The Jade Falcon Thorthat had taken the lead passed through the outer fringes of the town without being molested. His pilot took up position on the edge of town and opened fire on Anton Benjamin. The Omni's massive autocannon roared with a staccato beat, revealing itself as an ultra model that could pump out twice the normal volume of fire for a weapon of its class. The Thormercilessly pummeled Benjamin's Black Hawk,gouging armor and shredding myomer pseudomuscle and titanium structural members with almost equal ease. The Black HawkWent over backward and stopped moving, smoke rising from the savaged torso.

That's when we sprang the trap.

Dragoon Elementals emerged from hiding, launching SRMs at deadly point-blank range. Caught by surprise, the Falcons took heavy damage. One, a Thor,rose on a column of superheated air, trying to escape the Point of Elementals swarming over it. The Elementals dropped free, using their own jump packs to land safely. Scurrying back to cover, they sniped at the Omnis remaining in the town.

The escape of the airborne Thorwas like a signal for the rest of the enemy Star. The surviving Omnis pulled back from the Elemental-infested buildings. The Mad Catthat had been Bodyguard Lance's target never made it out. The remaining three enemy 'Mechs cut wide, trying to avoid our fire. We poured it on and the second Mad Catwent down. The surviving Thorsescaped with heavy damage.

When the first shots from the second Star began to land around us, the Wolf ordered us into the town. He wanted to put the buildings between us and the fresh Star. So did I. We took more hits until we got under cover. Shelly's Ostsolhad an arm blown off when its torso was ripped open. Shelly ejected from her crippled machine, and we were down to six effectives, all damaged.

The Falcons got cautious. Maybe they thought we had a lot more in the town than we did or maybe they were just showing the standard Clanner's dislike of close-in fighting. They would be well aware of what the Elementals could do in close.

To whittle us down, they started a long-range bombardment. We replied as best we could. The Wolf himself scored hit after hit with volleys from his Archer'smissile launchers.

When our ammo began to run low, reducing our long-range firepower, the Falcons reacted as if they knew we were low. They began to move in, circling more like wolves than their namesake. They kept up a murderous barrage while staying out of the Elementals' range. The least battered of our Omnis, Kara's Loki,got mired in a collapsed building while moving to cut off a thrust against our flank. Unable to maneuver, she was little more than a pillbox. The Falcons shifted away, leaving her out of the battle. Franchette's Riflemangot caught and went down while shifting from an exposed position. Maeve's T-boltwent into heat overload and shutdown. Ignoring the Wolf's order, she stayed inside, trying to restart her engine.

The Falcons ceased their attack, giving me respite to run the comm channels and take a real look around to find out why. The heavy radio traffic and the smoke rising from the forest to the east told the story. Beta's reserves had arrived. Our intercept of the Jade Falcons' spearhead had slowed them down enough for FedCom conventional forces to throw up a roadblock and slow the Falcons further, long enough for Beta's reserves to interpose themselves. The counterthrust was checked; even Omnis were not invincible.

The Falcons withdrew.

We survived.

Carrying our dispossessed pilots in the jump seats of our functional 'Mechs, our lances reached Josselles. The Wolf dismounted at the Dragoon command trailer, leaving his 'Mech to be reloaded and repaired by the mobile tech unit. I helped Shelly out of my Lokiand made sure she got medical attention before following him there. I wanted to see how Maeve was, but I had my duty. The battle was not yet over.

The trailer didn't have the facilities of the Chieftain,the Wolf's command DropShip, but it was well-supplied and adequate to its task. Colonel Fancher was at a forward post, but Martin Reed, her executive officer, was there and already in conference with the Wolf. I went to the comm deck and transferred the link from my Lokito the center. Reports flooded in. The battle was shifting decisively in our favor, but it flickered on for hours like a smoldering fire.

Sometime during the night, Maeve showed up and brought me some rations. I ate at my console while she rubbed my shoulders. Her touch reassured me that she was glad we had survived. At the time, it was enough.

I suppose the return of MacKenzie Wolf and his company commanders marked the conclusion of the battle. The Spider's Web had secured its objectives and pulled back for refit. All across the front, the Falcons were retreating. Fancher was able to disengage Beta and move into reserve mode as backup for the Fed-Coms and the Fourth Skye Rangers. There'd still be fighting, but the campaign had been decided. The glory, what there was of it, of kicking the Jade Falcons off Morges would go to the F-C troops. The Dragoons in the trailer were all exhausted, but there was still work to do. The morning shift came in, but the off-duty techs and officers couldn't seem to muster enough energy to go to quarters. Exhausted and half-awake, they slouched in spare corners, where they slurped coffee, gnawed ration bars, and kept one eye on the screens and holotank.

Dawn light spilled into the trailer and a man entered. He was obviously of the Clan Elemental bloodline, for he barely fit through the door. He also looked unfairly rested. I guessed him to be Elson, commander of the infantry Star involved in the trap, because I vaguely remembered having sent an order for him to report to the trailer.

Elson moved between the closely packed rows of consoles with a deftness that I found surprising. How could such a mass of muscle move with such assurance and delicacy? Even when one of the commtechs suddenly backed his chair into the Elemental's path, the big man stepped around and through the narrowed passage without contacting the chair or slowing his pace. He halted just outside the ring of Command Lance personnel around the main holotank, settling into a relaxed but ready stance that I suspected he could maintain for hours.

He didn't have to wait long. Jaime Wolf froze the holo display and turned. Smiling, he held out one hand to the infantryman, who dwarfed him.

"You did a good job today, Captain Elson."

The Elemental seemed unmoved by the Wolf's praise, but shook his hand and answered politely. "Thank you, Colonel."

"You seem to be living up to Grif Nikkitch's advance billing. He's a hard man to please."

"For an infantryman," MacKenzie Wolf added.

Most of the MechWarriors around the holotank laughed at Mac's joke. It was not sycophantic laughter; we were all MechWarriors. We didn't really understand how someone could be willing to go into battle without the advantage of a 'Mech. As 'Mech pilots, we did not think it demeaning to make a joke at an infantryman's expense. It was common knowledge that they made uncomplimentary remarks about us as well. It was just the way things were. Elson seemed totally unmoved.

"The Colonel wished to see me," he said tonelessly.

"I did, Lieutenant." Jaime Wolf folded his arms across his chest. "I am given to understand that you have ambitions beyond commanding a Star."

"I will serve as I can, Colonel."

"Well, I'm going to give you a chance. Think you can pass the tests for Trinary command? Are you ready to command three Stars?"

"I am a warrior. I will do my best."

"And that will be good enough?"