Opalescent Reflections

House of Cards

Chapter 14

Chang-an, Liao

Sarna March, Lyran Commonwealth

14 January 3052

For reasons that would probably be analyzed in detail later for the First Circuit, neither faction of House Liao had approached ComStar to mediate their conflict. Instead the representatives of Kai and Romano Liao had agreed on Thomas Marik.

While the implications of looking for a neutral party other than ComStar might prove alarming, Wei was perfectly happy to leave that particular argument to the Captain-General of the Free Worlds League. For one thing, she didn't get the impression that either side was willing to compromise. And the League's neutrality would be important - if the Chancellor convinced Thomas Marik to help her against her nephew, that would almost certainly force intervention by the Federated Commonwealth… and whichever way the Draconis Combine picked to side with, the consequences would be bad.

So long as it was just the two nations ruled by House Liao fighting, the situation was relatively contained and that was… well, Wei didn't consider it good, but perhaps least bad.

With the Captain-General and the Capellans talking privately, Wei was dining with the two combatant powers'… the other two combatant powers' representatives. Rasalhague could no longer be counted - General Mansdottir was rebuilding what remained of the Kungsarme into the 1st Tyr, the last brigade they had and ironically one that he had only formed as a rallying point for militia and volunteers fighting alongside the regular regiments. But they were little more than a mercenary unit fighting for the Combine now.

The three of them occupied one of the smaller dining rooms, served from what were - of course - literally royal kitchens. The roast duck and rice in front of Wei were the best she'd ever had, and it didn't seem as if Minoru Kurita was likely to complain about the vegetarian dumplings he'd requested. Melissa Steiner-Davion was picking at the pork ribs she'd been served but it didn't seem likely that that was a complaint about the dish.

"Are you missing your husband?" Wei asked. "I'm a little surprised he didn't attend."

"It shows?" the Archon asked, with no real surprise. She put down the chopsticks she used with surprising facility. "I suppose it does. We spent the invasion with him on New Avalon and myself on Tharkad. It would have been nice to be together here, we have some happy memories of Liao. Unfortunately, there's enough friction in the Draconis March that visiting Robinson seemed necessary."

Wei hid a frown. It was true that many worlds bordering the Draconis Combine were increasingly wondering why they weren't taking the opportunity to kick their aggressive neighbor while they were down. After all, they had (thanks to ComStar) fifteen years before the Clans got any closer to those worlds.

However, she also knew that Hanse Davion's public schedule for visiting Robinson and half a dozen other worlds was comparatively lackadaisical. Six hours of meetings a day, with preparation time factored in and very few days off other than while traveling was more than a full-time job… but it wasn't as much as he might have done ten years ago.

With Takashi's death, the First Prince was left as the oldest of the Successor Lords and House Davion wasn't known for the exceptional longevity of House Kurita. It was possible that Hanse Davion was up to something more than appeared on the surface… but it was also possible that his health wasn't up to carrying out his regular duties and a busy international conference at the same time.

"I appreciate the efforts that you and your husband are making to keep your vassals from acting impetuously," the young Coordinator said quietly. "I promised your son that I would do all I could to give you peace with the Combine while I reign. I do not offer my word often or lightly."

Melissa nodded. "That does nothing to change the long and bloody history between our peoples. However, I don't believe you to be a fool who would destroy his nation by abusing the trust we're able to extend."

He nodded and then turned to Wei. "I understand that so long as the Clans remain above the Camlann line, that the ComGuards are unlikely to be committed to fight them again?"

"That's correct, Lord Kurita." They'd done what they could and she had no intention of bleeding the ComGuards out like that again if there were any better choices. Precentor-Martial Focht had provided updated options for incorporating captured Clan warriors into the ComGuards - it was something they were culturally prepared for, but at the same time they would need extensive re-education to deal with the radically different cultures of the Inner Sphere. Keeping them cooped up except when they were needed to fight would be little more than military slavery, and that wasn't something Wei could stomach. If they were going to fight for ComStar then she'd give them the same rights as any ComGuard… as soon as they were safe to exercise them.

Minoru used his chopsticks to pick up another dumpling. "However, would you be willing to station your forces along our shared border? Since Camlannn, ComStar's reputation is higher than it has been for some time. If you were guaranteeing the ceasefire between us - with ComGuards units ready to deploy to enforce that - then it might calm tempers along the border."

Wei considered the discussion of deployments she'd had with Focht and wished he was here for the meeting, rather than in conference with other soldiers. Still, he was here on Liao and available to consult today. "How would you feel about that, Archon?"

Picking up her chopsticks again, Melissa lifted a slice of pork from her plate and lightly shook off some of the sauce. "I believe that would be a reassurance to parts of the Skye and Draconis Marches where we have little more than militia facing DCMS Regulars."

"I think you underrate your March Militias," observed Minoru with an air of reproach. "If I remove the remaining Regulars then my ability to restrain local nobles would be limited. I think we all know that would end poorly." He bit off half a dumpling once he'd finished speaking.

"Perceptions of that may matter more than an objective view of the balance of forces," the Archon told him.

The young man chewed on the dumpling. "I believe a number of nobles could be persuaded to lead their retinues to reinforce the Clan border," he suggested. "To a degree these can now be replaced by small mercenary units contracted directly with the Combine, and if ComStar is guaranteeing the peace then sharing the exact contract terms might offer some reassurance."

"A one to one replacement with mercenaries would be excessive if you are relying on the ComGuards for security. Assuming that you are willing, Primus?"

"I can't offer any specifics," Wei cautioned. "But in principle, I believe basing Level III units at several strategically placed HPG stations along the border would be possible. I will need to confer with the Precentor Martial before committing to anything."

Minoru nodded, holding up the other half of his dumpling. "I would be willing to replace local retinues at a level of perhaps one-third to one-half," he offered the Archon, "Assuming that the Primus is favorably inclined once she's discussed this with her advisors."

"We can discuss the matter further then," Melissa confirmed. "It's enough for today that we all agree that the idea has merits."

Wei scooped up some rice, chewed on it and swallowed. Since neither of the others were speaking, she supposed it was her chance to bring up a new subject. "Moving to another matter, Archon. One that may be of interest to your husband."

"Oh?" she asked curiously.

"ComStar has two enclaves within the Federated Commonwealth's borders that have been isolated for some time," Wei explained delicately. "The worlds in question were abandoned by their inhabitants during the Succession Wars and resettled later on. Until recently, their governments preferred to remain isolated as refugees from the Succession Wars."

Melissa arched an eyebrow. "Even abandoned worlds aren't necessarily given up in terms of territorial claims."

Wei shrugged. "That's true. And territorial disputes are something they've wished to avoid. But the circumstances have changed." Both rulers looked at her curiously and Wei lifted her tea cup, moistening her throat before continuing: "The world of Taussen wishes to remain under ComStar protection as one of our enclaves, but they also wish to contribute to the efforts against the Clans. On this basis, we will be restoring their location to our publicly available navigational databases."

"And if the former owners of that world wish to exert their claims?" asked Minoru quietly.

She smiled but did not address the question directly. "Obeedah's government, on the other hand, has decided that they no longer wish to remain under ComStar's protection. As such, we will be withdrawing our presence. As it is no longer a ComStar enclave, the disposition of the world isn't our business."

Melissa picked up her own tea-cup. "I understand. I confess that I do not know of any worlds by those names, current or previously."

"Ah," Wei turned her cup in her hands. "Taussen was once known as Agmond. The nearest inhabited world is Bonneau, in the Point Barrow region."

"Directly in the heart of the Federated Suns?" the Archon noted. "And Obidiah?"

"Obeedah," she corrected lightly, "Was previously known as Gahral - a border world that once belonged to the Capellan Confederation. Its position is quite near to the currently contested border between the St Ives Compact and the Capellan Confederation. Most maps would place it within the Federated Commonwealth but I believe it changed hands several times in the early Succession Wars, contributing to the devastation of the original settlements. "

"Yes, of course." Melissa paused. "I cannot speak for the First Prince in this. The Federated Commonwealth is an alliance, not yet a formal union. If he wishes to push for whatever claims we have for these worlds then I doubt I would persuade him. If you had such worlds in the Lyran Commonwealth -" (Wei noted she was being looked at searchingly and tried to remain relaxed.) "- I would have to consider how much ComStar's services weigh against such a transgression."

"I believe the consequences of violating a ComStar enclave are well known," Wei said in a neutral voice. "This would, of course, apply only to Taussen. We have made it clear to Obeedah's leadership of the consequences of their choices and they have accepted them. ComStar's presence is being removed - including the HPG station."

"Even the HPG?" asked Minoru, voice betraying surprise.

"Yes. The services ComStar offers are a matter of treaty. Since Obeedah has chosen not to enter into such treaties, they will be without them." And the DRUM commandos who had seized control of the HPG station had been able to approach under the cover of the troop movements following Camlann. A single Level III of the regular ComGuards had followed the attack in and taken custody of the previous government.

As Wei said, they had been warned of the consequences of breaking with ComStar. If Thomas Marik - the real one, not the Captain-General - and his coterie thought their hidden rebellion would be ignored then they had been mistaken. Razing the HPG station to the lowest basement was the best way to ensure nothing was salvaged by whoever took control of the world in the future.

"Are there any such worlds in the Draconis Combine?" the Coordinator enquired, his voice a little colder. A little more worried.

"None that I am aware of," Wei assured him. She was even telling the truth… now. It was convenient that the exception to that answer had destroyed themselves through research into biological weapons.

He nodded slowly.

"I must say that I didn't expect such a revelation," Melissa noted, taking up some of the noodles that her pork was served. "Do you have any more surprises for me?" Then she lowered the chopsticks, seeing some clue in Wei's face.

"Recently, while surveying for damaged warships that can be recovered and repaired," said Wei, "Some of my people found such a vessel - but rather than one of the old SLDF or Rim Worlds vessels they expected, it is a veteran of the Lyran navy. We make no claim to own the ship - currently it is undergoing some repairs and I will have it delivered to a star system of your choice once it is mobile."

Melissa arched an eyebrow. "Primus, are you trying to bribe me into ignoring the Agmond situation?" she asked with a degree of sarcasm.

"Not at all. I cannot bribe you with your own property," Wei claimed and lifted her tea cup to sip from it. "Of course, if this would benefit the Federated Commonwealth's warship programmes… Well, that is a sign of goodwill that I think that you and your husband will take into consideration."

Given the current talks to facilitate aid and advice in preparing certain Federated Commonwealth shipyards to build the massive transit drives needed for a warship were far from reaching a conclusion, Wei was fairly sure that Melissa understood the implications. Right now, ComStar's technical aid was significantly more valuable than one minor colony… particularly when another colony was up for grabs.

"Such generosity," Minoru mused. "Dare I hope that you have found any warships that are the proper property of House Kurita?"

"Alas, no," she told him. "But if you are interested in seeking help in restoring DCS Togura, I believe we still have SLDF records on how to maintain and repair vessels of her class."

The Kurita nodded in satisfaction. The Togura had been left orbiting New Samarkand long ago, judged unfeasible to repair. Currently it was little more than an orbital museum, but it was also a potent symbol of the Combine's one time ability to build a large fleet of such warships. Restoring it, perhaps even duplicating it, would be a significant mark of prestige for his reign.

The Free Worlds League and other realms might make requests for similar generosity, Wei thought. But if they did then the price would be concrete support for fighting the Clans. She was spending political capital, but at the same time she was disarming landmines left to her by her predecessors as Primus.

Silverdale, Alshain

Clan Smoke Jaguar Occupation Zone

29 May 3052

"I'm completely certain," Natasha Kerensky told Karl Bourjon as the Wolf Khans took their seats next to the Ghost Bears in the council chamber, "That the original information said we'd be meeting in the palace."

Ulric Kerensky hid a smile. He was similarly sure.

"I do not believe that the palace is in a suitable condition for this meeting," Bourjon replied. "We flew over it on our way here and I can confirm that it has been very thoroughly burned to the ground… ah, demolished."

"Since Clan Smoke Jaguar has been so gracious as to offer their headquarters as the meeting place for the Grand Kurultai," Ulric told them, making sure he was speaking loud enough to be heard across the room, "I am sure that they know the difference between the palace and the Palace Hotel."

Theresa DelVillar grunted in agreement, looking less than amused. "So long as this building is not suddenly demolished while we are inside."

"I am sure it has better fire protection than a building modeled on medieval Japan," he told her, watching Leo Showers twitch out of the corner of his eyes. Whatever the former ilKhan said, the Watch was quite clear that the Kurita's palace had been burned down by the resistance, with dozens of Smoke Jaguars killed in the blaze. Sarah Weaver had refused to be drawn on the point, stating that she had not been on Alshain at the time and had no first hand knowledge.

The appointed time was reached and holographic images began to appear. Unlike meetings during the invasion, many were attending from the Hall of Khans on Strana Mechty - holographic projectors overlaying the familiar marble of the council chamber over this hotel's ballroom. The Smoke Jaguars had been careful to position the desks so that everyone was seated precisely in their corresponding positions. Ulric saw Barbara Sennet nod quietly to her saKhan, who was one of those that had returned to the Inner Sphere.

Kael Pershaw, who was still holding onto the position of Loremaster for the Grand Council despite Edmund Hoyt's recovery, struck a gavel. "The Grand Council is hereby convened and I note to you that we are still under the Martial Code handed down by Nicholas Kerensky. We are at war, and we shall conduct our business as befits that circumstance." The Jade Falcon looked around the room. "I note the absence of Clan Blood Spirit's Khans."

One more thing back to normal, Ulric thought. The Blood Spirits had rarely bothered to attend before Operation Revival and now that it was over, they had retreated again. Or perhaps it was more because of the Burrock Absorption. Karianna Schmitt might have done something precipitous if she'd had the time or been in the homeworlds, but she'd had no chance. Trade agreements with the Diamond Sharks had been cut off, but that would probably hurt the Blood Spirits far more than it did the Sharks.

Speaking of whom, Barbara Sennet rose to speak.

"Are you going to absorb another Clan?" Natasha asked loudly before the Diamond Shark could speak.

There were several frowns around the room at the jibe. It wasn't that Clans hadn't been absorbed before, but this had been so blatantly set up by the two Clans that more than a few khans had referred to it contemptuously as more of a 'marriage', implying Inner Sphere degeneracy on the part of the Sharks.

"We have no plans for that," Bikendi Vewas answered drily, as Sennet considered the question solemnly. "However, if any Clan wishes to volunteer, I believe Galaxy Commander Enders is commanding Barbara's escort today."

There was uneasy laughter and Ulric frowned. Ace Enders' notoriety had grown considerably since he managed to kill two Khans in a single trial. That level of martial prowess, combined with what appeared to be good strategic acumen, meant that it was extremely likely the young man would become Khan in the future. He'd asked Natasha to recount everything they'd discussed when she met the Diamond Shark on Luthien and he suspected that Ender's drive would push the Diamond Sharks into the Crusader camp in ways Ian Hawker would have never managed. The dead Khan had wanted to emulate the Jade Falcons and Smoke Jaguars, but Enders would aim to put the Sharks' own stamp on the movement.

Barbara Sennet straightened her double-breasted jacket. "Absent any takers," she said after a moment's pause, "I am here to inform the Grand Council of my Clan's immediate military intentions."

Ulric sat up straight. 'Immediate'? The Ghost Bears, at least, didn't seem surprised.

"Having reviewed the agreement made with ComStar, it is my position that while Operation Revival is formally over and we are pledged to remain corewards of the Camlann line, there is no requirement barring further operations above this line," Sennet continued seriously. "Our intelligence indicates that the Draconis Combine has relocated industry and is working to make good their losses. We have lost the element of surprise that aided us two years ago, and our technological edge is also being reduced as new military hardware - and upgrade packages for existing hardware - is reaching the DCMS in quantities. By the end of the truce in 3066, the remaining DCMS regiments may be on a technical par with the forces of the ComGuards… and I have no doubt they will have improved the training of their warriors."

"That seems unduly pessimistic," Elias Crichell observed slowly, but the bombastic Khan sounded less confident than was his wont.

Vewas glanced across the chamber (and a thousand light years) to look at the Jade Falcons. "Perhaps, Khan Crichell. But the Federated Commonwealth have significantly more resources to direct towards preparing their even larger army so if we are correct about the threat of the DCMS then your problems are likely greater to some degree." He made a dismissive gesture, as if to suggest that he would take that point no further.

Sennet nodded. "It is my intention to lead my touman to eliminate whatever Combine industrial and military capacity we can above the truce line. How far we can push such an advance, and how many of those worlds we will garrison is unclear but I am certain that it will be easier to do this now than in five, ten or fourteen years."

Ulric glanced at Robin Steele, who frowned and then gave him a nod. With him overseeing the Occupation Zone, the Coyote Khan was playing an important role in revitalising the Warden cause in the Homeworlds.

"I disagree with that interpretation," Ulric said firmly. "We agreed to halt our invasion so we should not be launching new attacks on the Inner Sphere while the truce endures." Which realistically probably wouldn't be the full fifteen years, but the longer it was, the better. He'd suspected that the Diamond Sharks would reach the same conclusion eventually, but he'd hoped they would be more interested in opening trade and co-existence rather than looking for another wave of conquests.

Leo Showers cleared his throat. "That is a very dubious position."

"You're an expert on those," Natasha told him.

The Smoke Jaguar Khan looked as if he might get up and challenge Natasha but Sarah Weaver leant forwards. "I do not recall there being any explicit terms preventing us from taking any action above the truceline."

"It is implicit in ending Operation Revival," Ulric argued.

"Operation Revival was just that: an operation," Sennet told him crisply. "It was a means of the invasion, it was not the invasion in and of itself. The Grand Council voted to approve an invasion separately from voting to accept and follow Operation Revival."

As loosely as the Diamond Sharks had done that - most of their conquests in the last wave hadn't even been within the invasion corridor they were supposed to be following, Ulric thought.

"If the matter is not explicit in the agreement, we are free to make our own decision on the matter," Robin suggested. She leant her weight on the desk in front of her. "Vote on the matter and then we can move onto more pressing matters such as the Ice Hellions' tantrum."

"Tantrum?" Asa Taney protested angrily. He folded his arms. "I suppose words are all you can throw back at me after your Clan's dismal response to our challenges." Clan Ice Hellion's string of challenges to secure resources from other Clans over the last year had mostly been rebuffed, marking them as having over-reached themselves. Unfortunately, the Coyote garrison on Londerholm had been considerably understrength and they'd been left in a humiliating position: the only reason the Hellions hadn't pressed their advantage and seized part of the enclave there had been furious Smoke Jaguars bearing down on the Hellion dropships. No Coyote would ever appreciate being saved by the Smoke Jaguars, of all Clans.

"A vote seems reasonable," Perigard Zalman interjected. "I second the motion."

"Very well," Pershaw agreed. "A vote of aye confirms the interpretation of Khan Sennet and a vote of nay backs Khan Kerensky - Ulric Kerensky, that is - in his interpretation. You may cast your votes."

Ulric voted for his own position and then checked the other votes. Clan Cloud Cobra's votes were with him, perhaps less out of any agreement and more to spite the Diamond Sharks' decision to end the garrison agreement Clan Burrock had made over the Tanite worlds. Having to divert their forces to cover for the need was stretching the small Clan's limited strength.

The Coyotes led a bloc of other Clans to back Ulric but, one at a time, the other invading Clans seemed to be putting their weight behind Sennet. The Jaguars might despise the Sharks, but they were apparently open to widening the war. After a brief consultation, the Nova Cats and Jade Falcons voted together, and the Ghost Bears were evidently in on the matter.

The Steel Vipers' decision to also support the Diamond Sharks was a surprise - despite their recent agreements, the two Clans weren't close. It wasn't enough though and even after the Hells Horses and Fire Mandrill votes split the outcome was sixteen to fourteen in Ulric's favor.

"Close," Natasha muttered. "Too close."

Ulric nodded. The bulk of the Clans that weren't involved in the invasion were waking up to the advantages held by those that were. But it wasn't enough to just win the vote.

"Clan Diamond Shark calls for a Trial of Refusal," Barbara Sennet informed them all the moment the outcome was clear. She probably wanted this over with before it affected the schedule for her invasion plans.

"That is your right," confirmed Pershaw. "The forces committed would be at eight to seven."

"I propose to commit a binary from my current escort," she announced. "I will provide a breakdown for the Council by this evening."

"It'll be Enders," Natasha said with certainty.

"Aff," agreed Ulric. "And the odds are close enough that we'll be sending at most eleven 'mechs, or a slightly heavier binary." The only Clans with forces present to be used to defend the vote were the Smoke Jaguars, or escort units… and the only khans present who had voted against the measure were he and Natasha. It would have to be Clan Wolf. "I want you to handle it personally."

"...you do love me after all," Natasha said brightly, but he saw a calculating light in her eyes.

Ace Ender's meteoric rise was nettling at Natasha - she'd also been a ristar but not on that scale. It was good that she was motivated, because she was one of the only Wolves that Ulric thought would stand a chance against Enders - and the only one who was with him on Alshain. The man wasn't invincible, but killing that many Khans could not be a coincidence. Perhaps in a year or two young Vladimir of the Wards would be on that level - unrepentant Crusader or not, the Star Commander was excellent - and Phelan also had enormous potential, but neither was quite ready.

"In the event that your refusal succeeds," Zalman offered, looking over at Sennet and Vewas, "We have two Galaxies of forces in reach of your Occupation Zone."

Ulric clenched his fists. The Vipers' invasion force should be most of the way back to the homeworlds! They had nowhere to base from - were their warriors eating their own boots?! A moment later, the answer was obvious. They must have imitated the Diamond Sharks and seized a world in the Periphery just outside the Inner Sphere to use as a forward base. Waiting for an opportunity like this one.

However, to his surprise, Sennet shook her head, "That is generous Khan Zalman and if we find ourselves in need of reinforcements then I might be open to contracting your forces against the Draconis Combine. However, we have previously activated Clan Ghost Bear as our reserve Clan and it would be greedy to claim a second when one of the other Clans not to receive help might need you more."

Natasha chuckled and Ulric glanced at her, then followed her eyes to Sarah Weaver.

"What possible cause," the junior Smoke Jaguar grated, "Would we have to call for a reserve when the invasion is stalled?"

"Fire safety?" suggested Vewas innocently.

Sennet shook her head slightly, warning her saKhan to shut up. Which was probably wise as she was the only Diamond Shark physically in the chamber with the two Smoke Jaguars. "We have an influx of new warriors who need to be blooded, so for now we will rely on our own Clusters. Clan Ghost Bear has found their supply lines under repeated attack," she continued. "We have agreed to open supply routes through our occupation zone and Khan Bourjon will assign warriors to protect them, to make sure that shipments reach the Ghost Bears."

Karl Bourjon rose to his feet. "We are sworn to ensure that no hostile force endangers Clan Diamond Sharks' supply lines - any force entering their Occupation Zone that may be targeting the supplies of either of our Clans will be treated as an immediate threat," he warned, with a grim look towards Leo Showers.

It seems that Showers' attempts to rebuild his forces at the expense of the Ghost Bear's supply lines have been cut short, Ulric noted. That's one good thing out of this - now if Natasha can just win…

He would like to think that it was assured that the Wolves would overcome any force comparable in numbers… but after the Trial of Absorption, he was done underestimating Natasha's opponent.

"Do you think that the Diamond Sharks can destroy the Draconis Combine alone?" demanded Leo Showers. Perhaps he too had had visions of joining this attack.

In response, the Diamond Shark khan smiled coolly. "Destruction is a means, not an end, Khan Showers. Our goal is conquest, and some Clans are clearly better partners than others for such an endeavor."

Silverdale Flats, Alshain

Clan Smoke Jaguar Occupation Zone

1 June 3052

The Silverdale Flats were a rare case, for Alshain's mountainous continents, of relatively level ground near a city that hadn't been developed. Ace wasn't sure why it hadn't been, but the Smoke Jaguars had decided that the two steep ridges either side of the area, as well as the peak the ridges converged into, would become their new headquarters - digging into the mountain at the same time they re-shaped it to resemble the head and paws of their totem feline.

As a result, the area was still dotted with hastily abandoned construction supplies - the more mobile equipment had been removed but there was no time to remove piles of spoil, stacks of support girders and many more heaps of mysteriously wrapped sacks or pallets of crates. The circle of equals wasn't large enough for the sort of extended hunting games that Ace had faced against the Burrocks, but nor were they so forced together that everyone was visible from the start.

It was ten on ten, but Clan Wolf had a weight advantage - Ace's heaviest 'mech was Norman's Gargoyle and while he didn't have an exact breakdown of his opposition, he knew they had an edge of over a hundred tons. Only Kael Pershaw, acting as Oathmaster, knew what both sides had chosen as he'd arbitrated the back and forth to settle on forces that met the required weight advantage. It should be around eight to seven, more than ten percent over. But both sides had to pick from the 'mechs available to them.

"Call off as you see them," Ace reminded the two Stars with him. "We need to know what we're dealing with."

"Aff," Star Commander Tomori agreed and then added. "'Information is Ammunition!'"

Ace feigned a growl of irritation and heard a couple of mechwarriors snicker.

In a… misguided attempt at cultural assimilation, Clan Jade Falcon merchants had entered into a commercial arrangement with ComStar to 'syndicate' the Adventures of Clan Spaniel for the education of the Inner Sphere's masses. In exchange, the Clans were now being exposed to Tharkad Broadcasting Company's latest animated holovid, and Tomori had apparently binged the entire series during the voyage from the homeworlds.

Ace hadn't seen much of it personally, but from what he'd heard the Jade Falcons were rather upset about their depiction. Which, of course, meant that any Clan that didn't get along with the often haughty Jade Falcons had picked it up. The first 'trial' of cultural warfare had been decided in the Lyran's favor… fortunately it wasn't going to be the last.

"Summoner and Gargoyle," Julian reported, bringing a degree of sobriety back to the force. "On the left flank."

"I see them," concurred Norman. "It has got that silly wolf-shaped head they started retrofitting."

"Neg," Julian corrected him. "It has a standard head."

"Two pairs of 'Mechs," Ace cut them off before they could argue. His 'mechs were sticking to cover, shifting slightly towards the right flank. "Anyone else."

There was a short pause and then Quinn spoke up. "I see a Hellbringer… and a Timber Wolf. Might be more than one, magscan is useless right now. Close to the center."

"We could be looking at five pairs," Tomori suggested, "Watch the right flank."

An alert popped up on Ace's sensors. "Neg! Artillery inbound!" He pushed the Huntsman into a sprint for cover. His anti-missile system might be able to affect an Arrow IV missile, particularly if it had a seeker head, but an explosive warhead wouldn't need to enter the reach of the flechettes to damage him. "Plan Raspberry! Julian, take the lead!"

"Aff," the newly promoted Star Captain confirmed and as the first missile burst over their location, confirming that the Wolves' sensors were at least as good as those of the Diamond Sharks, the bulk of the binary pushed themselves to maximum speed, sprinting further to the right to get out of the blast zone as three more Arrow IV missiles plunged won, the explosions scraping away at the rear armor of the two 'mechs at the back of the formation.

There were three exceptions: Ace, Tomori and Fyfer activated their electronic counter-measures and began to skulk the other way. The sophisticated systems wouldn't protect them from the human eyeball, but to a considerable degree mechwarriors depended on their sensors to highlight potential threats and targets for them and the countermeasures would hopefully make it much harder to spot the three medium 'mechs.

Ace let the other two take the lead - their Mongrels were slightly lighter than his Huntsman, but they traded payload for noticeably greater speed - as they moved from cover to cover, using prefab buildings, heavy industrial machinery and stacks of supplies larger than any 'mech to hide them. The Smoke Jaguar workers would probably be irritated at the disruption, much less the almost inevitable damage that was going to be done to their workplace, but it probably wouldn't even occur to Showers or Weaver that this would impact the construction of their shiny new lair, he thought.

Unfortunately, there were warriors in his own Clan that were no better. At least they rarely rose to command positions.

He could see LRMs soaring upwards from the seven Diamond Sharks of the main force, plastering the approaching Wolves. Every one of the seven had LRM launchers loaded with Swarm munitions with improved tracker heads. Natasha Kerensky wasn't likely to follow zellbrigen, so Ace had planned accordingly. The Swarm missiles were excellent against 'mechs moving in close proximity, since any missile that didn't lock onto the initial target might pick up the next.

That wasn't Ace's concern though. That was more avoiding the Summoner and Gargoyle on the Wolves' right flank - or any 'mechs beyond them, if that wasn't actually their extreme flank.

Fyfer's Mongrel paused behind a building and held up one arm in warning.

Ace tucked in behind his current cover and dialed down the reactor to reduce the heat signature as far as he could without shutting down.

A laser-com, basically undetectable, reached him from the former-Burrock's 'mech. "The Summoner and Gargoyle are about to pass us," he reported. "We could catch them from the rear and wipe out two of them before they know we are here, quaiff?"

Ace thought quickly. It was tempting… but the Mongrels were equipped for maximum short-range impact, not for long range fighting. They would have to get close… "Neg," he decided. "If there was just one, perhaps, but we need surprise for a little longer."

More Arrow IV artillery missiles arched up above the battlefield and plunged towards the sources of the LRMs.

"Four missiles," Tomori reported, also by laser-com. "It must be a pair of Naga."

"My own thinking," Ace agreed. There weren't many potential sources for Arrow IV missiles, and very few OmniMechs had the space to carry them. But the Naga, a rather rare OmniMech, hard mounted a pair of launchers, with very little internal space for the ammunition and any secondary weapons. And Clan Wolf had built the Naga, centuries ago. "Tell us when it's clear to move, Fyfer."

The mechwarrior didn't answer directly, but after a minute ticked down on Ace's clock, the Mongrel lowered its arm and moved on. Tomori followed and Ace brought up the rear - his Huntsman wasn't as fast, but with them sweeping back and forth to scout the path, he could take the most efficient route through the tangle of building work. He kept one eye on his sensors, watching for any sign that someone had spotted their tracks and had reversed course to follow them - in theory his active probe and the ECM should let him spot them first but there was no guarantee one of the Wolves didn't have their own electronics package.

"Ace," Tomori contacted him again.

"Aff?"

"Thank you for requesting me," she said simply. "I was expecting my next assignment to be a garrison unit."

"You are a good officer," he replied absently. "Level-headed. I could trust you before, I believe I still can."

"It is my last chance for glory, to get a nomination for a bloodname," Tomori clarified, a little sharply. "I do not think you understand how much that matters to those of us born within the Clan."

Ace paused. "Does it bother you that I won mine?"

She didn't answer directly, which was an answer in and of itself. "There are always ristars. Not all of them are willing to reflect that light on those around them."

"Well this is a taste of what you can expect in the Inner Sphere. Not all of it will be glorious, there is a lot of drudgery." Would she thank him after her first taste of dealing with insurgency? Ace doubted it - few warriors found that enjoyable, certainly he did not,

"I think Khan Sennet will not waste you on that," Tomori said in satisfaction. "And this is the Inner Sphere. These worlds are so rich compared to the homeworlds. This city -" Her Mongrel swung one arm towards the distant towers of Silverdale. "There are so few like it even on Strana Mechty, but here it is barely worth mention! It is amazing."

"Perhaps you will see the Imperial City some day," he told her, and then regretted it. Many parts of the city were still unsafe for Diamond Sharks without an armed escort. "I do not think there is anywhere in the Kerensky Cluster that is like it - I do not think I would want to live there, but visiting is like seeing a tiny fraction of ancient Terra."

"I…" she began, sounding almost wistful and then snapped back to professionalism. "I think I am picking up the Nagas."

"Confirmed," Fyfer added, "I have visual on one and seismic confirms there are two 'mechs."

"There might be an escort," Ace warned as the battle-computers, interlinked by the laser-coms, gave him an updated tactical plot of the Naga's projected location. He looked at the clock, it had only been a few minutes since parting ways with the rest of the binary but there was only so long that Julian could draw the Wolves after him before he ran into the edge of the circle or they just caught up. "We will risk it. The two of you get close and fire if you are detected or once I do. Make sure you fire on the same Naga - we need them down fast."

"Aff," Fyfer said, sounding slightly aggrieved.

The two Mongrels surged ahead and Ace pushed the Huntsman as fast as he could, trying to minimize how far behind he was. Naga's were much like Gargoyles - over-engined for their size. It let them keep up with most heavy 'mechs, but Ace had tried a Gargoyle briefly during garrison work and disliked it - it might have more armor than a Stormcrow, but it had less firepower once jump jets were added and while it might on paper match the speed of his Huntsman, it wasn't as agile. Cramming two artillery systems into that framework didn't leave much room for armor or secondary weapons, but the Naga wasn't going to be made of paper.

The location firmed up on the tactical plot as the Mongrels closed in and shared their sensor data. Ace picked out a heap of spoil mined out of the mountains and judged it solid enough to support his Huntsman's weight. The medium 'mech's large, flat feet bit into the heaped stone like a man's feet might do in sand, but he maintained traction. "Firing in three," he warned.

"Two." His sensor fin was above the top of the spoil and confirmed both Naga were present - the one the Mongrels had seen and a second that was in slightly better cover. Both 'mechs started to move, the ECM interference in their communications warning them as much as Ace entering line of sight did.

"One." Ace said as his cockpit topped the rise. An instant later, his crosshairs went gold as the raised PPCs did the same. The two particle beams bit into the much larger 'mech before it could respond, tearing away almost all the armor across the chest and left side of the Naga.

A moment later, the two Mongrels bounded in - crossing almost two hundred meters in a single bound on their jump-jets. Both were configured for knife-fighting ranges and landed almost directly in front of the Naga, which opened up with its three small lasers.

Even the relatively light Mongrels could take that firepower without real risk and they each returned the fire with four such lasers, before following up with the SRMs.

Inner Sphere SRM production had been relatively easy to adapt to Clan standards so supplies were relatively plentiful. Both of the Mongrels were carrying five six-pack launchers, and they were close enough to fire with devastating accuracy.

With its front already torn open, the impact of dozens of SRMs devoured the interior of the Naga before its comrade could arrive to help - the artillery would be essentially irrelevant at this distance. The eighty-ton 'mech toppled backwards, the reactor shutting down safely barely before the pilot had to eject.

Ace was already bringing his guns to bear on the second Naga, which couldn't be that much harder to defeat even if they now had lost the element of surprise.

Then two PPC bolts stretched out and skewered Tomori's Mongrel with surgical precision.

The medium 'mech staggered, the guts almost torn out by the pair of particle beams. Stalking into view from where it had been lying in wait, a Timber Wolf ducked slightly and the autocannon jutting from above its right shoulder - who put an autocannon on that joint?! - erupted with fire.

The tracers marked for Ace to watch helplessly as the shells carved a line up from the groin of the Mongrel up to its head, before Tomori could recover her balance.

Ace's mouth opened to order her to punch out, but it was already too late. The last of the shells ripped the Mongrel's cockpit apart, a splash of red indicating the fate of the Star Commander inside.

Ace felt his teeth snap together and a burning rage exploded within him. He swept the crosshairs past the Naga and towards the Timber Wolf, seeing the spider crawling atop the wolfshead badge of Clan Wolf, marking it as one of the Thirteenth Wolf Guards, paired with the large star of a Khan.

"Fyfer," he snapped. "Take the other Naga!"

Both his PPCs discharged but Natasha Kerensky's Timber Wolf was already dodging and both shots missed.

Ace fired his jump jets and the Huntsman vaulted up and off the piled stone before the Timber Wolf's PPC slashed through the air where he had been standing.

She is cooling off, he realized. She can't have enough heatsinks to fire that autocannon and both PPCs without overheating. Even staggering her fire like that.

The Timber Wolf was accelerating as the mechwarrior tried to come around to engage Fyfer, trying to protect her last artillery 'mech. Ace fired his PPCs carefully - he might lack the massive autocannon but he could fire the PPCs without worrying about overheating - and rather than take the shots to her flank, the Black Widow was forced to turn and engage him.

That didn't mean the two PPCs had hit - Ace couldn't recall off hand the last time he'd missed with four shots. Kerensky was anticipating his fire.

Doing the same, Ace ducked the Huntsman and wove through the two shots fired back at him. One came close enough to burn paint and the outer layer of the armor on the Huntsman's right shoulder but that was trivial.

Ace ran for the cover of a prefab building - it wasn't much, but it was better than nothing - and fired just before the Huntsman's legs were behind it. He might as well not have bothered as the Timber Wolf ducked almost organically beneath the beams.

Kerensky cut across the angle of his move, closing the distance enough to bring her autocannon to bear. The multiple barrels spun and Ace could have sworn he heard the deadly 'brrrrr' as depleted uranium tore the two storey prefab to bits.

Nothing inside the structure could stop the shells, but they did cause enough deflections that the shells that made it through only shredded the armor on the Huntsman's left leg. A direct hit could have take the leg apart.

This wasn't the jovial woman who had told tales - tall or accurate - about fifty years of warfare as she waited for a dropship berth. This was the Black Widow, veteran of all those years.

Her PPC fired a fraction later and Ace threw his 'mech into a dive, using the momentum and the jump jets to turn the motion into an awkward somersault - well, perhaps more of a barrel-roll. Whatever you called it, he came down on both feet and bleeding speed like that had given him a hair of advantage as Kerensky was leading the target a bit more than she needed to.

Their next exchange of fire saw her other PPC flashed past the Huntsman's cockpit just far away to be harmless while only one of his missed this time. Ablative plating exploded away from the calf of the larger 'mech's right leg, but the shot didn't come close to actually penetrating.

An explosion behind Kerensky told of the demise of one of the two 'mechs they'd left behind, a parachute marking a successful ejection. A moment later, the familiar shape of a Mongrel jumping up onto a stack of girders revealed that to neither's surprise, which of the pair had won.

Natasha almost lazily extended both PPCs in different directions, firing one at Ace and the other at Fyfer.

The young mechwarrior almost stumbled as he bounded the medium 'mech up and off the girders before the PPC's charged particles could rip into it - Ace didn't think the metal beams would be good for much after what was done to them. The landing was definitely rough.

Ace had dodged the shot aimed for him and saw Fyfer rushing in for a close pass. He could almost see what was going to happen as the PPCs didn't even try to track the fleet Mongrel - not when Kerensky had that brutal autocannon to work with - it must have been Class Twenty. "Abort!" he shouted, lining his own PPCs towards the Timber Wolf.

Kerensky danced the Timber Wolf to the right, out of the path of the volley of SRMs that Fyfer unleashed. Almost none of them hit the heavy 'mech and the autocannon muzzle dipped menacingly.

But Ace had guessed which way she would dodge and he was just a fraction faster on the trigger.

The two shots played along the length of the autocannon, static electricity playing visibly across the multi-barreled weapon, armor melting away under the hideous energy transfer. The autocannon's barrels stopped spinning, locked in place by the damage.

Almost as if she had planned it, Kerensky turned sharply, the additional waist motion bringing one of the PPCs up to fire into the Mongrel's chest at point-blank range. The ravening particles bit in deep, reducing the coverage over one of the ammunition bins to little more than paper even as the Wolf Khan dumped her own remaining autocannon shells out the back of her Timber Wolf before Ace's PPCs could cycle.

"Back up Julian!" Ace ordered sharply, turning to threaten Kerensky's rear.

"Sir, we can -!"

You will get yourself killed like Tomori, he wanted to say. "The point is the whole Trial - catch the other Wolves from behind and we can carve them up!" he shouted instead. "Do it!"

"Aff!" Fyfer acknowledged, not sounding convinced. But the Mongrel accelerated away and it had almost half-again the speed of a Timber Wolf.

The only way Kerensky could stop Fyfer from disengaging was with her PPCs and she tried to do just that, but Ace saw that coming and he fired his PPCs right where her own would have to be. The old mechwarrior jerked the weapons back, but the left arm's PPC took a hit to the armored casing. Again, it didn't penetrate - but it might be an exploitable weakness in the future.

"That's pretty arrogant of you," Natasha warned, voice echoing off the surroundings as she used her loudspeakers to address Ace. "Thinking that you can take me on alone."

Ace replied the same way. "Let's face it. It would not be more than a minute before it was back to you and me anyway. He has potential but he is not ready for you."

The Black Widow laughed. "Ah, flattery, my one true weakness!"

"And then there is your skill in a 'mech," he added sardonically. Keep talking, he thought. Chances are decent that Julian is keeping the odds pretty level over there. It might even be seven on seven still, I have not heard any 'mechs exploding. Adding one more 'mech to tip the balance gives us the best shot. All I need to do is keep you busy, Natasha.

"Sassy," Natasha replied flatly and opened fire with both PPCs.

Ace had feigned a skitter sideways, guessing that Kerensky would read the move, and then jumped the Huntsman vertically instead. Despite the misdirection, she managed to hit him again, blasting almost a ton of armor from the medium 'mech's left arm.

He fired back but she managed to avoid him, pushing aggressively towards his landing zone.

As the Huntsman came down, Ace made for one of the openings dug into the hillside. The tunnels that would eventually lead to internal structures were unfurnished and probably didn't even lead anywhere yet, but the large drilling machines used to create them were larger than any battlemech and pretty decent cover.

Two errant PPCs bolts chased him and he turned to fire back, this time landing a hit that tore a long swathe across the 'cheek' of the Timber Wolf, obliterating the Thirteenth Wolf Guards' insignia.

There wasn't much speed advantage between the two 'mechs but Ace could use his jump jets to leap up and over the drill, while Kerensky would have to go around it. For a moment he had the whimsical idea of trying to roll the entire device over onto her, but shook it off. The Huntsman wasn't close to being that strong, and in any case she'd be going for one of the ends to get around it.

Instead he kept the Huntsman running, feeling the sweat run down him even as the cockpit cooled in the brief relief from firing. Why did every battle keep getting harder and harder? Sooner or later he was going to run out of luck and that might be today. Ace triggered the ejection of the ammo for his anti-missile system - it would do no good against Kerensky's PPCs.

Kerensky's Timber Wolf erupted around the drill end of the industrial machine, PPCs flashing towards the Huntsman as Ace reached the most recent spoil, what hadn't been raked away to the large heaps further away from the working. One shot exploded shards of granite in the pile, the other smashed into the Huntsman's right leg. It was in a better state than the left but that was a matter of degree.

Ace's return fire was aimed right for the old warrior's cockpit. With only two options for how she could approach, he'd guessed the most aggressive and been proven right.

Both particle beams converged over the enemy Khan's cockpit but she was already flinging up the left arm of her Timber Wolf. Both beams bit into the cylindrical weapon pod and almost vaporized the PPC there, spreading the armor glass of her cockpit with debris.

She was down half her remaining armament!

And then Kerensky's one remaining PPC struck the Huntsman's right shoulder entirely. The arm dropped away, costing Ace the PPC there as well as a chunk of coolant that spilled like blood down the side of the Huntsman until safety valves cut off the flow.

The anti-missile system was gone and if Ace hadn't already dumped the flechettes for it, he would have given himself even odds of them detonating. He still had his pulse laser, but honestly he doubted that that would make a difference. Besides, there was the muzzle of a laser below her cockpit - likely some popgun small laser there as a last resort.

Ace jumped the Huntsman up on top of the next drilling machine, barely avoiding another PPC shot from Kerensky. His own shot went where she'd been, not where she was, as he raced down the length of the industrial system, jump jets recharging just enough to cushion the drop at the far end.

Up ahead of him, he saw one of the ridges that enclosed the flats - the edge of the circle of equals. Crossing that would take himself out of the trial and free Kerensky to go after the rest of the binary. And even damaged as her 'mech was, that didn't seem like a winning proposition.

So, that left him the choice of turning to fight. There was a stack of girders that would almost certainly provide more cover for the Huntsman's damaged legs than the pre-fab building had earlier. Ace turned and ran for it as fast as the Huntsman would go.

Kerensky's Timber Wolf rounded the second drill and her PPC snap-fired and hit the Huntsman's knee, reducing its run to a far more pathetic limp. Reflexively, Ace fired the jump jets, hoping they would be enough to carry the 'mech into cover. He twisted the 'mech in the air, trying to bring the left arm's PPC around to bear.

And right before Ace could fire back at her, the Wolf Khan managed a second shot, blew through the Huntsman's upper left thigh, shattering structural bones and tearing away myomers. The bulk of the leg fell away, crashing down on top of the crates.

The leg that remained, already damaged, couldn't possibly absorb the full impact of almost fifty tons of 'mech hitting the ground.

Ace jammed his heels down, venting the propellant held back to control his descent, but keeping himself hanging in the air for a few precious seconds more.

The Timber Wolf kept running for three more strides, remaining weapons already focusing in on the Ace's landing zone. And critically, not raised towards where the Huntsman hung in the sky.

Zeroing in the crosshairs, Ace fired the PPCs a fraction of a second before the last fumes of plasma rushed out of the jump jets, and then yanked the yellow-striped handles either side of his helmet.

Fired in haste, the shot missed its target, the Khan's cockpit, by two meters. Instead it hit the dorsal armor above the fusion reactor. Armor that, while not impervious, should have ablated the energy effectively. Perhaps the earlier damage to the autocannon mount was responsible. Perhaps the ammunition feeds that lay through that part of the 'mech, feeding the bulky autocannon with rounds stored on the other side of the torso, had been incorrectly sealed. Perhaps it was just sheer good luck, the proverbial BB.

As Ace triggered the ejection from his own doomed Huntsman, Natasha Kerensky rocketed up from the Timber Wolf as the reactor safeties completely failed to cope with the thermal energy transfer from the PPC bolt rupturing the shielding. The heavy 'mech vanished briefly in a fireball that caused damage that would take thousand of man-hours to repair and very nearly incinerated Clan Wolf's second-in-command.

Ace experienced a second violent shock as his parachute emerged at the apex of his flight and bit at the air to slow his descent to something survivable. Then a third impact as he landed on top of a stack of concrete slabs, going sprawling and almost tangled in his own parachute cords before he found the release strap and severed himself from them.

It had all happened so fast that he was sincerely surprised to look around and see Natasha Kerensky's Timber Wolf had fallen over and was on fire in places. For a moment he thought that, contrary to the initial impression he'd had, the shot had hit the cockpit after all.

But then he saw the other parachute in the sky, which was descending towards the actual ground rather than girders he was on.

Pulling off his helmet, Ace felt rain on his face. He hadn't realized that it was drizzling until now, caught up in the battle. The air was hot and tasted of smoke, but as Alshain's cloudy skies wept, the air was washed clean. He leant back for a moment, feeling the water run across his sweaty brow and down his nose to drip off his chin.

Walking to the end of the stack, he started climbing down the girders, using them as an impromptu ladder.

Tomori was dead. She'd come all this way to fight alongside him… and died.

One day, he was reminded, it would likely be him that was wiped away just as suddenly and violently. That was the life he'd chosen. It was better than being a sterilized laborer, which was where most of Castrum Keep's survivors had ended up… but was this really all there was.

"Hey!"

Ace looked around and saw Natasha Kerensky glaring at him. She'd also removed her helmet, long red hair spilling over her gear, darkening as rain soaked into it. "You want to keep fighting?" he asked her.

She looked him over. "I don't see those famous swords of yours?"

He shrugged. "Stolen."

"Stolen." Natasha shook her head. "And unlike certain unnamed people, I don't carry a freaking revolver around in the cockpit. So if you'd be so good as to lie down in the mud so I can kick you into submission?"

It wasn't until he laughed at that, that Ace concluded that he might not be in the best state of mind at the moment. "Apparently there are people in the Inner Sphere who pay for that. The universe is a strange place."

"You have that right." The Wolf looked around and found what looked like part of the knee of Ace's Huntsman. The top was still basically intact - although it should have been the side - and she perched on it. "Okay, how about this: if Kael Pershaw comms us and tells us it really is down to the two of us with a fist-fight, that's when I will kick your lights in."

Ace leant against the stacked girders. "I can wait." It occurred to him that Natasha was very nearly as old as Takashi Kurita. Most likely he could beat her, but was it worth risking? What if he couldn't? He would likely never live that down.

He'd just started patting down his pockets to see what he did have with him when Natasha said: "Hey," again. "So, what has you so keen on invading the Combine. I heard Sennet's take, but why do you want this so much?"

"I don't!" Ace exclaimed, frustrated enough to let his careful effort to speak like the rest of the Clans slip. "I do not want another war," he said, remembering himself. "Not right now. We are still trying to absorb the worlds we've… we have taken. It is the same for you Wolves, and you know it," he added, pointing at Kerensky as she started to grin.

She considered that and then shrugged. "Eh, probably. But you're here and fighting for the chance to… what, double the size of your occupied worlds? Why? Are you just Sennet's attack dog?"

He raked one hand through his dampening hair. "Because she is also right. It is a bad choice! But out of the choices we have, it is the best. The Combine - you told me about your time there, you know what they're like as neighbors. I read your reports. I heard what you told me, and I have read what they tell their own people. So long as we border them, a war with the Draconis Combine is basically inevitable."

Natasha nodded. "Okay. Fair point there. Hundreds of years of history proves you right. So why now? Why not in a year or two - or when the truce expires."

"Firstly," Ace said, holding up a finger, "I do not give the current truce one chance in a hundred of lasting fifteen years. Too many people hate it. Even if by some chance the Camlann line endures, someone was going to break the ceasefire."

"It just happens to be you, quaiff?" she asked scornfully.

"Neg." He shook his head. "We are choosing to break it now because our chances do not get better. Not in any projection we have. The Combine - and beyond it, the Federated Commonwealth, the Capellans, the Free Worlds League… they are getting stronger. And they are getting stronger faster than we are. If we do not carve out a place now that we can hold onto then we never will. Weaken them as much as we can, and maybe we can survive that. Otherwise…" Ace shrugged. "What happens to an invading Clan that loses their worlds here, that loses all the resources - all the people - committed to them. I do not think such a Clan will last long."

Natasha crossed her long legs at the knee, rested one elbow on them and used that hand to support her chin. "I hadn't considered it like that," she allowed. "I'll grant that they'd be motivated… although, are you really that much better a neighbor? I doubt the Falcons and Cats are thinking about that, but the minute you gave them this excuse they were jumping at the chance to attack the FedCom again. Is it just an excuse to play Crusader again?"

Ace frowned. "I don't get it," he admitted.

"What, you're pretending that…

"No, I get you're saying I… that we, the Clans, are hyper-aggressive, that we attack because it's what we are and everything else is a justification." He looked at her. "And maybe you have a point, but why do you call me a Crusader?"

"Aren't you?"

"...why would I be? The entire issue is over."

Kerensky blinked. "Say what?"

"We have invaded, so... the Crusaders won. That division of Warden versus Crusader is irrelevant. The Wardens can't undo the fact that we invaded. What matters now, what divides the Clans is how we respond to what's happening now. That entire argument is… well, not ancient history, but history." Ace spread his hands. "Arguing over whether or not to do something we have already done is nothing but a waste."

"So… what do you think the factions are?"

Ace found a couple of cylinders in his pocket. Huh. He'd thought he'd handed all these out… he must have dropped a couple in here and forgotten about them. "It is… okay, call it four factions. Broken into two indexes." He held up the cylinders like a cross. "Up here we have the homeworld Clansfolk, down here the ones that invaded."

"Seven on ten… okay, on nine," she observed. "We're outnumbered."

"Worse than that. I don't mean just by Clan. Just those of us who are here." He nodded to his left. "Over here, on this side, the people who think that it changes nothing, that the Clans can just continue as they have been, that these worlds will accept the Clans the way the Pentagon worlds did."

Kerensky's eyes narrowed. "And on the other side?"

Ace lowered the cylinders. "The people who know that the Clans will change. Will have to change. We cannot conquer the entire Inner Sphere. Probably we never could - so to survive we have to become something that can co-exist with the Successor Lords. To learn how to be… well, probably not good neighbors, but tolerable ones."

"Good luck with that." She looked at what he was holding. "You smoke? Bad for your lungs."

Ace tossed the two foil wrapped cigars in his hand and then shrugged. "Non-carcinogenic, apparently. Some sort of luxury good from a world on the other side of the truceline. Do not ask me why they are so hard to come by." There was a crackle from his helmet and he scooped it up, tucking the cigars back into his pocket.

"- read me?" he heard Pershaw say as he slipped the helmet on, seeing Natasha doing the same with hers.

"Say again, Oathmaster," he requested.

"Galaxy Commander," the Jade Falcon said flatly. "I was beginning to think Kerensky had strangled you."

"Not yet," she said, voice echoing as Ace heard Kerensky from both the radio and a couple of meters away.

"I see." Pershaw sounded somewhat regretful. "Despite the… less than honorable behavior on both sides, a resolution has been reached." He paused. "With one 'mech remaining active, Clan Diamond Shark stands victorious."

"Damn it," Kerensky snapped.

Ace winced. Nineteen 'mechs down… and beyond that material costs, what about the men and women inside. "How many fatalities?"

"Four," the Falcon replied with an air of near-satisfaction. "Mechwarriors Tholla and Volax of Clan Wolf, Star Commander Tomori and Mechwarrior Ethan Sennet of Clan Diamond Shark."

He closed his eyes for a moment, thinking of Tomori. Of Ethan, who'd earned his bloodname late and been aiming for his own Cluster one day. Of other faces, past and now gone ahead of him into…

No. Ace shook his head. That's how you get religion. There is no use worrying about a next life when I have this one to deal with.

"Hey."

He looked up at Kerensky. "Yes?"

"Do you have a lighter?"

Ace shook his head.

The Wolf held out her hand. "Gimme those cigars."

He obliged. He'd been handing them out, not using them.

To his surprise, rather than producing a lighter, Kerensky walked to the wreck of her Timber Wolf, unwrapping the slim cigars. Ace followed and watched as Kerensky held the tips of the cigars in what fire had survive the drizzle until both were glowing.

She passed him one and then put the other between her lips. "Congratulations," she told him, puffing on the cigar. "You get to go kill Snakes, which I generally approve of."

Ace carefully tried his own cigar and started coughing. He'd never tried actually smoking one himself.

Kerensky laughed and slapped him on the back as he recovered his breath and tried again more cautiously. "Keep swimming, you crazy shark." And then she walked off, cigar firmly between her teeth, heading for the distant sounds of rescue vehicles, leaving Ace watching her, lost in his own thoughts.

This concludes Book 2: House of Cards

Opalescent Reflections will continue in

Stacking the Deck