Ice Guard(科幻战争)-第10部分

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the　more　treacherous　branches　in　his　path　—　even　without　its　energy　field　active；　the　well…honed
blade　sliced　easily　through　the　ice。　Still；　it　was　several　minutes　before　he　reached　the　spot　in　which
the　grey…furred　figure　had　lurked　—　and；　by　then；　he　was　not　at　all　surprised　to　find　no　sign　that　it
had　ever　been　there。
Blonsky　and　Pozhar　had　fallen　behind；　but　the　smaller；　slighter　Palinev　had　been　able　to　keep
pace　with　his　colonel；　slipping　through　the　forest　as　if　its　traps　and　snares　were　little　impediment　to
him。
“There　was　something　here；　sir；”　he　reported。　“You　can　see　where　its　breath　has　started　to　melt
this　tree。　I　could　search　for　its　tracks；　but　they’ll　be　hard　to　follow　on　this　ground。”
“No；”　said　Steele。　“Thank　you；　Trooper　Palinev；　but　we　don’t　have　time　for　that。”
“It　does　look　bleak；　sir；　if　you　don’t　mind　my　saying　so。　We’ve　lost　the　Termite。　Our　escape
route　through　the　ice　has　closed　behind　us；　so　that　even　if　we　do　find　Confessor　Wollkenden；　we’ve
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no　way　of　getting　back　to　Alpha　Hive　with　him。　We　must　be　at　least　twenty　kilometres　from　his
crash　site；　and　it　seems　our　enemies　know　we’re　here。”
Steele　couldn’t　have　summed　up　the　situation　more　succinctly　himself。
“We　should　get　back　to　the　others；”　he　said。　“We　have　a　great　deal　of　work　to　do。”
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CHAPTER　SIX
Time　to　Destruction　of　Cressida：　40。42。39
Pozhar　was　beginning　to　wonder　what　he　was　doing　here。
He　was　a　front…line　fighter；　not　a　scout。　Stealth　was　no　more　a　virtue　of　his　than　was　patience。
Bad　enough；　he　thought；　that　Steele　had　had　the　Termite　flee　from　a　single　artillery　unit；　bad　enough
they　had　let　the　enemy　have　that　victory。　At　least；　he　had　thought；　when　they　got　to　where　they　were
going；　when　he　was　able　to　climb　out　into　the　open　again　at　last；　he　would　have　the　chance　to　flex
his　muscles。
The　mutated　snow　leopards　had　been　a　welcome　diversion　—　and　Pozhar　felt　confident；
although　it　was　impossible　to　know　for　sure；　that　his　las…beams　had　finished　off　two　of　them。　But
then　Steele　had　directed　his　squad　into　the　ice　forest　and　warned　them　of　the　overriding　need　for
caution。
And　Pozhar　had　come　to　realise　that　the　ice　forest　was　almost　as　constricting；　almost　as
claustrophobic；　as　the　inside　of　the　Termite　had　been。
The　further　they　had　ventured　between　its　vile；　warped　trees；　the　more　densely　those　trees　had
become　packed。　Already　Pozhar　had　been　scratched　three　times　by　their　sharp　edges；　and　he　was
starting　to　ache　with　the　effort　of　walking　with　his　elbows　damped　to　his　sides；　his　head　bowed；
checking　the　ground　for　the　treacherous　purple　fungus　before　he　dared　to　take　each　step。
Still；　as　bad　as　this　was　for　him；　he　thought；　it　was　far　worse　for　Borscz；　who　was　visibly
straining　to　rein　in　his　massive　form；　and　who　let　out　an　aggrieved　yelp　every　few　minutes。　Borscz’s
greatcoat　was　so　crazed　with　cuts　by　now　that　Pozhar　was　expecting　great　squares　of　its　fabric　to
start　falling　away。
He　longed　to　set　eyes　on　another　snow　leopard　or　two；　something　against　which　he　could　cut
loose　—　but　the　ice　forest　seemed　sterile；　devoid　even　of　birds；　an　entire　area　scoured　of　life；　given
over　to　the　creeping　rot　that　was　destroying　this　world。
Pozhar　shivered　at　the　thought；　and　decided　that　on　reflection　this　was　far　worse　than　being
cooped　up　in　any　vehicle。　Out　here；　he　could　feel　the　Chaos　corruption　in　the　air；　pressing　in　on　him
like　a　physical　force；　battering　him。　He　wanted　to　yell　defiance　at　it；　to　fight　back。　He　wanted　to
hack；　slash　and　burn　this　accursed　place　down。
“Just　give　me　a　couple　of　flamers；”　seethed　Barreski；　who　had　obviously　had　the　same　thought；
“and　I　guarantee　you　there’ll　be　nothing　left　standing　here　in　ten　minutes。　We’d　be　wading　through
water　the　rest　of　the　way　to　the　crash　site。”
“And　the　Chaos　forces　would　hear　us　coming　ten　kilometres　away；”　said　Borscz。
“Just　making　a　point；　that’s　all；”　said　Barreski。　“I’d　put　my　faith　in　Imperial　firepower　over
anything　Chaos　can　muster　any　day；　no　contest。”
“Forgetting　what　happened　to　the　Termite；　are　we？”　asked　Mikhaelev　wryly。
Anyway；　there　were　no　flamers　—　only　the　one　that　Barreski　had　been　carrying；　and　it　was　out
of　fuel。　There　had　been　no　time　for　the　Ice　Warriors　to　salvage　anything　more　than　their　standard　kit；
worn　or　carried　in　their　rucksacks；　from　the　stricken　Termite。　Mikhaelev　in　particular　was　mourning
the　loss　of　his　missile　launcher；　being　now　a　heavy　weapons　expert　with　no　heavy　weapons。
Pozhar　heard　a　noise　ahead　of　him；　glimpsed　a　moving　shape　and　reacted　with　lightning　speed。
By　the　time　he　recognised　Trooper　Palinev；　he　was　already　staring　at　his　comrade’s　slender　form
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through　his　lasgun　sights。　An　instant　later；　and　Pozhar　would　have　pulled　the　trigger。　He　chafed　at
having　to　hold　himself　back。
Palinev　had　adapted　to　his　surroundings　with　enviable　ease。　He　moved　between　the　ice　trees　like
a　ghost；　seeming　to　know　instinctively　where　to　step；　and　when　he　had　to　twist　or　hop　to　avoid　a
grasping　branch　or　a　protruding　root。　“I’ve　scouted　two　kilometres　ahead；　sir；”　he　reported　to　Steele；
“but　there’s　nothing；　nothing　at　all。　The　ice　forest　stretches　as　far　as　I’ve　seen。”
Gavotski’s　lips　tightened　with　disappointment。　“Maybe　we　should　have　tried　to　go　around　it
after　all。　If　it　gets　any　thicker—”
Steele　interrupted　him。　“We’ll　cross　that　bridge　when　we　come　to　it；　sergeant。　In　the　meantime；
assuming　that　the　forest　does　reach　all　the　way　to　our　destination；　if　we　maintain　our　current　bearing
and　speed　and　encounter　no　further　hostile　life…　assuming　all　that；　we　should　be　able　to　reach　the
crash　site　in…”
He　hesitated　for　a　second；　and　his　eyes　—　both　the　real　one　and　the　augmetic　—　glazed　over。
Pozhar　stared　at　his　commander　in　fascination　—　but　then　Steele’s　eyes　cleared　and　he　concluded；
“Approximately　four　hours　and　forty…seven　minutes’　time。”　And　Pozhar　wanted　to　scream。
Palinev　was　alone　again。
He　didn’t　mind　that。　He　had　become　used　to　solitude；　welcomed　it　even。　It　was　a　long　time　since
he　had　been　in　an　environment　as　quiet　as　the　ice　forest　was；　far　from　the　sounds　of　battle　or　even
from　the　thrum　of　an　engine。　He　knew　he　had　to　be　careful　not　to　let　the　quiet　fool　him。　Likewise；　he
was　sure　to　examine　every　ice　tree　that　came　into　his　view；　even　though　the　aberrant　shapes　had
long　since　lost　the　power　to　fascinate　or　even　to　repel　him；　had　begun　to　take　on　a　monotonous
quality。
Palinev　couldn’t　take　anything　for　granted；　couldn’t　drop　his　guard　for　a　second。　The　others
were　depending　on　him。　The　information　he　could　gather；　alone　and　unseen；　could　prove　vital　to
them。　But　it　came　with　a　risk　attached。　If　he　were　to　walk　into　an　ambush；　if　he　were　to　be　captured；
then　the　enemy　would　know　that　his　comrades　were　behind　him；　and　they　would　be　prepared。
One　mistake；　and　Palinev　knew　he　could　take　his　entire　squad　down　with　him。
He　had　left　them　almost　an　hour　ago。　It　was　time　to　drop　back；　he　thought；　and　report　in　to
Steele　again；　just　to　reassure　the　colonel　that　he　hadn’t　run　into　trouble；　that　the　way　ahead　was　still
safe。　Cradling　his　Guard…issue　compass　in　his　palm；　Palinev　reoriented　himself。　He　was　confident
that　he　could　retrace　his　steps　by　memory；　but　there　was　no　harm　in　a　double…check。　If　he　strayed　off
course　by　even　one　half　of　a　degree；　he　was　likely　to　miss　his　comrades　altogether。
He　was　about　to　set　off　when　a　sound　made　him　freeze。
It　had　been　almost　nothing　—　the　tiniest　of　scrapes；　perhaps　a　rustle　of　fabric　—　and　yet；　it　had
not　been　a　natural　sound。　Palinev　knew　this　because　he　had　taken　the　time　to　attune　himself　to　the
natural　sounds　of　the　forest；　such　as　they　were：　the　faintest　warbling　of　the　wind　between　the　trees；
the　occasional　pops　and　cracks　as　a　newly　frozen　shape　settled；　or　perhaps　even　grew？
As　quickly　and　as　quietly　as　he　could；　taking　only　one　careful　step；　Palinev　tucked　himself　in
behind　the　nearest　ice　tree；　and　dropped　to　his　haunches。　He　drew　his　combat　knife　from　his　boot；
recited　the　Litany　of　Stealth；　made　sure　that　his　breathing　was　as　soft　as　the　breeze；　and　waited。
As　he　had　expected；　a　figure　came　into　view。　It　was　a　man；　as　slight　of　stature　as　Palinev　was。
He　was　wearing　an　armoured　helmet　and　a　tight…fitting　flak　jacket；　also　like　Palinev’s；　except　that
where　his　was　a　bottle　green　in　colour；　the　stranger’s　was　a　bold　red　with　gold　highlights。　It　was
hardly　good　camouflage　material。
Palinev　thought　that　he　recognised　the　colours；　though　he　couldn’t　name　the　regiment　to　which
they　belonged。　Evidently；　though；　this　man　was　an　Imperial　soldier　—　or　at　least；　he　had　been　once。
He　was　holding　a　lasgun；　keeping　it　ready　as　he　crept　from　one　tree　to　another：　a　scout。　The　question
was；　for　whom　was　he　scouting？　There　were　no　visible　signs　of　Chaos　mutation　on　the　stranger；　but
that　didn’t　prove　anything。
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Palinev　waited　until　the　man　had　drawn　almost　level　with　him；　waited　for　his　questing　eyes　to
turn　away　from　him。　Then　he　slipped　out　from　behind　his　tree；　and　into　the　shade　of　another。　He
repeated　this　manoeuvre　twice　more；　each　time　drawing　closer　to　his　unsuspecting　prey；　and　moving
further　around　behind　him。
When　at　last　he　was　close；　almost　close　enough　to　reach　out　and　touch　the　nape　of　the　other
scout’s　neck；　then　Palinev　pounced。　His　prey　heard　him　coming；　too　late；　didn’t　even　have　time　to
spin　around。　Palinev　was　on　the　man’s　back；　his　left　arm　locked　around　his　shoulders；　his　right　hand
holding　his　knife　to　the　man’s　throat。
“A　friendly　warning；”　he　hissed。　“If　you　try　to　shout　to　your　people；　if　you　speak　at　all　other　than
to　answer　my　questions；　I　will　slit　your　vocal　cords。”　He　would　have　done　it　by　now　if　only　he　had
been　sure；　if　he　had　seen　any　proof　that　this　man　was　a　traitor。　“Who　are　you？”　he　asked。　“Answer
me！”
“Trooper　Garroway；”　the　other　scout　spat　defiantly；　“of　the　14th　Royal　Validian　regiment　of　the
Imperial　Guard。　Kill　me　if　you　like。　Kill　us　all；　but　it　won’t　save　you。　They　will　send　a　hundred
thousand　more　like　me　—　a　million　more　—　and　they　won’t　rest　until　this　world　is　scoured　clean　of
your　filth；　reclaimed　for　the　Golden　Throne！”
“You’re　Imperial　Guard？”　queried　Palinev。　“What　are　you　doing　out　here？　This　is　Chaos…held
territory。”
His　prisoner　relaxed　a　little　in　his　grip；　and　this　told　Palinev　more　than　words　could　have　said。
Garroway　was　relieved；　not　afraid；　to　have　found　himself　in　the　hands　of　a　fellow　Guardsman。　He
was　telling　the　truth。
“There　are　just　under　four　hundred　of　our　company　left；”　said　Garroway。　“We　were　helping
civilians　out　of　Iota　Hive　to　the　north…west　of　here。　When　it　fell；　we　were　ordered　back　to　Alpha；　but
the　glaciers　closed　in　front　of　us；　blocking　our　path。　We　don’t　have　a　vox…caster　any　more；　so　we
couldn’t　call　for　assistance。　We　have　no　maps。　We’ve　just　been　trying　to　find　a　way　through；　but　the
Chaos　army　is　behind　us。　We　were　forced　to　take　cover　in　this…　this　forest；　whatever　it　is。”
Palinev　let　go　of　him。　“Palinev；”　he　introduced　himself；　“Valhallan　319th。”
Garroway　turned　to　face　him；　and　his　eyes　narrowed。　“You’re　an　Ice　Warrior？”
“Don’t　let　the　lack　of　a　greatcoat　fool　you。　I　move　a　l