Mercenary's Star

He looked to the north. Lori was in a close-range duel with a Stinger,and Clay and McCall were exchanging shots with enemy ‘Mechs hidden by a patch of woods. Where was Debrowski?

SRMs from the Crusadersmashed close beside him and sent his Shadow Hawkinto a lumbering run. Grayson knew the slower Crusaderwouldn't be able to catch him from behind. That left only the light scout ‘Mechs ahead to worry about.

Where was Debrowski? "Strike Force Five, this is Strike Force Leader! Where the hell are you, Debrowski?"

There was no answer. He brought the Shadow Hawkalongside Lori's ‘Mech and joined her in blasting at the enemy Stingeruntil the scout ‘Mech turned, fired its jump jets, and broke free.

"Has anyone seen Debrowski's ‘Mech?" Grayson asked on the open band. "Did he get clear?"

"Captain!" Lori said. "Look south!"

Grayson spun his Hawk.The smoke from the burning Aerospace Fighter was lying low and heavy between the Gray Death ‘Mechs and the University, but Grayson could see a giant figure emerge from it, reaching forward and down. The Kurita Crusaderhad not followed Grayson after all, but had sought out another target.

Debrowski's Stingerlay full-length on the ground some distance to the east of where Grayson had held the line with Clay and McCall. Perhaps the Stingerhad gotten lost in the smoke and strayed in the wrong direction. Perhaps Debrowski had been navigating through the smoke by a compass whose reading had been jarred by weapons fire. Whatever the cause, his Stingerhad taken hits that left his ‘Mech's left leg in tatters and smashed the laser mounted on its right arm. Now Debrowski was trying to drag his helpless machine clear of the looming Crusader.Even from a range of six hundred meters, Grayson could see that the Stinger'sradio ante

The Crusaderoutweighed the Stingerthree to one. One massive fist rose, paused, and descended. Lori gave a soft cry as the Stinger'shead splintered like a crystal egg.

Numb, barely able to speak, Grayson somehow managed to give the order.The surviving Gray Death ‘Mechs withdrew from the field after their hovercraft, which had long since fled north.

The Kurita ‘Mechs made no attempt to follow.

* * * *

The two men faced one another, eye level with eye. Rebels and Legion members alike surrounded them. "We barely escaped with our lives," Grayson said "Piter Debrowski didn't make it at all. And it's your fault!"

After a long and grueling trek over little-used jungle trails, the Strike Force had returned to Fox Island to find that the commando forces remaining behind had been victorious. Two full companies of BattleMechs, twenty-four machines, had raided the island, zeroing in on the small encampment that Grayson had ordered ma

The Kurita pilots, already nervous about operations this far into the jungle, had withdrawn. Overhead, the Slayerand Shilonehad circled helplessly above the jungle canopy.

Montido's rebel Warrior recruits had ambushed the withdrawing enemy ‘Mechs along the Rim Road as they were withdrawing from the island. They managed to claim a damaged Stingerand a pair of Commando's.Grayson's plan to destroy or cripple the fighters as they landed at their base below the University walls had succeeded as well, though at the cost of Debrowski and his Stinger.All in all, the day had gone heavily in favor of the rebel forces.

Crowding near their leaders, no one could understand what had set off the confrontation.

Tollen Brasednewic scowled back at Grayson, his dark eyes locked with the younger man’s gray ones. "And it seems to me you’re going too far telling us how to run our war! The council that hired you isn't around any more. Why don't you people go back where you came from, and leave us to settle our own affairs!"

Collin Dace stepped between the two men. 'Tollen, no! We'd never have made it this far without Captain Carlyle, and you know it!"

"Do I?" He laughed, derisively. "Do I, indeed? We were doing all right on our own. Then he comes along, and what have we lost? The whole rebel council, wiped out. And the dead... how many dead have we lost? Damn it, when the Blues scattered at the airfield today, they left that gate wide open! With our two hundred boys, we could have walked right in and taken the citadel, only hesays to pull out! Pull out, with victory right in front of us!"

Grayson crossed his arms. "Whether you like the idea or not. Colonel, we're in your war now. We've lost too many dead of our own to turn our backs on Verthandi, even if we could. But if we're going to fight together, we're going to have to pull together...with one leader."

"So it's come to that, eh? You think you're man enough to take me...here?"Tollen spat out the final word as though it were an obscenity.

"It doesn't make any sense for the two of us to fight," Grayson said carefully. He and Brasednewic were about the same height, but the rebel leader easily outweighed him by at least ten kilos. "I suggest we use common sense instead."

"Enough talk!" Brasednewic had his fingers curled into massive fists now, his scowl transformed to a snarl. "I had a chance to rescue Carlotta, and you botched it for me!"

Grayson’s eyes widened. So he'd been right about Brasednewic and Carlotta. They were lovers.

Montido looked confused. "But she was Old Family..."

"Damn you, don't talk about her as if she's dead!" Then, more quietly, "So, she's Old Family? You think that mattered...to us?"

Grayson watched something akin to embarrassment flick across the faces of some rebels. As for himself, he felt painfully out of place, as though witness to a very private family argument The rift between the descendants of the planet's first settlers and the refugees who'd come later was old and deep. Feelings about men and women who crossed that line seemed to run high on both sides.

"Damm it!" Brasednewic shouted, "Carlotta and I loved each other!" His head swiveled from side to side as though he were daring anyone to make an issue of the statement "And we still love each another! Nagumo's bastards won't have killed her yet, not if they think she might be useful to them, for propaganda, or whatever. I would have had her out of there today...only...only..."

Tears choked him. Grayson put a hand on the rebel chiefs shoulder. "I think I know how you feel," he said.

"How the hellcan you know that?" This time there was no anger in the words, only pain and loss.

"You aren't the only one who's lost someone he loves." Grayson spoke softly, remembering his father. "But you can't use your people for your own personal vendetta. Not and keep their respect!"

Brasednewic just stood there, his eyes on the ground, fists clenched at his sides. Then, without another word, he turned his back on Grayson and strode from the group. Grayson started to call after him, but Montido held up his hand. "Let him go. Captain. One of us'll talk to him later. It'll be better that way."

Dace nodded. "Meanwhile, what are your orders, Captain?"