Storm Of Iron(科幻战争)-第53章

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As　the　pallbearers　entered　the　Sepulchre；　a　lone　voice　sounded　from　the　ranks　of　the　assembled　soldiers；　'383rd；　present　arms！'
The　sound　of　two　thousand　men　slamming　their　heels　down　on　the　steps　echoed　from　the　mountainsides　and　the　valley　resounded
to　the　deafening　salute　of　rifles　firing　in　perfect　unison。
THE　BRIEFING　CHAMBER　was　hot；　despite　the　chill　of　the　day；　as　the　citadel's　commanding　officers　filed　into　the　room。　Even
though　he　was　now　in　command　of　the　Jouran　Dragoons；　Leonid　was　not　sitting　at　the　head　of　the　meeting　table；　but　in　his　usual
seat　to　the　right　of　Vauban's　chair。
He　watched　as　the　officers　of　his　regiment　…　his　regiment　now；　the　thought　had　not　yet　sunk　in　…　entered　the　briefing　chamber；
Graham　McNeill　？Storm　of　Iron？
saluting　before　they　took　their　seats。　They　looked　to　him　for　leadership　now；　and　he　just　hoped　he　could　provide　it。
Vauban　had　been　a　natural　leader　who　made　command　look　effortless；　but　the　last　two　days　had　shown　Leonid　how　difficult　it
truly　was。　Every　day；　a　hundred　decisions　had　to　be　made　and　each　one　had　potentially　life…threatening　consequences。　Could　he
really　take　charge　of　the　regiment　and　command　the　citadel's　defences？　He　didn't　know。
Morgan　Kristan　and　Piet　Anders　took　their　usual　seats。　Opposite　them　sat　the　two　leaders　of　the　Imperial　Fists　detachment：
Brother…Captain　Eshara　and　Librarian　Corwin；　their　polished　armour　a　brilliant　yellow。　Leonid　felt　grateful　for　their　support　and
knew　he　would　need　to　rely　on　them　more　than　ever　over　the　coming　days　now　that　Vauban　was　gone。　Princeps　Daekian　and
Magos　Naicin　were　also　present；　but　their　placement　further　down　the　table　was　indicative　of　their　status　as　pariahs　to　the　Jourans。
Major　Kristan　lifted　the　bottle　of　amasec　from　the　tray　at　the　table's　centre　with　his　good　arm　and　poured　a　glass　for　himself；
Leonid　and　Anders　before　also　filling　the　glasses　at　the　empty　seats　of　Vauban　and　Tedeski。　He　offered　the　two　Space　Marines　a
drink；　but　both　politely　refused。　Pointedly；　he　did　not　offer　a　drink　to　the　new　commanding　officer　of　the　Legio　Ignatum　or　the
representative　of　the　Adeptus　Mechanicus。　Piet　Anders　took　out　a　bundle　of　thin；　twine…bound　cheroots；　the　kind　Vauban　had
enjoyed；　from　inside　his　uniform　jacket　and　offered　them　around　the　table。　All　the　Jouran　officers　took　one　in　honour　of　their
former　leader；　but　again　the　Space　Marines　declined。
Once　the　drinks　were　poured　and　the　cigars　lit；　Leonid　raised　his　glass；　sweeping　his　eyes　around　the　regimental　colours　and
shields　mounted　on　the　wall。　So　many　men　had　garrisoned　this　place；　so　many　forgotten　heroes。　He　promised　himself　that　Prestre
Vauban　would　not　go　unremembered。
'To　Castellan　Prestre　Vauban；'　toasted　Leonid；　raising　his　glass。
'Castellan　Vauban；'　repeated　the　officers；　draining　their　amasec　in　a　single　gulp。
Leonid　took　a　draw　on　the　cheroot；　coughing　as　the　acrid　smoke　caught　in　his　throat。　A　few　chuckles　greeted　his　discomfort。　They
all　knew　he　disapproved　of　such　vices。
'Gentlemen；'　began　Leonid；　grimacing　in　distaste　at　the　smoking　cheroot。　'It　has　been　over　three　weeks　since　this　siege　began；　and
though　it　has　been　hard　and　we　have　seen　good　friends　fall；　we've　given　these　Chaos　scum　a　bloody　nose　they'll　not　forget。
Regardless　of　the　eventual　outcome　of　this　battle；　I　want　you　all　to　know　that　you　have　done　all　that　honour　demands　and　I　am
proud　to　have　fought　beside　you。'
Indicating　the　Space　Marine　on　his　immediate　left；　Leonid　continued。　'Captain　Eshara　informs　me　that　the　Imperium　is　now　aware
of　our　plight；　and　that　relief　is　en　route　to　us　even　as　we　speak。　Captain　Eshara　expects　aid　to　arrive　within—'
'Fifteen　to　twenty　days　at　the　most；'　said　Eshara；　his　voice　clipped　and　regal。　'Fortunately；　there　is　an　Adeptus　Mechanicus
astrotelepath　way…station　less　than　twenty　light　years　from　where　we　picked　up　your　distress　call　and　naval　vessels　are　within　easy
reach。　The　alert　code　we　encrypted　in　the　communique　will　ensure　swift　reaction。'
Smiles　broke　out　across　the　table　and　hands　were　shaken　in　congratulation　as　Leonid　pressed　on。　Aid　is　on　its　way；　but　in　order　to
maintain　discipline　I　do　not　want　that　fact　to　become　common　knowledge。　When　the　soldiers　ask；　tell　them　only　that　we　are
expecting　to　be　relieved；　but　not　when。　Make　no　mistake；　the　enemy　will　now　be　more　determined　than　ever　to　avenge　their　defeat
in　the　battery。'
'Your　castellan　is　correct；'　said　Librarian　Corwin；　leaning　forward　and　steepling　his　fingers　before　him。　His　face　was　still　drawn
and　pale　from　the　effort　of　shielding　the　Jourans　from　the　Chaotic　energies　of　the　war　machines。
'The　guns　you　destroyed　in　the　battery　were　more　than　simple　weapons　of　war；　they　were　imbued　with　terrifying　daemonic
entities；　conjured　into　the　machines　with　the　blood　of　innocents　and　diabolical　pacts　made　with　the　Ruinous　Powers。　The
destruction　unleashed　in　the　battery　will　have　caused　many　of　those　pacts　to　be　broken　and　the　Iron　Warriors　will　need　blood　to
restore　them。　Our　blood。'
'You　know　a　great　deal　about　the　Iron　Warriors；　sir。　Is　there　anything　you　can　tell　us　that　will　help　us　fight　them？'　asked　Piet
Anders。
Corwin　nodded；　saying；　'The　Iron　Warriors　are　amongst　the　most　terrible　foes　the　Imperium　has　ever　seen。　Once；　ten　thousand
years　ago；　they　were　counted　amongst　the　Emperor's　most　favoured　sons；　his　best　and　bravest　fighters；　but　they　became　bitter　and
twisted　as　the　long　wars　of　the　Great　Crusade　continued；　their　own　desires　taking　precedence　over　their　duty　to　the　Emperor。
When　the　Great　Betrayer；　whose　cursed　name　I　will　not　speak；　rebelled　against　our　lord　and　master；　the　Iron　Warriors　renounced
their　oaths　of　loyalty　and　joined　him　in　war　against　the　Emperor。　Much　of　the　truth　of　these　days　has　been　lost；　but　what　is　true　is
that　the　Iron　Warriors　desecrated　the　holy　soil　of　Terra；　using　skills　honed　by　constant　warfare　to　breach　the　walls　designed　by　our
holy　Primarch；　Rogal　Dorn。　The　biggest　mistake　you　can　make　is　to　underestimate　the　Iron　Warriors。　Yes；　they　have　suffered　a
grievous　blow　with　the　loss　of　their　daemon　engines；　but　they　will　find　other　ways　of　striking　back　at　us。　And　we　must　be　ready
for　them。'
'Librarian　Corwin　is　correct；'　stated　Leonid。　'We　must　do　everything　we　can　to　be　ready　for　when　they　come　at　us　again。'　He
pushed　back　his　chair　and　stubbed　out　the　cheroot；　rising　to　circle　the　table　with　long　paces。
We　need　to　get　the　parapets　repaired　so　we　can　put　men　behind　them　again。　We　need　to　remount　the　guns　on　the　walls　as　I　have　no
doubt　that　they　are　digging　fresh　trenches　towards　us　even　now　and　I　want　them　hammered　every　second　of　every　day　and　every
night。'
'I　am　not　sure　if　we　have　the　ammunition　stockpiles　to　maintain　such　levels　of　expenditure；　Colonel　Leonid；'　pointed　out　Magos
Naicin。
Leonid　didn't　bother　to　mask　his　contempt　for　the　magos。　'Naicin；　when　I　want　your　input　I　shall　ask　for　it。　Understand　this：　the
more　powder　we　burn　now；　the　less　blood　my　men　will　shed　when　the　final　assault　comes。'
Turning　from　the　magos；　he　said；　'I　want　the　platoons　in　each　battalion　divided　into　shifts；　six　hours　on　the　walls；　six　hours　off。
The　men　are　exhausted　and　I　want　the　soldiers　manning　the　ramparts　to　be　at　their　best。　But　drill　them　hard　in　manning　the　walls。
When　an　alert　signal　is　given；　I　want　every　soldier　on　the　walls　in　an　instant。'
Anders　and　Kristan　nodded；　taking　notes　on　their　personal　data…slates。　Princeps　Daekian　scribbled　one　last　note　before　asking；
Graham　McNeill　？Storm　of　Iron？
'What　can　the　Legio　do　to　help？'
Leonid　glanced　down　the　table。
'I　don't　know。　What　can　the　Legio　do？'　he　growled。
Daekian　stood　stiffly；　clasping　his　hands　behind　his　back。
'Until　the　enemy　cross　the　outer　walls；　not　a　great　deal；'　he　admitted。
'Then　what　use　are　you　to　me？'　snapped　Leonid。
Daekian　continued　smoothly；　as　though　Leonid　had　not　spoken。　'But　if　the　enemy　do　carry　the　walls；　we　can　cover　your　retreat　to
the　inner　curtain　wall　more　efficiently。'
Seeing　Leonid's　sceptical　look；　Daekian　smiled　grimly；　'Wall…mounted　guns　can　be　quickly　bracketed　and　destroyed；　believe　me。　I
have　two　Warhounds　left　that　will　not　prove　so　static。　Warhounds　are　not　tall　enough　to　be　targete