"They are already outcasts, quiaff?"

"Some would call them so," the Kuritan said blandly.

"Does that mean you think they will run to Wolf?"

"I cannot know their minds."

Fancher stepped around the tank to join them. "If we hold their DropShips, the Snakes won't be going anywhere."

"I do not advise that," Noketsuna said. "Those ships are their property. I believe that, given what is occurring, they will have their armament ready for defense. If you initiate a battle for the ships, you will force the ground forces to fight you."

Grimacing in annoyance, Fancher said, "The DropShips are too big an asset to give up, Elson. If we can take them, we augment our available force. We can put almost another battalion on the other side in the first wave. Send the commandos after the ships. The Snakes won't make a fight of it when they see they're stranded."

"I do not advise that," Noketsuna repeated.

Elson looked around the center until he spotted Major Sean Eric Kevin of Seventh Kommando. Calling him over, Elson brought the commando officer up to date on the situation. After considering the options, Kevin said, "It's possible, but we would need command codes to lock down the weaponry and take control of the computers."

Elson turned to the Kuritan. "You had access, Noketsuna, quiaff?"

"Yes."

"You can supply those codes, quiaff?"

"Yes."

"Then give them to us."

"As you command."

Noketsuna's words were subservient, but his attitude was defiant. It didn't matter. The Kuritan would not dare put false codes into the computer.

"Kevin, get your commandos out to the port and put them on standby. I want two Stars of Elementals ready to supply backup." Elson gave some more deployment orders, then said, "Noketsuna, you're coming with me. I want to talk to your fellow Kuritans."

The bolt from the particle projection cannon crackled past the hoverjeep and splashed into the building behind them. Steam and debris erupted from the wall, pelting the jeep with stone and mortar chips. One flying chip cut Elson's cheek. He gunned the engine, sending the jeep scooting out of the 'Mech's field of fire.

"What is going on? What did that guy say before he dogged down?"

"He said that the DropShips were under attack."

Elson cursed. Someone had taken the initiative at the wrong time, and he had a good idea who it was. Fancher was far too impatient.

"I warned you," Noketsuna said.

"And you were right. I'll remember that."

Elson headed the jeep down the street at high speed. It would not take the first of the Kuritan 'Mechs long to reach the corner behind them. Fortunately the street was not wide enough for two of the giant machines to get clear fire lanes; they would only have to dodge fire from one. A 'Mech appeared in his rearview mirror, the Warhammerthat had fired before. Particle beam, then. It could have been worse; a missile spread would have been harder to avoid. As soon as he saw the faint glow of the charging elements in the blackness of the muzzle, Elson turned the wheel hard. Cutting power to the starboard fans, he let the jeep spill air out the port. The starboard skirts dug into the pavement with a spray of sparks, nearly jarring both passengers from the vehicle.

Blue lightning crackled overhead, barely missing them. Elson rebooted the fans and gunned the engine. Bullets followed the jeep as it screamed toward the safety of a side street. Gouts of asphalt erupted as heavy-caliber slugs chewed their way toward the jeep. Elson floored the accelerator, using the jeep's speed in an attempt to out-race the machine gun's tracking mechanism. Metal screamed as the first slugs caught the back of the jeep, then they were safely behind a building.

Running flat out in a city was dangerous, but Elson had little choice. He needed speed to get away from the Kuritan force. The light hoverjeep was not armed, and if it had been, it would still be no match for the 'Mechs. Noketsuna reported that the Warhammer'sshots had taken out the radio.

Elson decided to head for the port. He could get there well before the heavy 'Mechs like the Warhammerthat had tried to kill them. Even the lighter elements, if the Kuritan commander decided to send them in, would be slower than the hoverjeep. But any lead he gained would be precious little and he would need every second he could get to regain control of the situation.

He could hear energy weapons before they cleared the approach road. The gates were abandoned, open to whoever would use them. In his haste Elson nearly crashed the jeep after one skirt brushed against a gatepost. As the tops of the Kuritan DropShips came into view beyond a row of hangars and maintenance sheds, he slowed, looking for a safe zone to stop. He turned the jeep into an open hangar and stopped it just short of the far door. Noketsuna was right with him as he jumped out and dashed to a window.

It was as bad as he had feared. The Elementals were pinned down by fire from the DropShips and there were dead commandos on the tarmac. One Point of five Elementals was crawling up the side of a UnionClass DropShip. Their position on the hull protected them from the guns of the ship to which they clung, while the ship itself shielded them from the fire of the Union'sthree sister ships. The Elementals were advancing, clearly determined to capture at least one of the ships.

It was hopeless. The arrival of the Kuritan BattleMechs would be the Elementals' deaths.

Elson located one of the other Points sheltering in the lee of a blast wall, and dashed across the field to them. He crouched next to a trooper and ordered him to open his suit. Using the man's commo equipment, he connected with the ops center. He cursed when he heard that Fancher had ordered Beta into action. Two battalions were headed for the port and the third to intercept the main Kuritan column. Elson immediately countermanded the order. Within seconds, Fancher was on the line, screaming at him.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Protecting our assets, Colonel Fancher. We do not need to lose BattleMechs in fruitless combat, and we need the port facilities more than we need to stop the Kuritans from leaving. A battle here will cripple our campaign."

"So you're just going to let them go?"

"Aff."

"And if they run to Wolf?"

"Then they will be running to their deaths."

42

In a BattleMech you always have copilot fear. You don't always think about it; but sometimes you think about nothing else. But whether you're thinking about it or not, the fear is always there, coiled in your gut.

A BattleMech may be the single most formidable fighting machine ever designed by man, but it is not invulnerable, especially when confronted with another 'Mech. As a MechWarrior, you've been trained in simulators and the harsh school of combat until you're very good at what you do, but your opponent may be better. Equipment, skill, and courage may improve your chances, but they cannot always save you. Sometimes it's just a matter of luck and, no matter how good you are, your luck can run out.

I couldn't help wondering if luck was with me as the 'Mechs of our ad hoc battlegroup scrambled from the hangar outside the ops center. I had an OmniMech, Franchette had one of our new machines, and Hans and Grant were running in upgraded classic designs, but the tech in the rest of the 'Mechs was not as good. We didn't know who we'd be facing, but their tech was probably higher. They were definitely more numerous. We were not quite four lances, a reinforced company, facing about twice our number.