Stane's Company had little trouble swarming past the few 'Mechs and tanks that had fallen back to intercept them. Dechan spotted one Davion BattleMech and three or four tanks smoking on the field, all bearing the naked, whitehaired sorceress insignia of the White Witches. The survivors recoiled on their own forces, which were themselves being pressed by Uchimaya's Company.

“Easy as falling down, boss,” said Johansson, commenting on the lack of opposition Fraser's Lance met in their dash to the highway.

Dechan ignored him as he ignored the futile small-arms fire from the troops with the trucks. He was too busy relaying Laskowski's orders to direct the fire of his lance in support of Stane's Company. Fraser's Lance and the rest of Light Company provided cover while Stane's 'Mechs ripped open the trucks. They were looking for crates marked with the black bird symbol, which the Kurita spy had said would signal the components of the loot they sought.

“Company coming,” Dechan warned the Captain as he spotted a lance of Witches preparing to mount a spoiling attack.

While Stane's troops continued loading up, the Light Company sent the Davion mercs reeling back with a storm of missiles and energy beams. Then Stane called the order to scoot over the taccomm. In seconds, the Dragoon 'Mechs had deserted the highway.

As his lance headed away from the road, Dechan looked back to confirm that the rest of the Dragoon raiding force had cleared the Davion battleline. As near as he could tell, everything was aces. Stane's Company and the rest of Light Company were covering ground in good order, with Stane herself carrying the biggest of the crates marked with black bird symbols. Waller was headed up the highway; apparently, they had never had to engage the Davion rear guard. In the northeast, Chan's team was conducting a fighting retreat toward the Shaw.

“Caught 'em with their pants down,” Johansson crowed, referring to several of the Davion heavies that had positioned themselves across the Dragoons' presumed path of retreat. They were caught out of range when the fast-moving raiders continued across the highway instead of retreating back to the woods.

“Wishful thinking, kid,” Dominguez said, deliberately misconstruing Johansson's reference. “Those Witches aren't interested in green meat. They only take veterans.”

The Davion machines had yet to mount any serious pursuit by the time Fraser's Lance reached the edge of the Shaw. Dechan cut off the banter between his lancemates as he thundered toward the rim.

“O.K., guys! Let's go!” Dechan triggered a burst from his Hawk'sjets and launched his machine out over the void. Johansson's Javelinrocketed past him, the lighter 'Mech almost twice as fast in the air as the Hawk.The rest of the lance followed.

When the Javelinneared the ground, it became trapped in a glittering web of energy beams. Armor melted and flowed as unimaginable energies struck. The staccato roar of a heavy autocannon beat a macabre tune to which the light 'Mech jerked in rhythm. Even a novice knew when a BattleMech had taken all it could. Johansson punched out.

It might have been an accident, or it might have been malevolent intent—the ejector seat's path intersected with a charged particle beam. Structural metal and fragile flesh vaporized under the blue lightning, and the seat's fuel flashed to explosion in the sudden heat. “Erik!” Dechan shouted uselessly. To avoid the same fate, Dechan continued his jump, making random movements all the while in an attempt to break targeting locks. Smoking from hits by hostile energy beams, the Shadow Hawkstruck ground with a violent jolt. The 'Mech's autocannon almost snagged the machine to a halt before it tore loose from its housing and let the Hawkcontinue on. Dechan headed for cover before he dared check the source of the lethal assault on Johansson.

In the meantime, the hostiles had begun to direct their fire on the new targets drifting down into the valley. Dechan watched far too many take serious damage from the fusillade. With the enemy's attention diverted, he risked popping his 'Mech up for a look at the unknown assailants.

At least a full company of BattleMechs was advancing down the riverbed toward his position. They were not Witches—that was clear from their markings. Each 'Mech prominently displayed a yellow disk with a. black figure. Dechan focused his optics on the leading Centurionand brought up the magnification. The yellow disk carried the black silhouette of a prancing stallion, which Dechan instantly recognized as the unit badge of the Eridani Light Horse. The Horsemen were the only serious contenders to the Dragoons' title as the most elite mercs in the Sphere. They were tough and tricky.

Dechan knew that if things were bad before, they were now about to get very messy.

23

Ryuken Field Camp, Barlow's End

Draconis March, Federated Suns

3 October 3026

 

The Ryuken command hut was hot and the air stale, for it did not enjoy the air conditioning that Alpha Regiment's fusion-powered mobile headquarters vehicle boasted. The hut also lacked the MHQ's computer and holographic display facilities.

Nonetheless, for the two days of skirmishing leading up to the diversionary attack on the Achernar facility and the ambush of the Davion transport column, Tai-saElijah Satoh had been directing the Ryuken from the prefabricated structure. Upon taking command, Satoh had refused to enter the Dragoon MHQ and had ordered the hut erected as a sign that he, in Lord Kurita's name, was in charge.

Michi Noketsuna stood next to the commtech monitoring the radio band linking the commanders to the ambush team. Prior to the attack, radio traffic had been kept to an absolute minimum to avoid detection. Dragoon Major Chan had broadcast the attack command to headquarters as well as to his troops, signaling that the ambush had begun. Since then, traffic had been erratic and not very informative. But that was understandable because it required so much attention to coordinate the raid. He checked the time. Soon, Chan should be transmitting confirmation that the raiders had achieved their objective and were heading for the Shaw River valley.

Michi looked across the hut at Tai-saSatoh. The man's uniform was pristine, his motions fastidious, and his disdain for the junior officers readily apparent. He was not a man to inspire warriors. Not like Minobu-sensei,Buddha care for him!

Days had passed since Michi had watched the MedTechs pry Minobu's battered body from the wreckage of the skimmer and load him onto a hovercraft bound for one of the DropShips' medical facilities. Minobu had been alive then, but the chief medic had seemed dubious about his continued survival. There had been no word on Minobu's condition since. Akuma, who had gone along on the hovercraft, had refused all of Michi's calls. Instead, he had sent Satoh and left the planet on the DropShip that carried Minobu away.

Tai-saSatoh arrived the morning after the accident. His observer's commission from Warlord Samsonov contained a clause allowing him to step in as commander of the Ryuken in the absence of a senior officer in the chain of command, which he had done. He also carried Akuma's proxy as Liaison Officer. In an address to the Ryuken officers, Satoh spoke of the good fortune for House Kurita that he, an experienced officer of command rank, was on hand to step into the gap when an accident had claimed the Ryuken commander.

“Claimed Minobu,” the man had said. As though Minobu were already dead! Michi found Satoh's presumption infuriating. Minobu- senseiwould not die. He was too great a warrior to die in an accident.