Dark Disciple(科幻战争)-第23部分

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horror。　There　was　a　rapid　sound　like　air　being　expelled；　and　one　of　the　men　collapsed；　his　left　leg
peppered　with　tiny　splinters　that　tore　through　his　overalls　and　the　flesh　beneath。　The　other　man
turned　to　run；　but　he　was　too　slow　and　splinters　shredded　his　legs　from　under　him。　His　agonised
scream　followed　Solon　as　he　ran　into　the　engine　room；　slamming　his　shoulder　against　the　wall　as　he
rounded　a　sharp　corner。
The　massive　twin…engines　were　silent；　and　he　raced　between　them；　his　heavy　boots　echoing
loudly。　Steam　billowed　up　from　beneath　the　walkway　grid；　where　the　massive　drive　shafts　and　gears
of　the　crawler　lay　dormant　and　motionless。　He　swung　around　to　the　right；　and　grabbed　the　metal
rungs　of　a　narrow　ladder　that　climbed　one　of　the　inner…hull　walls。
“Hold　on；　boy；”　he　said；　and　the　child　tightened　his　grip；　clinging　to　Solon　like　a　limpet。　With
his　arms　free；　Solon　pulled　himself　up　the　ladder；　expecting　at　any　moment　to　be　cut　to　shreds　by　the
enemy。
Half　way　up；　he　leant　out　from　the　ladder　and　tried　to　loosen　the　access　hatch　that　led　out　to　the
exhaust　stacks。　The　circular　wheel…lock　wouldn’t　budge。
“Come　on；　damn　you；”　Solon　hissed；　casting　a　quick　glance　towards　the　entrance　to　the　engine
room　as　another　strangled　cry　echoed　down　the　hall。　His　hands　were　slipping　on　the　wheel；　and　he
strained　with　all　his　might　to　turn　it。　His　face　was　red　with　exertion；　and　he　had　almost　given　up
hope　when　he　felt　the　hatch　lock　give　a　little。　With　renewed　strength；　he　yanked　the　wheel　into　the
unlocked　position；　and　pushed　it　outwards。
Snow　billowed　in　through　the　hatch；　blinding　him　for　a　second；　before　Solon　urged　the　boy
through　the　hole。
“Go；　boy。　Now！　I’ll　be　right　behind　you；”　he　said　in　a　hoarse　whisper；　casting　a　quick　glance
behind　him。　A　shadow　was　stalking　into　the　engine　room；　a　bladed　pistol　of　alien　design　in　its　hand。
Solon　pushed　the　boy　through　the　hatch；　receiving　a　kick　in　his　face　for　his　troubles；　almost
making　him　lose　his　grip　on　the　ladder。　With　a　shove；　he　pushed　the　boy　clear；　and　scrambled　his
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way　through　the　hatch。　His　hands　slipped　on　the　ice…encased　metal　exterior　of　the　crawler；　and　he
could　not　get　any　purchase。　He　kicked　his　legs　awkwardly；　half　in　the　hatch　and　half　out；　expecting
a　hand　to　grab　him　at　any　moment　and　drag　him　back　inside。　The　boy　tugged　at　his　arm
ineffectually。
Awkwardly；　he　managed　to　squirm　through　the　hatch　onto　the　small　balcony　outside　from　where
running　repairs　could　be　made　to　the　exhausts。　He　cast　a　glance　back　through　the　open　hatch　to　see　a
lithe　figure　looking　up　at　him。　In　an　instant；　it　raised　its　pistol；　and　Solon　threw　himself　to　the　side；
dragging　the　boy　with　him。
Splinters　of　rapidly　propelled　metal　hissed　through　the　open　hatch　and　sliced　through　the　steel
exhausts　as　if　they　were　made　of　synth…paper。　Lifting　the　boy；　Solon　threw　him　over　the　edge　of　the
crawler；　and　vaulted　the　balcony　railing；　praying　he　wouldn’t　crush　the　boy。
He　hit　the　ground　hard；　and　winced　as　shooting　pain　lanced　up　his　left　leg。　He　could　hear
screams　on　the　wind；　and　he　dragged　the　boy　with　him　as　he　ducked　beneath　the　crawler；　squeezing
himself　between　its　massive　tracked　units。
He　was　already　shivering　uncontrollably；　having　discarded　his　thermal　undershirt。　There　was
little　room　in　the　cramped　space　beneath　the　crawler；　but　he　managed　to　struggle　his　exposure　suit
up　over　his　body；　and　he　pulled　its　hood　down　low；　securing　it　over　his　face。　The　boy　too　had　pulled
his　exposure　suit　hood　over　his　head；　and　he　stared　back　at　Solon　through　its　two　circular　gogglelenses。
Together；　they　crawled　beneath　the　massive　undercarriage　of　the　tracked　hauler。　Solon　saw　the
slumped　form　of　one　of　the　Skyllan　Interdiction　soldiers　and　his　hopes　were　raised　for　a　moment
before　he　saw　the　blood。
Drawing　the　boy　away　from　the　grisly　sight；　Solon　squirmed　further　beneath　the　hulking　vehicle；
moving　towards　the　darkest　recesses；　the　boy　crawling　silently　behind　him。
They　froze　as　a　weight　crunched　down　into　the　snow　nearby；　and　Solon　looked　into　Cholos’s
terrified　face。　The　crewman　had　landed　on　his　hands　and　knees；　and　his　exposure　suit　hung　half　off
down　his　back。　Solon　gestured　swiftly　for　him　to　crawl　under。　Clearly　not　having　seen　them　in　the
darkness　beneath　the　crawler；　Cholos　scrambled　to　his　feet；　and　began　running　blindly　into　the
storm。
Solon　almost　shouted　out　to　him；　but　a　pair　of　slender　shapes　dropped　down　into　the　snow；　silent
and　deadly。　They　landed　lightly；　and　took　a　few　unhurried　steps　towards　the　fleeing　man。　Their
glossy　black　legs　were　all　that　was　visible；　but　Solon　stared　at　them　in　horrified　fascination。　The
spiked；　overlaying　plates　of　armour　flexed　as　easily　as　synth…fabric；　moulding　to　the　contours　and
muscles　of　the　figure’s　legs。
Cholos　continued　his　mad　flight　into　the　storm；　but　Solon　knew　that　he　would　not　escape；　and
his　heart　wrenched　as　he　heard　the　cruel　laughter　of　the　black…clad　raiders　as　they　watched　his
plight。　They　will　gun　him　down　any　second；　Solon　thought。
They　didn’t。
Instead；　a　sleek　shape　hurtled　out　of　the　darkness；　its　form　blurred　by　speed　and　the　howling
gale。　A　missile；　was　Solon’s　first　thought；　but　then　he　saw　that　there　was　a　figure　hunched　upon　the
rapidly　moving　object；　and　he　realised　that　it　was　a　bike　propelled　by　anti…grav　technology。
The　rider　leant　down　and　slashed　with　a　blade　as　the　jetbike　streaked　past。
Cholos　was　spun　by　the　impact；　blood　spraying　out　onto　the　snow。　Still；　the　wound　was　not　fatal；
and　he　leapt　back　to　his　feet；　a　hand　clutching　at　his　shoulder。　His　assailant　was　nowhere　to　be　seen；
lost　in　the　darkness　and　the　storm；　and　Cholos　turned　around　on　the　spot；　eyes　wide。　Solon　felt　sick
as　the　raiders　laughed　once　more；　the　sound　making　his　skin　crawl　with　its　cruelty。
The　bike　roared　out　of　the　darkness　behind　Cholos；　streaking　past　him；　knocking　him　down
before　being　once　again　swallowed　up　in　the　storm。
Cholos　was　slower　to　rise　this　time；　and　blood　gushed　from　his　arm。　Solon　didn’t　want　to　watch
any　more；　for　the　raiders　were　toying　with　the　man；　but　he　found　that　he　couldn’t　look　away。
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Again；　the　bike　came　out　of　nowhere；　and　Cholos　fell　with　a　scream　as　one　of　his　hamstrings
was　slashed。　He　couldn’t　rise　from　that　blow；　but　still　he　tried　to　escape；　crawling　forward
desperately；　leaving　a　trail　of　blood　in　the　snow。
Once　more；　the　bike　appeared；　but　this　time　it　slowed　as　it　approached　him；　dropping　its　speed
with　remarkable　swiftness。　It　hovered　in　the　air　alongside　Cholos　as　he　tried　vainly　to　stand。　The
rider　of　the　anti…grav　vehicle　was　garbed　in　a　skin…tight　glossy　black　suit　with　bladed　plates　of
armour　over　its　chest　and　shoulders；　and　a　long　topknot　of　blood…red　hair　streamed　from　the　back　of
its　elongated　helmet。
The　gleaming；　blade…like　bike　sank　towards　the　ground；　and　the　rider　reached　out　and　grabbed
Cholos　by　the　scruff　of　his　undershirt。　Then　the　bike　accelerated　sharply；　and　Cholos　was　dragged
behind　it；　his　legs　smacking　into　the　ground　every　ten　metres。　He　was　dropped　unceremoniously　in
front　of　the　waiting　pair　of　reavers；　and　the　bike　zoomed　off　into　the　storm　once　more。
The　pair　of　reavers　laughed　again；　and　dragged　Cholos　away。　It　was　the　last　time　that　Solon
would　ever　see　him；　and　he　knew　that　the　image　of　the　terrified　man；　covered　in　blood　and　with　both
legs　twisted　horribly　beneath　him　would　be　ingrained　in　his　mind　until　his　dying　day。
Horrified　and　sick　to　his　stomach；　Solon　slunk　backwards　into　the　concealing　darkness；　dragging
the　boy　Dios　with　him。　They　cowered　in　the　darkness　behind　the　shadow　of　one　of　the　main　drivewheels
of　the　tracked　crawler。　Solon　didn’t　know　how　long　they　hid　there；　but　for　the　first　time　since
he　was　a　child　he　prayed。
Marduk　grunted　as　a　line　of　splinters　struck　his　left　shoulder　plate；　embedding　deep　into　the
ceramite…plasteel　alloy；　but　not　penetrating。　He　replied　with　three　quick　shots　of　his　bolt　pistol
before　ducking　back　into　cover　as　more　fire　was　directed　towards　him。　With　a　practiced　flick；　he
discarded　the　spent　sickle…clip；　and　rammed　another　into　place。
“Jetbikes；”　warned　Kol　Badar；　and　again　the　rapidly　moving　vehicles　screamed　out　of　the
darkness　of　the　north　passage。　The　heavy　weapons　of　Namar…sin’s　Havocs　roared；　and　two　of　the
accelerating　bikes　were　taken　down；　one　as　a　gout　of　hot　plasma　turned　its　elongated　faring　molten；
and　another　as　heavy　bolter　rounds　ripped　through　its　drive　mechanics。　The　bike　struck　by　the　heavy
plasma　gun　struck　the　floor；　nose　first；　and　flipped　end　over　end；　sending　its　rider　flying。　The　other
bike　veered　sharply　to　the　left；　spinning　uncontrollably　and　impacted　with　the　tunnel　wall；
disintegrating　in　a　shower　of　sparks　and　flame。
Then　the　other　bikes　were　screaming　through　the　main　access　tunnel；　banking　sharply　as　they
roared　overhead。　A　shower　of　splinter…fire　raced　along　the　floor　and　peppered　one　of　the　Anointed；
but　the　Terminator…armoured　warrior　brother　stood　against　the　fire　pelting　him　like　a　man　bracing
himself　against　the　wind。　His　twin…linked　bolters　roared；　ripping　head…sized　chunks　from　the　front　of
one　of　the　bikes；　but　it　did　not　fall；　and　continued　to　slice　through　the　air　in　tight　formation　with　its
peers。
Marduk　and　the　warrior　brothers　of　the　13th　were　caught　with　their　backs　vulnerable　to　attack
from　the　bikes；　and　they　spun　around　and　unleashed　the　fury　of　their　bolters。
One　of　Sabtec’s　warriors　was　caught　in　the　fire　of　two　bikes；　and　though　the　splinters　could　not
fully　penetrate　his　thick　armour；　dozens　of　the　cruel　barbs　sank　through　the　gaps　between　the　plates
of　his　Mark　IV　armour；　and　he　fell　without　a　sound。　Splinters　had　pierced　the　small　gap　between　his
breastplate　and　his　helmet；　filling　his　throat　with　slivers　of　metal；　and　two　other　splinters　shattered
his　left　eye　lens；　driving　into　his　brain。
Another　bike　was　brought　crashing　down　by　the　combined　fire　of　the　13th；　and　Marduk　blew　the
head　off　another　rider　with　a　carefully　aimed　shot　of　his　bolt　pistol。　The　headless　rider　was　ripped
from　the　saddle　of　his　bike　and　hurled　backwards；　and　Marduk　threw　himself　into　a　roll　as　the
riderless　bike　speared　towards　him；　skimming　across　the　surface　of　the　floor　like　a　stone　hurled
across　still　water。
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The　bike　smashed　into　the　remnants　of　the　mined　Imperial　armoured　vehicle　that　Marduk　had
been　crouching　behind；　the　force　of　the　impact　spinning　it　sideways。　The　last　bike　was　gone；
screaming　away　into　the　distance　as　its　rider　accelerated。
A　flurry　of　splinters　struck　him　in　the　back；　and　Marduk　was　knocked　forwards　as　he　rose。　He
cursed；　and　pushed　himself　to　his　feet；　swinging　around　and　firing　in　one　motion。　With　satisfaction；
he　saw　the　frail　chest　of　one　of　the　advancing　black　armoured　eldar　explode　as　the　mass…reactive　tip
of　the　bolt…round　detonated。
“Thirteenth；　advance　on　me；”　roared　Marduk；　having　had　enough　of　cowering　in　cover。
Burias　hissed　in　hatred　as　the　last　remaining　jetbike　banked　around　once　more；　chased　by　bolter
rounds　that　pinged　off　the　debris　scattered　around　the　access　tunnel。　It　moved　so　fast　that　it　was　little
more　than　a　shadowy　blur；　and　he　narrowed　his　eyes　and　allowed　the　daemon　Drak’shal　to　rear　up
within　him。