My name is Caroline Ross, and I am contacting you today on behalf of Warden Collins. It has come to our attention that an overt conflict erupted between you and the Alster Union. Although we are by no means natives to the region, we still have interest in it, and seeing two organisations we have supported in the past at odds is troubling. I would like to inquire about the background of this conflict, as well as your plans to resolve it.
Additionally, I would like to procure information regarding some sort of... Trade regulations that the Battlegroup have imposed upon the region.
I can confirm your intel. The current status regarding the Unioners is indeed that of an armed conflict.
A breach of a high level trade deal was the trigger to ignite already building up hostilities. The Unioners have changed over the course of us building up within Bering.
It was an alliance of necessity as we realise now. A group like them isn't made for this.
As for trade regulations, there is currently nothing public that ought to be of any concern.
The Hackers mentioned the importance of you passing through freely and as such we will ensure that you can
What position does a "Matriarch" have within your organisation, Miss Ross?
It is a position of leadership in the Emerald Order. Of a spiritual guide, as well. You can consider the Order to be an intelligence branch of the Guard, speaking in military terms. Inquiring about such matters is not usually within our jurisdiction, but it was my subordinate that obtained the information regarding these hostilities.
It intrigues me, this animosity that built up over the past months. What caused it, if I may? Would there be a chance for you and the Union to reconcile?
It appears that the Union regret that they lend support to the Navy. When we constructed the Marshall complex within the area they would supply us with materials. I have to assume that they would know full well what it means to construct what is a military installation in the Tanner belt.
We do not tolerate combat against unsactioned targets within our policed area. Something the Union in their desire to create an anarchistic pirate haven did not appreciate.
They would lead us on with a ship order, consuming resources and ship capacities. Only to go back on something so simple as the delivery of an agreed vessel.
Now I am aware you will not appreciate the way the situation was dealt with but me and my commanding staff decided to grant the Legion their wish to strike against the Union.
We understand your struggle with the Legion and do not intent to get between those lines. Against a force the size of a Navy with Unioners in our side, we cannot afford to lose the considerable fighting force of the Legion.
If our plans come to fruition then we will regulate the southern Liberty space as before with Hacker and Gaian convoys being granted free passage.
I hope this answers your questions, Matriarch. We value our trade with the Gaians.
I understand that there is no possibility for reconciliation, then. I'm afraid that neither Warden Collins, nor Captain Harrington were very happy to hear of your revelations. We will have to debate properly before we decide what to do with this situation, but you should be aware that you have severly betrayed the trust we had in your organisation. I will contact you once a consensus has been reached.
The Guard has elected to cease lending any and all material or intelligence support from this point onwards. We will continue to do so untill the Battlegroup ceases to cooperate with the Legion, and reconciles with their former allies in the Union. The former condition is non negotiable.
This does not put us in a state of warfare, however. We will maintain neutrality with your forces, provided that our cooperation with the Union remains undisturbed. It is, ultimately, not our conflict, and we do not wish to overly involve ourselves in it, but we will act to defend our interests.
I have very little trust that anyone amongst the Unioners are a civilian. Those medical supplies would sooner go to their soldiers, pilots and crews than any civilians they may harbor. The only plausible harboring of civilians I would find the Unioners to have, would be hostages. Attempting to run the blockade and supply those we are at war with will result in being fired upon. If you expected any differently, then the Gaians surely lack any wisdom in the field of battle. We will not tolerate the Gaians to effectively choose sides with the Unioners while claiming to be neutral. Supplying one end of the war is not neutrality. It is belligerency. Further attempts at running the blockade will be met with equal force. Your siding with the Unioners and running supplies will not be tolerated.
From: Matriarch Caroline Ross, Emerald Order Subject: You conduct Source: Edinburgh Encryption:High Priority:High
Captain Linford.
Yes, we did expect differently. Perhaps we were too naive in thinking you were waging a civilized war, like a soldier should be. Are we to understand that the concept of medical neutrality is not known to your people? Or do you simply not care about it? We are not chosing sides here, captain. We are being forced into one, by your own actions.