Only three of his hastily loosed missiles made their target, but those hit with a vengeance. One exploded into one of the Rifleman'sautocannon ejection ports, fusing the ejection mechanism. The other missiles both slammed into the radar wing whirling like a propeller above the 'Mech's hunched shoulders. The first explosion froze the mechanism in place, and the second blast left the wing hanging by thick electrical cables. Had enough?Justin demanded silently.

As if in reply, the Riflemantwisted its torso again. Its two medium torso lasers and the remaining autocannon fired on their tormentor. Up and running again, Justin eluded the assault, but knew that he could not hope to avoid disaster forever. He just had to make it worth it.

* * *

Redburn nodded as the Stingersformed a line to face the oncoming enemy 'Mechs. "On my mark, as I've outlined it. Remember, they've got no jump jets, and they can't easily fire into the backward arc. Now, go!"

At his command, de Payens, Montbard, and St. Agnan jumped their lances over and behind the line of Capellan Cicadas.While Redburn turned his lance to face the crush of 'Mechs closing from the north, St. Omer moved his lance to repel the southern wing of oncoming Capellans. Meanwhile, Montdidier's damaged lance slid over to help. De Mesnil's lance held the center and opened up on the Cicadasmarching at them up the hill.

Redburn smiled as he saw the Capellan warriors hesitate. You may have thought you were fighting trainees, but these cadets are good. With one smooth operation, we’ve turned the ambush back on you.

Craon landed first, having jumped his Stingerin a flatter arc than had the others in de Payens's lance. His 'Mech's long legs absorbed the impact of landing with the grace and strength of a cat. Craon whirled the Stingerabout and brought his medium laser up in a fluid motion. When it fired, the ruby beam sliced virtually all the armor from a Cicada'sleg.

That Capellan 'Mech spun to face the threat to its rear. Craon moved wide to avoid the Cicada'sreturn fire, forcing the enemy 'Mech to pivot hard on its wounded leg. Evita Barres marched her Stingerforward and deliberately sighted the Cicada'sdamaged limb. The remaining armor vaporized at the beam's touch, then the 'Mech's myomer fiber muscles parted with a snap. The Cicada'sleg collapsed, and the birdlike 'Mech smashed nose-first into the dirt.

The Cicadason the southern wing ignored St. Agnan's lance as they jetted overhead. All the Capellan 'Mechs pressed forward, raking the defenders with bolt after bolt of laser fire. In Montdidier's lance, Reynold Vichiers's Stingertook heavy damage in the head and chest. Unaware that a bolt had already killed Vichiers, Bill Chartres imposed the body of his Stingerbetween his comrade and the Cicadas.Shafts of ruby light skewered his 'Mech even more savagely than they had Vichiers's machine. Utterly shot through, the Stingercollapsed in a heap.

St. Omer directed concentrated fire at the two outside Cicadas,while Montdidier and the other two cadets in his command hammered the two Cicadasclosest to the center. The Capellans, in an effort to break through Montdidier's weakened lance, rushed forward and smashed their 'Mechs into the defending Stingers.

St. Omer's efforts paid off handsomely. The Cicadasthat his lance had flanked disintegrated as the heavy fire picked them apart. Once the lasers had blasted away chunks of armor, they struck deep into the ungainly 'Mechs to destroy their engines. The Cicadasstiffened as though seized by rigor mortis, then crashed the ground.

Montdidier's lance took hideous damage from the charging 'Mechs, but managed to hold. Bures, whose Stingerhad been knocked down by a Cicada,swept his 'Mech's legs in between those of the Capellan 'Mech. The Cicada'snext step shattered the Stinger'slimbs and tore them from the 'Mech's torso, but the effort tripped the Cicadaand dropped it to its knees.

Thomas Berard met a Cicada'scharge head-on. The Capellan 'Mech hammered the smaller machine at first impact, sending shards of armor flying over the battlefield. Despite the bone-shattering impact, Berard managed to smash his Stinger'sleft fist against the Cicada'shead and cracked the cockpit canopy. The Capellan pilot, disoriented by the assault, backed off just long enough for Berard to eject from his damaged 'Mech before the Cicadatrampled his Stingerinto spare parts.

St. Agnan's lance laid down a pattern of fire that caught the two Cicadasfrom behind and hurt them badly. Scarlet laser fire ripped through the aft armor of both 'Mechs, stabbing straight through. In the case of Berard's target, the shots burst out through the cockpit. Both Cicadascrumpled to the ground, where they lay smoking.

* * *

Justin's Valkyriecut to the right as the heavy laser on the Rifleman'sleft arm torched a black furrow through the meadow off to Justin's left. It can't continue to turn!he thought. The torso locks up after about forty degrees. If I can get into its rear arc, the weapons can't track me!

Justin started his Valkyrierunning to the right, and grinned as his battle display showed him the lumbering Rifleman'sattempt to follow his movement. In the effort, the big 'Mech's waist locked, so that it had to make an almost comical shuffle-step to continue turning. Perfect,Justin told himself. Just a bit faster, and I'll be in the clear.He grinned again and dropped his missile targeting crosshairs onto the Rifleman'ssilhouette. He kept it there, despite the pounding, jarring strides that carried his 'Mech forward.

But wait. What is that pilot doing?Justin felt terror flash through his guts as the Riflemanstopped trying to track his Valkyrie.The larger machine stood rock-still for a moment, then twisted back in the other direction. As it did so, the Capellan 'Mech's arms swung up toward the sky and back down to lock in the rear firing arc.

"No!" Justin twisted his Valkyrieviolently to reorient it, and tried valiantly to fire the jump jets. These frantic efforts only managed to trip up the Valkyrie,and he had to fight hard to regain control of the falling 'Mech.

No! Not like this!Justin stabbed the Valkyrie'smedium laser out at the Rifleman,but the gesture was useless. The Rifleman,swinging its weapons into line with the Valkyrie,scythed laser fire through the 'Mech's legs and ended Justin's futile attempt at flight.

* * *

The southern flank crushed, St. Omer, St. Agnan, and Montbard directed their lances at the Capellan center. The hellish crossfire sliced one Cicadato ribbons and drove the rest north. The northern wing withdrew quickly as the training battalion swept up toward it. After a savage exchange with St. Agnan's lance, the Cicadapilots realized that the battle was lost and chose to save their 'Mechs.

De Mesnil's gravelly voice crackled over the radio. "They're backing away, Leftenant."

Redburn looked at his magscan image and concurred with de Mesnil's assessment of the battle. "Let them run, cadets. We couldn't catch them if we wanted to." He watched the enemy 'Mechs flee and shook his head as his computer reported their running speed at better than 120 kph. Damn, they're fast,he thought, then shivered as his body burned the adrenalin coursing through his bloodstream.

Redburn flipped a switch on his console that instantly put his Sergeant and Corporals on a command frequency. "Report."

"De Mesnil here. All pilots alive, but Bisot and Montvalle both have leg damage. St. John lost his medium laser."