038: The Old Man & the River

Krakow, September 5th and 6th, 2000

"George, the helicopter is off the table.  Completely.  Stop bringing it up."

"Captian..."

"No, it won't work.  You're hanging most of our people out to dry and fucking over anyone else westward leaning in Krakow.  We're not doing it.  We've got other options, right."

"Two others."  He unfolds our map.  "One if by land and two if by sea."

--------------

"I had thought my family to be dead.  Lost when Warsaw was struck.  Last winter I receive a letter from a trader.  They write, escaped Warsaw after Pact troops broke the siege.  They live in a farming commune in, near, the city.  My children and grandchildren are well."

-------------

"Going by land would be the most direct.  Maybe even the safest to start.  By your account Filipowicz owes you a big favor.  That should get your command upriver and through his lands.  That would leave you, 200 kilometers to walk to friendly lines.  That's the easy part."

"Yes, the hard part is getting through the lines."

"No it isn't.  Cap, the men are safe here.  We need one vehicle to get there. I can lead us through the lines.  That's what I do."

"We're not leaving them here, Moonpie.  I'm taking them with me, just like I'm taking you."

"Then give me Leo and those guys from the insertion party.  Hell, Ed too.  We'll need a mech."

"Thank you, fuck no!"

"Ed, Moon, not happening.  George, it's an option.  Tell us about the river."

"Old Man Rataj, he has a boat and a mission."

-----------

"This spring I take the River Princess, one of my tugs downstream.  I have cargo; bicycles, mortars, other items.  I will bring back food for city; and my family.  We had sailed for 2 days before we were attacked by an small group of boats."

------------

"The Old Man has a boat and barge.  He tried to get the Rada to fund an expedition with ORMO or Warta guard.  They refused.  Nothing in Warsaw but rubble anyway.  He pressed them hard.  Made such an obnoxious pain of himself until they banned him from the building.  He's not welcome at the Wawel either.  Our information says he's been trying to hire mercenaries to make the trip.  You've got a company, hell, a tank too."

"Which gets him to Warsaw, how does that help us?"

"You get him to Warsaw.  He gets to be with his family.  Then you take the barge and follow the river all the way to the Baltic.  Last reports put the 50th Armored Division, 2nd Marine Division, and sundry other units, here.  That's less than 100 kilometers by land.  You can walk our item there.  They can use a fishing boat to sail it the rest of the way to friendly lines.  Or you could try to trade the tug for something seafaring and deliver it yourself."

------------

"Pirates in this day!  I had expected marauders on the shore.  Maybe paying bribes or trading to get under guarded bridges, but well organized pirates.  These I did not expect.  They herded the Princess into shallow water.  Dropped mortars on us.  If not for the fall of night they would have killed us.  By the grace of God, we escaped to the shore and returned to Krakow."

--------------

"And you think he won't have thought of just that happening.  What fail safes will he have in place?  Damn it, I don't even know if any of us knows how to sail a tug or run the engines!"

"Nearly 400 kilometers to Warsaw by the river.  You'd have plenty of time to learn."

"...."

--------------
--------------

"So, that Captain is my tale and why I need you.  I have one tug, Wisula Krowola, the Vistula Queen.  I have a cargo barge.  You have brave, skilled men.  Forgive me, soldiers.  Together we can break them, retrieve me family, and return here to safety.  I will provide you with food and medical care on the trip.  You will take payment upon our return in script, food, or other goods."

"Mr. Rataj,   I have, effectively, a reinforced company under arms, a tank, and several armored personnel carriers.  If we go, I intend to take them all."

"So, 300 men?  Good, you have many guns.  They will flee or die.  I care not which.  What do you say to one hundred script or goods per man."

"It is not the..."

"I have pre-war medicinies..."

"Mr. Rataj, I don't want the medicinies. 

"What do you want?  Gold?"

"My men and I are far from home.  I propose a trade.  We will guard you and yours to Warsaw and back.  In exchange, after your safe return, I want you to take us all the way down river to the Baltic.  Naturally, we will provide security on that trip as well."

"....."

"You'll be the man who reopened the Vistula."
 
"...No, captain, I agree to your offer.  This winter though will be as harsh as the last two have been..."

"If the weather prevents our passage this year, I would accept it in the spring.  I'm sure you have friends in the city.  They can tell you about our activities.  We're prepared to stay the season if we have to."

"Then we have a deal; security for passage this winter or spring."

"Mr. Rataj, I'll shake on that."


---------


"George is going to have a fucking fit when he hears you told him you wanted a ride all the way down."


"He'll be foaming when I tell him he took the deal."


"My Ma always said, 'Honesty's the best policy'"


"Get some rest.  I'll need the engineers and a security detail early tomorrow.  We need to head out to Nowy Hut and look the craft over."