“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 I? 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 every time 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 ol’ 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 ‘em, 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.