4 miles south of Krakow July 19th 2000
Strike Zulu Troop F13C
Marching into Krakow from the south, the troop passes through neglected industrial and residential buildings. The same buildings that during the last war had been the citys ghetto. Buildings stand in various states of decay whether from neglect, fire, or damage from looting. They spend some time searching out a building to leave the MCCS and the doctors notes in, hiding them among the long decayed storage in the cellar. People can be seen throughout the abandoned buildings, picking through the wreckage trying to find something they can trade for food. Pestered by stray dogs and feral children along their route in to the city, they eventually come to a large concrete bridge across the Vistula river.
On the bridge they come to a road block manned by Polish troops. After some discussion they leave their weapons, apart for some concealable small arms with the Polish troops and are given a day pass. The pass will allow them to pass through any further checkpoints up to the town hall, where they can obtain another pass. They cross over the bridge and continue up the main road. The buildings on this side of the river, although neglected, are in a much better state of repair. Some of the buildings have been repaired and are occupied.
By late afternoon, after passing through another checkpoint, the troop finds itself in Krakows busy market square. The market is a mish mash of tents, stalls, plywood booths, and improvised shelters. There are people selling all manner of things, hand knitted socks, salvaged copper wiring, weapons, ammunition, live stock. There are tradesmen offering all manner of repairs and modifications to seemingly anything. There are food stalls selling hot food and warm beers. Pushing their way through the jostling crowds the troopers enter the old market hall which now serves as the town hall. It is late afternoon, an the town hall is cold and quiet. 3 bored guards stand around the hall, smoking and chatting. The equally bored clerk behind the desk takes the troopers names, occupations, qualifications, and reasons for visiting Krakow. They are all then issued a more permanent pass and a ticket for a meal. The meal tickets also double up as a currency. They make inquiries about viewing the register but are told to come back in the morning as the town hall is closing for the evening.
As the troop heads back out into the market, it is turning towards dusk and the market is beginning to wind down for the evening. They all get food and do a little shopping. It comes to their attention that they are being followed by a man. Approaching the man from different angles they confront him, finding out that he is following them to bargain for Doctor Czerwinski. The man doing the bargaining has a heavy russian accent. He motions for them to look up at the clock tower, wear the troopers see a man with a sniper rifle covering the market. the man gives them an adress on a slip of paper then leaves.
The troop search for other British soldiers, they find one running quite a large munitions stall. They ask him if he knows of any other British troops in the city, officers in particular. he says he will ask around for them and let them know in the morning. Several flatbed trucks arrive in the market and the stall holders start packing up their wares on to the trucks. People strart to leave the market square, most of them leaving the old town for the night.
Having nowhere to stay the troopers keep their eyes open for somewhere suitable. As they are leaving the old town they come across a neglected appartment block facing the gates. Deciding its as good a place as any other they move in and search the building from top to bottom. Finding the building empty they retire to the upper floor, leaving guards on the first floor and trapping the stairwell with tripwires and grenades.
at 02.00 they are awoken to the sounds of the grenades in the stairwell detonating and the screams of an injured man. The troopers on the top floor hear the sound of people dropping through gaps in the roof into the room next to theres. A fierce exchange of fire leaves the infiltrators dead, and Doctor Czerwinski critically wounded. As the sound of gunfire dies down and the troopers regroup on the top floor they hear the shouts of the soldiers guarding the gate across from their appartment building....
to be continued...