Ice Guard(科幻战争)-第12部分

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They　were　making　no　attempt　to　be　quiet；　crashing　through　the　ice　forest　at　speed；　whimpering
and　howling。　They　must　have　fled　from　the　heat　of　the　battle；　thought　Steele。　They　couldn’t　have
known　that　the　Ice　Warriors　were　here　—　and　yet；　by　some　perverse　chance；　they　were　about　to　run
right　into　them。
He　hissed　a　warning　to　the　others；　telling　them　to　take　cover。　Although　they　couldn’t　have　seen
anything　themselves　yet；　they　didn’t　stop　to　ask　questions。　They　obeyed　their　colonel’s　order　with
varying　degrees　of　success。　Only　a　blind　man　could　have　failed　to　see　Borscz；　who　was　twice　as
broad　as　the　ice　tree　behind　which　he　attempted　to　hide。　Still；　thought　Steele；　if　the　mutants　were　in
the　throes　of　panic；　and　obviously　feeble…minded；　then　they　might　not　see　the　trap　before　it　was
sprung。
And　suddenly；　there　were　over　a　score　of　them；　appearing　in　the　gaps　between　the　trees；　their
manifest　and　varied　deformities　an　assault　to　Steele’s　eyes。　He　waited　until　they　got　closer；　even
closer…　and　then　one　of　the　mutants　came　scrambling　to　a　halt；　and　its　huge；　pink　eyes　widened；
staring　at　Borscz’s　protruding　stomach。　It　opened　its　mouth　to　squeal　a　warning…
…and　that　was　when　Steele　stepped　out　of　hiding　with　his　laspistol　levelled；　and　before　the
mutant　could　let　out　a　sound；　he　calmly　blew　a　hole　through　its　head。
The　rest　of　his　squad　were　quick　to　follow　his　lead。　Pozhar；　not　surprisingly；　was　the　first；　his
face　lit　up　by　a　broad　grin　as　he　pumped　las…beam　after　las…beam　into　his　confused　and　terrified
targets。　Barreski　took　his　time；　waiting　for　the　opportune　moment　to　wreak　maximum　damage　with
one　shot　from　his　new　flamer。　Three　mutants　were　engulfed　in　fire；　filling　the　air　with　the　stink　of
their　burning　flesh　and　the　sounds　of　their　screams。
“Don’t　let　any　of　them　get　away！”　Steele　yelled。
He　counted　four　mutants　on　the　periphery　of　the　group；　making　to　turn　back；　deciding　that　the
lesser　of　two　perils　was　the　one　that　lay　behind　them　after　all。　He　brought　down　a　hunchbacked；
tentacled　horror　with　a　shot　to　the　back。
The　other　three　mutants　fled；　and　were　out　of　sight　before　Steele　could　stop　them　—　but　an
instant　later　a　tremendous　bang　rent　the　air　and　a　cloud　of　shrapnel　billowed　out　from　the　trees
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where　they　had　vanished。　Barreski　had　tossed　a　frag　grenade　after　the　mutants　—　and；　although
Steele　winced　at　the　sound　that　had　almost　overloaded　the　acoustic　enhancers　in　his　right　ear；　he
couldn’t　deny　that　it　had　been　an　effective　tactic。
Was　there　any　hope；　he　wondered；　that　no　one　in　the　main　body　of　the　Chaos　force　had　heard　the
explosion；　that　the　ice　trees　might　have　deadened　its　sound　before　it　could　reach　them？　Perhaps；　at
least；　it　might　be　dismissed　as　the　work　of　a　lone　Validian　kamikaze；　or　even　a　dispute　between
undisciplined　mutant　stragglers。
So　long；　that　was；　as　none　of　the　mutants　lived　to　tell　a　different　tale。
In　focusing　on　the　would…be　deserters；　Steele　had　let　down　his　guard　against　the　more　immediate
threats　to　his　wellbeing。　He　heard　the　cocking　of　a　pistol；　and　turned　to　find　its　barrel　aimed　at　his
head　by　a　creature　that　looked　as　if　its　face　had　melted；　its　eyes　and　its　nose　running　towards　its
chin。
Before　the　mutant　could　fire；　Borscz　barrelled　into　its　side　and　threw　off　its　aim。　It　responded　by
swinging　its　gun　butt　at　the　burly　Ice　Warrior’s　jaw。　It　hit　with　a　resounding　crack；　but　Borscz　barely
seemed　to　feel　the　blow。　He　gripped　his　hapless　opponent　by　its　shoulders；　thrust　it　back　against　a
razor…edged　ice　tree。　The　mutant　screamed　and　thrashed　as　blood　gushed　out　of　its　back；　but　with　a
deep…throated　chuckle　and　a　flash　of　his　brilliant　white　teeth；　Borscz　pushed　its　chin　up　and　back
with　the　heel　of　his　hand。　The　tree　cut　through　the　mutant’s　misshapen　head；　bisecting　it　down　the
middle。
Three　more　of　its　kin　made　a　break　for　it；　but　two　ran　into　a　crossfire　of　las…beams　set　up　by
Gavotski　and　Anakora。　Palinev　went　racing　after　the　third；　with　his　knife　drawn。　Barreski　pressed
his　flamer　into　service　again；　and　Borscz；　who　had　been　about　to　pounce　on　another　mutant　when　it
combusted　in　his　face；　gave　a　yelp　of　protest　and　threw　his　hands　up　to　his　singed　beard。
Surprise　and　discipline　were　the　Ice　Warriors’　greatest　assets；　and　many　of　their　foes　were　cut
down　before　they　could　do　much　more　than　gibber。　Mikhaelev　in　particular　proved　to　be　an　expert
shot；　choosing　his　angles　well　so　that　a　single　one　of　his　las…beams　often　sliced　through　two　bodies。
The　closest　the　mutants　came　to　exhibiting　teamwork　was　when　four　of　them　tried　to　swarm
Blonsky。　Steele’s　pistol　finished　off　one　before　it　could　reach　its　target；　but　the　others　fell　upon　the
trooper。　Most　of　the　Ice　Warriors　held　their　fire　for　fear　of　hitting　a　comrade；　although　Steele　noted
that　Pozhar　was　the　exception。
He　drew　his　power　sword　and　activated　a　control　in　its　hilt；　causing　the　blade　to　flare　with　a
crackling　blue　energy。　He　stepped　up　behind　one　of　the　mutants　and　struck　with　all　the　strength　in
his　augmented　muscles；　severing　its　head　from　its　spinal　column。
Borscz　wrenched　a　third　mutant　from　its　victim；　while　Grayle　attempted　a　similar　manoeuvre
with　the　fourth；　but　found　that　it　was　stronger　than　he　was。　Nevertheless；　he　kept　it　occupied　long
enough　for　Blonsky　to　stand　and　to　thrust　his　bayonet　into　the　struggling　creature’s　guts。
And　then　the　fight　was　over；　there　were　no　more　mutants　standing；　and　Palinev　returned；　wiping
his　blade　with　a　cloth；　to　report　that　the　one　he　had　chased　was　also　dead。　The　Ice　Warriors　were　left
in　a　self…made　clearing；　but　the　ice　trees　that　Barreski’s　flamer　had　melted　were　already　beginning　to
grow　again。　Pozhar　leapt　as　a　new　shoot　sprouted　with　impossible　speed　beneath　him；　almost
impaling　his　foot。
Before　they　moved　on；　Steele　counted　the　bodies　to　confirm　that　all　the　mutants　he　had　seen
were　accounted　for。　Then　he　took　another　second　to　rerun　that　calculation；　four　more　times；　to　be
sure。
It　had　become　second　nature　for　him　to　do　this；　and　he　did　it　for　a　good　reason。　He　did　it　because
he　could　not　trust　his　own　mind。
Some　things；　he　remembered　too　well。
He　remembered　every　detail　of　his　time　in　the　hospital；　everything　they　had　done　to　him　there。
The　medics　had　rebuilt　one　side　of　Steele’s　head；　inserted　plates　into　his　skull；　and　grafted　foreign
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objects　onto　his　brain。　They　had　replaced　the　shattered　bones　in　his　right　shoulder　and　upper　arm
with　plasteel；　the　muscles　with　hydraulic　systems。
He　remembered　their　assurances　that　the　pain　would　be　worthwhile；　that　they　were　doing　the
best　they　could　for　him。　He　hadn’t　believed　them。　He　had　thought　it　more　likely　that　the　medics
were　just　pushing；　testing；　seeing　how　far　they　could　go。
Steele　could　remember　all　that；　but　he　couldn’t　remember　what　had　landed　him　in　that　Emperorforsaken
place　to　begin　with。　He　had　no　memory　of　Karnak；　the　world　to　which　his　service　records
told　him　he　had　been　posted　for　more　than　two　years。　He　did　not　know　who　his　comrades　had　been
on　that　world；　in　that　campaign；　which　of　the　Imperium’s　many　enemies　they　had　been　fighting；　or
what　his　orders　had　been　on　that　fateful　day。
He　had　no　idea　what　had　caused　the　explosion　that　had　gone　off　in　his　face。
He　couldn’t　remember　his　father’s　eyes；　nor　the　touch　of　the　girlfriend　he　had　left　behind　on
Valhalla　when　his　draft　papers　had　arrived。
Sometimes；　in　the　weeks　that　had　followed　his　discharge；　Steele　had　wished　that　the　medics　had
just　left　him　to　die。
He　was　aware　that　people　saan；　a　deep　thinker。　As　a　cold　man。　Some　were
jealous　of　his　augmetics；　of　the　feats　they　enabled　him　to　achieve。　Those　people　didn’t　know　the　real
Colonel　Stanislev　Steele。　They　didn’t　know　the　abiding　frustration　that　burnt　at　the　core　of　his　being。
He　could　hear　the　flapping　of　a　moth’s　wings　from　forty　paces　now；　detect　its　body　heat　from　a
hundred。　He　could　perform　complex　calculations　at　lightning　speed　—　or　rather；　a　small　part　of　his
brain　to　which　he　felt　little　connection　could　perform　them　and　offer　up　the　results　to　him。　He　had
near…perfect　recall；　and　could　store　tactical　maps　and　troop　movements　in　that　same　small　alien
corner　of　his　head。
Steele　had　heard　it　said　that　he　could　count　the　snowflakes　in　a　storm；　although　he　had　never
been　quite　bored　enough　to　try。
And　of　course　he　had　the　strength　of　three　men　in　his　right　arm　—　enough；　he　had　been　told；　to
slice　through　two　armoured　heretics　with　one　swing　of　his　power　sword。
It　must　have　sounded　amazing；　in　theory；　and　Steele’s　new…found　abilities　had　certainly　helped
him　to　rise　through　the　ranks。　But；　as　Trooper　Borscz　would　no　doubt　have　reminded　him；　Imperial
technology　wasn’t　always　reliable　—　and　far　less　so　in　conditions　like　these；　on　ice　worlds　such　as
Valhalla　and　the　world　that　Cressida　had　become。　Steele’s　eye；　his　acoustic　enhancers；　the　olfactory
sensors　in　his　nose；　even　his　right　shoulder；　they　were　all　prone　to　intermittent　failures。　They　could
let　him　down　at　any　moment。
And　so；　nine　years　after　he　had　been　reborn；　he　was　still　trying　to　work　out　what　the　medics
hadn’t　been　able　to　tell　him。　He　still　didn’t　know　which　of　his　thoughts　were　entirely　his　own；　and
which　had　been　influenced　by　the　augmetics　that　had　oh…so…subtly　insinuated　themselves　into　his
consciousness。　He　had　to　second…guess　his　every　instinct；　in　case　it　was　based　on　flawed
information。
He　couldn’t　tell　where　the　real　Stanislev　Steele　ended　and　the　augmetics　began。
They　were　nearing　the　edge　of　the　ice　forest；　at　last。
Steele　knew　this　because　his　augmetics　had　calculated　that　the　mean　distance　between　the　ice
trees　was　a　little　greater　than　it　had　been　a　few　minutes　ago。　He　quickened　his　pace；　knowing　that
his　squad　would　fall　into　step　beside　him　without　being　ordered　to　do　so。　There　had　been　no　signs
that　anyone　was　on　their　tail；　but　still　he　couldn’t　dismiss　that　possibility。
At　last　they　emerged　into　the　open；　and　Steele　could　see　that　the　others　were　as　happy　about　it　as
he　was。　Borscz　let　out　a　deep　groan　of　relief；　and　took　the　opportunity　to　stretch　his　arms　and　legs
and　work　out　the　cricks　in　his　neck。
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A　great；　snow…blanketed　field　stretched　ahead　of　them　—　and　in　the　distance　Steele　could　see　the
spires　and　towers　of　Iota　Hive。　They　had　made　good　time；　all　things　considered。　The　crash　site　was
only　a　few　more　kilometres　away；　and　the　going　looked　set　to　be　a　lot　easier　from　now　on。　The　open
terrain　would　bring　its　own　problems；　however。　The　Ice　Warriors’　bottle…green　greatcoats　would
stand　out　like　beacons　to　anyone　who　overlooked　the　field　from　any　number　of　surrounding　hills。
And　they　would　leave　tracks　in　the　grey　snow；　but　there　was　no　way　around　that。
Fortunately；　the　sky　was　beginning　to　darken。　Steele　considered　waiting　for　a　while；　until　the
night　had　drawn　in　completely；　but　he　concluded　that　the　risks　of　so　doing　outweighed　the
advantages。　His　internal　chrono　was　ticking　away；　impossible　to　ignore。　It　was　counting　down　the
seconds　to　the　end　of　this　world；　making　him　acutely　aware　of　the　passing　of　each　one。
It　was　only　when　Gavotski　had　a　quiet　word　in　his　ear　that　he　realised　how　hard　he　had　been
pushing　his　squad；　how　exhausting　the　i