Melissa shook her head. "But that was like an intellectual exercise. It was just a game."
Andrew nodded. "As this will be—between you and the ISF commander leading the troops."
Melissa grabbed the lapels of Andrew's dark jacket. "But people will die . .."
Andrew disengaged himself and picked up the rifle again. "Just make sure it's more of them than it is of us." Andrew smiled and nodded at Mahler and von Breunig. "They won't let anything happen to you. You're a leader, Melissa Arthur Steiner. Now it's time for you to be true to yourself as well. Luck ..." He slipped through the doorway and vanished.
Clovis turned as Melissa flicked tears from her face with a shake of her head. "Highness," he said, "we have contact on Echo level."
Melissa pressed her hand to the earphone. "Yes, Echo Two."
"I see them through the viewport. Do I hit them now!"
"Yes, Echo Two." Melissa looked at the holograph and saw some computer-generated figures marching up the corridor toward Echo Two's position. "Fire now!"
Melissa heard the stuttering of an autorifle, but it ceased before she could find out what had happened. A new voice cut in urgently. "Baker Four to Delta Base."
Melissa glanced at the galley two levels over her head. "Go, Baker Four."
"Big breech. They're pouring through. Baker One reports ISF in as well. We need support."
"Roger." Melissa reached down to the radio control on her belt and switched over to a reserve channel. "Teams Panther and Leopard, assist Baker Four." She watched as Clovis moved the icons representating the Pantherand Leopardfire teams into position on the holographic projection.
She switched the radio back to the tactical frequency. "Echo Two, report."
Dead air greeted her. Melissa frowned and fiddled with her radio. "Echo One, report." Nothing.
"Echo One, detonate the tunnel!" Clovis whirled. "Radios are dead."
The bright lights marking Echo One and Two winked out. Melissa stared at the holograph and watched Clovis's little Kurita dragon icons inch their way along the tunnel. Above them, as the dragon icons rolled over their position, Baker Four and One died. The panther and leopard images opposed the dragons. Each image flickered, and then some vanished as Clovis's program correlated data and estimated casualties.
Pain shot through Melissa's heart.
They're dying. They're dying because of me.
"Baker Two here, we're being . . ."
The static that swallowed Baker Two's report shocked Melissa from the vortex of guilt and fear threatening to drown her reason. She shook her head to clear it, then swallowed hard.
She glanced at the icons representing her reserve fire teams. "Jaguar, Puma, Bobcat to Baker level." They winked from existence on the sidelines and then reappeared to oppose the advancing dragons. Below them, more dragons pressed forward on Echo level.
Melissa bit her lower lip and studied her last unit icon. "Tiger, report to Echo level." You better live, Andrew Redburn.Suddenly, she flashed on a memory of Misha Auburn dancing with Andrew back in Tharkad and the image struck her like a blow. My God, what have I done ?
Redburn dove to the side and sprayed slugs down the narrow corridor. He saw one ISF ninja spin as the bullets picked him up and smashed him further down the hallway. Two other ISF agents returned Andrew's fire. Their bullets blew great chunks of plaster and stone from the walls, but failed to hit the rolling MechWarrior.
Two other Tigers followed Andrew down the corridor. One managed to duck into the natural alcove that shielded him. The other stopped dead as though he'd run full-tilt into a brick wall. A shot snapped the trooper's head back. Before he could fall, a burst of bullets ripped through his chest and whirled him back out of sight.
The other man in the alcove clawed at Andrew's shoulder. As the MechWarrior turned, warm blood spurted at him from the huge gash in the man's neck. He looked at Andrew with unadulterated terror in his eyes. When the man opened his mouth to scream, only blood gushed out.
Andrew shoved the soldier away as two ISF ninjas stepped from cover to advance toward his position. Lying prone, he triggered two bursts. One jackknifed the first agent and dropped him where he stood. The second burst missed its target, but forced him back nonetheless.
Through the explosions of gunfire and the whine of ricocheting bullets, a voice full of panic rang out clearly. "Tigers, pull back!"
Andrew heard the call to retreat. He tried to scramble to his feet, but the dying man clung to him and trapped his legs. Andrew kicked his mortally wounded companion savagely, but the man would not let go. "Damn you! Don't make me die with you!"
Andrew looked up and saw a satchel full of explosives arcing through the air in pitifully slow motion. Is this how it all ends?He kicked hard again. He freed one foot, but the dying man had managed to fling himself onto the other leg and it was trapped beneath his body. His dead weight knocked Andrew down.
As he fell, Andrew aimed his autorifle down the corridor of the ISF ninjas. He squeezed the trigger tightly and watched as smoking shells geysered from the chamber. As the world exploded around him, one thought filled Andrew's mind. I love you, Misha.
Melissa felt the tremor and her heart skipped a beat. Clovis glanced over at one screen, then punched information into the computer. Before he hit the "Enter" key, he turned to her.
"Explosion, Echo level. I'm sorry."
As he punched a key, the Tiger icons vanished without a trace.
48
Pacifica (Chara III)
Isle of Skye, Lyran Commonwealth
25 May 3027
Sho-saAkiie Kamekura did not even try to suppress a smile as his Panthercame within visual distance of the Kell Hound complex. The fires of the burning barracks illuminated the whole area and seemed to hold Pacifica's dark clouds at bay. Long, dark shadows twisted and snapped like flags in a windstorm while the flames raged uncontrolled. The absence of bodies around the building confirmed in Kamekura's mind that none of the jump infantry had survived the surprise attack.
His smile grew as Chu-iOguchi, in the forward position with Ichi lance, radioed a message to him. "Sumimasen, Sho-sa." The Lieutenant failed to keep the excitement from his voice. "There is a fire in the 'Mech bay. Request permission to investigate."
Kamekura nodded slowly. "Hai."He watched as Oguchi led his lance of four Panthersacross the ferrocrete to the large hangar doors of the Kell Hound 'Mech bay. Even at this distance, he could see the flames through the open doors. He signaled Chu-iUjisato Gamo to take M lance over to the west side of the building, while he would lead Sanlance in behind Oguchi. "Be sure to use visual scanners," Kamekura warned. "The fire will render infrared inoperable, and magscan is useless with the 'Mech bay so full of equipment."
Oguchi's Pantherreached the 'Mech bay doors, while his personnel positioned themselves to cover him. Reaching with the Panther'sfree left hand, the Chu-igrasped one edge of a 'Mech bay door and slid it open.