Natural Selection

The screen returned to the logo and Phelan slammed a fist into the arm of his chair. "Dammit."

Dan arched an eyebrow. "Is that bad?"

Phelan shrugged. "That man is a member of the technician caste. He should have obeyed me. His superior is no doubt a warrior."

The logo again vanished and was replaced with a man's face. From the thickness of his neck and the massive set of his shoulders, Phelan knew he was an Elemental. "I am Star Colonel Taman Malthus. I am in command of Alyina and its resources."

"I am Khan Phelan Ward and I need ..."

The man held up a huge hand. "The nature of your demand has been made known to me, Khan Ward. I am afraid the Jade Falcons have ships coming through that will require the charges you desire."

"We are on a mission for the ilKhan! "

The blue-eyed Elemental shrugged. "I have no orders to assist you and I am not one of your pups to comply just because a wolfling demands it."

Dan Allard leaned over to Phelan. "Perhaps if we could meet with the Star Colonel to explain ..."

Malthus frowned. "If you are thinking of invading Alyina, I will defend with all I have. My first action will be to cripple the recharge station, so you will not gain by it."

"Easy." Phelan held both his hands up. "What Colonel Allard meant was ..."

"Allard?" Malthus' blue eyes narrowed with suspicion. "He is an Allard?"

Phelan hit a button on the commlink that zoomed the lens back to bring Dan into the picture with him. He looked at the older man and jerked a thumb at the commlink.

Dan gave Malthus a disarming smile. "I am Colonel Daniel Allard of the Kell Hounds."

The Elemental stared out from the flat screen for a moment. "Do you know of Kai Allard-Liao?"

Dan's smile broadened. "I do. He is my nephew, my late brother's son."

Malthus nodded. "I know him. I hunted him. I fought beside him."

"He has not spoken much of his time on Alyina." Dan's expression grew grim. "It was not an easy time for him."

"But it was one of which he should be proud," said Malthus. "I have seen an Allard fight. On the chance that what he knew he learned from you, I will bargain away the ship charges you need in return for your promise of peaceful passage away from Alyina."

Dan smiled. "Bargained well and done. I will tell Kai that we spoke."

The Elemental nodded. "Tell him I said I am proud to consider him a comrade."

* * *

Of all the people in the task force, Nelson Geist knew that he alone was happy at the week added to their schedule when Phelan detoured through Jade Falcon space and into the Wolf Clan occupation zone. The detour forced an added pair of jumps that gave Nelson the one thing he wanted: time.

During the delays Chris Kell worked with him in combat simulators to bring him back into training. The schedule Nelson set himself was grueling and both Bates and Kell had to urge him to get more sleep and to eat regularly. He knew they thought him obsessive, but they had become his allies, working hard to help him hone his skills as a pilot.

Together they hatched a plot that was as elegant as it was simple. Nelson prepared a document in which he resigned his commission in the Kooken Militia. Chris Kell then offered him a contract with the Kell Hounds and convinced Dan Allard to sign off on it. Kommandant Nelson Geist became Major Nelson Geist, a tactical advisor with the Kell Hounds.

When the papers were signed, Nelson could not keep a smile from his face. "My grandsons would be overjoyed to know I have signed with the Hounds. I will have to find them a playmate so both of them can command little armies of Kell Hounds."

Chris nodded in agreement. "You will have to bring them to Arc-Royal. They will find plenty of children there to play with—though I would say allof them will be partial to the Hounds."

With the paperwork out of the way, Nelson's training went into high gear. If any opening came up in the First Regiment, Chris vowed to push him as the man to fill the empty slot. Chris even suggested that he would trade slots with another man in the unit so he could get a Battle-Masterand let Nelson backseat him.

Nelson repaid Chris's faith in him during the times when they were not training or he was not napping. Throughout the trip, repairs continued on the BattleMechs of the First Regiment. Nelson, Bates, and Chris all labored long and hard to refit the Thunderboltwith armor and to reinforce the skeletal structures damaged on Arc-Royal.

The repairs were pronounced finished just in time for the last jump to Elissa. Chris joined the other mercenary officers in the Khan's cabin for a final meeting. Chris said he would be pushing the case for Nelson's participation in any battle that took place on Elissa, so it came as only a slight surprise when the Khan summoned Nelson into his presence.

When he entered the cabin he knew immediately that Chris's request had been denied. The Khan had no trouble meeting Nelson's gaze while Chris shied from it and shook his head. "You sent for me, Khan Phelan?" Nelson stood at ease, with his head proudly raised.

"I applaud your effort, Kommandant, and I wish more warriors had your heart and drive. Your request to serve in a 'Mech has been denied." The Khan's hard expression softened a bit. "That does not mean, however, that I do not recognize your skills. I will communicate them in a letter to Prince Victor Davion and urge him to reinstate you in the regular army." The Khan looked at Dan. "That is, ifColonel Allard decides to give you up."

"Thank you, sir." Nelson choked down the lump in his throat. "Is that all, sir?"

"No." Phelan leaned forward on his desk. "We will be jumping into Elissa in less than two minutes. Is there anything you have not told us?"

Nelson shook his head. "You know all of it."

"Very well." The Khan pointed him to a chair. "Be seated. We are about to jump."

Nelson and the Kell Hound officers strapped themselves into their chairs. Chris reached out and squeezed Nelson's shoulder. "I'm sorry. I tried."

Nelson nodded. "I know. I hope the training you did against me allows you to finish what I ca

"My finger will be on the button, but your spirit will be pushing it."

Three tones sounded, with the last one echoing into the eternity that swallowed Nelson when the ship jumped. He felt himself stretched out until he was only an atom in thickness, then feared he would be torn apart. That fear died amid the regret he felt at being unable to avenge himself against the Red Corsair. Suddenly he reconstituted himself around his need for revenge and as his atoms returned to flesh him out once again, he knew he had escaped oblivion for only one purpose: to kill the Red Corsair.

Nothing and no one can stop me from that.

His vision cleared and he saw the Khan concentrating on his commlink screen. "Incoming message from Elissa, Khan Phelan," he heard a commtech say.

The Khan looked at the officers in the room. "It seems we are anticipated. So much for the advantage of surprise." He hit a button on his computer. "Run it in here."

Oh, there is an advantage in surprise, but they have it!Nelson saw the blank screen fill with Conal Ward's face. "Khan Phelan Ward, with what forces will you attack Elissa?"

Phelan sat back, clearly stu

"With what forces will you attack Elissa?"