"Protective coloration," Ninyu mumbled from beneath his cap. "Very important in my business."
Theodore crossed to his desk, threading his way past the pair of straight-backed chairs, and dropped into his rickety armchair. It groaned but held. "Shall we pretend that you are still in the military, and try to get some work done?"
Ninyu sat up, grabbing his cap before it could hit the floor. He rubbed his free hand back and forth over his bushy red hair and said, "You've been testy since Tomoe left on her furlough. Maybe we should take a trip to the Pleasure Quarter."
Theodore shot him a disapproving glare, to which Ninyu responded with a shrug. "You know that I'm worried about her. She's having more trouble this time."
"Brother Nitti is a fine doctor. Mother and child will be fine."
Theodore could not disagree. "Still, I miss her."
"That's obvious. But at least Hohiro is getting some time with his mother."
"Something I don't get to do while I have to look after my other children," Theodore said petulantly, waving a hand toward the window through which the barracks of the Legion could be seen. "If they were real soldiers, I wouldn't have to babysit them."
"They may not be Sword of Light, but they're not babies," Ninyu observed. "They were trash when you took over, but things are different now. And you're the reason, my friend. Whether you believe it or not."
Theodore gave him a skeptical look.
"It's true," Ninyu asserted. "You took the first big step when you cowed Olivares instead of letting him bully you. That made you alpha male. These mongrels are used to fearing the boss dog. You've always told me that fear was an unsatisfactory motivator, so you're not satisfied.
"Take a good look around. Their attitudes are changing. You lifted their morale by dubbing them buso-senshi.Armament warriors. Some of them didn't appreciate the pun at first, especially the non-Japanese. But they could hardly be expected to know that the character for 'armament' had a cognate that meant 'matchless.' You gave them heart. The real turning point came when you called the rat on the banner 'Takashi.' It struck a chord with them, crystallized your kinship with them as a fellow outcast.
"Didn't Tomoe and I help you spot the real trash infecting the Legion? The squealers with no morals or loyalty and the gutless wonders are gone now. With the false-front office I set up, even the reports of the ISF spies in the unit go across your desk, to be altered or passed on intact. Lets you keep the Coordinator's nose out of your business.
"Fundamental changes don't happen overnight. You're getting results. The 'Mechs may still be a patchwork and look like a pack of gypsy vagabonds, but the troops are working with them, improving what they can. They're starting to operate as units, too. It seems to be rubbing off on the conventional troops as well."
Theodore chuckled. "Yeah, in ten years they might be able to face Steiner. Thank Buddha we're not on the Davion border."
"Rome in a day, Osaka Tower overnight, and all that sort of thing. Patience, my friend."
"Thank you, font of wisdom," Theodore said drily. "Can you solve the supply problem as well?"
Ninyu shrugged. "I'm an acclaimed wise man, not a miracle worker."
Theodore sighed. "The Legionnaires are still a bunch of rowdy hellions, ready to brawl at a moment's notice. Their discipline is almost as sloppy as the way they dress."
"This ain't the court on Luthien," Ninyu reminded him needlessly. "Come the day, they'll fight—that's what's important."
"We'll see when the day comes." Theodore flipped the switch on his compdeck and slipped in a disk. He scrolled the screen for several minutes, studying the data as it flowed past his eyes. "That day may be near."
Ninyu stiffened with sudden attention. "Orders for a raid?"
Theodore shook his head. "No such luck. This unit isn't likely to be sent into action as long as I'm in charge. It's a matter of principle with a certain person.
"No, I'm talking about the reports the ISF has gotten concerning Davion officers advising Steiner units. The Lyran troops have shown noticeable improvement over the last years. After Davion started his saber-rattling with Operation Galahad, the Lyrans copied him with their own Operation Thor. The storm is coming to a head."
"Will they push it to all-out war?"
"It seems only a matter of time. Hanse Davion's wedding binds more than two political units. It weds a strong economy to a dangerous military. We're definitely looking at trouble."
"You think they'll take us on?"
"Who else is as dangerous to them? Surely not the muddled Free Worlds League, or the outgunned Capellan Confederation. The Periphery states are too small to be a real threat, and the lesser houses are unimportant. The Dragon is their rightful concern.
"We shall be pressed to the utmost fighting against both Houses. It will be a glorious war."
Theodore smiled, his thoughts on the possibilities that a war would bring. At last, he would have a chance to prove himself as a warrior, a commander. Takashi would no longer be able to deny him his place. Theodore would prove himself a worthy heir.
A sudden, dark thought intruded on his dreams of glory. War would bring danger to his own son and heir.
"Ninyu -kun, I want you to do something for me."
"Ask," Ninyu said warily.
"I want my family moved to a safer world. We are too exposed here on Marfik. Too close to the Lyrans."
"Tomoe can't leave until after she delivers," Ninyu reminded him.
"I know that. As soon as she can travel, I want them gone."
"It will be hard to cover."
"I have faith in your skills, my friend," Theodore said with a smile.
Ninyu returned to the couch and stretched out. "This will take a lot of planning," he said. "I might as well get started."
Theodore watched his friend replace the cap over his eyes and settle down. He shook his head. Had anyone else reponded to his orders in such a way, he would have been incensed. But he knew from past experience that no matter how relaxed Ninyu looked, his mind was always working. Satisfied that his friend would come up with a solution, Theodore turned his attention to the compdeck. He called up the latest unit-readiness reports and began to study them.
20
Legion of Vega HQ, Massingham, Marfik
Dieron Military District, Draconis Combine
11 December 3027
Olivares' bass voice interrupted Theodore's concentration. From the bellowings, he knew that the Sho-sahad herded the new arrivals to the building to meet their commander. Quite a far cry from the nonexistent reception committee gathered for his own arrival.
Before Olivares had them in order, Theodore walked out into the sunlight. Ninyu roused himself and slouched along in Theodore's wake.
Stopping by the flagpole, Theodore looked over the men and women slowly shuffling into ragged lines. A wide variety of uniforms and partial uniforms were present: MechWarriors and footsoldiers, tankers and AeroJocks, mechanics and cooks. They came from all branches of the Combine military. Many wore patches of units that had been involved in the disastrous Galtor campaign. One non-uniformed clump stayed stubbornly together. Theodore presumed that they were what was left of the mercenary Kelly's Killers, destroyed as an effective unit when Davion raided New Mendham. The unit's debt to the Combine was being paid off by service with the Legion.
Olivares looked over to Theodore, who nodded.
"Damp it, you slimelickers," Olivares bellowed. "Tai-saKurita has got a few words for ya. Dig the wax outa your ears and listen up!"
Theodore was impressed by the eloquence of Olivares' introduction. The Sho-sa'slong speeches were usually unprintable. Theodore cleared his throat, pitching his voice to carry over the field.