"And you weren't angry about my declining an Omni-Mech?"
"No." Justin paused, brushing a hand over his eyes. "In fact, your choice of Yen-lo-wang honored me more than you will ever know. That 'Mech was my lifeline on Solaris, on Bethel, and on Sian. There is no other pilot in the Inner Sphere that I would prefer—that I would allow—to take Yen-lo-wang into battle."
He pointed toward the 'Mech bay with his artificial hand. "That is even more true now than ever."
Kai frowned. "What do you mean?"
Justin said nothing and led his son into the 'Mech bay. This portion of the huge hangar was cordoned off with thick curtains hanging down from the girders overhead. Kai knew this was the section of the 'Mech bay where repair and refit work was done on BattleMechs, but he had no idea why Yen-lo-wang might be here. Last he knew, the modified Centurion was insystem, but no one had used it, much less damaged it.
As he stepped through some scaffolding, Kai saw Hanse Davion speaking with another man. That man stood only waist-high to the Prince and wore his graying hair down to his shoulders. His small, stubby-fingered hands were fitted with waldo-devices to extend his reach and strengthen his grip. As Kai entered the clear space at the Centurion's feet, die little man appraised him with a quick glance, then smiled roguishly.
"So you're the one who's forced me into this hurry-up job, eh?" His brown eyes twinkled impishly. "Are you worth it?"
Hanse Davion answered for Kai. "He is, Clovis. Worth it and more."
The Prince looked over at Kai. "Leftenant Kai Allard-Liao, this is Clovis Holstein. Clovis, this is the finest MechWarrior of his generation. Excepting perhaps present company, he could be the finest MechWarrior since Aleksandr Kerensky left the Inner Sphere."
The dwarf raised an eyebrow and whistled long and low. "Quite a billing, but it fits with everything else I've heard."
Kai blushed deep red. "The Prince is too kind."
"Hope not. I've put a lot of work into refitting your tin beastie here, and I want to be sure it'll be in good hands."
Kai looked up at the towering war machine. Humanoid in configuration, its right arm had a gun muzzle at the wrist, but Kai knew it now housed a weapon other than its former heavy autocannon. The left arm ended in a hand, but Kai saw two laser muzzles mounted on the underside of the forearm, where no weapons had been before. A glance at the Mech's smoothly armored chest told him that one of the lasers had been moved from its mount in the center torso. The head remained unchanged, with the Romanesque helmet sensor array that gave the 'Mech its name intact.
Clovis grinned. "All right, kid, you've spotted the two lasers on the left arm. Those are Spitfire pulse lasers. We moved the one in the center of the Centurion to the arm, added another, and packed three heat sinks into that assembly to bleed off their added heat."
"Do I still have the laser that covers my back?"
"Still there, though it's also been upgraded to a Spitfire." Clovis pointed at the Centurion's right arm. "We swapped out the Pontiac 100 autocannon and replaced it with a Von Ryan Rail Gun. The ammo is stored in the right side of the 'Mech's chest and the feed mechanism is all magnetic. If you lose power to the feed system and you want to lean heavily to the side, you can probably use gravity feed to pump a round into the chamber, but that's not one hundred percent."
Kai chewed on his lower lip. "Can I muzzle-load it?"
Clovis looked surprised. "Yeah, if ammo's spilling out of your side, you could muzzle-load it. It'll shoot anything that magnets can jet along, though your average girder has lousy ballistic qualities and is likely to damage the bore. Again, using non-reg ammo is only for desperate situations."
"Got it."
The dwarf clapped his hands together in a clash of metal. "The real prize is inside. We stripped the old engine out and put in an extra-light Miata 200. It'll kick out the same amount of energy you're used to, but it's lighter. We needed that weight savings because your 'Mech's been fitted with experimental myomer fibers. They are much stronger than normal—roughly triple-strength—but have some unusual properties."
Kai glanced at his father. "Are these the same ones you tricked House Liao into using? Do they still burn in the presence of a particular chemical agent?"
"No." Justin folded his arms across his chest. "That formula has been heavily modified in the past twenty years. We now have a 3X fiber that won't burn, though it has only a narrow range of operation."
Clovis continued the explanation. "What you have are muscles that only pick up their extra strength when heated. Their operational range just begins as they edge into the yellow range on your heat monitors. Below that, they're normal. In the yellow, they increase your speed and strength."
Kai frowned. "But running that warm will affect my ability to target enemies."
"It does cook the targeting circuits a bit." Clovis pointed again at the laser assembly on the left arm. "You'll find a switch in the cockpit that pulls those three heat sinks offline. That will help boost your temp almost immediately. You can shut down more to do it faster, and I'll help you rig a switch to do so if you want, but the increase in strength will be a great help if the fighting gets close and nasty."
Kai looked from Clovis to his father and Hanse Davion.
All three men grinned when they saw how overwhelmed he was. "I don't know what to say. You made these modifications just for me?"
Justin shrugged. "More or less. Clovis wanted to show off the triple myomer, and because of Yen-lo-wang's days on Solaris, it had all the diagnostic circuitry already built. When you passed up an Omni in favor of Yen-lo-wang, the Prince ordered the other modifications."
Hanse nodded. "Because you deserve the best 'Mech possible when out there and because you're in my son's command. Victor gets reckless, and even though Hauptmann Cox does an excellent job keeping an eye on him, I want someone else out there I can trust with his life."
"Kai Allard-Liao is a wise choice for that job, Prince Davion."
Kai spun at the sound of another man's voice behind them, his hands reflexively coming up into a position to fend off an attack and deliver a counterstrike. He forced them down and bowed. "Konnichiwa, Gunji-no-Kanrei."
Theodore Kurita solemnly returned the bow. "And to you, Leftenant. My agents have reported the nature of your new 'Mech and I envy you."
Hanse's blue eyes narrowed. "Is there something I can do for you, Theodore?"
The Kanrei reached into a pocket of his robe and withdrew a sheet of paper. "I thought, Hanse, that you would be interested in the news that the Clans have begun their return." He handed the sheet to Justin. "This is a condensed version of the message my ship sent this morning. It's not literal enough to let you crack our code, but it contains all the necessary data. The Clans have elected a new ilKhan. He is apparently the leader of the Wolves. As they have been the most militarily successful Clan thus far, I suspect this means the war will now resume."
Hanse looked at Justin. "Confirm or deny?"
"I can do neither, Highness. Our agents on the border worlds report no attacks. And agents we may or may not have on the occupied worlds have not been able to report to us. I do not know if they are still alive, or if ComStar is merely holding up their communications. Neither have our ships probing the territories had time to report back in any great detail."
Hanse's lips formed a grim line. "This is sooner than I would have hoped. It will take another year for Thomas Marik to bring his factories online with total production."
Theodore nodded. "I have taken the step of ordering a number of factories to turn out field modification packages. As we repair and refit, we can use new components to rebuild our 'Mechs."
"Agreed." Hanse gave Theodore a grin that reminded Kai of Hanse's longtime nickname of "the Fox."
"My compliments to your spy for getting you the information so soon."
The Kanrei returned the grin. "I will communicate your praise to our network. We believe the assaults will begin again by October's end. That gives us six weeks to
prepare our defenses."
"I don't suppose this new ilKhan would favor giving us more time." Hanse rested his hands on his hips. "Again, thank you for letting me know about this."
"There is another matter we should discuss," Theodore said quietly. "It concerns Victor and Omi." Hanse looked at Clovis and Kai, but Theodore indicated with a wave of the hand that they might remain. "According to ISF files, Clovis Holstein can be trusted with a secret, and Kai is already aware of the situation. In fact, the reason I come to speak to you is because of something he said to my son."
Clovis cracked a grin. "The easiest way to keep a secret is to not know it. Gotta go anyway. Promised my wife I'd meet her fifteen minutes ago."
Hanse dismissed Clovis with a nod, then shook his head in mild disbelief. "Your daughter and my son becoming friends. Who would have believed it?"
"Shakespeare?" Justin offered casually.
Everyone laughed briefly, then sobered as their initial embarrassment wore off. "I have spoken with Omi about her friendship with your son. Apparently, they are only friends, not yet lovers. She has obediently offered to break off all communication with Victor and to atone for any dishonor her actions may have brought to House Kurita."
Theodore's blue eyes flicked at Kai. "That is exactly what I would have required if Hohiro had not told me of his conversation with Kai. Kai believes that my daughter and your son offer one another an otherwise nonexistent opportunity of spending time with a peer. It is true that they cannot simply be themselves with most people they encounter. I managed it, but only because my father all but disowned me. That freed me to meet a woman with whom I fell deeply in love."
Hanse's eyes focused distantly and a smile tugged at his lips, then he returned just as swiftly to the here and now. "Though I gained my bride in different circumstances, I have found with her a deep union beyond title or bloodline. There were thousands of women more than willing to bear Davion heirs, but only one I wanted."
"Yes." Theodore looked a bit uncomfortable. "And if your wife is the least bit like mine, she will make you pay dearly if we interfere in this budding relationship."
Hanse sighed heavily. "I'd rather spend a day with Romano Liao than a minute with Melissa if she were to get wind that I'd done something to cause a break between Victor and Omi. If Victor is happy, so is she."
"But we both agree that it would be a disaster if they fell in love. We could never allow their union to be consummated or legitimized."
"Absolutely not!" Hanse massaged his forehead with his left hand. "The Draconis March would figure it was Victor's brideprice gift to you, and the religious nightmares of such a wedding would be the death of me."
"There is a silver lining to the idea," Kai offered. Hanse and Theodore looked at him with surprise. "Considering what happened at the last big state wedding, at least you know Romano Liao wouldn't show up."
Hanse and Theodore looked at one another, then broke out laughing. Justin chuckled, too, but shook his head reprovingly at his son. Kai waited for the laughter to die. "I am not trying to speak for Victor," he said, "but I know him pretty well. I can assure you, Kanrei, that he has nothing but the utmost respect for Omi. Given half a chance, I know he could fall for her, but it isn't a very realistic possibility. The two of them getting together would certainly strengthen the united front we want to present the Clans, but I would agree that such a union would prove internally divisive. The point is, they're not going to have any more time together after we all leave this planet. They'll probably exchange holodisks and personal confidences if you'll allow it, but I think both are more than aware of the futility of their situation."
Hanse weighed Kai's words carefully. "You're saying that they have chosen not to let the hopelessness of their situation spoil their friendship here?"
"That's what I think. When are they ever likely to meet i one another again face to face?"
Theodore shook his head. "In all likelihood, never." He looked at Hanse. "I am not adverse to allowing our children to continue their acquaintance. Shall we allow them to correspond?"
"Knowing how it feels to get any mail at all at the front, I would be most pleased if Omi wished to communicate with my son. I see no difficulty with that." Hanse paused, again seeming to gaze into some other time, either distant past or future. "Ah, Theodore," he said finally, "can you imagine, a Davion-Kurita wedding?"
"It would be a Kurita-Davion wedding, Prince Davion," Theodore laughed. "Your Draconis March would secede and my father would have me assassinated." His smile turned rueful. "But who knows, if the Clans do us enough damage, we might just have to let fate play its part and let our children pick up the pieces."
25
Wolf's Dragoons General Headquarters, Outreach
Sarna March, Federated Commonwealth
23 September 3051
Victor Davion smiled broadly to see her slipping into the night-shrouded garden. "Komban-wa, Omiko-san."
"Arigato gozaimas, Victor-san." She lowered her eyes and bowed to him. "Your Japanese has so improved."
"I've had an excellent teacher and more than enough motivation to study hard." She started to blush and look away, but he reached out and gently took her chin in his right hand. "I say that not to flatter you, but because it is true."
She took his hand in hers and kissed the palm. "I have had a most willing student." Omi looked up abruptly as a distant roar intruded on the stillness of the garden, overpowering the whirring of crickets. Then the night sky lit up as a bulbous metal form rose slowly on a brilliant torch. The DropShip's flame burnished golden highlights onto Omi's smooth skin and hair.
"The only way I could come to the garden unescorted was because my ISF chaperone believes you are aboard that ship. Until I got your note, I thought we would have no chance to say goodbye." She looked at Victor warily. "From your father, you have inherited the cunning of the Fox, and from your cousin Morgan, you inherit the courage of the Lion.
Won't there be trouble when they find you are not onboard the ship?"
Victor shook his head. "No. Kai convinced the pilot that he and I had to attend a last-minute briefing. He's off saying goodbye to his family and I am here with you. We'll take a shuttle up and reach the ship in a half a day."
"How fortunate to have such a resourceful friend."
"He's not the only friend I'm lucky to have." Victor sighed heavily. "I suppose your father spoke to you about us, as my father did with me?"
She nodded solemnly, and Victor was glad she had let her black hair hang down over the shoulders of her green silken kimono. "My father tried to be most reasonable. He told me we might communicate with one another, but I suspect he gave in on that point because he knew he could not stop us. He seems terrified that you and I would fall in love."
Victor grinned unabashedly. "That's roughly the same read I got from my father. Kai says they joked about a romance and possible marriage between us. But he also said that despite their dread of the political problems, it seemed that either one would cut off his own arm before causing his child unhappiness."
Omi's eyes half-shut. "So, Victor Davion, are we falling in love?"
Victor started to speak, then clamped his mouth shut. Omi intrigued him more than any woman ever had and he also found her immeasurably desirable. But is this love, or am I infatuated because I can never have her? He looked down. "Omi-san," he teased, "perhaps I'll be the last to know."
He brought his eyes up to meet hers. "I do care for you, very deeply. Part of me wants to say I love you, but I don't know if I have the strength to shoulder all that would imply. I'm also afraid that if I said yes, and we were to become lovers, I would lose you as a friend."
Omi smiled tenderly at that. "Your confusion mirrors mine. I know that part of your allure is a fascination with the forbidden. But you also have great heart and a quick mind. You are not afraid to say what you think and you do not suffer fools who seek you out because of your title. These qualities I rarely see beyond my family in the Draconis
Combine, and that is why I think I could be very happy with you as either friend or lover.
"But, as you say, to fall in love would also present us with a whole host of problems."
"Your grandfather would refuse to come to the wedding and mine would be spinning in his grave! Ryan Steiner would accuse me of selling Skye to the Combine and the Draconis March would try to join with Free Rasalhague so I'd not cede half of it to your father."
Her laughter buoyed Victor's spirits. It was so easy to be with her and talk to her in a way that would shock others who would take these matters oh-so-seriously. In public, he could start a war by saying that he thought Sun-Tzu Liao was an ass, but with Omi he risked no such interstellar incident. And if not for her, he'd never have come even close to beginning to understand Hohiro.
Omi coiled a lock of dark hair around her finger. "Any pregnancy would have to produce twins and we would have to say they were both born at the same time or risk a war over which child was heir to which throne. It would be a nightmare."
"Not a path to be taken lightly."
Before she could reply, another voice pierced the night. "Omi?"
Recognizing it instantly as Hohiro's, Victor sank back into the shadows. The lights from the building silhouetted Omi's brother as she turned to face him. "Hai, Hohiro-san?"
"Oh, you are alone." Hohiro looked around, but gave no sign he saw anything amiss. "I came looking for you because I saw Kai Allard down near the shuttle bay. He had been forbidden to leave the shuttle area so he asked me to seek out a friend of his. Kai said they had been 'busted' and faced serious disciplinary action if they did not report to their ship immediately."
Victor knew Hohiro addressed his sister in English for his benefit. Omi obviously understood this, too, because she replied, "I think, if he were here, Kai's friend would thank you very much. If I see Kai's friend, I will pass the message on to him."
"Good, I would not like to see him in trouble. You might add that I, Hohiro Kurita, am betting him ten ounces of gold per enemy 'Mech that I claim more enemy kills than he."
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