NOVEL NEXT Chapter 62
Beria spoke to persuade Goddard as if he were deifying the Tsarina.
After throwing out bait that might pique the interest of the prey, he would push hard without giving them a moment to think once they showed some interest.
It was about letting the situation flow in the intended direction. This was a new tactic Beria learned from experiencing the Red-White Civil War and the Siberian labor camps.
“Does the Tsarina have any knowledge regarding rockets?”
As expected, Goddard seemed intrigued.
Why was Beria’s new master showing interest in him?
Honestly, even if Beria were in Goddard’s position, he would feel the same way.
If Russian people suddenly claimed that our Tsar showed great interest in your technology, wouldn’t you be curious?
“I do not know that either. But one thing is certain: he has led the civil war to victory because he knows such things.”
“Hmm. That’s a matter to consider.”
“He said your strength will be needed in the future. You must decide here and now.”
And now, after successfully heating up the prey,
Beria gave him a moment to choose.
It was incredibly brief though. He scattered Goddard’s judgment by saying he had to make a decision right here.
“What on earth is happening?”
“I do not know. But one thing is sure: we can support the development of the rocket you desire in Russia. Our Tsarina has great interest in rockets, and royal funds are also expected to be provided.”
“Hmm.”
Now it was time to deliver a decisive blow.
This was a contingency prepared by the Tsarina. When the judgment was likely to become unclear, he would decisively take advantage of this moment.
“This is what the Tsarina wants you to see if you are troubled. It’s something she personally envisioned and illustrated, so take a look.”
Beria himself couldn’t tell what it was, but he had been advised by the Tsarina that Goddard might find it interesting.
So, he handed it over to Goddard.
“Isn’t this just a type of firearm? Hmm? An anti-tank weapon?”
“He instructed you to apply your technology to this.”
From Goddard’s perspective, the blueprint provided by the Tsarina was frankly something that didn’t reveal the intermediate processes at all.
It just seemed that it could be made like this. It gave that kind of feeling — a recoilless gun and an anti-tank rocket.
These were all domains of possibility that Goddard had yet to realize.
But it was clear that the possibilities existed.
The Tsarina was certainly interested in this technology, and if he went to Russia, Goddard would receive support.
Then, there was no more to consider.
“Hmm. Sounds good. Let’s go.”
After all, Goddard himself was already feeling disappointed that his research had been halted.
Especially as the war wrapped up messily, his technology was also slap-dashed and failed to garner attention.
Beria grinned slyly.
“Good. Good. Now, I just have to find Igor Sikorsky.”
Trotsky was the problem, but he could simply find some red agitator in America.
Trotsky had already been quite controversial within the party.
Even Beria, who was at the tail end of it all, knew how radical Trotsky was.
With a smiling face, Beria spread his arms.
“Excellent choice. Our Tsarina will greet you warmly. Now the Okhrana will prepare a shipping route, so you just need to follow.”
“I understand.”
Thus, Goddard’s trip to Russia was decided.
At least in this era, his rockets would develop in Russia earlier than in the original history.
And at this time.
In Communist Germany, things were unfolding as expected, leading to Soviet Union Season 2.
Everywhere, political officers were dispatched to surveil everything. They absolutely prevented workers from gathering privately.
In particular, since many Germans were crossing over to Austria, political officers directly intervened in everything to monitor them.
During this time, American journalists arrived in Germany to ascertain the realities of Communist Germany by touring factories.
On the surface, they were there to explore the positives of communism. But in reality, they wanted to see how things were operating.
It was a bit unsettling that there seemed to be soldiers watching everywhere, but nonetheless, they could conduct interviews.
However, the atmosphere was uniformly cold.
Communism, hailed as a paradise on earth, showed factory workers moving industriously, visibly anxious about something, struggling under the eyes of authority.
One American journalist approached a worker.
“Are you enjoying your work?”
“Yes! Yes, of course! The party’s leadership is truly guiding this Germany toward prosperity and progress!”
At the journalist’s question, the German worker flinched, then forced a smile while saying this.
A phony grin.
It looked like they were genuinely suffering and were merely being coerced into smiling.
The American journalists dispatched to Germany didn’t find this too favorable.
“I didn’t ask it that way. Hmm. So you’re saying you enjoy working?”
“Yes! Yes! I’m happy!”
Is that really happiness? Is it just a forced smile?
Could I ask just a little more?
American journalists saw it necessary to grasp the real situation of communism.
Since they would need to prepare for the forthcoming center of communism, Germany.
“I see. We’re just curious about the benefits of communism, that’s all.”
Just as they were about to ask further, the worker’s face contorted and nearly turned to tears.
“Just that much is enough. Please. Just go back.”
The journalist conducting the interview fell silent.
Upon closer look, they noticed a political officer monitoring from the back.
The reporter carefully withdrew.
As expected, the propaganda touted in Russia didn’t reflect the reality of communism.
Even within the United States, there were subtly friendly individuals towards communism and Communist Germany. Yet this was just too much to ignore.
While they couldn’t properly comprehend the actual state of Communist Germany, merely seeing this worker, on the verge of tears, pleading for help gave a glimpse into how things were operating in Germany.
American journalists, having surveyed the situation in Germany, departed immediately.
Moreover, even those various skilled workers who previously received decent treatment were displeased with this German system.
Being constantly monitored daily, “Do this. And that,” they were given orders while the authorities seemed completely unaware of the realities at hand.
Let alone, there were free corps conspiring to commit acts of terror under the guise of cooperating with the communists, making it unbearable to remain there.
It was too far to go back to America, and heading towards the Polish corridor could lead one to East Prussia or Russia.
Austria? Austria was already under heavy surveillance after the communists captured power in Germany, and crossing the border would mean instant execution.
Thus, the choice came down to Volga Germans.
“I hear there’s a German community in Russia. They call themselves the Volga Germans. I’m thinking of heading there.”
“Not to East Prussia but to Volga Germany?”
“Do you want to go to East Prussia, which was created by the Kaiser who made this mess? I prefer to go to Volga Germans. I hear the Tsarina treats skilled workers very well. They’ve even bribed the local people’s army in Danzig.”
East Prussia was not that attractive to anti-communists, excluding the royalists.
Who created this damned situation?
It was that Kaiser, of course. There was no way I would work for that guy.
“Then I’ll go too.”
Many German technicians crossed over to Russia by various means.
Communist Germany was stumbling from the very beginning.
Meanwhile, there were those also leaving East Prussia.
“Just wait. I will take revenge for my children with the power of Russia!”
The Kaiser of East Prussia was sharpening the sword of vengeance while building strength in East Prussia.
The promised paradise of communism was neither fertile nor peaceful.
At that moment, in Surgut, Russia.
“The Tsarina stated that endless resources are sleeping in Siberia for us!”
“There must be something here. Let’s start digging!”
The Russian oil exploration team was diligently digging in Surgut.
Resource exploration was already a national policy promoted by Russia, and they eagerly developed it by inheriting drilling technology from American oil companies.
And then—
“Did we discover something? Oh? What is this?”
“Could it be what the Tsarina mentioned?”
At last, as if uncovering the light of a national project initiated with direct support from the Romanov family, an oil field was discovered.