"That should be sufficient. Thank you, Mr. Secretary." His face left
the screen, and Dubcek immediately went to work.
"Brunner, Wessenberg, Kinsky and Schmidt, get to the evacuation ships.
Gunnery and engineering high-officers to remain at their posts;
everyone else off. First battleship and remaining cruiser to provide
cover for their retreat, then get out themselves---link up with the
reinforcements as soon as possible and put themselves under the command
of General Itjes. Go on. Move!"
Masaryk relayed the orders with grim satisfaction. His commander was
going to fight.
As the others filed past him with blank, scared faces, Brunner remained
at his station. Dubcek looked over at him.
"Get out, fool!" But still he did not move. The aging commander
strode quickly over to him.
"There is no time for this. If you want to be brave then hold on to
your commission and fight them again."
"I don't want to leave---"
The voice of the communications officer broke him off. "General Itjes,
sir. I've also contacted the colonies: all data being relayed."
"Good," said Dubcek. "Put him on and get below." He held out his hand
to Brunner.
"Goodbye, Olaf. Go. Now!" His lieutenant turned and left the room.
Four officers remained in the chamber. "Anyone else who wishes to go,
it must be now." None stirred. "Very well." He nodded, turned to
Masaryk, then remembered General Itjes.
The chief scientist had moved to the communications board. He put him
on the screen. The lined and wizened face of the German General stood
before him.
"Yes, Ivan. I understand you're in trouble. Can you hold him off long
enough for us to get around his flank?"
"Don't bother trying, General. He's got the ships and firepower to cut
us both to pieces. The best thing you can do is guard the civilian
retreat from Premislyde and Goethe. I'm afraid Athena must surrender."
Itjes sighed painfully. "All right, then. Agree to capitulate your
forces along with it, and stall on the rest for as long as you can."
"I'm afraid I can't do that, sir."
"Why not?"
"He is not about to be detained, and I am not about to let him win this
battle without the shedding of American blood."
"Ivan, this is no time---"
"This is bigger than both of us, General. They must know at the very
beginning that they will be resisted every step of the way."
"Colonel, it is pointless to die like this."
"Sorry, Helmut. I have much work to do. Save as many as you can." He
gestured to the chief scientist, and the screen went blank. He turned
to Masaryk. "Is Hayes unloading yet?"
"Just starting now, sir." They both watched as perhaps a dozen of the
monolithic carrier's twenty chutes were lowered and the first wave of
fighters, mingled with other, larger ships, came streaming off. "If
that's the Dreadnought....."
"It is."
"They say she holds over three hundred vessels---cruisers and
battleships among them. Twice the size of our entire fleet."
"Are the evac ships off yet?"
"Checking. The last one is just clearing now."
"Give them thirty seconds to be off, then put the third robot battery
in his face. I'm tired of looking at it."
Masaryk waited, gave the order.