The Flying Dutchman
Deceased
=<i>This is a tidbit of a novel I was in the process of writing ( in Jan of 2001). Has hung around in my files - it was time I 'aired it'out .... I hope you enjoy the snippet
The Dutchman</i>
<B><center>The Rasputin Chronicles
World War III
The Chinese Invasion Begins
Columbus, New Mexico</b></center>
Col. Jung cursed under his breath passionately, as he grimly crawled up the slope of the sand dune. His thoughts where filled with both anger and rancor. “Damn them,” he snarled under his breath raggedly, as he heard yet another distant salvo of mortar bombs landing on their targets. Col. Jung reached the top of the dune just in time to see the ‘dust plume’ signatures of the latest salvo.
Grimly the Chinese officer noted that, from the smoke plumes, and their location in the little New Mexican border town. That the mortar bombs had landed on the Arabs’ position. “I hope that they blew that Rag Headed fool to kingdom come”! Col. Jung snarled vehemently under his breath.
But, even as the beleaguered Chinese commander uttered his venomous epitaph; he knew that this senseless slaughter now occurring between his former allies, was really his fault. He should not have ‘allowed’ the Arabs to take the point yesterday! Col. Charles Jung thought savagely. He should have been aware of the possibility that the savage, half wild, and; at times, totally uncontrollable Arabs. Would do; what they had done, upon seeing what they thought where Americans. When they arrived at the southern outskirts of what they viewed as being an American town. And Col. Jung sighed heavily under his breath. He should also have known what the Mexicans’ response would be, when they entered the town and saw their Arab allies in arms slaughtering the town’s people, some of them actually being Mexican nationals
Captain Jung, his train of thought interrupted by what appeared to be a sudden flurry of activity on the out skirts of the distant border town, snaked his binoculars out of their case. And bringing them up to his eyes, he fine adjusted their focus. “Now what in the hell do they think they are doing now?” He muttered under his breath, as he saw what appeared to be a squad of Mexican troops crawling out to take a position that was at a ‘right’ angle to the small town’s main street.
The distant sound of an RPG-7 grenade launcher being fired and the report of secondary explosions, answered his question. “Damn it,” he swore under his breath. “They are grinding each other into hamburger meat”!
The beleaguered Chinese officer slowly rolled over onto his back, his eyes staring at the ominously black cloud cover over head. But his thoughts where of his current dilemma; and, surprisingly enough. Of his ‘cultivated’ station in the PLA army.
Col. Charles Jung, age 30 and the only son of a career diplomat. Had, because of his father’s many diplomatic stations in the west; actually spent more of his life; especially his formative years. In both the United States and England.
And while his peers in China had been learning the thoughts of chairman Mao in their schools. Charles Jung’s parents had sent him to the very best of private schools in both England and the United States, so that he could learn about those countries’ histories, politics, and more importantly, their people. And Charles had learned; and he believed well, how the Americans collectively thought, acted. And more importantly, how they would react to being invaded by a foreign power.
And then stupidly, the Chinese officer admitted to himself. He had voiced that opinion last month at General Wong’s staff meeting in Panama City. Only to find the next day, that he had suddenly been reassigned to command a forward combat unit.
Col. Jung winced at that thought. He had been trained as an intelligence and logistics officer. Not as a line officer! And; while he knew exactly what to do, in planning supply lines and moving large numbers of reinforcement personal. He had only a passing “text book” knowledge of what his new functions and duties where as a line officer.
Charles signed heavily, “such are the best laid plans of mice and men”! Then he remembered the stricken look on Col. Wung’s face when he had, in english, explained carefully and in detail to the pompous fart. That the man was as full of shit as a Christmas Turkey, if he actually thought that the American people would be completely prostrate with despair at losing all their “comforts.” Charles grinned ruefully. “Yep! That’s me! I sure know how to win friends and influence enemies!”
“Col. Jung!”
Charles, his thoughts interrupted by the unexpected shout. Looked up to see his executive officer lunging up the sand dune towards him.”Col.Jung!” The man said heavily as he slid to a stop in front of his commanding officer. “There is something happening to the cloud cover over us!”
Charles instinctively looked upward at the black over cast sky. And he could see instantly that it had indeed taken on an entirely different character! And that there was now a tremendous roiling turmoil taking place with in the clouds themselves. “Get back to our troops and tell them to get into the BMP’s and button up..We’ve got a storm coming!” He shouted to the officer as he got up from the sand.
Lightening flashed suddenly, accompanied by a terrific booming sound of thunder!
And Charles, who had started down the sand dune, froze! He looked upward again, and couldn’t believe his eyes at what he now saw taking place over head!
The sky’s roiling black clouds where now streaked with broad bands of lightening; lightening which was snaking from horizon to horizon! Lightening, the likes of which had not, could not have been seen, since the beginning of the earth!
Then, in an unbelievable fury. The broad destructive bolts of electricity instantly hurled themselves downward at the distant hills, savaging all that they touched.
Col. Jung forced himself to take his eyes away from the violent display of nature’s fury taking place over head, in order to make sure that his second in command had gone on to implement his orders. Seeing that the officer had, Charles sat down on the sand to watch the horrific lightening display as it intensified.
After what seemed to be hours, the lightening and it’s attendant sonic booms of ear shattering thunder subsided. And an eery calm took it’s place.
Well that’s it, Charles decided and started to get up from the sand. But just as he started to lever himself up. He heard what sounded to him like a million jet engines roaring..Charles looked upward at the sky again..And he saw something that he could not begin to describe! It was wind! That much he knew! But how could wind come out of the clouds overhead, like a giant jet of water coming through a fire hose, it came.
And then, when that amazing cylinder of destructive wind plunged to the earth! It instantly sliced through the dirt, sand, boulders to the bed rock below!
It’s plowing a furrow! Col. Charles Jung thought wonderingly, mesmerized at the sight of the burrowing column of air as it suddenly begin advancing in an eastwardly direction, directly towards Columbus, New Mexico. “Man!” Charles shouted in horror, as the column of air struck the now truly doomed border town.
<B><center>Major Cornel Victor Yi-Plin</B></center>
Fatigue and a deep sense of sadness pinched the tall, almost painfully thin man’s face, as he walked up the rise of a small knoll. Forcefully, he pushed the weariness he felt from his mind, as he came to a stop at the knoll’s top.
But the sadness; and a deep pervading sense of personal loss would not leave the Chinese officer’s thoughts. As Victor remembered the contents of the last message he had received from his radar officer. Just before that officer had shut down his radar systems to protect them from an anticipated EMP pulse.
The message had stated simply that his radar systems where detecting hundreds of ICBM missiles in their boosting stage and rising from the Americans’ heart land.
Those old men, Victor thought bitterly. Those damned senile old men in Beijing and Moscow had scoffed repeatedly at the thought of the Americans actually using their old out dated concept of MAD (Mutual Assured Destruction) as a defensive measure. But the Americans had used it; now it and the old Reagan era tactic of “Launch on Warning” spelled disaster.
Now, even though the Russians’ waves of ICBM missiles were indeed destroying most of the Minute Man and Peace Keeper missiles silos that those old men had been so frightened of.
But they had not staved off the horror of an all out launch of the Americans’ nuclear forces..
And now, God alone, knows the destruction that their mistaken beliefs had wroth upon the planetary ecosystems of the whole world. Victor shuddered at the thought of the Mega tonnage of nuclear explosions that had gone off across the northern hemisphere in the space of a hour’s time.
Victor Yi-Plin looked to the south then and visually surveyed the billowing clouds of dust coming towards his position. Nearly two years of effort! He thought to himself, as he saw the first of the armored column, a type 85 weapon’s carrier, it’s running lights still on, emerge from the dust cloud.
Major Cornel Victor Yi-Plin of the People’s Liberation Army remembered the two years of sweat; and his endless efforts at subterfuge. They had been two years filled with unending plane rides that he’d taken to countries he didn’t like; two years of spending his every waking moment, carefully laying ‘false trails’ for the American and western intelligence agencies to follow. As he went about his tasks of setting up the needed logistics for an invasion force; an invasion force tasked to invade the United Sates of America.
And now! To bitterly learn that his endlessly untiring efforts had been for naught!
That the Americans had indeed not been caught by total surprise; as the PLA and the Russians had hoped, was an agony to Victor.
When they saw that they where being attacked. The Americans had launched every Thermonuclear weapon that they had had in their national arsenal.
Even so, The People’s Republic of China was about to invade it’s most hated enemy, the United States of America.
A grim, knife blade thin smile crossed Victor’s face briefly as he saw another type 85 weapons carrier emerge from the heavy dust cloud. It was the second of six specially modified weapons carriers that he had ordered to be at the forefront of his column. And behind them, he knew; were the tractor pulled “low boy” trailers, with their deadly cargos of neutron tipped cruise missiles. Cruse missiles that he had bought from their convenient friends, the Russians.
Victor Yi-Plin snorted derisively as he thought of their Russians allies. They had made several half hearted attempts at trying to convince Beijing that it was they; and not the People’s Republic, who where the prime movers of this invasion. But it was Chinese and not Russian troops moving into position this morning. True, Victor admitted honestly to himself, after a moment of thought. The Russians had indeed launched their ill fated all out nuclear attack against the Americans’ missile fields, as they had said that they would.
But, for some reason, the Russians had balked at committing their forces to an invasion of the United States. Causing Victor to decide some months ago, not to depend on the Russians for anything; beyond what they had already given. And indeed, he thought, as he saw the third weapons carrier appear. He was more than a little mildly surprised that the Russians had followed through with their agreed upon nuclear attack. And perhaps the world would have had a better chance of survival, if indeed, they would had decided against that nuclear attack.
Victor Yi-Plin pursed his lips thoughtfully, as he saw a fourth weapons carrier emerge from the growing dust clouds. No, he decided, the PLA didn’t need their Russian comrades, they had their satellite allies, the Cubans and their Mexican counter parts, the ‘Aztlan extremists’. And of course, the Moslem terrorist contingents.
However, from the inception of “Wild Fire”. Victor Yi-Plin had known he could not depend upon the Moslem terrorists to follow his orders for very long. He had known that once the invasion itself was actually underway. The various Jehad or Islamic liberation armies, as their leaders insisted that they be called. Would all; or nearly all of them. Behave more like the rabid animals, that they actually where; then as the trained troops that they should be.
But, he smiled. Even rabid dogs had a place in a well planned invasion. And “Wild Fire” had been well planned..Despite the lack of surprise that the Americans had shown during the Nuclear Battle which had occurred earlier this morning.
Victor Yi-plin’s mood soured as he thought of Maj. Col. Lui-Chen, the officer that General Wu had assigned to work out the tactical planning of “Wild Fire”. And as he unconsciously pulled a crumpled sheet of paper from his blouse, Victor’s thoughts turned sour, as he remembered the contents of the last message that he had received from General Wu’s Head Quarters in Panama, just a few moments after his radar officer’s warning.
Victor could recall the message word for word, without having to look down and re-read it. It said.
To Col. V. Yi-Plin
From General Head Quarters, Panama City, Panama
Please be advised, that of this date. December 25th.
Col. Lui-Chin and Col. V. Yi-Plin are advanced to the rank of Maj. Col.
Major General H. Wu commanding
Victor felt like screaming at the dark, rolling storm clouds overhead! Those old men in Beijing had done it to him again! True! They both, Lui-Chin and he, where still of the same rank! But Lui-Chin held seniority over him by the space of one word! Just one word! Bitterly, Bile rose in Victor’s throat, as he thought of that one little solitary word. God! How he hated the word “and”!
Of course, Victor knew, that if the positions would have been reversed; Lui-Chin would not have even noticed that Victor was now holding seniority over him. And that knowledge infuriated Victor all the more. But for the moment, he knew, there was nothing to be done about it. And he still had an invasion to conduct.
Victor shivered uncontrollably for a moment, a damp chill had suddenly pervaded the air around him. Rubbing his arms briskly through the buttoned down sleeves of the camouflaged BDU’s that he was wearing. He noticed that the air had not only turned cold; but that the breeze that had been blowing had stopped; and now a deathly calm seemed to be taking it’s place.
Victor instinctively turned his eyes skyward, in order to see what was occurring in the clouds over head. And a thrill of fear suddenly coursed through him. Had mankind indeed destroyed themselves?
Where once the gloomy cloud cover had been of a type which bespoke of a coming thunderstorm; It was now so heavily black in color that it resembled the ash clouds that formed after a volcanic eruption. And it’s rolling characteristics where more pronounced; actually mimicking the gigantic rolling balls of a huge ash cloud, as it erupted from a volcano.
Victor forcefully reminded himself that he had been briefed by his meteorological officer to expect aberrations in the weather patterns for some weeks after the Russians’ nuclear attack. Still, he admitted shakily to himself, it was unnerving as hell to see a sky reacting in the way that this one was.
“Comrade Major”! The unexpected sound of a human voice behind him, caused Victor to jump. Swinging around abruptly; his intention was to severely reprimand who ever it was for not giving him warning before approaching him. Then as Victor was about to let loose with his intended verbal tongue lashing; he recognized that the offender was his driver. And that the man had brought him his coat
Victor smiled, “thank you Sargent for thinking about my coat. It is turning a bit frosty, isn’t it”? Mutely nodding his head, the non com agreed with his commanding officer observations.
Victor put the offered coat on, enjoying the instant warmth it imparted to his freezing arms; and again thanking the non com for his thoughtfulness, he turned his attention once more to the six weapons carriers that had pulled into their firing positions.
Watching the parked weapons carriers intently, Victor saw a distant, smallish figure dismount from the passenger’s side of the first weapons carrier and open the sealed cover of it’s weapons controls system. Then the figure snaked two coiled cables out of the weapons console and climbed up the ladder provided for the maintenance of the cruise missile pods that rode piggy back on the type 85 weapons carrier. After the soldier had snapped the coaxial cables into place, he jumped back down to the ground and ‘double timed’ around to the driver’s side of the armored vehicle, in order to inform his firing officer that they where ready.
A grunt of satisfaction escaped Victor. His weapons officer had obviously trained his men well. The speed in which the soldier had readied his missile carrier; bespoke of the many hours of practice that Major Chang must have put in, teaching his men manning the mobile missile batteries how to ready their units for firing on the battle field. Victor smiled grimly and hoped that the oh so obvious training would hold up; when that battle field became hot. And it would get hot!
Sooner or later, Victor knew. The Americans would realize what was happening. And if they where to some how ‘get their act together’. Things would indeed turn nasty. Very nasty indeed.
What was it that Confucius had said? “May you live in interesting times” Victor muttered under his breath to himself! “ And things will indeed get to be very interesting...”If the Americans can get, as they say. Their shit together”! He added softly.
The growling of several dozen heavy motors filled the still air around Maj. Col. Yi-Plin with their noise and heavy diesel fumes; as the rest of his forward elements pulled into their positions.
Victor mentally named off the types of ‘light armor’ that he saw, as they came to a halt.
There was of course, the armored personal carriers such as the YW 304, which carried an 82 mm motar.
Then a preponderance of the Type 85s’ which normally, in their unmodified configuration, carried anti tank missiles as their main battery.
Victor noted that there was a heavy saturation of the lighter and faster WZ 551 A.P.C.s. These lighter machines where both fast and amphibious. And they carried both the QW-1 SAM IR homing shoulder fired missile and the HJ-8 (Red Arrow) anti tank missile, as it’s main armmant. They where to serve as scouts for their more heavier and slower cousins,
Victor reminded himself that these first WZ 551 armored scout units he was looking at, where to go with the Arabs; as it was they who would form his outer defense perimeter. And there forth, they would actually be the first of his forces to cross over into the United States. And not the Peoples Liberation Army it’s self.
The Cubans, would then, of course be the next force to cross the Rio Grande river and take up their positions as Victor’s secondary line of defense.
Then, and only then, would his many battalions of combat engineers, with their tractors and trailers loaded with heavy construction equipment, cross into the United States; their assigned tasks where to clear a road to Brownsville and recondition the Brownsville sea port for the soon to be arriving container ships.
Victor didn’t really expect to encounter any organized resistance from the Americans for some weeks after his forces had entered into the United States.
Especially after he sterilized the southern tip of Texas with the thirty neutron weapons tipped cruise missiles his batteries where preparing to launch.
Maj. Col. Lui-Chin, who was the defacto commander of all four invasion spear heads, was supposed to be consulted before the ‘excessive’ deployment of nuclear weapons, Victor knew. And he knew that Lui-Chin would be angry when he was informed of his actions.
But Maj. Col. Victor Yi-Plin also knew that he needed a secure beach head! And Brownsville, Texas had to be secured. Victor smiled grimly; and since he was not able to consult Maj. Col. Lui-Chin about the battle field decision he had made.
Because of the nuclear induced adverse atmospheric conditions which now where prevailing. He was acting well with-in General Wu’s written “Mission Guide lines” to launch the attack with out waiting several days for the atmosphere to clear, if it ever did. In order for him to secure Maj. Col. Lui-Chin’s official indorsement for this up coming action.
<B><center>II</center></b>
The sudden arrival of three semi tractors and their enclosed box trailers, caught Maj.Col. Victor Yi-PLin's attention; and as he watched, a flurry of activity began to grow around him, as his engineers speedily erected a huge tarp awning - like roof between the three semis and their box trailers, which had been hastily parked in a ‘horse shoe configuration.
And now, as if by magic, his staff officers began to appear with various last minute questions for him to answer.
Victor Yi-Plin reminded himself that he needed some rest, as he answered his security officer’s question about how many security forces he wanted to commit to checking out and securing the Mexican city called Reynosa located about three miles to their north west.
But Victor knew, even as he thought about how tired he was. That sleep was not to be for him today. “You make sure to impress upon your security forces Maj. Chune. That they are not to in anyway upset the city’s population. We don’t need trouble from the Mexicans at our rear.” And after he had made sure that his head of security was in full understanding, Victor dismissed the Major from his thoughts and focused on the problem that the next officer was impatiently waiting for him to hear.
Some minutes later, Victor heard “Comrade Maj. Col.,” And looking up from a list that his transport officer had just thrust into his hands. He saw that Maj. Chang was the one who had summoned his attention. “Are you ready?” And when Maj. Chang mutely nodded an affirmative. “Then you may begin firing the missiles Major!” Victor said, his voice, cold and unyielding in it’s delivery.
Victor Yi-Plin handed the transportation officer’s clip board back to him a minute later. And telling all the officers within hearing, that it was time to attend the final briefing. Victor walked down from the rise towards the make shift H.Q. that his engineers had managed to set up and fill with folding chairs and tables
.
As Victor walked towards the three semis, with their tarp roofing, he noted that a great many officers where already filing into the tented area and taking their seats. Good! He thought to himself. At least, I won’t have to wait for stragglers to appear before getting started.
“Attention!” Victor heard some officer say loudly, as he entered. And then as he walked down the center row between the divided seats towards a desk, with a large map placed behind it. He silently noted that every officer was standing at attention, even the Arabs.
Midway down the isle, Victor noted that the desk at the front of the make shift briefing room was poised on a podium composed of wooden pallets, covered over by thick ply wood sheets. And that the engineers had also rigged up miniature battery powered flood lights to illuminate the large map of the state of Texas, that was pinned to the map display board.
Victor winched, as he stepped up on the podium, his knees feeling like they where made of spongy rubber. Turning to face the standing men, he said. “At ease gentlemen,” and then pretending an ease of movement that he did not feel. Victor set on the front edge of the desk.
“Gentlemen,” Victor began. “We have much to cover this morning; and not a lot time to do it in. First! As you all know. About eight hours ago, our Russian comrades launched an all out nuclear attack against the Americans.
“What you may not know, is that our attack; the Russians and ours, was not as complete a surprise, as we had hoped. The Americans where apparently expecting the possibility of an attack; because they launched their nuclear ICBM missiles; the minute that their radar screens detected PRC and Russian missiles in their boosting stages. Which means of course, by extrapolation. That they had had their air force’s long range bomber forces either already in the air; or poised for an immediate take off the moment that they detected incoming missiles.
“The Americans must also have had their Navel assets in the same mode of readiness, as the rest of their nuclear forces where.”
A deep sense of pervading sadness filled Victor at that point, causing his voice to break. Composing himself as best he could, he continued, ”This of course means that what ever the Americans believed to have been a nuclear target any where on the globe, has been destroyed. And thusly, it now becomes even more important that we are successful in our invasion. Because gentlemen, we have no place to return to, if we fail in this invasion.
“Our homes! Our cities! And our nations are filled at this minute; if they where not incinerated by the nuclear fire itself. With the dead and the dying.” Victor paused then for a moment in order to impress upon the gathered officers what he had just said.
Silence, utter silence echoed is piteous wail, as Victor looked directly in each of the mens’ eyes, who sat before him. He saw shock in one officer’s eyes, anger in another’s; and grim resolve in yet another’s eyes. But most of the faces of the men gather before him displayed open horror at what he had just told them. The same horror that he was feeling himself.
Then, when even he could no longer stand the awful silence. Victor resumed, "Three hours before the nuclear battle was to begin. I sent coded orders to all our troop and cargo ships’ captains that they where to stand out to sea. And that their planned debarking port; the Mexican sea port of Vera Cruz, was to be abandoned. At this moment, our engineers down there are pulling out as much of the already unloaded equipment as they can, taking it inland some fifty kilometers from the sea port.”
Victor turned slightly so that he could see the map behind and just to his left. “If you will, please note that I have circled Brownsville, Texas. Gentlemen! That city and it’s sea port are to be our new beach head”. Victor stopped his briefing when he saw the hand of Maj. Col. Abu Yazul raise.
“Yes Col Yazul. You have a question?”
Victor silently watched the huge Arab rise from his chair. “Comrade Maj. Col.,”he began. “This move of yours places our staging areas deep into the enemies’ territory. What is to prevent them from over running us before we can mobilize our forces?”
Victor smiled piteously, “You are hearing the reason why we won’t be met with organized resistance Col. Yazul. Listen! Even now, another cruise missile is being launched!”
“You, you mean...” The Arab stammered.
“Yes,” Victor confirmed the Arab’s unspoken accusation. “Those missiles now being launched, are indeed our neutron tipped cruise missiles. In fact, I gave Maj. Chang a fire mission which comprises the launching of 30 of the neutron tipped cruise missiles.”
Victor waited patiently until the murmuring among the assembled officers ceased. “Gentlemen, please. Let’s continue.” Victor stood up then, “Major Yazul a contingent of my engineers will accompany your forces to their designated lines of defense, it will be their task to clear any and all obstructions from your path. You will be our first line of defense.”
“Comrade Maj. Col. Rafael,” Victor directed his next words to the commander of the Cubans. “You will form up your lines of defense just behind Comrade Col. Yazul’s forces.”
Victor then directed his words to all the officers in the room. “Gentlemen it will take us several weeks, possibly three months to off load our incoming forces and the mountains of equipment that accompany them. It will be our task to hold our positions until that is done.” Victor waited patiently and a with bit of curiosity, to see which one of his officers would be the first to ask a question.
“Col. Yi-Plin,” The Arab asked. “Do we have any information as to the extent of our Russian allies’ attacks on the Americans’ home land”? Victor’s face turned grim at the question. “Gentlemen,” he began, his voice failing to hide the anger he was feeling. “Our Russian allies have apparently hit the Americans with everything that they had in their nuclear arsenal.”
“Oh damn”! Victor heard someone say. “Exactly,” Victor agreed with the man’s observation. Then swinging toward his left, Victor address His meteorological officer.”Major Chan would you be so good as to inform us about the current change of weather”?
Major Chan stood, his demeanor clearly nervous.”Comrade Major Colonel,” he began. “The weather front which you are referring to, is unlike anything the world has ever seen sir”...
“In what way”.Victor interrupted the officer.
Major Chan’s attention, broken by his impatient commander. Resumed his mentally prepared speech.”Sir the barometric pressures being observed are the lowest in the history of meteorology. My men are recording a rapid series of lows, they are almost like ocean waves, in their actions and intensities, coming from the east and north of us. The direction of this weather front is contrary to all that we know about the normal weather patterns for the United States’ land mass, sir.
“As for the earth’s magnetic field? It is gyrating in intensities never before recorded Comrade Major Colonel.” Major Chan turned at that point, part way away from his commanding officer, in order to see the black roiling cloud cover out side of the tented roof.
”Major Colonel Yi-Plin, sir” the pudgy officer resumed. “There has been an untold amount of explosive energy released into the earth’s environment sir and that is part, if not the sole reason, of the cause of this intense weather front we are witnessing. I hesitate Major Colonel Yi-Plin. to try and estimate the amount of Electromagnetic energy that has been generated by the millions of megatons of explosions that have taken place. That electromagnetic force was absorbed by the earth’s magnetic field sir.”
Victor Yi-Plin winced, could they have really destroyed the earth?”Major,” he asked in a gentle tone, belying his personal fears.”Do you have any idea as to what the end results will be from the effects of the nuclear exchanges?”
Major Chan shrugged.”To be honest about the current situation sir.” He replied,”The world itself will not be destroyed by the nuclear explosions; if this is what you mean. But as for the human race sir...This I cannot tell you.” Major Chan’s voice began to show the extreme stress he was under.”Major Colonel Yi-Plin. Sir, the weather will be; or rather has been dealt a severe blow, which will take it years to recover from. A nuclear winter, in the least, is almost a certainty.
In fact sir, I can tell you truthfully that the possibilities of growing cereal grains this coming spring and summer are out. I don’t know for certain about even the possibilities of resuming the growing of crops the season after this coming one sir.”
Victor straightened up rigidly. Waving his left hand for the Major to sit down, he returned his attention to all the officers in the tented area.
”Gentlemen! The weather officer has indeed brought up an important point. One I had not truly considered. We do not have enough rations for our forces loaded on the container ships for a two year period of time.
“Foolishly, I admit. I did not allow that we would need more then a six month food supply; before we would be resupplied”. And we wouldn’t have needed that, Victor Yi-Plin reminded himself bitterly; if the damned Russians hadn’t thrown those monster multi megaton war heads at the United State’s heart land.
“This new situation makes it mandatory that we confiscate all the food supplies that we can find, in order to augment the now certain short fall in our food supplies.”
Victor leaned against the desk to ease the trembling he felt beginning in his legs. “We! All of us, will, must rely on the Americans’ food supplies and exhaust them before we turn to our own supplies.” Victor waved his left hand towards the open end of the meeting room. “The state of Texas was a large grower of rice among other foods. And both the Brownsville port and the one at Corpus Christ hold vast warehouses of grains to be shipped to nations over seas. You are to gain control over as much of it as you can.”
<center>To Be Continued</center>
The Dutchman</i>
<B><center>The Rasputin Chronicles
World War III
The Chinese Invasion Begins
Columbus, New Mexico</b></center>
Col. Jung cursed under his breath passionately, as he grimly crawled up the slope of the sand dune. His thoughts where filled with both anger and rancor. “Damn them,” he snarled under his breath raggedly, as he heard yet another distant salvo of mortar bombs landing on their targets. Col. Jung reached the top of the dune just in time to see the ‘dust plume’ signatures of the latest salvo.
Grimly the Chinese officer noted that, from the smoke plumes, and their location in the little New Mexican border town. That the mortar bombs had landed on the Arabs’ position. “I hope that they blew that Rag Headed fool to kingdom come”! Col. Jung snarled vehemently under his breath.
But, even as the beleaguered Chinese commander uttered his venomous epitaph; he knew that this senseless slaughter now occurring between his former allies, was really his fault. He should not have ‘allowed’ the Arabs to take the point yesterday! Col. Charles Jung thought savagely. He should have been aware of the possibility that the savage, half wild, and; at times, totally uncontrollable Arabs. Would do; what they had done, upon seeing what they thought where Americans. When they arrived at the southern outskirts of what they viewed as being an American town. And Col. Jung sighed heavily under his breath. He should also have known what the Mexicans’ response would be, when they entered the town and saw their Arab allies in arms slaughtering the town’s people, some of them actually being Mexican nationals
Captain Jung, his train of thought interrupted by what appeared to be a sudden flurry of activity on the out skirts of the distant border town, snaked his binoculars out of their case. And bringing them up to his eyes, he fine adjusted their focus. “Now what in the hell do they think they are doing now?” He muttered under his breath, as he saw what appeared to be a squad of Mexican troops crawling out to take a position that was at a ‘right’ angle to the small town’s main street.
The distant sound of an RPG-7 grenade launcher being fired and the report of secondary explosions, answered his question. “Damn it,” he swore under his breath. “They are grinding each other into hamburger meat”!
The beleaguered Chinese officer slowly rolled over onto his back, his eyes staring at the ominously black cloud cover over head. But his thoughts where of his current dilemma; and, surprisingly enough. Of his ‘cultivated’ station in the PLA army.
Col. Charles Jung, age 30 and the only son of a career diplomat. Had, because of his father’s many diplomatic stations in the west; actually spent more of his life; especially his formative years. In both the United States and England.
And while his peers in China had been learning the thoughts of chairman Mao in their schools. Charles Jung’s parents had sent him to the very best of private schools in both England and the United States, so that he could learn about those countries’ histories, politics, and more importantly, their people. And Charles had learned; and he believed well, how the Americans collectively thought, acted. And more importantly, how they would react to being invaded by a foreign power.
And then stupidly, the Chinese officer admitted to himself. He had voiced that opinion last month at General Wong’s staff meeting in Panama City. Only to find the next day, that he had suddenly been reassigned to command a forward combat unit.
Col. Jung winced at that thought. He had been trained as an intelligence and logistics officer. Not as a line officer! And; while he knew exactly what to do, in planning supply lines and moving large numbers of reinforcement personal. He had only a passing “text book” knowledge of what his new functions and duties where as a line officer.
Charles signed heavily, “such are the best laid plans of mice and men”! Then he remembered the stricken look on Col. Wung’s face when he had, in english, explained carefully and in detail to the pompous fart. That the man was as full of shit as a Christmas Turkey, if he actually thought that the American people would be completely prostrate with despair at losing all their “comforts.” Charles grinned ruefully. “Yep! That’s me! I sure know how to win friends and influence enemies!”
“Col. Jung!”
Charles, his thoughts interrupted by the unexpected shout. Looked up to see his executive officer lunging up the sand dune towards him.”Col.Jung!” The man said heavily as he slid to a stop in front of his commanding officer. “There is something happening to the cloud cover over us!”
Charles instinctively looked upward at the black over cast sky. And he could see instantly that it had indeed taken on an entirely different character! And that there was now a tremendous roiling turmoil taking place with in the clouds themselves. “Get back to our troops and tell them to get into the BMP’s and button up..We’ve got a storm coming!” He shouted to the officer as he got up from the sand.
Lightening flashed suddenly, accompanied by a terrific booming sound of thunder!
And Charles, who had started down the sand dune, froze! He looked upward again, and couldn’t believe his eyes at what he now saw taking place over head!
The sky’s roiling black clouds where now streaked with broad bands of lightening; lightening which was snaking from horizon to horizon! Lightening, the likes of which had not, could not have been seen, since the beginning of the earth!
Then, in an unbelievable fury. The broad destructive bolts of electricity instantly hurled themselves downward at the distant hills, savaging all that they touched.
Col. Jung forced himself to take his eyes away from the violent display of nature’s fury taking place over head, in order to make sure that his second in command had gone on to implement his orders. Seeing that the officer had, Charles sat down on the sand to watch the horrific lightening display as it intensified.
After what seemed to be hours, the lightening and it’s attendant sonic booms of ear shattering thunder subsided. And an eery calm took it’s place.
Well that’s it, Charles decided and started to get up from the sand. But just as he started to lever himself up. He heard what sounded to him like a million jet engines roaring..Charles looked upward at the sky again..And he saw something that he could not begin to describe! It was wind! That much he knew! But how could wind come out of the clouds overhead, like a giant jet of water coming through a fire hose, it came.
And then, when that amazing cylinder of destructive wind plunged to the earth! It instantly sliced through the dirt, sand, boulders to the bed rock below!
It’s plowing a furrow! Col. Charles Jung thought wonderingly, mesmerized at the sight of the burrowing column of air as it suddenly begin advancing in an eastwardly direction, directly towards Columbus, New Mexico. “Man!” Charles shouted in horror, as the column of air struck the now truly doomed border town.
<B><center>Major Cornel Victor Yi-Plin</B></center>
Fatigue and a deep sense of sadness pinched the tall, almost painfully thin man’s face, as he walked up the rise of a small knoll. Forcefully, he pushed the weariness he felt from his mind, as he came to a stop at the knoll’s top.
But the sadness; and a deep pervading sense of personal loss would not leave the Chinese officer’s thoughts. As Victor remembered the contents of the last message he had received from his radar officer. Just before that officer had shut down his radar systems to protect them from an anticipated EMP pulse.
The message had stated simply that his radar systems where detecting hundreds of ICBM missiles in their boosting stage and rising from the Americans’ heart land.
Those old men, Victor thought bitterly. Those damned senile old men in Beijing and Moscow had scoffed repeatedly at the thought of the Americans actually using their old out dated concept of MAD (Mutual Assured Destruction) as a defensive measure. But the Americans had used it; now it and the old Reagan era tactic of “Launch on Warning” spelled disaster.
Now, even though the Russians’ waves of ICBM missiles were indeed destroying most of the Minute Man and Peace Keeper missiles silos that those old men had been so frightened of.
But they had not staved off the horror of an all out launch of the Americans’ nuclear forces..
And now, God alone, knows the destruction that their mistaken beliefs had wroth upon the planetary ecosystems of the whole world. Victor shuddered at the thought of the Mega tonnage of nuclear explosions that had gone off across the northern hemisphere in the space of a hour’s time.
Victor Yi-Plin looked to the south then and visually surveyed the billowing clouds of dust coming towards his position. Nearly two years of effort! He thought to himself, as he saw the first of the armored column, a type 85 weapon’s carrier, it’s running lights still on, emerge from the dust cloud.
Major Cornel Victor Yi-Plin of the People’s Liberation Army remembered the two years of sweat; and his endless efforts at subterfuge. They had been two years filled with unending plane rides that he’d taken to countries he didn’t like; two years of spending his every waking moment, carefully laying ‘false trails’ for the American and western intelligence agencies to follow. As he went about his tasks of setting up the needed logistics for an invasion force; an invasion force tasked to invade the United Sates of America.
And now! To bitterly learn that his endlessly untiring efforts had been for naught!
That the Americans had indeed not been caught by total surprise; as the PLA and the Russians had hoped, was an agony to Victor.
When they saw that they where being attacked. The Americans had launched every Thermonuclear weapon that they had had in their national arsenal.
Even so, The People’s Republic of China was about to invade it’s most hated enemy, the United States of America.
A grim, knife blade thin smile crossed Victor’s face briefly as he saw another type 85 weapons carrier emerge from the heavy dust cloud. It was the second of six specially modified weapons carriers that he had ordered to be at the forefront of his column. And behind them, he knew; were the tractor pulled “low boy” trailers, with their deadly cargos of neutron tipped cruise missiles. Cruse missiles that he had bought from their convenient friends, the Russians.
Victor Yi-Plin snorted derisively as he thought of their Russians allies. They had made several half hearted attempts at trying to convince Beijing that it was they; and not the People’s Republic, who where the prime movers of this invasion. But it was Chinese and not Russian troops moving into position this morning. True, Victor admitted honestly to himself, after a moment of thought. The Russians had indeed launched their ill fated all out nuclear attack against the Americans’ missile fields, as they had said that they would.
But, for some reason, the Russians had balked at committing their forces to an invasion of the United States. Causing Victor to decide some months ago, not to depend on the Russians for anything; beyond what they had already given. And indeed, he thought, as he saw the third weapons carrier appear. He was more than a little mildly surprised that the Russians had followed through with their agreed upon nuclear attack. And perhaps the world would have had a better chance of survival, if indeed, they would had decided against that nuclear attack.
Victor Yi-Plin pursed his lips thoughtfully, as he saw a fourth weapons carrier emerge from the growing dust clouds. No, he decided, the PLA didn’t need their Russian comrades, they had their satellite allies, the Cubans and their Mexican counter parts, the ‘Aztlan extremists’. And of course, the Moslem terrorist contingents.
However, from the inception of “Wild Fire”. Victor Yi-Plin had known he could not depend upon the Moslem terrorists to follow his orders for very long. He had known that once the invasion itself was actually underway. The various Jehad or Islamic liberation armies, as their leaders insisted that they be called. Would all; or nearly all of them. Behave more like the rabid animals, that they actually where; then as the trained troops that they should be.
But, he smiled. Even rabid dogs had a place in a well planned invasion. And “Wild Fire” had been well planned..Despite the lack of surprise that the Americans had shown during the Nuclear Battle which had occurred earlier this morning.
Victor Yi-plin’s mood soured as he thought of Maj. Col. Lui-Chen, the officer that General Wu had assigned to work out the tactical planning of “Wild Fire”. And as he unconsciously pulled a crumpled sheet of paper from his blouse, Victor’s thoughts turned sour, as he remembered the contents of the last message that he had received from General Wu’s Head Quarters in Panama, just a few moments after his radar officer’s warning.
Victor could recall the message word for word, without having to look down and re-read it. It said.
To Col. V. Yi-Plin
From General Head Quarters, Panama City, Panama
Please be advised, that of this date. December 25th.
Col. Lui-Chin and Col. V. Yi-Plin are advanced to the rank of Maj. Col.
Major General H. Wu commanding
Victor felt like screaming at the dark, rolling storm clouds overhead! Those old men in Beijing had done it to him again! True! They both, Lui-Chin and he, where still of the same rank! But Lui-Chin held seniority over him by the space of one word! Just one word! Bitterly, Bile rose in Victor’s throat, as he thought of that one little solitary word. God! How he hated the word “and”!
Of course, Victor knew, that if the positions would have been reversed; Lui-Chin would not have even noticed that Victor was now holding seniority over him. And that knowledge infuriated Victor all the more. But for the moment, he knew, there was nothing to be done about it. And he still had an invasion to conduct.
Victor shivered uncontrollably for a moment, a damp chill had suddenly pervaded the air around him. Rubbing his arms briskly through the buttoned down sleeves of the camouflaged BDU’s that he was wearing. He noticed that the air had not only turned cold; but that the breeze that had been blowing had stopped; and now a deathly calm seemed to be taking it’s place.
Victor instinctively turned his eyes skyward, in order to see what was occurring in the clouds over head. And a thrill of fear suddenly coursed through him. Had mankind indeed destroyed themselves?
Where once the gloomy cloud cover had been of a type which bespoke of a coming thunderstorm; It was now so heavily black in color that it resembled the ash clouds that formed after a volcanic eruption. And it’s rolling characteristics where more pronounced; actually mimicking the gigantic rolling balls of a huge ash cloud, as it erupted from a volcano.
Victor forcefully reminded himself that he had been briefed by his meteorological officer to expect aberrations in the weather patterns for some weeks after the Russians’ nuclear attack. Still, he admitted shakily to himself, it was unnerving as hell to see a sky reacting in the way that this one was.
“Comrade Major”! The unexpected sound of a human voice behind him, caused Victor to jump. Swinging around abruptly; his intention was to severely reprimand who ever it was for not giving him warning before approaching him. Then as Victor was about to let loose with his intended verbal tongue lashing; he recognized that the offender was his driver. And that the man had brought him his coat
Victor smiled, “thank you Sargent for thinking about my coat. It is turning a bit frosty, isn’t it”? Mutely nodding his head, the non com agreed with his commanding officer observations.
Victor put the offered coat on, enjoying the instant warmth it imparted to his freezing arms; and again thanking the non com for his thoughtfulness, he turned his attention once more to the six weapons carriers that had pulled into their firing positions.
Watching the parked weapons carriers intently, Victor saw a distant, smallish figure dismount from the passenger’s side of the first weapons carrier and open the sealed cover of it’s weapons controls system. Then the figure snaked two coiled cables out of the weapons console and climbed up the ladder provided for the maintenance of the cruise missile pods that rode piggy back on the type 85 weapons carrier. After the soldier had snapped the coaxial cables into place, he jumped back down to the ground and ‘double timed’ around to the driver’s side of the armored vehicle, in order to inform his firing officer that they where ready.
A grunt of satisfaction escaped Victor. His weapons officer had obviously trained his men well. The speed in which the soldier had readied his missile carrier; bespoke of the many hours of practice that Major Chang must have put in, teaching his men manning the mobile missile batteries how to ready their units for firing on the battle field. Victor smiled grimly and hoped that the oh so obvious training would hold up; when that battle field became hot. And it would get hot!
Sooner or later, Victor knew. The Americans would realize what was happening. And if they where to some how ‘get their act together’. Things would indeed turn nasty. Very nasty indeed.
What was it that Confucius had said? “May you live in interesting times” Victor muttered under his breath to himself! “ And things will indeed get to be very interesting...”If the Americans can get, as they say. Their shit together”! He added softly.
The growling of several dozen heavy motors filled the still air around Maj. Col. Yi-Plin with their noise and heavy diesel fumes; as the rest of his forward elements pulled into their positions.
Victor mentally named off the types of ‘light armor’ that he saw, as they came to a halt.
There was of course, the armored personal carriers such as the YW 304, which carried an 82 mm motar.
Then a preponderance of the Type 85s’ which normally, in their unmodified configuration, carried anti tank missiles as their main battery.
Victor noted that there was a heavy saturation of the lighter and faster WZ 551 A.P.C.s. These lighter machines where both fast and amphibious. And they carried both the QW-1 SAM IR homing shoulder fired missile and the HJ-8 (Red Arrow) anti tank missile, as it’s main armmant. They where to serve as scouts for their more heavier and slower cousins,
Victor reminded himself that these first WZ 551 armored scout units he was looking at, where to go with the Arabs; as it was they who would form his outer defense perimeter. And there forth, they would actually be the first of his forces to cross over into the United States. And not the Peoples Liberation Army it’s self.
The Cubans, would then, of course be the next force to cross the Rio Grande river and take up their positions as Victor’s secondary line of defense.
Then, and only then, would his many battalions of combat engineers, with their tractors and trailers loaded with heavy construction equipment, cross into the United States; their assigned tasks where to clear a road to Brownsville and recondition the Brownsville sea port for the soon to be arriving container ships.
Victor didn’t really expect to encounter any organized resistance from the Americans for some weeks after his forces had entered into the United States.
Especially after he sterilized the southern tip of Texas with the thirty neutron weapons tipped cruise missiles his batteries where preparing to launch.
Maj. Col. Lui-Chin, who was the defacto commander of all four invasion spear heads, was supposed to be consulted before the ‘excessive’ deployment of nuclear weapons, Victor knew. And he knew that Lui-Chin would be angry when he was informed of his actions.
But Maj. Col. Victor Yi-Plin also knew that he needed a secure beach head! And Brownsville, Texas had to be secured. Victor smiled grimly; and since he was not able to consult Maj. Col. Lui-Chin about the battle field decision he had made.
Because of the nuclear induced adverse atmospheric conditions which now where prevailing. He was acting well with-in General Wu’s written “Mission Guide lines” to launch the attack with out waiting several days for the atmosphere to clear, if it ever did. In order for him to secure Maj. Col. Lui-Chin’s official indorsement for this up coming action.
<B><center>II</center></b>
The sudden arrival of three semi tractors and their enclosed box trailers, caught Maj.Col. Victor Yi-PLin's attention; and as he watched, a flurry of activity began to grow around him, as his engineers speedily erected a huge tarp awning - like roof between the three semis and their box trailers, which had been hastily parked in a ‘horse shoe configuration.
And now, as if by magic, his staff officers began to appear with various last minute questions for him to answer.
Victor Yi-Plin reminded himself that he needed some rest, as he answered his security officer’s question about how many security forces he wanted to commit to checking out and securing the Mexican city called Reynosa located about three miles to their north west.
But Victor knew, even as he thought about how tired he was. That sleep was not to be for him today. “You make sure to impress upon your security forces Maj. Chune. That they are not to in anyway upset the city’s population. We don’t need trouble from the Mexicans at our rear.” And after he had made sure that his head of security was in full understanding, Victor dismissed the Major from his thoughts and focused on the problem that the next officer was impatiently waiting for him to hear.
Some minutes later, Victor heard “Comrade Maj. Col.,” And looking up from a list that his transport officer had just thrust into his hands. He saw that Maj. Chang was the one who had summoned his attention. “Are you ready?” And when Maj. Chang mutely nodded an affirmative. “Then you may begin firing the missiles Major!” Victor said, his voice, cold and unyielding in it’s delivery.
Victor Yi-Plin handed the transportation officer’s clip board back to him a minute later. And telling all the officers within hearing, that it was time to attend the final briefing. Victor walked down from the rise towards the make shift H.Q. that his engineers had managed to set up and fill with folding chairs and tables
.
As Victor walked towards the three semis, with their tarp roofing, he noted that a great many officers where already filing into the tented area and taking their seats. Good! He thought to himself. At least, I won’t have to wait for stragglers to appear before getting started.
“Attention!” Victor heard some officer say loudly, as he entered. And then as he walked down the center row between the divided seats towards a desk, with a large map placed behind it. He silently noted that every officer was standing at attention, even the Arabs.
Midway down the isle, Victor noted that the desk at the front of the make shift briefing room was poised on a podium composed of wooden pallets, covered over by thick ply wood sheets. And that the engineers had also rigged up miniature battery powered flood lights to illuminate the large map of the state of Texas, that was pinned to the map display board.
Victor winched, as he stepped up on the podium, his knees feeling like they where made of spongy rubber. Turning to face the standing men, he said. “At ease gentlemen,” and then pretending an ease of movement that he did not feel. Victor set on the front edge of the desk.
“Gentlemen,” Victor began. “We have much to cover this morning; and not a lot time to do it in. First! As you all know. About eight hours ago, our Russian comrades launched an all out nuclear attack against the Americans.
“What you may not know, is that our attack; the Russians and ours, was not as complete a surprise, as we had hoped. The Americans where apparently expecting the possibility of an attack; because they launched their nuclear ICBM missiles; the minute that their radar screens detected PRC and Russian missiles in their boosting stages. Which means of course, by extrapolation. That they had had their air force’s long range bomber forces either already in the air; or poised for an immediate take off the moment that they detected incoming missiles.
“The Americans must also have had their Navel assets in the same mode of readiness, as the rest of their nuclear forces where.”
A deep sense of pervading sadness filled Victor at that point, causing his voice to break. Composing himself as best he could, he continued, ”This of course means that what ever the Americans believed to have been a nuclear target any where on the globe, has been destroyed. And thusly, it now becomes even more important that we are successful in our invasion. Because gentlemen, we have no place to return to, if we fail in this invasion.
“Our homes! Our cities! And our nations are filled at this minute; if they where not incinerated by the nuclear fire itself. With the dead and the dying.” Victor paused then for a moment in order to impress upon the gathered officers what he had just said.
Silence, utter silence echoed is piteous wail, as Victor looked directly in each of the mens’ eyes, who sat before him. He saw shock in one officer’s eyes, anger in another’s; and grim resolve in yet another’s eyes. But most of the faces of the men gather before him displayed open horror at what he had just told them. The same horror that he was feeling himself.
Then, when even he could no longer stand the awful silence. Victor resumed, "Three hours before the nuclear battle was to begin. I sent coded orders to all our troop and cargo ships’ captains that they where to stand out to sea. And that their planned debarking port; the Mexican sea port of Vera Cruz, was to be abandoned. At this moment, our engineers down there are pulling out as much of the already unloaded equipment as they can, taking it inland some fifty kilometers from the sea port.”
Victor turned slightly so that he could see the map behind and just to his left. “If you will, please note that I have circled Brownsville, Texas. Gentlemen! That city and it’s sea port are to be our new beach head”. Victor stopped his briefing when he saw the hand of Maj. Col. Abu Yazul raise.
“Yes Col Yazul. You have a question?”
Victor silently watched the huge Arab rise from his chair. “Comrade Maj. Col.,”he began. “This move of yours places our staging areas deep into the enemies’ territory. What is to prevent them from over running us before we can mobilize our forces?”
Victor smiled piteously, “You are hearing the reason why we won’t be met with organized resistance Col. Yazul. Listen! Even now, another cruise missile is being launched!”
“You, you mean...” The Arab stammered.
“Yes,” Victor confirmed the Arab’s unspoken accusation. “Those missiles now being launched, are indeed our neutron tipped cruise missiles. In fact, I gave Maj. Chang a fire mission which comprises the launching of 30 of the neutron tipped cruise missiles.”
Victor waited patiently until the murmuring among the assembled officers ceased. “Gentlemen, please. Let’s continue.” Victor stood up then, “Major Yazul a contingent of my engineers will accompany your forces to their designated lines of defense, it will be their task to clear any and all obstructions from your path. You will be our first line of defense.”
“Comrade Maj. Col. Rafael,” Victor directed his next words to the commander of the Cubans. “You will form up your lines of defense just behind Comrade Col. Yazul’s forces.”
Victor then directed his words to all the officers in the room. “Gentlemen it will take us several weeks, possibly three months to off load our incoming forces and the mountains of equipment that accompany them. It will be our task to hold our positions until that is done.” Victor waited patiently and a with bit of curiosity, to see which one of his officers would be the first to ask a question.
“Col. Yi-Plin,” The Arab asked. “Do we have any information as to the extent of our Russian allies’ attacks on the Americans’ home land”? Victor’s face turned grim at the question. “Gentlemen,” he began, his voice failing to hide the anger he was feeling. “Our Russian allies have apparently hit the Americans with everything that they had in their nuclear arsenal.”
“Oh damn”! Victor heard someone say. “Exactly,” Victor agreed with the man’s observation. Then swinging toward his left, Victor address His meteorological officer.”Major Chan would you be so good as to inform us about the current change of weather”?
Major Chan stood, his demeanor clearly nervous.”Comrade Major Colonel,” he began. “The weather front which you are referring to, is unlike anything the world has ever seen sir”...
“In what way”.Victor interrupted the officer.
Major Chan’s attention, broken by his impatient commander. Resumed his mentally prepared speech.”Sir the barometric pressures being observed are the lowest in the history of meteorology. My men are recording a rapid series of lows, they are almost like ocean waves, in their actions and intensities, coming from the east and north of us. The direction of this weather front is contrary to all that we know about the normal weather patterns for the United States’ land mass, sir.
“As for the earth’s magnetic field? It is gyrating in intensities never before recorded Comrade Major Colonel.” Major Chan turned at that point, part way away from his commanding officer, in order to see the black roiling cloud cover out side of the tented roof.
”Major Colonel Yi-Plin, sir” the pudgy officer resumed. “There has been an untold amount of explosive energy released into the earth’s environment sir and that is part, if not the sole reason, of the cause of this intense weather front we are witnessing. I hesitate Major Colonel Yi-Plin. to try and estimate the amount of Electromagnetic energy that has been generated by the millions of megatons of explosions that have taken place. That electromagnetic force was absorbed by the earth’s magnetic field sir.”
Victor Yi-Plin winced, could they have really destroyed the earth?”Major,” he asked in a gentle tone, belying his personal fears.”Do you have any idea as to what the end results will be from the effects of the nuclear exchanges?”
Major Chan shrugged.”To be honest about the current situation sir.” He replied,”The world itself will not be destroyed by the nuclear explosions; if this is what you mean. But as for the human race sir...This I cannot tell you.” Major Chan’s voice began to show the extreme stress he was under.”Major Colonel Yi-Plin. Sir, the weather will be; or rather has been dealt a severe blow, which will take it years to recover from. A nuclear winter, in the least, is almost a certainty.
In fact sir, I can tell you truthfully that the possibilities of growing cereal grains this coming spring and summer are out. I don’t know for certain about even the possibilities of resuming the growing of crops the season after this coming one sir.”
Victor straightened up rigidly. Waving his left hand for the Major to sit down, he returned his attention to all the officers in the tented area.
”Gentlemen! The weather officer has indeed brought up an important point. One I had not truly considered. We do not have enough rations for our forces loaded on the container ships for a two year period of time.
“Foolishly, I admit. I did not allow that we would need more then a six month food supply; before we would be resupplied”. And we wouldn’t have needed that, Victor Yi-Plin reminded himself bitterly; if the damned Russians hadn’t thrown those monster multi megaton war heads at the United State’s heart land.
“This new situation makes it mandatory that we confiscate all the food supplies that we can find, in order to augment the now certain short fall in our food supplies.”
Victor leaned against the desk to ease the trembling he felt beginning in his legs. “We! All of us, will, must rely on the Americans’ food supplies and exhaust them before we turn to our own supplies.” Victor waved his left hand towards the open end of the meeting room. “The state of Texas was a large grower of rice among other foods. And both the Brownsville port and the one at Corpus Christ hold vast warehouses of grains to be shipped to nations over seas. You are to gain control over as much of it as you can.”
<center>To Be Continued</center>
