Dark Disciple(科幻战争)-第15部分

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Marduk　raced　up　a　steel　staircase；　taking　the　steps　four　at　a　time。　A　las…blast　struck　him　in　the
head；　scorching　his　pristine　alabaster　skull　helmet；　and　he　snapped　off　a　shot　with　his　pistol　in
response；　sending　a　man　flying　five　metres　backwards；　a　crater　exploding　from　his　back。
The　enemy　officers　were　shouting　their　commands；　frantically　attempting　to　rally　their　men　and
reposition　them　in　the　face　of　the　relentless　advance　of　the　Word　Bearers；　but　they　were　panicking；
and　their　orders　were　not　followed。　Men　crawled　backwards；　attempting　to　find　any　place　to　hide
from　the　unholy　fallen　angels　of　death　stalking　towards　them；　firing　off　hasty　shots　with　lasguns。
Marduk　stomped　onto　one　of　the　gantries　and　shot　down　two　men；　their　blood　misting　the　air。
With　a　kick；　he　smashed　aside　a　stand　of　barrels　behind　which　three　men　were　taking　cover；　and
gunned　the　first　two　down。　The　other　was　torn　apart　by　a　concentrated　burst　of　bolter　fire　from
below；　and　Marduk　moved　on；　his　pistol　raised　before　him　as　he　fired　more　shots　into　the　enemy
arranged　along　the　gantry。
One　of　the　white…armoured　soldiers　raised　a　melta…gun；　and　Marduk　threw　himself　against　the
wall　as　the　weapon　fired。　It　scorched　across　his　left　shoulder　pad；　and　warning　symbols　appeared
within　his　helmet　display。　Namar…sin；　coming　up　behind　Marduk；　hurled　his　axe；　the　weapon
spinning　end　over　end　and　slamming　into　the　soldier；　cleaving　into　his　face　and　embedding　itself
deep　in　his　skull。
Men　screamed　in　agony　as　they　were　engulfed　in　flame；　as　Khalaxis’s　17th　coterie　advanced
opposite　Marduk；　trapping　a　score　of　soldiers　on　the　gantry　between　them。　The　flamer　roared　again；
and　fire　consumed　half　a　dozen　men；　their　flesh　blistering　as　it　burned。　Several　fell　over　the　railing；
plummeting　to　the　floor　where　they　smouldered　and　lay　still。　The　survivors　were　hacked　apart　as
Khalaxis　led　the　charge　into　their　midst；　his　chainaxe　screaming　as　it　tore　through　bone　and　tendon。
Marduk　waded　into　the　terrified　soldiers　from　the　other　side；　clubbing　men　to　the　ground　and
executing　them　without　mercy。
Less　than　five　minutes　after　the　bastion　gates　had　been　breached；　the　echo　of　gunfire　ceased。　The
Word　Bearers　moved　among　the　enemy　soldiers；　dispatching　any　who　still　breathed　with　swift
blows　to　the　head。
Marduk　came　across　one　of　the　officers；　his　face　awash　with　blood　and　his　breath　coming　in
short；　sharp　gasps。　He　looked　up　at　Marduk’s　inscrutable　skull…faced　visage　in　terror。
“Emperor　preserve　me；”　he　gasped。
Marduk　bent　down　and　gripped　the　man；　his　massive　hand　closing　around　the　soldier’s　face。
“The　False　Emperor　as　a　deity　is　a　lie；”　he　growled；　squeezing；　feeling　the　soldier’s　skull
straining。　“No　one　will　answer　your　prayers。　Where　is　the　commander　of　this　facility？”
“The…　the　lift；”　gasped　the　man。　“Top　floor。　Emperor　save　my　soul。”
“The　Corpse　Emperor　is　not　divine；　and　he　does　not　care　about　the　sanctity　of　your　soul。　You
will　see。”
Marduk　crushed　the　man’s　skull　effortlessly；　blood　bursting　from　the　soldier’s　eyes；　nose　and
mouth　as　he　died。　Standing　up；　he　wiped　his　hand　clean　upon　his　tabard；　and　turned　to　face　Kol
Badar；　down　below　in　the　main　concourse。
“I　grow　tired　of　this　world。　It　is　time　we　ended　this；”　said　Marduk；　his　voice　booming　across　the
open　expanse。　“Bring　forth　the　Enslaved　One；　and　let　us　get　what　we　came　for。”
As　the　first　alarms　sounded；　Guildmaster　Polio　was　taking　a　drink　of　his　seventy…five　year　old
vintage　amasec。　He　almost　choked　on　the　fiery　draught；　and　his　adjutant；　Leto；　visibly　paled。　Polio
slammed　his　glass　down　onto　his　table　and　was　up　and　moving　instantly。
The　portal　slid　open　as　he　approached　it；　and　he　stormed　out　into　the　adjoining　room。
“What　in　the　name　of　Holy　Terra　is　going　on？”　he　barked　at　his　personal　guard；　a　group　of　five
soldiers　of　the　mercenary　Skyllan　Interdiction　Force。　“Captain？　This　better　not　be　another　perimeter
glitch。”
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The　captain　of　his　guard；　a　tall；　broad…shouldered　soldier　with　a　serious　face；　had　his　hand　to　his
earpiece；　his　brow　furrowed　in　concentration。
“No；　sir；”　he　replied。　“The　automated　turrets　have　identified　hostile　targets　on　approach。”
“Hostile　targets？”　breathed　Leto　from　behind　the　guildmaster。
“Have　they　been　identified？”　asked　the　guildmaster。
“No；　sir；　not　as　yet。　Wait；”　he　said；　raising　his　hand　to　forestall　any　response　as　he　listened　to
incoming　communications。　The　soldier’s　face　turned　grim。　“What？”　he　asked。　“Are　you　sure？”
“What　is　going　on？”　asked　Guildmaster　Polio　forcefully。
“Sir；”　began　the　captain；　“the　bastion　has　been　breached。”
“Emperor　preserve　us；”　said　Leto。
“There　must　be　some　mistake；”　said　Polio。
“No　mistake；　sir。　A　heavy　firefight　is　underway　on　the　garage　concourse　level。”
The　captain　swore；　tapping　at　his　earpiece　as　it　went　dead。　The　other　soldiers　of　the
guildmaster’s　guard　looked　uneasily　at　each　other。
“We　must　get　you　out　of　here；　sir；”　the　captain　said；　his　face　dark。　“The　bastion　is
compromised。”
He　strode　towards　the　guildmaster　and　his　adjutant；　barking　orders　to　his　men。　They　responded
instantly；　and　their　lasguns　hummed　as　they　powered　into　life。
“I　will　not　go；”　said　the　guildmaster　hotly。　“How　many　men　do　you　have　here？”
“Only　three　demi…legions；　sir。　The　others　are　all　out　keeping　the　peace　at　the　Phorcys　starport；　or
aiding　the　evacuation　efforts。”
“That　is　still；　what；　three　hundred　men？”　asked　Polio。
“It　will　not　be　enough；　sir；”　said　the　captain　softly。
Guildmaster　Polio　glared　at　the　captain。　“The　Skyllan　Interdiction　Force　is　paid　damn　well　to
protect　this　fortress　and　hold　the　peace。　You　are　not　filling　me　with　the　confidence　that　the　guild
money　is　well…spent；　captain。”
“My　lord；”　said　the　captain；　his　expression　stoic　in　the　face　of　the　guildmaster’s　simmering
anger；　“the　enemy　below　are　Astartes。”
“Space　Marines？”　breathed　Leto。　“But　we…　we　are　loyal　subjects　of　the　Emperor。　Aren’t　we？”
“Of　course　we　are；　Leto；”　said　Polio。
“They　are　rebel　Astartes；　my　lord；　and　I　have　lost　all　contact　with　the　demi…legions。　We　leave；
now；”　he　said；　brooking　no　argument。
Polio　felt　a　sense　of　panic　stab　at　him；　though　he　was　careful　to　maintain　a　calm　exterior。　He　felt
the　flush　of　amasec　clouding　his　mind；　and　he　cursed　himself　for　drinking　so　much。　He　licked　his
lips；　and　nodded　to　the　captain。
With　clipped　commands；　the　soldiers　fell　in　around　the　guildmaster；　and　the　group　marched　back
into　the　senior　official’s　office。　The　captain　was　steering　Polio　forcefully　by　the　elbow；　moving　him
quickly　towards　the　reinforced　door　that　led　to　his　personal　shuttle。
“My　records；”　protested　the　guildmaster。
“I’ll　get　them；　my　lord；”　said　Leto。
“No；”　snapped　the　Skyllan　guard　captain；　“we　leave　now。”
“My　data…slate；　Leto；”　hissed　the　guildmaster；　and　his　adjutant　swept　the　book…sized　piece　of
arcane　technology　up　off　his　master’s　desk　as　he　was　hurried　past。
The　captain　whispered　the　requisite　prayer　to　the　machine　god　as　he　entered　the　code　sequence
into　the　door；　and　the　circular　locks　slid　anticlockwise　with　a　hiss。　The　soldiers　lowered　their　visors
to　cover　their　faces　at　a　nod　from　their　superior。　Then　the　captain　leant　his　weight　against　the　door。
It　opened　with　a　groan　and　snow　billowed　into　the　office；　driven　through　the　portal　by　the　deafening
gale　outside。
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Guildmaster　Polio　covered　his　face　with　his　arm　as　the　biting　chill　struck　him；　and　he　took　an
involuntary　step　backwards。
Three　soldiers　moved　out　onto　the　landing　platform；　their　lasguns　panning　left　and　right。
Pointless；　thought　Polio。　No　enemy　could　be　up　here。
His　personal　Aquila…class　lander　was　perched　some　twenty　metres　away；　covered　in　a　thick　layer
of　snow。　The　guard　captain　pulled　an　exquisite　pistol　of　ornate　design　from　his　holster；　and　began
guiding　Polio　out　onto　the　landing　platform。
The　cold　was　almost　unbearable；　and　ice　crystals　formed　instantly　on　his　eyebrows　and　lips。　His
eyes　stung　from　the　cold；　and　even　breathing　was　painful。
One　of　his　guards；　out　in　front；　reached　the　shuttle　and　slammed　his　fist　into　an　activation　panel。
Instantly；　the　embarkation　ramp　began　to　lower。
With　his　head　down；　Guildmaster　Polio　allowed　himself　to　be　hurried　towards　the　waiting
shuttle；　his　boots　slipping　on　the　ice…slick　landing　pad。　The　captain　supporting　him　shouted
something；　but　he　couldn’t　make　it　out　over　the　roar　of　the　wind。
Burias…Drak’shal　grinned　in　feral　anticipation　as　he　stared　down　at　the　men　ten　metres　below　him；
battling　against　the　gale　as　they　made　their　way　towards　the　shuttle。
He　dropped　down　amongst　them　and　landed　in　a　crouch；　rockcrete　cracking　beneath　the　impact。
A　soldier　was　a　step　behind　and　to　his　left；　and　he　swung　around；　taking　the　man　in　the　head　with
one　of　his　massive；　fused　talons。　The　force　of　the　blow　slammed　the　soldier　into　the　rockcrete　wall；
his　skull　pulverised；　Burias…Drak’shal’s　buried　talon　thirty　centimetres　into　the　rock。
Ripping　the　talon　free；　letting　the　soldier　slump　to　the　ground；　he　spun　and　lashed　out　with　a
backhanded　blow　that　ripped　across　the　throat　of　another　soldier　as　he　turned　towards　the　possessed
warrior；　lasgun　raised。
The　man’s　throat　was　ripped　open　to　the　spine；　and　he　spun；　blood　fountaining　from　the　mortal
wound。
Something　hot　splashed　the　back　of　Guildmaster　Polio’s　head；　and　he　stumbled　and　fell　to　one　knee。
As　the　captain　hauled　him　back　to　his　feet；　he　reached　up　and　touched　a　hand　to　his　head。　He　stared
blankly　for　a　second　at　the　fresh　blood　on　his　hands；　before　turning　to　look　back　the　way　he　had
come。
A　daemonic　beast　from　the　deepest　pits　of　hell　had　dropped　down　behind　them。
Its　bulk　was　immense；　more　than　three　times　that　of　a　normal　man；　and　its　lips　curled　back　to
expose　the　barbed　teeth　of　the　ultimate　predator。　Two　men　lay　dead　at　its　feet。
The　captain　saw　the　beast　just　as　the　guildmaster　did；　and　he　shouted　a　warning；　pushing　Polio
roughly　towards　the　shuttle　as　he　raised　his　pistol。
Another　man　died　before　the　pistol　fired；　as　the　daemon　punched　a　claw　up　through　the　soldier’s
sternum。
The　blow　lifted　the　soldier　off　his　feet；　and　the　daemon’s　talons　emerged　from　his　back。　With　a
dismissive　sweep　of　its　arm；　the　daemon　hurled　the　man　off　the　landing　pad；　disappearing　in　the　gale
to　fall　the　three　hundred　metres　to　the　base　of　the　bastion。
The　captain’s　pistol　boomed；　but　Polio　did　not　wait　to　see　if　he　had　felled　the　beast。　Terror
coursing　through　him；　he　half…ran；　half…stumbled　towards　the　lowering　ramp　leading　into　his　shuttle；
his　heart　beating　wildly。
The　guard　standing　by　the　shuttle　had　his　lagsun　raised　to　his　shoulder；　and　he　fired　past　Polio
twice　before　running　up　the　ramp　to　initiate　the　launch。　Polio　heard　several　more　shots　as　the　other
remaining　guards　brought　their　weapons　to　bear；　and　he　paused　at　the　foot　of　the　embarkation　ramp
to　look　back。　He　saw　his　adjutant　crawling　towards　him　on　all　fours；　blood　splattered　across　his
terrified　face。
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Without　thinking　of　his　own　safety　he　ran　to　the　young　man。　As　he　helped　him　up　to　his　feet；
Polio　looked　back　through　the　swirling　snow。
Another　man　was　down；　his　head　ripped　from　his　shoulders；　and　the　captain　wa