Ice Guard(科幻战争)-第38章

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steps；　he　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　melee　that　his　comrade　had　described；　below　—　but　his　attention
was　reserved　for　the　car　itself。
The　driver’s　door　had　jammed　shut　in　the　crash。　Grayle　had　to　brace　his　foot　against　the
bodywork；　had　to　pull　at　it　with　all　his　might。　It　came　free　at　last；　flying　up　with　such　force　that　it
almost　caught　him　on　the　chin。　He　leapt　into　the　vehicle；　and　sent　a　silent　appeal　to　its　machinespirits
as　he　jabbed　at　the　dashboard　runes。　Fortunately；　as　Grayle　had　already　noticed；　the　twin
engines　were　housed　at　the　back　of　the　vehicle；　and　were　therefore　relatively　unscathed。
They　caught　on　the　third　attempt；　and　the　grav…car　gave　a　protesting　screech　as　its　back　end　was
raised；　but　its　front　end　remained　stubbornly　embedded　in　its　pillar。　Grayle　eased　the　vehicle
backwards；　and　winced　as　it　slowly　tore　itself　free；　as　parts　of　it　became　detached　and　clattered　to
the　ground。　For　a　moment；　he　feared　that　the　car　might　have　been　supporting　the　pillar；　that　it　might
now　come　crashing　down　across　his　windscreen　—　but；　although　the　pillar　wobbled；　it　held。
And　the　car　was　free　now；　and　picking　up　speed；　and　Grayle　could　see　in　his　rear…view　mirror
that　the　rest　of　his　squad　was　running　to　meet　it。
They　bundled　Wollkenden　into　the　back　seat　first；　told　him　to　keep　his　head　down。　Steele　and
Gavotski　squeezed　in　to　each　side　of　him；　while　Anakora　and　Palinev　joined　Grayle　in　the　front。　The
car　couldn’t　lift　any　more　weight　than　that；　so　Barreski；　Blonsky　and　Mikhaelev　would　have　to
advance　in　its　wake；　trust　that　Grayle　could　clear　a　path　for　them　and　also　lay　down　some　covering
fire　behind　him。
“Everyone　ready？”　asked　Grayle。　“Then　hold　on　to　something！”
And　he　stepped　on　the　accelerator。
The　grav…car’s　top　speed　was　not　exactly　remarkable；　but　it　seemed　fast　enough　as　it　hurtled
towards　the　steps　and　shot　over　the　edge。　The　Ice　Warriors　were　flying　for　a　moment；　but　they　came
down　with　a　bone…shaking　jolt。　The　car　surfed　its　antigravity　cushion　onto　the　spaceport　forecourt；
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where　a　jostling　crowd　tried　to　part　before　it　but　some　stumbled　across　its　mangled　bonnet　or
tumbled　beneath　its　skirt。
A　few　of　the　heretics　—　those　not　immediately　occupied　by　mutant　attackers　—　saw　what　was
happening；　saw　that　their　targets　were　getting　away；　and　started　to　fire。　Most　of　them　were　cut　down
in　a　second　by　the　three　Ice　Warriors　following　in　the　car’s　wake。
And　then　they　were　through　the　spaceport　gates；　speeding　along　the　main　concourse；　and　the
sounds　of　battle　were　receding　behind　them。
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CHAPTER　TWENTY
Time　to　Destruction　of　Cressida：　00。18。49
The　fighting　had　spilled　into　the　spaceport。　The　grav…car　smacked　into　a　smock…wearing　mutant；
tossed　it　into　the　air。　It　landed　on　the　windshield；　clung　there　for　a　second；　and　its　red　eyes　seemed
to　be　pleading　with　the　Ice　Warriors　inside　the　vehicle：　why？
Steele　didn’t　want　to　think　about　that；　didn’t　want　to　have　to　acknowledge　that　his　life；
Wollkenden’s　life；　all　their　lives；　might　have　been　saved　by　such　aberrations。　He　blinked；　and　the
mutant　was　gone；　fallen　beneath　the　car　to　die。
And　Grayle　drove　on。　He　took　a　sharp　right　turn　through　a　vandalised　waiting　room；　crashed
through　a　glass　door；　and　then　they　were　out　on　the　spaceport’s　main　ramp：　a　vast　circular　floor　that
would　once　have　been　filled　with　spacecraft　of　all　types。　Right　now；　it　was　almost　empty。　Steele　had
expected　that。　He　and　his　squad　wouldn’t　have　been　the　first　to　try　to　leave　Iota　Hive　this　way。　He
could　only　pray　that　the　previous　evacuees　had　left　them　something　they　could　use。
“There；”　he　said；　“that　frigate。　You　think　you　can　fly　that；　Grayle？”
“I　don’t　know；　sir。　I　don’t　have　much　experience　in　the　air。　I　could　try。”　Grayle　had　already
brought　them　around　so　that　they　were　circling　the　decrepit　old　vessel。　They　saw　that　its　engine
housings　had　been　torn　open；　perhaps　by　an　asteroid　strike；　perhaps　by　enemy　fire。　Steele　took　a
cursory　glance　at　the　exposed　machinery；　then　shook　his　head　and　instructed　Grayle　to　keep　going。
They　could　see　the　concave　far　wall　now；　lined　with　hatchways。　Some　of　them　gaped　open；　and
they　tantalised　Steele　with　a　view　of　the　grey　sky　of　Cressida　beyond。　He　had　only　been　in　this
Chaos…held　cesspit　for　a　day；　but　it　had　been　too　long。　That　way　lay　freedom；　if　they　could　just　claim
it。
“This　one　might　be　worth　a　look；　sir。”　Grayle　had　pulled　up　beside　a　tiny　lander；　similar　to　the
one　in　which　Wollkenden　had　made　his　forced　landing　—　and　hardly　in　better　condition。　Its　surfaces
were　encrusted　with　ice；　its　engine　pods　fire…blackened；　and　its　landing　legs　were　crippled　so　that　it
listed　to　one　side。　It　was　a　sorry　sight；　and　it　was　easy　to　see　why　the　ship　had　been　overlooked　thus
far　—　but　there　was　nothing　to　indicate　that　it　couldn’t　be　made　to　fly。
The　Ice　Warriors　piled　out　of　the　car。　Grayle　and　Anakora　worked　on　the　lander’s　frozen　hatch
with　their　knives　until；　with　a　throaty　whine　and　a　splintering　of　ice；　it　opened　part…way；　and　Grayle
was　able　to　duck　through。　Steele　ordered　Palinev　to　follow　him；　with　Wollkenden。
The　Chaos　forces　had　started　to　pour　onto　the　ramp。　Barreski；　Blonsky　and　Mikhaelev　came
running　ahead　of　them；　firing　back　at　them　—　but；　as　Steele　watched；　Blonsky　was　cut　down　in　a
crossfire　of　las…beams。　He　wasn’t　dead　yet；　but　he　had　evidently　been　crippled。　The　only　thing
Steele　could　have　done　for　him；　if　he　could　have　reached　him；　was　to　put　him　out　of　his　misery。
It　looked　like　Barreski　and　Mikhaelev　had　reached　the　same　conclusion　—　because；　after　a　brief
hesitation；　they　resumed　their　fighting　withdrawal　and　left　their　fallen　comrade　behind。　They　joined
Steele；　Gavotski　and　Anakora；　breathless　and；　in　Mikhaelev’s　case；　wounded；　a　livid　burn　standing
out　on　his　temple。
Gavotski　was　already　barking　out　orders：　“This　ship　has　armour　plating。　Use　it。　Find　a
defensible　position　and　fire　at　will！”
With　the　Emperor’s　favour；　thought　Steele；　it　might　work。　There　were　less　than　a　score　of
heretics　in　the　first　wave　—　most　of　them；　he　guessed；　were　still　out　on　the　forecourt；　dealing　with
the　mutated　loyalists　—　and　so　far　they　were　wielding　nothing　more　deadly　than　las…guns。　They
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couldn’t　damage　the　lander　itself；　so　the　only　threat　they　posed　to　Wollkenden　was　if　they　were　able
to　board　it。　He　prayed　that；　with　just　five　Ice　Warriors　including　himself；　he　could　stop　them　from
doing　that。
He　crouched　behind　one　of　the　ship’s　wings；　as　las…beams　cracked　into　it　and　were　comfortably
absorbed。　When　it　was　safe　to　do　so；　he　returned　fire；　and　gritted　his　teeth　with　malicious
satisfaction　as　he　mowed　down　cultist　after　cultist。
The　second　wave　came　with　barely　a　moment’s　respite。　And　this　one　was　larger；　and　consisted
primarily　of　mutants　and　spawn：　a　sure　sign　that　the　heretics　were　becoming　more　organised；
enough　to　send　in　their　cannon　fodder　ahead　of　them。
A　particularly　large；　hairy　mutant　shrugged　off　all　the　las…fire　aimed　at　it；　staying　on　its　feet　long
enough　to　reach　Steele。　It　came　around　the　wing；　growling　and　clawing　at　him。　When　the　colonel
avoided　its　first　swipes；　the　mutant　shoulder…charged　him　instead；　and　slammed　him　into　the　hull。
He　jammed　his　bayonet　into　its　throat；　fighting　a　gag　reflex　as　its　stinking　blood　spewed　over
him。　The　mutant　fought　on；　although　it　could　only　have　been　kept　alive　now　by　the　force　of　its　own
fury。
Steele　ducked　under　its　claws　and　slipped　beneath　the　lopsided　lander　itself；　squeezing　himself
into　the　acute　angle　where　its　belly　almost　touched　the　ground。　The　mutant　tried　to　follow；　but　its
shoulders　were　too　broad。　It　strained　to　reach　its　prey；　and　its　claws　came　within　a　hair’s　breadth　of
Steele’s　chest　—　but；　at　last；　it　shuddered　and　died。　At　almost　the　same　moment；　an　enemy　las…beam
struck　one　of　the　few　undamaged　struts　around　Steele；　and　it　bowed　and　almost　broke。　The　ship’s
bulk　shifted　over　his　head　and　threatened　to　drop；　to　crush　him。　He　scrambled　out　of　there　as　fast　as
he　could。
The　heretics’　advance　had　faltered。　Steele’s　comrades　were　mounting　a　stout　defence；　as　was　the
Valhallan　way；　giving　him　a　moment　to　pause　and　take　stock。　He　saw　three　Traitor　Guardsmen
darting　behind　a　gutted　lander。　They　were　trying　to　circle　around　behind　the　ship；　just　as　he　would
have　done　in　their　place。
Steele　sent　a　volley　of　las…beams　after　them。　He　didn’t　manage　to　kill　any　of　them　before　they
took　cover　—　he　was　starting　to　miss　his　bionic　eye；　still　on　auto…repair　after　its　latest　discharge　—
but　he　did　send　a　message。
The　traitors　knew　he　had　seen　them。　They　would　proceed　more　slowly；　more　carefully；　from
now　on　—　if　they　dared　to　proceed　at　all。
One　of　the　lander’s　engines　groaned；　and　belched　smoke　from　its　exhaust　port　before　it　fell　silent
again。　The　hull　of　the　ship　creaked　and　shuddered；　and　gave　an　alarming　lurch　as　the　weakened
landing　leg　buckled　a　little　further。
Steele　concentrated　on　gunning　down　the　oncoming　mutants。　The　most　important　task　was　out
of　his　hands。　It　was　all　down　to　Grayle　now。
And　then；　to　his　relief；　the　engines　started　—　both　of　them。
“Fall　back；”　he　yelled　to　the　others。　“Onto　the　ship。　We’re　getting　out　of　here！”
He　was　closest　to　the　stubby　loading　ramp。　He　raced　up　it；　firing　a　few　parting　shots　back　over
his　shoulder；　and　leapt　through　the　hatchway　that　Grayle　had　left　half…open。
He　was　greeted　by　a　sight　that　made　his　heart　sink　into　his　boots。
Palinev　was　sprawled　out　on　the　floor　of　the　passenger　compartment；　unconscious。　Of　Confessor
Wollkenden；　there　was　no　sign。
Steele　dropped　by　his　scout’s　side；　and　shook　him　vigourously　until　his　eyelids　fluttered。　“The
confessor；”　he　hissed。　“Where　is　the　confessor？”
“He…　took　me　by　surprise；”　groaned　Palinev。　“Came　up…　behind　me。　He　was　burbling
something　about…　I　think　he　thought　I　was　Mangellan；　he…”
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Steele　didn’t　need　to　hear　any　more。　He　turned　to　find　Gavotski　and　Mikhaelev　behind　him；
pushed　his　way　past　them　and　collided　with　Anakora　and　Barreski　in　the　hatchway。　Gavotski　began
to　ask　him　what　was　happening；　where　he　was　going。
“None　of　you；”　Steele　ordered；　“are　to　leave　this　ship　under　any　circumstances。　Give　me