by W. R. Benton
Colonel Ludomir Yurievich, the base Propaganda Commander, took over as the new base and wing Commander, until Lazarev and Isaak were found, if they were not killed in the battle. If they were not found alive, he'd continue to command until a replacement was sent by Moscow. He knew his 500 dead Americans would show he was aggressive enough, so he could be assigned as the permanent Commander. A lot depended on what the senior staff in Moscow knew of the Colonel and his reputation as an officer.
Two hours after they'd secured the base, Lieutenant Colonel Orya Shura reported to the Commander that Colonel Isaak had been found, along with Colonel Lazarev's secretary, dead in the Base Commanders office. Both died of two shots to the chest and it was unknown who'd killed them. The Colonel thought, The Base Commander was probably mad because it would be his responsibility to keep the base in his hands and to win a victory over the Americans. Obviously, that did not happen, so he had every legal right to shoot Isaak, but why kill his secretary? I think she may have been his lover and knew too much. I understand she was a very attractive woman.
“Have both bodies prepared with aluminum coffins for shipment back to the motherland. Write up something heroic about Isaak so he looks good when they present him a medal. You know, the usual hype that goes with medal writing, like he almost saved the base single-handedly. Make him much bigger than he was in life. Were any classified documents taken from the office that you can tell?”
“Sir, I have no idea yet, but we are inventorying his classified files and his messages, to see if the Americans read it or not. His safe had the tumbler missing and a thermite grenade was used to melt it off. All the classified papers were thrown on the floor and some were found in his fireplace. I am confused that a Colonel was found dead in the office with his pistol still in it's holster, sir.”
“I suspect he was executed for allowing the base to fall. Colonel Lazarev had the legal right to shoot him.”
“Sir, I do not understand, his secretary was found dead as well and when we found her, she was missing her underwear.”
“All of her underwear?”
“Yes, sir, but she had a short dress on. Do you think the Americans raped her?”
“Shura, how in the hell did you make Lieutenant Colonel? Who would rape an attractive woman and then make her put a dress on so they could shoot her? I want her to have an autopsy and the Colonel too. I do not think she was touched by an American soldier. I think if she was touched by anyone it would have been Lazarev before the attack started. I am sure any sperm they find in or on her will match the Colonels DNA. So, if he was poking her, then there was no rape. Many Russian and American secretaries sleep with their bosses here.” The Colonel laughed and said, “Do not repeat that to anyone, but I feel it is very true. Both Russians are far from home and lonely. The American women sleep with their bosses for favors or to gain information, but that makes them the same as whores to me. At any rate, get the classified documents cleaned up, provide me with a list of all classified material he had because all of it has been compromised, and find Colonel Lazarev, or his remains. Now, get out of here, because I am suddenly doing the job of three Colonels.”
The Lieutenant Colonel left and Lazarev's male secretary stuck his head in the office and said, “Moscow on the phone for you, sir. It is a Lieutenant General Kozakov Rollakov.”
“Thank you, Sergeant.” Yurievich said, and then picking up the phone he said, “Colonel Ludomir Yurievich speaking, sir.”
“Ludomir, it is I, General Rollakov. I am calling to congratulate you on your kills after you took command in the recent battle you fought. Right now we have no idea of when you will get a new Wing or Base Commander. I suggested you to the council, mainly because of the successful kills you had and the fact I know you personally. I think they will leave you as Base Commander and we will vote on it this afternoon. I think, no matter where you are assigned, you will make General now for sure.”
“I'm not sure what to say, sir.”
“Any man that can kill over 500 Americans and have less than 60 casualties is General material for sure. I cannot talk long, have another meeting, but I wanted to tell you all of Russia is talking about the Colonel that killed so many Americans. Just stay alive and the rank of General will soon be yours, maybe as early as today. I will have my aide contact you, when I know the results of our vote. I don't expect you to get a permanent position there, not with a promotion to General. Mainly because that position is for a full Colonel and not a General; enjoy your day, my friend.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Goodbye, Ludomir. Congratulations on your soon to be promotion.”
“T . . . Thank you, sir.” He then hung up the phone. He reached into his drawer, pulled out a quart of vodka and thought, Me a General; hell, I was happy when I made full Colonel.
He poured the glass half full and then thought, General Ludomir Yurievich. I think it has a nice ring to the name. Boy, will Sarah be surprised. He then chuckled. Looks like my false report of the American losses was a smart thing to do. If they question me about the number of American dead when they took this place over, I can claim they took all their dead and wounded with them when they were ran off the base.
His phone rang and he saw it was his female secretary, and she was right on time. The male administration assistant left each day at 1700, but the female worked at night. He usually let her go at midnight, but on other nights, they spent the night together.
“Sir, it is Lieutenant Colonel Shura on the line for you.”
“Thank you.” He pushed the flashing green light and said, “Colonel Yurievich.”
“Sir, Colonel Shura, and we found Colonel Lazarev.”
He felt his stomach quiver. He asked, “Is he okay?”
“No, sir, he is not. His remains were discovered in the wreckage of a helicopter and he had a briefcase with documents with him. Apparently he was deserting the base when it began to fall to the Americans. He had his passport, money, and a little gold and silver. He was badly burned, but we were able to identify him by his dental records and that was assisted by part of his uniform rank we found on the jacket he was wearing.”
“No doubt it is him?”
“None. The remains still had his wedding ring and a ring with a gold nugget on his right hand ring finger. I watched the autopsy and they took fingerprints, but his fingers were so badly burned we could not use them. I saw each of the teeth indicated by his dental records. He will be ready to ship out with Colonel Isaak in the morning. I need for you, sir, as the Base Commander to notify Moscow two senior officers have been killed, and I would leave off the fact Colonel Lazarev was leaving his post, if I were you.”
“Oh, and why is that, Colonel?”
“Uh, then he will be determined to have been deserting his post, his widow would be denied a pension and he would not get a military funeral. I see no reason to announce to the world that he was a coward, sir. This way his wife can still get his pension and she will never know what really happened here.”
“Was it not you that just said he was deserting his post? I do believe you said that twice.”
“Yes, sir, I did. I just thought to save the man's wife and family the embarrassment of him being a coward, and I think that might be better. I mean, he is dead now, and cannot hurt you or I, sir.”
“Yes, we will do as you suggest, Orya.”
“Thank you, sir. I am sure God will deal with his running.”
“I do not think Lazarev will be speaking to God, not once he answers Saint Peter’s questions. I want you to submit him for three medals and have the paperwork to my desk by dawn tomorrow. Have him climbing into an attack helicopter in the final minutes of the fight, so he could try to turn the tide in the battle. I want him and I submitted for the Hero of the Russian Federation, then just him for an Order of Saint George and the Order of Suvorov. I will sign as a witness as well five other officers. Take it to them tonight and have each sign as witnesses and tell them they are to do so by my orders. I
do not care if they like signing or not, and you may tell them that. By the way, you can called me Brigadier General Yurievich as of today.”
Chapter 13
Back in his base camp near Rolla, Missouri, John was pleased with the way things were going in the war right now. He was sitting in his office tent with a German-speaking American and the news was on. They had people able to speak other languages available at most bases.
“So, it's to rain the rest of the week, and in world news, Russia exploded today with riots forming at three demonstrations in three different cities. Two of the three riots the Russian police put down quickly, but the army was called for a massive one in Moscow. The estimates go as high as a million demonstrators were there. When the people began to turn mean and riot, the Russian police pulled back and let the army go in.
Some of the civilians had old firearms and a number of policemen were shot, twelve, and seven of them died. The army estimated a million people were in the crowd when it turned violent. By orders of someone unknown, the army began shooting those destroying private property and they were shooting to kill. Privately owned cars and trucks were set on fire or destroyed, and the afternoon was full of exploding gas tanks as vehicles burned and gunshots rang out from both sides.
Regional hospitals stated to me that they are full, with no empty beds, since the riots were broken up. Sources close to the rioters say over 150 people were killed and 15,000 were injured. Of course we have no way to validate that information and all bodies were removed by the army. Once the dead are photographed and their identities logged into the computer, the next of kin will be notified to come pick up their loved one.”
“Damn, sir, the civilians are really mad about the war. They're tired of having their kids sent home dead. The two they are interviewing now state they belong to a group called Students Against the War in America, or SAWA, as they call themselves. Both of them have had brothers or sisters killed in the American War, as they call our war with them. Both have been arrested in the past and then beaten by the police, or so they claim.”
Major Fan Woo was sitting beside Major Joy Barnes and he said, “The Government will take a long time to pull from any war just because the general public dislikes their children coming home dead. The leaders of Russia only care about running the country and collecting more wealth, not the people.”
“I'm not sure,” Joy said. She thought for a second and then said, “I don't know Russian minds, because I'm half German. I know a bit about the English, due to living in London as a Marine on embassy duty, but not the Russians. I've never talked to one, but I've killed a few. Only those two they interviewed sounded determined.”
“They are much different than us, for sure. They have no problem shooting rioters, none at all.” Major Woo said.
“A mother is a mother,” Wolfgang Hanish said. “Too many Russian mothers have given their last child for the nation to only have them come home in a box. They promise to protest until the last Russian soldier is brought home safely.” Wolfgang had grown up in Germany, came to America to live at the age of 19, and served in the army for four years. He'd gotten his citizenship while in the service. He'd been a successful middleman and distributor for the wine industry, and was wealthy when America fell.
The Colonel walked to the television and turned it off.
He then looked around the room and said, “We need to pray the riots continue and the people make the Russian government withdraw their troops from America. We have fought well and done our duty, but all we can do is to continue the war because we don't have a government, and there is no way the Chinese will send troops to help us. They are concerned about public opinion and the cost in dollars. I think the cost in lives and money is more than they wish to pay.”
“Forcing the government to leave can take years.” Joy said.
“We can wait. But, our eyes in Russia say they are about to pull their troops out of here anyway. They will have been here 9 years in three more months and they are somewhat closer to ending the war now than they were on the first day they arrived. They continue to lose more troops than we do each month and no army can afford to do that and still win a war.” John said and then realized Joy was a very attractive woman. Then a thought hit him, I don't need any more women in my life. They died, each time I've loved someone they died, and I can't take the pain of death any longer.
“Are you okay, Colonel?” Joy asked.
“I'm fine, why do you ask?”
“You had a painful look on your face.”
“I was thinking of the good people I've known who have died in this war. I've lost friends, family, two wives, and a lover. War is not where people should go who are in love. But, in order to live free and to truly be Americans, by God we'll do what it takes. We are a very hardheaded people and me especially, because I will not allow anyone to lead our nation into chaos and ruin. I will fight to my very last breath to keep us free, and many friends I know have done just that.”
“I see.” Joy said, and she wondered about his wives and lovers.
Joy was pretty, but not what a man would call beautiful, with a small nose, plump lips, big eyes and a sassy attitude. She stood a whole five feet and three inches tall, and she was slim, like all the partisans. She was also intelligent, with an IQ of 140. She had large breasts, a firm rear, with a narrow waist. Her blond hair and blue eyes were attractive, and many men had fallen in love with her in the past. But, she was a very private person and never knew she was considered 'hot' by some men and women. To her, she was all professional all the time, except with the right man, but she'd not had a man in her life in years.
She discovered she enjoyed extremely intelligent men, with rugged good looks, and a sharp sense of humor. Most of the women she knew were attracted to the Colonel, enlisted and officers, but she was attracted to him because to her, an intelligent man was a turn on. Before the fall she'd been a successful business woman, running her own food production company, and she'd dated doctors, lawyers, and other professional men. She had no interest in Bill the auto mechanic at the corner repair shop. No, she didn't think she was better than him, and she would have dated a smart version of Bill, but the garage workers were programmed to work all day, go home and have a few beers and then have sex, followed by sleeping. They were good men in their own ways, but she loved intelligent conversations. She enjoyed friendly arguing, in a polite and fun manner, about history and the world in general.
Even she had to admit she lived a boring life since the fall of America. She'd had a boyfriend for a couple of years, but he'd been killed when the Chinese helicopter he was in crashed into the side of a mountain, killing all on board. She'd been celibate for four years, was tired of being alone, and now wanted a good man. She was no whore but she enjoyed sex as much as the next person, but she'd not sleep with just any man to satisfy her needs.
“Are you okay?” John asked her.
“I'm fine, just thinking of friends and lovers I've lost in this war too. I think all of us have experienced the pain of death.”
“I agree.” Wolfgang said. While he translated and usually ate supper with this group each day, he was not really much of a talker. John had known the man for years and you could spend all day with Wolfgang and maybe hear him say six words or so. He was, however, a close listener. He was assigned to the group because at times they sent coded messages in German, to confuse the Russians. While it looked and read to be nonsense when a German message was sent, if using the code book, only every few words meant something. The rest of the words on the message were ignored.
Recently promoted to Corporal, Green, the radio operator stuck his head in the room and said, “Headquarters on the horn for you, sir. When you're finished talking to them, let me have the handset, because we have classified orders to take in code.”
Standing, John gave a smile and said, “Interesting conversation. We need to continue it one day soon.”
He followed Green to the radio room, put on a set of headpho
nes, and said, “Copperhead, this is Cobra Actual, over.”
“Uh, go Cobra.”
“I understand you wanted to speak with me.”
“Affirmative, Cobra. Do you know both the Wing and Base Commanders at the Russian base you attacked are deceased? Our people intercepted Russian radio reports with that information, as well as over three thousand Russians died during the attack. Additionally, we lost over 500 partisans to take the base, but it has had excellent results in Russia and protesters are planning a demonstration with over a million people at four of Russia's largest cities.”
“Sounds like it might turn rough.” John said, and inside hoped the Russians would pay attention to the marchers and end the war.
“The protest march could get nasty, because the people are angry that no one is listening to them or the reasons for their anger. They claim the military is wasting Russian lives in a war they have proven with over nine years of battle that cannot be won.”
“Copy.”
“Cobra, your orders are being sent to you in a classified message in a couple of minutes. Give me your radio operator so I can send the message. Copy?”
“Copy and read you five by five. Here is my radio operator.” He handed the handset to Private Green.
“Classified message. I'll be in my tent when you translate it into understandable English.” he said as he walked away.
In his tent, John undressed, stepped into his flip-flops and headed for the showers. They had no hot water and to shave, water had to be heated on an open fire and then a shave took place in a sleeping area usually. John had started wearing a beard a few years back and he always kept it well trimmed. He tired of shaving out of a bowl or bucket of steaming water.