“Or is it Admiral Karpov now?” said Volsky. “That man sees no limits. In his present position he can still do a great deal of harm.”
“Did you see Troyak’s full report sir? He noted that there were several airships present when they arrived; some belonging to the Orenburg Federation. I find it curious that they would be that deep inside Free Siberian territory. Troyak says there was a battle underway, both on the ground and between those airships. Yet we only just learned of the Omsk accord. What was that about?”
“Apparently that accord was not entirely successful.”
“Yes sir. Fighting has broken out between the Siberians and Orenburg again. A major offensive is underway.”
“It is very likely that Karpov and Volkov met at that meeting in Omsk,” said Volsky.
That gave Fedorov a start. “If they did meet,” he began, “do you think they would have recognized one another?”
“Who knows?” said Volsky. “Volkov was a young man when they first met aboard Kirov. He would be a man of my age now, ready for the pasture.”
“Don’t underrate yourself.” Fedorov said quietly. “You have many years of service left. But this is what I was worried about when I hatched that scheme to send Troyak off to Ilanskiy. If Karpov did realize Volkov was the same man he met on Kirov, then the next question he would ask would be a very dangerous one. He would want to know how Volkov came to be here, and that could lead him to discover it had something to do with Ilanskiy. That was, after all, where Volkov would have first appeared if he went back to 1908 as I did.”
“True,” said Volsky, “but haven’t we already solved that problem? You were just telling me Troyak was successful.”
“Yes, but I find it very suspicious that there was a battle underway at Ilanskiy. It leads me to conclude that both sides must know there is something significant about that place.”
“Well now that that stairway has been destroyed, you can rest easier, Fedorov.”
“I wish I could, sir. I was certain that something would happen if Troyak succeeded in destroying those stairs, but… nothing happened at all! I thought it would have prevented Volkov from finding them in 2021, and therefore prevented the rise of the Orenburg Federation. In fact, I was deathly afraid that we would be swept up in the whirlwind of change Troyak’s demolition would cause, but… here we still are. So I can only assume the stairway must have been rebuilt sometime before I first found it in 1941, and that prospect still has me very worried. For the time being, we have eliminated the grave and serious threat that someone could pass through that time rift to alter the past again, and by so doing compromise our own status and fate here in this time. Yet we must keep a close watch on this situation. The problem is not resolved.”
“Do you expect me to send Troyak in a blimp every other month to have a look?”
“No sir, that would be impractical, and dangerous. But this battle at Ilanskiy has dark implications. I think it means Volkov and Karpov both know about that stairway.”
“They had no great love for one another when they first met in 2021, so it does not surprise me that any agreement they may have reached at Omsk has fallen apart. Now they will tussle over Ilanskiy like a pair of dogs quarreling over a bone.” Volsky smiled as he continued.
“That accord, as you call it, would have been very bad news for Sergei Kirov. It would mean Orenburg could have transferred all the forces it now has deployed against Siberia to the Volga front. One side or another must have gone back on their word. Perhaps it was Karpov, which would fit his character well. If so, he has done us a great favor. You were telling Admiral Tovey about the possible German attack on Russia in 1941, and we both know the Soviet Union’s chances of surviving that are not good without the support of both Orenburg and Siberia.”
“Agreed.” Fedorov shrugged, seeming very disconsolate.
“You are looking as pale as Admiral Tovey,” said Volsky.
“I suppose I am, sir. Your remarks to him about the problem we face come July next year still weigh heavily in the equation. Yes, our candle is burning here. We are the light that shines twice as bright in this era, yet we both know the other end of that-we also burn twice as fast. Here we are talking about Gibraltar and the ground war in Russia and, in spite of all the advanced weaponry we possess, it seems we are powerless to influence these events, even a minor division scale action like Operation Felix where no more than three German regiments will make the actual attack.”
“We are a naval power,” said Volsky. “There is only one thing we can assure wherever we stand a watch, and that is control of the sea. In many ways that will decide whether the Allies ever can begin their counteroffensive. They must control the Atlantic and Pacific to bring the power they have to face their enemies on land. At this point in the war, control of those seas is hanging in the balance, and so you may take heart and believe we have some vital role that we may play here. Nothing can match us on the sea. Yet all power has limits, Fedorov. This is something you and I must know, and the one thing that Karpov forgot while he was here.”
“He remains a grave problem, sir-Karpov. Something tells me that there may have to be a reckoning with him in all this if we remain here.”
There was a moment of silence between them, as each one pondered that. Then Volsky nodded, speaking the thing they were both now considering. “We are a naval power,” he said, “but Karpov has established himself on land. And look now, Fedorov. He is at war with Volkov and the Orenburg Federation! Yes, Karpov is a threat, and a very dangerous one. But how is it said, Fedorov? The enemy of my enemy is a friend.”
“I see what you mean, Admiral, but given Karpov’s nature, the squabble between Karpov and Volkov may not be permanent. He is an opportunist, and he will do whatever is necessary to further his advance. One minute he signs an accord with Volkov, the next sees the two sides battling at Ilanskiy.”
“Yet this wedge between them is to our advantage,” Volsky pressed. “We must consider how to use their newfound enmity to strengthen our position-Kirov’s position.”
“Are you suggesting we try to contact Karpov and sound him out on this?”
“The thought has crossed my mind. As you said yourself, he may suspect we are here if he thinks we used Rod-25. He is now at war with Volkov, and though we do not know how that will turn out, we do know one thing-as long as those two fight one another, Sergei Kirov’s position is strengthened. You see, Karpov may call himself an Admiral these days, but he is really a general. He’s a force on land. If we could find a way to get him to see the importance of preserving Soviet Russia, then we could do much to affect the outcome of this war. Perhaps he can still be reasoned with.”
“Could we ever trust him again?” Fedorov asked the most obvious question. “He’ll do whatever it takes to further his interests.”
“So we must show him that it is in his interest to preserve Soviet Russia. Otherwise Germany will crush our homeland. Make no mistake, Fedorov. Hitler will smile and shake hands with Volkov until he has defeated Sergei Kirov. But Volkov is sitting on the one thing Hitler really needs-the oil fields in the Caucasus and Caspian region. He wants that oil. Do you think he will simply ask for it politely? No. Once he defeats Soviet Russia, Orenburg will be next on his list. I think we can get Karpov to see this, and to realize his fate would be the same unless he sides with the Allies.”
“You forget how headstrong and arrogant he can be,” said Fedorov. “He knows what we have in the magazine, and he will argue that we should use the full measure of our power here. I can hear it now.”
“Indeed,” said Volsky. “I suppose we could sail down there and deliver a nuclear warhead on the German assembly area in Spain if they are staging for this operation. The troops in Gibraltar would have quite a show, and the Germans would gasp in utter awe when they see their elite regiments evaporate before their eyes. Then I suppose we could send an ultimatum to Herr Hitler and tell him he gets more of the same if he does not relent and call off the wolves.”