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again；　shattering　its　bones。
He　only　stopped　when　he　was　exhausted。　He　looked　down　at　the　mutant’s　staring　red　eyes
seeming　to　accuse　him　even　now；　and　he　felt　the　itch　on　his　right　hand　spreading；　crawling　up　his
arm。　His　right　glove　had　come　adrift　from　his　greatcoat　sleeve；　and　he　was　sickened　by　the　sight　of
grey　fur　bristling　in　the　gap。　He　pulled　up　the　glove　quickly；　and　buried　the　hand　in　its　sling　to
conceal　it　more　fully。　He　could　almost　have　cried。　Hadn’t　he　done　what　the　Emperor　had　asked　of
him？　It　wasn’t　his　fault　that　the　mutant　had　stopped　fighting；　hadn’t　challenged　him　fully。　Pozhar
had　expected　redemption；　but　instead　he　felt　empty。
And　that　was　how　Steele　and　the　others　found　him；　a　short　time　later：　standing　over　the　fallen
mutant；　staring　down　at　it；　unable　to　tear　his　gaze　away　from　it；　unable　to　answer　the　one　burning
question；　the　unthinkable　question；　in　his　thoughts。
Is　that　my　future？
Iota　Hive　was　a　little　smaller　than　Alpha；　and　yet　still　it　dwarfed　the　Ice　Warriors　as　they　emerged
from　the　hills　into　its　shadow。　Its　size　fooled　Mikhaelev；　making　him　think　that　the　hive　was　closer
than　it　was。　And　the　closer　they　got　to　it；　the　larger　—　and　the　further　away　—　it　seemed　to　grow。
Even　so；　he　could　already　smell　the　rank　purple　fungus　that　encrusted　its　iced…over　surfaces。
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It　looked　as　if　the　hive　had　been　abandoned　a　long　time　ago　to　the　uncaring　elements。　If　only；
Mikhaelev　thought；　that　could　have　been　the　case。
There　was　a　breach　in　the　hive’s　blackstone　outer　wall；　but　Steele　steered　his　squad　well　clear　of
this　after　Palinev　sighted　through　his　field　goggles　and　reported　that　he　saw　figures　moving　amid　the
wreckage。
The　hive　stopped　growing　at　last；　and　the　great　wall　filled　Mikhaelev’s　field　of　vision。　The　Ice
Warriors　tucked　themselves　in　against　it；　careful　not　to　touch　the　reeking　ice；　and　Steele　led　the　way
along　the　sheer　black　face。　It　soon　became　evident　to　Mikhaelev　that　they　were　making　for　the
breach　after　all。
Not　long　after　that；　the　colonel　motioned　to　his　squad　to　be　silent　and　still。　They　were　nearing
their　goal；　he　said；　although　Mikhaelev　had　no　way　of　seeing　this　for　himself。　Presumably；　Steele’s
augmetics　had　helped　him　calculate　the　distance　to　the　breach。
“We　don’t　know　how　many　guards　there　might　be　in　there；”　said　the　colonel；　“but　as　always　it
only　takes　one　to　raise　the　alarm。”
“Fortunately；”　said　Gavotski；　“we　still　have　surprise　on　our　side。　If　anyone　had　seen　us　coming；
I’m　sure　we　would　know　about　it　by　now。”
“We’re　a　long　way　behind　enemy　lines；”　said　Blonsky。　“Those　guards　have　every　reason　to　be
complacent；　to　have　let　their　attention　wonder。　We　all　know　that　the　followers　of　Chaos　lack　selfdiscipline。”
A　couple　of　the　others　murmured　their　agreement；　and　Mikhaelev　joined　in　belatedly。
After　what　Blonsky　had　said　about　him　last　night；　after　the　number　of　suspicious　glares　he　had
drawn　today；　he　thought　it　wise　to　display　his　enthusiasm　for　their　cause。
“What　we　need；”　said　Gavotski；　“is　for　a　couple　of　troopers　to　scout　ahead；　to　take　out　the
sentries　without　being　seen　if　they　can。　Palinev　should　be　one。”
“I　can　do　that！”　Pozhar　chirped　up。　Seeing　Gavotski’s　doubtful　look；　he　said；　“It　makes　sense；
sergeant。　After　Palinev；　I’m　the　lightest　on　his　feet　—　and　I　know　what　you’re　thinking；　you’re
thinking　this　sling　will　slow　me　down；　but　I’m　getting　used　to　it。　I　know　I’m　having　trouble　shooting
with　my　left　hand；　but　I　can　handle　a　knife　with　it；　just　let　me　show　you。”
The　look　on　his　face　was　imploring；　almost　desperate　—　and　Gavotski　gave　Pozhar　a　long；
appraising　stare；　and　then　glanced　at　Steele；　before　he　made　his　decision　and　announced　it　with　a
curt　nod　of　his　head。
Mikhaelev　thought　that　he　had　made　a　mistake。　Pozhar　was　too　impatient　for　a　job　like　this　one。
He　had　volunteered　for　no　other　reason　than　that　he　wanted　some　action；　and　nothing　would　get　in
the　way　of　that　for　him。　But　then　this　wasn’t　the　first　time　Gavotski　had　shown　a　soft　spot　for　the
young　trooper　—　and　the　last　thing　Mikhaelev　could　afford　to　do　right　now　was　question　that。
In　the　event；　his　pessimism　was　proved　ill…founded。　Only　a　few　minutes　after　Palinev　and　Pozhar
had　slipped　away；　the　latter　returned　beaming　from　ear　to　ear；　to　report　that　there　had　been　four
cultists　on　sentry　duty　and　that　they　had　all　been　despatched。　Steele　motioned　the　squad　forwards
again；　and　soon　the　black　wall　beside　them　fell　away；　and　they　were　climbing　over　rubble。
There　were；　indeed；　four　robed　corpses　at　the　entrance。　It　looked　as　if　the　cultists　had　been
playing　cards　when　Palinev　and　Pozhar　had　got　the　drop　on　them　and　slashed　two　of　their　throats。　A
third　cultist　had　struggled；　and　had　had　his　neck　broken。　The　fourth　had　evidently　tried　to　run；　and
had　been　brought　down　by　a　knife　to　the　back。
“We　should　try　to　hide　the　bodies；”　said　Anakora。　“Then；　if　anyone　comes　by；　they　might
assume　that　these　guards　have　just　deserted　their　post。”
They　were　inside　the　hive　at　last　—　Mangellan’s　hive；　as　it　was　now。
From　now　on；　thought　Mikhaelev　gloomily；　things　could　only　get　a　great　deal　more　dangerous。
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CHAPTER　ELEVEN
Time　to　Destruction　of　Cressida：　20。32。13
From　the　outside；　Iota　Hive　had　seemed　relatively　intact。
Inside；　it　was　a　different　story。　Hardly　a　structure　had　been　left　untouched　by　the　war　that　had
raged　within。　Bridges　had　been　blown　out；　gantries　collapsed；　water　tanks　exploded。　A　burnt…out
Chimera　lay　on　its　roof；　the　corpses　of　a　driver　and　two　gunners　rotting　inside。　There　were　many
more　bodies；　and　parts　thereof；　strewn　about　the　streets　or　half…buried　in　the　wreckage　of
demolished　walls。　Barricades　had　been　built　up　from　whatever　materials　were　available；　to　be
broken　down　again。
No　natural　light　could　penetrate　this　deeply　into　the　hive　—　and　the　electric　lights　were
intermittent；　unreliable；　allowing　black　pools　to　congregate　between　them。　Grayle　drove　through　it
all；　along　narrow　streets　that　had　once　teemed　with　people。　Those　streets　were　empty　now；　most　of
the　people　dead　—　and　of　those　who　had　survived；　most　would　have　joined　their　attackers　and　left
with　them；　marching　on　to　wage　their　next　bloody　battle。
Even　so；　the　sounds　of　other　vehicles　and　of　pounding　machinery　still　thrummed　through　the
hive；　and　occasionally　a　voice　could　be　heard　raised　in　maniacal　laughter　or　a　tortured　scream。
All　in　all；　it　was　a　sobering　scene　—　especially　for　these　nine　soldiers　who　had；　only　yesterday；
been　fighting　to　defend　a　hive　much　like　this　one。　The　difference　was；　thought　Grayle；　that　Alpha
Hive　had　been　attacked　from　without；　its　walls　beaten　down。　The　reason　that　Iota’s　walls　were　still；
for　the　most　part；　standing　was　that　it　had　suffered　a　far　worse　fate。　Iota　had　been　attacked　from
within。
When　he　had　started　the　truck’s　engine；　it　had　roared　like　an　asthmatic　lion。　The　unnatural　sound
had　reverberated　from　the　roof　and　the　walls　until　it　had　seemed　loud　enough　to　bring　them　all
crashing　down。　Gavotski　had　handed　him　a　tattered　robe；　torn　from　a　dead　cultist；　and　offered　the
same　to　Barreski　who　was　seated　beside　Grayle　now　in　the　cab。　Neither　of　them　had　been　happy
about　touching　the　foul　cloth；　wrapping　it　about　their　shoulders；　but　it　had　had　to　be　done。
“The　cultist　I　questioned　talked　about　an　Ice　Palace；”　Steele　had　said；　“the　stronghold　of　the
Chaos　leader　in　these　parts。　He　didn’t　exactly　provide　a　map；　but　there’s　no　doubt　that　it　will　be　the
most　defensible　and　defended　building　in　the　city。　That　means　it　will　be　as　near　as　damn　it　to　the
centre；　and　most　likely　on　one　of　the　higher　levels。　We’ll　have　to　make　our　way　inwards　and
upwards；　get　as　close　as　we　can　to　our　goal　before　the　enemy　knows　we’re　here。”
So　far；　Grayle　had　seen　precious　little　of　the　enemy　—　just　a　few　shapes　flitting　across　high
walkways；　and　at　one　point　a　cloaked　figure　slumped　in　the　gutter；　singing　to　herself。　That　changed
as　he　guided　his　truck　around　a　tight　corner　and　was　confronted　by　at　least　twenty　of　them。
It　looked　like　they　had　been　celebrating　here；　among　the　ruins。　There　were　bottles　everywhere。
The　revelry　had　died　down　now；　though；