Fifteen Hours(科幻战争)-第23部分

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commander　has　become　aware　of　our　situation　the　shelling　will　stop。”
“Phah。　More　groundless　optimism；”　Davir　spat。　“Really；　Scholar；　you　are　getting　as　bad　as　this
fat　oaf　Bulaven　here。　Grishen　has　been　at　the　comm…link　working　his　way　up　that　battery’s　chain　of
command　for　the　last　twenty　minutes。　So　far；　the　most　he　has　managed　to　accomplish　is　for　his
backside　to　go　numb　from　sitting　in　that　chair。　No；　I　wouldn’t　expert　this　bombardment　to　end　any
time　soon。　For　that　to　happen　the　moron　shooting　at　us　would　have　to　admit　he　has　made　a　mistake。
And　why　should　he　do　that；　after　all？　If　he　kills　us；　some　arsehole　at　General　Headquarters　will
probably　pin　a　medal　on　him。”
“Yes；　captain；　I　know　you　have　your　orders；”　said　Corporal　Grishen　nearby；　still　talking　into　the
vox…com　before　pausing　to　listen　to　a　reply　through　his　headphones。　Then；　with　every　man　in　the
dugout　now　silent　as　they　stood　listening　to　the　stop…start　rhythms　of　Grishen’s　side　of　the
conversation；　the　corporal　began　once　more。
“Yes；　I　realise　that；　captain；”　Grishen　said。　“And　you　are　right：　the　Guardsman’s　first　duty　is
obedience。　But；　even　granting　that　you　have　your　orders　and　it　is　your　duty　to　obey　them；　if　those
orders　are　mistaken…”
A　pause。
“No；　of　course；　you　are　right；　sir。　The　divinely　ordained　command　structure　of　the　Imperial
Guard　precludes　any　possibility　of　your　orders　being　mistaken。　If　I　may　rephrase　myself；　however？
What　I　really　meant　to　say；　of　course；　was　that　perhaps　the　problem　here　lies　not　in　the　orders
themselves；　but　in　the　practical　aspects　of　their　execution…”
Another　pause。
“Oh　no；　sir。　I　petence…”
And　another。
“Yes；　sir；　as　you　say：　your　battery　runs　like　a　well…oiled　machine。　But　you　must　concede　that；
seeing　as　bardment；　a　mistake　must　have　occurred　somewhere…”
Another　pause。
“Yes；　of　course；　sir。　You　concede　nothing。　Yes；　I　understand。　No；　sir；　you　are　correct。　General
Headquarters　is　not　known　for　promoting　fools　to　the　rank　of　captain…”
And　so　it　went　on；　while　from　above　Larn　heard　the　distant　roar　of　explosions　as　the
bombardment　continued。　Until；　at　last；　he　heard　a　door　open　behind　him　and　turned　to　see　Sergeant
Chelkar　step　grim…faced　into　the　dugout。　Then；　as　the　group　of　assembled　Vardans　huddled　in　the
dugout　silently　parted　to　give　way　before　their　sergeant；　Larn　saw　Chelkar　stride　purposefully　over
to　Grishen　at　the　comms　system。
“Yes；　sir。”　Corporal　Grishen　said；　raising　his　eyes　as　he　saw　Chelkar　approach　him。　“Naturally；
you　are　right。　If　there　is　any　mistake　here　it　was　ours　in　being　present　in　a　sector　scheduled　for
bombardment。　But；　if　you　will　excuse　me　for　a　moment；　my　company　commander　has　just　entered
the　room。　Perhaps　it　would　be　better　if　you　and　he　discussed　this　matter　directly。”
“What　is　going　on；　Grishen？”　Chelkar　said；　laying　the　shotgun　he　had　been　carrying　down
across　the　table　before　him。　“Why　in　hell　are　those　idiots　still　shelling　us？”
“I　am　on　the　line　to　the　captain　commanding　the　battery　in　question　now；　sergeant；”　Grishen
said；　diplomatically　releasing　the　“send”　button　on　the　vox…corn　so　his　listener　at　the　other　end　could
no　longer　hear　them。　“I　have　tried　to　explain　things　to　him；　but　he　refuses　to　accept　anything　I　say。
He　claims　that　according　to　his　situation　map　this　entire　sector　fell　to　the　orks　three　days　ago　—
meaning　he　would　be　quite　within　his　rights　to　bombard　it　even　if　he　didn’t　already　have　signed
orders　from　Battery　Command　telling　him　to　do　so。　And　as　for　ending　the　bombardment？　He　says　in
keeping　with　his　orders　the　shelling　will　cease　in　precisely　one　hour　and　twenty…seven　minutes’
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time。　Not　a　moment　sooner。　He　is　most　definite　on　that　point；　sergeant。　Frankly；　some　might　even
say　a　little　intransigent。”
“I　see；”　said　Chelkar。　“Hand　me　the　vox…com；　Grishen。　I　want　to　talk　to　this　son　of　a　bitch
myself。”
“This　is　Sergeant　Eugin　Chelkar；”　he　said；　taking　the　headphones　and　pressing　the　button　to
activate　the　vox…com。　“Acting　regimental　commander　of　the　902nd　Vardan　Rifles。　Who　am　I
speaking　to？”
For　a　moment；　like　Grishen　before　him；　Chelkar　went　quiet　as　he　listened　to　the　voice　on　the
other　end　of　the　line　through　his　headphones。　Then；　his　tone　becoming　grave　and　forceful；　he　spoke
once　more。
“Captain　Meran；　the　16th　Landran　Artillery？”　Chelkar　said。　“I　see。　Well；　I　have　a　message　for
you；　captain。　No；　I　am　well　aware　you　outrank　me；　but　you　will　listen　to　what　I　have　to　say　all　the
same。　I　am　giving　you　two　minutes；　captain。　Two　minutes。　And；　if　this　bombardment　hasn’t　ended
by　then；　I　am　going　to　come　over　to　whatever　hole　you　are　hiding　in　and　kick　you　up　the　arse　so
hard　that　you　will　taste　leather　every　time　you　swallow。　Not　that　you　will　have　to　worry　about　that
for　long；　you　understand。　The　arse　kicking　will　only　be　for　my　own　amusement。　After　that；　I　fully
intend　to　put　a　shotgun　blast　through　your　skull。　Have　I　made　myself　clear？”
Again；　there　was　another　pause　while　Chelkar　listened　to　the　captain’s　reply　on　his　headphones。
“No；　it　is　you　who　does　not　understand　the　situation；　captain；”　Chelkar　said　after　a　moment。　“I
don’t　give　a　damn　about　your　rank　or　your　orders。　Nor　do　I　care　if　you　report　me　to　the
Commissariat。　In　fact；　please　feel　free　to　do　so：　if　nothing　else；　they　can　serve　as　pallbearers　at　your
funeral。　What　you　fail　to　understand　is　that；　even　if　you　have　me　arrested；　there　is　an　entire　regiment
of　men　standing　around　me　ake　good　on　my　threat。　And；　if　you　think　the
Commissariat　will　be　willing　to　arrest　an　entire　frontline　combat　unit　to　save　you；　I　think　you
overestimate　your　own　value　to　the　war　effort　of　this　city。　Oh；　and　by　the　way；　captain；　the
chronometer　is　counting　down。　You　now　have　only　one　minute　and　twenty　seconds　to　make　a
decision。　Chelkar　out。”
Giving　the　vox…com　and　headphones　back　to　Grishen；　Chelkar　stood　waiting　beside　the　table。
Listening　intently；　like　every　other　man　in　the　dugout　to　the　sound　of　shelling　going　on　above　their
heads。
“I　don’t　understand；”　Larn　whispered。　“Surely　the　sergeant　has　just　written　his　own　death
warrant　by　talking　to　an　officer　that　way？”
“Maybe；”　Bulaven　whispered　back。　“You　don’t　know　Chelkar　though；　new　fish。　In　seventeen
years　I　have　never　seen　him　be　afraid　of　anything。　If　there　is　something　that　needs　to　be　done；　he　is
the　man　to　do　it。　Whatever　the　cost。　All　the　same；　I　wonder　if　even　he　has　gone　too　far　this　time。　If
the　captain　should　vox　a　complaint　to　the　Commissariat…”
“Ach；　you　are　both　like　children　frightened　of　your　own　shadows；”　Davir　muttered　beside　them。
“You　especially　should　know　better；　Bulaven。　When　has　Chelkar　ever　failed　us？　The　sergeant
knows　what　he　is　doing。　These　artillery　monkeys　always　think　frontline　troops　are　crazy　to　begin
with。　This　arsehole　captain　won’t　dare　call　the　Commissariat。　Trust　me；　he　is　probably　already
soiling　himself　in　fear　and　is　giving　the　order　to　cease　fire　even　as　we　speak。”
Above；　as　though　in　confirmation　of　Davir’s　opinions；　the　guns　abruptly　fell　silent。　At　first　no
one　spoke；　all　of　them　listening　to　hear　whether　the　shelling　would　begin　again。　Until；　as　the　seconds
passed　into　a　full　minute　with　no　further　sound　of　explosions；　it　became　clear　the　bombardment　was
ended。
“There；　you　see；　Grishen？”　Chelkar　half…smiled。　“It　is　simply　a　matter　of　knowing　how　best　to
talk　to　these　people　to　get　your　point　across。”　Then；　taking　up　his　shotgun　once　more　and　turning
away　from　the　corporal；　Chelkar　noticed　every　man　in　the　dugout　was　looking　at　him　with　faces
caught　in　expressions　of　awe　and　gratitude。
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“It　was　nothing　so　much；”　Chelkar　said　to　them。　“Still；　it　was　probably　better　that　I　let　our　friend
the　captain　think　he　was　going　to　have　an　entire　regiment　after　his　blood　if　he　didn’t　stop　the
shelling。　If　he’d　known　the　902nd　Vardan　was　only　made　up　of　a　single　company　perhaps　he　would
have　felt　man　enough　to　take　us　all　on。　It　is　not　unusual　for　these　rear　echelon　heroes　to　have　a
bloated　sense　of　their　own　abilities。”
At　that　the　men　smiled；　some　even　laughed　in　nervous　relief。　Seeing　the　mood　of　reverence　had
been　successfully　dispelled；　the　sergeant’s　manner　became　more　business…like。
“All　right；”　he　said。　“Now；　enough　of　this　hiding　underground。　Back　to　your　posts。　We　don’t
want　to　leave　the　firing　trenches　undefended　and　make　the　orks　think　it　is　a　worthwhile　time
launching　another　attack。　Go　on。　Get　moving；　all　of　you。”
As　the　men　in　the　dugout　began　to　hurry　out　towards　their　trenches　again；　Larn’s　last　sight　of
Chelkar　came　as　he　saw　the　sergeant　turn　to　towards　Corporal　Grishen　once　more　with　further
instructions。
“Grishen；　I　want　you　to　contact　General　Headquarters；”　he　heard　the　sergeant　say。　“Inform　them
Sector　1…13　is　most　certainly　not　in　ork　hands　and　make　it　clear　we　would　consider　it　a　great
personal　favour　if　they　would　adjust　their　situation　maps　accordingly。　Oh；　and　you　had　better　try
voxing　Battery　Command　as　well　to　ask　them　if　in　future　they　could　please　refrain　from　ordering
people　to　shoot　at　us。　It　probably　won’t　work；　of　course。　But　I　suppose　we　should　at　least　pretend　we
believe　the　men　in　charge　of　this　war　have　some　idea　of　what　it　is　they　are　doing。”
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INTERLUDE
As　Above；　So　Below
or
Grand　Marshal　Kerchan　and　the　Genius　of　Command
By　any　standard　of　measurement；　the　war　was　going　badly。
Brooding　as　he　sat　through　yet　another　interminable　briefing　His　Excellency　Grand　Marshal
Tirnas　Kerchan；　Hero　of　the　Varentis　Campaign　and　Supreme　Commander　（All　Forces）　of　the　Most
Glorious　Armies　of　the　Emperor　in　Broucheroc；　considered　the　facts　he　had　learned　so　far　that　day
and　found　there　was　nothing　there　to　please　him。　For　the　best　part　of　two　hours　now；　from　his　place
at　the　head　of　the　long　table　inside　General　HQ’s　Central　Briefing　Room　One；　he　had　listened　as　a
succession　of　his　commanders　read　aloud　their　latest　situation　reports　to　the　assembled　General
Staff。　Through　it　all；　through　all　their　pasty…faced　dissemblings　and　pathetically　transparent　attempts
to　lay　the　blame　for　their　failures　on　others；　the　message　at　the　heart　of　each　man’s　report　was
exactly　the　same。
They　were　losing　the　war。
“Grand　Marshal？”　he　heard　his　adjutant；　Colonel　Vlin；　whisper　from　his　chair　by　the　side　of
him；　breaking　his　train　of　thought。
Disturbed　from　his　despairing　reverie；　the　Grand　Marshal　abruptly　realised　he　had　lost　track　of
the　briefings。　Looking　up　he　saw　the　eyes　of　every　man　at　the　table　were　turned　to　gaze　his　way；
nervously　awaiting　his　reaction　to　the　substance　of　the　last　report。　For　a　moment；　unable　to
remember　the　name　of　the　man　standing　before　him　who　had　presented　it；　he　found　himself　stymied。
“Yes；　good。　Very　good。”　Kerchan　harrumphed；　then　floundered。　“Most　cogent　and　concise。　An
excellent　analysis；　General…　ah…”
“Dushan；”　Vlin　said　sotto　voce；　raising　a　sheath　of　papers　in　front　of　his　mouth　to　hide　the　words
as　he　spoke　them。
“Yes；　General　Dushan；”　the　Grand　Marshal　said；　inclining　his　head　toward　the　officer　in
question　and　giving　him　a　curt　nod　by　way　of　encouragement。　“Your　grasp　of　the　situation　is　to　be
commended。”
Clearly　relieved；　his　face　all　but　beami