Probably just another political appointment, Loren thought. Nothing to do with skill or honor to the state as in the Confederation; simply a debt owed to some baron or duke.
Burns affected the same arrogant pose as last time while his aide de camp followed him in. The short, brooding Catelli entered with short stiff steps, then dropped into a parade rest pose in a blatant lack of respect for Colonel MacLeod.
"Consul Burns," MacLeod gestured toward a chair. Burns pivoted quickly and dropped into a chair, fluffing his cape behind him as he sat. Colonel Catelli took a seat next to Loren.
"What can I do for you today, Consul?" MacLeod said, resting his arms on the desk top.
Burns began with a smug tone. "I've come on a matter of great importance to the Federated Commonwealth, Colonel. But this is a matter for the Highlanders. I don't think it involves your visitor at all." He didn't bother to even look at Loren.
"I take it by your tone that Major Jaffray's presence here causes you some discomfort."
Burns nodded slowly as he spoke. "Yes. Considering that both Marik and Liao have begun to invade the Federated Commonwealth. I find having a Liao here bordering on treasonous."
MacLeod smiled in response. "Then I will exercise my right as the CO of the Highlanders. I want him to remain. This man saved my life, and was injured doing so. There's nothing that you can say that he can't hear."
"Indeed." Burns stared down his nose at Loren as if he were a street beggar, or worse. "Once again I find myself bowing to your whims, Colonel. It has come to my attention that yesterday you received an order to withdraw your regiments from the Lyran sector of the Federated Commonwealth. An order, I might add, that you have decided to obey, according to my sources. Do you acknowledge these facts?"
"Acknowledged," MacLeod replied flatly. There was no effort to explain his actions, simply the bare fact.
"You understand," Burns pressed on, "that such an order has no validity in the eyes of the Federated Commonwealth High Command. As such I come to present you with an order directly from the Grand Marshal of the Armies, Morgan Hasek-Davion." Burns handed MacLeod a sealed envelope, which the Colonel immediately tore open and began to read. "I think you'll find everything in order," Burns went on. "You are to disregard the order from the Lyran Command and command all your offworld regiments to return immediately to their posts."
"Thank you," Colonel MacLeod replied, carefully folding the single sheet into a tiny square. "But I'm afraid I will have to ignore the Marshal's order. The Northwind Highlanders are coming home."
Consul Burns' face flushed deep red and his voice seemed to quiver slightly. "Colonel MacLeod, that order was endorsed by Prince Victor Davion, your liege lord. You will obey it."
"No, sir, I will not. When my troops are in the Lyran State Command they take their orders from Tharkad and as such, the other stands."
Colonel Catelli leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk as he spoke. "The Federated Commonwealth is currently under attack by both the Free Worlds League and the Capellan Confederation. Not to mention the continuing threat of the Clans along a full sector of our border."
MacLeod's stone face did not waver or show any emotion. "Gentlemen, I appreciate your position, but I will not order those regiments back to their garrisons. We've already faced off against the Clans on several occasions and lost good men and women to them. We did what we had to in the name of the Federated Commonwealth. But this time I obey Tharkad."
Burns leaned across the desk as well. "No matter what you and your fellow regimental commanders wish to think, the universe does not center on Northwind. You have a contractual obligation to Prince Victor Steiner-Davion and if you do not wish to fulfill it, perhaps we can find someone who can."
For the first time since the meeting began, anger flashed over the face of William MacLeod. His nostrils flared and his thick eyebrows drew together until they merged. "As far as I and my troops are concerned, the universe does center on Northwind. And as for my obligations to the throne, need I remind you that more than four hundred Highlanders died during the Fourth Succession War in the name of Hanse Davion? Another five hundred men and women from our ranks met their end during the War of 'Thirty-nine. In the recent defense of the Clan border we've lost dozens of other fine troopers. I'd say the Highlanders have done our bit for king and country."
Catelli's temper rose as well. "You are disobeying direct orders, Colonel MacLeod."
"No, I am not, Colonel. My regiments are commanded from the Lyran State Command. I am simply disregarding your new orders."
"You are defying your liege lord."
"I am serving the interests of my people and those under my command. I consider that an obligation of a higher calling. Princes and lords will come and go, but the Highlanders have always been."
"You may put whatever interpretation you want on it, Colonel, but this is a violation of orders and will not be tolerated." Burns slapped his hand on the desktop. "Do you realize the implications of your actions, sir?"
MacLeod placed both hands on the desk and leaned forward slightly. "Aye, Consul, I do. You want me to behave as though the Northwind Highlanders are nothing more than an element of the Federated Commonwealth's Armed Forces. Well, let me tell you a few things. First of all, the Federated Commonwealth failed to honor its contractual obligations after we helped clean up the Skye rebellion on Glengarry. Now comes this attempt to make us a toy unit to be tossed back and forth between Victor and his sister. In reality we are a separate entity, an independent people. If I follow your orders, the Highlanders are no more than a cog in your war machine. We are much more than that, Consul Burns ... Colonel." MacLeod made sure to look each one in the eye as he spoke their names.
Burns was beginning to tremble in anger. "I have bowed to the traditions and customs of you and your precious Highlanders on numerous occasions, MacLeod. Need I remind you, sir, that Northwind is not an independent world but a member of the Federated Commonwealth? Hanse Davion, rest his soul, allowed you to return to Northwind, but this planet is still a part of our holdings. You are merely tenants on this world."
MacLeod's eyes narrowed, but he kept his voice cool and deadly. "Burns, let me assure you that the Northwind Highlanders are not content to be mere 'tenants' of Northwind. It is rightfully ours and we mean to defend our right to it, to the last man or woman if necessary. I suggest that you not try our will in this matter, because this is no idle threat." There was a long pause after he spoke.
It was Catelli who broke the silence, his tone conciliatory. "I cannot help but wonder if you are being misled, Colonel." The man shot a quick glance at Loren.
"Colonel Catelli," MacLeod replied. "I resent your implication. This man saved my life yesterday at risk to his own."
"I heard about the unfortunate incident, Colonel. But even you must admit that the attempt might have had something to do with the war going on."
"For all we know the assassin was a Davion supporter who wanted to remove the Colonel as a point of resistance," Loren interjected.
Colonel Catelli's eyes flared. "Or it could have been a Capellan attempting to stir up trouble here on Northwind as Sun-Tzu Liao has been doing on so many other worlds."
MacLeod held up his hands for silence. "We don't know who fired on us, Colonel. But it does not change my decision either way. The regiments are coming home, period."
Consul Burns rose halfway from his seat, leaning forward with both hands on the desk. "And you realize that the Prince is well within his rights to enforce the orders you are disobeying?"
MacLeod slowly stood to his full height. His rising made Jaffray, Catelli, and Mulvaney also rise to their feet. "If his Highness wants to enforce his will on Northwind and the Highlanders, Consul, I suggest you tell him that he's welcome to try. Hell, let him come here personally if he wants. But mark my words, it would be a grave mistake on his part." He gestured to the door behind Burns. "Thank you for your time and concern, gentlemen."
Burns and Catelli started out the door,
but the smaller man stopped and turned back. "Don't let it end this way, Colonel."
MacLeod chuckled slightly. "I was just about to say the same thing to you, Colonel Catelli."
Once they were safely back in the limousine Drew Catelli turned to the man who was officially his superior. "That didn't go well at all, Consul. Matters are now much worse than when we started."
"That is an understatement, Colonel. Neither the Grand Marshal nor the Prince will be pleased."
"I think there may be a way to force MacLeod's hand and possibly put an end to this entire debate. My intelligence sources tell me that the Third Royal Guards RCT is currently being reassigned to the Lyran sector and is passing within jump distance. We could request they be diverted to Northwind to secure the planet. Otherwise, if we wait too long, all four regiments of the Highlanders will be dug in."
"Interesting idea," Burns said, obviously pondering the thought. "Won't their arrival spark protest from the Highlanders?"
"Some of their officers are not as bullheaded as MacLeod, and are totally loyal to Davion. The Third Royals combined with the Consul Guards would be more than a match for MacLeod's Regiment if he decides to fight it out with us. Besides, you know these Highlanders. The only thing they understand or respect is brute force. Bringing the Third Royals here would guarantee that MacLeod takes you seriously."
"It is very risky, Colonel. The Highlanders are a proud people. We could be forcing a bad decision on their part. And don't forget this confounded Jaffray, who seems to be MacLeod's favorite pet."
"Sir, I have several of my men conducting an investigation into the assassination attempt. Our preliminary reports show that it might indeed have been Capellan-sponsored or backed. If we could prove that, Jaffray would no longer be sitting in on our meetings and adding fuel to an already growing fire."
"Are you sure about that?"
Catelli smiled slyly. "I assure you, sir, that before I am done I will have proof of a Capellan link to the attempt." And if not, then I'll just have to manufacture the evidence I need.
Burns leaned back and smiled complacently. "Stay on top of it, Colonel. I want this to end peacefully if at all possible. But in case matters get out of hand, I will issue a formal request for the Third Royals to be diverted to Northwind."
Catelli also settled back in his seat. Matters were proceeding according to his plan. Soon, Northwind would be his domain and the Northwind Highlanders a mere footnote in history. There would be no need for men like Burns once he proved his skill and acumen to his superiors. Northwind was merely a stepping stone onto even greater things. And to hell with what it might cost anyone else.
11
The Fort
Tara, Northwind
Draconis March, Federated Commonwealth
21 September 3057
Loren spent much of the next few days after the confrontation with the Davion Consul inside the walls of The Fort. His requests to see Colonel MacLeod were met with a flat response that the Colonel was meeting with officers or busy in the War Room. Loren used the time to continue healing from the attack and following the war news. The Capellans had already launched a number of successful attacks, easily taking the targeted worlds. On other planets in the Sarna March local revolutions were doing the job for them. Perhaps the greatest victory had been a symbolic one, the recapture of the planet Liao from the Davions.
Loren also spent one afternoon simply walking through the massive complex of The Fort. Many of the halls and offices were open to the general public, while other, more sensitive areas were under constant guard and inaccessible.
The structure of the complex was remarkable in many respects. It was not just a hub of military operations, but also the center of the Northwind government and the spiritual focus of the Highlanders. The Assembly of Warriors met in a specially built hall within The Fort itself. Various other government agencies met in the sub-assembly buildings outside the massive walls of The Fort, but on Northwind it was the Assembly of Warriors that carried the most weight and authority.
Though the sub-assemblies were subordinate to the Assembly of Warriors, Loren learned that both Fort and subassemblies were connected by a web of tunnels deep beneath the streets of Tara. The arrangement seemed like an apt symbol of the way the Highlanders were intertwined with Northwind and how intricately The Fort was woven into the city's infrastructure.
One of the places he found most interesting was the Highlanders' own museum. It was filled with a collection of artifacts the unit had accumulated in the course of its history, which stretched back for centuries. Perhaps the most impressive piece was the large fist of a Highlander 'Mech. Sealed in an airtight case, it had belonged to a lance of Northwind Highlander 'Mechs assigned to the famous Black Watch Regiment. During the height of the Star League the Black Watch had served as bodyguards to the League's Star Lord. When the League collapsed, the Black Watch was also one of the many units destroyed. Loren looked at the defiant fist for nearly an hour, studying it and thinking about the history behind the artifact.
The most unnerving display was a diorama depicting Major Letha Jeffray's holding action in the battle for Goodna decades before. She and her battalion command company had held off an entire regiment of Free Worlds League troops in a narrow mountain pass, buying enough time for over a regiment's worth of Highlanders to escape. Looking at the model representation, Loren felt a shiver, a touch with his past—a past shared by the Highlanders.
As a Death Commando his existence was dedicated to the service of the Chancellor. The fact that he had risked his life many times in the name of his lord had given Loren a sense of purpose, a feeling that his life was full, complete. Mulvaney had called him a terrorist, but Loren considered himself a MechWarrior like any other. Terrorism was a word used by the enemies of the Liao. But for Loren any acts he committed as a Death Commando were simply those of a true patriot.
His tour of the Fort disturbed that feeling. It made him rearize that the Highlanders had something he lacked, a rich and living history. By blood it was history that he was a part of, and for the first time in his life Loren almost questioned the sense of duty that gave his life meaning. But he shook off these doubts, vowing to strengthen his resolve and his efforts to accomplish his mission on Northwind.
That morning was spent in the company of Lieutenant Gomez. The tall lithe communications officer had been assigned to accompany him on a tour of Tara proper. They rode in a small two-seater military hover car that she drove wildly, dodging and weaving through traffic. Loren had enjoyed the tour despite the fact that the Lieutenant was decidedly unfriendly. Her coolness was different than Mulvaney's. With the Lieutenant it seemed to be total disinterest, while for Mulvaney it was a way of controlling conflicting emotions. He had spent half the day drinking in the sights of the city, the other half trying to get Gomez to talk to him. After three hours he mentally surrendered and gave himself to simply enjoying Tara and its splendor.
The city was nestled in the foothills of the Rockspire Mountains. Though tall and jagged, the peaks were often invisible in the mornings because of a dense fog that hung over Tara. They were like massive natural guardians, silent, sometimes hidden, yet ever-present. In the bright afternoon sun the peaks were stunning. Loren and Gomez took one of the public tours by helium dirigible, from which they further contemplated the setting. It was easy to understand why Northwind's Scots and English founders had built Tara here; the natural protection offered by the mountains gave a powerful sense of calm and security.
Running down from the mountains was the Grand Thames River. Ages ago the original settlers of Northwind had channeled the river through a maze of concrete through the heart of the city. Dotting the river were impressive structures such as the ComStar HPG and the centuries-old Star League Institute of Arts. The latter, with its impressive granite slab construction and sleek black marble highlighting, was by far the most beautiful that Loren had ever seen. In the past three centuries of almost continuous war, the fact that the
building and its contents had survived intact apparently made it almost a religious site in the eyes of art historians.
Lieutenant Gomez ended the tour at The Pub, where Loren was surprised to see Major Mulvaney, apparently waiting for him. She carried a small package wrapped in brown paper under her arm. Thanking his guide, he climbed out of the hover car and strode up to the Major.
He nodded in greeting. "Good day, Major."
"I'm here for the Colonel. He regrets that he has not been available in the past few days, but matters of pressing urgency have kept us both busy. I was sent here to entertain you for lunch, if you so desire." Her tone indicated that the task was, in reality, much more akin to a duty. Loren would have preferred it otherwise, but with Mulvaney he knew better. If she had any interest in him, it was more the way a mother wolf might view an intruder into her den of cubs.
"I appreciate the offer," Loren said, holding open the door for her. She went in without comment and Loren followed. They made their way through the darkness of The Pub to a small booth in the back. Grinning broadly, Mr. Pluncket limped over to their table.
"This is a pleasant surprise," he said, placing napkins and settings on the table.
"Why do you say that?" Mulvaney snapped.
"No reason," Pluncket replied. "It's just that the word running through the regiment is that the winds blow cold between you two. Apparendy my sources are not as reliable as I thought."
Mulvaney shook her head. "We're not here together—I mean we are together, but aren't here with each other." She was obviously frustrated. "Damn it, Pluncket. You know what I mean."
The seemingly ageless barkeep ignored the comment. "The entire regiment is astir over the Warrior's Cabel tonight."
"Mister Pluncket, if you're probing for some scoop on what the Colonel will say, you're sniffing around the wrong person," Mulvaney said, casting an eye at Jaffray. "Though our visitor here has some of the inside story. Isn't that right, Major?"
Loren shrugged. He was not about to tip his hand. "What do you recommend for lunch?" he asked.
Highlander Gambit Page 10