Double Eagle(科幻战争)-第47部分

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On　the　northern…most　pads；　squadrons　of　Valkyrie　carriers　were　warming　up；　their　stem　hatches
open。　Personnel　streamed　towards　them　from　the　base　buildings。
More　planes　launched；　mainly　Thunderbolts。　One　of　them　was　hit　by　a　seeker…rocket　as　it　tried
to　lift；　caught　fire　violently；　and　belly　flopped　down　into　a　loading　bay；　killing　at　least　twenty
ground　crew。　Darrow　winced　at　the　heat　of　the　blasts。
Then　he　saw　Eads。　Feeling　with　his　cane；　Eads　was　approaching　the　entrance　of　the　Operations
building。　Navy　crew　ran　past　him。　A　low…flying　Locust　chewed　a　line　of　shots　up　into　the　side　of
Operations　ripping　out　brick　dust　and　pieces　of　tile　and　shutter。　Protecting　his　face；　Darrow　ran
towards　Eads。　“Sir！”
“Is　that　you；　Darrow？”
“Yes；　sir。　Come　on。　I’ll　get　you　onto　an　evacuation　flight。”
“I　should　go　to　Operations。　This　attack　needs　proper—”
“There’s　no　point；　sir！”　Darrow　yelled　above　the　concussive　noise　of　the　bombing。　“It’s　all
gone！　Everything’s　gone！　The　enemy　is　here；　right　at　the　gates！　We’re　pulling　out　now！”
A　clutch　of　submunitions　detonated　forty　metres　away；　killing　a　dozen　people。　The　pressure　of
the　blast…wave　knocked　Eads　and　Darrow　flat。　Scrambling　up；　Darrow　fought　to　get　Eads　on　his
feet。
“Someone　help　me！”　he　cried　at　the　figures　running　past。　Most　just　ignored　them。　One　went　by；
then　stopped　and　ran　back。
It　was　Scalter。
He　helped　Darrow　lift　Eads　and　they　started　moving。　Scalter　yelled　something　about　the　Blood
Pact　over　the　din。
“What？”　said　Darrow。
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“They’re　saying　Blood　Pact　are　dropping　into　the　suburbs。　Ground　forces；　certainly。”
“God…Emperor　protect　us　all；”　Eads　said。
“Pardon　me；　sir；”　said　Scalter。　“But　right　now　it　feels　like　he’s　forgotten　all　about　us。”
Western　District　Theda；　06。40
The　sirens　woke　Jagdea。　Her　room　in　the　hab　clinic　was　cold　and　damp。　The　window　was　rattling。
She　lay　still　for　a　moment；　listening。　Apart　from　the　blare　of　the　sirens　outside；　there　was　a
murmur　of　disquiet　in　the　old　building。　Her　window　rattled　again。　No；　it　was　more　than　a　rattle。　The
glass　in　the　old　wooden　frame　was　vibrating。
She　got　out　of　bed；　and　went　to　look。
Pulsing　air　pressure　was　making　the　glass　shake。　Jagdea　could　see　the　blistering　flashes　of
pattern　bombing　detonations　underlighting　the　sky　behind　the　immediate　cityscape。　Hundreds　of
smoke　plumes　were　curling　up　into　the　murky　dawn　sky。
In　the　clinic’s　courtyard　below；　staff　members　and　patients　were　fleeing　in　droves。
Jagdea　hurried　across　the　room；　got　down　on　her　knees　beside　her　bed；　and　started　to　pull　her
clothes　and　effects　out　of　the　bedside　locker。　She　found　her　boots；　her　flight　coat—
At　that　moment；　a　high　yield　bomb　landed　on　a　building　across　the　street；　levelling　it　instantly。
The　entire　clinic　recoiled　as　if　its　foundations　were　set　on　bedsprings。　The　window　of　Jagdea’s　room
blew　in　with　the　Shockwave；　ripping　a　blizzard　of　glass　across　the　room。
Jagdea　cried　out　involuntarily；　hammered　by　the　concussion；　but　her　bed　had　shielded　her　from
the　shredding　force　of　the　glass。　She　crouched　on　the　floorboards　for　a　moment；　tense　with　shock。
She　could　smell　smoke；　fyceline　and　heat　scorching。　She　could　hear　the　crash　of　rubble；　the　flames
and　the　screaming　coming　from　outside。
Cursing　her　sling　and　the　pain　in　her　arm；　Jagdea　pulled　on　the　trousers　of　her　flightsuit；　and
then　her　boots。　She　had　a　vest　top　on；　so　she　put　the　coat　on　over　that；　good　arm　through　the　sleeve；
slung　arm　under　the　coat。
Then　she　went　out　into　the　hallway。　Smoke　was　pouring　into　the　clinic　through　the　smashed
windows　on　the　courtyard　side。　She　headed　the　other　way。　In　the　hall；　she　passed　several　patients
and　medicae　staff　lacerated　by　window　glass。　Most　were　alive；　calling　out；　helpless。
There　was　nothing　she　could　do。　The　able…bodied　staffers　that　she　saw　were　simply　running　for
the　exits。
Jagdea　found　the　stairs；　then　made　her　way　out　through　the　half　of　the　building　away　from　the
blasted　courtyard。　Outside；　she　found　herself　in　a　back　street。　A　few　people　hurried　past　her。
Looking　up；　she　could　see　strings　of　enemy　bombers　creeping　overhead。
She　ran　down　the　side　street　and　halted　at　the　corner　where　it　joined　a　main　road。　Several
commercial　premises　were　on　fire；　and　there　was　debris　in　the　street。　People　rushed　by；　some　crying
and　wailing　in　blind　panic。
A　truck　went　by；　then　a　car。　She　tried　to　wave　them　down；　but　they　ignored　her。　In　fact；　the　car
almost　hit　her；　so　determined　was　the　driver　not　to　stop。　Jagdea　yelled　in　frustration。　She’d　lost　her
bearings；　and　didn’t　even　know　which　way　the　base　was　from　there。
The　only　thing　she　did　know　for　sure　was　that　it　was　more　than　walking　distance。
But　she　didn’t　seem　to　have　much　choice。
Theda　MAB　South；　06。59
Darrow　and　Scalter　hurried　Eads　onto　the　northern　pads。　Some　of　the　Valkyries　there　had　already
started　lifting　clear；　fully　laden；　probably　overladen。　One　had　been　hit　before　take…off；　and　was
burning　furiously　on　the　hard…pan。　Frantic　personnel　swarmed　around　the　ramps　and　side　doors　of
the　others。　The　door　gunner　teams　were　trying　to　organise　boarding；　but　the　panic　was　such　that
fights　were　breaking　out。
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Darrow　looked　around。　He　felt　a　knot　of　panic　in　his　own　gut。　“Throne’s　sake；”　he　said；　aware　of
a　tremulous　quality　in　his　voice　that　he　couldn’t　help。　“There　won’t　be　enough　places。”
“We’ll　try　there；”　Scalter　said；　determinedly　holding　his　nerves　together。　On　the　far　north　edge
of　the　pad　area；　almost　by　the　field’s　blast　fences；　three　old　bulk　transport…lifters　were　warming　up。
The　machines　were　a　good　distance　away　from　where　they　stood。　But　it　seemed　most　of　the
evacuees　wanted　a　place　on　one　of　the　faster；　better　armoured　Valkyries。　The　trio　started　across　the
pads　towards　the　transporters。　Other　individuals；　unable　to　get　aboard　a　combat　carrier；　or　unwilling
to　endure　the　fight　that　would　entail；　began　to　break　off　from　the　clamouring　groups　around　the
Valkyries　and　head　the　same　way　too。
Still　moving；　Darrow　looked　round　sharply　at　the　sound　of　small…arms　fire。　Someone　had
snapped　and　drawn　a　handgun；　trying　to　shoot　his　way　onto　a　Valkyrie。
In　response；　the　door　crew　slammed　the　hatches　shut　and　the　carrier　lifted　off；　scattering　the
crowd　that　had　been　trying　to　get　on　it。　Denied　their　chance　of　escape；　the　mob　turned　on　the　man
who’d　fired　the　gun。
The　Valkyrie　went　over　them；　and　then；　to　Darrow’s　amazement；　came　back　in　to　land　ahead　of
them。
The　door　gunners　opened　the　ramp　again　and　started　to　wave　at　them。　The　machine’s　crew　had
clearly　not　been　able　to　stomach　the　idea　of　leaving　Theda　empty　when　lives　were　wasting。
Darrow　and　Scalter　ran　Eads　bodily　towards　the　ramp；　in　under　the　tail　booms　and　into　the
embrace　of　the　gunners。
“Get　in！　Inside！　Find　a　space　and　a　handhold！”
The　compartment　was　dark；　a　hot　metal　box。　As　they　got　Eads　into　a　scissor…seat；　the　door　crew
brought　aboard　several　more　stragglers。　A　buzzer　sounded。　The　ramp　began　to　retract　again；　and　the
engine　noise　rose　to　a　scream。
With　a　lurch；　they　left　the　ground；　nose　down；　and　began　to　accelerate　and　climb。
Theda　MAB　South；　07。02
Before　the　trucks　had　even　come　to　a　halt；　the　last　three　pilots　of　Umbra　Flight　had　jumped　clear　and
started　to　run　towards　their　hardstand　shelters。　The　fitters　followed　them。
“I　need　just　five　of　you！”　Racklae　bellowed　above　the　raging　bombardment。　“The　rest…　get
going。　Evac　transport　over　there！”
Racklae　turned　and　kept　running　with　the　five　men　who’d　volunteered。　The　others　started
sprinting　towards　the　last　two　Oneros　that　were　loading　near　the　main　drome　hangar。
The　truck　drivers　ran　with　them。
The　whole　airfield　seemed　to　be　on　fire。　There　were　bodies　and　shell…holes　everywhere；
overturned　vehicles；　buckled　munitions　carts。　Some　handstands　were　ablaze；　and　in　some　burned　the
wrecks　of　planes　that　had　never　made　it　up。　Two　Lightnings　launched；　and　swept　away　north。
Marquall　fully　expected　to　find　Double　Eagle　in　pieces。
But　it　was　intact；　and　so　was　Blansher’s　bird。　Del　Ruth’s；　however；　had　been　caught　by　strafing
fire。　The　engines　and　cockpit　were　just　mangled　ribbons　of　metal。
All　the　other　Umbra　machines　were　gone。　Cordiale；　Ranfre；　Zemmic　and　Van　Tull　must　have
made　it　out。　Into　the　air；　at　least。
Three　Razors　went　over；　low；　drives　shrieking。　In　the　western　sector　of　the　airfield；　Tormentors
were　drizzling　submunitions　on　the　machine　shops。
Racklae　sent　two　of　his　men　to　ready　Marquall’s　plane；　and　two　to　do　the　same　for　Blansher’s。
“Basic　checks；　clear　them　off；　and　then　head　for　the　transports！”　he　emphasised。
With　Del　Ruth　and　the　remaining　fitter；　Racklae　ran　across　to　the　adjacent　row　of　hardstand
shelters。　The　Thunderbolt　wing　that　had　occupied　this　area；　the　76th　Firedrakes；　had　already　quit；
but　they’d　left　two　of　their　mustard…yellow　Bolts　behind。　Bodies　on　the　ground　nearby　left　little
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doubt　that　both　pilots　had　been　thrown　down；　along　with　members　of　the　ground　crew；　on　the　way　to
their　machines。
One　of　the　abandoned　Bolts　had　tail　and　elevator　damage；　but　the　other　seemed　okay。　Racklae
started　work　getting　Del　Ruth　airborne。
Marquall　dropped　into　his　own　cockpit；　and　switched　pri