Ice Guard(科幻战争)-第4部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


in　the　tunnels　and　their　ravening　howls　as　they　scented　fresh　meat　even　over　the　underhive’s　stink。
She　whirled　around；　and　saw　the　first　of　them；　its　twisted　black　bulk；　in　the　light　of　the　beam
from　her　lamp…pack　as　it　leapt　on　Petrovski　and　tore　out　his　throat。
There　were　three　more　behind　it。　Anakora　swore　and　abandoned　the　limpet　mine　she　had　been
struggling　to　adhere　to　the　crumbling　wall　of　a　slum　building。
Her　squad　of　eight　had　been　sent　down　here　on　a　demolition　mission。　Their　commanders　were
concerned　that　as　the　Imperial　Guard　withdrew　from　Cressida；　there　weren’t　enough　men　left　to　hold
all　fronts　in　the　ongoing　war。　By　collapsing　strategic　sections　of　these　underground　levels；　they
could　at　least　close　off　one　route　to　the　heart　of　Alpha　Hive；　preventing　the　Chaos　forces　from
coming　up　beneath　them。
Their　enemies；　it　transpired；　were　a　step　ahead　of　them。　They　had　penetrated　deeper　into　the
underhive　than　anyone　had　known。　Anakora　and　her　comrades　hadn’t　planted　even　half　their　mines
yet。
One　of　the　hounds　came　for　her；　but　with　remarkable　precision　she　fired　a　las…beam　through　its
left　eye　and　killed　it。　The　momentum　of　its　pounce　kept　it　coming；　and　it　hit　with　enough　force　to
knock　her　from　her　feet。　She　crashed　to　the　ground　with　the　hound’s　slavering　tusks　in　her　face；　and
gagged　on　its　last　gasp　of　rancid　breath　as　she　hauled　herself　out　from　beneath　it。
She　had　dropped　her　lamp…pack；　breaking　it；　but　the　tunnel　was　lit　by　the　criss…crossed　beams　of
her　surviving　six　comrades　and　the　staccato　flashes　of　their　lasguns。　The　latter　created　an　eerie　kind
of　stop…motion　effect　in　which　Anakora　saw　the　remaining　two　Chaos　hounds　dosing　with　their
chosen　prey。
She　shouldered　her　weapon　again；　looking　for　a　clear　shot。　When　a　second　comrade　fell；　his
broken　body　tossed　in　the　air　to　be　caught　in　the　mantrap　jaws　of　his　feral　killer；　she　let　out　a
11
strangulated　cry　and　pulled　on　the　trigger　for　all　she　was　worth；　furious　with　herself　for　her　wellmeaning
hesitation。
Tbers　had　the　same　thought；　and　the　hound　was　struck　from　three　angles　at
once；　twisting　and　melting　in　the　sizzling　las…beams；　slumping　dead　at　last　with　a　Valhallan　leg　still
clamped　in　its　mouth。
The　third　hound　got　past　Sergeant　Kubrikov’s　defences。　It　bore　him　down；　and　its　claws　pinned
his　shoulders　before　he　could　stand。　Once　again；　Anakora　couldn’t　fire　without　endangering　her
comrade；　but　this　time　she　didn’t　waste　a　second。　She　leapt　onto　the　creature’s　back；　and　felt　its
jagged　spines　digging　into　her　thighs。　She　turned　her　lasgun　around　and　slipped　it　over　the　Chaos
hound’s　head　so　that　the　barrel　was　resting　across　its　throat。　She　clenched　her　teeth　and　pulled　for　all
she　was　worth。　She　could　feel　thick；　knotted　neck　muscles　resisting　her；　but　she　was　determined　not
to　fail；　not　to　show　herself　to　be　weak　again。　At　last；　she　felt　bone　snap。　The　monstrous　black　body
sagged　beneath　her；　and　a　grateful　Kubrikov　tore　himself　free　from　its　dying　grip。
In　the　time　this　had　taken；　Anakora’s　comrades　had　dealt　with　the　final　hound；　although　two
more　of　them　had　been　eviscerated　in　the　process。　The　danger　was　not　over；　however。　New　shadows
were　looming；　growing　on　the　tunnel　walls：　dark；　ominous　shadows。　A　scant　moment　later；　the　first
of　their　owners　came　marching　around　the　bend；　and　Anakora’s　breath　caught　at　the　sight　of　them。
Clad　in　baroque　armour　and　hailing　from　the　Eye　of　Terror；　the　giant　warriors　exuded　a　palpable
air　of　menace　and　power　that　turned　men’s　blood　to　ice。　They　raised　and　fired　bolt　pistols；　and
Anakora　flung　herself　against　the　wall；　using　the　tunnel’s　slight　curvature　to　shield　her　body。　She
returned　fire；　knowing　that　it　was　hopeless。　The　Ice　Warriors　were　outgunned　—　outmatched　not
just　by　a　little；　but　ludicrously；　almost　laughably　so。
Sergeant　Kubrikov　knew　it　too；　and　he　was　screaming　at　his　three　remaining　troopers　to　fall
back。　There　was　something　else　too：　another　sound；　an　insistent　buzz　in　Anakora’s　earpiece。　A
voice；　its　tone　urgent　but　its　words　drowned　in　a　sea　of　static。
She　didn’t　have　time　to　worry　about　it。　She　was　pinned　down　by　the　bolt　pistols；　but　the　glimmer
of　an　idea　formed　in　her　head；　and　she　screamed　at　Kubrikov；　“The　mines；　sergeant！　Blow　the
mines！”
Kubrikov　was　ahead　of　her；　already　fumbling　with　the　detonator。　The　buildings　to　each　side　of
the　Chaos　Space　Marines　blew　out；　and　a　cloud　of　dust　billowed　towards　Anakora。　She　was　already
running　when　it　caught　up　to　her；　engulfed　her。　She　could　hear　the　throaty　growls　of　chainswords
starting　up　behind　her；　and　she　knew　that　the　explosion　hadn’t　been　enough；　not　nearly　enough　—
that　their　pursuers　were　still　standing；　still　ploughing　forwards；　and　that　all　the　Ice　Warriors　had
gained　was　to　slow　them　a　fraction　and　to　make　themselves　a　harder　target　for　their　ranged　weapons。
She　almost　wished　that　wasn’t　the　case。
There　were　just　two　of　them　left；　her　and　Kubrikov。　Anakora　reached　the　ladder　first；　glanced
back；　and　saw　her　sergeant’s　eyes　glazing　over。　Blood　poured　from　his　mouth；　and　then　his　body
separated　into　two　pieces　along　a　horizontal　line。　The　dust　parted　for　a　second　to　show　the　dead　face
of　a　Chaos　Space　Marine　behind　him；　jerking　his　sword　free　of　his　victim’s　remains。
Then　she　was　climbing；　hand　over　hand；　foot　over　foot；　expecting　at　any　moment　to　feel　cold
fingers　closing　around　her　ankle；　dragging　her　back。　Bolts　pinged　off　the　ladder；　and　she　dropped　a
frag　grenade　to　discourage　another　burst。　Then　she　could　see　the　open　manhole　above　her；　and　she
knew　that　she　could　make　it。　She　ought　to　have　been　relieved　—　because　now　at　least　her　comrades
could　be　forewarned；　that　the　Chaos　Space　Marines　were　about　to　emerge　into　their　midst　—　but　her
stomach　sank　instead；　because　she　knew　that　her　mission　had　failed。　Her　squad　was　dead。
And　the　worst　of　it　all；　the　hardest　thing　for　Anakora　to　accept；　was　that　she　had　survived…
again。
Trooper　Grayle　stumbled　over　the　rubble；　hacking　and　coughing　from　the　smoke　in　his　throat；　his
arm　gushing　blood　from　a　stray　piece　of　shrapnel。　His　eyes　and　ears　had　been　deadened；　but　he　fired
12
his　lasgun　blindly　over　his　shoulder　as　he　staggered　on；　just　hoping　and　waiting　—　waiting　for
Barreski　to　let　go　of　him；　to　stop　dragging　him　along；　so　that　he　could　fall　over。
He　didn’t　know　how　they　had　got　this　far。　His　recent　past　was　a　blur　of　bangs　and　flashes；　the
only　clear　impression　being　of　the　searing；　agonising　pain　he　had　felt　when　the　controls　of　the
Leman　Russ　had　blown　up　in　his　face。
Then　he　was　on　the　ground；　staring　up　at　Cressida’s　grey　sky；　the　last　flakes　of　the　sputtering
snowstorm　wetting　his　cheeks　and　soothing　his　burns。　His　chest　was　heaving　and　his　arm　was
throbbing；　and　he　wondered　for　a　moment　if　this　was　it；　if　Barreski　had　been　gunned　down　and　if　he
was　to　be　next。
Then　he　saw　his　comrade’s　concerned　face　looming　over　him；　his　skin　a　livid　pink　too；　the
stubble　on　his　chin　singed　and　even　more　ragged　than　usual。
“Did…　did　we　get　the　last　of　them？”　stammered　Grayle。
“I　reckon　so；　yeah；”　said　Barreski。　Then　something　made　him　tense　up；　turn；　and　fire　a　burst
from　his　lasgun　at　something　Grayle　couldn’t　see　—　though　he　did　hear　the　scream　that　followed　the
blast；　a　scream　abruptly　curtailed。　“Yeah；”　repeated　Barreski；　turning　back　to　him；　“yeah；　we　got　the
last　of　them；　now。”
Not　many　cultists　had　followed　them　back　into　the　ruins。　Those　that　had　survived　were　mostly
licking　their　wounds；　shell…shocked　from　the　fury　that　had　just　erupted　around　them。　The　Ice
Warriors　were　safe　from　the　enemy　tanks　—　assuming　that　none　of　their　drivers　had　Grayle’s　skill；
which　was　a　pretty　safe　bet。
“I　think　the　captain　made　it；”　said　Grayle；　chasing　a　confused　memory。　“I　think　I　saw　him
with…　with　someone　else；　I　couldn’t　make　out　who。”
“Kampanov；　probably。　As　soon　as　he　heard　the　evacuation　order；　he　was　out　of　that　hatch　like　a
snow　leopard　with　a　frag　grenade　up　its　backside。”
Grayle　pulled　himself　up　onto　his　elbows；　catching　his　second　wind；　and　said；　“They　took　out
the　turret　guns；　I’m　assuming？”
“Cold　got　the　first；　shrapnel　the　second。　Think　I’d　be　here　if　I　still　had　a　lascannon　to　fire？　They
were　works　of　art；　they　were。　Another　minute　with　them；　I　could　have　polished　off　two　more　tanks；
no　problem。”
“Never　mind；　eh；　Barreski。　I’m　sure　we　can　find　you　a　new　toy　to　play　with　soon；　maybe　an
even　bigger　one。”
“You　think　they’ll　let　us　have　another　vehicle？”　asked　Barreski。　“We　didn’t　take　such　good　care
of　the　last　one。　Of　the　last　three；　in　fact。”
Grayle　smiled　at　his　fellow　tanker　with　the　smug　air　of　one　who　knew　an　important　secret。　“Oh
yeah；”　he　said；　“I　think　we’ll　get　another　vehicle。　I　expect　we’ll　be　back　in　action　before　you　know
it。”
Then　he　told　Barreski　about　the　message。　The　one　that　had　come　in　through　the　Leman　Russ’
vox　system；　just　before　it　had　exploded。　Grayle　had　never　had　the　chance　to　acknowledge　the
message；　nor　to　relay　it　to　its　intended　recipient；　the　battle　tank’s　captain　—　but　it　had　now　been
heard　by　both　of　the　Ice　Warriors　name…checked　therein。
“Better　get　yourself　back　on　your　feet　then；