Discovery Gaming Community

To: Council of Zoners
From: Lucky LeRoux

Here's the voting spread...

1. Yup, 5k Standard ZOI. Easy to remember and consistent when you need to know when you're safe from a disgruntled client.

2. Theta ZOI? Nah! It would scare too many potential, otherwise shy customers away. Know what I mean?

3. O 49 a ZOI? Yep.. Ol' Lucky needs a holiday sometimes... Best place in Sirius!

4. Liberate Human Cargo? Not me mates! But if you do it please let me know where they live when you've rehoused 'em. I got some smart Start Up Loan Deals.

5. Escorts in 49...Yep. If anyone thinks they can turn a buck doing it. However it shouldn't be mandatory. I guess this is a pass.

That's my splash.
Lucky

Comm ID: Chairman Mal, Ojo Caliente, Pecos

Mal's holo-image reveals him to be submerged in water up to his neck. The steam rising from the hot water makes the image waver. Feminine laughter and squeals can be heard in the "background".

What? We're done with the Motions already, Delegates? Very well, let me access the...

The Chairman's image is briefly obscured as the top of a bikini flies in from off-camera and lands on his head, covering his face. He scrambles to remove the item as the laughter and squeals become even louder.

Hush there, ladies! I'm in an important call here!

Mal once again turns towards the imaging unit, his face red, but not from the rising heat of the pool.

Umm.. yes.. here it is! Very nice participation!

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=reZ...amp;output=html

Now let's see. 5K NFZs standard.. passes handily.

System wide ZoI/"no-tax" for Theta.. obviously not!

System-wide ZoI/policing of good old 49.. narrowly defeated by two votes.. guess not then.

On making vessels leave their slaves/prisoners with us, or keep on going.. passes with a margin of six votes.. so that's a go.

And finally, the "Escort" question... hmmm...

The Chairman ponders at length, in the meantime ducking quickly to avoid yet another thrown article of scanty apparrel..

Girls! Stop it at once, or I will take you all over my knee!

Well, Delegates, either the issue was not clear.. or the Members were ambivalent.. or they wish to consult their own Pineals, depending on circumstances.. Fair enough. there being no clear consensus I declare the Escort issue dead.

I believe this does definitely show that we must not rush our deliberations and voting on matters until they are clearly defined. In other words.. keep your shirts on!

..this comment raised another bout of giggling and squealing from off-camera. Mal scowled fierceley in the direction of the disturbance.. and the gaeity slowly subsided.

Well, that is settled, and I'm on bloody vacation here! I suggest you folks do the same.

We are nicely ahead of schedule on the Agenda agreed upon, and I suggest that the remaining items, or any new business, can wait for a few days, until I'm recovered from this "peaceful retreat".. heh!

Good work, everyone. I hereby declare the Council in adjournment until Monday noon-ish when I return!

Mal's smile turns to surprise as his head abruptly disappears under the water, as if pulled down from beneath.. the image fades amid bubbling and fits of spasmodic laughter...

To: Malcolm Reynolds, Secretary, CoZ
From: Malaclypse, Gate Station, Coronado

Subject: Reconvening.

Malcolm,

My "vacation" was abruptly cut short, due to some complaints from the owners of the Spa on Pecos.

I was reported to the local Constabulary for alleged violation of some silly local Ordinance... "Dalliance with a minor" or some bollocks. I would have stayed to contest it, but there were apparently "multiple counts"..

Let's just keep that between ourselves, hmm?

Anyway, please copy the following and squirt it to the Delegates, so they can review, ponder, and prioritize.

Thanks!

Chairman Mal

Agenda update:

<strike>1: Standardization of NFZ distances for all Freeports and facilities (High);</strike>

2: Council "Hostiles" list(High);

<strike>3: The issue of pirating, and our "agreement" with the Corsairs, in Omega 49 (High);</strike>

<strike>4: Establishing our own "Response Team" and/or using outside contractors (High);</strike>

5: Coriko Lameos' motion to ban members of the Slavers Union (Medium);

<strike>6: Actions of ZAS (Zoners Abolishing Slavery) vessels, primarily in Tau-37 (Medium);</strike>

7: Doc Holliday's suggestions regarding Gallia and a possible Iridium embargo (Low);

<strike>8: Adding a No-fly-zone around the ruins of Freeport 7 (Low-Medium);</strike>

9: Raising money for a Freeport 7 memorial beacon (Low); (Report from Peter?)

10: Zoner colonization of Planet Sprague, Omega 3 (Low);

New Business:

Bowex and "Planet Sydney"; (Delegate Holliday?)

Draft of Council Policy for "public distribution"; (Delegate Silvan)

Opening Diplomatic channels with other "Councils" and Governments;

Other new business.

Comm ID: Chairman Mal

Good day, Delegates,

I hereby call the Council of Zoners to order.

I believe you all have copies of the revised Agenda.

The "Declared Hostiles" matter seems to be topmost, unless there is more urgent business I'm unaware of.

Since the Omega 49 "no tax zone" motion was narrowly defeated, I believe populating this list will be critical to keeping the peace in 49 and in other "hot spots".

We have our NFZs established, we have the Right "by Charter" to protect and defend our brothers, and to "escort" others at our discretion, and the official declaration of certain "persons of interest" as hostile provides the third leg of our Security "stool", in my opinion.

I'm still quite relaxed from my Sabbatical; but if I should happen to doze off in pleasant reverie, I trust Secretary Reynolds will capture and apprise me of anything "juicy" I may have missed.

The Floor is now open.

*incoming transmission*
Comm ID: [TAZ]Doc Holliday
To: All Delegates
Subject: Gran Canaria and the Bretonians

Greetings, Chairman Mal and fellow Delegates,

I wish to open the floor to discussion on something that could well be a major diplomatic crisis if we don't address it sooner than later, Bretonian expansion onto our Zoner home world of Gran Canaria. I first heard of it through some chatter over open coms and even intercepted private transmissions. I didn't act on it at first until the commander of the Vor'cha got into a bit of a shouting match with two Bowex trade ships. I was provided with these visuals of ship logs:


As you can see, they refer to it as Planet Sydney. I thank the crew of the Vor'cha for the heads up.

I also hear the talk every time I walk into the Canaria Cafe. It's been quite the buzz and some residents are angry that the expansionist Bretonians are making a move on our home world, myself included as I have a rather large Estate on the surface. What no one will want to see is a repeat of Planet Erie. Remember, it was settled by Zoners only to be annexed by Liberty? Remember all the turmoil that was caused? We don't need it again.

Some other things we need to consider is our Corsair neighbors. Can you imagine if Bretonia expanded and Corsairs got caught up in it? It wouldn't be a hassle for us so much but the blood shed and body count would be enormous. The Miners that we gave permission to to mine in OUR niobium fields? What would they think if Bretonia just "muscled in" without permission? Our deuterium fields. Would they try laying claim to them as their own?

I also think that once Bretonia is confronted with this, Queen Carina will make a public relations stunt on it. You know, "those heartless Zoners won't take in war torn refugees?" Well, we're taking them in on Erie and I have a family of them working my ranch and Estate. While nothing has come of things yet, these are things I foresee down the pike.

Mr. Chairman, I think this matter needs discussion. For now, there isn't much to vote on. At some point we will have diplomatic ties with Bretonia no doubt. *grins* I owe the Queen a thing or two after her insults towards me awhile back. We need more evidence to build a strong case and I dare say a strong military presence to show that we are prepared to fend off any expansionist. Like I said, we don't need a repeat of Erie.

Dr. John Henry Holliday

**Incoming Transmission**

To: Council of Zoners
From: Samuel Nichols - CEO Omicron Supply Industries

Message reads:

I concur with Mr. Holiday on this and second the motion that we need to discuss this Issue with BMM and Bretonia. They think because they just now discovered Gran Canaria that gives them the right to do with as they please and who cares about the current populous. This needs nipped in the bud before it even gets going. We need to open a dialog with the Bretonian government and address this matter forth with. Before it becomes a shooting war. If they want to start trading, fine, but O-49 is our system not some annex of Bretonian space. If this happens then what is to stop them, or any other house, from trying to take over our territory. This flagrant disregard disgusts me.

Samuel Nichols
CEO - OSI

**End of Transmission**

Comm ID: Chairman Mal, Pueblo Bonito

Delegates, this is... disturbing to say the least.

Historically, the Brets don't have a leg to stand on.. we all know that. I would point to not only the "written" history of Omega 49, but also to other personal histories which prove without a doubt that the Zoners, and to some degree our Corsair neighbors, can claim "Eminent Domain" to not only Gran Canaria, but to the entirety of Omega 49 as well. My associate Reggie Waverly lived here for half a decade, as did Alan Kell and other prominent Zoners.

Just because we have decided not to make the system a "no-tax" zone, that does not infringe on our legal and historical right to claim it as our "Zone of Interest", with all the legal priviledge that entails and guarantees.

Unless there are objections, the Chair delegates the TAZ's Ambassador Doc Holliday to spearhead any diplomatic efforts in this matter, up to and including the establishing of Official Diplomatic Channels with Bowex, BMM, and the bloody Bretonian Parliament itself if necessary.

We do need more proof of this "incursion" in order prove our case when Diplomatic overtures are made. I suggest we all make that a priority during any discussions on the matter.

While this seems of a high priority, I still encourage the Council to focus on identifying hostile vessels and persons as its first priority.

COMM ID: William Ironfoot
TO: Council of Zoners

In light of the worrying developments regarding the Bretonians and Omega49, should we be making it a priority to have a large defense force around the planet?

Being a resident of Gran Canaria I find it deeply disturbing that the Bretonians are showing a keen interest in our system.

Are there any matters that have been recently voted on that may need revisiting in light of these recent developments?


* Comms out *

Comm ID: Doc Holliday

Mr. Ironfoot,

As of yet, no one can be sure as to exactly why Bretonia is showing an interest in our system.....and Gran Canaria, which they have named Planet Sydney. I have a few suspicions however.
-Gran Canaria IS a very clean, habitable planet with sparce population. It would be nice to have with their growing population.
-They are losing a war to Kusari and subsequently, much territory. The Bowex ships that frequent Omega 49 are re-settling refugees on our "very clean, habitable planet with sparce population."
-Bretonia is, after all, an imperialistic empire. They have laid claim to Orkney, Omega 3 and the Taus.
*sarcasm on*
-How are a few of us weak Zoner civilians going to stop the almighty Bretonian empire and military?
*sarcasm off*
-Niobium
-Deuterium

Mr. Ironfoot, like you, I too reside on Gran Canaria in a nice remote area where I have built my Estate and ranch which is now 10,000 acres of unspoiled land. The Klingons have a small settlement for themselves there and I know of many a Zoner who lives there.

Now, I don't want to put a large defense force around Gran Canaria. In fact, it is the last thing I want but if Bretonia muscles it's way in, we may have no choice. It would be much like how Liberty annexed planet Erie after Zoners settled it long before. All of this is why I made mention of this so that we can discuss it and come up with a plan BEFORE things get out of hand. Hopefully a diplomatic solution will be possible although the Queen herself makes diplomacy quite difficult.

The only real recent decision made for the Omega 49 system was a vote to make it a tax free system which really wouldn't have much effect on this matter. You can bet though that if Bretonia takes it, we'll get to pay those rather hefty taxes the government likes charging.

-Doc

Callsign: Yev Lightwing of the Zoner Trading Consortium (]c[)

Girls and boys, let's not get our panties in a twist. A few Brits paying us a visit is no reason to panic. So they call our planet Sydney, so what. Let them. They can call it whatever they like for all we care. Until the BAF start patrolling our skies, we have nothing to worry about.

And even if that happens, there won't be any reason to start mustering forces and defenses. Coy politics must be fought with equal methods. If the Brits start waving their flags everywhere, why we give them a big hug and show them around the place. And while we're at it, we'll introduce them to our close neighbors -- the Corsairs. And we'll invite the Mollys in there too and give them a tour of where the Wilde like to show their face now and again.

You see, O-49 is a melting pot of cultures, including your not-so-savory types. And that's what makes Zoners so special. Our Freeports give access to almost everyone. If the Queen wants to discover what the Corsairs are all about or how polite the Wilde are, who are we to deny her this pleasure?