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Dark Disciple(科幻战争)-第40部分

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have come to pass。 Many amongst the Host have。 Does such a thing not suggest that every decision
91
that we think we make has not already been determined beforehand? A path set in front of us that
we; try as we might to avoid our fate; are condemned to walk?”
“By that rationale; why should we strive for anything? Why should we seek to destroy our
enemies; if the outcome has already been decided?” asked Burias。
“Don’t be a fool; Burias;” said Marduk sharply。 “The gods help those that help themselves。 If
you were not going to try to defeat your enemies; then you were already fated to lose。”
“If what you suggest is correct; then this;” said Kol Badar; levelling his combi…bolter at
Marduk’s head; “is the will of the gods?”
The Coryphaus’s weapon system whined and clicked as fresh bolts were loaded into the firing
chambers。 Burias licked his lips; glancing between the First Acolyte and Kol Badar。
Behind them; kneeling in a tight circle with his squad; Khalaxis half…rose to his feet; but the
heavy hand of one of the Anointed held him in place。
The sergeant…champion glowered up at the Terminator…armoured warrior; his rage building; but
he relented and remained kneeling; watching the outcome of the confrontation。
Marduk took a step forward so that the twin barrels of the Coryphaus’s weapon pressed against
his forehead。
“Pull the trigger and find out;” said Marduk。
After a tense moment; Kol Badar bent his arm; removing the weapon from his superior’s head;
and stalked away angrily。
“What if he had pulled the trigger?” asked Burias quietly。
“Then I’d be dead;” said Marduk。
Sinking ever deeper; the lift continued descending through the inky…black water。 This was more of
an abyss than the depths of deep space; thought Burias。 At least there pin…pricks of light could be
glimpsed; distant stars and coronas a hundred million light years distant。 Here; the darkness was
complete and all…consuming。
Still they descended。 It felt like they had been descending for days; though it had been less than
an hour; and Burias continued his restless pacing; stalking back and forth; clenching and
unclenching his fists。
Khalaxis’s squad knelt in a close circle around Marduk; who was in a half…trance; intoning from
the unholy scriptures。 The warriors of the Anointed stood in a second circle around the kneeling
figures; the Coryphaus leading a morose counter…chant。
Of the warrior brethren; only Burias stood apart; for he could not calm his mind enough to be
part of the communion。
Impatience knotted his stomach; and he snarled in frustration。
Burias stamped around the interior of the lift; slamming the butt of his icon into the grilled
flooring with each step。 The flickering lights above were irritating him with their incessant buzzing
and for a moment he toyed with the notion of smashing them。
While other Astartes warriors within the Host took pleasure in creation; painstakingly copying
the illuminated volumes of the Books of Lorgar into new volumes; labouring for weeks on end over
each page; Burias had not the patience for such pursuits。 He took pleasure in destruction; whether it
was ripping apart a living creature and watching its life fade; or smashing apart the profane statues
of the Imperium。
What worth was a hundred years of toil if a man could destroy it in seconds?
Thankfully; the Host was almost constantly at war。 It was at times like these; however; when the
enemy was so close; yet the thrill of battle was denied him; that his fury rose; clouding his mind and
shattering his concentration。
He paced around the extent of the lift; until finally he saw a soft glow permeating up from below
through the porthole windows。
92
In the distance below; the lights from the mining station were radiating up from the ocean floor。
It looked like some outpost station on a desolate asteroid or moon; with the blackness of space
all around it。 A broad; domed central hub; roughly the size of the largest galactic battleship; was
rooted in the rock bed; surrounded by dozens of bulbous satellite outbuildings。 Cylindrical;
transparent corridors connected all the sub…structures to the main hub。 Light; harsh and unnatural;
spilled from the arterial tubes; and peering closely; Burias thought he could see vehicles and people
moving through them; like tiny insects within an artificial environ…farm。
Burias rolled his shoulders and stretched the muscles of his neck。
“Finally;” he muttered。
Pressure gauges vented; equalising the compressed air within the lift with that of the mining facility。
The sides of the lift slid aside with a clatter and water gushed down from above; slipping off the
angled surfaces of the lift’s hull; and draining away through the grates set in the floor。 Darkness
greeted them inside the mining facility; though an infrequent strobe of light sparked from severed
cables hanging loose from the low ceiling。
The Word Bearers walked cautiously forward; stepping through the dripping water; weapons
seeking targets。 There were none。
Kol Badar’s Anointed led the way; combi…bolters and repeater autocannon tracking from side to
side。
The air was hot and humid; a far cry from the dry; gelid atmosphere on the planet’s frozen
surface。
“There is no one down here;” growled Kol Badar。
“There are people here;” said Burias。 “I saw them on the descent。”
The warriors drew towards the main entrance into the mining facility; an immense arched
processional that led from the lift base to the main hub of the structure。
Marduk’s eyes were drawn up above the archway。 A massive figure had been roughly painted
onto the plascrete wall; like a mural; though its workmanship was crude to say the least。 A low hiss
escaped his lips。
“What is it?” asked Burias; his eyes wide。 “A daemon? Are these miners cult worshippers?”
“No; it’s not a daemon;” said Marduk; not taking his eyes from the primitive mural。
“You are sure?” asked Kol Badar; glowering upwards。
“I feel no touch of the warp here;” said Marduk。 “Worship of the great gods of the immaterium
would leave a palpable trace; a lingering presence; but there is none。 No; this is no daemon。 I could
command a daemon。 There is no commanding that。”
The warriors of the Host shuffled uneasily。 A four…armed figure was daubed on the wall above
the archway; painted in garish blues and purples。 Two of its arms ended in claws; while the others
ended in humanlike hands。 Its eyes were yellow and its mouth was wide; exposing a caricature of
sharp teeth; painted as simple triangles and dripping with garish red paint representing blood。 A
long; stabbing tongue protruded from the toothy maw。
“I think your battle…lust will soon be sated; Burias;” said Marduk in a soft voice。
93
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“You want us to go in there?” asked Kol Badar flatly; looking in disdain at the maintenance
submersibles bobbing slightly on the surface of the dark pool of water。
“This is the way that the explorator came; we must follow in his footsteps;” said Marduk evenly。
“That statement is categorically false; Marduk; First Acolyte of the Word Bearers Legion of
Astartes; genetic descendant of the glorified Primarch Lorgar;” intoned Darioq…Grendh’al。
Marduk turned slowly towards the daemonically infused magos; glowering within his skullfaced
helmet。
“What?” he said in a low; dangerous voice。
“Repeat: ‘This is the way that the explorator came; we must follow in his footsteps’ is
categorically false;” said the magos。
Marduk licked his lips。 If he did not feel like he had such control over the daemon inhabiting
Darioq’s body; he would think that the magos was being wilfully obtuse。
“What is incorrect about that statement?” asked Marduk slowly。
“Explorator First Class Daenae;” said Magos Darioq in his monotone voice; “originally of the
Konor Adeptus Mechanicus research world of UL01。02; assigned to cl4。8。87。i; Perdus Skylla; for
recon/salvage of the Dvorak…class interstellar freighter Flames of Perdition; which reappeared
within Segmentum Tempestus in 942。M41 and crashed onto the surface of cl4。8。87。i; Perdus Skylla;
in 944。M41 after being missing presumed lost in warp storm anomaly xi。024。396 in 432。M35; is of
the female ge
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