The Price of Glory

Deirdre Rave

"It was a surprise to learn that His Grace has been so close, all along," she said. "I thought my reports were being taken by occasional merchants . . . gods! How many hundreds of light years? And then Alard comes to me with His Grace's ring and tells me that the Red Duke has spent the last two months parked right next door!”

Grayson shook his head. This was not the way Dukes, not even Kurita dukes, behaved. He reached up and touched the thin packet resting in an inside pocket of his tunic, the papers Ricol had provided so that King could bring Grayson for a meeting. This was not the way Kuritadukes behaved at all.

"Why, Your Grace? Why the interest in me?"

Ricol smiled, stroking his beard with one massive hand. "A fair question, but not one I can answer easily. Suffice it to say that when Alard reported to me that Helm was to be the price of your service to House Marik against Liao, I became extremely interested in you. I had reason—strong reason—to believe that the Star League arms cache was still here . . . within your landhold. If you were to become lord of this . . . this treasure, then perhaps I could win a chance at it."

Grayson remained skeptical. Ricol's answer had not answered what he reallywanted to know, which was why the Duke had decided to assign King to keep an eye on him in the first place. Certainly, Ricol would have had no way of knowing that Marik was going to give the Helm landhold to Grayson before the fact!

"What made you think I would help you?"

Ricol pursed his lips, as though considering. "I didn't think you would, actually. Not willingly. But my studies had convinced me that something very, very big was going on in this sector. From what my agents could gather from the ComStar hyperpulse generator traffic, the Order was showing a keen interest in Helm. Let's just say that I decided the Huntressought to be nearby, just in case an opportunity presented itself."

"That would have to be one hell of an opportunity," Grayson said. "If I'm reading you right, you were pla

"That is precisely what I was pla

The transformation in Ricol's face at the mention of the Tiantan massacre was startling. The man's bushy black eyebrows came together like miniature thunderclouds, and there was a wintry look in his dark eyes.

"I could not believe the report at allat first." The Duke's voice matched the look in his eyes. He reached across to a low table where a bowl of fruit was displayed, and pulled a large, ripe xenogrape from the golden cluster. "A city, already surrendered . . . destroyed as callously as a man crushes a grape." His thumb and forefinger closed on the grape, spattering yellow juice across his fingers. "Pah!"

The thundercloud passed, and Ricol looked momentarily embarrassed. He wiped his hand on his blouse, then continued. "When Alard here made contact with me through Deirdre the other day, and told me you couldn't possibly have done the things of which you were accused because he had been with you the whole time,I decided it was time to come to Helmdown personally. They were using tactics on you that I had every reason to believe would . . . fail. And I don't want to see these city killers win."

"All very flattering ..."

"It's not meant to be flattering, Colonel! Even if I had time for such foolishness. I know it wouldn't work on you any more than attacking your reputation would!"

"I stand corrected. What is it you want?"

"Isn't it obvious, by now?" the Duke said drily. "I would like a share of whatever you find in the Star League cache." King had already explained to Ricol that Grayson seemed to know the cache's location. Ricol had not questioned that certainty.

"And in exchange?"

"I will intercede with the force at my disposal in an attempt to rescue the Gray Death Legion. I will provide transport for your regiment to ... to wherever you would care to go. I will also provide transport for whatever treasures we can recover from the cache."

Grayson only nodded, still not sure what he wanted to reply.

Ricol glanced at the corrected local time function on his expensive-looking wrist computer. "I warn you, we haven't much time. Garth's ships will be grounding at any moment. I don't know where your people are now, Colonel, but if they are heading toward the cache, it's going to be a race, even now. Garth's orbital surveillance will be certain to pick up your force's position sooner or later. You will not long be able to disguise the cache's location once you reach it."

Grayson paced the luxuriously furnished room, thinking. What Ricol proposed made perfect sense. The Legion's crisis gave the Duke the opening he had been waiting for. Ricol would get a share of the Star League weapons, and Grayson and the Gray Death Legion would have a ticket offplanet. It was the perfect solution for all involved. There was only one problem that Grayson could see. Could he, in fact, trustDuke Ricol?

To do so meant turning upside down all his previous beliefs. It had been Ricol's treachery—or so Grayson had always read it—that had killed his father and destroyed his unit. And Grayson had always associated Ricol with the Draconis Combine and House Kurita, a regime known across the I

Yet Grayson had been struck by Ricol's reaction, moments before, to the massacre of Tiantan. The black emotions in the man's face and voice had been genuine, of that Grayson was certain. Ricol was a warrior, not an actor. He was bluff and blunt when he spoke, and seemed to prefer silence on other points rather than to lie.

But was that enough? Could shared horror at a callous and bloodthirsty act provide the basis for mutual trust? Ricol would, after all, also have to trust that Grayson would keep his part of the bargain if he was to commit ships, men, and 'Mechs to combat.

"How many 'Mechs do you have with you, Your Grace?"

"One company. I know it's not much ...”

“One company! Twelve 'Mechs? With how many DropShips?"

"Six." Ricol smiled. "Understand, Colonel, that all but five of those DropShips are empty.I had . . . ah . . . other ideas for them, than dragging my BattleMechs into Marik space!"

Grayson laughed. Other ideas, indeed!

Suddenly, Ricol's admission provided Grayson with the final piece of the puzzle he needed for his decision. To impress Grayson, the Duke could have promised a regiment of 'Mechs to rescue the Gray Death Legion. He could have found a way to promise a rescue, all the while pla