"Because I don't want to disobey a direct order," said Wit. "I'm going into China. If I never get the order to stay put, then I'm not disobeying it."
"You're obviously not going alone," said Deen. "We're coming with you."
"I can't order any of you to do that," said Wit. "I can only ask for volunteers. Getting across the border will be difficult. Relations between India and China aren't rosy. The borders are tight. We won't be able to take weapons. The Chinese would never let us in. We have to cross as civilians. We can acquire new weapons and gear once we're in the country."
"And do what exactly?" asked Deen.
"What we've trained to do," said Wit. "We'll be fighting an asymmetrical war. Instead of us being the high-tech masters of the battlefield, we will be the low-tech guerrillas trying to sabotage, interfere, strike at key points. We'll demoralize the enemy so badly, they'll want to quit. Like the Viet Cong against the U.S., or Castro against Batista, or the Fedayeen against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan. It will require a much different approach to combat than what we're used to waging. And we'll have to make it up and improvise as we go along. We still have no idea what the aliens' capabilities are."
"So forty guys against an alien army?" said Deen. "Don't get me wrong, I like a good fight, but those aren't promising odds."
"We won't be alone," said Wit. "Everything we learn about the enemy, every effective combat tactic we develop, we'll share with the Chinese military. If they're smart, they'll implement them. And we'll be watching the Chinese as well. If they do something that works, we'll implement it. The more we help each other, the more effective we both can be."
"I thought they didn't want help," said Lobo.
"They can't ask for help," said Wit. "They don't officially want help. But the individual squadrons in the thick of things will be grateful to have us. I hope."
"Where will we get supplies?" asked Calinga.
"Does this mean you're volunteering?" asked Wit.
"Hell yes," said Calinga. He turned to the others, "Anyone here not volunteering?"
No one raised their hand.
Calinga turned back and smiled. "Seems unanimous to me. I say we get moving."
"Not yet," said Wit. "I need to be clear about what the consequences of this will be. If we trudge off into China, we'll likely be labeled deserters and court-martialed."
"The consequences of us not going might be the end of the world," said Lobo.
"He's right, Captain," said Mabuzza. "We go where you go."
"So what if they court-martial us," said Deen. "Beats turning our backs on the people in China. I'd rather have a clear conscience as a deserter than a lifelong guilt trip as a soldier in good standing."
The men murmured their consent.
"All right," said Wit. "I see you're all as bullheaded as I am. You've got ten minutes to strike camp. Move!"
They moved.
Nine minutes later, the vehicles were pulling out, heading down the mountain pass toward Srinagar. Wit and Calinga sat in the cab of the lead truck, with Calinga at the wheel and Wit watching the sat feeds from China on the dashboard monitor. On screen the landers had spun into the ground, digging in. An aircraft was on site, recording it from every angle. Wit opened his holopad. A map of northern India appeared in the air in front of him, a small pin marking their current location.
"I think our chances are better if we cross into China from Pakistan in the Karakoram Mountains," said Wit. "Here at Khunjerab Pass."
"Pakistan?" said Calinga. "Now we have to cross two borders?"
"Getting into Pakistan w
on't be a problem. It's still the Kashmir region. And the borders between Pakistan and China are far more lax than those between India and China. Plus Khunjerab Pass is a cargo hub. Lots of commercial traffic. Big trucks. Freight loads. There will be cargo planes on the China side carrying freight east. Short runways. Dangerous flights. We'll hitch a ride."
"What about the vehicles?" asked Calinga.
"We'll ditch them in Srinagar," said Wit. "Roads are bad and fuel is scarce in that part of western China. We'd be abandoning them anyway. Plus it's hard to pass as civilians when you're driving military trucks."
"What's the elevation there?"
"Close to five thousand meters."