Ice Guard(科幻战争)-第35章

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second　that　had　passed。　And　because　of　that　drip；　that　infernal　drip；　marking　off　the　slow　passage　of
time；　one　beat　every　two　point　four　seconds；　a　total　of　fourteen　hundred　and　sixteen　drips　so　far。
He　half…stood；　stooped；　in　his　heavy　chains；　his　spine　aching　fit　to　break；　and　he　prayed　to　the
Emperor；　and　silently　cajoled　the　machine…spirits　in　his　bionic　eye；　but　they　were　deaf　to　his　pleas；
those　same　two　digits　frozen　in　the　HUD。
Thirty…five　seconds…
He　heard　footsteps　on　the　steps　outside；　and　he　knew　that　his　time　was　up。
A　small；　square　panel　in　his　cell　door　slid　open；　and　light　spilled　in；　almost　blinding　Steele　after
so　long　in　the　dark。　A　cultist　peered　in　through　the　hole；　satisfied　himself　that　the　prisoner　was　still
bound；　and　opened　a　heavy　lock。
The　door　creaked　open　to　reveal　a　tall；　thin　figure　standing　on　the　threshold。　Like　Steele　before
him；　this　new　arrival　had　to　stoop　to　enter　the　cell；　there　was　hardly　any　space　between　the　two　of
them　as　he　perched　on　a　narrow　ledge　in　the　wall　opposite　the　colonel；　arms　folded　casually；　a　smug
smile　twisting　his　lips。
He　was　no　longer　backlit　now；　and　Steele　saw　him　properly　for　the　first　time；　could　make　out　his
pinched　features。　The　newcomer’s　eyes　were　like　deep　black　holes；　into　which　Steele　felt　he　could
almost　have　fallen。　He　sported　no　visible　mutations；　but　he　wore　the　black　robes　of　a　cultist。　His
hood　was　folded　back；　to　show　off　an　elaborate　tattoo　that　spread　like　a　spider’s　web　across　his　face；
over　his　shaved　head；　behind　his　ears　and　down　his　neck。　He　also　wore　a　golden　sash；　and　a
general’s　shoulder　flash　on　his　right　shoulder　only　—　and　he　carried　an　ornate　sceptre　with　the　most
vile　obscenities　carved　into　it：　purloined　and　makeshift　symbols　of　rank　for　a　leader　whose　army
barely　acknowledged　the　concept。
“Let　me　introduce　myself；”　he　said　in　a　voice　as　smooth　as　silk。　“I　am　the　ruler　of　this　hive　by
right　of　conquest。　I　am　the　favoured　of　the　Chaos　gods；　a　high　priest　in　their　service。　I　am　your
jailer；　your　interrogator；　and　perhaps　in　time　your　executioner。　I　am　all　of　these　things　and　more　—
but　the　one　thing　you　need　to　know　about　me；　the　most　important　fact　in　your　life　right　now；　is　that　I
am　your　new；　your　only；　master。”
“Oh；　I　know　who　you　are；”　said　Steele；　not　bothering　to　disguise　the　contempt　in　his　voice。
“You’re　Mangellan。”
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CHAPTER　FIFTEEN
Time　to　Destruction　of　Cressida：　12。12。08
The　creature　was　moving　so　fast　they　barely　had　time　to　react。
It　came　surfing　towards　them　on　the　shallow　sewer　water。　Then　it　flexed　its　stumpy　legs　and　its
prehensile　tail；　and　sprang　into　their　midst；　shrugging　off　Pozhar　and　Anakora’s　las…fire。　The　Ice
Warriors　scattered　as　best　they　could；　but　the　tunnel　was　narrow；　confining。　The　creature　lashed　out
at　them　with　claws　and　fangs；　its　mouth　was　wide；　incredibly　wide；　its　teeth　like　chainsword　blades。
It　almost　caught　Gavotski’s　arm　in　its　jaws；　but　he　pulled　away　in　time。
The　creature　smacked　back　into　the　water　on　its　stomach　—　its　natural　orientation；　Barreski
realised。　It　was　like　an　alligator；　its　body　elongated　and　scaled；　but　its　back　was　a　mess　of　spines；
and　its　head　a　splatter　of　misshapen；　rheumy　eyes。
It　reared　up　again。　He　felt　its　hot；　fetid　breath　and　its　spittle　on　his　face；　and　he　grabbed　the
mutant　he　had　been　holding；　swung　it　around　and　gave　it　a　push。
The　mutant　screamed　as　it　stumbled　into　the　sewer　creature　—　which；　not　questioning　its　good
fortune；　immediately　sank　its　claws　into　the　mutant’s　shoulders；　clamped　its　jaws　over　its　head　and
dived　back　down　into　the　water　with　it。
This　gave　the　Ice　Warriors　time　to　regroup；　to　start　firing　in　earnest。　The　creature　hardly　seemed
to　notice。　It　tore　the　mutant’s　head　from　its　shoulders；　and　threw　back　its　own　head　with　a
triumphant　roar；　showering　the　walls　with　blood。
But　if　the　Ice　Warriors　had　hoped　that　one　kill　might　satisfy　its　appetite；　they　were　about　to　be
sorely　disappointed。
“Colonel　Stanislev　Steele；”　recited　Steele；　“officer　in　command　of　the　Valhallan　319th　regiment　of
the　Imperial　Guard　—　and　that’s　all　you’re　going　to　get　from　me。”
“A　regimental　commander；　hmm？”　said　Mangellan；　the　smirk　still　on　his　lips。　“Should　I　be
honoured　that　they　sent　you　to　fight　me？　Or　should　I　feel　slighted　that；　apparently；　you　only　brought
a　handful　of　men　with　you？”
Steele　snarled　back　at　his　captor；　baring　his　teeth。　“You　should　feel　afraid！　When　I　get　out　of
these　chains—”
“Oh　yes；”　said　Mangellan；　“you　would　like　to　be　free；　wouldn’t　you？　Isn’t　that　what　we　all　want；
ultimately？　To　be　free　of　the　chains　that　bind　us？”
“All　I　want；”　growled　Steele；　“is　to　do　my　duty　to　the　Emperor。”
“And　you　serve　him　well。　You　have　done　your　best。　You　made　it　a　lot　further　into　my　hive　than　I
would　have　thought　possible。　You　are　evidently　a　skilled　combatant；　and　a　great　leader。　How；　then；
does　your　god　repay　your　devotion？”
“The　Emperor　provides　all　we　need。”
“How　does　it　feel；　Colonel　Steele；　to　know　that　he　thinks　so　little　of　your　life　as　to　waste　it　on　a
fool’s　errand？”
“It　is　never　a　waste　to　fight　for　order；　to　strike　a　blow　against　your　philosophy。”
“Oh；　I　know　why　you’re　here。　It　seems　that　Confessor　Wollkenden’s　opinion　of　his　own
importance　is　not　quite　as　inflated　as　I　had　believed。”
Steele　tightened　at　the　mention　of　the　confessor’s　name。　He　couldn’t　help　himself。
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“Oh　yes；”　said　Mangellan；　basking　in　the　reaction；　“I　thought　that　might　get　your　attention。
Wollkenden　is　here。　He　is　alive。　We　have　spoken　many　times；　he　and　I。　You　can　see　for　yourself
soon。　I　will　bring　you　face　to　face　with　the　man　for　whom　you　were　prepared　to　sacrifice　yourself。　It
should　prove　an　interesting　meeting。”
“Shall　I　cut　him；　master？　Shall　I　make　him　talk？”
Steele’s　glare　had　been　fixed　on　Mangellan；　he　hadn’t　noticed　another　arrival。　It　had　pushed　its
way　through　the　traitors　outside；　and　stood　now　in　the　doorway　to　the　cell：　a　black…robed　mutant；
short　and　stooped；　with　lank　black　hair　hanging　over　its　sloping　brow；　tufts　of　grey　fur　sprouting
from　its　ears；　its　eyebrows；　its　neck。　It　was　carrying　a　long…bladed；　blood…caked　knife；　fingering　its
edges　almost　lovingly。
“There　will　be　no　need　for　that；　Furst；”　said　Mangellan。　“Colonel　Steele　is　not　our　prisoner；　he　is
our　guest。”
“Then　unchain　me；”　suggested　Steele；　“and　let　me　show　you　how　a　Valhallan　Ice　Warrior　repays
your　hospitality。”
“And　I　have　no　questions　to　ask　him；”　Mangellan　continued　as　if　the　colonel　had　not　spoken。　“I
know　why　he　came　here；　and　I　suspect　that　I　know　as　well　as　he　does　the　whereabouts　of　his
troopers。　They　will　be　cowering　out　there　in　the　city　somewhere；　plucking　up　the　courage　to　attempt
to　approach　my　Ice　Palace　again。”
Had　Steele’s　bionic　eye　been　working；　he　would　have　discharged　it　into　Mangellan’s　face　right
then。　It　was　a　good　thing；　then；　that　it　wasn’t。　He　might　have　maimed　his　foe；　gained　some
satisfaction；　but　it　wouldn’t　have　helped　him　in　the　long　term。　He　had　to　keep　Mangellan　talking；
await　his　moment　—　and　hope　that；　when　that　moment　came；　he　would　be　ready。　Thirty…five
seconds…
“Then　why　am　I　alive？”　he　asked。　“If　you　don’t　want　anything　from　me…”
“You　do　not　question　the　high　priest！”　spat　the　stunted　mutant；　Furst；　hopping　from　foot　to　foot
as　he　became　agitated；　panting　with　the　effort。
“It’s　all　right；　Furst；”　said　Mangellan；　sounding　a　little　weary　at　the　interruption。　“I　am　quite
happy　to　tell　Colonel　Steele　all　he　wishes　to　know。　That　is　why　I　came　here；　after　all：　to　talk　with
him；　to　reassure　him。”
He　looked　directly　at　Steele；　and　something　glinted　in　the　black　depths　of　his　eyes　as　he
concluded；　“To　invite　him　to　join　our　cause。”
“Concentrate　your　fire；”　yelled　Gavotski。　“Try　to　burn　through　its　hide！”
The　sewer　creature　had　reared　up　again；　its　broad　mouth　stretched　into　a　great；　keening　howl　—
of　defiance　or　of　pain；　it　was　impossible　to　tell。
It　was　caught；　dazed；　confused；　swaying　for　an　instant　in　a　criss…cross　of　las…beams；　and
Mikhaelev　dared　hope　that　it　might　succumb；　might　fall；　might　at　least　err　on　the　side　of　caution　and
flee　—　but