Ice Guard(科幻战争)-第15章

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resealing；　until　there　was　no　trace　that　it；　or　Steele；　had　ever　been　there。
They　were　well…used　to　death；　these　soldiers。　They　had　lived　in　its　shadow　all　their　lives；　knew　it
could　strike　at　any　moment　and　from　any　quarter。　But　Colonel　Steele　had　seemed　like　the　strongest
of　them；　somehow　the　least　mortal；　and　his　passing　was　a　shock　to　them　all。
“Everyone；　get　back！”　growled　Barreski　—　and　his　flamer　flared；　and　melted　a　fresh　hole　in　the
ice；　making　the　water　beneath　it　steam。　If　Steele　was　somehow　still　conscious　down　there；　trying　to
surface；　then　he　had　another　chance；　a　few　more　seconds；　in　which　he　could　do　so　—　and　as　unlikely
as　it　seemed；　the　Ice　Warriors　clung　to　that　hope；　staring；　waiting；　hoping…
…until；　to　Gavotski’s　astonishment；　a　gloved　hand　broke　the　surface；　fumbling；　reaching；
flailing；　finding　purchase　—　and　Colonel　Stanislev　Steele　hauled　himself　up；　losing　strength
halfway；　collapsing　face　down　with　his　legs　still　dangling　in　the　water。　Everyone　started　forward　at
once；　but　Gavotski　threw　up　a　warning　hand；　and　beckoned　only　Palinev　to　follow　him　onto　the
weakened　ice　where　the　colonel　lay。　They　gripped　Steele　under　his　shoulders；　dragged　him　clear　of
the　danger　area；　and　brought　him　back　to　the　others。　His　skin　had　a　pale　blue　tint。
It　was　Anakora　who　noticed　that　he　wasn’t　breathing。
Gavotski　knelt　by　Steele’s　side；　blew　air　into　his　lungs　and　gave　him　chest　compressions　until　he
jerked　back　to　life。　Steele　sat　bolt　upright；　so　suddenly　that　it　made　everyone　jump；　and　he　spat
water　from　his　mouth。　His　head　turned　as　he　surveyed　the　concerned　faces　of　the　comrades　gathered
around　him。　This　close　up；　Gavotski　could　see　the　lenses　tilting　and　turning　in　Steele’s　bionic　right
eye。　The　left　eye；　Steele’s　real　eye；　was　open　but　dead；　staring　blankly。
“How　is　he　alive？”　breathed　Blonsky。
“He　shouldn’t　be；”　said　Gavotski。　“His　brain　should　have　shut　down　in　that　water。　I　think　some
parts　of　it　did；　but…　but　the　colonel’s　brain　isn’t　entirely　organic。”
Barreski　grinned；　and　nudged　Borscz　in　the　ribs　“You　see？　His　augmetics；　the　machines　in　his
head；　they　have　saved　his　life！”
Steele’s　eyes；　both　of　them；　rolled　back　into　their　sockets。　Gavotski　caught　his　head　before　it
could　fall；　and　lowered　him　down　gently。　“We　must　dry　him　off；”　said　Anakora；　“and　take　him
someplace　warm。”
“Look　around　you；”　said　Mikhaelev。　“There　is　no　such　place。”　However；　he　joined　the　other　Ice
Warriors　in　searching　his　rucksack；　finding　spare　items　of　clothing。　In　fact；　as　the　trooper　with　the
closest　build　to　Steele’s；　he　donated　his　greatcoat；　swapping　it　for　the　colonel’s　sodden　one。
Other　than　that；　there　was　little　anyone　could　do。
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“The　colonel　will　be　OK；”　said　Gavotski；　as　much　to　convince　himself　as　to　raise　the　troopers’
morale。　“He　was　only　in　the　water　for　a　couple　of　minutes；　and　I’ve　seen　people　survive　after　ten
times　that　long。　He’ll　wake　up　when　he’s　ready。”
There　were　voices　coming　from　the　far　side　of　the　rise。
Palinev　dropped　onto　his　stomach；　scrambling　the　rest　of　the　way　up　on　his　elbows。　Cautiously；
he　raised　his　head　—　and　his　heart　leapt　into　his　throat。
The　night　had　well　and　truly　fallen；　over　an　hour　ago。　There　was　no　moon　in　the　sky；　and　few
stars。　Even　Palinev　could　barely　see　his　hand　in　front　of　his　face。　Still；　Gavotski　had　insisted　they
press　on。　It　was　what　Steele　would　have　wanted。
Gavotski　had　asked　his　troopers　to　carry　the　colonel　two　at　a　time；　in　shifts。　Instead；　Borscz　had
volunteered　to　do　the　job　alone。　He　had　slung　Steele’s　unconscious　body　across　his　shoulders　and
hefted　him　with　apparent　ease。
And　now　they　had　reached　their　goal　at　last。
At　least；　their　scout　had　reached　it。　The　ship　lay　beneath　him：　an　Aquila　lander；　its　red　wings
proudly　unfurled　like　those　of　the　two…headed　Imperial　eagle　after　which　it　had　been　designed　and
named。　But　this　eagle’s　back　was　broken；　its　legs　buckled。　It　sagged　in　the　middle；　listing　to　one
side；　and　it　took　Palinev　a　minute　to　locate　its　detached　and　half…buried　tail　fin　through　his　field
goggles。
This；　then；　was　the　ship　in　which　Confessor　Wollkenden　had　been　travelling；　the　ship　that　had
been　shot　down；　the　ship　that　Colonel　Steele　and　his　squad　of　Ice　Warriors　had　been　dispatched　to
find。　And；　in　confirmation　of　their　paymasters’　worst　fears；　there　had　been　a　battle　here。　A　battle
that　the　Imperium　had　lost。
The　ground　was　strewn　with　burnt　and　broken　bodies。　Bodies　in　red　and　gold。　Palinev　swept　the
goggles　over　them；　searching　for　a　hint　of　Ecclesiarchal　robes　among　them。　There　was　still　a　chance
that　Wollkenden　had　escaped　the　carnage；　and　let　his　willing　guards　lay　down　their　lives　for　him。
Without　a　closer　inspection；　though；　it　was　impossible　to　tell　for　sure。
And　for　now；　Palinev　was　more　concerned　with　the　living。
Chaos　cultists。　The　area　in　front　of　the　lander　teemed　with　them：　ordinary　men　and　women；
once；　most　likely　born　on　Cressida　itself。　They　had　probably　worked　in　its　mines；　served　the
Emperor　in　exchange　for　His　shelter　and　His　succour。　Until　their　minds　had　snapped。　Until　they　had
succumbed　to　the　infection　of　their　world。　Now；　they　dressed　in　robes　of　black　and　prayed　to　a
different　pantheon。　Some　had　even　had　their　faces　tattooed　with　the　obscene　eight…pointed　star　of　the
Chaos　gods。
The　cultists　had　built　a　fire；　and　gathered　around　it　to　warm　themselves。　Its　bright　orange　flames
ruined　Palinev’s　night　vision；　but　on　the　plus　side　they　cast　a　spotlight　on　his　enemies　while
deepening　the　darkness　around　him。
The　cultists　had　been　looting　the　stricken　lander　—　or　rather；　they　had　been　directing　a　number
of　grovelling　mutant　slaves　to　do　the　job　for　them。　Two　especially　deformed　specimens　appeared　in
the　hatchway；　struggling　ent　locker。　It　got　out　of　their　control　and　hit　the
ground　with　a　crash；　and　an　enraged　cultist　yelled　in　the　mutants’　faces　and　assaulted　one　of　them
with　a　lasgun　butt。
One　thing　was　clear　in　Palinev’s　mind：　if　Confessor　Wollkenden　was　indeed　alive；　then　he　was　a
long　way　from　here。
Gavotski　concurred　with　that　assessment。
“We　need　to　capture　a　few　of　those　men　alive；”　he　considered；　“make　one　of　them　talk。　Have
they　seen　the　confessor？　Are　they　holding　him？”　He　spoke　in　a　low　voice；　because　the　enemy　camp
was　only　a　few　hundred　metres　away。
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“How　many　did　you　see；　Palinev？”　Pozhar　asked　eagerly。
“It　was　hard　to　tell；”　said　the　scout；　“in　the　dark　and　with　all　the　activity。　At　least　ten　cultists；
maybe　four　or　five　mutants；　although　there　could　have　been　more　inside　the　lander。　They　didn’t
seem　too　well…equipped。”
“From　the　way　you　describe　it；”　said　Mikhaelev；　“we　have　the　terrain　on　our　side　this　time。　We
can　take　cover　at　the　top　of　that　rise；　start　shooting　and　have　half　of　them　down　before　they　know
where　we　are。”
Palinev　nodded。　“There’s　nowhere　for　them　to　run。”
Gavotski　had　been　worried　about　leading　the　squad　into　combat　again　today。　They　were　clearly
exhausted；　although　none　of　them　would　have　admitted　to　it。　He　was　feeling　the　effects　of　his
exertions　himself。　But　Mikhaelev　was　right；　this　seemed　like　it　would　be　an　easy　victory　for　them　—
and　maybe　they　needed　that　right　now。
And　then　there　was　the　ship；　of　course。　If　the　Ice　Warriors　could　recapture　it；　then　it　could
provide　them　with　shelter　and　some　warmth　for　the　night。　They　would　all　benefit　from　that；　Steele　in
particular。　Borscz　had　set　the　colonel　down　while　they　talked。　He　had　settled　into　what　seemed　like
a　comfortable　sleep；　his　breathing　deep　and　regular；　and　his　colour　was　improving。
“OK；”　said　Gavotski　at　length；　“let’s　do　this。　Barreski；　Mikhaelev；　take　point。　Palinev；　if　you　can
sneak　around　to　the　other　side　of　the　camp；　or　as　near　as　you　can　manage；　you　can　pin　the　cultists
down　if　they　start　to　run。　Everyone　try　to　avoid　hitting　the　lander；　I　don’t　want　it　damaged　any　more
than　it　is　already。　That　means　no　explosives；　Barreski。　There’s　a　small　chance　that　the　engines　are
still—”
He　didn’t　get　any　further。
Steele’s　eyes　snapped　open；　and　he　opened　his　mouth　and　let　out　a　long；　full…throated　scream。　A
scream　that　the　cultists　couldn’t　have　failed　to　hear。
Pozhar　didn’t　wait　for　orders；　didn’t　even　wait　for　the　echoes　of　the　scream　to　die　down。　The　enemy
knew　where　they　were。　Any　second　now　they　would　appear　at　the　top　of　the　rise　that　separated
them；　start　picking　off　the　Ice　Warriors　like　targets　on　a　range。　Unless　the　Ice　Warriors　could　gain
and　secure　that　vantage　point　first。
Pozhar　raced　as　fast　as　he　could；　threw　himself　onto　his　stomach　at　the　top　of　the　slope；　and
started　firing　before　he　knew　what　he　was　firing　at。　He　was　rewarded　by　the　sounds　of　growls　and
squeals。　The　cultists　had　sent　the　mutants　ahead；　and　before　Pozhar　knew　what　was　happening　one
of　them　had　crested　the　rise；　between　his　las…beams；　and　leapt　upon　him。
It　was　a　huge；　shambling　creature；　covered　in　grey　fur。　It　hit　Pozhar　like　a　brick；　and　tried　to
wrest　his　lasgun　from　him。　He　fought　it；　and　they　rolled　down　the　slope　together。　As　they　reached　its
foot；　Borscz　leapt　into　the　melee；　and　seized　the　mutant’s　head　between　his　hands　as　if　he　thought　he
could　crack　its　skull　open　—　but　it　was　too　strong；　even　for　him。　With　an　animal　roar；　it　broke　his
hold　and　rounded　on　him。
The　mutant　lashed　out　with　a　gnarled　talon；　and　Borscz　wasn’t　fast　enough　to　back　out　of　its
way。　Three　parallel　tears　opened　across　his　chest；　and　the　burly　Ice　Warrior　went　down。
The　mutant　turned　to　Pozhar　again　as　he　was　still　scrambling　to　his　feet；　still　fumbling　with　his
weapon。　It　leapt　at　him；　and　he　delivered　four　rapid…fire　bursts　to　its　stomach；　but　they　weren’t
enough　to　stop　it。　He　went　down　for　a　second　time；　with　the　creature　on　top　of　him；　bleeding　onto
him。　Its　brow　was　low；　pronounced；　and　its　narrow；　crazed　eyes　bored　into　Pozhar’s　skull　as　he
fought　to　keep　its　blood…dripping　talons　at　bay　with　the　stock　of　his　lasgun。
It　was　Borscz　who　came　to　his　rescue　again　—　Borscz　who；　incredibly；　must　have　kept　himself
awake；　lifted　his　massive　body　from　the　ground　by　sheer　force　of　will　and　the　strength　of　his　own
two　arms。　He　landed　heavily　on　the　mutant　from　behind；　gr