178 | John W. Warner IV Gwafa reeled back a bit. B ea pulled her away. Youre an officer. No dalliances with the enlisted personnel. Rats. McMaster pointed to the large map of the Middle East behind him. Right. Seats everyone. Operation Frisland, like the mythical island offlceland. Action on this is imperative. Heres Cairo, heres Basra. Youll all be transported there by air in four days time if all goes well. Gwafa, are you familiar with this region? No, sir, but I speak Arabic. An expert on the Sahara, and I am well-trained in overland navigation. Les ^toiles, the stars. Maps are no stranger to me, but I have never been that far to the east. Many dangers, many legends. Bloody Basra? What the hells in Basra? asked Bea. Except for more sand, sun, and camels. Miss olUdad, eh, Gwafa? He was a brave one, madame. McMaster tapped a folder. Ill let Bernie explain. This is Ais mission. His proposal. Took a devil of a time to get it approved. Bernie told in detail his story about his Hess meeting and what subjects they had talked about. So he said they were bragging about an airship expedition to the Zagros range. Theres something or some place that Alexander the Great was searching for on his way to Persia. Something fearful and amazing, importantand important enough for the SS to get lathered up about. Gwafa said: I have heard of this man, the German Hess, but I never knew he went to England to sue for peace. Strange. Bea shut a book hard. I worry about Schafer in this, hes a mystic extraordinaire all right; his band of Ahnenerbe merry men and all. Bea quickly explained her Austrian Shieldmaiden SS School Nine experience to Gwafa. .. .and just call me Oberleutnant SS Uta von Manstein, if you please. His eyes bulged a little.I would rather not, madame. McMaster paced. Its entirely possible SS scientists are involved, but we have no information on our end. You, Bernie? Just Schafer, but who knows? Now, on to the airship history if I may… Gas airships? As in the Graf Zeppelin? asked Alice. Bea added: Have to say, sounds a bit dotty. Bernie stood, stretching his legs. No, not Zepps. A wholly different kind of