Beyond the Shield

by Nachman Kataczinsky

  “We will need a dedicated budget to launch the satellites and to maintain them. For system maintenance we will need ground stations around the world but this is not an immediate need. We can manage with a station in Israel and one in Northern Italy. To insure proper flight navigation to the U.S. we will need one in North America as well.

  “If the Cabinet approves we will present a budget next month and discuss it in detail.”

  “Aren’t we stretched financially as is?” asked the Foreign Minister.

  “Not really,” the Finance Minister responded. “Our economy grew 300% in the last eight months and keeps growing at a nice clip. All the new immigrants are adding to our tax base and increasing the gross national product. Sales of medicine to our allies give us a nice tax income. If you add the income from arms sales to the Brits and the Commonwealth we have very respectable exports. Due to the enormous increase in our tax base we have a budget surplus, war and all.”

  ***

  “Gentlemen, we’re here because there are problems to be discussed and decisions to be made.” General Franz Halder paused and looked at each of the leaders present at his Berlin apartment. “I’ll let Admiral Canaris give you the details.”

  Wilhelm Canaris got up, unrolled a map and pinned it to a wall panel. “As you see, this map shows our positions in August of 1942 and our positions now. In the past three months there has been little change on the Eastern Front, except that the Bolsheviks managed to open a corridor to Leningrad. The city is not blockaded anymore. The situation doesn’t bode well for us. We seem not to be able to dislodge the Russians and they’re slowly gaining. If this turns into a war of attrition they will win.

  “In the West the situation is worse. In August we controlled all of the northern part of France, with the Vichy government having nominal control over the southern part of the country. Now the combined French-British forces control everything south of the Lyon-Nantes line. There is worse news. They are advancing, albeit slowly, and pushing us steadily north and east. General Rommel might give you more details later.

  “There are two more pieces of information that are important. You have all probably heard by now about the failed attempt by a four division group to invade Italy and strike at the British from behind. That was not just a defeat but a catastrophe. The four divisions were wiped out. We lost hundreds of panzers, artillery pieces, and more than a hundred aircraft. We’re still not sure who did the damage. You have all heard the strange reports after that fiasco.

  “The second piece of information is new and still ongoing: the Luftwaffe and allied air forces in the Balkans have been completely wiped out. The attackers used very advanced aircraft and suffered no losses as far as we can tell. Simultaneously similar aircraft attacked our air strips in France. General Rommel will tell you that there is no air support to speak of for his Army Group D.”

  “Any comments?” asked Halder.

  “I have a question,” said General von Tresckow. “What is happening now on the Italian-Austrian border? Did the force that defeated us move at all?”

  “Yes, but not much. They pushed our forces from the southern part of Slovenia and then moved into Austria – the Klagenfurt area. Another group is occupying Innsbruck. Both cities surrendered after receiving a radio communication from the attackers and a threat of destruction. That was after any defenders we had in the area were decimated from the air. The local commanders deemed it wise to evacuate the cities.”

  Canaris continued, “I delivered all this information to Generals von Bock and von Manstein. I believe that General von Tresckow represents them here.”

  Halder nodded at the map. “My assessment is quite dark. I believe we’ve lost this war. It will just take some time and a long butcher’s bill to make it clear to everyone. Make no mistake: The butcher’s bill is growing and it’s not just our military that is paying it. We have very little left of our radar warning net along the Atlantic and it is destroyed as soon as we attempt rebuilding it. You have seen the results on the way here. Block upon block of ruined and burned buildings as well as flattened industrial areas. I can’t say I’m surprised. My predecessor, General Beck, who regrettably couldn’t attend today, warned the Fuehrer not to attack British cities for fear of retaliation.”

  Rommel, who had been listening quietly from the back of the room, spoke up. “I was summoned to Berlin by the Fuehrer to report on the situation in France, which is lousy.” Rommel repeated the report he had given to Canaris at their private meeting in Paris several weeks earlier.

  “Last week I asked for reinforcements,” he continued, “mostly more new panzers, and was promised five new divisions soon.”

  General Paulus nodded. “We also asked for reinforcements. The Eastern Front will have to consolidate if the Russians organize a coordinated attack. We were also promised reinforcements with no timetable and told to hold fast. I was also summoned to the same OKW meeting as General Rommel.”

  “When are you scheduled to be at the OKW?” asked Canaris.

  “Three days from today,” Rommel answered.

  “Maybe it’s an opportunity to present to the Fuehrer and OKW the true situation and propose a peace initiative or at least opening negotiations with the British, French and whoever it is that’s sitting now in southern Austria,” Halder said.

  Canaris raised a hand. “I don’t know. All present here are on Hitler’s liquidation list. He doesn’t trust us and might arrest on the spot those who make such a proposal. I would not like losing General Rommel or General Paulus. Such a proposal is sure to trigger repressions against all of us. I would suggest saying nothing for now. We have some time; after all, we’re not in danger of imminent collapse. Without a plan for action, proposing peace would be suicide.”

  ***

  Zaretzky finished his second glass of tea. The Writer’s Union was a place where those entrusted with manufacturing and distributing Soviet propaganda could come to enjoy their privileges. In addition to tea there was some food available without the need to present ration cards. Here he could meet interesting and, sometimes, famous writers.

  One couldn’t just walk in the door. A pass was necessary. Zaretzky asked for one from the People’s Commissariat for Foreign Affairs. It was granted with very little delay and none of the usual bureaucratic dance. He knew that the NKVD must have been involved but they hadn’t approached him yet, even though this was his fourth visit to the place.

  “Excuse me, comrade, may I join you?” a bookish looking man asked Zaretzky, interrupting his reverie.

  “Sure, sure. Please, sit.”

  The man extended his hand. “I’m Boris Ivanovich Andreyev, correspondent for the ‘Red Star’ Army newspaper.”

  Zaretzky responded, “Avram Moiseevich Zaretzky, a diplomat with the Palestinian legation.”

  “Yes, I know who you are. How long have you been a member of the Communist party?”

  “I joined the Palestine Communist party almost immediately after it was founded. In 1923 we united with the Communist Party of Palestine. Why are you asking?”

  Andreyev shrugged, “Just curious. Do you know Leopold Trepper?”

  “Sure. He was the one who persuaded me to join. Do you know what became of him after he was expelled from Palestine by the British?”

  “When did that happen?” Andreyev asked.

  “Around 1929 just before the big crash and failure of capitalism. After that I lost contact with him.”

  Andreyev sipped his tea in silence, than nodded to himself and said, “You think Leopold will remember you?”

  Zaretzky smiled. “Sure he will. We argued like crazy but worked well together. He was a great leader and organizer.”

  Andreyev was silent for a while longer then seemed to come to a decision. “Leopold Trepper is working for the Soviet Union in a secret capacity. Would you be willing to follow in his steps and help us our current struggle?”

  Zaretzky fidgeted in his seat, clearly broadcasting discomfort. “The days I knew hi
m were long ago. I am working for a state that’s on its way to Socialism and, to paraphrase comrade Stalin, will become a force for the Revolution in the Middle East. I don’t want to do anything to harm it. On the other hand, I am willing to help our common cause.”

  Andreyev smiled a wide, sincere smile. “In that case, I welcome you. We are allies with the British and Palestine in the fight against the Fascists. By helping us you will help both Palestine and the Communist cause.” He extended his hand.

  “I would like to meet you in a day or two in a more private environment. Can you come here day after tomorrow? A guard will meet you.”

  “Sure, comrade Andreyev. I’ll be here.”

  ***

  The OKW meeting was stormy. The Fuehrer paced in front of the map table then screamed, “Greim, do you have an explanation for the lack of Luftwaffe support for Army Group D?”

  General von Greim clicked his heels. “My Fuehrer, we are being attacked by very advanced aircraft. We have no effective defense. We’re still receiving more aircraft from the manufacturers than the enemy destroys but our fuel situation is getting critical. We also lost a number of airfields close to the front. This combination of factors severely limits our ability to support General Rommel.”

  Hitler stopped in front of Rommel. “You will receive all the support the Luftwaffe can give you. Will this solve the problems you’re having?”

  Rommel hesitated. “My Fuehrer, we have several kinds of problems. The enemy has air superiority. I haven’t seen any advanced planes but the British and French have increasing numbers of Spitfires and Dewoitines. They’re strafing, bombing, and generally making a nuisance of themselves.

  “Our other problem is the enemy’s ground forces. Their tanks are better than anything we can deploy and they have a new anti-tank infantry weapon. I believe it’s some kind of rocket. It is devastating to our armor and fortifications. Their infantry is armed mostly with automatic weapons and has much more firepower than we have encountered in the past.

  “All this wouldn’t have been so deadly if we could figure out how they know about our movements in advance. It’s very difficult to fight an enemy that seems to have a clear view of the battlefield whereas we suffer from the usual fog of war.”

  Hitler turned to the third general, not a member of the OKW. “Paulus, what is your report?”

  “Mein Fuehrer, we suffer from a problem similar to the one General Rommel has: the Soviet enemy seem to have a clear view of the battlefield. This allows them to effectively defend against our attacks. We have some advantage with the new tanks but it’s not enough to break through their defenses.”

  Hitler paced for a while, and then turned to the OKW Chief of Staff. “Jodl, what is going on in Austria?”

  “We have a peculiar situation there,” General Jodl responded. “The enemy took Innsbruck and Klagenfurt with what seemed like minimal effort and is now sitting in place. We do have some intelligence coming out of Klagenfurt, or rather that came out of Klagenfurt before the enemy sealed it.” Jodl stopped with a questioning expression.

  Hitler nodded, and Jodl continued. “The occupying force is definitely Jewish. They speak several languages and communicate with the population quite well. According to at least one knowledgeable Gestapo agent they speak Hebrew among themselves.

  “The force occupying the Innsbruck area is probably a division or a division and a half. The one in Klagenfurt is larger, probably three divisions. There is also a third, smaller force approaching Lubliana. We have very little in the area to oppose them.”

  Hitler stopped pacing, took his usual seat at the conference table and motioned for the others to sit as well. He spoke with an artificially calm voice. “I don’t believe one word of this report. We are being manipulated by someone and should ignore this dangerous propaganda.

  “Here’s what I want you to do: send immediate reinforcements to Rommel. Of the twenty-two reserve divisions we have, send eleven to Rommel, including most of the new Tiger tanks. The other ten divisions plus an armored corps will attack the enemy in Innsbruck. Attach to this force the 6th SS Alpine Division North.”

  He turned to von Greim. “The Luftwaffe will concentrate on supporting the attack on Innsbruck and softening the enemy. I will personally coordinate the attack on Innsbruck.

  “Jodl, when will the forces be ready?”

  “We will have to move them into position. That will take a week or two, depending on which direction we attack from. This area has few roads and is very rugged.”

  Hitler smiled a predatory smile. “I want to surprise them and the only way to do it is an attack from where they don’t expect it. We will have a small force, about a division, move in from the east. This will create a diversion while the main force attacks from the direction of Lichtenstein.

  “Prepare detailed plans for my review. I want to start the attack not later than next week.”

  ***

  Ze’ev Hirshson looked at the view from his office window. It wasn’t much, just the old industrial buildings where his company, Consolidated Industries, began. They were still active. Consolidated’s original steel foundry, heat treating facilities, and machining shops were located here.

  The company had expanded through the years and now owned plants in the Haifa area, as well as in the Upper Galilee and Beer Sheva. The new, much larger foundry in Refidim was operational and still expanding. The Refidim location also had new plants making the interdimensional transport boxes and precision parts for the Merkava tank project.

  Ze’ev wasn’t happy with the expansion and intended to discuss it at the management meeting about to start. He thought that the plants were too spread out for effective control and too small to warrant a separate management structure. He had a solution.

  When Ze’ev entered the conference room next to his office he nodded to the senior managers and took his seat. “We have only a couple of items on the agenda. I would like to start with an idea I had.

  “Some of you had a long drive or train ride to get here today.” He looked at the manager of the Hatzor facility. “How long did it take you to get to this meeting?”

  “Almost two hours.”

  Ze’ev looked at his son Chaim who managed the plant in Beer Sheva and oversaw the one in Refidim. “You came today from Refidim. How long did it take you?”

  “Three hours to Tel Aviv and another thirty five minutes to get here.”

  Ze’ev nodded. “We are wasting an enormous amount of time. Theoretically we could communicate by phone or video conference, but there may be a better solution that will have additional advantages.

  “What do you,” he made a wide gesture to include everyone at the table, “think of consolidating most of our operations right here close to our headquarters?”

  Chaim smiled. “That would be nice. Some of us would have to move but it would be worth it. Did you find an empty piece of land no one knows about?”

  Ze’ev nodded. “As a matter of fact I did. There’s unlimited land we can use if we move some of our operations to a different universe.”

  The room was silent for a minute and then everyone started talking at once. Ze’ev slapped his hand on the table. “We will now hear objections, remarks and ideas, but one by one.” He pointed at Chaim. “You begin.”

  “I really have no objections, assuming the technology is stable and reliable. I do have two questions: first, is the technology reliable; second, do we have the resources to start from scratch? We will have to supply everything for this new location - power, water, even sewers.”

  The VP for research and development responded. “The technology is stable. We tried and tested it in different configurations for several months and never had a failure. As to power and water, we probably would be able to connect to our facility here. We only tested this once, but it seems that a cable thrown through a portal will carry power. Keeping a portal open consumes 500 watts per every square meter of its area, so the energy expenditure for a portal to carry utilities
will be minimal.”

  After everyone had their say, Ze’ev declared, “Since the only serious objection we heard was money, I propose a plan. We don’t need to move any of our operations just now. We can prepare a site in a suitable universe. From this site we could fly exploratory flights in a light plane to make sure this universe is what we think it is. Personally I would prefer a place that has no animals like a Tyrannosaurus Rex or a competing civilization. After that we can start development. In the meantime we can make other preparations.

  “One of the things I would do, after we are done exploring, is sell the rights to use some of the natural resources. This will generate the income and capital we need for development.”

  Chaim cut in. “You did talk to our lawyers about declaring this hypothetical universe ‘our property’?”

  Ze’ev smiled. “You know me well, my son. Yes I did speak to our chief legal department. The consensus is that we can declare the property ours and proceed to do what we want with it as long as it contains no self-aware creatures. If it does, they are the owners and we would be better off finding another place.

  “There is, of course, the question why anyone would buy rights from us if they can open up their own private universe? The answer is twofold: we own the technology to open a portal and also it makes more sense to pool resources than to go it alone.”

  “Just to remind you, the government used our technology twice to open portals. This was done under a special agreement. They paid for the hardware but we retained the rights to the technology itself. At the time, we had a legal argument with the government: they claimed that our development is based on research done at the Technion on a government grant, resulting in the creation of the Shield. This is true, but the grant was unconditional and didn’t reserve any rights for the government. Basic research grants are often like that. Since the portal-opening hardware and computer algorithms were developed by us, we own them, the same way the government owns the shield technology.”