Death World(科幻战争)-第30章

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skull　must　have　cracked。　Then　he　felt　the　flowers　give　way；　their　roots　torn　clean　out　of　the
zombie’s　earthen　flesh。
Lorenzo　was　falling　back；　and　he　couldn’t　shift　his　trapped　legs　to　steady　himself；　but　he　threw
out　his　arms　and　found　the　zombie’s　legs；　and　he　hugged　them　tightly；　holding　on　for　his　life。　This
had　the　useful　side…effect　of　unbalancing　the　zombie；　which　reacted　too　slowly；　toppled；　and
splashed　into　the　quagmire　on　its　back。　Lorenzo　was　scrabbling；　clawing　at　its　cold；　wet　mass；　using
it　like　a　log　in　a　river。　He　climbed　onto　it；　dragging　his　legs　after　him；　he　pulled　himself　along　the
zombie’s　length；　yanking　dead　leaves　from　the　vegetation　that　coated　it；　simultaneously　trampling
the　zombie　further　down。
He　hauled　himself　upright　as　the　zombie’s　head　sank　underground。　He　used　its　chest　as　a
springboard；　pushing　off　it；　leaping　for　the　edge　of　the　clearing。　He　landed　with　both　feet　in　the　mud；
and　was　instantly　buried　up　to　the　waist　again；　but　as　the　top　half　of　his　body　fell　forwards；　he　was
able　to　grab　at　a　branch　and；　like　Storm　before　him；　use　it　as　a　lifeline。
He　glanced　over　his　shoulder；　to　see　that　the　zombie　was　thrashing　about；　resurfacing　and
beginning　to　stand—and　that　another　was　heading　his　way。　There　wasn’t　time　to　free　himself
completely　from　Rogar’s　grip。　He　settled　instead　for　dragging　his　backside　up　onto　the　dry　ground
beyond　the　clearing；　his　legs　still　in　the　mud　but　his　shoulder　hooked　behind　a　tree；　bracing　him；
allowing　him　to　resist　the　suction　force　from　below。　He　plunged　his　fingers　into　his　lasgun　barrel
and　scooped　out　as　much　mud　as　he　could。　Then　he　dug　the　butt　into　his　shoulder；　aimed　for　the
second　zombie　and　fired。　The　gun　whined　and　let　out　a　feeble　light。　The　second　zombie　lurched
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closer。　Lorenzo　pumped　the　trigger　again；　and　on　his　fourth　attempt；　the　lasgun　finally　coughed　up
dirt　and　struck　true。
He　had　aimed　for　the　knee　again；　it　took　four　shots　to　penetrate　through　to　the　bone；　and　then　the
oncoming　creature　collapsed　like　a　puppet　with　its　strings　cut；　and　disappeared　below　the　surface。
By　that　time；　the　first　zombie　had　somehow　managed　to　right　itself　and　was　bearing　down　on
him。　This　one　took　six　shots；　and　fell　less　than　a　metre　from　him；　hands　reaching　for　him。　He
thanked　the　God…Emperor　for　the　creatures’　sluggish　reflexes：　if　this　one　had　only　shifted　its　weight
onto　its　good　leg；　it　could　have　stayed　upright　long　enough　to　wrap　its　fingers　around　his　throat。
In　no　immediate　danger　now；　Lorenzo　took　a　second　to　scan　the　battlefield。　Myers　and
Armstrong　were　engaged　in　their　own　struggles；　each　beginning　to　gain　the　upper　hand—but
Braxton　was　in　trouble。
Three　zombies　had　surrounded　the　Validian；　overpowered　him；　and　pushed　him　headlong　into
the　mud。　His　face　was　buried；　he　couldn’t　breathe。
Greiss　had　seen　what　was　happening；　and　was　just　finishing　up　with　his　own　opponent。
Astonishingly；　he　had　whittled　into　it　with　his　Catachan　fang　until　he　had　exposed　its　spine；　which
he　had　then　seized　and　yanked　right　out　of　its　body。　He　tossed　the　wretched　creature’s　remains
aside；　with　a　sneer；　and　began　to　wade　towards　Braxton；　but　the　mud　was　up　to　his　stomach　and　his
progress　was　slow。
Storm　was　firing　in　from　the　sidelines；　and　as　Lorenzo　watched；　the　first　of　Braxton’s　attackers
fell　beneath　his　las…fire　at　last。　Storm　switched　targets；　and　Lorenzo　joined　him；　their　shots
converged　on　the　back　of　the　second　zombie’s　knee　and　burnt　through　it　in　seconds。
The　third　and　final　zombie　swung　around　to　greet　Greiss　with　a　hefty　punch；　which　the　grizzled
sergeant　dodged。　His　face　was　level　with　the　creature’s　stomach—with　its　greater　bulk；　it　looked
like　it　could　crush　him　with　its　thumb—but　he　drove　the　butt　of　his　lasgun　into　its　leg　and；　to
Lorenzo’s　amazement；　shattered　it。　The　bone　must　have　been　old　and　brittle。　But　this　zombie’s
reflexes　were　better　than　most。　Instead　of　falling；　it　swayed　on　one　leg；　and　looked　down　to　where
its　other　leg　hung　loose；　still　attached　to　its　body　by　muddy　tendrils。
Then　Greiss　laid　into　it　with　his　gun　butt　again；　roaring　like　an　animal；　and　slowly；　as　if　it　was
fighting　gravity　itself；　the　zombie　fell　and　was　gone。　Greiss’　path　to　Braxton　was　clear—but　the
Validian　was　gone　now；　too。
There　was　nothing　Lorenzo　could　do　for　him；　no　chance　of　reaching　him。　He　shifted　his
attention　to　the　zombies　still　standing；　supporting　Myers　and　Armstrong’s　efforts　with　his　las…shots。
But　his　eyes　kept　flicking　to　the　patch　of　mud　where　Braxton’s　head　had　gone　under；　and　he　found
himself　holding　his　breath　as　Greiss　propelled　himself　towards　that　spot　and　plunged　his　hands　into
the　shifting　earth。
Myers　was　free　of　ork　zombies；　but　his　struggle　had　cost　him。　He　was　sinking　fast。　Storm　leapt
back　into　the　quagmire；　and　waded　to　his　comrade’s　aid。　He　reached　Myers　and　gripped　him　beneath
the　arms。　He　tried　to　drag　him　free；　but　for　every　two　centimetres　the　pair　gained；　the　quagmire
reclaimed　one；　and　Myers　was　buried　up　to　his　neck　now。
Lorenzo　concentrated　on　freeing　his　own　legs。　When　the　planet　let　go；　it　did　so　suddenly；　and　he
fell　back　into　a　bush　and　lost　vital　seconds　disentangling　his　vest　from　its　thorns。　He　raced　around
the　edge　of　the　quagmire；　to　the　point　at　which　Storm　had　re…entered　it。　He　could　reach　him　from
here；　by　placing　one　foot　in　the　mud　while　leaving　the　other　braced　behind　him。　He　caught　Storm’s
reaching　hand；　and　pulled　at　it　with　all　his　strength。
Across　the　clearing；　to　Lorenzo’s　relief；　Greiss　pulled　Braxton；　coughing　and　spluttering；　to　the
surface—but　the　effort　had　cost　him；　and　now　they　were　both　treading　mud；　only　their　heads　visible；
helpless。
Armstrong’s　las…bolts　despatched　the　final　zombie；　and　he　was　in　trouble　now　too；　he　wasn’t　too
far　from　the　edge；　but　with　his　useless　arm　he　had　no　way　of　reaching　it。　Lorenzo　gritted　his　teeth
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and　pulled　harder；　and　at　last　Storm　stumbled　onto　the　bank　beside　him；　and　they　took　one　of　Myers’
arms　each　and　dragged　him　up　after　them。
Myers　was　trying　to　bring　something　with　him。　He　strained　and　pulled；　and　the　earth　released　its
grip　on　his　muddied　backpack。　Lorenzo　had　lost　his；　along　with　his　jacket　and　his　bandolier。　Myers
was　rummaging　in　the　pack　before　his　legs　　grinned
behind　his　black　beard　as　his　comrade　produced　a　rope。　He　must　have　woven　it　himself　from　plant
roots；　after　they’d　lost　the　others　at　the　river。
Myers　made　the　throw；　of　course。　The　end　of　the　rope　slapped　into　the　mud　a　centimetre　or　two
from　Greiss’　head；　but　was　absorbed　before　he　could　free　an　arm　to　reach　for　it。　Both　Greiss　and
Braxton　strained　to　move　their　submerged　limbs；　to　find　their　sinking　lifeline；　and　Braxton’s　chin
went　under　and　he　spluttered　again　as　he　took　a　mouthful　of　earth。　Then；　a　tense　moment　later；　the
Validian　yelled　out；　“Got　it！”　and　Myers　and　Lorenzo　pulled　for　all　they　were　worth。
Storm；　in　the　meantime；　had　found　a　branch　that　jutted　out　over　Armstrong’s　position。　He
climbed　up　to　it　and　swarmed　along　it；　the　branch　bending　beneath　his　weight。　Armstrong　raised　his
good　arm；　and　their　fingers　strained　to　find　each　other。
At　last　the　struggle　was　won；　and　six　muddy；　exhausted　soldiers　lay　on　dry　land　and　looked
mournfully　at　the　swamp　that　had　been　their　campsite；　thinking　of　the　precious　kit　they　had　lost　to
its　embrace；　and　of　how　much　more　they　could　have　lost。
They　had　just　three　half…filled　water　bottles　between　them　now；　Lorenzo’s；　Storm’s　and
Armstrong’s　having　gone　down　with　their　backpacks。　The　flamer　could　never　be　assembled　again
without　the　parts　Storm　had　been　carrying。　They　were　just　grateful　that　Myers　still　had　the　power
packs　for　their　lasguns。
But　Lorenzo　felt　most　sorry　for　Armstrong；　because　his　devil　claw　knife　had　been　snatched　from
him。　The　veteran　Jungle　Fighter　looked　devastated　about　that；　far　more　hurt　than　he’d　been　by　his
shoulder　injury。　Braxton　offered　him　Woods’　old　devil　claw；　but　he　just　shrugged　the　Validian
away。　It　wasn’t　the　same。
“I　hate　to　say　this；”　announced　Greiss；　“but　we　need　to　move　on　before　we　can　bed　down　again。”
“You　think　there’s　anywhere　safe　on　this　damned　planet？”　asked　Armstrong；　sullenly。
“I’m　gambling　it　takes　a　good　while　for　Rogar　to　turn　an　area　like　this　into　a　bog；”　said　Greiss；
“else　why　would　it　have　waited　till　now？　In　future；　we’re　just　going　to　have　to　move　between　two　or
three　campsites　a　night；　grab　our　sleep　a　few　hours　at　a　time。”　They　all　saw　the　sense　in　that；　though
it　was　a　disheartening　proposition。
In　the　event；　they　moved　only　a　few　hundred　metres　before　Greiss　gave　the　order　to　start
clearing　the　ground　again。　Lorenzo　and　Armstrong　took　their　watch　while　the　others　slept。
Armstrong　was　poor　company；　sitting　on　a　tree　trunk　and　stared　at　his　own　feet。　Lorenzo；
fortunately；　had　slept　long　enough　to　feel　relatively　refreshed。　He　hoisted　the　protective　plastic
sheets　over　his　comrades’　heads　by　himself；　though　shortly　after　he　had　done　so　the　rain　subsided　at
last。
A　few　silver…backed　snakes　hissed　in　the　undergrowth—but　to　Lorenzo’s　relief；　the　rest　of　the
night　passed　without　incident。
The　next　morning；　the　Jungle　Fighters　had　an　unexpected　visitor。
The　figure　stepped　out　of　the　trees　as　they　were　making　to　move　out—and　instantly；　six　lasguns
were　drawn　and　aimed　at　it。　The　figure　made　no　threatening　move；　however。
Lorenzo　peered　at　it　curiously。　It　was　humanoid　in　shape；　about　his　height　and　build—and　to　an
extent；　it　resembled　one　of　the　ork　zombies；　fashioned　as　it　was　from　Rogar’s　vegetation。　But　this
figure　was　wearing　a　jacket　woven　from　varicoloured　leaves；　and　a　branch　slung　across　its　back
where　the　Jungle　Fighters　kept　their　lasguns；　and　it　even　seemed　to　have　a　face；　wide…eyed　and
grinning；　though　this　was　just　a　pattern　formed—accidentally？—by　the　twisted　stalks　and　plants　that
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ran　through　its　rough；　sculpted　head。　A　thatch　of　straw　was　perched　atop　that　head；　like　a　mop　of
blond　hair。
It　grinned　at　the　Jungle　Fighters　for　a　minute　or　more；　as　they　watched　it　warily。　Then　the　figure
let　out　a　bizarre；　inhuman　noise：　a　series　of　guttural　clicks　and　warbling　vowel　sounds。　Then　it
turned；　and　with　a　clumsy