The key ring itself got caught on a tough thread inside the pocket of the RCMP uniform and just won’t come loose. The keys have slipped into one of those “mystery pockets” inside the lining of a coat that Taras inherited from a previous member when the whole crap went up and distuerbed the rotary elements in the celing (i.e WW3).

Taras managed to pull the keys out of the pocket, but then he dropped them into a sewer grate that just happened to be by the curb near where the Cougar was parked.

KURWA!!!
Instead of Russian "blyat" and "suka", Shevechenko made use of Ukrainian language to kindly show his surprise...

After a tricky recovery involving some serious grate lifting and filth removal he found that the keys were twisted backward through the ring and there was not enough of it exposed to put in the contact.

это пиздец!!!

Shaking then hard, he twisted the key too hard and it snapped off the ring. But he was finally able to put it inside and start the engine. Once he got the key into the ignition, the whole ridiculous scenario dissipated quickly.

Kelsey exits the vehicle and looks around, finding taras she holds out a radio to him "I have four of these SINCGARS enabled radios, I'm keeping one in case we dismount, we also have one personally owned on one of the teams.  I plan on giving the sniper team one, you one.  That leaves us a spare that I will have on hand to issue out as need, unless you are sure you will be with the vehicle.  I want us to be fully secure on radio ops, especially if we have to deal with Americans."

"That sounds good, Kel," Andy said, "it would be nice to have the tech edge on the Yanks for a change."

Kelsey hands over the radio to Andy "Here's one for your team, Andy.  Might want to have Mac carry it on mission, your call.  I don't know about edge, but we should be on par with them if they have proper ops, and yeah, pretty far up if they don't."  she grinned a the thought of having one up on the Yanks.  "Now the Hell's Angels and the other riff-raff, them we should have a nice edge of commo on."

OOC:

So Andy takes one for the team? :p

J

Taras took the new handheld radio gratefully. A years light piece of technology compared to the Khruschev era radio equipment in his previous unit and the basic run of the mill "Motorolas" in service with the RCMP.

Very well. We have a new vehicle ready and green light for access across the bridge. We also have security in place to launch from the Southern bank. I guess we just have to take the "Cougar" for a ride and...

The Sargent looked with terror over Kelsey's shoulder:

NO!!! NO!!! SHUSH!!!

Rusalka was about to relieve herself over the rear left Michelin XM 325/85R16 tire, a steel belted radial model indicating an early version. Ashamed, the furry friend, walked away for a discreet mission out in the woods.

Don't want to ruin that "new car smell" anyways...

Kelsey laughs and watches the dog, then calls her over to pet her and love on her.

"Taras, there is nothing new about that Cougar, including the smell."

Come on, don't spoil the dream!

He motioned to get everybody on board:

Lets go! Is a fine day for a ride!

Taras climbed into the turret. The space was way more cramped compared to that of the more modern LAV III. He gave a thumbs up to Darek.

In reply to Taras Vladimirovich Shevchenko (msg # 54):

"Smells like diesel and old feet."

Hawke climbed aboard, and looked for a place for him, and room for his pack.

"The AED doesn't do well with water."

In reply to Taras Vladimirovich Shevchenko (msg # 54):

Wayne will approach the Cougar when Taras urges the group into it.  After he hauls himself and his gear through the rear hatch he will search for a seat as far to the fore of the compartment as possible.

Kelsey hunkers down with the radios and contacts base.

"Foxtrot element, rolling."


She hands out the call signs she had put together ad hoc just before they left base.

"Ok, I'm Fox one, or prime.  Taras is Fox six, Andy and Mac are Eleven and Twelve, respectively.  Whoever is driving this bucket is Three- that's you, Wayne.  Tremblay you are five, up in the gunner's seat.  Darek is Two as the Vehicle commander.  Did I miss anyone?  Normally I'd hand out Eleven as XO, which I think Andy fits."
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:45, Fri 20 July 2012.

In reply to Kelsey Sarah Champlain (msg # 57):

"All Fox elements, this is Fox __ (?), radio check" Cpl Sochacki said into the radio. He was waiting for the ok from Taras before moving out.

And off we go! Driver! take the Cougar for a nice ride. Nothing to bumpy! People! get use to the vehicle and we'll conduct a radio check of the new equipment. Once we are done we'll come back to base and prepare the next mission.

In reply to Kelsey Sarah Champlain (msg # 57):

As soon as Wayne is identified by Kelsey as the driver he becomes more animated, even his posture taking a turn for the better.  "Aye-aye; I'll have the helm!" he acknowledges.  He stows his rifle and excess gear as best he can before sliding into the driver's position.

Once he is seated and has the motor idling, Wayne will follow the directions given by Taras, or whoever takes up the mantle of vehicle commander.

Hey! Everybody pile-up behind the turret! Not everybody has a room reservation. Ha, ha ha!!! This is Byzantium style for now!

The good weather and simple approach to become familiar with the vehicle made the test drive more of a good time than a combat operation. Even Rusalka was willing to follow them.

"Roger that!"

Kelsey piles on behind the turret, more than happy to sit up in the wind with her C8 cradled in her lap, she'll try to get the dog up in with them back there if she wishes as well.

Wayne climbed into the driver's seat, Taras claimed the commander's seat. Darek, a decent gunner, occupied that position. Wayne, Kel and Mac piled on behind the turret. Tremblay stayed with the LAV, helping the former British Columbia Dragoons (now New West Militia) get situated.

"Good luck! I'll catch my own ride back to base." Tremblay called over. Base, in this case, base being the former high school.

In front of them a highway (King George Boulevard, 99A) led east and curved up a wooded hill (Scott Hill) with scattered residential housing. To the right (south) were wide parking lots for the abandoned Scott Road skytrain station and big box hardware supply stores, now housing massive amounts of refugees in tents, vehicles, cardboard shacks. To the left (north) were auto parts stores, a pub, burned out Chevron station. Their main choices were to go forward and then turn right on Scott Rd, travelling along the base of Scott Hill, or straight up the hill. West, behind them, was the bridge.

OOC: You can go north, south, east, west. It's like Zork! With guns!

Andy sat on the armoured roof of the Cougar and hoped that the jaunt would be the joy ride that Taras envisaged. If there were threats that they hadn't considered, they could be in deep shit and in Andy's experience, there were always threats you hadn't considered...

Kelsey settled in and with a few motions was assigning arcs of care to the others, so that they had awareness of their surroundings, taking right and forward for herself.

"Now if only we brought a picnic lunch."

Mr Wayne! Take the highway all the way up to the hill and stop there! We will conducting a drill. The guys on top: Kelsey, Andy, Hawke, MacDonald! When we stop there dismount and set up a defensive perimeter. Darek and myself will be training with the turret but without ammo. That will be a good chance to check the new radios.

The highway was offering a commanding view of the city of Surrey. A city totally transformed by the ravaging effects of the refugees and the proximity to the conflictive border source of continuous trouble. The impressive view of an unsuspected vehicle of the Canadian Forces driving at speed with visible manpower atop wouldn't go unnoticed. This was another factor Taras was weighing in. There were plenty of people in need placing high hopes in the return of normalcy under the aegis of a Government.

Whatever criminal elements in place will be also taken by surprise by a selective yet powerful display of force. The ex Officer of the Soviet Army wasn't taking too many chances. He was going to conduct a basic mechanized infantry drill for effect. On a different historical turn this could have been a sort of "Thunder Run". A somehow calculated dare thrust into the heart of the enemy territory.

Finally, the newly minted Staff Sargent wanted to extract some quality Intel as this was the true "reason d'etre" of the team. And nothing like having a visual of the front lines by themselves. He wasn't expecting the "Order of Lenin" for that but surely he was expecting to have fun while doing so...

"Roger!  Hawke, you are with me!"  She gives the sniper team the left side of the vehicle to watch, and gives Hawke right rear.  Teams of two makes sense.  "We'll dismount and rush to cover to the right, then after that one at a time in classic infantry movement.  Andy, leaving your team to you, of course.  To the left?"

"Roger that Kel," Andy agreed, "we'll take the right: same MO, rush to first cover and then bounding overwatch to the best position for defence and observation."

In reply to Kelsey Sarah Champlain (msg # 67):

"Roger"

Hawke followed Kel as instructed.

While Canada never operated the Scorpion the original turret was married with the early MOWAG Piranha I chassis to create the AVGP Cougar as a fire support vehicle. Now it was a "recce" with a punch. Back in the magic days of the 90's the decision was made to employ the Cougar as reconnaissance vehicles until the Reserves could be supplied G-wagons. But the Cougar was hardly ideal as a recce vehicle in Taras mind as its gun was too slow firing and the vehicle too tall to be stealthy compared to the low profile of the BMP family, for instance. But it was lighter than the LAV and probably the swimming capability would become in handy.

By now, Darek was already familiar with the system. After all, foreigners and more so former enemies did have a way to get quick acceptance in the society by taking up arms and defend their new landlords. Serving either in nascent Police Department or more common militias their professionalism helped them to adjust to the new living conditions.

Darek and Taras were seated in the all-welded aluminium armour turret with the Ukrainian on the left and the Pole on the right, both had a one-piece hatch cover that opened to the rear unlike most of the Warsaw Pact. Taras found seven day periscopes and a roof-mounted day sight in front of his hatch cover with magnifications of ×1 and ×10. He noticed that the roof-mounted sight was capable of limited rotation allowing approximately 85° of horizontal field of view. Darek had two day periscopes and also roof-mounted day sight with same magnifications. Mounted to the right of the main armament was a passive night sight with a magnification of ×5.8 and a narrow 8° field of view. Also a low magnification of ×1.6 (28° field of view).

After becoming familiar with the internal layout, the RCMP sargent tested the radio and welcomed to do so to the rest of the crew. He didn't expect any glitch trusting Kelsey in her area of expertise. Open hatch, Shevchenko talked to Darek making sure that he was overhead by Kel in the middle of the roaring of the engine:

Darek, will be conducting a simulation in target acquisition when we stop the vehicle. Fisrt it will be me. I want to make sure that we are able to see the same things around. Then we will let Kelsey to choose some targets for you after they dismount and take positions. Is that ok, my friends?

After everyone got settled, they rolled up King George Boulevard towards Scott Hill. Per custom, the Cougar had a small Canadian flag tied to the aerial and it fluttered as they moved.

People started drifting out of the refugee camps along both sides of the wide boulevard, gathering along the roadside fences. The kids waved, most of the adults seemed tired, bored and apathetic.

First was the intersection with Scott Rd. There was a second roadblock here, more elaborate than the one at the foot of the bridge (which was mainly to regulate foot traffic). There were bunkers, barbed wire and fencing. Traffic barriers were placed regulate vehicle traffic. It looked like the prepared positions could hold at least a platoon, but only a handful of police (RCMP) were there at the moment, along with a police car.

The Mounties stationed there advised them there was a biker bar at the top of the hill, past the first intersection about a block down on the left.

The diesel roared as they swiftly climbed the hill. The raised concrete Skytrain tracks paralleled the wide road on their right. There were mainly woods and a few houses and buildings on the both sides, although a couple motels/refugee encampments and looted auto parts yards were on the left.

At the top of Scott hill, they stopped at the intersection of 108 st. This area, known as "Whalley/Newton", had been infamous before for drug dealing and street prostitution. It was a kind of suburban wasteland, with few high-rises in sight (except for one down the hill on 108) but many strip malls lining King George.

The view was less than what was hoped-for. 1-3 story buildings and trees blocked most lines of sight, although they were afforded a nice view of the North Shore mountains across the valley. They could see further down King George, as it travelled along a kind of ridge line, and both ways up and down 108.

When they stopped, everyone deployed correctly and efficiently. There were vacant storefronts on all corners of the wide intersection. Cover was somewhat limited on the wide sidewalks as the decorative trees had been cut down some previous winter. There were a few long-stripped vehicle hulks dragged off to the side of the road. Nothing that could hide an IED but enough for some protection to the dismounts.

OOC: Topography is a little funny here. King George is relatively flat or even descending a little in front of you, curving around and then downhill behind. Right on 108th is downhill (with an abandoned skyscraper formerly housing government offices and a Skytrain station) and left up 108th is uphill. Scott hill doesn't really have a defined peak, mostly a long ridge/rise that's heavily developed with low-rise buildings, strip malls, fast food joints and residential housing.
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:08, Tue 24 July 2012.