THE SIBERIAN WAR-DUEL WITH THE CYCLOPS
By Red Star
NOTE: I do not own any real or anime characters in this story.
VLADIVOSTOK
The cheers of the battle weary captains had since died down and the dinner with the Provincial governor and mayor still sat fresh in Kolsov's stomach. A single tricolor ribbon with the gold star of a Hero of the Russian Empire now decorated his dress uniform, and after rewarding it, the Governor of Primorsk Kray had given him a sealed letter from the Emperor. He had slipped it into his jacket to read later. Now, as teams of workers refreshed his flotilla's supplies of food and weaponry, he opened it. As if by cue, a Naval lieutenant appeared with a small wooden chest. Kolsov blinked and unfolded the letter, knowing what this could mean…
My loyal Commodore Kolsov!
You have become the pride of the Russian Imperial Navy. The mounting defeats of the Japanese fleet has impressed everyone at STAVKA. However, we have received word that the Japanese Navy is rallying under a single command that will have the name "the Japanese Armada."
Japanese shipyards have become alive in the past few weeks. They have managed to launch about 4 destroyers in record time. The Japanese are also said to be trying to create a super-submarine that will be equal to your own Flotilla. This war depends on control of the seas, and for the first time in Russian history, we will have to rely on the skills of our fleet commanders.
You have proven yourself in my eyes, which is why I hereby decree that you have been promoted to the rank of a full Admiral and that CINCPAC will report to you immediately. You must also know that 2 carrier groups are on their way to link up and they also fall under your command. You will proceed with your Flotilla to meet up with this new fleet, choose a flagship and direct all Russian Naval operations in the Pacific against the Japanese. You will also have command over all Naval Infantry units in the Eastern Theater, in cooperation with CINCEAST Marshal Vladimir Lakov. I hereby command you to fill out these instructions as soon as possible.
Signed,
Dane I, Emperor of all the Russias
Kolsov turned to the lieutenant, who opened the case to reveal two shoulder boards with four stars on each of them. Kolsov turned back to his subs as if he were saying goodbye.
"History calls…" he whispered.
PACIFIC OCEAN, NEAR OKINAWA
Rear Admiral Gennedy Gerenko looked out at the fleet he was temporarily commanding while it awaited it's assigned leader. Gerenko was promoted from Commodore to Rear Admiral before he left the Mediterranean. The fleet's orders were to meet up with Admiral Victor Kolsov as soon as possible. Gerenko had heard much about Kolsov, and he was impressed.
JAPANESE ARMADA FLAGSHIP, TOGO
Ami filled the syringe and turned just in time to see the Ensign cringe. She sighed, men would go off to battle against Russian tanks, subs, jets and who-knows-what, but would still cower at the possibility of a needle going into their arm. She injected the sailor and sent him off. She threw the needle away and went to the mess hall.
Ami was respected by sailors for her intelligence and medical skill. They also respected her because she had powerful drugs at hand.
She walked into the cafeteria to find Vice-Admiral Yomiko Kahisha seated at the table with a map spread out before him and a mug of coffee at his right hand. He looked up at her and smiled.
"How goes it, Lieutenant?"
She sat down after selecting a sandwich and said, "Very well, sir, I just finished the crew's vaccinations."
He nodded, "We will need you in the coming days, Ami. The Russians have named a new Commander in Chief of their Pacific Fleet and I hear he's very aggressive. Our losses in the Sea of Japan are higher than even the most pessimistic commanders could have thought."
He reached over and put some aged fingers on her hand.
"I wish to thank you for your dedication. You have gone beyond most of the MO's I have seen during my years of service."
She smiled shyly and went back to eating.
Shouts of anger echoed out of the command room on the Togo.
"This is insane!" shrieked Kahisha, " Sending this Armada directly into a Russian carrier force of that fleet's size would be suicide! We cannot risk it, too many men would be lost in such an attack!"
His deputy, Rear Admiral Rokio shook his head, "We can launch an air strike beforehand and hit the aircraft carriers before we attack. Once the carriers are gone, we will be on equal terms with the Russian Fleet."
"No, this will not happen! I will not sacrifice my men to fulfill some mad dream of yours! I will never permit it!"
"He refused to attack?" asked Prime Minister Kagita over the radio, "Yes, sir," said Rokio.
"He is not worthy of commanding our Armada, but you are, VICE-Admiral Rokio."
Kahisha left on a helicopter one hour after the conversation between his deputy and the Prime Minister.
RUSSIAN FLEET, SEA HAMMER DESTROYER, 1 DAY LATER…
Rear Admiral Gerenko stared out at the sea with his hands clasped behind his back and a bead of sweat coming down his forehead. GRU had warned him that the Japanese Armada had gotten a more aggressive commander recently, and he had to be on the lookout. There's no telling what a crazy or desperate (was there a difference?) Jap with a fleet could do. When was the new CINCPAC arriving?
He was answered soon enough.
"Sir!" shouted an approaching sailor, "Submarine surfacing off the port bow!"
Gerenko ran through a crowd of shouting and cheering sailors to see a long black submarine floating on the water. The Russian coat of arms was on the front of the tower and there was Cyrillic writing on the side that said "R.S. POLAR THUNDER."
The opening on the tower was soon occupied by a tall man with a black eye-patch and an Admiral's shoulder boards.
Gerenko smiled.
"Run up the Admiral's flag and get ready to greet Admiral Victor Alexievitch Kolsov."
Kolsov looked out across the sea from the Sea Hammer's deck in front of the bridge. His single eye narrowed as he looked Northwest, in the direction of the Japanese Armada. Gerenko cleared his throat, the rumors were true: this man did give off a feeling of power, and spoke,
"If you wish sir, you can choose another vessel from which to command the Pacific Fleet."
Kolsov shook his head, "No, this will be fine, just fine."
He went into the Command Bridge and examined his computerized "God-screen", which showed the position of his fleet and that of the Armada. Time was of the essence; the MGB had learned that 3 Japanese shipyards were ordered to work on new aircraft carriers about a month ago, and they could be completed within days. Kolsov must eliminate the Japanese Armada before the new carriers could be launched. The Admiral pressed a switch to concentrate on the Armada.
9 destroyers, 12 cruisers, 1 aircraft carrier, 16 V/STOL carriers, and 45 submarines that had been unleashed from the Japanese Navy's Reserve Fleet. It was indeed a mighty fleet and it was led by a destroyer, the Togo. Kolsov thought hard about his possibilities…
During the journey southward, his crew had spotted Japanese troops setting up an artillery battery on the Tsushima Islands. Clearly, the Japanese hoped to bombard the Russian Fleet as it passed into the Sea of Japan to finish off the Japanese forces. But they had not realized the "Phantom Fleet", as many Navies across the world were calling it, could see that they were as of yet only up to half strength. Kolsov had planned to blast this obstacle into ashes as soon as his fleet's missiles were in range, but he had been briefed by Rear Admiral Gerenko on the new Armada commander Vice-Admiral Rokio. Rokio the "Ruler" was unpredictable, a braggart of sorts. He was known to interfere in the maneuvers of his subordinates, much to their frustration. Kolsov himself was known across the Russian Imperial Navy as the "Cyclops", for his deadly and effective attacks, not to mention his single eye. Kolsov smiled as he thought up a new plan.
Orders flew from the bridge of the Sea Hammer. A Carrier Group with the super-carrier Zhukov split off from the fleet and headed north. The Zhukov was Russia's largest carrier, capable of transporting 100 fighters, 15 missile tubes, 20 helicopters, and refueling submarines and had enough space to carry 3,000 men. Their objective was the Tsushima strait, to blow a hole in the Japanese defenses of the Sea of Japan.
JAPANESE DESTROYER TOGO, JAPANESE ARMADA, 2 MILES FROM RUSSIAN TASK FORCE
Ami saluted the Rising Sun flag as it crept up the pole. Rokio was standing on the bridge, in a white tunic and with a sharp salute. He was smiling, as if God Himself had told him that victory was guaranteed. The Russian Fleet had split into two Task Forces, and the Armada was coming in straight for the one with Kolsov commanding it. After the flag was raised, Ami ran up to the command center. She wanted to see the waves of attack, so that she could direct rescue operations when men were hit.
Kolsov buttoned his black tunic. The Hero's Gold Star hung over the row of medals that rested over his left breast pocket. Over the right was pinned the insignia of a submarine commander and another that showed a ship and a Russian Admiral's flag over it. His four Admiral's stars sat on a black yellow lined board on each shoulder. He picked up his cap and placed it firmly on his head. He looked at himself in the mirror with his one good eye.
"History calls…"
Admiral Kolsov walked into the command center and sat in a chair that over looked the deck of the Sea Hammer. The guns were surrounded by swarms of sailors checking, loading and waiting for orders. The command center's external wall was decorated with the Imperial coat of arms.
The eagle shined brilliantly in the sun. Kolsov liked that, it showed strength.
He gave an order, "Engage the enemy vessels…now!"
Below the sea, Polar Thunder and Ivan the Terrible fired a wave of Cyclone torpedoes into the Armada. The crews aboard the subs guided the torpedoes straight into the carrier, the Nagasaki.
The carrier, with 94 planes aboard, shook violently. A tug pulling an F-14 spun out of control into an airplane, right into the armaments. Explosions rocked the deck and threw the carrier's crew into chaos. The captain ordered depth charges fired. But the "Phantom Fleet" had already vanished.
Rokio regarded the burning warship behind his own flagship. Ami turned pale at the sight, men were rushing about in a panic, some were on fire. "Sir!" came a shout.
Rokio turned to see one of his radar officers standing behind him. "The Russians are advancing, sir! We've got visuals of 5 cruisers, they're firing cruise missiles at our lead cruisers!"
The Vice-Admiral frowned thoughtfully, "Send our submarines into their fleet, when they're finished doing as much damage to the Ruskies as they can, we'll come in guns blazing. Go!"
The officer saluted and rushed out to cry out the orders.
Behind the Armada came the Stalingrad, Pskov, and the Ushakov. They waited, silently, for something…
Su-33's soared off the decks of Kolsov's carrier, the Rostov. They hurled anti-ship missiles into the Japanese Armada and destroyed the V/STOL aircraft that were rising to attack them. Cruise missiles went flying and hit three of Kolsov's front line cruisers. He ordered the Fleet to take a V-Shape to entrap the Armada.
Rokio grinned at his "God-screen". The Russians wanted to lay a trap, eh? He would show them.
He ordered half of the Armada to fall on the enemy's southern flank, while the Togo went straight for the Sea Hammer. His glory appeared secure…
Ami looked worriedly at the "God-screen". She had read about the enemy Admiral and was confused at why he would make such an obvious error. Than she noticed the other half of the Armada was bunched together, being held in reserve.
Just like the carriers in the Sea of Japan!
If the Russians launched an attack on the reserves, the fires and explosions would decimate the Armada! The Russian trap would spring and clamp down hard on Rokio's Armada, sending it to the Ocean's bottom.
"Admiral!" she cried.
"What is it?!" hissed Rokio, turning away from the window.
"We have to turn back, sir! The Russians have set a trap!"
"Don't you think I know that?!?" he roared as he slapped her face. The crew around them froze and all eyes turned to the Vice-Admiral.
"I have already thought up a plan to turn it against them. Their defeat is assured."
"But, sir…"
"SHUT UP!!" he screamed, "I WILL NOT BE DENIED BY SOME SNIVELING SMART-ASS!!!" He turned to the door and went out on the deck, slamming the door shut behind him.
A lieutenant bent down to help her up.
"That arrogant bastard! You'd be ten times the Admiral he is, Ami."
She blinked and said quietly, "Thank you…"
SEA HAMMER
Admiral Kolsov saw the approaching Togo. He calmly reached for a black case that was at his side, and went out to the deck, with curious eyes following him. Gerenko frowned, what was the CINCPAC doing?
On the stern of his flagship, Kolsov clicked the sight on his Dragunov rifle into place. This rifle was specially designed to be used by snipers.
On the decks of Togo, Rokio became excited upon seeing his foe's flagship. He smiled grimly.
Prepare for your greatest defeat, Victor Kolsov.
It was then that he noticed a single man on the deck of the opposing warship, pointing something at him.
Kolsov smiled as he caught Vice-Admiral Rokio's head in his sights.
"History, I am here…"
Rokio's eyes bulged and he backpedaled into a passing sailor. The sailor yelled an obscenity at him. Rokio was enraged and lifted a hand to slap the man…
Kolsov pulled the trigger.
Rokio remembered the Russian and turned around, his hand still in the air.
The bullet punched through his forehead, and went straight through his brain before lodging in the stem.
Rokio pitched backward violently backward, blood pouring out of his fatal wound, into the sailor. "Medic!!" screamed the sailor, who now held his commander in his trembling arms.
Kolsov turned to see Gerenko standing there, with a shocked expression on his face. Other members of the Fleet's command were watching from the Command room.
Kolsov placed the gun aside, and called out an order.
"The Fleet will advance!"