trouble in Svardovia 20

 

Chapter 20

 

Dmitry and Herman Schultz climbed out of the window and out into the cold, snowy world outside. They carried bottled water with them, and a can of pineapple each, for the sweet energy as well as the juice, and a bar of chocolate between them. Sophie was busy grating chocolate with her penknife into melting snow to heat as much as the engine would heat it, to have at least a warm, sweet drink of sorts.

“We appreciate this,” said Helmut.

“We’re glad to share your heat,” said Sophie. “Stealing your weapon was a bit of an impulse; we wanted to make sure to kill Zbignevosky and destroy any secrets he had about our people, because he was a nasty piece of work, and we knew he was likely to try to bomb our wedding.”

“He does sound unpleasant,” said Helmut. “And so you’re the people who took the prototype?”

“I don’t know; we took the one which was in the Archduke’s stable yard,” said Sophie. “And the wretched machine ran out of diesel, so we took off the weapon to see if there was a way to counter it.”

Helmut started laughing.

“You have the only working version of the improved heat ray which will fire more than once,” he said.

“Really?  Well, that’s amazing,” said Sophie.

“I expect we should be doing something to destroy it,” said Helmut. “But I cannot think that it is a good weapon; it is contrary to God’s law.”

“I am glad you think so; I would most certainly urge Dmitry never to use such a thing,” said Sophie. “It is a wicked sort of thing. But as you are Christian, shall we all pray for Dmitry and Sergeant Schultz to safely find aid?”

“I am glad to do so,” said Helmut. He and the two gunners bowed their heads. Svetilina and Karol crossed themselves, in the eastern fashion, and each gave up silent prayers for the two brave men battling through snow on a most uncertain surface.

 

oOoOo

 

“I suppose,” managed Dmitry, as they scrambled through snow, “That at least the earth has frozen and stabilised the slump somewhat. Let us pray it does not thaw, for that could wreak havok.”

“Indeed,” said Schulz. “Highness, would it trouble you to call out every thirty feet or so? In case there are any other souls trapped and still alive? I… I was terrified, but I thought I heard voices, so I shouted…”

“We’ll do better than that, we’ll poke our tent pole walking staffs through the earth and tap for metal,” said Dmitry. “Incredible as it seems, it is possible that the strength of the armour has preserved an air pocket inside other Gargantua.”

They found the next vehicle, and dug away enough to reach the window. Dmitry crossed himself.

“The poor devils have all shot themselves,” he said. “I cannot blame them.”

“No, nor I,” said Schultz. “We cannot afford time to take their identity.”

“No,” said Dmitry. “I think one more might be possible to get too, this side of the top of the mountain; nothing under that would survive.”

Schultz nodded; and they continued on. The next machine was apparent for the barrel of a Nordenfelt, which was raised; someone perhaps had jerked back on the controls in shock as the avalanche hit. Dmitry pushed his pole through the earth, and banged on the metal roof.

He was about to shrug, when there was a weak banging back.

“Well, we dig,” he said. They had one shovel and an axe, and it must do to reach the top of the metal monstrosity, and then find the window.

“I have the hatch to the engine compartment!” said Schultz. “The machine is turned to the side!”

“That will be easier than trying to get in the window,” said Dmitry. “I think you had a pocket beneath the surface into which more fell, breaking your window.”

“I don’t know; it was all very confused, but I don’t say you’re wrong, sir,” said Schultz.

“Call me Dmitry; in this weather we are equals against a common enemy,” said Dmitry.

“Then call me Herman, please; it will be less confusing, for Helmut is my brother.”

They managed to open the hatch, and Schultz went down first. Dmitry followed.

One side of the cab was stove in, and the gunner that side crushed. Two of the other men had shot themselves, but the fourth, scarcely more than a boy, fell sobbing on Herman.

“Come on son, you’re going to be all right,” said Herman.  “My… Dmitry, what are we going to do?”

“We left the radio in your Gargantua, just in case,” said Dmitry. “Let me see if I can get this one going.” He turned the ignition, and the diesel engine coughed into life. “Good, that’s a start. Any protocol to getting another vehicle?”

“No; they are very simple, all on one frequency. Press the button and transmit.”

Dmitry did so.

“Calling refugees, calling refugees; we have one more survivor, repeat, have one more survivor. Can you fetch him? Over.”

“Roger, wilco, over and out,” said Karol’s voice.

“Get the boy dressed in as many coats as he can from his dead fellows,” said Dmitry. “Do you have any water or iron rations?”

“Yes; we ate ours,” said Herman, opening a panel. “Here is still some beer, and cheese, and sausage, and rather stale bread.”

“In water with conserve it will make a meal,” said Dmitry.  “Listen, lad! Stay calm. My friend will take you to a safe place for the time being; and we are going to get help. You will go with him, and share out your rations. Here, have some water, and some chocolate. Have you been eating at all?”

“No, I did not know there was food,” sobbed the boy.

“Well, you will be given food, and everyone will share,” said Dmitry. “What is your name?”

“Kurt; Kurt Von Hönen. I was to learn how to drive the machines,” said the boy.

“He’s our general’s nephew,” said Herman.

“Well, he’d better behave, or he’ll be walking home alone,” said Dmitry. “Right, come on, Kurt; out of the top and you can start off towards Karol, who is coming to rescue you, so he does not have to go as far.”

“Yes, sir,” said Kurt, submissively, glad to be told what to do. He was weak and ill-looking, but he had the will to live, which would take him a long way.

They saw him out, and walking in their footsteps back the way they had come. The figure of Karol was a small moving shadow in the distance; but at least visible, and a target for the boy.

“We will have to move to the side of the block there,” said Dmitry. “Jesus-Joseph-Maria, but it’s big.”

“Well, I didn’t put it there,” said Herman.

“Oh, good man, you have humour still,” said Dmitry.

“Much is restored in heaving that boy out,” said Herman. “But you are right; nothing would survive that lump falling on them.”

They huddled up against the lump of rock to take a drink, and eat some chocolate, then pushed on, going to their right as the wind was blowing largely from their left. Above them was the stark scar where the peak had broken off. Dmitry crossed himself and prayed for the poor souls in the Gargantua who were caught underneath it.

“When we have got to the other side of this, we’ll technically be in Krasnytsya,” said Dmitry.

“I am sure it will make the chocolate taste better for you,” said Herman.

“Hell, yes,” said Dmitry. “Do you have any family other than Helmut?”

“Only my ex-wife,” said Herman. “We married too young, and it was only a year before love had turned to hatred. I did not have the ambition she wanted, and was too fascinated with smelly machines; and she as always wanting things, as tokens of my love. We parted ways, and I should not be sad never to see her again. Why, are you inviting us to stay in Krasnytsya?”

“I can always use good friends I can trust,” said Dmitry.  “Stand by; the wind will buffet us as we come out from behind this damned rock.”

The wind did buffet, but there was no snow this side.

“Well, I’m damned, weather in mountains is always peculiar,” said Dmitry.  “Four miles more, my friend, and I am sure there will be our people. It fell a lot deeper and with more rocks this side; I don’t fancy the chances of anyone under that lot.”

“No, nor do I; this is all rock and rubble, and very hard to walk on. The other side was mudslide with rocks in.”

“I’m going to send up one of the flares we made,” said Dmitry.  “We used the powder from ammunition and made three flares using the pasteboard which came as wrapping for the chocolate. It’s not going to be wonderful, but I hope it will make enough smoke to have someone see it.”

“It’s worth a try, rather than break our ankles on that,” agreed Herman.

They propped up the makeshift rocket in the rocks, a tail made from a stick Dmitry had cleaned of bark, shavings of spruce gum in with the gunpowder to smoke plenty. Herman held his coat open as a wind break whilst Dmitry kindled a match.  The rocket went up, trailing smoke. It did not go very high; but the smoke was dense.

“Well, we can but hope,” said Dmitry. “Come, friend Herman, let us tramp with great caution. I suspect it will take all the hours of daylight to cross this uneven plain.”

Herman grunted agreement.  They had little enough spare breath to talk.

 

oOoOo

 

 

The brief burst of radio transmission had been picked up by one Private Hansi Tanner, who had been one of those getting the evacuated Gargantua onto the flatbeds.

He reported this to his officer.

“Listen, son,” said his officer, “You open up that radio, and say that if anyone can hear you, to do what they can to save themselves, or kill themselves quickly, because nobody is coming. And if any of us tried, we’d be courtmartialled; and I don’t know about you, but I have family.”

“Yes, sir,” said Hansi. He had been told what to do, however, and he did it.

He got no reply, and sighed, wondering if he had imagined it.

The refugees in the cabin had listened to his stumbling explanation; and they now included Kurt Von Hönen.

“They have given up on us all?” he gasped.

“This is what you get when you have such a bastard for an Archduke as Ferdie,” said Karol. “And plainly the two in your own vehicle who shot themselves, and the four in the other vehicle, knew what the chances of a rescue might be. I can guarantee that those near the front will have been dug out if life persisted.”

In this he was correct, and the Krasnytsyan army had dug out the crew of two vehicles who were able to send messages begging help, and had done their best to investigate if others survived, managing too to rescue one stubborn crew who were afraid of what would happen to them. All agreed, it was no way to die, being slowly suffocated. Though it had helped that the stubborn crew were subdued and groggy by lack of clean air.

“We are not treated as men, but as cattle!” cried Kurt.

“Welcome to the world of those of us without a ‘von’ to our names, little rich boy,” said Wilhelm.

“I will talk to my uncle about this… if he survived,” said Kurt.

“Do you want to enlighten the baby, or will I?” said Wilhelm to Johan.

“He knows in his heart,” said Helmut.

“Things should be changed!” cried Kurt.

“Bless you, Kurt, plenty have tried before, and failed,” said Helmut. “Are you not aware that the Gargantua are for crowd control, and designed to be used on our own people? My brother, Herman, and I were transferred without much choice in the matter from the vehicle maintenance corps.”

Kurt bowed his head.

 

oOoOo

 

“Sir!  We saw a trail of smoke – it looked like a very small rocket flare,” said one of the ratings to Thorndyke.

“Steer a course towards it,” said Thorndyke. “Dmitry is resourceful, and so is Miss Harmon. We can hope that it is they. If not, well, we still should rescue any distressed enemy.”

They headed along the line of the former cutting, somewhat above it, the ‘Thunderchild’ being wider than the cutting.

“Sir! Two figures, walking!” called the lookout.

“Only two?” Thorndyke’s heart plummeted.  “Send down a boat to pick them up; have a few marines, just in case.”