Storm Of Iron(科幻战争)-第32章

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his　feet　and　staggered　drankenly　after　the　iron　monster。
The　thing　wasn't　hard　to　find；　it　was　rumbling　slowly　after　his　men；　slaughtering　them　with　bursts　of　gunfire　and　shells　from　its
main　gun。　Leonid　screamed　himself　hoarse　at　the　traitors　within；　skidding　to　a　halt　less　than　ten　metres　from　the　rear　of　the　tank
Graham　McNeill　？Storm　of　Iron？
and　raising　Corde's　plasma　gun。
He　squeezed　the　trigger　twice　in　quick　succession；　sending　bolts　of　white…hot　plasma　energy　towards　the　tank。　The　shots　impacted
squarely　on　the　thin　rear　armour　and　punched　through　it　easily；　instantaneously　igniting　the　tank's　fuel　and　ammo。　The　tank
exploded　in　a　red　fireball；　the　turret　buckling　from　the　pressure　of　internal　detonations。　The　Shockwave　swatted　Leonid　down；　his
chest　searing　in　pain　as　he　fell。
Black　smoke　plumed　from　the　ruptured　tank　and　Leonid　screamed　in　fury　as　another　shape　came　running　towards　him　through　the
battle。　He　swung　the　plasma　gun　up；　but　it　was　still　recharging。　Angrily；　he　tossed　the　weapon　aside　and　reached　for　his　lasgun　as
Sergeant　Ellard　emerged　from　the　smoke。
The　sergeant　didn't　waste　any　time；　hauling　his　commanding　officer　to　his　feet　and　dragging　him　away　from　the　blazing　wreck。
CARLSEN　CRUSHED　ANOTHER　vehicle　beneath　his　heavy　tread　and　sidestepped　as　another　tried　to　ram　him。　He　groaned　with　effort
as　he　spun　the　agile　Warhound　on　its　central　axis　and　unleashed　a　short　volley　into　the　tank's　rear。　The　ammo　requirements　for　his
main　guns　were　eating　into　the　reserve　hoppers　and　he　knew　that；　at　this　current　level　of　engagement；　his　guns　would　be　empty　in
minutes。
And　then　this　battle　would　be　all　over。　Moderati　Arkian　had　worked　miracles；　coaxing　the　Machine　Spirit　to　invest　their　shields
once　more；　and　without　a　second　to　spare　as　that　damned　Land　Raider　had　come　at　them　again。　Once　again　it　had　stripped　him　of
his　protective　shields　before　the　Jure　Divinu　had　flanked　it　and　blown　it　back　to　the　warp。　Some　warriors　had　gotten　out；　but
before　he　could　bring　his　weapons　to　bear　and　finish　them　off；　they　were　swallowed　up　in　the　smoke　and　confusion。
If　they　could　just　hold　on　a　little　longer；　then　they　would　be　back　within　the　visual　range　of　the　citadel　and　its　guns。　Then　they
would　be　safe。
FORRIX　CHARGED　ACROSS　a　crater；　a　loop　of　razor　wire　trailing　from　his　leg；　and　worked　the　fire　of　his　storm　bolter　across　the
backs　of　some　cowering　Guardsmen　sheltering　in　its　base。　Across　the　battlefield　he　could　see　Kroeger　slaughtering　a　clutch　of
soldiers　unlucky　enough　to　have　been　outpaced　and　cut　off。
Forrix　paused　in　his　charge　and　his　eyes　narrowed　as　he　watched　the　slaughter…maddened　frenzy　with　which　the　young…blood
butchered　the　enemy　soldiers。　His　silver　armour；　gleaming　and　pristine　before　the　battle；　was　now　soaked　in　gore；　its　iconography
obscured　by　glistening　blood。　Kroeger　was　going　too　far　now；　the　call　of　the　Blood　God　too　strong　for　him　to　resist。
Honsou　appeared　on　his　right　flank；　leading　his　men　forward　in　good　order；　firing　and　moving；　firing　and　moving。　Much　as　he
hated　to　admit　it；　the　half…breed　was　an　adept　commander；　despite　his　mixed　blood。
The　battle　had　devolved　into　a　series　of　smaller　engagements　now　that　the　main　Imperial　offensive　had　been　routed。　There　was
little　point　in　continuing　the　pursuit；　those　units　that　had　escaped　were　so　badly　mauled　that　they　were　unlikely　ever　to　regain　field
readiness。
All　that　remained　was　to　slay　the　Titan。
With　blissful　synchronicity；　the　smoke　parted　and　there　it　was　before　him；　its　red　and　yellow　carapace　blazing　in　the　sunlight。　Its
snarling　face　challenged　him　to　fight　it。
'You　task　me…'　he　whispered；　'You　task　me；'　and　set　off　to　meet　this　armoured　monster；　but　as　suddenly　as　it　had　appeared；　it
turned　and　set　off　at　speed　into　the　smoke。
Cheated　of　his　prey；　Forrix　halted　and　whispered；　'Another　time；　beast…'
LEONID　STUMBLED　AND　lurched　across　the　wasteland　before　the　citadel；　each　breath　hot　in　his　chest。　Were　it　not　for　Sergeant
Ellard's　support；　he　would　surely　have　collapsed。
He　could　hear　the　cries　of　the　enemy　close　behind；　and　the　screams　of　those　they　had　caught。
Suddenly　he　caught　sight　of　three　massive　forms　standing　just　at　the　edge　of　sight　before　him　and；　as　Ellard　continued　pushing
him　forward；　he　almost　laughed　with　relief　as　the　shapes　resolved　themselves　into　the　welcome　form　of　two　Reaver　Battle　Titans
and　a　Warlord。
But　as　he　drew　nearer　he　saw；　with　a　mounting　sense　of　horror；　that　the　Titans　were　horrendously　damaged。　Their　carapaces　were
buckled　and　scorched　by　repeated　weapon　impacts。　What　had　happened　to　these　war　machines？　As　he　took　in　the　scale　of　the
damage　he　realised　again　the　terrible　nature　of　the　foe　they　faced　here　and　the　folly　of　underestimating　them。　Flow　many　lives　had
been　lost　today　because　of　such　a　mistake？
Two　Warhounds　lurched　backwards　through　the　smoke　and　dust；　their　weapons　firing　controlled　bursts　into　the　ranks　of　the
enemy。　Both　were　damaged；　their　armoured　flanks　scored　and　burned；　but　both　were　still　fighting。
He　watched　as　the　Reavers　and　the　Warlord　opened　fire　and　the　air　exploded　with　the　shocking　noise。　The　Warhounds　gratefully
took　shelter　in　the　shadow　of　their　larger　cousins；　adding　their　own　gunfire　to　the　barrage。
Leonid　stumbled　forward；　past　the　Titans　and　into　the　cover　of　the　guns　of　the　Primus　Ravelin；　relieved　beyond　words　that　he　had
made　it　back　alive。　Fresh　troops　manned　the　firing　step　at　the　edge　of　the　forward　ditch　and　Ellard　passed　him　off　to　a　frightenedlooking
soldier　before　returning　to　the　battlefield　to　see　to　his　men。　Leonid　leant　against　the　wall　of　the　parapet；　cradling　his　head
in　his　hands　as　the　full　horror　of　the　battle　crashed　down　upon　him。
With　those　Dragoons　who　could　escape　now　under　the　protection　of　the　Titans　of　the　Legio　Ignatum　and　the　citadel's　gunners；　the
majority　of　the　enemy　did　not　appear　too　keen　to　continue　the　massacre；　turning　back　to　their　own　lines　with　raucous　cries　and
taunts　on　their　lips。　Some　could　not　contain　their　lust　for　killing　and　tried　in　vain　to　catch　their　victims；　only　to　be　mown　down　by
close　range　fire　from　the　Titans　and　the　columns　of　fire　from　the　ravelin　and　bastions。
Leonid　felt　an　unbelievable　exhaustion　smother　him。　He　put　a　hand　out　to　steady　himself；　but　the　world　spun　crazily　and　he　slid
down　the　wall　and　collapsed　before　the　soldiers　next　to　him　could　catch　him。
Graham　McNeill　？Storm　of　Iron？
FOUR
DESPITE　THE　WARM　wind　that　gusted　across　the　mountain　peaks；　a　shiver　passed　down　Major　Gunnar　Tedeski's　spine　as　he
watched　the　activities　below　the　fortress　of　Tor　Christo。　The　stocky　major　leant　over　the　parapet　of　Kane　bastion；　steadying
himself　with　his　one　arm；　and　tried　to　guess　at　the　number　of　men　working　below　on　the　plains。　At　a　conservative　estimate；　he
guessed　there　were　perhaps　eight　or　nine　thousand　workers　digging　or　otherwise　engaged　in　the　siege…works　below。　The　enemy
was　not　short　of　men　to　dig；　that　was　for　sure；　but　how　many　actual　warriors　faced　him　was　impossible　to　say。
'Uh；　Major　Tedeski；　I'm　not　sure　that's　such　a　good　idea；'　ventured　his　aide…de…camp　Captain　Poulsen；　who　followed　behind　him
clutching　a　data…slate。
'Nonsense；　Poulsen；　these　Chaos　scum　aren't　the　sort　to　go　in　for　snipers。'
'Even　so；　sir；'　reiterated　Poulsen　as　the　boom　of　artillery　echoed　from　the　sides　of　the　valley。
Tedeski　shook　his　head；　saying；　'It's　too　short　to　matter。'
Sure　enough　the　shell　landed　in　the　ruins　of　the　watch…tower；　sending　up　a　plume　of　dust　and　rock　fragments。　The　watchtower　had
been　demolished　after　less　than　a　day's　shelling；　but　it　had　never　been　designed　to　withstand　such　a　comprehensive　bombardment
in　the　first　place。
Tedeski　pulled　back　from　the　parapet　and　continued　his　walk　around　the　perimeter　of　the　bastion's　walls。　Soldiers　sat；　playing　dice
or　sleeping　below　the　level　of　the　parapet。　A　few　scanned　the　ground　before　them；　their　faces　lined　in　exhaustion　and　lack　of　sleep。
The　more　or　less　constant　shelling　had　denied　everyone　sleep；　and　nerves　were　stretched　taut。
In　the　week　since　the　abortive　attack　on　the　traitors'　trench　system　by　the　Legio　Ignatum　and　the　armoured　units　of　the　Dragoons；
the　plateau　had　c