Double Eagle(科幻战争)-第53部分

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He　grinned。　“For　the　record；　Acting　Wing　Leader　Blansher　hands　command　to　Bree　Jagdea；
19。18　hours。”
“I　accept　command；”　she　said。　“And　also　for　the　record；　may　I　commend　your　leadership　in　my
absence；　and　also　extend　my　highest　compliments　to　the　pilots　and　crew　for　their　sustained　work。
You　may　applaud　yourselves　loudly。”
And　they　did。
“Right；”　she　continued　when　the　ruckus　abated。　“I　want　the　flight　ready　to　go　in　an　hour。
Combat　patrol。　Manageable；　Mr　Racklae？”
“Yes；　ma’am！”
“Excellent。　We’ll　go　up；　two　hour　sweep；　then　down。　Snap　calls　permitting；　I　want　everyone
rested　overnight。　No　card　schools；　no　drinking。　We’ll　be　going　again　early。　I’ve　met　with　the　base
commander；　Vice　Air　Marshal　Dreyco；　and　I’m　appraised　of　the　situation。　This　is　how　it　stands；　and
if　I’m　blunt；　you’ll　forgive　me。　The　forces　of　the　Archenemy　have；　as　you　are　well　aware；　stormed
the　southern　Littoral。　According　to　Tactical；　they　hold　the　coast　from　Theda　through　to　Ezraville。
Despite　our　best　efforts　to　maintain　air　superiority　over　that　area；　they　have　beaten　us　back　into　the
sea。”
Jagdea　looked　around　at　their　faces。　All　of　them　looked　grim。
“We　could　not　have　predicted　their　air　power；　nor　the　efficiency　with　which　they　advanced　their
mass…carriers　to　extend　strike　range。　Nor　could　we　have　countered　the　manner　in　which　their
bombing　campaign　paved　the　way　for　drop　deployment　of　Blood　Pact　ground　forces。　They
outplayed　us；　it’s　as　simple　as　that。”
She　took　off　her　flight　jacket　and　hung　it　from　the　claws　of　a　power　lifter。　The　cavern　air　was
humid。　Her　arm　was　out　of　its　sling　now；　though　it　was　still　packed　with　dressing　pads。
“But　understand　this；”　she　continued。　“Our　efforts—and　the　lives　of　our　comrades　in　this　unit
and　the　Navy　at　large—were　not　wasted。　We　held　them。　We　delayed　them。　Face　it；　all　we　ever
hoped　to　do　was　delay　them。　We　bought　the　land　forces　time　to　get　clear。　As　I　speak；　extraction
convoys　are　sailing　north　across　the　Zophonian　Sea；　heading　for　the　main　islands　there　or　the
northern　coast　itself。　Reports　say　large　elements　of　armour　and　infantry　are　crossing　the　Festus　by
land　on　the　way　to　the　Commonwealth　fortress　hives　at　Ingeburg。　We’ve　made　it　possible　for　a
considerable　portion　of　the　Imperial　land　army　to　get　clear　of　the　war　zone。　Now　they　can　regroup
and　prepare　to　stage　a　counter…attack。　Reinforcements　are　en　route　from　the　Khan　Stars。　Due　in　eight
days。　The　Imperium　is　on　the　back　foot；　but　Enothis　is　far　from　lost。
“There’s　always　a　chance；”　she　added。
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“There’s　gonna　be　a　“but’；　isn’t　there？”　said　Cordiale。
Jagdea　nodded。　“Naturally；　pilot。　Whoever　said　the　life　of　an　Imperial　combat　flier　would　be
easy？”
“The　aviation　recruiter　back　in　scholam；”　said　Ranfre；　and　raised　a　laugh。
“The　enemy　has　driven　us　into　the　sea；”　said　Jagdea。　“But　the　sea　is　our　secret　weapon。　We’ve
got　the　islands。　Navy　wings　are　regrouping　here　at　Lucerna；　at　Onstadt；　Viper　Atoll；　Longstrand；
Salthaven；　and　also　on　the　hive　islands　of　Zophos　and　Limbus。　Long　range　squadrons　have　taken
station　on　the　northern　coastline　at　three　dozen　airfields　including　Tamuda　City　and　Enothopolis
itself。”
Jagdea　walked　across　to　the　nearest　Thunderbolt　and　placed　her　hand　against　its　flank；　like　an
ancient　warrior　patting　their　destrier。　“In　order　to　mount　his　final　offensive；　the　Archenemy　has　to
get　over　or　around　the　Zophonian　Sea。　He　will　achieve　this　by　way　of　an　air　offensive。　In　the　next
few　days；　enemy　machines　will　be　flying　in　force　from　the　southern　Littoral　with　the　intention　of
sinking　the　retreat　convoys　and　attacking　the　northern　shore。　Unchecked；　a　blanket　air　assault　such
as　that　will　crush　Enothian　hopes。　The　Northern　Affiliation　would　be　wounded　and　reeling　by　the
time　the　invasion　comes。”
She　turned　round　to　look　at　them　straight。　“All　viable　Navy　wings　have　been　charged　by
Admiral　Ornoff　to　deny　that　air　assault。　I　repeat；　we　are　commanded　that　we　should　operate　to　deny
Archenemy　air　superiority　over　the　sea。　If　we　can　just　hold　his　squadrons　back；　we　will　block　the
sharp　end　of　his　invasion；　and　stall　its　malign　force　at　the　southern　coast。”
“And　if　we　can’t？”　said　Zemmic。
“Then　we　will　have　failed。　And　Enothis　will　fall。　Any　other　bloody　silly　questions？”
The　briefing　broke　up　and　everyone　resumed　work。
Blansher　joined　Jagdea。
“Tall　order。　You　think　we　can　do　it？”
“We　can　do　what　we　do；　Mil；”　she　replied。　“After　that；　it’s　down　to　the　almighty　God…Emperor
and　the　currents　of　fate　itself。”
“But　realistically？”　Blansher　had　a　habit　of　rubbing　the　scar　tissue　that　bisected　his　lips　and　chin
when　he　was　anxious。　He　was　doing　it　now。
“Realistically？　How’s　this　for　realistic？　It　took　them　two　weeks　to　smash　us　out　of　the　south。
How　long　do　you　think　the　remainder　of　our　broken；　under…strength；　scattered　wings　can　hold　the
sea　zone？”
“Throne！”　he　said。　“But—”
Jagdea　cut　him　off。　“Or　try　this　for　realistic　instead。　The　sea　is　a　real　buffer　that　will　slow　the
enemy　more　than　the　desert　or　the　Peninsula　ever　did。　We　are　the　best　pilots　in　the　Imperium…　I
don’t　just　mean　the　Phantine；　I　mean　the　Navy　boys　too。　We　fly　to　our　limits　for　another　week；　keep
knocking　the　bastards　back；　and　maybe　we　have　a　chance。　Once　they　start　hitting　the　northern　coast；
it’s　checkmate；　but　they’ve　got　to　get　past　us　first。　Regular　combat　patrols。　Snap　calls。　Up　and　into
them。　We　could　fend　them　off。　Unless…”
“Unless　what；　Bree？”
“Unless　they　send　everything　they　have　at　us　at　once。”　Blansher　sighed。　“That’s　not　a　scenario　I
want　to　think　about。”
An　odd　look　abruptly　crossed　Jagdea’s　face。　She　turned。　“It　just　occurred　to　me。　What　the　hell
am　I　going　to　fly？”
“We’ll　find　you　something；”　Blansher　promised。
He　walked　her　over　to　one　of　the　freight　elevators　and　dropped　them　down　into　the　storage
chamber　under　number　three　hangar。　Teams　of　fitters　were　at　work　down　here　too。　In　the　glowglobe
half…light；　welding　sparks　showered　up；　bright　and　thick；　and　panel…guns　whined　and
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thumped。　The　cradle　bays　down　in　the　storage　chamber　were　circled　around　a　central　elevator
platform　that　lifted　planes　up　onto　the　main　deck。
Serial　Zero…Two　sat　on　one　of　the　repair　cradles。
“Came　in　on　one　of　the　heavy　transports；”　said　Blansher。　“The　techs　say　she’s　fit　to　fly。”
“Great　throne　of　gold！”　Jagdea　exclaimed。　“I　never　thought　I’d　see　her　again。　I　expected　to　make
do　with　a　spare　from　the　depot。”
“Praise　be　the　God…Emperor　and　the　diligence　of　his　Munitorum。　Despite　the　urgency；　they　got　a
hell　of　a　lot　of　equipment　out　of　Theda　at　the　end　there。”
“Speaking　of　spares；”　Jagdea　said；　raising　her　voice　to　be　heard　over　a　blast　of　riveting；　“what
are　those？”
Alongside　Zero…Two；　four　other　Thunderbolts　sat　on　cradles。
“Oh；　they　shouldn’t　be　here。　The　transports　brought　in　a　lot　of　unassigned　machines。　Spares。　Or
leftovers　from　units　that　don’t　exist　any　more。　That　sort　of　thing。　They　gave　us　four　of　them　because
Umbra　was　listed　as　a　twelve　element　wing。　I　explained　to　the　Munitorum　clerk　we　only　had　eight
pilots；　and　he　just　got　concerned　I　was　upsetting　his　book　keeping。”
Jagdea　walked　round　the　machines。　One　was　an　ex…Raptor　bird；　in　a　scratched　black　livery。
Another　was　from　a　unit　that　favoured　pale　tan　with　dazzle　patterns。　The　other　two　were　bare…metal
silver；　recently　delivered　replacements　that　had　yet　to　be　assigned。
“Anyway；　I’ve　got　the　depot　working　on　it；”　Blansher　said。　“I　don’t　want　them　wasted。　And　I’m
sure　we’re　not　the　only　wing　to　have　been　given　machines　we　can’t　use。　They’ll　get　shipped　out　in
the　next　few　days　to　units　that　can　use　them。”
“No；”　said　Jagdea　firmly。
“What？”　Blansher　asked。
She　looked　at　him。　“Mil；　the　Imperium　needs　to　get　everything　it’s　got　aloft　now；　not　in　the　next
few　days。　We’ve　got　planes　without　pilots。　Good　for　us！　I’ll　bet　the　evac　barges　brought　in　dozens　of
decent　pilots　without　machines。　Let’s　find　them！　Let’s　use　them　now！”
“Well；　I　guess…”
“It’s　called　pragmatism；”　she　said。　“Inform　the　clerks　that　these　planes　are　assigned　to　Umbra。
Cancel　the　transfer。”
“Are　you　sure？”
“Yes；　I’m　sure。”　She　turned　and　called　out。　“Mister　Hemmen？”
The　fitter　ran　across　to　her。　“Mamzel？”
“Make　these　planes　airworthy　and　dress　them　in　Umbra　paint　schemes。”
“Yes；　mamzel。　Directly。”
“Soon　as　I　can；”　she　said　to　Blansher；　“I　intend　to　have　Umbra　up　to　full　strength。　I’m　going　to
find　us　some　willing　volunteers。”
Lucerna　AB；　23。12
The　fan　assemblies　were　still　venting　thick　exhaust　fumes　out　of　the　hangar。　Jagdea　took　off　her
helmet　and　got　down　from　Zero…Two。
She　glanced　at　the　three　cannon…shell　holes　in　the　tail　plating。　“Patch　that；　please；”　she　said　to
her　head　fitter。　“Rearm　and　refuel。”
“Yes；　commander。”
She　walked　up　the　dispersal　tunnel　and　entered　the　ready　room；　throwing　her　helmet；　mask　and
gloves　onto　the　couch。　The　man　who　had　been　sitting　in　one　of　the　armchairs　for　some　time　stood　up
swiftly。
“At　ease；”　she　said。　“Thanks　for　coming。　You’ll　have　to　forgive　my　temper。　A　patrol　turned　into
a　full…on　brawl。　But　we　stung　two　for　no　losses；　thanks　be。”
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