Pinkerova examined the extra notes and nodded her agreement.
“Yes, Comrade. They are correct.”
Rufin returned to addressing the wider audience.
“As you see, Comrades, the report speaks of an order from their Army Headquarters, sent to those four manufacturers, an order for new medals in the new style. It is broken down into replacements for existing awards, what they call de-Nazification, and for new awards.”
Nazarbayeva hid her impatience well, just not well enough, and Poboshkin picked up on it… and acted on it.
“For the Motherland’s sake, man, get on with it!”
Rufin’s ruffled feathers were obvious, but he pressed on.
“Comrade Mayor General, it is estimated that the Germanski awarded some four million second class medals in their whole war, from 39 to 45. They have asked for roughly two and a half million for replacements which, I have reasonably assumed, is because many holders were killed.”
He cut Poboshkin a look and continued.
“The figures for first class awards and the Cross also seem to tally nicely. Each company is asked to produce a quarter of the awards, so that would be six hundred thousand of the second class award each.”
He accepted the two reports back from Pinkerova and set them before his commander.
“Here’s the original, which lays out the replacement medal requirements… and here’s where it states about the new requirements. The medal is apparently different in both cases. Our problem lies in the translation.”
He pointed at both as he read the upside down words.
“It was mistranslated, Comrade Mayor General. Instead of saying that these four companies produce a quarter of four hundred thousand new style second class awards, or of the higher medals… it actually says each…”
“What?”
“The Germanski High Command is ordering over one and a half million new Iron Cross second class medals to award its soldiers.”
“Mudaks!”
All eyes turned to Pinkerova, who went the very brightest of bright reds.
“Apologies, Comrade Mayor General!”
Nazarbayeva laughed and smiled.
“I agree. Mudaks! They think they’ll need them. Comrade PodPolkovnik, concentrate on the Germanski first. I want answers to the questions that this poses.”
She held up the mistranslated report.
“Comrade Mayor Rufin. The Motherland thanks you… and I thank you. Well done. Now, get the staff up and in… if they’ve gone off duty… are on leave… sick… no excuses… everyone gets on with this now. Go!”
Her officers split like a bursting star and she was alone with her thoughts almost immediately.
Taking a moment to steady herself, Nazarbayeva picked up the telephone.
“Communications office.”
“General Nazarbayeva here. Get me a secure line to Moscow… office of the NKVD Deputy Chairman…”
The communications personnel did their work efficiently and within a few seconds there was a voice at the other end of the line.
“Mayor General Kaganovich’s office, Polkovnik Oberunov speaking.”
“Comrade Oberunov. General Nazarbayeva here. I need to speak to the General immediately.”
“I’m afraid he left orders not to be disturbed under any circumstances, Comrade Mayor General.”
“I understand your reluctance, Comrade Polkovnik. But I assure you that the deputy chairman will want to take my call.”
Aware of the developing relationship between the GRU and NKVD generals, Oberunov made a judgement call.
“Are you in your office, Comrade Mayor General?”
“28284… we relocated to 28284. The military exchange will route properly.”
She used the code number for Torgau, rather than the name, just in case.
“Wait by your phone please, Comrade General. I will contact the deputy chairman immediately.”
The phone went dead and she slid it back on the receiver, wondering if she should have had the Asbach… and equally pondering if she should have another.
The shrilling of the telephone ended the mental struggle.
“Nazarbayeva.”
“Comrade General, Kaganovich here, still dripping from the steam bath. What’s so important that you track me down so mercilessly?”
She told him.
He reacted appropriately.
“Blyad!”
He then told her something she didn’t know.
“Mudaks! And that information is how old, Comrade Kaganovich?”
“This afternoon. I was having it verified before I arranged to meet you prior to the Saturday briefing.”
“But your gut feeling is that it’s correct?”
“My source has never been wrong yet.”
“So it is all about the Germanski then.”
“Maybe not all, but certainly it appears we might have underestimated them. What will you do?”
“When will you confirm this all by?”
“Hopefully by tomorrow, day after at the latest.”
“As soon as I have everything in order here, I’m getting on the first plane to Moscow. The GKO will need to see this… and to understand it… I’m not going to trust it to a telephone call.”
“No, you’re correct not to. I will pursue my verification and let you know as soon as I have it… or not… as the case may be.”
“Thank you, Comrade Kaganovich. I’ll keep you informed.”
“Tread carefully, Tatiana. Goodbye.”
The click underlined the statement, and Nazarbayeva stared at the inanimate object, seeking further clarification… which was clearly not forthcoming.
She gently seated the handset, treating it like an unexploded bomb.
“Comrade Poboshkin!”
Her aide appeared in the doorway, and Nazarbayeva waved him to a seat.
“Number six has proved… err… interesting… and supports our theory. Comrade Kaganovich is confirming the information right now. It appears that the British are having a service of thanksgiving for the end of the Japanese conflict, on Sunday… this Sunday… July 27th.”
“Right…”
“Kaganovich’s agent is a British policeman… their London police force… he has seen the dignitaries list…”
“Let me guess, Comrade… might it contain numerous senior commanders of the American forces that we have as possibly being replaced by Germanski units?”
“Not quite, Comrade, not numerous… all.”
“What?”
“According to Kaganovich, the list specifies senior officers from the 12th Army Group… every corps commander, army commander, except that ass Patton, plus Bradley, Eisenhower, and even Bedell-Smith.”
Poboshkin was speechless.
“Eisenhower and Bedell-Smith… well… they can get by without them… but taking out nearly every other senior commander. Even if they leave experienced second in commands in charge… well… it’s without precedent.”
“Not if the Americans are out of the line…”
He paused as his mind flicked a switch.
“Or if the attention of our army is going to be focussed elsewhere.”
“As we suspected, Comrade, the two things are interlinked. We have all missed the probable expansion of the Germanski forces, and it is they who are going to launch the attacks now, a situation we have contrived by the success of the Vasilevsky plan to target the Amerikanski.”
“Now we know what to look for, I’m sure we’ll find more evidence, Comrade Mayor General.”
“We better had, because I’m flying to Moscow tomorrow, and I want to take as much proof as I possibly can.”
“Then I’ll get back to my desk… if there’s nothing else, Comrade?”
“Get me everything you can, Andrey Ivanovich. Everything you can.”
The patient’s eyes flickered, implying that he was waking up, something that immediately prompted the nurse to summon the doctor.