Death World(科幻战争)-第20部分

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and　he　was　quicker　to　recover　this　time。　Lorenzo　let　out　a　breath　of　relief—and　realised　he　had　been
holding　it—as　Braxton　joined　the　others。　Mackenzie　had　been　rigid　with　worry；　too。　Who’d　have
thought　the　commissar　cared　about　his　adjutant　as　anything　more　than　a　human　shield？
Greiss　and　Muldoon；　on　the　other　hand；　had　been　conferring　in　low　whispers；　ignoring　the　drama
playing　out　over　the　river。　As　the　threat　to　Braxton　passed；　and　Mackenzie’s　attention　turned　back
towards　them；　they　parted　smoothly—but　their　eyes　met　for　a　second；　and　Lorenzo　thought　he　saw
something　ominous　in　that　gaze。　A　flicker　of　a　resolution　made　and　confirmed。
Mackenzie　ordered　the　three　remaining　Jungle　Fighters　to　begin　work　on　another　rope。　“Waste
of　time；”　opined　Greiss。　“We　don’t　need　two　ropes。　The　second　was　a　backup；　that’s　all。”
“A　safety　precaution；”　said　Mackenzie　stiffly；　“that　turned　out　to　be　entirely　necessary。”
“Only　because　your　Guardsman　didn’t　know　what　he　was　doing；”　countered　Greiss。　“If　he’d
followed　Brains’　advice—”
“I’m　not　trusting　my　life　to—”　Mackenzie　began。
Greiss　interrupted　with；　“There’s　only　four　of　us　left　to　cross；　and　Muldoon　and　Lorenzo　here
aren’t　crying　about　it。　That　rope’s　held　up　just　fine　so　far。　Better　to　take　a　chance　than　spend　another
hour　sitting　around　here　doing　craftwork。　We’re　already　behind　schedule。”　And　with　that；　he　hoisted
Landon’s　pack　on　his　right　arm；　and　slipped　his　own　onto　the　left　to　keep　himself　balanced。　Then　he
hauled　himself　up　onto　the　remaining　rope　and；　emulating　Woods；　began　to　swarm　across　it　without
a　harness。
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“Come　back　here；　Greiss！”　roared　Mackenzie。　“I’m　warning　you；　if　you　don’t　come　back　here
this　instant；　I’ll…　I’ll…”
“Way　I　see　it；　sir；”　said　Muldoon　nonchalantly；　“there　isn’t　much　more　you　can　threaten　him
with。”
“I’ll　be　adding　this　to　the　list　of　charges　against　you；　trooper！”　the　commissar　yelled　after　the
departing　Greiss。　“Muldoon；　what　do　you　think　you’re　doing？”
Muldoon　had　beckoned　Lorenzo　forward；　and　was　tying　a　rope　around　his　waist。　Mackenzie
pushed　Lorenzo　aside；　and　announced；　“I’ll　be　going　across　next。　I　don’t　trust　Greiss　and　Woods
over　there　unsupervised。”
“I’m　sure　Guardsman　Braxton　can　keep　an　eye　on　them；　sir；”　said　Muldoon；　tongue…in…cheek。
Mackenzie　just　glared　at　him；　and　said　nothing。
Muldoon　tied　Mackenzie　into　his　harness；　then　gave　him　the　nod　that　he　was　ready　to　go。　He
didn’t　help　him　up　to　the　rope　as　he　had　most　of　the　Jungle　Fighters；　he　just　watched　as　the
commissar　scrambled　up　to　it　himself。　He　took　hold　unsteadily；　and　eyed　the　acid　river　below　him。
Then　the　commissar　began　to　cross；　moving　hand　over　hand　and　foot　over　foot　at　a　confident；
unhurried　pace。　That　was　when　Lorenzo　caught　that　glint　in　Muldoon’s　eye　again；　and　he　felt　his
heart　miss　a　beat。
He　had　heard　that　the　attrition　rate　of　commissars　assigned　to　Catachan　squads　was　many　times
the　Imperium　average。　These　losses　were　officially　dismissed　as　accidents；　of　course—a　natural
consequence　of　sending　non…deathworlders；　no　matter　how　high…ranking；　how　well…trained；　into　an
environment　to　which　they　weren’t　suited。　It　was　rarely　acknowledged　that　there　might　be　anything
more　to　it　than　that—at　least；　it　hadn’t　happened　within　Lorenzo’s　earshot。　But　everybody　knew—or
at　least　suspected—the　unspoken　truth。
The　deathworlds　of　the　Imperium　bred　men　who　were　independent；　proud；　and　loyal　only　to
those　who　had　earned　their　respect。　That　went　double　for　Catachan。
“He’s　doing　well；”　murmured　Muldoon；　watching　the　commissar’s　progress　with　obvious
resentment；　“for　a　city　boy。　Too　well。”
He　reached　up　to　the　end　of　the　root　rope；　still　tied　to　the　tree　beside　him；　and　he　looked　at
Lorenzo　as　if　he　was　challenging　him　to　say　something；　to　stop　him—and　it　did　occur　to　Lorenzo
that　maybe　he　should；　maybe　it　was　the　right　thing　to　do；　but　his　throat　was　dry　and　the　words
wouldn’t　come；　and　anyway　this　was　nothing　to　do　with　him　and　even　if　it　was；　his　loyalties　lay
with　his　own　kind；　didn’t　they？
Didn’t　they？
Too　late。　He　was　always　too　late。
Muldoon　wrapped　his　fingers　around　the　end　of　the　rope　and；　with　a　smile　of　grim　satisfaction；
he　gave　it　a　good　tug。
Lorenzo　watched　as　the　vibrations　travelled　the　first　half　of　the　rope’s　length；　to　where
Mackenzie　was　clinging　on。　There　wasn’t　time　to　shout　a　warning；　even　if　he　had　wanted　to。　The
rope　jerked　itself　out　of　the　commissar’s　hands；　simultaneously　flipping　him　so　that　he　was　on　top　of
it。　He　flailed；　caught　by　surprise；　trying　to　find　fresh　purchase；　slipped；　plummeted　to　the　extent　of
his　harness’　slack—and　then　the　harness　gave　way；　as　Lorenzo　had　known　it　must。　A　simple
slipknot。
There　was　nothing　holding　Commissar　Mackenzie　now。
He　was　in　freefall。
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CHAPTER　NINE
Lorenzo　didn’t　want　to　look；　but　he　couldn’t　turn　away。
There　was　no　time；　anyhow。　Mackenzie　would　hit　the　acid　before　he　could　blink。
Unless；　somehow；　impossibly；　the　direction　of　his　fall　was　reversed。
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；