Storm Of Iron(科幻战争)-第3章

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He　fired　the　rifle；　laughing　as　his　shot　punched　into　the　figure's　chest。　The　massive　silhouette　reeled；　but　didn't　fall。　Hawke
unloaded　the　remainder　of　the　power　cell　through　the　door；　shot　after　shot。　He　laughed　as　he　finally　managed　to　pull　Hitch's　body
inside　the　bunker　and　slammed　himself　against　the　door…closing　handle。
'Ha！　Get　in　now；　you　fraggers！'　he　shouted　at　the　closing　door；　whooping　with　excitement。
Something　clattered　on　the　ground　as　the　door　finally　shut　and　the　laughter　died　in　his　throat　as　he　saw　the　two　gently　spinning
grenades　at　his　feet。
'Oh　no…'　he　whispered。
Instinctively　he　kicked　out；　sending　them　skittering　across　the　sloping　floor　to　the　grenade　sump；　a　deep　and　narrow　trench　cut
into　the　floor　at　the　wall　of　the　listening　post　for　just　such　an　emergency。　The　first　grenade　dropped　into　the　sump；　but　the　second
bounced　clear；　rolling　back　towards　him。
Dropping　everything；　he　sprinted　for　cover　behind　the　vox…panel。
The　grenade　exploded。
Fire　and　shrapnel；　blinding　light　and　ringing　eardrums。　Blood　and　noise　as　the　bunker　became　a　raging　inferno。
Guardsman　Hawke　screamed　as　fire　and　whickering　fragments　lashed　his　body。　The　force　of　the　explosion　picked　him　up　and
slammed　him　against　the　wall　of　the　listening　post。
Graham　McNeill　？Storm　of　Iron？
Bright　lights　sunburst　before　his　eyes　and　pain　swallowed　him　whole。　He　had　time　to　scream　once　before　the　pressure　wave
snatched　the　breath　from　his　lungs；　slamming　his　head　into　the　wall　and　taking　the　pain　away。
As　THE　DUST　settled；　Honsou　stepped　across　the　shattered　threshold　and　surveyed　the　devastated　remains　of　the　bunker。　Blood
clotted　on　his　chest　where　the　Guardsman　had　shot　him。
But　that　was　the　least　of　his　concerns。　The　Imperial　lackey　had　turned　his　carefully　planned　assault　into　a　bloodbath。
Two　of　his　men　were　dead；　blown　away　in　the　first　roar　of　the　assault　cannon。
A　couple　of　grenades　into　the　bunker　had　silenced　the　cannon；　however。　Frags　weren't　the　most　powerful　grenades；　but　contained
within　the　cramped　confines　of　this　bunker　they　had　been　devastating。
He　kicked　the　blackened；　smouldering　corpse　of　the　Guardsman；　venting　his　frustration　on　the　dead　body。　He　ducked　below　the
lintel　of　the　bunker；　black　smoke　pouring　from　its　interior；　and　stood　erect。　Almost　as　tall　as　the　bunker；　Honsou　was　a　giant　of　a
warrior。　He　was　clad　in　power　armour　the　colour　of　burnished　iron；　its　surfaces　pitted　and　scored　by　three　months　of　living　in　the
hostile　environment　of　Hydra　Cordatus。　He　wiped　the　dust　clogging　his　visor　and　engaged　the　illuminator　on　his　shoulder。　The
powerful　glow　cast　a　stark　light　across　his　armour；　shadowing　his　moulded　breastplate　and　the　symbol　of　the　Iron　Warriors　on　his
right　shoulder　guard。
He　crunched　through　the　dust　and　trained　his　gaze　further　down　the　mountains　towards　the　spaceport。　He　could　barely　make　it　out
through　the　dust　clouds；　and　knew　the　storm　was　beginning　to　blow　itself　out。　They　must　move　quickly。
He　had　lost　two　men；　but；　in　the　end；　he　supposed　it　did　not　matter。　With　two　listening　posts　down；　they　now　had　a　narrow　blindspot
running　towards　the　spaceport　and　he　had　more　than　enough　men　to　successfully　complete　his　mission。
He　voxed　the　remainder　of　his　warriors。
'We　are　clear　now。　All　teams　close　on　me　and　move　out。'
TWO
JERICHO　FALLS　SPACEPORT　squatted　at　the　foot　of　the　mountains；　a　glowing　beacon　of　light　in　the　greyness　of　the　dust　storm。　Such
storms　were　not　uncommon　on　Hydra　Cordatus；　and　were　just　one　of　the　unpleasant　phenomenon　that　simply　had　to　be　endured。
A　typical　Imperial　military　establishment；　it　boasted　a　collection　of　three　dozen　buildings；　ranging　from　armoured　hangars　for
Marauder　and　Lightning　aircraft；　fuel　stations　and　mess　halls　to　barracks　and　maintenance　sheds。　The　landing　strips　and　hardened
runways　covered　over　eighty　per　cent　of　the　ground　enclosed　by　the　three　metre　high　perimeter　walls；　enough　to　land　or　launch　an
entire　attack　wing　of　aircraft　in　under　five　minutes。　Vast　supply　shuttles；　each　capable　of　landing　a　Battle　Titan；　could　be　handled
by　the　base；　though　it　had　been　many　years　since　anything　larger　than　a　Thunderhawk　gunship　had　availed　itself　of　the　facilities。
The　command　post　of　the　spaceport　was　housed　in　what　was　known　by　the　soldiers　as　''The　Hope''；　due　to　an　oft…repeated　mantra
amongst　the　Guardsmen　stationed　on　Hydra　Cordatus　that　they　hoped　not　to　pull　duty　at　Jericho　Falls。　A　thick；　armoured　tower
with　a　flattened　disc　on　top；　set　on　the　northern　edge　of　the　landing　fields；　the　Hope　was　protected　by　reinforced　rockcrete　walls；
which　in　turn　were　plated　in　sheets　of　adamantium　specially　commissioned　from　the　shipyards　of　Calth。　Howling　winds　swept
across　the　open　ground　of　the　base；　whipping　the　abrasive　dust　into　every　fold　and　crease　of　a　soldier's　uniform；　getting　into
mouths　and　behind　goggles　to　choke　and　blind。
The　only　way　in　or　out　of　the　Hope　was　through　an　adamantium　door　that　required　four　gigantic　pistons　to　open。
Five　companies　of　the　Jouran　Dragoons　were　stationed　here；　housed　in　reinforced　barracks　and　a　hardened　hangar。　Green　and　red
lights　winked　on　the　numerous　landing　platforms　and　runways；　and　powerful　arc　lights　fought　to　penetrate　the　swirling　dust　and
illuminate　the　outer　perimeter　of　the　base。　Patrol　vehicles；　their　engines　modified　to　resist　the　intake　of　dust；　circled　the　base；　their
headlights　feebly　piercing　the　gloom。
THE　ATMOSPHERE　WITHIN　the　Hope　was　subdued。　This　close　to　dawn　was　always　slow；　no　different　from　any　other　time　of　the
day。　An　hour　before　the　shift　change；　the　staff　were　tired　and　restless。　The　soft　ticking　of　logic　engines　and　hushed　conversations
with　patrolling　vehicles　and　soldiers　were　the　only　sounds。
Operator　Three；　Koval　Peronus；　rubbed　his　grainy　eyes　and　took　a　hit　of　caffeine。　It　was　cold；　but　did　the　job。　Once　again　he
leaned　towards　the　vox…panel。
'Listening　post　Sigma　IV；　come　in　please；'　he　said。　A　burst　of　static　was　his　only　answer。　He　checked　the　time。　It　had　been　two
hours　and　ten　minutes　since　Hawke's　last　check…in。　He　was　late。　Again。
'Listening　post　Sigma　IV；　come　in。　Hawke；　I　know　you're　there；　so　pick　up　the　damn　vox！'
Disgusted；　Koval　dropped　the　vox…handset　and　took　another　gulp　of　caffeine。　Trust　bloody　Hawke　to　put　a　spanner　in　the　works。
He'd　try　once　more　and　if　he　couldn't　get　an　answer　then　he'd　have　to　kick　it　higher　and　tough　luck　to　Hawke。
He　called　again。　Nothing。
'Okay；　Hawke。　It's　your　butt　if　you　want　to　sleep　on　the　job　again；'　he　whispered　and　thumbed　the　vox…link　connecting　his　panel　to
the　adept's　station。
'Yes；　Operator　Three？'　answered　Adept　Cycerin。
'Sorry　to　disturb　you；　adept；　but　we　may　have　a　problem。　One　of　the　surveyor　stations　has　not　checked　in　and　I　can't　raise　them。'
'Very　well；　I　shall　be　there　directly。'
'Yes；　adept；'　replied　Koval；　lounging　back　and　waiting　for　his　superior。
Hawke　was　for　it　this　time。　He'd　already　been　busted　onto　report；　ending　up　in　the　mountains　and　if　this　was　another　of　his　classic
screw…ups；　then　he　was　finished　as　a　Guardsman。
Adept　Cycerin　appeared　at　his　shoulder　and　leaned　over　the　panel；　the　rasping　static　of　his　vox…amp　in　his　throat　hissing　in
displeasure。　He　smelt　of　incense　and　oil。
Graham　McNeill　？Storm　of　Iron？
'Who　is　stationed　at　Sigma　IV？'　he　asked。
'Hawke；　Charedo　and　Hitch。'
The　adept's　vox…amp　crackled　in　what　Koval　took　to　be　a　sigh　of　frustration；　apparently　Hawke's　reputation　had　spread　even　to　the
priests　of　the　Machine　God。
'I've　tried　them　three　times；　adept。　I　can't　even　get　the　standby　signal。'
'Very　well。　Keep　trying；　but　if　you　still　can't　raise　them　after　another　ten　minutes；　send　a　flight　of　ornithopters　to　investigate。　Keep
me　informed。'
'Yes；　adept。'
There　would　be　no　saving　Hawke　this　time。
HONSOU　COULD　SEE　the　hazy　glow　of　the　spaceport　just　ahead。　The　bobbing　lights　of　a　vehicle　wove　their　way　through　the　gloom；
a　pair　of　sweeping　beams　swinging　in　their　direction。　He　dropped　to　his　knees　and　raised　his　fist。　Behind　him；　thirty　armoured
figures　dropped　to　their　knees；　bolters　at　the　ready。　It　was　unlikely　that　the　vehicle's　beams　could　penetrate　the　thick；　dusty　air　as
far　as　their　position；　but　there　was　no