Ice Guard(科幻战争)-第20部分

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Everyone　turned　to　look　at　him；　and　Steele　saw　that　he　was　holding　the　vox…caster；　now　a
smouldering　wreck；　its　components　fused　together；　the　source　of　the　burning　smell。
“You　think…？”　began　Palinev；　in　disbelief。
“I　think；”　said　Blonsky；　“that　a　single　las…beam　was　fired　at　this　machine　—　and　it　must　have
been　fired　from　inside　this　compartment。”
Barreski　appeared　in　the　hatchway　to　find　seven　pairs　of　eyes　staring　at　him。　“What　the　hell
happened　here？”　he　asked。　“Did　someone　fire　a　lasgun？”
“We　were　about　to　ask　you　the　same　question；”　said　Steele。
“You’re　the　one　who’s　supposed　to　be　on　watch；”　said　Pozhar。　“You　and　Grayle。”
“You　didn’t　see　anyone？”　asked　Anakora。
Grayle　had　appeared　at　Barreski’s　shoulder。　“There　was　something；”　he　reported。　“Another
mutant；　I　think。　I　tried　to　follow　it；　but　I　lost　it。　I　don’t　know　how　it　got　away；　it　must　have　moved
like　lightning。”
“So；　you　let　this　mutant　lure　you　away　from　the　ship？”　asked　Steele。
Barreski　shook　his　head　firmly。　“Grayle　went　after　the　mutant。　I　went　as　far　as　the　top　of　the　rise；
to　keep　an　eye　on　him；　but　I　never　left　sight　of　the　lander。　There’s　no　way　anything　could　have　got
near　this　hatchway　without　my　seeing　it。”
“Are　you　certain　about　that？”　asked　Steele。　He　indicated　the　remains　of　the　vox…caster；　still　in
Blonsky’s　hands；　and　Barreski’s　face　fell　as　he　saw　the　damage　for　the　first　time。　“Because　if　this
was　not　the　work　of　an　intruder…”
“Then　one　of　us　is　a　traitor；”　said　Blonsky。
“Now　steady　on；”　said　Gavotski。　“Let’s　not　jump　to　conclusions；　shall　we？”
But　Blonsky　insisted；　“The　evidence　speaks　for　itself。　One　of　us　must　have　woken；　found
himself　unobserved　and　taken　the　opportunity　to　destroy　the　vox…caster；　our　best　hope　of　being　able
to　complete　this　mission。”
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“Why　are　you　looking　at　me？”　cried　Pozhar。　“I　saw　you；　you　were　looking　at　me　as　you　said
that。　You’ve　done　nothing　but　criticise　me；　and　question　my　loyalty；　since　we　climbed　into　the
Termite。”
“I　think　you　are　more　concerned　with　your　personal　glory；”　said　Blonsky；　“than　with　serving　the
Emperor。　I　consider　that　a　dangerous　attitude。”
“Even　if　that　were　true；”　said　Gavotski；　“it　doesn’t　make　Pozhar　the　guilty　party。”
“You’re　just　accusing　me；”　said　Pozhar　hotly；　“because　you　have　something　to　hide。　Well；　how
about　it；　Blonsky？　I　didn’t　see　you　when　that　mutant　attacked　me。　What　were　you　doing　when
Borscz　died？”
“He　was　fighting　alongside　me；”　said　Anakora。　“He　played　his　part。”
“Yeah？”　said　Pozhar。　“So；　maybe　we　should　look　at　you　then。　Maybe　we　should　ask　how　you
managed　to　survive　Astaroth　Prime　when　no　one　else　in　your　company　did。　Oh　yeah；　I　know　all
about　that；　Anakora。　I　remember　your　name。”
“Sergeant　Gavotski　is　right；”　Steele　broke　in。　“None　of　us　is　above　suspicion。”
“Well；　Grayle　and　I　can　vouch　for　each　other；”　said　Barreski。
“Can　you？”　asked　Palinev。　“I…　I　don’t　meant　to　imply　anything；　it’s　just…　well；　you　know　that
Grayle　couldn’t　have　snuck　in　here；　but　can　he　say　the　same　for　you？　He　must　have　taken　his　eyes
off　you　to　search　for　that　mutant。”
“I’ve　known　Barreski　since　basic　training；”　said　Grayle；　“and　apart　from　anything　else；　the　last
thing　he’d　do　is　harm　one　of　his　precious　machines。　It　was　him　who　found　the　vox…caster　in　the　first
place；　remember？”
“Then　there　is　our　comrade　Mikhaelev；”　said　Blonsky；　“who　has　had　nothing　to　say　for　himself
so　far。　In　fact；　it　is　rare　that　he　voices　his　thoughts　—　but　when　he　does　speak；　he　says　more　than　he
thinks　he　does。”
Mikhaelev　turned　purple；　and　spluttered；　“I　have　always　followed　orders。”
“But　you　have　not　always　agreed　with　them；　have　you？　Tell　me；　Mikhaelev；　how　greatly　does　it
bother　you　that　the　Emperor　considers　your　life　less　valuable　than　that　of　a　man　like　Confessor
Wollkenden？”
“There’s　one　possibility　none　of　you　has　considered；”　said　Steele。　“The　traitor　could　be　me。”　His
quiet　words　brought　down　a　heavy　silence；　as　he　had　known　they　would。
“You　all　know　about　the　augmetics　in　my　brain；”　he　continued。　“My　heart　may　not　have　been
corrupted　by　Chaos；　but　what　if　my　head　has　been？”
Their　initial　shock　dispelled；　the　Ice　Warriors　rushed　to　assure　their　commander　that　they
couldn’t　believe　it；　that　the　Emperor　would　allow　no　such　thing　to　happen。　He　raised　his　hand　to
stem　their　protests。
“I’m　just　making　a　point；”　he　said。　“We　know　nothing　for　sure　—　and　until　we　do；　we　can　gain
nothing　by　hurling　accusations。”
“Colonel　Steele　is　right；”　said　Gavotski。　“I　am　pleased　with　the　way　this　squad　has　bonded　so
far。　We　must　not　jeopardise　that。　We　will　fight　again　tomorrow；　as　comrades；　and　we　need　to　be　able
to　trust　each　other。”
“Nevertheless；”　said　Blonsky；　“I　would　request　that　the　colonel　search　each　of　us　for　signs　of
mutation　—　and　that；　for　the　rest　of　the　night；　we　have　one　man　standing　sentry　outside　this　ship；
and　two　inside。”
Pozhar　pretended　to　be　asleep。
Anakora　and　Mikhaelev　were　sitting　nearby；　Steele　having　agreed　to　Blonsky’s　suggestion　that
the　guard　be　increased。　Pozhar　didn’t　want　them　to　see　that　he　was　awake；　couldn’t　let　them　suspect
that　his　conscience　was　troubling　him。　The　back　of　his　right　hand　itched；　but　he　didn’t　dare　scratch
it。
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He　didn’t　know　why　he　had　done　it。
He　had　woken　from　a　vivid　and　troubling　dream；　had　perhaps　been　half…dreaming　still。　It　had
taken　him　a　minute　to　work　out　where　he　was；　to　identify　the　shapes　around　him　as　those　of　his
comrades；　to　see　the　vox…caster　on　the　floor　beside　the　hatchway；　to　remember…
In　the　dream；　Steele　had　contacted　the　Imperial　Navy　on　that　caster。　They　had　told　him　that　the
search　for　the　confessor　had　become　too　dangerous；　that　they　were　sending　another　lander　for　his
squad；　that　Cressida　was　to　be　left　to　its　new　masters。　The　details　were　hazy；　but　Pozhar　thought　he
remembered　an　army　of　cultists　and　mutants；　laughing。　Laughing　at　the　Ice　Warriors　as　they　turned
their　backs　on　their　mission；　as　they　turned　and　ran。
He　had　acted　on　instinct。　He　had　seen　that　Grayle　had　abandoned　his　post。　No　one　was　watching
him。　It　had　all　been　exactly　as　Blonsky　had　said：　one　las…beam；　one　squeeze　of　his　trigger。　He　hadn’t
even　thought　about　the　sound　it　would　make。　As　the　other　Ice　Warriors　had　woken；　Pozhar　had
dropped　back　onto　his　blanket　and　pretended　to　be　waking　too；　although　his　heart　had　been
hammering　in　his　chest　and　he　had　felt　a　cold　flush　down　his　back。
His　right　hand　was　itching　like　crazy　now。　He　shifted　his　position；　carefully；　until　he　could　reach
it　with　his　left。　Steele　and　Gavotski　had　searched　everyone；　again　as　Blonsky　had　suggested。　Pozhar
had　been　certain　he　would　pass　their　inspection；　but　still　he　had　felt　relieved　to　be　given　the　all…clear。
The　verdict　had　reaffirmed　his　belief　in　himself；　reassured　him　that　although　he　couldn’t　explain
what　he　had　done；　he　had　done　it　for　the　right　reasons。　For　the　Emperor。
His　questing　fingers　found　the　back　of　his　right　hand；　and　Pozhar　froze　in　horror　as　he　felt
something　unfamiliar；　something　strange；　something　that　had　not　been　there　an　hour　ago：　a　tuft　of
fur。
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CHAPTER　TEN
Time　to　Destruction　of　Cressida：　23。53。42
The　first　avalanche　was　a　small　one。
The　Ice　Warriors　had　been　expecting　it。　Still；　all　they　could　do　was　brace　themselves　as　the　snow
shifted　beneath　their　feet　—　and　hope；　of　course；　that　this　small　slide　would　not　trigger　a　bigger　one。
They　had　faced　a　choice　this　morning：　take　the　well…trodden　roads　to　Mangellan’s　stronghold；
the　erstwhile　Iota　Hive；　facing　the　likelihood　of　more　encounters　with　the　enemy　en　route；　or
attempt　to　approach　through　treacherous；　snow…laden　hills。　Steele；　being　unlike　many　other
commanders；　had　opened　the　question　to　debate。　It　had　been　the　only　time　so　far　today　that　his
troopers　had　spoken　more　than　two　words　to　each　other。
The　accusations　of　the　previous　night　hung　like　a　dark　cloud　over　them。　Even　Palinev；　although
still　scouting　ahead；　reported　back　more　frequently　than　he　had　done　yesterday；　as　if　thinking　that
too　long　an　absence　might　arouse　the　suspicions　of　his　comrades。　He　might　have　been　right。
Everyone　was　watching　each　other；　and　Steele　could　hardly　blame　them。　He　was　watching　too。
They　waited　for　the　snow　to　settle；　and　then　they　moved　on　in　silence。
As　they　rounded　the　edge　of　a　hill；　the　contours　of　the　land　brought　the　hive　back　into　view；　just
a　few　kilometres　ahead　of　them。　The　sight　made　Steele’s　stomach　turn。　Every　horizontal　surface　of
the　city　was　thick　with　snow；　every　vertical　plane　iced　over。　It　looked　unreal；　like　a　life…sized　model
sculpted　from　the　ice。　There　was　no　doubt　at　all　that　the　Chaos　infection　of　Cressida　had　Iota　Hive　in
the　firmest　of　grips；　had　corrupted　it　beyond　all　hope　of　reclamation。
This　morning；　Steele’s　squad　had　agreed　that　they　stood　a　better　chance　against　the　perils　of
their　environment　than　they　did　against　more　of　Mangellan’s　followers。　Even　Pozhar　had　not　argued
too　strongly　for　a　full…frontal　approach　to　the　hive。　In　fact；　he　seemed　unusually　subdued；　although
whether　this　was　due　to　the　events　of　last　night　or　to　his　damaged　gun　arm；　Steele　cou