Death World(科幻战争)-第23章

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Unless　he　had　managed　to　reach　up　and；　with　a　last　desperate　lunge；　catch　the　rope　above　his
head　and　ride　it　back　up　as　it　bounced。
The　commissar’s　grunt　of　pain　was　loud　enough　to　reach　Lorenzo’s　ears；　even　over　the　rushing
of　the　river。　He　was　clinging；　one…handed；　to　a　rope　that　was　still　bucking；　trying　its　best　to　shake
him。　The　way　he　had　dropped；　the　way　he’d　arrested　his　fall；　the　way　he　was　hanging　now；　his　feet
pedalling　the　air—Lorenzo　was　sure　Mackenzie　must　have　dislocated　his　shoulder。　It　must　have
been　a　supreme　effort　of　will　for　him　to　hold　on　at　all；　as　the　pain　spread　to　his　fingers　and　numbed
them。　But　hold　on　he　did—and　more　than　that；　he　managed　to　lift　himself；　find　the　rope　with　his
other　hand；　and　finally　grip　it　between　his　knees。
Lorenzo　was　impressed　despite　himself。　Muldoon　looked　like　he　could　hardly　believe　his　eyes。
Then　his　expression　darkened；　and　he　reached　for　the　end　of　the　rope　again。
Lorenzo　put　out　a　hand　without　thinking；　and　caught　his　comrade’s　own。　Muldoon　looked　angry；
and　Lorenzo　didn’t　blame　him；　he　wasn’t　sure　of　his　own　motives　for　intervening；　so　how　could　he
expect　Sharkbait　to　understand？　He　held　his　gaze；　and　shook　his　head：　Enough！　But　he　knew　he　was
going　to　blink　first。
To　Lorenzo’s　surprise；　Muldoon　gave　a　nod　of　acceptance。　He　took　his　hand　away。　He　turned　so
that　Lorenzo　couldn’t　see　his　expression。
The　rope　began　to　tremble　again。　Lorenzo　didn’t　look；　but　he　knew　Mackenzie　must　be　back　on
the　move。　A　moment　later；　the　rope　gave　a　little　jerk　as　it　was　relieved　of　the　commissar’s　weight；
and　Muldoon　turned　to　catch　the　remaining　harness　as　Myers　flung　it　back　to　him。
He　said　nothing　as　he　tied　the　rope　around　Lorenzo’s　waist。　As　Muldoon　hoisted　his　comrade
into　position　on　the　crossing　rope；　however；　their　eyes　met；　and　Lorenzo　thought　they　shared　a
moment　of　mutual　respect。
Then　Muldoon　turned　away　again；　and　Lorenzo　was　alone；　concentrating　on　the　rope　between
his　hands　and　feet；　the　muscles　in　his　arms　and　legs；　and　the　rushing　acid　river　below　his　dangling
head。
Halfway　across；　it　occurred　to　him　that　if　he　had　upset　Muldoon；　he　was　probably　about　to　find
out　all　about　it。
When　Muldoon　stepped　onto　the　far　riverbank；　the　last　of　the　squad　to　cross；　Mackenzie　was　waiting
for　him。
Braxton　had　reset　the　commissar’s　shoulder；　and　fixed　him　a　makeshift　sling；　but　he　was
obviously　in　pain。　Still；　he　greeted　Muldoon　with　a　left…handed　punch　to　the　jaw　that　was　fast；
accurate　and　powerful　enough　to　knock　him　off　his　feet。
Muldoon　lay　sprawled　in　the　undergrowth；　wiping　the　blood　from　his　lip。
Mackenzie　stepped　back　and　straightened　his　jacket；　glaring　down　at　the　trooper。
The　Catachan　rubbed　his　chin　ruefully　and　conceded；　“Alright。　I　deserved　that。”　He　got　to　his
feet　and　dusted　himself　down。
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“And　a　damn　sight　more；”　hissed　Mackenzie。　“If　you　wanted　to　join　Greiss　on　Death　Row；　you
couldn’t　have　thought　up　a　better　way　of　doing　it；　Muldoon。”
“Hey；”　said　Muldoon；　all　injured　innocence；　“you　can’t　blame　a　trooper　for　a　simple　accident。”
Mackenzie’s　nostrils　flared。　“Accident　my—！”
Greiss　interrupted；　“You　want　to　be　careful；　commissar；　accusing　a　good　man　of　attempted
murder　when　you’ve　no　evidence；　especially　in　front　of　his　squad。　Muldoon　says　it　was　an　accident；
that’s　good　enough　for　me。”
Mackenzie　ignored　him。　He　was　glaring　at　Muldoon。　“I　want　him　restrained；”　he　said　icily。
“Silence！”　he　bellowed　at　the　chorus　of　protest　that　greeted　the　order。　“I　want　this　man　stripped　of
weapons；　and　his　hands　tied。　Braxton！”
Braxton　started　forward；　seeming　almost　relieved　when　Greiss　barred　his　way　with　an
outstretched　arm。　“You　can’t　do　that；　commissar；”　he　snarled。　“You　make　a　man　defenceless　in　the
jungle；　you’re　as　good　as　killing　him；　without　a　trial；　without　nothing。”
“What　do　you　suggest　I　do；　Greiss？　Muldoon　has　proven　himself　a　danger　to　this　mission—to
me　personally。　“I　have　the　authority　to　execute　him　on　the　spot。　Is　that　what　you　want？”
“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