Mercenary Companies

The Mercenary Companies of the Iolar are a collection of paramilitary organizations and private military contractors best known for offering their services to corporations and Captains. They are also technically bound by the Civil Subordination Accord, a joint piece of legislation ratified by the Board of Progress that would summon these groups to stand as a deputized army if a grave enough threat is posed to the Iolar sovereignty. The Accord has never been formally enacted as all threats since its ratification have been small enough that concerted efforts by Captains and Fabricator Enclaves have been enough to manage them in conjuction with private hiring of the Companies.   There are many thousands of Mercenary Companies deployed throughout the Iolar demesne, with the most prestigious serving nearly exclusively as hirelings for Captains on ventures into the Gargant Reach. The end goal of most of these groups which actually bother with ambition is to be bought out by a Captain and premanently retained as part of this illustrious individual's estate. That is an exceedingly rare occurence and the vast majority of these groups never make it to extraterrestrial operation.   Regardless of their prestige or goals, the Companies in general are known for their expertise in handling complex operations, including medium- to large-scale combat engagements, protection details, and tactical support. The most successful companies are often equipped with cutting-edge technology, including advanced cyberbeasts and weaponry if they can afford or swindle their way into ownership. As nominally free agents they play a significant role in the corporate and political landscape of Madrisa Prime, with their services being crucial in the power dynamics of various sectors and enclaves. As such, the Mercenary Companies' operations and influence extend beyond traditional military roles, impacting economic and political spheres.   The general public regard the Companies with an anxious mix of awe, jealousy, and terror. Ruthlessness is the norm among these contractors and civilians who get caught in the crossfire never fare well. Much media is generated romanticizing their exploits and glamorizing the lifestyle and nearly all of it grossly misses the mark of how desperate mercenary work truly is. The Companies stand apart from the less sophisticated and more criminal enterprises of edgerunners based on semantic differences of approach, legal permission, and funding but no one would be able to tell the difference in a firefight.   The Companies' relationship with the Alloministry is strained to say the least. In particular the Heiromats consider them to be little more than desperados and thugs of the lowest sort and clashes between Heiromats and mercenaries on corporate or private contract are frequent and bloody. The mercenaries operate in a legal grey area by necessity and convenience for their clients and while some try to respect their charters, others flaunt their licenses and figure that all publicity is good publicity. The latter are usually right.   The Fabricator Enclaves, aside from Miig which maintains its own forces and a huge collection of cyberbeasts, make frequent use of mercenaries when handling below-board affairs. Their economic ambitions are so demanding that investing in first-party security is relatively low on their quarterly initiatives and so independent contractors are a necessity. Hiring on with an Enclave proper or one of their top subsidiaries is considered a mark of quality for most Mercenary Companies and is a good indicator that they've "made it" if they survive their contract.   Past a certain level of prestige and firepower, the Companies become movers and shakers in their own rights, courting contracts rather than competing for them. The competitive landscape and uncompromising nature of the work means that mercenaries at this level are hardened, highly skilled, and usually a little unhinged.  

Notable Contemporary Mercenary Companies

  Below is a list of the most well known Companies on Madrisa Prime.

Name	Description
RED	Known throughout Iolar space, this group of mercs is primed for buyout after a few successful tours through the Gargant Reach. They specialize in high-risk extractions and rescue ops with a reputation for precision and professionalism.
Advansec	A go-to contractor for high profile individuals, these mercs have a long history of protection gigs for VIPs ranging from corporate executives to Captains' relatives. Discretion and reliability are their virtues and they charge accordingly.
Aegis Dynamics	A perennial contractor for mid- and upper-level corporations, Aegis operatives are usually deployed to counteract suspected aggression and safeguard non-living assets. Their high degree of technical know-how and strong connections with Allart ensure they remain on the cutting-edge of fortification and defensive innovations.
Black Mamba	A notorious (in a bad way) group of near-psychotic mercs, Black Mamba does one thing and one thing alone: kill. Named for an ancient Terran serpent whose venom was overwhelmingly lethal, Black Mamba operatives strike fast and obliterate opposition.
Occultus	The premier cyberwarfare Mercenary Company. Others may dabble with some specialists on staff but Occultus fields nothing but the sharpest intrusion specialists and code warriors you can find. As a bonus they also have a considerable stable of cyberbeasts if less subtlety is required to guarantee operational security.
Iron Guard Associates	Demolition experts par excellence, they are thoroughly hated by fringe elements and the downtrodden as heartless corporate instruments of death. Their operatives are monstrous, rigged with hardware that wouldn't be out of place on a tank, and once deployed you can expect nothing but blood-soaked rubble to remain.
Skyfire	Atmospheric rocket jockeys to a man and woman, Skyfire operatives run suborbital protection and insertion runs with no regard for airspace restrictions. If you can get there by air, Skyfire will make sure you do. Getting out is rather less their problem than yours.
Hi-Def	A bizarre marketing stunt turned successful business, Hi-Def are a group of ostentatious accessories-for-hire with swagger and poise better suited to a catwalk. Still, when the situation calls for sophistry and sophisticated social airs, these mercs can fit in where jackbooted thugs couldn't even see the door. And they've made enough money to be chromed to the nines with lethal hardware underneath the glitz and glam.
The Blue Brigade	The most traditionally military outfit, complete with uniforms and formal ranks, these near-soldiers are efficient, competent, and no fun at all. A relatively large group by terrestrial standards, they hold public recruitment drives and perform a brutal sort of social outreach to the marginalized, offering security in return for service and a number of attractive benefits for those with nothing to lose.
Titan Ops	Popular by their intense unpopularity, Titan Ops will do literally anything. A small legion of law experts and what must be incredibly powerful shadow sponsors keep this group up and running despite numerous heinous operations. Riot control, arcology "pacification," corporate cleansing, abductions... As long as the bill is paid up front, Titan Enforcers will do everything possible to get it done.