Cascades of white heat swirled around the ruby shafts of laser lire from the Legend-killer'sarms. One large beam shucked armor from the other Rifleman'sright shoulder. The other bean-stitched a series of small explosions across the 'Mech's left shoulder, blasting chips and chunks of armor into the air. The Legend-killer'smedium lasers also scored the same targets as their larger cousins, spitting more half-melted ceramics onto the tunnel floor. One of the two autocannon bursts tore holes in Ishiyama behind Capet's Rifleman,while the other smashed armor from the 'Mech's right shoulder.

"Damn!" A wave of heat washed over Justin. The 'Mech's heat indicators spiked high into the red zone. This isn't an efficient machine. It vents heat poorly.Justin slapped the manual "shutdown" override with his right hand, then cursed again as Capet backed his Riflemandown the far slope.

Sweat coursed down Justin's face, leaving one droplet suspended from the tip of his nose. He shook his head to flick it off, then studied his heat monitors again. As the Legend-killer'%ten heat sinks vented the excess heat that his firing had created, the monitors slowly sank back down through the red and yellow zones to what MechWarriors often referred to as "green fields."

Justin centered his attention on the far end of the tunnel, but watched for heat or movement through the columns. Seeing nothing, he marched the Legend-killerinto the tunnel. At each of the gray stone pillars, he stopped to wait, but there was no sign of Capet. Though that tunnel was only three hundred meters long, it took Justin fifteen minutes to journey through it.

He smiled as the producer's green light on his console began to blink urgently. Cautiously beginning his descent at the far end of the tunnel, he did his best to ignore it. I don't care if I'm moving too slowly. Just put more advertisements into the program.

The tunnel ended on a ledge midway up the side of a vast crevasse. Its steep sides sloped down for three levels, and were dotted with tunnel mouths on different levels. Justin saw burn marks on a number of them and realized that light, jump-capable 'Mechs could easily cross the opening. Not so, a heavy machine like this.

Above him the stalactite ceiling rose into darkness. Behind and to the left, he saw the pillars of the gallery he'd just traversed. On the opposite side, up above him, he saw a similarly designed tunnel. The crevasse curved back out of sight on the left, but extended straight on the right.

Justin kept the Legend-killer'sback to the tunnel wall and moved laterally along the ledge. Suddenly, Capet's Riflemanappeared in an opening on the opposite wall. Justin smiled as he . brought his weapons into line with the Rifleman,and opened a ra-dio line to Capet. "It's over, Phihp."

"Is it, Xiang?" Capet's laughter filled Justin's cockpit. "Here's your surprise, Capellan. How do you like these tactics?"

Infrared images filled Justin's sight. The computer painted the silhouette of a 'Mech to his right, and another one to his left. Justin glanced left and saw a handless, humanoid Firestarteremerging from the tunnel mouth. An UrbanMechshuffled into view on his right. That's why the director's light was flashing. They wanted to warn me . . .

A high, keening wail echoed within his neurohelmet as the computer warned that each foe had a weapons lock on the Legend-killer.

"One more thing, Justin." Capet's voice was triumphant. "It seems I willcommand the regiment the Prince has offered for your head. It's time for you to die."

53

A2341CA

Dieron Military District, Draconis Combine

26 May 3027

Patrick Kell's voice filled the steel womb of Daniel Allard's Valkyrie."So that's it, ladies and gentlemen. Because we have Kurita forces incoming, we're going to jump out of here ahead of them. Let me stress that the Kearny-Fuchida drive is fully charged, through we did not deploy the solar collector. Everything reports out at 100 percent effectiveness."

Just from the sound of his voice, I know he's not lying. If there were trouble, he'd tell us,Dan thought. Though all the equipment had checked out, none of the instruments could measure damage on the "molecular" level. Dan knew that Patrick believed every confident word he spoke, and that heartened him. From your lips to God's ears, Patrick.

The Kell Hound CO continued his video briefing. "Once we enter the Styx system, the Nuadawill be launched. We expect our reception to be friendly and well-negotiated by radio before the Nuadaarrives. But we'll have an ace already played if things get nasty. The Nuadawill drop its two reinforced lances over a small docking bay on the dark side of the mining planetoid. It's on the side opposite the main bay entrance, but has a direct link to the docking bay.

"Our aero wing will deploy to cover the Cm. Captain Vander-meer will keep us at his pirate point, and we'll begin to use our engines to recharge, much as we have done here. If things look friendly, we'll move the Cuin and draw power directly from the planetoid."

Kell's image furrowed its brows. "I'll not kid you. All of this is dangerous. It could be the end of the Kell Hounds if we have a drive failure here or if someone anticipates our arrival at Styx." Patrick shook his head. "We'll make it, though, and that'll irritate Takashi Kurita more than bad sushi. There's no one in the Inner Sphere who deserves it more. Luck to you all."

And to you, Patrick. I wouldn't wait behind for all the beer in the Free Worlds League.Dan flicked switches on his command console. The on-board computer executed thousands of checks in mere seconds, then reported the results on the screen previously occupied by Patrick Kell. Dan opened a commlink. "Alpha Leader is at 100 percent," he said.

"Likewise, Captain," reported Austin Brand. "Alpha Three is green all the way." Following Meg's report, Eddie Baker added. "Alpha Four is aces up." Dan smiled to himself. "How about you, Cat?”

“All systems go." The man who normally piloted a Marauderquickly amended his statement. "The machine is ready, but I think my left hand will wither for lack of something to do."

"Yeah." Dan switched his radio over to the command frequency. "Salome, Alpha Lance is operational."

"Good. Beta is all green as well. You're the Tactical Commander on this drop, Dan. My Wolverineand Mike's Catapultare here for support because you've got the superior grasp of light 'Mech tactics. Let us know where you need us."

"Roger." Dan glanced at the timer ticking down on his console. He switched his radio over to the battle frequency for the whole assault team. "Ten seconds and counting. Brace, because we'll be in-system and away almost immediately."

Following his own advice, Dan slipped his hands from the joysticks down to the arms of the command chair itself as the clock revealed three seconds to jump. He felt the familiar, yet unsettling thrum of the K-F drive engaging. What was that? Is something wrong?Questions ripped through his brain as he sought to match his current feelings to the faded memories of all the other jumps he'd made.

Lights flared and twisted as always, but instead of the mosaic of soft, melting pastels, hard, crystalline daggers of intense color stabbed at his eyes. Glittering fragments of reality raked across his consciousness like nettles. They caught and tore, then shattered as he cried out in pain. Spinning away, they winked out of existence like fairy dust.