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irritation。　Dunst；　whoever　he　was；　seemed　to　be　the　reason　that　Sergeant　Wulfe　had　it　in　for　him。
Lenck　wanted　details；　sure　that　the　knowledge　would　give　him　the　upper　hand；　but　he　had　no　idea
how　to　get　them。　Wulfe’s　crew　seemed　to　dislike　him　just　as　much　as　their　precious　commander　did；
especially　that　bastard　Holtz；　the　one　with　the　mashed…up　groxburger　for　a　face。
“Ain’t　you　listening；　Lenck？”　growled　Varnuss　over　the　intercom。
“No；　I’m　not；”　said　Lenck；　“but　don’t　let　that　stop　you。”
The　big　loader　turned　to　scowl；　tattoos　on　his　neck　and　shoulders　rippling　as　the　muscles　under
them　shifted；　but　he　changed　his　mind　when　he　saw　the　way　Lenck　was　stroking　his　knife。　He　turned
back　to　his　station　and　muttered；　“I　said　it’s　getting　worse　out　there；　not　better。　Look　through　the
vision　blocks。　It’s　like　night…time；　only　its　all　red。　We　shouldn’t　be　moving　at　all。”
“Least　we’re　not　out　in　front　like　Cold　Deliverance；”　said　Riesmann；　chipping　in。　“Second　in
line　suits　me　fine。　I　wouldn’t　want　to　be　on　Muller’s　crew　for　love　nor　money。”
“And　that’s　saying　something；”　Lenck　quipped；　“since　you’ve　always　had　so　damned　little　of
either。　Relax；　both　of　you。　That’s　an　order。　You　don’t　hear　Hobbs　complaining；　do　you？”
“He　only　stopped　“cos　you　threatened　to　fix　it　so　everyone　in　the　army　group　thinks　he’s　a　fruit；”
replied　Riesmann　sourly。
“Right；”　laughed　Lenck；　“and　the　same　goes　for　you。　Think　of　it　like　this：　so　long　as　we’re　stuck
in　this　storm；　van　Droi　and　that　flag…waving　fool　of　an　infantry　colonel　have　enough　to　worry　about。
We’re　not　out　in　front。　Hobbs　is　doing　all　the　driving。　All　we　can　do　is　sit　back　and　ride　it　out。”
The　others　didn’t　reply。　They　listened　to　the　wind　for　a　moment　as　it　screamed　around　the　edges
of　the　tank。　Lenck　could　hear　the　tow　chains　creaking。　Riesmann　and　Varnuss　glanced　at　each　other
nervously。
“What’re　they　saying　on　the　vox？”　Riesmann　asked。
“Nothing；”　Lenck　replied。
“You　sure？　The　lights　are　on。　Someone’s　talking。”
“It’s　just　interference；”　said　Lenck。　He　reached　into　one　of　the　stowage　bins　and　pulled　out　a
green　metal　jerry　can。　It　was　much　smaller　than　the　ones　they　had　been　given　to　piss　in。　He
unscrewed　the　cap；　tipped　the　can　to　his　mouth；　and　drank。
“Hey；”　said　Varnuss；　“what’s　that？　If　you’ve　been　holding　back　water…”
“It’s　not　water；”　said　Lenck　smugly。　“It’s　a　little　something　special　I’ve　been　keeping　aside。”　He
tossed　his　head。　“Damn　it　goes　down　rough。　Good　kick　though。”
Varnus　and　Riesmann　half…turned。　It　was　the　most　they　could　manage　in　the　incredibly　cramped
turret　basket。　Riesmann　sniffed　the　air　and　said；　“That’s　liquor。　You’d　better　share　it　out；　Lenck。　We
look　after　you；　you　look　after　us；　remember？”
“Teah；”　rumbled　Varnuss；　“that’s　what　you　said；　Lenck。”
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“I　know　what　I　said；　you　dolts。　Give　me　a　bloody　break。　Would　I　have　shown　you　at　all　if　I
didn’t　intend　to　share？”
He　lifted　the　jerrycan　and　handed　it　to　Riesmann；　who　took　it　greedily　and　raised　it　to　his　lips。
Before　he　could　gulp　any　down；　however；　New　Champion　of　Cerbera　skidded　forward　with　a
sudden　surge；　and　then　stopped。　Her　front　suspension　strained；　groaning　as　it　was　compressed　to　its
limits　while　her　rear　lifted　into　the　air。　Then　there　was　a　sharp　clang　that　shook　the　whole　tank；　and
the　front　suspension　sprang　upwards　again。
The　men　inside　were　thrown　from　their　seats。　Lenck　just　managed　to　avoid　splitting　his　head
wide　open　on　the　corner　of　one　of　the　stowage　bins。　Varnuss　wasn’t　so　lucky。　Blood　spilled　from　a
deep　cut　in　his　crown。
Riesmann　was　thrown　painfully　against　the　manual　traverse　wheel；　grunting　as　the　metal　handle
dug　into　his　side。　He　spilled　Lenck’s　liquor　all　over　his　fatigues。
“What　the　frak　was　that？”　shouted　Lenck。　“Hobbs；　what　in　the　bloody　warp　just　happened？”
Fear　and　shock　raised　the　pitch　of　Hobbs’　voice　as　he　replied　over　the　intercom；　“By　the
frakkin”　Eye；　Lenck。　I　think…　I　think　we　just　lost　Cold　Deliverance。”
Wulfe　had　to　strain　his　ears　to　make　out　the　lieutenant’s　voice　as　it　said；　“All　tanks；　halt！　That’s　an
order。　Stop　where　you　are。　Do　not　move　an　inch。”　He　didn’t　waste　any　time。
“Dead　stop；　Metzger；”　he　snapped　over　the　intercom。
Last　Rites　II　ground　to　an　immediate　halt。
“What’s　going　on；　sarge？”　asked　Holtz；　pressing　his　eyes　to　the　main　gun’s　scope。
“Quiet；”　said　Wulfe。　He　squinted　with　effort　as　he　listened　carefully　to　the　voice　on　the　vox…link。
After　a　moment；　he　said；　“It’s　Cold　Deliverance。　She’s　gone　quiet。　From　the　sounds　of　it；　she
dropped。”
“Into　what？”　asked　Siegler；　turning　to　stare　at　Wulfe。
“We　won’t　know　till　the　storm’s　passed；”　said　Holtz。　“Will　we？”
Wulfe　was　listening　to　the　vox　again。　Then　he　said；　“The　New　Champion　called　it　in。　From　the
sounds　of　it；　the　front　tow　peg　snapped　right　off。　Damned　lucky　she　didn’t　go　over；　too。”
“Or　unlucky；”　grumbled　Holtz；　“depending　on　how　you　look　at　it。”
Wulfe　knew　what　he　meant；　but；　if　any　of　Muller’s　crew　were　still　alive；　it　was　just　as　well
Lenck’s　tank　hadn’t　gone　over。
“What’s　van　Droi　saying？”　asked　Siegler　nervously。
Wulfe　listened　for　a　another　moment。　He　shook　his　head　miserably　as　he　answered；　“Nothing　we
can　do。　So　long　as　the　storm　continues　at　this　intensity；　we　can’t　move　a　bloody　muscle。　Muller　and
his　boys　will　need　to　wait　it　out　like　the　rest　of　us。”
“But　they’ll　need　medical　attention！”　piped　Siegler。
“I　know　that；　Sig；”　snapped　Wulfe；　“but　look　outside　the　tank；　damn　it。　You　think　we　can　help
them　in　this？”
Siegler　looked　down　at　his　hands；　obviously　upset；　and　Wulfe　felt　immediately　contrite。　He
leaned　forward　and　patted　the　loader’s　broad；　powerful　shoulder。
“Sorry；　Sig；”　he　said。　“I　know　you’re　just　worried　about　them。　I　am；　too。”
Warp…damn　it　all；　he　thought。　We　can’t　keep　taking　knocks　like　this。　Where　in　the　blasted　Eye
are　the　rest　of　the　army　group？
Forcing　calm　into　his　voice；　he　told　his　crew；　“Let’s　keep　it　together。　Gunheads　never　give　up；
remember？　We　keep　fighting。　It’s　what　we　do。”
Siegler　looked　slightly　mollified。　He　said；　“Maybe　Borscht’s　ghost　will　help　us　again。”
Wulfe’s　blood　turned　to　ice…water。
“What　did　you　just　say？”
“Damn　it；　Siegler；”　Holtz　hissed。　“I　frakking　told　you　about　that。”
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Siegler　seemed　to　realise　the　gravity　of　the　mistake　he　had　just　made。　His　eyes　flashed　from
Wulfe　to　Holtz　in　a　panic。　“Sorry；　Holtz！　It　just　came　out。”
Wulfe　turned　to　Holtz。　“Explain　yourself；　corporal。　And　that’s　not　a　request。　It’s　an　order。”
Holtz　shook　his　head　and　sighed。　“What　did　you　expect；　sarge？　Did　you　think　we　were　too
stupid　to　put　it　together？　That　canyon　on　Palmeros；　you　losing　it　and　stopping　the　tank　for　no　reason。
Then　Strieber’s　lads　getting　hamstrung　by　that　landmine。　And　there　was　the　medicae　report。　Old
Borscht　died　at　almost　the　exact　moment　you　started　hearing　a　voice　on　the　intercom　that　no　one
else　could。”
Wulfe　slumped　in　his　chair。
“You　knew　all　this　time？”　he　muttered。　“Why　the　hell　didn’t　you　put　in　for　a　transfer？　Your
sergeant　thinks　he　saw　a　ghost；　for　Throne’s　sake。　Metzger；　did　you　know　about　this？”
The　driver　answered　in　a　sullen　tone；　“Afraid　so；　sarge。　It　was　your　warp…dreams　mostly。　You
did　a　lot　of　shouting　in　your　sleep　while　we　were　between　systems。”
Wulfe　was　dumbfounded。
“We　don’t　think　you’ve　lost　it；”　said　Siegler。
“Right；”　said　Holtz。　“In　fact；　we　were　pissed　off　that　you　didn’t　tell　us　yourself。　I　mean；　the
ghost　didn’t　just　save　you。　It　saved　all　of　us。　We　could　have　prayed　for　Borscht’s　soul　together。
Viess　took　it　pretty　badly。　Said　you　should　have　trusted　us　more。”
Wulfe　saw　how　foolish　he　had　been　to　think　they　wouldn’t　put　two　and　two　together。　“I　couldn’t
tell　you　the　truth。　I　wasn’t　sure　it　was　the　truth　myself。　I　still　haven’t　come　to　terms　with　it。　Not
really。　If　it　ever　got　out…　I　don’t　want　van　Droi　to　think　I’ve　lost　it。　I　don’t　want　to　lose　my
command。”
“You　really　have　lost　it　if　you　think　the　lieutenant　doesn’t　already　suspect　the　truth；”　said　Holtz。
“I　mean；　he　never　really　pushed　for　a　full　account；　did　he？　He　just　acce