Test of Vengeance by Bryan Nystul

Author:Bryan Nystul [Nystul, Bryan]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Science-Fiction:Battletech
ISBN: 9780451458360
Goodreads: 1660227
Publisher: Roc
Published: 2001-06-01T00:00:00+00:00

19

Clan Ghost Bear Field Headquarters

Drake Woods, Luzerne

Pesht Military District, Draconis Combine

3 August 3063

It had become a familiar scene to Jake over the last three months: the weekly meeting of the cluster's entire command staff, from Star Colonel Marcus Gilmour all the way down to the individual star commanders. In total, seventeen officers gathered in a tent normally used as a mess hall to get the latest news from the front and to discuss strategy.

At least that was the theory.

Standing before the assembled warriors, Gilmour cleared his throat and the various conversations in the tent finally died down. "When we arrived on Luzerne in May, our analysis predicted a swift victory like those that came before. Reinforcements from deeper within the Combine, as well as unexpected resistance from local civilians, blunted our initial assault."

Lita leaned over to Jake and whispered, "So we get the history lesson again today, quiaff?"'

Jake nodded slightly. "Aff. Maybe this time there will be a point."

Although it was unlikely Gilmour had heard Jake's actual words, he shot him a cold stare for talking out of turn.

"That was three months ago, and not much has changed. Worse, we have spent the last five weeks in this cursed forest fighting a—what do they call it?—yes, a 'guerrilla war' against an unknown number of enemy 'Mechs and infantry."

And as far as Jake was concerned, the whole mess was Gilmour's fault. After serving under the aging star colonel all these months, it was obvious the man was overly methodical and cautious. Those qualities might have served him well in other campaigns, but here on Luzerne, they were a liability. Jake briefly considered interrupting to demand swift action. Perhaps guerilla tactics called for something similar in response. He opened his mouth to speak, then shut it again. Anything he said would be useless, considering his commander's dim opinion of him.

Jake told himself that the only way he would ever get through to Marcus Gilmour was on the battlefield, not the briefing room. It shocked him that he would even conceive of such dishonorable tactics. Being in the Inner Sphere was affecting his thinking in ways he did not like. On the plus side, at least the DEST woman was off tormenting someone else...

Gilmour turned to the back wall of the tent and pulled down a retracted map that showed the local area in some detail. He pointed to the center of the map. "This is our problem—the forest itself. It seems that we will never finish with the enemy forces in here, if only because we cannot even determine how many of them there are."

"Now we are finally getting somewhere," Lita whispered.

Jake was glad to know he wasn't the only one growing impatient with the star colonel's super-caution.

Gilmour pointed to a large, hilly area north and west of the forest. "Based on our limited orbital reconnaissance, as well as analysis of the enemy's attack patterns over the past weeks, I have concluded that they must have some kind of staging base in these hills for keeping their forces supplied and repaired.

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