In shock, Dan's jaw dropped. "Simon Johnson, the head of the LIC, is a member of Heimdall?'
Morgan smiled wryly. "Recall that we are a group formed from the loyalopposition. We knew it would be useful for us to have people inside the Lyran Intelligence Corps. Especially after Poulsbo, I must that admit Arthur, Patrick, and I used to laugh about Alessandro's elevation of Simon. The idea of Alessandro relying on a member of Heimdall to help identify Heimdall cells and destroy them is gratifying."
Dan nodded weakly. "You didn't tell me about Jeana because I'm not Heimdall?" Unspoken was Dan's sense of betrayal, but it was expressed in his tone.
Morgan reached out and squeezed Dan's forearm. "You may never have been formally inducted into Heimdall, but you might as well be a member. Regardless, I would have told you that much about her if I'd known it earlier. I didn't get that information until this message came in. Clovis appended the data."
Dan gave Morgan a feeble smile. "Thank you." He looked down at the knotted sash and used it to focus himself. His voice flattened out, barely more than a hoarse whisper. "Do they know who did it... who sent the assassins?"
Morgan drew in a deep breath, then narrowed his dark eyes. "He left no real evidence, and the man Jeana disabled gave up no information. But Katrina knows the plot originated in the Isle of Skye."
Dan unknotted the sash, then wound the loose ends around each fist until he held the cloth taut between them. "Aldo Lestrade." Staring at the garrote, Dan's blue eyes narrowed with rage. "He's been calling a lot of tunes lately. Once we've dealt with the Genyosah,it'll be time for him to pay the piper."
The fury in Morgan's voice matched the anger in Dan's. "I agree."
Dan looked up. "I'll send a message to Clovis. I won't deny him the right to kill the Duke, but I want Clovis to know he'll not travel alone to do the job."
Morgan frowned. "Remember that I said the holovid had gone to Lyons first? Clovis saw it, then forwarded it to us." Morgan sighed deeply. "I already sent such a message via ComStar to Clovis, but only got a reply from Karla Bremen. Clovis is gone."
Godspeed, my friend.Dan let the garrote sag, then snapped it taut again with a crack. I place my vengeance in your hands.
39
Kathil
Capellan March, Federated Suns
7 September 3029
The spherical UnionClass DropShip, boldly emblazoned with the death's-head insignia of the Liao Death Commandos, flew through the night sky with the ease of a condor gliding lazily on updrafts. As it slowed to hover, the guns retracted against the terrible heat of atmospheric entry popped out and searched the ground for any sign of the enemy. When the gunners found no targets, the ship began a slow descent.
Only five hundred meters above ground, the DropShip shuddered and drifted sideways. Blue sparks arced from laser mounts and PPCs. One LRM pod sprayed its missiles into the air while another belched a great gout of black smoke. Thelanding jets all pulsed out flame in a haphazard pattern, tipping the vessel right and then left. The ship righted itself and began to fight against Kathil's gravity, then the ion jets quit altogether.
The DropShip hit the ground hard, sending tremors out that Andrew Redburn could feel even in the cockpit of his Marauder.The ship's starboard hull crumpled, then an explosion in an LRM magazine blasted the ship up again. The volcanic detonations continued, spinning and bouncing the DropShip across the dark landing zone. The ship convulsed violently as it landed heavily on the port side, then a blazing red-yellow fireball blew the DropShip apart.
Pieces of hull split open like a naranjirind. Full-sized Battle-Mechs rocked out of the broken sphere, spinning wildly out of control. Andrew watched a Marauderwhose arms flailed madly against the air as its cylindrical body wheeled over and over again. The heavy 'Mech landed on its feet, but the birdlike legs snapped at the knee. The Marauder'sbody broke in half. The cockpit section tumbled across the landscape while the fusion engine in the torso exploded, spitting armor and parts carelessly over the landscape.
Hand trembling, Andrew punched up the communications link that ran through a landline to Morgan's headquarters. "Delta Lion to Pride. The microwaves got the first DropShip, but I make two more coming in low and hot." Andrew hesitated, searching for words to describe the carnage in the landing zone. "Pride, no one survived the landing. That shouldn't have happened to anyone."
Morgan's voice, tinged with regret, filled Andrew's neuro-helmet. "I agree. If I thought they would have given our new people some quarter, I might have had a choice. Alpha reports having a battalion of Fourth Tau Ceti Rangers heading for the Median Power Company plant. Two Unionslanding in your area means we'll have two companies of death Commandos targeting Yare."
Andrew nodded mechanically. "Roger, Pride. We'll stop what we can." Andrew severed the landline with his commander. I hope like hell we don't let much through. Those retired MechWarriors you've gathered as your staff might be all heart, Morgan, but their fighting days were over a long time ago. As good as you are, Morgan Hasek-Davion, you cannot defend that generating station by yourself.
Andrew punched up a magnified view of the two UnionClass DropShips that had settled onto the landing zone. The flames from the burning first ship flickered yellow highlights onto the other two ships' pitted armor. They also provided enough light to reveal the 'Mechs marching from the DropShips' bellies onto the hellground, filling Andrew's guts with ice.
The Death Commandos moved from their DropShips swiftly. Instead of lining up in formation, as some units might have, they spread out to make themselves harder to hit. None of them stopped to check on the condition of their fallen comrades, but instead they used debris and broken 'Mechs as cover. Their scouts moved forward with great caution, searching out any sign of enemy 'Mechs.
Andrew swallowed hard. These guys really are as hot as their reputation. I guess we’ll just have to be better than ours.Seeing a lance of scout 'Mechs move beyond the blast perimeter and onto the edge of the landing zone, he punched a button on his command console. His auxiliary monitor redrew the map of the landing zone, adding two rings of polka-dots around the whole area. The scout lance's 'Mechs appeared as golden triangles in the dark area between the two rings.
The lead scout 'Mech, a Raven,crossed into the outer circle of dots. Its right foot came down on the ground, then shot back up as the mine beneath it erupted. An argent column of flame ripped the Raven'sfoot clean off, spinning the leggy 'Mech back into the safe zone. It squatted, listing badly to the right, but the pilot did not leave his 'Mech. The other scouts, after a short discussion with their commander, carefully began to retrace their steps back toward the DropShips.
Ten meters into the interior ring, the lead Ostscouthit another mine. The explosion blasted up into both of the humanoid 'Mech's legs. Armor sowed shrapnel all over the landing zone as the discharge blew the 'Mech's legs out from under it. The Ostscoutlanded on its back, then rolled, detonating another mine beneath its chest. The second mine ripped a huge hole in the 'Mech's left flank.