Red Moscow

  Chapter 556 The stubborn factory manager

  Kalashnikov walked up to Sokov and asked in a low voice: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, I would like to ask, if the superior agrees to hand over this tank to us, do we also need to install a car radio?"

"Of course, this tank must be equipped with a vehicle-mounted radio, otherwise how can we communicate with the tank soldiers in the vehicle." Sokov stared at the ball tank in the corner, and said to himself: "Even if the communication is installed on the back of the vehicle Call, but it may not be easy to find the soldiers in charge of guiding. Because everyone will worry about whether the ball tank will roll over and smash itself underneath when it is driving. "

"Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, the possibility of the car rollover you mentioned cannot be ruled out." Kalashnikov said thoughtfully: "After all, the data mentioned by Major Yakov are just theories. Data. The performance of this ball tank on the battlefield still needs to be tested in practice.”

  Kalashnikov's words reminded Sokov, he walked up to Yakov and asked bluntly: "Yakov, I wonder when you have time, can you get in touch with the National Defense Committee?"

Yakov raised his hand and looked at his watch, and then replied: "If you want to convince the people in the National Defense Committee, you have to ask Comrade Ustinov to come forward. It's getting late now, and he probably has already rested. I think it's better to wait until tomorrow." Send him a telegram in the morning, and if it goes well, we will be able to get this ball tank as soon as tomorrow night."

"What, wait until tomorrow night at the earliest?" Sokov originally thought that as long as Yakov came forward, sent a telegram to the National Defense Committee, and went through a formality, the tank could be his own, or even the fastest It would have to wait until the next night, so Sokov couldn't help but feel a little anxious: "Yakov, can you think of a way to hurry up?"

Seeing that Sokov was in such a hurry, Yakov was silent for a long time, and said: "I'm sorry, Misha, I know you are eager to get this tank back, but there is really no way, I can't bother Us for such a trivial matter. Comrade Zinov's rest."

Hearing that Yakov called the authorization from the National Defense Commission a trivial matter, Sokov almost jumped up, but then he thought again: it is just a tank, even if there are only a few prototypes in the country, it is not enough for the above For the big shot, it's really not worth mentioning.

  But if Sokov really had to wait until tomorrow night to see this special tank appear in his defense zone, he was not negligent in his heart. In order to transport the tank back to the underground tank depot as soon as possible, he decided to implement other methods. He walked up to Peter and asked tentatively, "Comrade factory manager, I want to discuss something with you. Is it okay?"

"Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, if you have anything to say, just say it." After Peter finished speaking, he turned his attention to the ball tank: "But if it is about delivering the ball tank to you, I hope you can Get authorization from the National Defense Council first."

  Peter's words blocked what Sokov wanted to say. Sokov scratched the back of his head and said embarrassingly, "Comrade factory director, can you really accommodate me?"

   "I'm sorry, Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, really can't." Peter replied firmly: "If it's another tank, I'll give it to you without further ado. But this ball tank, really can't."

"Comrade factory manager, can you see if this works." Seeing Peter's firm attitude, Sokov said to him in a negotiating manner: "Can I get this tank back to the underground tank depot first, so that the soldiers can get acquainted with it first?" Check the performance, so that this tank can play its best role in battle. As for the authorization from the National Defense Committee, I will definitely get it for you before it gets dark tomorrow, so that the superiors will not know that you are here How about delivering the tank to us without authorization. What do you think of my suggestion?"

As soon as Sokov finished speaking, Bely added: "That's right, Comrade Factory Director. The sooner the ball tank is brought back to the underground tank depot, the earlier our tank crews will be able to become familiar with this tank. If you insist on waiting until After the authorization was issued, the tanks were delivered to us for use. I am worried that it will be difficult for the tank soldiers to master the operation skills of this tank in a short period of time, and it may cause unnecessary confusion on the battlefield."

   Seeing that Sokov and Bely both tried to persuade Peter to let him hand over the tank to him first, Yakov felt that he could no longer remain silent. He also walked up to Peter and said, "Comrade factory director, I also think that the tank should be delivered to the troops first, so that they can have a familiarization process..."

   Speaking of this, Yakov suddenly turned his head and asked Sokov in a low voice: "Misha, with his confidentiality authority, is he entitled to know the contents of the meeting two days ago?"

   "I think there should be." Sokov also replied in a low voice: "Anyway, he is the person in charge of such a large factory. He is probably qualified to know what we know."

  After receiving Sokov's reply, Yakov continued to turn around and said to Peter: "Comrade factory director, I think you should know about the upcoming counterattack plan?"

   "I know." Peter nodded in affirmation, and then asked back: "But the counterattack that is about to start, doesn't seem to have any necessary relationship with whether this tank will be delivered to you in advance?"

   "It doesn't matter," Sokov waited for Peter to finish speaking, and immediately rushed to say, "It's a big deal."

  Sokov's words aroused Peter's curiosity, and he asked: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, can you tell me what is the relationship?"

"At the meeting the day before yesterday, our superiors agreed not to allow us to participate in this counter-offensive operation due to the lack of troops and equipment in our brigade." Sukov said with feigned annoyance: "Who knows that so many soldiers have been replenished in the past two days?" And tanks, so that we have the conditions to launch a counterattack against the enemy. If the tank soldiers can master the operation of this ball tank earlier, then we will have a greater chance of winning on the battlefield."

  Peter smiled: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, you guys have said so much, you just want me to violate the regulations and hand over this ball tank to you without the authorization of the National Defense Commission, right?"

  Sokov thought to himself that he spent so much time talking because he wanted you to hand over the ball tank to us earlier. So he didn't deny it, but nodded vigorously, expressing that he really thought so.

"Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, to be honest, what you said makes sense. From my personal point of view, I also want to help you and hand over this ball tank to you." What Peter said made Sokov Kefu and the others saw a glimmer of hope, but the next sentence made their hearts fall into an ice cellar: "But it can't be done, the regulations are the regulations. As a factory manager who manages 20,000 to 30,000 workers, how can I just do it casually?" What about the violation of the rules and regulations? If the workers know, what will they think of me? Therefore, I must not agree to hand over this ball tank to you before I get the authorization from the relevant parties."

   "Director Peter, I have a suggestion." Seeing that the situation had reached a deadlock, Yakov suddenly said to Peter: "Do you want to hear it?"

   "Please tell me, Major Yakov." Peter said to Yakov with a smile on his face: "I want to hear what your method is?"

"I would like to get in touch with Comrade Khrushchev, the military commissar of the Front Army, and ask him to give you an authorization to lend us this ball tank first." Yakov said carefully: "I will give the Ukrainian tank to you tomorrow." Comrade Stinov sent a message asking him to obtain the necessary authorization from the National Defense Committee. Once I have the authorization, you can change the ball tank from temporary loan to delivery. What do you think of my proposal?"

  Sokov heard Yakov’s words from the side, and couldn’t help but his eyes lit up, and he thought to himself: whoever said that the old man is stubborn and doesn’t know how to adapt, Yakov doesn’t know how to take advantage of the system’s loopholes. He quickly stared at Peter to see how he answered.

Regarding Yakov's proposal, Peter pondered for a long time, finally nodded and said: "Major Yakov, your proposal is really good, we can try it. The phone in my office can directly contact the front army. Headquarters is on the phone, we can go over there and make a call."

  Since Peter was going back to his office, Sokov and the others could no longer stay in this warehouse, and could only follow Peter back the same way. On the way, Sokov asked curiously: "Comrade factory manager, I would like to ask, where did you transport so many materials into the warehouse? It can't be through this corridor, right?"

  Sokov made sense in asking this question. The corridor is only about one meter wide, which is more suitable for one person, but it would be too crowded for two people walking side by side. It would be too inconvenient if the goods were to be transported through this channel.

When Peter heard Sokov's question, his eyes widened in surprise: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, how could it be possible to transport supplies through this secret passage? Open the door on the east side of the warehouse, and you can see a freight elevator and A ramp. Elevators are for transporting supplies, and ramps are for tanks, armored vehicles, or trucks to get in and out."

   "Then let me ask again," Sokov continued to ask: "Who is guarding such an important warehouse?"

"It's the most reliable workers in the factory, as well as two squads of internal affairs troops." When Peter said this, he lowered his voice and said, "The passage I'm taking you through today is a secret passage, you can't just tell others about it." Oh?"

"Don't worry, Comrade Factory Manager." Seeing that the entrance on this side of the warehouse was arranged so secretly, Sokov knew it was to deceive people, so he readily agreed: "I will never tell anyone about this secret. Passage. Also, the commanders I’m traveling with will also keep it secret.”

  (end of this chapter)