Storm Of Iron(科幻战争)-第69章

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and　the　gate。　Their　massive　bodies　scraped　down　its　face；　trailing　flaming　sheets　of　burning　plasma　and　ripping　another　great　tear
in　the　walls。
Honsou　scrambled　over　the　lip　of　the　ditch；　desperate　to　reach　the　safety　of　the　earthworks。　Forrix　ran　alongside　him；　his　new
bionics　enhancing　his　speed；　despite　the　Terminator　armour　he　wore。
The　two　Titans　slammed　into　the　ground；　the　impact　throwing　Honsou　from　his　feet　and　hurling　him　forward。　He　smashed　into　the
top　of　the　earthwork；　rolling　over　its　top　as　a　river　of　plasma　spilled　from　the　ruptured　reactors　of　the　Titans。
Burning　plasma　flooded　the　ditch；　incinerating　the　corpses　that　filled　it　in　an　instant。　The　Primus　Ravelin　was　destroyed；　crushed
beneath　thousands　of　tonnes　of　armaplas　and　ceramite。　Huge　flames　and　geysers　of　magma…hot　steam　ripped　along　the　ditch；
vitrifying　the　rocks　throughout　its　length。
Razor　sharp　chunks　of　white…hot　debris　rained　down　inside　the　citadel；　one　shard　from　the　Honoris　Causa's　bridge　section
hammering　through　a　section　of　ramparts　less　than　five　metres　from　Castellan　Leonid。
Both　war　machines　thrashed　weakly　in　the　molten　soup　that　filled　the　ditch；　grappling　to　the　last　as　the　searing　fires　consumed
them。
The　first　attack　had　failed。
FIVE
CASTELLAN　LEONID　POURED　himself　a　glass　of　amasec　and　drained　his　glass　in　a　single　swallow。　He　set　down　the　glass　on　his
desk　and　sat　on　the　edge　of　his　bed；　his　entire　body　aching。　He　winced　as　stitches　from　a　dozen　shallow　cuts　pulled　tight　across　his
arms　and　legs；　rubbing　his　temples　in　an　attempt　to　ease　the　pain　of　the　last　few　days。
Such　a　miracle　was　beyond　his　powers。　He　poured　himself　another　glass；　looking　through　the　armoured　loophole　in　the　tower's
wall。　A　dim　glow　still　radiated　from　the　dying　plasma　fires　in　the　ditch　where　the　two　Titans　had　fallen　and　he　raised　his　glass　to
the　light。　'Here's　to　you；　Princeps　Daekian。　May　the　Emperor　watch　over　your　soul。'
He　drank　the　fiery　spirit　and　briefly　considered　pouring　another。　He　decided　against　it；　knowing　he　had　much　to　organise　before
morning。　He　rubbed　a　calloused　hand　through　his　hair　when　a　knock　came　at　his　door。
'Come　in。'
Brother…Captain　Eshara　ducked　his　head　as　he　entered　the　room；　pulling　up　a　sturdy　chair　from　beside　Leonid's　desk　and　sitting
opposite　the　citadel's　castellan。
The　pair　sat　in　a　companionable　silence　before　Eshara　said；　'Your　men　fought　bravely　today。　They　are　a　credit　to　Joura；　and　your
kin　would　be　proud　of　you　all。'
Seeing　Leonid's　sadness；　he　added；　'I　was　grieved　to　hear　of　Major　Anders's　death。'
Leonid　nodded；　remembering　the　awful　sight　of　an　Iron　Warrior　casually　butchering　his　brave　friend　in　the　Primus　Ravelin。
'As　did　yours；　captain。　We　all　feel　Brother　Corwin's　loss。'
Eshara's　face　was　lined　with　sorrow；　'I　do　not　pretend　to　understand　what　happened　in　that　bastion；　but　I　believe　he　gave　his　life　to
save　us　all。'
'As　do　I；'　replied　Leonid。
Reports　of　the　battle　in　the　Mori　bastion　were　confused　to　say　the　least。　The　infirmary　building　was　awash　with　soldier's　ravings；
telling　of　a　giant　warrior　killing　everything　in　the　bastion　by　his　voice　alone　and　a　whirlwind　that　fed　on　blood。　Luckily；　Leonid
had　been　able　to　scotch　these　wild　tales　before　they　had　reached　the　remainder　of　the　garrison。
'Tomorrow　will　be　the　last　day　will　it　not？'　asked　Leonid。
Eshara　didn't　answer　and　Leonid　thought　he　was　avoiding　the　question；　but　the　Space　Marine　had　merely　been　considering　his
answer。
'If　we　do　not　pull　back　to　the　citadel's　inner　wall；　then；　yes；　it　will　be。　We　have　less　than　four　thousand　men；　virtually　no　heavy
guns　and　three　breaches。　The　wall　is　too　long　and　we　cannot　hold　everywhere　at　once。　We　will　make　it　a　thankless；　bloody　battle
for　our　enemies；　but；　ultimately；　the　citadel　will　fall。'
'Then　we　will　give　up　the　outer　wall　and　fall　back　to　the　inner　citadel。　The　wall　there　is　unbroken　and；　despite　its　irregular
coverage；　we　still　have　the　protection　of　the　energy　shield。'
Eshara　nodded。　'Aye。　The　sacrifice　made　by　Princeps　Daekian　has　bought　us　some　time　to　regroup；　and　it　would　be　best　if　we
begin　now。'
'I　will　issue　the　orders　immediately；'　stated　Leonid　pouring　himself　a　last　glass　of　amasec　and　taking　out　his　vial　of　detox　pills。
He　swallowed　one　and　shook　his　head　at　the　dreadful　taste；　placing　the　vial　on　the　desk。
'I　have　observed　your　men　taking　these　pills　as　well；'　noted　Eshara。　'Might　I　enquire　as　to　what　they　are？'
'What；　the　detox　pills？　Oh；　of　course；　you　do　not　need　these　do　you？　Well；　I　don't　suppose　any　of　us　will　need　them　any　more
really。'
Eshara　looked　puzzled　and　said；　'Need　them　for　what？'
'Well；　it's　the　air　here；'　explained　Leonid；　waving　his　hand　around　him；　'It's　poisonous。　The　Magos　Biologis　of　the　Adeptus
Graham　McNeill　？Storm　of　Iron？
Mechanicus　provide　these　pills　to　keep　the　men　from　getting　sick　from　the　toxins　in　the　air。'
Eshara　leaned　closer　and　lifted　the　vial。　He　shook　out　a　handful　of　pills　and　took　what　seemed；　to　Leonid；　an　unnecessarily　deep
breath。
'Castellan　Leonid；　are　you　aware　of　an　organ　unique　to　the　physiology　of　the　Space　Marines　known　as　the　neuroglottis？'
Leonid　shook　his　head　as　Eshara　continued。　'It　is　situated　at　the　back　of　the　throat　and　is　capable　of　analysing　the　chemical　content
of　anything　we　ingest　or　breathe。　If　need　be；　it　can　shift　the　pattern　of　my　breathing　to　divert　my　trachea　to　a　genetically　altered
lung　better　able　to　process　the　toxins　in　any　given　atmosphere。'
Eshara　replaced　the　vial　on　Leonid's　desk　and　said；　'I　am　afraid　you　have　been　misled；　my　friend；　because　I　can　assure　you　that　the
air　on　this　planet　is　quite　harmless。　Unpleasant　to　breathe；　yes；　but　poisonous？　Most　definitely　not。'
LEONID　LET　HIS　anger　grow　with　each　step　that　took　him　towards　the　Machine　Temple；　situated　deep　beneath　the　citadel。　He
clutched　the　vial　of　detox　pills　in　his　left　hand；　his　laspistol　in　his　right；　as　he　made　his　way　along　the　antiseptic　corridors　that　led
to　the　lair　of　Arch　Magos　Amaethon。　Captain　Eshara　was　beside　him　and　his　honour　guard　of　carapace…armoured　Guardsmen
marched　in　step　behind　him。
Now　he　knew　why　Hawke　had　not　sickened　and　died　on　the　mountains。　Now　he　knew　why　the　men　stationed　here　were　afflicted
with　headaches　and　constant　nausea。
Now　he　knew　why　there　were　so　many　flags　and　regimental　plaques　around　the　briefing　chamber。　With　these　''detox''　pills；　it　was
only　a　matter　of　time　until　the　citadel　would　need　another　garrison。
Eshara　had　sampled　one　of　the　pills；　allowing　the　chemicals　to　swill　around　his　mouth　before　spitting　them　into　an　empty　water
jug。
'Poison；'　he　declared　at　last。　'Slow…acting　to　be　sure；　and　subtle　in　its　effects；　but　poison　nonetheless。　There　are　many　chemicals
present　in　this　tablet　I　know　to　be　highly　carcinogenic。　It　is　my　guess　that　after　a　few　years　of　taking　these；　the　victim　would　be
suffering　from　one　or　more　highly　virulent　cancers。'
Leonid　was　horrified　and　stared　in　revulsion　at　the　vial　of　pills　before　the　cold　realisation　of　how　long　he　had　been　taking　them
struck　him。　'How　virulent？'　he　whispered。
Eshara　frowned。　'Debilitating　after　maybe　six　or　seven　years　and　fatal　soon　after　that。'
Leonid　was　speechless　with　rage。　The　magnitude　of　the　betrayal　was　unbelievable。　That　the　Adeptus　Mechanicus　could　have
perpetuated　such　a　lie　upon　their　own　people　was　staggering。　Thinking　of　the　hundreds　of　regimental　flags　in　the　briefing
chamber；　he　tried　to　calculate　how　many　men　the　Adeptus　Mechanicus　had　murdered；　but　gave　up；　appalled；　as　the　numbers
spiralled　into　the　millions。
'Why　would　they　do　such　a　thing？'
'I　do　not　know。　What　is　it　that　this　citadel　defends？　Is　it　so　valuable　that　not　even　its　defenders　can　be　allowed　to　tell　what　they
know？'
Leonid　shook　his　head。　'No；　well；　maybe；　I　don't　know　for　sure。　As　far　as　I　know；　this　place　is　some　sort　of　way…station　for　xeno
artefacts　discovered　in　the　sector。　I　was　told　that　the　facility　was　built　upon　a　ruin　from　the　Dark　Age　of　Technology—'
'Again；　I　feel　you　have　been　misled。　I　do　not　believe　the　Adeptus　Mechanicus　would　stoop　to　such　base　behaviour　simply　to
protect　recovered　xeno　artefacts。　There　is　a　secret　hidden　within　this　citadel　that　is　worth　the　l