Death World(科幻战争)-第46章

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only　as　a　substantial　chunk　of　the　chamber’s　roof　fell；　as　Lorenzo　danced　out　of　its　way　and　a　dozen
orks　were　crushed；　that　he　realised　what　he’d　been　doing：　drawing　his　foes　to　him；　bunching　them
together；　setting　them　up　for　a　fate　no　man　could　have　predicted…　could　he？
Dust　billowed　black　around　him；　rubble　made　his　footing　treacherous；　and　the　last　of　the　lanterns
toppled　from　its　high　perch；　smashed　and　died。　The　only　light　now　came　from　the　lava—and
Lorenzo　almost　plunged　into　it　as；　scrambling　to　find　the　warboss；　he　slid　on　a　layer　of　scree。　Then
the　earth　cracked　again；　and　suddenly　the　molten　stream　had　a　hundred　narrow　tributaries；　crazing
the　cavern　floor。　Lorenzo　vaulted　them　two　at　a　time；　he　knew　where　he　was　going；　almost　as　if　he
could　sense　his　prey’s　ponderous；　one…legged　footsteps　through　the　ground　itself。
There　he　was—stranded　on　an　island；　only　one　guard　left　at　his　side；　the　lava　flows　around　him
thin　and　shallow　but　impassable　to　one　with　his　disability。　As　Big　Green　saw　Lorenzo；　his　eyes
widened　with　fear　and　hatred；　and　he　yelled　and　gesticulated　to　his　guard；　ordering　it　to　lay　itself
down　as　a　bridge　for　him。　The　ork　signalled　its　refusal　by　swiping　at　the　warboss’　neck　with　its　axe；
evidently；　loyalty　had　its　limits；　especially　when　an　ork　sensed　that　its　leader’s　day　was　done。
But　Big　Green　had　earned　his　position　for　a　reason。　Some　warbosses　had　been　known　to　go　toe
to　toe　with　Space　Marines。　Displaying　the　same　lightning　reflexes　with　which　he’d　met　the　Jungle
Fighters’　first　attack　upon　him；　the　warboss　caught　the　axe’s　blade　between　both　hands；　a　centimetre
from　his　slavering　sneer；　and　twisted　the　weapon　right　out　of　his　startled　guard’s　hands。
Lorenzo　was　firing　frantically—but　like　the　orks；　he　found　his　shots　knocked　astray；　the　warboss
had　his　traitor　guard　by　the　neck；　had　wrenched　its　arm　up　behind　its　back；　and　was　pushing　it　down；
and　it　looked　like　he　was　about　to　get　his　bridge　after　all；　so　Lorenzo　sprang　for　the　warboss’　back。
He　timed　his　leap　just　right；　to　benefit　from　an　upsurge　beneath　his　feet；　Big　Green　whipped
around　and　swung　his　giant　axe；　but　Lorenzo　was　higher　than　he　could　have　expected；　and　the　blade
passed　beneath　his　feet—and　then　he　was　on　the　warboss’　shoulders；　and　he　plunged　his　knife　into
the　ork’s　eye　and　tried　to　work　its　point　up　into　his　brain。
Big　Green　howled　and　threw　back　his　arms；　trying　to　swat　the　Jungle　Fighter　from　his　back。
Lorenzo　held　on　as　long　as　he　could；　but　between　the　warboss　and　the　quake　it　was　like　trying　to
straddle　three　grox　at　once。　He　pulled　his　knife　free　and　jumped　before　he　could　be　thrown；　landing
nimbly　on　his　feet。
He　parried　an　axe　thrust　with　his　knife；　and　simultaneously　kicked　out　at　the　warboss’　injured
leg；　making　him　howl　again。　But　Big　Green　didn’t　fall。　He　barely　even　flinched—and　Lorenzo　had
been　counting　on　at　least　a　momentary　respite　to　drop　back　into　a　defensive　position。　The　axe　blade
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whistled　toward　him　again；　and　the　flat　of　its　blade　struck　a　resounding　blow　against　his　wrist；
splintering　bones；　and　his　knife　flew　out　of　his　grasp。
It　was　spinning　towards　the　lava；　and　Lorenzo　leapt　after　it　without　thinking；　dropping　his
lasgun；　catching　the　knife　with　his　off…hand　in　midair；　twisting　to　avoid　a　scalding　death　himself。　He
landed　on　his　back；　winded　as　the　ground　rose　up　to　meet　him。　The　warboss　lunged；　and　Lorenzo
barely　brought　up　a　foot　in　time；　tried　to　kick　the　warboss　away；　but　the　ork　batted　it　aside。　Then　he
was　on　Lorenzo；　the　sharp　points　of　his　tusks　almost　touching　the　Catachan’s　face；　dripping　drool
onto　his　cheek　and　blood　from　his　punctured　eye；　and　Big　Green’s　axe　haft　was　pressed　down　across
Lorenzo’s　throat；　crushing　his　windpipe。
All　Lorenzo　could　do　was　take　that　haft　himself；　try　to　force　it　upwards；　away　from　him；　but　the
warboss　was　too　strong；　and　he　could　feel　the　breath　being　choked　out　of　him。　His　lungs　were
empty；　burning；　and　his　head　felt　light。　He　held　on；　because　every　fraction　of　a　second　he　could　keep
Big　Green　here　dealing　with　him　was　a　further　delay　to　the　warboss’　escape。　Lorenzo　may　have
failed　to　kill　this　monster；　but　he　could　be　the　hero　who　engaged　it　in　single　combat；　kept　it　trapped
long　enough　for　the　earthquake　to　finish　it。　A　forlorn　hope；　he　realised。
Then；　suddenly；　the　pressure　on　his　throat　was　released；　and　Lorenzo　tried　to　see　what　was
happening；　but　without　him　knowing　it　his　eyes　had　closed　and　he　couldn’t　open　them　because　they
were　prickling　with　tears　and　his　entire　body　was　preoccupied　with　just　trying　to　breathe。　His
stomach　convulsed　as　he　heaved　in　air；　and　spluttered　on　its　gritty　texture。
By　the　time　he　could　look　again；　he　knew　what　he　would　see：　Sergeant　Greiss；　wrestling　with
the　warboss。　Greiss　had　landed　a　few　good　blows；　too—the　warboss　had　a　livid　scar　on　his　cheek　to
add　to　the　one　Lorenzo　had　left　across　his　eye。　But　he　was　fighting　on；　as　if　nothing　would　ever　stop
him。
Lorenzo’s　legs　were　too　weak　to　stand；　so　he　contented　himself　with　hitting　his　opponent　low；
the　combination　of　his　efforts　and　Greiss’；　and　Big　Green’s　missing　foot；　flooring　the　big　ork　again。
They　piled　on　top　of　him；　fists　and　knives　flying；　but　they　couldn’t　still　his　axe—and　its　blade
swung　and　impacted　with　Greiss’　head；　cleaving　his　miner’s　helmet　in　two；　cutting　into　his　scalp
and；　with　a　resounding　clang；　hitting　the　metal　plate　just　below　the　surface。　Greiss　fell　back；　blood
matting　his　grey　hair　as　Lorenzo　used　the　momentum　of　the　warboss’　swing　against　him；　and　with　a
tremendous；　last…ditch　heave；　tipped　and　rolled　him　into　one　of　the　narrow　streams。　The　ork　leader
was　facedown　in　the　lava　but　still　thrashing；　and　Lorenzo　placed　his　good　hand　on　the　back　of　the
warboss’　head　and；　releasing　a　strangulated　roar　of　utter　hatred　from　the　back　of　his　throat。　He
pushed　down…
Then　he　was　scrambling　towards　Greiss；　though　he　didn’t　know　what　he　could　do　for　him。　The
sergeant　was　bleeding　freely；　but　all　Lorenzo　could　see　in　his　face　was　a　malicious　satisfaction　at　the
death　of　an　enemy。　And　maybe；　when　he　looked　at　Lorenzo；　a　hint　of　approval？
Then；　a　sudden　change　of　expression—a　warning　glint　in　Greiss’　eyes。　Lorenzo　whirled　around
and　the　warboss　was　standing；　molten　lava　streaming　from　his　face；　most　of　the　skin　burnt　away；　but
he　was　coming　at　them　again…
Greiss　was　firing　at　him；　pumping　las…round　after　las…round　into　the　warboss’　chest；　and　Lorenzo
didn’t　think　it　would　be　enough—but　then　there　was　las…fire　from　behind　Big　Green　too；　and　a
bedraggled；　soot…blackened　figure　emerged　through　a　haze　of　dust—and　even　as　the　ork　leader
reached　his　targets；　as　he　made　to　bring　his　axe　down；　it　was　one　of　Guardsman　Braxton’s　rounds
that　finally　sizzled　through　his　skull　and　put　out　the　feral　light　in　those　eyes　once　and　for　all。
Lorenzo　had　thought　he’d　feel　different　when　the　ork　leader　died　at　last。　Lie　had　expected　to
feel…　something。　Relieved；　perhaps。　Or　dismayed；　that　another　man　had　delivered　the　killing　blow。
Somehow；　he　had　thought　mere　would　be　silence；　and　time　to　reflect—but　as　another　great　chunk　of
rock　was　dislodged　from　the　cavern　roof　to　thunk　into　the　ground　beside　him；　he　knew　it　was　not　to
be。
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Braxton　helped　Lorenzo　to　his　feet；　and　they　both　turned　to　give　Greiss　a　lift；　but　the　grizzled
sergeant　waved　them　away　stubbornly。　“We’ve　got　to　get　out　of　here；　sergeant；”　insisted　Braxton　as
Lorenzo　retrieved　his　gun　and　slapped　a　new　pack　into　position。　“This　place　won’t　hold　up　much
longer。　Most　of　the　orks　have　already　run　for　it。　Where’s　Patch？”
Lorenzo　shook　his　head。　“Bullseye　and　Wildman？”
“Dead；”　said　Greiss；　flatly。　“Me　and　Braxton；　we　stumbled　across　their　bodies　on　our　way　in。
Looks　like　they　found　Big　Green　before　we　did；　more’s　the　pity。”
“I’m　sure　they　put　up　a　good　fight；”　said　Lorenzo；　almost　automatically。　“I’m　sure　if　it　hadn’t
been　for　them；　if　they　hadn’t　weakened—”
“Time　enough　for　eulogies　later；”　growled　Greiss。　“Looked　like　the　greenskins　were　mostly
headed　back　up　to　the　clearing；　but　we　found　another　way　out。”　He　nodded　in　the　direction　from
which　he　and　B