the interceptor squadrons the tension was becoming explosive. The
provocation was pushing them to the edge of restraint. Incidents were
only narrowly being averted, as the hot-bloods crowded their
interceptions to the very frontiers of war. Finally, however, there had
to come intervention from above as Desert Flower tried to hold them on a
tighter leash.
They sent the Brig to talk to his crews and as he stood on the dais and
looked about the crowded briefing room, he realized that it was unfair
to train the hawk and then keep the hood over his eyes and the thong
upon his leg, to hold him upon the wrist, when the wild duck were
flighting overhead.
He started at a philosophical level, taking advantage of the regard that
he knew his young pilots had for him.
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
