Ice Guard(科幻战争)-第20部分

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Mangellan　has　had　built　for　himself。”
“It　was　Gavotski　who　suggested　sending　someone　further　upwards；　to　the　roof　of　one　of　the
taller　buildings。　We　must　be　close　to　the　centre　of　the　hive；”　he　said。　“If　the　palace　is　on　this　level；　it
should　be　visible　from　up　there。　If　not；　then　we’ll　know　we’re　wasting　our　time　here。”
Palinev　volunteered　to　be　the　scout；　of　course。　Everyone　was　surprised　when　Steele　sent　Grayle
instead。
“Get　up　there；”　he　instructed；　“take　a　quick　sighting　and　come　straight　down　again。　You　still
have　your　cloak；　so　if　any　heretic　does　spot　you　he　should　think　you’re　an　ally。　Still；　I’d　rather　not
take　that　chance。”
Grayle　disappeared　into　the　apartment　building；　emerged　a　few　minutes　later　onto　one　of　its
topmost　balconies；　and　began　to　find　handholds　in　the　brickwork；　hauling　himself　all　the　way　up　to
the　roof。　It　was　only　then　that　Barreski　realised　why　it　was　that　his　fellow　tanker　had　been　assigned
to　the　task。　Grayle　was　the　only　one　of　them　who　had　a　solid　alibi　for　when　the　vox…caster　was
destroyed；　an　alibi　that　Barreski　had　provided。　He　was　the　only　one　Steele　trusted　to　stray　so　far
from　the　squad　on　his　own。
A　few　minutes　later；　Grayle　was　back；　flushed　and　breathless。
“It’s　on　this　level；　all　right；”　he　reported；　“the　Ice　Palace。　It’s　on　all　the　levels；　all　the　ones　up
here。　Its　foundations　are　a　couple　of　floors　down；　but　it　reaches　all　the　way　up　to　the　roof。　It　looks
like…　like　it’s　almost　organic；　like　it　wasn’t　built　or　carved　or　whatever；　like　it　must　have…
grown。”
“Like　the　so…called　trees　in　the　forest；”　said　Mikhaelev。
“Like　them；　yes；”　said　Grayle。　“It’s　huge；　at　least　a　kilometre　square；　and　the　area　around　it　is　in
ruins；　as　if　the　palace　just…　as　if　it　burst　through　from　below；　destroying　everything　in　its　path　as　it
sprouted　upwards。　I　could　see　bridges；　great　bridges　of　ice；　leading　across　to　it　from　the　streets。”
“How　far？”　asked　Steele。
“It　was　hard　to　tell；”　said　Grayle；　“with　the　sheer　scale　of　the　thing。　Another　three　or　four　hours；
I’d　say；　on　foot。　But　there　are　patrols　in　the　streets：　Traitor　Guard；　lots　of　them；　between　the　Ice
Palace　and　here。　I　don’t　think　it’s　safe　to　take　a　vehicle。”
“Mangellan　is　well　protected；”　said　Steele。　“I’d　expect　no　less。　The　sound　of　an　engine　won’t　go
unnoticed　up　here；　and　I　can’t　see　a　couple　of　cultists’　robes　fooling　anyone　either。”　This　was　good
news　for　Barreski；　whose　borrowed　cloak　had　been　making　his　skin　crawl　where　it　touched　his　bare
neck。　He　ripped　it　from　his　shoulders；　bundled　it　into　a　ball　and　flung　it　into　a　nearby　gutter。
“We　have　to　face　the　fact；”　said　Gavotski；　“that　we　have　come　almost　as　far　as　we　can　on　stealth
alone。　I　think　we　all　knew　from　the　start　that　our　chances　of　surviving　this　mission　were　slim。　Once
we　learned　that　Confessor　Wollkenden　had　been　brought　here；　to　this　hive…　well；　that’s　when　this
turned　into　a　suicide　run。　Most　of　us　will　die　here　today；　but　remember：　if　just　one　of　us　can　beat　the
odds；　if　one　of　us　can　escape　with　the　confessor；　then　we　will　have　won　the　kind　of　victory　that　men
sing　about。　We　will　have　secured　the　memory　of　the　Valhallan　319th　for　a　thousand　years；　and　I
think　that’s　a　cause　well　worth　fighting　for。”
The　first　patrol；　they　heard　coming。
They　took　cover　on　the　portico　of　a　great　librarium；　crouching　behind　its　pillars　as　the　welldrilled
ranks　of　a　traitor　platoon　marched　through　the　bordering　public　square。　While　the　other　Ice
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Warriors　were　watching　the　traitors；　Blonsky　watched　his　comrades。　Would　this　be　the　moment；　he
wondered；　when　one　of　them　would　make　his　move；　give　them　away？　Or　just　lose　his　nerve　and
run？
And　then　the　traitors　had　passed　them　by；　and　the　Ice　Warriors　let　out　a　collective　sigh　of　relief
—　all　except　for　Pozhar；　who　was　itching　for　a　fight　as　always　—　and　they　moved　on。
It　seemed　to　Blonsky　that　the　further　they　went　—　the　deeper　into　the　hive　—　the　colder　it
became；　in　defiance　of　all　logic。　It　had　already　been　a　long；　tiring　day；　but　Steele　set　his　usual
brusque　pace　—　and　Gavotski；　in　particular；　was　starting　to　flag；　although　he　tried　not　to　show　it。
And　then　it　came；　at　last。　The　moment　they　had　all　been　dreading。
Steele　must　have　heard　something；　seen　something；　sensed　something；　because　he　threw　himself
at　Palinev　an　instant　before　they　all　heard　the　crack　of　a　lasgun；　and　knocked　him　out　of　the　path　of
its　beam。　The　sniper　had　to　have　been　on　a　nearby　roof；　but　Blonsky　didn’t　have　time　to　locate　him。
Steele　was　running；　yelling　at　the　others　to　follow　him。　Two　more　las…beams　stabbed　into　the　street
like　lightning　bolts；　but　then　they　were　around　a　corner；　out　of　the　firing　line。
“We　can’t　just　let　them　get　away　with　that；”　protested　Pozhar；　“with　firing　at　the　Emperor’s
troops。　We　have　to—”
Gavotski　interrupted　him　firmly；　saying；　“We　can’t　kill　every　heretic　in　this　place；　much　as　we’d
like　to。　We　have　to　concentrate　on　reaching　the　Ice　Palace　—　which　means　getting　out　of　this　area
before　that　sniper　calls　in　reinforcements。”
They　ran　across　another　public　square；　through　an　ornate　archway；　and　down　another　wide
street。　Steele　was　leading　the　way；　but　he　suddenly　came　to　a　halt；　listened　for　a　moment；　reversed
direction。　They　rounded　the　corner　of　a　generatorium　relay　station　—　and　this　time；　even　Blonsky
could　hear　the　footsteps　tramping　towards　them；　forcing　them　to　revise　their　course　again。
They　made　for　a　wide　flight　of　steps　leading　up　to　the　next　hive　level。　But　four　Traitor
Guardsmen　appeared　before　them；　dropped　to　their　knees　and　fired。　The　Ice　Warriors　plunged　into　a
network　of　side　streets；　making　so　many　twists　and　turns　that　Blonsky　had　soon　lost　all　sense　of
direction。　Then　Steele　stopped　again；　listened　for　a　second；　and　growled；　“This　way！”　He　ushered
his　squad　through　the　gaping　doorway　of　a　residential　block　as　Blonsky　too　heard　the　whine　of　a
vectored　thrust　engine　and　saw　a　thin　grey　shadow　flitting　across　the　ground　behind　him。
He　suppressed　a　shiver。　Someone…　something　out　there　was　using　a　jump　pack　to　search　for
them。　And　they　all　knew　that　no　mere　Imperial　Guardsman；　traitor　or　otherwise；　had　the　strength　to
bear　such　a　device。
They　raced　along　a　carpeted　corridor。　To　each　side　of　them；　the　doors　of　once…luxurious　rooms
had　been　smashed　open。　The　furniture　in　those　rooms　had　been　trashed；　and　more　than　a　few　dead
bodies　had　been　left　behind。　Imperial　citizens；　thought　Blonsky；　who　had　tried　to　hide　in　their　homes
once　the　fighting　had　started；　who　had　died　in　them。　Cowards；　all　of　them。　They　had　got　what　they
deserved。
They　emerged　into　the　street　again；　but　the　sounds　of　footsteps　were　all　around　them。
“They’re　everywhere！”　breathed　Anakora。
“Not　quite；”　said　Steele。　“We’re　dealing　with　a　single　traitor　platoon　—　perhaps　forty　men；　fifty
at　most　—　but　they　know　this　ground　and　they　know　where　we’re　heading。　They’re　cutting　off　all
our　routes　to　the　Ice　Palace　—　and　at　the　same　time；　they’re　closing　in　behind　us；　making　sure　we
can’t　turn　back。”
“Then　we　have　to　go　through　them！”　Pozhar　declared。
Steele　looked　at　him；　then　sighed　and　nodded。
“The　palace　is　in　that　direction；”　he　said；　pointing。　“Just　remember；　all　of　you；　that　to　reach　that
palace；　to　find　Confessor　Wollkenden；　is　our　only　objective。　If　that　means　leaving　heretics　alive
behind　us；　then　so　be　it。　Let　the　virus　bombs　take　care　of　them。”
“Yes　sir；”　chorused　the　Ice　Warriors。
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“We　hit　the　traitors　hard　and　we　hit　them　fast；”　said　Gavotski。　“We　break　through　their　circle；
and　we　keep　on　running。　We　don’t　stop　for　anything。”
“Comrades；”　said　Steele；　“prepare　for　the　fight　of　your　lives。”
Blonsky　was　just　close　enough　to　Pozhar　to　hear　the　young　trooper’s　murmured　exclamation　of；
“About　damn　time！”
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CHAPTER　TWELVE
Time　to　Destruction　of　Cressida：　17。12。41
They　took　their　foes　by　surprise。
The　traitors　had　probably　expected　the　Ice　Warriors　to　go　to　ground；　to　find　a　defensible　position
—　a　secure　building；　maybe　—　from　which　they　could　sell　their　lives　dearly。　The　last　thing　they　had
considered　was　that　they　might　come　out　fighting。
Several　of　them　died　in　that　first　barrage　of　las…fire；　some　marching　right　into　the　beams　before
they　could　stop。　A　few　turned　and　fled　—　which　made　sense；　thought　Anakora；　as　these　one…time
Guardsmen　wouldn’t　have　defected　in　the　first　place　had　they　possessed　any　real　moral　fibre。
The　rest　of　them　rallied　and　returned　fire　even　as　they　looked　for　cover。　A　frag　grenade　hurled
into　their　midst　by　Steele　shredded　two　more　bodies　and　left　the　rest　reeling；　more　disoriented　than
ever。　And　then；　before　the　debris　from　the　blast　could　settle；　the　Ice　Warriors　surged　forwards；
knowing　that　to　do　so　was　to　leave　themselves　wide　open；　but　also　knowing　that　to　stay　still　was　to
invite　certain　death　at　the　hands　of　the　rest　of　the　traitors；　who　were　still　closing　in　around　them。
They　kept　their　heads　down；　relying　on　speed　and　surprise　—　and　the　las…beams　they　were
pumping　out　to　each　side　of　them　—　to　carry　them　through。　Anakora　trampled　over　traitor　corpses；
and　was　alarmed　to　find　one　of　them　still　alive；　a　gloved　hand　lashing　out　to　seize　her　by　the　ankle。
She　stumbled；　putting　out　her　hands　to　arrest　her　fall。　She　kicked　at　the　traitor’s　fingers　with　her　free
foot；　and　luckily　he　was　injured；　his　strength　drained；　because　he　let　out　a　groan　and　let　go　of　her。
She　saw　that　Palinev　had　stopped；　half…turning；　to　come　to　her　aid。　She　shook　her　head　firmly；
didn’t　need　his　help；　didn’t　want　him　to　risk　his　life　for　her。　This　was　what　she　had　feared；　after
Pozhar　had　revealed　her　secret　to　the　others：　not　that　they　would　suspect　her　motives；　but　that　they
would　think　her　weak。
Palinev　seemed　to　get　the　message；　though；　and　he　ran　on；　pausing　for　a　second　to　snatch　a
lasgun　from　a　fallen　traitor。　Anakora　realised　that　he　wanted　its　power　pack；　and　this　seemed　like　a
good　idea　—　so　she　saw　to　it　that；　by　the　time　she　caught　up　with　her　comrades；　she　was　carrying
two　extra　guns。　She　detached　the　pack　from　one　of　them　and　tossed　it　to　Pozhar；　who　seemed　like
the　trooper　most　likely　to　need　it　soon。
And　then　the　second　wave　of　traitors　was　upon　them；　moving　in　from　either　side；　threatening　to
trap　them　in　a　pincer　movement。
Pozhar　was　the　first　to　react；　running　left；　ploughing　into　the　oncoming　ranks；　swinging　his
lasgun　wildly；　one…handed　—　but　most　of　the　others　were　right　behind　him。　Anakora　found　herself
plunged　into　the　chaos　of　the　melee；　and　looked　for　her　nearest　comrade　—　Mikhaelev　—　and　she
stood　back　to　back　with　him；　as　they　fought　with　knives；　bayonets　and　even　fists　against　odds　that
were　swelling　by　the　moment；　becoming　almost　overwhelming。
Only　Palinev　held　back。　Palinev；　who　had　slipped　into　a　deep　doorway　before　he　could　be　seen　by
the　newcomers。　Palinev；　who　now　raised　his　long…las。
He　took　his　time；　choosing　his　targets　well。　His　eight　comrades　were　under　attack　by　over
twenty　traitors；　but　they　had　formed　into　a　tight　knot　so　that　only　one　or　two　men　could　attack　any　of
them　at　once。　Their　more　numerous　enemies　were　also　providing　them　with　cover；　and　more　than
one　traito