March 14, 1936- Prague
It started, as all true stories should start, with a dream.
An eagle, flying in the air above a thickly wooded forest; down below, small furry animals skitter away or cower in terror. But running from the threat doesn't help- it just annoys the proud eagle, who is hungry. And at last, the eagle spies a maimed rabbit trying to limp through a clearing, hoping to be done before the eagle can see it. The forlorn hope is dashed when the black eagle folds its wings and plummets down, down... and the rabbit is no more.
But still the eagle is unsatisfied, circling lazily in a thermal above the forest. No mere hare could fill it. It needs more, and better fare. Then it catches a glimpse of a bigger meal; a turtle, waddling along the ground without a care in the world, secure in its shell. Again the eagle folds its wings and swoops down, down; But this time, the turtle sees it coming and retreats inside its hard shell. Annoyed, the eagle raps at the shell with its beak; nothing happens. The eagle picks up the turtle in its talons, gains a few meters of altitude, and drops it; the shell thuds off some rocks without apparent damage. The turtle peeks its head out of the shell to see the commotion, and when it spies the eagle coming down for another pass, faints of fright, its head exposed to all the world... and the turtle is no more.
Edward Benes woke in his room with a start, dripping with sweat. It was the dream again, the dream he'd had for months. Always the proud dark eagle terrorized the forest, and always the rabbit and turtle died at it's talons. He had no idea what it could mean- an eminent Czech psychoanalyst prattled on ceaselessly about sex, but somehow Edward felt in his bones that this was something more than a passing puerile fantasy about his mother. He knew it was important. But, not knowing what it possibly could mean, the Czech leader passed back into a fitful sleep.
March 15, 1936- Prague
Bedlam erupted in the council chamber.
"The people won't stand for it! The mood in the cities and on the farms is for peace, for rebuilding after we fought so hard and long. To take good farmers, good factory workers and turn them into rifle-carrying mind numbed drones... no offense, Marshal Machnik... is almost a blasphemy to them."
Having said his peace, the security minister of the Czechoslovakians, Ivan Derer, sat down and glared balefully out at the rest of the ministers. Edward sat, discontented, but did not interrupt.
"I cannot protect my country with the piddling forces we have now." The dependable, stolid Machnik- Chief of Staff for all of the 'piddling forces' of the country- stood and began. "If the Germans come after us, and they will, Ivan, they will, we will be overrun in a month's time. We need at least double the infantry on the ground in the Sudeten Line. The numbers don't lie."
"This is ridiculous! Edward, how can you stand for this?" Derer was now flushed deeply, upset. "We still haven't recovered from the crash, and this... this warmonger wants to double the size of the army in a year? The people won't stand for it."
"No. They won't." Edward finally spoke up. Ignoring Machnik's martyred look towards him, he went on. "This government would be thrown out by the socialists inside a month if we tried to increase the army by that much. Would you care to see the budget coming out of their reign, Machnik? I promise you it'd be even less than what you make do with now."
Machnik worked on that, visibly, a vein beginning to bulge in his forehead. Finally, he said, "If you give me nothing, Edward... please allow me to resign, so that I don't fail you and the nation." He sprang to attention, relieved that his own personal impasse had been conquered.
"Oh, don't be a stiff-necked old fool."
Stunned, the Marshal sat down suddenly, caught unprepared by Benes' outburst.
Edward sat silently for a moment, working on plans and ideas. At once, unwanted, he began remembering the dream of the eagle and the hare and the turtle; as he shook his head to clear the cobwebs he felt the weight of consequences and history bearing down on his shoulders. At last; "Ivan... what about a building program? What if we tried to strengthen the Sudeten Line, even extend to completely encircle the nation? We'd make the gloomy marshal here happy for some new toys, and also provide employment for a lot of workers still hurting from the panic..."
Edward trailed off, aware that another member was already shaking his head sadly. Josef Kalfus rearranged his notes for a minute, studied them. "We don't have the industrial capacity, I'm afraid. We're struggling as it is to keep the people happy and fed, and the army in ammunition and food; if we diverted the resources you'd need to build minefields and pillboxes..." He shook his head, sadly. "Now, just strengthening the Sudeten Line... we can do that." Josef bit his lip. "Barely."
Gauging reaction, Edward looked around. Several looked unhappy- Machnik, and Derer notably- butn one looked outright mutinous.
"Let's do that. I'll announce it to the people."
