Ice Guard(科幻战争)-第16章

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For　Steele；　of　course；　with　his　enhanced　hearing；　it　felt　like　even　longer。　This　was　a　good　thing；
he　told　himself。　It　meant　the　Validian　company　had　bought　him　more　time　than　he　could　have
expected　from　them。　It　meant　they　had　died　as　they　had　lived；　as　heroes；　and　no　Guardsman　could
want　any　more　from　his　life　than　that。
It　meant　that　he　had　done　the　right　thing　by　sacrificing　them。
Not　that　he　had　doubted　this；　not　any　longer。　Steele　had　reviewed　his　decision　six　times；　and　was
satisfied　that　he　had　overlooked　nothing。　Anyway；　he　had　Sergeant　Gavotski’s　support；　which　was
always　a　reliable　indicator。
The　Ice　Warriors　had　completed　their　half…circuit　of　the　battlefield。　They　were　behind　the　Chaos
forces；　whatever　remained　of　them；　back　on　course　for　the　confessor’s　crash　site。　Steele　just　prayed
that　their　enemies　would　take　some　time　to　lick　their　wounds；　before　turning　to　head　homeward。　Just
time　enough　for　his　squad　to　gain　a　safe　distance　from　them。
He　heard　the　approaching　mutants　a　full　six　seconds　before　he　saw　them。
They　were　making　no　attempt　to　be　quiet；　crashing　through　the　ice　forest　at　speed；　whimpering
and　howling。　They　must　have　fled　from　the　heat　of　the　battle；　thought　Steele。　They　couldn’t　have
known　that　the　Ice　Warriors　were　here　—　and　yet；　by　some　perverse　chance；　they　were　about　to　run
right　into　them。
He　hissed　a　warning　to　the　others；　telling　them　to　take　cover。　Although　they　couldn’t　have　seen
anything　themselves　yet；　they　didn’t　stop　to　ask　questions。　They　obeyed　their　colonel’s　order　with
varying　degrees　of　success。　Only　a　blind　man　could　have　failed　to　see　Borscz；　who　was　twice　as
broad　as　the　ice　tree　behind　which　he　attempted　to　hide。　Still；　thought　Steele；　if　the　mutants　were　in
the　throes　of　panic；　and　obviously　feeble…minded；　then　they　might　not　see　the　trap　before　it　was
sprung。
And　suddenly；　there　were　over　a　score　of　them；　appearing　in　the　gaps　between　the　trees；　their
manifest　and　varied　deformities　an　assault　to　Steele’s　eyes。　He　waited　until　they　got　closer；　even
closer…　and　then　one　of　the　mutants　came　scrambling　to　a　halt；　and　its　huge；　pink　eyes　widened；
staring　at　Borscz’s　protruding　stomach。　It　opened　its　mouth　to　squeal　a　warning…
…and　that　was　when　Steele　stepped　out　of　hiding　with　his　laspistol　levelled；　and　before　the
mutant　could　let　out　a　sound；　he　calmly　blew　a　hole　through　its　head。
The　rest　of　his　squad　were　quick　to　follow　his　lead。　Pozhar；　not　surprisingly；　was　the　first；　his
face　lit　up　by　a　broad　grin　as　he　pumped　las…beam　after　las…beam　into　his　confused　and　terrified
targets。　Barreski　took　his　time；　waiting　for　the　opportune　moment　to　wreak　maximum　damage　with
one　shot　from　his　new　flamer。　Three　mutants　were　engulfed　in　fire；　filling　the　air　with　the　stink　of
their　burning　flesh　and　the　sounds　of　their　screams。
“Don’t　let　any　of　them　get　away！”　Steele　yelled。
He　counted　four　mutants　on　the　periphery　of　the　group；　making　to　turn　back；　deciding　that　the
lesser　of　two　perils　was　the　one　that　lay　behind　them　after　all。　He　brought　down　a　hunchbacked；
tentacled　horror　with　a　shot　to　the　back。
The　other　three　mutants　fled；　and　were　out　of　sight　before　Steele　could　stop　them　—　but　an
instant　later　a　tremendous　bang　rent　the　air　and　a　cloud　of　shrapnel　billowed　out　from　the　trees
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where　they　had　vanished。　Barreski　had　tossed　a　frag　grenade　after　the　mutants　—　and；　although
Steele　winced　at　the　sound　that　had　almost　overloaded　the　acoustic　enhancers　in　his　right　ear；　he
couldn’t　deny　that　it　had　been　an　effective　tactic。
Was　there　any　hope；　he　wondered；　that　no　one　in　the　main　body　of　the　Chaos　force　had　heard　the
explosion；　that　the　ice　trees　might　have　deadened　its　sound　before　it　could　reach　them？　Perhaps；　at
least；　it　might　be　dismissed　as　the　work　of　a　lone　Validian　kamikaze；　or　even　a　dispute　between
undisciplined　mutant　stragglers。
So　long；　that　was；　as　none　of　the　mutants　lived　to　tell　a　different　tale。
In　focusing　on　the　would…be　deserters；　Steele　had　let　down　his　guard　against　the　more　immediate
threats　to　his　wellbeing。　He　heard　the　cocking　of　a　pistol；　and　turned　to　find　its　barrel　aimed　at　his
head　by　a　creature　that　looked　as　if　its　face　had　melted；　its　eyes　and　its　nose　running　towards　its
chin。
Before　the　mutant　could　fire；　Borscz　barrelled　into　its　side　and　threw　off　its　aim。　It　responded　by
swinging　its　gun　butt　at　the　burly　Ice　Warrior’s　jaw。　It　hit　with　a　resounding　crack；　but　Borscz　barely
seemed　to　feel　the　blow。　He　gripped　his　hapless　opponent　by　its　shoulders；　thrust　it　back　against　a
razor…edged　ice　tree。　The　mutant　screamed　and　thrashed　as　blood　gushed　out　of　its　back；　but　with　a
deep…throated　chuckle　and　a　flash　of　his　brilliant　white　teeth；　Borscz　pushed　its　chin　up　and　back
with　the　heel　of　his　hand。　The　tree　cut　through　the　mutant’s　misshapen　head；　bisecting　it　down　the
middle。
Three　more　of　its　kin　made　a　break　for　it；　but　two　ran　into　a　crossfire　of　las…beams　set　up　by
Gavotski　and　Anakora。　Palinev　went　racing　after　the　third；　with　his　knife　drawn。　Barreski　pressed
his　flamer　into　service　again；　and　Borscz；　who　had　been　about　to　pounce　on　another　mutant　when　it
combusted　in　his　face；　gave　a　yelp　of　protest　and　threw　his　hands　up　to　his　singed　beard。
Surprise　and　discipline　were　the　Ice　Warriors’　greatest　assets；　and　many　of　their　foes　were　cut
down　before　they　could　do　much　more　than　gibber。　Mikhaelev　in　particular　proved　to　be　an　expert
shot；　choosing　his　angles　well　so　that　a　single　one　of　his　las…beams　often　sliced　through　two　bodies。
The　closest　the　mutants　came　to　exhibiting　teamwork　was　when　four　of　them　tried　to　swarm
Blonsky。　Steele’s　pistol　finished　off　one　before　it　could　reach　its　target；　but　the　others　fell　upon　the
trooper。　Most　of　the　Ice　Warriors　held　their　fire　for　fear　of　hitting　a　comrade；　although　Steele　noted
that　Pozhar　was　the　exception。
He　drew　his　power　sword　and　activated　a　control　in　its　hilt；　causing　the　blade　to　flare　with　a
crackling　blue　energy。　He　stepped　up　behind　one　of　the　mutants　and　struck　with　all　the　strength　in
his　augmented　muscles；　severing　its　head　from　its　spinal　column。
Borscz　wrenched　a　third　mutant　from　its　victim；　while　Grayle　attempted　a　similar　manoeuvre
with　the　fourth；　but　found　that　it　was　stronger　than　he　was。　Nevertheless；　he　kept　it　occupied　long
enough　for　Blonsky　to　stand　and　to　thrust　his　bayonet　into　the　struggling　creature’s　guts。
And　then　the　fight　was　over；　there　were　no　more　mutants　standing；　and　Palinev　returned；　wiping
his　blade　with　a　cloth；　to　report　that　the　one　he　had　chased　was　also　dead。　The　Ice　Warriors　were　left
in　a　self…made　clearing；　but　the　ice　trees　that　Barreski’s　flamer　had　melted　were　already　beginning　to
grow　again。　Pozhar　leapt　as　a　new　shoot　sprouted　with　impossible　speed　beneath　him；　almost
impaling　his　foot。
Before　they　moved　on；　Steele　counted　the　bodies　to　confirm　that　all　the　mutants　he　had　seen
were　accounted　for。　Then　he　took　another　second　to　rerun　that　calculation；　four　more　times；　to　be
sure。
It　had　become　second　nature　for　him　to　do　this；　and　he　did　it　for　a　good　reason。　He　did　it　because
he　could　not　trust　his　own　mind。
Some　things；　he　remembered　too　well。
He　remembered　every　detail　of　his　time　in　the　hospital；　everything　they　had　done　to　him　there。
The　medics　had　rebuilt　one　side　of　Steele’s　head；　inserted　plates　into　his　skull；　and　grafted　foreign
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objects　onto　his　brain。　They　had　replaced　the　shattered　bones　in　his　right　shoulder　and　upper　arm
with　plasteel；　the　muscles　with　hydraulic　systems。
He　remembered　their　assurances　that　the　pain　would　be　worthwhile；　that　they　were　doing　the
best　they　could　for　him。　He　hadn’t　believed　them。　He　had　thought　it　more　likely　that　the　medics
were　just　pushing；　testing；　seeing　how　far　they　could　go。
Steele　could　remember　all　that；　but　he　couldn’t　remember　what　had　landed　him　in　that　Emperorforsaken
place　to　begin　with。　He　had　no　memory　of　Karnak；　the　world　to　which　his　service　records
told　him　he　had　been　posted　for　more　than　two　years。　He　did　not　know　who　his　comrades　had　been
on　that　world；　in　that　campaign；　which　of　the　Imperium’s　many　enemies　they　had　been　fighting；　or
what　his　orders　had