Dark Disciple(科幻战争)-第30部分

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Astartes；　genetic　descendant　of　the　glorified　Primarch　Lorgar；”　intoned　Darioq…Grendh’al。
Marduk　turned　slowly　towards　the　daemonically　infused　magos；　glowering　within　his　skullfaced
helmet。
“What？”　he　said　in　a　low；　dangerous　voice。
“Repeat：　‘This　is　the　way　that　the　explorator　came；　we　must　follow　in　his　footsteps’　is
categorically　false；”　said　the　magos。
Marduk　licked　his　lips。　If　he　did　not　feel　like　he　had　such　control　over　the　daemon　inhabiting
Darioq’s　body；　he　would　think　that　the　magos　was　being　wilfully　obtuse。
“What　is　incorrect　about　that　statement？”　asked　Marduk　slowly。
“Explorator　First　Class　Daenae；”　said　Magos　Darioq　in　his　monotone　voice；　“originally　of　the
Konor　Adeptus　Mechanicus　research　world　of　UL01。02；　assigned　to　cl4。8。87。i；　Perdus　Skylla；　for
recon/salvage　of　the　Dvorak…class　interstellar　freighter　Flames　of　Perdition；　which　reappeared
within　Segmentum　Tempestus　in　942。M41　and　crashed　onto　the　surface　of　cl4。8。87。i；　Perdus　Skylla；
in　944。M41　after　being　missing　presumed　lost　in　warp　storm　anomaly　xi。024。396　in　432。M35；　is　of
the　female　gender。”
Marduk　blinked。
“Well　I　am　certainly　glad　that　we　got　that　cleared　up；”　he　said　in　a　deadpan　voice。
“I　am　pleased　to　have　caused　you　gratification；　Marduk；　First—”　began　the　magos；　but　Marduk
held　up　a　hand　to　stop　him。
“Enough；”　he　impelled；　the　word　laced　with　the　power　of　the　warp；　and　the　magos　fell　silent
mid…sentence。
“Why　don’t　we　rip　out　his　tongue？”　suggested　Burias。　“Or　his　speaker　box；　or　whatever。”
“The　thought　had　crossed　my　mind；”　said　Marduk；　before　turning　back　towards　the　line　of
docked　submersibles。
“We　are　going　in　those；”　he　said　to　Kol　Badar。　“No　discussion。”
Though　wary　of　possible　attack　and　on　edge　having　witnessed　the　profane　mural　upon　entering
the　mining　facility；　they　had　encountered　no　resistance　as　they　penetrated　deeper　into　the　complex。
They　had　come　across　several　shrines　that　appeared　to　venerate　the　four…armed　creature　that　Marduk
recognised　as　xenos　in　origin；　with　crudely　scrawled　images　of　the　beast　in　alcoves　surrounded　by
offerings　of　tokens；　charms　and　coins。　He　ordered　these　fanes　destroyed；　and　the　walls　cleansed　with
bursts　of　promethium　from　flamer　units。
Though　they　faced　no　resistance；　a　growing　crowd　of　humans；　miners　it　would　seem；　were
shadowing　their　progress。　At　first；　just　a　few　figures　were　seen　ghosting　their　steps；　ducking　into　the
shadows　whenever　warrior　brothers　looked　in　their　direction。　As　they　continued　onward　they
attracted　more　of　a　following；　until　hundreds　of　miners　were　following　in　their　footsteps；　though
they　still　maintained　a　wary　distance。　Marduk　felt　their　anger　as　the　shrines　were　obliterated　but；
wisely；　they　did　not　dare　to　attempt　to　stop　the　actions　of　the　Word　Bearers。
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Not　wishing　to　be　slowed；　Marduk　ordered　the　warrior　brothers　to　ignore　the　growing　crowd　that
shadowed　their　progress；　pressing　on　with　an　increasing　sense　of　urgency。
The　interstellar　freighter　Flames　of　Perdition　had　settled　on　the　ocean　bed　some　eight　kilometres
from　the　mining　complex；　and　the　last　recorded　location　of　the　explorator　he　sought　had　been　a
docking　station　of　submersible　maintenance　vehicles。　Presumably；　the　explorator　and　her　team　had
commandeered　a　flotilla　of　the　craft　to　investigate　the　submerged　ship；　and　so　Marduk’s　progress
had　led　here；　to　the　very　same　dock。
Half　a　dozen　submersibles　were　docked　here；　held　in　place　by　massive　locking　clamps　that
looked　like　giant；　mechanical　crab　claws。　Each　of　the　submersibles　was　the　size　of　a　Land　Raider
and　roughly　spherical　in　shape；　with　an　array　of　sensors　protruding　from　forward　hulls　like　the
antennae　of　inserts。　A　pair　of　mechanical　arms　were　under…slung　beneath　their　bulbous　chassis；　just
visible　in　the　dark　water；　and　the　monstrous　insectoid　limbs　ended　in　powerful　claws；　industrialsized
welding　tools　and　drills　the　length　of　two　men。
Hundreds　of　onlookers　watched　from　the　shadows；　crowding　in　around　the　gantries　overlooking
the　holding　pool　of　the　dock。　Marduk　glimpsed　hooded　faces；　eyes　gleaming　with　feverish　light　and
their　skin　an　unhealthy；　blue…tinged　pallor。　The　tension　in　the　crowd　was　palpable；　and　the　warriors
of　the　Host　kept　their　weapons　ready；　yet　the　miners　made　no　move　to　obstruct　them。
Four…armed　stick　figures　had　been　scratched　into　the　circular　boarding　hatches　in　the　sides　of　the
submersibles；　as　well　as　phrases　scrawled　in　what　must　have　been　the　local　Low　Gothic　dialect。　It
made　little　sense　to　Marduk；　though　he　was　schooled　in　dozens　of　Imperial　dialects；　but　the　general
message　could　be　understood。　The　scratching　seemed　to　indicate　that　the　submersibles　were　the
“carriages　of　the　earthly　gods”；　and　that　to　enter　them　would　bring　enlightenment。
Marduk　was　repulsed　by　the　idolatrous　pseudo…religious　sentiments；　but　he　had　not　the　time　nor
the　inclination　to　“educate”　these　wretches　of　their　misguided　beliefs。　They　would　all　be　dead　soon
enough　anyway。
“You　still　maintain　these　people　are　not　daemon　worshippers？”　asked　Kol　Badar；　tracing　his
finger　along　the　deep　gouges　that　formed　the　stick　figure　of　a　four…armed　monster。　It　certainly　did
look　daemonic；　but　Marduk　was　certain。
“I　believe　these　people　are　held　in　the　sway　of　xenos　creatures；”　he　stated。　“A　tyranid　vanguard
species；　perhaps。　I　feel　that　there　is　some　form　of　psychic　control　over　these　miners　that　draws　the
hive　fleet　like　a　lure。　These　deluded　fools　are　worshipping　a　xenos　creature；　or　a　host　of　them；　that
will　be　the　death　of　them。”
“Worshipping　xenos　as　gods？”　asked　Khalaxis；　his　voice　expressing　his　disgust。　Marduk
nodded。
“A　powerful　foe；　then；”　said　Burias　with　relish。
“Oh　yes；”　agreed　Marduk。　“A　powerful　foe。”
Marduk　peered　at　the　small　view…screen。　The　submersible　had　no　viewing　portal；　it　was　built　to
traverse　the　deepest　abyssal　channels　of　the　ocean　floor；　and　at　extreme　depths　even　the　most
heavily　reinforced　window　would　crumple　beneath　the　tremendous　pressure。　In　its　stead；　the　grainy；
black　and　white　pict　screen　fed　visual　information　from　the　sensor　arrays　on　the　exterior　of　the　deepsea
vessel。
The　interior　of　the　submersible　was　cramped　and　hot；　and　the　Word　Bearers　had　needed　to
commandeer　four　of　them　to　fit　all　of　the　warriors　accompanying　Marduk。　The　secondary　locking
gate　on　the　underside　of　the　sub…docks　slid　aside；　and　the　four　mining　craft　descended　into　the　open
water；　powerful　impeller　motors　whirring。
Burias　sat　at　the　controls　of　the　craft；　looking　ludicrously　large　hunched　over　the　dials　and　levers
that　controlled　the　pitch；　speed；　depth；　direction　and　roll　of　the　submersible。　It　was　a　simple　control
system　akin　to　that　of　a　shuttle；　and　he　had　little　trouble　becoming　familiar　with　it。　He　grinned　like　a
madman　as　he　discovered　the　controls　of　the　exterior　robotic　arms；　and　in　the　view…screen　Marduk
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could　see　the　massive　power…claw　snapping；　and　the　huge　drill　spinning；　creating　a　small　whirlpool
of　turbulence。
“Burias；　it　is　not　a　toy；”　said　Marduk。
The　submersible　struck　one　of　the　underside　legs　of　the　mining　facility；　and　Burias　looked
around　at　Marduk　guiltily。
“Sorry；”　he　said；　and　stopped　fooling　around　with　the　robotic　arms　to　concentrate　on　piloting　the
craft。　It　wanted　to　turn　to　the　left　all　the　time；　and　he　struggled　with　the　controls　to　keep　it　steady。
It　levelled　out　abruptly　and　swung　around　smoothly　to　port；　its　impeller　motors　whining　as　the
submersible　powered　forwards。　Burias　swore。
“You　seem　to　have　got　the　hang　of　it；”　said　Marduk。
Burias　held　his　hands　up；　removing　them　from　the　controls。
“I’m　not　controlling　it；”　he　said。　“It　is　following　an　automated　piloting　route。”
He　consulted　the　stream　of　data　on　a　side…screen。
“It’s　taking　us　to　the　downed　ship。”
They　could　do　little　but　watch　the　grainy　pict　screens　as　the　submersible　carried　them　away　from
the　mining　facility；　following　its　pre…determined　route。
The　ocean　floor　was　jagged　and　uneven；　and　jutting　spears　of　rock　reared　up　before　them；　but
the　submersible　traversed　the　terrain　carefully；　rising　above　the　smaller　outcrops；　and　accelerating
beneath　vast　bridges　of　rock。
The　undersea　landscape　was　breathtaking；　with　vast　cathedral…like　spires　of　rock　rising
thousands　of　metres　up　into　the　dark　water。　Their　vision　slowly　diminished　the　further　they　got　away
from　the　glow　of　the　mining　facility；　until　they　could　see　only　what　was　lit　by　the　powerful
spotlights　on　the　prow　of　the　submersible。
The　lights　of　the　other　craft　blinked；　as　all　four　of　the　submersibles　travelled　along　the　same　line。
As　they　passed　beneath　yet　another　towering　arched　causeway；　they　came　upon　a　sheer　drop…off；　an
undersea　cliff　that　plunged　down　into　blackness。　It　was　down　this　vertical　wall　that　the　submersibles
dropped；　leaving　trails　of　bubbles　in　their　wake。
The　sheer　drop　seemed　to　have　no　bottom。　The　chasm　must　have　been　over　two　kilometres　in
width；　and　it　dropped　away　into　utter　darkness。
At　last；　something　came　into　view；　something　immense。
“Gods　of　the　ether；”　swore　Burias　as　they　came　upon　the　wreckage　of　the　Flame　of　Perdition。
The　Dvorak…class　freighter　was　wedged　between　the　walls　of　the　chasm；　its　prow　and　stem
ground　into　the　sheer　walls　of　the　drop…off；　bridging　the　bottomless　gap。
As　the　submersibles　ploughed　on　through　the　clear　water；　impeller　engines　whirring；　the　sheer
size　of　the　ship　became　apparent。　It　was　one　thing　to　see　battle　cruisers　hanging　in　space　where　there
were　few　reference　points　to　give　an　indication　of　their　sheer　scale；　but　seeing　this　ship　wedged
firmly　between　the　two　distant　sides　of　the　chasm　was　breathtaking。
A　portion　of　the　lower　stern　looked　as　though　it　had　been　sheared　away。　It　might　have　suffered
the　damage　as　it　struck　the　mouth　of　the　chasm；　or　it　might　have　occurred　thousands　of　years　before
the　ship　entered　this　sub…system；　long　before　it　had　smashed　through　the　ice　crust　of　Perdus　Skylla。
According　to　Darioq…Grendh’al；　the　ship　had　been　lost　in　a　warp　storm　anomaly　for　some　six　and　a
half　thousand　years。　Anything　could　have　happened　to　it　in　that　time。
Warp　storms　were　notoriously　unpredictable；　and　time　and　distance　became　blurred　within　their
bounds。　The　Flame　of　Perdition　might　have　been　drifting　through　the　nebulous　warp　storms　for
fifteen　thousand　years；　twenty　thousand　years；　thrown　like　a　leaf　on　the　wind　through　the　ether。　Or；
equally　as　likely；　it　might　have　seemed　to　its　crew　to　have　been　gone　only　a　fraction　of　a　second
before　it　struck　the　surface　of　the　frozen　moon；　and　plunged　into　the　oceanic　depths。
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During　its　time　in　the　warp；　and　wherever　else　it　may　have　emerged；　the　ship　may　have
encountered　any　number　of　daemonic　and　xenos　entities；　and　it　was　highly　possible　that　some　of　the
creatures　remained　onboard。
Apart　from　the　shattered　stern；　the　ship　appeared　to　be　in　a　remarkably　complete　state；　and
though　Marduk　feared　that　its　interior　had　been　flooded；　there　was　every　likelihood　that　at　least　the
upper　decks　might　still　contain　breathable　air。
At　such　depth；　and　with　its　integrity　compromised；　what　air　did　remain　within　the　ship　would
have　shrunk　to　a　tiny　fraction　of　its　previous　volume；　but　if　any　man…made　structu