'Because the Greeks won't let us.' Mahogany Brown beckoned the waiter over to replenish their drinks, then he went on: 'That's the big handicap the West has been up against all the time. Moscow has only to say the word to get done in any of the Iron Curtain countries anything the Kremlin boys want—and done at once. But N.A.T.O. has to say "Please may we?" to the Governments of each separate sovereign State in the Alliance when she wants some action taken in that State's territory. To get a reply usually takes months and, when it does come, often as not it's "No".'
'Yes, I realize that. But surely, in a case like this, you could have got the Greek Government to send their own people in to inspect these sites and find out what the Czechs are up to?'
That's what my Chief tried to do. But the Greeks wouldn't wear it. The trouble is that West and East have played at Brinkmanship for so long that most people simply won't believe that it will now ever come to a hot war. Stockholders get the jitters, but they do that anyway every year or two when there's a threat of depression, or it looks as if a disarmament agreement is at last going to put half the world's heavy industry out of business; tourists get out in a hurry because, rather than face even a remote possibility of being cut off in a foreign country, folk naturally incline to beat it for their homes. But Governments don't scare all that easy. The Greeks are getting what they regard as a lot of money for nothing out of this tobacco-oil deal and, so far, they've had only a ten per cent payment on signing of contract so, naturally, they don't want to upset the Czechs before they get the rest.'
'One couldn't blame them for that if the Czechs really were prospecting for oil. But we know they are not. They are not using the right kind of apparatus. If your Chief made that clear
to the Greek Government-'
'He has, but it's cut no ice. The Czech story is that they are using an entirely new process, and it is their secret. That's why, when it was tentatively suggested to them that they should allow7 an inspection, their refusal sounded quite reasonable to the Greeks. And Greece is a poor country, remember. Think what it would mean to the Greeks if the Czechs really did strike oil. Looked at from their point of view, one can't expect them to risk busting their chances of a bonanza just because an American sub. has got herself stuck in Soviet waters and there is one more of those recurrent crises that we've had during most of our lives.'
They went out to the kitchen, where the fat, cheerful chef produced in a ladle for their inspection various bits and pieces from his row of big, bubbling pots. Mahogany Brown chose one of those mysterious stews. Robbie hesitated over chicken; but as, owing to lack of corn, the hens in Greece were always so small and skinny he settled for fried meat balls.
By then, half a dozen men had come into the dining room, but none of them was near enough to the table that Mahogany Brown had chosen to overhear their conversation; so, when they were settled at it again, Robbie asked:
'If the Russians do bore through the ice to depth-charge the submarine, what will happen? She must have a dozen or more missiles on board, so could fire them off. Won't the Russians be afraid that she may, and might blot out Moscow?'
'No, she couldn't do that. If she were clear of the ice and at sea, she could. But the several feet of ice on top of her would be certain to deflect the aim of the missiles. I don't know enough about it to speak for sure, but I think the chances are that hitting the solid ice would cause them to go off prematurely. In that case, the back blast would blow her to bits. Of course, it would put paid to any part of the Soviet Fleet that was within miles. But the Russians regard ships and men as expendable; so they wouldn't lose much sleep over the sinking of a few mine-laying vessels and, perhaps a couple of cruisers.'
'Say the worst happens,' Robbie enquired. 'How do you think things will go?'
Mahogany Brown poured some more vinegar over the stew he was eating, and shrugged. 'Your picture is probably as good as mine. Even if the Russians do strike first and blot out New York, Chicago, Detroit, London, Paris and various other big centres of production, we'll flatten Moscow, Leningrad, Kiev, Kharkhov, Warsaw, Prague and so on. But the earth is one hell of a big place and there's a limit to the damage that the I.C.B.M.s can do, even allowing for fall-out. After a few days the missiles will have been used up, then what's known as the "broken back" war will begin.'
Having tossed back half a glass of the Cretan wine they were drinking, he went on: 'As I see it, the big problem is going to be getting rid of the millions of dead before a plague sets in. But, providing an epidemic doesn't kill off those of us who are left, the survivors in the fighting services on both sides will gradually get themselves organized and set about having old-fashioned battles.'
'If they do, they will be pretty well back to bows and arrows.'
'Oh no; not necessarily. When I said old-fashioned, I meant sort of 1914-18, or maybe even 1939-45. There should be quite a few ships, aircraft and tanks left around, and the winner is going to be the side that's got the oil to run them. That's why, strategically speaking, the Aegean is so important. Nine-tenths of Russia's oil is concentrated in the Caucasus and Rumania. The nearer our subs can get to those fields, the more accurate the aim of their missiles will be. They daren't go through the Bosphorous into the Black Sea. That would be too risky. But you can be sure we have a number of them sitting on the bottom of the Aegean right now, ready to blast off at the word "go"; so as to make certain of putting the Soviet oil wells out of business even before the "broken back" war gets going.'
They finished off their meal with slices of an incredibly sweet cake that consisted of crystallized fruit, then had Turkish coffee and Greek brandy. As they were about to leave the table, Mahogany Brown said: 'I shall get on to my Chief tonight, to let him know that bit you picked up today about dropping things down grottoes, and urge that he have another crack at the Greeks to go in and find out what it is the Czechs mean to drop. For the moment, 1 don't see what else we can do. But I'd like you to keep in touch, because a lone wolf like you can sometimes do things that I'm barred from doing unless I go against Standing Orders and risk blotting my copy-book. Look in at the
Candia Palace, just along the street here, round midday tomorrow, will you?'
Robbie promised to do so, then the American said: 'Just one other thing. I'm holding you to your word not to mention to Madame Barak anything we've discussed. How she saved her pretty neck after she was supposed to have gone over that precipice in your car I wouldn't know, and I'm not asking. But one thing I am certain about. It is that the Czechs fixed it that you should take her with you when you left Athens, so that she could report back to them how much you were finding out. Maybe that's news to you. If so, I'm sorry to have spoiled any illusions you may have about her having gone with you all for love. But there it is. She started out on the other side, and maybe is so still. So, for the sake of the Europe that you evidently like, not to mention the old U.S. that means a lot to me, you've really got to watch your step with her.'
With a rueful grin, Robbie replied: 'Since you know so much I'll admit that, to begin with, she was acting under her husband's orders. But after we met Barak on the mountain road, he pushed her over the precipice and I had the luck to save her. As a result of that, she is completely through with him and has come over to us.'
'Maybe she is through with him as a person. If they had still been turtle-doves, it's odds-on he would have found some other cutie to lead you up the garden path. But, in my experience, once a Communist always a Communist, with only remarkably rare exceptions; so keep on loving her plenty if you wish, but do it with your mouth shut.'