of it； like the rest of us； reckons it’s stalking us。 But whenever he gets too close； it disappears。 It
leaves no tracks； no nothing。” With a smile； he added； “Marbo says it’s almost as good as he is。”
“Ghosts！” said Braxton。
Everyone turned to look at him。
“That’s what the Validians have been saying。 I reported on it for Eagle & Bolter； our broadsheet。
The same story； from four different squads。 They all had the feeling they were being followed； but
there was no evidence of it。 I thought it might be connected to the blue lights； the jungle playing
tricks on their minds。”
“Hallucinogens in the atmosphere？” mused Donovits。 “Could be put out by one of the plants。
They could even be in the berries we’ve eaten。”
“I didn’t eat any berries；” said Myers； “at least not till after I saw that… thing。”
“This could be serious；” grumbled Greiss。 “First Sharkbait goes off the deep end； then Steel Toe
and Lorenzo go wandering in the night； now this。 If this jungle gets us so we can’t trust our own
senses…”
“You said Marbo saw this ‘ghost’；” said Donovits。 “He saw it following us。 If the jungle were
affecting him； making him—making all of us—paranoid； then surely he’d have thought the ghost
was following him。 That makes sense； yes？”
“Then it has to be real；” said Lorenzo。
“We need to know for sure；” said Armstrong。
“Maybe we should leave well enough alone；” said Braxton。 “I mean； there’s no record of these
‘ghosts’ attacking anyone。”
“Yet；” said Armstrong。 “You should have learned by now； that could change in a heartbeat。 I say
we search。”
Greiss nodded his agreement； and the squad separated； each man taking a sector of the jungle
around them； though each was sure to stay within sight of two others at all times。 They kicked and
cut their way through the undergrowth； beat bushes； shook trees and even shinned up some to search
their leaf…shrouded upper branches。 The Jungle Fighters checked all the places where they would
have hidden。 Finally； they regrouped； having covered an area some three hundred metres in radius
and found nothing。 No one。 No sign that anyone had been here； other than the Jungle Fighters
themselves。
There was nothing they could do after that but go on。 It was only a few minutes later； however； that
Lorenzo had that feeling again； like a prickling on his neck。
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He wasn’t the only one。 As he whipped around to inspect the foliage behind him； Storm and
Braxton did the same。 And this time； Lorenzo was sure of it。 There was something there。 He could
just make out a shape between the trees。 A head and shoulders。 Fie drew his lasgun and stepped
forward； not wanting to move too fast； not daring to blink； to take his eyes off the shape。 His other
senses told him that Storm and Braxton were beside him； and the rest of his squad not far behind。
Lorenzo took another step。 The head moved； shifting just a fraction； in a very human gesture。
He was only a few metres away from the shape when it changed。 It seemed to metamorphose—
or； more accurately； to come into focus—in front of his eyes。 The shape resolved itself into a cluster
of thistles。 Thistles that had always been there； the rest； Lorenzo had imagined。 He started as Storm
shot the thistles anyway； and fired into the surrounding undergrowth a few times for good measure。
“In case this thing is a shape…shifter；” he explained。 But he disturbed nothing more than a few black
insects； which smelt the flower sap on the Jungle Fighters and buzzed away。
The whole squad was on the alert after that； on edge。 Lorenzo had to force himself not to jump at
every shadow he saw； every distant sound that came to his ears。 He thought about what Greiss had
said； about losing trust in their own senses。 The others hadn’t seemed too worried； probably didn’t
believe it could happen to them； but he remembered the blue light。 He remembered how real its lies
had seemed。
Landon had approached Greiss； and Lorenzo was just close enough for his keen ears to pick up
their hushed conversation。 “I’ve had an idea； sergeant；” said the rookie。 “Why don’t I hide in a tree
and let the rest of you go on a way？ If we are being followed； I’ll soon find out。”
“I don’t know；” said Greiss。 “We’re talking about someone or something that’s given Sly Marbo
the slip—and that isn’t easy。”
“Maybe he knew Marbo was around。 Maybe he heard us talking about him。 I’m the smallest of
us； sergeant； the one he’s least likely to miss if he is watching us。 The rest of you could gather
around； block his view for a second； and I’ll be gone。 Next time our ‘ghost’ sees me； he’ll be
passing right under me； and I’ll raise the alarm。”
Greiss raised a cynical eyebrow。 “That a promise？ Swear on your blade？ Because you’ve been
pushing yourself forward today； Landon—and that’s good； don’t get me wrong； we’ll make a fine
soldier of you； maybe even a sergeant one day—but this isn’t the time for grandstanding； hoping to
hog some glory for yourself。”
“Soon as I see a thing；” Landon promised； “I’ll yell my lungs out。”
Greiss considered the proposal； and finally nodded。 By the time he passed it on to the rest of the
squad； however； two men at a time； in a quiet growl； he’d made a few alterations。 He approached
Mackenzie last—but by this time； the commissar had heard what was afoot。 “If you’re asking for my
permission to proceed； Greiss；” he remarked acidly； “then consider it granted。”
A short time later； they came to a mournful…looking tree with branches that sagged almost to
ground level； dripping with water…bearing vines。 It was almost too perfect。
They gathered round and set to work with their knives； teasing out what liquid they could。
Lorenzo stopped Braxton from putting his thirsty lips directly to a vine； pointing out that the skin
was probably poisonous。
After a few minutes of this； Landon worked his way to the centre of the group； and was handed a
lasgun by Donovits to replace the one he had lost in the river。 He stepped onto Muldoon’s cupped
hands and was hoisted onto the tree’s lowest branch； his camouflage uniform and dubbin…streaked
face immediately lost among its leaves。 Lorenzo heard the faintest of rustles above his head as the
rookie climbed higher； and he resisted the urge to look up。
“Right； men；” announced Greiss； in what was maybe a slighter louder voice than usual； for the
benefit of any eavesdroppers； “time we made a move。 We’ve still got lost time to make up。”
As the squad set off again； the Jungle Fighters spread out more widely than they would normally
have done； yet contrived to cross each other’s paths frequently。 An observer would have been hardpressed
even to count them； let alone to work out which of them might be missing。 They also moved
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more slowly than before—because； although nobody said anything； each of them was reluctant to
leave his inexperienced comrade too far behind。 Indeed； the further they strayed from Landon’s
position； the slower； the more reticent； their steps became—and Lorenzo noticed a certain amount of
jostling for the rearmost position； the man who would be able to respond first to the alarm call when
it came。 Woods； of course； came out on top。
Lorenzo had been counting out a minute in his head。 As he reached sixty； Greiss gave a nod； and
Muldoon disappeared into a bush。 Myers provided a distraction； this time； by yelling “jungle
lizard！” and firing into the undergrowth before professing； with mock sheepishness； to have been
mistaken。
They proceeded at length； expecting Trooper Landon to reappear before too long； at which point
somebody else would slip into hiding。 After twenty seconds had passed； though； Lorenzo saw that
Greiss was getting worried。 Another five； and he came to a halt； and drew breath to give the
prearranged signal that would call off the operation。
That was when Landon yelled out； at last。
Only this wasn’t a yell of discovery。 It was a yell of fear。
Lorenzo was running before the echoes had subsided。 They had come too far； because Landon
was still all the way back where they had left him； and Lorenzo was pushing his muscles as hard as
he could； willing himself forward； and yet still the path to his comrade seemed to stretch a nearinfinite
distance。 He concentrated on what he could do： pumping his legs； faster than he could think；
so fast that he was sure only sheer force of will kept him from falling。 There were sounds ahead—
ugly sounds； full of foreboding—but they were almost drowned out by his heartbeat； by the crashing
footsteps of comrades around him and of Woods in front。
Every second counted。 Every fraction of a second。
And there weren’t enough of them。
Landon yelled again： a terrible gurgling scream； which was cut off in mid…flow and could only
have meant one thing。
He came into sight at last； limp and no longer straggling in the grip of a figure that was
humanoid in shape but a mockery of a human in its aspect。
The monster was caked in dirt； centimetres thick； and it bristled with grass； dead leaves； living
flowers and the severed roots of larger plants as if a whole section of the planet had been scooped up
and wrapped around its frame。 Lorenzo thought the monster was flora； at first； but he could make
out patches of suntanned skin； and human fingers around Landon’s neck。 Woods had already
charged it； a lasgun fanfare presaging his arrival。
Lorenzo had brought up his weapon but hadn’t fired； fearful of hitting the monster’s captive—
but Woods had seen what he hadn’t； or rather accepted what he didn’t want to accept。
It must have waited for Landon； he realised。 It was right under the tree in which the Guardsman
had concealed himself—but he wouldn’t have come down from there unless he was sure it was safe。
The monster had discovered the Jungle Fighters’ trap； and set its own in return。
As Woods hit the monster； it dropped Landon； and he fell to the ground； his head coming to rest
at an acute angle to his body。 Lorenzo was halfway to him when he realised there was no point。 He
changed course and leapt at the monster instead； along with Myers and Storm； whose howl of rage
echoed in Lorenzo’s ears。 Woods could probably have handled the monster on his own—and he
would have enjoyed bragging about it later—but Lorenzo wasn’t thinking about that right now。 He
was thinking about Landon。
The monster； it turned out； was stronger than they had expected。 It dislodged Woods and Myers；
and sent them flying with a sweep of its arm。 As the two troopers fell； however； Muldoon and Greiss
appeared in their places。 The monster was borne down under the combined weight of four
Catachans； but showed no sign of slowing or weakening as they pounded at it with their fists。
Lorenzo drew his fang； and plunged it into the monster’s heart with a snarl； but the blade came out
encrusted with muck and no blood； and still the monster fought on。
59
It shifted beneath his knees； and he realised with a start that it was sinking… as if the monster lay
in quicksand； though the earth around it felt as hard as it ever had to the touch of Lorenzo’s foot。 He
was scrabbling at the monster； desperate to stop it； to hold it here； because all he could think was
that it was get