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
55
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 Jungle Fighters had drained the vines of all they had； replenishing
their supplies just a little。 As Lorenzo returned his bottle to his pack； he heard low voices； and
realised that Greiss wasn’t with them。
He could just make out Sergeant Greiss through the jungle。 He was talking to somebody else： a
man whom Lorenzo couldn’t see at all； so easily did he blend into his surroundings； but he knew it
could only have been Sly Marbo。 He couldn’t make out what was being said—but as Greiss turned
and trudged back to the others； it was with slumped shoulders and a dark； brooding expression。
He gathered the Jungle Fighters around—and to Lorenzo’s surprise； Mackenzie didn’t object； he
just joined them and listened。 Greiss told the squad what Lorenzo already knew： that there were orks
ahead—and Mackenzie raised his eyebrows and frowned at his sketch map but again said nothing。
“Marbo’s scouted a path for us；” said Greiss； “that’ll take us around the greenskins； but still too
close for my liking。 Now； the commissar here explained why we can’t blow our cover； but here’s
another reason for you： Marbo figures； from the size of this camp and the number of huts； that the
greenskins outnumber us about thirty to one。 Even Hotshot can’t take down thirty orks on his own！”
“Oh yeah？” grinned Woods。 “Lead me to ’em； that’s all I’m saying。”
“So the only way we’re getting through this one。” Greiss continued； “is by stealth。”
“How far is this camp？” asked Donovits。
“Another five kilometres；” said Greiss； “before we start running into patrols。 I say we make up
that ground； then break early for the night。 We get some food； some shut…eye； then make our move
in the small hours。”
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There was a general murmur of assent； and the Jungle Fighters were starting to get to their feet；
to retrieve their packs； when Greiss stopped them。 “One more thing。 Any of you felt like you’re
being followed？ Since Lorenzo’s little outburst； I mean。”
Nobody spoke up。 A few of the Jungle Fighters exchanged uncomfortable glances。 Greiss’ eyes
narrowed。 “I don’t hear any of you denying it。”
Unexpectedly； it was Mackenzie who spoke up。 “I thought I heard something。 Footsteps； about
an hour and a half ago。 When I looked； there was no one there。 I assumed it was Marbo。”
“I saw something；” offered Donovits； “more recently。 I didn’t speak up because… Sergeant； it
was just a flicker in the corner of my eye。 A trick of the light。 A… a feeling； more than anything。”
“Wildman and me； we dropped back without telling the rest of you；” said Myers； “checked out a
bush where I thought I’d seen something move。 It would’ve been about the time the commissar
said。”
“But there was no one there。” Storm took up the story； “and believe me； if there had been； there
was nowhere he could’ve gone without us seeing him。”
Greiss took all this in with a grim nod。 “Marbo reckons there is something。 He’s caught glimpses
of it； like the rest of us； reckons it’s stalking us。 But whenever he gets too close；