Death World(科幻战争)-第3章

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been　slammed　into　the　ceiling。　Woods；　cocky　as　ever；　had　loosened　his　own　restraints；　and　now　he
was　fighting　to　hold　himself　down　as　g…forces　rippled　the　skin　of　his　cheeks。
For　eight　long　seconds；　Lorenzo　was　facing　his　worst　nightmare。　Then　the　engines　caught　them
and　they　were　flying　level　again；　but　still　buffeted；　the　deck　lurching　unpredictably　beneath　their
feet。　Behind　the　din　of　the　protesting　hull；　the　soft；　artificial　voice　of　the　navigation　servitor　sounded
over　the　vox…caster：
“Warning：　extreme　atmospheric　turbulence　encountered。　Destination　coordinates　no　longer
attainable。　Prepare　for　emergency　landing。　Repeat；　prepare　for　emergency　landing！”
The　first　impact　came　almost　as　soon　as　the　warning　was　issued。
Lorenzo　had　barely　had　time　to　get　into　the　brace　position；　his　chin　on　his　chest；　his　hands
clasped　over　his　head。　It　felt　like　someone　had　taken　a　sledgehammer　to　every　bone　in　his　body　at
once。　And　then　it　happened　again；　with　only　marginally　less　force　this　second　time。
9
The　drop　ship　was　skipping　along　the　ground；　its　engines　shrieking。　Lorenzo　was　rattled　in　his
seat；　his　straps　biting　into　his　chest。　He　concentrated　on　keeping　his　muscles　relaxed；　despite　the
situation；　knowing　that　to　resist　the　repeated　shocks　would　do　him　more　harm　than　good。
Then　they　hit　the　ground　for　the　final　time；　but　they　were　still　barrelling　forwards；　and　the　scrape
of　earth　and　branches　against　the　outer　hull　was　almost　deafening。　Rogar　III；　as　Donovits　had　taken
pleasure　in　informing　everyone；　was　blanketed　in　jungle。　There　were　no　open　spaces　in　which　to
land；　but　for　those　cleared　with　axe　and　flame。　Lorenzo　pictured　the　scene　outside　the　drop　ship’s
hull　now；　as　it　ploughed　through　tangled　vegetation；　the　servitors　straining　to　rein　in　its　speed　before
it　hit　something　that　wouldn’t　yield　to　its　considerable　mass。　Before　it　crumpled　in　on　itself　like　a
ball　of　paper。
And　then；　at　last；　they　were　still；　the　engines　letting　out　a　last　dying　whine　as　the　drop　ship’s
superstructure　creaked　and　settled。　The　lighting　flickered　and　cut　out；　and　Lorenzo　could　see　nothing
in　the　sudden　total　darkness。　But　he　knew　his　way　to　the　hatchway；　and　his　squad　was　the　closest　to
it。
The　drop　ship　had　come　to　rest　at　an　angle。　The　deck　was　tilted　some　forty…five　degrees　to　the
horizontal；　so　Lorenzo　had　to　climb　to　reach　his　goal。　He　swung　himself　from　one　empty　seat　to　the
next；　using　their　backs　to　keep　his　balance　and　his　bearings。　From　all　around；　he　could　hear　the
sounds　of　buckles　popping　and　men　leaping　to　their　feet。
He　was　almost　there　when　he　realised　he　had　been　beaten　to　it。　The　hatch　had　buckled　a　little
and　was　sticking　in　its　frame；　but　Woods　managed　to　shoulder　it　open　even　as　Lorenzo　was　about　to
lend　him　a　hand。　First　a　crack；　then　a　rectangle　of　brilliant　light　blazed　in　Lorenzo’s　eyes；　and　he
blinked　to　clear　the　patterns　it　burnt　into　his　retinas。
In　the　meantime；　Woods　had　clambered　out　onto　the　angled　side　of　the　ship。　“Hey；”　he　called
down　to　the　others　enthusiastically。　“You’ve　got　to　see　this。　It’s　a　beautiful　evening！”
Lorenzo　frowned。　The　upturned　hatchway　offered　him　the　familiar　sight　of　a　jungle　canopy—but
behind　the　greens　and　browns；　the　leaves　and　the　branches；　the　sky　appeared　to　be　a　perfect；　deep
blue；　free　from　cloud。　Woods　was　right。　If　there　had　been　a　storm；　it　had　passed；　impossibly；
without　trace。　But　then；　what　else　could　have　tossed　the　drop　ship　about　like　that？
It　was　there　again：　that　sense　of　wrongness　he　had　felt　in　the　warp。　He　needed　to　get　out　into　the
open。　The　rest　of　the　platoon　were　crowding　up　behind　him　anyway；　so　Lorenzo　followed　the　sweet
scent　of　fresh　air；　mingled　though　it　was　with　the　stench　of　burning。　He　gripped　the　sides　of　the
hatchway　and　pulled　himself　up　and　out　through　it。
He　had　barely　raised　his　head　above　the　parapet　and　started　to　take　in　his　new　surroundings；
when　Trooper　Woods　pushed　him　down　again；　with　a　warning　yell：　“Incoming！”
Three　plants　were　shuffling　towards　the　drop　ship。　They　looked　like　the　mantraps　of　Catachan；
but　taller。　Three　bulbous　pink　heads；　surely　too　heavy　for　their　stalks　to　support；　split　open　like
mouths。　No　teeth　within；　though。　These　plants　were　spitters。
Three　jets　of　clear　liquid　plumed　through　the　air。　Lorenzo　and　Woods　tumbled　back　into　the
drop　ship　together。　Woods　had　been　hit；　a　thick　gobbet　of　acid　sizzling　on　his　arm。　He　whipped　out
his　knife—a　devil　claw；　typically　ostentatious—and　half…cut；　half…tore　his　sleeve　away　before　it　was
eaten　through。　Still；　the　attack　had　left　a　livid　red　burn　on　his　skin。
Somewhere；　not　far　away；　a　carrion　bird　was　screeching　in　delight。
“So；　how’s　it　looking　out　there？”　asked　Greiss—and　Lorenzo　realised　that　the　sergeant　was
addressing　him。
A　smile　tugged　at　his　lips　as　he　gave　the　traditional　answer：　“Reckon　I’m　going　to　like　this
place；　sergeant。　It　reminds　me　of　home！”
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CHAPTER　TWO
The　air　outside　the　hatch　filled　with　acid　spray　again；　and　a　few　drops　made　it　inside　the　ship。　The
Catachans　withdrew　from　the　danger　area；　those　at　the　front　yelling　at　the　others　to　get　back。
Lorenzo’s　bandolier　was　splashed—only　a　little；　but　enough　to　leave　a　steaming　hole　in　the　fabric。
Sergeant　Greiss　had　shouldered　his　way　up　to　Lorenzo　and　Woods　through　the　crush。　The
platoon　commander　was　only　a　few　steps　behind　him。　Lieutenant　Vines　was　a　quiet…voiced；
unassuming　man—but；　because　he　had　earned　his　rank；　been　elected　to　it　by　his　fellow　Catachans；
they　listened　when　he　spoke。　He　asked　the　two　troopers　to　describe　what　they’d　seen；　and　Woods
told　him　about　the　spitting　plants。　“Three　of　them；　sir；”　Lorenzo　confirmed；　“at　two　o’clock。”
“Who’s　your　best　marksman；　sergeant？”
Without　hesitation；　Greiss　answered；　“Bullseye；　sir。　Trooper　Myers。”　As　he　spoke；　he　seized　the
shoulder　of　a　wiry；　dark…skinned　man；　and　pulled　him　forward。
“You　know　what　to　do；　Myers；”　said　Vines。
With　a　nod　of　understanding；　Myers　drew　his　lasgun。　He　waited　a　few　seconds　to　be　sure　it　was
safe；　then　darted　up　to　the　sloping　hatchway。
As　soon　as　he　popped　his　head　up　into　the　open；　there　came　another　deluge。　Myers　let　off　two
shots；　then　dived　and　rolled　back　under　cover；　landing　at　Lorenzo’s　feet。　Lorenzo　heard　acid
spattering　the　drop　ship’s　hull　above　his　head。　He　looked　down；　and　saw　that　the　deck　plates　were
bubbling　beneath　the　droplets　left　from　the　previous　attack。
Donovits　was　a　second　ahead　of　him；　his　eyes　already　turned　upward。　“Do　you　think　it　can　melt
through　adamantium？”　asked　Lorenzo。
“It’s　possible；”　said　Donovits；　“with　the　damage　we　must　have　taken　on　the　way　down。　I’d　keep
an　eye　out　up　there。　You　see　that　ceiling　starting　to　discolour；　you　find　yourself　a　steel　umbrella
quick。”
“And　that’d　help？”
“For　a　few　seconds；　yes。”
“I’ve　never　seen　plant　acid　so　strong；”　breathed　Sharkbait　Muldoon；　“not　even　back　home。”
“Makes　you　wonder；”　said　Donovits；　“what　kind　of　insects　live　on　this　world　if　that’s　what　it
takes　to　digest　them。”
In　the　meantime；　Myers　had　made　his　report　to　Lieutenant　Vines：　“Three　of　them；　sir；　like
Hotshot　and　Lorenzo　said。　I　picked　off　the　first；　but　I　swear　the　second　ducked　under　my　shot。　Got
the　measure　of　it　now；　though。”　Vines　signalled　his　approval　with　a　terse　nod；　and　Myers
approached　the　hatchway　again。
He　was　halfway　there　when　the　plants　fired　a　fourth　time。
This　time；　their　two　sprays　were　perfectly　aimed。　They　collided　above　the　hatchway；　so　that　a
sheet　of　liquid　dropped　into　the　ship　with　a　slap。　Myers　let　out　a　curse　and　leapt　back。　Several
troopers　were　splashed；　but　those　who　had　alkali　powders　in　their　kits—ground　from　the　vegetation
of　their　last　deathworld—had　readied　them；　and　they　quickly　pressed　them　into　service。
An　acid　river　trickled　down　the　angled　deck；　petering　out　as　it　sizzled　into　the　metal。　Still；
Lorenzo　wasn’t　the　only　trooper　forced　to　climb　onto　a　seat　to　escape　its　path。
“Cunning　critters；”　breathed　Myers；　almost　admiringly。　And　then　he　was　off；　without　awaiting
instructions。　He　vaulted　through　the　hatchway；　the　ship’s　hull　ringing　as　his　booted　feet　connected
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with　it。　Then　he　was　out　of　sight；　but　Lorenzo　could　still　hear；　and　feel；　his　footsteps　overhead；　and
the　crack　of　a　lasgun；　firing　once；　twice；　three　times；　four　times；　then　another　spattering　of　acid；
uncomfortably　close　to　the　point　from　which　the　last　footstep　had　sounded。
Then　there　was　silence。
Lorenzo　held　his　breath；　alert　for　any　sounds　from　outside　the　drop　ship。　Then　he　caught
Sergeant　Greiss’　eye；　and　realised　that　Old　Hardhead　was　smiling。　A　moment　later；　Myers　appeared
in　the　hatchway　again；　and　he　too　was　grinning　from　ear　to　ear。　He　blew　imaginary　smoke　from　the
barrel　of　his　lasgun。　“All　clear；”　he　announced。
Four　sergeants　bellowed　at　once；　ordering　their　respective　troopers　out　of　the　ship　double…quick。
Lorenzo　kne　up　outside　would　pay　with　extra　duties　for
embarrassing　their　commander。
Fifty　men　rushed　for　the　hatchway；　but　Woods　reached　it　first。　As　Lorenzo　climbed　out　onto　the
surface　of　a　new　world　and　looked　for　his　squad；　he　felt　a　thrill　of　excitement。　He　was　back　in　the
jungle—back　in　his　ele