Double Eagle(科幻战争)-第11部分

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Commander　Eads　issued　passes　and…”
Darrow　wasn’t　really　listening。　The　door　to　the　main　operations　room　was　open；　and　he　saw
unfamiliar　personnel　in　Imperial　Navy　uniforms　stare　out　at　him　as　he　went　by。
They　reached　the　commander’s　outer　office　and　Heckel　ushered　Darrow　in。　Darrow　noticed　how
badly　the　major’s　gesturing　hand　was　shaking。　Really　shaking。
The　outer　office　was　empty。　The　desks　there　had　been　cleared；　and　transit　cartons　labelled　with
the　aquila　badge　were　stacked　up　in　the　middle　of　the　well…worn　floor。　Heckel　knocked　gently　at　the
inner　door。　He　was　answered　by　a　grunt。
They　went　in。　It　was　pitch…black　inside。
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“Sir…”　Heckel　began。
“What？　Oh；　my　apologies。”　There　was　a　click；　and　the　steel　blast　shutters　over　the　windows
retracted　to　let　the　daylight　in。
“I　forget；　sometimes；”　Eads　said。
The　entering　daylight　revealed　Air　Commander　Gelwyn　Eads　behind　his　brass　desk　in　the　bay
under　the　main　window。　The　walls　of　the　office　were　covered　with　hololiths—formal　squadron
group　shots；　individual　pilot　portraits；　pictures　of　Wolfcubs　and　Cyclones；　cheerful　scenes　from　base
formals　and　dinners；　a　picture　of　Eads　with　old　man　Belks。　A　tattered　Commonwealth　flag　was
suspended　in　pride　of　place　over　the　fireplace。
Eads　was　sorting　data…slates　and　charts　into　filing　boxes　around　his　desk。　He　was　a　short；　wiry
man　in　his　sixties；　his　grey　hair　shaved　so　short　it　looked　like　metal　filings　coating　his　scalp。　Little；
round　dark　glasses　covered　his　eyes。
“Make　yourselves　known；”　he　said。　“It’s　you；　Heckel；　am　I　right？”
Eads　had　been　blind　for　nineteen　years。　He　had　refused　augmetic　optics。　There　was　a　dermal
socket　behind　his　left　ear　which　allowed　him　to　plug　into　operation　systems　and　“see”　tactical
displays　during　sorties；　but　that　was　the　only　compensation　he　made　for　his　disability。　The　plug　was
in　now；　permitting　him　to　identify　and　sort　the　data…slates　using　the　code…reader　sitting　on　the　desk。
“It　is；　sir；”　said　Heckel。　“And　Pilot　Cadet　Darrow。”
Both　men　saluted　with　special　formality。　Long　ago；　Eads　had　decided　that　men　probably　weren’t
bothering　to　salute　him　properly　because　he　couldn’t　see；　and　had　taken　to　saying　“Call　that　a
salute？”　to　anyone　who　visited　him。　As　a　consequence；　everyone　saluted　him　with　more　care　and
correctness　than　they　did　sighted　officers。
“Call　that　a　salute？”　Eads　said；　and　smiled。　“Make　yourselves　easy。　Hello；　Darrow。　Are　you
recovered？”
“Yes；　commander。”
“Good　to　hear　it。　They　want　me　to　pack　up　and　leave。　The　Navy。　I　suppose　I　should　be　thankful
for　their　coming；　but　it　sits　uneasily。”
Eads　rose；　unplugging　himself　from　the　code…reader；　and　walked　around　the　desk。　He　used　a
sensor　cane；　topped　with　the　Enothian　crest　in　worn　silver；　which　trembled　in　his　hand　if　he　came
too　near　to　obstacles。　He　hardly　needed　it　in　his　own　office；　he　knew　the　layout　perfectly。　Eads
walked　over　to　the　fireplace　and　touched　the　edge　of　the　old　flag。　Then　he　pointed　at　some　of　the
framed　hololiths。
“Company　dinner；　wintertide　751。　Wesner　looks　particularly　pissed　in　that　shot；　doesn’t　he？　His
cravat　is　terribly　skewed。　That’s…　that’s　Jahun　Nockwist；　standing　next　to　his　Magog；　with　his
fitters。　Old　Greasy　Barwel　and　his　team；　Emperor　bless　them。　There；　that’s　Humming　Bird；　my　first
Cub。　Bad　old　lady。　Dropped　me　in　the　Sea　of　Ezra　after　a　flame…out　in　’42。　I　imagine　she’s　still
down　there；　crusted　into　some　reef。”
He　turned　to　face　them。　“Am　I　correct？”
“Yes；　commander；”　said　Heckel。　“Every　one。”
Eads　nodded。　“I　only　know　because　I　remember　where　I　hung　them。”　He　took　one　of　the　pictures
off　the　wall；　weighed　it　in　his　hand；　and　then　carried　it　over　to　the　desk。　It　went　into　one　of　the
boxes。　“I　don’t　suppose　I’ll　hang　them　in　my　new　office；　wherever　that　ends　up　being。　Barely　any
point。　I　won’t　be　able　to　see　them。　I　mean；　remember　how　they　looked。　Might　as　well　nail　empty
frames　up。　Still；　I　should　take　them。”
Eads　was　still　for　a　moment；　deep　in　thought。　Then　he　swung　his　dark　lenses　round　at　them
again。
“I　imagine　this　is　about　the　re…assignment；　Darrow。”
“Yes；　sir。　I’m　disappointed　to　say　the　least—”
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“I’m　sure　you　are；　cadet。　I　damn　well　would　be。　But　I’m　not　going　to　change　my　mind。　With　the
losses　yesterday；　we’ve　scarcely　got　enough　serviceable　K4Ts　to　keep　even　twenty　of　the　34th
flying；　and　that’s　with　pilots　sharing　Cubs　between　sorties。　We’re　scaling　the　wing　down；　we　have
to。　Once　we’ve　shipped　out　to　another　field；　we　need　to　trim　the　numbers。　Some　pilots　will　remain
active…　pretty　much　Vector　Flight　and　Quarry　Flight。　Others　will　be　stood　down　for　the　time　being。
Experienced　pilots　get　priority；　Darrow。　I’m　sorry。　Hunt　Flight　was　a　cadet　section。　And—forgive
me　for　putting　it　so　bluntly；　Heckel—there　are　precious　few　of　Hunt　left。　Darrow；　you’ll　be
reassigned　to　ground　duties；　and　probably　moved　back　to　Zophos　Field　or　Enothopolis　in　reserve。
It’s　just　the　way　it　has　to　work。”
“Yes；　sir。”　Darrow’s　teeth　were　gritted。
“Reserve　isn’t　so　bad；　Darrow；”　Eads　added。　“You’ll　be　kept　plenty　busy；　rewarding　work。　And
if　things　come　good；　you　could　be　flying　again　before　the　end　of　the　year。”
Darrow　nodded。
“Darrow？”
“Yes；　sir。　I…　Yes。　I　nodded；　sir。”
“Nodding　doesn’t　work　for　me；　airman。”
“Sorry；　sir。”
Eads　walked　back　around　his　desk　and　resumed　his　seat。　“Tell　you　what；”　he　said。　“Just　get　it　off
your　chest；　Darrow。”
“Sir？”
“Speak　your　mind。　Let’s　get　it　done　with。”
Darrow　glanced　at　Heckel。　The　major’s　face　seemed　even　paler　than　before；　and　his　hands　were
both　clearly　shaking。　But　he　shrugged　an　okay　to　Darrow。
Darrow　cleared　his　throat。　“I　know　I’ve　only　been　operational　four　weeks。　I’m　a　cadet。　All　of
that。　And　yesterday　was　a…　a…”
He　looked　at　Heckel。　Heckel　frowned　and　shook　his　head。
“Anyway；　I　believe　I　can　fly；　commander。　I　mean；　I　can　fly　well。　I’ve　hardly　had　the　chance；　and
I　hate　to　trumpet　myself。　But　yesterday；　I　really　felt　I…　There　was　this　bat　and…”
“Yes；　Darrow？”
Darrow　felt　stupid　even　trying　to　say　it。　“It　doesn’t　matter；　sir。”
Eads　sat　forward　and　lifted　a　data…slate　out　of　the　pile　to　his　left。　He　put　it　down　in　front　of　him。
“Your　modesty　does　you　credit；　cadet。　I　have　Heckel’s　report　right　here。　It’s…　How　should　I　put　it？
Glowing；　isn’t　it；　major？”
“It’s　just　an　account；　sir；”　said　Heckel。
“You　took　on　that　bat　and　flew　your　boots　off。　Instinctive；　brilliant。　The　major　praises　you　in　no
uncertain　terms。　Hell；　If　I’d　seen　you　fly　the　way　he　said　you　did；　I’d　be　calling　for　a
commendation。”
“You　said　that？”　Darrow　murmured。
Heckel　stared　at　the　floor。　“Just　reporting　what　I　saw；　cadet。”
“So；　well　done；”　Eads　said。
Darrow　blinked。　“Sir…　If　I’ve　earned　such　praise…　If　I’ve　shown　what　I　can　do…　why　am　I
being　sent　to　reserve？”
“My　choice；　Darrow。　Don’t　you　go　blaming　Heckel　for　this。　His　recommendation　was　to　get　you
a　transfer　to　Quarry　Flight。　But　there’s　this　little　matter…”
“Sir？”
“It　was　your　first　combat。　Your　first　fly…fight。　You　did　well；　but　that’s　the　way　first　fly…fights　go。
Novices　usually　die　in　those　situations。　The　ones　that　survive　seem　to　punch　above　their　weight。
And　almost　always；　that’s　down　to　luck。　You　did　gloriously　in　one　sortie；　Darrow；　but　that　doesn’t
make　a　career。　I　decided　to　send　you　to　reserve　for　that　reason。”
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“Commander？”
“Luck；　cadet。　I　think；　yesterday；　you　used　up　an　entire　lifetime　of　luck。　You　used　it　all　in　one
dogfight。　If　I　keep　you　active；　you’ll　be　dead　the　next　time　you　go　out。”
Darrow　didn’t　know　what　to　say。　He　blinked。　His　mouth　was　dry。
“So；　are　we　done？”　asked　Eads。
“Sir；”　they　both　said；　and　left　the　office。
Heckel　caught　up　with　Darrow　on　the　stairs。　“I’m　sorry！”　he　said。
Darrow　looked　back　up　at　him。　“God…Emperor；　don’t　be　sorry；　sir；”　he　said。　“You　didn’t　have　to
make　a　report　like　that。”
“I　only　wrote　what　I　saw；　Darrow。　That　piece　of　airmanship　was　fantas—”
“You　saved　my　life；　sir。　Gunning　in　like　that。　He　had　me。　You　saved　my　life。”
Heckel　hesitated；　caught　in　the　sunlight　of　the　stairwell。　“I　did　what　I　could；”　he　said。
“You　saved　my　life。　He　had　me；”　Darrow　repeated。
“But—”
“Thank　you；”　Darrow　said。
Darrow　continued　on　down　the　stairs　and　strode　along　the　hall　past　the　chapel。　Only　then　did　he
notice　the　smudge。
On　the　blackboard；　the　service　of　honour。　The　names　of　Hunt　Flight。　At　the　bottom　of　the　list
was　a　name　that　had　been　written　up　in　chalk　and　then　smudged　off。
It　was　his　own。
Theda　MAB　South；　13。01
The　chainmail　aviator’s　glove　thumped　onto　the　desktop　like　a　lead　weight。
“I　borrowed　that　from　stores；”　Bree　Jagdea　said。　“So；　do　you　want　to　explain　or　should　I　smash
you　round　the　face　with　it？”
Wing　Leader　Etz　Seekan　looked　down　at　the　glove　for　a　moment。　His　manicured　fingers
drummed　deftly　on　the　edge　of　the　desk。
“Let　me　see…”　he　said　softly。　He　was　a　beautiful　man；　perfectly　built；　with　twinkling　blue　eyes
and　a　captivating　grin。　His　dark　hair　was　superbly　groomed　and　oiled；　and　his　manner　was
annoyingly　relaxed　and　charming。
He　looked　up　at　Jagdea。　“Part　of　me　wants　you　to—what　w