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Marquall　meant　was　first　combat　sortie。
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“We’re　going　to　get　her　ramp…ready；　soon　as　we’ve　done　the　last　check　over。”
Marquall　nodded　to　the　fitter。　“Thanks；”　he　said　and　walked　off　the　pad；　backing　so　he　could
enjoy　a　last　look　at　his　bird。　It　was　framed　in　a　little　cocoon　of　light　under　the　heavy　shrouds。　All
around；　night　had　settled　on　the　forest：　a　full；　deep　darkness　punctured　only　slightly　by　faint　lights
from　the　camp。
“Looking　good；　killer。”
Marquall　glanced　around。　Larice　Asche　stood　in　the　trees　at　the　edge　of　the　matt…pad。
“It　does；　doesn’t　it？”　Marquall　smiled。
She　walked　over　to　him；　and　produced　a　bottle　of　amasec　from　the　map　pocket　of　her　flight
baggies。
“Better　baptise　it；　for　luck。”　She　took　a　deep　swig　and　then　passed　the　bottle　to　him。　Marquall
drank　too。
“Here’s　to　Double　Eagle；”　Asche　said。　Her　eyes　were　bright　in　the　darkness；　and　there　was
relish　in　her　voice。　“Things　are　coming　pretty　good　for　you；　huh；　killer？　An　infamous　rocket…assist
evasion；　your　first　confirmed；　a　personalised　bird…　You’re　really　getting　in　the　game。　You　got　the
shine；　Marquall。　The　aura　that　says　you’re　gonna　go　far。”
“I　guess；”　he　smiled；　a　little　nervous。　He　took　another　swig　and　handed　the　bottle　back　to　her。
“Maybe　my　luck　is　changing　at　last。”
“Oh；　I　know　it　is；”　she　said；　and　stepped　up　to　him；　her　mouth　against　his。　Her　enthusiasm　took
him　by　surprise。
Racklae　jumped　down　from　Nine…Nine’s　wing　and　began　searching　in　the　tool　trunks　for　a
number　three　rotator。
“Hey　chief；”　said　one　of　his　men。
Racklae　looked　up；　nodding；　and　followed　the　man’s　gaze；　locating　the　two　entwined　figures　in
the　shadows　of　the　path。　He　snorted　a　laugh。
“And　the　kid　was　so　sure　he　wasn’t　going　to　get　a　smack　in　the　mouth…”
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DAY　262
The　Makanites；　06。47
The　upper　faces　of　the　cliffs　above　them　lit　up　russet　in　the　dawn；　and　long　shadows　streaked　the
dust。　It　was　cold　and　the　air　was　eerily　quiet。
“What　day　is　it？”　Viltry　asked。
“Two…sixty…two；”　LeGuin　replied。
“I’ve　lost…　three　days。”
“I　think　you　must’ve　hit　your　head　pretty　hard。　We　patched　you　up　as　best　we　could。”
“You　found　me？”
LeGuin　leaned　back　against　Line　of　Death’s　tracks；　and　took　a　sip　from　his　water　bottle。　“Found
your　bird。　My　convoy　elements　had　seen　a　bunch　of　trouble　ahead。　A　gorge　area。　An　ambush。　Time
we　got　there；　it　was　all　done。　Lot　of　mess。　We　came　on　your　plane　belly　down　in　the　desert　south　of
the　gorge。　You　were　lying　in　the　sand　about　fifty　metres　from　it。”
“I　don’t　remember　ejecting。”
“Thrown　clear；　maybe？”
“The　rest　of　my　crew…？”
LeGuin　shrugged。　“Sorry。　I’m　guessing　they　didn’t　make　it。　Your　machine　was　burned　out。　We
took　a　look；　saw　a　couple　of　bodies。　I　don’t　think　we　missed　anything　still　alive。”
Viltry　nodded。
“Sorry。”
“Not　your　fault。”
“Not　yours　either；　I　should　imagine。”　You　have　no　idea；　Viltry　thought　to　himself。　“What’s　your
name？”　he　asked。　“LeGuin；　Captain　Robart；　8th　Pardus　Armoured。”
“Oskar　Viltry；　21st　Wing；　Phantine　Air。”
“Don’t　get　many　of　your　sort　down　this　way；”　LeGuin　joked。
“You’re　on　the　home　haul？”
“Oh；　yes。　Part　of　Humel’s　great　land　armada。　We’ve　been　to　the　gates　of　the　Trinity　Hives；　and
now　we’re　marching　home。”
“What　was　it　like？”
“Trinity？　A　mess。　A　bloody　mess。　We　thought　we’d　roll　in　and　take　the　place　in　a　week。　They
had　other　ideas。　And　serious　reinforcements　from　offworld。　They　slaughtered　the　first　waves。　Along
the　farm　terraces；　the　commercial　highway；　the　vapour　mills。　The　sky　was　black。　Fire　everywhere。
You’ve　never　seen　anything　like　it。”
LeGuin　wiped　a　sand　midge　off　his　cheek。　“So　we　fell　back；　and　that　turned　into　a　retreat。　Right
back　up　through　the　desert；　hunted　all　the　way。　I　tell　you　this。　Whatever　kind　of　hell　we　found　at　the
Trinity　Gates；　it　was　nothing　compared　to　the　hell　we’ve　been　grinding　through　out　here　ever　since。
Heat。　Low　water；　low　fuel；　low　ammo；　low　food。　Breakdowns。　Sickness。　Men　dying　of　untreated
wounds。　Murderous　terrain。　Constant　attacks。　There　were　times　I　thought　we’d　never　make　it。”
“There’s　still　a　way　to　go；”　Viltry　said。
“I　know；　but　we’re　in　the　mountains　now。　Two　days；　Emperor　willing；　and　we’ll　be　breaking　flat
ground　on　the　north　side。”
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“Some　elements　have　already；”　Viltry　said。　“Before　I…　before　I　left　last　time；　there　was　news。
Convoys　entering　the　Lida　Valley；　and　up　into　the　Peninsula。　I　think　some　may　have　cut　through　to
the　west　too。”
“That’s　good；”　said　LeGuin。　“That’s　good　to　hear。　Throne　of　Earth；　we’re　not　done　yet。”
“Will　you　go　back？”　Viltry　asked。
“What　do　you　mean？”
“The　air　operation　I　was　part　of。　Serious　amounts　of　air　power；　mostly　Navy；　brought　in　to　keep
the　enemy　busy　and　slow　him　down。　To　buy　you　men　time　to　get　home。　But　we　can’t　hold　them　off
indefinitely。　I　mean；　that’s　the　point。　We’re　just　flying　a　desperate　holding　action。　There’s　still　a　war
to　win　here。”
“Then　we’ll　just　have　to　win　it；　won’t　we？”　said　LeGuin。　He　got　to　his　feet。　“Come　on。　Day’s
breaking。　We　should　get　started。　Get　a　good　lead　before　the　real　heat　settles　in。”
He　woke　his　crew；　who　were　sound　asleep　in　the　shadows　of　the　tank。　Only　in　the　cool　of　the
night　was　it　possible　to　get　some　rest。　He　sent　them　off　to　rouse　the　other　crews。　All　down　the
narrow　pass；　armour　and　transporters　were　parked　and　silent。
Engines　began　to　turn　over。　Voices　lifted　into　the　air。
Another　day　in　the　great　retreat　had　begun。
Lake　Gocel　FSB；　08。43
In　full　flight　armour；　Van　Tull；　Del　Ruth　and　Marquall　arrived　for　the　preliminary　briefing；　which
Jagdea　held　around　the　camp　table　outside　her　habitent。　It　was　a　fresh；　bright　day；　with　a　breeze
coming　in　off　the　lake；　and　strong　shafts　of　sunlight　beaming　down　through　the　shimmer　nets；
making　everything　a　checkerboard　of　light　and　dark。　Blansher　came　along；　and　brought　a　pitcher　of
caffeine　from　the　commissary。　For　some　reason；　Larice　Asche　turned　up　too；　dressed　in　flight
baggies　and　a　vest　top。　She　had　a　smile　about　her；　but　Jagdea　didn’t　really　give　her　presence　much
thought。
She　waited　to　begin　until　08。45　had　ticked　by。　Right　on　cue；　they　heard　the　simultaneous　thump
of　three　ramp　launches。　The　Raptors　had　first　slot　that　morning；　punching　up　into　the　blue。
“Order　of　the　day　is　combat　air　patrols　running　on　staggered　overlap；”　Jagdea　said。　“Three
Raptors；　three　of　us；　and　so　on；　through　the　day；　six　machines　aloft　at　any　time。　That　means　you’ll
probably　be　up　again　before　sunset。　It’s　going　to　be　tiring；　so　keep　it　steady。　Overnight　picture　is
this：　the　enemy　is　still　hitting　the　coast　hard。　The　word　from　the　Peninsula　is　bad。　They　hit　Theda　for
the　first　time　yesterday。　But　unless　a　bombing　formation　comes…into　our　catchment；　that’s　not　our
concern　right　now。　Large　sections　of　the　land　retreat　are　starting　to　come　clear　of　the　mountains。　In
the　next　few　days；　a　major　evac　is　going　to　gear　up；　getting　them　across　to　the　northern　coast。
Recons　show　several　of　those　columns　coming　this　way；　intending　to　cross　the　Saroja　west　of　Gocel。
They　are　being　hunted。”
“Land　or　air？”　asked　Van　Tull。
“Both。　Mission　profile　is　threefold。　If　you　locate　a　friendly　column；　make　it　the　epicentre　of　your
patrol。　Stay　with　it；　give　it　what　protection　it　needs　while　fuel　lasts。　If　you　sight　hostiles；　engage　and
prosecute。　If　you　identify　enemy　land　forces；　you　may　also　engage。　You’ll　be　carrying　rockets　for
that　purpose。　Targets　of　opportunity；　Umbra。　Get　out　there　and　see　what　needs　doing。”
“What　if　we　find　an　enemy　carrier？”　asked　Del　Ruth。
“Use　your　head。　Get　a　fix　and　get　out。　We’ll　call　in　Marauders。　Likewise；　if　you　find　a　bombing
formation　up　there；　or　you’re　outnumbered　more　than　two　to　one；　get　on　the　vox　and　yell　for
support。　I　expect　heroism；　not　stupidity。”
She　paused。　“Questions？　No？　Good；　let’s　go。”
Jagdea　and　Blansher　followed　the　three　pilots　to　their　birds。　Jagdea　saw　how　Larice　Asche　hung
around　Marquall；　laughing　with　him。　At　the　edge　of　Nine…Nine’s　pad；　Asche　kissed　Marquall　hard。
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“Looks　like　Larice　has　made　another　kill；”　said　Blansher。
“Marquall？　That’s　a　surprise。”
“Not　really。　His