Hart had arranged for the bloodoalls that they had demanded in their contract. The combat drug would raise their pain thresholds and boost their adrenal functions, making them more effective physically while cutting down on reasoning functions. Just the thing for a shoot-and-scoot where no tactical subtlety was needed. She had sternly admonished them to take only one apiece, but she knew most of them would pop a few more. In fact, she was counting on it, and had made sure the drug was above average purity. A merc who succumbed to its false promise of invincibility probably wouldn’t last the fight, but until then he’d be worth two or three straight shooters.