24 May 3034

Missiles screamed out past the Ryuken positions, arcing in on the renegade camp. Fuhito Tetsuhara raised the right arm of the BattleMasterhe piloted and unleashed the man-made lightning of the 'Mech's particle projection cannon. Smoke and flames burst from among the target BattleMechs. They wavered as one of their Pantherslost an arm in the fusillade.

Satisfied, Fuhito ordered an advance, specifying a left-flank-refused formation for his lance. On receipt of the order, two of his lancemates moved forward on the right. They were piloting those curious Chargervariants that Kowalski -sanwanted so badly to see tested in battle. His other lancemate was in position to the BattleMaster's rear, moving up on its left flank. The fire from its heavy-duty laser confirmed that without Fuhito needing to check his 360-screen.

All was proceeding according to the Kanrei's plan.

This operation had a bigger goal than cutting off the supplies of the renegade Combine forces attacking the Free Rasalhague Republic. Those forces, under the leadership of Marcus Kurita, had been branded roninby the Kanrei. They were not operating under the auspices of the Combine and had been officially disowned. Theodore had ordered the DCMS to appropriate all their supply bases within Combine territories. Any resistance by the roninwas to be crushed.

More important, the operation was a test of the new order.

Only formations from the recently recombined Ryuken and Genyosha regiments and a select few regular units were involved. Theodore's new doctrine was showing itself superior to the ordinary DCMS training exemplified by the ronintroops. Equally important was the opportunity to blood the new buso-senshi,giving them a chance to show that they truly were competent MechWarriors and AeroSpace Pilots. The yakuza soldiers and the eager new recruits were not disappointing the Kanrei.

Fuhito halted his machine, knowing it was his responsibility to observe and report on the conduct of his battalion—a more important task than obtaining a little personal glory. A 'Mech paced up beside the BattleMaster.For a moment, he did not recognize the fifty-five-ton Kintaropiloted by his lance second, Will Randall. Fuhito was still not used to the ancient Star League designs that had appeared in the shipments from the ComStar arsenal. Some of the 'Mechs, such as the Kintaro,had not been seen in the Successor State armies since the First Succession War.

ComStar had secretly hoarded the machines for some unknown reason. Yet, as they doled them out now, the robed followers of Blake still kept secrets from the DCMS. Any half-trained MechWarrior could tell that ComStar had stripped most of the BattleMechs of certain kinds of equipment before turning them over to the DCMS. Some weapons and other systems had been replaced by ComStar, though none of the Kuritan technical staff could be sure exactly what was missing. The records from the end of the Star League era were jumbled, and the library core was frustrating in its bounty. There was simply too much information to assimilate quickly, even where the scientists could understand the technicalities of the Star League texts.

The most obvious evidence of ComStar's tinkering was the fact that the machines came with heat sinks of recent manufacture, hardly Star League quality. Even so, the ComStar 'Mechs were superior properties, built in the days when men fully understood the mighty war machines, not the products of half-functional automated factories or the patched-up survivors of generations of warfare.

Yet ComStar was not infallible. Their technicians had been diligent but not thorough in their replacement program. A few 'Mechs had come to the Combine untouched by the robed scavengers. Fuhito believed that the machines in those shipments has been intended for the use of the ComStar HPG station garrisons slowly appearing across the Combine.

The BattleMasterFuhito piloted was one of those machines. It was a BLR-1C and was officially assigned to the Kanrei himself. Fuhito had been given it, with orders to get the feel of the machine, when Theodore had placed him in command of Operation Guillotine. That operation was proceeding smoothly despite a few stiff-necked senior officers who resented taking orders from a junior. Fuhito was thankful that he was only temporarily in command. He understood Theodore's desire to make a point, but hated being the one he used to do so. But this trial would soon be over. With success here, and the Genyosha's assault on the station in the Jarett system, all known stockpiles of supplies for the roninwould be eliminated. The Combine would have fulfilled its commitment to the Free Rasalhague Republic. Any rebel troops remaining within their borders were their own problems. The Combine would not cross the border.

The lack of motion from his companion's BattleMech aroused Fuhito from his musings. "SenshiRandall, is there a problem with your 'Mech?"

"Iie."There was a soft hiss of static before the Mech Warrior spoke again. "I do not like this, Sho-saTetsuhara."

"Surely you do not fear a trap from these rebels?"

"Hardly that, Sho-sa.The best of these roninare certainly not here on Alshain. We have nothing to fear from these troops.

"I am uncomfortable attacking fellow Kuritans. It seems wrong to be fighting warriors who seek only to return Rasalhague to its rightful place within the Combine."

"You should have brought this up at the command session if it bothers you so much. That was the time for questions." Annoyed at the man's untimely reservations, Fuhito snapped, "You're in the field now, facing troops the Kanrei has declared roninand the enemy. Obey your orders or face the Assembly of the Grand Inquisitor."

Fuhito heard the man's indrawn breath over the commlink. "I do not question the Kanrei," Randall blurted. "No need for the Inquisitor, Sho-sa."

The Kintarolurched into a run, moving in on the scattering ronin.

53

Tai-shu's Field HQ, Stalholm, Predlitz

Free Rasalhague Republic

24 May 3034

Ninyu Kerai, lying in the ventilation shaft, watched the man he had come to kill. Marcus Kurita was relaxed, his uniform jacket open at the collar. Regrettably, the man's sons, junior partners in the Taishu'sadventure, were not present. If they persisted in the rebellious scheme, they would also become targets on another day.

Marcus had dismissed his officers half an hour ago, but continued to study deployment maps on his datascreen. There were symbols that Ninyu did not understand, including one that seemed to be a Kurita dragon with a cadency mark, around the Lucerne system. Ninyu was certain that it did not mark the location of Theodore or any of his children. Whatever it was, there were no military units there, and so no danger to Operation Guillotine. The plan to cut off the roninfrom their bases in Combine territory was not threatened. From the unit dispositions displayed on the screen, the Tai-shuhad not yet learned of the attacks on those bases; ComStar was cooperating. As Ninyu eased open the grill and slipped to the floor, Marcus continued to peruse the data, unaware of his visitor.

"Your security is quite good, Tai-shu.I was unable to enter the compound without tripping an alarm."

Marcus wheeled, reaching for the holstered pistol and belt that he had draped across one of the room's chairs at the end of the staff meeting. He froze when he saw the black-clad man already holding a gun on him. His blue Kurita eyes narrowed, calculating his chances. Obviously deciding that he could not reach his weapon, Marcus visibly relaxed his muscles, but Ninyu could see the inner tension. This man was not surrendering.