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few slumped shoulders； as the sergeants moved out to spread the word to their troopers。
Logically； she knew she had no reason to feel guilty。 The Validians weren’t really sacrificing
themselves for her sake； nor for that of her squad。 They were doing it for Confessor Wollkenden； for
the Ecclesiarchy； for the Emperor。 Still； she couldn’t help but ask herself why； of all the good
soldiers here； she should be among the few； the very few； to be spared — why this was starting to
become a familiar pattern for her。
If the Emperor had a plan for her — and it seemed that He must — if He was keeping her alive
for some reason； then Anakora just wished she could imagine what that reason might be。
With no more words left to say； the regiments went their separate ways。
The depleted company of Validians turned back the way they had come； and marched to meet
the pursuers from whom they had fought so hard to escape。 The squad of Valhallans headed off to
the north…east； planning to skirt around the inevitable battlefield as they had back at Alpha Hive。 The
difference was； they were on foot this time； but at least this battlefield would be smaller。
Steele led the way。 He had an unerring sense of direction； another gift of his augmetics； but still
he paused frequently to check his bearings with Palinev。 Gavotski knew that the colonel would be
watching the chrono； calculating the cost of yet another diversion from their planned course。 Steele
had been tight…lipped since his talk with the captain — but then； this was hardly unusual for him。
It couldn’t have been easy for him； to have been the bearer of such bad news； to have had to ask
a fellow commander to order his men to their deaths。 It had still been just a few days； after all； since
the same had been asked of him。
Gavotski’s thoughts drifted back to Alpha Hive； to the many good comrades he had left behind
there； the scores of men alongside whom he had been proud to fight at one time or another。 He
wondered how many of them were still fighting； how many might yet make it onto the last of the
exodus ships。 He doubted he would see any of them again。
Barreski； at least； seemed happy。 Somehow； he had talked one of the Validians into giving him
another hand flamer — and with Grayle’s help； he was stripping it down on the move； lovingly
cleaning and lubricating its components。
38
Presently； the squad bore north and then around to the north…west again； until they had
completed a quarter…circle and were on a path parallel to the one they had been on before。 They had
seen and heard nothing of the Validians in an hour； but now the quiet of the ice forest was
interrupted by a series of distant sounds： the usual sounds； the ones that could have been the
soundtrack to Gavotski’s life； to all of their lives。
Gunfire； explosions； screaming。 The sounds of war。 The sounds of four hundred good men；
dying。
39
CHAPTER SEVEN
Time to Destruction of Cressida： 38。24。44
It seemed like a long time before the forest fell silent again。
For Steele； of course； with his enhanced hearing； it felt like even longer。 This was a good thing；
he told himself。 It meant the Validian company had bought him more time than he could have
expected from them。 It meant they had died as they had lived； as heroes； and no Guardsman could
want any more from his life than that。
It meant that he had done the right thing by sacrificing them。
Not that he had doubted this； not any longer。 Steele had reviewed his decision six times； and was
satisfied that he had overlooked nothing。 Anyway； he had Sergeant Gavotski’s support； which was
always a reliable indicator。
The Ice Warriors had completed their half…circuit of the battlefield。 They were behind the Chaos
forces； whatever remained of them； back on course for the confessor’s crash site。 Steele just prayed
that their enemies would take some time to lick their wounds； before turning to head homeward。 Just
time enough for his squad to gain a safe distance from them。
He heard the approaching mutants a full six seconds before he saw them。
They were making no attempt to be quiet； crashing through the ice forest at speed； whimpering
and howling。 They must have fled from the heat of the battle； thought Steele。 They couldn’t have
known that the Ice Warriors were here — and yet； by some perverse chance； they were about to run
right into them。
He hissed a warning to the others； telling them to take cover。 Although they couldn’t have seen
anything themselves yet； they didn’t stop to ask questions。 They obeyed their colonel’s order with
varying degrees of success。 Only a blind man could have failed to see Borscz； who was twice as
broad as the ice tree behind which he attempted to hide。 Still； thought Steele； if the mutants were in
the throes of panic； and obviously feeble…minded； then they might not see the trap before it was
sprung。
And suddenly； there were over a score of them； appearing in the gaps between the trees； their
manifest and varied deformities an assault to Steele’s eyes。 He waited until they got closer； even
closer… and then one of the mutants came scrambling to a halt； and its huge； pink eyes widened；
staring at Borscz’s protruding stomach。 It opened its mouth to squeal a warning…
…and that was when Steele stepped out of hiding with his laspistol levelled； and before the
mutant could let out a sound； he calmly blew a hole through its head。
The rest of his squad were quick to follow his lead。 Pozhar； not surprisingly； was the first； his
face lit up by a broad grin as he pumped las…beam after las…beam into his confused and terrified
targets。 Barreski took his time； waiting for the opportune moment to wreak maximum damage with
one shot from his new flamer。 Three mutants were engulfed in fire； filling the air with the stink of
their burning flesh and the sounds of their screams。
“Don’t let any of them get away！” Steele yelled。
He counted four mutants on the periphery of the group； making to turn back； deciding that the
lesser of two perils was the one that lay behind them after all。 He brought down a hunchbacked；
tentacled horror with a shot to the back。
The other three mutants fled； and were out of sight before Steele could stop them — but an
instant later a tremendous bang rent the air and a cloud of shrapnel billowed out from the trees
40
where they had vanished。 Barreski had tossed a frag grenade after the mutants — and； although
Steele winced at the sound that had almost overloaded the acoustic enhancers in his right ear； he
couldn’t deny that it had been an effective tactic。
Was there any hope； he wondered； that no one in the main body of the Chaos force had heard the
explosion； that the ice trees might have deadened its sound before it could reach them？ Perhaps； at
least； it might be dismissed as the work of a lone Validian kamikaze； or even a dispute between
undisciplined mutant stragglers。
So long； that was； as none of the mutants lived to tell a different tale。
In focusing on the would…be deserters； Steele had let down his guard against the more immediate
threats to his wellbeing。 He heard the cocking of a pistol； and turned to find its barrel aimed at his
head by a creature that looked as if its face had melted； its eyes and its nose running towards its
chin。
Before the mutant could fire； Borscz barrelled into its side and threw off its aim。 It responded by
swinging its gun butt at the burly Ice Warrior’s jaw。 It hit with a resounding crack； but Borscz barely
seemed to feel the blow。 He gripped his hapless opponent by its shoulders； thrust it back against a
razor…edged ice tree。 The mutant screamed and thrashed as blood gushed out of its back； but with a
deep…throated chuckle and a flash of his brilliant white teeth； Borscz pushed its chin up and back
with the heel of his hand。 The tree cut through the mutant’s misshapen head； bisecting it down the
middle。
Three more of its kin made a break for it； but two ran into a crossfire of las…beams set up by
Gavotski and Anakora。 Palinev went racing after the third； with his knife drawn。 Barreski pressed
his flamer into service again； and Borscz； who had been about to pounce on another mutant when it
combusted in his face； gave a yelp of protest and threw his hands up to his singed beard。
Surprise and discipline were the Ice Warriors’ greatest assets； and many of their foes were cut
down before they could do much more than gibber。 Mikhaelev in particular proved to be an expert
shot； choosing his angles well so that a single one of his las…beams often sliced through two bodies。
The closest the mutants came to exhibiting teamwork was when four of them tried to swarm
Blonsky。 Steele’s pistol finished off one before it could reach its target； but the others fell upon the
trooper。 Most of the Ice Warriors held their fire for fear of hitting a comrade； although Steele noted
that Pozhar was the exception。
He drew his power sword and activated a control in its hilt； causing the blade to flare with a
crackling blue energy。 He stepped up behind one of the mutants and struck with all the strength in
his augmented muscles； severing its head from its spinal column。
Borscz wrenched a third mutant from its victim； while Grayle at