The Stone-Faced Witnesses

"Stone-Faced Witness" was a battle fought on Easter Island in the Pacific Ocean, between Soviet and Allied forces, and between Soviet forces loyal to Premier Cherdenko and those who were considered a threat by the Premier and marked for elimination, in the Soviet Campaign.

Background
With the Empire of the Rising Sun destroyed (see "To Tame a Living God"), the war became a two-sided struggle between the Soviets and the Allies. The two sides had agreed to meet on Easter Island to discuss a peace treaty, but Premier Cherdenko had formulated a plan to ambush the Allied fleet travelling to Easter Island, ordering two Soviet commanders to build a fleet and destroy the Allies as they approached the island. Unbeknown to both the Soviet commanders and the Allies, Cherdenko had constructed a secret fortress built into the volcano on the island, and had built up a large force there under his personal command.

Part 1 - The Ambush
"I just love these types of missions but I wonder? Are we the cheese or the trap?"

- Zhana Agonskaya

The Soviet commanders built up their bases in the south-east of the island, next to the harbor and the huts where the peace conference was supposed to take place. The Allies, rightly suspecting an ambush, had a large, well-armed escort accompanying the Allied envoys. As the Allied moved near the island, the commanders struck. In the naval battle, the envoys and the escorts were sent to the bottom of the Pacific. Meanwhile the Allies had landed on a small island nearby and were preparing for a counter-attack. This base was quickly destroyed by the Soviet forces.

AMBUSH!
"Good afternoon friend. Are you here to escort us to your meeting with the Premier? I'm afraid not my friend, COMRADES ATTACK NOW! What the? It's a trap! Open fire!"

- Allied and Soviet Emissaries

The Allied Emissary arrived and asked if he was there to escort them to their meeting with the Premier. The Soviet Emissary respoonded by ordering the Soviets to attack. The Allies realized it was an ambush and ordered their forces to open fire.

A huge number of Akula Subs surfaced to ambush the Assault Destroyers and their torpedos fired away and Riptides, Hydrofoils and Assault Destroyers were seen sinking into the ocean. After destroying their escorts the Akulas sunk the Aircraft Carrier.

Allied Counterattack
The Allies did indeed suspected a Soviet trap and Field Marshal Bingham informed the Soviets that they came to Easter Island with their guns loaded. The Allies deployed an MCV and several Assault Destroyers to get revenge for the ambush. However, the Soviets had built defenses all around their base, and the Allied attack stalled. Zhana built up a sizable air force and her Kirovs and Twinblades leveled the base, presumably eliminating Bingham as well.

Part 2 - The Betrayal
"I do not understand the Premier has gone mad! My Loyalty is with you commander and for the sake of all soviets you must stop him!"

- Dasha

Once the Allies were vanquished, Premier Cherdenko launched the secret phase two of his plan. He now denounced his (unnamed) commander as a traitor to the Soviet Union, and attacked with the loyalist troops on the island. The Soviet intelligence officer Dasha, and the co-commander Zhana however decided to support the commander. The commander was advised to destroy the support structures of the Volcano Fortress. The fortress however was well-defended, and the Premier also had a number of advanced weaponry, including Tesla Tanks and the Vacuum Imploder. In a brutal battle the support structures were destroyed, and the Volcano Fortress collapsed in on itself, burying the Premier.

The Vacuum Imploder
"Commander, I have a surprise for you, The Tesla Tank!"

- Premier Cherdenko revealing the Tesla Tank to the commander.

The Premier threatened the Commander with the new superweapon he built at the naval base at the northeast. A fleet of Akulas, Dreadnoughts and MiGs were sent to destroy the Vacuum Imploder. The Dreadnoughts razed the Vacuum Imploder and everything around it to the ground. Destroying the superweapon allowed the Soviets to focus on the Premier's volcano fortress.

Assaulting the Volcano Fortress
"I'm sorry commander, But nobody will stand in my way. Especially not a fool like you!"

- Premier Cherdenko after the Vaccum Imploder is destroyed.

After taking care of the Premier's Vacuum Imploder, the Soviets wanted to make sure Cherdenko did not pull off another attempt on their lives again, so their Kirovs leveled the place and hypothetically buried the Premier with it. However it was never confirmed if Cherdenko had perished or not.

Consequences
It was revealed afterwards Cherdenko had faked the attempt on his life and framed General Krukov and was responsible for the subsequent disappearance of Dr. Zelinsky, in order to eliminate the witnesses to the time travel incident that brought him to power. With the Allies reeling from their defeat the time was deemed right for the assault on the United States.