They don’t need to say anything. They both know the facts. And their significance is clear to them. The Egyptians are marching on Tel Aviv equipped with all available heavy weapons. Between this force and Tel Aviv stands... stands what?

Nothing! Two companies. A thin line of young men equipped with rifles, light automatic weapons, and Molotov cocktails. What else? A bridge to the north oflsdud, that was blown up the night before last. And also? Four aircraft which are unsuited to the conditions of the land and haven’t made their first test flight. These forces are all the two have to defend the south and save Tel Aviv.

* * *

The four pilots stand on the runway looking at the aircraft. They have just been assembled and the motors need to be tested.

Suddenly a stranger is standing among them, an infantry officer. They don’t know him, but they have heard a lot about him. "Comrades," he says, "you must get in immediately and take off." The four look at him with astonishment. He is not their boss. And they know that one should never take off in a machine that has not been thoroughly checked.

"Only your aircraft can save Tel Aviv, can save the whole land. The enemy is marching on the city. Apart from your aircraft, we have noth-ing to hold him back." Simple words. Spoken without drama and pathos. But the four don’t just understand the words, but also the lan-guage of the eyes: gray-blue eyes, intense, and still very human. The eyes say: You have no choice.

The four get in, wave, and take off. Three of them will return.

* * *

North oflsdud is a traffic jam of Egyptian vehicles, a destroyed bridge is holding them up. The commanders curse, but they can do nothing but wait until the bridge is repaired. Aircraft appear. Bombs fall. The dam-age is slight. Where did the Jews get aircraft from? That is something new, that hasn’t happened before. The Egyptian is a cautious person. His military training took place in a British academy. The expensive armored equipment should not be endangered through irresponsibility. Better to wait, assemble more forces, set up anti-aircraft guns, make preparations calmly, forge new plans, prepare a new blow to destroy the Jews. The order goes out: stop, dig in, take up positions for all-round defense.

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