Captain Gordon Connel fruitlessly tried to stuff his parachute back under him as the crew chief viciously pulled down on the leather straps. Not that it would probably do him any good, but at least it was more comfortable than the wire-frame chair. The endless tests and practices, culminating with Jack's single-stage flight to the far north last month, had their effect, and this flight seemed perfectly routine. Just a little jaunt to the sky and back again. And if the damn krauts have their way, it will be, thought Gordon ruefully. The chief finally crawled out of the tiny hatch, and closed it with a latch that suddenly seemed far too flimsy. The krauts were on the radio now, checking off each system individually. All "ja"s so far, no "nein"s. Gordon wasn't sure whether to be thrilled or horrified. When the Flight Manager (an Australian) eventually got around to saying "pwi-let", he gave his most refined "yes", and flicked the cover off the launch relay. After a final check of the weather, Gordon received the command to launch, and closed the relay almost subconsciously. The experience of being thrust far back into his seat, however, was entirely new, and quite exhilarating. Very briefly, a small part of Cold Lake became hot.
....
September 23, 1944 (a few hours later), Sakhalin, USSR
In an action attributed to counter-revolutionary sabotage, an oil refinery suffers an explosion and catches fire. The pair of KGB investigators at the scene quietly collect a few bomb fragments and debate who will tell their superior the news. Meanwhile, a fisherman writes to “his dearest cousin” in neutral Sweden about the recent act of dastardly sabotage…
Simon
....
September 23, 1944 (a few hours later), Sakhalin, USSR
In an action attributed to counter-revolutionary sabotage, an oil refinery suffers an explosion and catches fire. The pair of KGB investigators at the scene quietly collect a few bomb fragments and debate who will tell their superior the news. Meanwhile, a fisherman writes to “his dearest cousin” in neutral Sweden about the recent act of dastardly sabotage…
Simon