MASSACRE by Carey Wilber
The Time Travellers land on the site of Custer's lost stand and try to save
themselves from the massacre.
Doug and Tony, landing on thc edge of a prairie, amidst a half-dozen dead
Cavalry soldiers, are captured by a trio of Indians, Crazy Horse, Yellow Elk
and Knife. Tony pleads that they are not soldiers or enemies, but Crazy Horse
says they will die just the same. At the Time Tunnel, the crew has called in
an expert from the Indian Bureau to help fix the time and place where the Time
Travellers have landed. Meanwhile, the Indians are questioning Tony and Doug
about a man they call Yellowhair, when they are diverted by a cavalry trumpet.
Fifteen year old Tim McGinnis, sole survivor or the dead detail tries to
release them but Tony is recaptured as Doug rides off with Tim. At the Tunnel
Complex, Dr. Charles Whitebird, a Sioux, reports that his early-day relatives
are brewing trouble. He says Tony has been brought before Chief Sitting Bull
and the Yellowhaired man in question is General Custer - the place is the
Little Big Horn - the time, June, 1876. With Doug, Tim takes a message to
Custer, telling him to wait until he's joined by other units. But Custer,
planning the greatest coup of his military career, want’s to take the gathered
Indians by surprise. He ignores Doug's plea to rescue Tony and when he
persists orders him imprisoned. Tim releases Doug again, while Tony is telling
Sitting Bull .that though he will win the forthcoming battle, his people will
suffer for it for years to come. Sitting Bull, impressed by his courage he
lets him try to talk peace to Custer. Doug, still Custer’s prisoner, now
devotes himself to trying to get Tim transferred out of Custer's command.
When Tony arrives and registers his plea far peace, he too is imprisoned.
Custer, in the meantime, mounts his attack, at the last minute assigning Tim
to a new battalion leader, Major Reno. As Custer marches towards battle, Tony
and Doug distract their guards and escape, meeting Tim and delaying his
joining Reno until;! the battle moves on towards Custer. Yellow Elk, on the
fringe of the massacre, warns the trio to flee for their lives. With Tim safe,
Tony and Doug dematerialize into the time vortex.
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