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best part of the morning looking for two of your men—contrary to my explicit wishes—because
they decided to go for a stroll in the night。”
“And I suppose your Validians would have stayed put？” sneered Greiss。
“My Guardsmen know better than to follow pretty lights into the jungle； sergeant。 That’s
because they’ve been taught self…control！ If Trooper Dougan couldn’t hold himself in check； then
we’re better off without him。”
Greiss’ voice was low； but the threat it carried was unmistakeable。 “Don’t push me； commissar。
I’ve just lost a good man； who deserved better than to be taken down without a scrap。 I’m in no
mood for this right now。” He handed his lasgun to Woods； who received it without comment。
Mackenzie’s eyes bulged。 “Well； I don’t have to wonder where troopers like Woods and
Armstrong here learn their impudence！” he stormed。 “I’ve had enough； Greiss。 I’ve had enough of
this attitude of yours—of having my every order questioned by you。 As far as I’m concerned； you
aren’t fit to lead a squad of dung beetles； and I’ll be saying as much in my report！”
Greiss drew his Catachan fang； weighed it in his hands for a second； then handed it to Woods。
“In the meantime。” Mackenzie continued； “you will consider yourself demoted to the rank of
trooper。 Guardsman Braxton will be my second…in…command for the duration of this operation。”
It was obvious from the paling of Braxton’s face that he was anything but happy with this
sudden promotion。
Greiss shucked off his pack and rolled up his sleeves； slowly and deliberately。 Mackenzie was
still ranting as if he hadn’t seen what was coming。 It occurred to Lorenzo that； had he been here；
Dougan would have been the one to step in； to defuse the situation。 But then； Dougan had always
known what needed to be said； and how to make it sound polite and reasonable。 No one would have
thanked Lorenzo for interfering； so he held his tongue。
Greiss’ first punch took the commissar by surprise。 It snapped his head around； staggered him
and almost made him lose his balance。 It wasn’t that Mackenzie hadn’t seen the signs； Lorenzo
realised—it was just that he’d hardly been able to conceive of a subordinate actually striking him。
Even now； his first thought was for his lost dignity。 He was steadying himself； pulling himself up to
his full； unimpressive height； drawing breath to remonstrate with Greiss； when a second fist
connected squarely with his jaw。
This time； Mackenzie fell； flipping almost head over heels to land on his back； losing his peaked
cap。 Greiss planted his boot on the commissar’s chest and leered down at him。 “That’s for what you
said about Steel Toe！” Then he took his foot away and turned his back in a gesture of utmost
contempt。
Lorenzo thought it was over—until Mackenzie did the last thing he had expected。 He sprang to
his feet； and with a speed and ferocity that Lorenzo would never have credited to him； he leapt at
Greiss。
Greiss heard him coming and half…turned； as Mackenzie cannoned into his side。 Jungle Fighters
danced out of their way as they careened back and forth； shifting their grips on each other； each
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looking for a clear shot at the other。 Greiss found one first； and delivered a punishing blow to
Mackenzie’s stomach； which doubled him up and brought his chin within striking distance。 Woods
let out a passionate “Yes！” as a two…fisted uppercut left the commissar stunned and reeling。 Greiss
bore his opponent down into the dirt； but Mackenzie recovered and planted a foot in the sergeant’s
stomach； flipping him over and away from him。 Woods winced as Greiss landed hard—and then
Mackenzie was on top of him； and it was all Greiss could do to fend off his punches。
The rookie； Landon； looked to Armstrong with concern in his eyes； but he just shook his head：
No。 We stay out of it。
Greiss had caught Mackenzie’s wrist in his left hand。 He planted his right arm across the
commissar’s throat； protecting his head from Mackenzie’s free fist with his elbow。 He pushed up
with both knees。 Mackenzie’s eyes were almost popping out of their sockets as he fought to retain
his position。 He was good—far better than Lorenzo would have imagined—but Greiss was better。
He knew his body； every muscle in it； like he knew his Catachan fang。 He knew when to tense；
when to push； when to shift unexpectedly so that Mackenzie reacted to an absent force and unseated
himself。
Slowly； inexorably； Greiss gained the advantage； and their positions were reversed。 Greiss had
the commissar pinned now； his arm resting across Mackenzie’s windpipe； his eyes blazing with
ruthless zeal as he pressed down hard。 Mackenzie kicked and scrabbled at the arm that was choking
him； but Greiss wasn’t giving a millimetre。 “Braxton；” the commissar spluttered。
Braxton had almost started forward once already； but he’d been frozen by a glare from Storm。
Now； he took Sergeant Greiss’ arms in a nervous grip； glancing over his shoulder as if he expected
the rest of the Jungle Fighters to stop him。 He was able to tear the sergeant away from his opponent
only because Greiss chose not to resist him。 He let Braxton haul him to his feet； then threw off the
Validian’s hands and brushed himself down； glaring at the prone Mackenzie as if challenging him to
a second round。
Mackenzie was having enough trouble trying to breathe。 As soon as he could； he lifted a
trembling finger to point at Greiss—a feeble attempt to assert some authority—and he wheezed；
“I’ll have you court…martialled for this； Greiss。 If you thought Trooper Dougan died an undignified
death； just you wait。 You’ll end your days in front of a firing squad！ If we weren’t on radio silence；
I’d be voxing a squad of Validians to come and collect you right now。 And the rest of you… You
just stood there and watched while this man assaulted a senior officer。 You’ll pay for this； all of you。
When I make my report； you’ll pay dearly。 You’ll be an example to every damn Jungle Fighter in
the Imperial Guard！”
Mackenzie picked himself up and marched into the jungle； with a curt order to the Jungle
Fighters to follow him。 Braxton looked around as if he wanted to say something； then thought better
of it and hurried after his commissar。 The others gathered their equipment； Myers and Storm
hoisting Muldoon between them； and set off in their own time。 Lorenzo caught the looks that passed
between the others—Greiss and Woods in particular—and he suppressed a shiver。
Somehow； he doubted the commissar would ever make that report。
The going was easier than it had been the day before； and the squad made good progress though
they were in sullen spirits。 They were starting to get the measure of Rogar III。 They knew which
plants to avoid—and the flower sap they’d been careful to reapply to their skin kept the biting
insects away。 More jungle lizards tried to pounce on them from the trees； like the one that had
attacked Mackenzie—evidently； this was their latest trick—but the Catachans were forewarned； and
it became a sport to them to pick off the creatures with las…fire in midair。 Myers was the champion
of this game； of course。
Braxton broke the silence to express his admiration at the speed with which the Jungle Fighters
had adapted to their new environment。 It was an attempt to build bridges； but it fell on stony ground。
46
If there were any birds left in the vicinity； they were keeping a low profile。 Lorenzo didn’t hear a
single call。 But the memory of the creatures that had pressed their attacks beyond death hung over
the squad like a pall。
There was some good news； though。 Muldoon had come round again； and this time he was quite
lucid。 Myers and Storm continued to support him for some time after he’d started to complain that
he could walk unaided。 They fed him simple questions until they were sure he was in control of his
faculties。 Muldoon had no memory of anything after he’d disturbed the hive； so Storm had to fill
him in about his attack on Lorenzo。
“I can’t have been trying too hard；” he commented。 “I seem to have left him in one piece。”
Lorenzo turned to him with a grin。 “You’re just lucky I was going easy on you； because you
were an invalid。”
“Ha！ If I hadn’t been holding back； I’d have dropped you before you knew I was coming。” He
was certainly back to his old self。 He turned to Myers and Storm。 “Seriously—Lorenzo here
knocked me out all by himself？”
“Well；” said Myers with a grimace； “he did have help。”
Lorenzo’s stomach knotted as he remembered how Dougan had come to his assistance。 “Yes；”
he said numbly。 “I had help。”
It was about twenty minutes after that； trailing a short way behind the others； deep in thought； that
Lorenzo got the feeling he was being followed。 He whirled around； and thought he saw a shape
through the trees。 A humanoid figure； just standing； watching。 But as he brought it into focus； it
slipped away like a shadow。 Like last night’s blue light。 Was he being tricked again？
He called out a challenge； to a halt。 He hurried up to
where he thought the figure had been； his lasgun trained on a thorny bush behind which it could
have taken cover。 There was nobody there。
“Sorry；” he sa