The Precentor from Tharkad stopped short and shook his head. "Not one bit. We know virtually nothing about these Clans. They are supposed to be the remnants of General Kerensky's Star League army, but we have no actual proof that is true."

"But neither do we have reason to doubt their pedigree."

"Don't we, Primus? Kerensky left the Inner Sphere to avoid war. If they were his heirs in philosophy as well as blood, why are they returning in such an aggressive manner? They seem more the heirs to a thousand Periphery raiders than to one so noble as Kerensky."

"An interesting point, Ulthan, but it is utterly immaterial." Myndo lowered herself into the backless U-shaped chair by the semi-circular window and spread her skirts out into a golden fan. "The Clans are returning. We are letting them shatter this fledgling renaissance so we may bring the true order Jerome Blake directed us toward three hundred years ago. When the Clan invaders have exhausted themselves, we will lead a revolution that liberates those they have captured. It is a simple plan, but it will work."

Ulthan's head came up. "But you will not allow us to warn the people of the Inner Sphere that their year of peace is at an end?"

Myndo waved that away as though it were an annoying fly. "Why should I? Their own agents on the captured worlds can get the word out in some manner."

"But Primus," Sharilar put in, "if ComStar is not providing transmission of those messages, the only way the leaders will hear of the return is when more worlds fall."

"True, Precentor Dieron. Quite true." Myndo took in a deep breath. "Pity they weren't watching their borders instead of chattering away on Outreach, isn't it? By late next month, they should know of the return. I can't wait to see what their response will be."

"Neither can I." Ulthan clasped his hands behind his back and stared out the window. "Of their reaction, this I do know: it will be the best and most cunning thing you or I can imagine. There is an outside chance, Primus, that you have decided to back the wrong horse in this race. If so, you can expect from Hanse Davion and Theodore Kurita all the help you have shown them."

Myndo threw back her head and laughed aloud. "That, Precentor Tharkad, is something I shall remember when I am dancing on both their graves."

24

Wolf's Dragoons General Headquarters, Outreach

Sarna March, Federated Commonwealth

21 September

3051

Kai felt a shiver run down his spine as his father led him wordlessly through the dark corridors leading to the Dragoons' 'Mech bay. "Is something wrong, father?"

Justin stopped and rested both his hands on his son's shoulders. "Wrong? No, Kai, nothing is wrong. If I am quiet, it is my preoccupation with all that is happening. I'm afraid my mind is off wondering about the Kurita ship that just showed up in the system and the message they beamed to Outreach. We intercepted it, of course, but our crypto section is having no luck cracking the code."

Kai felt the heavy weight of his father's mechanical left hand on his right shoulder. "I was afraid I had done something to upset you."

Justin laughed and dragged his son forward into a hug. "I don't know what made you think that, but nothing is further from the truth. You have done nothing but make your mother and me proud. Perhaps I don't say it enough, but I love you very much, and any father who says he is more proud of his son is a liar."

Kai wanted to say a million things in response, but the lump in this throat effectively blocked the words. He embraced his father tightly, desperately relishing the little-boy sense of security it gave him. He swallowed hard and fought to keep a waver out of his voice. "You know I would never do anything to bring shame on you or Mother, don't you?"

Justin held Kai out at arm's length. "If I were keeping a balance sheet, even one entry in the negative column would go unnoticed. Kai, you are everything your mother and I wanted to be when we became MechWarriors. You are a thoughtful leader and a damned fine warrior. When I'm your grandfather's age, I'll be telling all my friends that yes, once, a long time ago, I could beat you in simulator battles."

Kai saw the mirth in his father's eyes and the laughter in his voice, but still could not fully believe it. "Then you are not angry that I shot you out first in the test?"

Hanse Davion's Secretary of Intelligence threw his head back and laughed heartily. "Angry? God no. I knew I was your logical first target, and I told both Hanse and Jaime that I'd be down first." He threw his son a wink. "Hanse said I had more important work to do off the testing field, so he didn't let me hide behind his BattleMaster."

"And you weren't angry about my declining an Omni-Mech?"

"No." Justin paused, brushing a hand over his eyes. "In fact, your choice of Yen-lo-wanghonored me more than you will ever know. That 'Mech was my lifeline on Solaris, on Bethel, and on Sian. There is no other pilot in the Inner Sphere that I would prefer—that I would allow—to take Yen-lo-wanginto battle."

He pointed toward the 'Mech bay with his artificial hand. "That is even more true now than ever."

Kai frowned. "What do you mean?"

Justin said nothing and led his son into the 'Mech bay. This portion of the huge hangar was cordoned off with thick curtains hanging down from the girders overhead. Kai knew this was the section of the 'Mech bay where repair and refit work was done on BattleMechs, but he had no idea why Yen-lo-wangmight be here. Last he knew, the modified Centurionwas insystem, but no one had used it, much less damaged it.

As he stepped through some scaffolding, Kai saw Hanse Davion speaking with another man. That man stood only waist-high to the Prince and wore his graying hair down to his shoulders. His small, stubby-fingered hands were fitted with waldo-devices to extend his reach and strengthen his grip. As Kai entered the clear space at the Centurion'sfeet, die little man appraised him with a quick glance, then smiled roguishly.

"So you're the one who's forced me into this hurry-up job, eh?" His brown eyes twinkled impishly. "Are you worth it?"

Hanse Davion answered for Kai. "He is, Clovis. Worth it and more."

The Prince looked over at Kai. "Leftenant Kai Allard-Liao, this is Clovis Holstein. Clovis, this is the finest MechWarrior of his generation. Excepting perhaps present company, he could be the finest MechWarrior since Aleksandr Kerensky left the Inner Sphere."

The dwarf raised an eyebrow and whistled long and low. "Quite a billing, but it fits with everything else I've heard."

Kai blushed deep red. "The Prince is too kind."

"Hope not. I've put a lot of work into refitting your tin beastie here, and I want to be sure it'll be in good hands."

Kai looked up at the towering war machine. Humanoid in configuration, its right arm had a gun muzzle at the wrist, but Kai knew it now housed a weapon other than its former heavy autocannon. The left arm ended in a hand, but Kai saw two laser muzzles mounted on the underside of the forearm, where no weapons had been before. A glance at the Mech's smoothly armored chest told him that one of the lasers had been moved from its mount in the center torso. The head remained unchanged, with the Romanesque helmet sensor array that gave the 'Mech its name intact.