Discovery Gaming Community

Ambassador's Log:
Location: Undisclosed

I have found myself tired, very tired and most irritable of late. It doesn't help with my recent efforts of negotiation that I can't seem to get a message through when it's most needed. In light of that, Mrs. Holliday and myself have taken my shuttle to an undisclosed location for some relaxation. Maybe giving my mind a rest will help.
These past many days have seen me chat with Xeno officials in Bering. A friendly warning was issued regarding using the base as a staging area. After spending several days there to monitor things, the only thing I saw was passing traffic but nothing more.

*takes a sip of tea*

Mrs. Holliday and myself have rented a beachfront condo to relax for a bit. It's time to give her some much needed, undivided attention. For this week, she gets just that. I'll pick up the diplomacy and medical work when I get back

**Incoming transmission**
Comm ID: Fateh.Al.Noori(ZRT)
*Message opens*

Rest well good sir and the same goes for your wife. My GB will reposition to Bering so you can at least forget about that one for a while. Also, try to let go off all other issues

*Message ends*
**Signal lost**

From: Louisa Salome, (]c[)
To: Council of Zoners
Subject: Official Zoner Policies


Great Council,

Delegate Reisiger, Delegate Weepiglet and I have refined the Zoner Policies. Now we would like to put the contents of this proposal to a voting. The vote is opened now for a duration of four days and closed next Tuesday at 22:00 SMT.

Sincerely,
Louisa




Official Zoner Policies


Section I - General Policies: Zoner and Zoner Guard Charters

The Council of Zoners (CoZ) will abide by and claim all rights given by our "Charters", to wit:

Pilots carrying a Zoner ID are Zoners. Pilots carrying a Zoner Guard ID are Zoner Guards, who:

• Can trade and escort traders;
  
• Can demand Zoner pilots from any ship carrying them and can attack if the demand is ignored or refused;
  
• Can only attack those who are : directly attacking Zoners or Zoner NPC faction allies, carrying Zoner pilots, diplomatically hostile to Zoners, or those who have violated Freeport neutrality;
  (The Council of Zoners reserves the right to declare any vessel or group as "diplomatically hostile" for the purpose of these policies.);
  
• Cannot ally with anyone except against Zoner faction enemies, or to defend Zoners, Zoner bases and Zoner allies;
  
• Cannot participate in any unlawful actions;(The Council of Zoners chooses to define "unlawful actions" as those actions proscribed by any House or major "Governing Faction", but only in the ZoI of the House which specifically declares the action "unlawful".);
  
• Cannot use any ship with more than 3,800 cargo space when having a Zoner ID, while a Zoner Guard ID imposes no cargo limitation;
  
• Cannot fulfill bounty contracts except against Zoner faction enemies;
  
• The Zoner ID as well as the Zoner Guard ID does not make you immune to piracy; pirates may choose at their discretion whether to exempt you from being pirated.
  

Allowed ships when using the Zoner ID: Fighters, Bombers, Freighters, Transports, Gunboats.

Allowed ships when using the Zoner Guard ID: Fighters, Bombers, Freighters, Transports, Liners, Gunboats, Cruisers, Battleships.

Restricted Zoner Vessels:

1. Every ship of the following class is restricted to Zoner Guards:
   • Zoner "Jinkusu" Class Juggernaut
     
   • "Aquilon" Class Zoner Carrier
     
   • Corvo Deep Space Explorer
     
   • Zoner "Fearless" Destroyer
     
   • Zoner Borderworld Transport "ZBT-100Z 2"
     
2. Special dispensation may be given to non-Zoners by the Council of Zoners (CoZ) and the Authorized Department of Movement and Interstellar Networking of Sirius (//ADMINS).
   
3. Ship restriction violation is considered by the Zoner Community to be theft and is subject to investigation, evaluation, and possible action by the CoZ.
   

.


Section II - Zoner Neutrality

Zoner Neutrality, as reflected in these policies, is used to describe the attitude and behaviour of the entire Zoners community rather than the opinion and behaviour of certain Zoner individuals. The entire group of Zoners, remarkably but still not exclusively represented by the CoZ and including Registered Zoner Factions, does not take sides in any conflict of Sirius except for the protection of Zoner Spaces and Zoner Policies.

While Zoners as a group try to avoid contracts with any other party, they appreciate official agreements of mutual support which guarantee:

1. Zoners respect the laws of bordering powers and can allow their enforcement by lawful, non military factions - if a criminal crosses the border into Zoner Space -, provided the conditions of a Foreign Law Enforcement Treaty with the CoZ are met.
   
2. The bordering powers agree to maintain the neutrality of the Zoners and abide by the laws listed below.
   

The Zoners, as a whole, may never declare any human group as hostile. Neither the Zoners as a whole, nor any individual Zoner are allowed to issue blanket bounties on complete groups. Only individuals are allowed to be declared hostile to Zoners or outlaws in Zoner Space.

While Zoners can never take responsibility for the actions of any Non-Zoner outside Zoner Spaces. Non-Zoner actions inside of Zoner Spaces are subject to Zoner Space Laws.
.


Section III - Zoner Space Laws

Zoner Space Laws are divided into four subjects:

A. Non-Zoner Usage
B. No Fire Zones
C. Zoner Restricted Areas
D. Foreign Law Enforcement


A. Non-Zoner Usage

1. No non-Zoner may use Zoner facilities as bases of operations except with the explicit approval of the facility's owners (if they exist) or the CoZ.
   
2. Visitors who have business at a Zoner station are expected to dock, conduct their business and move on.
   

B. No Fire Zones

The No Fire Zone exists as a safe zone around all Zoners stations and bases, this means a 5k sphere around the main docking points, so that all factions may come and buy necessary supplies or sell locally produced wares without endangering the civilians hosts onbaord the Zoner station or planet. The NFZ is NOT a security blanket or safety net for pilots or factions to hide behind. If you have business at a Zoner station then dock, conduct your business and move on. As such:

• The No Fire Zone is an area in which no offensive actions are allowed. This includes the use of weapons (guns, missles, mines), intentional ramming, or provocative behaviour such as threats, taunting or masked insults.
  
• Any combat between vessels is prohibited within the NFZ. Including but not limited to engaging routine "patrol units" (//NPCs), or pursuing a 'fleeing' vessel into the NFZ to continue combat. All combat must cease and combatants must leave the NFZ immediately.
  
• Vessels fleeing into the NFZ are subject to the Space Rules imposed on all vessels by the Authorized Department of Movement and Interstellar Networking of Sirius (//ADMINS and Server Rules) and are considered as fleeing from combat and docking. The fleeing vessel must dock at the station or planet immediately, and remain docked for no less than 4 hours (//As per Server Rules 5.6 - 5.9).
  
• Self-Defense is allowed, only if absolutely necessary. Assisting individuals defending themselves within the NFZ is explicitly not allowed, unless those individuals are Zoners.
  
• Every CoZ member has the right to end gatherings of non-Zoners at his/her discretion, with minimal warning or explanation. Every CoZ member has the express right to enforce NFZ Policies by whatever means necessary.
  
• The CoZ reserves the right to declare any NFZ violator "Hostile" upon documented evidence of said violation, and to proceed per the "General (ID) Policies".
  
• NFZ Systems:
  • All of Baffin is declared an NFZ by the TAZ. Violators will be subject to both the "Bafflin' Pentabarf" and Zoner Policies.
    
  • All of Omicron-74 is declared NFZ by the ZTC. Violators will be subject to the Zoner Policies.
    
• Penalty/Action taken in case of a violation:
  
  1. A warning is issued.
     
  2. The offender is banned from the relevant NFZ for 4 hours.
     
  3. The destruction of the offender, if the said offender does not comply with orders from Zoner authorities.
     
  4. The offender is reported to the CoZ for further examination.
     

C. Zoner Restricted Areas

Zoner Restricted Areas are Pueblo Bonito in Baffin, and the system of Omicron-74 (except for Freeport XV and the direct route between the Theta and the Kappa jumpholes). The following rules apply:

1. Violating the Zoners' Restricted Areas can lead to immediate prosecution and engagement, with minimal warning or explanation.
   
2. CoZ members can restrict access to Omicron-74 at their discretion to everyone without prior notice or further explanation. This includes regularly unrestricted parts such as Freeport XV or the jumpholes in Omicron-74. The TAZ also reserves the right to lock down Baffin without prior notice.
   
3. Non-Zoner vessels are required to comply immediately to orders issued by any CoZ or ZRT vessel present.
   

D. Foreign Law Enforcement

Any regional laws imposed by a local power are not valid in Zoner Spaces. Additional regulations providing support for the enforcement of Zoner Policies by local non-military police powers in according Zoner Spaces are possible but must never violate the following rules:

1. The according Zoner Space must remain a NFZ.
   
2. Individuals except for aliens and their kin are considered to be temporarily neutral when they move into a Zoner Space.
   
3. No additional term is allowed to contain regulations that are not primarily or directly suitable to protect Zoner Spaces.
   
4. No individual representing a local police power is allowed to initiate hostilities unless granted express permission by the CoZ or individual Delegates of the CoZ, or by meeting the conditions of a signed Foreign Law Enforcement treaty.
   

.


Section IV - Zoner Response Team

1. The Zoner Response Team (ZRT) is not the Navy of the Council of Zoners, but a voluntary militia dedicated to the protection of Zoner communities.
   
2. Ships dedicated to the ZRT may have the suffix (ZRT) added to their transponder ID ( <ship-name>(ZRT) ) and use the Zoner Guard ID and IFF, unless they belong to a Zoner faction which has a different naming and ranking system.
   
3. Only vessels under the command of a member of the Council of Zoners may assume ZRT duties and draft Zoner volunteers not on the Council to help.
   
4. Due to their civilian nature, the following ship classes are not allowed for dedicated ZRT duty, but may be drafted for defensive purposes only:
   • "Corvo" Class Zoner Deep Space Explorer
     
   • Zoner "Jinkusu" Class Juggernaut
     
5. The ZRT's duties include:
   
   1. Enforcing the Council of Zoners' Official Policies - especially the No Fire Zone Policies - even towards other Zoners and our allies.
      
   2. May only protect Zoner convoys, single freighters or transports on official CoZ business outside the NFZ.
      
   3. The ZRT may hunt down and attack any vessel which has been declared "Hostile" to Zoners, but may only enter House or uncontested space (i.e Omicron Gamma, Omicron Minor, Omicron Alpha) with permission from the controlling powers.
      

.


Infringement of ANY of the above Policies can result in banishment from ALL Zoner Facilities, or being officially declared "Hostile" to Zoners.

------Incoming Transmission------

• [color=#FFFFFF]-- Transmission Source:
  -- Dispatcher ID: Nathen Laymen
  -- Recipient ID: CoZ
  -- Subject: Re: zoner policies
  

[font=Agency FB]

there is one clause that worries me slightly in the policies draft.

' Wrote:The Zoners, as a whole, may never declare any human group as hostile. Neither the Zoners as a whole, nor any individual Zoner are allowed to issue blanket bounties on complete groups. Only individuals are allowed to be declared hostile to Zoners or outlaws in Zoner Space.

this could be... bothersome given the current state of "negotiations" with queen carina's privateers. and the potential future need for doing just what that clause prohibits.

i will give this more thought before voting.

-Nathen

[font=Agency FB][color=#FF0000]------End Transmission------

*Yawn* *Stretch* *click..click* *Wuuuurr*.........*Cough cough cough....cough cough*



Hmmm., ruhgkjl;ekjhl;wekhljfh



Ok, wow, this thing on?



Ok, reading that there passage of rules and regulations made my eyes bleed. Looks like frakin IND lawyers wrote it. Gentles and Ladies, if there be any left among you, I point to this document as the final fall of our past Zoner ideology, and the first movement of the Zoner's as a corporate entity. I for one want no piece of all of the laws and rules, regulations and legislations. I for one left the houses so long ago, so that I could live free of this type of mentality, this type of functionality, this type of registrationality. When is it we Zoners became a house of our own?



Signed gruffly

The Bears

From: Louisa Salome, (]c[)
To: Council of Zoners
Subject: Zoner Policies


Delegate Laymen,

your demur seems to be reasonable if we Zoners are expecting to make war on other groups, but we all have to mind one important fact here: we all love our individuality and our freedoms, and all we are doing for this council is happing voluntarily. We are no state, and though we are trying to govern all Zoners our communities are of a strong civilian nature. We neither have reasons for large scaled war campaigns, not even against the racists of Bretonia, nor do we want to establish a military organization, which would be certainly necessary if we are planning to declare a complete group hostile. Our bureaucratic efforts to persecute many members of a group being hostile towards us might rise, I agree with you, but as much as we want to be recognized as individuals and enforce individual freedom we have to take as many efforts to act consistently. Therefore I cannot support any blanket bounties which are nothing else but a flowered declaration of war.

Sincerely,
Louisa

Sam strides into the conference chamber and looks about. Standing at his place he narrows his eyes

My dear delegates, before us today we have an opportunity. The document before us will put into writing what we already adhere to. It will leave no gray area for anyone to misinterpret. Now, this council works together to forward Zoner goals and life style. Unfortunately there are people out there that would take that from us. Zoners are individuals, we live out the life style we care to in the outer systems without the shackles of house or corporation rules and laws. The main problem we face is that individuals can be pushed about and trodden on. Now house, corporation or faction gives two cruds about running over a few individuals.

Together we are strong, together we can make sure our life style stays ours. Delegate Bears believes we should ignore these writings and go our own Zoner way. Well that is up to him. This council has always been voluntary! But if we had not come together to make rules and laws BOWEX WOULD OWN GRAN CANARIA!

Sam slams his fist on the table

United we stand, divided we will surely fall. We can either state in writing and law our beliefs and regulations or we can be slowly taken over and made slaves to whomever has the might. Because ladies and gentlemen that is what will happen. It is what is already happening. The QCP is going to push es until snap, their "government" could care less about us. Bowex I am sure would love to swoop down and take over Gan Canaria.

The QCP will not rest until we are embroiled in war with them and Bretonia. Now we can either roll over and give into their demands or figure a way out.

As for Delegate Laymen's concerns about that passage, that is the Zoner way. We do not declare any group hostile, save the nomads and their spawn. The QCP situation will I'm sure resolve itself, under a clause of self defense.

Personally I support this document. It puts it all out there for everyone to read and know what is what. Although I will also point out that adhering to it is the same as participation to this council, purely voluntary.


Sam looks about a scowl forming on his face

Now one of the things that I think funny is that our opponents always seem to know what we are about to do, before we do it. There is something rotten here. Either this room is under electronic surveillance, or information is being leaked. Either way it has been our downfalls in several negotiations. This must STOP! I recommend sweeping this rooms for bugs and stripping it to the super structure to make sure. If it is not that then someone among us is not being honest.

Sam tugs on each of his sleeves to straighten out his suit jacket.

I bid you all a good day

With that he turns and heads back out the door.

Louisa, blanket bounties are one thing, but putting the QCP on the hostiles list may be necessary. We'll just have to do our own dirty work.

Additionally, I would say that the part about ZRT needs to be reduced to the bare minimum, excluding the restrictions on Juggers/Corvo and Zoner Guard ID/IFF. Anybody in CoZ regardless of vessel class should be allowed to perform any sort of Zoner defensive/offensive duties.

Regards,
Yev Lightwing, Zoner Delegate

------Incoming Transmission------

• [color=#FFFFFF]-- Transmission Source:
  -- Dispatcher ID: Nathen Laymen
  -- Recipient ID: CoZ
  -- Subject: Re: zoner policies
  

[font=Agency FB]

after thinking this over once more, i have decided to vote yes for this document.

-Nathen

[font=Agency FB][color=#FF0000]------End Transmission------

Comm ID: Doc Holliday

Greetings Delegates,

Dancing Bears, Mr. Nichols is right. It is because Zoners came together in this council that we have Freeport Laws that work. Besides a few violators here and there, they are respected and adhered to. It is true we all left houses to live free from government corruption but as so many visit our bases and fly within our own space, we have to have some guidelines. It's not like we are oppressing people like some houses are. We are just trying to keep things safe.

I also agree with Mr. Nichols on something. It does seem strange that those who oppose us seem to find out what we're going to do before we do it. It's bad enough we have to deal with the likes of QCP. It's disturbing that we could well have a turncoat amongst us selling secrets. *brandishes his pistols* I pray I don't find out who if there is one.

For those who worked so hard on the policies, very well done. I have one simple addition. Where it says all of Baffin is a NFZ? Just for the very narrow minded indies out there, include that it is also a No Tax Zone.

Beyond that, the policies have my support.

-Doc