Timewars 06 The Khyber Connection

by Simon Hawke

  “Only with the soldiers from the other timeline fighting with the Ghazis, it won’t happen that way,” Andre said. “That’s what he meant by a first strike. We thought Churchill was the focus of the disruption. It was never Churchill. It was the entire Tirah Expeditionary Force!”

  “If they destroyed the expeditionary force,” said Finn, “there’d be nothing stopping the Ghazis from sweeping down into Peshawar. The British control of the frontier would be eliminated, leaving the way open for the Russians to come in. And the Russians have already been negotiating with Abdur Rahman in Kabul. It would completely alter history in this part of the world.”

  “We’ve got to stop them somehow.”

  “I’m open to suggestions,” Finn said. “We’ve had our warp discs taken from us, and even if we do figure out a way to escape, we have to make sure Mulvaney, Ortheris, and Learoyd get out with us. We can’t just leave them here.”

  “What if there’s no other choice?”

  Finn grimaced. “Right now we don’t have any choices. Unless we can learn to fly, I don’t know how we’re going to get out of here. And we’re running out of time.”

  “We have to find the point of confluence,” said Darkness, pacing back and forth across his laboratory. “My instruments can only detect energy fluctuations in the timestream. They were never designed to pinpoint inertial surge. I might be able to find it if I’m on the scene.”

  “Then get me back to Earth in Plus Time,” Phoenix said. “Somebody has to let them know what’s going on. I can alert the TIA and the Referee Corps.”

  “No, you leave that to me,” said Darkness. “The confluence must be located first. The best thing for you to do is concentrate on Drakov.”

  “We have a problem there,” said Phoenix. “There really was a tribal leader named Sayyid Akbar. Knowing Drakov as I do, he probably killed the real one and took his place. That means we need him. Sayyid Akbar was a key figure in the scenario. His revolt in the Khyber was what caused the British to launch the Tirah Expeditionary Force. Without him—”

  “Wait,” said Darkness. “What about this expeditionary force?”

  “They put down Akbar’s revolt in the Khyber and then pursued a punitive campaign against the tribesmen in the Tirah Valley,” Phoenix said. “It ended the uprising and—wait a minute! If the Tirah Expeditionary Force had been defeated, it could have ended British control of the frontier. It would have given the Russians a foothold. Control of the frontier would give them access to India. It could lead to a war.”

  “And a timestream split,” said Darkness. “That’s the connection. The Khyber Pass.”

  “And Akbar—or Drakov—controls the Khyber Pass.”

  “The confluence must be there,” said Darkness. “It has to be, everything points to it. Our timing must be precise. We must allow Drakov and Sadullah to join forces and begin their Night of the Long Knives. We cannot act until the British have launched the Tirah expedition.”

  “What about Drakov?” Phoenix said. “When he finds out I’ve escaped, he’ll know his cover’s blown.”

  “Then they’ll be prepared,” said Darkness, “but they can’t stop now. Too much rides on their plan. They’re committed.”

  “There’s still an adjustment team back there somewhere.”

  “The last place they were was at the Malakand fort. I tried to home in on Priest’s symbiotracer, and as I said, only found his grave. The regiment had already departed for Chakdarra. I couldn’t manifest because there were several other soldiers present. They were on their way to Peshawar with dispatches.”

  “None of the dispatches from the Malakand have been getting through,” said Phoenix. “Drakov’s tribesmen have been intercepting them.”

  “They could easily have teleported if they ran into trouble,” Darkness said.”But we’re overlooking something. Your agents are all unaccounted for, except for the two with you who were killed. I knew there was something I was forgetting! If all three of them were taken out, it suggests the possibility that our friends from the alternate timeline have a means of tracing warp discs. Probably by scanning for them in the same manner Search and Retrieve units conduct their sweeps.”

  “Which means they could have taken out the adjustment team,” said Phoenix.

  “Perhaps not. Drakov was going to turn you over for interrogation. An adjustment team would clearly be more valuable to them alive than dead, for the same may have taken your agents prisoner, as reason. They as well.”

  “Assuming they’re alive,” said Phoenix, “what are the chances they’re still in our timeline?”

  “Impossible to say.” said Darkness. “If there are soldiers from the alternate timeline active in that area, they must have a base of operations somewhere. I’d guess it would be close to the confluence, which narrows the area down to the vicinity of the Khyber Pass. I’ll conduct a search. Meanwhile, do you think you could infiltrate Drakov’s forces without being recognized?”

  “No problem, long as I don’t get close enough to Drakov so he can get a good look at me. He’s got thousands of men. I’ll just blend in with the crowd as an Afridi.”

  “Good. Here’s the plan then. I’ll take you back there, then tach to Plus Time and warn Director Vargas. Then I’ll try to find the confluence point and the enemy base of operations. I’ll simply search the entire area of the Khyber Pass at light speed. I’ll give you a replacement warp disc and a molecular disruptor. Try to get close to Drakov without being spotted.”

  “And the moment they make their move, I hit him,” Phoenix said

  “Exactly.’

  “Okay, what are we waiting for? Let’s go.”

  Mulvaney groaned and rolled over. “Where in the bloomin’ blazes are we?”

  “Sahib Finn!” cried Din.

  “I’m coming, Din,” Delaney said. Andre followed him down the stairs, back into the tomblike chamber.

  “A fine bloody state of affairs this is,” said Learoyd, sitting up slowly. “How did we get here? Wherever ‘here’ is.”

  “We’re being held prisoner in an old temple high above the Khyber Pass,” said Finn.

  “The Khyber?” said Learoyd. “Have we been out so long then?”

  “Look ‘ere, sir,” Mulvaney said to Finn, “what’s ‘appened to us? What’s goin’ on ‘ere?”

  “We’ve fallen into the hands of enemy soldiers,” Finn said. “Soldiers who are using the tribesmen for their own purposes.”

  “What’s their aim?” said Learoyd.

  “Apparently they’re out to undermine our control of the frontier,” Delaney said. He had to improvise. He tried to think how much he could get away with telling them.

  “That one officer was American,” Learoyd said. “It makes no damn sense. Why would the Americans do such a thing?”

  “Some of them might be Americans,” said Delaney, “but I don’t believe it’s an American unit. They weren’t wearing American uniforms. They seem to be a mixed bunch. Soldiers of fortune, perhaps.”

  “The Russians,” said Learoyd. “That must be it. They’re in the pay of the Russians.”

  “I shouldn’t be surprised,” said Finn. “However, knowing that won’t help us much right now.”

  “What do they intend to do with us?” Ortheris said.

  “I don’t know,” said Finn. “Question us, most likely. Find out about troop strength and the like, I should imagine.”

  “Well, we’ve got to figure some way out of here,” Learoyd said. “Where do those stairs back there lead?”

  “To a parapet overlooking the Khyber Pass,” said Finn. “Forget it. There’s no way down. And the door’s too heavy for us to break through.”

  “We’ll have to try and jump them when they come for us,” Learoyd said. “There’s nothin’ else for it. We haven’t anythin’ to lose.”

  “I doubt they’ll give us a chance,” said Finn. “They know what they’re doing.”

  “Well, we can’t just sit ‘ere!” said Mulvaney. “We�
�ve got to do something! C’mon, mates, we’ve been in tougher scrapes than this!”

  “The best thing we can do is bide our time and wait for an opportunity,” Delaney said, worried that the headstrong Mulvaney might do something foolish. “I’m in command here, and I won’t have any man throwing his life away trying to be a hero. Getting ourselves killed won’t solve anything.”

  “He’s right, you know,” Learoyd said. “We’ve got to keep our heads cool. Lieutenant, you say there’s no way down off that balcony. Might there be a way up?”

  Delaney shook his head. “We’d have to stand on each other’s shoulders to reach the rocks above, and we’d never make it without climbing gear. It would be suicide.”

  “It could be worth a try,” Learoyd said. “If one of us could make it—”

  “I say we give it a go!” Mulvaney said.

  “What do you say, Lieutenant?” said Learoyd. “What have we got to lose?”

  “A man’s life,” Delaney said.

  Learoyd shrugged. “That’s not so very much, now is it? Let’s have a look.”

  They went up the stairs and stood out on the wind-swept parapet high above the pass. Learoyd looked up. “Lord, I see what you mean,” he said. “We would indeed have to stand on one another’s shoulders for one of us to reach that overhangin’ rock up there, and then there’s no tellin’ what’s beyond.”

  Mulvaney spat into his hands and rubbed them together. “Well, who’s first then?”

  “I think I’ll have to go,” Learoyd said. “I’m the lightest.”

  “Sahib,” said Din. “Let me. I am smallest, no? Din good climber.”

  “You’re sure you want to try it, Din?” Learoyd said.

  “ ‘E is the lightest,” Ortheris said, “and I ain’t much good with me sore arm.”

  “All right, Din,” said Finn. “Be careful.”

  “Up you go, Lieutenant,” said Mulvaney. He braced himself and Finn climbed up on his shoulders. Ortheris stood beside Mulvaney to brace him and Andre took the other side as they started to form a human pyramid. Finn stood up on Mulvaney’s shoulders, only too aware of the yawning abyss beneath them.

  “All right, Learoyd, you’re next,” said Finn.

  Learoyd carefully climbed up, balancing himself on Mulvaney’s shoulder and Ortheris’s good shoulder. Slowly he stood up and placed an arm around Delaney for support.

  “Don’t look down,” said Finn.

  Learoyd, of course, looked down at the drop below them, and quickly shut his eyes. “On second thought, perhaps this wasn’t such a very good idea,” he said.

  “You all right?” said Finn.

  Learoyd swallowed hard and nodded. “Right. Next man.”

  “Come on, Din,” said Finn.

  Carefully Din climbed up Mulvaney’s back, holding onto the Private’s burly shoulders for support.

  “Come on, old son,” Learoyd said, holding out his hand, “you’ll make it.”

  Slowly, ever so slowly, so as not to upset their precarious balance, Din stood up and Ortheris groaned, gritting his teeth from the pain as Din put his weight on his bad shoulder.

  “Forgive me, Sahib!”

  “Never mind that,” said Ortheris, “just get on up there!”

  Carefully, Din climbed up to the next level of the pyramid, putting one foot on Delaney’s knee. Transferring his weight slowly, he moved to sit astride Delaney’s shoulders.

  “Can you reach it, Din?” said Learoyd.

  Din looked up and swallowed hard. “Must stand, Sahib.”

  “All right, then, stand. But slowly, mind!”

  Moving as slowly as he could, Din placed his knees on Learoyd and Delaney’s shoulders. He could see, directly below him, the dizzying drop to the bottom. The wind whipped at them and the human pyramid swayed slightly.

  “Hold on there, Stanley, damn your eyes!” Learoyd shouted.

  “It’s me shoulder, Chris. It’s killin’ me.”

  “I’ll bloody well kill you if you move again! You so much as twitch and I’ll have your guts for garters!”

  Muttering a prayer to himself, Din slowly stood up as Learoyd and Delaney held onto his ankles to give him some support. He didn’t dare look down. The rock outcropping was directly above him. If he stretched his arms out, he could reach it.

  Behind them there was the sound of the heavy bolt being drawn back and then the massive door opening. Men ran into the room. Gritting his teeth, Din pushed off Learoyd and Delaney’s shoulders and jumped.

  “You! Get down from—”

  The pyramid collapsed. Andre, Ortheris, and Mulvaney fell to the floor of the parapet. Finn hit the surrounding wall as he went down and scrambled for a purchase. He felt Learoyd beneath him, grabbing onto his legs for dear life. The added weight almost took him over. Learoyd hung over the abyss, clinging to his legs.

  “Hold on, Chris!

  “Don’t you worry about me, mate,” Learoyd called back. “Just you hold on!”

  Above them Din clung to the rock, straining to pull himself up. There was no going back now. If he lost his grip, he would plummet to his death. Using every ounce of strength he had, he clawed desperately for a hold.

  Several tribesmen peered over the side at Delaney and Learoyd, grinning. The officer named Martin looked down at them.

  “Very cute,” he said. “I ought to let you fall.” He glanced back at the others, being held back at gunpoint. “You,” he said, pointing to Mulvaney.”Give them a hand.”

  Mulvaney came forward and braced Finn while Learoyd slowly shimmied up Delaney’s legs until he could reach Mulvaney’s outstretched hand. Moments later they were safe.

  “That was a damn fool thing to do,” said Martin. He frowned and made a quick count. “Somebody’s missing. The Hindu.”

  One of the tribesmen shouted out something and fired his rifle at the rock above them. They caught a glimpse of Din’s legs disappearing out of sight atop the rock outcropping.

  “ ‘E made it!” shouted Mulvaney. “Good ol Din!”

  Martin turned to several of the tribesmen and addressed them in Pushtu.”Get him. Bring him back alive if you can, but if you have to, shoot him.”

  “You bloody bastard!” roared Mulvaney, lunging at him.

  The tribesmen at once shifted their aim to Mulvaney, and Learoyd leaped at them, knocking three down with his weight. Finn grappled with Martin as Andre and Ortheris took on the other tribesmen. Two men grabbed hold of Mulvaney, but he wrenched loose and one of the men fell back against the wall. His momentum carried him over the side. His scream receded in the distance.

  One of the tribesmen slammed Ortheris against the wall with his rifle, and the soldier cried out from the pain in his wounded shoulder. The tribesmen struck him in the stomach with the rifle butt and was about to bring it down upon his head when Andre intervened. She had disarmed one of the tribesmen by kicking his rifle out of his grasp, then continuing the motion to launch a spinning back kick that knocked him down the stairs. She grabbed the other tribesman’s rifle before he could bring it down on Ortheris’s head, and kicked his legs out from under him.

  Learoyd was still struggling with the men he had knocked to the floor, trying to keep them from drawing their knives, when Finn yelled out in Pushtu, ”Stop or I’ll kill the holy one!”

  He had wrestled Martin’s laser away from him and held the soldier before him, weapon to his head. The tribesmen stopped fighting.

  “I was right,” said Finn. “They think you’re some kind of sacred demigod. That’s how you’ve been keeping them in line, isn’t it?”

  Mulvaney had knocked one of the tribesmen sense-less, and when Finn yelled, he had another hoisted high above his head. He stood, holding the man aloft.

  “Put that man down, Mulvaney,” Finn said.

  “Right you are, sir!”

  He dropped the tribesman over the side. His scream sent the others cowering back.

  “Well, you did say to put ‘im down, sir,” said Mulvaney.
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  “There’s no way you’re going to get out of here,” said Martin. “Using me as a hostage might work with these superstitious Ghazis, but my men will never fall for it. They’ll shoot us both.”

  “Then we’ll go together, won’t we?” said Finn. “Learoyd, Ortheris, Andre, get their weapons. And shut that door.”

  Moments later they had the Ghazis tied up and gagged with strips torn from a couple of their robes. The other robes were saved for use as disguises.

  “All right,” said Finn, covering Martin. “We’re going out of here the same way you came in. I’ll be right behind you.”

  Martin shook his head. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  Mulvaney came up behind him and twisted his arm up behind his back. Martin gasped with pain. “You’ll do as the lieutenant says, mate, or I’ll break yer bloody arm and then I’ll start on somethin’ else.”

  With Mulvaney keeping a firm grasp on Martin’s arm, they moved out into the corridor. “Which way?” Mulvaney said.

  “Go to hell,” said Martin.

  Mulvaney forced his arm up higher, and Martin cried out.

  “Enough of that,” said Finn.”I remember the way. We go left.”

  Frog-marching Martin before them, they headed toward the main chamber. When they reached the corridor that led to it, Delaney had them stop.

  “You three go on,” he said.

  “What do you mean, go on?” Learoyd said. “What about you?”

  “We’ll follow you. It’ll attract less attention if we don’t go out as a large group. Whatever happens, don’t turn back. You understand? That’s an order.”

  “Right. Miss Cross, you come with us. Mulvaney’ll stay behind and follow with the lieutenant.”

  “No. You go ahead. I’m staying with Finn.”

  “Don’t let’s argue about it,” said Learoyd. “Come on, now, we haven’t got much time.”

  “I said I’m staying. I can take care of myself, Chris. Now go. Hurry.”

  Learoyd shook his head. “I swear, you’re the most stubborn woman I ever laid eyes on, but you can handle yourself in a pinch, I’ll grant you that. For God’s sake, be careful. Off now, lads.”