D. R. T.

by James D. Long

  While still a member of the Com Guards, Rose had had access to the advanced technology of the Star League. ComStar alone in the Inner Sphere was possessed of Star League-era technology. Equipment designed in that period of man's history could not be duplicated today, but examples of the tech still existed if one knew where to look. Rose's combat suit was one such item.

  At first glance the suit looked no different than standard coveralls, but upon closer examination the fabric was much different, a synthetic that helped keep the body cool. When plugged into the cooling system of a BattleMech, the suit transferred standard coolant across the pilot's entire body, not just the torso. The suit was also padded at the elbows and knees for additional protection, and the entire surface was laced with ablative fibers to dissipate laser fire. In addition, the whole suit was more flexible and less confining because the coolant tubes built into it were much smaller than those of a modern coolant vest. Rose knew that he sacrificed some agility when wearing the suit, but the added protection was more than worth the trade-off. As he was adjusting the cuffs, Myoto reported in.

  "Chu-i, has Danes finished the conversion?" Rose asked her.

  "Hai, sir. It was finished yesterday morning."

  "Good," said Rose. "It looks like you get to bring your Grand Dragon along with us after all." Myoto bowed. Rose suspected it was partially to hide the smile she couldn't quite contain.

  The Black Thorns were a full company of twelve 'Mechs. As such, they took up the entire standard cargo compartment of a Union Class DropShip. When Rose told Myoto she'd have to leave her 'Mech behind, she'd come up with a counterproposal.

  Since Yuri's Dasher and Leeza's Mercury were much smaller than normal, couldn't the two of them share a compartment? Rose knew the idea was possible in theory, but difficult in practice. After several conversations on the matter, he'd finally given his blessing, provided Myoto could sell the idea to Sinclair Danes. The next day she had announced to him that Captain Danes was making the appropriate alterations to the Tracy K. Rose wondered how she had managed to win approval for the work, but eventually decided it didn't matter. The extra BattleMech would come in handy on the raid, and Rose was confident Danes would not put his ship in danger, no matter what Myoto offered.

  "Do you know anything about the accelerated launch date?" Rose continued. Myoto shook her head. "No, sir. I've placed several calls to liaison headquarters, but have learned nothing new. The first I heard about the change in plans was when you awakened us."

  Rose considered her answer. Myoto might be telling the truth, but he found it hard to believe that she didn't know about the change in plans. Still, if she had known, she would probably have delivered the orders herself instead of receiving them over the communication lines.

  "I've got a hard question to ask, and the only way I know how to do it is ask straight out. Before I do, though, I want you to know it's only because I feel it is vital that I know the answer. Is that clear?" Myoto paused and examined Rose with a harsh stare. Rose could almost see her mind going over the possibilities before she finally nodded. Rose sighed.

  "In effect, I need to know what you're doing here. How did you get this assignment and what are you doing as a liaison? You're too young to merit this kind of assignment unless you've got some excellent credentials. But if that were the case, why aren't you pulling duty in some hotshot combat lance?"

  Myoto didn't answer at once. Rose waited silently and let the silence add pressure to his questions. After a long minute, Myoto spoke. "You ask a difficult question, but it is one I am prepared to answer— on one condition."

  "Which is?" prompted Rose.

  "You will tell no one else what I am about to tell you. I believe I can trust you with the truth, but it is not information I would want spread throughout the company." Myoto looked down and remained silent while Rose considered the condition. It didn't take long for him to decide.

  "Done," he said simply. Myoto looked up and held Rose's eyes with a calm, yet firm gaze.

  "I am a blood relative of Theodore Kurita." It was only with great effort that Rose managed to keep his face expressionless. Although shocked, he knew any outward sign of surprise would be seen as disbelief and, therefore, an insult to Myoto. She waited several seconds for Rose to work through the implications of the statement before continuing.

  "Be assured, the blood line is distant, but solid. As a result of this, I have had a special place in society since the moment of my birth. My gender and station in life made my dream of becoming a MechWarrior almost impossible. As a result, I have had to overcome numerous obstacles to reach even the rank of chu-i. My current assignment, that of liaison offer, was, in effect, the best choice from a poor list of alternatives. I was not given the opportunity to serve on a frontline unit." Myoto hung her head.

  The situation now made perfect sense to Rose. As a member of the Kurita noble house, Myoto had a certain responsibility to the entire Combine. In most cases that meant she was expected to serve the government in some way. For royal women that meant a cultural position, not a military one. He could well imagine the problems she would have had overcoming her relatives' opinions about a "proper" career for a woman. Not that all Kurita society felt that way. It was acceptable for women to serve in the military—and many did—but Kurita nobility observed different customs and had different expectations placed upon them.

  "How did you end up on Wolcott?" he asked.

  "I volunteered, just like everybody else who remains here. As there was a need for more liaison officers, the request was reluctantly accepted."

  "And the Grand Dragon?"

  "A gift from a nameless benefactor. Undoubtedly one of my relatives, but I do not know which one."

  "You didn't receive the 'Mech upon graduation?" Myoto looked at her feet and shook her head. "My marks weren't good enough to merit a BattleMech," she said to the floor. "I was somewhere at the middle of my class in nearly every subject except history."

  Rose blew out a long breath and rubbed his chin. That certainly made sense. From what he'd seen of Myoto, she got by on determination and fear of failure more than anything else. She was somewhat clumsy and a poor shot, but Rose had to find a way to make her part of the team.

  "All right, Chu-i, we'll keep this conversation between the two of us. Thank you for being honest with me. I'd like to respect your right to privacy, but there are some things a commander needs to know. I hope you understand."

  Myoto finally looked up at Rose. "I understand, Captain Rose. I will strive to do my best on the assignment."

  "That's all then. Oh, by the way," he added. "Since you'll be going with us, I plan to assign you to the battle lance. Any problems with that?"

  Myoto did not hesitate in responding. "Captain Rose, although you have your doubts about me, you have never failed to treat me with respect. The other members of your unit have granted me the same respect. Were the situation different, I believe I could easily call several of them my friends. I wish my own commanders thought as much of my position and my abilities."

  "You report to Zimmer, right?" asked Rose.

  "Yes, sir."

  Rose scratched the stubble on his chin and considered Myoto's frank admission. "Well, Chu-i, I haven't had time to examine all the motives and such, but I'd guess you're just caught between the old guard and us mercenaries. I suspect they don't like us much and I'm more than happy to return the sentiment. Throw in a little resentment for your social status, and most of the narrow-thinkers are more than happy to find reasons to dislike you." Myoto nodded. Rose obviously wasn't telling her anything she hadn't figured out for herself.

  "So where does that leave us, Chu-i?" he asked as he reached for his weapon belt.

  "I will continue to fulfill my duties to the best of my ability. However, I understand and accept the simple fact that I lack the tactical experience to aid or correct you once we are on the ground. Having worked with you for these many weeks, I know you will do everything in your power to fulfill the con
tract. You do not need me to watch over the Dragon's interests."

  "You seem to have a pretty good idea of what this is all about, Chu-i," said Rose. "How come you haven't volunteered this information before?"

  "There was no need. I fulfilled my duties, as did you and the rest of the Black Thorns. That was only training, however. We have entered the next phase of your contract with the Dragon, and additional information is required if you are to be successful. I have merely provided that information.

  "I will always place my duty before personal motivations, but I have reasons to behave as I do."

  "You trying to prove something, Chu-i?" asked Rose. He hoped the answer was no. Warriors following the call of glory or trying to prove something usually got themselves killed in the first moments of a battle. Bad enough the waste of a warrior and BattleMech, but the loss of the 'Mech usually meant other warriors had to pay the price for one person's foolishness.

  "Yes," replied Myoto, "but only to myself." That was not the answer Rose expected, but it seemed like a good one. He supposed it was ultimately the reason most warriors went to battle.

  "All right. See what you can find out from the liaison office. I'll let Esmeralda know you'll be with her lance." Myoto bowed and saluted, holding the salute until Rose returned it, then she left.

  Rose grabbed his duffel from the wardrobe and threw his few possessions inside. He secured his portable computer containing the company's supplemental information files, then dropped it on top. At some point in the mission, all the files would be loaded into his 'Mech's computer system, but until then he'd work on the portable if necessary.

  Rose threw the duffel over one shoulder and headed for the mess room and a cup of coffee. He was still wired with adrenaline, but decided something to drink was in order. Grabbing some coffee, he put down his duffel and made a quick inspection of the barracks.

  He was not surprised to see Ajax and the rest of the recon lance already on the move toward the warehouse. The small lance commander had managed to instill recon's basic principle in all the recruits: Always keep moving. On the battlefield Rose could count on the recon lanced to provide quick and accurate information about the enemy. Ajax felt the best way to ensure that kind of readiness was to practice it all the time. He was hard on the members of his lance, but the foursome seemed to take a lot of pride in their unique position in the company. Rose decided not to interfere with Ajax's methods, especially when the other members of the lance didn't seem to want any interference.

  Antioch and Riannon were already gone, leaving Jamshid to close down the command lance's section of the base. The task wasn't that difficult or time-consuming, so Rose knew Jamshid would have the work done by the allotted time. Esmeralda and O'Shea were working in the battle lance's meeting area, both moving with a swift but relaxed air of confidence. They had both been through this routine countless times and knew exactly how long was needed to accomplish their tasks.

  Rose found Greta and Hawg in the mess room. Working together they were stuffing field bags with ration kits and supplemental food containers. Hawg grinned as he worked, his movements swift and sure. Greta managed to keep up with the big man, but just barely. Hawg paused when Rose entered the room, saluting as Rose reached for some coffee. While Rose sipped coffee and waited for Esmeralda and O'Shea to appear, Hawg and Greta finished their work.

  Hawg grabbed three of the stuffed sacks and in one motion threw the entire bulk onto his back. While keeping the weight steady with one hand, he reached down for his own kit with the other, then stood up. The simple action was a feat of strength Rose knew he would never even have attempted, let alone matched. Greta grabbed the remaining sack of rations and her kit, then hustled to follow Hawg out the door. Getting the heavy load all the way up to the cockpit of a 'Mech was going to be a problem, but Rose knew Hawg would figure something out.

  He glanced at his chronometer just as Esmeralda and Badicus came in. There was still a little time available, so Rose held out the coffee pot as the two approached. Producing twin cups, they watched as Rose poured in silence. Rose replaced the pot and flicked off the burner.

  "Once more into the breach," said Badicus. Rose chuckled, but Esmeralda just nodded and sipped her coffee.

  "I suspect you're right," she commanded. "This could be a nasty fight." Badicus scoffed and began to shuffle toward the door. Rose followed them out, locking the door behind him. Across the tarmac, the lights of the warehouse indicated that the Black Thorns were in full action. As they approached, Bell's Banshee took a step forward, then turned toward the gate. The mission was officially underway.

  18

  DropShip Tracy K, Pirate Point 5N/Lu0013Zulu

  Wolcott System, Draconis Combine

  25 July 3057

  Rose sat staring at the communications unit in the DropShip quarters. He knew it wasn't likely the unit would activate by thought alone, but he sat there in the fervent hope of hearing from McCloud before he left Wolcott. He glanced over at the stack of hard copy reports on the bunk and considered breaking the final news to the rest of the Thorns, but for the seventh time in the last hour, he decided to wait a little longer.

  Rose and the rest of the company had been trapped—Rose could think of no other word—in the Tracy K for three days. The trip had been mercifully uneventful, but the lack of information on McCloud and the Bristol was grating on his nerves.

  The Tracy K had lifted off without a problem, despite the damaged appendage. Under a thick cover of aerospace fighters, the ship had successfully run the Clan blockade and was now preparing for the final approach to the JumpShip. Not that the ship was already in the Wolcott system, but Danes had to trust that it would be by the time the Tracy K arrived at their rendezvous point.

  The mission required split-second timing on the part of the DropShip and JumpShip crews. Although no Clan ships had trailed the Tracy K, at least as far as the crew knew, the JumpShip would not remain long in the Wolcott system. After undocking any DropShips it had carried into the system, the starship would meet up with the Tracy K, then jump immediately to the Black Thorns' destination. Because of the time-space relationship between the pirate point in the Wolcott system and the pirate point of their destination star system, any mistakes would doom the mission before it started. Of course, that assumed the ships survived the mistake in the first place.

  Rose glanced over at the reports, then suddenly jumped to his feet, grabbing the reports and heading for the mess room. As usual, the Black Thorns had appropriated the largest mess room on the ship as their de facto headquarters. When Rose got there, the room was surprisingly empty, but a quick call over the public address system remedied that situation. While waiting for the room to fill up, he thought over the briefing report, but still wasn't really sure where to start even after all his people were present and looking up at him expectantly.

  "Well, ladies and gentlemen, we're approaching the Wolcott jump point. I'm not really sure where that is, but Captain Danes assures me we're on course and on schedule. If all goes well, the JumpShip will arrive within the next couple of minutes. That means we'll be making the jump to the target within the hour." Rose stopped to take a sip from a fresh cup of coffee. He noticed that the Thorns were unnaturally quiet, as if they were awaiting news of great import. Despite the importance of the mission briefing, Rose suspected they were looking for something more.

  Wrapped up in his own feelings about McCloud, he had not stopped to consider how much the rest of the Thorns held her and the Bristol in special regard. To them she was a part of the company. They worried about her and her ship just as they would any member of the team. McCloud had been gone for over a month and there was still no news of her status, despite repeated attempts to gather information from the liaison office. Even unofficial channels had proved fruitless. Rose wanted to give them the news they awaited, but he simply didn't have it. Instead he continued with the mission briefing.

  "Upon arrival in the Courcheval system the Tracy K will debark
immediately and head for the planet's surface. We'll be approaching the world through an asteroid field, which means two things. First, the course will have to be somewhat circular to avoid the densest areas of the field. In this case that doesn't really affect us, as we would have taken the same course even if the way had been clear. The course will keep the Clans from tracking the DropShip's path back to the JumpShip.

  "The asteroid field also provides us with some cover for the inbound trip." Rose rubbed his head and laughed briefly. "Who'd have thought there would be cover in space? Sort of defies logic. In any event, the latest intelligence reports seem to indicate that the asteroid field is the back door to the planet. The Clans don't patrol it heavily because they consider the approach too dangerous to try, even from a pirate point. We're counting on that fact to get us to the surface with a minimum of fuss."

  "That seems like a pretty wide gap in the Clan's defenses," said Esmeralda. "Do we really think they'd leave a opening like that?"

  "No, we're sure they've got some defenses, but they're mostly passive in nature. Remote sensors, listening posts, things like that. It seems likely they'll eventually learn about our approach through one of these devices, but they'll still have to scramble a squadron of aerospace fighters to intercept us.

  "Remember, the Clans don't look at aerospace assets the way we do. To them fighters are something to bargain away before a fight. Piloting is probably the one area of the combat where the Inner Sphere holds the edge. I'm not saying they'll let us land, but they're not as good at successfully making deep-space interceptions as we are."