of the village.

Next Moves?
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:45, Tue 03 Mar 2009.

Bayer sits near the fire, using his gear as a seat. Its bulky but keeps him off the cold floor. After lunch he asks, "Mariusz... you know the people around here. Those men. Do you think they are bandits? Or possibly something like a hunting party? Something else?"

After his answer he calls over Ondar and Jan. He tells them of Mariusz's opinion on the men. Then adds, "While we're here... sweep around the village again. Find and stop at a vantage point where you can see them. Stay out of sight... no need to get close and cause trouble eh?" They had sentries posted, but Bayer was of the opinion they couldn't be too cautious with an unknown party sharing the village. That, and simple curiosity.

Standing, he pokes the fire, then get Mariusz and Quyen's attention. "Leave a little before dark. Take a good radio, a map, and a compass. Quyen, I'll loan you my NVGs... don't lose dem. Recce the town and the crossing, but the mission doesn't have precedence over your lives. If you can't get close enough - forget it. Understood?"

He then adds with a slight smile, "Remember, there will be no rescue missions." He meant it as a mild joke, but it was probably closer to the truth than he wanted to admit.

Speaking aloud he says, "Ve'll be short two members. In addition to that, our casualties will require us to alter our vehicle placements. I'm open for suggestions."

OOC - I'm also interested in what other concurrent activities you all think we can do for the next period.

Sam will continue to stand inside wounded watch and redress his wound every 8 hours. He will also continue to hand out antibiotics and take them himself. When sam is not active he will be sleeping with his pack as a pillow with a wool blanket and poncho pulled over himself. Sam will not speak unless spoken too during this time. Resting and healing is his major goal.



Sam
Sleeping
M25

Quyen takes the goggles, checks to see if the batteries are working, then stuffs them away where they can't fall out of her gear. "Understood." she replies, looking at Mariusz.

She saw what happens to enough people who get caught by the wrong crowd. For that reason, she wouldn't allow herself to be taken alive. The night she met Adam and his team, she was prepared for the worst - only luck saved her. If things were to go poorly for her and Mariusz, she knew luck wouldn't hold up for her again.

Afterward, she says to the boy, "What time should we go? It gets dark early this time of year right? How long do you think it will take for us to get there?"
This message was last edited by the player at 17:46, Tue 03 Mar 2009.

Mariusz tried his best to answer Bayer's question, "I'm really only guessing, Sir, they seem to organised to be crazies and there isn't sign of permenant habitation here. That leaves a military patrol, local or national, bandits or hunters. If it was the military they'd have hit us overnight when we were weakest, if they were observing us they'd be well away from the village. I don't see why hunters would stick around so my guess would be bandits or deserters, they'd lack the discipline to be uncomfortable but they might stick around to see if they could make an opportunity attack."

Once Bayer had moved on he spoke with Mihn about their mission, "It'll take about thirty minutes to reach the outskirts of the town on the trike, before we get that close I'd like to check for outlying OPs, anywhere that we can get a good look at the town from outside should be under observation or patrol. If somewhere isn't we can get a good look and come back here. Otherwise we'll need to get in closer and I'll do a foot patrol. Whatever happens, I think you should stay with the trike, if I'm caught they'll be less suspicious if I'm alone than if I'm with NATO personnel. What do you think?"

As he spoke he did a quick inspection of his scrapes and bruises. The one where he'd headbutted the deer was maturing nicely and he had a few purple marks over his body but his face was fairly clear. He looked at Mihn and said, "You were a military cop so you've seen abuse patterns before, I want you to smack me around a bit, fat lip, black eye, a couple of belts across the back, you know the sort of thing. If I'm caught I can pose as a runnaway."
This message was last edited by the player at 20:13, Tue 03 Mar 2009.

Dawid waits for help with the mortar.

As he does, he lights a smoke and comments to Mariusz and Konrad, "well, looks like RESET is gone anyways. Probably the plans were with Milk, that's what I would do if I were him. After all, someone can always go through your belongings when you're not there!"

He grabbed Adam and Walter to assist unloading and setting up the mortar.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:42, Wed 04 Mar 2009.

After conferring with the group (last post's topic), Bayer assists with the mortar. He shakes his head at the mention of Reset, "In our own little world it is probably for the best that it's gone. I could imagine us killing each other over it."

Inspecting the sighting unit for damage he says, "How many rounds do we have left for this anyways?"

"It's too important to let bandits get hold of it," Anneka said with a slight touch of panic in her voice.
"Besides, do you really think the Soviets are going to believe we've no longer got it?"

In reply to Konrad Bayer (msg #532):

"Six rounds left, I believe. Three were left on the road. Setting up the mortar here, well, we can't cover a reconnaissance into town."

Not wanting to open the wounds on his leg, he held back, but kept a close eye on the deployment of the weapon.

"As for RESET, it's certainly not good for Poland it's gone, although I guess it's all the same if the Americans have it or the Russians. If the Russians have it, I guess they will be off our backs now. If the Americans have it, we will find out and Poles do not forget. Ha, maybe the communists recovered it after all?"

"It could be that rabble that were here stole it, but then they'd steal a truck while they were at it, too."

He continued to smoke, glancing at the sky. Then he addressed Anneke's comment directly. "Kill each other for RESET? Not me. I would have made a deal, and still would. It's possibly the last national treasure we have left. I won't speak for anyone else willing to kill, but I will bet money that Milk and his Special Forces friends didn't leave any Polish scientist who knew the secret alive, so I guess we know who would and did kill for it."
This message was last edited by the player at 12:42, Wed 04 Mar 2009.

In a lucid moment, Jason speaks to Anneka.  "Major, I'm c-c-cold.  In my pack... thermal fatigues, parka.  Hungry, too."

Listening to the report on the tracks and the apparent return of the men who had run off when they arrived mad Jan frown.
"It is not good that they have returned. We must make sure of the intentions and who they are. A  patrol with a radio might not attack us untill rienforcments arrive, and that would be most unpleaseant, no? Perhaps I should go and take a look to se what I can find out?"

Having completed routine field stripping and maintenance of the Plamya and his personal weapons, Ondar returns to the structure in time to catch word of both the return of the interlopers and the disappearance of the RESET documents.  His heart sinks at this latest development.

"I would have liked to see Montana," he sighs.  "But the Hauptmann is right. Should reconnoiter."

Ondar nods in the direction of the encampment on the outskirts of town.

"We go check it out.  Report back soon."

The Tuvan defector then sizes up Cerny.

"Legion, right?  Para?"



[Ondar]
Leaving post office
SVU-AS (10/10)
Beginning reconnoiter.

Gathering up his gear and walking with the Tuvan, Jan nods his head.
"Yes, Legion and that has been my role. I am thinking if we were to swing out and approace from the outskirts we might find a spot most suited to watching  these  men? We have radios and night gear sufficient to give the advantage, no?"

Dave grabs Jason's cold weather gear for him. As he covers up the wounded man, he says "Don't worry too much about that bullet. I had an uncle that took some schrapnel in Nam. He still had litlle pieces of metal working thier way out when he died in '95"

Griet finished her rest after collecting the wood and then said to Bayer, "Sir, do you want me to start preventative maintenence on the vehicles or would you rather keep them ready to run until the patrol have scouted out our neighbours?"

In reply to Griet Niewiadomska (msg #540):

"Griet, that's a great idea. Once I'm done with the mortar, I'll get on it. I could really use some help!"

He smiled to hide his grimace when he stood on his wounded leg.

"It's good for me to get around a little, keeps the leg from getting too stiff. On the farm, you can't take a day off unless you're dead!"

Anneka ensured her charges were as comfortable as possible and eaten whatever they were capable of before taking her turn with sentry duty. Although her feildcraft skills has been improving, she knew that as much as she wanted to contribute more, scouting and patrolling was something best left to the experts.

"I'd like everyone capable of holding a weapon ready in case Jan and Alexi run into trouble." Scouting she might not be good at, but organising a reaction team she knew all about...