Double Eagle(科幻战争)-第7章

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“Nice　of　you　to　join　us；”　Jagdea　grinned　as　she　shook　Hayyes　by　the　hand。
“Nice　of　you　to　wait　for　us；”　Hayyes　replied。　“I　trust　there　are　still　some　bats　flying　for　us　to
hunt。”
A　hush　suddenly　fell。　A　final　group　of　aviators；　all　Navy　men；　had　just　entered　the　hangar；
making　a　late　entrance　that　seemed　to　Jagdea　calculatedly　theatrical。　There　were　only　eight　of　them。
Their　armoured　flight…suits　were　matt　black　and　their　suede　jackets　cloud…white。　They　wore　no
insignia　or　rank　markings　whatsoever；　except　silver　Imperial　aquilae　at　their　collars。
“Holy　crap！”　Jagdea　heard　Del　Ruth　whisper。　“The　Apostles！”
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The　Apostles；　indeed。　The　celebrated　wing　of　aces；　the　very　elite。　Jagdea　wondered　which　one
was　Quint；　ace　of　aces；　which　one　Gettering。　The　tall　one；　was　that　Seekan　or　Harlsson？　Which　one
was　Suhr？
There　was　no　time　to　ask　Blansher。　Escorted　by　a　dozen　aides　and　tactical　officers；　an　imposing
figure　in　the　uniform　of　a　fleet　admiral　came　in　and　took　the　stage。　It　was　Ornoff　himself。
All　eyes　turned　to　him。
“Aviators；”　he　began；　his　voice　soft　but　carrying。　“At　18。00　yesterday　evening；　I　met　with　Lord
Militant　Humel　in　the　War　Ministry　at　Enothopolis。　The　lord　militant；　as　you　must　be　aware；　has
been　prosecuting　the　war　here　on　Enothis　for　the　last　nine　months；　in　the　name　of　Warmaster
Macaroth　and　the　God…Emperor　of　us　all。”
“The　Emperor　protects！”　one　of　the　Apostles　said　smartly；　and　everyone　eagerly　echoed　the
words。
Ornoff　nodded　appreciatively。　“I　hope　he　does；　Captain　Gettering。　In　the　meantime；　we　will　have
to　do。　I　presented　the　formal　orders　sent　to　me　by　the　Warmaster　to　Lord　Militant　Humel；　and　at
18。30　hours　precisely；　the　Lord　Militant　formally　handed　command　of　the　Enothis　theatre　to　me。”
Spontaneous　applause　broke　out　across　the　hangar　floor。
“For　now；　the　land　war　on　Enothis　is　done。　Now　the　air　war　begins。”
Theda　MAB　South；　07。46
Major　Frans　Scalter　glanced　at　the　co…pilot　alongside　him　in　the　cramped　bubble　canopy　of　the
thundering　Cyclone；　got　a　thumbs…up；　then　turned　to　wave　the　ground　crew　off。
He　adjusted　his　mask。　“Operations；　Operations。　This　is　Seeker　One。　Seeker　Flight　is　ready　for
departure。　Awaiting　permission。”
Scalter　had　his　hand　on　the　wheel…brake　lever。
“Seeker　One；　Operations。　Roll　them　out。　Main　is　open。　Fly　true　and　may　the　Emperor　protect
you。”
“Thank　you；　Operations。　Seeker　Flight；　on　my　lead。”
Scalter　released　the　brake；　and　opened　the　throttle　gently。　Bucking；　the　twin…engined　plane
began　to　creep　out　off　the　hardstand　towards　the　main　runway。　Its　wingmen　followed。　The　combined
roar　of　the　six　engines　resounded　across　the　field。
Scalter　rolled　to　the　start　position；　and　made　a　final　adjustment　to　the　trim。　At　his　side；　Artone
opened　the　radiators　and　made　the　fuel　mix　a　little　richer　for　a　lusty　take…off。
“Seeker　Flight—”　Scalter　began。
Artone　suddenly　held　up　a　hand。
“What？”
“Red　flag！”　said　Artone　urgently；　pointing　down　the　field。
“Throne！　What　now？”　snarled　Scalter。　“Operations；　this　is　Seeker　One。　We’ve　got　a　red　flag。
Please　confirm　our　clearance。”
There　was　a　pause。　Then　the　vox　fizzled。　“Negative　clearance；　negative　clearance；　Seeker　Flight。
Abort　now　and　clear　main。　Roll　off　to　revetments　fifteen　through　seventeen　and　stand　down。
Repeat—Negative　clearance；　abort　and　clear　main。”
“What　the　hell’s　going　on？”　Scalter　demanded。
“Wounded　birds；”　the　vox　replied。　“Wounded　birds　inbound。”
Twenty　kilometres　short　of　Theda　MAB　South；　07。46
They　could　see　the　spread　of　the　field；　slightly　hazy　in　the　morning　light。　Guide　paths　were　popping
off。　The　knocking　from　behind　Darrow　was　now　constant。
Major　Heckel　called　in　the　fuel　load　from　each　Cub　in　turn。　All　were　miserably　low。　Darrow
could　only　answer　full　as　he　had　no　other　reading。　Hunt　Sixteen　had　begun　to　dribble　smoke　in　the
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last　ten　minutes；　and　its　pilot　reported　rapidly　dropping　hydraulic　pressure。　Hunt　Sixteen　had　taken
at　least　two　hits　to　the　belly　during　the　brawl　over　the　mountains。
“Hunt　Flight；　this　is　Hunt　Leader。　Sixteen　and　Four　have　landing　priority。　Let　them　go　in　first
and　we’ll　follow　as　soon　as　they’re　down。　Confirm。”
Darrow　stretched　his　shoulders　against　the　harness。　Heckel　wanted　Sixteen　down　before　it　died；
and　he　wanted　Darrow　down　as　quickly　because　he　was　most　likely　flying　on　empty。
“After　you；　Hunt　Sixteen；”　Darrow　voxed；　allowing　the　Wolfcub　to　come　around　ahead　of　him。
The　Cub’s　streamer　of　smoke　pulsed　clear　then　white；　clear　then　white；　like　a　ticker　tape。
The　knocking　grew　yet　more　insistent。　Darrow　began　his　approach。
Theda　MAB　South；　07。47
“Your　fighter　wings；”　Ornoff　told　them；　“are　five　of　the　first　to　arrive　on　station　here　along　the
southern　coast。　In　the　next　seventy…two　hours；　a　total　of　fifty…eight　wings　of　the　Imperial　Navy…
and　its　affiliates…”　he　added；　with　a　nod　to　the　Phantine；　“will　be　deployed　at　airfields　along　the
entire　littoral。　Forty…two　fighter　wings；　sixteen　bomber　flights。　To　say　that　you　will　be　supporting
the　local　Commonisstatement。　You　will　form　the　front　line　in　the　air。
The　stalwart　Commonwealth　forces　who　have；　let　me　remind　you；　been　fighting　this　theatre　for
months　now；　will　take　a　supportive　role。　God…Emperor　willing；　this　may　allow　them　precious　time　to
repair；　refit；　recrew　and　rest。”
He　turned　to　the　chart　behind　him。　“I　don’t　need　to　tell　you　to　familiarise　yourself　with　the
topography；　channel　use；　and　the　location　of　friendly　fields。　Encryption　codes　will　be　changed　on　a
daily　basis。　The　Archenemy　is　listening。”
Ornoff　paused　and　slid　his　open　hand　down　the　chart　pensively。　“The　situation　here　is　grave。
Lord　Militant　Humel’s　land　forces；　ably　supported　by　the　Commonwealth　armies；　almost　succeeded
in　driving　the　Archenemy　off　this　world。　However；　in　the　last　two　months；　fortunes　have　reversed
disastrously。　The　Archenemy；　whose　remaining　surface　stronghold　is　around　the　Southern　Trinity
Hives—here—has　resupplied　in　great　force　as　part　of　the　counter…offensive　launched　last　year
through　the　Khan　Group　as　a　whole。　The　Lord　Militant’s　land　forces　are　now　in　harried　retreat
northwards　through　the　Interior　Desert…　this　region；　here。　Some　have　already　reached　the　Makanite
Range；　and　are　struggling　through　the　passes　there。　Our　task—your　task—is　to　help　as　many　of　them
reach　the　safety　of　the　Zophonian　Coast　as　possible。　We　are　to　supply　comprehensive　air　cover　to
the　retreating　columns　of　armour　and　infantry。　That　means　denying　the　enemy　airspace；　and
prosecuting　their　land　forces　with　aerial　strikes。　Enothis　will　only　be　saved　if　sufficient　portions　of
allied　land　forces　can　be　brought　back　to　the　coast　intact。　There；　with　resupply；　they　can　make　a
stand；　a　counter…attack　to　meet　the　Archenemy　invasion。”
Ornoff　looked　back　at　them　all。　“Expect　to　be　flying　sorties　round　the　clock。　A　thorough
strategic　plan　will　be　executed　as　soon　as　all　the　wings　are　on　station；　at　which　point　your　wings
may　be　reassigned　to　other　fields。　In　the　meantime；　you　will　be　flying　ad　hoc　missions　at　the
discretion　of　Operations　to　supply　cover　until　we　are　at　full　strength。”
Ornoff　raised　a　hand　and　beckoned　one　of　the　staffers　who　had　entered　the　hangar　with　him　onto
the　stage；　an　older　man　in　the　flight　kit　of　a　Commonwealth　pilot　officer。　“I’ve　invited　Commander
Parrwood　here　to　brief　you　on　climate　and　terrain　peculiarities。　Before　he　does；　any　questions？”
Godel；　the　Sundogs’　flight　commander；　raised　a　gloved　hand。　“What　are　we　to　expect　here；
admiral？”
“Superior　air　power；”　Ornoff　replied　crisply。　“Hell　Razor　and　Locust…class　fighters；　Tormentor
and　Hell　Talon…class　fighter…bombers。　The　Archenemy　is　flying　a　large　number　of　locally…made
machines。　There　are　also　reports　of　heavy　bombers；　of　a　type　yet　undetermined。　Many　of　their
planes　exhibit　extended　range；　which　may　indicate　mass　carriers　in　the　desert。”
“When　do　we　get　in　their　reach？”　one　of　the　Apostles　asked。
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“Unless　you　deny　them；　Major　Suhr；　at　their　present　rate　of　progress；　the　Archenemy　wings　will
have　range　enough　to　begin　attacking　these　coastal　bases　within　the　month。　That　is　an　eventuality　I
don’t　want　to　see。”
“And　you