Текст книги "Wolf Pack"
Автор книги: Robert N. Charette
Жанры:
Боевая фантастика
,сообщить о нарушении
Текущая страница: 13 (всего у книги 26 страниц)
26
From behind a concealed panel Subhash Indrahar's powered chair rolled into the chamber, the tatamimats crackling under pressure from the tires. The hated Ninyu advanced with him, stopping to stand behind his adopted father. Ninyu directed the squad of black-clad ISF troopers who followed him, coordinating their positioning with a second squad who entered by the doorway from the gardens. Each trooper held a Shimatsu 42, a short-barreled machine pistol made long-snouted by a sound suppressor.
While Michi stood gauging the new arrivals, the Coordinator took a step back, removing himself from the danger of Michi's sword.
"Your arrival is timely, old friend," he said to Subhash.
"So it would seem," Subhash replied, giving his famous smile.
Michi sensed confusion in the Coordinator and tasted the flavor of it in himself. Michi was armed and the Coordinator was not, but Indrahar was focused on Takashi.
The ISF Director spread his hands wide in a gesture of helplessness. "We find ourselves in a most regrettable situation, Takashi -sama. Saving you from this man will only preserve you for a short while. Jaime Wolf is already on his way down from orbit, fully prepared to meet you in a duel."
"As I intended," Takashi said in a cautious voice.
Subhash stopped smiling. "I warned you that this course held no good for the Combine. You chose not to heed me."
"As much as I value your advice, old friend, it is honor that compels my actions."
A brief frown flickered across Indrahar's face. "The Combine's survival is your honor, as it is mine. This duel with Wolf is counter to that survival. It should not take place."
"My life is of little consequence to the Combine's survival. If I fail, Theodore will succeed me. He will rule well."
"Well enough, when his time comes," Indrahar agreed, again with a smile. "I had hoped it would not be for some time, but even Theodore cannot save a Combine crippled beyond hope." The smile vanished as he added, "You did not have to accelerate matters to this point."
"I have followed the dictates of my honor and conscience."
"As a samurai?"
"Simply so."
"You are the Coordinator, not a simple samurai. You have concerns other than petty, insult-driven honor duels. This is no simple matter."
"No. It is not."
A wary look came into Indrahar's eyes. He folded his hands in his lap and said, "Regrettably, your decisions have forced the issue."
"I will listen to your argument," Takashi said calmly.
"I am not here for argument," Indrahar countered. "That time is past. Anyoutcome of this duel will be dangerous. If Wolf wins, the Combine's prestige is irreparably damaged. Theodore will most certainly be counseled to pursue revenge, and a small possibility does exist that he might choose that fruitless and costly path. Excuse my bluntness, Takashi -sama,but if you win, no one, especially the Dragoons, will believe that the fight was fair. There is a rising faction of Clan sympathizers within their ranks. Any antagonism offered by the Inner Sphere could play into the hands of that faction, forcing a change in loyalties that could well cost the Inner Sphere the support of the Dragoons. Such a course would likely result in the fall of the Inner Sphere, and thus of the Combine.
"Even should Wolf's faction retain control, they cannot be expected to deal kindly with the House responsible for their leader's death. Though they have withheld their services, they have not banished our military leaders from their anti-Clan strategy sessions or our scientists from the technology conferences. This would change were you to defeat Wolf. Without those advantages, the Combine cannot withstand the Clans.
"And what if you should you lose? Would our own people allow the government to treat with the Dragoons? Your own previous pronouncements have influenced their attitudes only too well. I doubt a victorious Wolf would be allowed to leave Luthien alive. Whether you are victorious or not, the result of your duel is the same in the end. The Combine will lose."
"Your assessment is overly pessimistic. The Combine is strong. Theodore is strong. We beat the Clans back from Luthien."
"Only with the aid of Wolf's Dragoons and other mercenaries," Indrahar pointed out. "Did you not once order death to all mercenaries?"
The Coordinator glared at him.
"Your foresight failed you then as it has now, Takashi -sama. The Combine cannot afford such a fallible leader any longer."
Takashi's manner hardened into rigidity. "I do not care for what you are suggesting."
"Nor do I. Your obsession has brought us to this impasse. Regrettable though it may be, I can see only one solution. For the Combine to live, the Coordinator must die."
Takashi tensed, but said nothing. His eyes surveyed the room and the grim faces of the ISF agents. They were all obviously loyal to Indrahar, heart and soul. Indrahar continued to speak.
"I had hoped you might be persuaded to see the honorable solution, but you have resisted Noketsuna's arguments. You seemed, in fact, to weaken his own resolve. I will ask you to reconsider taking the path onward."
"I am the Coordinator. Mywill is the will of the Combine. I have nothing to atone for."
Subhash shook his head sadly. "I had hoped you would see that the Combine is more important than any man. It is your dynasty that rules; that will continue, even if you personally do not."
The chair pivoted a quarter-turn. Without looking at him, Subhash ordered, "Complete your vendetta, Noketsuna. We will not interfere."
Michi stared at the director of the ISF. This was not in the proper ordering of the universe. Vengeance, the death of Takashi Kurita, was not supposed to be a political solution of some kind. It was a matter of honor, a matter between samurai. Whatever else Michi had become during the long years of his vendetta, he was no one's political executioner. In preparing himself for this day, he had. seen himself as a tool, a tool of honor. He did not care to be the tool of a faithless servant, a pawn in someone's games of power. Minobu Tetsuhara had been forced into death as the pawn of a power-hungry man.
But there were too many men, too many guns for one man to overcome. If he did as Indrahar demanded, Indrahar might allow him to live. But he doubted it. If he refused, the ISF men would simply cut him down. Whatever he did, Michi knew he would not leave the dojoalive.
He turned to the Coordinator.
"The right or wrong of my vendetta seems no longer to apply, Coordinator. I speak to you as samurai to samurai. My words shall not live long, for none other than you and these honorless dogs shall hear them."
"Get on with it, Noketsuna," Ninyu said irritably.
Michi ignored him. Staring into Takashi's eyes, he searched for understanding. He found the Dragon.
"I stand at a fork in the path of honor. Whichever way I walk, I abandon some of my honor in the course of fulfilling my honor. This is the lot of a samurai. My lord Minobu understood this. I now see as he saw." Michi raised the sword into jodan-no-kamaeguard. "I am samurai, loyal to the Dragon. I, too, serve the Combine."
The Coordinator stared unflinchingly into his eyes. Michi steadied himself, reaching for the center of his haraand drawing strength. Calmed, he was ready for his death, which seemed inevitable this day.
He spun and charged Subhash Indrahar.
The move seemed to catch everyone off guard. The ISF agents failed to respond. Michi closed half the distance before Ninyu drew his pistol, another quarter before the man fired. Michi spun under the impact of the heavy slug, but managed another step toward the chair. His right arm hung limply at his side, blood pulsing out from his shoulder and pouring down his sleeve. The world was edged in spinning fireworks, but he still held the sword in his left hand. He took another step forward.
Ninyu fired again.
This time the pain flared in fire from his belly, disrupting his haraand shredding his resolve. He had gotten farther than he expected. No longer able to feel the sword in his hand, he wondered if it was still there. Tumbling backward, he slammed his head against the hardwood floor. There was no strength in his body and he felt his life pumping from him. His vision dimmed.
One of the ISF agents stepped forward. Slinging his Shimatsu, he retrieved Michi's sword from the floor, but did not attack. In the pause, Takashi knelt by the the fallen Michi and touched the warrior's brow. "He was a true samurai and understood giri.His loyalty to the Combine is stronger than yours, Subhash."
"He was loyal and loyalty is a great strength, but his understanding of giriwas shortsighted, as you yourself pointed out to him, my old friend. He could not be expected to see the grand vision I work to attain. For you, I had greater hopes."
Takashi stood, his face was hard. "I am sorry to disappoint you."
"I am sorry as well."
"Will you announce that he killed me?"
"It would be a convenient story, but not one that would serve the Combine. To make public the story of the Coordinator's death at the hands of a Combine citizen would only weaken the Combine. Theodore will believe such a story, though, and he will agree to announce that you died in your sleep. You have had a long and full life, Takashi -sama.I wish you well in the next one."
The chair made another quarter-turn and began to roll back into the hidden room from which it had come.
"Agent Wilson." Ninyu addressed the agent with the sword. "Make the strike clean. Noketsuna was a master of the sword, after all."
Wilson bowed and, turning to Takashi, raised the sword high.
27
Takashi did not wait for the man to strike. Snapping a low kick, he shattered the other man's kneecap, but the effort cost him. He grunted involuntarily from the pain in his own wrenched knee. Being samurai, he put aside the fire in his leg and snatched the sword from the collapsing Wilson. The ISF agent's head left his body under the edge of the blade.
"No guns!" Ninyu called. "He must die by steel. First squad."
The agents who had entered with Ninyu slung their automatic weapons and drew swords from the scabbards lashed to their backs. Steel whispered against lacquered wood, the only sound in the chamber. The Coordinator raised the sword high over his head and slowly lowered it into chudan-no-kamaeguard.
"A blade is too good for dogs such as you, but the curs are many and I but one. Come and die."
A burly agent, deceptively fast for his bulk, rushed the Coordinator. Their blades rang in belling parries until Takashi slid his sword along the agent's and turned the edge, slicing the man's neck as he withdrew. The dead man fell, a soughing moan coming from his slit windpipe.
The first encounter displayed the Coordinator's weakness to his opponents; Takashi's wrenched knee limited his movement. A second agent stepped up to fence at long range, trying to draw him out. Takashi stood firm, refusing to fall for the ploy. Instead, he sucked the agent into a trap of his own. Letting the agent's sword pass through his guard, he took a blow on his do.He had seen the lack of strength in what the agent had obviously intended to be a feint. The unexpected success of her unparried blow opened the agent to a counterstroke. Takashi's sword took her in the belly, gutting her. A second stroke cut upward across her torso and flung her back into her companions.
The others became more cautious and began to circle Takashi. He held his ground, keeping his back to the fallen Michi. The agents could not come at him that way without tripping over the body.
Two closed together, striking high and low. Takashi pivoted on his weak leg, dropping low as he did. The first agent's sword met his steel and the second's whistled over his head. Blade to blade, Takashi heaved himself up and threw his opponent back by sheer strength. The other agent's sword sliced through his kimono, scoring the flesh of his right arm. Takashi's single-handed return stroke caught the overextended agent on his own arm, but it bit deeper. The agent's sword clattered to the floor and he staggered back, spouting blood.
The first closed again and Takashi barely managed a parry. They exchanged a rapid series of blows, their blades a chiming gamelan of sound. To maintain the initiative, Takashi was forced to advance. With a sudden, sharp ping, the agent's sword snapped. Takashi ran him through with a quick thrust. Shoving the open-mouthed agent off his sword, Takashi retreated to his original position.
"Second squad," Ninyu said.
Five more swords were drawn as agents moved to reinforce the single survivor of the first squad. Ninyu stood at the edge of the room and watched. Takashi was tired, his swordsmanship beginning to falter. Even if the second squad was inferior to the first, they would likely kill the Coordinator.
Shouts echoed in the garden.
Ninyu cursed, and Takashi smiled. The agents stopped their advance. The closest backed away a step, retreating to a safer range while they looked questioningly to their leader.
"I will hunt you down," Takashi said.
Ninyu shrugged in exaggerated nonchalance. "You have no evidence, Coordinator. This was undoubtedly an attempt by a dissatisfied faction of renegades. Perhaps it was the work of Davion infiltrators. There will be evidence to that effect." His eyes kept darting to the garden entrance. "Let the matter go. Even you must know that the Combine could not survive if you decapitated the ISF at this point in history."
Takashi's voice was cold and unforgiving. "We have survived traitors before."
"The ISF serves the Combine, not the Kuritas. Who are the real traitors, you glory-bound samurai?"
Takashi took a step forward and his voice trembled with rage. "I will kill you myself."
Ninyu laughed at him. "If I thought that you would live to see another day, I might be concerned, Coordinator. But you will reap what you have sown, for you will die at Jaime Wolf's hand. A fool's death."
Hard footfalls slapped thunderously on the veranda. The Otomo would arrive in seconds.
"I must go. Enjoy your duel, Coordinator," Ninyu said.
The ISF agents slipped through the opening from which they had emerged. Ninyu slid the panel closed, apparently assured that he and his agents would be long gone before the Otomo could force their way through the wall.
Dead men dressed in black lay strewn about the chamber. One, only wounded, drew a knife from his belt and joined his colleagues. Takashi was left standing alone within a ring of bodies.
A handful of men rushed into the dojo,a dozen Otomo and half again that number of Izanagi Warriors. Some were wearing the ceremonial armor of the palace guard, others wore duty uniforms or off-duty clothing, a few were half-dressed. All were armed. They halted just inside the doorway, stunned by the carnage surrounding the Coordinator.
Theodore pushed his way through them. He surveyed the room before holstering his pistol.
"Father?"
"I am barely wounded."
"No thanks to your bodyguard." His tone promised retribution for the breach in palace security. "Where is Shin Yodama?" There was no answer from the assembled guards. No one cared to speculate where the head of the guard could be. "He was on duty. Find him."
A woman in the uniform of Yodama's Izanagi Warriors dashed off. Still unsure, the other guards remained clustered at the door. Takashi knelt and laid his bloody sword on the floor. He looked exhausted.
"It will do no good."
"You killed them all?"
Takashi shrugged. "There might have been more. Perhaps it is a good idea to search the garden."
Theodore glanced at the guardsmen and nodded once. All but two rushed away. The pair who remained took up stations at the door. Theodore knelt at his father's side.
"You must see a physician."
"First you must hear what happened here."
A flash of puzzlement crossed Theodore's face. He leaned closer to listen to Takashi's whispered account of the confrontation with Indrahar. Takashi concluded, "For all that I do not care to have the decision made for me, Indrahar's evaluation of the situation has merit.
I was too blinded by my own concerns to see what a duel with Wolf would bring."
"Perhaps a reconciliation with Wolf ..."
"Iie.The Coordinator did no wrong. Wolf's public insult cannot be ignored." Takashi closed his eyes. "But I see what Michi Noketsuna saw before he spent his life for the Combine."
"Surely we can find another course."
"You never were comfortable with the code." Takashi almost smiled. "I am a samurai and I believe in the old ways. That may not be what is necessary to guide our realm into this new age. Certainly, you have shown me that new ways are necessary to deal with new problems. Perhaps in this I can show you that the old ways are not to be despised. In some circumstances, bushidois the answer to problems that no amount of flexibility can surmount."
"Father, this is not the answer."
"This is an old and tired samurai's answer." Takashi indicated Michi with a slant of his head. "Such strange karma.He put aside his personal honor for the greater good of the realm, defending my life against those who would take it unlawfully. He wanted my seppukutoday, and today I will go onward. But I– we—cannot allow the truth to be known. My honorable passing must be cloaked in a dishonorable lie. For the good of the realm. Indrahar wanted the people to believe that I had died in my sleep. Let his lie serve us as well as him, let that be the tale. You must tell no one the truth, not even Jasmine."
"I do not approve," Theodore said sternly.
"I am the Coordinator. In this, I do not need your approval."
"I may not share your vision of the code, but do not forget that you had me soundly schooled in bushido.You cannot lie down in front of your enemies. Tetsuhara– senseiwould not approve."
"Perhaps you are right, but that old man is a stricter advocate of the code than I. Much as I am stricter than you. I believe he would tell you that a man's honor is in his heart, not in the eyes of other people. He understood the death of his son Minobu.
"Perhaps this course I choose shows me as weak, perhaps as strong. You may decide for yourself. I have made the decision to pass the fight to my heir. I will take the feud with the Dragoons with me, for the sake of the Combine. Though this means I die with my honor insulted, this lesser failing of honor serves a greater one. The realm must survive; it is our sacred duty as members of Clan Kurita to see that it does."
Theodore tried to argue, but Takashi ordered his silence. Resigned, Theodore left to obey his father's demand for writing materials. While he was gone, a physician arrived. Dismissing the man's attentions, Takashi directed him to attend to Michi, saying, "See that his body is treated with honor, for he was an honorable samurai."
Theodore returned, now dressed in kimono and hakamaand wearing the paired swords of his samurai rank. His father was kneeling where he had left him. The Kanrei placed the tray he carried by his father's side. Lifting off a pile of white garments, he revealed a lacquered black box with an exquisite design of gold cherry blossoms.
"A good choice," Takashi said.
"Traditional," Theodore said.
"You honor an old man."
"I honor my father."
Takashi lifted the cover from the lacquered box and laid it to one side. Removing the tray of writing materials, he took a single sheet of rice paper and laid it before him. After preparing the ink, he selected a brush. He remained poised, brush in hand, for several minutes. Then he dipped the brush into the ink and held it for a moment before stroking bold characters onto the pristine paper. He spoke as he wrote,
"Sunset, the dragon weeps;
Night to day as winter, spring;
Sunrise, the dragon roars."
Takashi put down the brush. It rolled from the lacquer tray onto the floor, splattering tiny drops of ink onto the rice paper.
"An untidy end," he said softly as he rose. Taking the short sword Theodore offered him, Takashi retired to the garden. Silent, Theodore followed.
28
Hans and I were in the shuttle two hours before its scheduled departure, so I was on hand when the Wolf boarded an hour later. He smiled ruefully when he saw us.
"Good morning, gentlemen. You're up early."
"We know our duty, Colonel," I said.
"Hmm. I've got a few things I need done. Hans—"
"I'll call a steward, Colonel."
"I see. Never mind. Is the crew ready?"
"Yes, Colonel."
"Then let's be about it."
The flight down was uneventful. We set down on the grounds of Unity Palace, well away from the main building and halls. I was concerned at once when I saw several BattleMechs prowling the edges of the tarmac. The Kuritans who greeted us assured us that the 'Mechs were standard security, but I knew otherwise from studying Stan's briefing.
The courtesy with which we were met was strictly formal. In Kuritan terms that meant a lot of flowery distractions and well-mannered delays. Colonel Wolf grew annoyed, though he hid it well. The hours crawled by but eventually the designated hour for the meeting with Takashi drew near. Meanwhile, our escorts seemed unaware of the passage of time.
Finally the Colonel's patience collapsed. Addressing the old general who headed the escort delegation, he asked, "When will we be leaving for the meeting with Takashi -sama? "
The general stiffened, then bowed.
"My apologies, Colonel Wolf. I am most remiss. The schedule has been changed. Due to pressing business, the Coordinator is unable to meet with you at the agreed-upon time. Your understanding in this matter would be most appreciated."
"I thought Takashi wanted to get this over with."
The general looked very uncomfortable. "I obey the Coordinator's orders, Colonel Wolf. I am only authorized to say that you may meet with the Coordinator this evening."
"What about the duel?"
"That you must discuss with the Coordinator."
The Wolf folded his arms. "I was told that there was a BattleMech prepared for me. Do I at least get to see it?"
"A moment please, Colonel." The general held a hurried conversation with an aide wearing the black dress uniform of the Internal Security Force. Their whispers finished, he bowed to the Wolf and said with a smile. "If you wish. If not, other amusements may be arranged for you and your men."
"I'll see the 'Mech," the Colonel said bluntly.
"We are at your service, Colonel Wolf," the general said with another bow.
I doubted it, but they did lead us to a blue and gold Archerthat mimicked the color scheme of Jaime Wolf's machine. We spent the afternoon checking it out and found it to be in almost perfect condition, though its ammo bays were empty. The Colonel seemed satisfied with the 'Mech, but I still worried about what the Kuritans had in mind.
* * *
Gobi Station maintains a geosynchronous orbit over a small island 160 kilometers off the east coast of Outreach's smaller continent. The orbital mechanics made for a short flight up from Harlech and a longer inbound trip. Useful for political reasons, useful now for Elson's reasons. He made sure he was in the bay when Alpin Wolf's shuttle arrived.
"I got your message," Alpin said as he walked up to Elson.
Direct. "I am glad you could come. I thought it best to give you the news first."
"News? The whole planet knows your news. You've—excuse me, you havecome back with the cache ships."
"That is not what I am talking about." Elson turned, slightly, letting the light shine on the rank insignia affixed to his collar, a colonel's star. The bright burnish of the longest point marked it as the insignia of the First among officers. Elson would not wear it much longer, but it would serve him now.
Alpin's eyes were drawn by the flash. Whatever he had been about to say died in his throat as he reached the obvious conclusion. His mouth hung open like that of a gaffed fish. Finally he stammered, "My father's dead?"
"I am sorry for your loss," Elson said solemnly. "He died in an ambush. There were looters aboard some of the ships. There were other losses as well."
Alpin shook his head slowly, brow furrowed. Several times he started to speak, then stopped before any words came out. Elson waited.
"Were you there?" Alpin asked tenatively.
"I was leading the capture of the looters' DropShip. When I realized there were ambushers on the ship he had boarded, we crossed to the Alexanderas quickly as we could, but we were too late. His passing left a void."
In a bitter but unfocused voice, Alpin said, "So you stepped in."
Elson bowed his head. "The officers saw fit to name me first among officers. I could replace him on the mission, but I cannot do that here. You still live, and Dragoon custom seems to decree that you are now Jaime Wolf's heir, since his only surviving son is far too young to command."
"But that's not . . ."
"Was not MacKenzie to replace Jaime when his father stepped down? I've heard nothing else since the day I took my bondsman's band. It is only logical that you will now be Jaime's successor as leader of the Dragoons."
"But I ..."
"I know, my friend. I understand." Elson laid his hand on Alpin's shoulder. The boy was trembling. "You are not yet ready for such responsibility, having been hidden for so long in the shadow of your father. But you will succeed; I have confidence in you. You will choose good men to aid you, men who understand what you have suffered at the hands of a jealous father. What honest man would not support your claim?"
Elson watched the slackness of Alpin's stunned expression stiffen into a grimace of calculation.
"You will help me?"
"I see no other course." Elson tightened his grip on Alpin's shoulder. "Have you not felt that it is your destiny to command the Dragoons?"
"Yes," Alpin said softly. "You know, I always thought it was."
He seemed to look inward for a second. "They knew it, too. My father and grandfather, I mean. I can see it now. They always made my tests harder so I wouldn't score well. It must have been to prevent jealousy among the others. Yes, that's what the old Wolf would do. He set it up to fool them all so they wouldn't hate me."
"No one hates you, Alpin." You are far too weak to deserve hate."But they don't like me."
"It is a commander's lot to be disliked. Most of the emotion comes from jealousy."
"Yes, you're right," Alpin said. "It's because they're jealous."
"They will be more jealous when you take Jaime's place."
Alpin looked up with a worried expression. "You won't be jealous of me, Elson, will you?"
"I have no reason to be, my friend," Elson said with an honest smile.
"Then you will help me, quiaff?You will watch my back when I am in charge. I will need loyal men like you, men who know the right of things."
"You will have my help, but you will need more."
"Just hearing you say that makes me excited and worried at the same time. I'm—excuse me– I amglad that I can count on you, but you are right. I will need more help. There are too many Dragoons who believe the results of those rigged tests. The old Wolf's plan has backfired. His old men think I am not fit to be a commander."
"They will not always be around. Among the Clans, such old men would have been retired long ago, letting the next generation keep the blood of the leadership fresh and forward-looking. It is the way of life, one generation yielding to the next, the better generation. Your own grandfather encourages the old ones in their selfish thinking by clinging to his own command."
Alpin nodded vigorously. "It isa bad example."
"As you say."
"But what can I do about it?" Elson wrapped his arm around Alpin's slender shoulders. "Come," he said. "I have a few ideas."
