* * *

Ardan Sortek and Andrew Redburn found Daniel Allard down in the 'Mech bay watching the Techs swarm over the Victor.Arc torches bonded new armor plates to those partially melted by the Awesome'sassault. One astech crawled into the Victor'schest through the hole that a PPC had drilled into it. His long, low whistle echoed through the whole 'Mech, and set the three Mech-Warriors to laughing.

Ardan Sortek extended his hand to Dan. "It was good seeing you again, Dan. I look forward to our next meeting."

Dan chuckled. "Just see if you can talk Prince Davion into giving us a better contract than the one we've got with Katrina Steiner, O.K.? I don't mind working for Kell's kin, but she never gives us exciting duty."

Sortek raised an eyebrow and studied his 'Mech again. "Are you sure you mean that?"

Dan laughed. "Touché." He jerked a thumb at the Victor."Jackson, our best Tech, tells me they're going to rebuild a gyro housing from some pieces of the Awesome.We'll fix this baby up and repaint it for you. You'll get it back as good as new." Dan shot a covert glance at some of the astechs. "But don't be surprised if your company insignia changes to the Kell Hounds."

Sortek nodded, then caught sight of Colonel Kell and General Joss out of the corner of his eye. "I'd best catch up with them. I'll give your best to Quintus and your mother when next I see them."

Dan nodded. "Just don't tell them that I got hit in battle."

Sortek nodded and walked away. Leftenant Redburn looked after him, then hesistated. "Sir?"

Daniel Allard smiled. "Please call me Dan. You know we're informal here. What is it, Andrew?"

"Andy—that's what your brother called me." Redburn saw pain lance through Dan's eyes and swallowed hard. "I'm sorry, sir. I know Colonel Sortek gave you a holodisc from your father, and I know he spoke to you about the trial." Redburn stopped and waited.

Daniel Allard nodded, and the Capellan March Leftenant continued. "I don't know what they told you, Captain, but I was there ... at the battle and at the trial. I know your brother didn't abandon us. I know he wasn't a spy. I don't care what the court found."

Dan reached out and rested his hands on Redburn's shoulders. "Andy, I appreciate what you've told me." He swallowed past the lump choking him. "You knew Justin, as I did. He's my brother, and I'll never believe he's a traitor until he proves it to me."

Redburn smiled. "That's the way I feel, Dan." Redburn stepped back and saluted.

Daniel Allard returned the salute smartly. Please God, Justin, don't betray our faith in you.

22

Solaris VII (The Game World)

Rahneshire, Lyran Commonwealth

20 March 3027

Fuh Teng gave Justin Xiang the thumbs-up sign from his perch on the scaffolding. Seconds later, Tung Yuan appeared from inside the tall 'Mech's right arm, removed his welding goggles, and snapped the armored panel into place. Reading the smile on Teng's face, and seeing it reflected on Justin's down below, he laughed aloud.

"We will show Capet's protege no mercy, Justin Xiang."

When the Tech suddenly frowned as though seeing something he did not like, Justin whirled sharply, prepared to rebuke any visitors. His anger evaporated just as quickly as it had come. Contessa Kym Sorenson, clad in a blue leather jumpsuit cinched at the waist by a silver belt, smiled at him. She slipped into Justin's outstretched arms and kissed him.

"I want you to come home in one piece, lover," she whispered.

Justin hugged her and breathed deeply the musky perfume she wore. "I can think of no place I would rather be, my love," he murmured. Through the blond veil of her hair, he could see Gray Noton studying the ' Mech towering over all of them. Justin let his right arm slip around Kym's waist, then turned to face Noton. "What do you think, Gray?"

Noton squinted and raked his gaze up and down the 'Mech. "A Centurionis not held in very high esteem here on Solaris. I hope you got it cheap."

Justin snorted. "Cheap enough." He smiled at Kym. "It's only a loan, you realize."

She raised an eyebrow. "I hope you don't think I just givemoney to the men I live with. I do expect some repayment..."

Noton pointed at the Centurion'sright arm. "I see you've added some armor to the right arm, but it looks like you stripped it from the left. You've got to realize that the LRMs the Centurionpacks in its left breast are not going to be much use here in the Factory."

Justin nodded. The Marik arena had been built on the site of an abandoned factory where 'Mechs had once served to move parts. The structure was built to 'Mech scale, just as any normal building would be built to human scale. Marik interests from the Montenegran area of Solaris City had bought the factory and sowed it with thousands of remote cameras. With the audience ensconced safely in another building, warring 'Mechs could wander through the derelict structure to ambush one another in a dangerous multilevel game of hide-and-seek.

Noton looked Justin in the eyes. "I've heard that the fight's been fixed."

Justin nodded solemnly. "It seems that I cost a number of people big money a month ago when I took Fuh Teng's place and won. Certain interests have made it known to me that I'm to lose to Peter Armstrong this evening. I take it that Armstrong is Capet's best fighter in the Medium Class?"

Noton shrugged. "Probably, though Wolfson will be better as he gets more experience. You refused the fix?"

Justin brandished his steel hand, saying, "Never, absolutely never,will I kowtow to anyone who swears allegiance to Hanse Davion or the Federated Suns!" Kym shivered slightly, and Justin hugged her a bit tighter.

Noton smiled. "So, you will never accept a fix?"

Justin's eyes all but closed as he shook his head. "Never bet against me, Gray. No matter what your sources tell you, I will always win."

Kym turned Justin's face toward her with one hand. She kissed him long and deeply, encircling his neck with her arms and pressing her body against his. "Win for me, Justin."

"My pleasure."

Kym pulled away from Justin and slipped her arm through the crook in Noton's arm. "After you win, Gray and I have a surprise for you." Justin smiled. "Yes?"

Noton laughed. "Win and I'll introduce you to Valhalla ..."

Justin signaled his readiness to the arena controller. The huge elevator doors opened like jaws and Justin felt the camera focusing in on his Centurion.The announcer's voice burrowed into his brain.

"And here, ladies and gentlemen, is the challenger. Justin Xiang in his Centurion,the Yen-lo-wang.It's named after the Chinese god of the dead, the King of the Nine Hells. That's quite appropriate, too, because Xiang has been hell on the three foes he's faced in his month here on Solaris Seven. This is his first fight outside the Vindicatorowned by his partner, Fuh Teng. Peter Armstrong and his Griffin ,the Ares,will have their work cut out for them. Welcome to 'Night at the Fights' for March 20, brought to you by ..."

Justin punched a button and shut off the sound. Sweat began to trickle down his temples as he waited. Once the green light had flashed to life on his control console, he could wander out into the Factory's shadowed interior. He smiled because he knew the "five" fight would actually begin ten minutes before the broadcast over the local pay-for-play holovision systems in Solaris City. The lag-time would be used to build up spare tape, allowing the producers to cut boring footage or add in advertisements without losing any of the action.