Patomki-13

[The Arc]

July 4, 1991

 

Kara Sea...

 

Up periscope came the command from the captain 1st rank, which was relayed by his second.

 

"Colonel Dmitri," Captain 1st rank, Yukov said, "The periscope is all yours."

 

"Da," the colonel said as he walked over to the periscope. His metallic leg banged into the deck of the submarine like a hammer.

 

The sight of Uyedineniya Island was a bleak one. Wind swept and barren, but not for long the colonel thought. Uyedineniya or Solitude island as the imperialist westerners liked to call it would be the birthplace of a new Rodina. His grey eyes swept across the landscape but his mind raced back.

 

Colonel Dmitri had seen it all coming, even if others couldn't. Some might have said that the KGB colonel had turned bitter after the bomb took his leg, but these people really didn't know the man. Colonel Dmitri was a believer in the Soviet system despite its weaknesses. Many a times the colonel had spoken out against the reforms proposed by Gorbachev to always be shouted down. In the end it was the bomb that moved him to action.

 

Using his extensive network, he started gathering his resources. A scraped K-class submarine, the very one he now stood in, was secretly recommisioned. A perusual through the classified files brought up the names of 13 possible meta-humans. These would be his soliders when the new order was founded. After that it was a simple matter to raid some of the highest technology the Soviet Union had to offer. Quietly, without anyone knowing massive kidnappings across the Soviet Union took place, and just a few weeks ago the K-class submarine had set sail. Project: Firebird had commenced.

 

Flipping up the handles of the periscope, Colonel Dmitri stood back and scanned the crew.

 

"Comrades," his rich baritone commanded. "I am pleased to say that the first half of our task has been achieved."

 

A roar of approval rose up but quickly died down from a gesture from the colonel.

 

"However," Colonel Dmitri said. "The more difficult part of Project: Firebird, must now commence. The construction of our new base must be completed before the thirteen can be brought to the island. When we make landfall all construction equipment must be brought out and started as soon as possible. Fortunate for us that it is summer time and the days are longer. All must be completed as soon as possible to avoid detection."

 

"For the new Rodina," the colonel shouted and the crew replied in kind. With a salute from the captain 1st rank, Colonel Dmitri left the control room heading fore and a few decks down. The sound of his leg reverberated on the plates as he went.

 

This K-class submarine didn't carry any weapons. Instead it carried something even more powerful. The torpedo room and launch gear room had been converted into a nursery of sorts. Linning the wall were transparent hibernation tubes containing children, the children who would be the new hope of the Rodina. Colonel Dimitri stood in the center of the room and smiled down upon his charges. It was a shame that their parents couldn't see the glory that their children would perform for their nation, but in the end sacrifices must be made.

[The Arc]

Re: Patomki-13

 

August 19th, 1991

 

Uyedineniya Island, Kara Sea

 

The colonel stood upon a promontory overlooking the construction site of Project: Firebird. A lot had been accomplished in a short amount of time. Almost all of the dome with it's radar reflective hexagons were constructed. The dome would be large enough to hide a small village, and in away that is what Project: Firebird was all about. Inside several prefabricated buildings had already gone up and the geothermal plant was now completely operable. Things were going well.

 

The sound of footsteps coming up from behind him had the colonel slowly pivoting on his mechanical leg. The ground on Uyedineniya was fairly soft at this time of the year and Colonel Dmitri had to be careful. A breeze off of the Kara Sea ruffled his hair a little and his eye teared some from the salt in the air. The man coming up the hill practically ran often times almost slipping in the permafrost in haste. Captain 1st rank Yukov salute the colonel as he tried to catch his breathe.

 

“Colonel,” Yukov began. “Most glorious news. Reports over the wireless say that President Gorbachev has been placed under house arrest and Yanayev has replaced him as president. A coup has happened, sir. The Rodina will continue as it should.”

Colonel Dmitri raised an eyebrow at this news. However, in his heart he knew that Yanayev and his supporters couldn't hold onto the power they had seized. No, it was up to him and the children to safeguard the new Rodina and right now it just wasn't the time. There was too much at stake for this.

 

“We must set sail immediately,” Yukov said sweat beading his brow. “Surely, President Yanayev will need us. Request permission to abandon Uyedineniya.”

 

The colonel could only frown at this, but Yukov just didn't seem to notice his displeasure.

 

“Captain Yukov,” Colonel Dmitri spoke. “You are most correct. The Soviet Union does need our help, but alas I and a handpicked crew must remain here. Have all of the hibernation tubes brought ashore and tonight we celebrate the victory of President Yanayev.”

 

“As you command,” Yukov saluted again and raced back to the K-class submarine. As for Colonel Dmitri he just turned to watch the construction. Time was short and there was so much to do.

 

The submarine crew and those who were going to stay behind celebrated long into the night and in the morning countless bottles of vodka lay strewn across the ground. It was a ragged band of submariners who formed up in front of the colonel who didn't seem to have been effected by all the vodka that had been drank.

Captain Yukov stood beside the colonel reviewing his men. Nodding his head he dismissed them and they quickly headed for the submarine.

 

“Are you sure you won't change your mind?” Yukov asked through a blinding headache.

 

“Nyet captain,” Colonel Dmitri said soberly. “We all have our duties and yours is to return to President Yanayev.”

 

Instead of saluting the colonel, his gave the older man a fierce hug and as he stepped back he said, “For the Rodina.”

 

“For the Rodina,” the colonel answered back.

 

The submarine had loosened its mooring lines and turned its bow southward back to Russia. Water churned as the huge machine lurched away from the island. In the end only Colonel Dmitri stood upon a hillock watching the K-class submarine go. Just as the conning tower was starting to submerge, he pulled a little box from his coat. Pulling out the antenna on the box, he depressed a small red button in the center. A radio signal was transmitted from the box to several hidden explosive devices hidden aboard the submarine. Alone Colonel Dmitri witnessed the destruction of the submarine.

 

“For the Rodina,” the colonel said to the sea. “We must all make sacrifices.”