Russian Amerika: Chapter Sixty Four

64 - San Francisco, Republic of California

    "This has all been bullshit." Claude said, pacing around the room, "Nathan and the War Council instructed us to boycott the tribunal to avoid the appearance of Russia ordering us around. We knew you didn't do it, and so did the Russians. So why did we have to go through this charade?"

    "To buy time, to assess our strength, to dump every soldier they have into Alaska," Grisha said tiredly. "How is your part going?" He drank off the remainder of his tea and set the cup down. The ambassador's residence out-shown anything in his prior experience. The building commanded a hill overlooking San Francisco Bay. With the sun sinking slowly on a liquid horizon, the view equaled the splendor of Denali, but in a much different way.

    "It's as if we were a catalyst, causing every festering grievance in North America to pop like a pustule." Claude shook his head. "The Russians are dragging their heels at every turn. I agree, they're obviously stalling, probably pouring troops into Alaska by the plane load like you said.

    "The Californians and the First People's Nation are pressing hard for resolution, but they make very strange bedfellows. The Texans are firmly backing the Confederate States who are backing the British," Claude took a deep breath, ".who are allying with the French and the Spanish. And the Spanish are rattling sabers on the Texas border!"

    Grisha scratched his head. "This is really mixed up."

    Claude grinned and continued, "The United States seems smug but supportive of us and solicitous of the Republic of California. The French and the Spanish are here purely out of avarice. The British Canadians are, oddly enough, firmly in the Russian camp and display animosity toward the United States, probably remembering their colony breaking away from them and now commiserating with another crown."

    "What about the men in black?" Grisha asked.

    "The religious fanatics from Deseret are like Stellar jays back home - they'll take what shiny trinkets they can get and then fly back to their nest. They are of no consequence to us. I think all the posturing will be over soon, and to our benefit."

    "The U.S. contingent seemed very friendly toward the Russians," Grisha said. "Are you sure the U.S. is siding with us?"

    ""The U.S. has its own internal problems. The current administration is liberal and, as you know, the military rarely leans in that direction."

    "I want to get back to my command, as soon as possible."

    Claude smiled. "Spoken like a true soldier." He flopped in his chair. "I wish I could go home."

    "You can arrange to have me flown north?"

    "I'll try." Claude picked up a telephone. "This is Ambassador Adams. I wish to arrange transport for Colonel Grigorievich back to the Dena' Republik as soon as possible. Yes, thank you." He replaced the phone.

    "Day after tomorrow." Claude seemed pleased.

    "Why so long? It didn't take them that long to pull me out of Alaska. Are they using all their aircraft for something else?"

    "Grisha, we are their guests. Two days is nothing in the greater scheme of things."

    "Diplomatically perhaps, but a battle can be lost in a hell of a lot less time than that," Grisha snapped.

    The door flew open and Andreivich rushed in. "Quick, turn on the radio," the old scholar said, panting.

    Claude picked up a button-covered device and clicked it. The large speaker built into the wall immediately broadcast a voice, no static, no distortion, Grisha thought it sounded like the person speaking was in the room with them. The man seemed intoxicated.

    ".and I know that's why your government is willing to help the Athabascans." The man spoke with a Russian accent.

    "There's more than minerals involved, Konni," a Yankee voice said. "There is a people yearning to be free."

    "What crap, James!" The Russian swallowed something and the smack of a glass being set on a table with undue force came though clearly.

    "We're both adults here. Don't give me grandmother tales. You couldn't even deal with your own aboriginals; they ended up with enough land to double the size of your country. You're after the gold, and the oil, and the silver, and the coal, and the lead, and the fish, and the whales - all of it - just like all the other NATO nations. And the Czar won't give it up without a fight."

    An entirely different voice broke in. "To repeat, this tape was obtained this morning. We have just learned that the Russian government pulled out of NATO negotiations on Russian America this afternoon and continues mobilizing on the disputed Dena' border."

    The announcer's stentorious voice continued, "British Canada declared it will back the Russian government and has placed its military on red alert. Great British dispatched air and naval elements to North America within an hour of the Canadian announcement. Military forces in the United States have gone to red alert as a precaution."

    "My God," Claude whispered. "This is going to escalate into a continent-wide war."

    "This just in." the man's voice became even more somber, "The Confederate States have withdrawn its ambassadors from the U.S. and California, and has announced it will treat any foreign military craft violating its air space as hostile. The U.S. announced the departure of the 77th Airborne Division to aid the beleaguered Dena' Republic."

    "But what are the Russians doing?" Grisha screamed at the speaker. He turned to Claude. "You've got to get me back right now!"

    "I don't know if I can, but I'll try." Claude picked up the phone, held it to his ear for a long moment and then set it down. "It's dead," he said listlessly, "and I'll bet the doors are locked from the outside."

    Andreivich walked over and tugged on the knob, shrugged. Grisha felt despair wash over him. Claude glanced at both of them and then turned back to the radio.

    "We've been in worse prisons," Andreivich said with a shrug, "and we have no cossacks to deal with."

    Despite himself, Grisha gave the old man a smile. "When we were at the prison camp, I thought you were stiff and sullen. Yet you can find something in this situation to feel good about. I wish I could."

    "We still live," Andreivich said crisply.

    Grisha nodded and turned to Claude who sat transfixed by the radio. "Claude, you've been talking to all these people. Why did we go with the Californians if the United States is that interested in us? Haimish even gave his life in an attempt to help."

    The ambassador didn't take his eyes off the speaker. "Haimish was trying to tie us to the U.S. and the Californians beat him to the punch. They brought instant communications and a lot of weapons. Haimish only brought a few weapons and a lot of philosophy. We already had philosophy."

    "But now the Yankees are sending paratroopers," Grisha said softly, "and what are the Californians doing?"

    "I wish I knew, Grisha. I wish I knew."