“How could you know what happened?” Wing said. “We just got here.”
“You came by submarine, Colonel. I received a report by radio.”
“The Tlingits said they would let us break the news,” Wing snapped.
“It wasn’t the Tlingits who told me,” Major Lauesen slightly blushed, “our intelligence did.”
“The US has a spy in the Tlingit Nation Army?” Grisha asked, sand in his tone.
“No more than I am, here, General. Military advisors arrived in Tlingit country about the same time you embarked on the Mako.”
“What else?” Grisha felt he had been ambushed by words, and he realized the battle hadn’t really started yet.
“The current situation in the Dená Republik is quite good. Colonel Buhrman’s 3rd PIR reports that the two Russian columns and the International Freekorps have surrendered; they were all decimated to the point of annihilation. An armored column fielded by the First People’s Nation cut off the retreat of elements of the IF, and are maintaining station.”
“Exactly where?” Grisha fought a sense of bewilderment.
Why did the First People’s Nation send an armored column into Dená territory?
“They’re about six miles outside of Delta.” Major Lauesen waited for a beat and then continued, “Conflict outside Alaska has been intense and devastating to the units involved. The Republic of California declared war on Japan, as did the Kingdom of Hawai’i.”
“I thought the Japanese attacked Kodiak,” Wing said in a puzzled tone.
“And Sitka,” Lauesen said with a nod. “They destroyed the Kodiak Naval Station but lost a destroyer at Sitka and have withdrawn all naval elements from Alaska, except for an Imperial Marine battalion they abandoned on Kodiak.”
“Why did they do that?” Grisha asked.
“The Republic of California Marine Corps parachuted elements of the First Brigade into interior Kodiak and ambushed the Japanese marines advancing on the town of Kodiak from the rear. The battle has yet to end, but the Japanese have no hope of winning that one.”
“What else, Major Lauesen?” Wing bit off each word.
“Yes, let’s get back to the rest of the world,” he said blithely. “The reason Russia has largely ignored us here in Alaska is—”
“Ignored!” Wing snapped. “We’ve fought with everything and everyone we had!”
“No argument, Colonel. But my government anticipated a much larger war here. The Imperial Russian government sent token forces compared to what she had at her disposal.”
“That’s exactly what I’ve thought all along,” Grisha said. “I kept waiting for the real attack to begin.”
“It won’t. That charade they perpetuated on you down in California paid huge dividends.”
“My trial?” Grisha said through a grin.
“Yeah. The Russians didn’t think the Dená would actually pull you out of a field command to answer criminal charges. They planned to use your non-appearance as propaganda against both the ROC and the USA for supporting a criminal rebellion.”
“How would that really help them?” Grisha suspected there had been more to the situation than he had been told.
“Alliances in Europe were changing on a daily basis. The situation in the rest of North America hinged on European alliances. Russia lost political face when she had to withdraw her charge, not to mention your performance garnered high praise from most of the members present.”
“I’ll bet I can name the unimpressed ones,” Grisha said, relishing the moment.
“I suspect you’re correct. The CSA halted hostilities with the USA; they were losing anyway. Texas and New Spain are negotiating yet another border, which has been a typical Texan thing to fight about ever since they left the CSA over New Mexico back in 1852.”
“Stay on subject, Major,” General Eluska said with a hint of a smile.
“Right!” He flipped a page in his small notepad. “All saber rattling in Europe has ceased with the understanding that no more European troops would be sent to North America, forestalling an arms race that would bankrupt all involved.”
“We’re like one of those little soldier pieces in that game you like, aren’t we?” Wing asked, staring into Grisha’s face.
“Yes, my love, we were nothing more than a pawn to most of the world. But we are a very fortunate pawn.”
“Couldn’t have said it better myself,” Major Lauesen said.
“Those airplanes?” Wing prompted.
“They are called jets. They don’t have a propeller. Don’t ask me how they work because I don’t know, probably magic. The Japanese are openly using them, as is the Republic of California.”
“What about the USA?” Grisha asked.
“Ours are still a military secret,” Lauesen said with a laugh.
“Which brings us to politics,” Blue said. “Dená politics.”
“Just when I was starting to relax,” Grisha said. He noticed that Major Lauesen had pulled Sergeant Major Tobias off to one side and was speaking earnestly into his cocked ear.
“And I’m part of that, too, General,” Waterman Stoddard said. He glanced at Blue and added, “President Roubitaux is trying to steal the constitutional convention.”
“It was my understanding we were here to report on our meeting with the Tlingit Nation Army, Mr. President,” Grisha said, staring into Nathan’s eyes, “not to dispense justice or right civilian wrongs.”
“We will get to your report in good time, General Grigorievich, but I feel it is imperative to inform you that a schism has developed in our cause and threatens all of the Dená Republik.”
“Politically, but not militarily, Mr. President?”
“It could lead to military action, General.”
“May I have a word in private, Mr. President?”
Nathan, caught flatfooted, opened his mouth but said nothing for a quarter minute. Grisha could almost see wheels spinning in the man’s head.
“Of course, General.” Nathan stood and indicated a door in the corner of the room.
Grisha opened the door and interrupted an intense embrace between a female staff sergeant and a male corporal. “You’re both dismissed. Go somewhere else for that.”
They fled and Nathan came through the door, his face like thunder. As soon as the door shut, he rounded on Grisha.
“You’re siding with the Village Faction, aren’t you?”
“I’m not siding with anyone, Mr. President. Why are you?”
“There seems to be a lot of people out there who do not fully understand the situation. They could endanger the constitutional process, make us look like fools in the eyes of the world.”
“The world already thinks we’re fools for fighting Mother Russia. Why worry now?”
“Don’t be clever with me, Grisha! This is serious business.”
“Getting shot at isn’t serious business, Nathan? I think you’ve forgotten that a lot of people have died to keep you in the position to which you seem to have become accustomed.”
Nathan had the good sense to back off, let the pomposity fall from his features and continue in a more contrite voice.
“Of course. Getting shot at is about as serious as it gets. I apologize if you feel I was denigrating anyone’s service or sacrifice.”
He is really smooth! Grisha thought. I almost believed that.
“Not to worry,” Grisha said. “But I must tell you that a great many people are of the opinion that you are out to steal the election.”
“To what purpose?”
“To load it with people you have picked. This has to be a democratic process, Nathan, or everything we have done is wasted.”
“Have you met Gennady Ustinov?” The sneer in his tone was unmistakable. “He’s a storekeeper in Old Crow who thinks he understands the whole political landscape of the Dená Republik.”