"Right O.K., let's show ourselves, Lori," Grayson said. "I want them down here, out from under the guns of that Leopard."

The Shadow Hawkstepped fully from the jungle, and the enemy

 ‘Mechs hurried their pace. Missiles and beams lanced out from the DropShip, but flew either too high or else splashed close by the Phobos,searching for the range. In ground combat, DropShips depended on a high volume of fire rather than accuracy to protect themselves from advancing ‘Mechs, and they suffered the same fire-control problems at long ranges that ‘Mechs did. The Leopard'sfire should not prove too dangerous unless they ventured nearer.

The Phobosreturned the fire. BattleMechs on both sides began shooting, too, though neither unit expected to do much more than keep the other side cautious at this range of over a kilometer. With most ‘Mech tracking units being centuries old and all cobbled together from other, even older units, they were not up to pinpoint accuracy across more than a few hundred meters.

The Gray Death's ‘Mechs held their ground while the Kurita ‘Mechs closed. By this time, the Draco scanners would have identified all three visible ‘Mechs and tallied the odds in favor of the attackers, four ‘Mechs to three, 190 tons to 170. The Kurita machines proceeded even closer.

At 500 meters, they were within effective range, and McCall's Riflemanbegan scoring hits on the Marauderwith his autocannon. Each flash and bang of an impacting shell gouged heavy armor, sending bits and flakes of metal flying back over the Marauder'sshell. Lori joined in, firing the Hawk'sautocannon in a long, ragged volley that stitched shells across the Marauder'sport side and arm. Delmar Clay, meanwhile, turned his Wolverine'sSRMs and autocannon on the Orion.

The two Kurita light ‘Mechs hung back, shielded by the bulk of their comrades.

Cannon fire thundered. The Dracos were probably surprised that they'd stood and fought, Grayson thought. Rebel forces, or the mercenary units helping them, could not afford to stand up to a Kurita line unit and slug it out The Combine had plenty of ‘Mechs on Verthandi, plus an unending pipeline of tools and repair parts from offworld. Each of the Grey Death's ‘Mechs was priceless, and spare parts would be tough to come by. Delmar Clay's Wolverinestaggered back a step as autocannon fire opened craters in the big ‘Mech's chest.

"Keep moving, everybody," Grayson ordered over the battle circuit. "It's a long way to the nearest friendly repair facility!"

"Cap'n! McCall here. It's gettin' a wee bit warmish in here. Ah'm goin' for a wee dip!"

"Right We may join you."

As the exchange of heavy cannon and laser fire continued, the Hawk'scockpit was rapidly becoming stiflingly hot Grayson wiped at the perspiration beading his forehead and flicked it to the deck, then grabbed for a stanchion as Lori tilted the machine sharply in response to a laser burst that scorched the Hawk'sright side. He wished he could take his off uniform jacket, but there was no room. Anyway, the Orionwas charging now, its lumbering gait heading straight toward the mercenary ‘Mechs.

"Watch him," Grayson barked. "If he gets in the middle of us, we won't be able to fire at him without firing at each other!"

McCall, his Riflemannow waste-deep in the surging, incoming tide, swivelled his ‘Mech's torso and hosed fire across the charging Orion,but it was Lori who thought to direct autocannon fire at the big ‘Mech's feet Craters gouged the sand, filling immediately with dirty water. One of the Orion's broad feet came down into a shell hole with a splash, overbalancing the ‘Mech and toppling it forward into the foam.

As McCall's lasers scorched low across the sand from the sea, wet sand by the fallen Orionsizzled and exploded in gouts of steam. Lori brought the Hawk'sright arm to the point, its medium laser fanning white hot-destruction across the Orion'sbackpack electronics. Firing its jump-jets with a rushing hiss, an enemy Stingerleaped, balanced, and then descended in steam and smoke. Cradling its right-hand laser like a pistol, it fired at the Shadow Hawk'scockpit as it touched down.

Grayson had already averted his eyes. Without the shielded visor of the neurohelmet, the laser's monocolor pulse would have blinded him, even through the mirrored surface of the Hawk's shielded vision slits. He felt heat, intense heat, wash through the cockpit, and then the thunder of the Hawk'sshoulder-mounted autocannon smacked into the lighter Stingerand sent it tumbling backward into the sand.

Shellfire streamed across the Marauder,which had halted at the fall of the Orion.The Stingerat its side exchanged laser fire with the Rifleman,which was now striding out of the sea, foam streaming from its legs. The Hawk'sbattlecom circuits garbled strange, shouted words. "Droch annailed sassanach! Oed an sluic!"

"McCall!" The Caledonian was totally absorbed in his firefight with the Kurita ‘Mechs. "McCall! Behind you!"

"Rach gus sluic!"The Riflemancontinued its inexorable advance, autocannons stuttering, shell casings spilling into the water. Low, skimming the water behind McCall's ‘Mech, the AeroSpace Fighter that had fled skyward earlier was returning, its nose lasers and autocannon twinkling in deadly synchronization.

Founts of water gushed and sprayed on either side of the Rifleman,and explosions blossomed along its back. The flat antennae of the D2j tracking system burst into fragments, and the ‘Mech's right arm went suddenly limp, the autocannon barrels swinging down to point into the water.

The lasers aboard the Phobosswung heavily to track the new, unexpected target, but too slowly. Lori brought the Shadow Hawk'slaser into line and triggered a rippling pulse of coherent light flat across the beach, scant meters above the Rifleman's head and into the onrushing fighter. Shellfire and laser bursts were tracking past the toppling Riflemannow, blasting sand, mud, and steam into the sky in an impenetrable curtain. Lori just kept firing at where she thought the target to be, tracking higher, then straight overhead as a shadow blackened the sky and thunder pealed. Then the Phobosfired, sending streaks of light burning through the sky.

Red lights winked on Lori's console. "Damn!" she said. "A shell took out our autocannon on that run!"

Grayson had not even felt the impact. He studied the battlescreen. The fighter was continuing its flight due south. "I think you hurt him, Lori...or Use did. He's not going to stop until he hits Regis!"

"Now, if we could just convince them."

The Riflemanwas down, partly submerged in the swift-rising tide, braced half-erect on knees and gun barrels. Its fall had signaled a general advance for the Kurita ‘Mechs.

Clay's Wolverinelaid down a blistering salvo of laser, autocannon, and SRM fire. Missiles wove between the Kurita ‘Mechs, flashing with sudden, sharp impact, raining the enemy with mud, pocking their armor with shellbursts and the charred, black slashes of laser strikes. Suddenly outnumbered four to two, the Wolverineand the Shadow Hawkstepped closer together, almost side by side, spraying their attackers with concentrated fire.

The Stingerwas down again, not moving. Before Grayson could react to the sudden turn of events, three more ‘Mechs had stepped onto the beach from the jungle two hundred meters beyond the attackers. Grayson almost pointed out the new targets to Lori, then shouted in pure joy as he realized that the newcomers were the Gray Death's own light ‘Mechs. Hassan Khaled in his Stingerwas snapping shots into the rear of the Marauderwith vicious abandon. Both Waspshad joined Clay's Wolverinein a wicked crossfire that trapped the Orionand had the heavy machine reeling.