Author: Robert Fisk (Best known for Lannan Cultural Freedom Prize – 2006)
Hello my readers, and welcome to the first edition of the 2074 Meet the Mercenaries. This magazine was started many years ago in England, after which it had its stateside edition in the 2020’s. As is tradition, I have come to reignite the flame of this excellent publication from years past. With each edition we will discuss and discover more about the individuals who claim to be mercenaries and those who may or may not be worth the title. As you will see, the term has grown and changed somewhat over the years, much of its development occurring in the well known city turned metropolis known as Seattle. Over the years mercenaries have influenced the outcome of wars as far back as the warring states period in Asia and have made their impact felt in many battles. As we go through this, it is important to note the definition of a mercenary, as fact will, as always, be the basis of my findings. I retired a number of years back, however this is too important not to report on. Since the early 2000’s when I reported on the Middle East (until there no longer was one) to now my views and concerns have not changed. I wish for the best for all people and that the truth should be made known. Enjoy the report readers, for it has been a long time coming and I look forward to reconnecting with all of you.
Definition of a mercenary from Wakipedia:
A mercenary[1] is a person who takes part in an armed conflict who is not a national or a party to the conflict and is “motivated to take part in the hostilities by the desire for private gain”.[2][3] In other words, a mercenary is a person who fights for personal gains of money or other recompense instead of fighting for the ideological interests of a country, whether they be for or against the existing government.
As an aside before I begin my analysis of many of the would be mercenaries of this world, it feels appropriate that I discuss and reference one the issues of the past eras. The time period where the mercenary became the go to street operator occurred somewhere in the 2050’s. Runners of the beginning generation (especially in Seattle) showed their intentions as being lawless and unwilling to cooperate with employers, and therefore the employers turned their recruiting onto what they believed to be mercenaries.
Within this world, mercenaries follow their own code, but more importantly what distinguishes them from the samurai is the way they dress and behave. A corporation will always prefer to deal with an operator that looks and acts like them, not to mention someone who is reliable. Mercenaries got their start ahead of the street level thugs because they were willing to do missions as contracted and not screw their employers. While street level operators will say they were “screwed”, in reality they simply dug their own grave and didn’t want to lie in it. They may claim that this was done by the few, but the few were the leaders and we all know that those who come before are followed.
By the end of this article, I hope to re-brand these “mercenaries” as professionals. I do not believe that there are any true mercenaries left in this world, but that there are street level killers and professionals. This is not to insult the professionals who consider themselves mercenaries, but simply to clarify and correctly label/identify who we are dealing with in this world.
One of two things in this relationship MUST change. Either the verbiage that we use, or the definition which the title has been given. Operators on the streets regardless of current status/title have my respect. They all fight for what they believe in, and those who I have had the pleasure of working with have helped me to gather the information I will present here, as well as have been instrumental in me surviving as long as I have. I wish not to disgrace, shame, or harm the reputation of the individual. I will simply prove that organisations who advertise are not truthful and need to be considered based on their true intentions and constituency.
