"Quite good of him to do, eh?  Welcome to Canada, then."  She grins at him and keeps marching on up to meet Taras.  "Got plans on trying to make it back home, got anything to go back to?"

Thomas shook his head as he walked;

"I don't think there would be much left. I was not really in the comms loop on the boat, but I think we where lucky to get out when we did. I was thinking of trying the Atlantic coast during summer though I won't head across if I don't know what its like at home."

In reply to Kelsey Sarah Champlain (msg # 748):

The newcomer, Andrews, wandered back to the fort with Mac and Kel. He was introduced to Taras and Williams. Williams looked like another Royal Commando. Introductions were made all around as they drank tea inside the fort's main house.

From the parking lot came a radio call from Tremblay, who was waiting in the Humvee. "Ahhh... be advised, have a vehicle approaching. Looks like a friendly."

To see the vehicle as it approached they would have to exit out the fort's rear service gate. Otherwise, they could wait.

Back in the fort, Mac goes to see about ensuring Woozle's hydration with a hose.

Andy kept quiet as the others worked. he kept a careful lookout with his rifle ready and one eye on the elephants in case they turned dangerous.

Kelsey pulled up her mic and spoke back to Tremblay "Keith, give me eyes on this guy, and look for any backup.  I'll go meet him."  She looks to Mac, then again he has a radio too.  "Mac, give me eyes up top, you got the spotters.  Everyone, places!  Just in case this guy is a distraction, I will play meet and greet for this gong show!"

She heads for the exit to be ready to greet the newcomer.  After all, it hadn't been so long since men under her command had been killed by the actions of a 'friendly' who turned out to a spy.  She'd be cursing the name Jagelis, fair or not, for the rest of her life.  She meant to save more, now.

"On my way,"

Mac patted the now hydrated elephant, tidying up the hose, and trotted off to take post.

Hawke turned from the elephant and went to where his kit was.  He slid into his combat jacket and webbing.  Once everything was back where it belonged, he followed Little Hawk.

The elephants both appreciated the watering (Heffalumph got in on it, too!).

Being that they were in the field, introductions to the new guy could wait while the situation developed! They had been told that the Chief would be running Andrews' gear over, so they should expect a vehicle soon, but this seemed to be too soon and this one was coming from the direction of the Freeway.

It turned out that the newcomer was a familiar beat-up Land Rover. It was Belanger. He had Gunny Conklin along, as well as a SAW gunner for protection.

The Land Rover parked in the parking lot by the Cougar, Humvee and Iltis (jeep).

Belanger parked and got out. He said "hi" to the crews of the vehicles parked there, waiting for Kel and the others to meet him. He was dressed in civilian clothes, no red beret.

"Ah! Good. I thought I'd catch you here, I was in the neighborhood so figured I'd kill two birds with one stone. I have a new guy for you. Meet Corporal Stanley Abbot."

Kelsey gets the report and has everyone go back to as usual.

She hurries out on the double and nodded to Belanger "Bellanger, good to see you.  See you are comfortable with our trailblazing.  We have some things to report as well about the HA's as well sir, while you are here.  New Intel."

She holds out a hand to the new arrival "Kelsey Champlain, in the 2IC on this run, and Taras is in charge of this gong show.  Welcome aboard.  What's your specialty?"

The female sergeant looks pretty fit, and is wearing tabs and marking of the regular forces, Van Doos.

Taras greeted the newcomers.

amazing how quick things develop over here...I knda like this place. It smells like lots of history here. It reminds me of the old Coassack towns in the Ukraine.

"Stanley Abbot. Good to meet you. Corporal for life, it seems.", Abbot said with a smile.

"Someone back at UBC said that you needed a C9 gunner so I volunteered.  Got lucky and caught a ride out here with Captain Belanger."

Abbot looks to be in his early to mid 30s with brown hair and eyes. He face shows the weathered features of a person who had spent a good portion of his life outdoors.  He has a stocky build and stands 195cm and weighs around 90 kg.  He is wearing a set of somewhat worn but well maintained combats, indicating that the soldier maintains a sense of discipline.  His uniform has 3/PPCLI and 1/RMRR insignias as well as corporal's rank on his epaulets.

A C9A1 is slung over his shoulder. It appears to be well maintained as well.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:21, Sun 14 Apr 2013.

In reply to Stanley Alistair Abbot (msg # 760):

"Sorry I didn't radio ahead. I knew where you'd be (here) and when. The less radio traffic that goes out, the better."

He pulled Taras aside for a quick word.

"Well, Taras, good news and bad news. I'm grabbing Droz and Sheeler. In exchange, I'm leaving Cpls. Andrews and Abbot with you, along with the Iltis. Things are happening back in the city, when I find out more I'll let you all know. For the mean time, continue the recce. Find out more about Langley, Abbotsford and Aldergrove if you can. Anything else?"

In reply to Alain Belanger (msg # 761):

Gunny Conklin got out of the Land Rover. He was all cammied up, in a Ghillie suit with SVD in a musette drag bag slung over his shoulder.

"Great to see y'all again. Too bad I can't stay around to chit-chat and all. Places to go, people to kill."

Tuesday, 14 June 2001
Game Time 1400 Lima
Sunny and warm (22C), Scattered Clouds
Wind from the West, 10kph

Birds tweeted, a few clouds scudded across the afternoon sky. The team's current vehicles were parked in the service lot of the historic Ft. Langley. It was a replica of the Hudson's Bay Company fort that once stood on the small hill overlooking the townsite. A wood palisade surrounded the handful of buildings (only 1 was authentic) inside, but "Old Willie" had added several large greenhouses from materials (aluminium and wood frames, plastic sheeting) scavenged from nearby farms.

As well, inside the palisade was an honest-to-God elephant enclosure. Inside were two elephants. They were introduced to Andrews as "Heffalumph" and "Woozle", but there wasn't much time to say hi. Woozle, the female, had been shot and her wound dressed. She was lying down when Andrews came through.

In the lot was parked Belanger's idling Land Rover, along with the team's borrowed Iltis jeep, AVGP Cougar and Tremblay's USMC Humvee.

A second vehicle approached, this time from the direction of McMillan Island. It was a brown Jeep Cherokee, flying the band (Kwantlen First Nation) flag from its aerial. The jeep stopped in the parking lot and Chief Williams started unloading Andrew's gear plus some other stuff. Included was a Carl Gustav rocket launcher, ammunition, plus the M82 Barrett that Mac and Master McRae had left in the Zodiac.

"There you go. The rest is at my place. I also grabbed the Barrett from the Zodiac in case you needed it."

OOC: I assume most (if not all of you) are in the service lot on the south side of the fort, outside the palisade. There are several small buildings and trees screening you from outside eyes.
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:55, Sat 13 Apr 2013.

"Jump in if you got something boss." She says to Taras and pulls out a map, gathering everyone around the hood of the newly arrived vehicle.  She goes over the intel (see the game info thread) that they had gotten from Wilie, then discussed the current mission.

"Our intent is to recce and locate a vet to help miss Woozle."  She has to stop to snicker at the name though.  "My plan was take move fast with the Hummer and accomplish the mission this afternoon, but I want to hear inputs and opinions.  I want at least two with me, including mister Hawke here, since he has assessed the wound to the elephant."

Ah, Belanger! Always at the right time! No problem, we are doing well here, take the militia boys. They have such a nice place over here...Look! they even grow their own vegetables. And the tea is not bad at all. I will ask if they have some jam to go with it. For sure they have something hoarded, hehe...

Thomas walked over to the jeep when it arrived at the compound and helped unload his gear. He gave it a quick once over just to check he had everything.

"Thanks alot for your help. I should be able to collect the rest at some stage."

He looked over the sniper rifle, he had never seen one of the "anti-material" rifles up close.
This message was lightly edited by the player at 22:02, Sat 13 Apr 2013.

In reply to Thomas Matthew Andrews (msg # 766):

"No problem. Sorry I can't send any of my boys and girls with you as guides, we still have to live here and we don't want any problems with the HAs ("Hells Angels") we can avoid!"

He finished up, and after shaking hands with everyone (including Belanger), departed.

In reply to Thomas Matthew Andrews (msg # 766):

The Coyote driver, Able Seaman Lo, dismounted and wandered over as Andrews examined the sniper rifle. He was wearing CF fatigues but his shoulder tabs were "RCN", and his beret was blue.

"It's useful for mine removal. I'm Able Seaman Lo. I've had a lot of experience in EOD. So let's hope it doesn't come in handy!"

"Yes, I think this would make a great forward base. Let's look into it. Good location. We can access it by the Trans-Canada and the river. No wonder the first provincial capital was here!

"Well, we should take off. I can't say where we're going. It sounds like there may be unfriendly eyes around, so we'll try the back roads going south. Keep out of sight."

That was par for the course. Conklin was a "loyalist" for the US federal government, and disappeared for periods "over the fence" in rebel territory, Washington State.
This message was last updated by the player at 04:56, Sun 14 Apr 2013.

Taras knew where to look for his jam. Among the dwellers of the Fort he found a "babushka" (grandma in Russian). The headscarf tied below the chin, as commonly worn in Eastern Europe and the fair complexion gave him the hint about her origins. In most parts of Eastern Europe, headscarves were used mainly by elderly women. In Russia and the Ukraine they were worn by women when they go to church to show their convictions to Russian Orthodoxy. But what was more revealing was the byzantine cross she was wearing.

But his gut instinct wasn't entirely correct. Instead of a Russian she appeared to be from the former Yugoslavia. In 1991, during the start of the Yugoslav Wars, Macedonia held a referendum of which 72% eligible voters approved independence by 95%, the Albanians and Serbs in the country boycotted the referendum. In 1993, 500 Macedonian Serb nationalists gathered in the town of Kučevište, north of Skopje, to protest the police repression against ethnic Serbs on New Year's Eve when 13 Serbian youths were injured. Macedonian Serbs asserted they were mistreated by Macedonian authorities. Eventually, Biljana ended up in Canada as a refugee. Her husband died of cancer two years ago and his son, after recovering from his wounds in Canada found a girl and moved out of the city. Another war came and she found herself alone. Most of her time was devoted to the loving preparation of homemade jams and preserves, breads and cookies as well as hand made quilts.

Taras was presented with a small glass container with "Pekmez". This was a molasses-like syrup obtained after condensing juices of fruit must, especially grape, fig or mulberry. Pekmez, of Turkish origin, was well known and made in the Balkans for a long time. Noticing the yellowish fingers, the Ukrainian offered her some cigarettes that were graciously accepted. The Sargent felt sorry for her plight but the woman, in the very own words of St. Basil the Great, said: In all that exists there is nothing disorderly, nothing indefinite, nothing without purpose, nothing by chance ... How many hairs are on your head? God will not forget one of them. Do you see how nothing, even the smallest thing, escapes the gaze of God?

The words were too familiar. he was moved: благослови вас! His blessing truly came from his heart.

"Right interesting piece of kit then. I think we used a billion dollar sub last time I was in a minefield. Thomas Andrews Royal Marines."

In reply to Thomas Matthew Andrews (msg # 771):

From out of nowhere, an old woman had appeared. Probably living on one of the nearby farms, she was selling jams, jellies and preserves. It seemed from her dress she was a fellow immigrant to Taras, as they conversed in some Eastern European language. She patted him on the cheek as she would her own dear son, and presented him with a jar, apparently without charge.

Old Willie greeted her like a friend, then came over. "Maria here lives in town. She gets by canning fruits and vegetables at home, from the local farmers. Have a look, her prices are reasonable."