Discovery Gaming Community

Incoming Transmission

To: Queen Carina and the BAF Admiralty
From: GMG Guild Master Raikoke
Subject: Use of Bretonian Space and Deuterium
Priority: High

Message reads:

Konichiwa,

I hope this message find her Majesty in good spirits as well as her admirals. I would first like express my sincere regret of your current conflicts with the Kusari Empire. It is most unfortunate that sometimes matters require shows of force in order to defend the principals, ideas and goals that our people hold so dear. Take for example our 80 year war with Rheinland that became necessary to keep their "war machine" from taking out fuel for their Kruger company.
In order to get into discussions about transporting Deuterium through your space I would first like to confirm that it is understood that we are in fact not Kusarian, despite our original origins from Planet Honshu. That we have been an independant and sovereign house for many years now. I would also like to point out that our primary competition in the fuel industry is Samura who, for obvious reasons, are restricted from entering your borders. I hope that this subtle but significant distinction is understood. Without H-fuel from Samura that leaves us.
Now on to the real matter of my transmission. My sources have told me that Deuterium is considered contraband in Bretonian space. This is no doubt because Deuterium is an important ingrediant, along with hydrogen and helium isotopes, in making H-fuel. Which of course fuels Kusari's war machine. However, we need that Deuterium in order to produce the same H-fuel used by all Sirius.
My question is can we have permission to move Deuterium through her Majesty's space. If a fee is required than we will pay. I undertand that you will not want that Deuterium going into Kusari so we will tranport it through Liberty space as an alternative. Since Samura is the competition they will have to find their own way of acquiring Deuterium to make their fuel.
Please understand that this Deuterium is integral to the refinement of H-fuel, which is integral to the whole Sirius economy.
If you can respond at your convenience it would be appreciated.

Sayonara,
Guild Master Raikoke

Transmission Ends

Incoming Transmission

To: Queen Carina and the BAF Admiralty
From: GMG Guid Master Raikoke
Subject: Use of Bretonian space and Deuterium
Priority: Critical

Message reads:

Konichiwa

For the sake of Sirius's economy, it is urgent that you reconsider your silent denial. Several of GMG's ships have been detained and their cargos confiscated by your officers. We have been forced into trying to sneak through Bretonia like common smugglers and many of our ship are in danger of falling prey to piracy or terrorism. There is a route through the deep Omegas that only the most experienced Transports Capts can navigate. The route is infested with Corsair Aces.
We have begun to notice the negative impact this creating in our ability to maintain H-fuel demand. The Zoners have recently voiced their concern about the decrease in trade between GMG and their planet Gran Canaria. As it stands we are still sitting on a large surplus of H-fuel and have so far been able to maintain the quota for Liberty and consequentially Bretonia, however, this will not last long and soon we wll have to decrease our exports.
I would expect that Samura will not be able to pick up this slack as they have an even more difficult time with the Bretonia/Kusari war raging on, they are burdeened with supplying Rheinland (We won't) and their massive ships as well as jointly supllying Kusari along with us.
H-fuel is the Blood of Sirius, please reconsider before our stock deplete to the point of stagnancy.

Sayonara
Guild Master Raikoke

Transmission Ends

Guild Master Raikoke:

We are not persuaded by arguments detailing the 'plight of Sirius's economy,' nor that of your company, as, indeed, Sirius is not persuaded by declarations of Bretonia's Plight. We are beset, from every side. We face rebellions inside our own borders, a barbarian horde from the Omegas, and an overreaching empire in the Taus. We, who have at our backs only the depths of space, whose transports receive fire from the guns of our 'Ally', Liberty, to gain the praise of Samura swine. You come to Us, you who put Our countrymen to work in plutonium mines, and ask for Our Leniency? Have you not noticed, that every year, Bretonia demands less and less, supporting its own self from its production of Mox? This war has taught us a simple lesson, that they who are not with Us are quite against Us. How then, are you with Us?

Convince Us that you are not Our enemy, and We might be persuaded to be your friend. Friends care about one another's plights, do they not? We are a gracious friend, Raikoke, but We are also the most horrendous foe. Which will it be?


Her Majesty Carina I, Queen of Bretonia, Empress of the Taus, Sovereign of the stars of Dundee, Chester, Lewis, Orkney, Inverness, Poole, Salisbury, and Omega 50.
[font=Comic Sans Ms]Carina

To: Queen Carina and BAF Admiralty
From: [TAZ]Doc Holliday
Subject: GMG and Bretonia space

*message delivered via hologram*

Greetings, your Majesty,
*bows to Queen*

I come before you as an ambassador to make an understanding and hopefully, a diplomatic solution regarding the Gas Miners Guild use of Bretonia space. I also want to address the how the war between the governments of Kusari and Bretonia is affecting the Zoners as well and could well affect sirius in the long run.

As Master Raikoke has explained, the GMG is in need of the deuterium that we produce on Canaria to process H-fuel, a necessity for us all in Sirius. The problem isn't so much the production of H-fuel but the delivery of the deuterium to the Gas Miners.

Currently, the safest way is through Bretonia. It is better patrolled by the BAF and the Police and has been relatively clear of pirates and criminals. However, ship after ship has been stopped and stripped of it's cargo over a dispute between two governments.
We have been told to go through Liberty. Sadly, it is not a viable option as the LN has become quite oppressive and the increase in crime and piracy has made it risky at best.
We could go the back route via the Omega and Omicron systems but the threat of piracy is high and radiation makes for alot of ship repairs and hazardous health conditions. While Zoners could use this route due to it's neutrality, the GMG do not have that same option. We have heard the tales of GMG transports and their crews being left to die in space by criminals. To hear the cries of the families is indeed tear jerking.

Your Majesty, this blockade has also affected our home world of Gran Canaria. How? We need not only H-fuel and to deliver the deuterium that we produce but for our ship yards, we need engine components, polymers and many other products. While we could buy them in Liberty, it is not cost effective and would drastically cut into our profit margin. The same applies to Rheinland while. Bretonia doesn't have all that we need and we're limited to what we are able to purchase. With supplies being cut, some workers have had to leave due to unemployment and find work elsewhere, some in places they would rather not be. Zoner leadership has done its best to this point to keep calm against pilots who have lost millions in taken cargo. Tensions are running high, tempers short and patience is getting low.

Your Majesty, we would like to see this matter resolved. I have volunteered myself to be an Ambassador and I make the same offer to you. I can't negotiate the war you have with the Kusari government but I can try to work an economic solution that we can all agree with and live with. The Bretonians are good, hard working people as are those of the GMG. I will do what is necessary to achieve this solution.

Thank you for your time.
Ambassador Holliday

*holographic image ends*

Incoming Transmission

To: Queen Carina and BAF Admiralty
From: Guild Master Raikoke
Subject: GMG and Bretonia Space
Priority: Critical

Message reads:

Konban Wa

Well I'd first like to say we aren't against you. We do understand your at war and we know what it is like, our memories of our 80 year war with Rheinland is still fresh in the minds of all of GMG. The remains of their ridiculously large fleet can still be found floating in our space and ALG's Helgoland Station stands as a reminder of that war as it continues to clean up the mess it's peers had made.
Now how can we show that we are with you? I dwelled a bit on that. There is always the matter of H-fuel. It is my understanding that you don't get it from Samura, our primary competitor. It is safe to assume that Kruger can't as they have already shown that their operation on Manheim Station is incapable of keeping up with the Rheinland fleet's demands and as such get theirs from Samura to compensate. Well even then, GMG's considerable stranglehold on the H-fuel industry is unquestionable and we intend to maintain it. Still, I do believe there is something more we can do to convince you than the supply H-fuel.
What is said next should be kept as confidential.
We used to have a partnership with Samura. That partnership has dissolved and they are now our primary competition in the H-fuel industry. They are the shipbuilders of Kusari military and at their shipyards they repair and maintain KNF ships. We at GMG have begun to make arrangement to hire Blood Dragons to target Samura operations. This should help both of us as we will solidify our monopoly on H-fuel and you will find that the KNF will be slowed down by an ineffectual Samura. I ask again that you keep this confidential.
It has been mentioned to me once about trying to get Kusari to come to a cease fire. GMG has no say on Kusari politics just as Kusari has no say in GMG politics. They have come to respect our fierce independance and have even ceceded the space around Aomari station over to GMG control. I can no more convince them to cease fire on Bretonian officials as they can convince us to do the same with any Rheinland official we see.
I wish I could help you on that as a cease fire would re-open the Tau's as a viable route to Bretonia again. The tremors that came from the war's impact can even be felt on this side of the Sirius sector and we hope a conclusion is played out soon and one that isn't at the cost of Bretonia.

Sayonara
Guild Master Raikoke

Transmission Ends

Incoming Transmission
Comm ID: Constable Abigail Thorn

Greetings miss Raikoke,

Though we do understand your need for Deuterium, we must respectfully decline a free permit to transport it. Though you claim you hold no ties to Kusari, it is no secret that your shipping rights do lie with a certain Kusari company known as Kishiro. If I am not mistaken, Kishiro is a Kusari company like Samura, correct?

At any rate, we would like to come to a compromise with you. You may move deuterium through Bretonia, however, whenever we do see one of your ships, be them laden with cargo or not, a tariff of 900 credits per cargo capacity will be imposed on your ship.

That sounds reasonable, doesn't it?
~Constable Abigail Thorn

Transmission End

Incoming Holographic message
To: Constable Abigail Thorn
From: [TAZ]Doc Holliday, Ambassador

Greetings, Constable Thorn,

While Kishiro does transport for GMG via contract, they do not ship the deuterium that we produce. It has been our own ships, especially laden to take on this shipment and those of the GMG themselves. Kishiro doesn not have ships that can carry this. If they are getting it, it's not from us. With the ongoing war and the threat of attack from Corsairs amongst others, it's too dangerous a route for them to run.

I addressed your Queen a few days ago on this matter. I do hope she received it and has taken the time to consider it. If it helps matters, we will start more shipments of deuterium within Bretonia house space. We have been receiving more orders for it in Newcastle. We will also increase the shipping of Nomads and their equipment to Cambridge research as per their request. As of now, we have one ship dedicated to this. Adding tariffs will only make things economically harder for us.

Constable, thank you for your time,

Ambassador Holliday

Incoming Transmission
Comm ID: Constable Abigail Thorn

Now, then, Mr. Holiday, I do take it from what you said that you think us ignorant. I do not believe you had shipping rights with Bretonia personally in the past, it was Kishiro that distributed your product, and moved any raw materials necessary to its production. Regardless of this fact, had you not ended ties with Samura it would make no difference. In the end, we have no guarantee that the Deuterium you are giving to the GMG isn't going to Kusari and assisting their war effort.

On another matter, the New Scotland Yard and myself have spoken directly with the Queen and am acting as a liaison in this matter under her order directly. As she said herself, prove you are not an enemy, and you may have your rights, but for now, we cannot trust you on goodwill alone. Looking back at recent events, we did just that for the Mollies, and were met with nothing but what revolutionary ideals we had hoped to resolve. Again, we just cannot trust someone who has such close ties to our enemies on faith alone.

Furthermore, I do believe that the TAZ have already agreed to supply the GMG with Deuterium. Your end of the deal is done, what motives do you have that may drive you to bargain for them? They are the ones paying the tariff, not you. If I am not mistaken, you are subject to Bretonian law just as all others in Bretonia, are you not? Caution is a path I would advise you in adhering to that law and not blatantly admitting to your breaking of it. Unless you seek to make a deal yourselves, which you did not mention, you are prohibited from moving any goods into the Taus or Kusari by the Bretonian Charter of Interstellar Law. I would like to ask you to become educated in this matter in order to be considerate to us before asking us to be considerate to you.

Now, then, unless you make an argument that holds some water, I would like to invite you to tighten your belts and accept the tariff, as it will not bend under the weight such flimsy words.

~Constable Abigail Thorn

Transmission End

Incoming Transmission
To Constable Abigail Thorn

You claim I think of Bretonia as ignorant. If I did, I would have come out with it. I'm not one to mince words. I do think that the hatred between Kusari and Bretonia is either forcing alot of independent groups into economic hardship by denying shipping altogether, dropping their cargo or whatever or they are forcing people to pick sides.

As to your question of what makes us bargain on behalf of the GMG. Just as anyone of the GMG running deuterium via Bretonia, we Zoners are also being harassed in the same way. Pay tariffs, drop the cargo or sell it elsewhere. We've even received several confirmed reports of BAF ships attacking Zoner freighters without warning and then being belligerent to us about it. They are making it very difficult for any Zoner to maintain their neutral stance.

You say that goodwill alone isn't enough due to past experiences. Well, when you try that with known criminal groups such as the Mollies, that's a recipe for disaster. We run their gauntlet quite often by necessity, not desire. Zoners have never attacked Bretonia shipping, a BAF ship or any lawful ship in Bretonia or in any house for that matter. I get the impression by your tone that there is nothing we could do to prove it except maybe some large tribute to the Bretonian government.

You also say I have admitted to breaking laws. We have done no such thing. By forcing us out of safer routes via the Tau's or Bretonia, we are subject to far worse threats. If you have ever faced a pirate with no scruples whatsoever and a destroyer full of heavy weapons, you will learn what fear can be. Even we Zoners aren't immune to them.

Lastly, I have been considerate. No insults, flames or threats of any sort. I think I've done a fair job of supressing my ill temper. I don't think anyone else has sent a holographic message to your Queen that they bowed to her first. I showed my respect. I guess it went unnoticed.

Have a fine day, Constable.

Incoming Transmission
From: Constable Abigail Thorn

Mr. Holiday,

If you would like to voice a complaint about the way that the Bretonian Police Authority and the Bretonian Armed Forces are handling the situation regarding Kusari, then please voice it in the appropriate channels, not in a request by a completely complacent group that is requesting things for their own behalf. We cannot trust anyone on goodwill alone, especially when it may result in the death of Bretonian soldiers, or even civilians in the Taus under the Kusari occupation. This includes you Zoners, who, if I am not mistaken, have a Freeport just a stone's throw away from Kusari.

If you are accusing the crown of making a false judgment in an offensive fashion at the remark about the Mollies, then I suggest you look at who is negotiating for rights with whom. Being blatantly insulting is not a fine form of negotiation, or at least not when I received schooling. Just because you maintain a facade of neutrality does not mean that you are exempt from proper conduct in a negotiation, nor does it mean you are exempt from Bretoian law while in Bretonian space. If you do not want to agree to our terms, any Zoners who are moving Deuterium into the Taus will be treated as criminals, just as any other trader would be treated as such.

Furthermore, if you doubt my bravery or courage, I would call to your attention the fact that I am a constable in the Bretonian Police Authority. I have fought Corsairs in Cambridge, Gaians in Edinburgh, Mollies in London, and invading Kusari in Leeds. In short, I have seen everything that Bretonia's ugliest can throw at me. Saying that I do not know the fear is nothing short of abhorrently insulting.

Now, then, I would like to hear the GMG either accept to these terms or not, as I tire of exchanging "pleasantries" with the TAZ.

~Constable Abigail Thorn

Transmission End