Book excerpt: A TEST OF LOYALTY… Clan Jade Falcon’s war efforts draw closer to Terra, but to conquer this ultimate prize, the Falcons’ vicious Khan, Malvina Hazen, must be able to trust all of her warriors to carry out her commands without hesitation—no matter how much death or collateral damage they will cause. For Malvina, victory is the only thing that matters, and those who stand in her way suffer swift and brutal elimination. Star Captain Archer Pryde is an unconventional Falcon MechWarrior who chafes at carrying out his Khan’s terror tactics, but he delivers results in combat, so Malvina has turned a blind eye to his beliefs so far. But when civilians on a conquered world revolt against their Clan masters, innocents are caught in the Falcons’ crosshairs. Archer and his fellow MechWarriors must prove their mettle to Star Colonel Nikita Malthus, the Khan’s vindictive advisor, by carrying out their scorched-earth orders to the letter. But are these orders a betrayal of what it means to be a true and honorable Jade Falcon? With both his loyalty and honor in question, Archer must run the gauntlet between duty and principles, or risk his own destruction.