Ice Guard(科幻战争)-第25章

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can’t　turn　back。”
“Then　we　have　to　go　through　them！”　Pozhar　declared。
Steele　looked　at　him；　then　sighed　and　nodded。
“The　palace　is　in　that　direction；”　he　said；　pointing。　“Just　remember；　all　of　you；　that　to　reach　that
palace；　to　find　Confessor　Wollkenden；　is　our　only　objective。　If　that　means　leaving　heretics　alive
behind　us；　then　so　be　it。　Let　the　virus　bombs　take　care　of　them。”
“Yes　sir；”　chorused　the　Ice　Warriors。
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“We　hit　the　traitors　hard　and　we　hit　them　fast；”　said　Gavotski。　“We　break　through　their　circle；
and　we　keep　on　running。　We　don’t　stop　for　anything。”
“Comrades；”　said　Steele；　“prepare　for　the　fight　of　your　lives。”
Blonsky　was　just　close　enough　to　Pozhar　to　hear　the　young　trooper’s　murmured　exclamation　of；
“About　damn　time！”
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CHAPTER　TWELVE
Time　to　Destruction　of　Cressida：　17。12。41
They　took　their　foes　by　surprise。
The　traitors　had　probably　expected　the　Ice　Warriors　to　go　to　ground；　to　find　a　defensible　position
—　a　secure　building；　maybe　—　from　which　they　could　sell　their　lives　dearly。　The　last　thing　they　had
considered　was　that　they　might　come　out　fighting。
Several　of　them　died　in　that　first　barrage　of　las…fire；　some　marching　right　into　the　beams　before
they　could　stop。　A　few　turned　and　fled　—　which　made　sense；　thought　Anakora；　as　these　one…time
Guardsmen　wouldn’t　have　defected　in　the　first　place　had　they　possessed　any　real　moral　fibre。
The　rest　of　them　rallied　and　returned　fire　even　as　they　looked　for　cover。　A　frag　grenade　hurled
into　their　midst　by　Steele　shredded　two　more　bodies　and　left　the　rest　reeling；　more　disoriented　than
ever。　And　then；　before　the　debris　from　the　blast　could　settle；　the　Ice　Warriors　surged　forwards；
knowing　that　to　do　so　was　to　leave　themselves　wide　open；　but　also　knowing　that　to　stay　still　was　to
invite　certain　death　at　the　hands　of　the　rest　of　the　traitors；　who　were　still　closing　in　around　them。
They　kept　their　heads　down；　relying　on　speed　and　surprise　—　and　the　las…beams　they　were
pumping　out　to　each　side　of　them　—　to　carry　them　through。　Anakora　trampled　over　traitor　corpses；
and　was　alarmed　to　find　one　of　them　still　alive；　a　gloved　hand　lashing　out　to　seize　her　by　the　ankle。
She　stumbled；　putting　out　her　hands　to　arrest　her　fall。　She　kicked　at　the　traitor’s　fingers　with　her　free
foot；　and　luckily　he　was　injured；　his　strength　drained；　because　he　let　out　a　groan　and　let　go　of　her。
She　saw　that　Palinev　had　stopped；　half…turning；　to　come　to　her　aid。　She　shook　her　head　firmly；
didn’t　need　his　help；　didn’t　want　him　to　risk　his　life　for　her。　This　was　what　she　had　feared；　after
Pozhar　had　revealed　her　secret　to　the　others：　not　that　they　would　suspect　her　motives；　but　that　they
would　think　her　weak。
Palinev　seemed　to　get　the　message；　though；　and　he　ran　on；　pausing　for　a　second　to　snatch　a
lasgun　from　a　fallen　traitor。　Anakora　realised　that　he　wanted　its　power　pack；　and　this　seemed　like　a
good　idea　—　so　she　saw　to　it　that；　by　the　time　she　caught　up　with　her　comrades；　she　was　carrying
two　extra　guns。　She　detached　the　pack　from　one　of　them　and　tossed　it　to　Pozhar；　who　seemed　like
the　trooper　most　likely　to　need　it　soon。
And　then　the　second　wave　of　traitors　was　upon　them；　moving　in　from　either　side；　threatening　to
trap　them　in　a　pincer　movement。
Pozhar　was　the　first　to　react；　running　left；　ploughing　into　the　oncoming　ranks；　swinging　his
lasgun　wildly；　one…handed　—　but　most　of　the　others　were　right　behind　him。　Anakora　found　herself
plunged　into　the　chaos　of　the　melee；　and　looked　for　her　nearest　comrade　—　Mikhaelev　—　and　she
stood　back　to　back　with　him；　as　they　fought　with　knives；　bayonets　and　even　fists　against　odds　that
were　swelling　by　the　moment；　becoming　almost　overwhelming。
Only　Palinev　held　back。　Palinev；　who　had　slipped　into　a　deep　doorway　before　he　could　be　seen　by
the　newcomers。　Palinev；　who　now　raised　his　long…las。
He　took　his　time；　choosing　his　targets　well。　His　eight　comrades　were　under　attack　by　over
twenty　traitors；　but　they　had　formed　into　a　tight　knot　so　that　only　one　or　two　men　could　attack　any　of
them　at　once。　Their　more　numerous　enemies　were　also　providing　them　with　cover；　and　more　than
one　traitor　fired　into　the　skirmish；　aiming　for　an　Ice　Warrior　but　striking　an　ally　instead。　Palinev
didn’t　share　that　problem。
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A　traitor　landed　a　punch　to　Gavotski’s　chin；　sending　him　reeling；　so　Palinev　blew　a　hole　in　his
head　before　he　could　press　his　advantage。　He　picked　off　another　figure　on　the　periphery　of　the　battle
before　anyone　knew　he　was　there；　and　another　two　while　they　were　trying　to　find　him　in　the
confusion。　And　then；　when　the　traitors　did　start　to　fire　back　at　him；　las…beams　blasting　chunks　from
the　stonework　by　his　head；　at　least　he　knew　that　four　or　five　of　them　were　no　longer　focused　upon
his　comrades。
He　shouldered　open　the　door　beside　him；　and　leapt　into　another　apartment　complex；　even　as　a
frag　grenade　rolled　into　the　space　he　had　just　vacated。　The　explosion　tore　the　door　from　its　hinges；
followed　him　down　the　corridor；　and　almost　lifted　him　off　his　feet。
He　paused　at　a　window；　fired　six　more　shots　from　a　fresh　angle；　claimed　another　kill。　Then
Palinev　was　running　again　before　he　could　be　pinned　down。
From　the　next　window；　he　saw　that　the　melee　was　thinning　out；　the　odds　becoming　more　even。
Some　of　the　traitors　were　starting　to　disengage；　to　realise　that　they　would　be　better　off　gaining　some
distance　and　using　their　guns。
Barreski　charged　two　of　them。　They　set　their　bayonets　to　greet　him　—　but　the　gauntlet　he　was
wearing　on　his　right　arm　crackled　with　energy；　and　with　one　well…timed　swipe　he　knocked　the
weapons　right　out　of　their　hands。
He　drove　his　gauntlet　into　a　traitor’s　stomach；　doubling　him　up　with　pain；　causing　him　to　cough
up　blood　as　he　crumpled。　The　other　traitor　grappled　with　him；　tried　to　wrest　the　gauntlet　from　him；
but　Barreski　gripped　him　by　the　front　of　his　flak　jacket　and　tossed　him　almost　casually　over　his
shoulder。　The　traitor　described　a　graceless　arc；　his　arms　and　legs　flailing；　and　slammed　into　the　side
of　a　building。
Pozhar　was　dragged　clear　of　the　others；　thrown　against　a　balcony　rail；　a　ten…storey　drop　behind
him。　With　his　injured　arm；　he　couldn’t　draw　his　lasgun　in　time。　Two　traitors　shoulder…charged　him；
trying　to　force　him　over。　Palinev　fired　at　them；　and　managed　to　strike　one　between　the　shoulder
blades；　taking　him　down。
His　heart　leapt　into　his　mouth　as　Pozhar　toppled　backwards；　flipping　over　the　railing；　but
somehow　managing　to　take　his　remaining　attacker　with　him。　Palinev　leapt　out　of　his　window；　and
raced　across　the　street；　fearing　that　he　was　already　too　late；　only　too　well　aware　that　he　had　no　cover
out　here；　but　knowing　that　the　rest　of　his　squad　were　tied　up　with　their　own　problems。　He　was
Pozhar’s　only　hope。
His　sudden　appearance　took　the　traitors　by　surprise　—　and　like　Palinev’s　comrades；　most　of
them　had　their　hands　full。　He　reached　the　railing；　and　found　Pozhar　clinging　one…handed　to　the　edge
of　the　road　beneath　it；　the　traitor　hanging　from　his　waist；　still　trying　to　drag　him　down。
It　would　be　a　tough　shot。　Palinev　took　the　time　to　steady　his　aim；　tried　to　forget　the　imminent
danger　to　himself。　His　las…beam　struck　the　Traitor　Guardsman　in　the　face；　and　he　lost　his　hold　on
Pozhar　and　fell　with　a　bloodcurdling　scream。
And　Palinev　turned　to　find　a　knife…wielding　traitor　barrelling　towards　him；　just　in　time　to
sidestep　and　to　fling　the　man　over　his　shoulder；　to　join　his　comrade　below。
For　the　longest　time；　Gavotski　hadn’t　known　where　he　was；　hadn’t　seen　any　comrades　beyond
Colonel　Steele　to　his　immediate　left　and　Blonsky　to　his　right；　hadn’t　known　how　many　Traitor
Guardsmen　were　still　standing；　hadn’t　been　able　to　see　a　way　out　of　this　for　himself　or　for　any　of
them。
All　he　could　do　was　keep　fighting；　keep　swinging　his　lasgun；　keep　slashing　with　his　knife；　keep
dodging　the　blows　that　were　aimed　at　him　in　return。　Gavotski　prided　himself　that　he　was　still　a
strong　man；　almost　as　strong　as　he　had　been　in　his　youth；　and　the　reactions　of　his　opponents　as　he
struck　at　them　confirmed　this　in　the　most　satisfying　way。　With　every　traitor　that　fell；　landing　in　a
growing　pile　at　the　sergeant’s　feet；　it　became　harder　for　the　next　one　to　reach　him。
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And　then；　to　his　surprise；　there　was　nobody　left。　He　regained　his　bearings；　and　saw　that　they　had
done　it；　they　had　broken　through　the　cordon　—　that；　although　there　would　certainly　be　yet　more　foes
searching　for　the　Ice　Warriors；　perhaps　already　coming　up　behind　them；　the　way　ahead　was　clear　for
the　moment；　and　Gavotski　yelled　out　for　the　others　to　follow　him　as　he　took　it。
Once　again；　they　sprinted　through　the　streets；　and　Gavotski　prickled　with　fresh　hope；　knowing
that　each　step　was　taking　them　closer　to　their　goal。
It　couldn’t　last。　He　knew　that。　But　it　ended　sooner　than　he　had　hoped。
As　before；　it　was　Steele　who　heard　the　incoming　platoon　first；　who　tried　to　find　a　way　around　it。
This　time；　however；　his　options　were　more　limited　by　the　Traitor　Guardsmen；　the　remnants　of　the
first　platoon；　still　pursuing　them。
They　found　themselves　outside　a　censorium；　and　Gavotski　was　disheartened　when　Steele　turned
and　led　his　squad　inside　the　building。　They