Рыбаченко Олег Павлович
Nikolai Voznesensky - The Rise of the Ussr

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  • Аннотация:
    Nikolai Voznesensky came to power in 1949. The USSR's economic and demographic growth continued, the Korean War was won, and, most importantly, World War III, a non-nuclear version, began on May 9, 1977.
  Nikolai Voznesensky - The Rise of the USSR
  ANNOTATION
  Nikolai Voznesensky came to power in 1949. The USSR's economic and demographic growth continued, the Korean War was won, and, most importantly, World War III, a non-nuclear version, began on May 9, 1977.
  CHAPTER No 1.
  A type of world in which Stalin died exactly four years earlier, on March 5, 1949, leaving a written will in which he requested that Nikolai Voznesensky be made his successor.
  The candidate was indeed quite suitable. Nikolai Voznesensky was young, experienced, and very talented-an academician, the youngest doctor of economics in the USSR, and at the same time tough and demanding.
  Stalin's modernization continued, but the wave of repression eased somewhat. There was a partial and rather cautious rehabilitation of those who were entirely innocent, but without mass amnesties for nationalists, separatists, and Hitler's lackeys. Harsh penalties for being late for work remained, and discipline was maintained by strict measures. Mass construction continued. The economy grew rapidly, and the country recovered from the war. The birth rate was quite high, thanks in part to the ban on abortion, and the death rate was declining.
  Prices also fell every year. Foreign policy became quite aggressive. War broke out between North and South Korea, which involved the US and its Western coalition, the USSR, and China.
  Here's where the first discrepancy with actual history occurred. Since Nikolai Voznesensky was still relatively young, didn't drink, and didn't smoke, he had no intention of dying. Ending the war in Korea isn't beneficial. It weakens and constrains the United States and the West as a whole, and Chinese soldiers aren't a pity. Soviet pilots merely provide cover for the skies, so the USSR doesn't lose many men. Meanwhile, the war costs the United States three thousand killed every month, not counting the wounded.
  In short, the tough Nicholas, despite his façade of peace, encouraged war and delayed negotiations. Incidentally, Stalin did the same thing in real history, but his life ended in March 1953, and then there was peace. And so the war dragged on. Meanwhile, the USSR tried to penetrate Africa, the Middle East, Cuba, and Latin America, too.
  In 1959, in addition to the Cuban revolution, the United States was also in trouble in Korea. China had gathered its forces and, armed with Soviet tanks and aircraft, launched a major offensive. The Celestial Empire's soldiers enjoyed overwhelming numerical superiority. By this time, the USSR had completed its own rearmament and was able to sell thousands of T-54 tanks to China.
  And they came like an avalanche. As a result, first Seoul fell, and then the front collapsed completely. Within seven months, virtually all of South Korea was captured. The war continued for another six months over the islands, and ultimately, in 1960, a peace treaty was signed. The ten-year war ended with a decisive victory for the USSR and China.
  The USSR's successes didn't stop there. There was a minor war with Turkey. True, Voznesensky wanted to make the entire country a Soviet republic, but NATO intervened. Nevertheless, a significant portion of the country, including Erzurum and Tanrog, became part of the USSR, primarily Armenia and a small portion of Georgia.
  In 1962, there was the Cuban Missile Crisis, but nuclear war was averted. The USSR launched Sputnik in 1957. In 1961, Yuri Gagarin orbited the globe. And the slogan was seriously put forward: "We will catch up and surpass America!" There was also a currency reform in 1961.
  Thanks to Voznesensky's continued adherence to working hours, strict discipline in production, and the introduction of scientific advances, the USSR's economic growth rate was higher than Nikita Khrushchev's. True, the US economy also accelerated. But the gap was narrowing. The USSR surpassed the US in many respects.
  Unlike Nikita Khrushchev, and then Brezhnev, the automobile industry also developed actively.
  Foreign policy was unsettled. The United States had become embroiled in another war in Vietnam. And in 1968, the USSR took advantage of the revolutions in Iran and Iraq to expand its territory southward, taking advantage of Azerbaijani-populated Iranian lands, and establish a Kurdish Soviet Socialist Republic. This republic, a few years later, voluntarily joined the USSR.
  In 1969, both the USSR and the USA landed on the Moon almost simultaneously. But the USSR managed to beat them to the moon by just a week. The space race continued.
  In the early 1970s, the USSR had already caught up with the United States in terms of gross national product. However, per capita, it still lagged behind. Moreover, due to the ban on abortion and pro-natal policies, coupled with the near-total lack of contraception, the USSR's population grew faster than during the Khrushchev-Brezhnev era. Taking into account the additional territorial gains from Turkey and Iran, the USSR reached a population of 370 million in 1975. The country became the world's leader in gross national product and industrial production, boasting the largest army-conscripts served for three years, and in the navy, even longer.
  The USSR has overtaken the USA in nuclear potential.
  The space race was underway and Nikolai Voznesensky ordered preparations for a manned flight to Mars.
  It seemed that everything was more or less fine, but something unforeseen happened.
  In 1976, Soviet scientists succeeded in creating radiation that made a runaway thermonuclear reaction impossible. As a result, nuclear weapons were rendered inoperable.
  And on May 9, 1977, Nikolai Voznesensky and Deng Xiaoping, Mao Zedong's successor, started World War III. The population of the USSR was approaching four hundred million, and China's was approaching a billion. Plus, there was the Warsaw Pact: this was in addition to the countries that had already existed in real history, such as Yugoslavia, Albania, and Greece, where communists came to power after the overthrow of the "Black Colonels." A major war against NATO and the entire Western coalition had begun.
  The USSR's military-industrial complex was stronger than that of the West and the United States. The advantage was particularly pronounced in tanks. Moreover, Soviet tanks, especially the newest T-72 with its long-barreled 125-mm gun, were far more powerful than the American M-60, the West German Leopard, or the British Challenger. This tank could penetrate Western tanks head-on from five kilometers away. And then there were the heavy IS-series tanks. Voznesensky Skromnenko didn't use his surname for the tanks, and there was no debunking of the personality cult. And the IS-series survived. There was the IS-10 in production, and the larger IS-11 with a 130-mm gun. And the newest IS-15, with a long-barreled 152-mm gun.
  True, the IS tanks weren't widely used, as Soviet medium tanks were sufficient for combat and for penetrating enemy vehicles. The T-72 isn't heavy, but it boasts good frontal armor, is agile, and is powerfully armed. The IS series is heavier, better protected, with thick, multilayered armor and gas-turbine engines.
  The USSR was ready in both aviation and high-explosive missiles. Although the USSR's advantage over the US in tanks was one to eight, its advantage in aviation was more modest: one to two and a half. The naval ratio was also in the USSR's favor.
  Unlike Khrushchev, Nikolai Voznesensky did not cut battleships and aircraft carriers. The USSR had a naval advantage in large surface ships and aircraft carriers, and an even greater advantage in submarines.
  Following the US defeat in Vietnam and mass protests in America, conscription was abandoned. However, the transition to a professional army led to increased military spending and a decline in military equipment purchases.
  And the ratio changed even more in favor of the USSR.
  So, the already elderly but very experienced Voznesensky decided that this was his chance to put an end to global capitalism.
  And the date of the attack, May 9, was not chosen at random. A major offensive into Europe had begun.
  Of course, there were some provocations to blame NATO for everything, as if they had started it first.
  In Eastern Europe, the USSR had amassed over sixty thousand tanks. And these were superior to Western tanks. The more powerful American Ambrams tank still existed only in the drawing boards, as did the more advanced German Leopard 2. In West Germany, the latest 120mm high-pressure anti-tank gun had only just entered production. And so far, it had only been installed on a few self-propelled guns. This wasn't 1941, but 1977. And Nikolai Voznesensky, having learned the lessons of Stalin, decided to strike first. In principle, this made sense.
  If the Red Army had launched a preemptive strike, the Wehrmacht would have been in dire straits, as it was unprepared for defense, and apparently Hitler had no plans for a defensive war. But things turned out differently. Although, if the USSR had emerged as the aggressor, but the Third Reich hadn't quickly defeated it, the US, Britain, and its colonies and dominions could have supported Germany. Although, this was to prevent Stalin, having conquered Europe, from striking Britain and the US himself. They weren't fools there, either.
  Although Churchill wasn't particularly smart. After all, by continuing the war with Germany, he gained nothing in real history, but could have lost everything! And he lost India, too. He promised them independence, and the Indians haven't forgotten that.
  And after that, the British colonial empire began to collapse.
  Voznesensky, the successor to Stalin's line, is a genius, you could say. He's been in power for twenty-eight years-an entire era. He's been in power for seventy-three years, and he's going on seventy-four. So you have to hurry if you want to seize power over the world. Otherwise, you might not make it in time and start World War III. You're making the move like a gambler throwing dice. And you've got a big head start.
  Alex and Alina are also participating in the Soviet offensive. They fight in a children's battalion. Boys and girls in red ties, shorts, and short skirts, their bare, dusty heels flashing, run into the attack. Soviet troops cross the Elbe, entering West German territory. It's not that the Red Army's attack is entirely unexpected. West Germans had expected it, it must be said. And they had been preparing for it for years. They mined roads, installed guns and various systems, including rocket launchers no worse than Grads. But Soviet might is irresistible. And such a crushing blow.
  The defensive line is broken through on the move.
  And the children are left to run barefoot. Their pioneer troop is quite seasoned, and the boys' and girls' feet are stronger than the leather of their boots. They go barefoot even in winter, and their feet are as red as goose feet, and the constant movement saves them. But in May, running barefoot is pure pleasure. And you can even throw presents of annihilation.
  Here Alex throws a boomerang with his bare toes, and it flies past and decapitates three German soldiers lying in ambush. Blood spurts from their slit throats.
  The boy sings:
  Voznesensky, the glorious leader,
  Cleanses the world of filth...
  Don't touch the pioneers,
  Know that you will definitely receive it!
  Alina, this beautiful girl, also threw a couple of poisonous needles with her bare toes and pinned NATO soldiers with them.
  And the children sang in chorus with enthusiasm:
  NATO is raging in rage,
  The enemy moved his regiments forward...
  But the executioners-enemies,
  The Russians will meet with hostility!
  
  They will bite into the pig's skin,
  The enemy will be cast into dust...
  Boys and girls are fighting,
  The soldier's fist is strong!
  The children ran to the attack. A whole battalion of them. The boys even took off their shirts, revealing their muscular, tanned torsos, albeit childish. They were swift. And if they encountered soldiers-German, American, French, or British-the young warriors stabbed and shot them.
  Children, it must be said, are a ruthless people. They know how to fight and show their ruthlessness. And then Alex, running, kicked a West German army officer in the chin with his bare heel. He went down. Now that's a great kick-a real punch.
  Alina exclaimed, licking her lips:
  - Well, you are a superman!
  Alex, jumping on his bare feet, sang:
  The child has no problems,
  He is a son of his era...
  Both a gentleman and a superman,
  His affairs are not bad!
  Another girl, Margarita, will throw a pea with her bare toes of murderous force and tear German soldiers to pieces.
  After which she fires a machine gun, mowing down the English. And with great delight and enthusiasm, the young warrior sings:
  NATO is raging in rage,
  The enemy moved his regiments forward...
  But the executioners' enemies,
  The Russians will be met with bayonets,
  
  They will bite into the pig's skin,
  The enemy will be cast into dust...
  The Russians are fighting fiercely,
  The soldier's fist is strong!
  Boys and girls ran after them, also firing machine guns and throwing peas of annihilation with their bare toes. This was truly a thrilling battle.
  The Soviet troops also advanced in other directions in the same way.
  Tanks were used, including the newest T-72 tanks, which had no equal in Western countries.
  But the USSR had not only medium but also heavy vehicles. For example, the T-15, which carried four bikini-clad women. It was, let's say, a serious vehicle. It had ten machine guns alone and two 135-millimeter cannons. That was the experimental vehicle.
  And it was piloted by just four girls. And these beauties' names all start with the letter E, so their crew is called E-4.
  Elena is a beautiful girl with white hair that has a blue tint,
  He presses the joystick button with his bare toes. And the gun fires.
  A projectile of great, deadly force is spat out and hits the enemy howitzer.
  Another girl with golden hair, Ekaterina, also presses the joystick button with her bare toes. And again, the gift of annihilation flies out with enormous, deadly force.
  Yes, the shells here are quite destructive. And the girls sing with great enthusiasm:
  Woe to him who fights,
  In battle with a Russian woman...
  If the enemy goes berserk,
  I'll kill that bastard!
  I'll kill that bastard!
  Elizabeth, a girl with copper-red hair, fires a machine gun at NATO soldiers and sings:
  No mercy, no mercy, no mercy for the enemy,
  I'm on the attack, I'm on the attack, I'm running barefoot!
  And her bare heel also presses the button and the weapon is activated.
  And Euphrosyne controls the tank's chassis. And she does it quite masterfully, too.
  And the girl still understands and sings:
  - One, two, three! You tear NATO apart!
  Four, eight, five! Let's go kill them all!
  That's how the four operate. They move with such aggressive aplomb.
  In general, the war has only just begun, and it may still be premature to call it the third world war.
  Elena, jumping up and spinning on the spot, notices:
  - Still, in the USSR all three rulers: Lenin, Stalin, Voznesensky were great, but what can be said about Tsarist Russia?
  Catherine fired the gun and noted:
  What can one say? Peter the Great was definitely considered a great ruler, Catherine, with some reservations, and Ivan the Terrible, without a doubt, who significantly expanded the empire's borders, especially in the east. Well, Alexander I also significantly expanded the empire. And Alexander II, perhaps, deserved to be counted among the greats.
  Elizabeth fired bursts from ten machine guns at once and replied:
  "As for Alexander II, I doubt it. After all, it was he who made Russia's biggest territorial concession-he sold Alaska!"
  Elena nodded and also fired from the cannon and noted:
  "Yes, selling Alaska is a huge minus. Now we could launch our tanks directly at the US!"
  Euphrosyne, crushing NATO soldiers with her tracks, noted:
  "To be honest, Alexei Mikhailovich, the quietest, can also be considered a great tsar. He also conquered half of Ukraine, including Kyiv, the Smolensk region, and much land in the east. Based on the size of his conquests, he may even be the most successful tsar!"
  Catherine nodded, firing the automatic cannon again:
  - Yes, that's true! But Alexei Mikhailovich found himself in the shadows because of his great son, Peter. And he's not liked either because of his suppression of Stenka Razin's rebellion.
  Elizabeth giggled and replied:
  - Oh, Stenka Razin - he was a tough Cossack! But he also shed an immeasurable amount of blood!
  And the girls' tank literally sprayed everything with ten machine guns. True, drones weren't a thing back then, but machine guns are good against infantry. And that's how they work.
  And there are also female Soviet pilots working in the skies. One of them is Annastasia Vedmakova. A redhead, eternally young, and a true witch. During the Great Patriotic War, she became the only woman to be awarded the Hero of the USSR three times, having shot down over a hundred German aircraft. Thanks to the amulet of Perun, she was never shot down. And she was superb. During the fighting in Korea, the eternal girl also distinguished herself. Awarded two more USSR stars, she became a five-time hero. And then, as an exception, she was awarded the Order of Victory for shooting down 200 American aircraft. Although this order is usually given to military leaders. Anastasia Vedmakova also received the Star of the Order of Glory, also with diamonds. Her total number of aircraft shot down exceeded 356. Thus, she surpassed Huffman, who had previously been the highest-scoring ace of all time.
  And now she has improved her score, shooting down two German planes with a single salvo of air cannon fire.
  Anastasia sang:
  And it"s not for nothing,
  My father is the white Devil!
  Not in vain at all,
  My father is the Devil!
  And Satan should not be discouraged!
  And the red-haired warrior shot down three American planes with a single shot. She looks very fresh, not a wrinkle on her face. But how old is she? The girl first fought in the Patriotic War under Alexander the First. There, she fought against Napoleon Bonaparte's army.
  This barefoot girl with fiery red hair. She acted like a guerrilla. And extremely bravely.
  She especially loved to throw bombs with her bare toes and literally tear apart enemies. She acted in the style of Kutuzov. An energetic warrior - simply superb.
  And now it's going to hit the enemy from the air, too. And Bundeswehr troops are scattering in all directions.
  Of the German self-propelled guns, the only one that can penetrate a T-64 or T-72 is the long-barreled 150-millimeter gun. It hits like a sledgehammer. It'll hit you so hard you'll be in for a rude awakening.
  True, a self-propelled gun with such a weapon-a good ten meters long-is quite noticeable. And Anastasia Vedmakova launches a high-explosive rocket at it.
  And then it smashes into the powerful self-propelled gun with all its might, turning it into a pile of rubble. And fires break out.
  Anastasia sings:
  The fire is a bright flame,
  My love is burning...
  Let the enemy be insidious and cunning,
  But it will be broken!
  By the way, Anastasia really loves men. It helps her rejuvenate and stay in shape. It's really good for your health.
  And here is Akulina, also on a plane and barefoot in just a bikini.
  She really likes it, I must say. And she shoots down enemy planes.
  Akulina Orlova is a natural blonde and also a witch. While Anastasia Vedmakova, despite her impeccably clear and smooth skin, is clearly mature, a woman in excellent shape, but still not a young woman, Akulina is fresh and youthful. She looks almost a teenager, and not as massive and muscular as Vedmakova. But she's also quite old. She fought for the first time in the Russo-Japanese War. While she's younger than Vedmakova, she's also far from a girl. And she fought at Port Arthur.
  There she was barefoot even in winter, and left graceful footprints in the snow.
  The absence of shoes is, of course, a huge plus for a witch, and for a fairy too.
  She allows you to do a lot of things. And she likes men too.
  And kill enemies. Akulina Orlova turns and strikes. She's a fighter, beyond words.
  And the NATO front line is cracking. Already on the first day of fighting, May 9, 1977, Soviet troops broke through quite deeply and crossed the Elbe.
  They also landed in Denmark. There was a landing there, including barefoot warriors. And combat units, including children's battalions, are marching through Vienna.
  In particular, Oleg Rybachenko and Margarita Korshunova, who look like they're about twelve years old, are fighting. And they're also very capable fighters.
  Especially if a boy and a girl suddenly start whistling. So, a multitude of crows, having been hit in the brain with a lethal baton, fall down at once and pierce the heads of NATO soldiers with their beaks.
  Oleg exclaimed:
  - Look how quickly we got started!
  Margarita confirmed:
  - This is awesome! We'll wipe them all out! And make them pulsate!
  And other children are also on the attack. So many young pioneers are here. A whole army of young fighters.
  They know no doubt or mercy.
  Alik also fights, and demonstrates his aerobatics alongside his little girl, Alina.
  And how they just went off the rails is simply unbelievable. And they're acting extremely, even prohibitively, aggressively.
  And the children's bare, round heels tap. This is truly a devastating effect.
  And they rush forward and act extremely actively and aggressively.
  No, you can"t stand up to children"s strong and shock troops.
  And of course, why shouldn't the boys and girls sing something smashing and destructive? So that the walls crumble on the enemies.
  And the young warriors are just super.
  For a change, Alik started singing a melody that was more fairy-tale-like than patriotic, and his head was already splitting from patriotism:
  The Frost Palace is a wonderful garden,
  Where there are more diamonds than dewdrops...
  However, it is hell in a way,
  Although there are no visible children's tears in it!
  The white bear is getting boring,
  The only birds that are noisy are penguins...
  It's like frozen death here,
  Which is in a sparkling guise!
  But you can watch different films,
  There is a large collection here...
  You can't die of boredom,
  There's plenty of entertainment here too!
  And then the boy Kai sings a song,
  What a charming child now...
  But it could be quite the opposite,
  And at least his voice is childishly ringing!
  I want at least a little bit of freedom,
  Born the most unfortunate slave!
  O young years in grief,
  The evil one hooked me with a boat hook!
  The fields of wheat are in full bloom,
  And we swing a sickle across the field!
  But sweet buns only come to mind in dreams,
  Our darkness cannot be described with a pen!
  Although I'm still just a boy,
  Look at the bare ribs, the sunken belly!
  For me, the whip and the rack are crying in the heat,
  A dream, God willing, the opposite!
  Quarries, the sun is blazing,
  And it's a long way to the rest stop!
  The girl's hair curls gently,
  I'd love to dive deep with her!
  The love of a slave for a naked slave,
  Naive and light as feathers!
  After all, the legs are worn out and bare,
  They walk on sharp stones here!
  Dress naked love in dresses,
  And cover your feet with shoes!
  So that you become a vaunted nobility,
  So that she drinks wine and eats game!
  And so the girl is whipped with a whip,
  And he carries stones on his back!
  Only the slave's gaze is very proud,
  In its own, albeit poor, beauty!
  We endured for a long time, but couldn"t hold back,
  We have risen and are going to storm!
  Gone into the darkness of times of sorrow,
  The slave turned the throne upside down!
  Here, finally, we are free with you,
  A child has appeared - a son!
  The century will not return, we believe it is black,
  Let everyone be a master!
  After all, children are the highest reward,
  Their cry is a joy, their joy is laughter!
  But we need to learn, life needs us,
  To reap success generously!
  Kai's songs are so beautiful,
  And the golden boy's voice...
  In his own way, he is unhappy,
  And clearly icy at heart!
  But the beauty of his poem,
  Capable of melting hearts...
  When there are only chimeras around,
  Know that the thread of song will not be broken!
  The Snow Maiden's rows are nowhere to be seen,
  It's like a service for children...
  He gives out gifts at the same time,
  With her the sparrow will be well fed!
  She is beautiful in her soul,
  Her father is Father Frost himself...
  And it"s dangerous to go against them,
  Capable of biting off your nose!
  The boy starts singing again,
  His heart is heavy...
  Why is there no feeling of paradise?
  Although it seemed like luck!
  NICHOLAS II - AN UNEXPECTED CHANCE
  ANNOTATION.
  Alexander Ulyanov shot Alexander III; oddly enough, his son Nicholas II, having become tsar earlier, turned out to be more successful and skilled, and chose a wife who was more suitable and needed by the state.
  CHAPTER 1
  Alexander III was the victim of an assassination attempt organized by a group of students led by Ulyanov's brother, Alexander, back in 1887. Nicholas II ascended the throne seven years earlier than in real history. So what difference does it make? But having become monarch seven years earlier, Nicholas II never met the woman who would become his wife in real history. Instead, he married another woman, capable of bearing a healthy male heir. And this had an impact on the entire course of history. In particular, despite initial setbacks in the war with Japan, the Tsar was not constrained by an ailing heir to the throne. As a result, his decisions were more sound.
  Bloody Sunday never happened. General Kuropatkin was replaced by Brusilov. The battleship Slava was completed and sailed with the third pursuing squadron. Nicholas II, disguised as a personal yacht, also brought three more battleships out of the Black Sea, including the brand-new Potemkin. And Rozhdestvensky's squadron proved stronger, with four new and powerful large ships, than in real history.
  Brusilov defeated the Japanese on land and blockaded Port Arthur, where a Japanese garrison was still stationed.
  Rozhdestvensky's squadron arrived from the Baltic and Black Seas, a more powerful version. In addition to four brand-new battleships, it also included several smaller vessels. Tsarist Russia also purchased six armored cruisers from Peru. And so, the formidable Russian squadron engaged the Japanese at Tsushima. Only this time, the samurai flagship, Mikaso, was sunk in the first minutes of the battle, along with Admiral Togo. And at sea, the Japanese were utterly defeated.
  Japanese troops were cut off from their supply bases by land and soon capitulated.
  Japan was forced to conclude a shameful peace. Russia received Korea, Manchuria, the entire Kuril Islands, and Taiwan.
  Plus, Japan was required to pay a contribution of one billion gold rubles to cover Tsarist Russia's expenses for the war.
  Victory was won. The authority of Nicholas II, and that of the autocracy as a whole, was strengthened.
  Without the revolution, Tsarist Russia experienced a long economic boom with an average growth rate of ten percent per year.
  But then came the First World War. Unlike in real history, Tsarist Russia avoided the decline caused by revolution and upheaval, and was better prepared. Its army was also larger, as it included Chinese, Mongolian, and Korean soldiers from the Yellow Russia.
  In addition, due to a stronger economy, Prokhorov's "Luna"-2 tank was put into production, which developed a speed of forty kilometers per hour on the highway and twenty-five on the road.
  From the very beginning, the war went very well for Tsarist Russia. Königsberg and Przemysl were taken immediately, Russian troops reached the Oder, and even captured Budapest and Krakow.
  Only by withdrawing significant forces from the western front did Kaiser's Germany manage to slow down the Russian army.
  But in the spring of 1915, having gathered their strength, the Russians went on the offensive again. They were able to break through to Vienna, disabling Austria-Hungary. Italy also entered the war on the side of the Entente.
  Türkiye tried to wage war against Russia, but Bulgaria this time also sided with the Entente. After the defeat of Austria-Hungary, Russian troops took Istanbul. And soon the Ottoman Empire was also defeated.
  Russian troops launched an offensive against Germany from the south, and the Allied armies from the west. And the Kaiser signed the capitulation.
  World War I ended within a year and was victorious for the Entente. Russia gained German lands as far as the Oder. The Austrian Empire disintegrated. Galicia and Bukovina became Russian provinces. Czechoslovakia became part of Russia as the Czech Kingdom, and Hungary became part of Hungary, both under Tsar Nicholas II. Romania managed to seize Transylvania. Yugoslavia also emerged, and Italy annexed some lands in the south.
  Austria was left small and plucked. Germany was severely reduced, forced to return lands seized earlier under Bismarck to France, as well as Denmark. And Germany was burdened with reparations.
  The Ottoman Empire disappeared from the world map. Istanbul, the Straits, and Asia Minor were taken over by Russia. Iraq was conquered by Russia and Britain, somewhere along the Baghdad line - each seizing what they could. Russia also annexed Palestine and most of Syria. Southern Syria was ceded to the French, and the Turkish possessions in Saudi Arabia were seized by the British.
  A period of peace had arrived, although minor wars were still being waged. Saudi Arabia was completely subjugated by Russia, Britain, and France. Tsarist Russia gained access to the Indian Ocean and began building a railway there.
  There was also a war in Afghanistan. The British lost, and Tsarist Russia invaded from the north and turned Afghanistan into its province.
  Why did Tsarist Russia attack Iran? And capture it almost without a fight. Only part of Iran in the southeast was annexed by Britain.
  Then, until 1929-the beginning of the Great Depression-all was calm and peace, and God's grace. Tsarist Russia's economy rose to second place in the world, behind only the United States. And in military might, it was undoubtedly the most powerful.
  But the Great Depression created problems. There were also unrest in Tsarist Russia, where an absolute monarchy ruled.
  Nicholas II continued his expansion into China. As a result, war with Japan broke out in 1931. This time, however, the samurai were quickly defeated, both at sea by Admiral Kolchak and on land by Kornilov and Denikin. And the position of the absolute monarchy was once again strengthened. A landing was made in Japan, and Russian troops captured it. A referendum and annexation by the Tsarist Empire followed. Thus, Russia became even stronger and more formidable.
  Soon all of China became Russian and was divided into provinces.
  Hitler came to power in Germany. But unlike in real history, he chose a pro-Russian orientation. Mussolini in Italy waged one war, capturing the last independent country in Africa, Ethiopia. And in 1938, Germany and Austria united into a single state.
  Hitler, Mussolini, and Nicholas II on one side, and Britain, France, Belgium, Holland, and especially the United States on the other, began preparing for World War II. It was supposed to lead to a redivision of the world.
  And so, on May 15, 1940, Nazi Germany launched an invasion of France, as well as Belgium and Holland. And on May 18, the Tsarist Empire of Nicholas II attacked the colonies of Britain, France, Belgium, and Holland.
  So Hitler was left to do the most menial and thankless work, while Nicholas II skimmed the cream. And everyone had been preparing for this for a long time.
  The Western coalition has a slight advantage over the Wehrmacht in personnel, tanks, artillery, and defensive lines. And some troops are still stationed against Italy, where Mussolini also has his sights on territory in Europe.
  It seemed the war could go on for a long time, but Meinstein came up with a cunning and very effective plan to capture France, Belgium and Holland.
  It plans a double strike with a sickle. And for the first time in modern warfare, a mass landing of troops by plane and parachute. Moreover, most of the paratroopers are cardboard dolls, to create the illusion of a massive force. The main force of Hitler's tanks will pass through Luxembourg and then along a mountain gorge.
  There's a real risk of being bombed by aircraft. But Tsarist Russia sent fighters, and if necessary, they'll cover the skies over the Andes. So the prospects for a German offensive are good, and major successes are achieved in the very first days! In particular, Luxembourg was captured practically without a fight, with only a few wounded. Then came the advance of tanks and armored personnel carriers along the mountain corridor.
  The French have an advantage in tanks in terms of numbers, armor thickness, and gun caliber. And the British Maltis-2 is completely impenetrable to German tanks. Only the Tsarist Empire of Nicholas II had a better tank.
  But the Nazis won with better and more efficient use of tank forces, and in particular, Guderian's tactics, which were, in their own way, cutting-edge.
  And the vaunted German discipline. That also had an effect.
  But the tsarist army, of course, did not passively watch this.
  The offensive began precisely on May 18, the birthday of Tsar Nicholas II, who had just turned seventy-two. In Russia's thousand-year history, only one Grand Prince, Yaroslav the Wise, had lived to that age. And even then, his age may have been deliberately inflated by chroniclers, perhaps by ten years, to make him appear older than Svyatopolk. So, Nicholas II may well be the oldest ruler in Russia's history.
  And since he's ruled this world since 1882, he's already broken Ivan the Terrible's record for longest reign. And who knows, maybe he'll break Louis XIV's record as well. Of all the rulers of more or less significant states, he's the longest-reigning one. There were a couple of princes who nominally ruled longer, but their domains were too small to qualify as states.
  In any case, Tsar Nicholas II had the phenomenal luck of Vladimir Putin. And he's launching another invasion.
  This time, it's south. The Russian Tsar's troops are marching on India. And their commander is Oleg Rybachenko, the eternal boy.
  Just imagine, in his previous life, he was quite an adult. But then he wanted eternal life. So he agreed to become like the hero of the TV series "Highlander"-immortal and invulnerable, and even his head couldn't be cut off. But in the body of a twelve-year-old boy.
  And, of course, to serve Russia. Well, that's perfectly acceptable. Immortality is a wonderful thing, after all. Especially if it's full of adventure. Even though the boy looks like he's only twelve, he's incredibly strong and fast. And he can handle anything.
  Oleg, of course, holds the rank of Adjutant General and General-in-Chief. He has a huge number of medals and titles, too. So the possibility of gaining new glory and land is a huge temptation. Or perhaps even achieving a higher title-a Duke, for example? Indeed, such a title would be quite impressive. Even the legendary Bismarck didn't have time to become a Duke. Although he would have needed another victorious war to achieve that. But this glorious German managed to stop there altogether.
  But Nicholas II has no intention of stopping. He believes the entire world will soon be his. And indeed, Russian troops enter southern Iran, and further on to the Indus River and Pakistan, encountering virtually no resistance. They take city after city. And Russian tanks stop only to refuel.
  And in the West, the Tsar's troops approached and fought their way across the Suez Canal. Here, at least, the British troops put up some resistance.
  And fierce fighting is underway. Russian troops are also seizing British possessions in the Middle East. And they are doing so rapidly.
  The main obstacle is not the colonial troops, who scatter and surrender, but the great distance and the natural landscape.
  Oleg isn't alone in the attack; he's joined by a girl who looks about twelve, Margarita, and four other beautiful girls. The entire team is barefoot, and the boy is wearing only shorts. And you can see the bare heels of children's feet.
  The locals fell to their knees before them. The resistance of the British and sepoys was patchy. Only one white section of the British attempted to make a show of force. Then a boy, a girl, and four young women attacked them.
  And Oleg Rybachenko began to hack at the English with all his might. The eternal child had his way. And the heads of the lion's empire's warriors rolled.
  Following him, the girl Margarita did the same. And again, heads roll. This is truly a figurative massacre. And so many people are truly dying. Blood gushes, and the child terminators splash through the scarlet puddles with their bare, tanned, chiseled feet, raising a cloud of splashes. And all of this is literally a fountain of blood. And it can't help but make an impression. And the four girls are also fighting. And with their bare, girlish feet, they splash through the puddles and raise a cloud of bloody splashes.
  And so this bloodbath ensues. Heads are literally being chopped off, bouncing around like soccer balls. How positive it all looks.
  Oleg Rybachenko, this eternal boy, sang:
  I am Lada's son, a warrior eternally young,
  I shine with undeniable beauty...
  The world will undoubtedly give me a wonderful gift,
  And I'll throw a grenade with my bare foot!
  After which the boy took the crushing mill and tested it, so much so that even heads rolled. And the girls went ahead and turned up the heat. The surviving Englishmen, terrified, threw down their weapons. After which the beautiful girls forced the proud warriors of Foggy Albion to fall prostrate and kiss their bare feet. And the Englishmen did this with great enthusiasm.
  That's how the battle went. Things went much easier after that. The local Indian units almost completely surrendered, and some even fought alongside the Russian units against the British.
  The army under Oleg Rybachenko's command effectively marched. And the conquest of India was forced.
  In other areas, or rather theaters of war, only in the Egyptian region did heavy fighting unfold. But even there, the Tsarist army had a significant advantage in strength. The heavy Peter the Great tank was impenetrable to almost all British guns, except perhaps the thirty-two-footers, of which Britain had few. But, of course, the Suvorov-3, the main tank, was used more frequently. It was very mobile and not particularly large.
  Only the Matilda-2, of which the British have very few, can pose any problems for the Russian tank, primarily due to its decent armor. However, its 47mm gun is frankly weak.
  The British entered the war. The Churchill tank had only just begun development. And it was still a long way from entering production. The Cromwell tanks were starting to roll off the assembly line, but they only had decent frontal armor, and the 75mm gun was weak.
  Overall, both the British and French are inferior to the Russian, Tsarist army in both quantity and quality. And the colonial troops are still weak and lacking in morale. So, they failed, even crossing the Suez Canal in Egypt. The only serious strength the British have is their navy. But the Tsarist Empire has a huge number of submarines. And some submarines run on hydrogen peroxide, meaning they're unrivaled. So try competing with them. They'll wipe everyone out. And they're streamlined.
  That's the kind of fleet we have here. Incidentally, Tsarist Russia had quite a few battleships. The empire's potential was enormous. Just try to compete with it. Take, for example, the battleship Alexander III, which just left port in New York. And it's moving, cutting through the waves. And it's so huge that even five-ton bombs can't take it down.
  This will really be cool.
  And its guns have a range of one hundred and fifty kilometers. This is "Alexander III."
  The battleship's crew consists of beautiful girls. They are almost naked, wearing bikinis and barefoot. And so the beauties run around, flashing their bare, round heels. And their legs are tanned and muscular.
  And the girls smell of expensive perfume. Now that's delicious. And their breasts are full and plump. And their scarlet nipples are covered with a narrow strip of fabric.
  These are girls, so muscular that even the skin under which the balls of muscle play shines.
  And how can men not fall on their knees in front of such people?
  And when Alexander III opened fire, the English cruiser sank with the first salvo.
  And the girls just howled with delight. It really was so fun and wonderful.
  So there's no way to stand up to those. Then another cruiser and a frigate were sunk by the warriors. And also quickly... And then a British battleship came out to meet them, and the duel began.
  Well, the warriors in striped bikinis really went for it. And they started crushing the enemy, drowning them, breaking pipes, towers, and masts. That's how powerful they were. How they pounded the enemy, giving them no respite.
  That's what a warrior girl is! And they sank the battleship with incredible force. And seriously damaged the battleship. Such are the battle formations, so to speak. And the bare, round, pink heels of the warriors flash. And they run from one cannon to another. They aim them with laughter and fire a shell from the sixteen-inch guns. They hit and explode with a roar. They smash both the turrets and the sides of the ships. That's how cool it works. Like a real sledgehammer, smashing through armor and sailors.
  That's how the battleship Alexander III performed-such incredible power. But it didn't stop there. Seaplanes also contributed to the naval victory.
  Meanwhile, the Nazis were advancing on France. They managed to execute a brilliant maneuver-a double strike with a sickle-and completely cut down the enemy.
  The landing of troops, including thousands of fake dolls parachuted in, had an overwhelming effect. The Nazis took Brussels almost without a fight. Holland was also captured immediately. Moreover, the Nazis captured the royal family by trickery: disguised as Dutch guards. A truly remarkable operation.
  And then came the advance to Port de Calais, and the encirclement of the British at Duyker. Moreover, unlike in real history, they were unable to evacuate. Some were killed, others were captured.
  Russian troops also struggled in Indochina. French troops, especially the colonial ones, offered very weak resistance. The Tsarist army marched, literally sweeping through Vietnam. Children's units and troops of girls preferred to march barefoot. And this was quite practical.
  The boy in shorts had hardened soles, and they were even more comfortable.
  And the enemy keeps giving in. And of course, light tanks are in action. Specifically, these weigh only fifteen tons, but have a five-hundred-horsepower diesel engine. They're so agile and nimble, like wild animals. There's truly no standing against them. These light tanks are called "Bagration-2." However, the "Suvorov-3" tank also weighs thirty tons and is also very agile.
  That's politics. It's like Genghis Khan's cavalry. It just keeps on pushing.
  Oleg Rybachenko and Margarita Korshunova on a white horse, figuratively speaking, of course. In reality, these eternal children race barefoot. And they perform simply unimaginable feats. Although there's no one to perform them with. Light Russian tanks reached Bombay and Calcutta in just a few days. Such a magnificent feat.
  Oleg, jumping up and down with his bare feet, chirped:
  - We will trample Bombay!
  The girl Margarita confirmed:
  - Yes, we will trample!
  After which the children started whistling through their nostrils. Even the crows started pouring out.
  And the young warriors reached Bombay and were trampled by their bare, little feet. And India up and fell under Russia. And it was a remarkable victory.
  Russian troops also advanced in other directions. In particular, they advanced toward Singapore. This fortress-city seemed impregnable. But in reality, it was taken almost without a fight. A detachment of British troops only exchanged a few shots. But they, too, surrendered.
  A couple of drummer boys from the English detachment were stripped of their shoes, laid on their backs, and beaten with sticks on their bare heels. Beautiful girls were doing the beatings. The boys squealed in pain and humiliation. You could see the bare soles of the teenagers turn red. It really did look funny. And the beatings were very skillful and sharp.
  Now that actually looked a little creepy...
  India was conquered in literally two weeks. Oleg and Margarita slapped their bare feet, and the locals kissed their bare footprints. Apparently, they considered them gods.
  Oleg chirped:
  I am a boy as modern as a computer,
  And personally, he's a cool superman...
  You will get a lot of essence from the battle,
  The time has come for a change in life!
  Margarita took it and noted:
  - It was a British colony, and naturally they are happy to join Russia!
  The boy general remarked:
  - We do have an absolute monarchy! But Britain has always had a parliament!
  The warrior girl noted:
  "But Indians aren't allowed into the English Parliament. It's really not a territory, but a colony. But in Russia, all nations are formally equal!"
  Oleg, a boy of about twelve, threw a pebble with his bare toes at the pesky insect and knocked it down. Then he remarked:
  - Not quite all! The residency requirement for Jews hasn't been abolished yet!
  And the children took and sang:
  Let my holy land be glorified,
  People don't live very well...
  Spread from edge to edge,
  Brought hope and goodness to everyone!
  This is how the Russian troops operated. Meanwhile, the Germans, through Anders and Luxembourg, outflanked the Entente coalition forces from the south, cutting them off from the main forces in Belgium, and the famous Mangino defensive line from the north. Danger lurked for the Nazis as they advanced through the mountains from the air. This was a truly serious threat, especially since the coalition had a strong air force. But Russian fighters provided cover for the Germans, preventing them from bombing the positions through which the armored columns were advancing. And then on to Duyker and the breakthrough to the ports. Unlike in real history, Britain no longer had a chance of evacuation, since in addition to the Luftwaffe, there were also Russian fighters, bombers, and attack aircraft. And they, let's say, were the best in the world in quality, and first in quantity.
  And this, of course, is just the beginning. Tsarist Russia had been preparing for war for a long time, and quite effectively. And, of course, Nicholas II's dream was to rule the entire world. And Hitler was just a chance companion! Or a situational ally!
  And his troops have their heroines, too. A T-4 tank in action, but it's the heaviest. And then there's the experimental, non-production T-5, with three turrets, two cannons, and four machine guns. In other words, it's currently the most modern and powerful of all German tanks.
  And it's controlled by German girls, very beautiful ones, wearing nothing but bikinis. And when the Valkyries take up swords, it's clear things are about to get incredibly cool.
  Gerda fired a seventy-five-millimeter cannon with her bare toes. The high-explosive fragmentation shell flew with deadly force and exploded among the soldiers of the British corps.
  The warrior sang, stamping her bare heel on her armor:
  Ah, marmedal, la, trulyalya,
  Nobody even noticed that the king was gone!
  And they went and fired from both barrels at once. How the British soldiers and officers scattered in all directions.
  Charlotte giggled and sang:
  - The Fuhrer and Nicholas II are with us!
  Christina shook her hips and replied:
  - For the greatness of the empire!
  Magda added energetically:
  - We are taking revenge for the First World War!
  German troops reached the coast and even took Port-de-Calais on the move, practically without a fight.
  The British, thanks to the innumerable Russian, Tsarist air force, had no chance of evacuation or resistance.
  Hitler, as usual, was jubilant and jumping up and down like a monkey. Now that was really cool.
  Nicholas the Great, as he was called, extended his hand over the world.
  Oleg Rybachenko and Margarita Korshunova reached the south of India, or rather, they ran there, their bare, round heels sparkling.
  The boy-terminator noted:
  - We're going to hit the enemy... Or rather, we've already hit them...
  Margarita noted:
  - We didn't have to fight - we were beaten with a broom!
  The child geniuses began throwing razor blades at the scarecrows with their bare toes. And they were extremely active. And let's just say these kids were monsters.
  AMERICAN TANK SONG -7
  ANNOTATION
  The war against the Third Reich, started by Stalin, continues. Western countries are increasingly aiding Nazi Germany. Sherman tanks have appeared on the front lines, rivaling the Soviet T-34s and even surpassing them in optics and armor. British cruiser tanks are also fighting. The Red Army is getting worse and worse. Their only hope lies in the barefoot Komsomol girls!
  CHAPTER 1
  In June, a new major offensive by a coalition of nations began. American Sherman tanks appeared on the front lines, armed with armament similar to the Soviet T-34s, but with even thicker frontal armor. Moreover, the quality of American steel was superior to that of the Soviets.
  In addition, British cruiser tanks appeared, also fairly well protected and satisfactorily armed. The Germans increased production of the T-4 tank, armed with a long-barreled 75mm gun, which was equal to the T-34 in armor-piercing power and, thanks to its superior projectile quality, even surpassed it.
  So, serious and powerful forces were deployed. The main attack was carried out in a way that avoided crossing the Dnieper. The Germans also managed to take Odessa, which was completely blockaded from the sea. And the Soviet troops abandoned Kyiv, as there was no way to supply their group beyond the Dnieper.
  So the fascists and their coalition strengthened their position. And the USSR became much more precarious.
  Vladivostok also fell at the same time. The Japanese naval superiority was too great, and the city exhausted all its defensive resources. Japan then launched a major offensive in the Far East. The land of the samurai had undergone modernization, and its army had grown to ten million. And so a truly major offensive began.
  Well, Türkiye, having replenished its troops, including American tanks, advanced with the aim of encircling Yerevan again.
  So a very difficult situation developed for the USSR.
  Stalin demanded the creation of a new weapon. There was even such a program-a wonder weapon. But there were problems. Besides the Yak-9 and the entire KV family, there were no other ideas. And the LaGG-5 had to be put into production, which was also problematic. Even though the aircraft was relatively cheap and easier to produce.
  Well, the girls are back in action. They're fighting bravely against superior coalition forces. And they're throwing grenades with deadly force and destruction, barefoot! And it's incredibly cool and aggressive of them to behave that way.
  And the girls, of course, also sing;
  We lay down our hearts for our Fatherland,
  And to fight bravely, the communists are given...
  Let us open the wide door to happiness,
  We are destined to be with the people forever!
  
  Komsomol members fighting the fascist horde,
  They run barefoot through frosty snowdrifts...
  It is clear that Hitler is in league with Satan himself,
  Because the whole world was pulled in by force!
  
  Very strong Fritzes - they have hordes of the world,
  We lack the strength to overcome these enemies...
  And the Fuhrer chose for himself an idol to worship,
  Although in reality he is a hero of fools!
  
  How many corpses - there are mountains of them, the Devil has released his horns,
  There are many powerful tanks, countless planes...
  Believe us, even the gods won't help.
  Unless the bear can get it together!
  
  We are the sons of the Fatherland, warriors of the Komsomol,
  Pioneers are also bravely in our ranks...
  We will never leave the battles without leave,
  And the barefoot girl will kick the Fritz in the groin!
  
  Our Motherland is light, and fire is over the planet,
  We have disintegrated Soviet, holy communism...
  I know the exploits of the knights will be sung about,
  And bloody fascism will be cast down into the abyss!
  
  We fight bravely, even though the forces are unequal,
  Lenin and Stalin are with us, and the party knows...
  And for the glory of the Soviet Russian state,
  Let a universal, most beautiful paradise be built!
  
  So we will be in Berlin, and you believe it,
  Our planet will have people's power...
  The children will laugh loudly with joy,
  Our banner of the Soviets will never fall!
  
  The time will come when the Most High God will come,
  And he will plant holy communism in the universe...
  Then a person will cross the highest line,
  And for this, warrior, you work and fight!
  That's how they fought stubbornly and fiercely... But the forces seemed unequal.
  In fact, there is no way to argue with the enemy.
  Natasha pointed with her bare toes, took a glass of moonshine and chirped with a smile:
  "Yes, we're being pressed hard from all sides. But if you compress the water, they say, it could explode."
  Zoya jumped up, threw a grenade with deadly force with her bare foot and squealed:
  - I am a warrior of extreme fighting power!
  Augustine giggled and noted, letting her red hair fall down the branch and growling:
  - The heroic strength of the girls,
  Strength of spirit and willpower!
  And the warrior took and showed her long, whip-like tongue.
  Svetlana winked at her vis-à-vis and noted:
  - We need a new superweapon!
  Veronica objected, baring her sharp, white teeth:
  - No! We need supermen!
  Victoria noticed with a yawn:
  - Men are so smelly sometimes!
  Natasha lit the moonshine - it was a very strong liquor - and threw it at the approaching tank.
  And she roared:
  - Our bones are not afraid of tanks,
  Beautiful girls know how to fight!
  Zoya winked and replied with a grin:
  - Yes, we can do it - that"s for sure!
  And so the warriors took it and in chorus, with all their throats, deafeningly, like a flock of nightingales, they sang;
  We are barefoot Komsomol fighters,
  We are fighting the fascist beast...
  Let our dear fathers be proud,
  And don't let the weak talk nonsense!
  
  We play a choir for our Motherland,
  We want to make it all cleaner, more beautiful...
  But Adolf sharpened the axe sharply,
  And he wants to destroy everything that is ours!
  
  We are the knight of our great country,
  We want to rise high above the sky...
  And I believe that the enemies are doomed,
  And our honor is not the cries of a clown!
  
  We want to raise the flag of our Fatherland,
  So that Rus' throughout the whole world becomes happier...
  After all, the Motherland is dearer to us than our mother,
  To the glory of the most radiant Russia!
  
  You, knight, also support the girls,
  We trudge through the frost almost naked...
  To the glory of our valiant soul,
  Then buy the warrior a rose!
  
  We defended Moscow, because we could,
  In the frost, only the girls" heels sparkled...
  Now the fascists have lost everything,
  They plant the beds under gunshots, frowning!
  
  There are no Komsomol members, believe me, more beautiful,
  They are barely covered by clothing...
  But in battle, the beast will be afraid of them,
  And the enemies will be soundly beaten!
  
  To the glory of our holy Motherland,
  That covers the universe with glory...
  The girl rushes into the frost completely barefoot,
  As if it were already in blooming May!
  
  You too, fighter, take a machine gun,
  Even if you are still a boy...
  And tear the Fuhrer to pieces,
  And don't give the Nazis a break!
  
  We are such warriors that I didn"t know,
  Their world and all the planets in the universe...
  In vain did the Fuhrer shout nonsense,
  Now he will be just a pathetic prisoner!
  
  Congratulate yourselves, I ask you, fighters,
  With victory, defeat will not come!
  And what will the glorious fathers answer?
  That even bullets don't take girls!
  
  Beauties will enter Berlin barefoot,
  And the ashes will warm the girls" feet...
  We will drag Hitler by force,
  And let the proletarian flag fly forever!
  This is how the Komsomol girls push forward with all their fighting and aggressive force. They counterattack, but then retreat.
  The Hitler coalition is advancing, although it is encountering stubborn resistance.
  And from the Japanese side, millions of soldiers are already crossing the Amur River. They're storming Khabarovsk. And the famous five ninja fighters are in battle. They're, as they say, a truly lethal and super-powered unit.
  The warriors and the boy sing:
  We are not pathetic bugs,
  Super Ninja Turtles...
  We'll tear you to pieces like blotting paper,
  Let's just drink some mash!
  Here is a blue-haired ninja girl chopping up Soviet soldiers with swords, and cutting a colonel in half, and roaring:
  - Banzai to Japan!
  Then, with her bare toes, she hurls a lethal pea-sized explosive, scattering the Russian soldiers in all directions.
  And the yellow-haired ninja girl is also in battle. And she fights with fury and frenzy. Her swords flash like lightning, cutting off the heads of Soviet soldiers. And they roll away like peas.
  And then the girl threw the needle and poison and blew up a Soviet T-34-76 tank. It shattered into pieces.
  And she cooed:
  - For the glory of the Mikado!
  A red-haired ninja girl fights, using a triple sausage move to decapitate Russian officers. Her bare feet hurl something extremely destructive and lethal. The shrapnel flies in all directions, killing Soviet soldiers.
  This is really extremely cool.
  Which makes a lasting impression.
  And the red-haired warrior roars:
  Great Light of Japan,
  Gives happiness to all people...
  For the glory of hegemony,
  You won't find anyone more beautiful!
  And as if from the mouth of a dragon, needles fly towards the Soviet soldiers.
  A white-haired ninja girl also fights at the heights. And her bare, chiseled feet hurl something so deadly that even two Soviet tanks collided and exploded.
  The white warrior sang:
  - With precious tassels,
  From edge to edge...
  The empire spread out -
  Mighty, holy!
  And here their whole army is again in a great attack. And they won't stop, and they won't change legs. The girls' faces are shining-and the devil's boots!
  And then the ninja boy Saigo took it upon himself to slash with two swords and lop off the Soviet general's head. He tossed it into the air with his bare, childish foot and sang:
  Where is your uniform, General?
  Your medals, your back like a string...
  You've already heard the lights out,
  The surf is raging,
  There's a vandal on the attack!
  After which, all five ninja fighters put their bare toes in their mouths and whistled...
  And stunned and drugged crows will rain down on the heads of Russian soldiers and officers.
  And they pierce the skulls of Red Army soldiers with their beaks.
  Yes, these are ninjas - terrifying and fearsome warriors. And try to stand up to them! These aren't just pathetic little bugs, these are ninja turtles. Well, at least these girls are quite capable of a lot.
  But on the other hand, there are the Komsomol girls, who are also capable of a lot, and fight like titans. Or even female titans! These are truly tough as hell women.
  And if they already disperse, there is no stopping them!
  And when Komsomol girls throw damaging objects with their bare toes, it looks absolutely super.
  And so they took it, and the warriors began to sing in chorus;
  There was a simple girl - a warrior named Jeanne,
  Barefoot and in rags, she herded cows...
  But God Almighty from a great pedestal,
  He sent the little beauty a countless swarm of gifts!
  
  And a simple girl became a warrior,
  The French people, united in their valor...
  And asked Britain with a peasant blow,
  A powerful team rallied around her!
  
  The warrior, in a rage, swept away the enemies with her sword,
  For the demonstrations, she chose a very brave look...
  Well, how powerful Jeanne seemed to people,
  Believe me, the blood of the bravest knights will boil in it!
  
  Here she is, fighting, a brave girl,
  Breaking the fierce hordes with his damask sword,
  And the beauty"s voice is already ringing out loudly...
  She's capable of hitting you in the face with a brick!
  
  Victory after victory, she is already in Paris,
  And it seems that over France, a star is burning with fire...
  Barefoot Jeanne flew higher than the sun,
  The girl's long-time dream has come true!
  
  But fortune is a fickle goddess,
  And the great girl fell into someone"s net...
  They whip her and call her a fool,
  Must brave Jeanne really die at once?
  
  They put Jeanne on the rack and lit a flame,
  Fire licks her heels, and chains on her hands...
  But just recently the king entrusted her with the banner,
  And the beauties locked themselves in stone walls!
  
  Under torture the girl did not utter a sound,
  Even though the red-hot pincers burned my naked chest...
  The Holy Inquisition gave her a hard time,
  But they couldn"t even get a groan out of the girl!
  
  They built a fire then, and the barefoot girl,
  And in rags, all beaten, the executioner leads her to execution...
  Oh, my precious Jeanne, I miss you so much,
  The carnal power of hell has thrown you into Gehenna!
  
  She burns, a beauty, naked in a bright flame,
  But the precious cry was never uttered...
  For her immortal death, we gave so much to the enemy,
  Fighting the wild enemy, and not betraying Jeanne!
  
  And now the girl is fighting the fascists,
  Almost naked and barefoot, I went through a severe frost...
  Now I see you, Russian Zhanna, are suffering from the heat,
  Because the caustic grandfather froze her nose!
  
  But with a cheerful prayer, a holy pioneer,
  Believe me, we will revive this sick girl!
  And with our daring song, although quite childish,
  We will immediately give birth to a new movement, believe me!
  
  Victory over the fascists will come, you know that,
  And Germany will be conquered, believe me...
  While the battle is going on, and you are wounding your body,
  The ferocity of fascism is truly ferocious - it is clearly a mighty beast!
  
  But then came the radiant spring, and everything melted away,
  The grass is growing fluffy, and soon glorious May will come...
  You are brave in Berlin, then you will walk like a beauty,
  And the entire young planet will suddenly turn into paradise!
  The Komsomol girls sang very soulfully. That's how cool these girls turned out to be.
  Gulliver is also fighting. The Germans drop tiny bombs the size of chicken eggs on a group of young pioneers. The young pioneers, wearing shorts and barefoot, jump up and down. And all the while, they point at each other and laugh.
  These are young and powerful warriors. They have so much charm and passion, as well as fighting aplomb.
  Gulliver shoots at the Fritzes with a slingshot and chirps:
  - One, two, three,
  Tear Adolf apart!
  Four, eight, five,
  We will do magic!
  And the boy just went and lit up. This really turned out to be incredibly cool, both imaginative and meaningful.
  Here's a young sea captain, he just threw a shard of glass with his bare toes. It hit an Arab British colonial soldier in the eye. And the dark-skinned warrior just passed out.
  Gulliver chuckled:
  - Right on target!
  Alice, a Komsomol girl, noted:
  - You're a killer pioneer boy! Where did you learn to fight like that?
  The young warrior replied:
  - In the manger!
  Alice fired a Mosin rifle and noted with a smile:
  - You're a cool guy.
  And she noticed that her shot had taken down the black fighter. And the warrior noted with a sigh:
  We kill, we are killed,
  How often this doesn't coincide...
  I follow fate as a shadow,
  And I'm getting used to the mismatch!
  Gulliver noted with a smile that the pearls sparkled, and the teeth were now eternally youthful. The tanned, fair-haired boy had a very combative appearance, and a red tie was tied around his neck.
  - Lenin is the sun and spring, the wonderful country is blossoming!
  And his bare, childish foot hurls a lethal gift of death. And that's a boy.
  It's worse when the Shermans go on the attack. You can't easily defeat a tank like that. It's a serious machine, quite formidable. And just try to go up against it.
  Natasha noted with a smile that is so radiant and bright:
  - The fight will be great! And we will still win!
  Gulliver chuckled and noted:
  - Why don't Russians have a word that denotes the future victory of one specific person?
  Zoya giggled and asked:
  - Aren't you Russian?
  The boy warrior nodded with a smile:
  - I'm Gulliver! And that means I'm English!
  Alice exclaimed with fury:
  - You're a pioneer! Which means you're neither Russian nor English, but Soviet!
  Svetlana angrily stamped her bare girlish foot and muttered:
  - Come on, rascal, sing! Otherwise, we'll spank your bare heels with nettles.
  The pioneer boy Gulliver began to sing and at the same time danced with his bare, childish legs;
  What does a pioneer boy want?
  When he is always barefoot in the cold?
  And to show an example to other fighters,
  The pioneer girls cut their hair!
  
  Stalin gave us the faith of communism,
  To lead people to the top...
  Let the fascist pour napalm on us,
  We have won in the past and we still do!
  
  When there was a mortal battle with Mamai,
  Fighting bravely, we defended Rus'...
  Forever in your heart, the Motherland is with you,
  We will see communism, I believe we have!
  
  Ivan Vasilev - Orthodox Tsar,
  Kazan was recaptured from the enemies,
  After all, in the vastness of Mother Earth,
  No, Russian soldiers are stronger in spirit!
  
  And Peter the Great is a warrior and a flint,
  Russia built a mighty fleet...
  A very glorious day has come in battles,
  When the Great One became the great messiah!
  
  Petersburg was built on bones,
  But the glorious capital of Russia...
  The proud Russian flag flutters on the sea,
  And we will make our Fatherland happier!
  
  Suvorov pounded the Turks in rage,
  And he set an example on the Black Sea...
  We had enough strength against the infidel,
  Although sometimes grief also happened!
  
  Vladimir the leader opened the way to communism,
  To become happy, a peasant, a proletarian...
  And now fascism is on the offensive,
  But let us sing five thousand bold arias!
  
  Let the banner be red forever,
  Let Russia prosper in glory...
  I believe bright years will come,
  The planet will become a communist paradise!
  
  Well, in the meantime, little pioneer boy,
  He measures the snowdrifts with his bare feet...
  And the Fuhrer comes forward with a grinning fanatic,
  He tramples our Russia with his boots!
  
  But I believe that the holy world will come,
  There will be peace and happiness throughout Russia...
  And we will celebrate a sacred, boisterous feast,
  In Berlin, turned red!
  That's the song Gulliver had. It was both cheerful and a bit of a criminal joke. What a heroic boy he was. And how he sang it with such rapture at the top of his lungs.
  Alice noted with delight:
  - You're a really cool boy, that's why you're so smart in shorts!
  Gulliver sang, stamping his tanned feet and raising dust. And spinning like a top:
  - I was sent to you for a reason,
  Bring you grace...
  In short, in short,
  In short, give it a high five!
  And the pioneer Gulliver laughed with all his childish throat.
  
  THE CABIN BOY AND THE SECRET MISSION
  ANNOTATION
  Once again, the cunning Eduard Osetrov, now playing the role of an ordinary servant boy, infiltrates the city where the governor is located, right into his lair. This leads to a treacherous and daring pirate attack, and a serious brawl breaks out.
  CHAPTER 1
  Numerous girls padded barefoot and muscular across the gleaming deck of the pirate ship. Female pirate warriors made up the majority of the crew on this planet, which was not particularly technologically or magically advanced.
  But power over the ship mainly belonged to men.
  Ravarnava and three others, including the black warrior Oblomova, retired to a meeting. They were soon joined by Captain Monitor and his six henchmen, two of whom had no connection to the human race. A barefoot boy, Eduard Osetrov, quickly drew a map of the city with his fingers.
  "The main treasures have already been loaded onto the ships and are about to leave," the brave scout began. "Yes, and on the way, I know for sure, three ships of tonnage and armament equal to ours will join them. We must hurry and attack this hedgehog with cannons in the morning," concluded the tomboyish Eduard. And his abs, like those of a very muscular boy, began to move. The powerful black woman playing the role of the Chief Boatswain grunted with admiration at the sight of this stunningly handsome boy. Young, strong, and agile as a monkey, Eduard immediately suggested another option. "Disguise ourselves as the enemy's uniforms."
  The monitor said in a relaxed tone:
  "I agree with that boy. We need to strike at dawn. I hope they know your ship well and won't open fire."
  "That's not a bad idea, but another thought occurred to me," Ravarnava said, seemingly simple-minded.
  Black, with large, not at all feminine muscles and a bull neck, but beautiful in her own way, with a thin waist, powerful hips and high breasts, Oblomova exclaimed:
  - Yeah! Cool...
  The monitor, with an ironic smile (well, what can this big guy's head come up with, albeit with a sloping forehead!), asked:
  - Which one?
  The bearer of a name that has become legendary in this world, and not only, thanks to Ephisus Frist, slyly declared:
  "If all the city's riches are being taken away, then why risk it by storming it? There's a much simpler way."
  The monitor took a couple of convulsive sips from his goblet, then punched himself, testing the strength of his jaw. With the cunning idea of driving a wedge between the captain and his first mate (who would have thought this boy was more than just a cabin boy!), the leader of the sea robbers declared:
  - I doubt the plan proposed by the boy is simple and effective.
  Oblomova shook her high chest, barely covered by a thin strip of embroidered fabric, and mumbled something unintelligible in response.
  Ravarnava objected to this again, speaking in a deliberately lazy and drawn-out tone:
  "No, I have another idea. Since our golden boy sank the main escort ship, the best thing would be for us to take over its duties."
  The monitor came to life and, leaning over, asked:
  - So what do you mean?
  He glanced at the deck, where the bare, tanned, muscular feet of the female pirates strode almost silently. However, their angelic appearance should not deceive anyone-they will be torn to pieces. And the prisoners will be forced to shower their feet with kisses and lick the bare, rough heels of the warriors, seductive and dangerous.
  Ravarnava winked slyly and, like an old owl, cooed:
  - We could escort loaded transports, taking them not to the metropolis, but to our pirate nest.
  The monitor slammed its fist on the table in frustration and began to fidget:
  - So simple, but what if, before entrusting us with this, they want to personally meet with Papyrus Don Khapuga?
  The dark-skinned Oblomova twisted her head on her bull neck and flexed her biceps in a way that would make even the strongest and most muscular man envious.
  Ravarnava puffed himself up and stuck out his chest, which was as broad as a fortress wall:
  "So what? I think I'd be happy to play the role." The filibuster chieftain gave a thumbs-up. "After all, I sailed for five years under the Contrabass flag and can imitate their accent perfectly."
  He glanced at the window, too. One of the pirate girls was squatting with her partner on her shoulders. And you could see the muscles of her sexy, feminine, athletic legs rolling like balls from the strain.
  The monitor, who was extremely annoyed that this idea hadn"t occurred to him personally, mumbled, deliberately lowering the timbre of his voice:
  - And what if you are met by someone who knows this admiral personally?
  The black-skinned, young woman-hero Oblomova exclaimed with a smile that revealed the teeth of a tigress:
  - Cat trap!
  Ravarnava opened his deep mouth in a feigned yawn and cooed:
  - And it"s not fatal, then our sailors will launch a pre-planned attack.
  The monitor frowned skeptically and twisted his already capricious mouth:
  - Do you think you can leave?
  Eduard remained modestly silent. Oblomova tried to stroke his bare, muscular, bronzed leg. But the boy shifted his foot, preventing her from grasping it with the large paw of a true gorilla woman.
  Barnabas looked quite confident:
  "My assistant will be with me-a warrior unmatched in swordsmanship. Fighter Eduard, who can work miracles." Ravarnava puffed out his chest even more. "I hope he can help me out."
  The monitor waved its broad paws:
  "Well, I won't go with you and I won't put my head in the lion's mouth. It's better to have my guys concentrate along the coast to cover those guns you can't destroy with a salvo."
  Oblomova muttered:
  - And the girls too!
  Ravarnava grinned and assured his comrade:
  "Okay, I'll try to achieve victory without spilling blood for now. I need to choose a suitable costume; double bass players dress luxuriously."
  "And bring a bag, or better yet, a chest of gold as a gift," Eduard Osetrov chimed in, teasing the bear woman with his bare, graceful foot, as chiseled as a girl's. The boy was equally annoyed that the idea of such a clever deception had occurred not to him personally, but to someone he, and probably others, considered a dull soldier.
  This time the Monitor became furious:
  - And what is the point of such extravagance?
  The boy warrior said quietly:
  "The gold will cloud their vision, better than a smokescreen. With it, we'll dull the enemy's vigilance."
  The monitor became confused and muttered:
  - Pirates usually take gold, not give it away.
  The mischievous Edward, having caused the huge woman's black paw to miss once again, chuckled and explained:
  "That's exactly it, that way no one will even think we're filibusters." And he added a beautifully obvious truth. "Sometimes you have to give to receive."
  "Just use your gold, I won't give you a single coin," the Monitor snapped.
  "We have enough of our own," Ravarnava replied condescendingly.
  The pirate growled through his teeth:
  - It's good to be well-off.
  Here, the observant Eduard intercepted the greedy glance cast by the seemingly sleek and aristocratic pirate. Oblomova, taking advantage of the momentary distraction, grabbed the boy by the leg. But the young warrior flinched, and his bare foot slipped.
  Eduard threatened:
  - It's not good for an adult aunt to touch boys!
  Oblomova, embarrassed, muttered:
  "I'm just playing! I don't need you anymore! There are plenty of grown-up, respectable men on this ship!" The powerful woman stamped her bare foot and growled. "Why would I need a brat like you?"
  Ravarnava walked with a swagger to the admiral's rich wardrobe.
  Along the way, I saw many beautiful young freebooters. They bared their teeth and made eyes at me. And in their hands were swords and daggers, the hilts of which were adorned with precious stones.
  The ravishing girls also wore rings with precious stones on their hands and bare toes. And it looked extremely beautiful.
  And the girls smelled so delicious. It was simply wonderful, the aromas of various expensive incense and delicious perfumes.
  Ravarnava, however, tried not to be distracted by their wondrous charms. He needed to go to the wardrobe and disguise himself. The girls wouldn't leave him.
  There he began trying on the clothes of the Contrabass grandees. No country in this hemisphere dressed as elegantly and lavishly as theirs. Which, given the empire's wealth, is hardly surprising. And the higher the rank, the more luxurious the attire. Ravarnava proved to be too large, and he couldn't find suitable clothing. He was almost in despair, but after a lengthy search, he lucked out: in a gilded chest, he discovered a set of attire designed for Count Kolochychov, also a very large individual. The dark, bearded corsair Ravarnava looked quite striking in his new attire.
  "Why, I'm not a duke," he said, squinting and smoothing out his wrinkles, all the while peering into a fairly well-polished mirror. "I'm the most noble grandee!"
  The pirate leader even stamped his feet in delight, but his large, black, and slightly unkempt beard spoiled the impression.
  - Call Bloodsucker, let him straighten me out a bit.
  Ravarnava, however, wanted to call a woman first, but decided that a man"s hand would be more reliable.
  Despite his menacing nickname, Bloodsucker looked harmless enough. This fellow, before being sent to hard labor, had worked as a barber. He smiled ingratiatingly, then, taking out his tools, carefully cut the filibuster's hair and lightly shaved his rough face. A timid suggestion to shave his beard off completely was met with a growl.
  "Am I a woman or a child, to part with my dignity?" Ravarnava seemed enraged and vigorously waved his pood-sized fists. "You barbers are beasts, scarabs, and you only disfigure people's faces."
  The bloodsucker recoiled, wondering if the senior captain would stab him with a knife. He'd seen enough of those types in his time. When, for a trifle, one is sent to the next world, another to hard labor.
  "Well, what are you shaking for? What are you, a pirate or a coward?" Ravarnava tried to project an air of grandeur, which he succeeded in doing well. "Now listen, do I look like a Contrabass admiral?"
  The bloodsucker tried to flatter the formidable chieftain:
  - Yes! Your aristocratic origins are evident in every movement you make.
  Two girls standing at the entrance, their muscular, slender bodies barely covered at the chest and hips, but with gold bracelets on their ankles and wrists, cooed:
  - As a king, you are beautiful, sir,
  It's like shining brightly!
  Ravarnava puffed up his face and said in agreement:
  "I agree, I'm one of those people who's used to giving orders. Now you've become a sycophant." And a firm shove with a broad palm on the shoulder. "Okay, go ahead, you've done a good job."
  Barnabas graciously released Bloodsucker, then yawned. Dawn was almost over, and he needed to get at least a little sleep. Although he'd been born in a world where nighttime illumination fluctuated constantly, and where quadruple full moons could make it as bright as a clear day on Earth, cycles were still cycles. Rhythms of day and night.
  And even the beautiful girls at the entrance, who winked with their sapphire and emerald eyes and flexed the muscles of their arms and legs, did not excite.
  Although, if you look at the beauty's slabs of abs, at her ripe melon-like breasts, where a thin strip of fabric only covers a scarlet nipple, such a warrior could raise the dead. And if you look at the beauties' faces, they too are youthful. There are special herbs that slow down the aging of girls, so even at fifty or sixty they can appear youthful, fresh, without wrinkles or rotten teeth. True, tinctures won't make even a queen immortal, but they can slow down aging.
  Eduard thought that on Earth, they didn't even know how to do that. Perhaps only plastic surgery on women and men, and even then, for a lot of money. The boy thought that eternal youth was a good thing. However, there was no point in being childish.
  The majestic ship sailed into the bay, the wreckage of the sunken vessel still floating in it. Most of the cannons had already sunk to the bottom, and divers, or rather individuals from various races who had assumed this role, were unsuccessfully attempting to retrieve the damaged weapons. And with even greater enthusiasm, they were also attempting to retrieve the ship's treasury and other valuables.
  All this was helped along by numerous slave girls, minimally dressed but with lush, light, and very bright hair. And all with flawless figures. Local herbs not only temporarily rejuvenated the local fair sex, but also made their figures flawless.
  Of course, shoes only get in the way of the slave girls, just like they do for the boy slaves in swimming trunks, who are also tanned and lean and work here.
  Governor Freidi was racked by headaches. The night had truly been a nightmare; the pride and joy of the Contrabass Empire's fleet, the battleship Incinerator, had been blown up. Now the cargo would surely be held in port, at least until other escort ships arrived. That was only half the problem, but the very fact that such a ship had been lost in his city-what would the King and Emperor of all Contrabass think? The way the sycophantic nobles would spin it-in this case, a simple resignation would be more than enough.
  It was fortunate that numerous slave girls and beautiful night fairies survived, which served as some consolation for such a loss.
  But male slaves are dying like flies. And there are already too many female slaves. That's how acute the male shortage is in this world. And these temperamental beauties have already worn him out, worn him down; you feel like a herd of mammoths has trampled over you.
  Stepping out of his pink marble palace, he nearly froze. A beautiful ship, so reminiscent of the one Papyrus Don Khapuga had used to take revenge on the harpists, had spread its sails. True, it moved slowly, but that was explained by the incredible disorder reigning in the bay.
  Numerous slave girls left countless barefoot footprints, a variety of colors, on the marble pier. Their bodies glistened with sweat, as if cast bronze. With their characteristic narrow waists, wide hips, firm breasts, angelic faces, and mouths full of teeth. Is it possible to restore girls' missing teeth with a special ointment? And what about the men? They make do with false ones. And here, especially the older men, they probably truly envy them for being so deficient.
  "The Almighty Lord has heard our prayers," the governor cooed, raising his thick eyebrows. "In such a difficult hour, help has arrived." With a rude gesture, the warrior beckoned to a richly decorated middle-aged man. "Hey, Foshange, prepare a noble feast, I will invite the admiral to the palace."
  The senior footman bowed and began yelling at the maids, slaves, and the occasional boys, forcing them to quickly prepare a sumptuous breakfast.
  The girls flashed their bare legs and sang:
  The sea is bad without water,
  And the stomach is without food...
  We'll make a pie,
  And wine from the horn of gold!
  When the vessel finally took its rightful place, commanding respect, the "Tiger" emblem and the proud Double Bass flag were visible to all. Maintaining a semblance of strict discipline, the false Double Bassists, in reality pirates, lined up on the parade ground, gleaming in their bright, meticulously polished armor. Even the girls, for the occasion, reluctantly donned the awkward boots and armor with helmets, which were uncomfortable to wear in the tropical heat. Then the richly dressed Ravarnava descended. He was accompanied by Polsh, acting as Secretary, a distinguished knife thrower, and, naturally, the warrior Eduard Osetrov, who played the role of a servant boy. Most unpleasantly, they had to wear patent leather shoes anyway. Since the occasion was solemn, a port call, and he wasn't just a simple servant carrying glasses, but a personal servant. Two tall four-armed warriors carried a chest full of gold after him.
  An orchestra was hastily assembled in the port and began to play heart-rendingly. Then, gradually, the melody evened out, and the sounds became more harmonious.
  An officer ran out to meet them, noticing the epaulettes, he saluted and said:
  - I wish you all the best, Mr. Admiral. The governor is already waiting for you.
  Ravarnava waved his ladle-like paw condescendingly:
  - At ease, report to His Excellency that I am already on my way.
  The local ruler's palace was located deep in a luxurious garden. Two large lizards with cannons on their backs stood at the entrance, and a cactus elephant grazed in the distance. Directly at the palace entrance grew two ten-meter-tall carnations, each with a bud that could easily accommodate not only the slender, playful Edward, but also a grown man.
  There were many beautiful maidservants, distinguished from slaves by bracelets on their wrists and ankles, and precious embroidery on their fabrics and tunics. Only the very highest-status maidservants wore gem-studded sandals.
  The guards with spears and crossbows at the entrance parted. It was clear that muskets were not yet so fashionable. The palace itself made a favorable impression; the wide windows gave it a cheerful air. The walls were hung with numerous paintings, weapons, and shields with various coats of arms. The boy Edward walked after Ravarnabas, wincing slightly as his new footmen's slippers pinched him mercilessly. He had become so accustomed to showing off his bare heels that he had forgotten the existence of those nasty, convict-like stocks, torturous for the eternally boyish feet of his childhood.
  The only consolation is that the maids look at him with admiration, not disdain, if he were, as usual, barefoot and in shorts or swimming trunks. And the livery is unpleasant, too; his muscular torso sweats, and the cambric shirt restricts his movements. Hey, you already have some status, after all. So it's best to be proud of it.
  Here, four girls even knelt down in respect. Not to him, of course, but to Ravarnabas, but it was still a pleasure.
  And here's the governor himself, speak of the devil. He's quite plump, but tries to hold himself upright. In a very soft voice, the ruler of the surrounding area said:
  - I am glad to welcome such a distinguished guest.
  Ravarnava responded to the politeness ceremoniously:
  - I also thank fate for sending me a meeting with such a hospitable house.
  The governor, trying to make his tone even more flattering, said:
  "Last time, highly esteemed Don Papyrus, you declined to visit my palace, citing urgent matters. Now you have honored us."
  The high-ranking maidservants, as evidenced by their sandals embroidered with stones and with high heels, exclaimed:
  - Long live the great Admiral!
  Here Ravarnava realized he was almost in trouble, what would have happened if the governor had seen this admiral earlier. At best, he would have faced the gallows, or something more brutal, like a stake where they nailed him by the hands and feet, or a fire, and a slow one at that.
  The answer, however, is cold:
  - Yes, I was busy, official business. - And an unexpectedly passionate phrase. - But how much longer can you neglect hospitality?
  The governor asked quietly:
  - How did your expedition to the shores of the pagan state of Arfa go?
  Ravarnava answered sincerely:
  - Brilliant! We managed to plunder a very rich harp town, and without major losses.
  The governor's eyes widened:
  - I hope your name wasn't exposed, because we're not formally at war with Arfa yet.
  At these words, the beautiful and elegant servant girls, adorned with jewelry, placed their index fingers on their full, scarlet lips:
  Ravarnava again, without lying, answered:
  - Everything went smoothly, I was even surprised myself.
  "Is the loot rich?" The governor's voice tinged with envy.
  "Not poor, God himself helped us." The leader had to force himself to restrain himself a little. "As a sign of our deep gratitude and trust, we give you a chest of gold." Ravarnava even spread his arms, demonstrating his generosity.
  The maidservants stamped their magnificent high-heeled sandals and cried out in unison:
  - Bravo! Glory to the admiral!
  The governor was overcome with greed. His composure gone, he rushed to the chest and opened the lid:
  "Why, there's a fortune in here. No wonder those slackers dragged it with such difficulty. Oh, Papyrus, Don Grabber." The nobleman bowed. "I'm in your debt; demand whatever you want from me."
  The pirate leader answered bluntly:
  "I think the best reward would be devoted service to the crown. I heard that last night you lost the battleship Incinerator, named after the hellish nephew of our greatest monarch. I believe this is too painful a blow at a time when the capital is in dire need of funds."
  The governor mumbled:
  - You are absolutely right.
  The beautiful maidservants bowed their heads, their hair glittering with brooches of emeralds, rubies, and diamonds.
  Ravarnava said proudly:
  "Therefore, I propose that command and escort of such a valuable cargo be transferred to me. I, in turn, have enough guns to repel any pirate attack."
  The governor was happy to fulfill any request of the admiral:
  "Of course, I'll grant you all the necessary powers. I think with such a brave warrior, our cargo will be as safe as if in the Lord's hand."
  The beautiful girls nodded their heads vigorously. Their brooches and diamond earrings sparkled. Eduard thought the governor must be rich if his personal maids were dressed like princesses and so beautiful it was impossible to take your eyes off them.
  Ravarnava cracked his fingers:
  - Then let's set sail immediately.
  The governor began to whine again:
  "At least have some breakfast, Admiral. Do us the honor, and besides, the ships need time to assemble, too."
  The maidservants bowed and cooed:
  - You are welcome, oh great one!
  The leader of the filibusters condescendingly said:
  - Okay, a little refreshment wouldn't hurt.
  Ravarnava didn't want to arouse suspicion with excessive haste, and most likely, the governor's festive table would be excellent.
  The handsome and elegantly dressed rascal Edward was left outside the door like a servant, while the false admiral was treated as if he were the king himself. The girls appeared, also beautiful and dressed in finery, but barefoot to reduce the noise of their clatter on the colorful marble tiles. The governor gestured. The elite maids also carefully removed their shoes, placed them in a special crystal box, and began serving barefoot. Their movements, barefooted, became much softer, smoother, and more graceful. Such delicacies were served, including bread and cakes baked in the shape of sailing ships and royal palaces. Pieces of sliced fish, meat, vegetables, fruits, and a host of spices were beautifully arranged in intricate patterns. And the wines were truly fabulous, pleasing to the robber lord. Yes, there were enough temptations here to make one stay a while longer.
  Ravarnava conducted the meal roughly, like a boor with no sense of etiquette. People began to notice him, but the governor himself pretended everything was going as expected.
  After several bottles of expensive wine, Ravarnava did not lose his head, his body was still heroic, but his tongue became excessively mobile and required work.
  Without thinking twice, the pirate began to sing, his deep bass sounded pleasant, some of the officers present began to sing along, and numerous maidservants began to dance with their bare, seductive legs;
  Are you ready to follow me?
  Don't be left in rags with a bag!
  So that the prey flows like honey,
  May the river flow with gold!
  
  To do this you need to do it this way,
  So that the nickel turns out to be worth nothing!
  So that each of us can,
  Cover the way with a carpet of bodies!
  
  Oh, you pirates, my children,
  Not just any crosses - zeros!
  Each of you is a hero,
  Hurry up and steal the loaf!
  
  Boarding is for men,
  Don't look for reasons in defeat!
  It's better to just start dancing,
  I believe that your spirit has not died out!
  
  I will lead you into attack, friends,
  We are pirates - our own family!
  We will fight like devils,
  And there are no other ideas!
  
  There is an idea, but the truth is one,
  To empty the merchants' wallets...
  The corsairs' horde attacks,
  We will be able to deal with the nobles!
  This song created a lot of noise.
  The maid girls, however, laughed and jumped up and down like devils.
  Count Santa Claus, Don Parade, entered the room. He had been late for the governor's invitation and was therefore extremely angry. Seeing the huge fellow singing obscene songs, he asked anxiously:
  - And what kind of jester is this?
  The governor replied:
  - You see the greatest admiral Papyrus don Khapuga!
  "What kind of Don Khapuga is this?" the Count grew furious, stamping his boots on the marble. "He's just a buffoon."
  "It can't be, he has epaulets," the governor muttered, lowering his head and blushing deeply.
  The beautiful girls serving at the table and dancing the tango, with bare, muscular, tanned legs and very well-proportioned, fit, athletic bodies, howled:
  - Uh, uh, uh, uh! We're going down!
  The Count screamed hysterically:
  - So this fat bastard is an impostor, I met with the admiral several times, he is not at all like this costumed gorilla.
  "Arrest him!" the governor shouted, trying to hide his embarrassment.
  Numerous maidservants stamped their bare, very seductive feet, swung their hips, shook their busts and growled:
  - Get him! Get him!
  Eduard, a seasoned, seasoned boy, realized things were bad, struck a match, and lit the fuse he'd prepared. The chest was covered only on top with a thin layer of gold coins, or rather, even dusted with yellow metal, while the bottom and center contained gunpowder. The young but extremely seasoned warrior had, just in case, provided an escape route. Plus, of course, there's the added benefit of saving precious metal when you combine business with pleasure. Or rather, you perform, and successfully, two functions. The explosion should be the signal for a general attack by the pirates. A whole squad of hairy, armored guards, both human and Okr, were already running toward the door, and Eduard Osetrov hurled the chest at them. He poured all his desperation and fury into the throw, so the rather heavy object flew quite far.
  Besides, of course, I didn't want the very beautiful, half-naked, muscular girls with their pleasant, fragrant scent to suffer. They were already jumping up and down, howling, and even squealing with delight. Yes, an extremely rare spectacle was brewing.
  One of them squeaked:
  We are being attacked by an impostor,
  In his hands is an ominous knapsack...
  And if anyone takes it -
  Will receive glory and honor!
  The explosion was terrifying, a couple of columns collapsed, more than thirty people were killed, and the blast wave threw Eduard Osetrov like an air club against the wall, almost flattening the young and agile warrior.
  The strong bones cracked, but this only angered Edward. Swinging his sword, he rushed to finish off the remaining enemies. Ravarnava also wasted no time, throwing a table and crushing the governor, then drawing his saber and charging at the Count.
  A heated duel broke out between them.
  The barefoot slave-servants parted, rightly deciding that war was not a woman's business. Besides, they could inadvertently injure her. And so, whoever wins is the master.
  The most important of them, the only one left in high heels, said:
  Who is the king, we don"t really care,
  So fight bravely, men!
  Santa Claus screamed, wheezing like a broken gramophone:
  - Mangy gorilla, I'll run you right through with a sword.
  Ravarnava shouted in response:
  - Rooster, I'll chop off your head.
  The pirate captain's superiority in height and weight was reflected in a powerful blow from his massive saber; he cut through the sword and then almost cut his opponent in half.
  True, while dying, the count slightly scratched his stomach with the stump of his sword, and blood appeared.
  However, this couldn't stop Ravarnava; he continued swinging left and right. Guards rushed at him, and after receiving a good blow, they sank. The explosion blew out the doors, and seeing the boy fighting furiously, the captain quickened his pace toward him.
  The young warrior kicked the guard in the groin with such force that he flew over, and stabbed two people at once with his horned helmet.
  The maid girls clapped their hands for the umpteenth time and chirped:
  Bravo, bravo, bravo!
  Glory! Boy - glory!
  The mischievous Edward shouted loudly:
  - Ataman, run from here, I will hold them back.
  Ravarnava, having cut down another enemy, muttered:
  - Our friends will arrive soon, and we will hold out as is.
  Using the double screw technique, the Terminator boy, Eduard, cut down three at once and stood next to the captain. The boy whispered:
  - The main thing is that they don"t use muskets.
  Outside, the ship could be heard firing a salvo, then turning around, firing again.
  The maidservants screamed and squealed with delight, stamped their feet, and, to make the sounds louder, began putting on high-heeled shoes and sandals.
  The mischievous Eduard did the opposite, yanking off his hated shoes. He slammed the heel of his shoe straight into the eye of one of the officers trying to break through. Fortunately, the heel was silver and hit hard, and the eye flew out, hanging by its nerve stalk.
  The maid girls screamed:
  -Bravo! Bis! Bravo! Bis!
  And the most important of them gave out:
  - My dear boy,
  At this hour we are with you!
  You are such a cool guy,
  You kick everyone with your bare foot!
  And indeed, the boy-terminator's bare heel broke another jaw.
  As the pirates had hoped, the surprise allowed them to partially capture and partially destroy the enemy's cannons. The fortress garrison was crushed, many soldiers killed instantly, falling without even realizing the danger. Nearly three hundred battle-hardened sea robbers stormed the city. Hundreds of Contrabass soldiers perished, only a few of them firing back or attempting to fight back.
  Tough Edward the Fighter, Ravarnava, and two other pirates didn't stand still; they went on the offensive, and the palace guards quickly fell into panic. They twitched and retreated, throwing their dead bodies onto the marble staircases. The girls began to help the pirates, throwing shoes, sandals, trays, rather heavy golden goblets, forks, and knives at the guards.
  The young warrior went into a wild frenzy, as if he hadn't had a stormy night, and after clearing several rooms, they broke out of the colorful building, where even the walls seemed to exude a threat.
  Having cut down three, the rascally Eduard surveyed the surroundings with an eagle eye. All the nearest approaches to the city were engulfed in flames, and numerous figures were visible, swarming like ants and colliding with one another.
  "Our men are winning! Now the main thing is that not a single gold coin slips through our fingers." Suddenly, the combative brat, his bare, blood-stained, muscular torso sculpted and sculpted (he'd naturally torn off his servant's uniform, too, so it wouldn't get in the way, and it would be humiliating for a young corsair to wear a livery!), showed signs of avarice. Catching Ravarnava's surprised glance, the boy-terminator added:
  - I want to become not just a pirate, but I"m thinking of organizing my own republic of filibusters, and for that we"ll need finances.
  "Your own republic?" Ravarnava yawned genuinely this time and whistled through his wide, watering-glass nostrils. "Why make it so complicated, kid? Ruling a country is the most boring thing in the world."
  Edward objected to this:
  "I don't think so. I really enjoyed playing strategy games with military and economic management. It's really nice to feel like a king or an emperor."
  The boy looked at the bloody trail left by his strong, yet almost childish, foot. A thought flashed through his mind: would the subjects of someone doomed to be forever like a child, even with muscles like steel wire?
  Ravarnava blinked stupidly:
  "I don't really understand what you're talking about. Although, you're generally right: power is sweet, and you want to keep pouring that drink down your throat. But it also increases your responsibility for your actions."
  The young warrior Edward chuckled a little in response:
  "That doesn't scare me. Let's speed up, otherwise the battle will pass without us."
  A fledgling in appearance but seasoned in his actions, the corsair charged forward. The remnants of the garrison fought desperately; the pirates' cruelty was well known. They usually took no prisoners, and if they did, they sold them into brutal slavery, sometimes bartering them for trinkets, shells, and even gold to six-armed cannibal savages who considered human flesh a terrible delicacy. However, this could only prolong the agony, as the pirates were superior in hand-to-hand combat. Furthermore, the garrison commander, General Kosalapenko, had been killed early in the battle, and there was simply no one to replace him, as Monitor had smashed the head of his first mate, Colonel Varatt, with a well-aimed musket shot.
  And then the slaves, primarily boys and girls, began to help the pirates and throw cobblestones, tiles, and shards of glass at their hated masters.
  A dozen lizards armed with cannons decided to counterattack. They placed sharp strips of metal on their sides and fired their cannons from above. This caused some damage to the corsairs. Edward was the first to reach the lizard. During the fight, the boy had performed quite effectively, knocking his opponent off the roof with his second heel. He kicked off the shoes that had cut his feet, and flew like a falcon. Leaping onto its back, he cut down both archers with one swing, then, changing his target, rushed at the second lizard. In his haste, the boy cut his bare foot when he tripped on the metal. However, the wound was superficial, and in the heat of battle, he paid no attention to it.
  The rest, seeing this "ninja", ran away.
  "I won't let you get away!" yelled the very agile and spirited Eduard, leaping higher. However, the lizards were unusually nimble, actively moving their legs as they raced towards the forest. As fast as the frantic youth was, he only managed to catch one of the beasts, finishing off its riders. The others lashed out at their "horses" with all their might. Then Eduard the hooligan threw his sword; it sank into the folded hindquarters and stuck. The animal only quickened its pace.
  - Okay, remember the sprint and die, but catch up.
  It was amusing to watch such a massive creature flee from a boy who looked no more than thirteen years old, a smooth-faced boy in fact. Enraged, his entire body rippling with muscles like the surf, Eduard kept speeding up. Luckily for him, the forest opened up, and the enormous reptiles slowed. Having caught up with the enemy, the young warrior pulled out his sword, then leaped onto its tail.
  The monster crashed into a palm tree and knocked the lashing, rascally Eduard off his feet. The boy-terminator crashed painfully into a cluster of thorny vines. Sharp thorns pierced his flesh, piercing his skin. But this only angered the boy. He shed the remains of his tattered, bloody clothes-he still had a see-through T-shirt and pants, leaving only his swimming trunks. The boy gathered his strength and, grabbing a rope-like branch, leaped like Tarzan with a wild howl. Then, catching another branch with the other, he used the "cracked millstone" technique, decapitating two fighters, who were futilely swinging their sabers.
  "Well, the rest of you fugitives! You're hoping to escape, but you won't," said the invincible Eduard the Hooligan, winking and picking up the pace. After discovering a new method of transportation, catching up with the lizards became a piece of cake.
  "I'm a monkey!" he shouted. "Hyperraus!" That was the name of the savage hero in the film who broke the records of the outdated Tarzan.
  He then accelerated, making wild leaps that would have made any monkey envious. Several times the soldiers fired blindly, but each time they missed. Swift as a cheetah, the mischievous Eduard laughed in their faces. When the last of his enemies were finally killed, the young warrior perched himself on the lizard's withers and headed straight for the city, eager to escape the jungle as quickly as possible. The grins of four-armed gorillas occasionally gleamed in the branches, but they hesitated to attack an armed warrior, even a small one. Besides, these beasts weren't exactly stupid; they'd seen Eduard skillfully dispatch soldiers larger than himself.
  "What are you grinning about, macaques? You're too weak to come here." The young warrior waved his sword, but the primates didn't rise to the bait.
  By the time he arrived in the city, the battle was almost over. The last remaining point was the local prison, where what remained of the garrison was trapped behind high gates, along with the stern local guards, mostly aliens. They loved to torture prisoners, especially women, and so knew they would be shown no mercy.
  The warrior Edward, like a swift cobra, jumped out on a lizard and stood in front of the gate, then sent a cannonball into the very center.
  The blow shook the iron, leaving a dent, but the sturdy gate held. After slamming his bare heel into the nose of the gunner crawling up to his right, the man bled and went silent, the warrior, Eduard the Hooligan, spat through his teeth and began reloading the unruly cannon. This took a considerable amount of time. Arrows flew at the young man in response. Eduard deftly dodged the projectiles, even cutting down three of them in mid-flight.
  - So, did you get the misspells?
  The musket shots also missed, though there were a few hits on the lizard's thick skin. It flinched in pain, but was stopped by the dashing young man.
  "Don't worry, it's like a piece of cake to your skin," the boy giggled.
  Having reloaded the cannon, the young warrior adjusted his aim and fired again at the goalpost. The cannonball bounced off again.
  "Damn it! This weapon is too weak!" the mischievous Edward cursed, and suddenly an interesting thought occurred to him.
  - I'll try to open them from the inside.
  Although the prison wall appeared impenetrable from the outside, it was clear that in some places the walls had rotted and the bricks had become rough, meaning that with a little dexterity it was possible to climb them. However, there were too many guards; they might accidentally knock him down. However, Ravarnava, who had combat experience, gave the order:
  - Take the benches, logs, bring dry brushwood, we'll set fire to the enemies. And you, quickly roll the "queen"
  The pirates, ignoring the arrows and occasional musket shots, set fire to the gates, creating a smoke bomb.
  Others dragged a wagon covered with firewood containing a barrel of gunpowder-the so-called "queen." The firewood prevented it from being shot at with muskets. Along with the filibusters, local slave girls and boys in swimming trunks with brands on their shoulders and chests also tried to help their liberators. Apparently, they had suffered much in slavery and were not afraid of the pirates. Having placed the "queen" in front of the gate, the pirates lit the fuse and retreated.
  They did it quite quickly, while howling:
  Devil, Devil, Devil save me,
  We will strike, crushing the blow...
  Give us, give us swords in our hands,
  We will receive a gift from the underworld!
  
  What is the Creator - a wounded hell,
  We will fight with the horned devil...
  If only there was a result in the battle with the sword,
  So that I don"t become a hunchbacked slave here!
  
  THE BOY-JESTER AGAINST CYCLES
  ANNOTATION
  A boy who's experienced countless adventures now commands a children's special forces unit. And he has to fight a civilization of cyclists. What's even more interesting is that space technology is at play here.
  CHAPTER 1
  The boy jester wore a combat suit with the epaulets of a space officer. Next to him was a girl, also in a spacesuit with all the bells and whistles. She wore a transparent, open-top helmet. The girl held a blaster and chirped:
  "Edik, maybe we should wait for the rest of the team? Fighting the Cycles with just two people when there are at least a hundred of them is too much of a risk!"
  The boy warrior, though he looked no more than twelve or thirteen, his battlesuit obscuring his muscular build, had the look of a true prince. And he confidently said:
  "No! We'll go into battle together! And as for the enemies, don't worry. I gave you a tiny artifact stone called 'armor,' it reduces your chance of being hit by a hundredfold!"
  The girl noted:
  - And a hundred times is not a little!
  The boy was indignant:
  - I didn"t know that you, Adala, were such a coward!
  The girl with orange hair said:
  - I'm not a coward! Well then, let's go for a decisive breakthrough!
  And so the child warriors marched into battle. All around them were cliffs that sparkled with purple, emerald, lilac, and pink-flecked stones, and stalactites grew from the ground. It was an extremely mysterious landscape.
  And ahead is a castle. It looks like a knight's castle, medieval, but with rows of missiles and ray guns on the towers. And from above, the local sun shines, even hexagonal in shape, and the light constantly changes colors and patterns. And this also gives the entire landscape a truly mysterious and, at the same time, enchanting appearance.
  The boy and girl raced along the intermittent, pulsating tiled path. The young warrior might have been more accustomed to slapping barefoot, but this battle suit, alas, was non-detachable. How many cycles were there in the castle? That's also a mystery. And if there were only a hundred, that wouldn't be so bad.
  The boy and girl immediately hid behind a rock when a tank belonging to this highly aggressive race appeared. It was tall, triangular in shape, with a muzzle on each of its three sides. Its armor had a steely feel, and it floated on a cushion of air, never touching the ground.
  The boy warrior, Eduard, smiled his very sweet, albeit childish, smile and threw a small pea at the space invaders' car.
  It flew past and bounced right into the gun's rather wide barrel. And a couple of seconds later, the powerful triangular tank exploded. It was as if lightning had struck the ammunition depot, and it shattered into tiny fragments.
  This really turned out to be a pretty cool passage.
  The girl Adala chirped:
  - That's clever! You're a real Jedi!
  Boy Edik nodded:
  - I also had to be a Padawan! But that's another story!
  After that, the brave children rushed further toward the castle. The gates opened, and three more tanks emerged. Two were similarly triangular, the third was larger and hexagonal, with cannons on each side, and a seventh one on top.
  The fighter girl whistled:
  - Wow! We have new players!
  The boy warrior nodded:
  - You can go all in!
  The young warrior pulled out a small device, the size of a matchbox. He turned on several programs with a twist of his index finger. Then the boy, whom the girl called Eduard in this combat episode, launched the device. It flew smoothly toward the largest tank. And it was almost invisible.
  The girl asked the boy:
  - And what is this?
  Edik smiled and replied:
  - Surprise! Now you'll see how it works!
  Indeed, the box flew into the barrel of a large tank. Only this time there was no explosion. The Triumvirate continued on its way. What's more, two additional vehicles appeared.
  The girl Adala whispered:
  - What, it didn't work?
  The warrior boy winked:
  - You'll see now!
  And indeed, the large tank's largest gun turned and fired at its triangular opponent. It struck it with an armor-piercing shell. It burst into flames and began to detonate its ammunition. Then the barrel turned to the other tank, a smaller one, and fired at it.
  Adala noted with a smile:
  - Class!
  Edik tweeted:
  If the fortress is on the way,
  The enemy has lined up...
  We need to go around from the rear -
  Take her without firing a shot!
  The girl winked at her young counterpart. Brave and clever children were up against an entire army. But cunning and technology were quite effective against monsters.
  Now the third tank caught fire, then the fourth. And again, detonations and explosions. This is a one-sided battle of death and annihilation.
  The boy warrior quite logically noted:
  "Why do we need a team? They're kids just like us. Only I have centuries of experience and knowledge, while they're just fledglings. And exposing them to uranium-loaded projectiles isn't worth it."
  The girl chirped:
  - All people on their home planet,
  We should always be friends...
  Children should laugh,
  And live in a peaceful world!
  The boy warrior picked it up and sang:
  Children should laugh,
  Children should laugh,
  Children should laugh,
  And live in a peaceful world!
  The cannons mounted on the fortress walls began firing at the enraged tank. Fountains of fire, destruction, and flaming sand erupted around the vehicle. A couple of hits cracked the armor.
  The girl Adala noticed:
  - The enemy isn't very accurate.
  However, several more shells hit the tank. It detonated and exploded. At the moment of explosion, a tiny speck separated from it. And Adala extended her hand. The device used by the genius boy flew into the girl's palm. Or, at least, the experienced hero and designer who resembled a boy.
  Edik approvingly patted the girl on the shoulder:
  - Well done, you caught it!
  She laughed:
  - You'll catch it, and you won't be able to catch it all!
  And the device slid into the boy"s nimble, macaque-like palm.
  Now the children were happy. Like gamblers who'd hit the roulette table and received gold chips. But of course, when you're lucky, it's hard to stop. Edik, who had an excellent memory, remembered that in the twentieth century there had been a mustachioed guy who'd gone too far, and he'd paid for it, even though he'd been lucky at first. So, of course, you have to know when to quit in a casino.
  Edik, however, understood that this wasn't exactly a game. And that real war wasn't an RPG.
  For example, two helicopters have just appeared above the castle. And they seem ready to explore the area.
  The girls squealed in fear:
  - I'm afraid! We can get them!
  Edik laughed and replied:
  - We've had tougher targets. Here, look how my reusable cybernetic bug works.
  And the boy launched it again. And the number of helicopters increased to six. And they were streamlined and large.
  Adala chirped:
  Let them run awkwardly,
  Armored vehicles through puddles...
  And the helicopter buzzes like a wasp!
  Edik picked up:
  Cheburashka the gunner,
  Shapoklyak, like a pilot,
  The crocodile loaded the machine gun!
  And so the helicopter, having acquired a bug, fired its cannons at its opponent. It took damage and began to smoke. The other helicopters began to circle. They were also fired upon, and they returned fire. Now the fun began. One of the helicopters was already falling, leaving a trail of smoke in its wake.
  And then another. This is truly a joke and an internecine strife.
  The boy nodded to his friend:
  - How's the disassembly going?
  Adala muttered:
  - Lucky!
  Edik was offended and puffed out his rosy cheeks:
  - Maybe you'll also say, freebie?
  The girl slapped her transparent helmet but said nothing. Meanwhile, two helicopters crashed at once. One of them hit the castle, also damaging three guns.
  The boy genius chirped:
  - Agree, it's clever!
  The girl replied:
  - It"s possible that it"s clever, and how can one not support it!
  The last two helicopters collided violently and exploded simultaneously. And then there was another flash. Wow!
  Edik sang:
  A great genius, a darling of fortune,
  And at the same time, a person...
  The lyrical strings of poetry,
  To have a century worthy of the heart!
  So, the second round went in favor of the brave kids. And the super-control bug with the chip returned to the boy's palm.
  The girl noted:
  "Yes, we're doing pretty well. But the enemy might have a joker in his pocket!"
  Edik answered with a grin:
  - I knew one Joker. Or rather, more than one. In games and movies, there were scenes like this!
  The castle gates opened again. This time, larger monsters emerged. They even bent over to crawl out.
  In this case, walking robots!
  The boy genius exclaimed:
  - Evangelion!
  The girl asked in surprise:
  - What?
  Edik explained with a smile:
  "That cartoon was filmed on the planet where I come from. And they had big robots there too!"
  Adala noted:
  - Your planet is amazing. You once said that you have more than two hundred countries.
  The boy replied with a sigh:
  - Yes, unfortunately, that is how it is.
  The girl asked incredulously:
  - Why unfortunately? Maybe it's actually fortunate. Because having so many countries and cultures on one planet is wonderful!
  Edik objected:
  - No! It's not that great. People fight too often and use their fists. That is, I wanted to say that different countries clash too often and throw missiles at each other.
  Adala remarked with a sigh:
  - Yes, it is...
  The boy warrior finished decisively:
  - Outrageous! In the meantime, let's focus on the robots!
  And there really were a dozen electronic monsters. And they had enough weapons to destroy an entire city.
  Edik noted:
  - A different approach is needed against them.
  And the boy took out a small device with an antenna from his pocket.
  The girl asked in surprise:
  - What is this?
  Edik answered with a smile:
  - Carrier of fast but destructive viruses!
  Adala chirped back:
  - Oh, what viruses, harmful viruses!
  The boy corrected:
  - No! Our goal is to protect good, not to harm people, or the Saikals, or even their robots!
  And the boy genius fired an invisible beam towards the terminators.
  Movies about robots and others came to mind. And there's no denying that it's an advanced beam.
  Edik directed the beam at the large robots, each the size of a nine-story building. And it worked. Suddenly, one of the Terminators froze and began to descend. And then the other one.
  The boy sang with a smile:
  Fortune's Hour -
  It's time to play!
  Fortune's Hour -
  Try not to waste this hour!
  The girl, watching the robots freeze and fall, raising dust and scattering broken parts as they hit the slabs, noted:
  - Yes, it's technical!
  Edik nodded with a smile:
  - Yes, technology is everything during reconstruction!
  Adala objected:
  - No! People and personnel decide everything! And at the same time, not everything!
  The girl also took something resembling a Rubik's cube out of her pocket and began to spin it.
  The Terminator robots collided again, and were enveloped in a glowing web that sparked and vibrated. Then, the war machines began to crumble and shatter into tiny fragments. These fragments, in turn, exploded, sending shards flying like ice floes struck by a hockey star's stick.
  Adala made the adjustment and noted:
  - Now we can become invisible for a couple of minutes!
  The boy genius replied:
  "It's not the most perfect device; we'll be visible in infrared light. Come on, I'd better adjust the settings."
  At that moment, a noise was heard behind the couple. Boys and girls in combat suits appeared. There were only a dozen of them, and they were no older than the couple, at least in appearance. But the children had quite decent weapons. Laser rifles, blasters, tiny pea-sized annihilation grenades. Yes, these kids were definitely not ordinary. And they were trained in virtual combat, too!
  Edik exclaimed:
  "Guys, be careful, or you'll get hit! There are weapons here that can penetrate your combat suits."
  The child warriors lay down. Beams of light flashed through the air, and laser cannons began to fire.
  They started hitting everything that moved. Even dust.
  Adala chirped:
  - That's it. There's a lot of fire here.
  A pair of surviving terminator robots were hit by their own weapons. They burst into flames and began to explode. One's head was torn off, flying high into the air and spinning like a top.
  The children with laser guns giggled. Apparently, it was quite a joyful sight. One girl, however, was hit by shrapnel; she carelessly raised her head in a transparent helmet, and her pink, childish cheek was burned.
  The warrior exclaimed:
  - Antiquasar!
  Adala agreed:
  - Chernodyrno simply!
  The boy warrior sprayed a tube of regenerating paste onto the girl's burned and cut cheek. Almost instantly, the wound healed, and then the young warrior's smooth skin smoothed out, leaving no trace.
  The girl squeaked with a smile:
  - Science, however!
  Edik noted, frowning his smooth forehead, which contained the memory and experience of many centuries:
  - Cycles aren't that simple. We could have problems.
  Adala chirped back:
  - Even though we can"t solve all the problems,
  Not all problems can be solved...
  But everyone will become happier,
  Everyone will have more fun!
  And so, the gates of the medieval castle opened again. And another surprise poured out. In this case, it turned out to be enormous tyrannosaurs. And on top of them sat warriors in battle suits.
  Adala squeaked:
  - Cycles!
  Edik nodded in agreement:
  - It looks like it. They're dangerous with dinosaurs.
  The child warriors sang in chorus:
  Dinosaurs, dinosaurs,
  Maybe you live in Africa!
  You chew oranges for breakfast,
  Dinosaurs, dinosaurs!
  The Cycles were similar in build to humans, but larger and taller. Each hand had six fingers, the largest, thickest phalanges arranged opposite each other.
  Very cruel creatures.
  Adala chirped:
  - I'm a little afraid of them!
  In response, Edik sang:
  How long should I be afraid, I don"t understand,
  A strong warrior is born for battle...
  Fear is a weakness, and therefore -
  He who is afraid is already defeated!
  The child warriors chirped:
  We will not be afraid of monsters,
  Born with a ray gun in their hands...
  Knights have always known how to fight,
  Let the enemy be forever a fool!
  Dinosaurs of enormous size were advancing. These menacing reptiles even leaped forward.
  The boy commander nodded to Adale:
  - Give me your Rubik's cube!
  The girls chirped:
  - And what is this for?
  Edward sang in response:
  For the sake of happiness, for our sake,
  If we want it...
  Don't ask me about anything,
  Don't ask questions, don't pry into anything!
  The child warriors laughed again, as if it were a fun game.
  The boy warrior, who was at the side, in a combat suit with orange speckles, noted, frowning his childish, but courageous and handsome face:
  - If we all start discussing the commanders' orders, especially during a battle, then discipline will disappear completely.
  The warrior girl, no longer arguing, handed over her Rubik's cube. Edik picked it up and sang:
  We will sweep away the enemy with one blow,
  We will confirm our glory with a cool sword...
  It was not for nothing that we defeated the Cycles -
  We'll smash the dinosaurs into pieces!
  And the boy genius began pressing the buttons of this strange cube with his nimble hands. Meanwhile, the enormous, angry Tyrannosaurs were getting closer and closer to the squad of child warriors. And the large, two-and-a-half-meter-tall Cycles had already begun firing their sophisticated laser guns.
  Adala chirped:
  Your fate hangs in the balance,
  We are being attacked by monsters!
  But thank God, there are friends,
  But thank God, there are friends!
  And they will strike such a blow,
  Before it's too late!
  And then the three Tyrannosaurs in front suddenly turned and charged at each other. Their claws began tearing at the tough, brown-speckled gray skin. The Cycles flew off the monsters and began thrashing about. The other Tyrannosaurs began charging, and they really hit the target, breaking bones and grinding the flesh of the fallen aliens.
  Adala noted with a sigh:
  - It's horrible!
  The red-haired warrior boy sang:
  - War makes life terrible,
  And death is worthy and beautiful!
  Edik was fiddling with his Rubik's cube again. And again, other tyrannosaurs were charging at each other and biting. They were also throwing off the cyclists. They tried to shoot back, but their fire wasn't very effective against such monsters.
  The children sang joyfully:
  The enemy thinks in vain,
  What can break us brave ones...
  He who is brave attacks in battle -
  We will beat our enemies furiously!
  But in this case, the Cycles' enemies were exterminating and shooting at each other. And the Tyrannosaurs were crushing them. And all hell broke loose. The dinosaurs' blood was green and blue, while the Cycles' was orange. One of them lost his helmet, revealing a rather nasty face, though vaguely reminiscent of a human. But covered in tattoos, with terrifying creatures.
  Adala squeaked:
  - Yes, these creatures are not very pleasant, and so grown-up!
  Edik answered confidently:
  "I hope I never become an adult, much less an old man! There's a way for our team to stay on top of things, at least physically!"
  The children sang in chorus:
  Adults are fools, of course,
  You don't need brains to grow a beard...
  It's not convenient for us children to shave,
  Being immortal is an eternal reward!
  Now the castle's artillery began to fire at its own troops, and it did so with colossal fury.
  Suddenly, heavier weapons appeared on the walls and began throwing out gifts that exploded like miniature atomic bombs, and even characteristic mushrooms rose up!
  Adala sang with anxiety:
  Nuclear war, nuclear war,
  You are the power of Gehenna, so terrible,
  Believe me, people don"t need it!
  Edik nodded; he had a trendy, light, slightly golden haircut. A very sweet boy, who, with his sweet, angelic face, could easily have starred in commercials. Incidentally, he had actually acted in commercials under different circumstances and adventures.
  And everything around was smoking, and streams of smoke rose upward.
  The warrior girl asked Edik:
  - How are we going to take this fortress? Silently, or what?
  The boy genius replied with a smile:
  - Not quite! Quite the opposite, actually, with sound!
  The boy warrior with an eagle tattooed on his cheek was surprised:
  - What kind of sound? Maybe ultrasound?
  Edik objected:
  - No! We'll use hypersonic speed! I think you'll like that.
  The young warriors laughed and said:
  Soak the bike in abuse,
  And kill the ghoul...
  Tightened the nuts tightly,
  And the dog barked!
  But then the castle gates opened again, for the umpteenth time. And out slithered a mechanical boa constrictor, a colossal one at that. Its mouth was larger than a sperm whale's. Its teeth, like enormous drills, whirred and whirred, sparking the air.
  This is another cybernetics monster.
  Adala noted, licking her scarlet lips with her tongue:
  - I didn"t expect this, what a surprise!
  The child warriors were delighted and even began to sing with enthusiasm:
  Can you imagine the situation?
  Everything that will come true is known to us in advance...
  And why then doubts, worries,
  The schedule will take care of everything in the world!
  And we challenge the storms,
  From what and why...
  To live in this world without surprises,
  Impossible for anyone!
  Let there be success, failure.
  Let's jump briskly - up and down!
  Only this way, and not otherwise,
  Only this way, and not otherwise,
  Long live surprise!
  Surprise, surprise!
  Long live surprise!
  Surprise, surprise
  Long live surprise!
  
  NINJA GIRLS VS. THE GENEROUS MONSTER
  ANNOTATION
  The adventures of a magnificent foursome of ninja girls and mutants against a whole gang of monsters and the most dangerous space soldiers, and other enemies.
  CHAPTER 1
  In particular, they decided to fight the monster Generous and his fighting pair of mutants.
  They were planning to burn down an entire city using gravity-pumped laser weapons.
  Well, that's also an interesting adventure. Especially since the Generous monster also summoned steel soldiers from the zero dimension.
  Elizabeth jumped up and slammed her bare heel into the steel soldier's stomach. The impact made the iron clang.
  The brute bent over, but immediately straightened up and burst out laughing:
  - Insignificant, earthly woman!
  Elena kicked her opponent in the groin. But she hit solid, alloyed metal, which clanged. It even hurt a little.
  The red-haired queen cooed:
  - What a man, with balls of steel!
  Ekaterina also kicked the armored monster in the head with her bare foot. Unable to knock it down, she flew off, yelping:
  - A man is harder than a rock!
  Euphrosyne also moved the steel warrior, this time with a sweep. The brute fell with a crash, but then immediately sprang to his feet. And the battle continued with renewed, furious, hurricane-like force.
  The girl took it and sang:
  - Yes, we know how to fight,
  But we don"t want that to happen again...
  The girls fell in battle,
  And they clogged the track!
  Elizabeth responded by jumping back deftly, and the two warriors of steel collided heads so hard that sparks flew in all directions.
  The girl with blue hair chirped:
  - Metal can also be exposed to electricity.
  And she took hold of the dagger and launched it at the wires with her right hand... Elena did the same. And the electrical circuits fell upon the steel warriors, and an aggressive, shocking discharge rushed through them. And the steel monsters began to glow red-hot.
  Then they cracked and hardened like dust.
  Ekaterina noted, throwing her boomerang at the wires, causing them to fall and fry the monsters:
  - We are disabling dangerous fighters!
  Euphrosyne cooed:
  - For outstanding achievements in the space battle!
  And he will also throw his gift at his enemies.
  At least the Warriors of Steel were finished. And the warriors are saving the world again.
  The main enemy had already prepared a lethal battery with a special generator that worked by absorbing gravitons from Earth and other planets.
  And then a deadly discharge struck. The atmosphere began to vibrate, and the air became much hotter. And cracks seemed to appear across it, bathed in radiant light.
  Elizabeth cooed:
  - That's it! To battle, guys!
  A large, gorilla-like mutant with a fanged face appeared before her. He lunged at the girl, quite quickly and deftly. Elizabeth jumped back, tripping him. The gorilla collapsed, sprawling on the surface.
  The blue-haired girl spat, and her mutant saliva caused the gorilla, who had just risen, to fall again. His head, incidentally, landed in the trash can.
  Another mutant beast, or rather, a mixture of human and animal, had a wolf's head. And it tried to attack Elena. The red-haired girl fell backwards and threw the monster over herself. It flew past and crashed into a lamppost. And howled like a beaten dog.
  Euphrosyne hit the mutant wolf on the head with a brick. It shattered.
  The girl chirped:
  - Bricks, bricks!
  You're not a wolf howl - better shut up!
  Ekaterina noted with a grin as the mutant gorilla tried to stand. She kicked him between the legs, causing him to jump. Then she flipped him upside down.
  After which, they, together with Elizabeth, tickled the mutant animal"s heels with daggers.
  And the animal just burst out laughing. And it was literally cemented inside the trash can.
  The girls grabbed the wolf by the scruff of the neck and threw him at the gorilla. They collided again and flipped over. All four beauties kicked with their bare heels. And the pair of mutants rolled at high speed and splashed into the river.
  Elena sang:
  - I'll give you a slap on the forehead and you'll go to the bottom!
  And the girls rushed on. And there he was, the main villain, Generous. He was holding a hefty blaster. And from it, he fired a blast of energy. Moreover, Generous himself was wearing armor, as well as a mask and armor.
  The girls, jumping and dodging, evade the deadly rays. And their bare, round, pink heels flash.
  Elizabeth threw a boomerang at the enemy. He fired at it. But the weapon veered off course and hit a traffic light. It sliced through the pole, and the three-eyed traffic light struck Shchedry on the helmeted head.
  Elena, seeing her opponent stunned, threw the rope twisted into a lasso and grabbed the blaster. She gave it a sharp yank and tore it from his paw.
  After which she sang:
  - From the girls' paws,
  Cruel paws...
  It's impossible to leave, believe me,
  A kick in the snout,
  Hit the snout!
  It's not difficult to put a man to bed!
  Generous was disarmed. The ninja girls stomped on him with their bare toes, literally knocking the criminal down with their quartet. Then they rushed to the generator. As Elizaveta tried to turn it off, she was electrocuted. The mutant girl jumped back and chirped:
  - Glory to the ninja girls,
  Glory to the heroes of military operations!
  Elena hurled a wrench at the generator, picking it up from the asphalt. It flew past, struck, and caused a short circuit.
  The girl with red hair chirped:
  - I solve the problem not simply, but very simply!
  The temperature had cooled down. Meanwhile, the girls started playing again.
  Here's another mission. A serious adversary has appeared in the form of a robot monster. And this monster is quite dangerous. It has taken the form of a jet fighter and is starting to pummel one of the large virtual cities with laser beams, demolishing skyscrapers.
  Here the energy flow destroys a large, multi-story building, demolishing both concrete and metal.
  Elena noted, looking at this with admiration:
  - How much energy he has!
  Elizabeth replied with a sigh:
  - Now we need to get something against him ourselves!
  Catherine giggled and pulled a very serious combat weapon out of thin air:
  - This is a hyperlaser rifle! It hits the enemy using quark fusion energy!
  Euphrosyne nodded:
  - This is just what we need! Come on, let's take the enemy and give them a good whack!
  Elizabeth nodded, and a rather cool-looking gun appeared in her hands. The mutant girl cooed:
  - It's a beam cannon, hypernuclear pumped!
  The other two girls also got guns. And they suddenly went and hit the robot that was destroying the city.
  They did, of course. But something unexpected happened. The combat beams struck the robot, but were immediately reflected by some very powerful protective barrier.
  And the girls felt themselves being doused with harsh heat.
  Elena sang:
  - This is the protection that has come,
  How to defeat the parasite?!
  Elizabeth replied with a smile:
  "I think I know what this robot's defense is. In this case, it's a one-and-a-half-dimensional barrier that can't be breached so easily!"
  Ekaterina suggested:
  - What if we use a hyperblaster with thermopreon pumping?
  Euphrosyne nodded:
  - There will be lethal power!
  Elizabeth objected:
  - No! You can't just add energy here. That's the whole point of this dimension: all energy and particle flows flow in the same direction!
  And then a hyperlaser beam slammed into them in response. The girls barely managed to jump aside. Their bare feet, with their graceful curves, were even scorched.
  At once, the hyperfire licked the bare, calloused soles of all four of them.
  The girls even screamed and chirped at the top of their lungs:
  - My holy land is glorified,
  A storm of storms in the flame of victories...
  You are the only one on the whole Earth like this,
  And there is no one more precious to you in the world!
  After which, the beauties spat angrily at the robot. The mutant girls' saliva is a poisonous ultra-acid. It rushes through the field, piercing the field. The combat robot sustained four brutal wounds. It ate through its armor, leaving impressive dents that began to smoke.
  And the combat vehicle began to lose speed.
  Elena sang mockingly:
  The Earth approaches with a noise.
  My photon doesn't listen to the steering wheel...
  I bend over the sight,
  And the missiles rush towards the target...
  We don't start the fight from scratch!
  And the combat robot responded by blasting the girls with a hyperplasmic blob. It flew out of the weapon's barrels and rushed after the mutant girls.
  Elizabeth took hold of her scarlet nipples and bared them. Her companions followed suit.
  The red harpy sang:
  Russia with her breast covers the globe,
  She protected and saved the people from troubles...
  But hell rose up with its red turbidity,
  Someone was irritated by our roar of victories!
  And the warriors simultaneously released hypersonic waves from their overripe strawberry-colored nipples.
  They flew past like a tsunami. And struck the hyperplasmic blob. It, struck with a crushing blow, vibrated and rushed back. Then it engulfed the robot, which was already burning and smoking. And now the mechanical monster was entangled in a fiery web, blazing like a candle.
  Elizabeth sang with a laugh:
  Girls will rule the universe,
  Even if napalm falls from the sky...
  To serve the Fatherland is our unchanging duty,
  The sacred fire has blazed in my heart!
  And the warriors again, from their ruby nipples, take and strike with lightning.
  These are truly beautiful women. And their bodies are so muscular, strong, defined, and energetic.
  The killer robot finally crumbled into cosmic dust. And this proved to be a truly deadly effect from the breasts of such magnificent beauties.
  Elena sang:
  Believe me, we will bring light to the whole world,
  Even if we die, we will save the planet...
  Although the fate is terrible, the evil death has come,
  Let us not die in vain, for our Motherland is alive!
  Elizabeth objected:
  - No, it"s better to survive and win!
  The girls, overall, demonstrated their considerable combat prowess. But then Generous appeared again. This muscular, masked, armored man, in this case, along with two other companions, carried a weapon that caused combat corrosion in stones. He pounded the houses with it. They became crumbly, like sand, and crumbled. And the beautiful girls who lived in them fled in their tracks.
  Ekaterina noted:
  - Destruction is a passion,
  Evil power rules the ball...
  She who generously drinks the blood of others,
  Let's throw down our trump card and give love!
  The girls all started whistling. Several hefty vultures flew down from the rooftops. They swooped down on the heads of the mutants-a cross between a man and a wild boar, and another clearly rhinoceros. The vultures' beaks smashed their skulls, knocking them out cold.
  And another beak will hit Generous between the legs in the groin.
  And he will jump up and sing in a thin voice:
  I'm jumping on stage, I'm jumping on stage,
  I'll become a eunuch in the harem!
  I'll become a eunuch in the harem!
  And the voice became so thin, like that of a small child.
  The cannon itself jumped higher and flipped over. Elizabeth jumped, caught it with her bare toes, and re-aimed it with a swift movement.
  And the houses that had been destroyed began to be rebuilt, including those burned down by the killer robot.
  Elena and Ekaterina rushed toward the mutant monsters, who were beginning to recover. The girls fell backwards and tossed both monsters with their strong legs.
  They flew up, flipped over in their loitering, and landed head-on in trash cans filled with various cigarette butts.
  And how they started howling in pain.
  Elena chirped, baring her teeth:
  - Let me go to the Himalayas,
  Let me go for good...
  Otherwise I will howl, or I will bark,
  Or else I'll eat someone!
  And the warrior, her hair as red as Lenin's flag, spat into the backside of the mutant stuck in the trash can. The mutant, receiving a blast of cruel, searing, ultra-toxic juice, jumped up, rolled over, roared, and hissed with a wild howl.
  Euphrosyne and Catherine struck the enemy with their bare feet, sending him on a hellish flight to one point.
  He takes off like an unguided missile. And hits Shchedry, crushing his shell.
  And then the rhinoceros man flew there, colliding with his master.
  Elena took it and sang in delight:
  - Even though I come from a modest village,
  Where we were taught to live according to Ilyich...
  I don't want to be a reliable chick,
  And I don"t want to become a milk cow!
  And all four girls took it and with their bare, muscular legs began to toss the mutants along with their owner, causing them to literally spin.
  At the same time, the beauties sang:
  Me, you, he, she,
  The whole country together,
  Together we are a friendly family,
  In the word we there are a hundred thousand I's!
  And the warriors, like major league football players, went and slammed the three villains straight into a large cement mixer. After that, Elena revved the engine to full power.
  And these monsters were whirled around.
  Elizabeth noted, taking up the specially designed cannon again, restoring the destroyed buildings:
  - We, as always, win...
  Elena, with a grin that seemed scary, chirped:
  But to be honest,
  I win everything without exception!
  The hunter has become the hunted,
  Opened an account, then of course!
  Having thoroughly mixed up their opponents, the girls launched them without further ado. And out came a huge concrete cube, which plopped down and froze in the bright virtual sun!
  Ekaterina noted:
  - Another showdown in our favor!
  Elena clarified:
  -Virtual showdown!
  And she snapped her bare toes, creating a fiery, iridescent bubble. It soared higher into the air, expanding as it went, sparkling with every color of the rainbow. It was a work of art.
  The red-haired girl chirped:
  - The universe is full of fairytale surprises,
  And the girl, who is very valuable in battle...
  I can kick evil in the groin with my bare foot,
  I prefer, however, to be myself!
  Be yourself! Be yourself!
  Such a girl, wild, energetic!
  Elizabeth said with a smile:
  - Keep it up!
  Elena, crushing the monster, muttered something unintelligible.
  Euphrosyne took off her bra and struck the crystal adversary that had suddenly appeared before her with pulsars. They flew past and crashed onto the shiny surface, dealing a powerful, lethal blow.
  The girl with hair as white as snow chirped:
  - The girl is crushing the globe with her chest,
  She protected and saved the whole world from troubles...
  They didn't figure it out, apparently the girls have the essence,
  When the neighbor went all-in!
  Catherine, a girl with golden hair, slammed her bare heel into the surface. One of the protruding pipes burst from the force, and the advancing enemy soldiers were literally doused with a stream of steam.
  The girl with hair like a dandelion, only more voluminous, started singing:
  - Bath, bath, bath, bath,
  Oak and birch infusion...
  Bath, bath, bath, bath,
  The barefoot girl hit hard!
  And her pearly teeth suddenly sparkle like a mirror. These are the Terminator girls.
  No army of virtual creatures could truly stand against the likes of them. And they shouldn't even try.
  Elena suddenly saw a huge, snow-capped mountain above the city. People in Viking costumes were milling about nearby. They were tall and much larger than the average human.
  The red-haired girl screamed:
  - No mercy, no mercy, no mercy for the enemy,
  Know this, evil Viking, know this, evil Viking will eat the stew out of you!
  Elizabeth tossed a coin with her bare toes. It spun and struck a crow flying through the air. This gray creature was the size of a large albatross. It struck it squarely on the crown of its head. The crow lost consciousness and plummeted like a meteorite, leaving a smoking tail in its wake.
  The girl with blue hair sang:
  - Love is like a mountain stream,
  What falls to the ground like hail...
  And turning it on, giving an electric shock to the adversary,
  The girl is loading a machine gun!
  The crow struck the combat robot with its beak as it plummeted. A short circuit occurred. And the enormous cyborg exploded. Afterward, the mountain shook.
  And snow fell on the brave four girls.
  Ekaterina noted, singing:
  Snowfall, snowfall,
  Don't aim at my braids...
  Result, result -
  Girls are always barefoot!
  And the warrior spun her golden hair around like a top. Immediately, a bright glow appeared, and streams of fiery rays poured down. And instead of snow, rain began to fall. And it was all quite beautiful, the droplets shimmering in the virtual sun like diamonds.
  Elizabeth noted with a chuckle:
  - We should show our talents in business,
  Diamonds are a girl's best friend!
  Euphrosyne giggled and, pointing to the mountain where Scandinavian warriors were swarming in the snow, noted:
  - These guys are up to something bad!
  Elena suggested:
  - Let us release lethal rays of death from our scarlet breasts.
  And the red-haired shrew laughed, baring her pearly teeth.
  Elizabeth suggested:
  - Come on, girls, let's land the troops first!
  Ekaterina sang with delight:
  - How the warmth of their hearts helps the landing party,
  How the warmth of their hearts helps the landing party,
  Windswept troops!
  And the warriors took off, accelerated and jumped with all their might.
  And the feisty, aggressive quartet of beauties will fly straight into battle. And it's clear they're ready to move mountains at once.
  Elena, delighted, took it and sang:
  I will be the absolute world champion,
  And I will rush through like a sparkling hurricane...
  To be more precise, these are all Shakespeare's creations,
  I'll just jump into the Pacific Ocean!
  Elizabeth picked up the song and began singing:
  - They are eager to fight, dashing athletes,
  Everyone believes in victory passionately!
  Euphrosyne added, baring her teeth:
  - After all, any sea is knee-deep for us,
  After all, any mountain is within our reach!
  And so the girls actually climbed the mountain in the virtual game. They were ready to fight the Vikings, even if they were giants three times the height of a human.
  Elena entered the fray. She swung her swords and cut off the Viking's head, singing:
  Don't lose your head,
  There is no need to rush...
  Don't lose your head,
  What if it comes in handy?
  You write it down in your notebook,
  On every page!
  Don't lose your head!
  Don't lose your head!
  Better yet, run away quickly!
  Elizabeth threw a few needles with her bare toes. They flew past and struck the vultures flying above the Vikings. The large, predatory birds, disoriented, flew and rammed their beaks into the skulls of the Viking warriors. They pierced them, causing them to spurt blood.
  Catherine kicked the nearest Viking in the groin with her bare, tanned foot, causing him to jump and flip over from the impact.
  After which the girl said:
  - Do you see an eclipse in the sky?
  This is an army of enemies...
  The sign of hell will come,
  No more words needed!
  And the girl went and sparkled with her pearly eyes. Now that's a real beauty, a real beauty!
  Euphrosyne whistled. A couple of pine trees shook from the sound, as if bamboo poles had rained down on them. And heavy pine cones rained down. They struck the Vikings' heads, piercing them along with their helmets.
  The blonde girl noted:
  - I will destroy my enemies,
  My first move, my last move!
  And now only the largest, broad-shouldered Viking leader in golden armor remained.
  And he roared at the top of his lungs:
  - You don't stand a chance! I have Thor's axe!
  The Viking brute swung his axe and sent a tsunami wave flying.
  The girls were lightly covered with snow.
  But they stood up quickly.
  Elena realized the basket dropped by the giant warrior and barked:
  - Well, get ready to pack your wallet, enemy!
  And she took it and shook it.
  Elizabeth sang with a sweet smile:
  - My boy, my baby,
  At this hour you are not sleeping,
  And in what unknown country,
  Your thoughts will be about me!
  The giant Viking swung again. And at that very moment, he felt a distortion in space. And, like a swan feather, he was sucked up by a powerful vacuum cleaner.
  And the giant flattened himself in the basket, becoming the size of a poppy seed.
  Elena smirked and noted:
  - Now this is a real transformation!
  Ekaterina sang with a smile:
  - There will be forced treatment and funny transformations!
  Elizabeth looked at the mountain with concern and noticed:
  - There's a bomb hidden under the snow!
  Elena squeaked:
  - Nuclear?
  The girl with blue hair muttered:
  - Take it higher, sister - thermopreon!
  The red-haired warrior widened her eyes and asked:
  - And how do we neutralize it?
  Euphrosyne giggled and cooed:
  "To do this, we need to emit infrasound from our scarlet nipples. Come on, girls, all four of us, let's do it in unison!"
  And the warriors took and pounded with streams of enormous energy from their ruby nipples.
  The thermopreon bomb crackled and deactivated. Then a ceremonial march began to play.
  Elena chirped:
  - Whoever wants a bomb will get it in the forehead!
  
  A GIRL SAVES ELVEN CIVILIZATION
  ANNOTATION
  The beautiful elf girl Erimiada must find the red dragon to save her elven civilization from destruction. But along the way, she must battle various warriors, solve challenging riddles, and experience incredible adventures.
  CHAPTER No 1.
  Here she is, walking along a red brick path. A quiver, bow, and arrows are slung across her back. Her bare feet feel the warmth of the surface, heated by three suns.
  Erimiada wears a short skirt, and her chest is covered only by a narrow strip of fabric.
  She is carrying out some important task.
  She doesn't know what exactly, exactly. But it's clearly something special, like saving the elven civilization.
  And some creature comes out to meet her. It's the size of a good-sized tank, and its shell sparkles with diamonds.
  The elf bowed to him and chirped:
  - I'm glad to meet you!
  The giant horned turtle wheezed:
  - Don't rejoice prematurely! What are you looking for?
  Erimiada shrugged and replied:
  - I don't know myself. But I only know that it is very important to save the elven civilization.
  The bully noted:
  - Really, you don't know yourself? Don't you have a king in your head?
  The elf took and sang:
  There are no clear limits in life,
  There are no clear limits in life...
  And a lot of unnecessary, boring fuss...
  And I always lack something,
  And I always lack something,
  In winter summer, in winter summer, in autumn spring!
  The turtle grinned and noted, flashing its diamond shell:
  "I see you're a frivolous person, flashing your bare, pink heels on the brick. So, if you want to be let through, answer this question..."
  Erimiada nodded:
  - I'm ready to answer any questions!
  The bully chirped:
  - Who is this guy who seems cool, but is actually bad?
  The elf giggled and muttered:
  - Troll!
  The turtle burst into laughter, and its shell sparkled even more brightly with diamonds that shimmered in the three suns. And it said:
  - No! You guessed wrong! You'll be punished for this!
  The elf jumped up in response and took off running. Her pink heels literally sparkled, and her bare, tanned legs flashed like propeller blades.
  The girl roared:
  - The elf is racing, the stormy horses,
  I must admit, the devil will kill you!
  They won't catch us, they won't catch us!
  In response, two tall, goat-headed giants appeared. They rushed after the elf, stamping their hooves. Quite muscular fellows.
  Erimiada, while gobbling it up, began to sing:
  - I got carried away, carried away, carried away!
  The penalty has grown, grown, grown!
  And behind her, horned gorillas with broad shoulders and thick arms and legs raced.
  It's, as they say, either a race for the leader or persecution for criticism.
  The elf's bare feet were light and nimble. The two thugs couldn't close the distance and were already gasping for breath.
  But then a rider on a black horse and clad in black armor appeared before Erimiada. He flashed a long sword, which glowed brightly, as if made of stars.
  This black warrior thundered:
  - Where are you running, girl?
  Erimiada answered in a frightened voice:
  - I'm being chased, if you're a true knight, then help me!
  The rider, clad in ink-colored armor, waved his hand. Two enormous goat-headed warriors froze in midair. The elf woman froze as well. It was as if they were frozen in thick ice, unable to move.
  The black warrior asked with a smile:
  - So, what's all this fuss about?
  Two goat-headed warriors roared in unison:
  - She answered the question incorrectly, and our hostess must pay for it!
  The knight asked:
  - And who is your mistress?
  The goat warriors answered in chorus:
  - Turtle Fortila!
  The warrior in black armor nodded:
  - I know her! She's wise and fair. And what do you expect from a girl for that?
  The goat warriors answered in chorus:
  - Nine blows with sticks on the bare heels, that's all!
  The warrior in black armor confirmed:
  - Okay, it"s not fatal, but at least justice will be done!
  Erimiada asked capriciously:
  - And you will allow a girl to beat the bare sole of my graceful, beautiful foot with sticks?
  The warrior smiled and suggested:
  - Maybe I should let you get even? That's what you think!
  The goat warriors nodded in unison:
  - It's possible! But only once! And if she loses, then there will be twenty blows on her bare heels.
  The knight in black armor nodded:
  - All the better! Let's go!
  The goat-headed gorillas gurgled:
  - What is smaller than a poppy seed and larger than the universe?
  Erimiada shrugged and replied:
  - Can we think about it?
  The goat warriors growled:
  - No time to think!
  The girl frowned and replied:
  - Probably the troll's conceit. It's smaller than a poppy seed, and yet, it's inflated beyond the universe!
  The goat-headed gorillas giggled:
  - You guessed wrong! Now you'll get a slap on the heels with a stick!
  The warrior in black armor asked:
  - Do you know the answer yourself?
  The goat warriors nodded:
  - Yes! These are the laws of the universe. They can fit into a container smaller than a poppy seed, and yet, there's little room for them in the universe!
  The Black Knight nodded:
  - Excellent! Therefore, get to your duty.
  The warrior goats freed themselves and approached Erimiade. She tried unsuccessfully to move.
  They grabbed the girl by the elbows and pushed her onto her back. Then, they took a special device out of their backpacks.
  They stuck the elf's bare feet in there and fastened them tightly. Then one of the goats broke off a bamboo stick and swung it through the air. And it whistled.
  Erimiada lay on her back. Pebbles pricked her sharp shoulder blades. Her bare, tanned legs were tightly clasped. And she couldn't move them.
  And then the bamboo stick whistled and fell upon the girl"s bare, pink heel, with its graceful curve.
  The elf felt a sharp pain that radiated from her feet to the back of her head.
  The second goat held the device and counted at the same time:
  - Once!
  Once again the blow of the stick fell on the girl's bare heels.
  - Two!
  Erimiada screamed in pain. How cruel and unpleasant it was. And the stick continued to whistle and strike with all its might against the beauty's bare, pink, graceful sole.
  First one, then another. Erimiada moaned and cried out loudly about how excruciating and painful it was.
  The black warrior noted:
  - I hope you won't hurt her?
  The big goat answered confidently:
  - We have a lot of experience in this!
  Another horned one said:
  - Elves, in general, have a very strong and resilient body.
  When the blows ceased, the goat warriors removed the falaka device from the girl's bare feet and, bowing, departed. They did, however, leave with a loud stomp.
  Erimiada stopped moaning and tried to stand. But her legs, beaten by the sticks and now blue, were in such pain that she screamed. She crawled onto all fours, like a dog.
  The girl muttered:
  - My heels are sore, how will I walk now?
  The black warrior noted:
  - Try walking on your toes! It'll be easier!
  Erimiada carefully stood on her toes, but it was still very painful. The girl began to whine:
  - Oh, to receive great torment on the heels,
  No one in the world can understand...
  I'm a girl, not just a bitch,
  And believe me, I can give back!
  The black warrior answered confidently:
  "It will heal soon, don't worry! In the meantime, you probably want to save your elven people from destruction?"
  The girl was surprised:
  - Why do you think so?
  The knight in black replied:
  - He who walks the red brick road is sure to try to save someone!
  The elf nodded and confirmed:
  - Yes, that's true! And what can you offer me?
  The black warrior replied:
  - Nothing special. You don't even know what you're looking for. But I do!
  Erimiada chuckled and asked:
  - And what do you know?
  The Black Knight replied:
  "You're looking for a red dragon statue. It's supposed to protect your people from the very real, seven-headed dragon."
  The elf replied with a sigh:
  - True, war. But can you really help me?
  - I can, if you fight a vampire with swords and manage to defeat him!
  Erimiada stated:
  "Vampires are incredibly strong. And it's extremely difficult to stand up to them. Perhaps you could provide me with an easier opponent?"
  Black nodded:
  - Yes? Do you want to fight, for example, a person?
  The elf nodded with a smile:
  - With great pleasure!
  The knight suggested:
  - Will you answer riddles?
  The girl looked at her bruised legs and answered with a sigh:
  - I wouldn't want to! I've already been pretty beaten down. Maybe you could offer me something else?
  The Black Knight nodded:
  - Okay, if so... Then sing something!
  Erimiada nodded and chirped:
  - It is possible!
  The elf cleared her throat and began to sing:
  In my hands is the sharpest sword,
  I chop off heads, easily with a swing...
  I can cut off any one, believe me,
  Knowing neither shame nor fear!
  
  Terrible news, in a cruel war,
  The girl who is loved forever!
  Thrown into the jaws of the fiend Satan,
  Where, Lord, is justice and mercy?!
    
  The Elf Maiden went barefoot,
  Feet were pounding on the dusty paths!
  For the sins that the springs flowed,
  She had the chance to march to distant lands!
    
  In early spring I set out on my journey,
  My feet are so blue from the cold!
  You can't even bite a piece of meat,
  Only the firs nod in the frost!
    
  So on the road full of stones,
  The girl's feet were covered in blood!
  And the villain passes by Elfia,
  Towards the city of kings, Jerusalem!
    
  Favkaz Mountains, ridges covered in snow,
  Sharp stones prick the soles of your feet!
  But you fed on the power of the earth,
  Having chosen the difficult Hajj to the city of God!
    
  Summer, desert, evil sun,
  Like girls' legs in a frying pan!
  The sacred city became close,
  Everyone bears an infinite burden!
    
  There at the grave of God-Frist,
  The maiden bowed her knees in supplication!
  Where, great one, is the measure of sin,
  Where do I draw strength from in righteousness?
    
  God said to her, frowning,
  You can't change this world with prayer alone!
  Elves are destined to rule for centuries,
  Serve her faithfully without asking for money!
    
  The girl nodded: I believe Frist,
  You chose Elf as the savior of the world!
  I will spread the truth about this to everyone,
  The message of Fiisus the idol of God!
    
  The way back was easy and quick,
  My bare feet have become strong!
  God stretched out His hand with grace,
  Muscles and will as if made of steel!
    
  And you joined the army,
  She became a pilot and fought in the Trollwaffe!
  There she showed the height of beauty,
  The troll destroyer rushed towards the land mine!
    
  Warrior, dashing, brave fighter,
  Devoted to the party - to the cause of the Soviets!
  I believe in the end, victorious over the scum,
  Throw the demonic pack up to the wall and answer for it!
    
  Well, why, the fighter was shot down,
  You didn't have time to release the straps!
  And the shield turned out to be defective,
  And the evil troll bastard suddenly became brothers with the nanny!
    
  The war became unequal and cruel,
  At least I'm a girl, I'm crying, I'm crying bitterly!
  As if in trouble we had to dive to the bottom,
  After all, luck has left the Fatherland!
    
  My cry to God: Almighty, why?
  You separated me from my beloved boyfriend!
  I didn't even wear a coat in the cold,
  And she beat me for three enemies!
    
  Doesn't she deserve it?
  Celebrate victory with me and flowers!
  Bake generous pies for the holiday,
  And I hope to come to the parade!
    
  The stern Lord answered gloomily:
  Who in the world is happy, who is doing well?
  The flesh will suffer and groan with pain,
  After all, the elf community is disgusting, sinful!
    
  Well, and then, when I come in glory,
  I will throw into Gehenna those who are not worthy of life!
  I will resurrect you and the guy of my dreams,
  Then you won"t want a better fate!
  As she sang, a dozen beautiful, heavenly angels appeared in the sky. They clapped their hands enthusiastically, confirming that they had thoroughly enjoyed the beauty's singing.
  The black warrior nodded his head in approval and roared:
  "Excellent, you have excellent vocal skills! However, to obtain the red dragon statuette, you must also be an excellent swordsman."
  Erimiada bowed and, wincing, said:
  - With such shod legs, it is practically impossible to fight, even with such an insignificant opponent as a human!
  The knight in black armor swung his sword, glittering in the stars. A greenish wave, like the reflection of grass, passed from it. And the girl's toned, chiseled, graceful legs became whole again.
  The elf bowed, stamped her bare foot with great confidence and said:
  "Now, give me a man! I'll smash him to pieces, even if he's a giant as tall as a fathom!"
  Black confirmed:
  - You'll have a rival just what you need!
  And he made a figure eight with his sword. A boy suddenly appeared before the elven girl. He was wearing only swimming trunks, a child of eleven or twelve. Thin, tanned, but wiry. His shoulder blades were sharp, his ribs showed through his tanned skin, and his back and sides were covered in scars, now healed, from whips and lashes.
  Although he was only a boy with a childish face, he looked proud. His blond hair, chocolate-brown from a slave's tan, was neatly trimmed, and his chin gave his face a masculine expression.
  Erimiada muttered in confusion:
  "I won't fight with a child. Especially since I think he's a slave boy."
  The black warrior confirmed:
  "Yes, he's a slave boy who toiled in the quarries, barefoot and wearing only swimming trunks, for more than two-thirds of the day, doing the hardest work. But on the other hand, he was born a prince. And he ended up in slavery, which hardened him, but didn't break him."
  The slave boy stamped his bare foot angrily, crushing a pebble with his calloused heel, and shouted:
  - I'm ready to fight you, noble lady! I hope you're of good birth, because fighting a commoner is too much for me!
  The black warrior nodded:
  - On one side of the table you will have a statue of a red dragon, and on the other, your freedom, boy!
  The young warrior shook his not very long, but sharp sword, and said:
  For the Fatherland and freedom until the end,
  Making hearts beat in unison!
  CHAPTER No 2.
  
  The Viscountess answered confidently:
  - It will be an unequal fight!
  And she swung her much longer and heavier sword. Both warriors moved together. They had one thing in common: they were barefoot. But the boy's feet, though small, were already calloused from constantly walking barefoot on the sharp stones of the quarries. The elven girl, on the other hand, had softer, pink soles with a graceful arch to her bare heel.
  The swords clashed, and sparks flew. The Viscountess, of course, as a noblewoman, practiced fencing. Even in the space age, it wasn't considered a top priority. For an elf, she was tall, large, and muscular, and she expected to defeat some half-naked, skinny boy from the quarries with ease.
  But she came across a persistent and dexterous boy who had learned fencing lessons in early childhood and hadn't forgotten them in the mines, breaking rocks with a crowbar and pushing mine carts.
  At first, Erimiada felt sorry for the child and attacked him halfheartedly. He was truly so tiny, and he'd clearly had his share of abuse in the quarries. Look how his ribs are showing through, and his skin is covered in abrasions and bruises.
  The boy, however, was quick and scratched the girl on the knee with his sword. Blood appeared.
  Erimiada responded by hitting the boy with a shout:
  - Little louse!
  Although the slave boy parried, he was knocked off his feet. But he immediately jumped up and pounced on the elf like a little devil. And in his thin, yet strong and nimble hands, the sword flickered like a mosquito's wings.
  And then the swift and thin boy scratched Erimiada again.
  The girl, having received a wound on her leg, chirped:
  Girls will never give up,
  And theirs will be, know, a glorious victory...
  The boy will not prevail, Satan,
  Who obviously hasn't had lunch for a long time!
  The boy continued his attacks in response. He was as swift as a grasshopper. And his sword was very fast. It seemed smaller, but at least it was light. The boy himself, though he had carried heavy boulders and smashed things with a sledgehammer, hadn't managed to gain weight due to the poor nutrition in the quarry, and remained very wiry and agile.
  Erimiada couldn't get into his lean, agile, muscular body. She tried several times, but it never worked.
  The viscountess began to sweat. Her tanned, strong bikini-clad body was covered in sweat, looking like polished bronze. Her breathing became heavier.
  Erimiada struck with all her might, but the boy leaped nimbly, even briefly standing barefoot on the blade. He struck Erimiada in the chest. The elf's blood began to flow more intensely. The girl cried out in pain. And she tried to attack again.
  But it's hard to hit when the target is small and shorter than you, and also moving.
  The slave boy, fighting, also began to sweat and shimmer. He sang along:
  Spartacus is a great valiant fighter,
  He raised his enemies against the evil yoke...
  But the uprising came to an end,
  Freedom lasted only for a fraction of a moment!
  
  But the boy is from a different time now,
  Decided to fight for a just cause...
  He looks small and doesn't seem to be strong,
  But he knows how to fight very skillfully!
  The knight in black armor nodded:
  "Yes, this prince is not so simple! The quarries only hardened him, but they did not break him. And if you want to defeat him, you'll have to try hard."
  The slave boy exclaimed:
  - I either win or die! Without freedom, life isn't worth living!
  Erimiada hissed:
  - And I am fighting for the future of my nation.
  And the girl swung again and tried to hit her young vis-à-vis.
  However, her blow was unsuccessful. What's more, the nimble imp went and stabbed the elven girl in the stomach, leaving another bloody hole.
  Erimiada became more cautious. It was truly humiliating to fight a human child. And lose, too. She had never hit him yet.
  A very nimble, barefoot, wiry slave boy. And he hops like a grasshopper.
  Emira sang:
  There was a grasshopper sitting in the grass,
  There was a grasshopper sitting in the grass,
  Just like a cucumber,
  He was green!
  But then the elf came,
  Which beat everyone...
  She made him rich,
  And ate the blacksmith!
  This made it funnier, but it didn't add any strength. The boy periodically inflicted shallow, but numerous and painful, wounds on the elf. From the loss of blood, Erimiada began to weaken and slow down.
  And her opponent was even more resilient. Indeed, sixteen or seventeen hours of work a day would either kill or harden anyone. And the boy's body was unusually strong and capable of withstanding any strain.
  At the same time, carrying heavy boulders for days on end did not make the muscles stiff, but on the contrary, made them stronger and more agile.
  Then the boy-prince hit her under the knee with his sword, and Erimiada bent over, and she was so twisted that she could no longer turn around properly.
  And the slave boy pressed on, humming cheerfully and playfully, and jabbed the girl in the stomach again. And this time much deeper.
  Erimiada began to gasp. She jerked her foot, but the tip of the sword struck the girl right in the heel of her bare foot, piercing it noticeably. This not only caused pain but also made it difficult to stand.
  The elf fell on her side and cooed:
  - I will not surrender to the enemies of Satan - the executioners,
  I will show courage under torture...
  Though the fire blazes and the whip beats on the shoulders,
  I love my Elf with a passionate ardor!
  The slave boy grinned and responded by kicking the girl in the nose with his bare heel. He hit her hard, breaking her breathing apparatus, and sang:
  - Freedom is paradise,
  There is no joy in chains...
  Fight and dare,
  Reject the pitiful fear!
  And the boy struck even harder with his sword, knocking it from Erimias's weakening hands. The girl reached out to pick it up. But the blade's tip immediately sank between her shoulder blades. And blood flowed again.
  The girl fell and grabbed her sword by the hilt. But the half-naked boy's blade struck her right across the wrist, severing the tendon. The sword fell, and Erimiada was disarmed.
  The slave boy let out a cry of joy and struck the elf in the temple with the butt of his sword. She kicked her bare, long-suffering legs and collapsed, completely knocked out.
  The prince placed his bare foot, which had not seen shoes for several years, on the girls" heavily heaving chest.
  And letting out a cry of victory, he said:
  - Long live light and freedom!
  And then he turned to the black warrior:
  - Finish her off?
  The knight in black armor answered confidently:
  - No! You've already defeated her! Now you're free and have thrown off the chains of slavery!
  The boy, now a former slave, asked:
  - And now can I be restored to my former title of prince?
  The warrior in black armor answered decisively:
  - No! Your country has been conquered. But you've proven yourself an excellent fighter. You'll join the army and become a scout. You'll command a squad of boys just like yourself. And that will be your reward for defeating the Viscountess.
  The young prince bowed and said with a smile:
  - Thank you! I won't go back to those stinking quarries.
  The knight in black armor waved his sword, and the victorious boy disappeared.
  Erimiada opened her eyes with difficulty. Her head ached. Staggering, she rose and stammered:
  - What's wrong with me?!
  The black warrior answered with sadness in his voice:
  - You lost! The boy won and got his freedom.
  The elf said with a sigh:
  - So what now, will my people perish?
  The knight in black armor answered confidently:
  "Of course not! If anything happens, you have a chance to fight again. Only this time, you'll have to fight the one you rejected the first time. Not a human, but a vampire!"
  Erimiada replied with a sigh:
  "I'd agree with a vampire, too. But I'm all wounded and I have no strength. Is there any way to heal my wounds so I'm ready for battle?"
  The knight in black armor said:
  "There's only one way. You must guess the riddle. Answer it correctly, and all your wounds will be healed at once."
  The elf pleaded:
  "Your riddles are so complex that they're simply impossible to answer. Maybe there's another way? Well, if you want, I'll sing to you!"
  The warrior in black replied:
  "You'll sing to me anyway, of course! But to heal your wounds, I need you to answer my question. Everything comes at a price!"
  The angels flying above the knight's head immediately confirmed, ringing in a chorus of voices:
  - You have to pay for everything!
  The knight in black armor remarked:
  "But I'll be kind to you and let you think about the question. And you're a smart girl, and I think you'll definitely figure out the right answer."
  Erimiada noted:
  - It is impossible to know everything in the world!
  The warrior with the shining sword nodded:
  - True! But any answer to any question can be logically calculated.
  The elf replied with a sigh:
  - Okay, then. I'm ready.
  The knight in black armor said:
  - What comes without coming, and goes without leaving!
  Erimiada whistled, her sapphire eyes widening.
  - Wow! What a question.
  The warrior in black nodded:
  - Think! Try to figure it out logically!
  The Viscountess tensed her forehead and began to reason out loud;
  Maybe it's money? It does seem to come, but there's never enough of it, so you could say it comes without ever arriving in the quantities it should. On the other hand, it goes away as if it never left, as if it weren't there.
  Erimiada touched her wounded heel with her index finger and continued her reasoning;
  Or maybe these are problems. They seem to come, but they were always there, so they come without actually coming. And the problems seem to have gone away, but in reality, they remain.
  Erimiada scratched the back of her head again and continued her discussion on the given topic.
  For example, maybe this is life. They say life has come, but it was there before. On the other hand, they say life has gone. But it remains, and the soul is immortal, after all.
  Yes, there are so many more options to offer. My eyes are literally dazzled by the various possible answers. They gave her time. But in reality, the more I think about it, the more confused I become, and a whole host of possible answers emerge. And time isn't helping either...
  Then it dawned on Erimiad and she said:
  - I'm ready to give an answer!
  The warrior in black nodded his head, shining like ebony:
  - Well, speak up!
  Erimiada stated decisively:
  Time comes without coming! They say time has come, but it has already happened! And time also goes without going. They say time has gone, but it still remains!
  The knight in black armor chuckled and replied:
  "Well, the answer is generally correct, and it can be counted! Although, the standard answer is memories! But time is also a perfectly possible option."
  The black-robed warrior made a figure eight with his gleaming sword. And a few seconds later, all of Erimiada's wounds and injuries vanished without a trace, as if they had never existed.
  The elf girl smiled and said:
  - Thank you! Now can I take advantage of my second chance?
  The knight in black armor answered in a thunderous voice:
  - You can! But this time you'll have to fight a vampire. Are you ready for such a challenge?
  Erimiada answered decisively:
  - If I have no choice, then yes! I'm ready!
  The warrior raised his sword, but then the angels fluttering above his black helmet began to cry out in unison:
  - Let her sing for us! She has such a wonderful voice!
  The knight in black armor nodded:
  - Sing, beauty! My retinue demands it!
  Erimiada nodded reluctantly and remarked:
  - I'm out of voice!
  The angels cried out with laughter:
  - No need! You're wonderful! Come on, don't be shy!
  The elf took a deep breath and began to sing with delight;
  Glory to the country that blooms in the sky,
  Glory to the great, sacred Elfia...
  No, there will be no silence in eternity -
  The stars of the field have sprinkled pearls!
    
  The great Supreme Svarog is with us,
  Son of the Almighty formidable Rod...
  So that this warrior could help in battle,
  We must glorify the elves' light of God!
    
  The girls have no doubts, believe me,
  The girls furiously attack the horde...
  Will be torn to pieces, mad beast,
  And the enemy will get a punch in the nose!
    
  No, don't try to break the elves,
  The enemy will not bring us to our knees...
  We will defeat you, evil thief,
  Great grandfather Elin is with us!
    
  No, never, never give in to enemies,
  The barefoot girls fought under Elfa...
  We will not show weakness and shame,
  Let's deal with the big Satan!
    
  God allowed me to finish my battles,
  And to destroy the hordes of the Wehrmacht with flying colors...
  So that we don"t end up with zeros,
  So that it is not quiet in the cemetery!
    
  Give the girls freedom, fighters,
  So the orcs will have something like this...
  Our fathers will be proud of us,
  The enemy won't milk us like cows!
    
  It is true that spring will come soon,
  The ears of grain in the fields will turn golden...
  I believe our dream will come true,
  If you have to fight for the truth!
    
  God, this means all people love,
  Faithful, strong, eternal in joy...
  Even though violent blood is shed,
  The girl is often carefree!
    
  We crush the enemy in battle,
  Doing something so airy...
  Even though a storm rages over the worlds,
  And a sultry eclipse comes!
    
  No, people will stand until their grave,
  And they won't give in to the erkhists one bit...
  You write down the boys in a notebook,
  And sharpen all your sabers for battle!
    
  Yes, it is true that the dawn will be without boundaries,
  Believe me, everyone will find joy...
  We are opening another, believe me, light-
  The girl's hand reaches up into the sky!
    
  We can do it, we can do it, believe me,
  Something we don"t even dare to dream about...
  We see clearly the brightest goal,
  No, don't talk nonsense, fighters!
    
  And we need to fly, jokingly, to Mars,
  We'll open fields there, practically, of rubies...
  And we'll shoot the okroshists right in the eye,
  Hordes of cherubs hover above us!
    
  Yes, the Soviet country is famous,
  What communism gave to the peoples...
  She is given to us by our family forever -
  For the Motherland, for happiness, for freedom!
    
  In Elfia, every warrior is from the nursery,
  The baby reaches for the gun...
  Therefore, you tremble, villain,
  We call the monster to account!
    
  Yes, ours will be a friendly family,
  What Elfinism will build in the universe...
  We will become, you know, true friends,
  And our business will be creation!
    
  After all, Elfinism is forever given by the Family,
  So that adults and children are happy...
  The boy also reads syllable by syllable,
  But the flame of the demiurge shines in the eyes!
    
  Yes, there will be joy for people forever,
  Who fight together for the cause of Svarog...
  We will soon see the shores of Folgi,
  And we will be in God's place of honor!
    
  Yes, the Elf cannot be broken by the enemies of the Fatherland,
  It will be stronger even than steel...
  Elfia, you are a dear mother to the children,
  And our father, believe me, is the wise Phtalin!
    
  There are no barriers for the Fatherland, believe me,
  It goes forward without stopping...
  The king of hell will soon be checkmated,
  At least he has tattoos on his hands!
    
  We will give our hearts for our Motherland,
  We will climb higher than all the mountains, believe me...
  We girls have a lot of strength,
  Sometimes it even blows your mind!
    
  The boy also gave a subscription for Elf,
  He said he would fight fiercely...
  There is glittering metal in his eyes,
  And the RPG is hidden securely in the backpack!
    
  So let's not play the fool,
  Or better yet, let's all stand together as a wall...
  Passing exams with only A's,
  May Abel rule, and not the evil Cain!
    
  In short, there will be happiness for people,
  And the power of Svarog over the sacred world...
  You, playfully, defeat the Orcs,
  Let Lada be your happiness and idol!
  The elf girl finished singing with great enthusiasm. She bowed, stamped her bare foot, and said:
  - Merci!
  The knight in black armor confirmed:
  "This is a worthy song! It warms the heart and soul. So, I'll give you some advice: do a figure eight with your legs, and you'll gain strength. And you'll be able to handle even a monster like a vampire!"
  Erimiada bowed and replied:
  - The world should respect us, fear us.
  The soldiers' exploits are countless...
  Elves have always known how to fight.
  We will destroy the orcs to the ground!
  The warrior in black armor made a circle with his sword, and music like the shimmering of icicles could be heard.
  And a silhouette appeared in the sky. It was a handsome but pale young man in a top hat and leather suit. His hands were clad in black leather gloves, while his boots, by contrast, were red. He held a sword. Fangs protruded from his mouth.
  Erimiada exclaimed, baring her teeth:
  - This is a vampire! He looks quite cute.
  The young man shook his head, adjusted his top hat, and then landed, planting his feet firmly on the ground.
  He bowed to the girl and remarked:
  - She is almost naked and barefoot, like a slave!
  The black warrior replied:
  "She's a viscountess from a very noble family. And she wants to obtain the red dragon statue to save her people from destruction."
  The vampire boy replied:
  - In any case, I have to defeat her! I'll try to keep her alive if I can!
  Erimiada replied with a smile:
  - I don't want to kill you either! But if I have to, I'll fight with all my might!
  The black warrior nodded:
  - You will fight with swords. The weapons are equal, and everything will be fair.
  The vampire bowed and replied:
  - It"s a great honor for me to cross swords with such a girl!
  Erimiada winked and chirped:
  - We will go into battle boldly,
  For the cause of the elves...
  We will defeat all the orcs,
  Fight, don't drift!
  The girl and boy took up shining, glittering swords and prepared to fight. Their minds were set on total annihilation.
  The signal sounded. The vampire youth rushed at Erimiada with wild fury. She met him with a sword strike, parrying the attack. The girl felt much more confident and parried the attempt again, using a barrel roll.
  Then, Erimiada kicked her opponent between the legs with her bare foot. The vampire managed to block the blow, but it still left him reeling.
  The elf chirped:
  - The enemy does not yet know our strength,
  They didn't use all their power...
  Attacks babies and women,
  I'll kill you anyway, vampire!
  In response, the young man lifted himself slightly off the surface and tried to approach Erimiada like a stormtrooper.
  The girl then stabbed the enemy in the stomach with the tip of her sword. He received a painful sting, and blood began to flow. The elf performed a butterfly attack and caught the vampire's boot, after which she chirped:
  I will crush the enemy with one blow,
  I, an elf, am brave for a reason!
  Meanwhile, the battle continued. The vampire tried to fly, but Erimiada kept jumping up and catching him. Droplets of scarlet blood flew.
  The bloodsucker youth noted:
  - You've learned a lot! But you couldn't handle a boy!
  The elf noticed, baring her teeth in a smile:
  - You have to start somewhere! We all learned a little, and don't sin, vampire!
  The vampire suddenly sped up, but his sword missed its target, and Erimiada struck the bloodsucker on the wrist. More ruby-colored splashes and groans.
  The vampire noted:
  - You, she-devil!
  The elf objected:
  - I serve the forces of good!
  The bloodsucker boy noticed:
  - What's the difference between good and evil?! Even the gods of light kill and show no mercy to their enemies!
  Erimiada shrugged and chirped:
  The flower petal is fragile,
  If it was torn off a long time ago...
  Even though the world around us is cruel,
  I want to do good!
  The vampire tried to accelerate again and charged the girl. He performed a pitchfork maneuver, but unexpectedly, the elf girl's blade sank into his throat. A stream of blood sprayed out. The vampire jumped back, shaking off the red droplets, and remarked:
  - Indeed, a she-devil!
  Erimiada leaped, throwing all her strength into the blow. Her bare, round heel caught the vampire squarely on the chin. He collapsed, arms flailing. Several broken teeth flew from the bloodsucker's mouth.
  Erimiada placed her bare foot on his chest, raised her hands up and exclaimed:
  - Victory!
  The black warrior asked her:
  - Will you finish me off?
  Erimiada stated decisively:
  - No!
  The knight in black armor nodded:
  - The red dragon figurine is yours!
  And he made a triangle with his gleaming sword. Immediately, the air flared, and the image of a colorful, powerful dragon appeared. It flew toward Erimias. The girl involuntarily cringed.
  Then a small flash, and the dragon turned into a small statue, which floated into the elf girl's hands. She took it and sang:
  - Elves, elves, elves,
  Our youth will be eternal...
  Elves, elves, elves,
  Let us be in eternal happiness!
  
  GULLIVER'S FIFTH VOYAGE
  ANNOTATION
  The renowned traveler Gulliver, at the helm of a large ship, sets out on another voyage. He encounters a storm, and his vessel is washed ashore. The seasoned Gulliver encounters such a strange world that all the legendary sailor's previous adventures pale in comparison.
  CHAPTER 1
  Gulliver was no longer young. Nevertheless, he set out on another voyage. Indeed, his descriptions of adventures were dismissed as nothing more than fantasies and fairy tales.
  As the years passed, his head turned gray, and a bald spot appeared. When you're over fifty, that's a lot by eighteenth-century standards. Nevertheless, Gulliver decided to set out again. Especially since a fortune teller had predicted that this time he would find happiness and never want to return.
  A large galleon set sail and sailed toward the Pacific Ocean. Gulliver was already quite wealthy, and the fine wool of the small sheep he'd taken from Liputia brought him particular income. But they were all extinct. The idea arose to revisit the island.
  More than thirty years have passed. And the Lilliputians live shorter lives than humans. So everyone who knew Gulliver is already dead.
  Why not make a living there by capturing loot? The Lilliputians have no cannons or guns, and their arrows are useless against the giants. But in Lilliput itself, there's plenty of valuable loot to be seized.
  The small animals alone could bring in a huge amount of income and could be sold for a huge price.
  Going to capture the giants is too risky. Not every cannon can take down a brute twelve times the size of a man. Especially since they have a king with a mighty army. True, the giants don't have gunpowder yet.
  In any case, Gulliver longed to visit his first country, where there were two kingdoms of tiny people. Perhaps there he could find something that would make him fabulously rich.
  Having encountered Yahoo and the world of intelligent horses, Gulliver became more cruel and cynical. The years were passing, and he needed to get rich. He didn't know how much longer he could live. And yet, people were laughing at him, and various newspapers were dropping vulgar hints that Gulliver wasn't just a fantasist, but also a madman. And, moreover, proving that the countries he'd named actually existed was his motivation.
  Gulliver knew the approximate location of Lilliput and the island of Blefuscu. And his ship had already set sail for that location.
  But where exactly? The islands are small, and try finding them blindly, with the primitive navigation of the early eighteenth century.
  And then the ship got caught in a storm...
  It was tossed and turned for seven days and nights, tossed and turned by the waves. Fortunately, the large, powerful ship, armed with cannons, was remarkably robust in its construction. It didn't fall apart.
  Then, suddenly, a wave rose and washed the English galleon onto a deserted shore. Exhausted by the protracted battle with the storm and the wild elements, the crew of more than two hundred sailors, and Gulliver himself, fell fast asleep.
  They didn"t think about how to rest and regain their strength.
  Gulliver's dreams were nothing but nightmares. And when he woke up, the nightmare continued in reality. First, he found himself tied up, and standing next to him were boys who looked to be twelve or thirteen years old. They were painted, had feathers on their heads like Indians, were barefoot, and half-naked. It was quite hot here, though, and that was understandable.
  Gulliver looked around. He saw several bound sailors nearby. Only they, too, had changed. They were smaller, their beards and stubble had disappeared, and their clothes hung like sacks.
  Gulliver glanced at himself. And was surprised. His body had shrunk, his belly had disappeared, and so had the dull ache in his back. His suit sagged like a bast. His boots suddenly felt loose. He twitched, and the ropes sagged slightly.
  A boy who looked like an Indian and was covered in tattoos shouted:
  - They're becoming like us! Now tighten the ropes!
  The sailors really did already have childish faces and were shrinking in size before our eyes.
  Boys with feathers and paint rushed to tighten the ropes. Gulliver felt himself continue to shrink. And at the same time, his body felt lighter and stronger. His teeth stopped hurting, and overall, it was as if he'd been born again.
  Meanwhile, more local warriors boarded the ship. They were dressed in more polished uniforms, wearing armor and carrying swords. They wore sandals, and several girls were wearing them. But they also looked like children, about twelve, or at most thirteen, years old. The girls wore earrings and jewelry.
  One of them with blond hair laughed and noted:
  - What a pity! I didn't get to see them as adults! Now they're just little kids like us!
  The tattooed boy remarked:
  - There are more than two hundred of them here! They should be sent to the quarries as slaves!
  The girl objected:
  - No! We'll just sell them! Those who aren't lucky will go to the mines, and the rest will go to the new owners!
  The boy in armor and a golden helmet asked sternly:
  - Who's in charge here? I'm telling you! And don't pretend you don't know our language! Anyone who applies to our empire immediately begins to understand our language, and we, in turn, theirs!
  One of the sailors who had become a boy muttered:
  - It's Captain Gulliver! You wouldn't recognize him right away in a boy's body!
  The warrior in the golden helmet ordered:
  - Drag them outside. When they finally become like us, maybe they'll be untied. At the same time, they'll be prepared for the transition.
  The boy warriors lifted Gulliver and the other boys onto their shoulders, two at a time, and carried them outside.
  Gulliver thought this might be nonsense. But then he remembered the Lilliputians. They were smaller in stature. But mostly adults, not children. Maybe he shouldn't be surprised?
  He'd visited many worlds and seen wondrous countries. So why shouldn't the world of children be among them? That was all he needed to complete his collection of experiences.
  Gulliver saw that the shore was no longer deserted. There were many soldiers in armor. There were boys with Indian-style feathers and bows, and fighters in light metal armor. And girls with bows, also, incidentally, barefoot, except for the commanders, who had precious jewelry and pearl-studded sandals.
  The girl archers stood in a row. Another row held more powerful crossbows that fired deadly bolts. On the right side stood catapults. Near them stood more boys and girls. The leading warrior in a golden helmet commanded:
  - Take the prisoners' clothes! They're slaves now, they should be dressed according to their rank.
  The clothes were already ill-fitting and barely hanging on. The captured sailors, now boys, were untied, and all their now rather stinking rags were thrown into a pile, along with their shoes. Then they were doused with a mixture of oil and sulfur and set alight.
  Now sailors were boys no older than thirteen, whereas in the eighteenth century, before acceleration, children of that age looked like ten-year-olds in the twenty-first century. Yes, they had noticeably shrunk.
  And now they were naked, some bashfully covering their shame with their hands.
  The girls-archers and crossbowmen kept their guns at bay.
  The boy in the golden helmet commanded:
  - Let them wash them in the sea! Then we'll give them slave clothes to keep up appearances.
  And the captive boys were driven into the sea. The water was warm, heated by the tropical sun. The climate here was pleasant. Palm trees and coconuts could be seen.
  At least you won't freeze.
  Gulliver felt both ashamed and amused. Having lost over forty years, he was now perfectly healthy, energetic, and cheerful. And his mood had become cheerful, even though slavery and humiliation, and possibly hard labor in the quarries, lay ahead. Gulliver didn't know what that was like firsthand, but he'd heard stories about how unhealthy it was! But how young and healthy he now looked.
  The sand was hot and burned the children's bare soles. They hadn't yet developed the calluses and calluses that can happen when you go barefoot for a long time. It's worth noting that in Britain, going barefoot was considered a sign of extreme poverty, and even if children showed off their bare heels, it was only in the heat, and then usually among the poor. So they tried to put on shoes, despite the pleasure of feeling the ground with their sensitive, childish soles.
  But at the same time, it's a bit painful to walk without shoes. The sand is stinging in the tropical sun at midday. The local boys and girls clearly have very strong and hard soles.
  By the way, Gulliver wondered: how old are they? What if everyone here is immortal? And not like in one of the worlds Gulliver visited, where people didn't die but still aged, but immortality is youthful, joyful, and energetic!
  Being a child is wonderful in its own way! And perhaps you'll live like this for millennia to come.
  True, Gulliver's mood darkened later. What if he had to work for hundreds of years as a naked, barefoot slave boy in the quarries? And that wouldn't bring him much joy.
  These things are like hell. For example, one priest expressed the opinion that the eternal flame is a metaphor, and sinners toil like slaves in eternal penal servitude!
  Another thing that surprised Gulliver was that the boy warriors put all their weapons in a separate pile and enclosed the pistols and muskets in iron boxes.
  Gulliver thought that wasn't very smart. Firearms weren't bad, after all. Especially since some guns made in England, at that time the most advanced country in the world, were quite accurate. And here were bows and crossbows, like from the early Middle Ages. And in Britain, the Industrial Revolution was already underway. And soon England would become so powerful that it would be able to take on even giants. Although that could be a colossal risk.
  Naked slave boys splashed around in the seawater. And it was kind of cool. Gulliver and a couple of former sailor boys suddenly started splashing each other. They were doused in a cloud of spray and laughing merrily, sticking out their tongues.
  They might seem like adults in their minds, and have retained their former memories, but suddenly, in their behavior, they've become real children. And they're so eager to grin and smile and be mischievous.
  And Gulliver splashed his sailors, and they splashed him. The boys were very cheerful and bared their teeth. Which were now their own, and white. This was a new, delightful world, in which a glorious return to childhood took place.
  Gulliver felt well physically and was generally quite content. Indeed, his youth had returned, and that, one might say, was the most important thing.
  What more could you want? On the other hand, you're just a naked slave, and that's even annoying. And being a slave isn't exactly great. However, being a boy slave is much better.
  Indeed, despite all its problems, childhood is a rather happy time. Even though there may be conflicts with peers, or the need to go to school, or even work.
  Although... Of course, at the end of the seventeenth century, when Gulliver was a child, it wasn't exactly a great time. And there weren't the same joys that children have in the twenty-first century. Yes, that's exactly it.
  But children still interact with each other and play. And that's entertainment, even if you have no idea about game consoles and smartphones.
  The boys weren't allowed to splash around for long, however, and were chased out of the water with spears. The hot sand stung their heels quite a bit. True, when the soles were wet, it wasn't really noticeable. But then it started to really burn.
  Gulliver exclaimed:
  - My feet are burning so much! Give me some shoes!
  In response, the boy warrior hit him with a whip, shouting:
  - Shut up! Slaves are not entitled to shoes due to their rank!
  The warrior girls, however, began to wear swimming trunks. This was the only clothing the slaves could wear. It was like some kind of Egypt.
  The boys who were captured began to wear at least this to cover their shame.
  Gulliver tried to ask:
  - Is this how you greet foreigners!?
  And then he was immediately hit with the whip again. However, the smartly dressed girl with diamond earrings exclaimed:
  - Take it easy! He is their leader after all! Maybe I should explain it to him?
  The warrior in the golden helmet nodded:
  - Let's!
  The girl, stamping her feet in precious sandals, approached Gulliver, who had become a boy, and chirped:
  "All foreigners from the sea are customarily enslaved and sold at auction. Those are our rules. However, if you're at least somewhat skilled and prove yourself useful, your life in slavery won't be so hard. And over time, you can earn your freedom for your service. Also, if you're skilled in weapons, we might send you to the circus to fight as gladiators. And if you prove yourself there, you'll be recruited into the army, which is a chance for a career. So, even slaves can live well and become noblemen here."
  Gulliver bowed and replied:
  - I am a surgeon, I can be of help!
  The girl shook her head:
  "Your country's medical system is underdeveloped. You're unlikely to be of any use!"
  Gulliver asked with a smile:
  - And what about the English?
  The girl with diamond earrings nodded:
  - Of course! And not only them! Of course, slavery awaited them all. And who was sent to war!
  Gulliver asked:
  - Don't you need cannons, pistols, muskets?
  The girl answered decisively:
  - No! We fight only with bladed weapons! Gunpowder is banned both here and in the Buffalo Empire.
  Gulliver was surprised:
  - There is another empire?
  The girl nodded:
  "And there's a war going on between us! Just don't think that if you'd ended up there, things would have been better for you. You, too, would have been enslaved and put up for sale!"
  Gulliver remarked with a sigh:
  - Alas! Such is our fate, it seems! To be either a slave or a prisoner all the time!
  The boy in the golden helmet nodded:
  - She explained everything to you! Now they'll take you to the city. There they'll prepare you for sale. Don't run away. If you try to escape, we'll crucify you on the cross immediately. There in the city they'll brand you and shave your heads, as is customary. And they'll take you out to be sold. If you end up in the mines, behave well. Then they'll rotate you between working on the surface and underground. That way, with enough food, you could last for centuries!
  Gulliver whistled:
  - For centuries, as a slave in the quarries!?
  The boy nodded:
  - Exactly! We don't have old age! Rejoice in being eternally young. If you're not killed, your soul will leave your body in a thousand years anyway. But you still have a whole thousand years ahead of you. Live and rejoice!
  And Gulliver was lashed again. The prospect of living a thousand years after that wasn't exactly encouraging.
  But on the other hand, isn't that great? I wonder what will happen if she runs away? Will she become an adult again, or will she remain a boy? Although it's probably too early to think about that.
  The boys, who had recently been sailors, were herded into a single column. Two hundred of them, all half-naked, in black, slave-style swimming trunks. They were good-looking boys, slender, but not exactly skinny. They looked quite muscular and strong, without any fat. Their skin was tanned, and their teeth were all intact and white. And they were clearly perfectly healthy.
  Although their bare soles have not yet become completely rough, it is still bearable without shoes.
  Several riders flew up. They were also boys, with whips in their hands. And then there were girls riding unicorns.
  Here comes the cavalry. And with it, five trained leopards.
  A boy on a horse and in a silver helmet warned:
  "These beasts will guard you! If anyone tries to escape, they will tear you to pieces. We will not give you food or water for now - be patient, slaves. There will be food and water later. And of course, since you are all boys here, you will be housed in a separate barracks until you are put up for auction. Don't even think of rebelling. You will be killed, and anyone captured will be crucified on a cross or a star. Talking is prohibited during the crossing. Violators will be flogged without mercy. And the most stubborn will be impaled.
  And if you want to say something, you should say: "Madam, may I address you?" And don't forget to bow!
  Gulliver, overpowering his fear, gurgled:
  - Please allow me to address you!
  The young man in the golden helmet roared:
  - Well, speak up!
  Gulliver, now a boy, asked:
  "Don't tie us down! We'll give you our word of honor that we'll behave quietly and calmly and won't run away!"
  The young man in the golden helmet smiled and replied:
  "Is it customary in England to keep one's word, especially to foreigners?! However, we won't put chains on you if you can remain quiet for at least an hour. Otherwise, we'll chain you all together like convicts!"
  The girl with diamond earrings noticed:
  - Maybe I should take this young man and put him on the pony next to me?
  The young man in the golden helmet shook his head:
  "That's too much honor for a naked and dirty slave boy. You can leash him like a dog and let him follow you."
  The girl nodded with a smile and cooed:
  - Put him on a silver chain! What a sweet little boy he's become now.
  Young Gulliver suffered yet another humiliation. He felt like a puppy, wearing a collar and chained to a silver chain.
  The other boy sailors were strung on ropes. They were now like slave boys. Horsemen surrounded them, while some of the guards advanced on foot.
  And so this entire barefoot team set off. The slave boys, now children, smiled, but if they tried to speak, they were flogged. Out of step, they shuffled along on their bare heels, first on the sand. Then on the coarse gravel road.
  Gulliver the boy was being pulled along on a leash. True, walking in a child's body was easy. And the girl on the bejeweled pony was in no hurry either. On the contrary, she was curious about her vis-à-vis's new companion, who had recently been an adult.
  She asked with a smile:
  - Were you the most important among them?
  Boy Gulliver nodded:
  - Yes, I am!
  And he stepped on a sharp stone with his bare, childish sole, after which he screamed.
  The girl smiled and asked again:
  - Have you traveled to interesting countries?
  The slave boy answered confidently:
  - Certainly!
  The beauty in jewels asked:
  - Tell me! What was the first and most interesting thing you did?
  The young Gulliver readily answered:
  - Of course, landing in the land of Lilliput. There lived little people there, like us humans, only twelve times smaller!
  The girl, curious, asked:
  - Were they like us, children, or like you, adults?
  The slave boy readily answered:
  - They were like our species - adults and children, only twelve times smaller.
  Well, they didn"t have firearms yet - only bladed weapons!
  The girl grimaced, her face was cute and childish, and she remarked:
  - And firearms for our war! We didn't need such luck!
  Gulliver noted:
  - But you can conquer your entire continent with it!
  The beauty muttered and sang:
  I don't want to win at any cost,
  I don't want to put my foot on my chest...
  We will not be in alliance with Satan,
  That's right, we can't turn off the path at all!
  The slave boy, stamping his bare feet, which had become itchy from the large gravel on the roads, noted:
  - It is not always necessary to follow the rules for a great goal!
  The girl nodded:
  - And I, for one, will hang you on the rack!
  They walked in silence for a while. Gulliver looked at the column of boys the sailors had become. They were boys no older than thirteen. They looked like nice children, though they were almost naked, barefoot, like slaves. And slaves they were. A most unenviable fate awaited them.
  The girl asked:
  - And when the Lilliputians saw you so big, what did they do?
  The boy Gulliver answered with a sweet smile:
  - They tied me up!
  The beauty laughed and squealed:
  - And you, being so big, gave in to them?
  The slave boy stated:
  - They did it while I was sleeping! Just like you! If you had been discovered in time, something like this wouldn't have gotten away with it so easily!
  The girl nodded:
  "I have no doubt! But usually, when ships carrying adults wash ashore here, their inhabitants fall asleep. And then they become children, just like us!"
  Boy Gulliver noted:
  - Eternal childhood... What is better than temporary old age!
  CHAPTER No 2.
  The children, one on a beautiful white unicorn, the other a slave boy in only swimming trunks, continued to talk.
  The girl noticed:
  "In other worlds, people are so imperfect. They age, and women especially become so disgusting and ugly with age. The old women are wrinkled, hunchbacked, toothless, and stinking. It's simply disgusting!"
  The boy Gulliver, who was walking on a leash, spread his arms and answered:
  - It's God's providence! I, too, would like for women and men not to age, but...
  The girl laughed and asked:
  "You say God's providence? But we've had several crews before, from different eras. And they all represent God differently. In particular, the priest said that the true faith is Catholic, and the head of all Christians is the Pope!"
  Boy Gulliver shook his head:
  "We have a slightly different faith! And the head of the church is the king! However, not all English people adhere to this. There are Protestants of various denominations, many Catholics, and in other countries of the world, religions are completely different."
  The girl smiled and asked:
  "Yes, you have many religions. But you can't even figure out your own. I was reading the Bible. There, Jesus clearly and bluntly says that there is only one God, and he is in heaven. Yet, the Apostle Thomas knelt down and said to Christ, 'My Lord, and my God?' So does that mean Christians have two Gods?"
  The boy Gulliver answered with a smile:
  - No! Not like that!
  The girl growled:
  - How could it not be so! It can't be that there were two Gods and one at the same time. And the priest even said that the Holy Spirit is also God, so there are three gods! But it was clearly stated: listen to me, Israel, your God is One!
  The slave boy replied with a sigh:
  - This is the incomprehensible mystery of the Trinity!
  The girl smiled and remarked:
  "And something else confuses me. If Jesus is Almighty God, then why didn't he have enough strength to even carry the cross to Golgotha? How can he be an Almighty God if he can't even do something so simple?"
  The boy Gulliver answered with a confused look:
  - The great mystery: God appeared in the flesh, showed himself to the angels, was justified in the spirit, ascended in glory!
  The girl noted angrily:
  - So with such words, a mystery, anything in the world can be explained. This is an explanation, without an explanation!
  The slave boy nodded:
  - True! But there's nothing better! And the Bible says there are secrets even angels struggle to unravel!
  The beauty took a whip from her bag and slapped the boy on his smooth, hairless back.
  Gulliver felt not so much pain as humiliation.
  And the girl said:
  - Any absurdity and nonsense can be explained by the word mystery!
  And then there was another pause. The boys slapped the sharp, hot stones of the road. It was obvious that their feet, not yet callused, were experiencing pain and suffering. Blisters, abrasions, and bruises appeared on the children's soles. But some of the boys and girls guarding the children bravely walked barefoot, and over a long life, their feet had become very calloused, stronger than boot leather, and experienced no discomfort. So the slave boys groaned, limped, and suffered.
  In Britain, going barefoot wasn't considered prestigious-it was considered a sign of extreme poverty. Even children didn't like to show off their bare, round heels. And summers in Britain aren't particularly hot, so children aren't quite as hardy.
  The boy Gulliver also suffered. His bare, childish feet were burning, and the soles were already cut and suffering from the heat of the stones. He held on only through courage and stubbornness. Even though he was a boy, he was still a man and had to endure, setting an example of courage.
  To somehow distract himself from his suffering, Gulliver asked:
  - Do you have a God?
  The girl smiled and asked:
  - Do you believe in your God?
  The boy Gulliver answered not too confidently:
  - Yes, I believe it!
  The beauty nodded and remarked:
  - Why are you in slavery now? And your baby feet are suffering from sharp and hot stones?
  The slave boy replied with a sigh:
  "Everyone has sins! And this is retribution for mine! And besides, I've regained my youth, which can already be called a reward!"
  The girl smiled and replied:
  - Yes, it's possible! You could live a thousand years, and you'll still have all your teeth. Even if a tooth gets knocked out, it'll grow back. And you won't have a bald spot, a beard, or a hump. Your bare feet will soon become rough, and walking on sharp, hot stones will even be pleasant!
  Boy Gulliver nodded:
  - Even more so! This is almost paradise! In eternal bright youth!
  The girl in jewelry sang:
  How wonderful it is to be young,
  Great cheerfulness and energy...
  Let the hunter turn into the game,
  And the planet will become an eternal paradise!
  Then the girl took off the jeweled sandals from her beautiful, albeit childish, feet. She climbed off the unicorn and walked barefoot alongside the boy Gulliver.
  Her face was smiling and the girl noted:
  - And it"s even pleasant to walk on the pebbles with bare heels!
  The boy Gulliver agreed:
  - Yes! It may actually be pleasant for you! But it really hurts!
  The girl asked a question:
  - What do you believe in? The priest said: the righteous will go straight to heaven, the great sinners to hell, and the lesser sinners to purgatory. What about you?
  The slave boy replied with a sigh:
  - We don't believe in purgatory! We're either in heaven or hell!
  The girl laughed and remarked, slapping her bare, very beautiful, chiseled feet on the pebbles:
  "But in that case, we'll have to send everyone to hell! Because no one is sinless. Everyone sins, if not in their deeds, then in their thoughts. And why does your God throw them into the fire?"
  The boy Gulliver shrugged his shoulders, which had become childish, and answered with a smile:
  We believe in God's grace, which saves people from hell. And in particular, Almighty God Jesus Christ went to the cross to cover all human sins! And his atoning sacrifice gives us a chance for salvation!
  The girl smiled and remarked, continuing to enjoy the warmth of the sharp stones that tickled and massaged her bare sole:
  "That's precisely what I don't understand! By killing God the Son, not only did people fail to become better, but they even increased their sins and crimes. And God the Father forgave them only because of that? Though, in theory, for such an act, He should have damned them completely?"
  The boy Gulliver sighed and replied:
  "That, too, is a great mystery. The mystery of how redemption took place! In any case, the Almighty God, Jesus, took the guilt and sins of the entire world upon himself. And without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness!"
  The girl, slapping her bare feet, logically noted:
  "But that's not right! It's against legal principles. One person can pay a fine for another, but they don't have the right to serve time in prison. And they certainly don't have the right to be executed for someone else. It's against your British laws, too!"
  The boy Gulliver nodded in agreement:
  - Yes, it contradicts human laws! But the Almighty Lord God Himself establishes laws both on Earth and in Heaven! And there is no arguing against that!
  The girl asked a question:
  - And that God's laws condemned an innocent person to death? And the Almighty Creator, no less?
  The slave boy replied:
  - The Almighty God, Jesus, took the blame upon himself! He took upon himself the wrath of God. And he acted nobly. As for the rest... Well, someone had to answer for sins, and God himself did it, in the person of his Son!
  The girl logically noted:
  "But the death of God the Son on the cross didn't make humanity better. It only added to its crimes. So, in order to be forgiven, humanity had to become even more criminal? That's completely absurd!"
  The boy Gulliver answered with a smile:
  "God's plans are incomprehensible. Agree that even ants don't understand much of what we humans do!"
  The girl laughed and replied:
  The universal answer is incomprehensible! That way, you can explain everything without explaining anything. Indeed, God is incomprehensible, and there's no need to think about it!
  The boy Gulliver remarked with a sigh:
  "There's so much in our world that's impossible to comprehend! For example, why does the Earth attract objects? Can you explain this?"
  The girl smiled and replied:
  "Well, yes, not everything can be answered logically and rationally! But here's the question: why should we believe in God? After all, no one has ever seen Him. And yet, do you believe in it?"
  The slave boy shrugged again and replied:
  "Otherwise, it's difficult to explain the existence of our world and the various stars. How can we comprehend this? Someone created them!"
  The barefoot beauty noticed:
  - How can we explain the existence of a Creator? Someone created Him, right?
  The boy Gulliver stepped with his bare foot on a sharp stone and gasped, then said:
  - We believe that God has always been!
  The girl laughed and remarked:
  - How could God appear without a cause? There must be a first cause for everything!
  The slave boy replied:
  - You have to accept as an axiom that God exists. And believe in it. Otherwise, if you think and calculate for too long, you'll definitely go crazy!
  The beauty laughed and sang:
  - These are fairy tales for children,
  Of course you believe in God...
  Give the money to the priests,
  And then you will get heaven!
  Boy Gulliver nodded:
  - Alas, it is impossible to know everything!
  The girl asked:
  - Why do people grow old and die when God is almighty?
  The slave boy replied:
  - Retribution for sin!
  The beauty noted:
  - But we also sin and do not age!
  Boy Gulliver shrugged his shoulders:
  - Why you are eternal children, I don't know! And you don't know either! Just like it's unknown why a cow has horns and a pig doesn't!
  The girl winked at the captive boy and suggested:
  - Maybe you want a whip? Or would you like your bare heels fried?
  Boy Gulliver asked:
  - And what does this prove?
  The beauty answered loudly:
  - What am I to you, Lord God!
  The slave boy answered boldly:
  - Well, you still won"t be able to kill my soul!
  The girl noticed:
  "They could send you to the quarries, which is pure hell. Or they could send you to a better place. For example, I could make you my squire!"
  Boy Gulliver nodded:
  - Thank you!
  The girl asked:
  - Tell me better, what adventures did you have with the Lilliputians?
  The slave boy replied with a smile:
  "They tied me up while I was sleeping. Then, admittedly, they gave me something to eat. And then they shot arrows at me. Then things got more interesting. They untied me and even gave me some freedom. In return, I did them a few favors, too."
  The barefoot beauty, stamping on the sharp, heated stones with her bare, childish, but very graceful feet and smiling, asked:
  - And what services did you provide them? With your height, the ladies probably wouldn't be very comfortable dealing with such a giant!
  The boy Gulliver grinned and replied:
  "I rendered a very significant service. I stole fifty ships that Lilliput's enemies had prepared for a landing. And thus saved their state from the landing of a powerful army!"
  The girl slapped the boy on his bare back, red from a fresh tan, and cooed:
  "That's really great! It turns out this huge growth can be put to good use!"
  The boy Gulliver sang in response:
  Not only to burn, but to smoke,
  Maybe a volcano, maybe a volcano...
  Maybe in my soul I'm a dwarf,
  And a giant, and a giant!
  And the boy continued to stomp on the sharp, hot stones with his bruised, scratched little feet. It was painful and unpleasant. But the courageous child held on.
  And to distract himself he asked:
  - And what is your faith anyway?
  The girl asked with a smile:
  - In your opinion, is it necessary to have faith?
  Boy Gulliver nodded:
  - All peoples have at least some faith. Even savages!
  The girl squeaked:
  - We are not savages! And we don"t believe in fairy tales!
  The slave boy remarked:
  - But you risk losing your soul!
  In response, the girl sang with irony;
  And what did the Lord mean?
  He, living in a terrible distance...
  When the order was given to work,
  So that we do not remain in a dream.
    
  Though the royal attire is magnificent,
  But there is no more stingy person...
  Poverty shoots point-blank -
  Our world of suffering is an epic!
    
  And Adam is not to blame for this -
  A simple Soviet, Russian guy...
  He walked naked, not hiding his shame,
  Like a proletarian under tsarism!
    
  God gave him a limited amount of food,
  Foraging without knowing the forks...
  If you want more, you will be beaten!
  And drink with your palm without bottles.
    
  Adam suffered such a lot,
  In some kind of creepy, boring paradise!
  But the snake flew on wings,
  He understood: the man is suffering...
    
  There is a way out of the thicket,
  Build a city, give birth to offspring!
  So as not to wander around the grove for a period of time,
  Sometimes treachery is necessary!
    
  I stole the magic key from heaven,
  To leave the Eden of routine...
  There you will find the girl of your dreams,
  You can even perish in hell!
    
  Yes, of course there is a risk, boy.
  This planet is not a gift...
  But you will know conscience, honor,
  And you will find your soulmate!
    
  Adam received this key -
  He opened the gates and left paradise.
  The sinner spent a lot of energy,
  Stepping on the stones of large mountains...
    
  Here he sees the gate again -
  And again the winged serpent appeared...
  He said: I am a good Satan -
  The bolt opened by itself here...
    
  Adam entered and he sees -
  Such a painted miracle...
  Naked maiden beyond the hill,
  A third porcelain gold dish.
    
  But how good she is,
  Adam the boy couldn't hold back!
  And kiss her lips,
  Turned out to be sweeter than honey!
  
  She answered him -
  The bodies merged in a stormy ecstasy...
  No, don't curse Satan -
  The guys appeared in sin!
    
  God expelled them from paradise, but...
  The planet became their home.
  Even though people have only one sun,
  But the offspring became thousands!
    
  Yes, it was very difficult -
  Floods, droughts and winters.
  But the mind is a powerful oar,
  Man has become a powerful creation!
    
  How can an angel fly?
  How the demon of the mountains destroys the relief!
  Create a road where there is a causeway -
  Reach any point on land.
    
  But we need the space of space -
  We will be able to conquer it as well.
  So our sin is not a sentence,
  No, don't talk nonsense, priest!
    
  Without sin there is no progress,
  Movement of thoughts generates!
  There is one answer to the sermon:
  We don"t need someone else"s paradise!
  And the girl stamped her bare foot angrily, causing the stones to shake and jump. And she did this decisively.
  This is truly a girl from an eternally young country.
  The boy Gulliver remarked:
  - Well, aren"t you afraid of eternal hellish torment?
  The girl smiled and asked:
  - And have you seen Hell?
  The boy Gulliver shrugged his childish shoulders and replied:
  - Honestly, no!
  The girl smiled and added:
  - Has anyone in your country seen hell?
  The slave boy spread his hands:
  - I don't know! One, admittedly a drunk, drank himself into delirium tremens and saw hell and devils. But no one knows for sure, or can know!
  The beauty noted with irony:
  - So that's how you believe in children's fairy tales. And the priests charge you money for them!
  The boy Gulliver shrugged his shoulders and replied:
  "It's not just a fear of hell. Obeying God under duress is not what the Almighty wants. If He wanted it that way, He would surely have shown us both Heaven and Hell in all their glory. And no one would dare to contradict us!"
  The girl nodded and asked:
  - And what is the essence of the problem?
  The boy Gulliver replied:
  - That we not only fear God, but also love him!
  The barefoot beauty nodded:
  - It's good that you love Him! But why doesn't He love you?
  The slave boy answered confidently:
  - And the Lord God loves us!
  The girl giggled:
  - And that's why he turns young, beautiful women into old women. And he also sends all sorts of natural disasters?
  The boy Gulliver remarked:
  - He who loves, he who cuts his hair!
  The barefoot beauty giggled and struck the slave boy Gulliver with a whip, chirping:
  - I love you! And that's why I hit you!
  Then she picked up a pebble with her bare toes. She threw it far away. It broke through the leaf of a palm tree growing along the road. And, smiling broadly, she asked:
  - Maybe you should sing! For example, about how you love the Almighty God?!
  The slave boy Gulliver nodded:
  - With pleasure!
  The girl warned sternly:
  - But if I don"t like it, then your bare, childish heels will be fried, boy!
  The slave boy sang in response, in his clear and very pleasant voice;
  A ray of sunshine sparkles through the golden darkness,
  The cherub sent me greetings from God!
  The attack of evil spirits is an awakened swarm,
  The underworld brings many troubles!
    
  We do a lot of dirty tricks - vile deeds,
  You wish well - you remain alone!
  I wanted to break the shackles into pieces,
  But the collar that the master gave is strong!
    
  I remembered the feminine face of my beloved,
  Through the flames of battle and thunderstorms I will come!
  And into my heart, the sacred spirit penetrated,
  I feel heavy, I moan, I suffocate in delirium!
    
  Below us is a plain, a carpet of trees,
  The countless darkness of enemies has risen like a wall!
  But the angel of the Lord stretched out his right hand,
  It's time to win and say goodbye to melancholy!
    
  I praise Christ - he is divine,
  In my sinful soul: the Almighty sings!
  The motive is familiar to everyone, repeated in the psalms,
  Sharpen your spear and set out on a campaign!
    
  The God of peace meets with the darkest brow,
  The Holy Fatherland is betrayed by you!
  You lost your nerve in battle and parted with your sword,
  You have been conquered by the enemy - Satan!
    
  I answered God, bowing to the ground,
  Yes, man is weak, his flesh is like water!
  When things were tough, I called to you,
  The answer didn't come, I barely survived the fight!
    
  I ask you, O Almighty, give me one chance,
  To strain the will, to defeat the host of hell!
  Christ answered - he saw the hour of destruction,
  But I wanted to test your faith!
    
  Well then, go and pray - I will forgive you,
  The suffering of people, alas, I understand!
  Remember David, put a stone in your sling,
  All the sinners of the world are the sons of Christ!
    
  And so I fight, for the glory of Christ,
  And the stream flows, boiling blood!
  And mountains of the slain, the number of victims is countless,
  But I believe in the Almighty God love!
  The girl first hit the slave boy Gulliver hard with a whip. The naked boy yelped.
  Then she patted him on the shoulder approvingly, noting:
  - You sang well! You have talent!
  Gulliver the child nodded and noted:
  - And why with a whip?
  The girl answered confidently:
  - So that you know your place!
  The slave boy nodded:
  - Yes, I'm ready to know! But among the Lilliputians, I held the title of Duke. And that was pretty cool!
  The girl giggled and noted:
  - You were a duke? That's very interesting! And I'm a viscountess!
  The slave boy nodded:
  - Are you a Viscountess? That's wonderful!
  The girl noted:
  "I can order you to be skinned alive and covered in salt! Then you'll understand what it means to compete with me!"
  The boy Gulliver bowed and replied:
  - I am full of humility!
  The girl laughed and noted:
  "Your bare heels clearly want a stick. Or better yet, burn them with a hot crowbar. Then you'll understand your worth!"
  The slave boy replied:
  - I will accept any punishment from you!
  The beauty smiled and replied:
  - But I'm kind today and I'll forgive you. On the condition that you sing to me again!
  The slave boy Gulliver nodded:
  - I'm ready to sing for you all day long!
  The girl hit him with the whip again and barked:
  - Come on, sing!
  And the unfortunate child began to sing a romance;
    He is a vile liar who speaks of that,
  As if the Fatherland is just dust!
  The main thing in everything is the hunt for the ruble,
  And you need to go with the flow of fate!
    
  But not such a soldier, the sadness of the Sacred Country,
  After all, for him, war is his primary calling!
  The king's order is simple: fight and don't be afraid,
  The icy breath of death will not frighten you!
    
  And space is what man knows,
  He is given the power to fly and conquer space!
  First a timid start, then a steep run,
  There will be a kingdom in the galaxies of millions!
    
  It can't be stopped, even though blood flows like a river,
  War between people, with evil madness!
  I want to relax and eat some jellied pie,
  And lie down in the grass under a sweet beehive!
    
  But happiness is found wherever you go, not in heaven or hell,
  It is always with you, and at the same time far away!
  You are looking in the sky for your chosen star,
  To preserve the heart in the sacred battle!
    
  But the Motherland is both the sun and the moon,
  She is like a wondrous eye - your protector!
  And if necessary, then tear yourself to the navel,
  Oh, how thin and frayed are the threads of life!
    
  Fatherland forever, for all peoples you are,
  Like an ocean in which happiness splashes!
  The grandeur of beauty, and audacity and dreams,
  And that fire of love that will never go out!
  The slave boy sang and bowed. The girl nodded and struck him with the whip, but this time lightly, cooing:
  - You wrote that pretty well! I think you deserve the rack for that!
  The slave boy Gulliver whined:
  - Don't put me on the rack!
  The girl objected:
  - No need! At least you'll know what a boy feels when a red-hot iron burns his bare heel. And they'll dislocate your joints at the same time. So much so that even your tendons will cramp and you'll be completely turned inside out.
  The slave boy Gulliver nodded:
  - As you wish! I agree to everything!
  The girl giggled and noted:
  "You're so obedient! Okay, we'll torture you carefully, so as not to injure you. Tell me, were you ever spanked when you were a boy?"
  Gulliver answered honestly:
  - Oh, not much!
  The girl nodded:
  - Do you want to be spanked really hard?!
  The slave boy answered honestly:
  - Of course not! I'm mentally normal, and of course I don't like being hurt!
  The Viscountess sang with a smile:
  The Earth is generous to you sinners,
  And the skies are full of threat...
  We will be together as a family,
  Roses smell so good before a storm!
  The boy Gulliver exclaimed:
  Everything that exists in the world depends on it,
  From the heights of heaven...
  But our honor, but our honor,
  It depends on us alone!
  
  
  
  THE ADVENTURES OF THE RUNAWAY BAREFOOT PRINCESS
  ANNOTATION
  A beautiful Scandinavian princess is forced into marriage with an old French king. In despair, she flees in a shabby dress, and begins her barefoot journey across France, full of danger and adventure.
  CHAPTER 1
  In a kingdom flourishing in Scandinavia, there lived a princess of fabulous beauty. Her hair was the color of snow, lightly dusted with gold powder, and curled like a lamb's wool. The King of France desired her hand in marriage, sending five ships laden with expensive gifts.
  The King of Sweden received the gifts and the ambassadors with honor and agreed to give up his daughter. But she suddenly became stubborn. She had a secret lover, a handsome blond youth. And the King of France was no longer young and no longer a striking beauty.
  And the beautiful Augustine, as the princess was called, refused to go. But the Swedish king dreamed of an alliance with then-powerful France to oppose Tsarist Russia.
  And then he resorted to trickery. He invited his daughter to dinner. He tried to greet her as warmly as possible. And then he secretly slipped her a powerful sleeping pill that would knock you out for three days and nights.
  The princess did not suspect her father of treachery, and without further ceremony drank the red, sweet wine.
  And she fell fast asleep. She was carried on a golden stretcher, covered in velvet and silk, to the flagship of the royal French fleet.
  And they put him in a cabin covered with gold foil, and assigned him maids and an honor guard.
  After which, five large ships of Great France with cannons sailed away.
  The cannons of the Swedish kingdom saluted them.
  The girl slept peacefully. Her dreams were light, airy, and pleasant. She saw angels, radiant cherubs, the Virgin Mary, beautiful as the sun, and much more. The girl slept for three days straight, and perhaps never before had she seen such vivid, beautiful, and pleasant dreams. But then came the awakening. And it wasn't so cheerful. However, the princess was smart. She didn't fall into hysterics. And yet, she was determined to escape if the opportunity arose.
  But this wasn't easy. She was constantly being watched. Besides, the ships were loaded with food and water and didn't call at any ports.
  But finally they arrived at Port-de-Calais. And the princess was greeted with honor. She was literally loaded with jewels, like a jewelry store.
  And in a golden carriage studded with diamonds, with a large guard, they took him to Paris.
  Augustina, of course, hadn't yet read the story of Gerda from The Snow Queen, but she wasn't feeling quite as well off. She was accompanied by a large convoy and an honor guard. So the bandits weren't a threat.
  The princess thought about how to escape. She had many ideas, but none of them worked.
  And as they were approaching Paris, they saw a girl on the road. She was wearing a torn dress, grimy, and barefoot. But she was also beautiful, and blonde. And if she was washed and dressed up, she would look like a princess.
  Augustina invited her into the carriage and asked if she could wash up a bit on the way. It was summer, and it was hot, and of course, you'd be sweating in your luxurious clothes, jewelry, and golden carriage.
  There she asked the girl who she was.
  She replied:
  - I'm Gertrude! My father was a duke, and my mother a simple peasant. She died, and now I'm a wandering orphan.
  Augustine suggested to her:
  - Let's trade! You'll be a princess, and I'll wear your rags. After that, you'll throw me out, and I'll leave. And you, Gertrude, will become the wife of the French king!
  The princess-like girl, a gorgeous blonde, washed clean and so beautiful and charming, nodded:
  - Good! I agree. I have the blood of de Guizza himself in my veins. And my mother taught me Latin, and I have a grasp of court manners.
  Augustine noted:
  "You're a foreigner. If anything, let's just say it was memory loss from the strong sleeping pills in the wine!"
  Gertrude nodded:
  - I'll try my best! And you?
  The princess stated decisively:
  - And I, like a saint, will go barefoot through the world to seek happiness!
  The girl noticed:
  - In the summer, walking barefoot is a pleasure. But in the winter, my bare feet are so painfully cold!
  Augustine noted:
  Winter's still a long way off. And in France, I'm told, the summers are long. So, I hope I can somehow find a place to settle in. And maybe even return home.
  Gertrude nodded:
  - Bon voyage!
  The princess disdained to wear the rags, which were still damp from the wash. She took a simple but clean maid's dress. And she decided to go barefoot, as she had always wanted to. But firstly, the summers in Sweden aren't as warm as in France, and secondly, who would allow the king's daughter to go barefoot?
  And it"s so nice to do it on the rug and smooth tiles, feeling it with the bare sole of a girl, almost a girl.
  But how easy it is when you've stripped off all your jewelry and bulky dress. All you have on is a white robe, already washed and quite short, leaving your bare feet bare. She could have chosen a more luxurious dress from the maids, but Augustine decided not to draw unnecessary attention to herself. And so, she feels even more comfortable in the robe against her bare skin.
  The two friends shook hands as they parted. Gertrude, on the other hand, was very pleased, although she was weighed down by her jewelry, especially her tiara and beads, and she had somehow managed to put on her earrings so as not to prick her earlobes.
  Her feet felt uncomfortable in those precious high-heeled shoes. But at least now she was royalty.
  And the king himself will become her husband.
  And Augustina left the bathhouse. And as quickly as possible, she began to dart about on her bare, chiseled feet.
  As she walked across the grass, she felt a slight prickling sensation. But then she stepped onto the gravel. The hot stones painfully burned the delicate soles of her feet. They were like those of a small child. It hurt, and Augustine gasped.
  And she quickly stepped down onto the grass. It was easier there, but still, the turf pricked her tender, truly august feet.
  Augustine was tempted to turn back, but she gritted her teeth and moved on.
  She tried to imagine that she was a saint. And saints did suffer.
  There Gertrude walked barefoot across the warm gravel with ease and a smile. The skin on the soles of her feet was clearly like a camel's hooves.
  And she will get used to Augustine.
  But it takes time to get used to it... The more the princess walked, the more her punctured, bare soles hurt. For a peasant girl, this is nothing, but for a princess from a northern country?
  Nevertheless, Augustine stubbornly walked forward. Paris wasn't far. And there she thought she'd find something. But then she reached the outskirts of a village outside Paris. She had to walk on sand. Which was also very painful for her feet, pricked by blades of grass. The girl limped on both legs and groaned. She was unsteady.
  Her calves also ached - she was not used to walking far barefoot.
  Plus, she felt hungry. It was lunchtime, and a walk in the fresh air works up an appetite.
  The girl knocked on the door of the nearest house. The owner, a woman of about thirty, opened the door. She looked at the tramp, practically dressed in rags and with battered, bare feet, and remarked:
  - What do you want? I'm not serving.
  Augustine blurted out:
  - Give me at least some work.
  The peasant woman looked at her more closely. Augustine's face was pale, but already flushed from the sun, as were her feet. Her soles were soft and treaded, and her hands, with their long nails, were those of an aristocrat.
  The peasant woman asked:
  - Were you a servant to a noble person?
  The princess nodded:
  -Yes, there was!
  The woman nodded:
  - Looks like you've been fired. Oh well. I don't need a worker, I have children. But I'll still let you work to feed me. Do you know how to weave baskets?
  The princess sighed and replied:
  - I haven't tried it.
  The woman angrily stamped her bare, tanned foot:
  - It's simple, you'll learn! Weave five baskets and you'll have lunch.
  Augustina nodded. And entered the house. It was poor. The children were also thin, tanned, and barefoot. Three girls and a boy were weaving baskets. Augustina sat down with them. The girl handed her a piece of bast and showed her how.
  The princess began to weave. Her fingers were naturally dexterous and strong, and she learned quickly.
  Even Augustine became interested and weaved with enthusiasm. Soon, a bearded man, the woman's husband, appeared and took the baskets. He did notice the newcomer, however:
  - You're so beautiful. You could make money doing something more profitable than baskets!
  The peasant woman waved her hand:
  - She's a decent girl. Don't make her any indecent proposals.
  The peasant left the hut; he was the only one in the family wearing boots. However, wearing boots in France in June isn't exactly a pleasant thing. But barefoot was considered appropriate only for children, and maybe even women, but definitely not for a grown man.
  Augustina and the children wove all the bast. Afterward, they finally got some porridge and milk. The princess ate too. After all the physical work and the journey, the simple food seemed delicious to her.
  The peasant woman remarked:
  - You can stay with us.
  Augustine shook her head:
  - I want to return to my homeland.
  The woman asked:
  - Where is your homeland?
  The princess answered honestly:
  - In Sweden!
  The peasant woman remarked:
  - It's far. We need to go to the port. But your feet are tender. They need to get rougher, or you need to put on shoes.
  Augustine muttered:
  - I can handle it.
  The woman asked:
  - Can you sew?
  The princess nodded:
  - I dabbled in sewing a little, why?
  The peasant woman noted:
  - Go see Marco. He has the richest house in the village. He sells carpets. You can earn enough money from him for shoes and a decent dress.
  Augustine nodded:
  - I'll take that into account.
  The royal girl felt tired, and it was already late. And she said:
  - Maybe you'll let me sleep?
  The peasant woman nodded:
  - You can sleep with the children on the hay. They are also tired from the day and obedient.
  There were eight children, aged between five and thirteen. They were indeed quiet. It was the princess's first time sleeping in hay. But that was normal for a strong and healthy body. And she just fell asleep. And the children were sniffling.
  Meanwhile, Gertrude had just arrived in Paris. Despite the late hour, the king came out to greet her personally.
  A former peasant and the illegitimate daughter of a duke, she was indeed very beautiful and princess-like. Of course, her face, her legs, and much of her body were tanned. But Gertrude had powdered her face and concealed the tan.
  But she still felt uncomfortable. Sitting in the carriage was fine. But when you get down and walk, your shoes, unaccustomed to them, rub your feet, and the heels are so high you're liable to fall over.
  But the king himself met her. He looked to be over fifty. Not very handsome and wrinkled. But he was dressed luxuriously. And he took Gertrude's arm.
  And he began to politely ask her about her health.
  The peasant girl received information about the yard from her mother and responded quite sensibly. And overall, she didn't complain.
  The king gave her a drink and offered her something to eat. He didn't drag her into bed-that wasn't allowed before the wedding. Gertrude devoured the food with relish, barely restraining herself from appearing rude.
  After eating, the usually half-starved peasant woman felt heavy. The king ordered her washed and put to bed.
  Gertrude lay down in the bathtub. The girls began scrubbing and washing her. One of them remarked:
  - Your feet are so calloused.
  Gertrude replied:
  - And I ran a lot barefoot to be strong and agile.
  The maid asked:
  - Is this customary among your princesses?
  Gertrude growled:
  - That's none of your business!
  The girl had indeed gotten used to going barefoot. Orphaned, she even endured the cold in winter. How she never got sick stomping through the snow. Although, she usually trudged to the south of France for the winter.
  It's a good thing she wasn't branded for theft. Instead, the judge mercifully ordered her to be beaten with canes on her bare soles. It's painful and excruciating, but at least it leaves no marks on the skin. After that, Gertrude stopped stealing and began working part-time in the villages.
  Now, if she'd been properly spanked, it would have been noticeable in the bathroom. But she's still too tanned. And it might arouse suspicion.
  The girl's legs are very graceful in shape. But her feet are really tough, stronger than boot leather.
  But the maid remained silent and asked no further questions.
  After washing the self-proclaimed princess, they put her to bed. It's unusual to be buried in featherbeds. But Gertrude just fell asleep and drifted off to dreams.
  The next day, Augustina woke up. She was given bread and sour milk for breakfast. The peasant woman offered to weave two more baskets.
  And then the princess set off on her journey.
  Her wounded feet had healed overnight, and walking became a little easier. But it still hurt. Especially when she stepped onto the gravel road. She had to switch back to the grass. The girl continued walking. She clenched her teeth and tensed. Her legs warmed up a little, and the pain eased.
  Finally, the walls of Paris appeared ahead. The city is very large, a time when the Middle Ages were already ending and the modern era was beginning. Industrialization was already underway.
  But bladed weapons hadn't disappeared yet. The seventeenth century was a special time.
  Augustine walks through the grass, it"s prickly, sometimes you have to pull thorns out of your heels.
  Finally, the princess is forced to go out on the road again. It's painful and hot. Luckily, the sun has hidden behind the clouds and the heat isn't as intense. But it does sting.
  Augustina walks with great difficulty. She's limping on both legs again and feels severe pain. But she shows fortitude and continues to walk.
  The gates are getting closer and closer. There are guards there... They pay no attention to yet another barefoot beggar. People come and go. Many women and most of the children are barefoot too. But they are not so afraid of the stones on the road. And Augustine suffers.
  But here she is in Paris. The pavements are stone and a little smoother. It doesn't hurt as much. But still, the girl's bruised legs are in great pain. And even traces of blood are visible.
  Augustina walks along and endures. The city is big and rather dirty. Beggar children scurry about everywhere.
  Augustina walks along. And wonders what to do? Of course, she can't appeal to the king under any circumstances. What if she appeals to one of the dukes and counts? But will they believe that a barefoot girl in a robe is the daughter of the Swedish king?
  This way you can end up with the executioner.
  But what to do? Augustine didn't know. Her calves were aching again, and she felt tired.
  The girl sat down on the steps and began to rest. She caught her breath and rubbed the sore soles of her shoes, which were itching terribly.
  A boy approached her. He looked quite decently dressed and wearing shoes.
  Moreover, new and varnished ones.
  Looking at Augustine, he noticed:
  - So beautiful and so poor?
  The princess raised her head and replied:
  - Seek your treasures in heaven!
  The boy nodded:
  - You're smart! You know, someone like you could lead a much better life.
  Clever Augustine said:
  - I will not sell myself.
  The boy nodded:
  - You could make money from this too. But there is another way!
  The princess asked in surprise:
  - And which one?
  The young rogue noted:
  - We can dress you up, give you shoes and get you a job as a maid in a rich house.
  Augustine asked:
  - What in return?
  The boy in the tailcoat replied:
  - You'll open the doors for the right guys when the owners are not in the house.
  The princess snorted contemptuously:
  - Do you think I'll go for it?
  The young rogue remarked:
  - What do you want?
  Augustine replied with a sigh:
  - Work honestly!
  The boy shrugged:
  - It's possible. But toiling away for pennies is stupid when you can make a fortune.
  The girl shrugged and replied:
  - I won't stay in Paris for long.
  The young rogue remarked with a smile:
  - I see it!
  And he walked away from the girl. Rested and feeling hungry, Augustina moved on. Her legs ached terribly for the first few minutes, but as they warmed up, the pain subsided.
  Augustina moved more energetically now. And she was becoming increasingly hungry. But stealing was dangerous-they punished you. These were not liberal times. They could brand you, or give you a painful flogging, or send you to hard labor. And sometimes they even hang the thieves. Though not always.
  Augustina moved with increasing energy, and her battered, scratched heels began to flash.
  Then a gentleman noticed her from the carriage and shouted:
  - Come here!
  Augustine jumped up to him:
  - I'm ready!
  The man in the top hat said:
  - Do you want to earn some bread, beggar?
  The princess, who was increasingly tormented by hunger, nodded:
  - Certainly!
  The gentleman nodded:
  - Take this letter to the Louvre!
  Augustine nodded:
  - I'm ready! Where's the Louvre?
  The lord replied:
  - Everyone knows that, ask! And tell Mrs. Dogville.
  The princess snatched up the letter and ran with it. She felt inspired. And she kept asking where the Louvre was. They showed her.
  Augustina ran to the palace. There, at the entrance, fear stopped her. The princess declared:
  - I have a letter for Mrs. Dogville!
  The guards called the lieutenant. He took the letter, looked at the coat of arms, and replied:
  - I'll hand him over myself! And that beggar in Chatelet!
  The guards rushed towards Augustine and twisted her arms. The girl gasped.
  The lieutenant looked at her more closely and noted:
  - What wonderful curls you have, they could be sold for a lot of money!
  The guard noted:
  - She herself is wonderful!
  The lieutenant nodded:
  - Come on, follow me, beauty. Maybe you'll avoid jail.
  The guards released Augustine. She followed the lieutenant. He went ahead.
  And then Augustine took off. The princess's bare feet were light, and she was also afraid. And she ran like a doe.
  The armored guards halfheartedly tried to catch up with her, but they fell behind. Augustina ran at full speed. She ran for quite a while, but eventually she grew tired and exhausted.
  She sat down to rest... A boy of about twelve ran up to her. He was barefoot and in rags. He handed Augustine an apple, saying:
  -Eat, darling!
  The princess took it and ate it. She nibbled on it with great pleasure and smiled.
  The boy nodded to her:
  - You can get a job. It's hard, but you won't die of hunger.
  Augustine asked:
  - What should I do?
  The boy replied:
  - Turn the pump. Usually, boys do that. But the owner received orders from the police to hire a girl. Before they arrive, you can get up.
  Augusta replied with a sigh:
  - I'm ready.
  The girl went with the boy to the owner.
  And then she was immediately disappointed. A dozen girls were already standing at the entrance, ready to work.
  The princess shuddered... But her troubles didn't end there. Suddenly, she heard a scuffle behind her, and a huge dog appeared. It rushed at the girl. She tried to run away, but was immediately overtaken.
  Behind the dog appeared a nobleman in a suit, guards and the already familiar lieutenant.
  He chuckled and noted:
  - To Chatelet, this beauty!
  Augustine's hands were tied behind her back and she was led to prison. The guards pinned the girl's elbows together and twisted her shoulders, causing her great pain. Then they led her away under escort.
  The still very young girl walked with her head down. Her beautiful curls fell below her shoulders. Her bare, bloodied feet stomped along the cobblestone streets of Paris.
  She looked innocent and touching, if not for the fact that her robes were too short.
  And so the princess, daughter and heir to a considerable kingdom, now barefoot and in a shabby dress, is led to prison. And the Châtelet is a prison for the common people, unlike, for example, the Bastille, where the rich are imprisoned.
  Augustina took it and sang:
  The time of the offensive is almost here,
  The barefoot queen is led to the scaffold!
  The lieutenant chuckled:
  - Well, that's it! And an insult to Her Majesty the Queen, too! A whole bunch of rods and a brazier for roasting your heels await you at the Chatelet.
  Augustine said timidly:
  - Are they going to torture me too?
  The lieutenant of the royal guard nodded:
  - Yes! Vagrancy, escape from custody, insult to the king, delivery of love letters, with possible conspiracy. Oh, my dear, the executioner and the rack await you.
  The princess turned pale and faltered. They brought her to the gloomy Châtelet.
  It was a stinking prison, with cells overcrowded with commoners. Not like the Bastille, where each prisoner had a separate, nice cell.
  Augustine was taken to the women's section. Walls and bars surrounded her. Upon her arrival, she was first searched. Apart from the rags, Augustine was naked. Two strong, powerful, masculine-looking guards tore them off. They donned gloves before the search. They then began to roughly grope the princess's naked body. The girl nearly fainted from shame and fear.
  They looked into her mouth, examined her nostrils and ears closely. They even lit a gas lamp so she could see better. Then came the most humiliating part, when they forced her to spread her legs.
  Augustine squealed:
  - I'm a virgin, be careful!
  The experienced women now touched her gently and carefully. One of them remarked:
  - So beautiful and whole!
  The senior matron noted:
  - Yes, this bird can bring in quite a bit of profit!
  Then Augustine screamed again in pain as gloved fingers penetrated her butt deeply and roughly.
  The warden chuckled:
  - Be patient, my dear! You often hide precious stones and rings there.
  Augustina was literally burning with shame and pain. It was like being impaled.
  Then they felt her legs.
  The warden noted:
  - Her soles are soft and worn down. She's clearly not a commoner.
  Augustine blurted out:
  - I'm a princess!
  The senior matron shouted:
  - Shut up, or I'll send you to the cell with the crazy people.
  The search was over. Afterward, Augustine was doused with a bucket of warm water, heated by the sun. And, on the orders of the senior officer, she was given a striped robe.
  She noticed:
  "According to the rules, you should have your hair cut and be sent to a common cell. But you're so beautiful and virginal that you'd be even more valuable with your beautiful hair! You'll be given a separate room with bars, like a princess, and then the commandant of the Chatelet will decide your fate."
  The warden noted:
  - Her virginity can be sold at auction.
  The eldest agreed:
  "The commandant will decide that. We have no right to do so without him. And now we'll take her to the privileged sector."
  With a number and in a striped dress, but still barefoot, the princess was led through dusty corridors, worn down by many feet.
  Chatelet typically houses multiple prisoners per cell. But there are also particularly dangerous bandits, who are kept separate from their accomplices. And there are also young women, whose exceptional beauty is exploited to please wealthy clients.
  Augustine was also assigned to a separate cell. It had a cot with a straw mattress, even a mirror, and a flushing toilet. Compared to the general cells, where the stench was terrible and the girls literally sat on top of each other, it was practically a resort. And in winter, there was even a fireplace behind the wall.
  Augustine was brought bread and a jug of water. She hadn't yet been placed on the enhanced-feeding diet, so the girls serving the customers wouldn't be skinny.
  The princess, being hungry and tired, willingly ate some black bread and drank some water.
  After which, her stomach filled, she felt heavy, and fell asleep. Thus began her first night in a French prison.
  CHAPTER No 2.
  A captive princess, lying on a straw mattress in a prison cell, dreamed she commanded a regiment of angels. And they were battling Lucifer's army.
  Winged angels and winged demons clashed. And they began to clash with swords. The angels' swords were blue, the demons' were red. A magnificent princess, who had become a warrior in a dream, battled Lucifer. And the battle was quite fierce.
  Lucifer is a very handsome, fair-haired young man with an athletic build and well-defined muscles. You wouldn't guess he's Satan, whose name is used to frighten children.
  On the contrary, he is the most beautiful and perfect angel. Augustine had never seen such a handsome young man.
  However, they chop with swords, and sparks fly from the blades.
  Lucifer asked her:
  - Who are you?
  Augustine answered confidently:
  - Princess Angel!
  The Lightbringer replied:
  - What should we fight for?
  The princess girl replied with a sigh:
  - I don't know. But I have to!
  Lucifer took and began to sing:
  To shed blood on the battlefield,
  This is not the first time for you girls...
  But she's worth as much as dirt,
  On the Parisian pavement!
  Augustine enthusiastically picked up:
  God gave us sabers,
  I can't stop...
  Metal flying into the chest,
  Bloodshed, bloodshed!
  And the swords clashed again, sending up showers of sparks.
  Lucifer asked the girl a question:
  - How is good different from evil?
  Augustine became embarrassed and cooed:
  - Well... what's the difference between day and night...
  The light-bearing angel replied:
  - Day is, of course, good! But night is not bad either. There are such beautiful stars in the dark sky.
  The angel princess agreed:
  - Yes, that's right. I love looking at the stars, especially through a telescope.
  Lucifer nodded with a smile:
  - Yes, the stars are beautiful, as is the moon.
  Augustine sang with gusto:
  Moon, moon, flowers, flowers,
  How often in life is there not enough,
  People and kindness, and kindness!
  Light-bearing angel added:
  - We trust all lovers,
  Hopes and dreams, and dreams!
  The princess nodded to the angel, who both carried light, like Prometheus, and was, at the same time, considered the prince of darkness.
  But who really is Lucifer? Christians teach: God is absolute good, Satan is absolute evil. But according to the Bible, God killed many millions of people, Satan only ten. So good and evil are quite strange here.
  God is love? But it is a strange love.
  When the majority faces eternal torment in the lake of fire and brimstone, and the minority faces eternal barracks-like a tropical prison. That's how it works, isn't it?
  Augustine was a smart girl, and she, too, found it strange that most people were doomed to eternal, hellish torment. But then again, what is truth?
  And is Christ God?
  After all, would God, who destroyed almost all of humanity in the days of Noah and, leaving only eight people out of millions, humiliate himself in such a way and die painfully on the cross?
  And also pray for the executioners. Does this sound true?
  Augustine herself was surprised at how different the God Jesus was from the Terrible God of the Old Testament!
  Lucifer, guessing her thoughts, asked:
  - Maybe we should stop fighting?
  The princess sang in response with fury:
  All people on one planet,
  We should always be friends...
  Children should always laugh,
  And live in a peaceful world...
  Children should laugh,
  Children should laugh!
  Children should laugh!
  And live in a peaceful world!
  With these words, the sword in Augustine's hands instantly transformed into a lush bouquet of roses. And they emanated a fragrance.
  The princess girl sang with fury:
  Nearby, nearby are joy and sorrow,
  We must, we must, give a firm answer!
  To the sunny world, yes, yes, yes!
  And there is no, no, no separation of people!
  Lucifer sang in response:
  People, please be quiet, be quiet,
  Let the wars disappear into the darkness...
  Stork on the roof, happiness under the roof,
  Peace on Earth!
  And his sword, too, turned into a lush, fragrant bush of daisies.
  Both angels and demons ceased fighting. In their hands, their weapons transformed into magnificent works of flora.
  And everyone sang in chorus:
  Children should laugh,
  Children should laugh!
  Children should laugh!
  And live in a peaceful world!
  The imprisoned princess awoke. The reveille sounded. The Châtelet prisoners were to be taken to breakfast and then to work.
  Augustine was lifted from his bed and given a bucket of water to wash and brush his teeth. Then they brought oatmeal, bread, and a little milk.
  The princess ate... She had already become quite an unpretentious girl. Really, what more could she ask for?
  Then Augustine was put to work. Since she wasn't very skilled at sewing, and there weren't enough orders, the princess was sent to turn a millstone. This is how grain was ground into flour.
  The work was hard and tedious. Augustine felt pain in her bruised feet as she walked across the courtyard's cobblestones. Her bare soles began to itch, and fresh calluses formed on her cut-up soles. And it was excruciatingly painful.
  Augustina and three other girls were turning the wheel. Grain was pouring down from above. You couldn't stop or catch your breath. It was incredibly hard work. But the girls were already used to it, and their bare feet were literally calloused. They were calloused like camel hooves. Augustina, on the other hand, had only recently started wearing barefoot and wasn't as used to the work. Her calves, knees, and back soon began to ache. It was pure torture, not work.
  And above them stands an overseer, and the wheel turns a little slower, as if he were being hit with a whip.
  As if they were slaves in Ancient Rome. Yes, you were recently the crown princess, could have become the wife of the King of France-at that time the greatest power on the planet. And now you're a barefoot prisoner in a torn, striped dress with a number. Your shoulders are bare, and your legs are almost bare to the thighs. And you suffer. From the stones under your bare feet, and the physical exertion, and the whip, and the humiliation.
  Augustina was also tormented by thirst. It was summer, after all, and a bit stuffy. It was very hard to turn the wheel. But her body was young and naturally healthy. Now she was getting a second wind, and it was getting easier.
  The girl feels that her bare feet have become numb and feel almost nothing.
  To distract herself from the pain and fatigue, the girl tries to imagine something.
  For example, the queen was captured by an evil emperor. And she was taken to her master.
  He ordered her:
  - Love me!
  However, the response was proud:
  - No!
  And by the dictator's order, the queen was hoisted onto the rack! They hoisted her, first stripping her clothes to the last thread. Then the proud ruler was lifted to the very ceiling. To the vaults. And then the rope was released. The queen fell down. Near the floor, the rope tightened. And the young woman screamed and lost consciousness from the pain.
  A bucket of cold water was poured over her. The young woman came to.
  The senior executioner nodded and said:
  - Will you love a dictator?
  The Queen was in pain and fear, she was very ashamed to hang naked in front of the executioners, who were grinning maliciously.
  The senior torturer nodded. They began to lift the naked woman upward again. The rope tightened again, yet again. And the queen was raised on the rack to the very ceiling.
  Then she froze. The august person's pale skin glistened.
  Then the rope was released again. The girl's body plummeted downwards. At first, she winced from the shock. And then, when the rope tightened, she screamed from the wild stretch.
  And again she lost consciousness.
  The senior executioner nodded... The Queen was again doused with ice water taken from great depths.
  The young woman came to her senses.
  The senior torturer asked:
  - You will fall in love with the emperor!
  The Queen roared desperately:
  - No!
  The senior executioner ordered:
  - Hang her for the third time!
  And once again, the torturers began to lift the queen upward. Stretching torture is usually quite effective. And as a result of this torture, many powerful men broke down and were ready to do anything.
  But the beautiful woman, of royal blood, remained silent. And she was once again raised to the very ceiling. It was curved, and the stones were damp and gray.
  And so the executioners froze the girl in mid-air. And then they suddenly and with relish lowered the rope.
  The naked queen collapsed, and the rope tightened again, reaching the floor. Once again, the young woman screamed and lost consciousness.
  And her face is so pale and blue from the shock of pain. And again the executioners pour water on her. The Queen, naked and exhausted, does not immediately come to her senses. They have to slap her cheeks again.
  Finally, my eyes were opened.
  The senior executioner asked:
  - Will you talk? So, do you agree to become the emperor's concubine?
  The Queen hissed, her tongue slurring:
  - No! Better to die!
  The chief torturer said in a tired tone:
  - Ten lashes with a whip at half strength!
  The queen was slightly raised on the rack. The executioner swung his arm and struck her lightly on the back. The young woman sighed heavily. And the torturer continued to beat.
  His blows were measured and precise. Red stripes swelled on the girl's white back.
  Having finished beating, the torturer looked questioningly at the senior executioner.
  He asked:
  - Do you agree to become the emperor"s concubine?
  The Queen squealed:
  - Don't poke me!
  The senior executioner ordered:
  - Five full-force whip lashes!
  The executioner swung and struck. The queen's white skin burst. And blood flowed.
  The young woman screamed. But then she bit her lip and clenched her teeth. The executioner struck her again with all his might.
  The queen remained silent, but grew even paler. Her breathing was heavy, and beads of sweat fell from her bare chest, where her ruby nipples sparkled.
  The executioner beat, the skin burst, and a trickle of blood flowed.
  Having finished beating, he looked at the leader again.
  The senior torturer nodded:
  - And now put a block with hooks on it!
  The executioners placed an oaken, iron-forged stock on the queen's bare feet. Hooks protruded from the edges. They secured them.
  The chief torturer ordered:
  - Stretch it!
  And the executioners hung a pood-weight on each hook. Both on the right and on the left. The weights, of course, had been prepared in advance. And in general, the torture cellar contained a vast arsenal.
  The chief executioner asked the queen:
  - Are you going to talk?
  She answered confidently, wheezing with pain:
  - No!
  The chief torturer noted:
  - We can torture you to death.
  The Queen stated confidently:
  - It is better to die than to betray.
  The senior executioner ordered:
  - Another kettlebell on both sides!
  The executioners panted as they hung each weight. The queen's naked body stretched even further. A mixture of sweat and blood dripped from it, and the veins became even more tense and prominent.
  The queen began to moan quietly, through her teeth. She was in so much pain.
  The senior torturer asked:
  - Will you talk? Will you become the emperor's concubine?
  The young woman forced out:
  - No!
  The chief executioner suggested:
  - Now we'll fry your heels.
  The Queen yelped:
  - I still won"t become his slave.
  The executioners took a bottle of olive oil from a cabinet. They uncorked it and poured it onto their palms. Then, they began vigorously rubbing the soles of their feet with it.
  The Queen, twitching desperately and moaning, said:
  - I still won't say anything! And I won't marry a ghoul!
  The executioners finished oiling the soles. Then they placed thin logs and straw under the queen's bare feet. They dropped a drop of sulfur and brought a torch.
  The flame ignited. His tongue licked rapaciously at the naked, maidenly torment.
  The pink sole tensed. And the queen began to breathe heavily. And then, as the girl's feet became hot, she screamed.
  The senior executioner asked sarcastically:
  - So will you go to the emperor as a concubine?
  The Queen screamed again:
  - No!
  The executioner bared his teeth. At his signal, his assistants added more wood. And the flames grew even higher and hotter.
  The Queen began to scream at the top of her lungs. She was in great pain. And her tormentors grinned.
  The chief executioner asked:
  - Well, have you changed your mind?
  The Queen roared:
  - No!
  The senior torturer said confidently:
  - Then let's fry her breasts too!
  The executioners poured oil onto their hands again. Then they rushed to the young woman to smear it on her full breasts.
  They roughly groped the queen's nipples, which were scarlet, and pinched her bust.
  From the touch of the torturers, the august person"s breasts swelled and hardened.
  The Queen took it and roared:
  - Scum!
  Having finished greasing her, one of the executioners picked up a torch and lit it. The torturers brought the flame to the woman's bare chest and began to burn her without ceremony.
  The queen groaned louder. How utterly excruciating and painful it was.
  The executioners giggled and bared their teeth. Many had iron teeth, but the senior executioner's were gold!
  This is truly a bloody team. And their teeth are like souls!
  Her bare heels and bare chest were burning at the same time.
  The executioner, meanwhile, grinned and winked...
  The queen was writhing on the rack. And it was extremely painful for her.
  The senior torturer asked:
  - Will you marry the emperor?
  A young, exhausted woman screamed:
  - No!
  The chief torturer cooed:
  - And now it's time to lubricate her womb...
  The princess's work was finished. They sent her out to get a little snack. Since she was very beautiful, they gave her milk and fish to go with her porridge. After eating, the princess felt sleepy.
  But I had to go again and stand behind the wheel, turning the now-hated millstone.
  It was so hard, and her muscles were literally aching. To distract herself, Augustina began composing again.
  The executioners were about to start lubricating the womb, but a boy ran in and conveyed the emperor"s order to stop the torture.
  The executioners extinguished the fire beneath the young woman's bare feet and very carefully removed first the weights from the stocks. Then the stocks themselves, and finally the queen from the rack.
  They wiped her down with alcohol and carried her upstairs to the chambers so she could rest and recover from the pain.
  Meanwhile, the emperor watched gladiatorial combat in the hall. It was also a very brutal, but admittedly entertaining spectacle.
  Two girls were fighting. One had red hair, the other had white hair.
  Both are very beautiful, muscular, and trained.
  They entered the ring wearing only panties, leaving their torsos bare.
  The Grand Vizier remarked, whispering to the Emperor:
  - Marvelous beauties and equal strength.
  The dictator nodded:
  - Yes, they are wonderful, and this is great!
  The blonde was armed with a sword and shield, and the redhead with a trident and a dagger.
  They stepped carefully with bare feet, drawing closer.
  Then they rushed at each other.
  The redhead hit the blonde on the leg with the trident, but she herself received a sword hit on the shoulder and jumped back.
  Both girls were wounded. The crowd booed. Then the redhead tried again to kick the blonde in her bare feet. But she easily dodged. The fight grew increasingly intense.
  The redhead roared and swung her daggers towards the blonde's chest, but she put up a shield.
  And the blade bounced off.
  Both women grew furious and moved closer. More blows and hits. And two nearly naked bodies became entwined.
  The girls began to wrestle in a clinch. The dictator made a sign. The Moors jumped up and thrust lit torches at the girls' bare, slightly dusty heels. They suddenly burst into tears.
  They began to break apart. But the redhead stabbed the blonde in the side with a dagger and received a sword strike to the neck herself.
  Both girls passed out from pain shock and froze, bloody and naked.
  The Moors burned their bare, girlish, so seductive heels with a hot iron.
  But the girls didn't even move.
  The Emperor remarked:
  - It's a shame when women die! Wouldn't it be better to throw the boys into the fight?
  The Grand Vizier nodded:
  - You are, as always, right, lord!
  The first to enter the arena were two teenagers, about fourteen years old. They were muscular, handsome, tanned boys in red swimming trunks. They held swords in their hands.
  Boys of the same age and height came out to meet them. They were also muscular, handsome, and tanned, but their swimming trunks were green and they carried sabers instead of swords.
  They bowed to the emperor and his retinue. They stamped their bare, rough, boyish feet and shouted:
  - Those going to their death greet you!
  The Emperor muttered:
  - Begin!
  The boys began hacking at each other. Blood immediately flowed, and wounds appeared on their tanned, muscular bodies. The boys had no shields, and they were raw fighters, so the fight was fleeting. A boy in green swimming trunks fell. The Moors burned the soles of his bare feet with a torch. He jumped up, but fell again, pierced. Another boy in red swimming trunks fell. But almost immediately, so did the one in green. The three boys went silent. One remained standing. And his bare feet left bloody footprints.
  The Moors cauterized the boys' bare, calloused heels. It smelled of burnt flesh. And then they dragged them away on hooks.
  The boy received a few scratches...
  The Emperor nodded:
  - You will keep fighting! Bye, I give you my life until tomorrow!
  The boy was taken away...
  Then five more boys, about twelve or thirteen years old, came out wearing yellow swimming trunks and carrying tridents. And five boys of the same age and height, wearing black swimming trunks and carrying rapiers.
  First, the tyrant's retinue made a stand. And then the battle began.
  The boys died one after another. Only one soldier remained standing, a twelve-year-old child in yellow swimming trunks. The rest lay punctured. Even cauterizing their bare heels with a hot iron didn't help them get up.
  The Emperor ordered:
  This boy will live until the next battle. Throw the rest to the lions and crocodiles.
  The next battle involved a dozen boys with spears against a rhinoceros. The boys were young, about fourteen or twelve years old. And they were up against a huge rhinoceros.
  There was virtually no chance of survival. True, children are agile, and the fight dragged on.
  Moreover, the Moors, on the orders of the tyrant, even began to throw hot coals under the bare feet of the boys.
  And it was very painful.
  The Emperor was very pleased. He leisurely drank the sweet red wine and devoured the turkey in sauce.
  The boys died one after another. However, a boy in blue swimming trunks managed to hit a rhinoceros in the eye with a spear, provoking the animal's fury. And then, for some time, he deftly dodged the blows of its enormous horn.
  But in the end, the monster finished him off too.
  The mangled corpses were picked up with hooks and dragged to the cages.
  Then another fight: seven boys in swimming trunks and with swords, against a large African lion.
  The children were generally about ten or eleven years old, and they were beginning gladiators.
  But the tyrant's entourage was content. And indeed, the battle was bloody and rather fleeting.
  The Grand Vizier even remarked:
  - It would be better to put older boys on display!
  The Emperor objected:
  - No! This is perfect.
  Lev tore the boys apart, but he himself was barely hurt. That's how the fight turned out.
  Then came another duel. This time, a rather tall girl with an athletic build emerged. She, too, was wearing only swimming trunks. Her hair was dyed three colors: yellow, red, and green. She carried a sword and a dagger.
  In this case, it is already an experienced gladiator and a famous beauty.
  A rather large and seasoned wolf fought against her.
  The fight was going to be exciting. But it was clear the beast was no longer young and not fast.
  Nevertheless, the duel was beautiful. The powerful girl took her time. She repeatedly scratched the wolf with her sword and dagger, constantly dodging. And then, she kicked him in the chin with her bare heel.
  The blow knocked out a couple of the wolf's teeth. And when he slowed down completely, the heroine cut off his head.
  This is how the duel turned out.
  Leaving bare, bloody footprints, the girl left the stadium.
  Then another one came out, this time a brunette. She was tanned, barefoot, and also wearing only swimming trunks.
  Three boys with swords came out against her. They were young, about twelve years old, thin but wiry. They were clearly slaves, their backs and sides covered in scars from whips. The boys' heads were shaved bald, and they were wearing swimming trunks with sharp shoulder blades jutting out, facing a large, strong girl. She held two swords in her hands.
  It was clear that the boys were inexperienced and doomed to die.
  The Emperor remarked:
  - Isn't the fight too unequal?
  The Grand Vizier remarked:
  - You don't like it when the fair sex dies.
  The tyrant nodded:
  - Yes, women shouldn't die! And boys are men, and the least valuable commodity.
  The fight began at the sound of the gong. The dark-haired woman was in no hurry. She wanted to give the boys a chance and put on a good show. The boys were agile and resilient, but clearly untrained.
  But they fight with great ferocity. And you can already see the bony bodies of the tanned boys glistening with sweat.
  The Emperor nodded:
  - Wonderful!
  The brunette scratched one of the boys on his muscular, dark chest. He was wounded and yelped.
  Fight again...
  The girl kicked the boy in the groin with her bare foot. He fell from the pain and passed out.
  The Emperor ordered:
  - Raise it!
  And the Moor, jumping up, cauterized the boy's bare, calloused heel with a red-hot iron. He jumped up.
  The brunette swung both swords in a windmill and struck the back of the head with the flat of the blade. Not fatal, but knocking the mind completely out cold.
  The Moor burns the child's bare heel again. In the quarries, slave boys typically work year-round without shoes, and their soles are harder than the leather of their boots. But the hot iron still burns them and makes them scream.
  And he jumps up again. The dark-haired woman elbowed the boy in the chin, and he fell. And again the child's bare, long-suffering heels were tormented by the hot iron.
  The gladiator girl doesn't want to kill boys. But what can she do? She strikes him in the temple with the hilt. But the Moor burns his heel again. And the boy screams.
  Looks like I'll have to add them.
  And a woman chops off the head of one of the boys.
  The girl then knocks out another one and knocks down another. She looks at the emperor.
  He shouts:
  - Finish him off!
  The brunette sighed and stabbed the boy. The despot knows no mercy. And so she had to finish off the second one too. And then the third.
  Afterwards, the girl burst into tears and left the stadium, or lists, with a upset face.
  Her bare, graceful feet left bloody, sharp marks.
  The next fight was even more brutal.
  Two large, bare-chested male gladiators emerged. Seven boys, aged ten or eleven, fought against them. The men had large swords, the boys small ones.
  And this, of course, is a brutal battle. And, frankly, a merciless beating.
  The boys fell and died, bleeding.
  But they, too, sometimes managed to scratch the male gladiators and inflict wounds on their torsos.
  The Emperor noted:
  - Competitive fight!
  The Grand Vizier remarked:
  - Yes, Your Majesty. Although the boys are not valuable goods, I still feel a little sorry for them!
  The despot nodded:
  "Yes, pity is not for a man! It's good that these warriors managed, but next time I'll unleash a lion on them!"
  Towards the end, two boys emerged with tridents and a net. They were also young, about thirteen years old, inexperienced, and had shaved heads. Before battle, boys often have their hair shaved to make wigs, so that they can profit from them later.
  And they unleashed a tiger on the boys.
  The children tried to throw the net, but the tiger tore it off and rushed to cut the children to pieces.
  The Emperor sang:
  - I'm a tiger, not a cat,
  There is something living inside me now...
  Not Leopold, but Leopard!
  The work was finally finished, and Augustine's thoughts were interrupted. She went to dinner. The female prisoners were ordered to remove their clothes. They stripped naked, and buckets of warm, sun-heated water were poured over them. Then the girls were taken to dinner. Augustine was given more milk and a chicken leg.
  After which, they led her to a cell. Before bed, the girl, of course, said a prayer, plopped down on the mattress, and immediately fell asleep.
  
  
  PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA VLADIMIR ZELENSKY
  After his inauguration, Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the dissolution of the Rada and the holding of early parliamentary elections. This was, in general, expected. Relations with Russia, however, remained tense. Vladimir Putin did not congratulate Zelenskyy on his victory and refused to recognize the Ukrainian presidential election. But this actually benefited the new young leader. Nationalists, who had viewed him with suspicion, accepted him as one of their own. And the West realized that Putin was indeed an aggressor and increased its support for Ukraine. So, what started off well ended badly. Zelenskyy went on to perform remarkably well in the new Rada elections, winning a parliamentary majority. He then held several referendums, including one on constitutional reform.
  The president's powers were significantly expanded, while the Rada's powers were, conversely, curtailed. After this, Zelenskyy began decisively pursuing reforms and modernization.
  At the same time, a cunning move was devised in Donbas. Warrior Anastasia Orlova was offered an interesting option. With the support of Ukraine and Western intelligence agencies, she would become viceroy of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions. She would then have formal membership in Ukraine, funds for reconstruction, and considerable personal power. And even her own army. In other words, the Kadyrov scenario. Russia effectively granted independence to Chechnya, while only formally maintaining control.
  Anastasia Orlova, influential among the field commanders, accepted this option. It must be said that this woman was very beautiful, blonde, and usually ran barefoot, even in the freezing winter.
  Anastasia declared war on the "thieving" leadership of New Russia. She's a very combative and authoritative woman. And she established her residence in Novoazovsk. Some of the people and militias supported her.
  Anastasia and a battalion of barefoot girls carried out several raids and captured several cities. Local battles broke out. A tug-of-war ensued.
  Anastasia operated quite skillfully and received money from abroad. She also had support within Russia, including from women. Her success was also aided by Putin's illness. The ambitious Russian president had apparently overextended himself. Under these circumstances, Russia's leadership became divided. Anastasia took advantage of this and seized Donetsk, gaining significant support.
  War broke out with Luhansk, too. But it wasn't particularly vigorous. The rebels weren't particularly eager to kill each other.
  Ultimately, presidential elections were held in Novorossiya, and Anastasia won. She was immediately recognized by the US and Kyiv. And then by other Western countries, and indeed the rest of the world!
  Zelensky kept his word, granting Novorossiya special status within Ukraine. And the yellow-and-blue flag once again flew in Donetsk.
  The long-awaited peace has arrived.
  Zelenskyy actively fought corruption, even introducing the death penalty for economic crimes. Managing with firmness and skill, and building a professional team, Volodymyr Zelenskyy ensured high growth rates for Ukraine. The country was on the rise, and the new leader's grip on power was strengthened. Relations with Russia were improving. This was facilitated by Putin's stroke, which made him less ambitious and aggressive.
  Zelensky's popularity in Russia grew steadily. He was a powerful orator, a charming man, a populist. Neither a communist nor an anti-communist. Popular among both the left and Russian oligarchs. Very popular among Russia's youth. An intellectual and a true man. Seemingly cultured, yet having seized firm power. Yes, a leader, of course, but also a gentleman! Highly cultured, yet understandable and beloved by the people. A true talent for management. And a great organizer.
  And so, when five years of prosperity and growth in Ukraine had passed, and Zelensky's power had finally consolidated, a sensational proposal followed.
  Specifically, to unite with Russia. To create a single union state with a common president with extensive powers. Popularly elected, of course.
  And in Russia, the elite was shocked. What a move! Putin, by this time weakened by a serious illness, had lost his popularity. This meant he couldn't fight, at least not effectively. And Medvedev himself, by and large, wasn't much of a fighter and wasn't popular with the people.
  And here Zelensky clearly wants to become president of the union state and... His chances are real! Firstly, the West would also like to see Volodymyr Zelensky as president of both Russia and Ukraine! He has proven himself to be a thoroughly pro-Western and European politician. Secondly, Zelensky is popular both in Russia and especially in Ukraine. Thirdly, there are no visible competitors. Putin is gravely ill, Medvedev is weak and unpopular, Zyuganov and Zhirinovsky are too old. There are no other leaders in sight. And fourthly, Zelensky and the rest of Russia's oligarchs have the support of their leaders.
  Yes, it's clear that this is a very serious candidate for the Russian presidency. He has strength, charisma, and an exceptional oratorical gift. He also has the support of both Western and Russian media. Plus, there's the popularity of something new in Russian politics, under the old and tiresome leaders.
  In short, it was awkward to refuse, but scary to accept the offer. Putin suffered a second stroke. Medvedev became acting president of Russia.
  Of course, it's far from certain that Zelensky will win. And he really wants to annex Ukraine. Medvedev has a desire to outdo Putin! But is it worth taking the risk of running with Zelensky?
  However, the Russian people supported the idea of unification with Ukraine. Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets, demanding the unity of their Slavic brothers. Clashes between protesters and police erupted in Moscow. Numerous people were injured. A wave of protest began to mount.
  The Communists' Zyuganov had finally reached his breaking point, or more accurately, had rotted away, and the younger leadership began to bring the people out onto the streets, demanding regime change.
  Nationalists also joined the protests, gaining their own strong and ambitious leaders. The Maidan became increasingly fashionable. Stones and Molotov cocktails were thrown at police. The long-simmering public discontent began to manifest itself more and more intensely.
  Medvedev held a security council.
  The majority of members supported unification, arguing that the devil isn't as black as he's painted. Administrative resources and propaganda are enormous power! And that people could be thoroughly brainwashed, and they would actually vote for the party in power.
  Russian billionaires also swore allegiance to Medvedev, who was predictable, had been in power for a long time, and more or less suited everyone.
  Billionaire Deribasko logically noted:
  - We need to conduct an election campaign in the style: Medvedev is Putin today, and no Zelenskys are dangerous to us!
  Roman Abramovich authoritatively noted:
  "We pulled Yeltsin out of a four-percent rating hole, and we'll certainly pull you out! Our money and the media are your guarantee!"
  Prokhorov confirmed:
  - We don"t want such high taxes on the rich as in Ukraine, and we will all stand up for you!
  Dmitry Medvedev slammed his fist on the table and announced:
  - Then we accept the proposal for integration and unification!
  A unification agreement was signed between Ukraine and Russia. The balance of power immediately shifted. Presidential elections are scheduled to take place within three months.
  To register for president, one only needs to collect one hundred thousand signatures or make a ninety thousand dollar deposit, which will only be returned if one makes it to the second round. These are the curious rules, partly borrowed from Russian and partly from Ukrainian legislation.
  Naturally, there will be many presidential candidates; Medvedev's team apparently figured this would be even more advantageous for them! They said the government's electoral mobility would give them an advantage in the first round. And in the second, everyone would support Medvedev. At least, that's what the acting president was counting on. And so it began...
  Anastasia Orlova, that barefoot Cleopatra, declared that it would be Zelensky against a hundred. And that he's Lancelot against the dragon Putin and Medvedev.
  Fierce attacks erupted in the press. Some sided with Zelensky, others with Medvedev.
  The candidate registration period had begun. Russia was in turmoil. Dzhokhar Dudayev's son had appeared in the Caucasus and declared jihad, gaining widespread support in Islamic regions. Many experts suspected the CIA was behind him. Moreover, Trump's presidency was waning, and victories were needed. And Zelenskyy on the Russian throne-a major victory! However, there are skeptics who claim that Zelenskyy could make Russia a great country, far stronger, especially economically, than it was under Putin.
  So opinion was divided in the West, too. A unified Ukrainian-Russian state is, of course, a powerful alliance and no joke. Such a monster could have truly emerged. Naturally, Russian security forces supported the unification. Besides, Anastasia is a tough woman. She, along with a battalion of girls, all of them beauties, barefoot and in bikinis, overthrew and routed Russian special forces. When they finally got around to overthrowing Zelensky's overly ardent supporter,
  The girls showed how fabulous they can fight barefoot and in bikinis! And the Vympel special forces group was routed by hot women. As a result, the decision was made to stay out of Novorossiya, where a pro-Ukrainian leadership came to power.
  Anastasia campaigned for Zelensky. In battle, the girl could throw sharp, thin discs, boomerangs, and grenades with her bare feet. The bikini-clad warriors became legendary. A whole regiment of girls, each one worth an entire division. You'll agree, that's a formidable force!
  Anastasia raced through the snow, her red, bare heels flashing. The girl sang:
  In the vastness of space, believe me, there is a dream,
  She is like a ray of sunshine in the sky...
  In the eyes of Svarog there is peace and purity,
  He will rise for us, like Jesus!
  
  We will give birth to a radiant destiny,
  She will shine like the sun in May...
  But I don"t understand how long the undead can last,
  How evil fate plays with us!
  
  Defend your homeland, knight,
  Let it shine like a star in the sky...
  We protect the vastness of our native land,
  Let the planet become an eternal paradise!
  
  But what can the formidable communism do?
  He will make the flag of the motherland all-powerful...
  And the furious fascism will perish in the ashes,
  We will pierce the enemy with a very strong blow!
  
  Give our Motherland hearts,
  So that they burn with a very bright heat...
  We will go through our battle to the end,
  And we will sweep away the Fuhrer with one blow!
  
  Comrade Stalin replaced the father,
  We are children of very different generations...
  The horde will perish in Gehenna in rage,
  And the genius Lenin will show you the way to Eden!
  
  In Russia, every boy is a giant,
  And girls are trained to fight...
  Lord Almighty, we have One Family,
  We Russians have always known how to fight!
  
  We will achieve everything soon, I believe.
  There is nothing higher in the universe...
  The Komsomol member raised her oar,
  And she hit the Fuhrer on the roof!
  
  There is no more communism, know the ideas,
  They are beautiful and will bring happiness!
  And the Fuhrer is simply a villain,
  Very insidious, very black color!
  
  I am a girl - the greatness of a fighter,
  Barefoot, she rushed boldly through the frost...
  My thick braid is made of gold,
  Made a swift rose!
  
  A billion ideas can arise,
  How to organize the Fatherland in communism...
  If you see a Fritz, hit him hard,
  So that bloody Adolf does not sit on the throne!
  
  Get your fists into the fascists,
  Or better yet, hit them with a sledgehammer...
  Let's ride along the Volga with the breeze,
  We simply don"t mind crushing goats!
  
  We will raise our soldiers for the Motherland,
  The girls rush to attack...
  The beauty aimed the machine gun,
  Hitler will pay a heavy price when he pays back!
  
  No one can defeat the Russians,
  Even if he is a wolf of fascism, he is a seasoned devil...
  But still, the bear is stronger than him,
  Which order builds a new one!
  
  Run for the Motherland, for Stalin,
  The Komsomol girls are rushing along with barefoot steps...
  The fascists were slashed with boiling water,
  Because the Great Russians are the coolest of all!
  
  Proud girls will enter Berlin,
  They will leave footprints of bare feet...
  Above them is a golden-winged cherub,
  And they shine silver like wasp pearls!
  The girl may sing, but how she fights! After all, it was she and four of her companions who saved the militia from complete defeat at Iolaisk.
  Then five girls in bikinis and barefoot entered with a whole army.
  Yes, that was quite a sight.
  Anastasia fired a full-automatic shot, cutting down the enemy line, and then threw several thin disks at once with her bare toes. Their heads were cut off.
  And Anastasia sings:
  - For Holy Rus'!
  Natasha also fired, cutting down the enemies, and then squealed as she threw a grenade with her bare foot, knocking down a tank:
  - For Svarog!
  And then golden-haired Zoya takes her turn. She also throws the gift of death with her bare foot and shouts:
  - For the future of Rodnoverie!
  And Aurora will follow them with a vengeance. And with her bare heel she will release the gift of death, shouting:
  - For great frontiers!
  And then Svetlana will do the rest. A burst of fire, then a machine gun, and with her bare toes she'll send destruction down...
  And the bare-legged beauty will scream:
  - For the return of the Romanovs!
  Yes, Anastasia was a fan of restoring the tsarist empire. Indeed, Russia already has a de facto tsar in power. So why not formalize a legitimate monarchy? Especially since the Romanovs carry the blood of many generations of European kings. Is that their lineage? And what about Putin's lineage, and especially Lukashenko's? Who are they to be tsars? But the Romanovs are God's anointed!
  Anastasia and her bikini-clad friends performed many miracles. She fought like a devil. But then she fell out with Putin and sided with Zelensky. Anastasia saw that Ukraine was being wronged, and with a heightened sense of justice, she sided with the weaker party!
  Anastasia and her five-man team repelled an assault on Novoazovsk when they attempted to arrest her as a rebel. An entire column of government forces was cut off and disarmed.
  After which the captives fell on their faces and kissed the bare, dusty feet of Anastasia and the other girls.
  The girl philosophically said to the captured Novorossiya fighters:
  - I don't want to kill you! You are my brothers! And I will become your queen!
  Overall, Novorossiya accepted Anastasia without significant damage or heavy losses. However, a blonde terminator cut off the head of the Donetsk Republic governor and slaughtered his guards, who were mostly Caucasians.
  Anastasia had long been a legend. In Crimea, she performed such miracles that she received the Hero of the Russian Federation award. Without her, things wouldn't have gone so smoothly with her bikini-clad companions. But then Anastasia was stripped of all her Russian awards, including for the murder of Russian special forces soldiers during an attempt to remove them. A criminal case was even opened.
  But they didn't dare start a major war with the de facto independent Novorossiya. Especially since Putin had fallen ill, and without him, no one wanted to take responsibility.
  Especially Medvedev, who is anything but a leader by nature and spirit. But that's precisely what suited Medvedev to the Russian oligarchs and Putin's inner circle-he's easily manipulated.
  Be that as it may, a massive propaganda machine has been launched against Zelensky. They've started accusing him of everything: that he's a drug addict, a thief, that he siphoned off billions through offshore accounts, and that he's generally gay.
  The province started writing. And, of course, witnesses were found, along with all sorts of assurances. Including accusations of homosexuality. Candidate registration had only just begun, and the dirt was already pouring out.
  The number of people willing to take part in the elections, both Ukrainians and especially Russians, turned out to be colossal. Communists and nationalists alike were involved. Unexpectedly, even the aging and ailing Zyuganov showed up to run, despite having already resigned as chairman of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation. Afonin, Udaltsov, and Grudinin also ran. And a whole host of other leftist candidates, little-known but brazen. So many people wanted to run for president! And what about ninety thousand dollars? Is that really such a large sum by Russian standards?
  The applicants were pouring in like tanks. Businessmen, artists, pop stars, and writers. Yes, writers are also active. To promote themselves. And ninety thousand dollars isn't all that much. So, hundreds of applications poured into the Central Election Commission.
  What an election! What a show it was! Even Alla Pugachev ran for president. And why not? She's starting to forget Alka, maybe she'll remind everyone of herself! Yuri Luzhkov, one of the old guys, has made a bid for president. He apparently wanted to make a name for himself, too.
  Well, of course, such a show couldn't have happened without Vladimir Volfovich. But this time, his son, Igor Lebedev, and his right-hand man, Degtyarev, also took part in the elections. They also went to the polls in three columns.
  Nationalists also made a move. Of course, the legendary Demushkin, who had served time in prison, and, interestingly, "Spider," the leader of "Corrosion of Metal," and the head of the rock band "Kolovrat," ran for president, along with many others.
  Well, of course, pop singers have also joined the campaign. Philipp Kirkorov and Nikolai Baskov are among them. They, too, have nothing to lose, really. A fighting guard has been deployed.
  Both Timothy and Vitas, and many others in general, set out on a campaign.
  Of course, it's no coincidence! Medvedev's plan was to nominate a huge number of candidates who would transfer votes to him in the second round. It's an interesting plan, overall. Medvedev's approval ratings are lower than Zelensky's to begin with. And winning without a trick is impossible!
  But Yeltsin, too, had a zero approval rating, yet he managed to beat Zyuganov. True, the latter ran the election like a cripple: deliberately losing!
  And in this case, Medvedev is facing an extraordinary and very talented individual.
  So, a lot is at play here. Zelensky was constantly being slandered on Solovyov's show. Then, though, a girl threw ice cream in Solovyov's face with her bare toes. And gouged out his eye. After that, it became clear that slinging mud at Zelensky wasn't safe! Like, this guy's a Ukrainian eagle!
  Overall, there was no unity in Russian society. Many, many supported Zelensky. They said he truly was a man of young blood and was able to rebuild Ukraine without high oil and gas prices! But what about Medvedev? The country was literally drowning in dollars from oil and gas, and the economy was in complete stagnation. There was no growth, only rising unemployment.
  Medvedev has the highest negative rating of any politician. Although this is precisely what benefits the oligarchs. He's more dependent on them, more controllable. The Russian government has rushed to raise everyone's salaries and pensions. And by a significant amount...
  Moreover, Medvedev even proposed lowering the retirement age by two years. He claimed it was for the good of the people. Amendments were introduced to increase pensions and allow post-retirement work to be counted toward seniority.
  Medvedev didn't forget about government officials either. He wanted them to stand up for him and vote for him. Specifically, public income declarations were abolished, and gifts of up to a thousand dollars were permitted. This, of course, pleased the officials. The same was true for permission to own real estate and bank accounts abroad.
  To win over smokers, the anti-smoking law was significantly relaxed. Alcohol sales were permitted at night, and even gambling was legalized. The latter was welcomed by the oligarchs; after all, why waste such profits and funnel them underground?
  The show "Dolls" is back. They're showing more erotica on television.
  Medvedev also declared an amnesty and even ordered that prisoners be paid relocation allowances. This, too, garnered a significant percentage of votes, including from the prisoners themselves and their families.
  In fact, Medvedev put forward the slogan: more freedom! Indeed, Russia is tired of Putin's despotism. When you can't even see a naked woman on TV!
  And of course there was an attempt to show: life has become freer, life has become more fun!
  Medvedev also lowered alcohol prices and allowed beer advertising on television. Really, why overdo it?
  But war was raging in the Caucasus. After Putin's departure, the mountaineers began demanding even more privileges and rights. And their ambitions only grew. Moreover, Turkey began to exert increasing pressure in the Caucasus, and their ambitions grew, especially since Erdogan, in his view, had received too little in Syria. The situation was further exacerbated by the fall in oil prices, and consequently, gas prices. Venezuela, in fact, had increased production after the overthrow of the Maduro regime. The US and Iran had finally reconciled, and a unified government had been established in Libya.
  Falling oil prices have devastated the Russian ruble, fueled inflation, and undermined increases in wages and pensions.
  And the increasing activity of militants in the Caucasus worked against Medvedev.
  They said he was incapable of preserving Putin's legacy. And that, as often happens, a superstar appointed a weak successor.
  The US, Arab countries, and even Iran fueled separatism in the Caucasus. Meanwhile, disagreements emerged among the security forces. Some still wanted Putin's longtime running mate, Medvedev, to become president! While others were planning to push the far more popular Sergei Shoigu.
  But the latter was not supported by the oligarchs and industrialists. They considered him too leftist, and the billionaires were tired of the dictatorship of a single figure. Everyone wanted a liberal on the throne and reconciliation with the West. Medvedev, waiting until the presidential candidate registration period ended, fired Shoigu. This caused unrest in the army.
  CHAPTER No 2.
  Then Medvedev awarded Shoigu the long-promised rank of marshal and made him an honorary deputy prime minister. Another populist move. But in any case, the election odds were not in the acting president's favor.
  Zelensky, younger, more successful, and more eloquent, was gaining ground. Even after more than two hundred presidential candidates had registered, he maintained an undisputed lead. Medvedev, however, was still fighting for second place. Alla Pugacheva, an unexpected competitor for the runoff, suddenly found herself competing. The aging prima donna, who hadn't performed for a long time and wasn't particularly keen on PR, suddenly jumped in the polls.
  Perhaps this was a reaction to the tiredness of the politicians. Zhirinovsky and Zyuganov, on the contrary, saw their ratings plummet. The people were terribly fed up with both of these politicians. Moreover, younger and more original leaders had emerged in their electoral field.
  Demushkin, who had earned the image of a martyr in prison, made a noticeable improvement. Suraikin still couldn't gain any ratings, but another member of his party, Sergey Kovalev, Russia's top professional boxer, also began to score points.
  Overall, Sergei Kovalev turned out to be an interesting guy. He ran for Moscow mayor and, to everyone's surprise, came in second. He joined the Communist Party of Russia. And his approval ratings also began to rise.
  It should be noted that Sergey Kovalev is a very great boxer - the best among Russians, even surpassing Kostya Tszyu.
  Sergei Kovalev is thus a terminator and has come dangerously close to Medvedev.
  True, most Russian polling agencies inflated the acting president's rating. But the promotion was massive. However, Medvedev wasn't exactly lucky. After Putin, fortune somehow became less favorable. Oil prices continued to fall, the ruble plummeted, and prices soared. The Caucasus was burning more and more intensely. Even Kadyrov's men began fighting on the side of the militants. This was the situation that had arisen. And then the Taliban attacked Russian troops on the border with Tajikistan.
  And as it turned out, Russian troops were unprepared. Medvedev had once again exposed himself. Plus, a scandal involving embezzlement in the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Finance came to light. A shadow fell on Medvedev's longtime friends. Doubts also arose about who had stolen hundreds of billions of dollars from Russia. More suspicions. And the media became brazen...
  Zelensky, meanwhile, conducted his election campaign calmly, professionally, like a show. Zhirinovsky, as always, worked more for the government than for himself. Zyuganov was booed and pelted with rotten eggs. Then came more incidents...
  Of course, Ksenia Sobchak was running in the elections, and she couldn't help but throw a pie in Zhirinovsky's face. And she attracted attention. It was quite an epic turn of events.
  Alexander Povetkin also ran in the elections. The Russian boxer struggled for a long time after his loss to Joshua, then fought a couple of bouts against mediocre opponents before breaking down after a more serious one. After retiring, he turned to politics and began creating a nationalist party.
  So far without much success.
  Povetkin, however, punched his opponent in the face during a televised debate. It was a standout move, and it boosted his ratings a bit.
  Overall, the elections were hysterical.
  They held televised debates: they gave people thirty seconds to answer, and what ensued was a squabble. Parties, fights, scandals. A complete farce.
  Medvedev was relentlessly promoted, but his rating barely improved. His advancement to the second round is still in doubt.
  Zelenskyy, however, was running with a significant lead. And no wonder! In just five years, Volodymyr had managed to end unemployment, restore all the factories and plants, and build new ones.
  One of Zelensky's achievements was the development of agriculture and alternative energy sources.
  In Ukraine, in particular, power plants powered by atmospheric pressure differences have emerged. Geothermal power plants are also in place. And much more, including those using ionospheric energy. It so happened that science has turned against oil and gas.
  The emergence of a plant in Ukraine producing synthetic food and supplying it to China caused a real sensation. Meanwhile, Russia has reduced its food exports.
  There were also some Ukrainians who stood out, including Wladimir Klitschko. The celebrated boxer had a difficult career. He returned to the ring, defeating Charr and Tyson Fury. But he lost the third rematch against Joshua, again, but earned a huge amount of money. He then announced his final retirement from boxing.
  But then he returned again. He fought Gassiev in Kyiv and won. Afterward, he fought again and won the regular world title, finally breaking both Foreman's and Joe Louis's records. Afterward, he announced his candidacy for president of a united Russia and Ukraine. And it must be said that among Ukrainians, Wladimir Klitschko is second only to Zelenskyy himself. And despite his advanced age in boxing, Wladimir Klitschko made a mandatory defense during the election campaign against a boxer twenty years his junior. And again, he won by knockout.
  After which Vladimir Klitschko's rating jumped, and he moved closer to Medvedev, receiving a chance to reach the second round.
  Overall, these elections had one clear favorite: Zelensky, and the race for second place was very close. Alla Pugacheva, who briefly edged out Medvedev for second place, began to fade into the background. She didn't really make a splash. And Wladimir Klitschko moved into second place. But his base isn't particularly stable. Sergey Kovalev, who managed to reclaim all four light heavyweight belts after three losses, also fought in the ring and won the championship title again.
  And his rating jumped again. He could have made it to the second round, too. Other Ukrainian boxers, Usyk and Lomachenko, supported Zelenskyy, and the presidents stayed out of it. Although both haven't retired yet. Why should they? Usyk won on points against Joshua and is the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. Lomachenko bounces between weight classes, and he's getting paid so much that he doesn't even want to retire.
  The US is also in the midst of an election campaign. Donald is leaving after two terms, and he's not exactly healthy enough to run for a third. Young men are running for president. The Democrats have a very attractive governor, about thirty-nine years old-probably the youngest lady among the presidential candidates. The Republicans also have young generals, heroes of the war against Iran.
  The generation of politicians in the United States has changed.
  In Russia, Putin might have been able to defeat Zelensky, but he clearly burned out. Overwork took its toll! What he wanted-he overestimated his strength and didn't trust his entourage. Or perhaps they even poisoned him. After Nazarbayev's departure, a different wave of democratization hit the CIS. Kazakhstan became a parliamentary republic. In Belarus, Lukashenko somehow disappeared suspiciously. And the president, too, became a figurehead.
  Another wave has begun. Now, even in Turkey, parliament has risen up against Erdogan. The pendulum has swung in the other direction.
  Zelenskyy did change the constitution in favor of greater autocracy, but the West still sees him as one of its own! And referendums are held regularly. And there's real freedom of speech.
  In any case, Zelenskyy has no particular problems winning the second round. Medvedev will likely make it to the second round - administrative leverage can overcome low popularity and a less-than-successful administration. Many have also noted the similarities with the Ukrainian elections - multiple presidential candidates, Zelenskyy's leadership, the government's low approval ratings, and high anti-ratings.
  Whether Zelensky could have defeated Putin remains to be seen, but Medvedev clearly wasn't cut out for the role of national leader. And democracy was already playing against the government.
  Medvedev couldn't quite get into the fight. He doesn't have the personality for it. He's not a real fighter!
  But here's the problem with all autocracies: the successors aren't very good! Usually, the dictator would install a weakling after himself-to prevent him from being overthrown! Like, for example, Nazarbayev's successor was restricted in his power. And he doesn't even object-he's a softy!
  In any case, Vladimir Zelensky came to power from the opposition, and is not a weakling.
  It must be said that Putin, too, was considered spineless and weak, which is why he was installed as president after the loudmouth Yeltsin. But as it turns out, there are devils in the quiet swamp!
  And then it turned out the swamp wasn't so quiet after all. But Medvedev, it seems, isn't a wolf in sheep's clothing, but a genuine sheep. And he can't muster the strength.
  Zhirinovsky insulted Zelensky with obscenities and was fined. Several dozen presidential candidates withdrew in favor of Medvedev, but it achieved almost nothing. Among the prominent ones who withdrew was boxer Denis Lebedev. He was, in fact, technically running. There were also businessmen and minor cultural figures. Of the writers, only Sergei Lukyanenko withdrew in favor of Medvedev. The rest were just looking for publicity. And everyone was hoping for success.
  Medvedev's numbers have improved only slightly. But there was hope that the army, prison, and police would vote as ordered. Plus, there was voter bribery. And, of course, early voting. There's every chance of success here, too.
  Yes, this is precisely what prompted the authorities to become more active. They give us early voting. And then, of course, there's fraud. And the desire to vote with your heart.
  Unlike the 1996 elections, Medvedev failed to boost his ratings. Yeltsin, too, had some luck. In particular, Dzhokhar Dudayev died by accident. What a bummer, not taking the usual precautions during the call. Had it happened a little earlier, they wouldn't have had time to strike. And a little later, they would have only hit the antenna, while Dzhokhar himself would have been at a safe distance. That's the kind of luck one can have in war and in propaganda.
  And now Dudayev can't be finished off. And Raduyev, who was so foolishly caught on the eve of the Russian presidential election, is gone. And Dudayev Jr. has absolutely no desire to die during the election. And, in general, it seems the triumvirate of successors-Yeltsin, Putin, Medvedev-is being broken...
  The attempts to bribe voters leaked and caused an additional scandal. The Patriarch refused to support anyone, reasoning: "Render to God what is God's, and to Caesar what is Caesar's." In fact, things were somehow simpler under Yeltsin. And for some reason, the Orthodox Church sided with Yeltsin, who seemed completely hopeless. So did industrial circles.
  And now Russian oligarchs have started flirting with Zelensky. Apparently, Medvedev can't get a boost.
  And the media's mood began to change. Zelensky was increasingly praised. Now even Zhirinovsky began to say that his namesake was truly a diamond in the rough.
  Medvedev again doubled wages and pensions. But he also completely collapsed the ruble. And inflation soared. Tariffs also soared.
  He even had to ask for a loan from the IMF. Meanwhile, oil and gas prices are getting cheaper and cheaper.
  Iran, Venezuela, Libya, and Saudi Arabia are all increasing exports. And the US has even introduced a new method for shale production. Costs have dropped sharply.
  And then there's the economic downturn and unrest in China. Well, it's clear-they're fed up with the Communist Party's dominance. And the Chinese want freedom and a multi-party system!
  There's been a slight change of power in India. There was an attempted coup and the establishment of a dictatorship.
  Tensions in the Caucasus have sharply escalated. Unrest has also erupted in Siberia. Separatists, in particular, have gained strength.
  In Britain, the Renewal Party won the elections, albeit in coalition with Labour. Queen Elizabeth is still alive, but has promised to step down on her centenary, after which a referendum will be held abolishing the monarchy and establishing the office of President of Britain.
  France is in turmoil. Instead of Macron, Mary Lipin won, and there was an attempt to establish a dictatorship. But the French themselves don't know what they want; they staged a new Maidan. And one on an unprecedented scale. And Mary was forced to abandon her radical plans to expel Arabs and others. Then, even more drastically, the Supreme Court annulled the presidential election, and Mary was arrested.
  Snap elections have also been announced in France. So, as always, chaos reigns everywhere.
  In Belarus, having had enough of Lukashenko's tyranny, they held a referendum and abolished the presidency altogether. The republic became a parliamentary republic, and the new prime minister announced that joining Russia was even possible. But only after the presidential election. Zelensky is very popular in Belarus.
  Relations between the president and parliament in Kazakhstan have deteriorated. Impeachment was threatened. A quick agreement was reached, but the head of state's power was further curtailed.
  Medvedev grew increasingly nervous. The elections were approaching, and Zelenskyy's approval ratings were several times higher. True, he wouldn't win in the first round, but either way, Medvedev was faking it. The only plan was to cheat or knock him out.
  A secret council was held. Russia's billionaires gathered.
  Medvedev stated directly:
  - Do you want a Ukrainian outsider to gain the enormous power of the president of the empire?
  Deribasko logically noted:
  "Whether we like it or not, we have to get along with any government! Zelensky isn't a communist, and... He's not Zyuganov, who wouldn't suit us under any circumstances!"
  Medvedev stated dryly:
  - Income tax in Ukraine is much higher than in Russia!
  Roman Abramovich chuckled and remarked:
  - And who knows and counts our incomes! Besides, they recently reduced them and almost equaled ours!
  Prokhorov replied with a smile:
  - The authorities are changing. We are staying! What advice can you give?
  Medvedev croaked in rage:
  - I don"t believe that Yeltsin won fairly!
  Deribasko replied coldly:
  If Yeltsin's opponent hadn't been Zyuganov, Borik would have had little chance. But people still remembered the "joys" of communist rule all too well. Namely: empty shelves, ration cards, coupons, business cards, long lines, a salary of five dollars a month. Of course, no one wanted a return to those hellish times. Especially to lose the spectacle, the political shows, the sex films, and so much more. The people wanted freedom. And they voted not for Yeltsin, but against Scarecrow Zyuganov. And you can't scare the people with Zelensky. Unlike Putin, he won't shut down the "Kukly" show, and he won't put the people on ration cards. 1996, after all, will never be repeated. Yeltsin stole five or six percent, but won by a margin of thirteen! So, almost fair!
  And Zelensky is running with such a lead that you won"t beat him!
  Medvedev yelled:
  - They screwed me over! They conspired!
  Roman Abramov noted:
  - At least they'll lift all the sanctions against us! And you, Bear... You've already earned your pension!
  Medvedev hissed:
  - You will burn in hell!
  Prokhorov logically noted:
  - There is no hell! There is only a scarecrow, for collecting money!
  Medvedev asked in confusion:
  - Really? What, there is no God?
  Prokhorov smiled and replied:
  -And what kind of God? They imagine him in different ways!
  Roman Abramovich proposed:
  - Maybe we can create a new faith! Whoever is rich, God loves him! Whoever is richest, the Almighty loves him most of all!
  Medvedev nodded:
  - Logical! But what will the people say?
  Roman Abramovich chuckled:
  - People can be educated!
  Medvedev gurgled:
  - I hope we remain friends!
  After which he left the hall...
  The world continued to rage with a kaleidoscope of events. Vitali Klitschko also returned to the ring and fought at a stadium in Kyiv. He fought Michael Tyson. Two old men, very famous and popular. Well, they raised a lot of money. Michael Tyson, of course, agreed to the fight, as he was practically penniless.
  Even though the younger and, most importantly, much better-shaped Vitali Klitschko literally beat him, Wladimir Klitschko declared that he still wants to win the undisputed world champion title and fight Usyk. After that, he'll break all records by becoming the oldest undisputed world champion... And then he can rest easy. What else is there to beat? He's already beaten Joe Louis, beaten Foreman, and won the heavyweight world title four times.
  Vitali Klitschko earned big money from the fight, replenished his coffers and fame, and had a relatively easy fight.
  Zelensky awarded Vitali Klitschko the golden Order of Ilya Muromets, earning him further sympathy.
  Boxers have become popular in the world of politics. Floyd Maweather has become a candidate for US president. Formally an independent. And with decent approval ratings. And what's more, he's a billionaire, an undefeated boxer, and a black man. What's not to like?
  Floyd Maweather supported Zelenskyy in the presidential election and promised friendship.
  Floyd wanted a rematch with Pacquio, and a lot of money was raised for it.
  Medvedev was clearly losing ground. To create a bit of a sensation, he appointed Anatoly Kashpirovsky as Minister of Health, holding the rank of Deputy Prime Minister. While a strong move, it wasn't enough. Incidentally, Anatoly Kashpirovsky became the oldest minister and deputy prime minister in Russian history. A record-breaker indeed! Dmitry Medvedev also awarded the Queen of England the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called and even bestowed a Hero's Star on Shoigu. And then he stripped Gorbachev of his highest order. Which, in short, isn't all that impressive.
  And he even reinstated Beria to the rank of Marshal. Perhaps to attract
  He brought the Stalinists over to his side. And he posthumously awarded Boris Nemtsov the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, First Class. Then, he renamed Volgograd by decree to Stalingrad. Also flirting with the Stalinists. But also with the liberals. He posthumously awarded Novodvorsky the title of Hero of Russia and... Stalin!
  Posthumously, Medvedev also awarded the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called to Yuri Gagarin and restored the Order of Victory to Leonid Ilya Brezhnev. Unexpectedly, Medvedev also awarded the gold star of the Hero of Russia to Garry Kasparov.
  This is also flirting with liberals. And with communists. Both yours and ours.
  Medvedev also presented the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called to Pope Francis I.
  These are also very generous gifts from the "great ruler"! Furthermore, Medvedev unexpectedly lowered the retirement age again, for both men and women, to fifty-five. This was a sensation. And he increased pensions again.
  What don't you do on the eve of elections?
  Furthermore, the acting president promoted Vladimir Zhirinovsky to the rank of lieutenant general. He supposedly received a 'hands-on' reward for his loyal service. And his son, Igor Lebedev, was unexpectedly appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs, replacing the old and unpopular Lavrov.
  Medvedev also offered Demushkin the post of Minister of Internal Affairs, but the influential nationalist declined. Among the new appointments, the sensational appointment of Ksenia Sobchak as Minister of Culture. Seeing her low approval ratings, Sobchak accepted. But she also demanded the post of Deputy Prime Minister, which Medvedev agreed to.
  Yavlinsky also participated in the elections, but became very ill and withdrew due to health reasons.
  The acting president also awarded him the Hero of Russia star.
  Mikhail Kasyanov received the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, First Class, and the position of Honorary Economic Advisor. For this, he withdrew his vote in favor of Medvedev. But these are mere fractions of a percent.
  Sergei Kovalev was offered the post of Minister of Sports, but he thought it was not enough.
  A conflict arose with the chairman of the Constitutional Court. Zorkin finally resigned. But who should be given the post? Preferably a woman! And they suggested Alla Pugacheva.
  But the famous singer declined, citing it wasn't her thing. Medvedev still awarded her the Hero of Russia star, though Alla declined to appear on his behalf.
  But who will be the chairman of the Constitutional Court? The position is up in the air. Shoigu also declined - it's not his specialty!
  Dima Bilan unexpectedly agreed. Although, of course, it's not a given that it's his specialty! And of course, being a singer is more profitable and much more fun than being the chairman of the Constitutional Court.
  Medvedev, in any case, quickly seized on this and presented him with the Hero of Russia star.
  Dima Bilan, however, said it was just a joke. However, to general approval, Lyudmila Putina was appointed chairperson of the Constitutional Court. It was a strong move, given Putin's popularity in Russia, but somewhat belated, and it couldn't save Medvedev.
  Although titanic efforts were made, prices were rising, the ruble was falling, the Taliban were advancing in Tajikistan, and there was nothing to convince voters of.
  At the last minute, Gennady Zyuganov was appointed First Deputy Prime Minister, overseeing social affairs. But that was a dead end.
  And Zyuganov himself has already completely lost his electorate.
  Degtyarev, also a presidential candidate from the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, was appointed Prosecutor General on the eve of the vote.
  Medvedev was active and searching for new paths. One of his most impressive campaign moves was awarding a special gold medal named after Zhukov to all veterans of the Great Patriotic War. And a million Russian rubles to boot. But there are very few veterans of the Great Patriotic War left.
  Medvedev also awarded the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called to Tereshkova. While the opportunity remains, why not give it? Anatoly Karpov could also be awarded the Hero of Russia title. He's a great chess player, after all! And Alekhine, Botvinnik, Tal, Spassky, and Tigran-he'll posthumously present awards-that's quite nice!
  Hero of Russia stars are awesome!
  It's nice to give out awards and hand out medals. And what if we also establish an order named after Putin? Four different degrees: fourth - bronze, third - silver, second - gold, first - gold with diamonds!
  This is what kind of inventor Medvedev is.
  However, this isn't enough. Zelenskyy is also establishing new orders. The Order of Taras Shevchenko, for example. Or Taras Bulba! Or Gogol! And why bother with trifles? And the Order of Kozhedub! This is a strong move by Zelenskyy to please the left. Of course, Zelenskyy is not a communist, or even a leftist. So he could have had problems. But the communists in Russia have been without a leader.
  And what about Andrei Navalny? Everyone seems to have forgotten about him. Didn't he really run for president? But Andrei Navalny has been part of Zelenskyy's team for a long time and has already done a lot to fight corruption in Ukraine.
  So no one has died yet! And the process of merging the two fraternal nations and the joint election of a national leader is underway.
  Andrey Navalny will also wash Zelensky... He is, as usual, in good shape.
  And he acts energetically with frenzied pressure.
  And all this in a very subtle way, so as not to scare off voters. Not Trump's style at all.
  And new times are dawning in the world-safer and more peaceful. Democratic and secular reforms are beginning in Saudi Arabia, and religious extremism is generally weakening. Indeed, many might read online about the contradictions between the Quran and science and wonder: why are they doing this? What grounds are there for considering the Quran, and indeed the Bible, the word of God?
  When people start thinking and asking questions, they're less reckless. Indeed, why does the century arise? Rather, from the fear of death! And so few people are afraid of dying until they get sick!
  Ahead of the elections, Medvedev increased sick leave benefits and disability benefits. Tank production was also increased...
  To prove himself a patriot, Medvedev significantly raised the bar on military spending. The "Bear" tank, the heaviest of the monsters, weighing over a hundred tons and powered by a nuclear reactor, was put into mass production.
  The "Bear" project was developed under Putin, on his personal orders. The idea was to create a monstrous tank designed to intimidate. The vehicle turned out to be quite heavy and expensive, with multi-layered armor and two rocket launchers.
  The unique feature of the vehicle was its speed of over one hundred kilometers per hour, with a weight of one hundred and fifty tons, and a colossal cruising range thanks to the nuclear reactor.
  However, another unfortunate incident occurred during the run: a track burst. And once again, the impression was ruined. Medvedev was literally ridiculed.
  And then there was this episode involving the acting president-you couldn't make this up. When Medvedev tried to knock down a tree in front of the lumberjacks, it fell right on the holiday table with food. So the hapless interim head of Russia was disgraced again.
  Medvedev really had bad luck. Fortune is so capricious: it rewards one and offends another. For example, Nicholas II wasn't all that bad, but he was truly offended by higher powers. And so it was with Medvedev, a generally intelligent man, that everything literally fell through the cracks.
  Attempts to do something were met with resistance and something stubborn.
  Medvedev seemed to be twitching in the frying pan. And then other problems arose. The acting prime minister was also caught up in a corruption scandal.
  And of course, Andrei Navalny was involved. That guy always gets in!
  He uncovered such damning dirt on Medvedev and his entourage-the scandal was devastating. In short, both Navalny and those caught in his crushing blow became famous.
  And Medvedev was forced to justify himself and wipe away the spit. And what didn't he end up with? This wasn't an election, it was a complete disaster.
  On election day, Medvedev arrived under guard. It was clear he was gloomy and unsure. His hands shook as he took the ballot. In his final order, the acting president tripled the salaries of military and police officers. And quintupled their pensions!
  Anastasia Orlova, however, wittily poked fun at the contender for the role of dictator:
  - It's too prickly to sit on bayonets! That's why he puts a money cushion under it!
  Afterwards, the terminator girl took it and showed a fig using her bare toes.
  Anastasia is certainly a woman who doesn't mince words. Witty, strong, cool, charismatic.
  And so many guys fell in love with her. Anastasia is a very spirited blonde, and she doesn't go to bed without choosing a new man for the night. Of course, she chooses the handsome, athletic, muscular men, sometimes even very young ones. But they're always different. Apparently, she needs to recharge her batteries. And no one considers this formidable warrior a slut.
  On the contrary, for such a strong and muscular woman, it seems very cool.
  Anastasia also voted, taking the ballot with her bare toes-it's a whole roll of it, hard to find a name-and she cast her ballot without any preconceptions. Well, it's clear who she voted for!
  After which she showed a big fig with her bare toes!
  Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived to vote on a bicycle. He jumped around and spun around. As always, he's feisty and spirited. A true Napoleon Bonaparte.
  And of course, he voted briskly, as expected.
  Vladimir Klitschko never withdrew from the election. He also voted for himself and shook his fist at Medvedev.
  Nikolai Valuev received the Hero of Russia award from Medvedev and the post of Minister of Internal Affairs at the very last minute. He barely managed to withdraw, although he refused to say who he voted for.
  Many people voted here: Alla Pugacheva and Suraykin...
  Zhirinovsky, of course, couldn't help but make his mark. He tore up a portrait of Vladimir Zelensky right at the polling station and promised to have him shot if he came to power.
  Dima Bilan sang during the voting:
  "Everything impossible is possible, I know for sure! Bilan will be chosen, he is a pure knight!"
  Then other stars appeared.
  Garry Kasparov announced that the government is changing and that Medvedev will leave and with him the Putin era will finally end.
  At the same time, the former world champion said he was open to resuming his chess career and breaking Steinitz's age record. He also said that Russia would soon have a worthy and democratic leader, and the era of the tsars would be a thing of the past.
  And that Garry Kasparov invented his own chess, which will soon gain popularity throughout the world.
  And he demonstrated a hundred-square board. New pieces had appeared. Two jesters: one next to the king and one next to the queen. The jester moves like a queen but captures only like a knight. And two archers on the edge instead of pawns. The archers move like pawns, but they can capture diagonally across two squares. True, because they're on the very edge of the board, their value is somewhat reduced. But they can also be promoted to any piece.
  Garry Kasparov's chess has undoubtedly attracted the attention of people and journalists.
  Navalny promised that Kasparov would definitely become a minister.
  Anatoly Karpov also voted. But he's already an old former champion, so he promised only to offer advice. He also said that big changes were likely coming. And that tomorrow would be better than yesterday!
  Medvedev announced on election day that the minimum vacation period in Russia would be increased to thirty working days, and that all women who gave birth to ten or more children would receive an award from him: the Hero of the Russian Federation star.
  A new populist move, and quite a powerful one, it must be said. But it's far too late. Especially on election day, it's clear this is just a publicity stunt.
  Medvedev was clearly losing ground... Everyone was getting tired of his unchanging power.
  The people wanted to break away from Putin's rut, and the thirst for change was ripe. Plus, Medvedev's apparent inability to be a strong personality became obvious.
  Zelensky, scoring points and acting without unnecessary populism and promises, confidently moved forward.
  The exit polls showed him as the clear favorite. Whether Medvedev will make it to the second round, however, remains to be seen! Vladimir Klitschko, Sergey Kovalev, and Grudinin could still challenge him for the spot.
  Zyuganov voted last. The old, ailing former chairman of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation scribbled a line under Grudin's name and sighed. It's no small burden to become Russia's first deputy prime minister at nearly eighty years old. Did he really need it?
  And Zyuganov, breathing heavily, wheezed:
  We will go into battle again,
  For the power of the Soviets...
  And as one we will die -
  Fight for it!
  And he staggered out of the cabin. No, he would resign in the near future.
  The time was approaching, and the first data on the presidential election was about to begin coming in. Russia stood on the threshold of enormous change. In Belarus, too, rallies and demands for union with Russia were taking place. Everything was becoming increasingly violent and exciting.
  Voter turnout in the Russian presidential election reached a record high in the history of alternative elections, reaching almost ninety percent.
  And just now they announced that the ballot boxes have been opened and the counting of votes from the Far East has begun.
  CHAPTER No 3.
  The results of the first round began trickling in from the Far East. As all the polls had predicted, Zelenskyy was confidently leading. Medvedev wasn't even in second place yet. Grudinin and Wladimir Klitschko were vying for second place. There were about two hundred other candidates on the list, so they scattered the votes. However, Zelenskyy had almost 50% of the votes in Siberia and could even count on winning in the first round.
  Medvedev spoke out in a heated tone:
  - We wanted the best, but voted for fun!
  Zelensky was laconic:
  - Truth has won!
  The election results were constantly changing, but Zelenskyy's lead remained strong. Grudinin and Klitschko, however, slipped slightly. Medvedev eventually moved into second place, albeit with a more than three-fold lead. The acting president earned the most in Chechnya, the army, and pretrial detention. Well, that's understandable. Especially in pretrial detention. It's harder to track the vote count there.
  Medvedev, however, released many prisoners and the increase was not as significant as he had expected.
  But with great difficulty, they managed to advance to the second round. Although Zelenskyy took almost 40 percent overall, Medvedev barely garnered 13 percent. And that was coupled with vote-buying and irregularities. Dmitry Anatolyevich turned out to be a weakling. Wladimir Klitschko came in third. A minor surprise, Grudinin came in fourth. Dima Bilan, who also unexpectedly made it in fifth, came in sixth. Sergey Kovalev came in sixth, despite his high ratings. Zhirinovsky didn't even make it into the top ten this time. However, Medvedev immediately awarded him the rank of colonel general for his faithful service and the Hero of Russia award.
  Such a consolation prize for his faithful servant. Dima Bilan also received the Hero of Russia star and the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, First Class.
  But Dima said he still wouldn't support Medvedev. His position on Zelenskyy, however, is also unclear. Only Wladimir Klitschko openly called for Zelenskaya's support. Moreover, the boxer stated he would fight the 2020 Olympic champion in Moscow. He also claimed the age difference didn't bother him, saying he was stronger and more motivated than ever.
  Medvedev, however, presented the Hero of Russia star to both Vladimir Klitschko and Vitali Klitschko. He said, "He's a fair man." You brothers have done a lot for boxing, especially Vladimir.
  Vitaly said the worst thing about the Maidan was that it kept him from breaking Holmes's record. But he had every chance!
  And suddenly, Vitaly wanted to meet Gassiev in Kyiv. This caused quite a stir. Why not give it a try?
  Sergey Kovalev also wanted to continue his career, recalling that Hoppins had defeated world champions and unified titles even when he was older. He also noted that he had no plans to work for either Zelesky or Medvedev's government for now. Instead, he wanted to fight.
  The guys were indeed motivated. Among the other boxers, Dima Bivol expressed a desire to fight Kovalev.
  Medvedev negotiated with Grudin, promising him the moon. Grudinin wanted nothing less than the prime minister's post. Unexpectedly, the aging Zyuganov supported Medvedev and called on Grudinin to join the acting president's team. But then problems arose and a split arose within the Communist Party, which disliked both candidates.
  But Sergei Udaltsov spoke in Zelensky's favor. He said, "Between two evils, we have to choose the one we haven't seen yet!"
  Nikolai Valuev proposed an alliance between Zelensky and Medvedev: Zelensky as president and Medvedev as prime minister. The oligarchs liked it! They even reminded them of the unspoken clause of the alliance: that prime ministers and presidents would be different from each other in their respective countries.
  And since Zelensky wins the presidential election, a Russian representative should become prime minister. Medvedev will still be in the second round.
  Zelensky, however, stated that the prime minister would be from Russia, but not Medvedev! Because Russians are fed up with his management. And what's needed is someone more capable in economics and with a track record of success, not Medvedev's failures!
  Opinion polls showed that the majority of Russians did not want Medvedev as prime minister. More precisely, almost 90 percent were against it.
  Rogozin unexpectedly returned from political oblivion and was considered a potential prime minister. Many Russians also wanted Andrei Navalny as their prime minister.
  So the wheel of history spun faster and faster.
  Globally, the West, of course, supported Zelensky, while China remained neutral. Most countries also supported Zelensky, considered a democrat and pro-Westerner. Medvedev, however, was Putin's partner for so long. There was even talk of a tandem between the two leaders. And it's clear that Medvedev isn't as warm and fuzzy as he pretends. There are elections in the US, too. A race between a young Republican and a young Democratic woman. And the odds are 50-50. In China, too, change is possible: Xi has developed health problems. And there seems to be a chance that a more democratic leader will succeed him.
  The Chinese oligarchy generally wants more freedom and democracy, but the people are starved for fun. What kind of elections are they when the outcome is predetermined?
  The fashion for dictatorship began to fade. Everyone wanted something more than just being cogs in the machine.
  Zelensky represented something new and change, and successful change at that. And in Russia, this was perceived positively. People didn't want prisons, camps, or general fear.
  A generation had passed, and everyone wanted change. Even in Cuba, where the hated Castro regime was faltering, even though it was under a different name. In North Korea, there was also a thirst for change. Moreover, Koreans often said: "Monarchy is not for communism!" And that the fat dictator must go!
  The desire for change was growing globally, and Zelensky was riding this wave. And he was making progress!
  And in North Korea, a protest demonstration took place, which the dictatorial regime gunned down with automatic weapons. This became yet another indicator of the barbarity reigning on the continent.
  Trump declared that the United States could solve the problem of this dictatorship by force. And that a nuclear bomb wouldn't frighten them. Trump went on to say that the United States was already testing weapons of such magnitude that no thermonuclear warheads would be a threat.
  But Trump's time was running out. He was already the oldest president. And after Carter's death, he even became the oldest, even among former presidents. Wow! Fortune favors the young! If Trump had faced a younger woman, it's unlikely he would have beaten her at all!
  Apparently, the law of karma dictates: good luck to the young! Even if Ronald Reagan was an exception to the rule!
  And the relatively young Gorbachev turned out to be a failure. Let no one even say that Mikhail Sergeyevich was wrong? He was the first Soviet leader to speak human language. And yet he was misunderstood by the people! Or perhaps not even by the people, but by the elite!
  Oh, such luck! Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin has had so much good fortune, but how much has he actually achieved?
  If Nicholas II had had a little more luck-for example, if Admiral Makarov had survived-how great and powerful Russia would have been. China would have become Yellow Russia, and the whole world would have been subjugated!
  And so they took only Crimea and got drawn into confrontation with the whole world!
  And Nicholas II, as a subtle diplomat, managed to negotiate Constantinople and Asia Minor with his allies.
  Well, okay, now the phenomenal Zelensky is becoming more active. And the second election is approaching.
  There's growing jubilation and optimism in Ukraine. Medvedev naturally suggested televised debates. Although it's of little use. The acting Russian president's position isn't particularly strong. And there's nothing to boast about. Not in the economy, not in politics, and not in the war. The situation in the Caucasus has even worsened. And nothing can be done. Neither force nor diplomacy is working. Relations with Medvedev's entourage are becoming increasingly hostile. No one takes the Tsar seriously here anymore. Even though the Tsar is still on the throne.
  The oligarchs, by and large, aren't against Zelensky. Only the security forces, or at least some of them, are unhappy!
  Medvedev secretly convened the Security Council. The discussion turned to the question of canceling the second round. For example, weren't there violations? Of course there were! And they could find fault with that and overturn the election results. And why bother confirming it through the Supreme Court? The idea seemed perfectly reasonable.
  Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev recalled that in May 1999, Yeltsin discussed a plan for a military coup and the dissolution of the State Duma!
  And that almost happened. True, even then, the security forces were divided. Some argued that a softer option would be better: the Supreme Court would dismiss the impeachment proceedings due to the lack of a law on the removal of the Russian president. And by the time this law was passed-it's constitutional-two-thirds of Parliament and three-quarters of the Federation Council would need to be assembled. Then the Duma's mandate would expire, and then the president's as well.
  The security forces did promise to work with the Supreme Court and resolve the issue peacefully. Yeltsin wasn't exactly keen on launching a military coup with a two-percent approval rating and five heart attacks. He didn't have the strength, nor the support. Especially since in 1993, there was some popular support for that course. But by 1999, it was gone. And it couldn't have been, given the results.
  So, if the impeachment process had gone ahead, it would most likely have ended without gunfire.
  Medvedev appealed to the Supreme Court to have the elections declared invalid.
  But then, of course, the judges began to object. They said that even if the elections were annulled, they would still have to hold a re-election. And Medvedev's chances would only diminish. And public unrest would ensue.
  So, Dmitry, you better accept that Zelensky will become president of Russia. And try to find your place.
  Moreover, many said that this clown would never succeed in Ukraine. But, boy, did it work! And there's no point in making a mountain out of a molehill.
  Medvedev, after conferring with the judges and security officials, made a decision: he'll still go to the polls. And hold a second round. And then we'll see what happens. Maybe a miracle will happen. But if not? They won't put him in jail, will they?
  The billionaires' assembly also expressed their opinion that they are not against democracy. And that Zelensky is not a leftist and suits them. And further, that all Western sanctions will finally be lifted and Russia will finally return to the global community.
  Now all that remained was to hold televised debates. Zelenskyy agreed, but only at Luzhniki Stadium. Naturally, this was accepted. It was very reminiscent of the stage already passed with Poroshenko. Moreover, the difference in the first round was even greater. And Medvedev's negative ratings were colossal.
  But televised debates are like a drowning man clutching at straws. The final meeting is on Friday, and the elections are on Sunday.
  Medvedev, in general, was prepared. But the facts were not on his side. And Poroshenko's experience showed that rhetoric alone couldn't overcome the facts. Just as they failed to defeat Mayor Luzhkov, the only time in Moscow's history when the central television channels worked against the incumbent mayor.
  But propaganda couldn't outweigh the Moscow mayor's economic achievements. And it wasn't like they were going to vote for Kiriyenko, the author of the default! And yet, he was the one they were promoting the most. They steered perhaps the most unsuccessful candidate against the economic leader.
  However, Russian media now focused more on Zelensky. No one believed in Medvedev. Even the Supreme Court refused to hear the case to annul the elections.
  By the time the matter was over, the stadium was packed to the brim. Literally overflowing.
  And it was clear that a serious controversy was coming. However, it was clear from Medvedev's face that he had almost resigned himself to defeat. But the final move had to be made.
  On the eve of the debates, Medvedev appointed Vladimir Zhirinovsky as Minister of Internal Affairs. It was a final act of desperation. But Zhirinovsky, knowing that over 80 percent of voters were ready to vote for Zelensky, wasn't at all eager to quarrel with the future head of state. Although, of course, he understood that he was unlikely to find a place on Zelensky's team.
  Yes, Vladimir Volfovich is old. However, Anatoly Kashpirovsky, the Minister of Health and Deputy Prime Minister, is even older. But he's also not particularly eager to campaign for Medvedev. However, he does have a chance of staying on the team. His age is advanced, which means experience. And his physical fitness is actually quite good.
  It is no wonder that Kashpirovsky is a phenomenon.
  The stadium debate began with greetings and witty remarks. But Zelensky looked fresher, more confident, more persuasive, and more professional.
  Medvedev was extremely nervous and started shouting. He couldn't seem convincing. And things are pretty dire in the country. The people clearly support Zelensky. Things are so tense here.
  Zelensky's every word is met with applause, while Medvedev is booed. In other words, there's a real breakdown in the debate.
  Medvedev twitches and says:
  - I have experience!
  Zelenskyy replies with a smile:
  - With such experience, you can only become a janitor!
  Medvedev responded:
  - Putin and I took Crimea!
  Zelensky responded wittily:
  - A thief's grip and short arms!
  And so the debate continued, but Zelensky was clearly winning. He was far wittier and more persuasive than Medvedev, and the audience rejoiced.
  Immediately after the televised debates, the acting Russian president issued a decree raising salaries fivefold and pensions sevenfold! But it already looked like a joke.
  The people just laughed at Medvedev. Although it was clear that they were doing even worse on the eve of the elections!
  Medvedev also decided to award the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called to both Stalin and Lenin. This decision was, it must be said, quite wise, but belated. Dmitry Medvedev clearly wanted to win over the communists, and especially the Stalinists. But at the same time, he went ahead and awarded the hero's star to Tukhachevsky. This was also an unusual move and an attempt to court the liberals.
  Medvedev actually tried to please both sides. He awarded the Patriarch, the Pope, and the leaders of Christian denominations. Protestants, first and foremost. Even Jehovah's Witnesses' rights were restored, but it was of little use. They're banned from voting anyway, and the organization is on its last legs!
  Medvedev awarded both muftis and lamas. He tried to win everyone over. The shower of medals and orders was extraordinary. The acting president also presented each State Duma deputy with a million-dollar bonus. However, this served more to repel than attract the public.
  Medvedev then attempted to establish several new orders: the Order of Peter the Great, the Order of Ivan the Terrible, the Order of Alexander the Liberator, the Order of Nicholas II, and the Order of Brusilov. The Orders of Lenin and Stalin were also restored.
  Medvedev was trying to attract a diverse electorate in this way. And he was acting on the principle: "Both yours and ours!" But in this case, his omnivorousness bred public mistrust-he was seen as a political prostitute. People seemed to have forgotten that Putin, too, had courted both the left and the right. And he, too, tried to be omnivorous.
  However, what is permitted to Jupiter is forbidden to the bull! From the very beginning, despite his reputation as the successor to the hated Yeltsin, Putin enjoyed the sympathy of both the people and the elite. Even the Communists were afraid to oppose him, and voted for his confirmation as prime minister without a fight or a bargain.
  Medvedev, however, was never particularly popular. Apparently, he was too intellectual and overshadowed by Putin. No one perceived him as a real fighter or ruler. In fact, after Putin, any successor seemed like a political dwarf and somehow out of place. Zelensky, on the other hand, was perceived as charismatic, like a fairytale prince. And no longer a pig in a poke, but a successful ruler who pulled Ukraine out of a swamp, or rather, out of a hole.
  Of course, Ukraine suffered primarily because of the severing of ties with Russia. And Poroshenko may not be entirely to blame here. If something similar had happened in Belarus, it would have been a complete disaster. In terms of professionalism, the Ukrainian government is strong! In Belarus, on the contrary, there are only sycophants and bootlickers. Putin's team occasionally featured strong personalities, like Rogozin or Tkachev, but they were quickly removed.
  Medvedev, in any case, was a man who did not seem to be a natural-born ruler, and therefore this tsar was not entirely genuine and suitable for the court.
  In some ways, he was reminiscent of Gorbachev, who was beloved by ordinary people in the West but disliked by his own. Of course, Gorbachev was partly disliked because of his fight against alcoholism. Alcoholics and drinkers, understandably, didn't forgive the vodka shortage. Wine riots ensued. And then cigarettes disappeared, too.
  No, Gorbachev was clearly disliked for more than just his bald head. Medvedev, as prime minister, proved himself a very weak economist. And even without Zelensky, he would have had trouble getting re-elected.
  Once Putin pulled Medvedev by the ears.
  But now Putin is out of the game-he's ruined his health from manually steering and overexerting himself with hockey. But was it really necessary to take to the ice at such an advanced age, especially without the skills he had in his youth?
  Putin is burned out, overextended. And without him, there's no one to stop Zelensky. Moreover, Putin himself conducted personnel policies in such a way that he was left without a worthy successor. Like Stalin, who managed to ensure that Khrushchev succeeded him and failed. And here Medvedev is a completely inadequate leader of the Russian empire.
  On the Saturday before the election, a film about Zelensky aired on all Russian television channels. Naturally, the intention was to discredit him. But few facts were presented. And the propaganda machine proved its ineffectiveness. And many channels commented on the film.
  Medvedev awarded many generals with medals, causing another meteor shower.
  Unexpectedly, he also established a new Order of Botvinnik, in three classes: bronze, silver, and gold. He also established the Order of Alekhine, also in bronze, silver, and gold.
  Medvedev then announced by decree that Russia would transition to a professional army within four years. The length of service would be reduced to six months.
  The acting president then announced that war veterans and those who served in conflict zones would be awarded the Hero of the Russian Federation star. This was a step without precedent.
  Medvedev was clearly seeking his place in history. The acting president then posthumously awarded Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin the Order of Victory, the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, and the newly established Grand Diamond Star of the Hero of the Russian Federation.
  This was already the last attempt to play on the former Russian idol's popularity. Like, I'm Medvedev, I've been with Putin for so many years - love me with all your heart and soul!
  But apparently people are not too eager to love this candidate for dictator.
  And on the night from Saturday to Sunday, Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev even announced the posthumous conferment of the title of Generalissimo on Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin!
  That was truly, truly cool! Like, I'm giving the title to an idol of yesteryear!
  But will this help Medvedev? It's hard to convince people to vote for you simply by praising your former idols and awarding them medals. No matter how many awards you shower him with, you won't bring Putin back. And it's clear that the old tsar is gone, and a new tsar is coming from Kyiv.
  Zelenskyy, however, was not idle and also awarded the Pope. The aging Francis I blessed the Ukrainian president for new achievements.
  And in Belarus, a pro-Russian coalition of parties has already completed collecting signatures for a referendum on unification with Russia. A vote on the matter is expected. However, Medvedev is not getting credit for this. The main initiative here came from Zelenskyy, the idol of millions.
  So now Volodymyr Zelensky was entering the home stretch...
  Voting has begun in Siberia. Turnout was high from the very beginning. People went to the polls and smiled. It was clear they were going for change. And that they wanted something new. Everyone was tired and repetitive of the old.
  There was even a song playing in the morning:
  Our hearts demand change,
  Our eyes demand change.
  In our laughter and in our tears,
  And in the pulsations of the veins!
  Changes, we are waiting for changes!
  The elections were calm, but the turnout was enormous. People flocked to the polls in droves. Nikolai Valuev was one of the first to vote. He dropped his ballot into the box and said:
  - Let's vote for something new!
  Alexander Povetkin was next to appear. He also voted and delivered his own:
  - For the Russian Gods!
  Then came the voting. Ballots were cast. Dima Bilan and Alla Pugacheva were there. Lev Leshchenko also showed up and announced:
  - Let's vote for something new!
  Nikolai Baskov sang:
  - Russian waltz, wings soar! Spring is coming!
  And he also dropped the leaflet into the trash can.
  Then other guys showed up... Zelensky arrived to vote on a scooter and did a somersault, drawing applause. He even recited:
  Know the pulsation of the heart and veins,
  The tears of our children, mothers...
  They say we want change,
  Throw off the yoke of heavy chains!
  And thunderous applause! Even though the poems weren't his, but those of the famous poet and writer Oleg Rybachenko. But Oleg Rybachenko himself had transformed into a boy and was now traveling in another world.
  Other boxers voted next: Sergey Kovaley and Denis Lebedev. The latter, after a break, attempted a comeback. But he was beaten and finally retired.
  Sofia Rotaru voted in Kyiv. And she smiled a lot...
  Vladimir Zhirinovsky also arrived. He shouted:
  - To a new path!
  And flashing his colonel general's epaulettes, Zyuganov arrived at the elections in a wheelchair. And remained silent the entire time.
  Grudinin voted smiling...
  Garry Kasparov gave a simultaneous exhibition and also cast his vote. Moreover, he announced that he would play a match against Carleson. Anatoly Karpov also gave a simultaneous exhibition.
  By the way, Karpov has already been awarded the golden order of Mikhail Botvinnik.
  So the question remains, who is the main and best of the world champions.
  Of course, a lot has changed...
  Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev surprised everyone again. He announced the establishment of the Oleg Rybachenko Order. And what's more, it will be awarded in four degrees: fourth degree - bronze, third degree - silver, second degree - gold, and first degree - gold with diamonds!
  This turned out really cool!
  "Lucifer's Armageddon" has already been released in theaters, breaking records set by "Avatar" and "Star Wars." Oleg Rybachenko is becoming a true literary superstar!
  Medvedev also established a literary prize named after Oleg Rybachenko, with a prize fund ten times larger than the Nobel Prize.
  And this is really cool!
  Medvedev then became increasingly active on Sundays. He awarded Oleg Rybachenko the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, the Hero of Russia star, a large diamond Hero of Russia star, and the Order of Victory. This was an attempt to change the course of history.
  Like, I'll shower Oleg Rybachenko with affection, and everything will be great! And I'll even award him the title of Marshal of the Russian Federation!
  And Sunday is coming... The first exit poll data is already in, which shows that Zelensky has over eighty percent.
  And the flow of information will not stop...
  Medvedev isn't going to vote yet. He's working. He's issuing an order awarding Vladimir Volfovich the rank of Army General. As if to say, "Be loyal to me."
  Although Zhirinovsky seems to have already defected to the other side.
  Lev Leshchenko became Minister without Portfolio. But that no longer matters.
  There's unrest in China. The people want democracy - they're tired of despotism! Man does not live by bread alone!
  I want to say no to the boss too! How much longer can we maintain this strict discipline in the twenty-first century?
  Things aren't looking good in China. Following the path of communism and building capitalism ad infinitum isn't working. Some changes are needed. And the leadership is far too conservative.
  In addition, the new bourgeoisie wants democracy and an end to police brutality.
  The exhaustion of old-fashioned ways of working also took its toll! A reluctance to be cogs in the system. And in China, on Sundays, there are significant riots that shake the system.
  And in the US, a woman has the best chance of becoming president. However, Floyd Mayweather's popularity has suddenly begun to soar. The undefeated boxer has already climbed to the top of the rankings.
  Apparently, the US was hungry for new victories and wanted neither a Republican nor a Democrat to take the throne. And Floyd's a tough guy, too!
  And then there are the televised debates again.
  It's already Sunday evening. Polling stations will be closing soon.
  At the last minute, Medvedev finally appeared. He quickly cast his ballot and left without saying a word. The clock struck - voting was over.
  For now, President Medvedev has left the Kremlin and gone to his residence outside Moscow.
  There were two girls in the cabin with him. At least it was some fun.
  Natasha, sitting on the right, asked:
  - Well, Dima? Now they'll announce your complete failure!
  Medvedev noted:
  There are still two months until the inauguration. So for now, I'm done, and Zelensky is just the president of Ukraine!
  Alenka, sitting on the right hand, noticed:
  "And the inauguration can be expedited! Your reign, Dmitry Anatolyevich, is over!"
  Medvedev asked pleadingly:
  - But you girls can do it!
  Natasha frowned and asked:
  - What can we do?
  Medvedev confidently stated:
  - Interfere with the inauguration!
  Natasha laughed and answered:
  - And how?
  The acting president responded decisively:
  - As if you don"t know it yourself!
  Natasha replied angrily:
  - We will not kill Zelensky!
  Medvedev immediately objected:
  - Well, why kill him? Just make him give up the crown himself!
  CHAPTER No 4.
  The girls giggled in unison...
  Alenka asked with a grin:
  - What do you suggest using hypnosis?
  Dmitry Anatolyevich nodded:
  - That's exactly it! You can do it!
  Natasha answered for her friend:
  - We can, but we don"t want to!
  Medvedev was surprised:
  - And why is that?
  Natasha answered honestly:
  "Zelensky was elected! And you, Dmitry Anatolyevich, are incapable of governing the country!"
  Alenka added sarcastically:
  - And this is quite obvious to all of us!
  Medvedev noted with fury:
  - Don't you understand that we will become a colony of the West?
  Alenka answered confidently:
  - The West will soon become our colony!
  Natasha added sarcastically:
  - And with you, Misha, Russia will never be great!
  Medvedev gurgled:
  - I will give you the Order of Victory, the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, the Order of Nicholas II, and a gold star set with diamonds...
  Natasha laughed and remarked:
  - Maybe we should become presidents ourselves and hang three hundred medals on ourselves?
  Alenka noted:
  - We can hypnotize you and become generalissimos.
  Natasha giggled and noted:
  - Or maybe even super-generalissimos!
  The girls burst out laughing...
  Alenka sang:
  - And even the enemy shouted at times,
  Hiding the fear - that I am the king!
  Natasha bared her teeth and chirped:
  - I don't like theaters and arenas,
  There they exchange a million for a ruble...
  Even though there are big changes ahead,
  I love Belobog and Stalin!
  And the girl took it and with her bare toes squeezed the losing president's nose.
  The numbers were already being announced from the Far East. Zelenskyy had 91 percent, Medvedev 7.5 percent, a clear lead for the Ukrainian president.
  Alenka also tugged Medvedev's ear with her bare toes and hissed:
  - So, former president, did your awards help you?
  Medvedev said with effort:
  - I'm not an ex yet! I'm a real one until the inauguration!
  The girl screamed:
  - Glory to the new Tsar!
  The witch girls, playing their last trump card, refused to help Medvedev. And now the still-acting president was trying to find a way out of this hopeless situation.
  Perhaps they should influence the Supreme Court to annul the results of the Russian presidential election? It seemed very tempting. But in reality, the odds looked slim.
  What if we issued a decree offering each judge a billion dollars? After all, he's the president, and he has powers that even the tsars couldn't dream of! More precisely, he's the acting president. And indeed, if we offered a full billion dollars, the judges wouldn't resist.
  Why bother with trifles?
  The radio was reporting that Zelenskyy had over 90 percent of the votes so far, and in Ukraine, it was expected that he would get almost 100 percent. Perhaps in the Red Belt, thanks to Medvedev's flirtation with the communists, he would have a slightly better chance, and there was some chance in the Caucasus as well. However, Ramzan Kadyrov seemed to have decided to side with the winner. He could still make a dent in the army, although the military has little desire to serve under a declining president.
  Overall, after the first round, Medvedev's power weakened. While he could still hand out awards, he was increasingly ignored in other respects.
  Dmitry Medvedev arrived at his office and tried to contact the central bank. The operator reluctantly connected him.
  The acting president demanded that he be allocated funds for urgent needs.
  The head of the Central Bank responded:
  - I will not do anything until I receive confirmation from the new President Zelensky.
  Medvedev roared:
  - Are you crazy? I'm still president, inaugurating a new one! And if that's the case, then you owe me your obedience!
  The head of the central bank noted:
  - According to the constitution, I don't obey you! And why do you need money anyway?
  Medvedev responded with a grin:
  - Are countries urgently needed?
  The central bank governor responded in a harsh tone:
  - Do you want to run away?
  Medvedev barked:
  - I'm arresting you now! The army is under my command! My faithful Zhirinovsky is with me!
  The head of the Central Bank noted:
  "He always salutes! And in Moscow, over ninety percent are for Zelensky. Your reign is over, Misha!"
  Medvedev roared:
  - And yours hasn't started yet!
  And he hung up. Now the situation was getting dire. The security forces were about to refuse to obey. Zhirinovsky, what a fox. Was it worth appointing him Minister of Internal Affairs? Should he order the special forces? Or try to use the State Duma?
  It's clear that Zelensky will hold new elections, and many deputies will lose their mandates. Or rather, almost all of them.
  Something different is needed here. But the State Duma is unlikely to go against the people. And the army won't support an outright military coup. Russia's generals aren't the kind to go to civil war.
  There's only one option left: to overturn the presidential election in court. This is the only legitimate chance to prolong his agony. But most likely, it will only prolong it. Medvedev hardly has a realistic chance of being re-elected. Indeed, his negative ratings are colossal, even worse than Petro Poroshenko's.
  Medvedev also considered another option. For example, physically eliminating Zelensky? But that's blatantly criminal. To stoop to such a level? Especially considering how it would disgrace Medvedev. And at best, it would only give him a reprieve. Because the people won't forgive Medvedev for such a colossal electoral failure.
  No, Dmitry Anatolyevich won't succeed. Without even garnering ten percent of the votes in the election, he certainly won't be able to hold on to power.
  Medvedev walked up to the bar, opened it, took out a bottle, and poured himself some cognac.
  Dear - "Napoleon", aged for two hundred years!
  The acting president drank a shot. Then a second, and ate a lemon.
  A warmth settled in his stomach, and his thoughts raced. After his third glass, Medvedev smiled and sat down in a chair. He felt a little more cheerful. Indeed, why does he need this power? He's overwhelmed with responsibility. Not a minute of free time, not a second of peace. Always on the move, under the surveillance of video cameras. You're afraid to say a word too much.
  There is a lot of work, but no pleasure.
  But I want to lie in bed with a girl. Play war on the computer.
  Indeed, you're the president, but you think three times before starting a real war. Just like the menacing Trump, he still couldn't bring himself to attack Iran.
  You can talk a lot about war, but actually deciding to go through with it is not easy!
  But in the game, fight, fight!
  Medvedev sat down at the computer. He turned on his favorite World War II game. He hadn't played it in a long time. To avoid too much effort, you use the cheat code. Like this...
  And then you push technology at a hurricane pace. And you've got IS-7s, which you're firing at regiments, while the Germans only have T-1s. There's a noticeable difference in strength and resources.
  Medvedev, who almost never drank, partly due to his poor health, noticeably cheered up.
  So you throw the IS-7, the most expensive and heaviest tank of World War II, at the enemy. And you destroy it without much effort. The war goes on easily and victoriously. You capture city after city.
  Of course, Stalin led the country well, and managed to defeat the Third Reich in less than four years. Putin fought ISIS for longer. And the Germans have some pretty cool technology.
  For example, in the game, the German E-75 tank can only fight on equal terms with the Soviet IS-7; all other tanks are outclassed. The E-75 has very strong armor. Even its gun, which is superior to the Soviet IS-7, is close in terms of destructive power.
  And the Germans planned to make this tank their main tank in 1945. And ours?
  Medvedev sighed... They never managed to launch the IS-7 into mass production in the post-war period. So had the war lasted longer, it's unclear who would have won.
  Dmitry Anatolyevich, having gotten drunk, sang:
  - It's a pleasure, brothers, it's a pleasure! It's a pleasure to live, brothers! And our atamans don't have to worry.
  Medvedev fell asleep during the game. It's relaxing...
  And the next day the final results of the presidential elections became known.
  Almost 92 percent of voters, including Ukraine, voted for Zelenskyy, while 6.7 percent voted for Medvedev. Thus, Zelenskyy secured a resounding victory.
  Celebrations and jubilation began across the country. Finally, a new, seemingly bright life was dawning.
  Until the inauguration, Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev is acting president.
  And he, of course, congratulated the winner. What else could he do? And there's nothing to recalculate with six percent.
  Interior Minister Vladimir Zhirinovsky, however, visited Medvedev and consoled him:
  - I voted for you, Dmitry Anatolyevich!
  The acting president quietly replied:
  - Thank you!
  Zhirinovsky proposed:
  - Maybe we should make you a prime minister?
  Medvedev shook his painted head:
  "I don't think they'll give me the prime minister's job after such a rout in the second round. That would no longer be politically correct."
  Zhirinovsky logically noted:
  - There should be someone from Russia in your place anyway. So who if not you?
  Medvedev suggested:
  - Most likely, Andrei Navalny!
  Zhirinovsky bared his teeth and growled:
  - Andrei Navalny? That will never happen!
  Medvedev shrugged and said with confusion:
  - Where else can you go?
  Zhirinovsky shouted:
  - Yes, I'll arrest them all!
  Medvedev waved his hand:
  - Enough! It looks like our time is up! I'm going on vacation to the Canary Islands. What are you going to do?
  Zhirinovsky, squinting slyly, replied:
  - Lobby for your friends' interests! Before Zelensky takes office as president of Russia and Ukraine!
  Medvedev noted sadly:
  - Unfortunately, it"s not that simple... Then they"ll skin you alive!
  Zhirinovsky, squinting slyly, asked:
  - Please make me a Marshal of the Russian Federation! What's it cost you?
  Medvedev thought for a couple of seconds, and then announced:
  - Fine! I'll make not only you a marshal, but I'll also reinstate Beria to the rank of marshal! That will be fair!
  Zhirinovsky nodded in agreement:
  - In relation to Beria, yes!
  Medvedev squinted and asked:
  - And in relation to you?
  Zhirinovsky answered honestly:
  - And towards me, like a king! I reward whomever I want!
  Medvedev nodded in agreement:
  - Let it be so!
  And he ordered the preparation of both decrees on conferring the titles of marshals.
  The acting Russian president perked up, thinking that he could now fully enjoy computer games.
  And they are a great pleasure to play...
  But really, why would a president need anything else? Technology has advanced so much now that you can be anyone you want. Even God. And, specifically, in the game, you can create universes.
  For example, in the office of the Acting President there is a large number of different games, including the most modern ones.
  Medvedev decides to play a real-time strategy game. Germany in 1939. So, what do you do? You use the cheat code. You add five thousand Panthers, three thousand Tigers, and ten thousand Focke-Wulfs. And you deploy these forces against the enemy. And you attack Poland, which doesn't have even a tenth of those forces.
  And the war is going just the way you want it to, one-sided and victorious. Medvedev, frankly, is a huge conqueror here. He crushes the enemy like a plum press.
  Poland is crushed easily and faster than in real history. You attack France. Using a cheat code, you unleash ten thousand E-75 tanks on them. Frankly, they're magnificent machines. Completely invulnerable to French guns, but devastating at long range. They shoot down enemy vehicles.
  Medvedev even jumps with joy. He's moving so fast, just like in the game, and he's already taking Paris... And what's the next step? Let's take Spain too, so Franco doesn't have to show off too much.
  And to storm Gibraltar, we'll use jet aircraft. What else would the British do?
  Of course, we'll also use the funds to build battleships and aircraft carriers. Then Britain will be in trouble. Here are a hundred aircraft carriers and two hundred battleships. That will be a colossal force.
  And then there are the landing ships. You also make the "E"-U series of tanks, a further evolution of the "E." You throw in the "E"-50-U tank, a machine that's impossible to penetrate from any angle.
  And she began to torment the British. And now two beautiful girls inside such a tank are winking at the acting president of Russia.
  Medvedev blows them a kiss in return.
  Let's play like this...
  And the newest tanks approach London. And without ceremony they take the capital of England.
  Medvedev sang:
  - The world is boring! We'll all eat the cat!
  Playing is certainly fun and easy. Just take the rogue code and churn out whatever you want. So, you capture the Balkans and head to Africa. You churn out more, and even infantry. You build troops, if only you had the money. And capturing territory also gives you money. Well, just try it, go through Africa.
  The USSR finally opens the front. The T-34s are up against the E-50-U series, of which they churned out another 10,000. While the E-50's armor is roughly comparable to the Tiger-2, albeit with a slightly more aggressive slant, slightly stronger armament, and a more powerful engine, the E-50-U, while weighing the same, is comparable to the Soviet T-64 and even has a more powerful gas turbine engine.
  Yes, the forces are not equal. Different generations of tanks are fighting here.
  And Medvedev, of course, is dashing on a black horse.
  The forces are certainly not comparable. You could also add the E-75-U, a squat, lethal machine impenetrable even by naval guns.
  And how it goes. Nothing can stop it.
  Medvedev is playing like a little boy. Oh, well, that's good. And no one is rushing to see him. He lost, and the acting president has been forgotten.
  Everyone loves only winners.
  Dmitry Anatolyevich sang:
  And we challenge the storms,
  From what and why...
  To live in this world without surprises,
  It is impossible for anyone,
  Let there be success, failure,
  All the jumps, up and down,
  Only this way, and not otherwise,
  Only this way, and no other way!
  Long live surprise!
  Surprise! Surprise!
  Long live surprise!
  Surprise! Surprise!
  Long live surprise!
  And Medvedev felt happier. His troops had occupied Ukraine and Belarus, and were inexorably approaching Moscow!
  The former Russian president says:
  - That our life is a game!
  And he storms the USSR's capital. Of course, against the 1941 army, he has tanks of the 1960s and even 1970s quality, and most importantly, there are plenty of them.
  Medvedev winks at himself... The capital, Moscow, has been taken. And now he can seize the Caucasus... And take southern Africa for himself at the same time. And then cross over to Argentina.
  And from there, attack the United States. He's a tough commander, after all. The enemy is inferior in both the quantity and quality of his troops.
  Medvedev sings enthusiastically:
  - We will boldly go into battle! For the power of the Soviets! And we will crush everyone into shit in the struggle for it!
  Medvedev was temporarily pulled away from the game. The Russian Defense Minister, Trubetskoy, who had replaced Shoigu, called. He asked the still-acting president:
  - When will we swear in the new leader?
  Medvedev responded laconically:
  - Where it should be, at the inauguration!
  Trubetskoy noted:
  The new president of a united country wants to hold the inauguration next week. So they don't have time to steal it!
  Medvedev barked:
  - This is not according to our constitution and laws!
  Trubetskoy noted:
  "And Yeltsin adopted this constitution in violation of the law and the old constitution. In fact, many thought Putin would propose a new constitution, but somehow it never happened!"
  Medvedev noted:
  - It"s not the best idea for every new president to adopt a new constitution!
  Trubetskoy objected:
  - But Putin could have! He was cooler than Yeltsin, and you, Dmitry Anatolyevich!
  Medvedev nodded and agreed:
  - Cooler and, most importantly, luckier! Without Putin, everything fell apart, and Zelensky took power in Russia.
  Trubetskoy noted:
  Lukashenko had a chance, too, but he missed his opportunity. He should have moved faster!
  Medvedev logically noted:
  Lukashenko was afraid of competitive elections in Russia. And Zelensky wouldn't have taken the risk either if Putin's heart hadn't given up. Managing the country manually for so long has burned him out! Putin has clearly burned himself out!
  Trubetskoy suggested:
  - Well, should we accept the inauguration sooner or not?
  Medvedev responded boldly:
  "Do as you wish! I don't care anymore! I'll retire with honor and live the life I want. Maybe I'll travel the world! I've already served as president and prime minister for a record-breaking period for Russia! How long can I cling to the throne?"
  Trubetskoy agreed:
  - Well, if that's the case, then let change come! And what about Shoigu?
  Medvedev responded coldly:
  - Let him rest! A marshal's pension is big. Let him travel the world. I gave you permission to own property abroad!
  Trubetskoy nodded and remarked:
  Putin has isolated Russia from the world! While we mourned in words, we rejoiced in his death! As for Zelensky, we'll see! Many of us wanted a Western-style system. Earn like the US, but work like the USSR!
  Medvedev noted:
  - Well, under Stalin, officials worked hard! Don't think it was all honey for them!
  Trubetskoy asked:
  - And what will you do?
  Medvedev recalled:
  "I was president, and I'll retire on a presidential pension. It's a big one... And I'll enjoy life! Why else would I work?"
  Trubetskoy recalled:
  - Zelensky can give you a position as an advisor to him!
  Medvedev waved it off:
  - Ouch! He's smart enough without my advice! In short, hold the inauguration! Dmitry Anatolyevich has sent his!
  Trubetskoy agreed:
  - Inauguration yes!
  Medvedev hung up. He decided to finish the game. Something he'd never had time for before. And at least mentally put the squeeze on the US.
  Or more accurately, in the game. However, the American Sherman is weak against the E-75-U. But the US has plenty of aircraft, even if they're not as powerful as the German jets.
  But the quality, of course, isn't what it used to be! The Fritzes are racking up big scores. Especially the pilots: Albina and Alvina! And these are girls who are known for their colossal passion.
  Medvedev is advancing on America from the south. And at the same time, his tanks are rolling through Siberia. He's having fun. By the way, why not conquer Japan too? In this game, you can wipe out your allies, too. Advanced strategy. Use the cheater's code and you'll outnumber and outclass your opponent. It's not war, it's pure pleasure. Those tailless jets-the Americans can't even catch up.
  Get more precise and hit. And use radio-guided missiles! And scare the Americans. Medvedev really likes this kind of game. And move your troops. Look, Mexico has been taken. Look, American cities are falling one after another. What a pleasure.
  And in the east, E-U series tanks are entering India. But what can the British counter them with? Especially since the Third Reich had already amassed resources and was producing cutting-edge technology without a scam code.
  But Medvedev decided to upgrade the Panther a bit. Here's the standard Panther: 80-110mm frontal armor, 50mm side armor, a 75mm gun with a 70 EL barrel length, and a 650 horsepower engine. The Panther-2 has 120-150mm frontal armor, 60mm side armor, an 88mm gun with a 71 EL barrel, and an 850 horsepower engine. It's a serious machine. And it's not forty-five tons heavier, but fifty, and has a lower profile.
  Here's the Panther-3. Frontal armor is 150 to 200 millimeters thick, the sides are 82-mm thick, the gun is 88 mm long with a 100 EL barrel, and the engine produces 1,200 horsepower-it weighs 55 tons. You'd have to admit, this vehicle is simply superb compared to the Shermans.
  But there's the Panther-4. It has 200-250mm of sloped frontal armor, and 160mm of side armor. It has a 105mm gun with a 100EL barrel. It's a monster, weighing 65 tons and boasting a low profile. It has a 1,500-horsepower gas turbine engine. Of course, it's an excellent production design, capable of fighting even the Soviet IS-7. The IS-7 wasn't even mass-produced.
  But there are even more powerful vehicles. The Panther-5, for example, boasts 250mm frontal armor, a 45-degree hull slope, 300mm sloped turret front, 210mm sloped side armor, a 128mm 100-EL gun, a more advanced tank weighing 75 tons, and a 2,000-horsepower gas turbine engine. This vehicle outperforms all Soviet and American models. Capable of penetrating an IS-7 from a distance and withstanding frontal hits. The Panther-5 is simply superb technology. The USSR has nothing stronger than the IS-7. And the Germans have five types of Tiger tanks.
  After capturing most of the US, Medvedev decided to banish the Tiger as well. Well, the Tiger I is well-known. Its frontal armor is 100-110 mm, almost flat, and its side armor is 82 mm, flat. And its 88 mm gun, with a barrel length of 56 EL, makes it a truly powerful tank. Unlike the Panther, where only the first series and some second-series models actually saw combat, the Tiger II tank is better known as the "King Tiger."
  The frontal armor is 120-150 mm thick, with the hull front sloped at 50 degrees, the turret front at a slight slope of 185 mm, and the sides at 60 degrees. The frontal armor is well protected, slightly better than the Tiger's side armor, and the gun is 88 mm long with a barrel length of 71 EL. Of the mass-produced tanks of World War II, it was the best in terms of armament and frontal protection. Its weight, at 68 tons, and its 700 horsepower engine offer weak driving characteristics.
  The Tiger-3 is a design vehicle. It has 150-200mm frontal armor sloped at 45 degrees, and a 240mm hull and turret frontal armor sloped at 45 degrees. The sides are 160mm thick with sloped side shields. Three different armament options are available: an 88mm 100 EL gun, a 105mm 70 EL gun, and a 105mm 100 EL gun with a 1,000-horsepower engine. With a tighter layout and a weight of 75 tons, this is a serious and very dangerous vehicle. And the even more powerful Tiger-4 has 250mm frontal armor-the hull is sloped at 45 degrees, the front is 300mm sloped, the sides are 210mm, the gun is 128mm long with a 100 EL barrel, or 150mm long with a 56 EL barrel, weighs 85 tons, and has a 1,500-horsepower gas turbine engine. A very powerful tank.
  But the Tiger-5 is even more powerful. The frontal armor is 350 mm on the hull, sloped at 45 degrees, and the frontal armor is 400 mm on the turret, sloped at 50 mm. The sides are 300 mm, sloped. The gun is 150 mm on the 100 EL, or 174 mm on the 70 EL, or 210 mm on the 38 EL. It weighs 100 tons, and has a 2,500-horsepower gas turbine engine. This incredibly powerful vehicle won't even penetrate the side of an IS-7 or Zveroboy. Something like this could be used against America. Although it should be noted that the Tiger-5 never even existed in real history. But then, it's no one's fault that the war ended so quickly.
  But in a virtual game, tanks can be improved.
  Medvedev has begun his assault on the US capital, Washington, and its largest city, New York. There's real potential for success here.
  Even if it's virtual. Washington is burning, and German tanks are rolling through it. And no one can stop the Tiger Vs.
  Medvedev is completing his persistent assault on US capitals, and victory seems assured. But Japan is still ahead.
  CHAPTER No 5.
  What else could be better in the game? And here's the "Lion" tank family, which never made it into production. These are truly monsters. But in World War II, these later-production vehicles were even redundant. And against Japan, with its small and medium tanks, even more so.
  But Dmitry Medvedev decided to drive them away a little.
  Here's the first "Lion" tank, existing only in design studies and only partially realized in metal. It has 120-millimeter frontal hull armor sloped at 45 degrees, 240-millimeter turret frontal armor sloped, 82-millimeter sides, a 105-millimeter gun, a 70-degree barrel, a total weight of 80 tons, and an 800-horsepower engine. In short, it was a vehicle that could have appeared alongside the "Tigers" and "Panthers" at the Battle of Kursk. It had a very powerful weapon for its time and excellent turret frontal protection. But fortunately, it never materialized. The "Lion-2" is a design vehicle. The hull front is sloped at 250 millimeters, the turret front is sloped at 300 millimeters, and the sides are sloped at 200 millimeters. The gun is either a 128-millimeter 100 EL or a 210-millimeter 38 EL. It weighs 100 tons and has an 1,800-horsepower engine. Its power is unmatched. It surpasses the IS-7, which can only hit it in the side. But then you push it further, and the Lev-3 appears, also a monster. The frontal hull armor is 350 mm thick, the turrets are 450 mm thick with sloped sides, 300 mm with sloped sides, a 150-millimeter gun on the 100 EL, or 175 mm on the 70 EL, or 210 mm on the 56 EL, or a 400-millimeter rocket launcher. It weighs 120 tons and has a 2,500-horsepower engine.
  Yes, it is a formidable force.
  The Lev-4 tank is another supermonster. Its frontal hull armor is 450 mm thick, while the turret's frontal armor is 500 mm. The hull and turret sides are 400 mm thick and sloped. It has a 175 mm gun at 100 EL, a 210 mm gun at 70 EL, and a 500 mm rocket launcher. The vehicle weighs 150 tons and has a 3,500 horsepower gas turbine engine. It can penetrate all tanks from long range, including the IS-7 and the American T-93. Even naval guns can't penetrate it. This is a powerful vehicle, and with an excess of gun power.
  But the even more powerful "Lion"-5 is the king of tanks. The frontal armor of the hull is 600 mm thick, sloped at 45 degrees, the turrets are 800 mm thick, and the sides are 550 mm thick, sloped. The main gun is 210 mm in diameter, the main gun is 300 mm in diameter, and the rocket launcher is 600 mm. The vehicle weighs 200 tons, and its engine is a 5,000 horsepower gas turbine. It is impenetrable to almost all types of weapons, except high-powered missiles, especially large-caliber guns, and bombs. It is capable of firing at battleships and aircraft carriers. A true supertank.
  Well, in short, there's something to play for. Medvedev is putting pressure on Japan.
  But he is interrupted again.
  The FSB director calls and says:
  - Dmitry Anatolyevich, will you be giving a conference to journalists?
  Medvedev stated decisively:
  - Not yet!
  - Why?
  The acting president responded:
  - I have the right to give interviews and not to give them! So, I've decided not to give them for now!
  The FSB director nodded:
  - You can rest easy for now! The interview won't go away! But we'll have to look for another place!
  Medvedev noted:
  - You'll all get settled! And if anything happens, you, General, have a big pension! You can live without working!
  The FSB director asked in surprise:
  - Aren't you sorry to part with such enormous power?
  Medvedev answered honestly:
  - It's a pity, of course, but man submits to the inevitable!
  Medvedev is back in the game. The former president of the world's largest and most resource-rich country has finally gotten his hands on it. And why not play the game if they're getting by without him now? Even though he's acting head of state.
  But how can you avoid the temptation to cut yourself in a game like this? So, the German troops have reached Chukotka. Fortunately, moving vehicles in the game is much easier than in reality. And they're advancing through China. And there they engage in battle with the Japanese. Of course, using the cheat code, Medvedev churned out Lev-5 tanks and deployed them against the samurai. And these are truly superb vehicles.
  How they crush samurai. But still not the height of perfection.
  But why, before the Second World War is over, isn't it possible to test the heaviest German tank, the Maus, through the levels?
  This is truly the ultimate in perfection and the pinnacle of beauty. Or rather, what can happen if gigantomania evolves.
  Medvedev began to drive away the "Mauses".
  The Maus tank, a real metal tank, was the heaviest of those ever built, and it even saw combat. The Maus's frontal armor is 150 mm thick on the lower hull, 200 mm on the upper hull, 250 mm on the turret, and 210 mm on the sides. As we can see, even in its first version, the tank was impenetrable to all serial Soviet tanks from the front and even from the side. The IS-2 and SU-100 were unable to penetrate this tank from any angle. Only the IS-7 could have given the Maus problems and truly fought it. But the IS-7 only appeared after the war and never went into production. Meanwhile, Maus tanks were already capable of fighting on the front lines as early as 1943. This tank had two guns: a short-barreled 75mm cannon and a 128mm 55 EL cannon, capable of penetrating all Soviet tanks except the IS-7 frontally, including the IS-2 at a considerable distance. A 150mm cannon was also available.
  The Maus weighed 188 tons and had a 1,250-horsepower engine, which is still a bit underpowered. Overall, it was the most powerful machine of its time, and unrivaled.
  The Maus-2 is a design-based vehicle. A more advanced one. In real life, the vehicle was supposed to have a lower silhouette and be lighter. But in the game, of course, the vehicle is more advanced, with a lower silhouette and a more compact layout, but also heavier. The Maus-2's frontal armor is 350 mm. The turret's frontal armor is 450 mm. The sides are 300 mm. It has a long-barreled 75 mm cannon and a 150 mm 70 EL, or a 210 mm howitzer, or a 400 mm rocket launcher. It weighs 200 tons. It has a 2,000 horsepower gas turbine engine.
  The Maus-3 is a gaming vehicle. It's also perfect. The frontal armor of the hull is 600 mm, the turret is 800 mm, and the sides are 550 mm. It has 88 mm 100 EL cannons for fighting enemy tanks, and a 210 mm 70 EL cannon. Or a 550 mm rocket launcher. The tank weighs 250 tons, and has a 4,000 horsepower gas turbine engine. The tank is virtually impenetrable by almost all guns, except the most powerful ones.
  The Maus-4 is a new evolution of gigantomania and a more advanced design. The frontal hull armor is 1000mm thick, sloped at 45 degrees, and the frontal turret armor is 1200mm, sloped. The sides are 850mm thick, sloped. Armament: a 105mm cannon with 10 EL for fighting enemy tanks and quite sufficient against almost all types of vehicles. A 300mm cannon with 70 EL is for destroying fortifications and is overkill for tanks. Or, instead, a 750mm rocket launcher.
  The vehicle weighs 350 tons, which isn't all that much for such armor and armament. Even battleship guns can't penetrate it frontally. Only a direct hit from a powerful cruise missile or a very large bomb can destroy it. From all angles, it's impenetrable by all tanks and self-propelled guns of World War II. Its 6,000-horsepower gas turbine engine.
  The Maus-5 is the pinnacle of this series. Its frontal armor is 1,600 mm thick, sloped on the hull, 2,000 mm on the turret, and 1,500 mm on the sides, sloped.
  The 128mm cannon of the 100 EL is suitable for combating all tanks, quite sufficient against all models, including the IS-7, and the 900mm rocket launcher. Other cannons are impractical. There are a dozen machine guns. The tank weighs 500 tons. It has a 10,000-horsepower gas turbine engine. The vehicle is, so to speak, perfection itself. Almost nothing can penetrate it from the front. It's a superb tank...
  However, if anyone thinks that nothing cooler than the Maus-5 can be invented, that's not true. The imagination of the creators of a good World War II game is boundless.
  For example, there's also the "Rat." This tank, in real history, holds the record for size among all design vehicles, and was even partially built in metal.
  The "Rat" tank has 400-millimeter frontal armor, as well as slightly sloped side armor. It is armed with four 210-millimeter cannons, or one 800-millimeter cannon, two 150-millimeter howitzers, and eleven anti-aircraft guns. It weighs 2,000 tons and has diesel engines with a total output of 10,000 horsepower.
  The Krysa-2 tank is an evolution of the design with a more advanced layout. The frontal and all-round armor is 800mm thick, with a highly efficient slope. It is armed with one 1000mm cannon and four 150mm howitzers, along with sixteen anti-aircraft guns capable of engaging both ground and air targets. It weighs 3,000 tons, and its gas turbine engines produce a total of 20,000 horsepower.
  The Rat-3 is an even more powerful and sophisticated vehicle. Its armor is 1,200 millimeters thick and sloped. It is armed with one 1,250-millimeter cannon and six 150-millimeter howitzers. Twenty anti-aircraft guns are capable of engaging both air and ground targets. It weighs 4,000 tons and has gas turbine engines, producing a total of 35,000 horsepower.
  The "Rat"-4 is an even more powerful and sophisticated vehicle. It has 1,600mm of sloped armor. It is armed with one 1,600mm cannon and nine 150mm howitzers, along with twenty-five anti-aircraft guns capable of engaging both air and ground targets. It weighs 5,000 tons, and its engines are advanced gas turbines, producing a total output of 50,000 horsepower.
  The Rat-5 is the toughest tank. It boasts 2,500mm of armor on all sides. It's armed with one 2,500mm cannon and fifteen 150mm howitzers. It also has forty anti-aircraft guns capable of engaging both air and ground targets. It weighs 10,000 tons. It uses a nuclear reactor as its engine, producing over 100,000 horsepower.
  The tank is truly the coolest in the game, both in terms of weight and other stats.
  Well, you can entrust the assault on Tokyo to the Rat-5. However, it's so expensive that you have to run the cheat code several times.
  But overall, Medvedev can be pleased. He's had his fill of playing.
  And I finally watched "Rat" 5 in VR. It's so good to play unfairly.
  But now they call Medvedev again.
  This time, First Deputy Prime Minister and Acting Prime Minister Siluanov.
  He said in a sad tone:
  "We've lost, Dmitry Anatolyevich! Almost all the ballots have been counted!"
  Medvedev wittily remarked:
  - It's better to lose well than to win badly!
  Siluanov was surprised:
  - And how is that possible?
  Medvedev explained:
  If Vitali Klitschko had been elected mayor of Kyiv on the first try, he wouldn't have returned to the ring. Instead of a great champion, he would have become a laughingstock!
  Siluanov agreed with this:
  - Yes, you're right, Dmitry Anatolyevich! Klitschko had an advantage in losing... But unfortunately, you had no such advantage whatsoever!
  Medvedev sang in response:
  - I am free, like a bird in the sky,
  I am free, having forgotten what fear means...
  I am as free as the wild wind,
  I am free in reality, not in a dream!
  Siluanov muttered:
  - You're a real poet, Dmitry Anatolyevich! You could write poems about you!
  Medvedev answered seriously:
  "At least now I can calmly do what I love - play computer games! Before this, I could only indulge in that kind of thing in fits and starts for twenty years!"
  Siluanov muttered dully:
  - Playing games?
  Medvedev confirmed:
  - That's right, games! And it would have been useful for you to study some military-economic strategy!
  The First Deputy Prime Minister reluctantly noted:
  - I prefer practice!
  Medvedev hissed in response:
  - Evil, damned reality, it can drive you crazy!
  Siluanov replied coldly:
  - Want to escape reality with the world of games? Commendable!
  The acting prime minister's words were tinged with irony.
  Medvedev reported:
  - Let me hang a Hero of Russia star on you too!
  Siluanov advised:
  - Hang it for yourself, Mr. President!
  Medvedev chuckled and replied:
  - Maybe that's not a bad idea! Putin was only awarded posthumously!
  The acting prime minister responded:
  - Thank you, Mr. President!
  Medvedev continued in a singsong voice:
  - For stupid empty eyes...
  Siluanov sang along:
  - Because everything is possible...
  Medvedev concluded:
  - But we can"t live!
  The acting prime minister responded:
  - Seriously speaking, I'll probably be eliminated! Looks like I'll have to run away!
  Medvedev responded coldly:
  - There are many places on Earth!
  Siluanov nodded and muttered:
  - In short, Mr. President, you promised me a hero's star!
  Medvedev shouted at the top of his lungs:
  - Prepare the decree!
  They brought him another award document. It said, "Sign up as acting president."
  Medvedev also awarded a bunch of people. Know our people!
  Ah, it"s already very late, and the acting president of Russia has fallen asleep.
  He dreamed of yet another alternate history. The Tsarist army, led by Kuropatkin, was fighting to lift the siege of Port Arthur. But then Medvedev himself appeared in a combat robot, armed with lasers and thermoquark projectiles the size of poppy seeds, but as lethal as the bombs dropped on Hiroshima.
  And how Medvedev started to tear the Japanese apart with his combat robot. How it tore samurai apart, thousands at a time. And how lasers and blasters came into play.
  And it cut the Japanese, really cut them. And sawed them to pieces. And devastated their ranks.
  Medvedev, having lost his throne, found ecstasy in battle. He mowed down those samurai who dared to undermine the sacred royal throne.
  But let's be honest, was it really bad under the Tsar?
  May God grant every country a tsar like Nicholas II. He is a true example of an intelligent ruler, and at the same time an intellectual.
  It's a shame such a worthless wretch as Kuropatkin let him down. And now Medvedev's taken on the Japanese. And he's starting to thrash them. And he's doing it with aplomb.
  And laser beams mow down samurai by the thousands. A few more minutes of fighting, and
  There is no Japanese army.
  What did the samurai gentlemen eat? Now maybe we should take on your ships.
  Medvedev lifted the combat robot into the air and raced toward Togo's fleet positions. Does he think he can handle the Russian knight?
  And look how fast the thermoquark robot rushes. Here it is already above the sea. And let's sink Togo's fleet. Cut up battleships, cruisers, and other creatures.
  That's it... What if we also drop a mini-thermoquark bomb?
  And the new hero abandons her. A wave rises and sinks the ships of the Land of the Rising Sun.
  Medvedev screams at the top of his lungs:
  - For Nicholas's Russia,
  I will tear all the Japanese to pieces!
  Once again, the acting Russian president is in ecstasy.
  It's great to fight with a robot like this.
  Go ahead and drown your samurai... And there will be no Tsushima, the Japanese will have nothing to fight with.
  The last samurai ships are sinking. What kind of victory is this?
  But there are still parts of the Land of the Rising Sun blockading Port Arthur. We must take them seriously, too, to eliminate all opponents of Tsar Nicholas's empire.
  Medvedev sings enthusiastically:
  - And the samurai flew to the ground,
  Under the pressure of steel and fire!
  And they began to destroy the troops that had besieged Port Arthur. Indeed, it turned out that a powerful fortress had fallen. And Russia had suffered a slap in the face. And most importantly, it was worse than the Crimean War. There, the empire of Tsar Nicholas II lost to a coalition of England, France, Turkey, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. And it lost honorably. And then there was some Japan, which no one even considered a serious rival.
  Russia cannot tolerate humiliation. Perhaps that's why Stalin, so cautious and restrained in his foreign policy, opened a second front in the Far East against Japan. The samurai truly humiliated Tsarist Russia.
  For this, crush with tiny thermoquark bombs and burn with lasers.
  So that I don't dare defeat Russia! Oh, God grant that Zelensky will be a successful tsar.
  Once again, Russians and Ukrainians are united, and soon Belarusians will join them.
  And there will be a trinity of Slavs!
  Medvedev finished off the Japanese at Port Arthur and then moved on... Russia defeated Japan. It took Korea, Manchuria, the Kuril Islands, and Taiwan. It also forced the Japanese to pay a large indemnity.
  Tsar Nicholas II strengthened his position, and no revolution or unnecessary Duma appeared.
  Tsarist Russia continued its advance into China and its expansion eastward.
  But Kaiser's Germany, despite the fact that Tsarist Germany was becoming a great power and growing even faster and more than in real history, still went and got involved in the First World War.
  And on two fronts, too.
  So what's Medvedev doing now, destroying the Germans? They have no business offending the Tsar-father.
  And he'll fire lasers at the enemy. And start battering them in East Prussia with a hurricane. Medvedev fires at German troops using lasers and gravitational energy beams.
  The girls showed up, too. In bikinis, of course. Alenka and Natasha. And let them chop up the Fritzes with lightsabers.
  Yes, Tsar Nicholas the Great, the fascists never even dreamed of such a thing. And what are they planning against you, my dear fellow?
  Medvedev sings aggressively:
  - Melons, watermelons, wheat buns,
  Generous, prosperous land...
  And he sits on the throne in St. Petersburg,
  Father Tsar Nicholas!
  The inauguration date was moved up. And Medvedev found himself completely on his own. "For now, it's all about playing with the kids," he said.
  Medvedev posthumously awarded Andropov the Hero of Russia star, which probably should have been done earlier. He also issued a decree ordering the construction of a monument to Andropov.
  At the same time, the acting president also reinstated Yezhov and Yagoda. No need to stand on ceremony.
  He also established a new order in Bobby Fischer's name. He was a great chess player, no doubt about it. And not just great, but also notorious. He wanted to be above everyone else, and not just in chess.
  And also three degrees: bronze, silver and gold!
  And of course, first of all, Dmitry Medvedev awarded this order to: Garry Kasparov, Anatoly Karpov and... the Klitschko brothers!
  And at the same time, Dmitry Medvedev established the "Vladimir Klitschko" Order. Another interesting move. Three degrees: bronze, silver, and gold.
  And then there was the Order of Svyatogor, a brilliant decision.
  Medvedev steers and pedals. And he's inventing such things again. What a bear. A bear to all bears.
  And he has new ideas. For example, giving every Russian a new car.
  In the meantime, he'll just go and play on the computer. That's what Medvedev wanted most. So now he's turned on a new strategy game. A war of different levels. That's what even a former president wanted to play with.
  You start with five workers and a thousand units of: coal, iron, stones, oil, food, gold.
  Let's start by building a community center to produce new workers. Then, you start developing mines and agriculture.
  First of all, of course, getting food to motivate the workers more.
  Medvedev has a very powerful, state-of-the-art computer. And he can churn out a lot of units.
  You build yourself a city and new trade centers. Money, of course, is a problem at first. Until you build a mint, a market, an academy of sciences, and so on.
  But Medvedev knows a universal way to get rich. Create more agricultural workers and mine resources for bread. Building a market is really cheap. And then you save up, buy an academy, build a sawmill, and dig up new mines. And then some more... And gold starts flowing-the most valuable commodity. Especially once you've built a mint. And then you can improve the wells. That's how money flows much more easily. You can use it for improvements. New saws, new farm equipment, land improvement, fertilizer research. A new type of plow...
  Then comes the deepening of wells, the influx of new workers. New farms. Meat production. House construction. Doctors' houses, policemen's houses, wells, markets, architects, firefighters. And so on... Tax collection. New improvements in gold mining. And the development of new space and work buildings.
  And there is more and more money... There is a surplus and you can start building barracks.
  The game is interesting and complex. The city is growing. There's no war yet. You can establish peacetime here and choose a weaker enemy... Indeed, Medvedev is currently consolidating his strength in military-economic strategy.
  The military academy is built. And you begin to form the troops. Cavalry, infantry, flamethrowers, mortarmen, and other forces. Artillery, of course. Or even, once again, by upgrading the wells, a tank factory. The first vehicles, of course, are light and primitive, but they can be tested.
  Medvedev got carried away.
  The game has consumed the president. You build yourself more and more houses. And then there are schools for scribes, libraries, and entertainment of all kinds. Be it musicians, dancers, jugglers, senet players, zoos. Or even casinos.
  And, of course, temples to various gods.
  Yes, there are many different religions in the empire. It's best to build diverse temples.
  And here everything is different. Mosques, Catholic churches, prayer houses, Buddhist temples, stupas, pagan gods.
  Yes, a very rich mission. You build bridges, crossing the river.
  There's a lot of work to do. Also, organize festivals for different religions so the gods won't be offended.
  And so it goes without a break. And the work at the Academy of Science continues, one improvement after another. One is a rodent control product, another an insecticide-something that boosts agriculture, and then tractors appear.
  And sometimes the gods send good harvests. So you can drive out tanks and aircraft factories. Starting with light aircraft, you can even reach nuclear bombers. And the number of units is constantly growing. It's already reached a hundred thousand.
  Medvedev is playing around and pushing new technologies. So far, there's no fear. There's no need to fight; you can raise your people's prosperity and cultural index. And that matters, too. And there's plenty of money and resources now.
  It's even better in the game: the wells never run dry. You can extract resources forever.
  And build new cities on the map... Or even play with a pyramid or another wonder of the world.
  Medvedev is churning out new barracks. True, the abundance of troops lowers the prosperity index. This, of course, poses a problem. But for now, there's no one to fight... But we could introduce new technologies to build tanks and planes faster. And bring in heavy bombers.
  However, why, already having medium tanks, not capture an enemy of the medieval level?
  And Medvedev, having churned out more tanks and at the same time improved their parameters, quickly invades a neighboring country.
  And planes from above, too. And start bombing the enemy with all your might. Rain napalm on them.
  And it's not a game by the rules.
  Medvedev reveled in the destruction of the medieval city. And then the entire country with its primitive army. He reveled in it and won, even though his planes and tanks suffered minor damage. Such was the comparatively easy capture. And then he rebuilt the city on the conquered territory...
  And your tanks are already heavy. You could add nuclear protection and active armor.
  Medvedev had been playing for ten hours already, and his eyes were tired and starting to droop. The acting president fell asleep.
  At first, Medvedev seemed to be in a quandary. But it didn't last long. And then, a state-of-the-art T-95 tank rolled up the hill. It was already late autumn, and trickles of rain began to beat against the armor.
  Medvedev reported:
  "The decisive day of the battle for Mount Vysokaya! The mountain that is the key to the entire defense of Port Arthur. Today, precisely November 21st, or December 4th by the New Style." The professor furiously slammed his fist on the armor and exclaimed. "But Mount Vysokaya will not be captured! The Pacific Squadron will survive!"
  The Japanese had almost captured Mount Vysokaya. They were crawling like ants, in dense streams from all sides. A T-95 opened fire with its 152-millimeter rapid-fire gun.
  Alenka pressed the joystick button, and the automatic cannon fired at the Japanese like an anti-aircraft gun. Powerful high-explosive fragmentation shells knocked out hundreds of Japanese with a single shot.
  Natasha, in turn, fired from eight heavy machine guns. She also preferred to use the joystick.
  Medvedev drove the tank, the super-machine confidently climbed the steep slopes, and its tracks crushed the soldiers of the Land of the Rising Sun.
  Margarita whistled and said:
  - We are making history!
  The acting president angrily confirmed:
  - Of course! We will never let Port Arthur surrender!
  Alenka fired her cannon twenty times per minute, spitting out a fifty-kilogram projectile of increased lethality. A ton of metal and explosives was accurately ejected in a single minute.
  And the girl hit very accurately.
  And the machine guns, each firing five thousand rounds a minute. Or forty thousand large bullets, in a short time. And how they took on the samurai. How they began to press them.
  Alenka even sang:
  - And the enemy flock flew to the ground, under the pressure of steel and lead!
  The Russian tank worked aggressively. One moment it cut down one thousand Japanese, then another. Removing them in layers.
  Natasha giggled and sang:
  - For the glory of Rus'! Let us never forget the Fatherland!
  And again, the machine guns of lethal caliber fire. And thousands of Japanese fall dead.
  Medvedev took it and hissed:
  - Tsar Nicholas! You will be great.
  And let's crush the surviving samurai with our caterpillar tracks.
  Margarita logically noted:
  Nicholas II could have been the greatest of tsars. He had every chance of turning China into a Russian province - Yellow Russia!
  Medvedev struck the samurai, rushed over them with his tracks, and said:
  - So be it!
  Projectile after projectile flew out. They multiplied like quasi-matter, requiring far less energy than the actual growth of atoms and molecules.
  Alenka, pressing the joystick buttons with her graceful fingers, even exclaimed:
  - In the name of the Russian tsars!
  CHAPTER No 6.
  The gun roared and roared. Although not so loudly, it was muffled enough to allow conversation.
  Margarita asked the acting president:
  - What, is the number of shells infinite?
  Medvedev responded:
  "Quasimatter doesn't require much energy to create. And filling a fusion reactor with water is easy!"
  Margarita whistled:
  - Yes, that's brilliant! You could make chocolate ice cream like that too!
  Medvedev objected with a sigh:
  - Not yet, but very soon, yes! It's a shame we're only getting quasi-matter for now!
  Alenka, pressing the joystick buttons with her bare fingers and smiling with her large tigress teeth, remarked:
  - This ability to create matter is also quasi-divine!
  Medvedev chuckled. The Japanese around the mountain were becoming fewer and fewer, but the corpses were mounting. The samurai tried to fire at the tank, but to no avail. The shells bounced off the armor like raindrops.
  The Acting President noted:
  - And man is created in the image and likeness of God.
  Alenka, firing lethal shells, noted:
  - If it's still created. Maybe we humans are the most intelligent, strong, and powerful being in the universe!
  Medvedev logically assumed:
  "All the more reason for the consolidation of humanity! We must unite! Then we will know no sorrow or defeat!"
  Natasha confidently stated:
  "The Tsarist Empire is capable of uniting everyone! And of consolidating everyone into a monolith!"
  And the girl fired her machine guns again, cutting down the Japanese trying to attack from the left flank. Grenades did no damage to the T-95 tank. And the cannons, also fired from a distance, either missed or their shells were ineffective. Especially since no country in the world has armor-piercing shells yet. And such a tank wouldn't be penetrated so easily. Its protection is top-notch.
  And the machine guns mow down and sweep away the shells. And they do everything concretely, and quite deadly.
  Natasha giggled and said:
  - The Japanese will be missing many!
  Alenka agreed with this:
  - Very many indeed!
  And her sapphire eyes flashed. And there's so much variety in this girl, a true Terminator.
  The warriors fire. And the samurai bleed. Forty thousand bullets and a ton of shells per minute-that's a tremendous killing force.
  Natasha notes:
  - We are warriors who bring a serious death!
  Alenka agreed with this:
  - And not just death, but the source of power in the entire universe!
  Margarita remarked judiciously:
  - If Tsarist Russia conquers the entire world, then all wars in human history will be ended once and for all!
  Medvedev agreed with this:
  - Of course, baby! Nobody needs wars! But humanity must become united!
  Natasha hissed with the joy of a panther who has brought down a bull:
  - When we are united, we are invincible!
  And sparks came from her eyes! What a girl! She has fire, ice, and steel in her.
  But now the last Japanese are dying. And there is no one left to storm the mountain. More than fifty thousand dead soldiers of the Land of the Rising Sun remain beneath Mount Vysokaya.
  The battle is over.
  The four took their place on the raised platform, and Medvedev remarked:
  "It's best we don't talk to the garrison for now. What are we going to do anyway?"
  Alenka suggested:
  "There are still a lot of Japanese. Let's destroy Nogi's entire army."
  Margarita readily agreed with this:
  - That's exactly it! We'll drive out all the samurai! And that will be great!
  Medvedev grinned and remarked:
  "Our tank can also swim underwater and fire shells. Let's sink the Japanese fleet!"
  Natasha squealed with delight:
  - Exactly! That's right, let's just wipe out all the samurai at sea.
  Just then, the Japanese squadron began its latest bombardment. Shells began flying, including from eleven- and twelve-inch guns. And this, you must admit, is serious business.
  The tank sped toward the coast. Alenka, drumming her fingers on the vehicle's body, remarked:
  - Okay, at sea. But how could we give the initiative to the Japanese on land?
  Margarita, who had some knowledge about the war, recalled:
  "We had machine guns, and the Mosin-Nagant rifle was far more reliable and effective than the Japanese. And while things weren't going well at sea, the samurai didn't stand a chance on land!"
  Alenka angrily moved her bare foot across the floor and muttered:
  - Betrayal! Trivial betrayal!
  Natasha suggested:
  - We'll hang them all!
  The tank sank into the water. Propellers emerged from its sides, steering the vehicle. Here was the first target: a Japanese destroyer. Natasha pressed the joystick buttons with her slender fingers.
  And the shell struck the very bottom of the ship with devastating force, tearing apart the armor.
  The destroyer received another shell. Natasha pressed her toe again.
  And now the Japanese man is drowning.
  Alenka giggled:
  - Let's sink them one at a time! Machine guns aren't very effective underwater!
  And the girl pressed the joystick, this time sending the projectile into the bottom of the destroyer.
  Margarita answered with a smile:
  - What ladies we have here!
  Natasha sent the projectile again and shouted:
  - In the name of Rus', let there be victory!
  Alenka spat out the shells. She ripped open the bottom of the Land of the Rising Sun's ship and remarked:
  - Still, the tsarist regime in Russia was not as bad as propaganda claimed.
  Margarita agreed with this and spoke willingly, especially since he had nothing better to do anyway.
  Under Tsar Nicholas II, Russia introduced the gold standard. The empire's currency became the strongest and most stable in the world. Prices also remained virtually unchanged. Under Tsar Nicholas, wages reached thirty-seven rubles a month. In fact, Russia became one of the world's leading countries in terms of living standards. Industrial production became the fourth-largest in the world.
  Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev, after waking up, started playing on the computer. In this case, he was playing a strategy game. The newly strengthened state was carrying out military conquests. The acting president of Russia was throwing tanks into battle.
  And heavy ones at that.
  This game is a good thing after all. I tested it a bit and got tanks heavier than a hundred tons. When he was president, Medvedev wanted to develop tanks heavier than a hundred tons. But Putin wouldn't let him. And yet the idea seemed tempting. Super-heavy vehicles. And six types of vehicles. Over five and a hundred tons.
  But now Medvedev is throwing nuclear-powered tanks into battle. And breaking the defenses of mid-tier countries. And again, they're seizing power. Oh, great... To make things a little easier, you bring in a military advisor. And together, you direct the destruction of the enemy. And its capture.
  Here you're conquering another empire... This one's a more serious war, but it's being waged by a military adviser of Napoleon's caliber. So you can just watch, and build your empire under the guidance of an economist of Stolypin's caliber.
  And Medvedev, having sat at the computer with a giant screen for several hours, began to snore.
  He had been sleep deprived for too long.
  Alenka fired at the Japanese. Having sunk a cruiser this time, she sang:
  - We are the strongest in the world,
  We will soak all our enemies in the toilet.
  The fatherland does not believe in tears,
  And we'll give the evil oligarchs a good beating!
  And the girl laughed. And her teeth sparkled like pearls!
  Medvedev suggested:
  "Since the war with Japan ends in victory, Russia's economic growth will be even greater! And the Tsarist Empire will become the richest country in the world!"
  Alenka sank another destroyer and hissed:
  - We've always been rich! We just needed order!
  Natasha hit the battleship of the Land of the Rising Sun and noted:
  We were in no way inferior to the Germans in the First World War. But because of the fifth column, we missed out on victory!
  Alenka also sent another projectile into the belly of the battleship and declared:
  - Of course! The fifth column is to blame for everything. During the First World War, the Germans couldn't even get close to Minsk and were defeated in Galicia. But under Stalin, they could already see the Kremlin through binoculars. What does this mean?
  Natasha fired another shell into the bottom of the battleship and muttered:
  - Treason! We missed out on such a victory!
  Margarita also considered it necessary to remind:
  "If not for betrayal, we would have gained control of Constantinople and Asia Minor, as well as access to the Mediterranean. But we lost so much because of betrayal and the fifth column!"
  Alenka launched another projectile:
  "Yes, it's the fifth column! How many troubles it has caused! The Russian Empire was a unique entity that could expand to the borders of the entire world and unite humanity!"
  Natasha muttered aggressively:
  - Of course! I could and would have done everything! And humanity would be united and invincible!
  The girl fired another shell, after which the battleship finally split apart. And the Japanese sank.
  Margarita, with alarm in her voice, noted:
  - Look at what's happening in the world right now? Russia and the US are on the brink of war. And China is overpopulated and totalitarian. There's no order or prosperity in the world!
  Natasha sent another projectile, this time at the cruiser, and agreed:
  - There is no order in the world! We need a unified government!
  Alenka released the projectile and nodded in agreement:
  "And the Tsarist Empire could have become such a government! Russian autocracy is the guarantor of global stability and prosperity!"
  And the girl fired another shell, which finally split the cruiser.
  The Japanese were clearly freaking out. They were firing indiscriminately, not realizing who was sinking them.
  It should be noted that on land, Japan didn't have a significant numerical advantage. And even in real history, it lost far more killed and wounded than Russia.
  But at sea, the ships of the Land of the Rising Sun, produced in Britain and the USA, were slightly better than the Russian ones, which were mainly of domestic production.
  But even here, the Japanese's qualitative advantage is only marginal. And the Russians are, arguably, more accurate.
  Natasha, firing and sinking another destroyer, remarked in annoyance:
  - Indeed, Russia has defeated stronger opponents. For example, Napoleon!
  Alenka, having sent a shell into the armored cruiser, added:
  - Oh yes! Napoleon was a genius! And he was stronger, but we defeated him!
  Margarita sighed heavily and grumbled:
  - Losing to the Japanese. It's so annoying and disappointing!
  Alenka agreed with this:
  "It's a shame! Alas, this is the end of the Romanov dynasty. A glorious, heroic era, marked by conquests and victories. And although we didn't have our own Genghis Khan, we have risen since the time of Ivan Kalita."
  And the girl fired another, quite lethal shell. And the armored cruiser split into two.
  Natasha continued, and with one shell sank another destroyer. And the samurai have plenty of destroyers.
  The warrior asked the boys:
  - But I wonder why, in the history of the world, not a single empire has achieved absolute power?
  Alenka again sent a shell into the belly of another destroyer and declared:
  - Yes, that's really why? They all fell. The Persian Empire, Alexander the Great, and the Roman Empire. Why has no one united humanity?
  Natasha stamped her foot in frustration. She sank another ship and said:
  - Exactly! Genghis Khan created an empire that could have conquered the entire world. But after his death, his sons and grandsons clashed and tore the empire apart. Only Tsarist Russia, with its unitary system, was a country capable of enduring for centuries and expanding until it engulfed the entire globe!
  Alenka's eyes flashed and she declared, having sunk another destroyer:
  Glory to the great empire of Tsar Nicholas! We will not give power to the illegitimate Bolsheviks and the Provisional Government!
  Natasha also fired a shell at the ship. She sank the Japanese and sang:
  - God save the king,
  Strong sovereign
  Reign for glory,
  for our glory!
  Reign to the fear of your enemies -
  Orthodox Tsar!
  Reign in glory,
  To our glory!
  The girls were obviously really turned on. They were crushing samurai so hard, it was amazing. And Medvedev was driving his killer underwater tank. It's a pretty cool weapon, actually. It could sink an entire Japanese fleet. That's a mighty force.
  Twelve large armored ships alone, dozens of smaller ones, including cruisers. More than sixty destroyers alone. It will take time to destroy them all.
  Natasha, finishing off another ship, asked Medvedev:
  - Do you think God exists?
  The acting governor grinned and replied:
  - In what sense?
  Natasha sent another shell, finishing off the destroyer, and noted:
  - There are so many versions of religion! There are pagan ones, and monotheistic ones! Sometimes you start to think about it. And you doubt there's a God when there's such a mess in the teachings!
  Alenka split another destroyer and, giggling, remarked:
  - Yes, in this regard, it's hard to believe in the Bible. That God would behave like that. And even play favorites!
  Natasha nodded in agreement:
  - Exactly. To believe that one people is the people of God? That's clearly unworthy of a higher mind!
  Afterwards, the girl began to sink a large-tonnage battleship. The warrior worked.
  And here is Margarita who expressed her opinion:
  - It"s still not clear how it"s possible that a loving God disfigures women like that!
  Natasha was surprised:
  "What do you mean, disfigures?"
  Margarita answered honestly:
  - Yes, it turns them into old women! And what could be more disgusting than an old woman!
  Alenka fired a shell into the cruiser"s belly and declared:
  - For some reason, there are very nasty old women walking around on earth, which is both stupid and terribly ugly!
  Natasha shook her head and supported:
  - And it's unattractive! And it's not aesthetically pleasing!
  The warrior laughed and winked at her partner, as if to say, she's so cool and aggressive.
  Medvedev remarked seriously:
  "Indeed, old age is a very bad thing. It makes people unattractive, weak, and vulnerable. But from an evolutionary perspective, it does have some advantages!"
  Alenka was surprised. Having hit another destroyer, she asked:
  - What advantages could there be in this disgusting state?
  Medvedev answered seriously:
  "It stimulates the development of science and intellect. If humans didn't experience fatigue, there would be no need to invent the automobile. Similarly, the weakness of claws and fangs led to the invention of the knife. Cold times and ice ages taught us how to make fire. Diseases stimulated the development of medicine." The acting president watched as Alenka deftly sank yet another Japanese ship and continued. "In many ways, human weaknesses stimulated science. We couldn't fly, but we created airplanes. And that's progress!"
  Natasha sent another projectile and noted:
  - Progress. But still, when you look at the old woman, it becomes so disgusting. Is it really impossible to get by without human ugliness?
  Alenka agreed with this:
  - Even young people can invent airplanes. But why waste time on damned old age? It's terrible and disgusting!
  Margarita sang out of place:
  - I will not part with the Komsomol! I will be forever young!
  And the girl slammed her fist on the metal.
  Meanwhile, another battleship was sinking.
  The submarine tank continued to sink the Japanese fleet. Admiral Togo himself ended up in the water and was forced to escape by boat. Japan had a large fleet, but was faced with a fundamentally new weapon. And now it was suffering complete defeat.
  Alenka, continuing to sink Japanese ships, bared her teeth, which were very large and sharp, and suggested:
  - That's what I'm thinking. Of course, there should be aesthetics for bodies. And women shouldn't become unattractive, with flabby skin and hunched bodies.
  Natasha, having sunk yet another destroyer, readily agreed with this:
  - Of course! That's what science is working on!
  Both warriors appeared to be in a very cheerful mood. After all, they were successfully sinking the enemy fleet.
  Aggressive girls are capable of great feats.
  Margarita, meanwhile, expressed her thoughts:
  "Religions also arose out of human weakness. If humans were stronger, there would be no religions. And of course, death and the fear of death lead humans to seek solace!"
  Alenka reminded:
  - I took part in a seance and saw something amazing. So spirits do exist!
  Natasha, with a slyness in her voice, noted:
  "There's nothing surprising about the existence of spirits! After all, we fly in our dreams. Which means there must be a soul, and a memory of those flights!"
  Medvedev nodded in agreement:
  - Yes, there is a soul! In this regard, man is unique! And now, maybe, we can have a little fun!
  The Japanese fleet was melting away. The underwater tank was playing the role of killer. Margarita was a little sad. Firstly, she was an extra. And secondly, what's annoying is that you can't see everything very well when you're underwater. Generally speaking, Peter had serious doubts about God. Indeed, why, after the Russians adopted Christianity, did they suffer all sorts of misfortunes? The Mongol-Tatar invasion, and before that, the feudal fragmentation of the princes. Wars between Russians.
  That's when, finally, from the time of Ivan Kalita, the revival of Russia began,
  Muscovy grew stronger. Until, for example, under Ivan III, it finally became a unified, centralized state and threw off the Tatar yoke.
  Yes, of course, Russia was on the rise. Until it stumbled against Japan.
  This marked the end of the history of the monarchy and the Romanov dynasty.
  However, the monarchy is gone, but authoritarianism remains.
  Margarita gently stroked Alenka's back. The girl purred contentedly. She seemed to enjoy it.
  Medvedev logically noted:
  There's nothing wrong with a man loving a girl, and a girl loving a man. It's perfectly natural. But at the same time, people should maintain decorum.
  Margarita objected with displeasure:
  - Let's skip the moralizing. I don't like that!
  The acting president chuckled:
  - And who loves! But we have to face the truth. People, in this regard, are noticeably different from animals!
  Margarita nodded in agreement:
  - Yes, there is a big gap between us!
  Alenka answered sarcastically:
  - You know, I don"t notice much of a difference between you and a monkey!
  Margarita laughed. Meanwhile, Alenka had sunk the last of Japan's twelve battleships. After which, the girl remarked:
  - We've almost finished with the enemy fleet!
  Medvedev chuckled wryly:
  "Yes, you are hard workers! And truly, you are capable of so much! In general, I love warrior women - they are so sexy!"
  Margarita twisted her body and sang:
  - I seem sexy, like a processor! And I move like a robot - a sonic aggressor!
  After which, the student stroked Alenka a little more boldly. The girl pressed the joystick buttons with her long fingers and looked charming.
  How graceful her movements are.
  Margarita's imagination conjured up a princess walking barefoot to the scaffold. How romantic. And such a redhead. They stripped her of all her jewelry and her expensive dress, leaving only the sackcloth. But the prison uniform further accentuated the charm of her sweet, pleasant, fresh, rose-like face. And her fiery hair. How beautiful a princess walking to her execution.
  And up there, thousands of people are drowning. Ships are breaking apart, the elements are raging.
  And Japan suffers a colossal, unprecedented defeat. So the samurai are forced, it seems, to repent for their sins.
  Margarita wondered, what do the Japanese believe in? What's their religion? They're pagans, after all. But they defeated Orthodox Russia. So, after that, who's God is stronger?
  And the Mongols were pagans, but how many territories they captured.
  Margarita asked Alenka:
  - Tell me, beauty, how do you like Rodnoverie?
  The girl smiled broadly and, having sunk another destroyer, replied:
  - A very good religion! It has such beautiful fairy tales!
  Margarita asked ingratiatingly:
  - Do you think they're just fairy tales? Or maybe all these Russian gods really do exist?
  Alenka shrugged and replied:
  "Maybe elves and dwarves exist! Anything is possible in our world. And it's hard to say what really exists and what doesn't!"
  Medvedev logically noted:
  To some extent, everything in our world exists. All our thoughts, dreams, desires, everything we leave behind. I have a very interesting theory of the Hypernoosphere, in which absolutely everything ever invented by humans exists. That is, thought exists eternally. And it remains in other, parallel worlds.
  Dmitry Medvedev has awakened from his slumber. And has once again taken up his fundamental work-or rather, empire building.
  And again conquests...
  First, assemble a new tank weighing a thousand tons and launch it at enemy positions. No, of course, not just one, but a great many.
  And they're moving through foreign territory. And there are planes with atomic bombs flying above. What if we push the bombs away too? And make them annihilation bombs?
  Dmitry Medvedev is doing just fine.
  And so another country falls at the dictator's heels. And conquests begin. But then comes another enemy. Also a large country... You can even program it. Take the USSR of 1941... An invasion is underway. Medvedev's units have multiplied automatically over many hours of play, and his population already exceeds a billion. Against 196 million. And more modern technology. And soldiers can be churned out endlessly by the barracks.
  Fortunately, electronic resources are inexhaustible. And we must continue to pressure the enemy.
  And tanks weighing a thousand tons, powered by nuclear reactors, are moving across Russia straight to Moscow.
  And it"s practically impossible to leave them - nothing takes them!
  Medvedev directs strategy and hums to himself... Then, he stops the nuclear-powered tanks. And throws the Panther-2 into battle. A vehicle that, incidentally, is still capable of beating a T-34.
  Medvedev plays around, loading up various vehicle parameters... "Panther-2"... How it fires from a distance. And penetrates a Soviet tank.
  You won't be able to penetrate it that easily! Especially in the front, but you can hit the side. The gunfire is intense. And the T-34s are racing along... And they are dying under the cannon fire...
  The army is on the move again... And combat robots have appeared. They're marching along. And they're shooting down shells with lasers. And they're doing it quite skillfully.
  And virtual girls attack.
  Medvedev watches the strategy game eagerly. A fascinating battle. You play again yourself, or hand it over to a military adviser. And watch the battle unfold.
  They lead their tanks into an offensive.
  Here you can move pyramidal tanks forward, less vulnerable and impenetrable from all angles. They move like a steamroller.
  And the girls run barefoot... And shoot along the way.
  Another war. A real toy. And the money keeps coming from the gold wells, never drying up. It's like a game, everything according to plan, without a hitch, and without any natural decline.
  Everything isn't running out, and resources aren't diminishing. Although that seems unlikely.
  Medvedev's call was interrupted. The acting president answered:
  - Hello!
  The head of the presidential administration reported:
  - Are you still in the office, Dmitry Anatolyevich?
  Medvedev responded sharply:
  - Yes! I'm still the president!
  The head of administration reported:
  - Zelensky demands that you leave the residence after the inauguration.
  Medvedev asked with a shudder:
  - And where will I live?
  The head of administration responded:
  - In your apartment! Your power is over and you must vacate all premises!
  Medvedev muttered under his breath:
  - I have a request for the new president - let him leave me the computer!
  The head of administration asked:
  - Give me the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called and I'll ask Zelensky to give me a computer for you!
  Medvedev nodded in agreement:
  - Well, that's possible!
  CHAPTER 7
  And he called his assistant to prepare a decree. On conferring the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called on the head of the administration. The template was ready, and I.O. had already signed off on the duties.
  Then Medvedev started playing again.
  Now his virtual tanks are approaching Moscow and beginning their assault. The city is being attacked by machines weighing two thousand tons.
  However, Medvedev also throws the Rat-5 into the attack; that's a monster, not a tank. Ten thousand tons in weight!
  Troops are approaching the Kremlin... And Stalin is running away. Barefoot girls in bikinis catch him. They grab his nose with their bare toes. And force Stalin to kiss their bare heels.
  Here the troops of the virtual empire are passing Moscow and heading to the Urals...
  They capture him too...
  Medvedev starts to nod off again and dream.
  Margarita asked sarcastically:
  - What about, for example, a more classical division: into heaven and hell?
  Medvedev remarked gloomily:
  "This is most likely a primitive ancient notion of retribution after death. In reality, it's probably a bit more complicated!"
  Natasha exclaimed with delight as she sank one of the last Japanese ships:
  - Cursed and ancient,
  The enemy swears again
  Rub me
  Grind into powder.
  But the angel does not sleep,
  And everything will be alright. And everything will end well!
  The girls finished off the enemy fleet. Medvedev accelerated a tank, pursuing the samurai. Yes, they did a good job here. It's interesting how history can be corrected. Tsarist Russia was a mighty country that was rising to prominence. Although not everyone lived well.
  But the country was on the rise. The workday was shortened. New holidays were established. Local government was established. Wages rose while prices remained stable. Schools opened. Under Tsar Nicholas II, education spending increased more than sixfold. Primary education became compulsory.
  Yes, not everything changed for the better quickly enough, but how much the country lost due to the revolution and civil war? How many intelligent people died and left their homeland? And now, in this part of the universe, there's a chance to prevent something like this from happening.
  The tank, streamlined, glided quickly and silently underwater. And now the last destroyer of the Land of the Rising Sun was sunk.
  Natasha said with delight:
  - Look how smart I am!
  Alenka corrected the girl, clarifying:
  - What great guys we all are! We fought like lionesses!
  Margarita remarked with annoyance:
  - Nothing special! We just had better technology!
  Alenka giggled and replied:
  - But we fired the cannons ourselves!
  Natasha supported her friend:
  - And we did the targeting ourselves too! And that's a keen eye...
  Margarita teased:
  - Crooked hands!
  Natasha laughed and replied:
  - You are a charming girl!
  Margarita stated honestly:
  - I feel sorry for the Japanese. They draw wonderful cartoons. I especially like hentai!
  Alenka burst out laughing and twirled her leg in the air:
  - Hentai, it's cool! Really cool!
  Natasha, with the smile of a girl who has tasted the jam, suggested:
  - Let's maybe kick some fascists' asses too!
  Medvedev nodded with a smile:
  "Good idea. But let's finish off Japan's ground forces first. And help end the war faster. So that fascism never appears in this universe."
  The girls answered in chorus:
  -And it won"t appear, and China will be ours!
  After the Japanese fleet was sunk, the T-95 super tank emerged to the surface.
  Then Medvedev started having all sorts of nonsense in his dreams.
  Warrior Alenka rose to defend Ryazan. Natasha was with her.
  Both girls are lightly armored, holding a saber in each hand. And they have special, thin discs under their feet.
  A huge army of Mongol-Tatars was going to storm.
  Numerous long ladders covered the walls at once. They were varied: made of root planks, or pine logs with crossbars. Heavy ladders with rows of logs were also used. Due to the rapid pace of construction, the ramparts were higher than the Tatars expected; many ladders did not reach the top. The Mongols drove the few captured Urus ahead. The Russians preferred death to the shame of captivity.
  But the Mongols were relentless.
  Ruthlessly pushing with sharpened spears, they forced the exhausted men upward, hoping that the Russians, unwilling to kill their own, would surrender. Or they could sneak onto the ice rampart themselves, protected by prisoners. Some of the prisoners screamed and threw themselves down, sliding down the frozen ice, knocking down the hated nukers, tearing swords from their hands, and then falling hacked to pieces. People quickly scrambled up the ladders; you couldn't tell from what clan or tribe.
  Half-naked, in rags, with clubs in their hands, their backs bloodied. Vaula, the armored man, had already raised his enormous axe when a desperate cry came from below:
  -Don't destroy us, knight, we are our own, Rus!
  Voivode Dikoros jumped up to the wall and shouted:
  -I can smell it, these are ours!
  A desperate cry confirmed it:
  - Wait, don't chop, we're your people! There are no Mughlans among us!
  Very smart Alenka shouted:
  -Whoever crosses himself correctly is one of us!
  - Be baptized, Orthodox people!
  The giant Vaula-Morovin roared with a terrifying voice that made horses jump a mile away.
  Ryazan defenders approved:
  - True! Truly!
  All the walls picked up the chorus:
  -Come on, brothers, make the sign of the cross!
  Hundreds of ragged, blue-faced prisoners, clambering over the rampart, fell, still mechanically crossing themselves. Some immediately picked up stones they had piled up and furiously hurled them at the Mongols. Many Ryazan residents saw Tatars for the first time, and even many of their traditional adversaries, the Kipchaks themselves, had dressed in Mongol clothing.
  The enemies wore long fur coats, so long they got tangled in the hems. The elite nukers wore copper and iron plates on their chests, their backs bare. To intimidate the Urus, many painted their already vicious, effeminate faces with blood.
  But the Urusians didn't waver, meeting the enemy with swords and axes. Vaula's powerful, sweeping blow felled five Mongols at once; a second blow, three more! The other warriors fought just as well. The Tatars clumsily climbed the slippery rampart, unable to properly protect themselves with shields or cut with sabers. When, at the cost of enormous losses, the Mongol army reached the top, they were doused with boiling water and a terrible weapon: burning resin.
  Even women and small children poured scalding water and hurled stones and boulders. Small slingshots with poisoned arrows were especially effective; even a five-year-old child, still unable to draw the taut bowstring with his small hands, could fire them. And missing, firing into such a dense mass, was far more difficult than hitting the target. The assault was clearly stalling, with large numbers of mutilated corpses rolling down.
  Through a skillfully crafted Chinese telescope, Guyuk Khan watched the battle closely. He licked his lips and smacked them, constantly adjusting his fur-lined golden helmet, which stubbornly and annoyingly perched on his forehead. Then, in anger, he tossed the telescope aside.
  "Our warriors are dying! Bring Burundai and the Yellow Serpent to me!"
  The Turgauds rushed to carry out the hereditary Khagan's orders. Guyuk was about to sit down in the carved ivory chair when a hand gently rested on his shoulder.
  - Don't worry, great one! Calm your wild gaze!
  He purred a drawn-out chant, very similar to a woman's voice.
  Güyük Khan felt sleepy, barely able to stay on his feet. Yes, it was him. Once again, like a ghost, the Yellow Serpent appeared before him-the most terrifying man in his army, a hellish demon from distant and impregnable Japan.
  -You!
  The Supreme Khagan's heir pointed stupidly! The yellow serpent continued to spread, sometimes growing, sometimes shrinking:
  "I do! And I see right through you! It's time to temper your anger! Or rather, bring all your reserves into the battle quickly! And I'll help you, brothers, by giving the enemy such a surprise! The signature move, believe me, will be the right one!"
  - Dze, dze, dze! I will throw a select tumen into battle under Burundai's command! Together, you will lead the attack!
  The Japanese man's eyes flashed, baring his large yellow teeth:
  There are no white demons there, I want to kill my equals! Like a true ninja!
  The yellow snake flashed its talisman, a whistle quietly appeared in its mouth, and a trilling melody was heard.
  Güyük thought he was being mocked, but he had neither the strength nor the desire to argue with the ninja sorcerer. At that moment, the Turgauds roughly shoved Burundai aside. Güyük Khan disliked this submissive protégé of Subudai-Baghatur.
  "You leaky wineskin! Don't you see that the best warriors are dying beneath the walls of the Urus capital? Take the Berkut regiment immediately and, crossing the river, cut down the Urus with a blow to the right wall."
  The experienced Burundai dared to object:
  -The ice is not yet strong enough; it will simply burst under the blows of thousands of hooves.
  Unexpectedly, a formidable Japanese man answered for Guyuk.
  "Your concern is commendable. But your efforts are in vain! The magic powder has frozen the river ice stronger than steel! Now, gallop forward, we command you!"
  "The great ninja-batyr knows what he's talking about! Ride faster, if you take the city, I'll give you a herd of horses as a reward!"
  Guyuk Khan shouted, shaking his fingers. Burundai didn't dare argue any further-it would be death. The Mongol and his flock of furry horsemen vanished from sight. Suddenly, a shadow loomed, a roaring sound swept overhead, and a powerful blast blew the helmet off the hereditary Khagan.
  - Harakiri! Here comes the Butterfly! Now the Urus will get a poultice.
  A giant dragon hovered above the surface, its golden wings blowing away snowdrifts, and tongues of flame poured from its three predatory mouths.
  -Wonderful mongoose!
  Guyuk didn"t even have time to get scared:
  -He is capable of burning down all of Ryazan.
  -Not the whole thing, but it will set the wall on fire. Forward, my little Godzilla!
  Medvedev's wonderful dream continued. The acting president possessed a colossal imagination.
  A mighty dragon, with a wingspan of fifty meters, soared into the air. The Mongols and their accompanying shamans howled furiously. The tumen, commanded by Burundai, darted onto the ice, several horses tripped, and were immediately trampled along with their riders by the furious iron mass. The three-headed monster, meanwhile, swooped gracefully toward the wall. Dikoros realized the danger of an aerial attack before the others. Well, of course, he didn't want to reveal his trump cards prematurely, but to save the city, he would have to use a weapon unknown until then. The winged monster faced a mechanical monster, vaguely resembling a cross between a spider and a steel centipede. Smoke was already rising from the steam boiler. Well done, those young men who stoked the coal in advance.
  The steam catapult is a masterful combination of locomotive technology, a winch, multi-armed ballistas, and even... a musical snuffbox. And this beast, forged from hardened steel, could hurl any projectile at almost the speed of a machine gun, up to two miles away. The warrior girls were the first in the world to conceive of adapting a piston engine for projectile launching. Dikoros personally pulled the lever, and a skillfully forged chain belt began to move, inserting stones into the rapidly rotating blades.
  Since the Tatars were charging in a tight formation, there were almost no misses; in fact, every hefty boulder bounced off, knocking down several charging horsemen. The only downside was the aiming scale was weak; you could hit the Mongols, but try hitting a flying dragon! The three-headed monster turned its heads and opened wide, fanged, diamond-like maws.
  The escaping flames flew past the rampart and struck the houses. Screams and screams were heard, several half-blind women ran down the street, and houses burst into flames with unnatural speed. Fortunately, sand and heavy barrels of water, as well as fire crews, were on hand. Some houses, especially those close to the wall, were covered with fire-resistant asbestos. Under the combined pressure, the predatory volcano turned pale and, losing its strength, turned into wisps of pale smoke.
  But the dragon clearly refused to give up. Breaking out of its dive, it turned with the grace of an overloaded stormtrooper and unleashed another torrent of fire. The Tatars had already reached the wall, so the raging flames struck them too. The fearsome Burundai was among the casualties; his luxurious clothing caught fire, and he rushed back with the roar of a wounded boar. The Russian soldiers were also hit, and part of the ice visibly melted, revealing earth and logs. Dikoros's clothes were smoldering, but Antonov, a soldier standing on the wall, managed to pour a bucket of water on him, and steam billowed from his red-hot chainmail.
  -What a devilish obsession, it"s a pity that cool Alenka can"t see us!
  The dragon turned again and attempted a third circle. Magus Savely flicked his fingers and managed to launch a small fireball, striking the dragon's middle head. The small explosion didn't cause any significant damage to the three-headed monster, but it did knock it slightly off course, causing the dragon to fire prematurely, sending a fiery whirlwind crashing into the towering ranks of nukers. Again, frantic howls erupted, and some of the Tatars retreated. It was then that Dikoros noticed a tall young woman, deftly wielding two double-edged swords. With inhuman speed, she slashed at her opponents, delivering terrifying blows with her legs, elbows, and even her head, fluttering like a butterfly.
  Only one, or rather two people, could have caused such devastation:
  -Juliana! Red-haired angel, is that you?!
  -You can smell the flowers with your nose! From a height of three meters!
  Alenka responded with a laugh. The warrior girl, with the speed of a crazed cheetah, flew up the rampart, leaving barely noticeable bloody marks on the wall.
  - Don't talk, it's all clear! We must extinguish the winged torch!
  Alenka whistled wildly as the dragon, leveling its flight, began its fourth circle. A warrior standing nearby prompted her:
  -Use the catapult, Alenka, knock him down with a boulder.
  The warrior girl barked menacingly.
  -I know better what to use!
  Alenka instantly grabbed three skillfully forged chains. This was also the warrior girls' idea: connect two or three small stones, fire two or more ballistas, and an entire line would be mown down and mangled. Turning the steam catapult, Alenka leaped onto the blade and kicked the trigger. She was thrown high into the air, and already in flight, the warrior girl waved her arms, skillfully spinning her swords, directing the swift movement, and managed to land on the dragon's spiked back. The monster shuddered and tried to throw off the brazen girl rider, but the skillfully woven chains engulfed its enormous jaws-the formidable monster was now fully mounted.
  "Why do you need three heads? Is one missing? They're full of holes, so I'll chain them up so the last of their brains don't fall out!"
  The warrior girl laughed at her own clumsy joke. The dragon suddenly gained altitude, then performed a loop of the neck, the muscles beneath its skin twitching as the monster desperately struggled to dislodge its uninvited rider. Hot currents of air swept over its colossal body, and the serpent hurtled like a stone launched from a catapult, or more likely a meteor. The atmospheric wave knocked the Tatars off their tracks.
  Alenka cooed:
  -Not impressive!
  The acting president's slumber continued. Mr. Medvedev had fallen apart a little, perhaps even from grief.
  Indeed, what was a twitching dragon to the Terminator girl, as she underwent extreme stress in twelve variable planes, accelerating to one hundred and fifty times the Earth's gravity and then immediately diving into zero gravity, then again reaching the sublethal limit of stress? Any representative of flora and fauna is a worm compared to this product of genetic engineering.
  The monster attempted to turn its head, its enormous jaws clanking horribly. The warrior girl slashed with her legendary sword, aiming for its most sensitive spot-its nostril. The first blow was flat, and silver beads flew out of the nostril, sparkling like pearls in the sun.
  -You have beautiful snot, they say that a dragon can defecate gold.
  The snake struck with its flame. In response, the beautiful and nimble Alenka slashed with the tip. The blow was sharp and precise, the blade reddened slightly, and cherry-ruby dewdrops emerged from her enormous nose. They froze mid-flight, intertwining into a wondrous pattern.
  The girl laughed:
  - Cool, come on, repeat the trick!
  The monster was already twitching, but it continued to gain altitude, and the capital city of Ryazan grew smaller and smaller. Now it was a wagon wheel, now a saucer, and now the size of a poppy seed, finally hidden behind the clouds. A black sky, dotted with bright stars, flashed; they climbed into the stratosphere, and it became difficult to breathe, a chill of vacuum wafted across their faces. Although the legendary Alenka is no ordinary person, she cannot survive without air. But apparently the dragon is also restless; the reptile is convulsing, suffocating, and so they have to lower their altitude. She clearly has no desire to repeat Ruslan's feat of holding onto Chernomorets's beard for three days and three nights. A phrase from a children's website flashes through her mind, and for some reason she really wants to repeat it.
  And the warrior girl says:
  -You and I are of the same blood!
  The dragon seemed to grasp the meaning, shuddered, and paused its flight. Then it began to slowly descend.
  The beautiful and muscular warrior said:
  -You think correctly, my winged brother! Together we will achieve results!
  Below, a veritable massacre was raging; the Mongols were already retreating from the walls, and the magnificent Natasha decided the perfect moment had arrived to strike. Well done, brave girl, you can see her immediately; where she passed, a bloody path remains, thickly paved with corpses. Not only her legs and arms, but also Natasha's two long braids pierced with daggers of hardened steel woven into chains.
  Alenka said to herself, stamping her foot:
  "I'll definitely make myself some gear like that! Now, let's warm up the Mughlans!"
  Wild flames erupted from their tinned throats like a triple volcano. The Tatars were packed too tightly, and hundreds of them were roasted by the hellish fire pouring from their mouths. The horses were especially terrified, though most of them had already been knocked off their feet by a sudden blow to the back; only Guyuk Khan's personal guard of a thousand remained under saddle. The eruption continued, sweeping hundreds upon hundreds of fighters into a fiery hurricane with a single volley. The yellow serpent, his eyes narrowed, watched the return of his little dragon.
  The fighter from the east roared:
  "Traitor! You, dragonkind, always betray and serve the strongest!"
  Enraged, the ninja sorcerer attempted to strike down the daring rider, hurling pulsars at machine-gun speed. The young warrior, Alena, grinned and sang loudly:
  - With fire water - knock back a glass! You're a tough outsider - you were spitting out flames!
  What a girl she is - cheerful, with a sense of humor. And she's not afraid of fiery pulsars.
  Alena easily shot them down, using the legendary weapon and occasionally directing the beast at enemy units. A reusable flamethrower with wings, better than a hundred horse-drawn mechanical ones.
  Perhaps even this is cooler than a stormtrooper, and where does it get so much fuel without running out of fuse? I'll have to study this monster in my spare time and create a new, previously unseen weapon! Arrows bounce off the thick, iridescent armored skin like millet, shimmering with all the colors of the rainbow. Hits only momentarily change its coloring: ruby-red becomes lilac-violet. Purple-sapphire, conversely, turns into scarlet-orange, golden-yellow, emerald-green. It's very beautiful, but in the heat of a bloody battle, there's no time to enjoy this magical spectacle.
  Meanwhile, the Russian warriors and the White Legion, formed by the girls, had already cut down most of the Mongol army. It became especially terrifying when the mechanical flamethrowers came into play; no army could withstand such a double blow. Another minute, and a disorderly rout would begin. The yellow serpent hesitated for a moment.
  Batu's order was understandable: to kill the hereditary Khagan in the confusion, but the price was too low. No, he would kill him later, but for now he would lead him out from under the slashing Russian swords:
  -Let's move away, Khagan, I'll cover you!
  "What about the three-headed mongoose? I won't let him torment my army!"
  The ninja snapped his finger and sparks flew:
  "I can cast a complex spell and he'll return to his world, but then I won't be able to summon him for seven years! There is, though! A spell on the level of Hale!"
  -How is that?
  Guyuk's fat and puffy face, precocious for his age, lengthened. The ninja killer explained:
  - And so! If I kill his white mongoose, then the dragon will be mine, if he kills me, then his!
  The Japanese sorcerer whispered a long mantra, and the talisman flashed brighter than the sun. Carried away by the thrill of destruction, barefoot Alenka suddenly felt the lithe, sleek back of the powerful and now docile monster disappear beneath her. She found herself in mid-air, plummeting with the speed of a stone. The fall was unpleasant, but not fatal. Breaking through a meter-thick snowdrift, the warrior-terminator fell upon the Mongols with the fury of a wounded boar. The last organized resistance collapsed, and the pitiful remnants of the vast army fled en masse.
  The beautiful girls, barefoot Alenka and Natasha, literally competed to exterminate the disoriented nukers. Guyuk Khan, meanwhile, had become virtually invisible, his greyhound breaking all racetrack records, and the hereditary Khagan was thinking only of his own life.
  - No, he's not a samurai! A pathetic coward. It's a shame to serve such a Mikado!
  The ninja barked.
  The yellow serpent drew two mighty katanas, crossed them, and yanked them sharply. A sparkling pink ball emerged from the blades. A magical homing pulsar, it swiftly soared toward the beautiful, half-naked Alenka.
  The Terminator warrior managed to notice the movement and cut down the fiery clot in mid-flight. A small explosion exploded like lightning, scattering a dozen or so Mongols:
  -It's the devil! Samurai of the underworld!
  The Yellow Serpent shouted. The ninja was about to rush toward the bloody, bare-heeled Alenka when a simple thought occurred to him. "If he doesn't kill this powerful fighter immediately, the blonde terminator Natasha will join her, and then the consequences will be catastrophic. Especially since she's subdued the dragon, and only a very powerful warrior can subdue the great serpent."
  The ninja hissed:
  - I'm running away, birds! I'm leaving to come back!
  The yellow serpent, unfurling its white cloak, burrowed into the snow. Then, gasping for breath, it began to whisper a spell of movement.
  Barefoot Alenka continued her furious pursuit, and the tough Natasha kept close behind. Despite the ferocity of the fight, they never lost sight of the royal tent of the hereditary Khagan.
  -He'll run away, let's catch the leader!
  A barefoot Alenka suggested. Natasha threw the discus with her bare foot and responded casually, continuing to level the fleeing Mongols with swift swings.
  "But why? We'll only give Batyga extra joy, and it's too humane. A sword kills easily, but a jihangir will simply rip off his skin."
  Alenka, having cut down four with one swing, laughed.
  "If he doesn't break Batu's horns himself! Are we going to chase them all the way to the camp, or what?"
  Natasha giggled and said:
  - Batu has really shit his pants, and the fewer Mughlans that survive, the better!
  The Terminator girls quickened their pace, reminiscent of a game of tag. The nukers desperately lashed at their horses, tearing their sides until they bled. With desperate efforts, they managed to slightly pull away from the Uru horsemen, but there was no escaping those engineered to be faster than a cheetah!
  Upon waking, Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev did some exercises and turned on the television. Zelensky's victory was celebrated with nationwide celebrations and jubilation. The people genuinely rejoiced at the changes.
  Everyone wanted a new, more free life. Zelensky's inauguration was approaching, and he would assume full power. This, too, sparked enthusiasm and inspiration. It seemed like everything would change, and it would be better than yesterday. The Slavs would find unity, and the Cold War would end-like the authoritarian nightmare of the Putin era.
  And they already sang beautiful songs about Zelensky... Everyone wanted something new and wonderful.
  Zelensky himself announced that his first decree would abolish parliamentary immunity and also tame the oligarchs. Zelensky also promised to significantly raise taxes on the rich. "There's no reason for them to get fat!"
  In fact, a lot was planned, including the massive construction of a railway from Arkhangelsk to Chukotka, and then an underground tunnel under Alaska.
  Isn't Zelensky a tsar? His projects are grandiose. And in the US, power will soon change, and a new generation of politicians will emerge. They, too, want change.
  And now Zelensky is getting going...
  Before the computer was taken away, Medvedev entered the game...
  Now that we've conquered the USSR, we can take on the US. But first, let's eliminate the laser missile defense system; the empire has that capability. War against the US - 2008! The invasion begins from Chukotka to Alaska.
  There is a real struggle going on.
  The Abrams battles the Panther-7 tank. The new vehicle is no longer heavy, but rather sophisticated. And it demonstrates its absolute class.
  And he's crushing the Yankees... Medvedev grew a bit bored with the war, and he handed over control to a military adviser of Rokossovsky's caliber. And he himself began to rule...
  For example, building something... New temples, each dedicated to seven religions. Or even new TV towers. And building a pyramid would be cool, too. One and a half kilometers high. That would really be amazing!
  Medvedev is also raising living standards. He's not just churning out military factories.
  We could make televisions, refrigerators, computers, and laptops. We could build production and flex our military muscle. But we're already overpowering the US... The empire already has a population of over two and a half billion and can easily wage war against the US. Medvedev grins and sings:
  - I am the true hurricane of all centuries! The one that will bring mass death!
  And he's putting pressure on America again. There's already an exchange of nuclear strikes. The battle is escalating.
  CHAPTER 8
  Oh, let's push the units again. And how we strike! Here come the infantrywomen. All barefoot and in bikinis. And how the Yankees jab with bayonets, and how they throw grenades with bare feet. There's genuine energy in them. And everything shimmers, like balls of mercury running under tanned skin. These girls love to kill - these are girls!
  And they sing to themselves:
  We are dashing Komsomol girls,
  We have Tsar Medvedev, a very wise Tsar...
  And of course we have a loud voice,
  If any undertaking goes well, go for it!
  And again, like throwing grenades with his bare toes. These girls are literally super. And they crush the Yankees, capturing Alaska. And they sing to themselves:
  "Evil she-wolves form a pack! Only then will the race survive! The weak perish, they are killed - purifying the sacred blood!"
  And the girls rush into the attack, baring their teeth. And against the Americans, there are also the Tiger-7s-what incredible power. And there's no stopping such monsters!
  The Tiger-7 is a special high-pressure cannon with a muzzle velocity of 2,500 meters per second. And once it hits, nothing can protect you from it. And the Ambrams run in all directions. And it blows off their turrets.
  And the girl forces the soldiers to kneel and kiss their bare feet.
  The Americans surrender again. And Medvedev's army troops are approaching New York. And the city is already under attack. It is being captured without ceremony.
  Medvedev thinks of himself as a great commander: after all, he took New York.
  And one could say he is the greatest of the invaders. And then there is Washington.
  And the Americans surrender. The US President fell on his face and began kissing the girls' bare feet. First one, then the other, in turn.
  So I kissed a whole battalion of barefoot girls. Now that's a battle - super!
  Medvedev chuckles... So he conquered America, too. But Putin couldn't handle something like that!
  This is truly a battle - super! And then on to Mexico.
  And again, the captures... And the girls make the Mexicans kneel, and they kiss their bare heels. And they roar:
  - Glory to the beauties!
  Yes, a computer can display large, color images of girls with bare feet being kissed by prisoners. And it's such a thrill.
  Here they are again leading prisoners - this time black ones. And they, too, are kissing the girls' bare feet.
  And there are also pyramidal tanks crawling along...
  The girls are moving, and there are so many of them... After all, you can churn out young ones from resources. And choose to have all the units be girls in bikinis. And it's so beautiful.
  They are mostly redheads and blondes.
  And they conquer one country after another. Such tough warriors. Empires fall under their bare feet.
  Medvedev plays with pleasure... And even whistles something under his breath.
  And how a hydrogen bomb explodes! Monstrous barbarity! And an entire city, as if licked by a cow's tongue. And how much more radiation! And barefoot girls run through radioactive dust. And their bare heels burn.
  Medvedev plays like a python swallowing another territory.
  Here is another power conquered in the virtual world, and the flag is dropped.
  The tanks are now new, with active armor and ceramics. Multilayered and effective.
  And the aircraft carriers are modern, and quite appropriate. And how the planes start firing from them.
  Medvedev, as we can see, is a very smart acting president.
  So, now we're talking about drone development. And that's cool. And also, disc-shaped flying machines. Now, UFOs are coming into play. And then, pyramidal tanks.
  US President Trump, a bright mind, ordered a vehicle made invulnerable and impenetrable from all angles. Thus, a mastodon-like, low-pyramid-shaped vehicle was born. And this vehicle demonstrated excellent protection, especially against kinetic projectiles.
  And now, this tank has proven so successful that it's impenetrable, and it's still in service with the US. It's even been nicknamed the Trump Tank.
  And sometimes madness takes hold of people when they see that the car is impenetrable.
  Medvedev is fighting an unequal battle, and his machines have already taken another virtual capital, turning it into a pile of ruins and boiling craters.
  But even this isn't enough for the robot girl. She begins developing a new generation of weapons: an annihilation bomb. And this bomb is four hundred times more powerful than a hydrogen bomb. So if it hits, you won't even be able to collect the ashes!
  And the war is already moving into space.
  Medvedev is using ships made of a new alloy stronger and lighter than titanium. Both starships fly into space, and combat robots fight. Many different models are already in the underground factories.
  And so the last empire on the planet falls. And what happens next? Now off to deep space!
  The era of star wars begins.
  Medvedev figures this out and vigorously types on the keyboard. Or he could use his fingers or his thoughts.
  The acting president is acting wisely and building himself a space fleet. And the battle continues.
  An even more powerful thermoquark bomb, the annihilation bomb, is being developed. It's a hundred thousand times more powerful than the annihilation bomb.
  And so the ships take to the skies. And they capture the planet's satellites. And then the neighboring systems. They do it extremely quickly.
  And the acting president produces terminators in the game. Here's a heroic terminator. Here's time travel, albeit limited.
  Medvedev squeaked:
  - People stamp their feet on the ground, what with their boots! Which is both stupid and terribly ugly!
  And Medvedev felt much happier. "Oh, children, how wonderful you are. Especially if you've become space warriors."
  Here's a star-studded battle unfolding. And serious exchanges of blows, where trivial blows to the gut are thrown. More precisely, this is figurative thinking.
  Medvedev continues to attack:
  - My starships are deadly!
  And he appoints new space commanders in his place. A fight is a fight.
  Here's Medvedev commanding his commanders. Here's the enemy coalition mounting its assault. When such a vast armada approaches, it's terrifying; from a distance, it seemed like a multicolored, sparkling nebula. And each spark was a demon summoned by the magic of a necromancer. Over twelve and a half million military spaceships of all primary classes, plus an endless swarm of smaller "mosquito nets," and with reinforcements constantly arriving, their numbers approached two hundred million. The front stretched for a couple of parsecs; on such a scale, even flagship ultra-battleships looked like grains of sand in the Sahara Desert.
  A decisive battle is approaching: the Army of Medvedev's space empire against the multifaceted "Coalition of Total Salvation," which has decided, instead of its constant tactic of eternally delayed defense, to strike a blow against the fleet of the cruel aggressor.
  There are so many ships here, with a stunning variety, though in most cases it only hinders effective combat. For example, there's a starship shaped like a harpsichord, or a harp with long barrels instead of strings, or even a double bass with a World War II tank turret. This might impress the faint of heart, but it's more likely to evoke laughter than fear.
  Their adversary is an empire aspiring to be a universal power. Medvedev's great space emirate, where everything is put to the service of war, the main slogan being efficiency and expediency.
  Unlike the coalition's, the acting president's starships differ only in size. Their shape, however, is practically identical: they resemble very predatory-looking deep-sea fish. Perhaps with one exception: they resemble thick, shimmering steel daggers-grapplers.
  The stars in this part of space are not scattered too densely across the sky, but they are colorful and unique in their range of light.
  For some reason, looking at these luminaries, a sad feeling arises, as if you are looking into the eyes of angels who condemn the living beings of the universe for their vile, truly savage behavior.
  The acting president's army was in no hurry to meet them; only isolated mobile units, taking advantage of their superior speed, swiftly attacked the enemy, inflicted damage, and retreated. In response, they attempted to meet them with barrage fire, but, being more agile and with superior protection, they were far more effective.
  Cruisers and destroyers, seemingly insignificant in the cosmic scale, exploded like detonating mines. But then they managed to bring down even the big game. One of the coalition's enormous battleships was hit, billowing thick smoke and warping, and panic erupted aboard the colossal starship like a fire in a dry forest.
  The aliens, resembling jerboas with pincers instead of tails, scatter in terror, screeching and jumping hysterically. Among them are smaller creatures, resembling hybrids of bears and ducks. Their beaks twist in wild terror, quacking, flying apart, and then their feathers catch fire. One of the bear ducks flipped upside down, its head stuck in a fire hose. Foam gushed straight into its throat, its belly instantly ruptured, and the bird's carcass burst, spraying blood and the remnants of its smoky flesh.
  The jerboas are burning and rushing toward the rescue modules, but it seems the system offering them a glimmer of hope for survival is hopelessly damaged. Their general, Tail-Cockroach, lets out a hysterical squeal:
  - O gods of the squaring of the universal circle, by...
  Before they could finish speaking, the flames engulfed his hapless excellency. The intelligent rodent's flesh disintegrated into elementary particles.
  The battleship burned out, belching out air bubbles into the vacuum, and then exploded, shattering into a multitude of fragments.
  Medvedev, having had his fill of playing around, issued a couple more orders. He posthumously awarded Novodvorskaya the Hero of Russia medal. He ordered Oleg Rybachenko to be awarded every order and medal in Russia. He also presented the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called to Donald Trump. After which, Medvedev fell asleep again... No one disturbed him for the time being.
  After such a feat, Alenka was noticeably more cheerful. So was her team.
  Margarita was the first to speak:
  - Let's finish off Japan at sea and finish them off on land!
  Alenka warmly supported this idea:
  - Of course! Why allow more Russian soldiers to die!
  Natasha also spoke out:
  "Kuropatkin is an extremely indecisive commander. So it's not a given that he'll be able to win, even taking into account the Japanese's weakening during the assault on Port Arthur!"
  Medvedev summed it up decisively:
  - We're attacking! This is our chance, and Russia's chance!
  After which, the powerful and ultra-modern tank began to move. Yes, Japan is having a bad day. And they will often curse the moment they ever thought of going to war with Russia.
  The tank moved toward the Japanese troops. Alenka said with delight:
  "I had such a wonderful dream. It was as if Natasha and I were defending Ryazan from Batu Khan's hordes."
  Margarita perked up:
  - Was I in a dream?
  Alenka shook her head:
  - No! You weren't there!
  The girl groaned with annoyance:
  - What a pity!
  Barefoot Alenka laughed and remarked:
  - You could only hinder us! But Natasha and I were so cool!
  The blonde girl asked with surprise:
  - Were they cool?
  Barefoot Alenka readily confirmed:
  - Yes, very cool! And I even rode a dragon!
  Natasha laughed and replied:
  - You were very beautiful on the dragon!
  Alenka readily confirmed:
  - It's like a fairy tale! Where there are dragons, and elves, and all that glamorous stuff!
  Margarita answered with sincere feeling:
  - You're still very beautiful even without the dragon! You're a real fairy, a true wonder!
  Alenka confidently stated:
  - I will defeat everyone! With or without dragons!
  And the warrior showed her fist.
  The Russian tank was the first to attack the Japanese, who were stationed at the walls of Port Arthur. There were still quite a few of them. The artillery began to fire. The formidable tank's 152-millimeter cannon and eight deadly machine guns responded. Once again, hundreds of samurai were mown down.
  Machine guns - "Dragons" - are a real killer. Five thousand bullets per minute - a real beast.
  The Japanese fell, pierced, torn to shreds, their skulls shattered. Their stomachs burst, and their bodies bounced, thrown up by the crushing blasts of fire.
  High-explosive fragmentation shells with shaped-charge fillings also exploded. They were excellent for both firing at infantry and penetrating the bottoms of ships.
  These are the Terminator girls, and the professor is a real genius. So they started thrashing the samurai.
  Barefoot Alenka exclaimed:
  - Long live the Russian spirit!
  Natasha, pressing the joystick button with her bare toes, sent a shower of bullets, and continued:
  - And our Tsar, Nicholas II!
  Barefoot Alenka continued to fire shell after shell. Every three seconds, a lethal one would land. And the Japanese batteries would fall silent. And the yellow-skinned soldiers would perish in large numbers.
  Natasha, having mowed down several lines of samurai, supported:
  - The anthem of the Motherland sings in our hearts.
  Barefoot Alenka, continuing to spit out projectiles with lethal fillings, which are much more powerful than plastic explosives, continued:
  - There is no one more beautiful in the whole universe.
  Natasha, firing mercilessly at the Japanese with her bare toes, added:
  - Squeeze the knight"s machine gun tighter.
  Barefoot Alenka, crushing the samurai, finished:
  - Die for God-given Russia!
  The girls really are amazing! Magnificent beauties. You look at them and admire them. But for the Japanese, it was pure death. The tank rolled through the batteries. Knocked out the gun crews. It did it very, very quickly. Then it rolled through the trenches. Mowed down many of them too. Well, not many, but practically everyone. The annihilation was total. Here, of course, everything happened automatically. That's how they destroyed the Japanese.
  Alenka, with a laugh, noticed, pressing the joystick buttons with her bare tanned toes:
  - We are more executioners than warriors!
  Natasha giggled and agreed:
  - Executioners of freedom, genius and glory!
  And again it shoots streams. And knocks out the samurai with wild force.
  Margarita, who also shot accurately with her bare feet, sensibly remarked:
  - There will be fewer gays, and Japan will have a shortage of men!
  Barefoot Alenka burst out laughing and struck again with a projectile:
  - Beware of women! Women, beware!
  This is truly the kind of girl who bounces off shells, shrapnel, and any bullets. In any case, this girl is a real Terminator.
  Natasha took it and sang:
  - Legions are marching,
  Their bayonets are shining.
  There are millions behind us,
  O Russian regiments!
  No one will stop,
  No one will interrupt...
  The move opens up to something new,
  Let's fly faster!
  And again, it rains down on the enemy. And doesn't give them a hundredth of an ampere.
  Barefoot Alenka, throwing out shells with the monotony of a woodpecker, hissed, having just sung mockingly:
  - One, strike, two strikes, he's staggering.
  Natasha, firing, confirmed the song:
  - One blow, two blows, he's down!
  Cool Alenka energetically supported:
  - One board, two boards - a coffin is being built.
  Barefoot Natasha, continuing to fire and knocking out the enemy with machine gun bursts, hissed:
  - One shovel, two shovel - a hole is dug!
  And the warrior winked with her sapphire eyes. She really is so lovely.
  Barefoot Alenka surveyed the positions. The tank was working quickly, and practically nothing remained of General Nogi's army. It looked like the commander himself had been killed. We were finishing off the last Japanese from the siege army.
  Medvedev logically noted:
  "Look at what technology has come to! Four men killed over eighty-five thousand Japanese in just a few hours."
  Half-naked Alenka, grinning evilly, remarked:
  - We must destroy the rest too! Leave no one behind!
  Natasha sang, firing at the last thousands of samurai:
  - No, the mountains will not be golden, we will soon destroy all the enemies of Rus'!
  Cool Margarita added:
  - No, it's not hemorrhoids, you'd better bury the enemy!
  Having decimated General Nogi's army, the Terminator girls temporarily climbed out of the tank and ran barefoot through the snow. It's already winter.
  They've already destroyed over one hundred and fifty thousand infantry. And then there's the Japanese fleet. Nevertheless, over two hundred and fifty thousand Japanese still stand against General Kuropatkin's army.
  Medvedev emerged from his nap with a sluggish head. He walked around for a bit. Then he played on the computer again... Star Wars is great... But something just didn't work out...
  Medvedev began replaying the new strategy. He turned on a historical game: Russia during the reign of Nicholas II. And the war with Japan. Such a brutal war. He could deploy the strategy and churn out forces on the computer.
  Medvedev played at an easy level, but missed a hit from the Japanese and suffered heavy losses. We need to slow down our buildup. Let's reset.
  And again you play for yourself... As it turns out, the acting president in Kuropatkin's place isn't exactly shining... There are always some kind of glitches and mistakes.
  Medvedev then turned on the military adviser, and things started to improve... And then he himself dozed off in his chair.
  Beautiful Alenka , slapping her bare feet, asked Natasha:
  - How do you feel, killing so many people?
  The blonde girl answered honestly:
  - I don't know! It feels like a computer game! I don't feel any rage, or anger, or any particular joy!
  Barefoot Alenka giggled with annoyance:
  - This is war!
  Natasha spun into a somersault, her red, round heels flashing. She's a remarkable girl, capable of achieving a great deal without much effort. And by hook or by crook.
  The girls ran through the snow. Their bodies were so expressive. Their breasts were large, their hips were luxurious, like a horse's croup, their muscles were defined. They looked like mighty beauties. They exuded true feminine strength. So much grace. And their legs-muscles rippled beneath their tanned skin.
  They came across three Japanese scouts.
  The girls spun around in somersaults. And with their bare heels, they kicked the samurai in the chins. They actually broke their jaws. And knocked out all their teeth. After which, the girls sang:
  - The greatness of the Russians was recognized by the planet,
  We are rushing confidently upward.
  We are loved and appreciated by all nations of the world,
  The whole country is marching towards communism!
  And again the beauties winked their emerald eyes. They looked so combative. The warriors were active. And then they started running again.
  Barefoot Alenka jumped up, spun the pinwheel in the air, and noticed:
  - We're so cool. We could conquer the whole world!
  Natasha giggled and replied:
  - Empress of planet Earth -
  This is really cool!
  And the two girls winked at each other. Then they rushed back. Indeed, every day of war was costing the treasury of Tsarist Russia too much. And it was time to finish off the Japanese quickly.
  Medvedev greeted the girls with a radiant smile:
  - Well, have you had enough running?
  Barefoot Alenka said with a grin:
  - We've run around and are ready for battle!
  Natasha remarked aggressively:
  - We'll kill them all!
  Medvedev waved his hand and ordered:
  - Then, let's go!
  Barefoot Alenka laughed and replied:
  - Our four are the deadliest in the world!
  Natasha objected to this, stamping her bare foot:
  - Not in the world, but in the universe!
  And the powerful, aggressive, and lethal tank charged at full speed. There were still over two hundred and fifty thousand Japanese ahead. But there were enough shells for a billion soldiers!
  Girls, a professor, and a student-that's a team that will crush everyone and twist them into a ram's horn. And the tank flies towards the Japanese troops. It rushes menacingly. It wants to break everyone.
  Barefoot Alenka sang with delight:
  The vastness of Russia - beautiful, dear,
  Where is the pearl of the snows, the crystal of the boundless rivers,
  And the Russian soldier and the general are one.
  Holy is the symbol of the state - the Orthodox eagle, our king!
  And so the fast tank practically took off. It streaked past like a jet fighter. And found itself facing the Japanese. The universal cannon and dragon machine guns began working again. The girls set to work with great zeal. Without further ado.
  Alenka fired the gun with her bare toes, knocking out the Japanese and singing:
  - Glory to my Rus', Stalin and Lenin, one family!
  And the red-haired devil sparkles with her emerald eyes. And the way she fucks the samurai. You'll be amazed.
  And Natasha isn't giving in either. She's thrashing the Japanese.
  And sings:
  - Don't slow down on the turns. Our destiny, girls, is to win!
  The warrior was in perfect shape. And so swift, raining fire on the enemy.
  And bare toes press the joystick button.
  Half-naked Alenka, firing, remarked:
  - There are two problems in Russia...
  Margarita interrupted her here:
  - If only there were two!
  Barefoot Alenka, firing, happily agreed:
  - Yes, if only two!
  Natasha, shooting, laid down hundreds of Japanese, and then she sang:
  - In two, in two winters. In two, in two springs!
  Barefoot Alenka, firing, added:
  - I'll finish off the Japanese and come back!
  Natasha giggled and replied:
  - Port Arthur is ours! And we won't let anyone take our Manchuria!
  And the warrior once again thrashed the samurai. The Russians will not lose to the Japanese. This proves once again how invincible Russia is!
  Barefoot Alenka tore apart the radiator and cooed:
  - May Rus' be famous in the most distant lands and centuries!
  Natasha also croaked:
  - And no force will stop us!
  And she destroyed a couple thousand more samurai. Then the tank moved forward, and the harvest continued.
  Margarita, looking at this, expressed her opinion:
  - If the war is won so brilliantly, what will Russia do next?
  Medvedev watched the girls deftly mow down the Japanese and suggested:
  There will be war, either with the Germans or the British! But in any case, the battle with the Land of the Rising Sun will not be the last!
  Alena, having destroyed another battery, declared:
  - We'll give it to the Germans so badly, we'll give it to them so badly that they won't know what hit them!
  Natasha, crushing the samurai, added:
  - And Hitler will have no one to recruit into the Wehrmacht!
  Alenka, pressing the joystick buttons with her bare toes, declared aggressively:
  - It's such a shame for the Aryans. So many handsome white guys died!
  Natasha agreed with this, nodding sadly:
  - Yes, so many good people died! And for what!
  The girl hit the Japanese and noticed.
  - And the Japanese are a good nation, but we're forced to fight them! Although that's not so good either!
  Margarita logically noted:
  - And what about animals? Don't they kill each other? And man is just a higher order of animal!
  Medvedev chuckled and objected:
  "Unlike animals, humans have a soul! And their soul is truly unique and immortal! So, we and animals are a world apart!"
  Margarita objected to this:
  - What about monkeys? They also have a high level of intelligence. One of them knows three and a half thousand words!
  The acting president responded:
  - But they are our relatives!
  Barefoot Alenka fired at the Japanese and sang:
  - I'm a monkey! I'm also a human!
  Natasha, mowing down the samurai, cooed:
  - Don't walk around like monkeys for a whole century!
  The supertank continued to mow down the Japanese. And why not? It really is a crazy beast, after all.
  which fires forty thousand bullets per minute. And its armor is impenetrable to virtually any projectile. And not just those from the early twentieth century.
  Barefoot Alenka, shooting, aggressively declared:
  - Tsar Nicholas did a lot for Russia, but he remained unappreciated and undervalued!
  Natasha, pouring fire on the Japanese, agreed:
  - That's true! The Tsar was killed. Father was forced to step down! But what's gotten better?
  Barefoot Alenka fired the cannon and added:
  - It's gotten even worse! And even more vile people have come to power!
  Natasha giggled, hit the Japanese and declared:
  - So let's fight for a better future! And for Russia's freedom!
  Half-naked Alenka, firing, said:
  - For changes and victories!
  Then she showed her fist. She's a girl who can do things like that. Even samurai wouldn't be able to get away with it. And the machine guns are working. They keep mowing down.
  They really do plow through entire rows of corpses. And they clear the space murderously.
  General Kuropatkin received reports that something strange was happening among the Japanese. There was gunfire, explosions, and someone was attacking them.
  CHAPTER No 9.
  Medvedev, after getting some sleep, picked up the computer again. He didn't even shave. And he started playing his game again.
  The offensive on Japan after the swindler's code with tanks and airplanes. Including the best bomber of World War I, the Ilya Muromets. Which made a big splash, hitting the Japanese like a rubber slapper on flies.
  And forward to Tokyo...
  Dmitry Medvedev, having conquered Japan, called himself Emperor Mikado.
  And then new wars...
  For example, we could play with an alternative history. In 1875, Alexander II told Bismarck that his differences with France were an internal matter for Germany and the French. Bismarck went ahead and attacked France in 1876. At first, the Prussians were lucky and reached Paris. But then they slowed down. And Britain entered the war... Everything would have been fine, but the British took the fight to Germany and defeated it. Then the Prussians also increased their forces.
  The war in the West dragged on. The French defended themselves desperately. England was constantly transferring more and more forces...
  Meanwhile, Russia conquered Turkey and Istanbul. Britain, France, and Germany were locked in a protracted war. And Tsar Alexander's empire annexed many lands, including Iraq, reaching the Indian Ocean. And Palestine, and lands as far as Egypt. And so, Russian troops, led by Skobelev, conquered Mecca, Medina, and other cities of Saudi Arabia.
  And so the southern part of the Russian Empire was formed. And Alexander II became a great tsar. And the war between Germany, France, and Britain lasted for ten years.
  And it ended in a practical draw.
  Alexander II reigned until 1887 and fell victim to an assassination attempt led by Alexander Ulyanov, Lenin's brother. His glorious reign, during which Russia built countless roads, conquered vast territories, and liberated the peasants, was over.
  The game played out according to this alternative scenario. Alexander III, along with his commander Skobelev, conquered both Iran and Pakistan. But he, too, died-a bright spirit. Russia waged war against Japan under Nicholas II, already having a fleet in the Indian Ocean, which came to the aid of the Pacific fleet quite quickly. The Russians defeated the samurai relatively quickly, and they had far more forces on both land and sea.
  Moreover, the Russian army was commanded by the brilliant Minister of Defense Skobelev. And Russia not only won, but also managed to conquer Japan. Moreover, the United States had not yet ventured beyond the Western Hemisphere, and Britain was not so strong. Moreover, Russia was allied with Germany. The latter was lagging behind Britain and France in the scramble for Africa. Tsarist Russia, after the annexation of Japan and part of China, grew even stronger. The Delhi-Moscow railway was being built.
  As this showed, Tsarist Russia's plans for expansion into India and China were being successfully realized. Tsar Nicholas II chose Germany's side during the First World War. The Germans defeated France and occupied Belgium, Holland, Denmark, and Norway. Russia captured Egypt, most of Africa, and Indochina, as well as Britain's Pacific possessions. It even landed in Australia. And its Australia was captured.
  After which the war ended with the landing of troops and the occupation of Britain. The First World War was over. But Kaiser Wilhelm felt that Russia had already conquered too much territory, and without much effort. And he dreamed of revenge. Russia had indeed conquered vast swathes of territory - Australia, all of Asia, most of Africa. The Germans hadn't grabbed much, and even more from Portugal and Spain, which they had occupied. Austria-Hungary gained control of Italy and Libya. Russia took about three-quarters of Africa, and then, a little later, occupied Ethiopia. The Germans had already snatched up Morocco.
  Naturally, this wasn't enough for Germany. Even though it had taken France, Belgium, Holland, and Norway, and Russia had subjugated Sweden.
  Wilhelm began preparing for a new war with Russia. The crisis of 1929 exacerbated the situation. Austria-Hungary and Germany controlled almost all of Europe, as well as parts of Africa... and Britain. But the United States and Canada still remained. Wilhelm and Nicholas II were still hesitant to go to war with each other. Moreover, Russia was the last person who wanted to fight, digesting vast territories. To speed up their assimilation, Tsar Nicholas II even allowed Russians to have four wives. This was confirmed at the Eighth Ecumenical Council.
  A similar decision was made in 1925. And in 1926, Nicholas II took another wife. As it turned out, the decision was not foolish. In 1929, the emperor had another daughter. And on November 25, 1932, a healthy son was finally born. Nicholas II named him Peter, in honor of Peter the Great.
  And on May 15, 1933, a new war began. Germany declared war on Canada, as a British dominion. Two months later, the United States, led by Roosevelt, despite the economic crisis, entered the war against Germany. They did not want to give up Canada.
  Wilhelm, already aging but still aggressive, initially tried to fight alone, without seeking Russia's help. He hoped to do everything himself. But conquering territory separated by an ocean isn't easy. And the United States was rapidly building tanks and armies. And forming regiments... The war dragged on for a whole year without much success for the Germans. They only managed to capture Iceland and Greenland, but they couldn't get a foothold in Canada.
  Wilhelm turned to Tsar Nicholas II: "Help me, colleague. You're my cousin and brother." Nicholas II himself had his sights set on Alaska and Canada. So he decided-it's not the gods who make pots and pans. So, on June 25, 1934, he declared war on the United States and Canada. His troops marched through Alaska, across American territory.
  By this time, the railway to Chukotka had already been built, and Russian troops were advancing successfully. They had superior numbers and the world's best tanks, including light, heavy, and medium tanks.
  So America had to deal with unequal forces.
  And Nicholas II, as we see, is truly riding a white horse. And one victory after another. Russian troops march across Alaska. And they take city after city, village after village.
  The Germans are attempting to land in Cuba. The war is escalating. Kaiser Wilhelm writes to Nicholas II:
  "We and the Russians have been and will always be united. And we will never quarrel. So let America be finished off."
  Due to the extended lines of communication, the advance was slightly slower than planned. However, after five months of fighting, the Russian, tsarist troops nevertheless captured all of Alaska and entered Canada.
  Roosevelt even offered Russia peace, promising to give up Alaska, but it was too late. The war continued with a savage vengeance.
  In the winter of 1935, despite difficult weather conditions, Russian troops reached the northern borders of the United States. Fighting continued into the spring... Russian troops carried out one operation after another, and by the end of July they had captured almost all of Canada. And in August, they surrounded Philadelphia.
  The United States found itself in a very difficult situation. But they fought back desperately... However, by the end of 1935, more than a third of US territory had already been captured. And in the winter, the Tsar's success was even greater... By early March 1936, they had approached Washington and New York.
  And in April, both cities were taken... The war continued until August, until the entire territory of the United States was occupied.
  Then came the offensive in Mexico, and so on across the territory.
  Wilhelm proposed to Nicholas II that they divide up the entire world. Nicholas II agreed.
  By 1937, all of Latin America had fallen to Russian troops. Nicholas II had thus completed the division of the world with the Germans. Only three empires remained: the largest, Russia, then Germany, and then Austria-Hungary.
  Russia thus became the world hegemon, but... Nicholas II, though a great tsar, was mortal. He died in August 1939. And the aging Wilhelm attacked Russia on September 1, 1939. He decided to take advantage of the fact that Peter IV was still a boy, not yet seven years old. He decided to strike while the regents ruled Russia. Two days later, Austria-Hungary entered the war. All countries of the world were drawn into the conflict. The last war in the history of planet Earth had begun.
  The Tsarist army was unrivaled in terms of numbers and the quality of its weapons. Russian tanks and aircraft remain the best in the world.
  And the battles have proven this, as have the new talented commanders.
  But Austria-Hungary proved to be the weak link from the very beginning. And it was losing almost from the very first days. The Tsar's army routed the Austrians, took Lvov, and then Przemył. Only by withdrawing some of their forces from Poland did the Germans save the Austrians from complete defeat. But even this was of little use. The attempt to take Warsaw with the Kaiser's army failed miserably. And the Russian forces forcibly pushed them back more than two hundred kilometers.
  The Germans had great difficulty stopping the Russian forces. They spent the entire winter fighting. The spring also saw battles raging. Russian troops gradually gained the initiative. They had several times more soldiers, and by summer, they were able to wear down the Germans in skirmishes, to the point where they began to surrender. Simultaneously, an offensive against Austria-Hungary began. Budapest was encircled in the fall. Furthermore, the Tsarist army captured German holdings in Canada. And in the winter of 1940-1941, the Tsarist army cut off East Prussia. And by April 1941, it reached the Oder.
  The Germans' situation became exceptionally dire. Vienna fell in May 1941. Over the summer, the Russians reached the Alps and liberated Venice. They entered the southern regions of Germany.
  In the fall, Italy was finally captured. The winter offensive on Berlin ended with its capture on January 30, 1942. After this, the German resistance, having already lost all their holdings in Africa, weakened. By April, the Russians had reached the Rhine. After this, on April 22, the remnants of German forces capitulated.
  Thus ended the last war on planet Earth. It ended with victory and success for Tsarist Russia.
  Next came the conquest of space. Back in 1936, the first Russian man flew into space. He orbited planet Earth. And on May 9, 1945, the Russians landed on the Moon.
  They flew to Mars in 1967. To Venus in 1969. To Mercury in 1972. And to the moons of Jupiter in 1973. Humans landed on the farthest planet, Pluto, in 1980. And in 2003, the first human mission beyond the solar system took place. A Russian spacecraft reached Alapha Centauri and returned in 2018.
  As of 2020, Russia is still ruled by Peter IV, who, thanks to the advances of modern medicine, is not at all a very old man. Peter IV has ruled for eighty-one years, and his reign is the longest in the history of the world. Where precise dates are known, of course.
  Well, for now, the world is as calm as ever. And even a little boring... People are living well. True, there are problems with overpopulation. But birth restrictions are already being introduced.
  Orthodoxy was modernized. Priests were shaved and dressed in uniforms with epaulettes.
  Technological advances have created massive unemployment. But this problem, too, is being addressed. The Hypernet has developed.
  Research is underway, and spaceships capable of traveling faster than the speed of light have already been created. Good for Tsarist Russia and the entire world under the rule of the Romanovs-the most glorious dynasty in human history.
  Father Tsar Nicholas. He will build paradise on planet Earth!
  Dmitry Medvedev mastered his strategy. He conquered the entire world for the Russian tsars. He demonstrated his strategic thinking. He achieved major successes and fell asleep again, fully clothed and dreaming as before.
  Kuropatkin stated:
  - Calm down! Just calm down!
  General Linevich noted with alarm:
  - Your Excellency, perhaps we should strike now?
  Adjutant General Kuropatkin stated:
  - No! Of course not! It could be a Japanese trap!
  General Linevich timidly remarked:
  - This is our chance to finally win this war!
  Kuropatkin said in a trembling voice:
  - Patience, patience and more patience!
  Linevich retorted more angrily:
  - But Alexander Suvorov said: the moment gives victory!
  Kuropatkin muttered dryly:
  "I'm in command here! And we must preserve the army first and foremost. Besides, Japan will soon run out of steam!"
  Linevich suggested:
  - Maybe we should at least do some reconnaissance?
  Kuropatkin reluctantly agreed:
  - It's possible, just be careful!
  Linevich growled aggressively:
  - In the name of the Tsar and the Fatherland!
  Meanwhile, the supertank was mopping up the Japanese, knocking them out and shooting them down in various ways.
  Barefoot Alenka, firing mercilessly, asked the acting president:
  - Is this our last operation?
  Medvedev asked with a grin:
  - Why do you think so?
  The red-haired beast noticed:
  - The Japanese have no more large formations!
  While nailing and shooting samurai, Natasha also agreed:
  - But, in fact, Japan has nothing else to fight with!
  Medvedev responded with a somewhat uncertain look:
  "Japan can raise even more troops and buy new ships from America and Britain. So, let's face it, the war isn't quite over yet!"
  Half-naked Alenka, firing at the samurai, noted:
  "What if Russia offers Japan peace on moderate terms? We'll only take the Kuril Islands, and everything else will remain as it was before the war?"
  The acting president agreed:
  - In this case, most likely there will be peace!
  Margarita remarked angrily:
  - If it weren't for the revolution, the Japanese would have been defeated anyway. They wouldn't have gone anywhere!
  Barefoot Natasha, pouring fire on the samurai, readily agreed:
  - Of course! They wouldn't have gone anywhere!
  Cool Alenka, tearing apart the Japanese with shells, suggested:
  - Let's capture the Mikado!
  Natasha jumped up aggressively:
  - Capture the Mikado? That sounds interesting!
  Margarita remarked with a smile:
  - Won't that be too much?
  Medvedev also expressed doubts:
  "Isn't that a bit much? It's one thing to defend your own land, and quite another to interfere with Japan, which, let's face it, isn't fighting on traditional Russian soil either!"
  Barefoot Alenka hissed, again smashing the Japanese with shells:
  - Is it worth showing such mercy?
  Natasha, pressing the joystick buttons with her bare toes, nodded:
  - Really, why do we need that? We can capture the Mikado!
  Margarita laughed:
  - I'm on you, like in a war! And in a war, it's like on you!
  Medvedev responded sternly:
  "We need to know our limits! We're not random travelers! We're the ones who are seriously and consciously changing history! So we need to show sensitivity, including moderation!"
  Barefoot Alenka fired and sang:
  - Oh, measure, measure! How much cholera there is!
  The supertank was hard at work. More than one hundred twenty-five thousand Japanese had already been destroyed. Half remained.
  Natasha sang with a grin:
  - We will dig up the whole world of violence,
  To the ground, and then,
  We will build a new cool world,
  So that no troubles or problems will be known in it!
  Barefoot Alenka, firing very lethally, hissed:
  - For a good and just king!
  Margarita suggested:
  - Maybe we should grab a couple of trophy barrels of sake?
  Barefoot Alenka grinned poisonously:
  - What, do you want a drink?
  Margarita shook her head:
  - Athletes don't drink!
  Barefoot Alenka, having blown up another battery, giggled:
  - From small dishes!
  Natasha suggested:
  - Let's drink palm beer. It's healthier!
  And shot down more Japanese.
  Medvedev responded:
  - Business first, fun later!
  As acting president, shouldn't he know this? Hasn't he been constantly occupied with labors and worries?
  Yes, one of the first decrees issued by Acting President Medvedev was to triple the salaries of State Duma deputies. And what did the deputies do? They postponed the presidential election. Thus, for quite a long time, Medvedev served as acting president of Russia.
  And this has even become a unique situation. When the head of state has been acting for so long, and yet no change has come. Or rather, everything has changed for the worse under Medvedev. It's as if fortune, which so favored Putin, has decided to take its revenge on his successor. What's wrong with him?
  The modernized T-95 tank continued to exterminate samurai at an exponential rate. This machine demonstrated its effectiveness and the negative force of the fury of the multiplying quasi-matter.
  Half-naked Alenka, firing at the Japanese, logically noted:
  "Still, that's not entirely right. It turns out we can't do anything without superweapons!"
  Barefoot Natasha replied angrily:
  Some higher power prevented Russia from winning the war with Japan. It was supposed to be a good thing, the evangelization of China. But it didn't turn out so beautifully!
  Margarita asked the obvious question:
  - What about God then? Why didn't He help Orthodoxy?
  Almost naked, Alenka, sending projectile after projectile, noted:
  - That's exactly it! Indeed, allowing the Japanese to defeat an Orthodox country. That truly is such a betrayal of the Russian faith!
  Natasha, pouring fire on the Japanese, angrily remarked:
  "An imperial religion shouldn't be pacifist. How can you become a great country if you live by the commandment: if someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the left!"
  Cool Alenka readily agreed with this, crushing the Japanese:
  - Of course! We have no need for pacifism! Love your enemy! Is that a commandment?
  Margarita sang with inspiration:
  Anyone who is a man is born a warrior,
  So it happened - the gorilla took the stone.
  When the living is doomed to battle,
  And in the heart a flame blazes hotly!
  
  The boy sees a machine gun in his dreams,
  He prefers a tank to a limousine.
  Who wants to turn a penny into a nickel?
  From birth he understands that force rules!
  Natasha exclaimed, dousing the Japanese with fire with the fury of a seething volcano:
  - Yes, a machine gun! And strength is the main thing! We must win!
  Barefoot Alenka hissed in frenzy and rage, knocking out the Japanese:
  "I am what was born to win! And nothing less. Our victory will be ours!"
  Natasha agreed, pressing the joystick buttons with her bare toes on her muscular legs:
  - This will be for the best! We have ruled, and we will always rule! I mean, Russia!
  Barefoot Alenka, knocking out the Japanese, beeped:
  - I won't lie, I want to rule! But not just a rusty machine, but an entire empire!
  And the girl has already swept away the last battery of the Land of the Rising Sun. She's such a beauty that she could be a world champion. And she will never succumb to weakness or timidity.
  Natasha muttered as she shot:
  - I'll become a queen! Or, even better, an empress!
  Barefoot Alenka continued:
  - So what about war, so what about war, she's a bad woman and a bitch! But she breeds handsome guys, she tells you - kill the coward in you!
  Margarita nodded in agreement:
  - That's right, kill the coward in you! I think that if Nicholas II abdicated the throne, it wasn't out of cowardice at all!
  Half-naked Alenka declared decisively:
  - Now he will not abdicate! We will strengthen the royal throne so that it will stand for centuries!
  Natasha exclaimed:
  Be a great Tsar, Nicholas II! We support you! There will be no revolution - there will be a Great Russia!
  Finally, the warriors finished exterminating the army of the Land of the Rising Sun. They killed over two hundred and fifty thousand soldiers and officers. Thus, almost all of Japan's ground forces were destroyed. The navy, too, ceased to exist.
  Barefoot Alenka remarked with a grin:
  "Was it worth it to bother? I mean, freak out? An army that managed to defeat Russia without resisting for very long!"
  Natasha confidently stated:
  Russia lost solely because of the fifth column. Otherwise, we would have won anyway!
  Margarita asked the acting president:
  - What are we going to do? Go back or continue?
  Medvedev, who was losing power, turned on his computer and announced:
  "Now they'll give us a forecast for the future development of Tsarist Russia. If everything goes well, we'll return."
  A pleasant female voice was heard;
  After the complete destruction of Japan's land and naval forces, the Mikado proposed peace. The United States and Britain offered to act as mediators.
  The terms were favorable to Russia. The country received the Kuril Islands and Taiwan.
  As well as control over Manchuria, Korea, and Mongolia. Furthermore, Japan also paid a contribution of two hundred and fifty million Russian gold rubles.
  The authority of Tsar Nicholas II grew, and revolutionary sentiments subsided. The country experienced a rapid economic upswing. Yellow Russia emerged. Part of China voluntarily joined Russia, as did Korea and Mongolia. The Tsarist Empire expanded, and its population grew. Economic growth began earlier than in real history and was more intense.
  The State Duma was nonexistent, and the tsarist government was better prepared for World War I. Russia produced the world's first mass-produced light tanks, the Luna-2, and the four-engine bombers, the Ilya Muromets and Svyatogor. World War I still occurred, but it was more successful for Russia.
  Because the Tsar had a larger population, economy, and army. And his domestic situation was also more secure. The State Duma, a breeding ground for rebellion and military coups, was gone.
  With varying success, but ultimately driven by Russia's initiative and the victory of the majority of battles, the war ended on November 7, 1915, with Germany's capitulation. Austria-Hungary disintegrated and was partitioned. Galicia and Bukovina became Russian provinces. Krakow and its surrounding lands became part of the Kingdom of Poland, along with Poznan, Danzig, and part of East Prussia. Klaipėda joined the Baltic province. Czechoslovakia emerged as a kingdom within Russia.
  Romania annexed Transylvania. Hungary became an independent kingdom, but under Russian protection, with Tsar Nicholas II as co-ruler. Austria became a very small country. Yugoslavia emerged, also under Russian protection and co-ruler Nicholas II.
  Turkey disappeared from the political map. Iraq and Palestine became part of Britain, Syria became part of France, and Asia Minor and Istanbul became Russian provinces. Thus, Russia once again gained territory. But that wasn't the end of it. Then, together with the French and British, the Saudi Peninsula was conquered. And then Russia and Britain divided up Iran and Afghanistan. The north and center became Russian provinces, and the south a British colony.
  The world seemed to have regained stability. The war continued only in China. But then, in 1929, a serious economic crisis erupted, leading to the Great Depression.
  Revolutionary sentiments were growing again in Russia. Strikes and protests broke out. But the crisis proved to be minor. Especially since war with Japan broke out again in 1931.
  The samurai wanted revenge. But this time, the Russian army was stronger in every way. And Admiral Kolchak was a brilliant naval commander.
  Japan was not only defeated but also conquered. Tsar Nicholas II was officially crowned Emperor Mikado of Japan in February 1932. Russia thus expanded even further, annexing almost all of China.
  Russia had no equal in both population and territory. This was especially true as the British Empire weakened. Hitler came to power in Germany in 1933, but what could he do against Russia? Nothing. Tsar Nicholas II died in 1937, having enjoyed a remarkably successful reign, the second longest after Ivan the Terrible. And with record-breaking conquests in terms of territory and population.
  However, not everything worked out for the Tsar in his personal life. His heir, Alexei, died young. His younger brother, Mikhail, was deprived of the Russian throne due to an unequal marriage.
  Kirill Romanov succeeded him, dying in 1938, less than a year after his death. His son, Vladimir III, became the new tsar. He was crowned, and the monarch reigned long and happily, until 1992. Russia first seized colonies from France and Britain, along with Germany. Then it conquered Germany. And then the entire world. In short, the new Tsar, George I, became the Emperor of the World in 1992.
  Medvedev concluded his review and reported:
  - Apparently, that's enough for this universe! Let's go back!
  And all four shouted:
  - Glory to Tsar Nicholas II!
  . INTERMEDIATE EPILOGUE
  Medvedev woke up to a phone call... He was informed that Zelenskyy's inauguration as president of Russia and Ukraine was already underway. And that it was time for Dmitry Anatolyevich to leave office.
  Medvedev reluctantly complied. Before leaving, he shaved and took a bath.
  Then he left the office. He was taken away in a special vehicle. On the way, they told him it would be best for Medvedev to fly to the Canary Islands for a rest.
  Zelenskyy turned his inauguration into another spectacle. As usual, it was colorful, with fireworks and jumping. On the day of the inauguration, Vitali Klitschko fought Michael Tyson at a stadium in Kyiv. The renowned American boxer agreed to the fight due to serious financial problems. Klitschko dominated all twelve rounds, but diplomatically avoided knocking Tyson out.
  Formally, one of the minor versions of the world champion was played out.
  After which Vitali Klitschko was presented with a diamond belt.
  Volodymyr Zelenskyy received congratulations from all over the world, including China. Moreover, popular unrest in the Celestial Empire intensified. Man cannot live by bread alone. People longed for democracy and freedom. Tired of the despotism of the Chinese Communist Party, everyone longed for freedom.
  Zelensky has become precisely such a symbol-a symbol of democratic strength after the fall of the security services' dictatorship under Putin.
  Zelenskyy spoke a lot about change, the economy, and new achievements. Russia had already held a competition for the position of prime minister. Several thousand applicants were involved. The selection process was quite intense. And it looked great.
  So far, everything had gone quite smoothly. Zelensky even did a somersault at his inauguration. He received applause. Then he demonstrated his knowledge of foreign languages. He was quite active and energetic.
  Finally, Zelensky went ahead and made a couple more speeches.
  The inauguration was followed by personnel changes. Numerous reshuffles and new faces in the government.
  A real selection of "iron commissars" was underway. A personnel revolution was taking place in Russia.
  Zelenskyy issued numerous decrees in his very first days. He authorized the sale of alcohol at night and in mobile stores. He introduced new taxes on the wealthy. He lifted immunity for members of parliament and judges. He increased industrial output. He imposed tariffs on trade with China.
  A referendum on unification with Russia was held in Belarus. Zelenskyy also deserves credit for this. The majority of Belarusians supported unification with Russia.
  Zelensky complained that Medvedev had raised salaries too much, but promised that inflation would calm down and that nothing terrible would happen.
  Indeed, the price rise soon stopped. And the Russian economy began to grow. And the militant uprisings in the Caucasus somehow died down. Things became much calmer.
  Zelensky finally proposed a candidate for the post of Prime Minister of Russia. The candidate was thirty-two-year-old PhD candidate Alexei Bolshakov. He won the competition decisively and became the youngest prime minister in Russian history.
  Medvedev flew off to the Canary Islands on vacation, collecting his former presidential pension while simply enjoying himself. So far, he's had no problems. But Shoigu was arrested, accused of attempting a coup. What did he expect?
  There were plenty of other solutions, too... In America, a forty-one-year-old Democrat won. Thus, power changed. And both a woman and the youngest candidate in US history came to power. The Trump era was over. But friendship with Russia was only just beginning to blossom. Naturally, against dictatorial China, the US and the new Russian Empire were now friends.
  Zelensky even held a referendum and introduced a different name: instead of Russia, he changed it to Kyivan Rus. Which also spoke volumes. Belarus joined the federation. And the empire's revival began... on democratic foundations.
  The new female US president inherited Trump's hostility toward China and dedicated herself to building a coalition. Kyivan Rus' developed economically successfully under Zelenskyy. Russia somewhat restrained China. Then, it joined NATO. Soon, a pro-Russian government came to power in Kazakhstan and a union state was formed. The Russians were squeezing Central Asia away from China. The confrontation escalated.
  Zelensky waged an anti-Stalin and anti-Putin campaign. He stripped Stalin and Putin of all the awards Medvedev had given them.
  But everything turned out peacefully. Although the communists did protest. They went to rallies.
  And then Lenin was finally removed from the Mausoleum. Such joy for many. And the Orthodox Church canonized Alexander II and Ivan the Terrible, the Russian tsars. The number of monuments to Nicholas II also increased.
  Tsarism and Westernism somehow became fashionable. They moved closer to Europe, and many positions were given to foreigners. Russia became part of the Western world, and after Trump's departure, globalization intensified. Meanwhile, China fell into isolation and faced internal turmoil.
  At the same time, Zelensky increased the birth rate in the Slavic Empire. The long-promised moon landing finally took place. And everything was going wonderfully.
  Allied relations were established between Russia and the United States, or more precisely between Kievan Rus and America.
  And confrontation became a thing of the past. The world became increasingly global and secure. Although there were wars. Kievan Rus', together with the United States, conducted an operation in Libya, where they put an end to the Islamists. Then they dealt with the Middle East, establishing bases there with the United States. Kievan Rus' and the United States together began to tilt the world and push China out of Africa. And here, wars are inevitable. And ground operations, too.
  And Kievan Rus and the United States carried out airstrikes jointly.
  Gradually, the Chinese were driven out from all corners of the world. And the Celestial Empire fell into a deep economic and political crisis.
  And Kievan Rus flourished more and more.
  Russia had never seen such rates of economic growth. And while China collapsed, Kievan Rus' rose. And grew rapidly.
  The railway to Chukotka was built in record time. Which is pretty cool in itself.
  And a tunnel was dug under Alaska. The Americans also began building a railroad to connect with Russia. A railroad to Delhi was also being built... At the same time, canals were being dug from Siberia to irrigate Central Asia.
  The United States and Kievan Rus' launched a joint operation against Iran. A coherent secular regime was installed. Afterward, they began digging a canal from the Caspian Sea to the Persian Gulf.
  NATO expanded to include Arab countries. A parliament was established in Saudi Arabia. Women began to remove their burqas. The construction of a secular state began.
  The Russian media was constantly criticizing Putin for his extremism and slinging mud at him, claiming he nearly turned Russia into a Chinese colony, but thankfully, he died in time. They even used harsher words. And yet, they did open a criminal case against Medvedev. And more than one.
  Stalin was carried out from the Kremlin wall. Lenin, much earlier, from the mausoleum.
  Much has changed in state symbols, too. Several new flags have appeared. Yellow has been added to the Russian flag, and blue has replaced light blue.
  That was also interesting. The coat of arms changed... A monetary reform also took place. Money was exchanged at a ratio of one to a thousand. The Kievan Rus' ruble gold standard was established. At the same time, new, old currencies emerged: the grosh (half a kopeck), and the polushka (quarter a kopeck).
  Everything is in order...
  Titles also began to revive... Princes, barons, counts, marquises, and even dukes appeared. Zelensky, in particular, became a duke. Moldova also became part of Kievan Rus'. There was already talk of electing a tsar.
  But Zelenskyy announced that the president of Kyivan Rus would be elected solely by the people, and for no more than two terms.
  Moreover, Zelenskyy shortened the Russian president's term of office from six years to five. However, Zelenskyy served his first term for six years.
  By this time, he had completed the annexation of Central Asia to Russia and restored the borders of the USSR. Only the Baltic states remained unoccupied.
  But the Americans didn't want to give it up yet. And so they gave up Central Asia and the Caucasus.
  A new war broke out in the Caucasus, between Armenia and Azerbaijan. And it was very brutal. So Russia was able to occupy these republics and hold referendums on joining them.
  Thus, Zelensky reclaimed the Caucasus, expanding Kyivan Rus'. Frankly, he was a great conqueror. And a democrat at that... His empire continued to expand...
  Now, Afghanistan, already during the second term of government, and part of Iran have become parts of Russia.
  In the US, a female president won a second term. She's been successful in the economy so far, and most importantly, she managed to knock out China. That's a major victory. And Kyivan Rus' is now an ally, led by Zelensky.
  But, of course, Russia's power is growing too quickly. It has already annexed northern Iraq.
  He's acting brazenly. Kievan Rus' is the fastest-growing country in the world! And its population has even surpassed the United States. And America is already looking on with concern: has Russia grown too strong?
  Moreover, the Kievan Rus' empire is expanding. The Baltics are already under its control. This is truly a major problem for the Americans. Zelensky has already reclaimed all the former Soviet territories.
  And, like the Russian Tsar, he continues his expansion southward. Iran and Iraq have now been entirely incorporated into Kyivan Rus. And Zelensky was easily elected to a second term in the first round.
  Although there were many presidential candidates, the elections were democratic.
  Zelensky stated that he does not intend to follow Lukashenko's example and rule for life. Moreover, the circumstances of Lukashenko's disappearance remain unclear. Perhaps he simply became of no use to both Russia and the West. And disappeared... Zelensky, however, is only gaining momentum. Indeed, his success in office eclipses that of his predecessors, including Peter the Great.
  In fact, not everyone is capable of restoring the territory of the USSR, plus Afghanistan, Iran, and Iraq.
  But Zelenskyy isn't stopping there. Poland and Finland are already in the crosshairs-they were also once part of the Tsarist empire, after all. And indeed, referendums are being held in these countries, and they are voluntarily joining Kyivan Rus.
  There have been successes on the scientific front, too. The long-awaited mission to Mars has taken place. Russian cosmonauts landed there, took soil samples, and left a flag, which was a major triumph.
  At the same time, Kievan Rus' took the ancient city of Port Arthur from China. Taking advantage of the outbreak of civil war in China, they also took Manchuria under their protection.
  At the same time, Kyivan Rus' also annexed part of Turkey-the lands ceded to Russia by the Treaty of Versailles. This was also a very powerful move. Zelenskyy further expanded Kyivan Rus' as an empire. And its economy rose to first place, overtaking the United States.
  Well, China is immersed in the nightmare of civil war, and they have already begun to divide it.
  Kyivan Rus' became a powerful state. And Zelenskyy's popularity within the country grew so much that people began begging Volodymyr on their knees not to step down. Hundreds of thousands of people gathered.
  Zelensky, as an exception, held a referendum allowing him to run for another third term as head of Kyivan Rus.
  The US has a new leader. It's now a Republican. And not so young anymore - older than Zelensky. So relations between Kyivan Rus' and the US have begun to deteriorate again. Russia has become painfully stronger under Zelensky. It's worth remembering that, including the Ukrainian government, this is already Zelensky's fourth term.
  The Russian president's powers, they say, haven't been diminished. Zelenskyy's only action was to amend the constitution, which would give the State Duma the right to dismiss an individual minister by a two-thirds vote, or by a simple majority after passing two no-confidence votes.
  And even this amendment isn't all that significant, since the president retained the right to appoint all ministers and determine the government's structure. And Zelenskyy's supporters have a constitutional majority in the State Duma.
  More significant was the introduction of direct elections to the Federation Council, as well as allowing prisoners to vote.
  But, in general, that was where the limitations on the president's powers ended. The right to dismiss governors remained. And in the legislative sphere, it was even expanded.
  In the US, Zelenskyy began to be accused of authoritarianism, and that his party, "Servant of the People," controlled virtually all government positions. The Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) and the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) ceased to exist. A left-wing party, "A Just World," emerged. The LDPR was replaced by the Patriots of Russia party. But "Servant of the People" remained completely dominant.
  Certain reforms also affected the church. Orthodoxy legalized the right to four wives, aligning itself with Islam. The approach to icons changed somewhat, aligning with Protestantism. People began to emphasize the Oneness of God and the unworthiness of mere mortals.
  At the same time, the Trinity was abolished as a non-biblical symbol and incomprehensible to mere mortals.
  And they introduced the idea that God is One, God the Father. The term "God the Son" doesn't exist in the Bible. And even less does the term "God the Holy Spirit" exist. So why not simplify religion?
  Moreover, a god hanging on a cross doesn't inspire confidence. If He couldn't protect Himself, how could He protect people? In short, they switched to monotheism. And the Bible itself was mixed with ancient Slavic myths. The Gospel of Veles emerged.
  Atheism has also gained ground-it's as if it's enough to get carried away by human fairy tales. We have one planet, and it doesn't need people to believe in miracles, especially not the end of the world.
  There won't be, and shouldn't be, any end of the world. Humanity should become a space empire and reach the very edge of the galaxy. And what about galaxies? More like universes. And having reached the edge of the universe, move on to another part of creation. After all, there are countless universes. And so it is possible to fly from one universe to another. And, in time, learn to create ourselves! And there will be new, immeasurable universes, practically throughout all of space.
  And planet Earth is merely the cradle of humanity. And in the future, there will be an empire spanning a sextillion by a sextillionth of a universe, continuing to expand and conquer space.
  And the head and president of Kyivan Rus, Volodymyr Zelensky, rises like a bright sun of hope over the planet!
  And may his future and the future of Kievan Rus be bright!
  
  Force Majeure When the USSR Fought Without Allies
  Thus came the irresistible influence that shut down the Allied forces on January 1, 1943. Rommel's battered corps halted on the Libyan border. And all bombing raids on Nazi Germany ceased. Attempts to fly toward London also ended in failure. German planes did not crash, but were driven back. A previously unseen miracle had occurred: the division of the world by theomachic force.
  However, this didn't help the Germans much at first. Stalingrad, or rather Paulus's force within it, was arguably beyond saving. And the Soviet forces advanced confidently. The offensive on Voronezh and in other directions was successful. The Red Army liberated Kursk, Belgorod, and Kharkov almost within a realistic timeframe.
  However, after the transfer of Rommel's seasoned divisions from Africa and the forces that, in real history, had also been uselessly thrown into the Algerian and Tunisian deserts, Mainstein's famous counterattack gained significant momentum. It involved significantly more German forces, especially air power.
  And the thirty brand new Tigers that were stuck uselessly in the Sahara turned out to be quite useful.
  This is where the first significant discrepancy with actual history occurred. Mainstein launched a counterattack four days earlier, and with far greater forces, he advanced more quickly. Kharkov was recaptured nine days earlier, Belgorod twelve days earlier, and even then, on the move. Most importantly, Kursk was captured, which in actual history had not succumbed to the Nazis.
  A significant number of German forces were involved. They used reserves transferred from France, virtually all combat-ready tank units, and their main air force. Regardless of how you look at it, almost half of the Luftwaffe was diverted to the Western Front, so the enemy gained significant air power. This was evident during the German counteroffensive, which resembled a sickle blow.
  And in real history, Meinstein outplayed the Soviet generals, but here he had twenty divisions more ground forces and, given the concentration of resources, three times more aircraft. And the Focke-Wulf is not bad at all when used wisely: it's fast and has powerful armament. What's more, the F-190 is significantly more effective when outnumbered. Its powerful armament allows it to shoot down an aircraft in a single pass, while the aircraft itself can escape thanks to its high dive speed.
  The Soviet forces suffered a tactical defeat and abandoned Kursk, with many soldiers and officers encircled. Some were killed, others-though a minority-were captured, and many escaped, although they lost their equipment.
  The Soviet troops suffered colossal losses and their advance was halted. But the German tanks, too, were unable to exploit their success due to the onset of spring thaw.
  A temporary balance of power arose.
  However, a new power could also enter the war: Japan. The samurai also had a free hand. America was out of reach, but it wasn't attacking. However, Japan's strong ground forces were still pressuring China. Chiang Kai-shek now faced a very difficult situation. Either try to reach an agreement with the Japanese, or fight, but without receiving financial and weapons support from the US, Britain, and other countries.
  Naturally, the Germans were eager to open a second front to divert some of their enemy's forces from the east. Nevertheless, they had suffered significant losses. Stalingrad was particularly devastating. Soviet troops also suffered significant losses, with some ending up in the Kharkov and Kursk pockets.
  The Nazis ramped up arms production. Thanks to the lack of bombing, the Nazis were able to significantly increase tank production, as well as aircraft. Bombing was a greater hindrance to the Nazis than is commonly believed. Moreover, in real history, Germany increased its production largely due to the restructuring of its economy for war and the increasingly active use of slave labor, not because it was bombed lightly.
  The Germans bided their time, building new tanks and training crews, relying on modern technology. The question of where to launch the offensive remained open. The Kursk salient was gone, a natural starting point. Both the Germans and Hitler hesitated. They considered storming Leningrad, although that would have meant breaking through powerful fortifications.
  The German generals were reluctant to attack Stalingrad again. But frankly, their options were limited. The only option was to attack Moscow itself. Serious disagreements arose among the Nazi leaders. Meinstein, Guderian, and Rommel even suggested it would be better not to attack at all, but to let the Russians attack first and lure them into a trap.
  An alternative plan called for launching an offensive from the Taman Peninsula and Rostov-on-Don, a well-fortified city the Fritzes were able to defend by transferring reinforcements from the Balkan group, replacing their occupation forces with Bulgarian and Italian ones.
  The Führer, who favored operations where troops broke through along converging axes, was increasingly inclined toward this plan, but he was slow to implement it. In particular, the Panther tank proved finicky and frequently broke down, requiring modifications. Additional crew training was also needed. The Führer also wanted to churn out more Tiger tanks.
  Stalin eventually grew tired of this. Fearing that a second front would be opened by Japan, which had achieved major successes in southern China and whose ground forces already exceeded seven million soldiers, and citing the growing military potential of the Third Reich, he himself ordered an offensive in the Kursk and Donbass sectors. Hitler's hesitation and the Führer's desire to form divisions with hundreds of Tiger and Panther tanks led to a preemptive strike.
  However, the Soviet troops, having launched their offensive on July 7, 1943, did not possess a decisive advantage in numbers. 6.6 million Soviet soldiers and officers faced 5.56 million German troops, including approximately 1.250 million satellite troops. With the threat of an offensive from the west and south fading, Mussolini significantly increased the number of Italian troops in the east. The number of Spanish units also increased. Salazar also sent a "volunteer" division. The French legions and Romanians also fought, as did the Hungarians and Albanians, and, more actively, foreign SS divisions from across Europe.
  Thus, the Soviet Army did not have superiority in numbers, but the heterogeneity of the coalition reduced the quality of the enemy forces. The Red Army had a slight numerical advantage in tanks and artillery. However, the Tigers and Panthers are still perhaps unmatched in firepower and armor. The T-4 also gained superiority in gun firepower over the T-34-76. However, the USSR had rocket artillery, while the Germans, despite developing gas launchers in particular, were underdeveloped in this area.
  There's approximate numerical parity in aviation. The German ME-109G and Focke-Wulf fighters are superior to their Soviet counterparts in armament and speed, but slightly less maneuverable. Unfortunately, Germany has more experienced and effective aces. The Ju-188 bomber is arguably superior in performance to the Pe-2 and Tu-3. The Ju-288 has also begun to enter service. However, it's only just beginning to be adopted, along with the ME-309.
  But in any case, lacking superior strength, the Red Army launched an offensive against the enemy's prepared defenses. And encountered stubborn resistance. But the Soviet troops were aggressive in their attacks, and regardless of losses, they pressed forward. Although the average pace of advance was slow-one or two kilometers per day-the enemy fought back and managed to dig in again. Nevertheless, the heroic advance continued. By mid-August, at the cost of heavy losses, Soviet troops had advanced up to one hundred kilometers, approached Kursk, and waged fierce battles for the city itself, even reaching Belgorod.
  On August 19, 1943, Japan, overcoming its hesitation, opened a front in the Far East. By this time, having suffered a series of defeats, Chiang Kai-shek's regime agreed to a peace agreement favorable to the samurai. The Japanese gained control of vital communications and were relieved of the need to wage a difficult guerrilla war against the poorly organized but numerous Chinese forces. In return, Chiang Kai-shek was promised support in the war against Mao Zedong's Red Army. Japan already had all the means to wage war against the USSR. And they decided not to wait for the rainy autumn and harsh Siberian winter. Not to mention that Hitler had declared war on the United States back in 1941, and the samurai did not support him. Opening a second front in 1942 could have saved the Nazis from a crushing defeat at Stalingrad.
  Japan's decision was entirely predictable. Nevertheless, in their attack on Vladivostok, the samurai achieved tactical surprise and inflicted serious damage on the Soviet Pacific Fleet.
  At the end of August, the Germans attempted a counterattack, using a mass of the latest tanks. But their southern counterattack achieved only limited success. The Soviet command had already anticipated this possibility and withdrew its forces to their initial positions. Only the combined arms 31st Army was trapped and largely destroyed.
  Nevertheless, the Soviet forces failed to achieve their objective and suffered significant losses, failing to recapture the territory. The losses were particularly severe: over six and a half thousand tanks, compared to around eight hundred German tanks. The Nazis gained a numerical advantage in tank numbers. In September, the Germans were able to match the USSR in aircraft production at a rate of about a hundred per day, and by November, they had achieved similar numbers, increasing Panther production to 650-700 tanks per month. The use of resources from occupied countries, primarily France, but also Belgium and the Netherlands, where conscription had been introduced, played a significant role.
  The Germans, somewhat belatedly, launched their long-planned offensive from Rostov-on-Don and the Taman Peninsula in September. They encountered stubborn Soviet defenses. Meanwhile, Japan advanced into Mongolia, capturing Ulaanbaatar and Primorye. But they made little progress there.
  This diverted significant reserves, and after a month and a half of fierce fighting, the German forces united. However, the Nazis suffered significant losses, and they were forced to halt. This tactical success, however, prompted Turkey's entry into the war and the opening of a third front in Transcaucasia.
  Now we had to fight back in this direction as well.
  The front line in the Far East will be stabilized by winter. The Japanese advanced fifty to one hundred and twenty kilometers in the Primorye region, capturing most of Mongolia, including Ulaanbaatar, but their advance stalled. The Turks approached Yerevan and attacked Batumi, managing to capture two-thirds of the latter city. The Germans themselves made little progress in the fall and have yet to regain the initiative.
  The war was becoming increasingly trench warfare and protracted. It was a war of attrition and technological superiority. In 1943, the USSR increased aircraft production by half, from 25,000 to 37,000. Nazi Germany's increased from over 15,000 to 32,000, more than doubling. In the final months of the year, the Germans matched Soviet aircraft production figures, as well as tanks and self-propelled guns, with a qualitative advantage. And the USSR still had to fend off Japan. Furthermore, a certain number of aircraft and tanks were being produced in Italy and other satellite countries of the Third Reich. Although not very many. Furthermore, the Germans, taking advantage of the peacetime situation, began extracting and supplying oil from Libya for their own needs.
  So, gradually, the energy shortage in the Third Reich eased. Moreover, the French African possessions promised to be a good source of raw materials.
  So, the Nazis were able to supply themselves quite well. In response, Red Army designers prepared new tank types for Stalin with 85-mm and 122-mm guns. The Germans somewhat slowed down work on the Panther-2. It's not easy to create a tank with powerful armament, strong armor, and relative maneuverability. And the King Tiger turned out to be too heavy at 68 tons. Only a modernization of the Panther promised to be relatively successful. And the T-4 tank, by all appearances, had exhausted its capabilities. Gradually, starting in 1944, production of this vehicle began to decline, finally ceasing completely in April.
  The Soviet command launched several offensive operations during the winter-on the Taman Peninsula, in the center, in the Leningrad direction, and at Kursk. But no significant success was achieved anywhere. The enemy already had superior numbers in manpower, tanks, and aircraft. Only fear of the weather forced the Germans to adopt defensive tactics.
  The increasing number of deserters and traitors also played a negative role, as did the fact that the Germans had developed high-altitude aviation, which was more effective in aerial reconnaissance.
  Moreover, the Soviet command approached the concentration of forces somewhat incorrectly. In particular, the tactic of launching a new operation in a different sector before the previous one was completed made sense when there was numerical superiority, just like in World War I, when the Germans were being pulled apart. But if the enemy was outnumbered, this made it difficult to achieve superiority in a particular sector.
  If Stalin had been able to create superiority on a separate section of the front at a ratio of approximately three to one, then perhaps a tactical success would have been achieved.
  So, while an offensive is underway in one sector, preparations are underway in another, the Germans and their allies actually have an easier time repelling them. Moreover, the Nazis now had high-altitude, high-speed reconnaissance aircraft with excellent optics, which allowed them to track troop movements. Concealment is more difficult in winter, and night is no panacea, so German reconnaissance aircraft acquired decent night vision devices.
  The "King Tiger," as a planned breakthrough tank, was delayed in serial production and proved less than successful. The Panther-2, which Hitler ordered reinforced to match the IS-2's impenetrability and equipped with a 900-horsepower engine, weighed 51 tons, even with the addition of a duralumin casing, which saved 800 kilograms. However, the side armor could be increased to 82 millimeters at a strategic angle. This made the German tank less vulnerable from the sides than previous models. However, the Panther-2 and Lev-2, in a more advanced configuration, are still in development.
  But over the winter, the Germans completely took control of French possessions in Africa, including the "Niger Loop." There were oil, gas, bauxite, and even larger uranium reserves there, especially in the Congo. De Gaulle was caught-without the help of the Allies, he was worthless, and Scorrel had worked cleanly and skillfully.
  Thus, by May 1944, the oil problems were largely resolved. All supplies were already coming from Libya, and all that remained was to drill more and more wells.
  But in May, the Germans weren't yet ready to attack. Besides the outdated Tiger, they lacked a serious breakthrough tank. True, the Tiger was already in mass production, and thanks to its high-quality armor and thick side panels, as well as its rapid-fire, accurate gun, it could serve as a more or less capable, if not ideal, tank for breaking through Soviet troop lines.
  After a series of disputes, the German command returned to its previous 1942 plan. Specifically, launch an offensive on the flanks, encircle Leningrad twice, and then break through to Stalingrad. Moreover, after the Wehrmacht abandoned the Rzhev-Vyazma salient, a favorable foothold for an attack on Moscow was lost. So the capital was relatively far away.
  The Nazis' plan wasn't optimal either, but... Early parliamentary elections were held in Sweden, where the Nazis achieved a stunning victory. The country, with a population of eight million and a developed economy, was ready to enter the war against the USSR. Charles XII emerged as the most popular figure. The Swedes were eager for revenge for previous defeats and humiliations during the wars lost to Peter the Great and Alexander I. Thus, all of Europe was already fighting against the USSR. Moreover, Franco and Salazar decided to officially enter the war to claim their share of the spoils. Only Switzerland remained formally neutral, but it sent a division of volunteers.
  The Nazi coalition had numerical superiority. Moreover, by mid-May 1944, the Germans already had about a thousand ME-262 jets in service. The aircraft itself was quite capable, but its engines were underdeveloped. However, engines were gradually upgraded, becoming more powerful, more reliable, and fuel consumption decreased.
  The offensive began in the south. The Fritz tried to repeat the plan developed by the OKW for Operation Blau in January 1942, but then arbitrarily modified by Hitler. When you advance on Stalingrad from both the south and north, along converging axes, the Germans needed to break through to the Don first. The Nazi Tigers launched an attack but encountered a strong defensive line. The Fritz's advance proved slow, bogged down by the Soviet defenses in depth, having advanced only 35-40 kilometers toward Voronezh in the first ten days.
  Then, in two weeks of stubborn fighting, the fascists advanced only ten kilometers and, due to heavy losses, were forced to stop.
  The offensive in the south was more successful. There were fewer Soviet troops there, making it more difficult to defend. Numerous Panthers, Tigers, Ferdinands (this self-propelled gun proved more numerous due to the lack of strategic bombing!), early models of the Jagdtiger, and the particularly effective Sturmtiger, were used. The Germans managed to break through the first lines of defense and gain operational space.
  At the same time, the Japanese army also went on the offensive. The Samurai increased the size of their tank fleet, and their new medium-weight vehicles were practically equal to the T-34-76 in armament and performance, and even superior in frontal armor, although inferior in side protection.
  Japan launched an offensive in Mongolia, where defenses were much more difficult to maintain. The Soviet command faced a shortage of reserves, fighting back on all three fronts. Moreover, personnel losses during the winter offensive were considerable.
  The German offensive on Tikhvin, and the Finnish and Swedish offensive from the White Sea Canal, was repelled with difficulty. The Nazis advanced slowly, but almost continuously. In mid-June, Meinstein's troops broke into Stalingrad in the south. The Second Battle of Stalingrad had begun. And by early July, after the fall of Tikhvin and Volkhov, the Finns, Swedes, and Germans had united, forming a second ring around the city of Lenin.
  Thus, an extremely difficult situation developed for the Soviet military forces.
  But Stalingrad refused to yield to Meinstein. This prevented the Germans from expanding their offensive in other directions. In the south, as in 1942, they only reached the Terek Gate, bogged down near Grozny and Ordzhonikidze. Heavy fighting continued in the Voronezh direction. By September, Soviet troops were forced to retreat beyond the Don. Ironically, by the end of October, the front line in the south repeated the 1942 period, the moment of the Nazi advance.
  Things were worse in the north, where Leningrad was completely besieged. Furthermore, the Germans, Finns, and Swedes managed to cut through the Red Army's defenses on the Karelian Peninsula, cutting Murmansk off from the main part of the USSR.
  Around forty Soviet divisions found themselves isolated. However, their numbers were far below their authorized strength. Sweden fielded around twenty-five fairly well-equipped divisions. Together with the seasoned Finns and German troops, they gained numerical superiority. And transferring reserves to the Karelian Peninsula was extremely difficult.
  In fact, the Red Army couldn't get the reinforcements it needed, as the Japanese proved unexpectedly strong. Their numbers, including puppet troops, exceeded five million, effectively creating a full-fledged second front. So, the only option left was to fight off the Germans and their allies.
  Gradually, the Soviet zone of control in Karelia shrank, and Murmansk found itself completely blockaded and effectively doomed. With the enemy fleet, especially submarines, dominating the sea, there was no way to resupply.
  Alas, in November 1944, the USSR lacked the reserves to repeat the turning point of 1942. Almost everything had been expended to prevent the loss of the Caucasus. Moreover, the Germans were conducting a more professional assault on Stalingrad, and reserves had to be constantly transferred there, as if into a crater of Tartarus. Stalin ordered the city on the Volga to be held at all costs. But with enemy air power dominating the air, the cost was incredibly high.
  Moreover, Meinstein, unlike Paulus, took his time and spared his soldiers. As a result, the casualty ratio was unfavorable for the Red Army.
  Hitler hurried Meinstein, but the cunning field marshal knew how to dodge and withstand the pressure.
  The Sturmtiger rocket launchers were among the most powerful weapons. They had extremely powerful mortar launchers that hurled shells weighing 320 kilograms. Moreover, the shells were rocket-propelled and far more powerful than howitzer rockets. They could be considered a worthy response to the Katyusha rockets, albeit on tracks. Furthermore, some mortar launchers were also mounted on trucks, with a longer firing range.
  The Germans also used gas projectors. And, of course, jet bombers.
  In December, the Japanese captured almost all of Mongolia and came close to Vladivostok, partially capturing Primorye and Khabarovsk. But General Frost forced them to stop.
  Taking advantage of this, the Red Army launched a series of counterattacks on the German flanks, attempting to capture what remained of Stalingrad. A small portion of the city remained in place until early 1945. The Germans achieved some success in 1944, but were unable to conquer the Caucasus or obtain Baku oil. True, for now, they had sufficient oil from Romania, Hungary, Libya, Cameroon, and Nigeria for their own needs.
  Leningrad was still under siege. Large reserves of food and ammunition had been stockpiled in advance, so the city could survive the winter, continuing to tie down significant forces of the Wehrmacht and its allies.
  The Soviet leadership also managed to accumulate strategic reserves of raw materials in Lenin's city for weapons production. So, for now, this didn't provide the Nazis with much.
  But Murmansk was completely blockaded. Of the ten transports heading toward the city, the Nazis drank up nine.
  In January, the Soviet command attempted to test the Germans' strength in the center. However, they failed to overcome the very powerful and sophisticated defenses. The maximum advance was five or six kilometers, at best no more than eight. And the losses of the Soviet divisions were quite significant. In most units, up to half the strength was lost.
  But some German forces were diverted, allowing them to hold Stalingrad... In March, the Germans themselves launched an offensive at the Terek Gate. They managed to break through the Soviet defenses and encircle Grozny and Ordzhonikidze, but the Germans found themselves at a standstill at the Vedeno, Shali, and further city lines.
  The city of Grozny itself remained under complete siege until May. Stalingrad finally fell in May. The city and its suburbs, as well as the tank factory, were practically reduced to rubble.
  The German coalition was also running out of steam, but the Führer wanted victory. In January, the first successful tests of a disc craft reached double the speed of sound and reached an altitude of 18 kilometers. By May, the disc had already reached four times the speed of sound and reached an altitude of 30 kilometers.
  But the new aircraft, despite its strong, even unique, flight characteristics, proved vulnerable to small arms fire and expensive. This vulnerability was soon resolved by introducing a laminar flow hood, but this increased fuel consumption and reduced the aircraft's flight time. Furthermore, the disc itself, in its laminar flow hood, was unable to fire effectively.
  But the era of "flying saucers" had begun. Moreover, the Germans acquired a powerful trump card: the new-generation E-class tanks. While similar in weight to the King Tiger and Panther, they featured a much more compact and sophisticated layout, a low silhouette, and thick armor.
  The Panther-2 and Tiger-2, and later the Tiger-3, performed well in mass production and on the battlefield. The latter, with a more compact layout and a small turret, boasted strong armor and a 1,080-horsepower engine. The Maus never caught on. However, the Panther-F variant performed admirably.
  Due to a lack of alloying elements, Soviet tanks had poor armor, and while the Panther, even with its 75-mm gun, was still quite capable of performing its role, its 120-mm sloped frontal armor provided fairly reliable protection against the T-34-85's 85-mm gun. However, the SU-100, a Soviet self-propelled gun, arguably proved a worthy opponent for the Panther's armor upgrades. The T-4 was already out of production, and the Panther was the lightest of the mass-produced tanks.
  The first tank to feature a cutting-edge layout was the mass-produced "Lion" tank. Its turret was shifted rearward, while the transmission, engine, and gearbox were mounted in a single unit at the front. This resulted in a low silhouette, and armor protection comparable to that of the "King Tiger" despite its powerful 105mm cannon, with the turret's frontal armor even more powerful.
  The rearward displacement of the turret also gave the Lion the advantage that when moving through the forest, the muzzle of its long-barreled gun did not catch on tree trunks as much.
  The Nazis also tried other schemes and bombed Soviet positions with powerful aircraft.
  Japan also tried to advance and finally cut off Vladivostok from the mainland.
  The Germans attempted to break through to Moscow in June and July. But the Soviet defensive line proved extremely strong, and the Nazis suffered colossal losses. Even the Lev tank was not entirely adequate in an offensive role, primarily due to insufficient side armor.
  The Soviet command increasingly used 100-millimeter guns. Clearly, the USSR lacked the resources to defeat enemy tanks with similar tanks, but it could make massive use of anti-tank artillery.
  The initial E-100 model proved too heavy at 140 tons, with 120mm of side armor (240mm frontal!), even at an angle. This was no longer sufficient. Not to mention that the Maus tanks were hopelessly outclassed in their layout.
  In reality, the "Lion" tank and the E-10 and E-25 self-propelled guns were advanced German vehicles, combining the engine, transmission, and gearbox. However, the Germans produced a host of inferior vehicles. For example, the Panther, Tiger, Jagdtiger, and Jagdpanther, all with rather tall silhouettes and lagging behind in development.
  The E-70 also wasn't entirely successful. The vehicle boasted a powerful 128-millimeter cannon and an advanced layout, but due to the desire to maintain a combat load of at least 80 rounds and keep the weight under 70 tons, its armor protection was comparable to that of the King Tiger (model 1944) and inadequate for a breakthrough. Even the Tiger-3 was better protected. However, the E-70 successfully tested a turbocharged engine producing 1,200 horsepower, allowing the tank to reach a road speed of 60 kilometers per hour.
  In any case, German tanks suffered heavy losses, as did the infantry. Foreign divisions and the Third Reich's satellites also suffered heavy losses.
  By mid-August, the Germans had advanced only 40-50 kilometers in the center and were unable to gain operational space. Their losses were enormous. In September, the Nazis launched a new offensive in the south... After a month and a half of brutal fighting, the enemy broke through to the Caspian Sea, cutting off the Caucasus by land.
  But the Soviet command managed to establish supplies by sea, albeit at great cost. In November, the Fritz forces, at the cost of enormous effort and heavy losses, reached the Volga Delta. In December, the front line stabilized. The gap between the Caucasus front and the main Soviet territory widened. Furthermore, the Japanese managed to cut off Vladivostok, laying siege to the Soviet city.
  Despite the blockade, Murmansk managed to heroically hold out until December 1945. But it still fell...
  In 1946, fighting continued... The Soviet Army Group's position in the Caucasus proved extremely dire. They were cut off by land, and Baku was in danger of being completely lost.
  Stalin felt extremely exhausted, both nervously and physically. Fierce fighting erupted in the direction of Tikhvin. An attempt was made to save besieged Leningrad. Food supplies in the city itself were now less than six months' worth, and ration cards were being cut again.
  Initially, Soviet troops broke through the front line, but then the enemy, outnumbered by tanks, managed to counterattack and even cut off part of the Soviet forces. February was marked by fierce fighting in both the north and south, where Soviet troops tested the enemy and attempted to recapture Stalingrad. The latter was partially successful. Soviet tanks broke into the city, but unfortunately were unable to drive the Nazis out.
  The Third Battle of Stalingrad then erupted. Soviet troops also achieved relatively significant successes near Voronezh. But even there, the Nazis, using a large number of tank units and their technological superiority, were able to restore the situation. In March, disc-shaped helicopters and flying discs began to take part in the fighting en masse. The Germans had somewhat improved the flying saucers and were able to launch missile strikes against Soviet positions. However, in practice, the flying discs failed to live up to expectations as a wonder weapon.
  Just as von Braun's ballistic missile proved too expensive and inaccurate to be worth its active use in combat.
  But the Germans developed tailless jet bombers capable of carrying up to ten tons of cargo and flying distances of up to 16 thousand kilometers (!).
  Unfortunately, Soviet jet aircraft were still lagging behind, and the enemy enjoyed near-total air superiority. In any case, propeller-driven aircraft could not, in principle, surpass jet aircraft in performance. And domestic developments were too late. And the transition from propeller-driven to jet aircraft was too painful.
  Pilots need to be retrained, runways need to be lengthened, and a special type of fuel needs to be prepared. And the engines themselves still need to be tested and fine-tuned!
  The Germans were distracted by Stalingrad... Oddly enough, the Third Reich and the entire coalition were running out of steam, while the Red Army was like a phoenix. Both April and May were spent in fierce battles near Stalingrad. And even in June, the Red Army was still trying to advance, pinning down the enemy. But in July, despite the heat, the Nazis nevertheless advanced along the Caspian coast toward Baku. The advance was extremely slow, an average of 1.5 kilometers per day. Dagestan fought back... Soviet troops pressed the Fritzes and their allies from every direction.
  They attacked the enemy both in the center and in the north. They weren't allowed to reach Arkhangelsk... But in September, the pace of the German advance in the Caucasus accelerated. The forces of the Caucasus group were severely depleted, and only two or three of the ten transports arrived by sea, despite enemy air superiority. At the end of October, the Nazis finally entered Azerbaijan. And in November, they advanced on Baku. And in early December, the Fritzes joined forces with the Turks in Georgia...
  Even before March, fighting continued in the Caucasus, and Yerevan held out until June 1947.
  All winter, the Red Army tirelessly attempted to advance. They severely battered the coalition. Although the Japanese finally captured Vladivostok in April, this only allowed the USSR to gain a firmer foothold beyond the Amur.
  Although the Red Army failed to achieve any significant successes with its assaults during the winter and in March, it inflicted a significant lesson on the coalition. Within the German satellite countries, the situation was becoming increasingly tense. Manpower was depleted, and losses were enormous. The economic burden was becoming unbearable. Even successes on the front brought less and less joy to the average European. The desire for peace grew stronger and stronger.
  But Hitler stubbornly wanted to finish off the USSR. Although the calculations that the Red Army would lose its combat effectiveness after the loss of Baku proved unfounded. In 1946, the USSR produced a record number of weapons: approximately 60,000 aircraft, 40,000 tanks and self-propelled guns, 250,000 artillery pieces and mortars. Yes, Soviet aviation mainly consisted of the Yak-9 fighter and the Il-2 attack aircraft, which was still in production. The Yak-3 and La-7 were produced in small quantities. The Pe-2 and Tu-3 are still in production. Yes, aviation can be considered obsolete against the enemy's jet monsters, but it is not. Like the T-34-85, IS-3, and SU-100, other aircraft are still in small numbers.
  And in 1947, the T-54 entered service, which was supposed to put an end to the qualitative superiority of German equipment. Of course, the T-54, weighing 36 tons, couldn't be stronger than all enemy tanks, but it was quite capable of competing with the Panthers and Tigers.
  The E-50, nicknamed the "Lion" 3, became the German tank's primary tank. Similar to the "Lion," it boasted a more powerful 1,200-horsepower engine and thicker armor. Weighing 75 tons, the German tank's side armor increased to 140 millimeters, while its frontal armor reached 240 millimeters, with a 105-millimeter gun and a 100-caliber barrel. The new German tank was intended to become the primary vehicle. It outgunned and outgunned the Soviet version, but was more than twice as heavy.
  However, the T-54 is just beginning to enter production.
  But the summer of 1947 proved even hotter. The Germans attempted to advance on Moscow again. They also broke through to Saratov. The fighting dragged on until late autumn. The Nazis eventually managed to take Saratov. But in the Moscow area, they had only advanced a maximum of sixty to seventy kilometers. Both Rzhev and Vyazma, although the latter was half-encircled, remained in Soviet hands.
  Moscow remains unconquered, and the Nazis and their brutal coalition are forced to face the winter in the trenches. This time, the Soviet command is preserving its men and conserving its strength, particularly the T-54 tank. And on December 31, 1947, the MiG-15 successfully tested its intended target, ending Germany's monopoly on jet aircraft in the air.
  True, Leningrad fell in February 1948 after a long siege. A very severe blow to the prestige of Soviet power.
  The USSR's position in May 1948 was hopeless. The Germans and their coalition controlled the Caucasus, then the Volga to Saratov, and Tambov and Voronezh. Then east of Orel, almost next to Tula, then Vyazma and near Rzhev itself, all the way to Arkhangelsk.
  What else can be done in such a situation? Plus, the Japanese control all of Primorye along the Amur River and have captured their only ally: Mongolia.
  And in seven years of war, lands were lost where at least half the USSR's population, and perhaps more, lived before the occupation. In seven years of war, the Red Army irrevocably lost at least twenty million soldiers and officers. Not counting those wounded or crippled. Not counting the enormous losses from massive bombings, artillery shelling, and starvation.
  Even taking into account the evacuated families, Stalin had no more than a hundred million manpower left under his control, probably less. Of these, one in five was drafted into the army. Around twenty million were assigned to various troops. Children as young as five, pensioners, and those with first- and second-degree disabilities were allowed to work at machine tools.
  The country is fully mobilized. Arms production in 1947 only slightly declined... So it's far too early to write off the Soviet Union!
  Stalin himself, at least, didn't think so. And Hitler, too, wanted to crush Russia-to get everything at once! So there was no sign of compromise.
  In the summer, the Germans launched a new offensive on Moscow. They still hoped to break the capital and end the USSR. On the Red Army side, Moscow was defended by over three million soldiers and militias. They had twelve thousand tanks and self-propelled guns. True, there were only about five hundred T-54s; the majority of the fighting was done by T-34-85s and SU-100s. The IS-3 had already been taken out of production by this time. Very few IS-4 tanks were produced due to the technological unreliability of this behemoth. Six IS-7 tanks were built, but this vehicle never entered mass production. Although perhaps in vain. Its 130-mm gun could penetrate the 240-mm armor of the 75-ton Lev-3. True, the Germans had a more advanced tank, the "Royal Lion," weighing 100 tons with an 1800 horsepower engine and a 128-mm, very long-barreled gun with a muzzle velocity of 1260 meters per second.
  But Stalin somehow cooled towards heavy equipment and preferred: let it be small, but powerful.
  But the four warriors: Zoya, Victoria, Elena, and Nadezhda, didn't think so. And they just happened to be assigned an IS-7 tank. And number seven, at that. The four had built this machine at their own expense. The girls had found gold bars in Siberia and donated them to the Ministry of Defense fund. And now they wanted to try firing this wondrous machine themselves.
  And just then the fateful day of June 22, 1948, was approaching. Hitler's troops were just leading the population, trying to bypass and encircle the Soviet city of Rzhev.
  And the four daughters of the Russian demiurge gods, as always, decided to intervene at a critical moment for Russia! After all, they always save their homeland-Rus-at the right time and place!
  
  
  
  
  IF THERE WAS NO STEEL PAPER CLIP
  In fact, oddly enough, in most parallel universes, the course of World War II and the Great Patriotic War was even worse for Russia than in reality. Perhaps because the fascist regime that took control of Europe possessed far greater potential than it realized. The combination of brutal totalitarianism and market elements of the economy was more effective than the liberal capitalism of the West and the centralized, bureaucratic Stalinist model. Fortunately, for a number of reasons, both objective and subjective, including a great deal of luck, the fascists were unable to play their trump cards.
  How many German spies were exposed simply because the Germans used stainless steel scrapers on their documents, while the Russians used iron? And how did such a small detail decisively influence the course of the war?
  In any case, there existed a parallel universe where, as early as October 1941, one particularly inquisitive intelligence officer accidentally discovered this fact. The genuine Soviet documents and the counterfeit German ones were both soaked and... The paper clip on the Soviet documents was rusty, and it was noticeable, but not on the German ones.
  This is a small thing, but its influence on the course of the Great Patriotic War turned out to be quite significant.
  Having avoided failures and operated under surveillance, German agents uncovered substantial evidence of Soviet troops preparing an offensive at Stalingrad. It was so compelling that the stubborn Adolf Hitler agreed and ordered the regrouping of Nazi troops stationed on the Volga. And that mattered.
  If during the Rzhev-Sychovsk operation, the Red Army, having more than twice the forces of the Wehrmacht, was unable to break through the German defense, then at Stalingrad the balance of forces was more favorable for the Nazis.
  Moreover, the weather on November 19, 1942, was not conducive to offensive operations. Aircraft, especially ground attack aircraft, were unable to take off, and the artillery barrage had only a very limited impact on the enemy's advanced defenses. Soviet troops, having gone on the offensive, became bogged down. Even the deployment of tank corps failed to breach the Nazi defenses.
  Fierce fighting also erupted in the Rzhev-Sychovsky sector. It continued into the New Year. Only then, having suffered serious losses, did Soviet forces halt their advance on both fronts. Hitler held on to the Volga, but the Germans began to be defeated in Africa. Churchill called Montgomery's offensive in Egypt the end of the beginning. He also declared that from now on, the Allies would only win.
  Indeed, despite the continued transfer of large forces to Africa, Rommel's luck was running out, and his army suffered defeat after defeat. To ensure the war was waged on two fronts, the Third Reich was forced to declare total mobilization in February 1943.
  Moreover, the main objectives of Operation Blau were not achieved. However, in the winter of 1942-1943, the Wehrmacht, unlike in real history, managed to avoid a serious defeat in the east. In late January, Soviet troops resumed the offensive in the center: the Third Rzhev-Sychovsk Operation and the Battle of Stalingrad. But they were unable to break through the enemy, who was firmly entrenched. The fighting was reminiscent of World War I. Protracted, trench warfare. When the attacker suffered more losses than the defender.
  Operation Iskra, the plan to lift the siege of Leningrad, was postponed. Stalin wanted to cut off the Rzhev salient as quickly as possible and defeat the enemy at Stalingrad. The Germans, remembering the lessons of the previous winter, actively defended themselves. And so far, they had managed to repel the Soviet onslaught. As it turned out, when the Fritzes are prepared, their defenses are not easy to penetrate. And the quality of the German armed forces is still at its best.
  The Soviet offensive lasted until the end of February, but was unsuccessful.
  In early March, the Soviet command attempted an offensive in the Voronezh direction. After initial successes, the Red Army came under Mainstein's counterattack. Large Soviet forces found themselves surrounded and forced to fight their way back. Losses, especially in equipment, were heavy, and the Germans and their allies were able to consolidate their position in this direction and completely captured Voronezh and its suburbs.
  During Mainstein's counterattack, Panthers and Tigers saw combat for the first time. The new tanks partially lived up to expectations. When used correctly, they outperformed Soviet vehicles in head-on combat.
  The spring thaw set in, and a lull settled over the Eastern Front. Fierce fighting raged in Tunisia.
  The Führer was trying to maintain his foothold in Africa at any cost. To achieve this, the fascists even decided on an unprecedented step. They presented Franco with an ultimatum: either he allow German troops to reach Gibraltar, or he, like the Vichy government, would be overthrown. The Generalissimo lost his nerve and agreed. At the same time, he made a tearful plea to the British and American governments: don't declare war on Spain, because it wasn't his decision!
  On April 15, 1943, the Germans launched an assault on Gibraltar, deploying their latest Tiger and Panther tanks. The fortress fell under the pounding of hundreds of tanks in two days. Paulus, recalled from the Eastern Front, commanded the assault. Ironically, the Germans were only able to capture the last blocks, buildings, and factories of Stalingrad by April 1, 1943. Thus, Paulus partially rehabilitated himself and received the rank of Field Marshal and the addition of the swords and oak leaves of the Knight's Cross.
  The capture of Gibraltar blocked British and American access to the Mediterranean from the west. Moreover, the Nazis themselves were able to invade Morocco by the shortest route, diverting some Allied forces from Tunisia.
  The pressure on the Tunisian bridgehead weakened, and Rommel was redeployed. Hitler decided to freeze military operations in the East for now and try to gain control of the Mediterranean.
  The Soviet command also adopted a wait-and-see approach. That's what Stalin did in real history, and that's what he decided to do now. Let the foolish capitalists bleed themselves dry. Let them thrash each other, and we'll gather our strength and strike when they're completely exhausted.
  The Germans held northern Tunisia for now, while troops under the new Field Marshal Paulus advanced on Casablanca. The Americans encountered Tiger tanks and Panther tanks. Their Shermans proved weak against these tanks, as well as the modernized T-4.
  After three months of hesitation, Churchill finally declared war on Spain. However, by this time, the Germans had already captured all of Morocco and invaded Algeria. Therefore, this didn't come as a shock to Franco. On July 25, German troops captured the capital of Algiers and inflicted a crushing defeat on the British. This success was facilitated by Rommel's counterattack and the surprise defeat and landing of Kisslinger in Malta.
  The Eastern Front was stable and calm. Stalin, whose troops had suffered heavy losses in previous battles, was reinforcing the Red Army. The Germans were also forming new divisions and transferring them across the Strait of Gibraltar to the Mediterranean.
  The activity of German U-boats led to a decline in the tonnage of the American and British fleets. This, too, did not contribute to success in the battles for Europe's largest southern sea.
  The threatening situation in the Mediterranean led Churchill to decide to land in France on August 6. However, the operation took place in unfavorable weather conditions and was poorly prepared.
  On August 10, Rommel and Paulus joined forces, creating a massive cauldron in eastern Algeria. And on August 19, Meinstein, the wily master of traps, cut off the Allied forces from the coast.
  The Fritz's success was facilitated by the indecisiveness of the Americans, who considered the 1943 landing in France premature, as well as a severe shortage of landing craft. There was a lull on the Eastern Front. Furthermore, German aircraft production more than doubled in 1943, exceeding 32,000 aircraft in one year - fortunately, the Germans had more manpower and territory under their control than they actually had. And the new Focke-Wulf aircraft, with their heavily armored and armed 30mm cannons, inflicted excessive damage on Allied aircraft.
  The disasters in Algeria and France made August 1943 truly black for the Allies.
  Stalin was even pleased by such successes. But Churchill's patience had run out. In the East, even air combat had virtually ceased, and partisan activity had declined. The Germans were forming ever new corps of former Soviet citizens and even creating the semblance of puppet local governments. So much so that individual brigades of local nationalists from the East were already fighting in Africa.
  The Bulgarian Tsar Boris also sent three of his best divisions to Tunisia, apparently hoping to gain some colonies for himself on the Black Continent.
  In September, Rommel launched a major offensive in Egypt. Using his numerical and qualitative superiority, he managed to capture Tripoli just a week after the signal to attack.
  The British and Americans suffered defeat after defeat in Libya. Under these circumstances, Churchill announced a suspension of all aid supplies to the Bolshevik USSR and demanded an immediate intensification of military operations. Stalin pretended to ignore the ultimatums, although preparations for an offensive were certainly underway. But Koba was cunning and even tried to test the waters for a separate peace. However, by the end of September, the Germans had captured Libya entirely, including Tolbuk, and even broken through to Alexandria in Egypt.
  Paulus managed to bypass the most important British fortified position and reach the Nile further south. This effectively spelled disaster for Britain in Egypt. From there, the Germans could reach the Suez Canal and advance on Iraq, and from there, Baku wasn't far away.
  Delay was becoming dangerous, and Stalin gave the order to resume the offensive on Rzhev, as well as to recapture Stalingrad, and simultaneously to suppress the enemy in the North Caucasus.
  That is, in October, fighting resumed on three fronts at once. And in November, on the Leningrad Front as well.
  However, breaking through the well-entrenched enemy, armed with powerful Panther and Tiger heavy tanks, was no easy task. The Soviet troops faced deep trench defenses. And in this defense, the new German tanks and self-propelled guns performed well.
  So there were no significant advances in October and November. The only thing that was possible was to halt the German advance at the Suez Canal. And then only temporarily... However, Paulus and Rommel turned their forces to Sudan and began to conquer Africa.
  The Wehrmacht is not yet ready to attack in winter.
  In addition, the Fritzes had high hopes for the Panther-2 as a more advanced machine, and for the Tiger-2 and Lion.
  The winter passed with the Red Army attempting to break through the Fritz defenses. But no significant gains were achieved. Even if a breakthrough occurred, the enemy would restore the situation with a counterattack.
  And the situation was only getting worse. In Britain, amid military defeats, a political crisis had arisen. A vote of no confidence was passed against Churchill's cabinet. And how could it be otherwise, when the wiser Paulus had driven England out of Sudan and Ethiopia.
  The new government offered Germany a separate peace. Considering the US's heavy losses to the German U-boat fleet, Roosevelt didn't object. Moreover, his position in America had been shaken. And the Japanese had managed to score a few minor victories, slowing the American advance. So, the "we're on the fringe" viewpoint prevailed.
  Hitler, however, initially set excessive conditions. Then the compromise was the return of French lands and Egypt, as well as the return of former Italian territories. Sudan also became part of the Third Reich, but the Suez Canal was jointly exploited.
  Thus, having freed his hands in the West, the Führer threw all his forces into the East. The Nazis launched an offensive on Moscow in May. They already had plenty of oil, thanks to the French and British colonies, and Libya, but Hitler wanted victory as quickly as possible.
  Plus, Türkiye has also opened a second front.
  However, the Red Army demonstrated incredible resilience and heroism in the battle for the Soviet capital. On average, the German advance did not exceed one kilometer per day. By the end of August, the Nazis had advanced a maximum of one hundred kilometers, with the breakthrough width being just over three hundred.
  They approached Moscow but ran into the Mozhaisk line of defense. These were modest results. Moreover, Soviet troops constantly counterattacked the enemy. New Soviet T-34-85 and IS-2 tanks took part in the battles. It's not as if the Germans had completely lost their advantage, but the Red Army, and science, were not standing still!
  New Soviet fighters, the Yak-3 and La-7, appeared, capable of competing with German propeller-driven aircraft. However, the enemy had very powerful jet trump cards in return. The ME-262 and HE-162 were unparalleled anywhere in the world. Hitler also decided to ban the production and development of tanks lighter than 50 tons. As a result, the T-4 and Panther were scrapped. The Panther-2 weighed 50.2 tons and boasted a powerful cannon and a 900-horsepower engine. The King Tiger and Lion grew into monsters, weighing nearly 70 tons. Soviet aircraft, by party decree, were limited to 47 tons.
  Having failed to take Moscow, the Nazis turned their attention to Leningrad. They were really fed up with that city. In September, massive artillery bombardments began. They used 1000-millimeter-caliber guns and winged robotic projectiles.
  Hitler ordered to take Leningrad at any cost.
  The city managed to repel three assaults in September and October. However, the Germans managed to advance ten to twenty kilometers and also seize the Peterhof bridgehead. In some places, their units entered the city, worsening the group's operational situation. In November 1944, following the Nazi victory in the parliamentary elections, Sweden also entered the war against the USSR.
  It actively promoted the slogan: revenge for the defeats at the hands of Peter the Great and Alexander the Great. New Swedish divisions arrived at the front and, together with the Finns, launched an offensive on the city from the north. Meanwhile, the Nazis renewed their attacks, using, among other things, the Sturmtiger and the even more powerful Sturmaus, as well as the E-100 tank, the world's first mass-produced monster weighing over 100 tons.
  Despite the massive heroism and resilience of Soviet soldiers and militias, as well as a desperate diversionary counteroffensive on Novgorod, the city could not be saved. Nevertheless, the last quarter fell only on January 27, 1945, demonstrating boundless resilience. The city itself held out for a whopping 1,270 days! Arguably the longest siege of a city in modern warfare.
  Although the Germans and their allies suffered enormous losses, the objective was still partially achieved. The second largest and most important Soviet city fell, and the enemy's most powerful force was freed.
  Winter fighting was fierce. The Germans made full use of their mass-produced jet aircraft. The USSR lacked parity against them. This prevented them from achieving an advantage in the air. On the contrary, the enemy dominated there. Just as German tanks retained their advantage for now. And even increased it with the advent of the "E" series.
  Compared to the Tigers and Panthers, the E-series tanks had a more compact layout, a low silhouette, and, as a result, much thicker sloped armor.
  Soviet science's only response so far was the IS-3, with stronger frontal turret protection. The T-54 was still in development, and the T-44 was no more successful.
  Hitler, however, changed his plans in May 1945. Limiting himself to isolated attacks, he launched his main offensive in the Caucasus. Fighting there was more convenient. Thus, after the capture of Stalingrad, supplying the Soviet group proved difficult. Furthermore, in February, Soviet troops inflicted a severe defeat on the Ottomans in Transcaucasia, forcing them to flee Yerevan and liberating the Kars region.
  The Germans broke through the defenses and, moving along the Volga, reached the Caspian Sea. Grozny fell on June 15 after fierce fighting, Sukhumi on June 23, and Zugdidi on the 29th of the same month. Tbilisi was captured at the end of July, along with Kutaisi. In August, the fascist vultures finally captured Dagestan and Poti, advancing north toward Armenia. In September, they joined forces with the Turks, and the assault on Baku began. This key city held out until November 6, 1945. Isolated fighting in the mountains, particularly in Yerevan, continued until the end of December.
  Fierce fighting continued in the center as well. The Germans managed to close in on Tula and even capture Kalinin, but were subsequently stopped. Nevertheless, the front line drew closer, and in some places it was no more than eighty kilometers from the capital.
  1946 began with a scorching winter. The Soviet command, eager to preempt the German offensive, desperately attacked the enemy.
  Unfortunately, the enemy's advantage in the air only grew. The Luftwaffe's jet aircraft, unfortunately, were constantly improving. New modifications of the ME-262 appeared, including a super-fast version. Also new were the powerful TA-183 jet fighter, the more advanced HE-262 with swept wings, and the true masterpiece of aircraft engineering, the ME-1010 with steerable wings.
  The USSR's primary fighter remained the Yak-9, a once-new aircraft that was now clearly obsolete.
  But the Luftwaffe also has the Ju-287, and the Ju-387 jet bomber, TA-400, and TA-500. And jet attack aircraft. And the HE-377 jet and the HE-477, also a jet and multirole.
  And the E-70 series with tanks weighing as much as the King Tiger, but with much stronger protection.
  A true masterpiece was the pyramidal tank unveiled in metal for the Führer's birthday on April 20, 1946. Hitler personally named it the "Imperial Lion."
  The vehicle was shaped like an elongated, flattened pyramid, with small wheels covering the entire floor. This eliminated the need for a skid plate, significantly increasing its cross-country ability. Furthermore, the tank had no roof, and its armor was highly sloped from all angles. Weighing 99 tons, the vehicle was armed with a 128-millimeter anti-aircraft gun with a 100-EL barrel, an 1,800-horsepower engine, and 300-millimeter frontal armor. The plates were highly sloped in the first half of the frontal armor, and 250-millimeters in the second, sloped half. This made it the most powerful tank in the world, impenetrable from all firing positions and against bombs from above.
  The Fuhrer immediately ordered that it be put into production as quickly as possible and that at the same time an assault modification with a howitzer and a mortar launcher be created.
  So the Nazis were well-stocked and had to be defeated. But, unfortunately, they encountered a very stubborn and technically strong enemy. And at the end of May, as per tradition, when the roads dry out, the offensive began.
  The Nazis attempted to outflank Moscow and Tula. The fighting raged on, unprecedented in intensity and scale. But the Soviet troops were worthy of the title of invincible. After three months of relentless fighting, the Nazis were only able to encircle Tula and reach Kashin, then approach Moscow from the north, partially cutting off communications. Fighting was already taking place on the streets of the city itself.
  Stalin left the capital and evacuated to Kuibyshev. But the Nazis launched an offensive on Saratov in July. The city fell on August 8. Since Kuibyshev was now dangerously close to the front, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief moved his headquarters to Sverdlovsk. Fighting in Moscow continued into September. Kashira fell on the 18th. By early October, the USSR capital was almost surrounded, and on the 29th, after fierce fighting, Kuibyshev also fell. The Germans also captured Guryev and Uralsk.
  November was marked by terrible fighting. On November 7, the Fritzes broke through to the Kremlin, but were driven back by a desperate counterattack. During this battle, the acting commandant of Moscow, Marshal Rokossovsky, was killed!
  And the famous Soviet pilot Kozhedub shot down the 100th German aircraft, becoming the first Soviet person to be awarded the title of Hero of the USSR four times. This was also on November 7, 1946.
  On December 4, the siege of Moscow was finally sealed. But the capital and the remnants of its heroic garrison fought on until Orthodox Christmas on January 7, 1947.
  Meinstein led the assault on the capital. For this, he was awarded the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross, second only to Hermann Göring.
  But the war wasn't over yet. From Sverdlovsk, Stalin promised to continue the fight. The Germans were also considerably exhausted. In the south, their forces approached Penza and Ulyanovsk and stopped. In March, the Soviets launched counterattacks. But in April, they were finally forced to abandon Ryazan. And in May, the Nazis surrounded the city of Gorky and broke through to Kazan in the south. In June, the Fritzes captured Orenburg and approached Ufa. The Red Army's resistance weakened, morale plummeted, and mass desertions began. These desertions had always been present, but after the fall of the capital, they intensified manifold. No one had any desire to die for Stalin. But at least people fought against fascism for their homeland.
  The Soviet regime's authority also declined. In July, the Germans stormed Sverdlovsk. Stalin and his entourage retreated to Novosibirsk. Fighting raged in the Urals until August. The Germans were hampered by the country's poor communications and the active partisans. But further war had already lost its purpose.
  Stalin, however, still held out some hope. The Germans stormed Tobolsk in September, but were held back by torrential autumn rains. The approach of winter halted the advance in Siberia, but the Nazis managed to capture all of Central Asia. They didn't risk advancing on Novosibirsk that winter. Stalin, however, was also feeling ill and moved to warmer Vladivostok.
  It was 1948. The Nazis already had flying discs in their arsenal. Moreover, more compact tanks with turbojet engines had appeared. Essentially, once the weather warmed up, all they had to do was march victoriously and occupy cities.
  But Beria baited the already seriously ill Stalin and offered the Third Reich capitulation, on the condition that Soviet power in Siberia be preserved.
  Hitler, who was himself exhausted by the war, almost agreed, but first, he captured Novosibirsk in May 1948. The capitulation was signed on June 22, 1948, a symbolic date-exactly seven years after the attack on the USSR. Thus ended World War II. The United States had already defeated Japan in 1945 and tested an atomic bomb. So the Führer had no business going overseas.
  Beria's reign, however, was short-lived. The most celebrated Soviet ace, Air Marshal Kozhedub, a seven-time Hero of the USSR, managed to stage a military coup and overthrow the unpopular GKO chairman. Beria and several of his accomplices were executed. Within the Third Reich itself, in March 1953, patriots assassinated Hitler. Göring died of drug abuse a little earlier, and Himmler was executed on suspicion of conspiracy.
  A brutal struggle erupted between the SS, led by Schellenberg, and the armed forces under Generalissimo Meinstein. It all culminated in civil war. As a result, the Third Reich collapsed. And the truncated USSR began to gradually reassert its influence. History spiraled once again. The fantastic rise of Germany, swelling even more than Genghis Khan's empire, followed by the death of its main leader, chaos, and decline.
  And the gradual unification of the principalities, with Baikalsk becoming the capital. The USSR, divided into numerous provinces with puppet German-installed provinces, was reunited. The greatest victory was the annexation of Moscow, which threw off the Nazi yoke. True, Ukraine, Belarus, and the Baltic states, as well as Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, retained their sovereignty. After the collapse of the Third Reich, the United States became the global hegemon. A pro-American government was also established in China.
  But gradually, the Celestial Empire became increasingly independent. In the USSR, after the de facto dictatorship of Kozhedub, a presidential constitution was established, but with a two-term limit. Elections were held on a competitive basis, and the post of president was renamed "people's chairman."
  The country had a mixed and rapidly developing economy.
  But look how history changed with a single paper clip. World War II was lost, even though it was fought valiantly. And the outcome was disastrous. Moreover, Germany only managed to achieve temporary greatness.
  And the US was gradually losing influence, the world was becoming multipolar, meaning more and more chaos. And, conversely, less order. And it's pretty much like the twenty-first century.
  Why is humanity so drawn to fragmentation and chaos?
  
  
  TROTSKY INSTEAD OF STALIN
  Tukhachevsky's march on Warsaw proved unsuccessful primarily due to Stalin's fault-instead of covering the southern flank of the Red Army advancing on Warsaw, he turned the First Cavalry Army toward Galicia. Moreover, despite the large forces under Joseph's command, he managed to suffer defeat at the hands of the Poles. The Red Army also lost the Battle of Warsaw. The Poles counterattacked, occupied territory including Slutsk, and even occupied Minsk for several days.
  However, the West did not dare finance further bloody warfare with the Bolsheviks. Warsaw made peace, and the civil war quickly ended.
  But there's also an alternative course of history, one of the many parallel universes. There, Lenin ordered the removal of the less-than-talented and capricious Stalin from command of the southern flank, and established Tukhachevsky's sole command, while Budyonny retained control of the First Cavalry.
  In this case, an attempted counterattack from south of Warsaw failed, and the inspired Red Army emerged victorious in a brutal battle. The Polish capital fell. After briefly holding out and receiving additional reinforcements, Tukhachevsky advanced on Lvov and Krakow.
  For some time, fighting continued against Wrangel, with a further advance on Crimea. Then the Red Army occupied the Baltic states in the north and liberated Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia in the south. A temporary lull ensued. Soviet Russia needed rest and a temporary respite, which is what the New Economic Policy (NEP) provided. But Trotsky still insisted on the return of all Tsarist Russian lands. As a result, in the summer of 1921, the Red Army also occupied Finland, with the connivance of the West.
  In 1922, Primorye was recaptured, followed by northern Sakhalin. Trotsky, whose authority as Chairman of the Military Revolutionary Council had grown significantly, succeeded in taking Lenin's place and displacing Stalin, who had been relegated to a secondary position.
  Oddly enough, as personal power grew stronger, elements of capitalism became increasingly stronger in the economy.
  Trotsky himself became a leftist largely out of a desire to be holier than the Pope or more radical than Stalin. However, after gaining power, this exceptionally talented Jew continued his balanced foreign policy. While not abandoning communist ideas, he simultaneously sought to instill market elements and ensure good relations with other capitalist countries.
  Hitler's rise to power in Germany did not bring about fundamental changes in world politics. The Führer was quickly shown his place, prohibited from any repeal of the Versailles restrictions or the restoration of universal conscription and military might. Just as the Nazis were prohibited from introducing anti-Semitic laws, among other things.
  The only thing is that under Hitler the German economy emerged from the crisis, but fascism never took on radical forms, remaining a moderate nationalism with some authoritarian features and universal youth organizations like the Hitler Youth.
  Under the leadership of Leon Trotsky, the USSR became an economically rich power with a developed heavy industry.
  The USSR's economy was more market-oriented than Stalin's, but it also contained elements of planning in the form of five-year plans. The birth rate was high, especially since Trotsky also banned abortions, arguing that Russia had so much unused land that it shouldn't remain empty.
  Since the German army remained limited to 100,000 men, and Poland had already become a Soviet socialist republic, there was little to fight against. Moldova had been returned to Russia back in 1921, reassembling the tsarist lands.
  Trotsky himself supported the world international to some extent, but the goal of world revolution began to be hushed up. Partly, as had happened under Stalin.
  But war nevertheless came from the East. Japan launched military action against Mongolia. The Land of the Rising Sun, along with Italy, became the world's leading conquerors. True, Mussolini was forced to limit his ambitions to the conquest of Ethiopia, the only country in Africa that wasn't a colony. Japan, also hesitant to fight Britain, much less the United States, alone, was encroaching on China. And it was becoming increasingly encroaching.
  The Chinese are numerous, and despite their fragmentation, they are a formidable adversary. And then the samurai invaded Mongolia... Serious fighting began there in the spring of 1941.
  Trotsky decided that the USSR was already strong enough to wage a full-scale war against the samurai. Moreover, the Soviet dictator wanted revenge for the defeat of 1904-1905. On land, the Red Army was clearly stronger than the Japanese, especially in tanks. But at sea, the Pacific Fleet had not yet achieved parity. But Lev Davidovich couldn't give up Mongolia.
  The Red Army initially halted the samurai advance. On August 20, 1941, an offensive was launched at Khalkhin Gol, ending in a Red Army victory. Trotsky then demanded that Japan return South Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands.
  Naturally, a refusal followed, and a full-scale war began. Only, unlike the Great Patriotic War, this one was fought on foreign soil. Although, it wasn't exactly bloodshed.
  The fighting was full-scale, and the Japanese resisted fiercely, refusing to surrender. But almost all Soviet operations were successful. After a powerful artillery barrage, the defenses broke through, and tanks, including the newest powerful T-34s and LTs (Lev Trotsky heavy tanks!), crossed the brutal ditch of corpses and metal.
  First, the Land of the Rising Sun's soldiers were driven out of Manchuria. Several successive operations were carried out, spanning nine months from November 1941 to August 1942. Soviet troops entered North Korea... There was also fighting on Sakhalin. The Japanese even attempted an offensive, advancing thirty kilometers, but were stopped and choked in blood.
  In September 1942, Port Arthur was stormed. The Japanese, using naval support, attempted to hold the line. Soviet troops broke through, but the enemy managed to halt their advance by deploying troops.
  But the samurai couldn't sustain their resistance for long. Soviet aircraft gained the upper hand and bombed the ships. Furthermore, the Japanese were too careless with their own lives-they didn't even carry parachutes into battle. As a result, after the deaths of the main air force elite, samurai resistance in the air weakened significantly. And Soviet aircraft began to win much more confidently.
  Moreover, new developments by Soviet designers gradually eroded the superior maneuverability of Japanese fighters. In December 1942, after another fierce assault, Port Arthur was captured, and Seoul fell that same month.
  The next month of 1943 began with the January offensive in South Korea and the capture of the port of Pusan.
  Japan was losing ground battles and suffering increasing losses in the air and at sea. In February 1943, Soviet troops captured Beijing. And in March, after fierce fighting, southern Sakhalin was liberated. April and May marked new victories for Soviet forces at sea. The expanded submarine fleet, aircraft, and ships arriving from the Baltic were particularly effective.
  In June 1943, Soviet troops drove the Japanese out of Shanghai, thereby establishing their own occupation zone.
  In July and August, paratroopers and sailors liberated the Kuril Islands from the enemy. Japan found itself in an exceptionally dire situation. Soviet air power was increasing its striking power and bombing more and more heavily, while the Land of the Rising Sun's navy was melting away. In October 1943, Trotsky made a decision: to attack Okinawa-a dress rehearsal for the battle for the Japanese homeland itself. The fighting was fierce, and the samurai made widespread use of kamikaze pilots.
  The epic battle lasted two months and a week, finally ending with the fall of Okinawa. And in January 1944, Taiwan was liberated.
  Japan was now on the brink of complete military disaster. Hirohito could only hope for the US and Britain to enter the war on his side; Nazi Germany was still too weak militarily at that point, and Mussolini couldn't easily reach Trotsky in the Pacific.
  But the US and Britain dropped hints but were in no hurry to enter the war. Moreover, a massive anti-British uprising broke out in India. The moderate Gandhi was pushed aside by more radical nationalists and leftists. As a result, a full-blown war broke out. Churchill, who replaced Chamberlain, proved stubborn and tried to maintain control of Pakistan and India at all costs. This led to a protracted and brutal war that stranded British forces.
  The Americans acted passively in foreign policy: it"s none of my business!
  In March 1944, despite unfavorable weather, Soviet troops landed in Hokkaido. Three weeks of fighting followed, ending with the Japanese defeat. This success shook the Emperor's confidence in the impregnability of the mother country.
  Fighting on land and at sea continued until May 11, 1944, when an exhausted Japan finally capitulated.
  Combat involving Soviet troops lasted from April 10, 1941, to May 11, 1944, spanning three years and just over a month. Soviet Army losses, killed and dying of wounds, amounted to 960,000 soldiers and officers. Just over 60,000 Soviet civilians also perished, from bombing, artillery shelling, and fighting on Sakhalin and along the border in Primorye. Approximately three million people were wounded, of whom 400,000 became disabled.
  Overall, the USSR achieved a major victory and managed to establish pro-Soviet regimes in China and Korea, and its troops occupied all the territories of the Land of the Rising Sun.
  Comrade Trotsky's authority was further strengthened both within the country and in the international arena.
  In 1946, the USSR launched its first artificial satellite, Sputnik. And in 1950, the first Soviet cosmonaut was sent around the globe. In Romania, King Michael agreed to a military and economic alliance with the USSR. Soon, power changed in Hungary. And in Czechoslovakia, left-wing pro-Soviet forces, if not quite communist, had long ruled.
  In 1951, war broke out between Turkey and the USSR. At that point, neither the US nor Britain had an atomic bomb, and initiating a full-scale war against such a powerful adversary as the USSR and its allies would have been suicidal for the West.
  The Soviet army routed Turkey in less than a month. Seeing the West's response extremely sluggish... Britain waged a long war with the Indians, but ultimately lost hundreds of thousands of soldiers and control of its largest colony. The US was in economic crisis and blacks were rioting.
  Trotsky makes a decision: within two months, the Red Army takes control of the entire Middle East and Iran, and a pro-Soviet government comes to power in Egypt. The British and French get a beating. And Hitler sides with the USSR, and in return, gains the opportunity to annex Austria.
  De Gaulle comes to power in France. He is very dissatisfied with Soviet expansion and talks of a crusade to the East against Bolshevism. Trotsky, on the other hand, dreams of expansion into Europe, and the situation escalates.
  Adolf Hitler, taking advantage of the USSR's alliance, begins to militarize Germany. Meanwhile, a major uprising against France breaks out in Algeria and Morocco.
  De Gaulle is furious and demands that Germany cease its military preparations. In response, the Führer demands the restoration of the 1914 borders and threatens to unleash a people's militia against the enemy.
  Both sides ratchet up threats and amass troops at the borders. The cunning Trotsky refuses to enter the war, but sells tanks and aircraft to Germany on credit. A battle between the fascists and the French unfolds. Belgium enters the war, but this only worsens France's position, hampered by rebellion in the colonies and communist activity on various fronts. The Germans, however, do not achieve a quick victory, becoming bogged down at the Mangio Line, but instead occupy Belgium. After a year and a half of war, the fascists have come close to Paris.
  De Gaulle agrees to sign a peace treaty and returns Elsartz-Lorraine to the Germans. Belgium also gives up part of its territory. The Führer, meanwhile, consolidates his influence. In 1955, the USSR tests a nuclear bomb. Trotsky incorporates Czechoslovakia into the USSR. The Germans do receive part of the Sudetenland, but much less ethnic boundaries. But they have no reason to resist...
  Hitler is forced to curb his ambitions and rejoice at his success in expanding in the West, at the expense of Austria. The Nazis also invade Denmark and restore the 1914 borders in the north of their empire.
  Trotsky died in 1960, having celebrated his eightieth birthday. Free of bad habits and maintaining physical fitness, the Chairman of the USSR maintained a clear mind until his final days.
  He passed the chairmanship to his son David, thus founding the world's first communist dynasty. By this time, the USSR had experienced increased centralization and constitutional amendments prohibiting secession. Hitler also transferred power to one of his sons, the result of artificial insemination, but through a competitive process.
  However, the son was still too young, and after Hitler's death, the Nazis split, and the left wing soon came to power. The world became safer, but the collapse of the colonial system gave rise to a new war of instability. The solution was the creation of a communist coalition. It provided mutual assistance and attempted to build socialism in the conditions of the Dark Continent.
  But world communism was distinguished by a large number of market elements and was a combined system.
  Meanwhile, contradictions were growing within the USSR. The political dominance of one party no longer suited the growing oligarchy. The businessmen of the red wave wanted change and political power. For now, the successes of the planned economy and political gains partially offset the opposition. But changes were taking place in the United States. A new leader emerged who, breaking the monopoly of two parties-the Democratic and Republican-created a third-the Patriotic Party.
  And having come to power, he established autocracy, simultaneously launching a crusade against communism. David died, and afterward, a whole series of conspiracies and factional infighting began. As a result, the country was thrown into turmoil. But the factional infighting culminated in the seizure of the post of Chairman of the USSR, and with that, the people calmed down.
  Space exploration was in full swing. In 2015, Pluto became the last planet to be visited by human astronauts. Humans were also briefly able to visit the surface of Jupiter, though they had to soak in special scented baths.
  Within the USSR, capitalist elements grew even stronger. A stratification between rich and poor developed. Genuine billionaires emerged, simultaneously becoming members of the Politburo. Communism increasingly merged with the financial oligarchy, and its distinctions from capitalism became increasingly limited. Even income tax in the USSR became linear, with a flat rate introduced. This, of course, led to vague discontent and resulted in minor rebellions.
  But for now, the situation remained under control. But in reality, despite the outward trappings of communism, social guarantees were increasingly curtailed. In particular, healthcare and education became partially fee-based, and unemployment and labor exchanges emerged.
  Victoria reached Vilnius and put an end to her memories of the parallel world. She was now to continue leading the Russian army.
  The capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Vilnius, fell, but ahead lay a campaign further to Grodno and Brest.
  The Belarusians eagerly joined the Russian army. True, snow had fallen, making it difficult for the medieval army to advance. Nevertheless, Grand Duke Vasily ordered the occupation of Grodno and the winter there. Victoria ran around the surrounding castles, searching for someone else to cut down or exterminate.
  A wild thirst for extermination boiled within her, but more and more often her opponents surrendered without a fight.
  
  
  ORACLES FROM THE DARK HELL
  There are, of course, different types of fortune tellers, useful and dangerous.
  But in one of the alternate realities, a sorcerer was found who gave the Nazi a trick to restore the Devil's mirror's power to retelling. Drops of the innocent child's scarlet blood fell on the reflective surface. They were instantly absorbed, and the mirror itself glowed, regaining its gifts. And the Führer learned a lot then.
  But even knowing the future can't always change it. In Africa, however, the Germans regrouped their troops and managed to repel Montgomery's offensive launched on October 23.
  Although with great difficulty, they stopped the troops, who had superior numbers of manpower and equipment. However, knowledge of the location and timing of the attack helped Rommel rationally deploy his few units and repel the offensive. The British suffered significant losses and, after two weeks of fighting, were forced to stop.
  The German U-boat fleet managed to inflict significant damage, sinking a dozen ships carrying landing forces that were planning to land in Casablanca and on the Moroccan coast. The Americans, seeing the lack of success in Egypt and the activity of the "German wolf packs," abandoned Operation Torch.
  The Germans, in turn, tried to regroup their troops near Stalingrad to repel flank attacks by the Soviet troops, and prepared themselves by digging into defenses in the center.
  Due to poor weather on November 19, 1942, Soviet troops were unable to effectively utilize air power, including ground attack aircraft, and artillery preparation achieved very limited success. Thus, having regrouped their forces, the Germans and their allies were able to repel the Soviet offensive. However, this distracted the Nazis from Stalingrad itself, giving the Soviet soldiers who were performing heroically in the city a respite. However, very few buildings remained under Red Army control.
  The Fritz held out in the center as well... The battle for Stalingrad continued until the end of December. Having failed to achieve a breakthrough, the Red Army halted. But things weren't easy for the Germans either. They had lost too many during the assault on the city, and although the casualty ratio seemed to be in their favor in defense, their troops were still becoming exhausted.
  In January, despite the oracle's prediction, the Germans were unable to hold out in the north during Operation Iskra. True, the fighting lasted more than three weeks and cost the Red Army heavy casualties, but they managed to break through to Stalingrad by land.
  However, warned by Iblis's mirror, the Germans were able to repel the offensive near Voronezh, reinforcing their weak allies: the Italians and Romanians. Otherwise, the defense there would have been breached.
  The third Rzhev-Sychovsk operation also proved unsuccessful. The Germans again, albeit with some difficulty, repelled the Soviet offensive. In Stalingrad itself, the weather was scorching, and fighting continued in January. Paulus was replaced by Meinstein, and this more experienced field marshal managed to capture the citadel city by February 12. But again, the Germans paid a heavy price. In February 1943, the Reichstag was forced to convene and declare total war. Workdays were extended and slave labor was used more actively than before.
  The declaration of total war allowed for increased weapons production and the formation of new divisions, including foreign and Hiwi.
  Knowing when the British and Americans planned to invade Morocco, the Germans used their vast submarine fleet to deal devastating blows to the landing ships, disrupting one landing after another. This allowed the Nazis to localize their military operations against the West and concentrate all their main forces in the East.
  The situation for Rommel's corps remained difficult, but thanks to the mirror, the fascist air force began to operate more effectively, and convoys improved the supply of the African group.
  Montgomery's new offensive in March 1943 ended in failure. This time, Rommel, having obtained precise intelligence through his diabolical magic, lured the British into a trap and managed to inflict a crushing defeat on them! True, due to the enemy's numerical superiority and air superiority, Montgomery was not completely routed, but the British suffered a significant defeat. A particularly large number of tanks were lost, and a significant number of vehicles were captured as trophies.
  The British retreated to a couple of defensive lines and moved closer to Alexandria. Rommel needed new reserves, and the Nazis planned to continue their offensive southward. Stalingrad had fallen, and the offensive could now be continued along the Volga.
  In May 1943, the Nazis launched Operation Dolphin. Despite the oracle's assistance, their forces encountered very strong resistance from the Red Army. Advancement was slow, costing them heavy losses. However, the oracle's assistance did influence the course of the war. The Wehrmacht anticipated counterattacks and created more and more pockets. By mid-June, the Nazis had already reached the Volga Delta and the Caspian Sea.
  The Soviet position in the Caucasus was exacerbated by Turkey's entry into the war on June 22, 1943. This effectively predetermined the outcome of the battle for Baku oil.
  The Allies were not particularly decisive. Montgomery had gone on the defensive and was no longer considering an offensive, and a landing in Morocco remained unrealistic.
  On July 10, 1943, Churchill attempted a landing in France to divert some German forces from the east. However, the poorly prepared landing, coupled with American indecisiveness and the fact that the Germans knew all the details thanks to an oracle, resulted in the greatest defeat of the British and Americans on land in history.
  More than six hundred and fifty thousand prisoners and a large amount of equipment were captured. Unfortunately, this didn't stop the Nazi advance in the south. In August, the Germans captured all of Dagestan, the Turks captured almost all of Armenia, including Yerevan, and on the 27th, the Nazis and Ottomans united, splitting the Transcaucasian Front in two.
  Once again, Soviet offensive attempts on other sections of the front ended in failure. The enemy was too well informed about the Soviet command's plans.
  The Red Army's Special Department was rampant, carrying out repressions and mass purges. They even executed several dozen generals, including Marshal of Artillery Kulik.
  But while the enemy had the devil's weapon, nothing could help against him.
  September was marked by heavy fighting, with the Nazis and Ottomans closing in on Baku. And in October, fighting erupted in the city itself.
  The coastal city was supplied by sea, and they desperately tried to hold on to it. The fighting dragged on, and the Nazis failed to take it by November 7, as planned. But by that time, all the other cities in the Caucasus had already been lost. And in December, at a cost of colossal losses, the legendary city fell.
  The Caucasus was completely lost, as was the largest oil field developed in the USSR at the time. However, since all the oil wells had been blown up and destroyed, the Nazis themselves were unable to take advantage of this advantage for a while.
  A lull had fallen on the Eastern Front. Large German ground forces had moved into Iraq and then on to Palestine and the Suez Canal to support Rommel. The Soviet leadership, however, decided to take advantage of the pause. Oil fields were already being developed elsewhere, including in Siberia. Meanwhile, Soviet designers were working on new tanks. The IS-2 and T-34-85 were intended to be a response to the German Panthers and Tigers.
  Arms production in Nazi Germany was higher than in real history. Clearly, the Nazis and their slaves had greater resources, and the bombing raids from the demoralized Allies were weaker. This meant they could produce more iron, and better quality metal, than in reality. Therefore, the monthly production plan of 600 Panthers was met and even exceeded. But there were other limitations: the training time for new crews. Moreover, the Panther, despite all its undeniable advantages-a gun with high armor-piercing power and rate of fire, excellent visibility and optics, good frontal protection, and decent performance-had weak side armor and a staggered arrangement of road wheels.
  The Panther-2 proved to be a more advanced and promising development. Thanks to a much more compact layout and a slightly heavier weight of 47 tons, the Panther-2 boasted a powerful 88-millimeter gun with a 71-degree barrel length and 120-millimeter armor on the front of the hull, 60-millimeter sloped sides, and 150-millimeter armor on the front of the turret, all powered by a 900-horsepower engine housed in a duralumin casing.
  This vehicle entered production in November 1943, alongside the Tiger II. However, the Germans were still just developing their vehicle and advancing in the Middle East.
  In March 1944, the Germans captured Kuwait and reached the Suez Canal.
  The oracle needed to be destroyed to prevent the fascists from gaining an advantage. The girls, in this case, wanted to do it sooner, but their influence was limited.
  For example, now, instead of magical girls, on April 1, 1944, two attractive beauties were moving along the front. Unfortunately, their abilities were quite mediocre-the jump limiter was taking its toll. Even barefoot, it was chilly to walk on the spring ground, barely bare of snow. To the girls' left was the full-flowing Volga, to the north was Kamyshin, and if you continued further, you'd reach German positions near Stalingrad. And the warriors' task, having become almost ordinary girls and having lost their superhuman abilities, was to neutralize the hated oracle... However, even this might not be enough now. After all, the USSR had lost territory where half the population lived before the war, and a significant portion of its industrial potential, including, most importantly, oil fields that were convenient for extraction.
  There are, of course, many other deposits, but bringing them to full production requires both time and resources. The situation is such that even if Hitler were to be deprived of the power of Iblis's mirrors, it might prove painfully insufficient. Moreover, separatist sentiments have grown stronger among the Allies, especially among the Americans. Roosevelt is ill, Gallen is clearly inclined toward leftist pacifism, and the prospects for new elections are not very encouraging.
  The Allies' submarine warfare is not progressing well. The number of German submarines is constantly increasing, and their combat capabilities are improving. Heat-guided torpetes and hydrogen peroxide-powered submarines have already appeared. And the Allied fleet is depleting and weakening, especially since the Fritz's technotronic sharks have learned to stay under the surface and remain undetected.
  Moreover, the Nazi submarine fleet is more active than in real history: fuel supplies are tighter, with tankers even arriving from Libyan oil fields. Furthermore, the bombing of Romania is much lighter. And synthetic fuel production is higher.
  The allies are in shock, and the situation is unfavorable for them, especially domestic politics.
  The balance of forces on the Eastern Front as of April 1, 1944: the USSR had 6.3 million soldiers and officers, approximately 5,300 tanks and self-propelled guns, 95,000 guns and mortars, and 7,700 aircraft. Heavy losses were suffered in winter battles during attempts to defeat the enemy. The Germans, including satellites, foreign divisions, and Hiwi infantry, had accumulated over 7.2 million, 8,800 tanks and self-propelled guns, approximately 100,000 guns and mortars, and 16,500 aircraft. Considering that the new IS-2 and T-34-85 tanks had only just begun to enter service with the Red Army, the enemy's superiority in terms of equipment was significant. Production of Panther and Tiger tanks had already been ramped up, and they constituted more than half of Germany's tank fleet.
  In aviation, qualitative assessments are less clear. German aircraft surpassed Soviet ones in speed and armament, but were inferior in horizontal maneuverability, while superior in vertical maneuverability. But most importantly, the Fritz acquired jet aircraft, primarily the ME-262. Among propeller-driven fighters, the ME-309 and TA-152, powerful in armament and speed, proved very effective. The Ju-488 entered serial production, followed by the Ju-288 even earlier. These bombers had unrivaled performance characteristics, even under heavy loads.
  In any case, if we take into account the balance of forces, the enemy must be acknowledged as the more powerful. Furthermore, if the operation in the Middle East is completed, the Nazis will become even stronger. And their final victory there is no more than a month away. So...
  Tech-savvy Elena sighed heavily and sang:
  - No power, no strength... Leshy has clearly had too much to drink! He just sawed the bark, roaring, and yelled obscenities!
  Zoya, who retained her culture even in her modest peasant dress, wagged her finger at her friend:
  - Let's not get vulgar... Let's make a plan of action!
  Elena shrugged. She was thinner than before and less athletic. Although perhaps many men would find her even more attractive than before. The girl's dress was simple, linen, white, and clean. A little shorter than was customary for peasant women, revealing tanned legs above the knees. The girls had no weapons or jewelry left. Not even a watch.
  They look rustic now, too tanned for April, but not as fast or strong. Their feet trudge along the pebble-strewn clay road. Their bare soles, like those of peasant women, are rough and feel comfortable when stepping on the prickly ground. The cold doesn't blow as much when you walk. The frost from the morning after the frost melts, and your feet don't feel so stiff and sore.
  In her old warrior body, even Antarctica was no problem. But now her legs are red from the cold, and they ache uncomfortably as she warms up in the morning sun.
  Elena, who had already managed to forget that the human body can experience unpleasant sensations from cold and fatigue, said with annoyance:
  "I honestly don't see the point in such an expedition. We were thrown into this hell, deprived of our powerful magic... left barefoot and in simple peasant clothes, and yet tasked with saving humanity from fascism!"
  Zoya responded logically to such a passage:
  "But that's the beauty of it! So it wouldn't be too easy when we, using our miraculous abilities, took Vilnius and other Lithuanian cities. It's much more interesting, and most importantly, it requires imagination, to defeat the enemy in ordinary bodies and without superpowers!"
  Elena habitually kicked her bare foot against a large boulder jutting out of the clay in the middle of the road. But instead of flying off, the stone stayed put, and the Wise Girl screamed in pain. Her still-long, graceful toes immediately swelled and turned blue. Zoya even had to reset a couple of them. The purple-tinted knuckles snapped back into place, and Elena brushed away a tear that had formed on her cheek. What a stupid thing to do.
  Belobog's daughter felt a surge of sympathy, a wave of empathy washed over her. At the same time, she also felt a sense of her own weakness and vulnerability. A fingernail beneath Elena's blue flesh had cracked, and her foot, too, had become truly touchingly damaged and vulnerable.
  The wise woman, having compassion for herself, noted:
  - This is what it means to be flesh without superpowers... You simply become nobody!
  Zoya remarked with annoyance:
  - Your legs will heal... You'll survive somehow!
  The girls set off down the road again. Their former reckless joy was gone. Besides, the longer they walked, the more their hunger began to bite. The collective farm fields appeared... Work was already in full swing there.
  There were no men in sight, though; only women and children were harnessed, some to plow, some to hoe. The people here were terribly thin, with haggard faces. However, the boys, seeing the beautiful girls, smiled and waved, greeting them with calloused, splayed hands.
  Zoya offered to help Elena with the peasant labor. The daughter of Svarog reluctantly agreed. She personally longed for military exploits, not the hard life of a collective farmer. But after she stubbed her toes on a cobblestone, her militant spirit vanished abruptly. Besides, she needed to think about her own legalization. After all, they were left, after all, in dresses and without pastors.
  The NKVD could declare them spies at any moment and arrest them. But otherwise, they'll turn out to be nothing more than refugees who've lost everything, including their documents. Their dresses aren't exactly new, and the shorter skirt style is typical of Bolshevik villages. One can only hope they'll believe it!
  Zoya was born in the village, and her hands and body are very dexterous in the harvest. Elena is a city woman, a Muscovite at that. True, she has experience plowing in the Rodnover community. But even so, her movements aren't as easy and familiar as Zoya's. And her bruised fingers ache unpleasantly in the cold ground.
  However, the young women, boys, and girls are all barefoot, even though there was a frost overnight and you risk almost freezing. Only older women and old ladies are wearing bast shoes. There are no men in sight, and the eldest, a tousled, reddish-haired teenager, looks no older than fifteen, stands tall in high-waisted trousers, but with a very expressive gaze and a masculine chin. This boy, wearing a Komsomol badge, is the eldest of the boys and gives everyone orders.
  The young commander didn't comment on the two beauties joining them. As if it were a given. The Volga region's climate is mild, and the sowing season is in full swing; an extra pair of hands wouldn't hurt.
  Elena's back soon began to ache, and she asked to be pulled by the plow. It was easier on her fairly strong female body, but she had to dig her heels gently into the loose earth to reduce the pain. But the pressure on her chest was at a different angle, and her back, relieved of the strain, felt no pain.
  The girl wondered, how old is she really? She's well over a hundred! Funny! She's one of the oldest women in modern Russia, and yet she's so strong and healthy. But after losing her magical powers, they could have become such monstrosities!
  This thought makes Elena's skin crawl...
  Everyone worked enthusiastically, without a lunch break. Only when it became completely dark did they approach the fire for refreshment. The Volga River was nearby, and there was fish in the cauldron. But there was only limited bread, and it tasted somewhat unclean, with impurities. It also tasted of onion.
  The food is simple, not overly so, and seems like a delicacy to hungry stomachs. The female rangers haven't felt this tired in years. No, being human, without superpowers, is incredibly painful. And you get tired like... a donkey!
  But it's good that their bodies are young and healthy. The girls fell asleep with the other women in the barn, on top of each other. One of the boys rested his head on Zoya's high chest. The ranger girl stroked his blond locks... and felt a deep longing. They had received everything from life and from their patron gods-demiurges: eternal youth, power, the opportunity for wealth, authority, honor, and respect, but... To conceive, they must sleep with a human man of equal ability. And such a man is not easy to find.
  And if such guys exist, they're on a different level and in a different universe. Elena remembered the song about Gagarin, and it made her yearn even more;
  You know what kind of guy he was...
  The whole world carried him in their arms!
  The Tsar's Brother's Determination Saves the Empire
  Tsar Nicholas II's brother, Mikhail, unlike real history, acted decisively. The Imperial Guard opened fire on the rebels attempting to storm the Winter Palace. Then the Cossacks, favored by the Tsar, and the noble regiments entered the fray.
  Several hundred rebels were killed, and the rest fled. Police actively rounded up the rebels and their leaders. State Duma representatives, princely families, merchants, and members of the financial elite rushed to swear allegiance to Tsar Nicholas and pledge their loyalty. Over six hundred rebels were killed and fifteen hundred wounded during the battle. The guards lost about twenty men, and the Cossacks another fifty.
  A serious clash, but the autocracy remained intact. The conspirators at the top had no unified opinion, no single leader. Indeed, many of them believed that changing the form of government was unacceptable during a war.
  There are many who are dissatisfied with Tsar Nicholas II, but it's difficult to propose an alternative to the imperial regime. Moreover, the wealthy seriously fear that a republican form of government will prove too weak and loose to protect the capitalists from a hungry and rebellious proletariat, and the landowners from the peasants.
  The people themselves can't stage a serious revolution. The Bolsheviks are still too weak and few in number, and the Socialist Revolutionaries, for the most part, believe that revolution is good, but it's better to win the world war first.
  In short, there was a riot and everyone came out! Something like Bloody Sunday repeated itself... And then silence!
  Nicholas II awarded his brother the Order of St. George, First Class, for his decisiveness and promoted him to General-in-Chief, appointing him to command the Western Front. The Southern and Romanian Fronts were subordinated to Brusilov.
  The Russian army had grown to nearly ten million men, and its maintenance was placing a heavy burden on the empire. It was time to attack.
  The roads had barely dried when the Tsarist army struck in Galicia. The Russians had numerical superiority. The Austrians' morale was weakened, and the Slavic regiments deserted en masse or surrendered. There were insufficient German units to hold off the enemy.
  To top it all off, the United States entered the war against the Central Powers in April. And thus, the outcome of the conflict was already a foregone conclusion. The Germans were attempting to increase their forces in the West to defeat the Allies and were unable to provide significant assistance to Austria-Hungary.
  Russian troops occupied Lviv and several cities in Galicia. Several small pockets even formed. The patchwork, broken Austrian front collapsed too quickly, forcing the Germans to adopt a defensive posture in the west and throw troops into the resulting gaps.
  Building on their success, the Russians approached Przemysl and even encircled the city. However, supply problems and the introduction of more combat-ready German units into the battle slowed their advance. However, the Romanian Front went on the offensive, and some time later, the Western Front followed. The latter faced a difficult task: breaking through the powerful, deeply echeloned German defenses.
  The Tsar's brother, Mikhail, didn't consider it shameful to learn from Brusilov and employed similar tactics. He began preparing an offensive in twelve different locations at once, preventing the Germans from determining the direction of the main attack. Furthermore, they actively employed smoke screens and a nighttime offensive.
  Russian troops in the south liberated Bucharest, and the attack in the center ended with a breakthrough south of Vilnius.
  The Germans were forced to reinforce their southern flank once again. The German forces blockading Riga were threatened with encirclement. Under these circumstances, the Kaiser made the difficult decision to abandon the Baltics and withdraw his troops to the Prussian defensive line.
  Things weren't going well for the allied forces and Turkey. The Russians and British were advancing in Asia Minor, while the French were pressing in Syria and Palestine. The Ottomans were weakening, and their fall was imminent. Moreover, the Bulgarians had betrayed their position. Realizing that the Prussians had already lost the war and that Russian troops, having liberated most of Romania, had reached the border, the Slavic king declared war on Austria, Turkey, and Germany.
  Naturally, this created a new headache for the Germans. They could no longer hold the front line in the east and were forced to retreat to the Vistula, counting on the natural water barrier to delay the Russian troops.
  The Allies in the west achieved only partial successes, although they were already making more active use of tanks. But for now, Germany held the front, although forced to retreat slightly. The southern sector was consuming much of its resources.
  Well, Tsarist Russia transferred the brunt of the fighting to the Ottoman Empire in the fall and winter.
  The assault on Constantinople, from both land and sea, ended in triumph for Russian arms. Türkiye fell, and with it, Russia gained vast territories, Constantinople, and the straits leading to the Mediterranean.
  True, it was not possible to end the war in 1917, but the breath of victory was already felt by everyone, to a much greater extent than in 1916.
  The winter in Russia was marked by minor strikes and uprisings, but no serious clashes occurred, despite the military difficulties. Perhaps the ruble depreciated significantly, but it's too early to talk about famine.
  However, it was time to end the war, and everyone understood this. Brusilov, promoted to field marshal, proposed launching the main attack in the south, where the enemy was weaker, and then turning north.
  The Germans already had their first tanks. But their numbers were too small to have a significant impact on the course of the war. Russia also had its own vehicles, particularly Mendeleev tanks. But again, the tsarist industry was still unable to scale up mass production.
  However, the British, Americans, and French established mass production of tanks. This meant a new, powerful means of penetrating defenses had emerged, one that would break through the German positions.
  The Allies also wanted to end the devastating war as quickly as possible. And from late March, they began attempting to break through the German defenses in depth.
  The Russian offensive began as soon as the roads in the south dried out. The Russian troops were buoyed by their previous victories, while the Austrians were barely holding on. Budapest found itself surrounded by early May. Then the movement began toward Vienna and around the Vistula River.
  The Italians also went on the offensive. Even Japan sent an expeditionary force to Europe. The Germans pressed from all sides.
  By the time Russian troops had reached Vienna, Austria-Hungary had capitulated. Germany's last ally had fallen. In the West, using strike tactics at different points along the front, the Allies advanced slowly but surely. Meanwhile, Russian troops had advanced from the south, into the rear of the German front covering the Vistula.
  Under these circumstances, Chancellor Wilhelm, realizing Germany's utterly hopeless situation, declared an end to all military operations on June 22, 1918. The Germans effectively capitulated.
  Austria-Hungary ceased to exist. Russia gained Galicia, the Krakow region, Bukovina, and parts of eastern Slovenia and Hungary. Romania gained Transylvania. All that remained of Austria-Hungary was a tiny Austria and a greatly reduced Hungary. Czechoslovakia emerged under Russian protection.
  The Tsarist Empire received Klaipeda, Poznan and access to the seas from Germany, cutting off East Prussia from the metropolis itself through Danzig.
  Germany was forced to surrender what it had previously conquered to Denmark and France in the 19th century. It was sentenced to pay massive annual reparations, and its military potential was limited to a mere 100,000 men.
  And of course, as in real history, a demilitarized zone.
  Tsarist Russia expanded its possessions in the south as well. The Ottoman Empire, like the Austrian Empire, ceased to exist. Britain took Iraq, France Syria, and, along with the British, Palestine. Russia gained Armenia, Asia Minor, and Constantinople.
  The Middle East and Iran were also divided into spheres of influence. Thus, Tsarist Russia achieved significant material gains.
  But the war cost the lives of over two and a half million soldiers, not to mention the civilian casualties, and enormous expenses. Finances fell into disarray, and the country fell into debt.
  True, the allies condescendingly agreed to write off interest on the loans, but the debt still turned out to be quite large - about ten billion gold rubles.
  But it was possible to nationalize enterprises previously owned by Germans.
  The political situation in Tsarist Russia stabilized, and the emperor's authority grew.
  Nicholas II took advantage of this by rescinding his own manifesto on the State Duma. Autocracy was restored, and legislative power was transferred in full to the Tsar.
  This provoked only timid attempts at protest. The country was too tired of the war to want further upheaval.
  And the economy began a rapid post-war recovery! Growth averaged around nine percent per year, higher than in the United States.
  New advanced industries were created, mechanical engineering developed, and wages increased.
  The tsar's law reduced the working day from 11.5 hours to 10.5 hours, and on days before holidays and weekends, the working day was reduced to nine hours. The working day was also reduced to nine hours if any part of it occurred at night.
  After the currency exchange, the ruble's gold balance was restored. By 1929, a worker's wage reached 50 rubles per month, with vodka costing 25 kopecks a bottle. That's 200 bottles per month. And in gold equivalent, that's a full 37 grams of pure gold.
  The country rose to second place in industrial production, behind only the United States. The empire's prospects looked quite bright, but then... the Great Depression struck.
  The collapse affected the entire world, including Russia. True, Germany and the United States suffered the most. But even Tsarist Russia was overly dependent on foreign borrowing and therefore could not avoid upheaval and decline.
  The Bolshevik Party was in crisis in the 1920s. Lenin effectively abandoned practical revolutionary struggle, immersing himself in theory and writing science fiction.
  Vladimir Ilyich met Herbert Wells in Britain and developed a taste for science fiction. In particular, he penned a large, futuristic novel, "Communism-the Path to Happiness," along with a number of other works. Lenin was already earning a good living from his science fiction writing.
  The Bolsheviks split into Trotskyists and Stalinists. Stalin decided to return to the tactics of individual terror characteristic of the Narodnaya Volya (People's Will). Trotsky maintained a more moderate position.
  The Socialist Revolutionaries were still active, although there were no high-profile political assassinations in the 1920s. The Republicans and Cadets were gradually gaining ground. A truly absolute monarchy seemed an outdated relic to everyone. So, unrest, strikes, and demonstrations began again, and the Tsarist throne began to waver.
  There were many things that could be recalled to the monarch...
  The government of Nicholas II found a way out...through war! Moreover, the generals were eager for revenge for their defeat by Japan. And this is understandable...
  After World War I, Tsarist Russia conducted several small military campaigns. In the Middle East, where they and their allies carved up the Arab world. In Afghanistan... There, the war was fought alongside Britain. Russia took the northern regions of Afghanistan, populated primarily by Uzbeks and Tajiks, as well as Herat. The British, after brutal wars, finally subjugated the south. Self-government remained in central Afghanistan.
  Iran still retained the semblance of sovereignty, but its partition was also just around the corner.
  But the main clash of interests lay with Japan. Especially since in 1931, the Japanese established a puppet government in Manchuria and launched an offensive in China.
  Which became the reason for a new war.
  By this time, the Russian army had managed to upgrade its tank fleet and develop a very powerful air force. Japan was significantly inferior in the air, and Russia's ground forces were much larger and, arguably, more combat-ready.
  The Pacific Fleet was commanded by the legendary Admiral Kolchak. Brusilov, a recipient of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, had already died by this time, but his capable students remained.
  The war was unsuccessful for Japan from the very beginning. Russian generals-Denikin, Wrangel, and Kaleidin, under the overall command of the Tsar's brother, Mikhail Romanov-acted energetically and skillfully. The experience of World War I was evident, and the mistakes of the 1904-1905 conflict were taken into account.
  Prokhorov's light tanks also proved to be quite capable, being simply indispensable in maneuver warfare. In any case, this was a different Russian army, and a completely different war.
  However, even during the first battle with the samurai, if there had been a more talented and decisive commander instead of Kuropatkin, the outcome of the war would, of course, have been completely different.
  In any case, within two months, Port Arthur was besieged by Russian troops, and the Japanese were defeated. Two months later, all of Korea was liberated, and the citadel city was taken by storm.
  At sea, battles also raged, with varying success. Until squadrons from the Baltic and Black Seas arrived. The Land of the Rising Sun was completely defeated, and even a landing force was made on Hokkaido. Japan was forced to sign a humiliating peace treaty. It was forced to give back Manchuria, Port Arthur, some territories captured from the Germans, southern Sakhalin, and the Kuril Islands. And simultaneously, it was forced to pay a hefty indemnity-a billion gold rubles.
  The victory temporarily strengthened the position of the Autocracy, and then the Great Depression gave way to a rapid economic recovery.
  In Germany, as in real history, Hitler came to power, but he was not given much freedom. In particular, an attempt to reinstate universal conscription encountered fierce resistance from Russia and France. However, some concessions were made to military potential. The army was allowed to increase in size from 100,000 to 250,000. Hitler also restored German control of the demilitarized zone.
  Meanwhile, tsarist Russia was facing dynastic troubles. The heir to the throne, Tsarevich Alexei, had died... The tsar's brother, Mikhail Romanov, was stripped of his inheritance rights. Kirill Vladimirovich Romanov became the real heir. But this man had become mired in drunkenness and debauchery. He had completely degenerated...
  So who will succeed Tsar Nicholas II? The Tsar's brother, Mikhail, was promoted to Generalissimo after the victory over Japan and enjoyed immense popularity. He became the first member of the royal family in the history of Imperial Russia to achieve such a high rank. And many wanted to see him on the throne.
  True, Nicholas II himself-a teetotaler, free of bad habits, a regular exerciser-was still quite robust, and it seemed his reign would be the longest in Russian history. But Stalin planned the most ambitious assassination attempt since Alexander II. Although, it seemed, what was the point?
  In any case, 1937 proved to be a grim year. Tsar Nicholas II was assassinated, along with two ministers and thirty courtiers, and part of the Winter Palace collapsed.
  The terrorists used the sewer system to mine the area and planted more than a ton of aminolone.
  Thus, an aggressive event intervened in the course of history. Thus ended the reign of Tsar Nicholas II, a monarch who never earned the title of Great or Terrible. Those who disliked the emperor called him Bloody, for much bloodshed occurred during his reign. Those who respected him called him the Conqueror. Thus, under his reign, the number of lands in Rus' increased. A large province, Yellow Russia, even emerged in China.
  The reign lasted 43 years in total. Only Ivan the Terrible ruled longer, and nominally so. But given that he reigned for three years, his actual reign was shorter.
  The legitimate heir, Kirill Vladimirovich Romanov, eventually ascended the throne. His reign was short-about a year-but he managed to exert some influence on the course of history. Specifically, he allowed Adolf Hitler to annex Austria, ostensibly citing the right of peoples to self-determination and claiming it would bring more order. Mussolini also agreed to the annexation of Austria.
  Thus, Germany expanded, and its population exceeded eighty million. Not to mention that Hitler encouraged births. Under Adolf Besnovaty, it grew by half.
  A civil war broke out in Spain, but it ended much more quickly, as there was no Soviet Union to assist the left-wing coalition in Madrid.
  But Franco became the Fuhrer's ally. And the new Tsar, Vladimir III, clashed with Britain.
  The situation has truly become complex. A conundrum fraught with the possibility of World War II and a new round of confrontation. Iran is undivided, and it is essentially the last Islamic country formally independent. Russia has its sights set on it, and so does Britain. The Middle East is a very messed-up place. The territories of Russia, France, and Britain are all intermingled and difficult to manage.
  England is falling further and further behind both Russia and the increasingly powerful Germany economically. And the largest colonies are still British. But the power of the Lion Crown is weakening; Canada is almost independent. South Africa is also a dominion, as is Australia. In India, England's position is weakening. Of course, there is a desire to nudge the lion.
  Hitler is trying to play on two fronts. Either he'll enlist the support of France, Britain, Italy, and Japan, and then, together, attack Tsarist Russia and divide up its vast possessions.
  Or seek territorial acquisitions in the West, but already in alliance with Russia.
  Hitler is a vile and unprincipled man, and in general he doesn"t care with whom he forms a coalition, as long as it is beneficial to him.
  The new young Tsar Vladimir also dreams of going down in history as a great conqueror and wants to take colonies from Britain and France. The Germans, however, have nothing left to take. So a coalition with Germany is entirely logical.
  Italy has captured Ethiopia and also wants new exploits. Mussolini is extremely ambitious. He doesn't care whether he goes East or West. But in France, the people have little appetite for war. Pacifism reigns there, and government is elected. It's impossible to acquire such a strong ally. And Tsarist Russia, with its traditionally high birth rate and steadily declining mortality rate, is a very formidable adversary. The population of Tsarist Russia is already growing at approximately three percent per year. Infant mortality has declined, but the fashion for large families has not yet passed, and even working-class families are prolific. Taking into account territorial acquisitions, including in densely populated China, sparsely populated Mongolia, Europe, and Turkey, the population of Tsarist Russia in 1940 exceeded 400 million, compared to 180 million in 1913. And this is a continental power... Britain and France have less than 50 million in their metropolitan countries, plus their colonies. But colonial troops are weak in morale and have little combat effectiveness. So the Western ground forces are much weaker.
  The Fuhrer chooses an alliance with Russia against the West.
  In 1939, Czechoslovakia was partitioned. Germany also annexed the Sudetenland. The Germans strengthened their army and formed tank columns. Tsarist Russia, too, was not idle, boasting a peacetime army of five million and five hundred professional divisions.
  Tsarist Russia had long been producing heavy tanks and strategic aviation, including eight-engine aircraft. France only had about thirty heavy tanks, and those were outdated. Britain had no heavy vehicles. Well, Germany didn't have a single one heavier than twenty tons either. The United States had just over four hundred tanks.
  Hitler decided there was no point in delaying and struck on May 15, 1940. The weather was favorable and everything was ready. Or more or less ready.
  Tsarist Russia, meanwhile, launched an offensive against India and other colonial possessions. The Russian army struck at poorly defended positions. Troops composed of ethnic English and French themselves were comparatively few, and colonial units were not particularly eager to die for an alien idea or empire. Indeed, what were the English to them? Exploiters, enslavers, robbers, or infidels. It's unlikely that the Russians were much worse than them, to die for the empire of the Lion or the Rooster.
  So the Tsarist troops advanced, overcoming weak, isolated resistance. But the Germans, too, were able to defeat the French, British, Belgian, and Dutch forces within a month and a half.
  Thus, Churchill lost the support of his main allies. The expectation that the United States would enter the war proved futile. Roosevelt was not known for his Stenka Razin-like decisiveness. And now such forces would have come against America.
  Russian troops advanced through Africa and Asia in a series of marches, facing more challenges from the terrain and the stretched communication lines than from enemy forces. The lack of roads, especially in Africa, also played a role. But the undemanding Russian soldier heroically and stoically overcame all difficulties.
  The Germans, however, can only move troops to Africa with difficulty. The offensive on Gibraltar was delayed by Franco's stubborn resistance, forcing them to transfer forces by sea. The Russians, however, broke through to Africa through Egypt, and they have a much easier time. Italy, too, is grabbing everything it can lay its hands on, and Mussolini has the grasp of a boa constrictor in this regard.
  The landing on the British capital itself in 1940 never took place. Britain held out in the air battle, primarily due to Russia's passivity. But it must be said that the wise Tsar Vladimir Kirillovich did not want Britain to capitulate prematurely, and quite rationally planned to seize all of its Asian and African colonies.
  Where will Britain go? It has no reserves, no colonies, and no raw materials-its decline is only a matter of time.
  In the winter and in March 1941, Russian troops finally reached South Africa and destroyed the last African Dominion. The British attempt to sit it out in Madagascar also failed, and in May 1941, an amphibious landing was carried out, resulting in victory.
  Japan fought on Russia's side in the war and managed to capture some assets in the Pacific. The summer of 1941 saw a major air offensive against the British homeland.
  Russian and German air forces ravaged London and other cities of the British Empire. And on November 8, the anniversary of the Munich Putsch, the landing finally took place.
  The fighting lasted sixteen days and ended with the victory of Russian and German troops.
  This, in essence, was how the Second World War ended. It was less bloody and prolonged than in real history. And it significantly strengthened and expanded Russian territory, especially in Africa and Asia.
  A relatively peaceful period ensued. Russia and Germany digested their own territorial gains. The Third Reich incorporated Belgium, Holland, almost half of France, as well as Morocco, part of Algeria, and the central territories. However, due to Franco's stance and Hitler's hesitation, the Germans were unable to advance into France's equatorial territories, and they fell to Russian troops.
  Nevertheless, Germany still gained a sizeable chunk of African territory, larger than its own. The land area of the Third Reich, including its European acquisitions, more than tripled. And if we count from the 1937 borders, including Austria, the Sudetenland, and the Czech Republic as a protectorate, it quadrupled.
  So, the Germans generally had plenty to digest, assimilate, and master. Russia, moreover, had expanded its colonial holdings and was having difficulty controlling them all.
  And Italy got a lot: for example, most of Sudan, Somalia, Uganda and some other acquisitions, in particular Tunisia.
  Thus, the redivision of the world was complete for now. But, as they say, with time, ambitions begin to emerge.
  The United States didn't begin working seriously on the atomic project. Nazi Germany and Russia also showed a lukewarm attitude. Japan wasn't yet developed enough to handle it, and Britain and France had become vassals of the Third Reich and Russia.
  So the emergence of nuclear weapons was delayed for some time.
  But progress, of course, is inexorable. Physicists work, theory develops, as do laboratory experiments. But the atomic project requires the will of the state. Tsarist Russia already had more than its share of worries and expenses associated with the expansion of its territory. And Hitler, for some reason, had a grudge against such ideas for a nuclear program and believed that the atomic project would simply waste enormous sums of money.
  Moreover, the Russian ground army and air force were the strongest and most numerous in the world, and the navy, too, was growing, especially due to economic growth.
  Tsarist generals and marshals preferred to develop tank production, build airplanes, aircraft carriers, and battleships. What good were these fairy tales about nuclear bombs? In other words, both the Germans and the Russians were indifferent to this issue.
  Moreover, there were enough raw material resources to not have to worry about energy supplies, at least in the near future.
  So, despite all the coolness from the Pentagon and the White House, the initiative inevitably shifted to the United States. This was not only due to fears that the Russians or Germans would go further and put pressure on the New World, but also to economics.
  Having lost the ability to receive oil from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, the United States still had its own wells in Texas and Florida, and began development in Alaska.
  But the US population was growing. Russia didn't impede immigration, and the population continued to grow rapidly. Blacks and Arabs were especially welcome to emigrate to the US.
  The American economy was growing, and there were more and more cars.
  And so began the search for nuclear fuel and an atomic reaction that could provide colossal energy.
  Ten years have passed since the end of World War II. Nazi Germany has acquired a new weapon: disc-shaped aircraft capable not only of flying at incredible speeds but also of remaining virtually invulnerable to small arms fire.
  In addition, the Germans managed to launch an artificial satellite into orbit and, most importantly, in June 1951, the first man into space.
  Tsarist Russia was a bit late, only reaching full speed in August of that year. Changes occurred in Fascist Italy that same year. Benedito Mussolini, a contender for the title of Julius Caesar, died. Overall, the Italian dictator proved successful in his governance. Including his conquests in Africa, including Ethiopia, the territory under Italian control increased almost three and a half times during his reign. Furthermore, in Europe, Benedito managed to seize part of France, including Toulon.
  But he was not allowed to set foot in Albania and Greece - these territories were within the sphere of influence of the Russian Empire.
  Benedito could certainly be called great and a conqueror, although the Italian army was not particularly distinguished by its exploits. But his son and heir considered himself no less impressive than his father.
  And he took the autumn of 1951 and invaded Albania and Greece... It is not for nothing that they say that all great wars begin suddenly.
  Vladimir III was even delighted by the opportunity. Italy's African holdings were vast, even larger than Germany's. So why not take them now, given the perfect excuse?
  Russian troops began military operations on November 7, 1951, attacking Ethiopia, Libya, and Sudan. Russian units were stronger, more numerous, and more combat-ready than the Italians.
  So they quickly began to crush the army of the macaroni people... But no one expected that, without any warning, Adolf Hitler would come out on the side of Mussolini Jr.
  Although if you look into it, there was nothing particularly unexpected.
  Germany lost the First World War to Russia and lost most of its territory in Russia. While the Germans managed to recoup their losses in the West with interest, in the East, frankly, they were simply left with nothing.
  So Hitler was counting heavily on his new weapons, especially discs and flying saucers. Furthermore, the Führer believed that this time, fighting Russia would be easier than in the First World War, since Germany and Italy would be fighting without a second front.
  It was also hoped that Japan, offended by the Russians, would also enter the war in the Far East and tie down the enemy there. Perhaps Portugal and Spain would also join the coalition, as would Britain and France? They were much closer to Germany than to Russia. And some hopes were pinned on the United States!
  Moreover, America built an impressive navy, numerous aircraft carriers, and modernized its tank fleet, although it was still inferior in quantity and quality to the vehicles of the Old World army.
  The social system in Tsarist Russia remained autocratic and absolute monarchy. The Tsar and Emperor of All Rus' wielded complete authority: executive, legislative, and judicial. There was no parliament. There was a State Council, composed of individuals appointed by the Emperor, but it had only advisory powers. The Tsar himself issued laws, as well as decrees. He also had the power to execute and pardon, although, of course, the courts also remained. Jury trials were abolished after the assassination of Nicholas II, so the judiciary was also appointed and dismissed by the Tsar, while officials were appointed by the Emperor.
  This system had its advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand, the emperor could quickly resolve any issue without debate or approval, but on the other, the excessive concentration of power in a single hand stifled initiative and gave bureaucracy greater powers. It also produced various favorites. Vladimir was not known for excessive prudishness or marital fidelity, although women did not exert much influence on his policies.
  Tsarist Russia boasted many powerful and heavy tank designs. However, combat experience in Africa demonstrated that tank performance was crucial. As a result, the mainstay of Russian tanks never exceeded the forty-five-ton weight limit. This increased weight, even with wide tracks, created problems with off-road performance.
  The Tsar loved heavy tanks, but his advisers dissuaded him from mass-producing them. However, two thousand of the sixty-ton machine were produced. And the most widely produced tank, the "Nikolai-3," was manufactured in sixty-three thousand units.
  The vehicle weighs forty-five tons, and its gun is 122 mm. The frontal armor is 200 mm thick, while the rear and sides are 120 mm thick. The layout is classic.
  Hitler was seriously fascinated by heavy vehicles. He wanted a production tank superior to the Nikolai. The German tank had ballooned to 75 tons, which was already the limit, as heavy vehicles are extremely difficult to transport by rail.
  The German vehicle was armed with a 128-mm gun, had 250-mm frontal armor, and 180-mm side and rear armor. The layout is also close to the classic one.
  The German tank was three times inferior to the Soviet one in terms of numbers. Not to mention the difficulties of using such overly heavy vehicles.
  However, Russian equipment is scattered across vast areas, and on the European sector of the front, the numbers of vehicles and infantry are roughly equal. Overall, though, the Russian army is far larger than the German one. And Russia has a huge population: it includes India, China, most of Africa, the Middle East, Persia, Indochina, and much more.
  Of course, Hitler's decision to attack Tsarist Russia, even with Japan and Italy, and possibly France and Britain, on his side, was a colossal gamble. But the Führer was a huge adventurer.
  It should be noted that the flying discs upon which the Third Reich pinned such high hopes were not very effective in practice. Creating a strong laminar jet resulted in enormous fuel consumption, and the flying saucers' flight time was comparatively short. Therefore, they were capable of operating, even at their enormous speed, over relatively short distances. Furthermore, the laminar jet protected the flying disc from small arms fire, but in turn hindered firing from the flying saucer.
  So the Germans could only drop radio-controlled missiles from their discs, and then at a narrow angle, or by turning off the laminar flow, but becoming vulnerable for the time being.
  But, in any case, Hitler decided to attack Russia and threw down his cards. Moreover, the fascist feared that if Italy were defeated, they would turn on him too. He, the mustachioed one, trusted no one.
  Initially, the Nazis achieved success thanks to the surprise of their attack and the better organization of their troops. But the timing of the offensive was poor. Snow began to fall, and the tanks stalled. The Nazis could have captured part of Poland, including Krakow, but they became bogged down near Warsaw.
  The Russian military machine was gaining momentum... Japan, as the Führer expected, entered the war, but its navy lacked superiority over the Russian Pacific Fleet, and the fighting was roughly even. Japan, meanwhile, diverted virtually no ground forces from the Western theater of operations. Furthermore, the samurai were inferior to the Russians in the air, both in numbers and quality. The Land of the Rising Sun was only able to capture a few small islands.
  The cautious Franco and Salazar were in no hurry to enter the war. Russia was a very powerful adversary. They had to wait and see. In real history, Franco limited himself to sending a Blue Division of fascist volunteers during World War II.
  Now the balance of power looked especially unequal in Africa.
  Italy quickly lost its possessions on the Black Continent.
  In the spring of 1952, the Tsarist army launched an offensive in East Prussia and managed to break through the enemy's deeply echeloned defenses. The Nazis barely managed to stop the Tsarist army's advance at Königsberg, but the imperial forces began advancing on the Sudetenland and Krakow.
  It turned out that the more agile Russian tanks were quite capable of fighting a heavier, but less maneuverable enemy. Chinese divisions, commanded by Russian generals, also performed well.
  The Germans were forced to abandon Krakow... And then, due to the threat of encirclement, they began to retreat from the Vistula to the Oder.
  No, this wasn't the course of the war the frenzied Führer expected. But he himself was to blame. Moreover, the French and British, having had their fill of Nazi occupation, weren't at all eager to die for the Führer. So reinforcements were delayed, and the vassal countries simply tried to sit it out.
  And the worse things were going for the Germans at the front.
  By winter, the Germans had lost all their holdings in Africa. And by spring, they had retreated to the Oder. Russian troops liberated Prague and the Sudetenland and approached Vienna. They also routed Italy and occupied Rome, Naples, and Sicily. So the spring of 1953 did not bode well for the Nazis. However, on April 8, 1953, Hitler died suddenly. The new German leadership desperately pleaded for peace.
  Vladimir Kirillovich Romanov generously agreed. But the Germans paid dearly for it. The new border now ran along the Oder: Belgium, Holland, and Denmark gained sovereignty, but as vassals of the Russian Empire. France regained its previously lost possessions, but became even more dependent on Russia.
  Italy and Germany lost all their colonies, which now became the property of the Tsarist crown. Italy itself also received the status of a Russian vassal, while Sicily and Sardinia became directly part of the empire of Vladimir III.
  Germany also lost much of its independence and paid large reparations.
  Japan also lost all its possessions except its own territory and was forced to become a vassal state. Tsar Vladimir Kirillovich Romanov also received the title of Emperor of Japan.
  Of course, that part of Australia that previously belonged to the Land of the Rising Sun also came under Russian control.
  In August 1953, the United States finally tested an atomic bomb. It was eight years late, but the nuclear genie was out of the bottle. In any case, progress cannot be stopped. And the development of the atomic bomb is inevitable. In the worst-case scenario, nuclear weapons could have been developed at most twenty years later than they actually were.
  With some delay, the tsarist government also began to develop its response.
  The United States couldn't bring itself to wage war against such a powerful empire. Moreover, it wasn't easy to reach Russia's main industrial and economic centers from overseas.
  And producing nuclear weapons required both time and money! The US had the resources, but time was running out. Tsarist Russia, with its resources and powerful intellectual potential, quickly made up for the lag in this area. And in 1956, Vladimir III also acquired an atomic bomb.
  Significantly inferior to Russia in population and resources, the capitalist and democratic United States gradually lost its trump cards.
  The only thing they could do was use nuclear weapons as a deterrent and attempt to undermine Tsarist Russia from within. But so far, they hadn't succeeded.
  Vladimir Kirillovich's first wife left him no male offspring, so he remarried. He fathered an heir, naming him Georgy.
  Tsarist Russia pursued space expansion. In 1959, about a year before the Americans, man landed on the moon. Then, in 1971, on Mars. The alternate world became safer than reality.
  In 1975, man landed on Venus. In 1980, on Mercury. In 1981, on one of Jupiter's moons. And in 1992, the very year of Vladimir Kirillovich Romanov's death, a Russian cosmonaut proudly set foot on Pluto.
  George I inherited the crown at the age of eighteen. Overall, it can be said that Vladimir III the Great led his 54-year reign very successfully. The Romanov dynasty then continued.
  
  
  
  NICHOLAS II THE MOST GLORIOUS OF THE TSARS!
  Let's assume that Tsar Alexander III, on the contrary, died earlier: in 1987, from an assassination attempt organized by Lenin's older brother, Alexander.
  It would seem even worse. But not quite. Nicholas II became tsar earlier, and married earlier: so that, if necessary, he could place his son on the throne. But he already had a different wife, a healthy heir, and certainly no Rasputin. So, at first, things were basically the same as in real history: the Trans-Siberian Railway was being built, the economy was booming - expansion into China. True, ships were being built in the Baltic Sea a year earlier. And the boom was slightly greater due to the earlier rise of the financial genius Witte.
  The war with Japan didn't start out well, but the Varyag managed to escape, and Admiral Makarov survived. History shifted slightly, and everything turned out slightly differently. In real history, the Varyag truly did have a narrow escape, and Admiral Makarov's death was entirely accidental and unlikely.
  The Russian fleet, led by Admiral Makarov, acted quite skillfully, sinking Japanese ships. Then, when two Japanese battleships were blown up in a rudder line, Makarov attacked the samurai and sank another fifteen ships.
  So everything went well. And Japan lost its naval superiority.
  But on land, the samurai proved weaker. Kuropatkin repelled all Japanese attacks and inflicted heavy losses. However, he wasn't particularly decisive. But soon Russian ships arrived from the Baltic Sea, and Makarov finally took control of all the waters.
  The Russians even began to land troops in Taiwan, and then on the Kuril Islands.
  Until Theodore Roosevelt intervened and offered mediation, Russia gained Manchuria, Korea, Mongolia, the Kuril Islands, and Taiwan.
  Yellow Russia also emerged. Thus, a new empire was formed.
  However, the tsar didn't get too brazen for now. In 1914, World War II broke out. Russia was better prepared for this war: its economy was stronger, its territory and population larger, and the Duma wasn't interfering. Moreover, there was no recession caused by riots and the so-called revolution.
  The First World War was a mixed bag. Russian generals made mistakes, but also had successes. But in 1915, the Germans achieved less success, as the Tsarist army was larger and better supplied. Russia nonetheless lost half of Poland and Galicia. The Germans were unable to enter Belarus and the Baltic states-the front line ran along the Vistula.
  And in 1916, the Tsarist army achieved great successes against Austria and Turkey. The Ottomans were almost completely routed, along with the Austrians, who were captured in Przemysl and Krakow. Germany was in trouble. In the spring of 1917, the Russians took Istanbul. Tsarist Russia also achieved significant successes during the summer offensive against Austria and Germany. And in the fall, when the Tsarist troops had already reached the Oder, Germany capitulated. The partition of Austria-Hungary and Turkey followed. Russia received Asia Minor, northern Iraq, Istanbul, Galicia, Bukovina, the Czechoslovak and Hungarian kingdoms, and Krakow. Plus Danzig, part of East Prussia, and the Klaipeda region. Russia thus became much stronger. And Germany also paid enormous reparations.
  Tsar Nicholas II was in no rush to take everything. But then the Russians, British, and French divided up the Saudi Peninsula. Then the British and Russians divided up Iran and Afghanistan. The redivision of the world was complete.
  Until 1929, the entire world was on the rise, until the Great Depression struck. In 1931, Japan launched a war against Russia. It was quickly defeated and occupied, along with all its Pacific territories. Then came a referendum and its incorporation into Russia.
  Taking advantage of the weakened Britain, France, and the United States, engulfed in the Great Depression, Tsar Nicholas II waged wars to conquer China. This became his greatest conquest.
  To somewhat accelerate Russification, Nicholas II made an unconventional decision: he officially introduced polygamy in Russia, changing the theology and dogmas of the Orthodox Church. Thus, the Reformation was enacted.
  And the Tsar took a second wife. Russians were encouraged to marry foreign women and have many children. The vast Chinese people needed to be Russified as well. And what better way to do that? Marry Chinese women!
  Hitler never came to power in Germany. In this story, he fell a bit short. He was too much of an extremist. The main irritant was the fascist Mussolini, who had seized Ethiopia and dreamed of becoming a new Caesar and Trojan rolled into one.
  In May 1937, war broke out between Russia and Italy. Mussolini, it turned out, had committed suicide. Russian troops captured all of Italy in two months, and all of Italy's colonies in three more. Tsarist Russia also finally incorporated Romania and Yugoslavia, and a little later, Bulgaria. Having completed the annexation of territories, Nicholas II died in the fall of 1939. His heir, Alexei II, who was quite healthy, became the new tsar.
  In this case, Nicholas II reigned for fifty-two years, surpassing Ivan the Terrible's record. His reign proved to be the most successful in Russian history, and his conquests were simply record-breaking. No other tsar had conquered so much. Russia firmly established itself in China and gained strength in all directions.
  However, a long period of peace then ensued under Alexei II. France, Britain, and the United States didn't want war. And Germany was disarmed and powerless. So a situation arose where peace reigned.
  Colonial empires continued to exist. Russia remained the largest country, but Britain was formally the second-largest power, only slightly smaller in area than the Tsarist Empire. However, Australia, South Africa, and Canada were virtually independent dominions. And in India... In 1968, a major uprising broke out in India, and after two years of war, the British were expelled. But the Tsarist army entered Indian territory and suppressed the uprisings. Afterwards, Britain lost this colony to Russia. Soon, Russia also took southern Iran.
  After Alexei II, Nicholas III succeeded to the throne in 1969. The Tsarist empire was on the rise. France, too, lost control of Indochina and Thailand in 1979. And there, too, Tsarist troops arrived.
  In the 1980s and 1990s, Africa came under the control of Tsarist Russia. After 2001, Peter the Fourth, son of Alexei II, ascended the Russian throne.
  By this time, Tsarist Russia had absorbed almost all of Africa and Asia, and had snatched up colonies from other countries, including Indonesia. But of course, it did not go against Australia.
  A period of peace had arrived. The United States, Britain, and France had nuclear weapons, Germany economic might. Russia had economic might, nuclear weapons, the world's largest army, and the largest population. And it still had an absolute autocratic monarchy without parliament. The Americans, being the second-largest power, or even a superpower, considered this a criticism of Russia.
  However, the lack of democracy did not hinder progress. In particular, back in 1943, in Tsarist Russia, the first human flew into space. And in 1961, to the Moon. The mission to Mars took place in 1974. And by 2000, almost all the planets in the Solar System had been visited. A major expedition to the stars was being prepared. It launched in 2018 and headed to Alpha Centauri.
  So, tsarism didn't hinder science at all. Peter IV of the Romanov dynasty even declared that enlightened absolutism was better.
  Especially against the backdrop of the scandals that have constantly rocked the Donald Trump administration.
  Nicholas II was still considered the greatest tsar of all time. Tsarist Russia was on top and a global hegemon. The outskirts and colonies were gradually becoming Russified. The empire was gaining momentum. And the whole world had become a better place.
  And why? Thanks to Alexander Ulyanov, Lenin's brother, who was executed for regicide. Lenin himself remained abroad. He met Wales and also took up writing science fiction, which earned him considerable wealth and made a name for himself. And so he became famous, becoming well-known and celebrated, and his works were translated into many languages. Stalin died in prison of tuberculosis and generally remained known only to specialists. Trotsky soon abandoned revolutionary activity and made a respectable career as an official, rising to the rank of actual privy councilor and deputy minister. Voznesensky became a minister under the tsar and achieved much. Khrushchev remained a small shopkeeper and achieved no fame. Brezhnev rose to the rank of colonel. Andropov served in the police and also became a colonel. Gorbachev became a prominent businessman and showman. Yeltsin remained a shopkeeper. Putin rose to the rank of colonel in the secret police and retired with honors. Medvedev is a minor official. Zhirinovsky, the newspaper's founder, was also a showman. Zyuganov tried to work underground against the tsar. He received a prison sentence, then became an informant for the secret police. He retired with the rank of captain. Zhukov only rose to the rank of major. Vasilevsky became a lieutenant general, Shaposhnikov a lieutenant general. Kolchak became a grand admiral and a recipient of many orders. Makarov also became a grand admiral, having fought in the First World War. Actually, not the first, but the only world war, as there was no Second World War. Brusilov became famous, a field marshal and a recipient of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. Denikin, Wrangel, Kornilov, and Kuropatkin all became field marshals.
  Life was good under the tsars, too. And prices hadn't risen for over a hundred years. And the ruble was backed by a stable gold standard of 0.77 grams. And many peoples lived well under the tsars.
  Everyone had equal rights, and many called themselves Russians, even Africans. Everyone prospered under the Tsar. Only Jews of non-Orthodox faiths remained subject to residency requirements. But their numbers were dwindling.
  Under the Tsar, there were some problems, to be sure. One of them, a high birth rate and low death rate, led to overpopulation. But this was intended to be solved through space expansion. Furthermore, the development of science and agriculture made it possible to address the problem of hunger. There was enough food for everyone. But the population growth in the empire was over three percent per year. And this threatened future troubles.
  The tsarist government sought a solution in space expansion. And this seemed reasonable. So new starships were built and research into superluminal travel was conducted.
  
  
  
  FIFTY YEARS OF ALEXANDER THE THIRD - THE GREAT!
  The assassination attempt on Alexander II in 1866 was successful. The Tsar-Liberator died as a result. Alexander III ascended the throne. On the plus side, Alaska hadn't been sold yet, and the new Russian emperor was reluctant to give up any land, even if it was remote and not yet particularly valuable.
  Moreover, construction of the road to Vladivostok in Siberia had begun even earlier. And it was supposed to extend all the way to Chukotka!
  Tsar Alexander III was strong, decisive, strong-willed, healthy, and physically very strong. He ruled with a firm hand, and under him, Russia entered a period of greatest prosperity and achievement!
  So it"s a good thing that the great emperor began to rule fifteen years earlier than in real history!
  To begin with, he harshly suppressed all uprisings by revolutionaries and members of the Narodnaya Volya (People's Will). Then he began reforming the army and navy, restoring order.
  The Tsar achieved much. Roads, bridges, and factories were built, and the country rapidly developed capitalism. While autocracy remained intact, the Tsarist government waged small wars, advancing across Central Asia and expanding its influence there.
  The Great War with Turkey broke out in 1977. It went even better, faster, more victorious, and with fewer losses than in real history. It was in this war that Skobelev's genius shone in its full light!
  The Russian troops routed the Turks with minimal losses. They even managed to capture Istanbul immediately, as they arrived there before the British squadron. This war was so successful that the Tsar himself was named Victorious Alexander! And Skobelev became the youngest field marshal in Russian history.
  Türkiye was divided. The British occupied Egypt and Sudan. Russia took Iraq, Palestine, Syria, part of Saudi Arabia, Asia Minor, all of Armenia, and the Balkans!
  Thus, Alexander III captured a large territory quite quickly and relatively easily. He continued his expansion southward, moving through Iran, Turkmenistan, and even into Afghanistan!
  The Tsar's army set its sights on India! The British were ready to fight. An alliance of Russia, Germany, and Austria-Hungary against France and Britain was formed.
  In 1992, Germany launched an offensive against the Rooster Republic. Britain declared war on Germany and Russia. Austria-Hungary gained Bosnia and Herzegovina and attacked Italy.
  Russia launched a campaign against India and the French possessions in Indochina. This effectively began the First World War. But now Russia and the Germans were together!
  Russia also attacked Egypt.
  Tsarist troops, supported by the local population, occupy India and Iran. They then enter Indochina. The Prussians, meanwhile, defeat the French again and encircle Paris.
  The Republicans then refuse to surrender. Paris is attacked, causing extensive destruction. The Germans also capture Belgium and Holland.
  Britain continues the war for some time. Russian troops occupy Egypt and Sudan. A war is underway at sea. The Russian army is advancing across Africa, all the way to South Africa. And it's gathering colonies for itself. The Germans are grabbing some of them too.
  Meanwhile, Austria-Hungary became bogged down in a war with Italy. However, in 1894, the Germans came to the Austrians' aid and completed the conquest of Italy.
  After which the land of oranges is divided among themselves.
  The war shifts to the sea. And here the genius of naval commander Admiral Makarov shines through, achieving a series of brilliant victories, forcing the Mistress of the Seas to capitulate.
  Russia took control of India, Indochina, most of Africa, and even Australia, driving the British out. Russian troops also drove Britain out of Canada, also establishing a colony there. Thus, Britain lost virtually all of its colonies, while Russia gained them. Russia's continued control of Alaska, as well as the presence of a very powerful navy, and the genius of Admirals Makarov and Rozhdestvensky, facilitated the seizure of Canada.
  Well, that's not all. Russia moved on China. Quite successfully, too. And in 1904, war with Japan began.
  But unlike real history, this war wasn't difficult, but rather swift. Moreover, Japan's navy was weak, while Russia's was quite strong. Having defeated the Japanese, Russian troops captured Tokyo. Then a referendum was held, and the overwhelming majority of Japanese voted to join Russia.
  Tsar Alexander III won another victory. Then came the voluntary-forced annexation of China. Region after region, province after province. The Tsarist empire reached enormous proportions. From the United States, all of Canada and Alaska, all of Asia, Austria, the Pacific region, to South Africa and Germany's possessions in West Africa.
  Plus there was Austria-Hungary. Such a vast power.
  But, of course, the Germans and Austrians wanted more. France was still occupied by Germany. Britain, offended by Russia, also wanted war.
  The Kaiser managed to assemble a coalition: Spain, Portugal, Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Sweden against the gigantic Russia. The Germans had also previously managed to capture Denmark and Norway during the war with Britain. A powerful coalition had formed.
  And the war began on August 1, 1917, just as Alexander III died and Nicholas II ascended the throne. The calculation was that without such a great monarch as Alexander III, who had reached the age of fifty-one, Russia would surely lose.
  But Nicholas II had a strong and stable empire, without Rasputin and an ailing heir. So he could fight the coalition.
  And so the war began... The Germans swarmed like a typhoon. Russian troops met them with powerful counterattacks. A massive and fierce battle ensued.
  Nicholas II, relying on a chain of fortresses, thoroughly wore down the German and Austrian forces. Then he launched a counteroffensive. In Africa, Russian troops, using the world's first light all-terrain tanks, completely routed the Austrians and Germans. And they cleared the Dark Continent.
  Both Sweden and Norway were conquered quite quickly.
  The war lasted a year and a half and ended with the Russian army, larger in numbers and with its more powerful tanks, capturing all of Europe. Then Britain fell, too. Russia had finally established its dominance over the Eastern Hemisphere.
  Tsar Nicholas II also became a great conqueror. Peace reigned until 1929, when the Great Depression erupted. The general economic crisis led to the outbreak of war between Russia and the last great superpower, the United States, on May 1st, 1931!
  The Tsarist army of Nicholas II entered the American border. The forces were unequal. The Americans had almost no tanks and were poorly trained. Moreover, Russia greatly outnumbered the United States. The Tsarist Empire also had superior generals. So, from the very beginning, the war was one-sided. Russia was winning and advancing. And then, on September 30, after taking New York and Washington, the United States capitulated. Thus, another page of history was turned. In 1934, Nicholas II launched an invasion of Mexico and then further into Latin America, conquering Latin American countries. Until December 1936, when the last independent republic, Chile, fell.
  Thus, Nicholas II brought history to a final close. Tsarist Russia united all the countries and peoples of planet Earth.
  On November 7, 1937, Emperor Nicholas the Great of the planet Earth crashed in a plane. And his reign ended. Alexei II became Tsar. A healthy, young heir-about thirty-three years old. Under him, space expansion began. New frontiers and new flights. The monarchy was unshakable. Humanity was united and conquering space.
  GENERALISSIMO KONDRATENKO
  The Port Arthur commandant died. He did indeed die in real life. He was wounded in the head, but the shrapnel missed his brain by a few millimeters. In short, the traitor who surrendered the citadel died, and his place was taken by Kondratenko, the hero of the Port Arthur defense.
  To strengthen the fortress's defenses, the new commander sent all sailors and ship artillery ashore and disarmed the squadron, but fortified Port Arthur.
  As a result, the citadel was thoroughly defended, thanks in part to the skillful actions of Commander Kondratenko. The defense held successfully. Kondratenko reinforced the Vysokaya fortress defenses in time, and the Japanese were unable to take it.
  By the end of December, the samurai were exhausted from the assaults. January saw a lull caused by Kuropatkin's unsuccessful attempt to relieve the siege.
  In February, there was another assault, and again it was repelled with heavy losses for the Japanese.
  During the defense, a boy named Oleg Rybachenko performed heroically. At the beginning of the siege, this cabin boy was only ten years old. The child fought alongside the adults and carried out reconnaissance missions.
  He showed himself to be very brave and combative. And the defense held. March had already arrived... The Japanese retreated again. Russia didn't experience Bloody Sunday, as Tsar Nicholas, since Port Arthur held, was in good spirits and went out to the people. The Russian army grew stronger and larger. At the end of March, the Japanese attempted an offensive, but Kuropatkin's forces were too overwhelmingly superior in numbers and repelled all attacks.
  General Nogi's forces were better off pinned down by the siege of Port Arthur. Having suffered heavy losses, the Japanese retreated. But again, Kuropatkin hesitated.
  At the end of April, a new assault followed, which, however, was also repelled.
  And Oleg Rybachenko, this brave boy, even captured a Japanese colonel, with the help of a trap, of course.
  In early May, only minor skirmishes occurred, but on the 25th, Rozhdestvensky's squadron finally entered Port Arthur. The renowned admiral led fifty-one ships, crossing three oceans at once!
  After which, the defense received reinforcements. And in early June, the final assault on Port Arthur followed. It was a desperate and brutal assault. Once again, it was repelled with enormous losses for the Japanese. The Tsar finally dismissed Kuropatkin and appointed Linevich. In mid-July 1905, the Japanese were finally defeated. And so, the heroic defense of Port Arthur, which had lasted for over a year, came to an end.
  Kondratenko was awarded the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called and promoted to Field Marshal. Rozhdestvensky's squadron, along with the Port Arthur squadron, then defeated the Japanese at sea. Admiral Togo himself was killed in the battle.
  Japan was forced to make peace with Russia, with the mediation of the United States.
  The Kuril Islands and Taiwan were forced to cede. Russia secured protectorate over Korea and Manchuria, and control over Port Arthur. Furthermore, Japan paid a massive indemnity of one billion gold yen to Tsarist Russia.
  The victory strengthened Tsar Nicholas II's position. Russia expanded its territories, and a Yellow Russia began to emerge, voluntarily annexed by Chinese regions. There was no State Duma-Russia remained an absolute monarchy, without parliament.
  Of course, due to the victory and political stability, economic growth continued earlier than in real history and was stronger.
  The First World War began as in real history. But it proceeded more successfully for Russia, which had a larger and better army, thanks in part to Field Marshal Kondratenko's reforms, a stronger economy, and greater authority for the Tsar.
  The war lasted just over a year and ended with the collapse of Austria-Hungary and the capitulation of the Ottoman Empire and Germany. Bulgaria, seeing the danger, sided with Serbia and Russia, as did Italy and Japan.
  Field Marshal Kondratenko received the highest rank - Generalissimo. He became a Knight of virtually every order, as did Suvorov. Brusilov became a Field Marshal. Admiral Kolchak, Kornilov, and Denikin all made their careers. Tsarist Russia annexed Galicia, Bukovina, the Krakow Voivodeship, the Poznan region, and Klaipėda. Czechoslovakia also became part of the Russian Empire, as did Asia Minor and Constantinople. And northern Iraq.
  All in all, everything turned out well. The Japanese and Russians divided up the German colonies in the Pacific Ocean.
  Then Saudi Arabia was divided between Russia, France, and Britain. After a short war, Russia and Britain then divided Iran.
  And then Afghanistan. True, there was a bit of fighting there. And the British weren't too lucky at first.
  The world found stability and prosperity. Until the Great Depression erupted in 1929. Russia, after its rapid growth, also fell into crisis.
  In 1931, Japan attacked Russia, seeking revenge for previous defeats.
  But this time, it was suicide. The Tsar's troops defeated the Japanese. Admiral Kolchak, still quite young, demonstrated a genius comparable to Ushakov. The Land of the Rising Sun was completely defeated at sea and then occupied. A referendum followed, in which the majority of Japanese voted to join Russia.
  Thus, Tsar Nicholas II strengthened his power in the Pacific Ocean. Russia continued its advance on China. Weakened by the crisis, Britain, France, and the United States did not interfere with the takeover of the Celestial Empire.
  In 1933, Hitler came to power in Germany. He began to restore the former empire's former might. And, of course, he tried to avoid antagonizing Russia.
  Mussolini, in Italy, had a friendship with Russia. And under the cover of it, he seized Ethiopia, expanding his colonies. There was talk of creating a Triple Alliance.
  Tsarist Russia wanted to annex all the colonies of weakening England and France. Well, the Germans and Italians, of course, too. The United States had its own plans.
  In 1937, Germany united with Austria, executing the Anschluss. And in November 1937, the plane carrying Nicholas II crashed. The reign ended quite successfully. During his forty-three-year reign, Nicholas II achieved colossal conquests.
  They called him Nikolaev the Great! And even the Greatest, becoming taller than Peter the Great.
  Under Nicholas II, the workday was reduced to ten hours, and seven-year education became compulsory and free. The average wage nationwide reached 75 rubles per month, with zero inflation and the ruble backed by gold. The Tsarist currency was the hardest and most convertible in the world.
  Russia had the largest land army in the world, and in terms of naval strength it surpassed both Britain and the United States.
  Russian tanks were the best in the world, as were their aircraft. And helicopters were practically the only ones on planet Earth at the time. They had the largest and highest-quality submarine fleet. They had the best artillery. They had cutting-edge television and video technologies. The world's first color films were also made in Tsarist Russia, thanks in part to Tsar Nicholas II's passion for photography.
  After annexing China, Russia became the world's most populous country, overtaking Britain and all its colonies.
  Tsar Nicholas II reformed Orthodoxy and legalized polygamy. This wise ruler accomplished much. And he died not disparaged, not persecuted, not having lost Russia, but a great man. And just a few millimeters of a fragment's shift had such an impact on Russian history. And they say there are no accidents in history! Of course there are. Both Nicholas II and the phenomenon of Generalissimo Kondratenko demonstrated this.
  But after the death of Tsar Nicholas, a temporary chaos ensued. First, Alexei II died before he could be crowned monarch. Then another heir, Kirill Vladimirovich Romanov, also died. And in 1938, Vladimir III ascended the throne. The Tsar was young, but generally intelligent and quite strong-willed and ambitious.
  And so he set to work! Russia, Italy, Germany, against Britain, France, and perhaps, in the future, the United States. Here, of course, the Triple Alliance is much stronger.
  In May 1940, Germany invaded France, Belgium, Holland, and Britain. Russia attacked French, British, and Dutch colonies. The unceremonious seizure of territory began.
  The British and French were unable to resist the Russian army. But the Germans, in just six weeks, routed and forced the capitulation of France, Belgium, and Holland.
  Then the Führer occupied Spain and Portugal, and seized Denmark and Norway. Russia occupied Sweden.
  The war was practically one-sided. With the support of the local population, Russia captured India, Indochina, southern Afghanistan, southern Iran, the Middle East, and entered Egypt.
  Of course, the colonial forces couldn't resist the tsarist army, nor did they particularly want to. The conquest of Africa was somewhat delayed due to poor roads and stretched communication lines. The Germans advanced through Africa via Gibraltar and Morocco, the Russians through Egypt and then Sudan.
  However, the terrain was a greater obstacle than the resistance of the British or French troops. They were few in number, poorly armed, and mostly composed of local aborigines who neither knew how nor wanted to fight.
  In 1940, Hitler hesitated to launch a landing in Britain. He launched an air offensive, which was initially unsuccessful. But in the spring of 1941, Russian aircraft entered the fray, and Britain began to be pressed to death.
  And in August, the landing of joint German-Russian troops followed, and after two weeks of fierce fighting, the capture of London.
  After which the entire Eastern Hemisphere, including Australia and New Zealand, became Russian, German and Italian.
  But there was still the United States.
  Tsar Vladimir decided to attack America as well. Hitler and Mussolini supported him in this decision. The Third Reich moved troops into Iceland, then on to Greenland and Canada, while Tsarist Russia advanced on Alaska. The forces were, of course, unequal. The United States had a weak tank fleet and a far smaller population than Russia and all its colonies combined. Although the economy was developed, it was no match for such a monster.
  Having launched an offensive in 1943, the Russian army quickly occupied Alaska within two winter months. And in the spring, along with the Germans, they captured almost all of Canada.
  Brazil, Venezuela, Mexico and other countries have declared war on the United States.
  Russian troops have begun moving across the northern states of America. The forces are, of course, unequal. Russia and Germany are superior in both quality and quantity.
  The girls Natasha, Zoya, Aurora, and Svetlana fight in the world's best tank, the Kondratenko-3. It's a mobile vehicle with a long-barreled, rapid-fire cannon. It's very maneuverable and has a low profile.
  The Kondratenko-3 tank weighs approximately forty tons and is well protected. And despite its small 76-millimeter caliber, the gun has a high muzzle velocity.
  Shermans can't penetrate this tank from any angle. So...
  The girls, fighting barefoot and in bikinis, simply destroy the Americans and laugh a lot.
  Especially Natasha... And with her bare fingers she presses the joystick, saying:
  - Glory to my Rus'!
  Zoya also shoots. She does it with her bare toes, pressing the joystick buttons and shouting:
  - And our entire native land!
  Aurora then fires, striking the enemy and baring her teeth, saying:
  - And the higher powers are behind us!
  And the girl winks quite fieryly, too! She presses her bare toes like joystick buttons.
  And then Svetlana leads the fire. Such a sharp-shooting and sparkling girl. Sunbeams stream from her lips. And she sings too:
  - I'm a world star! I run faster than even Satan!
  With girls like these, even the devil himself isn't scary. They're thrashing the Americans, tightly surrounding Chicago.
  And without letting anyone out. They're wreaking havoc, let's say, trivially. That's the kind of girls they are.
  And now the Chicago garrison capitulates. Know our people!
  And Russian tanks are already approaching New York. Tsar Vladimir rubs his hands with satisfaction. Have the Russians ever gone this far?
  Girls fight bravely in the air, too. For example, this sweet couple: Maria and Mirabela.
  Barefoot and bikini-clad beauties are racking up bills. They literally have nothing to counter. These girls are so beautiful, dazzlingly aggressive, and aimed.
  Maria fired, shot down a dozen planes with one burst, and sang:
  - Glory to our native land! In the name of Russia!
  Mirabella also fired and roared:
  - But there is a leader in great power,
  He will call the Slavs to battle...
  They can't cope with Russia -
  When Vladimir rules as Tsar!
  
  From firm, strong, with an iron will,
  And his gaze is like cutting metal...
  Russians don"t need a better life -
  This is the only thing people dreamed of!
  Yes, these girls are masters of both fighting and singing...
  Incidentally, at the height of the assault on New York, the first Russian cosmonaut launched into space and orbited the planet Earth. This was yet another achievement of the Tsarist Russia of the Romanov dynasty.
  Then the New York garrison capitulated, and Washington soon fell. And on September 3, 1943, the United States capitulated altogether. Thus ended World War II, which had begun on May 15, 1940. A glorious and victorious war for Russia.
  Of course, both Hitler and Mussolini gained much from this war. Both dictators gained possessions in Africa, and some in Europe and the United States. Europe was finally divided among countries. And after a referendum, Bulgaria became the Kingdom of Bulgaria within Russia.
  It would seem that the world has been re-divided once again, and the colonies can be reorganized. But Hitler, of course, wouldn't be Hitler if he didn't want more. Specifically, to defeat Russia. And seize its territories.
  And, of course, the Germans were counting heavily on new, more powerful weapons: the E-series tanks, ballistic missiles, and especially flying saucer missiles.
  However, Tsarist Russia was significantly ahead of the Third Reich in ballistic missiles and even flew to the Moon on April 12, 1951.
  And the E-series tanks did not have a qualitative superiority over the Russian ones.
  Only the flying saucers remained a mystery. Thanks to their laminar flow, they proved completely invulnerable to any type of small arms. But at the same time, they themselves were incapable of firing.
  Mussolini died and his son succeeded him. Hitler pressured him, and the young man agreed to fight Russia. On April 20, 1955, a new, Third World War began. Hitler's side included Italy, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Mexico-in short, all of Latin America, except Cuba, which supported Russia. And there were no other countries in the world more supportive! On April 20, 1955, the Third World War began. And Tsar Vladimir faced the most serious challenge of his reign.
  The only thing that could console him is that this war will be the last in the history of wars on planet Earth, since all the countries of the world are participating in it!
  Well, if war has begun, it must be waged! Hitler's attack wasn't particularly unexpected. Hungary and Yugoslavia are part of Russia with limited autonomy, their Tsar is Vladimir III. Albania has been captured by Italy. Everything is in order. The Germans are trying to advance from East Prussia and Austria, Italy from the south. And fighting is underway in Africa. And the Latin American coalition is against the United States. But they're not very active there. Only now they've declared war.
  Meanwhile, Hitler moved his main forces into Europe.
  And a hellish war broke out. The last large-scale war in human history.
  The Germans launched their main attack in Hungary, heading toward Budapest. Oleg Rybachenko fought there. He still looked like a boy of about ten. True, he was very physically strong, muscular, and fast, and, most importantly, immortal, like a highlander. Yes, the writer and poet Oleg Rybachenko received immortality, but on the condition that he become a boy of about ten and serve Russia in a child's body, albeit very strong and fast. And he's been a child since January 1, 1904, when he signed on as a cabin boy in Port Arthur. Well, he's not exactly a small boy, but he's strong and fast from the start, and they took him on board.
  When they questioned whether it was too small, Oleg Rybachenko bet a copper nickel with his fingers. After which, without further ado, he was taken aboard the ship.
  The boy earned a great many awards, participating in all the wars. He became an officer. But he remained a child's creature. So, although he received awards for his many exploits, the eternal boy was never promoted higher than captain. And so Oleg Rybachenko has been in the army for over half a century. He long ago earned an officer's pension, but if you have impeccable health, why leave the service?
  Moreover, without computers, game consoles, and television, it's somehow boring. And in the army, at least you're a captain and you can steer the soldiers. And time still flies, after all.
  Generalissimo Kondratenko has died. Grand Admiral Kolchak, who surpassed Ushakov, has also died. Many of the men Oleg Rybachenko started out with are no longer serving.
  More precisely, since the siege of Port Arthur, almost all the veterans have died. Only Vova remains. He, too, was a young cabin boy back then, and now he's a gray-haired old man. Pravda is still serving. And he's amazed that Oleg remains the same boy, without a single scar on his body. This phenomenon is well-known throughout the Russian, Tsarist army. Pravda fights very well indeed.
  Oleg, a boy, is barefoot; he feels more comfortable and agile this way. He aims gun after gun, firing at German E-series tanks. The Nazis' machines are simply enormous. And it seems there's no stopping them.
  But the eternal boy hits so accurately that he pierces metal. He paints the Fritzes, tears down towers, and sings.
  - Tsar Vladimir, Russian Tsar...
  Orthodox sovereign!
  We will soon conquer the world,
  because there is a cherub above us!
  Hitler will come to an end,
  And whoever listened - well done!
  And the boy, with his bare, childish foot, throws a grenade. Graybeard Vova just shakes his head.
  Writer and poet Oleg Rybachenko spent more than fifty years in the twentieth century, still a child. And admittedly, he saw a lot. Immortal as he was, he had long since lost all sense of fear. And war reminded him of a computer strategy game.
  It was easy and fun to play. And the fighting was also pleasant. It's so nice when the morning dew is under your bare feet, and you're the eternal boy taking a bath, and dressed unregulated in shorts!
  Oleg Rybachenko is allowed to run around in shorts and barefoot. Back in Port Arthur, the boy had learned to go barefoot even in freezing temperatures. After all, an immortal body can't catch a cold or get sick, and you quickly get used to the cold, which doesn't cause harm. Just like Peter Pan. And running barefoot through the snow is almost pleasant. When you're moving, the cold is practically imperceptible; only when you're sitting still do your bare feet get a little numb! But for a boy, it's a small thing.
  But there are also the witch girls: Natasha, Zoya, Aurora, Svetlana! They also take part in the war. But not all the time, just sporadically. They helped hold Mount Vysokaya when things were at their most difficult. Barefoot beauties fought there, even in bikinis. They threw sharp discs with their bare toes.
  And they hacked at them with swords. And Oleg Rybachenko was then firing a machine gun-his senior comrades were killed. And as a result, the samurai assault fizzled out, and Mount Vysokaya remained unshakable!
  And the girls showed their highest class and Valkyrie aerobatics.
  And now the Germans are on the defensive. The Tsarist army is ready for war. The Führer failed to achieve tactical surprise.
  And the Russian troops are fighting bravely. I think Hitler will curse himself many times for starting such a war. And despite the fact that the Führer has two-thirds of Europe and a third of Africa under arms, but still
  He is not Russia's rival.
  And the number of soldiers, too. And the Italian troops are weak. The Latin American countries are participating in the war only halfheartedly. And their armies, both technically and organizationally, are not very good.
  So, for now, Russia is holding the enemy in a deeply echeloned defense.
  The Kondratenko-6 tank is quite capable of fighting this series. And the Nikolai-4, which is heavier, proves to be a very powerful vehicle.
  Can the Russians fight with heavier German monsters?
  Especially on "Nikolai"-4 where the crew is Alenka, a very beautiful girl in a bikini.
  A 130mm cannon. It's like it's hitting the fascists. Hitler shouldn't have gone after Tsarist Russia. He's not getting a walk in the park here, he's in for a beating.
  Anyuta pressed the joystick button with her bare toes and sang:
  - For Russia and freedom until the end!
  And how the beauty laughs!
  And then Augustine will launch a projectile at the enemy. It will split the metal and sing:
  - Let's make our hearts beat in unison!
  And she'll also press the joystick buttons with her bare toes. Now that's a real tough chick!
  And then Maria comes smashing down. And she'll split the fascists. And destroy the enemy.
  And he'll sing along with his bare toes:
  - In the name of our holy Motherland! Let the fighter be simply awesome!
  And he will burst out laughing and show his teeth!
  And then the Olympics will hit us with a hefty projectile. She's what girls need - the juiciest apple juice!
  And again the girls penetrated the E-50, knocked out the turret and laughed.
  Alenka sent a projectile crashing through the E-100, piercing it right through. And using her bare toes to do it. Which made the girl sing:
  - Break the enemy!
  And Anyuta starts to hit, using her bare feet, and squeaks:
  - The Fritz are kaput!
  And then he hits Augustine. Very accurately, using his bare toes, cooing:
  - Hitler is finished!
  And then Maria will add something quite aggressive. She'll crush the fascists and squeal:
  - And whoever listened, well done!
  And he'll show his tongue!
  And then Olympiada sends a projectile, killing her opponents.
  And also putting bare feet into motion and singing:
  - Total sell-out!
  And again the girl will stick out her tongue.
  This is how they fight...
  After a month of fighting since the start of the offensive, the Germans had advanced between fifty and one hundred kilometers and suffered heavy, even enormous, losses. Meanwhile, the Italians in Africa found themselves completely encircled and surrounded. Their troops were simply routed.
  On May 21, Adolf Hitler ordered the conscription of all men capable of bearing arms from the age of fifteen to sixty-five. The Tsarist army was bringing up reserves.
  As it turns out, German disc aircraft aren't all that scary in practice. True, they can ram Russian aircraft. But this can be avoided thanks to the high maneuverability of the Tsarist army's aircraft.
  And Hitler's hopes for an invulnerable miracle weapon were completely unfounded.
  The Tsarist army was still on the defensive. Powerful defensive lines, dug in advance, a strong defense. Let Hitler run out of steam. But in Africa, they could put pressure on their weaker Italian ally.
  Had the Führer not decided to wage war against Tsarist Russia, he would undoubtedly have gone down in history as a great, even the greatest, leader of Germany. But the devil wanted to rule the world, and what came of it?
  Russian girls are the coolest in the world after all.
  Oleg Rybachenko, as always, is at the forefront of the battle. Neither bullets nor shrapnel can harm him. He's a reckless and brilliant guy.
  A boy in shorts and barefoot, against the fascists. And throws grenades at them, and runs in the leaden rain.
  It's a shame the brilliant Kondratenko is gone, but there are young and capable commanders. In particular, Field Marshal Vasilevsky, who distinguished himself already during the First World War. He commands energetically and skillfully.
  And the Fritzes, running into tough defenses, get hopelessly bogged down. But they still try to break through.
  Oleg Rybachenko, this eternal boy, laughs, bares his teeth and sings:
  - My homeland! My holy homeland!
  And he also throws a grenade with his bare feet.
  And here are Natasha, Zoya, Aurora, and Svetlana joining the battle. They are the eternal witch-girls, servants of the sacred God Rod. They don't always fight, otherwise Russia would have conquered the entire world. But they are always effective and devastating.
  Girls love to kill: these are girls!
  And how they will walk over the fascists, and how they will hit...
  And with their bare toes they will throw discs, killing the Fritzes.
  The Nazis are getting bogged down and suffering increasing losses. Vasilevsky, the great strategist, proposes defeating the Nazis and Italians in Africa. There, the more agile Russian tanks, with their better cross-country ability, will have the advantage. And in Europe, let the Nazis grow stronger, so they'll completely exhaust their resources.
  Tsar Vladimir accepted this plan. And new forces were transferred to Africa.
  Elizaveta and her crew fought in Libya, cutting off Italian units. It's hot there, and the girl looks good in a bikini. They have the newest Kondratenko-6 tank, which the warriors use to outflank Italian and Nazi positions, confidently destroying them.
  Elizabeth shoots at a tank from Mussolini Jr.'s empire and says:
  - A fur coat and a caftan walk across the seas and the waves!
  And of course, he uses his bare toes.
  Then Ekaterina fires. She pierces the German vehicle and roars:
  - In Russia, Tsar Vladimir is a hero!
  Elena is pounding away at her, beating up the Fritz self-propelled gun and chirping:
  - Kill Hitler for the Motherland!
  And finally, Olympiada will launch a missile. It will crush the Fritzes, suppress them, and squeal:
  - The result will be excellent!
  And also uses the bare toes of children's feet.
  In Africa, in late May and early June, Russian troops achieved significant success. The fighting spread to Libya and Ethiopia. On June 12, Tripoli fell. And on June 15, the Ethiopian capital was taken, on the move. So Mussolini Jr.'s troops crumbled. Alas, he was unable to support his father.
  And his glory as a conqueror, too. After all, Mussolini, having seized some of the English and French colonies, considered himself Caesar. But surpassing Caesar seems beyond his power.
  Oleg Rybachenko fought, commanding a battery. He did so valiantly that the Germans lost dozens of tanks to his fire every day. His boy was even awarded another gold cross. And finally, he was awarded the long-deserved rank of major.
  Previously, they didn't award him the medal because he looked like a child. But the boy demonstrated outstanding heroism. And fighting ability, too.
  On June 22, 1955, Russian troops in Africa finally captured Italian Somalia. And on June 25, 1955, the remnants of Italian troops in Ethiopia surrendered.
  The Tsarist Army was confidently winning. Meinstein, considered the Third Reich's finest commander, wrote in his diary:
  - We've awakened the hellish bear! Now they're tearing us apart!
  By the end of June, the Germans had suffered such heavy losses that they were forced to halt their offensive in Europe.
  Tsar Vladimir ordered increased pressure in Africa. First the Dark Continent, then everything else, the distinguished monarch announced! On July 1, 1955, the Germans attempted an offensive in Scandinavia. They rushed toward Stockholm, but encountered very strong defenses. They suffered colossal losses.
  At the beginning of July 1955, Russian troops entered German Algeria.
  Libya was already under the control of Tsarist Russia. The offensive and the encirclement of Niger were underway.
  Elizaveta's tank crew is fighting the Nazis. It's incredibly hot, and the girls have even taken off their bras and are now wearing only panties in the Kondratenko-6 tank. They're firing accurately at the Nazis.
  And they want great feats.
  Tsarist Russia is still an autocratic country. And it still has no parliament. And the revolution didn't happen, and the Duma wasn't established. The tsars themselves don't want to limit their power. And the Führer and the Duce are dictators. So, there's a war going on between two systems, each with an authoritarian regime.
  But for Tsarist Russia, this is more natural. And a stubborn, unrelenting battle ensues.
  Elizabeth presses the joystick button with her bare toes and launches a projectile. She hums to herself:
  - Let's blow the fascists to smithereens!
  Ekaterina also pressed the joystick button with her bare toes and released the lethal shot, purring:
  - Let's overthrow Hitler!
  And Elena also hits, knocks out the fascists and squeals:
  - We'll tear you to pieces!
  And then he bares his teeth! And presses the joystick buttons with his bare feet.
  And then the Olympics will turn you inside out, like a lupain. It will crush everyone and gurgle:
  - Hellish passage and crew!
  Don't forget to press the joystick buttons with your bare toes and hit the enemy.
  The warriors are indeed very brave and sparkling in character.
  Meanwhile, Oleg Rybachenko repelled another attack by the Fritzes and sang:
  - For the Motherland and Tsar Vladimir - hurray!
  Yes, in real history, there was such a self-proclaimed Emperor of Russia, Vladimir III, head of the House of Romanov. And he actually began to formally rule in 1938. And here we have Vladimir - a real tsar, and a great one at that! Vladimir Kirillovich Romanov - a tsar with every chance of becoming Emperor of the Whole Earth!
  After his victory, or rather, his repulse of an attack, Oleg Rybachenko played cards with his subordinates. A boy in shorts, fair-haired, very muscular, and ripped, was playing with the gray-haired fighters. Surprisingly, Oleg was older than them all. But this boy was cutting himself.
  Remembering Port Arthur, the heroic defense that brought Russia glory. Great glory, indeed...
  The immortal boy remarked:
  - That's how we'll solve all our problems! Soon there will be a time when people will never kill each other again!
  The soldiers and officers agreed:
  - Of course, Major! They won't kill!
  Oleg glanced at the ribbon with his numerous medals. Few generals have so many orders already. And it would be nice to get a title too. Prince, count, duke!
  Duke Rybachenko - sounds beautiful!
  And the boy jumped higher and spun around in the spinner.
  The Germans tried to attack, but were again repulsed and suffered colossal, irreparable damage.
  In July, the Russian army achieved new, major successes in Africa. While the brunt of the Tsarist army's advance was concentrated there, Algeria was home to a wealth of the best Russian weapons. By the end of the month, the Germans were encircled and annihilated in the cauldron.
  In August, Russian troops broke through to Morocco. They fought desperately, the girls on a Kondratenko-6 tank, pushing through the thick of things.
  Every now and then there were reports of Germans surrendering and cities being taken.
  Fighting continued in Nigeria and elsewhere. The Russians prevailed through sheer numbers, more mobile equipment, and the support of the local population, which had been turned against them by the racist fascists.
  Africa indeed turned out to be a weak link in the strategy of Hitler and Mussolini Jr.
  Russia was winning there... And in September, having slowly gathered forces, they moved into Norway. The Nazis suffered colossal losses. And Alenka and her crew were riding on the tank. The newest "Nikolai-5" heavy tank proved to be more advanced than the E series.
  Even such a powerful tank as the E-200 was penetrated by the gun of the Tsar's machine.
  Alenka, pressing the joystick buttons with her bare toes, rubbed her hands contentedly:
  - I am what can break the Wehrmacht!
  Anyuta also pressed the button with her bare toes, checked the German car and confirmed:
  - We will grind the Wehrmacht into dust! For the power of tsarism!
  Cool Augustine fired and beeped:
  - And we will live under communism!
  Maria readily agreed with this:
  - Yes, under tsarist communism!
  And with her bare toes she pressed the joystick buttons. And with that, she smashed and crushed her opponent.
  And here Marusya will squeak:
  - At full temperature!
  And he also presses the joystick button with his bare toes.
  Russian troops have already surrounded Oslo. Fighting continues for every bush and house.
  In the center, the Tsarist army is once again repelling the German offensive. Oleg Rybachenko, as always, is at the forefront, fighting confidently. The Russian artillery is working like clockwork.
  Everything is accurate and correct...
  In October, Russian troops finally cut off Africa's overland supply lines by liberating Morocco. The Nazis found themselves trapped.
  Even on the Dark Continent. Hitler was shaking with rage, but he couldn't eat anything.
  He'd finally made his way to Rus'... Winter was approaching. Oleg Rybachenko, despite the wet snow falling, was still running around barefoot and in shorts. What a boy! And quite the fearless lad.
  And throws grenades with his bare toes.
  And sings:
  - Let them run awkwardly,
  Armored vehicles through puddles...
  And on the roof there is a machine gun -
  Cheburashka the gunner,
  Machine gunner crocodile!
  Shakoklyak is going on the attack!
  The boy-terminator tossed a grenade with his bare toes, tearing apart the fascists and sang:
  - And I play with dynamite,
  In plain sight of passers-by!
  How the Fritz bats will strike!
  Everyone is lying down, and yet I"m walking!
  And the boy really is so funny! And he's been in the army for over fifty years. And he's a real devil! Even with his blond hair!
  Oleg Rybachenko throws a grenade with his bare foot again and roars:
  - Glory to the Tsar and Nicholas and Vladimir the Third!
  And I thought, "Let no one confuse Vladimir Kirillovich Romanov with Vladimir Putin!" The Romanovs were great tsars-an amazing line! The ones who made Russia the greatest empire!
  And not as spoiled by luck as Putin!
  But now Russian troops are repelling another attack.
  November is coming. The Nazis are running out of steam. But they are throwing new reserves into the battle. They are already being finished off in Africa. Things are tough for the fascists.
  So they take out their anger on the prisoners. Then they came across the beautiful Nicoletta. They stripped her down to her underwear and led her through the fresh November snow.
  A girl, her hands bound, almost naked, walks through the snowdrifts, leaving graceful barefoot footprints. She's so beautiful. And the Germans follow her, lashing her with whips. And they beat the beauty, beat her. Blood drips from her lacerated back.
  Nicoletta just gritted her teeth harder. She held her head up proudly, her copper-red hair fluttering like a proletarian banner.
  And her bare feet also turned scarlet, but the girl doesn"t even bat an eyelid.
  This is what phenomenal courage she has.
  Although the fascists had already taken it and stuck a torch into her bare chest. But even then, the girl only flinched, but didn't scream.
  This is how great her faith is...
  The girl is hoisted onto the rack, her joints dislocated. Then a fire is lit under her bare feet. It licks the beauty's bare feet. And with red-hot chains, the beauty's naked body is whipped.
  Nicoletta sang in response;
  I am Chernobog, the daughter of the evil God,
  I create chaos and sow destruction...
  My greatness cannot be overcome,
  Only furious vengeance burns in my soul!
  
  As a child, the girl wanted goodness,
  I wrote poetry and fed cats...
  Began before the very morning,
  The wings of cherubs fluttered above her!
  
  But now I know what evil is,
  What in this world makes one unhappy...
  And what do you say is good?
  I fell passionately in love with destruction!
  
  And she showed her girlish ardor,
  That she became God's sparkling daughter...
  We will conquer the vastness of the universe,
  We will show strength, very powerfully!
  
  Father Great this Chernobog,
  He brings chaos and war into the universe...
  You pray to Svarog to help,
  In fact, you get your reward!
  
  Well, I said, God save us,
  Let anger boil in your heart...
  I believe we will build happiness on blood,
  Let your womb be filled to the brim!
  
  I love cunning, meanness and deception,
  How to fool Stalin the tyrant...
  It won't be possible to expose it to shame,
  And how much fog there is in that world!
  
  So she suggested making a strong move,
  Destroy the evil ones with one blow...
  But I fell in love with the very black God,
  In all matters, both these and the afterlife!
  
  How I found myself accustomed to evil,
  And in the heart there was fury, madly nourished...
  The desire for joy and goodness has disappeared,
  Only anger penetrated from the pedestal!
  
  And what about Stalin? He"s also evil,
  As for Hitler, there's no point in talking about him here...
  Genghis Khan was such a cool bandit,
  And how many souls he managed to cripple!
  
  So I say, why keep good,
  If there is not the slightest self-interest in it...
  When you are a woodpecker, your mind is a chisel,
  And when I'm stupid, my thoughts disappear!
  
  This is what I say to myself and to others,
  Serve the force like black ink...
  Then we will conquer the vastness of the universe,
  Waves will scatter across the universe!
  
  We will make evil so strong,
  It will give immortality to rage,
  Those who are weak in spirit have already been blown away,
  And we are the strongest of all people, believe in this!
  
  In short, we will become stronger than everyone everywhere,
  Let us raise the sword of blood over the universe...
  And our rage will be with her too,
  Let us receive a calling full of destiny!
  
  In short, I am faithful to Chernobog,
  I serve this dark force with all my heart...
  My soul is like the wings of an eagle,
  Those who are with the Black God are invincible!
  The war between Russia and the Axis powers continued. By December, Russian troops had finally finished off the Italians, forcing them to surrender in Africa, and had nearly finished off the Germans there. Norway was also cleared of the Nazis.
  Now the Tsarist army launched an offensive on December 25. Fierce fighting ensued. In winter, Russian tanks were clearly stronger, and they pierced the enemy's defenses.
  Oleg Rybachenko, this eternal boy, ran barefoot and in shorts through the snow, singing:
  - This is our last and decisive battle! We will die for the Fatherland - soldiers follow me!
  Russian tanks are very fast, thanks to their gas turbine engines. And the Nazis won't be able to stop them so easily.
  There's the Nikolai-5 racing ahead. On it are five girls singing cheerfully:
  - No one will stop us, the Russians cannot defeat the world!
  And the gun goes off! It's absolutely fantastic! The girls, despite the freezing temperatures, are in bikinis and barefoot. They keep firing and don't even think about stopping.
  There is simply a wild, frenzied power in them.
  Alyonushka loves not only shooting, although she pressed the joystick button with her bare toes and hit the German, but also writing stories.
  For example, she wrote about how a girl went to the ends of the earth to rescue a kitten. She walked barefoot for thirty-three days along a rocky road, her tender feet bleeding.
  And yet, she managed to find the animal. For this, the fairy granted her wish, and the girl married the prince.
  Alyonushka, however, wondered why she, an officer in the Russian army, needed a husband. It was better to have a bunch of lovers. More money and more pleasure. After all, men are so different. And naturally, you experience pleasure with them in different ways. And what about a husband? You'll quickly get bored and tired of him!
  But for young men who are just beginning to discover the adult world, it is much more interesting.
  And Alenka shoots again, hitting the German E-100.
  And she moves her very beautiful legs, like those of an ancient Greek goddess.
  And then Anyuta starts shooting. Also with her bare toes. And she destroys the German cannon.
  After which the girl says:
  - There are many smart people in Russia, but Tsar Vladimir is the best of the tsars!
  Augustine noted:
  - And Nicholas II wasn't bad either! Ah, how we never knew how to appreciate tsars!
  Maria sang, shooting at the fascists with her bare toes and grinning:
  "We must obey the Russians, with a pure heart and wisdom! And for the glory of Nicholas, he is the great king of kings!"
  And Marusya sang something... And also played with her bare feet...
  Russian troops are advancing. Oleg Rybachenko is also fighting. He's still a ten-year-old boy. Such is the price of immortality. Yes, but how good and energized he feels! He has so much energy, a seething current of strength.
  The boy throws a grenade with his bare foot and squeaks:
  - I am a tiger, not a cat, what lives inside me now is not Leopold, but a Leopard!
  The boy major is, as always, on a sparkling strike. The fascists won't be able to stop him.
  On January 1st, Russian troops had already completely cleared their territory of German and Italian troops and entered into the possession of the Third Reich.
  At the same time, Russian troops entered Mexico. The New Year of 1956 dawned.
  For the Russians, it began with new victories. On January 7, the remnants of German troops in Africa surrendered. And the entire Dark Continent became Russian.
  Now even the possessed Fuhrer realized he was in deep trouble. He offered to negotiate with Russia.
  To which Tsar Vladimir replied:
  - We will only talk about the unconditional surrender of the Third Reich and Italy!
  What wise words! And the war continues. Oleg Rybachenko, of course, is at the forefront of the attack. Russian troops have entered East Prussia. The defensive lines here are strong. Breaking through requires fighting, and there's no quick progress.
  One of the breakthrough weapons was the self-propelled gun with the "Alexander"-4 mortar. It was a very powerful and lethal weapon.
  And beautiful girls are also here, having fun. They launch shells with their bare toes, pressing the joystick buttons. And they destroy enemy bunkers and pillboxes.
  The girls run boldly through the snow-that's what Russian women are for. And they throw the Indians and Chinese into the fray. They're literally blocking the approaches to the trenches with their corpses. But they still manage to take it.
  The Russian army is making a breakthrough.
  However, strategist Vasilevsky shifted the main attack to Italy, which was much weaker. And so the Russian soldiers achieved one victory after another.
  January proved to be quite successful. Russian troops defeated the Italians and straddled the Alps. In February, they occupied Venice and entered Lorbandinia. They also captured Poznan. The Germans retreated. On March 2, Klaipėda fell. Russian troops advanced slowly through East Prussia, the defenses too dense. They had to literally burn their way through with shells.
  But in Italy, the pasta front collapsed. And Russian troops rushed toward Rome. On March 30, 1956, the assault on the Italian capital began. Thus the people paid for the Mussolini family's ambitions.
  The Italian capital, Rome, is under assault. The fighting is fierce, although the Italians are increasingly surrendering. Here, the girls are fighting, beautiful women in bikinis and barefoot. The warriors throw grenades with their feet and knock out Mussolini's soldiers.
  The girls here are beautiful, and of course, very sexy. And they have the muscles of titans. And the way they throw grenades with their bare feet is simply amazing.
  Natasha walks forward and shoots, growling:
  - For the beautiful Fatherland, my radiant fire burns in my heart!
  Zoya, firing, sings along:
  Let's open the door to accomplishments! Our faith and the king are monolithic!
  And then Aurora, like a red-haired bitch, drops her discs on bare toes. And the dismembered Italians fall.
  And then Svetlana sings aggressively, baring her teeth:
  - We'll crush them all! We'll crush them all!
  They throw discs with bare feet and crush the fascists. That's how Mussolini ended up, in the middle of a girls' fight. The April 1956 assault was brutal, and quite figurative.
  And then the tanks come driving by, hellish columns of fire erupting from their barrels.
  The girls advance and throw grenades with their bare feet. And spit something bloody and lethal.
  And they will laugh...
  Natasha sang cheerfully:
  - Tsar Vladimir, punch Hitler in the face!
  And she'll wink with her sapphire eyes. Such a wonderful girl.
  The girls rush with wild fury. They fire their machine guns. They mow down the enemy, scatter the fascists. And then there's Olympiada running. And in her mighty hands, a powerful woman holds a flamethrower. And she goes and hits, and how she hits.
  The fascists are sending splinters flying in all directions. And the warriors are laughing out loud.
  After which he will sing:
  - Mussolini will be beaten! Our friendship is monolithic!
  And again she winks with her sapphire eyes! And hits the fascists.
  What did they want? Rome was once taken by the Slavs under the leadership of Attila. And now it's the Russians who are taking it.
  Olympiada, roasting her opponents alive with a ray gun, sang:
  - Bright sun of hope,
  Once again, the sky rises over the country.
  Rus' wins as before -
  Beats Wehrmacht soldiers!
  
  Russian eagle over the planet,
  Spreading its wings, it will take off...
  The enemy will be called to account -
  Will be defeated - broken!
  After the fall of Rome, Italian troops began surrendering en masse. Mussolini's empire, the Third Reich's junior military partner, was dying.
  Russian troops took Naples with virtually no resistance and landed in Sicily. There, too, they encountered virtually no resistance. And Hitler was hysterical.
  By the end of May, Italy was finished. Hundreds of thousands of prisoners were being taken.
  Russian girls would force them to kneel and force them to kiss their bare feet. They would obediently kiss. Some, especially the young men, did it enthusiastically.
  The girls purred contentedly.
  The eternal boy Oleg Rybachenko forced his captives to kiss his bare, childish feet.
  They did it quite willingly. The boy was very handsome, muscular, and fair-haired. True, he was still too young, and he didn't want to do anything more serious with the ladies. But when a tongue tickles his rough heels-it feels good!
  Oleg Rybachenko captured the general and received another medal, something he was quite proud of.
  Mussolini Jr. was betrayed by his own entourage, and Tsarist Russia achieved another victory. Benedito Mussolini Sr., however, did not live to see his disgrace and the collapse of fascism in Italy. Incidentally, the fascists in Germany faced the same fate. Russian troops launched an offensive in early June 1956, targeting Austria as their primary target.
  Elizaveta and her crew on the Nikolai-5 were moving against the Germans. Russian troops were attempting to encircle Vienna.
  The Führer, of course, found himself in a difficult situation. German possessions in Africa, Scandinavia, and most of the United States were lost. And now the fighting was confined to the territory of the Third Reich. This, of course, was even more unfortunate for the Germans. Russian troops had also entered Mexico. Lady Grey de Monca commanded a tank crew in that country.
  And Elizabeth pilots the Nikolai-5 around Vienna. Her main adversary is the E-50, which the Tsar's machine rips through like blotting paper.
  Elizabeth fired using her bare toes and pressing the joystick buttons.
  She hit a German tank and chirped:
  - We will give our hearts for Saint Nicholas's Rus'!
  Ekaterina also fired with her bare toes and corrected her partner:
  - It"s probably more correct to say Vladimir!
  Elizabeth fired again with her bare toes and chirped:
  - But still, it was Emperor Nicholas, who gave us the population of China, who made Russia invincible!
  Indeed, the infantry sent to assault the German positions was entirely Chinese. They literally showered us with corpses. But they broke through.
  Russians usually fought in aircraft and tanks. The infantry consisted of Chinese, Indians, and Asians. There were a lot of Chinese. Furthermore, the bright mind of Nicholas II, while reforming Orthodoxy, introduced polygamy, and excess Chinese men were sent into battle. And the Russians married widows and unmarried Chinese women.
  A cunning strategy.
  And the Chinese rush to attack, die, and break through the German defenses.
  Elena uses her bare toes to press the joystick buttons and hits the Fritzes again.
  And he begins to sing:
  - For Holy Rus', we will fight bravely!
  Then the girl suddenly winks and bares her white teeth! She's so aggressive.
  And then Olympiad snaps back. And she too will slap me with her bare toes and crush me.
  After which he will yell:
  - I am a deadly cobra!
  It's worth noting that the E-50 tank can also be dangerous. Its 88-millimeter cannon with a 100-liter barrel has a rapid-fire rate of twelve rounds per minute and is very accurate. It frequently penetrates armor and can cause damage.
  That's why the girls try to keep the main German tank at bay. Especially at close range, where its penetration increases dramatically. And the Germans' shell cores are either uranium or tungsten. However, after the loss of Africa and the uranium deposits in the Congo, the German forces' strength began to wane.
  And the girls are so beautiful and barefoot and cool.
  Here they sing to themselves with enthusiasm:
  - Shines like a star over the whole world,
  Through the mist of impenetrable darkness...
  The great hero Tsar Vladimir,
  Knows neither pain nor fear!
  
  Your enemies retreat before you,
  The crowd of people rejoices...
  Russia accepts you -
  A mighty hand rules!
  They're fighting girls, nothing to say about them. And their feet are so bare and shapely. When the German prisoners kiss them, it's clear both the girls and the men enjoy it. And the warriors squeal contentedly.
  And they bare their pearly teeth.
  Such cool girls. And with her bare toes, Elizaveta is egging on another fascist.
  After which he yells:
  - Glory to the great Fatherland!
  And so Catherine will fire. She'll ram the enemy tank, wipe out the Fritzes, and squeal:
  - Death to the enemies!
  And then Elena starts hitting him too, using her bare toes to press the joystick buttons. And she chirps:
  - For the Motherland in greatness!
  And then the outstanding Olympic champion - also a blonde - will launch the projectile. And how she chirps:
  - For a great Russia!
  And the girls are full of total enthusiasm.
  Here comes the E-75 tank. Its gun is more powerful: 128 mm, and it can inflict greater damage. Furthermore, this tank has better protection and thicker armor.
  But Elizabeth fires. And unleashes something lethal, penetrating even from a distance. And all that's left of the German are pieces of torn metal.
  And the girl will sing:
  - Holy beauty and a big dream!
  After which he will show his tongue.
  German E-75 tanks have recently become more common. They now have a longer-barreled gun, which allows them to combat Russian tanks, especially the lighter ones. This makes the Fritzes more dangerous.
  But Soviet girls aren't bothered by this. And they crush the Fritzes.
  And the warriors themselves, especially in the heat, are wearing bikinis and barefoot. And they fight with great confidence.
  They win every single one.
  Catherine shot at the fascists and sang:
  - But to be honest! I crush every single Fritz!
  Elena also fired with her bare toes and chirped:
  - We will defeat everyone, of course!
  The Olympics also mercilessly pummeled the Nazis. Such an invincible bitch she is.
  And also with the help of bare toes.
  Natasha and her team are fighting in a Kondratenko-6 tank. This vehicle is slightly lighter, but more maneuverable than the Nikolai. Of course, with its lighter weight, the caliber is smaller and the armor is slightly thinner. This means the risk of death is much higher.
  But the girls, it must be said, are not at all embarrassed. And they fight like giants of war.
  Natasha sings, actively shooting:
  - Our victory will be!
  And he presses the joystick buttons with his bare toes.
  Zoya also shoots, using her bare feet, and squeals:
  - Tsar Vladimir, forward!
  And all the girls barked in chorus:
  - Glory to the fallen heroes!
  After which the Aurora fired, turned over the German tank and said:
  - No one can stop us! No one can defeat us!
  And she also shook her bare feet.
  And then Svetlana gave it a go, using her bare toes, and growled at the top of her lungs:
  - The Russians are fighting fiercely!
  And all the girls exclaimed in chorus:
  - A soldier's fist is strong!
  And again the beauties rush into battle. They shoot accurately and precisely!
  But Jane's crews amaze the Mexicans. She's also a very smart and beautiful lady.
  And the girls in her crew-barefoot and in bikinis-fight with a wild and calm fury.
  Then Gertrude fired, using her bare toes, and chirped:
  - I'm a girl who will destroy everyone in a split second!
  And then Malanya fires. And destroys the Latin American tank from a distance.
  And then Matilda will kick in with her bare toes.
  And he will laugh:
  - I am a totally awesome girl!
  And warriors of the highest and fiercest order. They feel neither weakness nor anger within themselves.
  They'll hit you the way they want.
  And Alenka also fights very confidently.
  By the end of June, Vienna was surrounded. A crushing blow had been dealt to Germany and its prestige. At the same time, Russian troops were advancing toward the Oder, throwing Chinese, Indians, and Arabs into the fray. And breaking through the Fritz defenses.
  Hitler, of course, was already in a panic. How the girls had pressed him in with tanks and planes.
  Here are Albina and Alvina, two Russian pilots. Also barefoot and in bikinis, they knock down fascists like pears from a branch with a stick. And together they literally perform miracles.
  Albina shot down five planes with one burst from her Peter the Great fighter and sang:
  - We are the she-bears of the sky!
  Alvina shot down six planes with one burst from her combat eagle and chirped:
  - And we'll crush everyone!
  In the sky, this couple was already legendary!
  The women were awarded seven degrees of the St. George Cross: a silver cross, a silver cross with a bow, a gold cross, and a gold cross with a bow. There are also a gold cross with diamonds, and a gold cross with diamonds and a bow. The highest degree is the star of the gold cross with a diamond bow. A higher award-a large star of the gold cross with diamonds and a bow-was instituted only recently.
  So the girls could rightfully be proud of their achievements. And even in freezing temperatures, they always fought only in bikinis and barefoot.
  Such wonderful girls.
  Albina fired and sang:
  - For our best victories!
  Alvina continued:
  - Let our grandchildren and grandfathers be proud of us!
  The warriors are truly girls of colossal class!
  They beat the fascists in the sky and sing:
  - Glory to Russia, glory! Our Tsar Vladimir, the hero! The power will rise to prominence! Bury Hitler in the ground!
  Of course, Vladimir Kirillovich Romanov can be very pleased with his warriors.
  If they do fight, it's in such a way that you can't raise a spear against them!
  Vladimir Kirillovich Romanov is the tsar who has every chance of ending wars once and for all!
  And the fascists are shaking under the blows of the tsarist army...
  Encircled Vienna quickly fell. By mid-July, the Tsarist Empire's troops had reached the Oder on a broad front. Königsberg, meanwhile, found itself completely blockaded.
  The Germans retreated beyond the Oder. They attempted to establish a defensive line there. A thorough defense. But in the second half of July, Russian troops launched an offensive on Hamburg... The Nazis slowly but surely gave in.
  The fighting was fierce. Some villages changed hands several times. New German tanks of the more advanced AG series-the pyramidal ones-also took part in the battles. They were distinguished by good protection from all angles. But the Tsarist army was superior in numbers.
  And a large number of Asian infantrymen died at the front. But they kept the army moving.
  The Germans' manpower resources were also dwindling. By the end of August, Hamburg was surrounded, and Munich was also blockaded.
  The Germans had lost significant territory and had no means of holding their positions.
  Oleg Rybachenko fought in the front lines on German soil. And the eternal boy always smiled and bared his pearly teeth.
  And there he was throwing grenades with his bare, childish feet. It's nice to be a kid-like being in shorts in the heat. And since you're immortal, you can be half-naked in winter too, without risking catching a cold.
  So the boy sang:
  - Barefoot, just barefoot,
  To the July thunder and the sound of the surf!
  Barefoot, just barefoot,
  It's easy for a boy to be a cool cowboy!
  And the child major continues to crush these fascists. And they desperately counterattack.
  It's already September... The rain is starting to fall... The Tsarist troops, heaped with Chinese corpses, have taken Munich and Hamburg and are advancing towards the Ruhr region, Germany's most important industrial region.
  And the Germans are desperately fighting back.
  Natasha fights in her tank and roars:
  - The fascists will have a very hard time!
  And with his bare toes he presses the joystick buttons. And fires shells at the Nazis.
  And then Zoya gives me another slap. And also with her bare toes.
  And he will even sing:
  - Rus' is what is against Hitler!
  And then here's Aurora, making an aggressive move. And also using her bare toes:
  - For the Russian way!
  And Svetlana, too, will follow suit, firing a lethal shell. It will pierce the German tank and squeal:
  - For Tsar Vladimir Kirillovich!
  And he will also show his tongue.
  The girls here really got going.
  Alenka, in a heavy tank, also crushes the fascists. And defeats them from a distance.
  The warrior began to sing:
  - I have conquered half the world with my breasts!
  And Alenka's breasts with scarlet nipples.
  And then Anyuta will slam her bare toes into the fascist tank and yelp:
  - I'm a superstar girl! In the history books!
  And bares his teeth...
  And then Augustine will unleash a deadly projectile. It will crush the Nazis and hiss:
  - May our army be the strongest of all!
  And he will also move his legs...
  And Maria will follow them and hit the fascists. She'll spin around, aggressively yapping:
  - We are very aggressive girls!
  And then Marusya will unleash her own, utterly murderous and destructive weapon on the Nazis. And with the help of her bare, girlish feet.
  And then he will sing:
  - We will completely defeat our enemies!
  September was marked by fierce fighting. The Germans launched a desperate counterattack. But in October, when the rains intensified, the Tsarist army regained the advantage and began advancing toward the Ruhr. After a fierce assault, Königsberg fell. The Nazis suffered another blow.
  And in the south of France, the Tsar's troops surrounded Toulon. So the Nazis were in an exceptionally bad situation.
  Hitler was furious, but while he was in Berlin, his position was weak.
  Naturally, no one wanted to even consider negotiations. But the fascists were stuck in like flies.
  In November, the Tsarist army's troops fought their way into the Ruhr region, effectively depriving Germany of its main industrial base.
  In December, the Tsar's army occupied the entire south of France and entered Spain. And on the German front, it finally captured the Ruhr. Moreover, other German lands were captured. The Tsar's army even landed in Denmark.
  Hitler was raging like a devil in a cage, but he could do nothing.
  On Catholic Christmas, the Tsar's troops marched toward Paris. Despite the snow and frost, Natasha's crew was barefoot and in bikinis.
  The Germans were surrendering more and more often. And the French had no desire to fight the Russians at all.
  While destroying the German battery, Natasha noticed:
  - So, really, what was the possessed Adolf counting on when he started a war with us?
  Golden-haired Zoya logically noted:
  - Probably because, when we come under pressure, we will start to pour out like coins from a holey pocket!
  Aurora crushed a walnut with her bare toes. Then she popped it into her mouth and noted rationally:
  - History teaches that it teaches nothing!
  Svetlana pressed the joystick button with her bare toes. She knocked out another German cannon and replied:
  - Let's be great fighters!
  The warriors, as you can see, are truly determined to fight and win.
  Oleg Rybachenko, a barefoot boy, rushes along in shorts, his bare, muscular torso bare. He even sways and roars:
  - We'll beat the Fritzes! We'll beat the Fritzes! And we'll beat the idle ones!
  And the boy has such white, pearly teeth! He's just a young and unyielding Terminator.
  Oleg Rybachenko shoots on the run. He kills the fascists and begins singing:
  - The Russian spirit is the strength of the tsars, defeat the Fritzes!
  The boy threw a grenade with his bare foot and sang:
  - Russian waltz, the dawn rises - in the glory of the Tsar!
  He really turned out to be a real fighter. And he's been giving the Nazis a run for their money.
  And the girls fight hard. Here's Mirabella... She's also a top-class pilot. No one can stop her. She shoots down the Nazis and sings, baring her teeth:
  - Crazy girl! This is her mark!
  And he will go and launch a rocket!
  That's just the way women are! When Russian girls fight, no one can stand against them.
  Mirabella shot down seven German planes with one burst from five aircraft cannons and chirped:
  - Tsar Vladimir Kirillovich is our God!
  And the girl slapped her bare feet on the glass.
  And also in the sky, Albina and Alvina fight.
  They're such wonderful thieves. They just keep racking up more and more bills. And they sing along:
  - In the sky, we are perfection! We are aces! From a smile to a gesture - beyond all praise!
  Albina shot down four German planes with one burst and chirped:
  - Ah, what bliss! What perfection in battle!
  Alvina cut down five German planes and continued:
  - Knowing perfection in battle! And the ideal is cool!
  The warriors sang in chorus, cutting down the fascists:
  - Girls! Tougher girls! Girls! Tougher girls!
  They demonstrated their aggressive fervor. They didn't really put pressure on any of Hitler's aces.
  But the fascists, of course, are under wild pressure.
  Hitler's in a Berlin bunker, being bombed like a cockroach. What did he expect? Fascist number one has had enough! He's attacked Tsarist Russia, and now he's being crushed like a cockroach.
  Tsar Vladimir Kirillovich is currently taking a break from winter on the shores of the Indian Ocean. Beautiful girls of various races and nationalities are dancing before him.
  However, the king is not averse to watching gladiator fights. Here, for example, are two girls versus two beauties.
  They fight with plastic swords to avoid injuring each other. However, they fight fiercely.
  These are the warriors. A fierce exchange of blows ensues. Two blondes and two redheads...
  Tsar Vladimir asked Field Marshal Vasilevsky:
  - What is the most difficult thing about the war with the Germans?
  The Field Marshal answered honestly:
  "Gain confidence! Only at the very beginning, when the enemy began to advance, did I feel uneasy. But now we've started winning, and everything is clear with the enemy!" Field Marshal Vasilevich, that master strategist, drank some wine.
  Vladimir Kirillovich logically noted:
  "It's extremely difficult to win all the time! But we've proven ourselves capable of so much! And now, there will be a time when the whole world will be peaceful!"
  Field Marshal Vasilevsky confirmed:
  - I believe it!
  The girls had bruises on their naked bodies and looked extremely nervous.
  They fought, of course, not like in the days of Ancient Rome-they tried not to cause themselves too much harm. But they were proactive.
  Meanwhile, the fighting continued. In January, the Tsar's troops captured Paris on the move. The Danish capital, Copenhagen, was also taken. The German forces were weakening. The Russians continued to advance across Germany itself. The Fritz fought desperately, but their strength was broken.
  Oleg Rybachenko, that immortal boy, leaped barefoot through the snow and rushed into battle ahead of everyone, completely unafraid of fire. And all the while whistling:
  - Who is used to fighting for victory,
  He will certainly defeat his enemies...
  He laughs merrily and will achieve a lot,
  And Hitler will be beaten hard!
  And with his bare foot, the boy hurls a grenade! And bares his pearly teeth, large beyond his years. He already has a mouth like a wolf's. He'll tear out any throat.
  And the girls on tanks are moving from the south to the north of Germany. They're about to reach the sea. And the Fritzes will only have the lands around Berlin and Pomerania left.
  Natasha, while knocking out the fascist tanks, noted:
  - War is fun in its own way!
  Zoya, having hit the Nazis, agreed:
  - It doesn't get any better than this! Especially when we win!
  Aurora, firing with her bare toes, said:
  - Everything impossible is possible in the universe, you just need a little...
  And the red-haired girl laughed!
  The warriors twitch in frenzied joy and rage. And they crush the Germans.
  At the same time, the tsar's troops are advancing across Spain and are already approaching Seville.
  Olga, in an armored personnel carrier, fires at the Germans and police troops.
  The local Spaniards offer little resistance. Another country falls, under Russia's axe.
  Oleg fired and sang:
  - Top-notch performance, it will be a smash hit!
  And her partner Alice chirped:
  - The greatness of the Russians was recognized by the planet,
  Fascism was crushed with a blow of the sword...
  We are loved and appreciated by all nations of the world,
  Let us build the great sacred tsarism!
  And the girls slap and press their bare toes on the joystick.
  The war between the tsarist empire of Vladimir Kirillovich Romanov and Nazi Germany continues.
  Russian troops had almost completely liberated France from the Nazi hordes. February 1957... The Tsarist army liberates Portugal.
  On February 23, Russian units from Denmark and Germany itself united.
  Oleg Rybachenko, this eternal boy, splashes through the mud with his bare feet. The child major screams at the top of his lungs:
  - Glory to the Russian Tsar Vladimir III! I will cut down Hitler, I will measure him with a whip!
  And the boy screams again, and with his bare toes he throws a sharply sharpened disk. And he hits the fascist in the throat. And then with his bare, childish foot he throws a boomerang and slits the throats of five Fritzes at once.
  Yes, it was a bad idea for Hitler to attack such an empire.
  Natasha and her team are finishing off the last Germans in Portugal. Their tank is relentless in its destruction.
  And they also press the joystick buttons with their bare toes, causing furious destruction.
  Zoya fired, smashed the German cannon and sang:
  - For Russia and freedom until the end!
  Aurora, using her bare toes, hit the Nazi and chirped with aplomb:
  - God save the king!
  Svetlana also hit the joystick buttons with her bare toes and squeaked:
  - Strong sovereign!
  The girls are defeating the Nazis. But then Hitler's new Maus-4 tank appeared. It's a very powerful model-weighing three hundred tons and armed with a 310-millimeter gun. It can penetrate at long range, and its armor is so thick that the Kondratenko-6 tank won't be able to take it out from any angle.
  Natasha commands:
  - Girls, we need to get close and hit the lower part of the side, between the rollers - this is our only chance!
  Zoya hit the German cannon with her bare toes and sang:
  - Fate is giving you one last chance, so hurry up and get going! In rain, hail, and snow!
  Augustina also hit and chirped:
  - Fate gives you your last chance! Long live walking and daily running!
  And with bare toes, too, how it will spin. And it will destroy the fascists.
  Svetlana roared:
  - For new frontiers and dashing victories!
  The Russian tank jerked forward, picking up speed. And the girls suddenly burst into song:
  - Strong sovereign, the most glorious in the age, Orthodox Tsar, reign for glory, for our glory!
  And they sped up again, escaping the hefty projectile fired from the gun of the German Maus-4. The girls squealed:
  - We won't bend like a ram's horn! I hope you, Hitler, die!
  And their tank keeps accelerating. Like a small boxer attacking a big one. But the odds are, of course, fifty-fifty.
  Natasha, watching the tank's movements, remembered boxing with a man in the ring. She'd taken punches, and been hit, but she'd held her own. And then she'd confidently snap back. She'd caught her opponent's counterattack and hit him on the chin. Knocked him out!
  Got a thousand gold rubles. She's a feisty girl. If she gives it to you, she gives it to you!
  Natasha shook her bare leg and sang:
  This isn't the last battle, but it is a decisive one! For the glory of the Fatherland, for the Motherland and honor!
  And then their tank slips past the side and fires a shell... Zoya also used her bare toes, such a golden-haired girl, and nimble as a monkey. And the Maus-4 began to explode. Its shells had clearly detonated. And then the turrets were torn off, and it flew high into the air!
  The girls shout in unison:
  - Victory! Great victory!
  And another tank on their list!
  On March 1, 1957, Russian troops began crossing the Elbe. It seemed like they were stepping on Hitler's throat.
  A boy named Oleg Rybachenko threw a grenade with his bare, childish foot, sank a fascist tank and shouted:
  - For new, unbending frontiers!
  Alenka's tank crew turns east. West Germany and France have already been liberated. Only the lands between the Oder and Elbe remain under Nazi control. And then there's Britain and Ireland. The last of the Nazi forces are there.
  Alenka, firing at the fascist batteries, says:
  - Tsarevich Nikolai,
  If I have to reign...
  Never forget -
  The army fights bravely!
  And so, once again, another shell was sent out by bare feet. And it hit the Fritz's gun.
  Anyuta also shoots with her bare toes. She hits a fascist and roars at the top of her lungs:
  - I'm the kind of girl that makes Hitler vomit!
  Next, the fiery Augustine nails it. She's also a sharp-shooting devil, and roars:
  - To the gates of hell!
  And uses bare feet.
  Maria shoots after her. She also hits the target and squeals:
  - No one will stop me, the tigress, no one will defeat me, the barefoot girl, anywhere, and will be beaten!
  And then the Olympics strike. And knock out the German tank, ripping off its turret like a mushroom cap.
  And he clucks:
  - To new, steep frontiers!
  And he'll show his tongue again!
  The girls keep pushing forward and advancing desperately. And the fascists are drowning under their blows.
  On March 2, 1957, the last Nazi forces in Portugal capitulated. It became clear that the dawn of fascism was setting. Or rather, was it a dawn? A terrifying sunset!
  And Russian troops are advancing. The Germans are increasingly throwing down their arms and surrendering.
  They fall to their knees and kiss the bare feet of Russian and Chinese girls.
  It looks so cool and great. And the fascists just keep getting hacked and hacked.
  Natasha's crew is already on a train heading north to fight the Fritzes.
  The girls are sitting in a compartment, playing cards, holding them with their bare toes.
  Natasha noted:
  - I wonder, what happens next when we take Berlin?
  Zoya answered confidently:
  - Next up is London!
  Fiery Aurora giggled and asked again:
  - And then?
  Zoya stated decisively:
  - Latin America will be ours! We won't stand on ceremony with the Nazis!
  Svetlana agreed with this:
  - Of course not! We'll conquer the whole world!
  Natasha enthusiastically confirmed:
  - And then there will be peace throughout the world!
  The girls began to sing in chorus, making things up as they went;
  Glory to the Great Russia of Tsarism,
  Where Vladimir sits on the throne...
  We will crush the hordes of evil fascism-
  Glory to the army and our monolith!
  
  In great faith our hearts were tempered,
  Our dearest land with all our hearts...
  We are the sons of Tsar Nicholas,
  And they did not die for it in vain!
  
  Our homeland is more precious than anything,
  Let's raise a winged, heavenly salute...
  You are also fighting for the Fatherland,
  Well, let the fascists all die!
  
  Hitler wanted to get our lands,
  And the evil dog attempted to kill the king...
  But we are dashing, we do not accept that,
  So fascism attacked us in vain!
  
  The king is a kind and wise ruler,
  A mountain eagle soars above the planet...
  Vladimir will be the ruler of the Horde,
  Our friendship is like a steel monolith!
  
  We will knock the support out of the Fritzes" legs,
  let Hitler choke in a noose...
  We will subject to cruel executions, shame,
  Who acts as evil on Earth!
  
  Royal power and royal wisdom,
  The fascists will be crushed without measure...
  Hitler, believe me, did something really stupid,
  And now his life is like a thread!
  
  So respect the great kings,
  There are no people on Earth cooler than the Romanovs...
  In the battle, strike the hearts of the Nazis,
  To open the way to achievements, to dreams!
  
  
  Peter the Great raised us to the sea,
  Alexander conquered Paris...
  Yes, sometimes there was grief,
  But Russia was protected by a cherub!
  
  Everything is beautiful with us,
  Both girls and boys, believe me...
  The king rules, know that he rules justly.
  Even if an evil beast roars at the threshold!
  
  There is no limit, believe in perfection,
  Soon there will be communism of the tsars...
  Let us open the doors to bliss,
  The damned fascism is destroyed!
  
  For Russia, the line has not been set,
  Believe me, we will defeat the enemy...
  The girls are barefoot, as if in Sparta,
  Well, our Tsar Vladimir is alone!
  
  We believe in Rod - the Great God,
  What created the perfect Slavs...
  We fight for honor and freedom,
  We strike at Nazism!
  
  You Romanovs are the greatest family,
  Will rule Russia forever...
  Great Tsar, highest flight,
  Satan will not break the eagle!
  
  For love for great Russia,
  We send fighters into battle...
  We glorify the faces of the saints from the icons,
  After all, every warrior is also a king!
  
  Our heart burns for the Fatherland,
  We girls are tough in battle...
  We'll open the door to space, just know,
  And I'll kill Adolf like a bitch!
  
  It's just a little bit left to Berlin,
  We will enter, bearing the glory of kings...
  Old age does not threaten us girls,
  Believe me, we are inseparable!
  
  Let's bury those who are evil and vile,
  The dragon will be dashingly defeated...
  And we have golden icons,
  Rodnovery is the eternal law!
  
  
  
  
  Türkiye ENTERED WORLD WAR II
  On September 1, 1942, Turkey entered the war against the USSR. The reason was clear: a thirst for revenge for previous defeats and a desire to capture Baku. German diplomacy, promising the Ottomans mountains of gold, also played a role. In any case, the Turks decided there was no point in waiting any longer, that they weren't scavengers, and could still fight.
  As a result, thirty Turkish divisions struck Soviet Transcaucasia.
  Within a few days they took Batumi and were able to surround Yerevan.
  In response, Stalin was forced to withdraw part of the reserves that were being formed and transfer them to Transcaucasia.
  The Soviet command was forced to postpone the offensive at Stalingrad. The Germans, for their part, were able to achieve greater gains in the Caucasus, capturing Ordzhonikidze and Grozny. Only by retreating into the mountains were the Soviet troops able to stop the Nazis.
  At the same time, the British postponed Operation Torch, fearing that Turkey would be drawn into military action against Britain.
  By the end of December 1942, the Nazis finally captured Stalingrad and entrenched themselves there. Soviet troops advanced, but without success in the center-the Rzhev-Sychov Operation had proven too costly. Nevertheless, the Führer declared total war, as the Third Reich's resources were insufficient.
  In February, the Red Army built up its strength and attempted to attack the Germans from the flanks of Stalingrad. But the Nazis had already regrouped and were ready to repel the attacks.
  Operation Torch began in February. The Germans were also prepared, and after two weeks of fierce fighting, they stopped the British.
  The Americans have not yet landed in Casablanca or Tunis. Fighting in Africa has ceased again.
  Hitler was gathering his strength... In March, the Red Army carried out the Rzhev-Sychovsk operation for the third time; the fighting lasted a whole month, without any particular success.
  In June, the Nazis gathered their strength and moved along the Volga, seeking to cut off Soviet forces in the Caucasus and reach the Caspian Sea.
  New German tanks took part in the battles: Tiger, Panther, and Lion.
  And also the Ferdinand self-propelled gun.
  The Germans were stronger than in real history, undefeated, and with fresh troops.
  The US practically did not bomb the Third Reich, which allowed for increased production of tanks and self-propelled guns. The "Lion" tank was also put into production. However, the tank turned out to be too expensive and heavy, often breaking down and getting stuck. However, its thick, 100-millimeter-thick, sloped side armor made it a good breakthrough vehicle. The "Lion" tank's advantage was its powerful gun, but its disadvantage was its 90-millimeter weight, which reduced its mobility.
  The battles showed that this tank can still do something on flat terrain.
  The Panther's side armor proved weak, increasing losses. The Tiger proved the most effective breakthrough tank. Its sides were protected by 82mm of armor, rendering the 45mm tank useless.
  The Germans advanced relatively slowly. The Soviet leadership had generally anticipated this outcome and had prepared for it, bringing up troops.
  True, unlike the Kursk Bulge, the fascists are much stronger and more confident.
  And the terrain is more favorable for attack than defense. The Fritzes also have more aircraft, tanks, and infantry. And it's not easy to supply the Soviet troops across the Volga.
  So the fascists, breaking through the defensive lines, advanced, achieving success after success.
  After three months of intense fighting, they reached the Caspian Sea.
  Stalin, finding himself in a difficult situation, wanted to open peace negotiations. It had become obvious that the Caucasus could not be held. But reaching an agreement with Hitler was extremely difficult. The Nazis were demanding too much. And if he gave in to them, they would gobble him up. And what about a truce? Hitler didn't want that. And of course, the allies were passive. They were afraid of pulling back an extra division.
  The Fritzes were advancing along the Caspian coast. And finally, they had joined forces with the Turks. What joy it was!
  Beautiful German girls forced Soviet prisoners to kiss their bare feet. They did so obediently, and kissed their bare heels.
  This is how the capture was accomplished. And the Germans disarmed the Soviet units.
  Then Stalin offered the Führer peace, agreeing to hand over the entire Caucasus, and even Leningrad and Karelia. Plus, he would have to pay a hundred years of reparations.
  The Fuhrer, after thinking for a while, accepted the offer and peace was concluded on December 7, 1943.
  The Allies perceived this as a betrayal! And imposed sanctions against Stalin and the USSR!
  Soviet propaganda presented the actual capitulation as a great victory. They claimed that, abandoned by the Allies, the Soviet state and Moscow were preserved, and they never captured them.
  The Nazis, of course, launched an offensive from the Caucasus into the Middle East and reinforced Rommel's forces. By the end of March 1943, the entire Middle East and Egypt had been captured by superior Nazi forces. Furthermore, the fighting showed that the Panther, while successfully fighting against British Churchill and Cromwell tanks, was unable to penetrate it head-on.
  Moreover, the Germans were hardened in battles with the Russians, and easily defeated the colonial English troops.
  In April, the Nazis advanced on Sudan. They finally took Gibraltar, beginning the occupation of Morocco. Churchill also tried to test the waters for peace. But Hitler, having freed his hands in the east, said no!
  And so the Nazis moved across Africa. They were hindered mainly by the lack of communication lines, poor or nonexistent roads, the harsh climate, and the vast distances.
  Nevertheless, the Germans were advancing. And they were advancing across the Dark Continent. Although, of course, their tanks, especially the Tiger II and Lion, were quite slippery in the jungle. Incidentally, the Germans also began producing the light Panther, weighing twenty-six tons, which was particularly useful for the war in Africa.
  As combat operations showed, such a tank, however, did not have any fundamental advantages over the T-4, except for a more powerful engine and sloped armor plates.
  By the end of 1944, the Germans acquired the E-10 self-propelled gun, which weighed twelve tons, had a very low profile, and heavily sloped armor. Such a vehicle was truly indispensable for Africa.
  Especially if it's girls fighting on it. And girls are absolutely super and awesome.
  Gerda and Charlotte are riding through the jungle, wiping out the British and Americans. Now those are some real girls! You won't find a cooler one within a hundred miles. These girls love to kill-those are some real girls!
  They caught some black fighters and forced them to kiss the bare feet of beautiful women. It's immediately obvious - they're serious thieves! And they're fighting, shooting at English vehicles from a distance.
  Their self-propelled gun is already approaching Pretoria, the capital of South Africa. The girls fire at themselves, piercing a Churchill with a tungsten-cored shell, and sing:
  In Africa there are sharks, in Africa there are gorillas, in Africa there are crocodiles! They will bite you, beat you, and hurt you! Children, don't go for a walk in Africa! In Africa there is a bandit, in Africa there is a villain, in Africa there is the terrible Barmaley! He will bite you, beat you, and hurt you! And his girls must be torn apart!
  In February 1945, the last British stronghold in Africa, on the island of Madagascar, fell.
  So now Britain has lost its foothold there too. At the same time, the Germans have seized Iran and India, demonstrating their phenomenal strength.
  And in May 1945, the Nazis landed in Britain. After three weeks of fierce fighting, London fell. A month later, Ireland was captured.
  There was a temporary lull on land, but the war at sea continued. The United States stood alone against the Third Reich, its allies, and Japan. But for now, America was overseas, and it wouldn't be taken so easily.
  In the Third Reich, universal labor service was introduced, and the production of aircraft and ships began to increase.
  Battleships and aircraft carriers were being built. And, of course, submarine warfare was in full swing. And there was no mercy for any of the American ships.
  In the fall, or more precisely, in November of 1945, the Germans daringly captured Iceland and then established bridgeheads in Argentina. Nevertheless, the war at sea dragged on. Many landing craft were needed to reach America. And ships aren't built that quickly. Nevertheless, the Third Reich was gaining strength. 1946 was spent exchanging blows at sea. And in 1947, the Germans had already shifted their military operations to Greenland, capturing it. And from there, it wasn't far to Canada!
  The fascists had their sights set on colossal conquests. And so, in 1948, they launched an offensive against Canada, and from Brazil against Venezuela, along with the Japanese. The fighting became extremely fierce.
  The Germans advanced slowly but surely. Their E-series tanks were more advanced than the American ones and demonstrated their superiority on the battlefield. However, the Yankees were not so simple, and they resisted stubbornly. And they did not attempt to surrender.
  Although, of course, there were encirclements. Americans fell into them. Then they surrendered. And the prisoners kissed the bare, dusty feet of the Aryan girls.
  Soon, Quebec and Toronto fell, followed by other cities. Between May and December 1948, the Germans captured almost all of Canada, as well as Venezuela, Nicaragua, and most of Mexico. This created an extremely complex situation. By early 1949, the Germans had the United States in a pincer grip. Then, on January 11, the Americans attempted to use nuclear weapons for the first time in history. And they weren't entirely successful. Of the five bombs, four were destroyed in planes shot down by German aircraft, and one exploded without causing serious damage to German troops.
  In response, the Fritzes intensified the bombing of American cities and military installations.
  So the battle proceeded with steady gains in favor of the Wehrmacht. It had superior equipment and troop training, as well as greater numbers. The fighting was fierce. In early 1949, German, foreign, and Japanese divisions occupied the remnants of Mexico and entered the United States from the north. They had America completely cornered. And it became clear that things were bad for the United States. By the end of the summer, half of the eagle's empire, as well as Alaska, had been captured.
  The Germans captured Washington and New York by November 8, 1949. And on December 7, 1949, the remnants of the US Army surrendered. Thus ended World War II. It was the bloodiest of all wars, and it lasted more than ten years!
  It seemed the long-awaited peace had arrived. But Hitler refused to accept the idea of having to share hegemony with Japan. And on April 20, 1953, the Third Reich attacked the Land of the Rising Sun. A new war erupted. For world hegemony.
  The Third Reich has quantitative superiority, and qualitative superiority too. But the Japanese are fighting with enormous ferocity and mass heroism.
  However, the Nazis still prevail. Nevertheless, the war lasts almost a year. The USSR remains neutral. Stalin has died, and a serious power struggle is underway.
  Ultimately, Japan is occupied by the Wehrmacht. A few months later, the Nazis also conquer Latin American countries, establishing global hegemony.
  Reforms are underway in the Third Reich itself. A new religion is being introduced to replace Christianity. It has no Trinity, only one supreme God and his messenger, Adolf Hitler. There is a single currency (the mark), a single education system, and religiously sanctified polygamy. Genetic selection is also actively underway. The human race is being improved.
  The USSR still exists in a truncated form and pays tribute to the Nazis. Nikita Khrushchev rules there, trying not to provoke the beast. Nevertheless, Hitler has already subjugated the entire world. And he views Russia as a red spot. But man proposes, and God disposes. On April 20, 1957, the Führer, right on his birthday, became the victim of an assassination attempt. And at exactly sixty-eight, the reign of the savage tyrant ended. He had conquered almost the entire world and wanted to attack the USSR again on June 22.
  But as we can see, it didn"t work out for him...
  Hitler was succeeded by Schellenberg. Hermann Göring died of drug abuse and gluttony. Himmler fell into disgrace, and Hitler lost trust in him and eventually removed him. Schellenberg succeeded Himmler and became his successor. Hitler also had children conceived through artificial insemination. But the eldest was not yet fourteen.
  So the Führer's descendants didn't have time to inherit. Hitler thus became emperor, but without a dynasty. Schellenberg didn't dare kill the Führer's children, but he did remove them from power. And he himself became Führer and dictator.
  The struggle for power lasted for several years.
  And on May 1, 1961, Nazi Germany finally attacked the USSR. It was an attempt to achieve the goal: one planet - one empire!
  Schellenberg's troops were finally able to capture Moscow. The Soviet army was vastly inferior in both quantity and quality of military equipment. The capture of major Soviet cities took six months due to the vast distances involved. And then the guerrilla war dragged on for another ten years.
  However, things soon calmed down. Schellenberg pursued a relatively liberal policy, and in 1981, all Russians received citizenship of the Third Reich. Liberalization gradually progressed. Schellenberg died soon after, and a serious power struggle erupted. Then, as a compromise, the monarchy was restored, and Friedrich IV, a direct descendant of the Kaiser, ascended to the throne. In 2001, a referendum granted citizenship and formally equal rights to all inhabitants of planet Earth. And in 2017, the last restrictions on Jews and Roma were lifted.
  The era of National Socialism has come to an end. Nevertheless, humanity remains united in a federal, monarchical empire. It is exploring outer space.
  In it, everyone is formally equal, and there is a Senate and a Bundestag, to which the entire population of the Third Reich elects deputies. And above them is the Kaiser, the Emperor, and the entire planet Earth.
  Life, in general, is already quite good in material terms. Strict discipline, the development of science and technology, and excellent German organization have yielded results. Agriculture is excellent, there is no famine, and food is abundant even in the poorest regions of Africa. Everyone has a job, everyone receives a salary and pension. Education and healthcare are free. Similarly, crèches and kindergartens are free. Food costs pennies, and prices for all products have been frozen for many years. Everywhere, even in Africa, there are roads, and almost everyone has either a separate apartment or a house. All newlyweds are immediately given at least a three-room apartment with all the amenities. Cars and other necessities can be purchased on credit. Many even have personal helicopters.
  There's internet access, everyone has TVs and computers, and the workday is only four hours long. All sports activities are free, and even students pay to attend.
  Each child receives a substantial allowance. Utilities and public transportation are free. Everything is neat and tidy. The streets are clean, and there are numerous robots and automated devices. The order is exemplary. Cigarettes are banned, though alcohol is still sold, and various types of beer are practically free. Children also get free meals in public restaurants.
  Lots of free attractions and computer rooms.
  Human settlements already exist on the Moon, Mars, Venus, Mercury, and the satellites of Jupiter.
  People are preparing to leap to the stars. Many things have already been invented.
  In short, it turned out pretty well overall. And there was no need to get so worked up.
  IF ZYUGANOV HAD SHOWED MORE COURAGE AND FORESIGHT
  In May 1999, Zyuganov decided not to approve Stepashin's candidacy and instead to hold early Duma elections. The Communists and their allies made a unified decision to vote against Stepashin. This was especially true given that they had been insulted and stripped of their government positions. This decision would have been the most likely in history, had Zyuganov not been a Trojan horse within the Communist camp, undermining and compromising leftist ideas.
  Early parliamentary elections promised the communists many advantages, including due to the smaller number of competitors and the image of martyrs.
  And this showed that the communists are not clinging to their seats at all, but are more principled.
  Yeltsin nominated Stepashin again for the second time, and then Aksenenko for the third time. The Duma again rejected the proposal, and it was dissolved. New elections were scheduled for September.
  Parliament's stubbornness somewhat altered the course of history. The bombing of Yugoslavia lasted longer, as Milošević hoped for aid from Russia. And the dissolution of parliament gave the opposition a chance to win.
  The communists managed to put Yeltsin's impeachment to a vote again.
  And again, he fell just short, this time by just two votes. The deputies were worried about the upcoming parliamentary elections and the risk of not making it.
  The Duma was dissolved, and Yeltsin appointed the little-known Aksenenko as Prime Minister by decree.
  Overall, Zyuganov's hopes that the elections would take place were fulfilled. The ailing and weakened president did not violate the constitution. And, with a two-percent approval rating, he did not risk exceeding his authority. Primakov, seeing that his coalition would not have time to form and register, entered into an alliance with the Communists. Yabloko and the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) went to the polls. The Unity bloc failed to form, and the NDR weakened.
  There is also the invasion of militants into Dagestan and the indecisiveness of security forces during the elections.
  The Communists, along with Primakov and Luzhkov, achieved a resounding victory, garnering over fifty-five percent of the vote. The Yabloko bloc came in second, also performing well, taking fifteen percent. The Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) also unexpectedly performed well, garnering over twelve percent. The NDR failed to clear the five percent threshold-a complete rout! Zhirinovsky became the only pro-Kremlin leader in the Duma. However, the competition was weak. Under the new law, parties must re-register no later than a year before the elections, and many failed to do so.
  The parliament was again dominated by the left opposition, with Yabloko and its single-mandate constituencies, and the LDPR in the minority.
  And, of course, a conflict arose... Immediately after the State Duma speaker was elected, a vote of no confidence in the government was passed. And once again, talk of impeachment arose. This time, two-thirds would have been easy to muster!
  After some hesitation, Yeltsin decided to return Primakov to his post as Prime Minister and Maslyukov as First Deputy Prime Minister.
  The left-wing coalition agreed to this, but the president's powers were temporarily curtailed. And there was almost no time left until new elections. After negotiations within the coalition, it was decided to nominate Primakov for president. Luzhkov became prime minister. And Zyuganov received the position of head of the legislative branch! In other words, Superskipper! Amendments to the constitution were even supposed to be adopted regarding this new position.
  The militants were driven out of Dagestan. But they didn't go into Chechnya. Civil war had broken out there. Russia supported Maskhadov and Kadyrov against Basayev and Raduyev.
  Primakov managed to win the Russian presidential election in the first round. The government, however, received additional powers, as did the legislative branch, which was under communist control.
  In Russia, the economic recovery continued, oil and gas prices rose, and industry was revived.
  The Americans, much like in reality, got bogged down in Afghanistan after the September 11 attacks and became bogged down in Iraq. Primakov was easily elected for a second term. But in 2008, he lost his post to the highly successful Prime Minister Yuri Luzhkov.
  The new president continued the previous policy of alliance with the communists, while Zyuganov became prime minister.
  For a time, foreign policy was characterized by partnership with the West and friendship with China. Yanukovych's regime in Ukraine gained ground. Unlike Putin, Luzhkov pursued a more pro-Ukrainian policy and cherished the union of Slavic states. Ukraine even joined the Eurasian Union in 2016. Luzhkov served two terms and resigned. Zyuganov finally became president, also winning the election quite easily. Zhirinovsky was running for the seventh time, all since 1991, and lost again.
  In the fall of 2015, Russia intervened in the war in Syria and bombed it. Trump came to power in the United States. Zyuganov, despite formal communism, continued the previous economic course. Russia, despite the formal dominance of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, remained a market-oriented, democratic, and moderately authoritarian country.
  There's partnership with the West, and moderate competition. There's an alliance with Ukraine, Belarus, and Kazakhstan, but not a particularly close one. In 2020, Zyuganov was elected to a second term, with a slightly lower result, on the brink of a runoff. And in Ukraine, after Yanukovych's resignation, the non-systemic Zelensky unexpectedly won. Nazarbayev also resigned.
  Zyuganov announced that he will not change the constitution and will leave after his second term.
  Thus, the leader of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation still managed to steer Russia, demonstrating a little more courage. And the world turned out to be safer and more peaceful than it actually was.
  Who is Putin? How did his career unfold? After Primakov became prime minister, Putin was dismissed for being too close to Yeltsin. He was accused, among other things, of the FSB's failure to monitor the militant invasion of Dagestan. Putin continued to dabble in politics for a while. He ran unsuccessfully for the State Duma, and then for mayor of St. Petersburg.
  But then he left politics and found a job as a security guard for a private firm. So few remembered him anymore.
  In 2020, Zhirinovsky ran for president for the eighth time and lost again by a modest margin. But he still has a faction in the State Duma. Even Zyuganov promoted him to major general after the 2020 elections. Donald Trump unexpectedly lost the election to a young Democratic challenger. Merkel resigned early. And Lukashenko's health deteriorated sharply.
  In 2021, Russian cosmonauts finally landed on the Moon. And they planted a red flag there! Zyuganov announced Afonin as his official successor. Well, life has come full circle once again.
  As we can see, even without Putin, Russia's collapse didn't happen. And the world didn't turn upside down.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  IF MENSHIKOV WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED DURING THE TIME OF NICHOLAS
  In which Tsarist Russia won the Crimean War. All it took was Menshikov's death by a stray bullet, and a more capable commander took his place. In other words, an accident occurred, and the course of history changed.
  The opposite of the one with Makarov. The French and British were defeated piecemeal. And Russia, having captured a huge number of prisoners and trophies, recaptured Crimea.
  Turkey suffered a defeat in Transcaucasia, surrendering Kars, Erzurum, and virtually all of Armenia to Russia. Russian troops occupied Romania. However, further offensive action was not necessary. The Sultan sued for peace. At the same time, Austria occupied Bosnia and Herzegovina.
  The Turks agreed to grant autonomy to Serbia, Bulgaria, and Montenegro, while Romania became a Russian vassal. Russia also took control of Armenia: Kars, Erzurum, and Tanrog, expanding its holdings in the south.
  Riots broke out in France, leading to civil war, and it was no longer able to send troops. Britain also withdrew from the conflict. The Kingdom of Sardinia also weakened. Austria grew stronger. Soon, the Austrians conquered the Kingdom of Sardinia, consolidating their dominance over Italy.
  Shamil was soon captured, ending the war in the Caucasus. Russia concluded a favorable peace with China, taking even more territory than in real history, as the prestige of Russian arms was greater.
  Nicholas I did not support the North in its war against the South. On the contrary, he decided to aid the Southerners, along with Britain, in order to strengthen his position in Alaska.
  Russia began building cities and fortresses in America. Plans were even made for a railway to Chukotka. Tsar Nicholas had many plans. Russian troops conquered Central Asia. This monarch died in 1867, leaving Russia powerful and prosperous. His son, Alexander, did not abolish serfdom but continued his advance south. In particular, he waged a victorious war against Turkey, annexing Constantinople to Russia. Then, Mesopotamia.
  Another war with Britain and the defeat of the English in Asia. Alexander II reigned a little longer, making no significant reforms other than judicial reforms and slightly improving the administrative system.
  The abolition of serfdom never occurred. Instead, Russia annexed Iran. The Tsar died exactly twenty years after Nicholas I, in 1887. Alexander III reigned only briefly, until 1894, but managed to annex virtually all of India to Russia. And Nicholas II continued his advance into Indochina and China itself.
  There was a war with Japan. Generally victorious. And the complete conquest of China and Indochina. And penetration all the way to Australia. But in Europe, the situation was somewhat different.
  The Austrian Empire annexed southern France. It then defeated Prussia, capturing southern Germany. Austria became the world hegemon. France was greatly weakened by civil war. Prussia was unable to unite. Ultimately, the Austrians seized all of Prussia, as well as part of eastern France. A vast empire was formed that extended into Africa. Soon, the Austrians also conquered Belgium, Holland, and a vast swath of African territory. Then came the war between Austria and Russia against Britain, which ended with the division of Africa between the Austrians and Russians.
  Emperor Francis truly became the greatest monarch, surpassing Napoleon Bonaparte by conquering almost half of Africa and most of Europe. France, too, was soon completely conquered, along with Spain and Portugal. Yes, it all went well, but...
  Emperor Franz's heir wanted to annex Serbia as well! And so, in 1920, a great war broke out between Nicholas II's Russia and the Austrian Empire.
  Austria has all of Europe on its side. Except for Britain, which isn't as strong as it was in real life, and almost half of Africa. Sweden also opposed Russia. Norway and Denmark had already been captured under Emperor Franz.
  That was only half the problem. The United States remained, divided and a secondary power. But Britain still controlled Canada and Austria. And after the first two months of hesitation, it too entered the war on Austria's side.
  So a great war broke out: Austria and England against Russia.
  Of course, Oleg Rybachenko is right there. And he fights like a true, unwavering hero.
  The boy fires a machine gun at the foreign army and sings:
  - The anthem of the Motherland sings in our hearts,
  There is no one more beautiful in the whole universe...
  Squeeze the ray gun tighter, knight -
  Die for God-given Russia!
  And he beats himself, crushing with a machine gun the army from all over Europe and partly from Africa.
  And the boy doesn't give in to himself. He throws a grenade with his bare toes and squeals:
  - We will not give in and we will not surrender!
  And again the boy unleashes a lethal and devastating burst. He refuses to give in to the enemy.
  And sings to himself:
  - No one can stop us! Even a lion can't win!
  The boy is a true knight. Unbending and invincible. A knight of faith! Even if not Christian!
  And so the Austrian attack was repelled.
  The Austrians and the British have tanks, but Russia also has mastodons.
  Nicholas II's population, after all, was much larger, given his colonies. Consider all of Asia, Eastern Europe, parts of the Balkans, and more than half of Africa.
  So Russia has superior infantry numbers. And the soldiers fight very bravely...
  And the Austrians couldn't hold out and were driven back from Warsaw. Then Russian troops advanced to the Oder, capturing East Prussia. Galicia, including Lvov, also fell. Przemysl was besieged. Krakow was liberated.
  It turned out that the Slavs did not want to fight the Russians and were surrendering en masse.
  The battles also demonstrated that the lighter and more agile Russian tanks were more effective than the heavier and clumsier German ones. And in terms of aviation, Tsarist Russia was an order of magnitude superior to the British and Austrians.
  After a pause, Russian troops resumed their offensive. They gained ground through both numbers and skill.
  Budapest was surrounded and captured. At sea, Admiral Kolchak defeated the British and captured Australia. On land, Russian troops surrounded and captured Berlin. And then Vienna.
  The Austrian Empire was losing the battle in Africa, too. The British corps was also suffering defeat. And things were going badly for Emperor Adolf.
  He went in the wrong direction and started losing completely. How could he possibly stand up to such power?
  After the fall of Vienna, Austrian resistance became sporadic. Soon, the Russians occupied all of Europe and Africa. Simultaneously, an offensive against Canada began from Alaska. The British were also losing.
  Britain found itself isolated and tried to sit it out on the island.
  But it is clear that Russia will win by launching an air offensive.
  And bombed almost everything on the surface. And then a landing force was sent on land, bringing Britain to submission.
  Thus, the entire Eastern Hemisphere, as well as Alaska and Canada, became Russian.
  This is, in general, wonderful! Nicholas II took a temporary pause, digesting his possessions. The United States is still divided and not very strong, as are other states dependent on Russia.
  In 1937, Tsar Nicholas II died in a plane crash. Alexei II succeeded him to the throne. Unlike in real life, the heir was quite healthy and vigorous. And in 1941, he decided to conquer everything his ancestors hadn't managed to seize.
  Once the planet was empty, Earth would be one empire. And so the Russian army moved first into the northern states of America, then into the southern ones. The United States was weak and was quickly overrun. Mexico, however, proved easier to conquer. Then came the upward march, capturing one country after another, one by one. Brazil, the largest and most powerful, held out for less than a month.
  And so they conquered Latin America and New Zealand. Alexei II went down in history as the finalizer of all Russian conquests. And already in 1947, Russian cosmonauts set foot on the Moon. And in 1958, on Mars! In 1961, on Venus. In 1972, on Mercury, and in 1973, on the moons of Jupiter. In 1975, Alexei II, nicknamed the Finisher, died at the age of 71. And his son, Nicholas III, became tsar. In 1980, man set foot on the last, most distant planet in the Solar System - Pluto. Nicholas III's reign was not very long. He died in 1985. And his son, Alexander IV, ascended the throne. A young tsar of about twenty-seven. And the tsar ordered preparations for a leap beyond the Solar System. And they began to build starships and a photon rocket. And finally, in 2017, the first interstellar expedition began.
  
  TSAR NICHOLAS II HAD THE SUCCESS OF PRESIDENT PUTIN
  The renowned writer and poet Oleg Rybachenko sensed that something was wrong in the world. Humanity remains fragmented. The number of countries on planet Earth is only increasing. And if anyone is gaining influence, it's totalitarian, dictatorial China. Meanwhile, since the end of Vladimir Putin's rule, Russia has plunged into a deep crisis. War is raging again in the Caucasus, leftists and nationalists are rebelling. The economy is once again in decline, crime is rising. And Russia is beginning to disintegrate.
  Despite phenomenal luck, Vladimir Putin was never able to create a strong, sustainable political system or a stable, rapidly growing economy. Many social and interethnic problems remained unresolved. His rare luck allowed him to maintain a semblance of well-being. But as soon as he left, all the unhealed abscesses suddenly burst open.
  And now the threat of nuclear war looms! The world is in chaos, and Russia is sliding into a full-scale civil war! This must be addressed immediately.
  A boy read in a book that it's possible to change people's destinies, even swap them! And there's a powerful gypsy woman who can do this to anyone.
  So why not swap the luck and fortune of Putin and Nicholas II?
  Moreover, if Nicholas II is as phenomenally lucky as Putin, the course of history will change. And in the twenty-first century, the Romanovs will rule Russia. Which means Putin won't need luck. Or at least, Russia won't need Putin's luck.
  And in the twentieth century, the success of tsarist Russia was very much needed.
  The famous writer decided to go to the gypsy woman. Fortunately, he had her address online, and his keen intuition told him she was no charlatan.
  She's truly no ordinary gypsy. She lives in a mansion in Moscow and looks about twenty, though she's been telling fortunes since Soviet times. It's immediately obvious she's the eternal girl with the curly black hair-she's truly something special!
  Oleg Rybachenko asked her:
  - Do a good deed! Change the fortunes of Vladimir Putin and Nicholas II!
  The eternally youthful gypsy girl looked at Oleg Rybachenko and replied:
  "It's good that you're not selfish and that you're quitting not for yourself, but for Russia! And it's even better that you have such a rich energy and an unprecedented, incredible, superhuman imagination!"
  The gypsy winked and continued:
  "Changing history so drastically is difficult even for me! But you, the owner of the world's most powerful and rich imagination, can help me!"
  Oleg Rybachenko nodded in agreement:
  - I'm ready for anything! And I'll fulfill any request!
  The young gypsy nodded and said:
  "I'll turn you into a boy of about twelve, and you'll grow extremely slowly, and you'll never be older than fourteen. I'll send you to a parallel world, where you'll first become a slave!"
  Oleg Rybachenko agreed:
  - I'm ready!
  The gypsy nodded and continued:
  "You'll have to get me nine artifact stones: black, white, red, orange, yellow, green, light blue, blue, and purple. And besides that, a tenth artifact-Koschei's crown!"
  It's difficult, but you'll have the eternally youthful, fast, strong, and resilient body of a boy warrior. Plus, you'll have an extraordinary intellect and a phenomenal gift of imagination. Sooner or later, you'll collect the artifacts and return to your world. And forevermore, you'll be in the body of a phenomenally strong and fast fourteen-year-old boy, and you'll be indestructible. In other words, you'll even be rewarded with immortality!
  Oleg Rybachenko nodded in agreement:
  - One can only dream about this!
  The eternally young witch noted:
  "But the ten artifacts are mine, and mine alone! They will grant me such power that you will more than earn immortality! For now, I will put you to sleep, and you will wake up a slave boy in the quarries. And then your wits will tell you how to escape!"
  When you travel, I will be able to change the fate, fortune, and good fortune of President Putin and Tsar Nicholas II. You will collect artifacts for me from different worlds, and meanwhile, from the beginning of the twentieth century, Russian history will unfold differently. So, even if you don't collect the artifacts-the nine stones and Koschei's crown-Tsar Nicholas II will still receive the fortune, fate, and good fortune of Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin!
  Oleg Rybachenko smiled broadly and replied:
  "That's good! In the new world, I'll be at peace, knowing that the course of history has finally changed for the better! And that Russia will be able to restore order throughout the world and become a hegemonic power! And an absolute hegemon!"
  The eternally young gypsy ordered:
  - Lie down on the sofa!
  Oleg Rybachenko lay down.
  The sorceress girl purred:
  - Now sleep! You will wake up in another world.
  Oleg Rybachenko's eyes closed, and he fell asleep almost instantly.
  The gypsy woman pulled the ingredients she'd prepared from her drawers and began preparing the potion. She turned on the gas under the cauldron she'd prepared for the magic. She began throwing various items in, casting spells. At the same time, the eternal girl pulled a deck of cards from her pocket and chanted:
  - Oh, fate, fate help Nicholas! Luck from Putin, come to Tsar Romanov!
  Let Romanov win,
  He rules like Genghis Khan...
  May good luck come your way,
  Putin's gift stolen!
    
  It's better for Russia,
  Nicholas the Great Tsar...
  Will become cooler than Genghis Khan,
  Become like Vladimir Putin!
  The cauldron boiled, and the potion began to bubble within. The gypsy laid out the cards, cast a spell, and tossed the deck into the seething haze... A super-bright flash erupted, as if from a thousand photoblitzes. The sleeping Oleg Rybachenko vanished... And then, glowing, the cauldron vanished, too.
  The spacious hall where the great sorceress had cast her spell became empty and quiet!
  The eternally young witch said:
  - So what! I changed the course of history, and that's awesome! And if this idealist is lucky and collects the artifacts, I'll become so powerful that Satan himself will envy me!
  And the gypsy sorceress flashed her emerald eyes!
  And a miracle happened!
  What indeed awaited Nicholas II... Indeed, much had changed. There was no bloody brawl during the coronation. And expansion into China was proceeding successfully. War with Japan, of course, happened. It was historically inevitable. Clearly, the samurai monster had to be disarmed and destroyed. And there was no escape from it. We couldn't leave danger on our borders.
  Japan was the first to start the war, but its attempt to attack Russian ships was unsuccessful. The Russians suffered no significant damage, while a dozen Japanese destroyers were sunk.
  The Varyag also managed to break out of encirclement, which proved a major success. Admiral Makarov arrived at sea soon afterward and began crushing the Japanese. General Kuropatkin routed the samurai on land and occupied the entire Korean Peninsula.
  And so even Tsar Nicholas II decided: we must secure ourselves from Japan forever! And how? Land troops and annex it entirely to Russia, as a province.
  And so the decisive battle took place at sea, where the Japanese fleet was finally finished off by Admiral Makarov.
  Four girls also took part in the fight! Barefoot and in bikinis!
  Natasha, Zoya, Aurora, Svetlana. Four beauties who, brandishing their sabers, board the largest samurai ship.
  Natasha cuts the Japanese man and shouts:
  - You will be smeared, narrow-eyed!
  Zoya cut down another samurai and noticed:
  - And your eyes are sapphire!
  Natasha, having run the mill, confirmed:
  - Of course yes! Of course yes!
  And then Aurora went ahead and kicked the Japanese man in the chin with her bare heel. She broke his jaw and roared:
  - Hooray for the Motherland!
  Svetlana took the samurai's head and squealed:
  - For Tsar Nicholas II!
  Of course, a lot depends on luck. Admiral Makarov, in particular, survived. And turned out to be a second Ushakov. What a deft commander! He's on a fast cruiser, always on time. And the Japanese, who, by the way, didn't have a huge advantage in guns, are being attacked piecemeal and tactically.
  The skill of a commander or naval commander prevails over a small numerical advantage.
  Moreover, by this time the Japanese were outnumbered. So Makarov crushed them, forcing them into close combat, where the Russian ships, armed with armor-piercing shells, were far more powerful.
  And the Japanese are defeated. And the girls capture another samurai ship. And the flag of the Tsarist Empire flies on it!
  What about the Japanese? You're not exactly lucky? Nicholas II got Vladimir Putin's luck, and everything went so well for him!
  And the girls? The four beauties in bikinis are Rodnovery witches who decided to fight for the Tsar, although they usually have no interest in this world.
  But in this case, the Russian people must be helped. And this is thanks to Putin's luck. He would never have seized Crimea without a shot, if not for those same four witch girls. They helped perform a miracle. But whether Russia really needed to take Crimea from its brotherly people is questionable. But annexing China to the Russian Empire is a wonderful idea! Imagine how many subjects the Russian Tsar would have-he could crush the entire world!
  In short, the girls aren't wasting any time here. And they're already storming a new battleship.
  And they capture him again. And the sabers in the hands of the beauties flash, and they're so sharp. And so many Japanese were slaughtered.
  The battle at sea ended with the final sinking of the Japanese squadron and the capture of Admiral Togo.
  And so the landings began. There weren't enough steamships or transports. Longboats were used, and supplies were transported on cruisers and battleships, and many other means were used. The Tsar ordered the use of the merchant navy in the landings.
  The Russian troops repulsed the samurai onslaught, which attempted to drive them from the bridgehead. But the Tsarist army held firm, and the massive attack was repelled with heavy losses.
  During the assault, the witch girls chopped with sabers and threw grenades at the enemy with their bare feet.
  They're certainly in the most dangerous positions. And then they started firing machine guns. Every bullet hit the target.
  Natasha fired, threw a grenade with her bare toes and chirped:
  - There's no one cooler than me!
  Zoya, firing a machine gun, threw a gift of death with her bare toes and squeaked:
  - For Tsar Nicholas II!
  Aurora, continuing to fire from machine guns, and jumping up, snapped back and said:
  - For great Rus'!
  Svetlana, continuing to harass the enemy, bared her teeth and threw a grenade with her bare heel, aggressively:
  - For the Tsarist Empire!
  The warriors continued to strike and pound. They were so full of energy. They fired at each other and crushed the advancing samurai.
  He has already killed thousands, tens of thousands of Japanese.
  And the defeated samurai run away... The girls are just too lethal against them.
  And the Russians, with bayonets, cut up the samurai...
  The assault is repelled. And new Russian troops are landing on the coast. The beachhead is expanding. Not bad for the Tsarist Empire, of course. One victory after another. And Admiral Makarov will also be helping with his guns, sweeping away the Japanese.
  And now Russian troops are already advancing across Japan. And their avalanche is unstoppable. They are hacking at the enemy and stabbing them with bayonets.
  Natasha, attacking the samurai and cutting them with sabers, sings:
  - White wolves form a pack! Only then will the race survive!
  And how he throws a grenade with his bare toes!
  Zoya sings along, with fierce aggression. And, kicking her bare feet, she too sings something unique and powerful:
  -The weak perish, they are killed! Protecting sacred flesh!
  Augustine, shooting at the enemy, chopping with sabers, and throwing grenades with her bare toes, squeals:
  - There is a war in the lush forest, threats are coming from everywhere!
  Svetlana, firing and throwing gifts of death with her bare feet, took and squealed:
  - But we always defeat the enemy! White wolves salute the heroes!
  And the girls sing in chorus, destroying the enemy, throwing the deadly with their bare feet:
  - In the holy war! Victory will be ours! Forward the imperial flag! Glory to the fallen heroes!
  And again the girls shoot and sing with a deafening howl:
  - No one can stop us! No one can defeat us! The White Wolves are crushing the enemy! The White Wolves salute the heroes!
  The girls walk and run... And the Russian army moves towards Tokyo. And the Japanese are dying, and they are being mowed down. The Russian army moves. And one victory after another.
  Tsar Nicholas truly pulled a lucky draw. Now Russian troops are beginning their assault on the Japanese capital. And it's all so wonderful.
  The girls here are, of course, ahead of everyone else, and their drive and exploits are at a great height.
  Especially when they throw grenades with bare feet. This generally causes shock and awe among samurai.
  And here they are, climbing the wall of the Japanese capital. And chopping men and horses into pieces. They've smashed their opponents into pieces. They advance, the girls screaming and laughing! And with their bare heels they kick people in the chins. The Japanese fly head over heels. And fall onto their stakes.
  And the warriors wave their sabers even more powerfully.
  And the samurai suffered defeat after defeat. Now the Russian troops have taken Tokyo.
  Mikado runs in fear, but he can't escape. And so the girls take him prisoner and tie him up!
  A magnificent victory! The Japanese Emperor abdicates in favor of Nicholas II. The title of Russian Tsar is significantly extended. Korea, Mongolia, Manchuria, the Kuril Islands, Taiwan, and Japan itself become Russian provinces. Although Japan enjoys a small, limited autonomy, its emperor is Russian, an autocratic Tsar!
  Nicholas II remains an absolute monarch, unlimited in every way. He is the Autocratic Tsar!
  And now also the Emperor of Japan, Yellow Russia, Bogdykhan, Khan, Kagan, and so on, so on, so on...
  Yes, luck was the main factor. Just notice how much luck Putin managed to conquer! The twenty-first century, alas, isn't exactly conducive to conquest!
  And what good does it do Russia that Putin's enemy McCain died of brain cancer? It's certainly a stroke of luck; you couldn't even dream it up - for your enemy to die such a nasty and unpleasant death!
  But the return for Russia is zero.
  But for Nicholas II, Putin's good fortune and good fortune resulted in major territorial gains. And really, why would fortune give Putin gifts? How did Russia benefit from Sobchak's timely death and the avoidance of the appointment of head of the Constitutional Court?
  And Tsar Nicholas II of All Rus' was an extraordinary figure. Naturally, after such a great victory, his power and authority were strengthened. This means some reforms can be implemented. Particularly in Orthodoxy! Allowing nobles to have four wives, as in Islam. And also granting soldiers the right to a second wife as a reward for heroic deeds and faithful service.
  A fine reform! Since the number of non-believers and foreigners in the empire has grown, the number of Russians must increase. But how can this be done? By recruiting women from other nations. After all, if a Russian were to marry three Chinese women, he would have children with them, and what nationality would these children be?
  Of course, Russian on our father's side! And that's great! Nicholas II, possessing a progressive mind, was more religious in appearance than in soul. And, of course, he put religion at the service of the state, and not the other way around!
  Nicholas II thus strengthened his authority among the elite. This was something the men had long desired. He also accelerated the Russification of the outskirts.
  Well, the priests didn't object either. Especially since faith had weakened in the twentieth century. And religion served the Tsar, without much faith in God!
  But military victories made Nicholas popular with the people, and those accustomed to authoritarianism were reluctant to change much. The Russians had never known any other kind of government!
  And the economy is booming, wages are rising. Ten percent growth every year. Really, why change?
  In 1913, for the Romanovs' tercentenary, Tsar Nicholas II once again reduced the workday to 10.5 hours, and on Saturdays and days before holidays, to eight hours. The number of days off and holidays also increased. The date of Japan's surrender, the Tsar's birthday, the Tsarina's birthday, and the day of the coronation were also celebrated as holidays.
  After it was discovered that the heir to the throne suffered from hemophilia, Tsar Nicholas took a second wife. Thus, the question of succession was resolved.
  But a major war was looming. Germany dreamed of redividing the world. However, Tsarist Russia was ready for war.
  In 1910, the Russians annexed Beijing and expanded their empire. Britain agreed to this in exchange for an alliance against Germany.
  The Tsarist army was the largest and most powerful. Its peacetime strength reached three million and a thousand regiments. Germany had only six hundred thousand in peacetime. Then there was Austria-Hungary, but its troops were incapable of combat!
  But the Germans are still planning to fight France and Britain. How can they possibly manage two fronts?
  The Russians have the world's first mass-produced light tanks, the Luna-2. They also have four-engine Ilya Muromets bombers, machine-gun-equipped Alexander fighters, and much more. And, of course, a powerful navy.
  Germany has no equal forces.
  And the Germans even decided to attack, into Belgium and bypass Paris. There was absolutely no chance for them here.
  But the war began anyway. Germany made its fateful move. And its troops advanced on Belgium. But the forces were unequal. Russian troops were already advancing across Prussia and Austria-Hungary. And the Luna-2 tank, with a speed of 40 kilometers per hour, is already a colossal force.
  And mind you, Tsar Nicholas was lucky that the war started. Even the Tsar himself wouldn't have attacked Germany. But the Russians had a vast, overwhelming superiority in forces, tanks, superior artillery, and superior air power in both quantity and quality. And a stronger economy, which helped them avoid the recession caused by the revolution and defeat in the war. And so it was, a steady rise and success after success.
  The Germans were clearly under attack. And now they themselves have launched their main attack against France and Britain. And what else could they do?
  And Italy went and declared war on Austria-Hungary! The only good thing is that Turkey entered the war against Russia. But that's even better for the Tsar; he can finally take back Constantinople and the Straits! So...
  And then there are the four witches, the eternally youthful Rodnovers Natasha, Zoya, Aurora, and Svetlana, in battle! And they're going to hit! They're going to hit both the Germans and the Turks!
  Writer and poet Oleg Rybachenko woke up. As always, the young witch-sorceress fulfilled her promise, giving Nicholas II the fortune of Vladimir Putin, and now Oleg Rybachenko must fulfill his. Awakening was not easy. A harsh whip struck his boyish body. He jumped. Yes, Oleg Rybachenko is now a muscular boy, chained by his arms and legs. His body is tanned to the point of blackness, lean and sinewy, with defined muscles. A truly strong and resilient slave, with tough skin so hardened that the overseer's blows cannot cut it. You run with the other boys to breakfast, rising from the gravel where the young slaves sleep completely naked and without blankets. True, it is warm here, a climate like Egypt. And the boy is naked, only chains. They're quite long, though, and don't really interfere with walking or working. But you can't take long strides in them.
  Before eating, you rinse your hands in the stream. You get your ration: a mash of rice and rotten pieces of fish. However, to a hungry slave boy, this seems like a delicacy. And then you go to the mine. The sun hasn't risen yet, and it's quite pleasant.
  The boy's bare feet had become so rough and calloused that the sharp stones didn't hurt at all, they even tickled pleasantly.
  Quarries where children under sixteen work. Of course, they have smaller wheelbarrows and tools. But they have to work fifteen or sixteen hours, just like adults.
  It stinks, so they relieve themselves right at the quarries. The work isn't difficult: chopping stones with picks, then carrying them in baskets or on stretchers. Sometimes they have to push a mine cart, too. Usually, boys push them in twos and threes. But Oleg Rybachenko is assigned alone; he's very strong. And he wields a pick like a grown man. He has a much bigger task to accomplish than the others.
  It's true, they give more and more often. Three times a day, not two.
  The slave boy, whose body Oleg Rybachenko possessed, has been here for several years now. He's obedient, hardworking, and has mastered every movement to the point of automatism. He's truly incredibly strong, resilient, and practically tireless. Yet, the boy has barely grown, and now appears to be no more than twelve, though of average height for his age.
  But he has the strength... of several adults. A young hero. Who, however, will probably never grow an adult, and will never grow a beard.
  And thank God! As a writer and poet, Oleg Rybachenko didn't like shaving. You work and break stones, crumble them. And into the basket. Then you carry it to the cart. It's hard to push, so the children take turns.
  The boys here are almost black, but their facial features are either European, Indian, or Arab. In fact, the European ones are far more prevalent.
  Oleg looks at them closely. The slaves are not allowed to speak; they are beaten with a whip.
  Oleg Rybachenko is also keeping quiet for now. He's studying. Besides the male guards, there are also women. They're also cruel and use whips.
  Not all boys have skin as tough as Oleg's. Many of them crack and bleed. The guards can beat them to death. The work is very hard, and the boys begin to sweat profusely, especially when the sun rises.
  And here there's not just one sun, but two. And that makes the day very long. And there's a lot of work. The boys don't have time to sleep and rest. It's a real torment for them.
  Oleg Rybachenko worked, mechanically chopping and loading. Mixing for himself...
  And I imagined what happened after Nicholas II gained the fortune of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
  Natasha, Zoya, Aurora, and Svetlana attack the Austrians in Przemysl. The Russian army immediately took Lvov and attacked the stronghold.
  Girls, barefoot and in bikinis, rush through the city streets.
  They chop down the Austrians and throw small discs with their bare feet.
  At the same time the girls sing:
  - Tsar Nicholas is our messiah,
  A formidable ruler of mighty Russia...
  The whole world is shaking - where will it pass?
  Let's sing for Nikolai!
  Natasha chops down the Austrians, throws a grenade with her bare toes and sings:
  - For Rus'!
  Zoya also crushes enemies and sings along with aplomb:
  - For the Tsarist Empire!
  And a grenade thrown by her bare foot flies! What a killer girl! She can crush a jaw and drink the sea!
  And Aurora, too, will throw the discus with her bare toes, scatter the Austrians and squeal:
  - For the greatness of Russia!
  And he bares his very sharp teeth! Which sparkle like fangs.
  Svetlana doesn"t forget to give in either, and roars:
  - Rus' of the Holy and Invincible Nicholas II!
  The girl is showing tremendous passion. She's tossing things around with her bare feet and throwing presents!
  Natasha, firing and chopping, and throwing lethal weapons with her bare feet, squeals:
  - I love my Rus'! I love my Rus'! And I'll saw you all apart!
  And Zoya also shoots and howls, throwing something explosive with her bare toes:
  - Great Tsar Nicholas! Let the mountains and seas belong to him!
  Aurora, screaming with wild, frenzied rage and throwing presents with her bare toes, howls:
  - No one will stop us! No one will defeat us! Dashing girls crush the enemies with their bare feet, with their bare heels!
  And again the girls are in a wild rush. They seize Przemysl on the fly and sing, composing as they go;
  Glory to our holy Rus',
  There are many future victories in it...
  The girl runs barefoot,
  And there is no one more beautiful in the world!
  
  We are dashing Rodnovers,
  Witches are always barefoot...
  Girls really love the guys,
  Of your furious beauty!
  
  We will never give in,
  We will not bend to our enemies...
  Even though we have bare feet,
  There will be a lot of bruises!
  
  Girls prefer to rush,
  Barefoot in the frost...
  We are truly wolf cubs,
  We can punch!
  
  There is no one to stop us,
  The formidable horde of Fritzes...
  And we don"t wear shoes,
  Satan is afraid of us!
  
  The girls serve God Rod,
  Which is, of course, great...
  We are for glory and freedom,
  The Kaiser will be a nasty bit!
  
  For Russia, which is the most beautiful of all,
  The fighters rise...
  We ate some greasy porridge,
  The fighters are unbending!
  
  No one will stop us,
  The power of girls is gigantic...
  And he won"t shed a tear,
  Because we are talent!
  
  No girls can bend,
  They are always strong...
  They fight fiercely for the Fatherland,
  May your dream come true!
  
  There will be happiness in the universe,
  The Sun will be above the Earth...
  With your imperishable wisdom,
  Bury the Kaiser with a bayonet!
  
  The sun always shines for people,
  Over the vast country,
  Adults and children are happy,
  And every fighter is a hero!
  
  There is no such thing as too much happiness,
  I believe that we will be lucky...
  Let the bad weather dissipate -
  And shame and disgrace to the enemies!
  
  Our family God is so supreme,
  There is no one more beautiful than Him...
  We will become higher in soul,
  So that everyone would be angry and vomit!
  
  We will defeat our enemies, I believe,
  The White God, the God of the Russians, is with us...
  The idea will be a joy,
  Don't let evil into your doorstep!
  
  Well, in short, to Jesus,
  Let us always be faithful...
  He is the Russian God, listen,
  He lies that he is a Jew, Satan!
  
  No, in fact, God Almighty,
  Our Most Holy Main Family...
  How reliable He is as a roof,
  And his Son-God Svarog!
  
  Well, in short, for Russia,
  There is no shame in dying...
  And the girls are the most beautiful of all,
  The woman's strength is like that of a bear!
  
  
  PLANS HAVE NOT CHANGED
  Hitler simply didn't change the OKW plan, and the attack on Stalingrad was launched from both north and south, by Army Groups A and B. The assault was entrusted to Meinstein. As a result, Stalingrad fell within ten days of an all-out assault. The Soviet forces found themselves completely encircled. The Wehrmacht then advanced along the Volga coast toward the Caspian Sea. And how did the Red Army respond? The offensive in the center wasn't particularly successful.
  Plus, Japan won the Battle of Midway, though it didn't open a second front, capturing the Hawaiian Islands. Simultaneously, samurai ground forces advanced on India. To hold onto that colony, Britain was forced to withdraw some troops from Egypt, abandoning Operation Torch.
  The Germans held the initiative on the Eastern Front. The swift capture of Stalingrad collapsed their southern flank. The Nazis slid through to the Caspian Sea and cut off the Caucasus by land. And then Turkey entered the war. Its army, while not particularly strong, was quite numerous and capable of fighting bravely.
  In the very first days, the Turks took Batumi and surrounded Yerevan. Their achievements were considerable, as the Red Army was pinned down by the German front.
  It should be noted that the Nazis took advantage of the fact that Soviet troops were entering battle directly from their echelons and attacked them piecemeal. This, of course, had a negative impact on the course of the war.
  Stalin was also nervous and freaked out - he demanded that the Caucasus be held at any cost.
  In short, the heroic defense of Stalingrad failed, and everything collapsed. Even the absence of Japanese divisions in the Far East didn't help.
  The Germans were advancing along the Caspian coast, all the way to Dagestan. Stopping them was a cinch-but the odds were stacked against them, and the Red Army was experiencing severe supply shortages. It was buckling. And the Nazis were bombing aggressively.
  The United States barely touched the Third Reich, distracted by Japan's victories. Britain, somewhat weakened, also kept its distance! Now the Germans had too many aircraft and could really apply pressure.
  Stalin showed his worst qualities and too often lost his temper and shouted, but did not make the best decisions.
  So the loss of the Caucasus became inevitable.
  There is already a battle going on on the border with Azerbaijan.
  Soviet girls fight desperately. Here are beauties fighting desperately.
  And they don't retreat or surrender. And they crawl along their own lines.
  Natasha, Zoya, Avgustina, and Svetlana dragged a German general from the rear. It was fantastic. The girls forced him to his knees and forced him to kiss their bare feet. He kissed them with great enthusiasm! And licked their heels.
  The warrior women are so sexy and charming. Then they fought the Fritzes.
  Natasha fired a burst, cutting down the fascists. She threw a grenade with her bare foot and chirped:
  - For great glory!
  Zoya also fired and squealed:
  - For the Motherland and Stalin!
  She took the grenade and threw it with her bare toes. It scattered the Nazis and squealed:
  - For the USSR!
  The girls are so beautiful and delightful.
  Augustina also threw a grenade with her bare foot, and baring her teeth, took it and hissed:
  - I'm so feisty! Like a Terminator!
  And Svetlana, too, will launch her bare toes into something so deadly and destructive. And she will sing again:
  - Our friendship is monolithic, and that"s what it stands for!
  The four of them fight like that - what girls! These funny beauties even show off their long tongues in response.
  Warriors of the highest order. They can punch and scream.
  They crush the Germans like berries in a press.
  Natasha fired, threw a grenade with her bare foot and sang:
  - We are warriors of light and the red banner!
  Zoya also launched a lethal shot with her bare toes and yelped:
  - And we will fight for Lenin!
  And then Augustine slashed, baring her teeth:
  - In the name of great joy!
  And then Svetlana fired and launched the grenades with her bare feet, roaring:
  - We'll take on something like this and turn it upside down!
  The four are actively working and shooting. Well, these are girls who know a thing or two about extermination, after all. And they're not exactly fighting.
  And how should real Terminators act? High-flying warriors. And they have a passion for destruction.
  Natasha threw the grenade again with her bare foot and hissed:
  - I understand this world perfectly well as an intensification of class struggle!
  Zoya also hissed, throwing a lethal, flesh-tearing grenade with her bare toes:
  - In which house will there be a red flag!
  And then Augustina fired a burst. She mowed down the Nazis and threw a grenade with her bare foot, hissing:
  - Great space, this is our earth and all this is us!
  The warriors are truly capable of tearing even a hot water bottle.
  And then Svetlana, with her bare foot, kicks a grenade, fires a burst, and says with fury:
  - Fire in a rage, and a bucking horse!
  The girls will of course get all worked up and start butting each other.
  And on the German side, Gerd's crew is fighting in a T-4. Once again, once it gets going, there's no way to get past them or suppress such an onslaught. The girls' eyes blaze with hellish fire.
  They shoot themselves, giving no chance of salvation. And there's no resisting their white, pearly teeth.
  The warriors are aggressive and howl:
  - Wild aroma! We'll send all our enemies to hell!
  Gerda will fire, knock out the T-34 and squeal:
  - Future victories!
  Charlotte presses the trigger with her bare toes and gurgles:
  - We'll tear you to pieces!
  Magda also fired, destroyed the T-26 and said:
  - We'll reveal it.
  And she shook her bare toes.
  And Christina also pressed her bare feet on the pedals and hissed:
  - Hooray for our party!
  The girls, of course, are nearly naked in bikinis and barefoot. And yet, they're extremely sexy.
  And they launch attacks in their not-so-perfect but effective T-4. And they fire at the enemy. You can't give in to girls like these in anything! And the way they grin! And the way they make faces!
  Gerda roars to herself, shooting with her bare toes:
  - Gerda loves to kill, this Gerda!
  And again he fires shells.
  And then Charlotte takes turns firing and roars, having knocked out a thirty-four:
  - I'll rip their bellies open!
  And he will launch it again with his bare feet.
  And here's where the killer Christina adds to the mix. Also using her bare toes.
  And he will roar:
  - I am the embodiment of aggressiveness!
  And what a waist she has, and what a sculpted press!
  And then Magda takes it and hits him and starts roaring:
  - Banzai!
  And her feet are also bare and chiseled!
  The four German women are pushing themselves and really winning. They have so much aggression and vitality.
  The warriors are charging forward and shooting. They're not giving the Red Army a break.
  And in the sky, too, female pilots fight, and they show such things. Their spirit is immeasurable.
  Here's the newest German Focke-Wulf. Gertrude's on it. And this girl is showing she's tougher than the men. She's thrashing the fascists like that. She's not giving them the slightest quarter. Gertrude's the one who started the real fight.
  And he shoots down a Soviet Yak and squeals:
  - I am a super girl!
  After which she'll stick out her tongue. And once again begin her total extermination. What a girl. And also barefoot and in a bikini. And then LAGG hit her and roared again:
  - Pilot gunner!
  And she'll laugh out loud. And then she'll go and shoot down a PE-2. That's the kind of girl she is, of the most powerful and classy kind. Then she'll maneuver again and crush the Yak with her cannons. And she'll penetrate.
  - I am the she-wolf of the sky!
  And how she bares her teeth! And how she gets so savage! What a woman! A woman to all women!
  But, of course, the fascists are still trying to attack in the south.
  In particular, pilot Helga fights in an ME-109. And so successfully that shrapnel flies off the British.
  The girl hit a Mustang and sang:
  - A lilac fog is floating above us!
  It's so nice to fight barefoot and in a bikini. It's so practical! And very comfortable.
  Helga is a pilot. The Führer was smart enough to listen to her advice and allow girls to fly tanks, planes, and serve in the army. And how much better things went for the Fritzes.
  They themselves didn't expect women's bodies to be so effective. Helga, for example, is rapidly gaining momentum and numbers.
  The girl presses on the pedals with her bare feet and roars:
  - I'm such a delightful little cow!
  Helga shoots down two more English planes and squeals:
  - Behind me, Germany's warriors in a row!
  And she shot down a bomber! What a girl! She's a real tough warrior. If she's going to destroy, she's also going to do it without ceremony or mercy.
  The girls here are so sexy!
  Rommel's troops are tearing through the desert, not waiting for reinforcements. If they have to win, they have to. The legendary commander, the "Desert Fox," is accustomed to fighting against superior forces. And his soldiers are no different. Take, for example, a crack company of SS women. They were transferred in early December, when the front was cracking, the Germans were retreating, and the British, on the contrary, were breaking through, unblocking Tolbuk and threatening to drive the Wehrmacht from African soil.
  Then the frenzied Führer proposed transferring the female battalion of tigresses. Not because the women would tip the balance of power, but so that the men, especially the Italian ones, would feel ashamed and would fight much more aggressively and skillfully. After all, if the elite girls, hardened by rigorous training, were in the lead, the men would be very embarrassed.
  The warriors fought in bikinis, using special creams for protection. Over the course of six months, their bare, girlish feet had become so calloused that they were immune to the frying-hot sand, and the tan had turned their skin a deep chocolate brown. Many already had dozens of corpses under their belts.
  Margot and Shella are two young, yet battle-hardened Aryan women. They are the youngest in the company, but within six months they have already earned the Iron Cross First Class (everyone in the battalion already had the Second Class). They are ruthless and kind.
  Margot had hair the color of fire, and Shella was a snow-white, honey-toned blonde. Here they were, fighting, repelling the onslaught of counterattacking British tanks. The Matildas, with their thick armor, were moving ahead. Next came the all-terrain Cromwells with high-explosive shells and lighter vehicles. The girls dug themselves into the sand. Firing at such tanks head-on was useless. They had to remain undetected, and then...
  The Matilda and Cromwell weigh around thirty tons, and driving over trenches dug in the clayey sand is terrifying. Rain rains down on bare, tanned necks, and you feel the terrible weight of these bastard machines. Take the Cromwell, a typical ironclad with 70-millimeter-thick sloped armor, which even an 88-millimeter gun can't always penetrate. It smells of British gasoline and machine oil, a very pungent smell. The girls have their own surprises: lightweight recoilless rifles. The very first models of the Faustpatrone. As is customary, the men let the women go first, so they can test the latest and most promising weapons.
  But they also threw the girls, contrary to the hypocritical slogan of Nazism: "War is a man"s business, peace for women!", into the very heat of battle.
  However, the infantry has fallen behind, which means there is a chance to sit it out in the trenches and win.
  Shella whispers, afraid to sneeze from the sand falling from the trenches that clogs her nostrils:
  - Only endurance on the battlefield will allow us to avoid the fermentation of the champagne of victory, spoiled by missed deadlines!
  Margot agreed:
  - For those who lack self-control, there will be the sour wine of defeats and the bitter swill of losses!
  But the Matildas, the Cromwells, and a dozen light Mongooses were already behind them. Now it was harvest time.
  Shella, her once-pearlescent hair grayed by dust, digs her bare heels into the hot sand, mentally calling out to the Virgin Mary and other saints, as if to say, "Don't let me down." Her finger presses the trigger gently, sending the shaped charge directly into the gas tank.
  Margot pulls the trigger along with her, also leisurely. Then both girls clap their hands. The charges hit the stern, causing the gas tanks to explode. Orange flames splash through the air like foam, and someone curses.
  Then the short barrels of the British tanks curl up into a kind of tube from the shocks.
  And the tiger girls bravely throw grenades at the enemies. Shrapnel flies in all directions, a destructive stream of cumulative particles tears through armor like a fiery cat's paw ripping through blotting paper.
  Here it is, feminine fury, saying that German women are not at all characterized by composure. And they know how to fight... And let the attack fizzle out.
  Repulsing an infantry assault, typically consisting of Arabs and blacks recruited through raids or various bribes, is much easier. Seeing their tanks knocked out and serious resistance ahead, they retreat at the first casualties.
  Well, and then they completely flee. If that's the style-hurt the weak, so be it for the monsters!
  When the attack finally fizzled out and the girls resumed their run through the desert in the late afternoon, they had a conversation along the way. Shella asked Margo:
  - Do you think we will still be in Alexandria?
  The fire-breathing warrior answered confidently:
  - I think that no later than November, and maybe in October, we will finally occupy Egypt.
  Shella logically and without paying attention to the itch in her calloused soles from the hot sand, suggested:
  - When they destroy this nail in our underbelly, the base in Malta, supplies will improve, when new units arrive, the enemy will no longer have a chance.
  Margo looked around, wondering how much time remained until sunset. She wanted to finally lie down and get a good night's sleep. The proximity of the reddening sun to the horizon calmed the warrior. She lazily remarked:
  "I think the Führer won't miss a repeat of the magnificent landing on Crete after Peru Harbor and Midway. Only this time, they'll actually destroy Malta."
  Shella shouted a curse into the sky:
  - May the Almighty turn all the English bases into hell.
  The sun finally sank below the horizon, and the coolest day of the year, October 21st, came to an end. And with it, Operation Polar Bear began. Why white? A clever disinformation scheme to make people think it was about the north, when in reality, a boxer's devastating swing was in the south.
  The largest British base truly resembled hell. More than a thousand bombers, gathered from across the Eastern Front and with considerable combat experience, along with escort fighters, descended upon it. The British, of course, had been fighting for a long time, but they hadn't expected such a powerful, massive attack. Indeed, who would believe that the Fritzes would dare expose the front, even if the enemy had temporarily calmed down? But the British fighters were now being mercilessly beaten. For example, their ships were attacked by Ju-87s, the famous Stuka. Not particularly fast, but possessing exceptional bombing accuracy (for their time) they tormented the British fleet lurking in the bays. More modern Focke-Wulfs weren't far behind, including even the legendary von Rudel himself, the king of attack aircraft, famous for sinking the most powerful Soviet battleship, the battleship Marat.
  Here, for example, Corporal Richard sees vultures rolling down a hill like sleds. Numerous German bombers emerge from an ice hole like predatory fish. The now-mature Englishman drops his phone in fear. He's never seen such a terrifying sight. The sirens wail long after the bombs have exploded. The blast wave throws British soldiers up, sending severed arms and legs flying in all directions. One of the iron helmets glows red-hot and hits an officer in the face. And he screams:
  - Churchill kaput! Hitler is cool!
  The British anti-aircraft guns didn't start firing immediately, only after thousands of bombs rained down. The enemy had calculated everything correctly: not a single bomb should be wasted. So, crush the enemy and strike. All sectors were already marked on the map. Moreover, the brazen British didn't even camouflage themselves properly. Many of their anti-aircraft guns were clearly visible and were the first to be wiped out.
  The barrel of a thirty-two-foot-long 85-millimeter anti-aircraft gun was thrown up and bent in the air like a donut. Then it crashed down, crushing five Englishmen. One of the black men's stomachs was ripped open, and his intestines spilled out.
  And the bombs rained down, and everything was ablaze. A fuel depot exploded, shells began exploding, scattering nearly the entire wreck, and then another depot struck. To top it all off, the sirens mounted in the fairings of the Ju-87 and Focke-Wulf fighters blared shrilly, causing wild terror among the black and Arab colonial troops. But it seemed the whites were just as frightened.
  For example, two British frigates collided, so hard that their boilers exploded. Even the frigates' wreckage, which had flown into the air, exploded like minefields, while the cruiser simply sank to the bottom.
  A British Cromwell tank, short-barreled but with decent speed and fairly thick frontal armor, accelerated in panic and rammed its own depot, even crushing a dozen of its own crazed soldiers along the way. The chaos escalated. Now the British aircraft carrier began to sag, and a powerful dreadnought opened fire... on the coast where its own soldiers were milling about.
  And in this abyss, two people remained completely unperturbed. One of them, an Indian, was calmly lighting a pipe, and the other was a woman, clearly of Arab descent, but wearing a military uniform. Together, oblivious to the death-or rather, a whole horde of annihilation riders-rushing toward them, they were playing a rather unusual card game. It was a game with fifty-two cards and jokers, and according to rules devised by the Indian himself.
  The Arab woman stated:
  - There's a lot of noise! Why are you causing such a panic?
  One of the soldiers, his back riddled with shrapnel, nearly ran into the Indian, but he casually tossed him aside like a kitten. Drops of blood landed on the Indian's face, and he licked them off, smiling. Then he remarked:
  "Making noise is for weaklings and palefaces. We Apaches believe this: no enemy is good, but an enemy appears - even better!"
  The dark woman remarked:
  "This is a typical weakness of those who profess the Christian faith. They love to talk about sacrifice, but they don't sacrifice themselves."
  The Indian nodded quickly:
  Order is built on a foundation where faith is cement and will is sand! Faith is a heart of gold, and will is an iron fist! Only the palefaces have neither.
  CHAPTER No 5
  And on the German bomber, there's also a girl. In this case, Viola. A very beautiful blonde, and her partner is Nicoletta. And both girls are very sexy. They're dropping a bomb from above. And these warriors are also barefoot and in bikinis.
  The girls are crying:
  - We are such thieves that we are supermen!
  Nicoletta also spits bombs from her fuselage. And crushes the enemy. The British get it too.
  Viola will also launch a lethal bomb from above. And she will kill the fighters of the Leo Empire.
  And also howls:
  - I inspire fear in Britain!
  And he shakes his bare foot. And sings:
  - We'll tear Churchill apart!
  The girls from the Ju-188 are very good at dropping bombs. Their machine is new and more advanced. Its cannons fire very quickly.
  Here the girls shot down an English fighter.
  Their plane is quite fast. The warriors are once again unleashing destruction with their bare feet.
  Viola roars:
  - I drive all my enemies into the grave!
  Nicoletta howls:
  - And I throw at the enemy!
  And with his bare feet he takes it and shakes it!
  These girls really thrash their enemies. And they don't stop. True Aryans.
  And when they twist and shake their bare breasts.
  And again they drop bombs.
  And then there are the girls, on other planes. Here's Eva dropping bombs. She crushes the British and sings:
  - I am such a super person!
  And Eva, too, will pedal with her bare feet.
  And now Viola will drop the bomb again and roar:
  - I'm a wild girl, I want ten men at once in an hour, which is really cool and amazing!
  Several flaming British soldiers plunged into the water to wash away the flames. Even the water boiled as they entered, and screams and wild groans were heard. Bloody circles began to form across the sea foam, thick at first, then gradually becoming paler. And the warriors of what had once been the greatest and most vast empire on Earth were losing their humanity. The Arab woman snorted contemptuously:
  - And these men force us to wear a burqa!
  The red-skinned man, squinting slyly, remarked:
  - Apparently, your menacing look scares them!
  The Arab woman, grinning sarcastically, said:
  - The softness of a woman is like the toughness of armor, only much more deadly and versatile in defense!
  The Germans chose to immediately launch a full attack, the tactic of a boxer who, counting on the enemy's unpreparedness, immediately throws himself at the enemy with all his might. When dozens of enemy planes burn on their airfields, unable to take off. When their own bombs explode inside the Lancasters, destroying everything around them. A brutal, but effective tactic. And so the symphony of hell reached its peak and then began to fade.
  But of course, things didn't end there; the airborne division was brought in. So far, the British, after such treatment, are completely useless, so they can be captured while they're still warm. Fortunately, airborne gliders have already been produced in sufficient quantities, and the methods for towing them have been perfected. They are probably the best in the world today.
  And so they fly, not like vultures-slower, but fast enough, accompanied by Wagner's music, Hitler's favorite masterpiece. Who else alive remembers the film "Apocalypto," where the Americans used this very music while attacking the Vietnamese. How it terrified them. So here it is, Wagner, and thundering melodies, through amplifiers. The paratroopers have smeared their faces with phosphorus and painted themselves up; they look eerily like demons from the underworld. This is also intended for psychological effect. Plus, they've added some reagents to the phosphorus, and a little magnesium powder to create a glow, at least for a short time. So eerie, especially against the backdrop of the smoking glow and numerous fires. They even have machine guns, also camouflaged as dragon's mouths. Then the melodious German and captured submachine guns begin firing. And the mown-down, ragged ranks fall at the victors' heels. And many simply choose to surrender, despite the fact that the English far outnumber the Germans.
  The Indian and the Arab woman hid in a small, carefully camouflaged hole. The Indian remarked:
  - We plowed them well!
  The black-haired woman was surprised:
  - You say we? Maybe you mean us?
  The Indian shook his head:
  - No! The palefaces are beating the English, and that's a good sign! And when the time comes, our holiday will come! When the Indians liberate their continent!
  The Arab woman snorted contemptuously:
  - And you don"t by any chance claim to rule the world?
  The Indian smiled tenderly, as if explaining something to a mentally retarded child:
  - Those who want too much usually end up with nothing! So a big spoonful is a mouthful!
  The Führer, of course, didn't see what his falcons and hawks were up to, but he basically guessed that the German military machine would handle everything perfectly. Generally speaking, German offensive military operations up until the Kursk Bulge were carried out at a highly professional level. Some even call them exemplary. It's strange that such a machine stalled and then completely collapsed.
  And the girls see a similar dream, a kind of prophetic vision, interrupted by a harsh command - get up!
  
  
  TSAR MICHAEL II
  Nicholas II was the victim of an assassination attempt in Japan. He died while still heir to the throne. This famous assassination attempt occurred in real history. Tsarevich Nicholas was wounded, but miraculously survived.
  But the miracle didn't happen. This luck, for the unluckiest tsar in all of Russian history. Nicholas died... And with him died the great loser, who, unwittingly, of course, nonetheless brought down the Tsarist empire and dynasty.
  And so, in 1894, at the age of fifteen, Mikhail II ascended the throne. He was Tsar Nicholas's brother. A generally intelligent man, quite tough and brave. Mikhail Alexandrovich Romanov commanded a savage division during World War I and distinguished himself in battle. He was, in general, a tougher man than Nicholas, taller, with a more expressive face. Was he smarter? Nicholas II was no fool, a talented man. But he wasn't tough enough, strong-willed enough, and born to be tsar. And then, of course, there were Nicholas II's problems, especially with his wife.
  Mikhail is no dumber than his brother, and most importantly, luckier... Well, Nikolai, that's a rather bad name for a tsar. And Nikolai was the first to fail. From the very beginning, there was the Decembrist rebellion. Then came the unsuccessful start of the war with Iran. Victory was won, but the conquests weren't all that great. And Iran, a priori, is no rival for Russia. The war with Turkey. Also not very successful at first. And the victories cost a lot of blood. And the conquests weren't many.
  And then there was the war in the Caucasus with Shamil, which lasted almost forty years. And that was bad; expansion froze. And finally, defeat in the Crimean War. And according to rumors, Tsar Nicholas was the first to commit suicide.
  Yes, that Tsar was an unlucky one. Mikhail I... He came to the throne during the Time of Troubles. He saved Russia. He did a little, recapturing cities from Poland. He made some headway in Siberia. His lifespan, however, was rather short. But he was, overall, a normal Tsar. And without any serious flaws.
  Mikhail Romanov's policies were the same as those of Nicholas II: expansion into China and the East. The construction of Port Arthur. Diplomacy with Germany, preparations for war with Japan. Of course, it was obvious that war with the Land of the Rising Sun was inevitable. It was arming itself too aggressively. But the young tsar wanted glory, he wanted conquests, he wanted to create a Yellow Russia. Moreover, it was obvious that China promised to become a colossal power in the future, and it was better to divide it now. For now, it was fragmented.
  Japan attacked the Russian squadron in Port Arthur.
  Then Admiral Makarov was dispatched. This time, there was no death. Partly because Mikhail prevented Tsarevich Kirill from interfering with Makarov, and he wasn't on the ship. This altered the route slightly.
  Admiral Makarov trained the squadron. Then, when the Japanese were caught in mines, he was able to attack Togo's fleet.
  The naval battle ended in a decisive victory for the Russian fleet. True, the Japanese did eventually lay siege to Port Arthur. But not for long. Mikhail dismissed Kuropatkin, appointing a younger and more capable commander. And again, victories were won on land.
  Japan, in short, was defeated at sea. And then the landings began.
  The samurai surrendered. Russia reclaimed the Kuril Islands, seized Taiwan, and Korea.
  Subsequently, a number of Chinese provinces voluntarily joined the empire, forming Yellow Russia. The Tsarist empire expanded and flourished.
  No Duma, no unnecessary democracy. Life was pure bliss! The country was rapidly developing. But naturally, the First World War was inevitable. And then came the hour of the dragon.
  But by this time, Russia already had the light Luna-2 tank, the heavy Peter the Great tank, designed by Mendeleev's son, and the world's most powerful bombers: the Svyatogor and Ilya Muromets. Such was its might!
  And the Russian army began to win from the very first days. Moreover, the number of Tsarist troops was greater due to the fact that China was already half-annexed.
  Russian troops routed the Germans in East Prussia and encircled Königsberg. They also took Lvov and Przemysl on the fly. Russia had too many soldiers and a large number of light, mobile tanks, which were unmatched and proved a formidable force. One army after another fell.
  Now the Russian armies have captured Budapest.
  Germany found itself in a difficult situation. Russian troops were already approaching the Oder. Italy had also declared war on Austria. True, the Ottoman Empire entered the war against Russia. But this only resulted in defeat and rout on all fronts.
  Russian troops had already crossed the Oder. And in the winter, they began their assault on Berlin. The city proved impossible to hold. The Germans still had much of their forces tied up in the West.
  And Wilhelm and his staff quickly declared peace, or rather capitulation.
  The war lasted only six months. Russian troops captured Istanbul. And Türkiye was occupied by the army of Tsar Mikhail II.
  Following this, the Peace of Peterhof was concluded. Austria-Hungary disintegrated and ceased to exist. Galicia and Bukovina became Russian provinces. The Czech Republic and Slovakia became kingdoms under Tsar Mikhail II. Hungary also recognized the Russian Tsar as its monarch.
  Krakow and other lands were incorporated into the Kingdom of Poland. East Prussia was cut off, Danzig became a Russian city. Asia Minor and most of Iraq, including Baghdad, became Russian. The British received only the province of Basra and Palestine, and France southern Syria.
  The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was also formed, with Michael II as co-ruler. Italy also snatched some for itself. Thus, Russia was able to become a major conqueror, suffering few losses at minimal expense. Germany, however, was forced to pay Russia the bulk of the reparations. An impressive victory!
  CHAPTER No 2.
  After this, there were several more small wars. Russia captured most of Afghanistan-the south went to Britain-and two-thirds of Iran-the south also went to Britain. Then, Tsarist, French, and British troops finally divided the Saudi Arabian Peninsula. Hegemony emerged. Japan also managed to grab some German possessions.
  Until 1929, economic growth was observed worldwide, particularly in Russia. But then came the Great Depression. This brought Hitler to power in Germany.
  In Russia, revolutionary sentiment and strikes were also on the rise. But then, in 1931, a new war broke out with Japan over China. Russia was stronger, and Admiral Kolchak, a worthy successor to Admiral Makarov, commanded the fleet.
  Victories, landings, and Japan, with all its Pacific possessions, became a province of Russia. And Tsar Mikhail II also became Emperor of Japan. It was going so well. But the struggle for world domination was not over.
  Hitler was building up his forces. A coalition emerged: Germany, Italy, and Russia against Britain, France, Holland, Belgium, and the United States.
  In 1940, the Tsarist army had effectively completed the conquest of China and had reached the French, Dutch and English territories.
  Hitler began the war on June 22, 1941, with the invasion of France. The Führer had a brilliant plan and the genius of Meinstein. Russia launched an offensive against British and French colonies in Asia and Africa. Such was the brutality of war.
  Russia already held the world's largest population, and its army was equipped with the best and most advanced tanks and aircraft. Helicopters, fighter jets, attack aircraft, and bombers, including jets, were already in mass production! Overall, everything was going wonderfully.
  Hitler occupied France, Belgium, Holland, and Denmark in a month and a half! Tsarist Russia occupied Norway and Sweden, as well as India, Indochina, southern Iran, the Saudi Peninsula, and entered Egypt.
  The colonial English and French troops were distinguished by their low fighting ability and had very low morale, surrendering practically without resistance.
  Hitler wanted to move on to Africa himself, but Spain opposed Germany. Then the fascists attacked Franco's regime and crushed it. And then Portugal. After a fierce assault, they took Gibraltar!
  Russia and Germany then conquered Africa. Here, vast expanses, jungles, deserts, and the lack of roads were more of a hindrance than the resistance of the weak and confused colonial forces of Britain, France, and Portugal.
  Territories were being seized. Sporadic battles and sporadic resistance continued. Russian tanks remained the best, with excellent cross-country ability, especially the medium-range "Nikolai," named after Tsarevich Nicholas, who was killed by the Japanese.
  But if you knew what cruel fate the samurai Tsuda Sanzo saved Russia from, they'd have built him a monument the size of the Eiffel Tower in St. Petersburg. Or maybe you'd name a tank after him.
  In any case, the Nikolai-3 was a relatively light tank-just under thirty tons-and a mobile one, powered by a diesel engine. It was faster than the legendary T-34, had thicker, more sloped frontal armor, a lower silhouette, and a longer-barreled gun, albeit of a similar caliber: 76mm.
  Be that as it may, Russia captured more than two-thirds of Africa, with the rest going to Germany and Italy. And after massive bombing in May 1942, a joint Russian-German landing in Britain followed. The fighting lasted only two weeks, and both England and Ireland were occupied.
  And a month later they occupied Ireland.
  America acted rather passively, wary of entering such a dangerous war, but still provided Britain with resources. So Hitler, Mussolini, and Michael II decided to finish off the most powerful economic power.
  Russia shares a border with America along Alaska. And they've already built a railway to Chukotka-which is very useful for the war!
  And so the Russian, Tsarist army moves forward... and enters Alaska. And American tanks are no match for the Russians. That's how things turned out.
  Russian troops began landing in Alaska on September 1, 1942... And they advanced quite successfully.
  Rapidly expanding the bridgehead. And, as always, beautiful Russian girls are participating in the battles.
  They're on the latest Nikolai-4 tank. The warriors are barefoot, wearing nothing but bikinis. And they have a more powerful 85mm long-barreled gun: the scourge of the Shermans.
  It's already November, it's snowing, but the beautiful girls: Natasha, Maria, Aurora and Svetlana, don't recognize any clothes and fight almost naked.
  Here the warriors fire and destroy a Sherman with a precise hit. They bare their teeth. Natasha fired and roared:
  - I beat everyone for the Tsar!
  And how it will fire again!
  Then Maria fired, and so accurately that she tore off the Sherman's turret.
  She took it and chirped:
  - I'm a girl who cuts metal!
  And then Aurora will launch the projectile. And also precisely and accurately.
  The warrior squeaks:
  - The highest level of aerobatics!
  And then Svetlana hits with all her furious force. The blonde girl is a destroyer. And she screams:
  - I am a demon of hell!
  And the whole four of them set off, moving through the south of Alaska.
  And here's the "Alexander-4" tank, also the latest model, with beautiful women. It has a powerful 130-mm long-barreled gun, eight machine guns, and a crew of five beautiful women in bikinis.
  They also drive along and shoot, knock out Americans, and penetrate Shermans.
  Alenka launched the projectile with her bare toes and sang:
  - For the glory of Tsar Michael!
  Anyuta supported the firing, mowing down the Americans:
  - The Great Tsar!
  She hit Augustine and broke through the Sherman, hissing:
  - For peace, labor, empire!
  Mirabella was next to open fire. She also broke her opponent's armor and hissed:
  - For a new Russian order!
  And then the Olympics released the projectile, and it smashed and roared:
  - I am such power and pain for the enemy!
  The girls are walking well and keeping the fire going. Their emerald and sapphire eyes gleam with the flames of hell.
  And the newest, impenetrable from all angles, Alexander-4 tank, goes along and batters the Americans. Such is the spectacle and the certain destruction.
  And the girls, what a sight! It's freezing, and they're wearing nothing but bikinis, almost naked-it's beautiful! We're bringing our cat with us!
  Alenka fires a shell at the American car. Rams it and sings:
  - I'm a world star!
  And then Anyuta will take it and let go, cut down the enemy, and hiss:
  - And glory to the empire!
  And then Augustine will be hit by a shell, will mow down the enemy, will break the enemy"s armor and will squeak:
  - I'm a red-haired and shameless girl!
  And then Mirabella will slam in. And fire a lethal shell at the enemy. It will tear off the turret and scream:
  - A battering ram from a battering ram!
  And then the beautiful and powerful Olympiada will take over. She will fire the most lethal of shells. She will crush the enemy tank and yell:
  - I'll sweep everyone away!
  Here's a seventy-ton tank moving forward, smashing through enemy fortifications. And it moves effortlessly through the snow-its engine is state-of-the-art-a gas turbine! You can't stop such a machine so easily.
  Alenka sings:
  - No one will stop us! No one will defeat us! Russian wolves are tearing the enemy apart! Russian wolves - salute the heroes!
  And again, using her bare toes to pull the trigger, she hits the enemy. What a girl!
  Anyuta also fell using her bare feet and squealed:
  - And I'm super!
  And then Augustine launches a projectile and howls:
  - I'm a wild girl!
  And Mirabella will release something truly killer and roar:
  - To new, unbending frontiers!
  And he will show his tongue, so pink and long.
  And then the Olympics will hit and destroy the Americans, and will do it very well.
  Well, overall, victory is clearly in sight. This battle is won, and the Russian, Tsarist troops are advancing further.
  By the end of December 1942, all of Alaska had already been captured by the Tsarist army, and fighting was underway in Canada.
  Besides tanks, jet pilots also fight. The US has plenty of aircraft, but their quality is very poor. They can't compare to Russian jets, which crush the enemy with the intensity of Terminators.
  And the girls Anastasia and Margarita on their planes "Ekaterina"-6 how effectively collect accounts.
  Anastasia shoots down eight American planes with one burst of fire from five aircraft cannons and screams:
  - I'm just a super-class warrior!
  And with his bare feet he presses on the pedals.
  Margarita shoots down ten American planes with one burst and squeals:
  - And I'm a class higher!
  Anastasia, with her bare toes, presses the trigger and fires at the enemy. She shoots down seven US Army vehicles and squeals:
  - I am such a warrior that the king is in admiration!
  Margarita will also release the killer and squeak:
  - And not only the king! We are very beautiful!
  The girls fight and shoot down various vehicles. They throw their opponents away like dead mice in a garbage can. And they destroy US aircraft.
  Anastasia shot down a few more planes and growled:
  - For the two-headed royal eagle!
  Margarita, baring her fangs, squealed:
  - For something so cool!
  And she also hit a dozen more American cars. That's the kind of girls they are. Girls who love to kill. And tear things apart!
  And this couple works...
  Switches to ground targets. And fires from the Shermans, piercing them right through. Like a needle through metal. And splitting the strongest iron and steel. That's how the smashing took them.
  Anastasia punches through several Shermans and squeals to herself:
  - I am a girl who is capable of a lot!
  Margarita also beats the Americans on land and squeals:
  - Nothing will stop me, and nothing has ever stopped me!
  Anastasia crushes the enemy, knocks down tanks and screams:
  - For the king, who is the wiser and the cooler!
  The girls are, of course, gorgeous! And most importantly, in just one bikini! And invincible!
  No one can defeat or stop the girls!
  Anastasia, shooting, screams at the top of her lungs:
  - I am the girl who breaks steel!
  Margarita, continuing to shoot, adds:
  - And any metal!
  The girls are flying and shooting... Even though it's freezing and winter, that doesn't stop them. Fighting is raging in Canada.
  Anastasia fires again and roars:
  - I'm like a kid!
  Margarita actively confirms and thrashes with the fury of a panther:
  - I am the one who is the most fun and the coolest!
  The girls, as you can see, really have great calculations and indescribable luck!
  They're collecting half-naked bills for themselves! And they know no grief, no doubt! They clearly have many different opinions!
  But, to put it simply, the beauties got lucky. They just went and took out a four-star general with an air strike. Magnificent beauties. They'll hit him right on target!
  Once again, Russian and German tanks are moving across Canada.
  Here's Gerda's crew, in a German T-4. The vehicle is frankly weak compared to Soviet vehicles. But these girls are tough - they fight barefoot and in bikinis in the freezing cold. And that's saying something!
  Let's face it, these warriors are awesome! They know no doubt or weakness! Their eyes sparkle with sapphires and diamonds! Such beauties won't give up an inch of ground to the enemy! They're both holy and vicious.
  They move with colossal energy.
  And so they crush the Americans.
  Gerda fired with her bare toes and chirped:
  - I'm a wild girl! And not a virgin at all!
  And after that he burst out laughing.
  Charlotte also fired her cannon. It wasn't very powerful, but it was fast-firing:
  - I'm like a red-hot, stinging bee!
  After which the beauty will take and show her long tongue!
  And then Christina slapped me and squealed:
  - And my vocals! Fangs strike!
  And he too will bare his wolfish teeth and roar:
  - There will be a new victory!
  The warrior women really are so tough and aggressive. And they have so much muscular strength and unbridled fury.
  And Magda will also fire at the enemy. She'll destroy a Sherman from a distance, hitting it perfectly right on the gun, and roar:
  - I'm such a cool German!
  The four, despite the fact that the car is not the best, fights successfully.
  And why? Because they're practically naked! And the warriors slay the enemy quite beautifully.
  Gerda remarks with pride:
  - We are such that we are worthy of the Fuhrer!
  After which the beauty will shoot again and bare her cute little face.
  The warriors here have an Aryan spirit. And they're not afraid of the cold. Although winter in Western Canada is still very cold.
  But nothing - only barefoot, and almost naked. Then there will be luck and victory!
  These warriors are full of proud spirit.
  Even now, Aryan women have no equal in tenacity. Except for Russian girls.
  But Natasha, in a Nikolai-3, is also wearing a bikini and barefoot, and she'll shoot, turn around, and walk around. Her tank, however, is better than the German T-4. The fighting here is fierce and quite aggressive.
  The Yankees try to snap back. But then Natasha knocked down the "Witch" and hissed, baring her pearly teeth:
  - I'm such a girl that no one can approach me!
  And Maria fired accurately at the American tanks. He'd pierce them and hiss with a bared tooth:
  - No force can take us!
  And now the Aurora takes its turn firing. The Sherman is destroyed. She's quite the girl.
  And then Svetlana will make her contribution... How she will hit the Americans hard.
  There are also battles at sea. The Russian fleet is capturing the Philippines.
  And here, too, is a crew: barefoot sailor girls. Also nearly naked, beauties in bikinis. True, the weather in the Philippines is wonderful even in winter-warm, after all, it's almost on the equator.
  And the girls enjoy fighting and shooting. And running around, flashing their bare, round heels. The girls here are simply delightful. The most superb!
  By the way, they love to rape prisoners! They tie them up and then ride them. And they even do it so hard that the prisoners lose consciousness! And they arrange total extermination for themselves-or rather, not for themselves, but for their enemies.
  These crews of half-naked girls are so cool. And there's no stopping them or squashing them!
  The female warriors board an American cruiser. They leap on board, nearly naked, barefoot, their muscles rippling beneath their tanned skin. And they furiously hack at the Americans. And they don't give them the slightest chance of survival.
  And then you see the beautiful Stella and her partner Masha. Both girls are tall, muscular blondes, and they're absolutely slashing at everyone. Every blow is a slash, a ripping, ripping body!
  The girls are walking along the American ship. They wave right - it's a street, they wave left - it's an alley!
  And the girls won't stop at nikah! They don't leave their opponents a chance! And if they start roaring and shaking their muscles!
  And again they wave their swords and howl:
  - We girls are for the Tsar, the Fatherland and Mikhail Romanov!
  And they chop them down like samurai cabbage. So Stella goes and kicks an American officer in the groin with her bare foot. He flies higher and jumps overboard.
  The blonde terminator will give out:
  - They pay royalties for my blows!
  And she'll bare her teeth again, flashing her pearly teeth! What a girl! She's the very essence and the very essence!
  And the girls rush on. And they pass like a tornado. They don't give the enemy a chance. They have colossal power. Darkness upon dark of devils and thousands upon thousands of angels.
  And here comes Masha, slashing down and cutting off three heads with two sabers! What a girl she is - a girl to beat!
  Both beauties chop like nails driven with swords. And there's no weakness or hesitation in their actions. They move forward, never retreating or surrendering. Justice demands the unification of humanity. One empire, one crown, one goal, and expansion into space.
  At this very moment, the first artificial satellite is being launched into orbit. Here it is, circling the globe.
  And the Russian girls in bikinis fight hard. And they don't give in to their opponents. And the American beauties fall, cut down. After all, these girls are of the highest class and skill.
  They once fought in Japan. They also fought at the highest level. They captured the Emperor himself. They demonstrated their colossal skill. They have such passion and so much muscle power. Of course, such girls are a miracle of miracles!
  They hacked to pieces samurai in the palace. And they were also almost naked and barefoot. Girls who could do things that surprised their enemies.
  They chopped up any kind of meat and demonstrated their artistry. The warriors, unwavering, advanced.
  Here's an American admiral's head chopped off with a saber. And how the beauties will laugh, baring their fangs.
  And again they attack and hack away. Such warriors are real monsters. And on the throne is Tsar Mikhail. The son of Alexander III, but not the same. More successful, more decisive, more strong-willed, and also a talented ruler.
  But, of course, luck plays a role, plus even greater rigor-Mikhail waged a relentless fight against corruption, which had a positive impact on the army. But the most effective know-how is using bikini-clad women for military purposes. And women are very beautiful when they're almost naked and barefoot.
  So the battles rage on, with varying success. And the beautiful female warriors are very accurate shots, better than the men. And most importantly, when the girls are almost naked, they are practically invulnerable. Bullets and shells don't affect them. A very strong army of female warriors. Now that's awesome. That was Tsar Mikhail's idea-to use girls almost naked and barefoot, and it brought victory.
  And the girls in battle even threw grenades and daggers with their bare toes, demonstrating their wild fury.
  The girls were quite dashing. They were very beautiful, playful, and fast-footed. No one could stop them.
  Warriors are quite fast... A girl's bare feet are a very effective weapon. But what can they do? A lot. The bare soles themselves draw energy from the earth, and the beautiful warriors are frisky.
  It must be said that girls are the most beautiful thing in the world, that there is something wonderful and with the fury of cobras!
  The American cruiser was captured. The captured men fell prostrate. Then the warrior women thrust their feet into their faces and forced them to kiss them. The girls cooed, and their bare soles felt pleasant and ticklish when licked.
  But the beauties enjoyed having their bare feet showered with kisses and their heels kissed.
  After which the girls burst out laughing. And they bare their teeth!
  But then it got better, the girls sunbathed a bit naked and went swimming. Such beautiful warriors. And how could you kiss such a foot? And lick every toe.
  The girls are super.
  Here's the Alexander-4 tank in action again. It's still going strong, and it's already February. The troops are moving on. Closer and closer to US territory. The girls are so cool.
  Natasha shoots accurately. And she hits very accurately.
  The girl shoots extremely accurately and shouts:
  - We will crush the enemy!
  Then Maria shoots. She takes the shot and defeats her opponent:
  - I am super!
  Maria is a very beautiful girl, and very active.
  And her bare feet are very beautiful and graceful in their eroticism:
  - We will destroy the enemy!
  And Aurora is such a girl, and she"s super, with her bare stomach and breasts, and such scarlet, puffy nipples:
  - I'll break through the enemies and do super!
  And how she shakes her red hair!
  And she'll hit me again with her bare, chiseled feet. These warriors are so cool!
  And then Svetlana will take it upon herself to strike the enemy:
  - I love the Tsar and I will hang a noose around the necks of my enemies!
  Now the girls will laugh. How impudent and cool they have become.
  Americans run from the girls. Or surrender. Or die. The warriors are so beautiful, and very barefoot, and the girls are so wonderful. And it's pleasant and effective to fight in just a bikini. The warriors are so delightful.
  Natasha shoots at the Americans again and hisses:
  - You are my brother and I am your brother! Or rather, sister!
  And again, she wiggles her long tongue. An aggressive warrior, let's say, and a beauty!
  And then Anyuta shook her naked breasts. And screamed and bared her teeth. And sent a shell at the Americans. And just went and hit them.
  - The beauty destroyed it! And it squeaks:
  - This is who I am and I'm a super girl!
  She's a beautiful girl and she loves sex. And that's nice!
  And the girl took it and hit him, and growled:
  - We will win and destroy the enemy!
  And here comes Aurora, who will hit and pound:
  - I am the king and a cool girl!
  The warrior can also be quite a greyhound.
  The girls are laughing to themselves.
  But Svetlana took it to the extreme. She even offered such high fees for destroying enemies and even kissed the devil:
  - This is such a totalitarian aerobatics!
  The tank is very agile and lethal. It can defeat the weak and tall Sherman. So the battles here favor Tsarist Russia.
  Natasha fired again. And cooed:
  - For your idol!
  Maria started shooting. The girl is very beautiful, and she has golden hair. By the look of it.
  The girl hit me, and with her bare toes she aimed and squealed:
  - This is murder for the Tsar!
  And here's Aurora hitting the American. And the girl, let's say, really, really aggressive, and squealed:
  - Let's board for real!
  And now the girl showed herself to be really strong.
  And Svetlana is aggressive and feisty. She kicked the enemy with her bare foot and tore him apart.
  And she chirped, baring her teeth:
  - I am a lady who flies like an eagle!
  So the girls started pounding with wild force. And there was no stopping these beauties' aggression. No backing down, no giving in.
  Natasha fired again and hissed:
  - Until complete destruction!
  And Mary, without any nails, was much more successful in destroying enemies, and began to break her opponents.
  And then the Aurora went and fired its cannon at the enemy. And quite successfully, with colossal aplomb. And it crushed, pulverized the enemy. And molten debris flew from the Sherman in all directions.
  And Svetlana will also shoot and sing:
  - I am a girl of big dreams and great beauty!
  The warriors truly demonstrate a remarkable will to win.
  It's no wonder the empire became so powerful and great. It could have surpassed the achievements of Genghis Khan.
  The warriors move forward... and shoot, shoot, and tear apart enemy positions, as if slicing them open with a knife. Or rather, with a very sharp and hardened dagger. And now the Russian troops are truly invincible. And the reign of the great empire.
  If you think about it, Russia's history has been full of wars and difficult periods. But Nicholas II, for the most part, was simply unlucky! He turned out to be a failure. But tactics are crucial. As the great Russian chess player Alekhine demonstrated, when he would take his opponent's place, turning the board over and winning. Genius is genius.
  Despite all the problems of Tsarist Russia, the factor of naked girls alone solved a lot.
  Helicopters and combat vehicles also take part in battles, as do crews with girls in bikinis and barefoot. What is the quality of an army made up of girls? The most outstanding. Nothing can stop or defeat such an army.
  So, in this army, there are barefoot and almost naked girls. The crew of Captain Varvara's helicopter. Isn't that amazing! The sea will swell up! And then they'll fire like aircraft cannons. And then missiles too. These girls are real hurricanes, like tornadoes.
  They are in no way inferior to the enemy. The Russian army is ready for battle and great achievements.
  Varvara is a beautiful, light-haired, almost naked girl. She roars at the top of her lungs:
  - The enemies will not pass! And they will not run away!
  And it will unleash a lethal discharge from all the jets of its most powerful machine. And it will rush over the enemy. And it will mow them down with a devastating bend.
  But modest Olga went ahead and launched a missile at the American positions and hissed:
  - I fought not with bast shoes, but barefoot!
  And she'll wink with her sapphire eyes. Yes, these girls are such incredibly admirable aerobatics. With him, you can climb a mountain and carry your naked bodies to a dragon.
  And their legs are so graceful and unique! And their waists are thin, and their bodies are very muscular.
  Varvara will hit and howl:
  - I can make a hole in the globe for the king!
  And he will bare his face and wink his eyes.
  The warriors are at their best here. Here's Tatiana, also a girl in a bikini, who just squeals:
  - Let there be a king over all the earth!
  And it will flash its pearly teeth. And it will hit from a helicopter like a nail. And it will pass through with murder. And it will really fry metal. And it will cause the destruction of a bunker.
  These girls are just girls to girls! And then, when the prisoners are brought in, those girls kiss and lick their bare feet. It's the most sophisticated way to both humiliate and reward.
  
  INVINCIBLE ROMMEL
  In it, Rommel's army was able to achieve victory in Africa in November and December 1941. This was also because the brilliant Rommel's partner avoided the grave mistakes that occurred in real history.
  As a result, the Germans routed the advancing British and held their territory. Initially, this didn't affect the course of the fighting, as the Germans suffered a defeat on the Eastern Front near Moscow.
  However, the Führer's plans subsequently changed. By this point, Rommel had managed to take Tolbuk and was advancing on Egypt. Hitler decided to temporarily defend the eastern front and, for now, concentrate his efforts on Africa and the Middle East.
  However, since the offensive in Africa required fewer forces, the Nazis also carried out several operations in the east. They routed Soviet forces in Kerch, encircled them near Kharkov, and removed a thorn in the Smolensk direction. The offensive of General Vlasov's Second Shock Army near Leningrad also ended in defeat.
  Sevastopol fell after a siege and assault. And the Nazis fortified their positions. Fighting unfolded on the Rzhev Salient. Here, the Nazis managed to hold out.
  But in Egypt, Rommel, having received reinforcements, won a decisive victory. Building on this success, the Germans advanced through Palestine, captured Iraq and Kuwait, and then the entire Middle East, gaining access to oil.
  After which the fascists turned to Sudan and tried to capture the whole of Africa.
  At the same time, the assault on Gibraltar followed, and German troops penetrated into Morocco and further into the African expanses.
  But the Germans' success was facilitated by energetic work in the rear, where Hitler also did something more skillfully than in real history.
  Upon awakening, Hitler-the-Terminator took a bath with the girls and ate breakfast of salad, cauliflower porridge, and a few other vegetables, adding some low-fat, multi-layered goat cheese and caviar. Afterwards, he summoned Speer, formally presenting the new Reich Minister with the document signing the Enabling Act. Adolf, possessed by the rage, was quite insistent:
  "Weapons production in the Third Reich is extremely low! We're lagging behind not only war-torn Britain, but also the totalitarian USSR. And we need air superiority, while increasing production of old weapons and transitioning to new ones. Especially the advanced jet bombers. After all, their incredible speed and high ceiling allow them to destroy British cities with near impunity!"
  Speer radiated optimism:
  "Germany and Poland have an abundance of coal, France has iron ore, and we have enough equipment to produce a multitude of machines. After all, we produce more aluminum and duralumin than all the countries in the world combined!"
  The possessed Adolf nodded:
  - Until then! Britain and the US are also ramping up production, but we need to conserve every gram of metal. Let schoolchildren and other kids as young as five assemble metal parts. Besides, why make the wings and fuselage entirely out of duralumin? We could use wood or fabric. For example, make monoblock wings. So what? We need a new jet fighter weighing no more than two tons, easy to fly, simple to manufacture, and cheap! The number of assembly parts must be reduced to a minimum, and we must also find ways to minimize the aircraft's weight and improve its aerodynamic properties. By the way, aircraft designers are coming soon, and we'll train them.
  Speer smiled:
  - Of course, my Führer. As far as I understand, you plan to recall all highly skilled workers from the army?
  The possessed Adolf confirmed:
  "We'll recruit only highly skilled workers from among foreigners. That way, there will be fewer slackers, and therefore fewer partisans. We'll certainly reduce the number of ground forces; if there's no war with the USSR, we won't need so much infantry, but... Not radically, but I plan to defeat Gibraltar and Malta in the coming months, occupy all of North Africa, and then further into the Middle East. We'll still need ground forces. Furthermore, we need to build additional shipyards both in Germany itself and in France, Belgium, Holland, and Norway. We need aircraft carriers, battleships, and transports. And the Mediterranean will be transformed into a kind of inner-German lake. Do you understand?"
  Speer bowed:
  - Yes, my Führer! I have already ordered the development of a construction program...
  The cunning Adolf added:
  "The working day can be extended to 16 hours if our emergency plans require it. Aircraft production must be increased to 100 aircraft per day in just nine months... More than triple the current rate, and even that's by no means guaranteed to be enough!"
  Speer hastened to encourage the Fuhrer:
  "Our pilots are superior to the British, so numbers aren't everything. We'll find new ways to beat plowshares into swords. As far as I understand, aviation is our priority?"
  The Fuhrer clenched his fist tighter:
  "Our priority is jet aircraft, bombers, and then fighter aircraft, plus the production of new equipment and the development of wonder weapons! Not just in aviation, but also in tanks and artillery, primarily jets... We'll discuss this in more detail."
  The bell rang and the leading aircraft designers of the Third Reich entered the room.
  Messerschmitt, relatively young with a high forehead, Heinkel, already elderly but very agile, the athletically built Tank, Lippisch, and a couple more less well-known ones.
  Adolf pointed to the chairs and ordered them to lay out the drawings on the table:
  "Your task is to create a new, highly powerful, and modern weapon. Germany has more wind tunnels than any other country in the world, and the technology of many aircraft is quite backward. Yet, only the Ju-88 can significantly increase its speed by making the aircraft more streamlined. Specifically, the cockpit should be given a teardrop-shaped, convex shape, which will improve visibility, give the pilot more space, and also increase speed by a good five kilometers due to improved aerodynamics. Additionally, the firing points of both bombers and fighters, bomb racks, and air brakes in the inoperative position need to be streamlined."
  You write down what I tell you!
  The designers nodded in unison:
  - Yes, exactly, great Fuhrer!
  Adolf continued:
  The HE-129 should be redesigned to streamline the gun bay and install a movable cannon to protect against attacks from the rear and lower hemisphere. Furthermore, this attack aircraft should be equipped with an engine boost system. Along with the redesign, production of similar attack aircraft should be increased. Their devastating air strikes will paralyze the British. Furthermore, the Ju-87 dive bomber should be used in Britain. We'll put the obsolete aircraft to good use...
  Adolf paused. The designers remained silent. The Führer remarked:
  "I have serious doubts about the F -190. The vehicle is heavy and not maneuverable enough, and it doesn't have a system for refilling the tanks with inert gases to replace used fuel. Because of this, it could even be knocked out with a single incendiary bullet. What would Tank have to say about this?"
  The famous SS designer, standing at attention, remarked:
  "That's our oversight, great Führer. Although the placement of the fuel tanks must be acknowledged to be quite successful; they're less vulnerable to enemy fire while also protecting the pilot. As for maneuverability, well... the armor alone weighs 120 kilograms, and it's not easy for us to lighten it..."
  The possessed Adolf suggested:
  "Try to improve the Focken-Wulf's aerodynamic qualities. Primarily by reducing weight, and wingtips should be folded back to improve handling and maneuverability. Also, aft hemisphere protection should be installed... As for placing the engine forward of the cockpit, this protects the pilot, but requires equipping the aircraft with an ejection device. Incidentally, the engine itself could be made more streamlined, which our manufacturers should definitely consider. By the way, what about the work on the ME-309?"
  Messerschmitt was a little shocked:
  "We're working on it, great Führer. Estimated performance promises to increase the vehicle's speed to 740 kilometers per hour, armed with seven firing points! This will be the most powerful death for the British..."
  Adolf interrupted:
  "The development work needs to be done faster. And you, Speer, speed up the development of the new rapid-fire 30mm aircraft cannon. It could also be used quite successfully against ground targets and enemy aircraft! The new ME-309 should replace the existing ME-109. As for your ME-262 jet aircraft, unfortunately, it has many shortcomings: heavy weight, low operational reliability, excessive accident rate... I'll personally draw up a sketch of the jet aircraft we need."
  Adolf Hitler began designing the aircraft, drawing on his knowledge of modern jet fighters. Not the most modern ones, but rather those from the 1950s, to adapt them to current production and technology levels. He paid particular attention to the technology for varying wing sweep. Explaining the advantages of such a design:
  "During landing and takeoff, the sweep angle will decrease, and during flight, it will increase. This alone will allow a fighter with a modern ME-262 engine to accelerate to 1,100 kilometers per hour. It will also be significantly lighter."
  Messerschmitt looked at the diagram, wrinkled his high, balding forehead and squeezed out:
  - Brilliant! But my Führer, where did you get such deep knowledge of aerodynamics?
  The possessed Adolf narrowed his eyes slyly:
  - And what about just aerodynamics? A gifted person is usually gifted in everything! And mediocrity is mediocrity even in Africa! By the way, what's with the Arado bomber? Show me a diagram?
  The Fuhrer-time traveler took a quick look and shook his head:
  "No, that won't do! The trolley idea is useless; it won't allow the plane to turn and will crash. We need regular retractable landing gear. Consider some design changes for better aerodynamics. Nothing fancy, but some ingenuity."
  Adolf, his mind blown, made a few more comments:
  "The He-177 Griffon aircraft has an extremely unreliable powerplant. It needs to be replaced immediately, with the latest piston engines, initially four in a row, then with the most modern 2950-horsepower engines. As for the ability to strike from high altitude and in a dive, well... Start developing the He-277; this machine will also become a weapon of nemesis. But the main thing is jet bombers. This is the top priority. For example, the Ju-287 should be like that."
  The Führer again sketched a design with forward-swept wings, explaining various nuances to the designers. Adolf became quite enthusiastic, showing various schemes, especially the tailless bomber. And the flying-wing jet design was more than promising. Moreover, the machine was even capable of bombing the United States. He directly pointed out that designers from all over Europe, even Jews, needed to be involved in the work. Finally, realizing that the designers were already overwhelmed, he graciously dismissed them, retaining only Lippisch. The Führer bellowed:
  "And you, Alexander, I ask you to stay! You will be tasked with creating a new, extremely effective weapon."
  Lippisch was surprised:
  - I will be grateful to you, Fuhrer!
  Hitler the Terminator began to explain:
  "You're certainly familiar with the theory of Wieselsberger, who was once Professor Prandtl's assistant in Göttingen. He was the first to develop a theory of the influence of a screen on the underlying surface..."
  Lippisch nodded, smiling:
  - You are well informed, my Führer! Yes, I know this theory!
  The possessed Adolf continued:
  "We need to create an ekranoplan-a sort of hybrid between a torpedo boat and a seaplane. It flies much lower, though, some 20-40 centimeters above the water. In this case, the air mass supporting the ekranoplan consists of two parts. One is the frozen flow under the wing; the other-a rather small one-emerges from under the wing near the trailing edge and is constantly replenished by air coming from above, from the wing leading edge."
  Lippisch readily confirmed:
  - Truly so, my Fuhrer!
  The possessed Adolf continued:
  "However, the bulk of the air remains beneath the lifting surface, creating a pressure there almost equal to the dynamic force. It acts as a kind of air roller, on which the ekranoplan boat "rolls" like clockwork! The first person to use something similar in practice was the Finnish engineer Kaario. He developed a simple rectangular wing-sled that glided over the snow using an ekranoplan and even received a patent for it. Unfortunately, the military didn't appreciate this discovery in time. They say the Russian professor Levkov also conducted similar experiments... So, this could become a new wonder weapon, capable of delivering bombs, torpedoes, and troops to the British coast at the speed of an airplane, all the while remaining invisible to radar. Plus, it could also deliver devastating blows to British ships! Do you agree?"
  Lippisch groped around with his hand, and the helpful waitresses poured him some juice... After taking a sip, the designer remarked:
  "Yes, it's a promising idea, although there will be some technical challenges. For example, stability..."
  The possessed Adolf nodded in a friendly manner:
  "I'll sketch out a rough diagram for you-it's best to do that, and you can polish the fine technical details yourself. The body should be long, reminiscent of an airliner fuselage, flowing into a dolphin-shaped cockpit, with convex windshields and turbojet engines... Although, perhaps piston engines will do for the first models. And when this colossus is towed into clear water, the engines will roar deafeningly and the narrow, predatory body will explode like a whale, kicking up a cloud of spray. Mind you, this colossus is capable of speeding like a fighter jet just meters above the surface."
  Lippisch whistled in genuine admiration:
  - You have a rich imagination, Fuhrer!
  The dashing Adolf was even more inspired:
  "Of course, it would be a wonder weapon. After all, ekranoplans aren't afraid of any storms. They're not afraid of ice-they fly above it. They're not threatened by swampy river mouths and coastal rocks that can wreck ordinary ships, and shallows are like a playground. They can land troops anywhere: from Africa's Skeleton Coast with its diabolical reefs to both coasts of the United States, the Arctic lands of Canada and Alaska. If there were a few hundred of these machines, Britain would fall in two months."
  Lippisch timidly remarked:
  - And the mines?
  The Fuhrer laughed:
  "Mines, exactly! They pose no threat beneath the surface or in shallow water! Just like submarine torpedoes. And the mines themselves are the perfect weapon for countering the most sophisticated submarines, battering them with depth charges. Furthermore, ekranoplans can fire missiles and mines at enemy ships. And of course, I'll show you how to design guided bombs. And of course, landing forces... The ideal means of delivering landing forces, not just with infantry, but with tanks too! Then the entire nature of war will change abruptly! Understand, Lippisch, what business does the Führer trust you with?"
  The designer asked more mercantilely:
  - And the awards?
  Serious Adolf confirmed:
  "Of course, the most generous: an iron cross with diamonds, lands, colonies, subjects! If we conquer Africa entirely, there will be enough land for everyone!"
  Lippisch stated:
  - If the money and resources are provided, the ekranoplan will be ready, but... I also have projects for a tailless fighter.
  The Fuhrer-terminator hastened to reassure the inventor:
  "I've already sketched out a tailless jet bomber; others will take care of it. Just like the fighter, by the way! Ekranoplans are more important, as they're a fundamentally new weapon... Besides, the Gotha company has some very talented designers who will work on them. In the meantime, you work on the ekranoplans. Actually, I have a lot of pressing matters right now, I still need to talk to the tank generals... You'll be given the order..."
  Lippisch left the Führer quite elated. Adolf thought it might be better to first talk to nuclear physicists about developing an atomic bomb, and eventually a hydrogen bomb, but decided against overburdening himself and others at once.
  There were several designers, including the most famous: Porsche and Aders. While the Germans had a qualitative advantage over the Soviets in aviation and submarines (though not everyone admits this!), their tank fleet at the Panzerwald lagged noticeably behind. In particular, the Soviet KV, T-28, and T-34 tanks were superior to the Germans in armor and armament, and the T-34 even surpassed them in mobility. However, the guns of German tanks were not powerful enough to counter the British Matildas and Cromwells, much less the Churchills and Challengers then being developed by the designers. Not to mention the weakness of the armor of German designs...
  Having invited the guests to sit down, the Fuhrer began to read the moral:
  "Unfortunately, Germany currently lacks a reliable anti-tank gun... The T-3, equipped with a 50mm gun, can only scratch the armor of the Matilda or KV... And yet, the Matilda entered service with Britain before the start of World War II. We ourselves have captured Matildas, whose frontal armor is invulnerable. And the Soviet KV can't even be penetrated in the side or hull. The most our tank can do is destroy a track! So, you designers have put us in a situation where the enemy's tanks are much more heavily armored than ours, while the new American Grants and Shermans, already ready for mass production, are also superior in armament. Not to mention Russian vehicles with a 76mm gun. And how are you fulfilling the task of creating new tanks, in particular with an 88mm gun?"
  Porsche replied with confusion:
  "Of course, we're working on similar developments, great Führer. On May 26th, the Armament Directorate gave us an order for a 45-ton ViK -4501 tank. It's supposed to be exactly like that, with an 88-mm anti-aircraft gun converted to a tank turret. We already have preliminary drawings. You can review them, most excellent."
  The Fuhrer asked:
  - And you, Aders?
  Erwin nodded:
  "Back in 1940, we successfully tested the VK -3001, a new heavy vehicle with a 75-millimeter gun. We have a similar weapon in an anti-tank version, but it hasn't yet entered mass production. We were also working on developing the T-6, weighing up to 65 tons, and a lighter 36-ton model. We're trying, great Führer."
  Adolf, imagining himself a know-it-all, began to quickly examine the drawings. Here they were: the first sketches of the fearsome Tiger, Germany's most famous tank of World War II. This vehicle gained fame during the Battle of Kursk. During Soviet times, Tigers were generally disparaged, but later the attitude toward this vehicle became more objective. For its time, this tank was certainly not bad. During the first major skirmish with our KV tanks, three Tigers knocked out ten Soviet vehicles and escaped unscathed. This tank's main advantage was its powerful 88-mm gun, which for a long time had no worthy opponent. However, at Kursk, despite their superior equipment, the Nazis were still routed... The combat statistics of this vehicle, as well as the loss ratio, generally place it among the best vehicles of World War II. But its shortcomings are also obvious. The heavy weight of 56 tons, with only 100-millimeter armor (the sides only 80-millimeter thick!), the great height, the lack of rational armor slope, and poor driving performance. In fact, the IS-2 tank, weighing ten tons less, was superior to the Tiger in both armor and armament... But this tank only appeared in February 1944. The "King Tiger" weighed 68 tons, with 180-millimeter frontal armor... Of course, such a tank was unsuitable for war in Africa, the desert, or for airborne operations; it was simply a machine like an ear of corn with feet of clay. Of course, for its time, the "King Tiger" was quite effective; it could destroy several enemy tanks in a single battle, and once knocked out twenty-five Shermans in an hour. It was reported that a Tiger destroyed twenty-three T-34 tanks in a single battle. But in any case, this tank is simply the embodiment of the irrational use of power and mass. Take, for example, the Soviet T-54 tank... It's a kind of embodiment of the successful, rational use of essentially the same technologies from World War II.
  The Fuhrer declared decisively:
  - No, sir! Such a project is unacceptable! Building a fifty-six-ton vehicle with only 100 millimeters of armor... Where is our vaunted German efficiency and rationality?
  Aders remarked timidly:
  - The French C-2, weighing 70 tons, had 45 mm of armor...
  The Fuhrer-Terminator interrupted angrily:
  "This tank dates back to World War I. The Russian KV-2, on the other hand, had a 152-millimeter howitzer and weighed 52 tons. But that's 152 millimeters, not 88."
  Therefore, I am giving you the task of an 88-millimeter, 71-caliber gun, for a tank weighing no more than forty tons, with at least 180-millimeter frontal armor, 150-millimeter side and hull armor, and a six- to seven-hundred-horsepower engine. And this tank must be put into mass production by the latest deadline, within six months.
  The German designers turned pale and their hands began to shake. Alexander looked at them mockingly. The task was truly a daunting one; the armament and armor were typical of the 1944 King Tiger, and yet they had to reduce the weight by 28 tons! However, Adolf considered it entirely feasible and even gave Porsche a friendly slap on the shoulder.
  "Don't worry, I'll draw you an optimal design that can make do with this relatively light weight. I'm not a tyrant, but a rationalist. But you'll have to redesign a lot. In particular, align the transmission and engine together."
  Aders noted sadly:
  - This will create certain problems for us. In particular, such an arrangement will have the following disadvantages...
  The tough Adolf interrupted:
  "Of course, there will be some problems, but they're basically easily resolvable. Particularly from a technical standpoint. But the engine can be positioned much more compactly, the suspension can be relocated, and... The tank's height needs to be lowered to two meters, and the crew can be seated in a reclining position; then everything will be much more efficient."
  The Führer began sketching a design, a blueprint of sorts, based on the T-54, the most widely produced Soviet tank of the post-war era. This vehicle was so successful that, even before production began in 1947, it was used in combat with the Taliban in Afghanistan. Iraqi troops used them to fight the US Army during Desert Storm and Operation Shock and Awe, or "Iraqi Freedom." In total, more than 70,000 of these tanks were produced. And the vehicle was quite successful. Weighing 36 tons, it had 200-millimeter frontal armor and a 100-millimeter gun. This type had successfully engaged American Paton-type and Pershing tanks during the Korean War. So, for its current technological level, the model was quite suitable and feasible for implementation. And quite simple to produce - cheap... As for the German 88-mm 71 El gun, it was quite penetrating, comparable to all tanks of World War II (except for the frontal armor of the IS-3, which entered service in May 1945!). What about the IS-3? It was a magnificent tank in terms of armor and a pike-shaped turret. However, its driving performance was poor, and it was soon discontinued. Several more models followed, the IS-4, and so on, until they settled on the IS-10, renamed the T-10 after Stalin's death. And this turned out to be the last Soviet heavy tank. Khrushchev banned all development of heavy vehicles, and his successors never reconsidered it!
  Do the Germans even need a tank heavier than forty tons if a medium tank can be equipped with a gun that can penetrate 193 mm of armor at a distance of 1,000 meters?
  The Americans quickly abandoned heavy tanks, and the Pershing weighed no more than 42 tons, and the Sherman a mere 32. But after it became clear that war with the USSR was imminent, a monster with a 120-millimeter gun and a muzzle velocity of almost 1,000 meters per second appeared. However, the Americans soon became disillusioned with this tank as well. Before the IS-10, the most widely produced post-war tank was the IS-4, with 250-millimeter frontal armor and 170-millimeter side armor. A reliable vehicle, although it weighed over 60 tons. In any case, Germany should also be commissioned to develop a heavy tank, but no more than 50 tons. For example, the IS-10 weighed exactly 50 tons, with 290-millimeter frontal armor and a 125-millimeter gun. By the way, what is the best caliber? During the war, the most common Sherman and Churchill models had 100mm and 152mm of frontal armor. Well, the King Tigers were quite capable of handling this. But the Panther began to fall slightly behind: its 75mm caliber, even with its high muzzle velocity, was insufficient. So Panthers with 88mm guns appeared, though only towards the end of the war, and there weren't many of them. The fact that the Wehrmacht had no plans to rearm its tanks and anti-tank guns with larger calibers suggests that this state of affairs suited everyone. True, there was the Jagdtiger self-propelled gun with a 128mm gun and 250mm of frontal armor, but only 71 were produced, and such a meager number couldn't have influenced the course of the war. Incidentally, what is interesting is that by the time of the Jagdtigers' capitulation, 43 units were still in service, which speaks to the extreme survivability of such a machine.
  Incidentally, Stalin ordered the IS-2 to be immediately armed with a 122-millimeter gun, even though its penetrating power was excessive for German tanks (except for the King Tiger, of which only 458 were produced). Many advised the dictator to limit himself to a 100-millimeter barrel. And indeed, the T-100 self-propelled gun turned out to be the best in terms of all combat characteristics. After all, the larger the caliber, the smaller the ammunition supply, the lower the rate of fire, muzzle velocity, range, and accuracy... Meanwhile, the Germans' most-produced tank, the T-4, and the self-propelled guns based on it weighed only 22-24 tons. The Panzer self-propelled gun, however, was very successful: it had the same armament as the Panther and almost identical frontal armor, despite its low weight and height. More simple and inexpensive Panzers should be ordered into production.
  What about the gun's caliber? A 128-millimeter caliber is too large for an anti-tank gun; it's better used as an assault gun, and an intermediate 105-millimeter caliber would be better.
  Adolf showed the German designers the diagram:
  "This is our new secret weapon! The tank is scheduled to undergo testing in the coming months. Its combat use will begin in 1943. In the meantime, you still have a project to create a heavy tank with a 105-millimeter gun. And also light self-propelled guns. So, get to work, gentlemen."
  Aders timidly objected:
  "The design you've proposed looks attractive, but here's the problem: this tank isn't in keeping with our traditions... And the crew won't be comfortable..."
  Instead of answering, Adolf drank some juice and suggested:
  "Perhaps we should have some lunch, comrades. This tank could be churned out in large quantities, and I don't think the Americans or British will come up with anything better before the end of the war. And even today, we could have a little meat..."
  The girls quickly set the table. Alexander, aware that the Führer's stomach, unaccustomed to meat, might get sick, chose to remain true to himself and only ate a little sturgeon, recalling Sobakevich from "Dead Souls." Yeah, so far he seems to be doing everything right. He's putting the economy on a war footing, declaring total war, passing laws that should have been passed back in 1939... Hitler's slowness with militarization led to a shortage of weapons, specifically in terms of quantity... And then there's the famous MP-44 assault rifle... In terms of combat performance, it's an excellent weapon, in some ways even better than the first Kalashnikov models. It's just a bit heavy... Maybe they should really use the AKM assault rifle as a basis? Ah, it would be great to create a weapon that combines the accuracy of the American M-16 with the rate of fire and reliability of the AKM. Progress is uneven, generally speaking. For example, tank engines haven't significantly increased their power, while computers have become completely unattainable. While they possess the knowledge of the future, what can they offer in terms of, say, an oil substitute? Even America hasn't yet learned how to efficiently produce gasoline from coal! Despite rising oil prices. Well, what else can they offer? Dynamic armor, turbogenerator engines... And that will come, but a little later, so as not to rush into revealing their trump cards. Progress has advanced greatly in seventy years, but old age has not yet been conquered, nor has disease, and man is not God! In fact, some things are even regressing... For example, the rise of religiosity, especially in Russia and the post-Soviet space, as well as Islamic countries. Yet the great thinkers of the Renaissance and modern times predicted that religion would gradually die out!
  But strangely enough, religious extremism is on the rise... And priests are increasingly interfering in state politics. And in this situation, the authorities' policies are incomprehensible. Do they seriously believe that the truth lies in Orthodoxy or Islam? All these educated and savvy people? If not, then what's the point of abandoning the secular model of statehood? For the sake of effective control over the masses? But Orthodoxy has proven its ineffectiveness as a state religion... The fact is that, while formally based on Christianity, and especially the New Testament, Orthodoxy is based on the pacifist teaching: resist not evil and love your enemy! But at the same time, the empire's actual policies are aggressive and demand violence and conquest. This creates a contradiction between form and essence. Even if many people don't consciously understand this, they subconsciously sense it!
  This is why Orthodox teaching is both ineffective and illogical, attempting to be both imperial and Christian. And Christian means Jewish and pacifist! After all, the Bible was almost entirely written by Jews, perhaps even entirely, since the Apostle Paul says that the Jews have great privileges because they were entrusted with the word of God! Therefore, it is not fitting for a Russian to believe the Bible! Therefore, a different faith is needed, but one not based on Jewish scripture... What kind? It must be developed by experienced professionals and psychologists under the guidance of the FSB! Then many contradictions will be successfully resolved...
  It must be said that a child reading the Gospel will never become a strong, courageous, fierce warrior who loves Russia! And what country is celebrated in the Bible? Israel!
  True, he's a possessed Adolf himself; this player, finding himself in Hitler's shoes, has no intention of intensifying the persecution of Jews. On the contrary, useful Jews will enjoy benefits and work for the Third Reich. There will be no such nonsense as executing Jewish scientists or artists! But it's premature to repeal anti-Semitic laws. Firstly, the public might misunderstand them, and secondly, they are a source of wealth, and a very substantial one at that! But softening anti-Semitic policies in exchange for Jewish support is certainly possible.
  And what should we do with the Pope? Relations with the Vatican are far from ideal, but open warfare at this stage would only bring harm. Therefore, we must seek the Vatican's support, but at the same time, insist on our own interests... Ideally, install a puppet on the throne of Peter and gradually reform religion...
  Porsche interrupted Adolf's thoughts:
  - We are very pleased with your dinner, Führer!
  The possessed Adolf smiled graciously:
  "Well, for now, I'll meet with Himmler, and then let Heinzberg come. And you guys, look: you've been given a very tight deadline!"
  The Führer's army was moving through Africa. And it was holding the line against the USSR.
  In winter, the Red Army launched an offensive in the Rzhev salient, but the Nazis were waiting there and were able to repel the attack. In the south, the Germans also held their ground, holding on to the Oryol and Kharkov fronts. Only near Leningrad were Soviet troops able to carry out Operation Iskra, but the fighting lasted nearly a month, and victory came at a very high price.
  The Fritzes somehow survived the winter of 1942-1943.
  But by spring, most of Africa had already been conquered. And the Führer was testing the waters for peace with Britain.
  Churchill is somewhat cool about this, even though Britain is suffering defeat after defeat.
  The situation with Japan is also ambiguous - America lost the Battle of Midway, and for now the samurai are battering the Yankee fleet piecemeal. And America cannot capitalize on its numerical superiority at sea and in the air.
  Hitler wants to attack the USSR, but even after declaring a general, total mobilization, his forces are too limited for this, since the Fritzes are scattered across Africa.
  By summer, the Red Army itself was ready to advance. The Nazis, however, having conquered Africa, were forming colonial forces and receiving additional resources.
  They're used to produce the Lev, Tiger, and Panther tanks. However, the design for this monster wasn't entirely successful. It was too expensive and too heavy. However, for defense, the Panther is a good tank destroyer with a rapid-fire gun.
  The "Lion" turned out to be the most unsuccessful design. It was heavy, expensive, and not very effective. Its gun was too powerful against Soviet T-34s and light tanks, and its rate of fire was far lower than that of the Panther and Tiger. Its armor, however, was better than that of the Tiger, and with clever adjustments. The "Lion" turned out to be like a larger Panther, weighing ninety tons and with an eight-hundred-horsepower engine. However, it entered production somewhat faster than the actual Tiger-2, which weighed twenty-two tons less. It had similar protection to the "Lion," but was more maneuverable and lighter. Its gun, although 88 mm in caliber-versus 105 mm-was still sufficient to destroy all Soviet tanks. And, significantly, it had a higher rate of fire-eight shots versus five.
  So, "Lion", the child of the German, dark genius, did not take root.
  The Germans captured all of Africa, including Madagascar, over the summer. Stalin waited too long.
  Perhaps he himself was counting on the Germans launching an offensive, especially seeing the Lion, Tiger, and Panther tanks arriving. But the Fritzes were still busy solving their problems on the Dark Continent.
  Stalin missed the opportunity. The Soviet offensive began in the direction of Orel and Kharkov, precisely where the Germans were well prepared. And they failed to achieve tactical surprise. The very first battles showed that the Panther performs admirably in defense. The Ferdinands aren't bad either. They're good, too.
  And the Tiger is a capable tank. It's racking up scores. The Germans are defending aggressively and holding up well. The Red Army, in three months of intense fighting, advanced only fifteen kilometers. And its losses were significant.
  Twenty British planes flew over the camouflaged girls. They probably didn't notice anything and were already disappearing over the horizon when suddenly new suspicious sounds were heard. Madeleine commanded:
  - Everyone lie down and don"t move!
  The girls froze, waiting for something. And then, from behind the dune, light transporters and trucks appeared. Judging by their design, British and American manufacture. They were moving slowly toward the capital of Tunisia. Madeleine was a little confused. She'd assumed the front line was still far away, meaning the British wouldn't have time to show up yet. Or rather, they shouldn't have. And here comes a whole column. Although, perhaps less than a battalion... What are they? Some combat group, having bypassed the desert, which is far from a continuous front, wanting to poke around in the rear. It seemed logical, although with their equipment, they were easy to spot in the desert. In any case, they needed to radio their allies and not open fire. Especially since there were only a hundred of them, and over three hundred British!
  Gerda whispered to Charlotte:
  - Here they are, the English! This is the first time I've seen them so close!
  The red-haired friend, also quite nervous, answered:
  - Nothing special! And there are so many blacks among them!
  Indeed, at least half the English were black. And the column moved slowly, the blacks still howling... They were getting closer and closer...
  Then one of the girls' nerves gave out and she fired her submachine gun. At that very moment, the other warriors opened fire, and Madeline belatedly barked:
  - Fire!
  Several dozen Englishmen were mown down at once, one of the trucks burst into flames. The remaining Englishmen opened fire indiscriminately. Madeleine, seizing the moment, yelled:
  - Throw offensive grenades in unison!
  The girls from the elite SS "She-Wolves" battalion throw grenades far and accurately. And they've been trained since childhood, even undergoing special training. It's like when you're training with electric shocks: if you're even a little slow before throwing, you'll get zapped. Gerda and Charlotte also threw their gifts. And the Englishmen are tumbling and upside down... It's funny. They're shooting randomly, and those black guys are yelling in an incomprehensible language. They're real thugs...
  And Gerda shoots and throws, and at the same time sings:
  - The SS's pupils are a nightmare! One leap - one strike! We are she-wolves - our method is simple! We don't like to drag things out!
  Charlotte growls in response. The bullets she fires shatter skulls. Or even gouge out eyes. One terrified black man bayonets his blond partner in the side. He spits blood in response. Charlotte sings along:
  Angels of the starry, dark hell! It seems they'll destroy everything in the universe! I must soar into the sky like a swift falcon! To save my soul from destruction!
  The British are acting disorganized, most of them colonial soldiers: blacks, Indians, Arabs. They either fall, frozen, or, on the contrary, suddenly jump up and start running like mad rabbits. However, the girls shoot accurately, and the grenades, although the shrapnel doesn't fly far, are dense! Now there are only a few enemies left. Madeleine screams in English, her voice so deafeningly loud that she doesn't even need a megaphone:
  - Surrender and we will spare your lives! In captivity, you will have good food, wine, and sex!
  It worked instantly and since they're already giving up... Hands up and...
  They collected fifty prisoners, half of them wounded. Madeleine gave the command:
  - Finish off the wounded!
  The "she-wolves" unceremoniously shot those who couldn't stand on their feet in the temples, while the rest were loaded into cars and driven to the nearest base.
  After the scorching desert sand, Gerda's bare feet felt so nice against the soft rubber. She even moaned blissfully... American trucks are very comfortable and don't shake during the ride. The girls were happy, having won. Charlotte asked Gerda:
  - How many have you killed?
  The girl shrugged her shoulders in bewilderment:
  - I don't know? I wasn't the only one who shot... But I think there were a lot!
  Charlotte calculated:
  "There's a hundred of us, I killed about three hundred, that's three for each brother, that is, for each sister! An impressive start to the war!"
  Gerda waved her hand indifferently:
  "That's not the point for me! The important thing is that not a single friend died. Although, of course, that's just statistics: three hundred enemies were killed, and on our side, only two wolf warriors were lightly wounded. I'm even surprised we haven't conquered Africa yet, with warriors like these."
  Charlotte immediately spoiled the mood:
  - But we lost to these unfortunate warriors in 1918!
  Gerda angrily shook her light-haired head, which looked like it was covered in New Year's snow:
  "It's because of betrayal! But in reality, we were closer to victory than ever before, and it was obvious to anyone with eyes open! Alas, we were thwarted!"
  Charlotte agreed, deftly scratching her bare toes behind her left ear:
  - Yes, betrayal, sabotage, military incompetence... But we still broke the Russians, forcing them to surrender in 1918! Oh, it would be nice to stroll through the vast expanses of Russia; it's cool there, but here it's hot!
  Gerda giggled cheerfully:
  - But in Russia there are such severe frosts... But when I ran barefoot through the snow in the mountains, I know what torture it is.
  Charlotte bared her teeth:
  - Little Gerda runs barefoot through the burning snow... It's symbolic, like in a fairy tale... A fairy tale about a pure, still childish and not at all selfish...
  Gerda winked playfully at her friend:
  - Is this like our visit to the Fuhrer?
  Charlotte confirmed:
  - Almost! We're just riding, not running barefoot across the scorching desert sand. And after a victory, no less.
  The tied up black man muttered in German:
  - Formidable angels, I am ready to serve you! You are a goddess, I am your slave!
  Charlotte stroked the black prisoner's brown curly hair with her slightly roughened foot:
  "You blacks are slaves by nature! That's all well and good, of course; someone has to toil from dawn to dusk, doing the dirty work... But a slave is by nature, a vile traitor, and can't be trusted with a weapon. We Germans, on the other hand, are the most cultured and highly organized nation on Earth. A great nation of warriors, and it's no wonder that German mercenaries served in all the European armies, and even in Russia, most often in command positions!"
  Gerda said fiercely:
  "Yes, you will serve us as a slave. We have special zoos for black people. And for now, all you have to do is..."
  Charlotte suggested:
  - Пускай он целует нам ноги. Ведь это будет для нас приятно, а нигер унизиться.
  Gerda shook her head vigorously:
  - Не знаю как тебе, а противно, если чистой кожи истиной арийки будут касаться губы вонючего нигера. Так что...
  Charlotte disagreed:
  - No, I wouldn't! I'd actually like it. Well, look...
  The fiery red-haired beauty offered the black man her foot. He enthusiastically began kissing the goddess's long, smooth, chiseled fingers. The girl only smiled tenderly in response, the black man's thick lips tickling her tanned skin. The captive's tongue grazed the girl's firm, slightly dusty foot. It felt good, after all, to humiliate a strong, almost six-foot-tall man.
  Gerda was surprised:
  - It's strange, aren't you disgusted?
  Charlotte smiled:
  - No, I don't! Why should I be disgusted?
  Gerda chose to remain silent: why should she interfere in her friend's affairs? After all, they'd been raised to believe that a German woman should be not only a warrior, but also a loving, tender wife and a healthy mother. But she herself hadn't yet considered men, perhaps due to the strenuous physical workload, or perhaps simply hadn't found her match yet. Charlotte, however, seemed to have had enough of this. She kicked the black man in the nose with her ankle, making the juice run, and suggested to Gerda:
  - Maybe we should sing?
  Gerda nodded:
  - Of course, we'll sing! Otherwise it becomes sad!
  The girls started singing, and their friends joined in, so the song flowed like a waterfall:
  My dear, I'm walking out of the thicket,
  Concealing unearthly sadness!
  And the cold, burning and icy,
  The broken motive pierced!
  
  Bare feet in the snow,
  The girls are going white!
  The blizzards roar like angry wolves,
  Tearing off flocks of little birds!
  
  But the girl knows no fear,
  She is a fighter of mighty forces!
  The shirt barely covered the flesh,
  We will definitely win!
  
  Our warrior is the most seasoned,
  You can't bend it with a sledgehammer!
  Here the maples are gently moving,
  Snowflakes are falling on my chest!
  
  It is not our custom to be afraid,
  Don't you dare shiver from the cold!
  The enemy is fat and has a bull's neck,
  It's sticky, disgusting, like glue!
  
  The people have such strength,
  What the holy rite has done!
  For us both faith and nature,
  The result will be victorious!
  
  Christ inspires the Fatherland,
  He tells us to fight to the end!
  For the planet to become a paradise,
  May all hearts be brave!
  
  People will soon be happy,
  Let life sometimes be a heavy cross!
  The bullets are cruelly deadly,
  But he who fell has already risen!
  
  Science gives us immortality,
  And the minds of the fallen will return to the ranks!
  But if we chicken out, believe me,
  The opponent will immediately screw up the score!
  
  So at least pray to God,
  No need to be lazy, away with laziness!
  The Judge Almighty is very strict,
  Although it can help sometimes!
  
  My homeland is the most precious thing to me,
  Holy, wise country!
  Hold the reins tighter, our leader,
  The Motherland is born to blossom!
  The girls from the elite SS "She-Wolves" battalion sang so beautifully, and the lyrics were heartfelt. There's a common stereotype that being an SS soldier means being an executioner! But that's not true. There were, of course, special punitive units, most often part of security divisions that carried out special operations, but most SS divisions were simply the Wehrmacht's elite guard. Generally speaking, it must be said that the Red, totalitarian propaganda is not the most reliable source of information about World War II. After all, it's clear that the communist leaders of Agitprop were bound to be unbiased and objective in their reporting. So, it's difficult to reliably judge what was the real truth about the Nazi atrocities and what was fiction. In any case, those who seriously engage in historical research are forced to admit that not every SS soldier was an executioner and a monster. Moreover, before the attack on the USSR; The Nazis generally behaved tolerantly in the occupied territories; Western sources do not indicate any mass atrocities or reprisals.
  And now the girls helped the captives out of the cars, patting the timid men on the broad shoulders in a friendly manner. Afterwards, the girls were invited to have some refreshments...
  The lunch was modest, but they shot a zebra in the desert, and each girl got a kebab cooked Arabic style. Generally, the Arabs, at least outwardly, were friendly, and those who spoke German even tried to joke around or gently stroke the girls' legs.
  Gerda pushed away the clinging Arab and declared:
  - I'm not for you!
  Charlotte followed her example:
  - Get yourself a harem!
  Gerda, smiling, suggested:
  - Tell me, Charlotte, what would you do if you became the Sultan"s wife?
  The red-haired friend noted doubtfully:
  "That's a questionable fortune, actually... Although it also depends on which sultan you're married to. If it was the great Ottoman Empire at its peak, then... It would even be quite nice... I would reform the Turkish army, improve its weapons... And I'd probably first turn my gaze to the east."
  Gerda agreed:
  - Correct! But it's a shame for Turkey that even in its heyday it couldn't conquer Iran. That was entirely possible, especially since the Persian army was backward. I wonder, great Führer, what decision will he make: conquer Turkey or include it in his coalition, throwing the Ottomans a bone, including some of Iran's less-than-valuable lands?
  Charlotte shrugged her shoulders in bewilderment:
  - I don't know! Actually, there have been rumors lately that we'll attack the USSR... They say that Russia's riches and Ukraine's fertile lands are very much needed!
  Gerda picked up a mug of tea with her bare toes and, quite deftly, lifted it to her chin, pouring the brown liquid into herself. All the while, she managed to speak:
  "Ukraine has very rich, fertile land. Under wise German leadership, and with our high agricultural standards, it will produce record harvests. And then our bread will be cheaper than water. And it will be a benefit to the Ukrainians themselves, since the Soviet regime is simply robbing them, forcing them to starve!"
  Charlotte nodded:
  - We will teach these Slavs our great Germanic culture! We will enlighten them!
  Here the conversation was interrupted by rude shouts, the time for rest was over.
  But after lunch, the girls were lined up again and forced to march across the desert. Running was hard after eating, and the girls even groaned slightly, until their bodies warmed up. And so they ran like jerboas.
  This is a virtual battle... And Africa becomes German... And on the Soviet-German front...
  In winter, the Red Army went on the offensive again. Fierce fighting continued.
  Christina, Magda, Margaret, and Shella fight in a Panther. The vehicle, while not perfect, has a fast-firing, long-range cannon, is reasonably agile, and has decent frontal armor.
  German girls, barefoot and in bikinis, despite the freezing temperatures, are fighting agile battles.
  Here Christina fires a shot... The shell hits the T-34-76's turret and penetrates it. The Soviet tank stops, knocked out.
  The girls scream at the top of their lungs:
  - We won!
  Then Magda shoots. The golden-haired beauty also fired.
  So much so that the T-34's turret was blown off.
  The tiger girls take turns shooting. And quite accurately. Here they are, hitting another Soviet tank.
  Then Margaret slammed it down. And hit the SU-76 self-propelled gun. She hit it deftly. And sang:
  - Our hellish Germany is strong, it protects the peace!
  And as the tongue shows!
  Then she fired a shot from the Shell gun. It hit a Soviet KV-1S tank. That was a good job, too.
  Yes, the four bikini-clad warriors are fierce and unafraid of the cold. After women began fighting, the Third Reich fared much better.
  And here in the sky are the pilots Albina and Alvina. Both beauties in bikinis and barefoot. They're battling it out in Focke-Wulfs. And this is a very serious machine.
  Albina, firing from aircraft cannons, says:
  - Active croquet! Don't be stingy with the word "crush"!
  And how he flashed a dazzling smile! And shot down two Soviet planes at once.
  Alvina also cut down three with her air cannons and chirped:
  - My approach will be deadly and matte!
  After which the girl bared her teeth! She was the very picture of charm, and full of phenomenal charisma.
  Albina cuts off another Yak-9 plane and squeals:
  - Why do we need Soviet pilots?
  Alvina shoots down the LAGG-5 and confidently says:
  - So that we Germans collect bills!
  What a wonderful pair of girls. How they've taken to collecting awards for themselves. You really can't argue with such beauties. They shoot down planes and bare their teeth.
  And the main secret is that in the cold, the girls should be barefoot and in bikinis. Then the bills will come.
  And never dress up. Just flaunt your bare chest, and you'll always be in high esteem!
  Albina cut down another Red Army plane and sang:
  - In great heights and stellar purity!
  And she winked, jumping up and kicking her bare feet, roaring:
  - In the sea wave and the furious fire! And in the furious and furious fire!
  And again the girl shoots down the plane with an energetic approach.
  And then Alvina attacks the enemy. She does it with a spinning attack, bares her teeth, and squeals:
  - I will be the super world champion!
  And again, the car hit by the girl falls. And the Red Army gets its fair share of it.
  And Albina roars with wild ecstasy:
  - I'm an executioner now, not a pilot!
  He shoots down another Soviet plane and hisses:
  - I bend over the sight and the missiles are rushing towards the target, there is another approach ahead!
  The warrior acts extremely aggressively.
  Here both girls are attacking ground targets. Albina hits a T-34 and screams:
  - This will be the end!
  Alvina hits the SU-76 and whispers:
  - Until complete defeat!
  And how he shakes his bare foot!
  The Red Army failed to achieve significant successes during the winter. Only near Rzhev did they manage to make a small inroad, but after bringing in reserves, the Germans regained control. The Fritz are indeed strong.
  And in May 1944, having replenished their troops with new tanks, including the more advanced and better protected Panther-2, they went on the offensive in the area of Kursk and Rostov-on-Don.
  Things wouldn't have been so bad if a large number of Arabs and blacks hadn't taken part in the offensive. And, most importantly, Turkey had also entered the war. So the situation became extremely alarming.
  And the Red Army, suffering heavy losses, retreated before the superior forces of the Wehrmacht.
  But the brave six girls, led by Alenka, fought fiercely against the Fritzes. And the odds were clearly uneven.
  Alenka fought for Kursk, which was being stormed by the Nazis. The desperate beauty threw a grenade with her bare toes and chirped:
  - Glory to Rus' and our native party!
  Then Natasha launched a grenade with her bare toes and hissed:
  - We'll take care of the barefoot girl!
  Afterwards, Anyuta also sent a gift to death with the toes of her bare feet, and babbled:
  - It will be a wonderful blow!
  Red-haired Augustine took it and sent a gift of annihilation with her bare lower limb and squeaked:
  - Pointing the radar to the sky!
  And then the golden-haired Maria gave the Nazis the gift of death with her bare legs.
  And she sang:
  - In Madagascar, in the desert and the Sahara! I've been everywhere, I've seen the world!
  And then Marusya, with her bare feet, throws the whole bunch and sings:
  - In Finland, Greece, Australia, Sweden, they will tell you that there are no more beautiful girls than these!
  Yes, the six girls fought very well. But the Fritzes still took Kursk...
  No, there's no way to stand against such superior forces. The fascists keep pushing forward.
  And what is the effect of the preparation of the monsters?
  Adolf Hitler was simply thrilled, feeling like a true despot, to whom everyone obeyed and trembled. If you want Stalin's success, you have to be like him, merciless and demanding of others and yourself (that's exactly how Joseph Vissarionovich thought, and in exactly that order!). Now, however, a decent amount of noise will begin to stir, and the machine will begin to move. In general, Germany, including its satellites, has a huge advantage over the USSR in industrial equipment, skilled labor, and the number of engineers at all levels. That's a fact, but arms production is still not up to par! Germany lagged behind the USSR throughout the war, despite all the destruction in Russia. And why? Of course, due to a certain amount of chaos that reigned in various departments, especially in the military industry. Furthermore, a shortage of raw materials and an underestimation of the enemy's potential played a negative role. In particular, in 1940, arms production in Germany was lower than in 1939 (if we count the total output, including ammunition), and this despite the fact that the war was already underway, and the Third Reich had gained control of large territories with vast reserves of production capacity. So what can be said about Hitler's organizational skills? Not much, but he did shine in the military industry.
  The Fuhrer declared in a long speech:
  "In the matter of aviation, extraordinary powers are being granted to Sauer. He will closely monitor both the quantity of equipment produced and, no less important, its quality. Besides, many of your friends, Goering, although they were once excellent aces, are incapable of leadership. Not every good soldier is also an outstanding general, so instead of the hanged Eric, the technical sphere will be led by a professional entrepreneur capable of reforming and rearming the air force. After all, Britain is not asleep; it is increasing both the quantity and quality of its armed forces, and especially its air force. We need to be two heads, a dozen steps ahead of the enemy, otherwise we will completely lose our superiority over the enemy. And therefore, we need quality steps."
  Goering timidly objected:
  - My friends, proven people who have proven their combat effectiveness and professionalism.
  The frenzied dictator became furious:
  "Or maybe you think I've forgotten who lost the Battle of Britain? Or who botched the four-year economic development plan? Or do you want to be flogged, too, and in public, no less? So shut your mouth and keep quiet until you're impaled!"
  Goering even cowered in fear. Alas, the Führer was no joke. Then the noise was heard again, and another ME-262 jet took to the skies. The machine was massive and had two engines. Its wings were slightly swept back, and the fighter itself looked quite menacing. Its speed, generally decent for 1941, was even record-breaking by world standards. True, the machine itself was still not entirely reliable and required debugging. The fascist dictator, however, had already outlined the characteristics of new, more advanced fighters... The ME-262 weighs over six tons, which is somewhat overloaded. A jet fighter must be small, cheap, and nimble. In this regard, the ME-163 could have been good, but its rocket engine was overboosted and only lasted six minutes (or rather, it will last!), meaning its range was limited to a hundred kilometers. As a blitz-style bomber or fighter cover for armada strikes on England, it is certainly not suitable.
  The ME-262, however, can carry a ton of bombs, as much as the Pe-2, a Soviet frontline aircraft. This makes it an excellent solution for both fighter sweeps and troop support. However, why not create a fighter similar to the ME-163 Comet, but with a turbojet engine instead of a rocket engine? They tried to improve the Comet, and it seems they've increased its flight time to 15 minutes (a range of up to 300 kilometers), which is generally acceptable for the Battle of Britain. London could still be reached from Normandy... Although it's not all that obvious; you still have to bomb it and return, and fifteen minutes wasn't such a forced approach. In the future, rocket-powered and jet-powered fighters were considered a dead end in aviation. But the Comet's design is quite interesting, with its small size and light weight, which means it's inexpensive and maneuverable.
  There are also some very promising fighters weighing as much as 800 kilograms-gliders that could be used in air combat. However, due to their short range, they can only be used for defensive combat, or delivered to London on... transports, and then picked up by pilots. This will require some thought. In real history, gliders never saw combat, and for some reason, Soviet aviation generals didn't dare try this idea in Korea. It's not a bad thing, but during the Korean War, it was an American pilot who scored the first victories. So, the Yankees shouldn't be underestimated.
  After the flight ended, a young, fair-haired girl jumped out of the cockpit and ran at full speed to the Fuhrer.
  The number one Nazi, possessed by the tide, extended his hand to her for a kiss. It's so nice when girls love you, and the Führer, it seems, is sincerely idolized by all Germans, or rather, almost all except a few concentration camp prisoners. The pilot said enthusiastically:
  "This is simply a magnificent plane, it has such speed and power. We'll tear all the lion cubs apart like they're hot water bottles made of surrogate fiber!"
  The Fuhrer approved of the girl"s impulse:
  "Of course we'll rip it apart, but... We need to debug the car more quickly, especially the engines. Radical measures will certainly be needed to improve them, but if anything, the chief designer will help!"
  Everyone shouted in unison:
  - Glory to the great Führer! May Providence help us!
  The Third Reich anthem began to play, and a column of young Hitler Youth fighters began to march. Boys aged fourteen to seventeen marched in a special formation to the beat of a drum. And then came the most interesting part: teenage girls from the German Women's League marched. They wore short skirts, and their beautiful, bare feet drew the men's gaze. The girls tried to lift their legs higher, but at the same time pointed their toes and carefully placed their heels. It was a fascinating sight, these beauties with their flawless figures... Their faces were varied, though, and some of the young fascists had a somewhat rough, almost masculine look, and they even grimaced. Especially when they knitted their eyebrows together.
  The aesthete Adolf noted:
  "We need more physical training for boys and girls. I know a lot is being done in this regard, particularly in the Jungvolk, but it needs to be more comprehensive and adopt Spartan methods. Of course, apart from encouraging theft... Our young men and women must grow up to be decent and at the same time ruthless people."
  The Supreme Commander paused. The generals remained silent, probably afraid to object and reluctant to confirm the obvious. The Führer continued:
  "War is no joke, but ruthlessness toward enemies must be combined with mutual assistance and a sense of brotherhood toward comrades. This is what we must instill in everyone... The new superman is merciless to others, but he must be even more merciless to himself. For inferiority must first be eradicated from one's soul, and then the frail human body will rise again!"
  Another pause... The generals and designers suddenly realized what had happened and began applauding wildly. The Führer seemed pleased:
  "That's already better, but now I'd like to see a simulated aerial battle. Something menacing and devastating..."
  Heinkel asked timidly:
  - With live ammunition or shells, my Fuhrer?
  Nazi number one nodded:
  "With combat ones, of course. Besides, I'd like to examine the ejection device. After all, you're working on it..." The Führer shook his fists. "When will it finally be ready and put into mass production? After all, an experienced pilot is an experienced pilot, one who must be preserved for future battles!"
  The Führer-terminator nevertheless decided to show the designers a more modern ejection device design. This system should be less bulky, simpler, and lighter. The inexpensive pyropatron, already mastered by German industry, was perfectly suitable for this purpose.
  The diagram had to be drawn on the fly, but Hitler was a truly accomplished artist, and he drew clearly and quickly; the diagram's lines and turns were smooth and precise, without the aid of rulers or compasses. The time-traveling Terminator thought it odd that the Germans, with their generally strong and somewhat advanced ideology of National Socialism and totalitarianism, had failed the Russians in the war. Perhaps this was because Russian soldiers were stronger and more resilient than the Germans and learned to fight more quickly.
  Generally speaking, if you look at the course of the war as a whole, yes, the Russians, or rather the Soviet military, were learning to fight, while the Germans seemed to have forgotten how... Their command made decisions at the level of first-graders, and maybe even lower, if that first-grader has experience waging war in real-time strategy games. And the fact that sometimes children as young as six can so deftly command virtual armies is something they, even Zhukov and Mainstein, could learn from. However, some researchers consider both Zhukov and Mainstein incompetent. There are also discrepancies regarding the number of tanks, particularly captured French tanks. Hitler's memory (a good memory, especially when he was still healthy!) suggested that 3,600 captured tanks from the French were a very impressive number... Some models, such as the SiS -35, were superior to the T-34 in terms of armor, although only in frontal armor. So this tank could very well be produced in French factories, albeit with the exception of replacing the 47mm gun with a longer 75mm one. In fact, even that might not be enough. Britain and the US generally valued armor above all else in their tanks. For example, the forty-ton Churchill had 152mm of armor, compared to 120mm for the IS-2 heavy tank.
  The Fuhrer told the designers something else:
  "We have plenty of wind tunnels, so focus on finding a more optimal aircraft model and creating streamlined designs, without resorting to expensive testing, where our best aces die. For example, a flying wing model is quite effective, especially if the thickness and angle of incidence can be adjusted. I've already given you the drawing, so the tailless aircraft should be ready. Its estimated speed, even with a Jumo engine, will be up to 1,100 kilometers per hour. So go for it, but don't be impudent!"
  Adolf the time traveler also advised how to increase the speed of the pipe's blowout. He detected the poorly concealed irony in the designers' gaze: how could a mere corporal know so much? Don't they believe in the Führer's genius? So we'll figure it out... or no, we won't figure it out, but rather prove to them our intelligence.
  Lunch followed in the open air, and the maids set up the tables and chairs. Beautiful... But what reforms should National Socialism implement? Those that would minimize the number of enemies and make friends. For example, stop extolling the German race at every turn, and perhaps even stop dividing peoples into classes. However, the division of nations into inferior and Aryan has not yet been formally legalized. This simplifies matters. In fact, Hitler began the mass extermination of Jews precisely after the attack on the USSR. Why would he have such quirks? Perhaps he was counting on world Zionism to bless him in the war against Bolshevism, and the West to support him. And then, when Britain and the United States decisively declared "no" to the Wehrmacht, did the Führer fly into a rage? Did he begin to take revenge on those Jews he could reach? Hitler was certainly an idiot for orchestrating the Holocaust and thereby discrediting the idea of National Socialism. Nowadays, the words "Nazi" and "executioner" have become synonymous. Many also confuse nationalism and fascism, perhaps because the word "Nazi" sounds similar. But this is completely untrue. Fascism, in principle, has no direct relation to National Socialism. The concept of fascism, in essence, arose in France in the nineteenth century and had a completely different meaning.
  The essence of fascism, in its original form, boiled down to establishing a corporate spirit and a sense of camaraderie among capitalists. Mussolini then introduced fascist doctrine to his Blackshirts. The Nazis, however, were primarily called "fascists" by their enemies and political rivals. To be honest, the Nazis were brutal, so the word "fascist" acquired a derogatory, negative connotation. In Russia, nationalists once experienced a certain upsurge, particularly in the early 1990s, reaching a peak in 1993-1994. Then, the war in Chechnya led to a rise in pacifist sentiments in society and a temporary decline in nationalism. The war in Yugoslavia and the bombing of Serbia led to a temporary surge in patriotism, but then a split in the national movement ensued. In Russia, nationalists had a problem with leaders... They didn't have their own Führer... True, Zhirinovsky was compared to Hitler, and he even surpassed him in some ways. For example, in the speed of his political rise, taking first place in the parliamentary elections four years after the party's founding. But Zhirinovsky acted foolishly and failed to build on his success, or even maintain it. It must be said that his own fault lay primarily in the lack of discipline within the party and the scandals he became embroiled in. But the real Hitler never sat in the Reichstag, and his filmed hysterics were never shown on television. And there was no television, either. Although, after all, Zhirinovsky's success in the 1993 elections was precisely due to his successful outreach to television audiences.
  A beautiful girl from the servants sat down next to the Führer and placed his hand on her bare knee. She cooed:
  - Are you thinking about something, my Fuhrer?
  The Nazi dictator, who was also a virtual gamer, perked up. He noticed he still hadn't finished his vegetable soup and fruit salad. The Führer kissed the girl on the lips, inhaling her youthful, sweet scent, and declared:
  - You'll ride in the car with me. And everyone, get to work, the time for eating is over.
  And once again, the gears of the state's, admittedly not entirely well-oiled, machine began to turn. On the way back, the Führer made love to a beauty and even wondered where he got so much energy and strength. After all, they said the Führer was impotent and supposedly disabled, had contracted syphilis (a lie) and was castrated (a complete fabrication!). True, Hitler had never managed to sire offspring... So tomorrow, he'll take care of it himself... Or maybe he'll have to invite Himmler after all. In fact, in real history, the Führer dramatically strengthened the role of the SS. Apparently, he'll have to follow suit in this alternative reality. And subordinating the criminal police to the SS structure is generally sensible; now all data and files will be merged into a single source. Furthermore, the use of torture against criminals and the advanced interrogation methods characteristic of the Gestapo and other secret police agencies will significantly increase the crime detection rate.
  The truth may increase, and the number of innocent victims may increase, but... The overwhelming majority of SS men are decent people, and an experienced investigator, as a rule, can immediately tell whether a person is lying or telling the truth, and is rarely mistaken. This can be judged from many crime reports.
  Having dealt with a few more current matters and invited two new girls to warm the bed, the Fuhrer, laying his head on the beauty"s bare, lush breasts, fell asleep...
  This time, he returned to the previously interrupted dream of a grand space battle. Back in his transparent fighter, the enemy was attempting to attack the ranks of the Great Russian army. And the man who had become the Führer of the Hypernet game, and his companion, a buxom yet muscular blonde, were trying to coordinate their actions, supporting each other. The hideous enemy fighters were trying to outnumber them, exploiting their numerical superiority. The discord in the Shitstan battle armadas was becoming increasingly apparent. Their ships seemed increasingly repulsive. Captain Vladislav, using the "bucket" maneuver, successfully cut off the machine in the shape of a crooked shoe and said:
  - It"s no wonder that both Hitler and Stalin"s father was a shoemaker!
  In response, his blonde partner flashed her bare, pink heels:
  "I don't need boots or other footwear. I can feel the slightest distortion of the vacuum or the vibrations of space much better with my bare feet! Oh, my Führer, would you like to become a girl?"
  Vladislav chuckled in response:
  "It would be interesting for a short time. Everyone says women have much stronger and longer-lasting orgasms than men, so I really wanted to see if that's true."
  The blonde giggled:
  "Progress may give you the opportunity to experience this too... Unless, of course, we lose the epic space battle. There are too many enemies. Even the unborn Emperor Diamondtiger 13, who already commands us, may perish."
  The time traveler to the Fuhrer noted:
  - A great commander, in war like a head, the larger the size, the greater the loss!
  Instead of answering, the blonde began to turn her fighter. She spun around, barely avoiding the ramming attack, and then fired back with pinpoint accuracy. The enemy aircraft burst into flames and began to shatter, into tiny, flaming pieces, like poppy seeds. The girl, picking up a piece of chewing gum with her bare toes, tossed it so deftly that it landed right on her protruding tongue:
  - Lovely! When you chew, you eat!
  But the tough warrior wasn't so lucky; he was hit again, even if only glancingly, and the warrior-captain growled:
  - I'm so sick of these women's caresses!
  The blonde's eyes sparkled:
  "Are you not satisfied with just being petted? You probably want something more serious? You men are so impatient and prone to cheating!"
  Vladislav laughed and nearly swallowed a harsh retort from among the Shitstan fighters. The battlefield had changed somewhat. The enemy seemed inexhaustible, bringing ever more forces into the fray. The ultra-battleships were especially dangerous, huge as asteroids, slowly emerging from the vacuum as if drawn in sympathetic ink (which showed up when a lamp was shone on them). Shitstan was primarily trying to bend its flanks, executing an enveloping maneuver, likely to create a cauldron in space.
  The forces of Great Russia fought courageously, yet they didn't shy away from maneuvers. They employed both agile defense and daring maneuvers and dives. For example, the battle cruisers and grappling vessels of Great Russia's space army would disappear and then reappear behind the nightmarish enemy's lines. It was like fish hunting in an ice hole-they'd emerge, snatch their prey (some winter insect, or if the hunter was a catfish, even a bird!), and then plunge back into the hole. The ships of Shitstan would immediately become disoriented, huddling together, and even opening fire on each other. A comical plasma explosion, incinerating starships. For example, even an ultra-battleship, having received several hits from thermopreon missiles, burst into blue and green flames. Then the great warrior (continuing to crush the Shitstanians who stuck to him like bath leaves!) saw the scene inside the blazing ultra-battleship. And what an impressive machine it was, with a crew of two million soldiers and fifty million robots!
  The fighters inside the ship are a diverse bunch of thugs: trolls, goblins, and several hybrid types, like the most common one: a cross between ticks and cigarettes, or rather, cigarette butts! And terrifying creatures, straight out of a horror movie drawn by a drug addict.
  The creatures desperately wanted to escape, but instead they collided with each other, stabbing, cutting, and biting. Then a fencing machine appeared, specially designed for boarding combat. And it was armed with quasi-plasma swords, not straight ones, but curved for a variety of maneuvers. The first fencing machine smashed into the living mess of creatures escaping the blazing, enormous ship. Shreds of severed flesh and charred bodies immediately flew in all directions. A friend appeared behind it; it resembled a spider, only it had at least thirty limbs, and they were like annihilation streams capable of cutting even a dinosaur in half.
  One of the officers of the Shit-stan yelled:
  - Oh, don't cut me! The pawn took the queen!
  But he was unlucky. A cigarette butt with tick legs, only more disgusting, hit the antenna and hung impaled. However, its screeching was no longer audible in the wild, ever-growing cacophony. Tongues of princeps plasma flame, predominantly blue and orange, were catching up with the terrified fighters of Shitstan, frying them. And the fencing machines raged inside the ultra-battleship. Apparently, their programming was clearly imprinted: kill, kill, and kill again! And who, essentially, didn't matter to them. And the corridors were filled with the eerie roar of the hypercomputer.
  However, the ultra-flame had already reached the fencing machines, as well as many goblins, and the claws-the cigarette butts-were already disintegrating into photons. The ultra-battleship itself began to gradually disintegrate into several pieces. Although the splitting occurred slowly, it didn't seem any less ominous. Especially compared to the vast number of others, sometimes flaring up like miniature supernovas, sometimes, on the contrary, like shriveling starships. Unfortunately, not only for Shitstan, but for Great Russia.
  For example, a cruiser with a hammer and sickle emblem lost control and rammed an enemy dreadnought. When two masses collide at sublight speeds, it's the equivalent of an annihilation missile ramming. It explodes with overwhelming force (if that's even a word). The explosion blossomed like a tulip with multicolored petals, suddenly consuming everything within a radius of ten or twenty kilometers. Vladislav-Adolf put it this way:
  - And it looks like our guys are already in heaven!
  The blonde remarked philosophically:
  - Heaven is the only good place where no one is in a hurry to get to, even if they are in hell!
  The man who had traveled to Hitler agreed:
  "Such are the paradoxes of the universe. We don't want to end up in a good place, but the bad one draws us in! So it's not even clear which is better, life or death."
  The girl philosophically remarked:
  "Life is always better than death. It's no wonder that almost everyone thinks so. However, people's opinions, like everything else in our world, are relative."
  The Führer, having executed yet another rather clever maneuver, allowed him to shoot down a two-seater, and therefore much more expensive and heavily armed, fighter (how beautifully it exploded, like a firework made of complex pyrotechnic combinations), pearls of shattered matter scattered across the vacuum. Vladislav-Adolf remarked:
  People's ideas about both nature and God are highly contradictory. There's even the concept of a reactive, even destructive, mind, which forces people to behave in ways completely different from those dictated by pragmatic instincts and considerations of expediency.
  The blonde, struggling to pull out of a brutal dive (which is something to do when seven fighter jets are rushing at you at once), said:
  - Forget about pragmatics - turn on mathematics!
  "It's not funny!" Vladislav retorted.
  Suddenly, an image of the Great Russian Army's command post appeared before the time-traveling naval aviation captain. Indeed, it is a gift to be able to penetrate the inner sanctum and even discern the intentions of one's own command, not those of others.
  Here is the flagship battleship, an impressive one hundred kilometers in diameter, the flagship of the Great Russian Space Army. And this ship, naturally, is also fighting, for tens of thousands of barrels of powerful artillery cannot be left idle. Nevertheless, the flagship ultra-battleship strives to operate in sync with the other large ships. The enemy must not be given the slightest chance of destroying the flagship, which houses the main command of the Great Russian Space Army squadron.
  It's surprising, but the general commander and monarch is merely a fetus lying in the womb. The mother herself is immersed in a state of suspended animation, as otherwise, fulfilling her duties would be too painful. Meanwhile, the functioning of the already well-developed fetus-monarch, complete with limbs and, most importantly, a sizeable brain, is ensured by numerous cybernetic components. The fetus itself, reigning over the Great Russian Empire, feels quite comfortable.
  Of course, he's burdened by the necessity of being inside his mother for years now. He can only dream of running around or moving anything. And these dreams are agonizing, for birth means immediate disappearance. The fetus communicates with the outside world via scanners. Of course, they don't show the actual appearance of the commanding embryo, but an image more reassuring. Specifically, a handsome young man appears as the unborn king. He gives orders to the troops in a clear, commanding voice:
  - Use the principle of elastic defense. Just as thousands of years ago, weak forces, outnumbered, exploited the undeniable fact that a smaller mass is far more mobile than a larger one. Because a tiny mass also has negligible inertia!
  The female marshal confirmed:
  - Of course... An army's ability to maneuver is the key to victory. But of course, extremes must be avoided. After all, an ant isn't the king of the beasts!
  The embryo commander grinned:
  "The most deadly creatures are bacteria. No, perhaps even viruses! They may be primitive, but they're effective! The enemy has gathered enormous forces here, from practically the entire universe, which means they've exposed the remaining areas."
  Marshal Elf Fego with purple and orange braids noted:
  "Sometimes, a seemingly insignificant advantage on a limited section of the front is enough to achieve victory. Such is the strange axiom of many battles, across various civilizations!"
  The fetal emperor chuckled through the scanners:
  - In this case, you get to the root of the matter.
  Meanwhile, the Shitstan armadas were trying to regroup on the move. A significant reserve force had arrived from behind. Thousands of large starships and millions of smaller ships had deployed in bell formation. As a result, the parasites' firepower increased significantly. The female marshal said excitedly:
  "Here's another trump card thrown out by the bastard enemy. Our intelligence wasn't quite up to par, and the possibility of committing such a massive force wasn't foreseen."
  The Emperor's hologram, a boy, kicked the sword. The projectile slammed into the gate. Almost immediately, there was an explosion. First, a flash that consumed the eyes, and then a purple mushroom sprouted, destroying everything within range of the battleship's cannon. The hologram boy declared:
  - That's phenomenal goal-scoring! Let the opponents give it their all. I've got a surprise in store for them.
  Elf Fego looked at the battle scene with some doubt. The Shitstan armada looked terribly menacing, especially the ultra-battleships, whose diameters reached two hundred and fifty kilometers. The elf suddenly remembered his home planet... Its nature there is idyllic, without even bloodsucking insects. And the lions... Well, not quite lions, more like hybrids with cornflowers. Overall, they are a beautiful beast: their body a cornflower, and their golden mane fluttering in the wind. And the cornflowers change color... Here is sheer ugliness, aimed at both humans and elves.
  The blonde marshal stated:
  - We don"t know how many reserves the enemy has, but it seems to me it"s time to move our ambush regiment.
  The Emperor-embryo objected:
  - Now is not the time to show your cards!
  The girl marshal tried to argue:
  - If our people die, there will be no one to fight!
  And then the embryonic commander was found:
  "You can't win a war without casualties. It's possible in chess, but not in a real battle! The merciless law of war is that losses are like rain that waters the shoots of victory, but you must be careful that they don't turn into a downpour that washes away the shoots!" Then the hologram sent from the womb suddenly grew kinder. "But don't think that in order to reduce losses, especially from the fire of the ultra-battleships, let the starships of Great Russia retreat in a spiral."
  The Elf Marshal supported the Embryo Commander-in-Chief:
  - Exactly, that's the only way. It's not yet known how much power the enemy will be able to unleash from the underworld.
  Indeed, the Shitstan starships tried to fly in a dense flock. They didn't conserve ammunition at all, firing missiles by the millions without even bothering with accuracy. It felt like billions of matches striking a vacuum, igniting into hyperplasm, incinerating everything living and moving, and then extinguishing themselves. The Russian soldiers fired far more accurately; the enemy's grand dreadnought thundered like a firecracker, scattering fragments like confetti. A deadly confetti that knocked down several Shitstan boats. And the number of frigates destroyed by this bastard civilization is simply incalculable. True, Russian ships are perishing, too. A damaged cruiser, in desperation, darted forward like a Russian tank at Kursk and rammed an enemy ultra-battleship. Hundreds of thousands of lives were cut short, and the flames burned as if a gigantic gas pipeline had been blown up.
  The dwarf marshal remarked sullenly:
  "They're bending us, but we're not giving in!" the square-faced commander (or rather, his holographic image; the dwarf himself was on another Gross-Dreadnought-class ship) remarked. "We should at least launch some counterattacks against the enemy's communications and supply lines."
  The Emperor-embryo grinned through his boyish hologram:
  - What, in your opinion am I a loser?
  The gnome marshal grunted and spread his paws:
  "But they don't skimp on ammunition at all. That means they have plenty. Isn't that right, my lord?"
  The Emperor-embryo objected:
  "No, that's not true! A great commander is worth more than his head, so a helmet of caution and a camouflage of cunning won't hurt him! In short, the enemy is currently under the sweet illusion that all is well with them, but in reality, our victory is already at hand! Strike unexpectedly, tantamount to replacing the fist with a sword of alloy steel!"
  
  
  WITTMANN STAYED ALIVE
  A slight change in history is due to the Nazis' major success during the Ardennes Offensive. The Nazis advanced faster, were able to cross bridges and capture depots containing weapons, ammunition, and fuel. This success was also facilitated by Wittmann's participation in the attack, who, unlike in real history, did not die! So what? True heroes never die and are immortal! Wittmann continued to fight and rack up the score. After destroying his 200th tank, he became the first and, to date, only tanker to be awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds.
  Wittmann's genius shifted the course of history slightly. And the Germans proved slightly luckier, faster, more effective. And they achieved what almost happened in real history, but were just a couple of hours short. And so, the warehouses were captured, and the German army acquired devastating power. As a result, Brussels was captured, and hundreds of thousands of British and American soldiers were captured.
  Stalin was in no hurry to attack, wanting the allies to be defeated as thoroughly as possible in the West.
  Combat demonstrated that the Tiger-2 was a highly effective weapon, both in terms of armament and frontal armor. The Germans, seeing the Red Army's inactivity in the east, deployed additional units to the battle and began to exploit their success. The Fritz also acquired the new E-25 self-propelled gun, which was small and lightweight, but boasted powerful armament, decent armor, and, most importantly, maneuverability.
  The result: new victories... Now the Fritzes are in Paris. They are taking the French capital again.
  And this is what Stalin wants - for the allies to be killed, and then all of Europe will go to the USSR.
  Stalin was a cunning fox... But Churchill wasn't an idiot either. When Roosevelt died, he and Truman agreed to an armistice with the Third Reich. At the same time, they withdrew the remnants of their defeated troops from France. And, of course, with a full prisoner exchange, and even the supply of fuel and supplies to the Third Reich.
  In response, Germany repealed anti-Semitic laws. However, Jews remained in the camps, but they weren't burned; they were merely forced to work, and the Americans sent canned goods and grain to the camps.
  The Germans had a free hand in France and Italy. Now Stalin approached them with a proposal for a separate peace, but Hitler rejected it. In June, the Fritz offensive began. The first E-50 tanks entered production. But as it turned out, the vehicle wasn't entirely successful. Its weight remained high, nearly 65 tons, with a lower silhouette than the Tiger-2, but the armor was equally thick, clearly insufficient, especially on the sides. The 88-millimeter gun, with a barrel length of 100 EL, proved somewhat better. It fired twelve rounds per minute.
  A more powerful engine, capable of producing up to 1,200 horsepower, improved performance. Overall, the tank was certainly more powerful than the Tiger-2 and had slightly more rationally sloped armor, but remained vulnerable from the sides.
  The E-100 was better protected, but its heavy weight made it difficult to transport and use in combat. The most successful was the E-25 self-propelled gun, with a very low profile, heavily sloped 120-millimeter frontal armor, 82-millimeter side armor, and a Tiger-2 cannon. It was the best self-propelled gun of the Wehrmacht and World War II. With a 700-horsepower engine, it could reach speeds of up to seventy kilometers per hour and deflect shells from even the IS-2 into its frontal area.
  The Germans launched their main attack from Hungary, attempting to save the still-encircled Budapest. The fighting was extremely fierce.
  The offensive began on June 22, and the Red Army had built a very powerful defense. The Germans still had few E-series tanks, only the E-25 self-propelled gun in fairly large numbers-it's relatively easy to produce and inexpensive. That's where the two bikini-clad girls are lying. The vehicle is less than five feet tall, which is why it's so well protected and armed, despite its relatively light weight.
  Two girls, Charlotte and Gerda, lay prone and fired at Soviet guns. In front of them, tiny, radio-controlled vehicles moved, clearing minefields.
  Red-haired Charlotte fired her gun. She knocked down the Soviet weapon and shook her chest, barely covered by a thin strip of fabric. She cooed:
  - Mad fire of hyperplasm!
  And then Gerda gives it to me with her bare toes. And chirps:
  - I'm a very cool girl and not a bad one...
  The self-propelled gun moves along. And stops every now and then. Its frontal armor is heavily sloped, providing good protection. Soviet cannon shells are susceptible to ricochets. And nothing threatens the front of such a self-propelled gun. They might still penetrate the side. But the girls are in no hurry. This effective self-propelled gun surpasses the SU-100 in armor penetration, and is also better protected, more maneuverable, and lighter.
  The Red Army also has few Su-34s. Mostly, it has the T-34-85 tank, which lacks a powerful gun and weak armor. And the German E-25 self-propelled gun, incidentally, is lighter, but far superior in armor and gun.
  The girls are fighting... Very beautiful and young. And their self-propelled guns are bombing and throwing them...
  The Nazis finally managed to break through to Budapest. A decisive victory, they surrounded the Soviet units. Many were captured and killed.
  True, the Nazis suffered significant losses. But their forces weren't all that numerous. Well, while they were still producing equipment, their manpower was rather limited.
  And the army is conscripted from children and women. Or foreigners, but they are not reliable enough.
  Nevertheless, the fighting continues... The Red Army puts up a stubborn resistance, setting up many defensive lines. The Germans advance another hundred kilometers and then stop. They're running low on strength. So the Red Army goes on the offensive itself. But it's not having much success, pushing the Germans back slightly.
  Until winter arrives... The front line stabilizes. The Red Army will continue to advance in East Prussia and Poland in January 1946, but makes little progress.
  The Germans don't make a fuss in winter. The fighting is bloody. But the front line is sluggish...
  And then comes a period characteristic of the First World War. The front line becomes stagnant. The Germans and foreign divisions advance in the summer, and the Red Army in the winter. And neither can achieve significant success.
  Year after year of war rages on. The Germans are somewhat ahead of the USSR in jet aircraft development. The USSR only enters serial production with the MiG-15 in 1949. But by this time, the Germans have the ME-462 and HE-362. And most importantly, disc-shaped aircraft, which are impossible to shoot down with small arms from a powerful laminar flow.
  In tanks, the German "E" series... The T-54 and IS-7 emerged as a counterweight. But the Germans also later developed the AG series-a more advanced pyramidal design.
  But no one had the advantage. The front line remained unchanged.
  Until Stalin died in March 1953...
  And then, taking advantage of some confusion in the party leadership and the power struggle, the Germans were able to achieve success. But then, after the arrest and execution of Beria, the appointment of Vasilevsky, a great strategist, as Supreme Commander-in-Chief, and the strengthening of Malenkov as Head of the State Defense Committee, the front line stabilized within the borders of Europe.
  During the period of the struggle for power in the USSR, the Germans were able to reach the Neman and recapture the Balkans, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Greece, Albania, and regain full control over Europe.
  But the front line stabilized again on the borders of the USSR in 1941...
  And so it is December 1955... The Red Army, as per tradition, is attacking again in winter. How many years has the war been going on? Horrible fourteen and a half! And there's no end in sight!
  As long as Hitler lives, the war will never end. Malenkov is leaning toward peace within the existing borders until June 22, 1941. But Hitler is stubborn and wants to win at any cost!
  The Red Army is advancing. The newest IS-12 tank is heading into battle. It's armed with a 203-millimeter cannon. It's a big one, with ten machine guns. And six girls-the crew members. They're testing the very first model of the tank. Is it too big and heavy? Is it effective? The girls, despite Christmas on December 25th and the freezing temperatures, are wearing nothing but bikinis. True, the tank has a brand-new gas turbine engine, and it's warm. Besides, the six girls themselves are no ordinary girls.
  They've been fighting since 1941. And they've gotten used to being practically naked in any weather. Indeed, when you're always in a bikini, you stop feeling cold. And your skin becomes supple and strong.
  The girls, barefoot, operate the killing machine. They are truly sweet and beautiful.
  Alenka is the main character here and the crew commander. What hasn't this girl seen in fourteen and a half years of war? She's been everywhere. She's crossed the front from Brest to Stalingrad, from Stalingrad to the Vistula, and now they're advancing in the Bialystok region. Bialystok itself is still held by the Germans. The front line has become stable. And they've dug a decent number of trenches.
  So, indeed, the war is endless... And it could go on for years to come. And what does this stubborn Hitler want?
  Moreover, the US and Britain don't want peace between the USSR and the Third Reich. They want both sides to completely annihilate each other.
  The girls in the IS-12 are moving forward. The tank's 450mm frontal armor is sloped. The shells bounce off. And the girls fire back.
  But the USSR only has one such tank so far. The IS-10 is already in production, but weighs fifty tons. The IS-7 is still in production, as is the T-54. The T-55 has also become a mass-produced tank, but it's only just entering production. The Germans have pyramid-shaped tanks. They're also very powerful and sophisticated. And they have high-pressure guns with short barrels.
  So the fight ahead is truly serious. Natasha and Anyuta fire a powerful ship's cannon and squeal:
  - Our flag will be over Berlin!
  And they bare their white, pearly teeth. And you can't stop the girls with mines.
  Two shells hit the frontal armor... They ricochet. No, the IS-12 is a serious vehicle and won't be taken so easily.
  The IS-7 moving to the girls' right appears to have been hit by a high-pressure cannon and stopped. Damaged the beauty.
  Alenka, flexing her abdominal muscles, sings:
  - Everything impossible is possible in our world, Newton discovered that two times two is four!
  The fighting continues unabated. The Soviet cannon fires at the Germans. Big Marusya loads shells into the breech. Such is the girls' life and destiny. And they sing:
  "No one can stop us, no one can defeat us! Russian wolves crush the enemy, Russian wolves - salute the heroes!"
  Augustine, firing from machine guns, says:
  - In the holy war! Victory will be ours! Forward, Russian flag, glory to the fallen heroes!
  And again the lethal cannon roars, and sounds:
  "No one can stop us, no one can defeat us! The Russian wolves are crushing the enemy, they have a powerful hand, you know!"
  Maria, this girl with golden hair, directs the tank and squeals:
  - Let's crush the fascists hard!
  The Germans are having a hard time, and fighting is also raging in the skies. But for now, the MiG-15 is inferior in speed and armament to the German fighters. Therefore, the battle is uneven.
  This remarkable ace pilot, Huffman, had quite a career during the war. More accurately, a remarkable and fantastic one. After reaching 300 aircraft, he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Silver Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds. After reaching 400 aircraft shot down, he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds. For 500 aircraft, he received the Order of the German Eagle with Diamonds, and after 1,000, he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Platinum Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds. And after reaching 2,000 aircraft, he received the Grand Cross of the Knight's Cross.
  This unique pilot achieved numerous aerial victories, and while he was still alive. Huffman was recently promoted to general, but he still flew as a private pilot.
  As the saying goes, neither can it burn in fire nor drown in water. Over the course of many years of war, Huffman developed a hunter's instinct. He became a legendary and highly popular pilot. But he had a strong competitor: Agave, which had also shot down over two thousand aircraft. And was catching up with Huffman. And yet, it was still very young and hadn't yet lost a single fighter.
  The girl pressed down on the pedals with her bare, chiseled feet and fired a burst of cannon fire. And four Soviet MiG-15s were shot down.
  Agave giggles and says:
  - We're all bitches to some extent! But I have nerves of steel!
  And again, the girl turns around. She shoots down seven Soviet aircraft with a single burst-six MiGs and one Tu-4-and squeals:
  - I'm generally, if not super, then hyper!
  Agave is definitely a bitch. Lucifer's aviator. A very beautiful honey blonde.
  Then he fires another burst and shoots down eight Soviet MiG-15 aircraft at once and beeps:
  - I am the most creative and reactive!
  The girl really isn't stupid. She can do anything, and she's skilled at everything. You can't call her ordinary.
  And her legs are so tanned, so graceful...
  And here's Mirabela fighting against her... For a long time, Kozhedub was the top Soviet ace. He earned six gold Hero of the USSR stars, shooting down one hundred and sixty-seven aircraft. But then he died. After that, no one could break his record. And only recently did Mirabela surpass Kozhedub. And having shot down over one hundred and eighty aircraft, she became a seven-time Hero of the USSR.
  What a terminator girl! Someone like her could stop a galloping horse and enter a burning hut.
  Or even cooler.
  Mirabela had a difficult life. She ended up in a juvenile labor colony. Barefoot and wearing a gray uniform, she chopped down trees and sawed trunks. She was so strong and healthy. In the bitter cold, she walked barefoot and in prison pajamas. And she never sneezed even once.
  Of course, this phenomenon also made its mark on the front lines. Mirabela fought in the infantry for a long time, and then became a pilot. Mirabela's first baptism of fire occurred in the Battle of Moscow, where she was sent immediately after her colony. And there she proved herself a real tough guy.
  She fought barefoot and nearly naked in the bitter cold, which literally paralyzed the Wehrmacht. Such a damned, yet invincible girl she was. And she succeeded resoundingly.
  Mirabela believed in a quick Soviet victory. But time passes. The casualties continue to mount, and victory remains elusive. And things are getting really scary.
  Mirabela dreams of victories and achievements. She has seven USSR stars - more than anyone else! And damn it, she deserves her awards! And she will continue to bear the cross of battle. Even if Stalin is dead, his legacy lives on!
  The girl comes in and hangs out... She shoots down a German HE-362 and squeals:
  - Top-notch performance! And a brand new crew!
  Really, she's a cool girl. A real cobra is capable of a lot.
  Mirabela is a new star....
  The fighting continues for several days, until the New Year arrives... A Soviet IS-12 tank sustains damage to its rollers and tracks, but is being repaired. Such is the brutal and merciless nature of war. And how much longer will it last?
  And all because Wittmann survived the battles in the West.
  Wittmann himself fought for some time in a tank crew. Having built up his tank crew's tally to three hundred vehicles, not counting guns, mortars, trucks, motorcycles, and other equipment, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds, and promoted to general.
  After which he no longer fought himself. But he did command the SS's Sixth Tank Army.
  Kurt Knipsel became the Wehrmacht's most successful tank ace. But only after destroying five hundred tanks did he receive the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.
  Somehow, he was shortchanged on awards. However, after reaching a thousand tanks, he finally received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Silver Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds.
  Kurt Knipsel was a highly effective fighting machine. He fought in various tanks, serving as both a gunner and a commander. For a long time, he was unrivaled in the lead.
  But the beautiful Gerda had already managed to catch up. The girls fought well. But then they had a break. All four beauties became pregnant and gave birth to a son and a daughter. But after the break, they quickly caught up.
  And now Gerda has overtaken Knisel.
  How could they not? They fight barefoot and in bikinis. The girls took another break, having more children. And now they were approaching the two thousand tank kills. And they could count on an unprecedented reward: the star of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with silver oak leaves, swords, and diamonds.
  These are some girls!
  Gerda shoots at a Soviet vehicle, knocking its turret off and screaming:
  - I'm a damn creature!
  And fires again. Penetrates the T-54. And beeps:
  - Homeland Germany!
  The girl is fidgeting. And she's very active... She has a strategic streak. It's already 1956... The war drags on and on... Refusing to stop. The Red Army is trying to advance in various places. But rather cautiously, as there are few manpower resources left.
  And Russia is bleeding.
  The Red Army is attempting to advance toward Romania. And then there's a powerful artillery barrage, gunfire, and killing.
  But the enemy is waiting. The Germans have the most widely produced tank, the AG-50. It outperforms the T-54 in terms of protection, especially on the sides and perhaps in the gun's armor-piercing capability, but it's heavier. However, the German tank is faster thanks to its gas turbine engine.
  The German tank shoots and takes its toll.
  Margaret's crew fights. They fight with cold blood. The German girls shoot down a Soviet tank. And squeal with pleasure.
  And here too you can"t get through...
  A disc craft piloted by Albina and Alvina circles in the sky. The two blondes shoot down Soviet aircraft. And they do it masterfully. The disc craft, completely invulnerable, rams MiGs and Tupolevs. A lethal machine. And the warriors press their bare toes against the ground. And they don't give the Red Army a chance in the sky.
  The flying disc is something that Soviet scientists can't replicate. It's something for which no antidote has been found. And the Germans feel quite confident in the air. And they fight like sorcerers with a magic wand.
  Albina, aiming her disc at the enemy, squeaked:
  - If there is a God, then he is German!
  Alvina, crushing the enemy, confirmed:
  - Definitely a German!
  And the girl laughed... She, too, was generally tired of the endless war. Well, the Germans and Russians were killing each other. More precisely, the Red Army and the Wehrmacht. And the front line remained motionless... And there was no end in sight.
  War... It's already a reality. Warriors born after the war began are already fighting in the skies and on the ground.
  For example, Hans Feuer. He was the youngest person to be awarded the Iron Cross First Class. He later became the youngest person to be awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for capturing a Soviet general.
  Yes, this is actually very cool.
  Hans Feuer is a desperate fighter. The boy fights like a giant, and it's freezing cold, wearing only shorts in winter.
  This is really really cool!
  Hans became famous for centuries!
  And in general, the war going on here is so incredible and intense... Any AI fades into insignificance.
  And in Romania, the Red Army is unable to break through the German defenses. Both sides have suffered losses. January drags on... And with each passing day, more and more are killed and wounded.
  There is no beginning or end to insanity.
  Agave is back in the sky, shooting down Soviet aircraft. She's a hunter and a predator. She strikes down the enemy.
  The vehicles she shot down fall. And then the girl fires at the ground forces. She knocks out an IS-7. And laughs:
  - I'm the best! I'm the girl who kills enemies!
  And again, the focus shifts to aerial targets. This is a tank destroyer, a fighter against all flying and shooting vehicles.
  Well, that's what's happening at the front. Meanwhile, scientists are trying to create something lethal in the rear. It's not working out very well, though.
  But here's the little AG-5 tank. It weighs seven tons. It's undergoing combat trials. And it's tearing at the enemy.
  And it"s time to sing - no one will stop us or defeat us!
  The AG-5 rushes along, firing as it goes. And there's no stopping a tank like that. And the shells ricochet.
  And inside the car sits a ten-year-old boy, Friedrich, and squeals:
  - And I will be a real super fighter!
  And again, he fired... And it hit the very center of the turret. And its killing power, despite its small caliber, is colossal.
  And in the sky, Helga fights. A barefoot girl in a bikini scores, and rejoices in her fantastic success.
  And Agave rushes forward... And also fights.
  It's already February 1956... The Red Army hasn't been able to achieve any success anywhere. But the Germans can't advance either. Now the fearsome underground tanks are entering the fray. But they're purely tactical.
  The girls rushed underground, destroyed a battery of Soviet guns and returned back.
  They captured a couple of young Pioneers. The girls stripped the captured boys and began torturing them. They beat the Pioneers with wire, then burned their bare heels with fire. Then they began breaking their toes with red-hot pincers. The boys howled in excruciating pain. Finally, the girls burned stars into their chests with a red-hot iron and crushed their male genitals with their boots. This was the final blow, and the Pioneers died from shock.
  The girls, in short, showed extraordinary skill. But once again, the Germans failed to achieve anything significant.
  Powerful self-propelled guns, the Sturmmaus, shelled Soviet positions, causing widespread destruction and annihilation. But a Soviet attack aircraft knocked out one of the vehicles, and the Nazis retreated.
  The Nazis tried to suppress Soviet batteries with discs. They used hedgehogs and explosives against them. There was an all-out exchange of blows.
  Here are Albina and Alvina again on their flying saucer. They navigate using their bare toes, pressing the joystick buttons, and they do it with exceptional dexterity.
  The girls, of course, demonstrate top-notch aerobatics. They yanked their disc, and a dozen Soviet flying machines were shot down.
  Albina chirps:
  - Furious construction team! There will be a meteor shower!
  And he turns his car around again. And the girls destroy the Red Army. And thoroughly...
  Alvina also shoots down a dozen Soviet planes and squeals:
  - Crazy girls, and not at all virgins!
  That last part is true. Their couple had plenty of fun with men. And they did all sorts of things. Girls loved men-they enjoyed it! Especially if they used their tongues.
  A girl of the highest order... They tortured the young pioneer... First, they stripped him naked and poured a couple of buckets of water down his throat. Then they held a hot iron to his swollen belly. And how they scorched him! The young pioneer screamed in excruciating pain... It smelled like burning.
  Alvina hit him on the side with a hot wire. And how she laughed... It was really funny.
  After which she sang:
  - I'm tired of defending my rear - I want to tease my happiness!
  And how she laughs! And bares her pearly teeth! This girl loves to kill, what a girl!
  And the girl's feet are all bare and graceful. She loves to walk barefoot on the coals. And she also loves chasing the captured pioneers. They squeal so much when their heels are fried. Even Alvina finds it very funny. And Albina is also a girl, frankly speaking - superb! She'll elbow her opponent in the chin. And squeal:
  - I'm a top-notch girl!
  And she'll bare her pearly teeth, which sparkle as if polished. And the warrior is impressive! She can do things that no fairy tale could describe, nor can a pen describe!
  Both warriors shoot down Soviet MiGs in the sky. These beauties are active. There's not a shadow of a doubt in them. And such wild and ecstatic beauty.
  The warriors control the joystick with their bare toes and attack Russian aircraft. They crush fighter jets, like a club against crystal. The girls are merciless and relentless. They emit the force of anger and the flame of passion. And they are confident of victory. Even though the war has been going on for fifteen years, it doesn't want to end. Albina and Alvina are at the peak of their popularity. And they refuse to retreat or stop for a moment. They keep moving forward and ramming the enemy.
  Albina, shooting down Soviet planes, squeals:
  - The girl is tired of crying, I"d rather drown my bast shoe!
  And how she bares her teeth and flashes her pearly teeth. And how she wants a man right now. She loves raping men. She really enjoys it. She'll just go and rape you.
  Albina roars:
  Sex girls is sex,
  Let's sing for great progress!
  And the warrior bursts out laughing... And starts killing all her enemies again. She has plenty of energy. And her muscles are full of strength.
  And Alvina roared:
  - We'll smash the enemy to pieces!
  And the warrior will burst into laughter! And she imagined the guys groping her. But it's frankly pleasant, to say the least.
  March is just around the corner... The sun is shining brighter and brighter. On the first day of spring, Russian boys run barefoot through the melting snow. They laugh, grin, and give the Germans the finger.
  Young Pioneers with red ties, short haircuts, some completely bald. They run, bouncing along. Their bare feet are barely cold. They've become very rough. Girls run too, also barefoot. Their pink, round heels sparkle in the sun. Wonderful Soviet girls. Slender, athletic, accustomed to making do with little.
  And they keep grinning at themselves... The first day of spring is real joy and a thirst for light and creation!
  And there's a dogfight in the sky. Mirabella, the number one Soviet pilot, shoots down another German plane. And as always, she's wearing nothing but a bikini. Eternally youthful and unfading. Such is the spiritual strength hidden within her.
  Mirabella, however, also loves it when men touch her. She actually enjoys it. That's what she's a pilot for... When a girl's naked, muscular body is kneaded by men's hands, it's a real treat. And great pleasure!
  Mirabella knocks down another Hitlerite car and hisses:
  - I'm an armored bitch!
  The girl even pounds her bare, round heels on the control panel. She's magnificent. And inimitable.
  Mirabella twists free. And Agave flies towards her. Finally, the two most effective female warriors meet. They fire at each other, turning, trying to get a shot at each other from a distance. But it's not quite working. Both beauties fly out of the line of fire. And they bare their teeth aggressively. What bitches they are. They stare hard into each other's eyes. More precisely, they lock eyes and fire again. The German ME-562 is still better armed than the MIG-15, and the Soviet aircraft is shot down... But Mirabela manages to eject, losing her first aircraft in her flying career. The worst part is, she ended up in enemy territory. And that's just too bad. Such are the twists of fate. And on March 1, 1956, the world changes, but the Führer's reign in the cybernetic game remains.
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Новые книги авторов СИ, вышедшие из печати:
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