Ice Guard(科幻战争)-第19章

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whether　this　was　due　to　the　events　of　last　night　or　to　his　damaged　gun　arm；　Steele　could　not　say。
He　was　starting　to　wonder　if　they　had　made　the　wrong　choice。
His　men　had　all　been　brought　up　on　Valhalla；　these　surroundings　looked　almost　familiar　to　them。
They　thought　they　knew　all　the　perils　that　the　snow　and　the　ice　could　bring；　were　alert　for　the
warning　signs　—　and　if　the　worst　should　happen；　as　it　had　on　the　frozen　lake；　then　they　thought　they
knew　how　to　minimise　the　consequences。　A　squad　from　any　other　world　would　have　been　dead　by
now；　for　the　Ice　Warriors　of　Valhalla；　this　was　just　a　morning　stroll。
But　as　Gavotski　had　pointed　out　inside　the　glacier；　the　water　on　this　world　had　been　infected　too。
And　the　snow　and　the　ice　didn’t　always　behave　as　it　should。
The　second　avalanche　was　bigger。　Much　bigger。
Steele　couldn’t　blame　anyone　in　his　squad　for　setting　it　off。　It　started　high　above　them；　and　came
crashing　down　at　them　like　a　tidal　wave。　It　might　have　been　a　natural　consequence　of　recent
snowfall　upon　hard…packed　ice　—　but　the　timing　of　it；　at　least；　was　suspicious。
The　Ice　Warriors；　minus　Palinev；　were　spread　out　across　a　hillside；　keeping　a　short　distance
between　each　of　them　in　case　of　just　such　an　occurrence　—　but　the　avalanche　was　in　the　perfect
spot；　and　exactly　wide　enough；　to　threaten　all　eight　of　them。
Barreski　and　Grayle　were　at　the　greatest　risk。　They　were　closest　to　the　centre　of　the　flow；　the
point　at　which　the　snow　would　be　moving　its　fastest。　They　knew　they　couldn’t　outrun　it　—　an
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avalanche　of　this　size　could　reach　a　speed　of　two　hundred　kilometres　per　hour　—　but　they　used　the
few　seconds　they　had　before　it　hit　to　make　a　sprint　for　its　edge；　as　did　their　comrades。
Gavotski　and　Steele；　who　had　been　respectively　leading　the　procession　and　following　at　its　rear；
had　the　least　far　to　go。　Steele　ran　for　all　he　was　worth；　but　still　it　wasn’t　enough。　It　could　never　have
been　enough。　He　turned　his　back　to　the　avalanche　as　it　reached　him；　and　prepared　for　the　impact。
It　felt　as　if　a　rug　had　been　pulled　out　from　under　him。　He　maintained　his　balance　for　as　long　as
he　could；　but　he　was　soon　swept　away。　He　pedalled　with　his　arms　and　legs；　as　if　swimming；
knowing　that　to　resist　the　tide　would　be　futile；　attempting　to　ride　it　instead。　The　landscape　flashed　by
to　each　side　of　him；　and　Steele　could　only　hope　that　he　wouldn’t　be　dashed　against　something　solid。
He　was　aware　of　Blonsky　being　carried　alongside　him　—　and　of　Anakora；　who　had　managed　to
grab　a　sturdy　tree　before　the　snow　hit　and　was　clinging　to　it　for　dear　life；　being　left　behind。　He　did
the　best　he　could　to　keep　track　of　them　both；　as　he　knew　they　would　be　doing　for　the　comrades　to
each　side　of　them。
Steele　went　under　several　times；　and　his　mind　flashed　back　to　the　frozen　lake。　He　was
determined　not　to　be　buried；　not　to　lose　consciousness　again　—　and　so；　each　time　he　was　engulfed；
he　kicked　and　he　thrashed；　and　he　put　all　the　strength　he　had　into　his　swimming　stroke；　and　he
resurfaced。
After　what　seemed　like　an　age；　it　was　over。　Steele　was　half…buried；　breathless；　but　still　able　to
dig　himself　free　and　climb　to　his　feet。　He　had　only　been　carried　a　short　distance；　but　his
surroundings　looked　very　different　to　him　now。　The　shifting　snow　had　formed　new　contours；　and
covered　old　landmarks。　Closing　his　one　good　eye；　the　colonel　reoriented　himself　by　his　internal
compass。
He　found　Anakora　first；　three　hundred　metres　up　the　slope　behind　him；　still　holding　onto　her
tree；　although　she　had　been　buried　up　to　the　chest。　She　was　stronger　than　she　looked；　he　thought。
She　was　also　safe。
He　couldn’t　say　the　same　for　Blonsky。　There　was　no　sign　of　him。　He　had　to　have　gone　under。
Steele　hurried　to　the　spot　at　which　he　had　last　seen　him；　and　soon　found　a　single　gloved　hand
protruding　from　the　snow；　its　fingers　waggling　in　a　feeble　attempt　to　summon　help。　Fortunately；　the
snow　hadn’t　set　too　hard　yet；　and　Steele　was　able　to　scoop　handfuls　of　it　away；　to　reveal　Blonsky’s
head。　A　minute　later；　he　had　freed　an　arm　too；　and　he　knew　his　trooper　could　do　the　rest　for　himself。
“G…Grayle；”　gasped　Blonsky；　raising　a　hand　to　point　—　and；　joined　by　Anakora；　who　had
managed　to　free　herself；　Steele　repeated　the　whole　process　again；　until　a　fourth　Ice　Warrior　was
dragged　spluttering　to　the　surface。　Fortunately；　Grayle　had　been　able　to　make　an　air　hole　for　himself
as　the　snow　had　settled　around　him；　otherwise　he　would　have　suffocated。
When　the　avalanche　had　started；　Pozhar　had　been　a　few　metres　behind　Sergeant　Gavotski。　However；
he　was　young　and　he　was　fast；　and　he　had　easily　overtaken　the　older　man。　Relatively　safe　on　the
edge　of　the　flow；　he　had　surfed　the　snow　with　consummate　skill　and　exulted　in　the　head　rush　it　gave
him。　In　so　doing　—　he　had　realised　too　late　—　he　had　quite　lost　track　of　his　sergeant。
He　had　clambered　over　the　freshly　turned　snow；　yelling　for　Gavotski；　his　stomach　churning　with
the　thought　that　he　had　failed　this　man　of　all　men；　his　mentor；　his　sponsor。　His　hand　had　started　to
itch　again；　beneath　his　glove；　and　Pozhar　would　have　sworn　that　at　that　moment　he　could　feel　the
grey　fur　spreading　across　it。
He　had　located　Gavotski　at　last；　worried　that　he　might　have　left　him　buried　too　long。　He　had
tried　to　dig　down　to　him；　but　his　bad　arm　had　slowed　him　too　much。　Fortunately；　Palinev　had　seen
the　avalanche　from　ahead；　and　returned　to　assist　him。
Gavotski　had　not　questioned　the　delay　in　his　rescue；　doubtless　assuming　that　Pozhar　had　had　his
own　problems。　He　had　led　the　way　to　the　next　Ice　Warrior　instead；　and　now　he　and　Palinev　were
digging　for　Mikhaelev。　Pozhar　hung　back　for　fear　of　getting　in　their　way。　He　felt　useless。　Useless
and　ashamed。　And　for　the　first　time；　he　wondered　if　he　might　deserve　what　was　happening　to　him
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after　all；　if　the　fur　on　his　hand　was　a　warning　that　he　could　do　better；　that　he　wasn’t　serving　the
Emperor　to　the　fullest　of　his　ability。　That　he　could　have　saved　Borscz。
He　vowed　that；　from　this　moment　on；　he　would　try　even　harder；　become　even　more　fierce　in　the
execution　of　his　duty。　He　would　cleanse　Iota　Hive　of　the　Chaos　filth　single…handedly　if　he　had　to；　or
die　in　the　attempt。
Then　Pozhar　heard　a　sound　behind　him　—　the　soft　crunch　of　a　footstep　in　the　snow　—　and　he
whirled　around；　and　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　grey…furred　mutant　as　it　ducked　out　of　sight。　He　grinned
and　offered　up　a　grateful　prayer　to　the　Emperor　for　giving　him　this　chance　to　prove　himself　so　soon。
His　comrades　were　still　occupied；　hadn’t　seen　anything　—　and　something　stopped　Pozhar　from
calling　to　them。　This　was　his　test；　not　theirs。　He　crept　away　from　them；　and　only　built　up　speed　once
he　knew　they　could　no　longer　see　him；　as　he　rounded　the　side　of　the　hill　down　which　the　avalanche
had　come。
This　was　probably　the　same　mutant　that　had　stalked　the　Ice　Warriors　outside　the　Aquila；　and
before　that　in　the　ice　forest。　Barreski　and　Grayle　had　already　failed　to　kill　it；　as　had　Steele　himself。
Pozhar　would　not　fail。
His　enemy　had　made　a　mistake。　Post…avalanche；　the　snow　was　deep　and　smooth　and
undisturbed；　like　a　virgin　fall。　The　mutant　was　trying　to　hide　from　him；　but　it　had　left　a　clear　trail。　It
would　not　escape　this　time。
All　but　one　of　the　Ice　Warriors　had　been　found。
They　converged　on　the　spot　where　Mikhaelev　and　Grayle　had　last　seen　Barreski。　He　could　have
ended　up　anywhere　within　a　hundred　metre　radius；　but　a　quick　search　turned　up　no　sign　of　him。　That
was　bad；　thought　Steele。　It　meant　that　the　trooper　had　been　completely　buried；　and　would　be　running
out　of　air。
“Start　digging；”　he　instructed。　“Centre　on　this　spot　here。　Take　a　five…metre　square　each　to　begin
with。”　His　augmetics　had　already　analysed　the　speed　of　the　avalanche’s　flow　as　he　had　experienced
it；　extrapolated　its　likely　speed　this　much　closer　to　its　centre；　and　correlated　Barreski’s　reported
trajectory　and　last　known　distance　from　his　starting　point　—　to　conclude　that　they　couldn’t　narrow
the　search　area　much　more　than　his　comrades’　instincts　already　had。
Then　Steele　picked　up　a　sound　from　beneath　his　feet；　a　sound　that　he　identified　a　moment　later
as　the　muffled　cough　of　a　misfiring　flamer。
He　grabbed　Anakora　by　her　greatcoat　collar　and　yanked　her　backwards　as　a　boiling　geyser
erupted　from　the　ground　where　she　had　been　standing。　The　Ice　Warriors　were　showered　with
cooling　water。　When　the　deluge　had　ended；　they　crowded　forward　to　find　a　large；　round　hole　in　the
snow　—　and；　at　its　bottom；　the　top　half　of　a　red…faced；　spluttering　Barreski。
“S…sorry；　sir；”　he　addressed　Steele　breathlessly。　“Couldn’t　breathe　down　there；　couldn’t　wait　any
longer。　I　knew　it　was　risky；　but…”
He　was　cradling　his　flamer　across　his　chest。
That　was　when　they　all　heard　las…fire；　coming　from　behind　the　hill　—　and　Steele　realised；　in　that
selfsame　moment；　that　one　of　his　troopers　was　missing。
Pozhar　ran　at　the　mutant；　firing。　It　had　been　fleeing　from　him　—　but　as　fast　as　it　was；　he　was　faster。
As　his　first　las…beam　hit；　the　mutant　gave　a　roar　of　pain　and　spun　around　to　face　him；　throwing　up　its
arms。　It　looked　as　if　it　was　trying　to　surrender　—　although　Pozhar　doubted　this；　and　it　would　have
made　no　difference　to　him　anyway。
“Not…　what　you…　think…”
It　took　Pozhar　by　surprise；　to　be　addressed　by　something　he　had　thought　of　as　an　animal；　dumb
in　both　senses　of　the　word。　The　mutant’s　voice　was　hoarse　and　rough；　like　gravel　across　a　rock
surface；　and　the　words　came　out　slowly　as　if　speaking　was　an　effort　for　it。
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“I　can　see　what　you　are；”　spat　Pozhar；　and　he　fired　again。
His　next　two　beams　missed　their　target。　He　still　wasn’t　used　to　shooting　left…handed；　and　that
gave　the　mutant　its　chance。　Having　seen　that　it　couldn’t　fool　him；　it　reverted　to　type　—　at　least；　that
was　how　Pozhar　chose　to　see　it。
It　came　in　low；　its　talons　outstretched；　and　Pozhar　slid　to　a　halt　and　braced　himself　to　meet　it。　As
it　thundered　towards　him；　growing　larger　in　his　sights；　he　was　able　to　zero　in　on　it；　and　two　beams
sizzled　through　the　mutant’s　chest　fur　and　created　livid　red　sores。　Then　it　cannoned　into　him；
clawing　at　his　throat　—　but　Pozhar　wasn’t　about　to　be　knocked　down　by　another　of　these　things；　and
altho