Upfall

"We don't have any more time for this" said Yatom quickly in Hebrew, satisfied that they'd gotten enough from the fetid German.

"Gag him put him on the train."

Feldhandler blanched. "You're crazy. He's a Nazi murderer. Do you know what happened at Biali? We need to shoot him now."

"Nu!" said Perchansky.

"I'm not shooting anybody in cold blood if I don't have to" said Yatom. "Besides, he's been helpful, and maybe still."

Feldhandler pulled a filthy sock off one of the dead Germans nearby and stuffed it into Mueller's mouth. Then he and Yatom dragged the bound man onto the train and left him there.

They walked from the train and rejoined Mofaz, Shapira and Perchansky.

"Was he being truthful?" asked Yatom, putting the question out generally.

"I think so" offered Shapira. "Mostly anyway. And there doesn't seem any reason why our plan shouldn't work."

"This plan of yours" said Mofaz looking at Shapira "to ride the train into Sobibor—it's too complicated."

"What are you talking about?" said Shapira. Shapira resented the Major's resistance to everything that they'd tried to do since arriving.

"It is the simplest solution to the problem."

Mofaz ignored Shapira's tone. "Not if we have to change railroad crews. Is what he said correct Feldhandler--you've read the history."

"Yes" agreed Feldhandler. He'd grown to despise Mofaz over the course of the morning for all the anger and contempt he'd displayed. but Feldhandler had to admit the Major had a sharp mind and quick grasp of military problems.

"lt's not a simple solution" continued Mofaz. "We either have to coerce the German crew at Sobibor into assisting us, or eliminate them and have the Polish crew bring the train in to the platform—all without the Nazi's in the camp becoming suspicious."

"So, what's the alternative?" said Shapira.

"One would be to forget this whole enterprise, take Dr. Feldhandler" back to the capsule and force him to take us back to our own time and country" hissed Mofaz.

"That's not going to happen, Major" said Yatom calmly. "What is your next suggestion?"

Mofaz cast Feldhandler a hateful glance, hut got back to business.

"We ride the train in to within a kilometer or so of the camp, disembark, and assault the place conventionally. That's the simplest solution."

"Sobibor is surrounded by a minefield" said Feldhandler.

Yatom blanched. "What?"

"It's in the history. It was the only death camp with a minefield. Here, read it for yourself." Feldhandler reached into the cargo pocket of his fatigues and pulled out a wom copy of "Sobibor: The Forgotten Revolt" by Thomas Blatt, one of the camp's few Jewish survivors.

Yatom flipped through a few pages, stopping at a map of the place half-way through the teXt—the same map Feldhandler had copied for them.

Yatom quickly perused a few more pages. "Why didn't the German sergeant mention the minefield?"

"He probably doesn't know—why should he."

Yatom handed the book back to Feldhandler. "Major, I appreciate your assessment, your points are well taken, but we'll do it Shapira's way. When the train stops at the station we'll eliminate the German crew—you and me personally—and have the Poles drive the train into the station."

"Yes commander" said Mofaz resignedly.

"Assuming the men agree to all this."

"They'll agree" said Yatom.

"We'd better talk to the Poles, and collect the men" said Feldhandler excitedly. "We don't have much time."

Perchansky gave Mofaz a quizzical look, as if to say, why did you give in?

Mofaz shrugged and said "I tried. But I'm a soldier too."

Yatom radioed the men to join him by the locomotive. Some were over a kilometer away so it took thirty minutes before the srryeret was reassembled. The afternoon was wearing on and Yatom feared their window of opportunity was rapidly diminishing. How long could the hijacking of the train remain unknown to the Germans?

The men sat in a circle before the officers, some munching on the extra Powerbars provided by Feldhandler, others on their Israeli iron rations. The soldiers were always happier if they knew that they could eat. ltzak sat with the men despite his technical rank. Yatom explained truthfully, as best he knew, what had happened and where they were, although all the men had figured it out. Nonetheless, Yatom considered it important that they hear it formally from their commander.

"For now now there is little or no chance of returning to Israel in our time" said Yatom carefully. "So we find ourselves Israeli soldiers in Poland in the midst of the Holocaust. Do any of you have a question as to what our duty should be now?" Itzak spoke up. "I don't question that we ought to fight Nazis. But will our actions now change our own future?"

"Good question" said Yatom like a school master. Feldhandler could answer the question better, but Yatom wanted to keep the scientist out of the discussion at the moment—b0th because he was poison and would undoubtedly complicate the issue.