Dark Disciple(科幻战争)-第35部分

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it　fought　against　him　with　every　fibre　of　its　being；　muscles　straining；　it　was　powerless　against　him。
There　was　always　an　element　of　risk　involved　in　summoning　the　infernal　denizens　of　the　ether；
and　Marduk　would　normally　only　beseech　the　warp　for　aid　when　he　had　the　time　to　prepare　the
correct　rituals。　The　tiniest　mispronunciation；　a　slip　of　concentration；　could　have　catastrophic　and
eternally　damning　results；　and　yet；　the　rewards　were　often　worth　the　risk。
Eight　of　these　bloodletters　stood　over　the　shattered　corpses　that　had　borne　them。　Eight　was　the
sacred　number　of　the　blood　god　Khorne；　and　the　muscles　of　the　daemons　in　echo　of　their　patron
twitched　with　barely　restrained　rage　as　they　waited　for　a　command。
“Well？”　asked　Marduk；　his　voice　infused　with　power。　“Go。”
As　one；　the　eight　lesser…daemons　of　Khorne　threw　themselves　into　the　corridor；　like　rabid　packdogs
unleashed　from　their　tethers。　They　roared　their　daemonic　fury　as　they　charged　into　the　massing
genestealers；　their　hellblades　carving　burning　arcs　through　the　air。
The　aliens　leapt　to　meet　the　daemons　head　on；　talons　ripping　and　tearing　at　bodies　formed　of　the
stuff　of　Chaos；　alien　speed　and　strength　pitted　against　the　diabolical　fury　of　the　god　of　battle　and
murder。
His　limbs　quivering　with　the　residual　power　of　the　summoning；　Marduk　swung　around　and
stalked　towards　Darioq…Grendh’al；　who　had　almost　completed　cutting　his　way　through　the　bulkhead。
With　a　barked　order；　infused　with　the　essence　of　the　immaterium；　Marduk　forced　the　defiled
magos　aside　and　slammed　the　flat　of　his　boot　into　the　bulkhead。　It　buckled　under　the　blow；　and
another　kick　sent　it　smashing　inwards。
Marduk’s　blood　was　up；　and　he　stepped　through　the　portal；　brandishing　his　daemon　blade；　ready
for　anything。
A　robed　figure　sat　cross…legged　on　the　floor；　and　it　looked　up　as　the　First　Acolyte　stormed　into
the　enclosed；　darkened　room。
Marduk　crossed　the　distance　in　three　steps；　and　grabbed　the　figure　by　the　neck；　lifting　it　a　metre
off　the　ground　and　slamming　it　back　against　the　far　wall。
“Tell　me　you　are　the　one　I　seek；　and　you　shall　live　to　draw　another　breath；”　said　Marduk。
The　figure’s　legs　kicked　uselessly　in　the　air；　and　Marduk　peered　closely　into　its　round；　hairless
face。　Neural　implants　bedecked　its　bald　head　like　feral　ornamentation；　and　a　fist…sized；　cog…shaped
badge　of　the　Adeptus　Mechanicus　was　fused　to　its　forehead；　puckering　the　skin。
The　figure　struggled　to　draw　breath。
“Speak；”　commanded　Marduk。　“What　is　your　name；　dog？”
“Daenae；”　came　the　gasped　reply。
Marduk　grinned　within　his　skull…faced　helmet。　The　figure’s　kohl　rimmed　eyes　bulged；　and
feminine　lips　grimaced　beneath　his　torturous　grip。　Marduk　released　his　crushing　hold；　and　the
explorator　crumpled　to　the　floor　at　his　feet。
“I　do　not　know　who　you　seek；”　gasped　the　woman；　her　voice　hoarse；　“but　my　name　is　Daenae；
Explorator　First　Class　Daenae　of　the　Adeptus　Mechanicus；　and　you　are　a　traitor　of　the　Imperium。”
“You　have　no　idea　how　pleased　I　am　to　have　found　you；　woman；”　said　Marduk。
Explorator　Daenae　was　of　stocky　build　and　considerable　girth。　Her　waist　was　thick　and　strong；　and
her　bosom　heavy。　Even　had　Marduk　been　more　familiar　with　mortals；　or　cared；　he　would　have　been
unable　to　gauge　her　age；　for　she　had　been　extensively　altered　by　juvenat　surgery；　one　of　the　only
vanities　in　which　she　indulged。
Her　body　was　not　augmented　to　nearly　the　degree　of　Darioq’s；　and　what　augmentation　she　had
was　relatively　subtle。　Both　arms　had　been　enhanced　with　mechanical　bionics；　though　they　had　been
fashioned　such　that　their　mechanised　nature　was　not　initially　obvious；　and　she　bore　a　slim…line
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power…source　on　her　back　that　was　a　fraction　of　the　size　and　weight　of　the　immense　generator　that
Darioq　required　to　power　his　servo…harness　and　largely　mechanised　frame。
Power　couplings　linked　her　backpack　to　her　bulky　forearm　bracers；　within　which　were　stored　her
tools。　Neural　implants　allowed　her　to　access　these　tools　with　a　thought；　extending　lascutters；　dataspikes
or　power　drills　behind　her　fist　as　required。
Her　eyes　opened　wide　as　the　bulky　form　of　Darioq…Grendh’al　entered　the　room。
“Darioq？”　she　whispered　hoarsely。　“By　the　blessings　of　the　Omnissiah；　is　that　you？”
“Darioq　is　still　here；”　said　the　magos；　and　Marduk　smiled　to　see　the　explorator　recoil　from　the
voice；　interlaced　with　the　voice　of　the　daemon　Grendh’al。
“He　is　pleased　to　see　you；　Explorator　First　Class　Daenae；”　continued　Darioq…Grendh’al；
“originally　of　the　Konor　Adeptus　Mechanicus　research　world　of　UL01。02；　assigned　to　cl4。8。87。i；
Perdus　Skylla；　for　recon/salvage　of　the　Dvorak…class　interstellar　freighter　Flames　of　Perdition；
which　reappeared　within　Segmentum　Tempestus　in　942。M41　and　crashed　onto　the　surface　of
cl4。8。87。i；　Perdus　Skylla；　in　944。M41　after　being　missing　presumed　lost　in　warp　storm　anomaly
xi。024。396　in　432。M35。”
“What　have　they　done　to　you？”　asked　the　explorator　in　revulsion。
“Enough；”　interjected　Marduk。　“I　have　it　on　the　authority　of　the　magos　that　you　are　in
possession　of　knowledge　that　I　would　own。”
“What？”　asked　the　explorator。　“Me？　You　think　I　have　knowledge　that　great　Darioq；　my　master；
does　not　possess？　Surely　you　are　mistaken。”
Her　voice　fairly　dripped　with　scorn。
“The　knowledge　I　seek　is　in　regard　to　a　xenos　artefact；　an　artefact　taken　from　the　necrontyr。”
“I　know　nothing　about　any　xenos　tech；”　said　the　explorator　emphatically。　“Nothing。”
Marduk　glowered　at　her；　and　then　looked　up　at　Darioq…Grendh’al。
“A　direct　answer；　magos；”　said　the　First　Acolyte；　empowering　his　voice　with　command。　“Does
she　have　the　key　to　unlock　the　device？
“She　does；”　said　Darioq…Grendh’al。
“What？”　asked　the　explorator。　“I　don’t　know　anything！　He　lies！”
“He　cannot　lie；　not　to　me；”　said　Marduk。　“You　are　coming　with　us。　Your　secrets　will　be
revealed。　My　chirurgeons　can　be　very　convincing　when　I　need　them　to　be。”
“I　do　not　lie！　I　know　nothing！”　said　the　explorator　fiercely　as　Marduk　yanked　her　to　her　feet。
“We　have　to　move；”　said　Kol　Badar　from　the　doorway。
“You　are　certain　that　she　has　what　we　need？”　hissed　Marduk　to　Darioq；　shaking　the　explorator
like　a　rag　doll。　“I　sense　no　lie　in　her　words。”
“I　am　not　lying；”　said　the　explorator　emphatically。
“Quiet；”　said　Marduk；　twisting　her　arm　sharply；　snapping　the　bone。
“I　am　certain；”　said　Darioq…Grendh’al；　“but　she　speaks　the　truth。”
“You　dare　speak　in　riddles　to　me；　magos？”　growled　Marduk。
“Explorator　Daenae　speaks　the　truth　because　she　does　not　know　that　the　knowledge　is　locked
within　her　brain　unit。　Magos　Darioq　implanted　it　within　her　sub…dermal　cortex　without　her
knowledge；　for　safe…keeping；　before　he　ejected　her　from　his　service；　and　we　do　not　need　to　take　her
with　us　to　extract　it。”
Marduk’s　scowl　changed　to　a　smile。
“Ah；　Darioq…Grendh’al；”　he　said；　“I　think　I　might　be　starting　to　like　you。”
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CHAPTER　THIRTEEN
The　body　of　Explorator　Daenae　lay　face　down　on　the　floor；　in　a　pool　of　tepid　blood。　The　top　half　of
her　head　had　been　removed　and　cast　aside　and　her　skull　cavity　was　empty。
“You　are　done？”　asked　Marduk　impatiently。
Darioq…Grendh’al　sealed　the　bell　jar；　which　now　held　the　explorator’s　brain；　joining　the　others
that　emerged　from　the　back　of　his　hunched；　perverted　body。　Viscous；　purple…hued　liquid　filled　the
receptacle；　and　dozens　of　needle…like　proboscis　connectors　pierced　the　brain。
“One　moment；　while　the　neural　pathways　connect；”　said　Darioq…Grendh’al。　The　gently　waving
mechadendrite　tentacles　attached　to　the　corrupted　magos’s　spine　quivered；　and　the　magos’s　head
twitched　to　one　side。　Darioq…Grendh’al　uttered　a　low；　mechanical　groan；　and　a　shiver　ran　along　what
flesh　remained　of　his　once…human　body　as　the　explorator’s　brain　connected。
A　veritable　tidal　wave　of　information　flooded　through　Darioq’s　consciousness　as　the　neural
connections　fired。
Memories；　emotions　and　thoughts　that　were　not　his　own　flickered　through　his　consciousness。
Neural　pathways　in　the　explorator’s　brain　that　had　been　dead　for　almost　forty　seconds　during　the
transplant　reconnected；　and　Darioq…Grendh’al　plumbed　their　depths；　driving　towards　the　secrets　that
he　had　locked　there　decades　earlier。　Daemonic　tendrils　burrowed　through　the　brain；　re…forging　the
severed　brainstem；　and　the　knowledge　was　released　in　a　wave　of　data。
Eight　hundred　years　of　knowledge　deemed　unfit　for　study　by　the　High…Magi　of　the　Cult
Mechanicus：　necrontyr；　hrudd；　eldar；　borrlean。　Knowledge　of　xenos　tech　that　had　been　lost　for　eight
hundred　years　was　recovered　in　an　instant。
Unannounced；　a　yearning　dredged　from　the　locked　away　depths　of　his　brain…core　resurfaced；
dragged　from　beyond　self…imposed　restraints：　a　yearning；　a　thirst；　a　need　for　knowledge；　a　yearning
that　had　long　been　restrained；　castigated　and　repressed　within　the　constrictive　bounds　of　the　Adeptus
Mechanicus。
The　quest　for　knowledge　and　understanding　would　begin　afresh；　this　time　with　willing；
supportive　patrons　that　would　not　tether　him/them　with　rules；　regulations；　outdated　morals　and
archaic　beliefs。
“It　is　done；”　said　Darioq…Grendh’al。
“Good。　You　have　what　you　need　to　continue　your　study　of　the　Nexus　Arrangement？”　asked
Marduk　hungrily。
“It　has　all　become　clear　to　us；”　agreed　Darioq…Grendh’al。　“We　have　what　is　needed　to　unlock　the
xenos　tech　device。”
“Then　let　us　get　the　hell　off　this　damnable　moon；”　said　Marduk。
Kol　Badar　took　point；　leading　the　bloodied　warriors　through　the　labyrinthine　corridors　of　the　Flames
of　Perdition　towards　their　submersibles。　The　Word　Bearers　moved　swiftly；　not　wishing　to　linger
within　the　xenos…haunted　wreck　any　longer　than　necessary。
Distant　daemonic　roars　filtered　through　the　darkened　hallways　as　the　bloodletters　continued　their
frenzied　rampage。　Such　summoned　daemons　had　only　a　finite　existence　in　the　material　plane。　If
their　physical　bodies　were　not　killed；　they　might　last　a　day　before　their　substance　unravelled。　They
were　tools　for　the　First　Acolyte　to　use　and　discard　as　he　saw　fit；　and　they　had　served　their　purpose。
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Twice；　the　Word　Bearers　were　ambushed　en　route；　genestealers　launching　blinding　attacks　that
saw　two　more　warriors　injured；　one　sustaining　a　deep　wound　in　his　side　that　would　have　killed　a
mortal　man；　and　the　other；　one　of　the　last　members　of　Khalaxis’s　coterie；　had　half　his　face　ripped
off。　He　stoically　continued　on；　hurling　aside　his　sundered　helmet　and　gritting　his　teeth；　refusing　to
succumb　to　the　pain　in　front　of　such　vaunted　warriors　as　his　champion；　the　Coryphaus　and　the　First
Acolyte。　Marduk　had　nodded　his　respect　to　the　warrior；　who　had　puffed　out　his　chest　and　struggled
on；　pushing　through　the　pain；　at　the　unexpected　acknowledgement。
They　had　not　encountered　any　enemy　for　more　than　fifteen　minutes；　and　they　picked　up　the　pace
as　they　closed　on　the　location　of　the　submersibles；　keeping　a　wary　eye　on　the　throbbing　blister
screen　of　their　tainted　auspex。
The　Flames　of　Perdition　shifted　suddenly；　the　prow　of　the　massive　ship　dropping　as　it　tore　loose
from　the　submerged　cliff。　The　entire　ship　tilted；　and　Marduk　lost　his　footing　as　the　floor　tipped
beneath　him。
The　Word　Bearers　were　thrown　to　their　left；　smashing　into　the　side　wall　of　t