Ice Guard(科幻战争)-第24章

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“G…Grayle；”　gasped　Blonsky；　raising　a　hand　to　point　—　and；　joined　by　Anakora；　who　had
managed　to　free　herself；　Steele　repeated　the　whole　process　again；　until　a　fourth　Ice　Warrior　was
dragged　spluttering　to　the　surface。　Fortunately；　Grayle　had　been　able　to　make　an　air　hole　for　himself
as　the　snow　had　settled　around　him；　otherwise　he　would　have　suffocated。
When　the　avalanche　had　started；　Pozhar　had　been　a　few　metres　behind　Sergeant　Gavotski。　However；
he　was　young　and　he　was　fast；　and　he　had　easily　overtaken　the　older　man。　Relatively　safe　on　the
edge　of　the　flow；　he　had　surfed　the　snow　with　consummate　skill　and　exulted　in　the　head　rush　it　gave
him。　In　so　doing　—　he　had　realised　too　late　—　he　had　quite　lost　track　of　his　sergeant。
He　had　clambered　over　the　freshly　turned　snow；　yelling　for　Gavotski；　his　stomach　churning　with
the　thought　that　he　had　failed　this　man　of　all　men；　his　mentor；　his　sponsor。　His　hand　had　started　to
itch　again；　beneath　his　glove；　and　Pozhar　would　have　sworn　that　at　that　moment　he　could　feel　the
grey　fur　spreading　across　it。
He　had　located　Gavotski　at　last；　worried　that　he　might　have　left　him　buried　too　long。　He　had
tried　to　dig　down　to　him；　but　his　bad　arm　had　slowed　him　too　much。　Fortunately；　Palinev　had　seen
the　avalanche　from　ahead；　and　returned　to　assist　him。
Gavotski　had　not　questioned　the　delay　in　his　rescue；　doubtless　assuming　that　Pozhar　had　had　his
own　problems。　He　had　led　the　way　to　the　next　Ice　Warrior　instead；　and　now　he　and　Palinev　were
digging　for　Mikhaelev。　Pozhar　hung　back　for　fear　of　getting　in　their　way。　He　felt　useless。　Useless
and　ashamed。　And　for　the　first　time；　he　wondered　if　he　might　deserve　what　was　happening　to　him
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after　all；　if　the　fur　on　his　hand　was　a　warning　that　he　could　do　better；　that　he　wasn’t　serving　the
Emperor　to　the　fullest　of　his　ability。　That　he　could　have　saved　Borscz。
He　vowed　that；　from　this　moment　on；　he　would　try　even　harder；　become　even　more　fierce　in　the
execution　of　his　duty。　He　would　cleanse　Iota　Hive　of　the　Chaos　filth　single…handedly　if　he　had　to；　or
die　in　the　attempt。
Then　Pozhar　heard　a　sound　behind　him　—　the　soft　crunch　of　a　footstep　in　the　snow　—　and　he
whirled　around；　and　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　grey…furred　mutant　as　it　ducked　out　of　sight。　He　grinned
and　offered　up　a　grateful　prayer　to　the　Emperor　for　giving　him　this　chance　to　prove　himself　so　soon。
His　comrades　were　still　occupied；　hadn’t　seen　anything　—　and　something　stopped　Pozhar　from
calling　to　them。　This　was　his　test；　not　theirs。　He　crept　away　from　them；　and　only　built　up　speed　once
he　knew　they　could　no　longer　see　him；　as　he　rounded　the　side　of　the　hill　down　which　the　avalanche
had　come。
This　was　probably　the　same　mutant　that　had　stalked　the　Ice　Warriors　outside　the　Aquila；　and
before　that　in　the　ice　forest。　Barreski　and　Grayle　had　already　failed　to　kill　it；　as　had　Steele　himself。
Pozhar　would　not　fail。
His　enemy　had　made　a　mistake。　Post…avalanche；　the　snow　was　deep　and　smooth　and
undisturbed；　like　a　virgin　fall。　The　mutant　was　trying　to　hide　from　him；　but　it　had　left　a　clear　trail。　It
would　not　escape　this　time。
All　but　one　of　the　Ice　Warriors　had　been　found。
They　converged　on　the　spot　where　Mikhaelev　and　Grayle　had　last　seen　Barreski。　He　could　have
ended　up　anywhere　within　a　hundred　metre　radius；　but　a　quick　search　turned　up　no　sign　of　him。　That
was　bad；　thought　Steele。　It　meant　that　the　trooper　had　been　completely　buried；　and　would　be　running
out　of　air。
“Start　digging；”　he　instructed。　“Centre　on　this　spot　here。　Take　a　five…metre　square　each　to　begin
with。”　His　augmetics　had　already　analysed　the　speed　of　the　avalanche’s　flow　as　he　had　experienced
it；　extrapolated　its　likely　speed　this　much　closer　to　its　centre；　and　correlated　Barreski’s　reported
trajectory　and　last　known　distance　from　his　starting　point　—　to　conclude　that　they　couldn’t　narrow
the　search　area　much　more　than　his　comrades’　instincts　already　had。
Then　Steele　picked　up　a　sound　from　beneath　his　feet；　a　sound　that　he　identified　a　moment　later
as　the　muffled　cough　of　a　misfiring　flamer。
He　grabbed　Anakora　by　her　greatcoat　collar　and　yanked　her　backwards　as　a　boiling　geyser
erupted　from　the　ground　where　she　had　been　standing。　The　Ice　Warriors　were　showered　with
cooling　water。　When　the　deluge　had　ended；　they　crowded　forward　to　find　a　large；　round　hole　in　the
snow　—　and；　at　its　bottom；　the　top　half　of　a　red…faced；　spluttering　Barreski。
“S…sorry；　sir；”　he　addressed　Steele　breathlessly。　“Couldn’t　breathe　down　there；　couldn’t　wait　any
longer。　I　knew　it　was　risky；　but…”
He　was　cradling　his　flamer　across　his　chest。
That　was　when　they　all　heard　las…fire；　coming　from　behind　the　hill　—　and　Steele　realised；　in　that
selfsame　moment；　that　one　of　his　troopers　was　missing。
Pozhar　ran　at　the　mutant；　firing。　It　had　been　fleeing　from　him　—　but　as　fast　as　it　was；　he　was　faster。
As　his　first　las…beam　hit；　the　mutant　gave　a　roar　of　pain　and　spun　around　to　face　him；　throwing　up　its
arms。　It　looked　as　if　it　was　trying　to　surrender　—　although　Pozhar　doubted　this；　and　it　would　have
made　no　difference　to　him　anyway。
“Not…　what　you…　think…”
It　took　Pozhar　by　surprise；　to　be　addressed　by　something　he　had　thought　of　as　an　animal；　dumb
in　both　senses　of　the　word。　The　mutant’s　voice　was　hoarse　and　rough；　like　gravel　across　a　rock
surface；　and　the　words　came　out　slowly　as　if　speaking　was　an　effort　for　it。
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“I　can　see　what　you　are；”　spat　Pozhar；　and　he　fired　again。
His　next　two　beams　missed　their　target。　He　still　wasn’t　used　to　shooting　left…handed；　and　that
gave　the　mutant　its　chance。　Having　seen　that　it　couldn’t　fool　him；　it　reverted　to　type　—　at　least；　that
was　how　Pozhar　chose　to　see　it。
It　came　in　low；　its　talons　outstretched；　and　Pozhar　slid　to　a　halt　and　braced　himself　to　meet　it。　As
it　thundered　towards　him；　growing　larger　in　his　sights；　he　was　able　to　zero　in　on　it；　and　two　beams
sizzled　through　the　mutant’s　chest　fur　and　created　livid　red　sores。　Then　it　cannoned　into　him；
clawing　at　his　throat　—　but　Pozhar　wasn’t　about　to　be　knocked　down　by　another　of　these　things；　and
although　he　was　forced　onto　his　back　foot；　he　remained　upright　and　jabbed　at　the　creature’s　stomach
with　his　bayonet。
“Listen；”　it　rasped；　switching　its　grip　to　Pozhar’s　lasgun；　twisting　it　so　that　it　pointed　away　from
them　both；　“Trying　to…　help。　I　know　where　Confessor…　Confessor　Wollkenden！　Can　take　you。”
The　mutant’s　breath　was　hot　and　fetid　in　his　face；　and　he　recoiled　from　it；　lost　hold　of　his　gun；
panicked　as　he　began　to　fear　that　he　wasn’t　strong　enough　to　pass　this　test　after　all。
“You　expect　me　to　trust　you？”　he　yelled。　“You’re　a　filthy　stinking　mutant；　and　I　won’t　listen　to
you；　I　won’t　be　corrupted；　I　won’t！”
Somehow；　he　found　the　strength　to　hurl　his　foe　away　from　him；　and　he　leapt　for　his　gun；　lying　in
the　snow。　The　mutant　leapt　for　it　too；　but　Pozhar　got　there　first。　He　grabbed　the　gun；　rolled　onto　his
back；　and　he　fired；　striking　the　mutant　again　in　the　chest；　and　then　in　the　stomach；　widening　its
bayonet　wound。
It　was　losing　too　much　blood；　It　couldn’t　survive。　But　it　was　still　fighting。　It　came　at　Pozhar　with
a　roar　of　rage；　its　eyes　a　blazing　red；　and　he　knew　that　he　couldn’t　fend　it　off　again。　He　knew　it
would　kill　him；　but　that　was　all　right　because　he　had　killed　it　first　and　would　die　a　pure　man。　The
mutant　was　on　top　of　him；　pinning　his　good　arm；　and　it　brought　up　its　talons　to　strike；　to　tear　out　his
throat。
Then　it　hesitated；　and　the　fire　in　its　eyes　died　out；　and　when　it　next　spoke　its　words　were　more
lucid　than　they　had　been。
“A　few　months　ago；”　said　the　mutant　sadly；　“I　would　have　tried　to　kill　me　too。”
“Don’t　you　dare　say　that！”　hissed　Pozhar。　“Don’t　you　dare　try　to　say　that　I’m　anything　like　you。
And　don’t　stay　your　hand；　I　don’t　want　your…　your　pity。　Kill　me！”
But　instead；　the　mutant　died；　and　Pozhar　let　out　a　howl　of　frustration。　He　punched　and　kicked　at
it　until　it　rolled　off　him；　and　then　stood　and　drove　his　lasgun　butt　into　the　creature’s　corpse　again　and
again；　shattering　its　bones。
He　only　stopped　when　he　was　exhausted。　He　looked　down　at　the　mutant’s　staring　red　eyes
seeming　to　accus