The general stiffened, then bowed.
"My apologies, Colonel Wolf. I am most remiss. The schedule has been changed. Due to pressing business, the Coordinator is unable to meet with you at the agreed-upon time. Your understanding in this matter would be most appreciated."
"I thought Takashi wanted to get this over with."
The general looked very uncomfortable. "I obey the Coordinator's orders, Colonel Wolf. I am only authorized to say that you may meet with the Coordinator this evening."
"What about the duel?"
"That you must discuss with the Coordinator."
The Wolf folded his arms. "I was told that there was a BattleMech prepared for me. Do I at least get to see it?"
"A moment please, Colonel." The general held a hurried conversation with an aide wearing the black dress uniform of the Internal Security Force. Their whispers finished, he bowed to the Wolf and said with a smile. "If you wish. If not, other amusements may be arranged for you and your men."
"I'll see the 'Mech," the Colonel said bluntly.
"We are at your service, Colonel Wolf," the general said with another bow.
I doubted it, but they did lead us to a blue and gold Archerthat mimicked the color scheme of Jaime Wolf's machine. We spent the afternoon checking it out and found it to be in almost perfect condition, though its ammo bays were empty. The Colonel seemed satisfied with the 'Mech, but I still worried about what the Kuritans had in mind.
* * *
Gobi Station maintains a geosynchronous orbit over a small island 160 kilometers off the east coast of Outreach's smaller continent. The orbital mechanics made for a short flight up from Harlech and a longer inbound trip. Useful for political reasons, useful now for Elson's reasons. He made sure he was in the bay when Alpin Wolf's shuttle arrived.
"I got your message," Alpin said as he walked up to Elson.
Direct. "I am glad you could come. I thought it best to give you the news first."
"News? The whole planet knows your news. You've—excuse me, you havecome back with the cache ships."
"That is not what I am talking about." Elson turned, slightly, letting the light shine on the rank insignia affixed to his collar, a colonel's star. The bright burnish of the longest point marked it as the insignia of the First among officers. Elson would not wear it much longer, but it would serve him now.
Alpin's eyes were drawn by the flash. Whatever he had been about to say died in his throat as he reached the obvious conclusion. His mouth hung open like that of a gaffed fish. Finally he stammered, "My father's dead?"
"I am sorry for your loss," Elson said solemnly. "He died in an ambush. There were looters aboard some of the ships. There were other losses as well."
Alpin shook his head slowly, brow furrowed. Several times he started to speak, then stopped before any words came out. Elson waited.
"Were you there?" Alpin asked tenatively.
"I was leading the capture of the looters' DropShip. When I realized there were ambushers on the ship he had boarded, we crossed to the Alexanderas quickly as we could, but we were too late. His passing left a void."
In a bitter but unfocused voice, Alpin said, "So you stepped in."
Elson bowed his head. "The officers saw fit to name me first among officers. I could replace him on the mission, but I cannot do that here. You still live, and Dragoon custom seems to decree that you are now Jaime Wolf's heir, since his only surviving son is far too young to command."
"But that's not . . ."
"Was not MacKenzie to replace Jaime when his father stepped down? I've heard nothing else since the day I took my bondsman's band. It is only logical that you will now be Jaime's successor as leader of the Dragoons."
"But I ..."
"I know, my friend. I understand." Elson laid his hand on Alpin's shoulder. The boy was trembling. "You are not yet ready for such responsibility, having been hidden for so long in the shadow of your father. But you will succeed; I have confidence in you. You will choose good men to aid you, men who understand what you have suffered at the hands of a jealous father. What honest man would not support your claim?"
Elson watched the slackness of Alpin's stunned expression stiffen into a grimace of calculation.
"You will help me?"
"I see no other course." Elson tightened his grip on Alpin's shoulder. "Have you not felt that it is your destiny to command the Dragoons?"
"Yes," Alpin said softly. "You know, I always thought it was."
He seemed to look inward for a second. "They knew it, too. My father and grandfather, I mean. I can see it now. They always made my tests harder so I wouldn't score well. It must have been to prevent jealousy among the others. Yes, that's what the old Wolf would do. He set it up to fool them all so they wouldn't hate me."
"No one hates you, Alpin." You are far too weak to deserve hate."But they don't like me."
"It is a commander's lot to be disliked. Most of the emotion comes from jealousy."
"Yes, you're right," Alpin said. "It's because they're jealous."
"They will be more jealous when you take Jaime's place."
Alpin looked up with a worried expression. "You won't be jealous of me, Elson, will you?"
"I have no reason to be, my friend," Elson said with an honest smile.
"Then you will help me, quiaff?You will watch my back when I am in charge. I will need loyal men like you, men who know the right of things."
"You will have my help, but you will need more."
"Just hearing you say that makes me excited and worried at the same time. I'm—excuse me— I amglad that I can count on you, but you are right. I will need more help. There are too many Dragoons who believe the results of those rigged tests. The old Wolf's plan has backfired. His old men think I am not fit to be a commander."
"They will not always be around. Among the Clans, such old men would have been retired long ago, letting the next generation keep the blood of the leadership fresh and forward-looking. It is the way of life, one generation yielding to the next, the better generation. Your own grandfather encourages the old ones in their selfish thinking by clinging to his own command."
Alpin nodded vigorously. "It isa bad example."
"As you say."
"But what can I do about it?" Elson wrapped his arm around Alpin's slender shoulders. "Come," he said. "I have a few ideas."
29
Michi Noketsuna had not expected to live. He had thought that his decision to face the Coordinator was fatal, whether he fulfilled his vendetta or not. Then Indrahar and the ISF had intervened and, in electing to attack the ISF Director, Michi believed he had chosen a path to certain death. To awaken in the care of a member of the Physicians of the Dragon Brotherhood was a bizarre twist of fate, a peculiar reward for his chosen course.
Truly, his karmawas strange.
The fact of his survival was a puzzle that he pondered as he drifted in and out of sleep. Once, he thought he heard a doctor whispering to another that Takashi was dead and that Michi had saved him from an assassin. How could both be true? His own recollections were muddled, his constant drowsiness only obscuring things further. Perhaps with time, the mist would lift from his mind.
He slept.