"Lonny Lochart's son?"

"Yeah, he's only a half-cousin, if that makes any sense, but he's a member of the family and a good warrior. He's just returned from his first contract along the Periphery and has some experience, although I'm not sure what good it will be against the Clans."

"Experience of any kind is good. What about the second pilot?"

"The second pilot is Rianna Rose." Jeremiah's eyes widened as he looked at his sister with open shock. "You? I can't ..."

"Don't even say it."

Rose shut his mouth and studied his sister. The athletic build certainly fit the image, and she had the air of confidence absolutely required of any MechWarrior. But it was hard for him not to view her as the little four-year-old in pigtails, plastered with mud and dirt.

"I'm sorry, it's just that I never dreamed you'd be interested in becoming a Mech Warrior."

"Watch out," Rianna chided. "Your chauvinism's showing." Rose could tell she was getting angry, and he wondered if her temper was as bad as their father's. He decided not to risk it.

"Not at all. Some of the best 'Mech jockeys I've ever known were women. I just didn't imagine it would interest you,that's all." Rianna was obviously not convinced. She threw her head back and gazed at Rose intently.

"For your information I graduated at the top of my cadet class here on Northwind. Not only am I a certified pilot, but I'm also a certified assistant tech. I've qualified on thirteen different 'Mechs, and my I.Q. is seventeen points higher than yours." Impressed, Rose nodded appreciatively.

"And to top it all off—and nobody knows that I know this—I'm considered a logistical genius." She smiled as Rose raised his eyebrows. "Something to do with the way I organize my thoughts. It makes supply and distribution a breeze for me." She snapped her fingers and looped an elbow over the back of her chair. "So there."

"All right, you're an ace student, but what about actual combat time? Academy training is great, but have you ever been shot at by a full-strength laser? Have you ever been on the receiving end of an LRM flight? I didn't think so."

Rose paused for breath, somewhat surprised by the strength of his emotions. He tried to calm himself before speaking again.

"How long have you been out of the academy?"

"Six months." Rianna looked crestfallen, but tried to hide it.

"And no contract? From what I remember, most of the top pilots had a slot straight out of school."

"I had a couple of offers, but I passed them up."

"Why?"

"My business, not yours." Rianna set her jaw and glared at her older brother.

"It's my business if you want to sign on with me. So what's the story?"

Rianna hesitated before giving in. She leaned forward to match her brother's posture in the chair.

"The only contracts I could get were the standard five-year 'newbie' ones. Mostly dull garrison duty or training-cadre stuff away from the front lines. I wanted to be closer to the front."

"Where the action is. Just like a newbie."

Rianna's eyes flared and she stood up suddenly. Rose had no doubt in that instant that she'd inherited her father's temper.

"No. Not like a newbie. Like a sister who hasn't seen her brother in fifteen years. That's why I wanted to be near the front lines. I wanted to be closer to Terra and the Com Guards, because I knew I'd have a better chance of finding you." Without waiting for a response she stormed into the kitchen. Rose waited a moment, but when she did not return, he got up and followed.

She was standing by the sink, looking out the window into the back yard.

"I know you had to leave, Jeremiah. I know that and I can accept it. I also know that you left behind a four-year-old girl who probably didn't have a very big part in your teenage life, but you were such a big part of mine that I almost couldn't stand to see you go.

"I've remembered and thought about you for the last fifteen years. It wasn't so bad while Danny was still around, but when he left, it got even worse. Now Danny is gone for good and you're back, except now you want to be gone again.

"You made a choice, Danny made a choice, and Papa made a choice. I want to make my choice, right here, right now.

"I don't know you and maybe I won't even like you anymore after I do, but I want the chance to find out for myself." Rianna looked at Jeremiah for the first time since he entered the kitchen. "Do you understand that?"

He slowly crossed the room and stood beside her, also staring out the window.

"Yes, I understand," he said. "If this is your choice, I'll give you the chance. You'll be my first recruit." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "If half of what you say is true, and I'm sure it is, you'll make an excellent executive officer."

Rianna beamed up at him and he slid his whole arm around her shoulders.

"It will be good to see the Tea Bowl again."

Rianna looked up at him in alarm. "The Thunderboltis gone, Jeremiah. Danny lost it when he was killed."

"What?" Rose couldn't believe his ears. "I spoke with Colonel Stirling on the day of the Assembly. She didn't say anything."

"What is there to say? The Clans captured the 'Mech when Danny died. I thought you knew." Rose couldn't conceive of the loss of his mother's 'Mech. Being the oldest, it would have passed to him, but the honor had fallen to his brother when Jeremiah joined the Com Guards.

"What about you?" he said. "You'll need a 'Mech if you want to become part of a mercenary unit."

Rianna smiled, but did not respond. Rose tried to be patient, but lost the struggle. "Well?"

"I've got a Phoenix Hawk.As the valedictorian of my class I was awarded a rebuilt model by the Assembly of Warriors. I'm sure they thought I'd be fighting with the Highlanders, but I don't have to, because it's all mine.

"I've only had it for the last few months, but it handles like a dream. It came straight from the Achernar BattleMechs factory on New Avalon." Rianna was practically jumping up and down in place as she spoke. Suddenly Rose saw his mother in her eyes, a warrior through and through.

"Come on, I'll show him to you."

"Him?"

"Of course it's a him. It's only a few minutes from here." Rianna was already pulling Rose by the arm to the door.

"All right, but just for a bit," he told her. "You and I have some other things to discuss before I leave. A lot of things."

5

Tara, Northwind

27 April 3054

Jeremiah and his sister spent the next two days together. After inspecting the Phoenix Hawk,the love of Rianna's life, Rose had taken his sister to the hospital to meet Rachel McCloud. Though he and Rianna arrived too near the end of visiting hours for a prolonged visit, the two women began almost instantly to chatter together like long-lost friends.

Rachel was outgoing and friendly and Rianna definitely had the gift of gab. Locked in conversation, the two seemed to have completely forgotten Jeremiah until the floor nurse poked her head into the room to say that they had only five more minutes. Rose took advantage of the opportunity to break into the conversation.

"Sorry to interrupt, but if I could have a moment of your time, Captain."

The two women regarded him in silence.