Murray Leinster by The Best of Murray Leinster (1976) Page B

henceforth they would enjoy all the blessings of oppressive taxes and secret police enjoyed by the invaders. They should rejoice, because now they were citizens of their great neighbor - and anybody who did not rejoice was very likely to be shot. In short, General Vladek had read a proclamation annexing Kantolia to his own country, and he felt very much like a fool. It was not exactly a gala occasion. But the only witnesses outside of his own troops had been two gaping street sweepers and a little knot of twenty quislings who tried to make their cheers atone for the silence of the twenty thousand people who stayed away.
    However, when Surgeon General Mors was brought to his office as a prisoner of war, General Vladek felt a little better. A general officer taken prisoner! This had some of the savor of traditional war! The prisoner, of course, was a stocky, short figure in a badly fitting uniform, and his broad features indicated peasant ancestry. But General Vladek tried to make the most of the situation with military courtesy.
    ‘1 offer my apologies,’ said General Vladek grandly, ‘if you were subjected to any discourtesy at the time of your capture, my dear General. But after all’ - he smiled condescendingly -‘this is war!’
    ‘Is it?’ asked Mors. He continued in a businesslike tone: ‘I was not sure. When was the declaration of war issued, and by whom?’
    General Vladek blinked.
    ! Why - ah - no formal declaration was made by my government. There were military reasons for secrecy.’
    Surgeon General Mors sat down and mopped his face.
    ‘Ahl I am relieved. If you invaded without a declaration of war, you have the legal status of a bandit. Naturally, my government would not regularize your position. Even as a bandit, however,’ he said prosaically, ‘you will understand that the local sanitary arrangements should not be interfered with. That was what I came to see you about. My country has the lowest death rate in all Europe, and any meddling with our health services would be very stupid. I hope you will give orders—’
    General Vladek roared. Then he calmed himself, fuming. ‘1 did not receive you to be lectured,’ he said stiffly. ‘So far as I am aware, you are the ranking officer of your army to be captured by my men. I make a formal demand for the surrender of all troops under your command.’
    ‘But there aren’t any!’ said Surgeon General Mors in surprise. My government would not be so imbecilic as to leave soldiers in a province they were not strong enough to defend! They’d only have been killed in trumped-up fighting so you could claim a victory!’
    General Vladek’s eyes glittered. He pounced.
    ‘Ha! Then your government knew that we intended to invade?’
    ‘My dear man!’ said Mors with some tartness. ‘Your government has been drooling at the mouth for years over the fact that the taxes from our richest province would almost balance its budgetl Of course we suspected you would someday try to seize it! We are not altogether fools!’
    ‘Yet,’ said General Vladek sardonically, ‘you did not prepare to defend it!’
    Surgeon General Mors blinked at the slim, bemedaled figure of his official captor.
    ‘When a peaceful householder hears a burglar in his house,’ he said shortly, ‘he may or may not go to fight himself, but he does not send his young sons! If he is sensible, he sends for the police.’
    ‘He sends for the police!’ repeated Vladek incredulously. ‘My good Surgeon General Mors, do you expect the United Nations to interfere in this matter? The United Nations is run by diplomats, phrasemakers. They are aghast and helpless before an accomplished fact like our actual possession of Kantolia! My good sir—’
    ‘This talk is nonsense!’ said Mors irritably. ‘I came to offer you the benefit of my experience in matters of military and public health. Do you have the welfare of your men actually at heart?’
    There was a pause. General Vladek was slim and