Redburn saw Ardan nod in silent agreement with the Chancellor. He swallowed hard. "If you do not feel that I should know this . .." What is it? What could be so important?
Johnson waved away Redburn's protest. "No one would believe you if you told the story. I fear, however, that those with ambition will use their knowledge to secure power during this delicate time. You see, Andrew Redburn, Prince Hanse Davion and Archon-Designate Melissa Arthur Steiner are to be married on Terra, on the 20th of August, next year, in 3028."
Redburn took the news like an autocannon salvo to the head. His mouth dropped open and a legion of questions clamored at his mind. Instead of vocalizing that babble, he shook his head and kept his mouth firmly shut.
Johnson waited a moment, seeing Redburn's need to compose himself. "Melissa has met her future husband once, on Terra, when the treaty was signed. She was a child then, and the betrothal seemed more a game to her than reality. Since that time, her contact with the Prince has been restricted to messages exchanged through Colonel Sortek." Johnson nodded at Ardan, and the hint of a smile tightened the corners of his mouth. "Though the Colonel has told Melissa much about the Prince, and the messages have pleased her, it is not the same as a flesh-and-blood meeting."
Redburn nodded. "Like fighting in a simulator."
Johnson paused and smiled more fully. "An apt analogy. While I debate the wisdom of this enterprise, both the Archon and her daughter insist that Melissa must travel to the Federated Suns to meet Prince Davion. I have managed to convince them that I should handle the travel arrangements. You have already met one part of our preparations. Jeana Clay will double as Melissa, traveling with Colonel Sortek on some further inspections. Including you two, less than a dozen people will ever know that the real Melissa has actually left the Commonwealth."
Redburn nodded. "I assume, then, from the way the conversation is going, that I am to return to the Federated Suns in the company of someone who just happens to be Melissa Steiner?" Redburn narrowed his eyes. "Wouldn't transshipping her amid a mercenary unit, say Richard's Panzer Brigade, be safer?"
Ardan shook his head. "You, Andrew, being a hero and something of a media figure, will attract the attention of everyone watching. During the long voyage on a commercial liner, your contact with Melissa-in-disguise will not be noticed. That is because you, in essence, will have a large target painted on your chest. Melissa will pass unnoticed on the same ship."
Redburn nodded and Johnson smiled. "Very good, Leftenant. I feel better now. As soon as Melissa selects her traveling name and we have assembled an identity around it, you will be briefed further."
Ardan and Redburn rose to leave, but Johnson added one more remark before they could escape the room. "Oh, and Leftenant— be careful. Though Misha Auburn is Melissa's best friend, she does not know any of this. In fact, she has spent much time in Jeana's company without guessing at the exchange. Still, she has trained well to take over for her father as court historian when he retires. The Auburns have an instinctive nose for conspiracy. Watch yourself."
* * *
Melissa looked up from the computer screen and over at Jeana. "I think I have it."
"Have what?" echoed her own voice from Jeana's throat.
"I have the name I'll travel under. I will become Joana Barker."
Jeana frowned. Melissa wondered for a moment if she really looked like that when angry or puzzled. "That sounds familiar, Melissa, but I can't place it."
Melissa smiled triumphantly. "I've cobbled it together from one of the books I read. Do you remember 'Sweeney Todd'?"
Melissa's twin shivered. "That ghastly tale about the demon barber of Fleet Street?"
Melissa nodded. "Sweeney Todd's real name was Benjamin Barker, and his daughter's name was Joana. No one ever called her Joana Barker, but that was her true name. That's what I'll use."
Jeana yawned. "If you want to select a name from this ancient literature you seem to devour, why not pick something more romantic? Why not become Irene Adler?"
Melissa wrinkled her nose with distaste. "A Lestrade might select a name from Sherlock Holmes, but not me. No. Joana Barker married a tall, handsome man, and lived happily ever after, I'm sure. That's the sort of omen I want watching over me as I travel to meet..."—Melissa blushed at the thought—"... my betrothed ... my Hanse Davion, my future husband."
28
Nashira
Dieron Military District, Draconis Combine
15 April 3027
Hands folded serenely behind his back, Yorinaga Kurita watched through the large window as the first of the Genyosha engaged in calisthenics. Broken down into groups of five, including the Chu-i leading each, the twenty-five men performed in perfect unison. Utterly faithful synchronization made each man a finger on one hand, and the training would make all five into a fist.
"Sumimasen, Kurita Yorinaga-sama." Sho-sa Tarukito Niiro stood respectfully back and away from his master. The Major, one of the first staff officers Yorinaga had honored with acceptance into the Genyosha, bowed deeply. He straightened up again when Yorinaga graced him with a nod. "Forgive me, Tai-sa," Tarukito begged, honoring Yorinaga with the Japanese form of his title, "but the Taishi requests your presence." Taishi meant "Ambassador," and was the name the staff officers had given to the local liaison officer for the Draconis Combine's Internal Security Forces.
Yorinaga bowed his head. Though no sign, no flicker of emotion, passed over Yorinaga's face, Tarukito Niiro knew that he comprehended all that had been said and all that had been left unspoken. Yorinaga understands, from the way I worded my message, that the Taishi actually demanded the Tai-sa's presence. He must know that I would sooner commit seppuku than deliver such a harsh message. Tarukito allowed himself to hope that Yorinaga would realize that the ISF man, Shinzei Abe, was forcing his officers to act as a buffer, thereby reminding them that he, the Taishi, controlled their fates.
Yorinaga nodded slightly as Tarukito moved from his path. Yorinaga passed his right hand through the gray hair that had grown out in his months away from the monastery. Tarukito Ni-iro, already stationed on Nashira when the call for volunteers had gone out, had applied immediately for a staff position. He gladly took a reduction in grade from Chu-sa to Sho-sa to serve in the Genyosha with Yorinaga.
Yorinaga strode through the corridors with strong, sure strides. Only the gray hair and the crest staring at Tarukito from Yorinaga's back reminded him of the Mech Warrior's age and long history. Only his silence reminds me that he was disgraced. Tarukito paused at the door to Yorinaga's office to remove his boots, as Yorinaga had done. Then they both entered to face Shinzei Abe.
"Konnichi-wa, Kurita Yorinaga-san," Shinzei intoned respectfully. He executed his bow with the correct sincerity, but its depth and swiftness mocked the gesture. The ISF liaison officer straightened up before Yorinaga had a chance to return the bow. His anger and contempt showed plainly on his broad moon-face.
Yorinaga ignored Abe and knelt behind his low desk. When he looked up, Tarukito noted Yorinaga's frown at seeing that Shinzei Abe had not removed his boots before entering the room. Yorinaga's shock increased as he saw the source of Shinzei's insult. He stiffened, then bowed.
The prisoner—for a man in such rough shape and bonds could be nothing less—knelt opposite the Tai-sa. The welts on his body must have caused him pain, but he bowed deeply. Though he nearly fell over as he tried to straighten up, the man ground his teeth and controlled his body with an iron will. Bringing his bruised and battered body erect, the prisoner said smoothly, "Kon-nichi wa, Kurita Yorinaga-sama."
Shinzei Abe lashed out with his left hand and smashed the man in the face. The blow snapped the prisoner's head back, but even Tarukito saw that the man had moved with the blow, aborting its full effect. Tarukito half-rose from his knees, but Shinzei Abe dropped a hand to the neural whip at his belt. Tarukito glanced at Yorinaga, but the Tai-sa signaled him back to his place by the door.
Yorinaga looked at Shinzei Abe and mutely invited hi
m to kneel. Tarukito watched the simple motion of Yorinaga's right hand. It floated like a leaf falling from a tree, but it brought Shinzei to his knees like an avalanche. Yorinaga nodded slightly, then narrowed his eyes and wordlessly demanded an explanation from the ISF officer.
Shinzei smiled coldly. "You have doubtless recognized this traitor, Yorinaga-san. Narimasa Asano, as you will recall, served with you eleven years ago in the 2nd Sword of Light Regiment. He traveled here to join the Genyosha without orders or permission. He traveled here even though the invitation to join the Genyosha was specifically not extended to officers who had served with you in the past."
Yorinaga nodded slowly, but the intensity never left his expression. He stared at Shinzei Abe, and after a moment, the ISF officer felt compelled to offer further explanation.
"Because he abandoned his command and proceeded, illegally, to travel 230 light years to this place, I assumed, naturally, that he is an agent of House Davion or House Steiner."
Yorinaga cocked his head ever so slightly to show puzzlement. "No," Shinzei Abe answered the unvoiced question. "He has not revealed the identity of his masters under torture. I bring him to you because only the garrison commander can grant me the permission needed to execute him."
Tarukito watched distaste flash across Shinzei Abe's face. Tarukito himself had transmitted the order that placed a limit on the ISF liaison's powers. He remembered, with relish, relaying the Coordinator's answer to Abe: "Yorinaga is the master of the Genyosha. Life and death are his to give or take. His men are to be as devoted to him as he is to me. You are not to interfere with him. Security is your only concern."
Yorinaga flicked his gaze from Shinzei Abe to Narimasa. Life seemed to flow from Yorinaga's eyes into Narimasa's body. With a slight inclination of his head, Yorinaga invited Narimasa to explain himself.
Narimasa again bowed deeply to the Tai-sa. "It is as Shinzei Abe has told you, Yorinaga-sama. No invitation to apply to your command was given to me, but I learned of the Genyosha from other sources. As soon as I heard that you had come forth, I knew that I must serve with you again. Since the time I served in your command, no other superior officer has inspired such deep respect. I knew, though I risked death, that I must, at least, try."
Narimasa licked his swollen, cracked lips. "I traveled aboard DropShips by disguising myself as a common laborer. No one watched me or cared where I went as long as I helped get work done on time and well. In some places, I traveled among the Yakuza and shipped aboard their private craft. Finally, after a journey of more than two hundred light years, I arrived here. I reported to your staff two days ago, and since that time, Shinzei Abe has been my host."
Yorinaga glanced at Tarukito. The Sho-sa in turn regarded the
Taishi. "Why did you not inform Yorinaga-sama of Narimasa Asano's arrival? Why did he not appear in the daily arrival lists?"
Shinzei Abe lifted his head and stared down his narrow nose at Tarukito. "I decided that his accomplices might inadvertently reveal themselves if he seemed to be overdue. That he is guilty of many crimes against the Dragon is not in question. Preventing the discovery of the Genyosha is. Even you, Major, will recall that the Coordinator made security my responsibility."
Tarukito Niiro straightened up and graced Shinzei Abe with a look of pure poison. "You recall but one line from a message you should have memorized in its entirety. The Coordinator reminded you that all the Genyosha officers and men are to be as devoted to Yorinaga-sama as the Tai-sa is himself devoted to the Coordinator."
Tarukito glanced at Yorinaga. He accepted Yorinaga's nod as permission to continue, then waded in against Shinzei again. "Narimasa Asano is obviously such a man. Forget that he threw a career away to travel here. Forget that he was willing to forfeit his life to travel here. Examine only the action of traveling here. Months on worlds working at tasks far beneath him in order to reach this world. Not only is this man devoted to Yorinaga-sama, but he is resourceful and does not surrender. What better recruit could we ask for?"
Shinzei Abe snorted derisively. "You could ask for a recruit who follows orders."
Tarukito narrowed his eyes. "Precisely why you are only a liaison officer, Shinzei Abe, and nothing more." He turned to Yorinaga. "Permission to show Narimasa Asano to proper quarters, sir?"
Yorinaga bowed his head. Lifting it again, he reached out his hand for a small lacquered box on his desk. From it, he withdrew a brush and small jar of black ink. After drawing a sheet of paper from one corner of his desk, Yorinaga dipped his brush into the ink. With bold strokes, he defined several characters. Setting the brush down, he reached into the box again and pressed his personal seal to the bottom of the paper.
Tarukito took it from Yorinaga's outstretched hand, and regarded it dispassionately. When he noticed Shinzei Abe's interest, he smiled. "As you have ordered, Tai-sa, I will conduct Chu-sa Narimasa Asano to the suite next to yours."
* * *
"Domo arigato, Niiro Tarukito-san." Narimasa Asano bowed from the waist. "You have been most kind to me, Sho-sa."
"le, it was nothing." Tarukito returned the bow. "I am more than happy to help a fellow officer, especially if it displeases the Taishi. The uniform fits you well, Chu-sa."
"Hai! Your quartermaster did exceedingly well in fitting me." Narimasa glanced at his reflection in the mirror on the wall of his living room. The room, which was L-shaped, bent around the cleaner and kitchenette from the front door to the bedroom. The straw tatami and two brush painting landscapes alone decorated the apartment.
Narimasa sighed. "It has been a long time since I wore the green ni." He rubbed his hand over the symbol for "two" on his shoulder. "For this alone, I would have braved many of the perils I faced coming here."
"Forgive me for asking, Chu-sa, but you were a Chu-sa in the 2nd Sword of Light, were you not?" Tarukito, being well-bred, did not look Narimasa in the face as he asked the question, the better to avoid their mutual embarrassment.
Narimasa Asano nodded his head slowly. "The Dragon's memory is long and unshakable. After the disgrace on Mallory's World, the Coordinator broke up the Command Lance and sent us to different places. I believe that they thought what we had witnessed in the battle between Yorinaga and Morgan Kell had shattered our spirits."
"Sumimasen, Narimasa-san, but I do not follow what you are saying. What could have been so horrible?"
The elder MechWarrior shook his head. "At times, I recall it as a nightmare. I watched Kell's Archer—plainly visible through my Marauder's canopy—vanish from my tactical displays. I shifted through all the scanner modes, but it would not register. Though I could see the Archer with my eyes, my weapons refused to acknowledge it."
Tarukito shivered. This is every MechWarrior's nightmare. The foe that cannot be destroyed.
Narimasa nodded as though he'd read Tarukito's thoughts. "After we were scattered through the Combine, I became a Chu-i and once again commanded a single lance, as I had done in the early days out of Sun Zhang."
He suffered a reduction from Lieutenant Colonel to Lieutenant! Tarukito shook his head. "Forgive me the inquiry."
Narimasa smiled easily. "Ie. I have endured much, Tarukito-kun, but I never abandoned my duty during that time. I must admit, however, that I might one day have committed seppuku if this chance had not revived my hopes of honor."
Tarukito frowned. "Why would you do that, Chu-sal"
Narimasa's eyes narrowed to slits. "I was almost assigned to Duke Ricol's service."
Tarukito blanched, then caught himself. "Surely you would have been able to deal with the Gray Death Legion, Narimasa-san."
The elder MechWarrior nodded slowly. "Perhaps, but not as the leader of a Panther lance. That is all they would have let me do. Fortunately, I learned of this assignment and began my journey." Narimasa's head came up and he looked hard at Tarukito. "Be wary, Tarukito-kun, for the Gray Death Legion is not that far behind Wolf's Dragoons or the Kell Hounds in deadliness."
"But Chu-sa, Wolf's Dragoons now wo
rk for the Dragon, and the Kell Hounds will soon be destroyed." Narimasa Asano stiffened suddenly, but it was not because of Tarukito's words. Feeling a shadowy presence behind him, Tarukito whirled to see what it was. Then, like the Chu-sa, he bowed to Yorinaga.
Yorinaga returned their bows as best his kendo armor would allow. He carried the helmet under his left arm and his wooden, swordlike shinai in his left hand. He quickly glanced at Narimasa and the uniform, then allowed himself a small smile and nodded his head. Tarukito saw that the two men shared something more—a look, nothing else—before they bowed to one another.
Narimasa turned to Tarukito. "Please remember, Sho-sa, that the Kell Hounds escaped death once before, years ago, and even the first half of the operation set into place on Pacifica went less well then planned."
Yorinaga withdrew a folded sheet of paper from his chest armor and extended it to Tarukito. Opening it carefully, the Sho-sa read it with an expression that seemed to mix horror and relief. "This is horrible, Tai-sal For Shinzei Abe to die in a kendo accident. To have his windpipe crushed by a strike." Tarukito shivered. "Shouldn't I transmit this message immediately?"
Yorinaga shook his head slightly, then turned as Shinzei Abe, similarly attired in kendo armor, came up to where they stood. The ISF liaison officer stopped before Yorinaga, and glared at the two junior officers. "Well, Yorinaga-san, shall we? I have meetings this afternoon and," he added, staring at Narimasa, "investigations to complete."
29
Pacifica (Chara III)
Isle of Skye, Lyran Commonwealth
15 April 3027
Damn! That Victor runs cool. Seated in the cockpit of his Valkyrie, Daniel Allard adjusted his infrared scanner to a finer gradation of heat. The display immediately redrew the Victor in shades of red and blue. Also within the scan zone, the other 'Mechs in his lance brought the nickering of color to the edges of his scanner.