Black Hand Gang (21 page)

"I didn't know the damn stuff made you see things and worse, sir, I swear! I didn't mean any harm. Those poor lads. It was only meant to warm the cockles and raise morale a bit."

"Damn it, Evans, There's a whole world out that that's trying to kill us. I don't need to worry about my own men doing it as well!"

Mercy lowered his eyes.

"This has got to be done, Evans. Discipline is important. Sometimes I think it's all that's keeping us together at the moment. If things go too far, I fear the men might mutiny and there are precious few officers to maintain order. If the men took it into their heads there's nothing we could do to stop them."

"Won't come to that, sir."

"How can you be so sure? No officer has the answers. I don't know where we are, or how. But I have to believe we'll get back. I have to. Because without that, without hope, then it all falls apart."

"The men know that too sir. Right now, they can grouse about the officers all they want but they know that if they usurp them, they'll have to fend for themselves. To put it bluntly sir, they don't want the responsibility. That and the fact, with the exception of Captain Grantham, you're all front line officers. If you weren't it might be a different story. But the men know you sir. They trust you."

"Well that's something I suppose," sighed Everson. "Can you take it, Evans?"

"Sir?"

"The punishment?"

"Had worse, sir," Evans said stoically.

Everson let a smile play briefly on his lips as he stood up, before scowling. "I can believe it. But I've already lost half my best men. I can't afford to lose any more. Straight and narrow after this Evans, or you'll answer to me."

"I don't suppose you'd care to leave that with me, sir?" he asked, nodding at the flask.

Everson looked down at the engraved silver hip flask and, after a moment's thought, tossed it over to Mercy. "It won't be enough, you know."

"Every little helps sir," Evans caught it cleanly. "Every little helps."

The next morning Grantham summoned all able-bodied men to witness Mercy's punishment. Discharged by the MO, Atkins still felt a little delicate when he joined the rest of his Section on parade. Ketch gave him a self-satisfied smirk as their eyes met.

"Bloody 'ell, Only, you look pale, you sure you're all right?" whispered Pot Shot.

"A little light-headed," Atkins replied. Spots still burst in his vision like Very lights and he had to keep moving his head to prevent Pot Shot being lost in drifting after-images. "What the hell happened?"

"We thought you were just foolin' around at first," muttered Gutsy, "but after you went doolally Ketch happened, that's what. The moment them blokes from 4 Platoon began screaming and blundering about in a blind panic, it didn't take him long to follow the trail back to Mercy. Hobson confiscated the booze and the still, but it were Gilbert the Filbert that pressed for a Court Martial."

"Parade! Parade 'shun!" bellowed Sergeant Hobson.

The guards brought Mercy out, stripped to the waist. He looked in a bad way; he'd been beaten black and blue. Jeffries' men had obviously given him a seeing to during the night, revenge for the men they lost. Jeffries stepped forward from the rest of the officers and addressed the men.

"98765 Private Evans, 2 Platoon 13
^th
Pennine Fusiliers has been found guilty of wilfully destroying property without orders from a superior officer and endangering the lives of fellow soldiers while on duty. The penalty: 14 days Field Punishment Number One."

Mercy was led out into No Man's Land, beyond the barbed wire entanglement, to where a T-shaped post had been set into the ground. He was tied to the post in a crucifixion position, facing the trenches, so the men could see him, abandoned to the torment and torture of the alien sun, and whatever creeping, flying pests and predators might happen by.

A restless mutter arose from the watching troops.

"Silence!" bellowed Sergeant Hobson. "Parade! Parade fall out into working parties. Dismiss!" cried Sergeant Hobson.

Section NCOs began barking their orders and groups fell out, smartly marching off to their work details while Tulliver and Mathers' crew set off in the tank in search of more of the 'petrol fruit' for their newly acquired fuel still.

2 Platoon was due out on another Forage Patrol. They set off over No Man's Land, past Mercy who, despite bruised ribs, black eye and split lip, gave them an encouraging smile and a thumbs up. With uneasy glances back towards their pal they set out across the burnt clearing and across the veldt toward the forest.

Everson was uneasy that Napoo wasn't coming with them. Jeffries wanted to question him and Grantham had given him permission. Jeffries seemed to have Grantham eating out of his hand recently. He had been taking advantage of Grantham's weakened state; the man was obviously susceptible to whatever suggestions Jeffries was making. Of course, it was perfectly possible that Jeffries was just trying to bolster the old man's nerve...

As the Urman entered the dugout, escorted by Sergeant Dixon, Jeffries studied him with some disdain. He didn't see the Noble Savage Everson claimed he saw but a wily indigent. From his occult researches he knew primitive peoples had caches of sacred knowledge forbidden to outsiders.

"Thank you, Dixon, that will be all."

Dixon saluted and left.

"So, you're the barbarian, the one they call Napoo?" said Jeffries as he watched the Urman pick up objects and study them briefly before putting them down and moving onto the next thing that caught his eye. He was like a child. Simple things delighted him greatly. Britannia was a Mother to many such peoples and Jeffries held none of them in any great regard. This man, though, was different. This man was wiry, but it all seemed to be muscle and he had survived to live to an age where his hair had greyed. Obviously he had a survivor's instinct that shouldn't be underestimated. Jeffries reached down to the holster on his Sam Browne belt and slowly undid the revolver cover. He grinned at Napoo as the man looked up at the sound of his new nickname, smiled, and went back to gazing with wonder at the things he saw.

"Everson has not such things," he said. "You are mightier than he is?"

Jeffries allowed himself a smile. The man amused him.

"Oh yes. Mightier than he knows, old chap."

"You are king here, then?"

"No, but I do like the sound of it. Are you not king of your own people?"

"No, only the Ones have kings," said Napoo as he picked up a pen from the small wooden crate that served as a writing desk. He sniffed the instrument then put it down.

"You're not one of the Ones, then?"

"No. Urman."

"The Ones," said Jeffries, "I wanted to ask you about them."

"This is Khungarrii territory. You should not be here. Not safe."

"Yes. So you said. And where are these Kungry -"

"Khungarrii," corrected Napoo, now sniffing, now licking a sealed tin of Tickler's Plum and Apple jam.

Jeffries took it off him and, using a tin opener, scythed it open before handing it back. He couldn't stand the stuff himself. It was just his luck that one of the foods they had did have in large supply was damned Plum and Apple jam.

Napoo stuck his fingers into the tin, scooped out the runny jelly and shoved his fingers into his mouth with great delight. "Mmm hmm," He smacked his lips.

"I saw a gleam over against those hills in a forest out beyond the veldt. A high spire. Is that them? Is that where these Khungarrii of yours live?"

"Aye, that's the Khungarrii Edifice," said Napoo. "Croatoan curse them!"

Jeffries froze.

"What?" he said. That the name of his chosen god should be uttered by one such as this who should not know of him at all stunned Jeffries. This was more than mere coincidence. Within the Great Working there
was
no coincidence. It was another sign. Of that he was sure. He rounded on the savage. "What did you say?"

Napoo was startled. He offered the half eaten tin of jam back to Jeffries. "Forgive me, I didn't not mean to -"

"What did you say?" he asked again, urgency in his voice.

"I - I said Croatoan curse them! Forgive me."

"What do you know of Croatoan?" said Jeffries, advancing on Napoo. "Tell me!"

"Nothing," he answered, puzzled at his host's sudden change in bearing. "It is an old curse that once had meaning to my forebears."

"You don't... worship him?"

"No, it is forbidden.

"By whom?"

"The Ones. There is only one god, GarSuleth, Weaver of the World," said Napoo reverently bowing his head.

Jeffries picked up his journal and leafed impatiently through the pages until he reached one on which was scrawled a symbol. He thrust the page under Napoo's nose. "This symbol. This sign. Do you recognise it, the Sigil of Croatoan?"

"No," said Napoo, shaking his head.

"Are you sure?"

"I have never seen its like."

"Never?"

"No, Only the Ones make such marks."

"What marks?"

"Like these," said Napoo gesturing at the open book. "Like the ones outside, the telling marks."

"The trench signs? Writing? Urmen don't write?"

"We do not know how to make the telling marks."

Jeffries slammed the book down. The rickety table juddered under the impact. These savages were so simple they had no written language. If Napoo was speaking the truth then they were of no immediate use to him. But, clearly, the Khungarrii were. After days of confusion, his path was now clear. These Khungarrii were the key.

"Are you telling me everything?"

"Yes. We do not mark-make."

"What are you not telling me, Napoo?"

"I don't understand."

"This is your world, are you seriously telling me you know nothing more than how to pick fruit and hunt animals?"

"What else is there to know?"

"Don't play games with me, Napoo," said Jeffries, picking up his ceremonial dagger, allowing the blade to glint in the dim light. "Either you tell me what I want to know or I will divine the truth from your entrails."

"All they would tell you are what fruit is good to eat and what animals good to hunt," said Napoo calmly.

There was a commotion outside. Jeffries did not want to be disturbed now. Whoever it was would pay for it. "Stay here," he told Napoo. "I haven't finished with you yet." He heard shouts and rifle fire. He lifted aside his gas curtain and stepped out into the trench. A private almost knocked him over.

"What's going on?" he snapped.

"We're being attacked! They came at us from the rear near the unfinished trenches!"

"Napoo, come with me," Jeffries called back into the dugout. If something was mounting an attack, this savage's knowledge could prove vital. Napoo appeared and he pushed him along the trench, the revolver in the small of his back urging him forwards.

A petrified solider ran down the trench toward them, screaming. "They're not human!" he cried as he tried to barge past Napoo and Jeffries.

"Private! Halt. This is desertion. Turn back or I'll shoot." However, the panic-stricken soldier was no longer listening. Reason had fled. Jeffries pointed his pistol and fired. The man fell back and slithered down the trench wall. Jeffries urged Napoo on. He could see smoke rising now from the newly fortified trench and the noises of battle filled the air. Blue flashes crackled over the lips of the communications trench followed by brief screams. Approaching the rear fire trenches Jeffries saw men retreating towards them along the bays, fighting a defensive action.

"Khungarrii," said Napoo calmly, gazing towards the blue flashes that lit the trenches. "I warned you."

Jeffries glared at Napoo furiously. There was nothing he could do here now. If he were to face these Khungarrii, he would do it on his terms, not theirs. He turned to slip back down the communications trench. Round the traverse, he caught a glimpse of something manlike. A bright blue flash filled his vision. His body went numb and the duckboards swung up to meet him.

CHAPTER TWELVE

"The Sacred Call of 'Friend'..."

"One of these days I'm going to have that buggering bastard Jeffries, officer or no," said Gutsy as they moved swiftly and quietly along now well-trodden paths through the forest, thankful to be out of the heat of the alien sun. They were all painfully aware that, back at the entrenchment, Mercy had to endure its unforgiving glare, tied to the post as part of his punishment. To a man, the Section resented the example Jeffries had made of their pal and Ketch's part in it. Army justice could often be swift and cruel and discipline unavoidable, but there was a point beyond which it ceased to be effective. Given the conditions the men were living and fighting under, morale was brittle and they would only bear so much.

"Keep your voice down," hissed Atkins, nodding forwards to where Ketch ambled along, his ears no doubt burning, "or you'll be up on charges, too."

The routine of food collecting had now become a practised one for 1 Section. They knew now where to find the fruits that would not poison them. They had set traps and nets to catch animals. Fruits they slung into sandbags suspended from a pole carried between Porgy and Gutsy. The rest of the men had emptied their packs and were now carrying them in what they called Forage Order. The constant bombardment of Hun shells seemed a distant memory; many of the men had taken to wearing their regulation soft caps instead of their steel helmets, which proved uncomfortable in the heat.

Ketch had shuffled forward and was talking to Sergeant Hobson.

"Yeah, but Field Punishment?" said Gutsy. "He didn't have to go that far."

"Quiet back there," said Hobson, walking back along the line.

Atkins saw Ketch, up ahead, turn back and watch, scornfully. He pointed at his own eyes, then at Atkins -
I'm watching you
.

"If I hear any more 'mutinous mutterings' I'll make the lot of you sorry you were born," snarled Hobson in a low, dangerous voice. "And you, Atkins. You should appreciate just how stupid your mate Evans was. You nearly died. He knew the consequences when he started that racket. And he took 'em like a man. Scroungers and chancers like him may do you a favour every now and again, but they'll all get caught out somewhere down the line, you mark my words."