Bloodname

Suddenly he wondered if he might not turn the Mad Dogpilot's immobility into an advantage. He had to do something soon, he thought, as the muzzles of his opponent's weapons sent silver streaks speeding past his cockpit viewport.

* * *

Quickly calculating the range, Aidan fired a salvo of the Thunder LRMs at the Warhawkand the Ice Ferret.He watched as the missiles fell in front of their targets, exploding just before hitting the ground. The two 'Mechs were fooled enough to try to knock them out with their anti-missile systems, whose shots were too short.

If either 'Mech suspected what was coming, neither showed any reaction. They did not diminish their speed, as they might have, although Aidan calculated that even a slowdown would have taken them directly into the minefields that the Thunders had laid down. As his opponents' massive 'Mech feet came down directly on clumps of mines, three of the four legs were instantly blown off below the knee. The Ice Ferretcrashed to the ground, setting off more mines and undoubtedly killing the pilot, while the Warhawktilted forward on its one leg. With superhuman effort, its pilot managed to force his 'Mech sideways, away from the minefield. Then it, too, fell to the ground. In a moment the Warhawkpilot had ejected. Watching him sail upward, Aidan realized immediately that the man's angle was wrong. The arc of his flight was taking him to the outer edge of the minefield. Aidan felt the pilot's death would be useless, but fate was stronger. As the man's ejection seat touched ground, a small tower of explosion enveloped both him and his ejection seat.

"I think the observers must be getting a bit restless," Joa

Without responding, Aidan set his Summoneron a two-jump trip to the point where Joa

"I ca

"Do not make jokes. You know I do not understand humor."

"I was not joking."

"I suggest you occupy the Dire Wolf'sattention."

"Gladly, Joa

As Aidan moved toward the Dire Wolf,he sang, louder this time: "Five little BattleMechs, playing tough at war. One got a stomach cramp, and then there were four."

Just as he was launching a salvo of SRMs at the Dire Wolf,he glanced through his viewport and saw that Ter Roshak was definitely in dire trouble with his Mad Dog.

Roshak should have seen the move coming. The Mad Dogpilot suddenly pointed his Ultra autoca

There was no longer any sense in going head to head with this BattleMech, he thought. Engaging his jump jets, he leaped nearly the full capacity of 150 meters, getting closer to where Aidan and Joa

It had to be operable, for the Mad Dogwas lumbering slowly but steadily toward it.

* * *

Aidan did not cease his onslaught as he closed with the Summoner.He spent his remaining Thunder LRMs, but the Dire Wolfpilot merely steered his ponderous machine around the bomblets they dropped. Aidan recognized that the pilot of this 'Mech was a conventional warrior, the kind who plods on and usually wins through sheer endurance and determination. That is, until he or she runs into a particularly daring or foolish opponent. Aidan knew he qualified in one of the latter categories, but was not sure which.

The Dire Wolfpilot, to avoid the heat buildup of its massively augmented weaponry, was firing only two of its large lasers at a time as he slowly moved to close the range. As for Aidan, he had no intention of overheating his machine in a long-range duel, and to trade blows at close range was suicidal. It was time to test fate once again.

Turning directly toward the Dire Wolf,Aidan brought his machine up to full ru

600 meters.

400 meters.

Seeing Aidan moving directly toward him, the Dire Wolfpilot stopped, heat visibly venting from the 'Mech's legs and back.

350 meters.

200 meters.

The arms of the Dire Wolfcame up and pointed directly at the charging Summoner.As the eight arm-mounted lasers were brought up to full charge, static discharges crackled across their muzzles.

175 meters.

150 meters.

Raw energy leapt from the Dire Wolf'sextended arms as Aidan slapped the jump switch. Up over the deadly fire, Aidan's Summonerrose. The arms of the Dire Wolftried to track the airborne target for a second shot, but it was too late. Seventy ugly tons of BattleMech landed feet first onto the cockpit of the Dire Wolf.

As Aidan worked his 'Mech free from the wreckage, the rhyme kept ru

* * *

Aidan could not, for a moment, decide which way to go. Coming fast toward the fray were the two 'Mechs that had not yet played any significant part in the battle, a Warhawkand a Summoner.Nearby was Joa

What good was life without choices, Aidan wondered.

* * *

Ter Roshak was indeed numb. Not only had he reached the end of his rope as an effective warrior, but he had no feeling in his legs. There was no wound there, no way any shot from the Mad Dogcould have reached his legs. Perhaps the numbness was from sitting too long in his pilot seat, the stiffness just one more sign of age.

The battle had taken too much out of him, so apparently they were right about the uselessness of old warriors. He never wanted to admit his age to himself, but this test had brought out his infirmity only too well. He was old. He deserved to die. Why could not this Mad Dogfire the shot that would finish him off once and for all?

He closed his eyes, waiting for the final moment. He would not eject, he knew that. Then his eyes shot open again. That was neither the way of the Clans nor the way of a good warrior. If he was to meet death, it must be with his eyes open.

Aidan did not know whether it was wise to tackle the Mad Dogcoming at Ter Roshak. His 'Mech's legs were damaged from the jump onto the Dire Wolf.It looked like his engine shielding had taken a hit, too, for he could not move at full speed. Lastly, his long-range ammo was depleted, leaving him only the short-range missiles and autoca

Coming at the Mad Dogfrom the side, in a tactic sometimes known as blindsiding, Aidan fired off a cluster round from his LB 10-X, grateful for its greater range as it did considerable destruction to the heavy 'Mech's left side. The autoca