Chapter Thirteen - Coup D’Etat

Babeski

Tamar March, Federated Commonwealth

6 June 3053

­Rachel DeVoras smiled as she watched the mechs of her new mercenary unit, Rachel’s Redcoats, receive their new paint job. The old jet black of the Dark Rangers was too boring for her.

­In the three days she’d been on Babeski, Rachel had done a number of changes to the unit. She received orders to assume temporary command of the unit and restructure it and make it ready for operations as soon as possible. In light of that, she had hired on three new pilots, only one of which was scheduled to arrive anytime within the next month. She would be arriving today.

­“Captain DeVoras!” called out a voice, it was Tim.

­“Yes, Tim.” said Rachel.

­“The new pilot’s dropship is touching down now. I figured you’d want to know.”

­“Yes, thank you.” she said, turning towards her jeep. “I’ll see you later on today.”

­The Buccaneer dropship pulled to a stop on the tarmac of the Dark Ranger’s base. The rear cargo bay opened and a transport platform began to remove the new pilot’s mech, a Shadow Hawk, from the cargo bay. The passenger ramp lowered and three people walked out, two male and one female, both in Dragoon uniforms.

­“Is anyone around?” asked the African male promptly

­“Just astechs.” said Rachel. “The rest of the Rangers are on base.”

­“Good. Rachel, this is Michelle Sarvon, the first of your new pilots.”

­“Good to have you aboard.” said Rachel. “Take the jeep and head over to the base. The rest of the Rangers’ll give you a hand stowing away your stuff.”

­“Yes, ma’am.” said Michelle, who promptly left.

­“I don’t need one of your stooges keeping an eye on me.” snarled Rachel. “I know my job.”

­“Consider it a precautionary measure, Rachel.” snapped Antoine Anderson in return. “If Logan manages to survive whatever Pryde has in store for him, we want to ensure the Rangers are out of the picture. Now that we’ve bought them off and placed you in command.”

­“You think he will? Survive, that is?”

­“Not realistically.” said Antoine. “But that doesn’t mean he won’t. And I want to take every measure to insure that if he does, things still go according to plan.”

­“If Logan comes back, the plan is ruined anyway. There’s no way he’ll take the Rangers to Conspiracy space to fight for Ryan Steiner.”

­“You are far too shortsighted. There are other plans in play at the moment that are far more important than the one in which you play a part. If yours goes off, so be it. The Conspiracy will have a top of the line merc unit and the other plans in play will become null and void. You’ll have gained a pilot, a skilled mechwarrior, consider it a....gift. But if yours does not go off, then the others go into effect. I must put the pieces into place before hand, or none of this is going to work.” Antoine let an evil grin cross his face. “Enjoy your new pilot. Farewell.”

Mar Negro Courthouse

Alyina

Jade Falcon Occupation Zone, Federated Commonwealth

6 June 3053

­“GUILTY! GUILTY GUILTY!” snarled Dal Pryde with glee. “The jury’s decision is unanimous.” He quickly regained his composure. “Please rise to hear the punishment for your crimes.”

­Logan casually strolled to his feet. Taman Malthus, his arm in a cast, also stood. Pryde smiled unnoticed. He’d hoped the rebels would have finished Malthus or vice-versa, but that had not gone as planned.

­“I sentence you to death by slow torture, you Inner Sphere slime. Take him away.”

­“Wait!” called out Logan. “I challenge this ruling in the manner in which your people challenge unfair laws.” He spat the word “your” with all the contempt he could muster. “A Circle of Equals against you....Pryde!”

­“Noble, but not accurate.” Taunted Pryde in an arrogant didactic tone. “It is not to be a one-on-one battle as you would like…between you and I alone. No, the Trial of Refusal works differently than that. By calling it, you challenge us all, myself and the jury who have voted you guilty. Are you prepared for that, Logan?”

­Logan turned to Malthus, as if expecting Malthus to refute Pryde’s conditions. Malthus shook his head. “He is right. That is our way.”

­“Then what choice do I have?” said Logan, turning back to Pryde. “Die on the battlefield or die at the hands of your cruel torturers?”

“Yes, what choice indeed, and die you will.” said Pryde demonically. “You will die in disgrace. The Trial of Refusal is accepted. We shall next meet on the battlefield tomorrow. This court is adjourned.”

­As the crowd gathered their things to leave, Thomas quickly darted out of the courtroom. He jogged down to a waiting car, where he got in. Rohan was waiting inside.

­“So?”

­“Trial of Refusal, as we suspected. Tomorrow. I know the usual place and time.”

­“So what’s the plan.”

­“Two fold strike. My rebels attack the city while you muck up the Trial. The Bloodnamed warriors will be out in the field trying to kill Logan. We will tie up the rest. The chaos that results should allow you to grab Logan and run and for us to fade back into the woodwork.”

­“Very well. Show me the place.”

Trial Grounds

Alyina

Jade Falcon Occupation Zone, Federated Commonwealth

7 June 3053

­The Trial grounds consisted of a soggy marshland about 30 miles due north of Mar Negro. It had little redeeming quality. It slowed mechs down to snail’s pace and clogged jump jet ports, both of which would be a handicap to Logan. With Nightmare safely in the custody of his own Rangers, Logan was forced to borrow a Clan mech for the trial. Pryde had accommodated him by giving him a Thor, a 70 ton heavy common in use among the Jade Falcons.

­Nearly two kilometers away, Logan could see the enemy forces assemble. It was vast array against him: Pryde’s Masakari, plus two Loki, a Thor like his own, a Black Hawk, a Ryoken, three Ullers, a Koshi, and a Puma. Even in Nightmare, Logan could not take on odds like that.

­Logan locked his sights on the lead Masakari. He figured he would probably die here, but he’d be damned if he wasn’t going to take Pryde with him.

­Pryde’s face appeared in Logan’s monitor. “It is time. Prepare yourself.” With that, his face faded and Logan saw the enemy forces begin their march towards him.

­Logan began to trudge through the marsh, trying to keep some distance between him and his opponents. The marsh made that difficult especially against the faster light mechs that were quickly closing on his now exposed flanks.

­“Fuck it.” swore Logan. “Let’s see how many of you I can take with me.” His Thor spun and locked its autocannon on an incoming Uller. He fired. The stream of cannon fire connected solidly with the center of the mech, shredding its light armor and knocking it back into the muck. It did not get back up.

­The Koshi opened fire, spraying the Thor’s heavy armor with laser fire. The blows were minor....for now. Logan knew his armor would not stand against their continuous barrages for long.

­Logan spun to bring his PPC onto his new opponent. “Congratulations. You’re the next contestant on The Spheroid Is Right!” said Logan with a dose of dark humor. He fired his PPC, but the Koshi darted aside, the blast vaporizing a pool of water.

­“Damn!” swore Logan. His mech rocked back and forth. Logan looked at his monitors. The Ryoken had closed range and was hammering at him with its heavy autocannon. A few hits from it and paper would be better than Logan’s armor. The Lokis, Thor, and Masakari were also opening fire, their long range weapons now able to reach him. Logan could not hope to dodge all their shots and although he evaded some, the rest hammered into him like a freight train. The Thor staggered back and fell over into the muck.

­“It is over, Logan.” said Pryde. “Prepare to die.”

­“I don’t think so, Pryde.” Came another voice. Rohan!

­“I know that voice!” snarled Pryde in surprise and dismay.

­Crawling out of the larger ponds came three mechs, a Crab, a Banshee, and a Kintaro. As if on cue, Pryde’s radio screamed at him. It was David. “Star Colonel, rebel mechs are within the city. We are under attack.”

­Pryde knew he’d been had. PPC and laser fire from the Ranger’s mechs disintegrated the two remaining Ullers and the Koshi. That gave Logan time enough to stand. His first target was Pryde’s Masakari. A PPC bolt, an autocannon burst, and an LRM volley all slammed into the Masakari with devastating accuracy. Pryde’s mech rocked back and forth.

­“So be it. It comes down to us after all.” Pryde locked his weapons on the shoulder of the Thor and fired. Four PPCs vaporized the joint there and blew the autocannon off. The arm spun around a few times before hitting the swamp and exploding.

­“I will take you apart piece by piece.”

­“Star Colonel, we must withdraw.” snapped one of the Bloodnamed. “Our men are in danger.”

­“No!”

­“We must. The Rangers cannot escape the planet. We will come back for them.”

­“You narrow-minded fool! Do you not think that they would not have an escape planned?”

­“We have no choice. Which is more important: your vendetta or the defense of this world?”

­Pryde spun his mech to face the speaker. Four PPCs smashed into the center of the dissenter’s Loki. It blew apart.

­“They’ll not take the planet by capturing one city. David, get your men to the Trial fields.”

­“Aff, Star Colonel. Withdrawing to join with you.”

“Logan, we got company!” said Rohan, moving swiftly across the marshy ground to move up beside the battered Thor.

­Pryde’s force was anything but in bad shape. Pryde’s Masakari was damaged, but the remaining Loki, Thor, Black Hawk, Ryoken, and Puma were largely intact and closing fast with the four Rangers.

­“We’ve got to get out of here.” said Cowboy.

­“We’ll never make it!” said Doc. Autocannon shells from the enemy Thor tore across the Kintaro’s flank, smashing its hip and locking its leg in place.

­Cowboy moved in-between Doc and his new opponent. The Falcon Ryoken marched forward, cutting ugly gashes with its lasers in the already patchwork armor of the Banshee. The second Loki joined in, coalescing two PPC bolts around the Banshee’s right leg. The power plasma bolts melted the mech’s armor to slag and set the myomer muscles beneath aflame. Black smoke poured up from the leg of the Banshee, obscuring Cowboy’s view.

­Cowboy glared at his status monitor. His right leg was as good as gone and the fire was spreading through his mech’s entire musculature. He could no longer maneuver his mech. Neither could Doc with the wrecked hip.

­“What are you orders, Logan?” asked Rohan, the only Ranger on the field with little battle damage. He was being pursued by the enemy Black Hawk, but his speed had allowed him to keep his distance from the mech’s lethal array of lasers.

­Faced with the total destruction of his command, Logan froze up. He didn’t know what to say. Cowboy’s Banshee began to explode as the fires reached his ammunition stores. Cowboy punched out as the Banshee erupted into a fireball.

­“You cannot escape. And now your friends die with you.” taunted Pryde, bringing his grey and white Masakari through the evaporating flames of Cowboy’s mech. The sight was completely unnerving to Logan.

­“This man is a demon. Why does he want me? Why kill so many to get me?”

­The ends of Pryde’s PPCs began to glow. With its battle damage, his borrowed Thor could not survive another strike.

­Pulse lasers suddenly flashed from above, ripping into Pryde’s mech. Surprised, Pryde pulled back. Two forms came out from the clouds, the Blackblade and, to Logan’s joy, The Fury.

­“Why is it I’m always bailing your ass out?” said Jael, roaring The Fury over the heads of the enemy mechs. Pulse lasers continued to roar as he pumped shot after shot into the Falcon mechs. Some returned fire, but none paid any further attention to Logan and his friends.

­“Let’s get out of here.” said Logan. Rohan dashed over to pick up Cowboy from the muck. Doc limped to the landing Blackblade.

The arrival of the heavily modified heavily armed Lone Wolf dropship gave the Clan mech’s pause. After only a few passes, the firepower of the Lone Wolf’s pulse lasers had put the Bloodnamed clanners into disarray. It was all the time the Rangers needed to get aboard the Blackblade.

 “Alright, Jael, let’s get out of here.” declared the Blackblade’s captain, beginning the dropship’s ascent.

­“Gladly.” said the hotshot, jerking the Lone Wolf dropship into a near vertical climb. He hurled away from the Clan mechs just as David and his forces cleared a crest of nearby hills.

---

­“I owe you guys.” said Logan, popping the canopy and stepping out.

­Rohan and the others were at the foot of the now stolen Thor.

­“The Ranger’s just wouldn’t be the same without you.” said Doc. “Come on. We can’t make escape velocity with us standing around like this. Let’s get strapped in and get off this God-forsaken rock.

“The rest of the crew’s probably missed us.” mused Cowboy.

“Please. You know better.” Said Logan. “They’ve probably already hired our replacements.” Logan strapped himself down next to an intercom system. “Captain, can you patch me through to that loser in the other ship?”

“The loser that just saved your ass?”

“Yeah, that one.”

A few seconds later, Jael’s voice came across the line. “Did you like my little surprise?” he asked.

“How did you know?”

“You have friends in high places, Logan. I’ve been doing a bit of transport jobs around these parts when I ran into one of the Star Sword officers on New Belfast. Told me what was going on. So I made a quick stop at the L-1 pirate point of Alyina on the way back. Glad I did. Your jumpship told me roughly where to find you.”

“Star Sword officer?”

“Yeah, some guy named Smith.”

Babeski

Tamar March, Federated Commonwealth

12 July 3053

­“Pre-flight checklist, ma’am.” said Tony, handing a clipboard to Rachel. “All mechs are loaded and ready to go. Next stop is Northwind.”

­“Okay, have all the Redcoats packed away their personal effects?”

­“Not yet. They’re in the process of getting them ready now. We should still be ready to lift-off on schedule.”

­“Excellent.” Rachel glanced up to see a small black shape on the horizon. “What the....?”

­Tony turned. “Looks like a dropship.”

­“I wasn’t aware that we were due to have visitors.”

­“Neither was I. Planetary defense didn’t send up a squadron to blow them away, so I doubt they’re hostile.”

­“Odd, I don’t recognize that class of ship. Who and whatever they are, they look like they’re going to land here.”

­Tony muttered softly. “Yeah, I’d imagine so. We’d better get off the tarmac and give them some room to land.”

­“Agreed. I’m curious as to who is coming to visit.” The two of them moved between a pair of fighter hangers to watch.

­Rachel was not as ignorant as she would have had Tony believe. True, she didn’t recognize the class of dropship rapidly descending upon the Redcoats base, but she suspected who it was on board.

­“Tony, head back to base and get the Redcoats ready. I have a bad feeling about this.” said Rachel.

­“Yes, ma’am.” said Tony, who dashed off. He darted around the corner of one of the aerospace fighter hangers and stopped. He peeked out and watched Rachel unnoticed.

­Rachel drew her heavy pistol and waited. The ship touched down and rolled to a stop roughly 30 meters in front of her. This close, she could see its insignia and designation clearly. The insignia was Kell Hound and its name was The Fury.

­“Damn!” swore Rachel. “Just as I thought. Damned Kell Hounds have come to mess things up.” She was about to re-holster her pistol when the passenger door opened and out stepped Logan.

­“You know, I really wanted to kick your ass when you resigned from the Rangers.”

­“You keep telling me that, Logan.” said Jael following him out. “I’m beginning to wonder if that’s what you plan to do the instant we set foot on planetary soil.”

­“Nah, he’s just trying to find an excuse to still hate you after you saved our lives.” said Doc nonchalantly.

­“Oh, come on, guys. No hard feelings. I certainly wasn’t about to let you guys go in to hostile territory like that without some backup.”

­“Not a second too soon, either.”

“That was obvious.”

­From her vantage point, Rachel shook her head in dismay. “Double damn! It’s even worse. The Rangers survived. Plan or no plan, Anderson. I’m not about to give up my merc unit without a fight.” She trained the gun on Logan and pulled the trigger.

­The shot caught Logan in the left shoulder. The impact spun him around and he crashed back into the stairway leading out from the dropship. Jael cried out in surprise. Behind them, Rohan grabbed the falling Logan.

­“What the hell?” said Rohan.

Jael drew his pistol and jumped down the walkway. He went down into a crouched position, covering his friends.

­“Logan, you okay?” he called back. He scanned the nearby buildings for sign of the shooter, but Rachel was too good to be so easily seen.

­“Clean wound.” said Logan, rolling over. “Nothing vital hit, I don’t think. Who the fuck shot me?”

­“Beats me. This wasn’t exactly the reception I expected.” said Rohan.

“Well, you did say they would be replacing us already.” Reminded Cowboy. He and Doc, weapons drawn, were behind cover in the dropship door at the top of the gantry.

­Rachel drew a bead on Rohan and was about to pull the trigger when she was tackled from behind. Tony dragged her to the ground. She slammed her elbow back into his gut and he let go.

­Seeing the struggle, Jael drew a bead and fired. The red laser bolt missed Rachel and Tony both by nearly a meter, but it made them both concerned. Realizing she’d been spotted.  Rachel rolled to her feet and pointed her gun at Tony.

­“Watch it. That’s Tony with the shooter.” said Rohan to Jael. Both men began running towards the scuffle.

­“Sorry, no witnesses.” said Rachel, pulling the trigger. Tony’s body lurched from the impact and then lay still.

­“She shot Tony!” called out Doc. Rachel spun at the sound of his voice and fired off a quick shot at him. He darted aside and it missed. Cowboy darted to the side of the hanger, well out of Rachel’s view.

­Doc, Jael, and Rohan all dived behind a cargo crate as Rachel let loose with another series of shots. “She could pin us down easily.” said Rohan.

­“It’s only an autopistol.” said Jael.

­“You want to be the one of us she can shoot before we take her down?” said Doc.

­“Cowards.” said Jael, about to stand.

­Before he could, Cowboy stepped around from behind his cover, quick-drawing both Mydron machine pistols from his hip holsters like his historical namesake and opening fire. Rachel was spinning to bring her gun onto him when the first bursts struck. Rachel’s form twitched as a half-dozen light caliber rounds penetrated it and then fell over.

­“It’s over.” said Cowboy.

­“Who was she?” asked Solo.

­“I don’t know, but Tony’s dead.” said Cowboy, kneeling beside the fallen Ranger. He ran his hand over the odd-looking red uniform on Tony’s body. “Same as hers.” he commented.

­“Something fishy’s going on here.” said Doc.

­“Who is she?” repeated Rohan. Logan was with him, holding a rag against his bleeding wound.

­“Don’t know. Is she alive?” asked Cowboy.

­“After that? Are you kidding me?” said Doc. Cowboy smiled with a degree of pride.

­“Getting better with that quick draw, aren’t you, Johvac?” said Jael.

­“Enough of the small talk. Let’s get to the command center and find out what’s going on around here.” said Logan.

---

­Gunshots echoed through the handful of prefab building that constituted Rachel’s Redcoats headquarters. “Hunters.” muttered Kai, as he climbed into the passenger’s side of a transport truck. “Out killing game in the woods.”

­“Is that everything then?” called out Tim. Positive responses came from the crowd of Redcoats. “Good, climb in and we’re off to our new job.”

­More shots followed, automatic weapons this time. “Those are no hunters.” Said Tim.

­The hand radio on Tim’s belt squawked. “Lt. Peal, shots fired on the tarmac. No response from Rachel or Tony. We have intruders.”

­“What the hell?” said Tim, jumping into the driver’s seat of the truck as the Redcoats loaded aboard. “We’ve got trouble, guys.”

­Tim slammed on the accelerator and the truck lurched forward. Many of the Redcoats in the back had barely gotten into their seats when the truck sped up, knocking most of them over.

­The truck headed down the dusty road, traveling the kilometer to the dropship base in less than two minutes. At the entrance, they encountered a ragtag group of five. Tim slammed on the brakes, having the reverse effect on his passengers of his abrupt start.

­“What the hell is he doing here?” said Tim, dropping out of the driver’s seat and marching up into Logan’s face.

­“Nice to see you too, Tim. Mind explaining why I got shot when I stepped off the dropship?”

­“Which one nailed your ass, Rachel or Tony?” said Kai with mockery.

­“Ever get the feeling you’re not wanted?” whispered Jael to Cowboy.

“I thought you were only joking about the wanting to replace us bit, Logan.” said Cowboy, calmly loosening the guns in his holsters.

“I thought I was too.” Said Logan, never taking his eyes from Tim or Kai.

­Gene strolled out of the back of the truck. “Where are Rachel and Tony?”

­“Dead.” said Rohan, dead-pan.

­“You barbarians.” snarled Tim in anger. “I ought to.”

­“Guess you killed Tony out of principle, eh, Logan?” said Kai. “Can’t have any of that disloyalty stuff.”

“Don’t tempt me to add another.” Said Logan with a grim smile.

“This Rachel killed Tony. Gunned him down after he jumped her,” said Doc.

­“Yeah, like we’re going to believe you.” snarled Tim, cracking his knuckles. Logan reached for his flamer pistol.

Jael quick-drew his own laser and fired it into the air. The air it superheated let off a loud popping sound that got everyone’s attention.

­“The first person who draws gets lasered.”

­“You’re not fast enough.” said Tim.

­“Try me, big fellow.” said Jael firmly. “Do you really want to call my bluff?”

­“Enough!” said the usually mild-mannered Gene. “Before you seven go about killing one another, I’d like to point out something.”

­All eyes turned to Gene. “Tim, Kai, if you hadn’t noticed, Logan is standing in front of you.”

­“Yeah, so?” said Tim, bewildered at why Gene would point out the obvious.

­“Rachel’s fed you two so much of her anti-Logan propaganda that you’ve forgotten how she came to be among us in the first place. Remember the message she played. The one telling us that Logan died. Funny that he’s standing here right now.”

“Someone was mistaken.” Said Tim.

“Or we were lied to.” Said Gene.

­“They doctored the chip to convince us you weren’t coming back. Those bastards.” said Grayson.

­“Who’s they?” asked Logan.

­“Wolf’s Dragoons.” answered Grayson.

Logan shook his head. “No. She was Conspiracy. Just another part of the plot from Steiner to get rid of us. Just like the bait that drew us to Alyina in the first place.”

“All lies.” Said Rohan.

­“We have no proof either way.” said Gene. “Let’s get off this hate-our-leader bandwagon, guys. At least until we have some real reason to be on it.”

“I’d rather you not get on it at all. What’s with the red uniforms?” said Logan.

­And where were you guys going in such a hurry?” added Rohan.

­“It’s a long story,” said Gene. “And I’m not sure of all parts myself.”

­“Then tell us what you know and hopefully we can get started straightening out this mess. Let’s get back to base.” said Logan, jumping onto the running board of the truck. “I’m tired and I’m bleeding.”

New Belfast

Tamar March, Federated Commonwealth

5 August 3053

­“And in the latest news, working for the Conspiracy the 1^st Kearny Highlanders have completed their conquest of Epsilon Eridani. The Eridani militia has been reported to be under reorganization and may be joining the Conspiracy war effort on the side of Ryan Steiner. This brings to date a total of fifteen worlds they control in the Terran Corridor and one in the Draconis Combine.”

­Joshua flipped the switch off nonchalantly. “The time has come, my friends, where we can no longer stand idly by while the Conspiracy chews up the Commonwealth.” He turned, his face a combination of dread and anticipation. “The Conspiracy has moved troops to Chara, in anticipation of what is believed to be a strike against the world of Lipton. Once Lipton is in Duke Ryan’s hand, his next target is most likely the vital system of Oliver.”

­“So we’ve been ordered to Oliver?” asked Daisaku.

­“Correct. In response to the drive towards Oliver, Prince Victor has decided to place us as a garrison force on that world. A nasty surprise for Duke Ryan.”

­“He’ll throw the kitchen sink at us.” said Kou Fairchild. “Duke Ryan can use the Brigadier mech plant to supply his troops. Swords or no Swords he’ll stop at nothing to take it.”

­“The more of his troops we maul, the less he’ll have to devote to his continuing conquests. Oliver is meant to break the Conspiracy’s initiative. We’re going to stop him cold.”

“Where have we heard that before?” said Mike Koren skeptically. “This better not be another Garrison you’re planning, Joshua.”

“Mike has a point.” said Ryan Smith. “Unlike Garrison, we are presently understrength after Juan’s defection with 4^th battalion.”

“We were outnumbered 3-to-1 by an enemy determined to destroy us utterly on Garrison. Duke Ryan can’t spare the forces need to do that to us on Oliver, and his mech units are inferior in technology to our Clan mechs.” Retorted Joshua. “The strategic situation is much better for us than Garrison was. Duke Ryan may throw the kitchen sink at us, but he’s got to keep the refrigerator and the dish washer close to home or he’ll lose other systems to Prince Victor.”

Joshua’s playful metaphor generated a few chuckles in the room, but he got his point across.

“He’s in danger of overextending himself, then?” Said Kou.

“Duke Ryan’s resources are limited.” Said Joshua. “He simply doesn’t have the juggernaut that Dal Pryde did on Garrison. Any further concerns or questions?” There were none, so Joshua dismissed his officers. Most shuffled out of the room. Erik, Ryan, and Daisaku remained.

“I take it you have concerns.”

“You pulled 3^rd battalion off Twycross and Evcilier two months ago in response to increased Clan raids.” Said Daisaku. “Now you want us to pack up and take the entire regiment across half the Inner Sphere to Oliver? Abandon our charges?”

“Victor has units moving up to hold our garrisons while we battle the Conspiracy. He’s assured me our home will be safe while we are away.”

“This wasn’t Victor’s idea.” Said Ryan.

“Is every action I take going to be questioned in light of what happened between Lisa and me?” snapped Joshua angrily.

“Joshua, we’re your friends. We’re worried about you. You’ve not been yourself since Dieron.” Said Erik.

“I’ve had this discussion with you already. I’m not about to sacrifice men to fulfill some personal death wish. This isn’t about me going off to die some glorious death in battle.”

“Isn’t it? The one way you can destroy yourself while still redeeming your name as some hero? A valiant last stand? Your name forever remembered and the pain of all that you’ve gone through dead along with your corpse?”

“What would you have me do?” said Joshua. “Ignore our orders? They come from Victor, the one authority in the Federated Commonwealth we can’t ignore through the independence clause of our unit’s charter. What else then? Surrender command of the unit to one of you, as you once pushed me to do after Garrison?”

“The strategic situation may not be the same, but this is shaping up like Garrison. Another suicidal battle against the merciless and determined enemy.” Observed Ryan. “We won’t let you take us into that again.”

“The die is cast, Ryan.” Said Joshua sternly. “Your objections are noted, but we are going to Oliver and that is final.”

His friends shuffled out of the room. Joshua sat down and looked through the papers. Among the official documents from Victor’s own desk giving them the order to redeploy to Oliver, there was a statement from the ComStar banking division. Joshua had maintained an account with them since coming to the Inner Sphere and most of his personal assets were kept in trust by the one bank that could be accessed from anywhere in the Inner Sphere. The bank statement clearly showed withdrawals from planets along a straight path from New Belfast and ending at Oliver.

Joshua had closed the account less than 24 hours after receiving that statement. He hoped, he prayed, it would trap her on the very world his Star Swords were now going to garrison. It was his best shot for finding his wife once again.