Maid of Baikal: A Novel of the Russian Civil War

“I made it no further than Yekaterinburg,” Barrows replied with a note of discouragement. He reached for his unlit pipe and struck a match. “I get the distinct impression that neither General Gaida nor General Khanzin wants me any closer, lest I see the true state of affairs along the frontier.”

“By any chance, did you pick up a hint of discontent or insubordination among Kolchak’s generals?” Ned inquired. “I am thinking of General Gaida, in particular.”

“Odd that you should ask,” Barrows replied, taking a puff from his pipe. “General Pepelyaev made an unexpected appearance in Yekaterinburg just before I left. Some say that he came with instructions to relieve Gaida of his command, but I saw them together the next morning and they seemed to have patched up their differences. Say what you will about Gaida being young and reckless, he’s one of the only generals Kolchak has who has shown he can beat the Reds. We can’t afford to lose the rascal.”

Though the information was far from conclusive, Ned found it remarkable that Pepelyayev had visited the Siberians’ most impetuous general under circumstances remarkably similar to those that Zhanna had described to Governor Volkov. How could she have known? He decided to attempt another shot in the dark.

“Might it also be true that the British have been recruiting senior Russian officers in exile in hopes of replacing the Chief of Staff and his crew of bunglers at the Stavka?”

Barrows laughed and set down his pipe.

“I see that word travels fast,” he replied. “I’m told General Knox has approached a few capable men, like General Boldyrev and Baron Budberg, who have been waiting in China and Japan for just such an opening. But despite pressure from the British, Kolchak just won’t pull the trigger on Lebedev.”

“It’s a pity,” Ned remarked. “Last week I met a Russian officer who used to work at the Stavka. He overheard Kolchak say once that Lebedev was the only subordinate he trusted not to stab him in the back. Colonel Ward says the Stavka is manned by midgets and there’s not one of them he’d trust to manage a whelk-stall.”

“Therein lies the rub,” Barrows continued, relighting his pipe. “The Allies, and that includes Washington, are growing impatient with the Admiral. They think he is stubborn, erratic, and too poor a manager to lead the war effort properly. More than that, he won’t take suggestions and is evasive about making and keeping commitments, both to us and to his counterparts in South Russia and the Baltic.”

“You can say that again,” Ned agreed.

“Which is why it’s so urgent that we establish wireless communications between Omsk and the Allied missions in Vladivostok and Novo-Rossiysk. Long-range wireless may be our last best hope of reining Kolchak in and creating a unified White Russian command under Allied tutelage.”

“I’m ready to do my part,” Ned answered, throwing up his hands. “If only they’d deliver us the damned equipment.”

“It’s due to arrive in Irkutsk any day now. And as this is a joint operation with the British, General Knox has personally endorsed your appointment as wireless director in Omsk. Communications support, including intelligence intercepts and code breaking, will be your primary mission from now on.”

Barrows leaned back in his chair and awaited Ned’s reaction.

“Primary. Is that understood, captain?”

“Completely,” Ned answered without hesitation. “But what I am to do if the Chief of Staff or his people try to interfere?” Ned asked.

“Leave that to Colonel Ward and manage as best you can,” Barrows replied. “A greater concern, at the moment, is with Washington. You see, the War Department has ordered us to render maximum intelligence assistance to Omsk, but at the same time, our own General Graves, in consultation with certain White House advisors, seems intent on minimizing American support to the Whites in every possible way.”

Ned shot Barrows an alarmed glance. He hadn’t realized that Graves detested the Kolchak regime quite that badly.

“Fortunately for us, since the wireless operation is considered a state secret, the War Department has decided not to inform General Graves about it. But even if Graves were to learn of it, the very same secrecy would make it awkward for him to complain. In any event, your task will be to maintain strict confidentiality around the wireless network and impress the same attitude upon the wireless operators and code breakers who report to you.”

“But how am I to manage these men without revealing to anyone who they are and what they are working on?” Ned asked. “After all, we will be entirely dependent on the Russians and British for our working and living arrangements.”