Death World(科幻战争)-第31章

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they　couldn’t　finish。　Another　ork　shape　was　clearly　outlined；　watching　him　with　unblinking　eyes；
one　of　which　had　slid　half　out　of　its　socket　on　a　slagheap　of　dried　blood。　As　Lorenzo　watched；　it
withdrew　and　sank　silently　into　the　ground。
“They’re　watching　us；”　he　announced。　“We’ve　survived　everything　else　Rogar　has　to　throw　at
us；　so　it’s　got　its　zombies　watching　us；　looking　for　a　weakness。”
“I’d　almost　rather　they　made　their　move；”　murmured　Braxton；　“and　got　it　over　with。”
“Careful　what　you　wish　for。”　Storm　cautioned　him　grimly。
“When　you　people　first　arrived；”　said　Braxton；　“and　you　were　talking　about　Rogar　like　it　was
a—I　don’t　know　–　a　living　thing；　an　enemy；　like　an　ork　or　something；　I　didn’t　know…　I　mean；　I’m
starting　to　see　it　now。　I’m　starting　to　feel　like　this　planet　is　alive；　like　it’s　intelligent；　like　it　really
wants　us　dead。”　He　sounded　as　if　he　wanted　somebody　to　contradict　him。　No　one　did。
The　jungle　had　started　to　close　in　again。　Greiss　had　sent　Myers　and　Storm　ahead　to　clear　the　way；
and　the　squad’s　pace　had　dropped　to　a　crawl。
And　the　ghosts　were　gathering　at　their　backs。
“Maybe　we　should　send　a　few　las…shots　their　way；”　suggested　Armstrong；　worriedly；　hefting　his
gun　in　his　good　hand　as　if　to　reassure　himself　he　could　still　operate　it。　“Discourage　them　a　little。”
“Don’t　know　if　it’d　work；”　murmured　Greiss。
“Hotshot　fired　at…”　Lorenzo　began；　then　was　unable　to　say　Dougan’s　name；　“…the　first　one。　It
didn’t　seem　to　react　at　all。”
“They　don’t　feel　pain；”　said　Greiss。　“You　remember　what　Brains　said。　We’ve　got　to　stop
thinking　of　these　things　as　living　creatures。　They’re　less　than　that—less　than　orks；　even。　They　don’t
have　hearts—or　if　they　do；　they　sure　aren’t　beating　anymore。　No　internal　organs；　no　nerves；　no
pressure　points；　and　I　doubt　their　brains　are　getting　much　use。　They’re　plants；　no　more　than　that。
Part　of　the　jungle—the　planet　itself—just　wrapped　around　the　remains　of　the　dead。”
Lorenzo　stole　a　quick　look　at　the　collecting　shadows；　searching　for　one　that　was　shorter　and
thinner　than　the　others；　hoping　he　wouldn’t　find　it。　If　the　God…Emperor　had　any　influence　at　all　here；
so　far　from　his　Golden　Throne；　he　would　see　to　it　that　Dougan　could　rest　in　peace。
“Then　we　deal　with　them　like　we　would　any　hostile　plant；”　reasoned　Armstrong。
“Can’t　tear　’em　up　by　the　roots；”　growled　Greiss。　“They’re　up　and　walking　about　already。”
“Shred　’em？”　suggested　Storm；　his　fingers　twitching　over　his　knife　hilt。
“Take　too　long　with　the　knives；”　said　Greiss。　“Way　I’m　thinking；　those　things　will　keep　going
till　you　get　to　the　skeleton　and　can　take　it　apart。”
“We’ve　got　to　do　something；”　said　Braxton；　“before　they　attack！”
“Boy’s　right；”　said　Armstrong。　“We　need　a　show　of　strength；　give　them　something　to　think
about。　If　they　can　think；　that　is。”
“If　they　can’t；”　muttered　Myers；　“looks　like　something　does　it　for　them。”
“How　much　ordnance　do　we　have　left　between　us？”　asked　Lorenzo。
“Couple　of　shredder　mines；”　offered　Storm。
“Still　got　my　demolition　charges；”　said　Myers。
“Save　’em；”　said　Greiss；　with　a　gleam　in　his　eye；　“for　a　special　occasion。　I　got　a　better　idea。”　He
and　Armstrong　spoke　as　one：　“Burn　“em！”
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Lorenzo　and　Braxton　took　over　clearance　duty　as　Myers　and　Storm　assembled　the　flamer　again。
Greiss　wielded　it　himself；　straining　under　the　weight　of　the　device　as　he　lugged　it　a　few　steps　closer
to　the　watching　zombies。　Then　he　pulled　the　trigger；　and　simultaneously　swept　the　flamer　around　in
a　wide　arc。
It　was　like　a　dozen　explosions　had　gone　off　at　once；　plants　and　trees　erupting　as　if　they’d　just
combusted　from　within。　The　zombies—those　Lorenzo　could　see—they　were　burning　too；　starting
with　the　parts　of　them　that　were　the　most　flammable：　the　clumps　of　weeds　and　grass　embedded　in
their　bodies。　They　reeled　in　apparent　confusion；　their　arms　pumping　in　futile　slow…motion；　patting
themselves　down；　trying　to　extinguish　themselves；　succeeding　only　in　setting　fire　to　their　hands　or
bumping　into　each　other　and　spreading　the　flames　to　their　comrades。
Lorenzo　was　amazed　at　the　severity　of　the　reaction；　until　he　remembered　that　Rogar　III　had　felt
fire　before—from　the　Jungle　Fighters’　small　campfire　of　two　nights　ago　to　the　all…out　attempts　by
humans　and　orks　alike　at　deforestation。　It　knew　what　fire　could　do　to　it；　and—Lorenzo　knew　this
didn’t　make　sense；　but　he　was　suddenly　sure　of　it；　more　sure　than　he’d　been　of　anything　his　instincts
had　told　him　of　late—it　was　afraid　of　it。　The　deathworld　itself　was　afraid；　and　in　its　fear；　it　chose　to
attack　the　creatures　that　had　hurt　it　so　much；　while　it　still　had　the　means　to　do　so。　And　it　sent　its
soldiers　forward…
The　Jungle　Fighters　drew　their　lasguns　as　six　flaming　zombies—those　that　could　still　walk—
came　stumbling　towards　them；　trailing　smoke；　like　a　small　army　of　infernal　daemons。　They　let　off　a
fusillade　of　shots；　to　no　effect；　and　Greiss　sent　another　blast　of　fire　the　zombies’　way　in　the　hope　of
hastening　their　demise；　before　abandoning　the　flamer　and　leaping　aside；　not　an　instant　too　soon。　A
zombie　hurled　itself　at　him；　and　hit　the　ground　where　Greiss　had　been；　setting　light　to　the
undergrowth。　It　tried　to　stand　again；　but　scorched　earth　was　sloughing　from　it　like　dead　skin；
withering　to　ash；　and　the　bones　of　its　purloined　skeleton　were　beginning　to　show　through　and　it
could　no　longer　lift　its　own　weight。
The　rest　of　the　squad　dropped　their　packs　and　tried　to　scatter；　but　they　couldn’t　go　far；　confined
to　the　narrowed　corridor　their　knives　had　cleared。　The　same　couldn’t　be　said　of　the　zombies：　their
movements　were　slow　and　awkward　but　unhampered；　the　foliage　itself　seeming　to　part　for　them。
They　separated　too；　each　choosing　a　target。　Lorenzo　found　himself　side　by　side　with　Braxton；　both
trying　to　press　themselves　back　into　the　jungle；　thorns　tearing　at　their　jackets　and　their　hair；　nettles
stinging　their　hands；　as　two　flaming　zombies　homed　in　on　them。
He　heard　a　yell；　“Aim　for　their　kneecaps！”　and　he　followed　Armstrong’s　suggestion　and　tried　to
shoot　the　nearest　zombie’s　leg　out　from　under　it。　He　got　in　four　shots　before　it　was　upon　him。　It
raised　a　ponderous　fist；　and　Lorenzo　wasn’t　sure　who　its　target　was—him　or　Braxton—but　then　the
fist　came　down　towards　him；　and　he　ducked；　and　he　tried　to　scramble　past　the　zombie’s　leg；　but　his
hand　recoiled　from　a　flaming　footprint　in　the　grass。　The　zombie　swung　around　to　follow　him　but　a
bone　snapped；　and　its　leg　buckled；　and　Lorenzo　knew　his　las…shots　had　done　some　good　after　all。
The　zombie　was　falling—but　it　managed　to　turn　its　fall　into　a　lunge；　and　Lorenzo　couldn’t　get
out　of　the　way　in　time　as　the　creature；　now　little　more　than　a　burning　skeleton；　plummeted　towards
him。　For　an　instant；　he　was　staring　into　its　hollow　eye　sockets—piggy　ork　eye　sockets—and　they
seemed　to　be　mocking　him。　A　tusked　mouth　gaped　in　a　rictus　grin。　Lorenzo　brought　up　a　foot；
planted　it　in　the　zombie’s　stomach　and　tried　to　fling　it　over　him。　It　fell　apart　with　the　impact　of　his
boot；　and　though　the　bulk　of　its　mass　passed　safely　over　his　head；　Lorenzo　was　showered　with　bones
and　mud　and　burning　leaves。
He　rolled；　to　put　out　any　flames　that　may　have　taken　hold　of　his　clothing。　Then　he　sprang　to　his
feet；　lasgun　in　hand；　to　find　that　the　other　zombies　had　suffered　the　same　fate　as　his。　The
combination　of　flames　and　las…fire　had　destroyed　their　cohesion；　and　they　were　collapsing　at　the　feet
of　the　relieved　Jungle　Fighters。　Two　skeletons　were　relatively　intact；　and　as　Lorenzo　watched　they
were　drawn　into　the　ground。　Storm　reached　one　before　it　could　vanish；　and　drove　his　gun　butt　into
its　spine；　breaking　it。　The　other—the　skeleton　of　the　monster　that　had　attacked　Greiss—escaped。
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The　Jungle　Fighters　relaxed　and　regrouped　in　the　sudden　silence；　dozens　of　small　fires　flickering
around　them　until　the　rain　extinguished　them。
“Think　that’s　the　last　we’ll　see　of　them；　sergeant？”　asked　Myers。
“I　hope　so；　Bullseye；”　growled　Greiss。　He　cast　a　disparaging　eye　over　the　discarded　flamer。
“Because　this　thing’s　just　about　on　empty。”　Myers　and　Storm　packed　up　the　device　anyway；　in　case
they　were　being　watched—although　for　the　first　time　in　two　days；　none　of　the　Catachans　felt　as　if
they　were。
“There　were　more　of　those　things　out　there。”　Armstrong　pointed　out　to　Greiss。　“You　only　burnt
the　front　ranks　of　them。　There　were　at　least　a　dozen　more　behind—they　escaped　into　the　ground
when　they　saw　the　flames。”
“Not　to　mention　all　the　other　orks　that　must’ve　died　on　Rogar　these　past　few　years；”　said
Lorenzo。
“And　Guardsmen；”　said　Braxton　quietly。
Greiss　nodded。　He　knew。
“Do　you　think　they　can　move　underground；　sergeant？”　Braxton　asked。　“Or　will　they　have　to
resurface　where　they　went　down？”
“I　don’t　know；”　said　Greiss。　“What’re　you　thinking？”
“That　it　might　be　the　right　occasion　to　break　out　those　mines。”
Greiss　studied　Braxton　for　a　moment；　then　a　grin　tugged　at　his　lips。　“I　like　the　way　you　think；
Guardsman。　Right；　troopers；　all　the　shredders　you　have；　hand　’em　over。　Patch；　you’re　with　me。　You
saw　where　some　of　them　walkin