Warrior: Riposte (The Warrior Trilogy, Book Two): BattleTech Legends, #58 Read online

  Hanse watched the reporters glance quizzically at one another. No, your sources have not leaked this piece of information. The only way you will hear it is from my mouth. Hanse let his lower lip tremble and injected a huskiness into his voice.

  “Today we received confirmation of the death of Duke Michael Hasek-Davion.” The Prince paused as the reporters’ shocked outbursts echoed off the room’s walls, then resumed his narrative as silence fell over the assembly. “He died—actually was brutally murdered—at the hands of Maximilian Liao. I take full responsibility for Michael’s death. He died pursuing a policy he believed I favored.

  “It is no secret that Duke Michael and I had our disagreements in the past, but they were not so dark and divisive as you, the members of the press, characterized them. There is a universe of difference between being fierce rivals and the relationship I shared with Duke Michael. You saw him as my enemy. I saw him as loyal opposition.” Hanse sighed heavily. “He will be sorely missed, and his death will not go unavenged.”

  The Prince’s expression did not change, but his voice rose to its normal range. “Liao’s assassins were also ordered to destroy another individual in their efforts to please their mad master. In a move that can only be described as psychotically paranoid, Liao ordered the death of Colonel Pavel Ridzik. With the Maskirovka’s usual efficiency, they failed to kill the colonel, but maimed and murdered hundreds of innocent bystanders when the hit team exploded an entire city block trying to get one man.”

  Hanse allowed the hint of a smile to pull at the corners of his mouth. “Driven by concern for his people, the people of Tikonov, Colonel Ridzik sought us out. After a series of negotiations, we have agreed to recognize the Tikonov Free Republic and to terminate all hostile operations within its borders in return for a pact of mutual protection and defense. Once again, all the people of the Successor States have proof of our support for political freedom and each individual’s right to pursue his or her destiny.”

  The Prince looked out over the press corps, then smiled wryly. “You will no doubt ask why we are at war with the Capellan Confederation if this is so. Why not let them live in peace? I ask, can anyone be truly free when so unscrupulous a leader lurks nearby? Liao thought nothing of destroying a whole city block to kill one man. Can the concepts of personal liberty and freedom mean anything to such a mind? The answer, quite simply, is no. We will do what we must to bring an end to Liao’s madness.”

  The Prince set aside his prepared text, then braced his hands against the edges of the podium. As reporters shot to their feet for questions, the Prince pointed to a slender man in the center of the pack.

  The other reporters sank quietly into their seats as the man introduced himself. “Joe Adams of the Information Network. Highness, how was Duke Michael killed, and how was news of his death transmitted to you?”

  Covering his mouth with his fist, Hanse coughed lightly before answering. “We have nothing even approximating an autopsy, Mr. Adams, but preliminary reports indicate death was the result of a gunshot wound to the head. It is possible he was beaten beforehand. As for how we learned of his death, we received a communiqué from ComStar officials to arrange a transfer of the body from Liao hands to ours on Spica.”

  Again, the reporters stood up en masse, but the Prince singled out a dark-haired woman near the front. “Yes, you, Ms. Watkins.”

  The reporter glanced down at her compad’s LCD display, then smiled at the Prince. “You said you accepted responsibility for the death of Duke Michael Hasek-Davion. Could you explain why?”

  Hanse hesitated for a moment, then exhaled heavily. “Michael, concerned about a Liao slash at the Capellan March, took it upon himself to travel to Sian. He wanted to negotiate a settlement with Maximilian Liao, but things obviously turned sour on him. The reason I accept responsibility for his death is because I did not attend fully to Michael’s concerns about the Capellan March. This happened because of my preoccupation with the war, but that does not absolve me of guilt.”

  A sandy-haired reporter won the shouting match to get the next question in. “Alf Cordes, New Avalon Broadcasting. How can you embrace Colonel Ridzik as a guardian of freedom when he was the author of the Truth Massacre in which three thousand men, women, and children were butchered by MechWarriors? We know Colonel Ridzik is an ambitious man, and quite probably engineered the death of Tormax Liao to ensure Maximilian’s accession to the Capellan throne. Are you not afraid to let such a man get close to you?”

  Hanse Davion’s eyes narrowed to slits. “Mr. Cordes, I am well aware of Colonel Ridzik’s record. I could stand here sharing with you a host of rationalizations, but I will spare you. Colonel Ridzik’s support means we are able to reduce garrison forces, which ensures fewer casualties both on the front and behind the lines.”

  Hanse allowed himself the hint of a smile. “As for being afraid of Colonel Ridzik—I have always respected his abilities as a leader and a politician. I am not afraid of him. I am wary of him. There is, I assure you, a world of difference between the two conditions.”

  The Prince pointed to a reporter in a wheelchair for the next question, a genuine smile brightening his face. “Yes, Brandon. You’re next.”

  The reporter smiled. “Thank you, Colonel, I mean…”

  Hanse waved away the gaffe. “Not to worry, Brandon. I’m just glad someone remembers my days in the regiment.”

  Brandon Corey let the other reporters’ laughter die out before framing his question. “Highness, recalling your days in command of the Davion Heavy Guards, would you have imagined that an assault the size and scope of your Capellan invasion could be so successful?”

  Hanse Davion smiled. “As ever, Brandon, your questions do not allow for simple answers. I must admit that as the commander of the Davion Heavy Guards, I never envisioned a military strike of these dimensions. That is because military academies throughout the Successor States have preached the idea that a strategic advance is impossible.”

  The Prince raised his right hand to forestall questions while he continued his explanation. “In the six centuries since BattleMechs first strode onto a battlefield, combat has become rarefied. When we look at a BattleMech, we see a ten-meter-tall amalgam of metal and munitions. Too often, we see a ’Mech as a chivalrous knight’s armor and charger all bound together, and we imagine battles as fought between individual pilots, not faceless squads and divisions of soldiers.

  “It dawned on me, during a casual conversation with Colonel Ardan Sortek, that we’d overlooked a central fact about BattleMechs.” Hanse held his left hand out palm up, then curled the fingers in to form a fist. “To Napoleon… to Patton… to Rommel, a BattleMech would have represented the strength of a company or a division. Those generals, armed with communications technology that looks infantile compared to ours, easily commanded companies and divisions. They controlled armies composed of hundreds of thousands of individual warriors just to get the firepower of one of our ’Mech companies. If they could do that then, I asked myself, why can’t we do it now?”

  Corey leaned forward in his wheelchair. “That is when you decided to conquer the Capellan Confederation?”

  Hanse shook his head. “That’s when I decided we would organize the Operation Galahad exercises in 3026 and ’27 to test out the idea. When those exercises indicated that large numbers of troops could be moved effectively, we looked at dealing with the Liao threat.”

  A man behind and to the left of Corey stood quickly, and the Prince let him speak next. “Ron Kilgore, Nebula News Network. Reports of Liao attacks on a number of Federated Suns worlds have begun to filter back from the front. Have you any comment about them?”

  The Prince stood stiffly. “You know well, Mr. Kilgore, that military security bars me from discussing troop deployments and strengths with you, but your question does need to be answered. Yes, Liao forces hit several of our worlds in both the Draconis March and the Capellan March. Their objective was to capture or destroy supplies being held on those world
s in preparation for staging our next advance. Liao’s intelligence service, the Maskirovka, had interpreted certain bits of data to suggest that this would be a crippling attack. However, it was our Ministry of Intelligence, Information, and Operations who fed them the information. In intelligence circles, that’s knows as bait.”

  The Prince smiled as the reporters laughed. “Let me assure you that though Liao forces did land, none of them got away again.”

  Hanse nodded to another reporter. “Mr. St. James.”

  “Thank you, Highness. Last September, in your first press conference concerning the invasion, you said, ‘It will continue as long as it must.’ Do you now have a better idea how long that will be?”

  Hanse Davion shook his head resignedly. “At one time, I thought we could subdue Liao by taking away the industrial worlds in the Tikonov Commonality, but he does not seem to realize he has lost his ability to wage an effective war. Indeed, the attempted assassination of Pavel Ridzik and the murder of Duke Michael Hasek-Davion point out that our assessments of Liao’s mental stability have been far from the mark. Now Liao seems more like a rabid animal that must be put down than a shrewd leader of men.”

  Hanse frowned. “Please understand that this war is a hardship for me, just as it is for every one of my subjects.” He looked up and out beyond the auditorium’s wall. “This war keeps me apart from my wife. This war has cost me my brother-in-law, Michael. And every day I must send men and women off to die, which is a painful duty.”

  A woman with short black hair stood. “Highness, we have heard rumors that Justin Xiang, a man you exiled two years ago, now serves as Maximilian Liao’s advisor on intelligence matters dealing with the Federated Suns. Xiang is the son of your Quintus Allard, Minister of Intelligence, Information, and Operations. Is it true that you launched this invasion as a preemptive strike to prevent Liao from doing damage based on secrets known to Xiang? And if he has hurt the Federated Suns, will you sack his father?”

  The Prince cleared his throat, but the look of contempt remained on his face. “Based on how the Capellan forces fell into our ambush, Justin Xiang must be an important advisor to Maximilian Liao. Xiang might once have been considered a capable company commander. As an intelligence advisor to Maximilian Liao, he could easily be considered an asset to the Federated Suns. As for Quintus Allard, it was he who planned Operation Ambush and carefully orchestrated its successful execution. I have the utmost confidence in him, and he will remain at my side until the day he chooses to leave my service.”

  A grizzled older man stood to ask the next question. “Shifting from the Liao front for a moment, Highness, we’ve heard rumors that a Liao unit, the Northwind Highlanders, landed and drove two Kurita regiments off the planet Northwind. Could you comment on this, and tell us if there are any plans to liberate the world from the Liao forces?”

  Hanse half-smiled. “Again, for reasons of military security, I cannot answer you fully. Suffice it to say that the arrival of the Northwind Highlanders on the world their forebears left centuries ago was not unanticipated or unwelcome.”

  With that, Hanse Davion held up his hands. “No more questions,” he said. “I have much work to do. But we will do this again…soon. I do respect your right to know the truth, and I will share it will with you as often I can.” Ignoring the shouted questions, Prince Hanse Davion turned from the podium and retreated through the doorway behind him, deeper into the sanctuary of his palace.

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  NOVELS

  Decision at Thunder Rift by William H. Keith Jr.

  Mercenary's Star by William H. Keith Jr.

  The Price of Glory by William H. Keith, Jr.

  Warrior: En Garde by Michael A. Stackpole

  Warrior: Riposte by Michael A. Stackpole

  Warrior: Coupé by Michael A. Stackpole

  Wolves on the Border by Robert N. Charrette

  Heir to the Dragon by Robert N. Charrette

  Lethal Heritage (The Blood of Kerensky, Volume 1) by Michael A. Stackpole

  Blood Legacy (The Blood of Kerensky, Volume 2) by Michael A. Stackpole

  Lost Destiny (The Blood of Kerensky, Volume 3) by Michael A. Stackpole

  Way of the Clans (Legend of the Jade Phoenix, Volume 1) by Robert Thurston

  Bloodname (Legend of the Jade Phoenix, Volume 2) by Robert Thurston

  Falcon Guard (Legend of the Jade Phoenix, Volume 3) by Robert Thurston

  Wolf Pack by Robert N. Charrette

  Main Event by James D. Long

  Natural Selection by Michael A. Stackpole

  Assumption of Risk by Michael A. Stackpole

  Blood of Heroes by Andrew Keith

  Close Quarters by Victor Milán

  Far Country by Peter L. Rice

  D.R.T. by James D. Long

  Tactics of Duty by William H. Keith

  Bred for War by Michael A. Stackpole

  I Am Jade Falcon by Robert Thurston

  Highlander Gambit by Blaine Lee Pardoe

  Hearts of Chaos by Victor Milán

  Operation Excalibur by William H. Keith

  Malicious Intent by Michael A. Stackpole

  Black Dragon by Victor Milán

  Impetus of War by Blaine Lee Pardoe

  Double-Blind by Loren L. Coleman

  Binding Force by Loren L. Coleman

  Exodus Road (Twilight of the Clans, Volume 1) by Blaine Lee Pardoe

  Grave Covenant ((Twilight of the Clans, Volume 2) by Michael A. Stackpole

  The Hunters (Twilight of the Clans, Volume 3) by Thomas S. Gressman

  Freebirth (Twilight of the Clans, Volume 4) by Robert Thurston

  Sword and Fire (Twilight of the Clans, Volume 5) by Thomas S. Gressman

  Shadows of War (Twilight of the Clans, Volume 6) by Thomas S. Gressman

  Prince of Havoc (Twilight of the Clans, Volume 7) by Michael A. Stackpole

  Falcon Rising (Twilight of the Clans, Volume 8) by Robert Thurston

  Threads of Ambition (The Capellan Solution, Book 1) by Loren L. Coleman

  The Killing Fields (The Capellan Solution, Book 2) by Loren L. Coleman

  Dagger Point by Thomas S. Gressman

  Ghost of Winter by Stephen Kenson

  Roar of Honor by Blaine Lee Pardoe

  By Blood Betrayed by Blaine Lee Pardoe and Mel Odom

  Illusions of Victory by Loren L. Coleman

  Flashpoint by Loren L. Coleman

  Measure of a Hero by Blaine Lee Pardoe

  Path of Glory by Randall N. Bills

  Test of Vengeance by Bryan Nystul

  Patriots and Tyrants by Loren L. Coleman

  Call of Duty by Blaine Lee Pardoe

  Initiation to War by Robert N. Charrette

  The Dying Time by Thomas S. Gressman

  Storms of Fate by Loren L. Coleman

  Imminent Crisis by Randall N. Bills

  Operation Audacity by Blaine Lee Pardoe

  Endgame by Loren L. Coleman

  A Bonfire of Worlds by Steven Mohan, Jr.

  Embers of War by Jason Schmetzer

  NOVELLAS

  A Splinter of Hope by Philip A. Lee

  The Anvil by Blaine Lee Pardoe

  ANTHOLOGIES

  Shrapnel: Fragments from the Inner Sphere

  Onslaught: Tales from the Clan Invasion!

  The Corps (BattleCorps Anthology vol. 1)

  First Strike (BattleCorps Anthology vol. 2)

  Weapons Free (BattleCorps Anthology vol. 3)

  Fire for Effect (BattleCorps Anthology vol. 4)

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bsp; Counterattack (BattleCorps Anthology vol. 5)

  Front Lines (BattleCorps Anthology vol. 6)

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