The Bavarian Gate By John Dalmas

“I am Baron Greszak,” the Voitu replied, “and who are you?”

its answer was to flirt its tail and fly. Probably, Greszak thought, it had a nest close by, perhaps under the eaves.

He returned his attention to the gate energy. Activation involved frequency acceleration, and he sensed it culminate. Then, after the brief and customary waver, it stabilized–and at that same moment cut sharply off.

Greszak’s face froze. Abortedl What had happened to the gate?

His consternation lasted only a moment. Nothing was wrong with the gate itself. Their spell had simply collapsed. I been inevitable, but Kurqosz’s calculations had predicted eleven lunar cycles before it happened After a period of dangerous irregularity, it should settle on its natural timing–midnights nearest the full moon. Meanwhile he would salvage the situation on this side; in the absence of the new team, he’d fulfill the agreement using his staff, himself acting as power master. To panic a human army would be no challenge at all. More like entertainment.

Colonel Landgraf had been disturbed at Greszak’s news. The Crown Prince’s magnetism and power had more than made up for his arrogance, and the colonel had felt assured by his presence. But Greszak had promised that the project would be carried out despite the mishap, and Landgraf did not doubt him.

The buzzer on his desk rasped. “What is it, Kupfer?”

“There is a local farmer to see you, sir, about a matter that seems quite important. I believe he should tell you himself.” Landgraf frowned. What would a local farmer have to say that Kupfer couldn’t take care of? “Send him in, Kupfer”

A moment later the farmer entered, a middle-aged man of middle-height and sturdy build, in work clothes, his battered felt hat clutched in a thick fingered hand. In the other was a large paper bag. His bald skull was ivory above sun-reddened cheeks, his eyebrows yellow-brown, the eyes beneath them blue. In all, he resembled many of the farmers in Landgrafs home district, though Landgraf knew that when the man spoke, his dialect would spoil the resemblance.

“Guten Tag, Herr Oberst,” he farmer said apologetically, and bobbed an almost bow. “I have found something the colonel may wish to know about.”

“Let us see it, sir. ”

The farmer opened the paper bag and took out a small orange parachute perhaps seventy centimeters across, with a long, orange sack attached, both of some silk-like material.

“It was caught on the wire fence at the north end of my pasture woods,” he said. “I do not know how it came there, but it seems to have been deposited forcibly. See how it was torn!” He spread the material to show a ragged tear.

And in its sack I found this.” He drew from it what the colonel recognized as either fuse or detonation coal, depending on its origin. The farmer !aid it on the colonel’s desk, ahed in the bag again. `And these,” he added. Taking out a drawstring pouch, he emptied it carefully into his hand and gently laid a handful of brass capsules beside the fuse. “I was a sapper in the Kaiser’s army,” he said. “These are detonators, as for dynamite. ”

Landgraf’s face went wooden. What did this mean? “In your pasture woods?” he said. “Let me see the parachute.”

The farmer handed it to him. Numbers were stenciled along its edge, and in small block letters, “u. s. ARMY. ”

Lieber Gott! Landgraf breathed, and looked up at the farmer. “You are to be commended for bringing this to me. What is your name?”

“Gruber, Herr Oberst. Wilhelm Gruber.”

Landgraf turned his gaze to the door and stood up. “Hauptsturmfuhrer Kupfer!” he called, “see that Herr Gruber receives a roper commendation for this!”

Kupfer been waiting by the door, and looked in. “Yes Sir, Colonel. ”

Landgraf extended a hand. After brief hesitation, the farmer took it, and they shook. “You are dismissed, Herr Gruber. ”

“Yessir colonel sir,” Gruber replied, did a rusty about face, and left. Kupfer closed the door behind him, then Landgraf keyed the intercom to the watch room and snapped an order. In scarcely a minute, Lieutenant Lipanov arrived with three men. The colonel showed him what the farmer had brought.

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