The Chosen One

[Blooded]

OOC: These are some stories put together before Mareks arrival in the Ukraine. I had shelved them due to their taking place on Ukrainian turf. The more I think on it, I believe they should be told regardless.

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Feb 14th 1919

High in the southwestern mountains of the Crimea. Not far from the local capital, lay a long box canyon now lit by a dawning sun. For a week now, ragged looking men had been gathering. And for a week now others had been watching.

It had taken almost a year to hunt down this secret gathering. Following lead after lead-leaving a trail of broken bodies- The Kurgan had finally caught up to The Chosen One, or so he believed. He had heard the name given reverently many times. A man of extreme power, both actual and supernatural- if the stories were to be believed.

Well... The Chosen Ones time has finally run out-he thought to himself. His men had been silently surrounding and infiltrating the canyon throughout the long cold night. Any outlying sentries would have been silenced by now, He had heard nothing to betray the movements of his men.

'The time has come' he whispered raising the naval pattern flare gun. Chaos erupted soon thereafter.

-----

'We have searched the caves and found no others Starshina.' 'He was to be here! He can't have slipped our grasp again... Begin the interogations at once Sotnik. We must know where he is!' cried out the Kurgan. 'At once Great One..' The lieutenant motioned another trooper forward. 'We have found the proof you seek, it is incontrovertible.'

The Uryadnik stepped forward unrolling an ancient tapestry. The skill of the weaver was immediately evident, the cloth almost quivered with life... and menace. From a bleak and devastated countryside a black spire mountain arose, dark boiling clouds circled above. At its crest a glowing Orb seemed to pulse with the rythem of his heart, the unnaturally black cats pupil almost seemed to blink and a shudder ripped through the Kurgans flesh.

He tore loose his gaze and cried out 'Take it away!'. The Kurgan turned and motioned to a gasmasked trooper 'Burn it... burn it all!' The trooper stepped forward, in his arms a long hollow pipe and at his back a huge sloshing metal cannister. 'Your Will be done.'

-----

A dark hooded figure walked slowly along the narrow mountain path leading a gray dappled mare. Peircing eyes became visible as the bony fingers draw back the hood of its tattered robe.

In the distance, several fingers of dark smoke drift in the icy mountain winds. Briefly the scent of charred flesh could be sensed. A cursing incantation wispered forth from dry cracked lips barely visible beneath the long, black and wiry beard.

With little wasted motion the man mounted his horse and retreated back along the trail, his path now leading north.

[Blooded]

Feb 17th 1919

The captain of the Dredge Verkhniy Shar, began this day like so many in the past year. The deepening of the Moonsund Channels had been ongoing for several years. Lately tensions over the southern portions being deepened, had increased between the Ukrainians and Russians. But nothing could prepare him for the shockwave and geyser of water which fountained ahead and above his small vessel.
It took nearly a minute for realization to dawn. About that time a second geyser shot up 50 yards away and showered him with water,threatening to overturn the barge. Someone was shooting at him! Quickly he began to turn the flat vessel to port and increased speed, not that the little ship could go much faster than the walking pace it held at this moment.

A few miles to the west. "Well that should put a stop to that!" Shouted the General, looking away from his telescope. "Yes, Cyril will be pleased" nodded another. This is diplomacy? They are all mad... thought the Battery Commander.

[Blooded]

March 4th Before dawn

Once again the Captain of the Dredge Verkhniy Shar, began his journey toward Kesse Island. The chugging of the Engine keeping him comforted. 'I do not wish to die today.' He said to the cold seas around him.Looking off to starboard he saw the 100 Ton 'Escort' not far away. 'Meh... lot of help they will be.'

Hours later he and his men began their job.
-----
Miles Away

'Gun One fire!' shouted the Battery Commander Severnyy. 250 yards ahead of the trawler-like vessel and dredging barge a huge column of water shot out of the sea. This time the Dredge was escorted, though very lightly. 'Hopefully we can leave it at that'

Several minutes had past, he saw no change in the efforts of the small vessels to his east. Looking away from the stereoscopic rangefinder, he began to order Gun One to reload, when he noticed several flashes of light to the north. Within seconds the rushing of a locomotive could be heard. 'Good Lord....'

-----

All he could hear was the muffled thumping of his heart. Thump-Thump... Thump-thump... thump-thump...
He was being shaken. A voice... was that a voice... It took all his effort to open his eyes. A blurry figure stood over him crying out but he understood nothing. He only wanted to sleep... yes.. that would be nice...

-----

Later that evening - October Palace, Kiev

Czar Cyril fumed, pacing back and forth before the large map table he used to survey his domain. 'I will not tolerate this affrontery!' A dozen Generals had gathered at the Czars command. Trouble loomed on the faces of many throughout the room. 'Never... never!'

The man in black ushers Cyril to a window of the opulent room. His ragged peasants clothes so out of place here. The disgust on many of the Generals faces is evident. No matter they are nothing.

'Please your eminence, contain your rage.' He wispered soothingly.'We do not yet have the strength to withstand our enemies. We are surrounded.' 'Never I will not stand it!' Cyril raged on.

'Time, we must bide our time.'His dark peircing eyes seeking out the Czars 'Soon, my lord, my leader, all the power in the world will be yours, you must have patience.' The Man in Black stepped away, he sensed he had lost any connection to Cyril's mind. Cyril screamed out 'Never!!' and returned to his map table and generals.

The dark figure backed from the room as the Czar began another hysterical rant. The Chosen One could be heard mumbling 'He has lost himself... he will bring ruin to our cause... it is too soon Great One..'

[maddox]

Now I'm getting intrigued.  This feels like one of the great stories to be.  PD's haunting, The Carreening Cruisers, Fortress Bugio, Le Profitable, Padre Batista and so on.

[Sachmle]

I miss Padre Batista...:'(

[snip]

this looks very good. cant wait for more

[TexanCowboy]

I miss Padre Batista...:'(

But wait! There's more! On Channel 4! (When we get to November and life slows down, of course)

[Blooded]

Early, before the sun had risin, a hooded figure darted out the kitchen door into the sharp morning air. He quickened his pace on approach to the Institutskaya Street gate. The gaunt mumbling figure was well known to the guards and was not delayed in any way.

Several streets later the dark man, half frozen by the winter chill, bumped into a giant who had carelessly stepped into his path. 'Remove yourself from my...' He looked up and screeched. 'Greetings Chosen One... I have wanted to meet you for quite some time.' With that the huge figure grabbed up the small wiry man. Retreating back around the corner, the giant tossed him forcefully into a waiting boxed delivery wagon. The teamster immediately snapped the reins and the draft horses began their journey.

------
Hours later

At the first streak of dawnlight, Cyrils manservant slowly opens the heavy door after 10 minutes of inceasant knocking. The frozen rictus of Cyrils tortured visage and outstretched hand brands deeply into Pavels soul. The manservant stiffles a scream of his own as he scrambles back down the hall.

-----

News from the Ukrainian Official Press Release Service:

Velikiy Knyaz Kirill Vladimirovich Romanov died peacefully in his sleep on March 5th.

Poladek Bergstain the chamberlain of the palace will hold the position of Regent until the arrival of Grand Duke Vladimir.

[Blooded]

March 6th
Warszawa, Poland

Having only left the Wilanów Palace a short time earlier Grand Duke Vladimir(Soon to be 'Czar Vladimir' again he chided himself smiling) swung up onto the Railcoaches entrance platform. This new Railhub at Siekierki was partically next door to the palace. Turning about he waved to his Generals and aids that were staying behind to quell the surge of unrest his sons death had set in motion. His few indespensible associates greated him as he entered the opulently furnished coach, a leftover from Czar Alexander III's reign.

"We have much planning to do... let us begin at once." The Train soon lurched to a start heading south to Radom.

-----

Outside of Deblin, Poland- around 60 miles southeast of Warsaw, many hours later

The Deblin-Vistula railbridge stood for only a few moments after the multiple charges at each end and beneath each foundation blew out the bridges support. The fast traveling locomotive it had been upholding moments before crashed 30' to the tangled steel and waiting water below. Soon to be Czar, Vladimir was not one of the few survivors.

[Blooded]

The disparate Nations comprising the Ukraine had been held together purely through the strength, determination and dark charisma of Czar Cyril and his father Vladimir, the original founder of Velike Kniazistvo Ukrainske. Separation movements had been prevented by imprisoning reformers, progressives and constitutionalists.

Upon the death of the Czar and his immediately recognized successor, Governmental councils are created in each nation sometimes several in one small areas leading to hated conflict. Independant Generals of high standing have also laid the foundations for their claim to power. In the wake of the failed revolution of 1906 many political parties are raising the stakes as well attempting to put their own representatives onto the seats of power.

Supposedly the Czars last words were requests for a peaceful transfer of power. Anyone who knew Cyril would know that not to be the case. His appointments insured that no one could ever have enough strength to mount an assault on his position.

As Democratic elements retain the formal seat of power in Kiev, under the Regent Bergstain, they have stated that a new Czar would be elected from the general populace. This brought out huge protests from many directions. That foreign powers threw puppets into the ring just added to the mockery of the fledgling democratic movement, in the view of many. Apprehension for the future remains high.

Many areas have stated that the Ukrainian throne no longer has power in their local regions.

Ukraines neighbor to the north, Russia, began negotiating with several of the most desirable Governments or political leaders giving each some form of legitimacy in varing degrees. At times the cost was great, more than some could afford in several cases.

[Blooded]

The Kurgan had been on the road for nearly a day before they finally stopped at a small farm alongside the Dnieper. The main farmhouse's warm glow beckoning to them.

-----

The cooking stove was draped in unfamiliar implements of horrid persuasion. The tools had proven of little use, The dark soul who was the focus of the unnatural efforts had stated nothing of value. Mearly spouting some unholy scripture and words of wicked persuasion.

-----

Early the next morn, a heavily bundled figure burst into the main room. Unknown to many a great manhunt had begun, searching for the man in black. Even now, Ukrainian secret police were heard making inquiries in town but a few miles away.

Cursing his bad luck the Kurgan drew up to his full height, towering over all nearby. Lifting the gaunt and bloody figure of his rage he stormed out into the frozen dawn. Upon reaching the wide coarsing icy waters of the mighty Dnipro he hurled his charge onto its half frozen banks.

As the bruised and bloody prisoner attempted to regain his feet the Kurgan drew his huge Webley revolver. "There is only one God!" With a single pull of the heavy trigger the dark prophet Grigori Rasputin was dead.

[Blooded]

No one from Coastal Defense Battery 8 was actually killed in the bombardment. Many suffered horribly from crushed lungs and ruptured eardrums though. Four 12" salvoes of over a dozen had landed within many yards of the individual batteries, before firing had ceased.

Battery Commander Severnyy was repremanded by a Ukrainian commission months later, while still in recovery, for failing to sight the Russian Coastal Bombardment Vessels and defending his battery. In his defense the prominent early morning rolling fog of the Archipelgo did not give him much opportunity of sighting the Russian vessels who had guided corrections provided by the 'Outpost' trawler Volk. The fact that the incident occurred because of Czar Cyrils desire to defy the lawful and agreed to dredging of jointly controlled waters was not brought up.

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August 24th, 1919

The moonscape of Coastal Defense Battery 8 was taken over by a Russian platoon of Naval Infantry who had landed before dawn on the Island of Muhu. A Company of Russian Naval Infantry with local Courland officers raced across the island of Saaremaa in over a dozen Armored Cars to secure all CD sites. The Cars and Marines being largely delivered by the Coastal Vehicle Ferry Haukivesi and the Locomotive Ferry Konevo.

The full possesion of Saaremaa by a Russian Naval Infantry Battalion without a single shot being fired had become an embarrassment to the distant Ukrainian Government. Ukrainian Officials initially stated that the Courland representatives had no right to allow the transfer of Ukrainian territory. Local officials state that they no longer recognize that Ukrainian authority. It has since stated that the transfer of ownership of the last vestiges of the Moonsund Archipeligo had been underway for some time with the full approval of Regency.

(This is one of many items Marek had agreed to before his disappearance. He was to retain actual economic benefits and 'ownership' of the island, while Russia would run its defense. Having Russia make a deal with locals secures a key strategic defensive position in a sketchy political time. )

[Blooded]

By June, an agreement with the Ukrainian Regency provided for assistance in restraining foreign designs on Poland. Several Russian Infantry Corps were to be stationed at key locations within Poland. In return Ukrainian Troops and Russian advisors began the removal of stockpiles of armaments and munitions from Arsenals across several of the Ukrainian nations.

After a strict accounting the armaments were loaded aboard locomotives and shipped north across the border. Over several months the shipments included a quarter of a million rifles, a thousand peices of artillery, and millions of cartridges and shells all of older designs.

(This is one of many items Marek had agreed to before his disappearance. In total the transfer was for 8 Baseline Corps.)

[Blooded]

Within months of Cyrils death, Russian Naval Technicians and Engineers arrived at the great Nikoleav Naval Base and began pouring over the Grand Cruiser Dnipro. Blueprints and revised plans studied with intense scrutiny. The Dnipro had origins in many various Russian scout cruiser designs which had been transferred in the 'Good Times' of 1915-17. The main difference had been one of scale.

Now, permission had been granted for Russian officials to purchase the Grand Cruiser outright. With the recent naval purchasing disaster involving Minister Gorbachev and the New Swiss and Rohan Battleships extra care must be taken in purchasing a foreign vessel.

Somehow, word had leaked that the Dnipro was to be sold. Considering the hype, awe and pride that had surrounded the great vessels slow ongoing construction, it should have been no surprise that massive protests against the sale began almost immediately.

(This is one of many items Marek had agreed to before his disappearance. In this climate it may not occur.)

------

With the regency of Poladek Bergstain Russian industrialists and entrepenuers had flooded across the Ukrainian border. They sought opportunities and grand investments, bringing high value Russian technology and rubles.

(This is one of many items Marek had agreed to before his disappearance. Tech was to pay for many desired items from the Ukraines OOB)