Double Eagle(科幻战争)-第54部分

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a　full…on　brawl。　But　we　stung　two　for　no　losses；　thanks　be。”
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She　went　over　to　the　cradenza　and　poured　herself　a　stiff　amasec。　“I　told　my　crews　this　was　a　‘no
drinking’　night；　so　be　good　and　don’t　let　on。”
The　man　nodded。
“Commander；　I　was　wondering　why　you　sent　for　me？”　said　August　Kaminsky。
Jagdea　slid　open　a　filing　cabinet　drawer　and　pulled　out　a　bulging　file　and　some　data…slates。
“A　bit　of　driving；　Mr　Kaminsky。　That’s　what　you　told　me　you　were　good　for　these　days。　A　bit　of
driving　for　the　Munitorum。”
“Yes；　commander。”
“Well；　I’d　like　you　to　do　a　bit　of　driving　for　me。　There’s　an　I…XXI　Thunderbolt　downstairs；　and
I’d　like　to　have　your　name　stencilled　under　the　cockpit。”
Kaminsky　gazed　at　her。　His　eyes　shone　with　what　seemed　like　anger。　The　skin　of　his
unblemished　cheek　flushed　almost　as　pink　as　the　mass　of　bums　on　the　other　side。
“Is　that　a　joke；　commander？　If　it　is；　I　think　it’s　in　pretty　poor　taste。　I　can’t　fly　Thunderbolts。　I
can’t　fly；　period。”
“I　beg　to　differ。　I　was　in　that　Cyclone　with　you。　That　was　instinct；　Kaminsky。　Pure　instinct。　I’ve
never　seen　finer。”
“But；　commander…”
“I’m　offering　you　a　place　in　my　wing；　Mr　Kaminsky。　Or　should　I　say　“Major’？　I　called　up　your
log　records。　Sixteen　years；　wing　leader　grade；　a　career　tally　of　seventeen　confirmed　kills。　This　is
your　chance　to　get　back　in　the　game。　To　fly　and　fight　for　your　world。　Are　you　going　to　refuse　me？”
Kaminsky　raised　his　stiff；　plastek　hand。　“Commander；　I　was　rated　not　airworthy　because　of　this；
not　because　I　was　unwilling　to　fight。　The　Commonwealth　just　hasn’t　got　the　augmetic　resources　to
fix　up　pilots　like　me。　With　this　hand；　I　can’t　control　throttle；　stick　and　guns。　Shit；　you　know　that；
Jagdea。”
Jagdea　nodded。　“Yes；　that’s　a　problem。　The　Navy　could　resource　you　a　proper　augmetic　implant；
but　we　don’t　have　much　time。　Certainly　not　enough　time　for　you　to　undergo　implantation　surgery。
So　I　talked　to　my　fitters。　They’re　an　ingenious　lot；　fitters。　One　suggested　mounting　the　trigger
assembly　on　the　top　of　the　throttle　lever；　but　we　all　thought　that　might　get　in　the　way。　Then　Mr
Racklae　had　a　notion。　He’s　going　to　wire　up　the　weapons　systems　to　a　voice　activator。　It’ll　take　a
little　getting　used　to；　I　realise；　but　you’ve　got　some　serious　familiarisation　to　do　anyway。　Bottom
line；　Kaminsky；　your　guns　can　be　voice　controlled。　Your　impairment　need　not　bar　your　from　combat
service。”
Kaminsky　continued　to　stare　at　her。　“I—”　he　began。
“Think　it　over；　major。　If　you　decide　to　pass；　I　have　other　candidates　to　consider。　But　you　were
my　first　choice。”
There　was　a　knock　on　the　door。
“Yes？”
Marquall　looked　in。　“Commander？　Do　you　have　a　minute？”
“Be　right　there；”　she　said。　She　glanced　back　at　Kaminsky。　“Help　yourself　to　a　drink　if　you　like。
I’ll　be　back　in　a　while。”
She　left　Kaminsky　in　the　ready　room　and　went　outside。　Marquall　peered　back　through　the
doorway　with　a　frown。　“What’s　he　doing　here；　commander？”　he　whispered；　dubiously。
“He’s　having　a　long；　hard　think；　Marquall。　What　did　you　need？”
“A　guy’s　just　turned　up　in　the　hangar。　Says　he　knows　you。”
“Hello；　Jagdea；”　said　Viltry。
“The　Emperor　protects！　Viltry？”
She　hurried　to　him　and　shook　his　hand。　He　looked　like　hell。　Unshaven；　his　clothes　dirty　and　torn；
and　he’d　lost　a　lot　of　weight。
“Viltry；　it　was　posted　that　you　were　dead；”　she　said。
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“So　they　keep　telling　me。　The　Munitorum　refuses　to　believe　I　exist。”
“But　your　machine　did　go　down？”
“Yeah。”
“Your　crew？”
Viltry　shook　his　head。
“I’m　sorry。”
“By　the　time　I　got　back　to　Theda；　everyone　was　leaving。　I　jumped　on　a　barge；　wound　up　here。”
“Where’s　the　rest　of　Halo　Flight？”
Viltry　shrugged。　“Don’t　know。　I　was　talking　to　a　Navy　crewman　down　in　the　food　line；　and　he
said　he　thought　a　Phantine　outfit　was　stationed　here；　so　I　came　to　see　for　myself。　I　can’t　pretend　I’m
not　disappointed　you’re　not　Halo；　but　it’s　good　to　see　a　face　from　home。”
“What　are　you　going　to　do？”　asked　Jagdea。
“I　don’t　know；　exactly；”　he　confessed。　“Even　if　I　do　find　out　where　in　this　theatre　Halo’s　been
posted；　I　don’t　stand　much　chance　of　rejoining　them。　Until　the　Munitorum　acknowledges　my
existence；　I’m　not　eligible　for　transit　back　to　my　outfit。　I’m…　stuck。”
“Not　necessarily；”　said　Jagdea。　“Do　you　want　to　fly？”
“Well；　yes。　If　I　can。”
“You’re　fit。　You’ve　done　tours　on　Thunderbolts　too；　right？”
“Yes。　Bree；　what　do　you　have　in　mind？”
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A　clear　day　over　the　desert。　Fine；　bright；　light　conditions。　Slight　crosswind。　He　opened　the　throttle
and　the　big；　brutal　Imperial　plane　climbed　effortlessly。
Ironic；　Kaminsky　thought。　Conditions　had　been　just　like　this　that　day　he’d—
The　last　time　he’d　flown。
“Make　your　track　four…one…six；”　the　vox　said。
“Copy　that；　Lead；”　Kaminsky　replied。
“And　keep　an　eye　on　your　auspex。　The　dial　top　right　of　the　screen…plate　adjusts　gain　if　you　need
better　resolution　on　a　merged　return。”
“Got　that；　thank　you。”
Kaminsky　pushed　the　stick　over　gently；　depressing　the　rudder　bar。　Good　response。　The
Thunderbolt　was　everything　he’d　imagined　it　would　be。
“Contacts！　Ten　o’clock！”　the　vox　suddenly　chimed。
Kaminsky　glanced　round；　saw　the　flash　on　the　auspex。　Nothing　in　visual…　No；　there　it　was。　A
glint　of　sunlight　off　metal；　hard　and　high　up。
He　started　to　climb　again。　The　bat　came　down　sharply；　screwing　out　of　its　dive。　He　thought　he’d
paced　the　intercept　well；　but　the　hostile　had　gone　under　him。
“Break！　Break；　or　he’ll　have　you！”
“Trying！”　Kaminsky　responded。　He　made　a　violent　left…hand　roll。　It　was　right　on　his　tail　now。
How　the　hell　had　it　managed　that？
“Break！　Break！”
Tone　warning。　He　was　locked　hard。　“Holy　Throne！”　he　cursed；　and　tried　one　last　twist。　The　bat
began　to　fire。　Kaminsky’s　Thunderbolt　exploded。　The　stick　went　dead。　So　did　the　sky。　Blansher　slid
back　the　hood。　“Bad　luck；”　he　said。
“I　was　stupid；”　Kaminsky　said。　“It　was　a　basic　mistake。”
“You’re　still　getting　used　to　the　bird。　Thinking　too　much　about　the　controls　and　how　they
operate。　It’s　natural。　Once　the　mechanics　become　so　familiar　you　don’t　have　to　think　about　them；
your　mind　will　be　freed　up。”
Kaminsky　nodded。
“Besides；”　said　Blansher。　“I　know　you　don’t　have　much　experience　of　vector…thrust　aircraft。
Vectoring　gives　us　all　sorts　of　tricks　we　can　play　in　the　air。　The　bat　got　you　just　then　because　it
viffed　out　under　you。　And　if　you’d　done　the　same；　you’d　probably　have　evaded。”
“I　know；”　said　Kaminsky。　“But　it’s　difficult　not　to　think　in　terms　of　forward　motion。
Sidestepping；　stopping…　that　sort　of　thing　doesn’t　seem　natural。”
“It　needn’t　be　that　dramatic。　Just　a　little　touch　will　put　a　slight　non…ballistic　behaviour　into　your
performance。”
Blansher　glanced　at　his　chronometer。
“You’ve　been　in　the　simulator　rig　for　two　hours。　We　can　take　a　break　if　you　like。　Get　some
breakfast　into　you。”
“How　many　times　have　I　died　in　those　two　hours？”　Kaminsky　asked。
“Six；”　Blansher　grinned。
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“Let’s　try　it　again。”
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“Commander？　Commander　Eads？”
Jagdea　ran　to　catch　up　with　the　man。　They　were　crossing　a　busy　gantry　walkway　deep　in　the
heart　of　the　base。　Tannoy　announcements　kept　booming　out；　and　personnel　jostled　and　hurried　past。
“Commander　Eads？”　Jagdea　said。
The　man　turned；　his　head　cocked。　“Who’s　calling　my　name？”
She’d　been　told　he　was　blind。　Look　for　the　blind　officer；　several　people　had　said。　“My　apologies；
sir。　I’m　Commander　Jagdea；　Phantine　XX。”
“Are　you　indeed？　And　why　were　you　after　me？”
“I　was　hoping　to　talk　to　you；　sir。　Get　some　advice。”
“About　what？”
“Pilots。　I’m　looking　for　pilots　to　replace　losses　in　my　flight。”
“Then　surely　you　should　be　talking　to　Navy　reserve；”　he　said。
“I　started　there。　Navy　reserve　has　no　one　airworthy。　The　handful　of　able　pilots　who　have　come　in
with　the　evac　have　already　been　assigned　to　Navy　flights。　So　I　asked　the　Munitorum　for　lists　of
airworthy　Commonwealth　pilots　here　on　Lucerna。”
Eads　chuckled。　“You　can’t　do　that。　Navy　doesn’t　take　pilots　from　the　PDF。”
“Because　the　Navy　believes　it　is　an　elite　service　and　chooses　to　draw　only　on　its　own。　I　know。
That’s　what　the　Munitorum　officer　told　me；”　Jagdea　said。　“The　thing　is；　the　Phantine　XX　isn’t　Navy。
It’s　Imperial　Guard。　An　aberration；　but　one　that　permits　me　the　scope　to　recruit　from　the　PDF　if　I
choose。”
Eads　shook　his　head；　amused。　“The　Navy　won’t　like　that。”
“The　Navy　can　lump　it。　The　precedent　is　already　well　established；　thanks　to　a　priest　who—Look
I　won’t　bore　you　with　the　story。　The　point　is；　I　have　the　list　of　Commonwealth　fliers。”　Jagdea　patted
a　fat　folder　under　her　arm。　“I　was　told　you　were　the　man　to　ask　about　recommendations。”
“Can　we　walk　and　talk？”　Eads　asked。　“I’m　due　on　shift　at　Operations　at　eight。”
“Of　course。”
They　moved　away　off　the　gantry　and　along　an　equally　busy　rock…cut　corridor。　Jagdea　noticed
how　even　the　most　hurried…looking　personnel　they　met　respectfully　stood　aside　to　let　Eads　pass。
“You　know　the　men。　You　had　command　at　Theda　North。”
“Before　the　Navy　arrived。　I’m　afraid　I　can’t　read　your　lists。　I　left　m