Storm Of Iron(科幻战争)-第26章

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before　he　could　bring　his　weapons　to　bear　and　finish　them　off；　they　were　swallowed　up　in　the　smoke　and　confusion。
If　they　could　just　hold　on　a　little　longer；　then　they　would　be　back　within　the　visual　range　of　the　citadel　and　its　guns。　Then　they
would　be　safe。
FORRIX　CHARGED　ACROSS　a　crater；　a　loop　of　razor　wire　trailing　from　his　leg；　and　worked　the　fire　of　his　storm　bolter　across　the
backs　of　some　cowering　Guardsmen　sheltering　in　its　base。　Across　the　battlefield　he　could　see　Kroeger　slaughtering　a　clutch　of
soldiers　unlucky　enough　to　have　been　outpaced　and　cut　off。
Forrix　paused　in　his　charge　and　his　eyes　narrowed　as　he　watched　the　slaughter…maddened　frenzy　with　which　the　young…blood
butchered　the　enemy　soldiers。　His　silver　armour；　gleaming　and　pristine　before　the　battle；　was　now　soaked　in　gore；　its　iconography
obscured　by　glistening　blood。　Kroeger　was　going　too　far　now；　the　call　of　the　Blood　God　too　strong　for　him　to　resist。
Honsou　appeared　on　his　right　flank；　leading　his　men　forward　in　good　order；　firing　and　moving；　firing　and　moving。　Much　as　he
hated　to　admit　it；　the　half…breed　was　an　adept　commander；　despite　his　mixed　blood。
The　battle　had　devolved　into　a　series　of　smaller　engagements　now　that　the　main　Imperial　offensive　had　been　routed。　There　was
little　point　in　continuing　the　pursuit；　those　units　that　had　escaped　were　so　badly　mauled　that　they　were　unlikely　ever　to　regain　field
readiness。
All　that　remained　was　to　slay　the　Titan。
With　blissful　synchronicity；　the　smoke　parted　and　there　it　was　before　him；　its　red　and　yellow　carapace　blazing　in　the　sunlight。　Its
snarling　face　challenged　him　to　fight　it。
'You　task　me…'　he　whispered；　'You　task　me；'　and　set　off　to　meet　this　armoured　monster；　but　as　suddenly　as　it　had　appeared；　it
turned　and　set　off　at　speed　into　the　smoke。
Cheated　of　his　prey；　Forrix　halted　and　whispered；　'Another　time；　beast…'
LEONID　STUMBLED　AND　lurched　across　the　wasteland　before　the　citadel；　each　breath　hot　in　his　chest。　Were　it　not　for　Sergeant
Ellard's　support；　he　would　surely　have　collapsed。
He　could　hear　the　cries　of　the　enemy　close　behind；　and　the　screams　of　those　they　had　caught。
Suddenly　he　caught　sight　of　three　massive　forms　standing　just　at　the　edge　of　sight　before　him　and；　as　Ellard　continued　pushing
him　forward；　he　almost　laughed　with　relief　as　the　shapes　resolved　themselves　into　the　welcome　form　of　two　Reaver　Battle　Titans
and　a　Warlord。
But　as　he　drew　nearer　he　saw；　with　a　mounting　sense　of　horror；　that　the　Titans　were　horrendously　damaged。　Their　carapaces　were
buckled　and　scorched　by　repeated　weapon　impacts。　What　had　happened　to　these　war　machines？　As　he　took　in　the　scale　of　the
damage　he　realised　again　the　terrible　nature　of　the　foe　they　faced　here　and　the　folly　of　underestimating　them。　Flow　many　lives　had
been　lost　today　because　of　such　a　mistake？
Two　Warhounds　lurched　backwards　through　the　smoke　and　dust；　their　weapons　firing　controlled　bursts　into　the　ranks　of　the
enemy。　Both　were　damaged；　their　armoured　flanks　scored　and　burned；　but　both　were　still　fighting。
He　watched　as　the　Reavers　and　the　Warlord　opened　fire　and　the　air　exploded　with　the　shocking　noise。　The　Warhounds　gratefully
took　shelter　in　the　shadow　of　their　larger　cousins；　adding　their　own　gunfire　to　the　barrage。
Leonid　stumbled　forward；　past　the　Titans　and　into　the　cover　of　the　guns　of　the　Primus　Ravelin；　relieved　beyond　words　that　he　had
made　it　back　alive。　Fresh　troops　manned　the　firing　step　at　the　edge　of　the　forward　ditch　and　Ellard　passed　him　off　to　a　frightenedlooking
soldier　before　returning　to　the　battlefield　to　see　to　his　men。　Leonid　leant　against　the　wall　of　the　parapet；　cradling　his　head
in　his　hands　as　the　full　horror　of　the　battle　crashed　down　upon　him。
With　those　Dragoons　who　could　escape　now　under　the　protection　of　the　Titans　of　the　Legio　Ignatum　and　the　citadel's　gunners；　the
majority　of　the　enemy　did　not　appear　too　keen　to　continue　the　massacre；　turning　back　to　their　own　lines　with　raucous　cries　and
taunts　on　their　lips。　Some　could　not　contain　their　lust　for　killing　and　tried　in　vain　to　catch　their　victims；　only　to　be　mown　down　by
close　range　fire　from　the　Titans　and　the　columns　of　fire　from　the　ravelin　and　bastions。
Leonid　felt　an　unbelievable　exhaustion　smother　him。　He　put　a　hand　out　to　steady　himself；　but　the　world　spun　crazily　and　he　slid
down　the　wall　and　collapsed　before　the　soldiers　next　to　him　could　catch　him。
Graham　McNeill　？Storm　of　Iron？
FOUR
DESPITE　THE　WARM　wind　that　gusted　across　the　mountain　peaks；　a　shiver　passed　down　Major　Gunnar　Tedeski's　spine　as　he
watched　the　activities　below　the　fortress　of　Tor　Christo。　The　stocky　major　leant　over　the　parapet　of　Kane　bastion；　steadying
himself　with　his　one　arm；　and　tried　to　guess　at　the　number　of　men　working　below　on　the　plains。　At　a　conservative　estimate；　he
guessed　there　were　perhaps　eight　or　nine　thousand　workers　digging　or　otherwise　engaged　in　the　siege…works　below。　The　enemy
was　not　short　of　men　to　dig；　that　was　for　sure；　but　how　many　actual　warriors　faced　him　was　impossible　to　say。
'Uh；　Major　Tedeski；　I'm　not　sure　that's　such　a　good　idea；'　ventured　his　aide…de…camp　Captain　Poulsen；　who　followed　behind　him
clutching　a　data…slate。
'Nonsense；　Poulsen；　these　Chaos　scum　aren't　the　sort　to　go　in　for　snipers。'
'Even　so；　sir；'　reiterated　Poulsen　as　the　boom　of　artillery　echoed　from　the　sides　of　the　valley。
Tedeski　shook　his　head；　saying；　'It's　too　short　to　matter。'
Sure　enough　the　shell　landed　in　the　ruins　of　the　watch…tower；　sending　up　a　plume　of　dust　and　rock　fragments。　The　watchtower　had
been　demolished　after　less　than　a　day's　shelling；　but　it　had　never　been　designed　to　withstand　such　a　comprehensive　bombardment
in　the　first　place。
Tedeski　pulled　back　from　the　parapet　and　continued　his　walk　around　the　perimeter　of　the　bastion's　walls。　Soldiers　sat；　playing　dice
or　sleeping　below　the　level　of　the　parapet。　A　few　scanned　the　ground　before　them；　their　faces　lined　in　exhaustion　and　lack　of　sleep。
The　more　or　less　constant　shelling　had　denied　everyone　sleep；　and　nerves　were　stretched　taut。
In　the　week　since　the　abortive　attack　on　the　traitors'　trench　system　by　the　Legio　Ignatum　and　the　armoured　units　of　the　Dragoons；
the　plateau　had　changed　beyond　all　recognition。　Enemy　artillery　had　pounded　the　plains　day　and　night　with　high　explosives；
obliterating　razor　wire　and　detonating　mines。　Zigzag　trenches　covered　the　ground；　reaching　out　towards　the　promontory　that　Tor
Christo　sat　upon；　their　sides　heavily　reinforced　with　earthen　ramparts。　Tedeski's　gunners　had　done　their　best；　but　the　trenches　had
been　constructed　with　mathematical　precision　and　they　were　impossible　to　enfilade。　Only　once；　when　a　portion　of　the　trench　had
overreached；　were　they　able　to　cause　some　real　damage；　killing　the　diggers　and　obliterating　their　machinery。
But　since　then；　as　each　trench　approached　a　point　where　the　guns　would　be　able　to　fire　down　their　length；　giant　figures　in　greysteel
armour　would　direct　the　workers　to　alter　the　angle　of　digging。
A　spider　web　of　communication　trenches　and　redoubts　spread　back　to　the　main　campsite　and；　though　the　Christo's　guns　shelled
them　daily；　his　observers　could　see　no　appreciable　damage。　It　was　maddeningly　frustrating　to　see　the　foe　advance　with　such
impunity。　The　enemy　had　thrown　out　a　second　parallel　at　the　termination　of　the　saps；　its　sharp　curve　matching　the　sweep　of　his
walls　exactly。　In　two　sections　of　this　new　parallel；　high　walls　had　been　built。　No　doubt　the　trench　behind　them　was　being　deepened
and　widened　to　allow　the　placement　of　large…bore　howitzers。
Though　the　men　in　the　Christo　had　been　under　fire　for　over　a　week；　the　range　was　too　great　for　the　enemy　guns　to　do　more　than
chip　away　at　the　walls。　However；　the　range　was　ideal　for　delivering　ricochet　fire；　which　had　dismounted　a　great　many　of　Tor
Christo's　wall…mounted　guns。　Tedeski　had　ordered　the　remaining　guns　to　be　pulled　back　into　the　fort；　and　though　casualties　had
been　light　…　fifty…two　men　dead　so　far　…　that　would　all　change　when　the　batteries　of　the　second　parallel　were　completed。
But　Tedeski　had　a　surprise　in　store　for　Tor　Christo's　attackers。
Guns　situated　at　the　base　of　the　rocky　promontory；　kept　in　reserve　thus　far；　would　soon　make　their　presence　felt　when　the　enemy
moved　their　heavy　artillery　forward　into　those　newly　constructed　batteries。
'It　won't　be　long　now；　Poulsen；'　mused　Tedeski。
'What　won't；　sir？'
'The　attack；　Poulsen；　the　attack；'　replied　Tedeski；　unable　to　mask　his　irritation。　'If　we　can't　stop　them　from　completing　those
batteries；　they　will　bring　up　their　big　guns　and　lob　high　explosive　shells　right　over　our　walls。　Then　they　won't　need　to　batter　our
walls　down；　they'll　be　able　to　walk　right　up　to　the　main　gate　and　come　in；　because　there　will　be　no　one　left　alive　to　stop　them。'
'But　the　guns　below　will　stop　them；　surely？'
'Possibly；'　allowed　Tedeski；　'but　we'll　only　be　able　to　pull　that　trick　once。　And　that's　assuming　they　don't　know　about　them　already。
Remember　that　reconnaissance　party　we　fired　on　at　the　beginning　of　all　this？'
'Yes；　sir。'
'Well　there's　every　chance　our　enemies　know　of　the　guns　down　there；　and　have　planned　accordingly。'
'Surely　not；　sir。　If　the　enemy　had　discovered　them；　they　would　have　attempted　to　shell　them　before　now；　would　they　not？'
Tedeski　nodded　thoughtfully；　resting　his　elbow　on　the　stonework　of　the　parapet；　its　sharply　angled　construction　allowing　a　soldier
to　fire　at　attackers　almost　directly　below。
'There　is　that；　Poulsen；　and　that's　the　only　reason　I　haven't　had　the　passages　below　ground　blocked。　I　can't　risk　not　having　those
guns　firing　when　the　time　comes。'
Emboldened　by　his　superior　officer's　cavalier　attitude　to　the　potential　danger　of　snipers；　Captain　Poulsen　stood　at　the　edge　of　the
parapet　and　watched　the　bustling　activity　on　the　plains。
'I　never　thought　to　see　such　a　thing；'　he　whispered。
'What？'
Poulsen　pointed　towards　the　towering　form　of　the　Dies　Irae；　standing　immobile　where　the　death　of　the　Imperator　Bellum　had
crippled　it。　Its　lower　legs　were　blackened　and　still　smoking　where　the　meltdown　of　the　Imperial　Titan　had　scorched　it。　Vast
swathes　of　scaffolding　and　buttresses　had　been　erected　around　its　legs　as　hundreds　of　men　worked　to　try　and