I knew I was late for breakfast the next morning. So, it stung all the more when Alpha knocked at our door to announce this fact. I could only gesture to Murphy at the dressing table seemingly contemplating a vial and wand of kohl.
"It was my fault, Antonia," he said, "everything is taking too long."
Alpha's face screwed-up with irritation, but relaxed almost as quickly. "Hurry up, Habibti."
Murphy turned, about to speak.
"You won't need liner inside the pyramid." Alpha flashed a smile, then stepped out and shut the door.
Murphy dragged the kohl across his lids.
"Aren't the words with 't' are often feminine?"
"Yes." Murphy tossed the vial to the table. "But, at university, I did call everyone 'habibti'."
"Why?"
"I don't know, Habibi. I was...younger. " Murphy set his hat on his head. He looked himself in waistcoat, embroidered shirt, and linen kilt.
We hurried downstairs; Murphy better able to walk after another night's sleep. I took some flat aish baladi and an apple from the buffet as the group was already dispersing for the day.
I saw David wave from the front doors, where he waited with Nikola.
"It seems we're together, again,"David said, "though your friend Caroline has been invited to join another group. Our party have just gone outside with Mr. Carter."
Beside us, Murphy and Nikola greeted each other, after being kept apart by the Malik's demands the night before. "Are you feeling strong enough to forego the chair?" Nikola said just loudly enough that I overheard.
"Can I ride in it?" I asked, turning to where the rolling chair waited near the doors.
"Like some toff who can't be bothered to walk for himself?"
"I realize I'm not in need of it. I thought you might be sorry, later, if you got tired."
Murphy frowned and shook his head. My ploy had been rather transparent.
Through the doors, we found Alpha and Howard outside, along with Thierry, Prim and a flock of camels. Murphy practically skipped down the steps, where Alpha greeted him by embracing Murphy, with an arm over his shoulders.
Murphy made some joke, which was in Arabic, or rather it was in an Egyptian dialect—I was just beginning to be able to hear the difference. Something about owing him more than loyalty.
"He hates camels," Murphy explained. Alpha must have obtained the camels knowing Murphy would refuse to use the chair. His ploy, however obvious, seemed the more welcome.
"Tyron actually likes camels," Alpha said. Thierry, watching from under his umbrella, did not appear as excited.
"It is true," Murphy said. "If a boy has a sword and a camel he can go far. A steam-cab will not find its own water." He cried out and put his hand to his head.
"Murphy?"
"I sound like my father!"
Alpha laughed. "I recall he has several Hispano cabriolets as well as camels."
"Did you meet each other's families while at university?"
Murphy nodded. He glanced at Alpha, probably to check his memory. "My father might have met Alpha during the war when serving with his father, but Alpha did come home with me."
Alpha stepped apart from Murphy. "It was a good trip." He tipped his head to the others. "I think we're delaying the outing, but I am happy to have you back."
Howard was already up on his camel, and there was a camel driver there instructing David and Prim.
"Alpha," Thierry said, having adopted use of this nickname, "I don't now how I feel about these beasts. Could I ride along with you?" He winked right at me over Alpha's shoulder.
I rolled my eyes, because that had to be the most transparent ploy of the morning.
"Mx. Valens and Miss Hayes were keen to try camel riding," Nikola said, as he took hold of the saddle atop one camel. "It is helpful to lean back as the camel extends its rear legs to maintain equilibrium."
I watched Nikola and Murphy, before trying it myself. The main difference from horses or donkeys was these camels were trained to lay down to allow a rider to mount or dismount. I tried to ride with one leg crossed in front as Murphy did, but felt I might lose my balance.
Finally, we came again to the Great Pyramid of Khufu, where we gathered at its north side. Some courses up its face, and somewhat off-center there were a pair of stone chevrons; a corporal insignia on the body of the pyramid.
Below that, and towards the right, there was a roughly cut tunnel through the masonry.
"The so-called robber's tunnel." Howard gestured towards the lower entrance. "Tradition is that the Caliph Al-Mam'un dug the passage, after failing to locate the entrance above, but there are some other theories."
"I should like to see the original entrance," David said.
"It's a steeper climb up and then down, but a fit person can make it well enough. We should break-out the lamps, first."
"I took the liberty of bringing some of my wireless electrostatic induction bulbs," Nikola said reaching into one of the camels' pack baskets. "The temporary condenser and cosmic ray energy receiver were installed last evening. In future, it will be advantageous to move the upper plates to the top of the pyramid."
"His Majesty is certainly fond of the new wireless transmission and sun-energy machines," Howard said, "but I've brought some alabaster vessel lamps. Very little soot with a quality oil and wick; I'm sure these are what our ancient workers used."
"Might they have used sunlight and mirrors?" David asked.
"I deal in artifacts, not theories," Howard said sharply.
"We will need some portable coils to extend the influence...."
Nikola's voice was drowned out by Howard's series of orders on how we might split-up and carry equipment.
"Julien?" David called.
I glanced to Murphy, who stood near Nikola, his arms full of glass bulbs, and then I followed David up to the Great Pyramid's entrance.
[I have reason to believe this image is in the public domain, given it's a stereographic photo copyrighted in 1904, however, I found this particular copy under a CC Attrib. ShareAlike license. The author/publisher is Underwood & Underwood. The caption reads: "Entrance to the Great Pyramid, the sepulchre of Khufu (in north face), seen from below, Egypt. (23)." https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AEntrance_to_the_Great_Pyramid%2C_the_sepulchre_of_Khufu_(in_north_face)%2C_seen_from_below%2C_Egypt._(23)_(1904)_-_front_edited_-_TIMEA.jpg]
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[edited 8-12-16 to replace media link after previous link became broken.]
Chapter 73! As I am posting this, The Iron Man is ranked 79 in Science Fiction. It's been up and down, but I think the last few days is the first it's broken the top 100. w00t1
The Iron Man is still entered in The Chosen One contest over at FANTASCI, but its Round 1 voting group has not come up, yet.
The music media for this chapter is "Into the Water" by Alberto Iglesias from the Exodus: Gods and Kings soundtrack. I picked it for its sound, the 'Into the...' title, and association with Egypt.
This chapter also has an image attached above. It is "Entrance to the Great Pyramid of Giza, 1865" by Charles Piazzi Smyth (1819-1900) from the collection of the U.K. National Media Museum.
I hope I am not breaking suspension of disbelief with poor transliteration of Arabic dialects or alternate-history Tesla. I've attempted to research, of course. The technical language Nikola Tesla used to describe his inventions is often not how we would describe the same things today; it's a bit much to interpret.