Reaching up and behind himself, he pulled his neurohelmet from the shelf above his command couch. He settled it down over his shoulders, adjusting it to rest comfortably on the vest's padded shoulders, with the neurosensor ring pressed snugly against his head. With the triangular faceplate centered, Justin presed some velcro tabs to keep the helmet in place, then plugged the four sensor wires into the sockets on the helmet's throat.
He grinned to himself. It's been far too long since I've been in a 'Mech. What I have been doing is vital to the war effort, but being denied a 'Mech is almost unbearable. I'm a MechWarrior first. Nothing will ever take that from me.
Justin reached over to his metallic left hand with his right and tugged back on the middle and ring fingers until they pressed nearly flat against the back of the hand. With a click, a small compartment cracked open at Justin's left wrist. He slid the panel back, allowing a ribbon cable to spring out like a striking snake. Justin snapped the connector into a socket below the joystick on the command couch arm.
With his right hand, he punched a button on the console to his right. The computer's voice echoed within his neurohelmet. "I am Yen-lo-wang.Who presents himself to the King of the Nine Hells?"
"Your humble servant, Justin Xiang."
Light static played through the speakers before the computer replied. "Voiceprint pattern match obtained. Proceed with your supplication."
Justin narrowed his eyes. "Vengeance is justice when visited upon the unjust. Grant me the power to dispense justice."
"Authorization confirmed. All I have is yours to use." As the computer's voice died, all the 'Mech's screens blossomed into color. The computer filled the primary monitor with a green and gold tactical readout of Yen-lo-wangand its unusual weaponry array. The Centurionhad been modified for combat on Solaris. In place of the LRMs normally found in a Centurion'storso, Justin had an autocannon magazine. The Luxor autocannon in the 'Mech's right arm had been replaced with a heavier Pontiac cannon that gobbled up ammo at double the Luxor's rate of fire—hence the need for the additional magazine.
Justin glanced at his inert left hand and the colorful cable running from his wrist. Just thinking about moving the hand to manipulate the targeting joystick accomplished the job for the lasers, fore and aft. Right hand takes care of the autocannon. With any luck, though, our little ruse will mean no 'Mechs show up and I won't have to shoot anything.
Justin punched up a radio link with the DropShip's Drop-Master. "What is the situation out there, Master Chung?"
The older man's seamed face appeared on an auxiliary monitor. "It would appear, Citizen Xiang, that your assessment of Captain Redburn is correct. We show the ion-trail of an OverlordDropShip in a low arc heading for the reactor assembly plant. We are continuing to send and receive messages to and from the Maskirovka cell in that area. Redburn took the bait. You are to be congratulated."
Justin smiled to himself. I taught Andrew Redburn a great deal as his commanding officer. Andy's getting his people into place in preparation for the Fourth Tau Ceti Rangers' diversionary drop."As nearly as you can tell, the Ganjuhas remained safely hidden in the Rangers' DropShip scanner shadow?"
"Roger, Citizen." Chung glanced at a monitor, then looked back at the communications camera. "All radio traffic appears normal, and I've heard no mention of anything other than an Overlordincoming. We're ten minutes to atmosphere and fifteen to split off. Davion's people have sent up no fighter cover, so I would anticipate a smooth run at the target."
Justin nodded. "Good. Keep me informed. Out." Justin hit a switch that transferred him to the tactical frequency all twelve of his people were monitoring. "Look sharp, people. We're about twenty minutes from the paradrop and twenty-five from unlimbering our 'Mechs. Let me stress once more that this is not designed to be a 'wet' mission. Yes, we've practiced it with opposition just to keep us sharp, but we're not on a search and destroy mission. The Chancellor wants these scientists kept alive so we can use them later, after we throw the invaders back."
Ling's voice broke into the circuit. "Why don't we just take them with us?"
Justin narrowed his eyes. Citizen Ling asks too many questions."We are to leave them here because to take them with us would necessitate moving the whole lab. The Chancellor believes it is better to steal the eggs than to pay for the goose's upkeep. That is beside the point, however. Keep yourselves ready for a fight, but you are not to murder those who have been overcome by the gas. Understood?"
Verbal confirmation came from everyone as the Ganjubucked through its first impact on the atmosphere. "Jumpers report to the jump bay. Mech Warriors finalize all facets of your preparation. This is it, gentlemen and ladies." Justin smiled cruelly. "This is the beginning of the end for Hanse Davion."
* * *
Sparks showered and shot from Yen-lo-wang'slegs as the 'Mech strode through the NAIS facility's electric fence. Justin pointed toward the darkened road that ran off to the west. "Kwok, Ivanov, head off that way and secure that approach with your Ravens.Livinsky, watch our backtrail to the Ganju.When the team comes out, it will be your responsibility to buy the time to get to the ship if we have trouble. Make sure your Vindicatoris in position to do just that.”
“Roger, Justin."
Marching the Centurionover to the three-story glass and brick building, Justin saw an individual on the roof wave his hands in an "all clear" sign. Justin nodded, bringing the Centurionup to the building. They've pumped that gas in for five minutes. Everything should be under.
Justin took one last look at the holographic display the 'Mech provided him of the whole area. The Prince and my father are to be congratulated. This place is hidden in plain sight. It functions like a normal electronics plant—an electrified fence for night security and a checkpoint for daily visitors—but it's not built up enough to attract unnatural attention. That a 'Mech company is billeted close enough to react to a raid seems like careful planning on the part of the plant's owner instead of any governmental attempt to protect it.Justin smiled. It's just too bad we knew where to look.
He punched a button on his console, opening the Centurion'sfaceplate. He unsnapped his cooling vest from the couch and released his left-wrist cable from the couch's arm. He stuffed the cable back into its compartment and snapped it shut. Unplugging the sensors from his neurohelmet, he shoved it back up into place, then zipped up his jumpsuit.
Before he slid from the command couch, Justin opened the compartment below it. From there, he withdrew a needle pistol and shoulder holster. He donned them immediately, adjusting the holster to fit snugly beneath his left armpit. Feeling around in the compartment carefully, he found the other item taped to the compartment's roof. He pulled it free and stripped the tape from it.
Candace's holodisk for the Prince.The item, barely twelve centimeters in diameter, could contain over an hour of holovid message on its bottom rainbow surface. The blue and white crest of St. Ives had been emblazoned on the obverse, and the bold labeling made Justin uneasy. I will have to be careful with this or someone will wonder why I'm leaving it behind.