Fancher's Command Lance was waiting outside the command bunker. Three other Points of Elementals were already clambering up the OmniMechs toward the carry positions on the torsos of the 'Mechs. They would ride to the battle hugging the armored machine. That was how it was done in the Clans when a fast assault was necessary or when great distances had to be covered.

Unfortunately, there were not enough OmniMechs to mount all the Elementals. Elson had ordered the techs to weld crude grab-irons to standard BattleMechs, but the system only allowed a 'Mech to carry two or three armored infantrymen. Still, enough makeshift carry positions had been created to mechanize the force. Elson's troops would be involved in the battle. Decisively, he was sure.

His Point mounted Fancher's personal 'Mech, a Gladiatorand a favorite model for combined operations. The standard Clan tactics for coordinated combat would not be in use for today's battle. The 'Mech jocks did not have the proper training.

That would change.

A lot would change today.

Elson was confident as the Gladiatorstomped forward, the other Omnis forming up around it. They marched forth, headed for the battle at over sixty kilometers an hour, passing burned-out tanks and the occasional BattleMech hulk as they went. Nearly all were rebel vehicles.

Elson's forces were exclusively BattleMechs and battle-armored infantry. True, some of the Home Guard forces professed to support Alpin, but Elson had not deemed them trustworthy enough to deploy in the Outback. For the same reason, he had not included the forces holding the Fortress complex in his battle plans. The 'Mech forces and his Elementals, with their expendable mercenary supplement, would be enough for the job.

They passed through an area with a high concentration of broken 'Mechs—the site of this morning's battle. Elson was mildly perturbed to count more Beta Regiment machines than rebel; he opened the channel to Fancher.

"There are more BattleMechs on the field than you reported."

"Don't build up a sweat, Elson. Most of them are just damaged; easily refitted when the shouting's over. The warriors got out."

"My plans were based on the expectation of higher numbers of BattleMechs."

"So were Wolf's." She laughed. "We've still got them outnumbered."

An encounter with the rebels ended the conversation. The skirmish was with a combined unit, 'Mechs and what had to be their last few tanks and armored vehicles. The battle was brief, ending shortly after the Elementals dismounted among the conventional forces. Tanks were no match for trained battle armor.

As expected, the BattleMechs retreated when the skirmish turned against them. Perforce they abandoned the tankers; it was the strategically sound solution. Elson ordered the crippled tanks ignored. Finishing them would take time and he wanted to pursue the 'Mechs; they were the prime objective. Once the 'Mech force was eliminated, Wolf's challenge would have no heart.

The troopers remounted their BattleMechs and set out in pursuit.

Long-range exchanges between the two forces were the only action for the middle of the day, but Elson was satisfied. The rebels were retreating toward the Tetsuhara Proving Ground, just as he wanted.

At 1310 hours Fancher's forces crossed the outer boundaries. The rebels were little more than a couple of klicks ahead, the open ground offering a good view of their fleeing 'Mechs. In the distance the smudge of a building appeared on the horizon. Elson tapped Fancher's computer and noted that it was a training center intended to simulate a factory complex with a defensive ring of bunkers. Those bunkers would have weaponry able to support the Wolf's people.

Fancher's 'Mechs accelerated when the rebel 'Mechs turned toward the facility. Small dark dots could be seen bouncing among the buildings. Elementals. There seemed little doubt that the Wolf force would make a stand among the buildings.

The attacking 'Mechs crossed the line of what Elson estimated was the outer range of the defensive weapons. No shots were fired. The lack of defensive fire could only mean that Wolf had been denied the opportunity to turn the simulators into real weapons. The rebels began jamming, forcing a crackling static into the commo channels. It could not drown out short-range transmissions, but Elson lost contact with the rest of his loyal forces. It mattered little; he and Fancher had brought the northern forces to bay here, and Gamma was cornering the rest of the enemy's mobile forces in a similar facility.

Elson was satisfied. They would do battle here. It would be BattleMechs and battle armor; a combat in the grand style. This was what a warrior trained for, lived for, died for.

As Fancher's 'Mechs began evasive maneuvers, they came within range of the rebels' weapons. The defensive barrage exacted a toll on the attackers. Only one 'Mech went down, but many took damage. Some Points reported casualties.

Elson gave the order to dismount at the first line of bunkers. They were so close now that the Elementals' own jump jets could carry them into the facility. Riding on the 'Mechs only made them targets, and no sane trooper would hold on and let himself be armor for some incompetent 'Mech jock.

Fancher sent a unit wide on the flank to cut off escape, but the enemy commander had anticipated her and blocked the move, ambushing the lance and sending it back with enough damage that Fancher ordered the survivors out of battle.

The fighting among the buildings was fierce, mixing 'Mech and infantrymen and costing all dearly. Elson's Point was back from the fighting, getting reloads for their launchers, when he noticed a pattern in the reports from the Points still in combat. They were losing contact with the rebel Elementals. Elson tried to get Fancher on line, but the static was too great among the buildings. He spotted a tower and raced for it. If the higher elevation did not let him communicate, it would at least permit him a view of what was happening.

He was halfway up when he saw the Wolf 'Mechs regrouping on the far side of the complex. Instead of returning to battle, they were heading out of the facility, racing away to the south. Fancher's orders broke through the static in bits, the jamming becoming erratic. Elson heard enough to tell him that she was aware of the enemy 'Mechs and was organizing a response.

Elson could not see any Elementals clinging to the fast-disappearing rebel 'Mechs. They had left their armored infantry behind, presumably to delay Beta's 'Mechs and allow their own to escape once more. But Fancher's quick reaction was spoiling that. Elson told her to take her 'Mechs out of the facility the way they had come in. He did not want her walking into Elemental ambushes. The abandoned Elementals would be his. He directed his troopers forward to sweep the facility.

Fancher's 'Mechs would deal with the rebel 'Mechs while his troopers took their Elementals. That it would be two separate battles rather than one would not matter in the end.

The first Points to hit likely ambush spots reported no hostiles, not even any harassing fire. Elson ordered the sweeps to pick up speed.

The two BattleMech forces were growing smaller as they raced into the distance.

The static stopped completely.

Grant's Point was the first to report on the suddenly clear comm channels.

"We are hearing engines, sir. Fusion."

Tanks would not be a problem in the built-up areas, that was an infantryman's domain. The command channel took his attention away from his immediate surroundings.

"Elson! Elson! Damn it! Where the hell are you?"

"Calm down, Parella. I am here. Report."

"Everything's coming apart."

"What do you mean?"