CONTRACTS MAKE STRANGE ALLIES… For new mercenary groups just starting out, one of the primary rules is “Follow the money.” Even when it’s being paid by the same people who forced you to become a mercenary unit in the first place. Ronan and Isobel Carlyle are experiencing this right now, having accepted a contract from the newly-formed Tamar Pact, the cluster of planets that recently seceded from the Lyran Commonwealth—and got the once loyal-Carlyle siblings cashiered as turncoats. Now the Pact wants the Legion’s help with one of their newer planets, Crimond. But murky mission parameters and an unhelpful liaison officer leaves Ronan and Bel wondering who’s a friend and who’s a foe. And when the Legion splits up to handle two different missions, Bel finds herself an entire continent away, on a mission to scout an abandoned Star League base. But she soon discovers the base—and the nearby community—is anything but abandoned…and if she doesn’t act fast, she and her GDL commandos will receive a welcome they won’t walk away from…

A COST IS ALWAYS PAID… Nikolai Reed is a trader on a Lyran JumpShip plying the space lanes… Chloe Mason is a hot-shot tech with the Hsien Hotheads mercenaries… Leaving the Northwind Highlanders, MechWarrior Ryana Nikol fills a billet with the Eridani Light Horse… Disparate lives, but a unified dream that will bring them all together on a fateful course that will span decades, cover hundreds of light years, and involve love, friendship, and loss across a dozen worlds. Each will pay a price along the way, as a cost always comes due. The Mercenary Life anthology is a compilation of stories written by Randall N. Bills. Including tales from several different characters as they cross paths, and the dream to found a new mercenary command is born. Their unique lives showcase the struggles and trials of the men and women who take up the mercenary mantle from a variety of angles, all bound around that central vision. The first eight stories of this anthology were originally posted for free alongside the release of MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries, acting as the origin stories for the mercenary command within that computer game. This is the first time they have been compiled into a single volume to allow for a Print on Demand physical copy. Additionally, an all-new ninth story has been added—The Sun Will Rise—along with postscripts for every story that gives the reader insight into how stories are crafted within a shared universe between tabletop, computer games, and fiction that spans more than thirty years and tens of millions of words.

BACKS AGAINST THE WALL… Galatea. The Mercenary's Star. Even the most down on their luck units can find work here. Leading the newly-formed Gray Death Legion has been challenging for Grayson Death Carlyle, so when a job comes their way, he’s only too happy to take it. The mission: train the local resistance on the planet Verthandi to resist their Draconis Combine masters. But things do not go well almost from the moment the Legion arrives. Trapped on Verthandi and facing a superior force and a fractured populace, the men and women of the Legion find themselves in a situation that makes the campaign on Trellwan look like a walk in the park. And Grayson quickly learns repeating his past successes may not be so easy this time…

Honor Doesn't Pay Being a mercenary does. In MechWarrior 4: Mercenaries, the latest game in the storied BattleTech universe, join one of four ruthless mercenary clans and start your pursuit of the mighty C-Bill. Accept the most dangerous mission contracts and you can get rich--if you can make it back alive. Written with the full support of FASA, Cyberlore, and Microsoft, this ultra-detailed guide is packed with the strategies, tactics, and analysis you need to become an expert mercenary. Inside you'll find: * Hardcore strategies and tips straight from the game's designers * In-depth analysis of each 'Mech and the combat situations it excels at * Comprehensive, detailed stats for all 'Mechs, weapons, and lancemates * Step-by-step walkthrough and maps of every single mission in the incredible campaign * Detailed guidance for managing your mercenary career, including mission selection and salvage tactics * Multiplayer tactics for succeeding in free-for-all and team games

A HERD DIVIDED… For the entirety of its existence, Clan Hell’s Horses has been underestimated by its fellow Clans. The inclusion of tanks and infantry alongside their BattleMech forces has often unfairly forced the Horses into lopsided alliances with other Clans. As competing Clans race headlong to conquer Terra, the birthplace of humanity, the Horses must focus on survival rather than the glory of conquest. But many Horses want more, and they refuse to be shouldered aside as Clans Jade Falcon and Wolf reap the rewards of their campaign toward Terra. Star Captain Peter Cobb, a controversial rising star and military scholar, sees a new trail for the Hell’s Horses to blaze. This path would put the Clan on a fiery trajectory to earn the victories and respect they rightfully deserve, and push the Clan toward a prosperous future. But few embrace his controversial ideas and, divided by distrust and ambition, the leadership of his Clan lacks the will to ensure that the Hell’s Horses will be strong enough to survive the tumultuous conflicts ahead. Caught between the bloody agendas of two rival Khans—a political maneuverer and a bellicose warmonger—Peter must find a way to restore the soul of the Hell’s Horses without sullying his honor, or risk dooming his entire Clan to extinction in the face of a rising power unlike any the Inner Sphere has ever seen…

For over forty centuries, mercenaries have plied their trade and been instrumental in toppling empires or holding the tides of war at bay. And as mankind expanded to the stars, soldiers of fortune rose to new heights of power. Business is booming, yet along with those riches comes a dangerous life and the scorn of many who see only filthy lucre-warriors. Its a dangerous life, but as long as you keep your Mech intact and your bottom line balanced, the universe is yours!

MERCS VERSUS MERCS… During the years of the Star League, few mercenary units served with such honor and distinction as the Eridani Light Horse. Stalwart allies of the Star League and the ideals it stands for, the men and women of the Eighth Recon Battalion are about to have their own ideals tested on the world of Radstadt. For when an invading mercenary force assaults a massive Draconis Combine prison complex, the Light Horse warriors are faced with the choice of risking their lives to defend convicted prisoners. And while the Eridani Light Horse has never shied from a mission or a challenge, repelling the invaders will try them in ways they could never have expected…