Lion, Tiger, Bear | 327 Bea slowly raised a finger. Hol-l-ld on a tick-tick-tick, just how are you going to get this frozen daquiri of a nutjob plan done? she asked of Shafer. Sell everyone in this cavern equal value real estate shares? A holiday home in an ice cave replete with seal fiir furniture? Bernie crossed his arms. You know, I-I-I was wondering the same thing. Who else is in on this teacup revolution? Erik the Red? Beowulf? Shafer replied confidently: Besides all ten scientists, Baumann is with us, so is his navigator and copilot, he said. Porsche we need for a long while. Well take him for a year or two, but if he wants to go back to Germany in peacetime to his family thats fine, my word upon it. A mechanical engineering genius will be paramount. Building out many caverns under the ice for airship hangars, ship quays, science labs, schools, and U-Boat pens will require new technologies, new ideas, firm solutions. Geer added: I doubt Gerlach would be interested, hes a Nazi through and through, a hardliner. Too much trouble. Bea said: Sedate Porsche heavily is my advice. Hell pop his cork but good when you tell him where were headed. Geer poked Shafer. ‘The two Vril assistants with Gerlach, well press them into service as well; he groomed them. We need quantum physicists who understand metaphysics, temporal, and trans-dimensional science. Theyre unmarried they told me. This is just.. .what about the Luftwaffe crew and armed Waffen boys on board? asked Bernie with deep concern in his voice. All the pistol-wielding cargo handlers? Leave that to Baumann and me, said Shafer, pacing, stretching. Well need muscle, especially with the new personnel en route to Bariloche. Our knight errant Klemperer is on the fence as you say, undecided, hes most unhappy at being passed on for promotion three times and quite vocal about it when prodded with flattery and schnapps in private; oh yes, he drinks a little, so do some of his men, just not to evil spirit excess. Hell be on board Bear with ten troops for our protection in transit just as was done on the trip down here. Shocked, Geer asked: You told him? Of all.. .why, Ernst? Cal-l-l-l-m yourself. Ive made it a point to get to know him better like any good expedition leader, were friends, and we both admire Himmlers forward thinking, on science at least. A hundred mountain troops are under his command here. He may be a stiff-arsed soldier, diligent, proficient, but hes not stupid or ignorant. Despite his