Rose listened to several seconds of silence as the unit's 'Mechs continued to move, Angus and Ajax leading the group on a direct course through the trees. The unit was racking up the distance, but the trail would be easy to follow.
"The craft was unarmed, sir," Badicus began tentatively. "I couldn't fire on an unarmed vehicle."
Rose exploded over the commlink. "Damn it man, you've just put the entire planetary militia, not to mention five BattleMechs, hot on our butts and you don't want to fire on the unarmed hover that's telling everybody where we are?"
"That's right, sir. I won't fire at an unarmed craft and I'm not sure I would have been able to fire even if the craft had been a Mark One."
"And why the hell not?"
"Sir, I've spent the last few months of my life with the same men who are now trying to hunt us down. Esmeralda and Ajax are in the same situation. How can you live with a group of people one day and expect to treat them like the enemy the next?"
Rose strangled a furious reply. He knew the craft should have been stopped, yet he'd been considering the same ethical dilemma at the back of his mind. He was sworn to protect the people of Borghese and now might be called upon to shoot some of them. That it would be in self-defense wouldn't make much difference. With that his anger seemed to melt.
"You're probably right," he said. "As a unit and as individuals we're sworn to protect these people. I don't like the idea any more than you do, but our first duty must be to one another. You put the whole unit at risk when you let the hover get away. It wasn't fair that you were the one who had to make the decision, but that's what happened and now the rest of us are going to suffer. Think about that next time you decide not to pull the trigger. Dismissed."
Rose killed the connection and walked on in silence, trusting the pursuit lance to lead the way. He was still considering what to do an hour later when the unit suddenly changed course. Angus was cutting back on their original path, sacrificing some distance for a trail that would be harder to follow. Reaching a decision, Rose opened the commline.
"Thorns, this is Command One. An interesting problem now confronts us. In a few hours we're going to come into contact with the militia. People we've promised to protect are going to try to bring us back to Houston. Given that they burned our compound and stole the Bristol, I think you can imagine the type of treatment we'll receive when we get back." Rose paused to let the words sink in.
"We can only run for so long. Sooner or later we're going to have to engage the militia and Salander Morgain's 'Mechs. That means fighting, and killing. We can't let that happen, so here is what we are going to do.
"Pursuit, keep us away from them for as long as possible. The longer we can stay away, the longer we have for Cooke to try to help us some way back in Houston. That means nearly constant movement, little sleep, and no room for error. We stick together and make them hunt us down. When they finally manage to corner us, we surrender and take our chances in Houston." Rose paused, then decided there was nothing more he could add. "Questions?"
The comm unit remained clear as the unit moved through the trees.
The next eight days were little more than a blur for Rose and his command. Led alternately by Angus and Ajax, they moved in and around every natural obstacle they could find. The recon work Rose and Hawg had done earlier provided the unit with information the militia either did not have or were unable to take advantage of.
The unit was almost cornered several times by the militia Rippers and Salander's 'Mechs. On three separate occasions, the Thorns were subjected to long-range missile fire from the infantry, but none of the shots came even close to hitting them. The lasers of the Rippers were more dangerous, but 'Mechs traveling among the thickly packed cedars gave the airborne pilots few good shots. The laser attacks finally ended on the sixth day when a near-miss set fire to a copse of trees, the flames spreading to engulf the whole area.
The hunters didn't like it, but they were forced to divert some of their force to keep the blaze from spreading further. The forest fire didn't create as much of a problem as Rose had hoped. True to Cooke's earlier claim, the militia was especially skilled at handling civilian emergencies. While detaching a smaller force to deal with the fire, the main body moved on, driving the Thorns before them. The Ripper VTOLs were still being used for spotting, but their sniping was over.
As the sun came up on day nine, Rose knew his unit was near the end of the line. Lack of sleep and the near-constant tension had sapped the mercenaries' strength and much of their will. Only McCloud seemed to have any energy. Unable to pilot a 'Mech, she'd taken to riding with a different pilot each day. Rose noticed that the various 'Mech pilots were always in a remarkably better mood at the end of a day with McCloud. After she insisted on riding with him, he understood why.
Traveling under radio silence, each pilot was left with his or her own thoughts for the entire day, all the fears, hopes, and futile wishes eating away at the pilot's confidence. Having McCloud for company took the warrior's mind off negative thoughts and gave him or her something positive to concentrate on. Rose had no idea how she'd treated the other pilots, but with him it was almost like old times. They laughed and remembered the months aboard ship when they'd spent entire days together. By the end of the day Rose felt better than he had since the loss of the Bristol, and McCloud also seemed to be in good spirits. As she climbed out of the cockpit during one of their infrequent rest stops, she had actually forgiven Rose for the loss of the Bristol.
Eventually fatigue took its toll on the unit. Forty-eight hours after his last conversation with McCloud, Rose sat looking over the sleeping forms of his unit. At first the pilots had slept on the ground, but now they were forced to sleep in their 'Mechs in case the militia or Morgain's men arrived sooner than expected. Sitting in his Charger, Rose reflected on the noose that was tightening around the unit.
The militia commanders seemed to have figured out that the Black Thorns were unwilling to fight them, and had repositioned their men to the front and sides of the unit. While the militia kept the mercenaries in place, Morgain was closing the noose with his lance. To travel more than ten kilometers in any direction meant they would have to fight through one of the pursuing units.
Rose kept his eyes on the long-range scanner and watched the five heat sources his computer had long ago tagged as 'Mechs come cautiously closer. Opening the commlink he woke the rest of the unit as another channel on his comm blinked green. He was beyond hope that the call might be from Cooke, the only member outside the lance who had the frequency, but in spite of that, he opened the channel.
"Rose here."
"Good morning, Captain Rose." Rose didn't need an identification, instantly recognizing the voice as Salander Morgain's. He had no time to wonder how Morgain had obtained the frequency, but he knew things had just taken a turn for the worse.
"Mister Morgain, or is it Hauptmann now?"
Rose thought he heard light laughter on the line before Morgain answered. "Hauptmann it is, just like in my army days." Rose reached out to the comm unit and patched the feed from Morgain through the open channel. Now all the Black Thorns could hear his words, though only Rose could respond.
"Captain Rose, it is my duty to order you to surrender yourself and your unit immediately. As the rightful representative of the leadership of Borghese, I am authorized to accept your surrender and assure you that you will be treated fairly upon your return to Houston."
"What about the charges against us?"
Morgain seemed taken back by the question and did not respond immediately. "You will be tried in a court of law, as would any other citizen of the planet. Given the serious nature of the charges, I imagine you will appear before the Ruling Council.
"What about the charges against Captain McCloud?"
Morgain was ready for that question and answered immediately. "All charges against Captain McCloud have been dropped."
"What?"
"Upon the subsequent return of the Bristol�
��"
"The Bristol is back on Borghese?"
The comm unit was silent. For a moment Rose thought he'd misunderstood Morgain. Then the incoming light on channel three went green. That had to be McCloud trying to open a channel to Rose. He decided to ignore the light for a moment, waiting for Morgain to continue.
"Well, technically, Captain Rose, the answer is no. But the Bristol is insystem and should arrive back on Borghese tomorrow."
"So Chairman Cooke convinced you they weren't pirates after all?"
"On the contrary, Captain Rose, the late Chairman Cooke had nothing to do with it. The Bristol arrived of its own free will, piloted by the first officer."
"Cooke is dead?"
"Unfortunately, yes." Rose could tell Morgain was smiling as he spoke. "He died last night in his office at the Assembly Pavilion. An apparent suicide. I imagine the media will receive word of the event any moment now."
Rose wanted to reach through the commline and strangle the man. Morgain was too self-assured. He obviously thought he had all the answers.
"You're a liar, Morgain. Chairman Cooke would never take his own life."
Morgain scoffed. "How little you know about it, Rose. His note stated quite clearly why he ended his miserable existence. He was afraid of the new order that is coming to Borghese. He could not live with the change."
Rose was instantly sure he knew the answer, but he asked the question anyway.
"What change?"
"The change brought about by the Bristol. She's leading a Clan DropShip to the planet. The Jade Falcon commanders will formally accept the surrender of Borghese and claim the planet as their newest conquest."
Rose heard the words, but refused to believe them. Cooke's worst nightmare had taken place and the people of Borghese were the ones to blame. It wasn't good enough to just wait for the Clans, they had actually invited them to take their planet.
"You're with them, aren't you, Morgain?"
Again Rose didn't need to hear the response to know the answer. Morgain had too much information for a mere Hauptmann, especially one so far out in the field. Cooke had been killed to clear away any political opposition to the Clans. If Rose surrendered, there would be no further resistance to the Falcons. Borghese would be forced to surrender without a chance to defend itself. As the thought hit him, Rose also realized something else. The militia couldn't know about the death of Cooke or the arrival of the Clans. They were being kept out of the way and in the dark. By the time they returned to Houston, the capital would be firmly in Jade Falcon hands.
"Morgain, you and your Preservationists back in Houston can go straight to hell. You're as bad as the Clans you support, maybe worse, because you were born here, and now you're going to turn Borghese over to the invaders."
If Morgain bothered with a reply, it was quickly cut off as Rose killed the connection. The line to the Thorns, however, was still open.
"You heard the man, Black Thorns. Morgain is with the Clans. At this point it's probably safe to assume the militia doesn't know what's going on, but they will soon." On the scanner Morgain's lance closed on Rose. "Once the militia realizes they've been played for fools, they'll probably come over to our side." Even so, Rose realized that Morgain wasn't likely to give the militia the chance to figure out the truth. If the Black Thorns were wiped out, Morgain's lance could force the militia to accept the Clan invasion without resistance. As if to confirm his thoughts, the militia began to close in on either side of the Thorns.
"Morgain is going to try to squeeze us on all four sides. By the time the militia figures out we're the good guys, they'll already have helped eliminate us.
"Prepare to engage enemy 'Mechs. Keep away from the militia and do not, repeat do not, engage. Battle Lance, you'll form the center with me. Command Two and Pursuit Lance, stay to the rear. Attempt to engage the flanks as they open up."
Rose suddenly remembered McCloud. She'd been riding with Ajax for most of the day. Ajax had quietly suggested they leave her behind for the militia to rescue, but McCloud had steadfastly refused. Now that the fight was about to be joined, she was in the lightest 'Mech.
"Pursuit Two, do you still have your passenger?"
"Affirmative."
"Keep the passenger safe, Pursuit Two. All other considerations are secondary. Do you understand?"
"Affirmative, Command One. I understand." Good, thought Rose to himself, because I'm not sure I do.
As Rose spoke, Morgain's 'Mechs closed the distance. Although outnumbered, they obviously thought they had the advantage. And with the militia, Morgain was probably right. Now it was time for the Black Thorns to earn their pay and prove to themselves, and to the people of Borghese, that they could fight.
While the Thorns were maneuvering into position, Morgain's 'Mechs were picking up speed. As they came within four kilometers of the Thorns, Rose ordered his unit forward. Moving at cruising speed, they prepared to carry the fight to Morgain.
28
The Cedars, Borghese
14 July 3055
Esmeralda and Hawg anchored the center of the Black Thorn advance, with Rose and O'Shea on either side. Watching the distance close on his scanner, Rose searched through the cedars for the first glimpse of Morgain's 'Mechs. The dense tree growth would make the fighting close and personal. Rose flexed both arms of the Charger. Physical attacks and mass could well carry the fight.
As the range closed to under a kilometer, Rose caught a glimpse of metal reflected from the rising sun. It had to be a BattleMech, but the trees hid its outline. The next instant the 'Mech had vanished. As Morgain's force drew closer, his 'Mechs shuffled positions. What had initially been a cluster altered to become a vee, with the point directed squarely at Esmeralda and Hawg. Rose had no doubt that the heaviest 'Mech in Morgain's force would be the point of the vee. Ahead, the ground began to rise slightly. Rose could tell from the scanner that Morgain was at the base of the rise on the other side.
"Battle Lance, charge!" The four 'Mechs charged up the hill, trying to gain the high ground and the advantage that went with it. Easily the fastest in his Charger, Rose reached the crest just ahead of the rest of his lance. He dropped his targeting cross hairs onto the first metal shape he saw, which happened to be the second 'Mech in line on his side. The Artemis IV confirmed a lock and Rose triggered a flight of missiles. Only after the missiles had fired did he carefully examine his opponents.
A shining Stalker held the point of Morgain's vee. It was this 'Mech's reflective paint that Rose had seen briefly as the two sides closed ground. The 'Mech didn't even turn in Rose's direction, but kept its attention focused on the rise where Esmeralda would soon appear.
Rose's initial target was a BattleMaster. The Charger's computer tagged it as a newer model, but it was impossible to confirm the identification because the 'Mech was wreathed in the smoke and flame of long-range missiles striking its head and shoulders. The pilot brought up his PPC, but the shots went wide of the Charger as the impacting missiles spoiled the pilot's aim.
The final 'Mech in the vee on Rose's side was a Banshee. Rose didn't need the computer to tell him it was a 5S model; the multiple weapon ports were proof enough. Something about the 'Mech's movement was familiar, but Rose couldn't place it right now and he had no time to figure it out. The BattleMaster recovered and triggered a salvo at the Charger as Rose's missiles recycled.
The azure PPC beam caught the Charger squarely in the chest, blasting armor into ionized flakes. Then came the aligned ruby light of a laser firing from the BattleMaster's left torso, gouging into the Charger's right arm and leg an instant later. Rose fought to control his 'Mech, quickly regaining his balance and triggering another flight of missiles.
Guided by the Artemis fire-control system and Rose's gentle hand, the flight again struck the BattleMaster around the head and shoulders. Rose knew the pilot was taking a beating from the multiple missile hits. Despite the 'Mech's thick armor, the pilot was bound to feel the effects of explosions going off j
ust meters away from his seat. Rose topped the hill and closed the range on the BattleMaster and the Banshee just as Esmeralda and Hawg popped over the hill. On the far side of the battle line Rose saw the brief flash of a PPC and knew Badicus had engaged the remaining 'Mech of Morgain's lance.
At virtually the same instant both sides fighting in the center of the line triggered everything they had at each other. The Stalker and the Awesome to its right each targeted a separate 'Mech. Esmeralda and Hawg, however, ganged up on the Stalker. At close range, the hits were almost guaranteed.
The Awesome fired every one of its weapons and hit with every shot. Its pilot gambled that Hawg could not survive the salvo as its heat went from cool to critical in three seconds. Hawg took two of the PPC hits to the chest and the other to his right arm. The supporting laser and missile fire further damaged the Zeus' right arm and blew away armor plates from the left knee. Under that barrage Hawg had no chance of controlling his 'Mech, which spun partially around before crashing onto its left side. The undamaged Awesome moved toward the fallen Zeus.
Hawg's attack on the Stalker, combined with Esmeralda's shots, had stopped the lumbering 'Mech in its tracks. Lasers and missiles streaked toward the armless machine, followed closely by PPC fire. Lasers burned and armor exploded away in a cloud of fragments as the combined firepower of the two Thorn 'Mechs breached the Stalker's right-torso armor, ravaging its powerful legs. Like Hawg, the Stalker pilot could not control the 'Mech during the vicious assault. Unlike Hawg's 'Mech, the Stalker fell head-first into the slope, plowing up rocks and dirt.
Esmeralda also staggered under the Stalker's attack, but through fate or uncanny skill, she managed to keep the Warhammer upright despite the barrage of missiles exploding across her 'Mech's chest and lower torso. As the Zeus struggled to rise she moved to defend Hawg, leaving the flailing Stalker to stand if it could.
Rose considered shifting targets, but abandoned the idea as the Banshee moved to support the BattleMaster. Rose centered the cross hairs on the chest of the BattleMaster for a third time as the missile-reload light flickered green. He was about to engage both missiles and the medium pulse lasers slaved to the same control when the BattleMaster started to topple forward. As Rose watched in amazement, the eighty-five ton 'Mech fell flat on its face. Unlike the other two 'Mechs that had gone down, however, the BattleMaster made no attempt to stop its fall. Rebounding off the trunk of an ancient cedar, the 'Mech crashed to the ground and then lay still.
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