"Star Colonel Aidan Pryde, we commend your courage at the Battle of Robyn's Crossing," Galaxy Commander Mar Helmer said. The Khan, sitting next to him, nodded agreement. "What have you to say to us here?"

"I believe this talk of our engineers building a bridge across the river is a waste of time," Aidan said. Some murmured objection buzzed among the assembled warriors, but no one stood to contradict Aidan. "We need to get personnel onto the other side of Prezno River, warriors who can defend the other end of any bridge we attempt to construct. Otherwise the Com Guards will pick off our engineers at their leisure."

Star Colonel Gran Newclay of the Third Falcon Cluster stood up suddenly. He spoke in the nasty voice he always used to convey derision with some simple words. "And without the bridge, how does the noble hero of Robyn's Crossing intend to get units across the Prezno River?"

"Those of us equipped with jump jets can jump across."

Gran Newclay made a sound in the back of his throat that must have been some distorted version of a laugh. He was a tall, thick man with skin that looked like cracked and over-oiled leather.

"And is the noble hero of Robyn's Crossing aware that the river is too wide for the longest jump-jet leap a Jade Falcon BattleMech can manage? The Prezno is some two hundred-fifty meters wide at its narrowest crossing. The Star Colonel must have been asleep when we discussed the terrain at the last council. We decided then that no jumps were possible and that the bridges—"

It was a breach of decorum during a Clan council to interrupt an officer who was senior in grade, even when the gathering was an improvised war meeting such as this one. Aidan did so anyway, "I know all the proper data, Star Colonel Gran Newclay. I know it as well as you. But let me say this: My Falcon Guards have all been ordered to mount jump jet modules, and we can find a place to use them, and we will use them."

"Respectfully," Gran Newclay said, "I submit that the noble hero's plan is too audacious, and the Clan must not adopt it. We must set into motion the engineer units, assign BattleMechs to protect them—a duty I am sure the Falcon Guards could fulfill very well—and get them to the river for—"

Aidan committed another breach of council etiquette, interrupting Newclay a second time. "ComStar will pick them off even as they are constructing the bridge, unlessmy Falcon Guards can get to the other side, along with any other jump-equipped 'Mechs that can be detached to join us. Then, as I stated, we can defend that side so that the engineers can build their structure under proper protection. With 'Mechs to provide long-range support and our Elementals to proceed further into the countryside, we can provide just that."

"I submit again," Gran Newclay said, his voice louder now, "that the Clan leaders cannot approve such a shortsighted strategy. The Prezno River is too treacherous at all points. Its current will merely sweep our BattleMechs away instead of—"

And Aidan interrupted Gran Newclay a third time, which would have been grounds for an honor duel in noncombat conditions. "Yes, we may lose some of our 'Mechs, but that is war, quiaff?Whatever sacrifice is made, we must do this or wind up taking potshots at the Com Guards from across the river, while the rest of the Clans garner the glory elsewhere on Tukayyid."

Aidan's appeal to the competition between Clans was calculated. If anything could rouse Clan warriors to action, it was the suggestion that the success of rival Clans might bring shame to them.

"The way is difficult," said Gran Newclay, now clearly ruffled, "but approved combat procedures are the only way we can hope to—"

Could Aidan Pryde interrupt Gran Newclay a fourth time? No doubt about it. "Gran Newclay, you take your approved combat procedures and drop them in the Prezno River with the sharded remnants of the two bridges."

"I approve of Star Colonel Aidan Pryde's alacrity to enter battle," Galaxy Commander Mar Helmer said, "but I believe that such a drastic proposal would only serve to—"

Mar Helmer, his face as pale and his manners as calm as ever, was a warrior whom Aidan would not dare interrupt. But someone else could.

"I would remind the Galaxy Commander that Aidan Pryde has been given free reign in all his actions during this campaign by rule of Khan Chistu." From out of the shadows came Kael Pershaw, his half-mask catching the light and then casting it out again strangely to the assembly. He limped slowly forward, nodding to Mar Helmer and Khan Chistu. Pershaw was as much a legend to the leaders as to the ordinary warriors. "I endorse Aidan Pryde's plan. It will not only give us a military position worth holding, it will gain us the time necessary to build our bridges. I would remind those among us who believe that the bridges are the only solution that the waters of the Prezno are so active, presenting so many obstacles, that constructing a bridge would be difficult even under the best of circumstances."

The crowd became utterly silent, while Kael Pershaw's very breaths became stentorian in the stillness. He limped over to Aidan Pryde and touched him on the shoulder with his good hand. He glanced over at the still-silent

Khan, who responded with a quick nod. "I think you are free to go. Assemble the Falcon Guards and find your way across the river. You go with the blessings of your Khan, your Clan, and the immortal Kerenskys."

A few warriors whispered, "Seyla."

"May I address the assembly?" asked Star Colonel Marthe Pryde, stepping forward from the milling crowd of Clan commanders. Mar Helmer granted the request. Marthe stood up, feet spread apart, arms akimbo. "I command the Second Falcon Cluster," she said. "Many of our 'Mechs are equipped with jump jets. I wish to volunteer those 'Mechs, mine included, to join Star Colonel Aidan Pryde in this mission. I believe that the more personnel we can commit to the campaign to take the other side of the river, the better the chances of our success. I at this time formalize the request."

Neither the Khan nor the Galaxy Commander spoke for a long moment, then the Khan nodded toward Mar Helmer."Permission granted," Helmer said.

Aidan could not have said why, but he felt an odd surge of elation at Marthe's act. As her former sibkin, he was glad to have her on his side. As a commander, he welcomed the cooperation and assistance of one of the finest warriors in Clan Jade Falcon.

30

MechWarrior Diana had never seen river rapids before. Standing on the edge of the embankment, looking down several meters of steep cliff at this stretch of Prezno River, she was amazed by the rush of the frenzied, white-capped waters of the river. Waves splashed off pitted rocks, sometimes rising high, then dissipating into misty vapor. The water twisted and turned, as if refusing to follow the river course downstream. A large whirlpool had formed in an inlet. It spiraled downward relentlessly, seeming to beckon any observer into its darkness, its watery black hole. Spray from the rapids left little droplets on her Warhawk'sviewport, distorting the exterior images into a wavery, impressionistic scene. Only on her primary screen was the view of the river sharply detailed.

Over the commline, she heard Joanna make a sound of disgust.

"What was the point of sending us here, do you think?" Joanna said.

"Recon thought they spotted a possible jumping place two kilometers further downstream," Diana told her.

"No. The commander has surveyed that area, and he says there are no other possibilities. He is on his way here now."