Fifteen Hours(科幻战争)-第47章

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lieutenant　had　come　here　on　behalf　of　General　Headquarters。　A　situation　that；　to　Chelkar’s
experience；　was　unlikely　to　bode　anything　but　ill。
“Did　you　hear　me；　sergeant？”　the　lieutenant　said。　“They　are　going　to　give　you　a　medal。”
“I　will　have　to　remember　to　put　it　with　the　other　ones；　lieutenant。”　Chelkar　said；　feeling　so
exhausted　and　bone…weary　he　no　longer　cared　if　his　tone　was　properly　diplomatic。　“But　I　am　sure
you　didn’t　come　all　this　way　and　dragged　me　away　from　my　duties　just　to　tell　me　that。”
Stung　by　his　bluntness；　the　lieutenant’s　face　briefly　tightened　into　a　look　of　displeasure。　Then；
abruptly；　his　mood　softening　and　becoming　patently　false；　he　adopted　a　more　conciliatory　manner。
“You　are　right；　of　course；　sergeant。　And　may　I　say　what　a　pleasure　it　is　to　hear　some　plain
speaking　for　a　change。　That　is　why　I　was　so　happy　to　get　this　chance　to　come　to　the　front。　Not　that　I
find　my　duties　at　General　Headquarters　in　any　way　irksome；　you　understand；　but　at　GHQ　one　can　so
often　forget　the　realities　of　frontline　life　in　the　Guard。　We　are　soldiers；　you　and　I。　We　don’t　do　what
we　do　for　honours　and　medals。　We　do　it　selflessly　in　the　name　of　duty　and　for　the　greater　glory　of
the　Imperium。”
I　don’t　know　what　is　more　sickening；　Chelkar　thought　bleakly。　The　fact　that　someone　has
obviously　told　him　an　officer　should　try　to　strike　up　a　rapport　with　the　lower　ranks；　or　the　fact　that
he　is　so　inept　and　insincere　in　trying　to　do　it。　Why　is　it　whenever　you　hear　one　of　these　rear　echelon
heroes　talk　about　selflessness　you　always　know　they　are　desperate　to　win　a　medal？　This　one’s　a
glory　hound；　all　right；　you　can　see　it　in　his　eyes。　He　probably　heard　about　some　suicide　mission　at
GHQ　and　volunteered　right　away。
“Yes；　lieutenant；”　Chelkar　said；　hoping　that　at　last　the　pipsqueak　pedant　before　him　might　get　to
the　point。　“And；　talking　of　duty；　I　am　assuming　there　is　some　matter　with　which　you　need　my
company’s　assistance？”
“Not　the　whole　company；　sergeant；”　the　lieutenant　replied　blithely。　“I　just　need　some　men　to
accompany　me　into　no…man’s　land　on　a　mission　towards　the　ork　lines。　A　five…man　fireteam　to　be
precise。　Of　course；　I　leave　it　entirely　up　to　you　which　fireteam　to　pick。　Though　I　have　always
considered　three　to　be　a　lucky　number。”
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“We　will　be　going　into　no…man’s　land　tonight；”　the　lieutenant　said；　while　Larn　heard　a　sharp　intake
of　breath　from　the　other　members　of　the　fireteam　beside　him。　“General　Headquarters　wishes　to
know　whether　the　orks’　hold　on　their　territory　has　been　at　all　weakened　by　their　recent　losses。
Accordingly；　we　are　ordered　to　advance　by　stealth　to　within　sight　of　their　lines　and　scout　out　their
defences　and　dispositions　under　cover　of　darkness。　Then；　we　will　return　to　our　own　lines　before　the
orks　are　any　the　wiser。　A　simple　and　straightforward　enough　mission；　I　am　sure　you　will　all　agree。”
Going　about　their　duties　as　the　clean…up　proceeded　outside；　Larn　and　the　others　had　been
summoned　to　the　command　dugout　to　hear　a　briefing　from　a　stiff…necked　young　lieutenant　called
Karis。　Now；　standing　before　the　sector　map　pinned　to　the　wall　behind　him；　the　lieutenant　pointed　at
something　on　the　map　with　his　swagger　stick　as　the　briefing　continued。
“Let　me　make　it　clear　this　is　strictly　a　reconnaissance　mission；”　he　said。　“And；　as　such；　it　relies
entirely　on　stealth。　We　are　not　to　engage　the　enemy　unless　forced　to　do　it　by　the　direst　circumstance。
With　that　in　mind　we　will　maintain　total　light　and　noise　discipline　at　all　times　and　follow　a　route
through　no…man’s　land　designed　to　aid　us　in　our　attempts　to　stay　unseen。　If　we　are　spotted　by　scouts
or　lookouts；　we　will　attempt　to　dispose　of　them　in　as　quick　and　quiet　a　manner　as　possible　—　only
withdrawing　from　no…man’s　land　if　it　is　clear　our　mission　has　become　untenable。　Now；　I　think　that
about　covers　everything。　Are　there　any　questions？”
No　one　answered　and　looking　at　the　faces　of　the　men　about　him　—　Davir；　Bulaven；　Scholar；
Zeebers　—　Larn　sa。　As　though　they　were　every　bit　as　uneasy　at　the
prospect　of　a　mission　into　no…man’s　land　as　they　had　been　earlier　when　it　seemed　The　Big　Push
might　be　upon　them。　Watching　them；　Larn　was　gripped　by　a　sudden　revelation　that　he　realised
onplace　to　the　others。　In　Broucheroc　the　danger　never　ended：　there
were　always　new　battles　to　fight。　New　ways　for　a　man　to　get　himself　killed。
“Good；”　Lieutenant　Karis　said　when　it　became　clear　there　were　to　be　no　questions。　“You　now
have　twenty　minutes　to　check　your　equipment　and　make　your　preparations。　Zero　hour　is　at　00。00
hours。　We　go　into　no…man’s　land　at　midnight。”
“A　simple　matter；　he　says；”　Davir　grumbled　afterwards。　“I　tell　you；　someone　should　take　that　stupid
bastard’s　swagger　stick　and　shove　it　right　up　his　arse。”
They　were　in　the　barracks　dugout。　In　the　wake　of　the　briefing　with　the　lieutenant；　they　had
returned　there　to　be　issued　with　black　dubbing　and　lasgun　lubricant　by　Vladek。　Now；　their　faces　and
all　their　equipment　painted　black；　their　knives　and　pistols　oiled　to　glide　silently　from　their　sheaths；
they　made　their　final　preparations　while　time　counted　down　to　midnight。　As　they　did；　Larn　was
suddenly　struck　by　the　thought　he　had　been　in　Broucheroc　almost　exactly　twelve　hours。　Another
three　hours　to　go；　he　thought；　and　I　will　have　made　my　fifteen。
“You　ask　me；　it　is　the　new　fish’s　fault；”　Zeebers　spat　with　sudden　venom。　“He　is　unlucky。　A
jinx。”
“Shut　up；　Zeebers；”　Davir　spat　back。　“Bad　enough　I　have　to　go　stumbling　around　no…man’s　land
in　the　dead　of　night；　without　having　to　hear　you　mewl　and　puke　about　luck　and　numbers　like　some
halfwit　gambler　on　a　losing　streak。　Shut　up；　or　after　I’m　finished　shoving　the　swagger　stick　up　the
lieutenant’s　arse　I’ll　stick　my　lasgun　up　yours。”
“How　do　you　explain　it　then？”　Zeebers　said；　defiant。　“We’ve　had　nothing　but　a　bad　day　ever
since　the　new　fish　got　here。　He’s　a　jinx。　You　saw　what　happened　to　the　men　he　came　here　with　in
the　lander。”
“Shut　up；　Zeebers；”　Bulaven　rumbled。　Then；　while　Zeebers　fell　silent　and　scowled　at　him；　he
turned　to　Larn。　“Don’t　worry　about　what　Zeebers　said；　new　fish。　You’re　not　a　jinx。　I　only　wish　today
had　been　a　bad　day。　Fact　is；　every　day　in　Broucheroc　is　pretty　much　as　bad　as　this；　one　way　or
another。　After　a　while　you　just　get　used　to　it。”
“But　going　out　into　no…man’s　land　at　night　is　bad？”　Larn　asked；　hoping　the　big　Vardan　could　not
hear　the　nervousness　in　his　voice。　“Worse　than　usual；　I　mean？”
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“Yes；　new　fish；　it　is　worse；”　Bulaven　said。　“Especially　after　a　battle。　You　remember　I　told　you
how　sometimes　a　wounded　ork　will　seem　dead；　only　to　get　up　and　start　walking　about　a　few　hours
later？　Well；　right　now；　no…man’s　land　is　full　of　the　bodies　of　orks　we　shot　during　the　battle。　By　now
some　of　them　could　be　healed　already；　just　about　ready　to　wake　up　and　start　killing　again　while
we’ll　be　right　in　the　middle　of　them。　Then；　to　make　matters　worse；　we’ve　got　to　worry　about　running
into　gangs　of　gretchin　looking　for　spare　parts　as　well。”
“Spare　parts？”
“Orks　are　remarkably　tough　creatures；　new　fish；”　Scholar　said　by　the　side　of　him。　“If　one　of
them　loses　an　arm　or　leg　their　surgeons　will　just　staple　the　limb　from　another　dead　ork　to　them　to
take　its　place。　After　a　battle　such　surgeries　are　in　great　demand　—　so　they　tend　to　send　gangs　of
gretchin　out　into　no…man’s　land　to　cut　undamaged　limbs　from　the　corpses。　Of　course；　the　real　threat
lies　not　so　much　in　the　gretch　themselves；　but　in　the　danger　of　getting　into　a　firefight　in　the　middle
of　no…man’s　land　while　the　entire　ork　army　is　on　top　of　us。”
“The　short　version；　new　fish；　is　that　this　whole　damned　business　has　the　makings　of　a　first　class
snafu　from　start　to　finish；”　Davir　said。　“So；　this　is　what　I　say　we　do。　We　will　follow　Lieutenant
Arsehole’s　orders　so　long　as　there’s　no　shooting。　But　the　moment　the　shit　starts　to　fly　we　get　each
other　out　of　no…man’s　land　as　fast　as　we　can　and　to　hell　with　his　orders。　Now　enough　talking　and
let’s　get　outside。　We　need　to　spend　at　least　ten　minutes　in　the　dark　to　get　our　night　vision　working。
Considering　what’s　ahead　of　us；　I’d　say　we’re　probably