The Ravenstumbled back toward the right as its damaged leg missed a step. When the motion exposed the Raven'snaked left flank to de Ridefort, he speared laser fire through the 'Mech's vitals. The coruscating scarlet beam touched off a series of explosions in the Raven'sSRM magazine. Like a string of firecrackers, the detonations flashed one after another until the roiling fireball ballooned into a brilliant sun. Its dazzling white light reduced the Raven'sskeleton to a silhouette, then consumed it hungrily.

Andrew sent his Centurionracing up the hill as the Alpha Ravenreared back up to its feet and headed back down the hill. We've lost too much time already to go after it. We have to reach the factory.Andrew keyed up the Defiant'sfrequency. "Porter, we have one heading back toward you. Kill it." Andrew switched back to his command frequency before Porter answered him. "Remember, men, they have a Leopardout here, so don't do anything foolish."

Cresting the hill, Andrew shifted his scanners from starlight to infrared. The holographic display changed from black with dark green highlights to a surreal rainbow landscape, with men and machines radiating white and yellow heat tracings. Off to his right, he saw the outline of a Vindicatorand half a dozen bobbing balls of glowing light he recognized as running men. Over at the factory, he saw a Centurionstanding next to the building and watched as a man-form leaped from the lab's roof into the 'Mech's open cockpit.

"Bisot, de Ridefort, the Vindicatoris yours. St. Armand ..." Andrew's voice died as his spirit rebelled against ordering a 'Mech to attack infantry.

"I'm off varminting, Cap," came St. Armand's voice.

The Vindicator,which looked like a Human giant except for the particle projection cannon that formed its right forearm, moved to block the Jenner'spursuit of the runners. It raised the PPC and let fly with an azure bolt of man-made lightning, but the jagged energy burst shot wide of the birdlike Jenner.The beam drilled into a pine tree, instantly igniting it into a torch, then exploding it into a million flaming splinters.

Both Valkyrieslaunched LRM volleys at the Vindicator.Missiles blasted up and down the PPC's barrel, stripping it of armor and exposing the glowing blue charging coils. Five missiles smashed into the Vindicator'sleft breast, blasting the armored hatches protecting LRM launch tubes off the 'Mech's chest, but failed to do more serious damage. Two other explosions gouged deep wounds into the armor on the 'Mech's right leg, but the armor remained unbreached.

Andrew turned his attention to the Centurion.He punched up the old tactical frequency he'd shared with Justin Allard when Justin had commanded the First Kittery Training Battalion, the group that had become Redburn's Delta Company. "It's you, isn't it, Justin?"

The answering voice sounded flatter and more inhuman than a computer construct's voice. "Run, Andrew. I owe you nothing. You have no hold over me that will save your life." The Liao Centurion,its faceplate locked down securely, turned to face Andrew. "I slew men with twice your skill on Solaris, Captain. Do you really want to die here and now?"

You bastard!Andrew dropped his LRM sight on Justin's Centurionand answered with an LRM flight. Half the missiles blasted craters through the armor over Yen-lo-wang'sright breast. Semi-molten ceramic shards shooting away from the 'Mech painted glowing gold trails across Andrew's IR display while the wounds on the 'Mech burned like red-orange embers.

The other five missiles wreathed the Centurion'shead with a firestorm halo. Armor spun away through the night as the explosions staggered Yen-lo-wang.The 'Mech stumbled back into the lab, crushing a wall and shattering windows along the third floor. Andrew clearly recognized Justin's masterful hand on the controls as the Centurionrebounded off the building, dropped to one knee and steadied itself with left hand pressed into the ground.

Justin's haunting laughter robbed Andrew of any exultation. "So the puppy has developed teeth. Very well, Redburn. Come on." Justin's voice dropped to an arctic whisper. "I've never felt stupidity is a reason to grant a foe mercy."

Andrew ground his teeth together. How could I have thought of this man as a friend?Andrew set his 'Mech in motion, charging forward well inside of his LRM range. I want this fight to be down and dirty, not impersonal like a missile duel.Andrew impaled Yen-lo-wang'simage on the autocannon's crosshairs, then tightened up on the trigger.

The autocannon's stream of metal fury blasted into Yen-lo-wangjust below the medium laser muzzle in the center of its chest. Armor flew like wood chips beneath the bite of an ax, and a white plume of heat jetted across Andrew's display. The Captain smiled broadly. Punched through and hit some engine shielding.

Justin's laughter shifted to allow some grudging respect. "Damn, and me with a damaged cooling vest. Good, Andy, but not good enough. Good-bye."

As Yen-lo-wangraised the muzzle of its autocannon toward him, Andrew's stomach boiled. Something about that 'Mech, some way he modified it on Solaris. No, no! It's got a Pontiac!The screaming whine of Yen-lo-wang'sautocannon filled the night. Depleted uranium slugs hammered into the Centurion'sright thigh. Crushed armor plates crumbled to dust with a grinding and crunching that sounded to Andrew like an animal gnawing on the limb. Andrew felt his 'Mech shudder as more shells shredded the thickly corded myomer muscles in the Centurion'sthigh, then his heart sank.

The projectiles ate through the ferrotitanium femur like a disease. With echoes of the gunshot-like snapping still reverberating through the cockpit, Andrew fought to keep his machine upright. Hopelessly unbalanced as the 'Mech's leg cartwheeled away behind it, his Centurionpitched to the right, slammed to the ground on its side, then rolled onto its face.

Sparks shot through the cockpit like fireworks. Two monitors went dead and a third displayed, with clinical objectivity, the damage to the Centurion.Its right leg was gone, and landing on the autocannon had damaged it. Internal systems showed damage, and the computer reported that because of the Centurion'sposition, the ejection system could not work.

Andrew felt the heavy vibrations from Yen-lo-wang'sapproach. He braced himself for the coup de grace. Fire and steel. That autocannon will reduce this cockpit to radar chaff.

Justin's voice filled his neurohelmet. "I assume you're still alive, Andrew, and I will leave you thus. On Solaris, I did that favor for one enemy. Don't make his mistake and come after me again." Justin paused, then added a stinging afterthought. "And stay away from Solaris, too. You wouldn't have lasted this long fighting there."

* * *

Andrew stabbed his index finger onto the solar system's tactical display. "Look, Porter, you yourself said we can catch them. They've only got a four-hour lead on us. We head out at 2.5 Gs, fly close enough to the third planet—that gas giant—to get a slingshot effect and we'll reach their JumpShip before they will."

Andrew raked fingers back through his thick auburn hair. "Why can't any of you see this?"

Robert Craon exchanged glances with Captain Porter. "Captain Redburn, we can see what you're saying, but it would be a suicide mission. The Defiantwould be pitted against another Overlordand a Leopard.All the Liao Overlordhas to do is snipe at the Defiantas Captain Porter tries to catch the Leopard.It won't work."