Shell Games
STRENGTH VS. HONOR For more than a decade¸ the Republic of the Sphere's army hid in silence behind the mysterious¸ impregnable Wall of Fortress Republic. But now the Wall has come down¸ and Paladin Max Ergen¸ commander of Operation Eruptio¸ has his sights set on an invaluable prize. His target: Dieron¸ a Draconis Combine military district capital¸ a former Republic world harboring secrets from past wars. His troops have spent years training in isolation behind the Wall¸ and they are hungry for battle¸ ready to remind the Inner Sphere that the wounded Republic is still a force to be reckoned with. But Dieron is also the fortress of Warlord Kambei Okamoto¸ one of the Combine's top military officials¸ and he and his Dieron Regulars are committed to holding the line and defending their home against Republic aggression¸ no matter the cost. Although the Republic may have surprise and numbers on their side¸ the Combine troops boast the strength of an impregnable redoubt-and the keen edge of their own unimpeachable honor. And when these two forces clash¸ the battle for Dieron will be a titanic one indeed...