Ice Guard(科幻战争)-第40章

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it。　Wollkenden　could　not　be　saved。
In　the　end；　it　was　easier　than　he　had　expected。　He　didn’t　even　have　to　try。　He　just　had　to　relax　his
fingers；　just　a　little。
And　then　it　was　done；　and　Confessor　Wollkenden　was　plunging　away　from　him　—　and　he　felt
his　heart　lurch　at　the　sheer　speed　of　it　all；　at　the　suddenness　with　which　it　had　become　too　late　to
turn　back；　to　regret。
He　had　done　the　right　thing。　Steele　knew　this　with　a　certainty　that　he　had　seldom　before
experienced。　He　knew　it　not　just　because　his　enhanced　brain　told　him　it　was　true；　but　because　he
could　feel　it。　He　had　done　what　the　Emperor　would　have　wanted　him　to　do；　what　the　Ecclesiarchy
could　never　have　asked　of　him。
And　Wollkenden　was　shrinking　beneath　him　now；　dwarfed　by　the　white　expanse　that　awaited
him　below；　but　Steele　did　not　wish　to　see　that。　He　turned　away；　reached　up　and　caught　the　next　rung
of　the　ladder　with　his　right　hand。　And；　wearily；　he　pulled　himself　up　that…ladder；　to　the　lander；　to　his
comrades；　to　safety。
Colonel　Stanislev　Steele　stood　silently　in　the　lander’s　cockpit　and　looked　down　on　the　bleak；　white
globe　of　Cressida　through　the　forward　screen。
It　looked　the　same　as　it　had　when　he　had　first　been　posted　to　it。　He　only　knew　that　it　wasn’t
because　his　internal　chrono　had　completed　its　countdown。　Cressida　was　a　dead　world　now；　no　man
would　touch　its　soil　again　during　his　lifetime。
The　rest　of　his　squad　—　Gavotski；　Anakora；　Barreski；　Mikhaelev；　Grayle；　Palinev　—　had　all
made　it。　They　had　survived　the　mutants’　attack　on　their　ship。　They　had　contacted　an　Imperial
120
Cruiser；　and　were　waiting　to　be　picked　up。　He　was　fiercely　proud　of　all　of　them；　although　they　did
not　feel　that　pride　in　themselves。
They　had　failed　in　their　mission；　fallen　at　the　last　hurdle　—　or　so　they　thought。
He　wished　he　could　tell　them　the　truth　—　tell　them　that；　in　the　end；　one　man’s　life　did　not　matter
after　all。　What　mattered　was　his　legend　—　and　today；　the　Ice　Warriors　had　safeguarded　one　such
legend；　ensured　that　it　would　inspire　more　great　deeds　yet。
Colonel　Steele’s　report　would　state　that　Confessor　Wollkenden　had　died　a　hero。



　　　　　　　　　　　（The　End）



。　…　。………【gzbysh】整理