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Authors: David Lee Marriner
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anarchist
factions – they will rise as well. We cannot afford to have riots now when war
in Europe seems inevitable.”
The Tsar pursed his lips and was thoughtful for some time.
“I can’t say you’re not right. A chain reaction of unrest would be pernicious
for our country.”
“I know you wouldn’t want your subjects to connect the three
hundred year jubilee of the great Romanov Dynasty with such an event,” said Laptin.
“Let’s say I agree,” said the Tsar. “Look around. Tens of
dead bodies. Amongst them my guards. And a detachment of mercenaries for
witnesses.”
“The corpses do not speak. Could Your Majesty guarantee the
hussars?”
“My soldiers would walk through fire for me,” the Tsar said
proudly. “What about the mercenaries? They have to be officially awarded. I
also don’t believe that they would miss showing off how they had saved their
Tsar.”
“They will stay silent if their commander orders them to. I
dare to believe that I have a way to make him do that.” Laptin sounded
confident.
The Tsar raised his eyebrows in astonishment. “That Ivan
looks as hard as flint. It’d be difficult, even for you, to make him do
something he doesn’t want to.”
“I will simply give him something he wants in exchange for
his silence. It’ll be as I say. Have I ever disappointed Your Majesty?”
“Never, Semeon. That’s why I honour you as a brother,” the
Tsar said emotionally.
“I appreciate that enormously.” Laptin bowed slightly.
“What’s the plan, then? I believe you already have one.”
“First, it’s clear that official awards for the mercenaries
are not an option. If Your Majesty agrees, I will award them later on your
behalf. I’ll talk to Ivan right now, with your permission.” The Tsar nodded.
“We need a story that will replace what happened here,” Laptin continued. “Now.
Your Majesty, I, and one of the unwounded hussars will return to the town with
one sleigh. We will say that an urgent matter made us send the rest of our
group to Nizhny Novgorod. An hour or two later, the sad news that our men have
been attacked in the forest will reach Vladimir. The hussars killed the
attackers but most of them fell, too, including the Poruchik.”
The Tsar looked at his adviser with a mixture of amazement
and joy. “You never fail to surprise me, Semeon. It’s remarkable how you
rewrote history in just a few minutes.”
“I do what I can for the good of Your Majesty and the
empire. My job is to advise. The decision is yours.”
The Tsar was thoughtful for a moment. Then he released a
deep sigh and said, “Yes. Let’s do it. Go and talk to Ivan. I will instruct my
hussars.”
After hearing Ivan’s nickname from the mouth of the careless
mercenary, Semeon Laptin easily put two and two together and realized who had
saved them from sure death. Many reports had been delivered to his desk
outlining the activities of the uncrowned king of the Russian bandits, Batka
Ivan. He had sent alarming reports himself to the ministers’ committee
regarding the increasing threat from the gang led by Batka. Police reports from
different parts of Russia asserted that in the underground world nothing
happened without Batka or his affiliated local ringleaders’ ‘blessing’. Many
merchants had to pay him a so-called ‘bandit tax’ if they wanted any shipped merchandise
to reach its destination, or their shops not to ‘accidentally’ catch fire one
night. For a moment, the adviser of the crown amused himself with the funny
thought that from now on the influence of Batka Ivan would extend to the Tsar
himself. In an exceptional way he had indebted the Tsar as well.
Laptin had listened to the conversation between the Tsar and
Batka, while he was combining different versions for the eventual outcome of
this extreme situation. His intuition hinted to him that fate had crossed the
paths of three great men not by chance – he included himself in this number. In
fact, only two of
factions – they will rise as well. We cannot afford to have riots now when war
in Europe seems inevitable.”
The Tsar pursed his lips and was thoughtful for some time.
“I can’t say you’re not right. A chain reaction of unrest would be pernicious
for our country.”
“I know you wouldn’t want your subjects to connect the three
hundred year jubilee of the great Romanov Dynasty with such an event,” said Laptin.
“Let’s say I agree,” said the Tsar. “Look around. Tens of
dead bodies. Amongst them my guards. And a detachment of mercenaries for
witnesses.”
“The corpses do not speak. Could Your Majesty guarantee the
hussars?”
“My soldiers would walk through fire for me,” the Tsar said
proudly. “What about the mercenaries? They have to be officially awarded. I
also don’t believe that they would miss showing off how they had saved their
Tsar.”
“They will stay silent if their commander orders them to. I
dare to believe that I have a way to make him do that.” Laptin sounded
confident.
The Tsar raised his eyebrows in astonishment. “That Ivan
looks as hard as flint. It’d be difficult, even for you, to make him do
something he doesn’t want to.”
“I will simply give him something he wants in exchange for
his silence. It’ll be as I say. Have I ever disappointed Your Majesty?”
“Never, Semeon. That’s why I honour you as a brother,” the
Tsar said emotionally.
“I appreciate that enormously.” Laptin bowed slightly.
“What’s the plan, then? I believe you already have one.”
“First, it’s clear that official awards for the mercenaries
are not an option. If Your Majesty agrees, I will award them later on your
behalf. I’ll talk to Ivan right now, with your permission.” The Tsar nodded.
“We need a story that will replace what happened here,” Laptin continued. “Now.
Your Majesty, I, and one of the unwounded hussars will return to the town with
one sleigh. We will say that an urgent matter made us send the rest of our
group to Nizhny Novgorod. An hour or two later, the sad news that our men have
been attacked in the forest will reach Vladimir. The hussars killed the
attackers but most of them fell, too, including the Poruchik.”
The Tsar looked at his adviser with a mixture of amazement
and joy. “You never fail to surprise me, Semeon. It’s remarkable how you
rewrote history in just a few minutes.”
“I do what I can for the good of Your Majesty and the
empire. My job is to advise. The decision is yours.”
The Tsar was thoughtful for a moment. Then he released a
deep sigh and said, “Yes. Let’s do it. Go and talk to Ivan. I will instruct my
hussars.”
After hearing Ivan’s nickname from the mouth of the careless
mercenary, Semeon Laptin easily put two and two together and realized who had
saved them from sure death. Many reports had been delivered to his desk
outlining the activities of the uncrowned king of the Russian bandits, Batka
Ivan. He had sent alarming reports himself to the ministers’ committee
regarding the increasing threat from the gang led by Batka. Police reports from
different parts of Russia asserted that in the underground world nothing
happened without Batka or his affiliated local ringleaders’ ‘blessing’. Many
merchants had to pay him a so-called ‘bandit tax’ if they wanted any shipped merchandise
to reach its destination, or their shops not to ‘accidentally’ catch fire one
night. For a moment, the adviser of the crown amused himself with the funny
thought that from now on the influence of Batka Ivan would extend to the Tsar
himself. In an exceptional way he had indebted the Tsar as well.
Laptin had listened to the conversation between the Tsar and
Batka, while he was combining different versions for the eventual outcome of
this extreme situation. His intuition hinted to him that fate had crossed the
paths of three great men not by chance – he included himself in this number. In
fact, only two of
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