The Eisenhorn TrilogyXenos(科幻战争)-第20章

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cowering　in　fear　in　the　dark。　Many　displayed　signs　of　psychic　burns　or　telekinetic　welts。
'Imperial　Inquisition；'　I　said　firmly　but　quietly。　'Stay　calm。　Where　is　Esarhaddon？'
Some　flinched　or　moaned　at　the　sound　of　the　name。　A　regal　dowager　in　a　torn　pearlescent　gown　curled　up　in　the　corner　and　began
weeping。
'Quickly…　there's　little　time！　Where　is　he？'　I　thought　to　use　my　will　to　spur　them　into　an　answer；　but　their　minds　had　been　tortured
enough　already　that　night。　Even　a　mild　mental　probe　might　kill　some　of　them。
'W…when　the　lights　went　out；　he　ran…　ran　towards　the　west　exit；'　said　a　blood…soaked　man　dressed　in　what　I　presumed　was　the
uniform　of　the　House　Lange　bodyguard。
'Can　you　show　us？'
'My　leg's　broken…'
'Someone　else　then！　Please！'
'Frewa…　you　go。　Frewa！'　The　bodyguard　gestured　to　a　terrified　page　boy　crouching　behind　a　column。
'Come　on；　lad；　show　us　the　way；'　Roban　said　encouragingly。
The　boy　got　to　his　feet；　his　eyes　white　with　fear。　I　wasn't　sure　if　he　was　more　afraid　of　Esarhaddon　or　the　inquisitors　looming　over
him。
A　COMMUNICATING　HALLWAY　ran　from　the　rear　of　the　banquet　hall　west　towards　the　house's　private　landing　platform。　Specks　of　blood
and　glass　twinkled　along　its　tiled　floor。
I　felt　what　seemed　to　me　a　breath　of　wind　on　my　skin。　An　exit　to　the　outside；　perhaps？
Heavy　blast　shutters　were　prised　open　in　the　entrance　to　the　gloomy　loading　dock。　Past　the　shadowy　shapes　of　several　slumped；
dormant　cargo　servitors；　stood　a　main　hatchway　through　which　cold　exterior　light　flickered。
My　weapon　raised；　I　waved　Roban　and　Inshabel　round　to　the　right。　The　page　boy　cowered　back　in　the　doorway。　The　air　quality　was
changing；　as　if　the　atmosphere　itself　was　stiffening　and　drawing　tight。　Like　some　great　force　gathering　its　breath。
Esarhaddon　was　recovering；　I　was　certain。
Livid　green　light　suddenly　bathed　the　loading　dock；　a　psychometric　flare　accompanying　a　burst　of　savage　psionic　power。　Roban　and　I
staggered；　our　lungs　squeezed　and　fingers　of　telekinesis　thrusting　at　our　minds。　Inshabel　cried　out　as　he　was　bowled　over　from　behind
by　the　page　boy；　Frewa。　Dull…eyed　and　frothing　at　the　mouth；　the　boy　had　been　reduced；　in　an　instant；　to　a　mindless　puppet。　Inshabel
fought；　but　the　boy　was　feral；　and　despite　the　interrogator's　superior　bulk　he　was　pinned。
The　pain　in　my　head　was　intense；　but　I　knew　Esarhaddon　must　still　be　way　below　full　strength。　I　raised　the　strongest　mind　shield　my
abilities　were　able　to　conjure　and　moved　forward。
There　was　a　sudden　grind　of　servo…gears。　A　large　steel　paw　swung　at　my　head　and　I　dived　back。
A　cargo　servitor；　its　metal　carapace　caked　with　verdigris；　rose　up　to　its　full　height　of　three　metres　and　clanked　across　the　deck　towards
me　on　squat　hydraulic　legs。　Plumes　of　steam　squirted　from　its　broad　shoulder　joints　as　it　pistoned　its　arms　at　me　again。　Hot　yellow
dots　of　light　burned　in　the　eye　sockets　of　its　dented　visor。
Despite　its　mechanical　appearance；　the　cargo　drone；　like　all　servitors；　was　built　around　human　organic　components：　brain；　brain…stem；
neural　network；　glands　so　Esarhaddon　could　control　it　just　like　a　standard　human。
It　swung　at　me　again；　and　missed。　The　slicing　limb　had　cut　the　air　with　a　distinct　whistle。
It　was　built　like　a　great　simian：　squat　legs；　barrel　chest；　wide　shoulders　and　long；　thick　arms。　Ideal　for　hefting　heavy　cargo　items　into
the　belly…hold　of　a　liftship。
Ideal　for　smashing　a　human　body　into　gory　paste。
Roban　cried　out　a　warning。　A　second；　larger　cargo　servitor　with　a　long　quadruped　body；　was　also　moving。　Its　body　casing　was　pitted；
brown　metal　and　it　had　a　fork…lifter　assembly　where　its　head　should　have　been；　giving　it　the　appearance　of　a　bull。　The　greased　black
forks　of　the　lifter　lurched　at　Roban；　who　fired　six　or　seven　shots　that　dented　or　bounced　off　the　machine's　chassis。
I　ducked　two　more　slow；　heavy　blows　from　the　ape…servitor。　We　were　losing　precious　time。　With　every　tick　of　the　clock；　Esarhaddon
was　recovering　and　becoming　more　powerful。
I　put　a　bolt　round　into　the　thickest　part　of　the　servitor's　body　and　rocked　it　back；　the　gears　and　pistons　of　its　legs　whining　as　they
compensated　for　the　recoil。

My　power　sword　was　out　now；　the　blade　burning。　Blessed　for　me　by　the　Provost　of　Inx；　it　was　my　weapon　of　choice。　My
swordsmanship　had　always　been　good；　but　Arianrhod　had　instructed　me　in　the　Carthaen　Ewl　Wyla　Scryi　before　her　death。　Ewl　Wyla
Scryi；　literally；　''the　genius　of　sharpness''；　the　Carthaen　way　of　the　sword。
I　made　a　figure　of　eight　turn；　the　ghan　fasl；　and　then　a　back…hand　crosscut；　the　uin　or　reverse　form　of　the　tahn　wyla。
The　stroke　was　good。　The　energised　blade　sliced　clean　through　the　servitor's　left　forearm；　sending　the　massive　manipulator　paw
clattering　to　the　deck。
It　lurched　bodily　at　me；　as　if　enraged；　clawing　with　its　remaining　hand　and　lashing　with　the　fused；　smoking　end　of　its　recently
truncated　limb。
I　made　a　head…height　horizontal　parry　called　the　uwe　sax；　and　then　left　and　right　block　strokes；　the　ulsar　and　the　uin　ulsar。　Sheets　of
sparks　cascaded　from　each　hit　against　its　metal　body。　I　ducked　right　under　the　next　huge　blow；　spun　round　out　of　the　crouch　and　came
up　to　face　it　again　in　time　to　follow　through　with　the　ura　wyla　bei；　the　devastating　diagonal　downslash；　left　to　right。　My　blade　edge
and　tip　sawed　the　servitor's　torso　plating　wide　open　in　an　electrical　flash。
The　exchange　had　given　me　long　enough　to　mentally　identify　the　seat　of　the　servitor's　brain…stem　component；　lit　up　and　glowing　in　my
mind's　eye　with　the　psionic　power　that　drove　it。　It　lay　deep　under　the　carapace　between　the　collar　bones。
One　more　uwe　sar　and　men　the　ewl　caer；　the　deathstroke。　Tip　first；　plunging　clean　through　the　bodywork；　impaling　the　organic　brain。　I
rested　the　crackling　blade　there　for　a　moment　while　the　yellow　dot　eyes　went　out　and　then　ripped　it　clear　again；　sidestepping　as　the
servitor　slammed　down　onto　the　flooring。
'Roban！'　I　called　out；　leaping　over　my　despatched　foe。
But　Roban　was　dead。　The　servitor's　forks　had　his　limp　body　impaled　through　the　belly　and　it　was　shaking　it　as　if　trying　to　dislodge
him。
Inshabel　was　on　his　feet；　tears　streaming　down　his　face　as　he　blasted　at　the　servitor　with　his　autogun。
Cursing；　I　ran　forward；　raised　the　power　sword　with　both　hands　and　swung　it　down　over　the　servitor's　back。　I　doubt　the　Carthaens；　in
all　their　wisdom；　have　a　name　in　the　most　hallowed　Ewl　Wyla　Scryi　for　an　enraged　downstroke　that　severs　the　backbone　and　torso　of　a
servitor。
Inshabel　ran　to　his　dead　master　as　the　servitor　collapsed；　trying　to　pull　the　corpse　clear。
'Later！　Later　for　that！'　I　said；　spiking　the　command　with　my　will。　Inshabel　was　close　to　losing　his　wits　to　anger　and　grief；　and　I　needed
him。
He　snatched　up　his　weapon　and　ran　after　me。
'The　page　boy？'　I　asked。
'I　had　to　hit　him。　I　hope　he's　just　unconscious。'
WE　CAME　OUT　into　the　storm…wracked　night　on　the　palace　landing　pad。　Psychic　lightning　splintered　the　sky　above　us　and　the　wind
lashed　us。　There　was　no　one　on　the　pad　itself；　but　a　fight　was　raging　on　the　lawns　beyond。　I　could　see　eight　figures；　some　robed；　some
dressed　in　the　body　armour　of　the　Interior　Guard；　closing　to　surrounding　a　lone　humanoid　who　crackled　and　glowed　with　spectral
light。　Thorny　jags　of　flame　lit　out　from　the　cornered　figure　and　dropped　one　of　the　guardsmen　as　we　watched。　Esarhaddon。　They　had
Esarhaddon　cornered。
Inshabel　and　I　leapt　down　from　the　pad　…　a　three　metre　drop　onto　the　wet　grass　…　and　ran　to　join　the　fray。
I　could　see　Esarhaddon　clearly　now　despite　the　rain。　A　tall；　almost　naked　man　with　wild　black　hair　and　a　lean；　stringy　body；　corposant
gleaming　and　sliding　around　his　capering　limbs。
We　were　just　ten　metres　from　the　edge　of　the　fight　when　one　of　the　robed　figures　raised　a　bulky　weapon　and　blasted　at　the　rogue
psyker。
A　plasma　gun。
The　violet　beam；　almost　too　bright　to　look　at；　struck　Esarhaddon。　In　his　weakened　state；　he　had　no　defence　against　it。
He　ignited　like　an　incendiary　round　and　burned　from　head　to　foot　in　the　middle　of　the　lawn。
LOWERING　OUR　WEAPONS；　Inshabel　and　I　walked　to　join　the　ring　of　figures　standing　around　the　white　hot　pyre。　As　his　robed　and
hooded　acolytes　murmured　prayers　of　grace　and　del