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Chapter 4[]
Dead Man's Hand: The Kowloon Job[]
DropShip Ante-Up
Inbound, Malibu
Jade Falcon Occupation Zone
9th April, 3054
"Ha, they accepted." Scilicorn held out his hand, "Pay up."
"Sone of a bitch, it actually worked." Kelso withdrew a 100 C-Bill note from her pocket and handed it over, "Sorry for ever doubting you, boss."
"You're just sorry you lost a bet." Joker smiled, looking at the screen, "Okay, so who's our first contestant? Star Colonel Nathan Roshak, 124th Striker Cluster, Rho Galaxy. Star Captain Henry Jade Falcon: looks like he doesn't want to come quietly. MechWarrior Shelby Jade Falcon... and we have a hit on the LIC files. Seems she was formally Cadet Shelby Hoffstein of the Blackjack academy."
"The FedCom's still offering a bounty on any active service personnel returned alive." Scilicorn mused, "Think that extends to cadets?"
"Easy money if they are." Aung chuckled, bumping fists with his comrade.
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves: MercNet lists the 124th as an Elite unit, and the Falcons are said to be almost as aggressive as the Smoke Jaguars." Joker warned, "I'm just glad that that warship we spotted on the way in jumped-out before we got pinged, or this would have been a whole lot more interesting."
The other three mumbled in agreement: facing a warship was not part of the deal.
"And last but not least, MechWarror Linda Jade Falcon... who's another 'Trueborn'." Joker shrugged and she loaded up the units profile and transmitted it, "Well, I guess we'd better let them know who we are."