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was what the future held for it； must have seen what lay at the end of its chosen path。
Blonsky had no sympathy for it。 It deserved what its gods had done to it。
The mutant died at last； as did one of its fellows； succumbing to a second flamer burst。 That left
just two。 One was being kept occupied by the nimble Palinev； while the other had just lost a claw to
Grayle and Mikhaelev’s beams and had dropped to its knees。 Blonsky set his sights on Palinev’s
opponent； but was suddenly tackled by Anakora。 For a second； as they fell； he wondered if her mind
had snapped as well； if she had chosen this moment to turn traitor — but then； a las…beam rent the
air above his head； and he realised that she had just saved his life。
A cultist had attained the top of the rise； a perfect sniping position — and； had he fired again；
with both Blonsky and Anakora on the ground； he could have killed one of them。 Instead； he saw
Pozhar charging him； gun blazing； and he turned his fire upon the young trooper — and Pozhar was
hit； a glancing blow to the shoulder。 The force of the blast knocked him head over heels； and for the
second time in as many minutes he came rolling back down the slope。
Emboldened by his success； the cultist became careless。 He lifted himself up to get a better angle
on his fallen foe； to finish him off — and two las…beams ripped through him。 As the sniper fell； his
killers； Blonsky and Anakora； started forward； joined again now by Gavotski。 The other cultists had
mistimed their advance； must have hung back too long behind their mutant cannon fodder； because
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the opposing factions met at the top of the rise。 The Ice Warriors were the first to react； and three of
their foes were dead before they could return fire。
The cultists； despite their greater numbers； were outmatched。 They were untrained； unarmoured
and； in some cases； even unarmed。 The outcome； of the battle was already beyond doubt when
Pozhar waded back into it。 He wielded his lasgun in his left hand； his right hanging uselessly by his
side； and most of his shots went wild。
A cultist slipped in beneath the Ice Warriors’ beams； and was suddenly in Blonsky’s face； trying
to push a knife through the layers of his greatcoat。
“You’re too late； Guardsman；” the foul heretic hissed。 “Mangellan has the power on this world；
and if you wish to live you will renounce your decadent Emperor and turn to—”
The threat was never completed。 Blonsky seized his attacker’s wrist and twisted it until it broke。
The cultist screamed； and the blade dropped from his numbed fingers。
Blonsky raised his bayonet to the wretch’s throat； but remembered that Gavotski had wanted a
hostage。 So； as much as it went against his instincts to do so； he turned his lasgun around and drove
its butt into the cultist’s skull； knocking him cold。
Barreski skirted the final mutant； trying to find an angle from which he could torch it without setting
light to Palinev too。 The scout was still keeping clear of the mutant’s raking talons； ducking and
weaving； twisting and turning — but the mutant was relentless； starting to wear him down。
Barreski ventured a little closer to it。 He thought it was too busy with Palinev to notice him。 He
was wrong。 The mutant swung around； and suddenly he was the focus of all its attention。 With a
powerful swipe； it knocked the flamer from his hands。 Barreski recovered his wits only just in time
to avoid a second talon； which would have ripped out his throat。 He had no way of fighting back；
didn’t have time to draw his lasgun — and he knew that he was far less agile than Palinev； and
couldn’t evade many more attacks like that one。
Mikhaelev and Grayle came to his assistance。 They had finished with their opponent； and turned
their las…fire upon his。 The mutant shuddered with the impacts of the beams to its back — but； to
Barreski’s horror； its red eyes never flickered from him。 Somewhere in its disturbed little mind； the
mutant must have known it was finished； and it was determined not to be distracted from its prey；
determined to take at least one of its foes down with it。
Palinev saw what was happening and flung himself at the mutant； heedless of the danger of
incoming las…beams。 He bought Barreski a second； but no more than that； before the mutant flung
him aside with an almost casual shrug。
And then it pounced on Barreski； and although he was prepared for its weight he was still driven
down onto one knee； struggling to push the rancid creature away from him。 It raised its talon and he
knew that this would be the killing blow。
And then the air itself exploded。 The mutant stiffened and crumpled and Barreski was left
gaping at its blackened corpse； wondering what had just happened。
His nostrils were filled with the stink of burnt ozone； and he glanced to the sky and wondered if
somehow； through some incredible twist of fate or perhaps even through divine intervention； he had
been saved by a thunderbolt from on high。
Then he saw Steele； standing unaided； looking down at the dead mutant with an expression of
grim satisfaction — and Barreski saw that the colonel’s right eye was black； smouldering a little。
“A small enhancement I had made on Pyrites a few years back；” explained Steele gruffly； seeing
that Barreski； Mikhaelev and Grayle were all staring at him。 “A one…shot electrical weapon of last
resort。 It will take about twenty hours to recharge now； and my right eye will be useless until it
does。”
He looked down at the mutant again； and smiled。 “Still； some things are worth a little
inconvenience。”
50
CHAPTER NINE
Time to Destruction of Cressida： 33。16。04
Borscz was dead。
It wasn’t easy to tell； at first。 He was covered in blood； but much of it was from the mutant that
he and Pozhar had slain。 The Ice Warriors had to shift its carcass before they could get close to him；
close enough to tell that he was no longer breathing。
Anakora wanted to bury him； but Gavotski pointed out that they lacked the tools to dig in the
frozen ground。 They could do it； but it would take them most of the night。
“And it’s not as if a normal…sized hole would do；” Grayle muttered。
Anyway； they all agreed that it would make little difference at this point。 Below ground or above
it； Borscz’s body inent virus bombs； reduced to a protoplasmic slime。
And after all； the last thing any Guardsman expected when he went to war was a decent burial； his
remains； he knew； were far more likely to be trampled into the mud of the battlefield。
So； in the end； they gathered around their fallen comrade and Gavotski said a short prayer for his
soul； and that was that — although Anakora still insisted they take Borscz onto the Aquila with
them； and seal him into its hold； sparing him at least the attention of passing predators。
“If only he’d been a better shot；” said Barreski with a shake of the head。 “If he hadn’t been so
keen to go toe to toe with that thing…”
“Then it would have been Pozhar lying there instead of him；” Anakora pointed out crisply。 “You
saw how resistant the mutants were to our las…fire。”
Apart from the loss of Borscz； casualties were mercifully light。 Palinev had a mild concussion
from where the last mutant had backhanded him； and Gavotski had a couple of second…degree burns；
which he had dressed。 And Pozhar’s firing arm was in a sling； which aggrieved the young trooper no
end。
Steele was back on his feet； but he seemed deeply tired — and； although no one would have said
it to his face； even a little shell…shocked。 Gavotski covered for him by taking charge again。 He sent
Anakora； Barreski and Grayle onto the lander to ensure that no one was hiding inside。 Grayle was
also to report back on the state of the engines。 Two cultists remained alive； and so Blonsky and
Mikhaelev were detailed to bind them with tent ropes from their rucksacks。
Steele examined one of the mutants’ corpses。
“It looked like this；” he said to Gavotski。 When the sergeant looked puzzled； Steele expounded；
“The creature I saw in the forest。 It had grey fur； like this one does。 Some sort of adaptation to the
cold； I expect。 But if it was a mutant I saw； then where did it go？ The cultists didn’t know we were
coming until I… until they heard us。”
“So； who did it report to？” Gavotski concluded the thought。 “Who knows we’re here？ And how
many more mutants like this one are still out there？”
Steele didn’t need to ask what had happened while he had been unconscious； since he had plunged
into the lake。 His bionic eye had recorded all the details — every visual detail； at least — and stored
them for his later inspection。
The whole episode had left him feeling deeply uneasy。 The organic parts — the real parts — of
his brain had shut down in the water； but the mechanical parts had kept him going。 He was grateful
51
to be alive； of course — but the thought that his augmetics could function without him； even in a
limited capacity； chilled him to the marrow。
The two prisoners had started to come round。 Mikhaelev and Blonsky had carried them to the
camp…fire； and were standing guard over them。 Despite his weariness； Steele had chosen to conduct
the interrogation。 He deliberately started with the to