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Welcome to another episode of OP.NET — the only Spectrum show for all you independent and self-reliant security professionals. I’m your host, Conva Maynard. As always, I must remind you that we are not, in any way, affiliated with the Mercenary Guild. We are here for your benefit and not anyone else’s.

With that said, let’s visit the Job Board. If you go after one of these opportunities, please confirm all details before taking the gig. We do our best to vet these, but as you’ll soon see, it’s necessary to confirm every step of a deal before agreeing to it.

First is a carry and cover. Professor Audra Zupan is in need of round-trip transpo and protection from Rhetor to Branaugh and back. Applicants must have experience working in lawless systems, pass a rigorous background check, and be professional and discreet. Having reliable connections in Branaugh is a huge plus. Once there, securing a research location for her month long project will be your main priority. This is a self-funded mission so set your expectations accordingly. Comm Professor Zupan directly at Carey University with the subject line “R2B Security” for further details.

Next, the up-and-coming Yu Shi Corporation in Gemma is getting sick and tired of their water shipments from Jalan to Vosca getting raided. Currently, the company is unsure whether the offending party is your run-of-the-mill raiders or more the corporate kind. That’s why they’re looking for your help protecting the next shipment.

Please take note though … and this is in bold here so I think that means it’s real important. Payment will be commensurate with performance. There’s a base rate for a successful delivery, a bonus for defending the shipment against attack, and a generous reward for capturing any attackers alive.

Nice to see Yu Shi really laying out their expectations. I respect that. Clarity and communication is the core of any good contract. This is a rough and tumble business, and folks aren’t always going to be honest with you. That’s why it’s important to find folks you can truly trust.

If you’re looking to get in the game, finding reliable and respectable job opportunities is one of the biggest hurdles to overcome. That’s why I encourage all newbies to land their first few gigs off a reliable job board, which are found in any decent LZ. Handshake deals in the back of bars aren’t good for rookies. Trust me.

I’ve heard too many stories of young mercs wrangled into bad situations because their ambition blinded them to the reality of the situation. Don’t just take it from me, though. Recently, Ennis Sobotka of the Terra Gazette investigated what happened to Santoyo Thomas after he agreed to a job before doing due diligence. Ennis is here to explain the entire, crazy situation. Welcome to the show, Ennis.

Ennis Sobotka: Thanks for having me.

Your article, well, it really spun my ship. It’s about a young man, Santoyo Thomas, who was eager to start a career as a security professional. He was having a tough go of it until he met a recruiter from Scud Security. I’ll let you tell our audience what happened next.

Ennis Sobotka: Santoyo met a recruiter from Scud Security at a local Tanys bar. The recruiter offered him a job in Aremis and they shook on it. Over celebratory drinks, a contract was produced and Santoyo signed it.

Now this recruiter allegedly promised Santoyo that everything they discussed was in the contract but that turned out not to be true, right?

Ennis Sobotka: Santoyo had believed he was signing on for a position in Aremis. Instead, his contract allowed Scud Security to station him anywhere they saw fit. So Santoyo was assigned to the Kesseli mines.

Kesseli’s quite the change of scenery from Aremis. I’ve never had the pleasure but I know a few folks who’ve worked there. Let’s just say they have no plans to go back.

Ennis Sobotka: “Suffocating” was the word Santoyo used to describe Kesseli. Everything is underground because Banshee’s pulsar is so powerful. So, even when Santoyo wasn’t working, he was trapped in tunnels. He couldn’t go out to see the sun or feel fresh air on his face. After spiraling into a deep depression, he decided to flee the UEE.

This is the craziest part to me. Scud’s business practices have turned a young UEE civilian into an expatriate. Explain to us how that happened. Obviously, without giving away any details on his current location.

Ennis Sobotka: So Santoyo wanted out of Kesseli. He requested a transfer multiple times but was constantly denied. When he threaten to walk off the job, management pointed to a clause in his contract that job abandonment incurred a hefty penalty. So Santoyo looked at his options. Either stay in Kesseli at the expense of his personal and mental health or leave and be indebted to Scud for years. He decided neither option was worth it and chose a third. He stowed away on a commercial freighter and found his way to a system that’s, well … not within UEE jurisdiction.

When he contacted you to tell his story, did he say what he wanted to get out of all of this? Maybe a chance to return to Tanys?

Ennis Sobotka: I found Santoyo to be very pragmatic about his situation. He knows he can’t go home until his contract with Scud is nullified. It’s an uphill legal battle, especially from outside the UEE, but it’s a goal he’s dedicated to. He claims he’s not the only one working for Scud who signed a contract under false pretenses. So he’s asked me to spread the word. If this has happened to you, please comm me directly about your situation. If more people come forward and make similar claims, it can only help Santoyo’s cause.

Feel free to comm OP.NET too. Personally, I hate seeing Scud take advantage of young mercs and want to spread the word. Knowing your potential employer’s reputation is a must and, right now, everyone should know that Scud Security is not to be trusted.

Thanks to Ennis Sobotka for being here today. After the break, I’ll give you my top five tips on how to land that first big gig by standing out in a crowded field of candidates. That and more when OP.NET returns.