Ice Guard(科幻战争)-第14章

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hadn’t　been　able　to　tell　him。　He　still　didn’t　know　which　of　his　thoughts　were　entirely　his　own；　and
which　had　been　influenced　by　the　augmetics　that　had　oh…so…subtly　insinuated　themselves　into　his
consciousness。　He　had　to　second…guess　his　every　instinct；　in　case　it　was　based　on　flawed
information。
He　couldn’t　tell　where　the　real　Stanislev　Steele　ended　and　the　augmetics　began。
They　were　nearing　the　edge　of　the　ice　forest；　at　last。
Steele　knew　this　because　his　augmetics　had　calculated　that　the　mean　distance　between　the　ice
trees　was　a　little　greater　than　it　had　been　a　few　minutes　ago。　He　quickened　his　pace；　knowing　that
his　squad　would　fall　into　step　beside　him　without　being　ordered　to　do　so。　There　had　been　no　signs
that　anyone　was　on　their　tail；　but　still　he　couldn’t　dismiss　that　possibility。
At　last　they　emerged　into　the　open；　and　Steele　could　see　that　the　others　were　as　happy　about　it　as
he　was。　Borscz　let　out　a　deep　groan　of　relief；　and　took　the　opportunity　to　stretch　his　arms　and　legs
and　work　out　the　cricks　in　his　neck。
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A　great；　snow…blanketed　field　stretched　ahead　of　them　—　and　in　the　distance　Steele　could　see　the
spires　and　towers　of　Iota　Hive。　They　had　made　good　time；　all　things　considered。　The　crash　site　was
only　a　few　more　kilometres　away；　and　the　going　looked　set　to　be　a　lot　easier　from　now　on。　The　open
terrain　would　bring　its　own　problems；　however。　The　Ice　Warriors’　bottle…green　greatcoats　would
stand　out　like　beacons　to　anyone　who　overlooked　the　field　from　any　number　of　surrounding　hills。
And　they　would　leave　tracks　in　the　grey　snow；　but　there　was　no　way　around　that。
Fortunately；　the　sky　was　beginning　to　darken。　Steele　considered　waiting　for　a　while；　until　the
night　had　drawn　in　completely；　but　he　concluded　that　the　risks　of　so　doing　outweighed　the
advantages。　His　internal　chrono　was　ticking　away；　impossible　to　ignore。　It　was　counting　down　the
seconds　to　the　end　of　this　world；　making　him　acutely　aware　of　the　passing　of　each　one。
It　was　only　when　Gavotski　had　a　quiet　word　in　his　ear　that　he　realised　how　hard　he　had　been
pushing　his　squad；　how　exhausting　the　ice　forest　had　been　for　them。　He　conceded　that　they　should
take　a　short　rest；　while　they　had　some　cover。　The　Ice　Warriors　set　themselves　down　on　the　ground；
broke　out　their　rations　and　their　water　bags；　and　relaxed　for　the　first　time　in　a　good　few　hours。
The　break　buoyed　their　spirits；　and　Mikhaelev　and　Grayle　were　soon　engrossed　in　a　conversation
about　the　relative　merits　of　Lightning　and　Thunderbolt　fighters。　Grayle　was　enthusing　about　the　time
he　had　got　his　hands　on　the　controls　of　one　of　the　latter；　during　a　short　secondment　to　the　Imperial
Navy。
Gavotski；　in　the　meantime；　was　reciting　old　war　stories　to　an　attentive　Pozhar　and　Palinev；　while
Barreski　and　Borscz　had　resumed　their　good…natured　bickering。
“I’ll　make　you　a　deal；”　said　Barreski。　“When　this　mission　is　over；　we　will　have　a　contest：　my
flamer　against　your　hands；　and　we　will　see　which　is　the　more　deadly。”
“Then　you　had　best　hope　your　flamer　does　not　jam；”　said　Borscz　cheerfully；　“or　run　out　fuel；　and
that　you　do　not　miss　with　your　first　shot；　because　one　is　all　you　will　get。　After　that；　my　hands　will　be
around　your　throat；　and　there　will　be　no　doubt　about　the　outcome　then　—　because　my　hands；　I　can
rely　upon。”
“Oh；　I　never　miss；”　Barreski　assured　him；　“you　can　count　on　that。”
The　Validian　captain　had　warned　Steele　about　the　lake。
He　had　led　his　company　around　it　—　but　it　had　taken　him　the　better　part　of　a　day　to　do　so；　and
they　had　run　into　more　than　one　small　Chaos　encampment　in　the　process。　Steele　had　decided　that；　if
it　was　at　all　possible；　he　would　take　his　squad　across；　the　lake；　according　to　the　Validian；　was　far
narrower　than　it　was　long。
And　so　it　was　that；　after　a　short；　uneventful　trek　from　the　forest；　the　Ice　Warriors　came　to　the
nearest　bank　of　the　lake　and　stumbled　to　a　halt。　Steele　dropped　to　one　knee；　drew　a　long…bladed
knife　and　held　it　so　that　its　tip　rested　on　the　frozen　surface。　He　pushed　it　down　slowly；　measuring　the
resistance　it　encountered；　feeling　when　that　resistance　ended；　when　the　knife　tip　had　penetrated　the
ice　and　emerged　into　the　water　beneath　it。　By　the　time　it　did；　he　was　pleased　to　note　that　the　knife
was　buried　almost　to　its　hilt。　The　ice；　he　judged；　was　more　than　thick　enough　to　support　ten　men。
Even　so；　the　heavy　Borscz　was　understandably　apprehensive。　He　let　the　others　get　a　short　way
ahead　of　him　before　he　gingerly　placed　one　foot　on　the　ice；　and　then　slowly；　carefully　eased　his
great　bulk　onto　it。　By　the　time　he　had　taken　four　or　five　steps　in　this　manner；　however；　he　was
beginning　to　grow　in　confidence；　and　he　soon　caught　up　with　his　comrades。
The　Ice　Warriors　had　fanned　out　so　as　not　to　concentrate　their　weight　in　any　one　spot。　They
moved　slowly；　focusing　on　their　feet；　mindful　of　the　likely　consequences　should　any　of　them　slip
and　fall。　Steele　kept　his　ear　attuned　to　the　cracking；　creaking　sounds　of　the　ice　under　pressure；
hoping　that　those　sounds　would　warn　him　in　time　if　the　pressure　became　too　great。
The　lake；　he　had　been　told；　was　a　kilometre　across；　but　it　took　his　squad　almost　half　an　hour　to
reach　the　halfway　point。　By　then；　he　could　see　the　far　bank；　a　black　mass　in　the　gathering　gloom。
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And　it　was　shortly　after　that；　when　the　Ice　Warriors　were　at　their　most　exposed；　their　most
vulnerable；　that　the　first　shot　rang　out。
“Sniper！”　yelled　Palinev　as　a　section；　of　the　ice　exploded　a　few　metres　to　his　right。
Steele　replayed　the　last　second　in　his　mind；　and　found　that　his　bionic　eye　had　picked　up
something　that　he　hadn’t　noticed　at　the　time：　a　muzzle　flash；　coming　from　the　dark；　rounded　shape
of　a　hill　to　the　north…east。　He　relayed　this　information　to　the　others；　and　tried　to　zoom　in　on　the　spot
in　question。
His　eye’s　Heads…Up　Display　flagged　up　the　outline　of　a　man’s　head　and　shoulders；　and　identified
the　weapon　he　was　holding：　a　long…las。
Fortunately；　the　sniper　wasn’t　a　very　good　shot；　at　least　not　at　this　range。　Unfortunately；　he
didn’t　have　to　hit　the　Ice　Warriors；　not　when　he　could　shoot　the　ground　out　from　beneath　them。　Two
more　beams　punched　through　the　ice；　and　blew　up　jets　of　water。　The　Ice　Warriors　returned　fire；
dropping　into　defensive　crouches　in　the　absence　of　cover　to　minimise　their　profiles。　Their　own
lasguns；　Palinev’s　excepted；　didn’t　have　the　range　of　the　long…las　—　even　if　they　hit　their　target；　it
would　be　with　half…strength　beams。　Still；　they　could　encourage　the　sniper　to　keep　his　head　down。
Palinev　looked　surprised　when　Steele　came　up　behind　him　and　snatched　his　long…las　from　his
hands。　“No　offence；　trooper；”　he　muttered；　“I　just　think　my　aim　might　be　a　little　better　than　yours。”
Gavotski　saw　what　Steele　was　doing；　and　ordered　the　rest　of　the　squad　to　withdraw；　to　keep　up　the
covering　fire　but　to　make　for　the　far　side　of　the　lake　as　they　did　so　—　and　to　sacrifice　caution　now
for　speed。
Steele　was　trying　to　focus　on　the　sniper　again　when　another　beam　hit　the　ice　directly　in　front　of
him；　and　the　ensuing　eruption　threw　him　off　his　feet。
He　landed　heavily　on　his　back　and　was　winded；　almost　dropping　his　weapon。　The　frozen　surface
beneath　him　cracked；　and　for　an　instant　Steele　thought　he　might　crash　right　through　it。　His　relief
when　this　didn’t　happen　was　short…lived。　The　twin　impacts　of　las…beam　and　Ice　Warrior　had　begun　a
chain　reaction　in　the　ice；　and　he　could　hear　the　fault　lines　widening　and　spreading。
And　then　the　rest　of　his　squad　saw　it　too；　as　great　fissures　began　to　appear　around　Steele；　and
met　to　carve　out　little　floating　ice　islands。
He　couldn’t　stand。　His　weight　was　only　supported　because　it　was　evenly　distributed；　and　this
wouldn’t　help　him　for　much　longer。　His　comrades　couldn’t　reach　him　without　sharing　his　fate；　and
they　had　their　own　problems　anyway。
Unable　to　save　himself；　Steele　did　the　only　thing　he　could　to　save　them。
He　shouldered　the　long…las；　lifted　his　head；　and　willed　his　bionic　eye　to　work　for　him。　He　smiled
as　his　HUD　locked　onto　the　distant　sniper；　and　he　squeezed　the　trigger　and　felt　the　recoil　of　his
weapon　driving　him　down；　down；　down…
There　were　some　things　in　life；　Steele　thought；　that　it　was　best　not　to　know。
He　didn’t　need　to　know　the　exact　temperature　of　the　freezing　water　into　which　he　had　been
plunged；　nor　the　combined　weight　of　the　armoured　greatcoat　and　the　packed　rucksack　that　were
dragging　him　towards　the　lake　bed。　He　would　rather　not　have　been　able　to　hear　the　ice　re…forming
above　him；　sealing　him　in　this　flooded　tomb。
And　yet　still　his　augmetics　insisted　on　seeking　out　such　information；　presenting　it　to　him　as　if　he
might　draw　some　useful　conclusion　from　it；　as　if　he　didn’t　already　know　what　the　only　conclusion
could　be。
Any　other　man　would　have　been　blissfully　insensate　by　now；　his　brain　numbed　by　the　cold。　Any
other　man　would　have　been　at　peace。　Not　Steele。
His　head　was　awhirl　with　numbers。　They　filled　it　to　bursting　point；　demanded　his　attention；
demanded　that　he　must　know　everything；　every　tiny　detail　of　his　impending　fate。　And；　above　it　all；
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that　damned　internal　chrono　was　pounding　at　his　temples；　counting　down　to　a　new；　more　imminent；
deadline　now…
…ticking　off　the　few　remaining　seconds　of　Colonel　Steele’s　life…
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CHAPTER　EIGHT
Time　to　Destruction　of　Cressida：　35。14。56
Gavotski’s　first　impulse；　as　Steele　fell　through　the　ice；　was　to　dive　in　after　him。　Holding　himself
back　was　the　hardest　thing　he　had　ever　had　to　do；　but　he　could　not　have　survived　immersion　in　the
freezing　lake。　The　only　thing　he　could　do　for　the　colonel　no；　and
bring　honour　to　Steele’s　name　by　ensuring　the　completion　of　his　final　mission。
After　all　the　noise　and　the　frenzy　of　the　past　few　seconds；　the　silence　that　fell　now　felt　unnatural；
dreadful。　It　seemed　that　Steele’s　dying　shot　had　struck　true；　because　the　sniper　fire　from　the　hill　had
ceased　—　but　no　one　was　thinking　about　that　now。　The　Ice　Warriors　were　standing；　gaping　at　the
jagged　ice　hole　that　had　swallowed　their　leader。　A　hole　that　was　rapidly　frosting　over　again；
resealing；　until　there　was　no　trace　that　it；　or　Steele；　had　ever　been　there。
They　were　well…used　to　death；　these　soldiers。　They　had