"Listen to reason, Kanrei!" Hideyoshi fought unsuccessfully to keep his voice from rising. "You know as well as I how many thousands of uninhabited stars he could use as stopping points to recharge his JumpShip drives. We would never detect them and his troops could arrive here without notice."
"Do you want me to fear ghosts, Tai-sa?"Theodore shrugged eloquently, though fatigue bled away some of the emphasis. "We have run the computer projections. Even if Davion has sent his troops, they would not get here before February. By then, we will either have defeated the Clans, or else we will all be dead."
Light glinted from the trio of gold bars on Tai-saYoshida's jacket collar. "Kanrei, our projections preclude the possibility of Davion having already put JumpShips in place to accelerate his troop movements."
Hohiro laughed aloud. "Because, Tai-sa,that is such an absurd idea that we rejected it in favor of taking more time to study projections of the battle for Luthien."
Theodore gave his son a nod. "I have Hanse Davion's promise. No F-C troops will invade our borders. End of discussion."
An inarticulate cry of terror erupted from one of the ComTechs. "I have multiple JumpShip contacts in-system. They've materialized within the orbit of our farthest moon!"
"Confirmed," another Tech cried out. "Fighters scrambling on the Orientalis moon base. Expect visual confirmation in two-zero minutes."
"I have deployment! Multiple DropShips with fighter screens!"
Even without the benefit of orders, Shin punched computer commands into his console. A three-dimensional model of Luthien and its system materialized above the briefing table where sat the strategists. The planet and its quartet of moons hung like blue-green marbles in the air. Around them whirled countless, sharp geometric forms matching the positions of orbital factories circling the world. Bright red as the holly berries on Christian wreaths, the JumpShips and DropShips clustered at a high point within the orbit of the most distant moon.
Shin knew that orbit formed the closest possible point of approach to the planet within the system. Most JumpShips appeared above or below the solar poles, but some intrepid pilots dared make their approach at "pirate points" that were much closer. The moon's orbit was swept clean of debris, its pockmarked face showing where most of it had gone, so the ships did not have to worry about emerging from their jump through hyperspace in the midst of an asteroid belt.
"The Clans are here already?"
Hohiro's question started a flutter in Shin's chest, but he shook his head. "Negative, Hohiro-wima. The equipment does not fit the Clan profile. This is Inner Sphere equipment."
The first ComTech's voice had returned to a workmanlike level, his concentration replacing panic. "DropShips burning hard. ETA one-one hours, repeat, eleven hours to landing. Vector plot puts them at Luthien."
Hideyoshi thrust a finger at Theodore. "Damn you and your trusting soul! Hanse Davion has launched an attack against us. I promise to see you dead before I see Luthien in Davion hands!"
Theodore's voice and face remained expressionless. "Save your threats for real danger."
The scanners on the surface of Luthien and on satellites spinning through space all turned on the invaders. Gradually, the red spheres resolved into shapes that coincided with the various known classes of DropShips. Small pinpoints of light represented the fighters arrayed to ward the DropShips as they burned in toward the planet.
Narimasa Asano's eyes narrowed as his gaze shifted from one ship to another. "Unionand Overlordmostly. That's a lot of troops. I put it at seven or eight Regimental Combat Teams."
Hohiro offered a wan smile. "Not enough to take Luthien."
Theodore's expression hardened. "If they want it, we'll let them have it. Seven can't take it, and seven can't hold it against the Clans."
"IFF transponders negative," Shin reported, "but I have some unconfirmed correlations with ships we know. Shall I tag the incoming ships?"
Theodore nodded once, decisively, and Shin punched up the data onto the projection. As the DropShip formation split into three elements, little banners of katakanaand hiraganasymbols attached themselves to a ship here and there. Shin found himself suddenly surprised as more and more of the ships earned tags, with most of the data reports very recent in nature.
Hohiro's shock rode plainly on his face. "Fitzlyon, Chieftan, Lugh, Manannan Mac Lir?"He turned to his father. "These are the ships of Wolf's Dragoons and the Kell Hounds! Mercenaries have come to attack us."
Hideyoshi barked a harsh laugh of triumph. "There you have your ally's honor, Kanrei! He does not send his own troops, but instead dispatches mercenaries?'Hideyoshi managed to fill the word with utter contempt. "Hanse Davion does not even deign to dirty his own hands with us. What a fool you have been."
Theodore said nothing, but watched the display intently. Shin saw the red dots of light reflected in Theodore's eyes, but could read none of the Kurita Warlord's emotions or thoughts. Hideyoshi and Yoshida clearly took Theodore's silence as weakness and hesitation, but Shin had the exact opposite reaction.
A light began to strobe on Shin's console. "Sumimasen,Kanrei. There is communication coming in from the DropShip Chieftan.Do you want me to run it through here?"
"Yes. Thank you, Shin."
Hitting the right keys, Shin supplanted the orbital scan with a holographic image of Jaime Wolf. "Komban-wa,Kurita Theodore- sama."
"Komban-wa, Tai-saWolf -sama."Theodore straightened up. "You realize that you have penetrated restricted space and appear to be on an attack vector for Imperial City?"
Wolf grinned cheerfully, and Shin felt the weight on his chest evaporating. "Hai,Theodore, I do realize that. Forgive any concern we may have caused you."
"Perhaps, Colonel." Theodore's expression eased. "Might I inquire what is your business here?"
"We request permission to land," Wolf said matter-of-factly. "Hanse Davion sent us a report that you would soon have a fight on your hands. How could we let you have all the fun by yourself?"
35
Tenth Lyran Guards Headquarters, Alyina
Trellshire, Lyran Commonwealth, Federated Commonwealth
25 December 3051
Kai Allard saw the surprise on Victor's face as he knocked at the open door of Victor's office. "Got a minute?"
Victor smiled quickly. "Sure." He stood and moved from behind his desk, eclipsing the diminutive Christmas tree set on a table in the corner of the room. "What are you still doing around here? I thought you were heading down to Mar Negro for some diving on your Christmas break?"
Kai nodded sheepishly. "I was planning to, but a storm front is threatening the peninsula down there. Leftenant Kimbal is from Alyina, so I let her have my leave to visit her family. Besides, I figure we'll see enough of Mar Negro when and if the Falcons decide to punt us off this rock."