Death World(科幻战争)-第14章

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which　he　would　wait　for　hours　or　days—as　long　as　necessary。　One　thing；　Lorenzo　did　not　doubt：
wherever　Marbo　was；　he　could　look　after　himself。　He　would　be　back。
The　Jungle　Fighters　broke　into　their　standard　rations；　because　they　were　tired　and　because　none
of　them　had　the　spirit　to　go　hunting　or　gathering　anything　better。　Anyway；　their　trust　in　what　they
knew　about　this　jungle　had　been　shaken；　and　no　one　was　especially　keen　to　sample　its　wares　right
now。
The　night　brought　with　it　the　fluttering　of　leathern　bat…wings；　the　soft　chittering　of　a　new　type　of
ground…based　insect；　and—at　one　point—the　footfall　of　something　bigger　and　heavier；　which
nevertheless　slipped　away　before　it　could　be　seen。　The　fire　drew　curious　moth…like　creatures—and；
although　they　seemed　non…aggressive；　Armstrong　pointed　out　their　barbed　fangs　and　the　Jungle
Fighters　took　to　swatting　them　when　they　could；　just　in　case。
There　were　snakes；　too。　Storm　found　one；　about　a　metre　long；　slender　and　black；　coiled　around　a
tree　trunk；　slithering　its　way　down　towards　the　roots。　He　glared　into　its　slit　eyes；　challenging　it；　and
the　snake　glared　back。　It　hissed　and　struck；　and—having　ascertained　that　it　was　hostile；　as　if　there
had　been　much　doubt—Storm　caught　it　by　its　head；　squeezing　its　mouth　shut　with　his　fingers。　He
yanked　it　from　its　perch；　swung　it　over…arm　and　smacked　its　body　hard　into　the　ground　like　a　whip。
Lorenzo　glimpsed　a　distinctive　silver　triangular　pattern　on　the　snake’s　back。　Then　Storm　casually
tossed　its　lifeless　body　to　Donovits；　who　would　probably　spend　his　watch　teasing　venom　out　of　its
glands　for　analysis。
Lorenzo　was　loath　to　lie　down；　to　close　his　eyes　on　an　environment　about　which　he　still　knew　so
little。　But　he　had　no　choice；　and　he　trusted　his　comrades　to　protect　him。　So；　he　lay　down　on　the
damp　earth　and　slept。
He　was　woken　by　Trooper　Storm。
He　reached　for　his　fang；　and　started　to　push　himself　to　his　feet。　Storm　clapped　a　steadying　hand
on　his　shoulder；　and　a　bright　grin　broke　through　his　now　ragged…looking　black　beard。　“Easy
trooper；”　he　laughed。　“There’s　no　fire。　It’s　time　for　your　watch；　that’s　all。”
Lorenzo　nodded　and　relaxed。　He　glanced　at　the　small　patch　of　sky　immediately　above　him。　It
had　been　pitch　black　when　he’d　gone　to　sleep；　but　now　it　was　showing　just　the　earliest　signs　of
lightening。　If　Rogar　III　had　a　moon；　Lorenzo　hadn’t　seen　it　yet。　He　threw　on　his　jacket　and　his
bandolier；　and　checked　that　his　lasgun　was　locked　and　loaded。
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The　only　other　light　source　in　the　Catachan…made　clearing　was　the　embers　of　the　fire。　They
popped　and　cracked　as　Myers　poked　them　with　a　stick；　keeping　them　alive　but　torpid。　There　was　a
slight　chill　in　the　air；　and　Lorenzo　drew　closer　to　the　glowing　coals；　to　soak　up　their　scant　warmth。
“Steel　Toe　was　right；　by　the　way；”　said　Storm。　“The　lizards　really　don’t　like　fire。　Even　this　is
enough　to　keep　them　away；　though　we’ve　heard　them　hissing　out　there。　You　want　steak　for　breakfast
this　morning；　you’re　going　to　have　to　go　get　one。”
Dougan　greeted　Lorenzo　with　a　nod。　They　were　to　share　the　last　two…hour　watch。　Typical　of
Greiss；　thought　Lorenzo；　to　pair　him　up　with　a　veteran；　as　if　he　still　needed　watching　over。　The　rest
of　his　squad　were　shadowy　mounds　in　the　darkness—though　he　could　identify　the　sergeant　by　his
quiet　but　distinctive　snore；　like　a　grox　breaking　wind。　Presumably；　it　was　Braxton　who　was
twitching　in　his　sleep　and　sometimes　letting　out　a　quiet　whimper—while　Muldoon；　of　course；　was
the　one　tied　to　the　tree。　“Keep　an　eye　on　him；”　advised　Storm；　nodding　toward　their　unconscious
comrade。　“Woods　says　he　woke　during　his　watch；　muttered　all　kinds　of　gibberish　about　daemons
and　monsters。　Hotshot　had　to　slug　him　one　to　put　him　back　under。”
Lorenzo　was　disappointed　to　hear　it。　He’d　hoped　that　time；　or　maybe　one　of　the　herbal　remedies
Donovits　had　forced　down　Muldoon’s　throat；　may　have　dispelled　his　hallucinations。　For　all　that
Greiss　and　Woods　had　said　to　Mackenzie；　the　Catachans　knew　they　couldn’t　lug　Muldoon　around
with　them　indefinitely。　There　would　come　a　time　when　they’d　have　to　accept　that　he　was　lost。
Myers　and　Storm　lay　down；　and　soon　their　heavy　breaths　joined　the　sleeping　chorus　around
Lorenzo。　He　sat　on　a　tree　stump；　left　behind　after　Armstrong　had　unpacked　a　machete　and　made
firewood。　It　was　a　little　too　small　for　him；　and　he　was　uncomfortable—but　then　comfort　was　hardly
desirable　when　the　lives　of　your　comrades　depended　on　your　staying　alert。
Dougan　knew　that　too；　and　he　was　circling　the　camp　slowly。　His　soft　footsteps　were　barely
audible；　but　Lorenzo　could　tell　that　his　artificial　foot　fell　a　little　more　heavily　than　the　real　one。
Dougan　didn’t　like　to　sit　on　duty。　He　didn’t　like　to　take　the　risk　of　his　leg　seizing　up　at　a　critical
moment。
It　was　about　forty　minutes　later　that　Lorenzo　saw　the　light。
He　wasn’t　sure　what　it　was　at　first：　a　faint　blue　glow；　somewhere　between　the　trees；　lasting　just
an　instant。　He　couldn’t　pinpoint　its　location；　he　had　no　idea　how　far　away　it　had　been。　He　had　been
sharpening　his　Catachan　fang；　but　now　he　froze—and　Dougan；　though　he　was　somewhere　behind
Lorenzo　on　his　latest　circuit；　picked　up　on　his　body　language　and　did　likewise。
It　could　have　been　a　trick　of　the　approaching　dawn。　The　sky　was　now　a　deep　indigo。　But　no；
there　it　was　again。　Too　soft；　too　muted　to　be　a　torch；　it　wasn’t　the　kind　of　light　you　could　see　by。
And　yet　too　wide；　too　sustained　to　be　an　accidental　glint　off　a　weapon　or　a　suit　of　powered　armour。
Lorenzo　grabbed　for　a　stick；　and　brushed　it　across　the　embers　of　the　fire；　smothering　them　in
their　own　ashes。
The　blue　light　was　clearer　to　him　now；　but　still　maddeningly　undefined；　still　seeming　to　lurk　at
the　edge　of　his　vision；　never　quite　in　focus。　One　second；　it　was　at　ground　level；　the　next；　it
glimmered　through　the　branches　at　head　height；　and　every　time　he　moved　his　eyes　to　find　it；　it
slipped　away　from　him。　Some　sort　of　glowing　creature；　Lorenzo　wondered？　What　was　that　word
Brains　had　once　used？　“Bioluminescence”。　He　wondered　if　he　should　wake　the　others；　but　he
pictured　their　faces　if　he　did　and　they　found　he’d　been　spooked　by　a　swarm　of　fireflies。
Anyway；　the　light　was　coming　no　closer。
He　watched　it　a　moment　longer。
It　blinked　out。
A　second　ago；　there　had　been　a　wisp　of　smoke　coiling　up　from　the　ashes　of　the　campfire。　Now；　it
was　gone。　The　sky　was　a　little　lighter—wasn’t　it？　Lorenzo　frowned；　and　crouched　by　the　ashes。　He
touched　them　tentatively。　They　were　still　warm；　but　cooler　than　they　ought　to　have　been。　His　mind
was　straggling　to　catch　up　with　what　his　senses　were　telling　him：　that　some　minutes　had　passed
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without　him　knowing　it。　It　took　some　time　for　the　message　to　get　through—but　when　it　finally　did；
Lorenzo　stiffened　in　horror。
The　light　had　hypnotised　him；　dulled　his　mind。　Anything　could　have　happened　while　he’d　been
distracted。　Anything　could　have　crept　into　the　camp；　and　dragged　his　comrades　away　while　they
slept。
There　was　something。　A　shape　at　his　shoulder。　Lorenzo　whirled　around；　but　it　was　only　Dougan。
“It’s　alright；　son；”　the　veteran　assured　him　in　a　whisper。　“We　zoned　out　for　a　minute　or　two；　that’s
all。　Everyone’s　alright。”
“Old　Hardhead　said　something；”　Lorenzo　recalled；　“in　the　mess　hall　yesterday。”　Why　was　it　so
hard　to　remember？
“Something　about…　about　ghosts。　Lights　that　lured　Guardsmen　into…　ambushes；　I　guess。　I
didn’t　realise…　I　didn’t　feel　it；　but　that　thing　must　have　got　inside　my　head。”
Dougan　nodded　gravely。　“I’m　going　out　there；”　he　announced。
“But—”
“We　need　to　know　what　we’re　facing。　Don’t　worry。　We’ve　seen　what　it　does　now；　and　we’ve
shaken　it　off　once。　It　won’t　fool　me　again。　It’s　just　a　question　of　focus。　It　won’t　even　see　me
coming。”
“You’re　right。”　Of　course　he　was　right。　Lorenzo　wished　he　had　realised　it　sooner；　then　he　could
have　been　the　one　to　volunteer；　to　have　gone　out　there　alone。　To　have　made　a　name　for　himself；
perhaps。　“I’ll　come　with　you；”　he　offered。
Dougan　shook　his　head。　“You　need　to　stay　here；　watch　the　camp。　Could　be　this　light’s　meant　to
lure　us　away　while　something　worse　creeps　up　from　behind。”
“I　can　wake　one　of　the　others。”
“No　need　to　panic　them　just　yet。　It’s　best　I　go　alone。　You　could　be　right　about　there　being　an
ambush。　Any　trouble　out　there；　I’ll　shout　a　warning。　Then　you　can　wake　the　others；　and　point　them
in　my　direction。　I’m　counting　on　you；　Lorenzo。”
Lorenzo　shook　his　head。　“I’m　coming　with　you。”
Dougan　laid　a　hand　on　his　shoulder；　and　looked　him　right　in　the　eye　with　an　unnerving　intensity。
“Let　me　do　this；”　he　said。　“I　need　to　do　this！”
Lorenzo　was　left　in　no　doubt　that　he　did。　He　nodded　glumly；　and　Dougan　smiled　and　clapped
him　companionably　on　the　arm。　Then　he　slipped　away　into　the　jungle；　in　the　direction　in　which　the
blue　light　had　last　been　sighted。　After　only　a　few　seconds；　Lorenzo　could　neither　see　nor　hear　him。
Why　did　Dougan　need　to　do　this？
He’d　had　his　share　of　glory。　Why　couldn’t　he　have　let　someone　else　have　a　taste　of　it；　this　once？
Why　had　Lorenzo　accepted　what　he’d　said？　Why　hadn’t　he　spoken　up；　persuaded　Dougan　that　his
need　was　greate