Red Winter

by Bronycommander

Chapter 5 Standards

Chapter 5: Standards

Trembling.

Lily, Dinky, Katja and Blau Streifen could only tremble at what they had seen, hearing how the Soviets were singing their Colonel’s name as they got led back to the cells.

“I…I can’t believe she did that…” Dinky whimpered.

“Yeah…I can’t imagine how painful it must have been…”Katja replied with a scared expression and her brother hugged her, she did too.

“I…I don’t wanna die like that…” Lily sobbed, “W-what if we are next?” She feared before Casp wrapped them all in a tight hug.

“Shh, calm down. She won’t do that to you, you have nothing done wrong. As far as I know. Those SS prisoners did terrible things I cannot imagine to describe. And I heard she only did such things to those who she thinks deserved it, but no Wehrmacht soldier has suffered familiar so far.”

It made some sense and they tried to take deep breaths before they saw Lemkin bringing lunch. Instead of water, there were cups of hot chocolate and apples next to the bread; his expression was one of guilt.

“I am so sorry you had to see that, children. I can’t imagine what pain she went through when the SS reached her home but I think returning what the SS did to her but I think it’s her way of dealing with her pain.” He sighed.

“And still, she’s caring for those under her command. And since the first day I saw her…” Her mumble before catching himself and the eyes of the kids went wide in surprise.

“You...love her?” Lily asked, blinking and the man lowered his head, red like a tomato.

“I admit...it's difficult. I can’t really tell why, maybe it’s her caring for her troops or her appearance, maybe even her voice…”

“If you want advice, I had a girlfriend,” Casp spoke up, a slightly puzzled expression. “I have met her in school, so I can’t speak for your Colonel but I suggest do the best you can whenever you can and try to confess in a calm moment.”

I er...I think the Colonel's a bit different. I can't exactly send her flowers, can I? I mean, even if this was the season for them. I don't want to imagine what she'd do. But thanks anyway.” Lemkin replied uncertainly.

Despite being surprised, the kids smiled. “Good luck!”

“Thank you.”

As he walked away, they saw Tartikoff walking towards them, a neutral expression. “You've never seen Premier Stalin before have you?” They shook their heads.

“Funny man with a big moustache, eh? Heh...Premier Stalin alters your view of humanity. There are folk in the West, they all think they're clever in the West, who are saying Hitler and Stalin are men with no differences. Ha! Shows what they know. Once, when we took a German bunker, we found a projector with a few rolls of film showing his speeches. Funniest thing I ever saw, seeing him rank and shriek, waving his hands like he was having a damn seizure. I suppose you can't be a Fascist dictator unless you look like you're swatting away flies all the time.” He chuckled.

“Stalin's different. He doesn't need fancy speeches or frantic gestures to be seen or heard. He's not a very big man in himself but he somehow appears a giant in the crowd. And he's cold. Cold as the Russian winter and bites twice as hard. Hitler needs his armies swinging their legs in the air through the streets to show he has control. Stalin, he doesn't need to show anything. He doesn't need any proof that his power is absolute. Nothing escapes his gaze. Everywhere in Russia, everywhere there are Russians, his eyes, ears and hands are there. He says a man's name and that man's never seen again, none of those poor bastards ever escape him.” Tartikoff started to smile.

“Nothing seems to sway him. Nothing gets in his way. He'll survive this war, that's certain. Even if the Nazis take Moscow, they'll never be able to kill that man. Immovable, impenetrable, he earns his name well.”

Man of Steel indeed.” With a small laugh, the officer walked away.

None of them said a word, processing what they just had been told. “It is true?” Dinky asked the German soldier, who nodded.

“Yes. He had everyone killed that stood in his way to become leader of the Soviet Union, talented officers among those people as far as I have heard. But this weakened the Red Army, so at the start of the Winter War in November 1939, they had poor leadership and logistics and this made our early successes possible. I think the She Bear will save his head.”

Then he chuckled. “Ironically, he and Hitler made a nonaggression pact before the war and you see how that went.”

“I can imagine,” Dinky replied.

As it became evening, Lemkin brought them soup for dinner and as he had promised, larger blankets, making it more comfortable to sleep.

The following day was quiet, they passed the time by playing cards until it was afternoon as the Lieutenant paid them a visit again. “It’s not as cold as it was in the last days. Want to catch some fresh air?” He offered with a smile. “Don’t worry, I got permission for this.”

They looked at each other, then nodded. “Why not? Better than to be stuck in here all day.” Casp commented.

The group got led to the courtyard, seeing how the woman and her superior trained soldiers, with the man explaining to the recruits.

“Welcome to basic training comrades! If you wish to survive, you'll do exactly as I say. Now - walk over to that table and pick up those weapons.” He pointed to a weapon with pistols and Bolt-Action rifles, the recruits did as told. “Ready comrades? Shoot those targets. Imagine that they are the enemy!” He pointed at the targets, being at close range.

The recruits fired their pistols at it, having no trouble to hit it.

“Pistols and submachine guns might be good for short range, comrade, but for long range targets, our rifle is better.” Tartikoff explained and pointed at the targets that were further away.

Switching to their rifles, the recruits also hit them without trouble.

“Good comrades. Now come over here and bash this mannequin with your rifle.” The officer now pointed to a mannequin that was wearing a German officer uniform.

Once a soldier bashed it and it fell over, it was picked up by Lemkin, so the others could bash it as well until every recruit had done it.

“That's enough, comrades. Come over here and pick up a grenade.” Kallistrovich’s commander ordered ad the soldiers walked over. The kids and Casp became surprised to see that potatoes were inside of it.

“These are potatoes, comrade commander - why are we using potatoes instead of real grenades?” One of the recruits asked confused.

“Because real grenades are valuable! In fact, they are worth a lot more than you are!” Tartikoff yelled, pointing at the recruit, who nodded, slightly scared by his yelling.

“Oh, of course, comrade Commander. M-my mistake.”

“Now throw a potato into each of those marked target areas.” The officer pointed to two windows of a half-collapsed hut and a bathtub on the ground, commenting their throws. “Good throw! Not bad, not bad...”

Suddenly, Blau had to giggle and he looked at the colt stern. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing, I had just to imagine the reactions of the enemy, if you throw potatoes at him.” Blau explained calm, his sister and friends had to giggle too at the thought, Lemkin did as well, Tartikoff grinned slightly. The Colonel rolled her eyes but they noticed a weak grin, as if she got the joke too.

Then an engine sound greeted them and they turned into its direction, seeing a staff car driving towards the camp and Kallistrovich made a sign to Lemkin.

He walked over to Casp. “Sorry, you have to go back.”

They nodded, understanding that the high ranking officer shouldn’t see them. Once back in the cell, Lemkin joined his fellow officers.

“I wonder who it could be,” Lily mumbled as they looked out of the window.

Out stepped a formidable figure; A rugged, cleft-chinned, pale-eyed powerhouse of a Russian. His chest was massive, looking ready to break the buttons on his jacket, and his arms looked thick as telegraph poles. His hair was close-cropped, almost clean-shaven, while his thick eyebrows were furrowed in examination. His face was flat and lacked much emotion but the way the man carried himself told stories of war with every step.

He approached the Colonel with open arms and to everyone's surprise, Kallistrovich ran up and hugged him as if she was a little girl hugging her favorite uncle.

The man laughed, patting Kallistrovich on the back. “Little Katya! You sweet old bundle of mayhem! I haven't seen you since you were this high!” He held his hand flat against his bicep.

Katyusha chuckled. “Just tall enough to look at your medals. You've got a few more since then.”

As she said this, the four friends and soldier heard a jingling sound from the guest, no doubt coming from the impressive collection of medals decorating his left bicep.

“So have you. Come, young miss, we've much to discuss. News from the front is growing steadily more promising.” The man replied with pride in his voice.

“Indeed. We held the Germans back so far.” She replied.

“I'm afraid it's getting worse at home however. Comrades Khrushchev, Molotov, Radanovich and my good self vouch for you but...there's word spreading around. Sad to say, Beria expresses concern for your...methods.” He told with worry in his voice but she growled.

“I doubt it's my methods that bloated dunghill is concerned by. More likely it's the things under my shirt!”

“Da, probably.” The man mumbled in response.

“He sent a commissar round just the other day,” Lemkin added, having a nervous expression.

“Without the Premier's leave? He'll have me to answer for that!” The visitor exclaimed.

“That...will be difficult to explain, sir. Beria is a man many of the Russian people admire.”

“'Admire' my butt!” Kallistrovich taunted.

“Can I?” Lemkin asked before paling as he realized what he's just said. Kallistrovich stared at him with an incredulous glare, the visitor apparently too. “I mean...I'll...just...go and check the patrols and prisoners.

“You do that...” She mumbled before walking out of view with the visiting officer.

“Who was that?” Dinky asked Casp and he thought for a moment.

“Georgy Zhukov I believe, one of the best commanders of the Red Army. It seems he’s Katyusha’s mentor.”

“And he taught her well,” Katja commented before Lemkin came back to them. “Hello again. Had you success?”

“Um...I don't want to talk about it. But if you don’t mind, could you tell me about Fletcher?” He sounded curious and the children smiled.

“He’s one of Princess Luna’s best soldiers. When I first landed on Earth, he was sent to get me back home. During our time together, we grew on each other and since then, he’s my uncle and I couldn’t be any happier with him.” Dinky told the Russian with glee.

“Sounds like he is a great soldier, just as Zhukov is. And I am sure he’ll find you here too” Lemkin replied with a smile of his own before they saw the Staff car driving away. “Well, I should try my luck now.” He added with confidence.

“I am afraid this won’t happen.” A new voice said and he turned around to see a man in an officer uniform. But Lemkin saw he wore a white long coat with red flecks and realized it was a political commissar.

“What is the meaning of this?” He asked the Commissar with distrust.

“I am here for those prisoners.” The Commissar pointed to the children. “I found out they gave the Germans information about us.” He explained, his expression stern.

The eyes of the children became wide in horror, trembling, with Casp taking a protective stance.

Lemkin stared for a moment, he had checked on them regularly, they would never do something like this. “Commissar, I swear to you, they’re of no threat. They haven’t told the Germans anything useful and they haven't told them anything useful. There is no point in killing them.” He tried to explain.

“I beg to differ, comrade. I have been watching them, they used every moment you weren’t there to pass information to the enemy. They were with this hostile the entire time, aiding in their cause to destroy us.” The political officer countered in a dark tone. “Capturing them was a mistake, you should have executed them on the spot.”

“W-what?” Lily stuttered. “We did not!”

“Silence!” He yelled, bashing in a threating manner against the door, making the filly shriek.

“And how far are you involved with this?” He asked Lemkin with suspicion. “Perhaps, you should leave interrogations to us from the NKVD. Or is the colonel really so weak?”

“No, sir, we did only the standard procedure, all as per orders. I haven’t told them anything.” Lemkin swore.

“The Union must send a message. For spying on the People's Army and their commanding officers, the Death Penalty. For aiding others in spying on the People's Army and their commanding officers, also the Death Penalty.” The Commissar countered, eyeing him with disgust.

Lemkin couldn’t believe it, this had to be a misunderstanding.

“Sorry, did I hear you correctly?” It wasn’t his voice.

The Commissar turned around, seeing the Colonel, together with a small squad. “What?”

“Are you saying Lieutenant Lemkin is guilty of aiding an enemy of the Union?” She asked stern

“Yes, yes I am.”

Kallistrovich gave a barely noticeable grin. “Heh...Lemkin? A traitor? Have you seen him? Lemkin's not guilty of anything except being a sentimental little idiot and we can't go around killing people for that.”

“I decide who, among your regiment, is guilty, not you.” The political officer stated, yet she was not impressed.

“...Am I to presume then...that you are overriding my command?”

“Yes, you stupid woman, I am overriding your command!” The Commissar yelled slightly aggressive.

Kallistrovich kept her grin. “Then we're going to have a problem.” She slowly stepped forward, hands behind her back.

“What are you doing?” The officer asked in surprise, drawing his revolver as she came closer. “No closer!

She just looked down the gun and smiled. “Oh, you silly trakh.” In response, the squad pointed its guns at the Commissar.

“Wh-wh-what are you doing?!” He asked in shock

“From the looks of it...They're overriding your command.” She countered grinning.

“You can't do this! I am a Commissar!” He yelled angered, but she stayed calm.

“A new Commissar. A new Commissar who went into the contested frontier, ahead of his colleagues, and chose to investigate areas he was not technically allotted to. A Commissar who is convinced that three small, talking, brightly-colored horses and a girl with unique hair is going to bring down the Union. A Commissar who has been spying on and threatening commanding officers of the Soviet Armed Forces deployed in our most crucial battlegrounds. And, very importantly, a Commissar who has just pointed his gun at a Rudimentary Colonel who Premier Stalin himself appointed in charge of this campaign.”

The Commissar paled, staring at Kallistrovich, then the gun, then all the guns trained on him.

“DROP THE TRAHK GUN!” She yelled berserk without any warning. The Commissar threw it down, terrified. “Good boy.” She praised, calm again. “Now here's how this is going to go. You're going to go back to your superiors and tell them all is well here at the frontier. If you lay a finger on me, Lemkin or the children, you aren't leaving this base until every man and woman here tears off a hunk of your useless flesh.”

“You...when I make my report at the Kremlin, they will hear of this outrage.” He tried to threaten her, still shaking.

Kallistrovich just rolled her eyes. “Oh yes, please feel free to go to the Kremlin and tell them about talking ponies and Premier Stalin being mistaken in his choice of officers. If he doesn't sling you in a camp then I'll make you wish he would.”

The man stayed silent.

“Get the trakh out of my base.” She ordered in a strict tone and he nodded, shaking.

“...Yes, Colonel.”

He walked away, trembling, Casp and the kids could only stare at what happened for what looked like hours.

“T-thank you…” Lily smiled weakly. “But…why?”

Katyusha opened the cell door. “Because it’s the right thing to do. And things have changed.” She explained as she made a sign to follow her.

While being still confused, they did with hesitation, wondering what was going on as they got led outside.

“Axis forces are getting close to Moskau and Zhukov needs my help and this camp is close to the capital. For your own safety, you will be brought to Moskau, I got some good contacts here that will take care of you until your friend arrives.” The Colonel explained to them.

”And what about me?” Casp asked confused.

“You will go with them, your caring honors you. Don’t worry, I have already arranged for your safety too.”

“None of this will be necessary.” Another voice said, and the Soviet squad trained its weapons at the source.

The kids and Casp turned around to see a unicorn stallion in white clothing, carrying a bow “I mean no harm.” The stallion claimed calmly and the woman made a sign for the squad to lower their weapons.

“You must be Fletcher Fray.” She said in a neutral tone and he nodded.

She then looked at the children. “This is where we part ways.”

They gave her a tight hug, smiling. “Thank you!”

For the first time, they saw her returned a friendly smile. “I am just doing my duty, what is right.”

“Wait…” Dinky said and turned to Casp. “What about you?” She sounded worried, yet he waved a hand,

“I’ll be fine.”

Still, the little unicorn turned to Fray with a pleading look in her eyes. “Can we at least get him to a safe place before we go?”

Her uncle gave her a smile. “I have no problem with that.”

“I had the idea that one of my best scouts brings you to Moskau. Yuri!” Katyusha called out.

“At your service, Colonel!” A Russian in winter uniform saluted, a scarf covering his lower face, only blue eyes were visible.

“Thank you, Colonel Kallistrovich.” Casp saluted her, she returned it before the group walked away, led by Yuri.

She, Lemkin and Tartikoff watched after the group until it was out of sight. “Your caring honors you, Colonel.” Tartikoff praised her.

“I know. Prepare the troops, I and Lemkin join you shortly.” She said and he saluted before moving out with the squad.

“Why the sudden change?” Lemkin asked dumbfounded after Tartikoff was out of hearing range.

His commanding officer looked at him and for the first time, her eyes showed uncertainty. “Why did I hesitate? Was I about to let children die?”

Lemkin took a deep breath. “It was the right thing to do, as you said yourself. And…I must admit…” He stuttered, starting to shake. “Since the first day I saw you…”

He couldn’t finish as she grabbed him by the collar and pulled him close, kissing him tightly on the lips, completely catching him off guard. “I know.” She replied, having an amorous glance. “And once this is over, I will tear the clothes off your body, throw you onto my bed and warm out the winter with you for the remainder of our posting.”

Lemkin was blushing furiously. “Uhh… duly noted. But we should focus on the task at hand and win this battle.”

“Da, Lieutenant.” She acknowledged having a determined expression.

---

The group got led by Yuri through the snowy landscape, coming towards a frozen river, many other refugees were crossing it.

“Is the ice thick enough?” Lily asked with concern.

“Don’t worry it is and that’s the shortest way,” Yuri assured her as they got on the ice, the civilians paid them no attention, it was slippery, but they managed to keep their balance, walking to the other side of the river.

It seemed like they would make it without any problems, the ice was holding indeed.

Suddenly, a loud roaring sound greeted their ears. “Air raid! Yuri yelled, “Run for it!”

They wasted no time, bullets missed them by inches and the kids felt how Fletcher and Casp pushed them onto the nearest shore as an explosion followed. “Are you okay?” Fletcher asked.

“We are fine,” Blau replied but his sister’s eyes went wide in shock.

“Yuri!” She yelled and pointed to the middle of the river. The others gasped as they saw that a bomb had created a hole in the ice, the soldier had fallen into the water, trying in panic to swim for his life, but he was doomed as it was too cold and drowned. Also, the hole separated them from the civilians, who had made it to an shore to their far right.

“No…What are we gonna do now?” Lily asked in disbelief.

“We try to find shelter or the nearest German base before we die of exposure,” Casp replied and they moved on.

The interpreter did slightly hiss in pain, noticing that he was bleeding from his left leg, probably a bullet, but he knew he had to get the kids to safety first and in this weather, it was too risky and difficult to treat it.

They walked through the snow for some time, their coats becoming heavier the more they walked, the cold crept through their clothes and bones.

“It’s c-cold!” Blau’s teeth clattered.

“What are you complaining about? You're the one with fur!” Katja remarked as she puffed into her hands, the wind was getting stronger.

“A Blizzard is coming.” Casp realized and used his coat to shield the siblings, Fray did the same with Lily and Dinky.

Within a minute, the blizzard was upon them, they could barely see anything staying together, shivering from the cold, knowing they hadn’t much time.

“I…I think there’s a cave up ahead.” Fletcher pointed to it, getting weaker as the nanomites were only able to keep harsh temperatures from damaging him for a short time.

Shivering, he reached the cave, Casp gave him and the kids a gentle shove.

The children huddled together to keep themselves warm, both soldiers tried to make a campfire, freezing.

Come on, Come on! Fray thought as he and the kids struggled to stay awake, barely feeling their bodies.

But he started to stutter, seeing out of the corner of his eyes that the children were not moving anymore.

Then, his body was shivering and he fell on his back, his vision blurry, slowly blacking out, not seeing Casp anywhere.

The last thing he heard was a faint voice.

“Your work isn’t finished, Green Knight!”

Comments

[RainbowThunder]

It stills interesting and great! I'm glad to read it!

[Bronycommander]

9702103
Glad to hear it!. Last chapter in Saturday

[RainbowThunder]

9702105
I wait it!