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11-November-1919
''Ah, Kiev… it has been a long time since I was here'' I said, observing the city with binoculars while trying to see if there were Habsburg guards or members of the occupation forces guarding the entrance.
''Hans said the entire garrison was on his side. No one liked that, supposedly, the same man who was a Habsburg was about to sign laws that rejected the military contracts of the occupation force in exchange for a much worse contract, avoiding the delivery of land and leaving only a fixed salary'' Ernst said, looking at the city through the scope of his sniper rifle.
''It is to be expected. Vasyl is waiting for my men to train his so he can replace them and expel them back to Austria, in the worst case. Or he will simply give them an empty thanks, considering the man quickly forgot he is Austrian and not Ukrainian'' I said, running a finger under my nose to scratch it.
''Are you sure you do not want us to kill him? Beaten to death, preferably, as a traitor should die'' Ernst said, showing a look of disgust.
''It is more useful than you imagine to have him alive. We do not have the men, nor will we have enough reinforcements to govern all this territory while, at the same time, we wait for the response the Entente and the League of Nations will have when they see that, practically, we have wiped out an important part of their peace treaty in one blow, the one that was supposed to guarantee there would be no more wars in Europe… Ha, ha'' I said, unable to contain my laughter at the ideals of the League of Nations.
''Ha, ha, ha'' Ernst laughed, as did everyone who heard what I said.
''After this, do we mobilize to Poland and then toward Memel?'' Alexander asked, doing some fuel calculations with his notebook and pencil.
''Yes. With Poland, we will offer them a deal to divide the Austrian territory of Galicia and Lodomeria, which is waiting for its plebiscite. We will also negotiate with Austria so they recognize us as a country in exchange for keeping food prices low for them'' I said, lowering the binoculars while focusing on Alexander.
''And Germany? They are facing great social problems, but we must pay attention to what they order. They may declare us all traitors, since we are still part of the German army. That could make many doubt their loyalty'' Alexander said, raising his chin after closing his notebook.
''A good point, my good Alexander. But Germany has its agricultural system on the ground. Remember that all chemicals were destined for explosives and ammunition, and that the food shipments that arrived every year from the occupied territories were not sent. Germany has empty pantries and hungry people… and Kiev… Kiev has granaries full of wheat, potatoes, legumes, rice and food that could help contain social hatred, hunger and revolutions. The Kaiser, probably trying to control Germany, would be eager to obtain food for his people. And as long as they do not repair their agricultural system, let us say in two years, we will have them eating from our hand'' I said with certainty, smiling slightly.
''I see nothing, so we do not know if Hans carried out the coup or not'' Ernst said, placing his rifle over his shoulder.
''Then we will have to see what happens. We have five thousand men among the entire division coming with us, so we can fight the Habsburg guards. They were around two thousand, unless he has increased them'' I said, entering the armored vehicle again and giving the signal for everyone to get into their vehicles.
I closed the door and heard the vehicle's engine roar as we accelerated down the road toward Kiev. Within minutes we were entering the city and, seeing that the vanguard advanced without any kind of resistance, I opened the door of the moving vehicle so I could observe more carefully what was happening outside the safety of the armor.
Looking at the streets of Kiev, I saw only a few souls moving around. It was a residential area, and many must already have been leaving to head toward their respective workplaces.
So we only came across a few people on their way to work, or who knew what they were doing at that hour.
As we continued moving through the streets, we reached our old headquarters, where the city garrison was lodged. We found several of my men watching the surrounding streets, which indicated that Hans had launched the plan to take control of the State, although the result was still unknown. The soldiers of the garrison only knew they had to control the bridge to the other side of the Dnieper.
So, passing through the control zone that our forces in Kiev already held under their dominion, we crossed the river and soon headed toward the palace of Kiev, where Vasyl should be. Meanwhile, I sent Alexander toward the Kiev Rada, since another possibility was that he was there.
Dividing our forces, we continued moving through the area until we spotted the palace. Nearby, it did not take long before I saw something that calmed me quite a bit: dozens of men kneeling with their hands on their heads, surrounded by some of our men, who patrolled the area with rifles in hand. It was the sign I was looking for. It seemed everything had gone according to Hans's plan.
When we reached the palace entrance, the view was similar. Piles of soldiers in Habsburg uniforms were kneeling, surrounded by occupation troops who opened the gates of the compound for us. We simply entered like victorious conquerors, leaving our vehicles parked while my men began supporting the seizure of the palace, reinforcing the entrance and every possible exit there might be. Meanwhile, I began walking into the interior of Vasyl's palace.
Already in the deeper parts of the building, we found what seemed to have been an intense fight between both forces. Some of Vasyl's guards had indeed defended their king, and bodies from both sides could be found scattered through the area. In several places, it was clear they had used grenades to clear rooms and corridors.
When I reached Vasyl's personal chambers, I was received by the guards watching the door. They opened it and I found Hans's gaze.
''It is good to see you again, my friend'' Hans said, raising his open palm.
''Likewise'' I replied, striking his hand and then shaking it, while turning my head and observing the prisoner.
''Are you behind all this?'' Vasyl said, looking at me in surprise while his face slowly passed from shock to hatred.
''Tch. And what did you expect, you damned idiot? Because we lost the war, do you think you can do whatever you want with the men who helped you control the country? Now that they are no longer useful to you, and you were given approval to have your own independent State, you throw them under the train?'' I said, walking toward him while noticing that he was surrounded by the men of the garrison.
''They were a great risk to the autonomy and unity of the country. I cannot leave Germans and Austrians as Ukraine's military force. And look, I was right. Look at what they did… they betrayed me, killed my men and who knows what happened in the Rada, because everything began there, diverting my men to ambush them'' Vasyl said while his right eye trembled and he showed his teeth with an anger he could barely contain.
''Damned justification. They had a deal with you and with Ukraine. The moment you had the chance, you abandoned hundreds of thousands of men who accepted that agreement to help us. Or have you forgotten that thanks to them we managed to prevent the Russians from reaching Kiev? That thanks to the deaths of many of them, we stopped the Russian winter offensive?'' I said, crossing my arms while raising an eyebrow.
''Yes, I know, but it was not something I could maintain when it was a joint decision of the Ukrainian representatives. They expelled the German representatives and wanted to completely eliminate German influence from the country in the shortest time possible'' Vasyl said, raising his gaze to look at me fixedly.
''Just politics… and look what they achieved. Now German influence has come to stay permanently. Fortunately for you, we are not going to kill you, although you did more than enough to deserve lead in the head, my good Vasyl'' I said, giving him a few small pats on the cheek.
''And what is going to happen?'' Vasyl said, rising from his chair.
''Well, those representatives…'' I said, smiling with an enormous grin while I kept watching Vasyl, since I knew the answer perfectly well.
''Coal mines'' Vasyl answered.
''Exactly'' I said, clicking my tongue while pointing at him with my index finger.
''You can spare some… As you understand, you are completely eliminating the Ukrainian elite, the most educated men trying to rebuild the country'' Vasyl said, running his hand over his face.
''Puff… It is not as if we have come to destroy Ukraine and its national identity, so fine, choose… about one hundred. The rest go to the coal mines, because they must pay for breaking the promise made to the Germans. Besides, we must prepare and coordinate with Waldemar to reorganize the national industries and continue our joint policy'' I said while walking through the room.
At those words, Vasyl's eyes opened wider than ever.
''What do you mean Waldemar? I thought you came to impose your presence here now that you were expelled from the Baltic Duchy'' Vasyl said.
''That did not happen… The members of the League of Nations and their guards are under arrest, just like all your guards. The war continues'' I said, staring at him fixedly.
''No… no… no, Karl, what are you doing, idiot? Do you not realize that peace hangs by a thread?'' Vasyl said, almost throwing himself on me as he grabbed me by the lapels of my coat.
''Ha, as if I were going to lose all the money I invested in the Duchy's infrastructure, or in Ruthenia with that mine… Much less the lands the Ukrainian government gave me and now wanted to expropriate from me. I can lose my properties in Posen, but not these. Besides, calm down. There are good reasons why they will do nothing'' I said calmly, noticing that Vasyl was almost entering a panic.
''What reasons can give you the security to face the entire Entente?'' Vasyl said, breathing heavily.
''France is in ruins. All the territory through which Germany retreated was left full of unexploded ordnance, contaminated with poisonous chemicals and devastated by a plague that struck its civilian population. The British are recovering from the economic blow of having Suez closed for years. And I doubt Wilson can convince the Americans to mobilize again for another war when their casualties were atrocious. Wilson condemned several generations of young Americans to come back broken… or dead'' I said calmly.
''They will sanction us, maintain the blockade and make our lives impossible while you try to keep control at all costs'' Vasyl said, grabbing me by the shoulders.
''Our problem is the Whites winning the war. The rest can be solved with negotiations and with the exhaustion of those countries themselves. So I hope you understand that now your royal guard will be made up of my men. I will take the rest of your men to carry out actions in other areas, far from you. Hans will be your regent for the moment. I hope you keep playing your role and calming the Ukrainians, but act like what you are: a prisoner. We may have common interests, but you will not hesitate to put Ukrainian interests above mine'' I said with a smile.
''Yes, I know, I know. Just make sure to compensate the widows of my dead… I have no way to show my face to those who fought to defend me when I told them to surrender without fighting'' Vasyl said, annoyed, lowering his head.
''Ah? Were they so loyal that they disobeyed direct orders to surrender? A terrible shame'' I said, clicking my tongue at that information.
''They were part of the unit I commanded in the war. Ukrainians happy to have an independent Ukraine… Although not anymore. We return to the German yoke'' Vasyl said, shaking his head.
''It is not that terrible either. Now we do not have to follow the rules of that idiot Hindenburg. But… thirty percent of the country's income will be sent to a common fund, where we will decide what to invest it in. We have to find a way to buy time. Our problem is Russia, and perhaps Poland, but we have enough soldiers to frighten them for the moment'' I said, walking through the room.
''If the Whites win, we will have many problems. They will surely use their army against us, and many of those men will be hardened by war and eager to recover their empire with their new Tsar'' Hans said, making me turn to look at him.
''Yes, but the new Tsar, no matter how popular he is with his army, has a great deal of control over it. And I have something with which I can make him act as I want, at least for a while'' I said with a smile.
''What could you have that would make the Russians not want to recover their lands?'' Vasyl asked, raising an eyebrow.
''I have the former Tsar under my protection, along with his son and his daughters'' I said, smiling.
''Tsar Nicholas? But was he not burned?'' Vasyl said, looking at me as if I were mad.
''Secret mission from the Kaiser… I had to get that bastard out of his house arrest. The fire was something I did to distract the guards. Good story, is it not? We have the new Tsar's brother and all his nephews and nieces. At least that will make him hesitate'' I said, nodding.
''So that was why you disappeared for those days, was it not?'' Hans said while laughing a little.
''Yes, for that reason… Well, let us not waste more time. Hans, make sure Vasyl does not do anything stupid and…'' I said, but Vasyl interrupted me.
''Then what do I do with Ukraine? New representatives have to be elected and I do not know what you will want to keep from the German law on elections, which was completely rigged'' Vasyl said, somewhat annoyed.
''Free elections according to population percentages, but create some kind of control over their laws. An organ composed of people I trust. If something like this happens again, I will not be so kind, because I am not going to allow treaties where my name is written to be trampled on'' I said, without giving it too much importance.
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