Beltower, invisible and positioned for optimal mischief, fired his dastardly electric gun at the unsuspecting Hartwell, who was engulfed in green lightning and wounded quite badly.
At the same time, LeBlanc was able to break free of her confinement and threw herself into the tunnel, where she was tackled and pinioned by the resourceful Wilhelm.
Wilhelm had the treacherous LeBlanc held firmly, defeating her struggles with his manly strength, but she suddenly sagged in his arms and turned her beautiful face to his. Eyes flashing in admiration, she announced she was surrendering, but that she wanted one kiss from the man who defeated her.
Wilhelm's intellect was shouting that it was a trap, but he was in the grip of powerful emotions and, senses reeling, he granted the helpless woman her request, whereupon he fell senseless to the floor.
LeBlanc lost no time in fleeing to the safety of the vertical shaft, and the still invisible Beltower followed suit, leaving the heroes in their wake.
Wilhelm helped Hartwell as best he could, applying his wondrous healing machine to good effect, while Forsyth raced to the chair device and disabled the bomb he found there.
Returning to the surface, the heroes were informed by an officer that a large Shastapsh force had been seen by pickets approaching the Fort. They were reported to have cavalry and artillery in the form of Martian-manufactured cannons.
Forsyth ordered a wall built in front of the North Gate using the entire stock of Colonel Moran's Dehydrated Sandbags of which he had been informed after the last inventory, leaving a gap for the Crystal Machine to park in.
No sooner was the Crystal Machine in place than troops appeared over horizon. As they set up their cannon in the road, Wilhelm fired the Crystal Machine's weapon, and the centre of the Shastapsh formation immediately routed, over-running the artillery in the rear, who panicked and routed too.
The cavalry on the Shastapsh right wing attacked, but Wilhelm used the Crystal Weapon against them and they routed in disorder. Small- and Long-arm firing from the troops stationed inside the sandbag wall took an additional toll on those who Shastapsh blackguards who were made of sterner stuff.
The Shastapsh cavalry on the left flank meanwhile was in full charge. The Crystal Machine could not turn to bear in time, and it looked as though the British would have to retreat i side the fort, when suddenly a squadron of three steam airships flying British Colours appeared and drove off the remaining Shastapsh forces.
The flagship docked at the fort's mast, and soldiers, some civilians and one very important-looking general disembarked.
General McClellan had bad news for Forsyth.
Phoebe Carte-Lloyd had leveled some serious charges against Forsyth, Hartwell and Phipps.
- Unlawful Imprisonment of a civilian i.e. herself on specious unproved charges
- Waging undeclared war on Shastapsh, with the destruction of lives and property, including one unarmed Kite.
- Dereliction of Duty to wit: Failing to properly to oversee the management of Fort McMurray, permitting several insurgent attacks to be made with loss of life, while indulging himself in personal exploration trips into the vaults under the Fort. Allowing and condoning enlisted men to not only fraternise, but to openly cavort in a lascivious manner with Martian native courtesans.
- Waging undeclared war on a diplomatic mission from a neutral European nation to wit: the murder of numerous German crewmen of the dirigible airship "Samthandschuh"
Forsyth was formally relieved of command and required to accompany the general back to civilization where a court martial would likely be convened to answer charges.
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