Combat training in the fleet was in full swing. The ships of the division, having completed coursework at the base, went to sea to perform practical artillery fire at a coastal target. The division commander himself went to sea on the destroyer "Metkiy", leaving the chief of staff in the base, Vasya, also known as "Polyarnik" (after the well-known events that had taken place earlier).
The exit was short, the shooting of the most private, completing the closing of the course problem, in connection with which the division commander took with him a minimum of flagship specialists. The navigator, signalman, RTS, mechanic and artilleryman represented the entire marching headquarters.
Having given up the mooring lines, "Metkiy" threw out the "cap", which overshadowed the entire panorama of the base, thereby hiding from the watchful eye of the fleet headquarters the entire process of going to sea. When the smoke cleared, only the empty bottles from under the Zhigulevskoye floating along the dock left memories of the ship.
The division commander took his place on the navigating bridge. Sitting comfortably in the command chair and closing his eyes, he listened to the commands. Ahead of him was the Academy of the General Staff, the exit was the last for him before leaving for study.
Prior to his appointment, the commander of the "Accurate" was the chief officer on the destroyer of the same type, "Striking", so he was familiar with the ship, and it was not new to him to operate it. Nevertheless, in this position, this exit was the first for him, and the division commander decided to personally verify his abilities.
The weather was crisp. The bow of the destroyer cut the oncoming wave, confidently moving to the combat training area to complete the assigned task. Upon completion of the exit, the "Mark" was docked, all ammunition except for the artillery was unloaded.
The flagship artilleryman was an experienced expert in his field. He started out on an artillery cruiser, as a commander of a universal-caliber battery, and there were many such firing during the years of his service. Before being transferred to the seniority reserve, there were only two months left. To replace him, the commander of the missile and artillery combat unit of "Metkiy", a captain of the 2nd rank, an experienced officer and a master of his craft, should be appointed. This exit was supposed to be a kind of internship for him before being appointed to a higher position. The commander of the combat unit was appointed the commander of the artillery battalion - the captain of the 3rd rank, who passed this way from the battalion commander, the commander of the artillery battery, the lieutenant commander, became the battalion commander, and his place was taken by a young lieutenant, a graduate of this year, so far only seconded to the destroyer.
Having passed the bay, "Metkiy" went out into the open sea. The command "Hang up" sounded, the next shift took over the watch. The flagship navigator presented the weather forecast for the target shooting area. Having reported to the operational duty officer of the fleet that everything was going according to plan, the divisional commander, having given appropriate orders to the marching headquarters, went down to his cabin. The destroyer commander, having instructed the officer of the watch and transferring control to the senior mate, followed the divisional commander and left the bridge. He went to this position for several years, having sat out two commanders and finally his dream came true. He was already at the limit of his commanding age, and this appointment was long-awaited for him, especially since the "Sharp" was a new ship that had recently become part of the fleet.
The commander of the combat unit summoned the divisional commander and battalion commander. Knowing about the upcoming retirement of the flagship artilleryman and their appointments, they decided to celebrate this event in a close circle, for which they "take five drops" from a bottle of "Grandpa Ho", brought specially from St. Petersburg by a familiar conductor. The older friend was a great lover of this drink, and therefore this procedure was invented.
The shooting was the most typical, therefore, the masters of the artillery attack did not raise any doubts about it, especially on the eve of the planned official movements. Therefore, all preparation for them was entrusted to a young trainee lieutenant.
The artillerymen in a friendly crowd burst into the cabin of the flagship artilleryman. All of them were graduates of the same school, in addition, they were tied by many miles traveled together and conducted shooting. In addition to this, everyone was under the impression of new fateful events, therefore, there were plenty of topics for communication. After the symbolic "five drops", the conversation went into the right track.
"Accurate" confidently walked to the specified point of the polygon. The destroyer crew acted in accordance with the cruising schedule. The trainee lieutenant, together with the commander of the gunnery squad, the chief petty officer, was completing a tour of his future headquarters. Two years of military service came to an end, and at the end of this release, the chief petty officer was waiting for a demobilization and Motya, a milkmaid from a farm in a neighboring village, whom he met on vacation at a disco in a club. His thoughts were far from the ship, the gunfire, and this lieutenant, who had fallen completely inappropriately on his head. The fact is that a one-year-old and a fellow countryman from the supply service, with whom they agreed to print the last photos for the demobilization album, were already waiting for him. The event was thwarted by this boring intern.
It remains to visit only the turret of the artillery mount. Along the corridor, his subordinate, a half-soldier, a senior sailor and the future commander of the gunnery squad moved towards him. The plan instantly ripened in the head of the chief petty officer. Having depicted a sharp need to visit the stern latrine in connection with natural needs and entrusting the lieutenant with the stamos that turned up in time, he safely left for the upcoming photo session of sea wolves, which was to finally defeat Motya and all her milkmaid girlfriends.
The senior sailor was also in a hurry about his business. For the difference in the military and political situation, he was given leave to leave for his homeland, in which he was supposed to leave after returning to the base. In the aggregate room, behind the boxes with spare parts, a brand new cloth was waiting for him, exchanged for six cans of stew at the battalion, on which he only had to sew a second shoulder strap made by the best ship's "maklak", the bilge foreman. To refuse the senior in the year of service, and even before the vacation, he was not able to. The inspection of the headquarters came to an end, and mentally the gunner was already trying on a new cloth, when suddenly the lieutenant-trainee expressed a desire to inspect the central post again. The vacation was in jeopardy!
Fortunately, a first-year sailor turned out to be in the central post, who had just arrived on board the ship before leaving the training detachment and was currently doing wet tidying. The lieutenant was immediately transferred into the hands of a young soldier, and the brave tailor hastened to do needlework.
Only a few hours remained until the arrival at the training ground and the start of artillery fire. "Sharp" flew to the intended target, leaving behind the foam breakers of the wake. In the central post of the artillery complex there were two - a lieutenant-trainee and a sailor-first-year. The ship was intensively preparing for the execution of artillery fire.
"Sharp" entered the landfill. The trills of the "Training Alert" sounded. The stomp of dozens of feet and the slamming of hatches tore the gunners away from the memories of past years and events. The commander and the divisional commander climbed onto the chassis, the destroyer's crew took their places in accordance with the schedule, reports on the readiness for the upcoming firing flew from the speakers.
The battalion commander flew into the central one. The entire crew was in place, two young trainees were peeping out of the boxes with spare parts. After reporting their readiness to fire to the lieutenant-captain, everyone froze in anticipation of the command for permission to fire.
Having accepted the report on readiness for firing from the chief officer, the commander of the "Metkoy" reported to the division commander as the head of the firing. The divisional commander, in turn, reported to the command post of the fleet: "I occupied the range, began to carry out artillery fire." The destroyer, according to the report of the flagship navigator, went to the point of opening fire. The inspectors made the necessary reports, and the divisional commander gave the command to open fire. The ship shuddered, spewing fire from both barrels. The battery fired at a distant coastal target.
The flagship gunner was in high spirits, five drops of "Grandpa Ho" did their job. A friendly conversation with comrades in arms brought back pleasant memories of thirty years of naval service. The veteran of the fleet did not have a great desire to sit in the darkness of the central control center at the command post of the commander of the BCH-2, and he decided to go up on the undercarriage so that for the last time before leaving the reserve to admire the fruits of his labor.
The division commander was also in relaxed feelings. Ahead was the academy, Moscow, where his wife, a native Muscovite, had been torn for ten years already. In addition, both daughters studied there, whom he missed very much. The cherished dream was already near.
"Accurate" fired another volley along the shore. Suddenly, the ZAS phone rang. The officer of the watch picked up the phone. His face slowly began to turn pale, and then flushed with crimson autumn rowan.
- Comrade Rear Admiral, this is you, Chief of Staff of the Fleet!
The division commander slowly got down from his chair and picked up the phone:
- The division commander at the apparatus.
Having finished shooting, "Sharp" lay down on the return course. The artillery mount was returned to its original position. The way to the base, home!
Everyone in the wheelhouse turned their gaze to the division commander. He stood pale, his eyes wandered madly on the sides, only two words escaped from his lips:
- There is! Yes sir!
"Accurate" moored in its home base. There were three black Volgas and two UAZs on the dock. A large group in black overcoats, led by two admirals, the chief of staff of the fleet and the chief of the URAV did not bode well.
The gangway touched the pier. Without waiting for it to be secured, the whole company flew into the ship. Analysis of the exit of the destroyer "Metkiy" began right on the waist of the starboard side.
Here's what happened. The border outpost lived its own calm, measured life. Lunch has just ended, and the personnel, as usual, gathered in the smoking room in order to discuss pressing problems and listen to the stories of the senior warrant officer - the foreman of the outpost, transferred here from Tajikistan. It was a beautiful autumn day. The northern sun rolled lazily along the horizon, giving off its last warmth before the approaching winter. A light breeze from the sea tore off the last leaves from the rowan trees. They lay flat on a carpet under the feet of the border guards, and, quietly rustling, caught up in the wind, moved along the territory of the outpost from one edge to the other. It seemed that nothing in the world could disturb this idyll.
More recently, the outpost personnel has been updated by 50 percent. The border guards who had served their term went home, and a young replenishment arrived to replace them. The outpost was located in the very outskirts of the former empire, far from caravan routes, drug trafficking and other problems. The service was calm here, and the senior warrant officer, who had completed the full program in Tajikistan, stayed here like in paradise.
More memories of the service were interrupted by a drawn-out howl. Something dark with a breakneck speed and whistling swept towards the bath, which had been so lovingly built by the foreman himself, which had been completed last week.
Debris and piles of earth shot up into the air, and something leapt. It howled again. The greenhouse was buried under a pile of rubble and earth.
- Outpost, into the gun! Take cover, everyone! - shouted the senior warrant officer. In his memory, the shelling of the outpost by the Mujahideen was still alive, there, in Tajikistan. The shells began to fall more and more heap right into the center of the parade ground. The border guards rushed in unison, hiding from the flying debris and clods of earth behind the bare mountain ash.
The head of the outpost, a mature major, having dined, lay down on the sofa. An hour later, with the young lieutenant who had just been assigned to the outpost, he was going to check the duty squads. The howl and the sound of broken glass in a second tore him off the couch. Looking out the shattered window, he saw recruits scattering in panic. The major jerked the receiver of the direct telephone from the OD of the border troops:
- The outpost has been attacked! Artillery shelling is underway from the sea! I accept the fight!
At first, the OD of the border troops was taken aback by such a message. Having instantly glanced at the map and determined the location of the outpost, he quickly realized that there was a need for a fleet here. In accordance with the available instructions, he immediately reported the incident to Moscow to the Border Troops Directorate, to the general on duty.
The reaction was immediate. At the OD of the Navy, the telephone of the government communications rang. It was the general of the Border Troops Directorate on duty. From his report it became clear that some ship in the area of the outpost was firing along the coast, endangering the personnel there. The OD of the Navy, according to the information received, evaluating the operational situation, revealed that in this area, in the training ground, the destroyer "Metkiy" was conducting artillery firing. A direct call from Moscow to the chief of staff of the fleet immediately followed.
The commission worked at Metcom for a whole week. The conclusions were serious. The division commander as the senior on board and the head of the firing was reprimanded and "crushed" his studies at the academy. The wife of the division commander left for Moscow closer to her daughters. The flagship artilleryman was dismissed ahead of schedule, and a graduate of the academy, who had previously served in a neighboring unit, was appointed in his place. The commander of the ship was not prosecuted due to the recent appointment. The commander of the BCH-2 received the NSS and was transferred to the position of the battalion commander on the Otreshenny BOD, which is in conservation. The battalion commander was demoted and appointed commander of an artillery battery on the same BOD. The battery commander was removed from his post and transferred to the reserve. The commander of the gunnery squad was demoted to sailor and was dismissed only on December 31 at 23.45. The Komendor, a senior sailor, was deprived of leave, in addition, when checking the combat posts by the commission, his non-statutory uniform, prepared for leave, was found, which was later discarded on the general formation of the crew. The organizational period was announced to the ship, docking was canceled, the delivery of the course problem was assessed as "unsatisfactory". The trainee lieutenant was appointed battery commander of the destroyer "Metkiy", the first-year sailor was promoted to "senior sailor".
The outpost commander received the extraordinary military rank of "lieutenant colonel" for operational actions. The senior warrant officer for health reasons was transferred away from the border to the position of head of a clothing warehouse. The bathhouse, the greenhouse, as well as all the damage caused was restored by forces and at the expense of the personnel of the division, under the personal leadership of the division commander.
The commission called the reason for the incident the actions of an unidentified person who, due to unauthorized actions, made a mismatch in the guidance systems of the artillery installation.
