The Rifleman'sarms tipped up and came around behind as the torso twisted back. The old man laughed in triumph, and the first tears sprang to Kym's eyes. Noton tasted bile at the back of the throat. "Better Ihad killed you, Justin."

* * *

Justin saw the Rifleman'sarms swing toward the sky. He planted the Centurion'sleft foot and cut sharply to the right. He raced straight in at the Rifleman'sback, making himself an easy target. The Rifleman'sarms snapped down easily and Wolfson brought all four weapons to bear on the suicidal Centurion.

One heavy laser washed the remaining armor from the right arm of Justin's 'Mech, locking the Centurion'sshoulder in a tangle of fused myomer muscles. The second laser vaporized armor on the Centurion'sleft thigh. The right autocannon's hail tore armor from the Centurion'sleft breast, while its twin ripped jagged scars across the 'Mech's right thigh.

Undaunted by the damage the Riflemanhad inflicted, the Centurionstiffened its left hand into a spearhead. Safely inside the firing range of the Rifleman'slong arms, Justin hesitated just long enough for Wolfson to realize his error. Tightening the grip of his phantom hand, Justin stabbed the 'Mech's left hand into the Rifleman.

The titanium blades slashed like a meat cleaver through the Rifleman'sinferior rear armor. Coolant shot out in glowing yellow-green geysers as the nails slashed heat sinks apart. Effortlessly, they punctured the Rifleman'sengine shielding. The heat of the resuiting explosion washed silver fire over Justin's screens, but he merely flicked off the infrared without a thought. He closed Yen-lo-Wang'sleft fist around the Rifleman'sgyrostabilizer—snapping the titanium nails off—and ripped the crushed mechanism free of the dying 'Mech's body.

Wolfson's 'Mech tottered and fell, even as Justin threw his Centurionbackward. Like a vengeful djinn freed at last from its bottle-prison, the plasma powering the Riflemanblossomed into a gold-white ball of roiling energy. It lifted the Riflemanup as though the 60-ton 'Mech were a toy. It sucked the soul from the jerking, twitching machine, then dripped what remained into a fiery puddle at the feet of Justin's Centurion.

* * *

The announcer turned and stepped away from Justin Xiang. The holovision camera and its harsh light tracked the "personality" and let shadows cloak Justin. The commentator smiled and stared into the camera, despite its dazzling glare. "There you have it, fight fans. Justin Xiang's exclusive post-fight statement, and what a scathing condemnation of Federated Suns fighters it was! Only on TBC, the Home of Champions!"

Justin scowled and fought his way through the crowd of media people. He nodded at the twin mountains of muscle the Liao arena had posted as guards by his dressing room. One of them opened the door while the other kept the crowd at bay.

Safely inside, Justin leaned against the door and relished the steel's chill. Sweat still dripped from his black hair and ran in streams down his temples and neck. He smiled, then levered himself away from the doorway. "Ever come that close, Gray?"

The bald MechWarrior shook his head. He tossed Justin a thick white towel, and waited for him to wipe off his face before answering. "No. You came closer than any MechWarrior I know."

Justin snorted and raised his artificial fist. "But not closer than I've been before." He patted his neck with the towel. "That tactic, the one Wolfson used, was the same one that Riflemanused against me on Kittery. Wolfson didn't realize that the tactic is flashy and looks great on vid, but it has a flaw."

Noton narrowed his eyes. "Weak back armor on a Rifleman."

Justin smiled. "Yeah. I'd not thought about it, really, until I stopped running. My brother Dan—he's with the Kell Hounds— described a move an aerojock named Seamus Fitzpatrick pulled in his Slayer.He did an Immelmann and blasted the back of a Riflemanwhile it was still shooting at the rest of his flight."

Noton smiled. "Fancy flying."

"Fancy, indeed." Justin shrugged. "Anyway, Billy must have

learned about the tactic that got me and tried to repeat it. But you know what they say . . .”

“Yes?"

"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." Justin pulled off his cooling vest and tossed it in a hamper. "Where's Kym?"

Gray smiled. "She said she'd catch up with us later. I'll be your transport until we find her. I think she has a surprise for you."

"Great!" said Justin as he turned on the shower and a steaming curtain passed between them. "I love surprises."

32

Solaris VII (The Game World)

Rahneshire, Lyran Commonwealth

20 April 3027

"Report."

Kym stretched and sipped her coffee. "This goes directly to the Minister. Tonight I heard Gray Noton say that he was the one who wounded Justin. Justin Xiang is innocent."

Static popped in the speaker, then the male voice spoke with its customary emotionlessness. "Explain."

Kym smiled at the server and waved away the coffee refill the girl offered. "In his most recent fight, Xiang found himself in a situation that matched his report of his wounding on Kittery. The Riflemanused the same tactic—tracking right, inverting the guns, and tracking left—that got Xiang previously. As all that was going on, Noton said, 'Not again, Justin. Not what I did to you. Better Ihad killed you . . .' "

The discarnate voice slowed. "Implication: Noton was the Riflemanpilot who wounded Xiang on Kittery. Noton was offplanet at that time. Conclusion: Your deduction is probably correct."

Kym licked her lips. "Do I tell Xiang?"

Another static-punctuated pause answered for her. "No. Not on my authorization. Information will be forwarded fastest by Com-Star. Proceed normally."

Kym nodded. She lingered thoughtfully over her coffee even though the meeting had ended. I am his mistress. Though he tries to hide it from me because I am from the Federated Suns, I can see how bitter he is.She shivered, remembering what he had told her. He's giving back as good as he got in his trial, but it will consume him.

She finished her coffee and glanced at the hidden speaker. I hope I can tell him soon. It may be the only chance to save Justin Allard from Justin Xiang.

Kym buttoned her overcoat and raised her collar. The usual evening mist had actually become a drizzle. Retracing her steps toward the alley, she stayed beneath as many awnings as possible to keep the oily moisture from her clothes. Thinking of little more than that, she entered the alley.

Shadows swirled around her as a hand seized at her from the darkness. Kym was too fast for it, however. She grabbed the thumb, locked the wrist, then gave it an added twist that splintered it with a wet crack. Then she spun her attacker off into the shadows. As she began to step forward to finish him off, something heavy slammed into the back of her neck and the world exploded.

Stunned, Kym pitched forward and splashed helplessly into a scummy puddle on the alley floor. The tepid water clung to her face and hair like vomitus. Rough hands grabbed her by the armpits and dragged her deeper into the alley. Where it widened to form a small ferrocrete court behind the apartment building, the men tossed her at the steps like a sack of wet laundry.