"I thought Conal was going to pitch a fit when you backed that Elemental off." Natasha shook her head. "That was brilliant."

Phelan shrugged sheepishly. "That's what happens when you think with your adrenal glands."

"If you did all that in your panic mode, I want you in any unit I form up."

Cyrilla held her hand up. "Quiet. They're voting on Ulric."

The picture focused on the Clan banners as the Khans voted. A line along the bottom of the screen kept track of the totals. An obvious pattern arose right from the start, and by the end of the ballot, the vote exonerated Ulric overwhelmingly. Cyrilla clapped and Natasha cursed happily. Phelan just smiled.

"Now down to brass tacks. What's your read, Ril?"

The white-haired woman wrinkled her brow in thought. 'The Crusaders have to push for one of their own as ilKhan. I would have bet on Kincaid Furey, but Pehlan's ripostes hit home. He does not have the sense of your average surat ,and everyone knows that."

"Speak of the devil." Phelan pointed at the monitor as the camera focused on the Smoke Jaguar Khan.

Kincaid had regained control of his temper and stood stock-still. "I stand to apologize to Khan Ulric for having suspected him of complicity in the death of Leo Showers. I know my suspicions were fueled by my anger at his success. Perhaps it does take the anonymous delivery of truth to point out one's own limitations. Perhaps the first limit is seeing how easy it is to be mistaken."

Cyrilla's jaw dropped open and she paled visibly. "Oh, freebirth!No, they can't do this!"

"What?" Phelan looked from Cyrilla to Natasha's blank stare, then back to the monitor.

"Having been so abruptly acquainted with my stupidity, I now seek to remedy it. I, Kincaid Furey, nominate for the position of ilKhan, Khan Ulric of the Wolves."

Confusion knotted Phelan's brows in a frown. "What's going on? You two are reacting as if the world had ended. Isn't it good to have Ulric as the ilKhan?"

Natasha shook her head. "No, it's not good at all. Recall that Conal told you the ilKhan is to rule in accordance with the dictates of the Grand Council? That means Ulric will have to push the Crusader agenda if it is reconfirmed. From what Ril has told me, there are enough votes in the Council to endorse a resumption of the invasion."

Cyrilla nodded in agreement. Phelan saw that the color had returned to her face, and her brown eyes had angry sparks in them. "It gets worse. Not only do they hamstring Ulric, but he has to appoint his Wolf Khan replacement from within the Wolf Clan Council."

Phelan felt a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. "Let me guess. The Loremaster has traditionally been the person elevated to the position of Khan in such cases, Quiaff?"

"Bargained well and done." Natasha gathered her long red hair back with her hands, then tipped her head back to stare at the ceiling. "They boxed us good on this one, eh, Ril?"

"They eliminate Ulric as a force and get a Crusader as a Wolf Khan."

As Cyrilla nodded with resignation and they heard no other candidate nominated as ilKhan, Phelan suddenly felt inexplicably giddy. "I think you may be selling Ulric short."

Cyrilla raised an eyebrow. "You see a way out of this trap?"

Phelan shrugged. "I do not, but that does not mean Ulric cannot find one. I saw him work through many tricky situations during the invasion. He managed to make ComStar dance to his tune and pay the piper. The Crusaders may be good, but I think Ulric might be better."

Along the bottom of the screen, the vote tallies appeared quickly. Without opposition, Ulric was elected easily. A number of Khans chose to abstain from the voting, and Phelan guessed those were Warden Khans protesting the railroading of their most successful comrade.

From the monitor came the sound of the Khans thumping their fists against their desktops to show approval. Conal Ward made a great show of vacating the ilKhan's chair. He offered Ulric his hand, then wandered up into the Council seating. All smiles, he plopped down into Ulric's old seat.

The camera shifted back to Ulric at the ilKhan's high bench. The ilKhan slowly removed his mask and set it on the bench. He smiled, stroked his goatee thoughtfully, then motioned to one of the Elementals. "Please escort Loremaster Ward from the chamber."

Kincaid Furey rose in mild protest. "Is that necessary, ilKhan? Your first act as ilKhan is to appoint your replacement as Wolf Khan. You can allow him to stay."

Ulric blinked innocently. "Why would I do that?"

"Well, because . . ." Kincaid started to answer, then abruptly fell silent.

The Elemental took Conal Ward by the elbow and started him up the center aisle. Before Conal had cleared the chamber, however, Ulric made an announcement. "As my replacement, I choose Natasha Kerensky "

Conal tore his arm from the Elemental's grasp. "What! You can't do that!"

"Please, Conal, your language. Consider where you are."

Phelan turned to Natasha. The famed Black Widow paled and stared at the screen. "Tell me he didn't say that, Ril."

Cyrilla started to laugh. "You heard it, Tasha. You are it."

"I'd sooner be Romano Liao's sister."

Conal posted his fists on his hips. "You know the tradition. The Loremaster is always selected to replace a Khan who has been elevated or otherwise rendered unable to serve."

Ulric steepled his fingers. "Not always, Conal. It has never happened when the Loremaster has declined the job."

"But I have not declined."

Ulric grinned cruelly. "Oh no? Did you not, during the Wolf Clan elections, say that you were unworthy to replace me? In fact, I seem to recall that you suggested Natasha Kerensky as a possible candidate for Khan. How can you complain when I merely acknowledge the wisdom of your recommendations?"

"Zap!" Phelan laughed. "Cut by your own knife, Conal!" He smiled at Natasha. "So much for that protest."

Natasha's eyes narrowed. "Never make it stick, Ulric." Her grin grew. "I've not tested out as a Mech Warrior yet, so they'll never let you elevate me to that position."

Kincaid looked positively forlorn as the Elemental drove Conal from the room. His face tightened. "ilKhan, you cannot choose Natasha Kerensky. She has not yet tested out as a MechWarrior. Because she does not have active-duty status, she cannot become a Khan."

"I believe you are wrong, Khan Kincaid." Ulric nodded at the Elemental near the side door. "If you will bring in the witness."

The Elemental opened the door and conducted Natasha's archivist to the stone platform Phelan had earlier occupied. The small man looked a bit nervous, but a devilish light played through his eyes. He smoothed his dark beard nervously with one hand, then he smiled and nodded to the ilKhan.

"For those who do not know, this is Gustavus Michaels. He accompanied Natasha Kerensky from the Inner Sphere and provided us with a detailed history of the Wolf Dragoons detachment since they left the Clans. He is quite conversant with Natasha's career and will assure you that she is very much a MechWarrior."

Kincaid folded his arms across his chest. "He has no standing here. His word about her exploits in the Inner Sphere means nothing."

With a wave of his hand, Ulric gave Michaels leave to speak. "If you will permit me, Khan Kincaid," the small man began, "the ilKhan did not ask me here to report any of the original data I have gathered. Instead, he asked me to research the background of all those who have been appointed Khans by the election of an ilKhan or a tragedy that forced replacement. What I found were four instances of a Bloodnamed individual chosen to serve as Khan despite his active duty status being under revocation or scrutiny. In two of those cases, the newly appointed Khan was in a coma."