The sun breaks through the clouds as the last of the storm passes in the early morning. In the light it is easier to assess the situation; the ship itself is undamaged, but there is nothing but empty sea in all directions. Additionally, there are no contrails or other signs of air traffic, and the radio and GPS remain silent.
Gathering everyone on deck for a somber breakfast meeting, the skipper addresses the group. "As all of you are aware, a strage event happened last night. Whatever that glowing dome was, since it passed we have been unable to pick up any signals except a brief distress call from a Moroccan ship. Because of the situation, I felt that the safest course of action was for us to remain in place until morning. Now that the storm has passed, we must attempt to locate that vessel, or any other sign of civilization. There is a chance that we could run into some hostilities. We have no idea what the wider situation in the world is, or what other ships are in the area. Even the Moroccan ship could be other than what it claims. So, I must ask that everyone who does not wish to put themselves at risk stay below decks. For those of you who stay above, be aware that you may be called on to protect the ship. To prevent any accidents, I am placing Igal in charge of ship security for the time being. While I am in command, if we do end up exchanging small arms fire do what Igal says."
"Now, before I set course for the last know position of the Moroccan ship, are there any questions?" Well, said Igal, I sincerely hope we wouldn't need to repeal armed boarders, but if they wouldn't be armed - a nice show of our arms may convince them not to try their luck
Our radar ought to warn us, but I'd like to ask for an additional lookout, just in case
If we'll meet any manned vessel, as captain said, you'd be asked to stay below the desk. When the captain decides you're are needed on the deck, you will be ordered "Now hear this : All Hands to General Quarters" and you're going to man your battle stations on the double."
Let's distribute those battle station from bow to stern and practice a little : you'll be amazed how many thing can go wrong in any maneuver
We'll practice execution of such command as "Load !", "Take your aim !", "Volley fire!" and very important order "Drop down!"
Demetrios shrugged and smiled. "Now can't let the reputation of us reservists in particular and the Greece in general suffer by shirking away from this, can we? I'm in. That said two things. HN is operating a bunch of Osprey 55s too so I tend to believe I should be able to recognize the Morrocan boat if she is what it said she was. Second unless there are more Barret's along that little cannon of Peter is the post potent weapon we have in case there is actually a firefight. Since Peter won't be using it himself anyone who used one before ? "
Johannes nodded : I'm
Well, thought Igal, at least the Austrian isn't trigger happy and said aloud : "So it's yours"
Demetrios was since the morning in desert BDU trousers and matching t-shirt, "the hunting gear for convinience shake, and cause of the pockets" but have left the shirt away. Quietly, hands in pockets, he heard Igal describing his plan in case things went awry. Raising his eyebrows.
"Let me get this straight. Everyone keeps belowdecks. In case the captain decides we have a fighting in our hands THEN everyone rushes through the hatches and to his battlestation and post reaching it waits there for further orders. Without any cover fire of course. Shall we call it oh half a minute between the order going out and the stations being manned?
Well sorry to say but in the meantime everyone got killed by enemy fire while running for his station at worse and got pined down at best. If they are going to open up, we'll assume that we don't open up unless attacked, there is no reason to expect them to kindly take up positions and then open up. Short of counterproductive if I may say so myself."
"Well sorry to say but in the meantime everyone got killed by enemy fire while running for his station at worse and got pined down at best. If they are going to open up, we'll assume that we don't open up unless attacked, there is no reason to expect them to kindly take up positions and then open up. Short of counterproductive if I may say so myself."
Johannes added .. "If there is a spare gun around i can handle one .. so where do you want me .. ?"
'Wouldn't having us on deck with weapons possibly discourage them from attacking us? I think we should remember that just because they speak Arabic doesn't mean they are going to attack us either.' asked Sophia
Peter raises his hand to get attention. "So am I above decks as part of the negotiating team or below decks as part of the short range reaction force?"
Morton says, "Lets keep everyone who might be engaged in combat above decks from the start. The extra eyes can help, and I don't want people who haven't gone through ship drills blocking the hallway and hatches as they try to get on deck. We have a number of experienced hunters here, so I plan to keep as far from the ship as possible until we know it's safe -- their rifles should allow us to persuade the Moroccans not to follow us if it comes to that. Peter, I want you to stay with me. Once there's someone to negotiate with we'll see what's what."
Igal mentally smirked : I hope stting on the deck for hours will serve them right
Peter smiles and gives a half bow. "As you command my captain. I will presume there will be a direct order when I am to speak to them"
'Wouldn't having us on deck with weapons possibly discourage them from attacking us? I think we should remember that just because they speak Arabic doesn't mean they are going to attack us either.' asked Sophia ~10:30am, August 12 ???
The Oberon made its way toward the last know location of the Moroccan ship over the course of the next two hours. With the storm gone, the ship was soon able to pick up a signal on its radar. Once in visual range, those with binoculars were able to see a ship close to 60 meters long, listing slightly and drifting. There appears to be no activity on board. There appears to be signs of fire damage, however.
Captain Morton brings the Oberon to a stop about 200 meters from the drifting vessel. "Well, it looks like we found the source of that distress call. But no one seems to be home. We should investigate, but I don't want to bring the ship in too close. Igal, how would you feel about taking Bob, Demetrios and Peter over on the zodiac to investigate?"
"Aye-aye, Cap - Igal says
Peter shrugs. "I will follow orders but I'm a negotiator. Wouldn't someone with more knowledge of ships be of more use assessing the damages?"
"I know, Peter. But we can't be sure the ship is acutally empty. With that damage there could be wounded below decks, or it's possible they've detected us first. If the ship is safe I'll send over Julia to assess the damage to the engines. I don't like the way its listing, however."
Anyway to summarize things. We go in, check ship over. If no hostiles and no immediate danger of sinking we call you back and bring Julia along to see whether the boat can be salvaged. If we find any wounded change this to Julia and the doctor. If ship can't be salvaged with our means pull the nasty stuff and papers out to deliver to Spanish or Morrocans as the case may be and get the hell out." Baur adds "just think of other stuff besides weapons falling into this rather broad category .. medical supplies, como goear or tools for instance ... of course - should you happen to stumbe across an steyr AUG plusammo, i will not be cross .. "
"Anything time might allow. After all that boat IS listing to one side. And we'd have to check the area for any rafts or boats with survivors too so can't spend all time on it...
Igal says : Tell you what. Why not send Johannes along with Julia captain? One more pair of hands won't help and he's a mechanical engineer. Or perhaps come with our boat even. can certainly take a 5th person and unless the Austrian army got sloppier as of late he should be able to hand him well enough...not to be a problem" @@"Sure thing, If Johannes is willing he can go along with you Peter nods. "As you command it. May I leave my shotgun with someone on deck and have two minutes to fetch my pistol? In a small zodiac I am less danger to the rest of the party with a weapon I can keep in a shoulder holster. If we run into anyone may I suggest beginnings discussion with 'amis de Groupe Kader'?"[1]
Morton raises his eyebrow. Why'd he bring a pistol on a hunting trip? Aloud he said, "Sure thing Peter. A pistol is better for this sort of thing anyway. If there is someone on board we don't want them to think we're pirates."
Peter smiles and walks off noting to himself that no one asked him to explain what Groupe Kadar was. No silly virgins here apparantly. Good.
Demetrios says : "All right. Now if you'll allow me a moment. If we go to military company better turn this back from hunting gear to uniform."
There were a few small velcro patches on various parts of the BDU shirt. Quietly Demetrios opened a breast pocket, pulled out a number of other patches and start reapplying them in their proper places. First came a single star and some short of branch insignia on the collar. Then name above the breast pocket and unit insignia, including something writing ELDYK[2] in the shoulder patches. And last a small patch with an eagle carrying a rifle in its talons again above a breast pocket. The last to anyone somewhat aware on what the, for lack of a better term heraldry symbols of the military meant might find it somewhat odd for Demetrios to have on his uniform...
Peter shoots Demetrios a look but does not use words to ask the obvious questions.
Demetrios smiles. "Well I do tend to believe I changed from hunting gear to army uniform all of two minutes ago. If it helps any.
Demetrios kept smiling and wistling went into the boat saying nothing.
"And there is such a thing as operational security pal. Mentioning the dear descendants of the green cadres and associated thugs[2] to see who reacts are we?" he thought to himself.
Igal says : I dare say the ship is abandoned - if I were a sailor on a drifting ship I'd be interested to attract a little attention And if this ship isn't abandoned we shouldn't be afraid of any irregularities : the Moroccan Navy is quite respectable organization"
Imagine, if we will be able to bring this fish into a port - we're going to receive very nice sum of salvage money.
Isn't it so, Peter ?
Demetrios was giving a careful look at his FAL while he moved for the Zodiac
"Unless someone else got there first Igal. In which case everything is up. We'll know is short order. But that ship is worth something in the order of 50 million euros if I remember correctly. Enough said. Now lets go."
"radio check .. do you read? over "
-----
Once the small taskforce is ready, the zodiac pulls away from the Oberon. The journey over to the derelict is tense, but there are no signs of any action on the ship. As the boat draws closer it looks as if part of the ship is actually melted, as if some emense power had been focused in a relatively small area. The party pulls along side and boards the vessel, two things are noticed immediately. First, the machine guns appear to be missing from their mountings, and second there's a tarp streched over part of the deck with some lumpy objects underneith, between 5 and six feet long.
"How very interesting. Parts half melted"
No sign of life was in the deck. Demetrios pulled the tarp away to see what was underneath.
Underneath the tarp are 7 bodies, in Moroccan naval uniforms. Four of the bodies are severely burned, almost unrecongizable. The other three have multiple gunshot wounds, most likely from an assualt weapon.
Demetrios kept his face set. "The first 4 can be explained by the same thing that got the metal melted. The other 3 is more troubling. I suppose someone in the crew could had panicked and start shooting. Could just as easy think of more...troubling explanations as well. Though if someone had stormed the ship they wouldn't had bothered with pulling the bodies of the crew together and covering them with a tarpaulin. So either they were shooting each other or they got into a scrap with someone else before the event got them.
Bob see if there are any expended cartridges in the guns will you? We report back to the Oberon and then some of us go belowdecks."
Then he leaned over the uniforms to see for officer insignia while talking in the radio back to Oberon...
It looks like one of the shot men is a Lieutentant, or the Moroccan version thereof. The rest all appear to be enlisted. After a few minutes, Bob comes back with a handful of spent cartridges. "Looks like 5.56mm NATO rounds to me. What caliber does Morocco use? And who laid these men out like this, and more importantly where are they now?"
Igal says : If I remeber correct the lecture about Moroccan army, they use M-16
Peter starts searching the bodies looking for ID documents of any sort. They have dog tags, which have been clipped (or however the Moroccan versions work). Several of them have wallets, with Moroccan military IDs and Moroccan drivers liscences and some Moroccan money.
Peter gathers up the papers thinking that perhaps their Israeli can read military Arabic - most militaries teach such basic terms as ranks and services.
Peter hands his pile of documents to Igal and asks if he sees what would seem proper for a small patrol craft far away from their national territory but near that of a larger adjacent power. They seem normal to me, Peter , what you'd expect ? Peter sighs. "Financial police / customs are different people than Navy. Mixed services on the same ship might mean black ops or something private and off the books. Too many high rankers or papers that don't match the uniforms are also interesting data points no?"
I'm not a Navy sailor, but it seems they are what they look
Johannse makes photos photos photos ...
"whine beep, whine beep, whine beep"
Demetrios says : This makes 7 out of a nominal crew of 16 for this class. Out of 31 if the ship was carrying passengers too. This means up to 24 unaccounted for. Including what was probably no2 or skipper of this boat. I short of doubt the Morrocans have Lt Commanders running patrol boats.
Igal says : Well time to see what goes on inside. Johannes you'll be covering the door when we enter, and relay to the ship if the radios don't work well from inside. Peter you'll be coming with us to help with papers. Bob point and me and Demetrios cover you."
Demetrios pushes the door open with the stock of his rifle... the door flew open
Peter nudges the others, "You are the military people but this reeks of ambush. Suggest we let me yell out the Kader contact and see if it does anything. I have another I can use that means both more and less depending on who these fine people really are."
[1]In 1941, over 100,000 Bosnian Muslim conscripts were available to fight in the military formations of the Third Reich. Bosnian Muslim soldiers were in the Ustasha death squads, the Domobranci (Home Guards), and the Croatian Army. Bosnian Muslim soldiers were also in the Nazi-Ustasha German-Croatian "Legion" units, such as the 369th, 373rd, andÝ392nd Infantry Divisions. ....
The Bosnian Muslims formed purely Muslim formations as well, the most important of which was the Muslim Volunteer Legion, led by Mohammed Hadzieffendic. Other Muslim formations were the Zeleni Kadar (Green Cadres), Nazi formations created by deserters from the Home Guards (Domobranci), led by Neshad Topcic, the Muslim nationalist group, the Young Muslims (Mladi Muslimani), Huska Miljkovicâs Muslim Army, and the Gorazde-Foca milicijas (policing units).