Fifteen Hours(科幻战争)-第6章

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his　bayonet；　Leden？”
“Then；　he　should　use　his　lasgun　as　a　club；　sergeant。”
“A　club　you　say？”　the　sergeant　asked；　suddenly　placing　both　his　hands　at　the　end　of　the　lasgun’s
barrel　and　lifting　the　butt　of　the　weapon　above　his　head。　“What；　he　should　hold　his　lasgun　above　his
head　as　though　it　were　a　bat…stick　and　he　was　playing　shreev…ball？”
“Oh　no；　sergeant；”　Leden　replied　mildly；　apparently　unaware　that　with　every　word　he　was
digging　a　deeper　hole　for　himself。　“He　should　hold　his　lasgun　horizontally　with　his　hands　widely
spaced　as　though　it　were　a　short…staff　and　strike　the　enemy　with　the　butt。”
“Ah；　I　see；”　the　sergeant　said；　bringing　the　lasgun　down　and　holding　it　in　front　of　him　with　his
hands　in　the　positions　Leden　had　indicated。　“And　to　best　disable　the　enemy；　what　target　should　the
Guardsman　aim　at　—　the　face；　the　chest；　or　the　gut？”
“The　face；”　Leden　said；　an　idiot　smile　on　his　face；　while　every　other　Guardsman　in　the　company
winced　inwardly　at　what　they　knew　was　coming。
“I　see；”　Sergeant　Ferres　said；　bringing　the　butt　of　the　lasgun　up　quickly　to　smash　Leden　in　the
bridge　of　the　nose。　Screaming；　a　gout　of　blood　geysering　from　his　nose；　Leden　collapsed　to　his
knees。
“Get　up；　Leden；”　the　sergeant　said；　tossing　the　lasgun　back　to　him　as　Leden　shakily　rose　to　his
feet　once　more。
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“You　aren’t　seriously　injured。　Much　less　disabled。　Look　on　it　as　a　lesson。　Perhaps　next　time
you’ll　remember　to　clean　your　lasgun　more　carefully。　The　power　node　on　this　one　is　so　filthy；
chances　are　it’d　burn　out　after　a　few　shots。”
Turning　away　from　Leden；　the　sergeant　resumed　his　inspection。　Standing　three　men　down　the
line；　Larn　felt　weighed　down　by　the　expectation　of　impending　disaster。　Ferres　is　really　on　the
warpath　today；　he　thought。　There’s　no　way　he’ll　let　me　pass　muster。　He’ll　find　something　I’ve　done
wrong。　Some　little　thing。　He　always　does。　Then；　his　heart　rising　in　his　mouth；　Larn　saw　the　sergeant
pause　in　his　slow　procession　down　the　line　and　turn　to　face　him。
“Your　lasgun；　trooper！”　the　sergeant　said。　Then；　as　he　had　done　with　Leden　before　him；　he
checked　the　safety　before　inspecting　the　rest　of　the　gun　in　turn。　Sights；　barrel；　stock；　holding　lugs　—
for　long　seconds　Ferres　pored　minutely　over　the　lasgun　as　Larn　felt　sweat　gathering　at　the　back　of
his　collar。　Next；　pressing　the　release　catch　Ferres　pulled　the　power　pack　free　to　check　the　contacts
and　the　cell　well　were　clean。　Then；　glowering　as　he　snapped　the　power　pack　back　into　place；　Ferres
raised　his　eyes　to　look　at　Larn　once　more。
“Name　and　number！”　he　barked。
“Trooper　First　Class　Larn；　Arvin　A；　sergeant。　Number：　eight　one　five　seven　six　dash　three　eight
nine　dash　four　seven　two　dash　one！”
“I　see。　Then；　tell　me；　Trooper　First　Class　Larn；　Arvin　A；　why　did　you　join　the　Guard？”
“To　defend　the　Imperium；　sergeant。　To　serve　the　Emperor’s　will。　To　protect　humanity　from　the
alien　and　the　unclean。”
“And　how　will　you　do　those　things；　trooper？”
“I　will　obey　orders；　sergeant。　I　will　follow　the　chain　of　command。　I　will　fight　the　Emperor’s
enemies。　And　I　will　die　for　my　Emperor；　if　He　so　wills　it。”
“What　are　your　rights　as　a　member　of　the　Imperial　Guard？”
“I　have　no　rights；　sergeant。　The　Guardsman　willingly　forfeits　his　rights　in　return　for　the　glory　of
fighting　for　the　just　cause　of　our　Immortal　Emperor。”
“And　why　does　the　Guardsman　willingly　forfeit　his　rights？”
“He　forfeits　them　to　better　serve　the　Emperor；　sergeant。　The　Guardsman　has　no　need　of　rights　—
not　when　he　is　guided　by　the　infinite　wisdom　of　the　Emperor　and；　through　Him；　by　the　divinely
ordained　command　structure　of　the　Imperial　Guard。”
“And　if　you　should　meet　a　man　who　tells　you　this　things　are　wrong；　Larn？　If　you　should　meet　a
man　who　claims　the　Guard’s　command　structure　sometimes　makes　mistakes　and　needlessly　wastes
the　lives　of　the　men　under　its　command？”
“Then　I　will　kill　him；　sergeant。　That　is　the　only　way　to　treat　with　traitors　and　dissenters。”
“Hnn。　And　if　you　should　hear　a　man　spout　heresy；　Larn；　how　will　you　persuade　him　of　the　error
of　his　ways？”
“I　will　kill　him；　sergeant。　That　is　the　only　way　to　treat　with　the　heretic。”
“And　if　you　should　meet　the　xenos？”
“I　will　kill　it；　sergeant。　That　is　the　only　way　to　treat　with　the　xenos！”
“Very　good；　Larn；”　the　sergeant　said　to　him；　tossing　Larn’s　lasgun　back　to　him　before　turning　to
inspect　the　next　man　in　line。　“You’re　learning。　Perhaps　we’ll　make　a　Guardsman　of　you　yet。”
“No　bruises；　no　extra　laps；　not　even　a　demerit；”　Jenks　said。　It　was　an　hour　later；　and　Larn　sat　with
the　other　men　of　his　fireteam　at　one　of　the　long　tables　inside　the　mess　hall　as　their　company　waited
for　the　midday　meal　to　be　served。
“You　passed　muster　with　flying　colours　this　time；　Larnie。　Looks　like　Old　Ferres　is　starting　to
like　you。”
“Like　me？　I　don’t　think　he　likes　anyone。”　Larn　replied。　“Still；　I　can　hardly　believe　it　myself。　The
way　he　glowers　at　you；　you　always　think　he’s　going　to　put　you　on　report　no　matter　what　you　do。”
15
“Ah；　the　sergeant　isn’t　so　bad；”　said　Hallan；　the　squad　medic；　from　nearby　as　he　busied　himself
putting　a　dressing　on　Leden’s　damaged　nose。　“I　mean；　granted　he　can　be　tough；　but　he’s　pretty　fair
with　it。”
“Dair？”　Leden　said；　outraged。　“Da　dastard　doke　by　dose！”
“It　could　have　been　worse；　Leden；”　Hallan　said。　“Usually　when　Ferres　thinks　a　trooper’s　gun
isn’t　clean　enough　he　kicks　him　in　the　balls。　At　least　this　way　I　haven’t　got　to　get　you　to　drop　your
pants　to　tend　your　injuries。　And　besides；　next　time　the　sergeant　gives　you　a　choice　between　face；
chest；　or　gut　maybe　you’ll　be　smart　enough　to　say　‘toe’。”
“Ha；　say　that　and　you’ll　definitely　catch　one　in　the　balls；”　Jenks　laughed。　“No；　once　Ferres　has　a
burr　riding　him　he’s　going　to　hurt　you　one　way　or　another。　You　ask　me；　only　thing　you　can　do　is
take　your　lumps　and　tough　it　out。　Unless　you’re　like　Larnie　here；　of　course。　The　perfect
Guardsman。”
At　that；　they　all　smiled。　Even　though　the　jibe　—　such　as　it　was　—　was　directed　at　him；　Larn
smiled　with　them。　Even　without　the　light　tone　in　his　companion’s　voice；　he　would　have　known
Jenks　was　only　joking。　The　perfect　Guardsman。　Larn　might　well　have　just　passed　muster；　but　he　did
not　have　any　pretensions　in　that　regard。　Even　after　two　months　of　basic　training；　he　felt　no　more　a
Guardsman　now　than　he　had　on　the　day　when　he　had　first　been　drafted。
For　a　moment；　while　the　others　continued　their　conversation　around　him；　Larn　considered　how
much　his　life　had　changed　in　the　space　of　a　few　short　months。　The　day　after　his　conversation　with
his　father　in　the　cellar　he　had　taken　the　landrailer　to　the　town　of　Willans　Ferry；　and　from　there　on　to
the　regional　capital　Durnanville　to　report　for　induction。　From　Durnanville　he　had　been　sent　two
hundred　kilometres　east；　to　a　remote　staging　post　where　for　the　last　two　months　they　had　trained　him
to　become　a　Guardsman。
He　found　himself　looking　at　his　comrades。　Hallan　was　small　and　dark；　Jenks　tall　and　fair；　but
despite　the　differences　between　them　he　realised　they　did　not　look　any　more　like　Guardsmen　than
either　him　or　Leden。　Himself　included；　they　all　still　looked　like　what　they　were　—　farmboys。　Like
him；　they　were　all　the　sons　of　farmers。　So　for　that　matter　were　most　of　the　men　in　the　regiment。
They　were　all　of　them　farmboys；　fresh　from　the　fields　and　accustomed　to　lives　of　peaceful　obscurity。
The　arrival　of　the　induction　notices　had　changed　that　forever。　Now；　for　better　or　worse；　they　found
themselves　conscripted　as　Guardsmen。　Two　thousand　green　and　unproven　recruits；　sent　for　basic
training　at　this　staging　post　before　they　left　Jumael　IV　for　good。　Two　thousand　would…be
Guardsmen；　given　over　to　the　tender　mercies　of　men　like　Sergeant　Ferres　in　the　hope　they　could　be
made　into　soldiers　by　the　time　they　got　their　first　taste　of　action。
“Anyway；　if　you　ask　me；　Hallan　is　right；”　Jenks　said；　his　voice　breaking　into　Larn’s　thoughts。　“I
mean；　hard　as　Ferres　is；　at　least　you　know　where　you　stand　with　him。　Besides；　I　suppose　he’s　earned
the　right　to　be　hard。　Unlike　the　rest　of　us；　I　hear　he　was　regular　PDF　back　before　he　got　drafted。　He’s
proba