She brought her right hand down hard, fore-knuckle extended, into her opponent’s throat, crushing his larynx, then struck again twice more and he lay still. Breathing heavily, she slowly got to her feet and came face to face with Priest, standing about ten feet away, aiming his laser at her.
She froze. Both of them stood there atop a cliff overlooking a raging battle, and neither moved. The laser was leveled directly at her chest, but, Priest hesitated. Then he slowly lowered the weapon. She stared at him with disbelief.
He shut his eyes briefly. ‘Andre, forgive me.'
The laser started to come up again, and then it fell from his hands as his entire body jerked forward. The point of a bayonet came through his chest, then with-drew again. He collapsed onto the ground. Finn Delaney stood behind him, blood pouring from the wound in his shoulder and one in his arm. He held a Lee-Metford rifle in his hands, its bayonet wet with blood.
'I saw the beam flashes-' he began, then sank down to his knees, holding onto the rifle for support. She was at his side in an instant.
:, How’s Churchill''
‘He’ll be all right now,' said Finn, breathing heavily. 'The Ghazis broke through to the camp and it was touch and go for a while, but they beat back the assault. I’m beginning to think that Blood’s men could subdue the entire frontier all by themselves.' He glanced down at the corpse. 'It’s a good thing I didn’t have to see his face. '
'I see I wasn’t needed,' Darkness said.
They looked up to find him standing in front of them. He wasn’t entirely substantial. The stars in the night sky could be seen through his body and he seemed to shimmer in the dark. He looked exhausted.
'You two look a mess,'' he said.
''How did you find us'' 'Andre said.
''I had to search the entire surrounding area at light speed,' Darkness said. 'I was still too late, wasn’t 1' I’m getting too old for this sort of thing. I’m a doctor, for Christ’s sake, not a commando. Remind me to give you both symbiotracers so I won’t have to search all over creation everytime the two of you get into a jam. I need to go home and rest.'
''What’s happening in the pass'' 'said Finn.
'I’ve done all I can. The rest is up to Forrester and Phoenix. '
'Phoenix'' said Andre. 'Who’s Phoenix'’
But Darkness was already gone.
The pipes of the Gordon Highlanders could be heard skirling in the distance as the Tirah Expeditionary Force came through the Khyber Pass. Learoyd, Ortheris, and Mulvaney stood upon the parapet of their cell, looking out into the distance, where they could see the well-formed lines of the British troops advancing.
'They’re marching right into a trap,' Learoyd said, 'and we’re helpless to do anything to warn them!'
'Bloody Ghazis mean for us to see ‘em cut to ribbons, an’ then they’ll come back an’ take care of us,' said Ortheris.
Behind them they heard the bolt to the cell door being drawn back.
'Right,' said Mulvaney. 'It’s all or nothin’, lads. Let’s show these ‘eathens what fightin’ men are made of! ‘,
They ran down to the door and as it opened, grabbed the tribesman who came through, and twisted the rifle out of his hands.
'No, Sahib! No!'
'Christ!’ said Mulvaney. 'It’s Din!'
'Good old Din,' said Ortheris. 'Look ‘ere, he’s done a couple of ‘em what for!'
Two dead tribesmen lay in the corridor outside. Gunga Din opened his robe and produced several knives and pistols, then took the rifles away from the two dead tribesmen.
'You use these, yes'' he said. 'We fight well, save soldiers! '
'Bless your ‘eart, Din,' said Mulvaney. 'We’ll fight gem, all right.'
'We’ll never get to them in time,' Learoyd said. 'They’ll spring the trap and our lads will be caught in a crossfire before we can ever break free of this blasted temple! '
Din ran up the steps to the parapet and looked down. He could see the troops below, marching in formation, and above them in the rocks on both sides of the pass, white robed Ghazis waiting for the signal to spring their trap. He reached into the folds of his robe and pulled out his battered bugle. He raised it to his lips and sounded Retreat.
The shrill notes of the bugle call echoed in the pass, and the bagpipes stopped their playing. Din inhaled deeply and blew again.
The door to the cell burst open and armed tribesmen burst through. Mulvaney shot one down, then clubbed another with his rifle. Learoyd crossed knives with one; the two swordlike blades filled the cell with a clanging counterpoint to the bugle call. Ortheris brought two tribesmen down with his pistol, but still more came running into the cell.
'Blow, Din!' yelled Learoyd. 'Blow for all you’re worth, soldier!'
Din heard Learoyd call him soldier and his face broke into a wide grin. He raised the bugle to his lips once more and played with all his heart. Then the first bullet took him in the back. Several of the tribesmen who had broken into the cell had raised their rifles and fired at him again and again. Learoyd cut one down, Ortheris shot another, but Din took at least five more bullets before Mulvaney threw himself bodily against the other riflemen and forced the door shut, leaning against it and holding it closed with all his might. Ortheris joined him to lend his weight to the door.
Gunga Din sounded three more pathetic, broken notes then fell forward, draped over the wall of the parapet. Learoyd reached him just in time to save him from going over. He pulled him back and laid him gently on the floor. Din’s back and chest were a bloody ruin. Blood frothed his lips. He stared up at Learoyd and smiled.
'Din do well, SahibV’
The troops below had dispersed and taken cover as the Ghazis started firing indiscriminately. It would be a long and drawn-out battle, but their ambush had failed. Learoyd looked down at Gunga Din, his lips drawn tight.
'You did well, soldier. You did damn bloody well.'
He saluted him.
Din coughed twice and attempted to raise his own hand to return the salute, but it fell back lifelessly onto the floor.
'You’re a better man than I am, Gunga Din, — Learoyd said softly. He reached forward and closed the Hindu’s sightless eyes.
There was a knock at the cell door. Mulvaney and Ortheris, leaning all their combined weight against it, stared at each other.
'Who’s there'' said Ortheris.
'What do you mean, who’s there'' Mulvaney said. 'Who in bloody ‘Ell d’you think is there, you stupid sod' '
'You just can’t help some people,' Finn’s voice came from the other side of the door. 'You get ‘em out of trouble, and like idiots they go barging right back in.-
' Blimey! ' said Mulvaney. They opened the door and saw Finn and Andre standing amidst a pile of Ghazi corpses.
'You boys ready to leave now'' said Finn. 'Or were you planning on setting up housekeeping''
'You’re wounded, sir,' said Ortheris. 'And you, miss Cross!’
'It isn’t serious,' said Andre. 'Come on, we’d better get you out of here.'
‘ ‘Holy jumping Chrisfl-Learoyd shouted from the parapet. 'Take a look at this!'
Below and to their left, around the bend of the pass, a wild battle was raging between the Ghazis and the British troops. Below and to their right, armed men clad in field-gray uniforms began appearing as if from out of nowhere, materializing out of thin air. The moment they started coming through, Forrester’s division, hidden in the rocks above, opened fire. The pass below them became a deadly latticework of laser beams.
'I must be dreamin’,' said Mulvaney, looking down. 'What in God’s name is goin’ on down there''
