"Then think about this," murmured Hanse. "If House Marik were not embroiled among their own worlds— admittedly in problems of my making—they might well be at our flank, while we try to retake our own worlds. I know you too well to believe that this will change your attitude, but do consider it from time to time....When you havethe time." He sighed and gestured, dismissing the younger man.

Ardan had indeed considered those very points, and certainly didn't need them pushed into his face. But he had been brought up with a code of honor that seemed to be far more demanding than even that of the illustrious House of Davion. Perhaps it was because his own family, while noble, had never been one of great power. Honor, rather than power or glory, had become the watchword of his ancestors.

Ardan felt a sudden restlessness, knowing that he must now dismiss his Techs. Normally, both Lai, his main Tech, and Nym, his standby, would go with him. But they had families on New Avalon, and Ardan was unwilling to whisk the two away to a war in which they had little personal stake. No, he would find new Techs on Dragon's Field. There would be many 'orphaned' men there, Techs whose 'Mechs and MechWarriors had been destroyed in the desperate battle for Stein's Folly.

The scanners passed him into the workshop/storage area beneath his barracks. The familiar clang of metal on metal and the odor of welding and heat-processed sealants immediately assaulted his senses. There was never a quiet moment in the workshops where the active 'Mechs were repaired and maintained, and the damaged or worn ones reassembled into usable combinations.

The stall where his own Victorwas stored came into view. Nym was polishing a weld, while Lai applied a coat of rust-preventive paint to the sole of one of the machine's immense feet The sun-and-sword emblem of House Davion had just been redone, and the paint gleamed bright and fresh.

"Greetings," Ardan called over the din being made by a nearby metal worker.

Nym looked up and smiled. He and Lai would have gone on working, but Ardan signalled them to join him outside the work area.

"Anything wrong, Colonel?" asked the Tech, looking worried. He was the kind of man who prided himself on his work, constantly anxious that something might be less than perfect

"Not with you or Lai," said Ardan. "I couldn't ask for a better pair of Techs. But I'm going offworld, and I refuse to take either of you away from your families. And especially because I know that your mother is sick, Lai. And Nym's young one is due to arrive at any time. Sella would come after me with a neural whip if I took you away now."

Nym looked upset "It is my duty. My honor. I must go where my work takes me. Sella knows that"

"Well, this time your work will be with Candent Septarian. I asked her yesterday, and she needs you both. Her Tech and his standby both were injured when her WarHammerfell from its braces while the control bundles in its knee joints were being repaired. By the time they're functional again, I may even be back here."

Ardan took a deep breath. "You need to ready the 'Mech for transport Check everything, of course. And I need a last exercise. Is the Gauntlet set up and ready to run?"

Nym nodded. "Will it be the Victor,as usual?"

"What else?" said Ardan. I've never understood why Sep likes that bunglesome WarHammerso well. Me, I'll take maneuverability."

"Probably because the WarHammercan simply step on anything it can't blast out of the way," mumbled Lai.

Ardan left, laughing. That was true. At seventy tons, the WarHammercould mangle a forest or a city without realizing it had stepped on anything. His Victor,on the other hand, was ten tons heavier, but could still rise up on its maneuvering jets. Ardan felt that his ‘Mech's ability to move was a priceless asset on the field.

The Gauntlet was an exercise ground laid out in a large meadow beyond the lake and the forest. Set between high parallel walls of stone and metal, it extended just short of a kilometer in length and resembled a natural canyon, with every sort of straightaway, angle, curve, and bend.

Every centimeter of those forty-five-meter high walls was embedded with special effects that could simulate rocket launchers, lasers, autocannon, and any other nasty surprise a 'Mech might encounter in combat. When a Mech Warrior wanted to work out there, a Tech was assigned to arm and control those weapons effects. They could only be disarmed by that Tech or by a direct hit on a sensitive plate of a slightly different color than the surrounding stone of the walls.

In a big building adjoining the Gauntlet rested the prototype 'Mechs. These were uncoded machines that could be programmed to behave like any known 'Mech that a pilot might want to operate in practice. Today, it would be a Victorfor Ardan, its computer-controlled reactions simulating every effect of weapons hits, heat buildup, damage, and so on.

In the dressing chamber, Ardan stripped off his uniform and donned the cooling vest and neck and shoulder pads. To his arms and legs, he attached the biofeedback patches that provided temperature control and monitored heat in his sensor helmet. Finally, he fitted the neurohelmet over his head, setting it in place over his neck and shoulder pads. The helmet was the key to piloting a 'Mech, feeding information on the pilot's sense of balance into the 'Mech's computer to keep it erect and balanced even during jumping, kicking, or dive-and-roll combat In return, the computer fed impulses back to the pilot through his helmet to keep him from being disoriented while locked up inside the head of a giant maneuvering machine.

To 'unlock' a neurohelmet, the pilot transmitted a special, brief series of motions or entered some word or number command into the onboard computer. This code was secret and different for each individual pilot and his 'Mech, and prevented anyone else from simply climbing in and taking over the machine. Failure to transmit the proper sequence could result in damage to the helmet or the wearer.

After pushing the signal button to warn the Gauntlet personnel that he was ready to make his run, Ardan climbed into the Victorand plugged his helmet into the cables connecting it to the 'Mech. He almost went through his coding sequence before catching himself. To operate the prototype 'Mechs of the Gauntlet, MechWarriors simply used 'open systems' that made the 'Mechs ready for immediate use.

As the big doors ground open, Ardan flexed the muscles of the 'Mech, lifted a ponderous foot, raised and lowered his arms. Good. The myomer muscles were working perfectly.

Now he could see the walls of the Gauntlet begin to glow, and his own body answered with a surge of adrenalin. The 'Mech's heat intensified it, as he strode out into the sunlight

Even after so many years, Ardan still found it strange to be transformed from a human on foot to a deadly, ponderous giant. The ‘Mech's height gave him a superb view of all his surroundings. What he was looking at, however, were the tiny glints of light that seemed to wink malevolently in the walls ahead of him. Those were the lasers and other simulator weapons readying themselves for a battle.

Ardan grinned. He needed a good fight. Now he could work off the uneasy fury he had felt these past months without hurting anything—or anyone—he cared for.

6

The towering walls of the Gauntlet were three times the height of the Victor.As Ardan approached them, cautiously and with every muscle tensed for a sudden spring to left or right, a laser spat at him with its red light. This was followed almost instantly by a stream of small rockets from a projectile weapon coming from his other side.