Dark Disciple(科幻战争)-第8章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


magos’s　body。　Even　as　the　trio　of　Word　Bearers　watched；　the　metal　cranium　of　the　magos　swelled
and　rippled　like　water；　and　a　curving　horn　pushed　up　from　the　right…hand　side　of　Darioq’s　skull。　Its
tip　was　hard　and　bony；　but　clearly　organic。
His　right　eye；　which　had　been　milky　and　blind　when　the　Word　Bearers　had　first　captured　him；
was　now　solid　black。　His　brain　units；　held　in　protective　bell…jar　casings　that　protruded　from　behind
his　hunched　shoulders；　were　filled　with　dark；　writhing　clots；　and　black；　oily　tentacles　burrowed
through　them；　like　a　mess　of　bloodworms。
“Magos　Darioq　is　no　more。　This；”　said　Marduk　with　a　wave　of　his　arm；　“is　Darioq…Grendh’al。”
23
CHAPTER　THREE
Guildmaster　Pollo　scanned　the　latest　despatches；　blinking　his　augmented　silver　eyes　intermittently　to
record　their　contents。　After　several　minutes　of　reading　and　recording；　he　dropped　them　onto　his　desk
and　leant　forward　to　pour　himself　another　drink　from　the　half　empty　crystal　decanter　in　front　of　him。
He　raised　his　glass　up　to　his　eyes；　gazing　at　the　play　of　light　upon　the　ruby　liquid　as　he　sloshed　it
around　the　ice。　Then　he　knocked　the　drink　back；　savouring　its　bite。　He　placed　the　glass　down　on　its
coaster；　and　rubbed　at　his　temples　with　both　hands；　his　eyes　closed。
“Bad　news；　guildmaster？”　ventured　a　voice。
Polio　turned　to　face　his　young　adjutant；　Leto。　He　was　little　more　than　a　boy；　barely　having　the
need　to　shave　yet；　and　his　eyes　flicked　around　nervously　as　he　waited　for　his　answer。　He　was　young；
but　he　was　a　good　officer　and　had　a　mind　like　a　sponge。　He　knew　that　in　time　he　would　have　made　a
suitable　guildmaster；　but　such　a　thing　was　not　to　be。
“You　should　have　gone　with　the　others；　Leto；”　he　said；　his　voice　tired。
“I　will　leave　when　you　leave；”　replied　his　adjutant。
When　the　first　astrotelepathic　despatches　had　come；　warning　of　the　xenos　hive　fleet’s　approach；
Polio’s　distaff　had　been　aghast。　That　had　quickly　descended　into　panic　when　the　extreme　dictate　to
combat　this　threat　had　been　transmitted；　and　that　panic　had　not　been　aided　by　the　sudden　departure
of　the　Administratum’s　advocate　of　Perdus　Skylla。
“This　world　has　been　condemned　to　death；”　the　administrator　had　whined　as　he　frantically
gathered　up　his　possessions。　“You　are　a　fool　to　stay　behind。”
“I　will　not　leave　until　the　guilds　are　fully　evacuated；”　Polio　had　replied；　his　voice　unwavering。　“I
will　not　abandon　my　post　and　leave　those　who　depend　upon　me　to　their　fate。”
“Do　not　judge　me；　guildmaster；”　the　administrator　had　snapped。　“I　am　a　servant　of　the
Administratum；　and　with　the　mining　facilities　abandoned　I　see　no　purpose　in　my　remaining　here。　If
you　have　any　sense　at　all；　you　will　leave　Perdus　Skylla　immediately。　Coordinate　the　evacuation
from　space　if　your　conscience　demands　such　a　thing。”
Guildmaster　Polio　had　wanted　to　strike　the　man；　but　he　had　held　his　anger　in　check。　He　had
turned　his　back　on　the　administrator；　and　had　watched　as　his　shuttle　left　the　moon　for　the　safety　of
the　Imperial　blockade。　He　had　ordered　his　distaff　to　vacate　Perdus　Skylla；　and　he　had　seen　the　relief
in　their　faces　at　his　order。　He　did　not　think　badly　of　them　as　they　saluted　him　and　boarded　the　first
chartered　evacuation　ships。
“Why　will　you　not　go？”　Leto　had　asked　him。
“I　swore　an　oath　of　service　to　the　guilds　of　Perdus　Skylla。　My　leadership　will　be　needed　in　the
evacuation　effort。　It　sends　a　message　to　the　guilds；　and　the　populace；　if　I　remain。”
“Then　I　shall　remain　with　you；　sir；”　said　the　boy。
Polio　had　promoted　him　to　be　his　adjutant；　and　had　been　pleasantly　surprised　to　find　that　the
young　man　adapted　to　his　role　admirably。
Polio　sighed；　picked　up　the　reports　and　flicked　them　to　Leto。　The　young　man　caught　them
awkwardly；　and　scanned　their　contents。　The　guildmaster　poured　himself　another　drink　as　his
adjutant　looked　at　the　first　of　the　reports。　Leto　looked　up　in　shock；　his　face　pale。
“Keep　reading；”　said　Guildmaster　Polio。
24
The　reports　contained　disturbing　information：　evidence　of　slaughter　in　three　of　the　main　mid…ice
access　highways　that　linked　the　Phorcys　starport　to　the　guilds。　The　attacks　had　occurred　just　hours
earlier；　and　there　had　been　no　survivors　nor　any　eyewitnesses。　It　was　impossible　to　gauge　the
number　of　casualties；　but　there　was　something　in　the　realm　of　twelve　thousand　citizens　reported
missing。　Thousands　more　had　been　killed　in　the　stampede　to　get　out　of　the　tunnels；　and　the　Skyllan
Interdiction　Forces　had　shut　the　access　tunnels　down；　pending　an　armoured　investigation。
Three　guilds；　two　of　them　major　houses；　had　no　direct　access　to　the　evacuation　freighters。　That
translated　as　almost　four　million　people；　trapped　on　Perdus　Skylla　until　the　tunnels　were　opened；　for
it　would　be　almost　impossible　for　them　to　make　the　journey　on　foot。
Three　days　had　been　the　estimate　before　the　xenos　fleet　made　planet…fall。　It　had　been　a　logistical
impossibility　to　evacuate　all　of　Perdus　Skylla　in　that　time；　but　now　with　access　tunnels　locked
down？
Guildmaster　Polio　was　a　realist。　He　did　not　delude　himself　into　thinking　that　he　ever　had　even
half　a　chance　of　getting　more　than　perhaps　twenty　per　cent　of　the　population　of　Perdus　Skylla　offworld；
there　were　just　not　enough　ships　to　facilitate　the　evacuation。　He　cursed　the　bureaucracy　of　the
Administratum　that　had　given　his　world　such　callously　short　notice　of　its　doom。
He　had　finished　his　glass　of　amasec　by　the　time　his　adjutant　had　read　through　all　the　despatches。
“What　does　it　mean；　master？”　asked　Leto；　his　face　pale。
“It　means；”　said　Polio；　cradling　his　empty　glass；　“that　there　are　enemy　forces　already　on　Perdus
Skylla。”
“The…　the　tyranids？”
“I　don’t　think　so；　no；”　said　Leto。　“Something　entirely　else。”
With　a　sound　akin　to　the　birth…scream　of　a　fledgling　god；　the　Infidus　Diabolus　ripped　through　the
skin　of　the　warp　and　entered　real…space。　Flickering　arcs　of　energy　danced　across　its　hull；　coalescing
over　the　towering　spires　and　cathedrals　devoted　to　the　dark　gods　of　the　ether。　The　full　awesome
majesty　of　the　strike　cruiser　slipped　from　the　protective　womb　of　the　immaterium；　and　the　rift　was
sealed　behind　it。
Within　the　bridge　of　the　colossal　vessel；　Marduk　and　Kol　Badar　leaned　over　the　flickering　datascreens
before　them；　studying　the　stream　of　information　being　relayed。　They　saw　an　image　of　the
sub…system；　spinning　slowly；　and　flashes　of　light　began　to　appear；　marking　the　positions　of　planets；
ships　and　radiation　fields。
Remnants　of　the　warp　remained　within　the　ship；　and　scenes　of　depravity　and　bloodshed　flashed
up　over　the　screens；　momentarily　disrupting　the　feed　of　information。　For　a　fraction　of　a　second；　the
screens　showed　a　skinless　face；　its　eyes　on　fire　and　its　cheeks　pierced　by　blades；　before　they
returned　to　normal。　A　moment　later；　the　screens　flashed　again；　and　an　image　of　a　writhing；　bloodsoaked
figure　appeared　on　the　pict　screens　for　less　than　a　tenth　of　a　second；　accompanied　by　the
blare　of　static；　overlaid　with　unholy　roars　and　screams。
The　pair　of　Word　Bearers　ignored　the　distractions；　peering　through　the　ghost…images　of　daemons
ripping　apart　flesh　and　bubbling　blood　that　appeared　on　the　screens；　focusing　on　the　wealth　of　subsystem
information　being　picked　up　by　the　daemonic　sensor…arrays　protruding　from　the　prow　of　the
Infidus　Diabolus。　They　saw　the　conglomeration　of　Imperial　vessels　forming　an　unbroken　line　across
the　system　and　the　flickering　waves　of　warp…energy　that　marked　jump…points；　and　located　the
position　of　the　target：　the　moon　the　Imperials　called　Perdus　Skylla。
The　sounds　of　Chaos　croaked　from　grilled　vox…speakers　and　discords　throughout　the　ship；　a
blaring　cacophony　of　madness　and　rage。　Bellows　and　screams　were　overlaid　with　inhuman
screeches　and　hateful　whispers；　and　the　painful　squeal　of　scraping　metal　blurred　with　the　relentless
pounding　of　hammers　and　gears；　the　sound　of　flesh　being　rent　by　steel；　the　roar　of　the　fires　of　hell
and　the　plaintive　weeping　of　children。　It　was　a　beautiful　din；　one　that　calmed　Marduk’s　mind；
though　to　listen　too　deeply　was　to　give　yourself　over　to　insanity。
25
A　face　appeared　on　the　central　pict　screen；　its　eyes　black　as　pitch　and　its　cheeks　carved　with
bloody　sigils；　and　it　opened　its　mouth　wide；　exposing　a　mass　of　writhing　serpents；　spiders　and
worms。
“Enough；”　barked　Marduk；　banishing　the　daemon　with　a　wave　of　his　hand。　Instantly；　the
snarling　image　disappeared。
More　flashing　lights　and　runic　symbols　appeared　on　the　representation　of　the　surrounding
galactic　plane；　and　both　Marduk　and　Kol　Badar　leant　forward　to　peer　upon　them。　Kol　Badar　snorted
and　leant　back。　A　bitter　laugh　burst　from　Marduk’s　lips；　the　sound　making　the　image　on　the　pict
viewers　shimmer　with　static。
“It　would　seem；　Coryphaus；　that　the　Imperium　is　engaged　in　a　war　in　this　little　solar　system；”
said　Marduk；　“and　they　are　losing。”
“Admiral；”　someone　shouted。
Rutger　Augustine　pulled　his　gaze　away　from　the　scale　model　representations　of　the　fleet　and
turned　to　see　one　of　his　petty　officers　moving　towards　him。
“Go　ahead；”　he　said。
The　petty　officer　was　flushed　and　he　carried　a　transmission　card；　its　waxy　surface　punched　with
a　series　of　holes。　He　thrust　it　towards　the　admiral。
“Sir；　Battle　Group　Orion　has　picked　up　a　warp…echo　emanating　from　jump…point　XIV。　It　has
been　verified　by　our　own　Navigatorii。”
Augustine　frowned　at　the　transmission　card；　and　then　turned　and　fed　it　into　the　chest…slot　of　the
servitor　unit　wired　into　his　command　console。　The　servitor　jerked；　and　its　needle　finger　began　to
punch　away　at　a　set　of　keys　in　front　of　it。　Ignoring　the　drooling　servitor；　Augustine　looked　at　the
transmission　data　as　it　was　relayed　onto　the　screen。
“What　is　it？”　he　asked。　“A　rogue　hive　ship？　Don’t　say　the　bastards　have　got　behind　us。”
“No　sir。　Initial　sweeps　indicate　a　vessel　of　cruiser　mass；　but　it　is　not　an　organic　entity。”
“No？　Probably　another　trade　vessel　come　to　aid　the　evacuations。　Why　are　you　bothering　me　with
this？”　asked　Admiral　Augustine。　“The　fleet　is　engaging　the　xenos　threat；　petty　officer！”
“I’m　sorry；　sir；　and　it　may　be　nothing；　but　the　long…range　scan　that　Battle　Group　Orion
performed　seemed　to　indicate　that　the　vessel　may　be　an　Astartes