Storm Of Iron(科幻战争)-第54章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


have　two　Warhounds　left　that　will　not　prove　so　static。　Warhounds　are　not　tall　enough　to　be　targeted　from　beyond　the　walls　and
will　provide　the　best　fire　support。　The　Reavers　and　the　Honoris　Causa　will　need　to　remain　behind　the　curtain　wall　or　they　will　be
destroyed　before　battle　is　joined；　but　they　give　you　a　powerful　reserve　for　a　counterattack。'
Daekian　paused　before　continuing。　'You　are　a　proud　man；　Castellan　Leonid；　but　I　know　you　are　wise　enough　to　see　the　truth　of
this。　Do　not　let　your　anger　towards　the　Legio　blind　you　to　the　sense　of　my　words。'
The　muscles　bunched　in　Leonid's　jaw　and　the　colour　rose　in　his　cheeks。
Captain　Eshara　rose　to　his　full　height　and　stepped　between　the　two　officers。
'Castellan　Leonid；　might　I　interrupt　here？'
Leonid　nodded　and　returned　to　his　seat；　lacing　his　hands　before　him　as　Eshara　circled　the　meeting　table；　collecting　each　officer's
marching　cane。　Each　thin；　silver…topped　cane　was　a　purely　ceremonial　affectation；　carried　tight　under　the　left　arm　by　the　officers
of　the　regiment　during　marching　drill。
When　he　had　gathered　enough　of　the　canes；　he　returned　to　stand　beside　Leonid's　chair；　handing　him　one。
'Break　it；'　he　said。
'Why？'
'Indulge　me。'
Leonid　easily　snapped　the　cane　in　two；　placing　the　splintered　wood　on　the　table。
The　Space　Marine　captain　handed　him　another。　'Again。'
'I　don't　see　what　this　has—'
'Do　it'commanded　Eshara。　Leonid　shrugged　and　snapped　the　second　cane　as　easily　as　the　first；　laying　the　pieces　next　to　the　others。
A　third　cane　was　broken　before　Eshara　picked　up　the　six　pieces　lying　before　the　commander　of　the　Jourans。　He　gathered　them　in　a
bundle；　bound　them　together　with　the　twine　from　the　cheroots　and　handed　them　to　Leonid。
'Now　try　to　break　them；'　he　ordered。
'As　you　wish；'　sighed　Leonid；　gripping　the　thick　bundle　and　twisting。　He　grimaced　with　the　strain　as　he　tried　to　break　the　pieces；
but　without　success。　Eventually　he　was　forced　to　give　up　and　tossed　the　unbroken　bundle　onto　the　table。
'I　cannot；'　he　admitted。
'No；　you　cannot；'　agreed　Eshara；　picking　up　the　bundle　and　placing　his　hand　upon　Leonid's　shoulders。
'When　I　look　around　this　room；　I　see　men　of　courage　standing　firm　in　the　face　of　the　most　dreaded　of　foes　and　it　fills　me　with
pride。　I　have　fought　for　longer　than　any　of　you　have　been　alive。　I　have　faced　enemies　of　all　kinds　and　fought　beside　some　truly
great　warriors。　I　have　never　been　beaten；　so　listen　well。　To　do　battle　in　the　service　of　the　Emperor　you　must　understand　that　you
are　part　of　an　unimaginably　larger　war　and　that　you　cannot　fight　for　yourself。　That　way　lies　damnation　and　ruin。　Together　you　are
stronger　than　adamantium；　but　if　you　do　not　stand　as　one；　you　will　all　be　broken　like　these　canes。　Castellan　Vauban　knew　this。　He
may　have　been　angry　with　certain　decisions　that　were　made　in　the　past；　but　he　knew　not　to　put　his　own　feelings　before　the　welfare
of　his　command。'
Eshara　marched　to　the　Jouran　regimental　flag　and　lifted　it；　tracing　his　finger　along　the　hand…stitched　lettering　of　the　embroidered
scroll　at　its　base。
'Your　regimental　motto；　Castellan　Leonid：　Fortis　cadere；　cadere　non　protest。　Tell　me　what　it　means。'
'It　means；　〃the　brave　man　may　fall；　but　will　never　yield〃。'
'Exactly；'　said　Eshara；　pointing　down　the　table。　'And　Magos　Naicin；　is　〃Strength　through　Unity〃　not　one　of　your　order's
aphorisms？'
'One　of　many；'　conceded　Naicin。
Eshara　nodded　towards　Princeps　Daekian。　'Princeps？　Your　Legio's　motto　if　you　please。'
'Inveniam　viam　aut　faciam。　It　means；　〃I　will　either　find　a　way；　or　I　shall　make　one〃'
'Very　good；'　nodded　Eshara　returning　to　his　seat。　'Do　you　all　understand？　I　have　been　here　but　a　short　time；　but　already　I　see
division　amongst　you。　Such　petty　squabbling　must　be　put　aside。　There　can　be　no　other　way。'
Leonid　looked　at　the　unbroken　bundle　of　canes　before　him　and　rubbed　his　hand　across　his　unshaven　jaw　before　rising　to　address
his　men。
'Captain　Eshara　speaks　with　a　truth　and　clarity　we　have　lost。　Gentlemen；　from　this　moment　on；　we　are　a　brotherhood　united　in　our
holy　cause；　and　I　will　have　words　with　any　man　who　dares　put　that　brotherhood　asunder。'
Leonid　marched　towards　the　end　of　the　table　to　stand　before　Princeps　Daekian；　who　rose　from　his　seat。　The　Castellan　of　Hydra
Cordatus　drew　the　sword　Daekian　had　given　him　and　bowed　as　he　presented　it　to　its　rightful　owner。
'I　believe　this　belongs　to　you；'　he　said。
Daekian　nodded；　proffering　his　hand　to　Leonid。　'You　keep　it；　Castellan　Leonid。　It　looks　better　on　you。　I　have　another。'
'As　you　wish；'　smiled　Leonid；　scabbarding　the　sword　and　accepting　Daekian's　grip。
The　two　men　shook　hands　then　Leonid　rounded　the　table　to　face　Magos　Naicin。
'Magos。　Any　help　you　could　give　us　would　be　gratefully　received。'
Graham　McNeill　？Storm　of　Iron？
Naicin　stood　and　bowed。　'I　am　your　servant；　colonel。'
Leonid　shook　Naicin's　gloved　hand　and　nodded　his　thanks　to　Captain　Eshara。
Perhaps　he　could　hold　this　brotherhood　together　after　all。
TWO
HONSOU　KICKED　OVER　a　blasted　chunk　of　rubble。　Squatting　on　his　haunches；　he　picked　up　a　handful　of　rock　dust　and　let　it　spill
through　his　mechanical　fingers。　The　new　arm　pleased　him　mightily；　it　was　stronger　and　more　robust　than　his　own　had　been。　It　had
originally　belonged　to　Kortrish；　the　Warsmith's　former　champion；　and　was　a　physical　indication　of　his　master's　favour。　Honsou
was　surprised　by　the　Warsmith's　sudden　favour；　since　he　had　equalled；　if　not　exceeded　his　deeds　in　the　battery　many　times　before。
He　was　also　sure　that　Forrix　must　have　told　the　Warsmith　how　Honsou　had　failed　to　kill　everyone　in　his　initial　attacks　and　thus
was　responsible　for　the　destruction　unleashed　by　the　torpedo。　Since　that　time　Honsou　had　been　unable　to　make　contact　with　Goran
Delau；　and　was　forced　to　assume　that　his　second…in…command　had　failed。
But　if　that　were　the　case；　why　then　did　the　Warsmith　honour　him　so？
Perhaps　in　part　it　was　due　to　the　cleansing　presence　of　the　daemon　that　had　briefly　possessed　his　unworthy　flesh。　Had　it　stripped
away　the　polluted　gene…seed　within　him　in　the　searing　fire　of　its　occupancy；　to　make　him　pure？　The　magnitude　of　the　power　he
had　felt　in　those　fleeting　moments　had　been　intoxicating　and　though　he　knew　it　would　mean　oblivion；　he　longed　for　its　touch　once
again。　His　body　was　still　healing　after　the　daemon's　blissful　violation　and；　though　he　was　unsure；　he　believed　he　could　feel　some
lingering　remnants　of　its　presence　within　him。
Had　the　Warsmith　also　sensed　it；　recognising　a　kindred　power　within　him？
Kroeger　had　been　livid　and　Forrix　dangerously　quiet　following　their　admonishment　by　the　Warsmith；　and　Honsou　had　stayed　clear
of　both　captains　since　then。　Kroeger　had；　unsurprisingly；　chosen　to　vent　his　frustrations　on　prisoners；　slaking　his　anger　in　their
bloody　entrails。　Honsou　wondered　how　long　it　would　be　before　Kroeger　irretrievably　descended　into　madness　to　become　just
another　faceless　berserker。
The　Warsmith　had　then　charged　Forrix　and　his　warriors　with　the　thankless　task　of　constructing　and　advancing　the　final　sap。
Honsou　smiled　to　himself　at　the　thought　of　Forrix；　commander　of　the　First　grand　company；　labouring　in　the　trenches；　a　task　that
had　surely　been　earmarked　for　Honsou　and　his　impure　company。
The　trenches　were　still　knee　deep　in　ash；　despite　the　hundreds　of　slaves　working　constantly　to　clear　them。　Looking　around　him；　he
knew　there　was　no　way　that　the　siegeworks　were　going　to　be　at　the　walls　within　the　ten　days　the　Warsmith　had　demanded。
The　final　sap　was　pushing　forward　to　the　head　of　the　central　ravelin；　but　its　progress　was　maddeningly　slow。　This　close　to　the
citadel；　the　angle　of　each　zigzag　arm　of　the　sap　had　to　be　dug　in　increasingly　shallower　angles　as　they　came　within　range　of　the
weapons　carried　by　the　soldiers　on　the　walls。　Whereas　the　saps　dug　forward　from　the　first　and　second　parallels　were　constructed
by　piling　excavated　earth　onto　the　forward　edge　of　the　trench；　this　sap　had；　by　necessity；　to　be　advanced　with　much　more　care　and
sophistication。　Most　of　the　surviving　slaves　（and　there　were　precious　few　left；　thanks　to　the　Imperial　torpedo）　were　digging　out
what　materials　and　supplies　had　survived　the　destruction　of　Tor　Christo　back　in　the　campsite；　while　the　Ir