“Pete, how would you like to take a trip to Berlin?” asked Ricks just prior to the morning brief. The drone units had been moved into the Ukraine to help out the Spanish and Italian forces.
“What is going on in Berlin?” asked Petyr.
Ricks grinned. “Well, it seems they want us to go up and develop a tactics manual for future drone operations. The Commander in Chief also wants a detailed briefing on how these things are working. Your government seems to think you are the expert on these matters so they asked if we wanted to go. You up for a trip?”
Petyr’s face lit up. “Sure. When?”
“Like now. Our orders are being typed as we speak. Go pack your stuff and meet me in front of the barracks in about thirty minutes. We’ll be driving there,” Ricks said. “And by the way, we will be stopping in Krakow for a day or two along the way. You think your parents can find room for us? If not, I guess I can find a place in town,” he grinned.
The realization hit Petyr like a breath of air. Seeing his family again would make be wonderful. There was so much he wanted to say and do. “We’ll find room,” he said before rushing out the door towards his barracks. In thirty minutes Ricks pulled up to the entrance with a Humvee. Petyr threw his things in the back and climbed into the passenger side.
“Buckle up,” said Ricks as he put the vehicle into gear and moved off.
The roads were not as they once were. On occasion there were potholes made by the ravages of war. But it was early March and the roads were at least mostly dry now. Civilian traffic was still sparse in the newly liberated areas, but life was returning to the countryside. All along the way Petyr provided a travelogue of where they were and the history of the area. It was obvious that Petyr was proud of his homeland. Ricks noticed a change in him as they got closer to his home. He talked less as the anticipation built up.
By five that evening the Humvee turned down the dirt road leading to the house he remembered seeing in the drone monitors. They pulled up beside the house and stopped. Mr. Polski came out of the door along with Petyr’s father. Ricks was the first out and smiled and said hello. There was a sudden gasp from behind the men. Freda rushed past the men and threw her arms around Petyr as he came around the back of the vehicle. He twirled her around in his arms before kissing her passionately. Only after Ricks gave a cough did Petyr step back. By now the whole family was out, welcoming both men. Petyr became surrounded by his mother, sister, brother and Freda. It was a while before they finally escorted the men toward the door.
Ricks held up a hand. “If you can help, we brought a few things for the family,” he said. Mr. Polski and the two boys translated to the others and they all went to the back of the Humvee. It was loaded with boxes of food and a few pieces of equipment. Everyone grabbed something and they all went inside. As the food was put away, Ricks brought the men into the small living room. He opened up some of the equipment.
“This is something that will generate electricity for you and your family. We are handing these out to all the farms to use until the main power comes back on,” he said. “Tomorrow morning we will hook it up and you will have electricity at least during the day,” he said. Ricks then pulled out two plates. When they were uncovered, they glowed like an electric bulb. “This can provide light at night,” he said. The men began talking about the equipment, asked lots of questions and wondering how it all worked.
In a small room in the back, Petyr sat with Freda holding her hand. “For a long time I thought you were dead. I never felt so sad and alone. Then when I saw you on my screen, it was all I could do not to get in a vehicle and come to you. I can’t live my life without you. It was almost unbearable,” he said softly to her.
“Petyr, you know I feel the same way. With the Russians gone, we will be able to start our lives again. The war can’t last that much longer,” she said.
Petyr took a breath. “I don’t know. We are doing well, but Russia is a big country and they have a lot of people and equipment. It may be a while yet,” he sighed.
“Then we can be patient and wait. The time will come. Then we will make a family together. I am told the university will make special places for anyone who served. So our plans are the same, just delayed,” she assured him. “Where are you going when you leave us?”
“Berlin. They want me to help design operations of the drones I have been flying. I don’t know how long I will be there, but maybe we will be able to visit again on the way back,” Petyr said.
Freda snuggled up to him. “That would be nice,” she said.
They heard Petyr’s mother calling everyone to dinner. “Let’s go eat, then you bring your things in here with me. Camille is going to sleep upstairs.”
Petyr gave her a look. She smiled back. “We may need some practice for those children,” she said before leaving the room.
Like in the Korean War, Richardson had the Iowa, North Carolina and the Wisconsin patrolled along the coasts. As a result, the Russians pulled back inland by at least 25 miles or suffered the consequences. It was unfortunate that the Crimea was only about 23 miles wide. It meant that until they surrendered, the Russian Army was going to be hit almost constantly. LCDR Jeffers found himself stationed as the Officer of the Deck during General Quarters. The Iowa took some getting used to. On the Kings Mountain, he felt as if the ship would turn on a dime. The Iowa was slower, almost stately as she made her turns. It took a lot to make 58,000 tons move in a different direction.
The good part of it was that he was there to watch every gunshoot. Jeffers had thought the Kings Mountain was the ultimate warship, but now he was being swayed. Nothing could compare to the immense firepower of the Iowa’s 16-inch guns. The fact this was nearly 100 year old technology was even more impressive.
Today, the Iowa was off a small town called Yakovenkove. The Russian Army was in a headlong retreat along the center of the Crimea and was currently near Hornostaivka, just 13 miles inland. Wisconsin was already shelling the road near Ivanifka, five miles east of the town. The remotely piloted vehicles were not in use. The cloak would not permit their operation. However, the targets were clearly visible from spots one and two. On the Iowa, Master Chief Skelly had his eyes on a long column of trucks making its way along the road.
“Target in sight, Captain,” Jeffers reported. Up forward the big 16-inch turrets had already turned and the barrels were pointed toward the column. “The weapons officer is requesting batteries released.”
Rhodes scammed the ship’s starboard side to make sure the range was clear, then ordered, “batteries released.”
All nine 16-inch guns roared out almost at once. Jeffers saw the black shapes of the projectiles briefly as they sped away from the ship toward their target. Almost immediately the guns lowered to loading position as more shells and powder were loaded into the breeches. A little over thirty seconds later a second salvo left the ship. Jeffers was watching as water suddenly erupted just three hundred yards from the Iowa’s starboard side. “Counterbattery, starboard side,” he called out as he began scanning the shoreline to try and get a glimpse of where the fire was coming from. The second splash was only 100 yards from the ship. This time, Jeffers saw a puff of smoke coming from a clump of trees near a brick home with a pointed metal roof. Jeffers called out, “I have it,” as he took a bearing from the gyro repeater on the starboard side. “The target bears 003 in that clump of trees,” he said.