Ice Guard(科幻战争)-第11章

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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　our　way　through　this　berg　without　even
slowing　down？”
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Barreski　fired　off　a　quick　burst　from　all　four　of　the　borer’s　flamer　attachments；　and　Grayle　could
see　the　telltale　orange　halo　flaring　around　the　drill　head。　The　great　grey　wall　was　running　with
rivulets；　steaming　a　little；　but　still　it　looked　like　nothing　more　than　a　solid　mass　of　rock　as　it　rushed
up　to　meet　the　Termite’s　front　shield；　and　even　Grayle　had　to　fight　the　urge　to　flinch　from　it。
“Three…　two…　one…”　he　counted；　through　clenched　teeth。
And　he　pressed　down　hard　on　the　accelerator　pedal；　rising　to　Barreski’s　boastful　challenge；　as
the　countdown　reached　zero。
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CHAPTER　FIVE
Time　to　Destruction　of　Cressida：　43。15。08
The　Termite　bucked；　a　shudder　slamming　through　its　plasteel　body　as　its　horn　impacted　with　the
great　wall　of　ice。
But　the　impact　was　only　momentary；　because　then　the　driver’s　front　shield　was　pelted　with
jagged　shards；　spattered　with　melted　water；　and　the　engine　howled　in　protest　as　it　fought　to　make
headway　against　a　force　of　nature　that　should　by　rights　have　been　immovable…　and　succeeded。
Barreski　fired　the　borer…mounted　flamers　again；　regretting　only　that　he　had　to　do　so　remotely　and
couldn’t　feel　their　kick　to　his　shoulder。　The　Termite　wheezed　and　shuddered；　and　a　fresh　wave　of
water　broke　over　its　front；　but　its　tracks　had　gained　purchase；　and　the　vehicle　surged　forwards。
The　hard　part　was　done。　They　were　inside　the　glacier　and　the　borer　had　found　its　groove；　its　drill
head　shredding　the　ice　in　its　path　like　paper。　All　they　had　to　do　now　was　keep　up　their　momentum；
and　stay　on　a　constant　bearing。
In　the　absence　of　a　clear　view　ahead；　Grayle’s　gaze　was　fixed　to　the　compass　—　while；　for　his
part；　Barreski　yearned　for　a　greater　challenge　than　that　of　just　keeping　the　drill　head　spinning。　He
was　about　to　get　his　wish。
The　ice　had　closed　in　around　the　Termite；　and　the　walls　and　the　roof　of　its　self…made　tunnel　were
pressing　in　on　it；　squeezing　it。　This　was　to　be　expected；　of　course　—　and　at　first　Barreski　thought
little　of　the　occasional　groan　from　the　plasteel　above　him；　although　he　could　feel　the　increased
pressure　as　if　the　air　itself　had　become　denser。　An　especially　heartfelt　groan　from　behind　him；　he　put
down　to　one　of　his　comrades　back　there；　almost　certainly　Trooper　Borscz。
But　the　groans　from　the　hull　were　becoming　more　frequent；　and　louder。
And　then；　Grayle　reported　that　their　speed　had　dropped。
Barreski　knew　what　to　do。　He　pressed　the　flamers　into　service　again；　to　ease　their　path　through
the　ice；　and　the　driver　seemed　satisfied。　But　no　sooner　had　Barreski　removed　his　hands　from　the
trigger　controls　than　Grayle　frowned；　shook　his　head　and　announced　that　they　were　slowing　again。
They　repeated　the　sequence　twice　more；　with　the　same　results；　until　Barreski　was　starting　to
worry　about　depleting　the　flamers’　promethium　tanks。
“Looks　like　we’re　going　to　lose　that　bet；　Grayle；”　he　said　through　clenched　teeth。
Then　the　hull　emitted　a　particularly　violent　crack。　Borscz　leapt　to　his　feet　in　alarm　and　banged
his　head　on　the　roof。
“Are　you　certain　the　machine　can　take　much　more　of　this？”　he　moaned。
“A　couple　of　minutes　ago；”　said　Grayle；　“I’d　have　guaranteed　it。　Now—”
“Now　what？”　Colonel　Steele　was　on　his　feet　too。　With　two　long　strides；　he　was　with　Barreski
and　Grayle；　leaning　between　them；　examining　the　dashboard　runes。　“What’s　happening　out　there；
Grayle？”
“I　don’t　know；　sir。　The　Termite　is　performing　at　peak　efficiency。　Better　than　peak。　It’s　the　ice；
it’s…　I　know　this　sounds　impossible；　but　I　think　it　might　be　replenishing　itself；　reforming　as　fast　as
we　can　bore　through　it。”
“He　could　be　right；”　said　Gavotski。　“We　know　that　Cressida’s　change　of　climate　has　no　natural
explanation。　We　know　the　taint　of　Chaos　is　in　the　soil；　lending　it　abnormal　properties。　Why　not　in
the　water　as　well？”
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“I　knew　it；”　Borscz　groaned；　dropping　back　into　his　seat。　“The　tunnel　is　closing　behind　us。　We
are　going　to　be　trapped　in　here；　in　this　tin　coffin；　forever。”
“Not　if　I　can　help　it！”　snarled　Barreski。　He　fired　the　flamers　again；　and　manipulated　the　borer；
making　it　describe　a　small　circle　as　it　drilled；　widening　its　tunnel。
“That’s　helping；”　reported　Grayle；　“but　we　still　aren’t　making　the　progress　we　should。”
“And　we　can’t　keep　this　up　for　long；”　Barreski　added；　still　mindful　of　his　dwindling　fuel
supplies。
“The　ice！”　cried　Anakora。　“It　is　forcing　itself　in　here！”　With　a　glance　back　over　his　shoulder；
Barreski　saw　that　she　was　right。　Crushed　ice　was　squeezing　through　the　gun　emplacements　in　the
Termite’s　side；　as　if　being　pushed　by　an　external　force。　Six　troopers　leapt　to　the　guns；　doing　their
best　to　discourage　the　intrusion；　but　both　Palinev　and　Mikhaelev　immediately　reported　that　their
flamers　had　seized　up。
“What’s　your　assessment；　Grayle？”　barked　Steele。　“Can　we　make　it　to　the　other　side　of　this
thing？”
“No；　sir；”　said　Grayle；　“I　don’t　think　we　can。”
“Well；　we　certainly　can’t　back　up；”　said　Gavotski。　“We　don’t　have　the　room　to　swing　the　borer
around。”
“If　we　changed　our　heading　to　oh…seven…nine；”　said　Grayle；　“we　could　be　through　the　ice　a　lot
faster。　It’d　take　us　a　fair　way　off　course；　though。”
Steele　pulled　up　a　tactical　map　on　his　data…slate；　nodded；　and　said；　“It’s　our　best　hope。　Make　that
course　correction；　trooper。”
As　Grayle　moved　to　obey；　another　almighty　crack　drew　ten　pairs　of　worried　eyes　upwards。　A
hairline　fracture　had　appeared　in　the　hull；　stretching　half　the　length　of　the　passenger　compartment。
“You　see；　Trooper　Borscz；”　said　Mikhaelev　nervously；　“you　didn’t　have　to　worry　about　our
being　trapped　in　here。　The　ice　is　going　to　crack　this　vehicle　open　like　an　eggshell　and　crush　us　all　to
death　instead。”
“You　think　the　ice　caused　that　crack？”　Pozhar　joked；　half…heartedly。　“That’s　from　where　Borscz
banged　his　great　head　up　there！”
“Can　you　bring　the　back　end　of　the　borer　down　a　little？”　Gavotski　enquired　of　Barreski。　“Use　it
to　protect　the　roof。　I　know　it　would　slow　down　the　drilling；　but—”
“Can’t　do　it　anyway；　sergeant；”　said　Barreski。　“I’m　trying；　but　the　ice　is　already　packed　in　too
tightly　under　there。　The　borer　is　stuck　at　this　angle。”
“It’s　a　race；　then；”　said　Steele；　his　voice　remarkably　calm　under　the　circumstances；　“between　us
and　the　ice。　I’m　relying　on　the　two　of　you；　Grayle；　Barreski。　Do　whatever　you　have　to　do。　Just　keep
us　moving；　as　fast　as　you　can　manage。”
“Aye；　sir；”　said　Grayle。　Then　he　turned　to　Barreski；　raising　his　voice　to　be　heard。　“I　can　reroute
some　power　to　the　borer　from　the　engine。　The　harder　that　drill　works；　the　less　the　engine　has　to　do
anyway。”
“Another　flamer　down；”　reported　Blonsky　from　behind　them。
“I　could　do　with　one　of　those　things　up　here；”　Barreski　shouted　back。　“Rip　one　out　of　an
emplacement　if　you　have　to。”　He　was　operating　the　borer…mounted　flamers　—　just　three　of　them
now；　as　the　fourth　was　returning　jammed　signals　—　almost　constantly；　but　still　the　front　shield　was
being　battered；　not　by　mere　shards　of　ice　now　but　by　great　chunks　of　it；　which　hit　like　rocks。
The　Termite’s　roof　was　beginning　to　bulge　inwards　with　the　increasing　pressure　upon　it；　and　the
Ice　Warriors　in　the　passenger　compartment　were　up　to　their　ankles　in　freezing　slush。　Barreski　was　so
engrossed　in　his　task　that　he　hardly　heard　Grayle’s　voice；　announcing　that　at　their　current　speed　they
would　be　through　the　glacier　in　one　more　minute。　It　seemed　like　the　longest　minute　of　his　life；　and
especially　so　when　his　flamers；　only　two　of　them　working　now；　used　up　the　last　of　their　reserves　and
sputtered　to　a　halt。
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He　turned；　and　found　Palinev　at　his　shoulder　with　a　hand　flamer　as　requested。　Barreski　leapt
from　his　seat　and　snatched　the　weapon　from　the　smaller　man；　even　as　the　ice　smashed　through　the
front　shield　at　last；　coming　at　them　like　an　avalanche。
Grayle　had　no　choice。　He　couldn’t　leave　his　position　or　they　were　all　done　for。　He　met　the
oncoming　ice；　head　down；　eye