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Message Class: Textual
Encryption: MILITARY
To: The Rheinland Government
CC: Rheinland Military
From: Commodore Ryan O'Dukes, Commanding Officer of the Bretonia Merchant Navy

Guten Tag, Ladies and gentlemen.

Commodore Ryan O'Dukes of her Majesty's Merchant Navy speaking.

It has been quite some time since our governments worked together...
But in these days, I turn to you with a...request which is quite important for Bretonia's safety

As you may have noticed, Bretonia recently does not have the industrial capacity tho fulfill the needs of our fleet. Therefore, we're always in need of specific raw materials and maybe some military equipment, if you got some amount to spare...

Going back to our treatys, which Admiral Sir Finlay O'Dukes, Lord Hamilton negotiated in the past (you should have the copies in your archives), we would like renew these contracts and add specific points, concernig our passing rights through mentioned areas...

Article 1:

All BAF|MN- tagged ships are allowed to enter Rheinland space of influence, as long as it is their task to transport high-priority goods for her Majesty's war effort. The type of commodity may vary, destination and purpose will be mentioned in the transport order, carried by the convoy leader.

Article 2:

BAF|MN- convoys may be escorted by various types of vessels, depending on their availability.
These convoys may consist of:

- Transports

- no limit

- Fighters and Bombers

- no limit

- Armed Merchant Cruisers (AMC, Palace class liner)

- 3 max.

- Gunboats

- only on Convoys with 2+ transports

I would like to add our flagship HMS-Dorsetshire here. The ship is mainly deployed for long range patrols and escorts in the Omega systems, but I'd like to ask for permission to enter Rheinland space if needed.

- Destroyer BAF|MN-HMS-Dorsetshire (flagship)

- only on Convoys with 4+ transports

Article 3:

BAF|MN- forces will not act in any offensive action, except the local military or police does ask for assistance.

Article 4:

BAF|MN- forces will only use deadly force in act of self defense

Article 5:

Convoys may leave Rheinland space towards space belonging to none of the signing factions only with EMPTY cargo holds (general supplys for the ship's crew are excluded), except a treaty or contract requires them to leave Rheinland space while carrying cargo.

Tally-ho, ladies and gentlemen!

We are looking foward to your replies

Ryan O'Dukes

Commodore
Bretonia Merchant Navy Command

Open for Replies

Guten tag herr O'Dukes, my name is Rüdiger Steube, head of the Ministry of Defense. I have been assigned to the matter at hand given its military nature. The Ministry of Interior will be involved in this communication through their representative Susanne Huber .

Your request has raised several eyebrows, first of all for sounding like a list of demands, when it is clearly a privilege to access our space. Second of all for the excessive force "needed" to protect your transports. The mere fact that you insinuate our space is so poorly defended that you'd need a cruiser to defend your convoy is astounding.

We do however struggle to find the previously mentioned treaty, it may have been lost during the turmoil our house went through recently. So let's start afresh, for orders sake.
As in regards to your suggested treaty, The Ministry of Defense has come to the following decision.

As to article 1.
The Ministry of Defense has no opinion, this matter is left to the Ministry of the Interior.

As to article 2.
It is the decision of the Ministry of Defense, that while transport class vessels and liner class vessels are considered fine for trade, escorts shall request permit to entry from the Rheinland Military prior to entering Rheinland sovereign space. If you desire to bring gunboat or frigate class vessels, they may only transit our territory if you are also escorted by at least two Rheinland Military vessels. Failure to obtain a transit permit from the Rheinland Military will void this treaty. All escort vessels, regardless of their public call-sign or ship classification, is considered a foreign military vessel for the purpose of this treaty, and will be treated as according to article §4.4.

It is up to the discretion of the Rheinland Military command to decide how many and what type of escort ships is permitted into our space at any time.

In according to The Laws of Rheinland §4.1, No cruiser class vessels shall be permitted in our space. If a cruiser class vessel is seen entering our space, the local law enforcement will destroy it on sight, and all BAF|MN vessels will have their exemption in §4.4.1 revoked, and thus be considered a military asset henceforth and barred from entering our space again, as in accordance to §4.4..

As to article 3.
We move to strike this. It is unnecessary. See article 4 response.

As to article 4.
We believe that vessels associated with foreign militaries, when in our space, shall act entirely passively and non-aggressively. Provocations of any third party will be considered an aggressive act and the Ministry of Defense will treat this as a foreign military action within out borders.

As to article 5.
All BAF|MN vessels are barred from seeking port or mooring with our Military and intelligence installations along with Oder Shipyard. Entry into the Thuringia system or the Westerwald cloud is strictly prohibited and will result in the immediate imprisonment and or execution of all personnel involved as according to §6.2.
Furthermore, there shall be no cargo going from Rheinland, to a party considered hostile to Rheinland. Naturally, we cannot accept that the Bretonian Merchant Navy support our adversaries in any shape or form.
The Ministry of Defense has no further to add to this point.

Kind regards,
Rüdiger Steube

Ministry of Defense

Guten tag Herr O'Dukes, this is Susanne Huber on behalf of the Ministry of the Interior. We have been contacted in order to weigh in on a few matters regarding this case.

Let's get to article 1.
We have no objections from transportation of goods, as long as they do not breach §3.1 and especially subsection §3.1.1. & §3.1.4. We will be especially hawkish on breaches of §3.1.4 as this involves human life. There will be given no permit for the restricted goods outlined in §3.1.1

Furthermore, we would like to suggest a 6th article

As to article 6.
The Bretonian Armed Forces Merchant Navy, BAF|MN-, shall not supply, support, seek port or mooring with any modular installation within Rheinland Sovereign Space. Regardless of class of vessel or purpose of the convoy.

Kind regards.
Susanne Huber

Ministry of the Interior

Message Class: Textual
Encryption: MILITARY
To: The Rheinland Government
CC: Rheinland Military
From: Commodore Ryan O'Dukes, Commanding Officer of the Bretonia Merchant Navy

Guten Tag, Mr. Steube and Ms. Huber.

First of all, let me thank you for the quick response. I know, it takes some time for such requests until they reach any department that is in charge *he smiles*

Anyways, the terms for this new contract sound good to me. But I still would like to clarify some details.

Concerning the deployment of escorts, I would ask about a little adjustment. The destroyer HMS-Dorsetshire has been ordered to hold position in the southern border worlds. As I know, Omega 7 is considered Rheinland Space. I hereby request permission to send HMS-Dorsetshire to Omega-7, if a Convoy would run into hostile forces down there.

Furthermore, I do ask for permission to deploy at least one small escort craft per Convoy (without a notification to Rheinland Military). Our Convoys usually operate in a quite narrow schedule. I'd be very thankful, if we could find an agreement here.

Our Palace-class vessels (Liner) are usually equipped with CDs, due to their secondary purpose as auxilary patrol craft. If this is a problem, these types of equipment may be deactivated before entering Rheinland space.

I see, a lot of communication will be needed to get this done properly. A detailed training will be held soon, so all MN- officers will be infiormed about the regulations that apply here. Despite that, I propose a permanent communication channel, so any convoy commander or chief of escorts may contact an officer of the Rheinland Military before the Convoy is leaving Bretonian space.

With best regards!

We are looking foward to your replies

Ryan O'Dukes

Commodore
Bretonia Merchant Navy Command

Open for Replies

The Merchant Navy

Rheinland Government

The Merchant Navy