“They’re being hit hard. They aren’t advancing fast enough, and now they can’t withdraw either without taking serious losses. We’ll have to take the pressure off them by hitting the second Operations Area ourselves. The real factories are down there.”

That perked up the lieutenant’s interest, though Dominic appeared very unimpressed about taking on a new mission. “Team Two found something?” His mind began to plan the rendezvous. “If we can link up with them, maybe find-”

Sorenson interrupted, his face pale. “Team Two is dead, Sir.”

“Dead?” Dominic barged back into the conversation. “You mean out of commission? Captured?”

Unhappily, the corporal shook his head. “They took out the hydroelectric facility and discovered entrances for two large underground complexes. But Clan troops caught them on the second leg of their operation. Neither of them made it. The report we intercepted is fairly clear on that. No prisoners. As ordered.”

“So now Taylor has only half the reasons to come in here and rescue us.” Dominic shook his head. “Perfect.”

“There are eight missing MechWarriors^® out there we might still find,” Sinclair reminded his lancemate. “If Team Two made it out, we know that Keith and Tessa are out there for certain.” The real fear was hidden in Sorenson’s final comment, which Dominic had missed. “Who gave the ‘no prisoners’ order?” Sinclair asked.

“Near as I can tell, it came through this Star Colonel Ratache Osis you heard on comms. The one who sounded most upset by Furey’s defeat. However, from other communication interceptions, I believe those orders originated with Brendon Corbett. It’s inferred. So is the fact that it’s Corbett who is leading the fight against the Eclipse’s rescue company.”

Sinclair nodded his appreciation for the blunt truth. “You’re doing a good job, Thomas. Keep it up.” No reason to blame the messenger for the news, and he wanted it clear that Sorenson should not worry about keeping him informed. “Have you plotted a route down to the peninsula’s southern coast?”

“I’ve located a dry river bed we can use for our initial approach, about five klicks southwest around the headland. It avoids a few military targets, which I think is wise at this point. I’ve already monitored Ratache Osis’ order to increase the strength of local garrison posts.” He paused. “Of course, that means the factories themselves will be very well guarded.”

Dominic smiled thinly at Sinclair. “And it just keeps getting better,” he said. “Every. Single. Minute.”

* * *

Three kilometers along the river bed, they found Tessa McCaughnell. Or what was left of her.

Near as Sinclair could tell, something had burned part of her deployment parachute away. A glancing blow from the naval-grade lasers erected on the island? A mischance run-in with an aerospace fighter patrol? Didn’t matter. Without the ‘chute’s braking effects, Tessa’s Crusader had struck Tranquil not at the mild five kph which her jump jets could have softened into an easy landing, but at better than ten times that. Both legs were partially buried into the earth. The upper leg framework had been telescoped upward into the Crusader’s chest, spearing the fusion reactor and causing catastrophic failure. There wasn’t much left of the BattleMech. One arm, and the mangled head blown a good hundred meters away.

Why hadn’t she ejected? It was a question they would never be able to answer. All the two MechWarriors^® could do was bury her remains. No words were spoken over the gravesite.