The T.V. show Hogan's Heroes belongs to CBS and was a Bing Crosby Productions. No ownership of the Hogan's Heroes characters is implied or inferred, and no infringement is intended.

The Home Of The Brave

By M Breedlove

Chapter One

"Dissmisssed!" Klink turned to begin his morning strut back to his office.

"Kommandant," Hogan called, while walking across the prison compound toward the retreating Klink. "Can my men and I have a little gunpowder?"

Klink looked at Hogan in awe. Just when he thought nothing Hogan did could surprise him…it did. "Gunpowder? What for?" Klink blinked the dumbfounded expression off of his face, "Do you think I was born yesterday, Colonel Hogan?"

"Well…" Hogan began, delighted with the question.

Recognizing the wheels turning in Hogan's head, Klink opted to put an abrupt stop to Hogan's mischief. "The answer is—No."

Not to be deterred from his objective, Hogan, changed his approach. "Don't you even want to know what we want it for?"

"I know what you want it for! But I'm sure you'll have some outrageous explanation. You know, Hogan, I'm surprised at you. You're usually a lot more subtle than this," Klink said smugly. "Are you feeling all right?" Klink looked suspiciously at Hogan for a moment, before turning to walk away.

Hogan stood momentarily stunned, Klink was right. He was definitely feeling too comfortable in his dealings with Klink. Coming back to himself, he hurried to catch up. Altering his steps, he fell into stride along side the Kommandant. "That hurts, sir. I've always been upfront with…." Hogan stopped, as Klink gave him an, oh really, look. This conversation was taking a nose dive: Hogan tried again. "It's just that its one of our national holidays, and the men would really enjoy being able to celebrate it."

Klink stopped once more to size up his senior prisoner of war. "Is that all you Americans do…celebrate national holidays? What is it this time? National 'Blow a hole in the fence and be sent directly to the cooler day'…because that my dear Colonel, excluding the blowing up of the fence, I would contribute to!"

"Very good, Kommandant, glad to see you're getting a sense of humor!" Hogan answered with a scowl. Then, smiling his best devilish grin, he attempted to recover the ground he had lost in this little battle of wills. "No, that's not it…but you're close." In the same breath, he rushed on as they continued walking. "Tomorrow is Independence Day in the US, and we thought we would make some fireworks…"

Klink climbed the stairs to his office before thoughtfully turning to look down on Hogan. "Colonel Hogan, it looks to me like you're anything but independent. In fact…" Klink gestured toward the guard towers and the machine guns aimed into the compound, "…I'd say, you're very much dependent on my benevolence!"

"Yeah, well, don't fool yourself," Hogan muttered under his breath, while turning away to follow Klink's wave.

"What was that, Colonel Hogan? I didn't quite catch that." Klink's expression changed from incredulous to stern.

Hogan, realizing that he had definitely lost control of the conversation, was determined to get it back. Looking at Klink, he smiled enthusiastically. Ignoring the just asked question, he began his fast talking oracle. "Which is all the more reason why we need to celebrate the Fourth, it will keep my men's morale up. You don't want them to miss home anymore than they already do, they might get…restless." Hogan emphasized the last word hoping to put some fear into Klink. He knew the last thing Klink wanted was to lose the prestige of never having had a successful escape from Stalag 13.

Klink bristled at the implication. "Colonel Hogan, may I remind you that not all of your men are Americans. Don't you think the British prisoners may take offense? As I recall, it was from Britain that you stole your independence." Klink paused briefly to let the last sentence register. "Request denied!" Then turning, Klink bounded for his office, while shouting back over his shoulder to address the insinuated threat. "And if your men get restless, you'll suffer the consequences!" BANG! The door slammed.

Hogan stared in disbelief at the now empty spot, from which Klink had just thrown a threat back at him. To say this conversation had not gone as planned was an understatement. He walked back to join Kinch.

"Phase one accomplished, Colonel?" Kinch asked.

Hogan shook his head, "Kinch, I couldn't get control of the conversation. I don't know what's wrong with me. Heck, I didn't even try to trick Klink into putting us into the proximity of the munitions building." Hogan took off his crush cap and ran his fingers through his hair. "I think I need a vacation!" A wistful memory of past Fourth of July celebrations briefly swept through his mind. Dropping his cap onto the back of his head, he looked back at the closed door. Then, bristling, added, "Klink insinuated celebrating our independence was a waste of time since we were not all Americans, and we definitely were not free."

Kinch felt his own dander begin to rise. "We're not as incarcerated as he thinks we are!" Kinch started to walk back to the barracks, but paused when he realized his commanding officer was still staring, deep in thought, in the direction of the Kommandant's office. "Maybe he's right. Maybe celebrating the Fourth of July wouldn't necessarily mean a celebration of 'Independence', to everyone in camp." Before Kinch could say anything, the stress on Hogan's face gradually began to lessen. Hogan's eyes drifted down to the ground as the wheels, the Kommandant had mentioned earlier, began to spin their magic. A smile, replaced by a grin, soon followed.

It was a look Kinch knew, all too well. The Colonel had a plan. Without being told, Kinch volunteered, "I'll gather the men, Colonel!

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