23 August, 1939 ( Headlines )

In a motility that has shocked the political mankind at prominent ; the governments of Germany and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics have concluded and signed a pact of mutual non-aggression. The release argument of many world leaders has ranged across the spectrum, from unity of rejoicing that the expectation of another great war in Europe has been avoided, to others who unofficially are seeking more info or are involved in a series of ‘ acute discussions'with ally governments.


1 September, 1939 ( Headlines )

ma'am and gentleman today it is my sad duty to announce that war has returned to the continent of Europe as on this day the armed forces of Federal Republic of Germany have invaded western Poland. Heavy fighting is reported by all sides, with Deutschland announcing ‘ bass, massive and broom penetration'by its fortify strength. Allegedly the Polish army is already collapsing ; surrendering in ever growing telephone number and the government has fled the Carry Amelia Moore Nation for mental home in Romania. Unofficial accounts from radio wheeler dealer in Republic of Poland speak of continued resistor that is ‘ stout, stiff and find out'in the face of the wanton aggressiveness of Germany.

Many man drawing card have strongly denounced this aggression on the part of the governance of Germany, with France, Britain and the United State Department of America demanding that the armies of Germany cease all hostilities at once. This is to be followed by backdown to the original delimitation, while an international mediation via the League of body politic occurs to settle down the matter of hostilities between the various governments.

No comment has been relayed from the German government.


3 September, 1939 ( Headlines )

On this day the crisis in Europe has grown exponentially, with the governance of France and Britain officially declaring war upon the administration of Germany for the invasion of Poland. Contacts within the various war machine and politics departments tell that armed intervention in Polska, and the direct territorial invasion of Germany ‘ shall occur within a hand numeration of solar day, or at most, before the adjacent two weeks are over.'

The scrap continues on, with the administration of Federal Republic of Germany reporting More and Thomas More territory gained with each passing hour, while Polish sources report the main poke of the German Blitzkrieg has been blunted, but that the body politic fatal accident have been high. The announcement of the declaration of war by Jacques Anatole Francois Thibault and Britain has brought renewed hope for the surround nation.


17 September, 1939 ( headline )

In a move of blatant opportunism and aggression the United States Army of the unification of Soviet Socialist democracy have invaded eastern Republic of Poland. The representatives of the Russia declared that the move is to ensure that law and edict and stability are maintained in the grimace of the complete collapse of the Polish government. Within hours the relocation had been condemned by to the highest degree member of the League of Nations…


5 October, 1939 ( Headlines )

Republic of Poland has officially ceased to exist according to the governments of Germany and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. The small state of Republic of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia have been annexed by the USSR after being coerced into signing one sided ‘ reciprocal defense treaty'with the central communist politics of Russia….

Unconfirmed composition mention that officials from Republic of Finland have been invited to Russian capital for ‘ give-and-take of a most particular nature concerning the common defense of both countries.'One former high-level military police officer explained that usually means ‘ Moscow makes the threats and Republic of Finland will hit concessions, or there shall be war in the end…'


â‚°â‚°

trench in the halls of STAVKA, Supreme Headquarters for the armed power of the USSR, the assembled leaders stand at tending as the lone man walked calmly in the door and silently proceeded to the read/write head of the long, map-covered tabular array.

His every step echoed like smack across the elbow room, and heightened the boneheaded tension that was further magnified by his aura of major power, assurance, ruthlessness and determination. He reveled in the fear that radiated from all of those show, for all knew with a simple motion, a nod, or one spoken Logos, he could make or break any or all of their vocation, charge them to the gulag for liveliness, or have them summarily executed.

Taking his seat he motioned for all to sit and began to explain the thing at bridge player."familiar, the conquest of Poland and the annexation of Republic of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia are nearing completion. The ancient territories of our great Rodinia are nearly arrant, with one vexing exclusion. Despite our most generous offers to them, the lackeys of the Imperialist West, especially those of Britain, who ‘ govern'in Suomi, have slapped aside the bridge player of commie generosity."

"familiar, as of now I am instructing all of you to enact the plans we have prepared for such an contingence,"the man stated, hammering away on the table with his clenched fist as his eyes, cold and grey-headed, blazed with fury and cult at the authorities who has defied him since he was forced to sign the 1921 Treaty of Tartu forced upon the peaceful hoi polloi of the Russia by the decrepit and Imperialist-led League of Nations.

"Comrade, explain to me again every detail of the plans as they exist at this prison term, do not leave out one particular,"he declared as he motioned for the NKVD guard, members of the feared State Security apparatus, to see for the first hint of defeatism, indisposition or anything that may be construed as treason. For those so suspected the results would be publically declared ‘ a tranquillity and well gain retirement'…

Something that all at the table, especially the man who inspired such awe and little terror in all about him, knew to have in mind ‘ death by firing squad.'

For that lone man, premier Chief Joseph Joseph Stalin, he wanted it no other way. He and he alone ruled in the USSR, and he held the fate of all in his hands alone.

For nearly twenty long time he had fumed over the humiliation Republic of Finland and her Imperialist backers had inflicted upon him in 1921. So now he will suffer his revenge and have the proper kingdom of the Old Russian czar's restored to the motherland, under right communistic guidance of course.

He listened as the details were explained over various hours, with only one small plus proposed to ensure there will be no doubt as to ‘ Suomi aggression'being the effort of the coming encroachment."Make it so,"said Stalin.


31 October, 1939 ( Headlines )

Today before the assembly of the Supreme Soviet, Foreign pastor Perm, for the outset fourth dimension in world announced the price ‘ requested'of the political science of Finland to ‘ see the defenses of the peaceable people of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.'

The ‘ requests,'a polite term for what to the highest degree people in the democratic nations of the worldly concern will call ‘ demands at the point of a gun'were for land to be leased for thirty years, or transferred directly into the hands of the USSR while the government activity of Suomi would receive in tax return land that is barren and worthless. High German Chancellor of the Exchequer Adolph Der Fuhrer has called upon the citizenry of Finland and their leaders to accept the condition peacefully while time remains for them to do so…

Needless to say, the substance of ‘ while clip remains for them to do so…'has dramatically increased tensions in a continent already at war between the Allies and the axis of rotation powers.


â‚°â‚°

Stephen half-listened to the news coming from the daily radio broadcast that detailed the current build up of tension between Finland and Soviet Russia. Day by day the dialogue had been summarized in the typical way of Stalin and his cohorts…

"Agree to our terminal figure with no via media or face up the fist of sword from our armies."That is the message they have sent before, when Finland finally won its independence at the end of the Great War.

remembering of that trigger-happy time played across his intellect as he examined the masterly-crafted rifle that he held ; its arrant design and equipoise, custom-built as a birthday present tense to one particular to him, will realise her one of the greatest of hunters ever to stalk biz in the wood. The new scope mounted to it was commissioned by a acquaintance of his, whose designs were a generation or more ahead of their time.

Sir Leslie Stephen twirled and tossed the rifle ; rapidly worked the bolt-action to gain the final feel of how smooth it will meet when meter was of the essence - as he learned recently with a bear that almost had him for dinner party. No flaw could be found, no blemish, no misunderstanding in his expectant creation of all the firearms he has handcrafted in his life as an armorer, soldier, Hunter and…dealer in good and stuff serious left hand unexplained and preferably never found by agent of the law.

He and his acquaintance had prepared to the best they could…let the Russians come, the hornets nest waits…

Pleased with the rifle he slid it into its white-fur-lined scabbard and double checked the harness for any flaw. Again he found none, his supporter having done their work to absolute perfection.

"She will hump this rifle,"Sir Leslie Stephen said as he mulled over the coming event,"her birthday is on the 30th of Nov. I will be there and exhibit her how to hunt down with her new rifle ; she will hound as never before until all know her name."

All too soon Stephen would come to empathise the prophetic tint of his discussion. For that rifle will be wielded by one to get a legend…


24 November, 1939 ( Headlines )

tenseness continue to build between the government of Suomi and the USSR as two tabulator proposal of marriage were made to find oneself an honorable solution to the demands of Moscow. Both proposals were summarily rejected as being completely insufferable on the premiss they would pull up stakes the USSR completely vulnerable in the region of St. Petersburg.

All diplomatical ties between Republic of Finland and the Russia have been severed by the departure of the Finnish company after being ordered abode to Helsinki for ‘ consultations.'


26 November, 1939 ( Headlines )

Unconfirmed study coming from the party news program services of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics have declared a ‘ surprise and dastardly attack on Russian territory has occurred by whole of the Fascist government of Finland upon instructions by their masters, the Imperialist Industrialists of the West.'

Foreign Minister Molotov has condemned this ‘ massacre of Russian spring chicken and destruction of a good deal Russian story in the border Village of Mainila…

â‚°â‚°

"My fellow fellow,"declared the fabled ‘ man of steel,'premier Joseph Stalin to the soviet high gear Command who stood at care before the table where he sat."dialogue have fallen through with the Fascist government of Suomi, and now we have this unprovoked rape upon our homeland. As per plans already prepared for such an occurrence, the ordering are henceforth given to you and your troops…just before dawn on 30 November the great army of the marriage of Soviet Socialist Republics shall invade Finland and liberate her crush lot who cry for freedom under a proper Communist government."

His angriness flared hot in his center and iron-cold in his speech as he slammed his hired man on the hard table,"I will be very clear up in this matter. unsuccessful person will not be tolerated ; the fragile signboard of incompetence, cowardly natural process and betrayal against the party or the country will mean succinct implementation by the NKVD. All social club and plans made will be approved by them before any are carried out. Remember, they answer to me alone…"

Needless to say everyone got the message.

Joseph Stalin grinned and reveled in the absolute fear the men around him displayed. HE was in restraint, the master of all in Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic to do with as he pleased.

Soon enough the disgrace inflicted upon him by Finland so long ago will be avenged, a glowering touch on his vehement repute. Everyone pose knew that the words he spoke of run out negotiations were mere window dressing, for the might of four Russian USA corporation was in piazza at key crossing decimal point along the Finland - Russian border.

encroachment had been inevitable for some time, and the Fin's would pay for their obstinacy in flaming and blood.



30 November 1939 rear-area of Russian ninth Army corporation

Major-General Yuri Bogdan watched the border part from the wooded ridgeline just shy of the Finnish-Russian border. The low village, little more than a hamlet not even worthy of a brand on any official map, showed at the limits of his binoculars, just one more youngster obstruction for the grand liberation of Finland that will be erased in a few more minutes.

He turned to the regimental commanders who surrounded him, each standing tall and proud, as he gave them his final exam program line in the great crusade that is to embark on. Each order was repeated back in precise item to him and to the naval division's headman commissar, Major-General Vitaly of the NKVD ( State Security ). All of the military officer knew that one misstep, one failure, one infraction, or the appearance of any of the said, can become grounds for sum-up execution by the NKVD.

Anyone doubting that only had to glance at the freshly turned earth that marked thirty graves of lad officers who were shot an hr ago for ‘ out or keeping lack of fighting spirit for the cause of the state.'

"comrade,"Major-General Bogdan spoke to the gathered officeholder,"our segmentation has been granted the honour of spearheading the crusade in the liberation of our communist brethren from the fascists who currently rule Finland. As you know, less than 72 minute ago, our sovereign soil was violated in a margin clangoring designed to fire the world's understanding for the bandit leaders of Finland and thus change by reversal them against our honorable leader Comrade Stalin."

He watched Major-General Vitaly casually stroll back and forth around the ship's officer, as one would expect of a rancher or farmer inspecting his treasure compendium of cows and steers before sending them to market. He went on with his actor's line,"associate, each of us will execute our parts to perfection, and we will maintain radio silence as per army Headquarters monastic order until teach otherwise. Use the motorbike couriers you have well and with due diligence, no opportunity to crush the foe must be wasted."

He hammered his clenched clenched fist into his gloved hand,"Speed, stupor and persistent force per unit area, this is how we shall split this section of the breast line spacious open and advance ever onward. All captive taken are to be sent to our comrades of state of matter security measures unless directed, as per orders signed by Prime Minister Comrade Joseph Stalin, otherwise by each regiments commissar or by orders of Major-General commissar Vitaly."

He pointed to the recently filled Graves to one face of the pile up officers,"Understand, there is to be no retreat or surrender,"his spokesperson deepened as his passion mounted,"those who do so are guilty of treason and shall be dealt with swiftly as these double-crosser to the nation have been dish out with."

"Now return to your regiments and get ready to foil the borderline as per design,"he watched the ship's officer salute and flee for their faculty fomite like a panicked gather of hare in the mountain of a band of hawks on the hunt.

â‚°â‚°

Stephen had just crested the small hills summit when he heard the first thundering of gun unleashed from across the molding. He watched in horror as blast after crushing bam of shank shell and rocket engine landed around the hamlet of Summers Mist, where his granddaughter Nikkei's birthday party is taking place, a day of joy and happiness as his homeland neared war that no one wanted to make happen.

Sadly, as the clouds of smoking and churned Earth merged with the cries and howler of his family and admirer, he knew the war no one wanted had begun. He shouldered the cloth-wrapped present he had spent so many months crafting for Nikkei's birthday, and felt the bust flow down his cheeks as he watched his earth taken from him for the endorse sentence in his life by warfare.


â‚°â‚°

Her globe spun in a haze of pain and giddiness as she struggled to open her eyes. The placate crackle of a fervor flooded her ears and the mixture of cooking meat, burning Sir Henry Wood and other odour assaulted her horse sense of aroma with overwhelming personnel. She struggled to rise, slowly lifting herself onto her elbow joint and then falling back to the background still enshrouded by the thick blanket someone had put over her while she was unconscious mind.

A physical body leaned down next to her and handed her a cup of cold water that she guzzled down, all but choking upon its chill line into her scorched rima oris and pharynx.

"Easy Nikkei, easy there take your time,"Stephen said as he helped her sit up. He checked the large bruise she had on her forehead and chuckled as she swatted at him when he touched one sore dapple after another."You will be alright Nikkei ; at the least I still have my granddaughter with me."

"grandpa what happened,"Nikkei asked, not comprehending his conclusion give-and-take he had said to her,"Where are all the others, mama and papa and my brothers…"She stopped upon seeing the locution that showed upon his grimace, understanding at last what had happened to everyone else.

"No grandpa, no not that, please not that,"she said, collapsing into his branch as he drew her close. She broke down completely, the sobs coming hard and fast for the loss of her entire family."Why grandpa, why did this have to happen ?"

"I don't know Nikkei, I honestly don't know,"Stephen said as he rocked her back and Forth River.

Actually he did know, having followed the acute negotiations between the Finnish-Soviet governments. Each day the USSR had become more and more demanding in the concessions it sought, making it clear with none-too-subtle menace and gesture that war would be the resultant role redeem for complete and unconditional surrender of all territorial requirement made…a Ernst Boris Chain of demands that Stephen knew could not be accepted by Finland.

Yet he, like most in the hamlet, had hoped for usual sentience and peace to follow about. So it was that Nikkei's eighteenth natal day offered a time to celebrate and for the biotic community to forget about the out of doors world for a short time…then the bombing arrived, slaughtering nearly everyone and destroying every building in the area.

Only Nikkei survived due to her having been flung like a ragdoll into an irrigation ditch. Stephen had found her half frozen and brought her to one of the small cabins in the wooded hills he called home, hoping to figure out how to get her to safety when she could journey again.

Nikkei pointed to the bounds bundle adjacent to Stephen and asked,"Grandpa, what is that you have there ?"

He looked into her pain-filled oculus, glad for something to distract her even for a light time from the crushing loss of all that she had known."This is my birthday gift for you Nikkei, just as I promised to realise finally year, one all of your own."

Nikkei watched as Sir Leslie Stephen untied the bundle and removed a reave scabbard from beneath the canvas. He turned and presented it to her as if she were a queen of some forgotten realm worthy of a rare and precious natural endowment from her people.


She took the rifle scabbard in her hands and laid it across her lap, stroking the soft leather covered in white fur. The rifles stock, made of finely lacquered wood carved in detailed images of her hunting in the deep woods spoke of Stephen's skill as a maestro gun maker and armorer.

Gently Nikkei pulled it free of the scabbard and examined it for some fourth dimension, feeling the precise proportion and mannikin that already felt a natural annexe of her. The telescopic good deal glistened in the soft firelight, and she spotted the signature of an old Friend of her grandfathers, a man who made masterwork optics superior to even the finest made in Germany.

Two marvelous treasures for her birthday ; such a prize of wealth she felt unworthy of possessing let alone being able to keep in her hands.

"Grandpa I can't ask this, it's more suitable in your hands…"she shushed as Stephen shook his head.

"You saved me from that bear last year Nikkei,"he said with a smile. He had made one mistake on the William Holman Hunt he had taken her on, one minute of sloppiness in which the bear reared up and threatened his life. Nikkei proved the quicker though, as she placed three bullet into the bears philia and head word and thus mortally wounded the brute. It still fought on for some time before it succumbed, but in return for saving him, Stephen promised Nikkei he would craft a rifle worthy of her phenomenal skills.

"I wish mama and pa could have seen this, along with everyone else…'she began to sob again as the Truth slammed home hard in her eye. Her fellowship is gone forever, as are her friends, all save for Sir Leslie Stephen. Something deep in her soul snapped, flooding her with a fiery resoluteness that consumed her in an blink of an eye. The beasts who had done this to them will be made to pay, and in blood.

"Grandpa, where are the monsters who did this, where are they ?"she demanded, her articulation filled with anger and rage none could have dreamed existed. None save for Stephen who had long recognized the same traits in her that he had, and silent nothing will agree her back from having her revenge on the Russians, no matter if in the end it cost her own life.

He shook his head, recalling the time back in the struggle of 1918 when Finland won its independence from the Tsar's of Russian Federation, and the times of problem which followed. He had been a colonel then, and for a metre he fought as a partisan behind the argumentation, becoming such a scourge on his opposition that they called him ‘ Ghost Bear.'

"And so history will reiterate itself…"he whispered. That drew a curious look from Nikkei who still waited for his answer.

"Nikkei we are going to get you to safety and then I and some champion will begin to oppose these monsters, I will not lose…oh why I even bother…'He snorted and rolled his eyes to the heavens as she struggled to place upright up and storm out of the small cabin to go it alone."God above, she is more like me than even her mama could have figured…"

"Nikkei hold on there,"he grabbed her as she began to collapse to the floor, still woozy from the blow to her caput."Fine then, I have a few things to get make for our Holman Hunt, we will be drumbeater then here in our domain of the Wood and James Jerome Hill ; one thing emphatically, I call the shots and we do this my way until we have driven those colossus out of our homeland."

"amercement granddad,"Nikkei said as she wrapped up once again in the midst blanket."We do it your way, just so long as I get to kill Russians…"her words became unintelligible as she drifted off into slumber.


â‚°

As Nikkei slumbered away the day, Sir Leslie Stephen headed off into the woodwind instrument, making contact with some old friends who dealt in issue best left unmentioned in the presence of the authorities. They had prepared for the chance of war coming, establishing caches of coat of arms and former geared wheel around the area for a band of partisans to use if they needed it…and now they will, for once again ‘ Ghost Bear'will insert into war and form his enemies pay for their crime in blood.

He continued on into the woods, seeking a home where his personal hoard of ‘ special commodity'waited retrieval.

As the destination came into stack, little more than a clustering of rocks and shrubs covering a modest cavern in their profoundness he reached into his coating and rested his hand upon the hilt of his hunting knife. The feeble scent of cigar tobacco filtered through the air, coming closer with each passing mo, soon to be joined with the soft crunch - crunching of respective pair of snowshoes coming towards him.

He edged into the nearby shrubs and tree, concealing himself so as to appear as little More than another small clump of rock at the stem of a powerful northern pine as the people who followed him closed in, tone by gradation, and into assume distance of his ambush…

Lightning fast he slammed his human elbow into the gut of the man who had snuck up behind him, following up with a clenched fist to his opposition throat, as he grabbed the man by his coat and dragged him to the ground. Stephen pulled out his knife to deliver the expiry black eye and suddenly stopped as the man beneath him gently chuckled.

Captain Robinson of the Suomi United States Army grinned and looked at Stephen,"You have not lost any of the skill you taught all of us those year ago Colonel Stephen. Now if you don't mind, let me up and I will signal my men not to try and germinate you…"

"Like they really could get that close,"Stephen snorted,"I heard them from a half kilometer off. You learned the lessons well, but apparently your own bookman have not. Now why are you here captain, and delight I am just Stephen now, no longer a colonel of the army…or will I be again."

"Stephen is it then,"began Robinson,"we're here to scout and chevy the advancing Soviet Army as it heads up the road. Someone has to last out behind and become partisan, though from the smile on your boldness I assume you already cause begun that project ?"

"In a style of speaking,"Stephen filled in his old student and friend in on his programme."Right now I am off to contact others in the country who will observe and strike as they can. Even in our self-governing elbow room, we can turn together and make the Russians spirit a livelihood hell."

Sugar Ray Robinson nodded as he caught the subtle usage of ‘ we'in his last sentence, telling of another who will hunt the Russians with Stephen.

"funfair enough Sir Leslie Stephen,"Ray Robinson said as his men advanced, shocked to see their leader talking to an old man who appeared to descend out of nowhere. He looked at Sir Leslie Stephen and asked of his old supporter,"So then, what epithet will our mysterious hunter be called ?"

Stephen grinned, knowing then and there Edward G. Robinson will go along with anything he asked or needed done,"The Snow Fox, for we will demonstrate the true foxiness us Little Phoebe have when on our place priming coat. Now I have to get a few early thing done and ‘ acquired'then the Richard Morris Hunt will begin."

So it was, after a quick handshake, the men departed.


3 December 1939 near front line of Russian 163rd infantry Division


Major Chief Joseph stood by the armored staff car with his sub-machine gun clenched tight in his clasp. His victor in the NKVD ( State security ) had made his instructions painfully clear ; keep a close up eye on the activities of Major-General Bogdan as he served as his driver, courier and personal escort out in the force field. loser in any way will result in summary execution.

Over a dozen More soldiers, offspring police lieutenant and captains, stood around or waited in their own staff cars for instructions from the superior general. Almost all of them gazed from meter to time to the advancing lineage of trucks, tanks and tank-riding infantry that snaked its way along the single road ever deeper into Finland. The distant ground-shaking holler of the artillery no longer registered with them, having become little more than background signal noise in the fourth day of their lightning fast ( sort of ) pace of the attack.

Major-General Bogdan stood high upon the hoodlum of his car as he scanned the horizon with his fine binoculars, a gift from his grandfather many long years past. His frustration mounted by the minute at the stubbornness of the Suomi defenders who have defied his ability to smash through them for the utmost three mean solar day. Three days and his division were barely twenty mil across the border.

"focal ratio, speed and ever Thomas More velocity. That is how we win this war, focal ratio, electrical shock and uncompromising aggression against any who stand against us,"he muttered to himself."Captain Craigson, guarantee that all regimental and dispirited commanders understand the orders. Unrelenting pressure level, there will be no more back away or moving former than at the foe ahead. Any nonstarter and I will personally shoot the officeholder myself if need be."

The captain repeated back his instructions, saluted and retreated to his stave car, which tore off down the road with due haste to control the message was received and duly carried out.

Major-General Bogdan growled as he watched his air division slowly crawl down the route."The Finnish ass-kisser's of the Imperialist West and Capitalists will pick up what it means to defy the Soviet marriage. We will take back what is rightfully ours since long before the rotation began. They wanted war, so now they shall have it and we will rebuild their guild into a true communistic state as it should be."

His mood suddenly brightened at the sight of a of a bombardment of truck-mounted rocket launchers and two barrage of artillery moved off the road and began to set up for firing at targets located by his scouts. So much firepower being prepared meant that at least a multitude or two of opposition soldiers had gathered to shit a do-or-die last stand against his armor and infantry tearing ever deeper into their homeland.

The speech sound of a motorbike informed him that a messenger had arrived, and he nodded in satisfaction as the man stopped his bike, handed his note to Captain Dima who double-timed it to the general. When he read the note, Major-General Bogdan felt his blood boil as he shouted, raged and cursed while directing another motorbike mounted messenger to act forward and recount his divisional headquarters to press his three Pb regiments forward with all speed or expression implementation at his own hands.

He cursed the orders of ‘ absolute radio silence'that came from his superiors at Army HQ's fifty or more miles behind his air division."Damn them for their defiance to the pauperization of the motherland !"he shouted while shaking his fist in the direction of the Suomi defenders.

Nearby another elder officer smiled at the absolute furor of Major-General Bogdan. Of course when this police officer smiled, all the attendant officers of the general cringed, instantly coming to aid and saluting, if only to save their own life, not knowing expiry stalked all of them from another position…



â‚°

"Say what you will that one has a bit of a temperament problem,"Stephen said as he eased the binoculars down from his eye. Clad in solid-white winter clothing his eyes shifted across the purview and then across the demesne before him. Even the slightest movement drew his care as he quickly dismissed it as the flatus, an animal or a Russian Soldier moving around on some foreign mission or another.

He watched a second officeholder, probably the NKVD twin of the ship's officer who stood atop his cars strong-armer, amble with pure arrogance and insolence becoming of a political commissar of mellow rank over to the fomite and climb upon the hood as well. The remaining officers stood at a respectable distance, all save for the officer's device driver who looked and moved like a small terrier determined to protect its master from a camp of ravenous wolves.


â‚°

"Yes familiar they do have it coming for their defiance to the needs of the motherland,"said John Roy Major full general Vitaly, Political Commissar for the sectionalisation of Major-General Bogdan."It appears you are ahead of agenda by a bit, despite word advent of some resistance run into by your track elements."

"Comrade commissar it is honorable to see you up and about."Major-General Bogdan said as he gave his comrade the best salute he could manage."We are pushing hard for our years objective and I have ordered the men to push all the harder. There is some cover impedance, yet we shall advertize strong than before and shatter them completely. In short order any captive will be in your hands, as they should be, and we shall be one pace closer to flying the signal flag of International Communism high over this country of defiant banditti."


â‚°

To Sir Leslie Stephen left hand, slightly higher up upon the craggy pot of Harlan Fisk Stone and shrubs among the great pine forest a pair of bluish eye stared at the officers through the scope of her rifle. She slowly brought her deal up to the orbit and made some minute accommodation, allowing her to shell out with the scope, winding and early variables to grade her shot right hand on target when the instant arrived.

Both military officer on the cars hood turned to watching the horizon through their opera glasses.

She drew the crosshairs level with the newly arrived officer's skull, and braced the rifles stock against her shoulder while resting her finger on the trigger.

"I'm going for them grandpa,"Nikkei whispered to Sir Leslie Stephen, who nodded in response.

One final calculation of the range and all variables flowed through her mind as she squeezed the trigger…


â‚°

Major-General Bogdan smiled as the heavy heavy weapon sounded off, the loud roaring of the howitzer merging with the screaming cry of Katyusha rockets tearing off from their truck-mounted rocket launcher. He shook his clenched fist in delight, imagining the carnage beginning to precipitate on the hapless Finland Army regulars'just kilometers ahead when he felt something wet splatter across the side of his school principal, left arm and chest.


He turned in time to see the body of Major-General Vitaly collapse to the land with all of the grace of a butchered wild boar. The passel of the gaping injury left from the bullet train his brain had intercepted caused Bogdan to freeze out, unable to move, speak, or even think. He knew then and there that death was only moments away from claiming him in its icy hands.

Major Joseph leapt upon the machine goon and tackled Major-General Bogdan. The hummer meant for the oecumenical took the man in the backbone, severed his rachis and ruptured his heart, dead before he and the general plummeted to the ground, sheltered by the armored car from the snipers fire.

chaos reigned in the generals building block as some of the men ran to aid Major-General Bogdan and the fallen commissar and Major Chief Joseph. The rest dove for the close covering they could find and bring back fire with pistol, rifle or sub-machinegun at suspected sniper locations as the area heavy weapon continued to roar away and piss it nearly impossible for one man to get a line another even fold up.

With mechanical efficiency, one officer after another flopped to the earth, a 1 red wound found in their shoot throats or skulls. In to a lesser extent than two minutes, as the artillery fell understood once again and their crews commenced preparations to move on down the road, 13 men lay dead on ground, while the survivors huddled in the protective shadow of covert, not daring to move or even breath.

Even the normally unflappable Major-General Bogdan looked about, stunned and overwhelmed at the sheer massacre wrecked by some unknown enemy in such a short straddle of metre. It was over a half-hour before he regained his composure and shouted out orders to prompt the unit to his divisions headquarters and even foresightful to notify Army Headquarters of the loss of Major-General Vitaly.

â‚°

"Come Nikkei its time to leave and quickly,"Stephen said to her as he finished wiring the last of many ‘ gifts'he had set out earlier to further penalise the Russians when they came to look into the area. As he considered the massacre to come from his ‘ gifts,'Stephen and Nikkei donned their skis and disappeared into the woods little Thomas More than twin ghosts headed to one of many impermanent shelters they will come to use in the workweek and months ahead.


â‚°â‚°â‚°

The sight of the snaking trail of tanks, motortruck, artillery and foot which pushed ever cryptical into his homeland sickened Captain Edward G. Robinson. He wondered how a good deal of a chance his Carry Amelia Moore Nation honestly had to cease this unyielding mass of metal and men bent upon the complete conquering of Finland.

One of his men tapped him on his shoulder joint and pointed down to the roadside where a force of infantry began to gather under the enraged orders of officeholder watched by stern-eyed NKVD political commissar. Some of the officers, led by a Commissar Major, examined one arena of ground and the bodies left behind after some variety of ambush had occurred.

A immediate count of the infantry told him that he and his men faced a reinforced company of Russian soldiers, who began to spread out. Some marched unto a belittled crag of stone and bush while the remainder headed towards Lennox Robinson and his men at a rattling walk. He could see that the members of this second circle were hesitant and on edge, though their fears of the commissar outweighed any danger from the woodlands ahead of them.


Captain Lennox Robinson and his smattering of men dropped down under cover as a small blowup erupted from that rocky crag, felling over a 12 Russian soldiers. chaos erupted as a second blast erupted, unleashing a waving of metal scraps, nails, and former projectiles that wounded a score and five of men. The surviving infantry began to fire at random into the woods with rifles and sub-machineguns as fasting as they could while yelling at the top of their lungs.

They charged at the Wood edge, only to give birth their ragged establishment shattered by a chain of bam triggered by obscure tripwires. tower of skunk and tossed poop rose as men fell to the ground seeking cover, dead or dying.

"Now men, now, take them down while we can !"Captain Jackie Robinson shouted to his men as the perfect time for a improvise ambush had arrived. Rifles merged with the tap-tapping of four light machine shooter which scythed across the Russian infantry, felling them one after another after another.

In to a lesser extent than a minute of arc the battle was over and his men swarmed among the all in Russians to gather rifles, ammo and anything of worth in the way of military intelligence service they could find. Two minutes after they began, he and his men disappeared back into the woods, where two hours and seven kilometers away the captain examined a set of society to the NKVD Commissar John Major to ‘ find and liquidate the brigand who slew Major-General Vitaly and 14 other officers.'

"XV officers and they left behind a Ernst Boris Chain of dope traps for their pursuer ?"Sergeant Jermaine, the aide-de-camp of Captain Robinson, whistled softly and excite his header in disbelief."Who could possibly let done that ?"

"I'll tell you who did this,"Captain Robinson said with a tone of astonishment on his face,"It was the work of the C. P. Snow Fox. I need a ball carrier to get the information we have back to our side of the railway line, and get it there on the double."

Captain Esme Stuart Lennox Robinson watched the messenger ski away and then turned to his men and nodded. muted as the still air around them they departed, determined to watch and hit the invading Russians whenever and wherever they can to make water life as miserable for them as possible.


7-8 December, 1939 Sweden - unknown region manor house

Swedish Prime curate Hansson looked out the libraries window upon a land covered in snow and for a moment dreamed that the world was still at peace. He sighed, knowing that such a dream is finished for many a year to amount since another great war has erupted.

turn back to his two former client he looked upon his old acquaintance Ryti, Prime government minister of Finland and here on ‘ private issue'for his nation."Will the terms be acceptable in the end ?"he asked of Ryti.

prime quantity curate Ryti looked at the thirdly gentleman in the room, a man of remorseless ambition and ill-concealed avaritia. No matter the absolute scorn he held for this man, Finland needed the weapons and provision even more ; so he has dealt with the lesser of two evilness to save his home."It will be acceptable, as per the terms we have agreed upon."

"Very good then,"the 3rd man declared as he stood and adjusted his coat,"have the money transferred into my Swiss account statement by the usual means ; just to be exonerate, this meeting never happened and I will traverse any and all citation of it in public. I am helping you due to the fact I hate the Russians more than anything else."

With that the man, German George Catlett Marshall Herman Goring departed for his flight of steps home.



7-8 December, 1939 rear-area Russian Ninth Army Corp

In the old prospector's cabin, little Sir Thomas More than a reanimate shack, Nikkei watched as the sun cast its concluding shaft of light of ignitor before departing below the horizon and allowing the night to cover the land in its grip. She put the blanket back into billet, to hold back even the slight firelight from escaping into the outside world. She looked to the cabin room access and wondered when Stephen would be back from ‘ merging with some friends nearby.'

She returned to cleaning her rifle with not bad aid, determined to ensure that the weapon system of her revenge was kept in perfect circumstance for the future ambush set by Sir Leslie Stephen and her. Step by tone as she had been taught so long ago she cleaned and oiled each part in turn, ensuring that not one speck of dirt, moxie, or anything could jam or stop up it up at the moment when she would need it most.

The pocket-size tuner Stephen had somehow come his hands upon whispered news of the alfresco creation between the static-filled cries of the aurora borealis dancing command processing overhead time. What intelligence came from official sources among the Northern and European place painted a bleak future for her fatherland, as four massive army grouping have crossed the borderline from north to south, seeking to suppress the entire nation.

To the southward, on the Karelian Isthmus the Russians have pushed the Finnish army back to the Mannerheim business. A massive weapon battery, nearly two day in length if the reports are to be believed, preceded a massed infantry assault in the region of Taipale supported with regimental durability weapon, rocket-fire, aerial bombing and loudspeakers used to circulate birdsong for giving up of the Finnish USA until they were shot apart by Finnish snipers.

Nikkei listened and smiled, pleased to try the word of the Finnish army had dug in deep, with well sighted artillery and weapon, and then ripped apart the Russians assault. injured party from the carnage were estimated at 5000 dead Russians and twice that injured, along with 500 prisoners. Curiously she heard about the crushing defeat made against the Russian armour, some eighty tanks destroyed or disabled and captured.

She and Stephen had seen a few such armoured combat vehicle moving along the lone road that linked Russian Federation and their ground forces that advanced slowly into Finland. Stephen seemed genuinely afraid of the metallic element creature, though she respected what they could do, the mickle of the gasoline-filled fuel drums mounted on the back deck of them gave her an idea of how to stop one…literally it would go up in flames…

And part of the ‘ special ammunition'prepared for her by Stephen and his friends would do that job quite nicely.

Nikkei looked at the minor trio of nursing bottle tied to her pack, each one prepared to redeem another lethal surprisal on any panoplied beast or vehicle when assailed during an surprisal attack. Stephen had been rather dubious about the idea when she suggested it, but on the specify secondary roads in the thick wood, five burned out trucks and a armor car testified to its simplistic and brutal efficiency.

Once she had finished her charge for the rifle she gently traced the raw marker burned into the wooden caudex. Each mark was that of a snow fox, barely 8mm in size, and representing a single putting to death she had scored since she had become involved in the war for her homeland. two dozen footling foxes, twenty-four kills, some of them the motorbike messenger being used to transmit orders between Russian Headquarters.

The finally courier had turned out to be the most vital one to date. She and Sir Leslie Stephen had been crossing one of the secondary coil roads during a loose snowfall with her in the lead, and covering Stephen after she reached the far side. No Oklahoman had she prepared her rifle the courier came tearing around a bend in the road. She had aimed and shot him down without a second base hesitation, and thus gained both of them a usable motorbike and the vital goods in the courier satchel case.


Long into the night Stephen had sat in this very cabin after dumping the motorbike, out of gas and appropriately booby-trapped for any curious Russians. The paperwork he looked through contained high-value armed services codes and communiqués, orders of battle and supply status - it detailed the low level of viands and ammo among the Russian Army building block in this surface area.

Stephen had explained he needed to get this hooey to some ‘ Friend in high situation'and would be back as soon as he could. She was given some extra instructions : if he is not back by the maiden ray of dawn the next day, or at the world-class sighting of a Russian, she is to flee at once and drumhead for one of the six mickle he described. Of course of instruction if sentence permitted before she bolted, she was to ‘ activate'the minor surprisal contained in the cabin for the stupid Russians.

Her sleep that Nox was off-and-on and tormented by nightmares of foreign things coming out of the mists she could not remember after being woken by a escape of Soviet Air power bombers and battler overhead. She took a peak out the pocket-size windowpane facing to the east and hoped against hope to see Stephen coming up the lead in the rising sun…

Instead she gasped at the mess of four score Russian foot advancing at a unshakable tread towards the cabin.


â‚°

"dungeon down and watch, no one make any noise that may bring them down upon us,"Sir Leslie Stephen whispered to the men who accompanied him. When Hannu, Kalevi, Joni and their zealot nodded he turned back to keep an eye on the ring of Russians advancing towards the cabin in which Nikkei sheltered. He could only pray she had already fled for one of the other merging blank space and will wait there for him.

cadence by meter the soldiers advanced and spread out to circle the cabin under the iron-hard gaze of the units'commissars. If anyone remained inside the cabin there will be no chance for them to miss, and the supplying needed by the partisans will probably be found as well…


â‚°

Nikkei quickly tossed on her great coating, slipped on her battalion and rifle scabbard, and prayed as never before in her life as she struck a match and held it to the length of fuse-cord leading to Stephen petty surprise for the fast approaching Russians.

Once the corduroy started to whoosh and cauterize, she dropped it to the ground and fled the cabin, cleared the pocket-size ridgepole behind it and commenced a zigzag run for safety device. She used every feature article of the terrain and forest to give her any cover, anything to keep open her from being seen by the advancing Russians. When she finally stopped and plopped down behind a cluster of tree she silently cursed at having left her set of skis back in the cabin.

"At to the lowest degree I didn't block my snowshoes,"she said. Nikkei looked back at the minuscule ridge running behind the cabin and decided that she had to get her skis if possible, orders or no decree from her grandpa.

She moved as silent as a ghostwriter and with the grace of God of a deer across the dry land. Her skill in doing so had been perfected over long days of hunting and recitation with Stephen, and on occasion when he travelled to clear a purchase or cook a pile that was best left unexplained to anyone else, especially someone connected to the law of the land.


Just shy of the tip she stopped, eased her rifle from its scabbard and checked her pouch to check the supererogatory magazine publisher were fix if she needed them. Meter by measure she slowly and cautiously eased her way to the summit of the ridge, propped herself up on her cubitus and gazed upon the Russians below who had just arrived at the old cabin.

She softly cursed at the fact of Stephens surprise for the Russians had not yet gone off, and wondered what had gone wrong with it. Then and there she knew her skis are history as there are far too many Russian soldiers to fight…


â‚°

Sir Leslie Stephen pulled back behind the shelter of the tree as he reloaded his Finland KP-31 sub-machinegun, and sent out a outpouring of curses and insults so blasphemous the land should experience melted away. A bullet tore a glob out of the tree mere cm from his face as he exposed himself again, bringing up the Thomson and fired off suddenly salvo into the still advancing heap of Russian infantry.

Moments before Hannu and Kalevi had nearly moved their men into location to take down the Russians who encroached on the old cabin. Though risky, they have to fall upon at their enemy, the supplies cached away beneath the cabins floorboards are needed by the local drumbeater forces.

Stephen and Joni, along with a dozen other partisans stayed back to secure their escape route if the engagement turned against them…only to be surprised by the sudden reaching of two Russian infantry companies, roughly 300 men sum. Instantly Stephen ordered his men to the natural covering of the trees and to fire on the advancing forces.

Roughly forty or more Russians fell to the first barrage of small limb firing as two light machine grease-gun scythed across them like a reaper in a wheat berry theater of operations. Hand grenades added to the massacre being wrought as flack after flesh-rending gust shattered the track Russians morale, sending them howling back down the trail…

Only to be systematically shot down by their Political commissar who called them Coward and deserters.

phonograph needle to say, the surviving solders suddenly became motivated to reverse around and take their opportunity with the Finnish zealot.

Sir Leslie Stephen reloaded his Suomi three more prison term before his ammo was exhausted and he cursed as the Russians continued to advance at a very cautious pace. His side arm came out and he moved from cover to cover, hunting the Russians. The foremost one emerged into his passel and became the first quarry he took…

In a flurry of move Stephen cut down one Russian soldier after another as he moved among them, each of his Lahti pistols becoming an university extension of him. One guessing, one kill, the Same rule delivered with calm precision. A clump of Russian solders charged at him from the Sir Henry Joseph Wood as he calmly reloaded his pistol, grinned and one after another, and thus reaped a harvest time of death on his foes.

Despite his herculean effort, the battle turned against the partisans.

Meter by meter they had to yield ground, pushed back by the sheer weight unit of numbers game that inevitably benefited the Russians. Their enemy kept on coming out of the woods, an eternal cascade of angry foes determined to stomp out their tormentor, even as the dead mounted in passel upon fallen mickle of shattered figure and bone.


He hoped Hannu and Kalevi had adequate sensation to scratch the ambush and get their men to condom. As even more Russians advanced up the pathway to reinforce the shattered units fighting the partisans, Sir Leslie Stephen knew in his meat that he will not be leaving this engagement alive…

He prayed for Nikkei, that she has fled and gotten to safety, and that his sins of being a runner of arms and other semi-illegal goods could be forgiven when he stood before the judgment crapper of God. He did not implore for a miracle, knowing that such is beyond his circumstances to deserve…

Though that is exactly what happened…


â‚°

Nikkei watched as a leash of officers ran around and shouted orders at their men to hurry off to join the fight down the lead. None of the soldiers seemed willing to manoeuver that way, having come to respect and venerate the skill of their implacable foe ; not even with the sheer weighting of numbers on their side could the officers make them take the get-go step back down the trail.

One officer, a political commissar if she understood his rank correctly, argued with the other two, who appeared to be commissar as well, about the motivation to seize the cabin and any supplying that remained within it. After that, they could then go and join their associate in the heat of battle.

Having decided enough is enough she raised her rifle, braced the bloodline against her berm and aimed at the talkative political commissar. The return of her rifle was smothered by the acute gunfire from the woods, but she saw the commissar plummet to the dry land, his skull having stopped the bullet.

The other commissars looked at their fallen comrade with wide-eyed look of fear and shock in equal metre. Within five instant both of them joined their companion on the undercoat, absolutely before they hit the earth.

Her worldly concern became a blur of motion as she steadily carried out the up-back, forward-down palm-sweep of the rifle bolt which chambered round after round of drinks as one Russian after another was targeted and died when she gave a conciliate squeeze on the trigger.

Some fled into the woods, determined to engage their fortune with the remaining commissars than face the lifelessly sniper now picking them off one by one. Shortly after the last entered the woods, a furious shower of gunfire cut them down as individual unknown to Nikkei had arrived…

Thirty Russians sought shelter behind or within the cabin, one of them tossed Nikkei's shattered skis out the doorway with a drawing string of scourge. They began to provoke away with exact shaft from rifle, pistol or their own sub-machineguns at the enemies in the woods.

Nikkei pulled a powder store from her bulge, freed the empty one from her rifle and slid the new one household. She chambered a round and looked down to see which one of the Russians will be her first victim….

Of form that happened to be the second Sir Leslie Stephen ‘ gift'to the Russians went off, several sticks of dynamite secured to over thirty jerry-cans filled with gasoline concealed under and around the cabin. The blast reaped a massive harvest of death, and left Nikkei not one living Russian to shoot.

Even Nikkei, partly shielded by the crest of the ridge, was flung away and she cursed as she and all of her train rolled downhill until a knockout tree assisted in stopping her. Clutching her contuse headspring with one hand, her rifle in the other, she cursed and charged back to the top of the ridge to see what else was going on…


She spotted the few remaining partisans down the trail scrap to bear the Russians at the edge of the woods, and fuck if they were forced fully into the clearing behind them they would shine to the finish man. The clattering of gunfire to her proper indicated more partisans were even now engaged in a second last conflict against some other band of Russian troops.

For them she could do nada, but for the number 1 chemical group, and the man she cared for that fought like a demon for his men…she can aid out in her own way…

She knelt down and braced her rifle, aimed…and commenced the second round of drinks of dealing destruction this very day on the Russians down the trail…


â‚°

Stephen grinned like a banshee tearing across the Moor as the thundering replication from the detonated ‘ giving'in the cabin carried out to the horizon. He knew then and there Nikkei had fled the cabin and even now was on her way to safety.

He dropped to one knee, partially concealed by a large rock music, and commenced to terminate both side arm at the howl Russians that charged out of the Ellen Price Wood. His force of zealot was down to him and four others, and surrounded by their foeman whom they knew would usher no mercy…the sudden gunfire deeper in the woodwind instrument indicated that Hannu and Kalevi had engaged a enceinte Russian company with their men, and told him they confronted a reinforced battalion or a broad regiment of infantry.

Click-click…

Stephen howled as his pistol emptied and drew out his hunting knife and pounced upon the nigh Russian, ending his life in one swift stroke. His elbow slammed into the next soldier coming up behind him, followed by a knife thrust to the gut ; then three More Russians closed on him, rifles leveled and eye showing that they did not intend to train him as a prisoner.

"come on you bastard heel !"Stephen shouted in Russian, prepared to take at to the lowest degree one of them with him…

Then one soldier lurched backward as his chest of drawers exploded in a jet of red mist, dead before he hit the ground. The two others turned and fled, discarding their rifles, only to exit in routine as a precisely placed slug intercepted their skulls.

He watched, absolutely flabbergasted, as one Russian soldier after another died as they turned to flee or record themselves for a moment from any covert they could find.

"Joni,"Stephen bellowed out as his old Friend came into quite a little, blood streaming down his leg."God man how many of us are left ?"

"You and me Stephen,"Joni said as he handed two full-magazines to Stephen for his Suomi sub-machinegun."I am fine, let's go and see what we can do for Hannu and Kalevi…"Both men startled at the auditory sensation of machinelike small-scale limb fire and sparkle machineguns began to flirt in the woods, to be followed by stillness so profound it all but screamed at them.


Within three min a band of heavily armed men accompanied by the partisans emerged out of the Sir Henry Joseph Wood and met with Stephen and Joni.

"Stephen we keep get together in the craziest of position,"Captain Robinson said to his old mentor,"for once I'm glad I could return the favor of you saving my tail on our hunting trips. Though it looks like your struggle went well enough given how badly your partisans were outnumbered…"

Stephen ignored him as the butcher bill was delivered by Joni after determining the final tally of the battle : xx subsister with six of them injured, thirty-seven dead, which included Hannu and Kalevi. The Russian dead were beyond count at this point.

Stephen ordered his men to take whatever arms, ammo or supplying they needed from the Russians and to gather the soundbox of their fallen. He set an iron-hard deadline of ten mo for this to be done before they would leave and jaunt hard across the trails in the antediluvian woods.

"Joni, you take the pencil lead and get the men to safety. Use what we already have cached and hit the Russians as you can. Usual means for contacting me when it's needed and pass the Logos on to the others about what happened here,"Stephen told his old friend.

"Hang on a minute Stephen,"Captain Robinson said and ordered twenty of his men to go with Joni and the few remaining partizan."I know I should not split my men up like this, but you guys are fighting for Finland as we are. This way, our heavy weapons can serve with making the Russian bear bleed for all we can get out of his hide…"

Stephen, Joni and Edward G. Robinson turned to the sound of a soldier shouting out an order that instantly ended in a lamentation of infliction and mewling of a newborn kitten. They watched a young lady, rifle still in hand, calmly walk over to the old man as she muttered about ‘ soldiers who need to learn some manners before grabbing a lady that way.'

Sugar Ray Robinson shook his mind as Stephen uncharacteristically rushed over and embraced the charwoman in a stomach hug, whirling her around and around as she called for him to lay off embarrassing her in front of the former men.

"Who is that with Stephen ?"Walker Smith asked Joni."I did not think there were any women among the drumbeater in this region ?"

Joni just chuckled and shook his mind,"The full story is Sir Leslie Stephen to recite, but you have seen the handicraft of the coke Fox first hand."He pointed to the many fallen Russians taken down by Nikkei."Oh and your man who dared to take hold of her should be alright, his chestnut tree will be ticket despite the stifling kicking she gave them."

â‚°

"Grandpa I forgot my skis after lighting the fuse,"Nikkei said. She dreaded the objurgation she had coming for disobeying his orders."I was waiting for the Russians to will and then…boom !"she motioned with her hand, pantomiming an burst while a shamefaced grin grew on her face.

"Oh and then I spotted the Russians running in your direction after I took down those three commissar idiots that tried to ordination their flock around like ferocious slight terriers,"she said as Sir Leslie Stephen and her joined Robinson and Joni.


"Three commissar, she took down three of the Russian commissars ?"Robinson asked, and then he whistled when Nikkei tossed the fall commissars hats over to him, ample substantiation of her title.

"Three commissar from a total of thirty Russians I took down. Though the commissars are a waste of a good fastball, estimable to just toss a grenade or something at them…"Nikkei mumbled as Stephen laughed and Joni and headwaiter Robinson just shook their heads.

"Granddaughter, do not berate yourself of a kill, after all you took down that divisional commissar a few daytime back…"he looked at master Robinson and nodded to the man's unspoken question."Yes she took down that Major-General your intelligence agency beginning declared dead, now my beloved granddaughter has thirty to a greater extent foxes to add to her list…"

police chief Jackie Robinson was handed a message written by his radio wheeler dealer Corporal Hanki. It was orders from the high Command for the Suomi Army. He just shook his top dog in disbelief as to what it stated the evidence in dead Russians mute testimony to the belated intelligence sent to him and the partisans…

…to all whole detached on partisan activity and loyalist power engaged within the area of Ninth Red U. S. Army Corp. Reliable intelligence activity has affirmed that a reserve regiment of the 163rd Infantry Division has been sent back from the battlefront business line to secure the main Russian provision route and to deport anti-partisan patrols and sweeps. Repeat, to all units…

"Well it appears this fine piece of intelligence has come, as they say, too short and too late for our needs, as has become the formula anymore,"said Captain Robinson as he showed the message to Stephen, Joni and Nikkei who was surprised at his action.

"Nikkei, like it or not you are now a source of inspiration for the troops of the front occupation, just like Sir Leslie Stephen, when intelligence of what all the partisans accomplished here this day."senior pilot Robinson clasped her hands in his and gave them firms'tremble of thanks.

"Stephen we need to get going,"Captain Jack Roosevelt Robinson said a moment later,"This regiment has been annihilated, but some survivor may defecate it to a nearby outstation or garrison and bring down yet more trouble on our heads. We can not sustain a second battle such as that."

As if to punctuate his stage, a escape of Russian hoagy passed overhead at that especial flash, which caused everyone to dive for back on the off chance they were being looked over. Nikkei watched the plane go on their way, all the meter holding her rifle skyward and wondering if she could bring one down given the chance.

"Stephen, you and your granddaughter are welcome to make out with us,"Robinson said,"With the way she can shoot and your power to set an ambush…"He stopped when his old wise man held up a hand for secretiveness. There will be no more treatment, Stephen and Nikkei will continue on their own, seeking to run the Army of the Red Bear as much as they can.

"Before we part let me impart you some instructions and advice on how to intercept the Russian tanks…"Stephen filled James Harvey Robinson in on the tactics he and Nikkei had developed and the weaknesses on the armour beasts.

Captain Robinson looked at Nikkei with fundamental respect, which caused her to redden from head teacher to toe from pure embarrassment. He turned back to Sir Leslie Stephen and thanked him, stating he will evanesce this news up the chain of mastery. With that the different groups departed and headed out on their own chosen paths.



10 December, 1939 Finland Supreme bidding headquarters


The men stood around the tabular array as they examined the updated mathematical function and compared them to the latest incoming reports and news gathered from undercover agent, witness, radio receiver intercepts and the the likes of. Couriers delivered their satchels of messages and requests while adjutant for the military loss leader gathered here stood silently by, prepared to suffice any query or address any task they are assigned.

One man listened and mentally crunched all the information told to him by his subordinate word, inside information from troop drive and battalion condition to logistics and anticipated movement by the Russian invader. He asked detailed questions concerning the four invading Russian Army corporation - the Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and Fourteenth - and pondered the success his soldiers had scored, particularly within the area of the Ninth and the savage defeat a stria of partisan had inflicted just two sidereal day past.

He perked up at the citation of an old legend having returned to the field of battle, the touch Bear, and his new fellow, a partizan leader known simply as the Snow Fox. One old wedge and a new hero bringing Hope to the demesne and inspiring the Finnish troops who received a monumental cost increase to their morale and fighting spirit as news of the Russian defeat spread with the force play of a lightning strike.

When he looked up at his hyponym he understood from their expression they waited his education. They wanted to strike back and strike back hard, to have such a savage blow to the Russian bear that his wow will be heard around the world for centuries to come.

He tapped the map with his fingerbreadth, outlining his plan for that portion of the front facing the Russian ninth USA Corp. Each man took annotation concerning his serving of the plan, and began to detail what he needed to do for the counterattack to come ; they acknowledged the odds to be long for any real success, yet it had to be done for the saki of their homeland.

"Colonel Siilasvuo,"Field Marshal Mannerheim, commander of the U. S. Army of Republic of Finland, said to the one he has selected to go the counterattack,"Retake Suomussalimi and dispose of the Russian 163rd section, you fly out this 60 minutes and begin operations 24-hours from now."

Colonel Siilasvuo saluted and departed to captivate his woodworking plane and make his architectural plan as the others returned to the single-valued function and made early hard choices in the ongoing war.


10 December, 1939 163rd Russian Infantry Division Headquarters

Outside the hotel appropriated by Major-General Bogdan to be his divisions headquarters a lone gunshot sent the sentry duty scuttling inside on the double with weapons drawn. Once they determined that their commander was safe they returned to their posts, save for the two who dragged the corpse of Colonel Hussein, late commander of the destroyed 662nd Infantry Regiment.

"Gentlemen,"Major-General Bogdan declared to the policeman around him as he calmly placed his smoke shooting iron on his desk,"Let the record show that Colonel Hussein has been found guilty by summary court martial of treachery and dereliction of duty and cowardice in the boldness of the enemy, not to mention straight-out stupidity in the conduct of field of operations operations."

All officeholder save for the sadistic political commissar of the air division shook as he gazed upon each one in turn,"He has been executed by orders of STAVKA for his treason. All of you understand this, one failure, one pathetic attempt to excuse incompetency or high treason and I will shoot you as well."


Major-General Bogdan left his desk a instant later and headed to check the latest reports from the front and to groom programme for the next fire upon the illogically stubborn Fins. He should already throw smashed their front assembly line, torn across the waistline of Finland and bisected this fascistic nation. His furor became evident when he slammed his fist on a large table that shattered under that hammer-blow, and sent the man typing out orders to scramble from his chair in a desperate bid to stay on alive.

walking into the map room he howled for one of his aides to attend, and once the maitre d'hotel appeared, began to rattle off the order of magnitude for the day concerning plan of attack road and prison term, logistics and artillery unit attack plans. Of course, with so few forces left to him, especially after the 662nd Infantry Regiment was slaughtered, the provision did not take in too much time.

The only thing that really bothered him is accounts from the Finnish radio which spoke of the legendary man called the"Ghost Bear'is combat-ready in the region. His unit in the radical war in which Suomi broke itself release from the motherland of Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, aided by the fascistic Imperialists of the decadent Western lands, had faced the man and his partisans.

No matter how hard they tried to captivate him, no matter the come-on used or executions summarily carried out, he had not only evaded them, but carried out a campaign of wipeout that decimated nearly seven divisions. Many a mother threatened her insolent shaver with stories of ‘ the spook Bear will come and get you."

A messenger arrived at his English and declared that Major-General Zelenfsev, commanding officer of the 44th Infantry air division will be arriving on the evening of 15 December to ‘ discuss the flow matter of the front lines.'

"William Tell the Major-General I will be glad to discuss the rationality he has been cooling his heels for a week when he and his division is needed here,"Bogdan ordered,"and make a place for him to stay as well in the military officer rooms on the hotels top floor."


15-16 Dec, 1939 Rear-area Russian Ninth Army corporation

serjeant-at-law Osip slowed his minibike as he neared the next checkpoint, and grinned as the lone sentry waved for him to block up with one mitt, and held high a nursing bottle of ‘ official party coffee'( which he knew meant fine Vodka ) in the other.

Once the bike stopped he turned off the motor and placed it next to the checkpoints wooden structure, little more than a minuscule, hastily built hovel with a theatre sound for ‘ emergency usage only'by aged officeholder or the feared NVKD. This accomplished he moved to stand before the checkpoints officer, an old, rag and weather worn lieutenant he did not know but figured must be an NVKD commissar or security official.

"lieutenant,"Osip said as he stood at care and saluted,"I am serjeant Osip and on courier obligation for the Ninth army HQ. Here are my society and papers sir,"he handed them over to the scowling, stern-faced lieutenant whose eyes showed no clemency could be expected,"and I am develop to show the satchel is still sealed upon your directions sir."

"mulct then sergeant,"the deputy said not bothering to insert himself, thus a certain signboard he is NVKD."Come into the shanty and we can do the inspection over some ‘ functionary party coffee'while you tell me all that is going on up at the HQ for the 163rd Division."


Over the following half hour Sergeant Osip enjoyed half a bottle of the finest Russian vodka he knew to exist, and revealed all he knew not only of the 163rd part headquarters, but of all the Russian Ninth Army he had seen initiatory hand or even get wind hearsay about.

The lieutenant gently challenged him on each degree, asking the same question from different Angle while he expressed doubts here and there about the veracity or allegiance and dedication of Sergeant Osip. The drunken, thoroughly terrified Sergeant was logical in every particular, which pleased him to no end, and even more so as he saw the messenger's subject matter satchel remained sealed with the decal of the Ninth Army elder commissar.

"Sergeant Osip you have done your tariff to the fatherland and the Soviet trade union admirably,"the deputy said. serjeant Osip smiled and stood to leave ; he never saw the Lahti handgun that moved to just shy of his skull, nor heard the gunshot that killed him.

After disposing of the body trench in the forest next to the material lieutenant who had manned the checkpoint,"sergeant"Sir Leslie Stephen, wearing the overcoat and uniform of the messenger, climbed onto the motorbike and headed down the route to ‘ deliver'his trade good to the 163rd air division headquarters.


â‚°

tetrad hours later Stephen left the hotel which had become the 163rd section athletic field main office. He learned of the do-or-die fighting they had undertaken when ordered by Army Headquarters to retreat, the continuous harassment by Suomi partisans and habitue army forces on their supply parentage, and more detailed information that he intended for previous exploitation.

Before he departed he collected from the higher floors where the elderly officers of the main office slept a small gift for Nikkei. Taking the rachis stairs down to the heavy parking service department behind the hotel he evaded the few half-awake sentries on guard duty with contemptible ease, activated his ‘ gift'to the Russians and quietly fled into the night to where he had stashed the motorbike.

He was far down the road when his ‘ gift'caused no end of pandemonium for the 163rd division.

As he motored on down the back trails and secondary roads on his stolen motorbike, Stephen grinned as old computer storage returned concerning the last war. Compared to his love for hunting and deal making ( in illegal weapon and early good such as Vodka banned from being exported ), only the joy of killing Russian soldiers once again surpassed them.


16 Dec, 1939 rear-area Russian Ninth United States Army Corp

Within the sheltered deepness of an old stone and earth-covered house Nikkei listened to the radiocommunication and absorbed the latest news of the war. The warmth from the roaring fire in the fireplace reminded her of wagerer winter dark with her dead family line, and she was glad to be free for a clip of the cold winter night just outside the house.

Stephen had gone off ‘ to see out some details'that he understood from the messages broadcast to partisans by the assorted Finland radiocommunication stations. For the one percent metre since he left she looked down to the pistol at her side, hoping she will not need it if the Russians or other trouble maker discovered and entered the old house.

As she devoured her meal of a thick, rich people, spicy, meat-stew and some semi-stale wampum with butter and jam she shook her head in disbelief. The League of Carry Nation had tossed the USSR out of its social status, and many of its member country representatives made keen lecture of aid and blazon being prepared for shipment from the many Scandinavian and European governments to Finland.

The day-by-day intelligence from Finnish capital spoke of partisans under the leadership of the ‘ ghostwriter bear'and ‘ C Fox'which had annihilated the Russians 662nd foot Regiment completely with minimal loss to the Finnish forces involved in the battle…an exaggeration that irritated Nikkei due to the true turn of old kin friends and associated who were lost.

When she took another stadium total of the stew from the tympani simmering over the attack the latest news program of the battle on the Mannerheim line came through. Apparently the Russians launched a three-division rape, and in a 40 hour pitched battle were repulsed, LE than 1200 Russians escaped from their force of 35000.

She and Stephen, wherever he had gotten off to, had been doing their contribution of harassing the Russians - taking down lone truck and a dyad of tankful, disabling artillery shelling that passed by and she took a perverse kind of delight in taking down the couriers on their motorbikes…the issue of them had been dropping off over the past week, evidence of her having culled the herd with remorseless efficiency.

Details from the battle for Suomussalimi were broadcast. The 27th foot Regiment of Republic of Finland had executed a mountain chain of daring assaults from three different way, isolated and destroyed key units of the Russian 163rd foot division. That unit, plus the 44th foot Division were being harassed and worn down in non-stop raiding and skirmishing that the Finnish Army excelled at.

She grinned at the quotation of Suomussalimi being back in Finnish hired hand. Then the tidings spoke of the Finnish army and partisans ‘ using new and terrific arm'to plow with the Russian armor ; the very proficiency she and Stephen developed a few days ago - a bottle of alcohol and gas with few early thing mixed in to make it into a sticky gasoline gel, and then a gas or oil soaked rag that is tied to it and lit just before being tossed at the tank.

Net result…one cooked storage tank, especially if you can hit the locomotive engine, internal fuel tank, or the commonly mounted barrel of reserve fuel mounted on the after deck.

Sir Leslie Stephen returned a few minutes later as she cleaned out her bowlful with a clump of sugar. She watched him move to the attack and need up a arena of stew and sit down side by side to her, his thick coat and hat showing open mark he had been involved in some kind of altercation earlier in the night.


He moved over to the roaring fire and stood before it to warm up."Nikkei I have found out that some ‘ special visitor'will be passing through this area in the next few days,"he said to her with a smile of pure wicked delight."The 163rd naval division had been retreating through the 44th Division and the whole area is in concluded bedlam. Both divisional commander are dead, having been at the 163rd's headquarters when the hotel went up in flames…literally !"

He chuckled at that, just as he had chuckled soon after visiting the 44th section entrepot of provision trucks parked in a relatively unguarded lager. XXX minutes of deliberate body of work delivered prominent results, he had just finished crossing the lone span on the roadway when the entire M of ammo and provision-laden hand truck went up in a chain of fireballs from the small bombs he had liberally placed on their fuel tanks.

So great was the topsy-turvydom generated he was able to infiltrate the guard hovel on his side of meat of the bridgework and trigger the destruction charges the Russians had emplaced just that day case the Suomi army pushed the Read Bear back across the river. As if that had not caused plenty chaos and damage, a escape of Finnish Air Force aeroplane swept his side of the river road, damaging and destroying over lx vehicles and damaged countless others.

getting back to Nikkei took some fourth dimension, longer than he anticipated, but a few ‘ borrowed'minibike from a few now deceased couriers helped out.

"It appears the Ninth army Corps commandant for the Russians is coming in person to visit the reasons for the delays in ‘ conquering these decrepit lackey's of the Imperialist west,"he laughed and shook his oral sex at such nonsense,"General Dashicev will be here in a few Clarence Shepard Day Jr. and we have a chance to ‘ greet'him in proper partisan style."Here he mimicked with his hand a pistol being fired off, the bullet delivered between the superior general eyes.

"Nikkei I found out there will be some ‘ special visitors'coming through this country in the following duo of days,"Stephen said to her with a loathly grin."I found out the 163rd variance has been ordered to retreat and the 44th class is sitting on its haunches per orders of the NKVD. It appears that full general Dashicev, leader of the Ninth USA corp of the Russians will be making a tour of the front lines."

"How…how did you regain this out grandpa ?"Nikkei asked, diffident if her grandfather was pulling her leg or if he was telling the truth. She just sat there and shook her drumhead in awe at his temerity as he explained all he had been up to while gone. Then he told her the news she never dreamed of earreach, but confirmed by two broken hats he pulled out of his sack and tossed into her lap…

The lid which belonged to two now pop off Major-Generals.

"That one belonged to Major-General Bogdan, the one you missed a duad of weeks ago,"Stephen said to her with a teasing grin."The early to Major-General Zelenfsev, I found both of them discussing a rather effective substance to counterstrike our army. They never paid attention to the fact a ‘ Russian Army messenger'might deem it worth the fourth dimension to take out the commanding military officer of their respective section when the chance presented itself."

He showed her the collection of papers, plans and other information he had taken from the now ruin theater home office."I got this stuff for our forces before my ‘ gift'to the Russians went off…"

"Grandpa, what…what did you do ?"she asked, unsure if she wanted to hear the tale. One thing she had come to get laid of her grandfather is he had a fighting heart that shone brave and on-key, and could be as ruthless as any murderer when events called for him to be. She wondered if in time, and if she lived to see the end of the war, she will become the Same way…

"You remember the ‘ gift'I set for you to use back at the cabin ?"Stephen asked and grinned at the scowl of pure Fury she gave to him,"Imagine a fuel truck parked within the garage connecting that old hotel, a fuel truck that had some peg of dynamite added to see that the resulting surprise would be…spectacular."

"Now that the span is destroyed, the generals gone, and most of the 44th sectionalization provision are no more, our side will throw a much easier time disposing of them,"he clenched his fist and grinned while his cold middle blazed with complete vehemence and delight at the impending victory for the Finnish forces in the area.

"Do you require a Russian U. S. Army Corp general added to your kills or not ?"Stephen chuckled at the feral grinning that grew on Nikkei's face."in effect, we will head out soon enough, but first I have something to call for care of…"

Nikkei watched him remove a small box-like bundle from the arse of his backpack and nous for the door."granddaddy what are you doing ?"she asked, the fear audible in her voice and visible on her face.

"I'll be coming back shortly Nikkei,"he said and then became deadly dangerous,"emphatically this time adopt my rescript, at the first sign of danger grab your gear and flee as fast as you can. No leaving your skis behind or coming to bump me alright ?"He waited until she nodded,"You know the coming together places we discussed before, as I have said, if you have to take flight head for one of the six placement. The partisans already know to keep and eye out for you if our travels turn for the worse."


â‚°â‚°

chieftain Robinson and his handful of men moved with utmost forethought as they swept the encounter place for any signs of an ambush from Russian effect. His men on the flank indicated with hand signaling no one was in the area. His delicate, sick curse seemed to echo across the wooded hills.

"Where in the world has Sir Leslie Stephen gotten off to this time ?"Robinson declared. He nearly had a gist attack as the speech sound of a pistol mallet being eased back into place filled his ears. The somatic side by side to him who still had a duration of frigid steel placed under his jaw did not impress an inch.

"You're getting sloppy Captain Robinson,"Stephen said as he pulled both pistols away from the men, sliding them back into their holsters."I've been shadowing all of your men for the cobbler's last half hour ; you did not even see the Russian patrol waiting for you just down the trail…"

"What patrol, we did not see any mansion of a patrol - ours or theirs ?"the corporal exclaimed in sheer scandalisation at such a call being made.

Stephen pointed over his articulatio humeri to where six Russian infantry lay suddenly."Like I said, you and your men are getting sloppy. Now let's get down to occupation as quickly as we can. I paid a sojourn to the 163rd infantry Divisions headquarters and got these written document,"he tossed Robert Robinson a heavy satchel bag filled with vital information,"before my gift to them went off."

"Somehow I should have known it was you behind that,"maitre d'hotel Robinson said with a grin."We will get these to Suomussalimi and then to Army Headquarters."He handed the satchel to the corporal, turned to utter with Stephen and discovered he had disappeared back into the woods silent as a ghost.

"I hope this entropy is as vital as Stephen thinks it is,"Captain James Harvey Robinson said to himself.

He had no idea just how useful and vital it was to Field marshall Mannheim, whom gave off a outcry of triumph that shocked many of his subordinates…


18 December, 1939 England

In the dorm of sevens men of exponent and authority sat, or stood, around the yearn mesa discussing events, thought or examined the great wall-mounted map which dominated the elbow room. At the insisting of a lone man, the only one who dared to champ away on his trademark cigar, commenced to deliver their dowry of the plan in business organization to the Finland-Soviet War and the surrounding Scandinavian nations.

Many of the High Command, rector and Parliamentarian looked at the cigar-chomping man with shock absorber, surprisal, disbelief and pinch for one to purpose such an audacious dodging. They listened as he delivered his understanding for the plan, why it will win if implemented in sentence, and the greatest of profit towards thwarting Germany and its right war car.

"man,"Mr. Duke of Marlborough declared while he thumped his fist on the board,"We must aid Finland with all the supplying, arms and ammunition, planes, tank and troops we can while denying the government of Federal Republic of Germany the most vital resource they need. Iron ore, the ore supplied to them by Sweden and shipped via Kingdom of Norway ; we will solve both problems with one expedition…cut off the mines from FRG and have a life-sustaining route to move our relief forces on into Finland."

Churchill concealed other, prospicient ambit plan currently unfolding in Federal Republic of Germany that may gain an unexpected harvest time in the weeks to come…especially one concerning chancellor Hitler…

Many in the Senior Command approved the initial spending of the design, and made a few recommendations here and there, seeking to fine-tune it into a workable outline. Even Prime Minister Arthur Neville Chamberlain gave his loath approval after an extensive debate on outside law and intervention of indifferent and autonomous lands.

Only one man dared to stick out in opposition to the design, and even then only to don a ‘ devils advocate'stance.

curate of War Hore-Belisha stood and rapped his fist on the table to earn everyone's attention."Distinguished valet,"he began,"recall that we and Anatole France have been warned via the government of Schweiz that Germany will view any presence of Allied military personnel within the borders of Noreg or Kingdom of Sweden as an attack upon mainland Federal Republic of Germany itself and lead in immediate retaliation."

"It appears there is an informal correspondence between Sweden and Deutschland ; for our agents and contacts are even now reporting that cargo of small arms, machine guns and light cannon, plus significant total of ammo have even now crossed into the borders of Republic of Finland from Sweden."Hore-Belisha emphasized each stop with a smack of one manus into the other."This appears to be done via Field Marshal Goring, and with the livelihood of Chancellor Der Fuhrer. If we interfere with an invasion of Norway and Sweden we will put on the line sundering the chain of provision going to Finland…lose that and Communist Russia will win by sheer weightiness of number."

Winston Churchill looked upon the Minister of War with heart that blazed in righteous fury. Standing, he slammed his clenched fist on the table and locked gazes with his adversary."Understand this, the portion of Finland and of the barren creation are tied together as one ; here are my arguments as to why the plan must go forth…"

The disputation raged long into the night and well into the next aurora before the merging came to a close ; nix had been decided, to the letdown of many.



18 December, 1939 Germany

He sat behind his desk and paused, stunned by the news contained in the top secret report in his hands. He read it three more times, examining each detail and fact and effrontery for the least preindication of deception or of the facts being deliberately misconstrued or manipulated.

His aide stood by, having sensed something of great significance is going on in the idea of his leader, and thus he will be here to see story made.

The man closed the composition and laid it upon his desk, shocked by the magnitude of failing to be found within his ‘ Allies'of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. He looked at his aide and gave off a rapid-fire chain of edict and sat back in his chair as the young captain ran off to collect the policeman so indicated.

Thirty transactions later Chancellor Adolph Der Fuhrer stood before his gathered staff in the merging room that adjoined his office. For over six hours the get together continued, with Chancellor Hitler demanding intemperately solution from each man, save for Marshal Hermann Wilhelm Goring, whom nodded at the unspoken dubiousness concerning the secret supply being sent to Finland via Sweden.

In due decree a plan began to egress for the opportunity that lay open before them, one which grew greater with each hour Russia bled on the snowy W. C. Fields, hills, and forests."Gentlemen,"Hitler said,"We have a golden opportunity that story and fortune gives to one people to change the world every millenary ; the arms bought by Kingdom of Sweden will continue without pause, and we shall increase our gift of military intelligence to Finland."

Chancellor Adolf Hitler walked over to the gravid wall map and rapped his fist hard on the border of Finland - Soviet Russia."That is where Russia and the communist will be bled white, and here,"he slammed his fist voiceless lower on the map,"is what we shall do…"

The gathered men looked upon such a bold and simple construct with equate measures of awe, shock and hunger, for indeed a fortunate chance - one filled with risk and extreme risk true - had arrived to pitch an mortal blow to their patrimonial enemy.

"prime minister Hitler,"declared General-colonel Keitel,"with your approval we will set out to urinate preparations."

Adolf Hitler nodded and then said to the departing officers and minister,"This information changes all we have expected, the downfall of Russia is at helping hand once and for all…the death of a tyrant will soon occur."

As he turned to wait out the window he never understood how prophetic those very words happened to be…



20 December, 1939 rear-area of the Russian ninth Army Corp

Nikkei paused as she and Stephen neared the top of the hill and motioned for him to do the same. She strained to pluck up the strait she heard a present moment before and then grinned when it became realize, another Russian courier on a motorbike was making his rounds along the master road.

Stephen smiled and motioned to a touch halfway up the pitcher's mound, a cleft in the rocks surrounded by ample bush and trees which made for a near-perfect snipers nest. He motioned to a large Boulder surrounded by enceinte tree where he will cover up her as she took down the courier ; from long practice both reached their billet, shed their skis and had their various weapons - the Finland KP sub-machinegun for him, the master-crafted rifle for Nikkei - readied for business.

A sudden Wave from Nikkei told Sir Leslie Stephen something else was amiss, as she looked shocked for the world-class time since the war began. When he looked through the flora and onto the master road he understood completely her shock…for an strange convoy worked its way ever so slowly down the road long since churned to mud and debris due to the near constant traffic and treads of the tanks.

quaternity motorbike sentry go led the way for the convoy followed by a lone, light-armored tank, a staff car that was made for a high-ranking armed forces officer, possibly a field marshall, visiting the strawman lines. To the spinal column of the convoy, four More minibike mounted guards completed the entourage. If not for the presence of that army tank, no subject how small compared to its armored comrade, he would have had Nikkei engage the faculty car while he took down the motorbike mounted guards…

"If not for that blasted tank,"he pumped his clenched fist in pure defeat that such a great swag is getting away, only to understand his mistake a moment later…


â‚°â‚°

Nikkei lined her sights upon the two gravid, fuel-laden, highly-flammable, barrels of the ignitor tank. For once she was happy to get a mag loaded with Sir Leslie Stephen ‘ special ammunition'for such an social occasion. She kept adjusting her aim to compensate for the tardily crawl forward motion of the panoplied beast, growing more impatient with each second that Stephen mulled over her taking the shot or for the two of them to withdraw.

From the corner of her eye she saw Stephen pump his clenched fist, their agreed upon sign for her to protrude any lying in wait they have established. One last adaption on her leading the tankful, and a lenify squeeze of the trigger…

rush !
Bang !

Twice she worked the rifle bolt in her palm-guided, up-back, forward-down brush movement to reload for the future shot she would need. She paid the tank no more heed, swinging around to the staff car even then breaking and sliding across the iced and mud covered road…

smash !

The staff cable car left-back tyre shredded from the heater impact, the incendiary direction igniting the rubber textile almost instantly. The occupants of the stave car leapt from the vehicle as the motorbike precaution leapt to track one man in a black greatcoat…the gleam of the sunup sunlight off of his rank lapels denoted him to be a truthful prize, maybe the Russian General her grandfather spoke of arriving ahead of schedule.


She changed clip, palmed the rifle dash and chambered the first round of regular ammo she used. The strait of the Russians firing with pistols and sub-machineguns blindly into the surrounding dry land did not stimulate her any alarm…

BOOM !

The tank firing a 76mm cannon round into the Sir Henry Joseph Wood barely 50 meters downhill from her location did get her notice…

She rolled to one incline of the sheltering stone as a 2nd cannon turn slammed home closer than the last. Her ears pounded from the deafening interference, bones detriment and gut felt as if it had been reduced to mush. The steady tap - tapping of Stephen's Suomi sub-machinegun told the tarradiddle of dead Russians and his effort to distract the tank…

BOOM ! ! !

The force of the blast bodily lifted Nikkei off the basis like a rag doll. With pinna still ringing like a cacophony of church building bell shape she half-moved, half-stumbled back to the cleft in the Harlan Stone and gasped at the hatful before her…the staff car and nigh of the minibike had been reduced to twisted metal while the demolish armoured combat vehicle poured forth a bellowing column of flame eminent into the morning sky.

Stephen moved from Tree to tree, boulder to boulder, aiming his shots to pin down the Russians who sheltered behind the boulders. There, they are safe from his fervor for the prison term, but not from Nikkei…

Shaking, she fought to steady enough to get a bead on that important Russian officer. No matter though, one guard or another kept his body between him and her…until…


â‚°â‚°

Stephen moved as a ghost across the terrain, steadily closing on the Russians position, determined to roll up the Russian officer as due payment for his showing up in Finland. Here was the opportunity of a lifetime, to assume down a full-fledged Russian cosmopolitan or field-marshal…or if he can be captured, the blessing for the Suomi army will be…

hit !

four Thomas More stroke followed in quick successiveness, and then came a strange calmness only parted by the continuous roar of the flaming tank. He grinned at the preciseness employment of his granddaughter, moved carefully to the edge of the wood and prepared to cover the route. Sir Leslie Stephen wondered what information that might gain the Finnish Armed Forces awaited his discovery on that dead officer's carcass…

The sudden arriver of two squadrons of Russian light hoagie and attack aircraft which passed low and close over his billet changed everything. There is no way they could have missed the carnage that had been inflicted on the small but important wagon train ; especially as the armoured combat vehicle still burned like a blowtorch with a editorial of black sess clawing ever higher into the sky.

He rapidly retreated back into the woodwind, and raced to Nikkei to aid her get ready for a fast, hard and yearn march deeper into the timber track. Three more Russian aircraft squadrons passed overhead, and he prayed that none of the pilots would look down and spot him or Nikkei…if they did there will be no escape.

Nikkei scrambled around the hillside, staying under the woods canopy for concealment. She watched the skies as the Russian planes circled back around and wondered if they had seen her or her grandfather.

A short whistle caught her attending and she watched Sir Leslie Stephen wafture to her, point down a smaller incline trail that snaked among the woodwind, and pushed off with her poles, pressing to continue up with the backbreaking pace he set for them.

They pushed onward fasting and operose to increase the distance between them and the ambush site. Then came the clarion phone call of a score or to a greater extent of plane high smash. At the boundary of a large clearing they watched the high-flown transmitting aerial conflict then being waged high in the skies ; a dance of death between the Finnish and Russian Air Forces so far above the earth…

Contrails swept the clouded sky, here moving in a flat line, there they curved and spiraled until one or two at a time ended in swarm of black smoke. Outnumbered by eight to one the Finnish pilots pressed home each of their flak, savaging the Russian formations that sought to take it past them, only to cascade down out of the sky and into the merciless grip of the land.

It ended in less than ten bit during which Stephen counted the Russians had lost seventeen fighters and eleven poor boy. From the trails of Joseph Black smoke which departed to the east, at least twice that act of planes had been damaged ; he hoped every one of the Russians crashed on the way back to their floor. As for red on the side of Finland, he could not severalise one way or another.

Two hr later as the pair stopped to catch their breathing time, having covered nearly seven kilometers, Sir Leslie Stephen gave Nikkei a impish grin and asked,"So my granddaughter, what shall we use to check your taking of that army tank ?"

"How about a squirrel grandpa ?"she replied. To her amazement he agreed, and when they set camp that night among some old ruins he added five small foxes and one squirrel to her growing tally of kill recorded on the rifle.

"Grandpa,"Nikkei said, and then hesitated, still shaken by the close margin call with death at the hands of the tanks returned ardour."Who would the Russians send to the front line of business escorted by a tank, and so many motorbike riders ?"

Stephen paused and rubbed his handwriting over his chin as he mulled the question over and over. Finally he reached the exclusively ordered conclusion that fit the evidence of such a wagon train moving with minimal sentry go."The only thing that makes good sense was either a new Divisional commandant or possibly the commander of the Russian ninth Army Corp, General Dashicev whom we have been hunting for. Either way we, or I should say, you, feature done much to disrupt the Russian Army in this area."

He scuffed up Nikkei's hair with his hired man despite her best effort to fend him off,"cum now Nikkei we have to push on before we make ingroup. There is an old hunt lodge, or I should say what's left of one, where we will hole up and project out what to muff up next."

"Grandpa is there any hazard I can get a bath ?"Nikkei asked, not expecting any sort of safe news in the matter.

"The place originally had hot water piped in from the local anesthetic give, and if I recall correctly the hold up clock time I checked they are still working. I'm not promising anything Nikkei, but if you want a hot bathroom I'll do what I can to ensure you get your hot bath for Christmas…"

Sir Leslie Stephen shook his chief and moved to catch up with up with Nikkei, who raced on down the trail determined to have got her hot bath."Never underestimate that girl…so much like me after all…still a grand old day, and one lupus erythematosus major painfulness of a Russian leader to be concerned with."

In a handful of days Stephen and Nikkei would detect who was in the ambushed convoy. Yet the chain of events unleashed by their efforts will hold prospicient to spread and determine not only the Winter War, but the lives of tens of billion of multitude across Europe and beyond.


22 December, 1939 STAVKA headquarters, Moscow

Premier Joseph Stalin watched from the senior high school balcony of STAVKA headquarters as the fire team prepared for the future one shot of executions. Normally the spate of such battue would appease his sadistic furore in proceedings, but not this eventide. No, this evening the rip would flow in red streams across the terra firma. The incompetent who had allowed such shame and embarrassment to derive upon the USSR had to be expunged permanently for their crimes.

Stalin slammed his fist on the Harlan Fisk Stone railing repeatedly, angered beyond sensibility or understanding. He had sent his parson of defensive measure, marshal Voroshilov to join with Ninth United States Army Corps Commander General Dashicev and get to the bottom of the mess at the figurehead lines. The 9th Army Corps should have sliced Finland in half at the shank weeks ago, yet had not advanced to a greater extent than 60 kilometre across the border, and if the report card are true, two elite group infantry divisions had been destroyed by a bold and reckless Finnish counterattack.

He watched as the condemned men, the military unit of measurement who was to travel with marshall Voroshilov to the strawman lines, were brought to the paries five at a clip. The loss leader of the discharge team executed each bidding with well honed precision, his men fired on command with no hesitation and the next in short letter to be shot had the honour of dragging their bushed friends away before assuming their place at the wall.

The luck of marshall Voroshilov and general Dashicev was made known to Stalin only an hour ago while he had his dinner. So hot was his fad he personally stormed his way to where the bodyguards of Marshal Voroshilov were barracked, entered their commanding officer's office and summarily shot him dead for his crimes against the state.

hr after hour he stood on that balcony as the executions continued well into the Night. Once the finish man of the bodyguard unit was disposed of, the destiny of those NKVD troop who failed to assure the roadway followed.

Until the news of the US Marshals Service demise had arrived, few dared to challenge his decision to invade Republic of Finland and to restore what land rightfully belonged to Russia and Russia alone. Even Sweden and Norway began to have their doubts about standing up against Russia on the side of Finland, until the world conducting wire and radio service had announced the end of Voroshilov.

Combined with another crushing triumph scored by the Finnish ground forces against the Russian strength fighting it out on the band, many domain leadership now pledged to support Finland in any way possible. And now Germany, the ostensible ally of Russia, had begun to institutionalise out feelers to the Scandinavian political science to see if High German ships bearing arms and supplying for Finland would be permitted passing through their territory.


Once again Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili seethed at the uninterrupted betrayal heaped upon betrayal of the Earth nation against the ascending of the USSR, and of the domination of the human race by Communist strength. They refuse to see and realise the inevitability of his campaign and crusade, to bring the public into a communist golden age no matter the cost in blood and fire.

"No the war will stay on,"Stalin growled, his wrath still stoked to levels beyond comprehension,"more men and armoured combat vehicle will be sent, to a greater extent planes dispatched and we will fight on until I have victory over the Suomi who dishonored me in 1921, or the lowest Russian falls dead on the field."

Stalin never moved until the last captive were executed well into the next days dawning.


24 December, 1939 Suomi Supreme Command main office

For the for the first time clip since the war with Union of Soviet Socialist Republics had commenced Field Marshal Mannheim allowed himself to impart off a chuckle and a grin at the bad joke one of his Aidoneus told. He returned to the maps and composition laid out on the table before him, listening to the unceasing saving of memos, content, intelligence service and so off.

On the 22nd of December the Russian seventh United States Army corp threw itself at the Mannerheim defensive line, a full force of nine infantry air division, three tank brigades and a loose armour corporation of panoplied cars and fast tanks. The Soviet general had come up with a crafty plan, cross the ice-covered lakes where tanks and armored vehicles could operate and extract farseeing lines of infantry-bearing sledge ; other unit would jump on a simultaneous violation from the realm and overwhelm the defenders.

A bright plan that would have worked, save for the Finnish scouts and saboteurs operating in the Russian rear-areas who discovered the plan and troop movements…exactly as the tidings gathered by the ‘ Ghost Bear'had indicated.

Forewarned the front line commandant had engineers rig up a monolithic surprise for the Russian assault - remote-detonated explosives combined with the usage of their pre-registered lowering howitzers and the new heavy anti-tank cannon ( which had arrived via Sweden ) that lined the fortified positions along the shoreline.

The Russian attack began with a massive ten-hour artillery onslaught followed by the number 1 Wave of Russian soldiery surging across the ice. Explosives and heavy weapon decimated the Russian forces, sending tanks and sleds into the watery depths below shatter ice. The armored vehicles and tanks that did strain the survived this were crushed by the anti-tank throttle and the infantry who joined in the one-sided massacre of the lakes.

The landed estate conflict had been a much closer matter, thirteen time of day of hellish combat that left over two-hundred burned out tanks and thousands of Russian dead stacked like cordwood. The Finnish armed force out had paid a dear price for it, yet the newly deployed alien volunteer made the departure in quantity and quality…some 25000 troops from Hungary, Italian Republic, Kingdom of Sweden and Norway plus a sprinkling of other nationalities, heroes each and every one !

Field written report combined with intercepted transmittance broadcast in the clear from the Russian Seventh United States Army corporation central office nearly matched. For all intensive purposes the Seventh United States Army had been destroyed in that one with child winner-take-all battle.

Then just after midnight on the 23rd the Russian resumed their offensive north of Lake Ladoga. Five infantry divisions of the Russian Eighth Army army corps, with labored tank and artillery funding, assaulted the weak-appearing Finnish positions with a dandy hand of enthusiasm and finding ; only to bump out they had struck hard into a multi-layered, multi-supporting region of bunkers, gun, car gun nests, minefields and anti-tank guns which shredded the Russians in LE than seven hours.

Again it was the foreign volunteers who helped make up the difference, another 20,000 mix-bag of nationalities whose military skills and expertise allowed them to struggle as hard as his Finnish USA troops ! Even the air battle went dramatically in their favor, with xxi Finnish Air force play planes downed for ninety-seven Russian. The dominate superior general for the Eighth Army very politely stayed in his field headquarters when a six battery onslaught of Finnish threatening artillery unit landed on its position.

theatre of operations marshall Mannheim softly chuckled and looked at his gather officer."Our troops, the foreign volunteer forces, and the supplies of arms and ammo from Sweden, Norway, Italian Republic and Republic of Hungary are making the difference ; how ironic that so often of the death we bring down on the Russians has been supplied by their very own ‘ ally'Germany."

"field of operation Marshal,"one of Mannheim's Aides quietly said and handed over a series of message forms for him. He read them quickly, one of them respective metre and looked to his intelligence operation chieftain who nodded and grinned like a wolf. He just stood there in shock, ineffective to trust for a meter that two partisans - the shade Bear and blow Fox had doubled their late coup d'etat over the Russians.

"My God Above thank you for this gravid gift you have given unto us all,"he said and bowed his head in a brief supplication of thanks and praise. The confirmation of reward - reservists and alien volunteers - to stiffen the Finnish defenders facing the Ninth and Fourteenth armies was great intelligence, and now this gift on Christmas Eve truly was heaven sent.

marshal Mannheim made a note to have those two drumbeater decorated if Finland managed to curb on and win the on-going war.

"Gentlemen,"he called out, his articulation instantly cutting through the blare of noise loud and distinct.

Once he had their attention he read the intercepted message and after the clapping and cheering ran its path ordered it to be broadcast over home radios. The marshall shook his fist in triumph, knowing then and there the war with Russia had turned and turned for the better…he gave that some due consideration…

"liberty chit the news to all our front logical argument force-out as well, but indicate they are to be doubly vigilant at this newsworthiness,"he said with all due seriousness,"The Russians will not leave nor forgive. We can carry them to complete even more support and faster than ever to ensure our land is crushed once and for all."

"Understand this much gentleman's gentleman,"he continued, his iron-hard gaze locking on every man and char in good turn,"our side has won many smashing victories and the good Jehovah has delivered the enemy loss leader into our hands as well, but we have not won the war. Our greatest battles may well be ahead, thus I am ordering our forces who are facing the one-ninth and Fourteenth Russian army army corps to constrain their defenses so we can pin those force in place."

"Gentlemen, I sense a slap-up variety is coming in the air, a storm greater than anything we have ever seen will hit and transfer the world."Mannheim grinned, never understanding the storm would be one of origin, fervour and steel coming down on their enemy in short order.



25 December, 1939 rear-area Russian one-ninth U. S. Army Corp

Nikkei slid deeper into the steam water and reveled in the acute heat and flaccid undulation that lapped across her abdomen and breasts. She twirled her finger in the water, generating wavelet that spread out and glistened in the diffused lantern illumination ; such a wide-eyed gift she wanted for Christmas, a hot bath, something she took for granted before the war began…before her mankind turned upper side down and slammed to the dry land with brutal intensity.

For four days she and Stephen had been cooped up in the ruins of an old search lodge that actually had water piped in from a nearby hot fountain. The low moaning of the blizzard reminded her of old wraith stories her father would recount near the hearth, shadows dancing on the walls as he moved about, often making animal shadows with his hands in renditions of ‘ Peter and the Wolf.'

One strong upsurge of wind that pounded on the door blocked by an old couch and desk, to prevent easy accounting entry by anyone in the area, reminded her that not everyone was enjoying such a bounty as she on the birthday of the Prince of peacefulness. near of the old lodge lay exposed to the elements, but enough remained, such as the washup room she occupied, to cater decent shelter…once they dealt with the bear out of the place that had taken up residency.

As Nikkei reached for the rag and scoop Stephen had thoughtfully laid out by the tub for her, she smiled at the fond memories of bear-meat stew…although having to manhandle the fauna 300kg carcass outside so it did not stink up the respite of the shoes hardly made it worth the effort. Her being able-bodied to necessitate a hot bath and rid herself of days of grime and dirt made it worth the effort.

She gathered a fat lathering of soap on her script and the rag, and then slowly began to scrub down her face, neck and arms. The accumulated grime and tenseness built from the commencement of the war eased away bit by bit, and she could loosen for a time, free of the cares and memories of the wider world.

On one tit she softly swirled the rag in sensuous roundabout that advanced unto her egotistical nipple. sense both old and new flowed into her judgement, awakening desires she had never allowed herself to fully explore or to even blab out about with anyone. Her heart closed and a piano gasp passed her unfold sassing as a slight chill played along her body ; the heat of the water accentuated the gratifying wave which flowed one upon another along the real vulcanized fiber of her being.

Her free hand came to rest between her breasts, and the finger's breadth slowly snaked their way downward. Once there, they began to fondle and tease and please a portion of her body that sent her unto the vault of heaven with sensuous blissfulness that she could only compare to the Song dynasty of the heavenly choirs. Nikkei sensed her warmness whipping faster and faster as her breath quickened, blood thundered and her torso came alive in a rainbow of sensations that could not be described.

She pushed her fingers into the depths of her womanhood as far as she could ; determined to quarter out each bit of pleasure possible. Of course she was still a Virgin at the age of eighteen, unlike so many of her admirer and other close kin…none had desired to be with her since she was found out to be unable to have children, thus making her the scorn of the Greenwich Village and a bad wedlock prospect.

The state of nature, raw, primordial upsurge of flame and heat energy caught her off guard as a thousand thousands of macrocosm cascaded before her, infinite probability of what may be and could be, and then collapsed back into the here and now as she screamed her pleasance to the domain when her release hit.

Her hands covered her lip as she blushed deeper than ever before in her life, wondering if anyone had heard the noise…and blushed even recondite as Stephen burst through the door with a drawn pistol, lost his ground on the slick floor and tumbled face first into the bath with Nikkei.

He pulled himself out of the tub and shook his head like an old sheepdog, sending a cascade of piss across the room."I'm soaked,"he moaned while looking at his drenched clothing, shook his head and hoped enough firewood remained to dry them by the fireplace - though they would smell like Sir Henry Joseph Wood heater for days."Better they smell of wood pot than that of an old and wet sheep dog like me…"

"Grandpa, are you alright ?"Nikkei asked as she leaned over the sharpness of the bathtub. When Stephen looked at her with an abashed grinning she gasped, clutched her arms over her bared bosom and slid oceanic abyss into the water supply while a hot blush surged deep and red across her already even cheeks. All she wanted to do was melt down away and disappear ; her nous torus in different directions, desires playing a thou melodies at once while she fought to tame the confusion.

On the engagement field sniping at the enemy she has mastered her emotions to a fine degree ; but in the matters of the ticker, she has never encountered such as she faced now. She lowered her head but could not bust her eyes away from him as he pulled off his shirt and wrung the water of it…the iron-hard muscles of his lithe frame, crossed with a roadmap of scars acquired over a lifetime of grimness and struggle, flexed with each twist made upon his shirt.

He whipped the shirt a few times to get any remaining droplets free and grinned at Nikkei."Sorry Nikkei I had thought that a bear or a Russian had gotten into the bathing room and I got careless again…"

Nikkei was ineffectual to believe her ear, for her granddad never apologized for anything."grandpa you didn't foul up or get careless I just…well, I was doing something and…"

"fountainhead my granddaughter I have to admit,"Stephen said while softly chuckling,"that is one way to ask a man to bring together you in the tub, though I'm not sure both of us would fit. Although I could try if you insist…"

He laughed at the cute petty squealing sounds given off by Nikkei at his hypnotism. Though as he left the elbow room to convert and dry his textile, the sparkle that danced in her center spoke volumes to his experienced essence and mind.


â‚°â‚°

Tap - tap - tap !

Stephen pulled the small puncher away from Nikkei's rifle and examined the latest lilliputian fox-marker added to the wooden stock. Feeling the smoothness of the indent he coated the exposed wood with an amber hued stain, when dry it will glitter with a honey-gold texture as any light played across it.

"One more of so many Charles James Fox added, I had taught my granddaughter to hunt for cervid, boar and bear."Stephen gave off a deep, disgusted suspiration at the winds of circumstances and ill-fortune."Instead she has become a Hunter of Russians who have raped our fatherland and stolen her future. All those days ago when her family adopted her…."

His judgment drifted into retentivity of his lost family all those age ago when they had adopted Nikkei after she had been orphaned. No one knew where she had come from, even the sanction failed to recover the parents of the little girl found wandering alone in the woods, her wearable covered in blood…

A female child of rightful mysteries who had grown into a fine young woman ; one that he wished he could have given a life of heartsease to instead of the damned war the Russians had forced upon all of them.

In the background the static-filled broadcasts of Suomi and Scandinavian radio stations declared their vacation wishing and salutation, and then transmit the common updates of the war.

"To all of our member of Suomi's armed forces engaged in the desperate conflict to protect our homeland from the barbarians of the Soviet Union. I and all of our people thank you for the dedication and sacrifice of so lots you have give for us, and may on this day when we celebrate the giving birth of the Prince of Peace each of you find alleviation from this eternal agony inflicted by the Russians.."

Sir Leslie Stephen half-listened to the radio receiver static filled broadcast. He heard the details given of the great battle fought on the Isthmus and near Lake Ladoga on the 22nd and 23rd ; the Russian Seventh and one-eighth ground forces corporation had been stopped, shattered and scattered before stubborn Finnish ohmic resistance"assisted by unpaid worker who support our cause for freedom and self-determination as a democracy against the authoritarian might of commie Russia."

"We wish to substantiate that in the utmost week the Russian Armies seismic disturbance force of the Russian Ninth U. S. Army Corps has suffered extreme setback due to our nation's army, air military force and partizan active voice behind the enemy line of business. It has been confirmed that the one-ninth Army has lost their commanding officer, one General Dashicev along with the Minister of Defense for the Soviet Union, Marshall Voroshilov who had come to the front lines to see first-hand what had caused the one-ninth ground forces to be held up in the field."

Stephen turned his full attention to the radio…

"My fellow Fin's our dear solders and nationals fighting behind the lines have demonstrated loud and elucidate to the world why the ninth Army, along with all other Russian Army Corps, has failed to crush our nation. In the death of the Defense parson Russia has learned the moral we will never give up and never relent to their effect of enslavement. And so with each battle we undertake against the Russian encroacher, we bleed them and bleed them more, until the day will come in the most future when they will admit defeat and seek to make a just and honorable peace."

"May the clip soon come when we can tell in full the action of the two known as the Snow Fox and the spook Bear ; may God keep them safe and wield them as legal document of justice against our ancient enemies from the barbarian lands of Russia."

Sir Leslie Stephen whistled,"So that is whom Nikkei took down after the tank exploded ?"

He imagined how Nikkei would trip the light fantastic toe around like an ale-drunken bee after hearing of the prize she had bagged. The death of general Dashicev was welcome newsworthiness, and showed his surmise as to who occupied the staff car in the wagon train they had ambushed. Yet the death of Marshall Voroshilov, Russian Minister of Defense, truly marked the greatest prize any partisan sniper could hope to make short of premier Stalin.

He gently cleaned the rifle with an old rag, gently removing the least ghost of stain, junk or oil his work may make left upon it."I made this for my dear Nikkei to hunt cervid and bear with, and now she ahs been forced by this war to go a hunter of men. I wish her parents could see her now…"


He fought back the bust that threatened to come as his heart and soul lodged in his throat. His children and grandchildren, plus all his friend there save for Nikkei are all gone. His furore at the Russians redoubled in an instant.

"Tomorrow I have to go and ‘ see what is going on'again ; hopefully this time Nikkei will not insist on coming along with me."He looked at the lowly mound of provision that had been cached away in the basement of the old hunt lodge. While Nikkei had been taking her tub he had gone down and brought the food, fabric, ammo and former sundry good the two needed as they hunted Russians.

Also, as he had hoped, the two small sled he had stored among other trade good in the cache remained intact and untaken. At least he and Nikkei could carry more goods on them than they can just upon their back. Plus he had new batteries for his humble radiocommunication a friend had built a few years ago…

That little transmitter has proven to be a true wonder. Incredibly pocket-sized, lightweight and authentic, he can use it to relay or receive vocalization and Morse-code sign. His old Friend in the United State Department who made it was a multiplication ahead of his time, and a bare attachment allowed it to be powered by a hand-cranked generator-system.

When the tensions between Russia and Finland had begun to increase, he and his gent smugglers plus some of the contact lens they had within the fortify forces began to contrive and prepare. Thus a relay-chain of a sort exists to pass information and instructions along to those who needed it ; they always are sent in abbreviated transmittance of Morse-code to avoid counter detection by the Russians.

Other information, gild and the like are broadcast five times daily by the government over the public radio receiver broadcasts. No matter how much the Russians may try, only the leadership of the drumbeater in specific areas behind the lines possessed the necessity codes to realize them.

"All for the better then,"Stephen softly said to himself."It's past clock time we bleed these Russians as badly as we can and prevent any more than chaos falling upon our heads…"

He stopped mumbling at the phone of Nikkei's ghostly stride blend with the crackling of the flame in the fireplace. His regard moved to his clothing hung over the spine of two old chairs near the fireplace, the heating system slowly drying them out after that dip in the tub.

Returning to the rifle, he observed that each part has been lovingly cared for by Nikkei. Stephen nodded his blessing, delighted that she had remembered all he could teach her of such matters.

Wrapped in a thick cotton gown, Nikkei sat before the fervour and continued towel her haircloth dry.

Stephen looked up at her, the light from the flames caressing her in a swirling dance of light and phantom. He saw her chewing on her lower lip, obviously troubled by something, or more in all likelihood what had happened between them in the bathing room.

"Nikkei what's bothering you my dear ?"Stephen said and laid the rifle down on its white-furred scabbard."I can severalize you are worried or distract, so delight severalise me and if I have wronged you somehow…"

He scooted next to her and looked into her tear-filled eyes as she turned her gaze unto his.

She opened her gown to expose her bared abdomen, thigh and breast for him to see, hoping that he will not twist away from her unspoken question. One mitt came to stay on his flushed buttock, the heat flowing into her hired hand as she began to caress his iron-hard, weatherworn, marred skin in such a gentle way that it twitched with each easygoing and delicate stroke.

"Nikkei I did not mean to go against you earlier…"Sir Leslie Stephen's row ended when she gently touched a fingertip to his lips. She pulled her paw away and shed the gown from her body, then leaned onto her hip, sweeping her peg back behind her at the knees and propped herself up on one arm. With the other she took his mitt into her and entwined their fingers.

Stephen's eyes drank in every sensuous and soft bender of her body, the richness of her amber hair's-breadth, voiced blue eyes full of life and nuisance mixed in equal measure, the steady cost increase and fall of her bared bosom. As his gaze descended to her most intimate of treasures she shifted her leg adequate for him to see her bared womanhood and the slight glint of moisture already gathered there on her skin and surrounding hair.

"Nikkei what are you…I mean…"for one of the few times in his life, Stephen found himself at a going for words as his head flared to ashen insensibility. He could not believe this is actually happening and with his honey and only surviving granddaughter…

"Grandpa I want this to be my gift to you,"she said to him. He could take heed the honey and affectionateness in her part for him, something that had been there for class and only now did he understand in full…his adopted Nikkei had fallen in love with him prospicient ago and now sought to move their relation to the next level.

"I have forgotten since the war began what it meant to be alive and exempt of headache and anger,"she said, her eyes releasing a lone deplume down her nerve."I want to be your salute grandpa for tonight, to cue us both what life means ; I don't expect to make it through this war, so a great deal death has already come close…and with that tank firing at me…"she shuddered at the memory of how close she had brushed with end that day.

She moved to Sir Leslie Stephen and sat down on his lap with her legs crossing behind his vertebral column. Her one hand brought his to rest on her bosom ; the simple hint of his hide on hers sent a thrill and thrill blazing across her being. When he began to fondle her knocker, teasing more and more fiery moving ridge of pleasure from her trunk, she leaned into him and all but melted away as the soft Baron Snow of Leicester does before the flaming of a fire.

He kissed her boldness and softly vaunt comforter of his heated breath on her neck. Stroking her hair he looked once again into her heart and seen the love life and jumpiness playing against one another."Are you surely this is what you want Nikkei ? You only have one first sentence in such matters and I want you to be absolutely sure…"

The trigger-happy embracement and fiery kiss she gave him answered all his questions.

So it was that they entered the onetime of songs, and fulfilled the older dance of all, two affectionateness and two torso coming together in one ; the vociferation of passionateness and fundamental dismission echoed throughout the old ruins until Sir Leslie Stephen released his life come into Nikkei, and then collapsed from the exertion. The two cuddled and caressed one another while sharing loving smiles and whispering countersign meant for them alone.

An hour later as Nikkei contently slept away, her gruntle snore conflux with the crackling flames, Sir Leslie Stephen gave her a smile and softly kissed her on the cheek before laying down for his own relaxation. He made for certain though that his side arm and hunting tongue were within comfortable grabbing distance if they were needed.


28 Dec, 1939 Suomussalimi, Finland

Colonel Siilasvuo returned the couriers salute and dismissed him with a casual Wave of his bridge player.

Two days ago he had been alerted to important instructions that will arrive at his headquarters ; and given the current weather that raged just outside the hotels thick stone paries, it had to be something between extremely urgent and insane for a courier to be risked in temperatures, snow and winds that were the sorry in recorded history.

Since him and the 27th Infantry Regiment, now reinforced by three additional regiments of reservists and foreign volunteers, he had waged relentless insurgent war to leech the Russian ninth regular army corp white and hold them to this neighborhood when from all accounts they could have been used on the isthmus during the finish Russian assault.

However the Russians had dug in trench and still managed to hold on him from mounting a successful strike across the river. He could defend and not attack, and the same for them…a frustration that grew all the more with each passing day. Even his raiding parties had met with minimal succeeder, salve for sniping at the Russians who hid in their lace positions.

Only Captain Robinson and his men, aided by the partisans led by the old colonel Sir Leslie Stephen and his aide called"Snow Fox"have scored monolithic success upon succeeder upon achiever. When he considered the report of the old colonel, commonly known as the"Ghost Bear'in the finally great war, it is little wonder the man leads and coordinates the drumbeater to such a record, even as he and the snow Fox carry out their own two-person crusade upon the hated Russians.

He opened the packet and withdrew out the bundle of documents and photographs, and whistled when he gave the top page - orders from Field Marshal Mannerheim himself - a cursory coup d'oeil. They explained in brief and concise detail that Major strengthener were expected to be arriving inside two calendar week for the Russian one-ninth Army Corp…

Colonel Siilasvuo raged, cursed and complained as he stormed out of the old hotel which housed his orbit headquarters. He shouted above the howling wind for his senior officers to tuck around him as he woke his driver to contain him down riverside…he had been forbidden from launching anything stronger than maraud across the river to slice up apart the remaining long suit of the Ninth Army while sentence remained. So he had chosen to visit the forward defence force and ensure the Russians received a quick welcome when they struck.

As expected, the defence reaction were warm and growing stiff with each release day ; with log and Lucy Stone trap housing automobile guns, anti-tank cannon and fighting positions for infantry. early situation inside the town had already been made ready…when the Russians struck the river and snow would be red with their blood.




28 December, 1939 Israel Baline, FRG

"Ah yes, I will take this one here,"Admiral Donitz said as he looked over the beautiful gold-chain necklace set with okay diamonds. He held it in both hired hand and admired the fiery bursts which came out as the light source played across each gem. The jeweler had promised the giving would be crafted to flawlessness, and so he had achieved yet again with the gift for his dear wife.

"Klaus what do you think of it ?"Donitz asked of his bodyguard and driver. He moved around to face the man so he could see the grand magic wrought by Karl, his personal jeweler and one of the few men he called a true master of that trade.

"Admiral, as always Mr. Karl has outdone himself, you have chosen the natural endowment well for Mrs. Donitz and she will probably be pleased beyond measure at your gift of philia for her."Major Klaus, polite as ever turned back to watching the memory board and all of the people within it, plus those who paused even for a moment to appear through the storefront windows. His hired hand never strayed far from the clench of his pistol.

The sound of sirens caused everyone to plow and watch the street as the motorcade of Chancellor Hitler began to travel by by. Donitz looked at his ticker and smiled,"Punctual as always, I noticed some employment was being done on his vehicle close night as I left the situation. Did you remember to have that looked into Klaus ?"

"Yes sir, I had it checked out by naval security measure, and the Gestapo John Roy Major in kick of security ensured me when I appeared in person that ‘ a small problem had arisen and was even now being fixed.'Most unusual emphasis though for the man,"Major Klaus never finished his sentence.

full admiral Donitz expression changed from delight to shock and then abject repugnance as the Chancellors car came into sight, and disappeared in a thunderous plosion that tore the vehicle asunder. John Major Klaus took the brunt of the shockwave which blew out the shopfront, killing him instantly along with Karl…

Donitz coughed, choked and gasped for air amidst the roiling cloud of junk and smoke. He made his way out to the street where many vehicle burned, and all too many people lay on the background in pools of red. One facial expression at the twist, burning remains of the Chancellors car told him there would be, could not be, any subsister ; but he rushed over to see if against all odds his Carry Nation drawing card had somehow survived.

The military escort swarmed the surface area to reach ascendence as fast as potential ; one ship's officer threatened Admiral Donitz until he showed his military papers and then took control over the aspect. All too swiftly the Truth was confirmed when the flak of the Chancellor of the Exchequer car were extinguished at long utmost.

Chancellor Hitler was dead, assassinated by a bomb placed within the car that had detonated the petrol tank.

"So it has been accomplished,"Admiral Donitz said, sad and shaking his top dog in disbelief, a wonderful act for the sake of appearance to the flock. His personal agents, ones loyal to him and him alone, had penetrated the network of Russian spies and agents that existed in Berlin…and he knew who controlled them as well…

He never expected their programme to work. Now that it had, his allies in the German government would assure his chronological succession to the Chancellorship and, as promised for the support of Goering and his camarilla, would plow with Soviet Russia once and for all…of trend he still had to build a ‘ telephone set Call'to the genius behind this mad plot to ensure his own survival.


30 December, 1939 Moscow, Russia

Everyone in the room jumped at the single gunfire that seemed to growl and rebound about the confluence room for the High bid of the Russian Armed Forces. Quickly they resumed their stance of broad attention, each expecting to be the following one personally gunned down by the man at the top dog of the table…

"Comrades I believe my period has been duly made,"Premier Stalin calmly stated as he holstered his shooting iron. He gave a nod and two NKVD sentry duty rushed over and dragged the consistency of General Voroshilov, who of late had been recalled to Russian capital for ‘ secret audience regarding the war.'

"I will endure no more failures in the subject of this war with Suomi,"he growled,"each day our nation loses yet More influence, respect and attitude around the world. I have since the failed offense of 22-23 December given edict for monumental reinforcements to deploy in the areas of the one-seventh and eighth Army army corps, we have peace with the Germans and thus our figurehead with them is now reduced to second and 3rd rank units ; the elite strength being redeployed will be in topographic point by the end of January, when the final offensive shall begin."

"The Ninth Army Corp shall conduct limited offensive ; they have consistently failed and thus will not be of any to a greater extent John R. Major usage."He smashed his clenched fist onto the table many times to accentuate his stage.

Stalin went on for some time berating the world for all personal manner of perceived slights and plots being carried out against him and the Soviet Union. His rage grew to such tallness and profoundness that many of the men gathered feared he would either die of a stroking ; or have everyone shot down on the spot by the sub-machinegun wielding NKVD escort who circled behind each man like a watching and waiting vulture.

From one slope an policeman appeared, delivered several content forms to Stalin and then bolted for his life after being dismissed with a casual wave. As he scanned them his climate swung from rage to outright joy back to a simmering, stewing rage that promised death to person before the nighttime passed.

"Gentlemen,"Stalin declared with a forced calm and grin while holding up the third gear message var. in one hand,"as I stated, we have peace with Deutschland and now it is guaranteed for some sentence to come. Our agents in the High German High program line have confirmed the newsworthiness being broadcast over the radio."

He paused and grinned,"Adolf Hitler is dead. Someone managed to place an explosive twist inside of his armored car, and needless to say the butchery wrought was phenomenal. Admiral Donitz has been sworn in as the new Chancellor of Germany and thus will take many calendar month to fully dispose of his rivals and gain total controller over his land's governance."

The staff officeholder and ministers shouted and cheered at the word of Hitler's demise, and gave off calls for the long biography of chancellor Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili, the Soviet uniting and the inevitable domination of the world by Communism. By almost universal spontaneity they began to sing the national song of Russia, their dedication and belief in their crusade having been reconfirmed by the creation at large.

Wisely Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili withheld the two other messages that arrived at the same time. They detailed the movements of general Timoshenko and Shaposhnikov, the newly appointed co-commanders of the Finland battlefront. During the flying to headquarters near a secured airport the woodworking plane carrying them, escorted by 12 fighters, was jumped by a tumid number of Suomi fighters.

Every one of the Russian pilots fought until their planes went down in flame. Despite their sound efforts, the plane carrying both generals had been shot down as well with no survivors. Once again the leadership of his armed force play had disappointed him, and the reports of flagging morale among the foot along with some units on the edge of mutiny confirmed the ship's officer were deliberately failing, seeking movement to oust him once and for all from power.

Something inside of Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili snapped, his madness breaking out in volcanic proportions.

None of the elated policeman before him knew what hit them when with a nod Stalin had his bodyguards cut them down to the last. He summoned his personal aide-de-camp and demanded a prepared document, which once he signed with a few casual strokes of his pen, was sent to the NKVD communications political commissar and dispatched.

Within forty-eight hr the pedigree tub had finished, completely decimating the Russian armed force play higher program line and replacing all officers of Major or higher rank with Political commissars. He gave new lodge to all of the Russian armed power ; any hint of disloyalty or lack of proper communist spirit will result in that man's entire platoon or company being summarily executed en mass.

Stalin never understood just how deadly he had misjudged the unfolding concatenation of events his madness and lust for blood would unleash in short-change order…


30 December, 1939 Germany, OKH senior high Command

admiral Donitz, newly sworn in Chancellor of Germany and all of her mass looked out the window of his spot and the pristine snowfall from the recent storm. Just over XXIV minute ago Chancellor Der Fuhrer had been assassinated by a bomb planted inside of his panoplied staff car ; in light order the Gestapo had discovered and captured a work party of Russian spy and agent who caused Adolf Hitler's death.

Their execution warrants were the first-class honours degree matter taken care of by Donitz after taking the oath of position. Now he had a monumental choice to make, one discussed long into the night by him and the heights Command. He had been cognizant of program being drafted, on Hitler's gild, for an invasion of Russia…he wondered if Hitler had been aware of his pending death, not that it mattered now.

Hitler's death at the hired hand of suspected Russian agents, proven or not, gave them the effectual and moral DoJ for the invasion to come. The major world leaders, even those of French Republic and Britain, had been contacted via direct or third-party transmitted cables of the design to handle with Soviet Russia and Stalin for their perfidy in assassinating the German Chancellor.

Many had responded with the common condolences and several level of monition of Russia.

From France, the Daladier authorities response was confused, drawn and uncommitted one way or another. That came as no surprise to Donitz, having anticipated such from the second the cables were sent out.

What did shock him was that from England, or more precisely the two line received from England. One from the parliament condemning Russia and urging peace talks are held between Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and Germany to resolve this subject ; the latter, and thus the most important as far as Donitz was concerned came directly from Churchill…


To the prime minister of Germany, Admiral Donitz,

In business concern to the matter of Russian Federation and their demo atrocity to the right demeanor of relations between governments I say this much. So long as Marshal Goering continues to supply weapon system to Finland via Sweden and no intervention with our own weaponry shipments to Finland comes about, we wish you God f number and critical triumph over the godless Russian government of Stalin.

"Gentlemen,"prime minister Donitz began as he turned to confront the get together High control,"most of our military unit are in lieu already since the invasion of Poland and we have managed to secretly increase our forcefulness there by a enceinte level. Have all of you discussed and familiarized yourself with the plan and overall end ?"

Each ship's officer in crook affirmed his persona and detailed any last minute concerns, details and so off. Satisfied that all is in billet Donitz sat behind his desk and signed the social club laid out before him…

"valet"he said,"surgical process Wotan, the invasion and destruction of the Soviet sexual union, will start at 12:01 a.m. on 10 Jan, 1940. Stalin has inflicted pain in the neck and blood upon us, and now we will pay him and his the great unwashed back a million fold."

Stalin sewed the wind with the seeds of war in Finland, and now he will reap the harvest of steel and blood and flaming Max Born of the whirlwind coming back upon him.


30 Dec, 1939 England, terra incognita locating

"Thank you for the call,"Duke of Marlborough said into the headphone,"it had been most unexpected but delightful none the less and I wish you victory in your crusade against Russia."

He hung up the speech sound and sighed at the mountain chain of events now coming Forth to realization. The Russian-Finnish war promised to leech Russia white as Finland continued to resist vernacular sense, system of logic and belief in their consistent crushing of one Russian USA Corp after another in horrendous struggle around their nation.

Even he had listened to the growing narration told on the tuner of such sub as the Snow Prince of Darkness, shade Bear and the Snow Fox. Individuals who had managed to inflict mass mass murder at key metre and locations on the Russians, and both co-commanders for the Finland presence perished with intelligence agency given to the Finland Air force out from Britain.

Of course, the assassination of Hitler carried out by disloyal Germans who assumed the British agent who controlled them were actually Russian, had yielded a case to save the Western world. USSR and Germany will bleed each other white, and by the time they deal with one another, Britain and France will be ready to look the German language armies who will number at them.

As a historian Churchill understood all-too-well what forces of death and death he has unleashed, but for the sake of a disengage future and saving tens of billion of lives, he chose the lesser of two evilness set before him.

One former matter caused him no end of vexation ; the round-eyed fact of full admiral Donitz being able to invest a head call option to Churchill's ‘ mystic'location meant the man had agents all over England. Agents that for some ground he used for his own mysterious function and never shared with his fellow Germans.

Winston Churchill shook his head teacher, mentally replaying the conversation word by parole he had with the new chancellor of Germany. He examined each nuance, mannerism and inflexion for the slight edge it may give him in any future relations with Admiral Donitz. The sheer ability, audacity, and cunning of the man were incredible to get word and witness as he described to Churchill escort, metre, places and conversations of English penetration agent and spy who had manipulated the Russian agents into assassinating Hitler…

Donitz had shielded the English people agents from his colleges in the Gestapo, and delivered to the side embassy in Switzerland for repatriation. John Churchill folded his handwriting together and tapped his fingertips one upon another as he tried to decipher this complex conundrum enshrouded within a brain-teaser that represented Donitz…no matter what ; Donitz had proven to be an opposer worth watching very, very closely.


8 January, 1940 rear-area Russian one-ninth Army army corps

commissar general Kolya stood on the houses front porch and watched the first stars of the dark emerge in the clear sky. It reminded him of the small husbandry settlement he had grown up in, and many others he had been based near or within since the Revolution and subsequent dominance of the Communist party.

Of track this particular Finnish biotic community, once called summer Mist, had been exterminated in the first hour of the war. These people had refused to see the inevitable, that their politics had been corrupted and taken over by the Imperialists of the W and thus they had paid for the betrayal of the Finland regime who refused to comply with the rightful demand of Moscow.

"Unbelievable, in the eye of this war we have such a wonder as the night to see,"he stated to the aides and to Commissar Major-Generals Romanov and Cranston, commandant of the 51st and 58th infantry Divisions."Now then, I have plans set out for dealing with these troublesome partizan once and for all…."


â‚°

From a wooded hill that looked down on the remains of summertime Mist Stephen watched with keen interest the clustering of tents and vehicles which marked the corp military headquarters unit. The collection of officers standing out in the cold told him flashy and crystalize that they were senior Russian commandant ; 1 that would see a net and very deadly lesson.

He and Nikkei had learned of the headquarters new location from one of many motorbike riding couriers they had disposed of since Christmastide. Her fury at the bare thought of Russians standing amidst her old home only was surpassed by his own, and tempered by the chance to score one More major victory over the invaders.

The Finnish radio Stations conducted their regular updates of the war, now reduced to a Ernst Boris Chain of violent skirmishes on the front subscriber line and antenna battles between the Finland and Russian air strength. The message sent to partisan unit of measurement behind the lines confirmed this, plus directed them to strike as toilsome as they can when chance presented itself.

He looked over at Nikkei's military position to his right and slightly up the hillside. Concealed among a clustering of sway, Tree, shrubs and a snowfall cloak set up as a hunters blind he could barely cause out her schema as she lay as low to the reason as possible. With a gesture he informed her to shoot when the better opportunity presented itself.

Stephen returned to watching the inner circle with his binoculars, noting a rumbling band of trucks passing behind the commander'tent…




â‚°

political commissar superior general Kolya turned to look the slow down convoy of trucks that snaked its way up the route and passed his collapsible shelter. One band of NKVD personnel riding in the back of a motortruck saluted as they passed, as did the next and the next after that. His meat surged in pride at this grand display of right political spirit and loyalty to the state which he will use to inspire and terrorise the Russian infantry into proper shape.

On his desk sat a mess of theme that many units in his command were in near mutiny, having refused to comply with lawfully given orders by their new NKVD officeholder. All of the old officers had been, as per Joseph Stalin's orders, been executed ; though Kolya included all of the officers and not spared the lieutenants and master as Stalin had done.

Two twenty-four hour period ago he had assumed control of the Ninth Army corporation and now he has to deal with this rebellion ; and if reports are true, it is spreading like wildfire in a drought stricken forest through the Russian Army…especially with units being sent to reinforce the Finnish Front.

He turned to the two divisional commander and waved at the passing play trucks,"Gentlemen these are the true pith and soul of the state ; you will scald the men of your new unit into chassis and then we shall deal with the partisans…"

He cringed as one passing motortruck repeatedly backfired.


â‚°

Nikkei watched in her rifles scope the officer who strutted around like a thou old rooster about to be sent to the kitchen for a holiday fete. A man who thought himself to be a wizard or drawing card of men, and instead he is just one Thomas More rooster - fat, proud, chesty and filled with his own self-worth…and about to pay the monetary value for that farthest hubris…

She squeezed the trigger…

thrill !


â‚°

Commissar Major-Generals Romanov and Cranston watched in slack-jawed horror as their commander toppled forward as a puppet cut complimentary of its twine. The home base safety, gathered officer and stave looked at the deep red stain that flowed from beneath the fallen man across the whiteness Snow ; for an timeless existence of time they could not force their bodies to move, horrified at having last sojourn them so far behind the nominal head lines…

An eternity that lasted all too long when they were in the hatful of the shooter…


â‚°

Up-back, forward-down went the rifle bolt as Nikkei chambered a new rung. She aligned the crosshairs on the next officer, one among many, who stood around in glacial terror…

charge !
Bang !



Twice more her rifle barked, the noise covered by the ceaseless backfiring of the hand truck. As per Stephens design she immediately backed from her side, pulled down the Snow cloak and worked her way down the hillside with him. Inside ten minutes they were skiing hard and tight to rescind the area.


â‚°

Colonel Idenorph, NKVD commander of the home base guard watched the three generals fall one after the next. He called out admonition of a sniper and looked in the direction of the backfiring truck which had a man who held his pistol in the direction of the fallen generals.

"There in the motortruck, the gunner is in the truck,"he bellowed out to his assembling men."Shoot them down, all of them…"

Instantly the twenty men who had assembled by this fourth dimension leveled their sub-machineguns and give fire, tearing the truck, driver and NKVD guard duty to smidgin. A grenade was lobbed into the open backside and reduced the vehicle to twisted metal and a roaring flack that marked the grave accent of two score of state security personnel.

A gunshot to his right dropped one of his men to the undercoat, mortally wounded. He turned to see NKVD troops jumping down from the trucks that followed and assumed a takeover was underway by two-timer to the land."Cut them all down, everyone of the traitors…"

His last command ended in a gurgle and spray of rake as a flare-up of bullets tore his chest open.

bedlam reigned as camarilla of NKVD troop tore into one another, leaving scores drained and many more wounded upon the snowy ruins of summertime Mist. This chaos only escalated when senior pilot Robinson and his men stumbled onto the shot, already prepared to raid the military headquarters, and swept the place clean of any survivors.

After destroying anything they could not dribble off they departed as silently as ghosts and reported to the Finland High dictation another success for the ‘ ghost Bear'and the ‘ Snow Fox,'who initiated the minor polite war at the headquarters.


â‚°

Little Joe hours and several kilometers later, Stephen hugged Nikkei and scuffed her hair in extolment. They set off for the next hidden cache and shelter from which they will plan the side by side strikes against the Russians.

"Grandpa what do you think all that gunshot was about after we left ?"Nikkei asked of Stephen.

"I imagine the Russians were killing one another off,"Stephen shrugged and grinned,"or a bunch of our soldiers arrived in time to use up advantage of the chaos you created and exterminated the integral home office and that convoy of trucks. seed Nikkei we have to cover a lot of earth tonight and I want to get going while we have the moonlight to maneuver us…"

With that they moved off as silent as decease amidst the mystifying woods.




9 January, 1940 STAVKA headquarters, Russia

The conspirators gathered for the concluding time, knowing they are give no subject the outcome. One by one each went over his part of the plan, the role of his troops or government department, and the tight timeline they had to maintain to the minute once everything began.

One lowly to-do in the plan, one slipup of any variety and it will be all over. But the stakes of their failure would be the death of Russia and imposition of a German warlord and government over the motherland for God alone knew how many generations.

The federal agent of the NKVD had recently received confirmation of the German armed forces gathering en sight along the German-Russian frontier in what had been Poland. An immense force-out of mechanized infantry and of tank, airplanes and bombers…an incredible fist of iron prepared to smash home into a weakened Russia.

Normally the fortify force play of Russia would be sufficient to deter the Germans, but now mutiny was sweeping the four U. S. Army corps stuck within Suomi and others enroute to Finland or still on the frontier had joined with them. commissar had been killed, elections of new policeman held and posting sent to STAVKA in the clear…

The soldiery will no longer follow orders given by Joseph Stalin or his men and called upon the German to overrun and unloosen their homeland from the oppression of Communism.

The Germans promptly responded, declaring to the world they will set about their ‘ liberation of Soviet Russia'unless Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili steps down or is removed before 10 January, 1940. Each had cringed as Donitz explained on the wireless that he held only Stalin and his henchmen, and not the Russian soldiers or Russian universe responsible for the assassination of Chancellor Hitler…

So the conspirators knew what had to be done : liquidate Stalin.

"We have to do this tonight, and we must win, or we lose the motherland to the Germans."General Zhukov, the lone ecumenical to survive Stalin's madness, told the gathered men."hold the orders, in one hour it begins…"

With those words the men departed to save their homeland.


9 January, 1940 Irving Berlin, Germany

"General has this been confirmed ?"prime minister Donitz said into the telephone. His staff waited in tense secrecy, each one wondering if the events being reported in Russia are true ; and if not true, will their chancellor present the concluding order to commence the invasion of Russia.

"Thank you,"Donitz said and slowly hung up the phone. He breathed deeply, turned to his staff and smiled in true delight."valet, the news have been confirmed, Joseph Stalin and his henchmen are beat and superior general Zhukov has been sworn in as the new Prime Minister of Russia. The order of magnitude have already been confirmed by our listening berth and broker in Russian capital, all conflict save for local self-defense is to discontinue immediately inside Finland and a ‘ asking'made to our government to mediate peace talks between Suomi and Russia."

"Orders are to be sent at once that the invasion of Russia is herewith cancelled."Donitz saved his big surprise for last as he held up a letter delivered earlier by the ambassador of Swiss Confederation."I have here the personal alphabetic character of Winston John Churchill who has accepted our offer of a replication to the status-quo of 1939 between our nations. We will withdraw from Poland, though it shall rest as a vassal government in our sphere of influence."


"Gentlemen,"Donitz continued,"we have peace at last and Germany has become a globe tycoon once again. The insult and opprobrium inflicted upon us in the Great War has been erased forever…"

With that the Chancellor dismissed his men and returned to the day to day grind of running a authorities. He did hesitate briefly to think over how the future will go from here on out. repose has come to Europe as far as Germany is concerned, though Italia's dictator Mussolini is making his usual blustering noise about Northern Africa…

"Let the man face the British and Gallic alone if he is stupid enough to take them on alone,"Donitz declared.


10 January, 1940 rear-area of Russian ninth Army corporation

In the depths of their sheltered camp Stephen, Nikkei and Captain Robinson listened to the articulation of theatre of operations marshall Mannheim come clear and distinct over the tuner. They could scarcely trust their ears…

"To all citizens and soldiers, foreign volunteer and enthusiast who have been involved in the defense of our homeland against the violence of a tyrannical Russia ; this day, a big day of celebration for us all, I am glad to proclaim that the autocrat of Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic, Premier Joseph Stalin is dead. His successor Premier Zhukov has ordered all Russian strength are to end belligerency at once after a monolithic demonstration of the Russian peoples collective resolve led to their solders refusing to live with parliamentary law anymore."

Nikkei looked at Stephen, hoping against hope that this is not a ambition she will shortly wake up from…

"The Chancellor of Germany, Admiral Donitz, has graciously extended the whirl of his government being a achromatic go-between for peace talk of the town to be held by representative of Finland and Russia. This marriage proposal has been supported in the survive hour by the government activity of Britain and Jacques Anatole Francois Thibault and the United States. madam and Gentlemen, as will be confirmed in short Order by the politics official broadcasts, our valiant struggle of majority rule against communist authoritarianism has come to an end. Our sacrifices have been great, but God has saved us in the end. We acknowledge the endeavor of all who defended our homeland on the figurehead cable, and from behind enemy lines, hoagie such as the Snow heller, Charles Percy Snow Fox and Ghost Bear. peeress and Gentlemen, the war is over…"

The remaining words were drowned out by the collective shout of joy and delight by Nikkei, Stephen and Captain Robinson and his men. Nikkei leapt into Stephens strong blazon and kissed him as hard and long as she could, knowing that at long last she and he will return home and build a new liveliness in the ancestral home of their people.

"Grandpa…"she began only to be hushed by him.

"Nikkei please anticipate me Stephen,"he insisted upon,"as soon as we can we will head home, or anywhere else you wish to. I have several belongings across the region from my…other activities,"he rolled his eye to the heavens at the sum of money he had stashed away from being a moon-curser.

"Grandpa…sorry, Stephen…"Nikkei said,"That old hunting lodge. We make it our home and see what we can make out of it for the hereafter. I'm tired of hunting Russians, and I want to put this nightmare past me once and for all…"

"Sorry to interrupt the wild-eyed kiss and such,"said Captain James Harvey Robinson with a wide grinning,"but I have orders to see the two of you to plain marshal Mannheim at once. He wants to see the both of you ; it appears you have made a rather extreme stamp on the man…"

Robinson shook his head and stopped talking as Nikkei and Stephen headed to their shelter, determined to have a private solemnization of their own."It can hold off a bit, it can wait…thank God the war is finally over."

So it is that the first encounter between east and West, between Communist Soviet Russia and those who love to be free has come to an end. The craziness of Stalin has ceased, the mighty and unstoppable Red Bear beaten, humiliated and humbled by one nation united for the defense of their homeland, and due to the bravery and finding of the ones known in account to come as ‘ Snow Fox'and"trace Bear'history has changed forever…

The longsighted feared European war ceased before it even began as Deutschland brokered a hold up peace treaty between Russia ( now led by Zhukov ) and Republic of Finland. All territorial gain and pre-war claims made by the Russia were fully dropped, and the final external borders established under the eyes of inert parties from the United state and Holland, Belgique and other minor powers.

Germany and England entered into an uneasy truce with one another, born by Prime Minister Churchill having gained a ‘ grudging respectfulness'for Chancellor Donitz of Deutschland, who forged a number of industrial and trade deals of reciprocal benefit to the two land people. Though many doubted the commitment of the new German Chancellor, his subsequent restoration of Polska and the Balkland states to full reign helped ease these incertitude in the end.

Italy's dictator Mussolini made his common gripes and scourge to furbish up the greatness of the original Empire of Rome across the lands of northerly Africa. He dismissed the word of advice of France and Britain as ‘ modest barque and yips of frustrated Empires.'

Chancellor of the Exchequer Donitz delivered two messages to Mussolini - the initiative being an seat ‘ discouragement'for him to ‘ not upset the current balance of tycoon in a Europe now finding repose and prosperity again.'

Mussolini promptly dismissed this ‘ utter cowardly demeanor of the new German premier'and prepared his Carry Nation to go to war. Thus he in curtly order received the mo, and final, message of Donitz : a dud in the bathtub…and a restoration of a free and democratic mean of democratic governance under the combine security of United Kingdom and Germany.

Through freely and openly held elections Donitz continued to lead FRG and her people for twelve more than yr until voluntarily refusing to run for a third gear six-year condition of office. He declared ‘ it is time for the adjacent generation, those who have never seen the face of war, but the joy of peace, to lead.'

Until the end of his days Donitz, as with Duke of Marlborough, remained active voice as diplomats for their respective nations, and even held a grudging respect for one another ; although Churchill still got annoyed to the end of his days when asked about a ‘ certain sound call he received one dark from Donitz…"

Anatole France became a Carry Amelia Moore Nation that descended into political chaos in the years to amount ; one government coalition rose and fell after another. Not until after the Pacific war and loss of the French soil to the victorious Japanese did a new brass under Chenier bring some sensory faculty of promise and stability to the nation. But as a whole, the best days were ass France as her colonies in Africa broke spare and became independent nations.

The Northman nations continued to thrive beyond anyone's wildest of dreams in the old age to come up ; in metre they formed an economic alignment which grew to touch that of FRG and England combined, and before the end of the 1950's had wrested almost half the American significance market from those two respective nations.

On November 1, 1941 admiral Isoroko Yamamoto ascended to jut and out-and-out control of the armed forces of the Empire of Japan. With the blessings of the Saturnia pavonia, the willing diplomatical assist of prime minister Zhukov of USSR and of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt of U.S., Yamamoto pulled all troops of Japan from China in a shit pulling out that seen the colonial powers of Europe and America begin to do the same.

No one knows to this escort the truth of the matter, yet on Dec 5, 1941 president Roosevelt, on his way to Japanese Islands at the personal invitation of the Emperor Michinomiya Hirohito, disappeared with the heavy cruiser Newmarket that he travelled upon. The entirely substance of alarm received was that of"fire in the forward engine room has reached the ammo magazines…"then silence.

Newly sworn-in President Truman called for the matter to be investigated, and American language naval forcefulness were sent to the last sleep together position of the Chicago. Two British corvettes, One Canadian seashore Guard vas and three Nipponese uprooter arrived on the prospect to only find a field of debris and oil slipperiness covering miles of ocean.

What has been documented is the first American vessel, a destroyer whose senior pilot despised the Japanese, on the picture immediately assumed the Nipponese vessels had sunk the Chicago ; he demanded their surrender and when they rightfully refused, stating they as with the British and Canadian vessels were searching for survivors, commenced to fire upon them - one vessel sunk, lumbering scathe done on the former two Japanese ships who retaliated and sunk the waster in turn.

olibanum commenced the nifty Pacific War, or as many now call it"The War of Empires."On December 7, 1941, a hostile congress, whipped into a frenzy by a small handful of anti-Japanese fanatics declared war on the Empire of Japan and directed Chief Executive Harry Truman to direct the war until ‘ unconditional surrender of the Empire of Japan occurred.'

Seeing the opportunities for territorial reserve gains and greater influence across the Pacific, on Dec 10 and 11, French Republic and England joined the United States in declaring war upon the Nipponese for ‘ criminal offence of such magnitude as to defy common common sense or decency.'

Everyone expected the Japanese Empire would fall by the end of 1942, and plan were already being prepared for the division of the home islands. Federal Republic of Germany declared neutrality in the topic, as did Russia ; though both had supplies special applied science and resources to Japanese Islands in secret to modernise the war-ending means…

trio long and fucking years of prolonged battle resulted in Isoroku Yamamoto bringing victory for the Empire of japan ; seven decisive naval and land fight ended in Japan's party favour, with the final examination pact ending the war leaving Nihon in possession of Indo-China, portions of India and Ceylon, and most of the Pacific Ocean. Though the Philippine's were restored to US after they were to be declared ‘ indifferent territory.'

Many historians have learned that the heartsease was wrought with an unspoken threat from Japan to unleash the new super-weapon they had developed and tested just before their final armed forces victory - the nuclear bomb. In a private diplomatic cable to the leaders of America, England and France, Saturnia pavonia Hirohito stated if the home islands were attacked, the new ‘ super bomb'would be used in revenge upon the offending allied nation.

In due time the wintertime War will croak into story, but it will not be forgotten as the meter when a Democratic land dared to do the impossible and within that war, the action at law of Nikkei and Stephen changed the world forever. Thus comes to a finale the legend of the Baron Snow of Leicester Fox.


( fin