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BRACE FOR IMPACT! Shrapnel: The Official BattleTech Magazine is your ultimate target for tales of hard-hitting, explosive BattleMech action across the battlefields of the 31st century and beyond! Trapped on a forgotten planet, a lone MechWarrior fighting to survive must stay one step ahead of the relentless barbarians hunting her down. Amid a naval battle for the ages, a damage-control technician will do his part to put an end to the ultimate evil in human-habited space. And during the Wars of Reaving, a Clan technician given the ultimate opportunity must guard her secret, even if it leads to her grave... In this issue, you'll travel to the edge of the Periphery, where a dying, sun-baked world breathes its last gasp; you'll follow a daring criminal cult in search of the ultimate victims in the Capellan Confederation; and you'll have to outsmart or outfight other pirates to keep them from stealing your ultimate score out from beneath you... Plus, brace yourself for the exciting conclusion of the serial novel Lone Wolf and Fox, by Bryan Young. No matter where you go in the Inner Sphere, conflict will inevitably find you, and the surefire way to defend yourself against it is with articles on arms dealers to either buy from or hunt down, spacefaring threats both real and imagined, and the best methods for transporting your weapons of war. Then go deeper into the trenches with unit and planet digests, technical readouts, a cautionary tale of ten playable pilots, and more-all by BattleTech authors both new and old: Bryan YoungCraig A. Reed, Jr.Steve P. VincentDevin RamseyBenjamin JosephDavid RaziRussell ZimmermanJennifer BixbyAlex FauthKen' HornerWunji LauJamie Kaiju MarriageMike MillerLance ScarinciZac SchwartzTom StanleyJaymie WagnerChris Wheeler

THE SWORD OR THE PLOWSHARE...The destruction of the interplanetary communications net has isolated planets across the Republic of the Sphere. On Mirach, a widening schism in the military between those who would remain loyal to The Republic and those who would break away threatens the peace and prosperity that have lasted for generations.Once a formidable MechWarrior, governor Sergio Ortega now believes that diplomacy will win the day. His sons, Dale and Austin, are also stalwarts of The Republic and aspiring MechWarriors. Facing growing civil unrest, they urge a military show of force before events spiral out of control. But Mirach has no BattleMechs, and their pacifistic father is slashing military spending.But when power-hungry forces within the government begin plotting to overthrow it by any means necessary-including assassination-Austin must rebel against everything he's known to fight for the safety and freedom of Mirach...even if that means facing off against his own father...

THE FINAL ENGAGEMENT... The minions of Maximilian Liao are about to deliver a crippling blow to the forces of Prince Hanse Davion-discovering a way to use Hanse's own technology against him. Half a galaxy away, assassins stalk Hanse's wife, Melissa Steiner, and her mother, Archon Katrina Steiner, in the passageways of their own palace. Invasion is imminent. The only 'Mech force capable of stopping that invasion-the Kell Hounds mercenary unit-is trapped in a game of search and destroy with the most fearsome Kurita unit ever created. Even if they come back in time...how many would make it? In a world where ten-meter-tall war machines are the soul of battle, assassins are state policy, and a spy's loyalty is always for sale, the only thing certain is death. Who can you trust? And in the bitter end, how will you be betrayed?

THE GAUNTLET IS THROWN... Hanse Davion and Melissa Steiner have united two Great Houses of the Inner Sphere in a marriage that upsets the balance of power among the stars. Though some hope this may bring an end to centuries of war, Maximilian Liao of the Capellan Confederation has enlisted the aid of two highly placed Davion traitors to destroy Hanse Davion and the Federated Suns from both within and without. But in the distant star chambers of the Capellan March and Draconis Combine, the warlords of Maximilian Liao are honoring a different and more deadly vow: to wage an unholy war that threatens to rip apart the vulnerable worlds of the Federated Suns. As Davion 'Mech commander Andrew Redburn and his mercenaries streak into battle, an explosive clash of metal and men signals the return of a formidable foe. Interstellar legend Yorinaga Kurita has returned to stake his claim as the most bloodthirsty warrior of all. For both men, it is do-or-die combat that could ensure the triumph of a glorious new alliance-or result in total annihilation...

FOUR SECRET AUDITIONS... Fixer BlotterBabe must have exactly the right actors for a production that requires very specialized talent. The actors must not only be skilled, they need to have the right attitude and an ability to adapt to extraordinary circumstances. A Kiss to Die For: Kintsugi and Sartorial choose love over duty, but their respective families will do everything in their considerable power to stop them from being together. See How She Runs: Terrapin witnesses a murder and is handed a package destined for some important and lethal people. Now she is running for her life. Unrepairable: Landon and Liana love vexing megacorps for fun and profit with their Matrix show. Unfortunately, the megacorps always play dirty, and will do whatever's required to shut them down for good. The Kilimanjaro Run: Charlotte, Neema, and Elijah embark on an unexpected adventure that turns into a nightmare when they discover nothing is what it seems. They are left with no choice at all when choosing between the abhorrent and the right thing to do. FOR THE MOST DANGEROUS RUN OF ALL... Having auditioned thousands, BlotterBabe is out of time. It's come down to these few teenagers. Either they will save the day or lose it all... "Cons, lies, double-crosses, flat-out thievery-all the fun stuff. Auditions reads like that great first act of a heist movie. Everyone's showing off their particular set of skills while Brozek teases us with threads of what's to come." -New York Times bestseller Peter Clines, author of The Broken Room "Brozek spins a clever introduction into the world of Shadowrun in Auditions. It's perfect for newcomers, but also showcases shadows that have never been explored yet feel perfectly familiar." -Crystal Frasier, author of Pathfinder: Spiral of Bones

NEVER BET AGAINST THE KELL BROTHERS... Since their first appearance in the Warrior Trilogy, the Kell Hounds have become one of the most storied mercenary units in BattleTech. Now, New York Times-bestselling author and Kell Hounds creator Michael A. Stackpole goes back to the Hounds' beginnings, when Morgan and Patrick Kell were just two smart, ambitious brothers-with a plan to revolutionize the world of mercenaries forever... Not the Way the Smart Money Bets: Arriving on Galatea to launch the Kell Hounds, Morgan and Patrick Kell encounter a few obstacles, including a ruthless crime lord. But the Kell brothers have faced long odds before and come out on top...and this time will be no different... A Tiny Bit of Rebellion: When Galatea is threatened by a religious zealot who wants to spread his repressive theocracy across the entire planet, the Kell Hounds have their first job: put down this uprising, and fast. But with thousands of converted civilians on his side, how will Morgan and Patrick end his misguided crusade without shedding innocent blood? A Clever Bit of Fiction: When the Kell Hounds are hired to provide security for war games on Zavijava, Morgan Kell gets a chance to get to know Prince Ian Davion. But when raiders land, he suddenly faces two threats-stopping the invaders while protecting the Prince. And before the fighting is over, Morgan must make a dangerous choice, with the fate of three Great Houses lying in the balance... If Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot...: Morgan Kell returns home to find his paramour, Veronica Matova, has vanished without a trace. Desperate to find her, Morgan tasks the Hounds to track her down-and uncovers a conspiracy to destroy the Kell Hounds' reputation using Veronica as a hostage. But these shadowy enemies don't realize who they're dealing with...and no force in the Inner Sphere will help them once Morgan Kell finds them...

A LIFE OF DECEPTION... Nearly a century ago, Minoru Kurita abandoned his noble name and heritage when he was adopted by Clan Nova Cat, who utilized his purported psychic abilities to create a powerful new breed of warrior: the Mystic Caste, a secretive spiritual branch of the Clan led by their exalted Oathmaster... From the moment Kisho left the Iron Womb, he has been trained in the Mystic Caste with one goal in mind: to forge his entire being into a tool-not simply as a weapon to fight the Clan's enemies, but as an instrument of strength to bring glory to Clan Nova Cat through his visions. Now he has been chosen by the Oathmaster himself to be his protege and possible successor. But Kisho's great pride masks a great deception: He does not believe any of it. He has walked the path all his life, yet he has no faith in the gifts the Mystic Caste supposedly possesses-and he is running out of time... For Kisho is about to be sent into battle with his warrior brethren to fight alongside the forces of the controversial Warlord Katana Tormark-and the faith he has so long denied may be the only thing that can save them...

THE DREAM DESTROYED... General Aleksandr Kerensky is dead. The Pentagon Worlds are in flames. The dream of a Star League-in-Exile is over, shattered by civil war. Amid the chaos, Nicholas Kerensky leads those who will follow him on a second exodus to the world of Strana Mechty. Yet unlike his father, Nicholas must choose a different path: He wants to do away with all that was, and create an entirely new order. However, the bounds of society that go back millennia cannot be shed so easily. Resistance must be overcome, and blood must be spilled before Nicholas' dream can be achieved. But without his brother Andery's help, the entire venture is doomed before it even begins. Brothers, however, don't always share the same goals. And as more aspects of civilization are purged in the relentless forging of this new society, Andery fears the worst of human nature will arise. Can he find a way forward and stay by his brother's side...or will Nicholas' ultimate vision be realized as everything Andery stands against?

A ROGUE DRAGON RAMPAGES... Between the Republic of the Sphere and the Draconis Combine stands the military unit known as the Dragon's Fury. Claiming worlds in the name of the Dragon without House Kurita's support and threatening the entire Inner Sphere, the Fury pursue their leader's agenda with fanatical devotion... Katana Tormark bears the burden of disgrace. A traitor's actions against her father dishonored her family. Now, to regain the respect the Tormark clan deserves, she openly challenges the Coordinator's policy of nonaggression with the Republic, hoping to push House Kurita into a war-one the Coordinator apparently doesn't want. Warlord Mitsura Sakamoto believes Katana is making House Kurita look weak, and he's determined to turn the situation to his advantage. For he has his own designs on ruling the Combine, and he's not going to let the daughter of a disgraced samurai stand in his way...

POLITICS OF DESTRUCTION... Newly elected Exarch Jonah Levin is still trying to come to terms with the responsibilities of his office. With his recent discovery of treachery in The Republic's Senate, he can trust very few people-and not even his own Paladins have been immune to murderous intrigue... Tensions are heating up between Exarch Levin and the senators determined to fight what they call the "injustice being done to the Republic's government." Some are even agitating for Levin's censure-a move that could accomplish the same thing as the recent attempted coup that killed legendary Paladin Victor Steiner-Davion. One of The Republic's last hopes is the summit of Inner Sphere leaders gathering on Terra. Ostensibly a tribute to the assassinated Steiner-Davion, it also has the potential to halt the escalating violence of the last few years. And although Victor would not have wanted his death to be the cause of more political maneuvering, Levin knows the great man would not begrudge the Republic this one final service to stave off all-out war-if only it isn't too late...

STRENGTH VS. HONORFor more than a decade, the Republic of the Sphere's army hid in silence behind the mysterious, impregnable Wall of Fortress Republic. But now the Wall has come down, and Paladin Max Ergen, commander of Operation Eruptio, has his sights set on an invaluable prize. His target: Dieron, a Draconis Combine military district capital, a former Republic world harboring secrets from past wars. His troops have spent years training in isolation behind the Wall, and they are hungry for battle, ready to remind the Inner Sphere that the wounded Republic is still a force to be reckoned with. But Dieron is also the fortress of Warlord Kambei Okamoto, one of the Combine's top military officials, and he and his Dieron Regulars are committed to holding the line and defending their home against Republic aggression, no matter the cost. Although the Republic may have surprise and numbers on their side, the Combine troops boast the strength of an impregnable redoubt-and the keen edge of their own unimpeachable honor. And when these two forces clash, the battle for Dieron will be a titanic one indeed...

A PRIZE WORTH THE RISK... Despite years of effort, ComStar has been unable to repair the HPG interstellar communications grid. Now the Republic is taking a hands-on approach to fixing the problem. An active hyperpulse generator can turn its planet into a tempting target. So when ComStar appears close to reactivating the HPG on Wyatt, the Republic takes steps to counter any threats to the world-at a time when ComStar is determined to prove that it's once more a force to be reckoned with... Knight-Errant Alexi Holt is assigned to defend Wyatt for the Republic. But her greatest challenge is to protect Tucker Harwell-a genius possessing unmatched HPG skills-from the invaders who will certainly try to capture him. Both the Oriente Protectorate and Clan Spirit Cat have an interest in Wyatt. The first seeks to control the man who can fix an HPG, the other is looking for a safe haven. Unsavory characters will also step forward. After all, though a reactivated HPG makes Wyatt a target, Tucker Harwell is the biggest prize of all...

POISON COMES IN MANY FORMS... Exarch Damien Redburn has called for the election of his replacement. Paladins assemble from all corners of the Republic, and those vying to be the next Exarch are creating a lively nomination process. But machinations behind the scenes threaten to turn the election into a bloodbath. Paladins Heather GioAvanti and Jonah Levin are both conducting investigations into suspicious activities swirling around the edges of this high-level gathering, including a suspected assassination at the highest level of Republic government. The leads they uncover repeatedly intersect, and it becomes clear that more than one group intends to disrupt the election. Through political influence, assassination, or rebellion, each of these cabals ultimately seeks to place its own man or woman in the Exarch's seat-and whoever controls the Exarch controls the Republic. But Damien Redburn will not allow his successor to be a puppet, and is more than willing to throw a few 'Mechs and a secret agent or two into the mix to get the result he wants-even if what he wants may be a surprise to everyone else...

HUNTING FOR PROFIT...AND POWER... Sea Fox Clansmen are space-bound, nomadic warrior-merchants who live and die aboard their naval vessels, going planetside only to negotiate a new deal or for combat-often the same thing for a Fox. Divided into five autonomous Khanates, they are led by the Khan of Clan Sea Fox. Their mission: to make deals and acquire the revenue needed to expand Sea Fox's honor, glory, and power... For more than a decade, ovKhan Sha Clarke has watched his Spina Khanate achieve greater wealth and fame than any other. A burning passion drives him to free Spina Khanate from the shackles of Clan Sea Fox-no matter the cost... Fiercely loyal to Clan Sea Fox, ovKhan Petr Kalasa knows Sha is plotting rebellion, but even he cannot guess the lengths to which the other ovKhan will go to achieve his goal. Attempting to stop his rival, he baits Sha into a one-on-one duel. The result is a disaster that vividly demonstrates how much Petr will have to sacrifice to put an end to Sha's machinations. Yet his suspicions of Sha will not let him rest. Petr has lost one battle, but-as the Clan as his witness-he will not lose the war...

ALIVE OR DEAD...Just a few months after their universe-shaking campaign on Helm, and the distribution of the Helm Memory Core, all Grayson Carlyle and his Gray Death Legion want is to settle into their new home on Glengarry. But they barely touch down on-planet when a Lyran Commonwealth general contacts the GDL, intent on hiring them to track down and capture Draconis Combine agents behind a daring raid on Lyons. Tracking the Kurita raiders to the Draconis border system of Valdis-better known as Wheel-Grayson and his people have their work cut out for them. The system's main feature is literally a wheel-shaped deep-space station and recharge facility at the Valdis star's zenith jump point. Its structure means a direct assault with BattleMechs will be extremely risky, both because of the tight quarters and the very real danger of an errant shot or missile depressurizing and destroying the entire station. Also, Grayson will be splitting his force, with Lori Kalmar providing a decoy operation on the nearby mining planet Valdis I, otherwise known as Rock, to draw the Combine's attention away from Wheel. It's a high-risk operation on both ends, but Grayson and the GDL have their orders, and they intend to capture the Draconis operatives one way or the other...even if they have to risk destroying the entire space station to do so...

IN THE FALCON'S CLAWS...Skye struggles to rise from the ashes of the last Jade Falcon assault. Tara Campbell's Highlanders are limping back from battles fought all across the Prefecture. And Anastasia Kerensky's Steel Wolves have disappeared again. It's a matter of when-not if-the Falcons will renew their brutal assault, and Skye is unprepared.On the world of Nusakan, Landgrave Jasek Kelswa-Steiner appears to be Skye's only chance for salvation. Gathering his Stormhammers, he prepares to throw his force into the talons of the Falcon advance. But will the cure be worse than the disease? Jasek passionately advocates a return to House Steiner, a political movement his father just as passionately opposes. Unfortunately for the Republic, desperate times call for desperate alliances-and the Jade Falcon force is still spoiling for battle. Clan Jade Falcon will not rest until Skye is conquered...or reduced to a charred cinder.

PREDATORS AND PREY... A Clan Jade Falcon invasion force is en route to eradicate the Steel Wolves-but its true mission is the subjugation of the Republic of the Sphere. Constrained by an imposed peace for decades, the Falcons embark on their most spectacular war in generations-and their lust for blood runs hot... Siblings Malvina and Aleks Hazen are Jade Falcon's best and brightest MechWarriors. Each achieved high command at a young age, and their bond is strong-but so is their rivalry. While Aleks believes warriors should protect the weak, Malvina is obsessed with dark visions of power and glory. If the leader of the Clan is destined to rule the Inner Sphere, then Malvina's first step toward seizing that role for herself is to conquer the Republic...or utterly destroy it. On Skye, Tara Campbell faces a major invasion with too few Northwind Highlanders to beat it back. Some in the Planetary Council want to negotiate with the invaders to spare Skye the frightful carnage already wreaked on other worlds by the Falcons' inexorable advance. Now Tara-the Republic's greatest defender-finds herself fighting dissension at home when unity is needed in the face of Skye's greatest crisis...

TARGET: TERRAThe world of Northwind has been ravaged in the fierce battle between the Highlanders and the Steel Wolves-and now the Clan warriors have set their sights on Terra. The fate of the birthplace of humankind now rests in the hands of three very different MechWarriors: Ezekiel Crow: Betrayer of the Highlanders-and on the run from both political and military enemies.Anastasia Kerensky: Ruthless leader of the Steel Wolves-and if she has her way, the next Conqueror of Terra.Tara Campbell: embattled Countess of the Northwind Highlanders-and Terra's only hope in its most desperate hour.A desperate three-way race ensues to see who will be the first to reach Terra...and who will ultimately claim it....

FLIGHT INTO THE UNKNOWN...100 million dead.500 million wounded.One billion homeless.The worst war in human history is over-and has left the Star League shattered. Jealousy and infighting from the five Great House Lords over who will be the next First Lord has the entire Inner Sphere already teetering on the brink of all-out conflict again.Against this grim backdrop, Aleksandr Kerensky, commanding general of the Star League Defense Force, faces a terrible choice. Stay, and see the mightiest military ever known subsumed into the Great Houses, lighting a conflagration that may burn even brighter than the terrible Amaris Coup. Or do the unthinkable...To save the Inner Sphere, Aleksander-along with his sons, Nicholas and Andery-must leave it behind. He marshals the largest fleet ever assembled to carry millions of people on thousands of JumpShips to head into the unknown. Exodus!But though the Great General strives to make a fresh start for his people far from the Inner Sphere, old habits and allegiances are difficult to leave behind. Soon the Kerenskys and their followers face threats both external and internal as they search the endless black for a new world upon which they can forge a Star League-in-Exile...or die trying.

ALL OR NOTHING...On 1 May 3052, twenty-five Galaxies from seven Clans clashed with twelve armies of ComStar's Com Guards on the pastoral planet of Tukayyid. For twenty-one days, one of the largest campaigns in BattleMech warfare unfolded to decide the fate of the Inner Sphere. The Battle of Tukayyid is one of BattleTech's most pivotal conflicts. Now, explore this crucial campaign through eight different points of view-from the enigmatic ComStar, whose relatively untested forces are the Inner Sphere's last defense against the seemingly unstoppable Clans, to each Clan, as their leaders and MechWarriors attempt to achieve victory on their own terms.The fate of the Inner Sphere hangs in the balance...and it all comes down to one planet...Featuring stories by: Jason SchmetzerMichael J. CiaravellaRandall N. BillsBlaine Lee PardoeSteven Mohan, Jr.Bryan YoungChris HusseyJoel Steverson

THE CLAN INVASION COMES TO A HEAD...In 2786, the elite Star League Army fled the Inner Sphere, abandoning the senseless bloodshed ordered by the Successor Lords. Now, almost three hundred years later, the Clans, heirs of the Star League Army, turn their eyes back upon their former home. Nothing will stop them from raising the Star League banner over Earth once again.For two years, the Clans BattleMech war machines have overwhelmed the armies of the corrupt Successor Lords. Now, at the gates of Earth the Clans must fight one final battle, a battle that will decide the fate of humanity for all time.For Star Colonel Aidan Pryde of Clan Jade Falcon the battle is more than a question of military conquest. It is an affirmation of the superiority of the Clan way, a way of life that he has sworn to uphold despite his fear that the noble crusade has fallen prey to the lust and ambition of its commanders.

A DANGEROUS DECEPTION...Truebirth: Born in the laboratory, these genetically engineered soldiers train to be the ultimate warriors. They are the elite pilots of the Clan's fearsome BattleMech war machines.Freebirth: Born of the natural union of parents, these too are soldiers, but pale imitations of their Truebirth superiors. Despised for their imperfections, they fight where and when their Clan commands.Aidan has failed his Trial of Position, the ranking test all Truebirth warriors of the Clan Jade Falcon must pass. He is cast out. Disgraced. His rightful Bloodname denied him.But with a Bloodname, all past failures are forgiven. With a Bloodname comes respect. With a Bloodname comes honor.Aidan will do anything to gain that name. Even masquerade as the thing he has been taught to despise.A freebirth.

SYMBOLS OF POWER...After the Word of Blake exacts an incalculable toll on Clan Wolf, Elemental warrior Garmen Kerensky is tasked by Wolf Khan Vlad Ward to undertake an audacious, top-secret mission in the Clan Homeworlds. While other covert teams help the Wolves evacuate Clan Space, Garmen's command will steal the most prized relic of Clan history: the body of the Great Father, Commanding General Aleksandr Kerensky, Garmen's ancestor. But the father of the Clans' founder is entombed aboard the McKenna's Pride, a Star League-era WarShip in permanent geosynchronous orbit above the Clans' capital city, a staunchly guarded vessel that will take ingenuity, a warrior's spirit, and more than a little luck to reach.Stealing his ancestor's remains is a tall order under normal circumstances, but the Homeworld Clans are on the verge of open warfare with each other, and this mission threatens to blow Clan society apart entirely. As the elite warrior guards of the Ebon Keshik hunt Garmen, he and his hardened team must navigate the intrigue of the shadowy Dark Caste to have any hope of reaching the Pride alive. But no plan ever survives enemy contact, and Garmen must overcome the forces arrayed against him or risk forever losing the Great Father's body to the chaos and destruction of the Clans' internal warfare.

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.