“Some stations did get warned and defended themselves. Others have made crude repairs, but eighty percent of the grid is, for all intents and purposes, down and unreliable. JumpShips are relaying as much data as they can, but having to wait weeks for data that used to make it in hours or days is disrupting the whole of the Inner Sphere.”

Nessa sighed heavily. “The strikes have taken out key components that can be repaired or have corrupted software that can be recoded. It will just take time—a lot of it. We hoped whoever did this might just offer to repair the damage and extort money for the privilege, but aside from a few instances of price gouging or swindles to get people to invest in replacement parts, there is nothing on that front.”

“So they just hit and vanished.” I swiped my hand over my mouth. “This leaves us with nothing for the lions. No motive or easily understandable opportunity, and means that really don’t tell us much other than that they’re willing to wait a long time to put their plan into effect. The trouble with that is that since they’ve been thinking about this for a long time, and they’re obviously patient, we don’t have much of a chance of anticipating them.”

Consuela nodded. “That’s it in a nutshell.”

I winced. “Small nutshell, and not much to rattle around in it. That is not good.”

“No, it’s not.” Consuela’s shoulders slumped just a hair. “And when you look at the jackals, things are not much better.”

Knights’ Hall, Santa Fe

North America, Terra

Prefecture X, Republic of the Sphere

9 December 3132

Just her having chosen the word jackal to describe people made me shiver. Jackals, eaters of the dead. A quick glance at Nessa revealed a glower. Janella’s expression suggested that her thoughts paralleled mine.

Consuela hit another button and the box blossomed into a spherical map of Prefecture III. “One of the reasons that it was fortunate that you were on Helen when all this started is that you were able to provide some perspective on where and how forces are gathering. The players we have identified are still drawing forces to themselves and trying to position themselves to advance their causes. Movements such as the one you infiltrated might be part of a larger plan but, for the moment, no one is making any grand moves. They are still feeling things out.”

The world of Proserpina glowed in the hologram. Nessa hunched forward, resting her elbows on her knees. “Proserpina is the current home of Katana Tormark. Until late last year she was the military leader for Prefecture III and was based on Ozawa.”

I nodded. “I remember her story. She was offered a chance to be a Knight-Errant and turned it down.”

“What you may not know is that she has very strong ties to the Combine—not its current leadership, but to the traditions. She is a psychological refugee.” Nessa glanced at Consuela and got a nod before continuing. “She was undoubtedly qualified to become a Knight, as her service to The Republic had long showed, but certain people felt that if she became a Knight it would bind her more tightly to The Republic. Her refusal and resignation are in keeping with her strict code of ethics, but she is also not someone who is going to sit back idly as things fall apart.”

“What are you afraid she is going to do?”

Consuela shook her head. “Right now she is on Proserpina and has gathered a cadre around her called Dragon’s Fury. She seems to be consolidating power, securing supply, maintaining order, and it is this last point that becomes a problem with all those who are seeking power. If they are able to maintain order while things descend into chaos, people will view them as saviors. They will support them and cede them more and more power until there will be no chance to get it back.”

I nodded. I’d seen that subjugation of personal rights on Helen as people traded peace for security. “And if she is maintaining order, it is very difficult for The Republic to come in and depose her. Her cadre is made up of MechWarriors she has commanded in the past?”

Nessa straightened up. “Her cadet corps at the Northwind Military Academy used the name Dragon’s Fury. Given the number of defections from her old corps, she has probably surrounded herself with warriors she hand-picked and trained herself. Regardless, it looks as though Tara Campbell has managed to keep quite a few in the fold. Most of those who have gone over are ethnically Combine, and there is some evidence that she has rejected adventurers.”

I glanced at Consuela. “And we have no one among her people?”

The Countess shook her head. “I don’t know and, even if I did, I might not be able to tell you.”

“Fair enough.” Tormark was going to be tough to deal with. I’d never met her, but I’d been present at a Kendo tournament and watched her fight in exhibition. She’s a tall woman of African and Asian ancestry, and was devastating in her display of sword skills. Victor Steiner-Davion had commented later that she was one of the best he’d ever seen, and expanded that to include her skills in a BattleMech. Just the tone of his voice made me happy she was on our side.

But, that was then.

The map swirled down into a pinpoint, then expanded back out to represent Prefecture IV. There several worlds glowed. I gasped. “There’s already fighting on all those worlds?”

Janella laid a hand on my left forearm. “Those worlds are all places where Jacob Bannson has homes.”

“Very good, Janella.” Consuela gave her a generous smile. “Jacob Bannson, the richest man in The Republic, and a man who is bitter about the fact that he’s not been ennobled because of it.”

Janella smiled. “Bannson is also rather angry that Republic economic policy has severely limited his ability to expand his holdings—at least, has limited it in terms of speed if not actual scope.”

Bannson was a household name in The Republic, both because of his incredible wealth and the army of publicists he maintained to remind us he existed. If there was anyone who could have laid his hands on the resources to be the lion king, it would have been him. That said, however, his business empire had to have been hurt very badly by the grid’s collapse. For someone who was as controlling as he was, the idea that his companies might have to run themselves without the benefit of his wisdom would have been anathema. I doubted he had any contingency plans that provided for decentralized control. If he’d been the lion king, he would have alternate communications channels operational.

“Bannson is an interesting case.” Nessa lifted a panel on the table’s edge and typed on the keyboard she’d revealed. The holographic image of a short, stocky man with bright red hair and a bristly beard flashed to life above the map. Even in holo his green eyes glowed with intense hatred—there was no other way to describe it and I was fairly certain it was not some programmer’s joke that he appeared this way.

Janella shivered. “I met him once.”

In her tone I caught a lot of meaning. Bannson was known to be a womanizer, so I assumed he’d made suggestions that Janella had rejected rather forcefully. This gave me ample reason to hate him.

Nessa glanced at Janella and nodded. “Yes, I have, too, but on more than one occasion. His act is no better for repetition. Worst of all, he affects to forget he ever met you before, unless he wants to impress you with the fact that you were unforgettable.”

Consuela cleared her throat. “His personal dealings are reflected in business and, by extension, in his political meddling. If ARU were not partially owned by him, I might have pointed to Bannson as the person funding the GGF. It would not be the first time when labor trouble or other such things have weakened a firm enough that Bannson has been able to swoop in and snap it up at a bargain price.”