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.