Soviet Pacific Fleet; August 29th

"Admiral Gena!" a lieutenant in Spetsnaz uniform walked up to me, handing me a sealed envelope.

"From General Reichert?" I asked, looking at the lieutenant as he waited for me to open the envelope. Yesterday and this morning I'd been working hard to completely reorganize the fleet, the basic three task forces no longer were going to work.

I gave the lieutenant a glare but opened the envelope. Inside was a folded paper and printed upon it were my orders.

To: Admiral Gena, Commander Soviet Pacific Fleet

From: Lieutenant General Reichenbacher, Commander in chief Soviet Armed Forces

Admiral, orders as follows. Seek out and destroy any vessel within 800* nautical miles of the Pacific Coast not flying the Soviet ensign. If a vessel surrenders, ensure crew is transferred to prisons ashore, scuttle enemy vessels. Priority targets, CVN-71 Theadore Rovesevlt, CVN-70 Carl Vinson, troop ships.

I sighed, placing the orders on the corner of the desk as the Lieutenant left. I wanted to put my head in my hands and wallow in pity. Sure the General had given me a massive fleet, but I was the jumped up captain of a glorified patrol ship. Now I likely commanded one of the largest navies on the planet. At least the General had seen fit to name most of the capital ships.

"Admiral, fleet blue is approaching the Channel Islands." I glanced up, looking at my new intruder, one of the new summones. Vice Admiral Alexander Leshenko.

"Good, they'll screen the fleet's advance through the islands." I replied. Those Kilo submarines would have been a nice asset a few weeks ago to place some blocking forces out in the pacific, but with the limited time schedule we were operating on…

"Your flag was transferred to the Stalingrad Admiral, the fleet is ready to depart." Leshenko walked into the office.

"Do you think the task forces need any adjustments?" I asked, looking at the vice admiral, hoping for some kernel of wisdom. The man pursed his lip and shook his head.

"I doubt I could do any better Admiral, it is not an enviable position you are in… two American carriers, likely multiple submarines" 

"Task force north thinks there's a Los Angeles shadowing them…" I replied quietly.

"Task force north is heading south at 20 knots, they'll quickly put any enemy behind them…"

"I'm more worried about American submarines lurking off the islands…" I replied.

"The San Francisco and San Diego helicopter cruisers and their escorts are searching the channel islands… if any enemy submarines are there they will be found." Leshaneko replied with a small smile.

"I just have a bad feeling, like the Americans are slipping past the edges of our net. But for now the fleet will sail with my orders from last night." I said, standing from my desk.

"You'd best make your way to the Stalingrad then Admiral, TF-2 and TF3 are already steaming out of the harbor, TF-1 is preparing to raise anchor."

I quickly packed my briefcase and left the headquarters, taking a helicopter to the Stalingrad , the large aircraft cruiser dominating the harbor. As soon as the wheels touched the deck I was ushered out of the helicopter and across the green flight deck towards the bridge.

"Attention! Admiral on deck!" The bridge stiffened as Gena walked aboard, waving his hand dismissively.

"As you were… Captain, how soon until we are underway?" I asked while I walked over to the plotting table. The bridge crew relaxed and the wiry captain I'd yet to learn the name of walked up next to me.

"Half an hour admiral, we're waiting for TF 2 and TF 3 to clear the harbor." The captain replied. I nodded, walking to the port bridgewing. Several frigates and destroyers had exited the harbor and were slowly getting into formation.

I got to enjoy a brief if dark view of the five most powerful warships of the Soviet navy to date. Four Slava class cruisers, the Slava and California under TF-1, the Oregon leading TF-2, and the Washington leading TF-3. Just these four cruisers packed enough firepower to put down either American carrier. But I stood upon the bridge of the largest vessel of the fleet. The Kiev class aviation cruiser Stalingrad which led TF-1 and was the new flagship of the fleet.

Everything was happening to get these five ships out past the Channel Islands, in a position to fire every P-500 at the American bastards before they could drop bombs on Los Angeles. Time was of the essence, an enemy Gena couldn't fight. Unwitting ally of the Americans and those two carriers creeping ever closer.

The cards had been played. Now all Gena could do was wait and see if he'd played the better hand. He desperately hoped he did. That he wasn't about to send thousands of young sailors to their deaths. "The future of the Union is being decided upon this stage…"

"What was that sir?" An ensign stationed on the bridgewing asked.

"Don't worry about it ensign, keep up the good work." Gena turned and walked back inside the bridge. All he could do now was manage the fleet as the Soviet and American fleets steamed towards an inevitable clash.