The Smoke Jaguars pushed out and started a drive toward the center of the Combine's waiting forces. As the 'Mech Shin had tagged Hagetaka,for its vulturelike head and birdlegs, stalked toward his position, it suddenly sank beneath the water. The tops of the twin missile racks on its shoulders bobbed up to the surface for a second, then a geyser of gray water and white foam shot up into the sky. Two subsidiary explosions jolted ripples through the delta and sent debris out to pelt the roiling surface with a ceramic rain. Bubbles and steam rising in a thick rope marked the Hagetaka'spassing.

Watching the destruction, Shin told himself that dredging out tiger pits and lining them with vibrabombs might be dishonorable, but they had to do it. As the Kanrei said, "Honor is a thin cloak against the chill of a grave."

As a second invader BattleMech, this one a Koshi,vanished from sight, a blue LED glowed on Shin's command console. Shin reached out and touched a button bringing his weapons computer on line, and the fusion engines shunted power to the Phoenix Hawk'slarge laser and the twin medium lasers mounted on the 'Mech's forearms. Now we give them a taste of our power, then we melt into the forest just as our armor did before. For the first time, these invaders will know they have a fight on their hands.

Shin, in concert with the two Genyosha/Yuutsu regiments, stepped his 'Mech forward to the edge of the swamp forest. He trained all his weapons on a Masakari.The crosshairs pulsed twice as the 'Mech's squat torso filled the holographic display, and as the invader brought his 'Mech's paired PPCs up, Shin fired all three of his weapons.

The medium laser's bloody beam sliced through the armor shell of the LRM launch canister perched on the Masakari'sleft shoulder. The other one burned a dark scar in the armor over the 'Mech's left breast, slashing in half the gray jaguar icon painted there. At the same time, the invader's particle projection cannons stabbed blue-white bolts of man-made lightning into the Phoenix Hawk'sleft thigh and arm. Armor exploded as the beam's hellish heat instantly converted it to vapor.

Shin fought against the recoil to keep his 'Mech facing forward. The computer cycled energy into the large laser, which coalesced it into a series of luminous green quarrels. The stuttering beam pounded the Masakari'sjutting head mercilessly, blasting half-melted armor fragments back to ricochet off the 'Mech's broad chest. The war machine staggered slightly, letting the PPCs dip toward the water, then the pilot seemed to regain control of his machine.

Before they could exchange another series of shots, a cloud of beams, missiles, and projectiles from others in the Kurita force slammed into the Masakari.Sizzling slugs from a half-dozen autocannon drove the 'Mech to its knees. Lasers boiled armor from it, mottling its smooth flesh with wounds that dripped molten ceramics. A swarm of shortrange missiles converged on it and bathed it in fire. When the flames dissipated, the smoking, misshapen BattleMech lurched forward, then fell on its face. Hissing clouds of steam shrouded the blackened corpse.

The blue light on his command console died, so Shin backed his 'Mech away to allow the foliage and metal foil to hide him. His last look at the battlefield showed a dozen incapacitated invaders and at least twenty other 'Mechs that had lost the function of one or more limbs. The rest showed signs of damage, though it was mosdy armor damage. As for his own troops, Shin spotted two downed light 'Mechs and a half-dozen places where trees at the forest edge had been turned into torches.

None of the invaders moved. It's finally sunk in that they bit off a tad more than they can chew. This waiting game will get them killed, and their leader is a fool if he doesn't recognize that fact.Shin studied the delta through some breaks in the tinsel-strewn brush. What's going on? I don't understand this.

Out in the killing ground, the majority of the Smoke Jaguars moved their BattleMechs back to a line behind the four 'Mechs and two dozen figures in battle armor. A few war machines checked their downed comrades. Where they found signs of life, Shin presumed, they ripped the pilot's compartment from the 'Mech or otherwise assisted the pilot in escaping, then marched off to join the others until only one 'Mech, a humanoid Ryoken,stood between the troops and the forests. That 'Mech raised its arms, which ended in double-barreled large lasers, and Shin heard the crackle-pop of a widebeam radio broadcast in his neurohelmet.

"I am Galaxy Commander Dietr Osis. I freely admit my responsibility in this defeat and absolve my command of any implication of wrong-doing. I salute you, Hohiro Kurita, and your Yuutsu. You chose the time, place, and nature of our meeting. I see now I was defeated before a shot was ever fired." The 'Mech lowered its arms and cracked the cockpit canopy. "Do what must be done and you can claim your prize."

Shin frowned. Do what must be done? What in the nine hells is he talking about? Does he think we would not grant him the time to kill himself and absolve his family of the shame of his defeat?

Almost immediately, Hohiro's voice filled his ears. "Shin, you don't think he wants us to arrange a seppukuceremony for him, do you?"

"I don't know, Highness. I am at a loss to suggest an answer."

Out in the delta, a figure appeared on the Ryoken,stepping from the cockpit to the 'Mech's broad shoulders and up to the top of its head. The man opened his arms wide and again Shin heard Osis's voice. "Please, I beg your indulgence. I know I deserve your scorn, but I am a warrior. Do not break me. That I could not stand."

The hopelessness in Osis's plea struck a chord in Shin, somehow dredging up the memory of the armored soldiers in Uramachi. This is as strange now as the invaders' actions seemed when they started to raze that ghetto. Somehow I know I should do something for Osis—the desperation in his words tells me that much—but what does he want?

"Highness, perhaps he wants us to take him captive to prove that he has value. Then, with that amount of his honor regained, he will kill himself."

"Yes, Shin, perhaps that is it."

Osis's arms fell to his sides. "I understand. You are right, after what I have done here, I have no more claim to the title of warrior. Please, do not have them destroy my children."

Shin shook his head to clear it. Destroy his children! We are not butchers! What children is he talking about? What does he mean?

One of the armored soldiers broke from the formation, and with three incredible leaps, reached the Ryoken,then landed on its shoulder. He raised his right arm and triggered the cylindrical laser on his right arm. Osis's headless body tumbled end over end to the muddy water below where huge lizards began to converge on it.

In returning to the ranks of its fellows, the armored figure passed another 'Mech coming out of the fore. A new voice forced itself into Shin's ears. "We regret the oath that prevents us from again attempting to take this world, for there have been few worthy foes in the campaign thus far. With your leave, we will call our ships and depart." Static hissed through a momentary pause, then the voice added, "Do you wish to have the Commander's children destroyed?"

Hohiro's answer came without a moment's hesitation. "No! We do not want his offspring slain. And yes, do call your ships. Leave at once."

Shin immediately shifted his radio over to the command frequency. "Sho-saHohiro -sama,what do you make of that madness?"