Gunheads(科幻战争)-第41章

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“She’s　lit！”
“Metzger；”　said　Wulfe；　“drop　her　down　into　third　but；　for　Throne’s　sake；　keep　us　moving。
Steady　as　you　can。”
“Aye；　sir；”　said　Metzger。
Last　Rites　II　slowed　abruptly；　and　the　tanks　on　either　side　began　to　pull　further　away　from　her。
Wulfe　barely　noticed。　His　eyes　were　locked　to　the　target。　When　he　felt　that　Metzger　had　her
steady　in　third；　he　called；　“Fire！”
“Brace；”　shouted　Beans；　and　he　stamped　on　the　firing　pedal　with　his　right　foot。　Last　Rites　II
rocked　backwards　with　the　blast。　Three　plumes　of　fire　burst　from　her　cannon；　one　from　the　mouth　of
the　barrel　and　one　from　each　of　the　apertures　in　either　side　of　the　muzzle　brake。
The　turret　basket　filled　with　the　coppery　stink　of　spent　fyceline　propellant。　Wulfe　didn’t　give　it　a
thought。　He　was　watching　the　ork　wall…cannon。　A　fraction　of　a　second　after　Last　Rites　II　spat　her
shell；　a　yellow　ball　of　fire　burst　into　existence　just　below　the　wall…cannon’s　firing　port。　Pieces　of
burning　metal　showered　the　sand　at　the　foot　of　the　wall。　Black　smoke　moved　on　the　breeze。　When　it
cleared；　Wulfe　saw…
Frak！
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“It’s　a　miss；”　he　reported　to　the　crew。　“Metzger！　Floor　it！　Take　her　back　up　to　full　speed。　We
have　to　keep　moving。”
He　took　his　eyes　away　from　the　vision　blocks　for　a　second　and　saw　Beans　hammering　a　fist　onto
his　thigh。
“Damn　it！”　shouted　the　youngster。　“By　the　blasted　Eye。”
Wulfe　leaned　forward　and　gripped　his　shoulder。　“Beat　yourself　up　later；　son。　Right　now；　I　want
another　shot　lined　up。　Siegler？　High…ex。　Now！”
The　loader　didn’t　waste　any　time　confirming。　He　rammed　another　shell　home；　yanked　the
locking　lever　and　shouted；　“Lit；　sarge！”
Come　on；　Beans；　thought　Wulfe。　Concentrate；　boy。
“Metzger；”　said　Wulfe；　“drop　to　third。”
“You’ve　got　it；　sarge；”　said　the　driver。
“Adjust　your　shot；　Beans；”　Wulfe　told　the　gunner。　“Up　a　little。　A　little　more。　We’re　closer　now。
You　ready？”
“I　have　the　shot；”　said　Beans。
“Take　it！”　said　Wulfe。
There　was　a　deep　boom　and　a　rush　of　pungent　smoke。　Last　Rites　II　reared　up　on　her　treads　with
the　power　of　the　recoil；　and　then　hit　the　sand　again　with　a　rough　bounce。　The　main　gun’s　breech　slid
back　and　dumped　the　spent　shell　casing　in　the　brass　catcher　on　the　floor。
Wulfe　held　on　tight；　eyes　scanning　the　wall　through　his　vision　blocks。　The　massive　gun…port
Beans　had　been　aiming　for　erupted　in　bright　red　flame　and　black　smoke。
Debris　exploded　outwards。　Whooping　and　cheering　filled　the　compartment。
“That’s　more　like　it！”　shouted　Wulfe。　“Metzger；　back　up　to　fifth；　now！”
The　engine　roared。　The　base　of　the　wall　was　no　more　than　a　kilometre　away。　The　other
companies　were　already　slowing　to　blast　every　last　gun…port　they　could　see。　Fire　and　smoke　poured
from　the　wall’s　gun…ports　and　toolishers　from　the　8th　and
9th　Companies　were　lobbing　shells　up　onto　the　parapets；　too；　desperate　to　take　out　the　artillery
pieces　before　they　could　shred　the　infantry　vehicles　that　would　follow　in　the　wake　of　the　tanks。
Black　smoke　billowed　up　into　the　sky　from　all　directions。　Angry　fires　blazed　all　around。
From　the　corner　of　his　eye；　Wulfe　saw　a　light　blinking　on　his　vox…board。　He　hit　the　toggle。　It
was　van　Droi。
“Company　leader　to　all　tanks。　We’ve　been　ordered　to　peel　right。　It　doesn’t　look　like　the　orks　are
coming　out　of　their　own　accord　after　all。　Colonel　Vinnemann　is　about　to　kick　their　door　in。”
“Metzger；”　said　Wulfe；　“take　us　right；　parallel　with　the　wall。　Angel　of　the　Apocalypse　is　moving
up。”
Vinnemann’s　massive　Shadowsword　had　so　far　enjoyed　the　cover　of　the　dust　clouds　kicked　up　by
the　other　machines　as　it　rolled　forward；　moving　into　position　to　attack　point　alpha。
One　shot；　thought　Vinnemann。　We’ll　have　one　shot　at　this。　We　absolutely　must　force　a　breach。
Over　the　vox；　he　head　Major　General　Bergen　say；　“Are　you　in　position；　colonel？”
“A　few　more　seconds；　sir；”　Vinnemann　replied。　Then　his　driver　reported　over　the　intercom　that
they　had　position。　The　gunner　confirmed　line…of…sight。　Vinnemann　voxed　back　to　Bergen。　“In
position　now；　sir。　Readying　to　fire。”
“We’re　counting　on　you；　Kochatkis；”　said　Bergen。
Vinnemann　heard　Bergen　notify　all　units　on　the　divisional　command　channel；　“Division　to　all
armour；　be　advised。　Angel　of　the　Apocalypse　is　about　to　fire。　I　repeat；　Angel　is　about　to　fire。”
On　the　tank’s　intercom；　Vinnemann　told　Schwartz；　his　engineer；　“Switch　all　power　to　main　gun。
Tell　me　when　she’s　charged。”
“Yes；　sir。”
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“Vamburg；”　said　Vinnemann；　addressing　his　gunner。　“Full　blast；　full　duration。　Let’s　turn　that
gate　to　vapour。”
“No　worries；　sir。　Ready　to　light　it　up。”
“Capacitors　full；　sir！”　reported　Schwartz。
“Right；　Vamburg；”　said　Vinnemann。　“You　heard　him。　Do　it！”
“Brace　for　firing！”　shouted　the　gunner。
A　hum　filled　the　air　inside　the　tank；　like　thousands　of　voices　joined　in　a　single　tone　that　rose
until　it　drowned　out　all　else。　A　charge　passed　through　Vinnemann’s　twisted　body　as　he　felt　the　space
around　him　vibrate。　The　pain　he　usually　felt　melted　away　for　a　moment　as　the　tone　rose　higher　and
higher。　Then；　suddenly；　the　whole　bulk　of　the　Shadowsword　shook　as　if　it　had　been　kicked　by　a
giant。　Blazing　white　light　burst　from　her　cannon；　lancing　straight　across　the　battlefield；　striking　the
massive　ork　gate　dead　centre。
The　air　shook　with　a　massive　thunderous　crack。　The　iron　gate　glowed　blindingly　bright　for　an
instant；　and　then　seemed　to　vanish　completely　just　as　if　it　had　never　been　there　at　all。　The　armoured
wall　all　around　it　glowed　white；　then　yellow；　then　orange　and　red。　Gobs　of　molten　metal　began　to
rain　down　on　the　ground。　Seconds　later；　the　armour…plating　had　cooled　again　and　solidified。　It
looked　like　melted　wax。
The　wall　was　breached。　The　18th　Army　Group　had　its　passage；　but　the　battle　was　just　beginning。
Beyond　the　hole；　ork　structures　burned；　damaged　by　the　destructive　energy　that　spilled　through　from
the　Shadowsword’s　powerful　blast。
Vinnemann　surveyed　the　results　of　his　crew’s　efforts　and　opened　a　vox…link　to　Major　General
Bergen。　“Objective　achieved；　sir。　Point　alpha　is　open。　The　wall　has　been　breached。　But　we　must
secure　it　at　once。”
Bergen；　in　turn；　voxed　the　rest　of　his　forces。　“Division　Command　to　all　units。　Move　up　and
secure　the　breach　at　all　costs。　I　repeat；　secure　the　breach　at　once。”
Through　his　vision　blocks；　Vinnemann　saw　scores　of　tanks　wheel　around　and　race　for　the　gap　he
had　just　made。
“Schwartz；”　he　called　over　his　intercom；　“all　power　to　the　main　drive。　We’ve　got　to　move。”
Already；　the　ork　artillery　had　started　cutting　a　deadly　path　of　dirt　and　fire　towards　Angel　of　the
Apocalypse。　More　and　more　of　the　ork　guns　swivelled　to　focus　on　her。
“Vamburg；”　said　Vinnemann。　“Fine　shot。　But　get　some　bloody　smoke　up；　will　you？　Bekker；　pull
us　straight　back　as　soon　as　you　can。　We’re　a　sitting　target　out　here。”
“All　power　back　to　main　drive；　sir；”　reported　Schwartz。　“Ready　to　move　her　on　your　say。”
“Good　man；”　said　Vinnemann。　“You　heard　him；　Bekker。　Get　us　out　of　here。”
A　trio　of　heavy　shells　struck　the　earth　just　in　front　of　the　Angel’s　hull；　making　a　tight　triple…beat
of　explosions。　The　blast　waves　rocked　her　on　her　suspension。　Vinnemann　heard　pieces　of　rock
raining　down　on　the　roof　of　the　turret。　“Damned　close。　The　next　lot　will　hit　us　for　sure　if　we　don’t
get　the　hell　out　of　here。　Move　it！”
The　mighty　Shadowsword　rumbled　and　shuddered　as　her　giant　drive　sprockets　started　turning　in
reverse；　but　she　weighed　three　hundred　and　eight　tonnes。　Accelerating　from　a　dead　stop　wasn’t
exactly　effortless。
As　she　started　rumbling　backwards；　Vinnemann　heard　Bergen　hailing　him　again　on　the　vox。
“Division　to　Armour　Command。　Can　you　hear　me；　Kochatkis？”
“Go　ahead；　sir；”　said　Vinnemann。
“You　have　to　pull　back　faster。　Ork　fighter…bombers　are　inbound　from　the　south。　They’re　coming
in　fast。”
“From　the　south；　sir？”
“Affirmative；”　replied　Bergen。　“Throne　knows　where　the　hell　they　launched　from；　but；　judging
by　their　angle　of　approach；　they　didn’t　come　from　behind　the　wall。”
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“You　think　the　orks　have　long…range　comms；　sir？”　asked　Vinnemann。　“Could　the　orks　on　the
wall　have　called　in　an　airstrike　from　somewhere？”
“If　they　have　comms　with　that　kind　of　range　here　on　Golgotha；”　said　Bergen；　“then　they’re　a
damned　sight　better　off　than　we　are。　And　I’ll　be　asking　the　tech…priests　why。　But　listen；　Kochatkis；
your　crate　is　the　biggest　thing　we’re　fielding　out　there。　Expect　lots　of　unwelcome　attention。　I’m
sending　some　of　our　Hydras　forward　in　support　of　you。　We’ve　already　lost　one　of　the　Vulcans。　They
weren’t　designed　for　dogfighting。　They　can’t　handle　anything　with　that　kind　of　airspeed。”
“Understood；　sir；”　said　Vinnemann。　“We’re　pulling　back　as　fast　as　we　can；　but　the　anti…air　cover
would　be　much　appreciated。”
“The　Hydras　will　be　with　you　in　a　few　minutes；　Kochatkis；”　said　Bergen。　“Inform　me　when　they
reach　you。”
“I　will；　sir。　Armour　Command　out。”
Bombers　from　the　south；　thought　Vinnemann。　Didn’t　Stromm　and　van　Droi　report　a　great　ork
host　moving　in　that　direction？
“Move　in；　move　in；”　shouted　Wulfe　over　the　intercom。
Metzger　gunned　Last　Rites　II　forward；　and　they　passed　the　melted　edges　of　the　ork　wall。　The
sight　that　greeted　Wulfe　was　of　a　place　in　turmoil。　Shoddy　ork　buildings　were　everywhere；　each　an
ugly　mishmash　of　rusting　steel　poles　and　sheets　of　corrugated　metal　all　bolted　together　at　odd
angles；　looped　by　barbed　wire　and　painted　with　bright　glyphs　of　white　on　red。　Greenskin　foot
soldiers　were　everywhere；　crowded　onto　raised　platforms　or　charging　in　great　tides　over　the　sandy
ground；　blazing　away　at　the　intruding　tanks　with　everything　they　had。
Most　of　the　weapons　they　carried　were　heavy　stubbers　and　flame…throwers；　oversized　cleavers
and　axes；　none　of　them　much　good　against　fifteen　centimetres　of　heavy　armour；　but　Wulfe　knew　that
far　more　dangerous　weapons　were　available　to　the　Golgothan　orks。　His　eyes　scanned　the　roaring
mobs；　frantically　searching　for　signs　of　the　thick；　tube…like　weapons　that　had　brewed　up　Siemens’
tank。　It　was　an　impossible　task。　There　were　too　many　of　them；　and　too　much　movement　all　around。
Wulfe　didn’t　have　time　to　make　a　count　of　how　many