Double Eagle(科幻战争)-第36部分

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Viltry　understood　LeGuin’s　delight。　He　too　would　have　been　happy　to　hear　from　old　friends
presumed　dead。
Not　that　it　was　going　to　happen。
The　mist　began　to　thin；　but　the　day　did　not　lighten。　They　had　reached　sparse　forest；　and　the
limits　of　what　seemed　to　be　a　metalled　roadway。　The　valley　of　the　Lida；　heading　down　all　the　way　to
the　coast。
Others　had　come　this　way　before　them。　There　were　more　abandoned　vehicles　on　or　by　the　road；
many　stripped　of　equipment。　They　passed　a　number　of　farm　stations　and　agro…complexes　that　had
been　deserted　by　their　inhabitants；　possibly　weeks　before。　The　places　had　been　comprehensively
looted　of　all　stock。　Store…barns　and　silos　were　empty；　habs　ransacked　or　burned　out。　Livestock　pens
and　the　huge　tin　rotundas　of　poultry　hatcheries　were　broken　down　and　empty。
In　some　fields；　they　sighted　rows　of　fresh　graves。
The　road　approached　the　river；　following　its　course。　More　ruined　farms　stood　along　its　banks；
homesteads　and　land…parcel　stations；　then　a　whole　village；　empty　and　gutted。
At　noon；　they　came　up　on　a　line　of　burned…out；　exploded　vehicle　wrecks；　jumbled　along
kilometres　of　road　that　had　been　badly　holed　and　cratered。　The　action　was　at　least　three　days　old。
Tanks　with　dozer　blades；　and　the　few　remaining　Atlas　tractors；　had　to　clear　some　of　the　wrecks　aside
to　permit　progress。　It　had　been　an　air…strike；　Viltry　could　see　all　the　signs。
After　that　damage　became　more　commonplace。　The　remains　of　other　convoy　elements　littered
further　shot…up　sections　of　highway。　Unburied；　blackened　corpses　lay　in　the　roadside　ditches。　More
bodies；　swollen；　floated　face…down　in　the　pools　of　a　ruined　roadside　hydroponics　system。　All　of　the
next　three　townships　had　been　bombed　to　extinction　by　heavy　raids　rather　than　just　looted　and
forsaken。
This　was　now　an　eerie；　miserable　landscape　to　drive　through。　Thousands　of　hectares　of　fieldsystems
had　been　burned　black　by　uncontrolled　firebomb　damage。　Farms；　villages；　entire　townships
had　been　levelled。　There　were　stretches　of　forest　where　nothing　remained　but　blast…splintered　trunks
protruding　from　cindered　earth。　Craters；　many　filled　with　rainwater；　punctured　the　landscape　for
kilometres。　Smashed　hydroponic　systems　leaked　rivers　of　algae…rich　soup　down　across　the　roadway
from　ruptured　dykes。　The　column　moved　on；　hissing　water　up　into　the　air。
It　was　no　longer　mist　that　stained　the　sky；　it　was　smoke　residue　from　the　days　of　raiding　and
firedust　kicked　up　by　their　wheels　and　tracks。　Down　the　wide；　wounded　valley；　their　scopes
identified　other　communities　shelled　to　death；　wreathed　with　the　grey　vapour　of　firestorms　that　had
blazed；　unchecked；　for　days。
At　13。33；　an　alert　was　given。　Ten　kilometres　north；　bright　flashes　underlit　the　clouds；　and　they
heard　the　crump　of　munitions。　A　few　minutes　later；　a　formation　of　enemy　warplanes　was　sighted
heading　south　at　medium　altitude。　The　machines；　their　payloads　already　dropped；　ignored　the
straggling　column；　but　there　was　no　doubt　they　had　been　sighted。　The　contact　would　be　called　in。
The　Imperial　column　had　begun　crossing　a　miraculously　unscathed　bridge　over　a　Lidan
tributary；　just　after　14。00；　when　a　second　alert　came　through。
It　had　started　to　rain；　and　the　auspex　refused　to　give　a　clean　track。　An　air　of　confusion　and　panic
rose　in　the　convoy　around　them。　LeGuin　cleared　his　weapon　batteries；　and　then　got　on　the　vox。
“Say　again。　Track　reading。　Confirm　track　reading　for　hostiles。”
Just　frantic　chatter。
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“Come　on！”　LeGuin　snarled　into　the　vox。　“This　is　Line　of　Death！　Give　me　a　track　reading！　Get　it
together！”
Viltry　opened　the　top　hatch　and　craned　up　at　the　overcast　sky；　smelling　the　cold；　wet　air；
listening。　The　sound　of　agitated　voices　came　from　all　around；　throbbing　engines；　the　noise　of　turret
motors　as　weapons　traversed；　the　timpani　of　rain　pattering　off　the　armour。
And　there；　concealed　behind　it　all；　the　warble　of　vector…thrust　engines。　Viltry　glanced　anxiously
down　at　LeGuin。
“What？”　LeGuin　asked；　standing　up。
“Hear　it？”
“Where？　Wait…　yes。　It’s　ahead　of　us。”
“No；”　said　Viltry。　“That’s　an　acoustic　bounce　off　the　valley。　It’s　behind　us。”
LeGuin　instantly　began　spinning　the　Executioner’s　turret　to　face　rear。
“Get　us　off　the　bridge！”　he　yelled　at　Emdeen。
“Get　moving！”　Viltry　shouted　from　the　hatch　to　the　trucks　all　around。　“Come　on！　Clear　the　way！
Get　these　vehicles　rolling！”
Over　two…thirds　of　the　column　had　still　to　cross　the　bridge’s　ancient　pilings。
Viltry　heard　a　change　in　the　vector　note。
“Here　they　come！”　he　yelled。
Someone　back　down　the　convoy　had　at　last　got　a　decent　track　too。　From　the　end　of　the　long　line
of　vehicles　forward；　weapon　mounts　began　to　fire　at　the　sky。　Pintle…weapons；　elevated　cannons；　the
few　Hydra　platforms　still　carrying　munitions。　Small…arms　opened　up　as　well；　men　standing　up　in　the
back　of　trucks　to　unload　las…rifles　into　the　sky。　Hundreds　of　other　Guardsmen；　unarmed　or　too
scared　to　make　such　a　bold　defiance；　scrambled　out　of　their　transports　and　ran　for　cover　in　the　trees
and　amongst　the　reed　beds　of　the　tributary。
The　firing　was　intense。　The　convoy’s　elevated　shooting　filled　the　rainy　sky　with　a　blizzard　of
white　hot　or　illuminated　rounds。　There　was　still　no　sign　of　the　hostiles。
“They’re　wasting　most　of　it…”　Viltry　said；　noticing　that　LeGuin　at　least　had　not　started　firing。
LeGuin　was　about　to　speak。
Something　went　over；　northwards；　low　and　very　fast。　The　jet　wash　shook　them　and　their　ears
popped。　A　brief　hint　of　something　mauve　or　dark　red。
Less　than　a　second　later；　there　was　a　dull；　hollow　thump。　Rippling　around　itself；　a　large　ball　of
flame　boiled　up　into　the　sky　on　a　neck　of　smoke　and　sparks　some　three　hundred　metres　behind　them。
Viltry　saw　the　second　bat；　a　Hell　Talon。　It　had　just　sat　its　bomb　load　on　the　very　tail　end　of　the
column；　and　had　clearly　hit　something　significant…　a　tank；　an　ammo…carrier；　maybe。　A　curtain　of
bright；　almost　neon…white　flame　rushed　into　the　air　way　behind　them。　Small　black　specks；　which
Viltry　realised　were　very　probably　large　pieces　of　detonating　vehicle；　flew　sideways　out　of　the　flashwake。
The　Talon　kept　low；　switching　to　cannon　to　rake　the　convoy。　The　noise　of　its　jets　was　terrifying。
Crouched　in　what　seemed　like　a　very　fragile　drum　of　metal；　Viltry　experienced　the　psychological
impact　of　an　air　attack　for　the　first　time。　He　virtually　froze；　his　body　refusing　to　respond。　His　teeth
chattered。
No；　his　teeth　were　chattering　because　LeGuin　had　opened　fire　with　the　main　weapons；　the　twinlinked
autocannons；　adding　his　force　to　the　AA　storm。　The　whole　turret　shook；　and　started　to　turn　as
it　tracked。　Gripping　the　edges　of　the　hatch；　Viltry　stared　at　the　incoming　Talon。　A　stream　of　green
tracer…shot　from　a　Hydra　nearly　struck　it。　It　banked　slightly；　almost　daintily；　refusing　to　be　deterred
from　its　long；　hammering　run。
Its　cannons　were　firing。　Fast　blinks　of　light…flash　flickered　around　the　recessed　weapon　mounts。
Whipping；　concussive　impacts　stripped　up　the　line　of　the　road。　A　cargo…8　shuddered　violently；　as　if
men　with　rock…drills　were　working　in　its　flatbed。　Its　canvas　cargo　hood　shredded；　its　windows　blew
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out　and　its　tyres　burst。　Bodywork　seams　split　and　exhaled　dust　and　smoke。　A　second　cargo…8；　just
ahead　of　it；　lurched　and　immediately　caught　fire。　Viltry　saw　men　burning　like　brush　torches
staggering　out　of　the　cab。　Still　running；　the　truck　left　the　road；　bounced　down　the　embankment；　and
rolled　on　its　side　in　the　reed　beds；　hissing　up　a　thick　cloud　of　steam　as　river　water　hit　fire。
The　Talon　rushed　overhead。　Viltry　flinched　as　one　of　its　shells　glanced　off　the　Line’s　forearmour。
LeGuin’s　shots　streamed　after　it；　but　missed。
“Not　enough　deflection！”　Viltry　shouted。
“What？”
“Deflection！　You’re　not　anticipating　him　right！”
“Can　you　do　better？”　LeGuin　asked。
“I　can　try；”　Viltry　replied。
LeGuin　ordered　Mattedes　down　into　the　lower　compartment　to　free　an　autoloader　that　was
sticking。　He　himself　switched　seats　to　the　commander’s　position　and　allowed　Viltry　to　drop　into　the
gunner’s　seat。
“Bear　in　mind　this　isn’t　a　dedicated　AA　vehicle；”　LeGuin　cautioned。
“I　know；”　said　Viltry。
“I　mean；　we　don’t　have　a　Hydra’s　elevation；　or　targeters。　I’m　just　trying　to　throw　up　some　fire。”
“I　know；”　Viltry　repeated。　He　was　looking　around　the　turret　fixtures；　familiarising　himself　with
them。　“Traverse？”
“There；”　said　LeGuin；　pointing　to　a　two…way　clutch　lever。　“You　know　what　you’re　doing？”
“Well；　there　are　some　differences；　but　it’s　not　that　different　from　a　Marauder　turret。”　Viltry　sat
back；　getting　used　to　the　prismatic　sight；　and　test…swung　the　turret　about。　“You　were　doing　pretty
well；　by　the　way；”　Viltry　said。　“But　it’s　a　predictive　thing。　You’re　not　used　to　airborne　targets。
You’re　thinking　they’re　going　to　move　like　an　arrow　or　a　dart；　but　vector…thrust　don’t　do　that。
They’ll　come　up　or　to　the　side　in　a　weird　way。”
Emdeen　had　them　off　the　bridge　now。　Parts　of　the　rearward　column　was　burning　fiercely。
“More　coming；”　LeGuin　called；　one　hand　up　to　his　earphones。　The　Hydra　batteries　on　the　road
started　up　again。　Viltry　strained　to　see　out　of　the　limited　scope。
“They’re　coming　for　the　bridge。　The