Ice Guard(科幻战争)-第41章

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over。
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Anakora　had　been　in　the　doorway；　poised　to　jump；　when　the　world　had　spun　in　front　of　her。　The
next　thing　she　knew；　she　was　on　her　back；　tangled　up　with　her　comrades；　on　a　plasteel　surface　that
had　been　upright　a　moment　ago。　She　had　bumped　her　head；　and　black　spots　were　crowding　her
vision；　threatening　to　close　in；　to　enshroud　her　in　their　darkness。　She　would　not　give　in　to　them。
She　could　hear　las…fire；　and　the　answering　bark　of　a　bolt　pistol。　She　couldn’t　just　lie　there；　letting
the　others　down。
Palinev　was　the　first　to　extricate　himself　and　crawl　away。　Anakora　watched　as　his　blurry　shape
was　swallowed　by　a　fierce　white　light　—　streetlights；　she　realised；　shining　in　from　outside。　The
truck　was　on　its　side；　and　one　of　its　back　doors　—　the　higher　one　—　had　fallen　shut。　The　lower　door
had　been　snapped　from　its　hinges。　Its　frame　had　crumpled　a　little；　but　there　was　still　room　to　squeeze
through　it。
“Are　you　OK？”　asked　Gavotski；　waving　a　hand　in　front　of　Anakora’s　eyes。
She　gritted　her　teeth　and　gave　a　determined　nod。　Gavotski　followed　Palinev　through　the　bright
white　square。　Anakora　blinked；　wishing　her　eyes　would　clear；　and　forced　herself　up　onto　her　hands
and　knees　and　made　to　follow　him。
Then　she　heard　a　strangulated　cry；　and　Gavotski　was　whipped　away　from　her　—　and　she　caught
her　breath　at　the　sight　of　a　pair　of　black　armoured　boots　through　the　exit　hole。　Gavotski　had　crawled
right　into　the　Chaos　Space　Marine’s　clutches。
She　could　see　his　boots　too；　half　a　metre　off　the　ground；　kicking　furiously。　He　was　pinned　to　the
back　of　the　truck；　doubtless　having　the　life　squeezed　out　of　him；　and　the　desperate　las…fire　of　the
other　Ice　Warriors　was　doing　little　to　change　that　situation。　But　from　down　here；　up　close；　Anakora
could　make　out　cracks　in　the　Chaos　Space　Marine’s　black　armour。　She　could　see　the　flesh　beneath
them。
She　pulled　her　knife；　thrust　it　into　an　exposed　ankle；　twisting　it　around　and　burying　it　deeper；
hoping　to　sever　a　tendon。　She　couldn’t　tell　if　she　had　been　successful　in　this　—　but　she　had　certainly
had　some　effect。　The　Chaos　Marine　gave　a　howl　of　fury　and　flung　Gavotski　aside。　Then　he　gripped
the　truck’s　remaining　door　and　tore　it　free；　to　expose　his　attacker。
It　was　only　now　that　Anakora　saw　how　damaged　he　was。　She　couldn’t　believe　he　was　still
standing；　still　fighting。　But　she　didn’t　doubt　that　he　was　still　more　than　capable　of　killing　her　in　a
second。
She　scrambled　away　from　him；　until　she　was　backed　up　against　the　partition　to　the　driver’s　cab
and　was　cornered　there。　The　Chaos　Space　Marine　dropped　to　his　haunches；　down　to　her　level；
blocking　out　the　white　light；　and　he　screamed　obscenities　at　her；　and　brought　up　his　bolt　pistol。　Her
head　was　still　pounding；　and　she　closed　her　eyes　and　yelled　to　her　comrades；　“Go！　Get　out　of　here
while　you　can！”
Just　as　Steele　had　yelled　at　her　when　they　had　last　fought　this　monster。
But　then：　she　heard　a　mechanical　scream；　and　her　would…be　executioner　stiffened。　His　eyes
glazed　over；　blood　spewed　from　his　mouth；　and　he　turned；　he　made　to　rise；　but　the　effort　was　too
much　for　him　and　he　toppled　and　fell　—　and　Anakora　saw　a　chainsword　embedded　in　his　back；
sputtering　and　sparking。
Palinev　helped　her　out　of　the　truck；　and　she　stood　unsteadily　in　what　now　seemed　to　be　a　rather
faint　light　after　all。　And　like　the　rest　of　the　Ice　Warriors；　her　eyes　were　drawn　to　her　commander；　his
face　and　his　chest　still　painted　with　vile　symbols　from　the　ceremony　—　although　he　had　tried　to
scrub　them　off　with　sewer　water　—　and　his　right　hand　held　away　from　his　body　as　if　he　considered　it
unclean。
It　was　with　that　hand；　Anakora　realised；　that　he　must　have　lifted　the　Chaos　Space　Marine’s　own
weapon；　his　augmented　muscles　giving　him　the　strength　to　do　so。
But　there　was　no　satisfaction　in　Colonel　Steele’s　eyes　at　his　victory。　Just　a　look　of　deep…seated
disgust。
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They　remained　on　foot　after　that。　Steele　didn’t　want　to　waste　time　searching　for　another　working
vehicle　—　and　the　spaceport；　he　said；　was　only　just　over　a　kilometre　away。　They　formed　up　in　two
ranks　and　advanced　at　double　time。　The　effort　of　keeping　pace　with　each　other；　of　maintaining
formation　and　step；　helped　to　spur　on　these　soldiers；　to　overcome　the　fatigue　they　were　all　feeling。　It
helped　them　feel　more　in　control；　like　they　had　imposed　a　little　order　of　their　own　upon　this　chaotic
world　—　and　even　Wollkenden　responded　well　to　this。　He　said　nothing　as　he　marched　at　Steele’s
side；　although　he　stumbled　now　and　again。
Palinev　could　tell　they　were　approaching　their　goal；　because　the　buildings　grew　a　little　taller；　a
little　more　proud。　Eagle　crests　began　to　appear　over　the　doorways　of　customs　and　shipping　offices；
and　the　streets　grew　wider　and　brighter；　more　like　those　on　the　upper　levels。
Steele　brought　his　squad　to　a　halt　and　ordered　them　to　break　step；　to　proceed　with　caution。　He
appeared　to　be　worried　—　and　a　minute　later；　Palinev　learned　why。
There　were　people　ahead　of　them。　He　could　hear　them　—　they　could　all　hear　them　now　—
talking　and　laughing。　The　Ice　Warriors　took　cover　in　a　narrow　alleyway；　and　Steele　sent　Palinev
ahead　to　see　what　they　were　facing。
The　spaceport　was　a　magnificent；　circular　building　of　white　stone；　studded　with　dark　windows。
Evidently；　there　had　been　small…arms　fighting　here；　and　the　front　wall　was　pock…marked　but
unholed。　Laid　out　in　front　of　that　wall　was　a　wide　forecourt；　in　which　broken　fountains　brimmed
with　frozen　black　water。　Lifter　tubes　had　been　shattered；　and　trees　—　real　organic　trees　—　had
withered　and　died。　Once；　this　area　would　have　been　a　welcoming　first　sight　for　visitors　to　Iota　Hive；
maybe　to　Cressida　itself。　Now；　it　gave　an　entirely　different　impression。
Palinev　looked　down　on　all　of　this　from　a　gantry　between　two　buildings。　Below　him；　a　wide
flight　of　steps　swept　down　from　the　street　where　the　rest　of　his　squad　hid；　to　the　forecourt　and　the
enticing　open　gates　beyond　it。
At　some　point；　a　sleek；　black　grav…car　had　come　speeding　this　way；　its　driver　presumably　hoping
to　ferry　an　important　passenger　to　safety。　It　had　lost　control；　had　maybe　come　under　fire；　and　had
smacked　into　a　pillar　at　the　top　of　the　steps；　crumpling　its　front　end。　The　car　was　empty　now；
Palinev　wondered　if　its　occupants　had　escaped　or　been　dragged　from　the　wreckage。
There　were　more　grav…cars　down　on　the　forecourt；　most　of　them　burnt　out　or　turned　over；　or
both。　There　was　also　a　dirty　old　bus　—　transport　for　the　less　privileged　—　leaning　against　a　fountain；
its　windows　broken；　its　tyres　slashed。
And　there　were　heretics：　cultists；　Traitor　Guardsmen；　mutants；　even　a　few　spawn；　spread　out　as
far　as　Palinev　could　see；　almost　certainly　surrounding　the　whole　building；　and　more　of　them　arriving
with　each　moment　that　passed。　The　encounter　with　the　Chaos　Space　Marine　had　cost　the　Ice
Warriors　dearly。　Their　enemies　had　beaten　them　here。
Palinev　slipped　away　from　his　vantage　point；　dispirited；　and　returned　to　the　others。　Steele
listened　to　his　report　in　grave　silence；　and　Palinev　knew　that　he　was　only　confirming　what　the
colonel　had　expected　to　hear。
“We　have　less　than　an　hour　before　the　virus　bombs　drop；”　said　Steele。　“We　don’t　have　time　to
find　another　escape　route；　even　if　we　had　somewhere　to　look。　Our　only　hope；　however　small；　lies　in
that　spaceport；　and　the　sooner　we　make　our　move　the　fewer　enemies　will　be　standing　between　us
and　it。”
No　one　could　argue　with　that。　Still；　it　seemed　as　if　a　dark　cloud　had　settled　upon　the　squad；　and
Palinev　could　feel　its　weight　too。　It　seemed　so　unfair　that　they　had　come　so　far　to　fall　at　this　final
hurdle。　They　had　achieved　so　much；　pulled　off　feats　that　had　seemed　impossible；　and　no　one　would
even　know。
“I　won’t　give　you　the　speech　again；”　said　Gavotski。　“You　all　know　what　to　do；　and　you　know
what　the　odds　are　against　us。　Just　remember　that；　last　time；　we　bucked　those　odds。　Nine　of　us　went
into　the　Ice　Palace；　and　nine　of　us；　including　Confessor　Wollkenden；　came　out　again。　If　that　doesn’t
prove　that　the　Emperor　is　with　us；　then　nothing　does。　I　know　you’ll　make　me　proud。”
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The　heretics’　voices　were　getting　louder。
It　wasn’t　just　that　Grayle　was　drawing　closer　to　them。　He　could　hear　that　the　crowd　was　growing
in　size；　and　in　confidence　too。　He　feared　that；　at　any　moment；　someone　might　come　rushing　up　the
steps　from　the　spaceport　to　find　him　and　Palinev　sneaking　along　the　street　towards　them。
Either　that　or；　by　chance；　reinforcements　might　come　up　behind　them。
He　quickened　his　pace；　reasoning　that　with　all　the　noise　down　there；　no　one　would　hear　the
footsteps　of　two　men　up　here。　He　was　still　twenty　metres　away　from　his　objective；　the　stricken　gravcar；
when　Palinev　took　his　arm　and　brought　him　to　a　halt。
“This　is　as　far　as　we　can　go；”　said　the　scout；　“without　being　seen　from　down　there。”　Grayle
nodded　and　dropped　onto　his　stomach；　preparing　to　pull　himself　the　rest　of　the　way　on　his　elbows。
That　was　when　the　pitch　of　the　crowd　changed；　confidence　becoming　fear　in　an　instant。　And
then　Grayle　heard　a　series　of　staccato　explosions。　Then　gunfire。
He　looked　at　Palinev　in　alarm。　Palinev　looked　back　at　him　with　a　helpless　shrug。　Then　the　sco