Dark Disciple(科幻战争)-第11部分

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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　made　out。　It　felt　close　enough　that　Marduk
had　but　to　reach　out　his　hand　to　touch　it；　and　he　wondered　if　people　aboard　it　looked　even　now　upon
the　Idolater。　Did　any　of　them　realise　that　their　mortal　enemy　was　passing　beneath　them　so　close？
The　shadow　of　the　cruiser　passed；　and　Marduk　nodded　his　head　to　the　Coryphaus。　Kol　Badar
barked　an　order；　and　the　Idolater　turned　onto　a　new　bearing。　The　engines　were　fed　more　power；　and
the　ship　pushed　through　the　blockade　of　the　Imperial　cordon　and　began　to　power　towards　Perdus
Skylla。
It　looked　so　insignificant　from　here：　a　tiny　white　moon　circling　in　the　orbit　of　a　green　gas　giant。
“Five　hours　until　planetfall；”　said　Kol　Badar；　consulting　a　glowing　data…slate　built　into　the
command　array　of　the　bridge。
“See　that　the　warrior　brothers　are　ready。　I　want　to　move　out　as　soon　as　the　landing　is　made；”　said
Marduk；　not　looking　at　the　Coryphaus。
Kol　Badar’s　lips　curled　back；　and　his　ancient　eyes　burrowed　into　Marduk’s　face。
“What？”　asked　Marduk；　turning　to　face　the　larger　warrior　brother。　“I　am　your　master　now；　Kol
Badar。　Be　a　good　dog　and　do　as　you　are　told。”
Kol　Badar　struck　with　a　speed　that　belied　the　bulk　of　his　Terminator　armour；　wrapping　his
power　talons　around　Marduk’s　throat；　his　eyes　blazing　in　fury。
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Marduk　laughed　in　his　face。
“Do　it；”　he　barked。　“Do　it；　and　be　cursed　by　Lorgar。”
Kol　Badar　released　Marduk　with　a　shove。
“Know　your　place；　Kol　Badar。　Jarulek　is　dead。　This　Host　is　mine　now；　mine　alone；”　said
Marduk。　“Just　as　you　are　mine。”
“The　Council　of　Sicarus　will　repudiate　your　claim　over　the　Host；”　growled　Kol　Badar。　“They
will　strip　you　of　your　brotherhood；　flay　the　flesh　from　your　bones　and　have　your　eyes　burnt　from
your　sockets。　Bloody　and　blind；　you　will　be　cast　out　into　the　corpse…plains；　where　the　souls　of　the
condemned　will　torment　you；　and　the　kathartes　will　strip　the　muscles　from　your　limbs。　You　will
wander　in　agony　for　ten　thousand　years；　unable　to　die；　your　mortal　body　a　wretched　shell；　your　soul
stripped　and　gnawed　upon　by　the　denizens　of　the　darkness。　All　this　awaits　you；　Marduk。　Such　is　the
punishment　for　one　who　plots　against　his　Dark　Apostle。”
“Jarulek　groomed　me　as　a　sacrifice；”　said　Marduk；　“and　I　know　that　you　were　party　to　his
schemes；　but　I　do　not　hold　a　grudge　against　you　for　that；　you　were　following　your　Dark　Apostle’s
orders。　The　gods　of　Chaos　chose　for　Jarulek　to　fall；　however；　and　for　me　to　flourish。　They
abandoned　him　in　favour　of　me。”
“You　fear　to　return　there；　and　that　is　why　we　have　not　gone　back；”　said　Kol　Badar。
Marduk　laughed；　genuinely　surprised。
“I　fear　to　return　there？　I　think　not；　my　Coryphaus。　I　yearn　to　return；　but　I　will　not　return　without
the　secrets　of　the　Nexus　unlocked。　I　thought　that　you　merely　wanted　me　to　return　a　failure；　with　a
lifeless　hunk　of　xenos　metal；　with　no　knowledge　of　what　it　did　or　how　it　is　activated。　I　had　no　idea
that　you　thought　that　the　council　would　punish　me。　Punish　me？”　Marduk　laughed。　“The　council　will
honour　me。”
“You　are　a　dreamer　and　a　fool；　then；”　said　Kol　Badar；　turning　away。
Marduk　moved　in　front　of　the　Coryphaus；　standing　in　his　way。　He　stared　up　at　the　older　warrior；
the　light　of　fanaticism　in　his　eyes。
“Look　into　my　eyes；　Kol　Badar；　and　tell　me　that　the　gods　do　not　favour　me。　Ever　since　we　left
Tanakreg；　I　have　felt　their　favour　upon　me。　My　skin　is　crawling　with　their　power。　I　can　feel　it
writhing　within　me。”
Something　moved　beneath　the　skin　of　Marduk’s　face。
“I　am　the　favoured　of　Lorgar；　and　the　council　will　embrace　me。　Tell　me　that　you　do　not　see　the
gods’　favour　upon　me。　Even　you；　who　can　barely　feel　the　touch　of　the　warp　or　the　gods；　must　surely
sense　my　growing　favour。　Tell　me　that　you　cannot。”
Kol　Badar　clenched　his　jaw；　his　eyes　blazing　with　fury；　but　he　did　not　speak。　Marduk　laughed
softly。
“You　do　sense　it　then；”　he　said；　as　the　Coryphaus　stalked　past　him。　Kol　Badar　barged　his
shoulder　into　Marduk　as　he　passed；　knocking　the　smaller　man　aside；　but　Marduk　merely　laughed
again。
The　Coryphaus　turned　at　the　doorway。
“Maybe　you　could　trick　the　council；”　he　said；　“but　you　have　to　make　it　there　alive　first。”
The　armoured　nose　of　the　Idolator　glowed　red　hot　as　the　ship　screamed　down　towards　the　surface　of
Perdus　Skylla。
“Unto　those　who　in　ignorance　and　stubbornness　refuse　the　Word；　bring　the　fires　of　hell。　Sunder
their　flesh；　and　burn　them　of　their　impurity。　Take　vengeance　upon　them　for　their　failings；　and　teach
them　the　weakness　of　their　false　idols；”　roared　Marduk；　the　vox…amplifiers　built　into　his　skull…faced
helmet　booming　his　words　through　the　enclosed　space　of　the　transport。　“Thus　spoke　Lorgar；　and　so
it　shall　be　done。　Open　their　veins　that　the　truth　might　enter　them。　Cut　upon　them　and　let　their　blood
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flow。　With　holy　bolter　and　chainsword　we　shall　slaughter　the　unbelievers；　and　usher　the　word　of
truth　into　the　world！”
Strapped　into　their　harness　restraints；　the　warriors　of　the　Host　roared　their　approval　as　the　Gforces
assailed　them；　the　words　of　their　holy　leader　fuelling　their　hatred　and　religious　fervour。
“No　mercy；　no　remorse；”　barked　Marduk。　“Such　things　are　for　weaklings。　We　are　the　faithful；
Lorgar’s　chosen！　None　shall　stand　against　us。　Give　praise　to　the　gods　of　Chaos　as　you　kill。　Death
will　be　our　herald；　and　all　who　look　upon　us　will　know　fear。”
The　Idolater　broke　through　the　upper　atmosphere　of　Perdus　Skylla；　streaking　down　through　the
darkness　like　a　fiery　comet　from　the　heavens。
“Let　us　pray；　brothers　of　the　Host；　and　let　the　gods　bear　witness　to　our　eulogies　and　bless　us　with
their　holy　strength；”　bellowed　Marduk。　“Great　powers　of　the　warp；　guide　the　arms　of　your　servants
that　they　might　let　the　blood　of　your　enemies　in　your　honour。　Gird　us　with　the　strength　and　fortitude
to　do　your　bidding；　and　let　our　faith　protect　us　from　the　blows　of　the　faithless。　Let　your　dark　light
shine　upon　us；　filling　us　with　purpose　and　belief。　With　thanks；　we　give　ourselves　unto　you；　pledging
body　and　soul　to　your　glory；　for　now　and　for　time　immaterial。　Glory　be。”
“Glory　be；”　came　the　response　from　the　warriors　of　the　Host；　led　by　Kol　Badar。
“And　unto　those　who　would　do　harm　to　your　faithful　servants；”　said　Marduk；　locking　eyes　with
Kol　Badar；　“bring　an　eternity　of　torment　and　pain。”
The　Idolator　continued　its　descent　until；　after　several　minutes；　the　relentless　g…forces　began　to
ease　and　the　transport　started　to　level　out。　Flying　low；　it　screamed　across　the　frozen　wasteland；
kicking　up　a　great　turbulence　of　snow　and　ice　in　its　wake。　Powerful　winds　rocked　the　transport；
jolting　its　occupants　from　side　to　side；　as　it　roared　into　the　face　of　a　fierce　ice　storm。　Sudden　drops
in　pressure　and　blasts　of　wind　made　the　Idolator　rise　and　fall　by　ten　metres　at　a　time；　threatening　to
slam　the　ship　into　the　ice　crust　at　any　moment。
Marduk　grinned　fiercely；　exposing　sharpened　teeth。　Adrenaline　pumped　through　his　system。
Kol　Badar　had　plotted　the　approach　course　that　the　Idolator　was　now　following　with　keen
tactical　acumen。　They　had　entered　the　atmosphere　along　the　equatorial　belt　of　the　moon；　four
thousand　kilometres　from　the　closest　Imperial　listening　post；　and　they　were　now　approaching　the
northern　polar　cap　on　the　lee　side　of　the　moon；　under　the　cover　of　darkness。　The　Imperials　were
based　solely　at　the　extreme　northern　and　southern　tips　of　the　moon；　where　they　had　mining　colonies；
starports　and　fortress　bastions。　Immense　defence　lasers　protected　these　settlements；　each　of　which
Kol　Badar　had　estimated　consisted　of　between　eight　and　twelve　million　people；　living　beneath　the
ice。
Virtually　nothing　lived　on　the　surface；　its　conditions　too　severe　to　maintain　life　or　even　any
permanent　structures　other　than　the　bastions。　Even　the　starports　were　carved　into　the　ice。　Reinforced
titanium　roof　structures　covered　the　circular　starports；　protecting　them　and　the　vessels　within　from
the　harshest　of　weather　conditions；　and　those　roofs　would　open　like　the　petals　of　a　flower　to　allow
transport　vessels　and　freighters　to　dock。
From　the　information　garnered　from　the　Adeptus　Mechanicus　archive　on　Kharion　IV；　the　most
recent　location　of　the　explorator　who　held　the　secrets　of　the　device　had　been　ascertained；　and　it　was
towards　this　bastion　station　that　the　Idolator　was　bound。
They　would　get　as　close　as　they　were　able　to　the　Imperial　bastion；　flying　low　across　the
windswept　landscape　and　using　the　sweep…jamming　ice　storms　to　conceal　their　approach。　Kol　Badar
had　factored　in　the　swirling　eddies　of　low　pressure；　continent　sized　cyclones　that　wracked　the　empty
wasteland；　in　order　to　further　conceal　their　approach；　though　he　had　loudly　voiced　his　displeasure　at
such　subterfuge。
Regardless　of　the　Coryphaus’s　misgivings；　Marduk　could　not　fault　Kol　Badar’s　execution。　They
would　be　upon　the　bastion　long　before　their　presence　was　known；　and　it　would　be　a　simple　matter　of
breaching　its　defences　and　locating　the　custodian。　The　portents　had　boded　well；　and　Marduk　felt
assured　that　it　would　be　a　simple　undertaking。
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He　freed　the　restraints　that　locked　him　to　his　seat；　and　stood　up；　easily　compensating　for　the　roll
of　the　transport　as　it　was　buffeted　by　howling　winds。　Stretching　out　his　shoulders；　his　gaze　wandered
up　the　rows　of　seated　Word　Bearers；　assessing　them　each　in　turn。
Khalaxis’s　teeth　were　bared；　his　aggressive　nature　mirrored　in　the　expressions　of　his　members　of
the　17th　coterie。　He　jerked　his　head　to　the　side；　flicking　his　braided　hair　out　of　his　eyes；
concentrating　on　his　knife　as　it　carved　into　his　flesh。　He　and　his　warriors　had　removed　their　left
vambraces　and　were　cutting　ritualistic　slashes　across　their　forearms。　Always　the　first　into　any
breach；　and　the　last　to　be　extracted；　his　warriors　were　lethal　combatants　all。
Namar…sin；　in　stark　comparison　to　Khalaxis；　was　composed　and　silent；　though　his　one　eye
gleamed　with　a　fervour　no　less　passionate　than　Khalaxis’s。　His　Havocs　were　dutifully　tending　their
weapons；　apparently　oblivious　to　the　shuddering　transport　and　the　roar　of　the　engines。　They　went
about　their　duties　with　utter　focus；　silently　incanting　benedictions　of　the　dark　gods　upon　their
revered　heavy　weapons。
Brother　Sabtec’s　face　was　serious；　his　stoic　demeanour　familiar　and　unwavering；　and　he　led　the
hallowed　13th　coterie　in　a　low　chant　as　they　checked　over　their　life…systems；　and　ensured　that
grenades；　spare　ammunition　clips　and　devotional　chapbooks　were　secured　at　their　sides。
The　final　coterie；　Kol　Badar’s　veteran　Anointed；　glared　ahead　blankly；　their　expressions　grim。
Their　faces　were　covered　in　ritual　tattoos　and　each　in　turn　lowered　his　head　in　deference　as　Marduk
looked　upon　them。
Burias　was　looking　at　his　hand　as　the　fingers　fused　and　elongated　into　talons；　before　he　forced
the　daemon　Drak’shal　back　and　his　hand　took　on　its　natural　form　once　more。　Marduk　realised　that
his　control　over　the　daemon　was　growing。　Often　the　possessed　would　become　little　more　than
screaming　wretches；　their　will　enslaved　to　one　of　the　myriad　entities　that　inhabited　the　warp；　but
Burias’s　mastery　ove