Storm Of Iron(科幻战争)-第28部分

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triumph　as　the　warriors　of　his　company　climbed　onto　the　walls；　sweeping　left　and　right　along　the　ramparts。　Bolters　fired　again　and
Graham　McNeill　？Storm　of　Iron？
again　and　men　died　in　droves　as　the　Iron　Warriors　took　the　ramparts　of　Kane　bastion　in　blood　and　steel。
Silhouetted　in　the　flames　of　the　defenders'　rout；　Honsou　leapt　for　the　courtyard　below；　the　stonework　cracking　under　his　weight。
Enemy　soldiers　streamed　towards　the　narrow　neck　of　the　bastion；　Iron　Warriors　in　hot　pursuit。　The　momentum　of　the　charge　must
not　be　lost。　Despite　this　success；　there　were　sure　to　be　thousands　more　soldiers　in　the　bastions　either　side　of　this　one。
Honsou　ran　through　the　confusion　of　the　battle；　firing　as　he　ran　and　cutting　down　those　soldiers　not　quick　enough　to　escape。　At　the
neck　of　the　bastion　he　saw　the　Imperial　troopers　were　heading　for　a　wide　trench；　crossed　by　a　narrow　bridge。　Troops　bottlenecked
on　the　crossing　despite　the　desperate　shouts　of　officers　for　them　not　to。　As　Honsou　watched；　the　bridge　collapsed　into　the　trench；
crushing　those　unfortunate　to　be　trapped　beneath　it。　Some　soldiers　dropped　into　the　trench；　turning　to　fire　on　the　Iron　Warriors；　but
many　more　were　streaming　in　panic　to　the　main　esplanade　where　a　squat；　round　tower　crouched　at　the　base　of　the　steep
escarpment。
Black　coated　officers　in　skull…embossed　peaked　caps　bellowed　orders　for　their　men　to　stand　firm；　enforcing　these　orders　with
bullets。　Honsou　let　them　shoot　their　own　men；　blasting　holes　in　those　enemy　soldiers　who　weren't　running。　A　swelling　roar　of　hate
filled　the　night　as　the　Iron　Warriors'　indentured　soldiery　swarmed　over　the　walls；　fanning　out　towards　the　stairs　or　simply　jumping
into　the　courtyard。　The　bastion　was　theirs；　now　they　just　had　to　break　out　of　it。
Stuttering　volleys　of　las…fire　blasted　from　the　trench；　but　it　was　too　little；　too　late　as　Honsou　dropped　into　the　prepared　position
and　killed　with　wanton　abandon。　His　sword　chopped　through　a　terrified　Guardsman；　the　reverse　stroke　disembowelling　another。
He　worked　his　way　down　the　trench；　hacking　a　bloody　path　through　the　defenders　who　fell　back　in　horror　from　his　deadly　blade。
As　Honsou　killed　the　Guardsmen；　he　revelled　in　his　superiority；　and　could　well　understand　the　attraction　of　Khorne's　path。
The　Iron　Warriors　swept　over　the　trench　killing　everything　in　it　with　the　fury　of　those　who　had　fought　their　way　through　hell　and
lived　to　tell　the　tale；　butchering　anything　that　came　within　reach。
FROM　INSIDE　THE　keep　of　Tor　Christo；　Major　Gunnar　Tedeski　watched　the　slaughter　with　a　desperate　heart。　His　men　were　dying
and　there　was　nothing　he　could　do　to　stop　it。　He'd　gambled　with　the　lower　guns；　trusting　that　they　would　be　able　to　stop　the
relentless　advance　of　the　Iron　Warriors；　but　they　had　second　guessed　him；　and　now　the　fortress　was　as　good　as　theirs。
He　had　failed　and　while　Tor　Christo's　fate　had　never　really　been　in　doubt；　it　was　galling　for　it　to　have　fallen　so　quickly。　The
attackers　had　not　yet　broken　out　of　Kane　bastion；　but　they　would　surely　overrun　the　entrenchments　behind　the　bastion　soon。　He
knew　the　images　he　was　seeing　on　the　remote　pict…viewers　did　not　capture　the　horror　and　carnage　taking　place　outside。　Thousands
of　men　were　streaming　over　the　walls　and　it　would　only　be　a　matter　of　time　until　the　Mars　and　Dragon　bastions　came　under　attack
from　their　vulnerable　rears。　If　he　let　them；　the　men　there　would　fight　bravely；　but　they　would　die；　and　Tedeski　would　have　no
more　deaths　on　his　conscience。
'Poulsen！'　sighed　Tedeski；　wiping　dust　and　sweat　from　his　brow。
'Sir？'
'Send　the　〃Heaven's　Fall〃　signal　to　all　company　commanders　and　Castellan　Vauban。'
'〃Heaven's　Fall〃；　sir？'　queried　Poulsen。
'Yes；　damn　you！'　snapped　Tedeski。　'Quickly；　man！'
'Y…yes；　sir；'　nodded　Poulsen　hurriedly　and　ran　off　to　pass　the　evacuation　code　to　the　vox　operators。
Tedeski　turned　from　his　aide…de…camp　and　straightened　his　duty　uniform　jacket　before　addressing　the　remaining　men　and　officers
standing　with　him　in　the　Christo's　command　centre。
'Gentlemen；　it　is　time　you　left　this　place。　It　grieves　me　to　say　that　Tor　Christo　is　about　to　fall。　As　the　commanding　officer；　I　am
ordering　you　to　lead　as　many　men　as　you　can　into　the　tunnels　and　make　your　way　to　the　citadel。　Castellan　Vauban　will　need　every
man　on　the　walls　in　the　coming　days　and　I　will　not　deny　him　those　men　by　sacrificing　them　needlessly　here。'
Silence　greeted　his　words　until　a　junior　officer　asked；　'Will　you　not　accompany　us；　sir？'
'No。　I　will　stay　to　overload　the　reactor　and　deny　our　foes　this　fortress。'
Tedeski　raised　his　arm　as　objections　were　shouted。　'I　have　made　up　my　mind　and　will　not　be　argued　with。　Now　go！　Time　is　of　the
essence！'
'THE　HEAVEN'S　FALL　signal　has　been　sent　from　Tor　Christo；　arch　magos；'　reported　Magos　Naicin；　staring　at　the　encrypted　voxthief
before　him。
'So　soon？'　hissed　Amaethon；　and　though　his　flesh　had　lost　any　true　emotive　qualities；　Naicin　saw　a　passable　approximation　of
genuine　alarm　cross　the　face　of　the　arch　magos。
'It　appears　that　the　men　of　the　Guard　are　weaker　than　even　I　feared；'　said　Naicin　sadly。
'We　must　protect　ourselves！　The　citadel　must　not　fall！'
'It　must　not；'　agreed　Naicin。　'What　would　you　have　me　do；　arch　magos？'
'Blow　the　tunnel；　Naicin！　Do　it　now！'
CAPTAIN　POULSEN　HURRIED　down　the　carved　steps；　clutching　bundles　of　paper　folders　and　an　armful　of　data…slates。　The　fear　was
unlike　anything　he　had　felt　before。　He'd　never　been　on　the　front　line　before；　his　talents　in　organisation　and　logistics　making　him
much　more　valuable　to　the　command　echelons　behind　the　line。
But　standing　on　the　walls　of　the　Kane　bastion　with　shells　exploding　all　around　him；　he'd　felt　the　bowel…loosening　terror　of　an
artillery　bombardment　and　was　desperately　grateful　he　had　been　spared　the　horror　of　combat。　Hundreds　of　men　thronged　the
tunnels　beneath　the　keep；　descending　into　the　depths　of　the　promontory　and　heading　for　the　wide　cavern…tunnel　that　led　back　to　the
citadel。　Similar　underground　passageways　allowed　the　men　from　the　flanking　bastions　to　escape；　though　it　was　too　late　for　the
men　in　Kane　bastion。
It　was　inevitable　that　some　men　would　have　to　die　so　that　the　others　might　live。
Graham　McNeill　？Storm　of　Iron？
Weak　illumination　from　the　glow…globes　strung　from　the　ceiling　cast　a　fitful　light　over　the　soldiers　around　him。　Fearful　and　guilty
expressions　were　writ　large　across　his　fellow　officers'　faces。　Dust　drifted　from　the　ceiling　and　sputtering　recyc…units　struggled　to
keep　the　air　moving　in　the　hot；　stagnant　underground。
Eventually；　the　steps　ended　and　the　tunnel　widened　into　a　large；　roughly　circular　cavern　with　passages　leading　off　into　the　rock
beneath　Tor　Christo。　Men　from　the　Dragon　and　Mars　bastions　were　already　streaming　from　these　tunnels；　yellow…coated　provosts
attempting　to　impose　a　semblance　of　order　of　the　retreat　with　limited　success。　Major　Tedeski's　order　to　withdraw　was　being
obeyed　with　speed。　Four　giant；　blast…shielded　elevator　doors　studded　one　wall　and；　ahead；　the　cavern　narrowed　to　a　well…lit
underground　highway；　nearly　twelve　metres　wide　and　seven　high。
Normally　this　level　of　the　fort　was　used　to　move　artillery　and　ordnance　between　Tor　Christo　and　the　citadel；　but　it　was　equally
well…suited　for　large　scale　movements　of　troops。　Poulsen　jostled　alongside　sweating　troopers；　the　shouts　of　fiie　provosts　and
soldiers　almost　deafening。　The　heaving　mass　of　men　moved　towards　the　main　tunnel　and　Poulsen　felt　himself　being　carried　along
with　it。　An　elbow　dug　painfully　into　his　side　and　he　yelped；　dropping　the　armful　of　data…slates　to　the　painted　floor。
The　bureaucrat　in　him　took　over　and　he　fell　to　his　knees　to　gather　up　the　fallen　slates；　cursing　under　his　breath　as　a　booted　foot
crunched　the　nearest　one　to　splinters。　A　hand　grabbed　him　and　hauled　him　roughly　upright。
'Leave　them！'　snarled　a　grim…faced　provost。　'Keep　moving。'
Poulsen　was　about　to　protest　at　this　rough　treatment；　when　the　ground　shook　and　cries　of　alarm　echoed　around　the　cavern。　A　rain
of　dust　dropped　from　the　roof　and　an　eerie　quiet　descended　upon　the　chamber。
'What　was　that？'　breathed　Poulsen。　'Artillery？'
'No；'　hissed　the　provost。　'We　wouldn't　hear　artillery　down　here。　That　was　something　else。'
'Then　what？'
'I　don't　know；　but　I　don't　like　the　sound　of　it。'
Another　louder　vibration　shook　the　cavern；　then　another。　Shouts　of　alarm　turned　to　cries　of　terror　as　Poulsen　saw　a　hellish　orange
glow　race　towards　them　down　the　main　tunnel；　followed　by　a　furious　whooshing　roar。　Poulsen　watched　the　approaching　glow　with
incomprehension。　What　was　happening？
His　unasked　question　was　suddenly　answered　as　someone　shouted；　'Emperor's　Blood；　they're　blowing　the　tunnel！'
Blowing　the　tunnel？　That　was　inconceivable！　While　there　were　men　still　here？　Castellan　Vauban　would　never　give　such　an　order。
This　couldn't　be　happening。　Hundreds　of　soldiers　turned　in　panic　and　attempted　to　race　back　into　the　tunnels　they　had　recently
fled；　pushing　their　comrades　aside　in　terror。　Men　fell　and　were　trampled　underfoot　as　the　terrified　men　of　the　Jourans　stampeded
back　from　the　collapsing　tunnel。
Poulsen　stumbled　backwards；　dropping　the　slates　he　had　collected　from　the　floor；　all　thoughts　of　their　worth　forgotten。　Explosions
of　demolition　charges　marched　their　way　along　the　tunnel；　bringing　down　thousands　of　tonnes　of　rock　upon　the　trapped　men　of　the
Guard　within　it。
He　staggered　back　towards　the　clogged　tunnel　he　had　just　come　from；　clawing　at　the　men　in　front　of　him；　desperate　to　escape。
The　main　tunnel　suddenly　exploded　in　fire　and　noise；　rubble　blasting　from　its　mouth；　crashing　and　burning　hundreds　of　men　in　an
instant。　Poulsen　wrenched　a　man　from　in　front　of　him；　and　pushed　his　way　forwards　as　he　heard　an　ominous　crack　from　the　ceiling
above　him。　A　demolition　charge　set　in　the　centre　of　the　cavern's　roof　exploded；　showering　the　soldiers　below　in　chunks　of　rock
and　collapsing　the　entire　cavern　roof。
Poulsen　screamed　as　falling　rocks　pummelled　him　to　the　ground；　smashing　his　skull　and　crashing　his　body　to　a　jellied　pulp。
Nearly　three　thousand　men　joined　him　in　death　as　the　tunnel　between　the　citadel　and　Tor　Christo　was　sealed。
MAJOR　TEDESKI　SWIGGED　from　a　bottle　of　amasec　as　he　stared　at　the　pict…viewer　displaying　the　exterior　of　the　keep；　watching
thousands　of　soldiers　in　red　swamp　the　walls　of　his　fortress。　Mars　and　Dragon　bastions　were　thronged　with　enemy　soldiers；　firing
their　weapons　into　the　air　and　cheering　at　their　victory。　He'd　watched　in　fury　as　his　captured　soldiers　were　lined　up　and　shot
against　the　bastion　walls　or　herded　into　the　trenches　and　set　alight　with　flamers。　Tedeski　had　never　felt　such　a　strong　hatred　before。
A　grim　smile　touched　his　lips　as　he　pictured　sending　these　bastards　to　hell。
He　took　another　drink　from　the　bottle　and　nodded　slowly。　The　command　centre　was　empty　except　for　himself　and　Magos　Yelede；
who　sat　dejectedly　in　the　corner。　The　machine　priest　had　protested　at　being　ordered　to　stay　behind；　but　Tedeski　had　told　him　that
he　would　either　stay　willingly　or　he　would　be　shot。
Tedeski　drained　the　last　of　the　bottle　and　turned　away　from　the　sickening　atrocities　being　committed　within　his　walls。　He　gripped
Magos　Yelede's　robes；　hauling　him　to　his　feet。
'Come　on；　Yelede。　T