The Eisenhorn TrilogyXenos(科幻战争)-第14章

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nightmare　as　some　holy　curse；　and　turned　in　their　frenzy　on　all　the　churches；　temples　and　sacerdotal　orders　they　could　find。　We
learned　within　the　first　few　hours　that　Cardinal　Palatine　Anderucias　had　been　killed　in　the　destruction　of　the　Monument。　He　was　far
from　the　only　great　hierarch　to　perish　in　the　orgy　of　carnage　that　followed。
THE　RECAPTURE　OR　extermination　of　the　remaining　rogue　psykers　was　the　first　and　most　fundamental　task　facing　the　authorities。　Ten
were　known　to　have　escaped　the　initial　battle　on　the　Avenue　of　the　Victor　Bellum；　and　these　had　fled　into　the　hive；　sowing　carnage　as
they　went；　hunted　by　the　forces　of　the　Inquisition　and　all　the　Imperial　might　that　could　be　brought　to　bear　in　support。
Two　of　them　made　it　only　a　kilometre　or　two　from　the　route　of　the　procession；　hounded　every　step　by　Imperial　forces　from　the　Avenue
battle；　and　were　neutralised　by　nightfall　on　that　terrible　first　day。　Another　went　to　ground　in　a　vegetable　cannery　in　an　eastern　sector
outhab；　and　was　laid　to　siege。　It　cost　three　days　and　the　lives　of　eight　hundred　Imperial　Guardsmen；　sixty…two　astropaths；　two　Space
Marines　and　six　inquisitors　to　blast　it　out　and　burn　it。　The　cannery；　and　the　outhab　for　three　square　kilometres　around　it；　was　flattened。
THERE　WAS　LITTLE　or　no　central　control　for　our　forces。　Admiral　Oetron；　who　had　remained　with　the　orbiting　battlefleet　as　watch
commander；　managed　to　move　four　picket　ships　into　geo…synchronous　orbit　above　Hive　Primaris；　and　for　a　while　succeeded　in
providing　comprehensive　vox　and　astropathic　communications　for　the　ground　forces。　But　by　nightfall　on　the　first　day；　psychic　storms
had　blown　up　across　the　hive　and　all　relayed　reception　was　lost。
IT　WAS　A　dark　and　frightening　period。　Down　in　the　burning　streets；　we　subdivided　as　best　we　could　into　small　units；　functioning
autonomously。　Simply　by　dint　of　being　with　Voke；　I　became　part　of　a　group　that　made　its　headquarters　in　an　arbites　section　house　on
Blammerside　Street　in　the　mercantile　district。　Desperate　groups　of　citizens　flocked　to　us；　craving　aid　and　mercy　and　sanctuary；　and
much　larger　gangs　attacked　the　section　house　time　and　again；　driven　by　fear；　by　rage　against　the　Imperial　machine　or　simply　because
we　wouldn't　let　them　in。
We　couldn't。　We　were　overflowing　with　injured　and　dead；　far　too　many　for　the　arbites　surgeons　and　morgue　attendants　to　manage。
There　was　very　little　food；　medical　supplies　or　ammunition　left；　and　we　were　also　rationing　water　as　the　mains　supply　had　been　cut。
The　power　was　down　too；　but　the　section　house　had　its　own　generator。
All　through　the　night；　bottles　and　missiles　and　promethium　bombs　splintered　off　the　shielded　windows；　and　fists　pounded　on　the
doors。

BY　MERIT　OF　his　seniority；　Voke　was　in　command。　Aside　from　myself；　there　was　Inquisitor　Roban；　Inquisitor　Yelena；　Inquisitor
Essidari；　twenty　interrogators　and　junior　servants　of　the　Inquisition；　sixty　troopers　from　the　Interior　Guard；　several　dozen　astropaths
and　four　White　Consul　Space　Marines。　The　arbites　themselves　numbered　around　one　hundred　and　fifty；　and　the　section　house　was　also
sheltering　about　three　hundred　nobles；　ecclesiarchs　and　dignitaries　from　the　Great　Triumph；　as　well　as　a　few　hundred　common
citizens。
I　remember　standing　alone　in　a　ransacked　office　of　the　arbites　commander　just　after　midnight；　looking　out　through　shielded　windows
at　the　burning　streets　and　the　blossoms　of　psyker　storm　that　were　wrenching　the　sky　apart。　I　had　received　no　word　or　sign　of　Ravenor
since　the　catastrophe　had　begun。　I　remember　my　hands　were　shaking　even　then。
In　truth；　I　believe　I　was　in　shock。　From　the　event　itself；　naturally；　and　also　from　the　psychic　assaults　I　had　suffered　in　the　course　of　it。　I
pride　myself　on　a　sharp　mind；　but　there　was　no　sharpness　to　me　then。
Numb；　my　brain　kept　returning　to　the　idea　that　this　outrage　had　been　deliberate。
'There　is　no　question；'　Voke　said　from　behind　me；　clearly　reading　my　surface　thoughts　without　my　permission。　He　lifted　and
straightened　a　steel　chair　and　sat　down　on　it。
'Accidents　happen；　warplanes　crash！'　he　cried。　'But　these　turned　and　attacked。　Their　assaults　were　deliberate。'
I　nodded。　At　least　one　of　the　Lightnings　had　crashed　into　the　Warmaster's　entourage　and　another　had　come　down　amongst　the　files　of
the　Inquisition。　No　one　yet　knew　how　many　of　my　institution　had　been　slain；　but　Voke　had　seen　enough　of　it　to　know　that　as　many　as
two　hundred　of　our　fellow　inquisitors　had　been　obliterated。
I　remembered　the　conversation　that　had　turned　around　my　dining　table；　the　speculations　about　those　powerful　forces　who　would
oppose　Honorius's　bestowment。
'Is　this　the　first　act　in　a　House　war？'　I　said。　'The　Ecclesiarchy；　or　perhaps　great　dynasties；　trying　to　thwart　Lord　Commander　Helican's
advancement　of　the　Warmaster？　His　elevation　to　Feudal　Protector　would　not　have　been　popular　with　many；　powerful　factions。'
'No；'　he　said。　'Though　I'm　sure　that's　what　many　will　think。　What　many　will　be　supposed　to　think。'
Voke　looked　at　me　intently。　'Freeing　the　psykers　was　the　point；'　he　said。　'There　is　no　other　explanation。　The　Archenemy　struck　to
cause　mayhem　and　allow　the　prisoners　to　escape；　and　to　wound　the　section　of　the　parade　that　was　most　able　to　contain　their　escape。'
'I　won't　argue　with　that　in　principle。　But　was　freeing　the　psykers　the　point　itself；　or　simply　a　means　to　an　end？'
'How　so？'
'Was　it　an　attempt　to　liberate　the　psykers…　or　was　this　just　an　act　of　extreme　violence　against　the　Imperium　that　the　release　of
dangerous　psykers　was　meant　to　exacerbate？'
'Until　we　know　what　was　behind　it；　we　can't　answer　that。'
'Could　the　psykers　themselves　have　done　it？　Manipulated　the　minds　of　the　pilots？'
He　shrugged。　'We　can't　know　that　either。　Not　yet。　The　Warmaster　might　have　been　guilty　of　bravado　in　displaying　his　prisoners；　but　he
would　have　made　certain　security　around　them　was　seamless。　I　must　suspect　an　outside　hand。'
We　said　nothing　for　a　moment。　Honorius　Magnus　himself　had　barely　survived　the　crash…blast　and　was　undergoing　emergency　surgery
aboard　a　medical　frigate　at　the　navy…yard。　No　one　yet　knew　if　Lord　Commander　Helican　was　alive。　If　he　was　dead；　or　if　the　Warmaster
died　of　his　injuries；　then　Chaos　would　have　won　a　historic　victory。
'I　suspect　an　outside　hand　too；'　I　told　Voke。　'Perhaps　another　psyker　or　psykers；　trailing　their　colleagues　here　to　stage　an　escape。'
He　pursed　his　lipless　mouth。　'The　greatest　triumph　of　my　life；　Gregor；　capturing　those　monsters　in　the　name　of　the　Emperor…　and
look　what　it　becomes。'
'You　can't　blame　yourself　for　this；　Commodus。'
'Can　I　not？'　He　squinted　at　me。　'In　my　place；　how　would　you　feel？'
I　shrugged。　'I　will　make　amends。　I　will　not　rest　until　every　one　of　these　wretches　is　destroyed；　and　order　restored。　And　then　I　will　not
rest　until　I　find　who　and　what　was　behind　it。'
He　stared　at　me　for　a　long　time。
'What？'　I　asked；　though　I　had　a　feeling　I　knew　what　was　coming。
'You…　you　were　close　to　the　scene；　as　you　said　to　me。　Closer　than　many；　and　shielded　from　the　worst　of　the　destruction　by　the　bulk　of
the　Spatian　Gate。'
'And？'
'You　know　what　I　want　to　ask　you。'
'You　thought　you'd　start　with　me。　I'm　too　tired；　Voke。　I　stopped　to　honour　the　admiral's　tomb。'
He　raised　one　eyebrow；　as　if　he　sensed　I　didn't　really　believe　it　myself。　But　at　least　he　did　me　the　courtesy　of　not　ripping　into　my　mind
with　his　much　more　powerful　psychic　abilities　to　scour　out　what　truth　might　be　there。　We　had　reached　an　understanding　through　our
encounters　over　the　years；　and　were　now　even　when　it　came　to　owing　each　other　our　lives。
He　knew　me　well　enough　not　to　press　this。
Not　now；　at　least。
An　interrogator　hurried　into　the　room。
'Sirs；'　she　said。　'Inquisitor　Roban　wishes　you　to　know　that　we　have　made　contact　with　one　of　the　heretics。'

AS　FAR　AS　could　be　learned；　the　rogue　was　an　alpha…plus　psyker　called　Esarhaddon；　one　of　the　leaders　of　the　coven。　Sowing　tumult
and　woe　in　his　wake；　he　had　fled　into　the　hive　with　a　group　led　by　Lyko　and　Heldane　in　pursuit。　Heldane　had　managed　to　contact　one
of　Voke's　astropaths　with　a　scrambled　summons　for　help。
Voke；　Roban　and　I　headed　out　into　the　hive　streets　with　a　kill　team　of　sixty　that　included　the　four　White　Consuls。　Their　squad　leader
was　a　particularly　large　sergeant　called　Kurvel。　We　travelled　on　foot　through　the　debris　and　smoke。　Gangs　of　citizens　jeered　and　pelted
missiles　at　us；　but　the　sight　of　four　terrible　Space　Marines　kept　them　at　bay。
Esarhaddon；　Voke　warned　me；　was　a　being　of　dreadful　intellect　and　not　to　be　underestimated。　When　we　saw　the　monster's　choice　of
bolt…hole；　I　understood　what　Voke　meant。
THE　NOBLE　FAMILY　of　Lange　was　prominent　in　the　aristocracy　of　Thracian　Primaris；　and　kept　an　ample　summer　palace　in　the　east
sector　of　Hive　Primaris；　near　to　the　mercantile　quarter　where　they　had　made　their　fortunes。
The　palace　rose　proud　of　the　lowhab　streets　around　it；　swathed　in　its　own　force　bubble。
This　had　been　one　of　the　city　areas　we　had　supposed　to　be　secure。　With　their　power　and　resources；　noble　houses　should　have　been　able
to　protect　themselves　for　the　duration　of　the　unrest。
But　not　against　Esarhaddon。　He　was　inside；　with　all　the　resources　of　the　palace　to　protect　him。
We　met　Heldane　on　the　western　approach　road　to　the　palace。　He　had　a　team　of　about　twenty　with　him。　The　street　itself　was　littered
with　bodies；　most　of　them　citizens。
'He's　controlling　the　crowds　as　if　they　were　puppets；'　Heldane　said　curtly；　with　no　word　of　greeting。　'Waves　of　them　keep　coming　at
us；　preventing　us　getting　to　the　garden　walls　and　the　servants'　annex　along　there。'
As　I　may　have　said；　I　had　little　time　for　Inquisitor　Heldane。　A　very　tall；　grim　man；　his　face　an　unsightly　mass　of　scar　tissue　since　an
encounter　with　a　hungry　carnodon　back　on　Gudran。　He'd　been　Voke's　pupil　when　I　had　first　met　him；　now　he　was　a　full　inquisitor；
with　mental　powers；　it　was　said；　that　exceeded　even　his　old　master's。　As　I　saw　him　there；　I　shuddered。　He　had　undergone　extensive
surgery；　not　to　disguise　the　damage　to　his　face；　but　to　exaggerate　it。　His　skull　seemed　to　have　been　extended　into　an　almost　equine
shape；　with　a　snout…like　mouth　full　of　blunt　teeth；　and　dark；　murky　eyes。　Fibre…wires　and　fluid　tubes　braided　his　cr