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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Rita called Center and asked for a clearance to the military operating area over Okanogan。 She leveled the plane at Flight Level 220。 Toad played with the scope。
Entering the area； Rita disengaged the autopilot and looked about expectantly。 She and her pilot instructor of the previous week； Lieutenant Clyde 〃Duke〃 Degan； had agreed to and briefed an ACM engagement。 She was right on time。 Now if she could just find him first。 She dialed in the squadron tactical frequency and gave him a call。
〃I'm here；〃 Degan replied。
Toad caught the first glimpse of the other A…6。 It was high； near the sun。 Duke didn't intend to give Moravia any break at all。 〃All right；〃 Toad enthused。 〃Now； by God； we're playing my game！〃 Toad pointed over her left shoulder。 〃Up there。 Better turn under him and get the nose down for some airspeed。〃
Rita knew Toad had just recently finished a three…year tour in the backseat of F…14 Tomcats。 He had ridden through literally hundreds of practice dogfights。 Fighter crews lived for Air bat Maneuvering （ACM）； the orgiastic climax of their training and their existence。 So she knew Toad Tarkington undoubtedly knew a thing or two about dogfighting。 She took his advice。 〃Think he's seen us？〃 The A…6's radar had no air…to…air capability。
Toad kept the other plane in sight。 Immediately above them…maybe two miles above…it rolled inverted； preparatory to a split S。 〃Looks like it；〃 Toad murmured。 〃Already you're at a serious disadvantage； assuming he's smart enough to cash in。〃
With the throttles on the stops； she began a climbing right turn holding 340 knots indicated； the best climb speed。 Toad glanced across the panel； then cranked his neck to keep the other plane in sight。 〃He's ing down like a ruptured duck；〃 Toad advised。 〃If you had guns you could get a low…percentage deflection shot here。 Shake him up some。〃
The other plane came rocketing down with vapor pouring off its wingtips。 Now his wingtip speed brakes…boards…came open。 〃He's trying to minimize his overshoot。〃 The other Intruder went dropping through their altitude with the boards still open； vapor swirling from his wings。 〃Work the angles；〃 Toad advised。 〃Turn into him and get the nose down。〃
Rita Moravia did just that in a workmanlike four…G pull。 〃Not too much nose…down；〃 Toad grunted against the G。 Duke Degan would undoubtedly use his energy advantage to zoom again and try to turn in behind her； but he should not have left the boards out as long as he did。 That was his second mistake。 His first was the split S； he should have spiraled down to convert his energy advantage to a lethal position advantage。
Degan zoomed。 Moravia smartly lifted her nose into a climb； still closing； then eased it to hold 340 indicated。 〃Very nice；〃 Toad mented。 Inexperienced pilots would just yank on the stick until they had squandered all their airspeed。 Moravia had better sense。 Patience； Toad decided。 She was patient。
Degan was above them now； spread…eagled against the sky； maybe a mile ahead and four thousand feet above。 And he was running out of airspeed。
〃You got him now；〃 Toad said； excitement creeping into his voice。
Apparently Degan thought so too。 He continued over the top of his loop and let the nose fall through as he half…rolled。 He was going to try to go out underneath with a speed advantage and run away from her； then turn and e back into the fray on his own terms。 Moravia anticipated him； as he mitted with his nose she dumped hers and slammed down the left wing and honked her plane around。
〃You get another deflection shot here；〃 Toad advised。 〃You're kicking this guy's ass！ What a clown！ He should never have e back at you out of the loop。〃
She was dead behind him now； both diving； but Degan lacked the speed advantage to pull away cleanly。
〃Fox Two；〃 Toad whispered over the radio。 Fox Two was the call when you were putting a heat…seeking missile in the air。 〃You're dead meat。〃
〃Bull。〃 Degan's voice did not sound happy。
〃Go ahead； try something wonderful and Rita will get a guns solution。〃
〃I have enough gas for one more series of turns；〃 Rita told the instructor。
A long pause。 Degan wasn't liking this a bit。 Part of the pain； Toad suspected； was Rita's well…modulated feminine voice on the radio and the ribbing Duke knew he would have to take in the ready room about getting whipped by a woman。 Toad would have wagered a paycheck the guys back in the ready room at Whidbey were crowded around the duty officer's radio this very minute。 Toad whacked Rita playfully on the right arm with his fist。 He was having a hell of a good time。 〃Okay；〃 Degan said at last； 〃break off and well start again with a head…on pass at twenty…two grand。 I'll run out to the west。〃
Rita dropped her wing to turn east。 Toad cackled for her benefit over the ICS。 Then he keyed his radio mike switch。 〃Hey； Duke； this is Toad。 I got ten bucks to put on ol' Rita if you can spare it。〃
〃You're on； asshole。〃
Toad chuckled over the radio。 On the ICS he said； 〃We got him now； Rita baby。 He's mad； the sucker。〃
〃Don't Rita…baby me； you…you…〃
〃Goddamn； cool off； will'ya？〃 Toad roared。 〃I don't give a damn if you're the lesbo queen of Xanadu…but right fucking now you're a fighter pilot。 This ain't for fun。〃 He paused for air； then muttered； 〃'Fight to fly； fly to fight； fight to win。' There ain't no other way。〃
〃You didn't just make that up。〃
〃That's the Top Gun motto。 Now what're you gonna do on this high…speed pass？〃
〃I thought a turn in the same direction he turns。〃
〃He'll probably make a horizontal turn as hard as he can pull。 No imagination。 Wait to see which way he turns； then nose up about forty degrees and roll hard into him； the rolling scissors。 If he's not too sharp you'll get a winning position advantage； and this guy hasn't impressed me。〃
The two Intruders came together out of the emptiness at a bined speed of a thousand knots。 At first the other plane was just a speck； but it grew larger quickly until it seemed to fill the windshield。 Toad had been there before； in a head…on pass with Jake Grafton in an F…14 that resulted in a collision。 Involuntarily he closed his eyes。
His head snapped down and the floor came up at him。 She had the G on。 He opened his eyes and used the steel handgrip on the canopy rail to pull himself around to look behind。 〃Which way？〃
〃Left。 I got him。〃 She was holding herself forward in the seat with her left hand on her handgrip as she craned back over her shoulder and applied the G。
〃Get the nose up higher。〃 Enough advice。 Either she could hack it or she couldn't。
The left wing sagged to the vertical and the nose fell toward the horizon。 G off as she slammed the stick all the way to the right and the plane rolled two hundred degrees in the blink of an eye。 Back on the stick with the nose ing down。 Pull； pull； pull that nose around。
Degan was in front of them now and below； but Rita was on the inside of his turn going down at mm。 Relax the stick and build up your speed； close on him； Toad silently urged her on。
〃Degan lost sight；〃 Toad said as he fought the vomit back in his throat。 The hangover had caught up with him。 He ripped off a glove and jerked the mask aside。 His s