Dark Disciple(科幻战争)-第2部分

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built　into　the　left　hemisphere　of　his　brain…unit　registered　and　recorded　the　flow　of　data。
The　information　was　quickly　processed　and　Machion…Dex　blew　out　a　slow　intake　of　breath；
impressed。　With　a　click　of　a　button　he　dismissed　the　stream　of　information　from　the　screen。
“Deactivate　weapon　hardware；”　he　said；　and　the　heavy　flamer　units　went　off…line；　their　pilot
lights　cutting　out。　They　turned　away　from　their　targets　and　retracted　back　into　their　housings。
Machion…Dex　cleared　his　throat　and　leant　forward　to　speak　once　more　into　the　vox…unit。
“Access　granted；　Tech…Magos　Darioq。　Welcome　to　Kharion　IV。”
Magos　Darioq　stood　stock　still；　his　features　hidden　in　the　darkness　beneath　his　hood　as　the　blast
doors　were　opened。　Steam　from　the　disengaging　lock　mechanisms　vented　around　him。
“Revered　magos；”　said　the　procurator；　bowing　his　head　and　touching　his　fingers　to　the　symbol　of
the　Adeptus　Mechanicus；　“your　visit　is　most　unexpected。”
Darioq　remained　motionless　as　his　four　companions　jerked　into　motion；　marching　suddenly
forwards。　Each　of　them　stood　almost　two　and　a　half　metres　in　height；　and　their　massive　shoulders
were　twice　as　wide　as　the　procurator’s。
8
Machion…Dex’s　eyes　flicked　between　the　intimidating　figures　in　alarm。　He　had　thought　them
combat　servitors；　but　he　saw　now　that　their　movements　were　arrogant　and　self…assured；　far　from　the
ungainly；　stilted　gait　of　a　servitor。
Robes　were　thrown　aside　and　archaic　bolters　raised；　and　before　the　skitarii　warriors’　targeting
arrays　registered　a　threat；　the　first　of　the　weapons　began　to　roar。
Fire　burst　from　the　barrels　of　the　ancient　weapons。　The　sound　was　deafening；　filling　the　enclosed
space　and　echoing　painfully　off　the　walls。　Fully　half　the　skitarii　were　destroyed　in　an　instant　as　high
explosive　shells　tore　through　their　bodies；　ripping　them　apart　in　bloody　explosions　of　armour　and
flesh。
Machion…Dex　stumbled　backwards；　falling　to　the　ground；　his　face　a　mask　of　horror　as　he　gazed
upon　the　massive；　augmented　beings。　Their　armour；　inscribed　with　heretical　symbols　and　litanies；
was　the　deep　red　of　congealed　blood；　and　they　fired　with　controlled　discipline；　eliminating　each
target　with　practiced　efficiency。
The　remaining　skitarii　brought　their　hellguns　to　bear；　energy　capacitors　humming　as　the
weapons　surged　into　life。　Electric…blue　las…beams　stabbed　from　the　barrels　of　their　guns；　knocking
one　of　the　towering　warriors　back　a　step；　searing　holes　through　his　robe　and　leaving　smoking　black
impacts　on　his　armour。
Two　more　of　the　skitarii　were　cut　down；　one　of　them　spinning　as　a　bolt　slammed　into　his
shoulder　and　exploded；　severing　its　arm　and　leaving　a　gory　head…sized　hole　in　its　torso。　A　bolt　round
detonated　in　the　brainpan　of　the　other　and　its　head　exploded；　spraying　blood；　brain　matter　and
splinters　of　skull　in　all　directions。
A　las…blast　struck　one　of　the　warriors　in　the　helmet；　jolting　his　head　backwards。　With　a　snarl　of
anger；　he　ripped　the　skitarii　apart　with　his　return　fire。
The　firefight　was　over　in　seconds。　The　acrid　smell　of　gunfire　rose　from　smoking；　silent　barrels；
and　two　of　the　giant　warriors　moved　in　to　inspect　the　kills。　One　of　the　skitarii；　who　had　been　cut　in
half　by　a　burst　of　gunfire；　was　still　twitching。　His　movements　were　halted　as　a　heavy　armoured　boot
slammed　down　on　its　head；　crushing　its　skull　like　a　nut　beneath　a　hammer。
Machion…Dex　lay　on　his　back；　his　breath　coming　in　short　gasps　as　he　stared　up　at　the　terrifying
figures。　Each　was　massive；　their　every　movement　filled　with　power；　and　their　inscrutable；　Heresyera
Astartes　helmets　extensively　modified　to　make　them　all　the　more　fearsome　in　appearance。　One
had　been　fashioned　in　the　likeness　of　a　snarling　daemon；　and　others　had　fierce　sets　of　curving　horns
and　tusks　that　gave　them　a　brutal；　barbaric　look。
One　wore　no　helmet　at　all；　but　its　true　face　was　far　more　terrifying　than　any　of　the　helmets。　The
left　side　was　a　mess　of　scar　tissue　and　augmetics；　and　its　skin　was　so　pale　as　to　be　translucent；　blue
veins　could　be　seen　within　its　flesh。　A　lidless；　baleful　red　orb　had　replaced　its　left　eye；　and　an
infernal　glyph　of　the　ruinous　powers　was　emblazoned　prominently　in　the　centre　of　its　forehead。　The
figure　snarled　down　at　him；　lips　pulling　back　to　expose　sharpened　teeth。
“Area　secure；”　growled　one　of　the　warriors；　and　the　one　standing　over　Machion…Dex　nodded；　not
taking　his　eyes　from　the　procurator。
“The　location　of　the　target　will　be　found　here；　Enslaved？”　he　said　over　his　shoulder；　his　voice
filled　with　power　and　authority。
“That　is　correct；　Marduk；　First　Acolyte　of　the　Word　Bearers　Legion　of　Astartes；　genetic
descendant　of　the　traitor　Primarch　Lorgar；”　replied　Magos　Darioq　in　his　monotone　voice。
“Then　let’s　get　this　done；”　replied　Marduk。　He　stepped　towards　the　cowering　form　of　Procurator
Machion…Dex；　and　looked　down　at　the　terrified　man。
“Do　you　need　this　one？”　he　asked　over　his　shoulder。
“His　continued　existence　is　not　required　in　order　to　retrieve　the　information　held　within　the
logic…centres　of　this　installation；”　replied　the　magos。
Procurator　Machion…Dex　gasped　and　began　to　scramble　backwards；　desperate　to　get　away　from
the　image　of　death　looming　over　him。
9
Marduk’s　bolt　pistol　was　levelled　at　the　procurator’s　head　and　he　froze。
“No；”　begged　the　man。　“Omnissiah；　protect　your　servant。”
Marduk　smirked。
“Your　profane　god　does　not　heed　your　ay；　heathen；”　said　Marduk。　“You　have　devoted　your
entire；　pathetic；　worthless　life　to　the　worship　of　a　false　deity；　a　silent；　profane　image　of　the
unbelievers。　I　will　show　you　the　path　to　the　true　gods。　In　death；　you　will　bear　witness　to　the　glory　of
the　true　gods。　They　will　feed　upon　your　soul；　and　you　will　cry　out　in　your　torment。　Embrace　it；　little
man。　Embrace　your　damnation。”
He　shot　the　procurator　in　the　head；　and　blood　and　gore　splashed　across　the　grilled　floor。　“Glory
be　to　the　true　gods；”　declared　Marduk。
Marduk　stood　with　his　arms　folded；　deep　in　the　bowels　of　Kharion　IV。　He　stood　upon　a　grilled
gantry　within　the　hollowed　core　of　the　asteroid；　a　massive　pillar　of　machinery　rising　from　the
roughly　hewn　floor　before　him；　glittering　with　lights　and　dials。
The　magos　stood　before　the　humming　pillar；　fluid　leaking　from　the　severed　input…jacks　in　his
spine。　He　was　connected　to　the　pillar　by　the　one　mechadendrite　tentacle　that　had　been　re…grafted　to
his　body；　and　his　pallid；　dead　lips　twitched　as　he　extracted　information　from　the　heart　of　the
installation’s　data…library。
At　last；　the　flexible　tendril　was　retracted；　and　Magos　Darioq　jerked　spasmodically　as　the
connection　was　severed。
“Well？”　growled　Marduk。
“I　have　disabled　the　automated　defence　system　that　protects　the　installation；”　said　Magos
Darioq；　“and　initiated　the　self…destruct　mechanism；　so　that　our　presence　will　not　be　transmitted　to
the　god…cogitators　of　Mars。”
“Good；”　said　Marduk。　He　grabbed　the　waving　mechadendrite　tentacle　with　a　violent　motion　and
gave　it　a　solid　wrench。　It　was　ripped　from　the　magos’s　spinal　column；　writhing　in　his　hand　like　a
serpent。　Darioq　touth。
“You　have　the　information　we　need？”　asked　Marduk；　ignoring　the　mixture　of　blood；　oil　and
protein…fluid　that　dripped　from　the　thrashing　mechadendrite　onto　his　boots。
“That　is　correct；　Marduk；　First　Acolyte　of　the　Word　Bearers　Legion　of　Astartes；　genetic
descendant　of　the　traitor　Primarch　Lorgar；”　replied　the　magos。　“I　have　identified　the　location　of　the
one　in　whom　the　forbidden　knowledge　of　xenos　tech　devices　is　installed。　With　this　knowledge
obtained；　Darioq　will　be　able　to　unlock　the　xenos　tech　device。”
It　onic　essence　growing　within　the　magos　that　he　had　begun　to
refer　to　himself　in　the　third　person。　Marduk　found　this　amusing；　but　at　this　moment　he　was
concentrating　fully　on　the　words　of　the　corrupted　magos。
That　the　magos　had　not　been　able　to　unlock　the　device　himself　was　infuriating；　but　it　seemed
that　he　could　do　little　other　than　find　the　one　of　whom　it　spoke。
“Where？”　snapped　Marduk　in　impatience。
Beneath　the　surface　of　Perdus　Skylla；　tens　of　thousands　of　people　surged　down　access　tunnel　25X1；
a　never…ending　stream　of　humanity；　desperate　and　fearful。
They　were　crushed　together　like　animals　being　led　to　the　slaughter；　and　the　air；　stale　and　hot；
was　filled　with　shouts　and　curses。
Mothers　clutched　wailing　children　to　their　chests；　and　men　barked　at　each　other；　pushing　and
shoving。　Some　stumbled　and　were　trampled　underfoot；　while　others　were　pressed　against　the
rockcrete　walls；　crushed　by　the　relentlessly　driving　push　of　humanity。　Others　fainted；　overcome　by
the　heat　and　the　lack　of　oxygen。　The　crowd　was　so　tightly　packed　that；　unable　to　fall；　their　limp
bodies　were　carried　along　in　the　suffocating　press。
10
The　stink　of　sweat　and　oil　was　heavy；　the　turbines　of　the　labouring　air　recycling　units　unable　to
cope　。　The　rockcrete　ceiling；　above　which　was　half　a　kilometre　of
solid　ice；　pressed　down　oppressively。
The　access　tunnel　was　some　forty　metres　wide　and　bisected　by　barriers　and　rockcrete　pillars。
Beyond　these　barriers；　traversing　down　the　centre　of　the　corridor；　was　a　sunken　area　of　open　space
in　which　wide…gauged　tracks　were　embedded。　People　pushed；　shoved　and　cried　out　as　they　were
carried　along　the　platforms　on　either　side　of　the　rail　tracks。
With　a　blast　of　solid　displaced　air；　a　high…speed　automated　carriage　sped　by；　gushing
superheated　steam　and　making　the　access　corridor　reverberate　as　it　screamed　along　the　slick；　steel
tracks。　Knocked　back　a　step　by　the　force　of　the　conveyance；　people　covered　their　eyes　and　gazed
ruefully　at　the　mirrored　sides　of　the　carriage　as　it　passed。　Only　the　wealthy　guild　masters　and　their
staff　had　the　funds　and　access　privileges　to　use　the　highspeed　conveyances。
It　was　a　two　hundred　kilometre　journey　to　Phorcys；　the　sole　starport　off　Perdus　Skylla　within
five　thousand　kilometres。　Access　tunnel　25X1　was　the　only　link　between　Antithon　Guild　and
Phorcys；　unless　one　wished　to　traverse　across　the　frozen　surface　of　the　moon。　Few　ventured　up　to
the　inhospitable　surface　of　Perdus　Skylla　other　than　outcasts；　those　unlucky　enough　not　to　be　born
into　any　of　the　great　guild…houses；　or　who　had　been　exiled　from　them　for　serious　infractions。
Twelve　other　mining　guilds　were　connected　to　Phorcys；　each　of　the　proud　guilds　situated　around
the　starport　like　the　points　of　a　compass　and　connected　by　artery　tunnels　like　the　spokes　of　a　great
wheel。
Most　of　the　people　of　Antithon　Guild　had　never　left　the　hab…blisters　deep　in　the　ice　other　than　to
commute　to　the　mining　facilities　some　five　thousand　kilometres　below。　Fewer　still　had　been　to
Phorcys；　and　few　amongst　the　tide　of　humanity　had　any　real　understanding　of　the　distance　involved。
To　them；　Antithon　Guild　and　its　environs　was　their　world　and　universe；　harsh　and　uncompromising；
but　familiar　and　safe；　and　they　had　no　need　to　know　of　anything　beyond　its　boundaries。
Or　at　least　it　had　been　safe　until　the　first　of　the　sirens　had　begun　to　wail　and　the　pict　broadcasts
had　declared　that　Perdus　Skylla　was　being　evacuated。
No　reason　for　the　evacuation　had　been　issued　from　the　guildmaster　general’s　office；　and　the
twenty…three　million　strong　population　of　the　moon　had　been　in　shock。　Shock　had　quickly
descended　into　pa