Chapter 43
Feldhandler and Perchansky, with Bolander there for security, had been back at the capsule for a full day. Feldhandler’s injuries strangely focused him. While concentrating on the problems of effecting a faster than light transmission the pain in his hands took leave. Under Feldhandler’s instruction, working under the aggravating upside-down computer terminals, Perchansky had ground through the last algorithms and lines of code. Feldhandler felt like it was old times at Dimona, except for the incredible working conditions, the pain, and that Andrea’s grim lover hovered by the capsule door with a slung Tavor. The moment of truth came some hours before sunrise on June 29 when Perchansky believed she ushered through a brief tachyon transmission to Dimona. Feldhandler’s protocols dictated that the transmission, if successful, should result in a return communication from Mina, acknowledging receipt. After that, Feldhandler would submit an encrypted message, which, assuming everything else was right, would theoretically allow Mina to return the Device and its passengers.
Several hours later, Yatom was in the town administration building with Fliegel and Jezek when Feldhandler, looking something like a vagrant in a mishmash of IDF uniform and civilian clothes, waving his heavily bandaged hands, burst breathlessly into the main room. Yatom stepped from the building with the scientist. Feldhandler described his progress as they walked down the front steps of the hall. Feldhandler now seemed as anxious to get the sayeret on their way back home as he had been to frustrate their return a month before. Yatom guessed the scientist’s own need to succeed was driving him.
“We need to bring in Mofaz and the rest of the sayeret” said Yatom, outwardly calm, but excited at the news.
“Bolander is already fetching them” said Feldhandler. “Let’s meet at your quarters.”
Yatom’s kept his quarters on the first floor of a small house across from the administration building, which contained a kitchen, table and a few chairs in a single room, and an outhouse in the back yard. A small flight of stairs led to a single upstairs bedroom. It was typical of many of the town’s simple but livable structures. It had housed a whole family before the massacre by the Ordmmgs Polizei. The sayeret gathered around the table in the first floor room—it was a small group: Yatom, Mofaz, Ilan, Nir, Ido and Roi. Roi was heavily bandaged around the head and shoulders, and they all moved gingerly thanks to their multiple cuts, cracks and bruises.
“Where are Bolander and Perchansky?” asked Mofaz.
“She is still working on the Device” said Feldhandler, assuming it was understood that Bolander was with her. “That is what we are here to talk about”
“How is Rafi?” asked Yatom, looking at Ido, not really changing the topic, for the commando’s evacuation was their most critical problem.
“The same—he won’t make it unless we get out of here soon. Is that the reason for the meeting? Because if not, I should get back to him” said the medic anxiously.
“Yes” answered Yatom. “According to Dr. Feldhandler…” The battered soldiers looked over at the scientist.
“To put it simply” said Feldhandler “we’ve managed to send a transmission through the Device.”
“And this you could not do for the past month?” grunted Mofaz.
“Haven’t we been through all this already?“ said Yatom, casting an annoyed glance at Mofaz.
“This doesn’t mean we are in the clear” continued Feldhandler. “We need a return transmission, we need to confirm it is authentic, and send one more encrypted message. Even then, it remains to be seen whether the capsule is transportable.”
“So why are we wasting our time now?” said Ido impatiently.
“We are not wasting time” said Yatom curtly. “If it works, things will go quickly—we could go this evening or tomorrow. Everybody has to be ready to move.
“All this has to go through Mina correct?” said Mofaz. Feldhandler nodded. “Isn’t she likely in jail by now?” concluded the Major.
“Not at all” said Feldhandler. “The transmission I sent should reach her just seconds after our departure. As far as Dimona knows, none of this happened.”
“They’ll know when we get back” spat Mofaz.
“That’s probably true.”
“What about the paradox issue—have you resolved that?” asked Yatom.
“No. There either is a paradox issue or there is not. We’ll know when the Device arrives back at Dimona.” Feldhandler paused and looked around at the sayeret. He’d been cruel to them, but now he felt a certain kindness and appreciation. He tried to convey his feeling. “But truthfully, I don’t think—have never thought—there is a paradox problem. As soon as we arrived in the past, so far in the past, anyway, a new timeline began. A new timeline is like a new place. It doesn’t mean the old place is gone, it doesn’t mean the new place was already there. We are in a new time, created out of our own past. It entirely possible, even probable, theoretically. I think that anybody who wants to go home can go home. We’ll know for sure in a few hours.”
“Which bring us to those who are not here” said Mofaz. “What about Shapira and Chaim? Have we heard from them?”
“No” said Yatom. “Not since they arrived at Belzec.”
“Are we to depart without them?”
“You go with the men. I will stay” said Yatom.
Mofaz shook his head, unmoved by Yatom’s gesture. “Honestly Colonel, I don’t care if you stay or not. Either way, it doesn’t get Shapira or Chaim back.”
“No it doesn’t.”
“Doctor Feldhandler—what about you?” asked Yatom.
“I’m staying here.”
“I’m staying too,” said Nir.
“What?” exclaimed Mofaz. Yatom gave Nir a quizzical glance, but was surprised and pleased that his tough team sergeant would stay behind with him.
Nir sat back and addressed his comrades. “I like it here. It’s challenging, different, exciting—and I like being able to fight—really fight—without politicians telling me what to do. No bullshit.”
“You’re crazy” said Mofaz “but you do have a point about the Roi… (ROE???)”
“Nir has a girlfriend” said Ilan, interrupting Mofaz. “That explains it better. Any other mishugas?” asked Mofaz.
The rest of the sayeret shook their heads. “I have a girl at home” smiled Ilan. “Though I’ve been tempted.”
“Humping anything that moves isn’t really temptation” scolded Mofaz.
“So” said Yatom, anxious to end the meeting “the device may be ready for transport as early as tonight.” Feldhandler nodded. “Rafi needs to go immediately If Shapira and Chaim have not returned—Major Mofaz, Mike, Ilan, Ido and Roi will go. Dr. Perchansky?
“Certainly” said Feldhandler coldly.
“Beseder. Doctor—should the men proceed to the capsule? Should we bring Rafi out there now?”
“Not just yet, but everyone needs to be ready—say within an hour of my signal.”
Chapter 44
Globocnik and Wirth accompanied with their prisoner, Major Shapira, to Prague. Heydrich provided an aircraft, demonstrating his strong interest in the captive. It was not as clear to Globocnik why Heydrich had summoned the two German officers.
Globocnik hated to fly. He tried to calm stay calm perusing Schwarze Korps, the official SS newspaper. Inside, he read an article about the heroic and successful anti-partisan operations conducted by Regiment Der Fuehrer in Poland. The unit had returned triumphantly to France to complete training with the rest of the division, readying itself for another deployment to Russia. Globocnik smiled at that. Stadler had skillfully woven the sow’s ear of defeat into a silken victory. He had to hand it to the man, if he survived the war he’d be a successful politician. But Globocnik had interrogated enough men to know a tall tale when he heard one. Der Fuehrer’s astonishing losses—including its commander—as against a hundred or so dead partisans, hardly sounded like a real success. But since it was not in Globo’s own interest to contest the account, Stadler’s “victory” was also his.