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“I　don’t　know　what　you　mean；”　he　lied。
“Now　you’ve　earned　your　name。　I　heard　what　Greiss　said。”
“He　didn’t　want　me　sacrificing　myself　instead　of　him。　He　wanted　his　blaze　of　glory。　He　was　just
telling　me　what　I　wanted　to　hear。”
“You　really　think？”　Braxton　raised　an　eyebrow。　“Maybe　I　didn’t　know　Old　Hardhead　as　well　as
you　did—but　tell　me　this：　in　all　the　time　he　led　your　squad；　did　he　ever　once　just　tell　anyone　what
they　wanted　to　hear？”
Lorenzo　let　out　a　bark　of　a　laugh；　and　conceded；　“Suppose　not。”
“So；　what　do　I　call　you？”
He　sighed。　“Lorenzo；　still。　Just　Trooper　Lorenzo。　A　Catachan’s　earned　name—it’s　given　to　him
by　his　comrades。　It’s　like　a　mark　of　their　respect；　a　sign　that　they　accept　him。　And　I’ve　got　no
comrades　left。”
“Maybe；　when　the　other　platoons　hear—”
“Maybe。　But　hearing　about　it　isn’t　the　same　as　being　there。　I’ll　probably　be　assigned　to　another
squad；　with　men　who　don’t　know　me；　and　they　won’t　care　that　my　old　sergeant　meant　to　give　me
my　name　if　he’d　been　able　to　think　of　one；　if　he　hadn’t　been　too　busy　charging　to　his　death。　I’ll　have
to　prove　myself　all　over　again。　Anyway；　what　are　they　going　to　call　me？　What　did　I　do　that　was　so
special？　I　wanted　to…　I　wanted　to　be　the　one　who　held　off　the　orks　so　Patch　could　escape；　but　he
got　there　first。　I　wanted　to　be　the　one　who　took　out　Big　Green；　but　I　wasn’t　strong　enough。　I　wanted
to　stop　the　zombies；　but　Old　Hardhead…”
“Sounds　to　me；”　said　Braxton；　“like　you　got　a　suicide　wish—like　you　think　you　can’t　prove
yourself　unless　you　die　in　the　process。　What　was　it　you　just　said　to　me？　‘You　made　it　this　far…’”
“By　not　being　brave　enough；”　Lorenzo　muttered。
“By　taking　everything　this　planet　had　to　throw　at　you；”　countered　Braxton。　“Birds；　acid　plants；
lights；　zombies；　the　earthquake…　By　facing　all　that　and　surviving！　You　think　that　was　dumb　luck？
I’ve　been　watching　you；　Lorenzo；　and　okay；　maybe　you　aren’t　always　the　first　to　stick　your　head　in
the　lion’s　mouth；　but　that’s　because　you　think　about　things；　assess　the　situation；　then　deal　with　it—
not　in　a　showy　way；　not　looking　for　glory；　but　efficiently。　You　get　the　job　done。　You　were　the　first
person　to　give　me　a　chance；　to　look　beyond　the　fact　that　Mackenzie　had　foisted　me　on　you。　Maybe　it
took　the　others　too　long　to　appreciate　that；　maybe　they　took　you　for　granted。　But　I’ll　bet　that’s　what
Old　Hardhead　Greiss　realised　at　the　end　there：　that　you　were　always　there；　for　him；　for　all　of　us；　that
you　were　the　most　dependable　man　on　this　squad。　I’ll　bet　if　he　were　here　now；　he’d　find　a　name　for
you　to　say　all　that。　Something　like…　like…　‘Long　Run’。”
“‘Long　Run’？”
“‘Long　Run’　Lorenzo。　What　do　you　think？　Got　a　ring　to　it？”
“I　don’t　know。　I…”
Braxton　grinned。　“You’ve　got　to　accept　it。　You　just　told　me；　I’m　one　of　you　now。”
“You　enjoy　throwing　my　words　back　in　my　face；　don’t　you？”
“So　I’ve　a　right　to　give　you　your　name。　The　name　you’ve　earned。　And　I　like　the　sound　of　Long
Run。”
Lorenzo　sat　back；　turned　the　words　over　in　his　head；　tried　to　find　an　argument　against　accepting
them；　and　smiled。　“Yes；”　he　said。　“I　like　it　too。”
“So；”　said　Braxton；　“what　do　you　say；　Long　Run？　Ready　to　move　off？”
“I　thought　you　wanted　to　sleep。”
“I　feel　okay　now。　More　than　okay。　I　think　we　should　get　some　distance　under　our　belts；　while
things　are　quiet。”
111
Lorenzo　nodded。　“Maybe　Rogar　hasn’t　covered　over　the　paths　we　cut　through　the　jungle　yet。
We’re　not　likely　to　run　into　any　more　orks　for　a　while。　I　reckon　we　can　make　this　return　trip　in　three
days—less；　if　we　hustle。”
“I　guess　that　depends；”　said　Braxton；　getting　to　his　feet；　“on　how　hard　Rogar　III　tries　to　stop　us。”
“Whatever　it　does；”　said　Lorenzo；　straightening　his　bandana；　“we’ll　deal　with　it。　We　have　to。
We’ve　got　a　story　to　take　back。　The　other　squads；　the　other　platoons；　they’ll　be　back　from　fighting
orks　by　now；　probably　razed　a　few　settlements。　They’ll　want　to　know　how　we　got　on；　if　any　of　it
was　worth　the　sweat。　We　have　to　warn　them　about　Rogar。　We　have　to　tell　them　what　it　is；　what
they’re　doing　to　it。”
“You　think　it’ll　change　anything？”　asked　Braxton。
Lorenzo　shook　his　head。　He　remembered　something　Old　Hardhead　had　said；　on　the　morning
they’d　set　out　from　the　encampment。　“Best　thing　we　could　do　now　would　be　to　leave　this　world
alone。　That’s　all　it　wants。　But　the　Imperium　won’t　leave　as　long　as　the　orks　are　here；　and　the　orks
won’t　leave　until　we　do。　Neither　side　can　afford　to　turn　its　back　on　the　other；　so　we’ll　just　keep
fighting。”
“Over　nothing；”　said　Braxton。
“Over　nothing。”　Lorenzo　agreed。　“And　in　the　meantime；　our　violence　will　breed　violence　in　turn。
They　only　started　calling　Rogar　III　a　deathworld　a　month　ago。　You　have　to　wonder；　what　will　it　be
like　in　another　month？　A　year？　A　decade？”
“I　don’t　know；”　said　Braxton；　“but　I’m　counting　on　being　around　to　find　out。”
Lorenzo　grinned。　“Look　forward　to　it。”
Then；　like　Sly　Marbo　before　them；　they　disappeared　into　the　jungle　together；　in　near…total
silence。　They　left　only　the　faintest　footprints　to　suggest　that　either　of　them　had　ever　been　here。　And；
a　few　minutes　later；　the　deathworld　had　erased　even　them。



　　　　　　　　　　　（The　End）



。　…　。………【gzbysh】整理