Mercenaries
A mercenary (or military guest worker) is a person who takes part in an armed conflict, who is not a national or a party to the conflict, and is "motivated to take part in the hostilities essentially by the desire for private gain and, in fact, is promised, by or on behalf of a party to the conflict, material compensation substantially in excess of that promised or paid to combatants of similar ranks and functions in the armed forces of that Party".
As a result of the assumption that a mercenary is essentially motivated by money, the term mercenary usually carries negative connotations. There is a blur in the distinction between a mercenary and a foreign volunteer, when the primary motive of a soldier in a foreign army is uncertain. For instance, the Botnaar Volunteer Legion and the Plato Fighter Regiments of the United Stars Army are not mercenaries under the laws of war.
If, after a regular trial, a captured soldier is found to be a mercenary, then he can expect treatment as a common criminal and may face execution. As mercenary soldiers may not qualify as PoWs, they cannot expect repatriation at war's end.
“Regulations regarding Private Armies and Military Service Providers within the United Stars” - Assembly Act of 4001
In the interest of commerce and personal liberties it is generally permitted to form a business or company that hires and trains individuals in military and para-military duties and employes these individuals either as contractors to third parties or uses them in security functions themselves. Any Union Citizen working in such function is fully covered by Union Employment and Employee Rights laws.
Limitations : Such individuals or units may not be equipped or armed with weapons or equipment that is classified as Union Military equipment. No such individual or unit is above Union Law and will be investigated and trialed in a any case of reported violence or inflicted damage or injury to another Union Citizenor property.
The Assembly does not condone or support Mercenaries and private armies but acknowledges their right to exist and conduct business. Mercenaries and any individual employed under similar conditions and definitions must carry an identification issued by the employing company and that company must be a registered Union Business. ( So that this business may be held responsible for damages and injuries cause by its employees or to its employes)
Individuals conducting business under the general definition of Mercenary, hired soldier, para military security etc that are not employed with a Union Company are considered criminals and may be stopped, contained or neutralized by lawful Union Citizens, Security or Law enforcement.