The Eisenhorn TrilogyXenos(科幻战争)-第51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！


got　a　steel…gloved　paw　round　behind　himself；　grabbed　me　by　the　coat　and　tore　me　off　him。
My　coat　ripped。　I　bounced　hard　off　a　pillar　and　crashed　awkwardly　through　the　delicate　fretwork　of　a　confessional　screen。　I　had　barely
pulled　myself　out　of　the　flimsy　wooden　wreckage　when　the　chainsword　swooped　in　again　and　chewed　a　deep　gouge　in　the　cathedral
floor。
I　ran　from　him　then；　across　the　south　aisle　towards　the　feretory。　Two　men　of　the　cathedral's　Frateris　Militia；　clearly　seeking
advancement　by　coming　to　the　aid　of　the　fearsome　Ministorum　witch…hunter；　closed　in　to　block　my　escape。　They　were　both　clad　in
Ezra's　yellow　and　carried　short　stave…maces　in　one　hand　and　temple　lanterns　in　the　other。
I　think　they　both　quickly　regretted　their　enthusiastic　involvement。

I　didn't　even　bother　with　the　will。　I　think　my　rage　was　too　great　to　have　used　it　cleanly　anyway。　I　side…stepped　the　first　mace；　caught
and　broke　the　wrist　that　wielded　it；　and　kicked　the　man　down。　The　mace　turned　in　the　air　as　it　flew　from　the　sprawling　oafs　useless
hand；　and　I　caught　it　and　turned　it　cross…wise　in　time　to　block　the　down…stroke　of　the　other　man's　club。　As　he　bounced　back　with　the
recoil　of　his　own；　negated　strike；　I　smacked　him　in　the　side　of　the　knee　with　my　captured　weapon。　He　fell　over　with　sharp　wail　of　pain；
losing　hold　of　his　own　mace　and　trying　to　beat　me　with　his　temple　lamp　instead。　I　took　the　lamp　away　from　him　and　kicked　him　in　the
belly　so　he　doubled　up　on　his　side；　sobbing　and　trying　to　remember　how　to　breathe。

The　first　man　was　back　up；　running　at　me。　I　spun　and　smashed　the　temple　lamp　in　his　face；　sideways。　Both　its　light　and　his　went　out。
The　paving　shook　as　Tantalid　hove　down　on　me。　I　used　the　captured　mace　like　a　sword；　double…handed；　to　deflect　his　first　strokes。　It
was　iron…banded　hardwood；　and　tough；　but　no　match　for　a　chainsword。　After　three　or　so　clashes；　the　mace　was　chewed　and　mangled。　I
threw　it　aside　and　tore　a　church　standard　down　from　the　wall　beside　the　feretory　door。　Theo…phantus　immediately　shredded　the　old
embroidered　cloth　and　wood…frame　titulus　from　the　end；　but　that　left　me　with　three　metres　of　cast…iron　pole。
I　held　it　like　a　quarterstaff；　striking　Tantalid　hard　on　the　side　of　the　head　with　one　end　and　then　square　on　the　opposite　hip　with　the
other。　Then　I　stabbed　the　end　at　him　viciously；　like　a　spear…thrust；　and　managed　to　dent　the　chest…plate　of　his　armour。
In　response　…　and　frothing　mad　with　anger　himself　now　…　he　put　up　Theophantus　and　shortened　my　pole　by　about　half　a　metre。　I
wrenched　the　remaining　pole　around　one…handed　and　struck　him　on　the　other　side　of　the　head。　Blood　was　spilling　from　his　ears。　He
howled　and　made　an　attack　that　almost　took　my　arm　off。

My　third　attempt　to　clip　his　miserable　head　missed。　He　was　wise　to　it　now；　and　blocked　with　his　chainsword。　The　chain　teeth　caught　in
the　pole　and　plucked　it　from　my　hands；　throwing　it　up　ten　metres　into　the　air。　It　landed　behind　some　pews　with　a　loud；　echoing　clang。
I　rocked　back　from　the　follow　up；　but　the　murderous　saw　caught　my　right　shoulder　and　gashed　me　deeply。　Clutching　the　wound；　I
ducked　again；　and　Theophantus　decapitated　a　statue　of　Saint　Ezra's　pardoner。
No　matter　what　I　did；　it　was　going　his　way。　He　had　the　weapons　and　the　armour　on　his　side。　And　now　I　was　bleeding　badly；　which
meant　I　would　progressively　slow　and　weaken；　and　it　was　just　a　matter　for　him　to　keep　pressing　the　onslaught　and　he　would　triumph。
I　became　aware　of　another　commotion　near　the　main　doors　of　the　great　church。　Many　startled　worshippers　and　hierarchs　had　retreated
and　gathered　there　to　watch　the　holy　combat。　Now　they　were　spilling　aside；　their　huddle　breaking。　A　figure　stormed　through　them。
Medea。
She　ran　down　the　main　aisle；　calling　to　me；　firing　her　needle　pistol　over　the　tops　of　the　pews　at　Tantalid。　The　lethal　rounds　pinged　and
clicked　off　his　armour；　and　he　turned　in　annoyance。

Tantalid　dragged　out　his　boltpistol　and　fired　at　this　new　attack。　Medea　hurled　the　object　she　had　been　carrying　in　her　other　hand　and
then　disappeared　from　view　as　she　dived　to　evade　the　hammer　blows　of　the　bolt　rounds。　At　least；　I　prayed　it　was　a　deliberate　dive。　If
he　had　hit　her…
The　object　she　had　thrown　bounced　off　a　pew　near　me　and　landed　on　the　floor；　spilling　from　its　yellow　cloth。
Barbarisater。
Risking　dismemberment　from　the　chainsword；　I　hurled　myself　at　the　Carthaen　blade。　My　hands　found　its　long　grip　and　I　rolled　twice
to　avoid　the　next　downstrike　of　Theophantus。
Barbarisater　purred　in　my　grip　as　I　came　up。　The　runes　blazed　with　vengeful　light。
Tantalid　realised　that　the　nature　of　the　battle　had　suddenly　changed。　I　saw　it　in　his　eyes。
My　first　swing　severed　his　wrist；　cutting　clean　through　the　power…armoured　cuff；　dropping　his　hand　to　the　floor；　still　clutching　the
smoking　boltgun。
My　second　met　Theophantus　and　destroyed　it；　spraying　disintegrating　chain…teeth　and　machine　parts　into　the　air。
My　third　cut　Witchfinder　Tantalid　in　two　from　the　left　shoulder　to　the　groin。　Neither　half　of　him　made　a　sound　as　they　fell　apart　onto
the　cathedral　floor。
Barbarisater　was　still　seething　with　power；　and　twitched　as　Medea　emerged　unhurt　from　behind　a　choir　stall。　I　forced　the　hungry　blade
down。
'Come　on！'　she　said。
Ungish　was　dead。　There　was　nothing　I　could　do　for　her。　And　there　was　so　much　I　should　have　done。　She　had　been　right。　Right　about
this。　Right　about　her　fate。　I　dreaded　to　think　how　much　more　of　what　she　had　said　might　prove　to　be　true　too。
Hearing　my　frantic　glossia　call　when　Tantalid　first　attacked；　Medea　had　taken　the　launch　up　from　Ezra　Plain　outside　the　city；　despite
all　official　warnings　for　her　to　abort；　and　flown　it　right　in；　setting　down　in　the　courtyard　outside　Saint　Ezra　Outlooking。
As　we　ran　out　now；　into　the　evening；　through　crowds　of　stunned　onlookers　who　leapt　out　of　our　path；　the　city　arbites　and　the　Frateris
Militia　were　rising　in　alarmed　response。　There　was　no　point　waiting　to　face　them。
The　launch　shot　us　skywards；　back　towards　the　Essene；　to　leave　Orbul　Infanta　as　fast　as　we　could。
IT　WAS　A　mess；　and　I　was　terribly　disheartened。　The　confidence　with　which　we　had　all　set　out　from　Cinchare　seemed　to　have
dissolved。　Orbul　Infanta　had　been　just　the　first　part　of　a　long　stratagem；　and　thanks　to　Tantalid；　it　had　ended　badly。　I'd　failed　to　contact
Gladus；　and　discovered　that　as　careful　as　I　had　been；　my　communiques　were　not　secure。　The　third　task　I　had　planned　to　undertake　on
Orbul　Infanta；　a　search　of　the　Imperial　archivum　for　certain　information　relating　to　Quixos；　hadn't　even　been　started。
At　least　the　weapons　were　consecrated。　And　Barbarisater　had　more　than　proved　itself　in　combat。
FRIGATES　OF　THE　Frateris　Militia；　along　with　several　Imperial　Navy　guard　boats；　attempted　to　block　the　Essene；　but　Maxilla's
navigator　got　us　out　of　the　system　and　real　space　before　they　could　even　close　range。　Some　ships　pursued　us　into　the　warp；　and　we
were　chased　for　eight　days；　finally　losing　our　pursuers　through　a　series　of　real…space　decelerations　and　redirections。　We　went　to
ground。　A　month　at　a　low…tech　depot　on　a　farming　world；　another　two　at　the　automated　station　at　Kwyle。　I　was　jumping　at　shadows　by
then；　expecting　enemies　and　rivals　to　loom　out　of　every　doorolested。　Maxilla　had　made　a
career　out　of　passing　unnoticed　and　avoiding　attention。　He　lent　that　practiced　art　to　our　cause　now；　and　reassured　me　into　the　bargain。
THREE　MONTHS　AFTER　leaving　Orbul　Infanta　in　such　haste；　we　risked　a　run　to　Gloricent；　an　outlying　but　prosperous　trade　world　in　the
Antimar　subsector；　another　division　of　the　Scarus　Sector；　just　two　subsectors　over　from　the　Helican　sub　itself。　Though　worlds　like
Gudran　and　Thracian　Primaris　were　a　good　four　months　away　by　starship；　it　felt　a　little　like　being　home。　Disguised；　Medea　and　I
visited　the　sea…lashed　stone　piles　of　one　of　the　main　trade…hives；　and　procured　a　pair　of　astropaths；　hiring　their　services　from　the　local
commercial　guild　on　an　open…ended　lease。
Their　names　were　Adgur　and　Ueli；　both　young　males；　both　psychically　capable　but　dull…witted　and　emotionless。　Their　young　heads
were　shaved　and　their　plugs　shiny　and　new；　and　they　spoke　to　me　in　overly　formal　ways　that　sounded　like　the　parrot…learned　etiquette
it　sadly　was。　But　their　eyes　were　ringed　with　darkness　and　their　flesh　was　losing　its　youthful　lustre。　The　rigour　of　the　astropathic　life
was　already　taking　its　toll。
USING　THEM；　I　sent　fresh　communiques　that　superceded　the　original　ones　and　revised　certain　aspects　of　my　scheme。　None　of　the
messages　now　suggested　the　sort　of　trial　meetings　I　had　attempted　with　Gladus。　I　would　not　give　so　much　away　now。
After　a　week；　and　no　reponses；　we　left　Gloricent　and　went；　via　Mimonon　to　Sarum；　the　capital　world　of　the　Antimar　subsector。　I
managed　to　do　some　useful　work　in　its　libraries；　but　backed　off　when　a　sour　little　confessor　on　a　research　sabbatical　took　to　following
me　as　if　he　recognised　me。
While　at　anchor　off　Sarum；　I　got　my　first　responses；　all　coded：　from　Bequin　on　Messina；　and　from　Aemos　on　Gudrun。　Both　reported
that　their　parts　of　the　plan　were　going　much　more　smoothly　than　mine　had。　Two　days　later；　a　partially　scrambled　astropathic　message
came　from　Inshabel　on　Elvara　Cardinal。　What　parts　I　got　of　it　seemed　to　indicate　some　success。　I　was　impatient　to　know　more。
The　week　before　we　left　Sarum；　I　received　two　more；　both　anonymous；　one　from　Thracian　Primaris；　the　other　from　a　cluster　of　slaveworlds
that　owed　fealty　to　the　Salies　Province　of　the　Ophidian　subsector。　From　the　careful　code　and　language　of　both；　I　recognised
their　senders。
My　spirits　lifted。

AFTER　THAT　IMPROVEMENT；　things　again　seemed　to　slow　and　stagnate。　There　was　no　progress；　and　no　further　communications。　We
were　forced　to　quit　Lorwen；　our　next　stop　after　Sarum；　with　unseemly　haste；　when　a　flotilla　of　warships　from　Battlefleet　Reaver
arrived。　I　know　now　that　the　Battlefleet　manoeuvres　at　Lorwen　…　and　incidentally　at　Sarum　and　Femis　Major　too　…　were　part　of　a　major
precautionary　deployment　against　a　pair　of　space　hulks　that　had　suddenly　roamed　into　the　subsector。　But　they　caused　us　over　thirteen
weeks　of　anxious　hiding　amongst　the　brown　and　black　dwarf　stars　of　an　extinguished　stellar　nursery。
Another　Ca