The Khovd Patrol

http://i.imgur.com/AEg4QEM.png

Qadu Region

18th July, 2016

The UAZ rattled and clattered as it crossed the off-road track, headlights cutting through the light snow. The forest was thick around them, and along with the blanket of snow covering the ground it served to deaden the noise of the light utility vehicle.
"Pull up here," the navigator said in Mongolian. The driver complied, bringing the UAZ to the side of the road and turning off the vehicle.
"Is this it?" The driver asked.
"Yes. There is a track over there," the navigator gestured towards the trees ahead of them. "It will lead us to the objective."
The pair dismounted the vehicle, securing their rifles and cold weather packs. They weren't sure how far they would have to walk.
"Temay," the driver said as they began their trek. "I have yet to know what is going on. Why are two Recon Rangers such as ourselves being sent to retrieve shit from a hovel in the woods?"
"I have no idea, Dima," the navigator replied. "Apparently because no one knows where the hovel is. Its location is not even marked on the map. Just "stop here, follow track". Who can say what it means? Intelligence officers being intelligence officers like always."
"I can agree with that." The pair stopped at a gap between the trees. In summer, the path would be completely overgrown in grass, but the winter snows made the lack of trees prominent. The pair could see the corridor leading for a hundred metres before taking a bend.
"This it?" asked Dima.
"Yeah. Must be."
"Let us walk, then. Get to the bottom of this bullshit."

"This bullshit is deeper than I thought," said Dima after an hour.
"Stop your complaining. At least we are still in friendly territory."
"But barely within a kilometre of the border, if my navigation sense is right."
"'Navigation sense'. You have just been looking over at my map, you cheeky asshole."
"Perhaps, perhaps not. We will never see." The pair trudged on. After a few minutes, Dima spoke up again. "Do you think that's significant?"
"Hmm? What is?" Temay replied.
"Our distance to the border. Is that important, you suppose?"
For another few moments, the only sound was their boots in the snow. "Perhaps," Temay relented. "Our usual job is to spy on Shangsese. Perhaps now it is time to spy on Velks instead."
"We are to venture into the stolen territory? The track leads us closer and closer."
"Can you say you have a problem with that, Dima? It is our duty to serve the Khan and the Khanate."
"Of course, Temay. Glory to the Great Khan. The thought excites me. What if this leads to us taking back the Stolen Territories? We would be heroes!"
"Yes, of course," Temay said, a sarcastic half-smirk on his face. "A statue of us in every square, praising the spies who are responsible for it all!" The grin vanished. "Or we could just be going here to pick up the left overs from the spy who lived in this hovel. Or maybe some dumb major left behind a canteen and is too lazy to fetch it himself." Temay seemed to prick his ears and raise his head slightly as they walked. Dima, noticing this, did the same.
"You feel that, Dima?" Temay asked.
"Yes," Dima replied. "The air is changing. A clearing is up ahead."
"Wood smoke as well. Faint. I think we are about to be getting to the bottom of this bullshit, Dima."
"Finally."

The pair happened upon a clearing in the forest. At the centre was a small wooden cottage. Dim candlelight lit the windows from within, and a pillar of smoke could be seen rising from a chimney.
"Quaint," said Temay.