Paratroopers! by Ranger Elite

Scandinavia in WWIII, 1946

1025

Field Headquarters for Kenraali Aksel Airo

Outside Helsinki, Republic of Finland

Even with the help of the very well-meaning Swedes and Norwegians, Aksel had known that this was the only possible outcome from the very beginning, and had prepared for it accordingly. New caches of weapons and war materiel had once again been pre-positioned so that his elite Sissi troopers and other patriots would be able to bleed the Soviet pigs dry, a little at a time. His only goal since his release has been to do just that: make the Soviets pay for his suffering at the hands of their lackeys in Valpo and make sure his nation stays free. It worked for a while, and with Swedish help, they were even able to take the fight to the Russian pigs, but the Soviets merely did what the Russians have always done through history, and poured men and machines into the fight until they overwhelmed their enemies. The Kenraali was determined to mitigate their numerical superiority by using aggressive guerrilla tactics to demoralize their troops. In addition, Kenraali Airo had absolutely NO intention of being incarcerated again, for he knew that he would not survive this time. He knew that in order for his plan to work, he needed to stay free and direct the battles that loomed ahead. This time, he would not heed the word of the cowards that deigned to call themselves the “duly constituted authority”... in his estimation, they gave up the fight far too soon...

From outside his command tent, General Airo could hear the loud droning of aircraft engines, a lot of them, and began to hear shouts of “Paratroopers!”, followed by his aide rushing in and telling the General what he already knew, that they must leave, and quickly. They hurriedly began smashing radio equipment and setting fire to the papers and the tent, leaving only with a small briefcase in one hand, and his Colt M1911 pistol in the other. He assumed that the Soviets would try something like this, so now he would activate his chain of safe houses all throughout the country.

It seemed like hours before they arrived at the first safe house, some distance to the north of his former headquarters, only to find it ransacked and the area lousy with Soviet NKVD troops. How could this be? He thought to himself that he had meticulously planned everything himself, only telling the few people that he trusted, and never confiding in anyone from the civilian government. Someone close to him had betrayed him, and God Himself will not help this person once Aksel catches him. Into the only refuge he had left to him now he went, the deep forest hides, into which no sane person would enter willingly. This was going to be a long war.