Ice Guard(科幻战争)-第32部分

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“I　should　take　the　rear；　sir；”　said　Grayle。　“It’s　too　dangerous　for—”
“Those　are　my　orders；　trooper；”　interrupted　Steele。
“At　least　take　my　greatcoat。　Yours　is　in　shreds。　One　bull’s…eye　from　a　lasgun　and—”
Steele　shook　his　head。　'You　have　the　most　important　job　of　any　of　us。　I’m　not　strong　enough　yet
to　carry　the　confessor。　You　have　to　protect　him。　We　move　on　my　mark。　Three；　two；　one…　Palinev；
do　you　hear　that？”
Palinev　did　hear　it；　although　his　ears　were　a　second　behind　the　colonel’s。　“Gunfire；　sir。　To　the
right　of　us。　It　must　be　the　others。　They　had　to　come　this　way　too。　They　must　have　come　up　behind
the　heretics；　taken　them　by　surprise。”
Steele　considered　that　news　for　a　moment；　then　a　tight　smile　pulled　at　his　lips　and　he　hefted
Grayle’s　lasgun。　“In　that　case；”　he　said；　“change　of　plan。”
Anakora　had　known　it　wouldn’t　be　easy。　No　matter　how　much　confusion；　how　many　distractions；
the　Ice　Warriors　could　cause；　no　matter　how　good　their　disguises　nor　how　skilled　they　were；　she　had
not　expected　to　get　out　of　the　Ice　Palace　without　a　fight。
Already　they　appeared　to　have　lost　Blonsky；　having　abandoned　their　sniping　positions　up　above；
she　and　Gavotski　had　planned　to　meet　him　at　the　base　of　a　flight　of　stairs。　They　had　waited　as　long
as　they　could。
They　had　set　off　running　at　first；　but　slowed　down　as　they　had　begun　to　run　into　heretics　from
the　courtyard。　They　had　tried　to　look　less　like　they　had　an　urgent　purpose；　less　like　they　were　trying
to　get　out。　Anakora’s　stomach　had　tightened　as　a　squad　of　Traitor　Guardsmen　had　rushed　out　of　a
side　passageway　into　their　path；　but　they　had　drawn　their　cultists’　robes　around　themselves；　bowed
their　heads　and　kept　their　cool；　and　the　traitors　had　hurried　right　on　by。
Not　long　after　that；　their　path　had　converged　with　those　of　Barreski　and　Mikhaelev；　and　Anakora
was　glad　that　two　comrades　at　least　had　made　it　this　far。
And　then　they　had　heard　las…fire；　and　she　had　feared　the　worst。
A　score　of　heretics　had　gathered　at　a　four…way　junction；　and　more　were　rushing　up　to　join　them
from　all　directions。　No　one　had　questioned　the　arrival　of　what　they　took　to　be　four　more
reinforcements　to　their　cause。　The　heretics　were　laying　siege　to　an　opening　in　the　wall　a　few　metres
away；　being　kept　at　bay　only　by　a　volley　of　las…fire　from　said　opening。　Anakora　had　guessed　who
was　wielding　the　guns；　even　before　she　had　caught　a　glimpse　of　Colonel　Steele’s　face。
A　dark…skinned　Traitor　Guardsman　with　narrow　eyes　and　pinched　nostrils　had　taken　command。
He　was　barking　out　orders：　“Hold　your　fire！　Let　the　Emperor…lovers　discharge　their　power　packs；
then　they’ll　be　defenceless。”
Gavotski　moved　up　behind　him；　tapped　him　on　the　shoulder　—　and　the　traitor　turned　to　find
himself　staring　down　a　gun　barrel。　A　las…beam　stabbed　into　his　right　eye　and　fried　his　brain。　The
other　three　Ice　Warriors　took　this　as　their　cue　to　act。　Anakora　took　another　traitor　by　surprise　and　slit
his　throat　with　her　knife。　Barreski　tried　to　do　likewise；　but　his　chosen　victim　had　faster　reflexes　and
was　able　to　throw　off　his　hold。　And　Mikhaelev　was　firing　his　lasgun　on　full　auto；　apparently
indiscriminately；　creating　the　maximum　amount　of　panic。
As　in　the　courtyard；　the　cultists　were　confused；　terrified　by　this　sudden　threat　in　their　midst；　by
the　loss　of　their　leader。　Some　of　them　fled。　But　others　chose　to　fight　back。
106
At　first；　the　Ice　Warriors　had　the　advantage。　The　cultists　still　weren’t　quite　sure　who　their
enemies　were；　which　of　the　robed　figures　around　them　they　could　trust；　to　whom　they　could　turn
their　backs。　It　made　them　fight　with　one　eye　over　their　shoulders；　which　proved　to　be　the　downfall
of　many　of　them。　Anakora　bludgeoned　two　to　the　ground　with　her　fists；　and　gutted　a　third　with　her
blade。　She　smiled　to　herself　as　a　disoriented　cultist　plunged　a　knife　into　a　friend’s　ribs。　His　fellows
interpreted　his　mistake　as　an　act　of　treachery　and　fell　upon　him。
The　Traitor　Guardsmen；　however　—　the　few　that　remained　—　were　more　perceptive；　zeroing　in
on　their　true　foes。　Anakora　found　herself　in　a　knife　fight　with　one；　straining　to　get　her　blade　past　his
defences；　aware　that　every　second　he　could　keep　her　occupied　was　a　second　longer　for　his　allies　to
rally。
Sure　enough；　she　felt　hands　grasping　at　her　from　behind；　an　arm　around　her　throat；　and　she　was
held　by　two　cultists。　If　they　had　been　armed；　she　would　have　been　dead　already。　But　the　Traitor
Guardsman　did　have　a　knife；　and　Anakora’s　arms　were　pinned　so　that　all　she　could　do　to　defend
herself　was　to　kick　out　at　him；　at　the　same　time　pushing　backwards；　trying　to　slam　her　captors　into
the　wall；　to　make　them　release　their　grips。　Out　of　the　corner　of　her　eye；　she　saw　that　Mikhaelev　was
in　trouble　too；　forced　onto　his　knees。
And　then；　once　again；　the　tide　of　battle　turned　—　as　Colonel　Steele　and　Palinev　broke　cover　and
came　racing　onto　the　scene　with　guns　blazing。
They　were　running　again。
Somehow　they　always　seemed　to　be　running　—　and　Gavotski’s　lungs　were　burning；　his　legs
aching；　and　he　began　to　wonder　if　he　was　finally　getting　too　old　for　this。
They　had　disengaged　from　the　melee　as　soon　as　they　were　able；　knowing　that　they　couldn’t　win
that　fight；　that　their　enemies’　numbers　would　just　keep　on　growing。　There　were　Traitor　Guardsmen
at　their　heels；　sending　las…beams　after　them。　The　Ice　Warriors　were　returning　fire　as　best　they　could。
Barreski　and　Grayle；　both　of　whom　seemed　to　have　lost　their　guns；　were　carrying　Wollkenden。
And　as　they　hurried　past　a　junction；　Gavotski　saw　a　robed　figure　barrelling　down　the　connecting
corridor　towards　them。　He　whirled；　brought　up　his　lasgun…　and　the　figure　skidded　to　a　halt；　threw
up　his　hands　and　whipped　back　his　hood；　to　reveal　the　flushed　face　of　Trooper　Blonsky。
“He…　he’s　behind　me！”　the　new　arrival　panted；　gesturing　over　his　shoulder。
And　there　he　was　now：　the　Chaos　Space　Marine；　stumbling　into　view　just　a　couple　of　hundred
metres　behind　Blonsky；　raising　a　bolt　pistol。　Gavotski　grabbed　his　exhausted　comrade；　bundled　him
around　the　corner；　and　pushed　him　off　after　the　others。　He　hurled　a　frag　grenade　at　the　Chaos　Marine
in　the　hope　of　at　least　slowing　him　down；　and　then　he　followed　at　full　pelt。
They　returned；　at　last；　to　the　stone　cellar　through　which　they　had　entered　the　Ice　Palace　an　hour
ago。　Anakora　and　Mikhaelev　took　up　positions　in　the　doorway；　firing　out　into　the　corridor；　as　the
others　negotiated　the　slippery　steps　and　began　to　squeeze　themselves；　one　by　one；　through　the　hole
in　the　wall。
This　rearguard　action　would　buy　them　time；　but　not　much。　Gavotski　knew　that　once　the　Chaos
Space　Marine　caught　up　with　them；　his　two　comrades　would　have　no　choice　but　to　fall　back。
He　helped　Grayle　feed　Wollkenden　through　the　hole　headfirst；　to　Barreski　and　Palinev　on　the　far
side；　below。　Then　he　wriggled　through　himself；　and　dropped　down　into　the　sewer　tunnel。　Colonel
Steele　hadn’t　seen　this　side　of　Iota　Hive　before；　and　he　was　inspecting　his　surroundings　in　the　glow
of　his　comrades’　lamp…packs。
Palinev　set　off　along　the　narrow　brick　ledge；　Barreski　and　Grayle　hauling　Wollkenden　along
after　him。　Steele　shouted　at　them　to　wait。　“We　need　to　head　for　the　spaceport；”　he　said。　“If　there’s
still　a　way　off　this　planet；　one　we　can　reach　in　time；　that’s　where　it’ll　be。　And　it’s　in　that　direction。”
He　pointed　through　the　wall；　and　Gavotski　didn’t　doubt　for　a　second　that　he　knew　what　he　was
talking　about。
107
“I　don’t　know　if　we　can　get　through　that　way；　sir；”　said　Palinev。　“These　tunnels　are　a　maze。　We
might　end　up　being　cornered；　and　with　that　Traitor　Space　Marine　on　our　tails…”
“Yeah；”　Barreski　muttered　to　Blonsky；　“thanks　for　leading　that　straight　to　us。”
“And　the　less　time　we　spend　down　here；”　said　Gavotski；　“the　better。”　Catching　Steele’s
inquisitive　look；　he　said；　“I’ll　explain　later。　With　your　permission；　sir；　I’d　like　to　make　our　way　back
to　the　mutant　chapel。　I’ll；　ah；　explain　about　that　too。　We　can　get　our　bearings　there；　and　strike　out　for
the　port　above　ground。　We　might　even　get　some　help；　someone　to　run　interference　for　us。”
Steele　nodded；　accepting　that　his　sergeant　knew　the　situation　better　than　he　did　at　the　moment　—
and　the　Ice　Warriors　set　off　again。　Gavotski　lingered　behind；　to　help　first　Mikhaelev　and　then
Anakora　down　from　the　cellar。　As　Anakora’s　first　foot　touched　down；　Gavotski　saw　the　muzzle　of　a
bolt　pistol　poking　through　the　entrance　hole　above　her；　and　he　threw　himself　at　the　startled　trooper；
flattening　them　both　against　the　side　of　the　tunnel。
A　hail　of　bolts　rained　down　at　their　backs；　and　churned　up　the　black　water　below　them。　They
waited　for　a　lull　in　the　firing；　then　they　hurried　after　their　comrades。　The　last　of　them；　Mikhaelev；
was　just　disappearing　through　a　hole　in　the　wall　—　and　as　Gavotski　reached　the　hole；　he　heard　a
heavy　thud　behind　him；　and　he　turned　to　look；　and　found　his　worst　fear　realised。
The　Chaos　Space　Marine　had　just　dropped　into　the　tunnel；　and　was　turning　to　follow　them。　But
there　was　something　else　too；　something　in　the　water。
And　the　water　erupted；　and　a　monster　filled　the　tunnel；　looming　over　the　new　arrival；　its　jaws
darting　for　his　throat：　a　sewer　creature；　perhaps　attracted　by　the　Chaos　Space　Marine’s　own　bolter
fire　—　a　creature　like　the　one　the　Ice　Warriors　had　fought　earlier；　only　Gavotski　thought　this　one
might　have　been　even　larger。
The　Chaos　Space　Marine　was　trying　to　bat　its　thrusting　head　away　from　him；　swiping　at　the
creature　with　his　chainsword；　carving　into　its　scales；　drawing　black　blood。　But　Gavotski　didn’t　wait
to　see　the　outcome　of　their　battle。
He　slipped　away　from　there；　and　he　kept　on　running。
There　had　been　rubble　on　top　of　the　manhole　cover。
Palinev　had　been　unable　to　shift　it。　Blonsky　had　volunteered　to　climb　the　ladder　instead；　to　put
his　shoulder　to　the　task。　By　now；　of　course；　they　had　all　been　worried　about　what　they　might　find　out
there；　in　the　chapel；　on　the　surface。　Steele　had　listened　for　a　moment；　and　assured　his　squad　that　he
could　hear　nobody。　No　foes。　But　no　friends　either。
The　cover　had　yielded　at　last；　and　Blonsky　had　been　the　first　to　climb　through　it；　to　stand
blinking　in　the　unexpected　light；　though　the　others　had　soon　joined　him。
The　Chaos　forces　had　done　a　more　thorough　job；　this　time。
They　had　left　no　walls　of　the　chapel　standing。　They　had　demolished　its　columns；　brought　down
its　roof。　They　had　burned　what　was　left　of　its　pews；　and　smashed　its　altar　beyond　all　hope　of
reclamation。　The　smell　of　cordite　still　hung　heavy　in　the　air；　as　did　the　altogether　more　rotten　stench
of　death。
Blonsky　jabbed　at　the　nearest　corpse　with　his　toe；　turned　it　over　to　inspect　it　properly。　He　didn’t
want　to　stoop；　didn’t　want　to　get　closer　to　it　than　he　already　was。　It　was　a　mutant；　of　course。　Its　grey
fur　was　matted　with　dark　blood；　beneath　its　torn　blue　smock。　It　might　have　been　one　of　the　loyalists
they　had　met；　one　to　which　they　had　talked。　He　couldn’t　tell。　They　all　looked　the　same　to　him。
“What　happened　here？”　asked　Steele。　Gavotski　told　him　about　the　mutants；　their　chapel　and　their
apparent　desire　to　help。　Steele　frowned　and　said　nothing。　Blonsky　guessed　that　he　was　unhappy
about　his　men　all