“Will do, Roger. You doing okay?”
“The usual headaches, but things are working. Let’s get this over with so we can go home,” Hammond said.
“I’m with you. Take care, Boss.”
“You too, Chris,” Hammond said as he hung up the phone. He sat back. “Damn. Smart as hell and brave too,” he said to no one in particular. There was a commotion at the far end of the table. Hammond got up to see what crisis had now been discovered.
It only took twenty four hours. Thirty four foot by eight foot panels were set up next to the destroyed electric generation station outside Nogliki and connected to a set of transformers and converters. Those cables were then connected to the town’s electric supply. On signal, the black covers were pulled from the panels and the lights came on in every house in the town.
A food distribution station was set up at the old church and everyone was invited to come stock up on the same things the Americans were eating. Although the people didn’t speak much, they took the food and went their way. In some instances, if a person couldn’t read, special classes were set up to demonstrate how to use an MRE. By that night, the town was still lit up thanks to the battery trucks and two portable generators. The next morning, people were welcoming the Americans with open arms. It was too bad they had to leave. The American forces had already taken Korsakov at the southern end of the island. Teams were already deploying similar power stations along the way.
On the pier in Korsakov, the first of the ships was pulling in. These would bring supplies and their relief forces so the Americans could move onto the Russian mainland. The troops helping handle the lines were surprised at what they saw. Each ship flew the rising sun of Japan.
Chapter 14
Panic
“They simply are not showing up for their duty,” said General Ilianovic. “Over the past week over eight thousand young men have refused to come in as they were ordered. We sent people to their homes, but the parents say they are not there. We search the houses and we still can’t find them. Our quotas are being ruined,” he pleaded.
“Have their families arrested,” Borodin ordered.
“We have, but they still remain away. We even go to their extended families and get the same story. We have no idea where they are,” Ilianovic said.
Borodin slammed his fist on the table. “They have to be somewhere, damn it all!”
“I agree, but right now we are up against a stone wall. It is happening everywhere, in the cities and in the country. We believe those fliers being distributed are the cause, but we cannot even get them stopped. It is getting serious,” said Ilianovic.
Borodin let out a sigh. The pamphlets were everywhere and they had only caught a handful of people handing them out. He had to find the Patriarch and get it stopped. Until then, they needed people to fight the war. “Very well, if your young men and women aren’t willing to fight, the parents will take their place. Order in all men up to the age of forty and as young as sixteen. Reduce their training time by a week and get our numbers caught up. Anyone refusing to enter service will be arrested and tried as a traitor. Get those quotas filled!” he ordered.
Borodin turned to Pusko. “What’s this I hear about our missiles not hitting their targets?”
“It is true. Right now we do not know why. I ordered a look at the software. It’s also affecting our artillery and tanks. I told our forces to go back to the old way of visual sighting for the time being. It didn’t affect all of them. Our missile boats scored hits on ships in the Black Sea. I understand one large carrier was hit and is burning.”
“At least there is some good news. What about the other ships?” Borodin asked.
“We can’t verify it. Our air and fleet units have been decimated. I am trying to get a reconnaissance satellite up to overfly the area. We may know more then. Until then, we don’t dare send more planes. They are being shot out of the sky,” Pusko said.
Borodin got angry. He pointed his finger at Pusko. “Look, I don’t want to hear excuses. Our forces are falling back across the entire front. We have Americans in Georgia and on our eastern shores. I was just told the Japanese are involved and are taking back the Kurils. Even the Turks have invaded! We need to deploy forces to stop this incursion now! To not send in planes because they are afraid they might get shot down is absurd. We need the information on what we are up against. Get what you need in the air and don’t take no for an answer!” he demanded.
Pusko saw the anger in his president. He tried to ease the tension. “Of course I am trying to get things back in order. I share these with you because I am frustrated as well. My people are already at work on these things. Like you, I demand answers. Unfortunately they are slow in coming. You know I am totally with you on this,” he said softly.
The plea had its effect. Borodin’s eyes softened. “You are right, my friend. I know it is not of your doing. It just seems as if the Americans and the Europeans are too far ahead of us. We cannot lose this war. So we must do everything in our power to get our forces back on the advance. We know we outnumber them both on the ground and in the air. What if we sent huge forces at them like the Germans did in the Ardennes in 1944? We have the ability to sustain such an effort, unlike the Germans did. Might that work?” he asked.
“It could,” Pusko said with some thought. “We can draw back our forces in the oil fields and along the eastern and northern borders. If we concentrate our effort in one big push, it would cause them to expend their reserves, which means our forces would eventually be able to finish our objectives.”
“How long would it take?”
“At least a month to get everything in place. But once ready, there would be no stopping it.”
“Then let’s make the plans. We need to end this once and for all time,” said Borodin.
The meeting was ended and everyone filed from the room. The overhanging through on everyone’s mind was that Germany had lost the Battle of the Bulge. If this didn’t work, it would be the end of Russia as well.
Hustvedt knocked on the door and entered the stateroom. Jeffers was reading a book, but tried to get up when the Admiral entered the room.
“No, lay back down. I just wanted to stop by before we left. You feeling better?”
Jeffers stretched some. “I’m pretty sore right now. These cuts are starting to itch and I decided I don’t like pain medications. So I’m taking ibuprophen and toughing it out. One of the guys in the band brought over some books, so I’m getting my mind off my misery,” he said as he waved the book in front of him.
Hustvedt chuckled. “Well, I brought something to cheer you up.” He handed over a set of papers.
Jeffers looked them over. “TAD to USS Iowa? What for?”
“To take over as the department head for the ship’s deck department,” said Hustvedt.
Jeffers’ eyes opened wide. “Will it count?”
“Hustvedt laughed. “Yes it will. You should receive PCS orders to that position within a few days. Roger promised he would make sure you got your tour and here it is. Their man was killed when the ship was bombed, so you go take his place. You’re done here anyway. Our command will detach and independently operate in the Black Sea until Richardson and the other forces link up somewhere in the Ukraine. Once that happens, we’ll all probably be leaving this glorified cesspool. So get over there and get this tour over. I have a feeling we’ll be at this a while, so make the most of it. Then go on for an XO tour and get a command of your own. That’s the pecking order and you are on your way,” Hustvedt said. “In the meantime, keep in touch. I appreciate all you’ve done and would love to serve with you in the future,” he said extending his hand.