When the armies of the Draconis Combine killed his parents, Galen Cox swore vengeance. Now an elite MechWarrior with the Armed Forces of the Federated Commonwealth, Galen will have a chance to exact his justice when the Combine raids the planet Ryde with a BattleMech battalion. As two armies clash on this snow-and-ash covered world, two men will be forced to examine exactly why they're fighting even as they both strive for victory and absolution. Jason Schmetzer is the author of more than 40 published short stories and novellas, as well as four BattleTech sourcebooks and a novel. His work crosses genre and game boundaries, working with both print and electronic publications. He holds an MFA in fiction writing and works during the day as an advertising copywriter. He is also editor of the BattleCorps fiction website.