johngardner.winloseordie-第6章

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kest　and　most　murky　cloud。　He　was　crossing　the　coast；　just　above　Southport　on　the　north…wesi　seaboard；　right　on　a　heading　for　the　bombing　range。　Now　he　would　require　total　concentration　as　he　lowered　the　Harrier's　nose　towards　the　peaceful　cloudscape　below；　the　horizontal　bars　on　the　HUD　sliding　upwards　to　show　he　had　the　aircraft　in　a　ten　degree　dive。　Down　the　left　hand　side　of　the　HUD　he　watched　the　speed　begin　to　increase　and　blipped　his　airbrakes　open　for　a　second　to　control　the　dive。　The　altitude　figures　streamed　down　the　left　hand　edge　of　the　HUD　showing　a　steady　decrease　in　height　…　30。001）　。。。　25　。。。　20　。。。　15　。。。　By　now　he　was　in　cloud；　still　going　fast；　his　eyes　flicking　between　airspeed；　altitude；　and　the　HDD；　while　his　feet　on　the　rudder　bars　made　slight　corrections。
　He　broke　cloud　at　3。000　feet　and　clicked　on　the　air…to…ground　sights；　thumbing　down　on　the　button　which　would　arm　the　pair　of　500…pound　cluster…bombs　which　hung；　one　under　each　wing。
　Below；　the　sea　slashed　by　as　he　held　an　altitude　of　around　500　feet。　Far　ahead　he　glimpsed　the　first　anchored　marker　Hashing　to　lead　him　onto　the　bombing　range　where　a　series　of　similar　markers　were　set　in　a　diamond　shape；　which　was　the　target。
　It　came　up　very　fast　and　the　HUD　flashed　the　IN　RANGE　signal　almost　before　it　had　registered　from　Bond's　eyes　to　his　brain。　Instinctively　he　triggered　the　bombs　and　pulled　up　into　a　30°　climb；　pushing　the　throttle　fully　open　and　pulling　a　hard　5G　turn　left；　then　right；　so　that　his　body　felt　like　lead　for　a　second　before　he　turned；　at　speed；　but　more　gently；　to　see　the　cluster…bombs　explode　from　their　small　parachutes　directly　across　the　diamond　of　buoys。
　〃Don't　hang　about；'　the　young　mander　had　told　them　in　ihe　briefing　room。　〃There　are　four　of　you　at　five…minute　intervals；　so　just　do　the　job。　then　get　out　fast。'
　Altogether；　there　were　eight　naval　pilots　on　the　conversion　course：　three　more　Royal　Navy　men；　a　US　Marine　Corps　pilot　on　liaison；　two　Indian　Navy　pilots　and　one　from　the　Spanish　Navy。　All　but　Bond　had　already　done　several　hours　on　Harriers　with　their　home　units　and　were　at　Yeovilton　to　sharpen　their　skills；　with　some　weapons　and　tactical　training。　That　afternoon；　Bond　had　been　first　man　awiiy　and　was　followed　by　ihe　Spanish　officer　…　a　sullen　young　man　called　Felipe　Pantano；　who　kept　very　much　to　himself…one　of　the　Royal　Navy　Lieutenants；　and　the　American。
　To　ply　with　safety　regulations；　there　was　a　predetermined　flight　path　to　and　from　the　target；　and　Bond　swept　his　Harrier　into　a　long　climbing　turn；　then　gave　her　full　throttle；　stood　the　aeroplane　on　its　tail　and。　looking　down　at　the　small　radar　screen　on　the　starboard　side　of　his　cockpit；　swept　the　skies　immediately　above　his　return　course；　to　be　certain　none　of　the　other　aircraft　had　strayed。
　The　radar　showed　nothing　out　of　the　ordinary；　so　he　dropped　the　nose　to　a　gentle　20〃　climb。　He　had　hardly　stabilised　the　Harrier　in　its　ascent　when　a　pletely　unexpected　sound　seemed　to　fill　the　cockpit。　So　surprised　was　Bond　that　it　took　at　least　two　seconds　for　him　to　realise　what　was　happening。
　As　the　sound　became　louder　in　his　ears。　Bond　woke　to　the　danger。　So　far　he　had　only　experienced　this　in　the　simulator：　the　harsh；　rasping　neep…neep…neep　quickening　all　the　time。　There　was　a　missile　locked　on　to　him　…　judging　by　its　tone；　a　Sidewinder。　Just　under　thirty　pounds　of　high…explosive　fragmentation　was　being　guided　towards　the　engine　heat　of　his　Harrier；
　Bond　had　reacted　slowly；　and　that　was　the　way　people　got　blown　out　of　the　sky。　He　pushed　the　stick　forward；　putting　the　Harrier　into　a　power　dive；　jinking　to　left　and　right；　pulling　about　seven　Gs　to　each　jink；　holding　it　for　a　second　or　two；　then　going　the　other　way。　At　the　same　lime；　he　hit　the　button　which　would　release　four　flares　to　confuse　the　missile's　heat…seeking　guidance　system；　then；　for　luck。　Followed　it　with　a　bundle　of　chaff　…radar…confusing　metal　strips；　h　was　another　safety　regulation　thai　all　aircraft　using　ihe　bombing　range　should　carry　both　flares　and　chaff；　housed　in　special　pods　…　another　lesson　of　the　Falklands　where　chaff　had　been　stuffed　in　bundles　inside　the　airbrakes。
　The　neep…neeping　was　still　there；　quickening　as　the　missile　gained　on　the　Harrier。　He　lifted　the　nose；　jinked　again　and；　at　a　thousand　feet；　performed　a　rale　five　turn；　pulling　a　lot　of　G；　then　rolling　and　putting　the　Harrier　into　a　second　dive。　His　body　felt　like　lead；　his　throat　was　dust…dry　and　the　controls　fell　stiff　as　he　pushed　（he　Harrier　to　its　limit。
　He　had　the　aircraft　right　down　almost　to　sea　level　before　the　growling　signal　suddenly　stopped。　There　was　a　flash　far　off　to　（he　starboard；　in　the　direction　of　the　target　range。　Bond　took　a　deep　breath；　lifted　the　Harrier's　nose；　reset　his　course　and　climbed　to　30；000　feet　with　the　throttle　right　forward。　As　he　went　up　so　he　switched　his　radio　to　transmit　…　'Bluebird　to　Homespun。　Some　idiot　almost　put　a　Sidewinder　up　my　six。〃　Taking　the　points　of　a　standard　clock；　'six'meant　directly　behind。
　'Say　again。　Bluebird。'
　Bond　repeated　and　Yeovilton　asked　him　to　confirm　no　damage；　which　he　did。　adding　that　it　was　more　luck　than　judgment。　Of　the　four　aircraft　detailed　for　the　bombing　range　that　afternoon；　no　one　carried　anything　but　cluster…bombs。　The　range；　however；　belonged　to　the　RAF；　though　its　use　and　timings　were　strictly　monitored。　It　was　just　possible　that　a　Royal　Air　Force　jet　had　accidentally　been　scheduled　and　had　arrived　either　early　or　late。
　'Bluebird；　are　you　certain　it　was　a　missile？'
　'Chased　me　all　around　the　sky。　Of　course　I'm　sure。〃
　Bond　reached　Yeovilton　without　further　incident　and；　once　landed　and　out　of　his　flying　gear；　he　stormed　into　the　office　of　mander　（Air）　…　known　to　most　as　Wings　…　set　in　the　control　tower。
　'Who　was　the　fool？'　Bond　snapped；　then　he　stopped；　for　mander　Bernic　Brazier；　an　experienced　officer；　looked　both　angry　and　shaken。　He　motioned　Bond　to　sit。　'There'll　be　an　investigation；　sir。'　His　eyes　had　the　weary　look　of　a　man　who　had　seen　iiall　and　never　really　got　used　toil。　'There's　a　problem。　Nobody　from　here　was　carrying　missiles；　and　the　RAF　say　they　were　not　using　the　range　today。　We're　checking　your　Harrier　for　possible　malfunction　of　detection　electronics。'
　That　wasn't　a　malfunction；　for　God's　sake。　It　was　a　real　missile；　Bernie。　I'm　filing　a　report　to　thai　effecl　and　heaven　help　the　cretin　who　loosed　one　off　in　my　direction。'
　mander　Brazier　still　looked　unhappy。　Quietly　he　said；　'There's　another　problem。'
　〃What？'
　'We've　lost　an　aircraft。'
　〃Who？'
　'Captain　Pantano。　The　Spanish　officer。　He　was　second　away；　bombed　on　time　then　went　off　the　radar　during　his　climb　out。　Nobody's　reported　seeing　him　go　down　and　we've　got　S　and　R　out　looking　for　him。　or　wreckage。'
　'Perhaps　a　Sidewinder　popped　him。'　There　was　a　large　segment　of　sarcasm　in　Bond's　voice。
　'There　were　no　missile…carrying　aircraft　around；　sir；　as　I've　already　told　you。'
　'Well；　what　do　you　think　the　one　up　my　backside　was；　Wings？　A　Scotch　mist？'　Now。　quite　angry；　James　Bond　turned　on　his　heel　and　left。
　In　the　wardroom　bar　that　night　before　dinner；　the　atmosphere　was　only　slightly　subdued。　It　was　always　a　bit　of　a　shaker　losing　a　pilot；　but　the　strange　circumstances　surrounding　this　loss；　coupled　with　（he　fact　that　the　Spanish　pilot　had　not　been　a　natural　mixer；　helped　to　calm　what　often　causes　a　slight　twitch　among　young　pilots。
　So；　when　Bond　entered　the　wardroom；　the　bar　hummed　with　near　enough　the　usual　high…spirited　pre…dinner　chatter。　He　was　about　to　go　over　and　join　two　of　the　other　Navy　pilots　from　the　course；　when　his　eyes　landed　on　someone　he　had　been　watching　from　afar　since　reporting　to　RNAS　Ycovilton。　She　was　tall　and　very　slim；　a　WRNS　Firsl　Officer　（Women's　Royal　Naval　Service　…　'Wrens'　as　they　were　referred　to）　who　was　always　much　in　demand；　as　she　had　the　kind　of　looks　and　figure　that　make　middle…aged　men　regret　their　lost　youth：　a　sloe…eyed　bination　of　self…confidence；　together　with　a　hint　of　plete　indif　ference　to　the　many　officers　who　paid　court　to　her；　'Like　hornets　around　a　honeypot；'　as　one　crusty　old　visiting　Admiral　mented。　Her　name　was　Clover　Pennington；　though　she　was　known　to　many；　in　spite　of　her