Are The Blackstone Highlanders About to Get it from the MRBC?
From the Edge Newsmagazine
"Contract violation, desertion, supporting a rebellion while still contracted to the LCAF? Yeah, folks, it looks to me like Scott Blackstone and his cronies are going to lose money on this deal." Retired Mercenary Peabody MacShine of Neerabup knows the business, he served in one army-for-hire after another since the end of the third succession war, only retiring from active Mercenary service a few years ago.
So, you think the MRBC will find in favour of the Commonwealth then?
"They forfieted their Bond, Ian. Not as bad as some units-I mean, they didn't pull a Fuchida or anything, but pretty bad nonetheless-from a business perspective, they're pretty much going to have to be 'house troops' for Rowe now-I don't think anyone else is going to be willing to hire them after the hearing's done."
Is the business side that important?
"Yes it is, Ian. I'd say though, on balance, that Scott and his kids aren't in as much trouble as Octavius Brion's in-what the Legion did is about as serious a set of contract breaches as you could name, it's actually a nastier case than Bronson's Horde, and a bigger drop in credibility to boot. I feel sad for his old man-god rest his soul. The boy turned out to be unable to uphold a simple garrison assignment. There's serious money when you've got a multiregiment command, and what they're doing is obviously a major breach-of-contract, could forfeit their bond, put 'em in recievership, even result in criminal charges and disbandment, an' that's not counting the possibility of being declared rogue-that's like having a target painted on your forehead for every hot-shot from one side of the sphere to the other."
So, back to the Blackstones...
"Well...they were contracted about four months ago to sit on this end, I guess, based on scuttlebutt around the retirement home and news items, the idea was to prevent an uprising out here-I doubt seriously that such was actually IN their contract. They might be able to win the hearing based on how they worded their termination clause when they signed on. At worst, it's going to hit their rating and make other nations leery of hiring them for paying work. It's a case a fiar better for 'em than what the Kell Hounds did-the Highlanders didn't steal anything when they left, nor try to."
Do you think they did as they did honourably?
"Mercenaries are a funny lot, Ian. You have all the typical military virtues, save one-Patriotism is not the motive of a Merc. The Money's just a means of keeping score-what you're about if you're a good...well, if you're not a sleaze anyway, is that your Contract is your Word, you trade as much on reputation as firepower, and without the Rep, you don't get contracts worth a shit. Blackstone's people didn't have much reputation to begin with so they're not going to take as big a hit, and it's easier for them to work their rep back. I'd say Carlisle's people in the Legion, or some of the also-rans that left, they're not going to suffer much if the MRBC rules against them...but...
You keep bringing up Brion's Legion, why?
The old man sighs, and reaches into his pocket, to hand the reporter a scrap of cloth.
"I worked for them once, back in MY twenties. I was at the (censored) that almost destroyed the unit. Back then I was a 'younger' man, garrison work is boring, I needed to work NOW, so I left and went and hired on with Lindon for a while, then joined a dragoons farm-team unit, then it was a few other units and some independent work. Kept it up until my grandson could drive Kendra out there-of course, by then he was piloting a shiny new 'mech with the Commonwealth at Somer-I mean, Addergrad. what's left of him is buried out back."
Will you be returning to Mercenary work?
[laughs]" Hell NO"[/laughs], "I'm in my seventies now! The 'mech is for sale, but who wants an old 2H model Shadowhawk in today's world?"
