Paterson
Matchsticks and kindling floating downstream. Bodies too, if you look hard enough. Damn fools thought they were getting a big easy catch. I wonder what they thought that shape was on the bow before the tank fired. Between the cannon, mortars, and heavy machine guns they didn't have long to think much. Maybe I should ask?
I ordered Leo to bring three of the swimmers aboard. We finished the rest. They're talking now, trying to buy themselves time or a life. Won't help them any. Whatever they tell us, now that's a help.
"Kapitan."
"Yes, Leo?"
"We're done. They claim thirty boats. Twenty-four now." I can hear the pleasure in his voice at a job well done. "They're hazy on details. Two or three 82 mortars, 3 KPVs, and an AGS for heavy weapons. Some of the other boats have 60 mortars. The rest... small arms."
"And the big boat?" We know, from Captain Rataj, there's an old coastal patrol boat. It took down the Rzeka Ksiezna on his first attempt down river.
"Da, the Wislakrew, the flagship of Admiral Jerzy. She's a torpedo cutter. No torps, they say, but I know they mount 23mm cannons front and back. You can expect MGs down the sides for raking fire, but mostly cannons."
"Not much danger to the tank, but plenty for any shipping. The cutter has top priority in any engagement. Pass the word to Gunny to prioritize the 120 for it. The 82's can be tasked for the small fry."
"Da, Kapitan."
"Now, this admiral. Who dies and makes him god of the river?"
"Why, the lord of Warsaw, Baron Czarny. Kapitan Paterson, we're not dealing with pirates here. We're dealing with the warlord's handpicked men."
There's a name we've heard before. Back in Krakow, when we took Old Man Rataj's money, I went to a local arms manufacturer, Wojo, to get mortar shells. He had a screaming fit at us, thought we were Czarny's agent come again looking for chemicals. Blood and blister agents, something we've seen too much of and something Wojo wasn't going to fork over to some marauder king who'd just turn it against the city.
"Rataj's kin are in more danger than we thought. Get anything on the land forces?"
"Some, men in 'large numbers'. Trouble between Czarny and communities in the rubble. He wants control of them all. Some fall in. Other fight hard. Rubble favors the defender; no sight lines. no vehicle support, is hard to wriggle infantry out."
"The prisoners Leo, do we have everything we can get out of them?"
He gives it some thought, "Yes. Yes, we do. They eager to cooperate and buy life or freedom."
"Well, they haven't. Let's take care of them."
Leo and I head back, loosening the pistols in our holsters.
-----------------------------
Admiral Jerzy Waitrowski (two hours later)
Damn them, damn them all to rot in hell.
His scouts on the shore have spied the "big boat" his missing vessels engaged. It is true, they have a tank riding on the deck. Must make those fucks feel confident. Biggest gun on the river. Let them think that.
He looks out from the bridge at the patched deck below. The forward 23mm is long gone, victim to an engagement in the Baltic many years before, in its place crouches the long barrel of a 125mm Rapira-3 anti-tank gun. Yes, more than enough gun for a tank.
"Take us downstream pilot. We'll anchor in the Swider just before it opens into the Wistula. The bluffs will screen us from them until it is too late. We'll get the first shots in as they clear the headland."
Monday, February 27, 2012
Monday, February 20, 2012
042: Surface Contact
Kat, September 15th
Leonid's voice crackles over the radio, "Bow to Bridge, surface contact 1500 meters. One boat coming our way, moving fast. Over."
"Bridge to Bow, feed me details as you can. Over"
"Da."
"Karl, give me three short blasts from the horn." That's 'stand ready' for the crew. "And let the Captain know we've go another contact."
"Yes, Major."
Activity on the barge picks up. The men putting away cards and maintenance tasks with gratifying speed before taking position at their stations. In just a few moments we're cleared for action.
Gunny and Captain Rataj join me on the small bridge. First Mate Uller hands command off to the Captain and steps out the hatch, close enough to listen, but giving us some needed elbow room.
"We've got one boat incoming Captain. No further details yet. Gunny, keep an updated plot to the mortar battery. I'll talk if they will. If any surprises pop out you don't need my permission. Understood?"
"Understood, Major."
The boat, a largish cabin cruiser, has approached to about a kilometer. Leo radios back that he can't see any gun mounts. Tadeuz stands on our bow, signal flags waving back and forth, telling them to cut their engines.
Nine hundred meters out. Leo clambers up onto the tank turret. Eight hundred meters. Our tank elevates the barrel and rotates from side to side before settling back onto the boat. Seven hundred meters and their wake falls down. Several men come onto the deck. One waves something white.
"I'm going forward."
--------------------------------------
I hate the scared shitless look. We've pulled up along side the cruiser. Three men and a pair of women on deck. Grubby children's faces peering out from the cabin. Leo's telling them for the third time that we're not going to shoot them, maroon them, rape them or loot them. I think it is just beginning to get through.
One of their number, I'll call him Tom, begins gabbling rapidly back in Polish, just a bit too fast for me. Something, something, pirates, something, something more.. Got it. He gestures obscenely down stream.
"They're running from pirates, Kapitan."
"Can you tell him to slow down to five-year old speed."
"Nah, I'll handle the talk. It is my job."
Alphabit's brought up a feel good sack; root veggies, bread, a small bottle of Tadeuz's home brewed paint thinner. Leo hands it down. He's all open faced smiles and good cheer. Damn if I know how he turns it off and on like that. Captain Tom appropriates the bottle and a chunk of the bread. The rest gets passed into the cabin. They happy sounds.
Leo, "Six you say?"
Captain Tom, "Yes, two midsize houseboats. Four smaller ones. They got between us and home."
"Arms?"
"The big moats had MGs, at least one of the smalls had a mortar. They fired a warning shot."
"How come they didn't catch you?"
"Two of the smalls had sails. They're between us and home. They can follow at their own fucking pace."
"Not good my friend. So you're just running till your out of fuel?"
"Give us some space to think. Maybe hide up a tributary till they pass. At the very least, we could have grounded and taken what we could."
"They're a sorry lot Kapitan. What should I tell them?"
"Tell them to fall in behind the Wistula Krew. We're going to Warsaw. They can tag along."
Leo pats the tank and tells them in most colorful terms just how much we hate pirates.
Leonid's voice crackles over the radio, "Bow to Bridge, surface contact 1500 meters. One boat coming our way, moving fast. Over."
"Bridge to Bow, feed me details as you can. Over"
"Da."
"Karl, give me three short blasts from the horn." That's 'stand ready' for the crew. "And let the Captain know we've go another contact."
"Yes, Major."
Activity on the barge picks up. The men putting away cards and maintenance tasks with gratifying speed before taking position at their stations. In just a few moments we're cleared for action.
Gunny and Captain Rataj join me on the small bridge. First Mate Uller hands command off to the Captain and steps out the hatch, close enough to listen, but giving us some needed elbow room.
"We've got one boat incoming Captain. No further details yet. Gunny, keep an updated plot to the mortar battery. I'll talk if they will. If any surprises pop out you don't need my permission. Understood?"
"Understood, Major."
The boat, a largish cabin cruiser, has approached to about a kilometer. Leo radios back that he can't see any gun mounts. Tadeuz stands on our bow, signal flags waving back and forth, telling them to cut their engines.
Nine hundred meters out. Leo clambers up onto the tank turret. Eight hundred meters. Our tank elevates the barrel and rotates from side to side before settling back onto the boat. Seven hundred meters and their wake falls down. Several men come onto the deck. One waves something white.
"I'm going forward."
--------------------------------------
I hate the scared shitless look. We've pulled up along side the cruiser. Three men and a pair of women on deck. Grubby children's faces peering out from the cabin. Leo's telling them for the third time that we're not going to shoot them, maroon them, rape them or loot them. I think it is just beginning to get through.
One of their number, I'll call him Tom, begins gabbling rapidly back in Polish, just a bit too fast for me. Something, something, pirates, something, something more.. Got it. He gestures obscenely down stream.
"They're running from pirates, Kapitan."
"Can you tell him to slow down to five-year old speed."
"Nah, I'll handle the talk. It is my job."
Alphabit's brought up a feel good sack; root veggies, bread, a small bottle of Tadeuz's home brewed paint thinner. Leo hands it down. He's all open faced smiles and good cheer. Damn if I know how he turns it off and on like that. Captain Tom appropriates the bottle and a chunk of the bread. The rest gets passed into the cabin. They happy sounds.
Leo, "Six you say?"
Captain Tom, "Yes, two midsize houseboats. Four smaller ones. They got between us and home."
"Arms?"
"The big moats had MGs, at least one of the smalls had a mortar. They fired a warning shot."
"How come they didn't catch you?"
"Two of the smalls had sails. They're between us and home. They can follow at their own fucking pace."
"Not good my friend. So you're just running till your out of fuel?"
"Give us some space to think. Maybe hide up a tributary till they pass. At the very least, we could have grounded and taken what we could."
"They're a sorry lot Kapitan. What should I tell them?"
"Tell them to fall in behind the Wistula Krew. We're going to Warsaw. They can tag along."
Leo pats the tank and tells them in most colorful terms just how much we hate pirates.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
041: Downstream
Eddie's Journal
You remember that movie with the boat where they're going upriver to kill a man?
marginalia - maybe you don't. do they show movies again where you are?
"Never get off the boat!" they warned. Good advice that. Just head downstream. Drop a few lines in the water. Let your meal come to you. Don't mess with us and we'll return the favor. I swear, people are idiots.
sept 11th
Let's start with our first idiot. Mr. "I'm going to beat a civvie for waving at us". Leo and Taduez, he takes soundings and watches for snags, are on the bow as we come up to this little town on the southern bank. There's folk on the bank doing the fishing and cleaning routine. Some of them scamper off as we come into sight. Others are just standing, staring at us. Leo gives them a big wave as we pull past. One guy gives a tentative wave back. Just then, some soon to buy it moron comes out of the crowd and buttstrokes him right in the back. I'm open mouthed having a WTF moment when there is a crack from the bow. Leo had snatched up his SVD and took a 200 meter shot on the fly. Drilled that man right in the head.
Capt, nope, Major Paterson now, chewed him right up one side and down the other. We're not starting things.Leo just shrugs it off. "He won't hit anyone again."
mp = major (only one captain on this boat) paterson
MP's right though. Less than a half-klick down river it starts raining mortar shells. Someone wants their pound of flesh. We're getting wet from rounds dropping in the drink, but they can't hit us. Leo spots an OP, he says later, so he climbs up into the commander's seat of the T-72 and takes the gun. Puts two rounds of HE on the bluff, redecorating the landscape a bit, and the mortar fire falls off and behind.
We sail on.
sept 12th
Next day, we're passing a big town on the north bank with a bridge. Rataj tells us there's still a working drydock here if we need repairs in the future. Signalman on the shore waves flags at us. Orders us to stop and prepare for inspection. Leo points the big gun at them. They run and hide. A little "customs launch" leaves the dock area. We outweigh and outgun it by a factor of a billion or so. They decide to turn right around. The men they had on the bridge could have dropped grenades or rocks if they'd wanted to. Seems they had a sanity attack too. They left us alone, we did the same.
Pity the raiders at the next bridge didn't have the same response. We could see some guys shaking down a pair of wagons. Got big ideas when we sailed up. Let the civvies pull a runner as they preped for us. Morons dropped a couple Molotov Cocktails on us. No one got hit and we put out the minor fire easily. In exchange, we put a few tank shells into the bridge and sprayed the survivors as they ran. Darwin awards all around!
GD-it, Doc tells me they only count if they kill themselves. Suicide by tank does not count.
Later that day the river began to wind northwards and we came to yet another bridge. This one has some Polish soldier boys camped out on it. Doesn't look like more than a rifle or two among them. All except one grabs some ground. The hero of the moment, puts one foot up on the railing, shades his eyes and gives us the once over. Polite wave from Leo. Polite wave back. He hails us once we're in shouting range. Leo and him have a nice chat. Very reasonable man.
He tells us; "My superiors say I should tell you to pull over to the bank and make ready for inspection." We decline. "Oh, my superiors say I should check your vessal for contraband heavy weapons. Do you have any?" No, not us. "Good, my superiors say that I should check your papers. Do you have your papers?" Leo reaches into the tank and waves a clipboard at him. "Very good. Those are nice papers!" He recognized Tadeuz once they got close enough and inquired about Captain Rataj's health. Told him he was crazy, but wished him luck none the less. Told us to give the river scum an ass beating. Gave us some final advice as we pulled away. "My superiors, on the east bank, are worried about American marauders. I know Captain Rataj would not work with American marauders, but others, on the east bank, do not know him as well. I will tell them, when they ask, that I have seen no American marauders."
Tadeuz tells me the man used to work the barge trade before the war
Sept 13th
Passed the wreck of Rataj's first attempt to get to Warsaw. Ran into a houseboat going south. They bailed out onto the river bank after we turned the gun to cover them. Adults with children.
MP told me later she was that close, fingers held an inch apart, to telling Leo to kill it.
sept 14, 2000
Swamp land on either side now. Found a cabin cruiser, dead in the water. They'd been with a group, a floating city, outside of Warsaw. Things were too hot so they headed out one day for Krakow. They'd had engine trouble. MP and Leo pumped them for information while Iosef banged out a part in the tug's machineshop. Once underway, MP got us all together and laid out the new facts.
___________________________
"I'm going to lay out the situation as I understand it. Leo, let me know if I got something wrong, your Polish is much better than mine."
"Da, Kapitan"
"The boaters told us they were part of a much bigger riverine community based out of Praga, a district in Warsaw. The pirates forced them out of Warsaw proper and upstream. "
"The community has enough arms to make taking them a risky proposition for the pirates, but the individual boats have to leave the safety of the community to fish, trade and salvage. The pirates hit those boats every so often and take what they want. Some of them do a catch and release while others just kill everyone. Depends on the captain and how hard the boat people fight"
"Unfortunately, the boaters and the pirates know their own vessels and crews, so no one's flying helpful flags."
"Not that it would matter, Major. The pirates would false flag if the people of the river adopted a pennant."
"Correct, Captain Rataj. We'll need to exercise extreme care as we head closer. We want to be sure that we hit the right targets, not just any targets."
"We have one advantage Kapitan. The boat people mostly operate alone or in pairs. The pirates wolf pack."
"Thank you, Leo. I'd missed that. Our friends don't have exact numbers to share. However, they did say the biggest is the river patrol ship that scuttled Captain Rataj's first attempt. They claim there are another 4 boats, smaller than the Vistula Krew, with "big" guns and maybe twenty odd small boats, cabin cruisers and speedboats with a mix of machineguns and light mortars. Oh, and boarders, lots of cutthroat boarders."
"We know what to look for, groups of boats, five or more, packed to the gunwales with armed men. We'll work them with the tank and mortars. I trust they won't last to get into melee. If they do, that's what the RPGs and Machineguns are for."
"If we see a smaller group, or one without obvious armament, we'll approach and try to talk. Leo, pass on to Sgt Ormen that we'll keep the tank on them the whole time. If they try to charge he doesn't have to ask."
"Any questions?"
"Dismissed."
_________________________
"Captain Rataj, could I have a moment?"
"Yes, Major."
"There is more, but it wasn't anything my men needed to know to get their jobs done. The boaters didn't have any current information about communities inside Warsaw. They did recognize your brother-in-laws name though. He was a leader in the Sielce community before they were forced out. Does that name mean anything to you?"
"Yes.... Sielce is one of the Warsaw districts. On the south of the city and on the west bank. We wouldn't have to go that far in to reach it."
"Last they heard, this Baron Czarny was pressing the settlements hard. We'll get through the pirates, but extracting your family could be more akin to a hit & run than a 3-day stop over."
"I understand. tell us what to do. The crew and I will make it happen for you. Then we can all go home.
You remember that movie with the boat where they're going upriver to kill a man?
marginalia - maybe you don't. do they show movies again where you are?
"Never get off the boat!" they warned. Good advice that. Just head downstream. Drop a few lines in the water. Let your meal come to you. Don't mess with us and we'll return the favor. I swear, people are idiots.
sept 11th
Let's start with our first idiot. Mr. "I'm going to beat a civvie for waving at us". Leo and Taduez, he takes soundings and watches for snags, are on the bow as we come up to this little town on the southern bank. There's folk on the bank doing the fishing and cleaning routine. Some of them scamper off as we come into sight. Others are just standing, staring at us. Leo gives them a big wave as we pull past. One guy gives a tentative wave back. Just then, some soon to buy it moron comes out of the crowd and buttstrokes him right in the back. I'm open mouthed having a WTF moment when there is a crack from the bow. Leo had snatched up his SVD and took a 200 meter shot on the fly. Drilled that man right in the head.
Capt, nope, Major Paterson now, chewed him right up one side and down the other. We're not starting things.Leo just shrugs it off. "He won't hit anyone again."
mp = major (only one captain on this boat) paterson
MP's right though. Less than a half-klick down river it starts raining mortar shells. Someone wants their pound of flesh. We're getting wet from rounds dropping in the drink, but they can't hit us. Leo spots an OP, he says later, so he climbs up into the commander's seat of the T-72 and takes the gun. Puts two rounds of HE on the bluff, redecorating the landscape a bit, and the mortar fire falls off and behind.
We sail on.
sept 12th
Next day, we're passing a big town on the north bank with a bridge. Rataj tells us there's still a working drydock here if we need repairs in the future. Signalman on the shore waves flags at us. Orders us to stop and prepare for inspection. Leo points the big gun at them. They run and hide. A little "customs launch" leaves the dock area. We outweigh and outgun it by a factor of a billion or so. They decide to turn right around. The men they had on the bridge could have dropped grenades or rocks if they'd wanted to. Seems they had a sanity attack too. They left us alone, we did the same.
Pity the raiders at the next bridge didn't have the same response. We could see some guys shaking down a pair of wagons. Got big ideas when we sailed up. Let the civvies pull a runner as they preped for us. Morons dropped a couple Molotov Cocktails on us. No one got hit and we put out the minor fire easily. In exchange, we put a few tank shells into the bridge and sprayed the survivors as they ran. Darwin awards all around!
GD-it, Doc tells me they only count if they kill themselves. Suicide by tank does not count.
Later that day the river began to wind northwards and we came to yet another bridge. This one has some Polish soldier boys camped out on it. Doesn't look like more than a rifle or two among them. All except one grabs some ground. The hero of the moment, puts one foot up on the railing, shades his eyes and gives us the once over. Polite wave from Leo. Polite wave back. He hails us once we're in shouting range. Leo and him have a nice chat. Very reasonable man.
He tells us; "My superiors say I should tell you to pull over to the bank and make ready for inspection." We decline. "Oh, my superiors say I should check your vessal for contraband heavy weapons. Do you have any?" No, not us. "Good, my superiors say that I should check your papers. Do you have your papers?" Leo reaches into the tank and waves a clipboard at him. "Very good. Those are nice papers!" He recognized Tadeuz once they got close enough and inquired about Captain Rataj's health. Told him he was crazy, but wished him luck none the less. Told us to give the river scum an ass beating. Gave us some final advice as we pulled away. "My superiors, on the east bank, are worried about American marauders. I know Captain Rataj would not work with American marauders, but others, on the east bank, do not know him as well. I will tell them, when they ask, that I have seen no American marauders."
Tadeuz tells me the man used to work the barge trade before the war
Sept 13th
Passed the wreck of Rataj's first attempt to get to Warsaw. Ran into a houseboat going south. They bailed out onto the river bank after we turned the gun to cover them. Adults with children.
MP told me later she was that close, fingers held an inch apart, to telling Leo to kill it.
sept 14, 2000
Swamp land on either side now. Found a cabin cruiser, dead in the water. They'd been with a group, a floating city, outside of Warsaw. Things were too hot so they headed out one day for Krakow. They'd had engine trouble. MP and Leo pumped them for information while Iosef banged out a part in the tug's machineshop. Once underway, MP got us all together and laid out the new facts.
___________________________
"I'm going to lay out the situation as I understand it. Leo, let me know if I got something wrong, your Polish is much better than mine."
"Da, Kapitan"
"The boaters told us they were part of a much bigger riverine community based out of Praga, a district in Warsaw. The pirates forced them out of Warsaw proper and upstream. "
"The community has enough arms to make taking them a risky proposition for the pirates, but the individual boats have to leave the safety of the community to fish, trade and salvage. The pirates hit those boats every so often and take what they want. Some of them do a catch and release while others just kill everyone. Depends on the captain and how hard the boat people fight"
"Unfortunately, the boaters and the pirates know their own vessels and crews, so no one's flying helpful flags."
"Not that it would matter, Major. The pirates would false flag if the people of the river adopted a pennant."
"Correct, Captain Rataj. We'll need to exercise extreme care as we head closer. We want to be sure that we hit the right targets, not just any targets."
"We have one advantage Kapitan. The boat people mostly operate alone or in pairs. The pirates wolf pack."
"Thank you, Leo. I'd missed that. Our friends don't have exact numbers to share. However, they did say the biggest is the river patrol ship that scuttled Captain Rataj's first attempt. They claim there are another 4 boats, smaller than the Vistula Krew, with "big" guns and maybe twenty odd small boats, cabin cruisers and speedboats with a mix of machineguns and light mortars. Oh, and boarders, lots of cutthroat boarders."
"We know what to look for, groups of boats, five or more, packed to the gunwales with armed men. We'll work them with the tank and mortars. I trust they won't last to get into melee. If they do, that's what the RPGs and Machineguns are for."
"If we see a smaller group, or one without obvious armament, we'll approach and try to talk. Leo, pass on to Sgt Ormen that we'll keep the tank on them the whole time. If they try to charge he doesn't have to ask."
"Any questions?"
"Dismissed."
_________________________
"Captain Rataj, could I have a moment?"
"Yes, Major."
"There is more, but it wasn't anything my men needed to know to get their jobs done. The boaters didn't have any current information about communities inside Warsaw. They did recognize your brother-in-laws name though. He was a leader in the Sielce community before they were forced out. Does that name mean anything to you?"
"Yes.... Sielce is one of the Warsaw districts. On the south of the city and on the west bank. We wouldn't have to go that far in to reach it."
"Last they heard, this Baron Czarny was pressing the settlements hard. We'll get through the pirates, but extracting your family could be more akin to a hit & run than a 3-day stop over."
"I understand. tell us what to do. The crew and I will make it happen for you. Then we can all go home.
040: Bon Voyage
Captain Paterson, September 10th
Busy, busy days.
I've told the sergeants our plans. They've tell the men. And by God we've got this op is running.
My command swarmed over that barge; filling sandbags, creating fighting positions, and lining the inner hull. The engineers laid structural members taken from Nowy Hut across the forward deck and welded them into place so we'd have a place for our tank to park. Captain Rataj and his men laid in the last of the supplies we'd need for the trip. Three busy days and done.
We're a tiger out for a swim. Four mortars down in the belly of the barge, 3 MG positions on each side with a RPG in case of heavy trouble, and the T-72 weighing down the front end. The OT-64 parked toy-like beside it. On the tug we've got another 2 heavy machineguns and 2 mediums on the deck. Finally, the AT-4 anti-tank missile launcher on the roof of the bridge. Rataj and Iosef have their own surprises, I'm sure, just in case we're troublesome.
I hope they see us coming. Decide to run. If they don't, well I've lost any notion I had growing up of a fair fight.
September 11th
I've issued my last instructions. The compound is on its own until we get back. Gunny Walter's picked men are in command. I have every confidence in them. Together with Arun they've got the script reserves and a stash of gold for emergencies. If they need to leave, they've got the BMP and the second OT-64.
I've made it especailly clear, with Gunny's support, that they are to take any instructions from Stark with a ton of salt. We may be carting George, super cargo extrodinaire, down the river, but they aren't to follow his lead. Give that man my company and he'll try to take the whole city. No, rest, refit, and prepare for the winter, anything outside of that contra-indicated.
We're out of here.
Eddie's Journal, Spetember 11th
Left Krakow by foot in the pre-dawn hours. Slipped our mooring in Nowy Hut with the sunrise. No band, no fanfare. Old Miss River, here we come.
Authors Note
Time slips by. Sorry for the wait.
Busy, busy days.
I've told the sergeants our plans. They've tell the men. And by God we've got this op is running.
My command swarmed over that barge; filling sandbags, creating fighting positions, and lining the inner hull. The engineers laid structural members taken from Nowy Hut across the forward deck and welded them into place so we'd have a place for our tank to park. Captain Rataj and his men laid in the last of the supplies we'd need for the trip. Three busy days and done.
We're a tiger out for a swim. Four mortars down in the belly of the barge, 3 MG positions on each side with a RPG in case of heavy trouble, and the T-72 weighing down the front end. The OT-64 parked toy-like beside it. On the tug we've got another 2 heavy machineguns and 2 mediums on the deck. Finally, the AT-4 anti-tank missile launcher on the roof of the bridge. Rataj and Iosef have their own surprises, I'm sure, just in case we're troublesome.
I hope they see us coming. Decide to run. If they don't, well I've lost any notion I had growing up of a fair fight.
September 11th
I've issued my last instructions. The compound is on its own until we get back. Gunny Walter's picked men are in command. I have every confidence in them. Together with Arun they've got the script reserves and a stash of gold for emergencies. If they need to leave, they've got the BMP and the second OT-64.
I've made it especailly clear, with Gunny's support, that they are to take any instructions from Stark with a ton of salt. We may be carting George, super cargo extrodinaire, down the river, but they aren't to follow his lead. Give that man my company and he'll try to take the whole city. No, rest, refit, and prepare for the winter, anything outside of that contra-indicated.
We're out of here.
Eddie's Journal, Spetember 11th
Left Krakow by foot in the pre-dawn hours. Slipped our mooring in Nowy Hut with the sunrise. No band, no fanfare. Old Miss River, here we come.
Authors Note
Time slips by. Sorry for the wait.
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