Not being able to do much in the cramped compartment, Tucker calls out, "I've got the shooter.  She's well concealed in a second building a bit farther back from the road and closer to the river.  Not too shabby little girl!"

At the sound of someone else besides Monika talking to the local Poles Jan moved in his seat so that he could see what was going on through a firing port.

“Thor,” he called out in English, hopefully loud enough for the Norwegian to hear but not loud enough to interrupt Monika’s discussions.  “Let Monika do the talking.  She is Polish and a medic and she does not need your help so please do not screw up this conversation like you did for Dawid at that village several days ago!”

A degree of annoyance was apparent in his voice.

At the first shout Dieter looked up, but kept his body still. He scanned the area for movement, keeping his hand on his rifle just in case.

As the discussion progressed he heard Tucker's call about the female sniper. Glancing in the direction he described he sought to spot her for himself, just in case things got interesting. He also looked around to see if he could spot anyone else. He also looked around for cover in case they needed to run for it.

Dawid called out to the personnel in and on top of the BTR.

"Everyone who's acquired a target, call it out now! Let's not double-up if we can help it."

"Those that haven't, maintain a 360 degree watch. I can't see anything from here except the front, so that counts me out."

"No one opens fire save on the Kapitan's orders."

     Monika replied, "We're not with anyone.  We kind of fell in with each other to watch each others backs.  Some of us are from Western Europe.  Some of us are Polish.  Each of us has skills that we contribute to the group.  We're just trying to stay alive, probably much like you are."

     "We're usually cold, tired, and hungry.  We trade when we can.  We fight when we have to other choice.  We wanted to cross here because our leader thought it was a good spot.  We don't want a fight.  I hope that you don't want a fight, either.  I don't think either of us has people we want to lose..."  Monika hooks a thumb toward Thor.  "Even our resident Viking here."

The young man ponders Monika's explanation a bit before responding.

"Alright, first things first. You got something to trade for crossing?"

"Quiet." Bayer says, wanting Sawiki to make this work on her own.

Bayer then groans and quietly jokes, "Ask if they will let us on credit." He then turns in his seat and asks whoever is still in the passenger compartment, "Do we even have anything to trade? Mariusz... your boots. Give them to them."

"What do we have?" he asks again.

In reply to Konrad Bayer (msg #684):

"I have some cigarettes. And vodka. We should have a few rifles, at least!"

"Remember, this beast might still float... maybe not."

Bayer says, "Keep the smokes. But it won't hurt to part with the alcohol I think." He then says, "I trust your driving more than the floatation of this thing. It's too cold to swim today."

He then says, "Someone translate for Sawiki... we can part with a rifle... the SKS and some ammo as well as some vodka. Nothing more. We don't need this specific crossing point and it doesn't put these people out any that we simply drive past."

"Also, tell them that getting in our way is prolonging the Baron's rule. And the people of Warsaw will remember who were their friends once they are free."

"Agree? Disagree?" Bayer asks about the rifle and booze.

In reply to Konrad Bayer (msg #686):

"Someone, please go into my pack for the vodka, it's under the seat. I don't want to get distracted, rooting around."

Dieter called over to Konrad in German. "Herr Bayer, I have a gold medallion I liberated from a dead Soviet soldier. Maybe a nice gift for the young man's sister?"

"Do it." Bayer replies. Then, "Real gold?"

In reply to Konrad Bayer (msg #689):

Dieter half-shrugged, indicating he didn't really know. In English he replied, "not sure, looks real enough."

OOC - Rae, how would I tell - role using Metallurgy or Geology skill?

     Monika countered with, "Well, it would help us to offer a good trade if we knew what you needed..."

"What anyone needs nowadays- weapons, ammo, meds, spare parts. We're not trying to take advantage here, but service has its cost and we're the only crossing point for 50 klicks in either direction. You could say we've got a bit of a monopoly going. A fair trade is all we ask, though. You need to get across the river and we need a few things as well- fair.

"Oh, and unless that thing can swim, you'll have to leave it here. We can move people and cargo, but not heavy vehicles like that."
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:41, Mon 17 Jan 2011.

     Monika called down to the Captain in English, "Want guns, bullets, droogs.  What trade?"  It was still difficult for her to switch between languages.  She knew that she would do her best, though.  Their lives depended upon it.

"Monika," Jan questioned the medic in Polish.  "Did I hear him say something about not transporting heavy vehicles?"

In reply to Jan Cerny (msg #694):

   "I don't know how to say that in English.  Maybe you had better tell the others what he said.  Ask this, too, please?  If they take our people and cargo over, can the BTR get itself over?" Monika answered.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:53, Mon 17 Jan 2011.

"I got a Romanian AK with a butt-load of mags.  The AK and about six mags.  Someone else can take the rest if they need them or if someone else wants to give them their weapon and take this one?"

"Tell him we were working out what we can trade," Jan replied in Polish, attempting to get Monika to effectively stall for time.

He then turned to Konrad and switched to English, though in the cramped BTR compartment he didn't make any attempt to keep this conversation at all private.  "Capitaine, the man Monika is talking to said something about their not being able to move heavy vehicles like the BTR and Monika is asking whether the BTR can swim.  Her English is not very good so she could not translate that part of her discussion.  Do we have any idea whether this wreck can still swim?"

Quyen is riding in the BTR (up through the roof hatch) during all of this. She keeps quiet and focuses on keeping lookout for any other hidden guards.

When the question comes up about the BTR's ability to swim, she turns her attention to the river and scans the banks for a suitable crossing (not around the bridge).

"Go round," Thor declared his position, hands still well away from anything even resembling a weapon, and radio picking up his words and transmitting.
"No need cross. Dragon sink. Loose dragon, loose all."

In reply to Jan Cerny (msg #697):

Dawid looked back at Jan and Konrad.

"I can check, see if it's still water-tight. Not surprising they won't take the BTR, it's thirteen tons of metal. If it can float, I can imagine they can tow it."

"If we're trading rifles, save a Tantal for me, could come in handy when I'm not using the PKM, like at the outpost. But why not see if they'll just take the BTR in trade if it won't float and we can't keep it?"

He tried to recall if, in his earlier inspections, he noted any serious flaws to buoyancy.

A thought occurred to Jan but he was sat inside the BTR and couldn't see the river at all.

"Can anyone see how wide and fast slowing the river is?  Additionally is there is a boat ramp to drive into the river on both sides?  The map has a marina marked on it, near to the bridge."

One potential solution had occurred to Jan.  Others were thinking along the same lines, based on some of the comments people were making, but Jan put it all into one potential sequence.

"Capitaine.  If we think that the BTR is water-tight then we could unload it, trade for passage across the river for all of us and our gear and then pay the villagers to tow the BTR across with just a driver in it.  That way if there is a problem then only the driver needs to swim to safety.  That assumes that the BTR will float, can get in and out of the river easily, the villagers have something capable of towing the BTR and that the river is not dangerous.  That is just one option though.  Oh and we would need a volunteer for the driver!"

After listening to the various bits of advice, Bayer says, "Alright. Everyone out. Unloud everything we can carry and Dawid check the exterior and interior."

He adds, "No trade until we inspect the APC."