Storm Of Iron(科幻战争)-第27部分

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with　spikes；　and　unleashed　a　deadly　hail　of　shots　that　felled　men　by　the　dozen。
Forrix　lumbered　forward；　ignoring　the　Imperial　guns　and　charging　as　fast　as　he　could　towards　the　wide　doors　in　the　mountainside。
Already　the　alarm　had　been　raised　and　they　were　rumbling　closed；　but　too　slowly。　Forrix　and　his　retinue　burst　through　into　the
space　beyond。
A　volley　of　las…fire　greeted　them；　hissing　harmlessly　from　the　thick　armour　of　the　Terminators。　Scores　of　Guardsmen　were　spread
through　the　cavernous　chamber；　but　Forrix　ignored　the　bright　flashes　of　weapons　fire　as　he　searched　for　the　door　mechanism。
Thick　rails　ran　across　the　rockcrete　floor　from　three　enormous　bays　and　ordnance　magazines；　each　with　cranes　and　pulley　chains
filling　the　space　above　them。
He　could　see　stairs　ahead　leading　upwards　carved　through　the　rock。　The　majority　of　the　cavern's　defenders　were　gathered　at　their
base　behind　hurriedly　constructed　barricades　of　crates　and　barrels。　Another　group　was　clustered　behind　a　pair　of　giant　bulldozers；
firing　from　behind　their　yellow　bulk　at　the　invaders。　Guessing　the　controls　for　the　door　were　housed　here；　Forrix　charged　forwards
through　the　hail　of　shots；　his　armour　easily　deflecting　the　defenders'　pitiful　fire。　He　and　his　Terminators　fired　their　combi…bolters
across　the　flanks　of　the　bulldozers；　explosive　shells　killing　a　dozen　soldiers　and　ricocheting　from　the　dozers'　flanks　with　flaring
detonations。
More　Terminators　headed　for　the　soldiers　guarding　the　stairs　as　Forrix　rounded　the　forward　edge　of　the　closest　bulldozer　and
hosed　the　men　there　with　bolter　fire。　Grenades　burst　harmlessly　around　the　Terminators　as　one　man　dived　aside　and　swung　a
heavy　rifle　with　a　ribbed　barrel　towards　Forrix。
A　white…hot　beam　of　plasma　energy　slammed　into　his　chest；　instantly　obliterating　the　blasted　iconography　there　and　searing
through　layers　of　ceramite　armour。　Forrix　felt　the　heat　of　the　plasma　scorch　his　skin　and　he　staggered　under　the　force　of　the
impact。　His　Terminator　armour　had　been　forged　on　the　Anvil　of　Holades　on　Olympia　itself　and　its　ancient　spirit　was　as　corrupt　as
he；　and　not　yet　willing　to　fall。　Forrix　recovered　his　balance　and　punched　his　power　fist　through　the　plasma　gunner's　chest　in　a
shower　of　bone　splinters；　lifting　the　impaled　body　from　the　ground　and　hurling　it　through　the　air　in　a　bloody　arc。
Bursts　of　bolter　fire　and　disembowelling　sweeps　of　lightning　claws　silenced　the　resistance。　Forrix　strode　to　the　access　door
controls　on　the　far　wall　and　wrenched　the　release　lever　into　the　''open''　position。　The　doors　screeched；　the　mechanisms　protesting
as　their　motors　suddenly　reversed　and　began　to　rumble　open　again。　Forrix　backed　away　and　put　three　bolts　through　the　control
mechanism。
Satisfied　the　gun　bay　doors　would　not　be　closing　any　time　soon；　Forrix　rounded　the　blood…splattered　bulldozer；　watching　as　his
warriors　with　reaper　cannons　began　slaughtering　the　remaining　defenders　of　the　cavern　in　controlled　bursts　of　gunfire。
As　the　slaughter　continued；　the　Guardsmen　broke　and　ran　for　the　steps。　Those　not　quick　enough　to　reach　the　cover　of　the　stairs
were　shredded　by　the　Iron　Warriors'　firepower；　their　screams　drowned　in　the　deafening　roar　of　the　cannons。　Any　not　killed　in　the
initial　bursts　were　soon　torn　apart　as　the　shells　destroyed　their　barricade　in　an　instant。　Within　seconds　the　entire　defence　was　gone；
only　chewed　up　crates　and　mangled　corpses　remaining。
A　single；　terrified　soldier　suddenly　broke　from　cover；　sprinting　for　the　stairs。　Three　cannons　tracked　him　as　he　ran；　but　Forrix　said；
'No；　this　one　is　mine。'
Forrix　let　the　man　get　within　a　hair's　breadth　of　safety　before　he　fired　his　weapon。
Shells　tore　great　chunks　from　the　wall　behind　his　victim；　shattering　several　control　panels。
As　fast　as　the　soldier　had　run；　it　was　not　fast　enough。　A　single　shell　clipped　his　thigh　as　he　twisted　out　of　the　line　of　fire；　instantly
shearing　his　leg　from　his　body　just　below　the　hip。
He　landed　in　a　bloody　bundle；　shrieking　in　agony　as　he　saw　the　ragged　stump　of　his　leg；　its　remains　hanging　by　gory　threads。
Forrix　smiled　and　marched　across　the　rockcrete　floor；　stepping　across　the　wide　rail　tracks　to　stand　above　the　man。　He　was
hyperventilating　and　staring　in　horror　at　his　ruined　leg。
'The　hydraulic　shock　will　drag　the　blood　from　your　heart　in　a　few　seconds；'　said　Forrix；　his　voice　distorted　by　his　armour's　voxunit。
The　man　glanced　up；　uncomprehending；　his　eyes　glazing　over　as　death　drew　near。
Graham　McNeill　？Storm　of　Iron？
'You　are　lucky；'　said　Forrix。　'You　will　die　before　the　Warsmith　ascends。　Thank　your　Emperor　for　that。'
The　sound　of　battle　faded　and　the　cavern　was　theirs。　Terminators　hurried　past　him；　eager　to　continue　the　killing。
He　opened　a　channel　to　the　remainder　of　his　company。
'The　lower　level　of　the　fort　is　ours。　Send　the　rest　of　the　men。'
Forrix　lifted　his　eyes　from　the　dying　soldier　and　climbed　the　stairs　to　where　two　Terminators　were　attacking　a　wide　set　of　steel
doors；　driving　their　powerful　chainsaw…equipped　fists　into　the　junction　of　the　doors。
Molten　sparks　filled　the　tunnel；　spilling　down　the　steps　onto　the　waiting　Terminators。
HONSOU　SCRAMBLED　UP　the　jagged　piles　of　debris　and　loose　rubble　cascading　down　the　breach　in　his　wake。　Twisted
reinforcement　bars　jutted　from　smashed　blocks　of　rockcrete　like　tendons；　and　dust　fogged　the　air。　Bright　stabs　of　las…fire　from
above　pierced　the　smoke　in　huge　numbers；　melting　rock　and　hissing　against　armour。　A　bolt　stuck　his　shoulder　guard；　staggering
him；　but　he　pressed　on。　A　grenade　burst　at　his　feet；　deadly　fragments　ringing　from　his　armour　and　embedding　themselves　in　his
leg　greaves。
He　could　see　the　enemy　had　cast　down　a　barrier　of　rusted　abatis；　sharpened　iron　girders；　crudely　welded　together　to　form　waisthigh
obstacles　to　their　charge。　Honsou　knew　that　the　longer　they　were　under　fire；　the　less　likely　they　were　to　be　able　to　scale　the
breach。　This　was　the　point　at　which　many　assaults　came　to　end；　broken　by　obstacles　and　shredded　by　the　defenders'　fire。
For　this　attack　to　have　any　chance　of　success　at　all　they　had　to　mount　the　breach　in　one　leap　to　overwhelm　the　defenders　lining　the
parapet。　Honsou　tripped　as　the　rocks　slid　out　from　beneath　his　feet；　narrowly　avoiding　being　obliterated　by　a　shot　from　a
lascannon。　He　pushed　himself　angrily　to　his　feet　and　cursed　as　he　saw　three　black…steel　tubes　bound　together　with　packing　tape
clatter　down　the　slope　of　the　breach。
Honsou　threw　himself　flat　onto　the　rocks　as　the　demolition　charge　exploded。　The　Shockwave　dislodged　whole　swathes　of　rubble
and　he　felt　himself　sliding　back　down　the　breach；　his　auto…senses　kicking　in　to　protect　him　from　the　deafening　and　blinding
detonation。　Two　Iron　Warriors　were　snatched　away　in　the　blast；　their　armour　ripped　open　by　the　force　of　the　demo　charge。　Honsou
rolled　upright；　his　armour　smoking　from　the　explosion　and　clawed　his　way　back　up　the　breach。
More　shots　riddled　the　shattered　breach；　vitrifying　the　rock　and　pitting　the　ground　with　bullet　impacts。　Honsou　felt　powerful
impacts　from　a　heavy　bolter　slam　into　his　armour。　Pain　blossomed　up　his　left　arm　as　one　shell　found　its　mark　in　the　gap　between
his　vambrace　and　elbow　guard。　Fire　from　the　bastion　to　the　north　delivered　murderous　flanking　fire　into　his　men。　The　sheer
amount　of　enemy　firepower　was　now　telling。　Honsou　saw　another　Iron　Warrior　fall；　his　armour　pierced　by　a　smoking　hole
punched　in　his　breastplate。
More　grenades　bounced　down　the　breach。　Honsou　pushed　upwards；　reaching　for　the　abatis　and　pulling　himself　forward。　The　grey
flanks　of　the　wall　stretched　high　above　him。　The　only　way　in　was　through　this　six　metre　wide　breach　the　guns　had　blasted；　and　the
sliver　of　red　sky　he　could　see　through　it　was　a　beacon　to　him。
This　was　taking　too　damn　long！　Already　the　human　Chaos　soldiery　were　clambering　over　the　lip　of　the　rocks　below　and　he　hadn't
even　fought　his　way　into　the　mouth　of　the　breach　yet。　Honsou　gripped　the　rusted　girders　of　the　abatis　in　both　hands；　roaring　as　he
ripped　them　from　their　position；　sending　them　tumbling　to　the　base　of　the　breach；　crushing　half　a　dozen　soldiers　as　they　fell。
Another　Iron　Warrior　climbed　up　to　join　him　and　the　two　of　them　went　forwards；　firing　their　bolt　pistols　as　they　climbed。　Through
the　dust　and　smoke；　Honsou　could　see　shadowy　forms　at　the　jagged　top　of　the　breach　and　could　hear　screaming　voices　yelling　him
onwards。　He　shot　into　the　smoke；　hearing　screams　of　pain　as　his　bolts　hit　home。
He　pushed　forwards；　gripping　the　stonework　as　the　slope　grew　steeper。　A　shot　punched　into　his　breastplate；　another　grazed　his
head。　Shots　filled　the　air；　flashes　of　las…fire　vaporising　the　smoke　as　they　slashed　past　him。　The　one　remaining　tower　at　the　head　of
the　bastion　sprayed　bullets　across　the　breach；　kicking　up　spurts　of　rock　dust　while　grenades　wreathed　them　in　ringing　detonations
and　spinning　fragments。　The　warrior　beside　him　fell；　his　helmet　a　molten　ruin；　but　Honsou　pushed　on　through　it　all；　oblivious　to
the　screams　of　dying　men　around　him　and　the　battle　cries　of　the　hundreds　of　soldiers　that　now　clambered　up　the　rocky　slopes
behind　him。
The　top　of　the　breach　was　close　now；　he　could　make　out　individual　forms　through　the　smoke。　He　saw　a　Guardsman　rigging
another　demolition　charge　and　waited　until　the　man　stood　up；　ready　to　heave　the　explosives　over　the　lip　of　the　breach；　before
shooting　him　in　the　head。　Blood　sprayed　from　the　stump　of　his　neck　and　the　man　tumbled　backwards；　the　primed　demo　charge
falling　from　his　dead　fingers。
Honsou　dropped　flat　as　the　rocks　above　him　were　swept　clear　of　defenders　by　the　massive　explosion。　Screams　and　desperate
orders　sounded　from　above。　He　leapt　to　his　feet；　drawing　his　sword　and　sprinting　for　all　he　was　worth　towards　the　billowing　pillar
of　black　smoke　that　wreathed　the　crest　of　the　breach。
He　collided　with　a　pair　of　figures　dressed　in　sky　blue　uniforms；　and　swept　his　sword　across　their　chests；　dropping　them　screaming
to　the　ground。　He　could　see　more　soldiers　rushing　to　plug　the　sudden　gap　in　their　defence　and　shouted；　'Iron　Warriors；　with　me！'
But　Honsou　was　alone。　He　turned　to　face　the　nearest　Guardsmen　as　they　charged　him。　He　killed　the　first　men　easily；　but　soon
more　and　more　clustered　around　him；　entangling　his　blade　with　their　bodies　and　restricting　his　movements　with　their　corpses。　He
kicked　out；　spinning　in　a　bloody　arc　as　he　clove　his　sword　through　his　enemies。　Shots　and　blades　rang　against　his　armour。
Where　were　the　rest　of　his　men？
He　glanced　down　the　sloping　face　of　the　breach。　Below　was　a　hell　of　lasers　and　bullets；　enfilading　fire　from　the　flanking　bastion
ripping　great　holes　in　the　ranks　of　the　human　soldiers　as　they　struggled　up　the　rocks。　Hundreds　had　fallen；　their　bodies　shredded
by　automatic　weapons　or　burned　by　las…fire。　The　northern　bastion　had　escaped　relatively　unscathed　thus　far。　A　few　shells　burst
overhead；　but　the　main　shelling　had　been　directed　against　this　bastion；　and　the　men　assaulting　it　were　now　paying　the　price　for　that
decision。
More　enemies　closed　in　around　him　as　he　shot；　cut；　stabbed；　kicked　and　punched　a　red　ruin　through　the　defenders；　roaring　in
triumph　as　the　warriors　of　his　company　climbed　onto　the　walls；　sweeping　left　and　right　along　the　ramparts。　Bolt