RED BANNER-CHAPTER 3

RED BANNER-CHAPTER 3

By Red Star

BERLIN, GERMANY, E.S.U.N

"…At 0600 hours last night, the U.S. Armored Battalion completed its raid on the Red Fleet based in Brittany. Fifteen Scorpions, four Dreadnoughts and twenty Typhoons were destroyed by Operation Blackbeard in all."

General Hawkins was silent as Brigadier Sir Matthew Estings finished his report. The Supreme Commander of Allied Forces (SCAF) was chairing the meeting of the Allied Command Council, which administered the political, economic, and military apparatus of the Allies. The young commander had taken control after Malinsky had destroyed Yuri's attempt to conquer the U.S.S.R, ordering one of the greatest military feints in history by building a massive Chronosphere in Alaska. In truth, it was a large piece of junk. Malinsky had arrived in Alaska to command the operation personally. As Hawkins had foreseen, the Red Army crushed the Allied base, while real Allied efforts had taken place all over the world.

Professor Einstein had found a way to tweak the Chronosphere's design so that it could transport a body into another dimension. With these new developments, Hawkins was able to transfer the bulk of the Allied Forces to this new world. The General even had men go back from time to time to bring back fresh troops for the Allied cause.

But now, the General was silent. Operation Blackbeard was just the beginning. Soon, Allied raids would begin to increase, until he could finally invade the homeworld with all the raw combat power at his command.

THE KREMLIN, U.S.S.R

The long oak table down the center of Alexander Malinsky's Presidential Office was now covered with red-colored portfolios, papers, and briefcases left open so that those seated would not be left without information, hazardous when dealing with the General Secretary.

The Politburo, or Political Bureau, of the Communist Party was the inner circle of the Soviet leadership. It's members consisted of the Ministers of Defense, Internal Affairs, Agriculture, Heavy Industry, Light Industry, Foreign Affairs, and Energy, as well as the Chairmen of the KGB, the Party Control Commission, and the Council of Ministers (Prime Minister). The Politburo had been briefed earlier, gone home to freshen up, and had returned to discuss the events.

Every meeting of the Politburo was chaired by Malinsky, who demanded much out of his subordinates in the Party and government. Woe to those who were unprepared, he had already gone through five Energy and Agriculture ministers who could not keep up with his fast mind.

Now he sat contentedly at the head of the table, with Zofia at his right hand. His piercing blue eyes stared around at the men who had come to advise him.

"Gentlemen, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was viciously attacked by enemy units wielding Allied technology.

I will not tolerate such crimes against the Union, and I intend to find the Allied filth and wipe them out, once and for all."

There was silence in the office. Malinsky grasped his hands together and put them on the table.

"The honor of Mother Russia must be avenged, Comrades. And it shall be done ruthlessly."