Double Eagle(科幻战争)-第58部分

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Darrow　followed　Jagdea　down　the　passageways　to　one　of　the　main　staircases。　They　clattered　up
the　stone　steps；　side　by　side。　“You　alright？”　she　asked　him。
“Yes；　mamzel。　I’m　very　fond　of　the　commander。　It’s　sad　to　see　him　upset　like　that。”
“You　know　he　was　only　trying　to　protect　you；　don’t　you？”　Jagdea　said。
“Yes；　but　I　think　there　was　something　more；”　said　Darrow。　“These　last　few　weeks；　he’s　lost
everything。　His　command；　many　of　his　men　and　his　friends；　then　the　base　itself；　and　all　his
possessions　with　it。　I　think　my　company　was　the　last　thing　he　had　to　hold　onto。”
“This　is　war；”　said　Jagdea。　“War　calls　for　sacrifices。”
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DAY　269
Lucerna　AB；　06。30
“This　way；　gentlemen；”　Jagdea　called；　walking　out　into　the　middle　of　the　hangar　three　deckway。　The
four　aviators　followed　her；　wearing　their　flight　armour；　carrying　their　helmets。　Viltry；　Kaminsky；
Scalter　and　Darrow。　The　latter　looked　especially　nervous。　“Relax；”　Scalter　whispered。
Jagdea　stopped　beside　the　ranks　of　parked　planes。　“We　have　no　time　for　proper　induction。
Apparently；　there’s　a　war　on　or　something。”
The　crew　laughed。
“This　is　an　orientation　flight；　a　shake…down。　It’s　the　best　we　can　do　to　get　you　used　to　the　feel　of
the　real　thing　before　we　start　hitting　combat。　When　I　say　you；　I　mean　Mr　Darrow；　Mr　Scalter　and　Mr
Kaminsky。　Mr　Viltry　has　already　been　on　one　sortie。　But　I　figure　the　more　flying　time　he　can　get　in
a　Bolt；　the　better。　Zemmic　and　I　will　be　flying　chaperone。　Follow　my　lead。　Any　questions？”
“Commander？”　said　Scalter。　“What　with　the　pink　feathers　you　all　wear？”
“Lucky　feathers！”　Cordiale　called　out。　The　rest　of　the　Umbra　pilots　were　waiting　by　the　birds。
He　came　forward；　stuffed　a　hand　in　the　pocket　of　his　flight　pants　and　produced　several　more　which
he　handed　out　to　the　newbies。　They　put　them　on　their　lapels　dubiously。
“Right；”　said　Jagdea。　“Lucky　feathers。　That’s　got　the　important　stuff　out　of　the　way。　Let’s　mount
up。”
“Are　we　scraping　the　barrel　or　what？”　Marquall　whispered　to　Ranfre。　“Two　Commonwealth　nohopers；
one　of　them　a　kid；　that　poisonous　cripple；　and　a　Marauder　pilot　who’s　been　through　the
ringer。　I　mean；　he’s　got　that　look　in　his　eyes。”
“Viltry　did　pretty　damn　well　yesterday；”　Ranfre　said。
“Even　so；”　said　Marquall。　Viltry’s　score　from　the　previous　day　still　irked　him。
Primers　began　to　crackle　and　fire　the　engines　on　the　six　planes。　Scalter　settled　into　his　cockpit
and　ran　his　hands　around　the　edges　of　it　with　a　grin　on　his　face。　Kaminsky　allowed　the　fitter　to
fasten　his　harness；　then　used　his　good　hand　to　fix　his　prosthetic　around　the　stick。
“Okay；　sir？”　said　Racklae。
“The　usual　nerves。”
Racklae　leaned　into　the　cockpit；　strapped　the　speaker　phone　for　the　voice　system　around
Kaminsky’s　neck；　then　plugged　its　trailing　leads　into　the　instrument　panel　on　his　left。
“Comfortable？”
Kaminsky　settled　his　mask　and　nodded。　Racklae　closed　the　canopy。
Darrow’s　heart　was　bearing　fast。　He　kept　licking　his　lips。　Nothing　was　how　he　had　imagined　it。
The　weight　of　the　kit　on　his　body；　the　sound　of　the　Lightning　engines；　the　smell　of　the　cockpit　as　he
lowered　himself　in。
One　of　the　fitters　patted　his　own　ears　and　Darrow　nodded；　switching　on　the　vox　and　testing　it。
“This　is　Umbra　Leader；　let　me　know　you’re　ready。”
“Lead；　this　is　Ten；　ready。”
“Thank　you；　Zemmic。　I　assumed　you　were。”
“Leader；　this　is　Umbra　Four。　I’m　all　set；”　voxed　Viltry。
“Umbra　Five；　Leader；”　called　Kaminsky。　“Ready　to　lift。”
“Umbra　Seven；　check；　Leader；”　Scalter　said。
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“This　is　Umbra　Nine；　Umbra　Lead；”　Darrow　said。　“Systems　clear。　I　am　ready。”
The　deck　officers　waved　them　go；　and　ducked　down。
“Flight；　go　to　lift；”　Jagdea　voxed。
The　Thunderbolts’　engine　pitch　increased　sharply　as　they　rose　into　the　air。
“Launch　to　forward　flight；”　Jagdea　instructed。
The　flight　rushed　up　and　away　out　of　the　hangar　mouth　and　into　the　sky；　lifting　their　landing
gear。
Jagdea　turned　them　right；　across　the　atolls；　and　they　spent　a　while　practising　formation　flying
and　basic　manoeuvres。
Then　she　started　to　push　them　a　little　harder。　Fast　ascents；　rolls　and　power　dives。
“Keep　looking　around　you；　flight；”　Jagdea　voxed。　“Get　in　the　habit　of　checking　both　auspex　and
visual　on　a　regular　basis。　And　get　used　to　what　you　can’t　see　from　your　canopy　as　much　as　what　you
can。　Learn　how　to　compensate；　how　to　pitch　your　plane　to　get　a　better　view。”
After　ninety　minutes；　she　chose　a　small；　uninhabited　atoll　near　the　edge　of　the　island　chain。
“Line　up；　flight；”　she　said。　“I　want　each　one　of　you　to　test　his　weapons。　To　feel　how　they　affect
the　airframe。　Zemmic　and　Viltry　can　sit　this　one　out。”
Scalter　went　in　first：　a　long；　low　dive；　and　raked　the　rock；　both　las　and　then　quad。
“Good　aim；”　said　Jagdea。
“Throne；　it　really　shakes　the　plane；”　Scalter　observed；　banking　away。
“You　next；　Umbra　Nine。”
“Copy　that；　Lead；”　Darrow　responded。　He　switched　on　his　gunsight　and　armed　his　weapons　with
quick；　assured　flicks。　Then　he　pushed　the　stick　and　swung　down　into　a　dive。　Water　and　rocky
outcrops　flashed　by　under　him。　He　set　the　sight　reticule　on　the　rock；　closed　to　range；　then　fired　his
las。　The　shots　streaked　ahead　of　him　and　he　saw　the　fluff　of　impacts。　He　toggled　to　cannons　and
chattered　off　a　burst；　then　brought　his　bird　up。
“Excellent；　Nine。　Little　high　with　las；　but　the　cannon　was　good。　You　might　want　to　calibrate
your　gunsight　down　a　few　points。”
“Copy　that；　Leader。”
“Umbra　Five？　You’re　up。”
Kaminsky　acknowledged　and　began　his　run　on　the　target　atoll。　With　his　left　hand；　he　threw　the
arming　switch　and　turned　the　weapon　system　on；　then　returned　his　grip　to　the　throttle。　The　sight　was
in。
“Fire！”　he　said。
The　lascannons　blasted。
“Select！　Fire！　Fire！”
Now　the　quads　blasted；　twitching　the　machine’s　track。　Kaminsky　rolled　off　the　target　and　started
to　climb　out；　disarming　his　gun　system。　“Racklae’s　little　toy　seems　to　work；”　he　said。
“Very　nice；”　Jagdea　voxed。
She　let　all　three　of　them　do　it　again　a　few　times；　then　pulled　the　whole　flight　up　to　five　thousand。
“We’ll　swing　wide　on　three…three…two　and　then　turn　for　home；”　she　voxed。
They’d　been　going　for　ten　minutes；　and　Jagdea　was　about　to　call　the　turn；　when　Zemmic　called。
“Auspex　contact；”　he　reported。
“I’m　watching　it；”　Jagdea　said。
In　another　ten　seconds；　they　could　make　out　the　flash　and　smoke　of　a　dogfight　ten　or　fifteen
kilometres　to　the　north…west；　out　over　the　sea。
“Operations；　Operations；”　Jagdea　called。　“This　is　Umbra　training。　What　are　you　showing　in　our
vicinity？”
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“Umbra　Leader；　mass　intercept　underway　on　a　bomber　stream。　Suspected　escort　cover。　Advise
you　push　it　home　and　clear　the　area。”
“Acknowledged；　Operations；”　said　Jagdea。　“Umbra　Flight；　what　you　can　see　has　nothing　to　do
with　us　today。　We’re　turning　for　home。　Come　about；　bearing—”
“Break！　Break！”　Viltry　was　shouting。
Jagdea　and　Zemmic　broke　at　once；　Viltry　and　Kaminsky　going　the　other　way。　Scalter　and
Darrow　were　taken　by　surprise；　but　began　to　turn　out　the　moment　they　saw　the　formation　scatter。
Jagdea　looped　up　in　time　to　see　three　Razors　run　clean　through　the　parted　formation。　Escort
cover　no　doubt；　taking　a　pop　at　them。
She　engaged。　“Zemmic；　stick　with　me。　Guns　live。　The　rest　of　you；　pick　up　Lucerna　beacon　and
follow　it　home　now！”
Jagdea　and　Zemmic　burned　after　the　bats；　but　they　were　already　breaking。　She　scanned　her
auspex　frantically；　and　saw　one　of　the　Razors　descending　through　the　light　cloud。　She　stooped　after
it。
It　dropped　to　under　a　thousand　metres；　then　turned　up　again　sharply。　Jagdea　saw　passing　shots
slip　by　her　wing　and　realised　she’d　picked　up　another　of　them。
“On　him！”　Zemmic　voxed。
Umbra　Ten　rolled　in　on　the　second　bat’s　tail　and　fired　three　bursts　of　quad。　The　Razor　caught
fire　and　went　into　a　screaming　climb　that　ended　three　thousand　metres　above　them　in　an　expanding
fireball。
Jagdea　was　chasing　the　other　bat　when　she　heard　Scalter　on　the　vox。
“He　just　went　right　over　us！　Break！　Break！”　The　third　bat　must　have　found　the　trainees。
The　four　Thunderbolts　had　split；　and　now　Darrow　couldn’t　see　the　hostile　at　all。　The　only
aircraft　in　sight　was　Viltry’s；　three　hundred　metres　down　to　his　right。
Darrow’s　skin　crawled。　Eads　was　right。　He　wasn’t　ready　and　now；　as　soon　as　he’d　got　into　the
air；　he　was　going　to　be　killed。
He　saw　a　flash　and　looked　left。　Scalter’s　bird　was　climbing　and　trying　to　evade。　The　Razor　was
on　his　tail；　firing。
“Break！　Break！”　he　heard　Viltry　shouting。
Kaminsky’s　Thunderbolt　swept　in　out　of　the　clouds；　guns　crackling。　His　shots　went　wide；　but
they　were　enough　to　check　the　bat　and　allow　Scalter　to　break　and　dive　out。　The　bat　went　over
Kaminsky；　then　managed　to　viff　round。　Within　seconds；　Kaminsky　had　got　the　bat　on　his　six。
Two　shots　crashed　into　Kaminsky’s　wing。
“Dammit！”　he　cursed；　imagining　the　disappointment　on　Blansher’s　face。
Instinctively；　feeling　it　now；　he　eased　the　vector　thrust；　and　to　his　delight；　the　bat　overshot　him
and　started　to　turn。
Darrow　saw　it。　He’d　already　turned　his　gunsight　and　weapons　on。
It　was　trying　to　extend；　its　sport　denied　by　the　four　pilots。　Darrow　opened　the　throttle　and　gave