Mercenary's Star

He opened a combat frequency. "Strike Two, this is Strike Leader. Operation complete."

A reply sounded in his earpiece. "Strike Leader, this is Two. Your target yelled for help, like you thought. It’s leaving the city at a trot"

Grayson turned his ‘Mech and looked south. Regis was a low sprawl across the horizon, with the University Towers stabbing up into an overcast gray-green sky. Two-and-a-half kilometers was ninety seconds for a trotting ‘Mech. His infantry was still spread out across the valley, leading former prisoners and captured Kurita soldiers to empty hovercraft waiting among the trees. There were also the captured ‘Mechs to think about

"I copy, Two. What are they? Can you take them?"

Clay's voice replied with expressionless calm. "Two lances, Captain. I make it a Phoenix Hawkand a couple of Shadow Hawks,two Wasps,an Archer,what I think is a Centurion,and a Warhammer.

That was not good. The Strike Two ambush force consisted of both of Grayson's heavies—the Riflemanand the Wolverine—plus the main body of the rebel ‘Mechs. Montido's 55-ton Dervishstiffened the unit, but most of the force consisted of Waspsand Stingers.Grayson had insisted that the AgroMechs be left out of it this time. The enemy lances were on the light side, but the Archerand the Warhammerwere both 70-to

McCall's voice broke in. "Captain, if we can nae takit these Sassenach, we'd best all look for a new callin'."

"We can take them, Lieutenant. We're in position, and they haven't spotted us yet."

Unless they'd picked up the radio chatter, of course. Strike Two was using directional microwave ante

"We'll stay put, Two." he said. “Take them."

The ambush force lost two rebel Stingers,one shot to pieces by the combined fire of the enemy Warhammer and Archerwhen it tried to change position, and the other smashed by the enemy Centurion.Neither rebel pilot was able to eject before his ‘Mech was destroyed. Relatively little damage was scored on the Kurita relief column: Clay's Wolverineclaimed a Wasp,McCall's Riflemanchopped the Phoenix Hawkinto scrap, and one of the Kurita Shadow Hawkswas limping heavily as it retreated back into Regis.

The battle had an importance that far outweighed the casualties on either side. The relief column fought with its outgu

In exchange, Grayson's forces had captured a Stingerand a Phoenix Hawkintact and were able to haul off the wrecked Waspand Phoenix Hawkas well. The Waspwas a real prize. A lucky shot had severed a primary driver link in the ‘Mech's lightly armored spine and cut its power supply to its legs and arms, but the damage would be easy to repair. The Phoenix Hawkneeded a new head. If they couldn't find one, its carcass would still provide spare parts for dozens of light rebel ‘Mechs.

All in all, it was a highly successful raid, not to mention the fifty Verthandians rescued before they could be led aboard the grounded Kurita DropShip awaiting them.

Shortly after they reached their Fox Island camp, Lori brought Grayson the startling news that one of the rescued women was Sue Ellen Klein.

* * * *

Rescued and rescuers had rendezvoused back at the Fox Island caves after the battle, pausing only to let a band of rebel AgroMechs race north with the Kurita prisoners in tow, a diversion that might keep the Dracos away from Fox Island for awhile. Grayson knew that they would be visiting Fox Island again, and soon. The longer he could put that visit off, the better prepared they would be to receive it.

As for Sue Ellen, Grayson barely recognized her. She was gaunt, with a haggard expression and a dullness in her eyes that twisted at Grayson's soul. He found her sitting on a log before a smoldering campfire, staring into the flames.

"Sue Ellen? It's me. Captain Carlyle. Are you O.K.?"

She refused to meet his eyes.

He extended a hand to her. "Can I get you anything? Coffee? No? Are you hurt? Sick?"

It took some minutes before she could speak. When she did, her voice was detached, so soft that Grayson had to lean forward to hear. "How did you escape?" she said.

"What do you mean?" he murmured.

"I...I wanted you dead. And apparently I told them something they could use. Something...something about a man named...Ericksson."

"You told them about Ericksson?"

She nodded. "I betrayed you."

Could he blame her? Grayson remembered her last words to him as the Phoboshad plunged from the sky toward the Verthandian jungle. "Maybe you had reason to," he said gently. Somehow, he was not angry, knowing what she must have been through since last they'd met.

Her story, at least, explained the raid on Fox Island, the ambush in the jungle. It had been sheer good fortune that the Legion and the main body of the rebel army had been out of the camp at the time. Or perhaps the enemy had tracked them to their hideout, then waited for the main body to leave so that the base would be more defenseless.

"They used me," she continued, as if she hadn't heard him. "They flattered me and made me one of them and...and usedme! A tool, a...a thing!And when they got what they wanted.

She began to cry. Grayson reached out tentatively, took her shoulder, drew her close. They sat together by the fire for a long time. Sue Ellen, Grayson learned, had been literally dragged from the bed of the man who'd been questioning her, and thrown into one of the prison cells beneath the tallest tower of the University of Regis. There seemed to be no reason for her captivity beyond the fact that the Dracos had never really trusted her. They had promised her security and revenge and even love to get the information they wanted. Even after that, they had continued to question her from time to time, she said, showing him the scars on her arms and hands.

He held her for a long time after that, the two of them saying nothing.

Lori emerged from the darkness. "Captain?"

He looked up, nodded. Sue Ellen was asleep, her face tear stained-and smudged where she leaned against his shoulder. Lori's face worked with some u

"I've been talking to some of the other people we rescued," she said, her voice low. "There's another you should meet." With Lori's help, Grayson slipped out from the cradle he'd provided Sue Ellen. Leaving Lori with her, he went to meet the other freed captive.

Lori watched him go with mingled thoughts. Her own jealousy just now surprised her. Why should I be surprised if he...he finds someone else? I haven't exactly been encouraging his attentions...