Highlander Gambit

by Blaine Lee Pardoe

  Then a bright light suddenly appeared over the small field where the battle raged. A DropShip, an Overlord, its fusion engines flaring brilliantly, hovered over the scene of battle. Mulvaney did not look up but kept firing at one of the Royals who was attempting to pull out of the fray. Loren strained to see the markings but could catch only the ship's name—The Bull Run.

  If it's Davion reinforcements we'll be done for in a matter of seconds. From the open doors, jump-capable 'Mechs rained down onto the battlefield all around them.

  "Who in the hell ..." Frutchey's voice began.

  Suddenly the communications channels blared with a sound that seemed to shake and penetrate every cockpit on the field. "Bagpipes! Stirling's Fusiliers have arrived!" A voice barely managed to speak over the peaks and valleys of "Scotland Forever," the Highlanders' unit march. The strains of the music and the heart-tugging wail of the bagpipes seemed to reach out and stir the hearts of every Highlander warrior struggling to survive on the ground below.

  39

  Tara

  Northwind

  Draconis March, Federated Commonwealth

  20 October 3057

  "Sorry we're late, William. We appreciated your rather timely message," Colonel Cat Stirling announced to MacLeod and all of his surviving 'Mechs. Even as she spoke most of the Consul Guard 'Mechs were starting to pull back, realizing the threat they were suddenly facing. As Catelli's Guards broke ranks and fled, the Third Royals began to fire wildly at the dropping 'Mechs, unwilling to yield the battle-field to the newcomers.

  "Welcome to the party, lassie," MacLeod replied.

  Loren watched in fascination as Stirling's Fusiliers swept up alongside their comrade units, weapons raging like a hurricane of death and destruction. The moans and cries of the bagpipes seemed to sweep the very air of Peace Park. Loren checked the comm controls and found that every channel carried the tune. On one he could hear Davion officers and Mech Warriors trying frantically to shout their orders and commands over the sound. The words were garbled, but he could sense the fear and panic in their voices as their messages were jammed by the wailing of the Highlander bagpipes.

  Loren watched the secondary monitor, reaching forward to enhance its scanning as the Fusilier DropShip departed, its pilot wisely avoiding the spaceport. Catelli, he thought. Where is he?

  Mulvaney seemed to know what Loren was doing even without the need for words. She adjusted her secondary monitor controls, filtering out the images on the tactical display. All that remained were the 'Mechs and vehicles of the Davions. Keying in on the 'Mech type, the icon of the Atlas the two of them sought showed up flashing on the overlay of the map of Tara's streets. "He's heading for the spaceport, probably thinking we won't dare follow him there," Loren said. Sly little fox. Only a madman would follow him into that trap.

  Mulvaney looked hard at Loren, staring deeply into his dark eyes. They still had no need for words. They both wanted the same thing ... the same man.

  "Colonel, we're in pursuit of Catelli and his remaining Guards," Loren barked over the bagpipe music.

  "I'm with you, laddie," the elder officer replied. "That rat-bastard can't find a place to hide from me. Frutchey and Carey, fall in on my signal. The rest of you report to O'Leary and remain here. Work your way to our Highlander families and get them out of the city in case this whole thing falls apart on us. We're going to save the Assembly the cost of a war crimes trial."

  * * *

  The Kohler Spaceport was the most silent place in Tara. The Consul Guards had been reduced to no more than a lance of BattleMechs and a handful of semi-functional tanks that had somehow managed to escape the chaos of Peace Park. In the confusion of the Fusiliers' hot combat drop, Catelli had managed to retreat with at least some of his unit intact. But it wasn't much. His dream of breaking the backbone of the Northwind Highlanders was now in the hands of Marshal Bradford's Third Royals.

  They don't stand a chance. The odds are even, but the Davions will never beat the Highlanders. True, MacLeod's forces are weary, but Stirling's Fusiliers are fresh and they're fighting for control of their own capitol. No. Victory is gone. All that's left is escape and somehow making this look like Burns' fault. Better yet, if Bradford dies I can paint him as a renegade. Perhaps there's still something to be gained in a Highlander victory after all.

  Catelli's only hope was to find Lepeta and a way off Northwind. With the spaceport heavily mined and filled with explosives he doubted any of the Highlanders would risk pursuing him there. By the time they secured this part of the city, he planned to be on a DropShip already leaving the world far behind.

  Catelli had led what was left of his unit into a warehouse at the edge of the spaceport, a large building more than big enough to hide the BattleMechs and surviving vehicles from view.

  Use of normal communications channels was virtually impossible, thanks to the Fusiliers' primitive but effective means of jamming the signals with an overriding wail of bagpipe music. He frowned in irritation. I never liked that bellowing sound and now I hate it even more, he thought. The commercial channels were still open and it was through these that he'd managed to contact Stephen Lepeta. Entering the warehouse in his battle-weary Atlas Catelli saw his aide de camp standing beside the door, wearing his black riding coat and carrying a laser carbine. All along he's been my tool, a means to an end. I still need some of the information he possesses. But when all this is over, Lepeta will be only a nasty reminder of my failure here. It is unfortunate, but he will have to die once his usefulness is finished. I can't afford to have him live to tell anyone about my involvement in this debacle. It will be hard enough to deflect the political attacks the Marshal is likely to make, should he survive.

  Catelli opened his hatch and Lepeta wasted no time climbing up the side of the Atlas. Though holes from damage done by MacLeod and Mulvaney's forces hampered his ascent, in a matter of minutes he was safe and secure in the cockpit of the Atlas.

  "Have you arranged for an escape?" Catelli asked.

  "Not exactly, sir. I just got here. As you know we never planned for matters to turn out this way. Only one DropShip is still out there, Jaffray's Leopard Class. I assume that will be sufficient. I would have searched further, but I saw several 'Mechs moving in and around the spaceport perimeter and some of MacLeod's infantry begin to deploy nearby. I assume they're trying to defuse our explosives at the other end of the port."

  Catelli was exultant. "Jaffray's ship—perfect! And what about crew? Those ships don't fly themselves."

  "Of course," Lepeta said as he settled into the back of the cockpit. "But I studied navigation and piloting of DropShips as part of my intelligence training. It will take some work, but we should be able to get away."

  You're lucky I need you, Lepeta. This has simply prolonged the inevitable. "Let's get going. The longer we stay here the more risk we face." Catelli began moving the Atlas forward, motioning for the other 'Mechs and vehicles to follow him. Suddenly the mournful sound of the bagpipes was broken by a voice that was the last one he wanted to hear. "Colonel Drew Catelli. In the name of the Northwind Highlanders I order you to surrender."

  * * *

  MacLeod's words were firm and direct. He and the other three Highlander BattleMechs were lined up in perfect formation in front of the warehouse nearly seventy meters away. To their left were more warehouses blocking Catelli's escape. To the right was the wide open space of tarmac leading to the DropShips. Catelli's force outnumbered MacLeod's, but he stopped at the sound of the Colonel's voice just inside of the warehouse where they had been hiding.

  "You fool," Catelli retorted. "I still outgun you. Surrender now and I might let you live."

  MacLeod was unshaken, raising his right arm Gauss rifle and aiming it squarely at the cockpit of the Atlas. The massive, skull-like head of the Davion 'Mech seemed to be grinning back at them as Loren leaned over Mulvaney's shoulder. She too raised her arms and pre-heated the lasers housed there. At this range, PPCs would be worthless and she k
new it Besides, for Drew Catelli this was how she preferred it, up close and personal.

  "Looks can be deceiving. Surrender, Catelli. I promise to give you as fair a trial as you offered Mister Jaffray," MacLeod said coldly. Loren studied the warehouses and knew they were loaded with explosives intended to wipe out Stirling's Fusiliers. While MacLeod and Catelli bantered, he scanned the huge stockpile of explosives stacked to the ceiling behind the Davion force. At least fifteen tons of explosives in there and the surrounding buildings. Probably shaped charges too. Enough to wipe out anything on that tarmac. Considering the number of warehouses around here, the Fusiliers wouldn't have stood a chance of surviving. I hope that my other transmission got out.

  "This battle isn't over. The Third Royals can easily take the Fusiliers. And it wouldn't be the first time they mauled one of your regiments. Your own unit is too battered to survive, especially with your impending death, old man."

  "If you believe victory is at hand, why flee?"

  Silence followed for several moments. "I tire of this, MacLeod. You're too stubborn for your own good. Prepare to die." Catelli signaled his 'Mechs and their weapons came on line.

  Colonel MacLeod repeated his demand. "Surrender your forces or be destroyed—the choice is yours."

  "You won't fire on me," Catelli taunted. "This warehouse is filled with explosives. You fire at me and I send the signal that detonates these explosives. I'll die, but so will half of Tara, Highlander families and all. If I can't have Northwind, no one, not even the Highlanders, will."

  Another 'Mech moved forward in the Highlander line, a massive Grand Titan bearing the bright red lettering of "The Cat" on its shoulder. Then came the voice of Cat Stirling over a broad channel all the Highlanders could hear. "Colonel, your troops have disarmed a number of the buildings and deployed some jamming gear. I took the liberty of dropping a lance of ECM-equipped 'Mechs near the spaceport. They can't transmit anything more than seventy-five meters. It will do some damage, but not very much."

  Frutchey cut in, "Are you sure—sir. I mean if you're wrong ..."

  Stirling laughed on the line. "My word is my bond. Do you think I'd be here if this area wasn't jammed, laddie?"

  Mulvaney needed nothing else. She raised her lasers slightly, aiming just beyond the Atlas in front of her. Loren watched, stunned with disbelief. Later he would wonder if he'd been unable or simply unwilling to move. "This is for your betrayal, you bastard." Before anyone could speak she fired.

  The laser blast streaked past the Atlas and into the explosives stacked in the warehouse. There was a momentary flash of fire, then a devastating explosion. The fifteen tons of explosives erupted instantiy, engulfing the Consul Guards in a ball of yellow and orange fire. The 'Mechs evaporated as their ammunition and reactors disintegrated a full millisecond after the explosives erupted. There was no hope for ejection, no hope for survival.

  The concussion and wall of debris struck the Highlander 'Mechs another millisecond later, knocking them back and down like a row of toy soldiers. Mulvaney's cockpit glass cracked in several places as she fought unsuccessfully to keep the Marauder II upright. Loren, not having the advantage of a seat harness, flew to the back of the cockpit, then forward as Mulvaney lost control to the shock wave.

  Loren saw tears streaming down her cheeks inside the neurohelmet. "Are you all right?" he asked, crawling up beside her and looking out at the massive black mushroom cloud that rose into the air over the spaceport. The Marauder's damage display came on line, lit up red in the places where the explosion had slammed into the 'Mech. Loren quickly surveyed the roadway where the Guards had been. All he could see were a few piles of slagged and charred hulks, most likely the remains of the Guard 'Mechs. Nearby he saw the blackened form of MacLeod's Huron Warrior stir and shift. Cat Stirling's own Grand Titan had somehow remained on its feet, its massive array of weapons scanning the smoldering debris as if the Guards might rise up like the phoenix of legend.

  "This test of honor is over," Mulvaney said. "Did I win or lose?"

  Jaffray wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer in the tight space of the cockpit. "This one's a victory for you."

  40

  Celestial Throne Room Antechamber Sian

  Sian Commonalty, Capellan Confederation

  1 November 3057

  "Chancellor," Colonel Hertzog said, his head bowed. "I am here as you requested."

  "Tell me," Sun-Tzu said, "what happened to the operation on Northwind? I want your opinion on what unfolded there." The Chancellor took a long sip of his wine as Hertzog took a seat across from him.

  The Death Commando Colonel raised his head and met the gaze of the Chancellor. "Sir, we were betrayed! Major Jaffray sent us the abort order just as Stirling's Fusiliers were landing. The timing was perfect. We could have landed and destroyed both the Davion and Highlander forces. Instead we followed orders and returned to base."

  "Major Jaffray decided to spare the Highlanders, despite having a perfect opportunity to crush them. Is that what you are telling me, Colonel?"

  "Regrettably, Chancellor."

  Sun-Tzu did not seem surprised by the information, nor did his temper flare as Colonel Hertzog had expected. He seemed wrapped in thought, considering the alternatives and outcomes. By now his mother Romano would already have issued a death order. The son, however, was different, very different.

  "And what do you think that I, as Chancellor, should do about it?"

  The question was not something that Hertzog had been prepared for. "Several of my officers have requested permission to travel to Northwind to assassinate Loren Jaffray."

  Sun-Tzu Liao tilted his head to one side as he contemplated the Death Commander CO. "In your mind he should be killed, then?"

  "Jaffray broke his oath to both you and the Confederation. Such actions cannot go unanswered. We have always treated such failures in the ranks of the Commandos in that manner. His death will not be swift. It will send a message to our own ranks as well as those of our enemies. Betray the Confederation, fail the Chancellor, and you will be crushed." His tone with filled with bravado and enthusiasm. Sun-Tzu had no doubt that Hertzog himself would be honored to undertake the assassination of Major Jaffray.

  "Do you play chess, Colonel Hertzog?" the Chancellor asked, almost as if his mind were wandering.

  "Sire?"

  "Chess. You have played it?"

  "As part of our training, I have learned more than a hundred games of strategy and tactics. I know chess. Indeed, I am good at it. But what does this have to do with Jaffray, Celestial Wisdom?"

  Sun-Tzu smiled thinly, his eyes narrowing like a cat about to spring at a mouse. "Loren Jaffray did everything I expected him to do."

  "But we were to destroy the Northwind Highlanders, Chancellor. Their regiments are still functional despite the damage they've taken. They can rebuild in a matter of a few months."

  "You miss the point. Jaffray's mission was to neutralize the Highlanders and deny the planet to Victor Davion and the Federated Commonwealth. In that, he has been more successful than any of us could have hoped. Even as we speak the Highlander Assembly of Warriors is voting for full independence. Do not forget, Colonel, that in the process Loren Jaffray managed to utterly destroy a crack Davion Regimental Combat Team and an NAIS cadre to boot."

  "He betrayed us all, sire. Because Jaffray aborted our landing, the Highlanders still exist. From where I sit he is as vile a traitor as Stefan Amaris or Phelan Kell."

  Sun-Tzu chuckled slightly at Hertzog's growing frustration. "Loren Jaffray did exactly what he had to do, Colonel. For him there was no other option, though I'm sure he thought otherwise up until the end. The Northwind Highlanders were his family. He could no more betray them than you or I could voluntarily amputate a limb. They are a part of him. I gave him the choice to abort the mission because I knew he would. If he'd gone in any other way, he'd never have been able to win the Highlanders' confidence. This way, he arrived at my solution of his own accord."
/>   "I don't understand."

  "Chess, Colonel, it is chess. Loren Jaffray was expendable. For he played the part of a gambit, a pawn of sorts. I could not have ordered his actions, for he wouldn't have been believable. But by giving him the free will to make his own decisions, he has acted as I knew he would. I doubt that even now he knows the truth."

  "But the Highlanders ..."

  "They survive, yes. That did not matter to me when I ordered this mission. Their survival was not the matter. I have still won a great victory. One man has managed to take an entire world from Victor Davion. Katrina Steiner has claimed the planet. As do I. But those were just words, the words of House Lords. What Jaffray has done is to deny the planet of Northwind to both of Hanse Davion's whelps, delivering it to me by default. And the Highlanders won't fight for House Davion any time in the future, especially after the Third Royals' attack on them.

  "You are a military man. You must have wondered why I am so concerned over a world like Northwind—impossible to support or defend and so near the Kurita border to boot. Now, thanks to Jaffray, the Highlanders see me as an ally of sorts—someone who supports their right to independence."

  "Then why did you send us to Northwind if you never intended us to destroy the Highlanders, sire?"

  "Do not misunderstand me. Colonel. If the chance had presented itself, I would have crushed the Highlanders. They did once betray House Liao. As it turns out, however, such action was not called for." The Chancellor did not have to add the word yet. Though unspoken, it hung in the air loud and clear.

  "Then what about Loren Jaffray, Chancellor? What do we do about him?"

  "Nothing. Take no action against him. He was an expendable round of ammunition, Colonel Hertzog. If he had failed, the cost to me would have been one man. If he succeeded, as he did, I would deprive the Federated Commonwealth of four of its best regiments as well as an entire world." Sun-Tzu paused as though contemplating the whole affair, and he looked most pleased.