Opalescent Reflections

House of Cards

Chapter 4

CDS Terror of the Deep, Cyrenaica

Clan Diamond Shark Occupation Zone

28 November 3050

Alpha Galaxy was carrying out its first invasion under Ace's leadership, but he wasn't taking a direct hand. Cut down to deal with the defenders was two Clusters, and he'd allowed Lionel Arlond and Rachel Clarke to bid between themselves for who would lead the effort. Clarke had won, so the invasion force was built around her 39th Strike Cluster, backed by elements of the 19th and 21st Clusters.

While Clarke was engaged with a pair of Ghost Regiments who seemed to have taken their name to heart and were proving fairly elusive, Ace remained aboard the flagship as it waited to intercept any attempts to escape. The paperwork of trying to pull together some form of replacement for the shattered Diamondskate command cluster was as grueling as planning the invasion had been, the scale was smaller but the details were far more important.

Since he didn't have a six month voyage to work on it, Ace rather resented being pulled away from it but there was no way around it: he might be a Galaxy Commander now, but he was still subject to the Khans.

Barbara Sennet seemed fresh and rested despite the fact that her Gamma Galaxy was engaged in multiple invasions of their own. Ace saluted her as she boarded the battleship and she returned it solemnly. "Galaxy Commander," she greeted him. "We have a lot to deal with, let us be about it."

For all of that, Sennet made a point of stopping to speak to every officer they passed on the way to the flag quarters. Four brief conversations later, none of which seemed to be of substance, they were behind a closed door. "I thought you were in a hurry."

"I am," she told him bluntly, resting her forearms on the top of the seat facing his desk. They were under zero gravity, so sitting was possible but not a requirement. "Making myself known to the Clan is one of the things I am here for. My predecessor preferred that I not be too interested in his command." Then she frowned at Ace. "You should do the same. Your reputation precedes you, not always in a helpful way."

Ace gestured to his desk. "Busy. Most of Hawker's staff are unavailable now and half my own are absent."

"Even so. Building up replacements from the available officers will help them get to know you." Sennet met his gaze with her own. "I am trusting you with Alpha Galaxy, at least until after Luthien, because I believe it is better not to disrupt the command structure before a critical Trial. If you let me down, you will not retain the rank."

He heard the implicit offer that if he performed well that he would be given another Galaxy. "I would not have been surprised if you sent me to replace Jeremy Hawker."

Sennet smiled thinly. "You both supported me as Khan. He has already done all of this," she indicated the desk, "for Kappa Spina and knows them well. Giving you the results of his work would be poor repayment. It is possible he will receive Gamma in the future."

"Thank you for the advice."

"Counseling officers is part of a Khan's duties. If your meteoric rise continues then you may need to provide it in the future," the dark-skinned woman said unemotionally. She produced a data chip and handed it to Ace. "The Watch's latest data on DCMS troop movements. I would be interested in what you expect us to face on Luthien."

Inserting it into the appropriate slot on his desk, Ace brought up the files on the display so they could both see the worlds around Luthien, dotted with unit markers and indicators of how reliable the information was considered. Lines linked multiple sightings of a unit, providing a guide to their movements. Adjusting the controls, Ace ran a program that compared the data to the slightly older files already in his possession, highlighting the updates.

One line stood out to him, passing through the very same star system they were in. "We have not engaged the Genyosha so far as I am aware… they were on Wolcott?"

Sennet nodded. "The DCMS falsified their response to my batchall and claimed they were fielding two inexperienced regiments designated as Yuutsu - whatever that means." Her demeanor cracked slightly, showing irritation. "Once we uncovered the deception, I deployed reinforcements and we drove them off world. Fortunately I had elected not to engage them on their chosen battlefield. If I had taken losses comparable to those on Pesht, we might have had to ask the Ghost Bears for aid on Luthien."

"It is an option," Ace said absently as he brought up more detailed information and saw that the jumpships and dropships that had carried the Genyosha's remaining strength - estimated as half of the original two regiments - away from Wolcott had been seen at Cyrenaica's jump point, departing before anyone could attempt an interception. "It seems likely that the Genyosha continued to Luthien, but I will need to alert Star Colonel Clarke in case that is not the case."

She waited while he typed up a quick message.

"I should have known without you telling me," Ace admitted once he had sent the warning.

"In this case I cannot blame you or your incomplete staff. The Watch officer gathering the information assumed that I would be taking command directly and forwarded the data to me instead." Sennet pursed her lips. "We cannot afford such mistakes over Luthien, quineg?"

"Neg," Ace admitted. "Allowing for the Genyosha, I expect that we will face a minimum of six regiment-equivalents of 'battlemechs and five times that in infantry and armor. Most likely significantly more than that."

"Half again the forces on Pesht would not require more than two Galaxies," the Khan calculated. "The uncertainty justifies bringing our full forces. The question I have is whether contracting additional Ghost Bear clusters is required."

"The forces I'm sure we will face are two reinforced regiments of the Sword of Light and the Coordinator's bodyguard unit, the Otomo." He indicated the markers on the display. "Combine media has reported a 'mech unit called the Dragon Claws that we have no prior data on, and there must be some battlemechs among their planetary militia, one battalion is the lowest likely figure but it could be three times as much. Adding the Genyosha means eighteen battalions of 'mechs." He paused. "It's likely that other bloodied units have retreated to Luthien to refit - the industrial base supports it."

"Fortunately none escaped Pesht," Sennet noted. "You believe we should contract for support, quiaff?"

"Neg," Ace told her.

She tilted her head slightly. "I do not believe you are basing this on a refusal to share the glory."

"There will be enough glory on Luthien for three Clans," Ace replied. "But even with the threat to their capital, the DCMS are trying to slow us down with deployments to the worlds we are currently fighting for. There are two regiments here on Cyrenaica that could have been sent to Luthien instead. The Ghost Bears are also engaging in battles with significant forces. This tells me that the Combine's strategists are not willing to sacrifice the rest of their worlds to hold Luthien - they will fight for it but they are balancing their concern against losing other worlds. With the Ghost Bears advancing on Xinyang, a prefectural capital, they will tie up regiments that could otherwise be sent to Luthien."

"Normally," Sennet said slowly, "I would expect a single Cluster to be a match for a Battlemech regiment and support. Given we are striking with fifteen Clusters, Luthien is not a normal world though. Your projections suggest that we should expect a twenty-five percent incremental advantage to the defenders compared to other worlds."

Ace nodded. "Their logistical support will be excellent, we must assume greater than normal militia, and whatever Star League era equipment they have would logically be available. If we face fifty regiments, twelve of them equipped with battlemechs, then I would consider the matter evenly matched. Even victory would be costly at that point."

"But worthwhile."

"There is an ancient axiom of warfare: the moral is to the physical as three is to one," Ace informed the Khan. "Taking Luthien would be a moral victory that would shake the Combine. They have lost worlds to outside enemies before, but they endured and they fought back - the Fourth Succession War, followed by the War of 3039 for example. But no one has ever taken Luthien."

Sennet nodded. "And if the Combine's forces exceed those numbers?"

He shrugged. "Then we withdraw, blockade the world with our warships and leave a tenth of the Combine's striking power trapped and irrelevant as we take the rest of their industrial heartlands. It is not ideal, but House Kurita must fight for Luthien, whereas we have a choice."

"Speaking of House Kurita," she observed, "The Watch have also picked up recent Combine propaganda. It appears that the genetic offspring of their… I will not try to pronounce it, their saKhan equivalent?"

"It translates to Deputy for Military Affairs."

Sennet pursed her lips. "Easier on the tongue. They show footage of this offspring carrying out bondsref with your assistance."

Ace blinked. "I do not recall ever encountering a Kurita. I gave bondsref to an officer of the Legion of Vega on Turtle Bay. It is a matter of record, quiaff?"

"Aff," the Khan told him. "We have compared their recording to ours and it is clear that the Combine footage has been doctored to show him identifying himself as Hohiro Kurita. The Watch analysts do not believe they would accept the loss of face in reporting a member of House Kurita as dead unless it was so. Under their succession rules, this was the second-in-line to the Coordinator."

A groan of frustration escaped Ace. "So it is most likely true."

"Aff." Sennet agreed. "He would have been valuable as a source of intelligence. You could not have known that they would be deceptive in identifying themselves, but in future do not grant bondsref before checking for other value."

"I will not."

"For most of the Clan, the fact that you defeated one of the Successor Houses' offspring will be to your credit," she continued. "Clan Jade Falcon has failed twice to kill or capture the heir to the Federated Commonwealth. However, it is likely you will be a priority target for the DCMS during the Luthien battle. Their warriors would gain great honor by avenging this Hohiro Kurita. You intend to deploy with the Twenty-First Assault Cluster, quiaff?"

"Aff." Ace shrugged. "As you said, changing the command structure too much is disruptive."

"You may wish to choose another 'mech. A lone Stormcrow surrounded by heavy and assault designs is recognisable and losing another Galaxy Commander would be disruptive."

"Piloting an unfamiliar 'mech might be just as debilitating," he said. "Besides, we are already short on equipment. Claiming a new omnimech for myself when I am drawing on stocks of garrison equipment to bring Alpha up to strength would not endear me to the warriors."

"Perhaps not," Sennet allowed. "This Twenty-Seventh Cruiser Cluster you are forming is barely a proper Cluster as it is, and that is before the warriors are considered."

Ace made a face. "I am in no position to complain about the origins of a warrior. It would smack of hypocrisy."

The Khan snorted. "Now that the Ghost Bears' clusters have arrived, a dropship carrying newly graduated warriors is being sent. The supply chains should have them reach the near Periphery by the end of the year, but they will not arrive before Luthien is fought for."

"We will need more warriors," Ace said simply.

"Aff. I have ordered the scientists to double the number of trueborn sibkos being created, but since we cannot wait twenty years," Sennet noted with what might have been a hint of humor, "I have ordered testing of civilian youths to join freeborn sibkos. Even their training will take at least four years, and warriors serving as training officers are not available to fight now. It is unfortunate that Ian Hawker did not begin this when the Invasion was decided, but even if he had they would not yet be fit for battle."

Ace considered the personnel who were filling out the Twenty-Seventh Cruiser Cluster. Besides a cadre of Diamondskate survivors and transfers from the other three Clusters there would be a mix of retired warriors pulled out of the invasion's civilian support staff and -

"Your use of bondsmen is another risk," the Khan told him. "A matter already being talked about. Normally we would expect the bondcord to be cut before they were allowed to serve as warriors. The Clan Council has not yet debated the matter only because we have not held a full meeting since the elections. If you do not trust them enough to cut the cords, how can you trust them when fighting their former comrades."

"It is a calculated risk," he admitted. "I have placed only one per point and their commanders have been told to cut the cords and make them very welcome once we enter the Luthien system. My hope is that this will lead them to believe that they have come too far among the Clans to back down, while not giving them the time for second thoughts."

Sennet looked doubtful. "You are correct that we need every warrior that we can find, which is the only reason that I will allow it. You will be held to account if this backfires."

"Of course."

"I am not referring just to your current rank being at stake."

Ace smiled ruefully. "The Clan Council will have their chance at my head only if I survive Luthien. And if the bondsmen cause problems there is some chance I will not live to face the Council."

The Khan conceded the point. "I hope you are correct. It might have been better to blood them against the DCMS here, but the decision is yours." She paused. "My next concern is that we have received a message from House Kurita."

"What sort of message?"

Sennet pushed off from the chair, drifting towards the end of the desk. "It seems that the Ghost Bears made them an offer: rules of engagement that would preclude the use of orbital fire and other weapons of mass destruction by either side. It appears that Takashi Kurita has accepted their terms and now offers us the same. It would require all warships to remain far enough from planets that there is not even the appearance of threatening to use orbital fire."

"After the debacle on Rasalhague," Ace mused, "Any use of orbital fire support would be looked on poorly. The Clan already agreed that it would be used only by agreement of all Galaxy Commanders. It would seem that this requires us to give up very little."

"It does. Of course, if the Combine then breaks this agreement - which in desperation, they might - then our ability to launch retaliation strikes would be limited."

Ace shook his head. "Neg. The expectation of bringing warships close for orbital strikes is based on using energy weapons or needing to be close enough to deploy them with tactical awareness. If the need is only deterrent then firing bombardment shells and missiles from further away is simply a targeting solution against a predictable location - a minor mathematical challenge. House Kurita can hardly move the planet - or more to the point, move the industrial facilities. If they keep to their terms, well and good. If not, we can at least deny them the 'mechs, tanks and dropships being built on Luthien. It would take them longer to replace those than it will take us to rebuild from combat losses."

Yamashiro, New Samarkand

Galedon Military District, Draconis Combine

5 December 3050

The Old Palace in Yamashiro was the not the same building that Shiro Kurita, the founder of the Draconis Combine, had ruled from. Minoru Kurita knew that many school children were taught that it was, but the original palace complex had become home to the Von Rohrs dynasty, who ruled the Combine for almost ninety years.

When the Von Rohrs were brought down by Martin McAllister, descended of the original House Kurita, the new Coordinator had feared that the adherents of his paranoid and treacherous cousins might use hidden passages through it to overthrow him in turn. Thus he'd ordered the first palace torn apart, brick by brick and the entire site dug out until every secret was uncovered.

Only then had he (and his brilliant daughter Siriwan) constructed the current palace on the same site. With their own hidden passages and other secrets, naturally.

Still, the Old Palace was over five centuries old. Its construction was closer to the first interstellar flight than it was to the modern day. Minoru found it curiously dreamlike at times - or rather, as if the Imperial City or even Luthien had never been anything but a dream and that now House Kurita had awoken to the reality of the old capital. It was an impression furthered by the bureaucrats who bustled around, busy establishing themselves to take over the governance of the Combine if it proved necessary. Well, those who were not simply trying to look busy.

Instructing at Sun Zhang wasn't taking much of his time. The academy staff understood that he wasn't really there for that - although, oddly Minoru did find it quite pleasant. If he had the time he'd been tempted to resume training with the kendo team.

But instead he was in a tower of the palace, perhaps sitting right where Siriwan Kurita once had, listening to advisors as if he was his grandfather, albeit without the actual authority of being the Coordinator.

It had occurred to him more than once that he might have that authority soon, and he wasn't sure how he would handle that. Or how the courtiers would handle it. Hopefully he wouldn't have to find out.

"Tono," one of the military officers said politely. "There are new updates on the troop deployments along the Draconis March."

"Show me," he ordered and gestured to indicate the main display in the middle of the table.

The holo-projector whirred to life and lit up with the familiar red and gold map of the border between the Draconis Combine and the Federated Commonwealth. While the officer had only mentioned the Draconis March, the Skye March and portions of the adjoining marches was also displayed and unit markers began to pop up.

There was a hiss from one of the officers, pointing at the display. "What are the Wolf Dragoons doing?"

Minoru looked at Outreach. Previously all but one of the mercenary regiments had been based on Outreach, but now the markers for Alpha Regiment, Zeta Battalion and the Black Widow Battalion had moved off with sightings reported on Bryant and Caph. Worlds significantly closer to the borders of the Combine.

"What is the nature of the reports," Minoru asked thoughtfully.

The representative of the ISF checked the file. "Communications intercepts, sir. Dropships carrying them were passing through those systems, they didn't land."

"It's a stab in the back," one of the lords declared. (Not that being a lord was very distinctive. Everyone in the court, down to the cleaners, had a title of some kind). Minoru thought this one was a functionary in the treasury. He hadn't said anything intelligent enough to catch attention yet, but he might have just said something foolish. "Wolf has shown his true colors and is resuming his feud with House Kurita now that our guard is down!"

Emil Kane, who represented the education ministry, stroked his beard. "Wolf is a Clanner," he said judiciously. "Is it possible he seeks to rejoin his comrades?"

Before any panic could begin, Minoru removed his spectacles and began to polish them absently. "Are any of the other Dragoon regiments moving?"

"No, tono."

"Hmm. So you think Jaime Wolf has decided to launch an attack on us with - let us call it a quarter of his forces? Interesting theory." He replaced his glasses and looked around the room. "There is enough force there to affect a world or two, but not the entire Combine. I do not see the logic in such a move."

Brigadier Fuhito Tetsuhara cleared his throat. "If Wolf is carrying out such an attack without the support of Hanse Davion, he would not succeed for long. Indeed, it is possible that it would be seen as rebellion against the First Prince. I doubt Davion desires to have to fight the Clans on two fronts so it suits his purposes for now that the Combine can afford to reduce the regiments facing him."

"You make a good point," allowed Kane thoughtfully. "But what if Davion is indeed backing this? Or if the Draconis March is working independently?

"Do we have evidence to support either of these?" Minoru enquired mildly.

Eyes went back to the display of data. Along the border there remained regiment after regiment of the AFFC. Old enemies, facing what had long been one of the most fiercely fought over borders in the entire Succession Wars. And yet… readiness figures were down. Supply estimates lower than normal, training exercises canceled. Five regimental combat teams were marked as moving towards the Terran Corridor, but all were well back from the border and their routes and schedules had been shared openly with the Combine, merely being confirmed by ISF sources: they were part of the ongoing transfers of units towards the Clan front.

"Either we have been penetrated on a breathtaking level," the ISF analyst concluded, "Or there is no evidence of hostile activity."

"So, the Dragoons are not moving in their full force, and if they are intent on attacking they will do so without the support of Steiner or Davion," Minoru concluded. "How puzzling."

He knew from his father's advice that this was expected, but that was not something he could say. After all, the reason was not - as far as he knew - shared with his grandfather yet. And anyone here might feel obliged to report it.

"We are over four hundred light years away," Fuhito observed. "Whatever it is, this is no threat to us here. And if Wolf can somehow deliver himself to the Clan front in less than two months, I would be interested in knowing how."

"Pre-positioned jumpships to ferry himself to Luthien and turn the tide against us!" predicted the treasury official. "The small number of jumpship collars for the transit is why only part of his force is moving - the rest will follow.

"Calm yourself, Okuda-san," the general counseled.

Minoru chuckled quietly. Okuda, he thought. Best to remember that he is not too informed of military affairs. "If Wolf were rejoining the Clans, he would be seeking out Clan Wolf, not Clan Diamond Shark," he observed. "In this matter we will show patience and allow the matter to unfold. The Warlords of Dieron and Benjamin will be as aware of this matter as we are. It is their duty to handle the immediate responses."

He indicated the map. "Since the strategic situation here is unchanged, let us return to the educational matters being debated. Lord Kane, you had thoughts on revisiting how General Kerensky's exodus is taught to our young people."

Kane bowed. "Indeed, tono. The decision to depart from the Inner Sphere is something we have historically presented as virtuous - the general of the SLDF choosing to retire from the fray once his war against Amaris had been completed. However, we now know that he was laying the groundwork for this new invasion. It is important that the people understand that this is not a glorious return of a hero's heirs, but instead a betrayal of the ancient oaths of the SLDF."

"I think you underestimate the people's wits," Fuhito murmured. "Surely it would be simpler to say that beyond the reach of the Dragon's guidance, the generations that came after the Great General Kerensky have fallen into error?"

"Given the number of worlds that have fallen to the Clans without effective resistance by the populace, I disagree." Kane stroked his beard again. "Too many are co-operating with these invaders - we must prepare the children so that they grow up knowing the devils that they are dealing with!"

The young Kurita sighed inwardly. Emotionally, he preferred Fuhito's position, but Kane made a good point. Taking a leaf from his grandfather's book, he refrained from commenting as the debate went on. Let them talk the matter out - good ideas might present themselves… and in any case, the real decision would be made on Luthien.

It would be made on Luthien.

Minoru very much hoped it would be made on Luthien, because from the taste of rulership he was getting right now, it was a bitter draught. That alas, was a decision that most definitely would be made on Luthien, and not by him.

Tairahana Plains, Luthien

Pesht, Military District, Draconis Combine

5 December 3050

Ace's first sight of Luthien was a brilliant blue sky seen through the hatch of a dropship as he marched his Stormcrow out. They'd landed in one of the equatorial regions of Hokkaido, the largest continent on the planet, which was pleasantly warm. Luthien was a relatively cool planet and the vast majority of the desirable territory was between the tropics. Naturally, this was where House Kurita had sited their Imperial City and thus it was where the Diamond Sharks had landed.

As the Stormcrow strode out, Ace saw the perimeter guard around the landing zone - a mix of older battlemechs belonging to Omega Galaxy. Some were lightly scorched or had minor damage - but it was not from weapons fire. He knew that unlike the other three Galaxies, Omega had carried out a combat drop from orbit to secure the landing zone.

"Alpha Galaxy," he ordered into his microphone. "All units are to offer salute to Omega Galaxy as we pass by them."

A moment later, a private channel opened from Michel. "I accept the order, but why would a frontline unit salute a garrison force?"

Ace thought that it was at least a step forward that Michel hadn't openly said he objected to saluting freeborn warriors. "Omega Galaxy took all the risks so far. If Khan Vewas had run into overwhelming resistance, he would have ordered the landing to break off and his Galaxy would have had to fight alone unless we could link up from a secondary site. Most likely they'd have died, without anywhere to repair or resupply it would have just been a matter of time and how many of the Combine's forces they took with them."

"Thank you for instructing me, Galaxy Commander." Michel's Warhawk raised one arm in salute to the nearest Omega Galaxy star. Ace saw the Guillotine that was probably the star's commander return the salute hesitantly.

Without any real pause, the four Clusters formed up - Ace led the Twenty-First, following the flank of Kappa Spina Galaxy, who were the touman's spearhead. It had been agreed that Jeremy Hawker's newly formed galaxy would lead the advance for the first day. The logic was the same as dropping Omega Galaxy - the nature of the defense was not yet known and it was best for any surprises to fall on Kappa Spina first.

With that said, Ace had the Twenty-Seventh Cruiser Cluster tucked in close behind his own Cluster. If Jeremy Hawker needed support then half of Alpha Galaxy would be able to move up quickly to provide it - and off to the north, Gamma Galaxy would be doing the same. Heavy casualties to Kappa Spina would be manageable but were not to be desired at all.

The rest of Alpha Galaxy brought up the rear, the Thirty-Ninth Striker Cluster providing a screening force against the desert to the south while the Nineteenth Heavy Cluster covered the rear and provided escort for the convoy of support vehicles - medical vans, recovery vehicles, ammo trucks and dozens of other functions that would normally be centered on the dropships.

It would be a long march, over a thousand kilometers separated the landing site from the Imperial City. The city itself, as well as the industrial cities east of the Urizen Mountains, had formidable air defenses that made landing nearby far too hazardous. Heavy missile batteries there were already lobbing cruise missiles over the mountains - Ace could see contrails in the air - that had to be intercepted by Clan aerospace fighters. If one of them got through, it might cripple a dropship. Risking that happening during the landing would have been unacceptable.

In theory, the majority of the combat units could have crossed the Tairahana plain to reach the northern end of the Urizen mountains and transverse the Kado-Guchi valley that divided the range from the more northerly Kiyomari mountains in a single day - but that was traveling as the Snow Raven flew, without regard for difficult terrain, roads that were less than direct or fighting through opposition. Besides that, not even all of the combat units could maintain that pace, much less the support vehicles.

Ace thought it might take four days, and had his troops cram their cockpits with supplies. It was telling that the 'mechs best suited for this were the handful of salvaged and upgraded DCMS battlemechs. The Panthers and Grand Dragons had larger cockpits, with better facilities than most of the Omnimechs. It was a design point Ace had drawn attention to but it wasn't going to make any difference in the near term.

While he was asking for improvements, he'd asked if the Panthers could be rebuilt with better reactors - they were no faster than Warhawks that were fifty tons heavier. The response to that one had been quick - the only suitable reactors available would be those used in the Adder omnimech, which the Diamond Sharks would have to trade for and then ship to the Inner Sphere - and even then the gyro would need to be replaced, along with other changes. Ace got the impression this wasn't the first time that the question or a similar one had been asked so he let that idea drop and hoped that the lack of a similar answer about cockpit capacity was a better sign.

More contrails marked the air as aerospace fighters fought their own engagements well out of reach of either side. The DCA pilots were trying to disrupt the aerospace coverage of the landing site so that more missiles could penetrate, while the Diamond Sharks were determinedly winnowing down the potential threats to the orbitals.

After an hour, Ace rotated the lead elements of the Cluster and moved to the back of the formation. Kappa Spina had bowled through an outer layer of militia defenders without any need for help, and the necessary attention to possible threats was wearing.

From his new position he could see the dark-blue 'mechs of the Twenty-Seventh Cruiser Cluster, marked with yellow birds beneath the shark emblem of Alpha Galaxy. His communications system lit up, indicating that one of the 'mechs was trying to establish a private comm-channel.

He accepted the call. Why not? "Ace Enders."

"Sir." It was a woman's voice, slightly familiar to him. "This is…" She broke off awkwardly.

"Yes?"

"I did not get a chance to say this before we landed. Thank you for approving my transfer to Alpha Galaxy. I guess I made the wrong call about you."

Ace was puzzled for a moment and checked the source. A Star Commander named… oh. It was Val, a freeborn from the sibko he'd joined briefly. "Honestly, Val, I did not request you for the Twenty-Seventh. We had little choice but to take whoever was available."

"Ah."

"I would not have refused your transfer," he added. "It may seem odd for me to say this, but I know that promotions do not come easily for freeborn warriors. Earning the command of your Star cannot have been easy."

"Compared to what you have accomplished?" Val sounded amused. "It would be wrong to thank you for killing the Khan, however he treated freeborn warriors. Some thought that he kept you around just to pretend that he was not prejudiced."

Ace chuckled. "He never pretended that in my hearing. He tolerated me because I was useful, nothing more. And that isn't why we fought."

"I know. But you giving us chances like this… that counts for a lot."

"There will be many more freeborn warriors in the future," he told. "The Clan needs them. And we will recruit from the worlds we are occupying. There is little choice." Then he made a face. "If they see that freeborn warriors are not being given a fair chance then how can they expect to have opportunities to rise."

Val paused in thought. "I see your thinking. Well, you gave me a chance when I did not. So… I will give them a chance."

"I bear you no grievance, Val." He paused. "Perhaps after the battle, we can exchange stories."

"I would be glad to… you were, quite angry at the time, quiaff."

Ace chuckled. "Aff. I was worried about Antonia."

The other freeborn warrior sounded amused. "And not by the trial of position, quineg?"

"Neg. Remember, I had been blooded before. I knew, well I thought I knew what I was getting into there." He shook his head in the cockpit. "Losing a friend was a little more concerning."

"You heard that they found her?"

"I had," he said shortly. Forty miles down river, quite dead. What a waste.

The other warrior hesitated. "We grew up in the same enclave. I had hoped to be partnered with her for the trial."

"So did I. She was a good friend."

"Is that what they called it where you came from?" Val asked. "You certainly coupled enough."

"We did not!" he exclaimed indignantly.

"...you spent half your time off alone with her."

"We were studying," Ace told her. "My education was a bit uneven. I needed the help."

"Well now I feel like even more of a fool," Val admitted.

Another ping on his comm told Ace it was time to pay more attention to his duties. "I am being called. Later, Val."

He cut the comm abruptly and accepted the invite into the Galaxy Commanders' channel. "Enders here."

"There has been an update from orbit," Bikendi Vewas informed him tersely. The saKhan was still back at the dropsite although his Clusters would be called forwards as needed to support the advance. "Four Combine jumpships have arrived at the proximity point created by one of the moons." Luthien had four moons, meaning that such points were unstable but frequent. "Nine dropships are heading for the far side of the Urizen mountains. It appears that the enemy are being reinforced."

"What types?" Jeremy Hawker asked crisply.

"Seven Overlord-class dropships, two Union-class. Assuming they are configured for battlemechs, we can expect at least two additional regiments."

Ace bit back a curse. They already knew that one of the Legion of Vega regiments was on planet, further reinforcing the garrison. Two more 'mech regiments was bringing the level of opposition close to an effective parity.

"We can assume nothing." Barbara Sennet was as cool as ever. "This could be real or a bluff. What are the chances of interception?"

"Limited. They have forty aerospace fighters of their own and as many more have been launched to escort them in," the saKhan reported. "The good news is that fighter presence contesting our own is reduced by that obligation."

Sennet paused a moment. "Have our own fighters press the advantage and push as far out from our positions as possible. Kills would be welcome, but intelligence on the enemy disposition will be more so. We must know what we are facing."