Double Eagle(科幻战争)-第30部分

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“Hear　it？”
“Where？　Wait…　yes。　It’s　ahead　of　us。”
“No；”　said　Viltry。　“That’s　an　acoustic　bounce　off　the　valley。　It’s　behind　us。”
LeGuin　instantly　began　spinning　the　Executioner’s　turret　to　face　rear。
“Get　us　off　the　bridge！”　he　yelled　at　Emdeen。
“Get　moving！”　Viltry　shouted　from　the　hatch　to　the　trucks　all　around。　“Come　on！　Clear　the　way！
Get　these　vehicles　rolling！”
Over　two…thirds　of　the　column　had　still　to　cross　the　bridge’s　ancient　pilings。
Viltry　heard　a　change　in　the　vector　note。
“Here　they　come！”　he　yelled。
Someone　back　down　the　convoy　had　at　last　got　a　decent　track　too。　From　the　end　of　the　long　line
of　vehicles　forward；　weapon　mounts　began　to　fire　at　the　sky。　Pintle…weapons；　elevated　cannons；　the
few　Hydra　platforms　still　carrying　munitions。　Small…arms　opened　up　as　well；　men　standing　up　in　the
back　of　trucks　to　unload　las…rifles　into　the　sky。　Hundreds　of　other　Guardsmen；　unarmed　or　too
scared　to　make　such　a　bold　defiance；　scrambled　out　of　their　transports　and　ran　for　cover　in　the　trees
and　amongst　the　reed　beds　of　the　tributary。
The　firing　was　intense。　The　convoy’s　elevated　shooting　filled　the　rainy　sky　with　a　blizzard　of
white　hot　or　illuminated　rounds。　There　was　still　no　sign　of　the　hostiles。
“They’re　wasting　most　of　it…”　Viltry　said；　noticing　that　LeGuin　at　least　had　not　started　firing。
LeGuin　was　about　to　speak。
Something　went　over；　northwards；　low　and　very　fast。　The　jet　wash　shook　them　and　their　ears
popped。　A　brief　hint　of　something　mauve　or　dark　red。
Less　than　a　second　later；　there　was　a　dull；　hollow　thump。　Rippling　around　itself；　a　large　ball　of
flame　boiled　up　into　the　sky　on　a　neck　of　smoke　and　sparks　some　three　hundred　metres　behind　them。
Viltry　saw　the　second　bat；　a　Hell　Talon。　It　had　just　sat　its　bomb　load　on　the　very　tail　end　of　the
column；　and　had　clearly　hit　something　significant…　a　tank；　an　ammo…carrier；　maybe。　A　curtain　of
bright；　almost　neon…white　flame　rushed　into　the　air　way　behind　them。　Small　black　specks；　which
Viltry　realised　were　very　probably　large　pieces　of　detonating　vehicle；　flew　sideways　out　of　the　flashwake。
The　Talon　kept　low；　switching　to　cannon　to　rake　the　convoy。　The　noise　of　its　jets　was　terrifying。
Crouched　in　what　seemed　like　a　very　fragile　drum　of　metal；　Viltry　experienced　the　psychological
impact　of　an　air　attack　for　the　first　time。　He　virtually　froze；　his　body　refusing　to　respond。　His　teeth
chattered。
No；　his　teeth　were　chattering　because　LeGuin　had　opened　fire　with　the　main　weapons；　the　twinlinked
autocannons；　adding　his　force　to　the　AA　storm。　The　whole　turret　shook；　and　started　to　turn　as
it　tracked。　Gripping　the　edges　of　the　hatch；　Viltry　stared　at　the　incoming　Talon。　A　stream　of　green
tracer…shot　from　a　Hydra　nearly　struck　it。　It　banked　slightly；　almost　daintily；　refusing　to　be　deterred
from　its　long；　hammering　run。
Its　cannons　were　firing。　Fast　blinks　of　light…flash　flickered　around　the　recessed　weapon　mounts。
Whipping；　concussive　impacts　stripped　up　the　line　of　the　road。　A　cargo…8　shuddered　violently；　as　if
men　with　rock…drills　were　working　in　its　flatbed。　Its　canvas　cargo　hood　shredded；　its　windows　blew
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out　and　its　tyres　burst。　Bodywork　seams　split　and　exhaled　dust　and　smoke。　A　second　cargo…8；　just
ahead　of　it；　lurched　and　immediately　caught　fire。　Viltry　saw　men　burning　like　brush　torches
staggering　out　of　the　cab。　Still　running；　the　truck　left　the　road；　bounced　down　the　embankment；　and
rolled　on　its　side　in　the　reed　beds；　hissing　up　a　thick　cloud　of　steam　as　river　water　hit　fire。
The　Talon　rushed　overhead。　Viltry　flinched　as　one　of　its　shells　glanced　off　the　Line’s　forearmour。
LeGuin’s　shots　streamed　after　it；　but　missed。
“Not　enough　deflection！”　Viltry　shouted。
“What？”
“Deflection！　You’re　not　anticipating　him　right！”
“Can　you　do　better？”　LeGuin　asked。
“I　can　try；”　Viltry　replied。
LeGuin　ordered　Mattedes　down　into　the　lower　compartment　to　free　an　autoloader　that　was
sticking。　He　himself　switched　seats　to　the　commander’s　position　and　allowed　Viltry　to　drop　into　the
gunner’s　seat。
“Bear　in　mind　this　isn’t　a　dedicated　AA　vehicle；”　LeGuin　cautioned。
“I　know；”　said　Viltry。
“I　mean；　we　don’t　have　a　Hydra’s　elevation；　or　targeters。　I’m　just　trying　to　throw　up　some　fire。”
“I　know；”　Viltry　repeated。　He　was　looking　around　the　turret　fixtures；　familiarising　himself　with
them。　“Traverse？”
“There；”　said　LeGuin；　pointing　to　a　two…way　clutch　lever。　“You　know　what　you’re　doing？”
“Well；　there　are　some　differences；　but　it’s　not　that　different　from　a　Marauder　turret。”　Viltry　sat
back；　getting　used　to　the　prismatic　sight；　and　test…swung　the　turret　about。　“You　were　doing　pretty
well；　by　the　way；”　Viltry　said。　“But　it’s　a　predictive　thing。　You’re　not　used　to　airborne　targets。
You’re　thinking　they’re　going　to　move　like　an　arrow　or　a　dart；　but　vector…thrust　don’t　do　that。
They’ll　come　up　or　to　the　side　in　a　weird　way。”
Emdeen　had　them　off　the　bridge　now。　Parts　of　the　rearward　column　was　burning　fiercely。
“More　coming；”　LeGuin　called；　one　hand　up　to　his　earphones。　The　Hydra　batteries　on　the　road
started　up　again。　Viltry　strained　to　see　out　of　the　limited　scope。
“They’re　coming　for　the　bridge。　They　want　this　column　stopped　right　here。”
Viltry　started　the　turret　turning；　and　then　began　firing。　God…Emperor；　it　was　slow　and　lumbering；
and　almost　like　firing　blind。　The　Talon　went　over；　unharmed。　Viltry　began　to　realise　why　LeGuin
had　been　struggling。　The　Line　of　Death　had　been　built　for　savage　anti…personnel　action；　not　air
cover。
He　swung　the　turret　back　fast；　immediately　picking　up　a　second　Talon　on　its　inward　path。　Viltry
used　the　smoke　plumes　from　burning　wrecks　along　the　road　as　a　scale；　then　began　firing　again　at　the
air　above　the　bridge；　the　point　at　which　he　was　sure　the　hostile　would　start　to　lift　out。
Elevated　as　high　as　they　would　go；　the　Line　of　Death’s　twin　cannons　punched　heavy　fire　at　the
clouds；　and　that　stream　began　to　swish　in　a　horse…tail　as　Viltry　dragged　the　turret　around；　aiming　not
for　the　Talon；　but　for　where　the　Talon　would　be　when　the　rounds　had　covered　the　distance。　Nearly；
nearly…
The　Hell　Talon；　blue　striped　with　bone…white；　tried　to　viff　hard　at　the　last　second；　but　its　forward
rate　was　too　high　for　any　kind　of　instant　adjustment。　It　flew　right　through　the　Line’s　fusillade。
Riddled；　the　airframe　tore　open；　fragments　flying　off。　The　tank　rocked　as　it　went　over。　The　Talon
sliced　across　the　main　river　on　one　wing…tip；　then　pancaked　and　hit　the　far　shore。　A　throaty
explosion　followed。
Matredes；　Emdeen　and　the　other　crewmen　started　whooping　and　cheering。　LeGuin　punched
Viltry　on　the　shoulder。
“That　was　mainly　luck；”　said　Viltry。
“Another　one！”　the　loader　shouted；　looking　at　an　auspex　repeater。
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Viltry　swung　around　again。　It　was　coming　in　much　lower。　He　wasn’t　going　to　get　anything　like
as　good　a　lead　on　this　shot。　He　fired　anyway；　washing　the　turret　back　and　forth　to　extend　the　cone；
an　old　tail…gunner’s　trick。
All　of　it　missed；　but　the　raking　fire　restricted　the　Talon’s　line　of　attack；　and　it　flew　straight　into
sustained　fire　from　a　Hydra。　The　moment　the　four　long…barrelled　autocannons　of　the　Hydra　found
the　enemy　machine；　the　targeter　system　took　over　and　held　the　guns　right　on　it。　On　powered
traverse；　the　Hydra　managed　to　maintain　heavy　hits　for　over　one　hundred　and　five　degrees　of　turn。
The　Talon　began　to　climb　and　then　blew　up　in　a　ragged　yellow　flash；　raining　debris　down　over　the
river　and　road。
After　that；　no　more　raiders　came　down　the　valley　for　a　while。　LeGuin　shook　Viltry　by　the　hand。
Viltry　was　breathing　hard；　pulse　racing。　For　the　first　time　since　G　for　Greta　had　been　brought
down；　he　felt　as　if　he　had　a　purpose。　A　worth。　He’d　helped　keep　the　bridge　clear。
The　feeling　tasted　a　little　like　the　confidence　he’d　been　slowly　winning　back　on　Enothis。　The
reassurance　of　a　point　to　life　that　Beqa　Mayer’s　company　had　begun　to　coax　back　into　him。
The　crash　had　torn　that　confidence　away；　of　course。　But　now　he　felt　oddly　centred。　War　claimed
men。　They　died。　Machines　crashed。　Leaders；　like　Viltry；　felt　guilt　and　remorse。　It　would　ever　be　the
way；　for　in　the　galaxy　of　man；　there　is　only　war。
For　one　tiny　but　valuable　moment；　sitting　there　in　the　Executioner’s　turret；　surrounded　by　the
cheering　and　bellowing　of　men　he　hardly　knew；　Viltry　realised　that　guilt　and　remorse　would　truly　be
his　to　bear　if　he　didn’t　make　the　effort　to　live。　To　live；　to　fight　the　foes　of　man；　and　to　make　his　way
back　to　find　the　woman　who　had　shown　kindness　to　a　stranger。
The　column　began　to　move　again。　The　rain　grew　heavier；　and　they　pulled　the　hatches　shut。　The
valley　ahead　was　an　ashen；　dispirited　place；　and　there　was　a　great　distance　to　go　before　they　reached
the　cities；　far　away；　where　the　skies　were　already　banded　with　black　fire…smoke。
Lake　Gocel　FSB；　19。12
In　the　space　of　about　thirty　hours；　their　alarm　bracelets　had　fired　eighteen　times。　With　jarring
regularity；　they　were　stirred　from　exercise；　prep；　sleep；　meals　and　standby　in　order　to　rush　to　the
shelters　as　enemy　formations　passed　through　their　airspace。　Each　period　of　waiting　in　the　gloom　of
the　dug…outs　did　nothing　to　soothe　already　stretched　nerves。　There　was　a　fight　between　two　Navy
fitters　and　some　PDF　troopers；　and　a　face…to…face　row　between　Ranfre　and　one　of　the　Raptor　pilots；
which　was　only　defused　by　the　calm　intervention　of　Milan　Blansher。
The　worst　argument　occurred　between　Jagdea　and　Blaguer。　The　FSB　had　lofted　only　three　snap
calls　in　the　period；　and　for　the　rest　of　the　time　it　had　hidden　under　its　camo　at　the　first　sign　of　an
alert。
“What　possible　good　are　we　doing？”　she　was　heard　shouting。
Blaguer’s　argument；　supported　by　Marcinon　and　the　leader　of　the　Lightning　wing；　was　that
Gocel　FSB　was　under…strength　as　an　intercept　force　and　should　therefore　pick　its　targets。　Seven　of
the　alerts　had　been　triggered　by　mass…raid　formations　of　bombers；　three　or　four　hundred　machines
strong；　passing　north　towards　the　coast。　Gocel’s　three　wings　would　barely　make　a　dent　in　such
formidable　numbers；　and　launches　would　betray　the　base’s　carefully　concealed　location。　There　was
no　doubt　that　a　mass…raid　force　would　spare　a　bomber　pack　to　annihilate　the　source　of　the　ambushers
if　it　was　discovered。
“Better　to　stay　low；　observe　concealment　discipline；　and　only　respond　to　targets　we　can　deal
with　safely；”　Blaguer　told　her。
“But　in　another　day　or　two；　there’ll　be　so　many　bats　up　there　we　won’t　be　flying　at　all。　We’re
supposed　to　be　intercept；　so　let’s　damn　well　intercept　something。”
“You’re　talking　about　a　wilful　and　suicidal　approach　to　the　prosecution　of　this　conflict。”
“I’m　talking；”　growled　Jagdea；　“about　fighting　this　war　instead　of　sitting　it　out。”
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Late　in　the　afternoon；　the　fourth　sortie　of　the　day　was　permitted。　Coastal　Operations　had
requested　urgent　data…gathering　from　its　FSBs　along　the　Saroja。　There　was　a　pressing　need　to　assess
the　disposition　of　inbound　retreat　elements　so　the　Munitorum　could　more　effectively　accomplish　the
mass　land　evacuation；　an　operation　already　beginning　at　Ezraville　and　Theda。　Operations　also　hoped
to　locate　one　or　more　of　the　enemy　land　carriers。　Given　the　terrible　stren