When the Archer'stwin forearm lasers blasted into the Wolfhound'schest, Dan got his first clue to Morgan's strategy. The Wolfhoundschematic showed that the lasers had cored two-thirds of the way through the armor. I outgun him, but he can survive more rounds of this mutual pounding. Time to move!Shooting a glance at the heat monitors, and then cursing the levels he saw, Dan turned the Wolfhoundand sprinted up over the crest of the hill. To keep Morgan from tagging him with blind LRM flights, Dan worked his 'Mech down the slope on an angle.

He frowned. I'll have to get Clovis to check how the heat affects my targeting equipment. I wanted to get a parting shot at Morgan with my aft laser, but it wouldn't lock. That's a dangerous problem.

Halting the Wolfhoundso that the heat exchangers could bring down the levels to normal ranges, Dan ran a quick diagnostic program that reported all his weapons functional and also highlighted the damage his 'Mech had taken in the mock battle. He groaned. I hope I do better than this in a real fight. If not, all my pay is going to go to keeping this 'Mech in armor.In spite of the damage report, he smiled. At least, in this 'Mech, I'll be alive to make the repairs, which is something . . .

Deciding to take the long way around the hill, Dan started the Wolfhoundmoving off at a slow pace. Is Morgan expecting me to close with him—which makes sense for me—or to engage him at longer range—a move that would surprise him? Morgan always was one of the best, and the years in exile don't seem to have slowed him down at all. If I don't play it smart, I'll never get out of this one.

A sudden thought flashed into Dan's mind. He's expecting me to close or engage at long range by coming around the hill. But what if I just go back up over it again? Yeah ...He turned the Wolfto his right, taking the 'Mech up the hillside once again. Seeing the Archerwaiting down at the valley's far end, Dan grinned. He dropped the sights for all his weapons onto the hulking Archer'soutline, but the sights refused to pulse. What the . . . ?

As the Archerswung into line with the Wolfhound,its arms came up. Dan dodged to the right, allowing the beams to sizzle past harmlessly. He stabbed the diagnostics key on his display while continuing to dodge and work his way downhill as the computer redrew the outline of his 'Mech.

Still shows no damage! Then how come I can't. . . ?Even as the thought entered his mind, Dan's blood ran cold. It was just like that last battle on Mallory's World when the Kell Hound 'Mechs seemed to refuse to show Morgan's 'Mech as a target on their screens, and then again on Styx when the same thing happened in the battle between Yorinaga and Patrick. His mouth tasted sour, and his brain continued to protest what his eyes were showing him. This can't be happening ...

As the Archerbobbed back into view and raised both arms, Dan dropped the Wolfhoundto its knees. As his computer projected twin lasers burning above his 'Mech's head, Dan jerked the Wolfhoundto its feet and set off at a sprint away from the Archer.

The hillside eclipsed Dan's view of the Archer. Get a grip, Dan. It may be impossible, but it's happening.He shuddered. You couldn't shoot Yorinaga'sWarhammer on Styx, but you were able to hit it with yourValkyrie. It did exist. There has to be a way. You're a MechWarrior. Figure it out.

A hopelessly reckless idea popped into Dan's head. Better to try it here in some simulation than to learn it doesn't work in real combat,he told himself. He reached over and switched targeting control from the joysticks to the computer.

The computer's voice spoke with mechanical urgency. "Disengaging manual targeting unadvisable."

"Shut up." Dan turned, continuing to work around the hill. He raced along faster than might have seemed prudent in unfamiliar terrain in the dark, but his natural sense of balance, as relayed to the Wolfhoundthrough the neurohelmet and sensor pads, kept the 'Mech upright.

Dan summoned an Archerschematic from the secondary monitor. "Rear view," he commanded verbally. The computer dutifully spun the image, bringing a grin to Dan's face. "Initiate Setshot program."

"Use of targeting program unadvisable."

"Shut up." Dan glanced at the scale running beside the Archer'simage. "Target point equals laser source minus three meters elevation, plus 25 meters distance." My weapons and sensors might not be able to see you, Morgan. Maybe they won't allow me to shoot you, but they do acknowledge your lasers in this little simulation, and I can shoot through you.

Dan crossed himself. Please, God, let this work.

He swung the Wolfhoundaround the hill. He spotted Morgan immediately, and almost as quickly the lasers perched between the Archer'sshoulders swung down. Dan slowed as they locked on, forcing himself not to react despite the alarms wailing in his cockpit and the butterflies churning in his stomach.

Warning lights flared across the Wolfhound'sconsole as the medium lasers blasted armor from the 'Mech's right side. Dan waited to see whether the arming lights for his weapons would die out because of damage, but none blinked or wavered. The lasers had only destroyed armor.

"All weapons, fire!" The computer drew four lines on Dan's display, focusing through and beyond the Archer'svisual image. Morgan's 'Mech, which had begun to pivot, stopped dead. Its arms dropped to its sides, dangling like lynched renegades from the Archer'shunched shoulders.

Morgan's calm voice crackled into Dan's neurohelmet. "Fancy shooting, Dan. You skewered the reactor ..."

"Y-yes, sir." Nervous sweat stung his eyes.

"So, Dan, how to you like your Wolfhound!"

The young Kell Hound swallowed as Morgan's reassuringly warm voice melted some of the fear in his guts. "Fine, Colonel. I like it very much." The analytical side of Dan's mind shunted aside the last races of fear. "I'll miss my Valkyrie'sjump jets, but the added weaponry and armor make this a prime battler."

Morgan's pleasure survived the transmission intact. "Good, Dan. I'm pleased you like it. How long until you feel comfortable in it?"

Dan swallowed. Do you mean as long as I don't have to fight with you?"Uh, I'm not sure. A month. Maybe more." Dan hesitated. "There are still some things I want Clovis to explain."

"Better make it a month," Morgan said grimly. "We don't have much more than that before we have to travel to the wedding." The Colonel's warmth returned, however, when he added, "You did well, Captain. Take it in."

* * *

Later, Dan hunched over Clovis as both of them stared in disbelief at the battletape's replay. He pointed to the screen as his targeting crosshairs refused to acknowledge the Archerbeneath them. "See that, Clovis? What in hell is going on?"

The dwarf shook his head. He rewound the tape, then slowed the image. He turned to his left and projected the scanner's data feed to the computer on another monitor. Carefully, gently, he advanced the battletape centimeter by centimeter. As each image shifted on the picture screen, Clovis glanced at the raw data scrolling across the computer monitor.

He leaned back with a deep sigh. "Dan, I just don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know? You programmed the Wolfhound.You have to know!"

The dwarf shrugged. "I've never seen anything like it, Dan."