Phelan smiled at Natasha. "I'd forgotten how impressive a sight this can be."

The older MechWarrior gave him a slap on the back. "It's the guys whose breath isn't taken away by this sight who worry me."

Phelan studied the 'Mechs more closely. "I don't think I've ever seen any like these before. I don't recognize the designs."

"That's because these are OmniMechs. The designs change according to the mission." She pointed toward one of the smaller, non-humanoid 'Mechs with a cylindrical body and legs canted back like a bird's. Its skinny arms ended in twin muzzles. "That Kit Foxis yours for this first run. Get set up inside and set the radio to channel seventeen. I'll brief you as we head out to the range."

Phelan ran up the steps to the gantry two at a time and dropped through the hatch topside of the Kit Fox.Standing in the cockpit, he secured the hatch, then looked around for the reactor switch. Wrapping both hands around the red bar, he flipped it down into the "On" position and locked it in place. Beneath him, in the heart of the 'Mech, he felt the thrum of the engine. The lights came on in the cockpit and the computers began their check routines just as they always did, but Phelan sensed something beyond the ordinary in this 'Mech.

He dropped into the command couch and flipped a button on the console to his right, opening a radio channel to Natasha. "Something's screwy here, Natasha. This 'Mech looks like it masses maybe thirty tons, but the vibrations are those of some monster engine."

He heard a light laugh crackle back through the speakers. "You're sitting on top of a Starfire XL engine. It's about half the weight of a conventional, but puts out the same amount of power. You've also got an endo-steel skeleton and ferro-fibrous armor, both stronger than normal, if a bit bulkier."

"In other words, this box I am in is tougher, tighter, and lighter than anything I have ever piloted."

"In a nutshell. Wait until you bring the weapons on line."

Before he could do that, though, Phelan knew he must confirm his identity with the computer. That would be the last in a sequence of steps he took to prepare himself to take the BattleMech onto the field. He settled back into the command couch, telling himself to take the procedure one step at a time, lest he forget something because of the long layoff. Drawing in a deep breath, he recalled the litany of things he must do, then started at the top of the list and worked his way down.

Pheland found the medical monitor patches and cables in a compartment built into the right arm of the command couch. He peeled the backing off each and stuck the patches onto his thighs and shoulders. Taking the cables, he clipped the rounded end to the bead on top of the monitor patch, then snaked the cable through the loops on his cooling vest. He let the connector jacks dangle at his throat.

Next he removed the cooling vest's cable from the small pouch on the vest's right side. Snapping it into the jack to the side of the command couch, he felt the icy caress of coolant fluid begin to circulate through the vest. Trapped between a layer of goretex on the inside and ballistic cloth on the outside, the coolant would pull heat away from his body during the exercise. That was important because the fusion engine and the various weapons produced enough heat to overwhelm pilots who did not have help in dissipating it.

Phelan again keyed the radio. "Natasha, I think this cooling vest may be defective. The circulation seems to work fine, but it does not feel as cold as it should. It is probably just old coolant."

"Negative, Phelan. Your vest is fine. The Clans perfected heat exchangers for their 'Mechs that have roughly double the capability of those you're used to. As a result, the heat output is less. What's more, the coolant in your vest works better and is not poisonous if some of it gets splashed into a wound."

Phelan let out a low whistle. With machines that ran cooler and could pump out more power, it was little wonder the Clans had fared so well in their invasion of the Inner Sphere. The decreased weight of body, engine, and armor meant these OmniMechs could support more weaponry. With all this special structure, I can't wait to see what I have online for weapons.

From a shelf above and behind the head of the command couch, Phelan drew down his neurohelmet. It was as bulky and heavy as any he remembered, and he settled it down over the padded collar of his cooling vest. He fidgeted with it until the neuroreceptors were pressed to the right spots on his head, then used the velcro fasteners to secure the helmet to the vest. Finally, he snapped the medical monitor jacks into the plate at his throat and fastened the chinstrap into place.

Phelan reached out and punched a button on the right side of the command console to start the identification sequence. A computer-generated voice sounded through the neuro-helmet's speakers. "Kit Fox 349287XL3341 online. Proceed with voice identification."

"I am Phelan Wolf."

"Voiceprint pattern match obtained. Working ..."

Panic tightened Phelan's throat. The computer would ask him to complete the initiation sequence by reciting a password of some sort. Because a 'Mech was loaded with specific data about the pilot that owned and used it exclusively, the password was usually personal and nearly impossible to guess. In training cadres, the passwords were general so that anyone could use a training 'Mech. Because no one had given Phelan the codeword for the Kit Fox,he supposed it must be one of those all-purpose ones.

Worse yet, he could not use the radio during the initiation sequence to ask Natasha for the correct code. If they handle things the way we did in the Kell Hounds, the 'Mech will freeze up and I'll be trapped in here until someone overrides the anti-intruder programming. With my luck, it'll be Vlad who shows up to let me out of this 'Mech.He rested his right hand on his pistol. Well, I can always use this to avoid the embarrassment, though shooting Vlad would be a bit drastic.

The computer came back with its flat voice, but the cadence and wording of the statement was one hundred percent Natasha. "Complete the initiation sequence, kid, and you only get one shot at this: What was the nastiest 'Mech company in the whole Inner Sphere?"

"The Black Widow Company."

"Affirmative. Welcome aboard, Phelan Wolf. Time for you to earn your pay as a MechWarrior."

Phelan laughed aloud and gave a clap of the hands. The computer shunted power to the weapon systems. The primary and auxiliary monitors filled with data as the computer checked and double-checked all systems. Phelan studied it for a moment, then opened a radio link to Natasha. "What does it mean when the weapons' initialization program says 'Verifying configuration'? That's hardwired into the system, Quiaff?"

"Neg. These are Omnis, Phelan. The weapon pods on these creatures are modular. The Kit Foxusually carries lasers, an autocannon, and a short-range missile launcher, but the one you're riding has been dolled up. For one thing, I had arms installed on your Kit Foxthis morning because you were used to running around in a Wolfhound.I figured you'd be more at home with this array than any other."

Phelan glanced over at the auxiliary monitor. Each arm ended in a large laser side by side with medium laser, or so it appeared to Phelan. "Large beamers with mediums riding sidecar, right?"

"More or less."

Phelan realized she'd not told him everything, and that Natasha was loving every minute of his wonderment at what the OmniMech had to offer. He grabbed the joysticks on the ends of the command couch arms and used the foot pedals to start the Kit Foxwalking forward. "I am ready to go. After you." By concentrating, Phelan managed to move the left arm in a fluid wave toward the far end of the 'Mech bay.