I liked the flow and movement of the battle scenes; the description was very professional and dry and I felt it well-suited the work of the professional mercenary soldiers. I think you have the beginnings of an intriguing engagement with the theme here. A group of mercenaries earning their way to redemption is a good way to explore what makes a person a "bad guy" in the view of society. You could have explored this concept more deeply though, especially considering the twist ending. To really engage with the theme, it would have been nice to see at least some hints if the Black Owls know who they're really working for, and if they feel it's a worthwhile trade.

There were some moments of real poetry in the descriptive language. The image of Devon's bullet touching the smuggler's leg like a blade was a powerful one. I also liked the conception of the towers of cargo containers growing and shrinking in always-changing, yet never-changing patterns as the dance of loading and unloading went on.

though hard to read, i did enjoy this story.