In the thirty-first century, Mankind has at last spread outward from Earth and among the stars. Advances in technology have spurred exploration, colonization, and exploitation of thousands of planets. Earth is the center of the Nine Hundred Worlds , an autocracy that maintains near-absolute control over its member states by rigid control of interstellar commerce and draconian relocation of excess and troublesome populations to distant worlds. But as tight as the Government's control it, is cannot be absolute; the demands of maintaining its own empire sap its strength, and corruption and inefficiency create myriad loopholes in its rules. On hundreds of planets political factions, commercial cartels, noble houses, and other parties play their games of opportunism and domination, and where the Government cannot or will not intervene or help, they have turned to the Mercenaries' Guild, hiring men who war for profit to fight their battles. One such man of war is Benjamin Martin--former Government Army hero declared traitor, soldier supreme now called criminal, a fugitive on account of his honor. Suddenly, after decades in hiding, Martin receives an offer of mercenary employment--from the Government itself. The resurrection of his old unit as a Guild command, rehabilitation of his tarnished reputation, pardons for his closest officers who stood with him, and wealth of course, immeasurable wealth, and all for going to the rescue of the mysterious planet Stormworld--a planet OUTSIDE the Nine Hundred, a world that has REJECTED the Government. It sounds too good to be true...and such things usually are....
In the thirty-first century, Mankind has at last spread outward from Earth and among the stars. Advances in technology have spurred exploration, colonization, and exploitation of thousands of planets. Earth is the center of the Nine Hundred Worlds , an autocracy that maintains near-absolute control over its member states by rigid control of interstellar commerce and draconian relocation of excess and troublesome populations to distant worlds. But as tight as the Government's control it, is cannot be absolute; the demands of maintaining its own empire sap its strength, and corruption and inefficiency create myriad loopholes in its rules. On hundreds of planets political factions, commercial cartels, noble houses, and other parties play their games of opportunism and domination, and where the Government cannot or will not intervene or help, they have turned to the Mercenaries' Guild, hiring men who war for profit to fight their battles. One such man of war is Benjamin Martin--former Government Army hero declared traitor, soldier supreme now called criminal, a fugitive on account of his honor. Suddenly, after decades in hiding, Martin receives an offer of mercenary employment--from the Government itself. The resurrection of his old unit as a Guild command, rehabilitation of his tarnished reputation, pardons for his closest officers who stood with him, and wealth of course, immeasurable wealth, and all for going to the rescue of the mysterious planet Stormworld--a planet OUTSIDE the Nine Hundred, a world that has REJECTED the Government. It sounds too good to be true...and such things usually are....