Lieberman stared in horror at the carnage.
The telephone rang. Straut picked it up.
"General Straut," he said. His voice was firm. He had put an end to the
threat.
"Straut, we've broken the message," General Margrave said excitedly.
"It's the damnedest thing I ever...."
Straut wanted to interrupt, announce his victory, but Margrave was
droning on.
"... strange sort of reasoning, but there was a certain analogy. In any
event, I'm assured the translation is accurate. Here's how it reads in
English...."
Straut listened. Then he carefully placed the receiver back on the hook.
Lieberman stared at him.
"What did it say?"
Straut cleared his throat. He turned and looked at Lieberman for a long
moment before answering.
"It said, 'Please take good care of my little girl.'"