[font=Fixedsys]Source:[color=#CC99CC]Prison Liner Stellar Ranger, New York, Detroit Debris Field
[font=Fixedsys]Sender:Natalie Callahan Recipient(s):Lord Commander Reynard 'Burningspleen' Joyeuse Subject:Mercenaries and a good word.
[font=Palatino Linotype]A videofeed starts up quickly, revealing Blue sitting on a comfortable chair in front of a glass table, folding her arms on it and looking at the camera with a serious expression on her face.
[color=#CC99CC]Morning Reynard.
I know you hate to waste time with flowery chit-chat and fancy-talk, so I'll get to the point.
You know how the situation with Mercenaries in Liberty used to be until recently.
As the house that promises wealth and a fair chance for everybody to achieve the 'Libertonian Dream', you had all those nice and friendly ladies and gentlemen everywhere.
And you know how it is with nice and friendly people, they usually hang around with whom the general misinformed populace sees as the 'good guys'.
Be it the LPI, the Navy, the Security Force, whatever. Same deal.
Chances were that if you encountered a Mercenary, he'd turn hostile on your uniformed behind as soon as the so-called 'law' showed up.
And then you had those nice and friendly shooting up your ships on top of whatever the entire Blue Man Group threw at you.
I won't even bother mentioning Mercenary organizations like the Reavers or the Mandalorians.
You know as good as I do that when it comes to choosing your side or the BMG's in Liberty, they're on theirs, always. Even though I've seen the former shoot up Bounty Hunters when out of sight of the law, but who cares.
But when it comes to the formerly nice and friendly and oh-so-frakkin' random Mercenary lot, the situation is changing, and it's changing damn quick.
Point of this is Reynard that things are shifting not just into my favor, so I'm not only helping my own business, but coincidentally I'm helping you just the same.
You remember the day the Ven'Gyr and the Incursus sent the Durango and the Leavenworth limping back home?
It wouldn't have been possible if some of those Mercenaries working for me hadn't interfered and stood in the 'Rango's way in Texas.
I don't know if you were there or only got a usual report, but what I'm giving you here is cold and hard facts.
Those people work for me. They do their job, and I pay them.
And Reynard, they do it damn good.
[font=Palatino Linotype][color=#CCDDCC]She fishes a cigarette out of her suit's pocket, along with a lighter, quickly leading the former to her lips and lighting it, pausing the talk for a moment.
[color=#CC99CC]Reynard, at this point in time those ladies and gentlemen have either assisted in frying or fried themselves nineteen Gunboats, eleven Siege Cruisers, seven Assault Battlecruisers and seven Dreadnoughts.
And that's just during the course of eleven days. Not a month or a couple, eleven frakkin' days Reynard.
[font=Palatino Linotype][color=#CCDDCC]Leaning back while inhaling deeply, she stares at the ceiling for a moment before letting out a little sigh and then focusing on the camera again.
[color=#CC99CC]Now I know they ain't soldiers like you are or like I once was, but they're surprisingly good folk from what I've experienced first-hand.
They do their job knowing they barge into all-out hostile territory and take huge risks every single time they do.
Sure they might not do it for a cause like the Legion does, they simply do it to make a living for the most part, but in the end it boils down to them raising hell and ruining the BMG's day.
That doesn't just make my job easier, like I said. Makes yours easier too.
Lets you bring out the artillery for some 'glorious displays of the Legion's might', for example.
And funnily enough, they do it without endangering any of the Civilians there are out in Liberty space.
Just the targets they have, 'cause the rest don't equal a paycheck.
That the kind of thing you like, ain't it?
[font=Palatino Linotype][color=#CCDDCC]She finishes smoking her cigarette, putting it out quickly before leaning forward to the camera once more and continuing.
[color=#CC99CC]All that talk, Reynard, raises two interesting questions.
Why am I telling you this and what's the catch?
Ain't no catch for one. Nothing behind it. It's a business venture of mine, so to say, which ends up benefitting us both.
As for the why, that's simple. I already said it.
The Mercenary situation in Liberty is changing.
That means in turn that a part of Liberty is changing.
I just figured I'd be so kind as to share, since it might open up some opportunities to you, or might not.
Not like I'd know any of the Legion's plans anymore, but we're loosely-affiliated partners in a sense.
[font=Palatino Linotype][color=#CCDDCC]Blue stands up, ready to walk away, but then stops for a moment to mention something else.
[color=#CC99CC]Oh and Reynard, I've attached a Neural-Net archive link to this transmission so you can take a closer look at this particular business venture.
You might notice a particular individual there going by the name of Victoria Lesley.
Professional Mercenary, really, and a nice person to round it off. I'm pretty fond of her and, well.
I told her I'd put in a word for her and talk to you, since she'd like to acquire a Bayonet Heavy Fighter.
If I remember right they weren't exactly standard-issue unlike Sabres and you should've plenty of those collecting dust on Monterrey still.
So do me a favor and give her the keys to a surplus one, she's not just working for me but indirectly for you too afterall.
Besides, a little exception ain't gon' hurt ya, or will it, Burningspleen?
[font=Palatino Linotype][color=#CCDDCC]And so the screen fades to black as Blue walks out of the camera's view.
Vicky should find a Bayonet in working order on Monterrey base equipped with a full rack of flurries, nuke mines, and a TCD, though she's more than free to switch the loadout around if she wishes.
Can't say any more for now, policy and all that bull, but I figured I'd share. These things are being mass produced as we speak, and we might just have a few in surplus pretty soon.
