Moscow, in a basement.
The lights remained dim, swaying constantly from the vibrations. Dust kept raining down, leaving those sheltering inside looking grimy and disheveled.
Joseph sat on the sofa, his face dark. He puffed at his pipe one draw after another, making the already murky air in the basement even more unpleasant. Even so, no one dared criticize Joseph. As Buru's Supreme Leader, Joseph still had that small privilege.
Boom! Boom!
When the bombs exploded aboveground, those hiding in the basement could still faintly hear the blasts. Even knowing the basement was sturdy, the people inside could not help but worry.
"How is it outside?" Joseph asked, setting down his pipe.
"Comrade Joseph, we just spoke with the Garrison Command by telephone. The Germans have dispatched large numbers of aircraft to bomb Moscow. Our air defense troops are fighting a bloody battle against the German Air Force. However, our air defense troops have suffered considerable losses under the German bombardment."
Joseph nodded. "Tell Comrade Zhukov that he must teach the Germans a hard lesson and let them know that Moscow's skies are not a place where they can run wild. However many planes the Germans send, we can shoot down just as many."
"Yes, Comrade Joseph," the secretary replied. Yet inwardly, he was somewhat dismissive. If ground-based anti-aircraft fire alone could stop the German bombing, that would be far too self-assured. But naturally, he did not dare say so in Joseph's presence. If he angered Joseph, the consequences would be obvious.
At the Moscow Garrison Command, Zhukov's office had likewise been placed underground. After all, once the German Air Force began its bombing, the Garrison Command would not escape it either. If even General Zhukov, the garrison commander, were bombed to death, how could they continue fighting this war?