The First Day of the Coming Salvation

[Baron Ungern von Shternberg]

(note: racial terms in narrative are for the purpose of verisimilitude)

The last thing that Roman Fyodorovich Ungern von Shternberg could remember of his old life was being made to pose for a photograph by the grinning apes of the Cheka Troika which had shown the rank presumption to sentence him to death for attempting to restore the noble line of Chinggis Khan so that there might be one empire under heaven, and one emperor to rule it - and the godless atheists thought it enough to warrant having him shot.

And then the unexpected. From out of the crowd stepped a gentleman wrapped up snug in fur coats, but with their heads, incongruously capped in the sort of red Fez that the mad Baron had been more accustomed to seeing in lithographs of old Ottoman Viziers. The Chekists naturally diverted their attention towards the interrogation of this strangely attired new arrival when the truly unexpected happened - one of the strangers snapped his fingers and seemingly out of nowhere came two burly Negroes - shivering of the cold - carrying a heavy trunk case which they set down before the Bolshevik officers. The fez wearing interlocutor now lifted up the lid, the contents of which Roman could not see, but whatever was in there it had the Chekists smiling.

Before he was even aware of it, Ungern von Shternberg was now bundled across the courtyard into the hands of the two Negroes who now dragged him, uncomprehending, away from the scene while the red guards pulled another prisoner from out of the crowd to take his place in front of the firing squad.

Once they were safely away into the streets of Novonikolayevsk the curious looking gentleman who had been his salvation turned to face Roman.

"Congratulations Sayyid - you have now been purchased into the service of the Khan."


The Baron was astounded. The Bogd-Khaan of all people. But how was it possible? It was then that he noticed the faint stinging sensation in his right arm, followed by a deepening sense of drowsiness.

A sedative... treachery


And now he was here and his Transcendent followers - the Nyingmapas, those who had survived the great and epic struggle on the steppe, had mustered to once more bring Nirvana and the ultimate will of Lord Buddha to those unenlightened souls who still dwelt upon the land harbouring the foolish desire to cling to existence - now through fire and sword will they learn their true terror.


"Now you lads - do not hold back for one instant! I have brought you here to this place, Arzhav, a dogs den of Reds if ever there was one! A den of dogs that we are to put to the sword as a sacrifice to our Lord. Form up lads! Artisans and traders are to be spared in accordance to the degree of their utility. Women and fair youths are to be ravished according to your preferences. As for the Reds however - not a single one is to be left alive. Kill them all!"

There was however a murmur of discontent from the ranks of surly and cross looking Cossacks and Tatars.

"And Loot. Yes of course loot. It will be collected together after the sack and divided out into equal shares. You have my word."

At this there was a lusty cheer that spread throughout the serried ranks of murderous horsemen.

"And now all is said. Un-sheath sabres! Gunwagons to lead the way. Yaghuns to advance at a trot."

By now the sounds of air-raid sirens could be heard emanating from the ramshackle city, the alarm had been raised. But it would make no difference, they would be in amongst them too soon for whatever defences were in place to make a difference.

"For the Madness! For the Glory! Ch-aa-rge!"

And all the rest was slaughter.

[Makzim Makmaduular]

Comrade Makmaduular was still engaging in the lively consitutional debates in the People's Great Kuural when the news came in. From beneath the busts of Marx, Lenin, Mao, Engels, Choybalsan, Zhivkov, Tito, Hoxha, Rakoszy, Gomulka, Toka, Mikoyan, Beria, and numerous other former Comrades, the vast double doors of Soviet Equality, domineering in their wooden contempt for the imperialists who had built them originally, burst open and one of the Office Clerks came in, saluting to the astonished members of the Kuural, obviously in some dismay.
'Comrade Makmaduular! I hereby report that an armed rebellion under the reactionary bandit Von Sternberg has broken out in Haquun!'
The Kuural grew silent. This news was evidently more pressing than the Proletarian Cabbage Distribution Act they had previously been debating. Makmaduular cleared his throat and took up the red phone on the Chairman's desk. It had no dialling tone. He inquired as to why.
'Well, it's mainly for dramatic effect, Comrade Chairman. You see, we never thought you'd have use for it'.
'Comrade Serzynmaa?'
'Yes, Comrade Chairman?'
'You were behind this. Go present yourself at Kolkhoz 14. I hear they've started barley production and need a new hand laying the horse dung on the fields'
'With all due respect, Comrade...'
'ENOUGH! Do you smite the noble work of the proletariat?'
'No, but...'
Makmaduular breathed deeply and closed his eyes. Serzynmaa ran out of the Kuural as the clerk began to present the facts at hand on a projector.
The projection ended and Makmaduular switched on the main light. He went to the offices and immediately communicated Damsoren Complex, issuing the following hasty M.D.O:

1a Kazar Akqeri'ten Brigata
- 'Engelsa' Milicia (infantry)
- 'Marxa' Milicia (infantry)
- 'Lenina' Milicia (infantry)
TO ARZHAV

2a Kazar Akqeri'ten Maxinlora Brigad'na and 1a Kazar Daj'uur Najramdaq were already well within range of the capital, but the crucial main infantry unit would take another day or so to arrive from Damsoren Military Complex. Until then, all Arzhav would stand proud against the imperialist pigs. The side doors burst open and Makmaduular's horse cantered into the Kuural hall. Mounting it, he galloped off into the city to inspect the People's Insurrectionary Army.
New reports had come in that the exiled Bogd-Khaan was behind this. Von Sternberg had been a pitiful sight since his arrest by the Cheka- perhaps he had foreign help? The Bogd-Khaan was more than likely. A purge would be necessary.

In brief: Head lamas, subversive intellectuals, monks, and reactionary elements in Arzhav are purged by the Great Kuural for the benefit of the masses. Both units present in Arzhav are manning barricades outside the central city and armoured cars are on the streets. Machine-gunners have been emplaced in all strategic locations overlooking main streets and squares.