Storm Of Iron(科幻战争)-第24部分

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He　watched　as　the　Reavers　and　the　Warlord　opened　fire　and　the　air　exploded　with　the　shocking　noise。　The　Warhounds　gratefully
took　shelter　in　the　shadow　of　their　larger　cousins；　adding　their　own　gunfire　to　the　barrage。
Leonid　stumbled　forward；　past　the　Titans　and　into　the　cover　of　the　guns　of　the　Primus　Ravelin；　relieved　beyond　words　that　he　had
made　it　back　alive。　Fresh　troops　manned　the　firing　step　at　the　edge　of　the　forward　ditch　and　Ellard　passed　him　off　to　a　frightenedlooking
soldier　before　returning　to　the　battlefield　to　see　to　his　men。　Leonid　leant　against　the　wall　of　the　parapet；　cradling　his　head
in　his　hands　as　the　full　horror　of　the　battle　crashed　down　upon　him。
With　those　Dragoons　who　could　escape　now　under　the　protection　of　the　Titans　of　the　Legio　Ignatum　and　the　citadel's　gunners；　the
majority　of　the　enemy　did　not　appear　too　keen　to　continue　the　massacre；　turning　back　to　their　own　lines　with　raucous　cries　and
taunts　on　their　lips。　Some　could　not　contain　their　lust　for　killing　and　tried　in　vain　to　catch　their　victims；　only　to　be　mown　down　by
close　range　fire　from　the　Titans　and　the　columns　of　fire　from　the　ravelin　and　bastions。
Leonid　felt　an　unbelievable　exhaustion　smother　him。　He　put　a　hand　out　to　steady　himself；　but　the　world　spun　crazily　and　he　slid
down　the　wall　and　collapsed　before　the　soldiers　next　to　him　could　catch　him。
Graham　McNeill　？Storm　of　Iron？
FOUR
DESPITE　THE　WARM　wind　that　gusted　across　the　mountain　peaks；　a　shiver　passed　down　Major　Gunnar　Tedeski's　spine　as　he
watched　the　activities　below　the　fortress　of　Tor　Christo。　The　stocky　major　leant　over　the　parapet　of　Kane　bastion；　steadying
himself　with　his　one　arm；　and　tried　to　guess　at　the　number　of　men　working　below　on　the　plains。　At　a　conservative　estimate；　he
guessed　there　were　perhaps　eight　or　nine　thousand　workers　digging　or　otherwise　engaged　in　the　siege…works　below。　The　enemy
was　not　short　of　men　to　dig；　that　was　for　sure；　but　how　many　actual　warriors　faced　him　was　impossible　to　say。
'Uh；　Major　Tedeski；　I'm　not　sure　that's　such　a　good　idea；'　ventured　his　aide…de…camp　Captain　Poulsen；　who　followed　behind　him
clutching　a　data…slate。
'Nonsense；　Poulsen；　these　Chaos　scum　aren't　the　sort　to　go　in　for　snipers。'
'Even　so；　sir；'　reiterated　Poulsen　as　the　boom　of　artillery　echoed　from　the　sides　of　the　valley。
Tedeski　shook　his　head；　saying；　'It's　too　short　to　matter。'
Sure　enough　the　shell　landed　in　the　ruins　of　the　watch…tower；　sending　up　a　plume　of　dust　and　rock　fragments。　The　watchtower　had
been　demolished　after　less　than　a　day's　shelling；　but　it　had　never　been　designed　to　withstand　such　a　comprehensive　bombardment
in　the　first　place。
Tedeski　pulled　back　from　the　parapet　and　continued　his　walk　around　the　perimeter　of　the　bastion's　walls。　Soldiers　sat；　playing　dice
or　sleeping　below　the　level　of　the　parapet。　A　few　scanned　the　ground　before　them；　their　faces　lined　in　exhaustion　and　lack　of　sleep。
The　more　or　less　constant　shelling　had　denied　everyone　sleep；　and　nerves　were　stretched　taut。
In　the　week　since　the　abortive　attack　on　the　traitors'　trench　system　by　the　Legio　Ignatum　and　the　armoured　units　of　the　Dragoons；
the　plateau　had　changed　beyond　all　recognition。　Enemy　artillery　had　pounded　the　plains　day　and　night　with　high　explosives；
obliterating　razor　wire　and　detonating　mines。　Zigzag　trenches　covered　the　ground；　reaching　out　towards　the　promontory　that　Tor
Christo　sat　upon；　their　sides　heavily　reinforced　with　earthen　ramparts。　Tedeski's　gunners　had　done　their　best；　but　the　trenches　had
been　constructed　with　mathematical　precision　and　they　were　impossible　to　enfilade。　Only　once；　when　a　portion　of　the　trench　had
overreached；　were　they　able　to　cause　some　real　damage；　killing　the　diggers　and　obliterating　their　machinery。
But　since　then；　as　each　trench　approached　a　point　where　the　guns　would　be　able　to　fire　down　their　length；　giant　figures　in　greysteel
armour　would　direct　the　workers　to　alter　the　angle　of　digging。
A　spider　web　of　communication　trenches　and　redoubts　spread　back　to　the　main　campsite　and；　though　the　Christo's　guns　shelled
them　daily；　his　observers　could　see　no　appreciable　damage。　It　was　maddeningly　frustrating　to　see　the　foe　advance　with　such
impunity。　The　enemy　had　thrown　out　a　second　parallel　at　the　termination　of　the　saps；　its　sharp　curve　matching　the　sweep　of　his
walls　exactly。　In　two　sections　of　this　new　parallel；　high　walls　had　been　built。　No　doubt　the　trench　behind　them　was　being　deepened
and　widened　to　allow　the　placement　of　large…bore　howitzers。
Though　the　men　in　the　Christo　had　been　under　fire　for　over　a　week；　the　range　was　too　great　for　the　enemy　guns　to　do　more　than
chip　away　at　the　walls。　However；　the　range　was　ideal　for　delivering　ricochet　fire；　which　had　dismounted　a　great　many　of　Tor
Christo's　wall…mounted　guns。　Tedeski　had　ordered　the　remaining　guns　to　be　pulled　back　into　the　fort；　and　though　casualties　had
been　light　…　fifty…two　men　dead　so　far　…　that　would　all　change　when　the　batteries　of　the　second　parallel　were　completed。
But　Tedeski　had　a　surprise　in　store　for　Tor　Christo's　attackers。
Guns　situated　at　the　base　of　the　rocky　promontory；　kept　in　reserve　thus　far；　would　soon　make　their　presence　felt　when　the　enemy
moved　their　heavy　artillery　forward　into　those　newly　constructed　batteries。
'It　won't　be　long　now；　Poulsen；'　mused　Tedeski。
'What　won't；　sir？'
'The　attack；　Poulsen；　the　attack；'　replied　Tedeski；　unable　to　mask　his　irritation。　'If　we　can't　stop　them　from　completing　those
batteries；　they　will　bring　up　their　big　guns　and　lob　high　explosive　shells　right　over　our　walls。　Then　they　won't　need　to　batter　our
walls　down；　they'll　be　able　to　walk　right　up　to　the　main　gate　and　come　in；　because　there　will　be　no　one　left　alive　to　stop　them。'
'But　the　guns　below　will　stop　them；　surely？'
'Possibly；'　allowed　Tedeski；　'but　we'll　only　be　able　to　pull　that　trick　once。　And　that's　assuming　they　don't　know　about　them　already。
Remember　that　reconnaissance　party　we　fired　on　at　the　beginning　of　all　this？'
'Yes；　sir。'
'Well　there's　every　chance　our　enemies　know　of　the　guns　down　there；　and　have　planned　accordingly。'
'Surely　not；　sir。　If　the　enemy　had　discovered　them；　they　would　have　attempted　to　shell　them　before　now；　would　they　not？'
Tedeski　nodded　thoughtfully；　resting　his　elbow　on　the　stonework　of　the　parapet；　its　sharply　angled　construction　allowing　a　soldier
to　fire　at　attackers　almost　directly　below。
'There　is　that；　Poulsen；　and　that's　the　only　reason　I　haven't　had　the　passages　below　ground　blocked。　I　can't　risk　not　having　those
guns　firing　when　the　time　comes。'
Emboldened　by　his　superior　officer's　cavalier　attitude　to　the　potential　danger　of　snipers；　Captain　Poulsen　stood　at　the　edge　of　the
parapet　and　watched　the　bustling　activity　on　the　plains。
'I　never　thought　to　see　such　a　thing；'　he　whispered。
'What？'
Poulsen　pointed　towards　the　towering　form　of　the　Dies　Irae；　standing　immobile　where　the　death　of　the　Imperator　Bellum　had
crippled　it。　Its　lower　legs　were　blackened　and　still　smoking　where　the　meltdown　of　the　Imperial　Titan　had　scorched　it。　Vast
swathes　of　scaffolding　and　buttresses　had　been　erected　around　its　legs　as　hundreds　of　men　worked　to　try　and　repair　the　grievous
damage　done　to　it。　The　Titan's　upper　body　had　escaped　the　worst　of　the　blast　and　each　day　its　guns　would　fire　upon　the　citadel；
wreathing　its　walls　in　tremendous　explosions；　daring　its　enemy　to　come　out　and　face　it　once　more。
Tedeski　nodded；　'Nor　I。　It　was　an　honour　to　watch　so　brave　a　warrior　fight　such　a　diabolical　monster。　His　brother　Titans　will
Graham　McNeill　？Storm　of　Iron？
avenge　him　though。'
'And　who　will　avenge　us？'　pondered　Poulsen。
Tedeski　rounded　on　his　aide…de…camp　and　snapped；　'We　shall　not　need　avenging；　Captain　Poulsen；　and　I　will　have　words　with　any
man　who　publicly　voices　such　an　opinion。　Do　you　understand　me？'
'Yes；　sir；'　replied　Poulsen　hurriedly。　'I　only　meant—'
'I　know　what　you　meant；　Poulsen；　but　do　not　say　these　things　aloud；'　cautioned　Tedeski；　waving　his　arm　at　the　soldiers　who
manned　the　parapet　and　the　gunners　who　tended　their　artillery　pieces。
What　do　you　think　is　the　single　most　important　element　of　a　fortress；　Poulsen？　Its　walls？　Its　guns？　Its　position？　No。　It　is　the　men
who　stand　behind　its　walls　and　say　to　the　enemy；　〃No；　you　shall　not　take　this　place〃。　The　fighting　spirit　of　these　men　is　all　that
keeps　the　enemy　beyond　these　walls　and　only　by　standing　together；　with　faith　in　the　Emperor　and　an　utter　belief　in　our　ability　to
hold；　will　we　prevail。　Regardless　of　the　facts；　the　men　need　to　believe　that　we　believe　the　Christo　can　hold。　Otherwise　we　are　lost。'
Poulsen　nodded　thoughtfully　before　saying；　'Do　you　believe　we　can　hold；　sir？'
Tedeski　returned　his　gaze　to　the　plains　below。　'Ultimately；　no；　we　cannot　hold。　Tor　Christo　will　fall；　but　we　will　hold　it　for　as　long
as　we　can。　When　I　decide　that　the　day　is　lost；　I　will　order　the　withdrawal　along　the　tunnels　and　overload　our　reactor　to　blow　this
place　apart　before　I　allow　these　bastards　to　make　use　of　the　Christo。'
HONSOU　PUSHED　ASIDE　an　emaciated　slave　worker　and　followed　Forrix　along　the　twisting　trench　that　led　to　the　forward　parallel。
As　the　two　Iron　Warriors　passed；　slaves　hurriedly　dropped　their　shovels　and　picks　and　abased　themselves　before　their　masters。
Neither　Forrix　nor　Honsou　paid　the　wretched　creatures　any　heed；　too　intent　on　the　looming　shape　of　Tor　Christo　above　them。
Honsou　felt　the　familiar　anticipation　as　they　stepped　into　the　main　parallel　and　he　saw　the　thoroughness　with　which　it　had　been
constructed。
It　had　been　dug　to　a　depth　of　three　metres；　the　wall　nearest　Tor　Christo　angled　inwards　to　minimise　the　effect　of　airbursting　shells。
Propped　dugouts　were　cut　into　the　trench　sides　where　slaves　slept；　ate　and　died。　Too　bone…weary　to　dispose　of　their　dead　in　any
other　way；　corpses　were　pushed　to　the　side　of　the　trench；　the　rotted　remains　filling　the　air　with　the　stench　of　decay。　Timber　boards
on　iron　sleepers　were　laid　across　the　base　of　the　trench　and　Honsou　was　impressed　with　the　speed　with　which　Forrix　had　driven
the　trench　forward。
'The　first　battery　will　be　here；'　said　Forrix；　pointing　to　a　portion　of　the　trench　Honsou　estimated　was　some　six　hundred　metres　from
the　base　of　the　mountain。　He　could　see　that　work　had　already　begun　on　widening　the　trench。　Thick　sheets　of　steel　were　piled　at　the
entrance　to　the　new　battery；　ready　to　be　laid　across　the　ground　to　enable　the　big　guns　to　fire　without　their　recoil　burying　them　in
the　ground。
Honsou　nodded；　looking　up　towards　Tor　Christo；　picturing　the　angle　of　fire　this　guns　placed　in　this　battery　would　have。
The　most　vulnerable　point　of　any　fortification　was　its　salient　angles；　the　projecting　points　of　its　bastions　where　the　ground　in　front
was　not　covered　by　direct　fire　from　the　parapet。　Forrix　had　dug　the　main　sap　directly　towards　the　central　bastion；　with　this　forward
parallel　constructed　well　within　the　range　of　the　fort's　guns；　but　protected　by　their　depth　and　earthen　ramparts。
Honsou　could　see　that　batteries　were　being　dug　to　either　side　of　the　bastion's　salient；　angled　inwards　so　that　the　guns　placed　there
would　fire　perpendicular　to　the　face　of　the　bastion　and　break　it　open　efficiently。　Once　the　walls　had　been　breached　with　di