Gunheads(科幻战争)-第12章

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convinced　of　above　all　else；　was　simply　this：　unless　the　Emperor　Himself　descended　from　the
heavens　to　offer　them　His　Divine　Protection；　not　a　single　man　in　his　beloved　armoured　division　was
going　to　make　it　off　this　blasted　world　alive。　The　cards　were　stacked　against　them　like　never　before。
Millions　of　men　had　died　in　the　Golgothan　War　all　those　years　ago。　Now；　like　those　men；　the　fate　of
Bergen’s　troopers　would　be　written　in　the　blood…red　sand。
He’d　fight　it　all　the　way　of　course。　He　swore　it。　He　had　been　born　and　raised　to　fight；　and　there
was　nothing　he　wouldn’t　do　to　see　his　men　through　this。
I’ll　go　over　the　old　man’s　head　if　I　have　to。　Killian　and　Rennkamp　will　back　me　up。　Together；
we’ll　go　to　Morten　and…
The　thought　went　unfinished。　Tiredness　crashed　over　Bergen　like　a　tidal　wave　and　he　fell　back
onto　the　bed；　asleep　before　his　head　hit　the　pillow。
*　*　*
Elsewhere　on　the　base；　about　a　kilometre　west　of　Bergen’s　quarters；　the　three　senior　agents　of　the
Adeptus　Mechanicus　had　returned　to　their　apartments　and　were　being　attended　by　a　flock　of　child
like　slaves。　True　children　would　have　perished　very　quickly　in　such　a　place　—　the　pungent
chemicals　that　misted　the　air　would　have　dissolved　the　tissue　of　their　lungs　—　but　these　were　not
true　children。　They　had　once　been　so；　long　ago；　before　extensive　surgeries　had　converted　them　into
ageless　amalgams　of　flesh　and　metal　like　the　tech…priests　they　served；　though　far　less　sophisticated。
Their　brains　had　been　cruelly　cut；　rendering　them　incapable　of　independent　thought；　and　their　voices
had　been　silenced　forever。　Their　only　function　was　to　obey　and；　as　such；　they　were　beyond　sin；
beyond　mischief　or　evil。　Perhaps　in　recognition　of　this；　their　creator　had　crafted　bronze　masks　for
them；　faces　frozen　in　beatific　smiles；　like　half…living　sculptures　of　holy　cherubim。
They　clustered　around　their　masters；　disrobing　them；　removing　peripheral　devices；　pulling　dataplugs
from　flesh…sockets。　Then　they　helped　the　tech…priests　into　a　deep　circular　tub　filled　with　a
thick；　glowing；　milky　substance　that　cast　its　light　up　to　the　metal　ceiling。　When　this　was　done；　the
cherub…slaves　retreated　to　shadowy　alcoves　set　in　the　walls。　There；　they　deactivated；　and　became
like　dolls　at　rest　in　upright　coffins。
Apart　from　the　area　lit　by　the　glowing　pool；　the　Mechanicus　quarters　were　dark　and　foulsmelling。
To　the　tech…priests；　these　things　mattered　not　at　all。　The　darkness　hid　nothing　from
augmetic　eyes　that　could　see　in　many　spectrums　of　light。　The　smells　registered　only　as　lists　of
airborne　compounds　in　varying　concentrations；　neither　pleasant　nor　unpleasant；　simply　there。
Wading　to　the　far　side　of　the　small　pool；　Tech…Magos　Sennesdiar　submerged　his　misshapen；
patchwork　body　all　the　way　to　his　neck。　Adepts　Xephous　and　Armadron　followed　suit；　and　the
glowing　liquid　within　the　tub　bubbled　and　churned　like　hot　soup。
It　was　Armadron　who　broke　the　silence。　His　words；　when　he　spoke　them；　were　delivered　in　the
same　chalkboard　screech　he　had　used　at　the　general’s　table。　
The　tech…magos　answered　with　his　own　condensed；　high…pitched　burst。　
Armadron　did　not　reply；　a　sign　that　he　was　reflecting　on　his　superior’s　words。
　said　Xephous。　His　mandibles
clacked　together　loudly　at　the　end　of　his　burst；　something　Sennesdiar　considered　an　unworthy　habit。

　replied　Sennesdiar。　
Xephous　shifted；　sending　slow　ripples　over　the　surface　of　the　milky　goop；　and　said；　
　said　Armadron。
Sennesdiar　turned　his　whirring　eye…lenses　from　one　to　the　other。　
　said　Armadron。　
　added　Xephous。　
　said
Sennesdiar；　cutting　across　his　subordinate。　
　countered　Xephous。　

Xephous　said；　
　said　the　tech…magos。　
Armadron　bowed　his　near…featureless　head；　pulling　taut　the　segmented　cables　that　connected　his
steel…encased　brain　to　the　augmetic　ports　on　his　naked　metal　vertebrae。　
　protested　Xephous。
36
　said　the　magos；　
　said　Armadron。　

　said　Armadron。　
　replied　Sennesdiar。　
　asked　Xephous。　
　the　magos　replied；　interrupting
his　adept。　
Armadron　bowed　his　head　and　issued　a　short　burst　of　noise　that　expressed　his　understanding　and
absolute　obedience。
Sennesdiar　rose　from　the　pool；　broadcasting　an　activation　code　to　the　cherub…slaves　in　their
alcoves。　They　jerked　forwards　to　tend　to　him　as　he　stepped　out。　Thick　fluids　ran　down　his　bloodless
body；　along　the　piston　housings　and　cables　that　jutted　from　the　pallid　remnants　of　the　flesh　into
which　he　had　been　born　almost　four　centuries　earlier。　Silvery　drops　rolled　from　his　slender　metal
fingers　to　the　grille　floor　below　as　he　waited　for　the　little　slaves　to　dress　him。
In　his　robes　once　more；　he　stepped　to　the　door　of　his　private　chamber；　turned　and　said；　
　they　intoned　dutifully。