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jagged shards； spattered with melted water； and the engine howled in protest as it fought to make
headway against a force of nature that should by rights have been immovable… and succeeded。
Barreski fired the borer…mounted flamers again； regretting only that he had to do so remotely and
couldn’t feel their kick to his shoulder。 The Termite wheezed and shuddered； and a fresh wave of
water broke over its front； but its tracks had gained purchase； and the vehicle surged forwards。
The hard part was done。 They were inside the glacier and the borer had found its groove； its drill
head shredding the ice in its path like paper。 All they had to do now was keep up their momentum；
and stay on a constant bearing。
In the absence of a clear view ahead； Grayle’s gaze was fixed to the compass — while； for his
part； Barreski yearned for a greater challenge than that of just keeping the drill head spinning。 He
was about to get his wish。
The ice had closed in around the Termite； and the walls and the roof of its self…made tunnel were
pressing in on it； squeezing it。 This was to be expected； of course — and at first Barreski thought
little of the occasional groan from the plasteel above him； although he could feel the increased
pressure as if the air itself had become denser。 An especially heartfelt groan from behind him； he put
down to one of his comrades back there； almost certainly Trooper Borscz。
But the groans from the hull were becoming more frequent； and louder。
And then； Grayle reported that their speed had dropped。
Barreski knew what to do。 He pressed the flamers into service again； to ease their path through
the ice； and the driver seemed satisfied。 But no sooner had Barreski removed his hands from the
trigger controls than Grayle frowned； shook his head and announced that they were slowing again。
They repeated the sequence twice more； with the same results； until Barreski was starting to
worry about depleting the flamers’ promethium tanks。
“Looks like we’re going to lose that bet； Grayle；” he said through clenched teeth。
Then the hull emitted a particularly violent crack。 Borscz leapt to his feet in alarm and banged
his head on the roof。
“Are you certain the machine can take much more of this？” he moaned。
“A couple of minutes ago；” said Grayle； “I’d have guaranteed it。 Now—”
“Now what？” Colonel Steele was on his feet too。 With two long strides； he was with Barreski
and Grayle； leaning between them； examining the dashboard runes。 “What’s happening out there；
Grayle？”
“I don’t know； sir。 The Termite is performing at peak efficiency。 Better than peak。 It’s the ice；
it’s… I know this sounds impossible； but I think it might be replenishing itself； reforming as fast as
we can bore through it。”
“He could be right；” said Gavotski。 “We know that Cressida’s change of climate has no natural
explanation。 We know the taint of Chaos is in the soil； lending it abnormal properties。 Why not in
the water as well？”
28
“I knew it；” Borscz groaned； dropping back into his seat。 “The tunnel is closing behind us。 We
are going to be trapped in here； in this tin coffin； forever。”
“Not if I can help it！” snarled Barreski。 He fired the flamers again； and manipulated the borer；
making it describe a small circle as it drilled； widening its tunnel。
“That’s helping；” reported Grayle； “but we still aren’t making the progress we should。”
“And we can’t keep this up for long；” Barreski added； still mindful of his dwindling fuel
supplies。
“The ice！” cried Anakora。 “It is forcing itself in here！” With a glance back over his shoulder；
Barreski saw that she was right。 Crushed ice was squeezing through the gun emplacements in the
Termite’s side； as if being pushed by an external force。 Six troopers leapt to the guns； doing their
best to discourage the intrusion； but both Palinev and Mikhaelev immediately reported that their
flamers had seized up。
“What’s your assessment； Grayle？” barked Steele。 “Can we make it to the other side of this
thing？”
“No； sir；” said Grayle； “I don’t think we can。”
“Well； we certainly can’t back up；” said Gavotski。 “We don’t have the room to swing the borer
around。”
“If we changed our heading to oh…seven…nine；” said Grayle； “we could be through the ice a lot
faster。 It’d take us a fair way off course； though。”
Steele pulled up a tactical map on his data…slate； nodded； and said； “It’s our best hope。 Make that
course correction； trooper。”
As Grayle moved to obey； another almighty crack drew ten pairs of worried eyes upwards。 A
hairline fracture had appeared in the hull； stretching half the length of the passenger compartment。
“You see； Trooper Borscz；” said Mikhaelev nervously； “you didn’t have to worry about our
being trapped in here。 The ice is going to crack this vehicle open like an eggshell and crush us all to
death instead。”
“You think the ice caused that crack？” Pozhar joked； half…heartedly。 “That’s from where Borscz
banged his great head up there！”
“Can you bring the back end of the borer down a little？” Gavotski enquired of Barreski。 “Use it
to protect the roof。 I know it would slow down the drilling； but—”
“Can’t do it anyway； sergeant；” said Barreski。 “I’m trying； but the ice is already packed in too
tightly under there。 The borer is stuck at this angle。”
“It’s a race； then；” said Steele； his voice remarkably calm under the circumstances； “between us
and the ice。 I’m relying on the two of you； Grayle； Barreski。 Do whatever you have to do。 Just keep
us moving； as fast as you can manage。”
“Aye； sir；” said Grayle。 Then he turned to Barreski； raising his voice to be heard。 “I can reroute
some power to the borer from the engine。 The harder that drill works； the less the engine has to do
anyway。”
“Another flamer down；” reported Blonsky from behind them。
“I could do with one of those things up here；” Barreski shouted back。 “Rip one out of an
emplacement if you have to。” He was operating the borer…mounted flamers — just three of them
now； as the fourth was returning jammed signals — almost constantly； but still the front shield was
being battered； not by mere shards of ice now but by great chunks of it； which hit like rocks。
The Termite’s roof was beginning to bulge inwards with the increasing pressure upon it； and the
Ice Warriors in the passenger compartment were up to their ankles in freezing slush。 Barreski was so
engrossed in his task that he hardly heard Grayle’s voice； announcing that at their current speed they
would be through the glacier in one more minute。 It seemed like the longest minute of his life； and
especially so when his flamers； only two of them working now； used up the last of their reserves and
sputtered to a halt。
29
He turned； and found Palinev at his shoulder with a hand flamer as requested。 Barreski leapt
from his seat and snatched the weapon from the smaller man； even as the ice smashed through the
front shield at last； coming at them like an avalanche。
Grayle had no choice。 He couldn’t leave his position or they were all done for。 He met the
oncoming ice； head down； eyes closed； breath held； hands gripping the controls for dear life。
Barreski met it with a jet of flame； driving it back。 Melted water gushed into the Termite’s controls；
angering the machine…spirits； which responded with a salvo of little explosions — but he couldn’t
worry about that now。
Borscz was standing on a seat； bearing the weight of the roof on his shoulders； but the walls of
the passenger compartment were starting to bulge。 The one to the left burst at last； even as the
engine uttered its final gasp。
Then； the Termite’s front end emerged； with a cough and a splutter； into the open air； and fell
still。
Gavotski gave the order to abandon the vehicle； and its occupants almost fell over each other in
their haste to obey。 Barreski would have expected the technophobic Borscz to be the first out — but
with the back half of the Termite still trapped in the ice； its roof threatening to collapse； the burly Ice
Warrior chose instead to continue in his role as human prop。
Barreski was just as surprised to see the colonel； the nearest man to Grayle； delaying his escape
in order to dig the driver out of the ice drift that had buried him。 He went to help； and together they
freed his fellow tanker’s head。 A half…conscious Grayle blew ice from his nose and mouth； and
murmured； “Did we make it？”
Then； something rammed the Termite from behind； and its rear end stove in； compacting the
back half of the passenger compartment — fortunately cleared by now — into a tangle of plasteel。
Hauling Grayle between them； Barreski and Steele scrambled out through the hatch； found a
two…metre drop beneath them； and dived into a blanket of grey snow。 Steele landed on his feet； but
Grayle’s weight threw Barreski’s balance； and he fell and rolled onto his back； just in time to hear a
roar of “Incoming！” and to see Borscz’s enormous form blotting out the dull grey sky。
The impact was tough on the pair of them； but Barreski got the worst of it。 He felt as if he had
been kicked in the stomach by an equatorial yak。 For a moment； all he could see was a haze