Storm Of Iron(科幻战争)-第13部分

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next　stage　of　the　attack。
THE　TRUCK　BOUNCED　over　the　uneven　ground　and　Larana　Utorian　felt　her　legs　sag　as　pain　washed　over　her。　She　fell　against　the
side　of　the　truck；　sinking　to　her　knees　and　slamming　her　face　against　its　timber　panelled　sides。　She　tasted　blood　and　felt　a　tooth
snap　from　her　gums。
Larana　tried　to　push　herself　upright；　but　the　press　of　bodies　was　too　great　and　she　couldn't　move。　She　was　trapped　by　jostling　legs；
her　trousers　soaking　up　the　human　waste　swilling　around　the　truck's　floor。
Through　a　splintered　plank；　she　watched　the　truck　alongside　them；　the　crimson　overalled　driver　heedless　of　the　human　cattle　in　his
vehicle。　She　locked　eyes　with　a　young　soldier　across　from　her；　his　eyes　wide　in　terror；　tears　streaking　tracks　down　his　dirty　face。
The　boy's　eyes　were　full　of　mute　pleading；　but　Larana　could　do　nothing　for　him。　As　though　in　a　race；　the　boy's　truck　began　pulling
ahead　and　she　watched　as　it　bounced　across　a　rugged　patch　of　scrub。
A　huge　explosion　lifted　the　vehicle　into　the　air；　spinning　it　onto　its　front　section；　the　chassis　breaking　in　midsection。　Bright　flames
and　afterimages　danced　across　Larana's　eyes　as　she　saw　bodies　flung　in　all　directions。　The　buried　mine　threw　out　secondary
munitions　…　anti…personnel　charges　that　exploded　seconds　later　to　shred　anyone　fortunate　enough　to　survive　the　initial　blast。　She
lost　sight　of　the　boy　as　the　wrecked　truck　was　swallowed　in　the　dust　behind　them；　knowing　there　was　no　way　he　could　have
survived。
She　was　thrown　forward；　the　cries　of　terror　growing　louder　as　she　heard　more　explosions。　The　truck　skidded　to　a　halt　in　a
billowing　cloud　of　obscuring　red　dust。　What　was　happening？　She　heard　desperate　shouting　and　screams　as　the　tailgate　of　the　track
was　wrenched　down　and　fiery　light　flooded　the　rear　of　the　track。　Snarling　voices　and　barbed　clubs　hammered　into　the　prisoners；
their　captors　were　dragging　them　from　the　illusory　safety　of　the　trucks。
Larana　was　propelled　to　her　feet　by　the　mass　of　men　debarking　from　the　truck　and　fell　to　the　hard…packed　ground。　Black　smoke
billowed　upwards　from　scores　of　wrecked　vehicles；　their　twisted　hulks　broken　by　the　detonation　of　mines。　Bodies　lay　strewn　about
and　the　screams　of　the　wounded　were　ignored　as　the　prisoners　were　clubbed　forward。　The　spike　adorned　Rhinos　ground　to　a　halt
behind　the　smoking　wrecks　and；　with　practiced　ease；　the　iron　giants　who　had　brought　them　to　this　slaughter　emerged；　weapons　at
the　ready。
A　terrified　man；　his　eyes　wild；　stumbled　past　her；　heading　in　the　opposite　direction。　Larana　watched　as　one　of　the　giant　warriors
casually　gunned　him　down；　a　single　bolt　from　his　weapon　blasting　the　man's　entire　torso　away。　Larana　rose　to　her　feet；　dazed　and
blinded　by　dust　and　pain。　Smoke　stung　her　eyes　and　she　could　no　longer　feel　her　arm。　She　stumbled　in　the　direction　everyone　else
was　running。　Was　it　to　safety？　She　couldn't　tell。
Howls　of　pain　and　confusion　tore　at　her　ears　and　she　gripped　the　barrel　of　her　impotent　lasgun；　vowing　that　she　would　use　it　to
crash　an　enemy's　skull　before　the　day　was　out。　More　gunfire　sounded　behind　her。　A　body；　gory　holes　torn　in　its　flesh；　fell　into　her
and　streaks　of　bullets　whipped　by　her　head。
She　pushed　the　body　away　and　ran　into　the　smoke。
DERVLAN　CHU　PRESSED　the　firing　stud　on　the　armament　panel　and　closed　his　eyes　as　the　Basilisk　fired。　The　massive　barrel's　recoil
pushed　almost　its　entire　length　into　the　track　unit；　the　crack　of　the　shell's　discharge　easily　penetrating　the　ear　protectors　he　wore。
Despite　the　bolted　locking　clamps；　the　track　unit　rocked　under　the　force　of　the　recoil。　Even　as　the　first　shell　arced　through　the　air；
his　loading　team　was　ejecting　the　spent　casing　and　unlimbering　a　fresh　shell　from　the　gurney　beside　the　gun。
He　pressed　his　eye　to　the　gunsight；　checking　to　see　how　much　the　recoil　had　caused　the　barrel　to　drift　from　its　aiming　position。
Not　much；　he　saw；　spinning　the　correction　wheel；　bringing　the　aiming　reticle　back　to　centre；　and　adjusting　fire　for　the　next　shot。
'Loader　alpha　ready！'　came　the　shout　from　below。
'Up！'　answered　the　breechman。
Chu　smiled。　Their　first　shell　hadn't　even　impacted　yet　and　they　were　ready　to　fire　again。　He　and　his　crew　had　trained　hard　for　just
this　kind　of　fight　and　now　that　training　was　paying　off。
He　centred　the　aiming　reticle　on　a　smoking　track　with　scores　of　men　milling　in　confusion　around　it　and　pressed　the　firing　stud
again。
EVEN　OVER　THE　screaming　and　confusion；　Larana　Utorian　could　hear　the　shriek　of　the　incoming　shell　and　recognised　it　for　what　it
was。　She　hurled　herself　flat；　screaming　as　her　arms　jarred　on　the　hard　earth。　The　ground　whipped　upwards；　tossing　her　through　the
air　as　the　first　Basilisk　shell　impacted；　blasting　a　crater　fifteen　metres　across　and　obliterating　a　dozen　men　in　an　instant。　Shrieks
sounded　as　further　shells　struck　the　ground　with　thunderous　hammer　blows。　Huge　chunks　of　rock　and　dust　were　blasted　skyward
as　the　first　volley　hit。　Larana　slammed　back　to　the　ground；　the　impact　driving　the　breath　from　her　lungs。　She　rolled　over；　across
Graham　McNeill　？Storm　of　Iron？
the　lip　of　a　crater；　and　flopped　to　its　smoking　base。
Scraps　of　flesh　and　bone　spattered　the　interior　surface　of　the　crater；　the　stench　of　scorched　human　meat　and　burning　propellant
filling　her　nostrils。　Another　prisoner　sheltered　in　the　crater。　His　mouth　was　open；　stretched　wide　as　he　screamed　in　terror；　but
Larana　could　not　hear　him；　her　skull　filled　with　an　all…encompassing　ringing。
She　felt　wetness　seep　from　her　ears。
The　man　sheltering　in　the　crater　stumbled　over　to　her；　his　mouth　working　soundlessly　up　and　down；　but　Larana　ignored　him；
crawling　to　the　lip　of　the　crater；　clutching　her　lasgun　like　some　kind　of　protective　talisman。　The　man　was　insistent　though　and
clawed　at　her　uniform。　Larana　pushed　him　away；　shouting　something　incoherent　over　the　whoosh　of　displaced　air　as　another
volley　of　shells　screamed　in。　The　man　rolled　into　a　foetal　ball；　rocking　back　and　forth　in　terror。
Larana　buried　her　head　in　the　ground　as　she　felt　the　awful　vibrations　of　the　shell　impacts　hammer　the　ground。　With　her　good　arm
she　clutched　the　soil。　Dust　filled　her　mouth　and　the　Shockwaves　from　the　explosions　threatened　to　pulp　her　bones　to　jelly。
She　knew　she　couldn't　stay　here。　She　had　to　get　back。　But　which　direction　to　go？　One　place　was　as　likely　to　take　a　hit　as　another
and　the　smoke　and　disorientation　had　made　a　mockery　of　her　sense　of　direction。
She　scrambled　to　the　weeping　man　at　the　crater's　base；　and　dragged　him　by　the　collar　towards　the　rear　edge　of　the　crater。
'Come　on！　We　have　to　get　back！'　she　yelled。
The　man　shook　his　head；　fighting　Larana's　grip　with　the　strength　of　a　madman　and　pulling　free　of　her　grasp。
'You'll　die　if　you　stay　here！'　she　shouted。　The　man　shook　his　head　and　Larana　was　unsure　whether　he'd　even　heard　her　or　she'd
made　any　kind　of　sense。　She'd　tried　her　best；　but　if　the　idiot　didn't　want　to　move；　there　was　nothing　she　could　do　to　make　him。　She
dropped　flat　as　another　thunderous　detonation　rocked　the　ground；　the　impact　throwing　her　from　the　crater。
She　landed　on　something　soft　and　yielding；　and　rolled　clear　with　a　terrified　cry　as　she　saw　that　she　was　lying　on　shredded　flesh
and　mangled　limbs。　Shapes　ran　through　the　smoke；　but　where　they　were　going　or　who　they　were；　she　couldn't　tell。　She　could　see
nothing　more　than　a　few　metres　away；　the　drifting　smoke　and　dust　rendering　everything　beyond　invisible。
A　smoking　wreck　lay　on　its　side；　belching　black　clouds　just　at　the　edge　of　her　vision　and　she　began　crawling　towards　it　over　tornopen
corpses　and　crying　men　with　no　legs　or　arms。　One　man　was　on　his　knees；　vainly　trying　to　gather　up　his　looped　entrails　and
push　them　back　into　his　raptured　belly。　Another　stuffed　his　severed　arm　into　his　jacket；　beside　a　man　vomiting　thick　ropes　of　red
gore。　Each　few　paces　brought　fresh　horrors　and　Larana　wept　as　the　ground　continued　to　shake　as　though　in　the　grip　of　the　most
violent　of　earthquakes。
She　reached　the　blazing　track；　weeping　and　laughing　hysterically　at　this　small　victory。　A　blackened　corpse　lay　under　the　shattered
cab　of　the　vehicle；　severed　through　the　torso　by　the　track's　fall。　Larana　could　see　the　corpse　wore　the　crimson　overalls　of　their
captors　and　felt　a　burning　hatred　light　in　her　belly。　She　snarled　in　fear　and　anger；　pounding　her　rifle　butt　against　the　corpse's　skull；
smashing　it　to　destruction；　fresh　sobs　bursting　from　her　lips　with　every　blow。　She　threw　aside　the　bloody　weapon　and　took　what
shelter　she　could　from　the　burning　truck。　Tyre　tracks　from　the　vehicle　led　back　through　the　smoke　towards　the　place　where　…
presumably　…　this　insane　venture　had　begun。　Taking　a　deep　breath　she　waited　until　another　barrage　of　shells　landed。
Knowing　that　there　was　no　way　she　could　survive；　but　unwilling　to　give　up；　Larana　Utorian　set　off　to　find　a　way　out　of　this　hell。
ACRID　PROPELLANT　FILLED　Kane　bastion；　but　Dervlan　Chu　was　exultant　despite　the　sting　in　his　eyes　and　the　ringing　in　his　ears。
The　attack　had　been　stopped　in　its　tracks　before　it　had　covered　even　half　the　distance　to　the　Christo。　They　had　comprehensively
bracketed　the　enemy　force　within　their　fire　zones　and　put　their　entire　load　on　target。　He　knew　for　a　fact　that　his　crew　had　laid　more
shells　on　target　and　in　a　faster　time　than　Jephen；　and　looked　forward　to　receiving　his　bottle　of　amasec　in　the　mess　hall　tonight。
Night　was　drawing　in　and　drifting　smoke　obscured　much　of　the　shattered　battle　line　of　what　had　once　been　hundreds　of　vehicles。
Major　Tedeski　had　called　a　halt　to　the　barrage　until　the　smoke　cleared；　unwilling　to　waste　ordnance　on　a　foe　that　was　already
destroyed。
He　sat　back　on　the　railings　of　the　gun　platform　and　pulled　out　a　silver　case　of　cheroots；　lighting　one　and　tossing　the　case　down　to
his　loader　and　breechman。
'Well　done；　men；　I　think　we　managed　to　put　a　sizeable　dent　in　the　foe　this　time。'
His　crew　smiled；　teeth　gleaming　in　their　soot…stained　faces　as　he　said；　'When　I　get　that　bottle　of　amasec　from　Jephen；　I'll　be　sure　to
share　it　with　you。'
He　took　a　satisfied　draw　on　his　cheroot；　and　took　another　look　through　the　gunsight　of　the　Basilisk。　The　smoke　was　clearing　and
his　professional　eye　was　pleased　with　the　utter　destruction　he　saw。　Hundreds　of　burning　wrecks　littered　the　ground；　flames　licking
skyward　as　they　and　their　traitorous　passengers　burned。　Their　fire　zones　were　cratered　wastelands；　the　ground　churned
unrecognisably　by　the　sheer　power　and　fury　of　the　barrage。
As　he　swivelled　the　gunsight　around；　he　saw　that　the　guns　mounted　in　Mars　bastion　had　been　equally　thorough。　The　guns　of　the
Dragon　bastion　covered　the　southern　approaches　to　the　Christo；　and　Chu　could　well　imagine　the　frustration　of　its　commander　that
the　gunners　in　the　Kane　and　Mars　bastions　had　got　the　glory　of　the　first　kills。
Chu　returned　the　gunsight　to　his　own　fire　zone。　The　wind　was　beginning　to　clear　the　smoke　more　rapidly　and　he　could　make　out
shapes　moving　in　the　dusk。　Chu　was　surprised　there　was　anything　left　alive　down　there。　He　switched　up　a　level　of　magnification
as　the　smoke　cleared　still　further　and　saw　more　vehicles　through　the　haze：　the　armoured　personnel　carriers　that　he　had　briefly
glimpsed　just　prior　to　the　commencement　of　the　barra