“How did you survive?”
“I was in a silo. And the survivors here were all inside I suspect.”
“Yes. Everyone outside just vanished. What was left of them was unrecognizable.”
“Moscow is covered with the green residue that was once living beings. I am sure others will turn up. We have a lot of mines and eventually the survivors will make their way to the bigger cities. That is where we will find the largest number of them,” Yegor said.
“Do you think my family perished as well?”
“If they were any place but underground, yes. I am sorry, but I think you should consider them gone.”
“Yes. I assumed as much. Thank you General Nitikin.”
“You know my name?”
“Sir, everyone knows your name. Most are trying to stay low. The news of your change of command at the last base made the rounds pretty fast. I don’t mean to be impertinent, sir.”
“No. I understand. Maybe I should carry a machine gun so I can just mow down a bunch at once,” Yegor said.
The Warrant Officer looked at him wide-eyed.
“Just kidding Warrant Officer Tarasvo. Just kidding.”
“Yes sir,” he replied.
One little bullet and everyone was suddenly afraid of him. He found it both disturbing and amusing at the same time. He should have shot someone sooner; maybe it would have helped his career.
As he was walking along the hall Captain Andreev was coming from the other direction.
“General. I am sorry. I did not get your page.”
“I didn’t page you. I am just out exploring.”
“Sir that is rather dangerous. We have several safety measures and you could accidentally be seriously harmed.”
“Such as?”
“Each person that has access to the complex carries one of these,” he said, showing him a lapel pin that had the coat of arms of the Russian Federation army flag embossed. A red background with two gold crossed swords and a round pot with fire coming out of the top.
“It has a small microchip in it that lets the security detectors know you are allowed to be there and deactivates them until you leave the area. Because you are the Commanding Officer, you will also have a special badge that has an encryption chip in it that will allow you access to any level in every area. Without it, in some areas it could be fatal. The top secret rooms will have lethal security systems installed. Without the badge, the intruder will be killed with a high voltage stream of electricity.”
“I guess I had better get logged in immediately then. I would hate to electrocute myself.”
“I think that would be an excellent idea,” the Captain said.
He led the General to the indoctrination room. A full hand print was recorded and a retina scan was logged into the computer. His Commander-in-Chief badge was encrypted and he was given a lapel pin to wear.
“Am I safe now?”
“Yes sir. You can come and go as you please on any level.”
“Good. Here is how I would like to proceed. I would like you to have everyone report to the area where we came in. I need a platform of some kind so I can address all of them. I think they need to know what we are facing and how we are going to go about doing business. Immediately after that I would like for you to have me shown around. I want to see every level and every space in this facility. I realize it may take more than one day but I think it is important. But Captain, before that, I would like you to have every one of Warrant Officer and above status to come to the conference room in two hours. I want everyone there. No exceptions, understood?”
“Yes sir. I will personally attend to it.”
“Also, make sure someone gets one of these pins for my lady.”
Of course, sir. I will make sure she is entered into the system”
“No. You are the second in command. I want you to delegate that to a junior officer. Unless I tell you differently, I want you to delegate commands. I will let you know when I want you to personally take charge.”
“Yes General.”
“Good. I am safe to go?”
“Absolutely General.”
“Then have everyone in the conference room two hours,” Yegor said.
~~
“The warrior returns,” Matryona said when he came in the door.
“Yes, I have conquered many things including the dreaded hand scanner and retina scanner. I overcame the mighty badge encryption machine. I am indeed a true warrior,” he said.
“So what do you think?”
“I don’t know yet. I have all of the officers meeting me in two hours. I intend to let them know where things stand. I want them to know what I expect and how I operate. I think it is unfair to expect certain things from people unless you let them know what is required of them.”
“You are a wise man, General Nitikin.”
“Woman, I require substance. I need food.”
“I see. One roll in the hay and it is woman get this, woman do that.”
“Let me show you what I have in mind for dinner,” he said and pulled her into the bedroom.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
RUSSIA
“Attention,” Lieutenant Andreev shouted as the General entered the room.
Everyone stood at attention.
“At ease. Please, take a seat,” he said walking to the head of the table.
“You may sit,” he said noticing that none of them had moved yet. Slowly they all sat down.
“Over the next few days I will be talking to each of you individually. I had a few minutes to briefly go over your service reports. I will spend more time with them tomorrow and then we will talk. I am aware of the greatly exaggerated rumors you have heard about me. I seldom shoot people who disagree with me but I may be tempted by those who do not take their position seriously and disrespect this uniform or me personally. Having said that, I don’t intend to shoot any of you,” he said and smiled quickly.
The officers looked at each other but did not smile back.
“I will tell you what I know so far. Eleven days ago something caused the world as we know it to change. I will not soften it. The world will never the same, at least in Russia. As for the rest of the world, I have no way of knowing what has happened. I will tell you this. I do not think we were attacked by the Americans or Chinese. It is my personal belief that they may be going through the exact same thing.”
Everyone was riveted to his words. Some frowned, others looked dazed. One officer did not meet his eyes directly.
“I believe you all need to prepare yourselves for the worst in regard to the fate of your families and loved ones. Unless they were underground at the time, I am afraid they are no longer alive. I have visited Moscow before coming here. I had to know. My family lived there as well. I saw what remained of them. I am sorry to have to tell you this. We are both the fortunate ones and the damned ones. The next few months are critical for our long term survival. As officers, I expect you to carry out any commands issued by myself or Captain Andreev. As my second in command, he speaks for me. If you fail him, you fail me as well. Every officer will wear the full uniform unless performing some type of work that would soil it. I expect you to be leaders. Do not come to me with problems without having a possible solution as well. I am not a babysitter. You are all officers and I expect you to conduct yourselves accordingly. I will be appointing others to become part of my chain of command. I do not know who those people will be. Some of it will depend on your performance records and the rest on how you conduct yourselves now. I do not care what your rank is presently. You will be selected based upon your ability and given the appropriate rank to carry it out. For now, I want you all to think about what I have just said and what you might want to tell me when we talk on an individual basis. I will not answer questions at this time. I assume you all currently have specific jobs you have been assigned to. You can carry on in that capacity until I determine who the staff will be. You will have a chance to ask questions when we meet. To
morrow I will hold an informational meeting for everyone that is currently authorized to be in the complex. You are all charged with the task of ensuring that everyone, and I mean everyone, attends that meeting unless they are excused by me or Captain Andreev. I realize some work may be critical to the operations of the complex but I still want to know who does not attend. You are dismissed,” he said.
Several looked at each other and a few stood but were reluctant to leave. Finally they all left the conference room except for the Captain.
“A lot of worried officers,” Yegor said after the last person had left.
“Some of them should be. I hate to say it but we do have a few slackers.”
“They won’t be for long,” Yegor assured him.
“I would say you certainly got their attention.”
“I hope so,” he said, departing to his new quarters.
~~
“How did it go?”
“I honestly don’t know. It seemed fine but who knows what they were really thinking. I have no clue how the last Commander-in-Chief did things so I have nothing to use as a basis of comparison.”
“That didn’t seem to slow you down much last time.”
“That was a little different. There I knew how it should be operating. Here I don’t have a clue what each person should do or not do. I don’t even really know what the hell goes on here. This place is full of security devices that can kill a person if they go someplace unauthorized,” he told her sitting down on the couch.
She snuggled up next to him.
“But you will. It may take you a few days but you will know what to do,” Matryona said.
“Say, that reminds me. You will need to be entered into the system as well. You could accidentally trip one of the security systems. I have asked Captain Andreev to take care of making sure you get added.”
“Are you kidding me?”
“I’m serious. Dead serious. I almost tripped one while I was just looking around. This place has some deadly devices.”
“Wow. I almost went out while you were in your meeting. I’m glad I didn’t.”
“Captain Andreev will get you set up, then you can go out.”
“That would be nice of you,” she said, elbowing him lightly in the ribs, “What do you think of the officers?”
“Too early to tell. I think some of them are good, some in the middle and at least one I will probably not have much use for.”
“Do you think it wise to form an opinion before you know more about him? Won’t it make you predisposed against him?” Matryona asked.
Yegor shrugged, “I guess that is true enough. Still, it is hard to understand why the senior officer did not step forward and take command and refused when asked to. I simply don’t get why he would do such a thing. What was he thinking?”
“Why don’t you wait and find out?” she suggested.
“You are right. I will try not to condemn him before we talk.”
“When are you going to address the others?”
“Starting tomorrow morning. I would like you to attend as well. I know you have spent all of this time with me but I may have overlooked something. This way you will know everything they know as well.”
“I wouldn’t miss it.”
“Good. I will find out where the shops are that the escort mentioned and you can go look around if you want to.”
“Yegor, do you suppose these people are tired of being locked up in this facility? I mean, I know it is safe but no fresh air for months on end. What do they do for entertainment?”
“That is a very good question. Very good indeed. You are a smart woman Matryona Mihailvo,” he said, kissing her on the top of her head.
“Yegor. Can I ask you to do something for me?”
“Certainly. What is it?”
“Mihailvo. I would like you not to use that name ever again. Is that alright with you?”
“Fine but I don’t know how to introduce you when people ask. Do you want me to call you by your family name?”
“Would it offend you to call me Matryona Nitikin?”
He stopped talking and just looked at her. Her lip was quivering.
“Are you sure that’s what you want me to call you? I mean after all, it has only been a few days that we have known each other.”
“I don’t mean we have to be married. I just don’t want to be called Mihailvo any longer. I have not really been that for many years.”
“Then I will introduce you as Matryona Nitikin if that is what you want.”
“It is. Are you alright with it?”
“Most assuredly. You know I would tell you if I wasn’t. I think it makes it better all around. How would it look if they knew it was your husband I shot? What would they think of me then? I shot him to get his wife?”
“Didn’t you?”
“Shame on you. For you I would have aimed better,” he said.
~~
As soon as they were dressed the next morning, Yegor made sure Matryona had the necessary encrypted badge and a hand and retina scan. He wanted to make sure she had all the security measures covered before he let her wander around the complex. Now it was time for him to perform.
Even with slightly more than two thousand five hundred people in the room, it was still almost totally quiet. Yegor checked himself in the mirror once more before stepping into the room and climbing the platform they had set up for him. He stood facing them just looking them over. He was somewhat surprised at how few military personnel were present. Most had on civilian clothes or overalls. He took off his hat and placed it under his arm. Without saying a word he reached for his holster and then looked down at it.
“My goodness, I seem to have forgotten my pistol,” he said and smiled.
Slowly a ripple of laughter echoed off the walls. Everyone took a deep breath. He had broken the tension with just a small gesture.
“Most of you know that I am General Yegor Nitikin. When I got my orders to come here the world was a great deal different. The sun was shining, birds singing, and life was pretty much routine. Something happened. What, is not clear. I do not know what caused such a pronounced change but whatever it was, it has devastated the world as we once knew it. The sky has been dark and angry. It seems to be getting better but still I have seen little sunshine.”
A smattering of laughter went through the crowd.
"Most of you probably don’t know what the sun is by this time. It’s that big yellow thing up in the sky during the day.”
More chuckling and snickering.
“Are we the last people on earth? No. Others will have survived. Others that happened to be as lucky as we were at the time it happened. Devine intervention? I don’t know, but what I do know is that most people underground at the time will have survived. Where will they go? I honestly don’t know. I suspect many will head to the large cities and look for others. We went to Moscow before coming here. We found twelve other survivors but it was only a few days after the event. Others will go there. How many, I have no way of knowing. Here is what I do know. We must work together to survive. Every one of us must be responsible for the person next to him, the one behind you, and the one in front of you. We all work together and live or we all perish. Many of you will be assigned to a new task that is not in your area of expertise. Some projects will be halted. Different priorities will be spelled out. Plans will change, sometimes quickly as we face new and unexpected challenges. Some wonder who could have done this. That does not matter really. It is done. Now we must rebuild. We must treat each other with dignity and respect. Petty differences will only make it that much harder.”
It had become totally silent again. Everyone was fixed on what he was saying. Matryona was transfixed as well.
“Is it safe to go outside? I...we, have been traveling out in the open since the first day. Whatever it was has passed. It is safe. How long it will remain that way is impossible to say but at least it is for now. I want as many of you as would like to go out and get
some fresh air. We will open the gates and start taking out as many groups as we can at a time. This is not a requirement but I think it would be foolish not to take advantage of the time we do have. Today is a holiday. Is anything that you are doing right at this time so important that you can’t take some time off? Work if you feel you must, but today is a holiday for those who want to take it.”
A rousing cheer echoed off the walls and ceiling. People were shaking hands and hugging. Backs were slapped and some started dancing in small groups. Yegor smiled, put his hat back on his head and walked down to where Matryona was standing with a big smile on her face. She grabbed him and kissed him.
“You are something else Yegor, something else.”
“Then you approve?”
“More than approve. It was a brilliant thing to do.”
Captain Andreev came up to them, “That was a stroke of genius General.”
“Being a genius is easy when you follow fools,” Yegor replied.
“People have already started asking when they could go outside. I have given the orders to open the gates and start getting them out as quickly as possible,” he said.
“Very good Captain. By the way, this goes for you as well.”
“Sir, someone should…”
“Not today. Not today,” Yegor said as Matryona put her arm in his.
Matryona and Yegor went back to their residence and she packed a light lunch while Yegor got glasses for the wine and a blanket. They both felt it was important to let everyone see that he was willing to go out into the air. It would not look good if they didn’t join the others. It would be a good time to watch the people out of the everyday work environment as well.
“Are you all set?” she asked.
“I most certainly am. I can’t imagine a more pleasant way to spend the day. A fine meal, some wine and a beautiful woman. What more could a person ask for,” Yegor said.
“I will show you later,” she said and giggled.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
THE BEGINNING Book Two (THE EVENT) Page 16