Dark Disciple(科幻战争)-第4部分

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The　blades　of　the　turbine　fans　began　to　spin　once　more；　and　the　strip　lights　flickered　falteringly
before　humming　back　into　life。　The　carnage　unleashed　in　the　last　twenty　minutes　was　revealed　under
the　cold　light　of　the　glow…strips。
Hundreds　of　bodies　were　strewn　across　the　floor；　blood　pooling　beneath　them　where　they　had
fallen。　The　blackened　shell　of　the　Catalan…class　vehicle　was　upside　down　against　a　wall；　pinning　half
a　dozen　charred　corpses　beneath　it。　Sparks　burst　intermittently　from　the　rails；　which　had　buckled　and
been　torn　from　their　housings。
The　ruin　of　the　conveyance’s　carriages　was　testament　to　its　speed　when　it　had　crashed；　for　they
were　wrenched　out　of　shape；　and　their　plasglass　windows　were　shattered　ruins。　Its　curved　roof　had
been　half　ripped　off；　and　the　shattered　barrier　it　had　crashed　through　was　twisted　beneath　it。　Bodies；
their　heads　smashed　and　limbs　severed；　were　spread　around　the　wreck；　either　crushed　when　the
conveyance　rolled　off　the　tracks；　or　thrown　from　their　seats　inside。　Blackened　holes　the　size　of　fists
showed　where　the　vehicle　had　been　struck　by　dark…matter　weapons。
There　was　no　sign　of　any　living　thing　within　the　tunnel；　and　not　one　of　the　corpses　twitched　or
groaned。　Where　earlier　the　tunnel　had　seethed　with　life；　now　it　was　utterly　bereft；　and　the　only
sounds　were　the　humming　of　the　strip　lights；　the　reverberations　of　the　recycle　units　and　the　odd
spark　from　the　mined　tracks。
Of　the　thousands　of　people　not　slain；　there　was　no　sign。　Nor　was　there　any　sign　of　their
attackers。　Only　the　carnage　left　in　their　wake　was　evidence　of　their　having　existed　at　all。
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CHAPTER　TWO
Staring　through　the　twenty…metre　wide　observation　portal　of　the　bridge；　Admiral　Rutger　Augustine
looked　out　over　the　vast　length　of　his　flagship　vessel；　the　mighty　Retribution…class　battleship
Hammer　of　Righteousness。
She　looked　like　an　immense；　armoured　Imperial　cathedral；　majestic　and　of　such　a　scale　as　to　be
almost　incomprehensible。　Six　kilometres　from　stern　to　prow；　hundreds　of　spires　ran　along　her
length；　joined　together　by　flying　buttresses　and　archways；　and　she　bristled　with　the　finest　weapon
systems　that　the　Imperial　Navy　could　boast。
Hundreds　of　close…range　turrets　were　set　across　her　armoured　hull；　each　the　size　of　four　superheavy
battle　tanks；　and　a　dozen　torpedo　tubes；　each　gaping　almost　forty　metres　wide；　were　inset　into
her　sweeping；　massively　armoured　prow。　It　was　in　her　broadside　batteries；　however；　that　the
Hammer　of　Righteousness’s　true　power　lay。
Running　almost　the　complete　length　of　the　battleship；　the　starboard　and　port　batteries　were
capable　of　unleashing　an　incredible　amount　of　firepower；　easily　enough　to　cripple　even　the　largest
warship　with　a　single　barrage；　or　lay　waste　to　entire　continents　if　she　entered　the　upper　atmosphere
of　a　rebellious　planet。　Indeed；　the　resistance　of　entire　planets　had　crumpled　merely　at　her　appearance
in　their　sub…system；　fearful　of　the　wrath　that　she　could　unleash。
Tens　of　thousands　of　indentured　workers　and　servitors　slaved　within　the　confined　gun　decks　to
load　and　ready　the　batteries　for　firing；　and　Admiral　Augustine　was　proud　to　know　that　his　gunnery
crew；　under　the　stern　guidance　of　his　master　gunner　and　master　of　ordnance；　were　amongst　the　most
efficient　in　all　of　Battlefleet　Tempestus。
He　never　grew　weary　of　looking　out　across　the　Hammer　of　Righteousness；　and　he　knew　in　his
heart　that　he　never　would。　Even　after　all　these　years　of　service；　the　power　and　scale　of　the　battleship
filled　him　with　awe。　Set　against　the　sheer　scale　of　space　with　its　untold　millions　of　solar　systems；
she　was　tiny　and　insignificant；　but　it　was　her　duty　to　protect　Imperial　space　from　all　threats；　xenos　or
otherwise。
Constructed　in　the　Adeptus　Mechanicus　shipyard　moons　of　Gryphonne　IV　over　a　period　of　a
thousand　years；　Hammer　of　Righteousness　had　been　in　commission；　defending　Imperial　space　for
nigh…on　eight　thousand　years。　Admiral　Augustine　had　served　on　her　for　almost　one　hundred　and
fifteen　years；　first　as　a　junior　officer　before　moving　steadily　up　through　the　ranks。　He　had　served　on
two　other　ships　after　fulfilling　his　commissioned　appointments　on　the　Hammer　of　Righteousness；
first　as　a　flag…lieutenant　on　the　Lunar…class　cruiser　Dauntless。　After　a　tenure　of　fifteen　years　he　had
been　promoted　to　flag…captain　of　the　recommissioned　Emperor’s　Wrath；　which　had　recently　been
reassigned　to　Segmentum　Tempestus。　Augustine　served　aboard　this　Overlord…class　battle　cruiser—a
famed　veteran　of　the　Gothic　wars—for　ten　years；　before　he　was　reassigned　back　to　the　Hammer　of
Righteousness；　the　ship　where　he　had　began　his　naval　career。
He　had　held　the　rank　of　admiral　for　forty…two　years；　and　at　the　age　of　one　hundred　and　sixty…two；
he　was　one　of　the　most　experienced　officers　in　the　fleet。　No　one　knew　the　nuances　and　quirks　of　the
ancient　battleship　like　he　did；　save　perhaps　for　the　ship’s　long…serving　flag…lieutenant；　Gideon
Cortez。　Only　two　other　ships　assigned　to　Battlefleet　Tempestus　were　of　comparable　size；　and　they
were　facing　off　against　the　xenos　menace　in　distant　sectors　of　the　segmentum。　The　eastern　expanses
were　his　responsibility；　and　it　was　here　that　he　had　formed　his　blockade。
He　could　not　see　the　enemy　with　the　naked　eye；　for　they　were　still　millions　of　kilometres　away；
but　he　knew　that　they　were　out　there　and　closing　on　them　inexorably。　He　could　see　flashes　in　the
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distance。　From　here；　they　looked　almost　incongruous；　but　he　knew　that　more　of　the　enemy　bio…ships
were　being　subjected　to　concentrated　barrages　of　ordnance。
His　fleet　was　making　a　good　account　of　itself　in　this　engagement；　the　most　recent　of　dozens　over
the　last　months；　having　destroyed　two　dozen　hive…ships　for　no　losses。　Still；　the　xenos　fleet　continued
to　plough　relentlessly　on　into　Imperial　space。　The　losses　they　had　suffered　made　no　discernible
impact　on　the　vast　tyranid　hive…fleet。
Vile　bio…organisms　that　consumed　everything　in　their　path；　like　the　locusts　of　Augustine’s　home
world　but　on　a　galactic　scale；　the　tyranid　menace　was　a　very　real　threat　to　the　Imperium　as　a　whole。
Four　years　previously　a　new　hive…fleet　had　been　identified；　dubbed　Hive　Fleet　Leviathan。　It　was
a　fitting　name。　Already　billions　had　lost　their　lives　to　its　insatiable　hunger。
Admiral　Augustine　stared　balefully　out　into　the　darkness。　For　all　his　years　of　service　he　had
proudly　defended　the　reliant　worlds　of　the　Imperium　from　its　enemies。　Now　he　was　tasked　with
destroying　those　same　worlds　that　he　had　dedicated　his　life　to　protect。
By　Lord　Inquisitor　Kryptman’s　order　a　galactic　cordon　stretching　before　the　encroaching　xenos
fleet　was　formed。　The　band　of　worlds　directly　in　front　of　the　cordon　were　evacuated；　and　many　of
them　utterly　destroyed；　in　order　to　deny　the　hive　fleet　raw　organic　matter。　Any　world　already　under
tyranid　invasion　was　to　suffer　Exterminatus—the　theory　being　that　the　xenos　would　expend　much
energy　in　claiming　a　world；　only　to　have　all　living　things　on　the　world　exterminated。　The　inquisitor
believed　that　by　stalling　the　hive　fleet’s　advance；　it　would　eventually　turn　aside；　towards　more
lucrative　killing　grounds；　and　thus　save　the　Imperium　from　devastation。　However；　it　was　a　cruel　and
callous　strategy；　and　not　one　that　sat　well　with　Admiral　Augustine；　even　if　it　was　humanity’s　only
hope　of　stalling　the　hive　fleet。　Billions　of　Imperial　citizens　had　already　been　evacuated；　their　home
worlds　destroyed；　and　hundreds　of　millions　had　perished；　killed　by　orbital　barrages　and　virus　bombs
launched　by　those　sworn　to　protect　them。
He　turned　away　from　the　observation　portal；　his　movements；　like　his　appearance；　crisp　and
precise。　He　strode　back　along　the　command　deck；　his　expression　unreadable。　His　staff　upon　the
bridge　went　about　their　work　with　practiced　efficiency　and　calm；　talking　in　low　voices。　Several　of
them　looked　up　as　their　admiral　passed　them　by　and　were　greeted　with　curt　nods。　Banks　of
logisticians；　hard…wired　into　the　battleship’s　logic　engines　and　monitoring　a　constant　flow　of
technical　data；　murmured　as　stylus…fingers　traced　the　mnemo…papers　feeding　from　skull…faced
machines。　A　pair　of　enginseers　were　reporting　to　the　flag…lieutenant；　Gideon　Cortez；　and　humming
cogitator　arrays　flickered　with　updates　from　the　fleet；　the　eyelids　of　servitors　flickering　as
information　was　relayed。
Augustine　moved　to　the　holo…table　positioned　within　a　sunken　recess　in　the　floor；　stepping　down
to　look　upon　the　position　of　his　fleet。　The　table　was　crisscrossed　with　a　grid　of　glowing　green　lines；
indicating　spatial　parameters；　and　scale　models　of　the　entire　fleet　were　positioned　across　its　smooth
expanse。
He　took　a　moment　to　study　the　formations。　Most　of　the　fleet；　seventy…two　vessels　of　escort　class
and　higher；　had　formed　a　bulwark　spreading　across　the　system　with　the　Hammer　of　Righteousness　at
its　centre。　The　cruiser　Valkyrie；　accompanied　by　three　squadrons　of　smaller　frigates　and　destroyers；
was　out　in　front；　slowing　the　vanguard　of　the　tyranid　fleet　to　enable　the　pleasure　world　of　Circe　to
fully　evacuate；　formless　black　spheres　being　placed　on　the　table　to　represent　the　known　enemy
forces。　More　of　them　were　being　put　on　the　table　all　the　time；　placed　there　by　lobotomised　servitors
hanging　like　twisted　marionettes　amid　the　gently　hissing　mechanics　above　the　table。
The　bio…mechanical　amalgamations　had　no　lower　torso　or　legs。　Their　upper　bodies；　replete　with
wires　and　cables　protruding　from　their　pallid　flesh；　were　attached　to　multi…jointed　mechanical
armatures　that　whirred　and　hissed　as　they　extended　and　retracted；　accurately　moving　and　placing　the
fleets；　accordingly；　as　fresh　data　was　transmitted　into　them。　Augustine　was　so　used　to　their
movements　that　he　barely　registered　their　presence；　they　were　merely　part　of　the　ship；　one　more　tool
to　help　him　with　his　strategy。
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Two　other　cruisers　aller　escorts　clustered　in　front　of　other　populated
worlds；　the　agri…world　Perse；　and　the　mining　moons　of　Perdus　Skylla　and　Perdus　Kharybdis；　rotating
slowly　around　the　uninhabitable　gas　giant；　Calyptus。
Small；　featureless　scale　models；　representing　a　host　of　transports　and　carriers　engaged　in　the
evacuation　efforts；　were　positioned　touching　the　inhabited　worlds。　Several　other　models
representing　similar　transports　were　positioned　en　route　to　the　blockade。　Almost　two　hundred
million　people　were　being　evacuated　from　this　system　alone。　Already；　there　had　been　problems　with
some　of　the　mass　transports　associated　with　the　fleet；　as　riots　had　broken　out　within　the　civilian
populations　already　evacuated。　He　pushed　these　thoughts　out　of　his　mind；　it　was　his　job　to　enact　the
strategy　laid　down　to　him　and　see　the　worlds　evacuated　safely；　not　to　police　those　populations　once
they　were　safely　onboard　the　mass　transport　ships。
As　he　watched；　an　Imperial　light　cruiser　was　placed　on　the　table　on　the　lee　side　of　Perdus　Skylla；
and　then　removed。　The　arm　of　the　servitor　jerked　spasmodically；　and　it　placed　the　light　cruiser　back
down　upon　the　table。
“What’s　that？”　asked　Admiral　Augustine；　pointing　towards　the　ship；　which　was　once　again
removed　from　the　table。
One　of　his　aides；　a　junior　lieutenant；　shrugged。
“It’s　been　doing　that　for　the　past　hour；　admiral；”　he　said；