Grayson flexed his ‘Mech's legs, triggered his jump jets, and leaped. The thrust from his backpack sent him soaring in a low and utterly graceless leap across 90 meters of open ground. He landed with a jarring crash, flexed the ‘Mech's knees, and jumped again. This time, he landed within 300 meters of the Hermes,almost directly behind the smaller ‘Mech.

Five LRMs lanced out of the tubes in the Hawk'sright torso. Grayson triggered the reload cycle, then fired five more. Missiles drew trails of fire into the Hermes'back. Multiple explosions hurled the Hermesforward, knocking it flat. Seconds later, more missiles struck the prone form. There was no way to tell how bad was the damage was. For the moment at least, one Kurita Mech Warrior was out of the fight. The Hermeslay still, making no attempt to move or stand.

The Assassin,meanwhile, had taken heavy fire from the Locustand from several of the retreating AgroMechs. There was visible damage to its left arm and to the armor on its torso. Machine gun fire hammered at the ‘Mech from rebel troops and vehicles in the area, from the Locust,and from the AgroMechs clustered nearby. With enough time and enough hits, even machine gun fire can penetrate ‘Mech armor. The sparks of high-velocity rounds pinging against the 40-ton ‘Mech’s head and torso armor must have scored some damage or at least made the pilot more cautious. The Assassinwithdrew hurriedly, leaving its companion face down in the dirt.

"Get them moved out, Lori!"Grayson ordered. "We'll hold them here!"

Lori acknowledged, her voice calm and professional over the command circuit She began moving along the line Of rebel ‘Mechs, snapping orders. Grayson returned to where the Riflemanand the Wolverinestood together, pouring fire into the night. He shouldered the Hawkbetween them, marked an already damaged Marauder ashis target and added his fire to theirs. Side by side, the three of them laid down a thundering barrage. The muzzle of Grayson's autocannon was white hot as the last round cranked through it. Then the weapon fell silent as he continued to blaze away with his laser and LRMs. His head-mounted SRM tubes had burned empty long minutes before.

Sweat drenched his face, arms, and body. His light mesh shirt was sodden and dripping, and his control seat was just as wet and slick. Autocannon shells shrilled and thundered among the three ‘Mechs. Lasers stabbed and clung, tenaciously gnawing at armor already pitted and torn. Missiles lobbed in on dwindling trails of fire, most burying themselves in the churned-over ground and exploding with thumps that sprayed dirt and hot metal harmlessly against the ‘Mechs' armored hulls. Only a few struck home, but with telling results. The Wolverine'sautocannon had been knocked out by an incoming LRM, but Clay continued firing with the ball turret laser mounted high on the big ‘Mech's chest. The air above his Wolverinewavered and shimmered as torrents of heat poured from the machine's overworked heat sinks.

The Kurita ‘Mechs gathered in the darkness, dimly visible as firelight caught and reflected from weapons, cockpit panels, and angles of joints and armor. They were massing for their final charge.

Weaker now, Thorvald's voice sounded in Grayson's ears. "Run for it, Carlyle! Take care of my people! Get them out!"

The Warhammer'sPPC spat lightning. An enemy Orionlumbered in from his blind side, the autocannon tucked under its right arm hammering furiously at the stricken rebel ‘Mech. Grayson shifted his aim to the Orion,sending bolt after blue-tinged bolt of laser fire into the ‘Mech's side. The volume of fire striking his Shadow Hawkfrom the wall and from Kurita ‘Mechs was so great now that his computer was threatening total shutdown as his ‘Mech's internal heat continued to rise.

Grayson knew there was nothing more he could do for Thorvald.

His responsibility was now to his unit—which included both the Legion and the Rangers.

"Pull back," he ordered McCall and Clay. "Flank the column, and keep your eyes open."

His Shadow Hawkstood a moment more, firing away at the Orionhalf-a-kilometer distant. The machine was limping now, with heavy damage to its left side, leg, and arm. It nevertheless continued its advance on the downed Warhammer,now only a few tens of meters in front of it. Grayson saw with horror that the flames had engulfed the Warhammer'shead and torso after a direct hit from a Vulcanflamer. Yet, it continued firing its PPC again...and again...and again...

An enemy Marauderstepped between Grayson and the Orionhe was targeting, slamming shell after exploding autocannon shell into Grayson's ‘Mech. Grayson triggered the Hawk'sjump jets then, sending the 55-ton machine vaulting into the air on the rumbling twin jolts of fusion-heated steam from its backpack thrusters. The cabin temperature soared twenty degrees more, and red warnings flashed and shrieked of power shutdown and overload. He slapped an emergency override and cut a failed actuator out of the directed power circuits in the Hawk'sright leg. The ‘Mech fell to earth with a shuddering crunch that Grayson took with flexed metal knees and a reeling sense of vertigo as he fought to maintain his ‘Mech's balance through his neurohelmet link. Then he was running through the night as long-ranged missiles continued to drop to the left and right.

Behind him, the final detonation of Thorvald's Warhammerlit up the night sky.

Book II

19

Nagumo travelled from the hardcopy in his hand to Colonel Kevlavic, then back again, his look of astonishment only slightly exaggerated for effect. "Six ‘Mechs lost," he said, with mingled wonder and sarcasm. "A Centurion,a Vulcan,a Wasp, a Hermes,and two Orions...destroyed! Or so badly shot up they're useless for anything but scrap parts! Ten more ‘Mechs badly damaged, including two of our Marauders!And for the rest...my senior Tech tells me his crew has maybe a thousand hours' worth of work scheduled now, just to repair the battle damage caused by yourincompetence!"

Kevlavic remained at attention, his eyes riveted to the green sky beyond Nagumo's back. Nagumo regarded him belligerently, the fingers of his free hand drumming restlessly on the desk. Finally, he shook the papers at Kevlavic. "You have nothing to say for yourself?"

"No, my Lord."

"You are a coward."

The Colonel's face went pale above the high-fastened collar of his black dress tunic. "No, my Lord!"

"You had that rabble in your hand... in your hand! Your failure has cost us four full BattleMech lances, destroyed or put out of action for weeks! You could have pursued that rabble, and you didn't! They were trapped, but then you let them get away!"

"I am not a coward, Lord! Nor are my men!"

Nagumo's eyes narrowed, but he smiled to himself. Good. Get him angry, get him to say what he feels.

"Then defend yourself! What happened?"

"We...I did not expect the second line of rebel ‘Mechs, Lord. They attacked my right flank from the rear after we were already engaged with the first rebel group."

"You did not expect it." Nagumo's voice dripped sarcasm. "Since when does an enemy do what is expectedof him! Surely you learned that at Hunter's Cape?"

"My...my Lord, I hold myself fully responsible." Kevlavic's face was death white now.

"So do I, Colonel." Nagumo dropped his voice to a purr, smooth and dangerous. "So do I. Ah, but you needn't look so grim. I am not going to have you shot, though I confess that pleasant thought had occurred to me. I, too, underestimated the rebels. In that I must share the blame with you." He did not add that Duke Ricol would hold the Governor General completely responsible for this debacle, no matter who was to blame..