Глава 16

Here. Stop.

Let's begin.

Everyone, on the ice.

No, sir, please—

The saber cuts her throat, spilling hot blood on the soldier's armor.

For the glory of Ursus.

<i>Bozhe moy</i>...

Proceed.

N-Next! Fill the gap! Hurry!

Why do we have to be treated like this?

Shut up, you <i>uyobok</i>—

Were the Tsar's promises all a lie? Are our lives worth less than that of a burdenbeast?

Tell me—

As the soldier is about to raise his hand again, the rumbling of the ground becomes perceptible.

It starts with a tiny crack, from the surface, from deep below, before snowballing quickly.

The ground trembles, and the center of the lake collapses. The result of geological changes accumulated over time swallows the Infected on the ice, and their would-be executioners.

Run!

The miner shakes off the stunned soldier and runs in the direction they came from.

Catastrophe...

It's a Catastrophe!!!

Soldier, miner. Killer, victim. The vast Lake Angara accepts all and delivers all.

Beneath the ice, an ancient nomadic city rises as the terrain changes, emerging through the sheet into the light of day.

The old-style buildings and the writhing faces of the dead look the same as they did when the city sank.

<p=1>Reconstruction District, Far North, Ursus</>

'Northern Tundra'... 'Catastrophe'... 'Lake'...

All those words crammed into this tiny space, and I only recognize three.

You'll learn them in time.

The lessons here are too basic for me. I'm planning to take over the work at the mines, which has been left untended for a while, and maybe learn a craft other than shoe repair.

Once the curfew is lifted, I want to go to Deity Grypherburg.

I don't want to go to Grypherburg. I just want to learn to read. Three words a day makes twenty-one a week. In one month...

I'm glad to see your eagerness.

Do you need help?

These words still confuse me, <i>gospozha</i>.

You're talking about these 'nouns', right? That's the lesson for this week—we're learning about nouns.

Nouns, yes! Nouns. I think I'm starting to be able to tell them apart, but I can't quite get their meanings.

What's this... uh... 'Shimok'?

Ah...

It's 'Simonch'. It's a name, like the name 'Angara', the lake, or your name, 'Vova'.

It's the name of a nomadic city.

The youth bids his classmate farewell and goes into the mines, ready to get to work.

Mine tunnels left untended gradually wear down and eventually collapse. He will not allow it to happen, as long as he is still here.

The young man raises his mining lamp and begins his rounds, examining all the rail, until he finds a mining cart at one of the forks that does not belong to this place.

This is...

A mining lamp?

And a letter—

This was once the place of a struggle?

Damn it. The people who proposed connecting the mining districts were here! They wanted to occupy that garrisoned outpost!

I knew the story was true...

Phew...

Whoever's lamp this was, it's in good condition. Maybe a little dusty, but it still works...

Maybe I should take it to Grypherburg—

And show everyone...

This lamp without a name, and those people without names.

'All units, this is Dispatch.'

'All units, cease fire immediately. We have an urgent request from Deity Grypherburg.'

'Repeat, all units, cease fire immediately.'

'Please acknowledge.'

(Exhales)

Scope of the ceasefire?

All active units.

(Nods)

'Acknowledged.'

Inform Lieutenant Yelchin and ensure that all units in the 2nd Division observe the ceasefire.

'All units remain on standby. Maintain battle stations.'

'Until the threat is completely eliminated, we shall continue to serve our duty to protect Deity Grypherburg and the people.'

...Summon the quartermaster.

Sir, we do not have a quartermaster for this operation.

You expected this to be only a quick response, and that it would not take much time to eliminate the rebellious Infected.

Respond to Dispatch as usual.

And what is your name, soldier?

Private Vyacheslav Kinov, sir.

Very well. Inform the Lieutenant, Private Kinov. Your services are not needed here for now.

...You had me leave my post to come to you for this little thing?

You're out of your mind.

Oh, look at you, Patya, all high and mighty in that Shieldguard armor...

Does that pretty helmet of yours block your sight?

The maggots in the rations, bolts that snap like twigs, even duds!

Is this what they send us out to die with?!

If there are maggots in your rations, you eat them with the rations. If the weapons are hard to use, use your bare hands.

We're soldiers. We fight and win. There are only two ends: Keep fighting, or die.

You're the one who's out of his mind!

If you find that someone hasn't been doing his job, you report to your superior, not complain to me here.

I'm not the quartermaster—

I thought the Defender Regiments were supposed to be on the top deck.

...Sorry, sir. I was away from my post.

I will report this to the commissar myself.

(Salutes)

S-Sir!

What did you find out, soldier?

Tell me the reason for your anger.

...The quality of our supplies and equipment on this operation is exceedingly poor.

The rations are insufficient, the cans damaged and filled with maggots...

Many of the bolts were not made of steel, but crude iron.

And the reserve Originium bombs are so weak that they're little more than glorified duds.

How are we supposed to proceed the operation with these?

Why did you enlist, soldier?

To...

Speak up.

To—to prove myself! I want people to know my name—

Like they know yours!