Communication link received...
Sender: Lloyd Black
Location: Freeport 6
Opening link...
In case you haven't noticed, Jura, a lot of traders are hiding behind Zoner neutrality despite not actually acting as Zoners should. If you want to blame anyone for what happened to you, blame them. It's not the pirates' fault they can't tell the difference between a true Zoner and a coward - though the terrible communication perhaps is their fault.
Black out.
Link terminated.
Comm ID: 914Y5GHT2WR8
To: Council of Zoners
ID Trace: Freeport 10, Tau-37
Displaying...
I trust that as the incident has been reported to the Zoner council, these two pirates' description will be passed onto the other Freeports, and access to these Freeports will be denied.
Supplies should also be denied to Alcatraz, for a length of time, to make the Liberty Rogues aware that piracy of a ship which was supplying them with certain commodities will not be tolerated.
We shouldn't need an escort. Fear of retribution should be enough. If the fear is not enough we run the risk of actually extracting retribution, and losing the precious neutrality we have.
Otherwise, this council has proved it has no power and can offer the "true" Zoner population no protection at all.
-BT4-A45, .HX Convoy Owner.
Transmission End.
[[Incoming radio transmission]]
[[Origin: Harold Green]]
[[Destination: Council of Zoners]]
This is my first message to this council, and it's in support of Jura_II. Unfortunately, a similar situation happened to me few hours before yours, with the same person, Robert Moran, and another pair of liberty rogues, carrying the Liberty Rogues official flag on their transponder. After calling me to get closer so i could get photos of his piracy attempts and operations, and blowing up a non-paying trader, they turned up on me, with a claim of... two million credits! Despite having themselves told me to get closer, so i could get those images.
As some people already has noticed, mine is an exploration vessel. Nothing but countermeasures and a thruster, nothing to trade with, just the basic supplies needed for deep exploration. They didn't care. Neither it did matter to them the adherence to the Zoner group. Of course, i'm sure the fact that my ship was and is completely unarmed decided them towards attacking me. I would understand pirate attacks on us if we are a threat, or if we have anything we could provide them of, something that would be so much needed than retaliation risks were affordable... but attacking a exploration vessel without weapons or valuable cargo? and later, Jura_II, after bringing supplies to their bases? I offered them my recording services, or any other service or cargo i could have they would need, but no, they wanted two millions. And after a few minutes of talking among them in private, they decided to "lower" the tax as i was a "zoner unarmed and with no cargo"... they lowered it to almost a million, which depleted almost all of my reserves for food purchases.
My friends, i think these liberty rogues have became too brave. Maybe there would be a way of showing them that they are chewing more that they can swallow?
I never had problems in the omicrons, even when the supposed risks there are higher. I have had corsairs showing me the beauty of their systems, allowing me to photograph the environment, the planets, the stars. I have met smugglers, soldiers, and terrorists. And neither of those behaved that way, even in such a harsh environment. Is it really expected that we got a full array of weaponry every time we got near a liberty rogue base, just for them?
Comm ID: 914Y5GHT2WR8
To: Harold Green, via Council of Zoners
ID Trace: Freeport 10, Tau-37
Displaying...
I hope that the Council is not powerless. Construction has started for .HX warships, to replace the power of the Council temporarily whilst it decides on what it feels is the best course of action. I only hope that the presence of these warships will be enough to stop these attacks, and that actual firepower need not be used.
-BT4-A45, .HX Convoy Owner.
Transmission End.
####Incoming Transmission####
Comm ID: The Wandering Star
From: Captain Brian Kelly
To: Council of Zoners
First of all, i would like to mention that I believe the transponders aboard Freeport 10 are malfunctioning somewhat as they are showing themselves as being Freeport 9 from Tau 37.
As to the Liberty Rogues threat, the only trouble i have encountered so far aboard my exploration vessel was in Liberty space and due to Liberty pirates. I am in full support of both Jura and Mr Green. I believe we must do something, anything, to show these Rogues they have overstepped the mark. I am not proposing aggressive contact or any such nonsense. I think the council should decide the course of action to be taken.
####End Transmission####
Comm ID: 914Y5GHT2WR8
To: Council of Zoners
ID Trace: Freeport 10, Tau-37
Displaying...
Issue has been fixed.
-BT4-A45, .HX Convoy Owner.
Transmission End.
*Rose begins to laugh and shake her head as she reads the latest transcripts of the council*
*She makes herself presentable before recording her message to the council*
Com ID:The White Rose
Greetings fellow Council members.
Mal...its wonderful to see you again. Glad your back.
As for trouble in Liberty......well......it's Liberty for fragging out loud. Why on earth any Zoner would feel the need to bring the Council into the quagmire of hamster dropings that is Liberty...is beyond me.
My advice is to tread carefully in House space and to spend only as much time as is needed to grab some loot and run.
Now if these Rouges encroach into our systems.....well..that will be a different matter entirely. I will pray they are not that stupid.
Rose Out
End Message
Haste... Haste, my fellow Zoners. This is where we show our mettle and endurance. I realize that piracy has taken ahold of certain sectors of space and certain routes of Sirius, but this is not justification to cease our policy of neutrality and non-intervention.
My suggestions are:
1.) If trade and profit be your interest, then find another route whilst your favorite is occupied by pirates.
2.) Continue in your exploration and fore go profit while piracy is heavy in your sector.
3.) Go shopping on Gran Canaria.
As for council actions concerning this matter, I suggest we 1.) name and note the pirates involved; 2.) contact their leaders (we have diplomatic relations with nearly every faction in Sirius) and relay our dissatisfaction with their followers (I assure you we serve a grand purpose in their survival). Finally, address this pseudo-zoner mess with affirmations across the sector of those who are truly to be recognized as Zoners (Post on the Forums and Identify yourself). The Council will re-iterate your message and confirm your status.
Last note: The occasional piracy or support of a faction's position through monetary means is not only to be expected but encourage. To show folks that we can be pirated as well will demoralize those who think they can hide behind a zoner tag.
Comm ID: Malaclypse.
Esteemed Chairglobe and Delegates,
Hand-wringing doesn't suit you, Jura. I tend to agree fully with Meiun on the issue. Ignore and avoid the blighters.. two stinking rogues aren't worth this Council's consideration.
Now, as to the .HX's offer to protect and defend this poor "powerless" Council.. I remind you sir Lotsa-numbers that power does not always come from the barrel of a gun. Power is also influence.. through communication, financial incentive, and negotiation. Good Lord, folk, we are so numerous that we could swat two miscreant pirates all day long; but that is not how Zoners operate.
I personally will not condone nor accept this offer of "replacement power" from these .HX warships, because our power does not need "replacing", and we do not need defending. If anything, these recalcitrants should be paying attention to the stranglehold we can place on their home bases through sheer numbers, and without firing a shot. And, if we do need military and defensive power, our Registry reflects an ample supply of capital ships now, without the offer of being saved by some upstart group I've not even heard of personally.. no offense, .HX Delegate.
Jura, I suggest you adopt Meiun's suggestions, and find another way to fatten your wallet.
Mal
***Incoming transmission***
From: Zoner exploration/trade ship Jura_II
To: Council of Zoners
While it may be common knowledge between Zoners that i like flying with a slightly bigger wallet i must point to few things first.
First i was neither trading nor fattening my wallet at that point. I was flying with an empty cargo hold. And i was not using rogue space to get to Manhattan. The pirates in question pirated me in the middle of the lane. In a space where i thought our neutrality would be respected. I was wrong.
Second i don't mind "bribing" various pirate and other faction when trading. A small credit amount when using their space is always smart. It makes fattening much simpler and much more secure.
Third, you might be right, as always. From now on i will do my House "work" carefully and with heavy support. Omicron space is much more secure and i will limit my time spent in other parts of Sirius.
Zoner Jura out
***End transmission***