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many　Imperial　Guard　regiments　have　had　to　go　crying　for　reinforcements　against　a　few　trees　and
flowers。”
The　Validian’s　eyes　bulged　and　his　face　reddened。　He　pulled　back　his　fist；　but　Woods　had
anticipated　the　move。　He　sidestepped　the　sergeant’s　blow；　and　simultaneously　took　hold　of　his
attacker；　using　his　own　weight　to　flip　him　onto　his　back　on　the　table。
The　move　had　the　effect　of　bringing　the　rest　of　Lorenzo’s　squad　to　their　feet；　as　they　leapt　to
avoid　flying　cups　and　bowls。　Two　tables　away；　the　Validian’s　fellows　were　also　pushing　back　their
chairs　and　standing。　Their　downed　sergeant　tried　to　right　himself；　but　Woods　was　keeping　him　offbalance。
The　sergeant　kicked　out；　and　Woods　danced　out　of　the　way　of　his　boot。　As　the　sergeant
swung　his　legs　over　the　side　of　the　table　and　made　to　stand　at　last；　Woods　head…butted　him—the
fabled　“Catachan　Kiss”—and　his　nose　splintered　in　a　fountain　of　blood。
The　first　two　Validians　came　at　Woods；　but　Armstrong　and　Dougan　intercepted　them。　It　looked
like　Steel　Toe　was　just　trying　to　calm　things　down；　even　at　this　stage；　but　his　efforts　were　futile：　as　a
Validian　took　a　swing　at　him；　he　responded　with　a　punch　to　the　jaw　that　laid　him　right　out。　Another
six　Guardsmen　surged　forward　as　one；　and　Myers　and　Storm　leapt　onto　the　table　and　stood　back　to
back；　lashing　out　with　fists　and　feet。
In　just　seconds；　an　all…out　brawl　had　broken　out。　No　guns　or　knives　were　drawn；　but　nor　were
any　punches　pulled。　Even　Landon　joined　in　with　gusto；　pummelling　away　at　the　stomach　of　a　man
two　heads　taller　than　himself　until　he　staggered　and　passed　out　through　sheer　inability　to　draw
breath。
15
A　pug…nosed；　unshaven　sergeant　came　at　Lorenzo　with　a　chair　raised　over　his　head。　Lorenzo
ducked　under　the　makeshift　weapon；　and　threw　himself　at　its　wielder。　His　head　impacted　with　the
soft　tissue　of　the　sergeant’s　stomach；　and　they　went　rolling　end　over　end　on　the　dirt…streaked　floor。
The　violence　was　spreading　like　unchecked　fire。　Other　squads　were　pulled　into　the　fray；　taking
sides　according　to　regimental　loyalty。　Validian　reinforced　Validian；　Catachan　reinforced　Catachan；
until　the　entire　hall　had　erupted　into　a　cacophonic　mass　of　screams　and　yells　and　crashes　and　the　dull
smacks　of　fists　and　feet　against　flesh。　Out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye；　Lorenzo　saw　two　ogryns
ploughing　into　the　melee；　picking　up　men　by　the　throat　two　at　a　time　and　knocking　their　heads
together。
He　had　managed　to　get　on　top　of　his　opponent；　surprising　the　sergeant　with　his　litheness。　He
pinned　him　with　a　knee　to　his　chest；　and　drove　his　knuckles　repeatedly　into　the　sergeant’s　face—
until　two　Guardsmen　seized　him　from　behind；　and　tore　him　away。　Lorenzo　had　seen　them　coming；
but　in　the　midst　of　such　chaos　it　was　impossible　to　avoid　all　the　possible　threats。　Still；　he　was
prepared　for　this　one。　He　thrust　his　elbows　back；　catching　his　would…be　captors　off…guard；　and　threw
himself　into　a　forward　roll；　wrenching　their　hands　from　his　shoulders。　He　dropped　into　an　alert
stance；　expecting　the　Validians　to　come　at　him　again；　but　they　had　other　problems。　Greiss　had　just
waded　into　them。
The　sergeant　planted　his　hand　in　one　man’s　face；　and　pushed　him　back　with　enough　force　to
send　him　sprawling。　Then　he　concentrated　his　efforts　on　the　other；　his　expression　feral；　a　zealous
gleam　in　his　eyes　as　he　laid　into　his　victim　with　a　barrage　of　punches　so　fast　and　furious　that　their
sheer　force　kept　him　upright　for　a　second　after　he　was　knocked　cold。
Dougan　was　in　trouble。　He　was　surrounded；　and　it　looked　like　his　artificial　leg　was　playing　up
again；　slowing　him　down。　Lorenzo　flew　to　the　older　man’s　assistance；　but　two　more　Validians　rose
up　in　his　path。　He　transferred　his　momentum　to　his　fist；　and　drove　it　into　the　first　man’s　skull。　The
second　made　a　grab　for　Lorenzo’s　throat；　and　simultaneously　knocked　his　legs　out　from　under　him。
For　an　instant；　he　was　suspended　in　midair；　choking。　He　managed　to　plant　his　hands　on　his
attacker’s　shoulders；　and　bring　up　his　feet；　kicking　at　the　Validian’s　chest。　They　both　fell；　but
Lorenzo　spun　and　hit　the　ground　on　his　feet；　and　was　ready　for　the　first　Validian　as　he　came　at　him
again。
In　the　meantime；　Muldoon　had　come　to　Dougan’s　aid；　letting　out　a　war　cry　as　he　bowled　into　the
men　surrounding　his　comrade　and　scattered　them。　Dougan　got　his　second　wind；　hoisted　one　foe　by
the　scruff　of　his　flak　jacket　and　hurled　him；　arms　and　legs　thrashing　furiously；　into　another。　The
ogryns　were　still　cracking　skulls；　the　Validians　now　realising　what　they　had　taken　on；　almost
trampling　each　other　to　get　away　from　the　misshapen　creatures。
One　particularly　hapless　specimen　backed　into　Lorenzo；　eyes　wide　with　fear；　just　as　the
Catachan　finished　putting　down　his　own　two　opponents。　In　the　heat　of　a　terrified　moment；　the
Validian　broke　the　unspoken　rule；　by　drawing　his　lasgun。
Lorenzo　was　on　him　before　he　could　aim　it。　The　gun　dropped　from　the　Guardsman’s　grasp　as
Lorenzo　seized　his　arm　and　twisted　it　until　the　bone　snapped。　The　Validian　let　out　a　yelp　and　fell　to
his　knees；　but　he　had　foregone　any　right　to　sympathy　or　mercy；　and　Lorenzo　knocked　him　cold　with
a　spinning　kick　to　the　head。
His　keen　ears　caught　the　sound　of　a　whining　voice；　straining　to　be　heard　across　the　tumult。
Commissar　Mackenzie　had　just　strode　into　the　hall；　and　he　was　demanding　calm；　to　no　avail。　At　his
heels；　however；　was　Graves—and　when　the　colonel　spoke；　Catachans　and　Validians　alike　fell　still。
“Just　what　the　hell　is　going　on　here？”　Graves　roared；　his　voice　resonating　in　the　sudden　guilty
hush。
16
CHAPTER　THREE
“I　said；　what　the　hell　is　going　on？　What　do　you　think　you’re　doing？”
Colonel　Graves　strode　deeper　into　the　mess　hall；　his　blazing　eyes　darting　from　Catachan　to
Validian　to　Catachan；　sharing　around　the　force　of　his　scorn。　“I’ve　seen　acid　grubs　behave　with　more
dignity。　You’re　meant　to　be　on　the　same　side！”
Mackenzie　scuttled　after　him。　“Do　you　see？”　he　fumed。　“This　is　why　I　was　opposed　to　bringing
Jungle　Fighters　into　this　campaign。”　He　raised　his　voice　to　address　the　hall。　“I　want—no；　I
demand—to　know　who　the　ringleaders　were　behind　this　disgraceful　display。　Names　and　ranks！”
A　few　eyes　were　cast　down；　a　few　feet　shuffled；　but　the　Validians　were　no　more　willing　than　the
Catachans　were　to　tell　on　their　own。　In　the　face　of　their　intransigence；　the　commissar’s　face　grew
steadily　redder。
“Sergeant　Wallace！”
The　unlucky　Validian　who　the　commissar　had　singled　out　snapped　to　attention；　and　reported；
“My　apologies；　sir；　I　didn’t　see　how　the　incident　started。　My　men　and　I　only　acted　to　calm　the
situation　when　it　seemed　to　be　getting　out　of　hand。”
Mackenzie　got　the　same　story；　almost　verbatim；　from　his　next　two　sergeants。
Lorenzo　sensed　a　surreptitious　movement　behind　him；　and　he　turned　to　see　that　the　sergeant
whose　nose　Woods　had　broken　was　being　helped　to　his　feet；　a　piece　of　cloth　clasped　to　his　bloodied
face。　He　was　glaring　venomously　at　the　cause　of　his　woes；　but　Woods　returned　his　gaze　with　a　smug
grin　and　cracked　his　knuckles　into　his　palm。
It　was　this　look　that　Commissar　Mackenzie　caught；　and　he　bustled　over　to　the　pair；　his　nostrils
flaring　with　self…righteous　zeal。　“Enright？”
The　bloodied　sergeant　shrugged　helplessly；　using　his　cloth　as　a　shield　from　interrogation。
Mackenzie　clicked　his　tongue　in　impatience；　then　dismissed　Enright　and　the　two　Guardsmen　who
were　supporting　him　with　an　impatient　hand　movement。　The　trio　made　their　way　to　the　door；　and　no
doubt　to　whatever　medical　facility　this　camp　offered。
Mackenzie　fixed　Woods　with　a　shrivelling　glare；　which　he　then　turned　upon　the　Catachans
around　him　until　he　saw　the　sergeant’s　stripes　on　Greiss’　arm。　“Perhaps　you　can　shed　some　light　on
this　matter；　sergeant？”
“Greiss；　sir。”
“Sergeant　Greiss。　You　seem　to　have　had　a　ringside　seat　for　the　worst　of　it。”
“My　apologies；　sir；”　said　Greiss　in　a　faintly　mocking　tone；　“I　didn’t　see　how　the　incident　started。
My　men　and　I　only　acted　to　calm　the　situation　when　it　seemed　to　be　getting　out　of　hand。”
One　of　the　Catachans　let　out　a　harsh　laugh；　but　Mackenzie　wasn’t　amused。　He　cast　another
distasteful　look　at　Woods；　and　snapped；　“It