Ice Guard(科幻战争)-第9部分

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Grayle　had　no　choice。　He　couldn’t　leave　his　position　or　they　were　all　done　for。　He　met　the
oncoming　ice；　head　down；　eyes　closed；　breath　held；　hands　gripping　the　controls　for　dear　life。
Barreski　met　it　with　a　jet　of　flame；　driving　it　back。　Melted　water　gushed　into　the　Termite’s　controls；
angering　the　machine…spirits；　which　responded　with　a　salvo　of　little　explosions　—　but　he　couldn’t
worry　about　that　now。
Borscz　was　standing　on　a　seat；　bearing　the　weight　of　the　roof　on　his　shoulders；　but　the　walls　of
the　passenger　compartment　were　starting　to　bulge。　The　one　to　the　left　burst　at　last；　even　as　the
engine　uttered　its　final　gasp。
Then；　the　Termite’s　front　end　emerged；　with　a　cough　and　a　splutter；　into　the　open　air；　and　fell
still。
Gavotski　gave　the　order　to　abandon　the　vehicle；　and　its　occupants　almost　fell　over　each　other　in
their　haste　to　obey。　Barreski　would　have　expected　the　technophobic　Borscz　to　be　the　first　out　—　but
with　the　back　half　of　the　Termite　still　trapped　in　the　ice；　its　roof　threatening　to　collapse；　the　burly　Ice
Warrior　chose　instead　to　continue　in　his　role　as　human　prop。
Barreski　was　just　as　surprised　to　see　the　colonel；　the　nearest　man　to　Grayle；　delaying　his　escape
in　order　to　dig　the　driver　out　of　the　ice　drift　that　had　buried　him。　He　went　to　help；　and　together　they
freed　his　fellow　tanker’s　head。　A　half…conscious　Grayle　blew　ice　from　his　nose　and　mouth；　and
murmured；　“Did　we　make　it？”
Then；　something　rammed　the　Termite　from　behind；　and　its　rear　end　stove　in；　compacting　the
back　half　of　the　passenger　compartment　—　fortunately　cleared　by　now　—　into　a　tangle　of　plasteel。
Hauling　Grayle　between　them；　Barreski　and　Steele　scrambled　out　through　the　hatch；　found　a
two…metre　drop　beneath　them；　and　dived　into　a　blanket　of　grey　snow。　Steele　landed　on　his　feet；　but
Grayle’s　weight　threw　Barreski’s　balance；　and　he　fell　and　rolled　onto　his　back；　just　in　time　to　hear　a
roar　of　“Incoming！”　and　to　see　Borscz’s　enormous　form　blotting　out　the　dull　grey　sky。
The　impact　was　tough　on　the　pair　of　them；　but　Barreski　got　the　worst　of　it。　He　felt　as　if　he　had
been　kicked　in　the　stomach　by　an　equatorial　yak。　For　a　moment；　all　he　could　see　was　a　haze　of　red。
He　was　tangled　in　Grayle’s　arms；　pinned　down　by　Borscz’s　bulk；　and　he　could　hear　the　grinding　and
rending　of　plasteel　above　him。　He　feared　that　the　mangled　remains　of　the　Termite　were　about　to
come　crashing　down　on　him　too。　And　there　was　another　sound；　too。　A　sound　that；　if　anything；　made
Barreski　even　more　concerned　for　his　immediate　future。
The　sound　of　las…fire。
The　creatures　had　been　waiting　for　them。
Anakora　didn’t　know　how　it　was　possible；　how　they　could　have　been　warned　of　the　Ice
Warriors’　approach　—　but　as　soon　as　she　dropped　from　the　Termite；　as　soon　she　planted　her　feet　in
the　snow；　they　converged　on　her；　three　of　them。
They　were　much　like　the　Chaos　hounds　she　had　fought　in　the　underhive；　all　teeth　and　claws　and
spines。　The　most　apparent　difference　was　that　their　fur　was　white；　with　patches　of　light　green　and
brown：　snow　camouflage。　It　would　have　done　them　more　good　if　they　had　been　able　to　contain　their
eager　growls　at　the　prospect　of　a　kill。　Even　so；　it　was　hard　to　see　where　the　shape　of　each　of　the
beasts　ended　and　its　surroundings　began；　almost　impossible　to　get　a　bead　on　any　of　them。
Anakora　loosed　off　three　shots　from　her　lasgun　anyway；　one　in　the　direction　of　each　of　the
beasts。　Then　she　ran　—　not　out　of　cowardice；　but　in　the　hope　of　drawing　the　creatures　away　from　the
wreckage　of　the　Termite；　and　from　the　nine　other　Ice　Warriors　who　were　about　to　emerge　from　it；
dazed　and　confused。　She　would　not　lose　another　squad　today。　Not　if　she　had　any　say　in　the　matter。
The　first　of　the　beasts　pounced　on　her　from　behind；　sinking　its　claws　into　her　shoulders。　Carried
by　the　momentum　of　her　run；　Anakora　fell　face　first　towards　the　snow　—　but　she　had　been　prepared
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for　this；　and　she　angled　her　descent　so　that　she　landed　side…on；　rolled　onto　her　back；　and　pinned　the
Chaos　beast　with　her　weight。
It　squealed；　and　scrabbled　at　the　backs　of　her　legs　with　its　back　claws。　Anakora　could　feel　its　hot
breath　on　her　neck；　and　although　she　frantically　recited　the　Litany　of　Protection　under　her　breath；
she　knew　that　she　had　only　an　instant　before　the　beast　sunk　its　teeth　into　the　unprotected　flesh
between　her　helmet　and　her　greatcoat’s　collar。
She　shifted　her　grip　on　her　lasgun　and　thrust　it；　butt…first；　over　her　shoulder；　aiming　blindly；
gratified　to　feel　a　crunch　as　she　struck　the　beast　in　its　grotesquely　enlarged　fangs。　It　howled；　and　its
grip　on　her　shoulders　loosened。　Anakora　tore　herself　free　of　it；　even　as　the　second　beast　caught　up
with　the　first　and　leapt　at　her。
She　got　out　of　its　way　just　in　time。　The　second　beast；　unable　to　reverse　the　momentum　of　its
lunge；　landed　on　the　first　with　its　claws　outstretched；　and　virtually　gutted　it。　That　left　her　free；　for　a
moment；　to　defend　herself　against　the　third。　As　it　thundered　towards　her；　she　got　her　first　good　look
at　it。　She　saw　its　feline　features　and　its　whiskers　and　she　realised　what　the　beasts　were；　or　rather
what　they　once　must　have　been。
They　were　snow　leopards；　much　like　those　that　roamed　Valhalla’s　tundra。
She　blasted　at　the　oncoming　beast；　scoring　three　palpable　hits　—　but　it　was　tough；　tougher　than
the　Chaos　hounds　had　been；　and　it　would　not　fall。　It　leapt　for　her　throat；　and　Anakora　turned　her
lasgun　sideways；　using　its　barrel　to　protect　herself。　As　soon　as　the　snow　leopard’s　claws　hit　the
weapon；　she　hefted　it　over　her　head　as　if　it　were　the　bar　on　a　set　of　dumbbells；　simultaneously
dropping　to　her　knees。　Her　attacker’s　huge　body　was　carried　over　her　head；　but　it　reacted　fast；　faster
than　she　had　hoped；　and　by　the　time　Anakora　had　regained　her　footing　and　shouldered　her　lasgun
again；　the　snow　leopard　had　reined　in　its　momentum；　turned；　and　was　coming　at　her　again。
Her　only　hope　was　a　kill　shot；　right　through　its　eye；　into　its　brain。
It　was　impossible。
In　a　fraction　of　a　second　that　stretched　into　an　eternity；　Anakora　realised　that　she　didn’t　have　the
time　to　level　her　gun；　to　turn　it　to　protect　herself；　to　do　anything　else　before　she　was　eviscerated。　She
faced　her　death　with　a　heavy　sense　of　resignation。　She　turned　her　head　away；　felt　the　impact　of　the
beast　with　her　chest；　felt　herself　falling；　felt　the　spray　of　hot；　sticky　blood　on　her　face…
…　and　realised；　to　her　surprise；　that　the　blood　wasn’t　hers。
The　leopard　was　standing　over　her；　black　fluid　gushing　from　its　head；　streaming　into　its　eyes；
one　of　its　legs　burnt　off　below　the　knee；　fused　into　a　bloody　stump。　It　was　unable　to　see；　unable　to
run；　thrashing　in　pain　and　confusion；　and　it　seemed　to　have　forgotten　its　erstwhile　prey。
Then　it　was　struck　by　three　las…beams　at　once。　More　blood　and　offal　erupted　from　between　its
ribs；　and　the　beast　toppled　onto　its　side；　quite　dead。
Anakora’s　comrades　had　come　to　her　rescue。
Steele　ent　once　more。
He　should　have　anticipated　that　there　might　be　trouble　outside　the　Termite。　He　had　anticipated
it。　Should　he；　then；　have　left　it　to　his　troopers　to　help　Grayle？　Should　he　have　taken　point；　been　the
first　out　there；　ready　to　lead？　There　was　no　point　in　thinking　like　that。　Gavotski　and　the　others　had
things　under　control；　for　now。
Only　one　mutated　leopard　remained　upright；　and　it　was　howling　and　twisting　in　the　crossfire　of
five　las…beams。　It　occurred　to　Steele　to　wonder　if　the　beasts　were　native　to　this　world；　perhaps
confined　to　its　polar　regions　before　the　cold　had　spread。　Or　could　they　actually　have　evolved；　even
in　the　short　time　since　a　permanent　winter　had　fallen　over　Cressida；　to　suit　their　altered　climate？
He　used　his　momentary　respite　to　survey　his　new　surroundings。
Two　metres　above　him；　the　front　end　of　his　battered　vehicle　protruded　from　the　glacier’s　sheer
face。　As　he　watched；　the　Termite’s　great　horn　crumpled　and　its　wreck　was　dragged；　screeching；　back
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into　the　ice。　A　moment　later；　it　had　been　swallowed　up；　and　a　fresh　layer　of　ice　had　formed　across
the　mouth　of　the　tunnel　it　had　made。　No　sign　remained　that　the　Termite；　or　indeed　its　passengers；
had　ever　been　up　there。
Borscz；　Barreski　and　Grayle　were　on　the　ground　beside　Steele；　struggling　to　disentangle
themselves　from　each　other。　Borscz　was　the　first　to　break　free　from　the　scrum；　and　he　rushed　to　join
in　the　near…ended　battle　with　gusto。
In　front　of　Steele；　there　was　a　forest。　Its　near　edge　was　almost　parallel　with　that　of　the　glacier；
leaving　only　a　narrow　strip　of　land　between　them；　eighty　metres　wide　or　less。　Like　the　glacier；　the
forest　stretched　out　far　to　each　side　of　him；　a　great　deal　further　than　even　his　bionic　eye　could　see。
It　was　a　forest　not　of　wood　but　of　ice　—　of　obscene；　twisted　sculptures；　mockeries　of　the　natural
shapes　they　had　presumably　replaced；　growing　thick　around　the　trunks　but　branching　out　into
grasping；　clawing　talons　as　they　reached　upwards。　The　ice　trees　grew　high　and　thick　enough　to　blot
out　the　already…scant　daylight　and　the　shadows　between　them　were　dark　and　foreboding。　Their
surfaces　were　encrusted　with　the　ever…present　purple　fungus；　and　Steele’s　sensitive　nose　wrinkled　at
its　overripe　stench。
He　could　detect　something　else　too：　a　movement。　There　was　something　out　there。
He　activated　his　eye’s　zoom　function。　It　took　the　augmetics　a　long　second　to　react　to　his　thought
but　then　the　colonel’s　gaze　probed；　searching；　penetrating　the　ice　forest’s　dark　depths；　and　there…
There　it　was…　for　a　moment　at　least：　a　humanoid　creature；　covered　in　light　grey　fur；　or　maybe　it
was　just　wearing　a　fur　coat。　Steele　couldn’t　tell　—　because　before　he　could　adjust　his　focus　to　see
the　creature　more　clearly；　it　was　off　again；　a　blur　of　motion　despite　its　odd；　shambling　gait。　It
disappeared　behind　an　especially　fat　tree；　and　he　had　lost　it。
Unless；　he　thought；　he　acted　now。
There　was　no　time　to　second…guess　his　instincts；　this　time。　The　figure　might　have　been　a　Chaos
scout；　in　which　case　Steele　couldn’t　let　it　go；　couldn’t　allow　it　to　take　news　of　the　Ice　Warriors’
presence　in　this　area　to　its　masters。　So；　he　drew　his　lasgun　and　set　off　in　pursuit　of　it　yelling　to
Troopers　Blonsky；　Palinev　and　Pozhar　to　follow　him。　The　rest　could　catch　up　once　the　final　snow
leopard　was　dead。
As　Steele　crossed　the　tree　line；　he　was　plunged　into　an　eerie　gloom；　and　the　aperture　of　his
bionic　eye　widened　to　compensate。　The　recent　snowfall　had；　for　the　most　part；　not　touched　the
ground　here。　The　soil　was　black　and　infertile；　but　the　roots　of　many　of　the　ice　trees　protruded　from　it
like　tripwires；　and　patches　of　the　slippery　fungus　were　everywhere。　Steele　had　to　slow　his　pace；
watch　his　step。　Even　so；　he　almost　lost　his　footing　—　and　as　he　caught　himself；　he　felt　a　sharp；
slicing　pain　to　his　left　shoulder。
He　had　brushed　against　a　tree　trunk；　and　it　was　razor　sharp。　Its　edge　had　cut　right　through　his
greatcoat；　through　its　layers　of　plasfibre　and　thermoplas；　to　score　his　skin。　He　turned　to　deliver　a
warning　to　his　troopers；　but　saw　that　they　had　discovered　the　danger　for　themselves。
They　proceeded　as　best　they　could　after　that。　Steele　used　his　power　sword　to　cut　away　some　of
the　more　treacherous　branches　in　his　path　—