The Eisenhorn TrilogyXenos(科幻战争)-第54章

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Nayl；
Fischig　and　Inshabel　also　saluted　with　their　glasses。
'To　Farness　Beta。　To　the　end　of　Quixos。'
'The　five　inquisitors　in　the　drafty　keep　clinked　glasses。
'Farness　Beta；'　said　Ricci。　'Remind　me。　Where　is　that？'

'In　the　throat　of　the　Cadian　Gate；'　said　Grumman。　'Right　on　the　edge　of　the　Eye　of　Terror。'
TWENTY…TWO
SARNESS　BETA。
CHERUBAEL　AND　PROPHANITI。
QUIXOS。
IT　WAS　EARLY　in　343。M41　before　we　reached　Farness　Beta。　By　then；　war　was　bifurcating　the　Cadia　subsector；　and　armies　of　sheer
horror　were　spewing　out　of　the　Eye　of　Terror。　Like　a　whirlpool　of　fire；　the　Eye　dominated　the　skies　of　most　gate…worlds；　distended　and
angry；　flaring　more　savagely　than　at　any　time　in　living　memory。　Every　flash　and　pulse　of　its　maelstrom　was　another　warp　hole
opening；　another　flotilla　of　death　unleashed。　That　spring　was　known　as　the　Staunch　Holding　of　the　Cadian　Gate；　and　entered　the
history　books；　as　every　scholar　knows。
During　the　first　months　of　343；　the　Cadians　saw　off　the　greatest　incursion　of　Chaos　suffered　in　three　hundred　years。
It　was　almost　as　if　the　Archenemy　knew　something。
THE　ESSENE　BROUGHT　me　to　Farness　champing　and　eager　to　get　on。　We　were　escorted　through　the　immaterium　by　two　other　ships：
Ricci's　stately　steeple　of　a　cruiser　and　Voke's　ancient　porcupine　of　a　warship。　Endor　and　Grumman；　along　with　their　retinue　bands；
travelled　aboard　the　Essene　with　me。　It　had　been　a　long　time　since　the　Essene　had　carried　so　many　people。
The　Imperial　Navy　taskforce；　a　ten…ship　squadron　seconded　from　Battle…fleet　Scarus　for　special　operations　under　the　remit　of　the
Battlefleet　Disciplinary　Detachment；　was　waiting　for　us。
THE　TASKFORCE　HAD　already　been　on　station　for　a　fortnight；　and　its　reconnaissance　and　intelligence　operations　had　comprehensively
prepared　the　ground　for　us。
'We　have　a　confirmed　location　for　Pariah；'　Lord　Procurator　Olm　Madorthene　told　me　over　a　vox…pict　link　from　his　own　ship。
Pariah　was　the　operational　word　we　had　set　for　Quixos。　'Or　at　least　his　seat　of　activity；　anyway。　I'm　relaying　the　data　to　you　now。　Site
A　is　what　you're　looking　for。'
I　turned　from　my　seat　on　the　Essene　s　elegant　bridge　and　Maxilla　nodded　to　one　of　his　beautiful　servitors。　The　map　display　flashed　up
on　the　secondary　screen　of　my　console。
'I　have　it；'　I　said；　turning　back　to　look　at　Madorthene's　slightly　fuzzy　image　on　the　main　bridge　display。
'It's　a　table　mountain　called　Ferell　Sidor；　literally　the　〃altar　of　the　sun〃；　up　in　one　of　the　remote　northern　wards　of　Hengav　province。
Provincial　government　has　declared　the　whole　ward　a　Sacred　Territory　because　the　area　is　riddled　with　Second　Dynasty　tholos　tombs。
Access　is　supposed　to　be　restricted　to　the　Ecclesiarchy；　the　Farnessi　royal　families　and　sanctioned　archaeologists。　We　believe　Pariah
obtained　licenses　to　excavate　on　Ferell　Sidor　about　six　years　ago；　in　the　guise　of　an　archaeological　mission　from　the　Universitariate　of
Avellorn。　The　local　authorities　are　supposed　to　monitor　such　missions；　but　frankly　they　have　no　idea　what　he's　up　to　there。　If　you　look
at　the　detail　map…'
'Yes；　got　it。'
'You　can　see　the　extent　of　the　workings。　Pariah's　constructed　a　small　town　up　there；　alongside　the　pit。'
'The　excavation　is　considerable…'
'We　think　that's　where　he's　buried　or　sited　this　facsimile　pylon。　It's　difficult　to　get　a　clear　view。　We　didn't　want　to　get　too　close　and　tip
him　off。'
I　rose　from　my　bridge　throne　and　stood　facing　the　enormous　image　of　the　lord　procurator's　face。　'You're　set？'
'Absolutely。　You　have　a　copy　of　my　assault　strategy　there。　Make　any　amendments　you　like。'
There　was　no　need。　Madorthene's　plan　was　economical　and　efficient。　Officially；　this　was　an　operation　by　the　Battlefleet　Disciplinary
Detachment；　prosecuting　leads　gathered　during　the　inquest　into　the　Thracian　Atrocity。　Lord　Procurator　Madorthene　had　entered　into　a
co…operative　pact　with　Commodus　Voke　to　execute　the　plan。　In　reality；　his　pact　was　secretly　with　me。　Olm　was　the　only　non…inquisitor
I　had　written　to。
We　encrypted　the　call…signs　and　command　authorities　for　the　operation；　agreed　the　zero…hour；　and　wished　each　other　luck。
'The　Emperor　protects；　Gregor；'　he　said。
'I　hope　so；　Olm；'　I　replied。
TWO　HOURS　BEFORE　sunrise　the　next　day；　five　hundred　Imperial　Guard　from　the　Fifty…First　Thracian　moved　in　towards　Ferell　Sidor　…
Site　A　–　from　covert　forward　assembly　points　in　the　surrounding　hills　where　they　had　been　dropped　by　troop　ships　the　day　before。
They　advanced；　silently；　in　three　prongs；　the　first　securing　the　single　trackway　that　gave　land…vehicle　access　to　the　table　mountain。
When　all　three　were　in　position；　we　woke　Ferell　Sidor　up。

The　frigates　Zhikov　and　Fury　of　Spatian　bombarded　the　mountain　for　six　minutes；　raising　a　ball　of　fire　that　lit　the　landscape　as　if　the
sun　had　come　up　early。　In　its　afterglow；　thirty　Marauder　bombers　overflew　Site　A　at　low　level　and　delivered　thirty　thousand　kilos　of
high　explosives。
Another　false　dawn。
Despite　this　punishing　overture；　when　the　ground　troops　went　in　eight　minutes　after　the　last　bomb；　resistance　was　furious。　Madorthene
had　feared　that　the　best　part　of　Quixos's　strength　lay　underground；　wormed　inside　the　mountain；　resistant　to　the　worst　aerial　assaults。
In　the　blazing　rains　of　the　excavation　township；　the　Thracian　troops　found　themselves　engaging　fanatical　and　well…armed　cultists。
Most　wore　the　insignia　and　colours　of　the　Mystic　Path。　Many　were　mutants。　Initial　reports　estimated　over　eight　hundred　enemy
warriors。　Madorthene　committed　the　taskforce　reserve：　another　seven　hundred　Thracian　assault　soldiers。
BY　THEN；　WE　were　already　deploying　in　the　second　wave。　Medea　landed　Inshabel　and　myself　on　the　edge　of　the　strike　zone；　along　with
Endor　and　his　two　weapon…servitors。　Ricci's　shielded　pinnace　settled　in　close　by；　kicking　up　dust　and　delivering　him　and　Commodus
Voke；　along　with　a　bodyguard　of　twenty　inquisitorial　troops。　Grumman；　using　a　Navy　drop…ship　loaned　by　Madorthene；　was　the　last　to
make　groundfall；　but　the　first　to　engage。　Grumman's　ten…man　squad　were　all　ex…Kasrkin　specialists。
As　we　hurried　forward　through　the　backwashing　smoke；　our　landing　ships　rising　back　into　the　pre…dawn　sky　behind　us；　there　was　a
tremor　and　a　palpable　upwelling　of　psychic　force。　Frighteningly　powerful　waves　of　psyker　power　erupted　from　the　epicentre　of　Site　A；
killing　over　thirty　of　the　forward　troops…　and　then　suddenly　cut　off。
We　had　all　anticipated　Quixos　would　have　vast　psychic　defences　…　he　had；　after　all；　been　collecting　psykers　like　Esarhaddon　…　and　it
seemed　likely　that　active　psychic　assaults　would　be　a　key　element　of　his　resistance；　perhaps　even　more　significant　than　his
daemonhosts。　I　had　taken　no　chances。
In　two　groups；　my　entire　Distaff　of　untouchables；　some　fifty　individuals　all　told；　had　moved　in　alongside　the　first　ground…troop
advances。　Bequin；　guarded　by　Nayl　and　twelve　of　my　warrior　staff；　led　one　group；　and　Thula　Surskova；　protected　by　Fischig　and　a
dozen　more　fighters；　led　the　other。
The　Distaff　had　never　been　used　on　such　a　scale　before；　but　it　proved　to　be　the　weapon　I　had　always　suspected。　The　blankness　they
generated　contained　and　negated　the　engulfing　psychic　storm；　effectively　bottling　it　inside　Site　A　and　preventing　it　from　threatening
our　closing　forces。
WITH　INSHABEL；　I　moved　underground；　down　the　rock…cut　steps　into　the　inner　sectors　of　Site　A。　For　almost　an　hour　we　fought　our　way
through　the　smoked…swathed　surface　structures；　a　metre　at　a　time。　Now；　with　the　sun　rising；　we　found　our　first　access　point　to　the
lower　levels：　a　stairwell　exposed　by　a　bomb　crater。
The　place　was　strewn　with　smouldering　debris　and　a　few　unidentifiable　bodies。　In　places；　power　cables　were　hanging；　sparking；　from
the　rockcrete　roof。　We　both　wore　motion　trackers；　and　switched　left　and　right；　gunning　down　cultists　as　they　appeared。　My　boltgun
was　already　running　short　of　shells；　and　Inshabel　was　on　to　his　second…to…last　power　cell。　The　level　of　resistance　was　unbelievable。
At　a　junction　in　the　seemingly　random　jumble　of　tunnels；　we　encountered　Endor。　He　had　a　couple　of　Thracian　troopers　and　an
Inquisition　guardsman　with　him；　but　he'd　lost　both　of　his　slow…moving　attack…servitors。　I　knew　what　he　was　thinking　just　by　the　look
in　his　eyes。　We　had　come　in　strong　and　confident；　but　perhaps　not　strong　enough。　I　thought　I　had　anticipated　the　worst　Quixos　could
throw　against　us。　Maybe　I　had　underestimated　him　after　all。
Ferocious　bursts　of　shooting　alerted　us　to　a　firefight　in　a　larger　chamber　to　the　left。　We　arrived　in　time　to　meet　four　wounded；　terrified
Thracian　troopers　fleeing　towards　us。
'Back！　Go　back！'　they　were　screaming。
I　pushed　past　them。
The　chamber　beyond　was　massive　and　half…filled　with　veiling　smoke。　Green；　unnatural　flames　were　licking　up　the　walls。　At　the　far
end；　the　already　huge　chamber　seemed　to　open　out　into　something　much；　much　vaster。
But　that　was　not　what　occupied　my　eyes。
Surrounded　by　over　fifty　bodies；　most　of　them　Imperial　Guards；　Commodus　Voke　was　standing　his　ground　against　Prophaniti。
The　old　inquisitor　was　shuddering；　his　robes　stiffening　with　psychic　ice。　Corposant　fire　glowed　from　his　mouth　and　eyes。　The
daemonhost；　its　cruel　features　just　recognisable　as　a　distortion　of　poor；　lost　Husmaan's　face；　hovered　in　front　of　Voke；　struggling　at　an
invisible　barrier　of　telekinetic　wrath。
We　ran　forward；　abruptly　drawing　fire　from　cultists　spreading　into　the　chamber　from　the　right。　The　Thracian　beside　me　bucked　and
twitched　as　he　was　hit　twice；　and　Inshabel　cursed　as　he　was　winged。
Endor　urged　the　remaining　men　to　advance　on　his　lead；　and　took　the　fight　to　the　cultists；　his　laspistol　blazing　and　his　chainblade
swinging。
Voke　was　close　to　breaking。　I　could　see　him　wavering　under　the　immense　pressure。
I　bolstered　my　boltgun　and　stumbled　across　the　bodies　and　debris　to　aid　him；　praying　that　my　runestaff　would　do　what　it　was　supposed
to。
And　a　dizzying　blast　of　white　light　and　scourging　heat　blew　me　back　through　the　air。
I　TRIED　TO　get　up；　half…realising　that　I　had　been　blown　clean　out　of　the　chamber；　through　a　flakboard　partition　into　some　kind　of　dank
chute。　Invisible　forces　lifted　me　to　my　feet。　Light　bathed　me。
Cherubael　hovered　before　me。

'Gregor；'　it　said。　'You've　come　so　far。