DAY 16 – MAY 3rd 2000
LUBLINIEC, POLAND – MORNING
“This… complicates things”
Captain WALICH is crouched next to the trunk of a small tree with low hanging branches filled with dark red leaves, his knee touching the dark soil traversed by the roots.
He rolls a small pebble between his fingers while processing his thoughts. LED observes him from just a couple of feet away, a neutral expression on his face and his arms folded around the M4 carbine.
“Five men, correct?”
LED nods.
“Moving South?”
LED nods again “lightly armed, only two had their pack. Likely a hunting or foraging party” he briefly looks around “it didn’t seem they were looking for trouble”
Captain WALICH raises his eyes, intercepting LED’s “can you be sure of that?”
“No” answers calmly the lieutenant.
“I am trained not to expect certainties, yet I do not like it”
“There’s a lot not to like about reality, especially nowadays” LED shrugs imperceptibly “yet most of the times the worst plan is inaction”
Captain WALICH turns instinctively in the direction of the rocket base, completely masked by the vegetation from their position “I am here only to coordinate and support. My body has been judged unfit for action, but my mind is still sharp. This here… the plan was to get them all in the same place at the same time”
LED nods slowly “that’s your commander’s plan, right?”
“It is”
“Was it written in stone?”
NASCAR is prone on the ground, his elbows pressing down tufts of bright green grass as he scouts the enemy base with the binoculars through a shrub. On his side is ALEX, keeping a low profile, his figure slightly contorted as he tries to scratch his back.
NASCAR detaches his eyes from the lenses and darts them left and right “these spec ops guys have been in position for a while now, what are they waiting for? A welcome sign?”
ALEX resumes a more natural pose “it’s because of those five that left earlier, situation is evolving. And some teams are still getting in position”
“So what? Five left, big deal, let’s get the ones who stayed, then we’ll get the ones who left”
“You would attack, even if we don’t get all of them”
“Yeah, no s**t” says NASCAR “you start with the big guns, then pick off the infantry. It’s like hosing your rims: you gotta get the big chunks of mud first, then you do details”
“Assaulting this place would spook the group that left. They probably keep in contact via radio, and even if that was not the case, the assault you described would be loud enough to alert them”
NASCAR shrugs “so what if they get spooked?”
“They would scatter; we would lose them”
“You really think they are gonna be the only band of deserters roaming the countryside? It’s another drop in the ocean if you ask me”
ALEX slowly scans the rocket base with his gaze, then nods “I understand your point, I really do. But ultimately, we are here in support of the 1st SOC. They get the final decision”
NASCAR is back on his binoculars “right” he says with a slow oscillation of his head “unless LT has something to say about it” he turns looking behind their position “I’d like to know what they’re talkin’ about back there”
ALEX turns as well “I think the lieutenant is negotiating our role in what is to come”
“Yeah? What do you say? Are we gonna be like a bishop, or a little b***h pawn?”
ALEX curves his lips “knowing the lieutenant, I would say a knight, you know? With the odd move”
“Right, goes forward, but then steps to the side at the last moment” nods NASCAR “so, question is: to the side of what?”
“Honestly” ALEX breaths slowly “I think he’s trying to place us where we can capture the enemies, rather than kill them. He sees the value in getting information, and…”
NASCAR waits briefly “and what?” he then asks.
ALEX lowers his voice fractionally “I think he still has… respect for the sanctity of human life”
NASCAR turns “don’t think I don’t get it; I know that’s some deep s**t. Maybe it’s too deep for the present situation, but I get it. So what about you? You’d rather see them with their hands zip-tied or six feet under?”
“They invaded my country; that’s something you don’t forget. Yet I cannot help but think that after all that happened, all the destruction, the casualties, the suffering, I am here getting ready to shed some more blood. Hard to believe that the way out of this misery goes through more death”
“Careful man, you’re starting to sound a lot like DOC”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re starting to be right all the time”
LED gathers everyone at the edge of a small clearance, they form a circle and take a knee in the tall grass under the morning sun.
He scans the surrounding area while inhaling the smell of grass and dirt permeating the fresh morning air, then turns to his comrades “1st SOC will attack the base shortly, but we are leaving this particular bone to them”
“What about the BTR in there?” asks ALEX.
“BRANIECKI recognizes its value, as does captain WALICH” nods LED “they’ll try to avoid direct hits on it”
“What if they try to flee in it?” asks DONNA “you said they had it hooked up, so it looks like the engine’s still functional”
“I thought about it, but I think the 1st SOC will hit them hard enough that they won’t risk crossing the open area to get to it”
“Shock and awe” comments NASCAR.
“That’s the plan” confirms LED.
“So, while they do their thing here, do we just sit and watch?” asks DONNA.
“Not quite. Our part in the show is to track the group that left earlier”
“Those five?” asks NASCAR “do we really care that much about them LT?”
LED pauses, searching for the right words “we care about what they know”
“You mean what they may know”
“Correct” concedes LED.
“Hold on” interrupts DONNA “we get to track them and then what? Have a chat?”
“They idea is to capture them, then we get to ask questions” answers LED.
“We could use the Russian uniforms again” suggests ALEX.
LED shakes his head “nah, we don’t have the time and it’s not the right context. Two officers approaching your group of deserters out in the woods… I don’t think they would even bother digging two graves”
“So, if we instead surround them, point guns at them and ask them to surrender” ponders DONNA “we think they’ll be more friendly?”
“Plan is to give all of them a chance to lay down their weapons” says LED “and if they don’t, we thin their numbers, then ask again. We’ll work the specifics when we find them”
NASCAR shakes his head “LT, if we really have to track these guys down, we should just smoke ‘em, all five, and end it”
LED turns to him “we’re looking for intel here; what’s the difference between killing them all and letting them all go?”
“I’m not against that” answers NASCAR.
“I am” says LED “they are deserters: they were on the Russian side up until recently, they may even know codes to operate encrypted radios on that BTR, or just strength and status of enemy forces on the other side of the Warta. That would be reason enough to want them alive and able to talk”
LED pauses briefly “we’re short on time here, but know this: we’re trying to capture them, we’re giving them a chance to surrender, but I don’t want any of you to risk your life for it. We’ll try and be convincing, and everybody gets to live another day”
“And should they prove stubborn in their… refusal to see this shared benefit?” asks DONNA.
“Then we’re gonna shock ‘em” concludes NASCAR “but they won’t have the time to be awed”
FINAL COMMENTS
The deserters have made their move, thus forcing the players and their allies to press their schedule. The group has been tasked with dealing with a single group of enemies, which is moving away from the base.
Referee’s hat on: this approach allows me to have my players act with total independence, conducting an action which is lateral to the main assault, yet still within the broader picture of dealing with the deserters.
Preparing and roleplaying the full assault on the base would have been very time-consuming, and the prospect of my players only playing a small part in it didn’t make it worthwhile. I can now narrow down the action, focus on my group of PCs, and move at a faster pace.