scoonts.theminotaur-第57章

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　only　clue：　she　could　feel　slightly　more　vibration　and　a　perceptibly　greater　dip　of　the　nose　as　the　thrust　of　the　screaming　engines　pressed　the　nose…gear　oleo。　〃Anytime　you're　ready；〃　Toad　announced。
　After　dictating　all　the　engine　data　onto　the　audio　recorder　wired　into　the　ICS；　Rita　released　the　brakes。　The　nose　oleo　rebounded　and　the　plane　rolled　smartly；　picking　up　speed。
　The　little　thumps　and　bumps　as　the　wheels　crossed　the　expansion　joints　in　the　concrete　runway　came　quicker　and　quicker。　The　needle　on　the　airspeed　indicator　came　off　the　peg。　On　the　holographic　Heads…Up　Display…the　HUD…functioning　in　this　prototype；　the　symbology　came　alive。　The　sound　of　the　engines　dropped　in　volume　and　pitch　as　the　machine　accelerated。
　Now　the　weight　came　off　the　nose　wheel　as　the　stabilator　and　living　wing　controls　took　effect　and　began　to　exert　aerodynamic　force　on　the　nose；　trying　to　lift　it　from　the　runway。　Oh　yes。　With　Ac　joystick　held　ever　so　lightly　in　her　fingers；　she　felt　the　nose　wheel　bobble；　skip　lightly；　then　rise　from　the　concrete　as　the　wings　gripped　the　air。
　The　master　warning　light　illuminated…bright　yellow…and　beside　the　HUD　the　right　engine　fire　warning　light…brilliant　blood　red。
　She　smoothly　pulled　both　throttles　to　idle；　then　secured　the　right　one。　Nose　held　off　until　the　main　mounts　were　firmly　planted；　decelerating　nicely；　speed　brakes　and　flaperon　pop…up　deployed；　five　thousand　feet　of　concrete　remaining；　slowing。。。
　〃Ginger　aborting；〃　she　broadcast　on　the　radio。　〃Fire　light；　right　engine；　roll　the　truck。〃
　Nose　wheel　firmly　on　the　concrete；　Rita　applied　the　brakes　with　a　firm；　steady　pressure。　She　rolled　to　a　stop　and　killed　the　remaining　engine　as　she　opened　the　canopy。　The　fire　truck　charged　toward　them。
　Rita　pulled　her　helmet　off。　〃Any　fire？〃　she　shouted　at　the　man　on　the　truck　as　the　engine　noise　died。　Without　conscious　effort；　her　fingers　danced　across　the　panels　turning　off　everything。
　〃Not　that　we　can　see。〃
　〃Let's　get　out　anyway；〃　Rita　told　Toad；　who　had　already　toggled　his　quick…release　fittings　and　was　craning　out　of　the　rear　cockpit；　looking　for　smoke。
　Standing　beside　the　runway；　perspiring　profusely　as　the　summer　desert　sun　cooked　them；　Rita　and　Toad　heard　the　news　five　minutes　later　from　Harry　Franks。　A　swarm　of　technicians　already　had　the　engine　bay　doors　open。　〃Electrical　problem；　I'm　sure。　Will　tow　it　into　the　hangar　and　check　it　out　Nice　abort；〃　he　added　with　a　nod　at　Rita。　〃You　two　want　to　ride　back　in　the　van？　It's　air…conditioned。〃
　〃Yep；〃　said　Tarkington。　〃Nothing　like　air　force　hospitality。〃
　They　flew　the　plane　for　the　first　time　the　following　day。　Rita　came　back　from　the　flight　with　a　large　smile　on　her　face。　〃Captain；〃　she　told　Jake　Grafton　as　she　brushed　sweat…soaked　hair　from　her　forehead　and　eyes；　〃that's　one　sweet　machine。　Power；　handling；　plenty　of　G　available；　sweet　and　honest。　A　very　nice　airplane。〃
　Before　Harry　Franks'　grin　could　get　too　wide。　she　started　detailing　problems：　〃Controls　are　oversensitive。　Twitchy。　Trying　the　ball　is　a　real　challenge。　The　left　generator　dropped　off　the　line　twice；　which　was　maybe　a　good　thing；　because　we　found　the　power　relay　works　as　advertised；　the　inertia！　stayed　up　and　humming。　Toad　got　the　puter　running　again　without　any　problem　each　time。　And　the　rudder　trim。。。〃
　When　Rita　paused　for　air；　Toad　chimed　in。　〃I'd　like　to　go　over　how　those　fiber　optic　data　buses　work　with　someone；　one　more　time。　I'm　still　trying　to　figure　out　how。。。〃
　The　routine　was　exactly　like　it　had　been　a　month　before。　Telemetry；　videotapes　and　the　Flight　Data　Recorder　info　were　carefully　reviewed　and　the　data　piled　for　a　later　in…depth　analysis。　Those　problems　that　could　be　fixed　were；　and　major　problems　were　carefully　delineated　for　factory　study。
　Jake　Grafton　demanded　all　his　people　quit　work　at　9　P。M。　He　wanted　them　rested　and　back　at　the　hangar　at　six　each　morning。　Harry　Franks　worked　his　technicians　around　the　dock　in　shifts；　although　he　himself　put　in　eighteen…hour　days　and　was　on　call　at　night。
　Toad　tried　to　get　out　of　the　hangar　as　often　as　possible。　The　air　force　was　using　this　field　for　stealth　fighters…F…H7s…and　several　other　low…observable　prototypes；　including　the　B…2。　Every　so　often　if　he　was　outside　he　would　hear　a　rumble　and　there；　before　his　very　eyes；　would　be　some　exotic　shape　that　seemed　to　defy　the　laws　of　gravity　and　mon　sense　as　it　cleaved　the　hot　blue　desert　air。　He　felt　vaguely　guilty；　and　slightly　naughty。　To　satisfy　his　idle　curiosity　he　was　seeing　something　that　the　Powers　That　Be…Those　Who　Knew…the　Appointed；　Anointed　Keepers　of　the　Secret…didn't　think　his　little　mind　should　be　burdened　with。　So　he　stood　and　gawked；　curious　and　mystified；　a　little　boy　at　the　knothole；　watching　the　love　rites　of　the　groping　teenagers。　He　would　go　back　to　work　shaking　his　head　and　trot　outside　again；　hopefully；　several　hours　later。
　He　bumped　into　Jake　Grafton　on　one　of　these　excursions。　The　captain　stood　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets　watching　a　pair　of　F…H7s　e　into　the　break。
　〃Amazing；　huh？〃　Jake　said。
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃I've　been　flying　for　twenty…five　years；〃　Grafton　said；　〃and　reading　everything　I　could　about　planes　for　ten　more。　And　all　this　time　I　never　even　dreamed。。。〃
　〃I　know　what　you　mean。　It's　like　science　and　technology　have　gone　crazy　in　some　kind　of　souped…up　hothouse。　The　technology　is　breeding；　and　we　don't　recognize　the　offspring。〃
　〃And　it's　not　just　one　technical　field。　It's　airframes　and　engines；　posites　and　glues；　fabricating　techniques；　puter…Assisted　Design；　avionics　and　puters　and　lasers　and　radars。　It's　everything！　In　five　years　everything　I　learned　in　a　lifetime　will　be　obsolete。〃
　Or　less　than　five　years；　Jake　told　himself　glumly　as　the　bat…winged　B…2　drifted　quietly　overhead。　Maybe　everything　I　know　is　obsolete　now！
　
　When　Toad　Tarkington　thought　about　it　afterwards；　he　remembered　the　sun。　It　was　one　of　those　little　details　you　notice　at　the　time　and　don't　think　about；　yet　remember　later。
　He　had　seen　the　sun　many　times　before　in　the　cockpit；　bright　and　warm　and　bathing　everything　in　a　brilliant；　clean　light；　its　beams　darting　and　dancing　across　the　cockpit　as　the　plane　turned　and　climbed　and　dived。　A　clean　light；　bright；　oh　so　bright；　warming　bodies　encased　in　Nomex　and　sweating　inside　helmets　and　gloves　and　flying　boots。　This　was　part　of　flying；　and　after　a　while　you　didn't　notice　it　anymore。　Yet　for　a　few　seconds　that　morning　he　did　notice　it。　The　memory　of　it　stayed　with　him；　and　somehow；　looking　back；　it　seemed　important。
　He　was　deep　into　the　mysteries　of　the　radar　and　puter　and　how　they　talked　to　each　other；　acutely　aware　of　how　little　time　aloft　he　had。　The　radar's　picture　was　automatically　recorded　on　videotape；　but　he　muttered　into　the　1CS…the　audio　track　of　the　tape…like　a　voodoo　priest　so　he　would　know　later　just　what　the　gain　and　brightness　had　been　for　each　particular　presentation。　He　worked　fast。　These　flights　were　grotesquely　short。
　Rita　concentrated　on　flying　the　plane；　on　keeping　it　precisely　on　speed　and　on　altitude；　exactly　where　the　test　profile　required。　She　was　extraordinarily　good　at　this　type　of　flying。　Toad　had　discovered。　She　had　the　knack。　It　required　skill；　patience　and　self…discipline　as　one　concentrated　on　the　task　at　hand　to　the　exclusion　of　everything　else；　all　qualities　Rita　Moravia　possessed　in　abundance。　The　airspeed　needle　stayed　glued　on　the　proper　number　and　all　the　other　needles　did　precisely　what　they　were　supposed　to；　almost　as　if　they　were　slaves　to　Rita's　iron　will。
　Toad　also　kept　track　of　their　position　over　the　earth；　and　every　now　and　then　wasted　three　seconds　on　a　glance　over　at　the　chase　plane。　Still　there；　precisely　where　it　should　be。　Smoke　Judy　was　a　no…nonsense。　Sierra　Hotel　pilot　who　had　almost　nothing　to　say　on　the　radio；　he　knew　how　busy　Rita　and　Toad　were。
　Periodically　Toad　reminded　Rita　of　which　task　was　next　on　the　list。　He　could　just　see　the　top　of　her　helmet；　partially　masked　by　the　top　of　her　ejection　seat；　if　he　looked　straight　ahead。　He　could　also　see　the　upside…down　reflection　of　her　lap　and　arms　in　the　canopy；　weirdly　distorted　by　the　curvature。　Her　hand　on　the　stick…he　could　see　that　because　in　this　plane　the　control　stick　was　where　it　should　be；　between　the　pilot's　legs。
　And　the　sun。　He　saw　the　brilliance　of　the　sun's　gaze　as　the　sublime　light　played　across　the　kneeboard　on　his　right　thigh　and　back　and　forth　across　the　instruments　on　the　panel　before　hiro。
　〃How's　control　response？〃　he　asked。
　〃Better。〃　In　a　moment　she　added；　〃Still　not　right；　though。〃
　He　would　never　have　known　it　from　the　sensations　reaching　him　through　the　plane。　The　ride　was　smooth　as　glass。　〃I　told　Orville　and　Wilbur　they　were　wasting　their　time。　They　wouldn't　listen。〃
　〃What's　next？〃
　She　already　knew；　of　course。　She　had　prepared　the　flight　profile。　To　humor　her；　Toad　consulted　his　copy。　〃Eight…G　chandelles。〃
　〃Okay。〃
　He　felt　the　surge　as　the　power　increased。　Rita　wasted　no　time。　He　saw　her　glance　at　Smoke　Judy；　assuring　herself　the　F…14　was　clear；　then　the　left　wing　sagged　gently　as　the　nose　began　to　rise　and　the　G　increased。　The　G　came　on　in　a　steadily　rising　grunt　as　the　horizon　tilted　crazily。　Rita　was　flying　the　G　line　on　the　holographic　HUD。　Toad　temporarily　abandoned　his　radar　research　and　strained　every　muscle　in　the　classic　M…l　maneuver；　trying　to　retain　blood　in　his　head　and　upper　body　as　he　forced　air　in　and　out　past　his　lips。　The　inflatable　pads　in　his　G　suit　had　bee　giant　sausages；　squeezing　his　legs　to　keep　the　blood　from　pooling　there。
　This　maneuver　was　designed　to　allow　Rita　to　explore　the　limits　of　G　and　maneuverability　at　ever…changing　airspeeds。　Toad　felt　the　nibble　of　the　stall　buffet；　and　for　the　first　time　felt　the　wings　rock　sloppily；　almost　as　if　Rita　were　fighting　to　control　their　position。
　〃I'm　having　some　troub…〃　she　said；　but　before　she　could　plete　the　thought　the　plane　departed。
　The　down　wing　quit　flying　and　the　upper　wing　flopped　them　over　inverted。　The　plane　began　to　gyrate　wildly。　Positive　Gs　mashed　them　for　half　a　second；　then　negative　Gs　threw　them　up　against　their　harness　straps；　but　since　the　airplane　was　inverted；　it　was　upward　toward　the　earth。　The　airplane　spun　like　a　lopsided　Frisbee；　bucking　up　and　down　madly　as　the　Gs　slammed　them；　positive；　negative；　positive；　negative。　The　ride　was　so　violent　Toad　couldn't　read　the　MFDs　on　the　panel　before　him。
　〃Inverted　spin；〃　he　gasped　over　the　ICS。
　〃The　controls…it　won't…〃　Rita　sounded　exasperated。
　〃You're　in　an　inverted　spin；〃　Toad　heard　a　hard；　calm　male　voice　say。　Smoke　Judy　on　the　radio。
　〃I'm…the　controls…〃
　〃Twenty…nine　thousand。。。　twenty…eight。。。〃　By　a　supreme　effort　of　will　Toad　made　himself　concentrate　on　the　altimeter　and　read　the　spinning　needles。
　〃Spin　assist；〃　he　reminded　her。　This　switch　would　allow　the　horizontal　stabilator　its　full　travel；　not　restricted　by　its　high…speed　limited　throw。　The　danger　was　if　the　pilot　pulled　too　hard　at　high　speed　without　the　mechanical　limit；　the　tail　might　be　ripped　away。　Right　now　Rita　needed　all　the　help　she　could　get　to　pull　the　nose　down。
　〃It's　on。〃
　〃Twenty…five　thousand。〃　He　was　having　trouble　staying　conscious。　The　ride　was　vicious；　violent　beyond　description。　His