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had been broken by such pain as only a deathworld could inflict。
In time； the discharges became less frequent； as if the lizards had learned from their mistakes
and were keeping their distance。 Lorenzo didn’t imagine for a second； though； that they had seen the
last of them。
That burnt smell was fading。 The jungle grass was growing taller and the trees more closely
together； letting less sunlight in through their branches。 A pink…headed； acid…spitting plant reared up
beside the Catachans without warning； but Myers blasted it to pieces before it could open its mouth。
Lorenzo felt goose bumps on his flesh； but it was a pleasant feeling。
He seemed to have been waiting a long time for this： to plunge into the darkest heart of the
jungle。 To face Rogar III on its own turf。
They were about two hours out when Braxton reported to the nearest Jungle Fighters—Myers and
Storm—that he thought they were being followed。 Their only response was a pair of knowing grins；
so Braxton called out to Commissar Mackenzie。 “Sir！ Sir； I think we’re being followed。”
The young officer called a halt； and the squad stood silent for a minute or two。 Mackenzie
frowned。 “Anyone hear anything？”
“No； sir；” murmured the Catachans。
“It was up there； sir；” said Braxton； pointing； “in the trees。”
“You’re imagining things； Braxton；” decided Mackenzie； though his voice betrayed a doubt。
Lorenzo caught an aside from Storm to Myers： “Looks like the commissar’s radar dish ears are
just ornamental； then。”
24
“Actually；” said Sergeant Greiss； with no little satisfaction； “there is someone stalking us。 The
rest of us have been aware of it since we left the clearing。”
Mackenzie turned pink。 “What？ Then why didn’t you speak up？”
“Because he’s on our side。 In fact； we’re honoured to have him watching our backs。”
The commissar looked none the wiser； and fumbled with his list of names。 “There’s no one
missing；” he said。
“This man works alone；” said Dougan。
Mackenzie scowled。 “That is not acceptable。 This offensive has been planned to the last detail；
and I will not have those plans jeopardised by a maverick。” He shouted into the jungle： “You；
trooper。 Come here； now！”
Dougan cleared his throat。 “Should you be yelling like that； sir？ If there are ork patrols or
gretchin in the area—”
The commissar ignored him。 “Trooper； my name is Commissar Mackenzie； and I am in
command here。 I demand you show yourself immediately。 You have ten seconds。 If I can’t see your
face by then； you will be facing court…martial！”
The echoes of his words were soaked up by the foliage。 In the distance； a bird took flight。 There
was no other sound。
“Could be out of earshot by now； sir；” offered Myers。
Mackenzie rounded on the Catachans； clenching his fists。 “If anyone sees or hears a trace of that
man again； I wish to be informed of it immediately； do you hear me？ Immediately！”
They moved on。
Dougan dropped back in the marching order until he was alongside Braxton。 He gave the
Validian an approving nod。 “Mostly； if Sly Marbo doesn’t want to be seen or heard； he isn’t—
sometimes not even by those of us who know he’s around。 I’m impressed。”
An hour after that； the jungle became so dense that the Catachans had to draw their knives and cut
their way through。 Armstrong and Muldoon took point to begin with； Armstrong’s devil claw and
Muldoon’s sleek； black night reaper hacking at stinging plants and thick purple creepers。
All of a sudden； Muldoon let out a warning cry； and a cloud of insects blossomed from the
undergrowth at his feet。 Each was the length of one of Lorenzo’s fingers； with hairy black bodies
and gossamer wings。 Armstrong hopped out of the way of the swarm； but it latched onto Muldoon；
following him with an angry； high…pitched whine as he tried to back away from it。 He swung his
arms furiously； flattening several insects against the nearest tree； his blade slicing through two more。
The rest of the squad had withdrawn out of reach。 Lorenzo brought up his lasgun； squinting
along its sights until he knew he could fire without hitting Muldoon。 His las…fire fried several
insects； as did simultaneous shots from Greiss； Woods and Donovits。 But there were too many of
them。 The cloud seemed hardly to have lessened in size。
Myers and Storm had flung their packs to the ground； and they pulled out the constituent parts of
a heavy flamer。 They clicked them together； then Storm steadied the bulky weapon while Myers
aimed it at the swarm。 The first explosion of fire singed the ends of Muldoon’s hair； and lit up one
flank of the insect cloud； sending them streaking to the ground as dying embers。 Muldoon hurled
himself face…first into the undergrowth； giving Myers a clearer second shot that took out the bulk of
the remaining swarm。
There were still more than a dozen insects crawling over Muldoon； but he rolled and crushed
those that couldn’t take flight in time。 The others rushed to stamp on the rest； or to skewer them with
blades。 Myers and Storm aimed one final； precautionary blast of flame at the ground from which the
swarm had risen。 Then the Catachans surrounded Muldoon where he lay on his back。 He blinked up
at them； flushed and chagrined； his face pimply with insect bites。
25
“What the hell do you think you’re doing； Muldoon？” barked Greiss without sympathy。 “You
know better than to disturb an insect nest。 You didn’t see it？”
“I saw it； sergeant；” said Muldoon。 “I was giving it a wide berth； but the bugs came out fighting
all the same。”
“They must be sensitive to vibrations in the ground；” guessed Donovits。 “Or to body heat—
though that’s less likely in this climate。 But why would they attack if their nest wasn’t directly
threatened？”
“Just antisocial； I guess；” said Greiss； reaching down to help Muldoon to his feet。 “You feeling
alright； Sharkbait？”
“Like a walking； talking colander；” said Muldoon ruefully。 “They took chunks out of me all
over。 I got them in my boots； under my backpack； in my collar…”
“Show me；” rapped Greiss。
The sergeant spent the next few minutes examining Muldoon’s bites。 Lorenzo knew why。 On
Catachan； there was a creature known as the vein worm； which burrowed into its victim’s flesh and
laid its eggs in his bloodstream。 Greiss intended to make sure these alien insects had left no similar
surprises in his trooper。 When he’d satisfied himself on that count； he asked Muldoon to tell him
how many fingers he was holding up； checking for toxins that may have begun to cloud his senses。
Muldoon answered correctly； and Greiss rewarded him with a grim smile； and clapped him on the
arm。 “You’ll live；” he concluded。 “Probably。”
“Do you think we can get on now？” asked Mackenzie； impatiently。
They proceeded more cautiously after that； with Woods and Donovits taking over cutting duty up
front。 As soon as Woods sighted a second nest in among the creepers； they all fell back； and Myers
and Storm readied the flamer。 “What are you waiting for？” cried Mackenzie。 “Just torch the damn
thing！” But the troopers turned to Greiss for confirmation of that order； and the grizzled sergeant
shook his head and reached for a stick。
He flung it at the hive； and once again a cloud of black insects darkened the air。 Myers’ finger
twitched on his trigger； ready to unleash a stream of fire should any man be threatened。 The insects；
however； didn’t seem to have detected the watching Catachans。 They buzzed around for a while；
finding no one upon whom to expend their wrath； and then settled resentfully back into their
disturbed home。
“What the hell was the point of that？” demanded Mackenzie。 “You just wanted to provoke those
things？”
“To observe ’em。” Greiss corrected him。 “Anyone else see what I saw？”
“The red flower over there；” spoke up Donovits。 “The insects were giving it a wide berth。”
Greiss nodded。 “Let’s find out； shall we？”
He followed Donovits’ pointing finger to a delicate red flower sprouting from the trunk of a tree。
It had eight perfectly formed petals； and it ost beautiful thing Lorenzo had seen on
this world so far。 That left him in no doubt that it was dangerous。
Greiss found another sti