His eldest son, Hector, became the planet’s ruler upon his father’s death. Both he and his brother had two children, a son and a daughter each. Ivan died fifteen years ago in a hovercar accident and Hector took his nephew and niece into his care. While the Germayne family was hardly the wealthiest on the planet, all of them seemed more committed to public service than making money.

The Republic files, both old and the sketchy new ones, reported little else of interest about the world. By all accounts it was a beautiful place, with lots of rain forests and natural resources. The climate featured terrific lightning storms. The planet boasted mostly light industry that served the local needs and, in that way, it was lucky since it was actually self-sufficient.

A number of reports and articles, including some written back before I was born, predicted that Basalt would be the next “in” spot for tourism—citing the vast rain forests and diversity of plant and animal life as the main attractions. The follow-ups to those articles still touted the unspoiled nature of the world, but at the same time chronicled the collapse of deals designed to make luxury resort projects a viable concern there.

The only other item that really caught my attention was a profile from a business journal that covered Aldrington Emblyn. He’d come to Basalt to manage one of those failed resort projects, but had stayed on and had become “Basalt’s own Jacob Bannson.” I’m sure that was meant as a compliment. The man, in twenty short years, had amassed quite a fortune and had been linked in the news with the most beautiful of women in Basalt’s upper crust. There were even rumors of his planning to marry Sarah Germayne, Hector’s niece, but those stopped appearing a year ago.

After doing the basic research, I still couldn’t figure out why Basalt was the target, and I said as much in the briefing Janella and I gave Consuela and Kitsune. “It makes no sense. Basalt isn’t even a convenient jump point. Winning Basalt will gain no one anything.”

Kitsune half-closed his eyes. “Perhaps, Mason, Basalt is not a prize to be fitted into some grander scheme, but simply is a prize for itself. Basalt, as you have noted, plays little part in the affairs of the Inner Sphere. Perhaps this is yet true. The forces on Basalt may be content with winning Basalt for itself. After all, Helen was no more special and you have not fit it into a larger plot.”

My mouth gaped open for a moment, then snapped shut. “Yes, my lord, you raise an excellent point. Handy’s presence there may be no more significant than his reprising his role on Helen.”

Consuela regarded me with dark eyes. “You resist this notion.”

“Only because Handy is so much of a blank. He was clearly employed as an agent provocateur, but by whom and for what purpose we don’t know. For him to be employed there and then so quickly engaged on Basalt does suggest that he has a reputation, and it must be a good one since no one is going to hire him based on the events on Helen.”

“I concur, that is a problem. Moreover, a variety of Paladins have expressed concern that an individual like this is operating within The Republic. The last thing the current situation needs is agitation.” She closed her eyes for a moment or two, then set her shoulders. “We’re going to ask you if you would be willing to go to Basalt.”

I frowned. “My duty is to obey your orders, my lady.”

Consuela raised a hand. “Mason, this is not an ordinary mission. Usually you are called upon to go into the field, investigate, infiltrate, slip away and report. Most people think the Ghost Knights are called that because no one knows who they are. You know that we want them to be phantoms.

“Circumstances have changed. We are sending you into a situation where we know your contact is untrustworthy and is willing to have you apprehended or killed. He may be hiring you precisely because you are expendable. Your supposition that you are but one of many people with your talents is a good one, which means you will be in dangerous company. We can assume that, whomever is on the other side, they are equally skilled.”

“My lady, I do know my way around a battlefield.”

“I’ve seen your scores, Mason, and were we sending you into combat with Janella here by your side, or a Lament lance, I would have little worry about your ability to survive and even conquer. The fact is, you will be going in without any support. We’ll be setting you alone among wolves.”

Her choice of words let me know that one of the Paladins she’d been talking with had been Victor. I grinned. “This is a chance for me to try out my wolfhound idea.”

Consuela nodded solemnly. “Then you will do it?”

“I’m leaning that way. I need to know the parameters of my activity. If you’re right and there is combat, how far shall I go? You know there is no such thing as shooting to wound. What if I have to engage loyalist forces in combat?”

Kitsune knitted his fingers together. “You will have to defend yourself. You have no choice. You know what the limits are.”

“What about activity outside a ’Mech? There’s likely a host of felonies I’ll have to commit. I’d keep mayhem to a minimum, but I may be required to do some fairly nasty stuff.”

“That came up in my discussions. The Republic will indemnify the injured parties. Just try to make things a little less spectacular than last time.”

I winced. “How far can I go, and what is sanctioned?”

Consuela leaned forward and started ticking points off on her fingers. “First, you are to learn what is taking place on Basalt and Handy’s role in it. You are to intervene as best you can to maintain The Republic’s stability. Second, you are to discern the players in whatever is happening, including Handy’s superiors. If it is possible, we would like evidence collected that would be sufficient for prosecution in our highest courts. If we can make an example of people on a world like Basalt, it might well give others pause.”

“And if they are beyond prosecution?”

“How so?”

“If they have destroyed the evidence or if witnesses are slain so they are insulated from any and all charges?” I looked Consuela straight in the eye. “What if someone’s continued existence is a direct threat to The Republic’s stability, and the only way to stop them is to kill them?”

“We would prefer other problem-solving methods that could be reversed.”

“If I have other options, I’ll exercise them.” I chewed my lower lip for a second. Through my mind’s eye ran the holographs of Aldrington Emblyn and the various Germaynes. I had no desire to kill or cause the death of any of them, but if they were the ones injecting poison into The Republic and I couldn’t convince them to stop, I would be left with little choice.

Kitsune regarded me carefully. “You will accept this mission, then?”

“I have to. It took me four months on Helen to get close to Handy. If you were to assign this to any of the other phantoms it would take at least that long to get to him. A lot of blood could flow in that time, and that’s just unacceptable.” I gave them both a grim smile. “It’s time for this wolfhound to get out and begin some pest control. I want the job and I’ll do it very well.”