Kelsey nods to the others and mosies over to the woman "I could use some, what can I give you for it?  Sweets are in high demand."

In reply to Kelsey Sarah Champlain (msg # 773):

The old woman burbled something, and with Taras' help translating they worked out a trade.

In the mean time, Belanger, Droz, Sheeler and Conklin mounted up in the Land Rover. "We gotta be off now. See you guys later."

Corporal Abbot watched as events unfold before him.  A lot of what he saw didn't make much sense.

The team was led a Russian. That was a mystery to him.  After the offensive last year swept through his hometown bringing untold misery and heartache. He had lost his brother and an uncle last year when they fought the invasion.

He couldn't understand why one of them could be considered worthy enough to command Canadian troops, instead of being routed to the sea at the point of a bayonet and told to start swimming. Apparently, Taras had done something that led someone at DRI to decide that he was trustworthy. He decided that he would give Taras a chance.  He was skeptical, at best.

The old woman seemed harmless enough.  He had seen many like her during a peacekeeping deployment many years ago. The dialogue between her and the Russian was largely unintelligible as he had long forgotten any of the Serbian he had learned. Still, he wasn't sure why the old woman was allowed to interrupt the planning session.

All in all, Stanley was wondering if it had been a mistake to volunteer for this mission. Waiting to see what happened, he held his tongue and followed the rest of the briefing as best as he could.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:59, Sun 14 Apr 2013.

Kelsey is purposely generous in her trade, glad to help out where she can, and secures the jars in her ruck in the HMMWv, padded in her spare uniforms.

Andy saw one of the new guys looking over the Barrett, he hated the bigs guns not because they weren't brutally efficient but because of the blood they had put on his hands. He had used one to deadly effect in Europe and it had enabled him to make some frightening kills through walls and cover using thermal sights alone.

Two of those kills weighed particularly heavily on him. One had been an East German woman who had been heavily pregnant and yet had still insisted on resisting the Canadian advance and the had been ten year old boy with a battered Moisin Nagant who had pinned a patrol deep in a slum area.

The fifty calibre bullet might kill quickly but it wasn't a clean death and he sincerely hoped that he'd be able to use it for its intended purpose of wrecking light vehicles and other equipment rather than butchering people.

He came down from his perch and met the new guys.

"Hello," he said, "I'm Master Sniper mcRae. It's good to meet you all."

"Good to meet you too, McRae, Stan Abbot. Looks like your trade description has become a bit gray. When did you start working with artillery?", Stan said pointing to the big 50 cal.

After a bit, Abbot raised his hand. "Sergeant. We might want to look in the telephone directory. If we can find one. There would be a list of vets there. Probably want one that specialized in farm animals, not dogs and cats. Maybe we could get some names and start trying to track one down."

Kelsey blinks at the Corporal, then grins widely "Good thinking, Corporal.  Implement your idea."

She nods to MacRae as he comes down "Thanks Andy, hey anyone seen a phone book about that the corporal can use?  It's a good idea that a vet might still be operating out of an original existing clinic and might help with our search."

In reply to Kelsey Sarah Champlain (msg # 780):

A phone book was quickly located. There were several vets in and around Langley and Abbotsford, a few of whom specialised in farm animals. This was in addition to the presumably well-stocked private clinic at the Game Farm itself.

As well, before he left, Belanger made it clear that police and militia had surrounded, then raided and shut down the bar/motel in Surrey that was the main HA hangout. Most of the patrons were low-level bikers, either new inductees into the HAs or some of the few remaining independent bikers. It seems there was a tip-off, as no middle or upper tier HAs were apprehended, no drugs other than pot was found (although parts of the premises did test positive for traces of cocaine and heroin). Weapons were merely various small arms. Witnesses said the HAs cleared out with their possessions (heavy weapons, drugs, prostitutes) about a week earlier, right after the Pig Farm had been raided. The HAs had chosen, again, to avoid confrontation, but as the forces of law and order penetrated their territory it seems only a matter of time before they would turn and fight.

The idea was to hold the detainees for a while (under the Emergencies Act powers) and then see if any could be either turned or trailed back to more important HAs or locations. At the very least, the HA outpost behind them, the one closest to the core areas of the city, was cleared and secured.
This message was last updated by the GM at 07:46, Mon 15 Apr 2013.

In reply to Alain Belanger (msg # 781):

"Great, looks like this is about to blow up in our faces.  Doesn't make me feel good about this mission, not one bit."

Well, that's good news, Belanger. This is another succesful mission and more glory to the Government and the reconstruccion plan. Is important to keep the momentum and flush the rats.

Then he looked at Kelsey as leader of the branching patrol:

Be careful out there. The main concern is ambush. Take your time, drive away from the main roads if possible. Report to us wiith frequency. I'm going to create a quick response element just in case.

"I am more worried about the trip back, to be honest.  I don't think they are in reaction mode, but will plan a strike.  I'd be careful here too, Taras."

Suddenly something clicked in the Sargent's mind...Kelsey's concern, the Yugoslav woman, 1972...

Mr. William! Won't you happen to have a set of chess with you here at the Fort?

"Matter of fact, I do? D'ya play there, Sergeant?"

"Able Seaman Lo, Petty Officer 3rd Class. Hope things've worked out better for you now on dry land!"

"Master McRae, you want this, or should I stow it in the back of the Coug'?"

He looked over at Master Sniper McRae, wondering what he wanted to do with the massive rifle.

Hawke nods, but says nothing.  He's still adjusting his straps and bits, getting ready to move.

Andy slapped the fifty calibre, "Sometimes you just have to reach out and touch someone that the Parker Hale can't get to. I'm looking forward to seeing what the rounds do to a HA hog."

He looked over at Ho, "I'd like it strapped to the back, please, I don't want to carry the beast unless absolutely necessary."

He went over to Kel and said, "Keep an eye out for good ambush spots on your way there. If you see a place that would be really tempting for the HAs, we could set up a counter ambush for you."

In reply to helbent4 (msg # 781):

Corporal Abbot went through the phone book and made a list of potential vets. He then made a backup copy of the list and then plotted their locations on the map.

She gives Master McRae a big goofy grin.

"Outstanding Andy, if you bring the Barrett we might want to look over the map for a vantage point for you to provide a surprise."

She runs her finger down the long straightaway of highway she was looking to travel, trying to see if  there might be a good rise to position her ace in the hole.

That's great, Willy! I just want to take a look. I have an idea...

The ex-Officer of the Soviet Army was always amazed by the big deal that the hockey finals of 1972 played in the Canadian psyque. Certainly ice hockey was the national sport of masses and a source of pride for the country of the Maple Leaf.

But for Taras there was another "final" that took place that same fateful year. Back then a crazy, young Bobby Fischer fought against Boris Spassky for the World Title. The stakes were high. The Cold War was in full swing and chess was a tool of political propaganda for the Kremlin. Thousands of schools existed all fully supported by the Government. A way to demonstrate that the intellectual superiority of the communist ideology could be demonstrated through "world domination" over the checkered battlefield.

Bobby shattered those dreams. And forever he would be remembered for that feat. His games were throughoutly studied by masters and players of all levels. Taras V. Shevchenko being one of them. Although Game 6 was the most memorable one it was Game 3 the one that got the series really heated up. The Ukrainian quickly re-arrange the figures in this manner:



Bobby demonstrated his acute intuitive feel. Allowing White to shatter Black's kingside pawn structure looked antipositional, but Bobby's assessment that his kingside attack created significant counterplay proved correct. Surprised by Fischer's novelty, which he had gleaned from the Yugoslav grandmaster Dragoljub Velimirović, and God bless the Serbian woman, Spassky did not react in the best way. His 18th move, weakening the light squares, was a mistake.

Based on this Taras decided to move out of the Fort. It was positional play what was going to use against the Hell's Angels. This play is dominated by long-term maneuvering for advantage rather than by short-term attacks and threats, and requires judgment more than extensive calculation of variations.

That counterplay that Bobby Fischer put to good use was a form of active maneuvering by the player in an inferior or defensive position. Like staying at the Fort could be translated into forward deployment. Now it was a metter of letting Kelsey occupy the white squares so he could use the black ones in order to put in "check" the Hell's Angels...

In reply to Taras Vladimirovich Shevchenko (msg # 792):

Willie brought out an old set, worn plastic board with mismatched plastic pieces. He set it up on an overturned rain barrel. The old coot looked on in interest as Taras formulated his strategy, unaware this was something the former Soviet officer liked to do from time to time.

Kelsey takes a look at what Taras is up to and nods.

"Gotcha boss.  You have a Bishop and a Knight.  I got the pawn.  Andrews, Abbott, Tremblay you will be my ready element, I might kick you out anytime for a ground force., Hawke if you are comfortable driving I will handle the machine gun.  Tremblay, you will normally stay with the vehicle for air gaurd.  Snipers take the jeep, Taras plays heavy.  I Think everyone has good radios.  Andrews, Abbott, you got radios?  Let me see them and I will put them on my net."

In reply to Kelsey Sarah Champlain (msg # 794):

"Yeah. Got this one right here. It was issued back at DRI.", Abbot answered.  He pulled a radio out of it's pouch on his webgear, unplugged the earpiece, and handed it over to Kelsey.

In reply to Kelsey Sarah Champlain (msg # 794):

Hawke again says little, but nods at his orders and slips behind the wheel of the vehicle.  His face is calm, but *not* angry.  Just his "going to work" face.

Kelsey takes Abbot's radio and takes it to the HMMWV and programs it for her net and hands it back, as she passes Hawke she clamps him on the shoulder with her hand, adding no words.

"Ok, anyone got any question?"  She asks of the rest.