Double Eagle(科幻战争)-第61章

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“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　my　code…reader　behind　in　the
haste　to　evacuate。　I’m　lost　without　it。”
“I　could　read　out　the　list　to　you；　sir。”
“As　I　said；　my　shift　starts　at　eight。　Maybe　later；　commander。”
“With　respect；　sir；　time　is　very　short。　Is　there　no　one　you　can　think　of？”
The　main　hatch　into　Lucerna　Operations　lay　ahead　of　them。
“Well；　there　is　one。　Good　pilot。　I　know　he’s　here　because　he　came　in　with　me。　And　I　know　for　a
fact　he’s　done　simulation　time　orienting　on　your　machines。”
“That’s　a　good　start。”
“His　name’s　Scalter。　Frans　Scalter。　I　recommend　him　highly。　He　works　Operations　too；　but　he’s
not　on　this　shift。　Someone　can　track　him　down　for　you。”
“Thank　you；　sir。　Can　I　come　and　find　you　later？　Run　through　the　lists？”
“Of　course。”
They’d　reached　the　doorway。　Jagdea　could　hear　the　frantic　chatter　of　the　busy　Operations　floor
beyond　the　hatch。　Juniors　ran　in　and　out　with　data…slates　and　chart　reports。　A　young　man　was
standing　by　the　hatch。　He　seemed　to　be　waiting　for　Eads。　He　looked　somehow　familiar　to　Jagdea。
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“Good　morning；　Flight；”　he　said　to　Commander　Eads。
“Call　that　a　salute？”　Eads　replied。　“Ready　to　go；　Darrow？”
“Yes；　sir。”
“I’ll　expert　you　later　then；　commander；”　Eads　said　to　Jagdea；　then　allowed　his　junior　to　lead　him
away　into　the　hustle　of　the　Operations　deck。
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They　stood　on　an　observation　platform　high　amongst　the　island　cliffs。　It　was　a　fine；　clear　morning；
though　the　wind　was　strong　and　tugged　at　their　hair。　A　hundred　metres　below　them；　the　sea　crashed
in　against　the　foot　of　the　pink　crags。
“Almost　romantic；”　said　Beqa。　“The　sea　and　the　islands。　My　family　took　me　on　holiday　to　the
Midwinters　when　I　was　young。　Me　and　Eido。　We　stayed　on　Salthaven。　There　are　beaches　there　Eido
loved　it。　That　was　before　the　war　really　took　hold；　obviously。　A　time　when　holidays　were　something
that　people　did。”
“One　day；　I’ll　take　you　on　a　holiday。　I　promise。”　She　smiled　at　Viltry。　“Don’t　make　promises
you　can’t　keep。”
“No；