Lunging forward, he slid his laser muzzles over Sun-Tzu's left shoulder. The scream of weapon on armor was strong enough for Victor to hear it even within his cockpit, and the bump of muzzle against cockpit was none too gentle. Sweat stinging his eyes, he punched up a tightbeam channel to Sun-Tzu on his radio.
"Don't even think it. Not only will I kill you if you shoot, but I promise to reduce Sian to a cinder in your name."
Bleed-over crackled into his neurohelmet. "... willingly erase the Liao-Shang line from the rolls of mankind." Hohiro's voice poured through the static strong and angry. Victor glanced at the edge of his display and saw Raider Four with its lasers also centered on the Kit Fox'scockpit.
Sun-Tzu lowered his 'Mech's arm. "Treachery runs so deep in your hearts that you mistake innocent actions for conscious betrayal. It is you who are perfidious, not I."
Victor dropped his voice to a low growl. "That may be true, little worm, but let it be a warning that you'd best be careful what you do from here on out. An innocent mistake on your part might cause Hohiro or me to have a 'weapons malfunction.' You'll be a lot more likeable in a eulogy than you are now, so I'll gladly deliver it."
Victor broke off the channel and opened another one to Hohiro. "Great minds think alike, do they not?"
Victor actually heard Hohiro laugh. "When small minds abound, they must."
'Thanks for keeping an eye out for Kai."
"I always watch out for my allies."
"As do I." Victor backed his 'Mech around to face Hohiro. "Appears Raiders Ace and Three have formed a team. Need a wingman?"
* * *
Leaning against the garden's stone railing, Victor forced a smile as Galen handed him a mug of beer. Ignoring them, Sun-Tzu and his sister, seated on a stone bench in a far corner of the garden, spoke in hushed whispers. Their words did not carry, and besides, Victor did not understand Chinese, but he guessed that if he knew what they were saying, it would probably make him sick.
"Ground control to Victor."
Victor looked up at Galen. "Sorry, my friend, I was just thinking about part of the exercise."
"I get the feeling something happened between you and Sun-Tzu while Shin and I were off disabling the third lance."
"It was nothing."
"Nothing?" Galen's blue eyes glittered. "I come back and find you and Hohiro thick as thieves and you say it was nothing? Hell, ComStar could award Sun-Tzu a Peace Prize just for getting the two of you to speak together."
"A Peace Prize?" Victor chuckled and drank some of his beer. "No worry about that happening. The little rat did something and Hohiro and I probably overreacted. As for us being thick as thieves, what were we supposed to do? You and Shin became best buddies and Cassandra appointed herself Sun's babysitter. Kai and Ragnar were a natural pairing, so Hohiro and I had to work together."
The older MechWarrior shook his head. "Now I think you're going for a prize in understatement. Shin and I got shot to pieces when that reinforced company of bogies dropped down on us. Sun-Tzu proved about as useful as a Rifleman'stissue-paper aft armor and there was only so much Cassandra could do fighting alone. You and Hohiro fought beautifully together. You really tore up the enemy."
Victor raked his blond hair with the fingers of one hand. In Outreach's dry atmosphere, it had all but dried from his recent shower. "We did some damage, but Kai and Ragnar sent them packing."
Just then, Kai, Cassandra, and Ragnar stepped from the ballroom and Victor straightened up. He set his beer down on the railing and fished a gold coin from his pocket. "Kai," he called, then flipped the coin to his friend, who deftly caught it in one hand.
"Fifty Kroner?" Kai frowned. "What's this for?"
"Remember we placed a little bet about the exercise? Ten Kroner a head to the winner?"
Kai started to toss the coin back. "I only got four."
Victor held his hand up. "You can owe me. Hell, you and Ragnar saved my butt out there. I ought to pay you a thousand times that."
Kai smiled self-consciously and blushed. "My duty and my honor." He clapped Ragnar on the back. "If not for a reliable pilot protecting my rear, I never could have done it."
Ragnar blushed, the color deepening when Cassandra added, "I'd like to have a decent wingman sometime. Next exercise, Ragnar's with me."
Sun-Tzu grumbled from his corner, but Victor barely noticed as Hohiro and his sister stepped from the reception inside. Meeting Victor's gaze, she returned his smile of pleasure. Hohiro read the expression on his sister's face, then looked angrily at Victor.
So much for our alliance.Victor turned away and recovered his beer. Only Galen's greeting warned him of their approach.
"Evening, Hohiro. How nice to see you again, Lady Omi."
"Evening, gentlemen." Hohiro smiled politely and Omi gave them a silent nod. "I have just been telling my sister about today's exercise. Once again, Victor, I must thank you for helping me when that lance overran my position."
Victor shrugged. "That's what wingmen are for."
"True, but most wingmen who had warned their partner about the folly of a maneuver would have let him die."
Hohiro swallowed audibly. "Especially when their partner expressly forbade them to come help."
Galen shot Victor a wink. "There's your problem, Hohiro. Victor is so contrary that if you toss him into a gravity well, he floats up. I know of only one way to get him to obey orders like that."
Victor rubbed his jaw. "Yeah, quite an effective little persuader you are."
Slipping her right hand from her brother's elbow, Omi pressed her hands together. "I believe Hohiro characterized your action as both bold and heroic."
He said that?Victor blinked. "He probably realizes that in the Armed Forces of the Federated Commonwealth, a bold MechWarrior is one who manages to survive his own stupidity, and a hero is a bold MechWarrior who survives rescuing other bold MechWarriors from even greater stupidity." His gaze flicked over at Kai. "Happily, there are exceptions to that rule."
Omi smiled. "And I think present company proves an exception as well." She stepped away from her brother, placing herself between him and Victor. "In fact, if you are of a mind to, Prince Victor, I would gladly take the walk you suggested months ago."
Victor looked up at Hohiro, knowing Hohiro was aware that he and Omi had taken more than one walk together since that first invitation. "If your brother does not mind."
Hohiro smiled solemnly. "I trusted you with my life today and you safeguarded it better than I did. I believe I can trust you with one whom I hold more dear than life itself."
"Arigato gozaimas,Hohiro -sama." Victor offered his left arm to Omi, and she slipped her hand through the crook of his elbow. "I accept the weight of your trust and am honored by it."
"That is well, Victor Davion." Hohiro's eyes became dark slivers. "Our lives are too short and our duties too great for us to add yet more fuel to a centuries-old bonfire. Perhaps someday you and I, too, will be able to walk together as friends."
17
Grand Council Chamber, Hall of Khans
Strana Mechty, Beyond the Periphery
19 June 3051