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warriors were trained to react to sudden events, but nothing in any
training or any manual prepared a warrior for a disembodied voice in the
cockpit of his 'Mech.
"Are you sure? What if the Elemental had drowned? Was the life of a mere
engineer worth the risk? The bridge will be built no matter how many engineers
are sacrificed to its construction. But the life of mat Elemental could mean
the difference between victory or defeat in battle.''
Kael Pershaw made a sound that might have been laughter, might have been
scorn. From what he knew of Pershaw, Aidan opted for scorn. "I merely said the
rescue was attractive," Pershaw said evenly. "I did not say it was necessary.
Still, it shows the courage you have instilled in your Falcon Guards,
and that is worth something to your codex. I
checked the codex of this Elemental, by the way. His name is Selima. He can
always be counted on to risk his life, even
in such trivial situations as this. He is not like other Elementals,
except in his wonderful fighting skills. In all other ways his
gentleness, his foolish risks he is unlike most of his kind. In the same way a
certain Clan warrior I know is not like other Clan warriors."
"All right, Kael Pershaw, you have made your clever point. Is that why we are
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speaking again?"
"Neg. My purpose at present is to give you new orders. Cancel that. Certainly
I cannot give you orders. I may only suggest possible modes of action that
might conceivably assist the Clan cause, then implore you to accept them."
"You are getting doddering in your old age, Kael Pershaw." The reference to
Pershaw's age was a calculated insult, and the gruff sound that filled the
cockpit told Aidan the barb had hit its mark. "Tell me now what you expect
from us.
The Falcon Guards will serve the Clan."
"Those are the words that send shudders up a warrior's spine. An old
warrior's spine. Aidan Pryde, you and the
Falcon Guards will be joined by Marthe Pryde's unit at a point
four kilometers from where you now stand. The engineers at Plough
Bridge have had too many disasters, and we are abandoning that
bridge. The combined unit, under your command, will proceed to
Olalla. Your mission is to take the city for Clan Jade Falcon by
any means possible. We are concentrating our efforts on mat city only. Once
it is ours, we will mount an assault on Hump-tulips.
Any questions, Aidan Pryde?"
"How does the battle for Tukayyid proceed elsewhere?"
"Better for you not to know. Clan Wolf will be dropping down soon, if that
is any indication." It was. The other
Clans had hoped to be victorious on Tukayyid before the despised Clan Wolf
could enter the fray.
"When are the Falcon Guards to leave Robyn's Crossing for Olalla?"
"Immediately. Robyn's Crossing is not under imminent threat. Soon the end of
the bridge will be close enough to the other shore for the 'Mechs equipped
with jump jets to use it as a way over, much like your Operation Skipping
Stone.
The supply depot is already one-third built, and the bridge will soon be
completed. It will not be long before the bridge and supply depot are
well-defended by the Fifth and Ninth Falcon Clusters. Your troops will attempt
to lay siege at
Olalla. Reinforcements will arrive within hours. I suggest you organize your
Falcon Guards, re-arm yourselves with the first supplies brought in for the
new depot, and get on the move. '
Again the voice went away abruptly. Aidan first scanned the area to test
whether Kael Pershaw's evaluation was accurate, and not just misty words
from a Specter. Then he informed Star Captains Joanna and Jula Huddock that
the
Falcon Guards would be moving out immediately.
MechWanior Diana nearly shouted with glee at the new orders. Visions of glory
at Olalla invaded her mind. She tried to shake them, but she was a Clan
warrior, and a Jade Falcon one at that a proud member of Pryde's Pride. How
could she not dream of glory?
If Olalla had not been one of the two predetermined Jade Falcon objectives,
according to the agreement between
ComStar and the ilKhan, no self-respecting military outfit would have wanted
it as a target. Surrounded by hills and laid out in an ugly, patternless
sprawl across a pallid stretch of Prezno Plain, it displayed no purpose.
According to intelligence reports, Olalla was a marketplace for
harvested crops. Indeed, it possessed a number of areas that no
doubt served as large open-air markets when the planet was not under invasion.
But the buildings around these areas were gray and dull-looking, their windows
dirty, the roof shingles hanging at odd angles. Few streets were paved, and
Olalla looked old and somehow unfinished.
Like me as a warrior, thought Star Commander Jula Huddock, gazing down from a
hill onto Olalla. She would never speak such a thought aloud, however.
Jula Huddock rarely talked at all. If addressed by a superior
officer, she responded in crisp military style. When she needed to
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communicate with subordinate warriors or techs, she did so
efficiently, wasting no words, in a series of short sentences.
Other warriors said that Jula Huddock spoke best with her weapons. She
rarely wasted a shot or used a missile ineffectively. Even age had not
diminished her abilities. Upon taking command of the Falcon Guards, Aidan had
been impressed by her codex, enough to wonder briefly if the Clans were wise
to relegate old warriors to lesser roles. In a way, Jula Huddock's assignment
to the Guards had prolonged her career as a warrior. On the verge of
reassignment to a training unit on Ironhold, she had been reclaimed for real
combat when older warriors had been recruited to fill out the slots in the
Falcon Guards.
As always, she was ready to do her best in the coming battle.
But where was the battle? In front of the Falcon Guards was an unsightly
little city mat seemed abandoned and unimportant. No ComStar «Mechs were
about, no evidence of any firepower in service to Olalla. Scanners detected no
BattleMech activity in the surrounding area.
Jula Huddock tensed, awaiting the moment when the order would come to fire,
launch, jump, or die.
"Do you think they are ceding Olalla to us?» Aidan asked Horse.
"Why? Because we demolished their forces at the bridge? Not likely.
"Remember, ' Joanna said, "the Com Guards are in the habit of attacking from
ambush. Maybe they are concealed down there."
"I see no building big enough to hide a 'Mech,» Marthe said. "And
the buildings look too old to be recent camouflage.»
"I agree,»' Aidan said. "What is your view, Jula Huddock?"
"I sense danger, but do not know why.»
"MechWarrior Diana?"
There was a delay as Diana reacted with surprise at being addressed at all.
Her being a new warrior and a freeborn, why would anyone want her opinion?
"Perhaps we should go in and take a look around/» she said.
"That may be just what they want us to do,» Horse commented. "Especially if
Star Captain Joanna is right about the possibility of ambush."
"I am surprised to hear you agree with me, MechWarrior Horse. We were such
enemies once."
"In a situation like this, the past is prologue."
"An interesting phrase. A freeborn phrase?"
"In a way."
Only Aidan would know mat Horse was quoting from one of the books in their
secret library.
"1 believe it would be a mistake for the entire unit to enter Olalla. One Star
will go on ahead, while the rest of us cover their advance.
Volunteers?"
The commline was in commotion as all the Star commanders volunteered.
"Sir?" It was the soft voice of Jula Huddock after the voices of the rest had
died down.
"Yes, Star Captain?"
"I recommend my Star be chosen. We are the only intact Star in
all the Falcon Guard Trinaries. All others lost
BattleMechs to combat, the breakwater, the jump across the Prezno.
We are the only Star that still has five
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