Storm Of Iron(科幻战争)-第71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！


them。
The　figure　atop　the　rhomboid　raised　its　arms；　its　flesh　writhing　as　they　transformed　into　two　massive…barrelled　weapons。　A　roaring
crescendo　of　fire　erupted　from　the　weapons；　blasting　through　Leonid's　honour　guard　and　disintegrating　them　in　a　heartbeat。　Leonid
once　more　dived　for　cover　behind　the　drilling　rig　as　Eshara　charged　towards　the　giant　figure　at　the　chamber's　centre。
Magos　Naicin　hissed　and　leapt　to　intercept　him；　moving　with　inhuman　speed；　his　arms　whipping　out　and　toothed　proboscis
erupting　from　his　fingertips　to　smash　Eshara　from　his　feet。　Hissing　ichor　splashed　Eshara's　shoulder　guard；　the　ceramite　plates　of
his　armour　rapidly　dissolving　beneath　it。　The　Space　Marine　captain　rolled　beneath　the　questing　mouths　as　Naicin　came　at　him
again；　hissing　acids　spraying　from　his　lashing；　whip…like　hands。
Leonid　took　advantage　of　the　distraction　to　rest　his　pistol　against　the　track　guard　of　the　drilling　rig　and　take　aim　at　the　monstrous
figure　that　had　killed　his　men。
The　gun　arms　had　changed　again；　morphing　into　long；　ribbed　cables　that　waved　like　serpents。　As　he　squinted　down　the　barrel；　the
figure's　ribs　cracked　wide　open；　spreading　apart　like　some　ancient　moss…covered　gateway。　A　dozen　grooved　tentacles　of　dripping
Graham　McNeill　？Storm　of　Iron？
green　metal　snaked　from　his　chest　cavity　and　spiralled　through　the　air　as　though　searching　for　something。
Leonid　squeezed　the　trigger；　the　las…blast　striking　the　figure　in　the　head。
But　a　blaze　of　green　light　flared　and　Leonid　saw　his　target　was　unharmed。
Leonid　fired　again　and　again；　but　his　shots　were　wasted。　The　thing　on　the　platform　was　invulnerable。　The　metallic　tentacles
continued　to　lengthen；　hooking　into　the　banks　of　machines　around　the　chamber's　centre。　More　tentacles　sprouted　from　the　writhing
mass　of　biomechanical　intestines；　slipping　through　the　air　like　branches　of　a　tree　and　attaching　themselves　to　the　life…preserving
mechanics　of　the　Machine　Temple　and　the　regulatory　systems　of　the　citadel。
Alarm　bells　chimed　and　warning　lights　flashed　around　the　chamber's　circumference。
Leonid　knew　he　could　do　nothing　to　stop　the　vile　creature　without　Eshara　and　rushed　towards　the　Space　Marine；　who　was　fighting
the　abhorrent　mutant。
Eshara　swung　his　sword　at　Naicin；　but　the　thing　moved　with　blinding　speed；　its　dripping　proboscises　swaying　aside　from　his　every
blow。　The　captain's　bolt　pistol　was　a　molten　pile　on　the　floor　and　Leonid　could　see　Eshara's　armour　was　pierced　by　several
smoking　round　holes　where　Naicin's　corrosive　proboscis　had　struck。　He　raised　his　pistol。
'Step　back；　Brother…Captain；'　ordered　Leonid。
Eshara　dodged　a　blow　aimed　at　his　heart　and　rapidly　backed　away　from　the　disgusting　mutant。　Naicin　drew　back　to　the　base　of　the
rhomboid　platform　as　the　chamber's　omnipresent　amber　light　dimmed；　changing　to　a　sickly　green。　Leonid　drew　a　bead　on　the
mutant's　head。
Naicin　chuckled；　the　sound　somewhere　between　slurping　and　gurgling。　'Fools！　You　cannot　win。　You　can　kill　me；　but　my　masters
will　trample　your　bones　within　the　day。'
'Why；　Naicin？'　asked　Leonid。
'I　could　ask　you　the　same　question；'　spat　Naicin。　'You　do　not　even　know　what　you　fight　to　protect。'
'We　fight　to　protect　a　world　of　the　Emperor；　mutant；'　snapped　Eshara。
Naicin　laughed；　a　horrible　retching　noise。　'You　think　your　Emperor　cares　about　this　world？　Look　around　you；　it　is　a　wasteland！　A
wasteland　created　by　human　hands。　This　was　once　a　fertile　and　bountiful　world　until　the　Adeptus　Mechanicus　sought　to　make　it
their　own。　Virus　bombs　killed　every　living　thing　on　the　surface　of　this　world　and　rendered　it　uninhabitable　for　centuries。'
'You　lie。　Why　should　the　Adeptus　Mechanicus　do　such　a　thing？'
'They　wanted　to　make　sure　no　one　ever　desired　this　world。　So　that　when　they　built　their　geno…labs　here；　they　would　be　undisturbed
and　forgotten。　You　stand　in　one　of　the　most　hallowed　places　of　the　Adeptus　Mechanicus　and　you　don't　even　know　it。　The　geneseed
you　prize　so　highly；　the　future　of　the　Space　Marines…　this　is　one　of　only　two　places　in　the　galaxy　where　it　is　created　and
stored。'
Seeing　the　look　of　horrified　shock　on　Eshara's　face；　Naicin　laughed。　'Yes；　captain；　when　the　Warsmith　and　the　Despoiler　have
your　gene…seed　they　will　use　it　to　create　Legions　of　Space　Marines　loyal　to　the　glory　of　Chaos！'
'But　you　won't　be　around　to　see　it；'　snarled　Eshara　plucking　the　pistol　from　Leonid's　hand　and　pulling　the　trigger。
Naicin's　head　exploded；　showering　the　platform　with　stinking　yellow　fluid　and　scraps　of　rubbery；　tentacled　flesh。　The　corpse
slumped　to　the　ground　as　Eshara　pumped　another　four　shots　into　the　body。
Eshara　wordlessly　handed　the　pistol　back　to　Leonid　as　alarms　began　shrieking　throughout　the　chamber。　Both　men　looked　up　as　the
figure　on　the　platform　was　lifted　from　its　feet；　its　arms　spreading　wide　in　a　cruciform　pattern。　More　and　more　cabled　tentacles
sprouted　from　its　body；　the　green　haze　that　filled　the　chamber　pulsing　from　deep　within　its　chest。
Explosions　of　jade　sparks　burst　from　the　edges　of　the　room；　flickering　lines　of　lethal　electricity　arcing　from　machine　to　machine　as
the　corruption　of　the　techno…virus　spread　to　every　system　of　the　citadel。
A　lashing　tongue　of　electrical　discharge　licked　the　ground　beside　Leonid　and　Eshara；　and　the　two　warriors　stumbled　away　from
the　monster　in　front　of　them。　Explosions　filled　the　chamber　and　a　crackling　storm　of　lightning　blazed　through　the　Machine
Temple。　Eshara　gathered　Leonid　into　the　shelter　of　his　body　as　he　sprinted　for　the　ragged　hole　of　the　door。　Spears　of　emerald
lightning　flashed　around　the　chamber。　A　bolt　struck　Eshara's　back　and　he　grunted　in　pain；　diving　through　the　doorway　as　forks　of
green　fire　blasted　behind　him。
Eshara　rolled　aside　as　the　unnatural　lightning　danced　across　the　door　to　the　Machine　Temple；　forming　a　crackling　electrical　web
that　completely　blocked　the　entrance。
The　two　scrambled　away　from　the　pulsing　green　light；　breathless　and　groaning　in　pain。
Eshara　pushed　himself　to　his　feet　and　offered　his　hand　to　Leonid；　who　gripped　his　wounded　shoulder　and　pulled　himself　upright。
Before　either　man　could　speak；　the　vox…bead　in　Eshara's　helmet　crackled　and　the　captain　listened　intently　to　the　message　he　was
receiving。
Leonid　could　tell　the　news　was　not　good。
'Well？'　he　asked；　expecting　the　worst。
'It　has　begun。　The　shield　has　gone　down　and　the　enemy　are　attacking　once　more。'
Leonid　nodded　and　looked　back　into　the　sealed　green　hell　of　the　Machine　Temple。
'Then　our　place　is　on　the　walls；'　he　said　grimly。
THE　REMAINING　TWO　Titans　of　the　Legio　Mortis　advanced　on　the　citadel　accompanied　by　a　wave　of　Vindicator　tanks　and　fortytwo
screaming　Dreadnoughts。　Nearly　six　thousand　battered　soldiers　in　red　uniforms　sprinted　amongst　this　armoured　thrust　and
dropped　into　the　ditch；　its　surfaces　smooth　and　vitrified　by　the　plasma　fire　from　the　downed　Titans。
Sunfire　shells　streaked　into　the　darkness　as　alarms　rang　from　the　citadel　and　scattered　shots　lanced　out　to　the　charging　horde。
Honsou　watched　from　the　bastions　mounted　atop　the　shoulders　of　the　Pater　Mortis；　nearly　thirty　metres　above　the　ground。　He　saw
the　Vindicators　pull　into　their　firing　revetments　along　the　third　parallel　and　pound　the　weakened　walls　of　the　citadel；　bringing
doasonry　as　the　Dreadnoughts　made　for　the　ditch。　He　gripped　the　edge　of　the　bastion's　iron　pallisading　as
Graham　McNeill　？Storm　of　Iron？
the　Titan　stepped　down　into　the　ditch；　the　rubble　claws　fitted　over　its　massive　feet　keeping　its　stride　sure。
Sixty…two　Iron　Warriors；　all　that　remained　of　his　company；　filled　the　bastions　either　side　of　the　Titan's　head；　ready　to　be　unleashed
upon　the　ramparts　of　the　inner　wall　of　the　citadel。　The　Imperial　defenders　had　abandoned　the　outer　wall　and　the　shield　was　down。
They　would　never　get　a　better　chance　than　this。
The　fire　against　the　bastions　and　curtain　wall　slackened　as　the　Titans　closed　with　the　walls；　now　little　more　than　shattered　piles　of
rubble。　Honsou　raised　his　sword　in　salute　to　the　Dies　Irae　as　they　passed　over　its　molten　remains。
Honsou　glanced　to　his　right；　making　out　the　shadow　of　the　Legio's　other　remaining　Titan；　its　bastions　crammed　with　Forrix's
warriors。　This　was　the　last　assault　and　it　could　not　afford