Dark Disciple(科幻战争)-第17章

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“They　are　rebel　Astartes；　my　lord；　and　I　have　lost　all　contact　with　the　demi…legions。　We　leave；
now；”　he　said；　brooking　no　argument。
Polio　felt　a　sense　of　panic　stab　at　him；　though　he　was　careful　to　maintain　a　calm　exterior。　He　felt
the　flush　of　amasec　clouding　his　mind；　and　he　cursed　himself　for　drinking　so　much。　He　licked　his
lips；　and　nodded　to　the　captain。
With　clipped　commands；　the　soldiers　fell　in　around　the　guildmaster；　and　the　group　marched　back
into　the　senior　official’s　office。　The　captain　was　steering　Polio　forcefully　by　the　elbow；　moving　him
quickly　towards　the　reinforced　door　that　led　to　his　personal　shuttle。
“My　records；”　protested　the　guildmaster。
“I’ll　get　them；　my　lord；”　said　Leto。
“No；”　snapped　the　Skyllan　guard　captain；　“we　leave　now。”
“My　data…slate；　Leto；”　hissed　the　guildmaster；　and　his　adjutant　swept　the　book…sized　piece　of
arcane　technology　up　off　his　master’s　desk　as　he　was　hurried　past。
The　captain　whispered　the　requisite　prayer　to　the　machine　god　as　he　entered　the　code　sequence
into　the　door；　and　the　circular　locks　slid　anticlockwise　with　a　hiss。　The　soldiers　lowered　their　visors
to　cover　their　faces　at　a　nod　from　their　superior。　Then　the　captain　leant　his　weight　against　the　door。
It　opened　with　a　groan　and　snow　billowed　into　the　office；　driven　through　the　portal　by　the　deafening
gale　outside。
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Guildmaster　Polio　covered　his　face　with　his　arm　as　the　biting　chill　struck　him；　and　he　took　an
involuntary　step　backwards。
Three　soldiers　moved　out　onto　the　landing　platform；　their　lasguns　panning　left　and　right。
Pointless；　thought　Polio。　No　enemy　could　be　up　here。
His　personal　Aquila…class　lander　was　perched　some　twenty　metres　away；　covered　in　a　thick　layer
of　snow。　The　guard　captain　pulled　an　exquisite　pistol　of　ornate　design　from　his　holster；　and　began
guiding　Polio　out　onto　the　landing　platform。
The　cold　was　almost　unbearable；　and　ice　crystals　formed　instantly　on　his　eyebrows　and　lips。　His
eyes　stung　from　the　cold；　and　even　breathing　was　painful。
One　of　his　guards；　out　in　front；　reached　the　shuttle　and　slammed　his　fist　into　an　activation　panel。
Instantly；　the　embarkation　ramp　began　to　lower。
With　his　head　down；　Guildmaster　Polio　allowed　himself　to　be　hurried　towards　the　waiting
shuttle；　his　boots　slipping　on　the　ice…slick　landing　pad。　The　captain　supporting　him　shouted
something；　but　he　couldn’t　make　it　out　over　the　roar　of　the　wind。
Burias…Drak’shal　grinned　in　feral　anticipation　as　he　stared　down　at　the　men　ten　metres　below　him；
battling　against　the　gale　as　they　made　their　way　towards　the　shuttle。
He　dropped　down　amongst　them　and　landed　in　a　crouch；　rockcrete　cracking　beneath　the　impact。
A　soldier　was　a　step　behind　and　to　his　left；　and　he　swung　around；　taking　the　man　in　the　head　with
one　of　his　massive；　fused　talons。　The　force　of　the　blow　slammed　the　soldier　into　the　rockcrete　wall；
his　skull　pulverised；　Burias…Drak’shal’s　buried　talon　thirty　centimetres　into　the　rock。
Ripping　the　talon　free；　letting　the　soldier　slump　to　the　ground；　he　spun　and　lashed　out　with　a
backhanded　blow　that　ripped　across　the　throat　of　another　soldier　as　he　turned　towards　the　possessed
warrior；　lasgun　raised。
The　man’s　throat　was　ripped　open　to　the　spine；　and　he　spun；　blood　fountaining　from　the　mortal
wound。
Something　hot　splashed　the　back　of　Guildmaster　Polio’s　head；　and　he　stumbled　and　fell　to　one　knee。
As　the　captain　hauled　him　back　to　his　feet；　he　reached　up　and　touched　a　hand　to　his　head。　He　stared
blankly　for　a　second　at　the　fresh　blood　on　his　hands；　before　turning　to　look　back　the　way　he　had
come。
A　daemonic　beast　from　the　deepest　pits　of　hell　had　dropped　down　behind　them。
Its　bulk　was　immense；　more　than　three　times　that　of　a　normal　man；　and　its　lips　curled　back　to
expose　the　barbed　teeth　of　the　ultimate　predator。　Two　men　lay　dead　at　its　feet。
The　captain　saw　the　beast　just　as　the　guildmaster　did；　and　he　shouted　a　warning；　pushing　Polio
roughly　towards　the　shuttle　as　he　raised　his　pistol。
Another　man　died　before　the　pistol　fired；　as　the　daemon　punched　a　claw　up　through　the　soldier’s
sternum。
The　blow　lifted　the　soldier　off　his　feet；　and　the　daemon’s　talons　emerged　from　his　back。　With　a
dismissive　sweep　of　its　arm；　the　daemon　hurled　the　man　off　the　landing　pad；　disappearing　in　the　gale
to　fall　the　three　hundred　metres　to　the　base　of　the　bastion。
The　captain’s　pistol　boomed；　but　Polio　did　not　wait　to　see　if　he　had　felled　the　beast。　Terror
coursing　through　him；　he　half…ran；　half…stumbled　towards　the　lowering　ramp　leading　into　his　shuttle；
his　heart　beating　wildly。
The　guard　standing　by　the　shuttle　had　his　lagsun　raised　to　his　shoulder；　and　he　fired　past　Polio
twice　before　running　up　the　ramp　to　initiate　the　launch。　Polio　heard　several　more　shots　as　the　other
remaining　guards　brought　their　weapons　to　bear；　and　he　paused　at　the　foot　of　the　embarkation　ramp
to　look　back。　He　saw　his　adjutant　crawling　towards　him　on　all　fours；　blood　splattered　across　his
terrified　face。
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Without　thinking　of　his　own　safety　he　ran　to　the　young　man。　As　he　helped　him　up　to　his　feet；
Polio　looked　back　through　the　swirling　snow。
Another　man　was　down；　his　head　ripped　from　his　shoulders；　and　the　captain　was　backing　away
from　the　daemonic　beast　stalking　towards　him。　His　pistol　boomed；　but　the　beast　swayed　its　head　to
the　side　with　preternatural　speed；　and　the　shot　hissed　past　its　face。
The　captain　risked　a　glance　behind　him；　and　his　eyes　locked　onto　the　guildmaster’s。
“Go！”　shouted　the　captain；　though　his　voice　was　lost　in　the　roaring　wind。
“Watch　out！”　roared　Polio　at　the　same　time；　for　the　beast　had　sprung　forwards　as　soon　as　the
captain　had　taken　his　eyes　off　it。
Leto　scrambled　past　his　master；　clambering　up　the　ramp　into　the　interior　of　the　shuttle；　but　Polio
was　locked　in　place；　staring　in　horror　at　the　daemon　as　it　leapt　at　the　captain　of　his　guard。
The　soldier　staggered　backwards　and　pumped　three　shots　into　the　daemon　as　it　bore　down　on
him。　The　first　shots　hit　the　monster　in　the　chest　and　the　gorget；　ricocheting　uselessly　off　its　bloodred
armour；　but　the　third　shot　struck　it　in　the　cheek；　shattering　bone。
It　fell　with　a　roar　of　anger　before　the　captain；　and　the　soldier　levelled　his　pistol　at　the　back　of　its
horned　head。　Before　he　could　squeeze　the　trigger；　the　beast　was　up　and　moving；　and　one　of　its
immense　clawed　hands　closed　around　the　captain’s　arm。　The　pistol　boomed；　but　its　aim　had　been
skewed；　and　the　bullet　glanced　off　the　beast’s　skull。
The　captain　screamed　in　pain　and　fell　to　his　knees　as　the　bones　in　his　arm　were　shattered；　and　the
beast　loomed　over　him；　its　visage　twisted　in　fury。　Blood　dripped　from　its　wounds；　bubbling　and
hissing　as　it　struck　the　snow。
Opening　its　mouth　impossibly　wide；　it　lunged　down；　its　jaws　clamping　around　either　side　of　the
captain’s　head。
His　eyes　wide　with　terror；　Polio　staggered　backwards。　His　movements　attracted　the　attention　of
the　beast；　and　it　swung　its　burning　gaze　towards　him；　the　captain’s　head　still　locked　in　its　jaws。　It
clamped　its　mouth　shut；　and　the　soldier’s　head　cracked　like　a　nut　in　vice。
It　dropped　its　lifeless　prey　to　the　ground　and　leapt　towards　Polio；　closing　the　distance　with
shocking　swiftness；　bounding　towards　him　on　all　fours　like　an　ape。　Turning；　Polio　ran。
The　engines　of　the　Aquila　lander　were　roaring；　and　for　a　moment　he　thought　he　would　make　it。
He　saw　Leto　at　the　top　of　the　ramp；　frantically　urging　him　on　with　beckoning　waves　of　his　hands；
and　he　scrambled　up　the　ramp　into　the　shuttle。
A　stink　akin　to　rotting　meat　and　the　acrid　stench　of　electricity　reached　his　nostrils；　and　a　hand
close　around　the　back　of　his　head。　With　a　jerk；　he　was　hurled　backwards；　skidding　down　the　ramp　to
fall　in　a　crumpled　heap　at　its　base。
One　of　his　arms　was　broken；　and　he　cried　out　as　splinters　of　bone　grated　against　each　other。　He
saw　Leto　at　the　top　of　the　ramp　quaking　before　the　immense　daemon　just　before　the　adjutant　was
ripped　in　two　by　the　beast。
Polio　tried　to　rise　to　his　feet；　the　muscles　and　tendons　of　his　back　protesting；　but　he　fell　in　a
crumpled　heap　once　more　in　the　blood…splattered　snow。
The　daemon　turned　back　towards　him　and　stalked　down　the　ramp；　and　Polio　scrambled　back
away　from　the　monster；　the　heels　of　his　boots　slipping　in　the　ice　and　snow。
Burias…Drak’shal　felt　the　terror　of　the　Imperial　official　wash　over　him　like　an　intoxicating　wave；　and
he　relished　the　sensation。　He　wanted　to　kill　the　man；　slowly　and　excruciatingly；　but　the　rational　side
of　his　mind　knew　that　such　a　thing　would　anger　Marduk；　for　his　order　had　been　clear。
He　grinned　as　the　man　scrambled　back　away　from　him；　a　pathetic　and　futile　attempt　to　escape。
With　sheer　force　of　will；　he　pushed　Drak’shal　back；　and　his　features　were　once　again　his　own；
pristine　and　unmarred；　the　bullet　wound　on　his　cheek　already　healed。　Blood　caked　his　mouth　and
chin；　and　he　smiled　at　the　man　as　he　stepped　towards　him。
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The　engines　of　the　shuttle　roared　behind　him　and　the　ramp　began　to　close；　and　Burias　swung　his
head　around；　Drak’shal　instantly　rearing　within　him　once　more。
“Let　none　escape；”　Marduk　had　ordered。
Burias…Drak’shal　turned　and　leapt　onto　the　shuttle；　his　talons　biting　deep　into　the　reinforced　hull。
He　hauled　himself　hand　over　hand　onto　its　top；　and　bounded　across　its　fuselage　until　he　was
positioned　above　the　cockpit。
The　shuttle　began　to　lift　just　as　the　pilot　registered　the　shadow　looming　above　him；　and　Burias…
Drak’shal　punched　his　fist　through　the　glass；　grabbing　the　man　around　his　throat。　With　one　swift
motion　he　ripped　the　man’s　throat　away。
The　shuttle　tilted　suddenly　to　the　side；　its　landing　gear　scraping　against　rock　as　the　dying　pilot
fell　across　the　controls。　Burias…Drak’shal　bounded　across　the　top　of　the　shuttle　as　it　slid　over　the
edge　of　the　landing　pad；　its　engines　sending　it　into　a　death　spin。
He　hurled　himself　across　the　growing　gap　and　landed　in　a　crouch　as　the　shuttle　slammed　into　the
body　of　the　aquila　eagle…structure　thirty　metres　below；　and　empted　into　a　ball　of　fire。
He　shook　his　head　as　he　saw　the　wounded　Imperial　commander　frantically　punching　a　code　into
the　reinforced　door　that　led　back　into　the　building；　and　bounded　after　the　man。
The　commande