Ice Guard(科幻战争)-第18部分

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undisturbed；　like　a　virgin　fall。　The　mutant　was　trying　to　hide　from　him；　but　it　had　left　a　clear　trail。　It
would　not　escape　this　time。
All　but　one　of　the　Ice　Warriors　had　been　found。
They　converged　on　the　spot　where　Mikhaelev　and　Grayle　had　last　seen　Barreski。　He　could　have
ended　up　anywhere　within　a　hundred　metre　radius；　but　a　quick　search　turned　up　no　sign　of　him。　That
was　bad；　thought　Steele。　It　meant　that　the　trooper　had　been　completely　buried；　and　would　be　running
out　of　air。
“Start　digging；”　he　instructed。　“Centre　on　this　spot　here。　Take　a　five…metre　square　each　to　begin
with。”　His　augmetics　had　already　analysed　the　speed　of　the　avalanche’s　flow　as　he　had　experienced
it；　extrapolated　its　likely　speed　this　much　closer　to　its　centre；　and　correlated　Barreski’s　reported
trajectory　and　last　known　distance　from　his　starting　point　—　to　conclude　that　they　couldn’t　narrow
the　search　area　much　more　than　his　comrades’　instincts　already　had。
Then　Steele　picked　up　a　sound　from　beneath　his　feet；　a　sound　that　he　identified　a　moment　later
as　the　muffled　cough　of　a　misfiring　flamer。
He　grabbed　Anakora　by　her　greatcoat　collar　and　yanked　her　backwards　as　a　boiling　geyser
erupted　from　the　ground　where　she　had　been　standing。　The　Ice　Warriors　were　showered　with
cooling　water。　When　the　deluge　had　ended；　they　crowded　forward　to　find　a　large；　round　hole　in　the
snow　—　and；　at　its　bottom；　the　top　half　of　a　red…faced；　spluttering　Barreski。
“S…sorry；　sir；”　he　addressed　Steele　breathlessly。　“Couldn’t　breathe　down　there；　couldn’t　wait　any
longer。　I　knew　it　was　risky；　but…”
He　was　cradling　his　flamer　across　his　chest。
That　was　when　they　all　heard　las…fire；　coming　from　behind　the　hill　—　and　Steele　realised；　in　that
selfsame　moment；　that　one　of　his　troopers　was　missing。
Pozhar　ran　at　the　mutant；　firing。　It　had　been　fleeing　from　him　—　but　as　fast　as　it　was；　he　was　faster。
As　his　first　las…beam　hit；　the　mutant　gave　a　roar　of　pain　and　spun　around　to　face　him；　throwing　up　its
arms。　It　looked　as　if　it　was　trying　to　surrender　—　although　Pozhar　doubted　this；　and　it　would　have
made　no　difference　to　him　anyway。
“Not…　what　you…　think…”
It　took　Pozhar　by　surprise；　to　be　addressed　by　something　he　had　thought　of　as　an　animal；　dumb
in　both　senses　of　the　word。　The　mutant’s　voice　was　hoarse　and　rough；　like　gravel　across　a　rock
surface；　and　the　words　came　out　slowly　as　if　speaking　was　an　effort　for　it。
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“I　can　see　what　you　are；”　spat　Pozhar；　and　he　fired　again。
His　next　two　beams　missed　their　target。　He　still　wasn’t　used　to　shooting　left…handed；　and　that
gave　the　mutant　its　chance。　Having　seen　that　it　couldn’t　fool　him；　it　reverted　to　type　—　at　least；　that
was　how　Pozhar　chose　to　see　it。
It　came　in　low；　its　talons　outstretched；　and　Pozhar　slid　to　a　halt　and　braced　himself　to　meet　it。　As
it　thundered　towards　him；　growing　larger　in　his　sights；　he　was　able　to　zero　in　on　it；　and　two　beams
sizzled　through　the　mutant’s　chest　fur　and　created　livid　red　sores。　Then　it　cannoned　into　him；
clawing　at　his　throat　—　but　Pozhar　wasn’t　about　to　be　knocked　down　by　another　of　these　things；　and
although　he　was　forced　onto　his　back　foot；　he　remained　upright　and　jabbed　at　the　creature’s　stomach
with　his　bayonet。
“Listen；”　it　rasped；　switching　its　grip　to　Pozhar’s　lasgun；　twisting　it　so　that　it　pointed　away　from
them　both；　“Trying　to…　help。　I　know　where　Confessor…　Confessor　Wollkenden！　Can　take　you。”
The　mutant’s　breath　was　hot　and　fetid　in　his　face；　and　he　recoiled　from　it；　lost　hold　of　his　gun；
panicked　as　he　began　to　fear　that　he　wasn’t　strong　enough　to　pass　this　test　after　all。
“You　expect　me　to　trust　you？”　he　yelled。　“You’re　a　filthy　stinking　mutant；　and　I　won’t　listen　to
you；　I　won’t　be　corrupted；　I　won’t！”
Somehow；　he　found　the　strength　to　hurl　his　foe　away　from　him；　and　he　leapt　for　his　gun；　lying　in
the　snow。　The　mutant　leapt　for　it　too；　but　Pozhar　got　there　first。　He　grabbed　the　gun；　rolled　onto　his
back；　and　he　fired；　striking　the　mutant　again　in　the　chest；　and　then　in　the　stomach；　widening　its
bayonet　wound。
It　was　losing　too　much　blood；　It　couldn’t　survive。　But　it　was　still　fighting。　It　came　at　Pozhar　with
a　roar　of　rage；　its　eyes　a　blazing　red；　and　he　knew　that　he　couldn’t　fend　it　off　again。　He　knew　it
would　kill　him；　but　that　was　all　right　because　he　had　killed　it　first　and　would　die　a　pure　man。　The
mutant　was　on　top　of　him；　pinning　his　good　arm；　and　it　brought　up　its　talons　to　strike；　to　tear　out　his
throat。
Then　it　hesitated；　and　the　fire　in　its　eyes　died　out；　and　when　it　next　spoke　its　words　were　more
lucid　than　they　had　been。
“A　few　months　ago；”　said　the　mutant　sadly；　“I　would　have　tried　to　kill　me　too。”
“Don’t　you　dare　say　that！”　hissed　Pozhar。　“Don’t　you　dare　try　to　say　that　I’m　anything　like　you。
And　don’t　stay　your　hand；　I　don’t　want　your…　your　pity。　Kill　me！”
But　instead；　the　mutant　died；　and　Pozhar　let　out　a　howl　of　frustration。　He　punched　and　kicked　at
it　until　it　rolled　off　him；　and　then　stood　and　drove　his　lasgun　butt　into　the　creature’s　corpse　again　and
again；　shattering　its　bones。
He　only　stopped　when　he　was　exhausted。　He　looked　down　at　the　mutant’s　staring　red　eyes
seeming　to　accuse　him　even　now；　and　he　felt　the　itch　on　his　right　hand　spreading；　crawling　up　his
arm。　His　right　glove　had　come　adrift　from　his　greatcoat　sleeve；　and　he　was　sickened　by　the　sight　of
grey　fur　bristling　in　the　gap。　He　pulled　up　the　glove　quickly；　and　buried　the　hand　in　its　sling　to
conceal　it　more　fully。　He　could　almost　have　cried。　Hadn’t　he　done　what　the　Emperor　had　asked　of
him？　It　wasn’t　his　fault　that　the　mutant　had　stopped　fighting；　hadn’t　challenged　him　fully。　Pozhar
had　expected　redemption；　but　instead　he　felt　empty。
And　that　was　how　Steele　and　the　others　found　him；　a　short　time　later：　standing　over　the　fallen
mutant；　staring　down　at　it；　unable　to　tear　his　gaze　away　from　it；　unable　to　answer　the　one　burning
question；　the　unthinkable　question；　in　his　thoughts。
Is　that　my　future？
Iota　Hive　was　a　little　smaller　than　Alpha；　and　yet　still　it　dwarfed　the　Ice　Warriors　as　they　emerged
from　the　hills　into　its　shadow。　Its　size　fooled　Mikhaelev；　making　him　think　that　the　hive　was　closer
than　it　was。　And　the　closer　they　got　to　it；　the　larger　—　and　the　further　away　—　it　seemed　to　grow。
Even　so；　he　could　already　smell　the　rank　purple　fungus　that　encrusted　its　iced…over　surfaces。
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It　looked　as　if　the　hive　had　been　abandoned　a　long　time　ago　to　the　uncaring　elements。　If　only；
Mikhaelev　thought；　that　could　have　been　the　case。
There　was　a　breach　in　the　hive’s　blackstone　outer　wall；　but　Steele　steered　his　squad　well　clear　of
this　after　Palinev　sighted　through　his　field　goggles　and　reported　that　he　saw　figures　moving　amid　the
wreckage。
The　hive　stopped　growing　at　last；　and　the　great　wall　filled　Mikhaelev’s　field　of　vision。　The　Ice
Warriors　tucked　themselves　in　against　it；　careful　not　to　touch　the　reeking　ice；　and　Steele　led　the　way
along　the　sheer　black　face。　It　soon　became　evident　to　Mikhaelev　that　they　were　making　for　the
breach　after　all。
Not　long　after　that；　the　colonel　motioned　to　his　squad　to　be　silent　and　still。　They　were　nearing
their　goal；　he　said；　although　Mikhaelev　had　no　way　of　seeing　this　for　himself。　Presumably；　Steele’s
augmetics　had　helped　him　calculate　the　distance　to　the　breach。
“We　don’t　know　how　many　guards　there　might　be　in　there；”　said　the　colonel；　“but　as　always　it
only　takes　one　to　raise　the　alarm。”
“Fortunately；”　said　Gavotski；　“we　still　have　surprise　on　our　side。　If　anyone　had　seen　us　coming；
I’m　sure　we　would　know　about　it　by　now。”
“We’re　a　long　way　behind　enemy　lines；”　said　Blonsky。　“Those　guards　have　every　reason　to　be
complacent；　to　have　let　their　attention　wonder。　We　all　know　that　the　followers　of　Chaos　lack　selfdiscipline。”
A　couple　of　the　others　murmured　their　agreement；　and　Mikhaelev　joined　in　belatedly。
After　what　Blonsky　had　said　about　him　last　night；　after　the　number　of　suspicious　glares　he　had
drawn　today；　he　thought　it　wise　to　display　his　enthusiasm　for　their　cause。
“What　we　need；”　said　Gavotski；　“is　for　a　couple　of　troopers　to　scout　ahead；　to　take　out　the
sentries　without　being　seen　if　they　can。　Palinev　should　be　one。”
“I　can　do　that！”　Pozhar　chirped　up。　Seeing　Gavotski’s　doubtful　look；　he　said；　“It　makes　sense；
sergeant。　After　Palinev；　I’m　the　lightest　on　his　feet　—　and　I　know　what　you’re　thinking；　you’re
thinking　this　sling　will　slow　me　down；　but　I’m　getting　used　to　it。　I　know　I’m　having　trouble　shooting
with　my　left　hand；　but　I　can　handle　a　knife　with　it；　just　let　me　show　you。”
The　look　on　his　face　was　imploring；　almost　desperate　—　and　Gavotski　gave　Pozhar　a　long；
appraising　stare；　and　then　glanced　at　Steele；　before　he　made　his　decision　and　announced　it　with　a
curt　nod　of　his　head。
Mikhaelev　thought　that　he　had　made　a　mistake。　Pozhar　was　too　impatient　for　a　job　like　this　one。
He　had　volunteered　for　no　other　reason　than　that　he　wanted　some　action；　and　nothing　would　get　in
the　way　of　that　for　him。　But　then　this　wasn’t　the　first　time　Gavotski　had　shown　a　soft　spot　for　the
young　trooper　—　and　the　last　thing　Mikhaelev　could　afford　to　do　right　now　was　question　that。
In　the　event；　his　pessimism　was　proved　ill…founded。　Only　a　few　minutes　after　Palinev　and　Pozhar
had　slipped　away；　the　latter　returned　beaming　from　ear　to　ear；　to　report　that　there　had　been　four
cultists　on　sentry　duty　and　that　they　had　all　been　despatched。　Steele　motioned　the　squad　forwards
again；　and　soon　the　black　wall　beside　them　fell　away；　and　they　were　climbing　over　rubble。
There　were；　indeed；　four　robed　corpses　at　the　entrance。　It　looked　as　if　the　cultists　had　been
playing　cards　when　Palinev　and　Pozhar　had　got　the　drop　on　them　and　slashed　two　of　their　throats。　A
third　cultist　had　struggled；　and　had　had　his　neck　broken。　The　fourth　had　evidently　tried　to　run；　and
had　been　brought　down　by　a　knife　to　the　back。
“We　should　try　to　hide　the　bodies；”　said　Anakora。　“Then；　if　anyone　comes　by；　they　might
assume　that　these　guards　have　just　deserted　their　post。”
They　were　inside　the　hive　at　last　—　Mangellan’s　hive；　as　it　was　now。
From　now　on；　thought　Mikhaelev　gloomily；　things　could　only　get　a　great　deal　more　dangerous。
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CHAPTER　ELEVEN
Time　to　Destruction　of　Cressida：　20。32。13
From　the　outside；　Iota　Hive　had　seemed　relatively　intact。
Inside；　it　was　a　different　story。　Hardly　a　structure　had　been　left　untouched　by　the　war　that　had
raged　within。　Bridges　had　been　blown　out；　gantries　collapsed；　water　tanks　exploded。　A　burnt…out
Chimera　lay　on　its　roof；　the　corpses　of　a　driver　and　two　gunners　rotting　inside。　There　were　many
more　bodies；　and　parts　thereof；　strewn　about　the　streets　or　half…buried　in　the　wreckage　of
demolished　walls。　Barricades　had　been　built　up　from　whatever　materials　were　available；　to　be
broken　down　again。
No　natural　light　could　penetrate　this　deeply　into　the　hive　—　and　the　electric　lights　were
intermittent；　unreliable；　allowing　black　pools　to　congregate　between　them。　Grayle　drove　through　it
all；　along　narrow　streets　that　had　once　teemed　with　people。　Those　streets　were　empty　now；　most　of
the　people　dead　—　and　of　those　who　had　survived；　most　would　have　joined　th