Bloodname

"Star Commander, one of your warriors must travel as point, clearing the way. I will follow, then you and the other two 'Mechs behind me, quiaff.Respond."

Aidan felt as if he were back on Ironhold, having to do Joa

"Aff, Star Captain. Horse, you take the point."

"Yes, Commander."

Aidan watched on his monitor as Horse forged ahead of Joa

"She has the rank, Horse."

"But she has never been on Glory before. Any sensible officer would defer—"

"She has the rank."

"You are capitulating too easily. That is not like you. Something is wrong. Is it the dark band? It is, isn't it?"

"Do your job, Horse."

"I did not know the dark band turned its wearer into a coward."

Aidan felt like screaming at Horse, but he kept his voice calm. "Do as you have been ordered, Horse."

Horse grumbled, but he began to lead the Star, restored temporarily to the full five Points, out of the clearing and into an area of jungle that seemed darker and more threatening than anything they had seen so far.

11

With every unit in which she had ever served, Joa

Her famed indifference was severely tested in Glory's jungle, as she and Aidan's Star came across one piece after another of crash debris. She saw Battle-Mechs so damaged they could never be repaired in time for the current struggle with Clan Wolf. She saw warriors of her command lying dead amid tangled wreckage or barely able to walk forward to greet her. She saw blood in pools and streaks, blood as dewfall from leaves. The scenes were enough to draw a tear or a sigh of regret from even a Clan warrior. She heard gasps over the commlink from the warriors in Aidan's Star, her Star now, but of course they were freebirth filth and could not be expected to maintain proper decorum. Still, even Joa

At any rate, her unit now numbered nine. She, the four warriors from Aidan's Star, and the four remaining Trinary warriors. Other surviving perso

Aidan had wanted to suggest leaving behind the techs and the warriors without 'Mechs, to be rescued later. The unit as a whole could move faster without placing extra burdens on the 'Mechs. But Joa

Now all the 'Mechs were gathered in a clearing. The vegetation was less dense over this part of the godforsaken jungle, and the night brought some slight illumination from the few stars seen through the canopy overhead. Perhaps the animals of the place were disturbed by the strangers in their midst for there were more sounds of movement among the trees, and chatterings, screeches, and calls seemed to increase rather than settle down for the night.

"Star Commander Jorge," came Joa

Aidan understood her only too well. By "merely techs," she was saying that they were, most of them, freeborns. And the trueborns among them had failed to qualify as warriors. So they were all expendable, disposable.

"Can you supply me the coordinates of this location so I may plot our journey to Glory Station?" Aidan enjoyed the privilege of remaining silent, awaiting her specific permission. "All right, all right. Respond, Jorge."

"I can transfer the program to your communications system, but I recommend you allow us to guide you and your warriors out. We have traveled this way before. There are many pitfalls, dangers ..."

Her sudden silence entertained Aidan. He pictured Joa

"I agree," she finally said. "And Jorge . . . From now on, I give you permission to respond without awaiting my signal in any mission or tactical situation."

How much that concession must have cost her, he thought, and the idea gave him more enjoyment than a triple fusio

His pleasure was short-lived, broken by the distant sound of explosions and the flashes of light suddenly illuminating the jungle canopy.

"Freebirth!" Joa

"About a hundred kilometers."

"And the plain is nearby?"

"The site Kael Pershaw has chosen is ten or twelve kilometers from the station."

"That is too far. Plot our course so that we come out of the swamp on Glory Plain."

"With all due respect, Captain, I think we require some downtime in the station to make repairs and—"

"We have no time to backtrack to the station. We are Clan. It does not matter if our 'Mechs need repair. Considering the many we lost in the crash, I believe destiny has awarded us our present condition."

Aidan wanted to tell Joa

"Kael Pershaw is underma

"Aff."

"I thought that, as you were freeborns, you might have been withheld. You must choose our route to Glory Plain."