“No, merely more advanced versions of the things you may be designing even now. Yes, we could build the awful weapons I spoke of, and perhaps we will be forced to do so in time. We must certainly be ready to do so, and we must use all the skill and guile we can muster to determine whether our enemies are building these things. Volkov is the real threat. Hitler has the industry and the military might, but Volkov has knowledge of things that can lead Germany forward as well. We must know what they are up to, and be prepared to oppose it.”
“How do you think Volkov will react to our newfound accord here?”
“He already considered that when he launched his attack at Omsk. Frankly, I believe he thinks he can beat us to the punch by standing with Hitler.”
“Yet he knows about Ilanskiy. He must fear that you could wield that ultimate power against him.”
“Perhaps. He obviously had some reason to try and seize that place. I do not know if he fully understands what that stairway opens, but he was suspicious enough to try and find out. Well now that opportunity is lost to him, and I will make sure that he never gets his chance there again. I will be calling up more troops from the east soon, enough to begin a real offensive on Volkov’s exposed right flank.”
“You will be calling up troops? What about Kolchak? What about the Japanese?”
“We have time, Kirov. Not much time, but a little breathing space now before Japan gets serious about entering this war. In our history they did not become an active belligerent until December of 1941.”
“But can you be sure that will repeat?”
“Not entirely. In our history the Japanese never took Vladivostok, and all of Amur province from us either. I was trying to see to it that they never could pose a threat to us again, but as I have said, Volsky interfered and this is the outcome of his stupidity. Who knows how much time we really have, but we may have some months yet before Japan becomes a strong threat in the east. When they did enter the war, they drove into the South Pacific and incurred the wrath of the United States. That was their undoing. As they already have a strong position on the Asian continent, and all of Amur province, my best guess is that they will drive for the South Pacific Islands again.”
“Why would they do that?”
“Oil again,” said Karpov. “Oil is the blood of war. Over half a million men died on both sides in the fighting to control the Caucasus. Your operation has already began that tally. So the Japanese needed oil, rubber, and natural resources to sustain their empire. The US and British initiated oil and steel embargos against Japan in August 1941. The Netherlands East Indies followed along, so the Japanese just took them. They nearly drove all the way to Australia.”
“I see… Is Kolchak prepared for what might happen?”
“Kolchak, he is a tired, sick old man. I’ve been handling this entire affair with Volkov, and as you said, I will soon replace him. That is one thing I am certain of.”
“Well enough. Kolchak was never going to amount to anything in any case.”
“Yes, in our history your Red Guard had him executed! But it was Stalin’s Red Guard that time around. Things will be different this time, Mister General Secretary, very, very different.”
Karpov extended his hand, and as Kirov took it, he felt, on one level, as though he were shaking hands with the devil. The man called himself Lucifer, he thought. I must be very careful in my dealings with Karpov. There is more driving his ambition than his love of the Motherland. But for now… I think I will build those tanks!
“I fell in love with her the moment she was late, though neither one of us knew it at the time because she hadn’t arrived yet.”
The helos landed with deck crews ready to service and re-arm the X-3s, though they were waiting on orders from the bridge. It was there that Captain MacRae was taking final stock of the situation noting that the enemy destroyer group targeted was badly disrupted. Three of the five destroyers had reduced speed dramatically, their officers frantically radioing the flagship that they had been attacked by rocket fire, with heavy damage. While most of the ships were still seaworthy, two had been struck aft and had fires that were threatening the powerplant and boiler rooms. A third had a holed hull very near the water line that would force it to seek a friendly port. These ships could no longer run at the speeds necessary to fulfill their mission. Half the French destroyers in the fleet had now been largely taken out of the fight.
“Those Sea Skuas are good for something,” said MacRae. “A pity we didn’t bring more along.”
