LE5739 - Falcon Rising, page 11
"I would suggest that, Vlad Ward."
Vlad gave her a smile that made his scarred face look even more wolfish. "Marthe, with this victory you may not be the most hated Khan of all. On the other hand, because of this victory, you may be."
Marthe waited till he was gone to add softly, and to herself, "Then again, with this victory I may be on the way to being the most powerful Khan of all."
11
Training Field 17
Warrior Sector, Ironhold City
Ironhold
Kerensky Cluster, Clan Space
13 February 3060
Joanna opened her eyes suddenly. She had been in some dream or other about combat. She often dreamed of combat. At least this one did not revive her battle with the Black Widow.
She had fallen asleep in her fatigues, as she often did. Driving herself to exhaustion, she would become too tired to bother changing clothes at night.
Glancing at her chronometer, which she had left as always on the bedside table, she saw that it was already six in the morning, a fact she verified by glancing out at the gray dawn of Ironhold.
She sat up quickly. Normally she was up by four and out on the training field with Diana within the half-hour. She had overslept. She had actually overslept for the first time in years.
Starting for the door, she realized she could not appear in public in these wrinkled fatigues. Rapidly she pulled out her last clean fatigues from a drawer.
She looked around the room. Messy as usual. Joanna had always neglected all the quarters assigned to her during her long military career.
After dressing quickly, she gathered up the dirty clothes that were in piles around the room—on the floor, on the chest of drawers, on her work-desk—and, as she sped out of the room, dumped them in the bin for a tech to pick up later. By nightfall the clothes would be returned to the room— clean, pressed, and piled neatly on her bed—and, for a brief moment, would be the only orderly looking feature of the room.
Joanna found Diana at the training field, going through her regular weapons drill, firing charged-down laser rifles at a distant target. The shots, Joanna noted approvingly, were clustered at the center of the target. She discovered this on the monitor that reported hits. Her deteriorating eyesight would not allow her to make out anything on the target itself.
"Why did you not wake me?" Joanna asked.
"I did try a bit," Diana responded. "But, believe me, you were out of it. Your snores were like the whoops of a sick surat. You looked so exhausted that I thought you could use a couple extra hours of sleep."
"That is insulting. You imply that I cannot keep up with you. That I am too old."
"I did not mean to imply it. But, if the combat boot fits..."
Joanna knew she should be angry at Diana's remark, but found herself amused. What is wrong with me? she wondered.
"You are improving in at least one respect. Your arrogance."
Diana smiled at Joanna. "Learned that from a master."
"Keep your mind off the smart remarks and on the target, eyass."
Diana's body relaxed and she turned to address Joanna. "I am ready, Joanna. If it were not for all these delays that have kept us in the homeworlds much longer than expected, I would be through with the Trial of Bloodright and on my way back to one of our Inner Sphere outposts. Instead, all I do from day to day is train. I need no more training. I need a battle before I forget how to think in one."
"I agree. The talk is that your Trial will begin soon, in a matter of days."
"They have been saying that for—"
"Wait. Look who has come to visit. Risa Pryde."
Star Colonel Risa Pryde had been the leader of House Pryde for many years and had, in fact, been the House Leader when Aidan Pryde competed for his bloodname. Although Risa Pryde was a small woman, Joanna thought she looked tinier than ever as she approached the two warriors. Thinner, too. Definitely thinner.
But she was as businesslike as ever.
"Your competition will begin in a week. Its date has been moved up because the saKhan has arrived on Ironhold for an inspection of various military production facilities. She will be in Ironhold City next week, and she wishes to observe the bloodname contests. Any that Mech Warrior Diana participates in was her specific request. Be ready."
Joanna could sense Diana smiling, but she did not care to see it, so she did not turn around. Besides, there was a distraction. Over Risa's right shoulder Joanna saw a figure running toward them.
At first she thought it might be an attacker of some sort, although reason told her no one would start anything with someone as important as Risa Pryde here. Then she saw, by the pumping of his short legs, that it was Ravill Pryde.
"The Grand Melee will take place a week from today, so your first match will be a couple of days later. All is clear, quiaff?"
"Clear, aff," Joanna said. "House Leader Pryde, may I ask something?"
"Naturally."
Joanna looked into Risa Pryde's eyes. They seemed very tired, as though she were even more exhausted than Joanna herself.
"This information would normally come through regular channels. It is not usually delivered by the House Leader herself."
Risa Pryde frowned and sighed. "You are right. I am here for another reason. You see, I anticipate a wave of protests at one of the Khans observing Diana's bloodname combat. Many of the warriors already take her participation as an insult, as you know. That is why I have strictly forbidden challenges and honor duels. Hard for me to prevent private brawls, though."
Her pointed glance at Diana displayed her knowledge of the fight in the holovid arena.
"Adding the saKhan to the mix will simply accelerate bad feeling. You know that I have been opposed to this from the beginning. I filed a formal protest with the Khan, which she has overruled. I have no choice but to accept her decision and make sure that the Trials proceed in a fair and honorable manner. Others, however, will not be so cooperative. I am here today to caution you to proceed with even more care. Nothing must mar the competition itself, no matter what the others do or say. I am sure Khan Marthe would say the same to you. You understand, quiaff?"
"Fully. I vow as a Jade Falcon officer that I will see to it that we do or say nothing that would bring shame to the way of the Clans."
Risa Pryde's brow furrowed. "I guess I will have to accept that although there is a certain ambiguity in it. Who can judge shame and who can say what action would precipitate it? But I trust you, Star Commander Joanna. Your record as a warrior and your heroism at the second battle of Twycross have won my admiration. Just see to it that your words do not backfire on you."
"I will, House Pryde Leader."
Joanna, as always, was fascinated by the formality of Risa Pryde's speech and wondered if she ever let herself go in order to have a good time with other warriors. As far as Joanna knew, Risa Pryde devoted her life to House Pryde.
Risa Pryde seemed ready to leave as Ravill Pryde came rushing up. Next to the short Risa Pryde, Ravill did not look quite so short, although he was a few centimeters shorter than Risa.
"I see, Risa Pryde, that you have preceded me with the news, quiaff?"
"Aff. Excuse my abrupt leave-taking, Star Colonel, but I have duties . . ."
"Of course."
Risa Pryde left them. Joanna noted that she did not walk like one hurrying off to attend to other matters.
Ravill Pryde stared at both Joanna and Diana for a long while before speaking. "Well, the flag is up, quiaff?"
There was a sarcasm in his voice that Joanna found difficult to interpret. Of course, she usually found any of his attempts at sarcasm obscure. Much of what he said was understood only by him. His actions, too, often lacked a sense that Joanna could discern. But on Twycross he had proven himself to be a fine Jade Falcon warrior, skilled at both combat and command, so she had stopped wishing for him to meet a bad end.
"I suppose the flag is up," Joanna said.
He turned toward Diana. "I cannot persuade you to give up this ambition for a bloodname?"
"What are you saying?" Joanna interrupted in a loud voice. "You are her sponsor! It is bad luck for a sponsor to speak so discouragingly!"
"Joanna," Diana said, "it is all right. Ravill Pryde is a reluctant sponsor of my candidacy, and I can live with that."
Ravill's tone turned icy. "But I do not know if I can. Daily I feel the shame of being your sponsor. I see the judgment against me in the eyes of others. I would have had several fights over it if Risa Pryde had not put a ban on them. I would never have sponsored you under normal conditions, and I regret that it became necessary. But I am not allowed to withdraw my sponsorship. Only you, Diana, may withdraw, and I ask you to do just that."
"Surat!" Joanna shouted. "How can you call yourself Jade Falcon? Clan warriors must stick by their words."
"You were not listening, Star Commander. I have no intention of interfering with Diana's candidacy now. I just think it would be better if she saw that her pursuit of this goal demeans our Clan and—"
"That is cowardly!" Joanna said.
"Cowardly? Perhaps in some lights, but it would be easily forgotten. Once Diana withdrew, someone would replace her and the Trials would go on. Her withdrawal would be seen by most as an honorable act."
"I meant that you are the coward, Ravill Pryde."
Ravill jumped at Joanna. The jump was necessary for him to attempt to punch the tall warrior in her face. The blow missed, and Joanna pivoted to land an elbow on the side of his cheek. He reeled sideways, then crouched to make the next assault.
But Diana stepped in between the two warriors.
"Stop! Risa Pryde has not even vacated the field and you two are breaking her law. At this moment, that would be disgraceful, quiaff?"
Both warriors relaxed. With the back of his hand, Ravill Pryde rubbed at the side of his face where Joanna's blow had landed.
"I must tell you, Star Colonel," Diana said calmly, "that there is nothing that would make me back away from, as you call it, my bloodname quest. I think you know that, quiaff?"
"Aff. But I want to make sure you know the dimensions of the damage you are causing, not just to yourself, but to the Clan overall. This is no mere adventure. Whether you win or not, your involvement in this Trial of Bloodright has severely shaken the Jade Falcons, and I do fear for its effects on all Clans, if we allow our bloodlines to be so diminished."
Ravill Pryde whirled around and began striding away.
Both visitors caused the angry Joanna to accelerate the day's training and Diana to push herself even more. Risa, because the imminence of the actual contest made Joanna wonder if Diana was as ready as she had claimed to be just moments ago. Ravill Pryde, because he made Joanna seethe and, as Diana's coach, led her to work her charge all the harder.
Diana was exhausted by the time they returned to the barracks. For a moment she did not even notice a familiar figure lounging beside the barracks doorway.
"You two surely look like the butt end of a surat," Horse said affably.
Diana ran to Horse and embraced him. It would have been difficult to decide who of the three warriors was most shocked by the act. Although some Clan warriors could be a bit demonstrative, such emotion was rare among the Jade Falcons. Horse looked uncomfortable in the tight grip of Diana's arms, Joanna was angry at a disgusting act that could only occur between a couple of freeborns, and Diana—who knew that she was glad to see Horse again after so long—was astonished by the spontaneity of her response to seeing him again.
They quickly parted and Diana backed away awkwardly. Horse grinned, which drew a responding smile from Diana. Freeborns, Joanna thought with distaste.
The next hour was taken up with Horse energetically telling them of his adventures in the long period since they had seen each other last. For Diana the story was invigorating. It rid her of the edginess she had felt right before Horse had arrived. Tales were like that for her. It did not matter whether Horse's report was meticulously accurate or exaggerated. She responded to the story itself. She asked Horse several questions during the narrative, made him go over an adventurous part again. Joanna, on the other hand, criticized Horse's actions mercilessly, telling him he should have acted sooner on this or that occasion. Horse managed to keep Diana fascinated while fending off Joanna's criticisms with the sort of skill he regularly showed piloting 'Mechs.
After Horse was done catching them up, the two women told Horse some of what they had been doing all this time, too. As Diana said, "It has been more waiting than anything else. Waiting, and Joanna making me work like a demon."
Horse glanced at Joanna and said, "I can well believe that."
Joanna merely grunted. Horse turned to Diana.
"Well, Diana, your training is about to become even more hellish. The Khan has assigned me to your training team."
Diana seemed happy, and Joanna resented her happiness. But there was no time for little resentments, she thought, not when there was so much to be accomplished to keep up Diana's edge. And, anyway, the training was getting to her, although she would not have admitted that to anyone. Her legs ached, then ached even more when she stubbornly refused to rest. Her eyes sometimes could not focus easily within short distances, and she made some judgments based on blurs. Sometimes she felt she must stop and rest, and so she ran an extra couple of kilometers.
Even she knew it was age catching up with her. But this was no time to let it. No time was a good time to let it.
12
Jade Falcon Tower
Ironhold City, Ironhold
Kerensky Cluster, Clan Space
18 February 3060
Formalities bored Samantha Clees. After being welcomed by the highest-ranking warriors on Ironhold, then conducted on an inspection of a munitions factory, followed by the grand tour of Ironhold City, she was glad to be alone in her room in the Falcon Tower. She felt as exhausted as if she had just battled with a trio of Mad Dogs on the edge of a high cliff.
If she had not been so tired she might have worked up enough energy to hate the room assigned to her.
I guess they think being at the top of a high tower, one of the few in the entire Kerensky Cluster, is considered to be exalted treatment for a saKhan. Scattering a few plush pieces of furniture and putting some OmniMech holos on the wall is supposed to accord me some kind of honor. A bed with wooden posts carved into a melange of intertwined falcons—falcons in flight, falcons attacking, falcons at rest—is supposed to make me feel at home. Well, the intention is good, but I feel better with undecorated rooms, plain furniture, a cot as hard as a rock, and an uncluttered floor that I can walk around on.
Samantha started to pace, as if measuring the workable parameters of the room.
The room was unimportant. She had to think out this part of her mission: the Diana quest for a bloodname. Dull as inspections were, she would rather have been watching the production line in a factory than considering this issue.
She paced in her usual scattershot pattern. For a while she merely walked back and forth. When she had had enough of walking back and forth, she strode toward the door of the room and paced to and from it for a while. Another variation in pattern occurred when she deliberately walked to the wall near the door, where the OmniMech holo hung, slightly atilt. She touched the wall with the tips of her fingers to push herself back, whirled around, and walked to a point on the opposite wall where a set of hooks for hanging clothes had been placed. She touched one of the hooks with the tips of her fingers, pushed herself back, whirled around, and went back to the wall containing the 'Mech holo. She could not keep her pacing on a regular and straightforward basis but had to keep changing directions, length of step, rate.
A firm knock on the door. She opened it and saw Grelev, the MechWarrior who had been assigned as her aide. Tall with dark features and dark hair, there was—as she had noticed earlier—the hint of a smile playing around his lips, even while his deep voice spoke with certainty and somberness.
"Star Colonel Ravill Pryde is here. You summoned him?"
"He came right away. A good sign, Grelev, quiaff?"
A twinkle in Grelev's eyes suggested that he was pleased to be asked his opinion by a saKhan.
"Aff, my Khan."
"Usher this Star Colonel in please."
"Right away."
Samantha took a deep breath, glad to get started with this thing.
* * *
Although she had consulted paperwork on this Star Colonel, the actual appearance of the man surprised her. His small stature was uncommon among Jade Falcon warriors, who ran to large and muscular. This short fellow was a Star Colonel even though he looked barely out of the vat. In spite of fairly even features on his small face, he reminded her of some kind of animal. Something rodentlike. Adding to this impression, she noted, were his small feet. However, all reports said that he was a good officer, disciplined and smart.
He came into the room and looked around slowly, as if he planned to inhabit it some day. Even the look he gave her was somewhat imperious.
Samantha took an instant dislike to Ravill Pryde. She suspected people often did.
After they went through the normal formalities of an officer reporting to his saKhan, they got down to business. Samantha was not much for small talk and neither, apparently, was Ravill Pryde.
"Star Colonel," she said. "It is odd to find you here on Ironhold, with your Falcon Guards still assigned to the Inner Sphere."
"I am only here as sponsor of the Falcon Guard Mech-Warrior Diana who will compete for the Pryde line bloodname. And, yes, I am eager to return to my command as soon as this is over with. Inaction is frustrating for a warrior, as such a fine one as yourself knows."
"I will ignore your last comment. Flattery is an ugly trait in a warrior."
"No flattery. Just stating facts."
Although Ravill Pryde stared at Samantha wide-eyed, the eyes were closed to her, denying her clues to the meanings of what he said.
