"I'd say that was a very risky move, General Palcikas," General Voshchanka said.

"Sacrificing ten men and three helicopters, plus yourself and your aide-that would be more than your poor country could afford, I think. You might be better off letting your politicians do the fighting for you and to direct your forces from a desk instead of leaping out of helicopters and threatening superior officers." He moved a bit closer to Palcikas. "It could get very dangerous out here, you know, surrounded by superior forces

"On Lithuanian soil you are nothing but a trespasser, General," Palcikas replied. "I respect you and your soldiers, but I won't let that alter my responsibility to defend my homeland." This time Palcikas paused, then glanced at the retreating armored vehicles. "This is a large number of vehicles for a simple aviation incident, General."

"Perhaps I expected trouble from you Lithuanians."

"Or perhaps you have some other mission in mind, General," Palcikas said. "What else do you have planned for Lithuania, General? Or shall I guess?"

"You seem to enjoy the sound of your own prattle very much, General, so please continue,"

Voshchanka said magnanimously.

"I have watched most of the Commonwealth's Fifth Army in western Byelorussia being replaced by Byelorussian troops over the past several months," Palcikas said. "Now the Commonwealth's 103rd Guards Division appears to be replaced by Byelorussia's Tenth Lancers in Vilnius, Kaunas, and Kaliningrad. .

"Your intelligence is commendable but spotty," Voshchanka said smugly.

Palcikas ignored the remark. "Your forces are widely dispersed, but there is a solid line of Byelorussian troops forming from the Baltic to Minsk. There are almost no Commonwealth forces at all west of the thirtieth meridian.~~

"We are Commonwealth forces, Palcikas," the Byelorussian colonel said irritably. "What the hell do you think we're doing in your rat's nest of a country?"

Palcikas knew the Colonel was blowing smoke at him. While Voshchanka was commander of the Commonwealth of Independent States' military forces in the Baltics, set up as a part of the mutual-defense treaty of the Baltics, he was also commander of all Byelorussian forces. When Byelorussia became independent, Voshchanka simply assumed control of the troops and equipment that had been his to command when he was head of Soviet forces in Byelorussia. Besides being a convenient way to hold on to the rank and privileges Voshchanka enjoyed under Soviet rule, it was also a nice way to expand his power-and Palcikas would bet his next paycheck that Voshchanka would do it with Byelorussian troops.

"Never mind replying to his fiction, Colonel," General Voshchanka said. "He is trying to impress us with his supposed knowledge of Commonwealth troop deployment and strengths, when in fact he couldn't be further off the mark. He has asked us to withdraw, so we will." He turned back toward Palcikas and, raising his voice to be heard over the roar of the helicopters nearby, added, "Bringing your helicopter gunships over my troops is like pulling a gun on me, General. Next time you had better be prepared to use it. I will not warn you again." He turned and headed for his vehicle, leaving Palcikas and Kolginov alone in the middle of the muddy, disheveled corral.