Varisa battles with the mercenaries trying to gain access to the engine room, while Commander Denabreo tries to turn the tables on Cybertech on Veruna. The stakes get higher when a Cybertech ship enters the system and provides some extra "motivation".
The Artemis is tricked into a battle in orbit above Veruna where it is critically damaged. Cybertech mercenaries hit the Artemis with an EMP pulse and trap the crew in the cargo bay, and Commander Denabreo on the planet below.
Creed teams up with Fiya, and Saber to locate an arms dealer named Hicks on the planet Tragoid. Little do they realize, Hicks is searching for the Olc, an artifact which wiped out the civilization on that world.
The year is 2046 and the United Earth government has dissolved into the remnants of the U.E. and The Federation of Independent States. In order to counter the numerical superiority of the Federation and their allies the U.E. hires mercenary star ship crews to supplement their forces. This unit is code named Merc Force. MERCS follows the exploits of the most inept team of Mercenaries led by Primo Corvellie and Brice Creed who just happen to have lucked out and stolen the two most advanced star ships in the galaxy the Artemis and the Caladan.