Fifteen Hours(科幻战争)-第11部分

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don’t　care　that　you　think　you’re　in　the　wrong　place；　that　you’re　wet　behind　the　ears；　or　that　you’re
probably　not　even　old　enough　to　shave。　All　they　care　about　is　killing　you。　So　if　you　know　what　is
good　for　you；　new　fish；　you　will　put　all　this　crap　aside　and　start　worrying　about　killing　them
instead。”
Shocked　at　the　man’s　outburst　Larn　said　nothing；　his　reply　dying　on　his　tongue　as　he　saw　Repzik
turn　away　from　him　to　gaze　darkly　into　no…man’s　land　once　more。　As　though　by　some　sixth　sense
the　other　Guardsmen　in　the　trench　had　already　done　the　same；　all　of　them　staring　hard　into　no…man’s
land　as　though　watching　something　happening　out　there　of　which　Larn　was　entirely　unaware。　No
matter　how　hard　Larn　tried；　he　could　see　nothing。　Nothing　except　grey…black　mud　and　desolation。
Frustrated；　wary　of　asking　the　others　what　they　were　looking　at　for　fear　of　drawing　another
angry　outburst；　Larn　turned　to　glance　around　him。　Behind　him；　hidden　from　his　sight　when　he　had
first　landed　by　a　gentle　sloping　of　the　ground；　was　a　series　of　firing　trenches　and　foxholes。　All　of
them　led　down　towards　sandbag　emplacements　that　covered　the　entrances　to　a　number　of
underground　dugouts　set　among　the　shattered　husks　of　buildings　at　the　outskirts　of　the　city。　Now　his
eyes　had　become　accustomed　to　the　relentless　grey　of　the　landscape；　Larn　could　see　other　firing
trenches　around　and　to　the　side　of　their　trench　—　their　parapets　cunningly　camouflaged　to　look　no
different　from　the　countless　chunks　of　crumbling　half…buried　plascrete　and　other　detritus　that　lay
scattered　across　this　wasteland。　From　time　to　time　a　Guardsman　would　suddenly　emerge　from　one　of
the　trenches　to　run　half…crouched；　zigzagging　from　one　piece　of　cover　to　the　next　until　he　reached
the　safety　of　either　another　trench　or　the　entrance　to　one　of　the　dugouts。　Behind　them；　in　the
distance；　the　main　body　of　the　city　stood　brooding　across　the　horizon　as　though　watching　their　lives
and　labours　with　disdain。　A　city　of　ruined　and　battle…scarred　buildings　set　against　a　grey　and
uncaring　sky。
This　is　Broucheroc；　Larn　reminded　himself。　That　is　what　they　said　the　city　was　called。
“There；”　one　of　the　Guardsmen　said　beside　him。　“I　see　green。　The　bastards　are　moving。”
Turning　to　gaze　once　more　into　no…man’s　land　with　the　others；　for　a　moment　Larn　found　himself
vainly　struggling　to　see　anything　among　the　wearying　grey　of　the　world　about　them。　Then；　suddenly；
at　ground　level；　perhaps　a　kilometre　away；　he　saw　a　brief　glimpse　of　green　flesh　as　its　owner　stood
upright　for　a　split　second　before　abruptly　disappearing　once　more。
“I　see　it；”　Larn　said；　the　words　jumping　breathless　from　him；　unbidden。　“Holy　Emperor！　Is　that
an　ork？”
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“Hhh。　I　only　wish　orks　were　as　small　as　that；　new　fish；”　Repzik　said；　spitting　over　the　parapet
into　no…man’s　land　again。　“That’s　a　gretch。　A　gretchin。　Keep　looking　and　you　should　be　able　to　see
some　more。”
He　was　right。　Ahead；　Larn　saw　the　creature　stand　upright　once　more。　This　time　it　stood　where　it
was　unmoving；　its　green　flesh　plainly　visible　against　the　contrast　of　the　grey　backdrop　of　the
landscape　behind　it。　Then；　after　a　moment；　Larn　saw　another　dozen　creatures　appear　beside　it；　all　of
them　standing　still　and　motionless　as　though　trying　to　smell　something　on　the　wind。　Each　of　them
perhaps　a　metre　tall　at　most；　their　stunted　green　bodies　appearing　curiously　hunched　and　misshapen
inside　their　rough　grey　garments。　Watching　them；　Larn　felt　himself　recoil　in　instinctive　horror　at　his
first　sight　of　an　alien　species。　Until；　before　he　even　knew　what　he　was　doing；　his　finger　was　on　the
trigger　of　las…gun　at　his　shoulder　as　he　sighted　in　on　the　Xenos。
“Don’t　bother；　new　fish；”　Repzik　said；　laying　a　hand　across　his　barrel。　“Even　if　you　did　manage
to　hit　one　of　the　gretch　at　this　range；　you　would　be　wasting　your　ammo。　Save　it　“til　later。　Save　it　for
the　orks。”
“I　don’t　like　it；”　one　of　the　other　Guardsmen　said。　“If　the　orks　are　sending　their　gretch　out　like
that　it　means　they’re　planning　on　hitting　us　with　a　frontal　assault。　Another　one。　What　is　that　now？
Something　like　the　third　one　today？”
“Third　time　is　right；　Kell；”　the　Guardsman　called　Vidmir　said；　his　face　grim　as　he　pressed　a
finger　to　his　ear　to　listen　to　something　on　his　comm　bead。　“You’ll　have　to　remember　to　remonstrate
with　the　orks　about　their　lack　of　originality　when　they　get　here。　From　the　reports　I’m　hearing　over
the　tactical　net；　you　should　soon　be　getting　the　opportunity　to　do　so。”
“What　is　it？”　the　other　Guardsman　—　Kell　—　asked；　while　the　rest　of　the　men　in　the　trench
turned　to　look　at　Vidmir。　“What　have　you　heard？”
“Sector　Command　says　auspex　is　reading　a　lot　of　movement　in　the　ork　lines；”　Vidmir　replied。
“Sounds　like　Repzik　was　right。　They’re　going　to　be　hitting　us　hard；　and　in　numbers。　Though；　from
the　sound　of　it；　I　think　there’s　more　to　this　than　just　a　matter　of　the　orks　getting　excited　over　killing
the　new　fish’s　friends。　Could　be　they　were　already　getting　ready　to　launch　an　offensive。　Which
would　be　bad　enough；　except　it　sounds　like　our　own　side　is　trying　to　get　us　killed　as　well。　Battery
Command　are　refusing　to　give　us　artillery　support　until　they　are　sure　this　is　really　a　full…blown
assault　and　not　just　a　feint。”
“A　feint；　my　arse；”　Kell　grunted。　“When　have　you　ever　known　an　ork　to　do　anything　by　halves？”
“Agreed；”　Vidmir　said。　“But；　irrespective；　it　looks　like　we’re　going　to　have　to　repel　the　orks　on
our　own。　Emperor　help　us。”　Then；　turning　towards　Larn；　Vidmir　gave　him　the　cold　flash　of　a
graveyard　smile。
“Congratulations；　new　fish；”　he　said。　“Looks　like　not　only　did　you　manage　to　get　yourself
dropped　right　into　the　middle　of　hell　but　you　picked　a　bad　day　in　hell　besides。”
Repzik；　Vidmir；　Donn；　Ralvs　and　Kell。　These　were　the　names　of　the　five　men　who　shared　the　trench
with　him。　Larn　had　learned　that　much　about　them　at　least　in　the　quiet　time　as　they　waited　for　the
battle　to　begin。　They　were　from　a　planet　called　Vardan；　they　told　him。　They　and　their　regiment；　a
group　of　hardened　veterans　known　as　the　902nd　Vardan　Rifles；　had　come　to　the　city　of　Broucheroc
more　than　ten　years　ago　and　had　been　here　even　since。　Ten　years！　He　could　hardly　believe　it。　Nor
where　those　the　only　things　that　Larn　had　learned　from　the　Vardans。
“I　don’t　understand　it；”　he　said；　looking　out　at　the　group　of　gretchin　on　the　other　side　of　noman’s
land。　“What　are　they　waiting　for？”
Ten　minutes　had　passed　since　the　first　alien　appeared。　Though　the　numbers　of　those　waiting　with
it　had　now　increased　to　perhaps　a　couple　of　hundred；　still　the　ranks　of　gretchin　stood　exposed　and
out　in　the　open　on　the　other　side　of　no…man’s　land。　Occasionally　a　squabble　would　break　out；　two　or
three　of　the　aliens　suddenly　breaking　away　from　the　main　group　to　fight　a　bloody　battle　with　tooth
and　claw　while　their　fellows　watched　with　lazy　interest。　For　the　most　part　the　aliens　simply　stood
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there　unmoving；　their　feral　faces　turned　to　stare　unblinkingly　towards　the　human　lines。　It　was　an
unnerving　spectacle。　Not　for　the　first　time；　Larn　found　himself　fighting　the　urge　to　take　his　lasgun
and　fire　at　them。　To　shoot　over　and　over　again　until　every　one　of　the　ugly　inhuman　faces　he　could
see　before　him　had　been　obliterated。
“It’s　an　old　trick；　new　fish；”　Repzik　said。　“They’re　waiting　for　us　to　shoot　at　them　and　give　away
our　positions。”
“But　that’s　suicide；”　Larn　said。　“Why　would　they　be　willing　to　sacrifice　themselves　like　that？”
“Hhh。　They’re　gretch；　new　fish；”　Repzik　replied。　“Willing　doesn’t　come　into　it。　If　their　Warboss
tells　’em　to　go　stand　out　in　no…man’s　land　and　wait　to　get　killed；　it’s　not　like　they　get　much　say　over
it。　Of　course；　even　the　fact　that　their　boss　is　smart　enough　to　think　of　using　his　gretch　that　way　tells
us　something。　It　means　the　green…skin　leading　the　assault　is　likely　to　be　one　crafty　son　of　a　bitch；
relatively　speaking。　And　that’s　likely　to　be　bad　news　for　us；　believe　me。　There’s　not　much　worse
than　a　crafty　ork。　Now　quiet　down；　new　fish。　There　will　be　plenty　of　time　for　questions　later；　after
the　attack。　Assuming；　of　course；　we　survive　it。”
At　that　Repzik　fell　silent　once　more；　his　eyes　staring　into　no…man’s　land　with　the　rest　of　the
Vardans。　Denied　the　distraction　of　further　conversation；　Larn　began　to　realise　just　how　tense　the
atmosphere　was　in　the　trench。　An　attack　is　coming；　he　thought。　Although　these　men　have　faced
dozens；　perhaps　even　hundreds　of　such　attacks　in　the　past；　still　the　tension　is　plain　on　every　line　of
their　faces　for　anyone　to　see。　Briefly；　he　tried　to　find　comfort　in　that　thought。　He　tried　to　tell　himself
that　if　hardened　veterans　like　these　felt　queasy　in　the　face　of　the　impending　assault；　there　was　no
shame　in　the　churning　of　his　own　stomach　but　he　remained　unconvinced。　Am　I　a　coward；　he
thought。　I　am　afraid；　but　will　my　nerve　hold　so　I　can　do　my　duty？　Or　will　it　fail？　Will　I　fight　when
the　attack　comes　or　will　I　break　and　run？　But　as　forcefully　as　those　questions　rebounded　around
inside　his　head；　he　could　find　no　answer。
The　waiting　was　the　worst　of　it。　Abruptly；　as　he　stood　there　on　the　firing　step；　Larn　realised　that
until　now　he　had　been　inoculated　against　fear　by　the　sheer　breathless　pace　of　events　since　the　lander
had　been　hit。　Now；　in　the　silence　of　the　lull　before　battle；　there　was　no　hiding　place　from　his　fears。
He　felt　alone。　Far　from　home。　Terrified　that　he　was　about　to　die　on　a　strange　world　under　a　cold　and
distant　sun。
“Ready　your　weapons；”　Vidmir　said；　as　more　gretchin　began　to　appear　on　the　other　side　of　noman’s
land。　“This　is　it。　Looks　like　they　got　tired　of　waiting。”
“We　hold　our　fire　until　they’re　three　hundred　metres　away；”　Repzik　said　to　Larn。　“See　that　flat
grey…black　rock　over　there？　That’s　your　mark。　We　wait　“til　the　first　rank　of　gretch　reach　that　before
we　fire。”　Then；　seeing　Larn　looking　in　confusion　into　no…man’s　land　as　he　tried　to　distinguish　which
of　the　thousands　of　grey…black　rocks　was　the　mark；　Repzik　sighed　in　exasperation。　“Never　mind；
new　fish。　You　shoot　when　we　do。　You　follow　orders。　You　do　what　we　tell　you　to　do；　when　we　tell
you　to　do　it；　and　you　don’t　ask　any　questions。　Trust　me；　that’s　the　only　way　you　going　to　survive
your　first　fifteen　hours。”
Ahead；　the　group　of　gretchin　out　in　no…man’s　land　had　swelled　to　become　a　horde　several
thousands　strong。　They　seemed　agitated　now；　jabbering　to　each　other　in　incomprehensible　alien
gibberish　while　the　more　brave　or　foolhardy　among　them　pushed　their　way　to　the　front　of　the　group
as　though　restless　for　their　wait　to　be　at　an　end。　Then；　finally；　the　waiting　was　over　as　for　the　first
time　Larn　heard　the　sound　of　massed　alien　voices　screaming　a　terrifying　war　cry。
Waaaaaaaghhhh！
As　one；　firing　their　guns　into　the　air；　the　horde　of　gretchin　came　charging　towards　them。　As
unnerving　as　the　sight　of　the　aliens　had　seemed　to　Larn　earlier；　they　were　nothing　compared　to　the
horrors　he　now　saw　emerging　into　view　in　their　wake。　Just　behind　the　onrushing　gretchin　he　saw
countless　numbers　of　much　larger　green…skins　rise　up　to　join　the　charge。　Each　one　of　them　a
grotesquely　muscled　broad…shouldered　monster　more　than　two　metres