Russian Amerika: Chapter Fifty Eight

58 - Klahotsa, on the Yukon River

    "The Dena' Army has destroyed or captured two Russian tank groups, knocked down almost every Russian aircraft they've encountered, except for bombers, and more people are joining their side." Georg Hepner leaned on the counter separating the two men.

    "Where's the Russian Army?" Kurt Bachmann demanded. "The real Russian Army?"

    Hepner laughed. "I need something to drink, I've come a long way. Part of the army is massing on the Siberian side of Czar Nicholas Bridge, part is landing in St. Nicholas, and one wing of the Imperial Air Force and a tank battalion are staging out of Tetlin. The rest of the Russian military is beefing up their borders with other European and Asian countries."

    Bachmann sat a bottle of vodka and two glasses on the counter of his store and again sat on his stool. "So everything the Russians have in Alaska is around the edges of Dena' country, nothing here in the center?"

    Hepner filled his glass and drank half. "I haven't been everywhere, so I can't swear there aren't Russian elements inside the country. But I'm good at asking the right questions and hearing what I need to know, and if the Russians have troops inside Alaska, they're well hidden."

    "I didn't think the damned Indians could get this far," Bachmann said, sipping from his glass. "Did you find the Freekorps?"

    "That's what you paid me to do, that's what I did."

    "Where are they?"

    "Just across the BC border. But that's only, what, 150 men?"

    Bachmann grinned. "150 accomplished, well trained soldiers right here could make a very large difference." He smacked the bar top with his doubled fist.

    Someone rattled the door.

    "If the door's locked it means we're closed!" Bachmann bellowed. "Come back tomorrow."

    "Must be nice to own your own town," Hepner said.

    "There's a lot of responsibility," Bachmann said. "Keep the cossacks paid off. Keep goods on the shelves. Make sure the damned Indians don't go upriver to Tanana or down to Melozi to sell their game, furs, and crops."

    "But still, you're like the king of Klahotsa. You got them all too scared to crap without your say-so." Hepner grinned and tossed back the rest of his drink. He reached for the bottle but Bachmann had already returned it to the shelf behind him.

    "I want you to get a good night's rest. First thing in the morning you get back in your boat and go find Major Riordan and his Freekorps. Tell him I want to hire his boys for at least three months, and the sooner they can get here, the better."

    "They're at least five days away, and they have vehicles, not boats."

    "That's their problem. There is a road out there they can take, if they're tough enough to get through the Dena'."

    "I don't think the Russians will be too keen on them using it, either."

    "Have them tell the Russian commanders that they're working for me, the Russians will let them through."

    "This could take some time."

    Bachmann smiled. "As long as they arrive in time."