Dark Disciple(科幻战争)-第19部分

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bodies　of　men　lay　strewn　around　the　smoking　wrecks；　their　blood　staining　the　snow　beneath　them。
“The　last　known　location　of　the　target　is　here；”　said　Kol　Badar；　indicating　a　position　on　the
schematics　that　appeared　in　flickering　green　lines　upon　the　data…slate。　He　was　seated　within　the
enclosed　space　of　the　second　Land　Raider；　his　hulking　form　filling　the　space　around　him；　making
the　interior　cramped。　He　had　removed　his　tusked　helmet；　and　the　red　lights　of　the　interior　of　the　tank
gave　his　broad　face　a　daemonic　glow。
A　passage　from　the　Book　of　Lorgar　was　etched　upon　the　skin　of　his　right　cheek；　a　gift　cut　from
the　face　of　Jarulek；　back　on　the　Imperial　world　of　Tanakreg　before　the　Dark　Apostle　fell。
Marduk　too　had　borne　a　similar　passage　on　his　cheek；　though　it　had　been　obliterated　when　the
Dark　Apostle　had　shot　half　his　face　off。　He　had　removed　his　skull…faced　helmet　and　stowed　it　in　an
arched　niche　above　his　head；　alongside　a　pair　of　lit　blood…candles；　and　the　dark　outline　of　the　mark
of　Lorgar　was　clearly　visible　on　his　forehead。
Incense　wafted　from　one　of　the　daemon…headed　braziers；　filling　the　air　with　its　cloying　stench。
Marduk　snatched　the　data…slate　from　the　Coryphaus；　and　looked　where　Kol　Badar　had　indicated。
“What　is　this　structure？”　he　asked。
“A　mining　facility；　a　hundred　and　fifty　kilometres　to　the　east。　But　there　is　a　problem。”
“Of　course　there　is；”　spat　Marduk。　“Well？”
“The　mining　facility　is　located　on　the　ocean　floor。　It　is　over　ten　thousand　metres　below　the
surface　of　the　ice。”
“Lorgar’s　blood；”　said　Burias　from　the　other　side　of　the　Land　Raider。　Blood　still　caked　the　icon
bearer’s　lips　and　chin；　and　Marduk　glared　at　him　for　a　moment。
“On　the　ocean　floor；”　he　said。
“That　is　correct；　First　Acolyte；”　replied　Kol　Badar；　“if　the　information　the　magos　extracted　can
be　trusted。”
“It　can；”　said　Marduk。　He　balled　his　right　hand　into　a　fist　and　slammed　it　down　onto　an　armrest
carved　in　the　likeness　of　a　spinal　column。
He　quickly　recovered　his　composure；　and　quoted　from　the　Epistles　of　Kor　Phaeron；　the　revered
Master　of　the　Faith　whom　he　had　served　under　during　the　campaign　on　Calth　fighting　against　the
hated　sons　of　Guilliman。
“‘Through　our　travails　we　journey　further　down　the　blessed　spiral；’”　he　quoted。　“‘Through　pain
and　struggle　and　toil　we　prove　ourselves　before　the　true　gods。　Each　new　obstacle　should　be
welcomed　as　a　test　of　faith；　for　only　the　strong　and　true　walk　the　Eightfold　Path　of　Enlightenment。’”
“Indeed；”　said　Kol　Badar　dryly。
“You　have　formulated　a　battle　order？”　asked　Marduk。　They　had　been　back　within　the　Land
Raiders　for　less　than　fifteen　minutes；　but　he　knew　that　Kol　Badar’s　keen　strategic　mind　would　have
already　concocted　a　dozen　plans　to　ensure　victory　for　the　Host；　each　one　more　complete　than　the
last。
“There　is　an　access　tunnel　beneath　the　ice　here；”　said　the　Coryphaus；　indicating　on　the　schematic
map　with　one　of　his　massive　armoured　fingers。　“It　runs　for　two　hundred　kilometres；　connecting　this
habitation　base　with　a　starport　located　to　the　west。　Air　recycling　hubs　connect　the　tunnel　to　the
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surface　at　intermittent　positions；”　he　said；　stabbing　his　finger　into　the　data…slate　at　several　points
along　the　line　of　the　access　tunnel。　“This　one　is　twenty…five　kilometres　from　the　habitation　base。　We
proceed　to　that　air…recycling　hub　by　Land　Raider；　across　these　ice　flows　here；　and　here；　and
approach　from　the　south。　The　wind　will　be　behind　us；　and　we　should　be　able　to　approach　without
detection；　or　at　least　neutralise　any　resistance　before　a　defence　can　be　established。”
“The　defences　of　this　world　are　pitiful；”　said　Marduk。　“The　majority　of　the　standing　defence
force　has　already　been　vacated。　Darioq…Grendh’al　picked　up　an　incoming　transmission　as　he
gathered　the　information。　The　xenos　invasion　is　expected　to　make　planet…fall　within　the　next　sixtythree
hours。　Sixty…two　hours　now；”　he　corrected。
“Sixty…two　hours；”　said　Kol　Badar。　“This　foolish　mission　cannot　be　achieved　in　sixty…two
hours。”
“Find　a　way；”　retorted　Marduk。
“It　cannot　be　done；”　said　Kol　Badar　hotly。　“It　could　not　be　done　even　were　we　to　encounter　zero
opposition。　I　suggest　that　we　vacate　this　place。　There　is　nothing　of　value　to　our　Legion　here。”
“I　am　not　asking　for　your　council；　Kol　Badar；”　said　Marduk。　“You　are　the　Coryphaus。　You　enact
my　will。　I　am　giving　you　an　order；　make　it　happen。”
“The　xenos　will　have　commenced　their　invasion　before　we　are　back　on　the　surface；”　said　Kol
Badar。
“Explain　to　me　how　that　changes　anything？”　snapped　Marduk；　losing　patience。　“If　they　get　in
our　way；　we　kill　them。　It　is　not　complicated。”
“You　wish　to　be　here　in　the　midst　of　a　full…scale　invasion？　With　less　than　thirty　warriors？”
“That　is　the　voice　of　cowardice；　Kol　Badar；”　said　Marduk；　his　voice　low　and　dangerous。　“You
shame　the　Legion　and　the　position　of　Coryphaus　with　your　fear。”
Kol　Badar’s　eyes　flashed；　and　he　ground　his　teeth；　clenching　his　power　talons。　Burias；　sitting
opposite；　grinned。
“You　go　too　far；　you　whoreson　whelp；”　said　Kol　Badar；　his　eyes　blazing　with　fury。
“Learn　your　place；　Kol　Badar；”　growled　Marduk；　leaning　in　to　the　bigger　warrior　and　snarling　in
his　face。　“Jarulek　is　dead。　I　am　the　power　of　the　Host。　Me！　The　Host　is　mine；　and　mine　alone。　You
are　mine；　and　I　will　discard　you　if　you　prove　of　no　use　to　me。”
Kol　Badar　bared　his　teeth；　and　Marduk　could　see　him　fighting　to　restrain　himself　from　lashing
out。　With　the　fall　of　Jarulek；　there　was　no　question　as　to　who　was　next　in　line。　Marduk；　as　First
Acolyte；　was　rightfully　the　leader　of　the　Host；　at　least　until　such　a　time　as　the　Council　of　Sicarus
deemed　otherwise。
Marduk　knew　Kol　Badar　well。　They　had　fought　alongside　each　other　in　a　thousand　wars　since
the　fall　of　the　Warmaster　Horus；　and　over　that　time　he　had　come　to　understand；　and　despise；　what　he
was。　The　Coryphaus　was　a　deeply　regimented　warrior；　who　clung　to　ordained　command　structures
and　protocols　with　an　almost　holy　fervour。　Marduk　had　always　seen　it　as　a　weakness；　and　had
goaded　the　Coryphaus　regarding　it；　many　times。
“You　should　have　been　born　into　Guilliman’s　Legion；”　he　had　said　on　more　than　one　occasion；
drawing　a　parallel　between　Kol　Badar’s　stifling　adherence　to　command　structures　and　official
stratagems　of　the　puritanical　weaklings　of　the　Ultramarines。
Doubtless；　there　was　a　certain　strength　in　Kol　Badar’s　dogmatism。　The　Coryphaus　had
commanded　the　Host　in　battle　thousands　of　times；　and　his　understanding　of　the　ebb　and　flow　of
combat；　when　to　push　forward　and　when　to　pull　back；　was　second　to　none。　In　truth；　Marduk　had
come　to　value　the　keen；　perhaps　brilliant；　strategic　mind　of　the　Coryphaus；　though　his　refusal　to
adopt　more　unconventional　tactics　was　infuriating　at　times。
For　all　that；　Marduk　felt　assured　that　if　he　pushed　home　his　unquestionable　position　in　the
hierarchy　of　the　Host；　then　the　Coryphaus　would　back　down。　After　ten　thousand　years　of　adherence
to　strict　military　hierarchy；　Kol　Badar　would　be　lost　to　madness　and　insanity　were　he　to　abandon　it。
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Respect　can　wait；　thought　Marduk。　For　now；　it　is　enough　that　he　does　what　I　wish。
“I　am　the　leader　of　the　Host；”　continued　Marduk；　still　staring　into　Kol　Badar’s　eyes；　“and　you
will　obey　my　will。”
Marduk　felt　the　power　of　Chaos　build　within　him；　as　if　the　gods　of　the　immaterium　were
pleased。　Things　writhed　painfully　beneath　the　skin　of　his　skull；　and　he　smiled　as　he　saw　Kol　Badar’s
eyes　widen。
“Never　question　me；　Kol　Badar；”　said　Marduk　evenly。　“Continue。”
Kol　Badar’s　thick　jaw　tensed；　but　he　lowered　his　gaze　from　Marduk’s；　and　stabbed　a　finger
towards　the　schematic　in　his　hands。
“We　use　that　hub　to　gain　entry　to　the　tunnel；　and　proceed　along　the　access　way　into　the　heart　of
the　hab…station。　We　secure　one　of　the　lifts　located　here；”　he　growled；　pointing；　“which　will　take　us　to
the　mining　facility　on　the　ocean　floor。　This　here；”　he　said；　zooming　in　on　the　data…slate；　through
dozens　of　floors　and　focusing　on　a　specific　part　of　the　mining　facility；　“is　the　last　recorded　location
of　the　explorator。　The　hulk　crashed　to　the　ocean　floor　around　twelve　kilometres　distant　from　the
facility。　Here；　the　explorator　boarded　a　maintenance　submersible　to　investigate　the　wreck。　He　never
returned。　I　would　surmise　that　the　explorator　fool　is　still　within　the　hulk；　or　dead。”
Marduk　nodded。
“Fine；”　he　said。
“I　still　say　this　is　a　fool’s　errand；”　said　Kol　Badar。
“Your　opinion　has　been　duly　noted；　Coryphaus；”　said　Marduk。　“Now；　pass　the　word。　We　move
on　that　air　recycling　hub。”
Approaching　the　air　recycling　station　unobserved　had　been　pathetically　easy。　The　armed　forces　of
the　moon　were　virtually　non…existent；　most　of　them　having　already　been　evacuated；　and　the　one
patrol　they　had　encountered　on　the　ice　flows　had　been　destroyed　with　consummate　ease。
It　was　insulting；　Kol　Badar　thought　as　he　had　killed。
Clouds　of　steam　rose　from　the　turbine　vents　that　cycled　air　into　the　tunnels　deep　in　the　ice
below；　and　the　hub　station　had　been　protected　merely　by　thick　rockcrete　walls　and　a　reinforced　door；
half　buried　in　the　snow。　There　were　no　guards　posted　on　its　walls。
There　had　been　no　sign　of　a　living　presence　at　all；　cowering　inside　against　the　storm　like
frightened　rodents；　Kol　Badar　had　correctly　surmised。
He　had　ripped　the　door　from　its　hinges　and　hurled　it　away；　before　stalking　into　the　interior　of　the
complex。　The　Land　Raiders　were　situated　half　a　kilometre　away；　hidden　completely　in　the　storm；
where　they　would　remain　until　this　fool’s　errand　of　a　task　was　completed。
He　had　been　angry　when　the　first　shouts　of　warning　from　the　Imperials　within　the　complex　had
reached　his　ears；　and　he　stormed　into　their　midst；　ripping　them　apart　with　concentrated　bursts　of　his
combi…bolter；　tearing　arms　from　sockets　with　his　power　talon。
It　had　taken　only　minutes　to　gain　control　of　the　facility。
It　was　strange；　though；　it　appeared　that　the　enemy　had　known　they　were　coming；　and　prepared
some　hasty　defences。　No；　that　was　not　correct。　They　knew　something　was　coming；　but　they　had　not
barricaded　the　door　out　onto　the　ice；　but　rather；　the　entrance　to　the　stairwell　that　led　down　to　the
access　tunnel　fifty　metres　below；　as　if　they　expected　an　attack　from　there。
“Don’t　try　to　understand　them；”　he　reminded　himself。　“They　are　heathen；　blinded　fools。　Their
ways　are　madness。”
Kol　Badar　levelled　his　combi…bolter　at　the　last　of　the　civilian　workers。　The　man　was　breathing
hard；　staring　up　at　the　towering　Terminator…armoured　warrior　in　abject　terror。
A　waste　of　ammunition；　the　Coryphaus　decided；　and　lifted　the　barrel　of　his　weapon　from　the
target。　A　flash　of　hope　reared　in　the　Imperial　citizen’s　eyes；　but　that　was　extinguished　quickly　as　Kol
Badar　stepped　menacingly　towards　him。
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“Please；　no；”　wailed　the　man；　shaking　his　head　as　the　Coryphaus　loomed　above　him。
Kol　Badar　grabbed　the　man　around　one　shoulder；　power　talons　digging　deep　into　flesh。　Then　he
slammed　the　pistol…grip　butt　of　his　combi…bolter　into　his　face；　splintering　his　nose。　The　man’s　skull
was　caved　inwards　by　the　shocking　blow；　killing　him　instantly；　but　the　Coryphaus　continued　to
strike；　until　the　man’s　face　was　an　unreco