Lorenzo spun and hit the ground on his feet； and was ready for the first Validian as he came at him
again。
In the meantime； Muldoon had come to Dougan’s aid； letting out a war cry as he bowled into the
men surrounding his comrade and scattered them。 Dougan got his second wind； hoisted one foe by
the scruff of his flak jacket and hurled him； arms and legs thrashing furiously； into another。 The
ogryns were still cracking skulls； the Validians now realising what they had taken on； almost
trampling each other to get away from the misshapen creatures。
One particularly hapless specimen backed into Lorenzo； eyes wide with fear； just as the
Catachan finished putting down his own two opponents。 In the heat of a terrified moment； the
Validian broke the unspoken rule； by drawing his lasgun。
Lorenzo was on him before he could aim it。 The gun dropped from the Guardsman’s grasp as
Lorenzo seized his arm and twisted it until the bone snapped。 The Validian let out a yelp and fell to
his knees； but he had foregone any right to sympathy or mercy； and Lorenzo knocked him cold with
a spinning kick to the head。
His keen ears caught the sound of a whining voice； straining to be heard across the tumult。
Commissar Mackenzie had just strode into the hall； and he was demanding calm； to no avail。 At his
heels； however； was Graves—and when the colonel spoke； Catachans and Validians alike fell still。
“Just what the hell is going on here？” Graves roared； his voice resonating in the sudden guilty
hush。
16
CHAPTER THREE
“I said； what the hell is going on？ What do you think you’re doing？”
Colonel Graves strode deeper into the mess hall； his blazing eyes darting from Catachan to
Validian to Catachan； sharing around the force of his scorn。 “I’ve seen acid grubs behave with more
dignity。 You’re meant to be on the same side！”
Mackenzie scuttled after him。 “Do you see？” he fumed。 “This is why I was opposed to bringing
Jungle Fighters into this campaign。” He raised his voice to address the hall。 “I want—no； I
demand—to know who the ringleaders were behind this disgraceful display。 Names and ranks！”
A few eyes were cast down； a few feet shuffled； but the Validians were no more willing than the
Catachans were to tell on their own。 In the face of their intransigence； the commissar’s face grew
steadily redder。
“Sergeant Wallace！”
The unlucky Validian who the commissar had singled out snapped to attention； and reported；
“My apologies； sir； I didn’t see how the incident started。 My men and I only acted to calm the
situation when it seemed to be getting out of hand。”
Mackenzie got the same story； almost verbatim； from his next two sergeants。
Lorenzo sensed a surreptitious movement behind him； and he turned to see that the sergeant
whose nose Woods had broken was being helped to his feet； a piece of cloth clasped to his bloodied
face。 He was glaring venomously at the cause of his woes； but Woods returned his gaze with a smug
grin and cracked his knuckles into his palm。
It was this look that Commissar Mackenzie caught； and he bustled over to the pair； his nostrils
flaring with self…righteous zeal。 “Enright？”
The bloodied sergeant shrugged helplessly； using his cloth as a shield from interrogation。
Mackenzie clicked his tongue in impatience； then dismissed Enright and the two Guardsmen who
were supporting him with an impatient hand movement。 The trio made their way to the door； and no
doubt to whatever medical facility this camp offered。
Mackenzie fixed Woods with a shrivelling glare； which he then turned upon the Catachans
around him until he saw the sergeant’s stripes on Greiss’ arm。 “Perhaps you can shed some light on
this matter； sergeant？”
“Greiss； sir。”
“Sergeant Greiss。 You seem to have had a ringside seat for the worst of it。”
“My apologies； sir；” said Greiss in a faintly mocking tone； “I didn’t see how the incident started。
My men and I only acted to calm the situation when it seemed to be getting out of hand。”
One of the Catachans let out a harsh laugh； but Mackenzie wasn’t amused。 He cast another
distasteful look at Woods； and snapped； “It seems clear to me； Sergeant Greiss； that you and your
squad were responsible for this outrage； and I intend to make sure you regret it。 How would you
feel； Greiss； about sleeping out in the jungle tonight？”
Greiss’ eyes lit up。 “Delighted to； sir。”
That wasn’t the answer Mackenzie had been expecting； and he seethed impotently。 “Let me tell
you； Sergeant Greiss； what happens to Guardsmen who disrespect their senior officers。”
“I’m all ears； sir；” growled Greiss。
17
Mackenzie flushed。 “We bury them。 Let me tell you what it’s like； Greiss。 It’s too small for you
to stand； too narrow for you to sit down。 You’ll spend the night—as many nights as I choose—in the
most uncomfortable position you can imagine； until you think your spine will crack。 You’ll feel
spiders gnawing at your feet； you’ll be at the mercy of the jungle lizards。 And during the day—in the
daytime； when the sun’s beating down on you and you don’t have the room to lift an arm to shade
your eyes—in the daytime； Greiss； let me tell you； you’ll start to wish you were dead。”
Graves had moved silently to the young commissar’s side。 He cleared his throat now； and
murmured； “May I remind you； sir； that we need these men fresh and active for duty in the morning？
I don’t see much point in pursuing this matter。 Especially—” and he laboured this point particularly
heavily “—with no evidence to lay charges against any individual。 No harm done； I’d say。 In fact；
it’s probably best for all sides they got it out of their systems。”
Mackenzie said nothing for a moment—and Lorenzo expected him to snap at the colonel the
way he had at Lieutenant Vines。 Instead； he seemed to accept the quiet wisdom in Graves’ words。
He turned and marched stiffly out of the door； the tension in the hall diffusing in his wake。 People
began to pick themselves up； to collect scattered bowls； chairs and tables and to tend to their
wounded； Catachans and Validians working together to restore order。
“For any of you girls who were fretting；” announced Colonel Graves； “B Platoon have voxed in。
They’ve had some casualties—lost eight men—but most of them are still standing； and they’re
making their way to us； ETA 11。00。 In view of this delay； Commissar Mackenzie has decided not to
wait。 All Jungle Fighters are to assemble in the briefing hut in twenty minutes。”
Lorenzo slept under the stars that night； on a bed of leaves picked from the edge of the jungle and
carefully tested for hidden spines and poison sap。 Basic quarters had been provided for the
Catachans； but there weren’t enough bunks for all of them—and most would have chosen to sleep
outdoors anyway。 It had been too long。
The sounds of the jungle at night brought a feeling of calm to Lorenzo。 The rustle of a breeze in
its leaves； the caws and cackles of nocturnal predators； the gurgle of water—or some other liquid—
carried from far away。 He wished he could be deeper inside it。 The area cleared out by the Validians
had an acrid burnt scent to it。 Lorenzo was used to having a canopy of green above him—but tonight
it was black； and freckled with the white points of distant suns。 The night sky was crystal clear； the
air warm。 It was as if Rogar III was showing him its good points； its aesthetic qualities。 As if it
wanted to lull him into a sense of security by hiding its true； savage beauty from him。 Lorenzo
wasn’t fooled。 He looked forward to the morning； to testing this world’s mettle。
He thought back to Mackenzie’s briefing； and suppressed a thrill。 The commissar had been
furnished with a list of the Catachan squads； and had assigned them to various missions。 B Platoon
had drawn the short straw in their absence； they would arrive at the encampment to find that their
comrades had moved out and left them to reinforce the security details here。 If they were lucky； the
orks would provide a distraction or two to break up the monotony。
The rest of the Catachans were to do what the Validians could not： take the fight to the orks
themselves。 Which meant； of course； fighting the jungle too。
“I know what you’re all thinking。” Colonel Graves had added to Mackenzie’s speech。 “It’s a
jungle world； maybe even a deathworld； nothing you haven’t seen before。 Well； believe me； Rogar
III is different。 The commissar here tells me that； a year ago； this place was a little green corner of
paradise。 Well； I don’t know what’s happened； and to tell the truth I don’t much care—but as you
ladies can see； this isn’t paradise anymore。”
Later； Donovits had tossed around a lot of phrases like “climate change” and “axis shifts”—but
Lorenzo hadn’t cared much。
He’d been more interested in hearing how the Imperium’s attempts to expand its encampments
had met with failure。 It was a full…time job for a squad of Guardsmen to maintain this one； small
18
though it was。 For every jungle creeper they burnt away； two more seemed to replace it—and their
rate of growth was prodigious。
“When the Explorators came to Rogar。” Graves had said； “they recorded some weird energy
signature。” Of course； Lorenzo had already known that； thanks to Donovits。 “Now； I’m not saying
there’s anything in that—just warning you hotheads not to get too cocky。 We don’t know what this
deathworld has to throw at us； but we do know a couple of hundred Guardsmen have died trying to
find out。”
Mackenzie had displayed a rough map of the area； and pointed out the known ork strongholds。
He was planning an attack on one of these； intelligence suggested that it was lightly defended； the
orks depending on the jungle itself to protect them。 A derisive snort had gone up from the Catachans
at this point。
The whole of A Platoon； ogryns and all； was committed to this offensive； while two of D
Platoon’s four squads were to set traps and lay in wait for reinforcements from the other ork camps。
Other squads would target supply lines—hit and run tactics； to divide the enemy’s attention。
Lorenzo’s squad had been the last to learn its assignment—and its ten men had let out a cheer
when Mackenzie had explained that it was the most vital； and most dangerous； of all。 The
commissar had shouted at them to be silent。
“One particular ork has been giving us trouble；” he had said。 “Their current warboss in this
region。 You know how it is—we take out one； another takes its place。 But this one has a few more
brain cells than most。 The troops have taken to calling him Big Green。 He’s actually got the beasts
organised； to an extent。 Their last few raids on us were almost well planned。 And this ork has a keen
sense of self…preservation。 Most warbosses lead from the front； this one stays behind the lines。 He’s
become a legend to the orks； if only because he’s lasted longer than his predecessors。 He’s good for
their morale。 Too good。 I want him dead！”
According to the commissar； the Imperial Guard had been close to finding the warboss’ hideout
when； in his own words； “the jungle became impassable”。 They knew its general location； but the
lair itself was well concealed。 The Catachans’ job was to find the ork