Minobu did not answer immediately. Surely, Wolf knew that he had no BattleMech. The mercenary was calling on Minobu to confess his dishonor. Very well. “I am Dispossessed, Colonel Wolf. I would be a liability.”
“Nonsense,” Wolf said, taking his arm. “We can fix you up. Come on.”
The pressure on his arm and the attention of the room compelled Minobu to go along. The only alternative was to create a scene of indecorous refusal.
Once they hit the heat of the harsh Quentin sun, there was little time for thought as Wolf led him, Blake, and Cameron at a brisk walk. A faster speed would have been foolish because it would be asking for trouble to overheat the body beforeentering the cockpit of a BattleMech. Ahead of them the half-dozen BattleMechs of Wolf's Command Lance stood in the blazing sun.
Among the unfamiliar machines stood the Cyclopsthat would be Cameron's 'Mech. Minobu spotted a blue Archerwith familiar gold trim. So ka.Had the pilot survived Dromini as well? There would be time enough to find out after the crisis. If it was the same pilot, that would be a warrior worth meeting.
Gathered in the shadow of the war machines was a small group of people. Three of them wore cooling vests, which marked them as ‘Mech Warriors. Like the officers who had just come from the command center, they did not wear humidifier masks. They were expecting to be out of the dry air soon and inside their 'Mechs, where the filtration systems would keep the air moist.
The faces of the ‘MechWarriors were unfamiliar to Minobu. Any one of them could have been the warrior he had spared on Dromini VI, for they all had the look of veterans of the harsh battlefields of the Successor States.
The rest of the group, whose uniform markings showed them to be Techs, was equipped to work in the planet's brutal conditions. They were occupied with last-minute checks or in briefing the pilots on the status of their machines.
When Wolf's group arrived, a pair of Techs stepped up to help the Dragoon officers strip out of their uniforms. Once Wolf had on his vest and his helper was attaching the biofeedback sensors, he motioned for a woman wearing the insignia of a Senior Tech to join him. “Bynfield, I want you to find something for Colonel Tetsuhara.”
“As you wish, Colonel.” Even muffled by the mask, her Voice conveyed the annoyance of a busy person being asked to take on a heavier workload. She turned to Minobu and said, “If you will follow me, sir.”
Minobu did as he was bid, following the Tech to a hangar. As he entered, he looked back to see Wolf conferring with his lance members.
“What do you pilot, sir?”
Minobu noted that she used the present tense. There was no way that this Tech could know that he lacked a 'Mech, and so she assumed that it was simply unavailable. He need not make his disgrace obvious to one of her social standing; neither would he bother to lie. “My last BattleMech was a Panther.”
“Panther.”She consulted a desk comp. “Hmmm. Can't get you one of those just now. Got a VND-1R that we've just finished servicing in the vehicle park. How's that?”
Minobu had never handled a Vindicator,so he questioned Bynfield about its details as he studied the diagrams the Tech brought up on the console. A ‘MechWarrior was supposed to be able to pilot any 'Mech. Theoretically, his training had prepared him for that, but as was so commonplace in the universe, the theory did not match reality.
Most BattleMechs had a similar humanoid shape. Regardless of shape, however, their controls had to be designed to interface with a Human pilot. That made them similar, but not identical. Even minor differences in the arrangement of the instruments could lead to a moment of hesitation that might cost a ‘MechWarrior his life. Likewise, anticipation of a certain turning radius or rate of head dispersion that was not appropriate to the current machine could be lethal in the split-second world of combat. The problem was further complicated by the decline of technology in the Successor States. Modifications and jury-rigged systems were more common. Such modifications came in such a bewildering variety that no 'Mech academy curriculum could cover them all.
This Vindicator'sperformance characteristics were similar to those of his old Panther.The 'Mech was jump-capable and had a comparable ground speed. Massing ten tons more, it also carried heavier armament and armor. The biggest difference was that the right arm mounted a Ceres Arms Smasher PPC instead of a battlefist. The weapon's sophisticated cooling jacket made it a less-compact system than the Lord's Light PPC of the Panther.
The computer readout showed only one non-standard system—a Holly launcher replacing the Capellan-built Sian ICeres Jaguar missile system. The Holly's discharge rate was slightly inferior to that listed for a factory-fresh Jaguar launcher, but its reputation among ‘Mech Warriors of the Inner Sphere was far superior. This unit's maintenance record was spotless, and the BattleMech's overall record was nearly as good.
“The Vindicatoris adequate, Tech Bynfield.”
Bynfield's voice was hard with sarcasm. “Glad you're pleased, Colonel.We try so hard to perform to adequate standards. If you could be troubled to step this way.”
The Tech indicated a jitney that had arrived while Minobu was studying the computer files. On the passenger seat was a cooling vest, the feedback sensor cords coiled neatly on top. Minobu removed the garment and took a seat. He had barely settled in when Bynfield gunned the engine and directed the vehicle toward the back of the hangar. They roared through the open doors and headed for the vehicle park. As they approached, Minobu recognized the silhouette of the Vindicatorfrom the plan views stored in the data file. A power lift scaffold nestled next to the 'Mech, and a pair of jitneys and a coolant truck were parked at its feet.
Bynfield brought the vehicle to an abrupt stop and jumped out. She headed for the 'Mech, her back stiff. Minobu climbed out and stood in the shade of the BattleMech to strip off his uniform and don the cooling vest. As he watched Bynfield supervise her crew's final preparations for powering up the 'Mech, her concern for perfection and technical expertise was evident. She moved and directed with the sureness of a master. Now he understood her attitude. He had treated her as a simple lackey, not as the artist she obviously believed herself. When she returned to announce the 'Mech was ready, Minobu bowed.
“I am grateful, Senior Master.”
Bynfield stood for a moment, puzzlement written all over her face. Then she shook her head and started to reach for the pile that was his uniform and swords. “Your gear'll be at HQ, sir.”
Minobu stepped in her way. “You may take the uniform when I am gone. The swords I must take with me.” He lifted the wakizashi.Loosening the sageyocord, he looped it over his shoulder, and retied it. He settled the sword where the blade would not get in his way when he clambered aboard the 'Mech. He did the same for the katana,his motions quick and practiced.
“Right. Well, the Vindicator'sall set, sir. The neurocircuits have been adjusted to an open setting, and so you shouldn't get any feedback. You can ride the lift up.” She watched as he entered the cage. Minobu engage the drive and began to rise up the length of the 'Mech. “Crazy samurai,” he heard her say to another crew member, though he knew Bynfield had not intended him to overhear. Then she picked up the uniform and walked away.
The lift jarred to a stop at cockpit level, where Minobu picked his way across the hot metal of the 'Mech's exterior. Before entering, he unslung his swords. Holding them both by the scabbard cords, he slid through the open hatch and into the pilot's seat. Swords safely stowed, he looked over the controls and checked the 'Mech's system monitors before reaching up to close and dog the hatch.