Paterson, October 23rd, 2000
Two quiet days down the river. Ed lets himself into my cabin cum office. Locks the door behind him. I knew it was too good to last.
"Cap, I need to talk with you."
Sigh, "You're doing a good job of it."
"Yeah, look, I had the most interesting conversation with Uller this morning. You know I've spent a lot of time with Iosef on the trip back up. He's a good sort once you get past the fuck-off exterior. We got to talking shop and he decided he could trust me enough to show off the engines and the boiler. He's an unsung genius."
"Ed, Uller, please."
"Yeah, Uller. Well the first mate asked me up at the end of his shift. Was telling me how Captain Rataj was planning on leaving the river once we were gone and settle with his family in Warsaw. And how Iosef wasn't getting any younger either. He's offering me a spot on the new crew due to my mechanical competence and all."
Ed wound down looking uncomfortable at anywhere but me.
"You thinking of taking up the offer."
He runs his hands through his hair. "No, no, no. It was just the way Uller was talking. Not so much about how to increase trade and unite the river communities, though that was there, but how it was a dangerous time and he'd need strong men who were willing to do what it takes. I kept giving him encouraging noises. He thinks we won't find a landing to offload the tank and we'll need a tank crew, at least a gunner, and some rifles. You know, it reminded me of Rutkowski and Czarny."
He got me thinking. Karl would be sleeping right now. He stood watch from double-oh early into the morning hours. There was plenty of time to get things done.
"Ed, you can tell Karl next time you see him that you've been hearing Leo's having cold feet about leaving Poland. If he wants a hard man I'll give him one."
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Leonid, October 24th, 2000
The cold never goes away. Even with the early morning sun a hand above the horizon our breath steams up from the barge. We are making our own fog.
"Leonid, my friend, may I have a word."
Clock work. The little puke is off his watch and scuttling down the whole length of the barge to talk. Cockroach.
"First Mate Uller. For you, I have much time. What brings you to my station?"
"I'll be plain. Ed Cutter tells me you're having concerns about following the Americans home. Is this the truth?"
"Ed, as they say, runs his mouth. But yes, I am having 'second thoughts' as they say. What can a man with my accent expect? If I stray from the sides of my comrades," I mime aiming a rifle. "Bang, another dead commie."
"There are always options. Look at myself, a German in Poland, next in line for the command of the Korowla! You could go as far yourself."
"You have another ship in your pocket?"
"Close. Let us go inside and talk. I have given our situation much thought. There is a killing to be made on the river and I think you can help us do it."
"Us?"
"Edward, myself, a few others. They'll be enough, once the Captain retires, to run this river. It will be decades before Poland recovers. Those who control the trade will have more than enough power to live comfortably once it does."
"Clever. Yes, let us go and discuss this. Convince me we have a shot. Better than being shot by some Amerikanski yokel."
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Hours later I'm repeating the tale to both the Captains. Captain Rataj seems not to understand what's happening. Kat leaves it all on me
"In summary, he doesn't expect us to be able to offload the tank. It is the linchpin of his dream. With the T-80 riding on the bow the Krowola would be 'untouchable' by most river traffic and communities. He left the details deliberately vague. He was especially keen on Ed's knowledge of the boiler and my own understanding of Tadeuz's sounding tasks. He kept telling me Rataj and the others would retire, but I expect loyal crew would have been disappeared before Warsaw."
Kat turns her eyes to Rataj. "Captain, were you planning on leaving the Krowola?"
"No. I had discussed retiring, once, when my family was safe in Krakow. But with the situation as it is the Warsaw communities need the river traffic and trade. I planned to continue on. I had told him that." Rataj stumbles and mutters, "I told Karl that when we left the Krakow docks."
"Captain, this is your ship and man. What do you need us to do?"
Rataj sits, looking every one of his fifty plus years, as the silence grows. He takes his cap from his head. His hands absently mutilating it as he runs through scenarios in his head. Decision made he returns it to his crown.
"By rights I should have him up on charges and executed for inciting mutiny. Fortunately for Karl, he hauled me out of the wreckage of the Ksiezna this spring. We'll take him under arrest. I'll beach him in Warsaw and let all the boat people know what he planned. He'll never work this river again."
"More than he deserves, I think," Kat answers. "Do you have a place for him?"
"I'll have Iosef clear a storage closet below. We can chain the door. It'll only be two days. He can have a bucket. I'll fill it with water to start. He can do the rest."
"Do you want us to take him into custody."
"Yes. It would be the best."
"I'll do it," I tell Rataj. "He's expecting an answer from me today."
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Early evening, Karl should just be rising. I give Alphabit the ready sign. My new Stethkin pistol, a parting gift for myself, held low beside me as I knock on the cabin hatch. "Karl, we need to talk. It's important."
He fumbles with the hatch. "Leo, my friend, what is the problem." The steel squeals as it opens.
I straight arm him as soon as there's room. He stumbles back. Fool isn't even carrying a gun. A second strike backs him into the wall of his small cabin. I'm sure he can see the round at the bottom of my pistol as it fills his face.
"You, comrade, are the problem." Alphabit enters behind me. "Please cause a fuss. I'd like to spare the old man the pain of trying your worthless black ass."
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