To Rescue General Gordon (a steampunk short story)

Henry Emerson didn't plan on disobeying orders, stealing an airship, and facing down a savage army of religious fanatics led by a man who believes he's the Prophet reborn. But he's about to. The famous General Gordon is trapped in a city under siege by the Prophet's soldiers. Henry and James, officers in the Royal Air Navy, and their Sikh friend, Raheem, must rescue him before the city falls.Henry Emerson didn't plan on disobeying orders, stealing an airship, and facing down a savage army of religious fanatics led by a man who believes he's the Prophet reborn. But he's about to.The famous General Gordon is trapped in a city under siege by the Prophet's soldiers. Henry and his friend James, two young officers in Her Majesty's Royal Air Navy, along with the hulking Sikh, Raheem, decide to rescue him. Their methods aren't exactly "cricket." Their superiors call it insubordination. They prefer to think of it as following orders...creatively.The adventure will either bring them glory and fame, or doom them to a painful death at the hands of savage tribesmen… If their own commanders don't get to them first!To Rescue General Gordon is an 8,000 word (35 pages) steampunk short story and the first tale in the Clockwork Imperium series.