Double Eagle(科幻战争)-第12章

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double　doors　hung　a　blackboard　where　the　names　of　the　dead　and　missing　were　written　up　prior　to
the　morning　service。　He　stood　for　a　moment　and　stared　at　the　list　written　there　now。　The　dead　cadets
of　Hunt　Flight。　Such　a　damnably　long　list。　But　for　five　names；　it　was　a　roll　call　for　the　entire　wing。
He　opened　the　doors　and　looked　into　the　chapel。　It　was　quiet　and　very　dark；　save　for　the　daylight
falling　in　multi…coloured　rays　through　the　lancet　windows　at　the　far　end。　There　was　an　odour　of
wood…wax　and　floor　polish；　and　also　fading　flowers。　Someone　was　sitting　down　at　the　front；　at　the
end　of　the　first　pew。　Darrow　couldn’t　make　out　who　it　was；　and　felt　reluctant　to　disturb　them。
Retreating　back　into　the　hall；　Darrow　noticed　for　the　first　time　the　printed　posts　tacked　up　on　the
wallboards　outside　the　day　office。
He　started　to　read　them。
Major　Heckel　came　out　of　the　chapel　and　walked　over　to　him。　“Darrow？”
“What…　what　is　this？”　Darrow　murmured。
Heckel　could　hear　the　tinge　of　anger　in　the　pilot　cadet’s　voice。　“You　just　got　back　then？”　he
asked。　“You’re　checked　out？　You’re　all　right？”
“What　does　this　mean？”　Darrow　snapped；　pointing　at　the　posts。
Heckel’s　face　was　pinched　and　pale；　and　he　seemed　to　shrink　back　timidly　from　Darrow’s
bitterness。　“It’s　just　the　way　things　have　worked　out；　Darrow。”
“Did　Eads　sign　off　on　this？”
“It　was　his　decision；　he—”
“Is　he　here？”
“Yes。　Yes；　he　is。”
“I　want　to　see　him。”
Heckel　bit　his　lower　lip　and　then　nodded。　“Come　on。”
The　major　led　the　way　up　the　front　stairs　to　the　main　operations　chambers。　Their　boots　rang　on
the　hard　wood。　Heckel　seemed　to　have　a　need　for　small　talk。
“Everyone’s　been　given　day　leave；”　he　said；　almost　cheerfully。　“As　of　this　morning。　Everyone…
Well；　news　like　that；　yesterday。　Sort　of　knocked　everybody　back。　And　as　we　were　about　to　go　into
turnaround　and　move　out　to　make　way　for　the　Imperials；　well；　it　seemed　like　the　best　thing；　so
Commander　Eads　issued　passes　and…”
Darrow　wasn’t　really　listening。　The　door　to　the　main　operations　room　was　open；　and　he　saw
unfamiliar　personnel　in　Imperial　Navy　uniforms　stare　out　at　him　as　he　went　by。
They　reached　the　commander’s　outer　office　and　Heckel　ushered　Darrow　in。　Darrow　noticed　how
badly　the　major’s　gesturing　hand　was　shaking。　Really　shaking。
The　outer　office　was　empty。　The　desks　there　had　been　cleared；　and　transit　cartons　labelled　with
the　aquila　badge　were　stacked　up　in　the　middle　of　the　well…worn　floor。　Heckel　knocked　gently　at　the
inner　door。　He　was　answered　by　a　grunt。
They　went　in。　It　was　pitch…black　inside。
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“Sir…”　Heckel　began。
“What？　Oh；　my　apologies。”　There　was　a　click；　and　the　steel　blast　shutters　over　the　windows
retracted　to　let　the　daylight　in。
“I　forget；　sometimes；”　Eads　said。
The　entering　daylight　revealed　Air　Commander　Gelwyn　Eads　behind　his　brass　desk　in　the　bay
under　the　main　window。　The　walls　of　the　office　were　covered　with　hololiths—formal　squadron
group　shots；　individual　pilot　portraits；　pictures　of　Wolfcubs　and　Cyclones；　cheerful　scenes　from　base
formals　and　dinners；　a　picture　of　Eads　with　old　man　Belks。　A　tattered　Commonwealth　flag　was
suspended　in　pride　of　place　over　the　fireplace。
Eads　was　sorting　data…slates　and　charts　into　filing　boxes　around　his　desk。　He　was　a　short；　wiry
man　in　his　sixties；　his　grey　hair　shaved　so　short　it　looked　like　metal　filings　coating　his　scalp。　Little；
round　dark　glasses　covered　his　eyes。
“Make　yourselves　known；”　he　said。　“It’s　you；　Heckel；　am　I　right？”
Eads　had　been　blind　for　nineteen　years。　He　had　refused　augmetic　optics。　There　was　a　dermal
socket　behind　his　left　ear　which　allowed　him　to　plug　into　operation　systems　and　“see”　tactical
displays　during　sorties；　but　that　was　the　only　compensation　he　made　for　his　disability。　The　plug　was
in　now；　permitting　him　to　identify　and　sort　the　data…slates　using　the　code…reader　sitting　on　the　desk。
“It　is；　sir；”　said　Heckel。　“And　Pilot　Cadet　Darrow。”
Both　men　saluted　with　special　formality。　Long　ago；　Eads　had　decided　that　men　probably　weren’t
bothering　to　salute　him　properly　because　he　couldn’t　see；　and　had　taken　to　saying　“Call　that　a
salute？”　to　anyone　who　visited　him。　As　a　consequence；　everyone　saluted　him　with　more　care　and
correctness　than　they　did　sighted　officers。
“Call　that　a　salute？”　Eads　said；　and　smiled。　“Make　yourselves　easy。　Hello；　Darrow。　Are　you
recovered？”
“Yes；　commander。”
“Good　to　hear　it。　They　want　me　to　pack　up　and　leave。　The　Navy。　I　suppose　I　should　be　thankful
for　their　coming；　but　it　sits　uneasily。”
Eads　rose；　unplugging　himself　from　the　code…reader；　and　walked　around　the　desk。　He　used　a
sensor　cane；　topped　with　the　Enothian　crest　in　worn　silver；　which　trembled　in　his　hand　if　he　came
too　near　to　obstacles。　He　hardly　needed　it　in　his　own　office；　he　knew　the　layout　perfectly。　Eads
walked　over　to　the　fireplace　and　touched　the　edge　of　the　old　flag。　Then　he　pointed　at　some　of　the
framed　hololiths。
“Company　dinner；　wintertide　751。　Wesner　looks　particularly　pissed　in　that　shot；　doesn’t　he？　His
cravat　is　terribly　skewed。　That’s…　that’s　Jahun　Nockwist；　standing　next　to　his　Magog；　with　his
fitters。　Old　Greasy　Barwel　and　his　team；　Emperor　bless　them。　There；　that’s　Humming　Bird；　my　first
Cub。　Bad　old　lady。　Dropped　me　in　the　Sea　of　Ezra　after　a　flame…out　in　’42。　I　imagine　she’s　still
down　there；　crusted　into　some　reef。”
He　turned　to　face　them。　“Am　I　correct？”
“Yes；　commander；”　said　Heckel。　“Every　one。”
Eads　nodded。　“I　only　know　because　I　remember　where　I　hung　them。”　He　took　one　of　the　pictures
off　the　wall；　weighed　it　in　his　hand；　and　then　carried　it　over　to　the　desk。　It　went　into　one　of　the
boxes。　“I　don’t　suppose　I’ll　hang　them　in　my　new　office；　wherever　that　ends　up　being。　Barely　any
point。　I　won’t　be　able　to　see　them。　I　mean；　remember　how　they　looked。　Might　as　well　nail　empty
frames　up。　Still；　I　should　take　them。”
Eads　was　still　for　a　moment；　deep　in　thought。　Then　he　swung　his　dark　lenses　round　at　them
again。
“I　imagine　this　is　about　the　re…assignment；　Darrow。”
“Yes；　sir。　I’m　disappointed　to　say　the　least—”
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“I’m　sure　you　are；　cadet。　I　damn　well　would　be。　But　I’m　not　going　to　change　my　mind。　With　the
losses　yesterday；　we’ve　scarcely　got　enough　serviceable　K4Ts　to　keep　even　twenty　of　the　34th
flying；　and　that’s　with　pilots　sharing　Cubs　between　sorties。　We’re　scaling　the　wing　down；　we　have
to。　Once　we’ve　shipped　out　to　another　field；　we　need　to　trim　the　numbers。　Some　pilots　will　remain
active…　pretty　much　Vector　Flight　and　Quarry　Flight。　Others　will　be　stood　down　for　the　time　being。
Experienced　pilots　get　priority；　Darrow。　I’m　sorry。　Hunt　Flight　was　a　cadet　section。　And—forgive
me　for　putting　it　so　bluntly；　Heckel—there　are　precious　few　of　Hunt　left。　Darrow；　you’ll　be
reassigned　to　ground　duties；　and　probably　moved　back　to　Zophos　Field　or　Enothopolis　in　reserve。
It’s　just　the　way　it　has　to　work。”
“Yes；　sir。”　Darrow’s　teeth　were　gritted。
“Reserve　isn’t　so　bad；　Darrow；”　Eads　added。　“You’ll　be　kept　plenty　busy；　rewarding　work。　And
if　things　come　good；　you　could　be　flying　again　before　the　end　of　the　year。”
Darrow　nodded。
“Darrow？”
“Yes；　sir。　I…　Yes。　I　nodded；　sir。”
“Nodding　doesn’t　work　for　me；　airman。”
“Sorry；　sir。”
Eads　walked　back　around　his　desk　and　resumed　his　seat。　“Tell　you　what；”　he　said。　“Just　get　it　off
your　chest；　Darrow。”
“Sir？”
“Speak　your　mind。　Let’s　get　it　done　with。”
Darrow　glanced　at　Heckel。　The　major’s　face　seemed　even　paler　than　before；　and　his　hands　were
both　clearly　shaking。　But　he　shrugged　an　okay　to　Darrow。
Darrow　cleared　his　throat。　“I　know　I’ve　only　been　operational　four　weeks。　I’m　a　cadet。　All　of
that。　And　yesterday　was　a…　a…”
He　looked　at　Heckel。　Heckel　frowned　and　shook　his　head。
“Anyway；　I　believe　I　can　fly；　commander。　I　mean；　I　can　fly　well。　I’ve　hardly　had　the　chance；　and
I　hate　to　trumpet　myself。　But　yesterday；　I　really　felt　I…　There　was　this　bat　and…”
“Yes；　Darrow？”
Darrow　felt　stupid　even　trying　to　say　it。　“It　doesn’t　matter；　sir。”
Eads　sat　forward　and　lifted　a　data…slate　out　of　the　pile　to　his　left。　He　put　it　down　in　front　of　him。
“Your