Lieutenant Blake said, "Private Conlon, no more of that defeatist talk! Please excuse him, Colonel."
"That's all right," the Colonel shrugged. "It's been a shock to all of us. Now, tell me, how are you fixed?"
"Two able, counting myself. One bad casualty. One dead. Three missing," Blake said.
"You'll have one man replacement."
"But, Colonel, that isn't enough to man the gun!"
"Apparently you don't realize what's happened to the country, Lieutenant! We're not attempting to hold back the enemy. When they come they're going to flow right over us as though we aren't here."
"Then what's the point of—"
"The point is this. We have not received an order to surrender. We probably never will."
Blake said, "We'll do the best we can, Colonel."
The Colonel gave an order and one man crawled out of a jeep and strode toward them. The soldier saluted.