Kirov Saga: Armageddon (Kirov Series) Read Online Free PDF

up
against a very wily Admiral Togo, perhaps one of the greatest Admirals in
modern naval history. If I had to bet on it, I would guess the action would
occur at a key chokepoint waterway—either the Yellow Sea, or the Straits of
Tsushima.”
    “Alright,” said Kamenski. “You and the Admiral can plot all this
out on your navigation maps, but my question is when do we sail south—in time ,
that is? Do we proceed in the here and now? Or do we shift back to 1908 first
and make our approach in that era?”
    Volsky nodded his head gravely. “I can see how this choice relates
to the other decision we must make. If we sail south now it will be very risky
with the Americans and Japanese all stirred up here.  That said, we might be
very close to Kirov when we appear and achieve complete tactical
surprise. Then again, if we make our approach south in 1908 the journey will be
relatively safe and quiet, except that silence in the sea gives our mister
Tasarov the best possible chance to hear us coming. We have a great deal to
decide here gentlemen. But I suggest we get to the Admiral Kuznetsov first.”
     
     
     
    Chapter 2
     
    “There’s one other matter before we go, said Fedorov. “Orlov has asked if
he could come with us,”
    “Orlov?” Volsky’s face revealed some hesitation over this. “The
man has already jumped ship once, Mister Fedorov. This may not be wise.”
    “That is not how he tells the story now, Admiral. He says there
was an electrical fire on the KA-226 and they were unable to communicate with
us. The radio was dead.”
    “I see…And the jamming?”
    “I asked him about that, and he claims the emergency systems came
on during the fire. Then he saw our missiles and jumped. The pilot could not
get out in time.”
    “You believe him?”
    “I would like to, sir.”
    “Even so, what does he contribute to the mission?”
    Kamenski spoke up now, raising a finger to make a point. “This
Orlov was the man Mister Fedorov rescued in 1942? That means he has moved in
time, Admiral. He is here in the nexus point with us, whether we bring him
along or not.”
    “A lot of others have moved in time as well. I had a full
reinforced company of Naval Marines with Mister Fedorov. Are they all in the borscht
with us?”
    “In some regard, but Orlov is special. This Mister Dorland, the
American Physicist, I have read his work as well. I think he would call Orlov a
free radical, someone at large in the meridians of time with a great deal of influence.
After all, if Fedorov had not gone after him, then we would not now know what
Karpov was planning or even where he was. The history might have simply
changed, and we would have changed right along with it—in fact, we might not
even exist! Orlov led Mister Fedorov to 1942, and from there he fell through to
another gopher hole and found Karpov in 1908. That was either very fortunate,
or very fated. Time lifted her skirts to show us where Karpov was hiding, and
we have Orlov to thank for that knowledge. You can leave him behind, but
somehow his life and fate seems closely associated with the outcome of this
saga.”
    Volsky considered that. “I suppose we could keep a good eye on the
man if we do take him. I know Orlov. If we leave him behind he will start
talking to anyone who might listen about his little exploits. Very well. He can
come, but I will have words with the man before we launch the mission. I want
no nonsense.”
    “As acting mission commander I restored Orlov as a Captain of the
second rank,” said Fedorov. “He thought we had come to arrest him for court
martial. In fact, he thought we were trying to kill him. Those S-300s we fired
left him with a bad feeling. I think he attributed it to Karpov, but I was
Captain at the time, and the final authorization to fire came from me, though I
haven’t told him that yet. So I thought restoring his rank would be a good way
to start again with this man.”
    “Perhaps, you are right, Fedorov. Very well. I will