Chapter 2: Adjusting
'When I first met Cat, I didn't like her. I felt she was obnoxious and arrogant, though, at the time, I didn't put it like that, being a little girl. Then again, she thought the same of me. In a way, I have to thank my mother for bringing us together. If she hadn't taught me that the enemy of my enemy is my friend, I wouldn't have closed ranks with her against Faeril Laureal-Tavis, the elven MechWarrior drilling us. A common 'enemy' really tends to foster camaraderie, followed by friendship. We were even more fortunate that my mother hadn't yet taught me that a friend was merely someone you hadn't betrayed yet - a lesson my brother had learned too well, which turned out to be quite unfortunate for everyone in the Confederation.'
Collected Writings of Kali "Kelly" Liao
'Patient S-D shows the mental development of a teenager her age - perhaps even slightly more advanced. Her vocabulary and grammar show academic and military influence, and she has displayed knowledge she couldn't have known before she fell into a coma, nor could have overheard since then. I've checked up on one of her off-hand remarks about fusion engines during a discussion with her brother, Prince Victor, with Professor Banzai, who confirmed that the NAIS records didn't contain that information - something about more efficient ways to shield an engine. Every point of data I acquire leads me to the conclusion that something happened to Patient S-D. Something conventional science cannot explain. Not yet.'
Private notes of M.D. Phil Baker, NAIS Medical Center, New Avalon, 3049
Forbidden City, Sian, Capellan Confederation, February 20th, 3049
"Thank you for making time for me, Father," Kelly said, bowing her head as she stepped into his office.
Father smiled at her. "If I cannot make time to meet my daughter, then the Confederation would be in dire straits indeed."
Kelly refrained from replying with a comment that the Confederation's situation wasn't exactly comfortable and hadn't been for decades or centuries. Even though it was the truth. Especially since it was the truth - the truth and the court had a very delicate relationship. "I feel selfish, though," she said instead. "You're working so hard to keep the enemies of the Confederation at bay."
"I do what I can. And as the Celestial Wisdom decreed, you are to be considered of the utmost importance for the state."
Kelly didn't miss the finer points of her father's words. Mother had declared this - he hadn't said that he shared her view.
"I'm still trying to make sense of what I dreamt," she said. "But I was told some of it has already been proven correct."
"Yes. Hellespont 'Mech Works reported that they managed to solve a persistent problem with the Raven's electronics thanks to your help." Father nodded.
Of course she had - she would pilot a Raven as soon as she managed to convince Mother, and she wouldn't accept a defective or substandard model. She knew how a Raven should look and handle, built properly with Star League technology.
Unfortunately, Father still didn't seem to be fully convinced of her story, though. Whether that was because his work as a spymaster made him question everything and everyone or because he had seen through her misdirection, Kelly couldn't say.
She inclined her head. "Good."
"The Celestial Wisdom has shown some concern about your current inability to duplicate your experience," Father went on.
She allowed her face to show some regret. It wasn't hard - she missed Dreamland. Alex, Nastajia, Felicity and all the other friends of hers. To go to bed and not enter Dreamland… It felt like torture. Especially when she could remember fragments of dreams.
"She, ah, has a few ideas about helping you overcome this obstacle," Father said. His frown was subtle, but it left no doubt that he didn't share Mothers views - or thought it was a good idea.
"What does Mother have in mind?" Kelly asked.
"Certain substances that affect the mind," he replied.
...drugs? Kelly frowned at the thought before she could catch herself.
"Nothing concrete has been brought up so far." Father smiled at her reassuringly. "However, several experts are looking into the matter."
Which meant there were better than even odds that they would find something to test - fear of Mother's reaction tended to motivate people to give their best. "I see," she said. She didn't, not really - but then, hadn't there been rumours about weird visitors to Dreamland? People who spoke in a confused manner and did not seem to be asleep in their beds? Kelly had never encountered such a person, but others had. And she trusted their accounts.
Father nodded. "Such experiments need the most careful planning and preparations. The risk to your health would be too great otherwise - and you are of utmost importance for the Confederation. It will likely be quite some time until our experts agree on the best course of action. It might be that another answer to the challenges we face is found before this plan bears fruit."
Ah. Father would be stalling, deflecting Mother's wishes. Sensible. Typical for him. And yet… "Thank you, Father," she said, bowing her head. "Although I think I'll follow the preparations closely. This seems as if it has potential."
"I see."
"I do think the risks should be minimised, of course, but I would like to be able to… break through whatever is blocking my path." She missed Dreamland. She missed Alex and their other friends.
And she missed Cat.
Terribly.
After being together for so long - and a couple for over a year - being separated didn't sit well with Kelly. Not at all.
And she'd do almost anything to rectify this. Even taking drugs.
Royal Palace, Avalon City, New Avalon, Federated Commonwealth, March 15th, 3049
Her computer warned her - someone was moving behind her! Something was about to shoot her in the back! Cat snarled as she started to turn in her 'Mech. Or her piece of shit - it was reacting much too slowly. And there was no real feedback. Not like Dragonslayer. Even so, she was facing the enemy 'Mech when it stepped around a corner. And even with the stupidly slow controls, she could place the crosshairs for her autocannon over the enemy's cockpit before the enemy managed to line up their own shot. A quick pull on the trigger later, and the 'Mech was missing its head and toppled over.
YOU WIN appeared in big red letters on the middle screen. Cat sighed. Another meaningless game. It wasn't even nearly as complicated as it would have to be to serve as a decent training tool. What a waste for a neurohelmet!
"That was great!" Miss Faber told her when Cat climbed out of the fake cockpit.
"It was too easy," she replied before she could help herself.
"You're very good at the game," Miss Faber insisted.
"I thought it was a rehab tool?" Cat asked, raising her eyebrows.
"It's both. Patients, especially young ones, generally respond better to tasks if they are framed as games. Your hand-eye coordination has improved a lot since you started playing."
Cat was aware of that. She also was aware that it wasn't near where it should be. If she tried to pilot an actual 'Mech like this, she would be barely better than a rookie. Perhaps even worse, if she received some old 'Mech without Star League systems.
She huffed. "I'd prefer a real 'Mech," she said. Always strive for the best, as the Drill Sergeant would have said.
Miss Faber laughed as if Cat had been joking. She pressed her lips together to keep from giving the woman a piece of her mind. It wasn't Faber's fault that Cat had to hide her actual skills and experience.
Damn, she missed Kelly, Alex and the others. But she wouldn't ever see Alex again - she was too old to enter Dreamland. And Kelly was stuck on Sian. In the Confederation, on the other side of the frontlines. No, technically, the hostile border. She closed her eyes. She shouldn't have woken up! Everything was so… different here.
She felt a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Katherine, if you continue to learn as well as you are, you'll pilot a 'Mech soon enough. You certainly have the talent to become a great 'Mechwarrior!"
She doesn't know, Cat told herself. She thinks I'm just a stubborn little girl in a teenaged body.
She knew that Miss Faber was here to help her. And the woman was helping. But it grated to know that she could've done so much better if she had been left to her own devices and given a decent budget.
She reached for a towel out of habit and had to stop before she wiped nonexistent sweat from her face and shoulders. That would make her look stupid. On the other hand, that might help with putting up the act.
She grabbed a towel and scrubbed her face. The things you did for a chance to see your love again!
"I think you should rest," Miss Faber interrupted her thoughts.
Great. Faber thought she was actually sweating from playing a game!
Perhaps she would've been better off in Dreamland…
"Katherine?"
Or not, Cat corrected herself when she saw who had entered the training room.
"Mama!"
Forbidden City, Sian, Capellan Confederation, April 3rd, 3049
Kelly stared at the vials and cups on the tray on her table. Each was labelled - on the vial or cup as well as on a small sign in front of it. Each contained a psychedelic drug. From the ancient LSD to compounds she was sure were used by the Maskirovka for more nefarious purposes than opening your mind.
She bit her lower lip. Drugs. She didn't like them. Even discounting the dangers of addiction - the drugs presented to her presented no risk of physical addiction; her parents had made sure of that, but Kelly knew that psychological addiction was a possibility - she didn't like the thought of altering her own mind. It was like altering who she was - as Dreamland had proved, she was her mind. While she had lived in Dreamland, her body had remained here, an empty shell.
And yet, she was willing to take drugs on the chance of being able to return to Dreamland. To her friends. To Cat - provided she could, should this work, contact her and tell her what to do without the Steiner-Davions mistaking this for an attempt on their daughter's health.
"Are you going to take all of them?"
She froze for a moment, silently berating herself for letting herself be surprised in her own suite. But she didn't let her face show any of her own anger as she turned to face her brother, who was standing in the doorway. "Not together," she told him, raising her chin a little. "But I will try one after another until I find the one best suited for my goal." To reach Dreamland again.
Sun-Tzu snorted and entered her room, his hands folded behind his back.
He could be hiding any weapons there - or under his long robes - Kelly realised. And she was unarmed. And not yet quite in the state of fitness she wished to be. Had to be. But he was her brother. He wouldn't hurt her.
He stopped at the wheeled table upon which the drugs rested, bending over a little to make a point of reading the labels. "I am surprised Mother allowed this; those drugs are dangerous."
And the odds of any of them doing what Kelly hoped were low. Once again, she kept a polite smile on her face. "Mother agrees that the potential gains are worth the risk," she said. Which was putting it very mildly - Mother had been subtly pressing her for more 'visions' for the good of the Confederation for a while now. And she wasn't known for unlimited patience.
"Ah." Sun-Tzu's smile changed slightly. It had a hint of a sneer now. "A calculated move. I see." He slowly inclined his head. "Quite audacious of you. But then, how can one advance in life without audacity?"
Kelly frowned. What was he saying? Oh. She schooled her face once more, even though she wanted to wince. Did he really…? "My only ambition is to serve Mother and the Confederation to the best of my abilities," she lied.
"Ah." She heard a single chuckle, almost lost in the sound of silk sliding over silk as he turned to fully face her. "And obviously, you need to be in the best position to serve the Confederation."
Yes, he thought she was trying to replace him. He was the elder child, but that was no guarantee to inherit Mother's position. And while Kelly didn't want to become Chancellor, Sun-Tzu didn't know that. And wouldn't believe her if she told him. "As a member of our House, I already have the best position to advise the Chancellor."
"You have Mother's ear, yes - she is convinced you are predestined for great things. A genius." Sun-Tzu's smile had fully turned into a sneer. "I hope mother isn't mistaken about your potential. The consequences might be… harsh."
He nodded, turned and left her room.
She stayed on her chair even though she wanted to pace. And probably smash something. Her servants hadn't warned her of Sun-Tzu's approach. He might have avoided them - and the security detachment - but that was unlikely. No, he would have told them that he wanted to surprise her - and they had acquiesced to his demands. Which meant she couldn't trust them.
Even worse, her brother considered her a rival for the throne. And he had more than a decade of experience at court on her. Kelly knew how such rivalries, actual and imagined, were settled in her house. Her mother had replaced her grandfather when the latter had suffered a nervous breakdown. A breakdown from which he never recovered until, years later, he died in a clinic. Officially.
She glanced at the drugs again. Sun-Tzu would have an easy time depicting her as a drug-addled addict. But if she refused to try the drugs, Mother would likely grow… more insistent. Or disappointed. And more open to whatever suggestions Sun-Tzu might offer.
Damned if I do, damned if I don't, she thought. If she ran away…
This time, she snorted openly at her own foolish thoughts. Evading the Maskirovka in the very heart of the Confederation? Even if, by some miracle, she managed that, it would take another miracle to reach Cat without running afoul of any intelligence service in the Inner Sphere. And such a blunder would endanger Father as the head of the Maskirovka. Mother wouldn't kill him. Probably not.
No, those drugs represented her best course of action to reunite with Cat. Her best chance to survive the next few years, actually.
Unfortunately, that didn't mean her chances were good. But as she had learned in Dreamland, sometimes you had to take the shot, no matter how unlikely, and hope for the best.
After snorting softly again, she took a deep breath and reached for the LSD. It was best to start with a classic.
Royal Palace, Avalon City, New Avalon, Federated Commonwealth, April 20th, 3049
"...thirteen…"
Cat's arms were burning. But she clenched her teeth and pulled herself up.
"...fourteen..." she gasped when her chin cleared the bar. She almost let herself simply drop down, which would have broken her grip, but she managed to control herself. One more!
She closed her eyes and groaned, raising her chin as far as she could as her muscles strained to once more pull herself up. Just. One. More.
Her chin reached the bar then slid over it.
"...fifteen!" she spat.
Then she let herself drop to the ground, collapsing in a heap on the mat. She'd done it. Maxed out pullups! And her arms felt like freshly cooked spaghetti - all hot and limp.
"Well done, Katherine!" Miss Faber beamed at her. "This is remarkable!"
Cat groaned in return. It was the minimum for a MechWarrior Cadet about to graduate. But Katherine hadn't been training years like Cat. Only four months. And yet, she was finally at a point where she didn't feel like some lazy, useless… person any more. Well, currently, she felt like a dying blob of pudding oozing over the mats, but that would pass. Her achievement would keep.
"Katherine?"
That was Peter. What was he doing here in the gym? Cat groaned something and rolled over on her belly, then looked at her little brother. Oh. He was wearing gym clothes like her. Well, he was wearing a tank top that didn't leave his midriff bare, but otherwise, they were the same.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"She just finished fifteen pullups!" Miss Faber gushed.
"Fifteen?" Peter sounded shocked.
"Minimum for a cadet to graduate," Cat told him, slightly wheezing. "I'm finally back in shape."
"'Back in shape'?"
"In the shape I need to be if I want to pilot a 'Mech," she explained.
"Once you graduate from the academy," Peter told her with a frown. "Do you know which academy you will attend?"
Right. She had to go through an academy course. She tried to shrug, but on her belly, it didn't really work. "I don't really care," she said as she slowly and painfully sat up - her stomach muscles were still protesting her earlier sit-ups.
Peter looked surprised. "You don't care? But…"
"I just want to pilot a 'Mech," she told him. She was a commissioned officer in the SLDF. She had combat experience. It didn't matter where she pretended to be a fresh-faced cadet.
"Which academy you'll attend will influence your career. And there's the political aspect." Peter sounded like Dad in a teaching mood.
"What political aspect?" she asked, trying to get up.
"Victor went to Nagelring. If you also picked Nagelring, that would show undue favouritism towards the Lyran half of the Commonwealth."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "Weren't you planning to enter Nagelring since before I woke up?" She remembered that from Victor's visit.
He blushed a little. "I wanted to, yes. But there are political considerations."
She snorted. "I just want to pilot a 'Mech," she repeated herself. "If Mum and Dad think the NAIS is the better academy, so be it." The NAIS College of Military Science was arguably more prestigious than Nagelring - if you asked the staff at NAIS. With a chuckle, she added: "At least that would prevent Dr Baker from immigrating to Tharkad so he can keep trying to pick my brain!"
Peter didn't laugh at first, and when he did, it was a forced chuckle.
Cat frowned at him. "Is that why they want me to attend NAIS?"
Peter coughed. "Well, you did spend ten years in a coma, and they still haven't found out what was wrong with you. And..." He trailed off, blushing again.
Or what was wrong with her now. Cat clenched her teeth. She could tell her family the truth, but they wouldn't believe her. And once she told them about Kelly, they wouldn't trust her. "If they don't trust me not to fall into a coma, they shouldn't send me to an academy at all!" she spat. "I can't really go through training with two medics and one doctor hovering behind me!"
"Katherine..." Peter bit his lower lip. "Why are you so…?" He shrugged and grimaced. "...so bitter?"
"I'm not bitter," she protested. Just frustrated that she couldn't be with Kelly because of stupid politics. If Alex was the First Lord in the Inner Sphere as well, this wouldn't be a problem at all!
Damn, she missed Dreamland.
Peter cleared his throat. "Katherine… Mum and Dad are worried about you. Of course they want what's best for you."
"I know," she said.
But they didn't know what was best for her. All she needed was a 'Mech and Kelly. The rest would follow.
But the longer she was stuck here, apart from Kelly, the greater the chance that something would happen. What if Kelly was forced into some dynastic marriage? The Cappellans did that stuff, didn't they? Or what if Kelly found someone else?
She suppressed that thought. They had been through hell together. Kelly wouldn't give up on her after a few months.
And neither would Cat. All she had to do was pass the entrance exam, get her MechWarrior certification, graduate, get her 'Mech and…
...and then what?
"Katherine?"
"I'm thinking about my future," she told Peter.
"You're blocking the pushup bar," pointed out.
Oh. "Sorry," she mumbled before getting up and walking towards the showers. Maybe she'd figure out what to do once she wasn't feeling like a wet towel that had been put through a wringer.
Forbidden City, Sian, Capellan Confederation, June 5th, 3049
"Kelly!"
Kelly turned. There was Cat! Jumping out of her 'Mech, running towards her, arms spread wide. Before she could say anything, her friend embraced her. "I missed you so much!" she said as she melted in Cat's arms. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Smelt Cat's shampoo. Her perfume.
Perfume? Shampoo? Cat had just left her 'Mech. She should smell after sweat and a neurohelmet's cleaning solution. And an overheated 'Mech. Not like she smelt when she had just taken a shower and was slipping in their bed. And she didn't know where they were.
Kelly pulled back. "Cat?"
Cat didn't say anything but kissed her, and once again, Kelly melted in her arms. This was… Oh! She closed her eyes again, savouring the kiss. It was just like she remembered. Perfect. It was…
Kelly woke up and saw the canopy of her bed above her. And knew that she was alone in her bed. And that it had been a dream, not Dreamland.
Again.
She sighed and closed her eyes. Well, she hadn't really expected DMT to work. Not when LSD hadn't worked. But she had hoped. A little.
And her hopes had been crushed. This had been the last 'natural' psychedelic drug in the selection she had been given. That left the synthesised and refined natural drugs. And the experimental drugs.
Those which often had severe side effects. Having hallucinations before she fell asleep was bad enough, but feeling sick? Was there a point to it? If drugs could let her enter Dreamland, wouldn't that have been discovered centuries ago? Sure, there had been rumours of adult visitors, but they had never been confirmed. This might just be a fool's errand.
And yet, she couldn't give up. This was her best chance to see her friends again. To find a way to reunite with Cat.
Kelly took a deep breath, then got out of bed and headed to the bathroom. She'd have to wait until her system was purged of the DMT and endure more tests, but she would make a new attempt. With stronger drugs. As many attempts as it took to find a way back to Dreamland.
It was her best chance.
Forbidden City, Sian, Capellan Confederation, July 4th, 3049
"What's this one?" Kelly asked, holding up a vial with blue crystals in it.
"A synthesised version of a hybrid strain of psilocybin," Dr Chang told her. "It's one of the most potent hallucinogens we managed to acquire."
"Side effects?" Kelly knew there would be side effects. All the more potent drugs she had tried had had them.
"Ah… light fever and increased heart rate, mostly," the doctor told her.
She slightly narrowed her eyes. "And in the worst case?"
He cleared his throat. "Arrhythmia. But that's a very rare side effect, and we will be monitoring your heart rate and other vitals with a trauma team on standby."
"Any mental effects? Other than the obvious," she asked.
"None to our knowledge." He inclined his head.
He was playing it safe - but that wouldn't help him should Kelly end up hurt. Mother would hold him responsible.
Kelly pushed the slight guilt she felt away. The risk was minimal, after all. And she was risking her life as well. "Good. How soon can we test this?"
"Ah…" The doctor consulted his computer. "After we test your blood for any lingering compounds from your last test."
She nodded. That would be fine.
She was standing in her silk pyjamas on a landing field and could feel the hot plascrete under her bare feet. It wasn't a good feeling. A few hundred metres from her stood a Colossus-class dropship. Above her, two aerospace fighters flew by - too fast for her to identify the type. A lance of 'Mechs was walking in a line further away - she could barely make them out through the warping effects of the hot air above the field.
She took a deep breath. The air smelt like ozone and exhaust fumes. Like a busy starport smelt. Was this a dream or Dreamland? She wouldn't be standing here in her sleepwear if this was a dream, would she? Or was that subconsciousness trying to fool her? But Cat wasn't here. Cat always was with her in her dreams. Unless they were nightmares.
This didn't look like a nightmare, either. Had she really managed to return to Dreamland?
There was only one way to find out. She set out for the dropship. They would have a radio to check in with her friends.
Her feet started to hurt before she had gone a hundred meters. The surface, hardened to withstand a fusion torch from a dropship, was much too rough for her soles. And too hot as well.
She checked her feet. Dirt covered her soles. Would they be dirty in a dream? She didn't think so. And she wouldn't be sweating either. Or glimpsing at the sun.
This felt too… too real.
She licked her dry lips. If this was real… She smiled against her will. If this was Dreamland...
...then she had taken the first step to reunite with Cat!
A barefooted step on a dirty, hot landing field.
She snorted and continued walking.
She was lightly sweating by the time she reached the dropship - entirely from the heat. She might not be as fit as she had been in Dreamland before she left, but she had recovered enough.
And she wasn't amused that she could reach the ramp leading into one of the Colossus's bays without anyone challenging her. That was just sloppy! Had standards degraded so much in the months she had been away? Even for peacetime, this was unacceptable!
Scoffing, she stepped on the ramp - and hissed and jumped off again; the metal was far too hot. "Hello!" she yelled. "Who's in charge of the bay?"
"Who wants to know?" A grumpy dwarf appeared on top of the ramp, peering down at her.
"Captain Kelly Liao!" she snapped back. "Dreamland's First Royals! I need to contact the First Lord or Colonel Nastajia Panel!"
"You don't look like a captain."
"That's classified!" she yelled back, clenching her teeth. Cat would've charged up the ramp, hot metal or not by now. "I repeat: I need to contact the First Lord or Colonel Nastajia Panel. Get me a radio!"
She got a radio. Getting through to her friends took a little longer, but once she finally reached Nastajia, it took only two more minutes, and she was in a ground car from the dropship's vehicle pool and headed to headquarters.
Royal Palace, Unity City, Dreamland, July 4th, 3049
"It's really you!" Nastajia blurted out when Kelly entered the room.
"Colonel Panel. Your Highness." Kelly bowed - since she wasn't in uniform but still wearing her Pyjamas, albeit now also wearing sandals, a salute would be inappropriate. "Felicity." She nodded at the catgirl sprawled across an armchair in a pose that would hurt Kelly's spine should she attempt to copy it.
"None of that, Kelly!" Alex said, moving to hug her. "It's great to see you!" he exclaimed as he lifted her off her feet.
Kelly started squirming after a while, forcing Alex to set her down. "Thank you." She cleared her throat and smoothed her clothes - her pyjamas. If Cat ever heard about this, the jokes about Capellan fashion would never stop.
"But how did you manage this? There have been cases before where people didn't wake up and stayed in Dreamland, but once they woke up, they never returned," Nastajia asked. "And it wasn't because they had died - if you die in either realm, you die in both."
Before Kelly could answer, Alex handed her a cup of tea. "You must be parched!" he told her, with a slight frown at Nastajia.
"Thank you." Once more, Kelly bowed her head. The tea was… passable. Back home, it was better - but that was to be expected. "I had a little help," she admitted after another sip. "I took psychedelic drugs."
"Drugs?" Both Alex and Nastajia looked surprised. Almost shocked. Even Felicity sat up and stared at her.
"Drugs have been used for millennia in various cultures to expand your consciousness and receive visions," Kelly explained.
"But if they allowed you to reach Dreamland, we would have noticed this before today," Nastajia retorted.
"We might have had some adult visitors," Alex admitted, "without noticing. If they acted as if they had lost their mind…" He shrugged. "I'll have to set the Intelligence Corps on it. Check our records." With a frown, he added: "If adults can enter our realm by using drugs, this represents a huge vulnerability."
Kelly nodded. "I used an experimental drug - others didn't work - but I do not know if there are similar drugs in development." She sighed. "I'm sorry. I knew this would cause trouble, but… I had to try."
"Of course you had!" Alex smiled at her. "And it gave us advance warning of the possibility - we won't be surprised by others." He patted her shoulder, then sat back down again. "So… did you manage to contact Cat?"
Kelly schooled her features, but her friends saw through it anyway. "Oh, no!" Nastajia said. "You're still separated?"
"Their realms - their families - are at war," Alex said. "Unfortunately, it was to be expected."
Kelly nodded in agreement and refilled her cup. "We knew that when we went to wake up." She sighed and looked down. "But I miss her. I hoped we'd find a way to contact each other, but we underestimated the difficulties. Our families are… protective." That was a diplomatic way to say 'controlling'.
"I could return to Terra and send an HPG message." Alex fiddled with the 'Mech key hanging from his neck. The key to Dreamland. He alone could pass back and forth from the real world to Dreamland.
"No!" Nastajia jumped to her feet, shaking her head. "ComStar will still be hunting you!"
Felicity scowled in agreement.
"They can't be everywhere," Alex countered. "And it's been years."
Nastajia glared at him. "You think you can just walk into one of their stations and send a message? On Terra? Without setting off all sorts of red flags?" She poked his chest with her finger as she scowled at him.
Alex backed off a step and grinned - although it was forced, Kelly could tell. "Well, I've got a few tricks up my sleeve… There are still some old safe houses and caches around on terra, dating back to the Coup. Fake IDs, taps, money…"
"All centuries old!" Nastajia kept shaking her head. "You barely escaped ComStar's clutches the last time you left Terra!"
"That was years ago," Alex repeated.
"They won't forget anyone who escaped them - especially not by vanishing into thin air!" Nastajia crossed her arms over her chest. "And we have to assume they analysed your DNA and realised that you're a Cameron. It's too dangerous!"
Aleix pouted, so Kelly spoke up: "Nastajia is correct, Alex. And even if you made it, the odds of Cat receiving a message from an unknown - especially if encoded - are not good. And if you told her what drug to use…" She shook her head, pressing her lips together. Neither Cat's father nor mother were likely to let her try a drug like that. If they even had access to it. If Cat's siblings were younger, she would try to find them in Dreamland and ask them to pass on a message, but they weren't visiting Dreamland any more. And any other child wouldn't be able to reach Cat either.
"But we have to do something! We can't leave Cat alone!" Alex protested.
"We won't," Nastajia said. "But we need to plan this."
"Like an assault?" Alex grinned, but she nodded.
"Yes. Like an assault."
Kelly nodded as well. They couldn't rush this, or they'd go down faster than an UrbanMech trying to scout the Horde in the open desert. They had to plan this carefully, or they would cause a disaster. She knew this, and yet, she couldn't help worrying about Cat.
And that Cat might move on.
The Nagelring, Tharkad, Federated Commonwealth, September 30th, 3049
Cat scoffed as she moved Dragonslayer past a scraggly patch of forest towards a small but steep hill. Two enemy 'Mechs left. Two unidentified 'Mechs. But since she had already downed a Phoenix Hawk-K and a Panther, she didn't expect too much trouble from what was obviously a DCMS recon lance.
Probably a Wasp and another Panther hiding behind the hill, hoping to take potshots at her when she closed. Or trying to flank her - though only fools would close in with a Victor when piloting a light 'Mech.
Well, she was in Dragonslayer. Or a 'Mech as close to her favourite 'Mech she could get in this simulator. And as any Victor pilot knew, if you didn't close with the enemy, you failed. Kicking the assault 'Mech into a sprint, she started running towards the hill.
As on cue, a 'Mech appeared, jump jets carrying it up to the top of the hill, Cat's computer identifying it as a Panther before she saw it. The other 'Mech was moving around the hill - maybe another Phoenix Hawk-K.
The Panther landed, knees absorbing the impact - not a veteran pilot, Cat noted, cut the jets too soon - and raised its right arm to point at her.
Just as planned. She grinned and hit her own jets, soaring up as the Panther's PPC struck the ground where she had been standing a moment ago. Dragonslayer struck the ground running - she had feathered her jets, of course - and dashed forward. The Panther moved back, then to the side as its PPC cycled, but it was too exposed. Cat hit her jets again and landed right next to the light 'Mech.
The Panther's pilot tried to turn to bring its SRMs to bear at the same time he tried to back off to get out of minimum range for its PPC and managed neither. Dragonslayer's Pontiac 100 sent enough shells directly into its chest to wreck its fusion engine. The medium lasers and SRMs peppering the rest of its armour as it slowly fell over on its back were pure overkill.
Cat grinned. That only left one more 'Mech, the one still circling the hill and staying hidden. Well, she had the high ground; all she had to do was…
Her eyes widened when the last enemy 'Mech suddenly jumped as well, and her computer labelled it as a Victor. An assault 'Mech? In this training scenario? But…
There it was! Cat was already turning - it was out of range of her weapons, but not for long. All she had to do… The enemy Victor raised his right arm and fired. A moment later, Dragonslayer reeled, struck in the left torso.
She cursed - she knew that weapon. The other Victor had a gauss rifle! It was a Lostech Victor! "Standard scenario, my ass!" she cursed, stabilising her 'Mech and running towards the enemy. She was too far away for her autocannon, but Dragonslayer's large strides were eating up the distance. Just a little closer and the enemy would find out why 'Mechs didn't want to close with a Victor!
But just before she fired - she already had the crosshairs centred on the enemy's cockpit - the other Victor fired its jump jets. Cat lifted her 'Mech's arm to shoot it in mid-flight, but the enemy had only risen high enough to clear the ridge behind them - and disappeared in a ravine before she managed to adjust her aim.
Snarling at her rookie mistake, she dashed to the side and jumped down into the ravine herself - staying on the hill was foolish when facing an enemy with long-range firepower like a gauss rifle.
She hit the ground running and quickly rushed towards the last position of the enemy. Up close, she would have the advantage. But… that was so obvious, even her opponent in this training scenario would know it. But would they try to keep their distance and snipe her with the gauss rifle until Dragonslayer fell, or would they try to be clever and ambush her? If only Kelly were here with her Raven - no assault 'Mech would be able to hide from her.
Focus! she told herself - she couldn't get distracted. The enemy had let her finish off the three other 'Mechs of the lance before facing her - almost like a Nightmare Horde warrior. Of course they'd try to be clever!
Cat grinned. That meant… they would expect her to advance towards where they would be, would they want to keep the distance open. She looked at the map overlay on her screen. The hill tapered off into rougher terrain, full of boulders. Perfect for infantry, but a 'Mech couldn't hide there. That left… the other side of the hill. She grinned and kept running through the ravine towards the open field at its end.
Almost. Almost. A little bit more… She hit her jump jets and, once more, soared upwards...
...just in time to see the enemy Victor rise on heated plasma on the other side of the hill, flying towards the ideal position to shoot her in the back, had she kept going.
They were a decent 'MechWarrior - they were already twisting and aiming their gauss rifle at her before they reached the hilltop. But Kelly was a veteran of a ten years-long war against the Nightmare Horde. And she knew exactly how a Victor moved. She had her Pontiac aimed at the point where its head would be before it hit the ground and fired before it could react.
Unfortunately, she didn't quite hit her mark - her shells hit the enemy's torso, not its head - but the impact sent the 'Mech reeling anyway. And her lasers and SRMs hit its chest as well. Mostly. More importantly, she was already running while the enemy 'Mech struggled to keep standing, and by the time it had managed to regain its footing, Cat was in its face. She kicked out, her 'Mech's foot smashing the other Victor's knee, and this time, the pilot couldn't compensate - the assault 'Mech spun around and crashed to the ground, ending up on its back.
And Cat fired everything she had at the downed 'Mech. Her autocannon shells ripped through the Victor's torso and gyro, and the 'Mech stopped moving like an Elemental after a kick from a Stone Giant.
"Mission Complete" appeared on her screen, and her own 'Mech froze.
Cat pursed her lips. That was sloppy. A mission wasn't over until you returned to base, as Tavis liked to tell them. This kind of training might teach MechWarriors to get sloppy as soon as the enemy was down. Well, they would learn better once they did actual field exercises.
She sighed and pulled off her neurohelmet - not up to Star League standards, alas, but better than the toys she had used on new Avalon - before running a hand through her hair.
She even worked up a sweat, she noted with a grin as she climbed out of the simulation pod.
"That was very impressive, Lady Steiner-Davion," the instructor told her with a smile.
She grinned at him, "And since when does a standard scenario include a Lostech Victor?"
He tilted his head. "That was a last-minute change I didn't plan for."
She frowned. If it hadn't been him, then… Her eyes widened when she saw a familiar figure climb out of a pod on the other side. "Victor?" She had been fighting her brother?
He grinned in a rather sheepish manner. "Hey! That was a lucky shot!"
Cat narrowed her eyes at him. 'Lucky shot'? "Really? That's what you are going with? And you had a Lostech Victor!"
"Royal Configuration," he admitted.
She shook her head. "There's no Royal Victor. Just individual machines modified with advanced technology."
"It has a gauss rifle, double heat sinks and better armour. It's a Royal Victor," he insisted.
"There's no such model in the warbooks!" She knew that by heart - she was an officer in the First Royals!
"Well, now there is." Victor frowned, then grinned. "And I'll be piloting one of the first production models once I graduate!"
"If you graduate," another cadet told him. "You got us all killed trying to duel your little sister - and lost!"
And Victor's grin turned into a pout. "That was bad luck."
Cat rolled her eyes. "That was a stupid mistake. The battlefield isn't the place for duels. You have to fight with your lancemates, not by yourself!"
"Exactly!" the instructor chimed in. "Lady Steiner-Davion has the general gist of it, and we'll go over the details in the debriefing." He gestured at the door to their right.
Victor grimaced. As he should - that had been a stupid performance. And he was supposed to be at the top of his class?
It seemed Alexander's opinion of the Nagelring wasn't too far from the truth.
The Triad, Tharkad City, Tharkad, Federated Commonwealth, September 30th, 3049
"I heard you had an impressive showing in the simulators."
Cat winced. If she had known she was facing her own brother instead of yet another first-year cadet like the rest of the lance, she would've held back. Probably. "Vicor tried to be clever on the battlefield, Aunt Nondi," she said, feigning nonchalance. "If he had stuck to the basics - kept the range and peppered me with the gauss rifle - he would have won." Probably.
"Ah, yes." Nondi shook her head. "With all the new doctrine in the armed forces, people tend to forget the basics. Just because Victor's 'Mech has jump jets doesn't mean he has to pilot it as if it were a scout 'Mech."
"To be fair, he was taking the place of a Panther," Cat said with a grin as she wandered around in Aunt Nondi's office.
"And I have trouble understanding what he was thinking, putting himself, a cadet about to graduate, against you. You haven't had a tenth of his time in the simulator, nor did you have actual experience in the field."
Cat put the crystal serving as a paperweight down and looked at the older woman. Nondi was staring at her with an even expression, but there was a hint of suspicion behind those eyes. She refrained from swallowing. "I did study hard and spent all the time I could get in sims." And she had spent years fighting a war in Dreamland. "I dreamt of piloting 'Mechs, you know."
Nondi opened her mouth, then closed it again, slowly nodding. "You certainly have a talent for it. A natural-born MechWarrior, according to the instructor."
Cat grinned. "I'm flattered."
"There's more to being a MechWarrior than just piloting a 'Mech, though," Nondi said. "And even more to being an officer."
"Oh, yes." She frowned. "All the paperwork."
Nondi laughed. "Indeed. But without paperwork, your 'Mech would run out of ammo and spare parts."
"Amateurs study tactics, professionals study logistics," Cat replied. That had been one of the Nightmare Horde's key weaknesses. Which didn't mean Cat liked it, of course. "And fools study duels," she added with another grin.
"Never underestimate the value of being able to duel another 'Mech," Nondi said, a little more sharply. "Although I suppose that you've already proven that that won't be a problem for you."
Cat forced herself to shrug. "It's only a sim. Actually piloting a real 'Mech will be very different."
"Yes. But I have a feeling that you'll excel at it." The older woman smiled, a little wistfully. "You're so much like my sister."
Cat pressed her lips together. She'd been told a few times already that she looked like her grandmother Katrina - except for her eyes. Her grandmother who had died while she'd been in Dreamland. "That's a lot to live up to," she said. And what would Katrina say about Cat's plans to run away and live with Kelly?
"Oh, believe me, I know." Another wry smile. "I still struggle with it every day."
Cat nodded. Best to change the subject. "And you struggle with paperwork." She pointed at the printouts on the desk and at the Datadisks next to the reader. After a moment's hesitation, she craned her head and took a peek. "The Periphery?" She'd have expected reports from the border to the Combine. Or the Free League.
Nondi sighed. "A battalion of the Kell Hounds is overdue. They were on a pirate hunt."
"Oh." She blinked. She had heard something about that, months ago… Her eyes widened, and she gasped. "Not Phelan!"
Nondi looked grim as she nodded in confirmation. "Yes. He was with the battalion. Since they were working for the Rasalhagues, information is a little scarce." She scoffed. "And the rumours about unknown 'Mechs appearing in the Periphery aren't helping with trying to find out what happened."
"Unknown 'Mechs?" Cat cocked her head to the side. That sounded interesting.
"Unknown models, the rumours claim, but it's probably Frankenmechs from a pirate band." Nondi laughed. "According to one rumour, someone placed a Marauder's arms on a Catapult as if that would leave it with the armour or heat sinks to use any weapon!"
A Marauder's arms on a Catapult! Cat froze. She had seen that before. When fighting the Nightmare Horde. But that had been in Dreamland - those 'Mechs weren't supposed to be real! If the Horde invaded the Commonwealth… "Can I see that report?" she asked. "It sounds so silly…" she added with a forced laugh.
The sketch she saw fit the 'Mechs she had fought in Dreamland. Down to the large red wolf's head on the body.
Oh, no!
Royal Palace, Avalon City, New Avalon, Federated Commonwealth, October 15th, 3049
Hanse Davion put the summary of the report down and looked at Justin. "That's… concerning."
His friend nodded slowly. "Yes, sire."
Hanse frowned in return. "Justin. This is about my daughter."
Justin stiffened a little. "And about the Realm." Though he added "Hanse" after a moment.
Hanse nodded. "Kali Liao, having suffered the same coma as Katherine, now displays some of the same unexplainable competence Katherine does."
"She hasn't displayed any particular talents at piloting a 'Mech, Hanse."
Hanse snorted. "That's probably because she's been kept busy as an advisor for Romano. And drugged for her 'visions'. But all your agents and analysts agree that she has displayed booth skill and knowledge that she couldn't have picked up in the time since she woke up - or at all." He pointed at the second page. "A Star League cache was found exactly where she said so."
"It was mostly empty," Justin retorted.
"A dozen 'Mechs is still quite the find. Not enough to affect the balance of power, I'll grant you that - but if Kali can find such a cache, who's to say she can't find something else?"
"Like… a secret research facility?" Justin tilted his head, his expression perfectly neutral. Which meant, Hanse knew, his friend was concerned.
He shrugged. "Whatever the reason, apparently, Kali's visions have shown results if Romano Liao is using her advice."
"Romano isn't the most stable member of House Liao," Justin pointed out.
"But neither is she insane," Hanse countered. "Do you think she would use her daughter to hide the sources of such information?"
Justin frowned, apparently pondering the question for a moment. Or, more likely, pondering how to word his answer. "I do not think so. She could've easily had Tsen Shang make up any excuse for such a find - it's not uncommon, after all, and we wouldn't suspect anything amiss."
"So… what are the odds that Kali's visions are more than drug-induced hallucinations?" Hanse steepled his fingers and put his elbows on his desk.
"According to NAIS, very, very low," Justin answered.
"And according to Dr Baker?" The man was almost obsessed with Katherine - something that Hanse would take steps to deal with, if not for the fact that there was something weird going on.
Justin frowned in response. "His peers have dismissed all his theories."
"Yet none of them have had an explanation for Katherine's sudden competence as a MechWarrior." Hanse slammed his palm on the desk. "Justin! She schooled Victor in a simulator duel! And he has years of training at the Nagelring on her!"
"That could've been a fluke."
"You've seen the recording. Was it a fluke?" Hanse narrowed his eyes at his friend. Justin playing devil's advocate was often useful, but not now.
Justin sighed. "No, it wasn't. She piloted the 'Mech expertly - even in melee."
"Exactly. And she forced herself to train until she was in shape. Something happened while she was in a coma that turned her into a proficient MechWarrior - and possibly more." Katherin had been hiding her true talents, after all. "Baker is researching rumours of Star League research into psychic talents and powers."
Justin stiffened. "Do you think Katherine is psychic?"
Hanse sighed. "She hasn't claimed to have visions - but she might just be afraid of what we would do if we thought she was crazy."
"With good reason," Justin commented in a perfectly bland voice. "History has shown the dangers of unstable members of a Great House."
"Do you think Katherine is a danger for us?" Hanse leaned forward. Or was he suggesting that Hanse would let any harm come to her?
"I cannot judge this without knowing what exactly she is." His friend met his eyes.
"She's no doppelgänger," Hanse said. He remembered how a double had replaced him. How close the plot had come to doom his realm. He needed more information. But short of interrogating Katherine, what could he do? Baker was a wildcard, and waiting to see if the man found anything wasn't something Hanse was willing to do. Not when it concerned his daughter. Perhaps… "There have been no reports of similar patients waking up."
"No."
"That means this is focused on Katherine - and Kali Liao. Who might be psychic." Hanse had seen things science couldn't explain, after all. Morgan Kell's abilities came to mind. Could he dismiss the threat a psychic Liao might pose? Coupled with the Maskirovka's famous skills at sabotage and infiltration? No. Not after the Doppelgänger plot. He sighed. He hated this, and if Melissa knew what he was thinking… "Can your spies find out what drugs Kali Liao is taking?"
Justin stiffened again before he slowly nodded. "Yes." His face had lost every expression.
"I'm not going to drug my daughter," Hanse said. "But we need to know what's happening to her. Every bit of information helps."
"Yes, Sire."
Hanse pressed his lips together. Justin didn't approve. But he would do his duty. And Hanse would have to talk to Katherine. And Melissa.
"Thank you."