the object of war is peace, the ultimate strategy of any commander is
peace -'There was no response from his audience. The Brig caught the
level scrutiny of his own son. How could he talk of placation to a
trained warrior who had just buried the mutilated body of his ! bride?
The Brig ploughed on manfully.
Only a fool allows himself to be drawn on to a field of the enemy's
choosing, he was reaching them now, I won't have one of you young pups
pushing us into something we are not ready for. I don't want to give
them an excuse. That is what they want, They were thawing now, he saw a
head nod thoughtfully and heard a murmur of agreement.
Any of you looking for big trouble, you don't have to go to Damascus,
you know my address, he tried for his first laugh, and got it. They
were chuckling now. All right, then. We don't want trouble. We are
going to lean right over backwards to prevent it, but we are not going
to fall on our arses. When the time comes, I'll give you the word and
it won't be the soft word, or the other cheek, they growled then, a
fierce little sound, and he ended it, - but you wait for that word. Le
Dauphin stood up and took over from the Brig.
All right, while I've got you all together, I've a little news for you
that may help to cool the hot-heads who want to follow the MIGs over the
border. He motioned to the projection box at the end of the
briefing-room, the lights went down and there was a shuffling of feet,
and an outburst of coughing. A voice protested resignedly.
Not another film show! Yes, the colonel took it up. Another film show
Then as the images began to flash upon the screen he went on, This is a
military intelligence film, and the subject is a new ground-to-air
missile system that has been delivered by the Soviet Army to the armies
of the Arab Union. The code name for the system is "Serpent" and it
updates the existing "Sam IIP system. As far as we know, the system has
been installed and is operative in the Syrian defensive perimeter, and
will shortly be installed by the Egyptians. It is manned at present by
Russian instructors. As the colonel went on talking, the Brig sat back
in his chair and watched their faces in the silver reflection from the
screen. They were intent and serious, men looking for the first time on
the terrible machines that might be the instrument of their own deaths.
The missile is fired from a tracked vehicle. Here you see aerial
reconnaissance shots of a mobile column.
Notice that each vehicle carries a pair of missiles, and you will
realize that they constitute an enormous threat - The Brig picked out
the marvellously pure profile of David Morgan as he leaned forward to
study the screen, and he felt a pang of sympathy and sorrow for him and
yet this was underlined by a new respect, a realignment of judgement.
The boy had proved himself to be constant, capable of embracing an ideal
and remaining loyal to it.
The improvements in design of the "Serpent" are not certain, but it is
believed that the missile is capable of greater speeds, probably in the
order of mach 2. 5, and that the guidance system is a combination of
both infrared heat seeker and computerized radar control. Watching the
handsome young face, he wondered if Debra had not misjudged his
reserves. It was possible that he would have been capable of, no, the
Brig shook his head and groped for a cigarette. He was too young, too
greedy for life, spoiled by good looks and riches. He would not be
capable of it. Debra was right, as so often was the case. She had
chosen the correct course. She could never hold him, she must set him
free.
It is expected that the "Serpent" is capable of engaging targets at
altitudes between 1500 it. and 75, 000 it. There was a stir amongst
the listeners, as they assessed the threat of this new weapon.
The warhead delivers a quarter of a ton of explosive and it is armed
with a proximity fuse which is set to fire if the target is passed at
range less than 150 feet.
Within these limits the "Serpent" is lethal. The Brig was still
watching David. Ruth and he had not seen the boy at their home for many
months. He had come with Joe to spend the Sabbath evening with them
twice after the outrage. However, the atmosphere had been stiff and
artificial, everybody carefully avoiding mention of Debra's name. He
had not come again after the second time, nearly six months ago.
Evasive tactics at this stage will be the same as for
"Sam III".
Prayer and good luck! someone interjected and that raised a laugh.
maximum-rate turn towards the missile, to screen the radiation from your
jet blasts, and attempt to force the "Serpent" to overshoot. In the
event that the missile continues to track, you should climb into the sun
and then make another maximum-rate turn. The missile may then accept
the sun's infra-red radiation as a more tempting target And if that
doesn't work? a voice called, and another answered flippantly, Repeat
the following: "Hear Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. " But
this time nobody laughed at the old blasphemy.
The Brig timed his departure from the briefing-room to fall in beside
David.
When are we going to see you, David? It's been a long time. 'I'm
sorry, sir. I hope Joe made my apologies Yes, of course. But why don't
you come with Joe this evening? God knows, there will be enough food
I'll be very busy tonight, sir, David declined lamely.
I understand. And as they reached the door of the O.C.'Is office the
Brig paused, Remember you are always welcome, and he turned away.
Sir! the Brig stopped and looked back at him. David spoke rapidly,
almost guiltily.
How is she, sir? and then again, how is Debra? Have you see her, I
mean, recently? She is well, the Brig answered heavily.
As well as she can be. 'Will you tell her I asked?
No, answered the Brig, ignoring the pleading in the dark blue eyes. No.
You know I can't do that David nodded and turned away. For a moment the
Brig looked after him and then with a frown he went on into the
colonel's office.
David dropped Joe in Em Karem, at the entrance to the lane, and then he
drove on into the main shopping area of East Jerusalem and parked
outside the big new supermarket in Melech George ! to do his shopping
for the weekend ahead.
He was hanging over the freezer tray pondering the delicate choice
between lamb cutlets and steak, when he became aware that he was being
watched.
David looked up quickly and saw that she was a statuesque woman with a
thick mane of blond curls. She stood beside the shelves farther down
the aisle. Her hair was dyed, he could see the dark shadow of the
roots, and she was older than he was, with a womanly heaviness in her
hips and bosom and tiny lines at the corners of her eyes. She was
eyeing him, a steady appraisal so unashamedly sensual that he felt the
check in his breathing and the quick stirring of his loins. He looked
back at the meat in the freezer, guilty and angry with the treachery of
his body. It had been so long, so very long since he had experienced
sexual awareness. He had believed that he never would again. He wanted
to throw the pack of steak back into the freezer and leave, but he stood
rooted with the breathless feeling squeezing his lungs, and he was aware
of the woman's presence at his side. He could feel the warmth of her on