Dark Disciple(科幻战争)-第26部分

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Of　the　eldar　themselves；　the　Word　Bearers　had　seen　no　sign　since　their　first；　frantic　encounter。
On　several　occasions；　the　whine　of　their　jetbikes　had　been　heard　in　the　distance；　accompanied　by　the
echoing　screams　of　Imperial　citizens　from　further　along　the　tunnels；　but　no　bodies　had　been
discovered　that　spoke　of　battle。
“They　are　a　piratical　race；”　Kol　Badar　had　said　to　Burias；　who　had　never　encountered　the　eldar
before　and　seemed；　Marduk　noted　curiously；　to　have　been　somewhat　unnerved　by　his　first
encounter。
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“What　are　they　doing　here？　What　purpose　could　they　possibly　have　on　this　gods…forsaken
Imperial　moon？”　asked　Burias。
“Certain　eldar　sects　have　been　observed　taking　captives；　though　for　what　purpose　has　not　been
ascertained；”　growled　Kol　Badar。　“I　assume　that　the　eldar　on　this　world　are　such　a　sect；　taking
advantage　of　the　confusion　of　the　evacuations　to　reap　a　tally　of　slaves。”
“It　doesn’t　matter　why　they　are　here；”　said　Marduk。　“The　only　thing　that　need　be　understood　is
that　they　are　xenos；　and　therefore　the　enemy。”
“Had　the　Great　Crusade　been　allowed　to　fulfil　its　purpose；”　Kol　Badar　added　bitterly；　“with　the
Warmaster　at　its　head；　then　the　foul　race　of　witches　and　sorcerers　would　have　been　eradicated　from
the　galaxy　long　ago。　But　they　remain　a　cunning　foe；　swift　and　deadly。　They　are　not　to　be
underestimated。”
“Overestimation　of　the　foe　reeks　of　fear　and　weakness；”　snapped　Marduk。　“The　eldar　are
nothing　more　than　the　last　fragmented　strands　of　a　dying　race。　We　are　the　chosen　bearers　of　the
great　truth；　the　favoured　sons　of　Chaos。　We　are　the　greatest　warriors　the　universe　has　ever　seen；　and
will　ever　see。　We　need　not　be　concerned　with　the　appearance　of　a　handful　of　xenos　pirates。”
Marduk　felt　pride　surge　through　the　warriors　of　the　Host　in　response　to　his　words；　and　he　knew
that　they　would　fight　even　harder　against　the　eldar　if　they　appeared　again。　He　doubted　that　they
would；　in　truth；　for　he　believed　that　Kol　Badar　was　correct　in　his　assumptions：　that　they　had
encountered　a　dark　eldar　sect　engaged　in　slave　raids　upon　this　doomed　world；　and　that　they　expected
little　resistance。　Certainly；　they　had　not　expected　to　encounter　members　of　an　Astartes　Legion。
Marduk　knew　that　the　eldar　were　a　long…lived　race；　and　one　that　was　on　the　brink　of　dying　out
altogether。　He　was　certain　that　the　eldar　would　rue　the　day　that　they　had　attacked　the　revered　XVII
Legion。　They　would　move　on；　avoiding　the　warriors　of　the　Host；　to　find　easier　pickings　elsewhere。
Nevertheless；　the　progress　of　the　Word　Bearers　was　slowed；　for　it　would　be　foolishness　not　to
show　caution　after　the　lightning　attack　of　the　dark　eldar。　Though　it　defied　logic　for　the　eldar　to
attack　them　again；　he　knew　that　they　were　xenos；　and　so　could　not　be　understood。　He　had　studied
reports　of　engagements　against　the　eldar；　and　everything　that　he　had　read　spoke　of　their
unpredictability。
The　priority　target　was　an　access　lift　that　linked　one　of　the　dozens　of　sub…ice　hab…cities　with　its
mining　facility　on　the　ocean　floor　far　below；　and　it　was　towards　this　location　that　they　were　moving。
On　the　approach　to　one　of　the　many　entrances　to　this　guilder　hab…city；　they　had　come　upon　a
blockade　of　enemy　soldiers；　accompanied　by　sentry　guns　with　servitors　hard…wired　into　their
targeting　systems　and　lightly　armoured　vehicles　similar　to　those　they　had　encountered　on　the　ice
above；　though　modified　for　use　on　man…made　surfaces　rather　than　the　nebulous　ice…flows。　The
soldiers　had　been　ready　for　them；　either　having　received　warning　of　the　Word　Bearers　approach　or
merely　prepared　for　a　dark　eldar　attack；　but　it　mattered　little。
The　Anointed　had　led　the　attack；　marching　resolutely　through　the　weight　of　fire　while　Namar…sin
moved　the　Havocs　of　the　217th　coterie　up　in　support；　targeting　and　neutralising　the　enemy　sentry
guns。　With　the　Anointed　still　weathering　the　brunt　of　the　enemy　fusillade；　Sabtec’s　veteran　squad
took　up　position　on　the　left　flank；　laying　down　a　blanket　of　fire　that　allowed　Khalaxis　and　his
warriors　to　charge　up　the　middle；　with　Marduk　at　their　forefront　roaring　catechisms　of　vengeance
and　hate。
Every　carefully　targeted　burst　of　fire　from　the　Anointed　had　ripped　another　of　the　enemy
soldiers　apart；　but　it　was　Marduk’s　charge　that　signalled　the　commencement　of　the　real　slaughter。
Up　close；　the　enemy　had　no　hope　of　survival。　Hastily　fired　point　blank　lasgun　shots　had　seared
burning　furrows　across　power　armour　plates　as　Marduk　and　Khalaxis　entered　the　fray；　chainsword
and　axe　cutting　and　ripping。　Bolt　pistols　created　gory　craters　of　flesh　in　chests；　and　limbs　were
ripped　from　their　sockets　as　Khalaxis’s　warriors　tore　through　the　heart　of　the　enemy　defence。
Those　cowards　that　had　turned　to　run　were　hacked　down　without　mercy；　chainswords　and　heavy
axes　severing　spines　and　cutting　arms　away　at　the　shoulder。　Kol　Badar　and　his　Anointed　moved
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through　the　mayhem；　ripping　apart　the　remnants　of　the　Imperial　defenders；　gunning　them　down　with
combi…bolters　and　heavy　reaper　autocannon　fire。　The　Coryphaus　smashed　the　scorpion…legged　rapier
sentry…guns　aside　with　backhand　blows　of　his　power　talons；　sending　them　crashing　into　cowering
defenders；　crushing　limbs　and　breaking　bones。
As　the　last　enemies　were　brutally　butchered；　and　as　Sabtec’s　squad　moved　forward　to　secure　the
area；　Darioq…Grendh’al　stamped　mechanically　forward；　each　heavy　step　accompanied　by　a　whine　of
servos。
The　magos；　Marduk　noted　with　a　smile　of　satisfaction；　was　now　truly　a　being　of　Chaos。　The　four
powerful　arms　of　his　servo…harness　were　as　much　organic　as　metal；　and　bony　protuberances；　serrated
thorns　and　hooked　spines　ridged　the　once　pristine　metal　limbs。　Fleshy　lumps　of　muscle　had　grown
around　the　servo…bundles　and　coupling　links　that　joined　the　servo…limbs　to　his　body；　and　a　large
curving　horn　emerged　from　the　left　side　of　the　magos’s　head；　bursting　through　the　blood…stained
fabric　of　the　low　cowl　that　hid　his　face　in　shadow。
Waving　mechadendrite　tentacles　sprouted　from　his　spine；　and　where　before　they　were　tipped
with　mechanical　claws；　sensory　apparatus　and　data…spikes；　now　several　of　them　ended　in　gaping
lamprey　mouths；　filled　with　rings　of　barbed　teeth；　from　which　ropes　of　oily　saliva　dripped。　The
surface　of　many　of　the　tentacles　too　had　changed；　their　metal　bands　morphing　into　smooth；　black
skin；　wet　and　slick　like　the　body　of　an　eel。
The　insignia　of　the　Adeptus　Mechanicus　had　been　altered　and　corrupted；　for　such　a　reminder　of
the　false　machine　faith　was　offensive　to　the　fundamentalist　Word　Bearers。　The　cogged　wheel　of　the
Mechanicus　had　been　overlaid　with　the　holy　eight…pointed　star　of　Chaos；　and　the　black　and　white
skull　motif　of　the　machine　cult　had　been　corrupted；　now　bearing　daemonic　horns　and　wreathed　in
flames　so　that　it　mirrored　the　sacred　Latros　Sacrum　borne　upon　the　left　shoulder　of　every　warrior
brother　of　the　XVII　Legion。
As　if　to　emphasise　the　corrupted　nature　of　the　magos；　Darioq…Grendh’al　paused　besides　a　dying
Imperial　soldier；　who　stared　up　at　him　in　horror；　face　awash　in　blood。　The　magos　peered　down　at　the
man；　his　unfathomable　red　glowing　right　eye　boring　into　the　soldier。　Four　of　the　lamprey　mouths　of
the　semi…organic　mechadendrites　waved　towards　the　fallen　man；　who　recoiled　away　from　them　in
horror。　The　tentacles　were　drawn　to　him　as　if　they　tasted　his　blood　in　the　air；　and　latched　onto　him；
attaching　to　his　neck；　his　chest　and　his　face。
The　man　screamed　in　horror　and　pain　as　the　tentacles　twisted　back　and　forth；　burrowing　into　his
flesh　and　began　sucking　away　his　vital　fluids。　The　man　died　in　torment；　and　as　the　feeder　mouths
pulled　away　from　the　corpse　with　a　wet　sucking　sound；　blood　dripping　from　their　gaping　apertures；
the　magos　tilted　his　head　to　one　side　and；　with　an　almost　tender；　tentative　movement；　lifted　one　of
the　man’s　limp　arms　with　one　of　his　own　mechanical　power　lifters。　Releasing　the　man’s　arm；　it
flopped　back　to　the　ground；　and　Darioq…Grendh’al　stared　down　at　it　in　incomprehension。
Amused；　Marduk　watched　as　the　magos　tried　to　raise　the　man　to　his　feet；　lifting　him　up　gently　in
his　mechanical　claws；　careful　not　to　crush　him　in　his　powerful　grip；　but　the　body　collapsed　to　the
ground　as　soon　as　it　was　released。
“The　life…systems　of　this　flesh…unit　have　failed；”　said　the　magos。　“Already　its　body　temperature
has　dropped　1。045　degrees；　and　its　cellular　make…up　is　entering　corporal　decay。”
“He’s　dead；　magos；”　said　Marduk　softly。　“You　killed　him。”
The　magos　looked　at　Marduk；　and　then　back　down　at　the　corpse。　Then；　slowly；　he　raised　his
head　once　more　to　meet　Marduk’s　gaze。
“Feels　good；　doesn’t　it？”　said　Marduk。
The　magos　paused；　looking　down　at　the　corpse　at　its　feet　in　incomprehension。　Then　the
corrupted　once…priest　of　the　Machine…God　straightened。
“I　wish　to　do　that　again；”　he　said。
“Oh　you　ised　Marduk。
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Having　breached　the　defences　of　the　guild　hab…city；　the　Word　Bearers　made　swift　progress　through
the　tunnelled　streets　and　boulevards；　encountering　no　resistance　and　sighting　few　living　beings。　The
citizens　that　still　remained　in　the　city　fled　before　the　advance　of　the　enclave；　scurrying　like　vermin
into　the　darkness　of　side…tunnels　and　alleys。
Marduk　gave　them　no　mind。　He　cared　not　for　the　fate　that　awaited　them　once　the　tyranids　had
descended　on　the　planet。　They　would　all　be　slaughtered；　their　bodies　consumed　to　feed　the　growth　of
the　hive　fleet。
They　descended　deeper　into　the　guild　city；　guided　inexorably　onward　by　schematic　maps　that
flickered　across　auspex　screens；　uploaded　from　the　data　banks　of　the　guild　bastion。　They　marched
through　what　must　have　been　the　mercantile　district　of　the　sub…surface　city；　which　was　rife　with
detritus　and　evidence　of　looting。　Doors　were　smashed　from　hinges；　and　goods　and　foodstuffs　lay
scattered　across　the　tunnel　floor；　along　with　the　occasional　corpse。
“Trampled　to　death　in　the　exodus；”　said　Sabtec　evenly　as　he　knelt　by　one　of　the　bodies。
“The　cowards　won’t　even　stand　to　fight　for　their　own　world；”　said　Khalaxis；　a　fresh　array　of
scalps　and　death…skulls　hanging　from　his　belt；　“and　they　kill　each　other　in　their　panic　to　escape。
These　are　not　worthy　foes。”
“Rejoice　at　the　weakness　of　the　Imperium；”　said　Marduk。　“Namar…sin；　which　direction？”
“East；　two　kilometres；”　said　the　champion　of　the　Havoc　squad；　consulting　the　throbbing　blister
display　of　his　auspex。　“There；　we　must　rise　four　levels　towards　the　surface；　and　proceed　a　further
kilometre　to　the　north…east　before　we　get　to　the　ore　docks。　That　is　where　the　lift　rises　from　the　ocean
floor。”
“Burias；　take　point；”　rumbled　Kol　Badar。　“Khalaxis；　move　in　support　of　the　icon　bearer。　Let’s
move。”
Dracon　Alith　Drazjaer　raised　one　thin　eyebrow　a　fraction；　his　almond…shaped　eyes　glinting
dangerously。　That　one　small　movement　would　have　been　all　but　unseen　by　a　human；　but　to　the　keen
eyes　of　the　eldar；　the　subtle　nuance　spoke　volumes。
The　dracon　reclined　languidly　on　his　command　throne；　his　thin　chin　supported　by　the　slender
fingers　of　one　hand　as　he　stared　down　at　the　supplicant　kneeling　before　him。　He　was　bedecked　from
neck　to　toe　in　tight　fitting　segmented　armour；　like　the　scaled　skin　of　a　serpent；　glossy　and　black。　A
mask　co