Dark Disciple(科幻战争)-第50部分

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Instantly；　the　haemonculus’s　hand　flickered　over　a　series　of　rune　images；　and　all　the　cell　doors　in
the　section　powered　down。
At　first；　nothing　happened。　Then　a　hulking　two…metre　beast　covered　in　matted　fur　staggered　into
the　corridor。　Throwing　its　head　back；　it　gave　a　blood…curdling　roar。　The　dark　eldar　guards　fired；
knocking　it　back　a　step。　It　roared　again；　and　lurched　towards　the　group　of　warriors。　Barbed　prongs
that　shimmered　with　arcane　powers　were　fired　into　its　flesh；　and　it　fell　to　its　knees　as　agony　seared
through　its　body。
More　and　more　of　the　slaves　staggered　from　their　cells；　blinking　their　eyes　heavily；　as　if
believing　that　this　was　just　another　part　of　their　torture。　A　broad　shouldered；　four…legged；　centaurlike
creature　with　a　reptilian　head　lurched　from　its　cell；　which　was　barely　large　enough　to　hold　its
massive　form。　It　hurled　itself　into　one　of　the　groups　of　eldar　warriors；　and　two　of　them　died　instantly
as　it　slammed　their　heads　together；　crushing　their　fragile　skulls。
Eldar　warriors　began　firing　as　more　slaves　spilled　from　their　confinement；　and　crackling　electrowhips
lashed　out。　Slaves　shuddered　and　screamed　as　the　whips　struck　them；　sending　shooting　pains
through　their　nervous　systems；　and　others　fell；　their　fears；　terrors　and　nightmares　coming　to　life
before　their　eyes　as　hallucinatory　venom　surged　through　their　veins。
Other　slaves　fell　upon　each　other；　fists　cracking　against　skulls　and　hands　wrapping　around
throats　as　racial　enmities　surged　to　the　fore　and　individuals　driven　out　of　their　minds　by　their
torments　sought　to　slake　their　insane　bloodlust。
All　was　chaos　along　the　corridor；　and　Marduk　smiled　broadly；　relishing　the　surge　of　hatred；　fear
and　anger　that　washed　over　him。
“Which　way？”　he　said。
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CHAPTER　NINETEEN
Dracon　Alith　Drazjaer　stared　at　the　curved；　three…dimensional　observation　screen　projected　before
him；　watching　as　the　hive　fleet　of　the　Great　Devourer　drew　ever　nearer。　The　bridge　of　his　corsair
flagship　was　dark。　Reclining　upon　his　throne；　with　its　razor…sharp　barbs　rising　around　him；　he
scowled　at　the　holographic　images　appearing　before　him。
He　saw　the　twin　moons　orbiting　the　giant　gas　planet；　with　the　flickering　ghost…image　of　his
bladed　ship　pulling　away　from　them。　His　ship　was　as　one　with　the　darkness；　and　had　the　voracious
organism…ships　of　the　Great　Devourer　not　been　encroaching；　Drazjaer　was　confident　that　he　could
have　preyed　upon　this　system　for　years　to　come　without　detection。
As　the　moons　had　finally　completed　their　long　arc　around　the　gas　giant　and　emerged　into　the
light　of　the　system’s　dying　star；　the　dark　eldar　ship　had　slipped　unseen　through　the　mon…keigh
blockade。　It　was　likely　that　none　had　even　registered　his　ship’s　presence；　and　those　that　had　would
have　seen　nothing　more　suspicious　than　a　passenger　freighter　of　their　own　design。
He　had　plied　his　trade　in　this　system　for　two　months；　relying　on　the　mimic　engines　and　shadow
fields　of　his　slave…ship　to　confuse　the　mon…keigh　scanners；　while　his　warriors　raided　the　evacuating
populations。　Within　visual　range；　the　mimic　engines　would　no　longer　be　able　to　fool　even　the　pitiful
scanners　of　the　mon…keigh；　but　still　his　ship　would　be　almost　impossible　to　pinpoint；　thanks　to　the
shadow　fields　that　cloaked　its　presence；　and　it　was　easy　to　keep　out　of　the　visual　range　of　the
lumbering　mon…keigh　ships。
It　had　proved　a　profitable　and　successful　hunt；　and　thousands　of　souls　were　held　in　the　torture
decks　below；　ready　for　delivery　to　Commoragh。　Still；　it　was　not　enough；　and　for　the　thousandth　time
Drazjaer　cursed　the　very　existence　of　the　black…hearted　lord　of　the　Black　Heart　cabal；　Asdrubael
Vect。　The　tribute　he　demanded　was　extortionate。　Drazjaer　had　hoped　that　raiding　this　one　sector
would　have　provided　enough　souls　to　please　the　vicious　lord；　and　it　had　come　close；　but　his　time
here　was　done。
Within　the　day；　the　tyranids　would　have　overrun　the　prey…moons。　The　mimic　engines　would　not
fool　the　hive…mind。　It　was　time　to　move　on；　to　continue　his　raids　elsewhere；　for　to　return　to
Commoragh　without　his　full　tribute　was　out　of　the　question。
Dismissing　the　observation　screen　with　a　thought；　Drazjaer　swung　away　from　the　console；　which
retracted　smoothly　into　the　floor　behind　him。　He　saw　one　of　his　Incubi　guards　waiting　for　him；　head
bowed。
“What　is　it？”　the　dracon　asked。
“There　is　a　problem　on　antitherea　deck；　lord　dracon；”　murmured　one　of　the　incubi；　his　voice
distorted　by　his　tormentor　helm。
With　his　screens　down　and　completely　confident　that　his　mimic　engines　and　shadow　fields
would　be　able　to　fool　any　of　the　mon…keigh　vessels；　Drazjaer　did　not　see　the　Astartes　stoke　cruiser
turning　towards　his　ship。
Marduk　hacked　a　path　through　the　press　of　inmates；　slashing　with　the　blade…limb　and　sending　them
reeling　away　from　him；　blood　pumping　from　severed　limbs。　Those　who　fell　were　crushed　in　the　rush
to　escape；　and　the　man；　Baranov；　kept　close　behind　him。
The　First　Acolyte　had　the　skeletal　form　of　the　haemonculus　in　a　headlock；　using　his　body　as　a
shield　in　front　of　him；　and　he　hacked　the　blade　through　the　neck　of　another　inmate；　who　turned
157
towards　him；　froth　spilling　from　his　mouth。　The　guards　were　being　overwhelmed　by　the　surge　of
slaves　and　paid　Marduk　no　mind　as　they　fought　for　their　lives；　weapons　spitting　and　torturous
electro…whips　snapping。
“This　way；　I’m　sure　of　it！”　shouted　Baranov；　directing　Marduk　down　a　side　corridor。　The　slave
deck　was　a　labyrinth　of　side…tunnels　and　holding　cells；　and　everywhere　was　chaos　as　the　slaves　set
upon　their　captors　and　each　other　with　insane　fury。　Marduk　had　sworn　that　he　would　make　the　xenos
scum　suffer　for　the　ignoble　sufferings　that　had　been　committed　upon　his　flesh；　and　he　smiled　to　see
the　mayhem　he　had　wrought。
Marduk　moved　past　dozens　of　cells。　The　wretched　inmates　still　cowered　within　many　of　them；
crouching　in　the　corners；　rocking　back　and　forth；　their　heads　in　their　hands；　but　it　did　not　matter。
Enough　of　the　slaves　were　hell…bent　on　overcoming　their　captors　to　provide　an　adequate　distortion。
“There！”　shouted　Baranov；　pointing　towards　what　looked　like　a　dead　end。　“That　is　where　they
brought　me　from。”
Marduk　swung　down　the　corridor。　A　group　of　eldar　warriors　was　backed　up　against　its　end；　a
circular；　closed　aperture　behind　them。　A　slave；　a　human；　launched　itself　at　Marduk；　hands　clawing
for　him；　but　the　First　Acolyte　slashed　his　blade　across　its　face。
With　the　haemonculus　held　in　a　brutal　headlock；　Marduk　broke　into　a　ran；　dropping　his　shoulder
and　barging　his　way　through　the　crowd　towards　the　far　end　of　the　corridor。　Baranov　struggled　to
keep　up；　running　in　his　destructive　wake。
With　a　swat　of　his　arm；　Marduk　slammed　the　first　of　the　guards　back　into　the　wall；　and　slashed
his　blade　across　the　neck　of　the　second；　blood　gushing　from　the　wound。
Something　stabbed　into　Marduk’s　unarmoured　back；　and　his　body　was　jolted　as　his　pain
receptors　flared；　and　his　muscles　twitched　uncontrollably。　He　lost　his　grip　on　the　haemonculus；　who
slumped　to　the　ground　in　a　bloody　heap；　and　twisted　around　to　see　a　trident　sparking　with　energy
jabbed　into　his　flesh；　held　in　the　grasp　of　a　blade…helmeted　dark　eldar　warrior。　He　grabbed　the　haft
of　the　weapon；　sending　flaring　pain　up　his　arm；　and　swung　it　upwards；　sending　the　warrior　wielding
the　weapon　smashing　into　the　low　roof。　The　warrior　released　its　hold　on　the　trident；　and　Marduk
turned　and　impaled　another　of　its　dark　kin　on　its　points。
“Get　the　doors　open；”　he　barked；　spinning　and　decapitating　another　warrior　with　a　sweep　of　his
blade。
“I’m　trying；”　shouted　Baranov；　his　fingers　flickering　over　the　glowing　rune　of　a　side…panel。
“Try　harder；”　roared　Marduk；　just　before　he　was　slammed　back　against　the　wall　as　a　comscating
arc　of　dark　energy　struck　him　square　in　the　chest；　fired　from　the　snub…nosed　rifle　of　another　enemy。
The　eldar　warrior　was　about　to　fire　on　him　again；　but　stumbled　as　another　slave　slammed　into　his
back；　knocking　the　eldar　off…balance　and　towards　Marduk。　The　First　Acolyte　reared　up　with　a　growl；
the　flesh　of　his　chest　blistered　and　smoking；　and　slammed　his　fist　up　into　the　eldar’s　chin；　throwing
his　full　force　behind　the　blow。
The　warrior’s　neck　snapped　backwards　with　an　audible　crack；　and　Marduk　positioned　himself　in
a　protective　position　in　front　of　Baranov；　ensuring　that　no　one　came　near　him。　He　saw　the
haemonculus　clawing　away　from　him　on　the　floor；　and　at　a　whim　he　placed　his　still…armoured　foot
upon　the　skeletal　eldar’s　elongated　cranium；　pinning　it　to　the　floor。
“It’s　not　opening；”　said　Baranov　desperately。　“It’s　been　locked　down；　or　something。”
“You　can　open　it　for　me；”　Marduk　said　to　the　haemonculus；　exerting　more　pressure　on　the
creature’s　skull。　It　gurgled　something；　and　Marduk　bent　down　and　picked　it　up　by　the　scruff　of　its
neck。　His　fingers　completely　encircling　its　neck；　he　held　it　half　a　metre　above　the　ground。　He　pushed
Baranov　roughly　aside。
“Open　it；”　Marduk　growled；　and　slammed　the　haemonculus’s　head　into　the　control　panel　for
emphasis。　Its　nose　broke；　and　blood　splattered　across　the　black　panel。
The　eldar　gargled　something；　but　its　voice　was　unintelligible；　and　Marduk　slammed　its　face　into
the　panel　again。
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“Open　it；”　he　hissed　again；　before　slamming　its　head　into　the　panel　once　more。　Its　face　was　a
bloody　ruin；　its　nose　smashed；　and　blood　and　mucus　was　smeared　across　the　deathly　visage。
“You’ll　kill　it；”　warned　Baranov；　but　the　haemonculus　lifted　one　of　its　claw…like　hands；　reaching
blearily　towards　the　panel。
The　eldar’s　fingers　stabbed　at　a　series　of　runes　and　blade…arcs　of　the　circular　door　slid　open。
An　armed　group　of　eldar　warriors　stood　beyond　the　doors；　a　hundred　slender　rifles　lowered
towards　him。　At　the　centre　stood　a　tall　figure　in　glistening　black；　barbed　and　segmented　armour；　its
pale　xenos　face　staring　at　him　with　noble　arrogance。　He　saw　the　long…haired　bitch　that　had　ensnared
him　at　its　side；　and　a　milky…eyed　creature；　glowing　blue　runes　carved　upon　its　ebony　flesh。
“You…　lose；”　gargled　the　haemonculus；　looking　up　at　him　in　triumph。
“I　don’t　think　so；”　said　Marduk；　and　slammed　the　haemonculus’s　head　into　the　control　panel
once　more；　this　time　with　fatal　force。　Its　skull　crumpled。
He　flicked　his　glance　towards　Baranov；　whose　face　was　pale　as　he　stared　out　at　the　horde　of
enemy　warriors　before　them。
“Stay　close　to　me；”　hissed　Marduk。
Letting　the　dead　figure　of　the　haemonculus　slump　to　the　ground；　leaving　a　smear　of　brainmatter
across　the　control　panel’s　surface；　Marduk　lifted　his　head　high　and　stared　defiantly　at　the　eldar；
awaiting　his　fate　as　a　warrior　of　Lorgar。
Blood　covering　his　heavily　scarred；　naked　torso；　Marduk　locked　his　eyes　on　the　central　eldar
figure。　This　one　was　clearly　the　leader　of　the　dark　kin；　and　if　he　had　any　hope　of　escape；　it　lay　in
him。　The　arrogant　bastard　stood　with　his　arms　folded　across　his　chest；　blades　gleaming　down　its
forearms；　a　look　of　utter　contempt　and　sardonic　humour　on　his　xenos　face。　Surrounded　by　over　a
hundred　of　his　warriors；　all　with　weapons　lowered；　the　haughty　eldar　lord　sneered　down　his　nose　at
Marduk。
“This　is　the　prey…slave　that　has　caused　all　this　disturbance？”　he　asked；　enunciating　the　wor