Dark Disciple(科幻战争)-第38部分

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devotion　to　the　great　cause。　I　shall　have　need　of　loyal　warriors　in　the　days　to　come。”
“The　tyranid　invasion　could　begin　at　any　moment；”　said　Kol　Badar。　“It　might　already　be　under
way。　We　move　out；　now。”
Marduk　was　left　alone　with　Kol　Badar　as　the　warriors　of　the　Legion　made　ready　to　move　out
once　more；　their　movements　crisp　and　full　of　purpose。
“This　world　has　claimed　many　warrior’s　lives；”　said　Kol　Badar。　“Six　Havocs　of　the　217th；
including　their　champion；　Namar…sin；　two　warriors　of　the　13th；　six　of　Khalaxis’s　17th；　and　two　of
my　Anointed；　all　dead　to　secure　the　mind　of　a　single　mortal。　I　hope　that　it　was　worth　it。”
“It　will　be；”　said　the　First　Acolyte。
“For　the　glory　of　Marduk？”　sneered　Kol　Badar。
“For　the　glory　of　Lorgar。　For　the　glory　of　the　XVII　Legion；”　said　Marduk；　keeping　his　anger　in
check；　though　he　felt　the　powers　of　Chaos　stirring　within　him；　feeding　his　desire　to　strike　down　the
insubordinate　Coryphaus。
Thoughts　of　blood　filled　his　mind；　and　Marduk　reached　involuntarily　for　his　blade。　He　saw　Kol
Badar’s　power　talons　twitch。　With　all　his　strength；　Marduk　pushed　the　hatred　deep　inside；　where　it
would　fester　and　grow　strong；　but　where　he　could　control　it。
“Lead　forth；　oh　mighty　Kol　Badar；”　said　Marduk；　his　voice　thick　with　sarcasm。
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The　Word　Bearers　moved　out　onto　the　ice；　leaving　the　guild　city；　with　its　subterranean　tunnels　and
claustrophobic　chambers　behind。　They　had　not　seen　any　further　sign　of　the　enemy；　either　Imperial　or
eldar。　The　storms　wracking　the　landscape　had　not　abated。　If　anything；　it　seemed　that　they　had
increased　in　intensity；　furiously　whipping　ice　and　snow　across　the　flows。
“How　long？”　asked　Marduk。　He　spoke　using　his　inter…vox　rather　than　attempting　to　roar　over　the
howling　winds。
“Ten　minutes；”　said　Kol　Badar。　“Thirteenth；　form　a　perimeter。”
Under　Sabtec’s　crisp　orders；　the　warriors　of　the　13th　coterie；　both　old　and　new　members；　moved
into　position；　weapons　at　the　ready。　It　was　probably　an　unnecessary　precaution；　for　the　chance　of
attack　within　the　next　ten　minutes　was　unlikely；　but　having　heard　the　reports　of　the　dark　eldar
attacks　from　Sabtec；　Kol　Badar　was　taking　no　chances。　Marduk　also　knew　that　it　did　the　warriors
good　to　have　a　duty；　something　to　occupy　them。
“The　only　certainty　in　a　warrior’s　life　is　death；”　was　an　old　adage；　though　Marduk　knew　that
such　a　statement　was　inherently　false。　For　mortals；　yes；　death　came　for　every　soul　eventually；　but　for
one　of　the　blessed　warriors　of　Chaos；　death　was　no　certainty。　Likely；　but　not　certain。　One　could
always　be　raised　to　daemonhood；　and　then　one　might　live　for　all　eternity；　a　demi…god　worshipped　in
one’s　own　right。
Something　stirred　within　Marduk；　and　he　felt　the　presence　of　Chaos　writhing　within　him。　He　had
long　become　used　to　the　bizarre　sensation；　and　it　gave　him　comfort　to　know　that　he　was　not　alone。
“Incoming！”　roared　Sabtec　suddenly；　his　crusade…era　helmet　angled　skywards。
There　came　a　whistling　sound　overhead；　and　the　warriors　scattered　as　something　large　came
hurtling　down　through　the　gale。
Marduk　threw　himself　to　the　side　as　it　came　smashing　down　and　struck　the　moon’s　surface　just
metres　away；　sending　snow　and　chunks　of　ice　flying　into　the　air；　and　sending　warriors　of　the　Legion
sprawling。　The　First　Acolyte　rolled　smoothly；　coming　up　to　one　knee　with　his　bolt　pistol　in　his　hand。
Had　it　been　an　explosive　shell；　he　would　be　dead；　but　the　thing　that　had　struck　the　ice　was　no
shell；　nor　was　it　an　orbital　strike…　at　least　not　one　of　Imperial　origins。
At　first；　Marduk　thought　it　was　an　asteroid；　but　now　he　saw　it　was　something　fleshy；　something
organic。
It　was　like　the　giant　seed…pod　of　some　fleshy　fruit；　and　it　had　smashed　a　crater　four　metres　deep
and　eight　metres　in　diameter。　Steam　rose　from　it；　and　even　as　he　watched；　the　tip　of　the　roughly
spherical　shape　peeled　back；　flopping　down　onto　the　ice；　revealing　a　shapeless；　quivering　skin…sac
the　size　of　a　Dreadnought。
Veins　branched　across　this　lump　of　living　flesh；　and　shapes　within　strained　to　be　released。
“What　in　the　name　of　the　true　gods　is　that？”　asked　Burias　curiously；　stepping　carefully　towards
the　pulsating　shape。
“Careful；　icon　bearer；”　said　Kol　Badar。
The　skin　of　the　shape　bulged　and　Marduk　could　make　out　the　shape　of　a　xenos　head　straining　to
escape。
“Tyranid；”　he　hissed；　just　as　the　first　of　the　hive　creatures　burst　from　its　embryonic　birth　sack。
The　death　of　the　world　has　arrived；　he　thought。
Claws　ripped　through　the　film　of　skin　and　foul　waters　empted　from　within；　bio…fluids　gushing
out。　Clouds　of　fog　rose　as　the　elted　through　ice　and　snow。
Bolters　began　to　fire；　tearing　gaping　rents　in　the　sac　that　gushed　hot　liquid。　These　amniotic　fluids
were　pinkish　and　thick；　like　glutinous　syrup。　Inhuman　screams　burst　from　the　spore　as　the　bolts
ripped　through　it。
Then　the　first　of　the　creatures　leapt　from　within；　launching　itself　directly　at　Burias；　four　slender；
bladed　limbs　poised　to　impale　him。　The　blades　of　its　two　fore…limbs　were　the　length　of　swords；　and
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though　the　creature　was　smaller　than　the　genestealers　they　had　encountered　in　the　hulk　on　the　ocean
floor；　the　similarities　were　marked。
Burias　swatted　the　creature　aside　with　the　holy　icon　of　the　Host；　breaking　its　back；　and　it　slid
through　the　ice　and　snow；　carving　a　furrow；　until　it　came　to　a　halt　at　Kol　Badar’s　feet。　It　snarled　up
at　the　Coryphaus；　struggling　to　stand　on　its　powerful　hind　legs；　which　would　not　respond。　It　hissed；
and　tried　to　stab　at　Kol　Badar；　but　the　Coryphaus　planted　a　bolt　in　its　head　that　ended　its　struggles。
Marduk　fired；　his　round　screaming　less　than　half　a　metre　past　Burias’s　head　to　detonate　in　the
chest　of　another　of　the　creatures　as　it　scrambled　from　the　crater。　The　rest　of　the　Host　opened　fire　as
more　of　the　creatures　leapt　from　the　spore；　their　weapons　ripping　the　creatures　apart；　spraying　sickly
ichor　across　the　snow。
Another　mycetic　spore　screamed　from　the　heavens　and　smashed　into　the　ground　ten　metres
away；　and　then　another。
“How　long？”　asked　Marduk；　his　bolt　pistol　bucking　in　his　hands　as　he　killed　another　of　the
leaping　tyranid　creatures。
“Five　minutes；”　said　Kol　Badar。
More　of　the　creatures　ripped　free　from　birth…sac　as　the　sides　of　the　spores　flopped　open；　and　they
launched　themselves　at　the　Word　Bearers；　covering　the　distance　over　the　snow　in　powerful　leaps。
“Close　ranks；”　roared　Kol　Badar；　and　the　Word　Bearers　formed　a　tight　circle　facing　outwards；
with　Darioq…Grendh’al　in　the　centre。　Weapons　barking；　ripping　the　first　of　the　leaping　tyranids　out
of　the　air；　smashing　them　backwards　as　their　flesh　and　chitin　was　torn　apart。
Another　spore　crashed　down　nearby；　its　impact　spraying　Marduk　with　snow　and　ice。　One　of　the
warrior　brothers　sent　a　missile　screaming　from　the　launcher　braced　against　his　shoulder　into　the
fleshy　pod　as　its　sides　flopped　heavily　to　the　snow。　The　missile　detonated　inside　the　convulsing
birth…sac；　lighting　it　up　from　within　for　a　moment；　and　the　mass　of　creatures　inside　could　be　seen
clearly　through　the　skin　of　the　sac　enclosing　them。　Then　the　sides　of　the　pod　were　ripped　apart；　and
the　high…pitched　screams　of　the　dying　tyranids　echoed　through　the　gale　as　they　were　consumed　in
flame　and　shrapnel。
The　missile　launcher　was　tossed　aside；　its　ammunition　spent；　and　the　warrior　drew　his　bolt　pistol
and　combat　knife。
Marduk　blasted　the　head　of　another　creature　into　pulp　and　tracked　his　pistol　skywards　as　one　of
the　xenos　creatures　leapt　high　into　the　air。　It　descended　towards　him；　sword…bladed　arms　lancing　at
him；　and　he　fired。　The　bolt　took　the　creature　in　the　chest；　passing　through　its　chitinous　exoskeleton
before　detonating；　creating　a　head…sized　crater　of　mined　flesh。　Still　it　fell　towards　him；　its　brain　not
yet　registering　that　it　was　dead；　its　every　instinct　willing　it　on　to　kill。
Marduk　swiped　it　out　of　the　air　with　his　chainsword；　ripping　the　toothed　blade　through　the
creature　from　neck　to　sternum；　but　one　of　its　arms　stabbed　into　his　chest；　biting　through　his　power
armour　and　embedding　itself　in　his　fused　ribcage。
Slashing　with　his　chainsword；　Marduk　sheared　through　the　tyranid’s　elbow　joint　and　it　fell　dead
at　his　feet；　its　forelimb　still　protruding　from　his　chest。　He　had　no　time　to　remove　it；　as　a　wave　of　the
tyranids　swarmed　out　of　the　storm。
Shouting　a　warning；　Marduk　held　his　fire　until　the　tyranids　were　closer。　The　creatures　from
several　of　the　spore…pods　must　have　banded　together；　for　this　brood　numbered　perhaps　thirty
individual　aliens。　However；　they　did　not　move　as　individuals；　they　moved　as　one　single　living
organism；　with　synchronicity　that　could　never　have　been　matched　by　even　the　best　drilled　veteran
coterie　of　the　Legion。
Without　any　obvious　form　of　communication；　the　swarm　of　aliens　turned　as　one；　angling
towards　the　Word　Bearers；　their　movements　precise　and　almost　robotic。　Marduk　saw　that　these　were
a　different　subspecies　from　the　leaping　aliens；　though　they　were　similar。
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More　hunched；　these　ones　scuttled　forwards　bearing　what　might　have　been　projectile　weapons　in
their　fore…limbs；　though　in　truth　the　weapons　were　merely　extensions　of　their　limbs；　fused　to　them；
as　much　a　part　of　the　creature　as　the　rest　of　their　vile　bodies。
Bolters　and　heavy　weapons　roared；　ripping　the　first　of　the　creatures　apart　in　bloody　explosions；
but　they　continued　scuttling　forwards；　oblivious　or　uncaring　of　their　fallen。　Their　bio…weapons
pulsed；　the　fleshy　projectile　tubes　contracting　sharply　with　peristalsis。　Marduk　felt　something
splatter　across　his　left　arm　plates；　and　hissed　in　pain。
Looking　down；　he　saw　a　mass　of　fleshy　grubs　boring　through　his　ceramite　vambrace　and　into　his
flesh；　and　he　swatted　frantically　at　them；　trying　to　dislodge　them。　He　squashed　dozens　of　them　as
they　scrabbled　for　purchase　on　his　armour；　but　several　of　them　were　already　too　deep　for　him　to
easily　remove；　burrowing　into　the　muscle　of　his　forearm；　squirming　within　his　body　as　they　feasted
on　his　flesh。
Focusing　his　mind；　he　pushed　away　the　pain　and　discomfort；　and　killed　two　of　the　tyranids　with
his　pistol。　He　saw　one　of　the　13th　coterie　fall　to　the　ground；　screaming　in　agony　as　a　mass　of
writhing　flesh…worms　burrowed　through　his　helmet；　clogging　his　respirator　and　boring　through　the
lenses　covering　his　eyes；　gnawing　their　way　through　his　skull　and　into　his　brain。
A　flamer　roared；　bathing　the　tyranid　brood　in　burning　promethium；　and　they　screamed　in
inhuman　torment　as　their　bodies　were　consumed。　Bolters　tore　through　the　survivors；　but　still　more
clambered　over　the　bodies　of　the　dead　to　fire　their　living　ammunition　into　the　tight　circle　of　Word
Bearers。　More　snow　was　kicked　up　as　another　spore　slammed　down　into　the　ice。
Marduk　ducked　his　head　as　a　stream　of　beetles　was　spat　towards　him。　Several　wriggling　bugs
struck　his　right　shoulder　pad；　painted　black　in　mourning　for　Jarulek；　but　he　squashed　the　voracious
feeder　creatures　before　they　could　bury　themselves　in　his　armour　and　flesh。
A　second　putrid　stream　of　voracious　organisms　spat　past　Marduk　to　engulf　Darioq…Grendh’al。
An　orb　of　energy　appeared　around　the　corrupted　magos；　and　the　coruscating　electricity　of　the　potent
conversion　field　fried　the　tiny　creatures。
The　mag