Double Eagle(科幻战争)-第39章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


Once　the　column　had　passed　down　onto　the　decent　hard　roads　along　the　Lida；　the　going　had　been
good；　despite　cratering　and　the　constant　threat　of　air　attack。　They’d　met　with　relief　units　along　the
route；　which　brought　them　much　needed　food；　medicae　supplies　and　fuel。　It　had　begun　to　feel　like
they　were　rolling　back　into　civilisation　after　the　weeks　of　hardship　and　struggle。
But　the　war　had　somehow　overtaken　them。　The　Littoral　and　the　Peninsula　had　taken　a　pasting。
From　Nivelle；　the　skies　of　Ezraville　formed　one　vast　storm…cloud　of　black　smoke。　Aircraft；　often　too
high　to　identify；　went　over　all　the　time。　They　had　grandstand　seats　for　several　huge　air　battles　over
the　valley：　specks　moving　and　circling；　spiralling　and　turning；　leaving　brief；　intricate　filigrees　of
contrails；　darting　sparks　and　flashes。　Burning　machines；　like　meteors　on　re…entry；　had　fallen　out　of
the　heavens　into　distant　pastures。
Operating　at　rooftop　height；　Munitorum　lifters　and　Valkyrie　carriers　passed　overhead　regularly；
zipping　back　and　forth　along　the　column。　Many　were　extracting　the　more　seriously　wounded　for
treatment　at　the　coastal　hospitals。
Munitorum　directives　had　ordered　the　columns　to　Ezraville　where　mass…barges　and　VTRPs　were
waiting　to　evacuate　them　to　the　northern　shores。　That　was　the　plan；　at　least。
In　reality；　the　roads　had　become　increasingly　full　as　the　column　caught　up　with　other　convoys；　or
met　more　elements　moving　in　from　other　directions。　And　the　mass　exodus　wasn’t　all　military。
They’d　driven　past　long　processions　of　civilian　refugees；　families　with　children；　walking　by　the
roadsides；　pushing　their　abbreviated　lives　on　hand　barrows。
Matredes　rejoined　them。　LeGuin　had　sent　him　off　looking　for　any　Munitorum　seniors　working
the　file。
“There’s　some　good　news；”　Matredes　said　as　he　clambered　up。　“We’re　jammed　here　because　the
evacuation　is　almost　overwhelmed。”
“That’s　good　news？”　said　LeGuin。
“According　to　the　senior　I　spoke　to；　yes；　sir。　About　thirty　per　cent　more　of　us　have　made　it　home
than　they　were　expecting。　They’ve　been　scrambling　to　organise　more　VTRPs　from　the　northern
shores　to　help　with　the　demand。　Lord　Militant　Flumel　didn’t　manage　to　kill　quite　as　many　of　us　as
they’d　feared。”
“Not　like　a　lord　militant　not　to　do　his　job　properly；”　sniped　LeGuin。
Viltry　smiled；　but　he　knew　that　it　was　good　news　in　the　long　run。　If　more　of　the　land　force　was
making　it　home；　then　a　stronger　host　could　be　regrouped　for　the　phase　of　war　to　come。　It　made　his
efforts；　and　the　labours　of　all　the　pilots；　seem　much　more　worthwhile。
“The　other　problem　appears　to　the　people；”　said　Matredes。　“Civilians　are　leaving　Ezraville　in
droves；　and　refugees　are　pouring　in　from　the　Littoral。　Whole　highways　are　shut　down　with　refugee
traffic。”
“So　we’re　stuck　here？”
“The　Munitorum　are　advising　any　units　with　decent　fuel　and　fair　running　to　divert　east。
Evacuation　centres　are　being　established　at　several　of　the　coast　towns　along　from　Ezraville　to　ease
the　pressure　there。　It　means　cross　country；　that　way—”　Matredes　pointed。　“Then　we　should　hit　some
decent　roads。”　He　pulled　a　scrap　of　paper　out　of　his　pocket。　“I　wrote　down　the　names：　Fetona；　St
Chryze；　Langersville。　I　can　find　them　on　the　chart。”
LeGuin　shrugged。　“We’ve　got　fuel　and　traction。　What　do　we　think？”
127
“Better　than　sitting　here；”　Matredes　ventured。
“What’s　another　few　kilometres？”　said　Emdeen。
“East　suits　me；”　Viltry　said。
“Let’s　do　it；”　said　LeGuin。
It　took　them　another　hour　to　spread　the　word　and　recruit　about　forty　machines　to　come　with
them。　LeGuin　made　sure　they　were　all　in　decent　repair。　He　didn’t　want　stragglers。　The　damaged；　the
struggling；　they　could　stay　with　the　main　tide　of　traffic。
After　that；　once　he’d　voxed　numbers　and　details　into　Munitorum　despatch　and　got　an　all…clear；　it
took　another　two　hours　to　manoeuvre　out　of　the　line。　It　was　hard　work；　like　a　stalemated　round　of
regicide；　with　nowhere　to　back　up　or　turn。　Arguments　flared。　LeGuin　and　Viltry　had　to　jump　down
and　break　up　a　brawl　between　the　crew　of　a　Gerzon　regiment　halftrack　and　the　men　from　a　44th
Light　Chimera　that　had　accidentally　rammed　it。
Finally；　the　commander　of　a　Pardus　Conqueror；　The　Stuff　of　Legend；　managed　to　find　a　turning
space　in　the　gateway　of　a　canning　plant；　and　lanced　the　pressure　by　creating　a　new　exit　route　with
his　dozer　blade。　He　leveled　a　line　of　stone　privies　and　yards　behind　a　terrace　of　habs；　then　churned
forward　through　a　blighted　orchard　and　a　series　of　fenced…off　market　gardens；　boisterously　cheered
on　by　the　onlookers。
Vehicles　began　to　edge　out　and　follow　him。　Roaring　smoke；　the　Line　of　Death　was　the　sixth
vehicle　clear。　They　clattered　across　the　ruin　of　the　market　gardens　and　out　onto　pastureland；　where
they　rolled　up　and　waited　as　the　others　trickled　out　and　joined　them。　Nine　Pardus　tanks；　eleven　from
the　Gerzon　Heavy；　six　from　the　2nd　Balchinor　Tracked　Company；　three　Hydra　platforms；　and
sixteen　assorted　troop　carriers　and　half…tracks　laden　with　Guardsmen。　By　common　consent；　LeGuin
had　command。　This　was　due　in　part　to　the　fact　it　had　been　his　idea；　but　also　because　the　Line　had
earned　itself　a　reputation　by　bringing　down　the　bat　on　the　previous　afternoon。
LeGuin　gave　the　command；　and　they　rolled　out；　kicking　up　mud　as　they　crossed　the　pasture　onto
uncultivated　land。
It　was　a　rough　ride。　Viltry　sat　in　the　turret　and　clung　on。
But　they　were　moving　at　last。
Theda　MAB　South；　14。02
“Handing　off；”　said　Eads。
“Thank　you；　Flight；”　said　his　shift　replacement。　“I　have　control。”
As　the　replacement　controller　took　position；　Darrow　helped　Eads　remove；　clean　and　stow　his
augmetic　links。　Both　of　them　were　light…headed；　frazzled。　The　demands　of　their　work　had　not
slackened　one　bit　for　the　duration　of　their　shift。
“Good　luck；”　Eads　said　to　the　new　flight；　but　the　man　was　already　too　busy　coming　to　terms
with　the　pandemonium　in　his　catchment　to　respond。
Darrow　waited　while　Eads　spoke　quietly　to　the　deck　officer；　then　escorted　him　up　out　of　the
hubbub　of　the　rotunda。　Eads　had　his　cane；　but　he　held　Darrow’s　arm　and　allowed　the　younger　man
to　lead　him。　He　was　exhausted。
They　went　up　into　the　atrium。
“I　can　see　you　all　the　way　back　to　your　quarters；　sir；”　Darrow　said。
“No　need；　Enric。　A　little　walk；　a　little　solitude；　that　might　do　me　good。　You　should　get　to　your
own　bed。　Deck　says　we’re　needed　again　at　midnight。”
“Yes；　sir。”
“Darrow？”
“Yes；　sir？”
“This　is　off　the　record；　you　understand？”
“Yes；　Flight。”
128
“When　you　get　back　to　your　billet；　pack　your　things。　Pack　them　now；　so　you　can　travel　light　and
fast。”　Darrow　frowned。　“Why；　sir？”
“Banzie　reckons　we’re　all　going　to　be　pulled　out。　It’s　not　official　yet；　but　he’s　sure　that’s　the
Navy　thinking。　Another　four　or　five　days；　and　Theda　will　be　unviable　as　a　field。”
“God…Emperor…”　Darrow　breathed。
“They’re　winning；　son。　No　matter　how　hard　we　fight；　this　sky　pretty　much　belongs　to　them。　The
Navy’s　going　to　pull　its　wings　out；　general　evac。　Move　them　to　safer　fields。”
“Where；　sir？”
“Maybe　Zophos；　the　Midwinters。　Possibly　St　Hagen。　Apparently；　Tacticus　is　evaluating。”
Darrow　felt　hollow。　He　looked　away。　The　echoing　atrium　was　empty　apart　from　other
Operations　personnel　plodding　out　from　their　shift。
“Are　we—”　he　began。　“Are　we　going　to　lose　this？”　he　asked。
“No；”　said　Eads。　“Retreat　is　a　hard　thing　to　deal　with；　but　you’ll　be　a　better　warrior；　Enric；　if　you
realise　that　sometimes　that’s　the　only　way　to　win。　Throne；　if　retreat　equalled　defeat；　then　we　might
as　well　have　run　for　the　hills　the　moment　the　land　armada　was　turned　back　from　the　gates　of
Trinity。”
“Sir。”
“I　know　it　hurts；　Darrow。　It　wounds　a　man’s　pride。　But　you　have　to　see　it　all。”　There　was　no
irony　in　Eads’s　voice。　“Retreat；　regroup；　gather　our　strengths；　try　again。　That’s　what　we’re　doing。
That’s　why　we’ve　fought　so　hard　to　get　the　land　forces　home。　So　they　can　turn　and　fight　again；
renewed。　Go　read　some　history　slates；　Darrow。　Wars　have　been　won　that　way。　And　many　others
have　been　lost　by　men　too　proud　to　acknowledge　the　sense　of　a　tactical　withdrawal。”
Darrow　nodded。
“Darrow？”
“I　nodded；　sir。　My　apologies。”
“Get　some　sleep。　I’ll　see　you　at　midnight。”
Darrow　saluted。　Eads　moved　away　across　the　marble　floor；　his　cane　twitching。　“Call　that　a
salute？”　he　said　over　his　shoulder。
Darrow　wandered　outside。　The　air　was　murky　and　stank　of　fyceline。　A　few　Operations　personnel
from　the　last　shift　loitered　around　under　the　portico；　smoking　and　chatting；　or　just　lounging　on　the
damp　steps　in　aching　relief。
He　saw　Scalter　nearby；　smoking　a　lho…stick。　Even　from　a　distance；　Darrow　could　see　how　much
Scalter’s　hands　were　shaking。　He　had　just　decided　to　go　and　confront　the　man；　when　he　realised
something。
He　drew　his　own　hands　from　his　pockets　and　looked　at　them。　They　were　shaking　too。
“Need　something？”　asked　Scalter；　noticing　him。
“No；　sir。　I’m　fine。”
“Something　wrong　with　your　hands？”
“No。”　Darrow　joined　him。　“Actually；　just　the　shakes。”
“Tell　me　about　it。　We　all　get　that。　Tension　and　fatigue。”
“Yes；　sir。”
Scalter　offered　Darrow　his　pack。　“No　thanks；　sir。”
“Heading　for　the　simulators？”　Scalter　asked。　“I’ve　seen　you　there。”
“I　might。　You？”
Scalter　nodded　his　head　at　the　airfield　before　them。　“What　do　you　think？”　he　asked。
Darow　looked　out　across　the　MAB。　Parts　of　the　field　were　shredded　with　craters　and　bulldozed
heaps　of　debris。　Along　the　east　fence；　the　wrecks　of　bombed　out　and　crashed　planes　had　been　piled
up；　simply　to　clear　usable　space。　Smoke　twisted　up　from　recent　hits。　Navy　craft　were　landing　in
flocks；　some　pouring　vapour。　Crews　rushed　out　onto　the　field。　In　the　hardstands；　the　Apostles　were
129
warming　up；　munitions　trains　clattering　clear。　Darrow　heard　the　brutal；　buzzing　pulse　of　primers
starting　engines。
Beyond　the　field；　the　towers　of　Theda　itself　rose　in　crumpled　majesty。　Columns　of　smoke
writhed　from　the　city；　darkening　the　sky。　Fires　blazed。　There　were　gaps　in　the　city　skyline　where
familiar　buildings　had　been　destroyed。　Raid　sirens　were　wailing。
“I　think　I’ll　head　for　the　simulators；”　Darrow　said。
130
DAY　265
Western　District　Theda；　10