Battlestations: Arctic

Chapter 2 | 3 Years Later

That was over 3 years ago now. I have changed. Everyone has. Back then, I was just 14 years old.

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I walked down the road alongside Simo, the wind howling in my ears as snow fell. We both stood in the snow freezing. Simo checked his watch and said:

"Well we're done. Wanna head over to a bar?" he asked me, his teeth chattering.

"Yes, I think we better should before your teeth shatter from all that chattering." I tell him, and he strikes a smile. We marched to the bar and stopped underneath a porch as the blizzard intensified. I shook down my coat and boots to get rid of all the snow, before entering the building. The moment I stepped inside the warmth attacked me. I took off my coat and looked around the room. It was live with activity, some people were playing a card game, others exchanging stories. I turned to the bar and walked over alongside Simo.

"Good day Fridrik, good day Simo" he said.

"Good day Aatami, get me a hot chocolate, 2 in fact" I tell him. He then looks at me funny.

"We need something warm, I have been patrolling for the last hour, its freezing out there. Also, Simo might shatter his teeth if he doesn't get some soon" I tell him while putting my pistol on the table. He laughs at us as he pours us our drinks. We had our drinks and listened to some music on the radio. Soon, a british song came on.

"And now, a song that is reached out to all our brave boys and girls out on the front, either fighting the communists our healing our wounded, they are helping Finland, and this song is dedicated to them: "We Will Meet Again" by Vera Lynn!"

Everyone stopped what they were doing and listened to the broadcast, and the moment the song began, I have no idea who began singing, but soon everyone was singing this English song.

"We'll meet again

Don't know where
Don't know when
But I know we'll meet again some sunny day
Keep smiling through
Just like you always do
'Till the blue skies drive the dark clouds far away

So will you please say hello
To the folks that I know
Tell them I won't be long
They'll be happy to know
That as you saw me go
I was singing this song

We'll meet again
Don't know where
Don't know when
But I know we'll meet again some sunny day

We'll meet again
Don't know where
Don't know when
But I know we'll meet again some sunny day
Keep smiling through
Just like you always do
'Til the blue skies
Drive the dark clouds far away
So will you please say hello
To the folks that I know
Tell them it won't be long
They'll be happy to know
That as you saw me go
I was singin' this song

We'll meet again
Don't know where
Don't know when
But I know we'll meet again some sunny day"

By the time the song had ended, we all laughed and clapped, before heading back out. The blizzard had calmed down and the sun was somewhat out again. We exited the bar, and went through back to the Headquarters. We were on leave, and were told that we wuld be relocated apparently. Why, I'm not sure. As we we're on our way back, we came across a rather strange scene.

I couldn't tell who it was, but they were being beaten by some soldiers and an officer, but they seemed to be...

"Germans... the Waffen SS" I muttered. I ran over, and jerked one of the soldiers off and kicked another in the gut. They looked dumbstruck as I began to help the person up. As I pulled them up, I noticed it was a women. She looked badly bruised, with her groceries littered on the road.

"Get out of here" I tell her in Finnish before I get punched by who appeared to be the officer.

"What are you doing eh? Shes of inferior race! I shall have you court-martialled!!" he screamed at me. I looked up at him, his troops moving in to try and arrest me, but then my comrades began to run over. I get up slowly and taste blood in my mouth. I wipe it with my mouth.

"pathetic." I get up, and reach for my pistol, but remember I left it at the bar. I curse under my breath and tell them:

"Firstly, this is Finland. We have our own rules. You can take your fascism back to Germany. Secondly, you assaulted both a civilian, and and a Junior Officer."

I then noticed police walking over, with the civilian behind them. She pointed to the soldiers and the officer. "Arrest Them." I told them, and with some struggle, detained the soldiers, and despite their threats, were marched off to Headquarters.

I stood in the middle of the road, before seeing the girl. She had greyish brownish hair, blue eyes and had a somewhat pale skin tone. I walked over.

"uh, hello, are you okay?" I asked. She turned to me now.

"oh yes, I am. Thanks, bloody nazis, what are they even doing here?"

"I have no idea, why were they even beating you?"

"Because I'm Jewish"

"unbelievable"

She laughed.

"Nah look, I'm good. I think you should head over to the police station. Actually get them in jail."

"You're right, thanks"

I ran off to the police station, all while thinking that I should have at least asked for a name. Once I arrived, I was greeted by a couple of officers.

"Fredrick? Colonel Kristoffer. I am head of military ops in the region. Good thing you caught those krauts, they may be helping us, but we have our own rules. They will be released, but we urge your men to not get into any fights. Also, I should court martial you for starting a fight in the street-"

" All due respect, he was attacking a civilian-"

" Dont interrupt soldat. As I was saying, I am going to let you off the hook this time."

I then walked back to Headquarters, mad that those damned germans weren't getting punished. I went through the entrance, to the barracks, and saw everyone getting ready. I looked over at Simo confused.

"Whats happening?" I asked

"Were being deployed, some kind of emergency" he said.

I ran over to my bed, packed my clothes as well as other personall belongings, and other things. I grabbed my ZB vz 26, unloaded it, and began to sort out my ammunition into the right pouches. Once I was done packing, I asked my commanding officer, Sergent Gustav on why we were going into combat:

"The commies are becoming increasingly more protective of their Murmansk Railway. Word in Helenski is that the Americans are supplying them weapons, and whats more, they want us to do recon in that area. Not sure how much of that is true, nevertheless, we are headin' back to the front!" he said with somewhat enthusiasm.

Soon, we got all our luggage outside, made the walk to the railway and began to get ready to board the train. I looked at the train, and saw quite a scene. A couple of swedish Bofors guns covered the train, camouflage nets concealing them from the air. There were other things as well. There were some Artillery pieces, boxes apon boxes of ammunition which I noticed had very bold markings saying: FROM SWEDEN. I then felt a thud on my right arm and turned to face Simo.

"What is it?" I asked rasply.

"Look over there!" he said excitedly. Other soldiers were also pointing in that direction. I turned and saw something I thought I would never see. A KV1 stood on a train platform with a grey, white and green camouflage scheme. It had shrubs, bushes and branches all over the tank, with the Finnish army insignia on it. Its crew had been sitting, reading, smoking or simply talking. Soon enough though, we boarded the train, and were on the way to the front.