"Forget it, Adept. I'm already dead. The engine shielding is all but gone. The radiation's already killed me, my body just doesn't know it yet."

"Then we'll die together."

"No! You've got to live. You've got to live for the others, and for me." The 'Mech nearest the Highlander,a Man O'War,started forward as a Thorkept Rose covered. Tiegard brought the club arm over her head and waited.

"We all knew you'd be the one to live. Now do it. Don't throw your life away for ours. We're already dead." Another light on the tactical comm unit went green. The reinforcements were near, but still too far away for Rose and Tiegard. The Mad Cattook a cautious step forward. Rose bit back tears.

"I can't do it."

"You can, Adept sir, and you will. For us." The Man O'Warstepped within range, but the club did not fall. Tiegard stepped away from the rocks, renewing the shower of sparks. In the light Rose could see dark fluid shilling out of a destroyed leg actuator.

"You have to live for me, for Jenkins, for Morressy, for all of us who will never leave this world alive." The Man O'Warlunged forward and rammed a fist into the Highlander'storso. The 'Mech's skeleton collapsed around the fist, trapping it inside as the engine shields failed completely. In a burst of flame that sent a column of flame ninety meters into the air, the Highlanderand the Man O'Wardisappeared.

The concussion passed over Rose, staggering him, but he refused to let his 'Mech fall. The Mad Catstumbled forward, fighting to bring his guns into line. Across the flame-engulfed clearing, Rose could see the flattened Thoralso on fire. It thrashed in the dirt, trying unsuccessfully to douse the flames that covered it. Rose fired on the MadCat while, behind him, the Thorand the Fenrisappeared along the same trail he had taken.

Rose looked past the Mad Catto the pyre that marked the passing of Tiegard and the rest of his unit. Illuminated by the blaze, he could see the approaching Com Guard reinforcements, but they were still too far away. As the Thorand the Mad Catfired, Rose slapped the ejection button.

The Shootistcollapsed in on itself as explosive slugs tore through the torso from the rear and PPC beams engulfed the front. The cockpit soared above the destruction of its old body, and landed at the base of the ridge well away from the Clan OmniMechs and the advancing Com Guard troops.

When the rescue team found him, Rose was already out of the cockpit and ready to go, his pistol in one hand and a stack of letters in the other.

15

Solaris City , Solaris

9 August 3054

 

Rose stopped pacing and turned away from Carstairs.

"So much for my story." He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, surprised at how deeply it had affected him to relive the events of that night. Having regained some of his composure, he turned back to Carstairs.

"Now that my debt to you is discharged, I'll be leaving. Fate willing, I'll never see you again, Mister Carstairs." Rose turned to the door as Carstairs swung his feet off the couch.

"You seem to be in an awful big hurry to get away, Rose." Rose looked back at the stablemaster, but kept moving toward the door.

"Suppose I were to tell you that I could get you a better 'Mech?" Rose stopped with his hand on the knob.

"Thought that might get your attention," Carstairs said, crossing the room to the bar to begin pouring yet another drink. Rose had long ago lost count of the number poured, but the bottle was nearly dry.

"Why would you do that?" Rose kept his hand on the door pull, torn between leaving and the improbable lure of acquiring another 'Mech. Carstairs chuckled.

"Despite what you think, Rose, I'm a businessman. You strike me as a person who would willingly pay my asking price for a certain 'Mech I recently acquired."

Carstairs slipped a hand into his waistband and rocked on his heels. He grinned and gazed at Rose with bloodshot eyes.

"Too good to be true. Bye, Carstairs." Rose threw open the door.

"It's the Charger,"the stablemaster said as Rose waved and walked through the closing door. "It's already been retrofitted." At that Rose shot his hand back into the closing gap between door and frame. He slowly pushed the door open again and looked at Carstairs.

"What's the catch?" Rose came back into the room and let the door close behind him. He knew that he was probably playing the fool. If the Chargerreally were available, it was bound to be a wreck.

"No catch. You pay me the price, it's yours. I could use the cash to buy 'Mechs and pilots better suited to my style." Carstairs crossed back to the couch and collapsed with a sigh. He swung his feet up and pointed his drink at Rose. "You don't believe I'm serious."

"You are very perceptive." Rose remained near the door, suddenly unwilling to approach Carstairs. He felt like the fabled fly at the edge of the spider's web.

"Six, in C-bills." Rose offered, slumping slightly as the tension drained from his shoulders. The man was drunk and he could not help but laugh.

"Three and your helmet," Carstairs said, and Rose stopped laughing.

"Not a prayer."

Carstairs waved his hand, flinging liquor across the room. "Then I was right. That suitcase had your neurohelmet, and a good one."

Rose turned to leave. His Star League neurohelmet was priceless and Carstairs knew it.

"Four and the flight suit." Rose stopped again.

"Three-five in D-bills and the suit."

"Three-eight in C-bills."

"Three-seven in D-bills."

"Three-eight in C-bills, my final offer."

"We finish the deal right now," Rose said.

"Done."

"I've got a call to make." Rose crossed the room with long strides and punched into Carstairs' comm unit. "Yeah, it's me, Sandler," he said. Carstairs shot Rose a quick look, but Rose had already turned away. Although the stablemaster strained to hear, Rose's muffled voice didn't carry to the couch. In less than a minute Rose hit the disconnect.

"A messenger is on the way. You'll have to let him in."

"Not a problem." Carstairs eased out of the couch and crossed to his desk, brushing Rose away as he settled into the chair.

"What about the title for commercial transport?" Rose leaned over Carstairs' shoulder as he unlocked the center drawer.

"It arrived from the arena ten minutes before you did." Carstairs pulled a tamper-proof folder from the drawer and keyed the thumbprint lock. He looked up at Rose, shielding the contents with his body. "Where's the suit?"

"I'll get it, you finish the transfer." Rose rounded the desk and headed for the door. "And don't forget my messenger. He'll probably be here before I get back." Carstairs waved him away without looking up.

Twenty minutes later Rose was back at Carstairs Stables, a duffel bag over one shoulder. As he arrived, a Voltex Cruiser pulled up next to him and the window rolled down. From his office, Carstairs could see a slim hand reach out to hand Rose a plastic envelope, which quickly disappeared inside the Mech Warrior's jacket. As the unseen driver released the envelope, the car slipped into gear and disappeared into the night.

When Rose returned to the office, he had the envelope in one hand and the duffel bag in the other.