Operation Chronos - No Rest For The Wicked

Excerpt from the journal of

Major General Timofei Teodorovic

3^rd Guards Cavalry Division, Steel Wind

21 Iyunya 1947

This city is getting crowded… too crowded. Earlier today, my men encountered the forces of yet another Axis wormpile; the so-called “Battle Cross”, led by a rather unorthodox commander. Our forces would have had a chance against them, were it not for the terrain. As it was, were given a sound beating. The open ground favored their long range firepower, and it wasn’t long before I gave Koshka the order to pull back before we sustained irreparable losses. We had already lost Grand’Ma, with it having sustained cannon fire to the torso; we salvaged all that we could before leaving.

As we retreated back to our base of operations, I thought that we would be able to rest. We had no such luck.

“…sir! I repeat… kzzzk… attack! Zeroes… ksssssh…”

“Koshka to base, say again!” my trusted officer said urgently into the radio. All she got was radio silence.

“All haste, Koshka. We lose that position, we would be hard pressed to maintain our operations here,” I told her.

“At once, comrade general! Men, double time! Back to base, we have an assault to repel!!!”

We arrived just in the nick of time; apparently, the lieutenant who radioed us had encountered the scouts of Zero Company. What happened next can only be described as mayhem. As with our previous skirmishes, the Zero soldiers were quick to strike, with an abundance of guns and ammo to boot. Tooth and nail we fought for our base and for each other. In the end, we prevailed… they were repelled, and we were able to keep what we had fought for.

That night as Koshka and I were planning our next move, one of the men from our Fakyeli squads came in. ‘Comrade General, we have found something in one of the ruined buildings nearby. You may want to take a look,’ he said. ‘Very well. Let us have a look then, Koshka,’ I replied. We followed the lieutenant across camp and into a one floor building to the side. I was surprised to find one of the Steel Fists, Vasily, examining what appeared to be junk.

“What do we have here, comrade Vasily?”

“Dobriy vyecher, comrade general. I believe we have found just what we need to increase our firepower. Two KV-47 chassis, although they are missing an arm each. Other than that, they can be battle ready before the morn.”

“That is wonderful news, comrade! It is a good thing then that were able to salvage both of Grand’Ma’s weapons. Now Koshka will have two new toys to play with. Good work!” I smiled at them.

“For the motherland, comrade general!” Vasily and the Fakyeli lieutenant, Arkady, respond.

I walk out with Koshka in tow. “So, what will you be naming them?” knowing Koshka’s penchant for naming her walkers.

With a vulpine smile, she replied. “Nadya and Natasha, my left and right fists.”