"Bad move, huh?" Horse said. "I agree."
"She has them bunched together so much that she is practically offering the Com Guards target practice."
"We are lucky this is a private channel."
"I would say that to Khan Chistu himself."
Horse sighed. "Yes, you would."
They continued to watch, all the while proceeding toward the battle site. Then Aidan spoke. "Well, it is time."
"What do you mean?"
"Time for us to follow our orders. Once the battle is joined, we are to break through, remember? We are going to help the Twelfth take that bridge."
"You have my enthusiastic approval."
Aidan opened the commline and ordered the Falcon Guards to press forward at the best unit speed. As the unit passed up two other Clusters, they maintained a precision formation that must have been the envy of their fellow Jade Falcons even as many of them were probably cursing every Falcon Guard who had ever existed and the sibkos that spawned them.
* * *
As befitted a Clan commander, Aidan Pryde led the way in his Timber Wolfto the crest of the slope leading down to Robyn's Crossing. He slowed his BattleMech when he saw the crest, the edge of this particular world, then paced his 'Mech into a graceful, loping walk. Back in the DropShip he had ordered his techs to equip his Timber Wolfwith jump jet modules. That meant sacrificing his machine guns and some lasers normally mounted in his torso, but he was too used to jumping in the Summoner,his former 'Mech. He could not give it up now just because jump jets were not a standard feature on a Timber Wolf.
The 'Mechs of Horse and Margo, another of his Falcon Guard Command MechWarriors, also had jump ability. They stayed with their commander, a couple of 'Mech paces behind, as he pushed his Timber Wolfforward. At the very crest of the hill Aidan engaged his jump jets and glided upward, reaching a quick zenith, then coming down, ahead of the BattleMechs of the Twelfth Falcon Cluster, and closer to Robyn's Crossing than any Jade Falcon BattleMech had yet come.
Descending, Aidan blasted away at the Com Guard 'Mechs defending the head of the bridge. They had not been expecting a BattleMech assault from the sky, which gave Aidan and his pair of cohorts an immediate and significant advantage. An edge at the edge of the world, Aidan thought.
He used his angle to blast away at the head of a heavy BattleMech that his secondary screen identified as a type called a Thug.Targeting his large lasers, he made a direct and fatal hit against the head of the Thug,no doubt ending the life of its pilot. He did not have time to watch the 'Mech stagger backward against a bridge stanchion, then plunge into the deep waters of the churning Prezno River. The splash it made was impressive, the waters rising up onto the bridge surface leaving puddles along its roadway.
Aidan's attention was on another ComStar 'Mech, a sleek, bigfooted Sentinelthat was just swinging its autocannon upward to fire at the Timber Wolf.Firing over the shoulders of Aidan's 'Mech, MechWarrior Margo, in a light Mist Lynx,got a lock onto the center torso of the Sentinel,then destroyed it with a set of sleek-arcing missiles. The enemy 'Mech fell to the ground, flames shooting from its chest.
Horse managed to take out a pair of ComStar 'Mechs during his descent, while Aidan gave a ComStar Riflemana limp.
By the time the trio of Clan BattleMechs had landed, the bridge defense was in disarray. Aidan ordered his group forward, the action prodding the Jade Falcons back at the slope to charge forward.
The ComStar commander apparently decided that the Clan had won this phase, for the surviving enemy 'Mechs began a retreat. They traversed Robyn's Crossing quickly, with only the limping Riflemanlagging behind. The bridge was soon clear, an inviting pathway with a few puddles gleaming on its surface, leading to that side of the river where the Jade Falcon Clan objectives awaited.
"There are reports of heavy fighting at Plough Bridge," Horse said. "We are apparently taking the day there."
"Fine. Let us take a little stroll to the other side of Robyn's Crossing, quiaff,Horse?"
"Hold it there one minute, Star Colonel Aidan Pryde," said a new voice on the open channel. Aidan recognized the voice immediately from the council in the grove. It was Star Colonel Senza Oriega, the one who had complained that it was inappropriate for the tainted Falcon Guards to lead the entire Jade Falcon army into battle.
She came forward in her savage-looking Executioner.Close behind followed a pair of her Command Star 'Mechs, like a pair of thugs backing up a bandit leader.
"You cannot be first onto Robyn's Crossing, Aidan Pryde. That is the right of the Twelfth Falcon Cluster. It is myright."
Aidan took a deep breath. In his mind he could see Senza Oriega, with her pale ghostlike complexion, sitting smugly in her pilot seat, throwing her weight around as if it had 'Mech tonnage.
"Your right, you say?"
"Aff. Ourright, actually."
"Did you down the four ComStar BattleMechs and send the rest into a retreat? Did the Twelfth Falcon Cluster down anyComStar BattleMechs? Did Senza Oriega and her Twelfth Falcon Cluster take Robyn's Crossing?"
"None of that, none of your boasting has any effect on the order of march across the bridge. It is an honor the Twelfth Falcon Cluster has earned by its entirecombat history. It is for us to lead the way across the bridge and into the next phase of battle on the other side of the bridge."
Aidan was seething with anger at Senza Onega's disparaging tone. "What kind of freebirth stupidity is this?" he screamed into his mike. "Do you dare—"
"Star Colonel, ease up on—" It was Horse cutting in on the transmission.
"I am sorry about the epithet, Horse. I am just so—"
"Forget the epithet. I was not offended. I am counseling calmness here, not lecturing on manners. There is no point in two honorable and courageous commanders—"
"Honorable? Courageous? Horse, she has no right to take away our—"
"My orders are clear," Senza Oriega said coldly. "We have no time for your petty little tantrums. The Khan has decreed that the Twelfth Falcon Cluster shall lead the way across the bridge, and so it shall be. Star Colonel, let me commend you for your combat achievements here. They will receive much praise in my report on the taking of the bridge."
"I am honored," Aidan muttered, but Senza Oriega apparently did not notice the sarcasm. It was not a verbal shading common among Clan warriors, and often they did not perceive it readily.
"Perhaps you will allow me a suggestion," Horse said. "If there is still bad blood between you two after we have won our objectives, a Trial of Grievance might be appropriate. I, for one, will do everything in my power to discourage it, but as often happens, the way of the Clan provides a solution to a problem."
"Your subordinate speaks well, Aidan Pryde. Let us leave matters at that. I will make this one concession. After the Twelfth Falcon Cluster has crossed the bridge, the Falcon Guards may have the honor of coming next."
Aidan held back his anger. "We respectfully decline the honor, Star Colonel Senza Oriega," he said tonelessly.
"As you wish. Please clear the way."
While the Twelfth Falcon Cluster assembled behind Oriega, with those who had been at the crest of the hill coming down the slope with difficulty to join their unit, Aidan, Horse, and Margo cleared the way.