我的美母教师 | 乡村精品合集 | 乡村活寡 | 乡村欲爱 | 乡村春潮 | 乡村花医 | 欲望乡村（未删） | 乡村艳福 | 乡村春事 | 人妻四部曲

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

good　night。　Goodnight　Warmaster　Macaroth。　Goodnight　us；　and　goodnight　Crusade。　If　our　line
breaks　here；　they’ll　be　all　over　us　like　a　bodybag。”
“We’d　better　fly　our　balls　off　then；”　Blansher　said。
She　smiled。　“Speak　for　yourself。”
“How’s　Marquall？”
She　shrugged。　“Still　trying　to　heave　the　soles　of　his　feet　out　through　his　mouth　in　the　shower
block。　I　thought　about　slipping　him　some　detox　tabs；　but　then　I　had　a　bad　attack　of　what　the　hell。　A
crippling　hangover　is　the　Emperor’s　way　of　making　us　remember　our　mistakes。”
“He　blames　himself　for　Espere？”
“Yes；　he　does。”
“Should　he？”　Blansher　asked。
Jagdea　shrugged。　Her　reply　was　totally　drowned　out　by　the　squadron　of　prop　planes　taking　to　the
air。　“Say　again？”　said　Blansher。
“Marquall　screwed　up。　He　flew　like　a　virgin　and　made　just　about　every　mistake　going。　Espere
was　covering　him。　So；　yes…　he　should。　But　he’s　also　a　decent　pilot。　I　know　that。　We　need　him；　and
we　need　him　back；　confident；　learning　from　his　mistakes。”
“I　still　don’t　know　how　you　trawled　him　in；”　Blansher　said。
“Doesn’t　matter。　I　had　help。　Not　the　sort　of　help　I　wanted；　but…　Well；　it　worked。”
Blansher　shrugged。
“I’ll　tell　you　one　day；”　Jagdea　smiled。
“I’m　up　at　18。30；　I　believe；”　Blansher　said。
“And　Larice　is　taking　a　unit　four　out　at　21。40。　I’ll　stand　doentis。”
“Good　flying；”　he　said；　and　jogged　away　to　check　on　his　machine。
I　wish　people　would　stop　saying　that；　Jagdea　thought。
Palace　Pier；　15。50
Night　had　arrived　early　and　a　wan　darkness　had　settled　over　the　sea。　It　looked　as　if　a　storm　was
brewing。　Afternoon　trade　had　been　bad　all　week；　and　now　with　a　gloomy　pall　spreading　in　the　west；
53
it　had　dried　up　altogether。　Beqa　sent　Latrice　home；　and　closed　up　early。　It　would　make　a　change。　A
few　extra　hours’　sleep。
She　was　locking　the　cafe　door　when　the　man　appeared。　There　was　a　brisk　wind　coming　off　the
foreshore；　tugging　at　her　coat　and　buffeting　her；　so　she　hadn’t　heard　him　walk　up。
“Oh！”　she　exclaimed；　jumping。　It　was　the　sad…faced　pilot　who’d　never　tasted　shellfish。　He　was
huddled　in　a　heavy　leather　coat。
“Are　you　closed？”　he　asked。
“Ah；　yes；”　she　said；　brushing　wind…tugged　hair　out　of　her　eyes。　“Sorry。　There　was　no　one　around
this　afternoon。　Didn’t　like　the　look　of　the　weather；　I　suppose。”
He　glanced　up　at　the　sky；　as　if　he　hadn’t　really　noticed。　The　first　few　spats　of　rain　were　falling。
“I　understand；”　he　said。　“I　got　a　decent　walk　at　least。　Good　afternoon；　mamzel。”
“Wait；”　she　called　after　him。　Beqa　shook　her　head　at　herself。　She　was　too　soft　for　her　own　good。
“You’re　hungry；　aren’t　you？”
“A　little；”　he　admitted。
She　unlocked　the　door。　“Come　on。　I’ll　make　you　something。”
“But　you’re　closed。”
“I　can　open　again。”
She　had　him　sit　at　the　table　he’d　chosen　the　day　before　while　she　went　behind　the　counter；
turned　on　the　water　heater　and　started　looking　through　the　pantry　bins。　Viltry　noticed　she　didn’t
change　the　card　in　the　window。　The　cafe　was　still　shut　to　others。
“This　is　very　kind　of　you；”　he　called。
“It’s　no　problem。　You　don’t　like　fish；　do　you？”
“I　don’t　really　know。”
“You’re　in　luck。　We　have　some　salt…ham　today。”
The　storm　closed　in；　turning　the　sky　as　dark　as　twilight。　Beqa　turned　on　the　cafe’s　oil…lamps。
Rain　began　to　patter　and　drum　against　the　windows　and　the　skylights；　running　down　them　in　torrents
so　they　seemed　to　be　melting。　The　whole　pier　creaked　gently　as　the　sea　stirred　around　it。
She’d　never　been　out　at　the　pier…end　during　a　storm　before。　It　felt　unnerving；　and　half　of　her
wished　she’d　simply　been　firm　with　him　and　gone　home。　The　whole　place　felt　exposed　and
vulnerable；　alone　amid　the　turbulent　elements。　It　was　like　riding　aboard　some　fragile　craft　though　a
maelstrom。
He　didn’t　seem　the　slightest　bit　bothered。
When　she　brought　his　food　and　drink；　she　sat　down　with　him。
“You’re　an　aviator；　sir？”
“Yes。”　He　took　a　bite。　“This　is　really　very　good。　I　don’t　think　I’d　realised　how　hungry　I　was。”
“Imperial　Navy？”　she　asked。
He　shook　his　head　and　wiped　his　lips　with　a　napkin。　“Sort　of；　I　suppose。　Imperial　Phantine　Air
Corps。　My　name’s　Viltry。　Oskar　Viltry。”
“Beqa　Mayer。”　He　held　out　his　hand　and　shook　hers　courteously。
“Thank　you　for　your　hospitality；　mamzel。　And　act　of　kindness　towards　a　stranger　to　your　world。”
“Seeing　as　you’ve　come　here　to　risk　your　life　fighting　for　my　world；　I　think　a　plate　of　ham　and
bread　is　the　least　I　can　do。”
He　stopped　eating　suddenly　and　frowned。　“I…　I　know　you　from　somewhere；　don’t　I？”
“I　was　here　yesterday。”
“No；　somewhere　else。”
“The　templum；　early　the　other　day。　You　held　the　door　for　me。”
“Yes；　that’s　it。”　An　especially　fierce　gust　of　wind　rattled　the　windows　and　threw　the　rain　against
the　glass　with　renewed　vigour。
54
“I　suppose　this　place　will　stand　up　to　a　storm？”　Viltry　asked。
“I　think　it’d　take　a　lot　to　bring　the　palace　down；”　she　replied。
It　was　another　hour　before　the　storm　abated　enough　for　them　to　want　to　risk　a　dash　back　towards
the　town。　Refilling　his　cup；　she　chatted　idly；　to　no　real　point；　as　if　simply　letting　go　of　conversation
that　loneliness　had　dammed　up　inside　her。　Viltry　was　content　just　to　listen。　His　day　had　been
terrible：　the　savage　air…brawl；　the　panic　and　fear。　The　bats　had　locked　them　up　so　long；　they’d　finally
been　forced　to　ditch　their　payloads　and　turn　back　on　the　long；　exposed　slog　for　home。　No　target
destroyed。　No　target　even　seen。　Just　a　portion　of　the　Dish　of　Sand　heat…fused　into　glass。　Halo　had
lost　no　one；　but　five　of　its　machines　had　been　damaged；　and　several　crewmen　hurt。　K　for　Killshot
had　been　unable　to　do　more　than　crawl　home。　Part　of　its　pay…load　had　been　hung；　and　Viltry　feared
that　even　if　it　got　back；　it　might　stumble　on　landing　and　be　annihilated　by　its　own　munitions。　But
they’d　made　it。　Three　of　Egsor’s　wing；　and　two　Thunderbolt　escorts；　however；　had　not。
Some　aviators　dealt　with　the　pressure　of　a　combat　tour　by　drinking；　or　hedonistic　escapes；　others
by　sounding　off　about　what　had　happened　to　anybody　in　the　crew　room　who’d　listen。　That　had　never
been　Viltry’s　way。　These　days；　he　was　afraid　that　if　he　started　talking；　he　wouldn’t　be　able　to　stop。
But　listening　to　the　woman　talk　eased　him。　It　was　like　an　antidote　to　the　tension　of　combat。　It
gave　him　a　touch　of　perspective；　reminded　him　the　universe　was　not　simply　him；　harnessed　into　a　Gchair；
waiting　for　Fate’s　wheel　to　turn。　Her　life　was　evidently　hard。　She　was　forced　to　work　two
shifts：　here　during　the　day；　and　overnight　at　the　munitions　manufactory。　She　was　worried　about　the
tide　of　the　war。　Fresh　food　was　getting　harder　to　come　by。　What　if　the　cafe　was　forced　to　close？　She
had　a　brother　called　Eido；　who　was　serving　in　the　land　army。　She’d　not　heard　from　him　for　over
three　months；　since　the　fighting　at　the　gates　of　the　Trinity　Hives。　He’d　be　home　soon；　she　was
convinced。　She　lit　a　candle　for　him　every　day。
“I　light　three：　one　for　Gart；　one　for　Eido　and　one　for　whoever　else　needs　it。”
Viltry　smiled。　“I’ll　remember　that。　Pardon　me；　but　who’s　Gart？”
“My　husband；　Commander　Viltry。　He　was　a　pilot　officer　in　the　Commonwealth　PDF。　He　was
lost　over　the　desert　the　winter　before　last。”
“I’m　sorry；　mamzel。　Is　he　listed　missing？”
She　shook　her　head。　“I　can　assure　myself　my　brother　is　alive；　because　I’ve　not　had　proof
otherwise。　But　Gart　is　dead。”
The　Commonwealth　had　given　her　a　widow’s　pension；　but　that　had　dried　up　when　the　war…effort
took　its　latest　bad　turn。　Hence　the　two　jobs。　The　lack　of　sleep。
Viltry　noticed　that　the　rain　had　eased。　There　was　a　lightness　back　in　the　sky。　She　would　be　late
for　her　shift　if　they　didn’t　take　advantage　of　the　break。
She　locked　the　cafe　doors；　and　they　hurried　down　the　wet　boardwalk　towards　the　town；　where
the　evening　lamps　were　coming　on。
55
DAY　255
Theda　MAB　South；　08。00
“I’m　reporting　as　ordered；”　Darrow　told　the　Navy　guardsman　under　the　adamantite　portico。　The
guardsman　looked　at　Darrow’s　docket　wafer　and　nodded　him　through。
From　the　outside；　Operations　could　have　been　mistaken　for　a　Ministorum　chapel　built　in　the
muscular　Early　Ornate　style。　But　the　many　soaring　spires　and　finials