Hello, everyone. Here is the next chapter where we make some progress in the story, we won't immediately get to Natalan yet. But it will come after the September 1941, at least that is my idea.
July 1st, 1941
Henry Residence, Annapolis, Maryland
"Kaveh?"
As the red eyes looked over the green suitcase that he was holding to cover his face, Paimon flew forward in excitement.
"KAVEH?!"
The architect stared with wide eyes for a moment as more of his face became visible.
"Paimon?" he said in surprise.
"Oh, thank goodness!" Paimon exclaimed, "It really is you."
Kaveh slowly lowered the suitcase from the front of his face which revealed his face completely before the occupants. His expression seemed to be a mixture between confusion, relief, and complete disbelief.
"Aether?" Kaveh said as he noticed the blond traveller.
Aether stepped closer and still stared at him as though his mind had not accepted who he was seeing before him.
"Kaveh," Aether said with a small smile.
For a few seconds, they said nothing as they looked at each other. However, Kaveh looked around to see exactly where he was. Immediately, he could tell that he was in a room unlike anything in Sumeru. White tiles covered the floor and lower walls. A porcelain basin stood beneath a mirror, while towels hung from brass fixtures.
Then he noticed the bathtub was full of water with soap and standing behind a man in uniform was a woman with a towel wrapped around her.
"Oh," Kaveh said lightly, "it appears that I entered during an inconvenient moment."
"That's putting it lightly," Pug answered him.
"Perhaps, I should state that I did not choose this room to arrive in," Kaveh replied.
"I should hope not," Rhoda answered annoyed, "Because you came in when I was just about to take my bath and now I probably lost five years of my life because of you."
"How about we take this down stairs, Mr. Kaveh?" Pug offers, "Before my wife considers throwing anything else at you."
Kaveh glanced toward the broken glass and spilled whiskey on the tile floor.
"That seems to be a very reasonable suggestion, sir." Kaveh agreed.
"Kaveh, are you there?" called out a female voice from the arch with green light behind him.
Kaveh turned around to the sound for a moment.
Pug turned his attention back to the arch as the green light reminded him more of curtains, but there were glowing like a factory at night and shifted as if wind was blowing to them. After some seconds, the color of green shifted to where the curtains changed in their colors to another room that Pug could make out entirely. He saw thick roots curved along walls of pale stone, while several tables were covered in items ranging from paper to machinery that he could not even make out.
"I'm here!" Kaveh called back.
A woman appeared on the other side of the opening. Her hair was a color that Pug had never seen before on anyone, where it was turquoise and fell behind her shoulders/ She wore a strange outfit of white, green, and gold that Pug assumed was common enough wherever she came from.
"Kaveh?" she called again.
"Yes, Madam Faruzan. I'm Here," Kaveh said.
Faruzan looked relieved for half a second, then she noticed Aether and Paimon as they moved closer.
"Aether? Paimon?" she said with her eyes wide.
"Good to see you again, Faruzan," Aether announced with a happy smile, "I didn't think that I would see you again."
"Same here," Paimon waved, "Like you have no idea what we have been through."
Faruzan stared at them through the opening for another second as she seemed unable to decide how to respond.
"I can imagine," she said finally, "You disappeared from Teyvat entirely. We have been trying to find you recently."
"How did you find us?" Aether asked as he pointed at the arch, "How did you do this?"
Faruzan glanced toward the Instruments behind her as she replied, "Well, finding you was not the original intention."
Aether blinked, "What do you mean?"
"We were trying to reach Earth without using the same route as the Germans and Fatui," she explained, "We wanted to ensure that we could avoid their aperture at all costs."
"Yea, trust Paimon in saying this: Germany ain't a full place to be at with the Funny Mustache Man," Paimon said, holding out a finger.
"What did you have to do?" Aether asked Faruzan.
"Well….it's not easy to explain….but we used the Ley Line on Teyvat," Faruzan admitted.
"But Earth doesn't have Ley Lines at all," Aether answered.
"True, but it's what was coming from Earth to the Ley Line in Teyvat and the Irminsul especially that we were following," Faruzan explained.
Aether stared blankly at her image on the arch's curtain for a moment as he scratched his head in confusion.
"The things coming through the aperture you mean?" Aether said.
"Not just physical objects….things like people, objects and memories…." Faruzan went on, "The memories especially as they have intensified lately. Think of it like footprints that someone leaves on your floor with muddy shoes, they tell you that they came from outside."
"I see…" Pug commented as he tried to understand what she was tell Aether.
"And you are, Mr.?" Faruzan said, looking at Pug.
"Victor Henry from US States Navy, War Plans Division," Pug answered.
Even Kaveh had to pause for a moment at the introduction.
"War Plans?" Kaveh said, "That sounds rather ominous."
"Every nation on Earth has their own form of this," Pug answered with a nod, "Mostly it's just a bunch of officers sitting around tables trying to imagine wars before someone is foolish enough to start them."
Kaveh stared at him for a moment, "That does not sound less ominous."
Faruzan ignored Kaveh for a moment as she studied Pug with considerably more interest now.
"So you advise your military and government?" she questioned.
"When they ask," Pug answered, "But if I may ask you some questions ... .Miss. Farazun?"
"Madam Faruzan," she corrected him automatically.
"I'm sorry…Madam Faruzan. What exactly do you and who authorized this experiment?" Pug asked.
Faruzan seemed more satisfied with the question.
"I am a professor of the Sumeru Akademiya and a member of the Haravatat Darshan," she answered with pride, "My principal fields are technology, architecture, and puzzle solving.. Dimensional studies were not originally among them, but I saw it as an interesting puzzle to crack."
"Also getting stuck in a puzzle for over a century," Kaveh muttered.
Faruzan's eyes immediately shifted toward him, "Listen you little….."
"Before we have an interworld fight between an arch, can I ask you my questions, Madam Faruzan?" Pug quickly interrupted.
Faruzan continued to glare at Kaveh for a moment before returning her attention to Pug, "Very well, Mr. Henry."
Kaveh wisely said nothing, while Pug gestured toward the glowing arch.
"Did the Germans, Fatui, Snezhnaya, or any member of the Axis Pact have anything to do with this?" Pug asked specifically.
"No," Faruzan answered, "The only ones who know about this project are a small circle of people. Nor any of the other nations of Teyvat know yet, but it was approved by Lord Kusanali."
Pug glanced at Aether for confirmation, "Kusanali? That's the Dendro Archon right…or as you call her Nahida?"
Aether nodded, "Yes, and she rules Sumeru."
"Yes, and she authorized us to investigate whether an independent connection could be established," Faruzan interrupted to clarify, "We did not plan to send any one out yet."
Then her eyes shifted to Kaveh, "But this one decided to cross completely after he was only supposed to put his hand through it."
Pug understood that immediately what he was seeing and learning was a significant breakthrough. For months, Germany and Snezhnaya had something no other government in either world could claim. The Germans had opened the first road, while the Fatui had turned that discovery into a regular channel between the world. Britain did not possess a route to the other world and neither did the United States, where any information was through third parties like the Fatui and Aether. Although, Aether's arrival was for sure a breakthrough itself, the arch before him now was another matter completely. Now, they might have something where the information they can get could be verified completely without German, Fatui, or any other third parties.
"How reliable is this passageway? And can it hold for long?" Pug asked.
"At the moment? Not especially reliable," she explained as she glanced at the instruments, "One thing that helped us in getting to connect to Earth was by homing in on Traveller."
"Why him?" Pug asked.
"Well, not through the Irminsul directly," Faruzan clarified, "I don't know if Aether told you that he is not from Teyvat especially. When using the information and memories, we were able to find Earth but to avoid connecting to the German opening, we were homing in on Aether as we were able to detect another resonance. You see he is outside the normal Ley Line network, where we guessed that maybe he was not anywhere near German territory."
"If you were off by about a couple of months, you would be dead wrong," Paimon said, "but I guess that makes sense."
"Madam Faruzan, if you were using the Traveller as your beacon, does that mean you could change the location of the arch especially?" Pug decided to ask.
"Not accurately, but yes," Faruzan answered honestly as the lights on the arch flickered for a moment.
Pug thought for a moment as he realized that meant the connection was fading and he was running out of time.
"Can we borrow Mr. Kaveh for my government to meet as a witness to the experiment in the future?" he asked.
"That would have to be a decision made by Lord Kusanali," Faruzan answered, "But not now for sure as we need him back immediately to hear from him what happened."
"How soon could you run another arch to Earth, but this time in Washington?" Pug asked.
"Days from now, we could run another test in about seven days maybe? Would that be reasonable?" Faruzan asked.
"How about a day and a half?" Pug asked as he thought about that time he compelled the British to pick up some surplus planes quicker and felt that this was the same situation but different fields of game.
"A day and a half?" Faruzan repeated as if she was being challenged with a puzzle, then she turned to Aether, "Is he reasonable? And that's feasible?"
"He says so," Aether replied with a shrug.
"Well, we need to calibrate the instruments and recharge them for the test especially after hearing from Kaveh," Faruzan answered Pug as she turned back to him.
"Four days, maybe? That's enough time to do everything you would probably need to do," Pug negotiated.
"Four days?" Faruzan repeated, "it's extremely tight, we would have to do some of them at the same time but late hours on it. And that's assuming that tonight readings are stable and the actual second attempt is stable for crossing. Not ignoring the fact that it would need the Dendro Archon's approval and would your government even agree to this?"
"Madam, I have a close connection to the President of the United States, he would be very interested in this and have every right to ask why I let an opportunity like this sit for a week without pressuring you." Pug answered.
"And you expect me to reduce seven days of work to four because your President may be impatient?" She said.
"No," Pug answered as she raised eyebrow, "I expect you to tell me whether four days is actually impossible."
"If Traveller is in….what is the city again?" she asked.
"Washington, DC, Madam," Pug answered.
"Washington, DC…yes…..If the Traveller is there in four days and the Dendro Archon approves, I can attempt another one to reach the area of that city and ensure that it is within his location," Faruzan answered as best of an affirmation that Pug assumed was the best that he was going to get. Then the lights of the arch flickered again as it started to make a rhythm to its pace.
"We're running out of time," Faruzan said as she turned to Kaveh, "Kaveh, get back here before you spend more time than necessary in there."
Kaveh nodded as he walked to curtains as he slipped through them and appeared on the other side. Pug watched the crossing carefully through the entire process and it seemed no different than walking through a backstage curtain in a theater as Kaveh was right beside Furzan as she slapped him on the back of the head.
"What was that for?" Kaveh complained as he rubbed the back of his head.
"We'll talk about it later," Furzan said as she turned back to the group.
"Tell everyone that me and Paimon are alright," Aether said to Furzan as the flickering got worse and worse.
Furazan's expression softened as she looked at him.
"I will," she said with a wave.
"I would get started on those four days now," Paimon said as she placed her hands on her hips.
Furzan smiled as she shook her head as Kaveh could be heard giving a soft laugh.
Then the lights of the arch started to fade and not turn back up while the viney arches started to wither slowly, then it turned off completely as vines turned into leaves on the floor that started to wither into dust as well. Once the leaves turned into dust, Rhoda pushed everyone out of the bathroom as she wanted to finish getting cleaned up.
"Day and a half huh?" Aether chuckled towards Pug as they walked down the hallway.
"Yea, you knew she couldn't do that and you tricked her into arguing with you upward," Paimon commented.
"Well, I had experience with this," Pug answered with a small grin, "I might have pulled the same trick on the British when they were wanting to get some surplus aircraft. So I merely suggested a much shorter timetable."
"Yea, but you still tricked her," Aether said as they reached the spare bedroom that was Byron's but now adapted into a guest room.
"I am going to make a call right now, you and Paimon go to bed," Pug suggested to them.
They agreed as Pug walked back down to the foyer, where he walked up the phone.
"Operator, I need to make an urgent government call placed to Hyde Park," Pug said into the receiver, "Particularly to Mr. Harry Hopkins…tell him it's urgent and concerns my guests."
A few seconds passed.
"Yes, I'll hold," Pug said.
July 2nd, 1941
Top Cottage, Hyde Park, New York
The automobile climbed steadily passing trees until the larger buildings of the Roosevelt estate had disappeared behind them. Pug sat in the rear seat with his cap resting against one knee and a leader folder beside him. Inside were several pages of notes written before he left Annapolis that morning. The notes included a rough map of Teyvat that Aether had drawn for him last night. Pug read the note twice abroad the train and once more after reaching hyde Park. Even then they sounded incredible.
Then the car rounded another curve, where Top Cottage appeared among the trees. For a presidential retreat, it appeared more modest compared to what Pug had expected. On the porch of the stone cottage was Harry Hopkins. The automobile stopped before Hopkins, who opened the door for Pug as he came down to meet him.
"Glad you came quickly, Pug," Hopkins said, "The old man almost didn't believe me last night when I told him what you told me."
"I barely believe it myself, Harry," Pug replied.
Hopkins closed the door behind him as Pug exited the vehicle with the folder in one hand and his cap under the shoulder of the other.
"You alone right?" Hopkins asked.
"Like you asked, our guests are still at the house," Pug answered, being vague enough that Hopkins understood who and what he meant.
"Good," Hopkins said, "The old man is waiting for you."
"How are our Snezhnayan friends?" Pug asked as they walked to the front entrance.
"They are fine, but I will you that Childe buddy of yours has been talking to the press whenever he can and has become more effective of a talker than Goebbels can ever be in this country," Hopkins said, "Man's been making all sorts of arguments before the press on Snezhnaya's actions especially with Russia."
Pug glanced toward him, "Childe isn't exactly what I'd call a propagandist, considering the Port Affair with him transforming before the same press…I'm surprised to hear the press like him…And I'm more surprised that we allowed him to start talking to the press at all after the Port Affair."
"Well, it wasn't by choice," Hopkins answered candidly, "The President's been suddenly beginning more and more pressure from the Isolationist Block and that America First Committee."
Pug gave him a questioning glance as he replied, "What does that have anything to do with letting Childe talk to Reporters?"
"I'll tell you later, the old man's waiting for you…although, he might tell you himself…." Hopkin answered as they entered the sitting room of the cottage.
As they entered, like the exterior of the cottage, there was little grandeur that could be found. Pale walls rose high above a broad gray carpet, while dark wooden desks and tables occupied the center of the room among several straight-back chairs. Tall windows and glass doors admitted the morning light and looked upon the surrounding trees. The room seemed less like a room that belonged to the president of the United States than the study of a prosperous country gentleman.
Roosevelt was waiting near one of the desks, where he had several papers resting across his lap and the familiar cigarette holder projecting from the corner of his mouth. As Pug and Hopkins entered, Roosevelt lowered the papers and looked over the rims of his spectacles.
"Pug, come on in," the President said, sounding happy to see him, "I want to hear every detail from you on what happened last night."
Pug walked further into the room as Hopkins closed the door behind them.
"Mr. President," he said.
Roosevelt gestured toward one of the chairs near him.
"Sit down, Pug. Harry gave me the broad strokes last night, but I would rather hear the impossible parts from the man who saw it himself," Roosevelt said as he straighted up, "Now tell me everything that happened."
As Pug sat down and placed his cap on a table along with his folder, he started to immediately repeat everything that happened in the middle of the night last night.
"So the Silk Road comes to us through a bathroom," Roosevelt said softly, "And thankfully, our relations with Sumeru might have a chance of blooming well thanks to your wife's poor aim."
"Thanfully, yes, Mr. President," Pug replied, "But Rhoda was very startled."
"I would imagine," Harry said.
Roosevelt smiled as Pug continued on how Kaveh safely and easily crossed the arch back into Sumeru without a scratch before he got hit upside the head like an unruly child. However, the part that had Roosevelt's attention was the fact that Pug got Faruzan to agree to doing another run of the Arch in Washington within four days' time.
"Four days for another experiment," Roosevelt summarized.
"An attempt, if approved by the Dendro Archon," Pug explained, "Madam Farazun was very particular about that bit."
"Harry, I want you to get in touch with only those who need to know on this," Roosevelt looked to Hopkins, "If this works, I want this archway to be somewhere we can control without it leaking to the press. Somewhere with a strong military presence for security."
"You want to go through with this, if it works?" Hopkins asked.
"And lose a chance to have a road to this Teyvat without relying on Snezhnaya or Hitler for that matter, then yes," Roosevelt said plainly, "By this point, our bargaining position with Snezhnaya has improved last night, but I don't intend to tell Childe that until I get the facts."
"Considering that he's been talking to the press," Harry had muttered.
"Don't get me started," Roosevelt replied as irritation briefly showed through his otherwise genial expression, "Half the isolationists in Washington already seem convinced that I'm preparing some secret arrangement with the Tsaritsa by locking Tartaglia away from the press"
Pug leaned back slightly in his chair, "So that's why you've allowed him near the press."
"Allowed is a very generous word," Roosevelt answered, "With those conferences, he is able to tell the world here what Teyvat thinks of the situation; which makes the discovery at your bathroom more important. I'm hoping that we can make him not enjoy that distinction much longer if Sumeru can open that doorway again soon."
"And then we can get hard first-account information about that world," Hopkins continued.
"I understand that you have a map for me, Pug, based on Aether and Paimon explorations throughout Teyvat," Roosevelt stated.
"Yes, Mr. President," Pug answered as he reached for the leather folder he had placed on the table and removed a folded sheet of paper. He rose from his chair and carried it to one of the larger desks. The map was incomplete as it lacked details to Natlan and Snezhnaya as Aether had not had any chance to travel to either one yet.
"It isn't perfect," Pug warned as he unfolded it, "Aether drew most of it from memory last night. He told me that he hasn't been to Natlan or Snezhnaya yet and that I shouldn't trust the distances on it too carefully. Originally before the Hitler business, he was going to at some point travel to Natlan."
Roosevelt wheeled himself nearer while Hopkins came around from the other side of the desk.
"Considering what we've got, which is nothing before this, better than nothing," Roosevelt said.
The map was crude compared to any charts produced by the Navy Hydrographic Office, but it was clear on the features that it was trying to flattened one curled corner with hand. Across the paper, unfamiliar names to the President and his advisor had been written besides coastlines, islands, and other features of geography. However, some of the names of the nations of Teyvat that they learned by this point were the only things familiar.
"The Chasm?" Roosevelt read out in confusion, "Hell of a name for a location."
Pug learned over the map to see where the President was pointing.
"That's in Liyue," Pug answered.
"I figure that much," Roosevelt said as he adjusted his spectacles and examined the marks Aether had made around enormous depression, "What is it?"
"Well, there are different answers to it, Mr. President," Pug answered candidly, "According to Aether, economically and industrially, it's just an enormous pit with mines extending deep underground with various raw materials. But it is also the location in which Liyue had to deal with the Cataclysm five hundred years ago. Also, Paimon told me that it was in a sense haunted or cursed as she told me of an adventure that she, Aether, and others had where they were nearly trapped forever in a deeper part of the mines like something out of a horror novel."
Roosevelt looked over his spectacles at Pug, "Haunted…"
"A very long story that would involve drinking a martini, Mr. President," Pug answered.
Roosevelt gave a short laugh, "I will take that under consideration."
"What comes out of those mines?" Roosevelt asked as he returned his attention to the map.
" Iron for sure but also Cor Lapis and Noctilucous Jade among other things," Pug answered.
"Great more foreign materials that we need to know about," Roosevelt commented.
"Now let's focus on these nations, I talked with Cordell before he went in for another round with Childe; we both agreed that we need to establish contact to as many of these nations in this world as fast as possible," Roosevelt said, "And if an opportunity is possible, we send somebody who isn't carrying the full weight of State Department. Without, of course, announcing anything to the Fatui that we have found a way to the Silk Road as we will call it."
"So an observer?" Hopkins asked, looking down at the map.
"A bit more than that," Roosevelt answered as he coughed for a second, "Someone who can meet some of these governments without making commitments on behalf of the United States, but still make a favorable impression on them."
"Quite a big task," Hopkins said.
"Pug, you know about the story of Marco Polo?" Roosevelt asked with a smirk.
Pug glanced away from the map toward him.
"Enough of it, Mr. President," Pug answered.
"Good," Roosevelt said, "He went to China where most Europeans knew only through rumor, stayed long enough to understand something about it, and came home with stories people had trouble believing."
For a second, Pug didn't like where this was going as he had an idea on what the President was going to tell him.
"And now, we have a world that we only know through one side and have an opportunity to learn the truth, so Pug…How would you like to be my Marco Polo?" Roosevelt said.
Pug stared at him, then he turned his attention to Hopkins and then back to Roosevelt.
"Mr. President, are you asking me to go to Teyvat?" Pug asked.
"I'm asking you to see Teyvat as my Personal Observer and Representative," Roosevelt answered with a smile, "I want you to go to these nations, not promise anything that commits the United States to them yet. Like Marco Polo, write down what you see and learn. Ask some questions about their capabilities and learn about the people there like you did in London during the Blitz…just no riding on bombers this time, Pug."
Pug gave him a dry look as he replied, "I wasn't planning on it."
"Good, now when you are there. I want you to especially write down your thoughts on the governments there and how their people view them." Roosevelt answered.
"And considering that Sumeru is first on the list, is there a preference of a nation to go to afterwards?" Pug asked.
"Liyue," Roosevelt said as he barely gave time to consider it, "because they have one of largest commercial ports in Teyvat, it might open up the door to the other nations maybe."
"Ok," Pug breathed, "But there is one problem; although they are withdrawn from Mondstadt, I suspect they still have people scattered through most of the other nations, especially in Liyue as they have that Northland Bank there full of their agents. The moment that my identity is heard and they see me, word will travel back to Childe."
Roosevelt did not seem to show any concern or surprise on his face, "I don't doubt that."
Pug waited expecting something else to come and then said, "That's it?"
Roosevelt kept his smile faintly, "Pug, if you could get six months of wandering around without the Tsaritsa hearing about it, it would be wonderful. But even though I know that is impossible, I just want a head start on Tartaglia and see his reaction when he goes before reporters. Especially when we start asking him questions on what he's not told me especially and what we learn from there."
Pug nodded as it made sense to him.
"I'll see if I can get someone to deliver my reports from my travels then, Aether told me that in Teyvat there is a catlady that does deliveries securely and I see I can have her drop them off at Sumeru," Pug said.
Hopkins had to blink for a second as he processed that, "Catlady? You mean like that Lynette girl that's here with Childe?"
Pug smirked as he shook his head, "Much different, this lady is more cat than Lynette as the woman is what's called a Nekomata ... .pretty much a cat spirit."
Roosevelt said nothing for a moment as if he was trying to make a decision or an understanding until he spoke, "You know I think that now is the time for that Martini."
Khoriv, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic
July 2nd, 1941
Approximately 3:00pm
The news that Junior Lieutenant Sergei Antonov had been told was not anything that showed improvement on the situation, especially as he considered the situation that had been transpiring in the past few days especially for the 5th Army and the whole Southwestern Front as a whole. Ostroh had not been retaken as ordered by STAVKA, which was the first piece of bad news. The second was that most of the troops that had been ordered to retake it no longer existed as an organized fighting formation.
Antonov stood beside the hood of a dust covered GAZ staff car, while Major Sidorov unfolded a map across. The paper had been handled so many times that the creases had begun tearing through the colored marking. Red pencil arrows pointed west toward Ostroh, while blue lines indicated the latest known German positions. In addition, a white arrow pointing away from them indicated the last known direction of the Snezhnayan Tsaritsarites that was most likely outdated.
Antonov stared at that white arrow longer than he did the German positions.
"When was this confirmed?" he asked.
Sidorov did not answer immediately, which told Antonov enough.
"When?" Antonov repeated.
"Yesterday evening," Sidorov answered.
Antonov looked at him for a minute with annoyance clear on his face, "Yesterday?"
"The reconnaissance report reached Corps Headquarters this morning," Sidorov answered again.
"Where are they headed?"
"Most likely away from us," Sidorov continued, "The commanding General believes that it's a ploy to draw away from taking Ostroh. He read that these Tsaritsarites are very sneaky."
Antonov looked back at the white arrow as he repeated, "Sneaky."
"Yes," Sidoro said, giving a tired shrug, "apparently it means we are not to allow ourselves to be distracted. The order remains the same, Ostroh is to be retaken and the Germans driven back. Once we take Ostroh, then whatever the Icy Bastards planned on is going to turn around on their rear ends as we take the town behind them."
"Suppose that these Snezhnayans are more clever than they want us to think, you've heard about Brody right?" Antonov questioned.
"Everyone had heard about Brody," Sidorov's said as his tired expression hardened slightly.
"That isn't what I asked."
For a moment, the Major said nothing as he glanced toward the road beside them where another truck of wounded men crawled east neeath a cloud of dust; then he looked at the map again.
"Yes," he finally said, "the encirclement."
Antonov leaned against the side of the staff car, "so it is true."
"Enough of it is, for sure."
"How much is?"
Sidorov gave him a look that suggested he was deciding whether the question deserved answer.
"Several mechanized corps were cut off west of Dubno and Brody as the Snezhnayans moved behind the battles cutting off the corps from supply as they fought the Germans, then they slowly squeezed the ring on them," he answered, "a good piece of our armoured forces in this district were destroyed."
"Did anyone get out of the ring?"
"Some managed to break out, Command is still trying to figure out what was lost, escaped, and is intact even," Sidorov explained, "Some tanks crews either had to break out on foot or barely escape with their tank by the skin of their teeth. But for now, our armoured forces are in trouble, but with German armour its not a problem much apparently. The only odd thing is how about the ammunition that the Germans have used against our bigger armor."
"What do you mean?" Antonov said.
Sidorov tapped one of the blue arrows around Ostroh as he explained, "My cousin went on a commission tour of the Fascists tank schools and factories before the invasion. He said that he found that the tanks that the Germans had were smaller than ours and less armoured. When the Germans showed him and the other men to tour the tanks, he said that him and several others thought that maybe the Germans were lying that the Panzer IV was their heaviest tank and hiding their big tanks from them."
Antonov chuckled a little as he shook his head side to side, "I assume that the Germans must enjoy the accusation."
"Oh, they were rather annoyed and it seems that now they were actually being honest on everything," Sidiorov said, "But going on what I am talking about, the point is that their tanks can't penetrate the T-34 nor the KV-1 easily. If anything, the sight of those two tanks should be making the Germans crap their pants and run. But when they engage, suddenly they have the firepower to use ammunition that goes through our tanks."
"How?"
Sidorov moved away from the map and leaned against the front of the GAZ, "Well, one of the tanks crews that escaped Brody reported that a Panzer III with a fifty millimeter gun managed to easily penetrate the angled front of the T-34."
Antonov frowned, "a fifty millimeter gun going through the front glacis?"
"Yes, up angled part," Sidorov confirmed as he made a pop sound, "Went straight through. One of the tank commanders that managed to escape went in to see the aftermath of the exterior and interior. He said the penetration did not look like an ordinary armour piercing hit and he fought at Karelia the year before, so he knows a penetration shot well; he described the armour as if it had turned molten briefly with good big fragments of the tank everywhere."
"Maybe the ammunition in the T-34 cooked off?" Antonov suggested.
"That was his first thought too and probably afterwards it did," Sidorov moved on, "Until he looked at the entry point. As the damage started from outside, the steel around the hole had warped and melted more than any normal penetration with flow of metal inward. He at first thought that spalling happened inside, but the inside of the T-34 appeared as if someone had thrown a bucket of white-hot steel through it."
"With a fifty millimeter gun again?" Antonov said referring to the Germans.
"Yes, at the front upper glacis," Sidorov confirmed, "I'd belt a bottle of vodka that the Snezhnayans had a hand in this."
"Are you certain about that?" Antonov questioned.
Sidorov waved a hand as he spoke, "Without a doubt. As the escaped tank commander emphasized that the Panzer III only used that ammo on a KV-1 and T-34…not any of our BT's. As when a BT-7 came up, the Panzer III fired regular ammunition."
"So this ammo that they have? They must be rationing it," Antonov said as he rubbed his chin, "If the Tsaritsarites gave the Germans the special ammo to deal with our tanks, then…..what do they have?"
"Oh, them? That's where it gets confusing real quickly."
"How so?" Antonov said.
"T-34's," a soldier from the distance behind them yelled in excitement as it was good news, "We got reinforcements coming to help us."
Antonov and Sidorov turned around as they walked quickly behind the staff car. Meanwhile, several men alongside the road had begun looking from their north, possibly from the town of Ozhenyn. Some stood from the ditches, while others climbed onto trucks or ammunition to get a better view above the head of the retreating troops.
A cheer had begun to start somewhere near the crossroads as more soldiers cheered.
Then Antonov raised his binoculars, where he seemed to believe the feeling as well. Beyond the eastern edge of Khoriv, several tanks were advancing through the summer haze in a line formation. The formation seemed to be about twenty tanks moving at the same pace. Their hulls rode over broad tracks, while their frontal plates sloped backward that immediately reminded the Junior Lieutenant of the Red Army's new medium tank.
For the first time that afternoon, Antonov felt something inside his chest loosen as his heart swelled in excitement. In fact, he almost joined the men in their cheering. He wondered if perhaps Corps Headquarters had finally found something useful after all.
"I count at least twenty," Sidorov said beside him.
Antonov kept his binoculars raised as he looked ahead, "I agree. That would make nearly a battalion, which would be enough to make the Germans uncomfortable."
Men who spent hours trudging east with heads down stopped and turned toward the approaching armour. A wounded red army man sitting against the side of an ambulance lifted high enough to see, while another man waved his field cap above his head. Some soldiers holding their rifles pointed them up in the air as they moved their rifles up and down as they cheered the approaching tanks.
"T-34's!"
"About time!"
"Send the Hitlerrites back to Berlin!"
Someone laughed.
Another soldier shouted, "Now let the Germans try their little tin cans against those!"
The cheering spread loudly as Antonov could hardly blame. T-34 with its sloped armor, powerful gun, and wide tracks made it seem unique when word of it being able to hold against the Germans reached. And against the German armour, maybe it could matter when done carefully. With twenty T-34's, the situation could improve their chances of taking Ostroh and accompanied by whatever surviving tanks they could scrounge together from the retreat. Then the situation was not lost at all for them.
"Maybe your cousin was right to laugh at the Germans," Antonov said with a faint grin.
Sidorov glanced toward him, "How so?"
"Because if those are T-34's, then whoever is holding Ostroh is about to have a very unpleasant afternoon."
Sidorov gave a small chuckle, while Antonov kept his binoculars raised as the Tanks continued southward toward Khoriv from the direction of Ozhenyn. Their tracks cut dark lines through the fields as dusk rolled behind them in a long brown curtain. For a few joyful seconds, everything looked exactly like Antonov wanted it to. Then the formation broke up from a line formation as two tanks moved at a time from the lead vehicle at a time with one steering into the field on the right of the road and the other moving left.
Then another pair followed second later, then another, with each spreading farther onward until the single approaching column had unfolded into a broad line stretching across the countryside. The road remained in the center of the line with tanks spread across the wheatfield on either side of it.
Antonov lowered the binocular slightly as his smile disappeared.
Sidorov noticed and asked, "What?"
"Why are they deploying for battle already?" Antonov questioned sounding concerned as he raised his binoculars again.
As the tanks grew sharper, their features grew clearer. He could see the sloped front armour like a T-34 and its broad tracks. The tank had a low hull and everything that he was seeing was telling him that it was a T-34. But it almost matched it as he kept his eyes on the turret as it looked strange and Antonov focused his binoculars on it.
The tank on the right turned farther as it crossed the wheat field and exposed more of it side, where Antonov immediately could tell that the turret was completely turret, unlike the T-34 broad familiarly rounded contours, was too large and angular but was also hexagonal in its shape.
Antonov stared at it, "That isn't right."
Sidorov raised a pair of binoculars as well, "What?"
"Look at the turret," Antonov said.
Sidorov did exactly that as he noticed it as well as the gun being slightly longer.
"Maybe an experimental model?" Sidorov said.
"Then why are they in battle formation then?" Antonov questioned.
Antonov searched through his binoculars everywhere on that turret for markings of identification. Something like a red star, a tactical number, or really anything. Then his stomach tightened as he found a star, but it was blue and was not the Soviet five-pointed star. This star was eight pointed and he stared at it for a second longer just to be certain.
"Oh, shit," Antonov muttered.
Sidorov looked at him as he kept his binoculars up, "What?"
"Look at the side of the turret," Antonov ordered him.
Sidorov did and Antonov watched as the Major's smile disappeared completely in horror.
"That's not our star," Sidorov said as he lowered his binoculars.
"No, it's theirs," Antonov said, referring to the Snezhnayans.
Antonov turned toward the cheering men, who were still excited at the idea that reinforcements had arrived. They were waving caps and raised their rifles into the air. One soldier had climbed the running board of truck and was shouting toward the approaching as though the crews might actually hear him as he shouted their position.
Antonov felt something cold settle into his stomach as he yelled, "Get Down!"
Only a few men reacted along the road as Antonov cupped his hands around his mouth, "GET OFF THE ROAD! THOSE AREN'T OUR TANKS! TSARITSARITES!"
The word of 'Tsaritsarites' carried farther than anything else he had shouted as the road seemed to freeze in reaction.
Someone closer to the crossroads yelled, "What?"
"Look at the damn stars!" Sidorov yelled.
Several heads turned north again as the closest tank had farther into the field and exposed the broad side of its turret. Even without binoculars, the pale blue marking could be seen on it and once soldiers realized it, then panic set in.
"FATUI!" a soldier shouted to everyone.
The cheering vanished as the tanks traversed their guns at them, where Antonov saw the guns settle.
"DOWN!" he said as muzzle flash appeared as a sudden yellow-white burst across the field.
A fraction of a second later, a shell struck the road near one of the trucks. The explosion lifted the vehicle partly from the ground and tore its rear apart, while the men who had been standing beside it disappeared beneath dirt, smoke and fragments of wood. Then a second tank fired as its shell had hit a house along the northern edge of Khoriv and burst it open as the shell punched through and detonated.
Then a third followed and a fourth with each tank fired in a rapid succession.
Antonov threw himself behind the staff car, "TAKE COVER!"
Men started to scatter from road as a shell landed right into the road and sending men flying in different directions, while the windshield of the GAZ shattered behind him.
"Move the Wounded!" Sidorov shouted.
Orderlies dragged stretchers toward the eastern side of the road as they quickly grabbed any wounded man they could onto them. A wounded from the back of a truck and tried crawling as he lost a leg until another soldier grabbed under his arms and pulled him to safety.
However, the Fatui tanks continued advancing down the road. Antonov watched as Tanks continued their movement still firing as smoke from guns drifted behind them. He then heard another tank engine behind him, where he turned to see the huge bulk of a T-35 moving up into the road. One of the surviving tanks that barely managed to escape the pocket at Brody with its slow speed and constant breakdowns.
The tank filled nearly the entire width of the road as it lumbered between the buildings with its long hull shaking over every rut. Five turrets rose from it in a bizarre arrangement and its great central turret towering above four small ones mounted around it. A red star was paint plainly across the side of the main turret and was unquestionably Soviet.
"A T-35," Antonov said as he stood with wide eyes.
Sidorov turned around as his eyes widened, "That piece of junk? I'm amazed it still runs."
The enormous tank lumbered toward them as if it took great offense at the remake as it moved past them and into action, where it could see the tanks coming up. The central turret turned to the lead tank on the road as it fired its seventy-six millimeter short barrelled cannon followed by the front lower turret's forty-five millimeter gun.
The first shell struck the ground just short of the leading Fatui tank and exploded beneath its front tracks, while the forty-five millimeter round struck a heartbeat later. A bright spark jumped from the sloped glacis as the shell ricocheted away.
"Damn," Antonov muttered as the dust cleared with the pale-starred tanks still moving.
"No damage," Sidorov cursed.
The T-35 crew reached the same conclusion as they fired again, while the tank angled itself right to allow the rear forty-five millimeter turret to get a shot as well. The big central gun fired again as its shell hit the front glacis of the lead Fatui tank and exploded on the hull for a second with smoke and a bright flash, but as it cleared no visible damage could be seen.
Then the two forty-five's started with the front and then rear, where one shell missed by hitting the ground in front of the tank and one shell bounced on the right angled side of the turret.
Then one of the Snezhnayab tanks traversed its turret to the T-35 and settle its gun on it, where it fired a shell at the T-35. The flash of the muzzle was followed by something different than the usual high-explosive rounds that had been striking Khoriv as the projectile struck the T-35 high on the front hull. For a brief second there was no explosion, but instead a orange-white flash across the armor around the impact point as the steel glowed.
Then the T-35 shuddered as a shower of sparks and glowing fragments burst from the vision ports along the hull while the sound of great stones being grounded violently together. It was like a deep grinding crunch beneath the metallic impact, while the noise lasted barely an instant before it ended in a tremendous snap as the armor gave way.
The entire plate front of the T-35 fractured around the penetration point, while the penetration point was dripping in molten metal. Then came the screams of ungodly agony muffled behind several millimeters of metal. Anyone outside could clearly hear it as smoke poured from the driver's hatch that had popped open suddenly, where the screams could be clearly heard but the driver did not come out.
However, before anyone could even get out and escape, the same Snezhnayan tank fired another shell and then another again within two seconds within quick succession. Antonov flinched at the muzzle flash as the second shell struck the T-35 before the smoke from the first penetration had even cleared and penetrated against the lower portion of the front hull and punched through with the violent sound of stones grinding against each other heard again. The third shell slammed into the base of the central turret as flame violently erupted from the turret ring, where it finally blew up in the air as the ammo cooked off, killing anyone that was still inside. A moment later, the central turret came back down onto the ground beside the burning hull and one of the smaller turrets was blown partly open from its mounting.
The shockwave struck Antonov hard enough as he fell to the ground right beside the GAZ as the additional shells hit the tank. His ears ringing as he raised his head up and saw the burning wreck of the T-35.
"What the hell loads a gun that fast for a tank of that caliber?" Sidorov yelled as he regained his footing.
Antonov did not say anything for a moment as he saw the line of tanks coming still toward them and then he finally said something, "I don't know but we need to get out of here now."
Before anyone could make any agreement, a sound to their east and west could be heard. Antonov decided to look east where the Horyn River could be seen and saw a line of metallic monsters floating in the air. The sound they made was not any language that he could make out as they had a glowing eye looking at them and had four arms. Then the arms detached as they opened up and fired rockets at them.
Khoriv, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic
July 3rd, 1941
Approximately 8:30am
Arlecchino sat in the back of a Kübelwagen as it moved slowly through what remain of Khoriv. The battle to encircle and destroy the Soviet formations delaying the German advance had ended sometime during the night, while the evidence of the battle remained everywhere the Kübelwagen drove through.
Burned trucks lined both sides of the road, while some had been pushed into ditches to allow traffic through. While others remained where they had been destroyed with their cargo scatter across the ground. The Kübelwagen passed many dead bodies of Soviet soldiers that were killed by either the tanks and the Ruin Hunters that surrounded their sides.
"Where's Generals Kleist and Rundstedt? I am to meet with them" she asked the driver, Efim Snezhevich, as they passed a line of Soviet prisoners being marched away escorted by a line of Oprichniki and a couple of landcruisers.
Efim with his short grey hair and blue eyes looked toward the small mirror mounted above the windshield.
"South side of the village, Father. The Germans established a temporary headquarters near the church, General von Kleist arrived at first light to inspect the area," he answered clearly.
"And Rundstedt?"
"His staff car should arrive soon," he answered as Arlecchino looked toward the prisoners again. Hundreds of Soviet soldiers along the roadside in columns of four, while some still wore their helmets or had badly conditioned uniforms showing wear from the battle.
"What's final count on the prisoners?"she asked.
"Approximately thirty-four hundred prisoners around Khoriv and the surrounding fields so far," Efim answered, "Dottore has already sent a request claiming them as prisoners of Her Majesty the Tsaritsa and requested to be transferred to the new mining camp in Novokitezhgrad."
Arlecchino slowly turned her head away from the prisoners, "of course, he has."
Efim glanced at the mirror again, "Father?"
"Has it been approved yet?"
"Not yet, the request arrived to us less than an hour ago and has not yet reached the Jester."
Arlecchino rolled her eyes as she knew that Pierro would approve it regardless how much she could delay it.
"Hold back from approving it, I want to interrogate the officers myself before they are sent away," she ordered.
"Understood, Father," Efim acknowledged, "The ones that we have especially are a Junior Lieutenant Antonov and Major Sidorov. We have already learned through Sidorov's possessions that the Germans gave the Soviets a tour of their tanks and schools."
"What possessions?" Arlecchino asked as they passed the burned wreck of the massive T-35, where a pair of Oprichniki stood on top of it smiling and holding a Pale Star flag on it as another Oprichniki below took a picture.
"A notebook and letters as well. Apparently, his cousin participated on of the Soviet commissions that toured German military facilities before the war," Efim explained.
Tension filled the atmosphere of the car as Arlecchino did not look pleased, "Did it reveal anything about us and our equipment?"
"Not from the German tour itself, Father," Efim explained, "His cousin visited those facilities before our alliance with Germany became relevant to Soviet intelligence. But it did have information about Soviet experience against our tanks and equipment from Brody."
Arlecchino nodded as she could make some guesses on what that information might have, "I want to see those letters and the notebook. Then I want to see those two officers after my meeting."
"Yes, Father. Understood," Efim said as they came up to the church.
The Kübelwagen started to slow down as it approached the temporary German headquarters. The church itself survived the battle relatively intact, while some windows were shattered and a section of the stone wall surrounding its grounds had been knocked apart by the artillery fire. German communications wire ran through the courtyard and disappeared through an open doorway. Radio trucks were nearby with their antennas rising above the roofs of the surrounding houses. Almost immediately, soldiers that were guarding the entrance went to attention and gave her the Hitler salute.
Arlecchino started to hate that salute more and more each time she witnessed it as a German soldier came to her car.
The soldier opened the door for her and came to attention as he gave her the salute as well.
"Heil Hitler! Heil Tsaritsa!" he said.
Arlecchino stared at the raised arm for half a second longer than necessary and there was another reason why she hated that salute. After weeks of meeting with German officers and speeches filled with references to their 'great' Führer, the gesture in combination with the Tsaritsa's name did not improve it. If anything it made it worse, as she hated that she was being more and more associated with them. She honestly hoped that whoever in Berlin thought of invoking the Tsaritsa in such a manner would get a British bomb landing on them for it.
Arlecchino stepped from the Kübelwagen as the soldier remained rigid and gave a small nod to be 'at ease.' The German hesitated for a moment before he lowered his arm as Efim climbed out of the driver's seat and followed her into the church.
As they entered, the interior of the church resembled more of a headquarters. Maps and communication equipment was everywhere, while the smell of tobacco was incredibly strong, reminding her of a club in Fontaine.
Several officers noticed her coming in as conversations stopped as they went to attention; but before they could give her the salute, Arlecchino quickly raised her hand to stop them.
"Enough," she said.
At the center of the room was General Kleist, who possessed none of the theatrical appearance that Arlecchino had already encountered. He had a broad weathered face with pale eyes, but wore a naturally severe expression while his mouth held a thin line. His uniform was decorated with a gold and scarlet insignia, he wore his cap on head. He held out a hand to Arlecchino.
"Fräulein Arlecchino," Kleist said, "At last. It is a pleasure to meet you."
Arlecchino looked briefly at the offered hand before taking it.
"General Kleist," she said as his handshake was firm.
"I have been receiving reports about your operations since Brody," Kleist continued, "And now Khoriv. Your people have made themselves rather difficult for the Russians to ignore."
"That was the intention," Arlecchino answered.
"Quite, so," Kleist said as there was a slight hesitation afterward.
Arlecchino recognized this hesitation from General List before and during Yugoslav campaign. Men like Kleist had spent their entire military careers dealing with men, but a woman commanding an expeditionary force from another world was apparently something that German military etiquette had neglected to prepare them for.
"I hope Fräulein is the correct form of address," Kleist said.
Arlecchino raised an eyebrow, "It will do."
Kleist gave a small nod, apparently satisfied that he had not already committed some obscure Snezhnayan insult that the Führer would hear about.
"Although," Arlecchino added, "my soldiers and children address me as father."
Kleist paused as the expression on his face was one of uncertainty.
"Father?" he repeated.
"Yes."
Kleist glanced briefly toward Efim, perhaps hoping that the Snezhnayan officer might reveal whether she was joking. However, Efim's expression gave him nothing at all.
"I see," Kleist said finally.
"You don't have to," Arlecchino said as the red X's in her eyes flashed, "But Fräulein will suffice."
"Very well, please," Kleist said as he pointed his arm back to the map on the table.
She nodded as she walked up to it, where she could see the positions of all the German and Fatui forces on the map. On it, it showed the two armor regiments she sent in the area while the majority of her forces were moving toward Chudniv and Lyubar.
Kleist watched her eyes move across the map, "I am surprised that you have committed only two armored regiments heres? I assumed that this was your main thrust."
"No," Arlecchino continued, "The objective for the two regiments was to encircle and destroy the Soviet delaying your slow moving forces, General. In short, you are moving too slowly and I had to help you."
The room became noticeably quieter as one German officer stopped writing. Another officer looked down at the map with sudden fascination, while Kleist stared at Arlecchino.
"Too slowly?"
"That is correct, your forces even had the information and supplies from us long before this campaign began. You are still having short falls with the T-34s and KV-1s, while the Soviets use that time to rebuild a new line of defense" she explained, "Both your Führer and the Tsaritsa need Ukraine secured for its resources quickly. The Tsaritsa wants me to secure Rostov by December for potential operations to secure the Caucasus oilfields and ensure that Voronezh north of my flank is secured in your hands."
Kleist stared at her, "Rostov and Voronezh secured by December?"
"Yes,"
"That is several hundred kilometers and will extend our supplies," Kleist explained.
"I am aware."
"And the railways have to be converted and infrastructure needs to be rebuilt to bring the supplies," Kleist explained, "Surely your Tsaritsa can understand that such a distance is difficult to supply the further we advance."
"Have you used those words with your Führer before?" Arlecchino commented.
Before Kleist could say more, an additional staff car drove up as its passenger exited and entered the church. Several German officers immediately straightened as Kleist glanced toward the entrance.
"That will be the Field Marshall," He said.
A moment later, Generalfeldmarschall Gerd von Rundstedt entered the church accompanied by two staff officers. He was noticeably older than Kleist with a long gaunt face deeply marked by age. He had cheeks that caved toward a thin mouth and looked to Arlecchino as if he was already well past the age of retirement for an army profession.
The officers came to attention and conversations ceased as even Kleist straightened slightly. Rundstedt's eye passed across the church before setting first on Kleist and then on Arlecchino. Arlecchino noticed that in his hand was one of those batons that looked to be styled similar to one that she saw on that fat peacock Göring.
"Kleist," Rundstedt acknowledged as he approached the map table.
"Field Marshal," Kleist said as Rundstedt turned his attention toward Arlecchino.
For a brief moment, she wondered whether she was about to endure another raised arm and another enthusiastic combination of Hitler's name with the Tsaritsa. The old man did neither as he simply gave her a restrained military nod.
"Fräulein Arlecchino," he said.
Arlecchino found herself appreciating him already, "Field Marshal Rundstedt."
"I understand your forces had a productive evening."
"Productive enough."
Kleist glanced between them, "We were discussing time tables. Rostov by December and Voronezh secured for the northern flank."
Rundstedt placed the baton on the map table as he slowly removed one glove, "By december?"
"Yes," Arlecchino acknowledged.
Rundstedt looked at her again as he continued, "You have been here for less than two weeks and already you are planning several hundred kilometers beyond the present front. I have heard similar confidence in Berlin and am convinced that Berlin cares less about geography, but I assume that this timetable comes from your Tsaritsa?"
Arlecchino nodded.
Rundstedt traced a finger on a road east with one finger as he continued, "Then perhaps she and the Führer have more in common than either would enjoy hearing. Or maybe she would prefer the late Kaiser instead?"
"I have never met him."
"You missed your opportunity by approximately one month. But in the last war, he too had grand objectives and visions."
"Are all German leaders afflicted with this condition? Because if yes, Field Marshall, you should find a cure."
"We have been trying for some time, unfortunately. But now, let's continue on with your Tsaritsa's grand vision for you to have Rostov and Voronezh by December."
"Yes, especially with time running against us. Roosevelt has already made it clear that America intends to supply the Soviets. They have not extended Lend-lease to Moscow yet but I have no doubt they will eventually. When that happens, Field Marshall, we will begin finding American trucks and equipment waiting for us farther east supplying the Red Army," Arlecchino explained, "The Director wants me to be ready to secure the oilfields by April next year and deny Stalin the oil he needs too. Oil is going to be needed for Stalin to run the huge logistics train that the Americans will undoubtedly provide."
"Yes, but once Dietl and the Finns take Murmansk and cut the railway, a considerable part of that supply chain disappears," Rundstedt confirmed.
"If it were that simple, then yes. But there other routes, Vladivostok especially, Japan refused to take part in the Invasion when the Director asked them to join before planning. They even have a neutrality pact with Stalin to avoid military confrontations with them."
Rundstedt looked to be in thought for a moment as he moved his finger to Rostove for a few seconds before moving north to map again to Voronezh.
"Very well, Rostov is your objective and Voronezh and the protection of your northern flank will be considered as the campaign develops," Rundstedt said.
"Very well," Arlecchiono said as she turned around and walked up to the door then turned right back, "One last thing and I just want to be clear on this, I have information and evidence from a Soviet Prisoner that your government before this invasion allowed the Soviet to tour your tank schools and factories."
"Yes, we did. But it did not seem to be a concern to Snezhanaya especially," Rundstedt stated.
"Yes, but this was not disclosed to the Fatui. The issue is that your government allowed to happen by inviting the Soviets, who are of an army we at the time were planning to fight, into facilities associated with the forces expected to fight them," Arlecchino said sounding annoyed.
"Germany and the Soviet Union were not at war with each other," Rundstedt clarified as his thin mouth tightened.
"Neither was Snezhnaya or Britain, but I still wouldn't have invited the Royal Navy to tour Nod-Krai," Arlecchino responded, "Fortunately, for everyone in this room, German recklessness appears to have preceded Snezhnayan involvement. As thankfully we made improvements for you that would have made the situation much worse."
"Recklessness," Rundstedt repeated as he privately cursed that Bohemian Corporal.
"Would you prefer negligence, Field Marshall?"
Kleist cleared his throat as he spoke, "I suspect neither term will improve the issue."
"Yes, because I will be writing a report to the Director and the Tsaritsa about it," Arlecchino said as her red X-shaped pupils seemed to sharpen as silence filled the room.
"I assume that you are sharing with us any additional information that you learn from the Soviet Prisoners on the nature of their knowledge on your weapons and ammunition," Rundstedt questioned carefully.
"Yes, unlike Berlin, I believe allies should tell each other these things," she replied with a slight pause, "We have been giving you all that you need for this with information we got and shared. When the Director hears about this, I assure you that he will have a talk with your Führer on it."
She turned around again and exited the church with Efim right behind her.
July 5th, 1941
Washington Navy yard, Washington, D.C.
The warehouse had been emptied of almost everything except a few wooden tables, electrical equipment, and a semicircle of armed Marines standing guard around the warehouse. A couple were stationed inside and given strict orders not to fire unless given specific orders to do so. None of them had been told exactly what they were guarding.
Pug stood near the center of the concrete floor not in uniform and instead wore a long beige raincoat with a grey hat on his head. The same civilian outfit that he would wear when he was not in official business in Berlin and in each of his hands was a large suitcase. The one suitcase was filled with his private stuff containing enough clothes and personal effects to last him for several weeks. In addition, there were also a few books and several blank journals in which Roosevelt expected him to record practically everything he saw like Marco Polo. Pug made sure that he at least had 4 journals with one for each nation he expected to meet, but he planned to keep it in a volume like organization.
The second was considerably more important as it was issued to him. Inside it were identification papers, copies of his written instructions from the president, several sealed letters addressed personally by Franklin Roosevelt to the leaders of the nations Pug expected to visit, additional stationery for his reports, and a wax seal that would identify correspondence sent directly from the President's personal representative.
Also in addition, for his safety was a colt firearm pistol with some ammunition to defend himself as they travel between nations. Right beside the firearm was a shoulder holster. Originally, he did not want to bring it during his coming travels but the President explained that if he was going to travel to the nations then he needed it for the journey between them.
Aether stood near the cleared section of the concrete floor, where everyone hoped that the arch would land in. Paimon hovered beside him as she stared around the marines. One of them caught her looking at him, which made Paimon quickly turn away. Then she looked back as the Marine continued staring straight ahead.
"You probably won't need the coat, Sumeru is normally much warmer," Aether commented to Pug.
Pug looked down at the beige raincoat, "You might have mentioned that before I packed."
"You never asked."
"I assumed that since Sumeru has a jungle, I would need it," Pug answered.
"Yes, but even in Sumeru and the other nations, you are still going to stick out like a sore thumb," Aether explained, "Pretty much each nation has a different attire completely and I yet to see someone in Teyvat wear a raincoat around."
"Yea, the hat is actually the one thing that might fit in as it looks Fontainian," Paimon said, "Almost like Xavier's hat."
Pug touched the brim of the gray hat, "Who is Xavier?"
"A Fontainan we know," Aether answered, "Engineer, filmmaker, inventor. It really depends on what he is doing when you meet him."
Pug stared at him for a moment, "I see."
Then Pug looked down at his coat again, "So the Hat belongs in Fontaine, the coat belongs nowhere, and I am apparently going to look strange regardless of what I wear."
"Pretty much," Aether said, "But there might be somewhere we can get clothes in each nation of Teyvat. In Fontaine, there is Chiori especially."
"So much for discreetness, eh Pug?"" Hopkins said with a grin.
"No offense, Harry, you're one to talk, considering the President is sending you in to meet Lord Kusanali with me," Pug replied right back, referring to the suite that Hokins was openly wearing.
"Unfortantely, I'm not one for long walking travels," Harry answered, "I'll only be staying in Sumeru while you all head to Liyue afterwards, the President wants me to ensure that we build a strong direct relationship with Sumeru. Considering that they're the ones who built this door, he thinks that it's worth handling personally."
Pug nodded, "And once you return?"
Hopkins glanced toward the empty section of the warehouse floor.
"Assuming the door still works both ways, I go back and report to the President whether this is as incredible as we have been hearing," Harry Hopkins said as he adjusted himself slightly as he sat down on a chair, "After that, I have a feeling Russia may be next."
"I'm surprised that the President is willing to gamble on Sumeru making it work again," Pug replied.
"The President is willing to risk it as we need contact with these people in Teyvat immediately, to find out the situation there," Hopkins answered.
"But why Russia?" Aether asked curiously.
"Mainly to know if the Soviets can hold against the Germans and Fatui," Hopkins answered as he grabbed a hat as well, "Some of the Admirals and Generals talking to the President believe that Russia won't hold."
"How much do they believe it?" Paimon asked curiously as she floated over to Hopkins.
"The War Department believes that Germany could reach Moscow within a week," Hopkins answered, "And those estimates are bad enough without the Fatui."
"And now?" Pug answered with a frown.
Hopkins placed the hat across his knees as he replied, "Now some people think that the Germans and Fatui will push deep into European Russia before Winter…maybe even pass the Urals."
"And Roosevelt doesn't trust the estimates?" Aether asked as he folded his arms.
"Not enough to make American policy from a desk in Washington," Hopkins answered plainly, "We need to know if the Soviets can keep fighting before we can promise them anything."
"And Sumeru, what did he ask you to make about Sumeru?" Aether asked.
"Mainly where does Lord Kusanali and Sumeru stand on this war especially," Hopkin answered, "And whether or not Sumeru is willing to keep this route open to us, how securely they can protect it, and whether we can exchange information with it reaching Snezhnaya five minutes later."
"But Nahida won't give information to the Fatui," Aether explained.
"I believe you," Hopkins nodded as he pushed, "But the President doesn't know her. We need to know as much as Sumeru knows or is willing to tell us."
As they continued, Pug went into thought about the whole thing especially. He remembered how Rhoda reacted when he told her that he would have to be gone for some time travelling in Teyvat acting essentially as America's Marco Polo. When she asked how long he would be gone, he admitted to her that he had no idea exactly. He told her that it would be weeks without a doubt, she seemed very upset as it meant that again he was running about doing errands for the President and not near her. Although, she helped him pack his suitcase with clothes to wear for the journey.
"Wait…look…" Aether called out.
Pug regained his attention to the floor as the Marines straightened, where nothing occupied the clear floor. Then a tiny point of green light appeared several feet above the concrete and then a second later another one appeared beneath it. Then another pair appeared some time later as thin strands of green light stretched between each pair of points.
Vines grew from the concrete floor as they twisted upward through the empty air, while leaves grew along the vines as they grew up and glowed softly beneath the warehouse lamps.
One of the Marines shifted his rifle.
Hopkins immediately raised a hand, "Nobody fires."
The vines continued climbing until arched and joined overhead as the space between filled with a lite green light. The curtains appeared as they materialized in the gap and rippled gentle despite there being no wind in the warehouse. The light began clear as a image appeared through the curtains, where Pug could make out tables covered in strange instruments. He could see enormous roots climbing along the wall as people moved around them, where Farazun stepped into view.
She looked exhausted, but had a look of triumph on her face mixed with an exhaustion that suggested she spent several late nights trying to meet the challenge.
Faruzan looked through the opening and immediately found Aether as she smiled, "Traveller?"
Aether stepped closer, "we're here."
Paimon shot forward and waved both arms, "Faruzan! It worked!"
Faruzan gave Paimon a tired look, Yes, Paimon. I noticed."
"Paimon was just being excited."
She glanced over her shoulder toward the instruments behind her. Several Akademiya researchers moved between the tables as they watched gauges and glowing devices as they called readings to one another.
"The connection appears more stable than the first attempt," Faruzan continued, "We have maintained it long enough that I am comfortable allowing people to cross."
Pug stepped closer to examine it and then spoke, "May offer my sincere congratulations, Madam Faruzan."
"Ah, and here is the one that rushed me into fours days of endless nights and lack of sleep," Faruzan said as she folded her arms, "Now see here, did you really think that I could get all of this done in a day and a half?"
Pug just gave a grin in response as her eyes narrowed on him.
"Realized what you did afterwards," she continued, "And felt half insulted that you played like that. I was solely tempted to not make it just to make you look bad before your President. But Lord Kusanali wanted me to uphold the agreement."
Then Cyno stepped into view and looked through the opening toward the American side. His red eyes moved slowly across the view he had od the Warehouse, where he first examined the Marines, particularly the rifles.
Aether smiled when he saw him, "Cyno."
Paimon immediately waved again with a big smile, "Hey, Cyno!"
Cyno gave them a small nod, "Traveller. Paimon."
Pug glanced toward Aether, "I assume that this is another friend of yours."
"Yes," Aether answered, "This is Cyno, General Mahamatra of Sumeru."
Hopkins looked toward Pug, "General?"
Cyno heard as he answered, "Not in a military rank."
Hopkin raised an eyebrow, "Good to know, I guess."
Cyno stepped closer to Faruzan and continued examining the warehouse on the other side as he continued, "Lord Kusanali asked me to accompany the exchange."
Hopkins moved closer to the arch, "Exchange?"
Cyno nodded as he continued, "Yes, Lord Kusanali believed that if representatives of your government are coming to Sumeru, then Sumeru should also have representatives visit your country. Although it wasn't clearly stated four days ago, it seemed obvious that both sides should find out and share what they can about each other's worlds without a Snezhnaya mouth piece in between."
Hopkins gave a small nod, "On that point, I suspect the President would agree with Lord Kusanali."
Cyno looked toward him, "You distrust Snezhnaya, Mr.?"
"Hopkins. Harry Hopkins," Hopkins answered, "And distrust maybe too strong a word. But let's say the President doesn't enjoy getting all his information through another person's filter."
Cyno nodded slightly, "Sounds like distrust."
"You get straight to the point, don't you?"
"Usually, in my position, it's needed. How many of you will be coming through?"
Hopkins seemed to like Cyno and answered with two fingers.
"Two people? Thankfully we planned ahead as someone else will be joining me," Cyno answered.
"Who?" Pug answered.
Cyno glanced over his shoulder toward someone out of sight, "You know him already."
Before anyone on the American side could ask what he meant, a familiar blond man with a familiar green suitcase appeared from behind one of the stone pillars on the Sumeru side. Kaveh stepped into view carrying the suitcase in one hand and another smaller bag over his shoulder.
Kaveh gave a restrained smile, "Mr. Henry, it seems I will be coming to your country under more deliberate circumstances this time."
"And you got pulled along in this?" Pug questioned.
Kaveh's restrained smile weakened as he looked away with a huff, "That is one way of describing it as apparently my accidental visit four days ago makes me the person in Sumeru with the most practical experience of your country. I will mainly be on architecture and infrastructure, while the General does a more broader observation of the United States itself."
Hopkins looked between the two of them as he processed it, "So Cyno determines whether we're trustworthy, while you determine whether we know how to build anything."
"That's the gist of it," Kaveh said, "Can we get this started now?"
Faruzan immediately gestured toward the glowing arch as she sighed, "Please before someone find another subject to discuss."
Cyno looked at the opening one more time as he said, "I will go first."
He stepped through the seethrough curtain as the Marines on the American side stiffened almost imperceptibly, while Hopkins reassured them to remain steady. Then Cyno passed through ashis boots struck the concrete floor of the Washington Navy Yard.
Hopkins stepped forward and extended a hand, "Welcome to the United States, General."
Cyno studied the gesture for a moment before taking the hand, "Thank you, Mr. Hopkins."
"Alright, Pug, it's your turn. I will go right after, Mr. Kaveh," Hopkins announced as he turned to Pug.
"Yea, and we will be right behind you," Paimon said as Aether nodded.
Pug nodded as he nervously stepped forward toward the arch with each step bring more of the interior in Sumeru into view. Then he stopped directly before the curtain, where he could see Faruzan perhaps what felt like ten feet away from him. Yet, between them lay something that no map on earth could measure.
Then he stepped forward as the curtain touched his coat, but there was no impact nor a violent pull. Only a strange coolness washing across his skin, followed by the brief sensation that the floor beneath his shoes had vanished. Suddenly he could feel his foot come down not on concrete, but stone. Pug closed his eyes as he made another step forward and then he was in Sumeru.
"Welcome to Sumeru, Mr. Henry," said a child-like voice below his nose.
Pug looked down where he saw a little girl in a white and green dress with long white hair looking up at him.
"I'm Lord Kusanali…also known as the Nahida or the Dendro Archon," the little girl said.
I hope that you enjoyed this chapter and look forward to your response as well any show of support if you think that it deserves it. This chapter was probably the longest one that I have written yet with over 13,000 words for one chapter.
Here is the historical facts for this chapter:
1. T-35 (Soviet Tank): This tank actually did exist and was document in the Ukraine area of fighting during the Invasion, where it performed poorly and constantly broke down. Most of the tanks that served in the area were lost during retreat through the breakdowns, combat, or abandonment.
2. Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact: This was something that had been briefly mentioned through Arlecchino, where it was signed on April 13th, 1941. The Japanese signed this especially as they took a huge beating from the Soviets at the Battle of Khalkhin Gol in 1939 and were afraid to get in a big fight with the Soviet after it. So they signed this just about a month before Barbarossa, where in it if either of the two sides were involved in a war with a third power then the other was to remain neutral. I believed that no matter what Snezhnaya did to try and convince the Japanese government on joining the invasion, the Japanese Imperial Government would see the Nanshin-ron (Southern Expansion Doctrine) to invade the Dutch East Indies and other nearby territories as more valuable (which was favored by the Japanese Navy who had more favor in the government) for raw materials like Rubber and Oil.
3. The Soviet Commission Visit to German Tank Facilities: Before the Invasion and when Germany wasn't thinking of invading the Soviets, Hitler permitted a Soviet military commission to German tank schools and factories where they were showed pretty much everything. The Soviet Officers refused to believe that the panzer IV was Germany's heaviest tank and suspected that the Germans were hiding heavier models.
Here's my questions to ask:
1. On the name that I had the Soviet's gave for the Fatui, Tsaritsarites, what do you think of that name? Is it too much?
2. Also, considering the resource situation on energy at Snezhnograd in 7.0 7.1 from what I understand, do you think the objectives that Arlecchino has to achieve to prepare for a offensive into the oilfields in the Caucasus is that the Tsaritsa would need done?