Katrina nodded wearily. "I think that's what scares me so. If Morgan were merely acting like a kid, trying to prove how tough he is at his age, I'd sponsor him in the games on Solaris. The problem is that Morgan's not acting like a kid. Everything—his return, reforming the regiment—seems directed at a final confrontation with Yorinaga Kurita." Katrina looked at Jeana with tears beginning to well in her eyes. "I think Morgan knows exactly what he's doing, and I think it will kill him."

Jeana hugged Katrina more tightly. "No one wants to see a friend heading toward disaster and not be able to do something about it."

The Archon shook her head. "I guess I'm just being too selfish. Morgan and Patrick used to remind me so much of Arthur that I could see his spirit living on in them. The Kell Hounds, the name of their unit, was the name Arthur used to call the two of them as kids. They used the name in his memory." Katrina swallowed hard. "If I lose Morgan, then I'll have nothing left of my husband."

"But you always have your daughter, Highness. Think how proud your husband would have been of Melissa, and how he would have applauded her marriage to Hanse Davion."

Katrina drew a handkerchief from her pocket and dried her tears. "Thank you for reminding me of that and for enduring so much in your role as Melissa. You serve the Commonwealth well."

Jeana bowed deeply. "You honor me more than you know."

Katrina took Jeana's hand. "You may not be my daughter, but I don't think I could have spoken as openly even to her. Thank you even more for your friendship, Jeana."

A quick knock at the door preceded its opening by half a second. A tall, black-haired young woman poked in her head with a smile. "Mel, do you still want to go . . . Oh, Archon, forgive me. I.. ."

Katrina smiled warmly. "It's all right, Misha. Melissa and I were just chatting about the difficulties of being parted from one you love."

"Speaking of which, my friend," Jeana said teasingly, "have you heard from your Captain Redburn?"

Misha swung the door shut behind her, then crossed and sat on the bed. "I received a holodisk from him that's two months old. The Federated Suns military censors let most of the message get through. He sounds healthy enough. He's in a new 'Mech—I gather from vague references that it's a captured Liao Centurion ..."

Jeana sat down next to Melissa Steiner's closest friend and took Misha's right hand into her own. "What happened to his old 'Mech?"

Misha shrugged. "I'm not sure, but sifting through the press releases and stories coming from the Liao front, I gather he lost it on St. Andre in the first wave of assaults. I've seen hints about a training battalion that has proved to be very effective as a strike force. Putting that together with some things Andy said before the war started, that must be his unit."

Katrina narrowed her eyes. "I think I may recommend that Simon Johnson of the Lyran Intelligence Corps put you to work breaking down Kurita intelligence, or maybe seeing what you can glean from the information we make public. I daresay Quintus Allard would be alarmed to hear what you've deducted about the Davion war effort."

Jeana gave Misha one of Melissa's smiles. "Mother, you've dealt with Misha's father long enough to know it's impossible to keep a secret from someone in the Auburn family. Court historians extraordinaire!" She patted Misha's hand. "The Auburns are the only thing that keep us Steiners honest."

Misha smiled. "True enough." She looked up at the Archon. "If you think I could be of use in the LIC, I'd be happy to assist, but I'm not sure I want to work with Simon Johnson. That spy-master is so tricky. I always feel I cannot trust anything he says."

Katrina nodded. "We'll save you as our secret weapon then. In the meantime, I'm interested in your thoughts and theories about Kurita. Keep me posted."

Misha smiled. "I promise, Highness."

The Archon moved to the door. "I'll let you two get on with whatever you had planned for this afternoon." She held her hand out to Jeana and drew her daughter's double into a hug. "Have fun, Melissa. And thank you for our chat. It was just like old times."

9

Furillo

Bolan Province, Lyran Commonwealth

25 April 3029

The question is, Ryan Steiner, do you want to be Archon?"

Ryan Steiner raked long, slender fingers through his thick blond hair and stared back at his questioner. Your tone, great-uncle Alessandro, suggests that "yes" is the only proper answer. It's the answer I'd give in a heartbeat, too, except that I know you hope for a return to the throne.He narrowed his eyes and imagined he saw disgust flicker across Alessandro's gray eyes. It's true that my eyes are darker than those of most Steiners, but that doesn't mean I'm as weak or defective as you seem to imagine.

Ryan nodded his head to the older man seated across from him in the solarium. "Yes, Archon, I do desire the throne."

Alessandro's smile at Ryan's reply brought some life back into the ex-Archon's tired, wrinkled face. It had been twenty-two years since Katrina Steiner had deposed him. Ryan knew that Alessandro had been more subtle than some others in attempting to take back his power, but none of these schemers had been very effective. Ryan wondered what plot his uncle had in mind now and why he was trying to work his great-nephew into it.

As if reading Ryan's mind, Alessandro waved him to one of the wicker chairs arranged to face a holodisk viewer. Above them, through the solarium's glass roof, the stars burned with a fierce cold light. Ryan smiled as he saw that the larger of Furillo's dual moons had moved into the constellation Serpentarius.

I've always considered that a good omen. Perhaps the old man's plan will work.

Alessandro leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees. "As well you know, I have plotted my return to the Archon's throne for almost as many years as you have been alive." The old man smiled ruefully. "Over the years, dozens of my plans have failed, but I have not lost heart. Practice makes perfect, they say, and I have had enough practice to perfect a hundred different ways to take power. I still have supporters scattered throughout the Commonwealth, and I have secrets that can coerce cooperation out of the most difficult of enemies."

The wrinkled old man looked up at the stars as if he hated them. "What I no longer have, Ryan Steiner, is time. I'm only seventy-two years old, but life has caught up with me. The doctors think they can trace it back to a dose of radiation I took in a 'Mech battle forty years ago." Alessandro looked up into the starry night and spoke as though defying the universe itself. "My body is consuming itself, but I have refused to let the doctors do anything. I will not die half a man."

Ryan felt his mouth go dry. Dying? He must have known for some time. That's why he's had me here "helping " him. He's not needed my aid as much as he is grooming me to replace him."I am deeply saddened to hear this news, Archon."

Alessandro's features sharpened into a viperlike expression. "Please, Ryan, do not pity me. That I will not have. I have brought you here to be forged into a weapon for use against my enemies. Right now you need another lesson, and there is no subtle way to teach this one to you." Alessandro picked up a remote control and pointed it at the holodisk viewer. "Watch this."