Instead of replying, Aidan checked out the situation. When he saw the man crouching between the two roots, he muttered inadvertently, "Nomad."

The mutter was picked up on the commline circuit. It surprised Joanna. She had forgotten that Aidan and Nomad had worked together during Aidan's short period as an astech.

"Horse, you and the others stand by while I confer with the Star Captain," Aidan said. "I will be out of my 'Mech for a while."

He released the restraining belts that held him into the command couch and descended from the 'Mech to where Nomad lay, still staring upward at the gigantic Summoner.

"I never expected to see you again, Nomad."

"Same here. You look well. You have put on weight, muscle. Finally you look like a warrior."

"Did I not look like one before?"

"Not to me. And since you had failed your trial, there was no—"

"Quiet!" Why did everyone want to refer to his past identity today, he wondered. "Someone might hear."

"Who is there to hear? You, me, Joanna? We all know."

"Still-"

"Still nothing. I did not think a warrior could be so fearful. Anyway, what do you fear? If someone finds out, then—"

"Then I am dead. I can be nothing less than a warrior, and I can only be a warrior if I am Jorge."

"No, I can see in your eyes you will always be a warrior, whatever anyone does to you."

"I am told that nothing can be read in my eyes."

"Perhaps I read between the lines."

"You are deliberately mysterious. Can you move?"

"No. My arms, you see, they—"

"Let me lift you."

Aidan gently maneuvered Nomad out from between the tree roots and picked him up. He started to carry him away from the tree.

"A touching rescue," said Joanna, who suddenly stood in their path.

"Not as impressive as yours." He nodded toward his 'Mech's foot. "I will have to work on it to restore it to maximum mobility. There are already too many limping 'Mechs in this area."

Joanna's eyebrows rose, and Aidan explained about the Mad Doghe had encountered in the middle of Blood Swamp.

"Blood Swamp, eh?" she said. "Glory Station seems more attractive by the moment. Did you make contact with any of my other warriors?"

"Nothing so far."

"Does that mean that most of the Trinary did not survive the drop?"

"Not really. Some of them may not have regained consciousness. Others may be sending out distress calls. A peculiarity of this jungle is that it blocks out long-range communications. Even short-range is diminished. It is important for a BattleMech unit to stay close together here. One 'Mech strays away, loses touch, then becomes completely disoriented in the confusing maze of trees and eternal night. Radar and magnetic anomaly detectors are useless. Navigating by visual light is like groping in a green darkness. Thermal sensors are better, but shadows and objects can become so indistinguishable that you can end up crashing into an obstacle you swear is at least two meters away. Operating together, however, a unit can manage to get through the place without too much accidental damage."

"Sounds great. How easy is it to get to Glory Station?"

"It is something like traveling through hell in a paper 'Mech."

"At this moment we do not need colorful warrior phrases. Why do you not put Nomad down somewhere? He is able to use his legs, after all."

After Aidan had set the tech down, Joanna ordered Nomad to walk a short distance away so she could talk to Star Commander Jorge in private. It was obvious Nomad wanted to comment that there was nothing so vital it had to be kept from him. But caste was caste, and even he had to obey its rules.

"I had not expected to encounter you here," Joanna said after Nomad was sufficiently far away.

"No. It is not the way of the Clans for old comrades to keep in communication."

"Do not be sarcastic. I get enough of that from Nomad. And I am sure he is much better at it than you. Report to me on the composition of your unit, its personnel and firepower."

"What need have you to know that now?"

"If I am to take command,I must know what—"

"Take command?"

"I outrank you, quiaff?"

"Aff. But I have a mission to—"

"You still have that mission, Star Commander. And it is mine as well. I must assemble what has survived of my Trinary in order to join the combat over the Pershaw genetic legacy. Do you chafe at obeying me? Respond honestly."

"Yes, I do. This is my Star and you—"

"In battle conditions, rank is all, you know that. Step into the light."

Aidan walked into the thin shaft of light. Standing there felt like being on a stage in the harsh brilliance of a spotlight.

Joanna nodded. "I thought so. I saw your uniform was decorated, and we know warriors do not go into the field wearing battle citations. I suspected it must be the dark band. So you have not changed much, eh, Star Commander Jorge? You were obstinate as a cadet, and a troublemaker into the bargain."

"Is it obstinacy to fight for—"

"Silence, filth. You should not even be speaking to me unless I give you permission."

"With all due respect, Star Captain, I do not think that dark-band protocol applies during rescue missions."

"Oh, they do, Jorge, they do. And I will enjoy applying them."

"Joanna, I—"

He had not seen the whip she held in her right hand. She flicked it out lazily, just missing the side of his face.

"That is enough, Star Commander. We will restore proper discipline. You will address me only as ordered. We must respect the dark band. Nomad will instruct you in repairing the damage to your 'Mech's foot. He is quite good at that. Then we will proceed."

Aidan glared at her as she shouted for Nomad to return. She had arrogantly turned her back on him, and he wanted nothing more than to jump her, perhaps grab her neck and snap it, just as he had done to Bast. But, no, even if the way of the Clans and the dark band had not restrained him, he knew that he could not overcome Joanna so easily.

Nomad inspected the damage to the Summoner'sfoot. Following the tech's instructions, Aidan pulled a few charred pieces out of the long streak where Joanna had made hits. Nomad had him twist a couple of wires together, then alter something on a microprocessor board. Then the tech pronounced the 'Mech foot usable again.

"Jerrybuilding, but should work," Nomad commented. "It's something like pulling a thorn out of a lion's paw."

"There is a Terran legend—"

"So I have heard."

Because Nomad could not climb into Joanna's Hellbringeron his own, she climbed up to its cockpit with him on her shoulders. Aidan watched them ascend in silence, then he got into his own 'Mech.

"Star Commander Jorge, you must provide me coordinates for the probable locations of my Trinary survivors. Respond."

In a flat voice, Aidan gave Joanna the information she required.

"I do not know the names of your personnel," she said next. "I do not need to, for undoubtedly they are all freebirth filth. Like yourself." Since Joanna was one of the few who knew Aidan's true genetic identity, her insult was carefully calculated. Waves of long-forgotten but deep resentment surged through his body. Though he had not seen her in several years, the hate was fresh, unchanged. When the dark band was off, he knew now which particular warrior would be his adversary in the Circle of Equals—if Kael Pershaw ever restored the Circle.