Storm Of Iron(科幻战争)-第30章

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s。
Forrix　smiled　and　marched　across　the　rockcrete　floor；　stepping　across　the　wide　rail　tracks　to　stand　above　the　man。　He　was
hyperventilating　and　staring　in　horror　at　his　ruined　leg。
'The　hydraulic　shock　will　drag　the　blood　from　your　heart　in　a　few　seconds；'　said　Forrix；　his　voice　distorted　by　his　armour's　voxunit。
The　man　glanced　up；　uncomprehending；　his　eyes　glazing　over　as　death　drew　near。
Graham　McNeill　？Storm　of　Iron？
'You　are　lucky；'　said　Forrix。　'You　will　die　before　the　Warsmith　ascends。　Thank　your　Emperor　for　that。'
The　sound　of　battle　faded　and　the　cavern　was　theirs。　Terminators　hurried　past　him；　eager　to　continue　the　killing。
He　opened　a　channel　to　the　remainder　of　his　company。
'The　lower　level　of　the　fort　is　ours。　Send　the　rest　of　the　men。'
Forrix　lifted　his　eyes　from　the　dying　soldier　and　climbed　the　stairs　to　where　two　Terminators　were　attacking　a　wide　set　of　steel
doors；　driving　their　powerful　chainsaw…equipped　fists　into　the　junction　of　the　doors。
Molten　sparks　filled　the　tunnel；　spilling　down　the　steps　onto　the　waiting　Terminators。
HONSOU　SCRAMBLED　UP　the　jagged　piles　of　debris　and　loose　rubble　cascading　down　the　breach　in　his　wake。　Twisted
reinforcement　bars　jutted　from　smashed　blocks　of　rockcrete　like　tendons；　and　dust　fogged　the　air。　Bright　stabs　of　las…fire　from
above　pierced　the　smoke　in　huge　numbers；　melting　rock　and　hissing　against　armour。　A　bolt　stuck　his　shoulder　guard；　staggering
him；　but　he　pressed　on。　A　grenade　burst　at　his　feet；　deadly　fragments　ringing　from　his　armour　and　embedding　themselves　in　his
leg　greaves。
He　could　see　the　enemy　had　cast　down　a　barrier　of　rusted　abatis；　sharpened　iron　girders；　crudely　welded　together　to　form　waisthigh
obstacles　to　their　charge。　Honsou　knew　that　the　longer　they　were　under　fire；　the　less　likely　they　were　to　be　able　to　scale　the
breach。　This　was　the　point　at　which　many　assaults　came　to　end；　broken　by　obstacles　and　shredded　by　the　defenders'　fire。
For　this　attack　to　have　any　chance　of　success　at　all　they　had　to　mount　the　breach　in　one　leap　to　overwhelm　the　defenders　lining　the
parapet。　Honsou　tripped　as　the　rocks　slid　out　from　beneath　his　feet；　narrowly　avoiding　being　obliterated　by　a　shot　from　a
lascannon。　He　pushed　himself　angrily　to　his　feet　and　cursed　as　he　saw　three　black…steel　tubes　bound　together　with　packing　tape
clatter　down　the　slope　of　the　breach。
Honsou　threw　himself　flat　onto　the　rocks　as　the　demolition　charge　exploded。　The　Shockwave　dislodged　whole　swathes　of　rubble
and　he　felt　himself　sliding　back　down　the　breach；　his　auto…senses　kicking　in　to　protect　him　from　the　deafening　and　blinding
detonation。　Two　Iron　Warriors　were　snatched　away　in　the　blast；　their　armour　ripped　open　by　the　force　of　the　demo　charge。　Honsou
rolled　upright；　his　armour　smoking　from　the　explosion　and　clawed　his　way　back　up　the　breach。
More　shots　riddled　the　shattered　breach；　vitrifying　the　rock　and　pitting　the　ground　with　bullet　impacts。　Honsou　felt　powerful
impacts　from　a　heavy　bolter　slam　into　his　armour。　Pain　blossomed　up　his　left　arm　as　one　shell　found　its　mark　in　the　gap　between
his　vambrace　and　elbow　guard。　Fire　from　the　bastion　to　the　north　delivered　murderous　flanking　fire　into　his　men。　The　sheer
amount　of　enemy　firepower　was　now　telling。　Honsou　saw　another　Iron　Warrior　fall；　his　armour　pierced　by　a　smoking　hole
punched　in　his　breastplate。
More　grenades　bounced　down　the　breach。　Honsou　pushed　upwards；　reaching　for　the　abatis　and　pulling　himself　forward。　The　grey
flanks　of　the　wall　stretched　high　above　him。　The　only　way　in　was　through　this　six　metre　wide　breach　the　guns　had　blasted；　and　the
sliver　of　red　sky　he　could　see　through　it　was　a　beacon　to　him。
This　was　taking　too　damn　long！　Already　the　human　Chaos　soldiery　were　clambering　over　the　lip　of　the　rocks　below　and　he　hadn't
even　fought　his　way　into　the　mouth　of　the　breach　yet。　Honsou　gripped　the　rusted　girders　of　the　abatis　in　both　hands；　roaring　as　he
ripped　them　from　their　position；　sending　them　tumbling　to　the　base　of　the　breach；　crushing　half　a　dozen　soldiers　as　they　fell。
Another　Iron　Warrior　climbed　up　to　join　him　and　the　two　of　them　went　forwards；　firing　their　bolt　pistols　as　they　climbed。　Through
the　dust　and　smoke；　Honsou　could　see　shadowy　forms　at　the　jagged　top　of　the　breach　and　could　hear　screaming　voices　yelling　him
onwards。　He　shot　into　the　smoke；　hearing　screams　of　pain　as　his　bolts　hit　home。
He　pushed　forwards；　gripping　the　stonework　as　the　slope　grew　steeper。　A　shot　punched　into　his　breastplate；　another　grazed　his
head。　Shots　filled　the　air；　flashes　of　las…fire　vaporising　the　smoke　as　they　slashed　past　him。　The　one　remaining　tower　at　the　head　of
the　bastion　sprayed　bullets　across　the　breach；　kicking　up　spurts　of　rock　dust　while　grenades　wreathed　them　in　ringing　detonations
and　spinning　fragments。　The　warrior　beside　him　fell；　his　helmet　a　molten　ruin；　but　Honsou　pushed　on　through　it　all；　oblivious　to
the　screams　of　dying　men　around　him　and　the　battle　cries　of　the　hundreds　of　soldiers　that　now　clambered　up　the　rocky　slopes
behind　him。
The　top　of　the　breach　was　close　now；　he　could　make　out　individual　forms　through　the　smoke。　He　saw　a　Guardsman　rigging
another　demolition　charge　and　waited　until　the　man　stood　up；　ready　to　heave　the　explosives　over　the　lip　of　the　breach；　before
shooting　him　in　the　head。　Blood　sprayed　from　the　stump　of　his　neck　and　the　man　tumbled　backwards；　the　primed　demo　charge
falling　from　his　dead　fingers。
Honsou　dropped　flat　as　the　rocks　above　him　were　swept　clear　of　defenders　by　the　massive　explosion。　Screams　and　desperate
orders　sounded　from　above。　He　leapt　to　his　feet；　drawing　his　sword　and　sprinting　for　all　he　was　worth　towards　the　billowing　pillar
of　black　smoke　that　wreathed　the　crest　of　the　breach。
He　collided　with　a　pair　of　figures　dressed　in　sky　blue　uniforms；　and　swept　his　sword　across　their　chests；　dropping　them　screaming
to　the　ground。　He　could　see　more　soldiers　rushing　to　plug　the　sudden　gap　in　their　defence　and　shouted；　'Iron　Warriors；　with　me！'
But　Honsou　was　alone。　He　turned　to　face　the　nearest　Guardsmen　as　they　charged　him。　He　killed　the　first　men　easily；　but　soon
more　and　more　clustered　around　him；　entangling　his　blade　with　their　bodies　and　restricting　his　movements　with　their　corpses。　He
kicked　out；　spinning　in　a　bloody　arc　as　he　clove　his　sword　through　his　enemies。　Shots　and　blades　rang　against　his　armour。
Where　were　the　rest　of　his　men？
He　glanced　down　the　sloping　face　of　the　breach。　Below　was　a　hell　of　lasers　and　bullets；　enfilading　fire　from　the　flanking　bastion
ripping　great　holes　in　the　ranks　of　the　human　soldiers　as　they　struggled　up　the　rocks。　Hundreds　had　fallen；　their　bodies　shredded
by　automatic　weapons　or　burned　by　las…fire。　The　northern　bastion　had　escaped　relatively　unscathed　thus　far。　A　few　shells　burst
overhead；　but　the　main　shelling　had　been　directed　against　this　bastion；　and　the　men　assaulting　it　were　now　paying　the　price　for　that
decision。
More　enemies　closed　in　around　him　as　he　shot；　cut；　stabbed；　kicked　and　punched　a　red　ruin　through　the　defenders；　roaring　in
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