Ice Guard(科幻战争)-第10章

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I　repeat　do　not；　engage　with　the　enemy。”
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“Aye；　sir；”　Grayle　answered。　The　Termite　made　a　sharp　right　turn；　sharper　than　Steele　would
have　thought　possible。　He　was　sure　that；　for　an　instant；　its　left…hand　track　had　left　the　ground。
“We　need　a　smoke　launcher　on　this　thing；”　opined　Barreski。　“Do　we　at　least　have　smoke
grenades；　something　we　can　lob　out　through　the　flamer　emplacements？”
“We　are　sitting　ducks　in　here；”　Borscz　fretted。　“If　we　were　out　in　the　field；　ten　smaller；　fastermoving
targets；　that　machine　could　never　get　a　bead　on　us。”
At　that　moment；　a　tremendous　concussive　force　slammed　through　the　Termite’s　chassis；　from　its
back　left　corner。　A　direct　hit。　It　felt　as　if　a　tank　had　rammed　them　from　behind；　and　only　the　fact　that
the　Ice　Warriors　were　so　tightly　wedged　into　their　seats　saved　Steele　from　being　thrown　into
Grayle’s　back。
Grayle　muttered　a　prayer　as　the　engine　coughed；　spluttered；　whined；　and　then　roared　back　into
full　throat。　The　Termite’s　suspension　was　shot。　It　felt　as　if　it　was　shaking　itself　apart；　and　the
passenger　compartment　was　filled　with　smoke。
“Palinev；　Mikhaelev；”　said　Gavotski；　“go　through　the　equipment　lockers；　see　if　you　can　whip　up
a　smokescreen　as　Barreski　suggested。　Barreski；　I　need　you　to　check　the　borer；　make　sure　it　still
functions。　Grayle…”
“I　know；　sergeant；”　said　Grayle。　“Get　us　the　hell　out　of　here！”
No　one　needed　to　say　what　every　one　of　the　ten　Ice　Warriors　present　was　thinking：　that　they
couldn’t　take　a　second　hit　like　that　one。
Steele　watched　as　they　jumped　to　their　assigned　tasks。　He　had　no　need　to　intervene；　trusting
Gavotski　to　handle　the　situation。　So；　he　took　the　opportunity　to　observe　how　each　member　of　his
new　squad　responded　to　pressure。　The　more　he　could　learn　about　them；　the　more　effectively　he
could　lead　them；　and　official　records　could　only　tell　him　so　much。
There　was　something　about　Mikhaelev’s　body　language；　for　example　—　the　slump　of　his
shoulders　—　that　said　his　heart　wasn’t　truly　in　this　mission；　that　perhaps　he　was　just　going　through
the　motions。　That　hadn’t　come　across　at　all　in　his　records；　and　it　was　a　cause　for　concern。　Pozhar；
thought　Steele；　would　bear　watching　too；　although；　in　his　case；　the　reports　of　his　commanders　had
been　perfectly　clear。
Pozhar　was　a　loose　cannon。　He　was　loyal　to　the　Emperor；　fervently　so；　but　he　appeared　to　have
no　concept　of　his　own　limitations。　Send　him　up　against　a　tyranid　army　and；　unless　given　specific
instructions　to　the　contrary；　he　would　be　the　one　to　seek　out　the　Hive　Tyrant　and　to　spit　in　its　eye。
On　a　mission　like　this　one；　that　sort　of　overconfidence　could　be　the　death　of　everyone。
Pozhar　was　here　because　Gavotski　had　vouched　for　him。　He　had　been　the　young　trooper’s　squad
commander　once；　and　had　averred　that　he　was　one　of　the　most　skilled　close…quarters　combatants　he
had　ever　seen。　Gavotski　had　also　sworn　that　he　could　handle　Pozhar’s　rough　edges　and　get　the　best
out　of　him；　and　Steele　had　learned　that　his　experienced　sergeant　was　seldom　wrong。
If　Pozhar　was　overconfident；　then　Anakora　had　the　opposite　problem。　She　had　come　with　the
highest　recommendations　of　any　of　them；　but　Steele　had　already　seen　enough　to　know　that　she
lacked　the　faith　in　herself　that　others　seemed　to　have　in　her。　He　felt　that　he；　of　all　people；　could
identify　with　that。
Then　there　was　Blonsky；　a　trooper　in　whom　a　succession　of　commanders　had　been　unable　to
find　fault；　and　yet　they　had　couched　their　reports　in　terms　that　suggested　they　were　more　than　happy
to　have　seen　the　back　of　him。
Blonsky　had　summarily　executed　at　least　six　comrades　in　combat；　accusing　them　of　heresy。　He
had　made　three　similar　accusations　against　superior　officers；　one　of　them　a　general　no　less。　On　the
surface　of　it；　his　actions　had　always　seemed　justified　—　but　reading　between　the　lines；　Steele　had
noted　that　his　commanders　considered　him　a　liability；　and　a　dangerous　man　to　be　around。
Blonsky　had　been　one　of　Steele　and　Gavotski’s　reserve　choices　for　their　squad。　Gavotski　had
pointed　out；　quite　reasonably；　that　the　Imperial　Guard　had　suffered　more　than　its　fair　share　of
deserters　and　turncoats　on　Cressida。　With　nine　pairs　of　eyes　focused　on　the　search　for　Confessor
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Wollkenden；　it　was　perhaps　advisable　to　have　the　tenth　pair　turned　inwards；　watching　the　squad
itself。
The　shelling　had　ceased　at　last。　Grayle；　it　seemed；　had　been　right：　the　unseen　gunner　had　just　been
taking　potshots；　and　he　had　evidently　decided　to　maintain　his　position　rather　than　be　enticed　into
pursuing　a　handful　of　enemy　vehicles。
For　the　past　few　minutes；　the　only　thing　protecting　the　Termite　had　been　the　cloud　kicked　up　by
a　handful　of　smoke　bombs　dropped　by　Palinev　and　Mikhaelev。　By　the　Emperor’s　grace；　it　had　been
enough。　A　few　more　explosions　had　vibrated　through　the　passenger　compartment；　but　none　had
come　close　enough　to　cause　real　damage；　and　Barreski；　who　had　moved　up　to　the　front　seat　beside
Grayle；　reported　that　the　all…important　borer　was　intact。
Grayle　ploughed　on；　across　land　that　had　once　been　fertile　fields　but　was　now　coated　with　grey
slush　and　the　ever…present　purple　fungus。　He　itched　to　put　his　foot　down；　to　coax　a　little　extra　speed
out　of　the　grumbling　engine；　to　make　up　for　the　time　they　had　lost　to　their　unplanned　diversion。　He
didn’t　want　to　outpace　the　Chimeras；　however。
There　were　four　of　them；　each　protecting　one　face　of　the　Termite；　and　they　were　just　starting　to
have　trouble；　struggling　to　find　traction　as　the　ground　beneath　them　grew　more　icy　and　treacherous。
As　the　convoy　proceeded；　the　snow　became　deeper　until　it　was　piled　almost　to　the　tops　of　their
tracks。　The　Chimeras　were　equipped　with　dozer　blades　and　crewed　by　experienced　Ice　Warriors；　but
still　the　going　was　painfully　slow。　With　Gavotski’s　permission；　Grayle　got　on　the　vox　to　the
Chimera　drivers　and　arranged　to　take　point。
Shortly　after　this；　Grayle　got　his　first　sight　of　the　glaciers　—　and　even　he；　who　had　been　brought
up　amid　the　icescapes　of　Valhalla；　let　out　a　low　whistle　through　his　teeth。　The　glaciers　formed　an
unbroken　line　in　the　middle…distance；　dwarfing　the　paltry　vehicles　that　approached　it。　He　found
himself　nursing　an　unworthy　thought；　one　of　which　he　thought　Trooper　Borscz　would　have
approved：　that　very　little　of　what　the　Imperium　of　Man　had　ever　built　could　compare　with　such
natural　splendour。
They　were　rumbling　along　the　base　of　a　U…shaped　valley；　and　Gavotski　cautioned　the　troopers　to
go　easy　with　the　flamers　lest　they　bring　an　avalanche　down　on　the　Termite。　There　had　been　no　signs
of　trouble　for　almost　an　hour；　and　at　last　Steele　gave　the　order　to　release　the　escorts　from　service。
The　Chimeras　fell　away；　a　couple　of　their　drivers　voxing　Grayle　with　good　luck　messages。　The
Termite　was　finally　alone；　and　Grayle　pointed　it　at　the　sheer　ice　face　that　was　looming　before　them。
Tactical　maps　suggested　that　the　glaciers　formed　an　almost　unbroken　ring　around　a　great　swathe
of　Chaos…held　territory。　Grayle　had　no　doubt　that　the　few　routes　in　or　out　of　the　area　would　be　under
heavy　guard。　The　last　thing　the　Chaos　forces　would　expert　was　for　their　enemies　to　strike　through
the　great　ice　walls。　Like　the　orks　that　had　once　invaded　his　home　world；　they　were　in　for　a　rude
surprise。
“Hey；　Trooper　Borscz；”　Barreski　called　back　over　his　shoulder；　“we’re　almost　there。　Should　I
start　up　the　borer；　or　would　you　rather　get　out　and　dig　your　way　through　the　ice　with　your　bare
hands　and　your　teeth？”
“Impact　with　the　ice　face　in　thirty　seconds；”　reported　Grayle。　“You　ready　there；　Barreski？”
“Always；”　Barreski　said；　his　hands　moving　over　the　controls　with　practiced　ease；　although　to　the
best　of　his　fellow　tanker’s　knowledge　he　had　never　been　in　a　vehicle　like　this　one　before。　The
Termite’s　great　white　borer　dropped　into　the　ready　position；　so　that　it　blocked　Grayle’s　view　through
his　front　shield。　He　wasn’t　missing　much；　he　thought。　For　the　past　few　minutes；　all　he　had　been　able
to　see　was　the　flat；　grey　surface　of　the　approaching　glacier。
He　began　to　count　down；　as　Barreski　started　the　drill　head　turning；　“Impact　in　ten…　nine…
eight…”
“Anyone　want　to　bet　Grayle　and　me　we　can　punch　o