muttered beneath his breath. "If he wants to trade, we'll
trade."

P x B

"Advance robot battery 7," he said out loud. "Knock him out of the
sky." The order was passed on, and several seconds later the blip that
had been the enemy cruiser also vanished from the globe.

A yeoman entered, bringing news of the Coalition reinforcements.
Dubcek acknowledged the message, gave one of his own, then turned to
his young lieutenant as if in answer to his unspoken question. His
eyes, like those of a bird of prey, had returned to their normal
luster.

"We don't have to beat him, just hold him off till help arrives. That
is why we are aligned defensively, ready to counter-punch, and take
advantage of his mistakes." Both turned back to the projection, and to
their own thoughts.

11) 0-0-0

Masaryk began to speak again, but Dubcek waved him off. "Here," he
pointed. "He's moved his battle station behind the carrier, and
brought the corresponding battleship to corridor five, trying to
strengthen his position for a frontal assault."

Brunner hesitated, not wishing to overstep his bounds. "Does that
surprise you?"

Dubcek almost smiled.

"No. He imagines he's being clever, showing me something I haven't
seen. But I've played this game a few times before." To his exec:
"Battleship A to corridor four." Masaryk nodded, and passed the order
on. The main battle computer silently acknowledged the move.

R-K1

Again Dubcek turned to his lieutenant. "In a battle of this scale, and
fought under the controlled conditions imposed by the grids,
preparation is paramount. But once the real fighting begins, the book
goes out the window. You may see me do things you question. If so, do
not assume that you are wrong. Decisions made in the heat of it are
based mostly on instinct, and instincts can go astray. Don't override
me, but if you see anything unusual in either my strategy or his, I
want your comments as soon as there is time."

Brunner was having trouble adjusting to this new intimacy, however
strained. "Colonel. Won't the computer do that?"

"To hell with the computer. This is no damned field exercise. I'll
ask for your comments, and those of my staff because I want input, not
analysis. You'll be dead wrong most of the time." The expression
changed slightly. "I need your inexperience, to remind me of things I
might forget."

Dubcek moved back toward the place where his exec stood leaning over
the mai