Текст книги "Warrior: En Garde"

Автор книги: Michael A. Stackpole

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Текущая страница: 24 (всего у книги 27 страниц)

52

Solaris VII (The Game World)

Rahneshire, Lyran Commonwealth

26 May 3027

 

Fuh Teng and his mechanic, Tung Yuan, glanced nervously at the black shadows surrounding the cone of light where they stood. "Justin, do you really think it's wise for us to be in Montenegro at this time of night?" He glanced out into the darkness and watched for roving bands of hoodlums.

The MechWarrior chuckled softly. He turned his back to the warehouse wall and shook his head. "We don't have to worry. Gray Noton himself arranged the security for this place."

Yuan grunted and shoved his fists deeper into the pockets of his quilted black jacket. "In that case, his death does nothing to inspire confidence."

Justin laughed, then turned his attention back to the door beneath the sole streetlight. He pulled a key from his pocket and inserted it into the lock. As it clicked, he opened the door and ushered his two companions into the warehouse's dark interior. As Justin shut the door behind them, the utter blackness seemed to swallow them whole.

Justin flicked on the fluorescent lights, which sputtered to life. As their pale pink glow allowed Yuan a first glimpse, what he saw took his breath away. The Tech staggered forward as though drunk or in shock.

Fuh Teng wheeled and stared at Justin through slitted eyes. "You don't mean to use this, do you?"

Justin nodded, a vulpine grin tightening his lips. "I want you and Yuan to go over it. No modifications. Just check all the circuits and make sure it's fully operational for tonight."

Yuan turned. "What about the insignia?"

Justin smiled. "I can think of no better. Let it stand."

* * *

Justin squinted against the glare of the searing studio lights. A buxom blonde leaned over him, gracing him with an intimate view of her ample assets while she patted makeup onto his face. "There, Mr. Xiang," she cooed. "That'll make you look as calm and fearless as I know you are."

God, she's wearing enough perfume to be a Class 3 atrocity under the Ares Convention.Justin forced himself to smile at her. "Perhaps I should just find a power connection for my cooling vest."

She stared cow-eyed at him for a second, then laughed shrilly. "Oh, yeah, the lights are hot, aren't they?" She slowly straightened up. "Well, if you need anything, just let me know." She tucked a slip of paper down the front of his cooling vest. "Any time."

Justin nodded as she walked away, then glanced over at Philip Capet. He looks suitably nervous. Good.Justin shook his head slowly.

Capet's head came up. "What are you looking at, Xiang?”

“A man who is about to die."

Capet parried the attack with a laugh. "I don't see any mirrors, Xiang."

Justin smiled easily. "I hope you open a radio channel to me during the fight. I want to know what you see when your life flashes before your eyes. I want to hear you whimper."

Capet shot to his feet, but the arrival of the program's host forestalled any battle. The heavy-set man looked like a bumblebee in his yellow blazer and black pants. "Whoa, boys, we don't want a fight before the cameras start running." He rested his hands on Capet's shoulders and slowly pressed the champion down into his seat.

The host seated himself between the two combatants, clipped a microphone to his lapel, and smiled directly into the holovision camera as the red light above its muzzle flashed to life. "Welcome, sports fans, to 'Pregame Palaver,' the program that brings you the combatants before the battle. I'm your host, Kevin Johnson, and we have quite a show for you tonight."

The host turned toward Philip Capet. "On my left is Philip Capet, the current reigning champion in the Open Class of warfare here on Solaris. You've all seen him fight many times before.

He's got a double-dozen kills to his credit in the arenas, and even more in his military career. Glad to have you here, Philip.”

“My pleasure, Kevin."

Johnson turned toward Justin. "And here we have Justin Xiang. He's a newcomer, but his rise has been impressive, to say the least. He's fought seven times and killed every opponent he's faced. Those of you keeping track know that those have all been kills of warriors from the Federated Suns. None have escaped him or his Centurion,the Yen-lo-wang.Welcome aboard, Justin."

"Zao,Kevin. I am honored."

Kevin smiled again at the camera. "We'll continue with these two warriors in a minute, but first a word from your LCAF recruiter."

The red light on the camera faded, and Johnson's smile went with it. "O.K., you two. Let's make this entertaining. Got it?" He glanced down at his clipboard. "When we come back, we do a taped piece on Capet's background, and then one on you, Justin. After a brief piece about the Kurita arena, I'll go into the live interview. Watch the language."

He turned toward Justin. "As our final question, I'll ask what you're fighting in tonight."

Justin shook his head. "My contract does not require that I reveal the identity of my machine."

Johnson shrugged, seeing the show's producer wave at him. "On the mark, Kevin," the man said. "Bring the Ishiyama construct up."

Johnson levered himself out of his seat and crossed to where a black "X" had been painted on the floor. A camera closed in on him and a holographic image of the Kurita arena, Ishiyama—or Stone Mountain—materialized in front of Johnson. "Built twenty years ago, this arena in the center of the Kobe District of Solaris City is one of the most popular with fight fans. Its 'Mech-scale tunnels twist and turn through multiple levels. Though all the maps for the arena were destroyed after its construction, there are rumors of hidden passages and movable walls that literally alter the battlefield as war rages within the mountain."

Johnson turned to Capet. "Philip, you've fought inside Ishiyama before."

Capet nodded. "That's right, Kevin. Eight months back, I faced two Stingersand a Pantherin the labyrinth. It was a long battle, but they made a classic mistake. Instead of working together, they split up. I picked them off one at a time."

Johnson nodded, then turned to Justin. "Justin, what are your thoughts about fighting in the Ishiyama for the first time?"

Justin smiled. "I feel quite confident. The labyrinth benefits a tactician, which no one has ever accused Capet of being .. ."

"I've got a surprise or two for you, Xiang!" Capet stood quickly and thrust a finger at his foe. "You may believe yourself my superior in combat, but I've learned many things here on Solaris . . ."

Justin steepled his fingers and sat back. "Have you learned not to blunder into ambushes, Philip?"

Capet shook his head. A camera swung around to get a better shot of his face. "What you did to Armstrong, you will not do to me."

Justin looked up. "I was hardly thinking of that incident, Philip. I referred to Uravan."

A cry of inarticulate rage bubbled from Capet's throat, but Johnson crossed back quickly and interposed himself between the two MechWarriors. He shoved Capet roughly back, then made the mistake of turning to smile at the camera. Capet's punch caught him in the jaw and snapped his head around. Johnson sank to the studio floor without a sound.

Capet straddled the unconscious commentator, but he stared at Justin. "You will be dead, Xiang. Not because I will win the fight, not because my nation demands your death, but because I want to see you dead!" Capet ripped the microphone free of his cooling vest and stalked off the set.

* * *

Justin let the announcer's voice-over fill his neurohelmet as he doublechecked the 'Mech's equipment. "Well, Kevin," the announcer was saying, "that was the most explosive interview you've ever had."

"Yeah."

"How's the jaw?"

Kevin's voice dropped to a low growl. "Hard to describe, Karl, but if you really want to know, maybe we can get Philip Capet to hit you after the fight."

Justin laughed as the announcer carefully nudged the conversation in another direction. The status monitor on his command console confirmed that both large lasers were operational. The auto-cannons appeared to be in fine working order, as were the twin, torso-mounted medium lasers. I must remember to use the cannons sparingly, as I don't have that much ammo for them. I'll only use them when the lasers need to cool down.

The green light on his command console flared to life. Justin smiled as the doors before him slid open and the holo-vision camera across the tunnel focused on his 'Mech. He instantly brought up both of his 'Mech's arms and stepped forward.

Kevin Johnson's voice filled the cockpit. "Well, Karl, do you see that? Xiang's using a Rifleman,just like Capet! This will make for an interesting match. Let's see if we can focus in on the crest there on the 'Mech's chest."

Yes, Kevin, do that. I'm sure your viewers will love it.

"Blake's Blood," Johnson blurted.

"What is it, Kevin?" Karl gasped. "The logo looks like a cartoon ghost to me, with a set of crosshairs surrounding it."

"That Riflemanbelonged to Gray Noton," Johnson replied in a low tone. "Xiang chose it specially for its name."

"Which is?"

Johnson laughed coldly. "Legend-killer. "

Justin killed the commentary and stepped the Riflemanout into the corridor. He turned the ponderous 'Mech to the left and headed up the slight incline. The naturally smooth surfaces of the tunnel walls arced up to meet in a stalactite-festooned roof. Stalagmites and piles of debris from partially collapsed walls or ceiling dotted the tunnel floor, but did not impede the Rifleman'sprogress.

As Justin reached the far end of the tunnel and prepared to follow it around into the switchback on the right, he turned his Mech's vulnerable back to the wall. Sliding the 'Mech sideways, he let the tip of his left-hand guns peek into the corridor. When that drew no fire, Justin worked along until he had a clear view of the new tunnel.

It led up into darkness. As Justin switched over to infrared scanners, he saw a few heat pockets set along the walls ahead, but dismissed them as holovision cameras. Ascending slowly, he reached the crest of the tunnel.

At that point, Justin paused. He saw that the whole left side of this level section of the tunnel was gapped. The pillars formed where stalactites and stalagmites that have flowed together are large enough to hide a 'Mech in profile, but the spaces between them are too narrow to let this monster pass. That means I have to march all the way through this shooting gallery in one burst. I don't like it.

Justin looked up as the IR display revealed red tendrils coiling lazily up through the air at the tunnel's far end. Hello.He snapped both arms forward and waited. The second the swirling communications mount of the Garret Til-A com system came into view, Justin centered his crosshairs. He let them drift down as the other Rifleman'ssilhouette grew like a sailing ship emerging over the horizon. When Capet's canopy bobbed up, Justin let loose.

Cascades of white heat swirled around the ruby shafts of laser lire from the Legend-killer'sarms. One large beam shucked armor from the other Rifleman'sright shoulder. The other bean-stitched a series of small explosions across the 'Mech's left shoulder, blasting chips and chunks of armor into the air. The Legend-killer'smedium lasers also scored the same targets as their larger cousins, spitting more half-melted ceramics onto the tunnel floor. One of the two autocannon bursts tore holes in Ishiyama behind Capet's Rifleman,while the other smashed armor from the 'Mech's right shoulder.

"Damn!" A wave of heat washed over Justin. The 'Mech's heat indicators spiked high into the red zone. This isn't an efficient machine. It vents heat poorly.Justin slapped the manual "shutdown" override with his right hand, then cursed again as Capet backed his Riflemandown the far slope.

Sweat coursed down Justin's face, leaving one droplet suspended from the tip of his nose. He shook his head to flick it off, then studied his heat monitors again. As the Legend-killer'%ten heat sinks vented the excess heat that his firing had created, the monitors slowly sank back down through the red and yellow zones to what MechWarriors often referred to as "green fields."

Justin centered his attention on the far end of the tunnel, but watched for heat or movement through the columns. Seeing nothing, he marched the Legend-killerinto the tunnel. At each of the gray stone pillars, he stopped to wait, but there was no sign of Capet. Though that tunnel was only three hundred meters long, it took Justin fifteen minutes to journey through it.

He smiled as the producer's green light on his console began to blink urgently. Cautiously beginning his descent at the far end of the tunnel, he did his best to ignore it. I don't care if I'm moving too slowly. Just put more advertisements into the program.

The tunnel ended on a ledge midway up the side of a vast crevasse. Its steep sides sloped down for three levels, and were dotted with tunnel mouths on different levels. Justin saw burn marks on a number of them and realized that light, jump-capable 'Mechs could easily cross the opening. Not so, a heavy machine like this.

Above him the stalactite ceiling rose into darkness. Behind and to the left, he saw the pillars of the gallery he'd just traversed. On the opposite side, up above him, he saw a similarly designed tunnel. The crevasse curved back out of sight on the left, but extended straight on the right.

Justin kept the Legend-killer'sback to the tunnel wall and moved laterally along the ledge. Suddenly, Capet's Riflemanappeared in an opening on the opposite wall. Justin smiled as he . brought his weapons into line with the Rifleman,and opened a ra-dio line to Capet. "It's over, Phihp."

"Is it, Xiang?" Capet's laughter filled Justin's cockpit. "Here's your surprise, Capellan. How do you like these tactics?"

Infrared images filled Justin's sight. The computer painted the silhouette of a 'Mech to his right, and another one to his left. Justin glanced left and saw a handless, humanoid Firestarteremerging from the tunnel mouth. An UrbanMechshuffled into view on his right. That's why the director's light was flashing. They wanted to warn me . . .

A high, keening wail echoed within his neurohelmet as the computer warned that each foe had a weapons lock on the Legend-killer.

"One more thing, Justin." Capet's voice was triumphant. "It seems I willcommand the regiment the Prince has offered for your head. It's time for you to die."

53

A2341CA

Dieron Military District, Draconis Combine

26 May 3027

 

Patrick Kell's voice filled the steel womb of Daniel Allard's Valkyrie."So that's it, ladies and gentlemen. Because we have Kurita forces incoming, we're going to jump out of here ahead of them. Let me stress that the Kearny-Fuchida drive is fully charged, through we did not deploy the solar collector. Everything reports out at 100 percent effectiveness."

Just from the sound of his voice, I know he's not lying. If there were trouble, he'd tell us,Dan thought. Though all the equipment had checked out, none of the instruments could measure damage on the "molecular" level. Dan knew that Patrick believed every confident word he spoke, and that heartened him. From your lips to God's ears, Patrick.

The Kell Hound CO continued his video briefing. "Once we enter the Styx system, the Nuadawill be launched. We expect our reception to be friendly and well-negotiated by radio before the Nuadaarrives. But we'll have an ace already played if things get nasty. The Nuadawill drop its two reinforced lances over a small docking bay on the dark side of the mining planetoid. It's on the side opposite the main bay entrance, but has a direct link to the docking bay.

"Our aero wing will deploy to cover the Cm. Captain Vander-meer will keep us at his pirate point, and we'll begin to use our engines to recharge, much as we have done here. If things look friendly, we'll move the Cuin and draw power directly from the planetoid."

Kell's image furrowed its brows. "I'll not kid you. All of this is dangerous. It could be the end of the Kell Hounds if we have a drive failure here or if someone anticipates our arrival at Styx." Patrick shook his head. "We'll make it, though, and that'll irritate Takashi Kurita more than bad sushi. There's no one in the Inner Sphere who deserves it more. Luck to you all."

And to you, Patrick. I wouldn't wait behind for all the beer in the Free Worlds League.Dan flicked switches on his command console. The on-board computer executed thousands of checks in mere seconds, then reported the results on the screen previously occupied by Patrick Kell. Dan opened a commlink. "Alpha Leader is at 100 percent," he said.

"Likewise, Captain," reported Austin Brand. "Alpha Three is green all the way." Following Meg's report, Eddie Baker added. "Alpha Four is aces up." Dan smiled to himself. "How about you, Cat?”

“All systems go." The man who normally piloted a Marauderquickly amended his statement. "The machine is ready, but I think my left hand will wither for lack of something to do."

"Yeah." Dan switched his radio over to the command frequency. "Salome, Alpha Lance is operational."

"Good. Beta is all green as well. You're the Tactical Commander on this drop, Dan. My Wolverineand Mike's Catapultare here for support because you've got the superior grasp of light 'Mech tactics. Let us know where you need us."

"Roger." Dan glanced at the timer ticking down on his console. He switched his radio over to the battle frequency for the whole assault team. "Ten seconds and counting. Brace, because we'll be in-system and away almost immediately."

Following his own advice, Dan slipped his hands from the joysticks down to the arms of the command chair itself as the clock revealed three seconds to jump. He felt the familiar, yet unsettling thrum of the K-F drive engaging. What was that? Is something wrong?Questions ripped through his brain as he sought to match his current feelings to the faded memories of all the other jumps he'd made.

Lights flared and twisted as always, but instead of the mosaic of soft, melting pastels, hard, crystalline daggers of intense color stabbed at his eyes. Glittering fragments of reality raked across his consciousness like nettles. They caught and tore, then shattered as he cried out in pain. Spinning away, they winked out of existence like fairy dust.

Dan snapped his eyes open. He felt the lurch and vibration as the Nuadadisengaged itself from the Cucamulus.He floated up in his seat for a half-second, then his restraining straps caught him. From beneath his feet, he felt a strong tremor, then the gravity induced by the Nuada'sengine thrust smashed him back down into his command chair.

Almost instantly, Patrick Kell's voice filled his neurohelmet. "Bad news, Dan. We've got two Kurita JumpShips at the zenith point. One DropShip is on a return vector for the JumpShips, but a scan reports traces of an ion trail heading in toward the planetoid. The ship must be on the sunside."

"Roger, Patrick. Thanks." Dan opened the battle frequency. "Heads up, campers. We'll have playmates when we hit solid ground." Dan reached out and flipped a switch. "Captain Helmer? Dan Allard here. What do you show on the planetoid?"

Captain Thomas Helmer of the Nuada Argetlananswered carefully. Dan could almost see the man studying a sensor screen as he selected his words for accuracy. When he spoke, however, there was not a trace of fear or anxiety in the Captain's voice. "The surface is full of pitted valleys and canyons. It's got enough metal in it to make the magscanners useless. Because we're coming in on the dark side, IR should work, but I'm getting nothing at this range."

"I understand. Have you located our target?"

"Affirmative. It actually has an active homing beacon. Wait! What's this?" Dan heard Helmer snap an order at someone on the bridge. "Patching visual through to you, Dan."

Dan watched as computer-generated topography filled an auxiliary monitor. A grid of green lines formed themselves into rolling hills and jagged mountains. In the distance, winking occasionally from between two particularly sharp mountains, Dan spotted the yellow rectangle designating their drop target. The computer added five yellow asterisks bouncing along on a direct course for the bay.

"What are those?"

Helmer coughed lightly. "I'm not sure. Mass marks them as thirty-five tons, give or take. Probably Panthers.”

“They haven't seen us, have they?"

Helmer laughed. "No, and it wouldn't make any difference if they had."

Dan frowned. "I don't understand."

"No Comsats, Dan. They're on the dark side. Until they get into the mining facilities, they can't communicate with the Drop-Ship or anyone else."

Dan nodded. "I see. We better beat them in. Would you mind goosing this baby?"

"My pleasure. Speed to 2.5 Gs. Twelve minutes to drop, Dan. Happy hunting."

* * *

Dan watched Cat Wilson's Pantherstreak planetward. The Valkyrie'sjump jets stabbed flame from the bottoms of both feet and from the rocket pack on the 'Mech's back. The ion streams slowed the Valkyrie'sdescent, then lifted it and arced it forward. Cat's Panther,riding similar leg jets, floated up beside him and followed him into battle.

Fitzhugh's Catapultlaunched twin LRM volleys at the lead Kurita Panther.Five missiles tore armor from the Panther'shead, and another quintet savaged its left leg. Eight more missiles zeroed in on the Panther'sright arm, blasting every shred of armor from that limb, but failed to cripple it.

The Pantherraised its PPC and triggered a blast at the Catapult.As the PPC beam whipped across the birdlike Catapult'sright leg, it melted armor and sent droplets of molten ceramics streaming to the planetoid's surface.

The Catapultanswered the Pantherwith all four of its medium lasers. Two scarlet laser beams slashed ugly, bubbling scars across the Panther'storso. Armor exploded away from the 'Mech's left arm as a third beam burned across its surface. The fourth beam sizzled into the Panther'sdamaged right arm, melting the last of the armor and eating hungrily into the tattered limb. In a bright burst of sparks, the charging coils on the Panther'sPPC went black.

Salome's Wolverinedescended at the rear of the Kurita lance. Targeting a Pantherthat was tracking Meg Lang's Wasp,Salome unleashed her 'Mech's full fury upon it. The shoulder launcher belched a full SRM flight, and four of them hit. Two missiles blasted armor from the Panther'sleft arm and leg. Two others, as though homing in on the Panther'sweakness, blasted thin armor from the center and left portion of the 'Mech's back.

Realizing his predicament too late, the Pantherpilot hit his jump jets. As he rose on columns of ions, the fire from Salome's autocannon punched through the broken armor on the left side of the torso. Meanwhile, the Wolverine'smedium laser melted through the Panther'sspine. Hot shards of armor rained to the ground, and a flash of heat spilled from the 'Mech's infrared silhouette on Dan's battle screens.

"Meg, one's on you, to your right." Dan watched as she reacted. She boosted power to the jump jets, then drew up the knees on her Wasp.The Wasptwisted wildly and arced back as the PPC beams and flights of SRMs released by two Pantherssailed wide of their careening target.

Flashing beneath the Wasp,Austin Brand's Panthertracked the Pantherthat Salome had already savaged. The PPC in the right hand of Brand's Pantherreleased an azure energy bolt, and the SRM launcher over the 'Mech's heart sent its flight of four missiles up and away. Three of the missiles found their target and exploded armor from the enemy Panther'schest and right leg. The PPC beam struck the other Pantherfull in the chest, and sent all but the last layer of armor flaking away in a turquoise explosion.

Cat Wilson's PPC stabbed out. It drenched the planetoid's surface in cerulean highlights and lashed a third Pantheracross the chest. 'Mech armor boiled up, cracked loose, and dropped away in glowing plates. Cat's quartet of SRMs smashed into the same Panther.They blasted armor from either side of the torso, and cratered the armor on the Panther'sright leg. Staggered, the Panthertwisted to target Cat with its return volley of SRMs.

"Break wide, Cat!" The MechWarrior rolled his Pantheras the SRMs twisted toward him. Two bursts against his 'Mech's right arm and crushed armor with fiery explosions. The only other missile to hit blasted armor from the Panther'schest.

The confidence in Cat's voice rang through clearly. "Thanks for the warning. It's all yours."

Dan dropped the gold crosshairs of his weapons systems on the third Pantherand tightened his triggers. The medium laser mounted in the right arm of his ' Mech gouged chunks of armor from the ragged right side of the Panther'schest.

Six of the Valkyrie'sLRMs spiraled down into the Pantherwith hideous effect. Like flies to an open wound, the missiles blasted through the weakened torso armor and on into the 'Mech's core. An explosion brought a wave of white heat from the Panther'schest as the missiles shattered shielding on the fusion reactor.

Baker's Jennerlanded in a crouch, facing an undamaged Panther.The 'Mechs exchanged SRM volleys, but the Jenner's lower profile let the Panther'sSRMs fly overhead, where they exploded against a barren hillside. Half the Jenner'sSRMs hit their target, drawing first blood and shattering armor on the Panther'storso.

Four lasers stabbed out from the Jenner'swings. One carved more armor from the Kurita 'Mech's torso, while another burned an uneven line through the armor on the Panther'sleft leg. The final two beams lanced through the Panther'sleft arm, stripping it of every scrap of armor and exposing the myomer muscles.

The Kurita Panther'sright arm came up and triggered a blast with its PPC. The blue jolt jerked and writhed as it scourged Jenner'schest. Gobs of molten armor flew away from the Jenneron vapor jets. As the debris cloud evaporated, it left the Jenner'schest naked and vulnerable.

Bethany Connor's Pantherswung about and targeted the Kurita Pantherattacking Baker's Jenner.Her PPC spat blue fire in a direct line at the enemy Panther's,wounded chest, bursting through the remaining armor as though it were paper. The beam melted all it touched, then ignited the SRMs stored in the Panther'schest.

The SRMs exploded in a staccato string of bright flashes. Like a fountain of fire, bursts of light lanced from the 'Mech's torso. A pair of brilliant detonations sent the 'Mech's naked left arm spinning past Connor's Panther.Fire roiled and swirled within the Kurita 'Mech's heart, then grew in a series of explosions that the Panthercould no longer contain. In a flash of platinum fire hot enough to momentarily overwhelm Dan's scanner, the 'Mech disintegrated.

Diane McWilliams and Mary Lasker bracketed the remaining Pantherand concentrated their fire upon it. As their PPC beams both savaged the 'Mech's right leg, its armor melted away like wax. Muscles snapped apart and titanium bones glowed white-hot before they dissolved into tiny droplets.

As the Kurita Pantherwavered and began to fall, the paired SRM volleys from the Kell Hound's captured Panthersbattered the crippled 'Mech. Explosions blossomed across its chest like a necklace of fiery flowers, twisting the big machine and knocking it to the ground.

The Kurita Panthersmoved to withdraw. "We have to stop them, Kell Hounds." Dan hated the sound of his voice as he issued the order, but he knew that there was no other choice. If they get to where they can radio for help, we're finished.

Fitzhugh's Catapultlaunched two more flights of LRMs at the Pantherit had first attacked. Over a score of missiles hammered that 'Mech, shrouding it in a cloak of fire. The broken right arm snapped clean off after a series of hideous detonations. Several missiles shredded what little armor remained on the Panther'shead. Even more LRM missiles blasted away the fragments of armor shielding the 'Mech's chest, then crushed the Panther'sgyro system and SRM launcher. The broken machine spun to the planet's surface.

The Kurita Pantherthat Salome had first attacked turned in midflight to face her Wolverine.The two 'Mechs exchanged flights of SRMs like duelists settling a vendetta. Three missiles launched from the Pantherexploded against the Wolverine'sleft

Hank. Though they blasted away armor, the wounds appeared to be trivial.

Four of the SRMs arcing from the Wolverine'sshoulder launcher struck their flying target. One exploded within the confines of the enemy Pantherschest, while the other three blasted armor from the left side of the chest, left leg, and right arm. The last missile, though it did little more than superficial damage, exploded against the PPC on the Panther'sright arm. The blast forced the fearsome weapon wide of its intended target so that the blue beam it had released burned harmlessly over the Wolverine'shead.

Salome's return fire struck home savagely. The autocannon's burst hit the Pantherin the face, snapping its head back like a fighter hit by a punch. As the Kurita 'Mech began to roll over slowly, the Wolverine'shead-mounted medium laser stabbed deep into its front torso. Oily smoke burst from the Pantheras the laser melted yet more shielding from its fusion engine.

The energy beam also destroyed the Panther'sgyrostabilizer. The gyro's destruction accentuated the roll begun earlier, and the 'Mech went spinning helplessly out of control. It spiraled around on ion jets as the pilot fought to control it, then slammed against a mountainside in a brilliant explosion.

Cat and Brand caught the third Pantherin a withering PPC crossfire, the turquoise energy beams slashing through the stricken 'Mech like scalpels. Cat's beam sliced all the armor from the Panther'sright arm. Steaming vaporized metal, the smoking carapace dropped to the planet's ochre surface.

Ignoring the damage done by Cat's attack, Brand impaled the enemy Pantherwith his PPCs artificial lightning. It spitted the fusion engine and split open the remaining shielding like the shell of a nut. Fire blossomed in the Panther'sstomach, then exploded outward. It bisected the 'Mech, then greedily gobbled the upper half before the plasma ball imploded and vanished in a golden flash.