Kai smothered a smile. "Well, my question still stands. What difference does it make?"

"What difference?" Hohiro reacted as though Kai's words were an autocannon hit between the eyes. "He is with my sister, and I do not know where they are. This is not done in the Draconis Combine."

"We aren't in the Draconis Combine."

"Our traditions govern the conduct of my family and our people no matter where we are. It is a dishonor for an unmarried woman to be in the company of a man who is not blood kin."

Kai's chin came up. "If you are suggesting that Victor Davion would comport himself in any way not becoming of a gentleman, I would say that you are foolish." The young officer's gray eyes narrowed. "But this isn't really about your sister's honor, is it, Hohiro? You told Victor he was not to see your sister again, and you're angry that he may have violated your demand. This is between you and him, whereas it should really be between him and your sister Omi."

Hohiro stiffened. "It is a matter of family honor."

"Ha!" Kai snorted and gave Hohiro a reproving glance. "It is a matter of your ego and your struggle with Victor for dominance of our little community on Outreach. You're missing everything Jaime and MacKenzie Wolf are trying to do here. If I didn't know better, I might think you've been staying up late having long talks with my aunt."

"Perhaps, Leftenant Allard, you do not understand ..."

"Oh, I understand, all right. Maybe better than you do."

Kai's anger at Romano boiled up suddenly, and for once, he could not keep from venting it. "You and Victor see yourselves as heirs to a warrior tradition so honorable as to be sacred to you. You've both ignored the fact that your fathers are committed to a truce that could see us through this Clan crisis. The two of you use our training exercises here as a way to compete with one another, and you're clubbing yourselves to death to do it.

"You are both fine MechWarriors. You understand how to fight as individuals, and you've got a stunning grasp of strategy and tactics. And you both possess knowledge of the Clans that could only be improved through mutual cooperation. The trust your fathers place in you is more than justified, except when the two of you insist on behaving like feuding children."

Hohiro tried to hide behind his impassive mask, but Kai would not stop. He could see in Hohiro's dark eyes that many of his shots hit home. "And now this nonsense about prohibiting Omi and Victor from meeting. Face it, just like you and me, Victor and Omi are nobles. They have probably not the slightest chance of knowing happiness or love in any conventional sense. They have no equals in the world with whom they can relax and be themselves. Their marriages will be arranged, their mates chosen for them, and even extra-marital lovers will have to be politically correct, lest there be some scandal that could harm the empire.

"Now, you and I both know how slim are the chances of your sister and Victor falling in love. And the chances of them consummating anysort of relationship are slimmer yet. That leaves the chances of marriage virtually non-existent. But that does not preclude them from being friends, and through their friendship, gaining a greater understanding of one another's nation. Your sister will likely replace Constance as Keeper of the House Honor. In that capacity, she will be a brake on you when it is time for you to take power. As a friend of Victor, she could easily serve in that capacity for him as well."

Kai shook his head and waved Hohiro away. "But I don't imagine you'll listen to me because your samurai blood is thundering through your head and drowning out any sense. Pity. You and Victor would be much more effective as friends than enemies."

As Kai tried to walk past him, Hohiro reached out and caught Kai's shoulder. Kai spun about quickly, but fought the instinct to raise his hands for Hohiro was not poised to strike. "Sumimasen,Allard- san." Hohiro bowed his head. "I am indeed foolish, and you are right to rebuke me. All is not exactly as you have described, but enough so that you have given me much to consider."

The Kurita Prince gave Kai a half-smile. "I am concerned for my sister, but your points are well taken. Perhaps you could communicate to Victor my apprehensions. In the Combine, perception becomes reality with surprising swiftness, and I wish only to protect my sister from damage to her honor."

Kai nodded. "I can do that."

"And I, in turn, can and will take a new look at Victor Davion. Perhaps Outreach is a place where the old tradition of rivalry gives way to a more practical one."

Kai smiled and even chuckled lightly. "I hope so." And if you two succeed in patching it up, maybe, just maybe, I can get you to talk to Romano.

12

Clan Council Chamber, Hall of the Wolves

Strana Mechty, Beyond the Periphery

25 April 3051

Phelan Wolf looked questioningly at Cyrilla, who was laughing. "It is getting nasty. How can you laugh?"

She shrugged easily. "I dearly love watching Conal make a fool of himself."

Off to their right, a Clanswoman stood in place, haranguing her fellow Wolves. "We face the most important Clan election since before we left the Inner Sphere. Soon we must choose a new ilKhan, and the Khans we elect today will affect the outcome of the other election. One of them might even be chosen as the next ilKhan. This, if for no other reason, is why we must replace Ulric Kerensky."

The young MechWarrior frowned. "I do not know, Cyrilla. The speakers have been hammering Ulric pretty hard. All were obviously Crusaders whose main objection is that he is a Warden. It looks grim to me."

"So it might appear." A spark of amusement lit Cyrilla's brown eyes, but her voice took the tone Phelan had come to associate with lessons for him. "If you know a storm is likely to do damage, you button up as tightly as possible, then you wait for the storm to blow itself out before trying to pick up the pieces and rebuild. The arguments we have heard seemed to build one upon another and to pick up momentum. But their foundation is quicksand."

"It is?" Pehlan narrowed his green eyes. "The speakers say that Ulric abrogated his responsibilities by not honoring the compromise made when the invasion was planned. They have accused him of everything from stupidity to outright treason."

Phelan jerked his head in the direction of a handsome, dark-haired man seated just below their place. "And they push Conal Ward as a logical replacement for Ulric. If only half of what the speakers say is true, Conal could be a good leader."

Cyrilla folded her arms across her chest. "He may, indeed, be a good leader, but I think he has overstepped his bounds here. Conal backed Nevski's challenge to the Dragoon's DNA vote, and yet that effort failed badly, thanks to Evantha's own persuasive skills.

"You know enough of our ways to realize that we place efficiency and superiority in military arts above all else. A Khan is one who has strong support within the Clan. The Clan members know he will bring them victory at the lowest cost possible. Right now, Conal shows himself a master of politics and rhetoric, but all this talk has not won a single battle in the Inner Sphere. Ulric, who is no novice when it comes to politics orwar, will be re-elected."

The younger man eyed Cyrilla suspiciously. "More of your behind-the-scenes bargaining?"