my name if he’d been able to think of one； if he hadn’t been too busy charging to his death。 I’ll have
to prove myself all over again。 Anyway； what are they going to call me？ What did I do that was so
special？ I wanted to… I wanted to be the one who held off the orks so Patch could escape； but he
got there first。 I wanted to be the one who took out Big Green； but I wasn’t strong enough。 I wanted
to stop the zombies； but Old Hardhead…”
“Sounds to me；” said Braxton； “like you got a suicide wish—like you think you can’t prove
yourself unless you die in the process。 What was it you just said to me？ ‘You made it this far…’”
“By not being brave enough；” Lorenzo muttered。
“By taking everything this planet had to throw at you；” countered Braxton。 “Birds； acid plants；
lights； zombies； the earthquake… By facing all that and surviving！ You think that was dumb luck？
I’ve been watching you； Lorenzo； and okay； maybe you aren’t always the first to stick your head in
the lion’s mouth； but that’s because you think about things； assess the situation； then deal with it—
not in a showy way； not looking for glory； but efficiently。 You get the job done。 You were the first
person to give me a chance； to look beyond the fact that Mackenzie had foisted me on you。 Maybe it
took the others too long to appreciate that； maybe they took you for granted。 But I’ll bet that’s what
Old Hardhead Greiss realised at the end there： that you were always there； for him； for all of us； that
you were the most dependable man on this squad。 I’ll bet if he were here now； he’d find a name for
you to say all that。 Something like… like… ‘Long Run’。”
“‘Long Run’？”
“‘Long Run’ Lorenzo。 What do you think？ Got a ring to it？”
“I don’t know。 I…”
Braxton grinned。 “You’ve got to accept it。 You just told me； I’m one of you now。”
“You enjoy throwing my words back in my face； don’t you？”
“So I’ve a right to give you your name。 The name you’ve earned。 And I like the sound of Long
Run。”
Lorenzo sat back； turned the words over in his head； tried to find an argument against accepting
them； and smiled。 “Yes；” he said。 “I like it too。”
“So；” said Braxton； “what do you say； Long Run？ Ready to move off？”
“I thought you wanted to sleep。”
“I feel okay now。 More than okay。 I think we should get some distance under our belts； while
things are quiet。”
111
Lorenzo nodded。 “Maybe Rogar hasn’t covered over the paths we cut through the jungle yet。
We’re not likely to run into any more orks for a while。 I reckon we can make this return trip in three
days—less； if we hustle。”
“I guess that depends；” said Braxton； getting to his feet； “on how hard Rogar III tries to stop us。”
“Whatever it does；” said Lorenzo； straightening his bandana； “we’ll deal with it。 We have to。
We’ve got a story to take back。 The other squads； the other platoons； they’ll be back from fighting
orks by now； probably razed a few settlements。 They’ll want to know how we got on； if any of it
was worth the sweat。 We have to warn them about Rogar。 We have to tell them what it is； what
they’re doing to it。”
“You think it’ll change anything？” asked Braxton。
Lorenzo shook his head。 He remembered something Old Hardhead had said； on the morning
they’d set out from the encampment。 “Best thing we could do now would be to leave this world
alone。 That’s all it wants。 But the Imperium won’t leave as long as the orks are here； and the orks
won’t leave until we do。 Neither side can afford to turn its back on the other； so we’ll just keep
fighting。”
“Over nothing；” said Braxton。
“Over nothing。” Lorenzo agreed。 “And in the meantime； our violence will breed violence in turn。
They only started calling Rogar III a deathworld a month ago。 You have to wonder； what will it be
like in another month？ A year？ A decade？”
“I don’t know；” said Braxton； “but I’m counting on being around to find out。”
Lorenzo grinned。 “Look forward to it。”
Then； like Sly Marbo before them； they disappeared into the jungle together； in near…total
silence。 They left only the faintest footprints to suggest that either of them had ever been here。 And；
a few minutes later； the deathworld had erased even them。
（The End）
。 … 。………【gzbysh】整理