Текст книги "Warrior: En Garde"

Dieron Military District, Draconis Combine

26 May 3027

Three kilometers further on, through craters blasted into the planetoid's surface by meteors, the Kell Hounds reached the small docking bay. Set flush into the red-rock surface, the 100-meter wide square glowed yellow in the backglare of blinking directional lights. Dan's magscanner confirmed that the interlocking metal doors were structurally sound, and that energy flowed to the circuits needed to open them. "Dan."

Dan turned his Valkyrietoward where Brand's Pantherknelt beside the smaller airlock meant for personnel. Though the titanium doorway appeared plainly on Dan's magscan, he could see some sort of plastic cover shrouding it on the visual scanner. "What have you got, Austin?"

The Pantherraised its head. "It looks as though jump troops came through here," Brand said. "The instructions on the seal are in Japanese. With two Kurita ships in-system, that must mean that the foot soldiers were Draconian."

Dan could almost see the frown on Cat's face that would match the rumble in the MechWarrior's voice. "Jump troops sent in before 'Mechs? That means one thing."

Dan nodded. "ISF." I hope like hell the folks inside knew that they were coming. If not, we probably won't find anything alive in there.

Salome broke into the conversation. "Dan, did you notice the crest on those 'Mechs?"

Dan tried to visualize it, but could not. He punched up a replay of his combat footage, and froze the display when a crest popped into view. He magnified it and studied the simple design in the standard Kurita red circle. "I make it a black wave with stars in it. If that little boat carried up almost under the crest of the wave is to scale, that is a massive tidalwave."

"Right, that's what I have too." A nervous edge crept into Salome's voice. "I've crosschecked it against all unit designations in the Successor States. It's a blank."

That's impossible.Icy fingers traced a line down Dan's spine. "A unit that doesn't exist and ISF troops. This is strange." He switched to the battle frequency. "Let's be careful, people. This could be nasty. There must be something inside this rock that the Draconis Combine wants very badly."

Meg Lang's Waspknelt beside the large bay doors. She attached the radio landline to a small panel at one edge of the bay. "Dan, I've set up our remote relay so that we can communicate with the Cufrom inside this rock. I've also got full operational control of the airlock and this small docking bay. Both doors work. Everything is set for us to pretend we're an incoming ship."

"Good. Salome, I'd like your Wolverineto shield Meg's Waspand Baker's Jenner.Meg, Eddie, you two will go in last and hang back because the Pantherswill eat your 'Mechs alive. Brand, I want you and Connor up front. Your Panthersmay confuse the Draconians for a moment or two."

Meg keyed in a standard access code, and the massive doors slowly slid apart. The thin layer of red dust from the planetoid's surface drifted up as traces of atmosphere burst free of the airlock. The Kell Hound 'Mechs quickly stepped onto the elevator platform that had risen from the interior to the surface.

Meg detached the landline from the exterior access port and snapped it into a similar connection on the elevator floor. She started the elevator moving downward, then closed the doors over their heads. In the darkness and silence of the airlock's vacuum, the Kell Hounds descended.

Dan shivered unconsciously. "Meg, how about some lights?"

"No can do, Dan. Styx Mining was a frugal company. Why waste them in an elevator shaft? I am bringing the atmosphere back up, though." The elevator began to slow and Meg laughed. "Ground floor. Lamps, lingerie, and angry Kuritans."

Bethany Connor laughed, too. "Lamps? Now I know what to do with the next PantherI see."

Dan swallowed as the elevator stopped. "O.K. Can the chatter. Connor and Brand are point. Fitzhugh, Baker, and Lang are rearguard. Open the doors, Meg."

The interior airlock doors opened slowly. Connor and Brand dropped their Panthersinto low crouches, thrusting the snouts of their PPCs through the widening crack. Not a word passed between the two MechWarriors, but each covered a different arc of the room.

"Clear, Dan."

"Roger. Head out and secure the hallway."

In response to the order, Brand slipped through the half-opened doors. He covered the large, 'Mech-scale doorway in the wall to the right. Bethany Connor trotted her 'Mech behind Brand's, then took up a position where she could cover the doorway more fully. Brand closed to the doorway and peeked his Panther'shead around the corner.

"Clear again, Dan."

Dan stepped his Valkyriefrom the elevator. "Go down the corridor no more than two hundred meters. You do remember enough Japanese to answer some basic questions if you meet a force before we can come up, don't you?"

"Hai,Allard-sama."

"Cute. Get going."

Brand's Panthervanished into the corridor, with Connor's 'Mech following closely. Cat Wilson took up Brand's old position next to the door, and Salome's Wolverinebacked him up. The other Panthers,piloted by Diane McWilliams and Mary Lasker, formed up behind Dan's Valkyrie.The Catapult, Jenner,and Waspstill stood in the elevator.

Dan waved Cat and Salome forward with his 'Mech's left hand, then started to follow them. McWilliams and Lasker took up defensive positions near the doorway, then drifted into the corridor behind the Valkyrie.

Brand's voice exploded into Dan's neurohelmet. "Son of a bitch! Dan, get down here. Fast!"

"Austin, what is it?"

The Lieutenant's laugh carried utter disbelief. "This you've got to see."

Dan frowned. "This is not the place for jokes, Lieutenant. What is it."

"I'm not joking, sir. The Captain wouldn't believe me if I told him."

This better be good, or your ass is in a sling, Brand.Dan squeezed his Valkyriepast the Wolverineand quickly marched to where Brand's Pantherhad dropped to one knee. Further up the corridor, crouched just this side of an intersection, Connor covered the converging hallways. Dan waved his left hand, and Cat brought his Pantherup to match Connor's at the other side of the corridor.

Dan caught his first glimpse of them over Brand's shoulder. "Oh, my God!" he muttered, switching over to the command frequency. "Salome, we have trouble."

"What?"

"Not what. Who."Dan now understood the disbelief in Brand's radio message. "We've just found a dwarf, a MechWarrior, and the Archon-Designate of the Lyran Commonwealth!"

* * *

Dan shifted his radio from Tac-2 to the battle channel that all the Kell Hounds shared. "O.K., this is the plan." Dan swallowed hard as he looked at the different 'Mechs standing around the docking bay. He turned his Valkyrie'shead toward the Waspand Jenner.

"Meg, you and Eddie will take the Archon-Designate, Leftenant Redburn, and Clovis to the surface. Stay hidden. The Macis coming in for you. After the rest of us leave here, switch over to Tac-2 and Patrick will give you instructions for pickup."

Both 'Mech pilots acknowledged the instructions, then Dan continued with the briefing. "The rest of us are going to buy the Macthe time it needs to get away with Melissa Steiner. The Cu-camulushas already started moving away as fast as she can, and the Macwill catch up once it takes our passengers aboard. The Cuwill have worked up two days' worth of charge—which is more than we had getting here—and will jump our guests out to some Fed star."

Cat Wilson's bass voice thundered through Dan's neuro-helmet. "The aero wing will screen the Mac,right?"

"Correct. That keeps it safe from any Kurita Panthersroaming the surface. The DropShip heading back to the Kurita jumpers can't turn around in time to reach the Cubefore it jumps. The only interference comes from the ship that dropped the Pantherswe destroyed on the surface."

Austin Brand spoke with chilling finality. "And it won't take the Cuunless it has some military forces—the PanthersClovis says it dropped into the big bay."

Dan shrugged and sighed. "That's it, folks. We've got to hold the Kuritans long enough for the Archon-Designate's escape to become a mathematical certainty." Which means that the Kurita force will pound us into plum sauce, if Clovis's computer projection is correct.Dan realized that the same thought would also be occurring to the others in his command, but no one voiced the gloomy prediction.

"Captain Allard, this is Leftenant Redburn." Pain and anger threaded Redburn's words, but his utter fatigue dominated them. "Let me out of this Jenner.I've got some fighting left to do."

Dan laughed. "Sorry, Leftenant. I've got my orders. Kell Hound Company policy. No pilots at less than 100 percent allowed into combat." Dan focused on the Wasp."And if you're listening, your Highness, we will not leave you or Clovis here, either. Colonel Kell was quite clear in his orders."

Dan walked his Valkyrietoward the doorway. Because the battle scanners gave him full, 360-degree vision, he saw Brand's Pantherreach out and touch hands with Meg Lang's Wasp. For your sake, Meg, I hope that your grandmother was wrong in making you promise never to love a MechWarrior. I have a feeling this battle is going to be rougher on the survivors than it is on those who die.

Dan's Valkyrieled the remaining Kell Hounds deeper into the planetoid. Cat Wilson formed himself up as Dan's partner. Diane McWilliams and Mary Lasker hung together right behind the Valkyrie.Brand and Salome Ward, with their vastly different 'Mechs, formed the third fire team. Fitzhugh in his Catapultand Bethany Connor in a Pantherformed the column's rearguard.

Dan studied a schematic that Clovis had pulled from the base's computer and pumped into the Valkyrie.It showed the docking bay where the Silver Eagleand the Bifrosthung suspended by invisible magnetic threads. The massive area extended two levels and featured over two dozen 'Mech-sized corridors converging on it. The Kell Hounds would have ample holes from which to attack, and an equal number through which to retreat. Dan smiled. We can do some damage before—

A loud, screeching signal howled into his neurohelmet for a second or two before the computer cleaned it up. "Hello! Hello!" The voice, which Dan had never heard before, hesitated with the words and almost succumbed to converting the Ls into Rs. A Kuritan!

Dan did not reply. With the Valkyrie'sarms, he motioned to his people to spread, and they quickly moved into the positions he designated. Dan marched his Valkyriepast Cat's crouching Panther,and continued a bit further on down the corridor. On ahead, through a brightly lit archway, he knew he'd see the large docking bay.

Again the voice burst into his ears. "Hello? We know you are out there. I am Sho-sa... So sorry, that's Major Tarukito Niiro. I am the tactical commander for this operation. You will reply. Yes, please?"

Dan typed furiously on his console keyboard. He shot a tight-beamed message back to Cat, with instructions to pass it on to the other Kell Hounds. The messages designated the points where he wanted each Kell Hound stationed, and the amount of time he allowed for each one to obtain his firestation. Now to buy us that time.

"Hai, Sho-saNiiro Tarukito-san. Konnichi wa."Dan smiled to himself. "I and my regiment are here. What can I do for you?”

“Excuse me, but to whom am I speaking?”

“Captain Daniel Allard."

Tarukito's voice came back, almost apologetic. "And your regiment is. . . ?"

"Unimportant, Sho-sa,but large enough to destroy any command you have." Dan inched the Valkyriea bit further down the corridor. "As I asked before, what can I do for you?"

"You can surrender to us the Archon-Designate, Melissa Arthur Steiner."

Dan felt chills down his spine. He forced levity into his voice to put off the Kurita Sho-sa."I am afraid that I haven't the least idea what you're talking about."

"That is a pity." The Draconian sounded truly sorry. "Please, Captain Allard, continue down the corridor. Consider yourself under a flag of truce. You have my word." Tarukito's voice lightened. "I call your bluff, Captain."

Dan advanced far enough to see the ship bay. The Bifrostfloated freely above the bay deck. Supported by a forest of landing staunchions, the Silver Eaglerested beneath it on the bay deck itself. Surrounding the elegant DropShip, Dan saw a ring of Panthers.At the Silver Eagle'snose, a Warhammerand a Crusadersupplemented the smaller Kurita 'Mech force.

Dan froze. Something about thatWarhammer. It just feels.. .familiar? Afeeling of dread clawed at his mind. There've got to be twentyPanthers out there, and then those two heavies. Outnumbered and outgunned. Melissa better escape cleanly.

Dan narrowed his eyes. "I see your force, Major. Very admirable. I trust they will die as well as the Pantherswe destroyed on our way in."

The Kurita voice took on an air of superiority. "Perhaps, Captain Allard. As I can see from the markings on your Valkyrie,you are a member of the Kell Hounds. You have lied. You have no regiment."

Dan stiffened. "What I don't have is the Archon-Designate."

“That is unfortunate" A Pantherraised an empty hand and patted the Stiver Eagle'shull. "If you do not deliver Melissa Steiner to us within one hour, we will destroy the Silver Eagleand every person aboard."

55

Solaris VII (The Game World)

Rahneshire, Lyran Commonwealth

26 May 3027

Trapped on a ledge, with a Firestarterat his left hand, an Urban-Mechon the right, and a Riflemanfacing him across a crevasse, Justin knew what Philip Capet expected from him. If caught in the same position, you'd give up, wouldn't you, Capet? You'd surrender and die. You 'd make it easy for me, wouldn't you ? And now you expect the same from me.

Justin laughed defiantly. "You're still no tactician, Capet!" He stepped his Riflemanforward, and dropped into the crevasse.

The Riflemanshot down like a streaking meteorite for twenty meters. The impact of metal feet hitting the slightly inclined crevasse wall slammed Justin down into his command chair and crushed the heavy neurohelmet into his shoulders. His jaw smashed shut, and Justin felt tiny tooth chips grind beneath his molars.

He fought to control his balance and, with it, the balance of the sixty-ton monster encasing him. The 'Mech's left toe caught in a narrow crack. The Legend-killerslowly began to twist toward the right, but Justin arched his back and wrenched his shoulders around to the left. The Riflemantipped backward and crashed flat against the stony slope.

Damn!he thought. Ifeel as though I'm wrestling an entire mountain!

Dust and debris shrouded the sliding 'Mech in a gray cloud.

The sharp, keening sound of metal scraping against stone and the trail of sparks and armor chips eloquently informed him of the damage being done to his 'Mech's already-inadequate rear armor. Justin scanned his monitors for any other problems, then flinched as a piece of stone kicked up by the 'Mech's feet ricocheted off his viewscreen.

All too quickly, the ground stopped the Legend-killer'ssledlike descent. The collision with the crevasse floor threw Justin forward in his safety harness. It burned and pinched as it restrained him, then flung him back into his command chair. The dust cloud swirled around and settled over the Rifleman.

Justin scanned the 'Mech's monitors and cursed. By sliding down on the 'Mech's back, he had totally shredded the rear armor. Dammmit all to hell. Tsen Shang could cut through that armor with his fingernails. I can't let any of them get behind me.

Proximity alarms filled the cockpit with screamed warnings. Justin looked up. From above, the Firestarterwas descending on a jet of ion flame. Justin shook his head. Idiot. Battered and bruised I may be, but tinder for a pyre I'm not.

Twin laser beams from the Legend-killer'sarms lanced up between the legs of the other 'Mech. The beams liquified the armor covering the Firestarter'sgroin, then pulsed on up into the 'Mech's torso. There, they punctured the fuel cells of the two torso flamethrowers like needles bursting overfilled balloons. Fire spurted in ragged jets from the Firestarter'sshoulder joints and neck, then a fireball ripped the 'Mech apart and sprayed Ishiyama with flaming debris.

Justin heaved the Legend-killerto its feet and marched the 'Mech forward amid the burning blizzard. Apparently damaged during the long slide, the left knee joint froze up and set the Legend-killerstumbling forward. Justin regained his balance just in time to keep the 'Mech from falling on its face.

He frowned and executed a diagnostic program. The auxiliary monitor flashed to life with a schematic of the Legend-killer'sleft knee. It showed a chunk of ferrocrete lodged in the joint. If this 'Mech had hands, I could pull it free,Justin grumbled inwardly. Unable to repair the damage, he jammed the left leg against the crevasse floor, then pivoted forward on it. Limping badly, he jogged the 'Mech into a tunnel mouth.

A hail of autocannon shells swept the valley floor behind him, but only succeeded in blasting Firestarterdetritus into even smaller scraps of waste metal. Fragments of ferrocrete peppered the rear of Justin's Rifleman,but did no real damage. After a short pause, another long burst of fire rattled through the artificial valley.

That's theUrbanMech. He's got a ten-shot-burst autocannon, as opposed to the five-shot popguns ourRiflemen carry.Justin narrowed his eyes. They have to assume my back armor is in sad shape. Given Capet's rudimentary cunning, that means they'll try to trap me between them so that one of them can get a shot at me. TheUrbanMech has the jump jets to get it down here. How stupid is that pilot?

Justin opened a radio channel to Capet. "Find some spot with ample camera coverage, Capet, because I'm coming up to kill you." He closed the line before Capet could answer, then allowed himself a quiet laugh.

Justin limped his 'Mech deeper into the tunnel. While still in view of the crevasse, the tunnel opened onto a passage running parallel to the crevasse. He swung the Riflemanright, just barely around the corner, and turned it so that its back pressed against the corridor wall paralleling the crevasse. I'll give him ten minutes. If he's not down here by then, I'll just have to take my chances up above.

Justin heard the echoed report of jump jets as the UrbanMechlanded in the crevassse. A tiny laser beam—the UrbanMech'sother weapon system—splashed against the opposite wall of the corridor. He's cautious, but not cautious enough,Justin thought grimly.

He pivoted the Legend-killeron its frozen left leg. The huge 'Mech swung around and filled the tunnel mouth, its guns snapping into line with the smaller UrbanMech.Then Justin let loose with every weapon the Riflemanhad.

The large lasers cored through the UrbanMech'sheart like ruby drills. Shards of hot armor careened off the tunnel walls and whirled through the air. Fire and steam flared from the huge hole in the 'Mech's chest as one of the medium lasers stabbed through and destroyed everything it touched. White heat erased the 'Mech's midsection on Justin's infrared display as engine shielding evaporated.

Autocannon fire smashed armor on the 'Mech's dwarfed left arm, and shredded armor on the right side of the UrbanMech'storso. The other medium laser in the Legend-killer'schest slashed into the torn armor on the UrbanMech'sright side. It blasted away what little armor remained, then shot needles of fragmented ruby light into the 'Mech's chest, which ignited everything they touched.

One light spear hit the autocannon magazine, and detonated the first of the caseless explosive shells waiting to be fed into the

UrbanMech'sImperator-B autocannon. When that shell burst, it sowed white-hot slivers of metal throughout the magazine.

The uneven flashes of light popping from within the UrbanMech'schest spat metal and fire. One explosion tore the autocannon off and sent it skittering back into the crevasse on a jet of ochre flame. More explosions dented the UrbanMech'storso armor from the inside, then punched out to freedom. The whole top half of the 'Mech snapped open like the lid on a jack-in-the-box, and a column of flame shot up to engulf the tunnel roof.

The explosion's Shockwave rocked Justin's unsteady Rifleman.Pieces of debris sizzled through the air and hammered the Legend-killerwith a fury that suggested the UrbanMechwanted revenge for its death. Justin, shaken by the explosion and stifled by the volcanic heat-vortex swirling in his cockpit, struggled to keep the Riflemanstanding. He stumbled the 'Mech backward and came to rest with its back to the corridor wall.

The diagnostic program redrew the knee joint and beeped urgently at Justin. Well now,he thought. There is a silver lining in this whole sordid cloud.Something—the Shockwave or a piece of Urban-Mech—had dislodged whatever had previously jammed the Rifleman'sleft knee. Waiting for his heat levels to drop to acceptable levels, Justin chuckled silently to himself. Even when you cheat, Capet, you can't get it right.

Justin spun the Riflemanand sent it lumbering off to the left. Taking the first ramp leading up, he mounted it at a nearly reckless pace. He sped on through intersections after only the most cursory examination. He altered his course almost at random, but always continued upward.

Slow down, Justin,he told himself. Haste will get you killed. Capet will want to hit you from behind. You must take more care.Justin smiled slowly as an idea blossomed in his mind. Perhaps you can turn his desires against him.

Justin opened a radio channel to his foe. "Come out," Philip. Stop hiding."

"Hiding? I anxiously await your arrival."

Justin narrowed his eyes. "I found myself unavoidably detained a bit earlier. I felt compelled to watch the UrbanMechexplode. It is a pity you were not there."

Capet's laughter sounded hollow. "I'll catch it on the replay. I warned him that you Capellan bastards are sneaky."

Justin nodded. "That we are, Capet, but you'll never understand the true depth of our brilliance in that department."

Justin turned his 'Mech to the left and entered a narrow tunnel that gradually sloped upward through the shadows. As he started into it, the darkness shrouded his 'Mech. Inching along slowly and laboriously, Justin became uncomfortable, for the tunnel was too narrow. He had no room to turn.

As though Capet had read Justin's mind, he suddenly stepped his Riflemanup to block the Legend-killer'sline of retreat. "It's all over, Justin Xiang. Good riddance."

Even as Justin brought the Legend-killer'sguns up and over to cover Capet's 'Mech, the other man's Riflemanblazed away with everything he had. Before his weapons could blast into their target, however, Capet's inhuman scream of rage echoed throughout Ishiyama. In the laser's backlight, the ghost painted into the logo on the Legend-Killer'sbreast seemed to mock Capet's ambush with a fool's grin.

Capet's two large laser beams hammered into the Legend-killer'sright side. Chunks of armor shot away on vapor jets as the energy beams instantly converted ceramics and metal to gas. One of the Rifleman'smedium lasers pierced the gray, swirling cloud and destroyed a medium laser on the Legend-killer'schest. Capet's other medium laser boiled armor from the Legend-killer'sleft breast, while the autocannons puckered and chipped armor on the left arm and leg of Justin's 'Mech.

"That's right, Phillip," Justin said with a laugh, "I marched the Legend-killerinto this little trap backward.Just like a treacherous Capellan to pull a trick like that, eh? And so like a stupid Federat to fall for it."

Justin ignored the dozen warning lights flashing for his attention. He concentrated on his phantom left arm and watched the golden crosshairs that it controlled drop onto the box of glass and metal jutting out from between the Rifleman'sshoulders. The gold cross drifted down into place, then flashed in syncopation with Justin's racing heartbeat.

"Philip, in your last moment, try not to dwell on the thought of failure .. ."

Justin commanded his left arm to fire its weapons.

The large laser washed over the Rifleman'shead like a tidal wave devouring a sand castle. Its scarlet cylinder blasted armor from the head of Capet's 'Mech, and the pilot's canopy exploded into a million fragments that melted to the ground in a burning rain of glass.

The medium laser in the Legend-killer'sleft breast hissed through the air and blasted again into the other 'Mech'sfiead. More armor and internal structures sailed into the air. For the first time, Capet's Riflemanshuddered, as though stunned by the impact. With that, Justin knew that Capet had been knocked unconscious.

With no regrets, Justin watched the autocannon shells careen through the Rifleman'shead. What little had survived the energy weapons now fell to the autocannon's projectiles. The final shells continued their flight through to where the Rifleman'shead had been and ricocheted deeper into Ishiyama.

Justin nodded slowly as the headless Riflemanwavered, then crashed to the ground on its back. "So falls the Prince's champion," he said, being sure the broadcasters would pick up his words. "Can his master's fall be far behind?"

* * *

Justin stared at himself in the glass. The gold and black silk robe delivered to his locker room after the fight fit him perfectly. Cut to just below his waist and tied with a gold sash, the robe felt comfortable and yet looked formally proper. The gold embroidery over the shoulders and down the sleeves hinted at tiger-stripes, which echoed the stylized tigers on each breast and the larger tiger sewn around the midsection.

He read the card once again. Your actions bring honor to us all.Though unsigned, Justin easily recognized the holographic "chop" sealed to the card as that of Tsen Shang.

Justin opened the locker room door and hesitated. Two lean, lupine-looking Capellan youths in leather tunics stood by the door. One smiled courteously as he restrained some unruly fans, while the second one bowed. "Zao,Justin Xiang. I have been sent to conduct you to a friend." The youth's gaze flickered over the robe and silently revealed the "friend's" identity.

Justin nodded his head graciously. He followed the tongsman through the underground maze of tunnels honeycombing the foundation of Ishiyama. Kurita guards allowed them to pass through several limited-access doorways before they reached a back entrance to the building. The tongsman opened the door for Justin. Across the rain-slick alley, the MechWarrior recognized Tsen Shang's Feicui.

A rear door slid open and Justin stepped into the aircar's dark interior to join Tsen Shang on the wide leather seat. The tongsman climbed into the driver's seat. At a nod from Shang, the driver engaged the engine, and the car rose on its cushion of air.

"Congratulations, Justin. I am most proud of your efforts. I dare say that sentiment is shared by everyone in Cathay." Tsen Shang smiled. A muffled pop sounded as he carefully worked the cork free from a bottle. "I trust you liked the House Palos vintage I sent to you after the Armstrong fight."

Justin smiled. "I did, indeed." He brushed the fingers of his right hand against the robe. "And I very much appreciate this robe. My mother's family crest also bore a tiger."

Shang carefully poured wine into two glasses, then settled the bottle into an ice-filled bucket built into the bar opposite their seats. "Exactly the reason I specified that design." He handed Justin a glass and brandished the other one himself. "On behalf of the entire Capellan Confederation, I thank you for your efforts."

Justin nodded and they both sipped from their glasses. "What else do you know about me?"

Shang shrugged, but the warm smile on his face never faded. "As a member of the Maskirovka, I know all there is to know about you—at least, all that is important. You would be amused, I think, by our assessment of your part in the battle on Spica in 3016. Had any bookies gotten our agent's report, you would have been a long-odds favorite in all fights. Our agent did not like you at all."

Justin narrowed his eyes. "That is a flaw with the Maskirovka."

Shang nodded and sipped his champagne. "That oversight was corrected in later reports, which are quite flattering concerning your abilities and strengths." Shang reached in to a narrow pocket set in the Feicui's far door. He drew from it an envelope and passed it to Justin.

Justin drained his glass and set it down before accepting the packet. His name had been calligraphed across the front of the envelope. Flipping it over, he saw that it was sealed shut with the chop of the Ministry of Social Education. Justin broke the seal and opened it.

Inside were a host of documents. What caught his eye first was a pair of passports bearing his picture and signature, though one claimed he was a Thomas Yuan, not Justin Xiang. In addition to the passports, he poured two full sets of documents into his lap. There were identification papers, credit chips, and full transcripts of education and societal functions for both himself and this Thomas Yuan.

Justin frowned. "I don't understand . . ." He shook his head, which suddenly felt as though it was stuffed with cotton. He blinked his eyes twice, then watched everything blur beyond recognition.