The Eisenhorn TrilogyXenos(科幻战争)-第13章

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with　a　sense　of　pride　and　exhilaration。
Across　Hive　Primaris；　the　largest　and　most　powerful　hive　on　Thracian；　dawn　brought　a　chorus　of　klaxons　and　a　cacophony　of　bells。
Ministoram　services；　relayed　live　from　the　Monument　of　the　Ecclesiarch；　were　broadcast　on　every　crackling　pict　channel　and　public
vox　service。　The　phlegmy　intonations　of　Cardinal　Palatine　Anderucias　rolled　across　the　street　levels　of　the　great　hive　city；　overlapping
like　some　gigantic　choral　round　due　to　the　echoes　of　doppler　distortion。
Civilians　and　pilgrims　flooded　into　the　streets　of　Hive　Primaris　in　their　millions；　clogging　the　arterial　routes　and　feeder　tunnels；　and
blackening　the　sky　with　their　craft。　Many　were　turned　back　to　surrounding　hives　to　watch　the　proceedings　on　vast　hololithic　screens
raised　in　stadiums　and　amphitheatres　for　the　event。
The　arbites　struggled　to　control　the　flow　of　people　and　keep　the　route　of　the　Triumph　clear。
The　day　cycle　began　brightly。　In　the　night；　flocks　of　dirigibles　from　the　Officium　Meteorologicus　had　seeded　the　smog　fields　and
upper　cloud　levels　with　carbon　black　and　other　chemical　precipitants。　Before　dawn；　sixteen　hundred…kilometre　wide　rainstorms　had
washed　the　clouds　away　and　drenched　the　primary　hives；　sluicing　the　dirt　and　grime　away。　For　the　first　time　in　decades；　the　sky　was
clear。　Not　blue　exactly；　but　clear　of　yellow　pollution　banks。　The　sun's　light　permeated　the　atmosphere　and　the　steepled　ridges　and　high
towers　of　the　hives　glowed。　I　had　heard；　from　informal　sources；　that　this　radical　act　of　weather　control　would　have　profound　ill
consequences　for　the　planet's　already　brutalised　climate　for　decades　to　come。　Reactive　hurricane　storms　were　expected　in　the　southern
regions　before　the　week　was　out；　and　the　drainage　system　of　the　primary　hives　was　said　to　be　choked　to　bursting　by　the　singular
rainfall。
It　was　also　said　that　the　seas　would　die　quicker；　thanks　to　the　overdose　of　pollutants　hosed　into　them　so　suddenly　by　the　rainclearance。
But　the　Lord　Commander　Helican　had　insisted　that　the　sun　shone　on　his　victory　parade。
I　ARRIVED　EARLY　to　take　my　place；　fearing　the　great　flow　of　traffic　into　the　hive。　I　brought　Ravenor　with　me。　We　were　both　dressed　in
our　finest　garb；　emblems　proudly　displayed；　and　wore　ceremonial　weapons。
Medea　Betancore　flew　us　in；　and　landed　us　at　a　reserved　navy　air…station　just　south　of　the　Imperial　armour　depot。　By　the　time　she'd　got
us　on　the　ground；　the　air　routes　were　so　thick　she　had　no　choice　but　to　stay　put　there　for　the　day。　There　was　no　flying　out。　She　bade　us
a　good　day；　and　strolled　away　across　the　pad　to　chat　with　the　ground　crew　servicing　a　Marauder。
A　private　car；　arranged　by　the　Nunciature；　took　Ravenor　and　myself　to　the　hive's　old　Founding　Fields　at　Lempenor　Avenue；　where　the
Inquisition　was　expected　to　gather　to　join　the　march。　Outside　the　windows　of　the　speeding　lifter　limousine；　we　saw　steam　rising　from
the　empty；　rain…washed　streets。　Despite　his　best　efforts；　the　Lord　Commander　Helican　would　have　clouds　before　noon。
I　leant　forward　in　the　car's　passenger　bay　and　straightened　Ravenor's　interrogator　rosette。　He　looked　nervous；　a　look　I　didn't　associate
with　him。　He　also　looked　the　very　image　of　an　inquisitor。　I　realised　he　didn't　look　nervous　so　much　as　just　very　young。　Like　a　man
hurrying　to　join　his　drinking　friends　in　the　Thirsty　Eagle　off　Zansiple　Street。
'What　is　it？'　he　asked；　smiling。
I　shook　my　head。　'This　will　be　quite　a　day；　Gideon。　Are　you　ready　for　it？'
'Absolutely；'　he　said。
I　noticed　he　had　added　the　tribe　badge　of　clan　Esw　Sweydyr　to　the　decoration　of　his　uniform。
'An　appropriate　touch；'　I　remarked；　pointing　to　it。
'I　thought　so；'　he　said。
AT　TEN；　THE　Triumph　began。　A　deafening　roar　of　hooters　and　sirens　blasted　across　the　hive；　followed　by　a　mass　cheer　that　quite　took
my　breath　away。　By　then；　the　streets　were　packed　with　close　on　two　billion　jubilant　citizens。　Two　billion　voices；　raised　as　one。　You
cannot　imagine　it。
IN　SUNLIT　AIR　vibrating　with　colossal　cheering；　the　Great　Triumph　moved　out　from　the　Armour　depot。　It　was　to　follow　an　eighteen
kilometre　route　straight　down　the　kilometre…wide　Avenue　of　the　Victor　Bellum；　right　into　the　heart　of　the　hive　and　the　Monument　of
the　Ecclesiarch。　Millions　lined　the　way；　cheering；　applauding；　waving　banners　and　Imperial　flags。
At　the　front　rolled　eighty　tanks　of　the　Thracian　Fifth；　pennants　quivering　from　their　aerial　masts。　Behind　them；　the　colours　band　of　the
Fiftieth　Gudrunite　Rifles；　pumped　out　the　stately　March　of　the　Primarchs。
Next；　the　standard　bearers：　five　hundred　men　carrying　aloft　the　many　regimental　guidons　and　emblems　representing　the　units　and
regiments　that　had　participated　in　the　Ophidian　Suppression。　It　took　an　hour　for　them　alone　to　all　pass。
On　their　heels　came　the　Great　Standard　of　the　Emperor；　a　vast　aquila　symbol　like　a　clipper's　mainsail；　so　big　it　took　a　stocky；
lumbering；　unbelievably　ancient　dreadnought　of　the　White　Consuls　to　lift　it　and　stop　it　being　carried　away　by　the　wind。　The
dreadnought　was　escorted　by　five　Baneblade　super…heavy　tanks。

Behind　that；　rolled　the　dead。　Every　Imperial　corpse　recovered　from　the　closing　stages　of　the　war；　loaded　in　state　into　fifteen　hundred
Rhino　carriers　painted　black　for　the　duty。　One　hundred　mighty　Space　Marines　of　the　Aurora　Chapter　marched　beside　the　trundling
machines；　holding　up　black…ribboned　placards　on　which　the　names　of　the　dead　were　etched　in　gold　leaf。
It　was　noon　by　the　time　the　marching　ranks　of　the　rest　of　Aurora　Chapter；　all　in　full；　polished　imperator　armour；　moved　by。　The
massive　cheering　had　not　yet　diminished。　After　the　Space　Marines　came　sixty　thousand　Thracian　troops；　thirty　thousand　from　Gudrun；
eight　thousand　from　Messina；　four　thousand　from　Samater。　Breastplates　and　lances　glittered　in　the　sun。　Then　the　navy　officers　from
Battlefleet　Scaras　in　neat　echelons。　Then　the　White　Consuls；　glittering　and　terrifying。
Then　the　endless　files　of　the　Munitorium　and　the　Administratum；　followed　by　the　slow…moving　trains　of　the　Astropathicus。　A　dull
psychic　discharge；　like　corposant；　slithered　and　crackled　around　their　carriages　and　their　heads；　and　left　a　metallic　taste　in　the　air。
The　titans　of　the　Adeptus　Mechanicus　followed　them。　Four　Warlords；　blotting　out　the　sun；　eight　grinding　Warhounds；　and　a　massive
Super…Titan　called　Imperius　Volcanus。　It　was　as　if　significant　sections　of　the　hive　itself　had　detached　and　begun　walking。　The　vast
crowds　hushed　as　they　thumped　past；　man…shaped　mechanisms　as　tall　as　a　steeple；　taller　yet　in　the　case　of　Volcanus。　Their　massive
legs　rose　and　fell　in　perfect　synchronisation。　The　ground　shook。　Unperturbed；　six　hundred　tech…priests　and　magos　of　the　Adeptus
paraded　casually　between　their　feet。
The　tank　brigades　of　the　Narmenians　and　the　Scuterans　followed　the　god…machines。　Five　thousand　armour　units；　rolling　forward　under
a　haze　of　exhaust；　barrels　raised　in　salute。　Tractors　towed　Earthshaker　cannons　behind　them；　three　abreast；　and　then　a　seemingly
endless　flow　of　Hydra　batteries；　traversing　their　multiple　barrels　from　left　to　right；　like　sun…following　flowers。
The　Ecclesiarchy　followed；　led　by　Cardinal　Rouchefor；　who　srode　ahead　of　his　two　thousand　hierarchs　barefoot。　Cardinal　Palatine
Anderucias　awaited　us　all　for　the　blessing　at　the　monument。
From　its　muster　point　at　the　old　Founding　Fields；　tire　Inquisition　fell　in　line　behind　the　priesthood；　six　hundred　strong。
We　were　the　only　part　of　the　Triumph　not　to　march　in　ordered　ranks。　We　simply　strode　behind　the　Ecclesiarch　in　a　sombre　wedge。　We
were　not　uniform。　All　manner　of　men　and　women　filled　our　ranks；　all　manner　of　appearances　and　aspects。　Individuals　walking；
dressed　in　dark　robes　or　leather　capes；　some　with　great　entourages　holding　up　the　trains　of　gaudy　robes；　some　on　lifter　thrones；　some
alone　and　dignified；　some　even　hidden　by　personal　void　shields。　Ravenor　and　I　walked　together　in　the　press；　behind　the　extravagant
ensemble　of　Inquisitor　Eudora。
Lord　Orsini；　the　grandmaster；　led　us；　his　long　purple　vestments　trained　out　behind　him　and　supported　by　thirty　servitors。　At　his　side
strode　Lord　Rorken　of　the　Ordo　Xenos；　Lord　Bezier　of　the　Ordo　Malleus　and　Lord　Sakarof　of　the　Ordo　Hereticu