Roger Ellis - AK-239

So why are all of these generals assembled in the same room at the old KGB headquarters near Red Square?

All these Russians (and some Americans) have seen much weakness in the U.S. and, now, believe they have a way to “help” the world.

Just in case anything went wrong and nuclear war broke out they could always retreat to the Metro-2 running under the Kremlin to their hardened command posts some 275 meters below ground! This Top Secret Metro-2 line is rumored to travel to several hardened military sites and directly under the president’s house. Metro-2 travels all the way to Vnukovo airport, just in case they start a war and someone fights back, they can make a quick get a way.

Admiral Perchinkov presided over an aging fleet of outdated ships, mostly relics of the old Cold War. He knew what most every expert in the world had concluded: Irreversible collapse of the Navy was imminent. Instead, he had managed the impossible. He modernized his 271-ship Navy at an incredibly rapid pace.

The problem was many commanders now were refusing orders to be more aggressive against Western and especially American planes, ships and subs.

The situation had become so bad that Admiral Perchinkov was promoted to Minister of Defence.

That meant the only person he would now answer to would be: President Mironovich.

This quiet little move made Admiral Perchinkov the second most powerful man in all of Russia.

All submarine orders would now be given directly from the president’s office to Admiral Perchinkov and not go first to naval command.

In addition, the new admiral had been given the task of sacking over fifty naval commanders in his Baltic Fleet for refusing to follow presidential orders.

Many considered this similar to some of Stalin’s famous military purges.

It is clear to any reasonable observer what’s going on. The president was consolidating power with his siloviki clan loyalists. Any dissenting opinion and you were, at best, not trusted, at worst you could end up missing and nobody wanted to end up missing.

Jane’s Fighting Ships, the Bible of military assessments, felt the emphasis the Russians were putting on their submarines for fighting old Cold War scenarios was misplaced but even Jane’s had no idea what the Russians were really up to. In fact, no one in the West had a clue as to what had been transpiring for five years on American soil.

It’s not good to keep such powerful men waiting. Not good unless you’re the right hand man to the most powerful man in Russia, President Ivan Mironovich.

Viktor Sokolov was a serious man with immense power. The president trusted this child prodigy with his life. So everyone waited patiently.

Russian history is full of great drama and a great drama is once again about to unfold.

Finally, Viktor Sokolov, enters with a leather briefcase and in a $2,000.00 Italian suit.

An eerie hush falls over the room. Sokolov is not happy that he is leading this meeting and yet had to walk over here from his office in the Kremlin. Sokolov was a man of business and didn’t believe in chitchat.

Viktor pulls exactly four sealed envelopes from his black Italian briefcase. He passes them out as he speaks.

“Good morning. The President sends you his warmest greetings. He is sorry he could not be here personally but he assures you he is working hard to make this project successful.”

“Each of you now has sealed orders directly from the president.”

“Your president has tried everything to be friendly with America.”

“We have invited business leaders and U.S. Senators to Moscow.”

“We paid them over five billion Rubles for a few speeches.”

“We have wined and dined and come up empty handed.”

“Those days are now in the past.”

“The United States is pushing Russia into what we Russians know will be disaster.”

“The U.S. is waging proxy wars in Eastern Ukraine and Syria and creating unnecessary confrontations in the South China Sea. There is an increasing likelihood that these tensions will flare into an all-out military conflict with the United States. Should this occur, Proyekt 239 would be necessary for us to have leverage against the United States and their military superiority in terms of sheer numbers. But we Russians like to play chess and we are a few moves ahead of the Americans.”

“Last time the Americans and Reagan forced us into an arms race they forced us into bankruptcy.

“This time it is us that shall force the United States into bankruptcy.”

“The Americans have unsustainable debt just as we had in 1990.”

“The difference is: The United States dollar is the reserve currency of the world and will take the rest of the world into bankruptcy soon.”

“We will not let that happen, will we?”

All the generals present mumble, “Nyet.”

“When the dominos fall this time we want to be the last ones standing. While the Americans are talking about turning aircraft carriers like the, USS Peleliu , into homeless shelters we’re building bomb shelters capable of withstanding a nuclear attack.”

Sokolov continues, “U.S. and NATO are now conducting war games on our borders regularly. US destroyers are in our Black Sea to ‘promote peace.’ Their planes and submarines are coming closer and closer to our homeland.”

“It is time we increase our military operations in the United States of America.”

“The Americans have noticed we have increased our submarine operations by fifty percent in retaliation to their aggression. It is only a matter of time until one of our submarines are found and sunk just like during the days of our fathers and grandfathers.”

“The Americans have been trying to flood the world with cheap oil and gas to bankrupt us again. They have allowed ISIS and Iran to sell oil to undercut their own allies like Saudi Arabia, all for one sole purpose:

“To once again drive our Russian oil and gas companies out of business.”

“Now we move quickly.”

“We have President Mironovich’s full authorization to proceed.”

“You will see his signature and instructions in your orders.”

“Phase I of Projekt 239 is now complete.”

“The President has given the order to proceed to Phase II, the AK Phase.”

“Any questions?”

“I have a journalist asking questions about 239 ,” says General Aleksandrov.

Sokolov looks long and hard at this seasoned general before choosing his words carefully, “Russian journalism can be a very dangerous business, general. Handle it!”

TK-20 , Juneau, Alaska

Captain Vasili’s Diary

Three days ‘til Christmas

139 miles South-southeast

One of the advantages of being on a submarine is that you could travel anywhere without a visa.

On the other hand, you had a much greater chance of winding up dead, especially if you were on a Russian ballistic missile submarine just off the coast of Alaska.

My crew’s spirits were pretty good. Pretty good considering and we are thousands of miles from home and will not be back in time for Christmas on January 7th.

My last diary entry was:

Oh God, no!

I think I had just realized part of my mission.

Now I had it confirmed in writing:

I didn’t like my new orders one little bit. First, I’m told there are rooms on my sub off limits to my own crew and me.

Then I open my ‘Top Secret’ orders given directly to me by my old friend Admiral Victor Perchinkov. The orders state that this kid, my second in command, Kapitan Nikolai Alexi, would be in charge of Phase II of the mission.

I knew it!

I’m no longer trusted by my “old friend.”