personal 2

Just then the lawyers called me back, informing me that the Revenants mercenary unit had finally been registered at the MRB and also in the local Concordat systems. I could now start buying modern military hardware, contracting people and looking for contracts if I was interested.

One thing I knew for sure was that I didn't have the necessary experience to create and manage and much less lead into battle a mercenary unit. My own time in the military was long ago – and in a different universe. The memories from this body were up to completing the training, not enough by a large margin.

Thankfully, after reading her file, I knew that Lise Bonnel has served in one of the special forces units of the TDF and could probably help me finding the right person for the job.

After asking her to help me in that particular problem, she informed me that she indeed knew several retired officers that maybe could be interested in the job. She said that she was going to ask around but made no promises.

As soon as the Eisenfaust was declared operational by the technicians, I took it for a run in our firing range. While small, it was a comprehensive one with the full number of cameras and all the needed sensors needed to certify a 'Mech or vehicle as fully operational.

After months of using the Toro, I could see the differences from the start; even with the updates we had made, the Eisenfaust was still a much slower 'Mech, barely passing 60 km/h while the smaller Toro could reach almost 90 km/h easily. The weapon load-out was also different as the Toro was a long range 'Mech while the new Eisenfaust had weapons for all ranges. My final conclusion after finishing the last run of planned tests planned was that the techs had done a good job, turning this 'Mech into a decent if only a bit slow medium.

A month after my conversation with Lise, I received a visit.

Gervais Vasseur, retired Brigadier (in other words a Major) from the TDF (I later learned that he had retired after an accident killed his family four years ago).

Even without watching his vita, this guy screamed military with every single move he made. His look (1.75 meters, very fit with short black hair) just added to this feeling. After all, why not another cliché?

After the initial and usual jokes, he provided me with his résumé – XO in the Taurian Guards under Brenda Calderon, several deployments before that including two against pirates, nothing exceptional – but most parts of the curriculum were full so… all in all, someone with plenty of experience in the business. Interesting, no personal 'Mech and hailing from a middle-class family, which could explain both the missing 'Mech and the interest for the job.

After that, I explained to him that I wanted him to lead a mercenary unit, about the size of a combined arms battalion with several peculiar missions I wanted it to be able to carry.

His reaction was typical.

'So, if I understand this right, you want to create a mercenary force to go treasure hunting in the no man's land between us, the Magistracy and the South of the Reach.

Are you crazy ? For that you already have more than enough hardware, you don't need to buy more. Alternatively, you can contract any small mercenary force - that is much cheaper than creating one from the ground.'

'Yes, Brigadier, but I want a force that I fully control.'

'For that you just need to look to the MRB rates - several small merc units have a very good reputation. I think that you have too much money to spare and just want to play merc. Not a good combo.'

'Look, Brigadier, it is my money, and in the end you will receive a very good salary for creating and commanding that force for me. If I'm wrong, you will still be paid and you will be able to drive a Heavy 'Mech for several months. But, if I'm right...'

'What is so important in that legendary DropShip for you to risk that much ?'

'Other than the fact that is the size of the Behemoth, and that is was built in the last days of the Star League ? Several clues point to that it was used by the Star League Intelligence Command and that it might have inside a map of all their hidden bases in the Periphery.'

'Even if all of that is true, what guarantees you have that said bases are not emptied when the SLDF run away or found after ?'

'Well, that is a risk I'm prepared to take, brigadier. Do you want the job, or do I need to look for another commander?'

'Son, it is you money, if you are willing to spend it that way, fine for me. But be prepared to pay a lot of money to buy the force you want and in the end all the adventure be a bust.'

'Noted. And welcome to the party, brigadier.'

He had accepted the job offer but not without a last request – more exactly, demanding that the operational command had to be his, something that I fully supported.

Vasseur also asked about the hardware that I had and after I informed him, he made a quick list of the extra hardware that was going to be necessary. Thankfully I still had a good treasure chest and VMI could provide me with everything we both agreed to buy. Recruiting personnel was also going to be his job as I had no clue where to start.

After a meeting with the VMI procurement division, I returned to V4RU, with several orders placed for several very expensive military hardware. Thanks to the fact that VMI produced most of what I needed, I just had to negotiate with one company, one that has its HQ and principal factories in this planet. The drawback was that they had more bargaining power than I had.

While I had probably ordered more things and more costly than necessary for a good start, I wanted to form a company of 'Mechs with support, something Vasseur fully agreed upon. I could get four heavies (Marauder 3R, Warhammer 6R, Archer 2R and Thunderbolt 5S), 2 mediums (Griffin 1N) four Vedette Medium tanks, four Hunter Light Support Tank and twelve Heavy Wheeled APCs. The reason behind my choice of going for four different heavies was that it meant I could get my hands on the first available 'Mechs from 4 different production lines instead of having to wait for several months for the same 4 models to show up. A simple trick that made me smile and that ensured that my unit would be ready in the near future. I had specifically requested that everything fresh out of the factory had to be delivered to the new base that was just now being finished.

Creating a mercenary force from the roots was really expensive as for the 'Mecha and tanks alone, I had to pay 44 millions C-Bills and this price didn't take into account spare parts and ammo! . Without forgetting that I had to let the ASF arm out of the way because getting pilots was going to be a pain as I still had no crews for the Hammerheads (not a single one) and so far only the four Intrepids were fully crewed . ASF was the only part that Vasseur wasn't confident that he would be able to find enough personnel.

Buying the small arms, equipment and uniforms for the infantry force complement was small money compared to all the money I had just spent and I got these from several small companies in New Vandenberg. As I was a potential big customer for these companies, I could bargain "good" conditions.

Returning to V4RU, I talked with Leloup about the modifications that I wanted in the new hardware that was going to arrive soon. I wanted all the vehicles to to be vacuum certified as I planned on using to use them in the Argo takeover), which included among other things, replacing the ICE engines with fuel cells. I also wanted to modify the Marauder to the 3D variant (I liked the zombie, no ammo capability of the D). Leloup assured me that both things were rather trivial to do, even if they were going to cost some money and some time.

Any illusions that I could still have about my capabilities as a 'MechWarrior were rapidly dispelled after several training sessions with Vasseur where he constantly defeated me, explaining to me in painful details all my mistakes after each session. But, the good news was that I felt I was learning and improving, if only slowly.

Another good thing during these days was that my team had found Farah Murad, just after her finishing her doctorates at Sian University. Paying top C-Bills, I offered her a place in my organization at V4RU or the Revenants, her choice. Thankfully, she accepted but for now only in V4RU.

In the following weeks, I continued my training and studying, while Vasseur was busy recruiting people inside the Concordat.

Vasseur was not only a veteran Mechwarrior, he was also an excellent teacher. I learned a lot about the practical side of business watching him. Following his advice, I bought four networked top-of-the-line simulators, the ones that could be programmed to simulate almost any 'Mech (with only a few coding twists) and plenty of different environments.

VMI started the deliveries of the bought hardware, and V4RU started to modify the vehicles to my specifications; mostly replacing the ICE engines with fuel cells and adapting them to work in vacuum.

In spite of because of his rather profit oriented approach Smith was an excellent manager and managed to secure a few contracts while at same time providing the necessary personnel and company assets to execute my orders without interfering with the daily work of the company.

While recruiting personnel in the Concordat takes more time and provide you with less opportunities, particularly in the ASF arm, it also had some interesting advantages as you could spare yourself the year+ long trip to Galatea and back and it was also much easier to check the background of the candidates (to be honest, Vasseur's good connections played a role here too).

Unlike in Galatea, none of the contracted 'MechWarriors had personal 'Mechs but they were all ex-members of the TDF. They were just lacking the money or the family to have their own ride into battle.

It was the same with the rest of the personnel, none came with military gear, except for some of the techs contracted. For another unit that would have been a problem but not for mine as I had already bought all the needed hardware.

During this preparation time I received the visit of a pair of agents from the Ministry of Interior (I strongly suspected that they from the Taurian Ministry of Intelligence). They wanted to know what my objectives were with the mercenary outfit that I was creating. Once they were informed that my only interest lied in 'treasure hunting' in unsafe places and maybe a little of pirate hunting both outside of the Concordat territory, they left.

I also executed my first orbital voyage by taking advantage of the marines training. I went along with them during one of their simulated assault on a DropShip. Thankfully, I don't seem to suffer from space sickness – always good to know.

In early September Farah Murad arrived at V4RU and I couldn't wait to meet her.

A smallish, a bit overweight woman, with several tattoos and a pair of intelligent eyes enter my office.

'Good morning Dr. Murad, thank you for accepting my invitation.'

'Well Mr. Bassot, your invitation is intriguing and you monetary proposal very interesting. I understand that you have this company and are also interested in doing some mercenary jobs ?'

'Yes. This company does several repair and refit work from JumpShips to DropShips, 'Mechs and all kind of vehicles both military and civilian. But I'm also creating a mercenary force that I want to use to recover some valuable items in the Periphery.'

'What kind of valuable items, if I may ask ?'

'For starters a lost Star League big DropShip, but the place apparently includes some kind of pirate base that use the remains at part of their base. I want to recover all the possible hardware from that ship, and if available any valuable data that the computers included. If said DropShip can be recovered the better.'

'Interesting – what class of DropShip are we talking about?'

'The rarest one – The Argo class.'

'Rare indeed – if I'm not wrong only two were produced and only one ever flew and was lost during its maiden mission, right ? And you know where the remains are?'

'Correct in both cases. As I said, I want to recover it if possible. Are you interested ?'

At the mention of such a potential treasure her eyes sparkled and I knew I had her.

'Well, yes, of-course! You can count me in that mission.'

By mid September, Vasseur had contracted all the needed people with the exception of enough ASF pilots ; I only got two of the four needed but the prospects of getting more were low. Logical since ASF crews had always been a proverbial weak spot in the Concordat. At that time, all of our hardware had already arrived and been refitted to my specs so the time to depart to Axylus was getting close. Only the Marksman was still in the capable hands of the V4RU techs as they had problems with the replacement electronics or something like that. But against pirates I was confident that we wouldn't need artillery.

In October 4th of 3015, we departed from New Vandenberg for Axylus, a small, airless moon in the no-mans-land between the Free Worlds League, the Magistracy of Canopus, the Aurigan Coalition and the Taurian Concordat.