Elliot continues to move in accordance with the plan.

In reply to Elliot Charles Pendergrass (msg # 368):

Elliot remembered stories told by the descendants of survivors that Seattle and the entire Puget Sound area had been hit by a devastating plague after the war. It was thought that this was a biological weapon strike. However the timing seemed a little off because it reached pandemic proportions weeks after there were a missiles or aircraft delivery systems available to deploy it. Just another mystery of the dark days of WWIII and after.

They came abreast of the sail. The sub was heeled over at 30 degrees to starboard but they could now see the distinctive hump making this an SSBN, a ballistic-missile carrying nuclear submarine. Ohio-class. None of the launch tube doors were open. There were few markings on the rust-streaked hull. (Through NVGs they couldn't tell what colour the hull was but probably black upper and red-painted lower.) They couldn't see the vessel's name anywhere; in port it would have a kind of name plate they would mount on the bow and they would paint the hull number on the sail. Neither would be present in this sub's last patrol, a combat patrol. The upper hull and concrete deck all around them was spattered with bird droppings.

Coming to the front of the hull, they stopped and consulted the locals. One of whom had apparently been here before, and found a way up into the camp, a kind of hatch. To their right was the end of the berth (now a pit) and the bow of the sub. They could see a large cargo crane at the starboard side of the hull. It was large enough to transport Trident II missiles from the massive storage racks in front of them to the missile hatches of the sub, traveling on rails that went all around the dockside area and between the towering missile storage racks. It was difficult to make out details, even with their IR flashlights and goggles. But it looked like two of the missile containers normally stored in the racks were gone. One had been removed from the racks, and then from the container, and was in pieces on the floor. One was missing, presumably this was the one in the camp.

Berthside near the bow a large barracks tent was set up. It was impossible to see inside. But just outside the door lay a crumpled figure. Details were difficult to make out due to the layer of dust but when they died they were dressed in BDUs and wearing MOPP gear, with gas mask, Kevlar helmet and vest. A rifle lay next to them.
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:53, Fri 27 May 2022.

Leaf consulted with the natives, who seemed a little spooked by the eerie silence.

"He says we need to go around the front of the War Whale. Then, I guess, climb the crane? There is another hole there. Not the one they used to get the missile out. You can reach it from the top of the crane. I have the mountain kit so we have ropes. Anyways that will lead us into the camp."

She pointed to the rusty cargo crane on the far side of the beached sub. It looked climbable. It looked like maybe there was a square hole above the crane? There was a bigger hole (from the collapsing ceiling) visible in that area, and this was how the Krell's mercenaries had gotten the one missile they had managed to recover, so far. But there was no easy way to climb up through this bigger hole as the salvagers had pulled up their winch cables for the night.

To get there they would need to go by the tent, around the bow of the sub.

"Touch nothing," Elliot advises, and urges them to move to the crane.

Lina followed along behind the group.  She saw the ancient corpses and crossed herself as they passed.

They made their way around on the dock heading for the other side of the sub. There was space between the barracks-like tent on their left and the bow of the vessel on the right. They could see another corpse in a camouflage MOPP suits on the far side of the tent by the racks.

Farther to their right past the large green dust-covered tent were racks and racks of large whitish cylinders. Presumably these held Trident Sub-Launched Ballistic Missiles ready to be reloaded into the submarine. They could now see that many more of these racks (in the back) were empty than it first seemed.

At the starboard bow, they could see the sub's deck now as it was heeled over to starboard. The personnel hatches were open but the missile hatches were closed. They could also see the rusted remains of a large dockside crane, parked around halfway down the slip on the starboard side of the ship, next to the wall. It had once moved on the rails that were all around them on the floor.

Tim called a stop and scanned the crane for anyone up top as a look out. He then tried to get his bearings and to look at the general direction that the bandits were suppose to have made camp.


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In reply to Tim Charles White (msg # 374):

While the bandits presumably had the run of the sub pen during the day, they apparently vacated it at night and returned to the camp above on the surface.

The crane seemed empty. Beside the top of the crane there was a crack in the ceiling where a massive slab of ferro-concrete had given way due to seismic effects, water damage and rust, etc. Twisted rebar hung down, some still holding chunks of concrete. Below this hole was a pile of shattered concrete and dirt.

Above this hole was the camp they were infiltrating. During the day they apparently lowered cables down to give access to crew working in the sub pen to recover or salvage the missiles. At night it looked like they pulled these up and covered the hole. Luckily they didn't seem to feel the need to place a sentry or guard in the sub pen itself at night.

Elliot follows Tim's lead.

They were soon beside the crane, under the hole. There was a partially-cleared pile of debris under the hole, and drag marks from where equipment the Krell and their forced labourers had dragged under the hole to be winched out. But that hole was not to be their entry point into the base. Right now the hole was also covered at the ground level by a tarpualin stretched across it to keep out snow and rain.

Instead, Leaf pointed at a rusty square hole in the wall near the top of the crane.

"Sea Otter's men say that is the secret entrance to the base. It's a ventilation shaft. It was plugged but they cleared it out. He says we need to use the crane to get up there, then get over to the hole. That will lead to a small shaft inside the base. The exit is camouflaged.

"We have the climbing kit, and that can be used to climb up the crane. One of the Braves can run up a line to assist in climbing?"

Their choice was to climb up the crane using the climbing kit and the assistance of the native. From there, try to get over the 2m gap separating the top of the crane from the vent shaft opening. Or else they could still just use the main ceiling hole, the one the Krell supposedly already used to winch up a Trident missile (in pieces). To get there they could use a grapnel shell fired from Elliot's 40mm grenade launcher to attach a line to the twisted rebar and concrete hanging down from the hole. But there would be a bang as the grapnel shell went off.

"We should take the advice of the people who've done this before," Elliot offers. "If they say climb the crane, that's what I would do."

"Agreed, we shouldn't go off the plan especially with the braves with the M21's covering us." Tim will go second behind Leaf if no one has any objections he would follow Leaf and watch as he crosses.



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In reply to Tim Charles White (msg # 379):

Capt'n Kim nods   in agreement

"Let's get started", Lina said in agreement.

In reply to Elliot Charles Pendergrass (msg # 378):

Two of the braves climbed up the crane, securing a safety line at the top. Then they carefully climbed over the gap to the square vent hole on the wall, rigging another line.

Once they were done they waited at the top for everyone to climb up and meet them. Then they would assist in crossing the gap to the hole in the wall.

PD's Note: everyone make a climb check. This check is Routine (so no bonus or penalty) but the safety line should help (give you a re-roll) if you fail.

Climbing up a rusting pre-war crane in full gear was not as easy as it seemed.

Tim and El made it up the crane with a bit of effort. When Lina climbed up she made it look easy! They all transferred to the old vent hole with the help of the safety line.

When he got to the top, Captain Kim felt some of the metal begin to give as some ancient rivets popped out and one of the welding seams began to give away with a squeal of tortured, ancient metal! He made a grab at the safety line as the brave at the top of the crane tower made a grab at him...\

Captain Kim felt his M23 carbine's sling catching one something and it started to be pulled off. He could either grab for it and then try to recover, or grab for the offered hand now and let it go (if it was going).

PD Note: Choice time! Carbine and risk a fall or injury, or assured safety?
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:39, Wed 06 July 2022.

In reply to Project Director (msg # 383):

Assured safety. His wife will kill him otherwise.

In reply to Captain Ly Cong Kim (msg # 384):

When the support gave away, Captain Kim fell backwards. But the sling on his carbine caught, taking his entire weight for a moment as he dangled over the concrete floor. Reaching for the outstretched hand he was able to swing back with the aid of the safety line. There was an echoing clanging sound as pieces of the crane bounced as they fell. But the crane did not collapse.

After several agonising seconds Ly regained control and stability, and the echoes died out. Thankfully sounds from inside the pit must be a regular occurrence because no one investigated the disturbance. Unfortunately, Ly discovered his carbine was now missing, probably somewhere in the debris and rubble around the base of the increasingly-unstable crane.

He could decide whether to go back down to get it or continue on. (As well, he could borrow one of the ancient M14 rifles the braves were carrying.)

As for everyone else, the ventilation shaft continued a ways horizontally (6m), then turned vertical for 4m. Leaf explained (quietly) that the braves had removed the old filtered ventilation fan unit and left a few centimeters of soil and roots. They shored it up top with some boards. Once the boards were taken down, and the mat of roots and soil was cut from underneath, they would have access to the inside of the camp.

With a bit of crawling they could reorganise themselves a bit. By the time they were ready, there was a half-hour to go.

---

Following are the 2 elements, with their general assignments. Map is posted to Game Map.

Group Alpha (Free prisoners, plant demo charge on missile/warhead):

Tim (Stoner Mk. 23 LMG, suppressed Para-Ordnance)
Mahalina (M16A1/M203, suppressed Walther PPK)
3x Warriors (M14s, Ka-Bar knives, tomahawks, bows/arrows)
2x Armbrusts

Group Bravo (destroying HQ tent, Krell tents, east guardposts and clearing north gate):

El (Suppressed MAC-10, HK69)
Kim (Stoner M23 Carbine, Suppressed Hi-Power)
Leaf (Bow/arrows, knife)
2x Warriors (M14s, Ka-Bar knives, tomahawks, bows/arrows, 2x Gas Mask)
Satchel with 10x M26 frag, 10x M9 CS, 3xAN/M14 Thermite.
Demo charge (8kg C4)

PD Note: These are the two elements assaulting the camp. You can re-organise how you see fit. Basically, let k

In reply to Project Director (msg # 385):

Capt'n Kim will retrieve the carbine later. It's not going anywhere. Pistol and M79 are good

In reply to Captain Ly Cong Kim (msg # 386):

The echoes dispersed in the large chamber. Surprisingly, no one lifted up the tarp covering the hole to have a look. The crash had been loud but maybe not that loud outside with the snow falling.

The assault team found itself in a narrow passage under the enemy camp. All they could do now was wait for zero-hour. There was a signal on the radio (retransmitted from the PRC-77 with the Zodiac). It was from the other outside team (the braves outside the camp) of three clicks, indicating they were in position.

PD Note: I assume Alpha team is exiting first, then Bravo team?

Elliot nods to the question. "Alpha, then Bravo."

Tim waited for the explosion from the freighter and then would lead his element up and out of the tunnel they were currently in. Taking out as many of the scavengers as possible was his main focus as they moved to free the prisoners first. He would hold his fire though until they had either been spotted or there was no other option.



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In reply to Tim Charles White (msg # 389):

They checked and determined from below the secret entrance to the camp had been dug out from below. There was a plank hatch made from boards, and on top of that a mat of rootlets that had been carefully cut away to allow it to hang down when the hatch was removed from below.

The time counted down to zero. They would have no way of hearing if the demo charge on the ship had exploded on time, other than via radio.

There was now a critical choice: go immediately on countdown, or wait until a confirmation signal was received.

"Do we go on countdown?" Elliot asks Tim.

"We wait I want to see if the explosion draws any of them off. At the very least they will hopefully be looking the other way."


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