Well… I suppose Troyak can keep him in line if we do approve this request. I will leave this decision to you, Fedorov. You are ship’s Captain now.” The Admiral suddenly had a question.
“Fedorov, I hope you are not thinking of joining this mission.”
“I considered it, sir, but as you say, I am the Captain of this ship, and proud of it. My duty is here.”
“Agreed,” said Volsky. “Troyak is the sort we need for this mission, and in many ways Orlov too. Have you set the objectives?
“Get to the site, secure the inn, and report back. At that time, if the situation is favorable, we can give the order for the descent.”
“The descent-oh yes, you mean that trip down those stairs. This is very risky, Fedorov.”
“I know, sir. Many things could make that mission impossible. Troyak-and he’s the only man I would trust with this-well he could arrive before Volkov, or well after. It could take time to find him, and we don’t know how much time will transpire here while that is going on.”
“What do you mean?”
“Time seems to pass differently at both ends of that stairway. When I went down those stairs I was only there a few minutes, but Troyak said I was gone for over an hour from their perspective. Suppose it takes Troyak days to locate Volkov. That could mean the team we leave at the top would have to hold that location secure for weeks.”
“That could be a problem.”
“Yes sir. That zeppelin is not very inconspicuous. The mission is likely to be discovered soon after the team arrives on site.”
“And what will you find there, Fedorov?”
“That remains to be seen. It is likely that station will be little used. From what I have been able to determine the Trans-Siberian rail is not well served these days.”
“It seems this mission is best suited for a quick in and out.”
“I know, sir. That may end up being our only option. What we could do is see if Troyak can do a reconnaissance down those stairs, and then report back on the general situation he finds there. We know he is likely to arrive sometime after 7:14 in the morning on the 30th of June, 1908.”
“How can you know this?”
“That is the time of the Tunguska impact, Admiral, and I believe that is what caused this fissure in time. I discussed this with Director Kamenski and he agrees. Whatever caused that detonation, it had some exotic material in it that breaches time, particularly in a nuclear environment.”
“So you think Troyak can go there, have a quick look around and then scoot back up? What if he finds himself having breakfast with Mironov again? Something tells me finding Volkov will not be so easy as we might hope. My inclination is to simply destroy the inn and be done with it.”
“Then we lose any option of reversing what Volkov did.”
“True, but sometimes you must close a door in life, Fedorov. Close the breach and end the matter. Then we play with the hand we have been dealt, and no one goes back to 1908 again. That seems to be a very critical juncture in the history. Karpov sinks a few of Admiral Togo’s old ships, and we lose Vladivostok and all the eastern provinces. You are there for just a few minutes and look what has happened! Then Volkov… No. That stairway is dangerous, and I think it must be destroyed, just as you first said.”
“We can do that, but we may not be able to close the time breach, sir. All we will be doing is destroying access to it. That stairway just happens to be precisely positioned along the line of the breach, right down to the number of steps and the exact angle of ascent or descent. It was just happenstance, but there it is. Kamenski says this is not the only instance. There are others, but that was all I could get out of him. We may be able to close the easy access to this one, unless someone can rebuild that inn exactly as it was, in exactly the same place. This is why I’m sending along a good demolition squad. I think we’ll have to blow that inn to a million pieces. That way, putting the puzzle back together again may be next to impossible.”
“Fedorov… I know you would dearly love to see Troyak get hold of Volkov by the ear and drag him here, but it may not be possible. I will keep the option open pending the mission team’s initial report. Then we will decide. For now, however, this mission is a search and destroy.”
“I understand, sir.” Fedorov had a grave expression on his face, fully appreciating the danger ahead.
Chapter 29
August 1, 1940
Fedorov was standing on the weather bridge, and he could not resist the urge to wave the mission on, raising his arm to the massive hulk of the zeppelin overhead as it slowly ascended, pumping his fist. They were on their way.
The ship had returned at high speed to Severomorsk, and the Narva was waiting there for them, hovering over the scene and tethered to a large mooring tower. It was every bit as big as the ship, nearly as long and much wider abeam, its shadow darkening the harbor as it waited. Admiral Golovko had been elated by the news that Kirov had done the job and forced the Germans to pay for their incursion.
“I do not know how you managed it,” he said gratefully, “but we are in your debt. Narva is yours, and any other resource we can provide.”
Sergeant Troyak had selected the men and established three teams. He would lead the first assault team, and for this he chose his toughest and most experienced Marines. Zykov would lead the support and holding team, reinforcing the position after Troyak gained entry. The third team would remain as a reserve aboard the Narva, the extraction and support group, and it would be led by Operations Chief Orlov. There were seven men in each group from the Marine detachment, including Orlov.
“How do you feel about the mission,” Fedorov had asked.
“Back to Siberia, sir. It will feel like home.” Kandemir Troyak, was a Siberian Eskimo from the Chukchi Peninsula in the far east. He was a short, broad shouldered man, very stocky, yet all muscle and all business, particularly with an assault rifle in his hands. Fedorov recalled how easily Troyak had lifted that oil barrel for the train when it was needed at the coaling car, and how he had backed down the NKVD Lieutenant and his squad with the sheer force of his intimidating presence. His organization and conduct of the rescue mission to the Caspian had been exemplary. Troyak led the assault that held off a full regiment of a German Panzer division while they desperately searched for Orlov, and that was no small accomplishment. He had every faith in the rock-like Sergeant, and knew he could count on him.
“There is one thing I need you to know, Troyak. We have made no general announcement to the men, but as mission leader I must tell you that we now know Captain Karpov has survived. He must have been thrown clear of the ship and shifted forward to 1940 in our wake. The strange thing is this-we think he fell out of the shift before we appeared here, and so he arrived earlier in time. We aren’t sure exactly when, but his name first appears in 1938.”
Troyak listened, his eyes registering surprise, but saying nothing.
“The thing is this, Sergeant. Karpov has wormed his way into a position of authority in the Siberian Free State. He is now commander of the Siberian Aero Corps, and we have learned they have at least eight zeppelins.”
He explained the flight plan was to cross the White Sea and stop briefly at Port Dikson on the Kara Sea to drop off mail, supplies, and take on fresh water and diesel fuel. Then they would vanish into the sprawling wilderness of Siberia, planning to approach Ilanskiy from the north. He wanted them to take the stealthiest approach possible, and also loaded portable jamming equipment just in case any of the Siberian zeppelins had mounted radar.
Chief Byko also suggested they use an Oko Panel radar set connected to a portable receiver. They could mount it easily on the bottom of the main gondola, and it could detect any hostile aircraft long before they would become a potential threat. Byko also nudged Fedorov with a wink and told him he could sharpen the Narva’s teeth a bit if necessary. The Marines ended up taking some reserve hand held 9K338 Igla missiles. The name meant “needle” in Russian, and NATO called the infrared seeking missile the SA-24 Grinch, but by any name it was a very capable infantry operated SAM system.