Текст книги "Main Event"

Автор книги: Джеймс Лонг

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Текущая страница: 9 (всего у книги 21 страниц)

Rose rolled over onto his left side and fired his large laser. At such short range the Thorfilled his targeting screen. Not waiting to see where he hit, Rose continued the movement and brought the Shootistto a standing position.

The Thor'sshoulder-mounted missile tube opened fire for the first time as Rose fired his large laser. Autocannon shells passed missiles in flight as the two pilots tried to bring their other weapons to bear. Explosions ripped the right torso of the Thoras the large laser breached armor and chewed through the insides. Rose meanwhile noted more damage to the Shootist'salready-abused torso. Without thinking, he charged the Thor,keeping well away from the left arm and the weapon it carried.

As another volley of missiles tore away what armor remained on his 'Mech's torso, Rose slammed into the Thor,rocking forward against the restraining straps as the two 'Mechs collided. His left shoulder actuator failed as it was crushed between the two 'Mechs. He concentrated on keeping the Shootist'slegs moving as the Thorpunched into his left side with its single fist. The Shootistshook from the impact, but Rose continued to push against the Thor.A second punch tore through the barrel of his autocannon, but Rose finally succeeded in overbalancing the OmniMech. As the Thorfell it pulled out what little remained of the laser, sending sparks into the night and lighting their duel for all the remaining warriors to see.

From behind, the Fenrisfired its PPC into the center of the Shootist'sback. The armor disappeared under the shot's power, but none of the energy managed to reach the 'Mech's insides. Pushed by the force of the blast, Rose stumbled up the ridge. Half-crawling, half-running, he scrambled for the crest where the rest of his unit remained in position.

Reaching it, Rose was stunned by the carnage around him. Jenkins' Thughad been torn apart by missile fire and PPC blasts, and lay face down closest to Rose. Smoke and steam poured from holes in its back, partially obscuring the fire that raged within the center torso. Rose could feel the heat from fifty meters away.

Hopper's Crabremained standing next to the headless form of Batteil's Black Knight.Scarred and eventually destroyed by laser fire, the 'Mech held one of the Dashersin its remaining claw.

Rose crossed the hilltop and headed down the far side of the ridge toward the sound of weapon fire. Tiegard was evidently still alive, but her 'Mech was not transmitting an IFF signal. As he ran through rocks and the debris of fallen 'Mechs, he knew his unit had given a good accounting of itself. For the first time since cresting the ridge he glanced down at his control panel to get a fix on the Fenristrailing him, then remembered he'd keyed off the comm unit. He slapped down on the receive switch and cursed himself. His unit had died without him.

"Tiegard, hang on. I'm coming!" Rose fought against the shame that welled inside him and concentrated on reaching Tiegard. Rounding a single large boulder, he discovered her Highlandersurrounded by three Clan 'Mechs. Her back to an outcropping, she prepared her last stand. The Highlander'sright arm had been destroyed below the shoulder. What little remained trailed sparks and fluid as the 'Mech moved. In her left arm she held the broken remains of an OmniMech's arm. Battered beyond recognition, it could have come from any of the Omnis Rose had seen destroyed on the ridge.

"I'm here, Tiegard! Hold on!" Rose continued forward as the nearest OmniMech turned to face him. The undamaged Mad Catsquared off against the battered Shootist,daring Rose to approach.

"Forget it, Adept. I'm already dead. The engine shielding is all but gone. The radiation's already killed me, my body just doesn't know it yet."

"Then we'll die together."

"No! You've got to live. You've got to live for the others, and for me." The 'Mech nearest the Highlander,a Man O'War,started forward as a Thorkept Rose covered. Tiegard brought the club arm over her head and waited.

"We all knew you'd be the one to live. Now do it. Don't throw your life away for ours. We're already dead." Another light on the tactical comm unit went green. The reinforcements were near, but still too far away for Rose and Tiegard. The Mad Cattook a cautious step forward. Rose bit back tears.

"I can't do it."

"You can, Adept sir, and you will. For us." The Man O'Warstepped within range, but the club did not fall. Tiegard stepped away from the rocks, renewing the shower of sparks. In the light Rose could see dark fluid shilling out of a destroyed leg actuator.

"You have to live for me, for Jenkins, for Morressy, for all of us who will never leave this world alive." The Man O'Warlunged forward and rammed a fist into the Highlander'storso. The 'Mech's skeleton collapsed around the fist, trapping it inside as the engine shields failed completely. In a burst of flame that sent a column of flame ninety meters into the air, the Highlanderand the Man O'Wardisappeared.

The concussion passed over Rose, staggering him, but he refused to let his 'Mech fall. The Mad Catstumbled forward, fighting to bring his guns into line. Across the flame-engulfed clearing, Rose could see the flattened Thoralso on fire. It thrashed in the dirt, trying unsuccessfully to douse the flames that covered it. Rose fired on the MadCat while, behind him, the Thorand the Fenrisappeared along the same trail he had taken.

Rose looked past the Mad Catto the pyre that marked the passing of Tiegard and the rest of his unit. Illuminated by the blaze, he could see the approaching Com Guard reinforcements, but they were still too far away. As the Thorand the Mad Catfired, Rose slapped the ejection button.

The Shootistcollapsed in on itself as explosive slugs tore through the torso from the rear and PPC beams engulfed the front. The cockpit soared above the destruction of its old body, and landed at the base of the ridge well away from the Clan OmniMechs and the advancing Com Guard troops.

When the rescue team found him, Rose was already out of the cockpit and ready to go, his pistol in one hand and a stack of letters in the other.

15

Solaris City , Solaris

9 August 3054

 

Rose stopped pacing and turned away from Carstairs.

"So much for my story." He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, surprised at how deeply it had affected him to relive the events of that night. Having regained some of his composure, he turned back to Carstairs.

"Now that my debt to you is discharged, I'll be leaving. Fate willing, I'll never see you again, Mister Carstairs." Rose turned to the door as Carstairs swung his feet off the couch.

"You seem to be in an awful big hurry to get away, Rose." Rose looked back at the stablemaster, but kept moving toward the door.

"Suppose I were to tell you that I could get you a better 'Mech?" Rose stopped with his hand on the knob.

"Thought that might get your attention," Carstairs said, crossing the room to the bar to begin pouring yet another drink. Rose had long ago lost count of the number poured, but the bottle was nearly dry.

"Why would you do that?" Rose kept his hand on the door pull, torn between leaving and the improbable lure of acquiring another 'Mech. Carstairs chuckled.

"Despite what you think, Rose, I'm a businessman. You strike me as a person who would willingly pay my asking price for a certain 'Mech I recently acquired."

Carstairs slipped a hand into his waistband and rocked on his heels. He grinned and gazed at Rose with bloodshot eyes.

"Too good to be true. Bye, Carstairs." Rose threw open the door.

"It's the Charger,"the stablemaster said as Rose waved and walked through the closing door. "It's already been retrofitted." At that Rose shot his hand back into the closing gap between door and frame. He slowly pushed the door open again and looked at Carstairs.

"What's the catch?" Rose came back into the room and let the door close behind him. He knew that he was probably playing the fool. If the Chargerreally were available, it was bound to be a wreck.

"No catch. You pay me the price, it's yours. I could use the cash to buy 'Mechs and pilots better suited to my style." Carstairs crossed back to the couch and collapsed with a sigh. He swung his feet up and pointed his drink at Rose. "You don't believe I'm serious."

"You are very perceptive." Rose remained near the door, suddenly unwilling to approach Carstairs. He felt like the fabled fly at the edge of the spider's web.

"Six, in C-bills." Rose offered, slumping slightly as the tension drained from his shoulders. The man was drunk and he could not help but laugh.

"Three and your helmet," Carstairs said, and Rose stopped laughing.

"Not a prayer."

Carstairs waved his hand, flinging liquor across the room. "Then I was right. That suitcase had your neurohelmet, and a good one."

Rose turned to leave. His Star League neurohelmet was priceless and Carstairs knew it.

"Four and the flight suit." Rose stopped again.

"Three-five in D-bills and the suit."

"Three-eight in C-bills."

"Three-seven in D-bills."

"Three-eight in C-bills, my final offer."

"We finish the deal right now," Rose said.

"Done."

"I've got a call to make." Rose crossed the room with long strides and punched into Carstairs' comm unit. "Yeah, it's me, Sandler," he said. Carstairs shot Rose a quick look, but Rose had already turned away. Although the stablemaster strained to hear, Rose's muffled voice didn't carry to the couch. In less than a minute Rose hit the disconnect.

"A messenger is on the way. You'll have to let him in."

"Not a problem." Carstairs eased out of the couch and crossed to his desk, brushing Rose away as he settled into the chair.

"What about the title for commercial transport?" Rose leaned over Carstairs' shoulder as he unlocked the center drawer.

"It arrived from the arena ten minutes before you did." Carstairs pulled a tamper-proof folder from the drawer and keyed the thumbprint lock. He looked up at Rose, shielding the contents with his body. "Where's the suit?"

"I'll get it, you finish the transfer." Rose rounded the desk and headed for the door. "And don't forget my messenger. He'll probably be here before I get back." Carstairs waved him away without looking up.

Twenty minutes later Rose was back at Carstairs Stables, a duffel bag over one shoulder. As he arrived, a Voltex Cruiser pulled up next to him and the window rolled down. From his office, Carstairs could see a slim hand reach out to hand Rose a plastic envelope, which quickly disappeared inside the Mech Warrior's jacket. As the unseen driver released the envelope, the car slipped into gear and disappeared into the night.

When Rose returned to the office, he had the envelope in one hand and the duffel bag in the other.

"A certified draft for three point eight million in C-bills. And one slightly used flight suit." Rose dropped the envelope on Carstair's desk and pulled out the flight suit, which he tossed onto the couch. "One title, please."

Carstairs leaned back from the desk and pushed a two-page document toward Rose.

"Your name and your thumb on the left. Mine are already on the right." Rose threw the still-bulky duffel over his shoulder and scrawled his name illegibly with the proffered pen. Tossing the pen back onto the desk, he pressed his left thumb firmly against the indicated box on the page. The paper warmed slightly, but nothing registered. If necessary, the print could be checked under ultraviolet light.

Carstairs separated the pages with deliberate slowness as Rose tried to wait patiently. He examined the second copy and handed it to Rose, who also studied it briefly.

"You don't read your contracts?"

"Only if I think it's necessary." Rose folded the title and tucked it inside his jacket. "You wouldn't cross me, you're a businessman."

"But what if I did?" Carstairs grinned as he slipped the paper into a desk drawer. "What would you do? I could have an assassin waiting just outside this door."

"In that case, Lieutenant Viets would arrive to find you trying to dispose of my body."

"Lieutenant Viets?"

"Of the Federated Commonwealth's police department in the Black Hills. She's a friend of mine."

"You're bluffing."

"And you're just speculating. You're a businessman, remember?"

Outside, an abused Hermes Rover pulled up to the curb. "I believe my ride is here," Rose said, turning toward the window as a small woman got out of the car and leaned against the open door.

"What about your new 'Mech? How are you going to get it to the spaceport?"

"I've already called the arena and informed them of the new owner. They'll be more than happy to have the 'Mech transported to the spaceport for a fee. It made room in the 'Mech bay."

"All right, Rose, you win. Just humor me. Where'd you get the money?"

"Where does anybody on this God-forsaken planet get money? I bet on the games." Rose opened the office door and paused. "I bet every C-bill I had on Jeremiah Rose to survive the match."

* * *

An hour later Rose waved goodbye to Lieutenant Viets and looked up at the ugly apartment building Badicus O'Shea called home. He was lucky Viets had recognized him as he was trying to flag down a cab and agreed to be his temporary chauffeur. Mama always said it was better to be lucky than good, he thought, and Mama was probably right. He climbed the three flights that led to O'Shea's apartment and knocked on the reinforced door. Halfway through the third knock, the door flew open, revealing the expressive face of Badicus O'Shea.

"Who's this banging on the door at all hours of the night?" O'Shea demanded. His full beard hid countless lines and wrinkles, but Rose knew they were all lines of laughter, not worry.

"My name is ..."

"Jeremiah Rose." Esmeralda peeked around Badicus and looked Rose up and down with cold disdain.

"So you're the one?" Without waiting for an answer, Badicus grabbed Rose by the front of the jacket and pulled him inside the small apartment. With a flick of his wrist he sent Rose sailing into the couch at the far end of the room. Rose started to stand, but O'Shea did not press what Rose had initially interpreted as an attack. Instead the big man pushed the door shut, and jumped onto the other end of the couch. Rose's end rippled in reaction to the weight on the opposite side, but the creaking frame seemed immune to O'Shea's casual abuse.

"It looked like you knew your business out there today," O'Shea said, glancing back and forth between Rose and Esmeralda, who was standing behind O'Shea. Rose shrugged and raised his hands slightly.

"Of course, that axe almost got you. Too bad I wasn't there. The blow would have missed me clean." Esmeralda snorted and flopped onto the only other piece of furniture in the room, a threadbare reclining chair.

"That axe would have taken your head off at the shoulders, O'Shea, and I'd be making funeral arrangements right now. I've never seen anyone react that quickly to an attack." Uncomfortable silence filled the room as O'Shea and Esmeralda stared at Rose.

"I wanted to return this to you." Rose reached into his duffel bag and pulled out a cloth-wrapped package. He reached over and handed it to O'Shea.

"I'm sorry about what I was forced to do to you, Badicus O'Shea. I let my desire override my better sense and I apologize."

O'Shea unwrapped the package and discovered his laser pistol. "I thought I'd lost her," he said, handling the Sunbeam almost lovingly, examining it minutely as if for the first time.

"It was so beautifully cared for that I knew how much it meant to you. Again, I'm sorry." O'Shea looked up from his pistol and back at Rose.

"Well, this doesn't exactly make up for what you did to me, Rose, but I'm glad to have her back. Essy can tell you, I'm not much good at holding a grudge."

"That's a damn lie. He remembers everything."

"From what I understand, you saved my life."

"I warned you about that tramp, O'Shea, but oh no." Esmeralda rolled her eyes and shook her head. O'Shea did his best to look chastised, but with little success. Again the room was silent for a long moment before Esmeralda spoke.

"Tell us, Mister Rose, why are you here tonight?" Rose saw the challenge in her eyes, just as earlier in the day. This time he was ready.

"Two reasons. First, I wanted to apologize to O'Shea and return his property. Second, I wanted to offer you a contract." Esmeralda's eyes flared, but she said nothing. Badicus shot a look at her, then turned to Rose.

"What do you mean, a contract?"

"In just over sixteen hours I'll be leaving this dustball, hopefully never to return. I'm heading to the Dragoons' world of Outreach to put together a mercenary unit to fight the Clans. I'm going to need a lance commander, and I wanted to offer the job to Esmeralda." O'Shea regarded Rose with an open mouth. Esmeralda remained perfectly still.

"What about my 'Mech?"

"You have your own 'Mech?" Rose was shocked. He hadn't considered the possibility.

"Whose 'Mech do you think I took into the fight this afternoon, one of Carstairs' walking tin cans? Not likely." Rose paused a moment as he ran the figures through his head.

"I'll pay for the transport of your 'Mech to Outreach. Once there transport will be part of the contract. Technically, you'll be an officer, with full rights and privileges."

"One of how many?"

"Myself, my exec, you, and one other lance commander."

"You haven't got the unit put together yet, have you?" Rose considered the easy lie, but rejected it. Esmeralda was too wary.

"Not yet. My exec is on Outreach right now getting the recruiting process started, but I haven't talked with her since arriving on Solaris."

"You must be one rich man, Jeremiah Rose. How can you afford all this?"

"In truth, I can't. If you sign on, it'll have to be for a percentage of the contract. I was down to almost nothing before the fight, but with some action on the side, I've got enough for the passage and a little left for expenses when we get there. The truth is that we'll need to sign a contract fast."

"You say I'll be an officer?"

Rose smiled, but only on the inside. So, she did have a soft spot.

"I have to know before I leave the room, yes or no," Rose said. "As it is, we'll barely have time to book passage and load the Warhammer"

Silence descended yet again as Rose and O'Shea stared at Esmeralda. Head buried in her chest, she sat thinking for long moments, oblivious of the two men's stares.

"I'll go," she said at last, turning to look at Rose. "I'm a fool to follow you, but I'll go."

"I'm going too." Rose looked over at Badicus in confusion.

"I'm sorry, Badicus, but. . ."

"You owe me, Rose. Essy can vouch for my abilities and I've got cash. I'm willing to pay for a spot in the unit if I'm in Essy's lance." Rose was still in shock. What little he knew about O'Shea suggested that he was good, but to take a complete unknown was risky, or stupid, or both. He looked over at Esmeralda, who nodded, but did not speak.

Now it was Rose's turn to let the silence hang as he considered his options. He'd always put trust in his subordinate officers in the past. Now was no time to change his ways.

"You've got a 'Mech, too?" O'Shea's head slumped forward. "No."

"Good, I can't afford the transport costs." The big man's head shot back up. Rose looked into the bright, eager eyes and smiled. "You can pilot the Shadow Hawkyou've been using for the last few months." Rose clapped his hands and stood to go. "And I guess I'll have to learn how to pilot a rebuilt Charger."

16

Harlech, Outreach

24 September 3054

 

Rose, Esmeralda, and Badicus finally arrived on Outreach after spending what seemed to Rose like an eternity trapped aboard the Gentle Wind.Though a civilian transport, the DropShip boasted all the inconveniences and discomforts for which military ships were famous. Overcrowding, abysmal ventilation, poor lighting—and those were just the good qualities Rose could recall.

His companions seemed to survive the trip better, but that was because they spent most of their time in the repair bays working on their 'Mechs. Rose had tried to help out at first, but Esmeralda's skill at fine-tuning was well beyond his journeyman's ability.

They'd also tried to fix up the Charger,but Esmeralda had been too good at demolishing the assault 'Mech in the final duel. They'd only be able to reattach the severed right leg when they could get hold of some heavy equipment simply not available on the DropShip. When they landed on Outreach, it was embarrassing to see the 'Mech being off-loaded in pieces, but Rose wasn't really worried. Once they got the right equipment it wouldn't be more than a few days before the 'Mech was again ready for action.

While Esmeralda and Badicus went off to oversee the off-loading of the other 'Mechs and to secure spots in the repair bay for Rose's Charger,Rose spotted Rianna and Angus approaching the gate with two men in tow. Rose and Rianna had communicated several times during the Gentle Wind'sinbound flight from the jump point, but she'd never mentioned a word about them.

The two men were obviously civilians. Everything from their style of dress to the way they moved through the crowd spoke of a lifetime sitting behind desks, safely protected by a hopefully distant military. If these were potential employers, Rose wondered if he might be entering the wrong business. Steeling himself, he put on a polite face and stepped forward.

"Jeremiah, it's good to see you again," Rianna greeted him, obviously wearing her business face too. Instead of embracing warmly, the two shook hands. Then Rose turned to Angus.

"Good afternoon, Captain," Angus said, extending his hand. Coming from him three words strung together seemed like a speech, but the young man immediately stepped to the back of the group. The MechWarrior always seemed to shy away from attention, generally hanging back whenever Rose was around. Rianna could only shrug and say that his attitude seemed to go one hundred and eighty degrees in the other direction when he was inside his 'Mech. Strapped into the Valkyrie,Angus was invariably at the forefront of any contest, blending speed and stealth in his tactics. If the young warrior continued to show promise, Rose hoped to assign him to the pursuit lance, maybe as the leader.

"Jeremiah, may I present Mister Wilkins and Mister Hoffbrowse? They have been most insistent about wishing to speak with you about a matter that could be mutually beneficial." Rianna gave her brother a lopsided grin that neither civilian could see. Evidently they would not be put off or else had asked to see Rose personally. In either case, Rianna obviously did not think much of the spaceport meeting.

"Sirs, I am Jeremiah Rose. Perhaps we could go someplace private to talk?" Without waiting for a reply from either of the speechless men, he began walking toward an adjacent waiting room. With one arm around Rianna's shoulders, he pulled her a few quick paces ahead of the civilians.

"What's all this?" he demanded in a whisper.

"They've been on Outreach for almost seven months and can't find a unit to hire. They're offering a one-year garrison and training contract, which no commander in his right mind will touch."

Rianna was right. Though new to the mercenary business, Rose knew that a one-year contract of that type would probably end up costing more than it paid. By the time the unit transferred to the garrison planet, served the time, then returned to Outreach, they would be severely low on funds, especially if the contract contained no incentive clauses.

"Then why are we talking to them?"

"They think the Clans might invade their planet, for one thing. And for another, the contract they offer contains some interesting terms. I thought you'd like to at least hear them out and decide for yourself."

When they reached the waiting room Rose indicated a pair of chairs for the two men. Like most civilians, they took them without thought. Rose noted that Angus had followed at a slight distance and was now standing behind the civilians. The slender young man was hardly intimidating even if the other two men had realized he was there. Yet he was in good position in the unlikely event of trouble.

"Captain Rose, if I may, I will be brief." That sounded like an excellent idea to Rose, who smiled his acquiescence.

"Mister Wilkins and I are here as duly appointed representatives of the planet Borghese." Hoffbrowse paused for a look of recognition, which Rose provided. The small planet was in the Steiner portion of the Federated Commonwealth and very close to Clan Jade Falcon's line of advance.

"For reasons that are unknown and unfathomable to us, the Federated Commonwealth military command has decided not to garrison our planet. Because of our proximity to the Clan front, we have decided to take matters into our own hands by hiring a mercenary unit to protect our world."

As Hoffbrowse continued speaking, Rose studied him carefully. The man still acted like a civilian, but there was something more to him than he let on.

"Mister Wilkins and I have attempted to hire a mercenary unit, approximately company size, to beef up our planetary defense force until we can persuade the Federated Commonwealth of the error of their ways. Which we anticipate will take no more than a year.

"We would like to hire your unit to undertake this contract. Standard rates. You supply your own transport to and from Borghese."

Rose had been warned that the two were desperate, but hadn't expected such a short sales pitch. He let the silence hang for an uncomfortably long time. Mister Wilkins looked as though he was ready to explode by the time Rose finally responded.

"Gentlemen, I appreciate your gracious offer, but I must delay my decision until I can discuss it with my staff. I'm sure you understand. In the meantime, I assume that you can provide more details about Borghese to my executive officer?"

Hoffbrowse nodded and Wilkins produced a data disk from the pocket of his jacket. Rianna accepted the disk wordlessly and slipped it into her thigh pocket.

"The disk contains our Outreach address, where you can reach us at any time. Please let us know as soon as possible; we are most anxious to secure the safety of our planet."

Rose shook hands with the two men, then remained standing there as the pair made their way out through the crowded terminal. When they'd finally disappeared from view, he turned to Rianna, gesturing her toward the main exit doors.

"Now, what's the story on those two?" he asked.

"Well, they've approached every respectable unit on Outreach, but nobody will bite. I did a little digging on my own and learned that Borghese has very little to recommend itself to either mercenaries or the Clans. The population is small and the planet is self-sufficient, but that's about it. Their preliminary offer was pretty laughable, but even with a good round of negotiations, any unit stuck there would just barely make a profit.

"I'd have let them walk without bothering you but they're also offering unrestricted use of their facilities for repair and refit. In the event of any real combat, we'd also get all the salvage."

"How did they happen to choose us?" Rose asked as they followed Angus' lead to a small car parked across the street. Without being told, Angus slipped behind the wheel while Jeremiah and Rianna climbed into the back.

"Well, we're pretty much the bottom of the first barrel. They went first to everybody with a decent reputation, but got turned down cold. Next they hit on the new units and got a similar reception. We fall into the 'new unit looking for its first contract' class. If we say no, I imagine they'll start talking to the units with questionable reps."

"They're not too anxious to call the wolves into the fold, are they?"

"No, but they seem determined to hire a unit and they're bound to get to that point soon."

Rose looked out the window at the city scrolling by, trying to put his finger on what bothered him about Hoffbrowse. Angus was evidently heading for the repair bays to meet with Esmeralda and Badicus.

"What's our situation, besides the men from Borghese?" Rose asked, bringing his thoughts back to the present.

"We've been officially recognized by the Mercenary Review and Bonding Commission, but like most other new units, we have a C rating. That's not real good, but it can go up quickly if we do well with our first few contracts.

"Angus and I weren't allowed to start recruiting until we received recognition. That slowed things up quite a bit, but since then we've held preliminary interviews with several independents. We eliminated a few whose transcripts were questionable and a couple of others because they didn't have their own 'Mechs. We also rejected two who we thought were just plain crazy." She stopped and looked at Angus through the rearview mirror. He caught her glance, but did not speak. Rose decided to break the silence.

"Which leaves us with what?"

"Six possibles, only two of which I would say are strong contenders."

Rose shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose as he thought about the numbers. "When do I meet them?"

Rianna brightened at that question. "Later tonight. I've set up interviews every hour starting in"—she glanced at her watch—"two hours.

"On the up side, I've gotten us a spot on the Dragoons' training field for day after tomorrow. It will give us a chance to get better acquainted. Do you think everything will be ready by then?"

Rose thought about it. "Probably. The ChargerI got from that thief Carstairs was a pile of junk, but Esmeralda and Badicus have been working on it since we left Solaris. I knew it was a risky deal, but I took it anyway. The 'Mech's not as bad off as I'd feared, but it's not as good as I'd hoped either.

"Esmeralda's Hammerand the Shadow Hawkshould be ready to go by now. I'd say two days would be just about right to finish the Chargerand conduct a full set of tests on the other two 'Mechs."

"Good, we're scheduled to take on a unit called The Gargoyles and they've—"

"We're what? You mean we're taking on another unit on our first exercise? Whose idea was that?" Rose knew the answer when his sister glared at him.

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