Ice Guard(科幻战争)-第3章

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Mikhaelev　knelt　on　the　plinth　of　a　statue　—　of　whom　he　couldn’t　tell；　as　a　frag　blast　had　cut　it
off　at　the　knees　—　and　steadied　his　missile　launcher　against　his　shoulder。　He　saw　the　shape　of　an
enemy　tank；　and　he　sent　a　krak　missile　whistling　over　the　heads　of　his　squad；　and　of　nine　more　ranks
of　Ice　Warriors。　He　didn’t　wait　to　see　if　he　had　struck　the　tank；　too　busy　with　the　cumbersome　task
of　reloading。　He　should　have　had　a　comrade　to　assist　him；　but　the　last　one　had　been　cut　down　in　the
enemy’s　last　push　and　hadn’t　yet　been　replaced。
When　he　tried　to　fire　again；　the　launcher　clicked　and　jammed；　and　Mikhaelev　let　out　a　resigned
sigh　and　reached　for　his　lasgun。　At　the　rate　at　which　his　comrades　were　falling；　he　would　be　on　the
front　line　soon；　anyhow。
It　was　all　right　for　the　clerks　at　Naval　Command；　he　thought。　They　could　afford　to　dither；　so
reluctant　to　lose　a　productive　world　that　they　had　hung　on　to　hope　long　after　hope　had　died。　They
should　have　ordered　this　withdrawal　long　ago。　They　could　have　spared　millions　of　Guardsmen　to
fight　again　—　but　to　them；　those　Guardsmen’s　lives　were　only　numbers　on　a　data…slate；　so　what　did
they　care？
It　didn’t　especially　bother　Mikhaelev　that　he　was　going　to　die　today。　It　just　rankled　with　him　that
it　would　be　for　nothing。
Then　a　voice　crackled　over　his　earpiece；　and　rewrote　his　destiny。
He　slipped　down　from　the　plinth　and　made　his　way　deeper　into　the　hive；　still　lugging　the　useless；
heavy　missile　launcher　along　with　him　in　case　a　tech…priest　could　salvage　it。　He　thought　about　the
summons　he　had　received；　and　it　cheered　him　up　a　little　to　think　how　irritated　his　commander　would
be　to　let　him　go。
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So；　Colonel　Stanislev　Steele　was　putting　together　a　special　mission；　and　he　wanted　Mikhaelev
on　board。　The　only　question　Mikhaelev　had　was…　why　me？
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CHAPTER　TWO
Time　to　Destruction　of　Cressida：　47。04。33
The　Sentinel　walkers　were　equipped　as　power　lifters；　not　intended　for　combat　use。　The　lost　and　the
damned　had　got　hold　of　a　pair　somehow　—　either　they　had　captured　them　or　their　pilots　had　simply
defected；　as　so　many　Guardsmen　had　done　during　this　war　—　and　their　Imperial　markings　had　been
defaced。
The　Sentinels　were　being　used　to　deal　death　now。　They　were　marching　amid　a　legion　of　Chaos
spawn　and　other　mutant　creatures；　sweeping　and　gouging　at　the　defenders　of　Alpha　Hive　with　their
single　metal　claws。
Trooper　Borscz’s　Ice　Warrior　platoon　was　ranged　along　the　edge　of　an　empty　residential　sector。
So　far；　they　had　been　holding　the　tide　back；　but　the　Sentinels’　appearance　threatened　to　change　that。
It　had　fallen　to　Borscz’s　squad　to　deal　with　that　threat。　His　sergeant；　Romanov；　was　bellowing
orders；　instructing　his　nine　troopers　to　aim　their　fire　at　the　leftmost　of　the　two　leviathans。　Borscz’s
first　beams　went　hopelessly　wide；　and　he　cursed　the　unreliable　sights　of　his　lasgun　under　his　breath。
Many　of　his　comrades　struck　true；　but　their　las…beams　seemed　to　do　little　damage；　at　least　to　begin
with。
At　last；　their　sustained　barrage　began　to　bear　fruit；　and　Borscz　saw　sparks　flying　from　the　left
knee　joint　of　the　bipedal　machine。　Without　needing　to　be　told；　the　Ice　Warriors　refocused　their　fire
on　that　spot　—　and　a　long；　agonising　minute　later；　the　Sentinel　collapsed；　and　flattened　a　number　of
luckless　spawn　beneath　its　mass。
It　had　taken　too　long。
Sergeant　Romanov　shouted　again；　and　his　squad　turned　its　fire　on　the　second　Sentinel。　Before　it
could　be　felled；　though；　the　spawn　would　be　upon　them。
Borscz　weighed　up　his　options；　and　then　lowered　his　gun。　He　caught　Romanov’s　suspicious
glare；　and　he　shrugged　his　broad；　muscular　shoulders。
“Sorry；　sergeant；”　he　yelled；　“the　machine　is　kaput；　it　jams　up　in　the　cold。　What　is　a　trooper　to
do？”　Then　he　drew　his　long…bladed　knife；　lowered　his　head　and　took　a　single　giant　step　forward　to
meet　the　first　of　the　charging　mutants。
It　cannoned　into　him；　rebounding　from　his　bulk；　and　Borscz　thought　he　could　read　surprise　in　its
twisted　face。　While　it　was　still　reeling；　he　seized　it；　kicked　its　legs　from　beneath　it；　and　sent　it
sprawling　against　two　more　mutants　behind　it。　Two　more　came　up　alongside　him；　and　he　dodged
their　clumsy　swings；　and　threw　one　of　them　over　his　shoulder　into　the　other。
Borscz　knew　that　the　mutants　were　stronger　than　he　was。　He　was　using　their　unwieldiness
against　them；　keeping　them　off…balance；　but　he　couldn’t　keep　it　up。
He　didn’t　have　to。
The　second　Sentinel　was　upon　him；　towering　over　him；　more　than　three　times　his　height。　It　had
raised　its　foot　to　stamp　on　him；　to　crush　him；　and　the　mutants　were　trying　to　hold　him　still；　wrapping
their　disgusting　tentacles　around　him。
Borscz　loosed　a　great　roar　from　his　powerful　lungs；　and　hacked　at　the　tentacles　with　his　blade。
He　slashed　and　tore　them；　ploughing　forward　as　one　great　foot　slammed　down　in　the　spot　where　he
had　just　been。　Then　he　whipped　a　krak　grenade　from　his　belt；　and　with　a　grim　flourish；　he　slapped　it
against　the　armoured　stanchion　of　the　Sentinel’s　leg。
10
The　mutant　saw　what　he　had　done；　and　even　their　tiny　minds　told　them　to　run　from　the
predictable　explosion。　This　gave　Borscz　the　chance　to　run　too；　back　towards　the　rest　of　his　squad；
who　were　watching　in　astonishment　and　backing　him　up　as　best　they　could　with　las…fire。
A　second　later；　there　came　a　tremendous　bang；　and　the　shadow　of　the　teetering　Sentinel　fell
across　him。　Borscz　twisted　out　of　its　way　as　it　crashed　to　the　ground；　its　cockpit　beside　him　now。　He
could　see　his　reflection　in　its　cracked　front　shield；　his　wild　black　beard　split　by　a　white　maniacal
grin　—　and　behind　that　shield；　the　pilot；　the　cockpit’s　lone　occupant；　his　face　white　with　terror　as　he
realised　that　his　unexpected　plunge　had　taken　him　right　to　his　enemy。
He　was　operating　his　controls　feverishly；　employing　the　only　weapon　he　still　had。　The　Sentinel’s
giant　claw　pivoted　back　on　itself；　and　came　snapping；　grasping　for　the　Ice　Warrior。　Borscz　ducked
underneath　it；　and　drove　his　meaty　fists　through　the　plexiglas　shield。　He　grabbed　the　pilot　by　the
scruff　of　his　tunic；　tore　him　from　his　seat　and　drove　him　headfirst　into　the　unyielding　ground；
breaking　his　neck。
Robbed　of　their　advantage；　the　mutants　and　spawn　were　being　driven　back　once　more。　His
cheeks　flushed；　Borscz　took　his　place　among　his　comrades　and　drew　his　gun。　He　was　alarmed　to　feel
a　firm　hand　on　his　shoulder；　and；　turning；　he　found　himself　fixed　by　the　glowering　eyes　of　an
Imperial　commissar。
For　a　moment；　Borscz　feared　he　was　to　be　disciplined　for　disregarding　orders。　He　and　his
sergeant　had　an　understanding　born　of　long　service　together　—　Romanov　knew　that；　unconventional
though　his　methods　were；　Borscz　got　results　—　but　he　knew　that　an　outside　observer　might　see
things　differently。
To　his　surprise；　the　commissar　didn’t　want　to　talk　about　his　behaviour。　He　had　a　message　for
Borscz；　although；　to　judge　by　his　scowl　as　he　delivered　it；　he　wasn’t　at　all　happy　about　it。　It　was　a
summons　from　Colonel　Steele。
Trooper　Anakora　heard　the　Chaos　hounds　before　she　saw　them；　the　scampering　of　their　clawed　feet
in　the　tunnels　and　their　ravening　howls　as　they　scented　fresh　meat　even　over　the　underhive’s　stink。
She　whirled　around；　and　saw　the　first　of　them；　its　twisted　black　bulk；　in　the　light　of　the　beam
from　her　lamp…pack　as　it　leapt　on　Petrovski　and　tore　out　his　throat。
There　were　three　more　behind　it。　Anakora　swore　and　abandoned　the　limpet　mine　she　had　been
struggling　to　adhere　to　the　crumbling　wall　of　a　slum　building。
Her　squad　of　eight　had　been　sent　down　here　on　a　demolition　mission。　Their　commanders　were
concerned　that　as　the　Imperial　Guard　withdrew　from　Cressida；　there　weren’t　enough　men　left　to　hold
all　fronts　in　the　ongoing　war。　By　collapsing　strategic　sections　of　these　underground　levels；　they
could　at　least　close　off　one　route　to　the　heart　of　Alpha　Hive；　preventing　the　Chaos　forces　from
coming　up　beneath　them。
Their　enemies；　it　transpired；　were　a　step　ahead　of　them。　They　had　penetrated　deeper　into　the
underhive　than　anyone　had　known。　Anakora　and　her　comrades　hadn’t　planted　even　half　their　mines
yet。
One　of　the　hounds　came　for　her；　but　with　remarkable　precision　she　fired　a　las…beam　through　its
left　eye　and　killed　it。　The　momentum　of　its　pounce　kept　it　coming；　and　it　hit　with　enough　force　to
knock　her　from　her　feet。　She　crashed　to　the　ground　with　the　hound’s　slavering　tusks　in　her　face；　and
gagged　on　its　last　gasp　of　rancid　breath　as　she　hauled　herself　out　from　beneath　it。
She　had　dropped　her　lamp…pack；　breaking　it；　but　the　tunnel　was　lit　by　the　criss…crossed　beams　of
her　surviving　six　comrades　and　the　staccato　flashes　of　their　lasguns。　The　latter　created　an　eerie　kind
of　stop…motion　effect　in　which　Anakora　saw　the　remaining　two　Chaos　hounds　dosing　with　their
chosen　prey。
She　shouldered　her　weapon　again；　looking　for　a　clear　shot。　When　a　second　comrade　fell；　his
broken　body　tossed　in　the　air　to　be　caught　in　the　mantrap　jaws　of　his　feral　killer；　she　let　out　a
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strangulated　cry　and　pulled　on　the　trigger　for　all　she　was　worth；　furious　with　herself　for　her　wellmeaning
hesitation。
Tbers　had　the　same　thought；　and　the　hound　was　struck　from　three　angles　at
once；　twisting　and　melting　in　the　sizzling　las…beams；　slumping　dead　at　last　with　a　Valhallan　leg　still
clamped　in　its　mouth。
The　third　hound　got　past　Sergeant　Kubrikov’s　defences。　It　bore　him　down；　and　its　claws　pinned
his　shoulders　before　he　could　stand。　Once　again；　Anakora　couldn’t　fire　without　endangering　her
comrade；　but　this　time　she　didn’t　waste　a　second。　She　leapt　onto　the　creature’s　back；　and　felt　its
jagged　spines　digging　into　her　thighs。　She　turned　her　lasgun　around　and　slipped　it　over　the　Chaos
hound’s　head　so　that　the　barrel　was　resting　across　its　throat。　She　clenched　her　teeth　and　pulled　for　all
she　was　worth。　She　could　feel　thick；　knotted　neck　muscles　resisting　her；　but　she　was　determined　not
to　fail；　not　to　show　herself　to　be　weak　again。　At　last；　she　felt　bone　snap。　The　monstrous　black　body
sagged　beneath　her；　and　a　grateful　Kubrikov　tore　himself　free　from　its　dying　grip。
In　the　time　this　had　taken；　Anakora’s　comrades　had　dealt　with　the　final　hound；　although　two
more　of　them　had　been　evisce