Far Horizons: Tales of Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror. Issue #18 September 2015 | Page 95

low, and most of the shots smashed the brickwork of
the wall. Perhaps a third of the shots struck the battlements and the area above them.

ers or fleet ships. These were built into the right arms,
the left arms were fitted with crude and clumsy, but
very strong, gripping claws.

The volume of fire from that section stopped
at once, several of the rebels were dead, several more
wounded. The remaining men crouched behind the
wall, fear and shock on their faces.

The other two carried maxim machine guns,
the canvas belts of ammunition held in great steel boxes slung beneath the weapons.
All four Ironsides immediately became the
centre of a storm of fire as every rebel opened fire at
these steel giants as soon as they came into sight. They
lumbered forwards, the soldiers within struggling to
move despite the complex system of pistons and pulleys and sweating in the heat of a steel box under the
Egyptian sun and with steam engines strapped to their
backs. Struggling to see the enemy through the grill
like face plates of heavy armoured slats, the gaps were
filled with sheet metal drilled with hundreds of close
set small holes to allow sight and protection.

The first of the infantry came through the
smashed house into the square and came under light
fire. Most of the rebels were firing at the Land Frigate. Under the orders of sergeants and corporals, the
soldiers spread out to find cover, several sharpshooters
forcing their way into the intact houses either side
seeking access to the flat roofs.
Someone on the wall was shouting in Arabic,
and the volume of fire falling like rain on the Land
Frigate began to drop. Instead, the leading infantry
squads came under heavier fire, and first one, then
another, and a third cried out or fell.

One Ironside fired a burst of M