Book 2 End of The Beginning

Book 2:End of the Beginning

                                                     Chapter 1
                                                  April 2002
         Freedom Leader Dart Smalls took a look at the map in the Republic’s HQ in Moscow Russia. He was tall with red hair, green eyes and a strong build. However this was the first time he’d been back to headquarters for months. He’d been in the hospital with a nearly fatal wound dealt to him by the War Lord Victor Voktor in Moscow the year before.

         Rose Calumberry had dyed purple hair was rather short and had blue eyes. She came up to Dart and began looking at the map as well. Red dots represented Imperial Forces, blue dots their own soldiers and green dots the locations of Freedom Leaders around the world leading the fight on other fronts. “I’m glad to see you back to normal,” she said to Dart. “Glad to be back,” he said, “you did an excellent job throwing Victor back last winter.” he remarked. “Yes, but he’ll be eager to strike back, and we still have a lot of work to do until this threat is defeated.” Dart simply shook his head in agreement and went back to the map.

         Supreme General Victor Voktor climbed the last step into the Supreme Leader’s throne room atop their tower in Washington D. C Capital of an Empire that stretched across three continents and contested control of three more. Victor was of medium height with brown hair, steel rimmed glasses, and cold grey eyes. He went down on one knee before his only superior in that Empire. “Yes, my Lord.” he said. “Rise, my friend.” the Supreme Leader said. “Perhaps you can explain what happened last winter, and how you plan to restore the situation,” he continued. Victor felt the Supreme Leader’s red eyes burrow into him from behind his thick black cloak covering him from head to toe.

         Victor walked over to a large map on the wall. “Last winter my men were tired and at the end of their supply lines. We failed to take Moscow and were left out in the cold, literally. However the winter is over and our strength has returned and I plan to hit them in southern Russia where they least expect it.” He finished. “Why the south?” the Supreme Leader inquired. “Because, in the north we would only be beating our heads off the wall throwing troops at surrounded and fortified St. Petersburg and we face even stronger opposition in front of Moscow in the center. However they have left themselves weak in the south and we shall make them pay for it.” he explained. “Excellent, now go and do your duty to the Empire.” the Supreme Leader said as he dismissed Victor.

                                                 Chapter 2

         Lt. Alvin Smithers began pulling camouflage off of his tank. He had been a soldier in the Imperial army since the first shot and had been through the Hellish winter of the first year of the war. He had received a medal for it like everyone else who survived. But the winter was over now and they were back on the offensive. The opening barrage of artillery ended and some Imperial planes flew over to cover the advance of the tanks and infantry below. As Alvin’s tank rolled up to the Republic lines they saw the devastation. There hadn’t been many enemy forces here to begin with but now hardly any were left and they were rapidly laying down their arms. “Wow,” he remarked, “we really caught them flatfooted this time, they barely but up a fight.” His men all agreed with him as they rolled on.

         The Imperial juggernaught rolled on and on with hardly any Republic forces to halt it. By late May, it was clear that the Ukraine, a large fertile land in southern Russia would fall along with the Crimea, a small peninsula connected to it. The Republic would make its last stand in the area at an important city called Rostov that the Empire would have to take to continue its advance.

                                                 Chapter 3

         Dart looked out at Rostov, the city was burning. Imperial forces had bloodily broken in a few days earlier and were approaching the center of the city. He was forced to send all reinforcements into the city to stop the advance and was playing right into Victor’s hands.

         Victor Voktor watched as more shells were fired into Rostov. He then turned to his aide Captain Christopher Cartwright, “This slaughter has gone on long enough, we have them deep in the trap now. Order the 16th Armored Corps into its special assignment.” “Yes, sir!” Christopher said as he went to carry out the order. With all the Republic’s forces in Rostov nothing would be able to stop his tanks from swinging north and then driving south to the Black Sea, cutting the city off with two-thirds of the Republic’s southern army inside. He smiled as he knew he had another battle in the bag.

                Rose crouced behind some rubble as machine gun bullets slammed into the area all around her. She dove to a new position and soon found Dart next to her. "We have to get out of here!" He yelled. "Why?" she demanded, they seemed to be holding the Empire for once. "Victor has sent his armor around the north of the city, we'll be cut off if we don't beat it now!" he replied. Rose cursed and they began to fall back from the front and soon hopped onto a truck heading out of the city. They had to hold off those tanks long enough for their army to escape.

                  Victor stood fuming behind a stone wall outside Rostov. His infantry were being held up here by a hasty defensive position the Republic had set up and every second wasted was a second that more of their soldiers escaped his grasp. As another swarm of their soldiers darted past his position across the field his artillery opened up on them. Hopefully that would do enough damage until the tanks arrived. He looked into his binoculars once more and then his jaw dropped. It was the Freedome Leaders! Right out in the open! "I have you now." he muttered to himself. "Sargeant!" he yelled. "Aim all your guns at that spot," he said pointing, "the Freedom Leaders are there and I want them dead." he hissed. "Yes, sir!" the soldier answered as he redirected his guns' fire to concentrate on Rose and Dart.

                The Freedom Leaders hit the ground as the artillery fire around them intensified. Their lines were so close now if they could only get out of here! "We have to keep moving!" Dart yelled to anyone who could hear and they slowly rose and began to move again. Then the shells began to hit even more frequently and when Dart looked to his left a shell hit directly between him and Rose. He tasted iron in his mouth and knew he must be bleeding as his ears rang as well. He looked around and saw Rose not moving at all a few yards away. He managed to crawl over to her and saw she was still breathing but was unconscious. Immediately he gathered her up in his arms and made a mad rush for the safety of the Republic's lines. He dove into the trench literalls seconds before another shell hit where he had been outside the trench. After seeing to it that Rose was safe he began directing their defenses and getting more soldiers out.

                "No!" Victor Voktor roared in an inhuman voice. They had just slipped out of his grasp. Again. "Where is our bloody armor?" he asked no one in particular. Finally the heavy tanks rolled up to the wall and their commander saluted him. "Don't sit in that tank like an idiot!" He screamed at him. "Go get them!" he ordered. "Yes, sir." the tank commander answered him. But by the time they had crossed the field the Republic was gone except for the piece of their army still trapped in the city.

         Dart and Rose were meeting at a new headquarters they had set up deeper in southern Russia. Rostov had just surrendered along with thousands of soldiers and many weapons. “Well, now we know what he’s after,” Rose began, “all of our oil fields in the south, and the Volga river to outflank our positions in Moscow.” “Well, we’ll soon be able to transfer enough soldiers here to take up defensive positions in the Caucasus Mountains to hold him off from the oil fields.” Dart said. “But what about the Volga? Where can we halt him there?” Rose asked. “I don’t know. But this damned 16th Armored Corps appears to be the spearhead of his advance. If we track it, we’ll know where he is headed and we can prepare to stop him.” “Sounds like a plan.” Rose said. “Let’s just hope this one doesn’t fail, we can’t afford any more mistakes in this war.” Dart said. Rose’s eyes were filled with dread as she agreed with him.
                                                 Chapter 4

         Victor Voktor addressed his generals in their mobile HQ. They were advancing so fast they had to use it. “Well, gentleman,” he began, “the time has come for us to split up. The 16th Armored and half of our infantry will accompany me to Volgograd, we will seize it and then outflank these fools defending Moscow. Meantime, the rest of our forces will press south and seize the oil fields in the Caucasus. Any questions?” The generals remained silent. Little did they know they were playing into the Republic’s hands this time.

         But for now, the onslaught continued. Lt. Alvin Smithers and his unit were pushing farther and farther south. They had overrun the northernmost oil fields a few days ago but they had already been destroyed by the Republic. Then they saw an imposing sight in the distance, the Caucasus Mountains. “How in name of Hell are we supposed to scale those?” he asked no on in particular. Then artillery shells began to rain down on the Imperial soldiers. The Republic had artillery up there! Alvin cursed as they were forced to retreat. It seemed as though they had been halted, but if Victor took Volgograd these forces would be cut off and it wouldn’t matter. He can do it, Alvin thought, I know he can. 
         
                                                 Chapter 5

         Victor was pushing closer and closer to Volgograd but enemy resistance was stiffening. It would be a tough fight, but he believed his men could do it. They continued to brush aside resistance as his now infamous 16th Armored pressed toward ths city. He had received some troubling news about his southern forces being halted but that wouldn’t matter once Volgograd fell. Nothing would matter after that, then the Empire would have achieved its final goal. And this time the weather could not be relied upon to stop him it was only July, winter would not set in until November. We have them now! He thought triumphantly.

              Dart looked as the 16th Armored destroyed another of his delaying forces. They had destroyed a few Imperial units but too few to even slow down the Empire. They continued to press on towards Volgograd. But as always time was his weapon and he needed to buy more of it for Rose to prepare the city's defenses. So he did. When Victor's tanks approached a bridge it was destroyed in front of them. When they used a particular road for too long a mine would destroy one of his tanks. When his infantry stayed out in the open too long snipers would begin to pick them off. Dart sensed that the Imperial troops were becoming enraged at these small attacks but before they could act his forces were gone, back to the city this time. He had held them off for as long as he could. Now it was time for the real battle.

                                                 Chapter 6

         Victor Voktor looked out at Volgograd. His forces were nearly at the city and had already reached the Volga north and south of it pinning it back against the river, which was the only way to supply the city now. And the Imperial Air Force was bombing the transports day and night. But now more troubling news came, the Freedom Leaders were on the scene and reinforcements were coming with them. “Christopher, order the army into the final push on the city, we’ll take it and then throw back their reinforcements.” “What about you sir?” he asked. “I have to deal with these freedom idiots, once and for all.” he said as he stormed away.

         Rose had left Volgograd to personally take a look at the situation. Her mission was to scout out the Empire’s army then go back to the city and help the others direct the battle. The weather was worsening with the situation. The sky was black as a storm brewed, eerily foreshadowing the coming battle. She never saw the black helicopter that flew up to the hill but she certainly saw Victor Voktor as he drew his sword after jumping out. “Here we are again, and this time I’ll finish you and your Republic once and for all.” Victor said. “Your over confidence will be your downfall Victor.” She calmly remarked drawing her own sword. He only advanced and swung his sword.

         Rose and Victor battled it out on the hill outside Volgograd as the armies began to clash below them. Lightning and thunder cracked as metal clashed against metal. Rose slashed at Victor who dodged and sent a blow of his own her way. She gave ground and continued to resist getting in a strike when she could. But Victor was gaining the upper hand and he swung his sword at an odd angle slitting Rose’s wrist. She screamed in pain as she dropped her sword and reeled backwards. He then kicked her in the stomach and she collapsed hitting her head on a stone on the hill then, blackness.

         Victor Voktor laughed like a madman as he stood above Rose and prepared to deliver the final blow, thunder and lightning crashed above him but as the sword came down it clashed with another. His face was filled with shock as he looked up and saw Dart’s sword blocking his blow. And three other Freedom Leader’s were with him. They had tricked him! Victor was furious and soon regained his self control as they set upon him. He was a blur of frenzied movement kicking, punching, and slashing at the Freedom Leaders, throwing them into each other and jumping around. He wasn’t able to kill any of them but was able to get them out of the way so that only Dart remained. Dart dealt him a blow that he barely blocked and that left his hands ringing. However, as he charged once more Victor threw him over his shoulder and began laughing as he jumped back into his helicopter and sped towards the battle.

         The Freedom Leaders were pulling themselves together after that humiliating battle when they realized they had forgotten Rose. “Hurry we have to get her to a hospital!” Dart shouted. As they began to do so he got into a different jeep and began speeding towards the battle as well.

                                                 Chapter 7

         Dart jumped out the jeep into a chaotic fight. The Imperial troops had smashed the scratch force outside Volgograd and had broken into the city. He knew they had two objectives in mind, the first was the railroad station in the center of the city. In control of it they would be able to outflank the Republic’s positions in the mountains to the south. The other was the docks on the river Volga at the end of the city. With them they could control the river and outflank Moscow.

         The Republic’s reinforcements were moving up and the Empire’s advance began to slow. Dart encouraged his soldiers to force them back, but soon Imperial artillery opened up and began smashing the buildings they were defending into rubble and they began to fall back again. But the rubble was blocking the 16th Armored’s tanks from advancing and the infantry had to go it alone. Dart saw Victor leading the charge and tried to get to him but the fire was too intense and he had to fall back. The fighting rapidly became hand to hand as the infantry of each side had to fight one another alone. The stench of death was soon in the city and would not be gone for a long long time. Soon however night fell and rain began pouring from the clouds and both sides occupied the houses they were closest to, exhausted, and rested for the night.
         
         Victor Voktor looked a large map of Volgograd inside his HQ in the railroad station. It had fallen to his soldiers along with the center of the city but he had lost nearly a third of his soldiers slugging his way there. And the Republic’s engineers had wrecked the controls and dynamited the rail lines making it useless for now especially under bombing attacks and artillery fire from the enemy’s positions. His men were moving inch by inch through the city slowly towards the docks, the last obstacle between him and victory. But it was tough going, it was September now and winter loomed once again in the distance and the city was in ruins making it nearly impossible for armored vehicles to support the troops. But another big push was planned for today so he left his HQ to report to the front lines.

                                                 Chapter 8

         Rose had finally gotten out of the hospital but she wasn’t much happier out than in. The Empire had pressed to the river and split the Republic’s armies in the city into two pockets guarding the two large docks in the city. Dozens of smaller docks had to be destroyed to keep them from falling to the Empire. Defeat seemed imminent. Victor had even promised his men the sun would never shine again in the city and that the cloud of ash and smoke would shroud the city in darkness forever. Now he had gathered his best soldiers into a final assault to crush the remaining Republic forces and she and Dart would have to hold them until more troops were ferried to them across the river.

         “Forward!” Imperial officers shouted as whistles blew all over the area in front of the docks and their soldiers threw themselves at the Republic's defenses. Victor Voktor looked out with his binoculars from atop a building a few blocks back from where the attack started. His men were making good progress when enemy troops began to pour forward. He was furious. “I won’t be stopped on the threshold of victory!” he shouted, and stormed out into the streets where his exhausted men had begun to fall back to. Victor stood right in the middle of the street with his pistol unloading clip after clip into the oncoming enemy troops and rallying his men. Finally he ran out of ammo and drew his sword to wade into the enemy troops.

         Dart advanced towards the thickest fighting on a street where it was reported Victor was rallying his troops and slaughtering their forces. He charged in and began slicing up Imperial soldiers until he came face to face with Victor. They fought for some time wordless until the Empire finally began to slowly give ground. The situation didn’t change very much however until a miracle happened. The sun broke through the cloak of darkness over the city. Horrified Imperial soldiers threw down their weapons and ran in stark terror. Victor was furious and continued fighting until Rose brought even more help forward, at that point he let out an inhuman shriek and fell back to repair his broken forces. The Republic’s victorious forces cheered and advanced back towards the center of the city until stalemate set in once again.

         Rose looked at a map in the Republic’s HQ in Volgograd. “Well after that last blow we dealt Victor, he isn’t strong enough to hit us nor we him in the city. However we are getting reinforcements from all over the Republic while his troops are nearly at their end. So I suggest we build up our forces here, and here.” she said as she pointed at the map. “Then move them here and here.” she made two slashing motions. Everyone’s eyes opened in shock. “Are you sure we can manage that?” Dart asked. Rose shook her head. “Well let’s try it then.” Dart said as they went to their stations.
         
         Victor Voktor sat in his HQ outside the city. He was forced to move it there when the Republic got too close to the railroad station again. Then as he was looking at a situation map after another sleepless night his aide Capt. Christopher barged in. “Christopher what are you doing so early in the morning?” he asked agitated. “Sir! The Republic has broken our lines north and south of the city!” he shouted horror on his face. “My God!” Victor said astounded. “Order all units to pull out, we’ll be surrounded!” Victor didn’t like being the one with no control of the situation, now he would have to scramble to save his army.
                                                 Chapter 9

         Rose stood on a tank somewhere west of Volgograd. She was leading the southern pincer, Dart the northern one. When they linked up it would mean the end of the Empire in this region. It was late November and hard to see more than a few hundred feet in the snow but something was in the distance. Imperial soldiers! “All units attack!” she ordered. “They must not be allowed to escape!”

         Victor Voktor and his column were moving away from Volgograd when all the sudden they were fired upon. They began to fight and move at the same time when all of the sudden they were fired on from the North as well. This is the linkup! Victor thought. Then as he looked back and forth he saw Dart and Rose one on each side. He was furious but for the sake of his army, he couldn’t stop them. They fought for some time then pressed forward to escape the trap.

         Rose and Dart hugged along with the thousands of other overjoyed Republic soldiers in the area. They had done it. The Empire’s position in Russia and Europe as a whole, was crippled.
               
                Victor Voktor looked around with, for the first time in a long time, sympathy in his eyes. The Imperial soldiers around him were freezing, hungry, and running out of ammunition. The Empire sill clung to a small part of the city as well as a large open area with an airfield outside of it. He had flown in to get a look at the situation one final time. He had tried three times to break through to his men but the Republic was just too strong and it was just too cold. "I have come before you today," he began, "to apologize. It is because of my blindness that you are now where you are." His men immediately began to protest and tell him that it wasn't his fault. He merely shook his head and said, "Regardless, my words can do little to help you. I have come to wish you the best of luck for being the finest soldiers I have ever seen. We will avenge you." he finished, his voice regaining some measure of its old confidence. The soldiers saluted him one final time as he boarded the last plane on the airfield bound for Imperial territory.

              Two weeks later in December, the units of the trapped army still in Volgograd surrendered. Most of the 16th Armored Division had been destroyed and along with it over twenty infantry divisions fell. Nearly half a million Imperial soldiers along with most of their weapons were lost dead or captured. It was the single largest defeat the Empire had suffered in the whole war so far.

                                                 Chapter 10

         Victor Voktor had escaped the trap however he still had a lot to do. What was left of his Volgograd army had fallen back to Rostov and they had to hold it until his armies in the Caucasus scrambled out of a trap as well. If Rostov fell they would be lost as well and the situation irretrievably lost for the Empire in Europe.

         Alvin Smithers and his unit raced north out of southern Russia, they had to get to Rostov before it fell and they were cut off. There it was! They were nearly at the city when they were attacked by Republic forces. The Republic's army quickly positioned itself between them and the city. At first it seemed as though they wouldn’t make it in but soon more soldiers came up and the troops in the city broke out towards them. The enemy at that point was badly battered and began to withdraw. A cheer broke out as the exhausted Imperial soldiers were able to link up and pull out back towards where they had started at the beginning of the year.

         Dart and Rose looked across the Dnieper River in the Ukraine where they were finally forced to halt their advance. “Well we’ve accomplished a lot this year.” Dart said. “Yeah, but we have a lot more to do until the world is free of the Empire.” Rose said. Dart grunted in agreement and continued, “And I’m sure the War Lords won’t stay quiet next year either.” he said. “Unfortunately, you're probably right.” She agreed. They looked out not knowing how right they would be.