Dark Disciple(科幻战争)-第10部分

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their　fists　against　their　chests　in　response；　the　sound　echoing　through　the　docking　bay。
Turning　back　towards　the　chosen　thirty；　Marduk　dropped　to　one　knee　and　drew　forth　his　serrated
khantanka　knife。　Thirty　other　blades　were　drawn　instantly。　Each　warrior　of　the　Host　carried　a　sacred
blade；　and　it　was　with　his　own　khantanka　knife　that　each　warrior　brother　had　been　blooded　when
first　inducted　into　the　Legion。　Each　khantanka　blade　was　individual；　fashioned　by　the　warrior　it
belonged　to；　and　it　was　said　that　the　true　essence　of　the　warrior　could　be　read　in　its　design。
Marduk’s　blade　was　curved　and　serrated；　while　Kol　Badar’s　was　broad　and　heavy；　bereft　of
ornamentation。　Burias’s　blade　was　masterfully　fashioned　and　elegantly　curved；　and　its　hilt　was
fashioned　in　the　shape　of　a　snarling　serpent。
“Gods　of　the　ether；　we　offer　up　our　blood　as　sacrifice　to　your　glory；”　growled　Marduk；　cutting　a
deep　vertical　slash　down　his　right　cheek。　The　gathered　warriors　echoed　his　words；　mirroring　the
First　Acolyte’s　action。　Blood　ran　from　the　wounds；　running　down　the　faces　of　the　warriors　before
the　powerful　anti…coagulants　in　their　bloodstreams　sealed　the　wounds。
A　pair　of　murderous　kathartes　flickered　into　being　high　above；　the　skinless　daemons　circling
down　over　the　congregation；　borne　upon　bleeding；　leathery　wings；　and　settled　upon　the　Idolater　to
witness　the　ritual。
With　his　sacred　blood　dripping　from　his　jaw　and　onto　his　armour；　Marduk　carved　a　horizontal
line　across　his　cheek；　bisecting　the　other　cut　to　form　a　cross。
“Garner　us　with　strength；　and　let　your　dark　light　flow　through　our　earthly　bodies；”　intoned
Marduk　as　he　made　the　incision。　Again；　his　words　and　actions　were　replicated　by　the　chosen　thirty；
and　more　of　the　kathartes　flickered　into　being；　breaching　the　skin　between　the　real　and　the　warp。
“We　give　of　ourselves　unto　you；　oh　great　gods　of　damnation；　and　open　ourselves　as　vessels　to
your　immortal　will；”　said　Marduk；　making　a　third　cut　that　bisected　the　other　two　diagonally。
“With　the　letting　of　this　blood；　we　renew　our　pledge　of　faith　to　the　Legion；　to　Lorgar；　and　to　the
glory　of　Chaos　everlasting；”　said　Marduk；　completing　the　ritual　and　making　the　final　cut　upon　his
face；　forming　the　eight…pointed　star　of　Chaos　upon　his　cheek。
A　flock　of　thirty…two　kathartes　had　gathered　atop　the　Idolater；　silent　witnesses　to　the　conclusion
of　the　ritual。　They　kicked　off　from　their　roost；　and　circled　low　over　the　heads　of　the　Host；　blood
dripping　from　their　skinless　muscles；　and　their　hideous　faces　contorted　as　they　screamed。　Then　they
scattered；　filling　the　air　with　their　raucous　cries；　and　one　by　one　they　flickered　and　disappeared；
rejoining　the　blessed　immaterium。
Again　Marduk　raised　his　arms　up　high；　and　his　vox…assisted　voice　boomed　out　across　the
docking　bay。
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“The　portents　bode　well；　my　brothers；　and　the　true　gods　have　blessed　this　venture；　let　us　go
forth；　and　kill　in　the　name　of　Lorgar。”
“For　Lorgar；”　echoed　the　Host；　their　voices　raised；　and　Marduk　smiled。
“Let’s　get　this　done；”　snapped　Kol　Badar；　and　the　thirty　warriors　boarded　the　Idolater。　Darioq
was　brought　forth　from　a　side…door；　having　been　rightly　excluded　from　bearing　witness　to　the
khantanka　blooding　ritual；　and　was　marched　towards　the　waiting　transport　ship。　Marduk　had
allowed　him　to　reconstruct　his　servo…harness　armatures；　though　he　had　ensured　that　the　weapons
systems　of　the　unit　had　been　stripped；　and　had　personally　branded　an　eight…pointed　star　upon　his
hooded　forehead。
The　First　Acolyte　was　the　last　to　enter　the　transport　ship；　and　the　engines　roared　as　the　boarding
ramp　slammed　shut　behind　him。
“Gods　of　the　ether；　guide　us；”　he　whispered　to　himself。
The　three　Firestorm…class　frigates　of　Battle　Group　Orion　sent　their　sweeps　out　in　front　of　them；
searching　in　vain　for　the　suspected　Astartes　vessel。　Every　scan　came　back　negative；　and　attempts　to
locate　the　ship　through　astrotelepathic　means　proved　equally　fruitless。　It　was　as　if　the　ship　had　never
existed。
“It　could　be　a　ghost…image　from　a　jump　a　thousand　years　ago；”　remarked　the　captain　of　the
Dauntless；　the　lead　ship　of　the　patrol。　“There　is　nothing　out　here。”
With　reports　of　the　escalating　engagement　with　the　tyranid　hive…ships　coming　in　and　eager　not　to
miss　out　on　the　hunting；　the　captain　ordered　the　frigates　to　come　around　and　rejoin　the　rest　of　the
battle　group。
Unseen　and　invisible　in　the　radiation　field　of　the　red　giant；　an　Imperial…class　transport　vessel
blasted　from　the　hangar　decks　of　the　Infidus　Diabolus　and　began　to　make　its　way　across　the　gulf　of
space；　heading　towards　the　Imperial　blockade　and　the　moon　of　Perdus　Skylla　beyond。
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CHAPTER　FOUR
Marduk　felt　his　anger　rising　as　he　stared　out　at　the　Imperial　armada。　He　could　see　dozens　of　ships；
ranging　in　size　from　immense　battleships　bristling　with　weapons　to　small　civilian　transports。　The
warships　were　long；　inelegant　vessels　with　thick　armoured　prows；　like　the　ironclad　ships　that　he　had
once　seen　ploughing　the　oceans　of　the　Imperial　world　of　Katemendor；　before　that　world　had　been
put　to　the　sword。　Cathedral　spires　rose　behind　the　giants’　command　stations；　immense　structures　that
housed　thousands。　Marduk　clenched　his　fists　in　hatred　as　he　looked　upon　the　giant　twin…headed
eagle　effigies　at　the　tops　of　the　spires；　and　snarled　a　benediction　to　the　gods　of　Chaos。
They　glided　by　the　vast　and　silent　Imperial　ships；　and　Marduk　stared　at　the　immense　cannon
batteries；　torpedo　tubes　and　lance　arrays。　If　the　enemy　suspected　them；　they　would　blast　them　to
pieces　in　an　instant；　and　nothing　could　be　done　to　stop　them。　The　shields　of　the　transport　vessel　were
enough　to　protect　it　from　showers　of　small　meteors　and　other　space…born　debris；　but　a　single
broadside　from　even　the　smaller　battle　cruisers　would　easily　overpower　them；　and　the　ship　would　be
ripped　apart。
“This　is　insanity；”　said　Kol　Badar。
“Have　faith；　Coryphaus；”　said　Marduk　mildly；　masking　his　own　unease。
At　the　dawning　of　the　Great　Crusade；　before　the　Warmaster　Horus　had　led　his　divine　crusade
against　the　Emperor　of　Mankind；　the　Legion　had　been　outfitted　with　hundreds　of　Stormbird
gunships；　impressively　armed　and　armoured　transport　ships　that　doubled　as　attack　craft。　Borne
within　the　Stormbirds；　the　Word　Bearers　had　sallied　forth　from　the　docking　bays　of　their　strike
cruisers；　bringing　the　word　of　the　Emperor　to　the　outlying　planets　on　the　fringe　of　the　empire。　As　the
crusade　ground　on；　many　of　the　Stormbirds　were　replaced　with　the　newer　Thunderhawk　gunships；
which　were　less　heavily　armed　and　had　a　smaller　transport　capacity；　but　had　the　benefit　of　being
quicker　and　cheaper　for　the　forge…worlds　to　manufacture。
With　the　advent　of　the　crusade　against　the　Emperor；　the　Adeptus　Mechanicus　forge…worlds　that
had　thrown　their　weight　behind　the　warmaster　produced　more　of　the　Thunderhawks　for　his　Legions；
and　the　Stormbirds　were　all　but　fazed　out　within　the　XVII　Legion。　However；　with　the　shocking
defeat　of　Horus；　and　the　subsequent　retreat　to　the　Eye　of　Terror；　the　majority　of　the　forge…worlds
that　supplied　the　Legions　of　Horus　were　virus　bombed；　and　thus　the　Word　Bearers　Legion　had　no
way　of　replacing　its　lost　attack　craft。
Few　original　Stormbirds　remained　in　service　within　the　34th　Company　Host。　Those　that
remained　had　had　their　hulls　patched　and　repaired　a　hundred　times。　Many　of　the　original
Thunderhawks　were　still　serviceable；　though　they　had　been　altered　and　modified　over　the　millennia
to　fit　the　needs　of　the　Host　and　as　a　response　to　limited　manufactory　facilities。
The　flotilla　had　also　been　increased　with　vessels　stolen　from　enemies。　One　Thunderhawk
gunship；　a　new　model　fresh　from　the　forge…worlds　of　Mars；　had　been　claimed　from　the　loyalist
White　Consuls　Chapter；　out　on　the　fringe　of　the　Cadian　Gate；　and　an　ancient；　near　fatally　damaged
Stormbird　that　had　been　claimed　from　the　cursed　Alpha　Legion　in　a　raid　upon　one　of　their　cult
worlds　was　currently　being　refitted　for　use。
As　well　as　these　original　Astartes…pattern　attack　craft；　there　were　dozens　of　recommissioned
civilian　transports；　assault　boats；　refitted　cargo　ships　and　auxiliary　vessels　that　had　been　captured　by
the　Host；　rearmed　and　armoured　for　use　as　makeshift　assault　craft。　These　had　all　been　modified　and
refitted　by　the　chirumeks　of　the　Host；　and　some　of　them　barely　resembled　their　original　model。
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Marduk　and　his　hand…picked　entourage　of　Word　Bearers　were　aboard　one　of　these　salvaged　and
refitted　vessels　as　they　made　their　way　towards　the　Imperial　moon　of　Perdus　Skylla。
It　was　an　ugly　brute　of　a　ship；　a　squat；　stub…nosed　vessel　that　the　Host　had　crippled　and　boarded
centuries　earlier。　Dubbed　Idolater　by　its　new　owners；　it　had　been　part　of　a　small　convoy　used　by
smugglers　running　the　blockades　of　Imperial　space；　rogue　traders　that　had　been　circumventing
Administratum　taxes　on　the　outskirts　of　the　Maelstrom。　The　Infidus　Diabolus　had　scattered　the
convoy；　emerging　from　the　darkness　behind　a　shattered　planet　and　ripping　two　of　the　ships　apart
with　full　broadsides。　The　Idolater　had　been　crippled　with　lance　strikes；　and　a　single　dreadclaw　had
been　launched　from　the　Infidus　Diabolus。　The　boarding　pod　latched　onto　the　hull　of　the　Idolater　like
a　limpet；　cutting　through　its　armour　with　ease；　and　a　boarding　party　of　Word　Bearers；　led　by　Kol
Badar；　had　stormed　aboard。　The　crew　were　slaughtered；　and　the　reeling　vessel　claimed　by　the　Host。
Marduk　stood　with　Kol　Badar　looking　out　through　the　curved　blister　portal　of　the　bridge　of　the
Idolater。　Behind　them；　serfs　of　the　Host　were　guiding　the　ship　to　its　destination；　directing　it　in
towards　the　Imperial　moon。　They　had　once　been　men；　but　their　humanity　had　all　but　abandoned
them。　Their　flesh　was　stretched　and　covered　in　vile；　cancerous　blemishes　and　the　hands　of　the　pilots
had　become　fused　to　their　controls。　Tears　of　blood　ran　down　their　cheeks。
The　bridge　was　dim；　the　only　light　coming　from　the　crimson…tinged　sensor　screens；　bathing　the
room　in　a　hellish　red　aura。
The　Coryphaus　glared　balefully　out　at　the　Imperial　vessels；　and　he　clenched　and　unclenched　the
bladed　fingers　of　his　power　talon　unconsciously。
“If　they　realise　what　we　are；　all　the　faith　in　the　warp　will　not　save　us；”　he　snarled。
“They　will　not；”　said　Marduk　calmly。　“We　are　but　another　transport　vessel；　aiding　the
evacuation　efforts。”
“Such　deception　is　beneath　us；”　said　Kol　Badar。　“It　belittles　the　Legion。　We　are　the　sons　of
Lorgar；　we　should　not　need　to　conceal　ourselves　from　the　enemy。”
“Were　we　to　have　an　armada　of　our　own；　I　would　joyfully　engage　them；”　said　Marduk；　“but　we
do　not。　Have　patience；　Coryphaus；　we　will　take　the　fight　to　the　cursed　Imperium　soon　enough。”
One　of　the　Imperial　cruisers；　not　one　of　the　larger　vessels　by　any　stretch；　though　it　dwarfed　the
Idolater；　rotated　on　its　axis　and　moved　above　them；　throwing　them　into　deep　shadow　as　it　blotted
out　the　system’s　dying　sun。　Its　port　weapons　batteries　came　level　with　them；　and　Kol　Badar　hissed。
The　cruiser　continued　to　turn；　and　its　weapon　arrays　slid　away　from　the　Idolater。　They　passed
beneath　its　mass；　and　though　hundreds　of　kilometres　of　empty　space　separated　the　two　ships；　it
seemed　that　every　intricate　detail　of　the　cruiser　could　be