The Duke peered over his papers, frowning. "My people tell me your need for an audience was urgent," he said, without preamble. "What is it? I'm a busy man."

"Your Grace." Felsner gave the proper bow of one schooled by long experience at court. "It is indeed surprising to see someone of your rank place himself in the midst of such...confusion. I know well the amenities of New Syrtis. This outpost has few. Your Grace presents a refreshing departure from standard procedure."

Ardan grinned inside but kept his face a carefully neutral mask. He'd never known that Ran had such talents with the sweet oil of flattery.

The Duke's frown transformed into a smile, and he nodded graciously. "My duty calls me to many uncomfortable spots, it's true. But, when one's duty is the good of his people..." He spread his hands helplessly. "Well, what can I do for you, gentlemen?" Listening to him, Ardan realized that the Duke's own courtiers must be such sycophants that he no longer could distinguish the fake from the true.

"A formality only, Your Grace. We are bound to report to you, as the nearest representative of the Prince of the House of Davion and as the sector military commander, a change of plan in the counterinvasion of Stein's Folly. We..."

"What-what-what?" Hasek-Davion's sputter might have been the clicking of an empty autocannon. "Change? Change? What change?"

"We have reason to believe that our original plan, which called for a direct assault on Steindown, may be a trap. Our new plan calls for a landing along the Coast Road and at the fringe of the Ordolo Basin north of the Highland Peninsula. That will place us in the best possible position to.

"Gentlemen." The Duke's momentary affability had vanished. His eyes were cold. "I do not believe that my brother-in-law makes a habit of having his plans questioned—changed!—by his subordinates! I happen to know how much thought went into these plans. I know. I was there! Every factor was considered—the terrain, the probable strength and disposition of the Liao forces, psychological factors, everything! What makes you three think you can rewrite all that planning"—his fingers snapped like a pistol shot—"just like that?"

"Your Grace," Felsner said calmly. "I regret that we have displeased you, but I must inform you that we have already made the decision—and implemented it My orders from the Prince are quite specific in this. I am to keep Your Grace apprised of developments, to seek your council...but the interpretation and implementation of Prince Davion's plans are left to my discretion."

"Interpretation, yes. You puppy, this isn't interpretation. It's wholesale murder!"

"Your Grace?"

"You said that the Ordolo Swamp is your intended drop zone?"

"At the fringe of the swamp, yes, Your Grace. There are grasslands there, and..."

"That whole area is a quagmire, fool! Your ‘Mechs will set down and keep going down—lost in the ooze, without a trace! A regiment could be swallowed up in there, just stepping out onto what they thought was solid ground! Or don't you realize just how heavy a BattleMech is?"

"Your Grace, I assure you..."

"You're doing nothing of the sort! Do you realize that your failure on Stein's Folly will reflect back on me,the supreme commander of this sector? I cannot approve such hairbrained idiocy." Michael seemed to struggle with himself. His face-softened, but his eyes remained cold and hard. "Gentlemen. Such a change—and now, of all times!—is an open invitation to disaster. You are all military men! You must understand this! Think of the confusion! .Think of the chaos if even one of your regiments flounders in the quicksand and mud of the Ordolo Swamps! That whole area is a death trap. Believe me, we considered all these things in the first stages of our own planning!

"It's true that I cannot command you on this. Why the Prince gave direct command to someone other than the supreme military commander of this sector is not for me to say...but I strongly—strongly!—recommend that you adhere to the original plan! Prince Davion's plan had such brilliance! A lightning approach! A dashing strike from the sky at the Liao strongholds! A savage thrust to secure the planet's capital and principal port, followed by a wide-ranging sweep to secure the entire planet, leaving no pockets of resistance. No floundering in the swamps, no half-measures. That, gentlemen, is the mark of strategic military brilliance!"

"Your Grace..." Felsner paused. "Your Grace, certainly, we must consider what you have said most carefully.

The Duke stood behind his desk, leaning on it heavily, his cold eyes level with Felsner's own. "Good. And consider this carefully, too. You have proven yourself a worthy, able officer. An error of this magnitude would most certainly have unfortunate repercussions on a most promising career. You would be...finished...done for. I...I speak as a friend, sir, and as an advisor."

Ran bowed again. "Your Grace is kind. We understand your position and appreciate your frankness. Believe me, Your Grace, we will carefully reconsider our position before commiting ourselves irrevocably."

"See that you do, sir. Good day."

Ardan was momentarily startled by Ran's sudden change of tactics. He had sounded so sincere that it wasn't until they were walking from the chamber and Ardan caught a wink from the Strike Force Commander that he realized that Felsner's last words had been an act.

"You old smoothie," he murmured, pitching his voice low so that only Ran could hear.

For answer, Felsner rolled his eyes toward the ornate and gold-trimmed ceiling. It was a relief to get into the fresh night air of Dragon's Field once more.

10

No soldier looks forward to a strike against a major city, because street-to-street combat can turn a skillfully defended urban area into a death trap. Nevertheless, when word trickled down the Davion line of command that the strike force would not be dropped into Steindown and the spaceport as originally planned, the troopers and Mech-Warriors greeted the news with complaints and grumbling instead of relief.

Soldiers are a superstitious lot, and have been ever since the first savage threw the first rock. They have an automatic tendency to suspect that the enigmatic and godlike decisions coming down from the remote High Command might somehow alter fate, putting a man here,directly in the path of an incoming round, instead of there,where he could have survived. After all, it was not usually the higher-ups who had to put their butts on the line. Even the veteran NCOs, who might have breathed a small sigh of relief that they would not be dropping directly into a hot strongpoint, could only shake their heads and curse the blind fumblings of Higher Authority. Why couldn't those brass-heavy paper pushers leave well enough alone, without stirring everything and everybody up?

But the changes were made. Admiral Bertholi reported that new navigational fixes had been recorded for three distinct peaks in the ridge around Jordan's Pass, and the drop zones could now be positively identified and homed on. Unit commanders down to individual lance commanders and platoon leaders reported that troop assignments had been re-set, new 'Mech assembly points positioned and confirmed, and primary targets reassigned. Contingency planning and logistical support evaluations were continuing, but these chores could be carried out aboard the DropShips. Within twenty hours of the visit by Ardan, Lees Hamman, and Ran Felsner to Duke Michael's field headquarters, the first DropShips carrying Felsner's 5th Crucis Lancers had already boosted from Dragon's Field and were hours outbound on their way to the system's nadir jump point.