"We are proud to identify ourselves as Clan Wolf. We are scouts, searching this area. Are you bid into the battle?"
"Of course we are."
"You speak with a freebirth accent."
The insult was deep, a deliberate provocation. Even someone from Clan Wolf would know that there were no freeborns in the Falcon Guards.
Instead of responding with words, Joanna shot off several bursts from her autocannon. Aidan noted that she had obviously powered her weaponry back up. The shots went nowhere. Rustled a few leaves, maybe, woke up a tree puma, perhaps, but they were otherwise no more than the shot across the bow from ancient naval history. Horse, apparently near enough for his voice to travel over the private channel, laughed softly.
Aidan recognized that the other scout 'Mech was an Adder.Like the Stormcrow,it was lighter than either of the 'Mechs he and Joanna piloted. The swamp tended to nullify any differences in weight or weaponry, however. Of the four warriors, Aidan realized that he was the only one with experience in Blood Swamp. He was elated, thinking that he could not lose. He could, in fact, dispose of both enemies at once.
Without awaiting instructions from Joanna, Aidan literally waded into battle. When Joanna realized what he was up to, she yelled through the commlink: "Stop! I will not have this insubordination. Commander, respond."
Aidan remained silent and moved on.
"For this, Star Commander Jorge, we will meet in the Circle of Equals."
"Kael Pershaw has abolished the Circle on Glory," Aidan said, not stopping.
She watched him through the viewport as he and his Summonerdisappeared into a heavy mist. Continuing to track him, she saw that he was only thirty or so meters from the Clan Wolf 'Mechs. Following him, she next saw that he had opened fire. His first shots appeared to hit the enemy Adderdead-center.
"This is grandstanding, you freebirth filth," she muttered, knowing that Aidan would not be listening even if there had been communications between them. But someone else was, and his voice startled her. She had forgotten that Nomad was even in the 'Mech, secure in a pull-out passenger seat.
"What did you say?" he asked.
She jumped, startled.
"It does not matter what I said, Nomad. I did not say it to you. Hold on tight. We are going into combat." She headed her Hellbringertoward the fray, annoyed to see that Aidan had already succeeded with one of the Clan Wolf 'Mechs. The Adderhad fallen backward. Only the trunk of the tree kept it from lying flat in murky water. There seemed to be no movement from the 'Mech or its pilot. Aidan was exchanging laser fire with the Stormcrow,and damage reports showed, as accurately as her sensors could, that Aidan was definitely holding the advantage. The Stormcrowwas rocked by one hit after another.
Suddenly Joanna's Hellbringerslipped sideways, as its foot slid into deep muck. Then the 'Mech's other foot also slid forward and seemed about to tip backward on its heel. Using all her best concentration, melding with the pulses from the neurohelmet, Joanna steadied the machine, keeping it from landing unceremoniously on its hind end or back. However, once she was in a vertical position again, she realized that the 'Mech's foot was stuck. Nothing she did seemed to affect the suctionlike grip of the mysterious muck on her 'Mech's leg.
As she cursed her fate roundly, she saw that the battle between Aidan's 'Mech and the Stormcrowwas moving away from her, the Clan Wolf machine moving backward, either from Aidan's marksmanship or as a retreat. She slapped her throttle forward in a desperate attempt to wrench her 'Mech free. Suddenly the jury-rigged navigation and communications console exploded in a cascade of sparks and the 'Mech shut itself down. She was now on her own in a place she had never been, her 'Mech at least temporarily disabled, separated from the rest of the unit, and with no idea of how to get out of bloody Blood Swamp.
In the pale glow of the darkened screens that turned their faces an eerie gray, Nomad watched Joanna's shoulders slump heavily.
"We seem to be in a bit of trouble?" he said, barely able to keep from showing his own amusement by laughing.
Only the darkness and the restraining straps of Joanna's seat kept her from murdering Nomad on the spot.
14
The hiatus in the battle gave both sides a chance to perform field repairs and recharge weapons. The normal Clan tactic would have been for the Wolves to charge forward and take advantage of the disarray of the Clan Jade Falcon retreat. Kael Pershaw was surprised when Radick and Clan Wolf seemed to hold back. The damage done by the Elementals' subterfuge had apparently made Radick cautious, at least temporarily.
Though the lack of pursuit allowed the Glory Station Garrison Cluster a chance to regroup, it nevertheless disappointed Pershaw. He had planned to send Charlie Assault Nova around to the left flank, where the unit would have attempted to target one or two 'Mechs at the edge, unload their weaponry on them, and take them out of action. The maneuver would have been unClanlike, because it did not pit single 'Mechs against one another, but Pershaw decided that his best chance was to attempt to reduce Clan Wolf numbers through what had once been known as hit-and-run tactics. The fight could resume more ritualistically when the odds were more even. He knew that Dwillt Radick would also improvise if he were the underdog. Situations often demanded compromise, and so he would have to save this particular tactic for another time, perhaps another war.
Pershaw strode on foot around the open area outside Glory Station, taking the time to inspire his warriors. He climbed up to several 'Mech cockpits, disdaining the use of a field howdah. Opening hatchways and shouting through them, he told the pilots that when the battle resumed, they should fire steadily and await their chance to pounce on a weakness. Walking among the Elementals, conscious of how much each one towered over him, he congratulated them on the success of their hastily laid minefield, and urged them to fight on with their accustomed bravery.
Lanja meanwhile left her Command Point and walked over to him. In combat, they were as formal as was appropriate for commander and aide.
"Some news, Star Colonel," Lanja said.
"What is it?"
"We have two more BattleMechs to add to the Cluster. Mech Warrior Nis, one of Star Commander Jorge's warriors, has led the 'Mech of a survivor from the DropShip crash into the south gateway to the station.
They-"
The information immediately caught Pershaw's interest. "Just two? Just two survivors of the entireoperation?" In his mind he was already considering alternate plans for the battle.
"We do not know that for certain," Lanja replied. "Jorge's Star encountered Mech Warrior Enrique, the crash survivor, wandering alone in the swamp. Apparently he had traveled a great distance under terrible conditions. His 'Mech's leg was disabled in the crash, but we can repair it. Star Commander Jorge directed Nis to return here with Enrique. It was a slow trip, she says, because Enrique's 'Mech could not walk more than a few kilometers per hour. The new 'Mech is being repaired right now, and Nis will join Alpha Star of Trinary First Garrison after her 'Mech also gets some minor repairs. You scowl. Why?"
"Nis. A freebirth. My confidence is not exactly inspired. Order her to await the repair of the damaged 'Mech. Have this trueborn, Enrique, take the place of Nis in her 'Mech."
"Nis has shown herself to be quite brave. At any rate, Enrique is being treated at the med station."