Ice Guard(科幻战争)-第13部分

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repeated　this　manoeuvre　twice　more；　each　time　drawing　closer　to　his　unsuspecting　prey；　and　moving
further　around　behind　him。
When　at　last　he　was　close；　almost　close　enough　to　reach　out　and　touch　the　nape　of　the　other
scout’s　neck；　then　Palinev　pounced。　His　prey　heard　him　coming；　too　late；　didn’t　even　have　time　to
spin　around。　Palinev　was　on　the　man’s　back；　his　left　arm　locked　around　his　shoulders；　his　right　hand
holding　his　knife　to　the　man’s　throat。
“A　friendly　warning；”　he　hissed。　“If　you　try　to　shout　to　your　people；　if　you　speak　at　all　other　than
to　answer　my　questions；　I　will　slit　your　vocal　cords。”　He　would　have　done　it　by　now　if　only　he　had
been　sure；　if　he　had　seen　any　proof　that　this　man　was　a　traitor。　“Who　are　you？”　he　asked。　“Answer
me！”
“Trooper　Garroway；”　the　other　scout　spat　defiantly；　“of　the　14th　Royal　Validian　regiment　of　the
Imperial　Guard。　Kill　me　if　you　like。　Kill　us　all；　but　it　won’t　save　you。　They　will　send　a　hundred
thousand　more　like　me　—　a　million　more　—　and　they　won’t　rest　until　this　world　is　scoured　clean　of
your　filth；　reclaimed　for　the　Golden　Throne！”
“You’re　Imperial　Guard？”　queried　Palinev。　“What　are　you　doing　out　here？　This　is　Chaos…held
territory。”
His　prisoner　relaxed　a　little　in　his　grip；　and　this　told　Palinev　more　than　words　could　have　said。
Garroway　was　relieved；　not　afraid；　to　have　found　himself　in　the　hands　of　a　fellow　Guardsman。　He
was　telling　the　truth。
“There　are　just　under　four　hundred　of　our　company　left；”　said　Garroway。　“We　were　helping
civilians　out　of　Iota　Hive　to　the　north…west　of　here。　When　it　fell；　we　were　ordered　back　to　Alpha；　but
the　glaciers　closed　in　front　of　us；　blocking　our　path。　We　don’t　have　a　vox…caster　any　more；　so　we
couldn’t　call　for　assistance。　We　have　no　maps。　We’ve　just　been　trying　to　find　a　way　through；　but　the
Chaos　army　is　behind　us。　We　were　forced　to　take　cover　in　this…　this　forest；　whatever　it　is。”
Palinev　let　go　of　him。　“Palinev；”　he　introduced　himself；　“Valhallan　319th。”
Garroway　turned　to　face　him；　and　his　eyes　narrowed。　“You’re　an　Ice　Warrior？”
“Don’t　let　the　lack　of　a　greatcoat　fool　you。　I　move　a　lot　better　without　it。”
“Yeah？　I　can’t　say　I’d　turn　down　the　chance　of　a　little　protection。　When　my　regiment　first　came
to　Cressida；　sure　it　was　cold；　but　not　like　this。　Maybe　it’s　different　for　you；　coming　from　an　ice
world；　but　we’re　losing　men　by　the　hour。　But…　but　you’ve　found　us　now；　they　sent　someone　for　us
at　last！”
“Ah；”　said　Palinev；　“no；　I’m　afraid　they　didn’t。　We’re　on　a　mission　of　our　own。”　He　frowned。
“And　if　the　enemy　is　behind　you；　that’s　going　to　mean　trouble　for　us。”
“You　can　guide　us　out　of　here；　at　least；”　said　Garroway。　“You　found　your　way　past　the　glaciers；
you　can　tell　us　how　to　get　out…　can’t　you？”
“We　should　report　back　to　our　commanders；”　said　Palinev。　“I　should　think　they’ll　want　to　talk。”
They　came　together　not　long　after　that：　the　Valhallans　in　green；　the　Validians　in　red；　their　paths
converging　in　the　heart　of　the　white　forest。
They　had　been　expecting　each　other；　of　course；　thanks　to　their　respective　scouts。　A　few　of　the
troopers　exchanged　strained　pleasantries；　and　Colonel　Steele　and　the　Validian　commander；　a　freshfaced
young　captain；　sought　each　other　out　and　moved　to　one　side　for　a　private　conference。
The　rest　of　the　Guardsmen　took　this　as　a　cue　to　relax；　to　recharge　themselves　as　best　they　could。
Their　surroundings；　however；　offered　them　scant　comfort。　It　was　almost　impossible　for　a　man　to　sit
down　without　touching　the　deadly　tree　trunks　or　roots　—　and　after　trying　for　a　time；　holding
themselves　in　unnatural　positions　until　their　muscles　ached；　many　of　them　gave　up　and　stood　again。
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Few　of　the　Validians　could　sit　still　anyway。　They　stamped　their　feet；　rubbed　their　arms；　did　all
they　could　to　stave　off　the　biting　cold。　Mikhaelev　watched　them；　their　bright　colours　spread　through
the　forest　as　far　as　he　could　see；　and　he　shook　his　head　and　sighed。　Here　they　were；　these　brave　men；
doing　the　Emperor’s　work；　and　their　leaders　couldn’t　even　equip　them　with　the　right　clothing　for　the
job。
In　a　perfect　Imperium；　of　course；　the　Validians　wouldn’t　have　been　assigned　to　this　frozen　world
at　all；　unused　as　they　were　to　such　conditions。　Somewhere；　no　doubt；　a　low…level　clerk　had　looked　at
his　slate；　seen　how　many　Guardsmen　were　dying　from　hypothermia　on　Cressida；　weighed　this
against　the　cost　of　a　few　million　armoured　greatcoats　and　chosen　to　do　nothing。
Mikhaelev　was　standing　with　three　of　his　comrades；　Anakora；　Borscz　and　Pozhar。
“What　do　you　think　they　are　saying？”　Borscz　asked；　inclining　his　head　towards　Steele　and　the
captain。
“They’ll　be　making　plans　to　fight；”　said　Pozhar　with　more　hope　than　certainty。　“According　to
Trooper　Palinev；　the　Chaos　army　is　on　the　Validians’　heels。　That　puts　them　in　our　path。　We’ll　have
to　shoot　our　way　through　them。”
Anakora　shook　her　head。　“This　is　meant　to　be　a　stealth　mission。　If　we　start　a　full…scale　battle
here；　it　will　lead　every　heretic　in　the　area　to　us。　Even　with　the　Validians’　help；　we　would　be
hopelessly　outnumbered。”
“I’m　talking　about　a　lightning　strike；”　said　Pozhar。　“Take　the　Chaos　scum　by　surprise；　and　be
long　gone　before　the　reinforcements　arrive。　The　heretics　think　they’re　safe　here；　cowering　behind
their　walls　of　ice。　We　can　teach　them　different。”
Borscz　grinned　at　that。　“We　can　be　like　our　ancestors；　no？　We　can　strike　at　our　enemies’　very
heart；　as　those　mighty　heroes　did　against　the　invading　orks。”
“We　can　teach　them　to　fear　us！”　said　Pozhar；　his　eyes　gleaming　at　the　prospect。
“Yeah；”　said　Mikhaelev　dryly；　“a　lesson　that　will　stay　with　them　for　all　of　about　a　day　and　a　half
before　they’re　virus　bombed　out　of　existence。”
“Trooper　Mikhaelev　is　correct；”　said　Anakora。　“There　is　no　purpose　in　our　fighting　and　perhaps
dying　when　it　would　not　advance　our　cause。”
“Then　what　do　you　suggest？”　asked　Pozhar。　“That　we　turn　tail　and　run？”
“Colonel　Steele　will　find　a　way；”　asserted　Borscz　loyally。　“He　has　not　brought　us　this　far　to　give
up　on　our　mission　just　yet。”
“No；”　said　Mikhaelev；　with　a　tight　smile；　“I　should　think　not。”
Anakora　was　starting　to　see　it　too；　he　thought。　She　was　looking　at　the　knots　of　red　and　gold
Guardsmen　around　them；　at　the　hope　in　their　faces　that；　having　been　lost　for　so　long；　they　might
have　been　found　again。
“They’ve　been　out　of　vox　contact　for　weeks；”　she　said。　“They　cannot　know　about　the
withdrawal；　about　the…　about　what　is　to　come　next。　They　don’t　know　that　it’s　already　too　late　for
them；　that　without　air　transport　they　have　no　hope　of　reaching　Alpha　Hive　in　time　to　evacuate。”
“So；　they’re　already　dead；”　said　Pozhar　with　a　shrug。　“All　the　more　reason　why　they　should　die
like　soldiers；　with　their　guns　blazing。”
“Anyone　want　to　bet　the　Validians　do　just　that？”　asked　Mikhaelev　quietly。
The　other　three　troopers　turned　to　look　at　him。
“Anakora　was　right；”　he　said。　“These　men　are　dead　anyway。　Frankly；　even　if　that　weren’t　the
case；　the　Imperium　sees　them；　sees　us　all；　as　expendable。　The　only　person　on　this　world　who　really
matters　is　Wollkenden；　and　we　are　the　only　people　who　can　save　Wollkenden。　So；　if　it　costs　the
Imperium　four　hundred　lives　to　preserve　our　ten…　well；　it’s　just　numbers；　right？”
“And　how；　my　friend；　might　the　sacrifice　of　those　four　hundred　lives　help　us？”　asked　Borscz。
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“Think　about　it；”　said　Mikhaelev。　“We　can’t　go　forward；　can’t　go　back。　There　is　one　other
option。　We　can’t　fight　our　way　through　the　Chaos　forces；　but　perhaps　we　can　go　around　them。　If　we
are　to　do　that；　though；　we　will　need　a　diversion…　a　big　one。”
Anakora　looked　pale；　shaken。　Her　gaze　was　pulled　again　to　the　surrounding　Validians；　but　she
turned　a　caught　her　eye。　She　seemed　almost　ashamed。　Pozhar；　in
contrast；　closed　his　eyes　and　let　out　a　groan　of　dismay。　Mikhaelev　guessed　that　he　would　have
swapped　regiments　in　a　second　for　a　chance　to　get　back　into　combat。
“You　want　to　know　what　our　leaders　are　talking　about　over　there；　Borscz？”　he　said　grimly。　“I’ll
lay　you　another　bet　if　you　like。　I’ll　bet　you　a　day’s　worth　of　dry　rations　that　Steele　is　asking　the
Validians　to　die　for　us。”
Mikhaelev　was　right；　of　course。
Anakora　prayed　he　wouldn’t　be；　that　Colonel　Steele　and　the　Validian　captain　might　have　found
another　way　between　them。　But　the　more　she　thought　about　it；　the　more　she　knew　that　Mikhaelev’s
way　was　the　only　way　that　made　sense。
The　officers　parted　company；　and　Steele　called　his　squad　to　him　for　a　short　briefing。　Anakora
hardly　listened　to　his　quiet　words。　She　knew　what　he　was　going　to　say；　anyway。　Her　eyes　wandered
instead　to　the　captain；　who　was　chairing　a　similar　meeting　with　his　sergeants；　fourteen　or　fifteen　of
them。　She　watched　as　they　received　the　news：　that　their　trials　of　the　past　few　weeks　had　been　for
nothing；　that　they　wouldn’t　make　it　home　after　all；　that　the　Emperor　required　only　one　final　service
from　them。　They　bore　it　stoically；　of　course；　but　Anakora　detected　a　few　wistful　expressions　and　a
few　slumped　shoulders；　as　the　sergeants　moved　out　to　spread　the　word　to　their　troopers。
Logically；　she　knew　she　had