Chapter 22

Notes: The Russian rebel front will control a good chunk of Siberia, but Putin will still have control over the West and Far East of Russia. Within the Siberian Military District, Omsk will have a major Russian bank to help fund outside aid for the rebels, and large cities such as Yekaterinburg will contain military bases. Other things the rebels will possess include Russian missile silos, oil, and mines in the region... Russian Civil War II has begun!

Up next will be OTMA giving a major speech in the Church of All Saints in Yekaterinburg. This church is a memorial for their family massacre in both real life and this alternate reality.

December 18, 2022

Petrozavodsk, (Disputed Territory)

Father Leo had seen much in his forty-five years on earth. He had grown up in the twilight of the USSR, seen the birth of the Russian Federation, and most of all the infamous "Romanov Resurrection". He had also had many hardships, especially being excommunicated from his family church in Moscow. Now he stood as a major leader in the Petrozavodsk Rebel Division.

He had many responsibilities now, but the rest paled in comparison to his most important mission. To help the Romanov sisters escape to Yekaterinburg. After various options were considered by fellow leaders, the four sisters would leave for the train station. Air travel was riskier, and the armored trucks would not have enough gas to travel the lengthy freeway to Yekaterinburg. Also, the armored trucks would help transport any defenseless residents to the nearby train station.

He stepped into the City Hall lobby, spotting the four Grand Duchesses packing their few belongings into travel bags. With two other soldiers, he approached them.

"The tank convoy is advancing faster, Your Risen Highnesses, and our outposts have been decimated. According to our brief reports, they have not only tanks, but aircraft as well..."

"Thank you, Father Leo, for your help," Olga spoke, her tone solemn.

"I know where I will be and what I will do. Do not feel saddened... For the sacrifice of my life will serve the greater good."

"What of your friend Boris?"

"He will fight beside me."

"A good friend... It reminds me of those brave soldiers we nursed a long time ago. I also wish we could have gotten more familiar with each other, Father Leo. Your bravery and sharp mind are commendable."

The priest nodded, closing his eyes for a moment. "Before you and your sisters go with your companions, especially the Anton boy..."

Olga blushed, smiling. She glanced at the hands of the priest, which held a smaller icon of the Theotokos. She gasped, putting her hands on her mouth.

"I know this will not replace the one you all had earlier, but please, take this as a gift."

"We are all very grateful for all you've done... Even what you've given to us."

"I second that... But I wanted to know if the train goes directly to Yekaterinburg," Tatiana asked.

"Yes, yes."

Father Leo glanced behind him, where Anton stood straight and tall besides his fellow entrusted soldiers. All of them saluted the four women before them, acknowledging their significance to their cause. The priest did too before he headed out past the soldiers and Anton.

Olga watched the priest head off into a group of soldiers and civilians until his robes disappeared among jackets, dresses, and bulletproof vests. It felt poignant, knowing that they got along well with the priest as if he were an old friend- Only to be torn away from this principled, brave man.

What could she learn from him? No, what could they all learn?

It was the value of courage. To stand for convictions of good no matter what would be lost. Especially when losing an irreplaceable life. She promised herself with a silent thought that she would be courageous when fulfilling her mission.

"Let's go," Anton said.

Olga gestured for her sisters to follow her. She and her sisters, among the clamoring commotion of moving civilians and rebel fighters, followed their escorts to a nearby armored truck. The soldiers helped them ease into the back compartment and take their things inside...

"We'll get there soon enough, baby," Anton whispered to his girlfriend.

Olga smiled, turning her cheek for him to kiss her. She closed her eyes, as Anastasia rolled her eyes. Maria and Tatiana, though, grinned at the sight of their oldest sister finding happiness during their ordeal.

"We should sit together on the train."

"When we get to the station, sure."

Anton and the soldiers closed the back doors. He got into the driver's seat with his fellow comrade Alexander, glancing around to see the other trucks already leaving among the commotion. If the other vulnerable civilians were leaving now, they needed to depart as well.

"All transports must go, now!" a rebel soldier announced with a loudspeaker.

Under the feeble, almost golden light of the rising morning sun, electric lights turned on. Alarms began to blare. Soldiers opened other fenced gates around the city hall, allowing some civilians to follow plastic cone marked paths to parking lots. From a simple SUV to a limousine, anything would do for them.

"Transport Regal One may go!"

"That's us, step on the gas," Alexander said, then giving a thumbs up to the announcer.

Anton did so. The truck lurched forward, following the line of transports along the damaged city roads. Streetlights still flickered in the gloom, and husks of broken cars passed by. Shops and restaurants laid desolate with their doors padlocked, windows shattered, or neon signs flickering. Some of them even had signs of looting.

The trucks soon reached the outskirts of the city, then slowed as the sandy-yellow facade of the train station came into view. A few spotlights shone among the barbed wire fences. Guards and other armed rebels either stood near armored trucks or patrolled the perimeter in small groups.

The trucks each stopped by the maroon shaded drop off area where guards did examinations of the trucks.

"All seems good for this one..."

"We need an air pump! This tire is not filled enough..."

Anton sighed in relief, opening the door. He and his comrade stepped out, greeting the guards for a brief moment. There was little time to waste again. Among the commotion of escapees pacing quickly towards the station, the four sisters got out of their compartment.

Olga and her sisters raced towards the entrance, taking out signed cards with their hands. These would be their special clearances to enter the station, as they were each signed by Father Leo. There was a line of people waiting to enter, however...

"They will send planes?" Olga whispered to Anton, glancing around.

"Yes, the rebels have a few fighter planes."

The familiar loud roaring of jet engines high above caught their attention. For a brief instant, Olga thought they were enemy planes, but Anton reassured her that they were rebel planes.

"Leo told me the rebels have less pilots here, but those flying planes are friendly."

"So fast..."

A booming sound resonated around the station, as the fleeing civilians nearby cheered for their brave pilots. Olga could not help smiling with her boyfriend while allowing him to hold her close.

"You two, please step forward."

Olga and Anton went to the official, briefly showing their identification cards signed by the rebel leader...

"You may go."

The rest of the sisters and their escorting guardians made it through soon enough, entering the main station room. The air was filled with commotion again with frantic shouts of scattered civilians over the loudspeakers. Announcements of train times and "stay calm" reminders echoed in the spacious room.

"This way," Anton said, leading the sisters to a front car of the passenger train.

The sisters managed to find their cabins in time, and only then did they realize that they were all tired. Their escorts would stay in other cabins, but they were tired as well. The Russian president- no, madman, would not cease until the threat was eliminated. Again, it was clear that the sisters knew they posed the highest threat to his regime.

Anton set down his travel bag without any words. He did not know what to say. Neither did the growing tiredness help either. Olga patted her hands softly on the cabin bed, looking at him with a worried face. His heart squeezed with remorse for her. To suffer so much before and even live such a restless lifestyle would have broken him as well.

"I feel scared... So much chaos is happening, and I don't know if I can handle it all."

"Same... My parents probably disowned me for running away with you, and I... I miss them."

"I'm so sorry to hear that. Even Papa when he was angry, he never disowned any of us."

"No need to apologize, baby. I knew this would happen whenever I made that decision."

"Do you... Regret it?"

"As much as I miss my parents... I do not regret our time together. You are a wonderful and beautiful person, Olga, more than anyone I've met from my time."

"I'm happy I found you."

"Me too."

The train soon departed, leaving behind the station. Somewhere in a gloomy cabin, a former Grand Duchess and her former tomb guard shared a slow, gentle kiss.

(Line Break)

Petrozavodsk Airport, Disputed Territory

(Two Hours Later)

Over half of the 159th Air Regiment had unfortunately remained loyal to Putin, and the loyal soldiers had fled into hiding in neighboring areas... This left the rebels with just a third of the local air force personnel. There were plenty of derelict Su-35 supersonic fighter jets, but not enough pilots to fly them. It was very unfortunate to know that the rebels were facing terrible odds against the larger loyalist force.

The Putin and Dugin regime had sent twice as many fighter jets and even a regiment of tanks. The rebel leaders, including Leo, knew this would be their one and only stand. They hoped that their sacrifice would serve the resistance well.

Rebel operators were at constant work within the control tower along with a few rebel leaders. Observations and orders were given firmly between both groups. Red lights were flashing from within the makeshift base where pilots marched in groups out of the back entrances to their planes. The runways were also busy with some maintenance crews checking aircraft, moving supplies by runway carts, and other tasks.

"To the fighters, go, go!"

The pilots soon boarded their fighter jets, beginning to start their engines. In pairs, the jets taxied to their runways... Pilots were given the go-ahead command by the rebel air controllers. Soon enough, with engines roaring, they raced off the runway and into the cloudy sky painted gold with early dawn.

Distant booms resounded from the battle-worn form of the city. A few missiles flew towards the city, eager to destroy. One hit its mark, and an ominous cloud of smoke burst from the location of the Petrozavodsk City Hall. Bits of shattered glass and concrete flew around the smoky, chaotic aftermath. Rebel soldiers and personnel ran around to their hiding places behind their derelict trucks and vehicles. Some bodies of their hapless personnel laid around in bloodied uniforms. This was war, and it had come.

The priest Leo stood upon an abandoned car, facing the hundred brave rebels before him...

"The times have been trying for Russia... Even all of us. Now, things have become clear among these tribulations and chaotic times, and they are lessons we must never forget. Our risen princesses have arrived for us, telling of a great hope. Our Lord is coming soon, and his helpers have arrived!"

"Ura, Ura!"

"So, despite the odds, we do not believe in luck. We believe in the Almighty God! May the Lord find our final standing a pleasing tribute to Him... No matter where we come from."

"To positions!" an officer shouted, over the loud pattering of guns and booms of artillery.

Leo then took his position behind a truck in front of the smoking husk of the City Hall. He picked up a sub-machine gun, squinting ahead at an approaching caravan of armored trucks... This time, these trucks flew the old Soviet flags and the Russian tricolor.

"Rockets, now!"

A few windows in surrounding buildings opened and a few hidden comrades pointed rocket launchers at the armored trucks below. They knew where to aim... The truck engine compartments. Without hesitation, they pulled the triggers.

A split second later, the trucks exploded in a morbid transformation into burning, mutilated metal husks. Wounded soldiers jumped out of their smoking vehicles, screaming in agony. The few survivors who had escaped unscathed were soon mowed down by rebel gunfire, falling to the ground.

"Leo, was that..."

"Only the first wave, Boris."