Gunheads(科幻战争)-第39章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


“You　know；”　said　Killian；　“with　luck　and　a　prayer；　the　bloody　orks　might　well　have　moved　on。　I
didn’t　see　any　movement。　No　signs　of　occupation　at　all。　I　mean；　who　knows　how　old　that　thing　is？”
DeViers　shook　his　head。　“No；　Klotus。　They’re　there　all　right。　It　took　a　lot　of　work　to　make　that
wall。　Our　prize　lies　behind　it。　And　I’m　damned　sure　that　the　xenos　filth　who　made　it　are　still　behind
it；　too。”
“Honestly；　sir；”　said　Rennkamp。　“A　single　Vulcan。　Just　one　fast　sweep　and　we’ll　know　for　sure。”
“And　put　the　whole　damned　greenskin　horde　on　immediate　high　alert？　No；　Aaron。　No　aerial
recon。　The　Vulcans　can’t　fly　high　enough　in　this　accursed　weather　to　evade　detection。　Give　me
something　else。”
“A　Hornet　then；　sir；”　said　Bergen。　“A　single　Hornet　reconnaissance　bike　might　be　mistaken　for
one　of　the　orks’　own　at　long　range。　That’s　no　guarantee　they　won’t　fire　on　it　anyway；　of　course；　but
if　we’re　lucky；　it’ll　draw　a　lot　less　attention　and　still　let　us　get　a　man　close　enough　to　make　a
difference。”
DeViers　nodded。　“That　sounds　feasible。　Make　it　happen。　Get　the　best　scout　we　have　out　there。
Someone　with　experience。　I’ll　want　a　full　report；　including　a　list　of　as　many　weak　points　as　possible；
within　the　hour。”
Bergen　saluted　and　moved　off　to　see　it　done。
It　didn’t　take　an　hour。　It　was　only　forty　minutes　later　that　the　Hornet　rider　chosen　for　the
reconnaissance　run　reported　back　to　Colonel　Marrenburg。　The　colonel　cut　the　scout’s　verbal　report
short；　ordering　him　to　save　it　for　the　general’s　command　tent　where　the　army　group’s　senior　officers
111
—　more　than　a　dozen　men　ranking　colonel　and　higher　—　awaited　them。　Marrenburg　then　led　his
man　over　the　red　sand　and　in　through　the　tent　flap。　The　day　was　already　baking　hot。
In　the　cooler　shade　of　the　general’s　tent；　Marrenburg　introduced　his　scout　to　the　assembled
officers。
“Gentlemen；”　he　said　proudly；　“this　is　Sergeant　Bussmann。　He’s　the　best　damned　scout　in　my
outfit。　You　can　have　absolute　confidence　in　his　report；　I　assure　you。”
Since　Sergeant　Bussmann　belonged　to　Bergen’s　division；　deViers　asked　Bergen　to　conduct　the
briefing；　giving　the　general　and　the　others　a　chance　to　concentrate　on　the　details　and　any　questions
they　needed　to　ask。　There　wasn’t　much　good　news。　Judging　by　the　sergeant’s　account；　the　wall　was
more　daunting　the　closer　one　got　to　it。　Whatever　lay　inside　must　have　been　of　great　value　to　the
greenskins；　for　they　had　expended　tremendous　resources　in　its　construction；　resources　that　might
otherwise　have　gone　into　the　construction　of　hundreds；　if　not　thousands；　of　their　war　machines。
This　bothered　Bergen　on　two　counts。　Firstly；　it　suggested　that　the　orks　had　enough　resources　to
be　able　to　afford　such　a　grand　static　defence。　This　led　him　to　suspect　they　had　established　ore
refineries　somewhere。　Were　they　close　by？　Golgotha　had　been　selected　for　occupation　by　the
Adeptus　Mechanicus　centuries　ago　for　the　amount　and　variety　of　metals　deep　within　its　crust。　It
wasn’t　much　of　a　stretch　to　believe　the　orks　were　taking　similar　advantage　of　the　resources。
Secondly；　the　use　of　so　much　valuable　metal　in　construction　of　the　wall　could　only　mean　that
whatever　lay　on　the　other　side　was　something　the　orks　considered　very　important。　Yes；　they　were
beastlike　and　savage；　but　they　could　be　cunning；　too。　They　weren’t　nearly　as　mindless　as　men
believed。　They　had　built　a　wall；　and　there　had　to　be　a　good　reason。
As　he　listened　to　Bussmann；　Bergen　found　himself　wondering　if　The　Fortress　of　Arrogance
might　not　be　the　thing　the　aliens　were　trying　to　protect。　Had　they　known　all　along　that　the　Imperium
would　come　back　to　Golgotha　to　collect　it？　Had　they　planned　and　built　the　wall　knowing　that　the
fight　would　come　to　them？
Bussmann　reported　large　amounts　of　artillery　present　on　the　parapets。　Some　of　the　barrels　he　had
seen　extending　out　from　between　the　wall’s　teeth　were　unnervingly　broad；　chambered　for　rounds　of
such　size　they　might　have　been　more　at　home　on　the　prow　of　an　interstellar　battleship。
That’s　it　then；　thought　Bergen。　They　must　still　be　here。　There’s　no　way　the　greenskins　would
leave　weapons　like　that　behind。　By　the　blasted　Eye；　we’ve　got　a　fight　on　our　hands。
It　had　been　impossible　for　Bussmann　to　gauge　the　thickness　of　the　wall　and　how　well　it　would
stand　up　to　the　weaponry　of　the　18th　Army　Group；　but　it　certainly　looked　like　it　could　take　a
beating。　On　the　other　hand；　some　of　the　plates　were　rusting；　and　orks　rarely　built　anything　with
consistent　strength　throughout。　There　would　be　irregularities　in　the　structure　that　Exolon　could
exploit　if　only　they　could　find　them。
The　question　was；　would　they　have　the　chance？　Bussmann　had　spotted　numerous　hinged　plates
set　in　the　wall　at　apparently　random　points。　A　few　of　them　had　fallen　off；　their　bolts　having　rusted；
revealing　the　nature　of　the　others。　They　were　firing　ports；　and　the　cannon　they　hid　were　massive。
At　the　end　of　his　report；　Sergeant　Bussmann　cast　a　somewhat　anxious　glance　at　Colonel
Marrenburg。　Then　he　took　a　deep　breath　and　said；　“In　my　opinion；　sirs；　a　direct　frontal　assault　on　the
ork　wall　will　result　in　very　heavy　losses。　If　it　were　up　to　me—”
“Sergeant；”　snapped　Marrenburg；　cutting　Bussmann　off。　“You　will　restrict　yourself　to　answering
direct　questions。”
Bussmann　flushed　and　an　angry　look　stole　across　his　face；　but　he　said；　“I　apologise　if　I　spoke　out
of　turn；　sir。”
General　deViers　cleared　his　throat　and　addressed　the　sergeant。　“We’ll　overlook　it　this　time；
sergeant；　but　think　on　this：　without　hardship　there　can　be　no　glory。　Show　me　something　worth　doing
that　doesn’t　have　its　price。”
Bergen　wanted　to　roll　his　eyes；　and；　judging　by　the　sergeant’s　sudden　look　of　disbelief；
Bussmann　felt　the　same。　Before　the　scout　could　dig　himself　a　deeper　hole；　however；　Bergen　jumped
112
in　and　said；　“Thank　you　very　much　for　your　report；　sergeant。　Your　service　today　has　been　noted。
Unless　the　general　wishes　to　ask　anything　else…”
DeViers　shook　his　head。
“In　that　case；”　continued　Bergen；　“you’re　dismissed。”
Bussmann　snapped　out　a　sharp　salute；　turned；　and　marched　out　into　the　light　of　day。
“We　need　to　focus　on　the　gates；”　said　Killian。　“From　his　report；　it　sounds　like　they’re　hinged　to
open　outwards。　They’re　far　too　big　to　ram　open　anyway。　How　in　the　blasted　warp　are　we　going　to
breach　them？”
It　was　Colonel　Vinnemann；　hunched　in　his　chair　like　some　kind　of　cathedral　gargoyle；　who
answered。　“We　all　know　orks。　Chances　are；　when　they　see　us　coming；　they’ll　open　the　gates　and
start　spilling　out　like　rats　from　a　burning　building。　We　can　fight　our　way　through　if　we　don’t　give
them　a　chance　to　close　the　gates　again。”
Bergen　caught　General　deViers　looking　over　at　the　disfigured　form　of　Vinnemann　with　an
expression　of　barely　concealed　distaste；　and；　for　the　first　time　since　leaving　Hadron　Base；　he　felt　a
sudden　powerful　resurgence　in　his　contempt　for　the　old　general。
“And　if　they　don’t　come　spilling　out？”　asked　a　dark…skinned　colonel　by　the　name　of　Meyers。　He
was　tall　and　thin；　vulture…like；　and　one　of　his　eyes　was　a　white　orb　without　a　hint　of　iris　or　pupil。　He
was　one　of　Killian’s　men。
Colonel　Vinnemann　smiled　his　crooked　smile　and　said；　“Then　Angel　of　the　Apocalypse　will　have
to　roll　up　and　knock　on　their　door。”
Bergen　scanned　the　faces　of　the　men　seated　in　the　tent　and　saw　a　few　smiling　at　Vinnemann’s
remark；　but　the　atmosphere　was　still　heavy。　No　one　had　really　expected　this。　They　weren’t　prepared
for　any　kind　of　extended　siege。　They　were　hundreds　of　kilometres　from　their　forward　base；　and　if
they　entered　any　kind　of　stalemate　with　the　orks；　their　supply　lines　would　be　extremely　vulnerable。
If　the　orks　had　any　kind　of　air　power；　bombing　Red　Gorge　would　cut　the　expeditionary　force　off
from　all　contact　with　Balkar。　The　intelligence　guiding　the　mission　had　been　sketchy　from　the
beginning　—　a　patchwork　of　Mechanicus　probe　data；　military　maps　dating　back　forty　years；　and
Officio　Strategos　guesswork　—　but　Bergen　had　never　been　so　sharply　aware　of　the　entire　mission’s
freewheeling；　underpinned　nature　as　he　was　right　now。
“So；　a　full　frontal　assault；”　said　Killian　unenthusiastically。　“We’ll　be　naked；　mind　you。　All　our
machines　racing　forwards　across　open　ground…　If　the　Emperor　isn’t　watching　over　us；　it’ll　be　a
bloody　massacre　at　mid…range。　You　all　heard　what　Bussmann　said　about　the　number　of　cannon　on
the　wall。”
“I　think　we　can　discount　much　of　that；”　said　a　scowling　deViers。　“Half　of　the　time；　ork
weaponry　doesn’t　even　work。”
“And　the　other　half；”　said　Rennkamp；　his　eyes　flashing；　“it　rips　our　boys　apart。”
DeViers　looked　suddenly　furious；　on　the　verge　of　throwing　one　of　his　rages；　but　the　sheer
number　of　men　present　and　their　quiet；　concentrated　manner　seemed　enough　to　quell　the　outburst
before　it　got　started。
That　was　close；　thought　Bergen。　Rennkamp　and　Killian　are　really　letting　loose　on　him。　Fine　with
me；　but　I’m　not　sure　the　colonels　need　to　see　it。
Bergen　didn’t　disagree　with　his　peers。　They　had　merely　voiced　the　thoughts　that　had　been
circling　in　his　own　head　all　this　time。　Here　they　all　were；　after　so　many　days　crossing　bare　sand　and
rock；　chasing　a　relic　that；　in　all　likelihood；　no　longer　existed；　and　before　them　was　the　last　and
greatest　obstacle　they　would　face。　Beyond　that　towering　wall　of　iron　and　steel；　in　a　rocky　valley
somewhere　at　the　foot　of　the　Ishawar　range；　lay　the　end　of　this　nightmare。　Yarrick’s　tank　would
either　be　there　or　it　wouldn’t。　In　either　case；　breaking　through　the　wall　would　bring　a　close　to　this
whole　endeavour。　They　could　pull　out。　They　could　head　for　Armageddon；　where　the　fighting　really
mattered。
113
“I　say　we　do　it；”　said　Bergen；　suddenly　committed。　Every　eye　in　the　room　turned　towards　him。
“A　full　frontal　assault；　hammering　them　with　everything　we　have。　If　we　concentrate　our　efforts　on　a
small　enough　section；　I　think　we　can　pull　it　off。　I　think　we　can　break　through。”
“Knew　you’d　see　it　my　way；”　said　a　delighted　deViers；　leaning　across　in　his　chair　to　slap　Bergen
on　the　shoulder。
Bergen　fought　not　to　flinch　away　from　the　general’s　hand。
What　choice　have　I　got？　he　thought　bitterly。　Throne　forgive　me