The twin ignitions of ion rockets splashed silver brilliance through the woods behind the wounded Panther.A second Pantherarced up through the night like a shooting star trying to reclaim its place in the heavens. Dan tried to track it, but the 'Mech moved too swiftly. It grounded itself off to his left.

He frowned. It’ll try to flank me while its partner tries to pin me down. Wait a minute. . .Dan stared at the display and saw the Pantherhe had expected to flank him begin to work back toward its partner. Something's not right here.

Suddenly, as the two 'Mechs facing him moved from cover, Dan realized what they were doing. The image of Brand's 'Mech appeared at his back and raised its PPC.

"Good bye, Captain Allard."

23

Arc-Royal

District of Donegal, Lyran Commonwealth

3 March 3028

The Wolfhound'srear-arc laser lanced backward and pierced Brand's left flank. The computer, simulating the effect of a laser bolt on an SRM magazine, painted explosion after explosion over the outline of the 'Mech behind the Wolfhound.As the explosions cleared, they left nothing of the Panther'simage behind.

Both the other Pantherslaunched flights of SRMs at the Wolfhound.The missiles scattered impacts on and around the 'Mech, scoring armor but doing no serious damage. The wounded Panther'sPPC shot lashed the Wolfhound'salready-damaged left arm. Alarm lights flared to life in the Wolfhound'scockpit as the computer reported that limb completely severed at the shoulder.

Instinctively shifting his weight to balance the 'Mech, Dan dropped the large laser's sights onto the wounded Panther. Good! Give me your wounded flank.He stabbed the firing button, sending a spear of cohesive light into the injured 'Mech. The last of the armor shown on the computer image vanished, and the 'Mech shuddered as it suffered serious internal damage.

The flanking Panther'sPPC blast sliced armor from the Wolfhound'sleft leg, but a quick glance at the primary monitor told Dan that the leg armor had not been fully breached. Mindful of the rising levels on his heat monitor, he did not return fire at the Pantherthat was still whole.

The Wolfhound'sfeet dug into the gravel streambed as Dan sprinted straight at the undamaged 'Mech. The pilot raised the Panther'sPPC for a simple shot at the charging Wolfhound,but the speedy war machine closed the gap before the pilot could trigger the weapon.

Dan laughed as the Wolfhoundswept in beneath the PPC's effective minimum range. SRMs burst from the Panther'schest and managed to blast away the last remnant of the Wolfhound'sleft leg armor. Heedless of the damage the missiles had done, Dan targeted the Pantherand fired everything he had.

The medium lasers converged on the Panther'schest, chipping away every shred of armor over the 'Mech's heart. Enough of the energy blasting away the armor leaked through to destroy the SRM launcher. The large laser in the Wolfhound'sright forearm stabbed into the Panther'sright shoulder. The holographic display showed layers of armor exploding from the 'Mech's limb, leaving it nearly naked.

Dan continued past the Panther,then dug the Wolfhound'sleft foot into the ground and whirled. His spin and its agility of execution caught both Panthersby surprise. Expecting a free shot at his back, the furthest Pantherhad risen from cover while the 'Mech Dan had just savaged managed a turn to aim its PPC at the fleeing Wolfhound.

The Wolfhound'smedium lasers unerringly cored three tunnels through the nearest Panther'sright arm. The computer imaging system showed the limb snapping off at the shoulder before flying off into the night. The Wolfhound'slarge laser slammed into the furthest 'Mech's open right flank, burning through what little was left of it, straight into the Mech's heart. The beam, according to the computer, melted all the shielding around the Panther'sfusion engine, shutting it down forever.

The weaponless Pantherrocketed from combat on the ion jump jets in its legs, and Dan let it go because warning lights ignited throughout his cockpit. Long-range missiles incoming!"What the hell!" he exclaimed. Dan's secondary monitor showed incoming tracks for two score LRMs—and all converging on one spot.

Almost without conscious thought, Dan sprinted the Wolfhoundforward, heading straight toward the source of the LRMs. He grinned as the missiles, unable to shorten their trajectories to compensate for his speed, arced over his position. Dan punched two keys on his command console. The computer calculated the origin point for all the missile tracks while his visual scan shifted back to infrared.

He nodded in thought. Twin LRM 20 packs are going to kick out lots of heat. There'll be no hiding it.Dan punched an inquiry into the computer, then smiled as the answer came up on the screen. Yeah. Morgan'sArcher is the only 'Mech we have that sports two LRM 20s.

After the computer track projection displayed the coordinates of the attack's origin, Dan turned the Wolfhoundso that the coordinate grid marks on the top of the screen pointed him straight in the direction of Morgan's Archer.

He gave a little laugh. O.K., Morgan, I know what yourArcher's got. Hiding behind that hill won't help you.Dan increased his speed, sending the 35-ton Wolfhoundhurling through the low brush covering the hillside. Once I crest this baby, your LRMs won't have range on me. This close, myWolfhound out-guns yourArcher's twin lasers.

The Wolfhoundsprinted over the hilltop, but no heat image painted itself on the computer display. Dan shifted the scanners over to Starlight, and the holographic display redrew itself in the grays and greens of light intensification. Gotcha!Centered on his display, right where the computer predicted it would be, stood Morgan's Archer.

The humanoid 'Mech looked deformed in comparison with the clean-limbed shape of Dan's Wolfhound. The. Archer'shead jutted forward grotesquely from just above the center of its chest, and its hunch-backed shoulders were elongated to house both LRM launchers and their missiles. Powerful arms hung from each shoulder, but ended in ridiculously blocky forearms and stubby fingers. The forearms mounted the Archer'stwo forward-firing medium lasers, while the two lasers protecting the Archer'srear arc stabbed backward from a ball turret riding where the Mech's head should have been.

Dan dropped the large laser's crosshairs onto the ungainly 'Mech's silhouette, but as his computer confirmed a lock, Morgan reacted. Like a dancer, Kell spun the Archer'sbulk around to face the stalking Wolfhound.The Archer'sright arm came up, its medium laser flashing.

Dammit! He's still fast!With the speed of reflex, Dan dropped the Wolfhoundto one knee. While Morgan's laser passed harmlessly over him, the Wolfhound'smedium lasers lashed out in a trident of energy beams. Two stabbed into the Archer'sright leg, blasting some armor from it. The third beam sliced its way up the 'Mech's right forearm, but the computer reported nothing more serious than armor damage.

Dan frowned as the Archermade no move to escape. Morgan's offering to slug it out! Why? He knows I've got more weaponry than he does if he can't use his LRMs.Still pondering the question at the back of his mind, Dan lashed out with everything his 'Mech had. Two of the medium lasers seared into the Archer'sleft leg while the third, inexplicably, missed altogether. The Wolfhound'sheavy laser sliced ribbons of armor from the Archer'storso, but failed to do any internal damage.