Double Eagle(科幻战争)-第39章

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He　fired。　He　hit　something；　because　there　was　suddenly　shrapnel　in　the　air。　Where　was　it？
“It’s　going　high！　It’s　going　high！”　he　heard　Waldon　yell。
Marquall　looked　up；　and　saw　the　Locust　powering　up　into　the　violet　sky　on　a　vertical　track；
suddenly　visible　as　a　sharp　silhouette　against　the　pale　light。
It　was　trailing　smoke。　He’d　hit　it；　at　least；　and　driven　it　off。
The　vox　crackled。　“Umbra　Lead；　Umbra　Lead；　is　that　you？”
“Copy　that。　Larice？”
“Affirmative。　We　are　inbound　to　your　position；　converging。　Be　advised：　bats；　bats；　bats。”
Marquall　heard　Jagdea　curse。　He　pulled　up　and　round；　and　saw　the　sky　above　and　to　their　south
full　of　specks　and　sparkles　of　light。
Larice　and　Zemmic；　running　for　home；　with　ten…plus　machines　on　their　heels。
“Eight　and　Two；　with　me！”　Jagdea　called。　“Four；　we　are　crossing　to　intercept。　Can　you
commit？”
“Negative；　Lead。　Zemmic　and　I　are　nil　ammo；　repeat　nil　ammo。”
“Understood。　Burn　for　home。　We’ll　deal。”
Marquall　saw　two　hot　lights　flare　up　to　his　port　side　as　Blansher　and　Jagdea　hit　the　burners　and
blasted　towards　the　incoming　formation。　He　opened　his　own　throttle　and　soared　in　after　them。
Zemmic　and　Asche；　cooking　at　full；　streaked　past　under　him；　rocking　Nine…Nine　with　their　jet　wash。
The　three　Thunderbolts　scorched　into　the　leading　edge　of　the　Locust　pack。　The　air　went　wild
with　dazzling　streamers　of　crossfire。　As　the　bats　fired；　it　seemed　like　a　whole　constellation　of
flashing　stars　had　come　out。
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Marquall　felt　the　shudder　of　near…misses；　and　then　a　flat　slap　as　something　kissed　across　his　port
wing。　He　squeezed　the　gun…stud；　then　rolled　hard；　getting　into　grip　position　instinctively　as　he　pulled
four　and　a　half　negative。
There　was　a　vast　fire…splash　to　starboard；　and　Marquall　was　dazed　long　enough　for　him　to　almost
collide　with　a　Locust　coming　fast　the　other　way。　From　the　whoop　on　the　vox；　Blansher　had
evidently　scored　again。
The　bats　had　broken　high。　Marquall　gunned　Nine…Nine　and　began　a　climbing　turn。　His　auspex
display　was　just　a　mass　of　confused　green　blobs。　He　couldn’t　make　anything　out。
Something　went　by　him；　turning　higher　and　wider　than　him。　He　reckoned　it　was　Jagdea。　A
Locust　streaked　down　past　him；　guns　clattering。
He　rolled　around　and　spotted　Blansher　powering　low　over　the　forest；　chasing　two　bats　with
another　pair　mobbing　at　his　heels。　Marquall　put　his　nose　down　and　streaked　after　the　pursuers。
“Eight！　Break；　break；　break！”　That　was　Jagdea。
Marquall　had　already　heard　the　whining　of　the　lock　alarm。　He　punched　over　left；　then　rolled
back　right；　and　fluttered　his　speed　brakes。　The　tone　ceased。　Something　went　over　him；　turning。
More　throttle　again；　climbing　now。　The　bats　Blansher　had　been　chasing　had　split；　and　he　was
alone　with　Locusts　firing　at　his　tail；　stuck　tight。
“Break；　Two！”　Marquall　yelled。　“Break！”
“They’re　too　tight！　Riding　me！”
Nose　up；　Blansher’s　machine　shuddered　and　yawed　as　las…shots　chewed　into　its　tail　fin。
In　desperation；　Blansher　executed　a　vector　brake；　but　up　rather　than　down；　so　that　the　two　bats
whipped　under　him。　By　then；　Marquall　was　tight　on　them；　and　he　went　under　Blansher　too。　Blansher
had　braked　too　hard；　and　was　now　trying　to　recover　airspeed　before　he　stalled。
One　bat　disappeared；　pulling　out　so　suddenly；　Marquall　couldn’t　tell　if　it　had　gone　high　or　low。
He　came　in　on　the　other；　emptying　his　batteries；　and　then　toggling　to　quad…cannon　for　a　second
lengthy　burst。
The　Locust　suddenly　spluttered　out　a　gout　of　flame；　which　flared　rapidly　into　a　wide；　spiralling
fireball　and　ignited　propellant。　The　bat’s　doom　was　so　savage　that　Marquall　had　to　break　off　to
avoid　the　blast。
He　had　made　his　second　kill。
Jagdea　banked　over；　lined　up　and　ripped　a　Locust　out　of　the　air　as　it　attempted　to　swing　under
her。　It　went　over；　shaking　like　an　autumn　leaf；　and　caught　fire。
Another　two　streaked　past　her；　but　Blansher　was　on　them；　firing　like　a　maniac。　One　blew　out；
becoming　a　cloud　of　sparks　that　sailed　on；　slowed；　and　then　began　to　fall。　The　other　broke　south。
Something　lined　up　on　Jagdea’s　bird　so　fast　that　the　lock　tone　surprised　her。　She　took　three　hits
that　kicked　the　tail　of　her　Thunderbolt　high　and　caused　a　mass　of　alarm　runes　to　light　her　display。
She　fought　the　stick；　stiff　with　diving　speed；　and　kicked　the　rudder　out　to　port；　piling　on　the　G。
She　grunted　with　effort；　bringing　the　nose　round。
And　there　was　a　banking　Locust；　moving　a　touch　too　lazily；　like　a　gift　from　the　God…Emperor
himself。
She　was　set　on　quad　already。　She　fired；　a　sustained　burst；　enjoying　the　way　the　shudder　impaired
Zero…Two’s　stable　flight。
Mortally　wounded；　the　Locust　dipped　its　nose　and　began　to　dive。　A　long；　steady　curve　of　firetrail
marked　its　passage　from　air　to　ground。　There　was　a　vivid　flash　amongst　the　trees　below。
“They’re　breaking！”　Blansher　voxed。
She　banked　wide；　checking　her　auspex。　“Confirm　that；　Two。”
The　remaining　bats　were　fleeing　south　in　a　loose　line。
“Pursuit？”　asked　Marquall。
The　boy’s　blood　was　evidently　up。
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“Negative；　Eight。　Turn　for　home。”
They　cruised　back　through　what　was　now　night；　each　pilot　isolated　in　the　darkness。　Nine
kilometres　from　Gocel　FSB；　a　large　area　of　forest　was　ablaze。
In　the　darkness；　the　nets　were　back　and　the　lumin　barrettes　were　lit。　Umbra　One；　Two　and　Eight
followed　the　shine　down　and　settled　perfectly　on　their　mats。
Lake　Gocel　FSB；　21。02
Racklae　hauled　Marquall　out　of　his　machine。　The　fitters　were　running　in　for　after　flight。　Vapour
fumed　the　pad。　Already；　the　shimmer　netting　was　closing；　the　barrettes　had　been　killed；　and　stealth
lighting　resumed　over　the　base。
Marquall　pulled　off　his　helmet。　The　night　air　smelled　good。　Insects　were　screaming　in　the
thickets　and　under　the　dark　trees。
“Okay；　pilot？”　Racklae　asked。
“About　time　I　started　a　tally；”　Marquall　said。　Racklae　grinned。　It　wasn’t　done　for　a　pilot　to　stripe
up　a　single　kill。　But　once　it　was　more　than　one…
“How　many　should　I　put；　sir？”　Racklae　asked。
“Keep　it　modest。　I　got　another　one；　Racks。”
“Number　two！”　Racklae　yelled；　and　the　ground　crew　began　jumping　around　and　cheering。
Several　ran　up　to　shake　Marquall　by　the　hand。
“There　was　a　fire　in　the　forest；”　Marquall　said；　trying　to　make　himself　heard　over　the　jubilation。
“I　wouldn’t　know　about　that；　sir；”　Racklae　said。　“You’d　better　go　to　dispersal。”
Marquall　nodded；　and　patted　Nine…Nine’s　flank。
“Look　after　her；　Racks；”　he　said。
“Will　do；　sir；”　said　the　chief。
The　fitter　crew　gave　him　a　series　of　hearty　cheers　as　he　left　the　matt…deck。　Weighed　down　by　his
flight　armour；　Marquall　limped　down　the　path　through　the　trees　towards　Operations。
There　was　a　commotion　there。　Still　wearing　their　flight　gear；　Larice　Asche　and　Zemmic　were　in
the　process　of　recounting　some　furious　dogfight　to　Del　Ruth；　Cordiale；　Ranfre　and　Van　Tull。　Base
crew；　and　some　Raptor　pilots　gathered　around；　listening。
Marquall　saw　Blansher　standing　in　the　shadows　of　the　awning　outside　Operations；　talking　to
someone。
He　went　across。　The　cries　and　laughter　from　the　gaggle　of　pilots　was　loud　and　vigorous。
It　was　Kautas　standing　with　Blansher。　Both　men　were　smoking　lho…sticks。　Marquall　saw　how
pale　and　drawn　Blansher　was。　The　older　man　smiled　as　he　saw　Marquall。
“Over　here；　Vander；”　he　called。
Blansher　shook　Marquall’s　hand。　“Thanks；”　he　said。
“For　what？”
“I　think　that　double　stern　attack　might　have　stung　me　if　you　hadn’t　been　chasing　them　down。”
“Rubbish。　You　got　yourself　out　of　that　one。”
Blansher　shrugged。　“Well　done；　by　the　way。　Two；　was　it？”
“I　wish；”　said　Marquall。　“One；　clean　and　definite。　I　hit　another；　but　he　stayed　up。”
Kautas　reached　into　his　robe　pocket　with　his　left　hand；　pulled　out　a　silver　stick　case；　and　opened
it；　offering　the　contents　to　Marquall。
“No　thanks；　father；”　said　Marquall。
“Such　a　clean…living　boy；”　Kautas　said　to　Blansher　as　he　put　the　lho…stick　case　away。　In　his　other
hand；　the　priest　held　a　bottle　of　amasec。　“How　about　this；　then？”
Marquall　took　the　bottle　and　knocked　off　a　finger　that　burned　in　his　mouth；　then　his　throat；　then
his　belly。　He　handed　the　bottle　to　Blansher。
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“To　your　three　kills；　sir。　What　is　it　now？”
Blansher　took　a　swig。　“I　forget；　Vander。”　He　passed　the　bottle　back　to　the　priest。
“Do　we　know　what　happened　yet？”　Marquall　asked。
“Not　entirely。　What　I’ve　been　told　is　the　flight　got　into　serious　trouble　on　the　edge　of　the　desert。
The　Lightnings　had　picked　up　something　important；　and　then　there　were　hostiles　all　over　them　like　a
swarm。　Forty…plus　machines。　From　what　Asche　has　said；　it　must　have　been　a　monster　of　a　fight。　One
of　the　Lightnings　was　stung　almost　immediately。　Then　another　of　them　got　a　kill；　and　was　promptly
killed　itself。　Meanwhile　our　three　went　into　the　brawl。　Waldon　splashed　two　and　then；　ammo　zilch；
he　pulled　out　and　started　to　nursemaid　the　remaining　Lightning；　which　had　been　shot　to　crap　and
was　running　home。　Asche　and　Zemmic　stayed　on　station；　and　kept　going　until　they　were　out；　trying
to　buy　Waldon　and　the　Lightning　some　time　to　get　clear。　We’re　waiting　for　gun…pict　confirmation；
but　allegedly　Zemmic　bagged　four；　and　our　dear　Larice　got　nine。”
“Nine？”
“That’s　what　she　says；”　Blansher　nodd