Main event

by James D. Long

  "My concern is that the Clans, probably the Jade Falcons, if what little I know about them is correct, will jump past the Federat front lines and hit Borghese and other planets like it." As Cooke talked, Rose's respect for him continued to grow. He shared Rose's unspoken concern, even if the Federated Commonwealth did not. "Using Borghese as a base, they could begin to expand laterally. Technically, they'd be honoring the Treaty of Tukayyid, but they'd make fair game of other planets lying to the right and left along the treaty line.

  "That's why I sent Wilkins to hire a mercenary force, even a small one. If the Clans ever learn how weak are our defenses, Borghese would surely move up on their list of possible targets."

  Rose knew that if he were the Clan ilKhan, he'd be thinking exactly the same thing. "Which is where I come in."

  "Precisely. If the Clans send a unit to investigate Borghese, you'd have to stop them."

  Rose sat up and opened his mouth to speak, but Cooke held up his hand. "Before you say anything, let me tell you one more thing. I know the Clans have never 'investigated' anything before. They always arrive in force and pound any target into submission. If that happens, I don't expect you and your men to throw your lives away."

  That was certainly comforting. Rose didn't plan to do any such thing, but it was good to know that the man paying the bills felt the same way.

  "This is a new situation for the Clans, however. I believe they may have to adapt Iheir tactics to reflect the new conditions, and that situation includes potential raiding."

  Rose considered the possibility of new Clan tactics. They had proved their ability to adapt on Tukayyid, but for the first time they'd been stopped cold. Rose didn't count the two losses the Clans had suffered at the hands of the Kuritans and the Federated Commonwealth on Wolcott and Twycross in 3050. Although the Dracos had fought off the invaders, they'd used trickery to do so. Rose was all in favor of the tactic when necessary, but he still believed that the Com Guards had proven themselves the only military force able to stand up to the Clans in an all-out military confrontation.

  The Treaty of Tukayyid might forbid the Clans to continue their advance past the line of that world but it didn't stop them from raiding and even making small-scale invasions of Kurita and FedCom planets above the truce line. And the attacks had been occurring with greater and greater frequency. What Cooke proposed didn't sound so unreasonable, and Rose nodded his agreement. A few things still bothered him, however.

  "Even if it is just a raid, we couldn't hope to put up much of a fight without the help of the militia."

  "I understand that," Cooke said. "We need training, and we need it in a hurry.

  "When the Federats were here we didn't have to worry about defense, because they were going to take care of it for us. Before that, there really wasn't any reason for concern. Now we have a reason and nobody to protect us but ourselves." Rose remembered how difficult it was to grow up. Now the entire population of this planet was going to have to do the same thing.

  "So the first order of business is training," he said. "I've got the crew to take care of that. We'll need the cooperation of the militia leaders and support from their administrative division."

  "I can have that arranged," Cooke said. Rose was glad to hear that the Chairman was agreeable to suggesttions and requests. It would make the situation easier to handle.

  "Once the training is underway," he went on, "some of the resentment against us may disappear. That would be nice, but I won't count on it. By the way, how bad is the resistance against us?"

  Cooke gritted his teeth and Rose knew the answer wouldn't be good. "There was some heated discussion about bringing you to the planet, even after we ratified the contract. As far as the population is concerned, you're a good thing. The majority supports you, but they're the silent majority. The vocal ones are parked outside the gate of your compound. They make a lot of noise, but they don't represent the way most people feel.

  "The Council, on the other hand, is a different story. There are two factions in it right now. For the sake of simplicity, let's call one of them mine and the other one Crenshaw's. My four-member group thinks we should fight the Clans tooth and nail. It will be costly, but it has to be done. Crenshaw and company think we should surrender peacefully and let the Clans occupy Borghese without a fight. Although it would be better for the planet, it will hurt the Federated Commonwealth."

  "It's a nine-member Council. Which side gets to make the decisions?"

  "Both of us, and neither of us."

  Rose cocked an eyebrow and Cooke laughed. "Miss Jessica Ann de Vilbis holds the reins. She firmly refuses to be placed in either camp, and has been the swing vote in the last six Clan-Inner Sphere decisions, voting each way three times. Right now Miss de Vilbis is trying to reconcile duty to Borghese with duty to the Commonwealth." He shook his head and clenched his teeth. "She's a damn strong woman and too young to have such a major voice in the Council."

  Rose considered what he knew. The population was behind him, even if they weren't vocal about it. The Council could go either way on the decision to support him. Hopefully, that was the bad news. What about something positive?

  "What do we have to work with?"

  Cooke considered the question. "Mostly motorized infantry, with a few outdated tanks and APCs. The cream of the crop—which still isn't saying much—is the Green Team."

  Rose suppressed a laugh, almost. "Catchy name."

  Cooke shared his sentiment and shrugged. "It wasn't my idea. The Greenies have two squadrons of VTOLs and a fixed-wing fighter flight attached to them. Most of the defense budget for the last three years has gone toward purchasing their new Rippers."

  Rose didn't think much of using VTOLs in combat, but few Mech Warriors did. Helicopters were just too easy to shoot down in a firefight, despite advances in their armor protection. A single light 'Mech would have probably been of more use, but he'd have to use what was available.

  "So we'll start with them. I don't suppose there are any retired Mech Warriors on the planet, other than Morgain." Rose still didn't like the man, despite having had three days to overcome what he considered an irrational dislike.

  "Just Salander Morgain and his men."

  "And his men?," More good news. An independent 'Mech unit was on the planet and Rose was just finding out about it.

  "Yes. When Morgain returned from active duty, several of his old lancemates came with him. They've been staying on the Morgain estate for the past three months."

  "How many?" Rose tried to remain calm.

  "Five, counting Morgain. I met them when they returned, but since then they've stayed at the estate exclusively." Rose was somewhat relieved. At least they wouldn't be in the way.

  "Any chance they'd participate in planning the defense, if that becomes necessary?" he wondered aloud.

  "I'm sure they would, but I doubt that Morgain would fight except in the face of a Clan attack." That sounded good to Rose.

  "Morgain and his men returned to Borghese while Wilkins and Hoffbrowse were still on Outreach. The Council immediately approached them about the position you were hired for, but he turned it down."

  "Any reason?"

  Cooke shrugged, a gesture that was becoming all too common. "He hinted at some kind of lasting damage he'd suffered at the hands of the Clans, but he wasn't specific. I didn't press the point."

  "But he's still a major force in the politics of the Council," countered Rose, his voice slightly strained. Salander Morgain's presence bothered him.

  "A legacy of his father, I'm afraid." If Cooke took offense at Rose's comment, he didn't show it. "Renaldo Morgain was quite a man and the people still remember him, even though he's been dead for almost fifteen years. Salander is a firm part of that memory. He's the only surviving member of Renaldo's family, and made quite an impression on the media at his father's graveside service."

  "I take it that his father was a cut above your standard Council member."

  "You could say that.
He was a junior member during the Fourth Succession War and the Chairman during the War of 3039. Somehow Renaldo came to national prominence during the first conflict and then became Chairman during the second."

  "He sounds like quite a man." Rose was sincere. Although he didn't like the younger Morgain's too-smooth style, he respected anyone who'd been able to help pull the people of Borghese through the madness of two wars.

  "He was," said Cooke, his voice suddenly distant. "I'm not sure his son quite measures up, but then few people could."

  Rose nodded and tried to lighten the suddenly darkened mood. Glancing out the window he saw that the limo had just passed the same landmark for the third time. Evidently Cooke thought the luxury car was the safest place to talk. "I don't suppose it would do any harm trying to enlist Morgain's help, but I think it's probably a waste of time."

  "Leave no stone unturned, that's my motto. At least that's one of my mottoes," Rose said.

  "Suit yourself."

  Rose planned to do just that, despite what anyone else said or did. "There is something you can help me with, however."

  "Just ask," Cooke said. "I'll see what I can do."

  "I need the temporary attachment of a VTOL with crew to the unit. I want to get a better picture of the continent, and I'll need more mobility than my 'Mechs can provide. I'll need the men and equipment for about three months." Rose would probably need it for longer, but thought it would be easier to get a temporary extension later than to try to get the entire time up front.

  "I think that can be arranged."

  Rose hid his smile. The VTOL would prove invaluable during the first few months of duty.

  "Good," he said, then looked at Cooke in mock seriousness. "Now, are we ever going to eat, or do we just keep riding around the block until this thing runs out of fuel?"

  23

  Houston, Borghese

  12 June 3055

  The next six months were busy ones for the Black Thorns. As executive officer, Rianna coordinated the training with the Green Team. Although every one of them was older than she, Rianna worked well with the leadership, which pleasantly surprised Rose. Esmeralda, Badicus, and Ajax performed most of the actual training.

  Esmeralda reported that the Greenies had already been trained in the basics of anti-'Mech tactics, but that most of those tactics were hopelessly out-of-date. Sending infantry against a 'Mech was never a good idea. If the Green Team was to have any chance of surviving, let alone succeed in crippling a target, they would require extensive retraining.

  Esmeralda, Badicus, and Ajax made a good team, and soon the Militia Training Center was ablaze with the sounds of mock combat. As Rose and the other mercenaries could attest, Esmeralda was a demanding officer. The Greenies, however, seemed to delight in the harsh demands and difficult exercises to which she subjected them. Ajax and Badicus piloted 'Mechs, served as advisors, and generally assisted the forceful woman as the Green Team was brought up-to-date.

  Angus spent most of his time assisting Rianna at the base. When not needed at the compound, he too worked with Esmeralda. Rose was initially hard-pressed to find specific duties for the young man, but eventually that turned out for the best. Though quiet, Angus had tremendous leadership potential. He was not afraid to make an important decision when none of the other members of the Black Thorns were available. This ability to make quick, accurate decisions contributed as much to the smooth operation of the unit as did Rianna's ability to coordinate the logistics of training and unit supply.

  Rose spent most of the first two months away from the compound. Accompanied by Hawg, he put almost eighty thousand kilometers on the loaner VTOL in the first sixty days he had it. Rose would have preferred to have Ajax or Angus with him on the scouting expeditions, but their experience made them better-suited to the training and support efforts going on back in Houston. Hawg, though knowledgeable about repair and 'Mech operations, seemed to lack the talent to transmit the knowledge to others.

  Rose had feared he'd be spending all his time with a backwoods AgroMech jockey, but Hawg turned out to be surprisingly well-informed on a wide variety of subjects. When Rose's schedule allowed him to return to Houston, he rarely spent time at the compound, however. Most nights he spent with Rachel McCloud, determined to keep the relationship alive.

  As the commanding officer of the most potent fighting force on Borghese, Rose enjoyed celebrity status. Soon Rianna was coordinating his social calendar in addition to keeping tabs on his scouting flights. Rose tried to make at least one event per week, Rachel McCloud at his side, to explain the purpose of his unit to the assembled guests. Though he was persuasive, Rose reckoned that he owed much of the unit's growing acceptance to Rachel. She may not have started out with much enthusiasm for the mission to Borghese, but she'd warmed to the idea as time passed. She was also much better at dealing with the social elite. Rose didn't know many details of her background, but was beginning to suspect that the kind of parties and social events they attended were nothing new to her.

  By the end of the second full month on Borghese, Rose was pleased to find matters proceeding far better than he'd ever imagined. The protesters were still parked outside the main gate, and would likely remain there for the duration of the Black Thorns' contract. A small tent village had sprung up along the side of the road, but Rose let it remain because the protesters were, for the most part, quiet and well-behaved.

  Salander Morgain was an increasingly common sight at the compound, soon striking up a friendship with Rianna. Although Rose did not know it, the two had been seeing one another socially for several weeks. The rest of the Thorns knew about it, but no one mentioned it to Rose because the situation seemed harmless. Besides, most of the mercenaries thought their commander was overly protective of his sister. Esmeralda didn't think much of Morgain, but she preferred to keep an eye on Rianna instead of dragging Rose into the situation.

  When summer reached its hottest on Borghese, so did Jeremiah Rose. In the course of three days he learned that Rianna had been seeing Salander Morgain, that the VTOL was going to be reassigned, and that Hawg had caught viral pneumonia. It was only a matter of time before the first event came out into the open. Rianna had been behaving like a schoolgirl, which fit her age but not her status. Rose was furious, but directed most of his anger at the unit for not letting him know what was going on. His attention was quickly diverted, however, when a Borghese militia major arrived at the compound with written orders for the return of the VTOL.

  Rianna stalled while Rose tried in vain to get in touch with Chairman Cooke. When neither action proved successful, Rianna confirmed the orders with the militia command center and impatiently waved the man away. The VTOL left thirty minutes later. Rose was still trying to procure some kind of airborne transportation to complete the last of the reconnaissance work when Angus called him aside.

  "Hawg is sick, sir. I think we'd better get him to the hospital."

  * * *

  Riding in the ambulance with the stricken man, Rose berated himself for having let the illness progress so far. Hawg had caught a summer cold during one of their frequent flights, but refused to give it any attention. The condition seemed to worsen during subsequent trips, but Hawg refused to succumb to the illness. He was simply too robust to let the virus slow him down. That morning, however, Angus had discovered him with a raging fever. Hawg spent the next ten days in the hospital.

  With his assistant in the hospital and the VTOL firmly back in militia hands, Rose returned to the Council with a formal request for an assistant and a replacement vehicle. He was not overly surprised when the Council turned him down, Miss de Vilbis again casting the swing vote. He was surprised, however, when a Ferret light scout VTOL landed in the compound yard the next morning. Rose, Rianna, and Angus, the only three Thorns remaining in the compound, gathered around as the pilot emerged. Approaching the assembled mercenaries, he pulled off his helmet, out tumbling the longest blond hair Rose had ever seen stuffing flight gloves into his
helmet, the man extended his hand to Rose.

  "Captain Rose, my name is Antioch Bell. I've been sent to help with your scouting." Rose took the offered hand and returned the warm smile.

  "The Council changed its mind?"

  The pilot gave Rose a lopsided smile. "Not exactly. I work for Salander Morgain."

  "Salander sent you?" Rianna said, and Antioch seemed to notice her for the first time.

  "Yes, ma'am. You must be Rianna." He extended his hand. "Salander has spoken a lot about you."

  Feeling Rose glaring at her, Rianna's wide smile gradually disappeared. "Pleased to meet you, Mister Bell.

  Now, if you'll excuse me," she said, then turned on her heel and went back to the command building. Rose watched her stomp away. Angus meanwhile was quietly introducing himself to Bell.

  "Sisters." Rose shook his head and Bell grinned.

  "I've got two myself. I'll never understand women, even when they're my own flesh and blood."

  Rose considered the statement and Bell's presence in the camp. "Mister Bell, I appreciate the gesture you and Mister Morgain have made, but I'm afraid I'll have to decline. I can't, in good conscience, accept civilian transport."

  "Well, Captain Rose, if it will help ease your mind, the Ferret over there has been collecting dust for the past five years. And that's the way it'll stay if you refuse the offer. By the way, I'm not exactly a civilian. I served seven years with the Twenty-sixth Lyran Guard."

  "Oh, really?"

  "I work for Morgain now. I signed a contract when we left the Guards." From the look on the man's face, Rose knew he viewed the signing as a natural thing to do.

  "And the other warriors up at the estate?"

  "Same deal, more or less, but I shouldn't be telling tales. You want me to head back home, or shall we do some recon?"