Bloodname

"Then why do you tell me about such things?"

"I had hoped they would worry you."

"Well, they do. Are there any more repairs to be done?"

"Plenty. But with these tools, we have done about as much as we can."

"Then it is time to get into the cockpit and get old Ter going." Ter was Joa

"I would advise getting some sleep before setting off anywhere," he said. "We do not know where we are, and it is fast getting dark. I have never seen darkness as deep as the black of this jungle, so any way we go could easily be the wrong way. Perhaps someone will contact us. There is at least one frequency open in—"

"You are suggesting we need help, quiaff?"

"Well, aff. This is unknown—"

"There is a challenge underway here for the Pershaw gene heritage, and we were bid into it, you may recall. We are doing Kael Pershaw no good sleeping in the middle of one of Glory's little jungles."

"And would we be doing him, as you say, any good, clomping around aimlessly in this, as you say, little jungle?"

Joa

She sat down, leaned her head against her 'Mech's right foot, made an elaborate ritual of arranging her legs, then abruptly went to sleep. Nomad wished he had the use of his arms, so he could have climbed to the 'Mech cockpit and fetched a blanket to cover Joa

With a frown at the soggy ground around the 'Mech, Nomad moved toward a cluster of trees some twenty meters off. He settled himself into a niche formed between two tree roots, each movement causing sharp stabbing pains in the wrist he was forced to use for leverage. As the pain gradually subsided, Nomad too fell asleep, dreaming that he was tumbling over and over as the 'Mech cocoon fell through space.

* * *

He was awakened by the sounds of the real giants about which he had been dreaming. To a trained tech, the noise was unmistakable. Only 'Mechs could sound that way, like primeval creatures crushing whatever came beneath their feet. A thin shaft of moonlight shone down through the jungle canopy, but that was all the available light. Joa

Joa

"Wait," Nomad called after her, but she did not look back. "I ca

Joa

As if to trouble him further, he felt the tremor of other 'Mech footsteps approaching. They seemed to be coming directly toward him. A moment later, he realized they were.

Whatever side these 'Mech pilots were on, and whatever their decision about what to do with an injured Jade Falcon tech, Nomad knew he was in deep trouble. He was so wedged between the tree roots that it did not matter what side the pilots were on. They would not see him anyway.

He twisted his neck to get a look in the direction of the reverberating sounds. At the same time, he heard the unmistakable crunch of Joa

The lumbering sounds grew louder and finally a Summoneremerged from the surrounding forest, bending a pair of trees almost to the ground as it did. Its pilot did not seem to see Nomad or Joa

Surging forward, the Summonerdrew nearer to Nomad's tree. With a fascination that was almost scientific, Nomad watched the 'Mech's feet, measured their apparent tread. It was clear that in a few seconds one of those giant feet would be on a direct path toward him, its step heading right down onto the pair of roots between which he was wedged. The roots would be crushed, along with any foolish being unfortunate enough to be trapped there.

Before Nomad could calculate any further, the 'Mech's enormous foot was directly over his head and bearing straight down.

10

Seeing Nomad about to be crushed underneath the gigantic foot of the Summonerthat had abruptly emerged from the mist, Joa

Some smoke arose from the hits. Joa

"Good shot, warrior," came a voice over the commline from the new 'Mech. "Do you ordinarily make a practice of going for the lower limbs of BattleMechs from your own side? What right have you to-"

"I recognize your voice, warrior. It is Aidan, is it not?"

"No, it is not. The name is Star Commander Jorge, of the Glory Station Garrison Cluster."

If she had not been wearing studded gloves, Joa

"Sorry, warrior. You sound like someone I knew once. Foolish. Aidan is long dead."

"You have not answered my question. I do not appreciate being shot at when I am on a friendly mission."

"You were about to make a meat patty out of my chief tech, Star Commander Jorge. I had no other way of preventing that."