Chapter 5 The other side of war
Chapter 4: The other side of war
Beyersdorf is now in hospital for the third time – wounded in the arm. Soon there will be no more men left. The 5th has lost its seventh commander! All hell’s been let loose in the city. We face each other at 20 meters… Our men often hit the Russians on the head with spades. Yesterday, a soldier pulled at one end of a machine-gun, a Russian at the other. A hand grenade finished it off…”
Oberleutnant Hans Joachim Martius, Sturmschwardron 24
As Frank and Manfred got back, Klaus helped them in. “For that you get the EK 1!”
Frank didn’t listen. “Who opened fire? WHO OPENED FIRE?!” He asked enraged.
“Me.” The young soldier raised his hand and explained why.
“…The Russians wanted to attack us, I saw that. There I fired.”
Frank grabbed him by the shirt collar and pulled him close. “Do you know what you just did?! You’re endangered the live of a child! I will bring you before court-martial!”
“Do that and I tell what you gave done!”
“Speaking of Ruby, where is she?” Lars wondered.
“I-I think she was still outside when you opened fire.” Kevin realized what happened.
Frank’s eyes went small, lighting through his pupils and he collapsed. “RUBY! NO!” he broke out in tears.
Klaus smiled at the young soldier. “We do not need a court-martial. We send the sow just one floor up ... even get listed in the newspaper, in proud mourning.” He spat the young man into the face and slapped him. “I hope you’re happy with ending a child’s life!”
Frank had cried himself to sleep.
He woke up the next morning by an explosion. “Secure the entrances!” Nick ordered.
Klaus used the Radio. “Connection interrupted, Hauptmann!”
Frank, Manfred, Kevin, Lars! Get down there and go for help!”
“Yes, sir!” They went down, unware that Ruby had survived.
I am so sorry mama… Ruby thought as she was getting cold.
She remained in a void of Darkness. Out of nowhere, she felt something warm.
With a groan, she slowly opened her eyes. Getting up was painful but getting up slowly was possible.
Looking around, she was in a building she didn’t knew. Her chest was bandaged.
She was on a bed. The door was closed but voices were on the other side.
“Poor child. I’m glad we could safe her, brother.” It sounded like Russian and it was a female voice.
“Yeah, me too. We should check on her if she’s awake.” The other voice was male.
The door opened, a man and a woman stepped in. They both wore khaki colored uniforms, the man an olive green helmet, the woman a hat. She had brown hair and blue eyes, the man had the same hair and eyes as Frank.
Even if they’re had saved her, the young unicorn felt fear. “Please don’t hurt me.”
The woman knelled down. “Shh, calm down sweetheart, we won’t hurt you.” She reached for her pocket and took an apple out. “Here.”
“Thank you.” Ruby took a bite, Juice on her lips.
“Now my dear, what does a cutie filly like you here?” the man asked curious
She took a deep breath. “It’s a long story.”
She told them who she was, where she came from, how Frank found her and such. The Russians had sympathy for her.
“You poor child.” the woman gave her a hug. “Don’t worry, you will be safe with us. My name is Tanya and this is my brother Yuri.”
“Why did you save me?”
“Well, we’re both pacifists by nature and my sister used to be a mother. She just couldn’t let you die out here after she saw you and heard how you called out for your mother.” Yuri explained.
“Used to be?”
“Da. My daughter got killed by the Germans.” She sounded sad. “But they will pay!” she exclaimed angry.
“K-killed? Frank would never kill a child or civilian!” Ruby replied disgusted.
“She wasn’t killed by Wehrmacht soldiers but by Waffen-SS soldiers. They’re known for brutality and fanaticism. Cold and merciless.”
“T-then I hope we don’t run into them.” Ruby didn’t want to imagine what they would do to her.
“Don’t worry, we won’t. Now let’s meet up with the others.” Yuri picked his rifle up. Tanya had the same rifle but with a scope.
Ruby could tell that they used bolt-action rifles. “What rifles do you use?”
“We both use the standard issue rifle of the Red army, the Mosin-Nagant. Bolt-action 5 round magazine. Like the German K98, it is loaded via clips.
As sidearm, we both use the standard issue sidearm, the Tokarev TT-33. Magazine of 8 rounds. Nearly identical to the German P38.” Yuri explained.
Outside, a Commissar gave Order 227 out. “There is no retreat! Not one step back! By order 227, anyone who retreats will be shot on the spot! Executed as a coward and a traitor!”
“Perhaps the enemy should have save their bullets and just let us shoot each other. But really, comrades, there is no other option. The only way we’re going to survive this day is to advance.” Yuri’s and his sister’s Captain was a caring and easy going man.
“Who are you?” He asked with a smile, kneeling down to Ruby.
“Ruby, sir.”
“That may sound crazy.” Yuri told him everything after taking a deep breath.
“Your poor child. Don’t you worry, I will guarantee your safety.” He patted her.
“Comrade Captain, what is this?” The Commissar asked in a strictly tone.
Ruby hid behind Yuri’s back out of fear.
“A lost child we found. I think we had too much vodka as she looks like a unicorn.” The Captain joked nervously.
“I’m too aggravated for this! As long as she can fight, I don’t care if she’s a unicorn or whatever!” He shouted.
“We understand Comrade Captain. We are with you to the end and keep her safe!” a soldier smiled at Ruby.
She overheard a conversation between two other soldiers.
"Heh! The She-Bear herself is coming down from the fold ? Those Fascists will be quaking in their boots! There's a reason the Premier favours her. One thing for certain, she loves her job.
"Kallistrovich?! Don't tell me the Premier's sent that maniac in again?! I saw what she did at Krasnodar! By the time she's done, you're lucky if there's rock and steel still standing!"
She couldn't ask who Kallistrovich was, as the Commissar blew his whistle, the soldiers advanced. But to their bad luck, the Germans and fortified their positions well.
The conscripts got mowed down in seconds. The second wave attacked.
“You are soldiers of the Soviet Union; Not. One. Step. Back.” The Commissar commanded.
Also, all German troops were Waffen SS, making this battle bloody. The second wave got pinned down. “Retreat! Fall Back! Fall Back!” One Russian shouted and they retreated.
“By orders of Comrade Stalin… All who retreat are traitors to the motherland! Turn back and fight damn you!” The Commissar shouted.
No…He wouldn’t… Ruby thought, afraid what the Commissar would do.
“FIRE!” He ordered and Yuri, Tanya and the other soldiers fired at their comrades with closed eyes.
“They were warned… Now… ATTACK!” the Commissar ordered and Yuri vaulted over sandbags as part of the next wave, covered by her sister.
Ruby was shocked. “W-why did they kill their own comrades?”
“That’s order 227. Fight and die on the front, or die by the Commissar and your buddies.” The captain patted her to calm the filly down.
The Waffen-SS showed heavy resistance but the Conscripts supported by Shock troops broke through.
The Germans retreated. “Commander, we’ve found a German Command post but no sign of the enemy.” Yuri reported.
“Good. Yuri, Dimitri and Chernov, you come with me.” The Captain ordered as the Commissar spoke with Tanya.
“We got reports that a high-ranking General is in the area. You have the honor to take him out.”
“Da, Comrade Commissar. See you, brother, Stay safe and keep her alive.”
“Of course.”
“What about me?” Ruby asked.
“I think it is best if you stay with us. We move our HQ forward.”
“Okay.” The young child couldn’t complain, she felt safe with Yuri and his commander.
They all moved into the Command post. There were dead Germans everywhere.
“Gather it all up men.” The Captain looked at a piece of paper.
Suddenly, he looked up in shock as a Tiger Tank was moving up. “Out! Everyone out now!” He shouted as the Tiger fired. The explosion blasted Ruby away, she landed with a cry of pain on her back, smoke and dust blocked her view.
Ruby coughed from the dusk but was unharmed. Yuri was unharmed too, but Dimitri and Chernov were dead.
“Ruby, are you hurt?”
“No, I’m fine.” They got up, the Captain was trapped under debris.
“Comrade Captain! Hold still, we’ll get you free!” Yuri knelt down to him.
“No…leave me, Yuri.”
“But…” Ruby couldn’t finish.
“I’m pinned, and Fritz will be here any minute, go on, that’s an order.”
They got back to the HQ as fast as they could.
“We have to go back for the Captain. The Germans don’t even know he’s here!” Yuri said to an Engineer.
“Are you certain, Yuri? The Commissar will not permit a rescue attempt.”
“They haven’t seen him; I’m certain! We must free the Captain! I won’t let him to die!” Ruby exclaimed. “He cares for you and you should care for him!”
“As you say, Ruby. We go free the Captain.” The Engineer agreed and they moved out.
However, German troops were moving in.
While the Engineers worked on freeing the Captain, the Shock troops and Conscripts kept the SS troops off them. While Ruby stayed in cover, she heard how fanatical they were.
“Germany above all! For the Führer!” They screamed but got defeated.
“Comrade Captain?” Yuri asked as kneeled down to him.
He turned his head. “Yuri? I ordered you back to base.”
“Yes, sir. But you did not order me to stay there. I brought help.”
“The Commissar let you do this?”
“The Commissar was busy, Comrade Captain. We exercised initiative. Now, let’s get this building off you.”
Even Ruby got small debris off him with her magic.
Yuri and another soldier assisted the Captain back to the HQ.
“Where have you been, private?” The Commissar asked in his strictly tone.
“Preventing the capture of a valiant Soviet officer, Comrade Commissar!”
The Commissar raised his revolver and shot Yuri in the head. Ruby looked shocked and horrified at the body.
“That is no excuse for deserting your post. I want the rest of these soldiers executed in the morning, in front of the battalion.” The Commissar ordered.
The Captain became angry.
“You should remain quiet, Comrade Captain, this had nothing to do with you. Or did it? If Kallistrovich had got here any earlier, you'd be in this fool's place...and in far more pain. I believe this Captain is becoming a bad influence. Put him to the next train to Moscow.”
“And the child?” a soldier asked.
“Her too. She shouldn’t be here.”
They got on a truck. Then he drove.
“I can’t believe he’s dead. She sobbed as the Captain wrapped his arm around her.
“Sadly my dear, so it is in war.”
"May I ask who Kallistrovich is? I overheard two soldiers talking about her."
"It's best you don't know."
She rested her head on his soldiers. He smiled and so did the other soldiers on the truck.
“Russians! Communists!” A SS-soldier yelled and a Panzer IV fired at the truck.
Ruby was thrown out of the truck by the explosion and landed in a fountain. She tried to get up but her vision went black.
Sometime later, her vision comes and goes. The filly was surrounded by dead and dying Red Army soldiers.
A Panzer IV with Waffen-SS soldiers sitting on top of it drove past. Unlike the Wehrmacht soldiers, who wore grey-green uniforms, they wore green camo uniforms and helmets, but used also MP40s and K98s.
They executed the wounded Russians. A soldier with a MP40 stood on a ledge and shot a dying soldier beside her. Another dying soldier beside her tried in panic to crawl away but got also shot. W-why are they k-killing them? They can’t fight back, they wounded! Why are they doing this? She was confused yet horrified.
After they leaved, Ruby let out a breath of relief that they hadn’t noticed her. I-I need to get out of here! She thought scared and crawled forward.
One of the bodies moved. It was Tanya. “Shhh…stay with me and quiet when you want to survive this massacre. How did you end up here?” She asked worried.
“After the battle, I got with your commander on a truck to a safer place but it was destroyed by that thing on tracks. Y-your brother…he’s dead!” She cried but the woman covered her mouth.
“Shh, or this fountain will be our grave. We can mourn him later, Ruby.” She said with sorrow but gave her a smile. “You will return safe and sound to Frank, promise.”
They crawled towards an opening in the fountain. Many SS-soldiers patrolled outside, a car with a General in a black uniform stopped next to them.
“The man in the car is General Heinrich Amsel architect of Stalingrad's misery. He is responsible for the cold blooded murder of men, women and children... Not just here, but throughout the motherland. He also killed my daughter. For days we have hunted him. For days luck alone has saved his life. But now, I have the honor to end his life and put a stop to the cold blooded murder.” The General walked with a soldier inside a house.
Tanya loaded her rifle and waited until bombers were directly overhead. Then she fired as the sound of their engines drowned out her shot.
“Let’s get a little bit closer.”
They leaved the squared and used the car as cover. An armored patrol slowly made its way towards the two, unaware of their existence.
“Damn! Armored patrol... We must find another route. Stay low, and follow me. This way, before they discover their dead.”
Ruby followed her into a bar. She looked around as Tanya smiled. “This place once echoed with conversations of friends and lovers. No longer. But one day things will change and the SS will pay for their crimes.”
They moved to the backdoor of the bar. “General Amsel is a creature of habit.”
They moved outside. “He inspects each German garrison every day.”
A sniper shot almost hit Ruby as a small object flew by, a hiss next to her ears. “Sniper! Get inside now!” Tanya clenched her protectively as she jumped through a window to avoid that the foal gets hurt by splinters.
“We'll have to flush him out before we can move on. Follow me.” She sat the filly down. Upstairs, Ruby stayed in cover.
“The shot came from across the river! There... The building with the banners! Now the game is cat and mouse. He knows exactly where we are.” She spotted a glint from the second floor.
The SS-Sniper prepared to fire but the Russian had the faster trigger finger and putted a bullet right through his scope.
“The patrols will surely have heard those shots. We need to get moving.” Ruby nodded, trembling lightly.
She followed Tanya through a door and down a set of stairs. A Waffen-SS patrol was outside. “Shhhh... German patrol. Let them pass...” The sniper hid behind a grandfather clock.
Ruby held her breath as the grandfather clock chimes, and a soldier walked over to a window of the building they were in to inspect the sound.
“They have found us! We need to leave now! Hit the floor!!!” Tanya dived to the ground as Flamethrowers burst through the windows, Ruby did the same and crawled after her, scared.
“They are trying to burn us out! Stay low, try not to breathe!”
A book case fell and almost crushed the filly had it not landed on a table. They got up.
“They are surrounding the building! We must hurry! Move! Upstairs! Quickly! Before we are burned alive!” Tanya shouted.
A flaming beam broke apart upstairs and landed on top of Ruby. She tried to lift it up but burned her right fore hoof and cried in pain.
Tanya removed it and helped her up. “I need you alive. We need to find a way out!”
As they moved on, Heavy machine gun fire tore through the wall.
“Armored car outside! Keep moving before it tears us apart!”
They came to a giant hole in a wall of the building. “Jump!... GO!”
Ruby jumped out, she was dazed from the landing, Tanya was blasted out of the hole by an explosion.
2 Waffen-SS came down the streets. Tanya reached for her rifle but one soldier kicked it out of her hand.
“Bring on the flamethrower, burn these Russian pigs!” one soldier pointed at them as a third one with a flamethrower joined them.
As the flamethrower came closer, he fired a few jet of flames into the air to show its effectiveness in a deadly and intimidating way. Ruby was still dazed, all she could do was closing her eyes, waiting for the new level of pain.
Instead of fire or pain, the young pony heard loud, quick shots and the sound of bodies hitting the ground.
A squad of Shock Troops came to their aid.
“Ruby? We thought you were among the dead in the massacre at the square!” The squad leader was relieved to see her.
“She was. Among them, but not one of them.” Tanya took a bandage out of her pocket and took care of Ruby’s hoof.
“We're about to assault the communication post north of here…”
“Good. Such a move will prevent the German command calling for help. I will provide cover from above.”
She helped Ruby the ladder up. “Stay in cover while I take care of this.”
“Uh-huh.”
The woman waited until a flamethrower was close to a squad of Germans, then fired at the fuel tank. The explosion incinerated anyone standing nearby.
The Shock Troops advanced.
“They are retreating! Forward!!! Ura!!!” The squad leader shouted.
Ruby moved up with Tanya. As she got into position, a Tiger Tank appeared, firing his turret gun and MGs at the Soviet soldiers. As they had no weapons against it, they got slaughtered by the tank, Ruby watched in horror. “There must be something we can do for them!”
“There is nothing we can do for them.” Tanya patted Ruby. Suddenly the turret of the Tiger Tank raised and pointed in their direction. “Ruby, get out!” Tanya pushed her as the Tiger fired.
The explosion was so massive that the filly was thrown out, landing hard on her chest, coughing from the smoke and dust. Her vision was blurry but she had survived. Ruby checked the Russian. The foal was relieved that Tanya was just knocked out. Just then, she heard the sounds of boots and weapons being cocked.
A Squad of SS-Soldiers arrived. As they surrounded the knocked out woman and Child, Ruby begged for her life “I surrender! I surrender! Please, please! Show mercy!” as she remembered the fountain. Seeing that the soldiers were still pointing their weapons at her, she said quietly, “I’m sorry, mommy…” as her life flashed before her eyes.
The soldiers looked confused at each other before one of them knocked her out with the butt of his rifle.
She awoke with a headache, blood running down her nose. She tried to move but was restrained, Tanya, still knocked out, was beside her. They were in a building.
Then she heard yelling in German, beating and a Russian screaming and moaning in pain. It repeated in this pattern for a long time.
Ruby was shivering, huddling in the corner. Please…mommy…help! She missed her home, wished that her mother was here comforting her, saying everything would be okay, like she always did when Ruby got hurt.
“I can’t bear this any longer! When do they stop?” A Russian voice asked from outside.
Ruby was restrained but still could peek out the window. The Russian voice belonged to a man wearing the same hat as Tanya but a uniform in the same color as the Wehrmacht. Next to him were 4 more soldiers with the same uniform, all armed with K98 rifles.
A Waffen-SS soldier with a MP40 replied to him, “When you hear a gunshot. They tell prisoners that they will not be harmed. It’s a lie. They take only prisoners to extract information. They extract it painfully and slowly. Once they have what they want, they will grant their victims mercy with a bullet to the back of the head. I have seen it.”
Oh my…NO! Ruby trembled harder.
She startled by a gunshot. “Bring the next prisoner!”
“Yes, General.”
As the door opened and a soldier looked at her, she begged, “P-please don’t hurt me! I don’t know anything!”
The soldier showed no signs of emotions as he dragged the crying and scared foal into the room.
The General looked at her, incapable of basic emotions. “Is this...the other prisoner?”
“Yes, general, she can speak.”
“Please don’t kill me!” Ruby pleaded more scared than ever before in her life.
“She’s no use to us. Get rid of her and the woman.”
“Yes, Sir!” the man dragged her out of the building to the other SS-soldier and the other men. Another SS-member dragged Tanya out as she came to.
“The General wants that you take care of them.”
The Squad leader sighed. “Osttruppen will carry out orders.” The SS-soldier that replied to him earlier came with them.
After leading them both to a wall and where alone, Tanya pleaded, “Spare her, she’s still a child!”
Surprising to them both, the soldier and the Osttruppen did nothing.
“We’re not as cold and brutal as they are. They forced us to fight us for them. You free to go.” The Waffen-SS soldier untied them, while the squad leader opened an entrance to the sewer.
“Good luck.”
“Thank you.” Ruby was relieved.
In the sewer, Tanya carried her.
Frank got separated from his comrades and walked aimlessly through the Sewer. He was disgusted by the bodies.
He leaned against the wall as he heard a Russian voice.
As it came closer, he leaved his cover. “Freeze!” a woman and a child covered their eyes from his flashlight. He couldn’t believe his eyes.
“Ruby? I thought you died!”
“Frank!” She hugged him tightly. The woman smiled warmly.
“I couldn’t live with myself letting her die.”
“Thank you! Can you lead us out of this place?”
“Da, but in return you let me alive.”
“Of course. Lead the way.” At first, Frank didn’t trust her, but Ruby changed that after she told him how she saved her and that she promised to get her back to him.
While walking through the sewer, Frank noticed something. “Wait, how are you able to speak German and Russian? I learned it from Nick.”
“I never understood how it works, but the magic allows me passively to speak your and Tanya’s language and to understand it.” She explained blushing.
After a while, they came to an exit. “We must now go separate ways. Keep her safe.” Tanya said goodbye.
“Of course.”
After she left, Frank heard footsteps.
He turned around the corner. “Frank!” It was Lars and Manfred. They were relieved and also glad to see that Ruby was alive.
“Where’s Kevin?” Frank asked as there was a loud explosion, followed by screaming.
They followed it until they came to another exit. It was Kevin, his left leg was blown off from an explosive trap. Frank covered Ruby’s eyes. “Don’t look.”
“My leg!!!” Kevin screamed in pain, as Lars and Manfred took care if his wound as good as they could.
After that, they made it to a crowded aid station.
“Medic!” Lars yelled.
“What is this, a pigsty? Why won’t anyone treat these wounded?” Manfred couldn’t believe his eyes.
“I don’t know, those Russians broke through somewhere! I believe at the damn Romanians!” a wounded soldier said.
The thought that the flanks were guarded by Romanians and Italians filled Frank and his friends with unease. Now it was clear that the Romanians and Italians were no match for the Russians.
Ruby had to vomit at the sight of the many wounded. “Sorry.”
“Don’t worry Kevin, you gonna be alright.” Lars tried to calm him but he didn’t respond. The rifleman checked his comrade. Kevin’s eyes were wide open, his body was limp, Lar’s hand covered in blood.
“He’s dead.”
“This is just unreal. All in vain.” Manfred couldn’t believe it.
The filly started to cry. Frank rocked her. “Shh…it’s alright.” She cried herself to sleep.
“She has more seen then she should.” Lars looked sad at her.
“Yeah, I bring her to the beds.”
At the HQ, all soldiers were glad that Ruby was okay and smiled at the cute sight that she was asleep. “Sweet dreams.” Frank said as he gently putted her into the bed.
Nick had somehow managed to get some colored pencils and paper who he putted on the table beside the bed.
The HQ got reinforced by Osttruppen.
“Kevin…he was such a good friend.” Lars muttered.
“At least he’s in a better place now and not in this hell.” Frank comforted him.
“Yeah.” Klaus sniffed.
“Men, listen up. We got reports that the Russians are planning another attack. We don’t know when but be prepared for everything.” Nick sounded worried.
“What’s wrong?” Lars asked.
“I will not lie to you, men. The thing is not going well. Supplies are scarce.”
“No problem, sir. We will teach them a lesson they will never forget!” Klaus exclaimed.
“I know you won’t fail me.”
It was getting dark, so Frank looked after Ruby. His heart melted.
She was asleep with a drawn picture in her hooves.
On it were Berry and Colgate. Berry’s eyes, Mane and coat were Violette, her Cutie Mark were a punch of grapes and a strawberry. Under her was the word “Mother.”
Colgate had blue eyes, a blue and grey mane and a Light blue coat. Her Cutie Mark was an hourglass.
She had the word “Sister.” Above them were the words “I miss you.”
Frank wiped a tear out of his eye and putted the picture in his pocket.
This night he had the night guard with Manfred.
“I hope this ends well for us. I don’t want to end In a Russian Prison camp.”
“Relax Manfred, I’m sure General Paulus will find a way. It’s getting colder. We should find some winter clothes for Ruby. You know how cold the last winter was.”
“Yeah, good that I am a shoemaker. I can make some winter shoes for her in no time.”
“An idea for the…” They were interrupted by shell impacts and a screech.
“Katyushas!” Manfred exclaimed.
“Attack!” Frank rushed to Ruby as the soldiers get their weapons.
“To arms! Move! Move! Move! Faster! Move! Move! Move!”
Ruby had woken up by the sounds and had buried herself into the blanket.
“Are we under attack?” she asked scared.
“Yes, I get you to the bunker!” He gently picked her up as he pressed her head against his chest.
A few meters before they reached the bunker, Frank dived to the ground as rockets hit the ground with great explosions.
“Damn, they are firing too short!” an Osttruppen soldier yelled.
“These are not ours you idiot!” Frank shouted back.
He stayed down as more explosions hit the ground. Ruby trembled sharply.
“I can’t take it anymore…” she wimped in fear and sobbed, tears dripping from her eyes.
“URA!” echoed in the distance.
All Germans knew, this battle would be bloody.
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Where do I start reading this story?
8293982
The First chapter, where else?
Tiger 1 my favorite tank too
8303426
The more you know. I hope you enjoy the story.
*Clutches head* "GAH! THE CALL OF DUTY FLASHBACKS!"
Tanya = Reznov. I love it!
8460282
A refrence, yes. Tanya takes the role of Reznov, yes, but isn't brutal as he is towards the Wehrmacht soldiers.