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."

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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.