Scene 1: **"Ice and Oaths"**
*Gilgit Scouts Fortress, January 1, 1948. -40°C. Dawn.*
**Subedar Shahbaz Khan** (Muslim Gilgit Scout) breathed on his frozen Lee-Enfield bolt. "Another night guarding Dogra pigs," he muttered.
**Sepoy Hassan** (19-year-old scout) stamped frostbitten feet. "Sir, why do *we* freeze while Dogra officers sip rum in heated barracks?"
**Major Ghansara Singh** (Dogra commander) emerged, fur coat steaming. "Khan! Patrol the Indus bridge. Report any *Kabaili* movement."
Khan saluted stiffly. "*Ji, Sahib.*"
As Singh retreated inside, Khan spat on the ice. "*Our* land. *Their* orders."
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Scene 2: **"The Whisper Network"**
*Radio Shack, Gilgit Fort. Night.*
**Captain Mirza Hussayn** (Pakistani agent, code *Falcon*) tuned a clandestine radio. Static hissed: *"...Pakistan Zindabad. Repeat: Operation Snow Leopard is go..."*
**Khan** entered, shedding snow. "Mirza Sahib, my men are ready. But the Sikh platoon at Bunji—"
Mirza handed him a gold *mohur*. "Allah rewards the faithful. Major Rahman's *lashkar* crosses the Babusar Pass tomorrow. Your scouts open the gates *tonight*."
**Sepoy Hassan** peered through a crack. His breath caught. *Treason.*
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Scene 3: **"The Dogra's Mistake"**
*Officers' Mess, 2100 Hours.*
**Major Singh** slammed his fist as Sikh officers protested. "Muslim scouts get double rations? *Never!*"
**Captain Dhawan** (Sikh) lowered his voice. "Sir, Khan's men murmur about 'jihad.' Disarm them!"
Singh drank deeply. "Nonsense! My father commanded their fathers! Loyalty is *bred* here!"
Outside, Khan listened, a glacier cracking in his eyes.
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Scene 4: **"The Blade at Midnight"**
*Barracks #3, 2345 Hours.*
**Khan** gathered 60 scouts in darkness. "Tonight, we reclaim Gilgit for Islam! *Allahu Akbar!*"
A murmur echoed. One scout hesitated. "Subedar, what of Sepoy Hassan? He's missing..."
**Khan** drew his *pesh-kabz* dagger. "Allah sorts traitors. Move!"
Scouts fanned out—
*CRACK!* A sentry's neck snapped.
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Scene 5: **"The Mess Hall Massacre"**
*Officers' Quarters, 0005 Hours.*
Drunk Dogra officers sang Punjabi ballads when lights died. **Captain Dhawan** fumbled for his pistol. "Who's there?"
**Khan** kicked open the door, tribesmen flooding in. "*Salaam*, Sahibs! Time to meet your gods!"
**Major Singh** reached for his sword—
*THUNK!* Khan's dagger pinned his hand to the table. "You called us dogs, Singh. Now *bark*."
Sikh officers fought with chairs, bottles. **Dhawan** shot two scouts before a *chhura* slit his throat.
**Singh** spat blood at Khan. "My father trusted your—"
A bullet silenced him.
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Scene 6: **"The Silence of Bunji"**
*Indus River Outpost, 0200 Hours.*
**Sepoy Hassan** pounded the Bunji gate. "*Havildar Saab!* Gilgit Fort has fallen! Scouts betrayed us!"
**Havildar Gurdeep** (Sikh) peered through snow. "Hassan? Why should I trust a Muslim?"
*CRACK-CRACK-CRACK!* Gilgit Scouts' bullets tore Gurdeep's chest.
**Khan** emerged from darkness, rifle smoking. "A pity, Hassan. You could've been a hero."
Hassan ran as bullets kicked ice. He leapt into the frozen Indus.
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Scene 7: **"The Green Flag Rises"**
*Gilgit Fort Ramparts, Dawn.*
**Captain Mirza** hoisted the Pakistani flag as Major Rahman's *lashkar* swarmed the fortress. Tribesmen cheered, looting Dogra armories.
**Rahman** embraced Khan. "*Subedar!* Pakistan gives you a captain's rank! Gold! Land!"
**Khan** stared at Major Singh's body dumped in a latrine pit. "What does Allah give *him*, Sahib?"
A tribesman dragged a weeping Hindu clerk. "Captain! This one hid in the radio shack!"
**Khan** drew his pistol. "*Pakistan Zindaba—*"
*BANG!* Hassan's sniper shot from distant ridges hit Khan's shoulder.
Chaos erupted. Hassan vanished into the blizzard.
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