Editing Bounty Hunter

{{Update Needed|[[Interstellar Players]]|[[Mercenaries Supplemental II]]|[[BattleTech: Legends]]|[[Shrapnel Issue 15]]}}

[[Image:Bounty Hunter JS.jpg|right|thumb|The Bounty Hunter during the Jihad]]
In reality a warband or organization as much as its figurehead individual or persona, the '''Bounty Hunter''' is a mysterious figure who first appeared in the 2900s. He (or she) always appeared to wear a fairly uncommon, and often thought experimental, [[PA(L)]] (Power Armor - Light) suit. Its design, while heavily modified, was based off of the [[Nighthawk]] special operations suit developed by the Star League. The suit obscured the wearer's identity enough to allow this mysterious figure to remain unidentified by both employers and his targets, except by persona and reputation.

==Overview==
Always a [[MechWarrior (pilot)|MechWarrior]], the Bounty Hunter piloted a variety of [[BattleMech]]s, typically leading a BattleMech [[lance]]. His 'Mechs were invariably painted a bright green with currency symbols on it, a feared sight on the battlefield, and often customized, allowing for his or her PA(L) armor to be worn while piloting to further conceal the pilot's identity.

The Bounty Hunter has been active for more than a century, leading to speculation that the PA(L) suit, the modified 'Mechs that he piloted, and even the mythos surrounding the individual were passed from person to person via the death or retirement of the former MechWarrior who personified him. Known people to have been the Bounty Hunter were [[Michi Noketsuna]] and [[Vic Travers]], who inherited the equipment and a book referred to as "the tradition".<ref>''Heir to the Dragon''</ref> Travers eventually passed the legacy on to one of his aides going by the name of [[Walt Urizeman]], though that name is held to be just one of the man's several fake identities.

The "Bounty Hunter" legend was the topic of a hero team–style [[tri-vid]] show called "[[The Bounty Hunters]]". Though tapping into the Bounty Hunter's reputation, the producers instead developed their own mythos almost completely unrelated to the real person. The popularity of the series was such that many people in the [[Inner Sphere]] cannot separate the fiction of the holovid from the reality of the true Bounty Hunter.<ref name=IP-83>''Interstellar Players'', pp. 83–84: "The Bounty Hunter - Mindless Entertainment to Unmitigated Drek"</ref>

==History==
The "Bounty Hunter" is an adopted persona or role rather than a single individual, which is often suspected but not generally known for a fact within the [[BattleTech]] universe.

The actual origin of the Bounty Hunter persona is unknown.

===Early history===
Though no one knows for sure when he started, the first stories of the Bounty Hunter emerged in the 2920s when a masked individual piloting a green ''[[Warhammer]]'' attracted fame for hunting down many infamous [[MechWarrior (pilot)|MechWarrior]]s, preferring to kill rather than capture. No one ever found out his name, but he quickly gained wealth and glory by cashing in several high value bounties on some of the most elite and notorious MechWarriors operating at that time. Stories of this man defeating entire [[battalion]]s single-handed seem questionable, but the most famous albeit unconfirmed tale of this first Bounty Hunter saw him reportedly bring in the bodies of twenty-nine men who robbed a bank on [[El Giza]], collecting millions in bounties offered by [[House Humphreys]] and making even more when he sold their BattleMechs.<ref name=BDTBH-4>''BattleTech Dossiers: The Bounty Hunter'', pp. 4–5: "History"</ref><ref name=IP-84>''Interstellar Players'', pp. 84–86: "The Bounty Hunter - The Myth"</ref>

The man with the green ''Warhammer'' disappeared from public view after collecting the El Giza bounties, purportedly retiring immediately afterwards, until three decades later in [[2957]] when a person in either an environment suit or full [[Star League]] [[MechWarrior Combat Suit]] and piloting a green ''Warhammer'' appeared to claim the bounties on a group of pirates that had been preying on worlds in the [[Principality of Regulus]]. For the next two decades "the Bounty Hunter", as he or she became known, would travel across the Inner Sphere and [[Periphery]] seemingly at random but more specifically tracking down some of highest bounties of the time, again most often dead. The volume of stories and rumors about the Bounty Hunter would also start to dramatically increase too as a number of copycats would attempt to cash in on the Bounty Hunter's reputation and anonymity.<ref name=BDTBH-4/><ref name=IP-84/>

The second Bounty Hunter would also initially operate solo as before, but by the 2980s the Bounty Hunter had begun using a variety of BattleMechs other than his trademark green ''Warhammer'' and started to operate with a team of fellow MechWarriors to assist him in taking down more lucrative contracts. Initially these teams were ad hoc formations that the Bounty Hunter hired as needed, but by the 2990s they had become a more formalized part of his operation, with four to six associates accompanying the Bounty Hunter in the same 'Mechs all using the same green paint scheme he did.<ref name=BDTBH-4/><ref name=IP-84/>

This change in behavior was assumed to be an indication of another individual taking up the mantle of the Bounty Hunter. It was also around this time that the Bounty Hunter's image began to darken, as rather than continuing to target notorious MechWarrior-branded criminals, he started to accept contracts for those warriors whose bounties were especially high, eventually accepting contracts to take out anybody, not only MechWarriors — prominent [[general]]s, scientists, engineers, and businessmen also became targets. Those who looked up to the Bounty Hunter as a noble folk hero, the one man able to bring the worst criminals to justice, now reviled him as a mere profit-driven [[mercenary]] hitman, and the Bounty Hunter seemed to embrace it, adopting his now trademark practice of painting monetary symbols on his 'Mech as if to confirm his one true loyalty.<ref name=BDTBH-4/><ref name=IP-84/>

The stories and rumors around the Bounty Hunter changed from noble adventures to tales of a man arguably worse than those he tracked. One of the earliest stories of this incarnation of the Bounty Hunter portrayed him and his team landing on the [[Federated Suns]] world of [[Markesan]] in [[2996]], killing two [[Armed Forces of the Federated Suns]] generals and numerous others who stood in their way. While making their way to the [[Draconis Combine]] to claim their bounties and carrying a cargo of AFFS 'Mechs as salvage, they slipped onto [[Le Blanc]], where they convinced a new and untested mercenary unit to give them safe passage to the Combine in return for arranging a contract with the [[Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery]]. But as soon as they had safely entered Combine space, the Bounty Hunter and his team killed everyone belonging to the hapless mercenary unit, selling their 'Mechs and even their [[DropShip]].<ref name=BDTBH-4/><ref name=IP-84/>

For the next twenty years the Bounty Hunter seemed to make a sport of playing the Great Houses against each other; this focus on playing upon the ambitions of nobility may be an indication of another change in person using the identity. In [[2998]]–[[2999]] numerous stories abounded in the [[Free Worlds League]] of the Bounty Hunter tracking down officers and popular MechWarriors, presenting their heads as proof to then [[Colonel]] [[Katrina Steiner]], before in [[3005]] apparently turning on Steiner's [[Lyran Commonwealth]] to hunt Lyran nobles, politicians and generals. Around this time the Bounty Hunter was also alleged to have taken alternating contracts with the Federated Suns and [[Capellan Confederation]] to kill or kidnap notable individuals on both sides of the border, always one-upping his own deeds at the request of the side he had just targeted.<ref name=BDTBH-4/><ref name=IP-84/>

===Natasha Kerensky's nemesis===
Arguably one of the most infamous stories in his legacy is the Bounty Hunter's bitter feud with another celebrity: [[Natasha Kerensky]], the Black Widow. The green ''[[Marauder]]'' that the Bounty Hunter piloted after [[3014]] and which would become his signature 'Mech was in fact previously hers.

In June of 3014, during the [[Marik Civil War (31st c.)|Marik Civil War]], the Bounty Hunter operated alongside [[Wolf's Dragoons]] on [[Nova Roma]] to hunt down [[Janos Marik]] loyalists for [[Anton Marik]]'s rebels. During a mop-up operation following the conquest of the planet he signaled to Natasha Kerensky (then a regular [[lieutenant]] with the [[Beta Regiment (Wolf's Dragoons)|Beta Regiment]] of Wolf's Dragoons) that a certain ravine in the Dawn River region which he had inspected was safe. When Kerensky's [[lance]] entered, they were ambushed and destroyed by enemy forces and Kerensky had to eject, being knocked unconscious. The remains of her unit — namely her ''[[Marauder]]'' — were salvaged by the Bounty Hunter who went on to use her 'Mech as his new signature 'Mech.<ref>''Historical: Brush Wars'', p. 20</ref> With only one other member of her lance, [[Colin Maclaren]], surviving the ambush, this began a long and bitter personal feud between Kerensky and the Bounty Hunter. Despite the official record stating that the Bounty Hunter was piloting his ''[[Griffin]]'' during this incident,<ref name=WD-124/> [[Canon Rumor|rumors]] persist that Kerensky somehow claimed the Bounty Hunter's ''Warhammer'' as her own 'Mech,<ref name=BDTBH-4/><ref name=IP-84/> though she herself never mentioned anything like that.

They clashed again on [[Le Blanc]] in October [[3026]].<ref>''Tales of the Black Widow Company'', pp. 30–31</ref><ref>''Wolves on the Border'', p. 197</ref><ref>Warhammer Blueprint and Lore: Story of the Black Widow</ref> Full details of this engagement are not understood, but reportedly [[Duke]] [[Michael Hasek-Davion]] led Kerensky into a trap laid by the Bounty Hunter, reportedly as part of a scheme to use a captured Kerensky as leverage to force the Dragoons to sign on with Hasek-Davion. The ambush ultimately failed, but not before the Bounty Hunter killed two of Kerensky's MechWarriors out of sheer spite.<ref name=BDTBH-4/><ref name=IP-84/>

The final meeting between them both amazingly saw them temporarily allying on [[Benet III]] in 3027 when their respective employers left them both without support on a planet full of enemies. For lack of other options they set aside their animosity to join forces and left the world together on Kerensky's DropShip after the Bounty Hunter had seen to it that a critical tracking station was destroyed. The Bounty Hunter disappeared from public view following Benet III, though rumors insist he fought as a free agent throughout the [[Fourth Succession War]] accepting contracts from each of the Great Houses at various times.<ref name=BDTBH-4/><ref name=IP-84/>

===Michi Noketsuna's vendetta===
Following the Fourth Succession War, the identity of the Bounty Hunter passed to [[Michi Noketsuna]] in his quest for vengeance against [[Warlord]] [[Grieg Samsonov]] for the betrayal of [[Minobu Tetsuhara]] and Wolf's Dragoons. How Noketsuna claimed the identity is unknown, with suggestions either he met the previous Bounty Hunter and his associate [[Vic Travers]] at some point during the Fourth Succession War or that the Dragoons killed the previous holder and bequeathed the Bounty Hunter's identity and attendant equipment to Noketsuna, whose quest for vengeance fell squarely in the Dragoons' agenda after the battle on [[Misery]] and the Fourth Succession War. Noketsuna's career as the new Bounty Hunter was undertaken with the Dragoons' blessing and the assistance of [[Dechan Fraser]] and [[Jenette Rand]] from mid-[[3028]] onwards.<ref>''Historical: War of 3039'', p. 25</ref><ref name=BDTBH-6>''BattleTech Dossiers: The Bounty Hunter'', p. 6: "Unit Profile - Vic Travers"</ref>

Accompanied by Vic Travers (piloting an ''Orion'', possibly the same one that had already been with the Bounty Hunter on Benet III), Dechan Fraser (piloting a ''[[Shadow Hawk]]''), and Jenette Rand (piloting a ''[[Dervish]]''), Noketsuna embarked on his vendetta under the Bounty Hunter identity. On 10 January [[3030]] he and Fraser delivered Warlord Samsonov's severed head to [[Tomiko Tetsuhara]], who however refused the gift and suggested her late husband's father might appreciate it;<ref>''Heir to the Dragon'', ch. 37</ref> though as it turned out, [[Minoru Tetsuhara]] did not approve of Noketsuna's vendetta either.

On 8 October 3030, Noketsuna and his team ambushed one agent, Panati, whom Noketsuna held responsible for the bombing on [[Barlow's End]] that had maimed Minobu Tetsuhara, in the city of Deber on [[Benjamin]]. Incidentally, they also captured [[Theodore Kurita]] in the process. Kurita accepted Noketsuna's claim for vendetta and allowed him to kill Panati, recruiting Noketsuna to help protect the [[Draconis Combine]] from the nascent [[Federated Commonwealth]] in the process. On that night, Noketsuna turned over the Bounty Hunter's "tradition", 'Mech, armor and log to his lancemate Vic Travers, while Rand and Fraser decided to follow Theodore Kurita into service for the [[Draconis Combine]].<ref>''Heir to the Dragon'', chs. 39–40</ref> Rand and Fraser cited some unspecified action on [[Milligan's World]] where they had previously served Noketsuna.<ref name=HDC40/>

===Vic Travers===

====Prior life====
Vic Travers was born on [[Annapolis]] in [[3004]]. Not much is known of his early years as he was able to hide it well, though he had good contacts with the ''[[Yakuza]]''.

He managed to stay off the radar until Michi Noketsuna leveraged him as a resource. He piloted an ''[[Orion]]'' at that time.<ref name=BDTBH-6/> At Noketsuna's retirement Travers received the Bounty Hunter persona from him, including the DropShip, the famous ''Marauder'', half the unit's funds and a battered tome called "The tradition" that was kept in the breastplate of the Bounty Hunter PA(L) suit (the solidograph on the volume's cover was scratched and scuffed, with papers, many stained and yellowed with age, and plastisheets of various colors jutted from the open sides, held in by a cord the color of dried blood) and told him to have Cellini pilot the ''Orion''.<ref name=HDC40>''Heir to the Dragon'', ch. 40</ref>

====As the Bounty Hunter====
During his tenure Travers apparently actively engaged in eliminating his competition. Many suffered violent ends. In [[3034]], the Bounty Hunter reportedly hunted down and killed freelance MechWarrior/bounty hunter [[Dale Sandstrom]] over competition for a contract.<ref name=TRO3039-116>''Technical Readout: 3039'', p. 116: "BattleMechs - medium 'Mechs - ASN-21 ''Assassin''"</ref> In [[3044]] he "bought off" the [[Cursorial Hunt]] bounty hunting group making a payment in public wearing his full armor,<ref name=BDTBH-6>''BattleTech Dossiers: The Bounty Hunter'', p. 6: "Unit Profile - Vic Travers"</ref> a notable case as it did not involve violence. In [[3047]], the hunter again decided to make a point and publicly killed [[Isabella Cygnus|Isabella "the Hyena" Cygnus]], who had taken to advertising herself as the "new Bounty Hunter", in a rather brutal fashion for stealing his shtick; he is also thought to have violently terminated the [[Meticulous Pursuit]] mercenary team.<ref name=BDTBH-6/>

In [[3045]] the Bounty Hunter brazenly landed on the Draconis Combine world of [[Marduk]] in pursuit of ''[[Tai-i]]'' [[Rej Mori]] of the defending [[Sixth Benjamin Regulars]]. Expertly timed and grounding less than a kilometer from a Sixth [[company]] led by Mori engaged in a training exercise, the Bounty Hunter demanded his surrender only for Mori to show his true colors and flee. Unfortunately he ran into the waiting clutches of "[[Sheridan's Ghost]]". Mori was unable to land a shot on the nimble ''[[Wasp]]'' which eventually destroyed his ''[[Dragon]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s rear armor and gyro, blending back into the forest as the rest of the Bounty Hunter's team defeated Mori's company and picked up the war criminal for transport to the [[Federated Commonwealth]].<ref name=CMK-94>''Combat Manual: Kurita'', p. 94: "Rules Annex - Technical Readout: - WSP-1A Wasp"</ref>

Though the number of appearances during the period had been reduced, when the [[Clan]]s arrived some people speculate that the Bounty Hunter craved the challenge of measuring himself against the might of the Clans, and the fact that Smoke Jaguar marks dominated his bounties further indicated that Travers' old Combine heritage factored into his motives as well. Though part of his team died, it is clear that the Bounty Hunter succeeded in defeating the Clans in several duels during this time, especially when using the ''Mad Cat'' he captured from Clan Smoke Jaguar.<ref name=BDTBH-5/>

The Hunter vanished again in 3051 after a mission on [[Rasalhague]]. It was presumed Travers was severely injured, and possibly contemplating retirement.<ref name=BDTBH-5/> Between [[3051]] and [[3064]] there was a period of inactivity without anyone using the identity.<ref name=TPI>''Turning Points: Irian'', p. 23: "Animal Deals"</ref>

Sometime during the fighting on [[Kathil]] during the [[FedCom Civil War]], the Bounty Hunter recruited an infamous MechWarrior named [[Rebekah]] into his team, a former warrior with [[McCarron's Armored Cavalry]].<ref name=TR3055Up62>''Technical Readout: 3055 Upgrade'', p. 62</ref>

At the start of [[3064]] he turned in two significant lieutenants of [[John Dundee]] (the public leader of the most recent [[Free Skye Revolt]]) to General [[Caesar Steiner]].<ref name=IPp85>''Interstellar Players'', p. 85: "The Legend Reborn"</ref>

Some months later but in the same year he was on [[Tikonov]] incognito, where he captured [[General]] [[Nadine Killson]] of the [[23rd Arcturan Guards]].<ref name=BDTBH-5>''BattleTech Dossiers: The Bounty Hunter'', p. 5: "History"</ref>

In May [[3067]], Vic Travers<ref>''A Guy Walks Into a Bar on Solaris VII...''</ref> undertook a successful and highly lucrative mission on [[Solaris VII]] that he considered to be possibly his last mission, intending to hand the legacy over to "[[Walt Urizeman]]" (whose real name remains unknown; Walt Urizeman was just one of several aliases the man used). Travers had been grooming Urizeman as his successor for some time.

Later in 3067 Vic Travers accepted what he considered a fitting last contract for his tenure as the Bounty Hunter: he was hired by [[George Hasek (31st c.)|George Hasek]] to capture [[Kai Allard-Liao]] alive. Recognizing he would need some form of leverage in order to force the Duke of [[St. Ives]] to expose himself to capture, the Bounty Hunter learned that a [[Fernando Calvin]] was a childhood friend of Kai's young daughter [[Melissa Allard-Liao]], and that Fernando's father [[Hector Calvin]] was the commander of the [[Calvin's Cuirassiers]] mercenary unit garrisoning the Federated Suns world of [[Perkasie]]. On 11 January [[3068]], while his associates drew out the local defenders with a strike against Water Purification Plant 51, smashing the mercenary combined-arms unit [[Lowdon's LongToms]] defending it, the Bounty Hunter ambushed and defeated the Cuirassiers single-handed to capture Hector and learn the location of his son.<ref name=BDTBH-3>''BattleTech Dossiers: The Bounty Hunter'', p. 3: "Indirect Acquisition"</ref><ref name=BDTBH-11>''BattleTech Dossiers: The Bounty Hunter'', p. 11: "Missions - Don't Make it Personal"</ref><ref name=BDTBH-12>''BattleTech Dossiers: The Bounty Hunter'', p. 12: "Missions - I Have A Question"</ref> Information supplied by Fernando allowed the Bounty Hunter's team to pinpoint Melissa Allard-Liao's safe house in Tian-tan on St. Ives, the teenage girl attending a normal school under a false identity. Launching a swift and brutal attack to capture her on 25 June [[3068]], the Bounty Hunter and his team terminated all guards on site, and spirited Melissa away under sedation.<ref name=BDTBH-13>''BattleTech Dossiers: The Bounty Hunter'', pp. 13–14: "Missions - Means To An End"</ref> While the [[Maskirovka]] sought to find out the culprits, that same day the Bounty Hunter personally confronted a battalion from the [[First St. Ives Lancers]] led by Kai Allard-Liao, calling upon Kai to face him in single combat to secure the safe return of his daughter. To the surprise of Lancer MechWarriors watching the epic duel between the two greatest MechWarriors in the Inner Sphere at the time, the Duke of St. Ives lost, the Bounty Hunter claiming his prize and leaving the system unharmed as Kai had agreed, releasing Melissa once he had safely left the system.<ref name=BDTBH-15>''BattleTech Dossiers: The Bounty Hunter'', p. 15: "Missions - You'll Accept My Offer"</ref>

===Walt Urizeman===
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[[Image:Walt Urizeman.png|right|thumb|Walt Urizeman, ca. 3068]]

====As the Bounty Hunter's Chief Tech====
The man known best as "Walt Urizeman" (a name implied to be just one of several false names he used while his real name remains unknown; other aliases of his included "Bjorn Thomas", "Barry Whitmore", and "Jaclav Roberts")<ref name=JSBDp7-8>''Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents'', pp. 7–8</ref> was born in [[3029]] on [[Torrence]]. He had an exceptional technical education, and he took to the stars with the [[Armed Forces of the Federated Commonwealth]] as a BattleMech technician. After his five-year tour ended in [[3055]] he took a salvaged Clan 'Mech into mercenary service. He worked briefly for a couple of mercenary outfits and cemented his reputation as a technician able to keep mauled BattleMechs in action. He was not at that time known to be even a decent MechWarrior. His 'Mech was irreparably shot out from under him during [[Operation BIRD DOG]], and shortly after that he turned up as the personal technician of the Bounty Hunter, a position he still held in [[3068]], when he was piloting a [[Cauldron Born|''Cauldron Born'' A]]. Once entering the Bounty Hunter's patronage (Vic Travers in his case), he began excelling at ''field'' operations and served as a flexible and personable contact for the diverse range of government, mercenary, criminal, and noble individuals with whom the Bounty Hunter dealt. He was serving as the second-in-command of the Hunter's organization both by formal rank and seniority, being by 3068 his longest serving member. It was thought that Walt was being groomed as Travers' replacement, with his combat skills coming a long way from his initial days.<ref name=BDTBH-7>''BattleTech Dossiers: The Bounty Hunter'', p. 7: "Unit Profile - Walt Urizeman"</ref>

====As the Bounty Hunter====
By [[3072]] Walt Urizeman had taken over after Vic Travers. In the employ of [[Chandrasekhar Kurita]], seemingly under a long-term contract — an atypical move for the normally neutral Bounty Hunter — he tracked down [[Victoria Parrdeau]] on [[Dalton]] to obtain her journal, and tangled with [[Manei Domini Ranks|Specter Precentor Sigma]] [[Berith]] over its possession. Over the course of that mission the Bounty Hunter found that his associate [[Robert Farrell]] had been unwittingly bugged by Berith in order to follow him, and for a lack of other options in the situation at hand, killed him.<ref>''Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents'', pp. 4–14</ref><ref name=MM-223>''Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers'', p. 223: "Other Realms and Powers - Other Notable Personalities of 3076 - The Bounty Hunter"</ref>

Still in Chandrasekhar Kurita's employ, the Bounty Hunter was present on [[Arcturus]] for [[Operation Higashikuni]], where he was instrumental in saving his employer from a [[Word of Blake]] attack in [[3073]]. Though Kurita had assembled his mercenary coalition on [[Arcturus]] in preparation for a strike against the [[Ruins of Gabriel]], a strong Word of Blake invasion force spearheaded by the [[40th Shadow Division]] attacked Kurita's forces on 11 May [[3073]] with the intent on killing Kurita and reclaiming the journal. The attack met stiff resistance, but could have succeeded had the Bounty Hunter not tricked the attackers, using a fake of himself to get Kurita and himself out of harm's way.<ref name=MM-223/>
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====Late Jihad====
Despite years of sterling work for Chandrasekhar Kurita, the Bounty Hunter was implicated by several high-profile intelligence assets in Kurita's assassination in [[3076]]. While only circumstantial evidence of his involvement exists, some observers insist this indicates the Bounty Hunter was in truth playing both sides in the Jihad all along. Differences in body language, behavior and fighting skill shown since Uncle Chandy's death indicate that Urizeman may have been replaced as the Bounty Hunter by a new person. This iteration was not known to speak in public or combat, a stark counterpoint to the quips and witticisms of Travers and Urizeman, though [[StarCorps]] intelligence resources noted it may merely indicate a change of operating procedure or even throat injury. What was known is that the Bounty Hunter's previous associates have all been killed and he had made no move to replace them, marking him as a loner.<ref name=MM-223/>

Prior to [[Operation SCOUR]] the Bounty Hunter was engaged in a series of high-profile assassinations and snatches against the Word of Blake along the [[Word of Blake Protectorate]] worlds. Just who was paying the exorbitant rates he charged for these actions was not generally known, with rumors suggesting everybody from rebel [[Irian Technologies]] members, [[Earthwerks]], [[Archon]] [[Adam Steiner]] to even [[Devlin Stone]].<ref name=MM-223/>

===Dark Age===
The Bounty Hunter continued working throughout the Dark Age. The Bounty Hunter reportedly expressed an interest in the massive bounty on ''[[Sao-wei]]'' [[Duko Seng]], commander of the [[Zahn (Combat Vehicle)|Zahn Heavy Transports]] used during the so-called "[[Night of Screams]]" on [[Liao (system)|Liao]] in [[3111]] and top of the [[Republic of the Sphere]]'s list of war criminals.<ref name=TRO3145CCp18>''Technical Readout: 3145 Capellan Confederation'', p18. "Zahn Heavy Transport"</ref>

In the aftermath of the botched "[[RAMTech]] Job" on [[New Kyoto]] in early [[3115]], confirmed appearances by the Bounty Hunter ceased for a decade and a half, the longest period of inactivity by anyone using the identity since the Hunter's absence during the period from [[3051]] to [[3064]].<ref name=TPI>''Turning Points: Irian'', p. 23: "Animal Deals"</ref> Conspiracy theorists claimed that the Bounty Hunter had nevertheless been able to get away with a quantity of high-grade military lasers and possibly with experimental weaponry that the company and the Republic of the Sphere were reluctant to reveal.<ref>''Technical Readout: Irregulars'', p. 6: "Prime Mover/Wheeled Scout"</ref>

====Michi Fraser====
His next incarnation was a man named Michi Fraser, and there was solid indication that his first name had been changed, leaving the surname itself also in doubt. The usage of this assumed name though indicates a strong knowledge on the history of the Bounty Hunter persona as it is referencing one of the Bounty Hunter personas ([[Michi Noketsuna]]), and one of his associates at that time ([[Dechan Fraser]]).

What can be verified, however, was his appearance on the world of [[Misery]] during the fighting between the Draconis Combine and the Federated Suns in late [[3130]]. Stealing a ''[[Legionnaire]]'' from the commander of the on-world Federated Suns forces, he single-handedly defeated an entire lance of Kurita troops, causing a greater shift in balance on Misery than had occurred in over a decade. He immediately went into hiding but reappeared several months later in June [[3131]] on the world of [[Marlowe's Rift]], where he once again handed the Combine their collective heads on a platter after several weeks of hit-and-run fighting. He reappeared during March [[3132]] on [[Harrow's Sun]], where prepared Combine troops savaged his ''Legionnaire''. His name and bright emerald-painted 'Mech, however, only grew in stature as he escaped a trap in which any other warrior would have perished. Once more he vanished for well over a year, and it was believed that he had been terribly wounded, possibly mortally, during that fight.<ref name=TPI/>

He then reappeared in the [[Republic of the Sphere]] in the summer of [[3133]].<ref name="MWDADPCp184">''MechWarrior: Dark Age - Dossiers and Pilot Cards'', p. 184: "The Bounty Hunter"</ref>

In June [[3133]] he appeared on [[Quentin]] using a stock ''Marauder'' 9W2 instead of the [[FrankenMech]] ''Legionnaire'' used in the 3130 – 3132 actions. [[RAF]] Department of Military Intelligence thought this could provide possible leads to [[Military Materiel Redemption Program]] violators within the Republic. That action did put him again on the radar of the [[Sphere Intelligence Service]].<ref name=TPI/>

During the months of October and November [[3133]], the Bounty Hunter landed on [[Irian]] and quickly engaged the Clan Leaders of the [[Spirit Cats]] and the [[Steel Wolf]] forces that were leading the assault against the [[Dragon's Fury]], defeating them both. After that fight both Clan forces left the planet.<ref>''Turning Points: Irian'', p. 9</ref> He was working at that moment for [[Katana Tormark]], and the Dragon's Fury gifted him one of the new ''Marauder II'' variants from Irian as payment for his service. The Hunter painted part of it emerald green, and called it ''Noketsuna''.<ref name="MWDADPCp184"/>

====Jonathan Yurei Kamimori====
During this period the Bounty Hunter was discovered and murdered by another subject. However, even his killer could not discover if Michi Fraser was his real name or only an alias, though the latter option seems more likely. The killer took the name and identity, becoming maybe the most infamous Bounty Hunter incarnation. Named Jonathan, he took the Bounty Hunter's identity as part of a plot by his brother Marcus, one of the richest persons in the [[Inner Sphere]], to approach Katana Tormark and kill her. Jonathan was a talented MechWarrior and fighter, lethal with any weapon and even his bare hands, an excellent cook, and a master hacker. However, he was also a psychopath and cold-blooded killer who enjoyed torturing and killing people, especially women, just for fun. He quickly murdered eight people, including three [[ISF]] agents, decapitating the last and sending the head to ISF director [[Ramadeep Bhatia]].

Wearing the Bounty Hunter Armor, Jonathan infiltrated the [[Dragon's Fury]] headquarters on [[Proserpina]] but did not kill Katana Tormark, instead warning her about the imminent invasion of the Republic by Warlord Sakamoto in search for her group to destroy it, before leaving.

The Bounty Hunter then fought with the Dragon's Fury in the battle of [[Ancha]], downing three fighters, though he actually only fought to win the trust of Katana's people and murder her partner, [[Antonia Chinn]]. However, Chinn was killed in battle before he could kill her. Enraged by the casualty, Crawford, his superior in the group, ordered the Bounty Hunter to hit Warlord Sakamoto, and Jonathan left on this new assignment. After infiltrating the Draconis Combine as a wounded aerospace pilot, he managed to become Sakamoto's new personal cook. The Warlord would die in a combat drop on [[Saffel]], apparently poisoned by Jonathan. The Bounty Hunter fought in the same battle on Saffel, at the controls of a ''[[Panther]]'' BattleMech after killing and replacing his original pilot.

When Marcus accused his brother Jonathan of having fallen in love with Katana Tormark, Jonathan responded by killing Marcus in cold blood.<ref name=ACtA016>''Daughter of the Dragon'', p. 295</ref> After that, Jonathan continued with his killing "hobby", murdering prostitutes (all very similar to Katana) and even one cop on planet [[Ancha]] and others, writing a gigantic K, for Katana, in the space.<ref>''Dragon Rising'', p. 132</ref> Katana's (apparent) murdering sent Jonathan into a frenzy, but he agreed to an alliance offer with Bhatia, training with him to infiltrate in the imperial palace of Luthien. Jonathan also killed brutally two [[Clan Nova Cat]] mystics, to weaken the Nova Cats' advance with the Dragon's Fury. This act almost triggered a [[Trial of Annihilation]] between the Nova Cats and [[Spirit Cats]]. A Republic detective named [[Richard Thereon]] tracked him across his path, but without success because the Dragon's Fury members refused to cooperate with him, protecting the person they saw as one of theirs. Nevertheless, Jonathan knew his research and was simply playing with him; he left DNA at every crime scene, but it was not his.

When Katana resurfaced alive, Jonathan left his armor and joined her forces, even telling her his real name ([[Jonathan Yurei Kamimori]]), but not, apparently, his Bounty Hunter past.<ref>''Dragon Rising'', p. 245</ref>

On 15 March [[3137]], while he was in the Imperial Palace of Luthien, Jonathan tried to murder [[Chomie Kurita]], as Bhatia and he had agreed, but somehow Bhatia had done it before Jonathan enacted his plan. Realizing there was a conspiracy to murder the Coordinator [[Vincent Kurita]], Jonathan hurried to the throne room, where he managed to save Katana's life before the bomb killed the Coordinator and his last son.<ref name>''Dragon Rising'', p. 287</ref> After saving Katana, Jonathan left a last present to the cop who was behind him: he sent him a data crystal with a location on a glacier on planet [[Misery]], where Richard found the Bounty Hunter armor disarticulated and a full body within, probably Marcus' body. As Jonathan had seen Richard's name meant "Bounty Hunter", he left him his place,<ref>''Dragon Rising'', p. 295</ref> again as he matches him with "Michi Noketsuna", the same he had in theory killed to occupy his persona.{{cn}}

====Return of Michi Fraser====
As of [[3150]] the Bounty Hunter operated on his own once again at the controls of a customized ''Marauder'', but also upon occasion with a posse of associates. These associates, when accompanying him to take down larger prey, piloted other 'Mechs linked to the Bounty Hunter's legacy — a ''Mad Cat'', ''Marauder II'', ''Loki II'', ''Warhammer'' and ''Griffin'' — making it hard for targets or observers to determine which 'Mech the Bounty Hunter was actually piloting.<ref name=RGiCv6p9>''Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 6'', p. 9: "Marauder"</ref>

==Persona==
While minor details change as the persona changes hand, a few common facts remain true no matter who is wearing the armor. The Bounty Hunter is first and foremost motivated by money, but also by the challenge of accomplishing "impossible" contracts to prove his abilities and enhance his legend. Though willing to take calculated risks, this doesn't mean he's suicidal, each contract will be extensively reviewed and a detailed plan drawn up before he makes his move, and generally he will attack from ambush or from the least likely direction to ensure he succeeds. The Bounty Hunter is not sadistic (with the obvious exception of Jonathan), but he will do just about anything to complete his mission, if somebody stands between him and his target, innocent or not, he will not shy from destroying any obstacles in his path. Though not capricious, those who wrong or betray the Bounty Hunter, either by attempting to reveal his identity or trying to cheat him, generally will be found in short order, killed in brutal fashion.<ref name=IP-88>''Interstellar Players'', pp. 84–88: "The Bounty Hunter - Gamemaster's Section - The Bounty Hunter's Associates - Support"</ref>

Typically, each Bounty Hunter maintains the persona for five to ten years before "passing the torch" to his successor, including the signature 'Mech, the DropShip, typically one-quarter to half of the war chest and a manuscript known as "The Tradition" — a document rumored to contain tradecraft knowledge for both bounty hunters and MechWarriors alike, written by those who'd previously held the position. Generally the Bounty Hunter will select his replacement from his closest trusted associates, often grooming his protégé and ultimate replacement, though upon occasion he will either sell the persona or in Clan fashion be killed and be replaced by an outside party seeking to lay claim to it. If alive, the retiring Bounty Hunter generally goes off to live the rest of his or her life in rich anonymity.<ref name=IP-88/> The most notable exception to this "rule" was Michi Noketsuna — who would be corralled into being Warlord of Dieron for a time (3034-3054) by Theodore Kurita, before moving on to Luthien to finish his vendetta with Takashi Kurita, and then joining his former friends turned unwilling enemies turned friends once again in Wolf's Dragoons, as the head of their intelligence arm, Wolfnet, following the death of Stanford Blake in the Dragoon Civil War.

===Associates===
Since the thirtieth century, the Bounty Hunter typically takes to the field with three to five associates, each also elite MechWarriors who normally pilot BattleMechs painted the same green at the Bounty Hunter's signature 'Mech. Again, the exception was Jonathan: he always fought alone. It is unknown if he had even a support crew. Like the Bounty Hunter, his associates' 'Mechs are all kept in pristine condition and often boast customization.<ref name=IP-88/>

These associates are recruited via a variety of methods, either the Bounty Hunter drawing associates from family and close friends, or similar to the Clans concept of [[Bondsman|bondsmen]], the Bounty Hunter offering positions to defeated foes captured in battle whom he believes have the right skills and mindset to join his organization.<ref name=IP-88/>

Such associates who hold a permanent place in his team are among those few the Bounty Hunter trusts implicitly, not just with his life but also his identity and the true history of the Bounty Hunter. Those who betray this trust have never lived long enough to tell the tale. Members of the Bounty Hunter's lance receive generous shares of the immense bounties collected in response to their loyalty, and often he will choose his successor from their number.<ref name=IP-88/>

Occasionally, several of the old Bounty Hunter's closest associates "retire" when a new person takes over the role, at other times associates die in combat and leave the Bounty Hunter's lance with openings. When this happens, the Bounty Hunter typically either takes time off or takes smaller and less risky contracts until he can find suitable replacements to bring his lance back to full strength.<ref name=IP-88/>

The Bounty Hunter also boasts an extremely skilled technical team to keep both his own and his associates' 'Mechs in perfect condition. Aside from being highly skilled, the technical team are all cross-trained in a number of other skills, with each MechWarrior, except for the Bounty Hunter himself, also expected to participate in 'Mech maintenance and repair. The chief tech is also the Bounty Hunter's personal technician and often is a MechWarrior who has previously served with the Bounty Hunter, like his associates the chief tech knows the Bounty Hunter's identity and received a share of the bounties for his contracts. None of the other techs know the secrets of the Bounty Hunter, in fact every time a new Bounty Hunter takes command the old technical staff and DropShip crew are fired and replacements hired.<ref name=IP-88/>

====During Michi Noketsuna's tenure====
* [[Vic Travers]]<ref name=HtDc40>''Heir to the Dragon'', ch. 37</ref>
* [[Dechan Fraser]]<ref name=HtDc40/>
* [[Jenette Rand]]<ref name=HtDc40/>
* "Cellini"<ref name=HtDc40/>

====During the FedCom Civil War====
* [[Rebekah]]<ref name=TR3055Up62/>

====In 3068====
* [[Christina Sante|Christina "Chris" Sante]]<ref name=BDTBH-8>''BattleTech Dossiers: The Bounty Hunter'', p. 8: "Unit Profile - Christina "Chris" Sante"</ref>
* [[Alexander Romanov|Alexander "Sandy" Romanov]]<ref name=BDTBH-9>''BattleTech Dossiers: The Bounty Hunter'', p. 9: "Unit Profile - Alexander "Sandy" Romanov"</ref>
* [[Robert Farrell|Robert "Bob" Farrell]]<ref name=BDTBH-10>''BattleTech Dossiers: The Bounty Hunter'', p. 10: "Unit Profile - Robert "Bob" Farrell"</ref>

===BattleMechs and Equipment===

====BattleMechs====
The Bounty Hunter has used numerous BattleMechs over the years, but all feature the same bright green paint job, emblazoned with credit symbols across its surface. The mere sight of Bounty Hunter's 'Mechs are a powerful tool in their own right.

*; ''Warhammer'' : Though overshadowed by later 'Mechs, the early holders of the Bounty Hunter tradition started out with a green-hued ''Warhammer''.<ref name=BDTBH-4/><ref name=IP-84/> By the 3150s the Bounty Hunter, or one of his associates, was reportedly again using a ''Warhammer''.<ref name=RGiCv6p9/>

*; ''Marauder'' : Originally Natasha Kerensky's personal 'Mech, her ''Marauder'' subsequently became the Bounty Hunter's signature 'Mech of choice between [[3014]] and the [[Clan Invasion]], triggering a well-known animosity between them. Shortly after acquiring it, the Bounty Hunter customized it following heavy damage sustained during a Periphery mission, mounting a lighter 225-rated engine, using [[jump jet]]s to offset the lower speed, and replaced the [[GM Whirlwind]] [[AC/5]] with another [[Magna Hellstar]] [[PPC]] and three additional [[Magna Mk II]] [[medium laser]]s. A swap to Star League-era [[double heat sink]]s from a cache found in that same mission allowed the improvement of its armor by three tons. By [[3044]] Vic Travers modified the 'Mech again after acquiring an [[Gauss_rifle#M-7|M-7]] [[Gauss rifle]], two [[ER PPC]]s and a 225-rated [[XL engine]], dropping the dorsal Hellstar, two medium lasers and three double heat sinks to make room for the Gauss rifle and its two tons of ammo. Some sources indicate his signature ''Marauder'', along with some of his associates, was lost in his battles against Clan Smoke Jaguar during the Clan Invasion.<ref name=BDTBH-4/><ref name=IP-84/><ref name=IP-135>''Interstellar Players'', pp. 135–137: "Rules Addendum - Classic BattleTech Rules - The Bounty Hunter"</ref> By the 3150s the Bounty Hunter was reportedly again using a customized model utilizing both cutting-edge Inner Sphere and Clan tech.<ref name=RGiCv6p9/>

*; ''Mad Cat'' : During the Clan Invasion Vic Travers was able to claim a Clan Smoke Jaguar ''[[Mad Cat]]'', which the Bounty Hunter often rode in battle against Clan and Inner Sphere targets alike in a custom configuration, mounting a [[large pulse laser]] and a [[medium pulse laser]] in each arm. It also had a medium pulse laser in both the left and right torso with a Clan [[light TAG]] in the center torso. A [[light active probe]], [[ECM suite]], and a [[targeting computer]] provided stealth and increased accuracy. Though supposedly making appearances during the FedCom Civil War, many assumed the Bounty Hunter had disposed of this ''Mad Cat'' as he began to heavily favor his ''Marauder II'', but during the Jihad he was again using a ''Mad Cat'' in a modified configuration, either an entirely new OmniMech or his original extremely battle-worn ''Mad Cat'' after a major overhaul. This ''Mad Cat'' sported a large pulse laser in the left arm and paired [[ER medium laser]]s in the right arm, supported by a trio of [[SRM-4]]s in the left torso and similar trio of [[Streak SRM-4]]s in the right. Rounded out by an [[anti-personnel Gauss rifle]] in each side torso and an [[ER small laser]] in the right, the Bounty Hunter's second ''Mad Cat'' also mounted a targeting computer as well as a [[coolant pod]] and three jump jets to enhance its effectiveness. A single ton of reloads for each weapon type was carried.<ref name=BDTBH-4/><ref name=IP-84/><ref name=IP-135/> By the 3150s the Bounty Hunter, or one of his associates, was reportedly using a ''Mad Cat'' again.<ref name=RGiCv6p9/>

*; ''Marauder II'' : During Vic Travers' tenure the Bounty Hunter acquired the use of a fearsome ''[[Marauder II]]'', equipped with Clan-grade technology via General Motors' "special projects" division as thanks for his "advertising efforts" represented by the Bounty Hunter's continued use of GM's classic design and as testbed for a mass-produced version. The Bounty Hunter's ''Marauder II'' features a standard fusion engine with sixteen tons of [[ferro-fibrous]] armor and [[endo steel]] internal structure. It is armed with an ER PPC and two medium pulse lasers in each arm. A Gauss rifle sits in the right torso with two tons of ammunition, and a targeting computer is in the left torso for increased accuracy. It has a Clantech [[CASE]] system to protect the Gauss rifle, and can jump 90 meters at a time. The Bounty Hunter would make use of this ''Marauder II'' from the FedCom Civil War era, Jihad.<ref name=BDTBH-4/><ref name=IP-84/><ref name=IP-135/> In [[3133]] he exchanged it for an Irian variant of the ''Marauder II'', an MAD-6S. This was the one he piloted it in the Ancha battle and then left behind during his mission to murder Warlord Sakamoto. Over the course of this mission, he took a ''[[Panther]]'' to assume the identity of its former pilot; this 'Mech was thus not painted in the usual fashion. It is implied that the Bounty Hunter intended to reclaim his ''Marauder II'' after the mission. By the 3150s the Bounty Hunter, or one of his associates, was reportedly again using a ''Marauder II''.<ref name=RGiCv6p9/>

*; ''Loki II'' : While the how and whys are unknown, by 3150 the present holder of the Bounty Hunter identity had acquired a ''[[Loki II]]'' to replace his apparently ruined ''Marauder II''.<ref name=TRO3150-164>''Technical Readout: 3150'', p. 164: "Heavy 'Mechs - Loki II"</ref>

While less notable, the Bounty Hunter has also been known to have made use of a ''[[Grasshopper]]'' and ''Griffin'', with some sources indicating the latter 'Mech was what he was piloting when he stole Natasha Kerensky's ''Marauder'' in 3014.<ref name=BDTBH-4/><ref name=IP-84/><ref name=WD-124>''Wolf's Dragoons'', p. 124: "Friends and Enemies - The Bounty Hunter"</ref>

====Equipment====
Whenever the Bounty Hunter pilots a 'Mech or appears in public, he wears a customized green-hued full body MechWarrior combat suit, to obscure and protect his identity as well as allowing him to pilot his 'Mech. While more encumbering than the standard MechWarrior combat suit, his suit is much more armored, acting like a combination of an MCS and a space suit.<ref name=IP-135/>

Almost as famous as his green ''Marauder'' is his PA(L) suit. First appearing with emergence of the second Bounty Hunter in 2957, this priceless suit was a Mk. XXX variant of the Star League's top secret [[Nighthawk]] PA(L) which the Bounty Hunter wears whenever he expects to encounter combat outside his 'Mech. While its stealth systems and jump pack were nonfunctional during the [[LosTech]] era of the [[Third Succession War]], by the FedCom Civil War era these systems had been restored to operation. Generally the Bounty Hunter will dual wield [[Sternsnacht Claymore Heavy Pistol]]s, his PA(L) taking care of the weight and recoil, along with carrying any other heavy weapons his requires for the mission.<ref name=IP-135/><ref name=RS3085U>''Record Sheets: 3085 Unabridged — Old is the New New'', p. 8: "Nighthawk Mk. XXX (Bounty Hunter)"</ref>

The Bounty Hunter's personal ''[[Mule]]''-class DropShip, the ''[[Le Blanc (Individual Mule-class DropShip)|Le Blanc]]'', has been heavily modified, sporting heavy armor plating, additional weapons, high-tech electronics, [[ECM]], and sensor systems. The ''Mule''-class vessel has been modified with spacious crew quarters, 'Mech cubicles and drop chutes, while also having enough space for the entire crew, replacement equipment, ammunition, and stores with space for salvage taken in battle.<ref name=IP-88/>

==Behind the Scenes==
In [[MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries#Rise of Rasalhague|''MechWarrior 5: Rise of Rasalhague'']], the Bounty Hunter was voiced by [[Timothy Scott]].<ref name=MW5Mc>''MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries'', closing credits</ref>

==Notes==
* The way the end of the Bounty Hunter part of ''[[Dragon Rising]]'' is designed, it hints that the Dark Age Bounty Hunter persona Michi Fraser, known for having destroyed a full Kurita lance on Misery, was not killed by Jonathan, that he somehow had tricked Jonathan to kill another patsy and created a new tempory identity, that of Richard Thereon, who would then receive back the full armor package from Jonathan who ended seeing over his new identity.{{cn}}

* A book was published by [[The Atreus Post]] on 27 July [[3060]]: ''[[The Bounty Hunter: Piercing the Legend]]''.<ref>''3135 PDA Journals'', p. 121: "17 November 3135"</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Bounty Hunter logo distressed.png|Insignia of the Bounty Hunter
BountyHunterPA.JPG|The Bounty Hunter in his [[PA(L)|Power Armor]]
Bounty Hunter JS.jpg|The Bounty Hunter in action during the [[Jihad]], ca. 3075
BountyHunterMarauder.JPG|The Bounty Hunter beside his custom ''[[Marauder II]]'' during the Jihad
Bounty Hunter TPIrian.png|The Bounty Hunter in his MechWarrior Combat Suit during the Dark Age
Bounty Hunter.jpg|The Bounty Hunter in his PA(L) suit
Bounty Hunter DotD.jpg|The Bounty Hunter with [[Katana Tormark]]
Bounty Hunter MW5.png|In ''MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries'' 
</gallery>

==References==
<references />

==Bibliography==
<div class="desktop-3-col">
* ''[[BattleTech Dossiers: The Bounty Hunter]]''
* ''[[Daughter of the Dragon]]'' (novel)
* ''[[Dragon Rising]]'' (novel)
* ''[[A Guy Walks Into a Bar on Solaris VII...]]'' (short story)
* ''[[Heir to the Dragon]]'' (novel)
* ''[[Historical: Brush Wars]]''
* ''[[Historical: War of 3039]]''
* ''[[Interstellar Players]]''
* ''[[Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents]]''
* ''[[Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers]]''
* ''[[MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries]]'' (video game)
* ''[[Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 6]]''
* ''[[Tales of the Black Widow Company]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3039]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3055 Upgrade]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3145 Capellan Confederation]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3150]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: Irregulars]]''
* ''[[Turning Points: Arcturus]]''
* ''[[Turning Points: Irian]]''
* ''[[Warhammer Blueprint and Lore: Story of the Black Widow]]''
* ''[[Wolf's Dragoons (sourcebook)|Wolf's Dragoons]]'' (sourcebook)
* ''[[Wolves on the Border]]'' (novel)
</div>


[[Category:Mercenary Characters]]
[[Category:Notable Marauder Pilots]]
[[Category:Notable Timber Wolf (Mad Cat) Pilots]]