Location: In orbit around Nomios
Date: 194.12.31

Mercenary captain Izanami Mifune stubs out a half-finished cigarette, chestnut brown eyes not moving from the strategic display.

The frozen world of Nomios in the Arcadia system has little to recommend it. With a sparse population and few revenue sources, it could scarcely afford to retain a capable space defence force. But the flood of arms into the black market following the end of the Second AI War led to a resurgence in marauding pirate bands preying on vulnerable settlements, and the local Hegemony presence was small and had problems closer to home. Fortunately, the end of the war has also made the mercenary market a buyer's one. Seven independent mercenary ships have gathered here, for little more in the way of remuneration than room and board, and nothing to fight except boredom and desertion.

But now Nomios's fears have come true. The New Year's Eve celebrations are rudely interrupted by the the warning of the deep-space sensors: a large pirate fleet led by the warlord Shen, looking to sack the planet and turn its resources towards conquest of yet another world. Only the mercenary ships can hope to respond before the planetary population faces the choice of surrender or mass bombardment.

As the first among equals in this motley band, it falls to Mifune to give the pre-battle speech. "My fellow travelers, wanderers, ronin," she begins, "it is a good day to die." Amidst the following nervous laughter and muttered insults, she leans forward, and slams a fist on her armrest. "But it is an even better day to kill!"