September 24th, 2000
Under Sielce Stadium
We're making small talk while waiting for our good Russian friends to arrive; Major General Alexi Koronov and his adviser Captain John Stone. I've been worrying about this sort of thing ever since the POW raids. I'm more than willing to work with anyone on my side, but I'll be damned if my men are going to be used up by some higher ranking SOB. There's sounds of men coming down the hallway. Moment of truth.
I thought he'd be taller. Shouldn't be surprised, I've tried fitting down the turret hatch of the T-72, but damn he's short. Just the level to be staring at my tits... Lt. Zalesky makes the introductions.
The good general gives me a quick once over and locks eyes. He starts in Polish, "Captain Paterson, I am pleased, very pleased, to meet you. My liaisons have informed me of the work your men have already accomplished. As allies, I hope we may work together to secure this community and make the Black Ass pay."
"Thank you, sir, I have every intention of bleeding him white." Koronev laughs at the pun.
"I'm sure we will." He starts ever so slightly as his gaze shifts over my people. "Valdimirovich!" And he lapses into lighting fast Russian. Leonid returns his greeting. The two grasp hands and then go into the bear hugs and cheek smooching.
Lt Zalesky clears his throat to catch my attention. "This comrade Captain is captain Jon Stone, our adviser from the American government." He gives special stress to adviser and government.
"Captain," coolly as I give him my hand. "Captain Katriona Paterson, 5th Infantry Division, commanding." Rather assumptive on my part, they can court martial my ass later.
"I understood the 5th had been destroyed, Captain."
"Scattered, not destroyed. I've been busy picking up the pieces."
"So you're still following the chain of command back to Milgov."
"Captain Stone, the chain gives all something to hold onto in these desperate times." The things I can make my mouth say. "Our last orders placed us on our own. Until I can return to friendly lines this command is operating independently."
Stone has an insincere smile. "I can see the meeting is about to start. We have much to talk about. Perhaps you can spare some time afterwards."
"I'm sure I can."
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Headman Filip still looks grim, maybe it's the lamp light, maybe it is just him. We use polish as our lingua franca, thank you Leo and Jana for the drilling. "Thank you for coming. I hope we'll all be able to work together well for for the common good. I have new information from our patrols and brave informants. First, they found the man responsible for sabotaging the gun. He and his family were executed for their treason. He was one of the guards on the gun the night of the explosion. Czarny extracted a full confession."
Eddie can't resist, "Leo, you're looking good for a dead man."
Filip resumes after the laughter dies down. "How would you say it, 'intended for domestic consumption'. I doubt Czarny believes it."
He pauses for comments so I provide. "It wouldn't be the first time a charismatic head case believed his own propaganda."
"True, Captain, but they have stepped up security."
"Headman, do you have anything on the composition of the security?" asks Leo.
"I don't have any reports of 'composition' changes." Filip replies tentatively.
"I ask, Headman, because they had a mix of regulars and 'free company' types, marauding bastards, providing external security. As I noted in my debrief, they spent as much time watching each other as they did on their job. More of the same is going to make them less effective, not more."
Koronov smiles, "So Leonya, their quantity has no quality, da?"
"Yes, Sir. We can use that."
Filip call us back to his briefing before we can further digress. "we may have to friends. A convoy bearing the shells arrived on the 22nd. Plans were already in place to launch an attack by the 30th. No longer."
He lets himself smile and take a sip of water. "The gun was the keystone of their plan. Colonel Czarny has had to make some strenuous efforts to hold his coalition together. Those fucks know the price we would exact from them. They aren't so eager now."
"Still, he has the shells. I don't know what he intends to do with them and neither does he. He's called a meeting of the heads of his companies and their specialists for the afternoon of the 26th. At the 'palace'. I wouldn't like for them to discover a use for them. What are our options?"
Koronov gives a suitable space of time to see if anyone else will start. "Captain Paterson, I've been told you have many mortar tubes on board your vessel as well as a tank. Can you get line of sight for direct fire?"
"The Wisula Krowola is Captain Rataj's vessel, not mine. However, from the riverfront, we can see the very top of the building. I have a very accurate distance measurement, but no LOS on the inhabited portions."
"And, Captain Rataj, how are the wave conditions?"
"General, we're anchored in the Turning Basin. The moorage is well insulated from the river currents. There are no waves."
"With a stable surface and accurate distance. Laser accurate, yes? We can plot good fire missions. We'll need to infiltrate a forward observer. The commanders will trickle in, but after the meeting, they should all leave together. That is when we hit them." He looks at all of us. "Time to pick it apart."
They roll it around, each man getting a word in, but they're missing the obvious flaw. As discussion starts to wind down I throw my hat in the ring.
"We're picking at details here. While the plan is solid and low risk, we're missing two factors." Koronov smiles like I'm the prize student. "One, they'll have already made a plan for the attack with the shells. Two, the bastard carrying out the plan will be still inside a building that weathered a nuke. We'll delay them and damage the 'free companies' resolve as they shake out a new command structure, but it won't stop them."
"Do you have another option Captain?"
"I do. The men believe the gun was an inside job, a betrayal. As Leo pointed out, their security is hamstrung by a lack of coordination and trust. This exacerbates it. What will happen if we start shelling the courtyard and the building frontage?"
"The good men will go to ground immediately and ride it out. The unsteady ones will panic, run for cover."
"And the best cover is the palace."
"Da."
"And that's when a small assault team inserts through the back of the place, riding in with the runners."
Koronov laughs and says something to Leo.
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It took some more jawing and three other half-assed proposals before they settled on mine. We'll be small; 8 men. My plan, I'm going. Leo for the previous experience. George has shown me he's damn quiet and a good shot. Gunny Walters to carry the man-pack and call fire as needed. Andrejz because I couldn't talk him out of it. Two more rubble specialists picked by him. Finally, Doc Miller. I know it's stupid to bring your only physician on what might be a suicide raid, but we'll need more than a slap dressing if someone gets hit and we're miles from help. Besdies she is freakishly fast and doesn't know when to quit.
Our Russian friends are seconding an FO and translator to us. They'll be in position to implement Koronov's plan if we fail.
They also offered to inspect the tank after they learned of the motor damage. Doubt it will help, but Leo keeps pointing out they are the experts. 10th Guards Tank.
Meeting adjourned, we've got to run.
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Except not.
"Captain Stone, you've got ten minutes. Make'em good ones."
"Kat, may I ca..."
"Captain Paterson, please."
"I'm sorry. Captain Paterson, how familiar are you with the conditions back home and the rift in the government."
"I'm a mining engineer by trade. I got picked up by a Marine unit outside Norfolk where I assisted with disaster relief. When they were redeployed I was offered the "opportunity" to sign-up with them. As it seemed everyone hale was being vacuumed up for service, and I'd established a good working relationship, I took the offer. I got shipped to Europe where I've been serving ever since. If there was a rift, then I slept through the briefing."
"Thank you, Captain. I'm not surprised you're ignorant of the situation. The Congress reconstituted itself in Omaha last year. Senator John Broward was elected to the Presidency by the House of Representatives in accordance with their constitutional authority. General Cummings, head of the Joint Chiefs, refused to recognize the validity of his election. He's continued to exorcise martial law in CONUS and refused to step down as directed by the President."
"Are we killing each other yet."
"Not that I am aware of. Although several divisions in the US and on the Yugoslavian front have declared for the civilian government. Captain, are you going to stand for the usurpation of the United States by a military junta?"
"Captain, that's a question for me to answer when I know you're not snowing me. We may talk again when I get back. Good Day."
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Turning Basin, on the barge
I'm sitting at the table in the small mess. Leo standing at my right side. Eddie is batman outside the door. He knocks.
"Enter. George, good to see you. Leo has a request."
"Da, comrade George. We're going on raid again. No need to blend in. I want your MP5SD. You give it to me." He's laying on the accent thick.
He looks to me as I nod then hands off the weapon and ammo. Leo sets his AKR on the table and takes the MP5. "Love German engineering, so smooth." Settle the sling, insert mag, and racks the action.
"George," I say, "When were you and Stark going to tell me about the second Civil War?"
He looks from me to Leo, holding a live weapon, "May I have a seat?"
"No, George, you may not have a seat. You may provide an answer."
A helpless shrug. "I thought you knew, Captain."
"I didn't know, full stop. Now, give it all to me."
It's largely Stone's tale about a reconstituted Congress. It has the details Stone accidentally, on purpose, left out. Shootings between congressmen over who got to sit a seat, reps who'd never seen the district they claimed, and strongmen appointing themselves. President Broward, governor of Arkansas, had used his power to appoint himself senator and then climbed into the Presidency. General Cummings had refused to accept the legitimacy of the Congress until such time as a census could be undertaken, districts reapportioned, and a democratic election held. Fucking mess.
"I am very disappointed to be told this way. Very disappointed."
"I am sorry as well. I thought you knew."
"Now, tell me where you've hid the research notes on the box."
"I..."
"No, there has been plenty of time to copy them. You'd send one of them downstream with the box in case circumstances permitted them to get to friendly lines. I want them."
"I can honestly say that I have not hidden the notes anywhere."
"Fuck, George, stop playing word games."
"Habit." He pulls his sling bag over his head and puts it on the table. "In there. Do you want my sidearm too?"
"George, I've always been straight with you. I need to know where you're standing."
"This thing has to get home, regardless of which side has it. If it can be replicated, then damn near free electricity will do much to jump start America's recovery. The Colonel's been mission oriented. He wants it out and headed west ASAP, hang the consequences, or the risks. You've been thinking long term. I think you'll get it home without burning all the bridges. But mostly, I'm standing wherever I need to be to get the damn thing done."
"No, George, keep it. Have a seat. We've got an ops plan."
After he sits, I give him all the details of the run. And that he's been tapped to come.
"I had you picked before my little talk with Captain Stone. I still want you. You in?"
"I'll need my gun back."
Leo, "No, you got spare."
"Ah, no, the second MP5SD went back into stores. In Krakow."
"No, mine now. Familiarize self with AKR. I help."
"Captain?"
"Go familiarize yourself with the AKR.
"...."
"Part of the cost of secrets. It's a small one."
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