Ice Guard(科幻战争)-第34部分

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glazed　over；　blood　spewed　from　his　mouth；　and　he　turned；　he　made　to　rise；　but　the　effort　was　too
much　for　him　and　he　toppled　and　fell　—　and　Anakora　saw　a　chainsword　embedded　in　his　back；
sputtering　and　sparking。
Palinev　helped　her　out　of　the　truck；　and　she　stood　unsteadily　in　what　now　seemed　to　be　a　rather
faint　light　after　all。　And　like　the　rest　of　the　Ice　Warriors；　her　eyes　were　drawn　to　her　commander；　his
face　and　his　chest　still　painted　with　vile　symbols　from　the　ceremony　—　although　he　had　tried　to
scrub　them　off　with　sewer　water　—　and　his　right　hand　held　away　from　his　body　as　if　he　considered　it
unclean。
It　was　with　that　hand；　Anakora　realised；　that　he　must　have　lifted　the　Chaos　Space　Marine’s　own
weapon；　his　augmented　muscles　giving　him　the　strength　to　do　so。
But　there　was　no　satisfaction　in　Colonel　Steele’s　eyes　at　his　victory。　Just　a　look　of　deep…seated
disgust。
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They　remained　on　foot　after　that。　Steele　didn’t　want　to　waste　time　searching　for　another　working
vehicle　—　and　the　spaceport；　he　said；　was　only　just　over　a　kilometre　away。　They　formed　up　in　two
ranks　and　advanced　at　double　time。　The　effort　of　keeping　pace　with　each　other；　of　maintaining
formation　and　step；　helped　to　spur　on　these　soldiers；　to　overcome　the　fatigue　they　were　all　feeling。　It
helped　them　feel　more　in　control；　like　they　had　imposed　a　little　order　of　their　own　upon　this　chaotic
world　—　and　even　Wollkenden　responded　well　to　this。　He　said　nothing　as　he　marched　at　Steele’s
side；　although　he　stumbled　now　and　again。
Palinev　could　tell　they　were　approaching　their　goal；　because　the　buildings　grew　a　little　taller；　a
little　more　proud。　Eagle　crests　began　to　appear　over　the　doorways　of　customs　and　shipping　offices；
and　the　streets　grew　wider　and　brighter；　more　like　those　on　the　upper　levels。
Steele　brought　his　squad　to　a　halt　and　ordered　them　to　break　step；　to　proceed　with　caution。　He
appeared　to　be　worried　—　and　a　minute　later；　Palinev　learned　why。
There　were　people　ahead　of　them。　He　could　hear　them　—　they　could　all　hear　them　now　—
talking　and　laughing。　The　Ice　Warriors　took　cover　in　a　narrow　alleyway；　and　Steele　sent　Palinev
ahead　to　see　what　they　were　facing。
The　spaceport　was　a　magnificent；　circular　building　of　white　stone；　studded　with　dark　windows。
Evidently；　there　had　been　small…arms　fighting　here；　and　the　front　wall　was　pock…marked　but
unholed。　Laid　out　in　front　of　that　wall　was　a　wide　forecourt；　in　which　broken　fountains　brimmed
with　frozen　black　water。　Lifter　tubes　had　been　shattered；　and　trees　—　real　organic　trees　—　had
withered　and　died。　Once；　this　area　would　have　been　a　welcoming　first　sight　for　visitors　to　Iota　Hive；
maybe　to　Cressida　itself。　Now；　it　gave　an　entirely　different　impression。
Palinev　looked　down　on　all　of　this　from　a　gantry　between　two　buildings。　Below　him；　a　wide
flight　of　steps　swept　down　from　the　street　where　the　rest　of　his　squad　hid；　to　the　forecourt　and　the
enticing　open　gates　beyond　it。
At　some　point；　a　sleek；　black　grav…car　had　come　speeding　this　way；　its　driver　presumably　hoping
to　ferry　an　important　passenger　to　safety。　It　had　lost　control；　had　maybe　come　under　fire；　and　had
smacked　into　a　pillar　at　the　top　of　the　steps；　crumpling　its　front　end。　The　car　was　empty　now；
Palinev　wondered　if　its　occupants　had　escaped　or　been　dragged　from　the　wreckage。
There　were　more　grav…cars　down　on　the　forecourt；　most　of　them　burnt　out　or　turned　over；　or
both。　There　was　also　a　dirty　old　bus　—　transport　for　the　less　privileged　—　leaning　against　a　fountain；
its　windows　broken；　its　tyres　slashed。
And　there　were　heretics：　cultists；　Traitor　Guardsmen；　mutants；　even　a　few　spawn；　spread　out　as
far　as　Palinev　could　see；　almost　certainly　surrounding　the　whole　building；　and　more　of　them　arriving
with　each　moment　that　passed。　The　encounter　with　the　Chaos　Space　Marine　had　cost　the　Ice
Warriors　dearly。　Their　enemies　had　beaten　them　here。
Palinev　slipped　away　from　his　vantage　point；　dispirited；　and　returned　to　the　others。　Steele
listened　to　his　report　in　grave　silence；　and　Palinev　knew　that　he　was　only　confirming　what　the
colonel　had　expected　to　hear。
“We　have　less　than　an　hour　before　the　virus　bombs　drop；”　said　Steele。　“We　don’t　have　time　to
find　another　escape　route；　even　if　we　had　somewhere　to　look。　Our　only　hope；　however　small；　lies　in
that　spaceport；　and　the　sooner　we　make　our　move　the　fewer　enemies　will　be　standing　between　us
and　it。”
No　one　could　argue　with　that。　Still；　it　seemed　as　if　a　dark　cloud　had　settled　upon　the　squad；　and
Palinev　could　feel　its　weight　too。　It　seemed　so　unfair　that　they　had　come　so　far　to　fall　at　this　final
hurdle。　They　had　achieved　so　much；　pulled　off　feats　that　had　seemed　impossible；　and　no　one　would
even　know。
“I　won’t　give　you　the　speech　again；”　said　Gavotski。　“You　all　know　what　to　do；　and　you　know
what　the　odds　are　against　us。　Just　remember　that；　last　time；　we　bucked　those　odds。　Nine　of　us　went
into　the　Ice　Palace；　and　nine　of　us；　including　Confessor　Wollkenden；　came　out　again。　If　that　doesn’t
prove　that　the　Emperor　is　with　us；　then　nothing　does。　I　know　you’ll　make　me　proud。”
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The　heretics’　voices　were　getting　louder。
It　wasn’t　just　that　Grayle　was　drawing　closer　to　them。　He　could　hear　that　the　crowd　was　growing
in　size；　and　in　confidence　too。　He　feared　that；　at　any　moment；　someone　might　come　rushing　up　the
steps　from　the　spaceport　to　find　him　and　Palinev　sneaking　along　the　street　towards　them。
Either　that　or；　by　chance；　reinforcements　might　come　up　behind　them。
He　quickened　his　pace；　reasoning　that　with　all　the　noise　down　there；　no　one　would　hear　the
footsteps　of　two　men　up　here。　He　was　still　twenty　metres　away　from　his　objective；　the　stricken　gravcar；
when　Palinev　took　his　arm　and　brought　him　to　a　halt。
“This　is　as　far　as　we　can　go；”　said　the　scout；　“without　being　seen　from　down　there。”　Grayle
nodded　and　dropped　onto　his　stomach；　preparing　to　pull　himself　the　rest　of　the　way　on　his　elbows。
That　was　when　the　pitch　of　the　crowd　changed；　confidence　becoming　fear　in　an　instant。　And
then　Grayle　heard　a　series　of　staccato　explosions。　Then　gunfire。
He　looked　at　Palinev　in　alarm。　Palinev　looked　back　at　him　with　a　helpless　shrug。　Then　the　scout
turned；　made　a　dash　for　the　side　of　the　road　and　swung　himself　up　onto　a　metal　gantry。　He　returned　a
few　seconds　later；　his　cheeks　flushed　with　excitement。
“It’s　the　mutants！”　he　reported。　“The　loyalist　mutants。　There　are…　I　didn’t　know　there　were　so
many　of　them。　More　than　we　ever　saw。　More　than　the　heretics　killed　at　the　chapel。　They’re
everywhere；　climbing　up　through　the　manholes。　They’ve　taken　the　heretics　by　surprise。”
It　seemed　that　the　Emperor　was　with　the　Ice　Warriors　after　all。
“Can　they　win？”　asked　Grayle。
Palinev　shook　his　head。　“There　aren’t　enough　of　them。　But　they’re　providing　a　perfect
distraction。　If　we　move　fast　enough…”
Grayle　nodded；　stood　and　raced　to　the　grav…car。　He　doubted　that　anyone　would　notice　him　now
—　and　even　if　they　did　they　would　probably　be　too　busy　to　do　much　about　it。　As　he　reached　the
steps；　he　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　melee　that　his　comrade　had　described；　below　—　but　his　attention
was　reserved　for　the　car　itself。
The　driver’s　door　had　jammed　shut　in　the　crash。　Grayle　had　to　brace　his　foot　against　the
bodywork；　had　to　pull　at　it　with　all　his　might。　It　came　free　at　last；　flying　up　with　such　force　that　it
almost　caught　him　on　the　chin。　He　leapt　into　the　vehicle；　and　sent　a　silent　appeal　to　its　machinespirits
as　he　jabbed　at　the　dashboard　runes。　Fortunately；　as　Grayle　had　already　noticed；　the　twin
engines　were　housed　at　the　back　of　the　vehicle；　and　were　therefore　relatively　unscathed。
They　caught　on　the　third　attempt；　and　the　grav…car　gave　a　protesting　screech　as　its　back　end　was
raised；　but　its　front　end　remained　stubbornly　embedded　in　its　pillar。　Grayle　eased　the　vehicle
backwards；　and　winced　as　it　slowly　tore　itself　free；　as　parts　of　it　became　detached　and　clattered　to
the　ground。　For　a　moment；　he　feared　that　the　car　might　have　been　supporting　the　pillar；　that　it　might
now　come　crashing　down　across　his　windscreen　—　but；　although　the　pillar　wobbled；　it　held。
And　the　car　was　free　now；　and　picking　up　speed；　and　Grayle　could　see　in　his　rear…view　mirror
that　the　rest　of　his　squad　was　running　to　meet　it。
They　bundled　Wollkenden　into　the　back　seat　first；　told　him　to　keep　his　head　down。　Steele　and
Gavotski　squeezed　in　to　each　side　of　him；　while　Anakora　and　Palinev　joined　Grayle　in　the　front。　The
car　couldn’t　lift　any　more　weight　than　that；　so　Barreski；　Blonsky　and　Mikhaelev　would　have　to
advance　in　its　wake；　trust　that　Grayle　could　clear　a　path　for　them　and　also　lay　down　some　covering
fire　behind　him。
“Everyone　ready？”　asked　Grayle。　“Then　hold　on　to　something！”
And　he　stepped　on　the　accelerator。
The　grav…car’s　top　speed　was　not　exactly　remarkable；　but　it　seemed　fast　enough　as　it　hurtled
towards　the　steps　and　shot　over　the　edge。　The　Ice　Warriors　were　flying　for　a　moment；　but　they　came
down　with　a　bone…shaking　jolt。　The　car　surfed　its　antigravity　cushion　onto　the　spaceport　forecourt；
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where　a　jostling　crowd　tried　to　part　before　it　but　some　stumbled　across　its　mangled　bonnet　or
tumbled　beneath　its　skirt。
A　few　of　the　heretics　—　those　not　immediately　occupied　by　mutant　attackers　—　saw　what　was
happening；　saw　that　their　targets　were　getting　away；　and　started　to　fire。　Most　of　them　were　cut　down
in　a　second　by　the　three　Ice　Warriors　following　in　the　car’s　wake。
And　then　they　were　through　the　spaceport　gates；　speeding　along　the　main　concourse；　and　the
sounds　of　battle　were　receding　behind　them。
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CHAPTER　TWENTY
Time　to　Destruction　of　Cressida：　00。18。49
The　fighting　had　spilled　into　the　spaceport。　The　grav…car　smacked　into　a　smock…wearing　mutant；
tossed　it　into　the　air。　It　landed　on　the　windshield；　clung　there　for　a　second；　and　its　red　eyes　seemed
to　be　pleading　with　the　Ice　Warriors　inside　the　vehicle：　why？
Steele　didn’t　want　to　think　about　that；　didn’t　want　to　have　to　acknowledge　that　his　life；
Wollkenden’s　life；　all　their　lives；　might　have　been　saved　by　such　aberrations。　He　blinked；　and　the
mutant　was　gone；　fallen　beneath　the　car　to　die。
And　Grayle　drove　on。　He　took　a　sharp　right　turn　through　a　vandalised　waiting　room；　crashed
through　a　glass　door；　and　then　they　were　out　on　the　spaceport’s　main　ramp：　a　vast　circular　floor　that
would　once　have　been　filled　with　spacecraft　of　all　types。　Right　now；　it　was　almost　empty。　Steele　had
expected　that。　He　and　his　squad　wouldn’t　have　been　the　first　to　try　to　leave　Iota　Hive　this　way。　He
could　only　pray　that　the　previous　evacuees　had　left　them　something　they　could　use。
“There；”　he　said；　“that　frigate。　You　think　you　can　fly　that；　Grayle？”
“I　don’t　know；　sir。　I　don’t　have　much　experience　in　the　air。　I　could　try。”　Grayle　had　already
brought　them　around　so　that　they　were　circling　the　decrepit　old　vessel。　They　saw　that　its　engine
housings　had　been　torn　open；　perhaps　by　an　asteroid　strike；　perhaps　by　enemy　fire。　Steele　took　a
cursory　glance　at　the　exposed　machinery；　then　shook　his　head　and　instructed　Grayle　to　keep　going。
They　could　see　the　concave　far　wall　now；　lined　with　hatchways。　Some　of　them　gaped　open；　and
they　tantalised　Ste