Double Eagle(科幻战争)-第51章

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Over　the　Midwinters；　14。33
Viltry　screamed　his　Bolt　round。　The　fighter　pack　was　all　over　them。　He　tried　to　twist　out。　Jagdea　and
one　of　the　Orbis　birds　swept　in　under　him　crosswise；　gunning。　He　saw　a　Kodiak　explode　in　mid…air；
stung　by　a　red　bat。
He　got　a　brief　warning　ping　and　rolled。　A　black　Razor　was　trying　to　tag　him。　Viltry　swept　down
and；　ignoring　the　turret　ordnance　whipping　up　at　him；　plunged　in　amongst　the　Tormentor　formation。
The　Razor　slowed；　unwilling　to　risk　hitting　one　of　the　bombers　it　was　supposed　to　be　protecting。
Pleased　with　his　ruse；　Viltry　throttled　hard　and　came　back　up　through　the　formation；　this　time
with　his　guns　alight。　Firing　impaired　his　climb　rate；　but　it　was　worth　it。　As　he　came　up　diagonally
under　a　Tormentor；　he　hit　it　two　or　three　times。　Its　engines　began　to　gush　blue　vapour。
Rising　clear；　Viltry　could　no　longer　spot　the　black　bat。
But　there　was　the　pearl…white　Razor；　the　leader　of　the　enemy　pack。　It　came　around　about　five
hundred　metres　starboard　of　him；　moving　a　lot　faster　than　Viltry’s　machine；　and　dipped　low。
Another　Thunderbolt；　Orbis　Six；　was　ascending　past　it。
“Orbis　Six！　Watch　yourself！”　Viltry　called。
The　pearl…white　Razor　executed　a　perfect　viff　correction；　a　deft　little　simultaneous　climb…andslide；
and　spat　fire　at　Orbis　Six。
Hit；　the　Thunderbolt　folded；　spraying　out　burning　fuel。
The　lead　Razor　was　already　climbing　out；　hunting　for　another　target。　Viltry　started　to　go　after　it；
but　suddenly　found　he　had　his　hands　full　evading　hard　as　the　black　bat　reappeared。
Jagdea　and　Cordiale　banked　together；　and　began　chasing　a　red　bat　down　towards　the　formation。
What　had　been　clean；　bright　air　was　now　thick　with　exhaust　trails；　vapour；　bars　of　smoke　and
weapons　discharge　residue。　Nevertheless；　she　could　see　the　white　bat。
The　red　Razor　they　were　after　was　beginning　to　outrun　them。　She　gave　up　on　it　and　banked　out；
searching　for　the　white　bat　again　in　the　chaos　of　the　rolling　dogfight。
A　black　Razor　chopped　across　her；　head　to　head；　and　they　traded　shots。　She　checked　her　fuel。
Low。　The　demands　of　the　brawl　had　really　emptied　the　tanks。
“Umbra　Flight；　fuel　status？”
Cordiale　responded；　then　Viltry　and　finally　Marquall。　All　of　them　were　virtually　running　on
empty　like　her。　“Lead　instructs　flight；　disengage　and　turn　for　home。”
“Umbra　Four；　copy。”
“Umbra　Eleven；　yes　ma’am。”
“Marquall？　Umbra　Eight？　Respond。”
Marquall　had　just　spotted　the　white　hostile　too；　and　recognised　it　at　once。　Most　definitely　the　one
that　had　nearly　killed　him　on　his　second　sortie；　the　bat　that　had　claimed　the　Apostle。
“Umbra　Eight？”
“One　moment；　Lead。”
He　turned　towards　the　bat；　but　immediately　had　to　crank　away　because　he　had　inadvertently　run
into　the　range　of　a　pair　of　cruising　Tormentors。　Marquall　pushed　Nine…Nine’s　throttle；　dropped　the
nose　and　looped　in　under　the　bomber　string；　taking　a　futile　pot…shot　at　the　now…ascending　white
Razor。　Another　bat　started　firing　at　him　as　it　crossed　his　two　and　Marquall　banked；　barely　avoiding　a
Tormentor　that　was　dropping；　engines　burning。
“Umbra　Eight！　Break　off　now！”　Jagdea　sounded　mad。
Marquall　heard　a　persistent　warning　chime。　Fuel　limit　reached。
“Copy　that；　Leader。　I’m　coming。”
He　took　one　look　back；　and　saw　to　his　dismay　that　the　white　bat　had　lined　up　on　Orbis　Leader。
“Orbis　Lead！　Break！　Break　wild！”　Marquall　yelled。
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Orbis　Leader　turned　to　the　right。　Cannon　fire　from　the　white　bat　chewed　his　Bolt　into　pieces。
The　debris　flew　out　on　a　spear　of　flame　for　almost　half　a　kilometre。
Marquall　climbed　out　of　the　dogfight；　chasing　the　other　three　Umbra　birds。
“Did　you　see？”　he　voxed。　“Did　you　see？　That　damned　white　Razor！　He　got　Orbis　Leader！”
“I　saw；”　Jagdea　replied。　She　felt　nothing　except　numb　and　sore　from　the　physical　extremes　of　the
engagement。　She　knew　the　misery　would　hit　her　later。　Hayyes　had　been　her　friend　since　flight
school。
Right　now；　only　one　thing　stuck　in　her　mind。　In　the　turmoil　of　the　last　part　of　the　clash；　she’d
finally　remembered　why　she’d　recognised　Eads’s　junior。
Lucerna　AB；　15。10
The　noise　of　the　jets　died　away。　As　Jagdea　and　her　wing…men　dismounted；　the　fitter　teams　and　the
other　flight　pilots　applauded。　Jagdea　knew　they　were　saluting　a　hell　of　a　fight；　a　clutch　of　good　kills；
and　the　fact　that　all　four　were　back　alive。　They　were　also　showing　support　for　Viltry　on　his
successful　debut。
But　it　felt　wrong。　Not　just　because　of　Hayyes。　How　many　Imperial　planes　had　she　seen　go　down
in　that　one　brawl？　Men　were　dying　at　a　hell　of　a　rate。
“Good　work；”　she　said　to　Cordiale；　who　had　sat　down　on　the　deck　to　unlace　his　boots　and
massage　circulation　back　into　his　feet。　Exposure　to　multiple　negative　G　events　often　left　a　pilot　with
pins　and　needles；　or　worse。
“Thanks；　commander；”　he　said。
Viltry　was　removing　his　helmet。　He　looked　pale；　shaken；　but　there　was　a　grin　on　his　face。
“Enjoy　that？”　she　asked。
“Of　course　not。”
“You　did　well；　Viltry。　Like　you’ve　been　on　Thunderbolts　for　years。”
He　smoothed　his　sweat…flattened　hair。　“I　must　admit　it　was　fun　cutting　loose　in　something　so
agile。　You　forget　how　heavy　Marauders　are。”
Marquall　was　just　climbing　down　from　Nine…Nine。
“Nice　going；　Marquall；”　she　said。　“You　kept　your　head。”　She　dropped　her　voice　so　only　he　could
hear　her。　“Don’t　ever　ignore　a　direct　instruction　again；　pilot。　I　called　you　out　because　it　was　time　to
go。　That　happens；　you　obey　without　question。　Are　we　clear　on　that？”
He　looked　at　the　deck。　“Yes；　commander。”
She　walked　away。　“Rearm　and　refuel；　please！”　she　shouted　to　the　fitter　crews；　knowing　they
were　already　on　it。
A　tall　man　in　a　Commonwealth　uniform　was　waiting　for　her　with　Blansher。
“Major　Frans　Scalter；”　Blansher　said；　by　way　of　introduction。　Jagdea　shook　Scalter’s　hand　and
looked　him　up　and　down。　Scalter　had　a　slightly　stunned　expression。
“I　take　it　you’ve　explained　the　basics　to　Major　Scalter；　Mil？”
“I　took　the　liberty　of　spoiling　your　surprise；　commander。”
Jagdea　looked　at　Scalter。　“Well；　major？　Are　you　interested　in　taking　a　place　in　my　flight？
Commander　Eads　has　given　you　his　personal　recommendation。”
Scalter　opened　his　mouth；　but　couldn’t　find　any　words　immediately。　He　nodded；　and　then　said；
“I　would　be　honoured；　Commander　Jagdea。　I　have　been　longing　to　get　the　chance　to　fly　for　my
home　world　again。”
“That’s　agreed　then。　Good。　Your　designation　will　be　Umbra　Seven。　Mil；　if　you’re　busy　with
Kaminsky；　find　someone　like　Del　Ruth　or　Cordiale　to　get　Mr　Scalter　oriented；　kitted　up；　and
checked　out　on　a　simulator。”
“Yes；　mamzel；”　said　Blansher。　“You　off　somewhere？”
“I　won’t　be　long；”　said　Jagdea。
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Marquall　stood　by　his　bird　for　a　while；　stripping　off　his　jacket　and　gloves；　not　wanting　to　mix
with　the　others。
“Everything　all　right；　sir？”　asked　Racklae。
“Fine；”　he　replied。　He　was　hardly　going　to　tell　his　fitter　that　he　was　still　smarting　from　the
dressing　down　Jagdea　had　given　him。　At　least　she’d　had　the　decency　not　to　do　it　in　front　of　the
others。
He　wandered　across　the　hangar　space；　through　the　teams　of　working　fitters；　skirting　a　power
lifter　as　it　offered　up　munitions　drums；　stopping　to　let　an　electric　bowser　trundle　past。
Kaminsky　was　seated　on　a　jerry　can　beside　his　Thunderbolt；　carefully　studying　a　data…slate　of
specifications　and　procedures。
“Hi；”　said　Marquall。
The　shockingly…scarred　face　tilted　up　at　him。　“Hello。　Marquall；　right？”
“Yeah。　So…　you　got　your　wish；　then？”
“I　beg　your　pardon？”　Kaminsky　replied。
“That　night　in　Zara’s。　You　said　you’d　give　anything　to　be　like　me。　To　fly　again。”
“Ah；　I　did；　didn’t　I？”
Marquall　nodded。　“I　can’t　quite　remember　if　it　was　before　or　after　you　called　me　a　bastard　and　a
waste　of　space；　and　suggested　I　shot　myself　to　make　the　sector　a　better　place。”
“Damn；”　said　Kaminsky。　He　put　the　slate　down　carefully；　but　still　did　not　get　to　his　feet。　“I　was
kinda　hoping　you’d　forgotten　about　that。　Yes；　I　got　my　wish；　Marquall。　And　what　about　you？　Fallen
off　any　barstools　recently？”
Marquall　coloured。　“No；”　he　said。
Kaminsky　picked　up　the　slate　and　started　to　read　it　again。　“Then　it　sounds　like　things　are
working　out　for　both　of　us；”　he　said。
Lucerna　AB；　16。01
Eads　had　quarters　in　the　lower　levels　of　the　base。　The　evacuation　influx　had　put　huge　pressure　on
accommodation。　The　rock　cut　passages　down　here　smelled　damp；　and　the　glow　globe　lighting　was
poor。　Some　of　the　rooms　she　saw　were　storage　bays；　and　she　was　sure　the　quarters　she　passed　had
also　been　storage　bays　until　recently。
She　found　Eads’s　room　and　knocked　on　the　metal　hatch。　After　a　moment；　it　opened　and　Darrow
peered　out。
“Commander　Jagdea？”
“I’ve　come　to　see　Eads。”
“Yes；　mamzel。　He’s　expecting　you。”
Darrow　opened　the　door　and　let　her　in。　The　room　was　small　and　bare。　Litter　had　been　swept　into
one　corner。　There　was　a　camp　table　and　two　chairs；　an　unmade　cot；　and　a　bottle　of　amasec　with　a
dirty　glass。
The　one　concession　to　comfort　was　an　old；　tatty　armchair。　Eads　was　sitting　in　it；　apparently
asleep。
“I　can　come　back；”　Jagdea　whispered。
“I’m　awake；　Jagdea。　Just　resting　my　thoughts。　It　was　a　long　and　demanding　shift。”
Darrow　collected　up　a　stack　of　data…slates　and　paper　files　from　the　table。
“I　was　just　finishing　the　shift　reports；”　he　told　Jagdea。　“I’ll　get　out　of　your　way。”
“No；　stay；”　she　said。　He　paused；　and　put　the　paperwork　back　down。
“Excuse　the　drabness；”　said　Eads。　“I’m　told　it’s　drab。　I　can’t　help　it。　I　came　out　of　Theda　with
just　the　clothes　I　was　standing　up　in。　Take　a　seat　and　let’s　get　down　to　business。”
Jagdea　sat　down；　and　put　the　folder　she　was　carrying　on　the　table。　“I　saw　the　white　bat　today；”
she　said。
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“Did　you？”　said　Eads。　“That　devil’s　still　out　there；　then？”
“It　reminded　me　of　the　notice　of　report　that　had　been　circulated　at　the　time　of　the　Lida　incident。
This　report；”　she　said；　tapping　the　folder。　“It　contains　a　written　account　of　a　brawl　with　the　bat。　Very
useful；　very　cautionary。　It’s　been　required　reading　for　the　Navy　wings。　You　wrote　it；　didn’t　you；
Darrow？”
“I　did；　commander；”　the　young　man　replied。
The　report　also　contained　your　commanding　officer’s　account。　“I　forget　his　name。”
“Major　Heckel；