Gunheads(科幻战争)-第50章

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his　head　and　turned　to　General　deViers。　“Could　be　walking　into　anything；　sir。”
“I　said　they　were　long　gone；　major　general；”　said　Sennesdiar；　“and　I　meant　it。　I　doubt　we　shall
find　any　cause　for　alarm　within。　If　your　concern　is　greenskins；　on　the　other　hand；　perhaps　I　may
offer　some　reassurance。　By　their　extremely　superstitious　nature　there　is　a　very　high　probability　that
the　orks　will　not　pursue　us。　There　is　no　sign　that　they　have　entered　here。　If　they　ever　discovered　it；
they　did　not　deface　it　as　they　usually　do。　No　glyphs。　No　spoor；　unless　your　scouts　have　uncovered
some。　I　recognise　that　there　may　be　some　resistance　to　proceeding　this　way　among　the　troopers。　This
is　a　xenos　place；　but　I　project　that　the　most　we　shall　encounter　is　rubble　and　ruins。”
“And　an　exit　that　will　get　us　out　on　the　other　side；”　said　Bergen。　“Or　what’s　the　point　in　going
down　there　at　all？”
“I’m　not　leading　this　expedition　into　a　dead　end；　magos；”　growled　General　deViers。　“We’ve　got
a　critical　mission　to　complete；　by　Terra。　Tell　me　what　this　place　has　to　do　with　The　Fortress　of
Arrogance。　And　your　answer　had　better　satisfy　me。”
Sennesdiar　turned　his　hooded　head　from　Bergen　to　deViers　and　back　again。　The　threat　inherent
in　the　general’s　words　seemed　not　to　register　at　all；　either　that　or　he　judged　it　entirely　beneath　his
attention。
“We　can　be　sure　there　is　a　way　out；”　he　said；　“because　the　machine…spirit　is　our　guide。　Even
were　it　not　so；　an　exit　must　exist；　for　it　would　be　illogical　not　to　create　one。　Animals　of　the　lowest
forms　know　better　than　to　build　a　lair　with　only　a　single　exit。　And　we　are　not　talking　about　a　lowborn
animal　species　here。　We　are　talking　about　an　intelligent；　technological　race　that　dominated
Golgotha　for　many　ages。　The　scant　evidence　we　have　indexed　tells　us　that　much。”
Then　the　magos　turned　to　deViers　and　added；　“I　calculate　an　extremely　high　probability；　general；
that　this　tunnel　will　lead　us　safely　to　the　far　side　of　the　Ishawar　range。　For　the　sake　of　your　grand
quest；　and　for　all　our　lives；　that　is　exactly　where　we　must　go。　You　see；　as　my　adepts　and　I　learned
from　our　communion　with　the　machine…spirit；　that　is　where　The　Fortress　of　Arrogance　awaits　us。”
The　column　was　moving　again。
About　bloody　time；　too；　thought　Wulfe。　Reports　from　the　spotters　at　the　very　rear　put　the　ork
forces　almost　within　striking　range；　and　the　scar　on　his　throat　had　begun　to　itch　like　crazy　in　the　last
few　minutes。　That　was　never　a　happy　sign。
It　was　good　to　be　moving　again；　but；　from　his　position　in　the　rearguard；　it　was　difficult　to　work
out　exactly　what　was　going　on。　As　Wulfe　sat　high　in　his　cupola　guiding　Metzger　around　another
bend　in　the　trail；　he　listened　carefully　to　the　regimental　vox…channel；　trying　to　learn　as　much　as　he
could。　All　he　could　really　draw　from　the　broken　chatter　was　that　scouts　had　found　a　way　forward；
and　that；　inexplicably；　a　good　many　of　the　troopers　didn’t　seem　to　like　it　much。
That　doesn’t　make　sense；　he　told　himself。　Everyone　with　half　a　brain　knows　we’ve　got　to　keep
moving　if　we’re　going　to　stay　ahead　of　those　bastards。　What’s　got　everyone　so　damned　twitchy　all
of　a　sudden？
Soon　enough；　he　found　out　first…hand。
“By　the　bloody　Golden　Throne；”　he　gasped　as　Metzger　followed　the　tank　in　front　between　two
eerily　symmetrical　columns　of　red　stone。　Beyond　the　weathered　pillars；　the　ancient　alcove　with　its
kneeling　gods　was　revealed　in　all　its　glory。　“We’re　going　inside　that？”
There　was　a　crackle　on　the　vox。
“Company　Command　to　all　tanks。　Keep　your　pace　up。　I’m　talking　to　you；　Holtz。　Keep　your　crate
in　line。　Why　have　you　stopped？　Get　moving。”
146
Wulfe　heard　Holtz　growling　back；　“Sorry；　lieutenant。　Just　caught　us　a　bit　off…guard。　I　mean；　it’s
alien；　isn’t　it？　I　don’t　like　it；　sir。　We　shouldn’t　be　going　in　there。　Throne　knows；　we　shouldn’t。　We
could　be　walking　right　into　a　xenos　trap；　sir。”
The　link　spat　a　harsh　burst　of　static　in　Wulfe’s　ear　for　a　few　seconds　before　he　heard　van　Droi’s
answer。　“It’s　not　exactly　my　first　choice　either；　corporal；　but　we’re　out　of　options。　If　you’d　rather
stay　here　and　face　the　orks　on　your　own；　I　can　petition　Captain　Immrich　for　you。　Of　course；　the
commissars　have　already　made　it　very　clear　that　they’ll　execute　anyone　who　refuses　to　enter　on
charges　of　cowardice。”
Holtz　managed　to　sound　angry　and　chastised　at　the　same　time。　“I’m　no　frakking　coward；　sir。　Of
course；　I’m　going　in。　I　just　don’t　like　xenos　abominations；　that’s　all。”
Van　Droi’s　voice；　on　the　other　hand；　had　a　hint　of　humour　in　it　as　he　replied；　“That’s　all　I
thought　it　was；　corporal。　That’s　all　I　thought　it　was。”
As　Wulfe　was　listening　to　this；　he　watched　more　and　more　of　the　vehicles　in　front　being
swallowed　up　by　the　gaping　black　maw　of　the　ancient　tunnel。　As　soon　as　each　vehicle　went　in；　its
driver　hit　the　headlights；　but；　from　Wulfe’s　vantage　point；　it　didn’t　seem　as　though　the　lights　were
doing　much　to　illuminate　the　path　ahead。
Last　Rites　II　rolled　nearer　and　nearer　the　tunnel　mouth。　Wulfe　looked　from　side　to　side　at　the
huge　stone　guardians　as　he　passed　them。　What　in　the　warp　were　they　supposed　to　be？　He　might　have
said　ogryn；　but　they　were　too　misshapen　even　for　that。　They　didn’t　look　like　orks；　either。　In　fact；
they　didn’t　match　the　appearance　of　any　xenos　race　that　Wulfe　had　ever　encountered　or　read　about。
All　too　soon；　the　tunnel　swallowed　him。　Black　walls　cut　off　his　view　and　he　was　plunged　into
darkness。　The　air　that　moved　around　him　was　immediately　cooler。　He　noted　this　as　a　breeze　played
over　the　hairs　on　his　forearms　and　on　the　back　of　his　neck。　He　noted；　too；　that　the　featureless　black
floor　of　the　tunnel　was　sloping　downwards。
The　tanks　on　either　side　lit　their　headlamps；　and　cones　of　light　shot　forward；　striking　the　clouds
of　oily　exhaust　fumes　put　out　by　the　machines　in　front。　There　didn’t　seem　much　else　to　see；　at　least
for　now；　just　featureless　tunnel　walls；　blue…grey　clouds　of　exhaust　smoke　and　the　backs　of　the
machines　in　front。
“Metzger；”　said　Wulfe　over　the　intercom；　“hit　the　lights。”
“Aye；　sir；”　said　Metzger；　and　Last　Rites　II　added　her　own　illumination　to　the　darkness。　It　didn’t
make　much　difference。
On　the　vox；　van　Droi’s　voice　sounded　again。　“Are　we　all　in？”
Wulfe　turned　and　looked　over　his　shoulder　at　the　shrinking　square　of　red　daylight　behind　him。
Silhouetted　against　it　were　the　dark　hulls　of　the　last　machines　in　the　column。　“Looks　like　it；　sir；”　he
reported　to　van　Droi。　“I　see　the　last　of　the　Conquerors　coming　in　now。”
“Good；”　voxed　van　Droi。　“Then　I　want　all　of　you　to　move　in　to　the　sides　of　the　tunnel；　nice　and
slow。　We　don’t　need　any　accidents。　There’ll　be　a　Chimera　coming　back　through　here　in　a　couple　of
minutes；　heading　up　towards　the　entrance。”
“What　the　devil　for；　sir？”　voxed　Sergeant　Viess。　“We　can’t　send　men　back　out　there。”
Wulfe　noted　the　hesitation　in　van　Droi’s　voice；　and　the　weariness　when　he　said　at　last；　“It’s　a
demolitions　team；　sergeant。　General　deViers　has　ordered　the　entrance　sealed　behind　us。”
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CHAPTER　TWENTY…SIX
The　Cadian　column　moved　slowly　and　carefully　through　the　dark；　for　the　best　part　of　three　hours；
guided　by　Sentinel　walkers　with　searchlights　fitted。　They　discovered　a　plethora　of　side　tunnels　as
they　went；　smaller　passageways　that　branched　from　the　broad　one　they　were　following。　Each　of
these　was　given　a　cursory　inspection；　but　they　twisted　away　in　countless　directions　and　were　far　too
small　to　accommodate　the　tanks。　With　little　choice；　the　expedition　force　found　itself　committed　to　a
single　path　that　led　ever　downwards；　deeper　into　the　darkness。
DeViers　marked　the　passing　of　time　on　the　antique　pocket…chronometer　his　grandfather；　for
whom　he　had　been　named；　had　bequeathed　him　over　eighty　years　before。　It　was　an　exquisite　piece
of　Agripinaan　craftsmanship；　inlaid　with　emeralds　and　white　diamonds；　finished　in　platinum；　and
decorated　across　the　face　with　a　filigree　of　the　most　delicate　gold。　It　had　been　with　him　a　long；　long
time。　Looking　at　its　pristine　face　always　brought　feelings　of　peace　and　comfort。　He　had　been　turning
to　it　more　and　more　often　since　his　arrival　on　this　accursed　planet。
Did　they　think　he　didn’t　know　what　was　going　on；　those　damned　Mechanicus？　Did　they　think　he
was　so　easily　used？　Warp　blast　and　damn　them；　he　was　Mohamar　Antoninus　deViers；　Saviour　of
Thessaly　IX；　Protector　of　Chedon　Secundus；　decorated　with　the　Iron　Star　for　his　overwhelming
victory　at　Rystok；　awarded　the　Platinum　Skull　1st　Class　for　exemplary　leadership　at　Dionysus。　Then
there　were　Modessa　Prime；　Phaegos　II；　and　a　host　of　other　glories。　Age　hadn’t　addled　his　mind　that
much。　He　knew　all　too　well　that　they　had　an　agenda。　He　knew　they　were　guiding　him　along　the　path
that　best　suited　their　purposes；　but　what　could　he　do？　He　needed　them　to　help　find　Yarrick’s　tank。
Their　Machine…God　didn’t　speak　to　normal　men；　even　men　as　worthy　as　him。
He　hadn’t　missed　the　looks　his　senior　officers　had　been　giving　each　other；　either。　They　were
losing　confidence　in　him。　That　much　was　evident。　Even　Gerard　Bergen　seemed　ready　to　question
him　these　days。　That　stung　deViers　particularly　sharply。　Prior　to　that　mess　on　Palmeros；　he　had
started　to　consider　the　handsome　officer　something　of　a　protégé。
Well；　they’d　all　see　the　error　of　their　ways　in　the　end。　This　wasn’t　over；　not　by　a　long　shot。　The
Fortress　of　Arrogance　was　still　out　there　somewhere。　It　couldn’t　be　far。　Orks　had　taken　it；　and　it　was
his　job　to　get　it　back。　The　Imperium　depended　on　him。　Whether　the　Mechanicus　had　initiated　this
expedition　or　not；　it　was　a　Munitorum　operation　now；　and　he　was　in　charge。　Not　one　man；　not　one
ounce　of　Guard　materiel　would　leave　this　blasted　world　until　he　had　his　prize。　There　was　still
everything　to　play　for。　His　place　in　the　history　books　was　still　within　reach。　He　would　join　the　list
alongside　Yarrick；　Macaroth　and　Harazahn。　He　would　be　forever　remembered　as　one　of　the　great
men　of　his　age。
He　looked　down　at　the　chronometer’s　ticking　hands。　There　was　still　time　enough　for　that。
“Caffeine；　sir？”　asked　Gruber　from　the　other　side　of　the　Chimera’s　passenger　compartment。　“It’s
hot。”
“No　thank　you；　Grub