Death World(科幻战争)-第19章

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lead　from　the　front　as　he　had　been　doing。　He　instructed　Woods　to　take　point　in　his　place；　and　fell
back　to　his　more　accustomed　position　among　the　troops。　He　saw　that　Greiss　was　regarding　him
through　hooded　eyes；　and　he　said　curtly；　“I’m　watching　you；　Greiss。　One　misstep　and　I’ll　have　you
in　chains。”
“With　respect；　commissar；”　Greiss　growled；　“you　might　be　better　off　watching　your　own　back。
The　jungle’s　a　dangerous　place—and　if　you　get　dragged　away　like　Hotshot　just　did；　you　don’t　want
to　be　relying　on　an　‘undisciplined　rabble’　to　save　your　scrawny　hide；　now　do　you？”
He　bared　his　teeth　in　a　cruel　smile。
They　reached　the　river　early　in　the　afternoon。
Mackenzie　looked　pleased　about　this；　as　it　suggested　he　had　kept　his　squad　on　course　despite
Greiss’　reservations。　“Five　minutes；　everyone；”　he　said　magnanimously。　“Fill　your　water　bottles；
wash　up；　whatever　you　feel　you　need　to　do。　Just　remember；　this　is　the　last　known　fresh　water
between　us　and　the　warboss。”
“You’re　assuming　it　is　fresh　water；”　said　Greiss。
“I　told　you　before；　Greiss；　my　men　reconnoitred　this　area。　We　tested　the　water　for　all　known
poisons　and　diseases。”
“We　might　know　a　few　you　don’t；”　suggested　Armstrong。
Mackenzie’s　voice　rose　in　indignation。　“That　water　is　perfectly　safe。　I’ve　drunk　it　myself。　Or　did
you　think　we’d　been　sitting　on　our　hands　for　the　past　year　just　waiting　for　the　almighty　Jungle
Fighters　to　show　up　and　rescue　us？”
“Just　saying　I’d　like　to　see　for　myself；”　growled　Greiss。　“Sharkbait？”
“Aye；　sergeant。”　Muldoon　tore　up　a　handful　of　weeds　and　approached　the　riverbank。　The　water；
a　short　way　below　him；　was　impossibly　clear　and　fast　flowing。　It　was　six　metres　wide；　and　it
sparkled　hypnotically　as　it　caught　the　sun。　Lorenzo　shared　the　sergeant’s　suspicion：　it　looked　too
good　to　be　true。
Muldoon　cast　his　weeds　into　the　river。　It　hissed　and　bubbled　where　they　hit；　and　Lorenzo　could
see　that　the　water　was　eating　into　the　vegetation；　even　as　the　current　swept　it　away　in　a　telltale　cloud
of　vapour。
Mackenzie　blanched。　“It…　The　reports…　My　men　assured　me…　Why　would　they…？”
“Just　a　guess；　commissar；　sir；”　said　Greiss　with　a　crooked　grin；　“but　perhaps　your　men　just　don’t
like　you　much。”
Braxton　hurried　to　offer　a　kinder　explanation。　“It　must　be　as　Donovits　said；　sir。　The　planet　is
adapting　to　our　presence；　finding　new　ways　to　fight　us。”
“Maybe；”　agreed　Donovits；　“but　this　goes　beyond　evolution；　accelerated　or　not。　If　this　really　was
a　freshwater　river—if　it’s　become　so　highly　acidic　in　a　matter　of　weeks—we’re　talking　about　a
sizeable　ecological　shift。”
50
“Could　it　be　the　orks？”　asked　Braxton—and　he　wasn’t　the　only　man　present；　Lorenzo　sensed；
who　wanted　to　think　that—to　cling　to　a　rational；　knowable　cause　for　their　woes。　“Could　they　have
poisoned　the　water　somehow？”
“Maybe；”　conceded　Donovits；　though　he　sounded　doubtful。
“Don’t　underestimate　these　orks；”　muttered　Mackenzie。　“I　told　you；　this　new　warboss　is　smart！”
“Yes；　well；”　said　Greiss。　“Right　now；　the　important　thing　isn’t　what　may　or　may　not　have
happened　in　the　past—it’s　what　we　do　about　it　in　the　here　and　now。”
Mackenzie　had　been　staring　into　the　acid　river。　Now；　he　snapped　to　attention　as　if　remembering
his　responsibilities。　“Right。　I　hope　I　don’t　have　to　tell　you　people　to　conserve　supplies　from　here　on。
In　the　meantime；　we　have　a　more　pressing　problem。”
“Don’t　tell　me；”　said　Greiss　wryly。　“We　have　to　cross　that　thing。”
They　began　by　sending　Woods　up　a　tree。
He　shinned　up　to　its　topmost　branches；　until　its　leaves　hid　him　from　view。　He　disturbed　a　bird—
the　first　the　squad　had　seen　all　day—but　instead　of　attacking　him　it　squawked　in　terror　and　took
flight。
From　his　new　vantage　point；　Woods　scanned　the　length　of　the　river　in　each　direction；　looking　for
a　natural　crossing。　No　one　was　really　surprised　when　he　returned　with　the　news　that　there　was　none。
That　would　have　been　too　easy。
Armstrong　had　brought　rope；　so　the　rest　of　the　squad　stood　back　as　Myers　tied　a　lasso；　swung　it
over　his　head　and　let　the　looped　end　fly。　It　soared　across　the　acid　river　to　the　opposite　bank；　and
caught　hold　of　a　tree　branch。　Myers　tugged　at　it　to　confirm　it　was　secure。　The　rope　came　loose；　and
there　was　a　collective　wince　as　it　slapped　into　the　river　and　was　dissolved　in　an　instant；　before　he
could　even　think　about　reeling　it　in。　Myers　was　left　with　just　the　two…metre　length　that　had　been
coiled　in　his　hands。
The　Jungle　Fighters　tested　a　few　creepers；　but　found　them　brittle；　dried　out　by　the　relentless　heat。
Muldoon　suggested　they　dig　up　some　snapper　flowers；　and　Greiss　approved　the　idea。　Mackenzie
grumbled　something　under　his　breath；　but　he　didn’t　object—so　soon；　they　were　working　in　a　heavy
silence；　weaving　a　replacement　rope　from　the　flowers’　hardy　roots。　They　knotted　several　short
strands　together；　and　finally　they　were　ready　for　Myers　to　try　again。
This　time；　the　lasso　caught　and　held。　Myers　tied　his　end　of　the　rope　around　the　sturdiest　tree　he
could　find；　and　Mackenzie　asked　for　a　volunteer　to　be　first　across。
Lorenzo’s　was　the　second　hand　in　the　air；　as　usual。　The　first　belonged　to　Landon。
“You　sure　about　this？”　Greiss　quizzed　him。
“Makes　sense；　sergeant；”　said　the　rookie。　Lorenzo　could　see　how　nervous　he　felt　about　saying
this；　but　he　was　saying　it　anyway。　“Someone’s　got　to　go　over　there　and　tie　the　rope　up　securely；　and
I’m　the　lightest。　I’m　the　most　likely　to　make　it。”
Greiss　accepted　that；　so　Muldoon　set　about　tying　his　remaining　two　metres　of　rope　around　the
volunteer’s　waist；　passing　it　between　his　legs　and　finally　over　the　knotted　plant　roots　to　act　as　a
safety　harness。　To　this；　he　attached　the　end　of　another　length　of　roots；　which　would　pay　itself　out　as
Landon　went　across。
Then　the　Jungle　Fighters　watched　in　tense　silence　as　Muldoon　hoisted　Landon　up　until　he　could
grip　the　precarious　root　bridge　with　his　hands　and　feet。　The　rookie　had　left　his　heavy　pack　behind；
but　his　lasgun　was　slung　across　his　back；　he　never　knew　what　he　might　encounter；　alone　on　the　far
side。
Landon　made　his　way　across　quickly；　hanging　upside…down　from　the　makeshift　rope　like　a
squirrel。　He　only　slowed　as　he　neared　the　middle　of　the　river；　where　the　slack　brought　him　down
almost　to　its　level。　If　he’d　made　a　slip　there；　he　would　have　been　dead　before　his　harness　could　catch
him。
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It　was　at　this　moment　that　Myers’　lasso；　straining　to　cope　with　Landon’s　additional　weight；　lost
its　grip　on　the　branch。
Mercifully；　it　snagged　again；　only　a　centimetre　further　along。　Almost　a　centimetre　too　far。
Lorenzo；　watching；　sucked　air　between　his　teeth；　knowing　he　could　do　nothing　as　his　youthful
comrade　dropped—as　he　was　caught　an　instant　later；　holding　on　for　his　life　to　his　shaking；　swaying
lifeline。　The　acid　river　lapped　against　Landon’s　lasgun；　but　as　far　as　Lorenzo　could　see；　Landon
himself　was　unharmed。
When　the　rope　had　steadied；　he　resumed　his　crossing；　hugging　more　closely　to　the　rope　than
before　until　it　had　begun　to　rise　again；　to　lift　him　out　of　danger。　Then　he　struck　out　more　confidently
towards　the　far　bank；　and　set　foot　on　dry　land　at　last。
Landon　untied　himself　from　his　harness；　and　made　a　quick　check　of　the　area　for　immediate
threats。　He　inspected　his　lasgun　and　discarded　it；　evidently；　the　acid　had　rendered　it　useless。　Then　he
knotted　the　rope　he　had　carried　across　with　him　around　a　tree。　He　retrieved　the　end　of　the　first　rope
from　its　branch；　and　tied　it　around　a　different　tree　nearby；　making　sure　he　pulled　it　good　and　taut。
Then　he　turned　to　his　comrades；　and　gave　them　a　thumbs…up　sign。
Mackenzie　sent　Woods　across　next。　The　other　Jungle　Fighters　had　almost　made　enough　root
rope　to　construct　a　harness　for　him；　but　he　didn’t　bother　waiting　for　it。　The　crossing　was　less　fraught
for　him　than　it　had　been　for　Landon；　Woods　had　two　ropes　to　cling　to；　and　he　knew　both　were　firmly
anchored　at　each　end。　He　reached　the　other　side　of　the　river　in　seconds。
Armstrong　was　more　prudent；　waiting　until　his　safety　rope　was　prepared　and　in　place；　attached
to　both　crossing　ropes；　before　he　set　off　at　a　perfectly　measured　pace。　Once　he’d　set　foot　on　the　far
bank；　he　hurled　his　harness；　and　Landon’s；　back　to　the　others；　so　Myers　and　Storm　were　able　to
follow　him　in　short　order。　Donovits　was　next；　once　he’d　crossed　the　river；　he　called　back　a　warning
that　the　first　rope　was　beginning　to　fray　in　the　middle。　“Best　keep　most　of　your　weight　on　the
second；”　he　advised。
Braxton　had　been　watching　the　Jungle　Fighters　closely；　and　when　his　turn　came　he　tried　to
mimic　their　actions。　Only　a　third　of　the　way　across　the　ropes；　however；　he　missed　a　handhold　and
fell。　His　harness　brought　him　up　short；　but　for　a　moment　he　was　bouncing　and　flailing　in　midair。
That　was　when　the　second　rope　snapped；　its　loose　ends　flopping　into　the　acid　to　be　eaten　away。
Braxton　scrabbled　for　the　remaining　rope；　and　held　onto　it　with　white　knuckles。　A　minute　passed
before　he　felt　confident　to　proceed　further。　He　made　one　more　slip；　but　his　harness　saved　him　again
and　he　was　quicker　to　recover　this　time。　Lorenzo　let　out　a　breath　of　relief—and　realised　he　had　been
holding