Fifteen Hours(科幻战争)-第12章

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sound　of　tearing　metal。　With　those　sounds　he　found　himself　forced　back　against　his　seat
with　even　greater　force　as　the　fall　began　in　earnest。
We’ve　been　hit；　he　thought；　overcome　with　sudden　panic　while　the　world　began　to　spin　crazily
around　him　as　the　lander　turned　over　and　over　on　its　axis　out　of　control。　We’ve　been　hit；　the　thought
crowded　his　mind　and　held　him　at　its　mercy。　We’ve　been　hit！　Holy　Emperor；　we’re　in　freefall！
He　felt　himself　struck　in　the　face　by　a　ell　and　the　taste　of
the　droplets　dribbling　past　his　lips　telling　him　it　was　vomit。　Half　mad　with　desperation；　he　found
himself　wondering　incongruously　whether　it　was　from　his　own　stomach　or　someone　else’s。　Then
another　thought　forced　its　way　fearfully　into　his　mind　and　he　no　longer　cared　who　the　vomit
belonged　to。　A　thought　more　terrible　than　any　he　had　ever　considered　in　his　seventeen　years　of　life
to　date。
We　are　falling　from　the　sky；　he　thought。　We　are　falling　from　the　sky　and　we’re　going　to　die！
He　felt　his　gorge　rise　in　a　tide　of　sickly　acids；　the　half…digested　remnants　of　his　last　meal
spewing　uncontrollably　from　his　mouth　to　soak　some　other　unfortunate　elsewhere　in　the　lander。
Certain　he　was　on　the　brink　of　oblivion　he　tried　to　replay　the　events　of　his　life　in　his　mind。　He　tried
to　remember　his　family；　the　farm；　his　homeworld。　He　tried　to　think　of　fields　of　flowing　wheat；
magnificent　sunsets；　the　sound　of　his　father’s　voice。　Anything　to　blot　out　the　terrifying　reality
around　him。　It　was　hopeless　though　and　he　realised　the　last　moments　of　his　life　would　be　spent　with
the　following　sensations：　the　taste　of　vomit；　the　sound　of　men　going　screaming　to　their　deaths；　the
feeling　of　his　own　heart　beating　wildly　in　his　chest。　These　were　the　things　he　would　take　with　him　to
death：　the　last　sensations　he　would　ever　know。　Just　as　he　began　to　wonder　at　the　unfairness　of　it　all
the　world　stopped　spinning　as；　with　a　bone…jarring　impact　and　a　terrible　screech　like　the　death…knell
of　some　mortally　wounded　beast；　the　lander　finally　hit　the　ground。
For　a　moment　there　was　silence　while　the　interior　of　the　lander　was　plunged　into　total　darkness。
Next；　Larn　heard　the　sound　of　coughing　and　quiet　prayers　as　the　men　in　the　lander　drew　a　collective
breath　to　find；　despite　some　initial　misgivings；　they　were　very　much　alive。　Abruptly；　darkness　gave
way　to　dim　shadowy　light　at　the　activation　of　the　lander’s　emergency　illumination　system。　Then；　he
heard　a　familiar　strident　voice　begin　to　bark　out　orders　as　Sergeant　Ferres　sought　to　re…establish
control　of　his　troops。
“Fall　in！”　the　sergeant　shouted。　“Fall　in　and　prepare　to　disembark。　Get　off　your　arses；　damn　you；
and　start　acting　like　soldiers。　You’ve　got　a　war　to　fight；　you　lazy　bastards。”
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Releasing　his　seat…restraints　Larn　staggered　unsteadily　to　his　feet；　his　hands　warily　prodding　his
body　as　he　checked　to　see　whether　any　of　his　bones　were　broken。　To　his　relief；　it　seemed　he　had
survived　the　landing　little　the　worse　for　wear。　His　shoulders　were　sore；　and　he　had　the　painful
beginnings　of　a　bruise　where　the　clasp　of　one　of　the　seat…straps　had　bitten　into　his　flesh。　Other　than
that；　he　had　escaped　from　what　had　seemed　like　certain　death　remarkably　unscathed。　Then；　just　as
he　began　to　congratulate　himself　on　surviving　his　first　drop；　Larn　turned　to　retrieve　his　lasgun　and
saw　that　the　man　sitting　in　the　seat　next　to　him　had　not　been　so　lucky。
It　was　Jenks。　Head　lolling　sideways　at　a　sickening　angle；　eyes　staring　blankly　from　a　lifeless　and
slack…jawed　face；　Jenks　sat　in　his　seat　dead　and　unmoving。　Staring　at　his　friend’s　body　in　numb
disbelief；　Larn　noticed　a　thin　stream　of　blood　trickling　from　Jenks’　mouth　to　stain　his　chin。　Then；
spotting　a　small　bloody…ended　piece　of　pink　flesh　lying　on　the　floor　of　the　lander　beside　his　feet；
Larn　realised　that　with　the　force　of　the　landing　Jenks　must　have　inadvertently　bitten　off　the　end　of
his　tongue。　As　horrified　as　he　was　by　that　discovery；　Larn　could　not　at　first　understand　how　Jenks
had　died。　Until；　looking　once　more　at　arrangement　of　seat…restraints　around　his　friend’s　body　and　the
way　his　head　lolled　sideways　like　a　broken　puppet；　Larn　realised　the　restraints　had　been　improperly
fastened；　causing　Jenks’　neck　to　snap　at　the　moment　of　their　landing。　The　realisation　brought　him　no
comfort。　Jenks　was　dead。　Understanding　how　his　friend　had　died　did　nothing　to　lessen　Larn’s　grief。
“Fall　in；”　the　sergeant　shouted　again。　“Fall　in　and　get　ready　to　move　out。”
Still　numb　with　shock；　Larn　grabbed　his　lasgun　and　stumbled　past　Jenks’　body　to　join　the　rest　of
the　company　as　they　lined　up　in　one　of　the　aisles　between　the　upper　deck’s　endless　rows　of　seating。
As　he　did；　he　became　aware　for　the　first　time　of　the　sound　of　distant　ricochets　clanging　off　the
exterior　of　the　hull。　We　are　being　fired　at；　he　thought　dully；　his　mind　still　reeling　at　the　sight　of
Jenks’　corpse。　Until；　noticing　an　almost　palpable　sense　of　unrest　among　the　other　Guardsmen　as　he
took　his　place　in　the　line　and　waited　for　the　order　to　move　out；　Larn　realised　he　could　smell　smoke
and　with　it；　there　came　an　unwelcome　realisation　that　cut　through　the　fog　of　his　grief　and　seemed　to
grip　at　his　heart　with　clutching　icy　fingers。
The　lander　was　on　fire。
Spurred　on　by　horror　at　the　prospect　of　being　trapped　in　a　burning　lander；　the　Guardsmen　began
to　hurry　for　the　stairwell　while　behind　them　Sergeant　Ferres　shouted　profanities　in　the　vain　hope　of
maintaining　some　form　of　order。　No　one　was　listening。　Frenzied；　they　rushed　down　the　stairs
towards　the　lower　deck；　treading　on　the　corpses　of　those　already　killed　in　the　landing。
Running　with　the　others；　Larn　caught　a　brief　glimpse　of　their　company　commander；　Lieutenant
Vinters；　sitting　dead　in　his　seat　with　his　neck　broken　just　like　Jenks。　He　had　no　time　to　dwell　on　the
lieutenant’s　death：　caught　in　the　crush　of　fleeing　Guardsmen　he　could　only　run　with　the　crowd　as
they　made　for　the　lower　deck；　to　the　assault　ramp　and　freedom。　As　they　came　within　sight　of　it　they
found　that　the　assault　ramp　was　still　sealed　shut；　while　from　all　around　them　the　smell　of　smoke
grew　ever　stronger。
“Open　that　ramp！”　screamed　Sergeant　Ferres；　pushing　his　way　through　the　crowd　of　milling
Guardsmen　to　where　a　small　group　stood　studying　the　control　panel　governing　the　ramp’s
mechanism。　Seeing　the　group　raise　their　eyes　to　look　at　him　in　confusion；　he　pushed　them　aside　and
stretched　out　a　hand　towards　a　metal　lever　set　in　a　recess　by　the　edge　of　the　ramp。　“Useless
bastards！”　he　spat　in　contempt；　his　hand　closing　around　the　lever。　“The　master　control　panel　must
have　been　damaged　in　the　landing。　You　need　to　pull　the　emergency　release　lever　—　like　this。”
Pulling　the　lever；　Sergeant　Ferres　shrieked　in　sudden　agony　as　one　of　the　ramp’s　explosive
release　bolts　misfired；　a　bright　tongue　of　yellow　fire　bursting　from　the　side　of　ramp　to　engulf　his
face。　Screaming；　a　halo　of　flame　dancing　around　his　head；　he　stumbled　blindly　against　the　assault
ramp　as　the　other　bolts　fired　and　the　ramp　fell　open　behind　him。　Falling　into　the　suddenly　vacated
space；　his　body　rolled　down　the　ramp　and　came　to　a　stop　partway　down　it　as　one　of　his　legs　caught
on　a　protrusion　at　its　side。　For　a　moment；　seeing　the　strugglings　of　their　sergeant’s　body　grow　still　as
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the　life　left　him；　his　troops　stood　gazing　at　him　in　shocked　silence；　hypnotised　by　the　brutal　calamity
of　their　leader’s　death。
“We　have　to　move；”　Larn　heard　someone　say　behind　him　as　he　realised　how　warm　it　had　grown
in　the　lander。　“The　smoke　is　getting　closer。　If　we　don’t　get　out　of　here　now　we’ll　either　burn　to　death
or　choke。”
As　one；　the　Guardsmen　burst　forward　to　rush　down　the　ramp。　The　light　outside　seemed　blinding
in　its　intensity　after　the　shadowed　dimness　of　the　interior　of　the　lander。　Barely　able　to　keep　his　feet
as　the　men　behind　him　pushed　to　get　out；　Larn　stumbled　down　the　ramp　with　the　rest；　his　first
experiences　of　the　new　world　before　him　registering　as　a　disconnected　jumble　of　sights　and
sensations。　He　caught　snatches　of　an　empty　landscape　through　the　press　of　bodies　around　him；　saw　a
grey　and　brooding　sky　above　them；　felt　a　savage　chill　that　bit　gnawing