Death World(科幻战争)-第21章

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“It　was　an　accident。”
Lorenzo　had　surprised　himself　again；　but　he　felt　he　owed　Muldoon　something。　He　was
committed　now；　everyone　had　turned　to　look　at　him。
“I　was　right　there；”　he　said。　“I　saw　it　all。　A　bird　flew　at　Muldoon。　One　of　the　black　ones；　from
yesterday。　It　came　right　out　of　the　tree　above　his　head。　It　startled　him。　His　arm　jolted　the　rope。”
“That’s　right。”　Woods　spoke　up。　“I　saw　it　from　here。　Sharkbait　slashed　at　it　with　his　reaper；
injured　its　wing　I　think；　and　sent　it　flapping　away。”
A　couple　of　the　others　gave　nods　and　murmurs　of　agreement。
Mackenzie　looked　from　one　of　the　Jungle　Fighters　to　another；　evidently　not　believing　a　word　of
their　story。　“My　harness—”
“—must　have　been　frayed；”　said　Muldoon。　“I’m　sorry。　I　should　have　checked　it　more　closely。　I
should　have　seen　the　damage　before　I　sent　you　off。　Sir。”
Mackenzie　glared　at　Muldoon　for　a　long　moment。　Then　he　turned　to　Braxton。　“I　still　want　him
bound；”　he　said。　“To　ensure　there　are　no　more　‘accidents’。”
This　time；　both　Myers　and　Storm　stepped　forward；　placing　themselves　between　Braxton　and
Muldoon；　their　arms　folded　in　defiance。　Woods　drew　his　devil　claw；　the　glint　of　it　catching　the
commissar’s　eye　and　giving　him　pause　for　thought。
“I　don’t　think　you’re　hearing　us；　Mackenzie；”　growled　Greiss；　stepping　forward　until　he　was
nose　to　nose　with　the　slighter　man。　“You　may　be　Mr　High…and…Mighty　Commissar　back　in　your
comfortable　quarters；　surrounded　by　a　thousand　Guardsmen　ready　to　bow　and　scrape　and　lay　down
their　lives　for　you—but　you’re　on　a　deathworld　now。　This　is　our　territory—that’s　why　we’re　here！
Until　you　start　to　wise　up　and　do　things　our　way；　‘accidents’　are　going　to　keep　on　happening；　you
get　my　drift？”
“Are　you　threatening　me；　Greiss？”　demanded　Mackenzie。　“I　have　witnesses。”
“You　have　Braxton。”
“If　anything　happens　to　me；　anything　at　all—”
“It’ll　be　in　his　report。　Yes；　I　worked　that　out。　If　he　ever　gets　to　make　one；　that　is。　Like　I　keep
telling　you；　Mackenzie；　accidents　happen　out　here。”
Mackenzie’s　ears　were　still　red；　but　the　rest　of　his　face　had　turned　very　white　indeed。　He’d　got
the　message；　at　last。
“He’s　a　good　man；　you　know。”
Lorenzo’s　attention　had　been　focused　on　the　jungle。　There　had　been　more　lizards　stirring　in　the
foliage；　and　he’d　that　feeling　of　being　followed　again　although　he　could　see　no　proof。　He　hadn’t
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noticed　Braxton　until　he　had　spoken；　hadn’t　seen　that　he’d　dropped　back　in　the　marching　order　to　be
at　Lorenzo’s　side。　Briefly；　he　felt　irritated　that　the　Validian　always　seemed　to　come　to　him。　Lorenzo
didn’t　feel　like　talking　right　now；　least　of　all　about　what　had　happened　by　the　river。
But　Braxton　was　determined。　“The　commissar；　I　mean；”　he　continued。　“You’ll　see　that　when
you’ve　worked　beside　him　for　a　while。”
Lorenzo　raised　a　sceptical　eyebrow。
“I　know　he’s　been　tough　on　you　all。　He’s　fresh　out　of　training。　Maybe　he’s　trying　too　hard　to
prove　he　can　do　the　job。”
“His　problem；”　said　Lorenzo　curtly。　“We　can’t　afford　to　carry　him。　On　Catachan；　he’d　have　been
dead　twenty　years　ago。”
“Thank　you；　anyway；”　said　Braxton。
“For　what？”
“For　stopping　Muldoon。　I　saw　you。”
“You　were　too　far　away。　You’re　mistaken。”
“You　must　agree　with　me—that　the　commissar　doesn’t　deserve　to　die。”
“I　agree　with　my　comrades；”　said　Lorenzo；　“that　Old　Hardhead　doesn’t　deserve　what　Mackenzie
has　planned　for　him；　that　Steel　Toe　was　a　good　soldier；　who　didn’t　deserve　what　Mackenzie　said
about　him。”
“There　has　to　be　a　way—”
“It’s　him　or　Greiss。”
“You　know；　if　it　comes　down　to　that；”　said　Braxton；　“I…　I　have　to…”　Lorenzo　nodded。　He
knew。　They　said　no　more。　There　was　nothing　more　to　say。
They　rested　in　an　area　lush　with　what　Muldoon　and　Donovits　judged　were　water…bearing　vines。
They　snacked　on　purple　berries　that　Muldoon　had　picked　and　tested　earlier。　Then　Lorenzo　drew　his
Catachan　fang；　took　a　vine　in　his　hand　and　scored　a　thin　cut　in　its　skin。　The　vine　bled　clear；　and
Lorenzo　positioned　his　near…empty　bottle　to　capture　the　precious　drops　of　liquid；　of　which　there
were　all　too　few。
Within　twenty　minutes；　the　Jungle　Fighters　had　drained　the　vines　of　all　they　had；　replenishing
their　supplies　just　a　little。　As　Lorenzo　returned　his　bottle　to　his　pack；　he　heard　low　voices；　and
realised　that　Greiss　wasn’t　with　them。
He　could　just　make　out　Sergeant　Greiss　through　the　jungle。　He　was　talking　to　somebody　else：　a
man　whom　Lorenzo　couldn’t　see　at　all；　so　easily　did　he　blend　into　his　surroundings；　but　he　knew　it
could　only　have　been　Sly　Marbo。　He　couldn’t　make　out　what　was　being　said—but　as　Greiss　turned
and　trudged　back　to　the　others；　it　was　with　slumped　shoulders　and　a　dark；　brooding　expression。
He　gathered　the　Jungle　Fighters　around—and　to　Lorenzo’s　surprise；　Mackenzie　didn’t　object；　he
just　joined　them　and　listened。　Greiss　told　the　squad　what　Lorenzo　already　knew：　that　there　were　orks
ahead—and　Mackenzie　raised　his　eyebrows　and　frowned　at　his　sketch　map　but　again　said　nothing。
“Marbo’s　scouted　a　path　for　us；”　said　Greiss；　“that’ll　take　us　around　the　greenskins；　but　still　too
close　for　my　liking。　Now；　the　commissar　here　explained　why　we　can’t　blow　our　cover；　but　here’s
another　reason　for　you：　Marbo　figures；　from　the　size　of　this　camp　and　the　number　of　huts；　that　the
greenskins　outnumber　us　about　thirty　to　one。　Even　Hotshot　can’t　take　down　thirty　orks　on　his　own！”
“Oh　yeah？”　grinned　Woods。　“Lead　me　to　’em；　that’s　all　I’m　saying。”
“So　the　only　way　we’re　getting　through　this　one。”　Greiss　continued；　“is　by　stealth。”
“How　far　is　this　camp？”　asked　Donovits。
“Another　five　kilometres；”　said　Greiss；　“before　we　start　running　into　patrols。　I　say　we　make　up
that　ground；　then　break　early　for　the　night。　We　get　some　food；　some　shut…eye；　then　make　our　move
in　the　small　hours。”
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There　was　a　general　murmur　of　assent；　and　the　Jungle　Fighters　were　starting　to　get　to　their　feet；
to　retrieve　their　packs；　when　Greiss　stopped　them。　“One　more　thing。　Any　of　you　felt　like　you’re
being　followed？　Since　Lorenzo’s　little　outburst；　I　mean。”
Nobody　spoke　up。　A　few　of　the　Jungle　Fighters　exchanged　uncomfortable　glances。　Greiss’　eyes
narrowed。　“I　don’t　hear　any　of　you　denying　it。”
Unexpectedly；　it　was　Mackenzie　who　spoke　up。　“I　thought　I　heard　something。　Footsteps；　about
an　hour　and　a　half　ago。　When　I　looked；　there　was　no　one　there。　I　assumed　it　was　Marbo。”
“I　saw　something；”　offered　Donovits；　“more　recently。　I　didn’t　speak　up　because…　Sergeant；　it
was　just　a　flicker　in　the　corner　of　my　eye。　A　trick　of　the　light。　A…　a　feeling；　more　than　anything。”
“Wildman　and　me；　we　dropped　back　without　telling　the　rest　of　you；”　said　Myers；　“checked　out　a
bush　where　I　thought　I’d　seen　something　move。　It　would’ve　been　about　the　time　the　commissar
said。”
“But　there　was　no　one　there。”　Storm　took　up　the　story；　“and　believe　me；　if　there　had　been；　there
was　nowhere　he　could’ve　gone　without　us　seeing　him。”
Greiss　took　all　this　in　with　a　grim　nod。　“Marbo　reckons　there　is　something。　He’s　caught　glimpses
of　it；　like　the　rest　of　us；　reckons　it’s　stalking　us。　But　whenever　he　gets　too　close；　it　disappears。　It
leaves　no　tracks；　no　nothing。”　With　a　smile；　he　added；　“Marbo　says　it’s　almost　as　good　as　he　is。”
“Ghosts！”　said　Braxton。
Everyone　turned　to　look　at　him。
“That’s　what　the　Validians　have　been　saying。　I　reported　on　it　for　Eagle　&　Bolter；　our　broadsheet。
The　same　story；　from　four　different　squads。　They　all　had　the　feeling　they　were　being　followed；　but
there　was　no　evidence　of　it。　I　thought　it　might　be　connected　to　the　blue　lights；　the　jungle　playing
tricks　on　their　minds。”
“Hallucinogens　in　the　atmosphere？”　mused　Donovits。　“Could　be　put　out　by　one　of　the　plants。
They　could　even　be　in　the　berries　we’ve　eaten。”
“I　didn’t　eat　any　berries；”　said　Myers；　“at　least　not　till　after　I　saw　that…　thing。”
“This　could　be　serious；”　grumbled　Greiss。　“First　Sharkbait　goes　off　the　deep　end；　then　Steel　Toe
and　Lorenzo　go　wandering　in　the　night；　now　this。　If　this　jungle　gets　us　so　we　can’t　trust　our　own
senses…”
“You　said　Marbo　saw　this　‘ghost’；”　said　Donovits。　“He　saw　it　following　us。　If　the　jungle　were
affecting　him；　making　him—making　all　of　us—paranoid；　then　surely　he’d　have　thought　the　ghost
was　following　him。　That　makes　sense；　yes？”
“Then　it　has　to　be　real；”　said　Lorenzo。
“We　need　to　know　for　sure；”　said　Armstrong。
“Maybe　we　should　leave　well　enough　alone；”　said　Braxton。　“I　mean；　there’s　no　record　of　these
‘ghosts’　attacking　anyone。”
“Yet；”　said　Armstrong。　“You　should　have　learned　by　now；　that　could　change　in　a　heartbeat。　I　say
we　search。”
Greiss　nodded　his　agreement；　and　the　squad　separated；　each　man　taking　a　sector　of　the　jungle
around　them；　though　each　was　sure　to　stay　within　sight　of　two　others　at　all　times。　They　kicked　and
cut　their　way　through　the　undergrowth；　beat　bushes；　shook　trees　and　even　shinned　up　some　to　search
their　leaf…shrouded　upper　branches。　The　Jungle　Fighters　checked　all　the　places　where　they　would
have　hidden。　Finally；　they　regrouped；　having　covered　an　area　some　three　hundred　metres　in　radius
an