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sweat。　“It’s　as　if　evolution　has　been　speeded　up　here；”　he　considered。　“The　red　flowers　couldn’t
catch　their　prey　any　more；　because　the　insects—and　we—had　learned　to　keep　out　of　their　way；　so
they　evolved　a　means　of　bringing　their　prey　to　them。　Likewise　for　the　spitters；　they’ve　learned　how
to　spit　further。　The　different　species　are　even　working　together—but　all　this　should　take　generations。
Instead；　it’s　happened　in　a　few　days。　I’d　say　it　was　impossible；　but　we’re　seeing　it　with　our　own
eyes。”
Lorenzo　felt　that　chill　of　the　unnatural　playing　about　his　spine　again。　He　didn’t　want　to　hear　this；
didn’t　want　to　believe；　but　he　had　no　choice。　“That’s　why　the　birds　and　the　lizards　have　been
growing　more　hostile；”　he　said　in　a　hollow　tone。
“And　changing　their　tactics。”　Donovits　confirmed。
“And　why　they　only　started　calling　Rogar　III　a　deathworld　a　few　weeks　ago；”　said　Armstrong。
“I’d　guess；”　said　Donovits；　“that　it　was　the　arrival　of　the　orks　and　the　Imperium　that　upset　the
ecological　balance　here。　Since　then…”
“Rogar　has　been　evolving　ways　to　combat　them。”　Armstrong　concluded　the　thought　grimly。
“Now；　it’s　evolving　ways　to　combat　us！”
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It　took　a　moment　for　that　to　sink　in；　for　the　consequences　to　register　with　everyone；　before
Greiss　put　them　into　words。
“That　means　we　can’t　take　a　thing　for　granted；”　he　said　glumly。　“Soon　as　we　think　we　know
what　a　creature　or　plant　can　do；　it’s　likely　to　up　and　develop　a　whole　new　set　of　offensive
capabilities。　You　need　to　stay　on　your　toes；　troopers。”
Mackenzie　had　been　leaning　against　a　tree；　hands　on　his　knees；　getting　his　breath　back；　licking
his　wounds。　Now　he　pushed　himself　up　to　an　unsteady　vertical。　“You’re　forgetting；　Trooper　Greiss；
you　don’t　give　the　orders　around　here　anymore。”
“Will　do；　sergeant；”　said　Woods　as　if　the　commissar　hadn’t　spoken。
“Too　right；　sergeant；”　said　Myers。
“Whatever　you　say；　sergeant；”　said　Storm。
Mackenzie　just　scowled；　and　ordered　them　to　get　moving。　He　was　no　longer　so　keen；　though；　to
lead　from　the　front　as　he　had　been　doing。　He　instructed　Woods　to　take　point　in　his　place；　and　fell
back　to　his　more　accustomed　position　among　the　troops。　He　saw　that　Greiss　was　regarding　him
through　hooded　eyes；　and　he　said　curtly；　“I’m　watching　you；　Greiss。　One　misstep　and　I’ll　have　you
in　chains。”
“With　respect；　commissar；”　Greiss　growled；　“you　might　be　better　off　watching　your　own　back。
The　jungle’s　a　dangerous　place—and　if　you　get　dragged　away　like　Hotshot　just　did；　you　don’t　want
to　be　relying　on　an　‘undisciplined　rabble’　to　save　your　scrawny　hide；　now　do　you？”
He　bared　his　teeth　in　a　cruel　smile。
They　reached　the　river　early　in　the　afternoon。
Mackenzie　looked　pleased　about　this；　as　it　suggested　he　had　kept　his　squad　on　course　despite
Greiss’　reservations。　“Five　minutes；　everyone；”　he　said　magnanimously。　“Fill　your　water　bottles；
wash　up；　whatever　you　feel　you　need　to　do。　Just　remember；　this　is　the　last　known　fresh　water
between　us　and　the　warboss。”
“You’re　assuming　it　is　fresh　water；”　said　Greiss。
“I　told　you　before；　Greiss；　my　men　reconnoitred　this　area。　We　tested　the　water　for　all　known
poisons　and　diseases。”
“We　might　know　a　few　you　don’t；”　suggested　Armstrong。
Mackenzie’s　voice　rose　in　indignation。　“That　water　is　perfectly　safe。　I’ve　drunk　it　myself。　Or　did
you　think　we’d　been　sitting　on　our　hands　for　the　past　year　just　waiting　for　the　almighty　Jungle
Fighters　to　show　up　and　rescue　us？”
“Just　saying　I’d　like　to　see　for　myself；”　growled　Greiss。　“Sharkbait？”
“Aye；　sergeant。”　Muldoon　tore　up　a　handful　of　weeds　and　approached　the　riverbank。　The　water；
a　short　way　below　him；　was　impossibly　clear　and　fast　flowing。　It　was　six　metres　wide；　and　it
sparkled　hypnotically　as　it　caught　the　sun。　Lorenzo　shared　the　sergeant’s　suspicion：　it　looked　too
good　to　be　true。
Muldoon　cast　his　weeds　into　the　river。　It　hissed　and　bubbled　where　they　hit；　and　Lorenzo　could
see　that　the　water　was　eating　into　the　vegetation；　even　as　the　current　swept　it　away　in　a　telltale　cloud
of　vapour。
Mackenzie　blanched。　“It…　The　reports…　My　men　assured　me…　Why　would　they…？”
“Just　a　guess；　commissar；　sir；”　said　Greiss　with　a　crooked　grin；　“but　perhaps　your　men　just　don’t
like　you　much。”
Braxton　hurried　to　offer　a　kinder　explanation。　“It　must　be　as　Donovits　said；　sir。　The　planet　is
adapting　to　our　presence；　finding　new　ways　to　fight　us。”
“Maybe；”　agreed　Donovits；　“but　this　goes　beyond　evolution；　accelerated　or　not。　If　this　really　was
a　freshwater　river—if　it’s　become　so　highly　acidic　in　a　matter　of　weeks—we’re　talking　about　a
sizeable　ecological　shift。”
50
“Could　it　be　the　orks？”　asked　Braxton—and　he　wasn’t　the　only　man　present；　Lorenzo　sensed；
who　wanted　to　think　that—to　cling　to　a　rational；　knowable　cause　for　their　woes。　“Could　they　have
poisoned　the　water　somehow？”
“Maybe；”　conceded　Donovits；　though　he　sounded　doubtful。
“Don’t　underestimate　these　orks；”　muttered　Mackenzie。　“I　told　you；　this　new　warboss　is　smart！”
“Yes；　well；”　said　Greiss。　“Right　now；　the　important　thing　isn’t　what　may　or　may　not　have
happened　in　the　past—it’s　what　we　do　about　it　in　the　here　and　now。”
Mackenzie　had　been　staring　into　the　acid　river。　Now；　he　snapped　to　attention　as　if　remembering
his　responsibilities。　“Right。　I　hope　I　don’t　have　to　tell　you　people　to　conserve　supplies　from　here　on。
In　the　meantime；　we　have　a　more　pressing　problem。”
“Don’t　tell　me；”　said　Greiss　wryly。　“We　have　to　cross　that　thing。”
They　began　by　sending　Woods　up　a　tree。
He　shinned　up　to　its　topmost　branches；　until　its　leaves　hid　him　from　view。　He　disturbed　a　bird—
the　first　the　squad　had　seen　all　day—but　instead　of　attacking　him　it　squawked　in　terror　and　took
flight。
From　his　new　vantage　point；　Woods　scanned　the　length　of　the　river　in　each　direction；　looking　for
a　natural　crossing。　No　one　was　really　surprised　when　he　returned　with　the　news　that　there　was　none。
That　would　have　been　too　easy。
Armstrong　had　brought　rope；　so　the　rest　of　the　squad　stood　back　as　Myers　tied　a　lasso；　swung　it
over　his　head　and　let　the　looped　end　fly。　It　soared　across　the　acid　river　to　the　opposite　bank；　and
caught　hold　of　a　tree　branch。　Myers　tugged　at　it　to　confirm　it　was　secure。　The　rope　came　loose；　and
there　was　a　collective　wince　as　it　slapped　into　the　river　and　was　dissolved　in　an　instant；　before　he
could　even　think　about　reeling　it　in。　Myers　was　left　with　just　the　two…metre　length　that　had　been
coiled　in　his　hands。
The　Jungle　Fighters　tested　a　few　creepers；　but　found　them　brittle；　dried　out　by　the　relentless　heat。
Muldoon　suggested　they　dig　up　some　snapper　flowers；　and　Greiss　approved　the　idea。　Mackenzie
grumbled　something　under　his　breath；　but　he　didn’t　object—so　soon；　they　were　working　in　a　heavy
silence；　weaving　a　replacement　rope　from　the　flowers’　hardy　roots。　They　knotted　several　short
strands　together；　and　finally　they　were　ready　for　Myers　to　try　again。
This　time；　the　lasso　caught　and　held。　Myers　tied　his　end　of　the　rope　around　the　sturdiest　tree　he
could　find；　and　Mackenzie　asked　for　a　volunteer　to　be　first　across。
Lorenzo’s　was　the　second　hand　in　the　air；　as　usual。　The　first　belonged　to　Landon。
“You　sure　about　this？”　Greiss　quizzed　him。
“Makes　sense；　sergeant；”　said　the　rookie。　Lorenzo　could　see　how　nervous　he　felt　about　saying
this；　but　he　was　saying　it　anyway。　“Someone’s　got　to　go　over　there　and　tie　the　rope　up　securely；　and
I’m　the　lightest。　I’m　the　most　likely　to　make　it。”
Greiss　accepted　that；　so　Muldoon　set　about　tying　his　remaining　two　metres　of　rope　around　the
volunteer’s　waist；　passing　it　between　his　legs　and　finally　over　the　knotted　plant　roots　to　act　as　a
safety　harness。　To　this；　he　attached　the　end　of　another　length　of　roots；　which　would　pay　itself　out　as
Landon　went　across。
Then　the　Jungle　Fighters　watched　in　tense　silence　as　Muldoon　hoisted　Landon　up　until　he　could
grip　the　precarious　root　bridge　with　his　hands　and　feet。　The　rookie　had　left　his　heavy　pack　behind；
but　his　lasgun　was　slung　across　his　back；　he　never　knew　what　he　might　encounter；　alone　on　the　far
side。
Landon　made　his　way　across　quickly；　hangin