Coupe

Justin nodded along with the Chancellor. Having Morgan fall into our hands is indeed a blow to the Federated Suns.

From his position at Liao's right, Tsen Shang spoke up loudly enough for the holovid microphones to hear. "Your words echo my own thoughts, Celestial Wisdom. This is a great day, indeed."

Justin looked up, his left hand shielding his eyes from the glare of the DropShip's landing rockets. Motion high up on the hull caught his attention, then gave him a jolt. What in hell is going on ?

The DropShip's missile pods snapped open, freeing a cargo of missiles. They rocketed away on jets of yellow-white flame, arcing down toward the landing zone, but never reached the reviewing stand or the 'Mechs arrayed behind it. They exploded thunderously overhead, filling the air with a thick, blinding, green smoke.

The explosion's Shockwave tossed Justin back off the reviewing stand. He landed hard on his right hip, but rolled up into a crouch. We're under attack. That ship has to be crawling with Federated troops . . .

The screams of the spectators replaced the explosion-born ringing in his ears, and Justin suddenly realized something was very wrong. Candace! Where is she?He stood and tried to see through the heavy smoke, but all he could make out were splotches of people ru

* * *

The gas burned his throat, coating his mouth and tongue with a slick, sour taste. He had to find her. Though Candace's disappearance pushed him toward panic, years of combat training overrode his emotions. Stop it, Justin. Think clearly. If she's dead, she's dead. If she's alive, she'll head into the Palace. You know that's where you should be.

Justin took off in a low sprint for the Palace 'Mech bay. He heard the hideous snapping and crackling of PPC discharges. As he dodged the advance of a Liao Locust,he heard the whine of an autoca

* * *

Morgan Hasek-Davion's voice echoed confidently through the radio speakers. "This is it, people. We drop at fifteen meters. It'll be confusing out there, so keep your heads on. Don't crush any civilians. You won't know the agent until you're given the countersign. Remember, it's 'Sic Semper Tyra

The ground feed focused on the descending DropShip, then tightened in as the OverlordClass DropShip's LRM pods opened and launched scores of missiles. The missiles traveled only a short distance before they exploded, filling the air with a greasy green smoke. The live picture went black as the drop hatch below Andrew's Marauderopened up.

The heavy, birdlike 'Mech landed solidly on the ferrocrete. The ringing collision of feet on earth sent a shudder up through the 'Mech, but Andrew balanced himself and his war machine instantly. His right hand punched two buttons on his command console, shifting his sensors over to magscan. That'll cut through this gas.

The sensors painted him a picture of the action taking place within the verdant fog that drifted over the scene. The House Imarra 'Mechs, drawn as yellow skeletons on the display, had already begun to break ranks, but Andrew ignored them. Hitting another button on his console, he engaged a search routine he'd programmed into his battle computer earlier. The holographic images wavered, then a small circle surrounded what appeared to be an L-shaped metallic cylinder roughly 45 centimeters in length.

Andrew smiled. Got you! Your metal arm gives you away.Andrew's joy at having located Justin vanished along with the image his search program had created. Gone. Ducked back into the Palace barracks. Going for his 'Mech, I bet. All the better.

Swirling through the green mist, a Liao Crusadercharged at Andrew. In an instant he dropped the Marauder'stargeting crosshairs on the humanoid 'Mech's outline, then triggered both PPCs. Dancing forks of blue lightning rippled up and down the Crusader'sright arm. Glowing gobs of molten armor dripped from the 'Mech like liquid glass. Exposed by the PPC assault, myomer muscles, blacker and heavier than those familiar to Andrew, contracted to bring the arm-mounted laser into play.

Suddenly, the muscles began to smolder. An oily vapor rose from them as the Crusader'spilot struggled to make the limb respond, then the muscles burst into flame. Burning droplets of molten myomer splashed over the Crusader'sleg and streamed to the ferrocrete. The limb, engulfed in the fire of its own muscles, swung like a man hanging from a gibbet.

Andrew opened a radio frequency to Morgan. "It works. Exposed to the gas, the myomer they stole from Bethel ignites when they run power through it to make it contract!"

"Yes!" Morgan roared back triumphantly. "But take care anyway. Until the muscle hits this gas, it's very powerful."

As if he had overheard Morgan Hasek-Davion's warning, the Crusader'spilot continued his rush forward, left arm raised to club Andrew's 'Mech. Andrew immediately dropped the Marauderunder the blow, then lunged up and stabbed both arms into the Crusader'smidsection. The double-claw punch shattered the armor over the humanoid 'Mech's abdomen and lifted it three meters into the air.

The Crusaderlanded unsteadily on its feet and then, like a boxer with round heels, toppled ungracefully backward. Wary of the 'Mech's powerful legs, Andrew fired one PPC bolt into the ruin his punch had made of the Crusader'sstomach. The searing particle beam blasted away what little armor remained and exposed the Mech's i

As the pilot tried to force his 'Mech back upright, fire erupted in the Crusader'sbelly, but Andrew ignored it. A Liao Marauderstreaked past in front of him, its legs burning like torches. Finally, the last of the myomer melted away, sprawling the Marauderon its back. Sparks flew from beneath it as the 'Mech's armor ripped free on the ferrocrete deck.

* * *

Justin thrust the door shut behind him, then bent down to breathe the hangar's cleaner air. He wiped the tears from his eyes and inhaled deeply, soothing the burning in his chest and throat. The gas isn't meant for anti-perso